New Year - New ME!!

2012-09-14T05:25:00.001-07:00

The 10 Best Foods for Flat Abs

The sad truth: You can crunch yourself into a coma and still have ab flab. If you really want a sleek, sexy midriff, you've got to tweak your diet. All of the best waist-whittling foods contain fiber to banish bloat, antioxidants to boost your abs routine's effectiveness, and protein to help maintain a healthy metabolism. Here, the top 10 choices for flatter abs.

1. Almonds

These delicious and versatile nuts contain filling protein and fiber, not to mention vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They're also a good source of magnesium, a mineral your body must have in order to produce energy, build and maintain muscle tissue, and regulate blood sugar. "A stable blood-sugar level helps prevent cravings that can lead to overeating and weight gain," says David Katz, MD, a professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. But what makes almonds most interesting is their ability to block calories. Research indicates that the composition of their cell walls may help reduce the absorption of all of their fat, making them an extra-lean nut.

Try for: An ounce a day (about 23 almonds), with approximately 160 calories. An empty Altoids tin will hold your daily dose perfectly.

2. Eggs

You won't find a more perfect protein source. Eggs are highly respected by dietitians because of their balance of essential amino acids (protein building blocks used by your body to manufacture everything from muscle fibers to brain chemicals). We like them because they keep our hands out of the cookie jar. Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center found that when people ate eggs in the morning, they felt less hungry throughout the day than when breakfast consisted of complex carbohydrates like bagels. "The protein and fat in the egg may be contributing to the feeling of satiety," says lead researcher Nikhil V. Dhurandhar, PhD.

Try for: One egg a day, unless you have high blood cholesterol, in which case you should check with your doctor first. (One egg packs about 213 milligrams of cholesterol.)

3. Soy

Soybeans are a great source of antioxidants, fiber, and protein. Plus, they're incredibly versatile. Snack on dry-roasted soybeans, toss shelled edamame into soups, and slip a spoonful of silken tofu into your morning smoothie. Liquid soy also makes a good meal replacement: A study from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that overweight subjects who drank a soy milk?based meal replacement lost more weight than those who consumed a traditional dairy-based diet drink.

Try for: Twenty-five grams of whole (not isolated) soy protein daily. A half cup of steamed edamame contains about 130 calories and 11 grams of protein. Four ounces of tofu (94 calories) contain 10 grams. Choose whole soy foods over products packed with "isolated soy protein" -- the latter may not provide all the benefits of whole soybeans.

4. Apples

A 2003 study in the journal Nutrition found that overweight women who consumed three apples or pears a day for three months lost more weight than their counterparts who were fed a similar diet with oat cookies instead of fruits. "A large apple has five grams of fiber, but it's also nearly 85 percent water, which helps you feel full," explains Elisa Zied, RD, author of So What Can I Eat?! (Wiley, 2006). Apples also contain quercetin, a compound shown to help fight certain cancers, reduce cholesterol damage, and promote healthy lungs.

Try for: An apple (or two) a day. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that the Red Delicious, Cortland, and Northern Spy varieties had the highest antioxidant activity.

5. Berries

Most are loaded with fiber, every dieter's best friend. The more fiber you eat -- experts say that it's best to get between 25 and 35 grams every day -- the fewer calories you absorb from all the other stuff you put in your mouth. That's because fiber traps food particles and shuttles them out of your system before they're fully digested. Berries (and other fruits) are also high in antioxidants, which not only help protect you from chronic diseases like cancer but may also help you get more results from your workouts. "Antioxidants help improve blood flow, which can help muscles contract more efficiently," says Dr. Katz.

Try for: At least half a cup daily, or about 30 calories' worth. Don't limit yourself to the usual suspects, like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. If you can find them, add boysenberries, gooseberries, and black currants to the mix for excitement.

6. Leafy Greens

Their cancer-preventing carotenoids won't help shrink your waistline, but their low calorie count definitely will. One cup of spinach contains only about 40 calories, while a cup of broccoli has 55 calories and satisfies 20 percent of your day's fiber requirement. Most leafy greens are also a good source of calcium, an essential ingredient for muscle contraction. In other words, they help fuel your workouts.

Try for: Three servings daily. Keep a bag of prewashed baby spinach in your fridge and toss a handful into soups, salads, pasta dishes, stir-fries, and sandwiches. When you get sick of spinach, reach for a bunch of arugula, broccoli rabe, or broccolini, a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale.

7. Yogurt

People who get their calcium from yogurt rather than from other sources may lose more weight around their midsection, according to a recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity. The probiotic bacteria in most yogurts help keep your digestive system healthy, which translates into a lower incidence of gas, bloating, and constipation, which can keep your tummy looking flat.

Try for: One to three cups a day of low-fat or fat-free yogurt. Choose unsweetened yogurt that contains live active cultures. Add a handful of fresh chopped fruit for flavor and extra fiber.

8. Veggie Soup

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that people who ate broth-based (or low-fat cream-based) soups two times a day were more successful in losing weight than those who ate the same amount of calories in snack food. Soup eaters also maintained, on average, a total weight loss of 16 pounds after one year. "Plus, it's a simple way to get your vegetables," says Susan Kleiner, PhD, RD, author of Power Eating (Human Kinetics, 2001).

Try for: At least one cup of low-calorie, low-sodium vegetable soup every day.

9. Salmon

Seafood, especially fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. These uber-healthy fats may help promote fat burning by making your metabolism more efficient, according to Kleiner. An Australian study showed that overweight people who ate fish daily improved their glucose-insulin response. Translated, this means that seafood may help slow digestion and prevent cravings. If that doesn't hook you, consider this: Seafood is an excellent source of abs-friendly protein.

Try for: Two four-ounce servings per week. Wild salmon, though pricey, contains more omega-3 fatty acids than farm-raised. (If it doesn't say wild, it's farm-raised.) If seafood's not your thing, you can get your omega-3's from flaxseed (grind and sprinkle on your cereal) or walnuts.

10. Quinoa

Never heard of it? Pronounced KEEN-wah, this whole grain contains 5 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein per half cup. Cook it as you would any other grain (although some brands require rinsing). Quinoa's nutty flavor and crunchy-yet-chewy texture are like a cross between whole-wheat couscous and short-grain brown rice.

Try for: At least one half-cup serving (a third of your whole-grain requirements) per day. Try substituting AltiPlano Gold brand instant quinoa hot cereal (160 to 210 calories per packet), in Chai Almond and Spiced Apple Raisin, for oatmeal. Look for it in health-food stores.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/plans/diets/foods-for-flat-abs/

Awful Truths & Realizationss

2012-07-05T07:45:00.004-07:00

This pic was taken just over a year ago.....MY TRUTH? I've gained 20lbs back and I am NOT proud of it. I know exactly what I did....NOW to fix it. It wont be easy...BUT IT WILL BE DONE!!!

61 Easy Ways To Lose Weight

2012-06-28T06:37:00.004-07:00

Written by: Chris Mohr, Ph.D., R.D.

A few years ago, one of my friends at Men's Health stepped on the scale and was horrified by the result. He'd somehow managed to pack 20 pounds of flab onto his previously skinny frame. When he looked into the mirror, he saw a fat guy staring back. He decided to make a change, quick.    

That day, he gave up his beloved soda. He was only drinking two or three bottles a day, but over the course of six months, he dropped those 20 pounds. It was a small change to his lifestyle -- no big deal, really. And yet, it had a massive impact on his health and his body. (No surprise: Drinking calories is one of the 20 Habits That Make You Fat.)   

My point: Making small decisions each day can result in big-time fat loss. 

Below are dozens of simple ways to lose weight. Start with one -- today! -- and watch the weight begin to melt away. Trust me, this is going to be easier than you think.  

1. Have a clear goal. It should be one that anyone in the world can measure and understand.

2. Drink tea. Research suggests that those who drink tea -- black, green, or white, as long as it’s from real tea versus herbal tea -- have lower BMIs and less body fat than those who don’t consume tea.

3. Eat cayenne pepper. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that when compared to placebo, capsaicin -- the active ingredient in cayenne -- increased fat burning.

4. Decrease/eliminate processed carbs. They do nothing for you outside of creating a favorable environment for gaining fat.

5. Eat more veggies. They fill you up, without providing many calories. Just avoid the high-calorie dressings.

6. Eat more fruit. No one ever gained weight from eating more fruit. And that includes the so-called "high sugar" fruits like bananas and melons.

7. Lift weights. Heavy weights. Build more muscle, burn more calories.

8. Cut down rest time between sets. This will keep your heart rate elevated causing an increase in calories burned. The good news: You can sky-rocket your heart rate and torch belly-fat fast with The Spartacus Workout for Men and The Spartacus Workout for Women -- the most popular fat-blasting workouts in Men's Health and Women's Health history.

9. Do intervals. Study after study after study continues to show intervals are more effective and time efficient than longer activity performed at a lower intensity.

10. Eat more protein. Replacing refined carbohydrates with lean protein will not only help satiate you, but will also increase your metabolism -- through something called the thermic effect of food.

11. Eat protein more frequently. It's important to also time your intake so you're eating protein regularly throughout the day -- not just in one lump sum, like most do at dinner. Every meal and snack should include some protein.

12. Supplement with fish oil. A study published in Lipids fed mice diets enhanced EPA and DHA -- a.k.a. fish oil. The researchers learned that the mice fed diets higher in omega-3 fats had significantly less accumulation of body fat. Other studies have shown similar results.

13. Do full body exercises. Think: Squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, and push-ups. You'll get more bang for your buck out of each workout.

14. Cycle your carb intake based on your activity level. Sure, carbs are important. But on the days you don't work out, you simply don't need as many compared to the days you exercise hard. Rule of thumb: The more active you are, the more carbs you can eat, and vice versa.

15. Start your meals with a salad. Salad will provide some bulk to help fill you up -- so that you eat less calories overall.

16. Don't forget the fiber. Think of fiber like a sponge; it absorbs water and makes you feel full.

17. Drink water. Professor Dr. Brenda Davy and her Team from Virginia Tech University found that giving people 2 cups of water before each meal resulted in greater weight loss after 12 weeks. The reason? It helps fill you up.

18. Add beans to your salads. It's a nice way to add some additional fiber, protein and healthy carbs.

19. Replace one meal a day with a large salad and lean protein. This is a simple way to instantly improve your diet.

20. Keep a food journal. There's no better way to track what you're putting in your mouth.

21. Watch your portions. Avoid the buffet line and never supersize. Instead make sure you're following what the nutrition label recommends for a serving.

22. Switch to calorie-free drinks. All calories count, whether they're liquid or solid. So unless it's low-fat milk, opt for tea or water. Or something I was introduced to in the Netherlands -- large bunches of mint, lemon and hot water.

23. Weigh yourself. Studies show daily weigh-ins help enhance weight loss efforts. Don't live and die by the number. And of course a scale doesn’t decipher between fat and lean body mass, but it can still be of benefit to keep things "in check."

24. Eat whole eggs. Daily. A study published a couple years ago showed that those who ate whole eggs versus a bagel for breakfast ate less at the next meal. A similar study showed eating whole eggs increases HDL (good) cholesterol.

25. Eat breakfast. A review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those who eat breakfast are more successful with long-term weight maintenance. Other research has shown the same for weight loss. Grab hardboiled eggs, scrambled eggs, Greek yogurt, a piece of fruit and handful of nuts, or make a smoothie. It doesn't have to be fancy.

26. Eat the bulk of your meals in the A.M. Then eat progressively less throughout the day. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating most of your calories earlier in the day positively influences weight changes.

27. To burn more calories, stay upright. This means not sitting in front of a computer, TV, phone, etc., all day. Stand and you'll burn more and be more productive. This could even save your life.

28. Use the stairs. That's right: Skip the escalator and elevator. This won't make or break success, but every little bit helps. So get in all the movement you can.

29. Eat low-energy, dense foods. These are foods that are high in water and lower in calories, such as fruit, veggies, soups, and salads. Studies at Penn State University have showed that the inclusion of these foods helps individuals eat less total calories overall.

30. Don't grocery shop hungry If you do, you'll buy everything in the aisle -- instead of sticking to your list. And most of the time, the foods you buy when hungry will be the kinds that sabotage your weight loss efforts.

31. Replace side dishes with steamed veggies. Restaurants will often allow you to substitute the fries or chips with steamed veggies. All you have to do is ask.

32. Bake, don't fry.

33. Use the fat-burner in your backyard: Your grill. (And make sure you have a copy of Grill This, Not That! -- the extraordinary guide to grilling that can help you lose 10, 20, 30 or more pounds.)

34. Order dressing on the side. But here's the bigger secret: Dip your fork in dressing, and then in the salad. This saves a ton more dressing than if one was to order it on the side, and the pour the entire cup on the salad anyway. Fewer calories equal less weight.

35. In the airport: Carry your luggage, don't roll it. Again, not a deal breaker in terms of success -- just another way to increase energy expenditure.

36. Skip the "Venti lattes" and opt for plain coffee. (Or better yet, tea.) Those extra-large "designer" coffees can pack a belly-inflating 500 or more calories per serving!

37. Embrace oats. Plain rolled oats will help fill you up more than the high sugar breakfast counterparts. Moreover, one serving provides a lot less calories than the sugar coated alternatives.

38. Fidget. A study published in the journal Science showed that those who fidgeted more often -- for example, changed their posture frequently -- weighed less than those who didn't. This extra movement was termed NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis).

39. Laugh often. A study presented at the European Congress on Obesity found those who laughed hard for approximately 10 to 15 minutes each day burned an additional 10 to 40 calories/day. Multiply that by 365 and those calories can add up!

40. Leave something on your plate at the end of the meal. Every little bit counts.

41. When out to eat, split a meal. The portions are usually big enough to feed a family.

42. Skip dessert.

43. Don't socialize around the food tables at parties. You're more likely to munch mindlessly, even though you may not be hungry.

44. Don't eat your kid's leftovers. Every little bit of food adds up, including what we call "BLTs" (bites, licks and tastes).

45. Keep chips, dips, and other high fat junk foods out of the house. It's not about willpower; it's about being realistic.

46. If you have a dog, take him for a walk. It's better for both him and you than just letting him out the back. (Bonus: He'll love you even more!)

47. If you don't have a pet, offer to walk a neighbor's dog. Make friends; lose weight.

48. Use smaller plates and bowls. There will be less room for you to fill up and it makes less food seems like more.

49. Skip buffets. It's a foregone conclusion: If you don't, you'll feel like you have to get your money's worth and overeat.

50. Slow down. It takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes for your stomach to sense it's full. If you wolf down your food like a starving dog, you'll likely out-eat your hunger.

51. Decrease your food intake by 100 calories per day. Theoretically this translates to losing nearly one pound per month (1 lb = 3,500 calories) -- with hardly any effort.

52. Buy a pedometer and accumulate at least 10,000 steps each day.

53. When possible, walk or bike to do your errands.

54. Don't buy in bulk. The more that is there, the more that you'll eat.

55. Plan ahead. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

56. Keep some healthy snacks -- like nuts -- in your glove compartment so you're prepared at all times.

57. Take before pictures.

58. Get new friends. If your friends prefer pizza, wings, nachos and beer on a regular basis, find one's who are like-minded and want to be healthy. Research has suggested that friends enhance (or can hurt) success.

59. Put yourself first. Many people (women in particular) put everyone else ahead of themselves and let their health fall by the side.

60. Remember: It's not all or nothing. If you fall off the bandwagon, jump right back on. Don't let yourself continue to fall until all progress has been lost.

61. Wake up early to exercise. You're more likely to get it done if you don’t wait until after work.

Looking for more than simple lifestyle tweaks? Discover the doctor-approved eating and fat-loss guide in Dr. Travis Stork's best-selling book, The Lean-Belly Prescription.

-- Chris Mohr, Ph.D., R.D., is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant, and the owner of MohrResults.com.

Weight-Loss Motivation: 13 Ways to Stay on Track

2012-06-19T06:28:00.003-07:00

Have Lots Of Sex

First off, it's pretty damn fun. But it can also keep you on the slim track. Having an orgasm releases the same endorphins in your brain that eating chocolate does--without the calories. And research shows that the more weight you lose, the better your sex life gets: A Duke University study found that even a 10 percent reduction in weight (that's 15 pounds if you weigh 150) resulted in major improvements in all areas of the participants' sex lives, including arousal, feelings of attractiveness, and enjoyment of sexual activity (read: oodles of Os).

Make A Promise

It's really hard to blow off a commitment you've made to lots of people. If you join an athletic event to raise money and you default on your training, you're not just letting yourself down but also the charity and everyone who sponsored you. Go to stepbystep-fundraising.com and click on "Athletic Events" to find one near you. (Triathlon, anyone?) Some groups (below) even provide free coaching.

Enlist Fido

Consider adopting a fuzzy friend if you don't have one already. Studies show that owning a dog can help you drop pounds. Why? Come rain, sleet, or snow, you've got to get your butt outside with pooch a few times a day (unless you really want urine-soaked carpets). What's more, most pet owners say they don't want to let down their exercise-starved doggy at walk time. It's another version of rule number 2.

Rock Out

A recent study by the North American Association for the Study of Obesity found that women are more likely to stick to an exercise program if they listen to music while working out. So thank God for jogtunes.com. The site lets you select your workout pace, then download playlists of songs with bpm's (beats per minute) that match your heart rate. For example, if yours gets up to about 150 bpm when you exercise, songs like the Killers' "Mr. Brightside" are perfect.

Get Out Your Sexiest-Skinny Outfit

You know that yogurt commercial where a woman takes a teeny-weeny yellow polka-dot bikini and hangs it on her wall to help motivate her to lose weight? She's one smart cookie. "I tell clients to take out an outfit they love and haven't been able to wear for a long time," says Christopher Warden, C.S.C.S., a personal trainer in New York City. "Just pulling it out of the closet serves as a visual reminder of the goal they're trying to accomplish."

Lift The Weight You've Lost

A great way to keep yourself from sliding into what-the-hell eating mode when your weight loss plateaus: Use dumbbells that correspond to the number of pounds you've already dropped. You can't possibly forget how far you've come when you're straining to complete three sets of triceps kickbacks with a 10-pound weight. Feel how much you're struggling to lift? That used to be on your butt!

Get Gabbing

Reams of studies prove that support from other people can keep you motivated to lose weight. And a new study from the University of Kansas shows that dieters who get counseling over the phone lose just as much as those who get it face to face. So if you can't make that 5 p.m. Weight Watchers meeting, check out Bally's Built to Fit weight-loss and nutrition program at ballynutrition.com, which offers weekly 15--minute phone sessions starting at $1 per minute.

Call On Your Inner Cheapskate

You don't blow off the dentist, even though having your teeth drilled is about the most un-fun thing you can imagine. Why? Because you'll get charged whether you show or not. Consider buying a package of personal training sessions and scheduling all your appointments now. Ditto with yoga or dance classes: Buy a bunch in advance and sign up at the same time. Who would throw away workouts that are already paid for?

Become A Class Regular

Join a group exercise class and make friends with your fellow regulars. Seeing your pals will inspire you to attend even when you feel like playing hooky. The guilt factor--always highly motivating--can help here too. After all, in a place where everybody knows your name, they'll also know when you've missed a workout.

Get Rubbed

A new study from Ohio State University shows that women who accept their bodies are more likely to have better eating habits. And decadent as it may sound, getting a massage can help with that. "Allowing themselves to be touched by another person--even when they aren't at their ideal weight--can help women become more comfortable with their bodies," says Mitch Klein, a licensed massage therapist in New York City.

Face Your Reflection

When you feel fat you probably shun mirrors. Turns out you should do the opposite. A study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that mirror-exposure therapy--staring at your bod in the mirror and stifling the usual criticisms of your thighs--can improve body image, which, as we said in rule 10, can help keep you committed to healthy eating. Try it: Speak to your reflection without using any negatively charged words. For example, instead of "I have a huge butt," say, "My waist looks smaller thanks to my curves."

Chart Your Progress

Weight loss is serious business. Treat it that way. Weigh yourself every morning--a study in the Annals of Behavior Medicine shows that people who do daily weigh-ins are more successful losers--and write the number down. If you're even vaguely computer savvy, it's a snap to create a chart with a fever line that shows the pounds dropping away over time. When you get discouraged--say, you haven't lost a pound in a week--seeing your long-term progress will boost your motivation.

Score Some Free Stuff

There's no motivation like saving money. And since insurance providers want you to stay healthy so you don't develop expensive diseases like diabetes, some offer perks that make getting fit easier. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, for example, gives its members discounts to certain gyms and free consultations with a dietitian. Check with your provider.

4 Ways to Get Abs Fast

2012-04-18T08:12:00.001-07:00

By Bill Hartman, P.T., C.S.C.S. • Men's Health

If you can't see your abs, don't assume it's because you're missing out on a magical abdominal exercise or secret supplement. Blame your mindset.

You see, losing belly flab is a boring process. It requires time, hard work, and most important, dedication. Take the right steps every single day, and you'll ultimately carve out your six-pack. But if you stray from your plan even a few times a week—which most people do—you'll probably never see your abs.

The solution: six simple habits, which I teach to my clients to help them strip away their lard for good. Think of these habits as daily goals designed to keep you on the fast track to a fit-looking physique. Individually they're not all that surprising, but together they become a powerful tool.

The effectiveness of this tool is even supported by science. At the University of Iowa, researchers determined that people are more likely to stick with their fat-loss plans when they concentrate on specific actions instead of the desired result. So rather than focusing on abs that show, follow my daily list of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle strategies for achieving that rippled midsection.

Wake Up to Water

Imagine not drinking all day at work—no coffee, no water, no diet soda. At the end of an 8-hour shift, you'd be pretty parched. Which is precisely why you should start rehydrating immediately after a full night's slumber. From now on, drink at least 16 ounces of chilled H2O as soon as you rise in the morning. German scientists recently found that doing this boosts metabolism by 24 percent for 90 minutes afterward. (A smaller amount of water had no effect.) What's more, a previous study determined that muscle cells grow faster when they're well hydrated. A general rule of thumb: Guzzle at least a gallon of water over the course of a day.

Eat Breakfast Every Day

A University of Massachusetts study showed that men who skip their morning meal are 4 1/2 times more likely to have bulging bellies than those who don't. So within an hour of waking, have a meal or protein shake with at least 250 calories. British researchers found that breakfast size was inversely related to waist size. That is, the larger the morning meal, the leaner the midsection. But keep the meal's size within reason: A 1,480-calorie smoked-sausage scramble at Denny's is really two breakfasts, so cap your intake at 500 calories. For a quick way to fuel up first thing, I like this recipe: Prepare a package of instant oatmeal and mix in a scoop of whey protein powder and 1/2 cup of blueberries.

Exercise the Right Way

Everyone has abs, even if people can't always see them because they're hidden under a layer of flab. That means you don't need to do endless crunches to carve out a six-pack. Instead, you should spend most of your gym time burning off blubber.

The most effective strategy is a one-two approach of weight-lifting and high-intensity interval training. According to a recent University of Southern Maine study, half an hour of pumping iron burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute-per-mile pace for the same duration. (And it has the added benefit of helping you build muscle.) What's more, unlike aerobic exercise, lifting has been shown to boost metabolism for as long as 39 hours after the last repetition. Similar findings have been noted for intervals, which are short, all-out sprints interspersed with periods of rest.

For the best results, do a total-body weight-training workout 3 days a week, resting at least a day between sessions. Then do an interval-training session on the days in between. To make it easy on you, follow this ultimate fat-burning plan.

Skip the Late Shows

You need sleep to unveil your six-pack. That's because lack of shut-eye may disrupt the hormones that control your ability to burn fat. For instance, University of Chicago scientists recently found that just 3 nights of poor sleep may cause your muscle cells to become resistant to the hormone insulin. Over time, this leads to fat storage around your belly.

To achieve a better night's sleep, review your goals again 15 minutes before bedtime. And while you're at it, write down your plans for the next day's work schedule, as well as any personal chores you need to accomplish. This can help prevent you from lying awake worrying about tomorrow ("I have to remember to e-mail Johnson"), which can cut into quality snooze time.

http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/4-Ways-to-Get-Abs-Fast.htm?page=2

10 Pieces of Advice to Get You Through a Terrible Day

2012-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

I saw this and had to share!!! Its pretty awesome and applies to each and every one of us.

1. People have vast reservoirs of tenacity and resilience. All those days and nights that I was so sure I couldn't get through have come and gone. I'm still here and so, my friend, are you! It turns out we can only eat chicken potpie in our underwear and watch an endless loop of Law & Order reruns for about a week before a better angel urges us to say goodbye to Sam Waterston, shave our legs, and get back out there.

2. Find yourself a friend, a shrink, a stranger at a bus shelter: It doesn't matter who, as long as it's a person who doesn't have an agenda. We all need that one someone in our lives who doesn't hear what we have to say filtered through the prism of his or her own needs. Think Switzerland. Okay, that's a bad example because Switzerland only pretends to be neutral while hiding the money of war criminals and forcing jet-lagged tourists to eat fondue...but you get the idea.

3. Do something—anything—for somebody else. I promise, it'll help you feel a little bit better.

4. Do something—anything—for yourself. I promise, that helps, too.

5. If you're going to rent a movie, shoot for something frothy. A screwball comedy that revolves around a plucky, maribou-wearing, Champagne-sipping heroine who ends up with Cary Grant will do a whole lot more for your sense of well-being than Lars von Trier ever could.

6. Step away from the lasagna, ma'am. It is your God-given right to splurge from time to time (see aforementioned potpie), but if you've lost your health insurance, your home, your one true love, you do not want to also lose the ability to tuck in your shirt.

7. Never underestimate the power of a perfect comeback. Sometimes words aren't even necessary. I've spent years perfecting a simple smile that says, "Please know that I plan to systematically destroy you when you least expect it."

8. Let's face it, if you don't have anything in your life worth crying over, you probably don't have much of a life. So crying is definitely allowed, but (and lord knows, this is easier said than done) see if you can't keep the whining to a minimum.

9. Dwell in possibility. Only the limits of your own imagination (and a restraining order) can keep you from deciding that Benicio Del Toro is your destiny.

10. Forget about what you can't do. The other day I overheard a snippet of conversation my 6-year-old was having with her pal. "Wait," she asked, "what are my superpowers supposed to be again?" We all have superpowers (I myself happen to look very nice in navy), and we all forget them from time to time. Meet an old friend for lunch and have her make you a good, long list of yours.

By Lisa Kogan

Preparation is KEY - Tme to FOCUS!!!!

2012-02-20T06:49:00.000-08:00

So I've continued to struggle and It just dawned on me why?!?!?! I have failed in preparation! I do not have the proper foods on hand and ready anymore. I've been so busy with work (both jobs) and life that I have failed to prepare and I'm struggling!!

Tonight this will change. Grocery shopping & Cooking!!! I will be prepared this week!!! I will succeed this week!

New things bring change and I need to find a way to balance it all. I can find balance again, I have LIVED a Balanced Life and have SUCCEEDED.

I can finally say that I'm happier than I have been in a long time.....Mind, Body & Soul!!

LATE...Late...late...

2012-01-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

I woke up late this morning :( so my breakfast suffered!! I went to bed early. But once I turned off the alarm thinking I'll get up in a few mintues...I fell asleep for another hour WOW!!

Gym tonight to make up for my breakfast - Whole Wheat Bagel & Cream Cheese...not bad but NOT protein either!

Food for 1/4/12

Breakfast:

Meatball & Broccoli Bake

Coffee - Half & Half & Splenda

Lunch:

Chicken - Leg & Thigh

Wing Sauce

Ranch

Dinner:

Bacon

Eggs

Cheese

Hot Sauce

Snack:

Whole Wheat Sandwich Thin

Peanut Butter

Sugar Free Raspberry Jelly

Exercise:
None

Feelings: By the time I got home yesterday...my head was pounding. My intention was to go to the gym, so I ate and took some Advil. It didn't help so I cleaned house, did some laundry and rested. My phone was acting crazy so that didn't help how I felt.

Happy New Year.

2012-01-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

My blog is gonna take a slight turn. This year is about change! Serious changes...inside and out. I am going to be posting my food, exercise journals and recipes for my low carb creations!!

1/3/12

Breakfast:

Bacon

Eggs

Cheese

Coffee - half & half & Splenda

Lunch:

Chicken - Breast & Wing

Wing Sauce - 2tbs

Ranch Dressing 1tbs

Dinner:
Salad- Lettuce, Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Red & Green Peppers & Onions

Jalapeno Ranch Dressing - 2tbs

Meatball & Broccoli Bake*

Snack:
Atkins Shake

Exercise:

Treadmill - 35minutes - 2.4 miles

Elipitical - 10 minutes - 1 mile

Bike - 10 Minutes - 4 miles

Recipe for Meatball - Broccoli Bake

Italian Meatballs

Broccoli

Pasta Sauce

Ricotta Cheese

1 Egg

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Red Pepper Flakes - to taste

Italian Seasoning

Pre-heat oven to 425. In a 9x13' casserole dish combine meatballs, & pasta sauce. In a bowl combine the Ricotta Cheese, 1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese, Egg, Red Pepper Flakes & Italian Seasoning. Spread over the Meatballs & Broccoli. Top with Mozzarella Cheese cover and bake for 45 minute. Remove cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese turns a golden brown.

Following a Cardio Plan for Weight Loss

2011-09-30T10:35:00.000-07:00

1 of 7 in Series: The Essentials of Healthy Cardio Weight Loss

If your goal is permanent fat loss, you need to burn enough calories to make a significant impact. Here's why: In order to lose a pound in one week, you need to create a 3,500-calorie deficit; in other words, you need to burn off 3,500 more calories than you eat. A 30-minute power walk on flat ground burns about 120 calories. So, to burn off 1 pound of fat by walking, you'd have to hoof it for more than 2 hours a day.

Don't worry — no one should suggest that you exercise two hours every day! The best way to lose fat is to create a calorie deficit by burning calories through exercise and cutting calories you eat. (For information about keeping track of calories, see Counting Calories for Weight Loss.) For example, over the course of a week, you may cut 250 calories per day by switching from mayo to mustard on your sandwich at lunch and snacking on light yogurt instead of Fruit-on-the-Bottom. Meanwhile, you could burn an extra 250 calories a day by taking a one-hour walk or a half-hour jog.

exercise is only one part of a weight-loss plan. You also need to revamp your eating habits and embark on a weight-training program. Also, keep in mind that losing weight is not as easy as it sounds on TV diet commercials. It takes a lot more commitment than just drinking that delicious shake for breakfast. And it takes time. Don't try to lose more than 1/2 pound to 1 pound each week, and don't eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day (preferably more). On a super-low-calorie diet, you deprive your body of essential nutrients, and you have a tougher time keeping the weight off because your metabolism slows down. Realize, too, that genetics plays a large role in weight loss. It's easier for some people to lose weight than it is for others.

Here are some general cardio guidelines for weight loss. We suggest that you consult a registered dietitian and certified fitness trainer to come up with a plan best suited to your specific goals and schedule.

How often you need to do cardio for weight loss

Here's the cold, hard truth: You probably need to do five or six workouts a week.

How long your workouts should last for weight loss

Here's another dose of reality: You should aim for at least 45 minutes of exercise, a mix of cardio and , six days per week. Again, you don't need to do all this sweating at once, but for the pounds to come off, the calories you burn need to add up.

How hard you need to push for weight loss

To make a serious dent in your fat-loss program, work out in your target zone most of the time. But keep in mind: If you're pretty darned "deconditioned," as the politically correct like to say, even exercising at 50 percent of your can help build up your fitness level.

You may have heard that exercising at a slow pace is more effective for weight loss than working out more intensely. In fact, many cardio machines have "fat burning" programs that keep you at a slow pace. But this is misleading. As it turns out, the concept of a fat-burning zone is no more real than the Twilight Zone.

During low-intensity aerobic exercise, your body does use fat as its primary fuel source. As you get closer to your breaking point, your body starts using a smaller percentage of fat and a larger percentage of carbohydrates, another fuel source. However, picking up the pace allows you to burn more total calories, as well as more fat calories.

Here's how: If you go - for 30 minutes at a leisurely roll, you might burn about 100 calories — about 80 percent of them from fat (so that's 80 fat calories). But if you spend the same amount of time skating with a vengeance over a hilly course, you might burn 300 calories — 30 percent of them from fat (that's 90 fat calories). So at the fast pace, you burn more than double the calories and 10 more fat calories.

Of course, going faster and harder is not always better. If you're just starting out, you probably can't sustain a faster pace long enough to make it worth your while. If you go slower, you may be able to exercise a lot longer, so you'll end up burning more calories and fat that way.

Which activities burn the most calories

"Maximize your workout and burn over 1,000 calories per hour!" That's a claim you may see in advertisements for , -, and other cardio machines. And it's true. You can burn 1,000 calories per hour doing those activities — if you crank up the machine to the highest level and if you happen to have bionic legs. If you're a beginner, you'll last about 30 seconds at that pace, at which point you will have burned 8.3 calories, and the paramedics will be scooping you off the floor and hauling your wilted body away on a stretcher.

There's a better approach to calorie burning: Choose an activity that you can sustain for a good while — say, at least 10 or 15 minutes. Sure, running burns more calories than walking, but if running wipes you out after a half mile or bothers your knees, you're better off walking.

Table 1 gives calorie estimates for a number of popular aerobic activities. The number of calories you actually burn depends on the intensity of your workout, your weight, your muscle mass, and your metabolism. (Calculate how your metabolism works in How to Measure Your Metabolic Rate.) In general, a beginner is capable of burning 4 or 5 calories per minute of exercise, while a very fit person can burn 10 to 12 calories per minute.

The table includes a few stop-and-go sports such as tennis and basketball. Activities like these are not aerobic in the truest sense, but they can still give you a great workout and contribute to good health and weight loss. The numbers in this chart apply to a 150-pound person. (If you weigh less, you'll burn a little less; if you weigh more, you'll burn a little more.)

Table 1: Calories Burned during Popular Activities

*Activity*	*15 min.*	*30 min.*	*45 min.*	*60 min.*
Aerobic dance	171	342	513	684
Basketball	141	282	432	564
Bicycling at 12 mph	142	283	425	566
Bicycling at 15 mph	177	354	531	708
Bicycling at 18 mph	213	425	638	850
Boxing	165	330	495	660
Circuit weight training	189	378	576	756
Cross-country skiing	146	291	437	583
Downhill skiing	105	210	315	420
Golf (carrying clubs)	87	174	261	348
In-line skating	150	300	450	600
Jumping rope, 60-80 skips/min.	143	286	429	572
Karate, tae kwon do	180	360	540	720
Kayaking	75	150	225	300
Racquetball	114	228	342	456
Rowing machine	104	208	310	415
Running 10-minute miles	183	365	548	731
Running 8-minute miles	223	446	670	893
Ski machine	141	282	423	564
Slide	152	304	456	608
Swimming freestyle, 35 yds/min.	124	248	371	497
Swimming freestyle, 50 yds/min.	131	261	392	523
Tennis, singles	116	232	348	464
Tennis, doubles	43	85	128	170
VersaClimber, 100 ft./min.	188	375	563	750
Walking, 20-minute miles, flat	60	120	180	240
Walking, 20-minute miles, hills	81	162	243	324
Walking, 15-minute miles, flat	73	146	219	292
Walking, 15-minute miles, hills	102	206	279	412
Water aerobics	70	140	210	280

Work Your Abs in Just 15 Minutes

2011-09-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Tone and strengthen your abdominal muscles with 8 quick exercises.

Warm-up: Cat-Camel
After the warm-up, do each exercise once; work your way up to two sets. Finish with the cooldown.

Start on all fours with hands directly beneath shoulders and knees below hips (top illustration). Exhale and contract your abdominal muscles, rounding your spine up to the ceiling (bottom illustration). Tuck in your chin slightly and hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Next, exhale and arch your lower back and draw your chest and head upward; hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the full move five to eight times.

Move 1: Bird-Dog
To work your six-pack area and back, remain on all fours and tighten your abdominal muscles, keeping your spine and neck in a neutral position; you should be looking at the floor (top illustration). Slowly extend your left leg behind you while reaching your right arm forward (bottom illustration). Keep your hips and shoulders square and make sure your lower back doesn’t arch. Hold for five seconds. Slowly return to the starting position and do the move on the opposite side. Complete 5 to 10 repetitions on each side.

Move 2: Stability-Ball Crunch
Strengthen your abs and obliques by sitting on a large ball with your feet flat on the floor (top illustration). Walk your feet forward, letting your entire back rest on the ball and keeping your thighs parallel to the floor. Cross your arms over your chest and slightly tuck in your chin (bottom illustration). Contract your abs and exhale as you raise your torso about 45 degrees. Pause, then lower, inhaling as you go. If you feel unstable, move your feet farther apart. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Move 3: Front Plank
Lie on your stomach with arms bent, palms and forearms on the ground, fingers pointed forward, legs extended, and toes tucked under (top illustration). Work your back and abs by contracting your core muscles and slowly lifting your entire torso off the floor, keeping palms, forearms, and toes on the ground (bottom illustration). Avoid arching your lower back, hiking your hips upward, or shrugging your shoulders (in other words, cheating). Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, gradually building up to one minute.

Move 4: Bicycle
Lie on your back with fingertips behind ears, legs in the air, and knees pulled toward chest (top illustration). Target your sides and entire ab area by contracting as you lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Straighten your right leg at a 45-degree angle and rotate your upper body to the left, bringing the right elbow toward the left knee (bottom illustration). Switch sides by straightening your left leg, bending your right leg, and bringing the left elbow to the right knee. Alternate sides in a pedaling motion. Complete 8 to 12 full reps.

Move 5: Side Plank
Turn onto your right side with your legs extended and your feet and hips resting on the ground and stacked on top of each other (top illustration). Place your right elbow directly under your shoulder to prop up your torso, and align your head with your spine. Gently contract your core and lift your hips and knees off the floor; this strengthens your sides and deep ab muscles (bottom illustration). Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, gradually working up to a minute, and return to the starting position. Roll onto the other side and repeat.

Move 6: Reverse Crunch
To strengthen the entire ab area, lie on your back and extend your arms out to the side, or keep your hands behind your head if that’s more comfortable (top illustration). Raise your knees and feet so they create a 90-degree angle. Contract your abdominals and exhale as you lift your hips off the floor with control; your knees will move toward your head (bottom illustration). Try to keep your knees at a right angle. Inhale and slowly lower. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Cooldown: Cobra
Lie on your stomach with your hands underneath your shoulders and your fingers pointing forward (top illustration). Keep your neck long. Gently exhale and lift your chest and torso upward to stretch your abdominals (bottom illustration). Press your hips into the ground. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing evenly, then slowly lower back to the floor.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/12/work-your-abs-in-just-15-minutes/#ixzz1Xr7DJpdg

Great Ways to Stick to your Workout

2011-09-08T07:30:00.001-07:00

Dress the part

You know how when you get new shirt or dress, you're in a better mood to go out on a Saturday night? Well, the same can apply to working out. Putting on the same sweats and sports bra day after day can get old fast and become just another reason not to motivate. So once a month, treat yourself to a new piece of fitness fashion. Before you know it, you'll be in such great shape, you'll find yourself in the dressing room trying on those itty bitty Spandex shorts you swore you'd never be caught dead in. Because damn, you look good in them.

Buddy up

You've no doubt heard it before: Having a friend to work out makes you more apt to stick to your fitness plan. So do it. And for extra motivation, make a pact: Each one of you sets up an "I'm lazy" jar. Then, whenever someone bails, she has to put $5 in her jar. When her jar gets up to $20 (four missed workouts), she has to buy you a gift with the dough. And vice versa.

Keep your iPod fresh

There's nothing worse than going through an hour-long workout in silence. Except maybe suffering through bad music that the gym blasts over their speakers. Or the same old music that you've had on rotation on your iPod for weeks. So create a high-energy playlist of stuff you like on your iPod--and remember to change it up every week to stay motivated

Steer clear of the scale

Fitness experts will tell you not to weigh yourself regularly--when you build muscle, your poundage may go up before it goes down, which can be frustrating and motivation killing. If you know that, then you probably already tossed your own scale out the window. Yet there it is, the mother of all scales, mocking you in the locker room at the gym. This one, you can't get rid of. So just treat it like a cheesecake: If you must indulge, do it only once in a great while. Like, once every eight weeks.

Shake things up

Most gyms offer group classes in everything from yoga, to spinning, to hip-hop to African dance. Tell yourself you'll try one new thing every week, to break up your normal routine. Yeah, you may end up hating belly dancing, but by the time you're at home saying, "I hated that belly dancing class," you'll have 60 minutes of cardio under your belt.

Make it cost you

Even if you already have a routine and know which machines to use and how, pay for a personal trainer. Since most of them charge you if you cancel last minute, you’ll be less inclined to recline on the sofa watching Wife Swap instead of hitting the gym like you’d planned. Sure, times are tough for most of us financially. But that means you should be cutting back on unnecessary costs—and your health doesn’t fit the bill.

Rise to the occasion

Literally. Get up an hour earlier three days a week and work out first thing in the morning, before work. If you plan to go after work, it's a lot easier to tell yourself you had an especially exhausting day and throw in the towel.

Have a "lazy day" backup plan

Invest in the basics for a quick at-home workout: an exercise mat and two 5-pound free weights. That way, when you really don't feel like making the trip to the gym, you'll have the resources to spend 30 minutes flexing your muscles at home. Even if you do fewer crunches, lunges, and bicep curls at home, it's better than skipping out on your workout altogether.

Bribe yourself

It's always easier to get through something you don't want to do when you have something to look forward to after. On weekends, plan something fun post-workout. Tell yourself you'll stop for a pedicure on the way home from the gym, or plan a girls' night out for that evening. That way, the gym will be just a stop on the way to something else you're actually looking forward to.

Why Eating a Low-Fat Diet Doesn’t Lead to Weight Loss

2011-09-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

Posted By Mark Hyman, MD On June 16, 2010 @ 2:29 pm In Articles,UltraWellness Library |

^[1]DESPITE THE COMMON observation that obesity runs in families, genetic research shows that the habits you inherit from your family are more important than the genes you inherit. Obesity genes account for only five percent of all weight problems. Then, we have to wonder, what causes the other 95 percent of weight problems?
We are seeing an epidemic of obesity in America today. It is the single most important public health issue facing us. If genes do not account for obesity, perhaps it is our high-fat diet that is to blame. That has been the common belief in our society since nutritional low fat guidelines were pushed upon us in the 1970′s. It seems logical that eating fat makes you fat. Fat contains nine calories per gram, so it would seem that eating more fat (and more calories) would make you gain weight. But that’s not what the science reveals.

After you eat a high-carbohydrate meal, your insulin spikes and your blood sugar plummets — making you very hungry. That is why you crave more carbs, more sugar and eat more the whole day.

Pioneering research by Harvard Medical School’s David Ludwig reveals the reason that low-fat diets do not work — and identifies the true cause of obesity for most Americans. Dr. Ludwig’s research explains the real reasons 70 percent of Americans are overweight. In the 1980′s not one state had an obesity rate over 20 percent. In 2010, ONLY one state has an obesity rate UNDER 20 percent. This is not a genetic problem.

What the Research Tells Us about Dietary Fat
In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (i ^[2]) Dr. Ludwig correctly points out that careful review of all the studies on dietary fat and body fat — such as those done by Dr. Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health — have shown that dietary fat is not a major determinant of body fat.

Let me repeat that.

Dietary fat is not a major determinant of body fat.
The Women’s Health Initiative, which is the largest clinical trial of diet and body weight, found that 50,000 women on low-fat diets had no significant weight loss. Yet another study looked at people who followed four different diets for 12 months — and found no dramatic differences between those who followed low-fat, low-carb and very- low-carb diets.
The question then is, why aren’t we seeing any significant effects or differences from these various diets? The main reason, Dr. Ludwig suggests, is that we are looking for answers in the wrong place.

The future of treating obesity and weight is in personalizing our approach. This is the approach I wrote about in my book UltraMetabolism. It’s called nutrigenomics. It is the science of how we can use food to influence our genes and personalize our approach to health, and it is the science my practice is based on. Let me share how I diagnose and treat obesity.

A Better Way to Diagnose and Treat Obesity
Over the last 15 years, I have tested almost every one of my patients using a test that most doctors never use. In fact, it is even harder to find in the research, except in this pioneering work by Dr. Ludwig.

This test is cheap, easy to do and it is probably the most important test for determining your overall health, the causes for obesity, and your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and premature aging. Yet it is a test your healthcare provider probably does not perform, does not know how to interpret and often thinks is useless.

Thankfully, Dr. Ludwig’s research brings this critical method of diagnosing the cause of obesity and disease to the forefront. You see, in two recent studies, he found that the main factor that determines changes in body weight and waist circumference (also known as belly fat) is how your body responds to any type of sugar, carbohydrate or glucose load.

The most important test to determine this doesn’t measure your blood sugar or cholesterol. It tests your insulin level. You have to check it after drinking a sugary beverage that contains 75 grams of glucose. This test has shown me more about my patients than any other test. It helps me personalize and customize a nutritional approach for them.

And its usefulness is now being borne out in this research by Dr. Ludwig and his colleagues. In one study, for example, Dr. Ludwig and his colleagues followed 276 people for six years.(ii ^[3]) They performed a glucose tolerance test at the beginning of the study and looked at insulin concentrations 30 minutes after the people consumed a sugary drink. This gave the researchers a rough estimate of whether they were high or low insulin secretors.

During the course of the study, they looked at the people’s body weight and waist circumference or belly fat. They found that those who were the highest insulin secretors had the biggest change in weight and belly fat compared to the low insulin secretors. And people who were high insulin secretors and ate low-fat diets did even worse.

This makes perfect sense — because insulin does two things:
1. It stimulates hunger.
2. It is a fat storage hormone, which makes you store belly fat.
After you eat a high-carbohydrate meal, your insulin spikes and your blood sugar plummets — making you very hungry. That is why you crave more carbs, more sugar and eat more the whole day.

Dr. Ludwig also found that the patients who ate a low glycemic load diet — which lowers blood sugar and keeps insulin levels low — had much higher levels of HDL “good” cholesterol and much lower levels of triglycerides. It appears that the best way to address your cholesterol is not necessarily to eat a low-fat diet, but to eat a low glycemic load diet, which keeps your blood sugar even.

I highly recommend reviewing Dr. Ludwig’s research on PubMed ^[4], the National Library of Medicine’s database, to learn more about his exciting and pioneering work. I also encourage you to read his book, Ending the Food Fight ^[5]. It is the first and only roadmap for dealing with our exploding childhood obesity epidemic.

Finally, I encourage you to ask your physician to do a glucose tolerance test and measure your insulin and blood sugar at 30 minutes, one hour, and two hours to get the best picture of your insulin profile.
If you are a high insulin secretor and your insulin goes over 30 at a half hour, one hour, or two hours, you produce too much insulin and need to be sure you are staying on a low glycemic load, whole-foods, unprocessed diet, which I describe in UltraMetabolism. This is essential if you want to lose weight and achieve lifelong vibrant health.

The bottom line is simple this …
If you want to fit into your jeans, you have to fit into your genes.
Now I’d like to hear from you…
What seems to trigger weight gain for you?
How have different diets worked for you?
Have you ever had you insulin and blood sugar tested?
Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment.
To your good health,
Mark Hyman, M.D.

References
(i) Ebbeling C.B., Leidig M.M., Feldman H.A., Lovesky M.M., and D.S. Ludwig. (2007). Effects of a low-glycemic load vs low-fat diet in obese young adults: A randomized trial. JAMA. 297(19):2092-102
(ii) Chaput J.P., Tremblay A., Rimm E.B., Bouchard C., and D.S. Ludwig. (2008). A novel interaction between dietary composition and insulin secretion: Effects on weight gain in the Quebec Family Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 87(2):303-9

Article printed from DrHyman.com: http://drhyman.com

URL to article: http://drhyman.com/why-eating-a-low-fat-diet-doesn%e2%80%99t-lead-to-weight-loss-3232/

URLs in this post:

[1] Image: http://drhyman.com/not-having-enough-food-causes-obesity-and-diabetes-2280/obesity-scale-hyman-2/

[2] i: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/19/2092

[3] ii: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/87/2/303

[4] PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

[5] Ending the Food Fight: http://www.amazon.com/Ending-Food-Fight-Healthy-Weight/dp/0547053681/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277320142&sr=8-1

16 Reasons Why You Can’t Stick To Your Diet

2011-08-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

1. Not using fish oils

Fish oils help with your serotonin levels, the feel good hormone. The higher your serotonin, the easier it is for you to stay on track. Serotonin is involved in the regulation of several processes within the brain, including, depression, mood, emotions, aggression, sleep, appetite, anxiety, memory and perceptions. Most cells in the brain, over 40 million, are directly or indirectly affected by serotonin levels as well as muscles, and parts of the cardiovascular and endocrine systems and as a result of its great influence, low serotonin levels are often attributed to anxiety, panic attacks, obesity, insomnia, and fibromyalgia. What can cause low serotonin levels? Alcohol, aspartame or other artificial sweeteners, Cigarettes, deficiency of nutrient co-factors, lack of exercise, lack of sunlight and insulin resistance to name a few.

2. You don’t sleep enough

In one of my blog post ‘’10 ways to screw up your metabolism’’ I touched the subject briefly but it always comes back as one of the most frequent problem. Less sleep means lower leptin levels which bring on the cravings roller coaster. Since you have more time to eat, you go towards bad choices like sweets and junk. Lack of sleep interferes with your ability to metabolize carbs efficiently, it is much easier for your body to store bodyfat, increase your insulin resistance, your blood pressure and your risk of having heart disease. The Guinness world record is no longer tracking records for the longest period without sleep; they have considered it too dangerous (but sword swallowing and eating glass is ok…) so if they understood, anybody can.

3. You consider your cheat meal a reward

I try to take out the notion of ‘’cheat meals’’ for clients as they always go overboard when it is time for them to let go of the strictness of the diet for a meal. What I have found is that when people think of cheat meal as a reward, they tend to overdo it. So the first thing they do when they want to reward themselves, they cheat, for any good reasons. They have a good week at work, let’s reward ourselves with food. They had a hard day, let’s get a piece of cake. It’s just too easy to reward ourselves with food, so I try to set a re-feed meal instead. Lowered calories over time always lead to a lowered metabolism so I always incorporate a re-feed meal every 5 to 6 days. It keeps the metabolism going and will make sure that you keep on burning body fat.

4. You don’t adjust your training with your diet

Train like a madman and eat like a bird, you surely won’t get near your desired results. I never count calories but in this case, it illustrates well my point of view. Let’s take a huge bodybuilder for instance that trains twice a day with a lean body mass of well over 200 pounds. Depending on his training regimen and lifestyle, he could burn up to 3500 calories a day. Eating 3 to 4 times a day would be a big problem for him. He would have to eat 4 meals of almost 1000 calories. You get the picture? So the more you train, the more often you should eat, clean and balanced meals that is.

5. You eat low fat

If you think low fat is still the way to go when it comes to dieting, you must still be doing endless sets of hundreds of sit ups on the first Ab roller that ever came out. You also probably think that the earth is flat. I think the best way to describe why you should eat fat is this: if you cut down on fat, your body will start to store fat. You cut fat; you will start to activate a hormonal cascade sequence that can lead to depression, insulin resistance, fatigue, lessened memory, inflammation and so on. Fat does not make you fat. Manmade food, sugar, grains, pasta, breads does.

6. You skip breakfast

The only reason why I wouldn’t mind you to skip breakfast is if you were stuck eating donuts or cereals. Skipping breakfast is the best way to slow down your metabolism. It has been proven that people who eat breakfast will eat fewer calories throughout the day than those who skip it. In other words, skippers will have more chances to get fatter due to excess calories eaten later in the day. They will probably eat before going to bed, which is one of the most detrimental habits of those who struggle to lose weight. This leads me to my next point.

7. You eat before going to bed

Ever wonder why you wake up sluggish and no energy in the morning? 90% of the time it is due to something you ate the night before. Even a little snack could disturb your sleep pattern. Sleep is a heightened anabolic state, accentuating the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems. It is observed in all mammals, all birds, and many reptiles, amphibians, and fish[i]. Eating prior to bed will disrupt this process or slow it down which is vital for a better day. Here is an article I wrote about sleep problems and how to deal with them. Having problem’s sleeping? Part 1 and Part 2.

8. You take energy drinks

Of the numerous problems with energy drinks, the worst one is well hidden. The medical and fitness community are interested these days on natural and manmade toxins called obesogens. Those endocrine disruptors are found in very common products, such as corn syrup, and chances are that if you are a big fan of energy drinks, you got some endocrine disrupting going on[ii]. The other problem is the hidden sugar. It is comparable to soft drinks, even the sugar free ones. If you need energy in a can, don’t look at a can for the solution, look at what is causing you to look for a can as a solution.

9. You blame it on bad genes

OK, maybe genes have something to do with it, but are you going to sit on it and grow a fat ass because of it? It’s just a lame excuse to stay home, eat donuts and be sorry for yourself. Get over it and do something about it.

10. You believe what you think is right for you (actually what you have done for years)

People tend to believe their own crap just to not go towards harder alternative. My favourite line is; ‘’I eat very well, I really watch what I eat’’. In other words, it tells me that you don’t want me to change your eating habits because if you don’t eat some of your favourite foods (which I know that it is not from the veggies or meat family) you will die. I’m sorry, but what you ate before is the reason why you are thinking of losing weight, so get a reality check as fast as possible and change what you have been doing. You are greatly mistaken if you think that only exercise will help you burn the fat. The more bad habits you change, the better are your chances of losing fast and most probably for good.

11. You believe the celebrity diets

When a celebrity speaks, people listen, even when it is a brainfart. Best example is Tracy Anderson and Gwyneth Paltrow. Woman shouldn’t lift more than 3 pounds or they bulk up. Give me a freakin break. Paltrow endorses her only because she is involved financially with Anderson so her opinion is worth that much. Here’s another one of Paltrow’s recommendation, the ‘’GOOP 7 day elimination diet’’ a 7-day meal plan mostly consisting of herbal tea, smoothies, soups, simple salads and coconut water. You are not allowed dairy, grains with gluten, meat, shellfish, anything processed (including soy), fatty nuts, nightshade vegetables such as potatoes, peppers or eggplant; condiments, sugar, alcohol, caffeine or soda. In addition, Paltrow recommends drinking half a cup of caster oil or using an herbal laxative for you know… the problem that will inevitably develop with this detox. It cuts out major food groups and is dangerously low in calories. Also, Paltrow even points out you’ll probably get constipated from lack of food. Reese Witherspoon tried the ‘’baby food diet’’. There are different versions of the diet, but the most popular is to eat 14 jars of baby food throughout the day in lieu of breakfast and lunch and then eat a normal dinner. Baby food is vitamin-packed and free of additives and those little jars don’t require refrigeration. Also, if you think chewing is too much work, you’re in luck.

12. You don’t take your bodyfat

How can you know where you want to go, if you don’t know where you are starting from? You want to lose weight right? Good for you. You need to lose fat, and the only way to know is to take you bodyfat percentage. If you lose weight and your percentage goes down it’s a good thing. The difference between losing five pounds of lean mass and five pounds of fat is huge on your health. Never lose weight for the sake of losing weight. Do it the healthy way, it will be the difference between how you will be able to keep the fat off and how healthy you will be. Consult a bio-signature practitioner near you.

13. You do only cardio, without weight lifting

I have nothing against cardio, to prove it, here’s a link to a post I wrote about it, Cardio Conundrum. The best way is to do a mix of both. Speeds up your metabolism, helps to burn fat faster with all the added benefits that weight lifting could bring like strength, flexibility, stamina and simply gives you a better shape and health.

14. You don’t eat enough

Starving is the best way to fail. It slows down your metabolism, increases cravings, energy roller coaster ride and hello mood swings. It just tells your body to store energy as fat. Very simple to understand.

15. You follow the government guidelines

Obviously the government is wrong. Why? Right now, 72 million obese people. I repeat obese, not overweight. In 2010, one American out of ten is diabetic. In 40 years, it will have climbed to three out of ten. Thanks to the cereal, low-fat eating propaganda endorsed by the U.S. government. When you think about it, Ancel Keys was sneakier than Stalin and Hitler as a mass murderer. Through is “rearranged” data, he manages to get the medical community to endorse his propaganda(from Charles Poliquin’s blog)[iii]. Instead of cutting out fat, cut man made food, sugar and any high glycemic carbohydrates. If you don’t believe me, I challenge you to at least try it out for about 3 weeks. Organic meats and wild game, veggies, greens, nut and oils, avocado, organic bacon for 3 weeks, than try all manmade food, high carbs, low fat, high starch, pasta, breads, processed meats and deli meat. Tell me how you feel in each of those 3 weeks.

16. You are delusional on how fast you want to lose weight

People fail because they set unrealistic goals. You can reverse the damage you did to your body in all those years in a matter of weeks. Maybe you will be able to do it fast, but always keep in mind that the faster you lose it, the harder it is to maintain it. The rule is 1-2 pounds per week of fat and you’re on your way to your dream goal. You want to lose fifty pounds? Give yourself a year. Too long? It’s funny, having that fat during all those years didn’t seem to bother you, so what’s a year compared to all those years. You should have thought about it years ago, would have made it a lot easier…I know, truth hurts.

http://www.bodhifitonline.com/blog/2011/08/12/16-reasons-why-you-can%E2%80%99t-stick-to-your-diet/

Accountability....

2011-08-09T05:22:00.000-07:00

Seems as if Accountability to myself isn't enough anymore. I used to be a closet eater (or car eater - I'd eat in the car alone) and I find myself slipping back towards that more. Not in the car this time, but locked in my room!!!! It makes me feel like a hypocrite. I tell everyone how strong they are, and how if they put their mind to it they can beat obesity! But I find myself struggling internally again!

I found an article about Accountability, I hope it helps you all as much as it is helping me.

Learning Self-Expression with Accountability Takes Discipline, Courage, Commitment... and Brains
© 1999 Michele Toomey, PhD

What is accountability?
It is an honest claiming of what is going on for us underneath the words or actions that we are being confronted about and held accountable for.

It is not: A defensive reaction, a counter-attack, a manipulation, a lie, a withdrawal, or a denial.

Why does it take discipline? Accountability is a face-to-face encounter with the truth and with ourselves. It requires a self-reflection and a claiming, not just a reacting, and that takes discipline. Reactions happen automatically, that is their nature. If not met with discipline they just continue as chain reactions. They ask nothing of us. Even infants can react. Automatic responses are just that, automatic. Accountability is a deliberate, thoughtful response. To be accountable we must be reflective and deliberate. We must conduct an honest search to discover the truth about what was and is going on for us and why. To be accountable we must confront our reactions and discipline ourselves to search and try to discover, understand, and claim what we've said or done, not just react.

Why does it take courage? It takes courage to be accountable because we have to be honest and claim our part in whatever we said or did that we are being confronted about, either by ourselves or by another. When confronted it is a natural tendency to want to duck the truth, either because we don't want to get in trouble, we are embarrassed and don't want to admit what we said or did, or we are angry at getting "caught" and feel trapped so we try to deflect, distract, defend or counter-attack. Accountability leaves us unprotected, exposed, and having to deal with the effects and the consequences of our actions. That takes courage.

Why does it take commitment? Without commitment to fairness and integrity, we will never be accountable. We must value fairness if we are to be fair, and accountability is the fairest thing going. No one is ever in jeopardy when fairness is the governing principle. The same is true of integrity (honesty). If there is fairness, then honesty is not dangerous. It is, instead, a relief. Even though there will be consequences when we are accountable for what we've said or done, the integrity of the process will provide its own protection. The understanding and resolution that follow will bring an intimacy, and a lessening of tension that provide a sense of peace and well-being, as well as a sense of being known and being connected. If we are committed to fairness and honesty, we can find the discipline and courage to be accountable. If we are accountable, the fairness and honesty bring us a sense of peace and connectedness and well-being. It is a rewarding process.

Why does it take brains? Accountability takes brains, because it is not just an automatic process. It is a deliberate one. We have to be self-reflective, ponder what is going on for us, search around in our past, present and anticipated future experiences, and make the appropriate associations and selections of what is relevant to the particular confrontation. Then we need to draw on the discipline and courage it takes to express what we discover with fairness, honesty and accountability. This is a complicated thought process involving strong feelings that could easily just turn into automatic reactions. It takes no particular brain power to react and bully, or react and deny, or react and manipulate and lie. It is easy. Initially it is much easier than being accountable. The problem is after... there is no relief, no peace, no understanding, no resolution... just reactions. Accountability requires sophisticated thought processes, and is both emotionally and intellectually hard. It takes brains. Hopefully, you will learn to enjoy using your brain to be accountable and consider it as exciting as being shrewd, clever and manipulative. Hopefully, your value system will prefer courage, commitment, discipline, integrity and fairness, and the understanding and intimacy that follow.

To Have Accountability We Must Have Confrontation. For self-expression to have accountability, it must first have confrontation. We have first to confront ourselves to discover what's going on for us before we can be accountable to ourselves or to others. A confrontation is a demand for fairness and honesty. It is not an attack, it is an invitation, a strong request, a demand, to look at something that seems unfair and many times abusive. As in accountability, it requires discipline, courage, commitment and brains.

When we are offended, angry, frustrated, hurt, afraid, or the like, it is a natural tendency to lash out or to withdraw. Our first reaction is usually strong, and if we're not disciplined it can easily lead to an attack that's as unfair or abusive as the original behavior.

A confrontation should first be a revealing from the one doing the confronting, claiming that something that was said or done felt unfair. The confronter has to have the courage to go first. The one being confronted needs to be able to listen and not just react, deny or defend. By going back and forth trying to reveal and understand why the situation occurred, a resolution should eventually evolve. New information about yourself and each other should be discovered. A better understanding should occur and that will lead to greater respect and caring for each other.

Think of a confrontation as a strong, straight up and down motion, and an attack as an abusive blow directed at the other person. In a confrontation, no one is attacked or abused, and no one tolerates an attack or abuse. Learning to confront with fairness, integrity, and accountability will, in my opinion, provide you with one of the most valuable and powerful tools of your life. I consider it a privilege to try to help you acquire this powerful tool.

http://www.mtoomey.com/selfexpression.html

Induction....ohhh how I hate theee!!!

2011-08-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

Back on Induction this week. Heading into my California Vacation I need to get this back under control. Even though vacation helps me be on my best behavior....I will have EYES watching everything I put into my mouth!!! :)~ Gotta Love That!!!! I do and appreciate it alot!!!

Lots on the Agenda this week....Work, Gym, Packing, Laundry, Grocery Shopping (Gotta make sure the kids dont starve while I'm away). Lots of distractions.....

I leave early Thursday morning and will be on the go until I head back to Florida on Tuesday afternoon. I will try and blog my adventures everyday!!!

Stay tuned for my 90-Challenge. I will be inviting EVERYONE to join me!!!

This is a great website - Full of GREAT information!!

2011-08-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Fox News website (yes I know) has a Wellness page. It is full of great articles and videos.

Check it out.

http://www.foxnews.com/imag/Wellness?auto-play=true&video-maven-id=g1092144393001

More on Triggers & Emotional Eating

2011-08-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

I realize that Emotional Eating has been my issue lately. I let my surroundings and personal situations cause me so much emotional discomfort that I find myself making bad choices.

This is a great article. It helps identify the triggers and also gives ideas on how to distract you from the urge to eat.

Weight Loss: Emotional Eating

Emotional eating is the practice of consuming large quantities of food -- usually "comfort" or junk foods -- in response to feelings instead of hunger. Experts estimate that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions.

Many of us learn that food can bring comfort, at least in the short-term. As a result, we often turn to food to heal emotional problems. Eating becomes a habit preventing us from learning skills that can effectively resolve our emotional distress.

Depression, boredom, loneliness, chronic anger, anxiety, frustration, stress, problems with interpersonal relationships and poor self-esteem can result in overeating and unwanted weight gain.

By identifying what triggers our eating, we can substitute more appropriate techniques to manage our emotional problems and take food and weight gain out of the equation.

How Can I Identify Eating Triggers?

Situations and emotions that trigger us to eat fall into five main categories.

Social. Eating when around other people. For example, excessive eating can result from being encouraged by others to eat; eating to fit in; arguing; or feelings of inadequacy around other people.
Emotional. Eating in response to boredom, stress, fatigue, tension, depression, anger, anxiety or loneliness as a way to "fill the void."
Situational. Eating because the opportunity is there. For example, at a restaurant, seeing an advertisement for a particular food, passing by a bakery. Eating may also be associated with certain activities such as watching TV, going to the movies or a sporting event, etc.
Thoughts. Eating as a result of negative self-worth or making excuses for eating. For example, scolding oneself for looks or a lack of will power.
Physiological. Eating in response to physical cues. For example, increased hunger due to skipping meals or eating to cure headaches or other pain.

To identify what triggers excessive eating in you, keep a food diary that records what and when you eat as well as what stressors, thoughts, or emotions you identify as you eat. You should begin to identify patterns to your excessive eating fairly quickly.

How Do I Break Myself of the Habit?

Identifying eating triggers is the first step; however, this alone is not sufficient to alter eating behavior. Usually, by the time you have identified a pattern, eating in response to emotions or certain situations has become a habit. Now you have to break that habit.

Developing alternatives to eating is the second step. When you start to reach for food in response to a trigger, try one of the following activities instead.

Read a good book or magazine or listen to music.
Go for a walk or jog.
Take a bubble bath.
Do deep breathing exercises.
Play cards or a board game.
Talk to a friend.
Do housework, laundry or yard work.
Wash the car.
Write a letter.
Or do any other pleasurable or necessary activity until the urge to eat passes.

http://www.medicinenet.com/emotional_eating/article.htm

Its been a rough road lately!

2011-08-03T05:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while (since March) because I've been struggling and being honest with you all is even harder than being honest with myself. I've let myself lose focus...and forget why I am doing this. I need to get and stay healthy...for my kids, grandbaby and most importantly MYSELF!

I've got the working out part down....every other day, sometimes two days in a row with a day of rest. Eating is a whole other story. I've not started eating the "white" foods again....just eating to much of the good stuff. YES, there is such thing as to much of a good thing!!! :(

I promise I will be back....every day!!! I need this as much as some of you do!! I promised I would be here for you, and I've been slacking!!!

I saw a blog post yesterday from one of the contestants from The Biggest Loser and it really hit home. What are my triggers???? BOREDOM!!! EMOTIONS!! LOSS OF CONTROL!! What are your triggers???

Recognizing Your “Triggers”…

By jessicadelfs

Addiction is a nasty thing…whether it’s food, alcohol, drugs, whatever you have trouble moderating, it is a serious thing. I’ve heard people say that food addiction isn’t as serious as alcohol or drug addiction, but if you look at the obesity crisis in our country and how many people die from obesity related issues I’d have to respectfully say…yeah right! Even those people that overcome addictions will tell you it’s a life long battle, and that it’s not always a successful one at times, but that it’s something you will always have to be mindful of and work at. The minute you think you’re in the clear is when it will come to bite you in the butt.
In my opinion that’s why I think some past BL contestants have a struggle with keeping their weight off at times. We tend to think “We’ve beat this…” but it’s just not true. The minute you start to believe you’re past it is the minute you start to become more relaxed with your daily routines and ways to fight off that addiction and you start to see the scale slowly inching up. I’ll be honest…I’ve struggled since the finale and have battled with the same 10-15 lbs since December. I’ll lose it…get relaxed about hitting it so hard…then it creeps back on…then I hit it hard again to get it off…and it’s a vicious cycle. But I’ve found in this past month or so is it’s not about losing 5 lbs a week anymore, or never eating salt…it’s about understanding what works for you, what your body will tolerate, and how to live a healthy BALANCED life. I haven’t had balance for almost a year…it was either HARD CORE or ehhhh, and that’s not real life!

I started to see a problem when I would feel guilty for working out less than 2 hours a day…or if my calories exceeded 1000-1200 a day…GUILTY!!!! Seriously?!?!? It’s ridiculous…that’s not balance, that’s obsession. Now, I’m not going to knock that lifestyle while I was on a competition show. Desperate times, call for desperate measures, but now that I’m not in that arena anymore it’s about finding balance and to be totally honest I’m having to reteach myself was balance really is for my life.

I also had to realize that I have an eating disorder…maybe not clinical, or one that can be classified, but I don’t have a healthy balanced approach to food at times. It’s either super low cal, low sodium, no carb, NO FUN…or eating to satisfy some kind of void. Those of you that know me behind the scenes could probably attest to the fact that my life has been a stress case since my finale for BL10. I’ve been handed a tough set of cards these past 8 months and have lost almost everything at the cost of being on the show, and I’m slowly starting to redefine myself and what my future will look like as I rebuild, but during this time I was able to use the self examination tools I learned on the show to really examine why I was abusing food and not looking at in a balanced way. When I was sad, I wanted to eat. When I was bored, I wanted to eat. When I was stressed, I wanted to eat. When I felt lonely, I wanted to eat. And you know what I finally figured out was the common thread of all these situations??? I felt out of CONTROL…Something made me sad and I couldn’t change what had happened to make me that way. When I was bored and had already done my workouts for the day, cleaned the house, and did whatever I could do around the house, and still there were hours left in the day and no money to go entertain myself, I felt like I didn’t have control of the situation. When certain things like losing my home, owing people money, having to trade in my car and not finding one that I could afford…all these things I felt like I couldn’t snap my finger and change so I felt like my control of the situation was taken away, and finally when I was lonely and the man in my life wasn’t around or family and friends weren’t around I felt like I couldn’t control the situation in bringing them around…so what did I do in all these situations? I ATE..why?? Because I can control that…but the problem comes in what I eat. Sometimes it was just a lot of the good stuff, and sometimes it was a craving for the classic unhealthy comfort foods.
Feeling out of control is MY TRIGGER, what is yours? Seriously, take a second and think about it. Before BL, and even during the show, I would say “I’m just an emotional eater…I eat to fill a void”…that’s not specific enough. Now that I have identified the specific emotion I can now recognize it and realize than when I feel that way I DO have control. I have control to find something to do to take up my time, I have control to work more hours or take on other projects to make more money to pay back those loans I’ve felt stressed about paying back. When I’m alone I have control to call an old friend and reconnect or go to the gym and take a group class and make new friends, I DO have control. I also have control over the balance in my life. For the last 8 months or so it was only about fitness…seriously, nothing else mattered. That’s not real life peeps…there’s also work, family, romantic relationships, FUN…so many more things that need to be a part of your life and honestly those other things have been neglected. It’s time for me to find balance and make time for everything. A 1 or 2 hour workout is good…eating 1200-1500 calories a day is good…taking a day of rest each week is good…spending time with loved ones and friends at the end of my day is great!

So take a minute to identify what YOUR trigger is, and make a game plan for how you’re going to tackle it next time you feel that way. What will you do, specifically, when you feel that way. For example, will you call a friend when you feel lonely and TELL them you feel lonely? Will you go to the gym or try a new group class when you feel bored? Will you call a loved one and talk about your stress next time you feel overwhelmed? What will you do to FIGHT? What will you do to have BALANCE? What will you do to live a HAPPY & HEALTHY life? I have my game plan…what’s yours?

Diet & Exercise Info

2011-03-31T05:26:00.000-07:00

Diet - I dont eat carbs...No bread, pasta, rice, potatoes or sugar!!!!

I eat veggies, oatmeal and light yogurt...as my only carbs.

I limit my fruits also. I only really eat apples...and then not very often.

You should stay away from bananas, melon, mango & pinepple.

The first 2 weeks I ate ONLY Protein!! lots of cheese, eggs, chicken, shrimp and steak. You can use spices, butter and sugar free condiments. I lost my first 20 in these 2 weeks!!!!

I use Atkins bars & shakes as my "sugar" & "chocolate" fixes. Ive found Balance has a Carb Well bar and there is another one called Supreme Protein or something like that - WalMart has them.

Coffee - I am an all day drinker :( I use Half & Half and Splenda - and brew flavored coffee!!! I only drink caffeinated first thing in the morning - and switch to decaf in the afternoon.

Exercise - I started out WALKING!! It doesnt take high impact aerobics in the beginning....do what your body will allow you to do. BUT, you have to move past the comfortable and get UNCOMFORTABLE in order to achieve results!! I also rode the recumbent bike and used the machines at the gym.

NOW i Run...but not for distance. I run sprints during my walks, this is where my uncomfortable comes in. Think Biggest Loser & Jillian screaming at the top of her lungs to KEEP GOING!! Those kinda sprints!

I recently switched gyms...and the new one has a 30 minute express workout. Its got 10 machines and 10 steps. You do each for 60 seconds....I forgot how hard step aerobics is!!!

Gainesville Planet Fitness
Planet Fitness in Gainesville is reasonably priced - $20.00 a month with a 1 year commitment. ANYONE can afford that!! Check out Planet Fitness in your area!!!

9 Appetite-Suppressing Foods

2011-03-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.beachbody.com/product/p90x-online/newsletters/p90xnl_074.do?code=social_fbpn#fbpn

By Whitney Provost
If you're like most people, conquering your appetite is one of the biggest challenges you face in your fitness and weight loss journey. As soon as the word "diet" crosses your lips, you may find yourself craving all the junk you know you're not supposed to eat. The secret is eating the right foods to help calm the cravings for the wrong ones. Adding these 9 easy-to-find, tasty foods to your meal plan can help you rein in your appetite before it gets out of control!

Oatmeal. This hot cereal is high in fiber and low on the glycemic index, which means it fills you up and takes a long time to digest. Research has shown that diets high in slow-burning carbohydrates like oatmeal suppress the hunger hormone grehlin more effectively than diets high in fat do. In fact, when you eat oatmeal for breakfast, you may find that your appetite is lower at lunchtime. Steel-cut or rolled oats digest more slowly than the "instant" variety do, so it's worth taking a few extra minutes in the morning to prepare your breakfast the old-fashioned way.
Apples. Not only are apples nutritious, but what sets them apart from other fruits is pectin, a soluble fiber that helps regulate blood sugar, keeps you full, and sustains your energy. One medium apple with skin contains 4 grams of fiber, which is more than you'd get in an average slice of whole wheat bread. Add an apple and some cinnamon to your morning oatmeal for an appetite-suppressing breakfast.
Pine nuts. These edible pine-tree seeds contain more protein than any other nut or seed, and their oil stimulates two appetite-suppressing hormones (cholecystokinin [CCK] and glucagon-like peptide-1) that tell your brain you're not hungry. Blend pine nuts with basil, garlic, and a little olive oil to make pesto, or sprinkle them on your salad or oatmeal for a delicious, nutty crunch.
Salad. The fiber in typical salad vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, spinach, celery, cucumbers, broccoli, and peppers is very filling and helps slow the release of glucose into your bloodstream. Studies have shown that when people start a meal with a small salad, they eat significantly fewer calories in the meal itself. Just watch out for the high-fat dressings (or worse, fat-free dressings that are high in sugar). Try having the dressing on the side and dipping your fork into it for easy portion control, or simply add a dash of balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice for a tasty, super-low-calorie option. Bonus tip: Try to eat a vegetable at every meal to keep your appetite at bay all day long.
Olive oil and other unsaturated fats. Researchers at the University of California at Irvine found that unsaturated fat causes the intestines to release a compound (oleoylethanolamide) that has been shown to reduce appetite and stimulate weight loss. Some great unsaturated fat choices include avocados, olives and olive oil, almonds, salmon, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, and sesame seeds. These foods are high in calories, so enjoy them in moderation while regulating your appetite.
Flaxseeds. Flax is one of the best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The seeds are also very high in protein and fiber, making them excellent for appetite control. Sprinkle ground flax seeds over oatmeal, salads, or yogurt, or add them to smoothies to help stabilize your blood sugar and turn off the hunger hormones.
Beans. The fiber in beans increases CCK, a digestive hormone that's a natural appetite suppressant. A research study at the University of California at Davis found that men who ate a high-fiber meal containing beans had CCK levels that were two times higher than when they ate a low-fiber meal. Beans also keep your blood sugar steady, which helps stave off hunger.
Whey protein. New studies suggest that whey protein stimulates the hormones that increase the feeling of being full. In one study, researchers at the University of Surrey in England found that people who consumed whey protein felt fuller and more satisfied with less food. Whey also stabilizes blood sugar, and that can help control food urges. Make a drink with Whey Protein Powder to calm your appetite any time of the day.
Spicy foods. Capsaicin, the ingredient that gives peppers their heat, can also help control your raging appetite. A recent study published in Clinical Nutrition suggests that capsaicin-rich foods may help you consume fewer calories, plus they help support weight loss by suppressing your appetite and making you feel fuller. You can add hot pepper sauce to tomato juice, stir-fry some Anaheim or Serrano peppers with other vegetables, or cook up some jalapeño or poblano peppers in your omelet. Other spicy ingredients may have similar effects, so try adding spices like hot mustard and curry to your salads and meats

-114 and a Renewed Commitment to ME!!!

2011-01-26T06:37:00.000-08:00

So I've lost another 7lbs since my last post. Its been a while...I wont lie!!!! Today is a new day and a renewed commitment to myself. I've been in a pretty stressful situation, living in the hotel but it hasn't beat me!! I need to stop drinking so much coffee :( and put my butt back in the gym. I need to MOVE everyday...even if its running the stairs at home.

On February 4th we move into our new townhouse!!! We cannot wait, and to be in a normal living situation is going to be great. Not having a "real" kitchen has been a challenge, but I've made do with what I've had!!!

My blog will probably turn into more of a journal, but I have learned so much from others journeys so I'm hoping I can be an inspiration also!!!

Here I am today......feeling fabulous!!!!!

-107 WOW! I lost over the Holiday!!!!

2010-12-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

I'm having an emotional day today....for whatever reason!! Today is a day to completely focus on what I am putting in my mouth. Making sure I am NOT eating to mask my emotion!! Eating to fuel my body only!

I found some great exercise videos. This guy trains the Victoria Secret models.

Here is another great website...FREE Personal Training!!! What more could you ask for???

Live Fit Revolution

The trainers name is Alysia and here is her face book page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LiveFit-Revolution/107278535971041#!/alysia.gadson

-104 When I say slow...I mean slow!!

2010-11-19T06:51:00.000-08:00

But it continues to come off. I'm not frustrated or deterred. I WILL get to my goal weight. I'm already at a size that I cannot ever remember being. I do a double take in the mirror sometimes because I do not recognize myself. I am the happiest I've been in a very long time!!!

OK So no more sappy fluffy stuff!!! The real reason you are here is for help!! Today is Tip-Filled Friday to get you through the weekend & upcoming Holidays!!

Weekends are hard enough, but the Holidays seem impossible. But with the right mindset you can be successful. Accepting that you MIGHT gain a few pounds is just setting yourself up for failure. You don't have to gain weight during the holidays!!! You can eat properly, to feed your body NOT your brain and continue to lose weight. I've done it...through birthdays, celebrations and every other type of "food intensive" situation you can imagine.

Make sure you have your refrigerator/pantry stocked up with whatever you need, so that you are not tempted to make bad choices!!! I'm at the point now that I'd rather NOT eat than eat something I now isn't good for me.....so I keep the good stuff around!!!

Just remember, get up and MOVE everyday and be mindful of what goes into your mouth (or on your butt as i say). :)~

If you have any questions, please let me know. I want to help!!!!

Here are 10 tip tips for Holiday Eating....

1. Trim back the trimmings. Go all out and deck the halls with boughs of holly, glitter, and lights, but when it comes to holiday food, accessorize with care. To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter, and whipped cream -- additions that don't add much to the meal, but can add plenty to your waistline. Trim calories wherever you can so you leave the party feeling satisfied, but not stuffed, recommends Carolyn O'Neil, MS, RD, author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous.

2. Wear snug clothes and keep one hand busy. When you wear snug-fitting attire, chances are you'll be too busy holding in your stomach to overeat. While you stand around looking posh in your holiday finery, hold a drink in your dominant hand so it won't be so easy to grab food, recommends obesity expert Cathy Nonas, MS, RD.

3. Chew gum. When you don't want to eat, pop a piece of sugarless gum into your mouth. This works well when you're cooking or when you're trying not to dive into the buffet, says Nonas.

4. Be a food snob. If you don't love it, don't eat it, says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Melinda Johnson, MS, RD. Scan the buffet for foods you truly treasure and skip the everyday dishes that are available all year long. And don't think it's your responsibility to sample everything on the buffet. Go ahead and indulge in your personal holiday favorites, then find a seat and, slowly and mindfully, savor every mouthful.

5. No skipping meals. Always eat normally on the day of a party. "People who skip meals to save up calories tend to overeat everything in sight once they get there," says Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, author of Diet Simple. "Eating sensibly throughout the day will take the edge off the appetite and empower a bit of restraint." Start with a nourishing breakfast, have a light lunch, then a small snack or salad shortly before the event.

6. Check it out. First things first. When you arrive at the party, grab a sparkling water with a twist, and wait at least 30 minutes before eating. This will give you time to relax, get comfortable in your surroundings, and survey your food choices on the buffet before diving in, says Tallmadge. A buffet is an invitation to eat all you can, and unless you carefully scrutinize it and make wise choices, you're likely to overeat.

7. Add fun and games. Cynthia Sass, MPH, MA, RD, co-author of Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy, proposes taking the focus off food and getting family and friends more active during holiday parties. Think horseshoes, badminton, sledding, ice skating, or building snowmen. Indoors, try a spirited game of charades, or rent an instructional dance video followed by a dance-off. "The best parties include dancing, so why not make dancing after eating a new holiday tradition for a great form of fun and recreation?" asks David Katz, MD, MPH, author of The Flavor Point Diet.

8. Alternate alcohol with nonalcoholic beverages. Alcoholic drinks are loaded with calories -- especially holiday favorites like eggnog. "Cut your alcohol calories in half by alternating water or seltzer between alcoholic beverages," Katz advises.

9. Skip the appetizers. "Eschew the appetizers rather than chewing on them," says Katz. If you need a little nibble before the meal, go for the veggies, fruit, salsa, or a small handful of nuts.

10. Limit the variety. Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating, suggests putting only two items on your plate when you go to the food table. Return as many times as you like, but only take two items each time. "Variety stimulates appetite, and if you limit your choices to just a few items and stick with these, it will be easier to control than eating a little bit of 20 different dishes," agrees Katz.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/top-10-holiday-diet-tips-of-all-time

My Trainer BOB's Protein Choices!!!!

2010-11-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

MY Protein Choices!

Posted: November 15th, 2010Author: Bob Harper

A lot of you have been asking me about plant-based protein.. So let me give you a breakdown of all my protein choices:
1. ALL kinds of beans (black, kidney, great northern, chick peas, black eyed peas, green peas, lentils, pinto beans, lima beans)
2. Tempeh
3. Seitan
4. Tofu
5. Veggie burger
6. Quinoa
7. Oatmeal
8. Brown rice
9. Whole wheat bread
10. Nuts
11. Peanut butter
12. Soy milk
13. Hemp Protein
14. Green Pea Protein
15. Brown Rice Protein
16. Vegan Protein Powder
17. Chlorella
18. Plenty of rich green leafy vegetables

http://www.mytrainerbob.com/blog-posts/my-protein-choices