Here are 50 tips & ideas (and a few cool quotes) on food, eating, exercise, rest and lifestyle that will help you have a healthy and inspiring 2010.

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I meet people everyday in NYC.

I do consultations weekly. Others I meet while hanging out with friends. I see some interesting things.

Interestingly enough, I have found that many people simply don’t care about their health and often times are lying to themselves about it. Many people have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. Some people don’t care until they get sick and diseased and then they are forced to deal with it. Even then, as Carolyn Myss says in her book Creating Health: ‘Most people would rather die than change their diet.’

Then there are the special few that truly want to look and feel better and want an awesome life regardless of their current level of health & wellness. These people are the exceptions – and the most inspiring people to hang out with and work with.

If you really want an awesome life and experience true health & vitality – make sure you don’t make these common mistakes that even the smartest people with the best intentions make.

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A couple of weeks ago I asked some of my clients what their top 3 tips were for staying lean and healthy. Since then, a bunch of my friends gave me their top 3 tips for a healthy and inspired life.

You’re about to see that true health goes way beyond fitness training…After you read this post, leave a comment & tell me:

1 – Which are your favorite tips

2 – Add your own personal tips that you want to share

12 Tips for an Awesome Life from Ximena

‘The Modern Cavewoman’

1) Eat wholesome, organic plant foods & organic grass fed animals in the right proportions
for my metabolic type (carb type).

2) Avoid the foods that I tested intolerant to.

3) Cook and ENJOY EVERY BITE.

4) Grass fed, raw, organic butter is a MUST… I Eat as much fat as I can handle

5) Drink ½ my body weight in ounces of H2O Evian in glass

6) Lift any form of free weight. Some days I lift very very heavy weights other days I go lighter.

7) I do it for no more than 18 minutes 4-5 times per week.

Make it a point to exercise all my bodies:
a) Physical (move)
b) Mental (learn something new)
c) Spiritual (meditate & love myself)
d) Emotional (personal development and grow from my relationships with self and others)

9) Make love

10) Love my work

11) Get sun

12) Get good quality rest

Ximena is a friend of mine from my Miami, she has a killer website and calendar that should be hanging on your office wall: www.ximenagonzalez.com

Top 3 Fat Loss Tips from a Formerly Overweight, Depressed, Punk Rock Rebel without a Cause turned Nutrition, Fat Loss and Internet Marketing Expert

1.  Never

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As I was heading into the uptown F train this morning, I grabbed one of those free papers that are being handed out…

If you know me, you know this is RARE.

But there was a cover story that caught my eye.

Today’s Metro NY paper has a story on how reality TV (which, by the way, is not real at all) erode
women’s confidence and body image.

The first thing I thought to myself was: ‘Is this news?”

Is this like the ‘reports’ that come out saying children who play video games have poor communication and social skills?

Isn’t this stuff obvious?
Do people really not know this?

Now I can understand the recent news exposing the hidden amphetamines in fat burners and diet drinks – that’s shocking news for many people.

But reality TV? Come on.
Does anyone think that these shows are actually real?
The recent USC study that prompted this story brought up some interesting facts. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery:

• The number of 18-year-olds who underwent breast-implant surgery nearly tripled from 2002 to 2003.
• There has been a 444% increase in plastic surgery since 1997.
• Over 90% of all plastic surgery is performed on women.
• Americans spent approximately $12.4 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2006.

The findings suggested that women felt a surgically enhanced body was more attractive to men,
…but do you know what men think about it???

To find out what men really think and simple steps to avoiding low self esteem, drugs or surgery….

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Carie is my most successful pre/post natal client who trained consistently throughout her entire pregnancy. Within a few short weeks of delivering her beautiful baby boy, Carie easily lost the weight and got her lean, sexy body back in no time. Here are her best tips:

1.  Get healthy fats like grass fed butter, eggs and beef back into your body…..you need to nourish your body and brain to have a healthy physical, mental & emotional outlook

2. Get rid of SUGAR!!

3. Walk daily… move your body at least three times a week…anything except a cardio machine

4. Get adequate sleep..which means go to sleep by 10pm most nights..

Introducing Nicole…check out those arms! Nicole’s best tips include…

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I have specialized in women’s fitness and fat loss in NYC for 15 years. I don’t work with everyone who applies to work with me. The reason is that not everyone is ready for the work that is involved in getting awesome results…seriously, millions of people are big talkers or they are still looking for the ‘quick fix’

So I recently asked my most successful clients what worked best for them for staying lean and healthy. Here are some of their responses…(notice what NONE of them talk about). This is Francesca…

Francesca originally was a client of mine for several years and also went through my Fitness & Nutrition Coach Development Program and is now a very successful woman’s Fitness & Nutrition Coach. Here are her favorite tips for staying lean, healthy and fabulous…

1. Focus on thinking & making statements in line with what you want not what you don’t want. i.e thinking/saying “I’m beautiful” or “I love the way my arms look” rather than “I’m fat”.

2. Don’t listen to what “everyone else” is doing. Learn what works for you which may mean changing your diet and exercise habits completely the other way.

3. Take it one day/one step at a time, keeping the big picture in mind.

These 3 tips come from my own experience. I’ve never been more confident or happier about myself .

This is Jaime, co-author of Healthy Urban Kitchen Cookbook…Jaime was on a raw food vegan diet which wreaked havoc on her body and mind.

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A recent poll by the American Psychologist Association showed Americans are turning to junk food, alcohol and ‘comfort’ foods when stressed. I also see it every day in New York City – the more stress goes up, the more business for Starbucks. This might be a popular, but it is not a wise coping strategy and causes more stress in many other ways.

Your diet & lifestyle have a profound and underappreciated effect on your moods and physical stress response. I will cover some basics of nutrition & stress tips that will help you cope and get healthy at the same time!

Every meal produces a hormonal response. Your hormones control your emotions and thus affect your perception. Certain foods trigger a stress response while others can help you stay calm by balancing your energy and hormonal systems. What you eat before, during and after any stressful event will either help you cope or make it difficult to deal. Here are some tiups that will help you stay focused and energized during the economic crisis.

Eat a fat, protein and a carb at every meal or snack.

Since all carbs are sugars, eating a carb by itself (or skipping meals) is a sure fire way to create energy & hormonal imbalances. Yes, fruits and vegetables are carbs, the best carbs in fact. So choosing smart carbs like fruit and veggies, but also including a fat and protein, will help you tremendously.

Eat 4-6 times per day, no matter what! This creates hormonal balance and maintains energy levels so you can cope effectively.

You are designed to drink nothing but water. Even a small drop in your water needs can trigger brain fog. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day, spread throughout the day.

Sugar, in all its forms, triggers hormonal volatility. Artificial sweeteners can also trigger brain chemistry imbalance and cravings which not only make it difficult to deal, but also create more physical stress later in the day.

Due to the high prevalence and under diagnosed reality that is celiac disease, it may be helpful to simply avoid grains and notice how you feel. If you are gluten intolerant and don’t know about it, you could be eating foods that cause a whole host of health problems, including brain chemistry imbalance and digestive problems.

There are many other foods that trigger energy and hormonal imbalances and these are just a few.

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Your brain & body are amazing.

They come with a 24 hour, all natural, highly efficient pharmacy that dispenses the right drugs in the right amounts at the right times.

During stressful times, the brain & body produces bio-chemicals and hormones from this pharmacy that help you stay calm, alert, focused and elevate your mood.

One of these bio-chemicals is serotonin – a natural antidepressant and sleep aid.

We also have a supply of chemicals needed for focus and vitality. These little guys keep us alert, upbeat and give us an overall sense of well-being – they are called catecholamines.

Serotonin, catecholamines and other bio-chemicals are made from the food we eat, specifically, from amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

Different protein foods have different amino acid profiles. Two aminos in particular – tryptophan and tyrosine – are involved in the production of serotonin and catecholamines.

Our body’s natural pharmacy can also become depleted by recreational drugs, stimulants (caffeine), dieting & skipping meals, processed foods that have crappy flours, bad fats, sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Our all-natural pharmacy can either be fully stocked, totally depleted or anywhere in between – depending on our diet & lifestyle.

When we are stressed, we naturally use up these bio-chemicals. So it makes sense then to choose foods that are higher in these aminos to support us in times like these.

Unfortunately, most people tend to do the opposite. Many Americans do things that deplete these bio-chemicals, like reach for coffee, alcohol or junk food. Excuses like ‘it takes the edge off’ or ‘it calms my nerves’ or delusional concepts like ‘comfort foods’ often accompany this approach. Before you know it, your overwhelmed, overweight, exhausted, underslept, underfed, have bags under your eyes, blood pressure is off the charts! Welcome to Burnout.

A much more intelligent, sustainable and profitable approach to reducing stress, improving health and vitality and preventing burnout, would be the exact opposite of what’s most popular. Eat specific foods that enhance health, give us energy and keep our body’s pharmacy stocked up, simultaneously avoiding the stimulants & habits that deplete them.

These 5 foods are high in tryptophan and tyrosine which support your body’s production of serotonin and catecholamines. These foods can alter your mood and offer many other benefits that are essential for reducing stress and improving health & wellness. Best of all, there are no side effects, nervousness and no risk of addiction.

One of the primary reasons for choosing organic and grass fed foods is the fact that pesticides are potent neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors. These man made chemicals are poisonous to the brain and alter hormonal levels. Do your best to eat grass fed and organic foods whenever possible.

Eggs – Make sure you get truly free range, pastured chickens that run around outside eating the insects & foods they are supposed to eat which allows them to lay healthy eggs. Eggs are high in tyrosine and tryptophan. They also contain cholesterol and saturated fat which are essential for the production of all your hormones and helps sustain good energy levels throughout the day.

You can eat them raw, fried, hard boiled or baked. Keep the yolk intact when eating eggs. You can eat eggs often, but only have scrambled eggs and omelets occasionally.

My favorite sources are: grazinangusacres.com

Pumpkin, Sesame, Sunflower & Chia Seeds – Mineral dense and packed with energy and essential fatty acids which support brain health. These seeds are also highest in tryptophan. You can easily make your own trail mix by adding some figs (and other fruits) which is another good mood food.

Coconut oil – this is my favorite oil to cook eggs with. Although it doesn’t have any amino acids, it is required for overall brain health and hormonal balance. The cholesterol is needed for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain. Low cholesterol levels are linked to aggressive and violent behavior, depression and suicidal tendencies. Cholesterol is also a primary ingredient for our ‘repair & recovery’ hormones that allow us to recover after a day of hard work and other hormones that maintain steady blood sugar levels (energy levels), proper mineral balance and blood pressure. Coconut oil also supports healthy thyroid function.

My favorite source for coconut oil and trail mix: wildernessfamilynaturals.com

Stress Reducing Fruits – the fruits that are highest in tryptophan & tyrosine include avocado, kiwi, cranberries, raisins, guava, plantains, figs and last but certainly not least, starfruit. If some of these fruits are not part of your normal routine, then when would be the perfect time to get more variety into your diet while eating good mood foods that are also juicy and delicious.

My favorite source is the local green market: localharvest.org

Wild Game – Wild game, especially duck and goose, are much higher in these powerful amino acids than chicken or turkey. Elk, caribou and rabbit are the highest game meats with tryptophan. Lamb, rabbit and bison (buffalo) are game meats that are highest in tyrosine. Wild game meats are mineral rich and supply fat-soluble vitamins A and D which are catalysts for the assimilation of protein (aminos) and minerals. Vitamin D, whose only food source is animal fat, can fight fatigue, depression and SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Venison is also a high performance, nutrient dense protein that is also mineral rich and loaded with B vitamins which are necessary for energy production.

My favorite source is: grasslandbeef.com & brokenarrowranch.com

Healthy Native Americans who ate a 100% organic, grass fed diet. They had no air conditioning, no central heating systems, no Advil, no Prozac, no Tums with Calcium, no Muscle Milk and hunted wild animals. Cabeza de Vaca wrote “The men could run after a deer for an entire day without resting and without apparent fatigue. . . one man near seven feet in stature. . . runs down a buffalo on foot and slays it with his knife or lance, as he runs by its side’

Their diet was high in saturated animal fats & protein, nuts, seeds, seasonal fruits & vegetables they were a strong and robust culture that lived virtually free from modern diseases like depression, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

So I gave you more than 5 foods. I gave you a bunch of whole foods that will enhance your overall health, wellness, vitality, energy levels and even help you get more variety into your daily routine – all of which support you while dealing with stress. Because these foods are high specific aminos that help supply our natural pharmacy with serotonin and catecholamines, a comprehensive stress management program means not only avoiding foods & habits that are stressful, but also choosing smart foods that are supportive.

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