DoubleTree by Hilton San Jose has an amazing newly remodelled Hilton Fitness by Precor Center on property. We love to see our guests use the facility and become healthier people! As important as it is for each of us to hit the weights, its also very important to eat right. Below are some tips on how to eat right while getting that flat stomach everyone is dying to have!

5 Ways to Get a Flat Stomach:

By Adam Bornstein

1. Will eating smaller meals curb my hunger?

Contrary to what you’ve heard, the five-small-meals-a-day mantra doesn’t work for everyone. The new thinking? You’ll eat healthiest if you eat your way–meaning, if you prefer substantial meals fewer times a day, there’s no reason to force yourself to do the opposite, says Aragon. But while the number of meals doesn’t matter, their size does.

According to Purdue University researchers, the biggest problem with our noshing behavior is that snacks have become meals, and meals have become feasts. In the past 30 years, snack sizes have increased from 360 calories to a whopping 580! When you consider that the average woman snacks twice during each workday, you’re looking at almost 500 extra calories a day. In just two weeks, these oversize bites–no matter how “healthy” they are–can contribute to an extra pound of fat. The takeaway: However many times you eat, always make sure that you’re keeping an eye on your portions.

2. How do I know which fats are OK to eat?

It’s been scientifically proven: Eating fat helps you become slim, says Aragon. In fact, the Institute of Medicine recommends that fatty foods make up 20 to 35 percent of your total calories. This, of course, isn’t an invitation to head over to the nearest fast-food joint. You have to include the right fats–primarily monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) like nuts, avocados, and healthy oils–and stay away from processed foods that contain trans fats, such as baked goods. A report in the British Journal of Nutrition found that a MUFA-rich diet helped people lose small amounts of weight and body fat even when they didn’t change their calorie intake. What’s more, dieters who took a high-fat approach needed 25 fewer days to lose 10 pounds than those who used a high-carb approach, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University–and that was on a diet of 30 percent fat! So go ahead and indulge (in moderation) in fatty foods that are good for your body, including beef (top round and sirloin), pork, eggs (yolks too), and reduced-fat sour cream and cheese.

3. Is counting calories the only way to guarantee a flat stomach?

What matters most for shedding belly fat boils down to calories in versus calories out. For sure, counting those suckers at every meal will help you stay consistent with a healthy eating plan, says Aragon–but it isn’t necessary to lose weight. If worrying about Every. Single. Calorie. is stressing you out, put away the calculator (research shows that stress itself can cause you to stuff your face). Instead, fill your plate with whole, energy-dense foods, such as lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Because they pack a lot of nutrition into comparatively few calories, you’re able to eat more and feel full without expanding your waistline. For an example of how to combine specific foods into belly-flattening dishes, see Good Eats for Great Abs.

4. Aren’t protein shakes just for bodybuilders?

Don’t be fooled by labels featuring ripped, bulked-up dudes. Anyone, jock or not, can benefit from the belly-flattening power of protein powder. Opt for whey protein over soy: According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, participants whose diets included whey protein for 23 weeks had less body fat and a smaller waist than those who consumed soy protein. In fact, as strange as it sounds, dieters who included whey protein in their eating plan doubled their fat loss compared with those who ate the same number of calories but didn’t drink any shakes. To reveal your abs once and for all, try including a whey protein shake once a day or at least a few times a week.

5. I’m losing pounds but not inches. What’s wrong?

This usually means you’re not strength training or eating enough protein, says Aragon. Pick up some weights, and add six ounces of lean meat to your post-workout meal or mix two scoops of protein powder into a smoothie or yogurt. Each option yields about 40 grams of protein, the amount you need to lose fat while preserving metabolism-revving muscle.

 Hilton Worldwide, Flamingo Las Vegas, LaQuinta Inns & Suites and Gaylord Entertainment Take Top Honors at the Annual Hotel Tech Forum RANDOLPH, NJ, Apr 19, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX)

Hospitality Technology (HT) magazine has named the winners of the 2012 Visionary Awards. Every year, HT presents a select group of lodging companies with accolades for outstanding achievement in delivering technological excellence. This year’s honorees are the Flamingo Las Vegas, Hilton Worldwide, LaQuinta Inns & Suites and Gaylord Entertainment.

Visionary Awards are presented in two categories: infrastructure/back-office technology, and customer-facing/in-room technology. In order to ensure that companies from across the industry are recognized for their efforts, consideration is given to size, resources and individual market segment benchmarks. Winners were selected by HT editorial staff on a basis of innovation, thought leadership, execution, and forward-thinking vision.

“This is a very exciting time for the lodging industry, when we consider how rapidly technology is changing and providing unprecedented opportunities to deliver exceptional and highly personalized guest service,” said Abigail A. Lorden, editor-in-chief of Hospitality Technology. “We at HT are delighted to honor this group of hotel companies for their outstanding efforts in technology innovation.”

 The winners were announced at the Hotel Technology Forum (HTF) on Thursday, April 19, 2012. The 2012 HTF, held April 19-20 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev., is produced by Hospitality Technology, and brings together senior-level hotel executives from high-growth hotel companies to share strategic insights and tactical analyses on the issues that are critical to hospitality businesses today.

 The 2012 Visionary Award Winners Hilton Worldwide was selected as an Infrastructure/Back-Office Technology Innovator for its development of a wireless High-Speed Internet Access (HSIA) solution to provide sufficient bandwidth across the Hilton brand on a global basis through a revamping of its StayConnected program. The goal was to build a rock-solid technical infrastructure for a host of innovative, guest-facing services and products delivered and accessed on mobile devices across an unsurpassed hotel wireless network. The system allows for real-time monitoring of bandwidth consumption, allowing Hilton to handle capacity issues before they become a cause of guest complaints. “We are honored to be recognized with the 2012 Visionary Award for our StayConnected program,” said John Flack, vice president, information technology, Hilton Worldwide. “Our program, an industry-first, was created in response to customer feedback, which was to provide faster, consistent, high-bandwidth internet access across all brands globally. In addition, StayConnected allows Hilton to leverage a consistent platform for enhanced guest experiences in a rapidly changing environment.”

Being that DoubleTree by Hilton San Jose is a Certified-Sustainable Hotel, we would love to spread our love for the environment and share some easy tips!

By Katren Lee

There are a million different ways to live sustainably and if you think about them all, they can make your head spin. So, here are 3 easy ways (out of a million) to live sustainably that will make you and the environment happier. 

1. Eat sustainably.

This might sound hard but it really isn’t. The best way to eat sustainably is to eat whole foods and cook from scratch. Avoid the middle aisles in the supermarket and shop around the perimeter of the store. The only items you should be buying from the middle of the aisle are organic personal care products, like shampoo, soaps, detergents, and dishwashing liquid. Now if you are a true, die hard, handmade guru, you can make all those items from scratch too. But you’ll still need the ingredients from the middle aisles of a market and the patience of Caroline Ingalls. Oh, and, if you eat more plant based diet, you’ll achieve this goal a lot faster as meat production is a lot more damaging to the environment, not to mention your health.

2. Clean with non-toxic chemicals.

This took a little bit of getting used to when I started but now, non-toxic cleaners are all I use in my house. In addition, they are in every supermarket and are just as cheap and just as effective as those nasty, eye tearing, nose itching, chemical loaded cleaners. Non-toxic cleaners are so much gentler on your skin, not to mention our water ways. Again, you can make your own detergents if you feel adventurous but you don’t have to if you are too busy bringing home the bacon. If nothing else, try using vinegar and baking soda for all your surface cleaning. You’ll be surprised how well they work and how inexpensive they are.

3. Reduce Consumption and create less waste.

Wow. What does this mean? You mean, don’t buy anything? No. It means, weigh the Pro’s and Con’s of what you are buying. Some items are not worth the money and the space they’ll take up in your house. If you see something you like, walk away for ten minutes and ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” If answer is “Yes”, then, think about it for one more day. If the answer is sill ‘Yes”, then, buy it. And then, when you bring it home, don’t open it, and let it sit in the bag for another day. The chances are, if it’s an impulsive purchase, the impulse decision will now have lost its glitter. Then, you can return the item and get a refund. You’ll leave the store with more cash in your pocket than when you walked in and less clutter in your house. And less waste for the landfills.

For more tips on tips, go to Green Living Ideas

Aged, hand cut and seared to perfection. Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops of San Jose is the ultimate steakhouse restaurant. Featuring USDA prime steaks and chops.  Spencer’s restaurant offers juicy  Filet Mignons, Pure Country Double-Cut Pork Chops, Superior Farms Lamb Chops, Petaluma Free Range Chicken Chops and the Bone-In Ribeye for which Spencer’s is named. If you prefer the sea to the plains, try the fresh seafood such as the Alaskan Halibut or Pepper Crusted Ahi.

Our famous chops and innovative side dishes prepared with an undeniably creative flair will also make your mouth water. Desserts are made fresh daily and include Bread Pudding, Peach Crisp, and RIck Tall Chocolate Layer Cake served with Praline Milk.

Friendly conversation, handcrafted martinis and fine wines are featured at our full service bar.  And if you find yourself too comfortable to move into the dining room, our bar menu will give you a wide variety of our featured items.

Celebrate life with the perfect meal prepared and served in style at this premier California restaurant.