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Health and Wellness

5 Tips for How to Lose Weight and Have Fun in the Process

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Eating rich, gourmet foods while watching your favorite shows on television seems like fun until you start to see the numbers ticking higher on your bathroom scale! A lot of people really do want to change their sedentary habits and lose weight, but getting motivated is the biggest obstacle to that goal. Here are a few tips for how to lose weight fast in fun and healthy ways.

Start Walking the Trails

Some people dread working out in gyms because it can be monotonous and boring. Going to the same place every day and looking at the same sights can be less than inspiring. If this is your issue, try walking the trails near where you live. Something about being outside in the serenity of nature gives you the energy and motivation to get healthier.  There’s a good chance that there’s a nature trail within 5 to 10 miles from your home where you can enjoy nature while walking off the pounds. Remember to bring your favorite music or an audiobook to listen to while you’re taking in the sights.

Do Impromptu Five-Minute Spurt Workouts

When you’re reluctant to do a workout routine regularly, it’s often because you aren’t looking forward to doing it for an hour or more, especially if it’s going to make you hot and sweaty. So instead, do your workouts in five-minute spurts throughout the day. Pick about five different videos of five-minute workouts (mix it up with yoga, cardiovascular, and targeted routines) and turn them on whenever you get a moment during the day. Then go back to doing whatever you were doing before feeling much more energized. If you’re driving and aren’t in a rush to get to your destination, pull over and take a 5 minute walk in a nice area or park, then go back to your car. Add a little spice to your life!

Make Healthy Eating Interactive with Instagram

One of the best ways to commit to healthier eating and losing weight is to get a wider community involved. Use your Instagram account to post photos of your healthy meals. People love food photos on Instagram and the “likes” you get will encourage you to post more. You’ll also be encouraging others to join in on the fun. Make a daily habit of posting at least one healthy meal you’ve prepared on your account and build your following.

Create Unique Health Drinks

Discovering and experimenting with new health drinks that can help you drop weight fast can be fun. Just visit the produce section at your local grocery store to see the many options you have for creating new smoothies and juices. Make it a new project for yourself–do research on the specific fruits, vegetables, and natural supplements that help promote weight loss. Examples include lemons, pears, apples, spinach, berries, flaxseed, green tea, and green coffee bean extract. Also consult your physician for specific nutritional advice.

Listen to Comedy When You’re Jogging

Jogging (whether outside or on a treadmill) isn’t the most exciting physical activity for everyone, but it does wonders when you want to drop weight fast. To make jogging more fun, put in your headphones and listen to comedic routines on your smartphone (you can find plenty on YouTube). Not only will you burn fat from jogging, you might also burn off a few inches from laughing.

If you’re looking to lose a few pounds but lacking the motivation to exercise and eat better, try these ideas to lose weight fast in a fun way. You may be surprised by how quickly the fat begins to melt away, and also by how much better you feel both physically and mentally.

 

Posted by Jade

3 Natural Soaps: Oatmeal, Goat’s Milk & Shea Soap

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Having dry unhealthy skin is so unpleasant. Next to your smile, your skin is the first thing that people see when they meet you. One can spend a mini fortune buying expensive name brand skin items that don’t even work as well as natural solutions. I decided to give three natural soaps a try: oatmeal, goat’s milk and shea butter soap. Here is what I learned about each type of soap and my personal experience with each.

Oatmeal Soap

Oatmeal Soap
Benefits:  
– helps with poison ivy and bug bites
– moisturising effect on skin
– helps clean skin by exfoliation
– can help both dry and oily skin
– helps with sunburn, rashes or pain
– helps reduce signs of aging

My personal experience with oatmeal soap: I only use this soap when I have a skin breakout (it’s good for eczema symptoms) or a bug bite. It does a great job of soothing the area and reducing itching.

Goat’s Milk Soap

Goats Milk Soap
Benefits:
– high content of alpha-hydroxy acids like lactic acid which breaks down dead skin cells and leaves new cells behind
– excellent moisturizer- soothes dry skin
– contains vitamin D, C, B1, B12 & E
– treats acne because of anti bacterial properties

My personal experience with goat’s milk soap: I was giving this soap by someone I love and trust who swears by it. It’s extremely smooth, silky and milky as the name suggests. I’ve found it to be a good moisturizing soap that makes your skin smooth to the touch, and of course there are no harsh dyes or scents. I love the way it smells.

Shea Soap (raw)

Shea Butter Soap
Benefits:
– does not strip essential oils from skin
– disinfecting skin properties
– contains unsaponifiable compounds
– contains vitamins A, C & E
– fights germs & bacteria
– added bonus: shea butter also acts as a sunscreen

My personal experience: while I haven’t used raw shea soap just yet, I use shea butter in its natural form almost every day. This stuff is a great skin protectant and makes your skin supple (like butter). It can also help ease the irritation of rashes and eczema symptoms.

So Are Natural Soaps Right for You?

I really feel a difference in my skin when I use natural soaps. I hardly require any moisturizer on my skin after using them because they already have moisturizing properties built-in. If you’re a person who struggles with very dry skin and other skin ailments, oatmeal soap, goat’s milk soap or shea butter soap just might work better than your usual product. They may help ease your symptoms (just make sure that you’re not allergic to the ingredients) and give you the soft, supple, clear, glowing skin you’ve always wanted.

Compiled and Posted by Lorraine and Louise

Images courtesy of Amazon.com

 

3 Smoothie Recipes: Green, Red and Pink

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Smoothies are the new go to meal. You can energize your body, especially if you replace a heavy breakfast with a nutritious vitamin packed smoothie. Depending on what you put in your smoothie you can eventually improve your overall health. Here are three smoothie recipes you might want to try (Green, Red and Pink) along with their benefits.

1- Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
* spinach
* celery
* green apple (core removed)
* fresh ginger root (the size of a quarter)
* raw honey or stevia (optional) natural sweetener
* whey protein powder

Benefits of ingredients-
* green apple is high in fiber
* spinach lowers the risk of cancer and is a great source of iron
* celery is a natural diuretic
* ginger is awesome for circulation, inflammation and is a natural pain reliever
* protein powder is a great source of protein that helps rebuild muscle while keeping your appetite satisfied

Red Smoothie

2- Red Smoothie

Ingredients:
* beet root
* raspberries
* fresh turmeric
* ginger
* raw honey or stevia natural sweetener
* whey protein powder

Benefits of ingredients-
* beet roots are great at preventing coronary artery disease, strokes, lowers cholesterol and contains vitamins B3, B5, B6
* raspberries are full of antioxidants, iron, phytonutrients, fiber, magnesium, potassium, zinc just to name a few
* turmeric has antibacterial properties, is a anti-inflammatory and helps detoxify your liver
* ginger is awesome for circulation, inflammation and is a natural pain reliever
* powder is a great source of protein that helps rebuild muscle while keeping your appetite satisfied

3- Pink Smoothie

Ingredients:
* strawberries
* kale
* raw honey or stevia natural sweetener
* cayenne powder (very little needed)
* whey protein powder

Benefits of ingredients:
* strawberries lower homosysteine levels which prevents damage to the inner lining of the arteries, great source of fiber, excellent for diabetics because it helps regulate blood sugar
* kale has a low caloric content, contains vitamins- A, K, C, B6, Manganese, Calcium, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, helps body to rid body of free radicals, lowers blood pressure
* cayenne powder helps speed up metabolism
* powder is a great source of protein that helps rebuild muscle while keeping your appetite satisfied

 

Posted by Eve

Photo credit: Flickr/idamyrvold

Review: Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express

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In the past year, I’ve dedicated more time and effort to exercising and eating healthy. I was researching the best ways to consume foods that provide me with natural energy and optimal health. The best way  to accomplish that was to begin juicing. I found the Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express to be a decent fit for my immediate needs.

Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express

Benefits
– affordable (can be purchased for under $100 — I got mine on sale for around $70)
– sleek design that fits in with the rest of your appliances
– claims to extract more juice than other juicers on market
– capable of handling a variety of fruits and vegetables very well, and no need to chop them very small

This juicer does a good job of getting most of the nutrients out of my fruits and veggies. It has a large mouth so that it’s not necessary to cut the veggies so small and a convenient spout that you can turn on and off when the cup gets full.

Since I have been using the Jack La Lane juicer on a consistent basis I feel great. Fresh juice gives me a boost on mornings when I’m dragging myself into my day. I’ve even started experimenting with different juicing recipes to break the monotony. However, I have to admit that making these juices are time consuming and messy. I wish that there was some type of self-cleaning mechanism or a more efficient way of delivering the pulp to the emptying cup on this juicer.

So while I encourage anyone who is searching for a decent juicer to give the Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express a try, I would give it about 3 stars out of 5. I am now researching cold press juicers, which are more expensive but also seem to offer an easier clean up process. Time for an upgrade!

Posted by Jade

 

Avon Skin So Soft – One of the Best Mosquito Repellents

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I’m convinced now. Avon Skin So Soft is one of the best mosquito repellents.

After hearing about the recent mosquito concerns, I knew that it was even more important to protect myself and family from potential mosquito bites. Products advertised in stores don’t always work. In fact, if you go to some regions, like the South USA, bugs look at common mosquito repellent sprays like seasoning on their “meal.” So I decided to go back to an old-school, throw back solution for keeping mosquitoes off of you: Avon Skin So Soft bath oil. This has been the most effective solution for me this summer — especially since I do a lot of gardening.

Avon Skin So Soft Mosquito Repellent
This stuff works.

Benefits
– effective mosquito and gnat repellent (I guess they don’t like the smell)
– makes skin feel soft and conditions skin
– gives off a clean refreshing smell
– often safe to use on or around animals
– less harmful than other products on the market; more natural

I used this product as a teen and now will continue to use it as an adult every summer. After using it I began to notice that when I came back into the house after a long day, little to no bites. Just smooth skin. I definitely feel more protected when out in the yard working. It’s important to slather the oil on liberally on every area of your body–including under your shorts. Spray or rub some on top of your pants or shorts as well because sometimes mosquitoes can bite through the fabric. Skin So Soft might not be 100% effective, but I’ve found it to be more effective than other brand name repellents.

When visiting an aunt who lives in the deep south where temperatures sometimes reach over 110 degrees, she confirmed that she uses Avon Skin So Soft for protection from mosquitoes. I’ve now passed this suggestion to my family and friends so that they can also be protected.

I totally recommend using Avon Skin So Soft to manage concerns about the Zika virus and also just to enjoy the summer bug and bite-free. It comes either in a large 24 ounce bottle or in a smaller spray bottle (I prefer the oil you can rub on). I give this product 4.5 stars out of five.

Posted by Louise

 

Review: Magic Bullet NutriBullet 12 Piece High Speed Blender/ Mixer System

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I have been eating healthier for some time now. Yet, I wanted to add a protein drink/smoothie that I could consume in the morning that would give me energy to start my day. My old blender was subpar and couldn’t really process food down to a smooth consistency. I found the perfect replacement blender to accommodate all of my needs: the Magic Bullet NutriBullet High Speed Blender/ Mixer System. Now, I would not use any other blender, nor will I purchase an expensive smoothie from a juice bar again.

Benefits
– it’s very easy to use
– does not take up a lot of counter space
– dual uses chops nuts and grains & makes smoothies.
– pulverizes contents to enjoy a true smooth smoothie
– even capable of turning the seed or nut of your choice into a fine powder
– many accessories ex. lids, 2 different size containers
– not wasteful, utilizes the whole fruit and vegetable
– affordable (and worth the cost over time)
– available in 4 colors to help match your decor

Since this blender has many uses I’ve saved a lot of money. I buy my fruit and veggies in bulk and freeze them for smoothies, which equates to no food spoilage. Everyday I enjoy the versatility that the blender offers. It has also helped me control my weight because instead of a standard breakfast, I have a fruit-filled smoothie instead. I recommend the Magic Bullet NutriBullet to everyone who wants to enjoy a healthy & nutritious meal replacement.

Posted by Lorraine