Best and Worst Movie Food Picks

Hello healthy people! How's everything going? Hopefully you all are keeping your bodies moving and your minds on all things positive! Those are always two essentials to achieving success! With Spring officially here and Summer just around the corner, the weather makes it much easier to get moving. I know lately here in Missouri, besides from those rainy days every now and then, it's been great weather for walking, hiking, bike riding, softball and other outdoor activities. During Spring and Summer, there's always a lot more stuff going on indoors as well. One of my favorite things to do during the summer, that isn't an outdoor activity, is going to the movies! Summer time is the best time for new movies! Watching a movie at home just doesn't compare to the big screen. The only negative that comes along with movie watching is the popcorn and other bad for you goodies at the movie concession stand. Now some would argue that those treats don't have to be a problem, you can just as easily bring an apple or some other healthy treat in with you to the movie theater (which I actually have done from time to time), but let's be real, most people aren't going to do that and even if you do, no one is "perfect". Movie popcorn and other snacks play an essential role in the theater-going experience. So the best plan of action is to be well informed before which is why I give you:

Best and Worst Movie Food Picks

AMC's new Smart Movie Snacks Bundle.
The snack pack contains fruit chips,
trail mix, popped corn chips, and a
bottle of water (which can be
substituted for Diet Coke or Coke Zero).

Admittedly, no one goes to the movies expecting a salad bar, but you may be shocked to learn just how fat-loaded typical theater fare is. And although AMC Theatres recently announced its new healthier snack packs with items such as trail mix and bottled water, most movie offerings are decidedly less wholesome.

Get ready to cringe: A medium popcorn and medium regular soda at Regal Theaters can pack as many as 1,600 calories!!! That’s about the amount recommended for an average woman for an entire day! Although many large restaurant chains and other places that sell prepared food will be required to display calorie counts under new federal regulations, movie theaters are exempt — making it even more important to get the facts before you go. Granted, an occasional movie splurge is unlikely to hurt anyone, but frequent theatergoers would be smart to seek out less sinful swaps.

Plain air-popped popcorn is actually a healthy snack: It provides a serving of whole grains and some fiber, with only 31 calories per cup. But enter oil, in which most movie theaters pop their corn, and that “buttery” topping, and the calorie, fat, and sodium content skyrocket. CSPI says that a large container at Regal (20 cups!) provides a whopping 1,200 calories, 60 grams of saturated fat, and 980 milligrams of sodium.

Smarter swap: Get the smallest size of popcorn offered — at Cinemark, the junior bag has 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 190 mgs of sodium — and say no to any extra topping. Even better, split the popcorn with your movie date.

You’d never eat that much candy parked in front of your TV at home, but there’s something about those jumbo movie theater offerings, plus eating in the dark, that gives us license to binge. But if you don’t watch serving sizes, your waistline might pay for it. The serving size on candy boxes is usually a modest 1 ½ ounces, typical movie-theater candy boxes contain 3 to 4 ounces. So if you eat the movie-sized 4-oz box of Reese's Pieces, you'll munch away 580 calories, 61 grams of sugar, and 20 grams of saturated fat. Other concession-stand favorites aren't much better: A 3.1-ounce Sno-Caps box has 400 calories, 53 grams of sugar, and 11 grams of saturated fat, while Milk Duds pack 370 calories, 44 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of saturated fat per 3-ounce box.

Smarter swap: If you must satisfy your sweet tooth, pick something like Twizzlers or Sour Patch Kids over chocolate, which contains more fat and calories. But you still need to watch the portion size: Four pieces of Strawberry Twist Twizzlers have just 133 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, and 95 mg of sodium, while 1.5 ounces of Sour Patch Kids contain 140 calories, no fat, and 30 mg of sodium. Share the candy with a friend so you’re guaranteed not to eat the whole box.


If you order a movie theater soda, you'd better be pretty thirsty. In the 1950s, an average-size fountain soda was about 7 ounces; today, a small soda from Regal Cinemas is over four times that amount, at 32 ounces, or 4 cups. A large-size soda from the same chain holds nearly 7 cups —that's 500 calories and 33 teaspoons of sugar!


Smarter swap: Your best option is water or a small diet soda.

Seeking nachos for a more robust bite? At Cinemark, the standard serving of 3 ounces of chips and 3.5 ounces of cheese sauce adds up to 550 calories, nearly 50 percent of which come from fat — and the sodium count is a sky-high 1,060 mg, nearly half the recommended daily limit.

Smarter swap: Believe it or not, a plain hot dog on a bun is a better option. It contains half the calories (242), and also provides 10 grams of filling protein (it does contain 15 grams of fat, so it’s still not exactly a health food). Squirt on some mustard to juice up the flavor while adding a mere 5 calories.

With that irresistible aroma comes major calories and fat. The Cinnapretzel at Regal Theaters contains 754 calories and 6 grams of fat. Use the little tub of icing that accompanies it and you’ll tack on another 200 calories.

Smarter swap: Satisfy your cinnamon cravings with some old-fashioned Red Hots instead — 20 pieces have just 70 calories and no fat or sodium.






Tempted by those gooey pizza pies at the movies? A 7-inch Freschetta pepperoni pizza at Cinemark theaters serves up 530 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 1,270 milligrams of sodium — not horrible if it’s serving as your dinner, but pretty substantive for a matinee snack.

Smarter swap: If you're craving the chewiness and warmth of pizza, soft pretzel bites are a good option. Even with the cheese dipping sauce, they contain about 250 calories and 9 grams of fat. If you're watching your sodium intake, however, skip the sauce — since the bites alone contain 890 mg.

Other helpful info. you might like to know...

Calories of popular movie theater favorites:

• Large Buttered Popcorn (20 cups): 1500 calories, 116g fat, 90g carbs 
• Hot Dog (1 dog with bun): 305 calories, 4.5g fat, 23g carbs 
• Nachos with Cheese (large, 4 oz): 1101 calories, 59g fat, 131.5g carbs 
• Soft Pretzel (large): 483 calories, 4.5g fat, 99g carbs 
• Cotton Candy (2.5 oz): 300 calories, 0g fat, 74g carbs 
• Junior Mints (3 oz): 320 calories, 5g fat, 68g carbs 
• Milk Duds (3 oz): 340 calories, 12g fat, 56g carbs 
• Sno-Caps (3.1 oz): 360 calories, 16g fat, 60g carbs 
• Raisinets (3.5 oz): 380 calories, 16g fat, 64g carbs 
• Gummi Bears (4 oz): 390 calories, 0g fat, 90g carbs 
• Goobers (3.5 oz): 525 calories, 35g fat, 55g carbs 
• Twizzlers (6 oz): 600 calories, 4g fat, 136g carbs 
• M&M's (5.3 oz): 735 calories, 31.5g fat, 105g carbs 
• Skittles (6.75 oz): 765 calories, 9g fat, 166.5g carbs 
• Reese's Pieces (8 oz): 1200 calories, 60g fat, 138g carbs 
• Starburst (24 pieces): 480 calories, 10.5g fat, 99g carbs 
• Coca-Cola with ice (large, 3 pints, 18.9 fl oz): 353 calories, 0g fat, 88.4g carbs

I realize to avid movie theater goers this post may be somewhat of a downer but it's if you're trying to succeed at fitness, I think it's always best to know before ya' go! When you know in advance, even if you do choose to eat a high calorie movie treat, you can plan the rest of your day accordingly, whether that be extra added physical activity/exercise or a smaller amount of calories for the remaining day. So now you know. :)


Talk to you later, fitness peeps!
And as always, keep it healthy!
- Jonelle


Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com

Tough Love: DISCIPLINE

Hello healthy people! How's it going? I hope you've checked out my new site, Succeed At Fitness.com, by now. There's lots of great info. and resources on there to help you succeed in your fitness and nutrition goals, so please take advantage of it! My goal is to help encourage, motivate and support you and Succeed At Fitness is one way to help me achieve my goal, so support me in my effort to support you by visiting the site.

Now on to the subject of this blog post, a first in my "Tough Love" series: DISCIPLINE.  According to Dictionary.com, there a number of definitions for the word: (1) "training to act in accordance with rules", (2) "activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill", (3) "behavior in accord with rules of conduct"... that's just a few. But to sum it up, discipline is doing what other's won't do in order to achieve your goals. A lot of us like to make excuses for why we can't, or better yet, why we won't do things. When it comes to exercise, "I don't have the time" or "I don't have the right equipment" or the lamest excuse in the book (mostly used by women) "I don't want to sweat." And when it comes to diet, "I just don't have the time to cook my own meals", "I refuse to calorie count!", "Eating healthy costs too much", and the most honest (but still equally as lame) excuse of them all "I just don't want to change how I'm eating". Any of these statements sound familiar? If so, you're not alone. You're not the only one whose used them, I've used quite a few of these excuses in the past myself. The key word is EXCUSES. Let's say time really is a factor, the reality is, you make time for the things you really want to do. If it takes getting up at 4 am every morning in order for you to get your exercise in (and I actually know a couple of people who do this) then start getting up at 4 am every morning! It might take waiting until 10 pm every night, then start exercising at 10pm every night! I hate to sound judgmental, sarcastic, or mean, but it's really that simple. Finding the time in the day to do these things actually isn't the hard part, the hard part is having the self discipline to start and then continue doing them.

If getting fit and eating healthy was easy, everyone would do it! There would be no overweight people in the world and the thousands of diet programs out there would have no need to exist. It's not easy, but nothing worth having comes without great sacrifice. When you become self disciplined, failure simply isn't an option anymore. Success is the only word you're going to accept. It's not a short road or an easy road, but it's the one that you will look back on and treasure because YOU DID IT! You passed the finish line when there were times where you couldn't even see the road in front of you! From my own personal experience I can tell you that there is no greater feeling than that!

DISCIPLINE: DOING WHAT OTHERS WON'T DO. Set your self away from the crowd! Be a leader, not a follower! Don't allow any of the negative thoughts that come into your head to stay there! You CAN do this, you WILL do this, and that's just all there is to it.  

Need some more encouragment? Check this video out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9cM_jb0tVs and I dare you to use the word "can't" ever again!



It's tough love, peeps, but it's necessary sometimes.
Stay disciplined and be encouraged!
Jonelle

SUCCEED AT FITNESS IS HERE!!!

Hey! Just dropping in to tell you all that my fitness and nutrition site that I've been working on, Succeed At Fitness.com, is here!!! It's officially up and running so go check it out! Succeed At Fitness was created to help others succeed in fitness by achieving a healthy mind, body & spirit through exercise, nutrition, and positivity. Look to Succeed At Fitness. or encouragement, tips & tricks, reviews and so much more! The best thing you can ever do for yourself is get healthy. A healthy mind, body, and spirit is essential to achieving total fitness. Let's succeed at fitness together!

The plan is for the site and both of my blogs ("Confessions Of A Fit Girl" and "Mind & Soul") to all work together so if you'll notice the new links to your right you will see that you can now access Succeed At Fitness.com through this page. Pretty neat, huh? :) Enjoy! And please let me know what you think of the site!


Thanks,
Jonelle

Weight Vs. Inches and Muscle Weight Gain

Confessions of a Fit Girl

Hello fitness friends! I'm back with another post which I'm excited to bring to you because I think you will find it very informative and helpful on your weight loss journeys! But before I get into the subject of the post, can I take a minute to ask you if you notice anything different about my blog? The design perhaps? :) LOL! Well, unless this is your very first time coming to my blog (and if so, WELCOME!!!), I'm sure you've noticed that I've got a whole new design going on here! I told you guys there were going to be some big changes coming soon and this is one of them. I've been hinting around my big news for a couple of weeks now but if you're friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, you probably already know so I might as well spill the beans here. On April 1st (yes, April 1st and no, this is no April Fool's Day joke) I'll be launching my new fitness and nutrition website, Succeed At Fitness.com! (If you'd like to take a sneak peak, click here.) Combined with this blog, along with my other blog, Mind & Soul, I'm hoping Succeed At Fitness will be a powerful resource to help people totally succeed at fitness by achieving a healthy mind, body, & spirit through exercise, nutrition and positivity! If you're not friends with me on Facebook, why aren't you? Friend me please! :) And be sure to follow me on Twitter, too! I'll be announcing the launch of the site on those two pages, as well as my blogs.

Now that I've broken that news, on to the subject at hand... the title of this blog is "Weight Vs. Inches and Muscle Weight Gain". I know the whole "weight vs. inches" thing is something we all have to deal with in our weight loss journeys. I'm maintaining now, but I remember this being a hard issue for me to deal with while I was still trying to lose weight. Just imagine (you may not even have to imagine, this may be you now), you're eating right, faithfully exercising several times a week, and you've gotten used to doing your weekly weigh-ins and seeing the scale go down a pound or two (maybe more) each week, but now all of a sudden, it stalls. Or even worse, it starts going the other way!!! This has recently become an issue for me which leads me to the second part of the title, "Muscle Weight Gain". I'm currently working my muscles more than ever before through free weights and kettlebell training, and although I'm noticing some inches lost and all my clothes are still fitting great, the scale has gone up quite a bit for me and I have to admit, even though I know I know better, as a former fat girl who lost a lot of weight in the past and doesn't EVER want to go back, this has been somewhat troubling for me. So all this led me to write this post. I've digged up some great information that I think everyone will find helpful and encouraging! (I know I did!) So let's get to into it! 

Weight Vs. Inches - Losing Inches But Not Losing Weight

What do those numbers on the scale really mean?

Because so many of us want to lose weight, at any given moment, most of us know how much we weigh. Most of us even have a favorite scale, the favorite being the one that gives us the lowest number possible. (Don't deny it, I know I do! Lol!) We talk about weight, think about weight, and sometimes lie about weight, but how often do we think about what that number means? For too many of us, weight isn't just a number but something that can actually change how we feel about ourselves. But, what does your weight really mean and how useful is it when it comes to tracking weight loss progress? Learning the answers to those questions may just have you tossing out your scale forever! If not forever, you certainly won't let it be an essential thought in your everyday life.

Focus on FAT LOSS,
NOT WEIGHT LOSS

Focus on Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss
When you talk about losing weight, what you usually mean is slimming down, but slimming down doesn't always mean losing weight. It may sound odd, but it's possible to get thinner without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same, even as you lose inches, a sign that you're moving in the right direction, but if the scale doesn't change, you may not even be aware that you're getting real results. Knowing the difference between losing weight and losing body fat can change how you get results and may even change how you look at your own body.



The Truth About Your Weight

What does your weight say about you? If you think about it, that number doesn't tell you a whole lot. The scale shows your weight, but does it tell you how much of that weight is muscle and how much is fat? Or how much of that weight is water, bones or organs? A bodybuilder's weight could be off the charts because of extra muscle, but does that mean he's overweight or fat? Most of us would say no because we know that weight doesn't tell the whole story. Knowing your body composition is crucial information if you really want to get results and, unfortunately, the scale doesn't tell you that. Another reason scale weight isn't so reliable is that it changes all the time. All of us experience weight changes throughout the day, sometimes by as much as 10 pounds depending on what and how often we eat and drink. (Did you get that? 10 POUNDS!) While the scale isn't completely useless, it may not be the best tool for people just starting a fat loss program. If it doesn't help you stay on track and reach your goals, maybe it's time to throw out the scale for good.

Should You Throw Out the Scale?

"Don't step on it... it makes you cry."

You now know that focusing on fat loss is much more important than focusing on your weight. When you lose body fat, you're making permanent changes in your body, shifting your body composition so that you have less fat and more muscle. When you lose weight, you could be losing water or even muscle. It's impossible to know if you're seeing real results or just the product of your daily habits, hormonal shifts and changing hydration levels.
When you first start a program, you may need extra encouragement to keep going, proof that what you're doing is working and the scale may not give you that. Other ways the scale can work against you:

• It measures everything: The number on the scale includes everything - muscles, fat, bones, organs, fat, food and water. For that reason, your scale weight can be a deceptive number.
• It doesn't reflect the changes happening in your body: If you're doing cardio and strength training, you may build lean muscle tissue at the same time you're losing fat. In that case, the scale may not change even though you're getting leaner and slimmer.
• It doesn't reflect your health: As mentioned above, the scale can't tell the difference between fat and muscle. That means a person can have a low body weight, but still have unhealthy levels of body fat.
• It isn't always a positive motivator: If you step on the scale and you're unhappy with what you see, how does that make you feel? You may question everything you're doing, wondering why you even bother at all. Focusing on weight may overshadow the positive results you're getting such as fat loss, more endurance and higher energy levels.

One way to measure your success,
other than the scale,
is to take your measurements

Even if you're not ready to stop weighing yourself entirely, using other ways to measure progress can keep you motivated and help you realize that you are making changes, no matter what the scale says.

• Go by how your clothes fit. If they fit more loosely, you know you're on the right track
• Take your measurements to see if you're losing inches
• Get your body fat tested or use an online calculator
• Set performance goals. Instead of worrying about weight loss or fat loss, focus on completing a certain number of workouts each week or competing in a race

If the scale is making you crazy, taking a break from weighing yourself may just open your eyes to other possibilities. Your weight isn't the only measure of your success. Put away the scale and you may just see how far you've really come! 

Muscle Weight Gain - The Positive Side of Scale Increases

When replacing body fat with
muscle, gaining a few pounds is
a good thing!

If you have increased your workouts and you have noticed a higher number on the scale, it is probably do to muscle weight gain. Muscle is heavier than fat, so as you tone up and build more muscle, and number of pounds you weigh is likely to increase. This type of weight gain due to muscle mass DOES NOT mean you are out of shape. The more fat you lose and the more muscle you gain, the healthier you will be and the better you will feel.

Muscle also burns calories more quickly than fat, so your metabolism will speed up as you build more muscle. When you are replacing body fat with muscle, gaining a few pounds is actually a good thing. To gain lean muscle mass, you’ll need regular workout routines with weights, machines or strengthening exercises. Your workout routines should be modified each time you work out to work different muscles (so your entire body will be balanced). If you are bodybuilding or weight lifting regularly, make sure you allow yourself enough recovery time between workouts. Working out with weights for about 45 minutes every other day is the ideal for gaining muscle. Low impact aerobic workouts, or cardio exercises and relaxation exercises, are healthy for you to do on your off days. The cardio exercises will help you to burn fat in between weight lifting workouts, which will help you build muscle.



So with all that being said, I'm no nutritionist, dietitian, or expert, but I do know a few things about fitness and nutrition, and I am constantly making an effort to educate myself more and more everyday. Do I recommend giving up the scale completely? Hmmm... that's a hard one... I think that's a personal choice, I do know that regardless if you ever look at that scale or not you will be able to easily visibly tell if you are losing weight just by inches lost and dress/pant sizes going down, so to be honest, a scale is never really necessary. While I was losing weight, I used my scale as a source of motivation. To continually see the scale go down encouraged me to do more! Now that I'm maintaining (and not to mention the fact that my scale isn't exactly cooperating with me lately), I actually think I'm going to give the scale up. But like I said, it's a totally personal choice. (And if you're worried about not being able to tell if you've gained weight if you don't weigh yourself, don't worry, the theory that weight can "creep up on you" is a myth. We all can tell when we're gaining weight! When our pants don't zip anymore, we can't get into the same dresses or shirts, we look in the mirror and see the beginning of a double chin... these are all visible signs that a lot of times we choose to ignore.)

I found all this information to be very useful and I hope you have, too! I hope if you happen to have been discouraged about your progress before reading this that you are now encouraged! Knowledge is power and you'll never succeed without. I hope this blog enlightened you so we can all succeed in fitness together!



Sources: About.com and 3fatchicks.com

The Search For Perfection...

Hello fitness geeks! LOL! Just kidding! But hey, I'm a fitness geek, too! That's one name I'll gladly be called! :) How's 2011 so far? How have your fitness journeys been going? Are you still in it to win it? Eating healthy and exercising regularly? Or have you slacked off a bit? Come on, be truthful with me and yourselves, there's no shame in admitting if you have. Everyone gets off track from time to time, the important thing is recognizing it and getting right back on the road again! In no time you'll be hitting goals and making accomplishments that will keep you on the road to success for good! Don't get discouraged, get encouraged! YOU CAN DO THIS!  And to the ones who have been faithful to their new healthy lifestyles, a big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to you! I'm sure by now you're seeing some results that make it all worth it! Not only that, but when you're eating better and exercising regularly, you feel better, physically as well as mentally. I'm sure your self esteem is up and I personally find exercise to be a big stress reliever so your mind has got to be clear. The advantages to a healthy lifestyle just keep going and going so keep it up!

STOP SEARCHING FOR PERFECTION.
NO ONE IS PERFECT.
(What is "perfect" anyway?)

I've been thinking about what to make this blog post about for awhile now and as always, conversations that I've had or heard inspire me. This blog post will be short but sweet. I've said it before but I think it bears repeating: STOP SEARCHING FOR PERFECTION. No one is perfect. I know you've probably heard this preached to you again and again, you may even be tired of hearing at this point, but I still don't think it truly has sunk in. We all have different bodies... male, female, tall, short, thin, thick, athletic, husky, curvy, straight... etc, etc. There's a good chance that in a room of 50 people you wouldn't find 2 bodies that are exactly alike. So why is it that we look at other people in person, on tv, or in a magazine, and expect to look like that particular person? Sometimes it just isn't possible and it's as simple as that. I'm not saying that you can't work to make your body the best it can be, but the key words in that sentence are "your body". Everyone's body is different. I'll admit, I'm guilty of this, too. I probably have around 30 or 40 fitness videos and I sometimes find myself looking at each one, searching for the girl that I would most like to look like, or even buying a particular video for the soul reason that I like the way that instructor looks, thinking that if I do her workout, maybe my body can look like hers. It sounds a little pathetic but all of us do it. It's even okay to think that way - up until a point. The point has been crossed when we find ourselves getting frustrated or mad at ourselves when we see our bodies not looking like the photo or person we admired. If we're working hard and doing the best we can, we should just be proud of what we're accomplishing, not getting upset over comparisons.

No matter what size, I AM ENOUGH.

Life is too short to sweat the small stuff and whether we look like the next supermodel, bodybuilder, actress or singer, is the small stuff. A healthy body comes in many different forms, there's no clear cut model for it. Love the skin you're in and stop searching perfection because not only is no one "perfect", but no matter what size jeans you fit in, YOU'RE ENOUGH (good enough, pretty enough, fit enough, smart enough... etc.) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!

Your Friend In Fitness,

Jonelle (a.k.a - "Fit Girl")

I'M BACK with ZUMBA!!!!!!

Hello my fellow fitness fanatics! It's been awhile but I'M BACK!!!  It's been over a month since I lasted wrote a new blog post and I apologize for that but life has had this fit girl pretty busy! You know how it goes, work, family & friends, hobbies, and everyday life in general can overwhelm you at times. Also, I'm not sure if you all can tell this or not, but I'm a person who loves to try new things, if I'm interested in at all, I'm going to give it a try, so that's one characteristic I possess that can get me into trouble sometimes where I get so busy trying this and that, that I lose sense of my priorities and writing this blog is a priority for me. So here I am, back and ready to give you my all when it comes to fitness, nutrition, motivation and encouragement! (I'm also still working on my big surprise for you guys (the one that I mentioned before in my last post that will hopefully will help you achieve and/or maintain total fitness? Yes, that's the one!) It should be ready any day now and when it is, there will be a big announcement so there's no chance of you missing it.)

Now even though I've been M.I.A. on Confessions Of A Fit Girl, don't think for a second I've been missing in action when it comes to my fitness & nutrition! I'm a fit girl for life! That is one area of my life where I make NO EXCEPTIONS! Working out and eating healthy is non-negotiable, it's just as simple as that. In fact, I've tried a new workout program since I last wrote you guys which I'm loving so much I have to share! This program isn't new at all, it's been around for awhile now and even though I'm the self-proclaimed "Exercise Video Queen" who "tries everything", I regretfully admit that I never even considered giving this a try in the past. I'm not a big fan of dance workouts and I was always hesitant, thinking that I would be way to uncoordinated to get the moves. (Just a quick word of advice, when it comes to exercise dvds, if it's too complicated - and by complicated I don't mean challenging because that's an entirely different situation, you WANT your workout to challenge you, but complication equals frustraion and when frustrated with exercise, 99.9% of the time you're going to feel defeated and throw in the towl. Just thought I'd throw that in there in case any fitness instructors are out there reading this. :) Now back to the subject at hand... ) But boy, was I wrong! Not only did I get the moves, I ended up LOVING IT! So much that after attending my first live class this past Saturday, I'm thinking of starting to attend classes regularly. What am I talking about? ZUMBA!!!!!!

So What is "Zumba"?

Zumba^® class led by creator,
Alberto "Beto" Perez

In case you've never heard of Zumba^®, let me first explain what it is.  Zumba is like a big party with the added benefit of hundreds of calories burned! It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health.
Zumba Fitness^® is the only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music, created by Grammy Award-winning producers, and contagious steps to form a "fitness-party" that is downright addictive. I know it was for me after the first day! Since its start in 2001, Zumba Fitness has grown to become the world’s largest – and most successful – dance-fitness program with more than 10 million people of all shapes, sizes and ages taking weekly Zumba classes in over 90,000 locations across more than 110 countries.

How It All Got Started...
Sometimes, great ideas are born from accidents. In the mid-‘90s, no one could have predicted the success of the Zumba^® program, not even Alberto "Beto" Perez, who created the Zumba program, after what many have called a true "happy accident." As a fitness instructor in his native Cali, Colombia, Beto’s life took an unexpected turn one fateful day in the mid-‘90s when he darted off to teach an aerobics class and forgot his traditional aerobics music. He improvised using his own mix of music from tapes he had in his backpack (salsa and merengue music he grew up with). Spontaneously, he created a new kind of dance-fitness, one that focused on letting the music move you (instead of counting reps over the music). His class loved it! And on that day, a revolutionary new fitness concept was born – the Zumba^® Fitness-Party.

Zumba Fitness: The Company
In 2001, Beto brought his new dance-fitness style to Miami, Florida and created a business, calling it Zumba Fitness. They trademarked the word Zumba^® and set a goal to expand the brand all over the world. First came the DVDs, then the infomercial – which introduced the Zumba Fitness-Party to the public on a wide-scale basis – then came the demand for Zumba classes and Zumba Instructors. That’s when the company took off and the Zumba program expanded in a big way with apparel & accessories, music CDs, and in 2008, one of the best-selling at-home fitness DVD series ever – The Zumba Fitness^® Total Body Transformation System. In 2010, Zumba became the first branded fitness program to launch a video game on all three major gaming platforms: Wii, Xbox, and PS3.

Fast forward to today, the Zumba program is now taught in gyms and studios all over the world to millions of Zumba enthusiasts! Like me!


The Zumba Fitness^® Total Body Transformation System
This is the workout program that I started Zumba with (and will continue to use even when I begin going regularly to live classes. As you know, I am an exercise video junkie who has lots of videos, but once I picked this up I just could not put this one down! I immediately loved it.

What's Included:

• Zumba Fitness Basics Workout
• Zumba Fitness 20-Minute Express Workout
• Zumba Fitness Sculpt & Tone Workout
• Zumba Fitness Cardio Party Workout
• Zumba Total Body Transformation Guide 
• Zumba Fitness Flat Abs Workout
• Zumba Fitness Live! Workout
• (2) Zumba Fitness Toning Sticks 

The Basics Workout teaches you the Zumba moves. It's pretty long (I think around an hour) but it really goes over every single move you'll be doing in the rest of the workouts so it's essential you start out with that. My hesitation towards Zumba was always that I felt I would never be able to do the moves, but after doing the Basics video I had no trouble at all! (And even though it's only "teaching" you the moves, it's a pretty good calorie burner, too!)  I only needed to do the Basics Workout 1 time before moving on to the 20-Minute Express Workout and then soon,  the full on Cardio Party which is around 45 minutes. I've also now done Zumba Sculpt & Tone, Flat Abs and Live! All are great cardio as well as strength and toning. One thing I don't like about most ab workouts is there's always a lot of floor work and hardly no cardio at all. Not true with Zumba! With Zumba, even though you are working your abs you are STILL getting a workout and burning those calories! NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!! :) The Live! video is pretty nice because it's basically the Cardio Party but with a live class so you really feel like you're apart of the party. And that's what Zumba is, a party! No matter whether you're doing the workouts alone at home or in a fitness class with other people, the music and dancing of Zumba make it a party and actually fun to workout! 

So would I recommend Zumba? Of course I would! Don't wait, give Zumba a try today! Ditch the routine and join the party! 

To preview Zumba before buying and/or attending a class, check out this video of The Zumba^®Fitness Total Body Transformation System: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOpXuHL9RM4
To buy, click here.

My Frenemy

I'M BACK. . .  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I know, I know, I'm around 19 days late but better late than never, right? :) So how have you guys been? I've missed writing to my fitness buddies! I've been so busy lately that this blog has been put on the back burner for awhile, so I want to thank all of you for sticking it out with me! I've got some new exciting things in store for all of you very soon... :) Expect to not only see a whole new but some new editions added to this blog as well that I hope will help you achieve and/or maintain total fitness! Everything is still in the works but stay tuned because you won't want to miss it!

So anyway... back to my happy new year's wishes, I hope you all brought in the new year safe & sound, ready to go into 2011 with a positive attitude! True positivity comes from having peace within and with the coming of each new year, in an effort to stay as positive as possible, I try to take some time to evaluate what's really important and what's not, habits that I want to continue or think I should stop, and as harsh as it may sound, people I want to keep in my life or distance myself from. This year I've come to the conclusion that there's just someone who has to go! I won't get rid of her completely but I just can't make her an important part of my life anymore. The two of us have this love/hate relationship that at times can be unhealthy for me. To be honest, sometimes I can't even stand to look at her! You may think I sound mean, but I'm not alone, there are thousands, millions even who feel the same way I do! She's pretty popular. Who am I talking about you ask? My Frenemy: THE SCALE.

For those of you who don't know, a "Frenemy" is described as a "friend" and "enemy" which can refer to either an enemy disguised as a friend or to a partner who is simultaneously a competitor and rival. The scale has been just to me. When I'm on a roll I love her! She gives me the numbers I want to see and as time goes on, I'm falling in love! But I realize now that's all part of her master plan to reel me into a false sense of security, because right when I think she's finally jumped over to my side, right when I think we've come to some sort of resolution, I'm eating healthy and exercising, I ask her my weight and she lies to me! Telling me I'm 3 or 4 lbs over what she just told me yesterday! She's no friend of mine! She's an enemy and a deceiver and I refuse to take her abuse anymore!

LOL! Okay, now let's get serious. :) While I do call the scale my "frenemy", I believe she's a necessary evil. You definitely want to, in my opinion, continue to talk to her because keeping up with your weight once a week, or even once a month, is a good way to make sure you are still on the right track. You've just gotta' understand and accept the fact that sometimes she's going to lie. You can be doing everything right, exercising every single day (sometimes twice a day even!) and your diet is totally clean! You're eating 5 small meals a day, fruits &vegetables, a lean protein and whole grains. But you jump on that scale and instead of losing weight or staying the same, you're up 2 or 3 pounds. What's up with that?!? Well, I've found that there are lots of reasons for that. Lemme' give you a few.  

The number one reason for the numbers on your scale to go up is WATER WEIGHT. Did you know that a person can hold up to 6 pounds in water weight?!? Yes, it's true!!! Most people hold at least a pound or two of water weight at any given time, that's natural and a just a fact of life, but extra water weight that will raise the numbers on your scale can come from many things. Salt plays a major factor! If you eat something really salty the night before, don't even bother getting on that scale the next morning! Water weight comes from not only eating salty foods, but some people's bodies react the same way from eating a lot of carbs, too. A vast majority of women hold water weight during their time of the month. Oh, and get this, you can even gain water weight through sore muscles! It's a fact that whenever you work your muscles in a new way, there will usually be some soreness for a day up to a week, and within that time, don't be surprised if the scale tells you some sweet little lies when you step on it. Sore muscles retain water during recovery. This is temporary and not permanent, but that's just something to keep in mind when you start a new weight training program.
 Along with the water retention caused by sore muscles, when building muscle there will be some weight gain, usually 2 or 3, maybe 4 pounds depending on how much muscle you actually gain. Don't worry! The more muscle you develop, the faster the metabolism and the leaner you will eventually become. Why does more muscle equal faster metabolism? With the weight gain of new muscle, your body has to run even faster (i.e - your metabolism) to keep everything running smoothly.

There are many reasons for my frenemy's false numbers, but just remember, as long as your fitness and nutrition routine hasn't changed and you can still fit in all of your clothes, there is no reason to be alarmed. Weight fluctuates for no reason at all, the numbers on the scale, while somewhat important, are just a small part of the bigger puzzle that reveals a fit body. So don't let my frenemy rule your life, but don't take her completely out of the game, just put her on the bench from time to time until she's ready to play fair. :)

Jonelle - Version 4.0

Hey fitness friends! It's been a few weeks now, Christmas has come and gone and a new year is approaching. I want to say a belated "Merry Christmas!" Hope you had a wonderful time sharing lots of love & laughs with you and yours. I also want to wish everyone an early Happy New Year! I wish for nothing but joy & happiness for us all in the upcoming year! Lots of exciting things have been happening in my life lately and I have a feeling 2011 is going to be one awesome year (personally as well as professionally)! Some of you know and some of you don't, but I've been working a new fitness site, SucceedAtFitness.com, which I hope to launch the first week of January. Don't worry, I'm going to still continue to write in Confessions Of A Fit Girl (I love this blog!), the site and my blog will all work together to hopefully help anyone whose interested in succeeding at fitness, mind, body & spirit!

With the new year approaching, it's got me thinking about where I was this time of year last year, and I can honestly say, I'm not the same person I was then as I am now. That was an older version. I've evolved since then. I am now smarter, wiser, and stronger - stronger not just on the outside but the inside, too! I know a lot of times on this blog I talk about physical change but emotional/mental change is just as important. I've found that the two work hand in hand. As I've said before, after I lost the weight a couple of years ago, I changed. My self-confidence grew leaps and bounds! And it wasn't just because I "looked better", it was because I had set a goal and achieved it. I began to realize that I have the power within me to achieve ANYTHING! That's a major self-esteem booster!

Nothing survives without change. I know some people claim to not like change but change is the only constant thing that you can count on, good or bad. And I am living proof that not all change is bad. So with the new year coming in just a day, I urge you to embrace the new you that's about to emerge! Whether you've been working out for years or just starting your journey, we're all constantly evolving! In 2011 it will be 4 years since I've started this weight loss journey, so I'm getting ready for Jonelle - Version 4.0, how about you? :)

Diet-Friendly Fast Foods

Okay, you read the title and I already know what some of you nutrition freaks, like myself, are thinking, "Diet-friendly fast food?! Get real! No such thing!" Believe me, I know where you're coming from. I'm a big believer in not eating out. The fact remains that the majority of fast foods are processed foods filled with fats, preservatives, sugars, and lots of other bad for you words. But to my surprise, after doing a little research, I discovered that there are actually a fair amount of healthy, low-calorie, diet-friendly fast food options out there. Now don't get me wrong, I'm still not a real fan of eating fast-food. Cooking your own healthy dishes is definitely the best option. But I do realize that not everyone has the time to invest in cooking due to busy schedules. Some would argue that you have to make the time, but what happens when there simply is no time? Some people's schedules are really that jam packed! Also, everyone gets tired of cooking from time to time, including myself, and even if you love cooking there are going to be times when you're tired of eating your own home cooked foods. In other words, eating fast-food from time to time is inevitable. Personally, I allow myself one "cheat day" a week, 6 days out of the week I cook at home but there's one day that I eat out. I usually limit it to healthier options, such as Subway or certain Chinese food dishes, but now after discovering these new diet-friendly fast food options I can now add some variety to my menu! So here goes...

The 22 Healthiest Fast Foods

What to Order at America's Top 10 Fast Food Joints

McDonald's

No one can say that McDonald’s isn’t convenient—you can find one on just about every corner in some cities. But can it be healthy, too? I wouldn't have thought so, but it all depends on what you choose.

• Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich: When you hold the mayo, you'll save calories and fat.
  370 calorie
  Publish Post
  s, 4.5g fat, 1g sat. fat, 65mg cholesterol, 1,110mg sodium, 50g carbs, 3g fiber, 32g protein
• Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken: The majority of the fat in this flavorful salad comes from the almonds, and the Asian Blend contains veggies and soybeans, making it heart-healthy.
  300 calories, 10g fat, 1g sat. fat, 65mg cholesterol, 890mg sodium, 23g carbs, 5g fiber, 32g protein
• Fruit and Yogurt Parfait: If you’re looking for a sweet treat, this is a winner. Made with low-fat yogurt and topped with low fat granola, strawberries and blueberries, it’s far less sinful but just as tasty as ice cream.
  160 calories, 2g fat, 1g sat. fat, 5mg cholesterol, 85mg sodium, 31g carbs, 1g fiber, 4g protein 

Visit www.mcdonalds.com for more healthy ideas. 

Wendy’s

Who would have ever though Wendy's could be healthy? Not me! Well, I was wrong. Try these best picks for your next lunch on the run.

• Mandarin Chicken Salad: A variety of lettuces and toppings, like roasted almonds and crispy noodles, make this salad a flavor-packed meal. Most of the fat is unsaturated.
  540 calories, 25g fat, 3g sat. fat, 65mg cholesterol, 1,260mg sodium, 50g carbs, 5g fiber, 31g protein
• Ultimate Chicken Grill: Order it with lettuce, tomatoes, and honey mustard sauce.
  320 calories, 7g fat, 1.5g sat. fat, 70mg cholesterol, 950mg sodium, 36g carbs, 2g fiber, 28g protein 

Get more nutrition facts at www.wendys.com. 

Burger King

A salad and veggie burger top the healthy list at Burger King.

• Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad: Hold the cheese and top with the Light Italian dressing:
  300 calories, 16g fat, 2.5g sat. fat, 70mg cholesterol, 1,050mg sodium, 13g carbs, 5g fiber, 33g protein
• BK Veggie Burger: Say "no mayo" to enjoy this healthy, cholesterol-free vegetarian delight.
  340 calories, 8g fat, 1g sat. fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1,030mg sodium, 46g carbs, 7g fiber, 23g protein 

Their website, www.bk.com, offers more nutrition information. 

Taco Bell

When you order it “fresco style”, the regular cheese and sauce are replaced by a flavorful combo of tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, all fresh (and much healthier).

• Fresco Style Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco:
  170 calories, 4g fat, 1.5g sat. fat, 25mg cholesterol, 730mg sodium, 21g carbs, 3g fiber, 12g protein
• Fresco Crunchy Taco: This menu item is much lower in sodium but still loaded with flavor.
  150 calories, 8g fat, 2.5g sat. fat, 20mg cholesterol, 370mg sodium, 13g carbs, 3g fiber, 7g protein. 

More nutrition facts are available at www.tacobell.com. 

Subway (my personal fav!)

Good old Jared and his subway diet brought Subway restaurants recognition as one fast food joint with lots of healthy options. Sandwiches from the Subway "Fresh Fit" menu each have fewer than 6 grams of fat.

• 6" Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast:
  310 calories, 5g fat, 25mg cholesterol, 830mg sodium, 5g fiber
• 6" Veggie Delite: A great option for vegetarian diners or for those watching their cholesterol. Order it on Italian bread and it’s vegan, too.
  230 calories, 3g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 500mg sodium, 5g fiber
• Soups: If you’re really hungry, pair your sandwich with one of the healthier Subway Soups. Each restaurant features two soups daily, and the ones listed below each contain 160 calories or fewer: Cream of Broccoli, Minestrone, New England Style Clam Chowder, Roasted Chicken Noodle, Spanish Style Chicken with Rice, Tomato Garden Vegetable with Rotini, and Vegetable Beef. 

Visit www.subway.com for more information. 

Arby’s

A lot of people are led to believe that Arby's, in general, is a pretty healthy choice for fast food, but for the healthiest fare, steer clear of the roast beef sandwiches altogether.

• Martha’s Vineyard Salad:
  466 calories, 23g fat, 6g sat. fat, 61mg cholesterol, 996mg sodium, 43g carbs, 4g fiber, 22g protein 

Visit their website, www.arbys.com to see more choices. 

KFC

Although their fried chicken isn’t health food (not even by a long shot), KFC does have some healthy options on their menu.

• Honey BBQ Sandwich:
  280 calories, 3.5g fat, 1g sat. fat, 60mg cholesterol, 780mg sodium, 40g carbs, 3g fiber, 22g protein
• Tender Roast Sandwich: Hold the sauce.
  300 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g sat. fat, 70mg cholesterol, 1,060mg sodium, 28g carbs, 2g fiber, 37g protein
• Roasted Caesar Salad: Hold the croutons, and top it with fat-free ranch dressing.
  250 calories, 8g fat, 4.5g sat. fat, 70mg cholesterol, 1,240 mg sodium, 14g carbs, 3g fiber, 31g protein 

Get more nutrition facts at www.kfc.com. 

Chick-fil-A

Just because it isn't beef doesn't mean it's always better—especially when the chicken is breaded and fried. Try the items below.

• Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich:
  270 calories, 3g fat, 1g sat. fat, 50mg cholesterol, 1,260mg sodium, 37g carbs, 4g fiber, 28g protein
• Chargrilled and Fruit Salad: Top with reduced fat berry balsamic vinaigrette.
  290 calories, 8g fat, 3.5g sat. fat, 65mg cholesterol, 760mg sodium, 32g carbs, 5g fiber, 22g protein 

See all the facts at www.chickfila.com. 

Jack in the Box

Now Jack in the Box has to be one of the worst fast food places out there, who would ever believe it could contain anything healthy?!? Whole grains, from this fast food joint? Believe it! 

• Asian Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken Strips:
  160 calories, 1.5g fat, 0g sat. fat, 65mg cholesterol, 380mg sodium, 18g carbs, 5g fiber, 22g protein
• Chicken Fajita Pita: The pita is made with whole grains, which are rarely seen at fast food restaurants. Hold the salsa.
  300 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g sat. fat,60mg cholesterol, 1,090mg sodium, 33g carbs, 4g fiber, 23g protein 

Visit www.jackinthebox.com for more menu items. 

Carl’s Jr.

Steer clear of big, meaty burgers and try these chicken options instead.

• Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich:
  360 calories, 4.5g fat, 1g sat. fat, 60mg cholesterol, 1,150mg sodium, 48g carbs, 4g fiber, 34g protein
• Charbroiled Chicken Salad: Choose the low-fat balsamic dressing.
  295 calories, 8.5g fat, 3.5g sat. fat, 75mg cholesterol, 1,190mg sodium, 21g carbs, 5g fiber, 34g protein 

See the Carl's Jr. Website, www.carlsjr.com for more nutrition information.


So it turns out that dining at a fast food restaurant doesn’t have to be a diet disaster. Use this list as a guide, or visit the websites provided to tally up totals for your preferred favorites. Just remember that these selections are healthier options for the occasional fast-food meal, but they may have other nutritional flaws (like high sodium), so you might not want to make it a regular part of your nutrition plan. So every once in awhile, enjoy eating some fast-food! Diet-friendly fast-food... who knew? :)


Source(s): "The 22 HealthiestFast Foods: What to Order at America's Top Fast Food Joints" by Liza Barnes, Health Educator, article - http://www.sparkpeople.com 

Breaking The Myths

Hello fitness lovers! And soon-to-be fitness lovers! (Hey, I'm not discriminative and I don't want to leave anyone out! I'm sure sooner or later if you keep reading this blog I'll convert you to the healthier side of the road! :) ) It's December 2010, we've got less than 30 days before the new year and whether you're just recently new to healthy living (i.e. - eating a healthy diet and incorporating a regular fitness routine), you've been doing it for years or you've decided to make getting healthy your new year's resolution for 2011, I'm sure you've already been a victim to believing some common myths or misconceptions of dieting. Don't worry, you're not alone, I was a victim of hearing and believing the hype, too. From downing your weight in water to loading up on grapefruit, there's a long list of tricks and tips that promise to help you drop those extra pounds. It's now time to separate the fact from fiction and be a victim no longer! This post will be all about stating and breaking common diet myths in order to help you end this year and start the new upcoming year right! 

10 Diet Myths That Won't Go Away

1. Myth: Calories eaten after 8 p.m. turn to fat. This has to be the number one, biggest myth out there! I can't tell you how many times I've heard this!
Fact: The reality is this is an urban legend and the fact of the matter is, if you eat more calories than your body burns in a day, the excess calories will be stored as fat. Whether you consume them during 'Good Morning America' or 'Letterman' doesn't matter; there is no connection between calories and the clock. I know a lot of people have been taught the opposite, but I'm hear to tell you, don't believe the hype! I am now maintaining my weight but even while I was in the process of eating less in order to lose weight, I often ate at 9, 10 or even 11 p.m. (still do to this day) and NEVER GAINED WEIGHT! The idea that anything eaten after 8 p.m. will turn into fat is ridiculous and just not true!  The key to losing weight is counting calories and burning more than you consume in a 24 hour period. In other words, it doesn't matter what time during that 24 hours that you eat, as long as you're keeping track of your calories and only eating the certain amount you've allowed for yourself YOU CAN EAT ANYTIME YOU WANT! I get so sick of people spreading this myth around. A lot of people go to bed starving and wake up eating way more calories than should be consumed believing this myth. Now, I don't want to knock whatever eating routine you have going. If not eating after 8 p.m. works for you, keep with it, but just know, if you happen to have to eat after 8 p.m. it's NOT going to harm your diet in anyway!

2. Myth: To jump-start your diet, you should fast.
Fact: The truth? Skipping meals for extended periods of time is actually the best way to sabotage a diet. Though fasting may temporarily help you lose weight, it's predominantly water weight. Fasting is not recommended because not eating for extended periods can cause fatigue and dizziness. Ultimately, fasting usually accomplishes two things, It makes you hungry and leaves you feeling deprived. Once you become over-hungry, all common sense is lost, and you're bound to make high-calorie, high-fat choices in that state of mind. Furthermore, feeling deprived tends to lead to binging when you do eat again. So really, the more you don't eat, the more likely you are to overeat in the end.


3. Myth: Low-carb (high protein) diets are the most effective route to weight loss. I'll be the first to admit, I believed and adopted this myth into my diet for a long time. Whenever I stopped bread and anything "white" (pasta, potatoes, ... you know the deal) I always lost weight, so I just assumed this was true.
Fact: Before you ban bread altogether, consider this: Although preliminary research suggests that obese people can lose more weight on a low-carb diet than on a conventional low-fat diet, the benefits appear to be small and may be short-lived. One year long study comparing low-carb dieters to low-fat dieters found that low-carbers began regaining the weight they lost after six months. By the end of the year, they were no better off than the low-fat group. What's more,
the dropout rate among both groups was extremely high. It really is about the calories and striking a balance between what you consume and what you burn. To do that for the long haul, you have to choose a diet that is sustainable. And permanently cutting out entire food groups doesn't qualify.


4. Myth: Eating white foods is bad for you. Ha, ha! As I said in the above myth, I believed this to be true, too, but the joke was on me!
Fact: Don't judge a food by its color. Some of the best foods for you are actually white. The color of a food has nothing to do with its nutritional value and it's not always an indication of how processed the food is either. Think bananas, pears and garlic, all of which pack a nutritional punch and are also naturally white. Instead of focusing on the color of the food, you need to consider what else it delivers in deciding whether to eat it. Find out what nutrients and vitamins it has. And look at the list of ingredients to determine how highly processed it is. Even a processed food, such as cake mix, doesn't have to be a diet wrecker as long as you eat it in moderation.

5. Myth: Drinking lots of water will help you lose weight. Now this is a biggie! We've all heard it a billion times and almost every diet or nutrition book suggests this.
Fact: It's true that if your daily drinking habits consist of sweetened teas, juice drinks and sodas, then replacing them with water can result in consuming fewer calories, which can lead to weight loss. But simply upping your water intake WILL NOT help you shed pounds! Though drinking water may make your belly temporarily feel fuller, you have to remember that hunger is not simply a function of your stomach - your body is crying out for nutrients in food, so filling up on water won't satisfy you for long. Of course staying hydrated is important for maintaining your overall energy and body functioning, but contrary to popular belief, drinking it in excess won't boost your metabolism or flush away fat.


6. Myth: When you're on a diet, drinking juice is a no-no. Gotta' admit, I subscribed to this one for a long time.
Fact: Juice gets such a bad rap these days, but the truth is, juice isn't inherently bad for you, provided you're actually drinking 100% JUICE - NOT A JUICE DRINK. Juice drinks are loaded with added sugar and preservatives. So check the label to be sure you're only reaching for 100% juice. Because juice is much more concentrated than fruit, you need much less of it. Limit yourself to 4-ounce servings of juice. And whenever possible, choose whole fruit over juice because fruit contains fiber, which fills you up and is left behind when you extract the juice.


7. Myth: All sugar is bad for you.
Fact: When it comes to the sweet stuff, not all sugar is created equal. Food labels don't distinguish between added sugar and sugar that was naturally in the food to begin with. For example, most dieters wouldn't consider eating canned fruit because of the grams of sugar listed on the label. However, if it's packaged in its own juice, then you're just eating the sugar that was already in the fruit. Lots of good-for-you foods naturally have sugar in them, such as low-fat milk. Instead of looking at the grams of sugar on the nutrition label, read the ingredient list. Foods containing items like high fructose corn syrup should be kept to a minimum.


8. Myth: Exercising on an empty stomach burns more fat.
Fact: If only it were that easy! The real deal? When you do aerobic exercise, your body is burning fat as well as carbohydrate stores from food you've recently eaten. So if you skip your pre-workout meal or snack, you won't have carb stores to burn. But that doesn't mean you'll burn all fat, instead, your body starts to burn its own muscle for fuel. And less muscle means lower metabolism - not the goal of any dieter. Not to mention that exercising on empty means you'll probably be too tired to go all out, which translates into burning fewer calories during your workout than if you had properly fueled up beforehand. Ideally, you should have a meal three or four hours before a workout, or a snack one to two hours before exercising.


9. Myth: Drinking liquid meal replacements will help shrink your stomach.
Fact: No way! Any shrinking that happens from a liquid diet is likely to be in your imagination, NOT in your stomach! Why? Your stomach is a muscular organ that will stretch temporarily when you eat, and then return back to its normal size. There is nothing you can eat or drink that will "shrink" your stomach.

10. Myth: Eating grapefruit will help you burn fat.
Fact: That eating grapefruits will help you lose weight is one of the most persistent among diet myths -- and just when you think it's gone, it resurfaces and becomes all the rage again every few years. There is no food that has intrinsic "fat-burning enzymes" that magically melt fat from your body. If you want to eat grapefruit as part of a well-rounded diet, go for it, they're rich in lycopene - an antioxidant that protects against heart disease and breast cancer. Incorporate it and other lycopene-rich foods, such as tomatoes and watermelon, into your diet each day, but don't expect it to help you burn any fat.


So that's it! 10 common diet myths, BROKEN! How many were you a victim of believing? For me, quite a few. And this is only 10 myths but there are many, many more! With so much misleading diet/nutrition information out there it's easy to get confused, but now ya' know the truth! So keep this in mind when continuing or starting your healthy lifestyle!


Source(s): "10 Diet Myths That Won't Go Away" from www.thatsfit.com