Exercise Video of the Week -- Pussycat Dolls Workout DVD

How many of you have taped a photo of Gisele Bundchen or any other super-fit celeb to your fridge as a weight loss motivator? If you have, you're not alone because this is a very common practice and it explains why celebrity workout videos tend to do so well. This is one of the main reasons why I've decided to do an exercise video of the week. I figure that by introducing you to some fun and unique exercise styles, your weight loss journey will be more fun than grueling.



This week's inaugural exercise video of the week is the Pussycat Dolls workout DVD. The Pussycat Dolls are great fitness role models because the members are all lean without being freakishly skinny. They promote sexiness from within and if you notice their posters, none of them are a size 0.

The PCD workout video is also dance-oriented which is great because it doesn't feel like you're even exercising. You'll just dance the morning away and watch the fat disappear before your eyes! You'll see my point about PCD fitness when Nicole Scherzinger makes her Dancing With the Stars premiere this Monday.

Healthy Restaurant Food Choices

• When ordering drinks, it is always better to ask for water, unsweetened tea or coffee, lemonade, or diet soda. Stay away from regular soft drinks and alcoholic beverages because they are loaded with empty calories.

• During appetizer time, stick to either broth-based soup, or salad with no croutons and dressing on the side.

• The entree is typically where you will find the most calories of a meal, so this is where attention to detail is important. For example, if you want to order chicken, fish, or seafood, remember to request that they steam, broil, grill, bake, sautee, or poach the food instead of frying it.

• If it's meat that you want, order leaner alternatives such as turkey burgers, beef sirloin, skinless chicken breasts, or pork loin.

• For pasta dishes, remember that water-based pasta is always healthier than cream-based pasta because the cream is extremely high in fat and calories. Try to avoid foods such as chicken or fettuccini alfredo and opt for spaghetti or linguine with marinara sauce instead.

• An excellent tip is to look for food items that are cooked with herbs and spices because not only do they brighten up the food's flavor, but they are low in fat, calories, and sodium content.

• Another good idea would be to order something that is high in whole grains such as whole-wheat bread, pasta, tortillas, or brown rice.

• With side dishes, choose low calorie options such as baked potato or steamed vegetables rather than french fries because they are prepared in a healthier way.

• If you're in the mood for a sandwich, the condiments can make or break you. Stick to ketchup or mustard instead of mayonnaise or "special sauce" because ketchup and mustard are very low in calories and high in flavor. You should also use whole wheat buns and avoid the cheese. Topping your sandwich with vegetables instead of bacon and fried onions would also be a better alternative.

• When dessert time rolls around, don't panic. You can still have dessert without feeling guilty as long as you make smart choices. For example, stick to foods such as sorbet and parfait that use fruit as a key ingredient because fruits are much better for you than sugar and fat. A great trick is to share your dessert with your dinner date so that way, you only have half of the calories that you would normally consume.

• Another tip is to only eat half of your food at the restaurant and take the rest home in a doggie bag so you can finish it the next day as lunch.

Is It Possible To Eat Healthy In Restaurants?

When you are trying to lose weight by following a diet plan, dining out can be an extremely difficult task because whether it's the menu, your friends, or your fellow diners, you're basically surrounded by unhealthy and tempting foods. This can lead you to give in to cravings and order beer and hot wings instead of a chicken salad.

My first suggestion is to do your research before going to a restaurant. These days, most places have their menus listed on their website, so go online beforehand and look up the food choices that can fit into your daily diet. It is a lot easier to make a smart choice when you're outside of the sights and smells of a restaurant, so try to do this as often as possible.

If you cannot look up the menu before going to the restaurant, it is still a good idea to talk to your waiter or even one of the chefs about healthier menu options.

A really helpful trend that I've noticed in restaurants is that the menus have a special low calorie section which has healthy and low-fat options. If you find yourself looking through a menu, search for this section first.

Also, talk to your waiter about healthier food preparation methods such as using olive oil instead of fat and grease, margarine instead of butter, etc.

The Best Way to Get Rid of Stretch Marks Permanently

When dealing with the issue making stretch marks disappear, it is important to remain patient because they will not go away overnight.

• My first tip is to eat foods high in vitamin E, A, and C because they increase the collagen production of your skin, and collagen reduces stretch marks.

• Second, eat foods that are high in zinc and silica because these minerals increase collagen production, but they also help to form the skin's supportive fibers.

• Third, brush your skin with a loofah or something similar in order to increase circulation to your skin. Microdermabrasion is also excellent for this purpose.

• Fourth, apply cocoa butter lotion in order to prevent the formation of the stretch marks.

• Fifth, use vitamin E oil or cream in order to boost collagen production.

If all of these treatment ideas fail, then you can consult your doctor about laser therapy to help take care of the situation. Laser therapy can be a bit risky, so make sure this is your absolute last option before committing to it.

What Causes Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks are literally small scars that form on your skin after you gain or lose weight. They occur because as your skin stretches out, small tears occur within the skin. When these tears heal they end up leaving behind scars. Although they aren't risky to your health, stretch marks are very unsightly and nobody likes having them on their body. They are very frustrating because of how difficult it can be to get rid of them. However, with the right products and methods, you can make them disappear in no time.

How You Can Lose Pregnancy Pounds In a Fast & Healthy Way

A pregnancy is nature's miracle and it is an event that should be enjoyed as much as possible. After the baby is born however, things can become stressful because of the need to lose the pregnancy weight. Post-partum weight loss may seem overwhelming at first, but if you stay patient and focused, the extra pounds will melt off before you know it.

The only occasion in life when it is okay to rapidly gain 80 lbs. is when you are pregnant. In fact, if you don't gain at least 30 extra pounds, it could be harmful to your baby. Therefore, it's okay to let yourself go while you're expecting because there are more important things that you should be focused on rather than weight.

Despite the fact that weight gain should not be your main concern during those 9 months, it's a pretty hard thing to ignore. One of the greatest tips I ever heard about pregnancy weight was to eat healthy, but just eat healthy food for two. In other words, it is better to have an abnormally large chicken salad than a pint of ice cream. After all, everything you eat goes to the baby, so eating as many nutritious foods as possible is definitely the way to go.

If you're wondering how celebrities manage to deliver twins and be back to a size zero in just a couple of months, you should know that their secret is to exercise during pregnancy. You shouldn't do anything too exhausting that will make you short of breath, but maintaining a relaxing workout routine such as yoga or pilates will make a huge difference after you have the baby and you're trying to get back into shape.

How to Lose Back Fat and Keep It Off

Back fat is unsightly, unflattering, and undesired. It's something that nobody wants, and everyone who has it wants to get rid of it quickly. The main problem is that back fat is a tricky issue because it's not always easy to make it disappear. With proper guidance however, you can be steered in the right direction and the desired results will become much easier to achieve.

The most straightforward method to general weight loss is improvement of your diet. You would be surprised at how much damage just one donut can do, let alone a whole day's worth of junk food. Without a doubt, the first step that you should take if you want to lose back fat is to eat healthier.

The great thing is that these days, you are still able to indulge in your favorite foods while remaining within a reasonable daily caloric intake level because there are healthy varieties to almost any food out there. For example, you can buy 100 calorie packs of Oreo's and Chips Ahoy cookies and eat them without feeling guilty.

Exercise is another way to burn back fat and keep it off permanently because exercise builds lean muscle. Anybody who is trying to lose weight should look at lean muscle as your new best friend because it actually burns calories for you even when you're being sedentary.

The best way to build lean muscles is by doing cardiovascular activities such as biking, running, or swimming. If you're not the treadmill or swimming pool type, then joining an aerobics class is also great way to burn a ton of calories and make some new friends who are also on the weight loss mission.