Fast Easter Workout

Fast, No Equipment Workout!

Don't have time to get to the gym?

No fancy fitness equipment at home?

No problem!

Check out this simple, fast workout to get that body into shape for 2015!

A Healthier, Fitter and Happier 2015!

It's 2015 and you're probably feeling settled into what January has brought with it...
However, are you finding it tricky to keep up with a strict new diet regime?
Are you struggling to keep your weight in check but are desperate to get fit this year?

Don't stress. Becoming a healthier person doesn't mean you have to rush or feel guilty.
It just means you have to think differently about your body and how you treat it.

Food is Fuel
Yep, it definitely is. It's what we need to survive, gain nutrients from and ultimately allow to us to go about our daily lives. As long as you start seeing food as energy which fuels you, it changes howyou view the things which you are putting into your body.
A lazy day at home? Less fuel needed.
Rushing around the shops? Top ups needed throughout the day.

What you eat depends on how much you're going to burn off and therefore how much fuel is required.

Keep checking back for updates on how to make this your healthiest year so far!

Struggling to get to sleep?

Sick of waking up tired instead of refreshed?

We all know how much a bad nights sleep can affect the remainder of the day, the need to rush whilst juggling about a dozen other tasks makes life that much more difficult.

A good nights rest can also encourage faster calorie burn as well as being a vital ingredient to overall happiness.

If you're struggling to catch those Z's at the moment, give some of these simple tips a try..

Prepare your Bed:

While your bed probably isn't the primary cause of insomnia, snoring, or other sleep problems, it can certainly contribute to your comfort at night. Make sure you're using the right pillow based on your sleep type, and when it comes time to buy a new mattress, make sure you shop smart (and don't get fleeced). Once you know it isn't your bed, you can start getting to the bottom of your sleep issues. 

Your Diet:

What you eat can greatly affect how you sleep, even during the early half of the day.Eat breakfast first thing in the morning to sleep better at night, and make sure it's a big one. After eating well throughout the day,avoid eating spicy or junk foods at night, and instead choose something that will help you drift off. And remember: no booze! Not only will it not help you get to sleep, it'll cause you to snore all night, too. 

Your Wake-Up Call:

The days of the ever-annoying *bzzt*-*bzzt*-*bzzt* alarms are over. Instead of being jerked awake by an old clock, consider getting a smart alarm app for your phone, like soothing ones for iPhone and Android. Then, try waking yourself up more comfortably. And, whenever possible, do it without stimulants—caffeine can wreak havoc with your brain and body.

Early Exercise:

Exercising in the morning or afternoon—not at night—can help deepen your sleep and make sure you fall asleep quicker, according to a study by the National Sleep Foundation. If you aren't much of an exerciser, there's no better time than now to upgrade your health and fitness routine than now. 

Your Temperature:

Cooling down your body temperature makes a huge difference in how easy it is to fall asleep, but that can be hard to do when it's hot outside (or when your significant other has body temperature nearing the surface of the sun). From DIY air conditioners to cooling pillows to more extreme methods, we've got the lowdown on staying cool while you sleep. Just make sure you don't wake up freezing in the morning—that's never a fun way to start the day. 

Your Amount of Sleep:

Not everyone needs the same exact amount of sleep, but with a little trial and error, you should find your sweet spot pretty easily. Count back 7.5 hours from when you need to wake up, and make sure you get to bed at that time—then adjust accordingly. Of course, you could also try a webapp like Sleepyti.me to help you calculate the perfect number of hours, too.

Your Evening Routine:

As the end of the day rolls around, you should be winding yourself down for bed to get the best sleep possible. If you really want to fall asleep easily, take some time to cultivate the perfect evening routine—some light reading, a nice bubble bath, and something that doesn't involve a backlit screen—to fall asleep quickly and keep your energy up the next day. 

Sweet Dreams..

http://lifehacker.com/5876083/top-10-tricks-for-better-sleep

Quick and Easy 5 Minute Workout

Exercise doesn't have be all time consuming..

Do this 5 minute workout once a day and you'll definitely be able to lose weight and get healthier faster!

Healthy and Interesting Summer Salads!

Salads are the perfect light and healthy dish for the warmer weather, but it doesn't just have to be limp lettuce with the usual olive oil dressing so read on for more exciting ideas..

ingredients:

For the salad:

8 ounces pasta (I used Rotini)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup sweet corn (can use frozen corn)
1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 lime, for juicing over the salad
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

For the Creamy Avocado Dressing:

2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (I use Chobani)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped and seeds removed
2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and stir in the pasta. Cook until al dente. Rinse with cold water and set aside.

2. While the pasta is cooking, make the Creamy Avocado Dressing. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, black beans, tomatoes, peppers, red onion, corn, and chopped avocado. Pour dressing over pasta salad and stir until salad is well coated. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad, so the avocados don't brown. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Note-you may have leftover dressing, depending on how "dressed" you like your pasta salad. If the dressing is too thick, add more buttermilk.

ngredients:

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
Pinch of salt
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To make the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano

directions:

1. Using a strainer, rinse the quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let quinoa cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese.

3. To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano in a small bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and stir until mixed well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

ingredients:

For the Dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small bunch asparagus, about 15 spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup frozen peas
1 avocado, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped basil

directions:

1. In a small bowl or medium jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine or shake with the jar lid on tight. Set aside.

2. Add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

3. While the quinoa is cooking, cook the asparagus. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and fresh lemon juice. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, asparagus, peas, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the fresh basil and serve.

recipes from http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/20-summer-salad-recipes/ 

Want Toned Abs in Time for Summer?

I found this really great clip with some simple exercises to help you get toned abs,

enjoy!

Boost Your Metabolism!

When you're hypothyroid, fatigue, difficulty losing weight, or continued weight gain may all be related to the drop in the metabolism that frequently accompanies hypothyroidism. Even after your hypothyroidism is properly treated with thyroid hormone replacement, you may find that your metabolism has not bounced back to where it was before. This sluggishness in your metabolism can leave you feeling exhausted, and finding that you can't lose weight, despite a healthy low-calorie diet.

Here are some ways you can help revive and boost your metabolism.

Make sure you eat breakfast.

If you don't eat breakfast, you slow down your metabolism and send the body into "hoard mode," thinking it's starving because you're going a long period of time frequently 8 to 10 hours or more, without food. 

Eat the majority of your food earlier in the day. 

Dinner should be your lightest meal, and some experts recommend you don't anything after 8 p.m., or any later than 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. This helps your body process and burn the food when you're aware and moving around and burning more calories per hour. 

Don't starve. 

Dropping your calorie intake below 1,000 calories a day will signal to your body that you are in starvation mode, and will slow down your metabolism. 

Minimize snacking.

Contrary to popular opinion, for thyroid patients, it may be better to eat three scheduled meals, and avoid snacks. This allows the body to go into fat-burning mode. 

Get enough aerobic exercise.

As much as you can is really a help for your metabolism, and if you do it in the morning, you'll raise your metabolism all day. 

Build muscle with weight training or resistance exercise.

At least two to three times a week, you should add weight training or progressive resistance exercise that builds muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest! 

Water, water, water!!

You've heard it before, but drink those 8 8-ounce glasses of water every day. The energy burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively.

Get enough B vitamins.

Among supplements, if you are suffering from flagging energy, you need to make sure that you are getting enough B vitamins. Vitamin B-12 in particular is one that is essential for energy. To ensure you're getting enough B vitamins, consider taking a B complex, plus a separate sublingual B-12. 

Try a supplement for fatigue.

Another type of supplement useful for fatigue is in the area of substances that the body naturally produces for energy production. Supplements in this category include: 

• Co-enzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, which supplies energy to muscles
• NADH (Nicotinamide Adenine Finucleotide) which helps cells convert food into energy
• Green Tea extract

Try Chinese Herbs

In terms of herbal remedies, while you should avoid ephedra and ma huang stimulants, you can ask your practitioner about schizandra--a Chinese herb that is used for fatigue. Ginseng is also popular for energy. Before trying any herbs, supplements, or vitamins, you should of course consult with your practitioner to ensure they are safe for you. Ginseng, for example, is not recommended for someone with high blood pressure and many herbs and supplements are not recommended during pregnancy. 

Try mate tea

In the process of writing my book, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know, I had the opportunity to interview herbal and aromatherapy expert Mindy Green of the Herbal Research Foundation. I asked her what, as a person with hypothyroidism, I should reach for when I'm just completely out of steam, and am ready for a giant double espresso in order to make it through the day. Mindy, said, unquestionably, mate tea. Mate, pronounced, "mah-tay," is an herbal tea native to South America. Mate is considered far more nutritious than black tea or coffee, and though it also has some caffeine, its effects are energizing, rather than making people jittery. 

Consider Energy Work 

Energy and bodywork , such as yoga, tai chi, qigong (pronounced chee-gung), and Reiki, can all help in adding and balancing energy. In qigong, tai chi, and yoga, gentle movements are used to move energy along the energy pathways of the body. In Reiki, a practitioner helps open up energy channels. 

(Remember to always check with your practitioner before starting any herbs or supplements.)



http://thyroid.about.com/cs/dietweightloss/a/12ways.htm

Best ways to boost metabolism!

By Sam Murphy

Muscle up

The single most important factor in determining your resting metabolic rate (the amount of energy you utilise at rest) is how much lean muscle tissue you have. Your muscle tissue uses 16-22% of your daily calories just to exist. (Your liver uses 21% and your brain 20%, but you can't do much about beefing them up.) "Increasing metabolic rate through the development of more muscle tissue is the key to lasting weight loss," says Pete Williams, founder of London health club Health Dept. Resting muscle uses five times as many calories a kilogram a day as fat does. In an 18-week study from the University of Limburg in Holland, average daily metabolic rate increased by 9.5% and energy expenditure by 10% as a result of twice-weekly strength training. "But make sure your training is sufficiently challenging to increase muscle mass, by using weights that are heavy enough, and by training progressively and consistently," advises Williams.

Drink iced water

Here's a bit of maths to stoke your metabolism. It takes one calorie to raise the temperature of one litre of water by 1 degree. The body needs to heat water to body temperature (36.8C). The difference between the temperature of iced water and body temperature means you'll burn 36.8 calories "warming up" a litre of iced water. Supping two litres, therefore, is enough to burn off half a KitKat. At least, that's the theory. But don't go drinking gallons of icy water to help negate that piece of chocolate gateau you scoffed - there is such a thing as too much water.

Frontload your day

Metabolic rate is shaped like an ice-cream cone - highest in the morning, declining gradually through the day. Most of us, however, eat lightly in the morning and scoff larger meals as the day wears on, failing to take advantage of this daily peak. A study in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition revealed that starting the day with a meal boosted resting metabolic rate by 10%, while other research showed that people who skipped breakfast or lunch and ate most of their calories in their evening meal had lower metabolisms than "frontloaders."

Eat more protein

Ten per cent of the calories we consume each day are used up in digesting what we've eaten. It's called the thermic effect of food. "Contrary to popular belief, though, this doesn't mean that frequent small meals are more advantageous than one large meal," says Symonds. But meal content might increase your metabolism- because not all nutrients have the same thermic effect. Around 25-30% of the calories derived from protein are used up in its metabolism," says Symonds. Compare that to 6-8 of every 100 calories of carbohydrate and just 2-3 of every 100 fat calories, and ensure you have a serving of good quality protein at every meal.

Fidget

A recent study at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota found that one of the biggest determinants of who is overweight and who is skinny was their level of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), better known as fidgeting or pottering. Obese subjects burned 350 calories a day fewer than leaner ones simply because they were more inert. While the leaner folk wiggled, stood, walked and constantly changed position, the overweight subjects sat more and fidgeted less.

Exercise more often

"Metabolic rate can increase as much as 15-fold during strenuous exercise," says Symonds. "And it doesn't return to normal the second you stop. In fact, the post-exercise elevation in metabolic rate (known as the afterburn) can make a significant contribution to overall daily energy expenditure." The more frequently you exercise the greater the afterburn effect - even if the overall volume is the same.