Sweetflexx

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Tone your glutes and abs with these resistance band movements

Working out with resistance bands can be one of the most effective way to tone and shape your glute and abs. 

One of the advantages to using resistance bands as compared to weights is that they can apply a force no matter the direction. This allows for movements that are unique to resistance bands to use muscles that traditional weights couldn’t focus on.

Here are some simple, do anywhere, exercises.

1. Side steps

2. Curtsey Lunges

3. Parallel kick backs

4. Deep squat

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The workout you can do in 10 minutes!

The workout you can do in 10 minutes!

Just kidding, we don't believe in shortcuts to achieve your goals. Life's simple, put in a consistent (doesn't have to be hard!) effort and typically you will reach whatever goal you set for yourself.

We, here at Sweetflexx, also believe that in today's busy world, working smarter not harder is the way to go! What's the one thing you never have enough of? Time. So why would we tell you that if you want to get the best legs you've ever had, you should spend X amount of time everyday doing high intensity/effort exercises? There's no fun in that, and you hardly will ever reach those goals because life happens. It's true we may be the most organized person on the planet, but unforeseen circumstances always arise that we can't avoid and puts a wrench in our day's schedule. Now we're playing catch up for the rest of the day and we'll usually have to cancel an item or two from our schedule. Well that typically is the workout, because after a hectic and hard day, who wants to do the thing that's often excruciating and pulls more energy out of us. All we want to do is sit down on the couch and binge watch our favorite series for a couple hours with take out. Sounds pretty good right :)?

This is where our drive comes from, we know that you can't control your day, and so we're certainly not going try and do so! We have trouble controlling ours! Sweetflexx was designed with this exact thing in mind. For you, and the unpredictable nature of your day to come.

With the world ever evolving and a fast pace in technology, clothing seems to be lacking behind. With Tesla, Apple and so many other brands pushing the boundaries of innovation, why not clothing? Sure, you're heart rate is great, but how does that really help you? Why not wear something that isn't a passive technology such as FitBit, but is active in actually helping you.

The industry has been plagued with gimmicks for decades, who can you trust anymore? Even the biggest brands have gotten caught up in this promise no one can seem to keep and lost people's trust. Are we accepting of this lie we want to be told? We know the power of claims that promise you change, so we wanted to back ours up, and by the best. Our testing at Yale is done independently, the results don't effect them, only us and you as a customer. We put Sweetflexx on the line every time to either fail or succeed and for us, there's only one outcome, to succeed. For if we don't we go back to the drawing board and work until we do succeed!

Sweetflexx is a product that's designed for the everyday hero, busy taking care of everyone else, they hardly have any time for themselves. That's us, we're here for you! Every step you take, we are working to make you better, healthier, in a world that seems to move faster and faster.

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Meditation on the go

New town, new bed, new food, new routine – life on the road can be stressful. When everything is upsy-turvy, it’s important to find a way to bring you back to you. What better way to do this than some meditation? No equipment needed and it can be done anywhere, at any time. We discuss ways that might help you meditate while travelling – whether it’s for work or pleasure.

The benefits

To convince you that mediation can be the best accompaniment to life on the road, first you need to know its benefits – mind, body and soul.

Mind: when you enter the relaxed state through meditation, your mind has a much calmer response to more difficult situations. And experience says traveling can be hectic! By practicing meditation daily, you’ll feel more relaxed for a longer amount of time, allowing you to handle the business of the day ahead.

Body: many people find that meditation also relaxes the body. Their heart rate slows, their breathing deepens and even their muscles relax. You might also find that by continuing on your meditative journey whilst traveling, that you have more energy. Traveling into a different timezone brings about it's own challenges.

Soul: having that time, even if just 5-10 minutes per day, to yourself and your thoughts can really help you understand yourself. You can become more aware of your mind and body together – both of which help to make up your soul!

Mindful driving

Driving can be monotonous. From driving the kids to school, to being on your 5th hour of a road trip. Use this time to bring your awareness back to you. Of course, it is not recommended that you close your eyes when behind the wheel, or take your awareness off of the traffic around you. A meditation coach once reminded me that meditation isn’t centered around shutting off the outside to understand yourself. Instead, consider how you are feeling – think about what is around you and how it impacts you. By accepting the world around you rather than pushing it away will help you bring your mind to body more coherently. Another tip on how to meditate while driving is to play some relaxing music to help you enter the meditative mindset.

Meditate when you’re a passenger

In the passenger seat of a car, plane or train is one of the most effective times to meditate. You don’t have to concentrate on driving, you can close your eyes or even let your mind wonder through the window. Just simply relax. Try focussing on your breathing or the hum of the vehicle to ease you into your meditation. A word of advice: find a seat with a good ambience. Whether it’s in the sun or on the side of the car with the great views – bask in it to be at one with yourself.

Meditation whilst being active

This idea seems bizarre, but actually walking, hiking or running could be the best time to meditate for you. Again, similar to the previous examples of monotony, but it can be done! The movement helps calm your mind. It also allows your mind to focus on something else at the same time to avoid any fidgeting! What’s the best kind of activity to do? Hiking. Find a beautiful landscape to explore because feeling at one with nature does wonders for our mindset.

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How to indulge when avoiding sugar!

To get us on the straight and narrow, we’re talking about refined sugar. Chances are that if you’re taking a break from sugar, you’re doing it to lose weight or cut the mood swings. Natural sugar (when not overeaten) can still help you achieve these goals! But what are those delicious natural foods that feel like a tasty treat and isn’t just good old fruit?

Dates

Dates are such a great snack. They’re a health freak’s toffees. Sayer or medjool dates are really the stuff. The chewy texture, sweet caramel flavor…yum! While they’re high in natural sugars, they have a good fiber content to aid digestion. Slab on some peanut butter for the ultimate healthy-indulgent snack.

Banana & almond butter

If you haven’t tried almond butter before, you’re missing out. If you've yet to try almond butter on banana, well, I feel sorry for you. The dish is nutty, sweet and full of healthy fats, fiber, potassium, magnesium and protein. It’s truly a winner. Almond butter on its own is also pretty delicious – you’ll need 1 spoon and 1 jar of almond butter!

Cashews

A lot of people avoid cashews because of their high fat content. This fat is so good for you, though. Amazing for your digestion and skin! I wouldn’t recommend eating them in huge quantities , but 10-15 large cashews at a time can curb the rumbles in a nutty, creamy way.

Nice cream

Almost as delicious and a gajillion times better for you than ice cream: meet ‘nice cream’. It will revolutionise healthy eating. There’s 1 essential ingredient: frozen banana. Blend or mash and ta-da! you’ve made some ice-cream tasting fruit. Add in a splash of nut milk, cacao nibs and a sprinkle or two of raw cacao and you’ve got yourself some chocolate nice cream.

Protein balls

These are usually eaten before or exercise because of their energy density and protein content. But if you want a sweet snack, they’ll nail it on the head. You can buy raw protein balls, but they’re also super easy to make. Here’s a recipe for Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls:

1/2 cup of peanut or almond butter 1/4 cup of honey 2 scoops of chocolate coconut protein powder 1/3 crushed flaxseeds 1/3 shredded desiccated coconut 1/2 rolled oats 1 tbsp of chia seeds In a large bowl, mix together the nut butter and honey. Then add everything else and using hands roll into small balls.

Raw chocolate

If you’re craving some late night chocolate, this should be your go-to. Made from natural raw ingredients to satisfy that sweet tooth that just wants something naughty. It’s also super quick to make.

1/2 cup cocoa butter 1/2 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup raw cacao powder 1/4 – 1/2 cup maple syrup syrup for sweetening (you can also use honey or stevia, or no sweetener at all!) Grate the cocoa butter and place in a small bowl with the coconut oil. Melt using a hot water bath. Add the cacao powder and stir until smooth. Next, add the maple syrup and stir – check if the mixture is sweet enough, if not add some more sweetener. Pour the mixture onto some baking paper, moulds, ice cube tray or a plate, and put in the fridge to cool for 30-60 minutes. Finally, when solid, cut chocolate into bars and enjoy!

Cinnamon and honey popcorn

You might be surprised to learn that popcorn is actually healthy. It’s all the flavouring they add at the movies which makes it unhealthy. Add raw flavouring though and it’s a indulgent, healthy treat. Here’s how to do it.

1/4 cup coconut oil 2 tbsp honey 1/2 cup popcorn kernels 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon Heat the coconut oil over a medium-low heat in a pan (make sure you have a lid) with a few kernels. When the kernels begin to sizzle, add the rest of the kernels and toss to coat them with oil. Cover with lid and wait for them to pop. Remember to shake the pan so that the popcorn moves around and doesn’t burn. Once all the corn has popped, remove from the heat and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients over while it’s still hot. Shake well in the pan to cover all popcorn — the perfect movie night or pre-workout sweet snack!

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Skip those cheat days and how to!

We know that when you're on a diet, you live for those cheat days. You can stuff yourself silly of all the foods you wish you could eat while dieting. While there is a well known myth that cheat days once a week can speed up your metabolism, cheat days can actually be detrimental for your weight loss progress.

Mentality

Restricting your food intake or groups can lead to you feeling exhausted, craving some sugar or fries, but most of all that satisfied feeling. Salad just doesn’t cut it when you’re eating it 24/7. A cheat day consisting of all your favourite treats will, though – it will definitely give you a kick of temporary endorphins.

Unfortunately, this emotional high is short lived - a second on the lips, forever on the hips! How will you feel when you’re lying in bed with your belly full of rubbish? You may have tricked yourself into thinking it’s good for you. But when you wake up in the morning, getting back to that diet will be tough. Once your body has a spike in blood sugar, it also experiences a sugar low – what goes up must come down! You’ve come so far in your diet plan that a cheat day will send your sugar levels soaring then crashing down because you’re not used to the sugar or sheer amount of food. With a sugar low we feel demotivated and depressed. It will be a struggle to get back on track!

Fat storage

When on a diet, we restrict the volume of food that we eat – even if the aim is to just eat healthy, wholesome foods while cutting out the bad stuff. So don’t you deserve a day off once in a while? Yes, maybe! But you might think differently if we told you that your body will turn your cheat food into higher percentages of fat than if you were to eat it before you started dieting. This is for two reasons.

First, your body isn’t used to it (depending on how long you’ve been dieting for). This means that those fries will enter your stomach and your body will immediately process it as irrelevant, expect for those kcals! i.e. it will deposit it in your fat stores. The second reason? By consuming less food, your metabolism slows down. Doing more exercise can help counteract this, but there’s only so much you can do when you’re not feeding yourself enough energy. When you suddenly inundate yourself with dense foods, your body thinks ‘Hurrah! I’ll save this energy for later when I get hungry again!’ and turns it into fat rather than passing it through. So, while cheat days might be said to increase your metabolism, one day of stuffing your chops will only counteract your weight loss and only give you extra fat to burn.

How to overcome your need for cheat days

Being on a diet isn’t a bad thing, but the mindset can be. Try to think of your food decisions as lifestyle choices. If you cut out chocolate and pizza, you’ll most likely lose weight. You’ll also feel more energized, your immune system will be buzzing and you’ll get that healthy glow. There are so many more reasons to be healthy than just losing fat. If you recognize that treating your body like a goddess is number 1 priority, you won’t need a cheat day! You’ll feel so fresh and content from things other than bad food that you probably won’t even want it.

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Failing at diets, here’s why.

Dieting can be stressful and difficult. Here are 5 reasons why your diet has probably failed and why you should focus on having a healthy lifestyle rather than cutting the cals!

You focus on calories

Of course, if you consume more calories than you use up then you put on weight – and vice versa if you eat too little calories. The trouble with this mindset is that you forget about the quality of food. Without fueling yourself correctly, you lose fat, but you also lose muscle. To stay toned and burn fat, make sure you eat a balanced, healthy diet – not just less calories. By restricting calories you also force your body into starvation mode, which means it does everything it can to cling onto your weight. To overcome this, eat wholesome foods that will fuel your body for its functions: i.e. protein, complex carbs, good fat and fiber.

You eat a low fat diet

A common mistake is that when you’re trying to lose weight you should cut out all fat. Well, cutting the MacDonald’s is probably essential, but cutting out good fatty acids? Don’t do it! Studies show that by eating less carbs and more good fats, you could burn up to 300 extra calories a day. Good fats are essential for your digestive system and even your cholesterol – the more good fat that is in your blood, the less bad cholesterol there will be. If you’re really serious about losing body fat and keeping it off, cut out the chocolate, fast food and other bad fatty, sugary foods. Replace this with avocado, salmon, nuts and other foods rich in good fatty acids. This might also help with energy levels.

You starve yourself into low energy levels

Most people think that low energy goes hand in hand with dieting – well, they’re right. If you starve yourself, you’ll be exhausted. Think of it like a car, when the car runs out of gas, it can't go anywhere. You're the exact same. No food, no energy! There’s only a certain length of time one can go living like this! Not only will starving yourself into exhaustion slow your metabolism down, but eventually you’ll crack. After all that hard work you’ll struggle to stick to your diet and most likely binge eat on a ‘cheat day’ or ‘days’… This will only reverse the progress you have made. By focussing on wholesome foods that will keep your energy levels high and the hunger at a minimum, you can avoid this issue. You just have to stick at it to reap the most benefits, but this shouldn’t be an issue, should it? We can do anything when we put our minds to it, especially when it comes to health. A happy body = a happy mind!

You don’t have a balanced diet

We’ve all been on a diet where you can eat whatever you want, as long as it’s under a certain amount of calories… or salad. Well we have news for you, filling your calories intake with chocolate or munching on leaves all day isn’t going to be fulfilling. Exhaustion, unclear skin, greasy hair, dark circles under your eyes and aching limbs are all signs that you’re not providing your body with the right nutrients. To overcome this, make sure you are eating fresh, healthy food as part of a balanced diet. That means veg, protein, healthy fat and some complex carbs. Without these elements, you’ll find it hard to stick to your diet and revert back to your former habits to make you feel better. Well, if you eat a balanced diet, you’ll feel even better than this!

You try something unachievable

Patience is a virtue. Don’t expect results in a day, and certainly don’t expect long lasting effects in a week. You have to stick at it to get to your ultimate goal. This might require a bit of will power, but it’s achievable. Battle through the sugar cravings and after a few weeks you won’t want unhealthy food anymore – fight the addiction! With a week’s worth of healthy food having gone through your system, your mind, body and soul will be brighter. That’s worth the wait isn’t it? Leading a healthy lifestyle will allow you to love your body, not just fight it for a better figure – the figure should come as a bonus!

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Slowly getting off sugar

Cutting sugar from your diet is hard, but worth it. It increases your energy levels, prevents fatty liver and heart disease, and helps control your weight. Not only does sugar taste so damn good, it is also addictive – even when we don’t realise it. So how do you curb the addiction?

Satisfy your sweet tooth the healthy way

Natural, unrefined sugars are not as addictive and they’re not bad for your health, either. When you get that sugar craving, opt for a healthier option like fruit. Fruit sugar is good for you because the sugar is attached to fibre. This means it takes longer for it to break down in your digestive system, using up more energy. It also regulates blood sugar levels because of this which actually stops you becoming addicted to its sugars: the bigger sugar highs you have, the bigger lows you’ll have and the more you’ll crave it. If regular fruit doesn’t cut it, try dried food like dates and figs with some peanut butter. It’s sweetly indulgent and tastes like a treat (without the addiction!).

Get rid of artificial sweeteners

When on a diet, low-calorie artificial sweeteners are often a go-to. Why wouldn’t you use them if you get the sweet taste without the added calories? Well, artificial sweeteners trick the body into thinking it is digesting sugar. This spikes insulin levels and pushes your metabolism into storage mode. So while you’re not ingesting calories, you’re slowly your metabolism down as if you were. This spike in insulin can also give you that sugary high and low, leaving you wanting more!

Avoid refined carbohydrates

You’ve probably heard that complex carbs are a yay, and refined carbs are a nay. This is also the case if you’re weaning yourself off sugar. Simple carbs are so easy to break down that they can be turned into sugar quickly. And yes, this disrupts your blood sugar levels! Complex carbs are hard to break down so release their energy slowly, keeping your sugar levels constant. This means no cravings! Stick to brown rice, lentils, nuts and potatoes.

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Are you eating too much?

In today's age, many of us overeat without even realizing it. With so many contrasting opinions of wellness readily available online, it’s hard to know which is the right answer. Especially as it has become a common idea that as long as you eat healthy foods, you’re fine. For the most part this is true, but here’s how to figure out if you’re overeating (even healthier foods) and how to stop!

Are you overeating?Let's start here with the simple question.

Measure your food

It’s not essential to measure your food on a daily basis, but to see how much you are actually eating, it’s worth doing it for a couple of days. Use an online calculator to figure out how much energy you are consuming. You might be quite surprised at how much energy food can give you, which, if not used up, is turned into fat. When doing this, bare in mind the amount of exercise you do as well – the more exercise you do, the more food you need.

A quick sidenote: if you're just starting out exercising more regularly, you may notice your weight increases at first. This is due to your body requiring more nutrients and energy since you're using more energy. Eventually your body will convert fat into muscle and your calorie burn will increase. At this point, you'll start to see the pounds decrease on the scale.

Measure servings

While prepping meals, carefully measure out your ingredients. What is recommended on the packaging might be a lot less than what you consider a portion. This will give you a clear indication if you’re overeating when it comes to mealtimes!

Keep a food diary

Write a food diary to log everything you eat and drink. Sometimes when we snack we forget what we’ve eaten. By reflecting on your day, food-wise, you’ll be able to decipher if you’re sneaking in food without really thinking about it. Do this for a week and you might find it easier to figure out what is essential, and what you can miss out.

Compare the energy you intake to the energy you expend

There are various sites which can tell you how much energy you use in a day. The accuracy of these can vary so proceed with caution! Compare this with how much you eat to see if your intake is much more inflated than your expenditure.

How do you stop overeating?

Take a lunch break

It’s easier to overeat if you multitask while eating food. You’re not concentrating on your food or listening to your body, so how are you meant to know when you’ve had enough? Always take time to chill out during a meal. You might find this helps you mentally, too, so you don’t have to comfort eat.

Eat slowly

Eat quickly and you’ll stuff yourself with food before your body has enough time to tell you it’s had enough. If you eat slowly, you can listen out for that sense of satisfaction rather than complete fullness.

Ever notice that if you're starving and you eat as fast as you can, your stomach feels bloated after a short time? This is because you ate so quickly, your body didn't have enough time to realize how much you're putting into it, and before you know it, you've overeaten. By eating more slowly, you allow your body to better calculate how much you're putting in and will help in adjusting to not overeating!

Eat as soon as your body tells you you’re hungry

If you wait until you’re ravenous to eat, you will be so hungry you can’t control yourself! If you eat when you first feel hungry, you might find it easier to eat until satisfaction, rather than gobble down loads of food to curb the rumbles! Just like above, you'll be overeating.

Have a glass of water when your stomach rumbles

Having said that, it’s always important to have a glass of water when you start to feel hungry. Often we feel the hunger sensation when we’re actually thirsty. If, after some liquid, your stomach is still calling for food, go ahead and feed it!

Stop eating when you’re 90% full

Another great tactic to not overeat is to stop eating when you’re 90% full. This means that rather than eating until you can eat no more, eat until you are content. Chances are that 10 minutes later you will feel full because your brain has processed the food you have already eaten.

Keep busy

Boredom eating is a thing. For fellow lovers of food, when you’re stuck in the office or chilling out on the sofa, snacks are on your mind. If you keep busy you won’t feel the need to boredom eat, but will only feel hungry when your body actually needs food.

Do more exercise (if you love food)

If you really can’t bare to only eat what your body needs, make it need more! Increase your exercise and stay more active throughout the day. This way, you’ll earn the food you want to eat without it being more than you need.

Take nutritional supplements

We can often crave food if we are lacking in a certain nutrient or vitamin. By taking nutritional supplements, you’ll get the nutrients you need, without having to eat extra food that also contains a load of other stuff as well. For example, if you need extra B-vitamins, you might crave sweet potato. What you might not need is the energy in the potato, which could lead to overeating.

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The workout you can wear!

Resistance bands: compact, light and effective. They are the most nimble piece of equipment you will ever invest in… Carry them around or use them at home, it makes working out on the go a gym on the move. But what are we talking about, who really carries resistance bands around with them in the purse, only to pull them out on the metro in the morning to work those tricep extensions? Pull the bands apart to work on your back, about the only place that this is "socially" acceptable are in the comforts (private) of your home or the gym. Well now you, you no longer need to worry about toning muscle at the drop of a dime as you can workout in plain sight...and no one will know the better.

Introducing Sweetflexx 

A new generation of clothing that frees you from your own busy schedule and turns your entire day into a workout. Seamlessly integrated resistance bands are the magic, that hide under the fabric of soft leggings. You'll be toning your core, glutes and legs all day as you move about.

Effortless Exercise

A light amount of resistance added up over the course of the day, and you'll be making big strides towards not only improving your overall health, but also getting your legs into the shape you've always wanted.

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Meal Prep 101

When you’re watching your weight or lead a busy lifestyle, meal prep is your best friend. You’ll be able to stick to a enjoyable lifestyle and won’t have to think about preparing a new healthy meal three times a day. Trust us, it’s worth it. This is our basic guide to meal prep if you’re just starting out or want some new handy tricks to firm up the process!

To begin with…

Invest in some containers, they are essential to meal prep. We’d recommend some plastic tupperware that are similar sizes. They’ll fit perfectly into your fridge and you won’t be stuck trying to do fridge jenga! You can also use mason jars or other glass containers. Make sure whatever you use is microwave friendly so you can heat prepped meals up.

Plan

This is the golden ticket to meal prep. Plan well and the rest of the week will be a breeze. Look at your calendar and work out how many meals you’ll need to prep, and what meals they are. Don’t forget about snacks too – be true to yourself and admit that you’ll be hungrier than perhaps you’d like to be. If you try and be ‘good’, by skipping snacks or even meals, you’ll most likely go off track with your meal prep altogether. If it’s your first time prepping, consider adding more super healthy snacks to your plan so that you don’t feel guilty but you can gradually learn exactly what you need throughout the week.

Make a menu

When making your weekly menu, think about staple foods and a balanced diet. What’s the point of meal prep if its not nutritious? Make sure you have enough carbs, protein, fruit and veg in your meals. Staple items include chicken, rice, pasta, fish etc. Also when making your menu, remember to include food that is yummy. If you’re bored of your meal plan by Wednesday, it’s probably because you’re not looking forward to your next meal – i.e. you haven’t planned exciting, delicious meals!

Go shopping

With your menu in hand, hit the supermarket. Make sure you buy according to your list – this way you’ll stick to your plan by not being distracted by the sugary snack you gave into when in the chocolate aisle!

Consider your time

A popular time to prep is a Sunday evening. It’s usually ‘free time’ in your weekly schedule and will shake those Sunday blues while getting you pumped for the week ahead. Set aside a 2-3 hours depending on how many meals you’re prepping for. Also think about how much time you’ll have to spend cooking during your busy week. If you’ve got time to spend on cooking, chop up your veg and portion meals then leave them in the fridge so you can cook them fresh!

Start cooking!

Here’s the fun bit! It’s a good idea to bulk cook foods like pasta, rice and quinoa. They’ll last all week but also take the most time to prepare. Cooking in large batches will save you so much time. All you’ll have to do later on is reheat and serve – simple! You can also cook protein like chicken or boiled eggs which can be reheated or eaten cold. Veg can also be pre-cooked, but it’s much nicer freshly cooked – check your list about what time you have during the week to figure out if you should pre-cook your veg or not. Next, put everything in portions so that you have each meal in a separate container. Then portion all your snacks and you’re all set!

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Busy mom workouts!

One of the most difficult thing for moms would be finding time to exercise. Many would like to continue the routine they have but once you have children, you would need to rethink what your workout is like.  

Workout tip #1: Schedule your workouts

Just like how you would schedule your children’s activities, it is important to include your workouts, otherwise it will be quite easy to be pushed aside and forgotten. It would be a form of accountability and ensure that it would impact others by your commitment e.g family, so that they would know what to expect each week.

Workout tip #2: Quick but effective

Set aside 10 to 15 minutes in a day to stay active and by doing 5 to 6 times of 10-minutes sessions are as effective as 1 hour once a week. You would need to do things that has your body getting used to and the more parts of your body moves at once the better. High intensity aerobics exercises burn more in a shorter period of time.

Workout tip #3: Have varieties in your workouts

It is important to constantly challenge your body as it will adapt to that intensity of the exercise and it will become less effective as the time goes by. So instead of just having aerobics exercises only, weight training is another effective activity to burn calories and promote lean muscle growth, which is key to burning more calories compared to any other types of tissues in the body.

Workout tip #4: Wear Your Gym

Yes, you read that correctly. Nowadays, it is possible to "Wear Your Gym" with Sweetflexx's resistance technology built right into their leggings. These leggings allow you to slowly, but surely, workout for your entire day by making every step a mini exercise. When those steps are added up, you've made big strides towards improving your health. You can buy them right here as well: www.sweetflexx.com

Workout tip #5: Getting everyone involved

Exercising with your family is the best way to spend and enjoy time with them. Join your children on the slide, have a game of basketball or even a game of catching will help get your heart rate pumping but also get to spend time with your family. Being active as a family also educates them about health and fitness.

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Mushroom Power for Your Health!

Edible mushrooms have been used by the Chinese for centuries because of their medicinal properties. They were known as the “elixir of life” and are the superfood of 2017. Their nutritional benefits are endless, including those for your immune system! Here’s the low-down on why mushrooms are magic for your health!

Full of the good stuff

Edible mushrooms are packed with selenium. This holds antioxidant properties and also plays a key role in your metabolism. They are a good source of niacin, which is great for your skin and energy levels. Mushrooms contain vitamin D, useful for your bones and immune system, and fiber which promotes a healthy digestive system. Mushrooms also contain more protein than most other vegetables which is why they are very important in a vegetarian diet because they provide all the amino acids.

Lean and lovely

Did you know that mushrooms are low in calories, fat, sodium and free from cholesterol? This makes them a good option when dieting because they provide so many nutrients but are calorie-kind! In 2013, a report showed that powder formulations from the Agaricus blazei Murrill mushroom and the Shiitake contained proteins and unsaturated fatty acids. Both of these are useful for a low-carb diet as they keep you fuller for longer. Healthy fats also give you energy!

Immune system

Mushrooms contain β-glucans, sugars found in the cell walls of fungi. Beta-glucans are not a ‘self-molecule’ as they cannot be synthesized by your immune system. This speeds up your immune system response and makes it more effective at fighting diseases. Beta-glucans are also effective at reducing tumor proliferation and support bone marrow when the body is under chemotherapy.

Antibacterial

Studies have proven the Shiitake mushroom in particular to have antibacterial properties. In one study, the Shiitake mushroom had an antibacterial effect on 85% of the foods it was tested against – including 50% of the yeast and mould species that were in trial. Mushrooms are also packed with antioxidants which will detox you body!

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10 Time Saving Tips for New Moms!

It’s amazing how such a tiny human being can demand such a large amount of your time attention and care! On some days, even personal hygiene will be sacrificed to care for your new little one.  Here are some great time saving tips for new moms.

1.  Cut life down to the bare bones. Tell everyone no, for everything, until baby is in a routine.  This is your motto:  I am caring for a helpless human this month, and I cannot take Jimmy to soccer, clean up after him, cook, etc etc!

2.  Use paper plates for at least a week after the baby is born in order to avoid washing dishes. We know this isn't great for the environment, but you gotta take care of yourself and the babe first!

3.  No time for a shower?  Take it in the evening when your spouse can watch the baby.  Re-wet your hair in the morning with a spray bottle or stick your head in the sink. Invest in some dry shampoo for styling oily, unkempt hair. Work smarter not harder is a motto we often have going on around here!

4.  Set up more than one diaper changing station.  Put one upstairs and downstairs, or in your bedroom.  An absorbent lap pad on the carpet works, too. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!

5.  Feeling lonely?  Organize a playgroup, to connect with other moms!  Send out a sign up with available dates and rotate hosting duties.

6.  Your laundry will seem to multiply overnight. Buy “Free and Clear” laundry detergent and wash your clothes in the same load as baby’s clothes to save time.

7.  People want to help?  Give friends or family specific tasks such as folding laundry or going to the grocery store.

8.  Everybody wants to come see the baby, but “drop in’s” are not ideal.  Organize a Sip-n-See party!  Send out a SignUpGenius invite with a spot for everyone to bring a potluck item. Fit it in in a time that works for you and the baby while making sure help is ready when needed.

9.  It’s so frustrating when nothing gets done!  First things first.  Think about what HAS to be accomplished that day and pick two things.  It might be a nap and cut your nails.  Be quick and have low expectations for the next 6 months – you are in survival mode.

10.  Have a colicky baby who only wants to be held?  Someone else can take baby for a walk in the stroller (or even in the hallway).  Recruit a second set of hands to help. This will give you time to get those two things done for you.

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Dieting tips to avoid hunger pains!

Hunger while trying to lose weight, what's worse?! Here are 5 simple tricks to help curve that hunger pain.

Drink sparkling water

Food actually contains more water than you would think, so it’s no wonder your stomach tells you it wants something to munch on! If you drink water instead, you’ll be quenching your thirst and stopping some of those dreaded hunger sensations. It’s a no brainer! The added carbonation will further trick the mind into thinking you've eaten something. This might be one of the simplest of ways to satisfy your cravings without adding to the calories!

Eat protein

Protein is complex for our bodies to break down. This means it takes longer to digest and you won't feel as hungry afterwards. Eat protein for breakfast and you’ll feel fuller for longer throughout the day. One study has also showed that eating protein actually reduces neural signals for hunger (1). It lessens the hunger hormone, ghrelin – talk about a diet winner!

Cut out sugar

Did you know, that if you cut out sugar for a whole month, your body won't crave it?! Sugar highs and lows are a thing. If you eat a sugary food, it gives you a spike of energy. When you’ve used up this energy, you leave your body wanting more. The cycle starts over again and the desire is hunger. By eating wholesome foods such a complex carbs and protein, your blood sugar will be kept at a steady level. This way you won’t crave energy, and will have more energy in the morning.

Energy (more of it)

Alright, we know this article is focused on food, but we thought we'd throw in a different trick. Relating to the sugar above, particularly in the interest of energy, working out in the morning can remove the grogginess we typically associate with coffee and many sugar packets. Workouts can vary from intense to simple. A nice morning walk enjoying the sunrise is a great way to get started.

Fibrous foods

Similar to protein, fiber is hard to digest. Not only that, but many fibrous foods (such as vegetables) are low in calories. This means that you can eat as many as you want without feeling guilty. So if you’re feeling hungry in between meal times, try having some carrots with hummus or almond butter!

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Sweetwalk the weight off!

In a recent article posted on the highly regarded nonprofit website Obesity Action Coalition, certified exercise physiologist and health fitness specialist Mira Rasmussen BS, ACSM-HFS, discusses the importance of walking as a way to create “a natural connection between our thoughts and well-being [that can’t be] replicated so easily by running on a treadmill, cycling, or during any other type of movement.” Have you ever noticed how, when deep in thought, you tend to pace back and forth? Walking is a great form to way to remove the noise of the outside world and focus more on yourself and your thoughts. If you're in need of some creativity, try walking! In addition to making that essential mind-body connection, walking has been shown to be the best way for people interested in weight loss to see real results. No other form of exercise is as egalitarian as walking can be. It is something nearly everyone can get started doing at anytime and derive from walking very positive physical and emotional benefits.

Walk before you run You need to “ease into” a walking program that fits you where you are at the moment you are ready to get started. We suggest a device that counts your steps each day to help you understand your starting point and then build from there. Starting small with basic changes you build in incrementally is the best approach. Your phone has many apps that will be able to do this if you don't have a gadget designed to measure your steps.

Use the science behind exercise Each person has a maximal heart rate number in beats per minute. Finding out your specific number (how fast your heart can beat in one minute), allows you to set a training level at a certain percentage rate to your maximal heart rate.  Ideally and to be safe, we recommend you seek out a fitness professional to have a metabolic test called VO2 max testing, which determines your individual exercise zone–important to reaching the goals you’ve set for yourself. Look for a sports lab who offers this test and talk to them about your goals and safety. We actually used a VO2 max test (set at a slow walking pace) to measure the effects of Sweetflexx on the human body!

Walk with Sweetflexx Sweetflexx works when the muscles in your legs move. Unfortunately you can't binge watch your new show on Netflix and hope to become healthy sitting on the couch! But if you only have a few minutes each day to get out and walk, make the most out of it by applying our unique resistance techology to each step. Our testing at Yale showed that each step was slightly harder with Sweetflexx so that at the end of the day, you've made big strides towards improving your health. You can visit our website to learn more at www.sweetflexx.com

Consider yourself first Starting a fitness program is easy, but keeping to it is hard. Think about what you want out of it, and what you prefer when you set up your walking program, rather than following a program set up by someone else. We recommend you figure out what a realistic schedule is for yourself as well as these two things:

the environment you prefer when getting started– indoors or out; what inspires you — time alone or walking with a friend; and

Walking is a great way to get exercise: it’s cheap, it’s easy to do, and it’s even easier to get started when you apply the recommendations we’ve condensed here. To read the full article, visit Walk into Weight Loss.

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Probiotic Power!

Probiotics have become forefront for talking points in health recently. Lately, we've become so conscious of allergies and most foods you buy are sterilized. This is good for the most part, except that it kills off good bacteria that your gut actually needs. This can lead to an imbalance of bacteria in your gut which is a condition known as symbiosis and affects the body in a negative way. Probiotics work in your gut to replace the good bacteria and restore a balanced levels of bacteria. Here are five reasons why you should include probiotics in your diet:

Immune system

80% of your immune system resides in the gut. You’ll always have good and bad bacteria in your gut. If you don’t have enough of the good guys then the bad bacteria can ‘taker over’ and colonize. This can lead to diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome. When you eat sugary food, you’ll be feeding the bad bacteria but if you have enough good bacteria you’ll be able to fight off the bad and maintain good levels for optimum nutrient absorption!

Enhance nutrient absorption

You can fill your stomach with superfoods and all kinds of healthy supplements, but without a balanced bacteria level in your gut, you won’t absorb nearly as many nutrients. This is because digestive bacteria and enzymes help break down your food in the gut – without enough good bacterias, your body will struggle to get all the goodness out of the food you eat. By ensuring that probiotics are in your diet, you’ll be getting the most out of your food!

Improve your mood

Ever get that gut feeling? As it happens, it’s more than just psychological… having a healthy gut can improve your emotions and your cognitive function. In fact, the bacteria in your gut helps produce most of the chemicals in your nervous system. This means it is responsible for creating serotonin (the chemical which creates the happiness emotion). By adding probiotics to your diet, you can make sure that your gut is in the best position to create chemicals that are essential to a positive mind-set and a good mood.

Reduce fatigue

Have you ever eaten so much that you felt tired and lethargic after? That’s because fatigue is linked with digestion – it also happens if you have the wrong sort of bacteria in your gut. When your digestive tract is unbalanced, your body has to work twice as hard to extract the nutrients out of the food you eat. Studies have shown that the intake of probiotics for 6 weeks improves your strength, muscle weight and decreases fatigue!

Balance Blood Sugar

Several studies have shown that obtaining probiotics from fortified yoghurt can balance glucose levels. Although this is generally beneficial to human health, it is especially useful for people with type 2 diabetes.

By adding probiotics to your diet, you can improve your gut’s response to the food you eat and allow it to absorb sugar into the blood at the rate it requires.

How can you add probiotics to your diet?

Raw milk, yoghurt, sauerkraut, kombucha and kefir are all great sources of probiotics.

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Don’t do the healthy diet!

In today's world with the internet and social, it seems as if we are always bombarded with the latest and greatest diet fabs. The question is we all ask is: which diet will help you lose weight and keep us healthy? Sadly, the answer is not many. A lot of diets encourage you to significantly lower your daily calorie intake, but when you return to normality, the weight you lost piles back on. Don't believe us? Check out the this NYT's article and the research they did on the TV Show "Biggest Loser" and what happened with nearly every contestant! With smart eating, this yo-yo diet will come to an end. In short, to eat intuitively you eat what you want, when you feel like it. Trust us on this one, there’s only so much stuffing your face full of chocolate and fries before you start craving greens and veggies! Here’s our guide on how to train yourself to listen to your gut rather than your head…

Physical hunger

Our intuitive eating is based on physical hunger – the easiest way to detect this is when your stomach starts to rumble – don't worry about keeping it to yourself! The good news is that unlike diets, you don’t have to sit and wait out the gurgles until your next 200 calorie shake or unsatisfying salad. Instead, you get to fill that empty belly with whatever food you fancy until it’s full! Your body knows, listen to it.

Respect your full belly

While the idea of eating until you’re full seems obvious, with intuitive eating it’s important to learn when your belly is actually satisfied – try not to give in to your eyes that may be bigger than your stomach! Be patient though, this takes time. The first step to realizing when your gut is satisfied (rather than your head!) is by eating slowly. As humans of the 21st Century we eat too fast, to the extent where we often end up over-eating because our stomach hasn’t processed how much food we have gobbled down. You'll know you're overeating when afterwards, your belly aches and hurts. By eating smaller mouthfuls slower, you’ll probably be surprised at how much less you need to consume before you feel full. Here's another tip: if you've finished your meal and still feel hungry, get up and waste a few minutes worth of time. Afterwards, see if you still feel hungry. Chances are that your belly has had time to process the amount you've eaten and said enough is enough!

Tune into your mood

So you’ve got a hold of eating your belly full, but how do you figure out what food your body needs? You’ll often crave things you need – if you randomly fancy a glass of milk it’s probably because your body is calling on calcium (especially if this is out of habit). But if this isn’t the case, tune into your mood as a way of determining what nutrients you’re lacking in. If you feel tired even though you’ve had enough sleep, you might have a deficiency in Vitamin B. Boost your Vitamin B intake with fish, meat, cheese, rice, milk and much more. Whatever your energy, look into it as a guide on what nutrients you might need to add to your next meal.

Reject the diet mentality

The most important step to succeed at intuitive eating is to realize that you’re not on a diet. Think of it as a lifestyle and the most effective way of eating a healthy amount – after all, what’s the point of having the hunger sensation if we just ignore it? Of course, on special occasions you might decide to eat more than your gut desires but remember that afterwards you are not going back to a ‘diet’, but just normality! Which brings us on to our next topic…

The last supper

It’s Sunday evening – Monday morning brings a new week, a new you: a health kick or the beginning of the new healthier you. Knowing that you’re about to embark on a no chocolate, no junk food mission, you decide it’s better to finish off all the junk in the house so it’s no longer a temptation.

Stop. Right. There. Cheat days and binging can actually be detrimental to weight loss because the body stores all the sugar in the form of fat (1) when you have previously been cutting calories. Intuitive eating is a way to avoid the last supper. Here, we always try and promote healthy eating, but if your body is telling you to nibble on a bar of chocolate every know-and-again, nibble away (until your stomach is satisfied, of course)! When you’re about to start eating smarter, you don’t need to worry about never having that cheesecake again, if your body wants it, you’ll have it! It should be comforting to know that when you understand your body through intuition, you’ll eventually stop craving junk food because your body is a temple and, unless you’re fatigued, it won’t usually ask for bad sugar or unhealthy fats. This works great because it helps us from avoiding packing it all in. It spreads things out, thus allowing the body to bettter handle the sugars we do intake.

Feel energized from your lifestyle

It’s inevitable that when you change your eating habits you’ll feel out of sync with your body while you adjust – this can often surface in fatigue and sleepiness. Intuitive eating is a lifestyle aimed to maximize the energy you get from food, but there might be times when you’re not feeling so hot, especially if your body isn’t calling out for ice cream and chocolate but that’s what you’re used to eating. This is why it’s important to look to other parts of your life to feel energized while you adjust. Exercise is a great way to do this – when you exercise you release endorphins which make you feel happier and energetic. It can help you sleep deeper and be more focussed throughout the day. Also remember to be kind to yourself – that’s what smart eating is all about, right? Take some time to relax in the evening, have a bath, do some yoga or lay-out in front of the TV. Pamper yourself from the inside out and your body will thank you later!