A cheat meal can be anything you love to eat, but can’t eat it on your lower calorie diet. In fact, some diets include a special “cheat day,” where you have the foods your forbidden to eat on during the other days. Your favorite cheat meal can be anything, but avoiding overly processed food is healthier. Making your cheat foods at home can insure you’ll avoid many of the bad fats, food additives and unhealthy contents.

How does a cheat day help?

If you’re constantly consuming lower calories and carbohydrates while dieting, your body can go into starvation mode. That means it slows its metabolism, which also burns fewer calories and makes weight loss more difficult. Cheat meals increase the levels leptin, the hormone that tells your body it has enough to eat. If you starve yourself continuously, this hormone drops and it slows the metabolism to help you conserve energy for important functions.

Don’t starve yourself before cheat day.

Some people like to eat light in the morning on cheat day so they have room for their favorite cheat meal and can enjoy every bite. Fasting a bit before your cheat meal can help. By eating breakfast later in the day as your midday meal, you’ll bank a few calories and won’t be famished for your cheat meal. It can save you a few calories.

Get a good workout before the cheat meal.

This simple trick can help to deplete your reserves of glycogen, which is the sugar your body stores and uses for energy. Once it’s depleted, the body’s first job is to fill the coffers with more ready energy before it starts storing up fat. The less fuel—glycogen— you have available, the better off you are and the less likely the cheat meal will end up on the back of your thighs. Have a shot of caffeine from coffee, tea or cola before the workout to boost the body’s metabolism.

Plan your cheat day in advance. Some people say they have a cheat day once a week, while others go bi-weekly. If you mark it on your calendar, you won’t be tempted to make every other day a cheat day.

Have your cheat menu ready for the day. Whether you’re cooking at home or dining out, be prepared ahead with your choice of cheat foods. It’s too tempting to order way too much on your cheat day if you don’t.

If you’re eating in a restaurant for your cheat meal, psychologically it’s better to eat at a table rather than at the bar where you can watch the television. The same is true when eating at home. Eat and later watch TV…you’ll eat less.

Eat healthier even if it’s a cheat meal. Avoid high fatty cheat meals and opt for more carbs and protein.

Have you ever considered getting fit in everyday ways? A healthy Easter Egg Hunt might be one of those. Everyone gets five minutes to hide eggs in different locations and then there’s a race to find those eggs. The best part is the reward at the end where you use low calorie recipes to make a feast of the eggs for supper. While this is just one method of having fun getting fit, there are plenty more, with new ideas appearing the more you think about it. Fitness doesn’t just occur in the gym, although it can start there. Once you become fit, you’ll want to do other activities that test your stamina and strength. Getting together with a group can make it more fun.

Have a healthy family get-together.

You can turn every family get-together into a healthy one. Plan activities that will get everyone involved, making sure you even include ones for people that are less fit. Talk to family members about having a healthy menu or if you’re assigning dishes or cooking the whole meal, make sure it’s nutritious. You don’t have to bypass dessert, but find lower calorie healthier options. Who knows, it may be such a hit everyone will want to do it at each get-together.

Make the Easter candy and special treats fun and healthy.

Dark chocolate is heart healthy and is lower in fat, sugar and calories, while also containing many nutrients. Consider melting it in the microwave and covering fruit for a scrumptious treat that’s healthier than many you’d buy at the store. A fresh fruit or veggie bunny with dip can also be a great treat for the whole family. Mix peanut butter, honey and wheat germ to make a paste, form into an egg shape and roll in more wheat germ for a healthy alternative to candy eggs.

Use plastic eggs to fill with healthier alternatives besides candy.

There’s a whole lot of other things you can fill those plastic eggs with besides candy. Nuts, coins, marbles or super bounce balls are just a few ideas. Don’t forget a grown-up version of the hunt. For adults, some folding money might be fun or make slips of paper giving directions to a bigger prize or another egg with more direction. You can even number the eggs and let people work together. The prize might be as simple as a gift card. You’ll have everyone out of their chairs and looking.

Don’t worry if you’ve overindulged in forbidden food on Easter. It happens. Just go back to healthier eating when it’s over. (Eating a small amount is part of healthy eating, so don’t feel guilty if you use portion control.)

If you’re stressed out over the holidays, have a workout session before family arrives or before you leave for the day. You’ll burn off all the hormones of stress.

You’ll probably get loads of compliments if people haven’t seen you since before you started exercising. Be prepared to say thank you.

While others may not want to eat healthier, you don’t have to remind them to do it. Once they see how good you look, they’ll be asking you for your secrets.

15 Minute Upper Body

Toning At Home

15 Minute Upper Body Toning At Home!

Say GOODBYE to those Jiggly Arms and HELLO to Spaghetti Straps!!!

Would you like to finally be able to wear thinned strapped, or even strapless, tops and dresses? Do you not have the time or finances to go to the traditional gym, or even hire a personal trainer? Do you travel a lot for work? Well if this sounds like you, this home based workout would be perfect for you!

Throughout my career as a personal trainer, I’ve encountered many women that either would love to workout with me but don’t have the funds or time; or they don’t like the atmosphere of a gym, so they’d rather do something more personal and in their own comfort zone. So I’ve decided to create a number of eBooks to assist with that so that women like you can get the results I produce with my clients without stepping outside the comfort of your homes.

How Will This Book Get You into those Spaghetti Straps?

In this book I’ve put together exercises to directly work on your arms and shoulders. I have given you a combination of dips, push-ups, presses, and a little cardio exercises to cover all areas of the arm including the shoulders and a little calorie burning (because a little cardio never hurt ‘no one!…LOL).

What these exercises target:
Biceps: the large muscle in the upper arm that turns the hand to face palm uppermost. The muscle right on top of the inside of your elbow
Triceps: The muscles located on the back of your upper arm. In between your shoulder and elbow.
Rhomboids: The muscles that are found on your upper back, in between your shoulders.

What you get:

-Workout program with the majority of my best exercises that concentrates particularly on creating well defined arms and back.
-Nutrition advice
-My top tips to help you get the most out of each workout
-Tips for consistent motivation
-Detailed demonstration of each exercise.
-Cardio recommendations

To purchase, click HERE!

Contact info@reggiecfitness.com for inquires.

15 Minute Upper Body Toning At Home!

Reggie C Fitness Gets Results! Weight Loss Success Stories of Women Who Lost 50+ lbs

What is Reggie C Fitness? It is results! As co-owner of Signature Physiques Studio in Houston, Texas, I take an unorthodox, but effective approach to weight loss and personal development. Though you see me today, I wasn’t always this health conscious.  After graduating from college, I gained some excessive weight due to lack of  exercise and proper nutrition.  Not liking how I was looking and feeling, I decided it was time to make a change for a healthier me.  It wasn’t easy, but with exercise and a change in my eating habits, the hard work has paid off.  I help countless clients become their best, pushing them to the limits in order to help them achieve their weight loss and fitness goals.  Being that I struggled with weight, I can put myself in my clients’ shoes, understanding what it takes to achieve weight loss success.  Fitness is my passion, and motivating others to make healthier choices and live a longer life is what I am about.

Below read some tips and lessons learned from those who have experienced weight loss success through Reggie C Fitness. 

Felicity

“Planning is key!  Write out your workout schedule for the week, and keep track of workouts in a planner or your phone.  Making time for exercise and meal prep is sometimes very strategic, so set a weekly goal.  Try to stick to that goal as best as possible.  Set reminders for your meals on your phone calendar or set an alarm, so that you don’t miss a meal.  Failing to plan means you’re planning to fail.  It helps to have an accountability partner to make sure you are sticking to your goals daily.  Your accountability partner should push you!”

Jessica

“Keep an ideal physique or picture of where you want to be on your screensaver, so that whenever you unlock your phone you will see it.  This will help to remind you to keep pushing. Also, take progress pictures. They will motivate you to keep going.  Surround yourself with like-minded people who have similar goals.  Everyone wants results, but only a few are willing to push and work for it.  Being surrounded by like-minded people who motivate and encourage you to work hard will motivate you.  Also, drink a gallon of water consistently.”

Dianah

“Don’t compare yourself or your body to others. Everyone has their own unique physical traits, and everyone’s journey is distinct.  So don’t get down on yourself if you see someone else who is doing better or getting quicker results.  Incorporate everyone in your house on your journey.  If you eat healthy, they can to…no exceptions.  LOL!  Want it for YOURSELF!  Getting in shape for someone else or something else will only be temporary, and the motivation will fade if that person or thing leaves your life.  Learn to say NO to people and things, and start putting YOURSELF 1st.”

Jervon

“Don’t get discouraged if you “fall off the wagon.”  We are all human.  We all have cravings.  It’s okay to indulge occasionally.  However, KNOW that additional cardio will have to be done.  Make sure your friends and family know/understand that you are serious about your goals. It’s easy to get derailed by loved ones and co-workers.  This means saying no to a lot.  The more consistent you are with putting your goals on the forefront, the easier it is for others to accept it and not want to tempt you.  Listen to your trainer, and lean on your fit family!  Surrounding yourself with like-minded people is one of the best things you can do. Whenever you need encouragement, motivation, or inspiration, don’t hesitate to turn to them. That sort of support will always get you through.”

For fitness tips from me or to experience Reggie C Fitness and be a healthier you, please visit me on the web at www.reggiecfitness.com.