BetterChoices

10 Benefits of Being Active

mbeal — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:53:30 +0000

Being active is so important to creating a healthier lifestyle. The benefits go way beyond weight loss. Daily exercise and activity helps you feel better and have more energy. It’s amazing how the body responds to physical activity! It directly impacts your muscles, bones, heart, lungs, hormones, as well as, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and several cancers and other health conditions.

According to the American Diabetes Association, regular activity improves blood glucose management, allowing your body to become more sensitive to the insulin you take. In some cases with a balance of diet & exercise, some individuals have been able to completely remove themselves from their daily regimen of taking pills to regulate their bodies’ insulin.

There are so many benefits of physical activity! We wanted to share with you our top 10! We hope this inspires you to not only get active but STAY active.

Better overall health
Improved fitness
Healthy weight, weight loss and control
Improves your mood
Sleep better
Increased energy
Stronger bones and muscles
Reduces stress, anxiety, and depression
Increased flexibility
Lower risk for health problems, including heart attacks, strokes, cancers, & bone loss. In addition, activity helps to reduce blood pressure, raise good cholesterol, lower bad cholesterol, and improve glucose.

Now that you know WHY being active benefits you, it’s important to know HOW to incorporate daily activity so can stay active.

1. Choose activities you enjoy. It’s simple: if you don’t like doing it, you won’t do it.

2. Step away from the TV, computer, ipad, iphone, & other distracting gadgets. Get up & move! For example, get active during commercial breaks. There is nothing wrong with doing jumping jacks, running in place, or doing push ups during those 3-5 minute commercial breaks.

3. Walk. Walking is one of the easiest things you can do. Why? Because you walk all day! Instead of parking in that front parking spot. Pick a spot in the back. See those shopping trips as activity and exercise opportunities. Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs.

4. Get active with the kids. Every day is a gift. Honor the gift of your presence and the presence of your family by spending time playing outside. Playing football, basketball, jump rope, hopscotch, dodge ball, volleyball, baseball, yard work, etc. are all things the whole family can benefit from. There is no excuse here. Improve your family dynamic by improving your family dynamics. Get out & do something…together!

5. Stay positive and RELAX. Stop allowing yourself to be so consumed by the struggles in your life that you forget about all the gifts in your life. Know that you are blessed. Yes, you may have struggles but what good are you to anyone, including yourself, if you allow these challenges to interfere with how you choose to live? Bishop TD Jakes once said, “…you can not make sound decisions from an emotional state.” That is so true. If you are consumed about the problem, then you can not focus on creating or seeing the solution.

Let go & let God. Take time to pray. Take time to meditate. Take time for you.

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Top 5 Common Diet Mistakes

mbeal — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:52:40 +0000

To be successful when creating a healthier lifestyle and losing weight, life-long changes in your daily habits must be established. Part of this change involves cutting back on calories while making sure you are providing your body with the proper nutrients. While there are many diet programs and products that offer to help you do this, it is important that you have a full understanding about common mistakes made when creating a healthier lifestyle.

Remember, the overall goal is NOT about losing weight. The overall goal is to create a healthier lifestyle. As a result of your healthier habits and choices, you will not only lose the weight but you will have created a healthier lifestyle. It’s the lifestyle that creates the habits that will sustain your new lifestyle and change your life.

So we ask you, are you making these mistakes?

1. Not Eating Enough Calories: Weight loss or gain is determined by how many calories are consumed. Approximately 60%-75% of the daily calories consumed are used for metabolism. If not enough calories are consumed, the body will compensate by slowing your metabolism, so your body can conserve it’s energy source for survival. Starvation diets can also rob your body of the calcium it needs and the body may take calcium deposits from the bones to compensate. Muscles may be broken down for protein and there can be serious complications when following a very low calorie diet.

To make a BetterChoice, focus on eating a healthy amount of calories from a wide variety of foods and get active to boost your metabolism naturally.

2. Severe Restriction of Carbohydrates: Your body needs carbohydrates to function properly. No matter what type of food you eat, whether carbs, fats or proteins, they are all eventually broken down into glucose. Glucose is what your body uses for fuel. Low-carb diets work on the belief that if carbs are restricted, the body will burn fat for energy which can lead to weight loss. Consider this, when your body breaks down fat it can also release keytones which can be dangerous to your health. Instead of eliminating carbs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests going for healthy carbs. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains provide vitamins and minerals and they are high in fiber. Fiber creates feelings of fullness, which in turn may lead to eating less calories.

When cutting back on carbs, reduce consumption of bad carbs, like baked goods, cookies and white flour. These types of carbs are digested quickly and tend to raise blood sugar levels. This leaves the body feeling hungry which may lead to overeating.

Visit our Health Blog to discover more about fiber, carborhydrates, proteins and calories >>

3. Unrealistic Expectations: There are many diet programs on the market that advertise fast weight loss. You know them - programs claiming that 10 lbs. or more can be lost in a week. These should stop you in your tracks! Diets that claim a quick fix should be avoided. Successful weight loss and keeping the weight off requires you to develop life-long, healthy-eating habits versus a “quick fix” for days or weeks.

While there may be some initial weight loss, once old habits and behaviors return, so does the weight. If a claim sounds too good to be true, it is! Unless under a doctor’s care, healthy weight loss is about 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Watch out for diets that restrict a food groups or advocate eating just one type of food such as grapefruit. The goal is to create a healthier lifestyle that includes learning to eat correct portion sizes and foods from all of the food groups.

4. Relying on Diet Pills: There are also many pills on the market that claim to speed weight loss. Diet pills, whether over the counter or prescription strength, work by either speeding up metabolism, blocking the absorption of fat or by suppressing the appetite. What they do not address are the underlying behaviors that lead to overeating. The Weight-control Information Network website recommends using diet pills when body mass index is higher than 30 or when the body mass is more than 27 and there are several risk factors for chronic disease.

Because of their effect on the body, diet pills are not recommended for long-term use. Instead, create a healthier lifestyle that includes a caloric reduction plan, exercise and behavior modification. Truth is, diet pills may help to provide a jump start to weight loss, but they are not a substitution for healthy lifestyle choices.

5. This is a lifestyle change. Understand there is nothing temporary about you changing your thought process, life habits, and choices. It is your understanding that will empower you to create the habits that create and sustain your new lifestyle.

3 C’s to a BetterChoices Lifestyle

mbeal — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:57:54 +0000

Write this down…

“What I do today is the same thing I MUST do tomorrow.”

The difference between where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow is directly related to your efforts. What efforts? Glad you asked! There are 3 C’s to achieving your BetterChoices Healthier Lifestyle, or for that matter, your success in anything you embark on in life. These 3 C’s are the framework you MUST incorporate to begin the process of changing your thought process in order to change your life. The 3 C’s are:

1. Commitment
2. Consistency
3. Control

Now, what we have identified for you is the “WHAT.” By now, you know, you simply can not just rely on knowing the “what,” you must also know “how” & “why” it applies. Knowing the “what,” “how,” & “why” provides you with a complete understanding. When you understand something you can control it. If you can control it, you can conquer it, & if you can conquer it, YOU WIN!!!

So, LET’S WIN!!!

As we stated last week & KEEP reinforcing this point to drive it home & embed it in your spirit, THERE IS NO SECRET TO WEIGHT LOSS! THERE IS NO SECRET TO CHANGE! After losing 156lbs & 138lbs, everyone kept asking us “what’s the secret?” Say it with us, “there is NO secret!”

The only variable there is, is YOU. If you want to get healthy, if you want to lose weight, if you want to change your life, it requires you to implement the 3′C’s (these are the KEY factors):

1. Commitment: You MUST be committed. Once you make the choice to change, decide how & what you are going to change & understand WHY you are embarking on this journey to change. Accept the idea that you have to stick with it to get to it.

2. Consistency: What you do today, you MUST do tomorrow in order to activate your change, create a new habit, & realize the results. Remember this, if you continue to do the things you’ve always done, you’ll continue to have what you’ve always had. “2+2″ will always be 4. Your life reflects the things you do well & the things you do most often. If you don’t like what you see, CHANGE WHAT YOU DO.

3. Control: Control encompasses your commitment & consistency. Control empowers you to CHOOSE better. Control does not mean, controlling the outcome; control means being aware & being accountable to YOU! Control is about you no longer accepting the excuses you tell yourself….Realize, your excuses are your self imposed roadblocks.

When we talk about control, we are talking about:

Making sure you are eating fresh foods, lean proteins, fruits, veggies, & getting in your whole grains.
Empowering yourself to simply say “NO.”
Taking control of the forces in your life that enable you to make & use excuses. Remember, your excuses are your way of giving yourself permission to accept your unwillingness to change.

At the end of the day, the only thing you can control in this life are your choices. Commit to consistently make BetterChoices & watch how your life changes before your very eyes.

Interview with Mike Mills: Overcoming The Weight Loss Setbacks

mbeal — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:32:43 +0000

We are thrilled to introduce you to Mike Mills. Mike has lost over 100lbs and has maintained his weight loss for several years.

“…here’s my 2+2. Back when I I was working at Sears when I was working that 12-9 schedule (before losing my weight) I had a 2+2 routine. Before work, I’d hit up either Wendy’s McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Popeyes etc… And yes, like Eric I’d upsize, supersize it etc… I wouldn’t eat at work most of the time, so as soon as I got off at 9pm i was starving, so I would hit up any of the above listed places for my second round of the day. Before you knew it, I’d just threw down over the course of the day about 5k bad calories in me. Then I’d go my lazy ass home and fall asleep only to wake up the next day and do the same. Yep, that was my 2+2…

…I lost both of my parents way too early in life. I knew I had to change my life. I wanted to be around for my kids for as long as possible. I was certain that I can and should do my part by living a healthy lifestyle and doing right by this one body that God gave me.” -Mike Mills, Lost 100lbs

Watch this week’s episode of BetterChoicesTV as we talk with Mike Mills about his journey to losing the weight, overcoming setbacks, and creating a BetterChoices lifestyle he shares with his family.

Change is not impossible. It’s just uncomfortable. It is OK to be uncomfortable. When you are uncomfortable with where you are then you will take the necessary steps to get to where you want to be.

We hope today’s episode of BetterChoicesTV inspires and motivates you to begin making BetterChoices in your own life. We encourage you to take the first step. Decide, today is the day you WILL CHOOSE to change your life.

BC Quotable: “Failure is required. Within failure, we find valuable learning lessons. It’s in the decision to quit that we choose to fail ourselves.” -Eric & Maleka Beal

If you enjoyed this video and interested in watching & learning more, subscribe to BetterChoicesTV. As always, if you find this information helpful, SHARE IT! Encourage family & friends to sign up for the BetterChoices newsletter! It’s FREE and the information shared is truly life changing!

Thanks for watching! God Bless,
Eric & Maleka

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Interview with Pat Jordan: Putting Me Together

mbeal — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:40:06 +0000

We are thrilled to introduce you to Pat Jordan. Instead of us putting Ms. Pat’s experience in our words, we thought it best if we share with you, her words…

“…And it does not matter if you have to lose 100 lbs. or 40 lbs. BetterChoices is the way to go. I was sitting down yesterday thinking about the whole process of losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle. For me it’s like putting a puzzle together.

First you set your mind to wanting to lose the weight, how much you want to lose, and how you want to see your body at the end. To me, that would be like going to the store and looking for the puzzles you want to put to together. When you join BetterChoices, Eric and Maleka help and guide you on how to put the pieces together. Sometimes, the puzzle has 50 pieces or 500 pieces. But at the end of our journey, ALL the pieces of the puzzle are put together.

To keep our plan together, we the members, get a piece of cardboard and some glue and glue it together. And that is our lifestyle — all glued and put together for LIFE!

Thank you again for all that the two of you are doing to help your members and others live a healthy lifestyle for LIFE! Truth is, if we stick to the plan of making betterchoices, the pieces of the puzzle will not fall a part.” -Pat Jordan, age 57, Lost 40lbs

Watch this week’s episode of BetterChoicesTV as we talk with Pat Jordan about her journey to creating a new, healthier & sustainable lifestyle.

Change is not impossible. It’s just uncomfortable. It is OK to be uncomfortable. When you are uncomfortable with where you are then you will take the necessary steps to get to where you want to be.

Tweet Tip: “Change is not impossible. It’s just uncomfortable.” -Eric & Maleka Beal

Thanks for watching! God Bless,
Eric & Maleka

Simple Trail Mix

mbeal — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:43:27 +0000

Enjoy this delicious high energy snack!

Ingredients:
Makes: 12 servings

• 1/2 cup Kashi GoLean® Crunch Honey Almond Flax (optional)
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, or craisins
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container. Makes 3 cups. . Enjoy!

Truth & Hope

mbeal — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:06:27 +0000

What is 2 + 2?

mbeal — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:34:28 +0000

Q: What is 2 + 2?

Of course it’s 4!!!! That’s the obvious answer. What if we told you that “2 + 2″ is actually more than 4? Would you believe us?

“2 + 2″ is more than a simple, elementary math problem. It’s a math equation in which the outcome will ALWAYS remain the same. It is not until you change one or both of the variables that you will yield a different outcome. What “2 + 2″ represents is your process. Process is defined as a series of actions or steps taken to achieve an end or outcome. Therefore, your “2 + 2″ represents your choices, habits, and actions, all of which represents your current thought process. Your thought process determines what your life is and what your life will be.

Watch this week’s episode of BetterChoicesTV as we discuss identifying, understanding, and changing YOUR “2 + 2″.

What happens when you change “2 + 2″ to “2 + 3?” Right! The outcome changes; the answer becomes 5! That is exactly what will happen in your life! The moment…we mean the millisecond, you decide to change your current process from “2 + 2″ to “2 + 3,” your outcome will change.

All of those perceived, insignificant choices you make daily, those subtle habits that seem impossible to change, those actions of “not doing” or “doing just enough to say you did something, but not enough to truly change anything” — all of these are tipping points in your life. Remember, tipping points are when small things make a big difference. Think about all these small things in your life that cause you great difficulty, sorrow, pain, confusion, defeat, and sabotage. As harsh as this may sound, the outcome of your life is truly a reflection of your choices.

Do you want to do better? Can you change your “2 + 2?” Do you know how to change your “2 + 2?” Do you want to change your “2 + 2?”

Our answer is YES! If your answer was no, you would not be here in this moment, watching this video, or reading this blog.

…Everything happens for purpose & reason. It’s time for you to take responsibility and accountability to change your life. Let’s do this together! Class is In-session! Are you ready?

Tweet Tip: Change your thought process. Change your life. -@BetterChoices

Thanks for watching! God Bless,
Eric & Maleka

Interview with Danielle Jordan & Ronald Miller: An Inspired Journey

mbeal — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:56:57 +0000

It’s amazing how your life can inspire and motivate someone else to transform their own life. Most times, you will never know. When you are blessed to know how your life has inspired someone else, it simply takes your breath away. As vast as this world is, we never truly know or believe the power we have within our own circle. Sometimes we think our lives are just that…ours and the world is oblivious to even know you exist. Well, you are absolutely wrong! We challenge you to change your perspective about yourself and the life you choose to live.

Your life matters.

We are so excited to share with you this great and inspiring story! We had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Danielle Jordan Marshall and Ronald Herc Miller about their BetterChoices journey to lose weight and create a healthier lifestyle. From their struggles, love, and competitiveness in the gym, these two guys are as inspiring and motivating, as they are simply hilarious and honest about their new healthier, betterchoice life together.

Watch this week’s episode of BetterChoicesTV as we talk with Ron and Danielle about their journey to better health, betterchoices, and a better life.

When we embarked on our journey, we knew we were changing our own lives. What we did not realize at first, was how our lives would be the catalyst to change & inspire so many others. We will probably never know most of the people we touch and inspire. Nevertheless, we must remind ourselves, the life we live may be the only bible or the only positive example someone will ever see. If we take for granted our own existence, we not only cheat ourselves, but we cheat so many others out of the real discovery of knowing true possibility.

Tweet Tip: “Your life matters.” ~@BetterChoices

Thanks for watching! God Bless,
Eric & Maleka

Habits

mbeal — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:22:26 +0000

Q: What is a habit?

A: An unchanged choice.

Whether positive or negative, your consistent thoughts, create your consistent actions. Your consistent actions create your daily habits. At NO time, are you unable to change them.

1. Are you aware of them? Yes.
2. Do you know HOW to change them? Maybe not.
3. Do you want to change them? Well, that’s your choice.

Watch this week’s episode of BetterChoicesTV as we discuss identifying and changing your bad habits. What you will notice is how we continue to reiterate the importance of your thoughts and actions. It is true, the things you allow to consume your mind will consume your life. The objective is to consume your life with positive thoughts and positive actions. In order to do both, you must keep yourself in a constant state of awareness and recognize the small tipping points that create change in your life – they are easy to do; they are also easy NOT to do.

Truth is, we become what we do on a consistent basis. Those things we do on a consistent basis are our habits. Most times, our habits are so subtle, we don’t really pay attention to them. It is not until we decide we want to create new habits, that we realize just how strong we’ve allowed our hold habits to become.

Is there an antidote to your bad habits? Yes! YOU! It is through your ability to make BetterChoices, that you are empowered to change your thoughts, change your habits, and change your life.

Tweet Tip: “What is a habit? An unchanged choice.” ~@BetterChoices

Thanks for watching! God Bless,
Eric & Maleka

CRUNCHES: CORE TONING & STRENGTHENING

mbeal — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 19:08:17 +0000

Crunches, when performed properly, they can improve the strength of your abdominals and provide a variety of other benefits. The basic crunch exercise for the abs targets the rectus abdominis muscle.

Although it seems simple, many people don’t perform the basic ab crunch properly. Using good form when doing an crunch makes this a much more effective abdominal exercise.

According to the Mayo Clinic, crunches belong to a class of exercises called core exercises. Your core is the ring of muscles that surround the middle section of your body, including those found in your abdomen, lower back, hips and pelvis.

When you perform crunches, and other core exercises, such as pushups, side planks and glute bridges, you teach the muscles in this region to work in a coordinated manner.

Benefits of crunches can help you tone and strengthen the muscles in your abdomen.

*Muscle Groups Worked: Core toning and strengthening

Basic Crunch: Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees, placing your hands behind your head or across your chest. Pull your belly button towards your spine, and flatten your lower back against the floor. Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades about one or two inches off the floor. Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up. Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, breathing continuously. Slowly lower back down, but don’t relax all the way. Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions with perfect form for each rep.

Crunch with Stability Ball: Lie on the ball, positioning it under the lower back. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., the ball shouldn’t roll). Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

Vertical Leg Crunch: Lie on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed. Place your hands behind the head for support, but avoid pulling on the neck. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

Check out these references:
Visit www.livestrong.com and www.about.com for additional information.

*Before beginning any fitness program, always see a qualified healthcare provider for advice and to address any questions or concerns. The exercises presented on this website are for suggestion only and should not be substituted for medical diagnosis or treatment. Participate at your own risk and stop if you feel faint or experience shortness of breath.

The Plank: A Core Strengthing & Stability Exercise

mbeal — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 03:26:49 +0000

Plank exercises are a great way to work your abdominal as well as your entire core. The plank exercise helps strengthen midsection, upper-body and lower-body muscles along the front of your body.

It is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as the stabilizer muscles. This move is also great for building strength for pushups, an exercise that requires quite a bit of core strength.

*Muscle Group Worked: Abdominal and back muscles.

Basic Plank: Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

Modified Plank: Lie on your stomach. Raise yourself up so that you’re resting on your forearms and your knees. Align your head and neck with your back, and place your shoulders directly above your elbows. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Create resistance by pressing your elbows and your knees toward one another. Neither should move from their positions on the floor. Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the start position and repeat.

Side Plank: (Advanced)
Lie on your left side, raising yourself onto your left forearm. Place your left shoulder directly above your left elbow, keeping your shoulders, hips and knees in alignment. Rest your right arm along the side of your body. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat on your right side. For added challenge, balance on your left hand. Raise your hips off the floor and extend your right hand toward the ceiling. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat on your right side.

Plank on Stability Ball: (Advanced)
Get into plank position by supporting your body weight with your chest and forearms on the ball and your toes on the floor. Lift your chest off of the ball so your upper body weight is supported by your forearms. Keep your abdominals contracted and your back straight, eyes ahead of you. Hold this position for as long as you can, building up to 1 minute.

Check out these references:
Visit www.discoveryhealth.com for additional information.

The Basic Squat: A Total Body Strengthening Exercise

mbeal — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:00:12 +0000

In strength training, the squat is a compound, full body exercise that trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks, quads, hamstrings, as well as strengthening the bones, ligaments and insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body.

Squats require no weights or equipment (other than a chair). The squat is an exercise that most people can do and may be modified to fit your individual fitness level.

*Muscle Groups Worked: Thighs, hips, buttocks, core & full body strengthening

Basic Squat: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. (Optional: Choose weights that will challenge you, but are not too heavy.) Keep your feet planted firmly on the floor, with your back straight and head facing forward. Slowly lower your body, while bending your legs. Be sure not to lean forward. Don’t allow your knees to extend over your toes. Keep squatting until you are in a seated position. After you have performed a full squat. Begin to lift you body and come to your starting position again.

Squat with Dumbells: Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart. Hold medium to heavy dumbbells in each hand just outside the thighs or with arms bent above the shoulders. Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees are at 90-degree angles or before you lose the natural arch of your back. At the bottom of the movement, make sure you take your hips back, as though you’re about to sit in a chair. Avoid bending the knees so that they go beyond the toes. Contract the glutes and legs while stabilizing your body with a strong torso. Slowly stand back up without locking the knees.

*Squat with Barebell: (Advanced)
Barbell squats are a more intense, requiring more work from the largest muscles in the body. Take care when doing this exercise for the first time. Start with a light weight you can easily handle and practice getting your form perfect before moving on to heavier barbells.

Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart. Place the barbell just above the shoulders on the trapezius muscles (i.e., the ‘meaty’ part of the shoulders). If you feel uncomfortable, you can use a bar pad to protect your back. Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees are at 90-degree angles OR before you lose the natural arch of your back. Contract the glutes and legs while stabilizing your body with a strong torso. Slowly stand back up without locking the knees. Always keep the knees in line with the toes!

Check out these references:
Visit www.livestrong.com and www.about.com for additional information and resources.

Hope and Truth

mbeal — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:28:30 +0000

Why is it that people will buy hope all day, everyday but they won’t buy into truth at all?

Just take a moment and think about that question. Now, what do you hope for? Do you hope to lose weight? Do you hope to stop overeating? Do you hope to start exercising? Do you hope (and pray) to drop 50lbs in two weeks? Do you hope to change your life?

If those are things you hope for, then what is your truth? Are you overweight, obese, or morbidly obese? Are you still struggling to lose weight and keep it off? Do you make excuses about finding time to workout? Are you being honest with yourself about where you are, what you are doing and what you are NOT doing?

Let us share with you what we know is true: Hope is a reflection of your dreams. Truth is your reality.

Just like you, we struggled with our weight. Yes, we were two very obese individuals. Why? Because we lived an unhealthy lifestyle. We did not exercise. Physical activity wasn’t a thought or an action in our lives! We consistently made bad food choices. We never made the quality of our lives or our health a priority. Worst of all, our actions were shouting to us that we just did not care. It was not until we were slapped in the face with the truth, that we were WILLING to deal with it and READY to change our hopes and dreams into our new reality — living a healthier & more active lifestyle.

We knew we could not just hope things would change for us. We had to create the change.

Watch this week’s episode of BetterChoicesTV as we discuss the difference between relying on hope and acting upon truth.

Your dreams, the things you hope for, can only become your reality when you live & work within the realm of your truth. Don’t just hope for change; create change. Your dreams require your actions to align with your choices. At the very moment you decide to change your process & make betterchoices, your outcome and your life will change.

Thanks for watching! God Bless,
Eric & Maleka

Choices

mbeal — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:30:13 +0000

What’s the difference between knowing and doing? Your choice. See, knowing better does not automate the process of doing better. Hell, we knew better than eating a pack of cookies every night. We knew better than eating right before bed or eating in bed well after midnight. We knew drinking only cokes and juices was not as beneficial as drinking water. We knew all of these things. So do you. Yet, we found ourselves making the same choices. What we realized is nothing was changing. Let me correct that…the only thing that was changing was our waist sizes and overall health. So just like you, WE KNEW THE RIGHT THING. Knowing was not the issue. The truth was simply we were not doing it. Why? Because we had not changed our choices.

Watch this week’s episode of BetterChoicesTV as we discuss the difference between knowing better and doing better.

Knowing better does not automate the process of doing better. Knowing better creates the opportunity for you to CHOOSE better. A different result requires a different equation; a different process. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Growth happens when YOU change things. That change begins with your choice. You must always be aware and accountable for what you choose. Understand, every choice has a consequence, whether positive or negative.

What we are encouraging you to do is to commit to making BetterChoices. How? Ask yourself, Is this the betterchoice? That question will always have an honest answer. What you choose, well..that’s your choice.

Tweet Tip: If you continue to do what you’ve always done, you continue to have what you’ve always had. -@BetterChoices

Thanks for watching! God Bless,
Eric & Maleka

Push Ups – The Ultimate Chest Exercise

mbeal — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 03:45:07 +0000

The great thing about push-ups is that they use your body weight as resistance, so you don’t have to use equipment. They’re a great way to tone the upper body if they are done correctly. Push-ups are, in many ways, the ultimate chest exercise.

In addition to building strength, they force the heart to work harder and the blood to pump faster. This increases metabolism and helps you burn more calories.

Guess what?…You don’t need any extra equipment… Picture that!!

*Muscle Groups Worked: Chest, triceps, anterior deltoids and core.

Military Push Ups: Place your toes and hands on the floor, making sure your back and arms are straight. Keep your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and tighten your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor. Exhale and push yourself away from the floor. Don’t lock your elbows, and don’t bend your back.

Single Leg Push Ups: Start out in the standard push up position. Then elevate one leg off the floor and hold it straight behind you. Lower your body down to the floor until your chest brushes the ground. Keep your elbows tucked in by your sides. Your elbows should go down and back, not flare out to the side. Then push back up to the starting position.

Modified Push Ups: Place your toes and hands on the floor, making sure your back and arms are straight. Keep your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and tighten your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor. Exhale and push yourself away from the floor. Don’t lock your elbows, and don’t bend your back.

Quick Tip: Work towards building strength & endurance to increase the number of reps with this exercise. Just starting out, you may only be able to do one…that’s ok. Keep working at it until you are able to do three complete sets. Whether it’s three sets of 10, 25, or 100, the objective is to DO THEM!!!

Check out these references:
Visit www.livestrong.com and www.ehow.com for additional information.

The Importance of Hydration:

mbeal — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 03:22:41 +0000

Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

mbeal — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 23:21:02 +0000

A family classic! This dish is super simple & delicious whether you make your tomato sauce from scratch or incorporate your favorite ready-made tomato sauce. Just add these turkey meatballs and dinner is served!

Ingredients:
Makes: 8 -10 servings (3 – 4 ounces per meatball)

2lbs lean ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tbsp parsley
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2 tbsp basil
2 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp oregano
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste
4 cups of homemade or ready-made tomato sauce
1lb Whole Grain or Whole Wheat Angel Hair Pasta (Our Favorite: Barilla PLUS Angel Hair Pasta)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Quickly cook chopped onions in a skillet with a little olive oil. Approx. 5 min. Set aside & let cool. Combine the lean ground turkey, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, egg, salt, and pepper. Add cooked onions. Mix well and shape into 1 1/2 inches in diameter (2 oz). Spray baking sheet with cooking spray or cover with foil. Place meatballs on baking sheet. Place in oven and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and add to tomato sauce, cover, and simmer 25 minutes. Serve over whole wheat angel hair pasta. Serves 8

Nutritional Facts:
Calories: 345 | Fat: 6g | Fiber: 5g Carbs: 47g Protein: 23g

The Importance of Hydration

mbeal — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:03:04 +0000

How much water do you drink? Is that enough? Are you sure?

Staying properly hydrated is key to not only your weight loss, but your HEALTH! It plays a much more critical part in our daily lives and our bodies. Water makes up more than two thirds of human body weight. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. You need water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to your organs and tissues. So water is important for healthy skin, hair, and nails, heart rate, and blood pressure, and so much more!

Watch this week’s episode of BetterChoicesTV to learn why staying hydrated is so important.

Here are 6 reasons why you need to stay properly hydrated:

1. Detoxify
If you are not sweating in a workout you are either not working out hard enough or you are not hydrated properly. Water is vital to getting the most out of your workout, including sweating during your workout, and how it relates to your body releasing toxins. If you aren’t sweating a lot in your workout, it’s more likely due to the amount of water you’ve consumed than how hard you’re exercising.

2. Reduce Your Appetite
Many times most people mistake thirst for hunger because eating can soothe thirst and also because dehydration-induced fatigue is often misinterpreted as a lack of fuel (e.g., sugar). The simple act of drinking water is often enough to suppress your appetite. In addition to lacking the calories of soda and energy drinks, water stimulates your metabolism so you’ll be less likely to pack on the pounds.

3. Stay Energize
When you are water deprived you feel sluggish, tired, and find difficulty focusing. Water will boost your energy levels. Water is essential in getting the energy systems going in the body – it won’t work without it. Even a slight reduction in hydration can lower your metabolism and reduce your ability to exercise efficiently and effectively.

4. Keeps Your Skin Healthy
Your skin is an organ, and just like any other part of your body, it requires lots of water to function properly. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of tired and dry skin. Water carries nutrients throughout the body while flushing out toxins. By drinking the the proper amount of water, this will replenish fluids to keep you hydrated. Water also works as a moisturizer to help improve the appearance and texture of the skin. Drinking enough water hydrates the skin and gives it that fresh glowing appearance.

5. Stay Regular
Have you ever been constipated? One of the things about fiber is that it needs to be in a water rich environment in order to work. Fiber bulks up the waste in the bowel and makes it smooth in order for it to travel with ease in the large intestine. Not enough water means that the peristalsis in the bowel becomes impaired – and that is not a happy feeling. To stay regular make sure you have your daily recommended amount of fiber and water each and every day.

6. Lose Weight
Did you know that it is virtually impossible to lose weight if you are always dehydrated? One thing you must do in order to lose weight is drink enough water. It will help you to feel fuller before you start your meal which will prevent you from eating as much and saving a few extra calories. After all, water is a fat free, calorie free beverage.

Tweet Tip: Make drinking water a morning ritual. Try drinking a glass of ice cold water when you wake up to jump start your day. -@BetterChoices

Thanks for watching! God Bless,
Eric & Maleka

Strawberry and Banana Smoothie

mbeal — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:30:29 +0000

Enjoy this delicious smoothie for breakfast or snack!

Ingredients:
Makes: 2 servings

• 1 cup Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 Banana
• 1 cup plain or flavored non-fat yogurt
• 1 packet sugar or sugar substitute
• 2 cups ice (if using frozen fruit, reduce or omit amount of ice)

Directions:
Combine strawberries, banana, ice, and non-fat yogurt. Blend well. Add sweetener of choice (optional.) Blend for additional minute. Enjoy!