Quick & Easy Tips To Lose Weight Book Review

I was sent the book "Quick and Easy Tips To Lose Weight" by Author Georgina Salgado Chavez. I cherish this book, as it's full of so much information, one being the horrible side effects of Aspartame, which we will be talking about soon.

Loaded with quick tips on how to lose weight and keep it off, it's a book everyone should have for their health and fitness book collection. It's not a large book, and a quick read as well. It's a great weekend summer reader by the pool or while your traveling.

Georgina Chavez explains in easy to understand chapters what you should and should not eat. Example: "White flour, white rice, and white sugar are highly processed and contain no vitamins or minerals. Beware of diet products, these products are more harmful than the calories themselves."

I totally agree. Just because it says diet does not mean you should eat it. They replace what we were told to be "bad for you" ingredients and inserted chemicals such as Aspartame and High Fructose Corn Syrups.

This book even gives you great statistics to help you understand just where our society is going in terms of health. Such as..... "1500 Americans die from cancer every DAY.; Heart disease kills more women than breast cancer; 28% of Americans have hypertension; the United States spends around $330 BILLION dollars per year on heart disease; 33% of Americans suffer from arthritis; 1 in 4 children are obese; Obesity in children has doubled in the last 10 years"; and many more. I could just go on and on, but you really must get this one for yourself.

This book also covers subjects such as stress, water consumption, eating organically, how to avoid bad sugars, why eat spicy foods, why to laugh more, and how to avoid sabotaging yourself and your health. With over 50 tips on how to do it right, you could easily break this book down to a tip a day, for quick reading. No more excuses you don't have the time for your health.

In the back of the book is a list of foods which are suggested to be added to your diet. Even some quick and simple recipes to get you started. I am going to try and get my hands on a few more of these books, and hopefully do a giveaway with them soon. I really do want to get this in your hands.

Order your copy today and let us know what you think. You can order it through the Quick and Easy Tips site or purchase it through Amazon.com.

Bob Harper's Personal Trainer Workouts

Bob Harper, trainer on The Biggest Loser, has been promoting his You Tube page through FB. If you are not friends with Bob on FB, do so today. From great tips and links, to awesome advice, he's a good reminder every day of healthy life choices.

Bob is providing free workout videos/clips to help you along your mission of losing weight and staying in shape. No more excuses of no money for the fancy equipment. There are several sources on line for acquiring free workouts and routines. This is one of them.

With Bob, it's always going to be quality workouts. So no worries if you are doing it right, long enough, or burning enough energy. Bob has that covered. He provides detailed information on proper form and amazing motivation.

In watching all the preview videos for Bob's new workout series (Strength, Cardio, and Yoga), they look amazing. They are filmed with a high quality, great back ground, and the feel that Bob is going to jump out of the screen and right into your living room.

Check out this series. If you have them already, please write in and let us know what you think.

Weight Gain with Birth Control Pills

Alright men, this might not be the post for you, but you may have a special person in your life who you could share this with.

It has been said for a long time the birth control pill causes women to gain weight. Is this true or not? What are the benefits and side effects of this little pill concerning your health? I decided to start reading up on it and try to gather more information.

So far, the only benefit I could find for sure is it's 99.9% accurate against pregnancy. The rest is still up for debate.

Birth Control Pills (aka "the pill" or BC) were introduced in the early 1960's. Over these past several years, the large amount of women on the pill has allowed tests and research to be done in abundance. The internet is overloaded with articles and chat rooms on this subject alone. If you are debating on which pills to use, please do your own research and find what would work for you personally. If you are debating on giving it up, there are several herbs and supplements to help you in regards to ovarian issues such as endometriosis or slowing cancers. You don't have to be in the pill! (more on supplements to come.)

After reading several articles on this subject, I found some doctors reporting there are great benefits while taking the pill, in reducing the chances of ovarian and breast cancer. The risk decreases greatly if you are not a smoker and over the age of 35 while taking the pills. If you are a smoker over the age of 35, you should not be taking the pill as the effects are the opposite and could increase the chance of these cancers. (As reported to me by my personal doctor). Several studies have also linked hormonal replacement therapy to an increased rate of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Other online doctors reported being on the pill for a prolonged time, will slow your natural estrogen and cause weight gain. The average weight gain is 3-6 pounds a year and more with the Depo shot (another form of BC). So why are women gaining MORE than 3-6 pounds a year?

The birth control pill actually changes your appetite pattern. During the week or so before your cycle (not using the pill), most women suffer from the "munchies". From sweet/salty to they just can't get enough. Naturally, this will only last a few days. The pill is said to have this same effect, yet last all month. So it may not be the actual pill itself causing the weight gain, but the uncontrolled appetite that comes with it. If you are aware of this fact and watch what you eat and control the desire to have late night snacks, it could help with the access weight gain. But losing weight on the pill can also be difficult as it causes unwanted water retention.

Another form of weight gain is in the breast tissue. It's very common for women to gain anywhere between 1 - 2.5 cup sizes while being on the pill for a prolonged time, depending on the estrogen levels in the pills. Especially if they are skipping their cycle altogether, causing the body to think it's pregnant. While stepping on the scale, you may see another 5 -8 pounds, but it could just be in the chest.

From online chats, I am finding the name brand Alesse to have the least reported weight gain and lowest amount of added estrogen's. After reading several chats, this was also the one with the least amount of complaints. Be aware there are two forms of the pill. The "minipill" only has estrogen, while the most commonly prescribed pill is a combination of estrogen and progesterone (also known as a Combined Oral Contraceptive.)

For women's health reasons alone, the condom is still the best form of BC. This will not alter your bodies hormones, estrogen levels, or mess with your metabolism. If you are looking to be healthy and drug free, if at all possible give up the "little pill" and look for another solution.

Here are some great links so you can do more research for yourself.

For more information and forum conversations check out Peer Trainer's community thread.

For more information on the pill and cancer related issues go to the National Cancer Institute.

For more information on natural alternatives check out Naturally for Her.

For more information on herbal or supplemental techniques read Natures Contraceptives.

The Truth About Aspartame

Aspartame is an evil which most don't know the whole truth about. It's in all your "diet" foods, including your diet soda/pop and even your non-organic yogurts. Let's take a closer look at this devil which calls itself "sugar".

Aspartame is another name for brand names such as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. James Schlatter, a chemist at G.D. Searle & Company, accidently discovered this sweetener in 1965 when he was testing an anti-ulcer drug. It wasn't approved until the early 1980's. In 1983 it first hit our soft drinks.

This is quoted from the official Aspartame website. (Yes, it's so controversial it has it's own site. Aspartame.net). "Aspartame is a low calorie sweetener that helps people to control their weight. It is made from two building blocks of protein, just like those found naturally in many everyday foods such as meat, fish, cheese, eggs and milk. Aspartame is digested by the body in exactly the same way as these other protein foods and so does not bring anything new to our diet. It has been safety-tested in over 200 studies and has been approved for use in foods and drinks by more than 100 countries. People all over the world have been enjoying the taste of aspartame for more than twenty five years."

First off, I don't know about you, but I have not enjoyed this taste one bit. I have tried it before and it's horrible. I can always tell when it's in a certain food or coffee drink. Second, that explains nothing of what it actually is. When selecting the "What is Aspartame" section of Aspartame.net it explains it to be a "low calorie sweetener 200 times sweeter than sugar, so you consume less calories". Still not a good enough answer.

I found this article all over the internet as well. The picture you see here is from a women named Victoria Inness-Brown whose family was addicted to diet soda. She didn't believe all the hype of Aspartame and conducted her own testing which continued for 2 years and 8 months. What you see here are tumors that formed on the rats. She fed them daily some the equivalent, for their body weight, of only two-thirds the aspartame contained in an 8oz diet soda. Eleven of the females who took aspartame (37%) developed tumors.

Did you know according to the US Department of Agriculture the average American eats approximately 43 teaspoons of sugar per day? That's 140 pounds a year. This is more than 10 times the recommended amount. Now many Americans are substituting all that sugar intake with fake sweeteners. Aspartame, by far, is the most dangerous additive on the market today.

Aspartame now accounts for over 75% of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of the reactions can be very serious.

Listed with the FDA are over 90 different symptoms caused by Aspartame and is to date the most reported/complained about item on the market. These complaints and proven side effects are: headaches/migraines, dizziness, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, joint pain, weight gain, fatigue, depression, irritability, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety, anxiousness, slurred speech, loss of taste, vertigo, memory loss and many more. Such problems as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, and diabetes can be increased by excessive digestion of Aspartame.

The Aspartame.net site even has a button in regards to Headaches. Claiming there is still no proof or connection and headaches can be caused by various factors such as stress and lack of sleep.

YHH wants you to be informed on chemicals which could be invading your body and your home. Do your research and never just take someone's word for it. Even ours. The internet can be a powerful place to inform yourself of what is safe and what is not. Try and eat natural unprocessed foods, this is your best choice. Use honey and agave as a natural sweetener.

Attached is an excellent detailed video on Aspartame, how it came to be, and what it is doing to our Nation. Please watch!

Knife and Fork Lift Review & Giveaway

I finally received this "gadget" as it has had been back ordered due to more press than one can imagine. From News programs, to the Today Show, and even Ellen. Being apart of those who have reviewed this item already, I am honored.

So what exactly is this little, yet heavy, "gadget"? It's called Knife and Fork Lift. Simply put, it's a metal dumbbell with a knife and a fork attached. The purpose? To slow your eating and make you conscious of your food decisions. As you eat with a 1.5 pound piece of silverware in the shape of a dumbbell, you will constantly be reminded of your workout earlier in the day or the one you have yet to complete. You will also be thinking about the bad food choices you make, which weigh you down, just like your silverware. Again helping you make healthier food choices.

They honestly seem much heavier than 1.5 pounds. I chalk this up to your brain playing tricks on you. If you were to pick up a dumbbell in the gym, at 1.5 pounds, you would think it's extremely light weight. But to pick up your fork at 1.5 pounds, your brain automatically tells you it's too heavy to be silverware. At least this was my experience. Do I really think you are going to build muscles while you eat? Not really. Is it a good reminder to watch what you eat and remember those workouts? Yes, for sure.

This is the actual size of the knife and fork, as it's hard to determine on their site. (They are positioned on a standard size dinner plate.) Being made of stainless steel, I would not recommend tossing them in the dishwasher. I would make these hand wash only. I was also told by the company they are not recommended with glass table tops. Drop one of these suckers and goodbye table.

What a great gift for a fitness junkie to be a constant reminder of the choices they make. Give them to a friend and tell them how proud you are of their weight loss and you support them.

Want a pair of your own? Knife and Fork Lift is giving a set away just for checking them out and leaving us a comment.

Here's how to enter:

#1 - Be a subscriber to Your H.A.P.P.Y. Hearts and leave a comment you subscribe. If not, do so today and let us know you are a new subscriber. (All subscribers are entered automatically in each giveaway for the life of their subscription. That counts as one!)

#2 - Follow Your H.A.P.P.Y. Hearts on FB and leave us a message on the wall that you are entering to win the Knife and Fork Lift set for another entry.

#3- Check out the Knife and Fork Lift site and give us your feed back. Leave us a comment on what you like about them and why you would like to give them a try.

You may leave comments each day for more entries and comment on the FB wall each day as well. Good Luck. Contest ends on 8/10/2010 at midnight. A winner will then be contacted, so please leave your email if you are not a blogger (ex: find your fit at charter dot net) to prevent spam. Thanks !

They also have a new spoon available for $14.95. Purchase all three for the full set!

His Food, Her Food, & Community Food

Week one and two are completed for the your food, my food, experiment.

Week one was really good. We went shopping and separated the grocery cart into two halves. His yogurt, her yogurt, his milk, her milk, her veggies, his veggies, and her fruit and his fruit.

Now into week two and having a few left overs and condiments in the fridge, it did not end up looking this neat (this is my drawer in week one). We then came to realize we needed individual drawers, shelves, and the shelves within the door.

This week proved to be another adventure as we proceeded to clean out the refrigerator, moving shelves around and made room for two half gallons of milk, yogurt and cottage cheese containers and all the other different purchases. It even went as far as the pantry. His side, left, my side right. This is for our couscous and whole wheat noodles, cans of tuna and chicken.

With equal budgets we sure do buy a lot of different things. I am not one to prepare food where he enjoys it. Notice the pre-made salad in my drawer. (Only $3.99). It contained raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, mixed greens, walnuts, cranberries, and was so delicious. This week I have tried to purchase all those things and it was quite a bit more expensive, but hoping to get more than one salad out of the deal.

So what makes a community food? We are still sharing such items as meats. We purchased chicken, steaks, and veggies to put on the smoker grill with veggie Kabobs. My husband grills everything at one time, lets it cool, and separates it into baggies for lunches for the week. This does not come into the equal budget amount.

So if you are having a hard time with weight loss and making healthy choices at the grocery store because of a spouse or even the little ones, there is no reason why you can not separate or budget some money for items which will help you in your weight loss. Make a shelf of your own and marker your name on it. And yes, even at dinner time, if it means you have to sit down with a different meal, that's what you do. Believe me, over time, your family will start to eat like you as they see the changes in your physical body and your energy and attitude. Good healthy food is the key to a healthy lifestyle!

Harbinger Review and Giveaway

I was excited to receive some items from Harbinger to review and share my results with my readers. Harbinger is a great company with a name that has been trusted for several years.

The first item I was given to review was the Women's Pro Gloves. I love the quality and of course the color. They are real leather and the smell is amazing. You can simply toss them in the wash when it's time for a refresher. But there are two things I was slightly disappointed with. One, they don't have the velcro strap, as in the men's version, for easy on and off. They take a while to slip into (they may stretch over prolonged use) and they are even longer to get out of as your hands tend to heat up and swell a bit after a workout. I did find them to be quite hot, unlike some other pairs I have used in the past. The positives were once they were on, they were very comfortable, easy to move in, and protect your hands quite nicely.

Another great item I received was the Trigger Handled PVC Pipe Jump Rope. These handles are designed ergonomically for comfort while jumping for longer periods of time. The PVC is wrapped around a cotton chord to prevent stretching. The ropes are adjustable and can be sized perfectly to what you desire. They come standard at 10 feet in length. I believe ropes are a great addition to any home gym or cardio routine. This rope is very easy to use, rotates nicely and is made of a nicer quality than most.

The weighted fitness ball, I must say, is my favorite gadget I received for review. There is so much which can be done with this workout tool. The only limit is your imagination. Available from 2 lbs up to 10 lbs, these can also be used in conjunction with any core training. The strap is a nice added feature so you don't have to worry about dropping it during your workout. They are very soft and easy to hold on to. Purchase one of each for a full set, or two of each so you can strap them to each hand for multiple workout routines.

My last item for review is the Men's Pro Glove which is also real leather and washable. They have a patented palm design for enhanced comfort and increased durability. You can also see, the men's design does feature the velcro strap for easy on and off. As I did not test these, I can't tell how they heated up or if they kept your hands cooler than the women's version. As my husband does not use weight gloves, he was kind enough to ask me to give these away to one of my readers on his behalf. We received the black pair in size large.

Here's how to enter:

1~If you are a subscriber to YHH.com you have one automatic entry! If you are not a subscriber, do so today and leave a comment you are a new subscriber for your entry.

2~You may also enter everyday by leaving a comment on why you would like to win these gloves or by visiting the Harbinger Fitness site and sharing what workout product you like. Each day or each comment will count as an additional entry.

3~ Become a Fan or "like" Your Happy Hearts.com on Facebook. Leave a comment on our wall you are entering for the glove giveaway. You may leave a comment each day if you would like more than one entry. While your at your Facebook, check out Harbinger Fitness and become a fan there too!

4~ Bonus entries: Suggest to Friends Your Happy Hearts.com on Facebook. Either tell us on our wall you suggested us, or have your friends leave a comment you sent them.

Contest ends: July 23rd at midnight.

Stuffed Vegetables

What a great 4th of July weekend and totally off schedule. It's now time to get back on. Although it was so much fun, no more 1 AM bonfire nights and sleeping in till 10AM. But it did prove one big important thing. Eating healthy, working out, and getting the right amount of sleep, is what the body prefers!

Now that it is "officially" summer, here's a great summer recipe.

Stuffed Vegetables. You can fill your favorite vegetables with this nutty-tasting combination of cracked wheat, tomatoes, and cucumber. This is not going to be a "fast and easy" recipe, so set aside some time. (45 min. approximately for prep time and 20-25 min. in the oven.)

INGREDIENTS:

4 large beefsteak tomatoes

4 medium zucchinis

2 orange bell peppers (or another color if you prefer)

salt and pepper

FILLING:

1 1/3 cups cracked wheat

1/4 cucumber

1 medium red onion

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (try growing herbs like these in pots on window sills or on a deck. nothing beats fresh cut!)

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

TO SERVE:

Warm pitas and low fat hummus

1~ Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and reserve. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the tomato pulp, chop, and place in a bowl. Season the tomato shell, then turn them upside down on paper towels.

2~Trim the zucchini and cut a V-shaped groove length wise down each one. Finely chop the cut-out zucchini flesh and add to the tomato pulp. Season the zucchini shells and set aside. Halve the bell peppers. Leaving the stalks intact, cut out the seeds and discard. Season the bell pepper shells and set aside.

3~ To make the filling, soak the cracked wheat according to the instructions on the packet. Finely chop the cucumber and add to the reserved tomato pulp and zucchini mixture. Finely chop the red onion, and add to the vegetable mixture with the lemon juice, herbs, olive oil, and cumin and mix together will. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4~ When the wheat has soaked, mix with the vegetables and stuff into the tomato, zucchini, and bell pepper shells. Place the tops on the tomatoes, transfer to a roasting pan, and bake in a preheated oven, 400F/200C, for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Drain and serve with pitas and hummus.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE: Calories 194, Protein 5 g, Carbohydrate 36g, Sugars 7 g, Fat 4g, Saturates 0.5g.

Let us know if you tried this recipe and what you thought. We love your feedback. You can always comment or send us questions via Your H.A.P.P.Y Hearts on FB !

Recipe snagged from "1,000 Low Fat, Salt, Sugar and Cholesterol Recipes."