Book Review

I haven't talked about books in a while. When in your downtime bundled up this winter, it's good to continue to feed yourself information on health and fitness. Have something in front of you at all times to keep you motivated.

Here are a few books that I have read and got something out of. These would also make great Christmas presents for your list!

Master Your Metabolism, from Biggest Loser's crazy trainer, Jillian Michaels. This book dives into diet secrets that naturally balance your hormones. Jillian explains how all your hormones make up your metabolism as it's a combination of everything working together. She gives medical answers to how High Fructose Corn Syrup, artificial sweeteners, soda pop, junk food, etc. can all come into play and mess with your hormones. This book is a real eye opener when it comes to understanding your body. Jillian is not so "tough" in this book, but honest about how you should be treating your body by what you put in it. This book is loaded with good information you will look back and resource for a long time to come. She ends her book with meal plans and recipes, so there's no guessing once you find the truth to what makes you tick. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

If I had said it once, twice or three times, it's worth saying again. You should all have a copy of the Calorie King. This book sells for only $8.99 and sometimes you can find it on sale. It has thousands of foods listed in this easy to read pocket sized book. So whether your making your grocery list and planning your meals or your out to eat, you will not be guessing at what's going into your mouth. We are all creatures of habit and tend to eat the same things. So once you have learned what a banana or your brand of bread runs for calories, counting them becomes quite easy. You can also download the calorie king for your computer or personal palm and be able to enter in all your food intake for the day. The program then adds it up for you. It's can't get any easier than this. Stop guessing and know. I rate this book a 5 out of 5.

The Makers Diet is a Christian based book speaking about the truth of food created by our Maker. Everything on this earth was made with some kind of benefit. Everything has a purpose. This book is great if you want to learn about food in greater detail. What spices, meats, grains, and other natural foods do and how they can effect your lifestyle. God created everything we need here on earth. Reading this book will teach you what things you should be adding to your diet and why. It will also enlighten you to what you should remove from your diet and why. This book will really take you on a journey with changing your food habits. I believe if you implement only a portion of it our still making huge changes in your diet. To follow this diet completely would turn your eating habits upside down and may be too hard for some. So read it and take what you can. It makes a great resource to have on your bookcase. I rate this a 4 out of 5.

Body For Life has been around for quite sometime. I just love the workout plan as it has personally made the most sense to me. It's a well known fact your muscles do the most growing during recovery. This program has that all figured out for you. With a great combination of cardio to lifting plus a "cheat day" anyone can adapt to this program. You still have the foods you don't want to give up at least once a week. But honestly as you grow through this process you won't even desire them anymore and your cheat day becomes a cheat meal. You will learn about proper workout form and position, routines you can work into your time line, food preparation and diet, and several testimonies that will inspire you to do the same as they did. Take it off and keep it off. Bill Phillips, the author, has an entire series of books. From BFL for Men, Women, and journals to help track your progression. Get some friends together and do the challenge. I rate this a 5 out of 5.

Jamie at home by Jamie Oliver. I bought this next book for my husband last year because of the simple fact it's the most beautiful book I had seen in a while. Who doesn't love the feel of a good book? A solid and heavy book with a textured cover, amazing smelling pages made of high quality paper, and pictures that are out of this world, you will fall in love. Jamie Oliver takes you on a personal journey through his own garden in Essex Italy. If you have a love of growing your own "veg" than this book will inspire you to dig deep in your garden and make some amazing healthy food. My husband loves to cook, learn what to plant, when it comes up and how to crop it, so this was a great treat for him to read. If you always wanted a garden and didn't know where to start, this will help you from point A to point "E" (Eating it fresh from garden to table.) I highly recommend this book for the person in your home who loves to cook or grow their own garden. It makes an awesome gift. I give this a 8 out of 5. Yup, I can do that. It's my scale.

Email subscribers click YHH to go to the home page, then look for amazon scroll bar on left and you can select any of these books I recommend for easy purchase. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

SunShineYoga.com Giveaway

I am always on the look out for great workout equipment. Nothing like a full gym with lots of choices depending on your mood.

Through a google search I stumbled on SunShineYoga.com. A place where you can buy all things yoga. They have a great selection in mats, blocks, blankets, bags, etc.

I have had the great privileged of testing their products and am excited to have a few things for you to win as well.

The Extra Thick, Extra Wide, Extra Long yoga mat is just that. "Extra" (84" x 36"). It's the largest yoga mat I own. I really love the way it feels on my feet. It's very comfortable. Have you ever been practicing yoga and end up at some point off the mat? Well, this will not likely happen with the Extra Large Mat. Not only do I get to workout on this great mat but you can win one too!

Also available are the Classic yoga mats. What a great value at only $12.99. With several different colors it's a great price. This is a great Christmas idea for the yoga enthusiast in your family. Or put on your list for someone to buy you.

Yoga blocks are something I have wanted for a long time now as well. I am so not flexible. I love to do yoga as part of my workouts as sometime you just need a good stretch. But how good is it if you are compromising position just to be able to balance? You never want to compromise position so it's better to have a block to lean on until you can reach and touch the floor. I have the Olive and Terra Cotta colored blocks. These are a great price as well at $9.49 each.

Have you ever been watching a yoga video and they tell you to roll up a blanket and use under your bottom for straighter back positioning? Well, SunShineYoga.com has those too. With value blankets and premium blankets to choose from, there is quite a selection of colors. If folded in half, the long way, it could be used instead of a yoga mat if you don't need the sticky. A great way to protect your living room carpet if working out in front of the DVD player.

I have a great value blanket to giveaway as well. So don't miss your chance to enter to win one of two giveaway gifts. The blanket or Extra large yoga mat.

To Enter:
#1 - Be a subscriber. If you are subscribed you are automatically entered. If not - subscribe today by filling in your email in the subscription box. Make sure you verify the notification in your email.

#2- For a second chance to win, enter a comment based on your thoughts of SunShineYoga.com

#3- "yhhcom" is now on Twitter, become a follower today and/or twitt about this giveaway.

You may enter everyday for more chances to win. Two winners will be chosen. One for the blanket and one for the mat. If you have a preference please let me know. Winners have been chosen based on comment alone so as always, make it a good one!

Contest ends: Sunday at midnight on November 22.

Good luck!

Turkey Meatballs - Clean Eat Diet

This is taken from the Clean Eat Diet book by Tosca Reno, which is a great source of information and recipes. I added a few things in italics.

1/3 cup finely chopped yellow or sweet onion
1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (I would add red peppers too)
1/4 water or low sodium chicken broth
1 pound ground lean turkey breast, no skin
1/4 cup oat bran
1 tsp dried celery flakes
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 egg white
(Also if you like things hot, add 2 tsp crushed red peppers)

In a small skillet, heat water or chicken broth and saute the onion and peppers until translucent. In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add cooked onion and pepper. Coat hands with a little olive oil and mix thoroughly. Shape into four equal sized meatballs and put on a cookie sheet. Place in preheated - 350 degree - oven and bake until browned - about 20 minutes.

I would personally put this over top of whole wheat noodles or thin fancy spaghetti with low fat sauce. (Low sodium pizza sauce works well too). Add fresh oregano and lightly sprinkle with low fat mozzarella cheese. Add some candles and it's a great Italian dinner for two!

Enjoy!

Motivation & How To Keep It

Our motivation will be missing at one point or another. Maybe even several times throughout our fitness life, as we try and make it a life “style” and not just a 12 week plan. Where am I today? Motivation out the window!

I still workout a few times per week and really haven't changed much of my eating habits. I now have the occasional glass of wine or 100 calorie beer (which I had previously cut out altogether). I am not getting up at 4:45 AM to do a morning workout and finishing my day with crazy one hour workouts. So for me personally, I am slaking.

I reached my goal weight this fall with great excitement and surprise as it was just under a year (Ya, it can take that long. Reality not Reality TV). I then set a goal to attend Phat Camp at my healthiest, which I did.

So now what? I stand in my gym, pick up a few weights and feel like I’m done. I pop in a DVD and for the most part I can push through and do great. And the other 20% off the time? I turn if off early. I am just being honest with you as I am sure we have all felt this at one point or another. I think our bodies just need a break and our mind recharged.

What it comes down to is a new goal or a new challenge. I want so desperately to build muscle. I don’t want to just tone. I want to look in the mirror and SEE I am strong. I know that is not how magazine models look 100% of the time. But they do it for competitions and photo shoots. They accomplished it once, twice, three times in their life (crazy abs and low body fat). So why not me at least once?

It all comes down to new determination and planning ahead. So get out your cookbook, your calendar, and your budget and make new plans for the new year and plan with me today. Why wait till New Years? Let's do it now!

P.S. More giveaways to come. So if your subscribed you are automatically entered. Commenting gives you another entry. So be on the lookout for goodies coming your way.