Snacks Under 100 Calories

Want a snack that tastes good but doesn't break the calorie bank! Try these quick snacks for a quick energy fix!

1. 3 cups air-popped popcorn (plain)
2. Starbucks tall 'skinny' latte
3. 1/2 cup edamame (unsalted)
4. 1 cup veggie sticks & 2 tblsp hummus
5. Hard boiled egg sprinkled & Mrs Dash
6. Protein shake (not to be confused with a 'meal replacement' shake)
7. Sliced turkey breast + dash of sea salt & lemon pepper
8. 1 tin of tuna (in water) + fresh squeezed lemon & marsala spice
9. Baked apple sprinkled with cinnamon + 1 tblsp chopped walnuts
10. Sliced tomato + 1 tblsp feta + fresh basil leaves & 1 tsp olive oil

Run like a girl

Nike is onto something wonderful!

Have you ever wanted to do a running race whether it was a 5k or marathon but couldn't take the time to travel to the city the race was in? Now you can race virtually with Nike+ without a distinct course, and run in any corner of the world that you happen to be in! By using a Nike+ system (iPod + iPod Sport Kit + a pair of Nike+ shoes ... the shoes are optional so don't feel obliged that you have to wear Nike footwear if you don't want to :) you can race virtually!

Once registered with Nike+ online participants can run Nike races any time on the same day as the race itself, but must finish the distance within 24 hours.

Nike is beyond clever and their races are geared for smart & hip runner nubees and elite alike! Just to name a few ... on Sunday August 31, 2008, is The Human Race and October 19, 2008 is the Run Like A Girl full & half marathon. Visit nikeplus.com for more information. And visit debfit.com to learn how to be the best runner you can be!

OK - bye now I'm heading out for my run!

Workout Buddy

Fitness doesn't have to be such a chore and nor do you have to go it alone! Find a friend to buddy-up with for your workouts. You can motivate each other to stick to your fitness, lose weight and get fit ... and enjoy in a healthy bit of competition too!

And why don't you challenge each other to take it one step further with these helpful little tips that I give my guests in the Salt Spring Weight Loss Camp:

1. Sign-up for a race together, and no I don't mean a marathon (unless you want to :) Find a 5K to train for together. You can inspire each other to stick to your running schedule. On race day you have a built-in running partner to cross the finish line with! Imagine how rewarding that will feel!

2. Each of you get a pretty little journal and record your workouts and start a food diary. At the end of each week you can swap journals and see how each other did! This is a wonderful way to do a bit of 'profiling' on oneself and also to have accountability to someone else. You would be amazed how much a journal has helped my Weight Loss Camp clients to lose weight and keep it off.

3. Get out your calenders and schedule your workouts together. Penciling in your fitness, yoga classes, walks etc into whatever you use to plan out your day is one of the most valuable tools I've ever found to sticking to a fitness plan! And when you schedule in your exercise sessions, side-by-side with a friend you can motivate each other stick to your plan.

4. Sign-up for a fitness vacation together! This is an outstanding way to reward yourself for doing your regular fitness sessions and will ensure you get super fit super fast!

5. Do a detox cleanse together! Pick-up the Salt Spring SkinnyMe ebook (instant download for only 29.95) and do the 3-Day Detox together! There's also a highly effective bootcamp in the ebook and yoga program + lots more tips! You can do the SkinnyMe Challenge together and you won't believe your eyes as the pounds fall off!

Fitness Role Model

When you're trying to lose weight, look to someone who inspires you to reach your goal. Maybe it's your friend who's recently lost weight or a co-worker who brings a healthy packed lunch (and actually eats it!) each day.

It could be a jogger in your neighbourhood who truly looks as though they are enjoying their daily runs or a personal trainer at the gym who is focused on their workouts and are fit and yet not stick thin. We have so many people all around us who inspire us to be a better version of ourselves. Often times those who are overweight feel as though it comes easy to everyone else and that they are the only ones who struggle. But not only that I have found in my 20+ years of being a Weight Loss Specialist and having come from 'fat' genes myself, that we we can lead ourselves to believe that we lack the will power, that we are destined to be a fat version of our true self.

But it doesn't have to be that way - look around and find that one person to inspire you to lose the weight and get fit. There is a SkinnyMe inside your FatMe and once you take that first step in your personal weight loss journey, maybe you too can aspire to be an inspiration to someone just like you.

Fitness Vacations

Going away on holidays does not mean you have to pack on the pounds! Vacations can be a perfect launch pad for getting back into fitness. The prospect of being away for a week to indulge in 'You' is a wonderful way to initiate a healthier lifestyle!

Here's some tips to take on vacation with you:

1. Explore on foot : Do you really need to rent a car? Instead, go for a daily, long walk and explore your vacation destination on foot! It's a great way to stay fit while seeing parts of the city/country, wherever you are, that you would never normally get a chance to see if you were driving.

2. Go grocery shopping : Check out your local food store and purchase healthy foods that you can keep in your hotel or suite. It's easier to eat healthy if you're not always ordering off a menu. Much cheaper too!

3. Eat like a local : When eating out, order the local fare. It's one of the best things about vacationing - new foods! Steer clear of 'American' style foods. They will be loaded with fat, extremely high in sodium - think bloated and puffy in your bathing suit - does that sound like fun? I didn't think so.

4. Hire a trainer while away : Use this time to finally hire a personal trainer, or if you already have one back home, use this time to learn something new from a new trainer.

5. Take advantage of this 'Me' time : Your vacation can still be hedonistic but rather than indulgences that make you gain 5lbs in one week why not use the time away to lose 5lbs in a week. The Salt Spring 7-Day SkinnyMe BootCamp - based on the popular SkinnyMe ebook, by Deb Leblanc, is wonderful idea for anyone wanting to lose the last 5- to 10- lbs and have the best vacation of their life!

Quit zoning out when you lift weights!

Just because you head to the gym three times a week doesn't mean you're going to get the results you want. Just like with anything else in life - you NEED TO FOCUS during your workouts and not zone out.

Here's how to make your weight training, cardio fitness, abs & core workouts work for you!

1. Stop holding your breath! A rule of thumb: Always breathe out on exertion. This means exhaling on the lifting phase of the exercise and inhale on the lowering phase or between reps.

2. Keep your head up and look directly forward at eye level. Maintain a slight arch in your back and keep your feet planted about shoulder-width apart.

3. You don't have to train to muscle failure to get toned, especially if you are a beginner ... but you do want to come pretty close.

4. You should stick with your workout program for approximately 6-10 weeks so that you develop a groove but eventually your muscles will become accustomed to a particular workout. Try different exercises, sequence of movements, sets-and-reps, combinations and rest intervals.

5. Develop a feel for the working muscle and visually it getting toned and sculpted. Mentally and physically contract your muscles. Keep your mind on your training!

6. There's more than one right way. Just because what your friend is doing is getting here in to the best shape of her life, does not mean it will work the same for your body! The fact is, we all come in different shapes and sizes and you need to find a workout that works for you - and not go with the latest fitness craze. Talk to a trainer and put some thought into this aspect of YOUR fitness. Stop zoning out and focus more on what your body needs and what you are doing for your body.