Nutritional Value of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds made a comeback about five years ago. Before that, most of us either hadn’t heard of them or didn’t understand the nutritional benefits that adding them to your diet can bring.

Chia Seeds Have Superfood Properties

Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and are very high in antioxidants. Unlike other seeds – flax for example – they can be added to water, soups, salads, and homemade bread right out of the package. Flax seeds, while good for you, do not have any real nutritional benefits whole and must be ground before they can be consumed.

Chia seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients. One ounce (about 2 tablespoons) has 139 calories, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber. Chia seeds also contain essential nutrients including manganese, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, copper and potassium. As a bonus they contain essential fatty acids alpha-linoleic and linoleic acid, and vitamins A, B, E and D.

Adding chia seeds to your diet for the nutritional value they provide alone is reason enough. But some research shows they can increase your energy level and metabolism which can lead to improved athletic performance. Add them to the water you drink during your workout and you won’t need a sports drink like Gatorade that’s loaded with sugar and other additives or G2 that has questionable artificial sweeteners.

Replace Sugary Beverages with Chia Seeds to Maintain Your Edge and Lose Weight

Most of us look to sports drinks to help us get through athletic endurance trainings and events. If we are doing a 50 mile bike ride or a 13 mile run on a hot day, we need something beyond water to keep us moving. You can safely replace the sugary carb-loaded beverage with a tablespoon of chia seeds in water with a splash of lemon or lime which will save you calories and provide the needed energy.

A study cited in the National Institute for Health created two control groups that consisted of athletic males. They had both groups perform a one hour run on a treadmill at approximately 65% of their VO2max followed by a 10k time trial on a track. One group consumed 100% of their calories from Gatorade. The second group consumed 50% of their calories from Gatorade and 50% from chia seeds. The group that consumed the 50% Gatorade, 50% Chia seed drink performed just as well as the 100% Gatorade group, which shows the athletes could decrease their dietary intake of sugar by using the chia seed replacement drink.

Chia Water = A Healthier Option

While the study doesn’t go so far as to prove that chia seeds alone will lead to athletic performance, the good news is that often times we consume more calories in the form of beverages and other carb aids when we work out or compete in events. Unlike chia seeds, those calories comes from sugar that has no nutritional value and leads to inconsistent ebbs and flows in our energy level. Over time, consuming sugary sports drinks can sabotage our weight loss goals and leave us wondering why we’re working so hard but the stubborn belly fat doesn’t budge.

Plus, the high fiber content of the chia seeds (one ounce has 10 grams) will fill you up so you’re not starving when you’re done!

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Happy Friday to everyone! It’s Friday and I’m in [link] love!

Positivity is Powerful

Even if you strive to maintain a positive outlook, some days it can be harder than others. The Power of Positivity web site and Facebook page provides daily positive affirmations that can help you on days when the struggle is real.  Below is an inspirational video created by the Power of Positivity that has been circulating social media sites.  Check out their site here:  The Power of Positivity.

HIIT Is Here to Stay

Every year the American College of Sports Medicine compiles a list of the trends they predict will become or remain popular in the upcoming year. This year, wearable tech, body weight training and high intensity interval training (HIIT) top the list.  HIIT workouts are popular because they can be done anywhere at any time and, in most cases, don’t require any equipment.

If you’d like to add some HIIT to your life, here’s a link to a 20 minute workout that you can do at home or on the road. Try this Calorie-Torching HIIT Workout from the Fhitting Room.

Nail Your Resolution By Doing This

We’re half way through January. Are you nailing your goals so far?  This article has some great advice from the Triathlete and reaffirms what we talk about here at PTCDN.  Set practical goals.  Instead of saying you’ll never eat dessert again, resolve to have dessert in moderation.  For some advice that works,  click here:  Nail Your 2017 Nutrition Goals from the Triathlete.

Too Good To Be True?

Maybe not. Japanese scientists have concluded a double-blind trail on obese adults to determine what, if any, apple cider vinegar has on blood sugar and body fat.  The results were surprising and indicate drinking apple cider vinegar could be a viable tool to aid in weight loss.  Read about the study and results here: Apple Cider Vinegar Helps Blood Sugar, Body Fat, Studies Say.

There’s Strength in Numbers

Reaching fitness goals are not only easier, they’re more fun, with friends. Stride Kick lets you join – and even create – fitness challenges that you can invite your friends, family and co-workers to do with you.

Challenge yourself by creating a fun fitness challenge with your own goal or invite friends and coworkers to join and motivate you. Don’t want to create your own challenge? Become a part of the Stridekick community and join a community challenge to earn badges for achieving your goals: Moving with Stridekick’s Fitness Tracker Challenge.

The post Wisdom, Why HIIT Works and Weight Loss: It’s Friday. I’m in [Link] Love appeared first on Projectputthatcookiedownnow.com.

Squeezing a half of a lemon into a glass of water first thing in the morning is a good way to hydrate your system, cleanse the liver, and get a supply of vitamins and anti-oxidants that can give your immune system a boost.

The best reason to add fresh lemon juice to your diet several times a week is because they are super-charged with Vitamin C which is one of the most important antioxidants in nature. Anti-oxidants can protect healthy cells from free-radicals that can damage cell membranes, which ultimately leads to inflammation, pain and chronic disease.

All Natural Lemon Juice Cleanse

Lemon water is an inexpensive, easy-to-make no-sugar thirst quencher that is more effective than commercial cleanses. The Vitamin C in lemons help the liver produce a compound called glutathione, which cleanses the liver and helps it regenerate. The minerals and vitamins in lemons help to flush unwanted toxins from the digestive tract, also aiding in liver detoxification

Increased Energy

Lemon squeezed in water provides more energy for the body than plain water. Water with lemon is a good pre-workout hydration drink. After a workout, lemon water will replace lost fluids and electrolytes and can improve post-workout recovery.

Weight Loss

There have been plenty of articles written about how lemon water can ‘melt fat’ and help people lose weight. Lemon water is not a magic potion that will cause you to drop pounds quickly unless you’re engaged in some of the other necessary behaviors – like reducing calories, and increasing your physical activity – that promote weight loss.

Lemon water will help you feel fuller and more satisfied than plain water which can cut cravings and reduce the chances that you’ll reach for a sugary soda or sports drink.

How Much Do You Need?

People that weigh less than 150 pounds can squeeze a half of a fresh lemon into 8 to 12 ounce glass of water. People over 150 pounds can use the juice of one whole lemon or drink two glasses with a half a lemon each, twice a day.

The one downside to drinking lemon water is that it can be hard on tooth enamel. After drinking your daily glass, rinse the mouth with regular water and spit it out. This will protect the teeth from the acids in the lemon juice.

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That’s a hard question and unfortunately research hasn’t been able to provide us with an absolute answer. There is even some confusion as to whether weight regain is due to a shift in metabolism and hormones or if people simply drift back into the old habits that made them overweight in the first place.

It’s probably a combination of the body’s natural tendency to want to return to its ‘normal’ weight and the dieter returning to their before-weight-loss eating patterns. Referred to as yo-yo dieting, the weight losses and gains can take a toll on a person’s physical and emotional well being.

First, let’s take a look at what science is able to tell us.

Research Provides Some Insight

There are a number of studies that show that dieting is associated with accelerated weight gain and an increased risk of becoming overweight. Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD, wrote an article, Warning: Dieting Increases Your Risk of Gaining MORE Weight, for Intuitive Eating Disorders.com.  Tribole’s article discusses a concept known as dieting-induced weight-gain that scientists believe is contributing to the obesity epidemic.

Dieting-induced weight-gain suggests that, independent of genetics, dieting prompts weight gain. And, a cycle of weight-loss, followed by weight-gain, followed by another round of weight-loss pushes the baseline weight higher than the original weight.

The article cites several studies that show that dieting teenagers have twice the risk of becoming overweight. It also says the risk of binge eating increases with dieting and up to two-thirds of people that lose weight regain even more than they lost.

Some researchers believe the predisposition to regain lost weight is caused by nerves in the stomach that become damaged [in obese people] so that they no longer signal the brain to tell it when the person is full. One study out of the University of Adelaid in Southern Australia looked specifically at the effects of a high fat diet on the stomach’s ability to send fullness cues to the brain.

This study reported that even when people begin eating a healthier diet the signaling did not improve, nor did it improve with weight loss. What this means is that an individual who has lost a significant amount of weight would still not realize that they were full in time to prevent overeating.

Dieting Is A Slippery Slope

Trying to determine why people that lose weight will, more than likely, gain it back is a challenge. Hormones, the hunger control mechanism, and resetting of the metabolic rate may all be factors however the primary reason for regain is probably more about behavior change than people would like to admit.

When you lose weight your body mass decreases which means you require fewer calories than you did when you were at your heavier weight. Through the process of dieting you suffer deprivation and your cravings for a Dilly Bar or cheesy fries go unfulfilled.

Once you lose the weight you feel great. You’re getting compliments from your friends and co-workers, and you’re buying fun clothes in a smaller size. But slowly, as you begin to get used to the new you, the old habits start to slip back in. At first it’s only for special occasions, but it doesn’t take long before you’re eating more every day than you were when you on the diet.

You’re not consuming quite as many calories as you were when you were pre-diet, so it still feels like you’re giving up something. You’re still depriving yourself. A little. But you’re eating more than your body needs to maintain the weight you’re at now.

Plus because of the lower metabolic rate and suppressed satiation response you could be taking in quite a few more calories than you need.  You’re also disconnected from when to eat, what to eat and how much to eat. You second guess every morsel.

What’s The Answer?

Tribole believes the answer lies in attunement with your mind and body rather than counting calories or Weight Watchers points. She calls this process Intuitive Eating which gives you permission to eat when hungry, eat for physical rather than emotional reasons, and rely on internal hunger cues to help you determine when and how much to eat.

Intuitive Eating doesn’t sound like the quick and easy fix that dieting is but if you embrace it you will begin to develop a healthy relationship with food.  To learn more about this concept check out the web site that has on-line support group at Intuitive Eating.org.

Most people determine how much weight they want to lose and a date that they want to lose it by. Throughout that time frame they are doing things in a dramatically different way. They eat less, exercise more, avoid sugary, fatty foods, and seek out motivation from friends, co-workers and the fitness instructor at the local Y.

These are things that should be done throughout our lifetime. Being at a healthy weight should be a life goal rather than a six week or six month battle with the scale.

What’s your strategy to maintain a healthy weight?

The post Is Weight Gain After Weight Loss Inevitable? appeared first on Projectputthatcookiedownnow.com.

Here are six of the most common excuses I hear regarding exercise and weight loss along with a way to bust that excuse so it goes away for good!

Icky Weather – I can’t work out today because it’s too hot or too cold, it’s raining, snowing foggy, or muggy. Unless you live someplace like San Diego, CA the weather is rarely just right which means if you use the weather as your excuse to miss workouts you’ll never get them done. If the weather does affect your motivation you’ll need to get acquainted with doing workouts from home and there are plenty of options.

Since Exercise TV stopped programming three years ago, the best at-home workout solution is Be Fit. At Be Fit there are tons of quality workouts in a variety of formats and lengths to choose from so you’ll never get bored. The best part? Be Fit is free!

Too Busy – I don’t have the time. This is the mother of all excuses.  It is the one used most often by most people. The folks over at Skinnyms.com say you only need two minutes a day to successfully lose weight. No, they’re not talking about the new ten minute workout that only takes two minutes. They’re explaining how important it is to have a food journal and how taking two minutes a day to write down the foods that you eat can help you lose weight. In the Skinnyms article, 2 Minutes a Day to Weight Loss Success there are also some good low-cal recipes to get you started.

No Results –Maybe you’re demotivated because you think you’re doing everything right but you can’t get the results that you hope for. It may be that you’re doing too much cardio.  Overdoing it on the cardio without a couple of days of strength training will burn up your muscle which will lower your metabolic rate making it harder to lose weight. Plus you’ll never get any closer to getting the toned body you’re coveting. Weight Loss and Training.com has a 30 Minute Workout to Get Total Body Toned.  If you do this workout at home you’ll need a barbell. If you don’t have one you could substitute dumbbells or a weighted bar. Or, you could do it in the gym before you head down to spin class.

Funky – You’ve got that general feeling of malaise going. Nothing’s really wrong, you’re just in a funk and can’t get moving. A steady dose of motivation is what you need. Fitness Motivation for Ordinary People has a Facebook page that will get your spirits up and increase your mojo without making you feel bad about yourself.  Facebook is the gift that keeps on giving so once you ‘like’ the page you’ll get Ordinar People’s motivational stuff in your news feed.

Hangry – Whenever you try to lose weight you find you’re hungry all the time and that makes you angry. You’re hangry! You’ve probably seen tips for keeping that hunger under control, but that can be easier said than done. Lifetime Weight Loss has some tips that can really help including practicing mindfulness which is always one of my favorites. Check out What To Do When You’re Still Hungry for some strategies you may not have thought of.

Do you have an excuse that you need busted?

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Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes no.

One way to bring meaning to a week that has been less than overwhelmingly interesting in any way is to share tips via links about health and wellness news that I’ve found to be fascinating this week. I hope you enjoy and will share.

– Not can you, but do you have the will to [change]?
–  The 8 Hour Diet is still a thing
–  Burn20 will inspire you to move more, and . . . .
–  There is now proof (almost) that coffee and a nap are the perfect combo.

It’s Friday. I’m in [Link] Love!

Mel Robbins on Why Motivation is Garbage –Mel Robbins, creator of the 5 Second Rule,  is a motivational speaker with one of the of the top 20 Tedx talks in the world. In this interview with Tom Bilyeu, she talks about how she changed her life with one simple strategy that came to her during a low point.  In this compelling interview she talks about how the habit of hesitation sabotages our success and what to do about it. The interview is worth a watch and just may motivate you to make some changes in your life. For an additional motivational burst, check out her short inspirational video This is Where Your Dreams Live below.

The Complete Guide to Intermittent Fasting – For several years I have practiced the 8 Hour Diet, intermittently at least, and can confirm that it has significant benefits. The 8 Hour Diet is believed to help you lose weight (without counting calories or starving yourself) and reduce the risk of chronic conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease.  The diet works because for 16 hours a day you are not consuming any calories. During this 16-hour period, the body is able to rest, repair and burn calories.

The book, The 8 Hour Diet by David Zinczenko and Peter Moore was a New York Times bestseller and brought the concept of intermittent fasting mainstream. For the most in depth look at the diet, the book can be purchased at Amazon.com. To learn more before buying the book, check out Stylecraze’s The 8 Hour Diet – Complete Guide.

Burn20 – Ingrid Macher’s Facebook page Burn 20 features short workout  videos – usually three exercises in each one – almost daily. Having these in your Facebook newsfeed is motivating and provides some great ideas for exercises that target a variety of muscle groups that can be done in a short amount of time.  Ingrid also has a free 5-day meal plan that you can download.  You can access the videos here – Burn 20 Videos, and the entire Facebook site here, Burn 20. Give her a ‘like’ on FB and start getting the videos today!

Coffee + Nap = Perfect Combination – I read some time ago that drinking a cup of coffee before taking a short nap would help you wake up more recharged than either option on its own. Researchers continue to study the benefits of the “coffee nap” and deem it to be the perfect combo. Why does it work you ask? “Both sleeping and caffeine block the brain’s receptors of adenosine, which is the chemical that causes drowsiness. While a nap on its own can leave a person feeling refreshed, the introduction of coffee beforehand can make for an even more effective energy boost.” Click here to learn more.

The post Motivation from Mel Robbins, More Good Coffee News, the 8 Hour Diet: It’s Friday. I’m in Link Love appeared first on Projectputthatcookiedownnow.com.

For a year or more I’ve been working within my comfort zone. Every workout has been pre-empted with a mental reassurance of  ‘You’re good, girl. Just do what you can do’.

Guess what?

That doesn’t work.

The reality is that if you want to exceed, or better yet, excel at anything you are going to experience some pain. You are going to be uncomfortable. The rewards that come from both of these not-so-awesome ‘feelings’ are worth it. Life beings at the end of your comfort zone.

Dealing With Uncomfortable Pain: Outsmart Your Brain

I had to begin to reevaluate my own reality a few months ago when, for the second year in a row, it was looking like I wouldn’t be ready to run the Illinois Marathon (IM) half marathon. The IM is a huge annual event in my hometown (practically). I work in C-U and the this event brings that community to life on a level you might not be able to understand until you experience it.

I love the Illinois Marathon. Last year I didn’t participate for reasons too boring to go into here. This year, for similar reasons I thought I wouldn’t participate again. And then, something happened. I was sitting at my desk at work and my inner voice that always says “You’re good, girl” spoke to me in a different way.

She said, “What is wrong with you? Two years in a row you’re not going to run the half in the Illinois Marathon? ” I realized that if I didn’t do it this year I would never do it again.

At that moment I registered for the event and spent the next six weeks training so that I would be ready to, once again, run 13 miles.

Out of My Comfort Zone

My long runs took place on Saturday or Sunday morning. It was spring in Illinois and that means it’s either too chilly or too warm. There’s no in between. On some days it rained.

The first week I ran seven miles, the next week eight. Finally I got up to a painful, uncomfortable nine miles. There were days I didn’t want to go. There were days when my brain kept talking me out of going one more mile.

Why?? I want to do this. Why is my own brain working against me?

I’m not sure but I think it has to do with the way we have convinced ourselves that the status quo is good enough. We start to believe that we shouldn’t ever have to experience pain or be uncomfortable. I don’t know who to blame for that and it doesn’t matter now. If you can overcome that voice in your brain that tells you ‘you’re good’ when you’re not or that ‘you’ve got this’ when you don’t, you can reach your goals.

Was It Worth It?

Oh yes! It was awesome. Here I am at the Memorial Stadium Finish Line with my daughter.

And here’s me with my daughter and other like-minded people I know that are willing to push to reach their goals.

After the half marathon I was ready for more painful and uncomfortablness.

I ran the Lake Mingo 7 mile trail run last week. The trail run is a series of rugged hills that suck the life out of you followed by valleys where you feel like you are going to fall head over heels. I was not comfortable at all after mile 2. But, look at me. I got a medal! I got fourth in my age group.

Here’s What I Know

I could not have done this without these 3 things:

— Changing my mental attitude to put an end to the complacent acceptance that whatever I can do is good enough. It’s not, and that thinking leads to nothingness.

— Seeking out people who are willing to be uncomfortable with me. If you can find people that can handle a little pain and you are able to support each other in the process you’ve struck gold. The picture below is a group of us that conquered the Lake Mingo trail.

— Accepting that there is going to be some pain in the process. It might be rain hitting your face on a training run or having to get out of a warm bed a lot earlier than you want to. If you are going to get what you want out of life getting uncomfortable and experiencing some pain is  inevitable.

It’s not easy being exceptional but, I know that you can be.

I’m begging you to settle for nothing less.

Be Social! Share!!

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Did you accomplish the goal 100%? If not, what percentage would you give yourself?  75%, 50%, 25% or 0%?  The reason this is important is because you need to know if you’ve set a good goal.  If you accomplished the goal 100% you may be able to set that goal again next week and successfully accomplish it. You could even make the goal (slightly) more challenging.

If you are at less than 100% you need to look at what got in your way. Being honest with yourself about this allows you to recognize what you could do different if you choose this goal again. Here’s an example:

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Planner

What specifically will I achieve?
I will walk on my lunch hour for a half an hour Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week.

How will I measure It?
I will assign a completion number for each day that I walk: 25% per day. In other words one day is 25%, two 50%, etc.

Is it achievable by me now?
Yes. I have an hour for lunch and my job is next to a rec center that has an indoor walking track that we are allowed to use.

Is it relevant to my larger goal?
Yes. My goal is to lose five pounds in 30 days and physical activity will help me burn more calories which will assist in my weight loss.

By what dates will I achieve it?
By Friday, January 20.

How did you do? (Assign goal completion number)
75%

Let’s assume you missed one day. What happened on that day that kept you from taking the 30 minute walk?

What can you do to make sure that doesn’t happen again?

What are some other things you could do if you aren’t able to walk for 30 minutes?

It’s a good idea to come up with some ideas now such as walking after work, adding an extra 10 minutes to the walks on the other days, or doing a quick at-home workout before or after work in place of the walk.

Whatever goal you have set, this is the tried and true method that successful weight loss coaches use with their clients. Doing this only takes a few minutes each week and will keep you from setting unachievable goals that leave you discouraged and ready to quit. Remember, goals must be achievable because success breeds success.

The 7 Minute Workout

This workout has been around for a while but it is still considered to be one of the best short, simple, and effective workouts around. It is the 7 Minute Workout from the New York Times that now has an app to go with it for both iPhones and iSOs.

This workout can be done anywhere at any time. It’s a good calorie burner and can give you just the bump you need to get you to the goal of losing five pounds in 30 days. Plus, there’s now an advanced 7 Minute Workout so once this one gets too easy you’ll have a new challenge. Little fitness hacks like these can keep you moving towards your goal.

The post Five in 30 Week Two: How Did You Do Plus a Quick Tip appeared first on Projectputthatcookiedownnow.com.

Most people would agree that 2016 was pretty rough, but it’s over.  We survived it and today is the day to begin attacking your goals, just like this girl did.

Turning New Year’s Resolutions into Reality

Most of us see the new year as a new beginning.  January 1 can be a launch pad for achieving all of the things you weren’t able to get to last  year. But, often times resolutions made in January don’t come to fruition, and are often forgotten by spring.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

If you need some help getting started on setting goals that you can actually reach, check out this article that provides tips that will help you turn your 2017 dreams into reality: Forget About Lofty Resolutions and Set Achievable Goals.

The post A Shot of Motivation for You on the First Monday of 2017. appeared first on Projectputthatcookiedownnow.com.

I could not find any accurate statistics for the number of people that lose weight then gain it back. Some studies show it’s as high as 95 percent. Others put it around 85. Whatever it is, I can tell you from the personal experience I have working with individuals through health coaching and specific weight loss programs, it’s a lot. I would guess it is in the upper range of 95 percent.

And the reason for weight regain has more to do with than science than it does with willpower.

Enemy Number One: Adaptive Thermogenesis

Diet-induced weight loss is accompanied by a process called adaptive thermogenesis which is a disproportional or greater than expected reduction of resting metabolic rate. In other words, the body has an uncanny knack for wanting to be at a certain weight and dieting seems to elicit a biological reaction to negative energy balance or caloric reduction. When you eat less to lose weight, your body slows down to prevent you from doing so.

The plateau and weight regain that generally follows this large energy deficit may exceed weight loss so that a net weight gain may be the outcome of such a weight loss cycle.

There are still many unknowns about the dieter’s number one enemy, adaptive thermogenesis. Scientists continue to study this built-in adaptation system to learn more about its relationship to weight loss and the seemingly inevitable weight gain that follows. What they do believe is that a reduction in energy intake (food) results in an equivalent decrease in the resting metabolic rate.

Does This Make Successful Long-Term Weight Loss Hopeless?

The answer is no. While this balancing act that takes place is in the body is somewhat beyond your control there are some things to keep in mind when trying to lose weight and keep it off.

Here are some things you should know:

A slow weight loss program will prompt better long term results than a fast one will. Research shows that an aggressive weight loss program slows down your metabolism more than a moderate one does. We’ve all heard of the starvation mode theory that suggests that if you cut your calories down too low your body will think it’s starving and hang onto body fat. This is the basic principle of adaptive thermogenesis. The more you shock your body with extreme calorie deficits, the harder it will work to balance things out.

Strength training will keep your metabolism at its peak. Most of us prefer cardio exercise over strength training, but lifting weights – your own or the ones you buy from the store or find at the gym – is absolutely key to losing weight and keeping it off. When we lose weight we don’t just lose body fat, we also lose precious muscle mass. This muscle mass is what keeps our metabolism revved up. Three to four strength training sessions a week with weights, tubes and medicine balls will help you maintain the muscle mass that you’re going to need to lose weight and keep it off.

HIIT training trumps steady state cardio. High intensity interval training isn’t just more fun and effective than steady state cardio, it burns more calories both while we’re engaged in the training and for up to 24 hours afterwards. Find a HIIT class at your local gym or do one in the comfort of your own home. HIIT training requires no equipment and there are some excellent workouts on YouTube that you can access for free. Below is a 20 minute HIIT workout from Pop Sugar that you can find on their YouTube Channel.

Protein helps retain muscle tissue. Eating a diet rich in lean protein will provide the fuel your muscles need to regenerate after both the strength training and HIIT workouts. Not having adequate amounts of protein can result in even greater muscle loss and a lower metabolic state.

Patience is a must-have. The best way to think about your diet is to reframe it so that you’re thinking about weight loss in terms of a lifelong health strategy not an unsustainable 12 week program. We already know that quick fix dieting programs are impossible to maintain so get a calendar and set a long-term goal. Journaling is a good way to hold yourself accountable to your program and writing down your successes and challenges will help you stay positive and persistent.

Bottom line is the more you shock your body by drastically reducing calories, the more it will fight you to maintain your body weight. A long term plan of eating nutrient-dense lower-calories whole foods, daily exercise that includes strength training, and a daily dose of patience and perseverance will give you the best results.

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