Instead of using the heat as another excuse to skip my workout, I get creative with my summertime activities so I can keep up my fitness goals.

Running outside

Stretch with the sun

On days when I know it’s going to be a scorcher, I set my alarm for an early morning yoga session.

It’s a win-win for me: I get my workout done before it gets too hot and I start my day on the right foot.

Take your toughest workouts inside

I love training outdoors whenever possible, but exercising in an air-conditioned gym (or house) is the best way to keep me cool.

I pick my toughest workout of the week (usually running intervals on the treadmill) to do indoors. I don’t even bother attempting them outside in the summer!

Pick up a racket

I love a good game of tennis in the summertime, but when it’s too hot outside on the courts, I swap my racket for a different type.

Racquetball and squash are typically played indoors, so I stay cool while getting in my workout.

Exercise indoors and get moving

Run in the rain

I love running outdoors, but the summer heat doesn’t always make it easy for me. When rain is in the forecast, I like to plan my run during the showers. A little rain cools me off, and it’s a nice change of pace from my usual super-sweaty runs.

Plus, just the thought of running in the rain is fun and exciting, which prevents me from skipping my workout all together!

Get a wet workout

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but exercising in a pool or lake is an instant way to cool off.

Try a new activity like paddle-boarding, check out your local gym for a water aerobics class, or round up some friends for a competitive game of water volleyball. Whatever you decide to do, you’ll get a great workout!

Cool off like kids

When it’s boiling outside, play some of those fun games from your childhood.

Run through the sprinkler or have a squirt-gun and water-balloon fight. When the sun sets, plan a late-night game of flashlight tag. These games are a guaranteed good time. I mean, isn’t running around with a big smile on your face the best type of exercise?!

Plan a day at the water park

Water parks aren’t just for kids!

Spending the day at a water park will keep you cool and active all day long. Play in the wave pools and ride the slides, and you’ll keep moving for hours. I promise, it won’t even seem like exercise!

Plan a mini triathlon

Have a free morning on the weekend? Plan a mini triathlon for you and a friend, but finish with the swimming part so you can cool off at the end of your workout.

Try this: Run for 20 minutes, bike for 30 minutes, and then swim a few laps in your favorite watering hole.

Hit the mall

Too hot to take a lunchtime walk outside? Take your workout to a nearby mall with air conditioning. Lace up your sneakers and get your heart pumping without overheating!

Find a cool spot

Wherever you happen to live, there are probably certain areas where joggers, walkers, and bikers flock because they are cooler—literally.

Maybe it’s a boardwalk near the ocean or just a shady path in a local park. Seek out the least hot places to exercise and become a frequent visitor.

Swim to cool down

Join a night league

It’s much more enjoyable to exercise without the sun blazing down on you.

Stay motivated to exercise once the sun sets by joining a team that meets in the evenings. From softball to kickball to running groups, there’s something for everyone.

End your day with a walk

When the sun is low in the sky, I like to take an evening stroll around the neighborhood with my husband and dog. It’s a nice way for us to get in some exercise when the temperatures aren’t as high, and also to relax after a long day.
Source: Health.com

For more exercise tips and way to lose weight through a healthy diet, visit SlimTrim today at www.slimtrim1.com.
Eat Slim! Stay Trim!

1. GO TO BED EARLIER  - A study in Finland looked at sets of identical twins and discovered that of each set of siblings, the twin who slept less and was under more stress had more visceral fat.

2. EAT MORE PROTEIN – Your body needs protein to maintain lean muscle. In a 2006 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “The Underappreciated Role of Muscle in Health and Disease,” researchers argue that the present recommended daily allowance of protein, 0.36 grams per pound of body weight, was established using obsolete data and is woefully inadequate for an individual doing resistance training. Researchers now recommend that women get an amount between 0.54 and 1 gram per pound of body weight. (If you want to lose weight, use your goal body weight as your guide.) Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts, or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack. Plus, research shows protein can up postmeal calorie burn by as much as 35 percent.

3. GO ORGANIC WHEN YOU CAN – Canadian researchers report that dieters with the most organochlorines (pollutants from pesticides, which are stored in fat cells) experience a greater than normal dip in metabolism as they lose weight, perhaps because the toxins interfere with the energy-burning process. In other words, pesticides make it harder to lose pounds. Other research hints that pesticides can trigger weight gain. Of course, it’s not always easy to find—or easy to afford—a whole bunch of organic produce. So you need to know when organic counts, and when it’s not that important. Organic onions, avocado, grapefruit? Not necessary. But choose organic when buying celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale / collard greens, cherries, potatoes, and imported grapes; they tend to have the highest levels of pesticides.

4. GET UP, STAND UP – Whether you sit or stand at work may play as big a role in your health and your waistline as your fitness routine. Missouri University researchers discovered that inactivity (4 hours or more) causes a near shutdown of an enzyme that controls fat and cholesterol metabolism, so you store more fat, rather than using it for energy, all day long. To keep this enzyme active and increase your fat burning, break up long periods of downtime by standing up–for example, while talking on the phone.

5. DRINK COLD WATER – German researchers found that drinking 6 cups of cold water a day (that’s 48 ounces) can raise resting metabolism by about 50 calories daily–enough to shed 5 pounds in a year. The increase may come from the work it takes to heat the water to body temperature. Though the extra calories you burn drinking a single glass doesn’t amount to much, making it a habit can add up to pounds lost with essentially zero additional effort.

source – shine from yahoo.com

For more weight loss tips and help with your diet planning, visit SlimTrim – www.slimtrim1.com

Eat Slim, Stay Trim!

Eat Slim, Stay Trim!

Although some people have run rampant with the term and have made a mint by promoting the “miraculous! fountain-of-youth! death-defying!” benefits of superfoods, I hope that there won’t be a backlash against good, old-fashioned, super nutrient-exuberant food.

As I’ve said before, I’m a crusader for most edibles in their pure forms — and the majority of them are superfoods in my book. There are few whole foods from the plant world that don’t have some health-boosting element to brag about — so how to decide what to eat?

That’s why I like to think about (and eat) superfoods by season. Sure pumpkin is an A-plus superfood, but I like to save that for fall when it’s fresh and local, and look towards new fruit and tender green things this time of year. It’s a way to be connected to the planet’s cycle and decrease food miles, while giving your body a diversity of nutrients throughout the year to maximize its potential. And, to me at least, spring produce just tastes its amazing best in, yes, the spring! Funny how that works.

1. Artichokes
Studies have shown that artichokes contain a very high amount of antioxidants in the form of phytonutrients. A study undertaken by the USDA ranked artichokes as the number one fresh vegetable in antioxidant count. Among the most powerful phytonutrients are cynarin and silymarin, which have strong positive effects on the liver — any coincidence that artichokes have been reputed to help in the cure of liver diseases, liver cancer, and to cure hangovers?

One large artichoke contains only 25 calories, no fat, 170 milligrams of potassium, and is a good source of vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and has 6 grams of dietary fiber — 25 percent of the daily recommended amount.

How to prepare an artichoke? Read this.

2. Asparagus
According to the National Cancer Institute, asparagus is the food highest in glutathione, an important anti-carcinogen. It is also rich in two cancer-blocking vitamins (A and C) as well as the mineral selenium. These three nutrients have been singled out in several studies as fearsome cancer fighters.

A 5-ounce serving (only 20 calories) provides 60 percent of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Asparagus is also an excellent source of potassium, fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6, and is one of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.

Recipes:

• Asparagus, Spring Onion, and Mushroom Pasta
• Asparagus Spears With Black Pepper Pesto Vinaigrette
• Savory Orange Roasted Tofu and Asparagus

3. Avocado
They’re rich, they’re buttery, they’re delicious, and they have about 30 grams of fat per fruit. Ouch. But that’s no reason not to love an avocado. Nutritionists have back-pedaled on their gentle warnings about avocados after finding that most of the fat in an avocado is monounsaturated — the happy fat that actually lowers cholesterol levels. Yay! Let’s have an avocado party!

A study published in the Archives of Medical Research found that the 45 volunteers who ate avocados every day for a week experienced an average 17 percent drop in total blood cholesterol. As well, their levels of LDL (“bad fat”) and triglycerides, both associated with heart disease, went down. Their HDL (“good fat”) levels, which tend to lower the risk of heart disease, increased.

Avocados are rich in beta-sitosterol, a natural substance shown to significantly lower blood cholesterol levels. In a review article published in the December 1999 issue of the American Journal of Medicine, researchers pointed out that beta-sitosterol was shown to reduce cholesterol in 16 human studies.

Recipes:

• Chilled Zucchini and Avocado Soup
• Citrus Guacamole

Avocados Slimtrim

4. Blueberries
Jam-packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, blueberries are also high in potassium and vitamin C. Recent research has found that additional components of blueberries may play an important role in preventing and fighting cancer. The results of one study suggest a wide array of potential cancer fighting benefits related to wild blueberry consumption.

Blueberries also have anthocyanin pigments, which may have the ability to halt cancer in the critical stages of promotion and proliferation. A 2005 study published in the Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology indicated that, in isolated cells, the tannins found in blueberries are very active at lowering a protein that plays a role in the metastasis of cancer.

In addition to helping prevent and fight cancer, the compounds in blueberries are believed to help against Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, eye disease, and urinary tract infections. See? Super.

Recipes:

• Blueberry Creamy No-Bake Pie
• Berry Custard Cake

5. Fava Beans (aka Broad Beans)
Mmmm. Spring in a pod — I adore fava beans, even if they are a little work. OK, a lot of work, but so worth it! Not only are the big, fat, creamy beans scrumptious, but fava beans are particularly high in fiber (85 percent of the RDV), and also high in iron (30 percent of a day’s requirement). They contain no cholesterol and are low in fat.

Fava beans are also noted to contain L-dopa, which is used as a drug for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, as with most whole grains, consumption of fava beans can help reduce risks associated with heart disease.

Recipes:

• Herbed Fava Bean Salad
• French Spring Soup

6. Fresh Figs
Fresh figs put the “va va voom” in fruit — the tender but toothsome skin gives way to a soft and sticky center, dotted with delicately popping seeds, the perfumed and honeyed flesh — you get the picture. In my humble opinion, figs are quite an experience. And beyond their drop-dead flavor is their profusion of life-boosting qualities.

Figs have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. With their standout source of potassium, figs may help to control blood pressure. Figs are high in calcium. And as fate would have it, their potassium may reduce the amount of calcium lost as a result of high-salt diets. Figs are also a good source of iron, vitamin B6, and the trace mineral manganese.

The fruit also has tremendous amounts of fiber, more than any other dried or fresh fruit. Insoluble fiber protects against colon and breast cancer — soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol, and figs provide both. (Which also makes them a mild laxative, just so you know.) They also are a good source of flavonoids and polyphenols.

Recipes:

• Try figs quartered, stuffed with goat cheese, drizzled with honey, and topped with sea salt and black pepper.
• Fig and Kalamata Olive Tapenade

7. Leeks
Leeks look like cartoonishly big green onions, with a wonderfully sweet and subtle onion flavor. When braised or slowly sauteed, they melt into a sweet and creamy concoction that is hard not to love.

And they are workhorses in the health department as well. Like garlic, onions, scallions, chives and shallots — all from the Allium family — leeks can help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens. Leeks contain sulfur compounds that may protect against heart disease and some cancers, they can help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens.

Regular consumption of Allium vegetables (as little as two or more times a week — although I could certainly eat them every meal) is associated with a reduced risk of prostate and colon cancer.

Recipes:

• Linguine With Leeks and Lemon
• Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup

8. Oregano and Other Fresh Herbs
I love fresh oregano, especially if salty Mediterranean flavors — capers, olives, roasted peppers — are involved. Yum. And superfood-y too!

When researchers at the University of Oslo, Norway, analyzed 1,113 foods to identify those foods richest in total antioxidants, of the 50 foods highest in antioxidants, 13 were herbs and spices. One study found that oregano had 42 times more antioxidants than apples.

You might find that parsley is an excellent source of beta carotene, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin (essential for preventing macular degeneration), vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Or try cilantro. In research studies, cilantro’s remarkable components have shown the potential to help promote detoxification, reduce high blood sugar and lower levels of cholesterol.

Recipes:

• Chard and Feta Tart With Oregano
• Parsley and Walnut Pesto
• Cilantro Tabouli

9. Spinach
Spinach, good old spinach. Spinach is an excellent source of folate — the B vitamin that helps to prevent birth defects, heart disease, dementia, and colon cancer (the third most common cause of cancer in women). People who eat at least one serving of greens, including spinach, each week are 20 percent less likely to develop colon cancer, according to Italian research.

Another compound in spinach, lutein, fights against macular degeneration, which causes age-related vision loss — in fact, including at least two servings of spinach a week in your diet halves the odds of macular degeneration (a leading cause of blindness), according to the the National Eye Institute. Eating cooked spinach more than twice a week cuts the need for cataract eye surgery in men by half, according to new Harvard University research.

And in a large-scale Harvard study, spinach singled out as most protective against stroke! Finally, because of it’s high in vitamin K, spinach also helps build stronger bones — lowering the risk of hip fracture from osteoporosis as much as 30 percent, suggests a joint Harvard-Tufts study. Popeye was on to something.

Recipes:

• Spinach Soup With Rosemary Croutons
• Coconut Creamed Spinach

10. Strawberries
A serving of eight medium strawberries provides 140 percent of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C, 12 percent of our RDA for fiber, 6 percent of our RDA for folate, 210 mg of potassium, and is also high in vitamins K, B2, B5 and B6, copper, magnesium, and omega-fatty acids. In addition, strawberries contain anthocyanin, which has been used for studies in preventing initiation of cancers. Strawberries contain a unique phenolic group, ellagotannins, which are effective in preventing initiation of esophageal cancer.

With more antioxidant punch than most other fruits, berries in general strengthen tissue defenses against oxidation and inflammation, which are underlying factors in most age-related diseases. For example, substances in blueberries help with short-term memory loss associated with aging. All berries help lower risk for breast, oral, and colon cancers in women. With a wealth of phytochemicals like ellagic acid, adding strawberries to the diet lowers tumor risk by up to 58 percent.

For more weight loss tips, don’t forget to visit SlimTrim1.com. Eat Slim, Say Trim!

Source: Shine.Yahoo.com

We’re not saying that 6 minutes will turn you into Kim Kardashian. But this routine is more than genius. New York City trainer Michael Gonzalez-Wallace has been teaming up with a Columbia University neuroscientist for the last couple of years to design what can only be called the next generation of exercise.

“In the begining I was training all these very succesfful people, but their minds would be on something else,” says Gonzalez-Wallace. So he began to add balance and coordination challenges to the strength-training moves, inspired by his years as a former semi-pro basketball player in Spain.  Sometimes he even had his clients exercise with their eyes closed. ”I started seeing incredible results. The older ones were thinking more sharply and the young people were getting massive definition—really fast.”

Since then, science has confirmed his instincts and helped him perfect the technique. “We’re still learning,” he says, “but we know for sure that the more you challenge the brain when you move, the better the results—both mental and physical.”

To try Gonzalez-Wallace’s  ”Super Body, Super Brain” workout (also the name of his upcoming book), check out these four moves. They’re great as a morning wake up, but you could also do them after work to wind down, or add them to your usual workout. Ideally, aim for three to five times a week along with 20 minutes of cardio each day.  Because you’re working multiple muscles and forcing your brain to concentrate with each move, you’ll be maximizing the payoff.

Abs, Thighs, and Brain!
Do the following moves one after the other, as one circuit. Rest 15 to 45 seconds. Then, go back to the beginning and do two more circuits.

STANDING TWISTER Works: your core, obliques, glutes, hamstrings, and calves

A) From a standing position (right), hold a towel in both hands with arms straight up overhead. Cross your left leg behind your right and bend both legs. Your back foot should be on its toes.

B) Balancing on your right leg, raise your left leg—still bent—up and out to the side, at the same time as you twist your torso toward it (below). You should feel like your body is making a “C”. Hold here for 2 seconds. “This is really challenging, because you’re targeting the obliques, which are hard to get to, and where you tend to store fat,” says Gonzalez-Wallace (who’s showing the moves.) Do 10. Then switch legs and do 10 more to the other side.

DOUBLE PUSH Works: arms, shoulders, chest, glutes, calves

A) Start in a plank with arms straight, slightly wider than your shoulders. Your legs should be together, and your feet on your toes.

B) Lift your right leg behind you, holding the plank position (below). If you want more of a challenge, rather than straight toward the ceiling, direct it slightly to the right side on a diagonal. Then return to the plank (position A.) Now do the same with your left leg. Alternate leg lifts for a total of 10 (5 with each leg).

C) Now drop down from the plank into a pushup position, arms bent at a 90-degree angle, elbows out to the side, head straight in line with the back (right). If this is too difficult, bend your knees and rest them on the floor. Do 10 pushups.

THIGH TONER
Works arms, glutes, and thighs.

A) Start in a plank position, legs straight and together, on your toes. Your arm are bent, elbows in the floor, and hands clasped (right).

B)  Holding the plank position, bend your right leg, so the knee is dropped toward the floor. Now lift the right leg to the side (left.) Do 10 raises (don’t touch the knee when you lower.) Switch legs and do 10 lifts with the left.

GIVE AN ARM & A LEG
Works: the triceps, glutes, hamstrings, and back
A) Lie on your stomach, forehead on the floor, fleet flexed. At the same time, raise your right arm and left leg a few inches from the ground (below). Stay in your comfort zone—rather than going for height, just concentrate on lifting the limbs simultaneously until you feel the muscle tension. Then switch and raise the left arm with the right leg. To increase the challenge, add hand weights or use water bottles (hold the weights so that you start with the thumb and forefinger of each hand resting on the floor.) Alternate and do 20 lifts.

Now that you’ve finished your first circuit, go back to the beginning and do two more. For extra credit, try closing your eyes.

To help with your weight loss program, add Slim Trim to your daily regimen.  Visit here to learn more.  Tell then, eat slim, stay trim!

How do they do it? We mere mortals seem to struggle with every bite while celebs maintain their perfect shapes. To find out, we enlisted the help of John Stewart, the owner of Sunfare, a food delivery service that works with many of Hollywood’s A-listers. John shared five celebrity diet secrets with us.

1. Speed up your metabolism by eating five small meals: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner bedtime snack. Yes – a bedtime snack! It keeps your metabolism working while you sleep. And remember – this isn’t a license to pig out! Read on for how to eat!

2. Each meal should have a balanced ratio of 30% protein, 40% carbs and 30% fats. Yes, fats! But good fats – nuts, avocado, olive oil and so on. Fats play an important role in keeping you feeling full and satisfied as well as regulating how much sugar is released into the blood stream.

3.  Spice up lean protein. Diet foods don’t have to be bland and boring. Add flavor so you’ll enjoy what you’re eating. Lemon on your salmon. Herbs, spice, salsas. The possibilities are endless! And you just might like it so much you’ll stop thinking of it as “diet food.”

4.  Drink lots of water – 80 ounces a day. That’s ten 8 ounce glasses. Besides keeping you hydrated, water can curb your hunger pangs. Drinking it before a meal can take the edge off your hunger. And drinking it with your meal can help fill you up.

5.  Plan ahead. Don’t wait until you’re hungry to decide what to eat. That only leads to bad choices! When you’re making dinner, cook a little extra for another meal or snack. You’ll be amazed at how well you eat when you’re not grabbing for everything in the fridge!
Article by Diane Mizota

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Please check out more weight loss tips and plans at SlimTrim1.com. Click here to learn more!

Things you will need:

* A new food attitude: Carbs are not the enemy. Neither is fat. Eliminating certain food groups may help your waistline, but it will hurt your brain functioning.
* A stash of snacks: To keep your brain well fueled, you can’t let yourself get too hungry. Have a ready supply of trail mix, peanut-butter crackers, or Snickers bars at work. The combination of carbs and protein in these snacks will stabilize your blood sugar, fill you up, and keep you energized.
* Some willpower: Big meals actually reduce the supply of energy to your brain and leave you feeling sleepy for hours. Eat half of what you order, and take the rest home.

1. Balance What You Eat, Whenever You Eat

In 1956, the United States Department of Agriculture produced its “Basic Four” guide promoting the daily consumption of foods from four main groups — meat, dairy, grains, and vegetables. But today, nutritionists talk about a different set of food groups —proteins, carbohydrates (which produce glucose), fats, and fiber — and a different way to combine them. Instead of having a few helpings from each group every day, they recommend having something from each of the four groups every time you sit down to eat. And, yes, that includes carbs, which certain popular diets restrict. Why? Because the combination of carbs and protein (and to a lesser extent, fats and fiber) regulates your glucose levels and keeps your mood and mental ability on an even keel.

Moreover, each food group brings unique brain-boosting benefits to the table. “Research suggests that meals with more protein and fats are associated with better-sustained attention, focus, and concentration,” says Tufts research psychologist Kristen D’Anci. “Meals that have a higher carbohydrate content seem to be more calming and have fairly consistent positive effects with memory.” Cut back on either group and you’re missing half the benefits that food can offer.

2. Neglect Carbs at Your Own Peril

The research here is clear: Cutting carbs may shrink your waistline, but doing so will shrink your brainpower, too. “The popular low-carb and no-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition,” says Tufts psychology professor Holly A. Taylor. In a 2008 study Taylor conducted, dieters who lowered their blood-sugar levels by cutting carbohydrates from their meals immediately performed worse on memory-based tasks than those who simply reduced total calories by the same amount. When they started eating carbs again, their memory skills quickly rebounded.

Brain cells require twice the amount of energy needed by other cells in your body because they never rest. And high-carb foods like pasta, bread, fruit, and rice produce the brain’s favorite fuel — glucose. “Your brain only wants to burn glucose,” says Shawn Talbott, a nutritional biochemist and author of A Guide to Understanding Dietary Supplements: Magic Bullets or Modern Snake Oil. It can burn protein if it has to, Talbott adds, “but it’s like trying to run a gasoline engine on diesel.”

If you are on a low-carb diet, we’re not suggesting you go out and eat a loaf of Wonder Bread. There are plenty of “good” carbs (such as fruit, vegetables, and brown rice) that will supply your brain with all the fuel it needs.

3. Pack in the Protein

Proteins such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, beans, and nuts slow the absorption of glucose so your brain gets a long and steady flow of fuel, rather than the brief blast you get from eating carbs and sugary foods (fats and fiber also help with this). And protein also brings its own set of brain boosters to the party. The amino acids found in meats, poultry, fish, and eggs help produce the neurotransmitters — serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine — that keep us focused, energetic, and upbeat.

Studies also suggest that certain minerals typically found in high-protein foods also enhance memory. A 2005 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that adding zinc — found in meat, seafood, eggs, and milk — to the diets of middle-school kids improved their memories and attention spans. After receiving 20 milligrams of zinc a day, five days a week, for 10 to 12 weeks, their reaction time decreased by 12 percent, their word recognition rose 9 percent, and their ability to sustain attention on a task increased 6 percent.

4. Eat Smaller Amounts, and Eat More Frequently

If you want to keep up your energy and performance levels, the last thing you need is a three-course lunch (or a three-egg cheese omelet for breakfast). The same thing goes for big dinners if you’re working late. Too much food — even if it’s well balanced — is going to make you drowsy because it introduces too much glucose for your body to handle at one time. When that happens, your liver reacts by storing the glucose, and your brain actually gets less fuel than it needs. “If you eat too much, you’re going to get sleepy, and there’s really no way to recover from that,” says Talbott. “Five to six small meals tend to make people perform much better than three squares.”

5. Fat Is Beautiful … for Your Brain

You probably know that omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart. But they’re great brain food, too. The fats found in salmon, walnuts, and kiwi improve learning and memory and help fight against mental disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and dementia, according to a 2008 report from the Brain Research Institute at UCLA. The fats support the synapses in the brain where much of our cognitive functioning occurs.

6. How to Keep Things in Proportion

In addition to controlling your carb intake, portion and proportion play a big role in regulating glucose. Talbott recommends a highly sophisticated tool for measuring food amounts — your hand. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, he says the portions are the same: “Your fist is the size of the carbs; your palm is the size of the protein. Make an OK sign with your thumb and index finger, and that’s how much fat you should have. Open your hand as wide as it can go; that’s the amount of fruits and vegetables. That’s going to be a well-balanced mix.”
By Gail Belsky for CBS MoneyWatch.com

Lastly, have fun…
For more great ideas on how to lose weight with a healthy lifestyle, visit SlimTrim now.