No such thing as MAGIC PILLS!

So I wrote another blog for OU's Health & Wellness and figured I needed to share it with you lovely followers too! :)


Magic pills no replacement for workout or healthy diet

By Caterina Passarelli
Guest blogger

I’m sorry to say but there is no magic pill, quick fixor crash diet out there in the health and fitness world that is going to solve all your problems. Just look at the words magic, quick and crash– do they sound like something you really want to put in your body?

In today’s society, we want everything fast and simple; there is no time to wait around for results to happen. Losing weight and becoming fit won’t happen in a quick week or with the pop of one pill, it’s going to take time and hard work.
Diet pills, weight-loss pills and appetite control pills are all designed to help someone lose weight. The problem with these pills, other than their numerous amounts of dangerous side effects, is that you can not take them forever. Diet pills are meant to be taken only for a short time span. At some point you are going to have to stop taking the pills and the weight that you just took off is all going to come back. I know people who have gained back all their weight plus more. Rather than promoting quick fixes to consumers, there needs to be a push to promote healthy living.

Have you ever heard that saying, “Hard work never killed anybody?” That’s exactly it. To lose weight and get healthy it’s going to take hard work on your part. But that hard work is going to pay off in the long run and you are going to feel proud with what you have accomplished and the body you have. Instead of taking the easy yet unhealthy road, you will create healthy habits that will stick with you for life.
And we all know the necessary steps to achieve this healthy lifestyle — exercise and nutrition. These two go hand-in-hand. Working out and eating healthy foods have many great benefits, not only for your body but for your mind as well.

Askmen.com put an article together of the “Top 10 Benefits of Working Out.” Working out: helps you sleep better; slows the aging process and reduces the risk of premature death; builds and maintains healthy bones, muscles and joints; strengthens and boosts your immune system; improves mental acuity; improves confidence; increases energy and endurance; improves sexual performance and restores libido; reduces stress, depression and anxiety; and reduces the risk of many diseases.

So let’s promise ourselves not to opt for those “easy” options. Those quick fixes do not come with such an impressive list of benefits; actually they come with no benefits at all. Just remember to work out and eat healthy and then you will reap the rewards.



:)

We all know it's true, if you put in the WORK then you will get what you want!




Tomorrow (July 1st) starts my ChaLEAN Extreme Challenge. I'm getting everything ready. I went grocery shopping with my mom yesterday and got a lot of stuff to make some of the recipes in Chalene's Fat Burning Guidebook. I'll also be taking my pictures tomorrow before I work out and redoing my fit test.

Today I went to workout with a personal trainer at Bally's. I signed up to workout with her for the next 2 months so she is also going to try and help me reach my GOALS. GOALS, people, they are one of the most important things you can do for yourself! And a bigger tip than just having goals, WRITE THEM DOWN! You are more likely to accomplish your goals when you have them on paper and you continue to see them. Anyway the trainer said since I don't have really any body fat (yes! lol) that if we workout intensely for that hour, 2x a week I'll be seeing results because my body can take it. :) I'm excited. I get nervous when I have to spend a great deal of money at one time, but it's for my body and my body is what keeps me going so why not give it the time and respect it deserves?

If you aren't a gym member, don't forget there are plenty of other options for working out. MY FAVORITE WORKOUTS ARE TURBO JAM AND CHALEAN EXTREME! And you know what? I do them in my own room (or at Pamela's or Kathy's). If you are interested in checking out Turbo Jam or ChaLEAN Extreme, click here or let me know if you have any questions. :)

What are you listening to??

Music not only is a fun expression of who you are and a fun way to have a good time, it is also therapy and has health benefits. Research has shown the music connects with brain waves, breathing, heart rate, state of mind, and lowering high blood pressure. Music is one of the key traits behind Turbo Jam and Turbo Kick classes. What other than awesome music would want to make you PUMP IT and SHAKE IT!?!


I’m always looking for new music to put on my ipod, so that’s where you come in. Tell me what you’re listening to, anything! One song, two, top ten, whatever. It will be greatly appreciated.

Here’s a current list of some of my favorites in return for yours:

Caterina’s Shake Your Booty Playlist!!

1.That’s not my name- The Ting Tings
2.Bad Girlfriend- Theory of a Deadman
3.Birthday Sex- Jeremih
4.Blame It- Jamie Foxx and T Pain
5.Eyes on Me- Celine Dion with Will I Am
6.Love Game- Lady Gaga
7.I can walk on water, I can fly- Basshunter
8.Imma Be- Black Eyed Peas
9.Jump- Flo Rida ft. Nelly Furtado
10.Here comes the boom- P.O.D
11.Fuego- Pitbull
12.Radar- Britney Spears
13.Sex on Fire- Kings of Leon
14.Push- Enrique Iglesias ft Lil Wayne
15.Defying Gravity- Wicked the Musical

:)

Healthy choices for summer

Hey everyone! :) I was super excited when Katie asked me if I was interested in blogging for Oakland! I just wrote a Health & Wellness blog about smart decisions to make during the summer and I figured I should put it on here too!


Here goes:


Now that summer is here and classes are over we tend to have more time to spend with family and friends. That time is spent doing fun activities such as going to baseball games, seeing one of many new movie releases or heading to the park for a barbecue. What all of these activities have in common is the unhealthy potential of eating and drinking high calorie, fatty foods. What are some tips to stay in shape this summer while still having a good time?

Hungry-girl.com suggests that if you want a beer, try to stick to a light kind because that can save you up to 50 calories a pint. She also advises sports fans to roam the entire stadium to find the best concession options. “Soft pretzels are better than nachos, veggie dogs are better than regular ones, and a grilled chicken salad with salsa is one of the best finds ever,” according to the web site. Walking around is an exercise bonus instead of relying on the vendor to bring you that unhealthy cotton candy.

When going to the movies, try to avoid adding butter and salt to your popcorn. We tend to just keep pouring without consciously realizing what we are doing to our bodies, adding a lot of unwanted fat. If you can, try to order a kid’s size popcorn or drink. Sorry to those who work at the theaters, but my next tip is to bring a granola bar or snack pack for your purse. Since these snacks come from home you know how many calories they have.

When heading to the park or a family barbecue, think of putting lots of colors on your plate. Throw some vegetables in foil and put them on the grill or try fruit kebobs. Also, be sure to pack your cooler with lots of water and low fat snacks so that you can avoid junk. Hungry-girl.com recommends loading up on “light string cheese, sandwiches (toasted light bread equals non-soggy stuff,) salads (dressing packets on the side) and cut-up veggies.”

Use these tips to make smart and healthy decisions this summer!


http://oaklandpostonline.com/blog.php?p=145

Turbo for a Cause

^^That's Jenelle who is in all the Turbo Jam and ChaLEAN Extreme videos!! :) She is also Chalene Johnson's sister!


So this Saturday I took a little road trip with Kathy down to Toledo for TURBO FOR A CAUSE which raised money for the Autism Society! What a fun class!! I am a Turbo Jammer so this was my first experience as a Turbo Kicker and let me tell you it was such a blast! We worked out at the Rec Center in the University of Toledo and we filled a basketball court with happy, fun, energetic people. When you work out in a setting like that how can you not want to push yourself to your max? We also got to meet some great Turbo Kick Presenters who taught our class- Jenelle, Angie and Janet! :) I was like a star struck little kid waiting to approach Jenelle and ask her to take a picture with me! I needed a little push from Kathy, “don’t be shy”. ha Everyone was so nice it made for a great experience. I can’t wait for Turbo for a Cause 2010!! Recover now Kathy because we are going back for more! I'm proud of Kathy & I for doing well & kickin' butt! :)

Turbo Kick was so much fun! I can’t get over how much I loved the music and how well it fit with the workout/moves! At all times I wanted to dance party. They also sold some really cute workout clothes!! ;) I can’t wait for next Sunday when I take my Turbo Kick Instructor Training, which if I pass (let’s all cross your fingers for me, please!) I will be a certified Turbo Kick Instructor and YOU need to come take a class with me! ;)

PS- Shakeology is still delicious!

PPS- The Turbo Challenge is still going good!! When I finish it up I’ll restart ChaLEAN Extreme on July 1st with Lisa. :]

SHAKEOLOGY!

^My nosy cat Charlie wanted to see what was so exciting! :)


I'm a super excited to report that after I arrived home from the gym this morning my beachbody package with my SHAKEOLOGY was inside!! So since I already ate breakfast I decided that would be my lunch/post workout meal. I finished Turbo Sculpt up and then made my first shake and I'm drinking it as we speak. :)

I ordered the chocolate kind because I was a little nervous about greenberry, even though I have heard A LOT of great things about that flavor too. So my shake has the Shakeology (140 calories), a small banana (60), 1 tbsp peanut butter (90) and some ice cubes & water, which totals out to be around 330 calories, that's a good lunch I think. I took a sip and it was GOOD! YAY! I was kind of nervous that I wasn't going to like it because other than protein shakes I've never really done anything like this before. But I like it and I'm going to use it for the next 30 days in place of one meal, I think it will be my breakfast from now on. I'm going to see how long it takes me to be hunger again and then I'll let you know those details too.

So what the heck is Shakeology?

shakeology.com


^There are great videos and information on that site but I'll tell you some things myself.

Shakeology can help you:

-Lose Weight
-Feel Energized
-Improve Digestion and Regularity
-Lower Cholesterol1
Tastes Delicious, too! :)

70 INGREDIENTS in this ONE SHAKE!

How is works:

This daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. A proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics helps your body progressively eliminate the toxins that build up over time from eating today's highly processed foods.
At the same time, whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to curb cravings, allowing your body to shed stored fat while the more than 20 different antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke.

What's in it:

Even if you searched all over the world, you probably wouldn't be able to find all of the 70-plus, ultra-high-quality ingredients we've included in Shakeology. Not only do you get a wide range of essential nutrients, from the fruits and vegetables you should be eating more of every day, you'll also get the benefits of important foods from all around the world—foods that the latest scientific research has shown to be highly advantageous to your well-being.



As the days progress I will keep you updated, tell you whatever recipes I find/like and let you know what is happening to my body.
If you have any questions about Shakeology or any other beachbody product, please ask me, I'd be happy to help! :)

Post workout glory!

I took this picture the other day when I finished Fat Burn Challenge. It was a little more than 30 minutes (maybe 32? I can't remember)!! I was drenched man, but it was awesome. If you can get this sweaty and work this hard in only 30 minutes, then why not do it! ChaLEAN Extreme rocks! :)

Update on the Turbo Challenge- Today was Day 7 and I've been going strong! My sister & Lisa also joined me in this exciting challenge. Tonight after work I did Cardio Party 3 and had so much fun. I tried to concentrate a lot on my form, keeping that hand up by my face at all times. Tomorrow at 7 am I'll be hitting the gym with Ilda and Jamie, can you believe I agreed to a 7 AM workout?! holy cow. But it'll be fun to workout with them because I never have before. After that I'll going home to Turbo. ;)

I'm also (patiently) waiting on my Shakeology to get here! HURRY UP!! I actually just ordered it the order day, so I should calm down, but I'm really excited. I ordered the chocolate kind and plan on drinking a shake everyday for a month to replace a meal. I need to look up all those recipes I've been seeing on Chalene's blog and in the beachbody message boards.

TRAINING IS THE OPPOSITE OF HOPING!