Does the Turbokick Workout actually Work?

Ever wonder if that Turbo Kick workout class at your gym is worth your time? For many weeks, I have been curious about this class that always seems packed and ends with everyone coming out dripping in sweat.

I have read countless articles in the fitness world about how awesome of a workout it is. But it still has to pass 2 tests! I wondered if it would be something I could do and if it actually would pass my “fun test”. A workout is only worth it when it is fun!

Like many people who have a gym membership, I am pretty shy about trying out something new. How are you about trying something new by yourself?

Latest Lesson Side Note: When it comes to working out in a gym, 99% of the other members are more worried about what others are thinking about them and what exercises they are seen doing, that they really are not thinking about what you are doing whatsoever!

Well should I try out this class?

• What if I am not in good enough shape?
• What if I can’t do the routines?
• I have never been very good at dancing or anything choreographed, how would I do with this type of class?
• What if I can’t do it?

Be truthful, have any of those thoughts crossed your mind?

Well, I decided since I am moving in 3 months anyway, I should try it out before I move and meet more permanent gym mates. If I really made a fool of myself, I wouldn’t have to face these people that much longer. I know I shouldn’t care what others think about what I do or look like working out, but its hard to convince my brain when I actually get to the gym!

Well, I decided it really doesn’t matter and it is all about making sure I get in great workouts to maintain optimum health. So, I tried something new! I went and tested out this growing trend in fitness classes: Turbo Kick!

What is Turbo Kick? 

Turbo Kick is a mix of kickboxing and hip hop dance moves that gets your heart pumping! Although it has been around since 1997, it is growing in popularity today with the latest introduction of other forms of this workout such as Turbo Jam from Chalene Johnson.

The description of the workouts from the product website claims it can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour. I don’t know about that but I do know it is one awesome total body workout that is a great way for you to lose weight and improve your cardiovascular health!

What was the class like?

I was a little nervous walking into the workout class room. However, the instructor quickly made me feel comfortable! I found I was definitely not the only one doing this workout for the first time. The instructor did a great job explaining everything. Maybe I can do this afterall!

The workout itself started out with a warm up that is built around the sport followed by some faster paced interval trainings with simple combinations. The great thing about this workout by this point is I am catching on pretty quickly to the different combinations since they are repeated a bunch of times each adding a little more on to the previous combination. I think I can do this!

At this point I was huffing and puffing and I was only 15 minutes into the class! I kept thinking, how am I going to make it the whole hour?

After this we jumped into 90 seconds of crazy fast paced kickboxing specific endurance and strength training combinations. That was tough! I felt it after that! Again? Okay….Feeling a little more! We went through the whole 90 seconds again! and then again! At this point, I am at the sweatiest and most fatigued I have been in a LONG time! Sure, I am a regular worker-outer but I tend to focus on strength training and little cardio, not beat your body up cardio!

Finally, we do slow it down for more the endurance kickboxing combinations to work more on our punching and kicking form. We ended with lots of stretching, balance, and some pilates type core exercises.

What I learned from doing this class?

Well, I made it through and lived to tell about. I did not make a fool of myself and had such an awesome workout that I am hooked! By participating in a class I was forced to push myself as much as I could to complete the strenuous workout. I was able to keep up with the combinations due to some of the repetitiveness. However, I was not bored with the repetitions and the class went so fast I was surprised how quickly the class ended.

Well, it passed the test. I could do it (not without excessive sweat) and it was so much fun that I am defintely hooked and going again! Oh, and I think every muscle in my body was sore for 3 days afterward even my glutes and abs! That was a great surprise! This definitely is a total body workout!

I definitely recommend this class for you! Even if you are not in great shape, it is always modifiable and everyone starts somewhere. Just get out there and workout!

Here are the 5 Things I learned from this experience that you can take into your workouts:

Stop worrying about what others think and just get out there and do it. Chances are they are more worried about what you are thinking about them.

Look at all the different classes offered and pick a couple that sound interesting and just get in there and join them. There are usually always other newbie’s as well so don’t feel inadequate!

Do a little research online if you are interested in the different workout class options out there to find one that sounds interesting to you. Chances are there is a DVD for it that you could use at home to get your confidence level up before you join the class at the gym.

Meet with a personal trainer or class instructor to find what classes are best for your interest and fitness level. Use your resources that come with the gym membership.

Get moving! Get out there and take action. Stop dreaming about joining in on those classes. Get out there and do it. Most of all have fun!

Well, what do you think of Turbo Kick? Have you done a class? How did you feel about it? Would you do it again? Leave me a comment below and let me know!

How to Choose a Gym Perfect for You!

Searching for the right gym to become a member of does not have to be intimidating if you do your research first and know what to look for when you start visiting the different gyms.

Cities can have thousands of different gyms to choose from, so how do you know which gym will help you reach your goals the best?

The first thing you must do is to right down your goals.

Do you want to lose weight or are you looking to build your strength and get toned? Are you looking for more classes or more weight machines?

Before you even go driving around trying out different gyms, it is important to get your ultimate goal in place first.

Next, it is important that you don’t just join a gym because your best friend is a member there.

Even if the gym is having a great promotional discount for new members, it is important that you shop around and find the best gym for your pocket book that will help you achieve your health goals.

So what are the top 10 things to look for when shopping around for YOUR gym?

Location and Hours
In order for you to have the best chance at visiting the gym frequently and therefore having the best chance of reaching your health goals, it is important to choose a gym with a convenient location and hours that fit your schedule.

One rule of thumb is to only choose a gym within a 2 mile radius of your home. The close the gym, the more likely you are to attend on a regular basis. Different gyms have different operating hours which means you can pick and choose a gym that is open during the hours that are most convenient for you to go.

If it has normal business hours and you work a full time job, it might make it near impossible to work out during the week.

Friendly Staff

The staff can set the tone for your entire experience. If you want to succeed in reaching your goals, it is important to choose a place where the staff is friendly. When visiting the gyms, observe what the staff is doing.

Are they helping out the other members or are they just sitting around talking to the other personal trainers?

The staff is the key to answering any questions you may have about the equipment or any questions that may come up later on down the road that is key for your overall success. Make sure you are setting yourself up for success and not some more failure.

Cost

What is the point of joining that awesome popular gym when it is just going to kill your finances? It is better to join a smaller gym that won’t break the bank but will give you the encouragement to keep going at it!

Make sure you look for hidden costs such as initiation fees, length of commitment, cancellation fees, etc.

The other thing to be aware of is at the bigger gyms, you are most likely paying more due to the wide array of amenities, many of which you probably do not need. Take a look of what you really need in a gym.

Additional Benefits of Membership

Gyms come in all shapes, sizes, and amenities. Make a list of the amenities you would like in a gym and stick with it. You probably do not need all the extras which sound great but are they truly necessary for your budget?

Some possible amenities that gyms include are kid programs, classes, spa services, and nutritional counseling. Choose the gyms that have what you want but beware you aren’t paying for all those fancy services you don’t need.

Enough of Your Equipment

The best way to make sure you are joining a gym that will have open equipment at the times you will be working out is to visit and get the tour of the gym during that time. Take a look around to see if they have the equipment that you want to use and that it is open during the times you will most likely be using them.

Personal Training

The majority of gyms out there offer a free personal training session with every new membership.

Take advantage of this even though you may already consider yourself a fitness expert. It is always a great idea to run things by another fitness expert.

The other benefit to taking advantage of this session is that someone else is there watching your form and making sure you are doing the exercises correctly which will help prevent injuries.

Classes Available

Classes at the gyms are some of the most fun ways you can get a great workout without the boring tradition of running on the treadmill. Take a look at the different classes offered and if any of them sound interesting to you.

They may be a great way to boost your workout when you are feeling bored or that you have hit a plateau. Some great classes to try are piyo, Pilates, yoga, Zumba, Turbo Kick, and many more!

Experiment and have fun!

Type of Gym

There are many different types of gyms available such as sports focused gyms, women only gyms, gym and spa, etc.

Some of the specialty gyms may cost more, but if it meets all your needs to get the results you want and it does it in an appealing way, it may be worth the small added fee. If you are a woman who hates working out at a gym, it might help boost your motivation and self confidence to be able to work out with only other women.

Try to find that one thing you could have in a gym that will help you best reach your goals.

Showers, Locker Rooms, Childcare, etc.

One of the best things you can do while looking around a gym before signing up for a membership is to really check out their showers, locker rooms, and childcare rooms. Make sure these rooms are very clean. These are most likely to be the dirtiest areas and if they are clean, you can rest assured that the gym overall will be a cleaner place.

Who wants to work out in filth? Make sure they also have spray bottles to clean equipment after use and that people actually use them!

Get a Buddy

And there is nothing better than a gym that helps to keep you motivated to reach your goals than a gym that you visit with a friend. Having a gym buddy will further motivate you to go work out and will make it a lot more fun!

Well, those are the top 10 things to look for when shopping around for your gym of choice. It is important to choose a gym that will best help you achieve your goals. What’s the point of joining a gym because you heard it was good, but then it is dirty, it is too busy that you can hardly every get on equipment, and they have no extra amenities that you would like in order to best meet your needs?

What do you think of this list? Is there anything else you would add to this list to help someone else choose a great gym? Leave a comment below and let me know!

How to Choose a Personal Trainer

How is your week going so far? While I am sure you’re busy running around before the holidays with all the parties, shopping, and spending time with loved ones, I bet you are starting to think about ringing in the New Year as well. Have you decided on any resolutions yet?

A common New Year’s Resolution is getting to the gym more to workout. That is half the battle! But how do you make the most of your workout time at the gym?

There is no sense in wasting your valuable time if it isn’t going to help you lose weight, get toned, or just get healthy, is there? So, how do you make sure you are doing the exercises that will help you best reach your goals?

In order to get a customizable workout that takes into account your current health status and body shape, it is best to hire a personal trainer. They can run from $30+ per session, but most gyms offer a free session for just joining the gym. If you haven’t taken advantage of your free session yet, I highly recommend you start off the new year with a personal trainer.

Why would you want to work with a Personal Trainer?

1. They can help you meet a goal such as lose weight, run a 5k, or get you in shape for sports.
2. They can customize a workout for those with special health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, injuries, or women who are pregnant.
3. They can help you determine your current fitness status and help you improve it!

How do you choose a Personal Trainer?

1. Look for one with a Personal Training Certification from organizations such as ACSM, ACE, NASM, or NSCA.
2. Choose one with the specialization for your current health condition (i.e. pregnancy, postpartum, injury, heart disease, etc.)
3. Determine how many years of experience they have and any experience in your specific condition.
4. Make sure they have liability insurance just in case something happens while you are on their watch.
5. Determine the location you would like to work out at such as a gym, in-home, health center, weight loss clinic, etc.
6. See if the Personal Trainer has a trial session to make sure your PT is a good fit and will best help you! Remember, it is all about you getting the help you need to reach your goals.
7. A great Personal Trainer will devise a customizable workout plan, will help you evaluate your progress, gives you direct answers and in terminology you can understand, is a good teacher, is patient, and is someone who cares about helping you reach your goals.

The key is finding someone who fits well with you and your goals.

As you get ready for the New Year, decide on your resolutions and make sure they are doable. There is no sense in making resolutions that are too hard to reach. Make your goals short term and reachable.

For example, if you think you need to lose 50 pounds. Don’t make your goal ‘I will lose 50 pounds by March’. That is a big goal to reach and if you don’t reach it, you may become discouraged. Instead, make your goal I will lose 10 pounds in the next 6 weeks.

This goal is smaller and easier to achieve. Once you achieve this goal, you will be more motivated to stick with your program and keep working your way to those 50 pounds.

New Year’s Resolution Motivation Tip: Start with small goals!

Ready for that challenge?

Leave a comment below and let me know what your new year’s resolutions are this year.

5 Crazy Simple Steps for a Healthy and Successful New YOU in the NEW YEAR!

I think I can vouch for the majority of us to say that we come to a point in our lives and we just want more!
We want to feel better. We want to be successful in life. We want to make a difference. We want to achieve something great. We want a job promotion. We want to be free of taking medications. We want to just feel better about ourselves. We are ready to get out of the old grind and get on with lives! We are tired of the everyday mundane lives we find ourselves in. (Can you think of another “we” to add?)

So how do we get to the point that we feel better about ourselves and what we are accomplishing?

Well, I have come up with the top 5 steps to consider when deciding to create a healthier or more successful you!

1. Take your health (or your success) seriously!

What does this mean? It means that the first step to achieving greatness no matter what area in your life is to take it seriously. If you approach this desire for change in a half-hazzard manner, you are not going to accomplish anything. Make sure you have a positive attitude about creating a serious change in your life.
Changes are hard to make which is why it is vital that you take this change seriously.

2. Small changes are where it is at!

With determining a need for changing, it is important to determine what changes are to be made. Make sure the changes are small and achievable which will make it easier for you to stay motivated on your path. If your change is big, cut it down to smaller bite-sized pieces so they will be easier for you to chew (or achieve).

Instead of saying I want to workout on a regular basis and eat very healthy, say I would like to workout doing XYZ 2 times a week and cook one healthy meal at home a week. Then once you have done that, move on and add more to your list. Achieving these small goals, will help you keep making small changes towards your ultimate goal!

Big changes discourage you when you mess up, small changes are easier to achieve and encourage you! Which do you want?

3. Get support!

With making any changes, there will be difficulties faced. You will come to a road block and not have any motivation or knowledge of how to get around the road block. This is where you need help! It is vital that you find a support system to help you on your health or business building journey. These people will help you overcome difficulties and will give you the support, encouragement, and accountability to keep going towards your finish line!

If you can’t find a good support system in your friends and family around you or if you feel you need a 3rd party to really help you stick with and work through the difficult times, hire a personal coach.
There are coaches for many different areas of your life.

There are business, marketing, or success coaches that can help you build business. There are health and wellness coaches to help you reach your health outcomes and offer the expertise to set you on the right track. Check into coaches for what you want to accomplish.

4. Plan of Action!

Develop your plan of action requires you to determine what your goal is and what steps are needed to achieve that goal. Your plan of action should include what health benefits you are after, what achieving these benefits will do for you, and how you are going to achieve these health benefits.

Without determining all of these aspects to your plan of action, you will not be organized in reaching your goals which will lead to a lot of time wasted and could even cause you to lose your enthusiasm and give up! We don’t want that! Write out your plan of action!

5. Don’t forget to continue learning!

Learning is a growth process. In order to grow in any area of your life, you need to learn more about it in order to change how your current approach to this area of your life is. If you are very interested in learning how to get healthy, it is very important to keep reading more about healthy living. This way, you are equipped to tackle this area of your life. If you don’t know what it means to be healthy or what the experts are currently saying, how can you expect to become healthy.

If you are very interested in building a home-based business, it is very important for you to learn the newest marketing strategies and business building tactics since these are changing on a constant basis in recent days. How can you expect to grow your business if you are using out-dated tactics? Never stop learning!

With these 5 steps, you will be unstoppable in achieving greatness in all areas of your life! Try them! You will be amazed of what you thought you would not be able to achieve that actual proved doable! What are you ready to change in your life? What are you ready to achieve?

YOUR TURN! What is currently holding you back from achieving your goals in life? Is it fear or the uncomfortable feeling of steping outside of your current status-quo that is holding you back? Leave me a comment below and let me know! Don’t forget to share this post with your friends by clicking the +1 button to the right!

How to Get an Energy Makeover!

What is up with this lack of energy us women find ourselves facing?

Amy is a 24 year old young woman who is just starting her career and has been working long hours. She has informed me that she cannot function in the morning without her coffee. Her morning routine always involves a visit to Starbucks before she heads into work.

As a nurse, I have found many of my coworkers relying on coffee to make it though our long shifts.
Courtney is another young woman who works a normal 9-5 job that struggles with enough energy to make it through the day. She is great waking up in the morning and is full of energy until lunch when the afternoon sluggish feeling takes over.

Lynette is a young mother of 2 girls under the age of 3 years old. She finds herself struggling with enough energy to make it through the day chasing after and entertaining her young girls at home while her husband is at work.

• Do you find yourself relating to one of these situations?
• Do you find yourself having trouble getting up in the morning without coffee?
• Do you find yourself in that mid-afternoon drag?
• Are you dragging yourself through the day just to do it all over again the next day?

You are not alone! Lack of energy is one of the most reported issues among both moms and working professional women.

What is going on with our energy levels?

It does not matter what woman you talk to, it seems we are all feeling we can use more energy to get us through the day. Although we as women are blessed with the ability to multitask better than our male counterparts, it can become the source of our demise.

We are busy. We work all day to come home and cook dinner, take care of the kids, etc. Even if you do not have a family, you are still keeping a very full schedule. It is hard to make time in the day to recharge.

We are planning, planning, and doing more planning. Whether you have a family or are single, there are many things you must schedule and plan for. All of this can take up space in that wonderful brain of yours and create the stress that drains our overall energy levels.

So, what can we do to still get everything we need to get done, DONE without going crazy?

Make sure you get awesome nutrition.

This means you focus 90% of your daily calories on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains. To boost your energy, boost the nutritional content of your food. Make sure your diet focuses on getting more nutrients every day. There are no excuses to partaking in a less than stellar diet. Your life depends on as many nutrients as you can get! So, increase nutrient content of your food and lower the calories you take in during the day allowing your body to repair itself and boost your energy levels.

Stick with your workouts.

When you work out on a regular basis, you stimulate an increase in your neurotransmitter response which naturally boosts your energy. The general thinking would be that using the energy to work out, you have less energy to get you through the day. However, the opposite happens. Your workouts boost your brain power and your energy levels which means working out is more of energy boost than even coffee!

Turn off that TV and Facebook.

This is one that I struggle with; just ask my husband! When you spend more time on the tv or computer, it acts like a drain on your brain which makes you feel even more sluggish without the desire to engage in some exercise. So, spend less time on these activities and boost the health of your brain by spending time socializing, reading, or taking up some new hobbies. Enhance your brain; do not drain your brain!

Get outside Today.

The best way to get an energy boost is to get outside every day. Take in that fresh air and sunshine. There are thousands of studies that show the importance of vitamin D on your overall health and protecting your body against diseases. Just being outside is a great way to relax, refresh, and rejuvenate which will give you a great natural energy boost.

Stop worrying.

This is something that we women do very well. We worry A LOT! Whether we are always worrying about finances, friends, work, family, or the house, we always have something to worry about. You know what good worry does? NOTHING! It just takes up brain space and drains your energy. Lower your stress level by worrying about the things you really can’t do anything about and clear some room in that head of yours for more important thoughts.

Do you think these 5 tips will help you boost your energy level? What is your biggest energy drain you face? Let me know by leaving me a comment below!

How to Set Up Your Own Super-Smoothie Bar!

As many of you know, I LOVE smoothies and I’m also pretty good at creating and making them (even if I do say so myself!), so this issue I thought I’d share with you my guide to creating a smoothie bar in your own home that’s good to go at any time of day and is quick and easy to use.

Why smoothies? Because they’re fast, quick, fun, delicious and they are great at any time of day and can often deliver a hefty dose of nutrition in a tasty and beautiful package!

My kitchen sees a lot of smoothie action, whether it be green smoothies for lunch or nut milk-based smoothies for supper… and I hope that with the help of this issue, yours will soon too!

Step 1: Tool Yourself Up. The only piece of equipment you need to make a great smoothie is, of course, a blender (but if you want to make nut milks using whole nuts you’ll want a nut milk bag too – more about that next issue.)

Now, as may or may not know, all blenders are not equal! Certainly you can get away with a High Street blender costing around $20-$30 for a fair amount of time if you treat it kindly, but if you’ve got the money and the passion then the best place you could invest your money for the long haul is without doubt in the very “hardcore” blender that is the Vita-Mix TNC (pictured). Yes, they are pricey (especially here in Europe), but they are soo worth it.

I am fortunate enough to own one myself and like many others who are also proud owners of these beautiful machines I really do think it’s one of the best investments in my health I have ever made. I use it every day and it’s my favourite piece of equipment in my entire kitchen.

All that said, if budget does not permit you to spend nigh on $400 on this particular piece of kit, then all is not lost, just spend the most you can on something that’s got good reviews on Amazon or similar and when you’ve got that part sorted, you’re ready to go!

Step 2: Gather Your Ingredients. Before you start let’s take a look at what you could have on hand to make your smoothies with.
* Fresh fruit (in a bowl and/or fridge)
* Fresh greens (in your fridge. e.g. spinach, watercress, lettuce, kale, chard etc.)
* Frozen fruit (in your freezer)
* Ice-cubes (in your freezer)
* Sweeteners (e.g. dates, agave nectar, maple syrup , honey, stevia etc.)
* Flavourings (e.g. mesquite meal, carob powder, cacao nibs/ powder, vanilla pods/ essence etc.)
* Superfoods (e.g. maca, bee pollen, green powders, hemp protein powder, etc.)
* Nuts and seeds and/or their butters (for nut milks)
* Cartons of coconut water/ milk
* Oils (not necessary, but some people like to use hemp, flax or coconut oil in their smoothies for EFAs)

Obviously fresh fruit, greens, nuts and seeds are easy to buy in the shops these days, as are some of the other more specialised foods. But for those ingredients that are new to you or that you can’t get hold of locally, the good news is that all of these ingredients are now easy to buy mail order wherever you are in the world. Yes, I will be biased and recommend that if you are in Europe you get them from The Fresh Network (!), but if you are overseas you can get all of these from a variety of online stores such as Nature’s First Law.

If most of these are new to you, then the ones I recommend you start off with are: dates for sweetening and agave nectar (light) if you want something new to try; vanilla pods or essence and/or mesquite powder for flavourings; bee pollen (for non-vegans) as an incredible superfood and coconut oil for fat if you’d like some.
Whatever you choose, make sure that you gather all your non-refrigerated ingredients into one place so that they are all together, which leads me nicely on to…

Step 3: Pick Your Spot. Whether you choose to make your smoothies at home or at the office, picking the right spot is key. Why? Because if it’s somewhere awkward to get to, or not near to the sink or a million miles from your fridge, ingredients or glasses, then you’ll feel much less inclined to actually use your smoothie bar! To give you a brief glimpse into my world, my blender is located with my sink to the left, my smoothie ingredients are to the right on a shelf above (you could have yours in a box or tray if you don’t have shelving in your kitchen) and my glasses are located up to the right in a cupboard next to the ingredients. And the fridge is just 2 steps away. Even though this all sounds like perfect common sense, it’s amazing how many of us make life difficult for ourselves and dot everything all over the place! By keeping these 5 things all close to hand, you will now officially have your “bar” in place and will be all set to get creative.

Step 4: Choose Your Recipes. Now that you have your blender, your ingredients and your actual “bar” all set up, what are you going to make? Well, this is where the past few eZines come in. So far I’ve published 4 different smoothies recipes in the past 5 issues, so they should get you started! Then of course there’s your Raw Bible – if you haven’t picked some smoothies recipes yet, now would be the ideal time to do so. Photocopy them (or print the eZine recipes off) and file them in those clear files you bought and you’ll be all set to go.

Step 5: Get Smoothie-ing! I generally recommend that if you are very new to smoothie making that you start very simply, as I did, with pure water, a couple of small bananas (or one big one) and one handful of fresh fruit of your choice. Strawberries work well, as do any berries, or peach, nectarine, pineapple or mango. All of these are good and very straightforward to buy and use. From there, when you have your confidence up and are ready to try new things, you can start to get a bit more experimental and add in other more unusual ingredients such as the powders and potions and even a little bit of oil if you’d like to (ideally no more than 2 teaspoons per pint). Personally I keep oils out, but then getting enough calories is not my concern as my needs are pretty low in that department! One step beyond that is to experiment with using nut or seed milks for a base instead of bananas, which is where your nut milk bag will come in. This is really easy to do, but I’ll keep the “How To” for another article which will follow next issue. Until then, I’ll be expecting you to set your smoothie bar up to perfection ready and eager to go for next week!

Do we have a deal?!

Karen Knowler

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Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes “Successfully Raw” – a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you’re ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

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Hope you enjoyed this awesome article by Karen! If you haven’t done so already, check out her blog that is loaded with tons of great information about going raw. Instead of using the Vita-mix, I prefer the BlendTec which I feel is like Vita-Mix’s automatic cousin. They are both awesome blenders, but BlendTec seems made for the 21st century! You can’t go wrong with either blender though!

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Are you going to set up your kitchen for some awesome smoothies?

Leave a comment below…

Getting Started with a Green Clean Healthstyle in 7 Simple Steps

Through my experiences in studying and putting into practice healthier living techniques, I have found it more and more vital for you to incorporate more green living into your lives.

No, I am not passionate about saving energy by buying a different light bulb or turning off the lights after I leave a room (my husband is the one who usually goes behind me turning them off).

These may be important for saving energy and I am not here to discredit their validity, however, it does not find its way up on my “important to do list”.

What I have learned and am very passionate about is limiting the amount of toxic chemicals that our families are bombarded with on a daily basis from cleaning products, to shampoo, food, and even cosmetics.

By cutting down on the potential exposure your family has to these dangerous chemicals, you are taking one more step to creating a lifetime of health for your family.

Today I really want to talk to you about how you clean your home and really rethinking what you view as clean.

What makes up a truly green clean home?

1. A truly clean home will have no ingredients that will harm your family
2. A truly clean home will have no ingredients that will hang around in your home environment to harm your family.

Let me tell you a little secret: that lemon-y clean smell that is advertised as clean and what you come to expect in your clean home actually consists of dangerous chemicals that are hanging around in your environment.

These chemicals are breathed in by your family and can lead to so many issues such as breathing problems, asthma, allergies, and many others that are all due to toxic chemical exposure.

So how do you protect your family from these chemicals and make sure your home is truly green clean?

• Research “what is green clean?” in order to understand that clean does not mean you have to use dangerous chemicals and smell it afterwards. Real clean is odorless. Remember how you felt the last time you were outdoors in the middle of nowhere or up in the mountains? Fresh and clean just feels light and airy not full of lemon chemicals.
• Decide right now to protect the health of your family by switching to green clean. (Switching to green clean does not sacrifice ability to actually clean…those chemicals don’t make it any better to clean your home)
• Start small by choosing one room in your house to green clean.
• Throw away any toxic chemicals and cleaning products in this room. Those that have “danger” and “caution” warning labels really do mean they are toxic for your family.
• Did you know cleaning manufacturers do not have to label all their ingredients that they use? They can easily be leaving out others you are not aware of that can be very hazardous to your health. Check out hpd.nlm.nih.gov to see what is in your cleaning products.
• Before throwing these products in the trash or dumping them down the sink which ends up leading back to our clean water, call your local sanitation department and dispose of them correctly.
• Buy green cleaning products that will be better for your whole family and may even ease a lot of the already existing conditions. A good brand that you can find at most stores is 7^th generation. Otherwise Shaklee products are great (Shaklee.com).

Take the next step and start taking your family’s home environment and health seriously by making sure your home is as green clean as possible. Become green clean and finally be able to breathe in fresh air and live in a very clean environment!

YOUR TURN! Let me know what you think of this article by leaving a comment below! Are you green clean? If not, what is holding you back? Don’t forget to share this with your family and friends and help them protect the health of their families by “sharing the love” below!