The single easiest way to trim calories from your summer diet, experts say, is to load up on nature’s bounty. Produce is at its peak in summer. Delicious fruits and vegetables abound at farmers’ markets and in your local grocery. Besides being low in calories, produce is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

Save the oranges and apples for fall, and load up on fresh berries, melons, greens, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, pea pods, and all the super-nutritious and low-calorie fruits, greens and vegetables that grow in the garden this time of year.

As a bonus, you can forget about portion control when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables. Go for it, because it is hard to do much damage to your waistline with these super-nutritious edibles.

To keep your cool and cut your time in the kitchen, start with prepared produce, such as cut-up fruit and washed greens. Add rotisserie chicken, prepared soups, and pre-threaded kabobs when you need something a bit heartier. Pre-prepped foods may cost a little extra, but they save time in the kitchen.

Here are dietician, Susan Moores’  picks for some of the best foods to help with weight loss during the summer.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 1: Chilled Soups

Moores loves all kind of produce but says cold soups are among her favorite low-calorie dishes.  Chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are a great way to start a meal.

“Research shows that a low-calorie, broth-based soup at the beginning of the meal will fill you so you eat less at the meal,” says Moores, a St. Paul-based nutrition consultant.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 2: Watermelon

Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it’s hot outside?

“Half of the watermelon comes from water. …It’s a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet,” says Moores.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 3: Grilled Veggies

For registered dietitian Dawn Jackson, a plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have. She recommends keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus, and garlic in your fridge. You can use them to make dishes like:

1. Grilled vegetable and goat cheese salads

2. Grilled vegetable pitas

3. Grilled vegetable, ricotta, and fresh herb pasta and frittatas

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 4: Salads

Salads make for quick, healthy meals — with no recipes required.

“Just give the produce a quick rinse; slice, dice, toss fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheese, a handful of toasted nuts with some salad greens and a light raspberry or ginger vinaigrette, along with a whole-grain roll, and you have a meal in minutes,” says Moores.

Or try bean or whole-grain salads, such as wheatberry and tabouli.

Moore suggests flavoring your salads with herbs from the garden so you can go light on the dressing. And when adding meats or fish to your salad, she says, “think of them as an accessory to the greens, vegetables, and grains.”

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 5: Low- and No-Calorie Beverages

Smoothies, sweetened specialty coffee drinks, sweetened teas and sodas — they all go down so easily, especially when it’s hot outside. But the calories add up just as easily.

“Beverages can be the Achilles heel during summertime because we need to drink lots of liquids to stay cool, but liquids quench thirst and don’t usually impact our hunger,” says Jackson.

Jackson recommends these refreshing drinks and treats to enjoy this summer without blowing your diet:

• Root Beer or Orange Dream Float.  1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt in 12 ounces of diet root beer or orange soda (100 calories)
• Tart Lemon Pom Spritzer. 12 ounces of lemon sparkling water mixed with the juice of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, served over ice (35 calories)
• Large Ice Skim Latte from Starbucks (130 calories)
• White Wine Spritzer. 5 ounces white wine mixed with 3 ounces lemon/lime seltzer water (120 calories)

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 6: Fruit-Based Desserts

“Cravings don’t take a summer vacation and your hot-weather sweet tooth can wreak havoc on your weight loss efforts,” says Jackson. “Ditch high-calorie desserts and opt for these naturally sweet treats that can tame the most ferocious sweet tooth.”

She suggests:

• Grilled banana sundaes made with low-fat ice cream
• Grilled pineapple with rum and pecans
• Grilled white peaches with blackberries and honey
• Frozen, dark, sweet cherries
• A chocolate-covered frozen banana (such as Diana’s Banana, with 130 calories)
• Frozen grapes

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In this article, the peak in-season range for different fruits and vegetables is relevant to all of Canada, most of the upper half of the United States, and pretty much all other countries that lie within the same latitudinal range, give or take a few degrees.

Whenever possible, you want to choose fruits and vegetables that are in season in your living region. Fruits and vegetables that are in season and locally grown tend to have more nutrients and flavor than those that are imported from far away places.

Apples – Look for firm apples that are free of bruises. For red-colored varieties, look for apples that are mostly red. For yellow-colored apples, look for apples that are mostly bright yellow. Red and yellow apples that have several patches of green color are generally not as tasty as bright red and yellow apples. Handle apples with care to prevent bruising.  Apples are in season from October to about late April.

Asparagus – Look for straight, bright-green stalks with stiff tips. For optimal nutritional value and flavor, steam asparagus instead of boiling it. Asparagus is in season from March to about June.

Bananas – Look for bananas that do not have bruises or soft spots, especially along the undersides of the bottom-most row. If left at room temperature, bananas that are any shade of green should eventually ripen. Extra-ripe bananas can be peeled and stored in a container in the freezer for smoothies or banana ice cream (made with a champion juicer). Bananas are imported year-round.

Beets – Choose beets that are firm and attached to red stems and fresh green tops. Loose beets without their tops are typically older than those that are attached to their green tops. Beets are in season from about mid-June to mid-October.

Blueberries – For fresh blueberries, look for firm berries. You really can’t go wrong with frozen wild blueberries, which are available year-round. Fresh blueberries are in season from about mid-June to mid to late August.

Broccoli – Look for tightly budded heads that are dark green in color. Broccoli is in season from July to October.

Carrots – Look for firm carrots with relatively smooth skin. Avoid thick carrots, as they often have tough centers. If you buy fresh bunched carrots with green tops, remove the tops before storing, as they can suck moisture and nutrients away from the roots. Carrots are available year-round, but are best from July to September.

Cucumbers – Look for firm, unblemished, and dark green cucumbers. Cucumbers are in season from June to September.

Eggplant – Choose eggplants that are heavy for their size and have smooth skin. Eggplants are in season from August to September.

Fresh Figs (not dried) – Choose plump figs that seem heavy for their size. Be sure to pick ones that smell nice; old figs tend to smell a tad sour. Fresh figs are in season from about mid-May to mid-October.

Garlic – Look for plump and firm bulbs that are completely surrounded by their tissue-like covering. Avoid ones that have green sprouts. Garlic is in season from August to October.

Grapes – Choose grapes that are firm; soft grapes or those that feel like little water balloons tend to be too ripe. If possible, use a tissue to wipe down a single grape for a taste test before choosing each cluster. Grapes are in season from August to September. Imported grapes are available year-round.

Hass Avocados – Choose avocados that have roughly-textured skin; those that are relatively smooth skinned tend to have less flavor. Avocados are ready to eat when their skins are dark and they give a little to slight pressure. Hass avocados are in season from February to October.

Honeydew Melons – Look for melons that are free of bruises and areas of broken skin/rind. Leave at room temperature until they give ever so slightly to heavy pressure. Their skins may wrinkle slightly and they may give off a mild melon fragrance when they are ripe. Honeydew melons are in season from August to October.

Leeks – Look for leeks that have dark green leaves and white bulbs. Leaves that have yellow and brown spots are usually overripe. Leeks are in season from August to November.

Mushrooms – Look for mushrooms that are free of bruises and other blemishes. Fresh mushrooms are not wrinkled or slimy. Mushrooms are in season from October to November.

Onions – When looking for dry onions, choose those that are firm and have no soft spots. When looking for green onions, choose those that have bright green leaves and are not slimy. Dry onions are in season from September to December. Green onions are in season from July to September.

Oranges – For eating out of hand, choose California navel oranges that are heavy for their size and without obvious blemishes. California navel oranges are in season from about mid-November to late spring. They are sweetest from about January to early March.

Peaches – Choose peaches that have smooth skin without bruises, and that give a bit to pressure. Peaches that do not give to pressure can ripen, but often do not get as soft and sweet as those that are already somewhat ripe at the market. Peaches are in season from July to September.

Pears – Choose pears that have smooth skin and no bruises. Pears are in season from August to December.

Potatoes – Choose firm potatoes that are free of bruises and cracks. Potatoes are in season from September to January.

Raspberries – Choose raspberries that are bright red. Look carefully to be sure that there are no signs of mould, the most common one being the presence of white, cotton-like strands in and around the berries. Raspberries are in season from July to September.

Red Peppers – Choose red peppers that have thick, smooth skin. Red peppers are in season from about May to September.

Spinach – Choose spinach that is dark green with no signs of yellowing, sliminess, or wilting. Spinach is in season from June to October.

Strawberries – Choose strawberries that are plump, dark red, and without bruises. Fresh berries carry a distinct strawberry fragrance. Strawberries are in season in June and early July.

Tomatoes – Choose tomatoes that are bright red, firm, and free of bruises. Like strawberries, fresh tomatoes will carry their own distinct fragrance. If preparing tomato slices, slice them from top to bottom to prevent unnecessary loss of natural juices. Field tomatoes are in season from August to September.

Watermelon – Look for a watermelon that has a firm, dark green rind. A slight hollow sound upon tapping with your knuckles is often a sign of a full and juicy melon. Peak season for watermelons is from mid-May to late August.

Winter Squash – Look for squash that have hard, smooth skin. Acorn and butternut squash are in season from September to December.

Yams – Choose yams that do not have any cracks or soft spots. Steaming is the best cooking method to preserve the nutritional value of yams. Yams are in season from October to about March.

Zucchini – Choose zucchini that have firm, dark green skin. Old zucchini are soft and wrinkly. Zucchini are in season from July to September.

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The FIRST Blue Shorts Test at the NEW Siam №1 location will be your opportunity to showcase your talents in front of the rest of your Muay Thai brothers and sisters and some of the most known Muay Thai instructors in Ontario from Waterloo all the way to Ottawa!

As a Training Ground student, you MUST pre-register for this event…please see Kru Brian, Jr or Michelle Edwards in the office to discuss your eligibility and what will be expected of you.

Good Luck!!!

Testing Day: Saturday July 24, 2010
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Registration at Siam: 8:30 am
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Grading commences: 9:00 am SHARP!
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Fee: $100.00 (includes shorts and certificate of achievement)
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Location: The NEW Siam No1
45 Densley – Toronto, Ontario

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It is recommended that you drink six to eight glasses of water every day. Don’t forget, if you are in hot temperatures for long periods of time or exercising you need more fluids to stay hydrated. The American Council on Exercise advises the following steps to keep hydrated before, during and after exercise.

• Drink water (two to two and a half cups) two to three hours before exercise
• Drink another 8 ounces (1 cup) of fluid 30 minutes prior to exercise
• Keep hydrated during your workout by drinking fluid (1 cup) every 15 minutes
• Immediately after (within 30 minutes) drink an additional cup of fluids
• Weigh yourself before and after exercise and drink two to three cups of fluid for every pound you lost during training.

Every percentage of body weight you loose through sweat, urination and respiration will directly affect the volume of the blood contained in your body. When the blood volume is decreased your body’s ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your muscles is reduced, directly affecting your performance and stamina.  Additionally, your heart has to work harder to move your blood which causes muscle cramps, fatigue, exhaustion and mild confusion. If you become dehydrated your body is unable to cool itself down, leading to heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke. The big mistake most people make is waiting until they feel thirsty to have a drink, but by then it is too late, you are already dehydrated.  If adequate water is not consumed every day you may experience physical illnesses, and in extreme cases – it can be life-threatening.

What is the best thing to drink during hot summer days?

Water: This is the most natural, calorie free, and best choice for keeping hydrated. The only down side that to water is to some, the taste is bland. For them, we say jazz it up by adding a wedge of lime or lemon, cucumber slices, mint leaves or a dash of concentrated chlorophyll!

Sport drinks: Sport drinks are full of sugar, electrolytes (sodium, potassium and chloride) to help replenish calories and mineral imbalances that occur after intense exercise. Some also contain caffeine to stimulate the central nervous system or branched chain amino acids (BCAA) that can be used as fuel during exercise. Even though these drinks are mass-marketed to the general public, they are only helpful for athletes that exercise at high intensity for more than one hour at a time. They should never be consumed as an everyday drink.

Juice: For many, juice is a favourite, but even though it may be nutritious (full of vitamins and minerals), it is packed with sugar, which reduces water absorption. Eating whole fruit is healthier because it contains more fibre and nutrients than just the juice.

Soft drinks: Generally, carbonated soft drinks offer little nutritional value while adding extra inches to your waistline. The acids used to carbonate and flavour these beverages will damage teeth and may even weaken bones.

Coffee and tea: Drinks that contain caffeine should be avoided before and during exercise since they have mild diuretic properties (if taken in moderation), which increase fluid loss. People usually consume caffeine for the spike in energy, but vitamin B or ribose are healthier natural choices.

Alcohol: Many people will come up with the perfect excuse to head to the bar to get a nice cold beer after a game, but alcohol dehydrates. If you end up at the pub make sure you balance any alcohol consumption with water, ounce for ounce.

Be careful this summer and keep hydrated. Try carrying a bottle of water if you are going outside for a long period of time. Also, keep an eye on children, the elderly, workers and athletes since these people have a higher risk for heat related illness.



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Ajahn Suchart Yodkerepauprai

Ajahn Suchart Yodkerepauprai is proud. He’s proud because he has a role in getting many young men off the streets and turning them into responsible citizens. He does this by teaching them his native Thailand’s form of martial art, Muay Thai.

At Yodkerepauprai’s Siam No. 1 Thai Boxing Academy in Toronto, up to six former gang members and street kids, reside and train. More than 40 women and 250 men also visit the centre daily to learn the martial art to improve their physical and mental fitness, and self-defence skills. His training has also helped a number of his students find work in policing and related fields. More than 100 others have also chosen to become paramedics, fire fighters and government and private security officers, he notes. “I feel proud when I get calls from employers asking about my association with these [students],” he says.

The little time Yodkerepauprai has to spare outside of the ring is devoted to bringing together his small community as president of the Thai Society of Ontario. He also supports local charities such as the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Hospital for Sick Kids, Yellow Brick House and the War Amps of Canada.

One of his most rewarding community achievements of late is setting in motion the International Olympics Committee’s consideration of Muay Thai for inclusion in the Olympic Games. It has been approved as a demonstration sport in the 2012 Summer Olympics and, four years later, it will become official.

In the meantime, Yodkerepauprai is preparing some of his student instructors to go to community centres across the Greater Toronto Area to teach Muay Thai for free, as a gift to Canada. “I feel good,” he says with a satisfied smile. “I am happy that I’m able to make the Canadian society better at the same time as spreading the goodness of my culture.”

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We are going to keep the repititions low here since your entire body will be protesting by your 6th rep…let’s go!

Push Ups x10 – Allow yourself to descend at your normal pace until your nose is about 2 cm off of the ground, then take 10 seconds to ascend back to your starting position.

Crunches x10 – Allow yourself to ascend at your normal pace, then descend by using 10 seconds to return back to your starting position

Squats x10 – Descend at your normal pace, then take 10 seconds to ascend back to your starting position

Hyperextensions (Superman) x10 – Ascend at your normal pace, then descend by using 10 seconds to return back to your starting position

REVERSE

Push Ups x10 – Use 10 seconds to descend until your nose is about 2 cm off of the ground, then explode back to your starting position in as little time as possible

Crunches x10 – Ascend by taking 10 seconds to your “up” position and descend back to the ground at a normal pace

Squats x10 – Use 10 seconds to descend, then explode back to your starting position in as little time as possible

Hyperextensions (Superman) x10 – Ascend by taking 10 seconds to your “up” position and descend back to the ground at a normal pace

Good luck and take your time!

While certain diets or foods may not ease depression (or put you instantly in a better mood), they may help as part of an overall treatment plan. There’s more and more research indicating that, in some ways, diet may influence mood. We don’t have the whole story yet, but there are some interesting clues.

Basically the science of food’s affect on mood is based on this: Dietary changes can bring about changes in our brain structure (chemically and physiologically), which can lead to altered behavior.

How Can You Use Food to Boost Mood?

So how should you change your diet if you want to try to improve your mood? You’ll find eight suggestions below. Try to incorporate as many as possible, because regardless of their effects on mood, most of these changes offer other health benefits as well.

1. Don’t Banish Carbs — Just Choose ‘Smart’ Ones

The connection between carbohydrates and mood is all about tryptophan, a nonessential amino acid. As more tryptophan enters the brain, more serotonin is synthesized in the brain, and mood tends to improve. Serotonin, known as a mood regulator, is made naturally in the brain from tryptophan with some help from the B vitamins. Foods thought to increase serotonin levels in the brain include fish and vitamin D.

Here’s the catch, though: While tryptophan is found in almost all protein-rich foods, other amino acids are better at passing from the bloodstream into the brain. So you can actually boost your tryptophan levels by eating more carbohydrates; they seem to help eliminate the competition for tryptophan, so more of it can enter the brain. But it’s important to make smart carbohydrate choices like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, which also contribute important nutrients and fiber.

So what happens when you follow a very low carbohydrate diet? According to researchers from Arizona State University, a very low carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet was found to enhance fatigue and reduce the desire to exercise in overweight adults after just two weeks.

2. Get More Omega-3 Fatty Acids

In recent years, researchers have noted that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (found in fatty fish, flaxseed, and walnuts) may help protect against depression. This makes sense physiologically, since omega-3s appear to affect neurotransmitter pathways in the brain. Past studies have suggested there may be abnormal metabolism of omega-3s in depression, although some more recent studies have suggested there may not be a strong association between omega-3s and depression. Still, there are other health benefits to eating fish a few times a week, so it’s worth a try. Shoot for two to three servings of fish per week.

3. Eat a Balanced Breakfast

Eating breakfast regularly leads to improved mood, according to some researchers — along with better memory, more energy throughout the day, and feelings of calmness. It stands to reason that skipping breakfast would do the opposite, leading to fatigue and anxiety. And what makes up a good breakfast? Lots of fiber and nutrients, some lean protein, good fats, and whole-grain carbohydrates.

4. Keep Exercising and Lose Weight (Slowly)

After looking at data from 4,641 women ages 40-65, researchers from the Center for Health Studies in Seattle found a strong link between depression and obesity, lower physical activity levels, and a higher calorie intake. Even without obesity as a factor, depression was associated with lower amounts of moderate or vigorous physical activity. In many of these women, I would suspect that depression feeds the obesity and vice versa.

Some researchers advise that, in overweight women, slow weight loss can improve mood. Fad dieting isn’t the answer, because cutting too far back on calories and carbohydrates can lead to irritability. And if you’re following a low-fat diet, be sure to include plenty of foods rich in omega-3s (like fish, ground flaxseed, higher omega-3 eggs, walnuts, and canola oil.)

5. Move to a Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a balanced, healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fruits, nuts, vegetables, cereals, legumes, and fish — all of which are important sources of nutrients linked to preventing depression.

A recent Spanish study, using data from 4,211 men and 5,459 women, showed that rates of depression tended to increase in men (especially smokers) as folate intake decreased. The same occurred for women (especially among those who smoked or were physically active) but with another B-vitamin: B12. This isn’t the first study to discover an association between these two vitamins and depression.

Researchers wonder whether poor nutrient intake may lead to depression, or whether depression leads people to eat a poor diet. Folate is found in Mediterranean diet staples like legumes, nuts, many fruits, and particularly dark green vegetables. B-12 can be found in all lean and low-fat animal products, such as fish and low-fat dairy products.

6. Get Enough Vitamin D

Vitamin D increases levels of serotonin in the brain but researchers are unsure of the individual differences that determine how much vitamin D is ideal (based on where you live, time of year, skin type, level of sun exposure). Researchers from the University of Toronto noticed that people who were suffering from depression, particularly those with seasonal affective disorder, tended to improve as their vitamin D levels in the body increased over the normal course of a year. Try to get about 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day from food if possible.

7. Select Selenium-Rich Foods

Selenium supplementation of 200 micrograms a day for seven weeks improved mild and moderate depression in 16 elderly participants, according to a small study from Texas Tech University. Previous studies have also reported an association between low selenium intakes and poorer moods.

More studies are needed, but it can’t hurt to make sure you’re eating foods that help you meet the Dietary Reference Intake for selenium (55 micrograms a day). It’s possible to ingest toxic doses of selenium, but this is unlikely if you’re getting it from foods rather than supplements.

Foods rich in selenium are foods we should be eating anyway such as:

• Seafood (oysters, clams, sardines, crab, saltwater fish and freshwater fish)
• Nuts and seeds (particularly Brazil nuts)
• Lean meat (lean pork and beef, skinless chicken and turkey)
• Whole grains (whole-grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, etc.)
• Beans/legumes
• Low-fat dairy products

8. Don’t Overdo Caffeine

In people with sensitivity, caffeine may exacerbate depression. (And if caffeine keeps you awake at night, this could certainly affect your mood the next day.) Those at risk could try limiting or eliminating caffeine for a month or so to see if it improves mood.

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Perform 20 repititions on each exercise and cycle through the group of exercises 5 times. For exercises that alternate sides, do 10 repititions per side.

• Weighted Knee Raise
• 45 Degree Leg Extension
• Reverse Hyperextension
• Russian Twists
• Glute Bridge

Tips

• Exercise balls should be purchased according to your body height and should be inflated to the point that it becomes firm, not hard
• When sitting on the ball, your hips and knees should be bent at approximately 90 degrees

Detailed desription of the exercises:

Weighted Knee Raise – Holding a 20lb weight in each hand, (Adjust the weight for your level of skill and ability), sit on top of the exercise ball. Hold the weights to your sides as if you were holding a briefcase and raise the knee on your right leg about 3 inches off of the floor. Repeat with the same leg until your reps are complete before changing legs. Aim to keep your inner core activated throughout the movement (Pull your belly button to your spine).

45 Degree Leg Extension – Holding a 20lb weight in each hand, (Adjust the weight for your level of skill and ability), sit on top of the exercise ball. Hold the weights to your sides as if you were holding a briefcase and slowly extend, (straighten) your right leg out on a 45 degree angle to your body. Repeat with the same leg until your reps are complete before changing legs. Aim to keep your inner core activated throughout the movement (Pull your belly button to your spine).

Back Extension (Superman) – Lay on your belly across the ball and brace your feet against a wall for support. Drape your torso over the peak of the ball placing your hands behind your ears. (Your body should be in a “V” position at this point). Lengthen your spine as you raise your torso off the ball making a straight line with your body. Return to the starting position and repeat. (Keep your butt muscles contracted to protect your back)

Russian Twists –  Lie on the ball so that your shoulder blades rest on the highest part of the ball. Keep your feet in front and flat on the floor for support. Extend your arms straight out in front of your body and over your waist then clasp your hands together. (I prefer doing this with a medicine ball or dumbell but suggest that you start smaller to ensure that you get the movement correctly). Slightly raise your torso so that your shoulder blades come off of the ball and twist your torso and arms to the left and then to the right.

Glute Bridge – Lay on the floor with your feet planted flat on top of the ball with your arms at your sides. Slowly raise your pelvis from the floor to the ceiling until your body is only supported by your shoulders and feet ith your torso in a straight line with your knees. Initiate this movement from your butt.

I will not dispute the fact that many people simply do better with a nice cozy cup of coffee or tea to start their day. But what I do wonder, is if people really need that afternoon stimulant pick-me-up.

They say in order to ensure a good night’s sleep that one should not consume caffeinated beverages after 2pm. Caffeine in our system leaves us jittery and irritable and unable to engage in sound sleep for the most part. The lack of great sleep one night leads to a groggy morning the following day, which then sets the stage for another drowsy afternoon fueled by caffeine…and the caffeine-sleep pattern perpetuates.

So, you may be intrigued enough at this point to consider giving up your afternoon stimulants, yet may be left wondering “what can I do to treat a bad case of the afternoon slumps”.

First of all PREVENTION is the best medicine, so be sure to eat protein and vegetables for lunch. A high carbohydrate lunch will simply make the slumpies a million times worse. Before reaching for an afternoon cup of caffeine, consider trying the following first:

1. Be sure you are not dehydrated, you should have already had at least four 8 oz glasses of water by mid-afternoon. Dehydration is a leading cause of fatigue, and easily treatable!

2. Try to stop and stretch and do some deep breathing. We tend to sit hunched over at our desks all day long, which deprives the system of optimal oxygen levels. Sit up straight, breathe and let your lungs open to their full capacity.

3. Get in the fresh juice habit. I find that a glass of fresh vegetable juice actually picks me up better than caffeine.

4. Try a packet of Emergen-C in a glass of water. Some people think that the B-vitamins will give you an added lift without making you jittery (really do you want to actually be working so hard?)

5. If all else fails and you just need some sort of caffeine then try grabbing for a cup of green tea instead of coffee. Green tea is a powerful “super food” and adding more green tea in to your lifestyle is a simple way to protect your system from a variety of diseases.

6. Fatigue can be caused by a myriad of problems, if you experience a level of fatigue that is suddenly worse for you, or a case of fatigue that is debilitating (not just the average afternoon laziness) be sure to check in with your doctor!

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You will need a timer and set it to 30 second intervals…stop groaning, you’ll be fine. Change the exercise every time the timer sounds. Do not aim for the highest number of repetitions or speed, your goal is NOT TO STOP the exercise for 30 seconds.

• Crunches
• Pushups
• Burpees
• Squats
• Dips

Aim to go through the set of exercises for a total of 8 times. Rest for 30 seconds after every two sets for…you guessed it 30 seconds.

Good luck!
KruBee