An Equation to Remember in November

Brrrrr, it's getting cold out there! This is the time to bundle up, stay indoors, and yes, unfortunately most of us put on a few extra pounds. Taking the subway, cabs and cars has us walking less as the temperature drops to unbearable lows. Delivery is a lot more convenient than grocery shopping and menus tend to feature warm and fattening delectables to keep us satiated and coming back for more. Offices are loaded with holiday goodies and holiday boozing will become more frequent. So how does this all affect your waistline? Obviously, it is affecting it in a LARGE way. But, it doesn't have to if you can remember this one simple equation:

It takes 3500 calories to burn 1 pound of fat. Or, it takes 3500 calories of extra food to gain 1 pound of fat. It sounds like a lot but if you divide 3500 by 7 days of the week it equals 500 calories per day.

So, if you can simply avoid 250 calories a day of junk and burn 250 calories a day through exercise you should be able to maintain your weight or even LOSE weight during the holidays! Wouldn't that be amazing!

For motivation and a personalized program schedule a health consultation with Jennifer before the holidays begin. Get a headstart!

Published on The Huffington Post

Check out my article on Food as Medicine on the Huffington Post!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-swift/ladies-who-launchem_b_71541.html

Health and the City on Gawker.com

I woke up this morning to a phone call from my friend, alerting me that I was on Gawker.com this morning. Check it out.........

Cut and paste into your browswer:
http://gawker.com/news/the-law-comes-to-town/sex-inand-the-city-the-lawsuit-315179.php

Weight Loss Tip #4: Designing your Exercise Program

Ok. Again, designing any diet or fitness program should be customized to the individual. However, some general guidelines to consider when creating your fitness plan are:

Make sure that you are covering all 3 parts of fitness. Cardiovascular, Strength Training and Flexibility. Most people leave at least one of these out and sometimes two. For example, if you only run, you are missing out on the flexibility and strength aspects. If you only do yoga, while I'm sure you are very mellow, you are missing out on your cardio, and perhaps some strength training.

You can split up these components and divide them into your week. For example: yoga on Monday, Elliptical on Tuesday and Thursday and weights on Friday.

Or find an activity that incorporates all three into one, like martial arts. Yes, I am a HUGE proponent of martial arts because of this fact. It is the most balanced workout, in my humble opinion.

For more info on martial arts you can check out my school called World Martial Arts Center. www.happykicks.com The link is above.

Weight Loss 101

Welcome back from a gorgeous Memorial Day weekend. How was it to get into that bikini or bathing suit again? I know for some of us it was a bit tougher than others. But not to worry, if you start now, by July 4th, you can be looking hotter than the city on a steamy August day.

For the next week or so, I will be posting weight loss tips including diet and exercise suggestions. I may even follow a case study. Any volunteers?

To get you ready for the next month of kicking yourself into high gear start with this:

1.Go back and read 2 Days to Detox.

2. Start drinking more water. Adults should be drinking from 2 to 3 liters per day depending on your weight and activity level.

3. Get a journal.

See you tomorrow!

Women's Health Mag May Issue

On page 103 you can find an energizing martial arts workout that I have designed for the magazine. You can do it anymore at anytime, no equipment or experience needed.

Excerpt:
Why it works:
As you slide into that midafternoon slump, you need a mental pick-me-up as much as a physical one. "Martial arts give you energy because they increase focus," says Jennifer Cassetta, a second degree black belt instructor at World Martial Arts Center in New York City. "You're challenging yourself to remember these new moves and combinations."

March issue of Marie Claire

"I'm not motivated to do things by myself, so I had a workout party with my boyfriend, some other friends, and personal trainer Jennifer Cassetta. She taught us martial arts moves - we even held up pads for each other to kick. It reminded me of how much I liked martial arts when I was younger. Toward the end, we were trying to keep up with her, and we were all dying, but we made it through! Then we had tea and chatted. I loved it. Plus, my boyfriend was ready to collapse at the end of it, and it made him realize how out-of-shape he is, so we're making a resolution to get healthy together. It's impossible to get someone to work out if they're not motivated to do it, but it's easy to invite someone to do something active with you."
- Kristine, 27, graphic designer