Mental Health - eFitFamily

August Letter from the Editor: Healthy Back to School

July 21, 2011 by Kimberly Rodgers, LCSW, RPT-S

Where did the summer go? We hope yours flew by with a family vacation, summer camps, and fun in the sun! As fall approaches, families are busy preparing for school to kick back in gear. If you’re like most families, the beginning of the school year brings mixed emotions. Parents often feel relieved to return to a routine and get a break from arranging summer entertainment, concerned about how children will adjust to a new school year, fearful of new academic and behavior challenges, optimistic about what’s to come, or even sad or guilty about lack of quality time spent. Children feel … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Child/Teen Health, Child/Teen Mental Health, Mental Wellness, Mindful Parents

Healthy Kitchen Makeover

July 2, 2011 by Angelique Millis

There is no denying that dining out has its perks- it’s fun, easy and takes the guess-work out of what’s for dinner but if you are on a mission to achieve and maintain a world-class physique, you will soon learn that restaurants are your biggest “frenemies”. While most claim to have become more health conscious over the past few years by offering a low-calorie menu, a restaurant’s definition of “low calorie” may not always coincide with yours. It’s time to get psyched about cooking at home- not only will you save time and money but there is a certain sense of satisfaction that comes along with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipes, Motivation, Nutrition Tagged With: angelique millis, healthy family, healthy kitchen, weight loss tips

Yoga in the Great Outdoors

June 22, 2011 by Missy Balsam

Anyone who practices yoga can tell you how wonderful it makes you feel. There is something about yoga that is unlike any other exercise program in that it works your whole being inside and out - body, mind, and spirit. Yoga is traditionally practiced indoors in a classroom orstudio setting...but taking your practice outside can open up a whole new world for you...literally! One of the main tenets of yoga practice is learning greater awareness and presence. Awareness of being in the present moment and taking in all that you experience, fully. Most of our lives we are distracted by so many … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Child/Teen Health, Healthy Skin, Integrative Wellness, Yoga

Grilling Healthy Food

June 20, 2011 by Loretta Mostofi (BS, Certiﬁcate III & IV Personal Training)

Summer is the best time to get the BBQ fired up. It is time to swap that winter comfort food for healthier options. This doesn’t mean you have to compromise on flavor or enjoyment. There are many ways you can prepare your food to taste good that still carry healthy standards. Salads are a great option in summertime and don’t need to be full of high fat creamy dressings. Start off with a lettuce base of your choice, baby spinach leaves are a great option as well. Use your BBQ to create great tasting protein additions, chargrilling vegetables are fabulous too. I have included some of my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipes, Nutrition Tagged With: Healthy eating, Healthy Recipes, Loretta Mostofi

July 2011 Letter from the Editor:UV Safety Month

June 19, 2011 by Kimberly Rodgers, LCSW, RPT-S

Summer is in full swing! Hopefully you’re enjoying the warm weather and finding some fun family activities to enjoy outdoors while school is out. If you and your family share many outdoor sports and hobbies, it can be tempting to stay outside rather than indoors. On the other hand, if you live in climates that become too hot for comfort, you may naturally limit your time in order to cool off in the air conditioning. However you enjoy your fun in the sun, we invite you to honor UV Safety Month with us this July, as sponsored by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Did you know that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cancer, Healthy Skin

5 Easy Body “Fat Reducing” Tips

May 25, 2011 by Laura Mak, MS

Many fitness articles talk about “fat loss”, but I like to use the term “fat reduction”. It is a personal preference of mine that comes from a positive mindset. When you think of “loss” you typically think of something and want it back. For example if you lose your keys you want them back. If you lose a friend or loved one, you want them back. Loss is a mindset that you create. So, since I don’t want to find the fat again, I don’t like to use the term fat loss. (I certainly never get sad when I “lose body fat”.) If I were to use the mindset with “loss in it, my mind may tell me … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Exercise, Exercise, Exercise Tips, Inspiration, Motivation, Women's Health Tagged With: body fat loss, exercise programs, fat reduction program, fitness goals, healthy living, IFBB Fitness Pro, Laura Mak, setting goals, walking program, Weight Loss

Senior Summer Slimdown

May 25, 2011 by Rachel Ettinger

People of ALL ages think that the best way to lose weight is to eat less. Especially seniors! They figure because they are less active, the should eat less to accomodate for the less activity in their lives. That is true...to a point. Your body is like a car...if you drive down the road with the gas light on, your car will run out and gas, and eventually your car will start sputtering, and then stop driving. You don't want that to happen to your body, do you? You won't drop dead...what happens is your body starts to store everything you eat as fat. It begins to hibernate...to store all … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Senior's Health

SUMMER SLIMDOWN: June Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

May 25, 2011 by Kimberly Rodgers, LCSW, RPT-S

Most of us look forward to the summer…slower pace, family vacations, and fun in the sun! If you don’t feel ready yet to sport your swimsuit, sundress, or shorts and tank top, you’ll enjoy eFitFamily’s theme for June: SUMMER SLIMDOWN! We are excited to share helpful information and inspiration to encourage you to get into gear so you can embrace the summer with a smile! Although slimming down is usually associated with body weight, I encourage you to think outside the box to consider how you can not only slim down physically, but also slim down other aspects of your life…simplifying our … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspiration, Integrative Wellness, Mental Wellness, Motivation

Permanent Summer Slimdown

May 25, 2011 by Loretta Mostofi (BS, Certiﬁcate III & IV Personal Training)

This is such a hot topic at this time of year. Suddenly we are faced with the reality that the layers of clothing we have been wearing over the last few months will slowly need to be peeled off. The thoughts of the extra comfort food that we have been indulging in over the months coupled with the missed training sessions because of the cold have added the kilo’s on. Rather than beat yourself up over the added weight embrace the time you enjoyed over the cold months because there is no use dwelling on something that can not be changed. Now you need to step up to the challenge of making a few … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Women's Health Tagged With: fitness, Healthy eating, Healthy habits, healthy lifestyle, Loretta Mostofi, motivation

Ask a Trainer: Weight Loss Success Principals and a Dream Physique

May 24, 2011 by Angelique Millis

By: Angelique Millis Fitness Professional, Author & Lifestyle Coach Let's face the truth- There is no substitute for good old fashion hard work and a clean diet to give you the body of your dreams. With so many diet fads and questionable diet supplements on the market, sometimes "the right thing to do" can become ambiguous and you can feel lost and alienated. I am here to share with you 3 Success Principals that will help you create positive habits for LIFE and put you right on track to achieving your fitness and weight loss goals! It is time to slim down for summer with these 3 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Exercise, Exercise Tips, Healthy Eating, Nutrition Tagged With: angelique millis, Elite Fitness Connection, Fitness Expert, fitness tips