Stepping off the diet roller coaster

by Christine Lusita | | Lifestyle

Good news: Losing weight just got easier! You’re about to reacquaint you with foods you enjoy. Yes, really. I know you’ve been conditioned to punish yourself with spray butter and fat-free mayo, but that nonsense stops here and now. This plan is all about working with what is—your likes, your lifestyle, your time and energy. You’re going to choose your foods and learn to shop for them, prep them, and eat them in a way that will work for you and get you at your best weight. So let’s get going!

STEP ONE: CHOOSE IT!

Yes, this step is pretty much as simple as it sounds. Just list the foods you like to eat and the foods you don’t! Make a top 10 or top 15 list so that you can stick to the foods that really matter to you.

Don’t be surprised if this feels a bit weird at first. If you’ve ridden the ol’ Diet Merry-Go- Round a couple dozen times, you may have become completely disconnected to even knowing which food you enjoy! Writing it down will help you kick-start your feel-good relationship to food.

However, I do have a caveat. I want you to ground this list in reality. In other words, if your top five foods are mashed potatoes, steak, fried chicken, pizza, and ice cream, then you’d better be either a sumo wrestler or a farmhand. So when I say choose food you like, keep it to proteins, vegetables, fruits, and carbs.

Remember, the whole point is to build a healthy and sustainable relationship with food No one can sustain a healthy relationship with cheese-in-the-crust pizza. (And if Froot Loops or fried chicken really has to stay on the list, I’ll show you how to deal with that lat- er. We’ll have choices that will satisfy your cravings without pushing you off your goals.)

Now, for each food on your “like” list, ask yourself these questions:

1) Does eating this food make me feel lousy, or good?

2) Is this food in line with my intentions and goals?

3) Do I enjoy eating this?
4) Does it taste good?

*This is an excerpt from my book The Right Fit Formula. For an exact plan based on your lifestyle, pick up a copy!

Cardio Workout 1: Tabata Sequence

by Christine Lusita | | Workouts

This 16-minute workout features 32 30-second exercise sequences. You’ll go through eight rounds of four different high-intensity moves; each round features 20 seconds of high-intensity work followed by 10 seconds of rest. (Sounds confusing, but it’s really not.) No mat, no props. It’s quick, efficient, and effective at getting your heart rate up and burning fat. Oh yeah, and it’s fun!

Movement 1: Cardio Curtsy

  • *  Stand with knees bent, abs engaged.
  • *  Jump or step right, drawing left leg behind your torso.
  • *  Extend right arm across body; reach it to floor with left arm lifted to side.
  • *  Jump or step left, drawing right leg behind, and sweeping your left arm across.
  • *  Repeat with dynamic pace 20 seconds.
  • *  Rest 10 seconds.
  • *  Repeat sequence 8x.

    Movement 2: Cross-Body Mountain Climbers

  • *  Start in plank position, shoulders over wrists.
  • *  Bring right knee toward left side of torso, rotating hips.
  • *  Alternate knees pulling toward chest.
  • *  Repeat in dynamic pace 20 seconds.
  • *  Rest 10 seconds.
  • *  Repeat sequence 8x.

Movement 3: Plié Power-Up

  • *  Stand in first position, heels together, toes apart, knees bent slightly open to sides of room.
  • *  Keep torso upright, with arms low in front.
  • *  Open arms and jump legs open to a wide plié.
  • *  Power-jump both feet off floor and return to starting, arms closed.
  • *  Repeat in dynamic pace 20 seconds.
  • *  Rest 10 seconds.
  • *  Repeat sequence 8x.

Movement 4: Low Squat (football “set”)

  • *  From plank position, pull abdominals in and up, slightly rounded in upper torso.
  • *  Jump legs forward into a low squat, arms in front of chest.
  • *  Return to plank position.
  • *  Repeat in dynamic pace 20 seconds.
  • *  Rest 10 seconds.
  • *  Repeat the sequence 8x.

This workout is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula

Coconut Bowl

by Christine Lusita | | Recipes

Lovely to look at and fun to eat, this coconut bowl is packed with flavor and nutrition. 

Serves 1

  • 1 young Thai coconut
  • 1⁄2 c. vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 1⁄2 c. diced mangos, raspberries,blackberries, and blueberries
  • 1⁄2 tsp. coconut flakes

Crack open coconut. Drain water (save for drinking). Add yogurt into coconut, lay- er with fresh fruit, and top with coconut flakes. Best served chilled.

This recipe is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula