Set Goals Beyond The Scale...

Even if you do everything right, there will be times when the scale won't budge or the weight just doesn't seem to come off as quickly as it should. Don't let that discourage you! Measure your progress in other ways! Set goals for fitness—running farther, sticking to your routine each day or week—and celebrate each of these mini accomplishments. Or set goals for your diet such as staying in your calorie range as many days as possible, packing your lunch for work each day, or drinking 64 ounces of water a day, and celebrate reaching these goals. Celebrating these new milestones is a great way to stay motivated and inspired to stick with your program, even on days (or weeks) when the scale doesn't seem to reflect your progress.

2 Races on the Calendar...

Training starts NOW!
I have the Shamrock Shuffle 8K April 7th and the Soldier Field 10 miler May 25th!  The good news is I am able to run again and now I have to step it up!  I did stop riding my bike to work on January 14th.  I can’t tell you how much I miss it.  I plan to be back in the saddle again on February 11th.  It has been a very strange winter - weather wise - one day it is 60 degrees and the next 16!  

I have 2 months to get my miles up!  I haven’t done the Shamrock Shuffle in YEARS!  The 8k will be a great indicator of where I need to be for the 10 miler!  Maybe a 1/2 marathon will be in the works for the Fall! Ha Ha - at 56 I will be the youngest in my age group!!!!

(picture 2011 Soldier Field Finish line)

Vending Machines: Better Than Ever...

I only had one job that had a vending machines and they really did come in handy for a quick snack!  I love that vending machines have been stocking more smart-eating options for a while now. One health-focused company in Canada even reported that its top-selling snack is Popchips! And more improvements are on the way...

More Info! Last year, major soda companies announced they'd begin displaying calorie counts on vending machines in 2013. Which is now. We're excited to see this project launch - Chicago, IL, and San Antonio, TX, are first on the list.

More Guilt-Free Picks! Refrigerated machines that dispense perishable foods are on the rise. And check out the options from Fresh Healthy Vending - yogurt, coconut water, freeze-dried fruit, and more!

Sugar Free...

Know it: Sugar is fine in moderation, but many processed foods contain much more—and in different places than you'd expect!  Since ingredients are required to be listed from most to least on food labels, manufacturers often break up the sugar into smaller amounts of lesser-known sugars, making the food appear healthier. Another issue is that real sugar is often replaced with artificial sweeteners, which can cause bloating and stomach discomfort.

Avoid it: Nutritionally speaking, there's not a huge difference between different types of sneaky sugars so knowing the pseudonyms is half the battle. While there are more than 50 names for the sweet stuff, common tricky ones include brown rice syrup, barley malt, caramel, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, and anything involving corn syrup.

Calcium to Help Increase Muscle Tone...

Calcium is one of the two most important nutrients our body needs for healthy and strong bones and muscles. Every time you lift a dumbbell, your muscle contracts, and this mineral gives muscles that cue to contract—and, therefore, grow.

How much?  Recommended is at least 1,200 mg a day. You can get your daily dose through foods like dairy products, green veggies, and fortified dairy-free milk, or a supplement. If you prefer a pill, choose one with D, which your body needs to absorb calcium. Stick to supplements with 500 to 600 mg of calcium and take them hours apart, as your body can only take in that much at a time.

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!