MARCH 2014 NEWSLETTER!

The AMPS Lifestyle Change March 2014 newsletter is out!  We discuss the importance of eating less C.R.A.P. and eating more F.O.O.D.!

Gradually eliminate:

C - carbonated drinks

R - refined sugars

A - artificial sweeteners & colors

P - processed foods

and

Consume more:

F - fruits & vegetables

O - organic lean proteins

O - omega 3 fatty acids

D - drink water

The newsletter goes into more detail about the C.R.A.P. to eliminate.  As far as the F.O.O.D. to consume, good sources of omega 3 fatty acids are:

- select seafoods, specific oils, beans, nuts & seeds, spinach, winter squash, broccoli & cauliflower, omega from fish dietary supplements.

Read "8 Easy Ways to Load Up on Healthy Omega-3 Fats"!

Please visit us at: http://www.ampslifestylechange.com/index.html

GAINING A HEALTHY ATTITUDE ABOUT FOOD!

“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27)

I've always loved this scripture, and have learned to apply it to food in my life in this way: "Food was made for man, and not man for food!"  I have had to learn to let go of the emotional hold food had over me: if I felt happy, I ate; if I felt sad, I ate; if I wanted to celebrate, I ate; if I wanted get somebody back for hurting me, I ate; etc.  Always eating, eating, eating, whether I wanted to or not.

But in 2008, when I started my lifestyle change, after the first two months of changing how I and my family eat, I finally came to the realization that food was created to provide our bodies what it needs, and not to make us happy or fulfill voids in our lives that we can't otherwise fulfill.

I learned to eat the daily recommended serving sizes from all five food groups, drink as much water as my body needed, and stop eating when I had consumed the daily requirements.  If my stomach growled in between meals, that was ok!  I would be eating again within two to three hours from the last meal, and it wouldn't kill my body to have to wait.  And if my stomach growled after 7pm, I would just drink more water.

Yes, food can be enjoyed and I do treat myself to anything I want once a week, usually replacing my early afternoon snack with a sweet treat of choice.  But day in and day out, I follow the same eating regimen - whether I'm working or off; whether I'm on my regular schedule or on vacation; whether I'm traveling or at home - regardless of how my schedule may change, I eat "right" most days.

The days I don't eat "right", I don't freak out.  I just start over with the next meal.  We can work out everyday like crazy, but if we don't learn how to eat "right", we may reach our goal, but more slowly than we ought; or we may reach our goal, but not be able to maintain it long term; or we may never reach our goal, but just be more tone.

Exercise is good and important as we continue our lifestyle change of nutrition and wellness, but exercise is only 20% of losing weight; how we eat is 80% of losing weight and keeping it off, which is our ultimate goal!  Always remember...

"Exercise changes your shape, but eating 'right' changes your size!" 
AMPS Lifestyle Change, LLC  
visit: http://www.ampslifestylechange.com/

INDOOR CARDIO WORKOUT OPTIONS!

I really miss my morning runs outside these past few weeks, but the weather conditions have been too risky to take a chance.  So, I've explored many at home cardio alternatives, and I've enjoy the following the most:

Brazilian Butt Lift DVD: a 50 minute cardio/weight interval training workout, that gets your heart rate up and keeps it there, while also working all the muscles of your body

P90X: a 90 day workout challenge, includes 12 intense workouts that use resistance and body-weight training, cardio, plyometrics, ab work, martial arts and yoga

INSANITY: a dance workout that keeps your heart rate up the entire time, while you have fun dancing to some real hype music, which helps make the time go fast

If you don't have access to a video or prefer to do something on your own, these are my tried and true staples:
- running up and down the staircase for 30 minutes; if you stop, add that much time to make your total running time equal 30 minutes
- jogging/jumping jacks alternating in place for 30-45 minutes; turn on some music to make the time seem to go faster
- imaginary jump rope for 30 minutes; great all over body workout

These are just a few examples of cardio exercises you can do at home, if you prefer to go outside like I do, but can't for whatever reason.