The Top 10 Foods to Eat Organically

Motivation is an essential part of long term weight loss success. Everybody loses motivation to exercise from time to time, and it is often a result of a lack of variety in their routine. The key is to know how to respond. Below are suggestions of ways to increase your variety and motivation.


Find An Exercise Partner: Those who have an exercise partner increase their adherence to their routine by almost 90 percent. Choose someone who has similar goals and is at a similar fitness level. Make a commitment to each other to show for workouts. Your workout partner will provide accountability, will push you to do more than you would on your own, and can also help you stay on track with your nutrition.

Take A Class: If you have been working out in a gym or health club on the treadmill or elliptical, then mix it up by taking an exercise class. A class adds the excitement of an instructor, upbeat music, variety, group support, and a specific exercise time to keep you on track.

Get Outdoors: "Boot camps" have become very popular over the last few years. Metamorphosis Fitness & Nutrition Studio, that's me, holds "Body Booty Camp" every M & F @ 6am-7am, up until Oct 2007,  in High Bridge, NJ @ Union Forge Park. This outdoor fitness adventure is a month to month fitness camp. Check out www.evolvehealthy.com/programs for more info. Boot Camps involve all sorts of cardiovascular and body weight exercises. The limited time frame is a great way to add variety to your workout routine for a short period of time.

Hire A Pro: Hire the services of a personal trainer. Personal trainers, like myself, have a huge database of exercises that they can teach you. Spend a session or two with a trainer learning new exercises to incorporate into your routine. You may find that a monthly session with a trainer helps keep you on track and adds a continuous flow of new exercises. I call this program " Fitness to Go" I'd love to teach you new innovative fitness ideas to bring into your lifestyle. Think of a personal trainer as a fitness teacher, a studio or gym as a school, if you will.

Exercise Videos: The biggest problem with an exercise video is that most people never use them! Whether you purchase them, or borrow them from your local library, videos can be a great way to add variety to your exercise program. Try exchanging one day at the gym for a home exercise video workout.

Cut Your Time: Yes, I am suggesting you spend less time at the gym, but do the same workout. So if you have a set weight lifting routine, stay with it, but lighten the weights a bit and reduce your breaks in-between. You will be going from one exercise into another with minimal rest. It will be a change not just for your body, but also for your mind. Try completing the same distance that you normally do on the treadmill or elliptical for 45 minutes in just 30 minutes. Increase your intensity, and reduce your time.

Do The Opposite: If you have been weight training via a total body routine, break up your workouts into upper body and lower body. If you have been breaking up your body parts, try training the whole body in one routine. If you perform aerobic exercise and weights in the same workout, try doing workouts that are either just aerobic, or just weights. If you normally stay on one machine for your aerobic workouts, mix it up by using 3 different machines in one workout session. These changes in your workout routine will give your mind a much needed break, and will also give your body a much needed change as well. I suggest changing it up every 2-4 weeks.

Change Your Workout Time: Try going to the gym at a different time of day. If you normally exercise in the mornings, switch to afternoons or evenings and vice versa. Seeing different people can make a big difference in your motivation. It will be like being a different gym!

Motivation is the result of having an interest in what you are doing. If you have been doing the same exercise routine and you notice your motivation slipping, mix it up! A little change can go a long way. Changing your routine for just one week can make a big difference in your enthusiasm, and who knows, you might find that you like the new routine better than your old one!

If I can help in organizing, instructing, or directing your fitness & nutrition goals, give me a call or email. I'd love to help you get or stay, and love "healthy.

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard from clients and friends, “I was so bad yesterday…I ate french fries with the kids” or “I totally cheated and had a piece of birthday cake.” We’ve all heard it, right? And actually, we have probably all said it. But, there is a fundamental problem with this line of thinking that works against each and every one of us.

Food and eating are not ethical issues! You are not good or evil because of what you eat. If you allow yourself to attach such negative values to certain foods and to yourself for eating them (i.e., I’m a cheater, I failed, I can never have another brownie), you are setting yourself up for failure. And when we think we have failed, we feel guilty and tend to give up.

Remember, a healthy lifestyle is about balance, calculated choices and motivation. It is a way of living not a “quick fix.” If you want to transform your eating habits, you need to start “eating to live” not “living to eat.”

Women especially seem to have this innate tendency to beat themselves up when it comes to eating. And it’s no wonder. Look at our society—it’s filled with mixed-up eating images. From the time we are small children we are inundated with unhealthy messages about food. Parents start urging their children to clean their plates at an early age, our celebrity-crazed culture places pressure on young adults to severely restrict their food to look a certain way, yet our restaurants serve portions fit for an army. It is easy to see why a lot of us grow up to be adults with a lot of guilt, shame and confusion about our eating habits.

So let’s change our thinking!

While I am a Dietitian/Nutritionist & Personal Trainer and am in the business of creating specific and scientific meal plans, I mainly advocate a philosophy that I call “Mindful Clean Eating”. It is actually quite simple. It means you focus on eating things that come from plants, animals or trees rather than from boxes, bags, and take-out containers. Look down at your plate…is most of your food alive or dead? Is it nutrient dense or void of nutrients? This translates to getting a majority of your daily calories from fresh fruits and vegetables, minimally processed whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds and lean meats and fish. Clean eating minimizes the presence of preservatives, chemically altered fats, extra sodium and artificial ingredients. In addition to this, pay careful attention to portions, and eating while you eat (mindful). It is often not what you are eating, it’s how much and not paying much attention to the act of eating. We have adapted the bigger is better attitude and much to our dismay many prepackaged snack foods can actually stimulate your appetite. So go for moderation – do a reality check and give yourself one serving not three. This takes education, discipline and practice. (my expertise)

Clean eating, however, doesn’t mean “perfect” eating. It doesn’t mean that you will never consume another bag of chips or another brownie. What it means is that you are aware that some food choices are more ideal than others when it comes to fueling your body and you are able to adjust your habits accordingly. Don’t attach guilt to your choices, accept them! Better yet, plan for them. I advocate a scheduled "cheat meal" each week. Enjoy that brownie while you are eating it and learn to have confidence that you will return to your healthy eating habits at the very next meal.

We all know life is full of distractions, changes and temptations. Being realistic and being prepared for them with a general attitude of clean eating is much more realistic than participating in the “good vs evil” food war. When you look at your eating plan this way, there is no such thing as cheating!

If you are in need of accountability and guidance with any fitness and/or nutrition plan, I was born to help! -Danielle Fryer, RD