Beat The Heat

Healthy & How To Get There: A Start At A Better Life

Healthy isn't just about the body.  It's about the mind, body and spirit.  If you don't have all three, you haven't achieved what you're capable of yet.

Start with your mind.  Surround yourself with people that help you and having the correct mindset.  Surround yourself with positive influences.  My grandmother would tell me at different times "you are the company you keep" and it makes more sense to me now that it ever did.  I've noticed that when I cut out a lot of the negative influences in my life, positive things started to happen to me in life.  Focus on your goals and the action steps to reach those goals.  Find peace with negative forces.  You'll be a better person for it and find a more positive place in life.  Feng Shui your self, your surroundings, cleanse your mind, think happy thoughts, meditate, whatever it takes to get there. Most people can't do this alone.  It's the hardest part of your health to achieve if you don't have it.  Don't be ashamed, get help and move forward to a healthier you.

 It's easy to get lost and wonder when you don't know where you're going.  Having a constant reminder or many constant reminders of your goals can strongly influence your life in a positive manner.  If you find yourself going in circles, you just need to get a clear cut path on where you need to go.  It can be as simple as a To Do list each and every day.  Keep in in your pocket, pin it to your shirt, whatever works for you.  But, the most important thing is to keep focused.

Next is your body.  Sometimes you can't fully have a healthy mind if something in your body is lacking.  If you don't have proper nutrition, it can lead to mental fogginess.  Things like vitamin and mineral deficiencies can strongly effect you mental state.  So, you may need to look at your nutrition if you can't get your mind where it needs to be.  All pieces to the healthy puzzle are related.  If you don't have all the pieces, you're puzzle is incomplete.  That's how your self works.

I'm no expert on a healthy spirit.  Somehow, I achieve it, but it would kind of be like the blind leading the blind.  I don't know how I got there and I have no intention on leading someone else there.

Here's some good sites on achieving a healthy spirit.  Most successful souls I've seen have incorporated Yoga into their lives and are a million times healthier for doing so.  Something about Yoga targets the mind, body and spirit and it seems successful.  Positive thinking goes a long way for the spirit.

Check out these:

Achieving A Healthy Soul

10 Tricks for a Healthy Body & Soul from Health Magazine

Ancient Orthodox Faith and Seeking Silence I think seeking silence has a lot to do with the soul.

This Screams Healthy Spirit To Me

This Article on Consumerism and Spirituality Speaks to me, it could you too!

21 Day Transformation

Transform your life. 

What's the key to a happier healthier life?  Well, there are, like heath, a lot of pieces to the puzzle.  I found this online course that I LOVE from the DailyOM that uses a lot of Feng Shui and Yoga principles to transform your life.  It makes a difference in how you think and how you act.  It changes your thought process to the way it should be, takes out the commercialism in your life, and puts you in a place to really enjoy life.

Add the Ultimate Reset to cleanse your body and you're life will be completely different in 3 weeks!  Your body will be completely different in 3 weeks. 

With these two tools, your mind will be completely different in 3 weeks.  Do you really not have 3 weeks to make changes in your daily life to make your life more complete, more fulfilling, more liveable, more healthy and just more you?

Yoga Anywhere: Join The Revolution

My Shakeology Results: 90 Days

I've shoved through my fingers the great thing about shakeology for all of you to read.  After 90 days on Shakeology, I can attest to a few things.

1. I have more energy
2. By replacing one meal a day with one shake I tend to eat less at my other meals, feel full longer and eat healthier.
3. Lost weight, gained muscle


Mostly this is due in part by Shakeology.  The other part is my dedication to my health and fitness.  I stay more active than I did previously.  I eat about the same as I did, but my portion sizes are more in check.  So, can I recommend Shakeology as a weight loss tool?  Yes, but like anything, it's not a miracle drug for weight loss.  You have to make changes in your lifestyle to see the benefits.  If you're not dedicated enough to your health to make changes, live the same old live you always have.

Now, the muscle gain is NOT due to shakeology, obviously it's due to my workouts.  But, without the increased energy, I wouldn't be able to do those workouts! 

Food and Activity Journaling

Tracking your food and activities is the best way to get a clear picture of calorie intake and calorie burn.   It also tells you all kinds of things, how much you eat, when you eat, what you're nutrition looks like, when cravings hit and how active you are.  It helps you self-monitor

This is a good start at tracking; this food diary is pretty basic and will give you a snapshot of what you're eating.

Great Food & Activity Diary

My Fitness Pal is a great website with an app for your smartphone to boot (works with android, iPhone, blackberry or windows).  It's free, you just have to sign up.  And, with over a million foods in their database, it makes it easy to use!

Take control of your fitness and nutrition and journal it!  It's the only way to know for sure.  So, do it, make it a habit and monitor yourself.  It will hold you accountable.  Nobody else will do it for you.  Only you can make changes based on your findings.  So, I highly recommend using some form of food journaling to get going on your fitness and nutrition goals.

Back To Basics

 80% of weight loss is attributed to proper nutrition.  What is proper nutrition?  Part of it is made up of what you eat, the other part is how much.  What should I eat?  Well, humans were originally hunters and gatherers.  So, think about the diet our ancestors would have had.  No processed foods.  Stick to the outside isles of your supermarket, hit up the farmer's market and you'll be doing better already.  Then, skip the frozen stuff!   Portion size is the second piece to the puzzle.  Watch how much you eat at a time and eat snacks.  Take in the majority of your calories by lunch and take it easy on caloric intake at supper, eat light at night and not before bed!  Keep a food diary and be honest with yourself is my best in put on the subject!  The rest will fall in line if you use these easy steps.

Then, get moving.  Pick things up, move things around and don't stop and rest for too long.  Make sure you burn those calories you take in, then burn a few more.  Find an activity you love that keeps you active.  I like swimming and gardening, they're things that can keep me active for years to come!  I never get tired of going for a lunchtime swim to help me clear my head and I never get tired of seeing my garden grow year after year after the snow melts and colors start appearing.  I have a lot of other healthy activities that help too when I have the time; hunting, fishing, skiing, rock climbing.  You don't have to take on the world to stay active though.  You just have to find something you enjoy that requires movement and plenty of it!

You got it!  Drink that water. You're body is made up of mostly water, so fuel it with more!  Keep the nutrients there and the water to follow.  About a gallon a day is great, so drink, drink and drink!  Bottoms UP!

Sunday Funday!

What are you doing on your Sunday?  Have fun today, but keep your goals in mind.  Just because it's a fun day doesn't mean you can't work toward your goals!

A Little Motivation

Joy

My Apologies

I admit it, I've been slacking on blogging~!  Not intentionally, life just happens sometimes and leave little time for the extras. 

I've been on my soapbox about goals so much lately that I forgot about what my own were.  I got busy losing my own focus.  This week was a new benchmark full of swimming and being generally active.  It's too easy to sit at a computer blogging about what you should be doing instead of actually doing it yourself.  So, I re-evaluated some things this week!  And, what I got was a lot of things done, a lot of laps swam, happy kids and a happy husband.  It's amazing how little changes can effect one's life so greatly.  So, when you think about the big changes you want to make in you, think about the little things you can do to help get there.

For starters, I made time for swimming laps during lunch.  My husband has time to watch the kids, he's home during lunch every day.  Why wasn't I in the pool?  Beats me!  I am now, except yesterday because I was so sunburned I could hardly move!  Lifetime Tip #1: Never Forget Your Sunscreen

There's an awesome group of ladies that join at the local pool Tuesday and Thursday evenings for water aerobics class.  Talk about an amazing way to workout.  Thirty minutes into it and I still didn't feel like it was a workout because it was relaxing and fun being in the water when it was hot out.  Being active doesn't have to be a drag.

What do you like to do?  What relaxes you?  How do you deal with daily stressors?  These are all opportunities to pick an activity that helps you meet your fitness goals.

Great NEW! Workouts

Only want to work out 3 days/week and get a nice body toning workout?  From muscleandstrength.com:

Monday - Full Body Routine (series 1) Full Body Exercise Sets Reps 45 Degree Leg Press 3 20 Seated Row 3 20 Chest Dip 2 15-20 Machine Shoulder Press 2 20 Cable Curl 2 20 Tricep Extension 2 20 Hover 3 1 minute Tuesday: Rest Day Wednesday - Full Body Routine (series 2) Full Body Exercise Sets Reps Smith Machine Squat 3 20 Seated calf Raise 2 25 Lat Pull Down 3 20 Dumbbell Flys 3 20 Tricep Kickback 2 20 Standing Dumbbell Curl 2 20 Decline Sit Ups 2 MAX Thursday: Rest Day Friday- Full Body Routine (series 3) Full Body Exercise Sets Reps Dumbbell Lunge 4 10 each leg Wide Grip Pull Up 3 MAX Barbell Bench Press 3 15-20 Standing Barbell Curl 3 15-20 Tricep Bench Dip 3 15 Horizontal Leg Raise 2 MAX Saturday and Sunday: Rest Days

Now, here's a good butt workout since you gals are always wanting a better butt than the one you have!

The Butt Builder
The Butt Builder
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat (Superset with Leg Curls)	10	10
Leg Curls	10	10
Reverse Barbell Lunges	4	8 to 10
Dumbbell Step Ups	3	12
Leg Extensions	3	Failure

Tooth Health: The Entrance To Your Body

At the entrance of your body is your mouth and your TEETH.  If what you're putting in your body is destroying your teeth, what do you think it's doing to the rest of your body?!

This is a great article about drinks and your teeth.  I'd like to take this a bit farther and say that your teeth show wear and tear that your intestines, liver, kidneys, stomach & colon all see too.  Energy and Sports Drinks and Your Teeth by The Chicago Tribune

My Dental Hygienist has this table of drinks in her office:

How To Minimize The Damage

• Swishing your mouth out with water after drinking these beverages can help decrease the amount of acid contacting the teeth
• Chewing sugar-free gum or anything with xylitol will also help minimize the damage
• Drink sugary and acidic beverages with meals, and never before bedtime unless you plan to brush your teeth before sleeping
• Using a straw also helps decrease contact of these drinks with the teeth
• Other drinks that contribute to tooth decay: Milk, wine, beer, tea, coffee, and fruit juices
• Drink more water!

  

  NOBODY wants teeth that look like this.

Trident offers sugar-free gum with Xylitol in Spearment, Wintergreen, bubblegum and some other fruity flavors, you can find it on Amazon or Soap.com.  There's also a Xylitol gum, I haven't tried it though, so I can't recommend it for flavor.

Tooth health is important to your body, so with regular dental check-ups and maintenance with brushing and flossing, you shouldn't run into problems.  If you're experiencing negative tooth health, the rest of your body is probably paying for the sugar and acid intake too!  One more reason to not eat CRAP!


Have you looked at the chemicals that you put in your body?
Daily poisons that bring about acidity: Read the labels on the processed foods we eat. aspartame, phosphorus (as in soda), caffeine (binds up calcium so it can't be used in the body). They and others create an acidic state in body.


Look at what your using and see how many products contain any of these chemicals (there are more but below are the most prevalent)):

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - known to be carcinogenic - found in toothpaste, shampoo... etc. etc.

Cocaminde DEA - know to be carcinogenic to animals - found in even the "natural" soap powders because its made from coconuts??,

Propylene Glycol - this is in antifreeze - implicated with contact dermatitis, etc.

Phenol - coal tar, causes nausea, convulsions, coma, etc.

Iodopropynl Butyl Carbamate - adversely affects liver, etc.

Organophosphate is an insecticide actually used to kill spider mites from agricultural fields. Farmers, their families and pets are warned to stay out of a sprayed field for a minimum of forty-eight hours. So why is this vigorous insecticide in our laundry powder?

Blue #1, Yellow #5, and Red #40 - all coal tar derivatives.

How do we get these chemicals into our system? - we brush our teeth with them, wash our face with them, they are found in our deodorants, hairspray, perfumes, makeup and cleansers, moisturizers, etc. etc.

Even common soap is made from cattle and pigs (animal fats). The antibiotics, hormones etc.. that are in the animal systems are then transferred into your body system. In addition, your skin also can get plugged up using these animal fats and cannot get rid of wastes through this system of detoxification - the skin.

The products with chemicals in them are very easily assimilated into the person using them. Deodorant's chemicals are very easily to absorb into the lymphatic passages and to your body's systems. Aluminum can get into the brain since it can pass the blood brain barrier - and aluminum products researchers say may cause Alzheimer's. The more "natural" deodorants have propylene glycol in them and that is a petroleum product found in many products including makeup.

Here's a look at the acid levels of what you eat from Ripped Club



Extremely Alkaline
Lemons, watermelon, baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, pumpkin seed, lentils, seaweed, onion, taro root, sea vegetables, lotus root, sweet potato, lime, lemons, nectarine, persimmon, raspberry, tangerine, and pineapple.
Alkaline Forming
Cantaloupe, cayenne, celery, dates, figs, kelp, limes, mango, melons, papaya, parsley, seaweeds, seedless grapes (sweet), watercress. Asparagus, fruit juices, grapes (sweet), kiwifruit, passion fruit, pears (sweet), pineapple, raisins, umeboshi plums, and vegetable juices.
Moderately Alkaline
Apples (sweet), alfalfa sprouts, apricots, avocados, bananas (ripe), currants, dates, figs (fresh), garlic, grapefruit, grapes (less sweet), guavas, herbs (leafy green), lettuce (leafy green), nectarine, peaches (sweet), pears (less sweet), peas (fresh, sweet), pumpkin (sweet), sea salt (vegetable).
Apples (sour), beans (fresh, green), beets, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carob, cauliflower, ginger (fresh), grapes (sour), lettuce (pale green), oranges, peaches (less sweet), peas (less sweet), potatoes (with skin), pumpkin (less sweet), raspberries, strawberries, squash, sweet Corn (fresh), turnip, vinegar (apple cider).
Apricots, spices, kambucha, unsulfured molasses, soy sauce, cashews, chestnuts, pepper, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, asparagus, kale, parsley, endive, arugula, mustard green, ginger root, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olive, dewberry, carrots, loganberry, and mango.
Slightly Alkaline
Almonds, artichokes (Jerusalem), brussel sprouts, cherries, coconut (fresh), cucumbers, eggplant, honey (raw), leeks, mushrooms, okra, olives (ripe), onions, pickles (homemade), radishes, sea salt, spices, tomatoes (sweet), vinegar (sweet brown rice).
Chestnuts (dry, roasted), egg yolks (soft cooked), essene bread, goat’s milk and whey (raw), mayonnaise (homemade), olive oil, sesame seeds (whole), soy beans (dry), soy cheese, soy milk, sprouted grains, tofu, tomatoes (less sweet), and yeast (nutritional flakes).
Most herbs, green tea, mu tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, sake, quail eggs, primrose oil, sesame seed, cod liver oil, almonds, sprouts, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabaga, ginseng, eggplant, pumpkin, collard green, pear, avocado, apples (sour), blackberry, cherry, peach, and papaya.
Very Low Alkaline Forming Foods
Ginger tea, umeboshi vinegar, ghee, duck eggs, oats, grain coffee, quinoa, japonica rice, wild rice, avocado oil, most seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, brussel sprout, beet, chive, cilantro, celery, okra, cucumber, turnip greens, squashes, lettuces, orange, banana, blueberry, raisin, currant, grape, and strawberry.
Neutral
Butter (fresh, unsalted), cream (fresh, raw), cow’s milk and whey (raw), margarine, oils (except olive), and yogurt (plain).
Very Low Acid Forming Foods
Curry, Kona coffee, honey, maple syrup, vinegar, cream, butter, goat/sheep cheese, chicken, gelatin, organs, venison, fish, wild duck, triticale, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice, pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil, spinach, fava beans, black-eyed peas, string beans, wax beans, zucchini, chutney, rhubarb, coconut, guava, dry fruit, figs, and dates. 
Slightly Acidic
Vanilla, alcohol, black tea, balsamic vinegar, cow milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, goat milk, game meat, lamb, mutton, boar, elk, shell fish, mollusks, goose, turkey, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, teff, kamut, farina, semolina, white rice, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, tapioca, seitan, tofu, pinto beans, white beans, navy beans, red beans, adzuki beans, lima beans, chard, plum, prune and tomatoes.
Moderately Acidic
Bananas (green), barley (rye), blueberries, bran, butter, cereals (unrefined), cheeses, crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), cranberries, dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), dry coconut, egg whites, eggs whole (cooked hard), fructose, goat’s milk (homogenized), honey (pasteurized), ketchup, maple syrup (unprocessed), milk (homogenized).
Molasses (unsulferd and organic), most nuts, mustard, oats (rye, organic), olives (pickled), pasta (whole grain), pastry (whole grain and honey), plums, popcorn (with salt and/or butter), potatoes, prunes, rice (basmati and brown), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), soy sauce, and wheat bread (sprouted organic).
Nutmeg, coffee, casein, milk protein, cottage cheese, soy milk, pork, veal, bear, mussels, squid, chicken, maize, barley groats, corn, rye, oat bran, pistachio seeds, chestnut oil, lard, pecans, palm kernel oil, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, other legumes, garbanzo beans, cranberry, and pomegranate.
Extremely Acidic
Artificial sweeteners, beef, beer, breads, brown sugar, carbonated soft drinks, cereals (refined), chocolate, cigarettes and tobacco, coffee, cream of wheat (unrefined), custard (with white sugar), deer, drugs, fish, flour (white, wheat), fruit juices with sugar, jams, jellies, lamb.
Liquor, maple syrup (processed), molasses (sulphured), pasta (white), pastries and cakes from white flour, pickles (commercial), pork, poultry, seafood, sugar (white), table salt (refined and iodized), tea (black), white bread, white vinegar (processed), whole wheat foods, wine, and yogurt (sweetened).
Tabletop sweeteners like (NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal or Aspartame), pudding, jam, jelly, table salt (NaCl), beer, yeast, hops, malt, sugar, cocoa, white (acetic acid) vinegar, processed cheese, ice cream, beef, lobster, pheasant, barley, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, fried foods, soybean, and soft drinks, especially the cola type. To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10.

And, here's a great Alkaline Diet to follow!



What are the dangers of an over-acidic body?


You're probably are aware that the body only functions well in a very narrow range of body temperature. A body temperature of 98.6 degrees is normal. If it goes lower, you don't feel so good, if it goes even a couple of tenths of a degree higher, you don't feel well. Three or four degrees higher might bring about convulsions and death.

Well, the body also has another small range in which it can operate and that is it's pH. The optimum pH for the body fluids is 7.0

The Japanese feel that the degenerative diseases as osteoporosis, cancers, arthritis, etc. are primarily due to acidosis (the system being too acid).

Based on testimonials, conditions, ranging from dandruff and fungus under the toe to diabetes and cancer have lessened or in some cases gone into full remission simply by achieving a proper acid/base balance.

When a body is acidic, it creates a welcoming environment for viruses and bacteria to come in and begin to flourish. As viruses and bacteria continue to flourish inside our body, we experience lack of energy, frequent illness and pains. If a person doesn't do anything about changing the acidic state of the body, the situation can get worse. Virus or bacteria can mutate into a serious illness.

Conversely, bacteria and viruses perish in alkaline environment, because a pH balanced, or alkaline body doesn’t create the environment for viruses and bacteria to thrive and flourish. Thus, no bacteria or virus will enter an alkaline body, grow and mutate into serious illness or disease.
Even just a mild acidosis in your body can cause problems such as:

· Heart damage and cardiovascular disease, including reduced oxygen levels and the constriction of blood vessels.
· Diabetes, weight gain and even obesity.
· Kidney stones and bladder infections.
· An under-active immune system.
· Free radical damage, and possible cancerous mutations.
· Irregular hormone activity. · Causes the body to age prematurely.
· Weak bones and osteoporosis.
· Muscle ache and joint pain from acid build up.
· Fatigue and chronic tiredness.
· Digestion problems and constipation.
· Chronic yeast infections.


What can help with acidosis?

BeachBody has developed The Ultimate Reset that consists of 3 weeks of 6 supplements to cleanse your body and rid it of toxins. Complete with post reset plan to ease you back into life.

Why Reset?

Even though the body is extremely resilient, our bodies have been pushed to the limit by pollution, pesticides, preservatives, chemicals, and toxins contained in nearly every item that makes up our modern world. These harmful items disrupt the normal function of our organs and bodily systems, which, in turn, weakens our immunity, hinders metabolic activity, and creates imbalances that can lead to health problems.

With the Beachbody Ultimate Reset you get these benefits:

• Stronger immune system
• Increased energy and more endurance
• Better digestion, metabolism and weight loss
• positive mood and mental clarity
• lose weight
• improve health and appearance
• find relief from digestive problems, high blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels, asthma, arthritis, depression, and inflammatory conditions.

Shakeology 14 Day Challenge

Every challenge has a winner, why can't it be you?  Shakeology is a meal replacement shake that is LOADED with vitamins, supplements, antioxidants, prebiotics, probiotics and even more good stuff in every glass!  The benefits of Shakeology are amazing; weight loss, increased energy, less cravings.  After 30 days, I feel full with less food and eat more often.

It Comes in 3 Flavors......

• Chocolate
• Tropical Strawberry
• Greenberry

 You can drink your veggies and all those other wonderful things in one glass.  Give it 14 days with 14 shakes and 14 days of moderate activity.  Get in on the next challenge by ordering yours today.

August 5 - 19

Order a Sample to try

Pick Your Flavor

Shakeology - Chocolate$5.00 USD Shakeology - Greenberry$5.00 USD Shakeology - Tropical Strawberry$5.00 USD

After receiving your shakes, make sure to take your weight and measurements, write them down and send them to me at cassjo2@hotmail.com with Shakeology Challenge and the dates of the challenge or txt them to me at 309-333-8519.

Swim Challenge

I was going to do this in the month of June, but the pool in town wasn't filled until this weekend.  It's still my goal for June, but it's a stretch.  So, monthly for June AND July it's my challenge for myself to swim 50 miles each month.  It's going to be hard for June, but if I can do it in June, I'll up it for July.

So, if you'd like to join me from 12-1 for a nice lap swim at the LaHarpe Community Swimming Pool, you'll probably find me there most weekdays. But, I'm waiting until next week (June 11) and hoping the water warms up just a tad.  Come join me or challenge yourself to some great workouts this summer.  Heck, even if you just walk in the water, you'll add resistance to your walk.

Shakeology

The first cup is Chocolate, but center & left are GREENBERRY!  They're not so green when you add frozen fruit, yogurt & juice!  My husband, Royce, and I have Shakeology every morning for breakfast.  Royce loves Greenberry and my choice is Chocolate.  I switch it up sometimes though with a Tropical Strawberry or Greenberry.  I like them all! Get Yours Here

Where do I start?

It can be overwhelming to think you're doing well with weight loss only to gain weight.  Been there.  Two things can get you started.  You have to be realistic with yourself.  Start a food and exercise diary and you need to track two things accurately to start:

Forgetting about the bag of M&Ms or the 5 handfuls of chips you had mid-afternoon because you were starving is not getting you anywhere.  Write down EVERYTHING you eat and what time.. Measure it too!  You could not be realizing what you're eating or you could be WAY overdoing portion sizes.  Be realistic.  Is that dessert really 1 portion or are you fudging and adding some to satisfy your craving?  Are you eating small meals and snacks throughout the day?  Are you under eating and starving yourself and killing your metabolism?  You need to know what you're eating, how much and when to truly decide if you're eating right.

Second is your activity level.  Do you really know how active you are?  Do you workout?  Is your job a desk job?  You have to be realistic about your activities.  The easiest way to determine.  Get a pedometer (step counter) and wear it every day for a week.  Add all days together and divide by the days.  It'll give you a clear picture of how active you are.  See How Active Are You? and see some Pedometer ideas and what I use along with some my friends use.  There are a wide variety of Pedometers out there these days that track everything from calories burned to sleep time to heart rate and ones with built in radios.  There's one for everyone.

Activity Levels for steps per day
Sedentary < 5000 Steps
Low Active 5000 - 7499 Steps
Somewhat Active 7500 - 9999 Steps
Active 10,000 - 12499 Steps
Highly Active > 12500 Steps


There are tons of ways to increase you steps per day to get you on the right track to lose weight by increasing your activity level per day. 

Take a walk with your spouse, child, or friend

Walk the dog

Use the stairs instead of the elevator

Park farther from the store

Better yet, walk to the store

Get up to change the channel

Window shop

Plan a walking meeting

Walk over to visit a neighbor

Get outside to walk around the garden or do a little weeding

Steps Per 15 Minutes of Exercise
Walking 3 mph - 1500
Walking slow - under 2 mph - 909
Walking slow - 2 mph - 1136
Walking 3.5 miles per hour - 1727
Walking 4 miles per hour - 2273
Walking 5 miles per hour - 3636
Racewalking - 2955
Aerobic dance - 2955
Backpacking - 3182
Badminton - 2045
Ballroom dancing - fast - 2500
Ballroom dancing - slow - 1364
Basketball - shooting baskets - 2045
Basketball game - 3636
Bicycling - 3636
Bicycling fast - 5455
Bicycling under 10 mph - 1818
Billiards/pool - 1136
Bowling - 1364
Calistentics - vigorous - 3636
Calisthenics - light to moderate - 1591
Canoeing - 1591
Children's playground games - 2045
Circuit training - 3636
Climbing - rock or mountain - 4091
Cooking - 909
Croquet - 1136
Fencing - 2727
Fishing - 1364
Football - 3636
Frisbee - 1364
Gardening - 1818
Golf - 2045
Gymnastics - 1818
Handball - 5455
Health club exercise, general - 2500
Hiking - 2727
Hiking - orienteering - 4091
Hockey - field and ice - 3636
Home/auto repair and shop tasks - 1364
Horseback riding - 1818
House cleaning - 1364
Hunting - 2273
Ice Skating - 3182
Inline skating - 5455
Jazzercise - 2727
Jogging - 3182
Jogging on mini-trampoline - 2045
Jump rope - 4545
Kayaking - 2273
Kickball - 3182
Lacrosse - 3636
Lawn bowling, shuffleboard - 1364
Lawn mowing -power mower - 2273
Martial arts - 4545
Minature golf - 1364
Punching bag - 2727
Raking lawn and leaves - 1818
Raquetball - 3182
Roller skating - 3182
Rowing machine - 3182
Rowing machine, vigorous - 3864
Rugby - 4545
Running - 5 mph - 12 minute miles - 3636
Running - 6 mph - 10 minute miles - 4545
Running - 7 mph - 8.5 minute miles - 5227
Running - 8 mph - 7.5 minute miles - 6136
Sailing, boat and board, windsurfing - 1364
Scuba diving - 3182
Shopping - 1045
Sitting - 455
Skateboarding - 2273
Ski machine - 3182
Skiing - cross country - 3636
Skiing - downhill - 2727
Skimobiling - 3182
Sledding - 3182
Snorkeling - 2273
Snowmobiling - 1591
Soccer - 3182
Softball - 2273
Square dancing - 2045
Squash - 5455
StairMaster - 4091
Stationary bicycling (moderate effort) - 3182
Stationary bicycling (vigorous effort) - 4773
Step aerobics - 4091
Stretching, yoga - 1136
Surfing - 1364
Swimming laps - moderate - 3182
Swimming laps - vigorous - 4545
Swimming leisurely - 2727
Table tennis - 1818
Tai chi - 1818
Tennis - 3182
Volleyball - 1818
Water aerobics - 1818
Water aerobics - 1818
Water jogging - 3636
Water polo - 4545
Waterskiing - 2727
Weight lifting, moderate effort - 1818
Weight lifting, vigorous effort - 2727
Wrestling - 2727
Yoga - 1136

Fit In A Workout At Your Desk  is great for people with desk jobs to INCREASE your activity levels.  Burn 100 Calories NOW is a quick workout that burns 100 calories fast!
And, poke through old blog posts, there are great workouts scattered throughout!

Once you know your activity levels and what you're eating, it's easier to figure your caloric intake to get on an appropriate nutrition plan.

Don't forget to re-figure you're activity levels and nutritional needs every 30 days as you begin workouts and make changes to your nutrition. See How Much Should I Be Eating? for help figuring a calorie target.

For tips on healthy eating see Nutrition, The Key That Unlocks Healthy, Smoothies & Shakes for healthy snack and meal replacement options,

These things are the habits you'll learn that will stick with you to lose weight AND keep it off!