Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between being really hungry and just eating for the sake of eating because you are bored or depressed.

Are you guilty of eating a tub of ice-cream when you are feeling blue? How do you determine whether you are really hungry?

These are the questions you need to ask yourself:

Is my stomach growling? Do I feel weak or tired? Has it been longer than three or four hours since I last ate?

By concentrating on the answers to these questions you will very easily determine whether you are physically hungry or whether you are eating for a different reason.  Once you have determined that you are really hungry, then you know it is time to eat.

If not, then you might want to ask yourself another question…

Are you feeling Depressed or Anxious?

Feeling emotional, depressed or angry can trigger the feelings of hunger… this is called emotional eating. Before you go to the fridge and raid it for the first and best thing to eat, determine if this is what you are experiencing. If you detect that this is the case, then sit down with your journal and start writing.

It is critical to get in touch with your emotions and to nail down what it is you are feeling and why you are feeling it.  You need to dig deep because if you can’t get to the core of what is bothering you, then you are going to have a really difficult time reaching your weight loss goals.

You might not get to the bottom of it on the first day you tackle this problem, but if you keep being aware of the fact that you are about to eat because of something different that pure physiological hunger, then you can take the time to do some soul searching and inevitably you will get to the bottom of it at some point.

The most important thing is that you are aware of it!

This is only one of the reasons it is good to keep a journal… it is good to put your thoughts and feelings down on paper, and the other thing is that by the time you are done writing, it was a good distraction from eating when you were actually not really hungry and maybe time for the next real meal!

Stay in touch with your inner self and be aware of your eating patterns and you are on the right track! Combine that with the Hot Burning Body Workout and you are on the winning path!

Kind Regards

Vanessa Bader

P.S.  Keep a journal handy and document your eating patterns and habits, this will give you a better awareness of how often you eat and why.

P.P.S. Remember that physical exercise is a very important part of your Healthy Life Style, and I don’t know any workout that is more fun and gives you everything you need in a workout like the Hot Burning Body System!

I had a conversation with one of the dancers on the ship yesterday that reminded me that now here in my mid thirties my physique is way better than it was in my twenties. Yet, as a twenty-something performer I was dancing way more than I am now and on top of that I use to spend just about the same amount of time in the gym as I do now…

So how come I can spend less time working out now and look better than I did 10 years ago?

Back then I was certainly working hard – or so I thought.

I was working hard and long but not clever… it was not for a lack of trying, but rather a lack of knowing…

See, it is not so much about the amount of time you spend working out but rather the intensity with which you work out. Not only that, but we often underestimate ourselves and how far we can push our bodies so we do the same amount of repetitions week after week and we hardly ever increase the difficulty of what we are doing.

You won’t know how much you are capable of doing until you have tried to push yourself to your limits. The other thing is… as a woman and a dancer I was terribly scared of “building muscles”… but girls, it is a total misconception that if you work with heavy weights you are going to end up looking like a body builder.

The real truth is that by increasing the weight you work with or the repetitions that you do even just a little, it will tone your muscles just that much more. And don’t forget that the more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn, and the more fat you burn the leaner you look.

Lean and toned… does that not sound great? Is that not what we all want? I know that is what I want. Lean and toned is so much better than skinny and flabby – right?

But now… you do not necessarily need weights to tone and shape your muscles… I am absolutely not against weight training as I do some of it myself, but I combine that with some very powerful body weight exercises that give me the cardiovascular benefits as well as the toning and firming of my muscles.

That is exactly what I show you in the Hot Burning Body workout… how you can get a toned, lean and seksy body in the shortest amount of time. And these exercises are put together in a very unique way and with great music. I give you everything you need to keep your workout interesting and challenging.

Don’t think you need to work out two hours a day to get that movie star physique you have always wanted…

If you work with more intensity for a shorter amount of time – you will definitely reap the benefits. In the Hot Burning Body workout I guide you through an invigorating series of exercises – once you know those, you will know what I know now and did not know then…

Higher intensity, less time – voila… the body you have always wanted no matter what your age…

Earlier today I was talking to my Pizzazz Factor clients about the importance of breathing to enhance your presence… but how important is breathing when it comes to exercise?

Well… you might realize the importance or even think it is a no-brainer – but I promise you there is more to it than you might think.

There is a reason why Yoga and Pilates instructors put so much emphasis on breath… and not just any breath – but breathing deeply and fully. Your whole body relies on oxygen to function, but once you learn to breathe properly the benefits are endless.

In the gym I often see the weight lifters hold their breaths or push real hard when they lift heavy weights… I cringe when I think what damage they might be doing by depriving their bodies of oxygen while they work out… not to mention that they can burst an artery with the amount of stress they put on their blood vessels by cutting off the oxygen flow… you can be so much stronger when you use your breath to your advantage.

Breath energizes, it revitalizes and it calms. By breathing deeply and fully you will get so much more out of your workouts. You will have more energy, you will feel stronger and you will have more control over your heart rate and your whole body in general. It centers you… helps with balance and concentration…

Some even say that the simple act of deep breathing can also assist with weight loss because the intake of sufficient oxygen also helps your body metabolize better and faster. Your body needs oxygen to function… and the more oxygen it gets, the better it functions. It makes total sense…

So when you do your Hot Burning Body Workout… Be mindful of your breathing. I pay a lot of attention to your breath when I teach and I sporadically remind you to inhale and exhale with deep, full breaths.

The same for when you are doing your HBB stretches… breathe air into your muscles… feel the muscle fibres opening up and lengthen. Breath is so very important when you are stretching. By breathing deeply and correctly you will find that the muscles will be much more likely to lengthen.

When you inhale… really think of filling your lungs from bottom to top, like filling a bucket with water… and when you exhale, empty your lungs out to make space for the brand new oxygen rich air. Whatever you do, don’t hold your breath! Breathe!

Breathe to energize

Breathe to restore

Breathe to calm

Breathe to balance

Breathe for optimal strength and power

Breathe for flexibility

Breathe for better concentration and focus

Breathe to get the most out of your workouts!

I always suggest that for the sake of keeping your metabolism fired up, you should eat six or seven times a day.  But remember, when I say six or seven meals, I am not referring to six plates stacked with all kinds of food.

I usually suggest three healthy meals and three or four small snacks. You never want your body to starve so having a wholesome snack is important.

But when you have so many meals to think about, it can be challenging to keep it interesting. There are some easy to prepare snacks that makes for great in-between-meal alternatives.

Most of these are also easy to pack in a baggie or plastic container if you are constantly on the go.

Here are just a few:

1) Half an apple with a teaspoon of peanut butter
2) Five raw almonds and a medium sized banana
3) Raw baby carrots, celery sticks and cottage 
     cheese
4) Mix one cup of soy milk, half a banana and
     a teaspoon of peanut butter and a cup of ice
     in a blender for a great, healthy smoothie
5) 3 oz of beef jerky and five medium sized fresh 
    strawberries or cherries

So there are just a few tasty and easy to prepare snack ideas to keep you motivated and on the right track.

With the Hot Burning Body Workout you will get a Quick Start Guide that has a six-day Quick Start Meal plan with plenty more innovative ideas for hearty and healthy meals and snacks!
 http://hotburningbody.com

Enjoy staying fit, and when it comes to snacking, there are many ways to keep it tasty, fun and healthy. Use
your imagination!

Kind regards

Vanessa Bader

If you haven’t gone to look at my Hot Burning Body workout yet, run over to http://hotburningbody.com
This is an unbelievably fun way to get in the best shape you’ve ever been.