It's the LITTLE Things

+How the Little Things Add UP +

So you're trying to do all the right things for your health.  You are working out consistently and eating fairly well.  Great!  Let me help you stay on track :) We all know that calories in must equal calories out or we will gain weight.  So let's take a look at some little ways that we can keep the number of unneeded calories down.  One big intake we sometimes overlook is DRINKS.  Sugary drinks filled with high fructose corn syrup can be the devil and for many reasons!

Increase weight gain

Sugar decays teeth

Increases your risk for a # of diseases

High sugar causes dehydration

  If at all possible it is best to substitute these sugary drinks with water.  If you still feel like you need a little taste to your drink try adding fruit or vegetables! I love adding watermelon, berries, lemon, lime, cucumber, apple, orange and the list goes on! Not only is this simple trick low calories, it has added benefits. :)

Drinking soda is even worse than drinking sugar filled juices but that doesn't mean that drinking DIET is much better.  Diet drinks contain Aspartame which is possibly one of the most dangerous substances added to foods/drinks.  Drinking a 330 ml can of soda translates to more than 1lb of weight gain every month... thats 12 lbs a year!

The last thing I want to talk about is COOFFFFEEEEE!  It's what wakes us up in the morning and carries us through a rough day.  We love it! But it doesn't have to destroy us and our beautiful goals we've set! It actually pains me to see what some people order at coffee shops.  Just to think that its 9:00am and they have already consumed 300 calories, and that's not counting their actual breakfast. If you are a coffee person and you do purchase coffee mixes, I challenge you to go online, find the Starbucks calculator, and find out its nutrition facts.  Below is a typical drink ordered:

Caffe Mocha made with 2% milk, no whip cream

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (16 fl oz)

Calories 290	Calories from Fat 70
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	12%
Saturated Fat 5g	25%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 25mg	8%
Sodium 140mg	6%
Total Carbohydrate 42g	14%
Dietary Fiber 4g	16%
Sugars 34g
Protein 13g
Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 2% Calcium 35% Iron 25%
Caffeine 175mg**
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
**Each caffeine value is an approximate value.

Now, I'm not telling you not to have your daily fix.  I'm just encouraging you to do it in a smart way. :)  

Here are some of my tips:

Try Skim, Almond or Soy Milk

No Whip Cream added

Use natural alternative sweeter

I use this stuff and I love it! It is made from a Stevia plant so it is all natural and it has Zeroooo calories.  You can buy it at your local grocery store and it is sold in two ways.  You can purchase it in individual packs so you can take it with you or straight.  I personally have both so I have it at the house and on the go! 

So DRINK IT UP, in a HEALTHY way :)

Say YES to Cardio!

Gotta Get That CARDIO In!

I know you may not want to hear this... but if you want a healthy body, heart and mind, you are going to need to implement cardiovascular exercise into your daily routine.  The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 should engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise 3 to 5 days a week. Confused on what MODERATE exercise is?? If you need some help identifying your intensity, it would be great to invest in a heart monitor.  When you are exercising at moderate intensity your heart rate should be at (40-60% HRR).  Another more simple way to tell if you're in the right zone is to use the TALK TEST.  This test is a generally effective way to measure your exercise intensity and its FREEEE! While doing your cardio workout next time, try talking.  If you find yourself breathless you are most likely working at a higher threshold, moderate to high intensity.  Vice versa, if you are able to hold a conversation smoothly you are in the low-moderate pace. Easy enough?

 If you follow the minimum guidelines of the ACSM you are already reducing your chance of major health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.  Every time you engage in aerobic exercise you are pushing your heart lungs and blood vessels to do a better job at what they do... and that's a good thing!

DESPISE CARDIO??

 Well, get over it ;) Your body NEEDS it! The key here is to find the type of cardio that works for you and your lifestyle.  For example, if you have a dog, this is a great opportunity to help yourself and your pup. Even getting a 30 minute walk/run/bike/swim in a day can reduce your risk of disease greatly.  If a walk or run is hard on your knees, try biking or swimming.  Whatever you do, move your body, everyday!

Tips for getting through a cardio workout:

Put some awesome music on your iPod

Download a podcast or book you've been wanting to listen to

Cover up your watch or timer so your not staring at the clock

Watch a movie or tv show

Talk on the phone (if possible)

Workout with a friend

GET MOVING !

Shake it UP!

SHAKE it UP!

Let me tell you about one of my favorite healthy lifestyle ideas that keeps me not only FIT but feeling great.  I LOVE integrating veggie/fruit shakes into my everyday diet.  I find that it's a great way to make sure I'm getting all my fruits and veggies in for the day.  Having a smoothie is also a perfect way to substitute a breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This may come in handy after you had a long night or drinking alcohol or eating foods that aren't the most nutritious! My awesome mom and dad gave my husband and I the Health Master blender for Christmas a couple years ago and it's been a go to meal maker in our house ever since.  I found that this machine is great and you can make anything from shakes to dip or even soup in it :)  However, it can be a little pricey which is why I want to acknowledge that you can make a shake in a regular $40 blender too! ... it just may not last as long!

Below is the link to the blender I use :

http://www.myhealthmaster.com

I also love to add Blenditup Protein+ Smoothie Mix to my shakes.  Its 100%vegan and it uses protein from organic vegetables such as Soybean Quinoa to fuel your drink.  With just 2 scoops your smoothie is stocked up with 14 g of protein.  It also supplies you with a healthy does of Amino Acids and Vitamins.  Oh and its gluten free ! 

Check it out for yourself https://blenditup.com

Tips with making smoothies:

Keep it super healthy by putting more vegetables in it than fruits! 

Check out this website for A-Z help on making some super invigorating smoothies :)

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/08/protips-smoothies-without-recipes-better-texture-ingredients-equipment-advice.html

Energy IN and Energy Out!

CONFUSED WHERE TO START!?!?!

Soooo... now that we have made the commitment to a healthy lifestyle... HOW DO WE START!?!

Ok.. don't freak out, I got you covered. Of course there are a number of needs that must be fulfilled in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle such as your spiritual and emotional need, today I am going to focus on physical needs.  To break that down more, I am going to talk about what you eat (energy you take in) and daily exercise routines (energy you put out).

Energy IN

The first step to managing your weight and feeling good is putting the right nutrients and calories into your body.  I believe it was my mom who once said to me, "You have to put the right kind of fuel in the tank to get where you want to go." She's a smart lady.  So when you go to the grocery store here is a fantastic tip that I truly believe can make an immediate impact.

**Spend most of your time at the grocery store in the perimeter. **

This small tip will immediately help you to minimize the amounts of high sodium high fat, basically fake foods.  You will find all your fresh produce, cold refrigerated foods on the lovely perimeter. Anything that you can eat that is freshly grown will benefit you in the long run.  If you don't have a bunch of read-to-eat food in your cabinets, you will be forced to cook something fresh!

  Soo... TRY THIS!

Energy OUT

When you starting intaking the foods saturated with the nutrients your body craves you will inherently feel you have more energy to give.  

Quick Tip:

**If your energy IN is outweighing the energy OUT, you will gain weight.** 

If for instance, you know that you aren't going to have time to work out or do your daily walk, recognize that it would be smart to eat accordingly.  We don't always have time to go to the gym or get a 45 minute work out in at home... that DOESN'T mean that we have to GAIN weight.  Again, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a learning process.  Take note of your body's desires and 

make the changes you need.

**Put these two tips into action and we are already on our way to our very BEST self!

LETS BEGIN!

One thing that I want to help give my readers is a consistent healthy lifestyle.  I wish for them a vocabulary free of words like diets and revolving trending fad brands. Research shows that 50% of goals set are lost within 6 months of setting them on New Years day.  Why is this?? ... Because no matter what kind of "diet" you are on the moment you stop it and revert back to your previous lifestyle you will gain the weight right back.  A diet is a temporary solution to look and feel better.  Committing to a healthy lifestyle will not only help you manage your weight but feel good because you are finally receiving all the nutrients your body is craving.

So to fresh up on what your plate should look like:

 

PLLLEAASSEEE do not think that for ONE second that by committing to a healthy lifestyle you can not eat cake, ice cream, chips, fries, chocolate etc. If you believe that, then you will never sustain the weight you desire.  Understand this one tip and remind yourself of this consistently: I CAN EAT SNACK FOODS, JUST NOT ALL THE TIME! Sometimes when people diet they think they can't eat anything with sugar, fat or carbs and that is such an easy way to break down.  I will help teach you how to build a personal strategy.  For example if you are going out to dinner with your friends at night, make it a point to eat a healthy breakfast and lunch. Throughout this blog you will learn about yourself, your desires, your strengths and weaknesses.  This will help you predict your eating pattern and how to strategize your meal plan and workout accordingly.  I know this sounds like a lot of time and energy but once you know yourself it will be no harder than breathing.

 SOOOOOO........

My NEW YEARS RESOLUTION for YOU Is: To truly learn about yourself as a consumer of foods/producer of energy and create and sustain a strategy for a healthy lifestyle that works for you.

ARE YOU ON BOARD ??? Make the commitment for life!

Take On 2015 With Alexa Lee!

Bring on 2015!!!

This year I have decided to take on a new challenge! BLOGGING! I am super excited to share my love and knowledge of fitness and a healthy lifestyle with my viewers :)  I am a former division one soccer player (Cleveland State University) and current Wilhelmina Model in NYC where I specialize in fitness modeling.  I believe that with a combination of my background working as a personal trainer, nutritional adviser, athlete and model I can deliver some insight to my viewers that can truly bring you closer to total body health.

More posts, videos, and updates to come!!