Check out the Rear View! (A little info about your butt and how to get a better one)

Ladies, do you want a better butt? 

Some folks might be a bit too BUTT OBSESSED, but of course you want a better one! And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!

You want look great in your jeans. That clingy dress. Maybe you're tired of having to buy the bigger bikini bottom because your butt cheeks keep falling out of the smaller size. You don't want to keep squeezing into SPANX  to fake a better butt.  Ever wear those? I have. Made my butt appear all trim and toned, but the minute I took them off?  Inflatable raft is the only way to describe it.

A few years ago, I wore a very clingy dress to an event with my boyfriend and wanted to look perfect. I did, but later on, I had to run to the bathroom and quickly remove the SPANX  because I didn't want my boyfriend to know I needed them and I certainly didn't want him to take them off! That inflatable raft effect? Not attractive at all!  Don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking SPANX. Use 'em if you need 'em. They're great as a temporary fix while you're losing weight and getting back into shape.

You will definitely feel so much better (and sexier) if your butt is firm and tight instead of soft, squishy or saggy. No crazy contraptions or special undergarments needed! 

Your rear view says a lot about you and your level of activity. You can immediately tell just how active a person is, simply by looking at their butt. Be honest. You look. You check out the butts on guys. It's an attraction thing.  Nice guy with a nice butt? That's the one you're gonna go for!  You also check out the girls. To see if theirs is better or worse than yours. And you can't help but experience a bit of butt envy, now and then.

It's okay. You can admit it. We're all adults here, but being an adult is a big part of the reason why your rear view might be less than appealing...... 

When you were younger, you never gave your butt a second thought. You were more active, so it stayed nice and firm. You ran.You jumped. You played.  And you didn't give a hoot about what your butt looked like. Here's the funny thing about your butt, though. When you really started paying more attention to it and realized other people where definitely checking yours out, is around the same time you stopped being so active. And not long after that, you started doing more adult things like working and sitting behind a desk all day. Driving everywhere. Even up to the corner store that happens to be within walking distance from your house.  You park in the space closest to the entrance of every place you go because you don't feel like walking halfway across the parking lot! You'll even sit in your car and wait until the right spot is available! You rarely get out there and play sports anymore. You watch them on TV or sit on the sidelines and watch your kids play. You spend more time in front of the computer. I'm beginning to see a pattern here. As an adult, you do an awful lot of sitting, don't you? 

Unless you consistently work out at the gym or have a regular exercise routine that includes targeting your butt,  it's going to bear the brunt of all that! And don't forget about aging. Everything, unfortunately, begins to droop as you age. Blame it on GRAVITY, but the truth is, you have to WORK your butt! And KEEP working it!

Your butt is a big muscle. Actually, it's made up of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The gluteus maximus is the main buttock muscle and is the largest muscle of the body. When you stop working those muscles regularly, what happens? They get soft and eventually begin to sag.

Eww......

I remember the day I stepped out of the shower and caught a glimpse of my rear view in the mirror. One butt cheek was a little lower than the other! Yep! It was sagging and I panicked. I immediately began searching for ways to step up my regular exercise routine and whip that sagging butt cheek back into shape. And that's how I found Andrea Albright and got on her mailing list for the best butt exercises ever!

I love this particular butt exercise routine. No gym or expensive equipment needed.  It only takes 3 minutes. You can certainly spare 3 minutes to get a better butt, can't you? 

In this work out, you have to keep squeezing those butt muscles. It isn't easy, but SO worth it!  Do this quick routine every day or at least, every other day, and watch what happens!

I encourage you to check out all of Andrea's videos for your best butt EVER! I don't receive recognition or commission for mentioning or recommending her. I'm just spreading the good news because I think she totally ROCKS, her exercises are simple enough for anyone and they work! 

Yours in Good Health,

Cynthia

xo

The Best and Easiest Oatmeal Ever! (it cooks while you sleep!)

Autumn is upon us and the mornings are definitely cooler. You're most likely craving warmer, stick-to-your-ribs breakfasts now. Oatmeal is perfect. It's healthy, low in fat and delicious, but who has time in their busy mornings to make that? And those packets of Instant Oatmeal? Ewww.......

Take out your slow cooker and wake up to delicious, hot oatmeal tomorrow!!

Here's how to do it:

Use long-cooking, or better yet, try steel-cut oats; they're firmer, and they get a little creamy in the slow-cooker. Put them in the slow cooker overnight with your choice of milk (regular or non-dairy) or water. (Follow oatmeal package directions for measurements). And don't forget to add salt! Oatmeal without a touch of added salt is just plain awful, so don't even try. A bit of salt isn't bad - it's all that salt in the processed, packaged and fast foods we eat that is the most harmful to us!

Now it's time to get creative! Add some spice to your oatmeal. Cinnamon and nutmeg are perfect with oatmeal. A splash of vanilla is delicious, too. Drizzle in some organic maple syrup for natural sweetness. Toss in a handful of chopped almonds or walnuts for extra protein and good fat. You can add dried fruit, like raisins, dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots, if you wish. Or fresh, cubed apples. The apples will cook along with the oatmeal.

Think NATURAL SWEETNESS over PROCESSED SUGAR.

Set it on low, let it cook overnight and in the morning you will wake up to a hot, nourishing bowl of oatmeal.

Perfection.

Just remember, tons of table sugar in your oatmeal pretty much defeats all the health benefits so, here's a little trick. The more spices and goodies you toss into it as it cooks, the less sugar you will need to add when you eat it. You might discover you don't need any extra sugar at all! If it doesn't taste sweet enough, try mixing in some banana slices or a handful of fresh blueberries before reaching for the sugar bowl.

I adapted this recipe from Nine Ways to Use Your Slow Cooker

Yours in Good Health,
Cynthia
xo

Yummy, Healthy, Late Night Dessert!

Now that Autumn is here and the nights are getting cooler, I've been spending more evenings indoors. I am not much a TV person, but I've become slightly addicted to British drama. As I sat last night wrapped up in my big comforter, watching the last episode in Season One of Happy Valley, (available on Netflix), I had the most intense sweet craving. It would not go away! I paused the show and began rifling through my cabinets looking for something sweet -  A cookie. A piece of chocolate. Anything. Of course, I already knew there was nothing of the sort here in my house, but I was hoping I would find something left over from when my son lived here with me. He moved to LA about a month ago.

No such luck. 

I stood there in my kitchen debating whether to make a quick run to the store or mix up a batch of homemade cookies. I didn't really want to go out ( I was so cozy in my PJ's and would have to get dressed again) and I didn't want to get involved in the mess of baking cookies at 10 PM. Not to mention, I certainly didn't need several dozen cookies in the house. I just wanted one or two. To enjoy with a cup of tea.

Maybe I need to curtail my viewing of all these British dramas. 

They're always having tea and sweets in those shows. 

Well.... you know the saying! Necessity is the Mother of Invention! 

Or in my case - Concoction! 

I decided to use what I had in the house and managed to whip up a healthy and 

incredibly delicious dessert in about 30 minutes.

Here's what I came up with: 

Baked Apples in Maple Almond Butter Sauce with Vanilla Coconut Yogurt!

Ingredients:

3 Organic Apples. 

I used Gala Apples. Any variety will do, but I wouldn't recommend Delicious or McIntosh apples.

Ground Cinnamon

1 Tablespoon Natural Almond Butter. 

I used crunchy almond butter, but creamy is fine, too. Peanut Butter, Cashew Butter - any type of NATURAL nut butter works.

Organic Maple Syrup

Plain Coconut Water
You can use regular water in a pinch - you're just using it as a thinner for the sauce. I've been on a Coconut Water Kick lately and it's a little thicker than plain old water. Plain Almond or Soy milk will work, as well. 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Very lightly coat the bottom of a glass a 8 x 8 baking dish with oil or cooking spray. 

I used coconut oil cooking spray. 

Wash the apples and slice them - not too thin.

 I left the peels on my apples. That's where most of the fiber is, but it's your choice.

Pile the apples into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
No need to measure. Just sprinkle away. Cinnamon is good for you! 

Bake at 350, for about 20 minutes or until apples are soft.

In the meantime, make the sauce.

Put the almond butter into a small mixing bowl. Add about 2 -3 drops of maple syrup for sweetness and mix together with a spoon until blended.  

Lick the spoon! Yummy! Now, take out a new spoon or wash the one you just licked - more than once, I'm sure! 

Add a bit of coconut water to thin the Maple Nut Butter. You don't want it too watery, just thin enough to pour over the apples. Stir and keep adding the coconut water until you reach the desired consistency. I didn't measure, but I probably used less than  1/2  tablespoon of the coconut water. 

Drizzle the Maple Nut Butter Sauce over the baked apples and pop back into the oven for about 5 minutes. 

Serve warm, with a dollop of chilled Vanilla Coconut Yogurt. This is just vanilla-flavored yogurt made from coconut milk. Any type of vanilla yogurt will do.

Makes two delicious and satisfying servings. 

Enjoy! 

Yours in Good Health,

Cynthia

xo

Are You Constantly Punishing Yourself for Mistakes or Slip-Ups?

It takes an awful lot of courage to completely dedicate yourself 

to a healthy lifestyle or a specific weight loss goal.

Don't punish yourself for mistakes or slip-ups. Perhaps you indulged a bit too much last night at Happy Hour or at dinner. Maybe you decided to trade your usual morning exercise routine for an extra hour or two of sleep.  So what? 

                 You haven't completely blown it and you definitely are NOT a failure! 

Do not give it a second thought. Focusing on what you think you did wrong or getting angry at yourself, does nothing to inspire and motivate you and can actually set you up for failure! So...STOP! 

The moment those types of thoughts enter your brain - DISMISS THEM! 

Tell yourself you will try again later or tomorrow! 

Treat yourself the way you would treat that one person you care for 

more than anyone else in the world!  

With love. Patience. Grace. Understanding.

Yours in Good Health,

Cynthia

xo

I'm in Avocado Heaven!

A big bag of gorgeous avocados for under five bucks!  I am a very happy girl!

What am I gonna do with them? 

Check back tomorrow. I am going to share some of my favorite avocado recipes with you! 

In the meantime, read about GOOD FAT/BAD FAT and how avocados are DEFINITELY 
good fat!  Fat 101

Yours in Good Health,

Cynthia

xo

Honor Your Spirit Today

How will YOU honor your Spirit and give it priority today? 

Lose the idea that Self Love is selfish.  It isn't. In fact, it's the most unselfish act of all.....

Yours in Good Health,

Cynthia
xo

The Five Senses Approach to Preventing Alzheimer's Disease!

In the next few weeks, I will be introducing a new video series:

The Five Senses Approach to Preventing Alzheimer's Disease.

I am very excited about this project and after working with the elderly suffering from this heartbreaking disease, PREVENTION has become my passion. The sad news about Alzheimer's Disease is that we are ALL susceptible.  The good news is that Alzheimer's can be prevented and the time to start thinking about prevention is NOW!  I promise this series will be like nothing else you've heard before!

Here are some of the topics I will be covering in this video series:

What is Alzheimer's? Separating the facts from the fiction.

How to recognize the warning signs of early on-set Alzheimer's.

How to STOP Alzheimer's before it starts.

The differences between Alzheimer's and occasional memory loss that comes with aging.

The relationship between diet and Alzheimer's.

How we use all five senses to increase or decrease our risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease.

How to nourish the body, mind and spirit to prevent Alzheimer's.

......and much, much more!

You don't want to miss this!  I encourage you to sign up for this exciting and informative video series by submitting your email address in the appropriate box to the right of this post.. This way, each new video will be sent directly to you, hot off the presses!

Yours in Good Health,

Cyn

Coconut Oil for Beauty............

Coconut Oil might just be the best kept beauty secret.
Take a look at this info-graphic from IdealHomeGarden.com

The Health Benefits of Garlic

Look at all these wonderful benefits of garlic. Buy it fresh. Chop it. Mince it. Saute it. Throw it in everything. Raw or cooked.  And don't worry about the potent odor. Just be sure to serve everyone lots of garlic and you will all smell exactly the same!

My favorite way to use garlic? As a spread, instead of butter. This is delicious on bread or in my famous guiltless mashed potatoes. The possibilities are endless......

Here's the recipe for those mashed potatoes and how to quick roast garlic: The Best Mashed Potatoes Ever!

I Want a Fit, Toned, Healthy Body!

Who doesn't want a fit, toned, healthy body? If that's what you want, you can have it, but all the thinking and wishing in the world won't get you any closer to it. You have to start taking steps in the right direction. They don't have to be giant steps. Those can be overwhelming and exhausting. We're all guilty of trying drastic measures in an effort to get things done quickly.

WE WANT RESULTS NOW!!  

What do I mean by Giant Steps? 

You haven't exercised in months (or years). One day you wake up and you are a maniac, working out several hours a day, and pushing and torturing your body in an effort to get fit fast.

OR....

You shock your body by drastically reducing the amount of food you eat and you wonder why you're tired, frustrated and not losing weight.  You starve and deprive yourself. You try all of the latest and greatest fad diets.

What usually happens when you take those kinds of giant steps? Eventually, you end up aggravated, frustrated and tired. You make everyone around you miserable. So, you give up. You slip right back to your regular, old habits and gain every ounce of weight you did lose back and then some............

Why torture yourself this way? Why not just take smaller steps?

Small steps in the right direction will still get you where you need to go.

Small Steps in the Right Direction:

Exercise. Definitely exercise! You don't need to wear yourself out or live in the gym. Just do something every day, for about 20 - 30 minutes. You can spread it out over your day if you don't have that much concentrated time to spare. Perhaps if you turned off the TV or stepped away from the computer, you would have the time. Just sayin'. :)

Yoga, weight training, Pilates, bike riding, dancing, swimming, house work, a walk around the block, in the park or on the beach, and yes, even sex, count as exercise. So pick one. Better yet, pick more than one and commit to doing something every day!

Forget crash dieting. Just make better food choices. Avoid fast food, if possible.  Eat more fruit, more vegetables, lean protein, whole grains. Fire up the BBQ and start grilling instead of frying. Skip the crappy carbs (bagels, rolls, white bread, white flour pasta, white rice, mashed potatoes). Limit sugar and sweet treats like cake, cookies and pies.  Try a square or two of dark chocolate when the chocolate cravings kick in. And watch the alcohol! Those calories count and alcohol slows down your metabolism and increases your cravings for crappy carbs.

No, you will not miraculously drop fifty pounds overnight, but you will lose excess fat and inches. And you will have firmer, more defined legs, arms, and abs! And your butt will look better in your jeans, too!  No, you will not look the model in the photo. At least not right away. She didn't get that body overnight and neither will you. But every move you make will bring one step closer.........

You will look and feel so much better. You will want to keep going. And you will be healthier; body, mind and spirit.  And healthy is sexy. Always.......

Yours in Good Health,
Cynthia

An Amazing Story!

Do you really think you're going to wither away by reducing or eliminating meat and animal products in your diet?

Fact: You will lose unwanted fat
Fact: You will gain energy that you never dreamed possible.

If that's what you're looking for, you need to re-think your current eating style.
Try eating less meat, less dairy and add more whole grains, fruits and veggies.

Still don't believe me? Maybe you will believe this!
 Rich Roll's amazing story and transformation.

From Down and Out at Forty to Plant-Based Ultraman

This gorgeous hunk of man doesn't look like he's withering away to me.....

What do you think?

How Long Is Your Shelf-Life?

Do you want to live a long, healthy, happy life?
Do you want to lose weight and keep it off?

Stay away from packaged, processed foods! 

Nature's Candy

Now this is a candy store!  You can have as much as you want!

Hold on a minute..... What if you're a diabetic? Fruit is a no-no!

You can still have fruit. It's so much better for you than sugar-free (artificially sweetened) products like cake, cookies and candy.  Enjoy a few pieces of fruit daily but eat it with protein like nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios) or a of piece cheese or yogurt (vegan or otherwise). Just check the labels for the amount of added sugar to the yogurt and skip the artificially sweetened, lo-cal kinds. Plain is best. You can doctor up plain soy or regular yogurt with real vanilla extract and mix in the fruit for sweetness. No added sugar needed. If you eat dairy, plain Greek yogurt is great because it contains more protein than regular varieties.

Why eat protein with fruit? Your body will begin breaking down the protein first which causes the sugar in the fruit to release at slower pace. Just don't go too crazy with fruit (don't consume an entire watermelon in one sitting or a whole pound of cherries while watching TV) and always consult your doctor if you notice any changes in your blood sugar levels.

The Italians have it right. Big fruit, nut and cheese platters. Fresh melon wrapped in prosciutto, sliced home grown tomatoes (tomatoes are a fruit) served with fresh mozzarella......

No sugar comas here, just good food! Choose your protein and make it work!

Yes, I am a Vegan. I don't eat meat or dairy products but I work with all different kinds of people. My main focus is a plant-based diet for optimal health and wellness but that doesn't work for everyone. My goal is to teach you how to make the best, healthiest choices possible when it comes to food whether you choose to be a Vegetarian, Vegan, or a hard-core Carnivore. This is why my plan works! Because it really isn't my plan- it's yours- personalized to fit your needs and your lifestyle.

Sound interesting? Contact me and let's chat!

Have I Discovered the Fountain of Youth? Maybe.......

Tomorrow is my 50th Birthday. Truth be told, I am a little anxious about the whole event. Coming to terms with the fact that I will officially be on this earth for half a century is keeping me awake at night.  I am not afraid of getting older. That's not it at all. I look forward to aging- gracefully. Why am I in a bit of panic? I'll share more about that later.  

I don't feel fifty. Not at all. And I certainly don't act it. I have more energy and pack more fun and activities into my already hectic life-style than most twenty-year olds I know. People are always asking if I've discovered the fountain of youth. Maybe...........

I know I look younger than my age. When the topic comes up, most people are genuinely shocked to discover how old I am. When they see photos or meet me in person, they think I am lying. It's partly genetics. I can't take all the credit. I inherited that thick, oily Italian skin from my mother. I am more fair-skinned than she is but even so, other than the dark circles under my eyes (also genetic but easily covered with a good concealer) I don't have a flaw or a tell-tale sign of aging on my face. Not even crow's feet around my eyes.

But that's just natural esthetics.  I have no magic skin care secrets to share other than this:

Take care of what you've got by drinking plenty of water, develop a good, daily skin care practice (use the best, most natural products you find)  and use sun screen because good genes will only take you so far.   

I religiously take care of my skin. I spoil it and treat it well because this is the only face I've got!

Other than that, I will share a few other secrets. Actually, they're not really secrets at all. You've heard them all before. In fact, I sound like a broken record because I constantly talk about this stuff:

Eat right:

Your daily diet should consist of lean protein, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, plant-based fats, and whole grains. Avoid junk food, fast food, processed crap, and sugary snacks. Avoid fad diets, starvation and deprivation. That stuff never works and nothing will age you faster than constant weight gain and weight loss.

Exercise:

You gotta move it or you will lose it. You will begin to sag and droop in places you never thought possible if you don't exercise. Nothing screams old age louder than a saggy ass. I don't have a particular daily exercise routine. I am not a gym rat. I hate working out. I force myself to do it. I walk, take the stairs, lift weights 2-3 times a week and do some yoga stretches at night. If I can squeeze it into my schedule, I'll go do a bit of Bikram once a week at a local studio. Bikram is an hour and a half of yoga in a 105 degree room.  I sweat out any impurities and it works wonders for my skin.  If you can handle the heat, try it,  but consult your doctor first. It might not be a good idea for those with high blood pressure or heart ailments.

The Three R's:

Huh? Reading, 'Riting, and 'Rithmetic? NO!

The three R's are: Rest, Rejuvenation and Recreation.  You absolutely must make time for all three in order to be young, look young, and stay young. You need to sleep. You need to chill, sit back and relax. You need to recharge your batteries now and then. Step away from everything, pay attention to details and listen to your body, mind and spirit and do what they tell you. Don't neglect the little things or eventually they will become too big to handle. And last but not least, what good is life without fun? Do you remember the last time you actually had fun?  The less fun you have or give yourself permission to have, the older you will feel. When you feel old you will look old. And act old. Then it's all down-hill from there.

Those are my secrets to looking, feeling, and staying young. No fountain of youth here. Just simple, easy, common-sense advice you already know.

So if I have all that down pat, why am I hyperventilating over turning 50?  Well......I am standing here at the cross roads of life fully aware that my time is running out. It doesn't matter how hard I work at staying young; my own mortality is hard simple fact. I will not live forever and there's so much in this great, big beautiful wonderful world I still want to see and do and experience. So many people I want to meet, love, touch, and learn from.  I've wasted so much time on such silly things. Fifty years have flown by so quickly and I don't want to waste another minute of the time I have left here on earth. I have this sense of urgency to get it all done, to stop second guessing myself and being afraid of the consequences.  I have the wisdom and experience of 50 years  and the heart and soul of a child. I am ready and raring to go. The fountain of youth is gushing and I am jumping in- head first!!

What is the fountain of youth?  It's not what you think. It's not a pill, portion, cream or cure.  You can't tap into it by eating a whole foods diet or by eating raw. You can drink all the clean, pure water from the Swiss Alps you want but it isn't in there either. You can't reach it by practicing yoga or meditation. These things can help, but they are not the answer.  The fountain of youth isn't a person, place or thing.  

The fountain of youth is within you. It's the most wonderful, amazing, essence of you and it never, ever ages. It springs from your heart and soul.  It's there. It always has been. You just need to figure out what's blocking it and let it flow!

And if you need a little help with that, I'm here. Let's chat.

What Happens When You Lose Fat?

Pretty staggering statistics, huh?

If you are carrying around excess weight, it's time to get rid of it!

Your body, mind and spirit will thank you! 

Healthy Eating in any Restaurant

I did something very silly this past Saturday.  A girlfriend called and invited me to a concert. I was tired, I'd worked all day, but I just can't say no to an opportunity to dance the night away to some good, live music. I raced home from work, quickly showered, applied a bit of concealer and lipstick,  and off we went.

That's not so silly. The band was great, great place, great crowd. I had an awesome time. The silly part was that in my haste to get ready, I forgot to eat dinner. Now you might be wondering how on earth does anyone forget to eat? Trust me, it happens. I don't intentionally skip meals, I just get so busy with work and all my little projects that I don't even think about food sometimes.  To be perfectly honest,  I had every intention of eating; I simply didn't have time. My girlfriend was pounding at my front door and it was time to go.

The last meal I'd eaten was lunch around noon (it was now 10PM) so I limited myself to just a couple of beers at the show. Honest. Anything more than that on an empty stomach would have spelled disaster. I danced, I sang, I mingled and when we finally we left the bar around 3AM, I was starving. There was only one choice- Burger King-  open 24 hours. JACKPOT! I ordered french fries and scarfed them down in seconds flat. Two hours later, I was as sick as a dog.

I never eat fast food. NEVER.  I can't remember the last time I had french fries and as God is my witness, I will never eat them again unless I make them myself.  What on earth was in those fries?

Well, aside from the fact they are immersed and fried in big vats of oil, Burger King fries also contain chicken flavoring. HELLO! I am a Vegan. I don't eat anything from a chicken, cow, pig, or fish. My body is no longer able to digest foods cooked or flavored with anything from animals. If I do happen to eat anything with animal fat, animal flavoring, or any kind of animal by-product,  forgive me for being so blunt, my head is in the toilet. For hours.

I learned two big lessons:
1. Never, ever skip a meal
2. Before I eat anything, I need to know what's in it.

In my quest to discover exactly what was in those Burger King fries, I stumbled upon the most invaluable source of information known to mankind: A guide to healthy eating at any restaurant. It's really geared toward vegetarians and vegans but anyone interested in making wise meal choices will find this very handy.  Included in this guide are all the fast food joints and other eating establishments you know and love. Hopefully, you don't actually love them and don't often frequent any of those types of places, but hey, stuff happens. Who would've thought I'd be eating fast food fries in the wee hours of the morning?

In a perfect world, you would always cook at home, from scratch, and know exactly what's in your food. Unfortunately, this not a perfect world and every once in awhile you have no choice but to dine in places like Burger King, McDonald's, and Olive Garden. You work hard, you don't feel like cooking, you've been on the road for hours and there's nothing else around for miles, or you do something silly like skipping dinner and find yourself shoving handfuls of greasy fries down your throat at 3 o'clock in the morning. My advice? Print this guide and memorize it.

Here's the Guide:

Healthy Eating in any Restaurant

Go With The Flow............