We are all in agreement that fiber is good for us, but have you ever wondered if one fiber — soluble or insoluble — is healthier? To answer that question, you need to know the difference between the two. Soluble fiber binds with fatty acids and lengthens the time it takes for your stomach to empty, so sugar is released and absorbed more slowly. This helps regulate blood sugar levels, and also allows your body more time to absorb essential nutrients from your food. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool, which is key to regularity. This type of fiber also controls and balances the pH levels in your intestines, which helps prevent colon cancer.

Each type of fiber benefits the body, but only you know which type your body needs more of. I’d say that if you have issues with constipation, aim to eat more insoluble fiber. If you’re concerned with regulating your blood sugar levels, go for for soluble fiber. To learn which foods are good sources of each, read more.

If you find that you’re skipping out on exercise altogether because you’re too busy, have meetings, have family obligations, or are just plain exhausted, then morning workouts might be just the thing you need. How can a non-morning person turn into a morning exerciser? Learn a handful of ways to become an early riser when you read more.

1. Get to bed early the night before. Even if you’re one of those rare people who can survive on less than five hours of sleep that is not enough snooze time if expect to wake up and have energy for a morning workout. That means you can’t go to bed at midnight and expect to rise and shine at 5 a.m. Get into the habit of going to bed early enough so you get at least eight hours of zzz’s.
2. If you’re not sleepy at night, try limiting your caffeine during the day, and be finished with your last caffeinated bev by 4 p.m. Warm baths, a cup of tea, and ditching the TV and computer use before bed can also encourage you to relax and fall asleep more easily.
3. Creatively motivate yourself. When you’re cozy under your sheets telling yourself you feel great after you exercise will probably not help you jump out of bed. Get creative with your means of motivation. Make a new workout playlist, or get excited to wear your new sneaks. Conjure up the image of that cute guy you’ve seen at the gym lately. Get psyched about a tasty new breakfast idea. If you have something you’re looking forward to once you wake up, you’ll find it impossible not to get out of bed.
4. Make a date and set a time. You know you love Boot Camp and your gym only offers it at 6:30 a.m. Make an appointment with a trainer or plan to meet a fitness buddy at the park to go for a run. Scheduling morning workouts is a surefire way to get you there.
5. Reward your morning exercise efforts. Either give yourself a little treat after each morning workout or make a goal to exercise every day, Monday through Friday and on the last day, buy yourself a new fitness top, get a pedicure, or go to the movies with a friend. Rewards are huge motivators, and thinking about the pleasure that comes after your hard work may give you that emotional push out of bed.

Do you work out in the morning? Is it easy or hard for you?

That’s not to say you need to spend big money on workout clothes. The days of carefully co-ordinated gym wear like the G-string leotards of the early ’90s are over. Workout clothes are far less self-conscious than they used to be – and a good thing, too.  Don’t take refuge in a big T-shirt because it’s proven that a black singlet and pants that skim, but don’t hug your contours too tightly are more flattering than baggy tops.

Although going to the gym shouldn’t be a fashion show, it’s still important to look good. Besides, when you look good, you feel good. Wearing comfortable clothing that you feel confident in and that allows for ease of movement will help you feel better about your workouts and maybe even keep you a bit more motivated. If you have just embarked on a new exercise program, this feature will clear up any questions about what you need to bring to the gym or what to wear as you exercise. If you’re currently exercising, this will serve as a refresher and give you some tips to increase your comfort level while being active.

Workout clothes – The type of material that you choose to wear to the gym should allow you to feel dry, comfortable, and confident. Your main focus while exercising should be giving it your all, and you shouldn’t be self-conscious or uncomfortable in the clothing you are wearing. Depending on the type of workout you are performing, different clothing may be required. The cut of the clothes you wear to the gym should allow you to move freely without constricting your movements. You will be moving around and bending often while exercising, so the clothes you wear should allow for flexibility. Look for clothing made of synthetic material such as nylon, acrylic, or polypropylene for a good balance of functionality and comfort. Cotton is probably the most common workout fabric, as it is reasonably priced, breathable, and comfortable. However, it tends to hold moisture and become quite heavy if you sweat. Depending on the climate and your comfort level, a fitted T-shirt or tank top (made of the materials noted above) with comfortable pants or gym shorts are ideal exercise clothing options.

Training Shoes – Before deciding on a shoe, it’s important to try on a few until you find the one that feels just right. While at the store, test the potential shoe out by walking around the store and jumping up and down. To find the ideal fit, it is also important to wear socks that you would be wearing while you exercise. In addition, make sure you choose the shoe that is right for the activity it will be used for.

Runners: The right running shoe should provide stability, motion control, and cushioning for your runs. Depending on the shape of your foot you may need a different sized arch. Talk to a salesperson that specializes in running shoes to find your best fit.

Walking shoes: An ideal walking shoe should allow for a range of motion and cushioning.

Cross-trainers: These are most commonly worn in the gym. These shoes are ideal for someone who occasionally runs, walks, and/or takes fitness classes. They should offer flexibility, cushioning, and lateral support.

Socks – When choosing socks to wear to the gym, don’t make the dreaded mistake of sporting dress socks with running shoes. Choose white or grey socks that allow your feet to breathe and are comfortable to train in. Wear socks made from acrylic or an acrylic blend. This material doesn’t retain moisture as cotton and wool often do, which can lead to blisters and other foot problems.

Sports bras – A good sports bra is essential to provide support and minimize excessive movement. The bra should be a blend of cotton and a “breathable” material such as Lycra® mesh to help sweat evaporate and keep odor in check. Try on different bras until you find the one that provides the most support and comfort. Try jumping up and down or running on the spot as you try different bras on to measure their support. The bra you choose should fit snugly, offering support but not constricting your range of motion. Make sure the straps don’t dig into your shoulders or the band into your rib cage. It should fit snugly, but you should be able to breathe comfortably.

Hair ties or clips – If you have long hair or bangs that fall into your face, don’t forget to bring hair elastics or clips to pin your hair back. Nothing is more annoying than trying to exercise when your hair keeps falling in your face.

Towel – Towels are both a comfort measure and a necessity. You’ll be glad to have one with you after you’ve worked up a sweat

Water bottle – It’s important to keep hydrated throughout the day, and it’s essential during and after your workouts.

Weight-training gloves – Keep your hands soft and callus-free by wearing gloves when you’re lifting weights.

Heart-rate monitor – You can make sure you’re in your fat-burning zone by wearing a heart-rate monitor during your cardio sessions. Use the following formula to calculate 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate: Subtract your age from 220. Multiply the remainder by 0.50 for the lower end of your target zone, and multiply it by 0.70 for the high end of your target zone.

Watch – As you become more advanced, you may want to start timing your rest periods in between each set. Depending on your goals this will ensure you are not resting too long or taking breaks that are too short.

Exercise Fashions Dos and Don’ts

DO: Wear clothes that complement your figure.
DO: Wear cotton gym socks.
DO: Wear comfortable clothing such as yoga pants and fitted tanks or T-shirts.

If you’re big all over, black makes you look skinnier. If you’re bottom-heavy, wear darker pants and a lighter top – or vice versa, if your bottom half is too skinny. If your legs are on the short side, aim for pants that aren’t too wide (they’ll emphasise the shortness of your legs) and that finish at the knee or just below the knee.

Already slim? A tank top with an action back (scooped at the back to expose your shoulder blades) can make you look fitter than you are. The same goes for singlets that are cut to show your shoulders at the front; they also make narrow shoulders look broader. But if you’re bigger, opt for a top with a rounded back that provides more coverage.

Detox (verb): to eliminate, get rid of and/or cleanse from toxins

Our bodies have a built-in detoxification and cleansing system, a natural function of eliminating toxins through certain organs, the kidney, liver, intestines, lymph and blood. For many of us though our bodies are battling to eliminate the toxins as fast as we ingest them.

Our bodies become congested with toxic substances either through a short term over-exposure, bad lifestyle, diet, or excessive use of alcohol and drugs.

Detoxification refers to programs or steps taken to cleanse and purify. Of course we immediately think of the body, diets, colon cleanse and liver. Maybe alcohol and drug detox too. But if you think about it, every aspect of your life could benefit from getting rid or toxins. How about your primary relationships like with your significant other, your children, your parents. Ever think about cleaning up your attitude? Do your have an attitude that is lashing out at the world and attracting back more negativity to your life?

Today, with more toxins in the environment than ever, “it’s critical to detox,” says Linda Page, N.D., Ph.D., the author of Detoxification (Healthy Healing Publications). Page recommends detoxing for symptoms such as unexplained fatigue, sluggish elimination, irritated skin, allergies or low-grade infections; bags under the eyes; a distended stomach even if the rest of your body is thin; menstrual difficulties; or mental confusion.

Where to begin?

1. Eat plenty of fiber, including brown rice and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Beets, radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, spirulina, chlorella, and seaweed are excellent detoxifying foods.

2. Cleanse and protect the liver by taking herbs such as dandelion root, burdock and milk thistle, and drinking green tea.

3. Take vitamin C, which helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins.

4. Drink at least 2 quarts of water daily.

5. Breathe deeply to allow oxygen to circulate more completely through your system.

6. Transform stress by emphasizing positive emotions.

7. Practice hydrotherapy by taking a very hot shower for five minutes, allowing the water to run on your back. Follow with cold water for 30 seconds. Do this three times, and then get into bed for 30 minutes.

8. Sweat in a sauna so your body can eliminate wastes through perspiration.

9. Dry-brush your skin or try detoxifying patches or detox foot spas / foot baths to remove toxins through your pores. Special brushes are available at natural products stores.

10. What is the most important way to detoxify? Exercise! Yoga or jump-roping are good. One hour every day.

So you started a new workout regimen where you’re getting in cardio 5 to 6 days per week and strength training too. You’re feeling great about your results, the pounds are starting to drop but there’s an abnormal ‘funk’ coming from your gym bag, from your laundry room, and from all of your clothes in general. What is going on?? Working out definitely has a lot more pro’s than con’s – however, one of the biggest con’s that I can think of is the fact that a good session leaves your clothes smelly, even after you’ve washed them a couple of times. So I did some research and was able to come up with some remedies to get rid of the funky smell and get you back into the gym or outside to complete your workouts without having to pinch your nose shut. Hopefully these will work to your advantage!

Option 1: Get new detergent

There has been many improvements made in laundry detergents that specialize in not only cotton clothing but for the moisture-wicking tees/dry fit clothing that people usually wear while working out. These detergents are soft enough for lingerie even. However, the best part about it is that they are specifically designed to pull the stench out of the clothing and they leave your garments nice and fresh. Some well-known detergents are:

Atsko Sports Wash : $

• I have seen many great reviews on this product. Try finding where you buy this product in your area as opposed to ordering directly from the site.

No Sweat Laundry : $$$

• I only found one review, but it was 100% positive. The site is chic and girly – very neat concept but was kind of amazed at the higher prices.

Febreze Sport : $

• Febreze works wonders – we all know that.. and their sport collection is no different. They even offer the sport collection detergent.

Option 2: Creat new habits after working out

Many have recommended that you must simply hang your clothes to dry completely after a sweat-filled workout. Dampness brings upon the stench and mold, so when you throw your clothes into a gym bag and allow them to stay damp, the smell gets stronger. So throw your clothes over a chair on your patio or a place where it will get air to fully dry – then you can wash it from there.

Option 3: Add in items to your everyday detergent

Some folks don’t really want to try new detergent because they are satisfied with their own so there are two ways to get rid of that stink.

• Vinegar
• Baking soda

So there you have it – some ways to get rid of the funk. Hopefully these will work to your benefit. If you try it out, let me know how it goes by leaving a comment.

We all have guilty pleasures…here are some of my own:

01. Purchasing magazines at the store instead of saving $ by subscribing

02. Dancing everywhere – to the bathroom, on the patio, in the car

03. Doodling my name (practicing my autograph)

04. Twitter

05. Buying an item just because it’s on the sell or clearance rack

06. Cookies made by my little sister, Lu

07. Not checking my voicemail for days

08. Sending random picture text messages

09. Writing out to-do lists, then re-writing because it was messy

10. Listening to a song, and picturing myself being in the music video for it

11. Cool whip

12. Wanting to work out after a drink or two

13. Daydreaming about raising a family and living down the street from my two best friends – Andrea and Monica

14. Living by and through quotes & pictures

15. Paying more attention to song lyric than the actual beat of the song

16. Taking hot baths, with bubbles

17. Tanning beds

18. Adoring anything vintage

19. Taking the term “retail therapy” to heart on a bad day

20. Caring more about my clients then myself, at times

21. Chatting with my dad for hours

22. Gossiping with my gramma

23. The “nook” (resting your head right on the inside shoulder of your significant other, it’s like the perfect spot while laying down)

24. Arcade games

25. S’mores when it’s chilly outside

26. 600 thread count sheets, at least.

27. Going to movies and being more excited about the previews

28. Designing clothes at 3am – I always gets the most creative thoughts then

29. Going out with guy friends, and dancing (yes… guy friends)

30. Enjoying staying in my house on a Friday or Saturday night

What are some of yours? (Comment below)

Sometimes, it’s not about the big picture. Sometimes, it is just about the little things. The eye-contact, the smiles, the laughs – the little things. Because without all the little details, there would be no big picture.

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Do you trust others easily? Do others trust you?  More importantly, do you trust yourself? I find that with a majority of my clients who are looking to begin a new workout routine or start a new nutrition plan – they jump into it head first and don’t take a moment to consider whether or not they trust themselves to get through it. Perhaps that’s why a lot of people get stuck into the “yo-yo dieting”.  I encourage my clients to take a day to themselves before they start a program to really dig deep inside and let everything from the past go – then I tell them to re-establish a trusting relationship with theirselves. Once that is done with, they will have the drive and motivation to KNOW that they CAN and WILL get through their struggles. When you have a bunch of mush and nonsense blocking the trust, you are more likely to hand out excuses or runaway from the problem.  This doesn’t just have to pertain to weight loss and toning of your body, trusting yourself is a BIG DEAL. It will get you through your hardest struggles, it will make you go the extra mile, and most importantly, it will benefit you and everyone around you.

Re-establishing a trusting relationship with one’s self can be done a couple of different ways:

¤ Grab your best friend and write down reasons why you trust them, and have him/her do the same. Sometimes we need to see why others trust us so easily for us to realize that we are able to trust ourselves.

¤ Be true to yourself – don’t make up excuses. Perhaps you are so used to making excuses that you don’t even know if you could trust yourself again. Start being true today.

¤ Surround yourself with people who encourage you. It’s important. If you’re constantly told that you “can’t do this” and you “can’t do that”, you will begin to believe it.

¤ Be realistic. We all dream – and dreaming is amazing, but when it comes to re-establishing a relationship with yourself, you’re not going to go from one extreme to the other in a short time. It takes work.

¤ Do something you love to do, often. When you are doing something you love to do, you’re more likely to forget about competition and whether you are excelling, and instead, you’re more likely to look inside yourself for creativity and innovation.