I don’t have time to exercise.

Most of us have said this at one point or another. Some of us say it often. It’s a common excuse, but you know what? It usually isn’t true.

By blaming lack of time, you have already stopped yourself from trying to do something about your situation; you have provided yourself a legitimate reason to absolve yourself of responsibility for how you live and feel. Obviously, you won’t always have the time, especially if you are the parent of a small child, have a demanding job, or lead a busy social life.

But above all, it’s about priorities. How important is it to create a good and wholesome energy for life – for your own body, for your family? I promise you, the time you invest pays good rewards.

Image: blakespot

How often do you think about your liver? Chances are, not enough! But this hardworking organ – the largest in the body – plays a vital role, from breaking down fats and absorbing nutrients to producing proteins and filtering waste and toxins from the blood. In short, if your liver isn’t healthy, YOU won’t be healthy!

Symptoms of an unhealthy or damaged liver include fatigue, headaches, digestive problems, impaired metabolism, immune system disorders, and hormone dysfunction. Not a pretty picture!

Here’s how to eat (and drink) well for your liver:

• Drink in moderation. Alcohol (along with drugs and cigarettes) can stress the liver and interfere with its ability to perform its vital functions. Limit your consumption to one drink a day, max.
• What about caffeine? Some studies suggest that caffeinated drinks like coffee and green tea might be good for the liver, but don’t overdo it. High doses can actually be damaging.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Fatty deposits can damage the liver. Avoid saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, and excess meat, sugar, fried foods, and processed foods. (And, on the flip side, keeping your liver healthy can help keep your weight down, too!)
• Focus on fresh, unprocessed foods. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and foods high in fiber and vitamins B, C, and E. Beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bitter greens, brown rice, carrots, garlic and onions, tomatoes, wheat germ, avocados, and almonds are all especially good for the liver.
• Take liver-cleansing herbs. Liver-cleansing herbs include milk thistle, dandelion root, liquorice, ginger, and turmeric, which can be ingested as tea. For ready-made tea bags, try Traditional Medicinals EveryDay Detox or Dandelion Root.

Images: American Liver Foundation

A: Hi Anna, Thank you for your question and kudos! Gaiam definitely has some good yoga and Pilates DVDs, but the most important thing for you to remember when you are pregnant is to really listen to your body. It important to FEEL comfortable, so if a workout or a move makes you feel nervous and insecure of doing it – just don’t at that time. Maybe you will feel different next time. Also, twists are not recommended during pregnancy so it would be useful to find yoga DVDs that are specific to prenatal and pregnancy. There is tons of material out there!! Try Shiva Rea’s Prenatal Yoga DVD and Kit. Have a beautiful pregnancy!

Best,
Tanja

Do you have a question? Don’t be shy – ask it here!

There are a lot of ways we can feel blocked – mentally, emotionally, physically. Maybe you’re having trouble dealing with an event in your past or you’re feeling uncreative at work or you just can’t get started on that new, healthy lifestyle you keep promising yourself.

You can work and work and let your mind go around in circles, but sometimes it’s better to do “nothing.” Just as it’s important to give your body recovery time between workouts, it’s also essential to let your mind and soul recharge. I usually need both tons of sleep and alone time. Spending time with yourself is essential for living!

Here are a few things you can do to get “unstuck”:

• Rest. Exhaustion can be a major contributor to that “stuck” feeling. Rest is so important; it cleanses the mind, recovers the body, and restores function. Take a power nap, luxuriate in a bath, or do anything that feels relaxing to you.
• Breathe. Close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and feel how your body begins to reach a state of calm. Your thoughts may start to wander in all directions, but continue to breathe deeply, wind down, and try to shut out the flood of thought. Concentrate all your attention on your breathing. Then focus on an image – a beautiful flower, an experience in nature, the sky, the sun, or something else. When you feel yourself completely relaxed and calm, open your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
• Take a walk. Just a simple, leisurely one. Go to the woods and sit down in nature to inhale the scents of your surroundings. In the big city, walk around your own neighborhood, but do it slowly and pay attention to little things you don’t usually notice.

Image: Hartwig HKD

• JUKARI Fit to Flex: The latest program in the Reebok-Cirque du Soleil partnership, JUKARI Fit to Flex is a class designed to improve your flexibility, muscle endurance, and core strength … all while experiencing the joy of movement. It looks like so much fun!

• P90X: You may have seen this DVD program on infomercials, but it’s actually a very sound system of exercise and nutrition. It’ll kick your butt and make you leaner and stronger through an intense, varying schedule of workouts and moves. I actually just recommended it for getting rid of love handles and saddle bags!

• Bodyblade: Developed by a physical therapist, this vibrating piece of exercise equipment can be used to work out the arms, legs, and core.

• TRX Suspension Training: I’m a big fan of TRX, which is a fun way to get a total-body workout. Ask your gym if they offer classes or get the system to use in your own home!

A: Dear Tiffany, The spots you are talking about are common areas for fat storage, which means you have to do the right thing to burn the fat off your body and build a nice, strong body from the inside out. My suggestion for you is to find a strength program to build some muscle and in that way raise your body’s metabolism and use up your fat deposits (the areas you are talking about).

If you ask yourself honestly, are you working your body as hard as you can?? For a complete workout, get the P90X workout (I’m not offering it in my shop quite yet but it’s on the way!) and do the best that you can!!!

Best,
Tanja

Do you have a question? Don’t be shy – ask it here!

A: Dear Heather, Thank you for your question! Congratulations on being a healthy mom!! For many, there is always a little stretchy skin that remains after having a baby but, that said, everyone is different when it comes to the elasticity of the skin.

I think strength training could be a great new thing for you to explore, and with that a lot of core and abdominal work based on Pilates. In this way you will strengthen the abdominal structures from the inside out, so to speak. Balance Ball ab work is great for that (click the video preview link for my 8 Minute Ball Workout). Also, Ana Caban has great Pilates DVDs through Gaiam!!

Of course, diet as you know is crucial here!! If you want tips on how to recharge and restructure, refer to my 10-Week Transformation here on the blog! It might help you on the way.

Best,
Tanja

Do you have a question? Don’t be shy – ask it here!

Need an energy burst to get you going in the morning or at the end of a long day? Try this routine for explosive muscle strength and increased metabolism. It’s also fun to do with a family member or friend. Kids really get into it, too!

Time yourself after you complete the first set, note the time, and check whether you can beat your own record next time.

• 20 regular squats
• 20 frog jumps (jumping squats)
• 20 push-ups
• 20 reverse lunges
• 20 Russian get ups (lie on your back on the floor, get up without using your hands, reach your arms over your head)
• 20 tricep dips (in the gym or on a chair)
• 20 lateral slide jumps (like skating)
• 20 crunches
• 20 criss cross twists (oblique crunches with the bicycle)

Repeat the cycle 3 times, and rest whenever you need to. The resting time will decrease, and your ability to move in a flow will improve. That is when you know you are improving in cardiovascular ability and explosive strength, not to mention working out like a rock star!

Image: evilerin

This is an except from my upcoming book, Life Force.

I don’t believe in eliminating entire food groups in order to hasten weight loss. Most super diets are built on this model. One diet eliminates carbohydrates, another eliminates all fat, and a third excludes everything but water. Instead, diets should be comprehensive but well balanced and as natural and as fresh as possible.

• Eat five to six meals a day. A missed meal affects your metabolism. Eating fewer meals does not automatically mean that you will lose weight.
• Try to eat every three hours. Calorie burning becomes most effective, and your blood sugar stays at an even level throughout the whole day.
• Calories: Approximately 1600-2000 calories a day is sufficient for someone who has a sedentary job and who does not exercise in his or her spare time. 2000-2500 calories is a good level for someone who moves a little more, both on the job and in his or her spare time. Someone who exercises a number of times a week and who has an active day overall should get 2500-3000 calories. Remember, this is a fairly rough measure for calorie intake, and you should simply see for yourself what level is right for you. Bear in mind that it fundamentally has to do with the fact that calories that are not burned are stored as fat, which leads to being overweight.
• Vary your diet; do not exclude whole food groups.
• Drink approximately 8 cups of water a day.
• Be sure to consume the right amount of fat. Good fat is found in fish, nuts, olive oil, canola oil, and other vegetable oils. If you are concerned that you do not get enough fat from your food, add an Omega-3 supplement.
• Be aware that every in-between meal snack you eat counts as a full meal, even if it only contains 100 calories.
• Let the colors guide you. This is one way to ensure that you ingest the right amount of nutrients. A meal should include many different colors, for example red, green, and purple, in order to be correct from the nutrition standpoint. Broccoli, carrots, red beets, and tomatoes are some examples of colorful foods that should be return items on your plate.

Image: mini true

Spending just five minutes a day exercising outdoors can do wonders for your mental health, according to a recent study. Increase that to 30 minutes or more and you’ll be extra happy, healthy, and fit. And now that it’s summer, you have no excuse! To help you get out and get going, here are 10 great resources on the web:

Beach California: Places to play beach volleyball in California

GORP: US parks for hiking, biking, surfing, climbing, and more

Helium: 10 places to learn to surf on the West Coast

Map My Ride: Find and map biking routes around the world

Map My Run: Find and map running routes around the world

Map My Walk: Find and map walking routes around the world

National Park Service: US parks, preserves, monuments, and recreation areas

Paddling.net: Places to canoe and kayak in the US

Pedaling.com: Bike rides around the US and Canada

Trails.com: US trails for hiking, biking, and running

Have fun and live life loud!

Image: aarmono