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Keep the "Honeymoon Period" going when it comes to your health & fitness goals!

Beware of what in the “fitness world ” is refered to as the “Honeymoon Period” – this is the 6 week time period between New Years Day and Valentines Day. Similar to that blissful period of the Honeymoon in a marriage, in committing to a healthy lifestyle – the beginning is when there is a great deal of energy and enthusiasm.   The gyms are bustling, and we are diligently trying to eat right. So what happens? According to numerous studies - by Valentines Day, many people have fallen back into old habits, and the enthusiasm dies down.

The good news is - it only takes about *4 – 6 weeks for something to become a habit and probably less time for us to integrate something so totally that we are no longer aware of it. *Some sources indicated it can take as little as 21 days for an action to become a habit.

So how can you make your fitness commitments last beyond the “Honeymoon Period?” Below are 3 easy Guidelines for Health & Fitness Success:

1. Keep Your Expectations Real:

While it would be nice, there are no magic pills or exercises that will whip us into shape overnight.  that said we do have the CA Living:Toned -By -Tonight Workout that will make your muscles look more defined for a big night out On-Demand, and the California Living Beach Body Workout - a terrific 20 minute total Body Workout On-Demand for you to check out when time - or a lack of it is a factor in reaching your short term fitness goals.

Keep your expectations realistic – aim to loose 1-2 pounds a week. You may experience more weight loss early on – which is natural – yet the healthiest weight loss plans will not shock your body into shedding large amounts of weight in an (unhealthy) short amount of time.

The secret is balance – your fitness goals are just one part of your life – and should not consume your every waking moment – nothing should – that would be a terribly unbalanced and unhealthy way to live. Most of us have jobs, families, and many other daily commitments beyond working out. Sure there are celebrities that lose weight or “get buff” for their next film who work at it 24/7 – but unless your planning to audition to be the next “Rambo” give it a rest! Your results will come – in time! By understanding this and keeping things in perspective you will be able to work towards your goals over a longer period of time.

2. Set up a Goal and Reward System:

It is important to have goals like – “I want to be in a bikini this summer,” – or I want to run a 5K or 10K this spring.” By setting up intermittent goals along the way and rewarding yourself for reaching these goals you will keep your enthusiasm high and have mini-milestones to look forward to achieving.

For example, going 30 days without eating junk food, or going down a size in your jeans are reasons to celebrate! By setting up non-food related rewards such as a day at the spa, a shopping spree (please don’t blame it on me), or a movie night out with your friends (hold the butter & salt please!), you will feel good about your progress along the way and be less likely to throw in the proverbial towel.

3. Work in that Workout!

What happens when we say to ourselves “I’ll get to it – right after I do this…or – I’ll do it tomorrow” – the “it” usually never happens because we did not consciously plan it into our daily or weekly routine. Create a schedule that works for you – three days a week – every other day, 30 – 60 minutes everyday – Making exercise a part of your life means making it work with the rest of your life.

The beauty of exercise is you can combine it with things you love, hiking, biking, rowing, walking – I know it’s easy to say and harder to do – but seriously, try scheduling an activity you love once a week. While the winter weather presents some challenges you can swim indoors, shoot hoops, or even play a game of tennis indoors – in Cali anyway!  You can also work with a trainer and create a kick-butt workout at your local gym and combine it with a fun spin or dance class to keep it interesting. Try adding kick boxing, yoga, or Pilate’s to your routine – you’ll challenge your mind and body in different ways and meet new people who share similar interests – a great fringe benefit!

All the best with your goals – Enjoy! Aprilanne

Aprilanne Hurley SFN is a Certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, author ofThe Party Girl Diet, and the Health Expert for California Living, the Bay Area’s original lifestyle show featuring California’s trends in food, travel, and healthy living. Hurley’s new book, The Party Girl Diet is a healthy, sustainable lifestyle plan combining today’s groundbreaking health and nutrition research with Hurley’s penchant for good living to deliver a revolutionary new diet and lifestyle that lets you  “Keep the Party Going…While You Lose the Weight!”

Order your copy of The Party Girl Diet on Amazon.com

Content on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes.  It is not intended to cure, treat, or diagnose any disease or illness.  Please consult with your health care provider prior to starting any new diet or exercise program.

What is Circuit Training?

Everyone complains about time these days – the lack of it, that is. Getting in shape and shedding pounds takes precious time, which can be at a premium.

Circuit Training may be just the answer. It’s defined as the execution of a selected number of exercises in a determined sequence and time.

Circuit Training provides a one-stop total-body exercise session, combining strength training and cardio in a single workout. It can reduce body weight and inches, burn fat, and build lean muscle. It can also improve your overall strength and endurance and add variety.

Safety Guidelines:

1. Always check with your doctor or health care provider prior to starting a new exercise program.

2. Keep well hydrated during your routine and throughout the day.

3. Stop immediately if you feel pain, or experience shortness of breath and call your doctor.

4. Start each workout with a few minutes of low impact cardio, cool down and stretch afterward:

Performing a Circuit:

Choose three exercises to perform as a circuit. Beginners – perform once with a 2 minute cardio blast such as jogging in place after the second exercise. Add additional cardio blasts (see Intermediate/Advanced below) and add additional circuits as you progress in strength and endurance.

Intermediate/Advanced – Perform a 1 minute cardio blast after the first and third exercise and a 2 minute cardio blast after the 2nd exercise. Repeat your desired circuit (3 exercises – 3 cardio blasts) 3 times.

Your circuit can consist of a total body workout, or upper body, lower body, or core exercises. You can vary the program to add variety.

Do your circuit training 2 – 3 times a week, and remember to schedule a day off between each session to allow the muscles to repair and rest.

CA Living’s Beach Body Workout On-Demand™ offers a Total Body Workout in just 20 minutes with Circuit Training – no gym or fancy equipment required!

Cardio Blast Options: Run/Jog in place, Jump rope, mountain climbers, etc. (see video )

The  Workout Guide in The Party Girl Diet Book Offers Fun & Effective 10-Minute Workouts so You Will Workout Smarter ~ Not Harder!

Aprilanne Hurley SFN is a Certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, Health Expert for California Living, and author of The Party Girl Diet - the revolutionary new diet and lifestyle based on the most current health and nutrition to date so you can “keep the party going…while you lose the weight!”

Buy The Party Girl Diet on Amazon now!

Stay Tuned for Hurley’s Official Sexy Abs Diet coming to Amazon in 2012 with & Secrets to Sexier Abs in 2-Weeks!

For preview copies and media interviews please contact Hope Gilmore @media@thepartygirldiet.com – thanks!__________________________________

Aprilanne Hurley’s Fitness Career began in the 1980′s, working as a Fitness Specialist with the Elaine Powers Figure Salons (East Coast) teaching “American Yoga,” and “Total Body Fitness.” As she progressed, the role of fitness in her life evolved into a passion for making fitness practical, accessible, healthy and fun for others through TV segments such as:

-”Mission Stay-Fit” – A comprehensive look at ways to get and stay fit.

-”The Stress – Fat Connection,” – A look at the effects of too much cortisol (a stress hormone) in the body, and how exercise counteracts the negative effects of this “stress hormone” on the body.

-Breast Cancer Prevention Special Report” – In Part – 2 of Aprilanne’s Special TV Report on “Breast Cancer Prevention” the focus was on the connection between stress and Breast Cancer, empowering viewers with ways meditation and exercise can be utilized to combat the negative effects of stress, and reduce their risk for diseases such as cancer.

We are looking forward to bringing you more Health & Fitness Special Features in the months to come – after all – “Good health is a big part of good living – California Living.” Aprilanne may be contacted at: aprilanne@dietdaynews.com

Party Girl Diet Survival Guide Tip #2:  Cheese and Wine are healthy for you – in moderation.

The Party Season is upon us, and for many, so is the temptation to indulge more – more often!  And while many hosts now offer “figure friendly” party food options, nothing goes quite so elegantly together as wine and cheese - it is a simple, classic, entertaining combination that will make any event a special one!

Now while there is decent evidence to support that both wine and cheese offer health benefits – the operative phrase here is “in moderation!”  Cheese contains bone strengthening calcium and muscle supporting protein – and let’s face it – cheese is yummy – so yummy it can be hard to stop at just one piece – or 1 oz. which is an actual serving of cheese!  A good “rule of thumb”  is, a portion of cheese is about the size of your thumb – or about one inch long and half an inch wide.

To make the most of your cheese endeavors the suggestions below offer some interesting tidbits to keep in mind when buying, serving, and eating cheese:

• Make the most of your cheese serving by using a grater as shredded portions appear more substantial.
• Lactose intolerant?  You may want to stick to firmer cheese varieties which usually have less lactose.
• Soft, fluffy cheeses have less fat content and fewer calories than hard cheeses because they contain more water.

Did you know that in France entire courses and even entire meals revolve around cheese?  Some cheeses even taking on the role of a dessert item to be  savored with a fine glass of wine or port.

Thanks to the resveratrol properties found in the skin of the grapes that are used to make wine, there is also a strong body of evidence growing to support the claims that consuming wine in moderation offers some “cardio-protective” health benefits.  Again, the key phrase to consider when looking to include wine in your diet is “in moderation.”   An acceptable serving amount to reap these reported heart health benefits is 1 – (one)  5 oz. glass a day for women, and 1- 2 glasses for men.   Please keep in mind, no one is suggesting those who don’t drink red wine start, as you can attain the same resveratrol benefits from consuming grape juice.

Putting it all together:  A simple, elegant entertaining idea is to host a Wine & Cheese Pairing Party during which you and your guests pair up your favorite cheeses with the right wine selection.  We go into detail on how to Host the Ultimate “Wine & Cheese Paring Event” with Party Girl Entertaining Tips check out my recent Food & Wine post on CAInsider.com – check it out and have some “healthy fun”  (in moderation of course!) this holiday season – Enjoy!  Aprilanne

PS:  According the the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition “women who ate an ounce of full fat cheese daily gained fewer pounds over time than those who did not eat full-fat cheese daily. ” According to this research, “whole-dairy contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which may boost your metabolism.”  It is worth repeating that enjoying both wine and cheese can be a part of a healthy diet and lifestyle when enjoyed in moderation!

Aprilanne Hurley is a Certified Nutrition Professional and the Health & Nutrition Expert for California Living, the Bay Area’s original lifestyle show featuring California’s trends in food, travel, and healthy living. Hurley’s new book, The Party Girl Diet – will be available worldwide on Amazon.com January 1, 2011…so you can “Keep the Party Going…While You Lose the Weight!”  The Party Girl Diet’s healthy, sustainable lifestyle plan combines today’s groundbreaking health and nutrition research with Hurley’s penchant for good living, and her 10+ years experience in Broadcast Journalism specializing in educating the public on important health and wellness topics and concerns.

Contact Aprilanne with your nutrition and lifestyle questions @ info@CAInsider.com

This information has been offered to provide an overview of a particular topic to the reader and does is not intended to cure, prevent, or treat any illness, and should not be construed as medical advice  – always check with your doctor or health care provider before trying any new exercise regimen or diet program.