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Sunday, January 30, 2011

Nike Training Club – App to Keep You Toned

Courtesy iTunes Apple
And yes, just one more app for your enjoyment and achieving some results in your physical body.

Again, keep in mind, there are a zillion of apps for different workouts and keeping the track of your personal achievements during each work out.

I tried numerous of them: the free ones and the paid ones. Liked only a couple that I use for my jogging routine, one of them is from Nike.

The other day, I came across another app from Nike – Nike Training Club. It is free and offers a multitude of options. From what I've seen so far, I like it. Tomorrow, I am going to try it out in real life. I'll let you know how it went.

At this point, here are some functions that attracted my attention in this app.

It has full body workouts, as well as 15-minute interval workouts
You can choose your training goals for getting lean, toned, strong, and focused
It keeps track of time, progress, and even has rewards for each achieved goal!
You can save your favorite workouts
You can keep yourself accountable by letting your Facebook fans know what your goals are

Try this app – Nike Training Club – and see how it works for you. I really liked the exercises it offers to work different body parts. What do you have to lose here? Nothing but an opportunity to find something that may really work for you. And keep you on track with your life's goals.

Celebrate Your Foot Forward Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Natural Food Finder – Great iPhone App

Courtesy iPhone Apps
Are you using a lot of apps on your smart phone like I do? I have tried out a lot of apps for various things like my exercise routine, jogging, recipes, books and many more.

 And yes, I've got some very favorite that I keep using frequently. What I found for myself is that I need to go through a few apps before I get something that works for me.

Today, I would like to share a FREE app with all of you there who likes fresh fruit and vegetables grown locally. There's an iPhone app that locates the local health food stores and farmers markets in your area.

Look what you get with this app:
  • Locate Natural Food Stores and Farmers Markets
  • Filter results and see them on the Map
  • Get directions to the picked stores and markets
  • Inform your friends about your "secret" finds
  • Tweet your favorite locations

I think it's a good app to be used to get familiearized with the natural food environment around you. And when you move, here we are – we can easily find health food stores and farmers markets nearby.

Here's a link for you to download this app into your iPhone: Natural Food Finder by Tribe Hummus

Celebrate Your Favorite Smartphone App Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Friday, January 28, 2011

Make A Decision To Lose Weight – Then Do It, Not Vice Versa

When you are fat and 40, you know you are good for 40 more years. When you are fat and 50, you're not so sure any more. If you're fat and 60, you're in real trouble. And if you're fat and 70, you know what I mean.

Carrying around excess weight can seem like just an appearance thing. No one wants to look overweight. Isn't that your first reaction to unsightly, ugly bulges on your own body?

But the really ugly truth is excess weight is a symptom of something that has already started to kill you. Because it kills you slowly, you don't see it for what it is. Thus, you don't give it the same urgent priority that you would if you had an aggressive form of cancer.

Excess weight is a pernicious malady. No one needs to tell you that it leads to heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. You may already know it increases your risk to some cancers. You know all that.

Here are some things you may not have considered about excess weight:

– For every pound you are overweight at the time of your last illness, you will cost your estate, or your family, $10,000.

– For every 20 pounds you are overweight, you will shorten your life by a year.

– Overweight is the leading cause of gallstones and kidney stones, especially in women.

– Excess weight is the prime factor in knee replacement surgery.

– Overweight has the same effect on your life expectancy as being a smoker.

But, these are just things you can face down the road. So, perhaps it is not of interest to you now – especially if you are fat and 40.

The real malevolent character of being overweight is in how if affects the quality of your life, not your body.

If you are overweight, if you are significantly overweight – especially if you have been considerably overweight for a long time, perhaps some of these may resonate with you:

• Feeling trapped by your body

• Not being seen

• Being judged by your size, not your personality, or even character

• Trying to hide your body

• Always feeling you have to make excuses for your appearance

• Feeling out of control of your life

• Being obsessed by food

• Hiding food to eat later, unseen by others

• It's better to risk your health to lose weight (with risky weight loss drugs) than to continue risking your sense of self worth by staying overweight

• Fear of food — hating food — loving food

• Feeling addicted to high fat, high sugar foods

• Losing contact with your inner feelings

• Not looking at yourself closely in the mirror

• Making less money than thin people

• Having fewer job prospects than thin people

• Seldom finding clothes you feel comfortable or attractive in

• Not doing things with your kids, spouse, and friends because they are difficult to do at your present size

• Giving up on your dreams — if you can’t control your weight, how could you ever believe you could fulfill your dreams

• Feeling kids and spouse are ashamed to be seen with you in public

• It feels good to be seen in public with a thin, attractive person — at least you can bask in the positive attention they get

• Fearing the health effects of excess weight in later life (stroke, etc.) will make you incapacitated and physically dependent on others

• Fearing that if you do lose weight your spouse will think you are out to get a new lover

• You spend so much time doing things for others, you have no time for yourself, so food is a comfort

• You might as well do things for other people, at least they deserve some attention and affection, even if you don’t

• Empty stomach = empty heart. Full stomach = full heart.

• Have failed with so many diets, there must be something wrong with you

• Loss of self confidence — if you can’t do a simple diet right, you’re really screwed up

• If you’re screwed up, you can’t possibly have the moral authority to teach your kids right, to act as a good example for them

• Losing all sense of sensuality and sexuality, knowing you’ll never feel sexy again

• Fear of physical intimacy, especially with someone new

• Fear that if you lose this relationship, you’ll never have another one

Have you ever felt any of these things? More than one?

Aren't the things on this list the real, present dangers and costs of excess weight, for you or someone you know?

Permanent weight control, on the other hand, is more than just having less weight. It is the unleashing of a more vibrant life. It is celebrating the life that was born into you – the joyful life you sensed when you were very young, but never quite got around to living as you aged.

Do you clearly see the contrast between the real costs of excess weight, and having a vibrant life – the life of your choosing?

Your excess weight, and difficulty in getting rid of it, is not a character defect. It is not that you lack self control. It is not because there is anything wrong with you.

After years of battling excess weight, you are worn down. You have done everything you knew to do, sometimes to a fault. But it always ends with you adding a few extra pounds. If everything you have been told to do fails you, then there must be something wrong with you. Right?

The real steps to rebuilding your life around a lighter you is quite literally in front of you, and well within your reach.

First, you need to understand that what you have been "taught" to do to lose weight is wrong. Wrong. Dead wrong. You need new, accurate, science-based knowledge, not some well-meaning guru who helped a celebrity get skinny.

Next, you need to know that the most powerful influences on your appetite are "caught" things, not "taught" things. (See How Do You Control Your Appetite: Rule 7: Blame it on Mom.)

Finally, and most importantly, your first step has nothing whatever to do with what you eat or not eat. It has to do with you. This entire, frustrating problem of years of creeping weight-gain has made you lose confidence in yourself. It has torn you down until your sense of self-worth is worn out. Could that be true about you?

In the end, successfully losing weight, and keeping it off, really is a decision.

That decision is: Are you worthy of having a vibrant life?

If you feel you truly have the personal worth to lead a vibrant life of your choosing, then you are on the path to solving your appetite, hunger, and craving problems. You will seek out, and keep searching for the right answers to help you control your appetite. And to eat less. You will succeed because you will not allow another reality to prevail. You will find the answer based on the science of weight loss, not on the endorsement of professionally skinny people.

But, if you feel unworthy of your own, self-directed life; if you feel you lack the incredible vibrancy born into your soul, then you will falter. You will discover obstacles that always seem to take control of your appetite. And, you will find one reason after another that forces you to continue gaining weight – forces that are always outside of your control – until you have run out of time to fix anything. At that point, you will have to leave it to the physicians to repair whatever damage they can.

How do you control your appetite? Start with a decision: Are you worth it?

Whatever you decide, once made, the rest will happen on its own.

It is not about weight. It is not about destiny. It's about deciding if you deserve to be happy.

Do you?

Celebrate Your Decision Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Feel Worthy of Losing Weight – And You Shall

For you to permanently control your appetite, to be able to lose weight and keep it off, begin with an inner journey. That journey is to prepare yourself for the challenges of changing your lifestyle.

You already know that losing weight is not just a dietary problem. But why do you keep getting stuck? Why do so many of your efforts backfire, when they seem to work for others (at least they do in the ads)? What keeps happening that makes your weight loss efforts so difficult?

Here are some things you might want to think about.

1. Do you feel you have the POWER to handle life’s personal difficulties — to overcome the obstacles to permanent weight loss — to change what you are doing that led you to this place?

If you already feel powerless to change important things in your personal life, things you ardently feel need to be changed, you are drained of the energy, the confidence, the initiative to take the steps to make new weight loss efforts.

Even if you feel confident in some areas of your life, it is often difficult to have that confidence when it comes to your own self. So, here is a question: Aren't there things you would absolutely do to protect your kids? Let nothing stand in your way? But when it comes to doing things for yourself, deeply personal things, do you sometimes falter?

Start by believing you are worthy of having a different life, a better life. Not just that you want it, but that you deserve it. Beginning there, gather the power, the fierce strength you use to protect your children, to change yourself. And insist that others let you make that happen. That is the level of energy you must muster for yourself.

If you have spent a lifetime doing things for others, sacrificing your personal desires and needs year after year for your family, this may be very unfamiliar territory. It is difficult to turn all that energy you have focused on others for so long, and tell yourself you deserve to have it now focused on yourself.

But you must. Once you do, reach deep inside yourself and find the power to make it happen. That power is there. It always has been. It is what has made so much meaningful for your family and closest friends. You have the power. Use it for yourself.

2. Do you feel COMPETENT enough to make the right lifestyle changes, the right way, at the right time — do you believe you have the ability to do better and really make it happen?

If you've tried to lose weight several times before, and in the end you gained it all back each time (plus some), it is easy to lose confidence in your ability to discriminate in selecting what to do.

It is easy getting lost in the plethora of advice, and the constant stream of new and contradictory information in the media – TV, magazines, newspaper. Plus there is all that stuff you learned from mom, with friends and family eager to offer their opinions.

Sometimes, it just seems that you are swimming in so much information that its difficult to keep up. Let alone do anything different that is meaningful.

Then there are those nagging doubts... is this the right thing? Is this really going to make a difference? How do you know? How can you sort it all out?

Plus the biggest challenge of them all – when do you get the time, the alone, quiet time, to think it all out?

So, even when you get into change mode, you can lack confidence in your competence to do something effective.

3. Are you LIKABLE and WORTHY of this change? If you are not likable, if you are not worthy of this change in your lifestyle, you can never be happy. Why?

Happiness is founded on acceptance of yourself — you need self-acceptance to be happy. So, if you’re not going to be happy anyway, because you are not likable or worthy of it, what’s the point of making positive lifestyle changes designed to make you happy?

Your lifestyle changes may be well and good, but if you are still not likable or worthy, what’s the point of the effort, the inevitable pain, your changes will cause?

Besides, if you’re not worthy of it, you probably don’t deserve success, or happiness, or fulfillment – or to weigh less permanently — you don’t deserve the things you really want.

These three things significantly affect:
–Your ability to identify what you really want to do, that would truly make you happy.
–Your belief about whether or not you can change things, or can change them in a positive way, and
–Your motivation in making changes — is it going to be worth it?


If you are going to change your lifestyle, if you are really going to weigh less permanently, you have to look past the "diet" you are considering. You have to do some interior work – go on an inner journey. You have to decide, ultimately, if you are worth it.

Once you get that far, you will find a way to make it happen.

Celebrate Your Worthiness Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Motivation Is The Key To Your Personal Weight Loss

You have to find a reason, a reason beyond food, to eat less, to lower your appetite. To weigh less. You need a counterweight to your hunger.

That is where, if you are like so many of us, you get stuck. And keep getting stuck.

Have you ever wondered why you can successfully lose weight, then gain it all back later?

When you treat weight loss as a problem with a bundle of calories, you’re going to get stuck. Because the calories you eat are tied to the human person holding the fork. It is the motivations of the human person that drives every successful weight loss effort. Plus, every failure.

Your motivations are complex. They may be not all be clear to you. Trouble is, many of your motivations may run so deep, so close to the core of who you are you don’t even notice they are in conflict with other, strong motivations.

You may want to lose weight, and are actively doing something about it. But other, hidden, internal “scripts” can get in your way. It is unintentional, self-defeating behavior.

Think about when you were growing up

Was there a time when you were young that you had a sense of adventure, when you knew you would do great things when you got older? Did you have a dream, specific or general, that moved in your core – that was a beacon of light shining on your future?

Did you feel that sense growing in you as you got a bit older? Then high school and post-high school years, college, jobs, relationships, marriage became your focus. And before you knew it, you lost your path. You lost your way. Have you gotten lost on becoming who you knew you would be?

So you tried to re-direct your life, to get back to where you knew you were destined to go. But could never get back to that same sense of adventure and bright future you had imagined years before.

So, silently, you changed. Over the years, in spite of successes, and finding people you dearly love and respect, and need in your life, you felt something missing. And realized you were never going to get where you thought you were headed? So you lowered your expectations of life?

Growing up is often the process of lowering your expectations

In your middle years it is hard to know how you can get back to seeing that bright light that had been focused on your future when you were much younger.

Sometimes you just give up. Not everything. Just enough that, as you invest in the lives of others that are so central to who you have become, you sacrifice pieces of your dream. Pieces of you. You sacrifice because that is what is needed to keep it all going. You do it willingly. Joyfully. Because this new reality is important to you, too. As it should be.

Then you get faced with a problem like excess weight. In the vast scheme of things, it seems so small. There are other problems, important ones to deal with. Money. Job. Spouse. Kids. Parents. In-laws. Your weight control problem seems so minor.

The realities of having a lot to worry about, so much else that needs to be done and prioritized, your struggles with weight are just not that important. Right? So, you slowly gain more weight. Add a few extra pounds. And, over the years, it accumulates.

Then, one day, you decide you must “really” do something about it. You diet. Start an exercise routine. But somehow, after weeks and months, the success of these efforts dissipate. The weight begins to reappear. Discouraged, you fall back into old patterns.

This is an old cycle that most people go through. The average person tries 7-9 times to lose weight before they finally succeed (usually gaining 5-10 pounds each time they fail). What makes them succeed in the end? It wasn’t a change in food or exercise. Those were the result, not the reason they lost weight permanently.

When successful weight loss becomes a lifestyle

Successful weight loss becomes a lifestyle because something changes inside you. You quit lowering your expectations for yourself. All your life you faced other serious challenges and difficulties, priorities and time constraints. Each time you came last – your needs were less important than the needs of others that you loved.

To lose weight permanently your body needs to come first. You need to feed it, and exercise it in a way that supports you becoming lighter. And stronger. “You” needs to be the priority to do that.

You need to focus a bright light on your own future and say, “How am I going to keep being there for them in the future if I can’t be there for me now?”

At some future point you know that, with accumulating weight, even if holding steady at 30-40-50 + pounds overweight – your health will be at risk. Perhaps it already is. You need to take care of yourself. No one else can it for you.

This is not a repudiation of your love for them. It is a re-focusing on you and the unique spirit and body, hope and affirmation you were created with. It is a realization that the beauty of life that stirs at your core can be revitalized. With that, you can do wonders for them. And great good for yourself.

To lose weight successfully, and keep it off permanently, you have to get unstuck.

You need a counterweight to your hunger

You have to find a reason, a reason beyond food, to eat less, to lower your appetite. To weigh less. You need a counterweight to your hunger.

When you treat weight loss as a problem with a bundle of calories, you’re going to get stuck. Because the calories you eat are tied to the human person holding your fork. It is your strong motivation that will drive your successful weight loss effort.

Reverse course. Raise your expectations for yourself. Regain the power of the bright future that lit your youth. It doesn’t have to be the same dream. It just has to be who you are now. Who you want to be 10 years from now.

You are important. Let your beauty shine again. Become out here, where we can all see it, what you have hidden inside while sacrificing to make the lives of others better.

When you do that, really do it, you have your counterweight to food. You control your appetite because it is the natural result of living out loud what had hid silently for so long.

Are you ready to do that?

Then Let's Celebrate Living Out Loud Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Monday, January 24, 2011

Give Your Child The Gift Of Sleeping Hours

To prevent the undesirable onset of symptoms that could lead to serious metabolic diseases: heart disease, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and obesity, – have your children have their snoozes during the day and a full-fledged night sleep.

A new study published in Pediatrics proves the point of importance of sleep especially in childhood.

Having not enough sleep leads to unhealthy weight gains. That, in turn, ends up in one or several metabolic diseases impairing a child for the rest of his or her life.

The crucial point is that don't wait until your child grows up to enforce bed time. Do it right now, today, to eliminate one more precursor to obesity.

As a mom of a little kid, I do enforce nap times. And I do say "good-nights" at approximately the same hour during the evening. True, not every day is a day without objection on the part of my baby. But with calm and explanation, and enticing him into our favorite reading activity before bed time, my toddler goes to bed a pretty happy person.

It takes so many variables to make the daily life flow. At times, it is unbelievable what we need to pay attention to. Sleep is one of them. Who would think that not having enough sleep would lead to serious health challenges later in life? Only studies could really prove it and show us a better way to deal with situations like that.

Here's a reference to the study with more details on how lack of sleep effects little children, i.e., leading to obesity.

Lack of Sleep Linked to Childhood Obesity

Celebrate Good Sleep Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Friday, January 21, 2011

Live Vibrantly With Liv Breast Self-Exam Aid

My husband just returned from his business trip with a gift for me.

I was surprised and sincerely touched what he brought home. It was a Liv Breast Self-Exam Aid.

The storage package where this heart-shaped jello-like pad lives was passionately signed by Olivia Newton-John. Yes, the same Olivia from Grease with John Travolta. Olivia survived breast cancer herself, and her self-exam was the first step to her successful recovery.

Now, Olivia is a spokes person promoting a Liv self-exam aid for all women to use in their life.

Do you do your monthly breast exams? Seriously? On the regular basis, not just once in a blue moon? Well, if you don't, you'd better start right away. I am saying it with passion and compassion, and all the vigor I have within me to encourage you to get this discipline to do it once a month.

You can "prevent" breast cancer by early detection. But you need to be in control of this self-examination process. It is like anything you do in life. Exercise regularly. Eat living foods. Maintain healthy weight. Do monthly breast self-exams.

I did not hear about this new breast self-exam campaign – Liv Your Best Life – using a new self-exam aid. It would be great to start using something that was designed with me – a woman – in mind.

I can't wait to start using Liv breast self-exam aid!

All information about how to use this Liv aid, and live tutorial videos, and Olivia's role in this new campaign, visit this place on the Internet:

Take Charge Of Your Health And Liv

I liked this micro site as it is very easy to navigate. It is cleanly designed and gives all the necessary information we need to know about the Liv self-exam aid.

The big plus of this campaign is that it targets big corporations that would purchase these Liv self-exam aids and gift them to their recipients. I love this!

With love to all of you, my Powerful Women.

Celebrate Your Liv Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Avocados Keep You Thin And Protect Your Vision

And these wonderfully delicious fruit provide healthy monounsaturated fats that lower your cholesterol and, thus, contribute to the heart health.

Want more facts about Avocados? Here are a few to move you closer to your kitchen cutting board.

1. Eye Health
Avocados are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants found in your eye's retina. Just a few slices of avocado could contribute to your healthy daily vision.

2. Nutritional Boost
Add avocado to other dishes, like salsa. Healthy monounsaturated fats in avocado help to absorb more lycopene from the tomatoes. You get double benefit of both nutrients.

3. Disease Fighter
Folate, Vitamins C and E , healthy fats in this unique fruit may help fight diseases like various cancers. Some studies tested avocado extracts to stop the growth of precancerous cells that lead to oral cancer.

Be generous in your slicing up this green luscious fruit into your salads, sandwiches and salsa mixes. Just one more option to a healthier and more vibrant living.

Celebrate Your Experimentation Today!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Three Kinds of Peas And One Slim You

January is my month of great new salad recipes that I do not make on the regular basis. I wanted to widen the variety of salads I usually make for my whole family. All of these salads boast great ingredients and a health boosting alternative to other processed foods.

Without further ado, here's another pearl in my collection.


Three Pea Salad on Spring Mix Greens

Ingredients:

3/4 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame
8 oz snap peas, trimmed
4 cups spring mix of salad greens
1/2 cup radish, thinly sliced for garnish
2 Tb spoons white wine vinegar (Here's a link why you need vinegar in your daily life!)
1 Tb spoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tb spoons of real sour cream (it has only milk, cream and enzymes in it!)
1 tea spoon agave nectar (low glycemic, appropriate for diabetics)
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Salad Dressing: In a separate bowl, mix together white wine vinegar, olive oil, sour cream, agave, and tarragon.
3. Add peas, edamame to the boiling pot of water. Cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in sugar snap peas. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Or until tender-crisp. Do not over boil!
4. Drain the peas, pour cold water on top of them to stop cooking inside these veggies.
5. In a serving bowl with spring mix add the peas and radishes.
6 Drizzle with the dressing from Step 2.

Celebrate Your Green Day Menu Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Go For Foods Rich in Real Nutrition

One more day, another chance for you to begin it with your decision to give your body, your mind, your life a huge break. Such breaks are available any time you consume foods rich in ingredients that are bio-available to your body and serve as catalysts to many chemical processes taking place 24/7.

What are those foods, you'd ask. Here are some foods and ingredients in them that will give you and your body a huge break in achieving your goals this season.

Oysters, almonds, brazil nuts, eggs, cucumber, fish, turkey, baked beans – this group of food is rich in zinc! Without zinc, your leptin levels won't be sufficient to feel full. You see, zinc is paired with hormone leptin. If you don't get enough zinc into your body, you add one more chance of disruption in your chemical reactions inside. The word is out – eat zinc-rich foods!

Bananas, salmon, chicken, spinach, hazelnuts  – these foods give you Vitamin B6 which is a huge helper in releasing glucose into the blood stream from the stored in liver glycogen. And you need that sugar to go on during your busy day! So, grab those smoothies with bananas, and chicken strips wrapped in lattice – and these foods will get you going!


Avocados, bananas, oranges, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, apricots, tuna, halibut – oh, what an amazing family of foods! What a wonderful source of Potassium! If you think you don't need potassium, you are deadly wrong! Potassium is an electrolyte that has its hand in regulating our blood pressure, kidney, heart, adrenal functions, bone mass, nervous system, and muscle function. Once deficient in potassium, your body will ring all kinds of alarm systems to get it back in. Load up your diet in foods that boast in potassium.

This is for starters. But be a pro-active starter!

Celebrate Your Personal Progress Today.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Celebrate Spring In January With a Salad-ulass Recipe!

Everybody wants to stay healthy and slim these long winter months. But what you could do for yourself is to take a new approach in what you feed your body and your whole family.

This month of January, I dedicated to New Salad Recipes in my house and home. At least twenty (yes, 20!) salad recipes will be tried this cold January by all who live here!

Here's a salad recipe I am making today for our Sunday lunch or brunch.

January Roasted Asparagus With Goat Cheese and Toasted Pine Nuts
Ingredients:

8 whole pickled beets, drained and cut
1 lb fresh asparagus (I'm actually trying white asparagus for this salad)
4 cups multi-herb salad greens
1 Tb spoon pine nuts, toasted
1 oz goat cheese, crumbled
3 Tb spoons balsamic vinegar or any flavored vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or any mustard you have on hand
1-1/2 Tb spoons extra-virgin olive oil (or you could omit it easily!)
1 Tb spoon hot water
Black Pepper to taste
Sea Salt to taste (pink Himalayan salt would be great here!)

Preparation:

1. Salad Dressing: Whisk together 2 Tb spoons of balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. Add 1 Tb spoon of oil and 1 Tb spoon of water.
2. Toss beets into a separate bowl and drizzle with a little bit of the salad dressing you've just prepared.
3. Roast asparagus in the oven at 450F. Drizzle some oil, salt and pepper on top. It should be ready in about 10 minutes, but watch it! Drizzle some balsamic vinegar at the end of the cooking and leave in the oven for about 1 minute or so.
4. Arrange salad greens, beets, asparagus on plates. Sprinkle with your salad dressing, pine nuts and goat cheese. Add Sea Salt if desired to the finished arrangement.

Celebrate Your Spring Mood In January Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Saturday, January 15, 2011

Appple Cider Vinegar To Your Better Health

Another well-known, yet under-used ingredient for your daily stay-slim support.

Vinegar! A lot of studies on this ancient food and ingredient. And a lot of benefits of consuming it regularly.

Make this amazing ingredient your daily routine and see the difference for yourself.

• Use vinegars, especially seasoned vinegars like raspberry, fig, tomato, passion fruit and many more, on your salads. Each flavor would increase your ability to "listen" to the flavors of different veggies in your perfect salad. And you don't need to add any oils to your salad when using such flavored vinegars. Your body would thank you for such a treat!

• Use a mixture of rice wine vinegar and a small amount of sesame oil to create an oriental salad dressing for a salad of your choice! Add a few crumbled chips to your salad to make all of your taste buds "sing" as you eat. Delicious!

• Pickled capers or onions, or even pickled okra would add a fresh taste to your dishes. Use pickled veggies and fruit to garnish your salads and add that amazing – what-is-in-it? – flavor to your salads and main dishes. My guests always ask me what is it that I add to my recipes that make them tste so different. My answer to you and to them – It's a Pickle! (Well, all kinds of pickled fruit and vegetables.)

Celebrate Your Unique Tastes Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Enjoy The Flavor, Not Extra Calories

Just a quick note for all of you who are trying out different ways to enjoy your food selection this new year.

Lemon Zest! The rind of a lemon - or any citrus fruit - is a very healthy, taste boosting ingredient to any dish or drink of your choice!

Add some grated lemon to your salads, main dishes, sandwiches, water or juices to boost flavor and enjoy this healthy additions to your new year's food choices!

As you use the outermost layer of the fruit, it's better to buy organic. If organic is not available, use natural solution – Eat Cleaner Fruit and Vegetable Wash – to eliminate pesticides, bacteria and dirt from your precious fruit.

Celebrate New Tastes Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Thursday, January 13, 2011

Fresh Food, Fresh Look, Fresh Detox Salad

What is your idea and desire to feel great, look fantastic, be amazingly energetic and healthy during ALL seasons of the year, not just for this month or occasion or a trip here and there? What do you really feel about this subject?

Most importantly, what do you really do about it?

Taking into the account responsibilities we need to attend to on the daily basis and frequently the stress that comes with that, we should take our emotional, physical, phsycological needs seriously. And make it a priority, without which nothing will be done at best.

From my close circle of friends, I do know that some of them do what needs to be done partially or selectively, depending on time, availability, etc.

Only consistency counts! I don't want to be rude or disrespectful to anyone. But to drive this message home, I need to say this.

In the quiet of your own, you could decide what needs to be done and at what schedule. Time does not wait for anyone or anything. Make a month of January a robust starting point for your new year. New You, if needed.

Here's a great and simple salad that would feed your body and give you more energy for your daily life.

Cucumber Detox Salad

Ingredients:

1 medium size cucumber, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups trimmed watercress
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
2 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 cup sliced red onion (or use any onion of your choice)
1/2 cup feta cheese
black pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Slice cucumber
2. Salad Dressing: Process 3/4 cup cucumber + fresh lemon juice in blender + add olive oil, pulse + add black pepper => Transfer into a large bowl
3. Add to the bowl with the dressing the remaining ingredients: sliced cucumber, watercress, artichoke hearts, celery, red onion, feta cheese.
4. Toss all added ingredients with the salad dressing, and you are ready to serve yourself a great salad!

Celebrate A New You Today!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Study: Obesity as a Perceived Social Signal

I would like to share the links to some great studies that give us more than just data reporting. Yes, these research studies are about obesity and its links to many physical and social changes. These synopses are a great insight to information not reported in regular articles.

The language in each synopsis is easy to read and comprehend!

Here's a great To-Read List:

1. Obesity as a Perceived Social Signal

Excerpt: "Fat accumulation has been classically considered as a means of energy storage. Obese people are theorized as metabolically ʻthriftyʼ, saving energy during times of food abundance. However, recent research has highlighted many neuro-behavioral and social aspects of obesity, with a suggestion that obesity, abdominal obesity in particular, may have evolved as a social signal."

2. Sleep, Appetite, and Obesity—What Is the Link?

Excerpt: "There is a well-documented relationship between short sleep duration and high body mass index (BMI). In the largest study, a survey on sleep duration and frequency of insomnia in more than 1.1 million participants, increasing BMI occurred for habitual sleep amounts below 7–8 hours [1]. A recent prospective study found an association between sleep curtailment and future weight gain."

3. The Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors

Excerpt: "Knowledge of the number of deaths caused by risk factors is needed for health policy and priority setting. Our aim was to estimate the mortality effects of the following 12 modifiable dietary, lifestyle, and metabolic risk factors in the United States (US) using consistent and comparable methods: high blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and blood pressure; overweight–obesity; high dietary trans fatty acids and salt; low dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids (seafood), and fruits and vegetables; physical inactivity; alcohol use; and tobacco smoking."

4. Genetic Markers of Adult Obesity Risk Are Associated with Greater Early Infancy Weight Gain and Growth

Excerpt: "Genome-wide studies have identified several common genetic variants that are robustly associated with adult obesity risk. Exploration of these genotype associations in children may provide insights into the timing of weight changes leading to adult obesity."

Celebrate Your New Discoveries Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Adult Obesity Can Be Traced To Babyhood

As the numbers of obese kids and adults are increasing, the medical profession is eager to find out correlation between childhood and adult obesity, and at what age the changes of weight in child are dramatic precursors for obesity in adulthood.

I have just read a very interesting study that has used human genom to "predict" the obesity predesposition of children as early as six-weeks-old. These kids with an obesity risk allele score tend to be longer and heavier that other kids in the first six weeks of their life.

After the first six weeks, the kids with an obesity risk allele score were characterized by a more rapid weight gaining  until age eleven.

How that helps us? What can we do?

Women must take good care of their  diet and weight issues before they even get pregnant. Then, it's a natural taking care during a prenatal cycle by getting enough physical activity, good diet, and rest and d peace.

And even though babies are born with their DNA and all kinds of predespositions, the gene expression can be changed, – yes, you heard it right, "Changed!" – i.e., many diseases could be avoided just by developing a healthy lifestyle for a child. With parents' participation – this one is a must.

Celebrate That Powerful Knowledge Today!


References:

Genetic Markers of Adult Obesity Risk Are Associated with Greater Early Infancy Weight Gain and Growth by Cathy E. Elks, Ruth J. F. Loos, Stephen J. Sharp, Claudia Langenberg, Susan M. Ring, Nicholas J. Timpson, Andrew R. Ness, George Davey Smith, David B. Dunger, Nicholas J. Wareham, Ken K. Ong.

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Saturday, January 8, 2011

Give Back All Year Round

Every year I do my best to participate in many fund raising activities like  5Ks, walkathons, car washes, to name a few.

Many of the bigger fund raising events provide sale of their memorabilia: T-shirts, sweaters, bracelets, water bottles. It's great to get something from each event to mark one more milestone – no less – in bringing awareness of an issue it was dedicated to.

An awareness turns into dedication when someone close to us gets a condition we've been supporting by our fund raising.

Today, I would like to mention a few ways how you could support breast-cancer awareness. My most favorite activities are those that involve movement of the whole body. But in the winter months, it's great to give via means that are available to us.

I found a few websites that are Huge, Big on breast-cancer awareness. Here are a few links for you to consider to jump on this wagon.

It is a website created and sponsored by Ford company. Company not only builds cars. This company builds confidence of its users that they have a vision of social issues, too.

The Warriors In Pink is a great site that offers variety of shirts, sweatshirts in different colors: from pink to brown, green and black! Great design and quality!

Great and stylish way to contribute to cancer awareness by buying one of the shirts and accessories by Ralph Lauren. Great design and selection! You won't be disappointed!

The Estee Lauder Companies contribute millions to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

In 1992, Evelyn Lauder cocreated the pink ribbon, and Estee Lauder giant has been supporting research since that time!

The pink Elizabeth Hurley Lip Design Collection is a huge seller in support of the cancer research.

Celebrate Your Awareness of Life Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Friday, January 7, 2011

Do You Know What's Inside Water Bottle?

Just off the presses a report about the quality of bottled drinking water.

Environmental Working Group (EWG) graded over 170 bottled waters on the information they dislose or not on their labels.

Here's this report for your review and knowledge. If you are a big drinker of bottled water – It is Your right to know what's inside each bottle.

What's In Your Bottled Water – Besides Water?

Here's also an investigation report published by Yahoo! about what they learned on the water we drink.

Best and Worst Bottled Water Brands

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Your 5 Top Health Foods With... Negative Calories

The title says it all. So, this post will be short and easy.

Mind the fact that all of these foods are water and fiber-rich!

The phrase "negative calories" refers to the fact that it takes more calories to digest these foods than to consume them.

Here's your 5 Top Health Foods With Negative Calories:

1. Celery
     •  anti-inflammatory (all diseases are some sort of inflammation in your body!)
     • cuts ovarian cancer (apigenin found in celery contributes to this quality!)
2. Lettuce, onions, greens
     • immune boosters
     • anti-inflammatory properties
3. Kelp Noodles
     • rich in minerals (made out of sea kelp)
4. Pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut
     • fermented foods are rich in prebiotics (food for your internal flora) + probiotics (good gut flora)
     • anti-inflammatory
5. Grapefruit
     • rich in antioxidants
     • naringenin in this fruit breaks up fat in liver!
Plus...
      • Sea Salt

Why Sea Salt? It has "live" ions in it! Which, in turn, contributes to your real Energy feel during the day. Ions help with supplying your blood stream with real electrolytes. You could also put a real Sea Salt into your drinking water bottle for your workouts at the gym! The do make a huge difference in your workout output.

Where to find REAL Sea Salt, not the white processed salt that claims to be "sea salt?"

Here's a link to a tremendous website that has an amazing collection of various sea salts! You will be surprised what is out there in the sea salt market!
Gourmet Sea Salt

This post was inspired by the full article by Mike Adams @ NaturalNews.com


PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Is Eco Friendly For Your Kitchen?

As eco-friendly products become a bigger part of our lives, more people switch to them from chemical-based cleaning solutions. I do my best researching and watching different companies coming up with good and great products for the mass market.

Everything I use in my household for cleaning purposes should be with the least carbon footprint on the environment and our personal health.

Please refer to my previous post where I listed my best liked household cleaning products of 2010:
Top 5 Cleaning Solutions For Your Home

Today, I would like to mention one more great product that you could use in your kitchen – Dishmate by Ecos. Dishmate is a hand dish washing solution that comes in several natural fragrances: apricot, grapefruit, pear, lavender, almond, and fragrance-free.

This product has been in the market for several years. And I have been its fan before other great products made their way into a mass market.

I just found out that this company Ecos makes a lot more products to make your home a much healthier and happier place.

Take a look at the list of the available products from Ecos:

• Liquid Laundry Detergent
• Delicate Wash
• Baby Laundry Soap
• Zainz Laundry Pre-Wash
• Pet Stain & Odor Remover
• Pet Training Aid
• Litter Treatment

... and much, much more!

Go here to explore your options for your whole house – Earth Friendly Products.

You shall find a difference in Earth Friendly cleaning solutions as you are transitioning your house and home to products that are effective, green and clean! Ecos' products are:

• Caustic Free
• Phosphate Free
• Dioxane Free
• Not Tested on Animals! (My Kudos to such a company!)
• Gluten Free
• Casein Free
• Non Toxic and  Plant Based

Celebrate Your Earth Friendly Cleaning Solutions Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Kids Eat Lower Sugar Foods!

Yes, kids do eat lower sugar foods, if you offer such to them. And do this again and again.

Look for cereals that do not have sugary coatings and additional sugar-loaded "charms" inside!

Offer more fresh fruit to your little ones. Experiments with cutting different shapes from apples, pears, peaches, nectarines. Kids like to help and participate in the process.

Here's a study that proves one time more that kids are willing to eat low-sugar cereals. Get all the numbers and examples from this article:

Kids Will Eat Low Sugar Cereals, by Nancy Walsh @ MedPage Today

Take one step at a time with transfering your kids diets into healthy ones, with less added sugar.

Celebrate Your New Beginnings Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.


Share/Save/Bookmark