Mark & Deanne's Beach Body Physique Transformation

Day 20 - 24 Day Challenge - Deanne

2011-01-22T03:35:00.000-08:00

Where is the time going? My week has been the busiest for a long time. And it will remain that way for about 2 weeks. I am filling in for the coaches next week at kippers and the week after that I will be filling in at HEAT and teaching a ton of classes. I am quite excited about it, but a bit nervous too, as I am not used to doing so many. But I am doing up ideas for classes already. Mary Ann at HEAT will circulate a schedule when it is ready (this week!)

Its day 20 of the challenge.I have stuck to 2 of my 3 resolutions. The daily blogging was the third and it fell by the wayside. Having said that my eating, water, and exercise has not fallen by the wayside and in 14 days I am happy to say my scales indicate I am down 5 pounds. That is the weight I gained over Christmas. So already my challenge has been a success. The final weigh in by Mary Ann is this coming Thursday or Friday.

I have been eating my usual, boiled eggs, bananas, clementines, tuna sandwiches, whole wheat pasta (small portion), etc. The evening snacking that I took on in December has disappeared. That was the kiss of death for me in December. I feel better, more energy and sleeping better too.

So I will blog again soon, but the daily requirement has had to be put aside; the most important challenges have remained and that I am very happy about.

thanks for following.

D

Day 10 - 24 day challenge - Deanne

2011-01-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

I am fighting a cold. My nose is getting stuffier and my throat is so scratchy. I don't feel sick but I am tired today.

Breakfast: 1/2 flax bagel with natural peanut butter, coffee

medical appt: massage (thanks Kelly Cook).

snack: cheese string, yogurt with berries and granola

Workout: I taught hard core booty. I love teaching this class. very fun

Lunch : 130 pm lean pork loin chop (no fat, no bone) about a 4 oz portion, stir fry of red pepper, onion and mushrooms

Snack: i was too busy at work to eat, and I was STUFFED from lunch.

Supper: 7 pm (had to grocery shop) but I did great, stuck to my list. So when I got home, supper was slow cooker beef stew with potato, carrot, mushrooms, onions with tomato base (DELISH) I zapped it in the mircowave becuase it was ready this morning at 630 am! Use yoru slow cooker!

After work I went to the HIIT class at HEAT to take notes (I did not participate) as I hope to teach this class while the instructors are away in Punta Cana. I had to miss Ab Ripper class today because I picked up my girls. Its great to have them home.

I drank all my water today, and I got all my workouts in this week.

Thanks for following!

Mini tips for your Food

2011-01-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

I have a few tips to make food prep a bit more organized. I have to try to have a plan to keep on track.

1. Bagels, - a bag of bagels usually goes bad before they get eaten in this house. I freeze the whole bag. I take out a bagel, speed defrost in microwave and then toast it (usually half at a time although today I ate an entire bagel). I also only buy whole wheat or flax bagels.

2. eggs - I boil 4 or 6 at a time and keep them in the fridge and grab them when I pack my lunch (or eat one for a snack). Then they are ready if I want an egg sandwich.

3. seasonings - I throw fresh ginger in a baggy and freeze it. It lasts for a long time and then I just grate it for my stir fry. Therefore, I always have ginger on hand.

4. slow cooker - use your slow cooker and plan your meals. Cook your low cal choices overnite, and put them in a casserole to heat up at suppertime. (ie, beef stew with tomato soup is a favorite, with potato, mushrooms, onions, carrot, celery).

5. Fruit / veggies - buy fresh. Check-out 'no frills' grocery store; they always seem to have lovely produce at good prices.

6. Flyers - check out the flyers and make a list. Always grocery shop with a list so you don't deviate and buy anything 'forbidden'.

7. Eating out - plan ahead. If you know you are going out, google the menu and look for low calorie and healthy choices. Limit eating out if you are on a plan to lose weight. (Its an easy way to go off track).

I have some favorite things that I like to eat. Sweet potato can be microwaved. Pierce several times and cook in microwave on potato setting. Peel, cut and serve (be careful, its hot).

Natural selections Ham or Turkey - no chemicals, and low calorie. If you like sandwich meat this is a fairly good choice.

Dairy - I don't drink much milk but I like my dairy proudcts; cheese strings, yogurt, cottage cheese. Portion control is key.

Mustard - use mustard instead of mayo or Miracle whip. If you do use Miracle whip, small spoonful only.

Just a few time saving and favorite tips that I try to use to keep on track with food and planning. I share them because they work for me.

Day 9 - 24 Day Challenge - Deanne

2011-01-13T15:50:00.000-08:00

Day 9

Hit with a winter storm last evening. I hate winter. Not a fan. Here is my food for today (thursday).

Breakfast: 1 whole wheat bagel with natural peanut butter, coffee
snack (10 am): apple
snack (1130 am): banana
lunch (late today, 1 pm): chicken breast (huge, stuffed!)
Supper: (530 pm):1 small pork loin chop, stir fry of red pepper, onion and mushrooms, small scoop of mashed potato (no butter).

I drank all my water today. But I also drank 400 ml of "Simply Orange Juice". I am not a juice drinker. Its high in sugar and calories and I would much rather eat my calories then drink them. However, I am getting a cold so I feel like a bit of orange juice can't hurt. It took me all afternoon to drink it! Just not a juice fan. Water and coffee are my favorite beverages. (and the odd glass of red wine, but I am off this stuff right now!)

I didn't get a workout in today because of the weather (cancellations at the gym). Its just as well, my arms are so sore from yesterday. Tomorrow I will teach Hard Core Booty.

thanks for following. I blogged yesterday and forgot to post it, so I will have to remember to post this one.

D.

Day 7 & 8 - 24 Day Challenge - Deanne

2011-01-12T16:39:00.000-08:00

Tuesday: Day 7

Breakfast: cheese string, yogurt
Snack: clemtine
Lunch: vegetable soup (Gardennay Brand)
Snack: apple
Supper: oven baked fish, potato

My workout on day 7 was Gymstick Muscle. great workout, I felt lower and upper body the next day!!

Wednesday: Day 8

Breakfast: yogurt, cheese string
Snack: apple
Lunch: homemade egg salad sandwich (with green onion) and a slice of cheddar on whole wheat bread (I was stuffed).
Snack: 90 calorie mini crispy thinggys (from Nena).
Supper: T bone steak, potato and onions/mushrooms

I totally need to get to the grocery store because I am out of all other veggie choices.

So I knwo I said I was not going to report my weight and was going to try to not get on the scale. well, I am sorry I said that because I did get on the scale. I had an amazing loss this week, (water weight and I am sure a bit of fat too)and I attribute that to staying on track right out of the gate. In the past 8 days, I have had the single largest weight loss ever in a one week period. I just mention it to you to say this: Eat Right, Move More is all you need to do. And those HEAT classes really do work.

So in the spirit of this 24 day challenge that it is not just about the number, I will keep the number to myself. And share it maybe sometime down the road.

I got all my water in, my daily blogging challenge is not going so great, because of work, and other activities. But I did include the last two days right here on the blog! I am keeping track of what I am doing and I always seem to have success with that approach.

Thanks for reading

D.

Da y 5 & 6 - 24 day challenge - Deanne

2011-01-10T16:40:00.000-08:00

Day 5 & 6: Sunday & Monday

my eating has been varied. Eating every 2 hours. Fruit, yogurt, etc.

Sunday: breakfast was late, yogurt and coffee
Lunch: leftover chili
Snack: clementines
Supper: homemade donairs - 2 small (this is a major deviation from a healthy choice obviously, eating donair meat, but I used whole wheat wraps instead of pita bread)

I drank my water as well.

Monday: breakfast was late, I slept in with a headache

breakfast: 1/2 whole wheat bagel with natural peanut butter, coffee
snack: cheese string, yogurt
lunch: leftover chilli
snack: apple
Supper: Kevin cooked! baked potato and ribs (not nessarily a low cal choice either, however, I appreciated the cooks hard work, and it did taste yummy. I had a small portion)

Exercise on Monday - hard core bootly class. This was a great workout. I could still feel my abs from Friday)

Well, I have one week in on the challenge and I feel good, energy is better. I am trying to stay off the scale. hard for me. I am not reporting the number until the very end. This challenge is not about worrying about 'the number'. I have so much more energy thatn I did during Christmas. Just changing a few things (more water, better food, more activity).

Thanks for following.

D.

Day 5 - 24 Day Challenge - Deanne

2011-01-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

Day 5. Woke up sore from Abripper. Felt good. I coach gymnastics every Saturday. I start at 915 and get done at 1230. I packed my lunch but my times to eat were off. So supper ended up being at 430 pm because I was hungry. More on my food later.

I got a great post on my facebook today. Amanda Ward brings her daughter Amber to my preschool gymnastics class. It felt good to be back with the kids. Gymnastics is so much fun, I do the 18 month age up to age 7 ish. Amber is about 3 years old (or 4), I know she just had a bday in December. Anyway, Amanda let me know that Amber was on the couch, talking to herself, saying it was gymnastics and she was the coach and her name was Deanne! so cute. Makes me feel great that the kids are modelling my behaviour. Here is hoping she doesn't do gymnastics off the couch! Another sweet little girl in a class of mine back in 2006/07, used to pretend she was "Deanne" and coach her dolls and stuffed animals. This is why I do this every Saturday. Its very rewarding and I still find it fun. When the fun leaves the activity for me, then I will probably give it up, but right now, every day I am in the Kippers gym, it is FUN.

I really like getting constructive feedback.I taught a Hard Core Booty class on Friday. When it was over, a newer member made a point to come up to me after class to say how much she enjoyed the class. I was thrilled to hear that. That class was a bigger one for me, probably about 15 people. We have many new members and it is a real rush for me to look out over the group when I am on stage, calling the moves, and the participants are:

1. Doing everything I am doing and doing it correctly

2. working hard

If the group is doing it correclty than I know I am doing what I am supposed to do, (calling the move, cueing the proper form, and motivating them to work hard). This has been a fitness goal of mine for a long time and the road was long for me. I had wicked stage fright. I got divorced. I moved, I was in a high stress job for 2009, early 2010. All things came togehter and I kicked my own ass to get over my fear and finally taught my first full class in Oct. 2010. And I really enjoy it. I may only get to do it right now once a week (since this would be fun job #3 for me), but as I am still learning, I am getting rewarded at the same time.

Food for Saturday:

8 am: cheese string, coffee

1015 am: clementine

1130: tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread

12:30 pm: boiled egg, clementine

430 pm: homemade chili (lean ground beef, diced celery, onion, grated carrot, kidney beans, black beans) and a bit of mozza cheese on top

830pm: box of raisins, yogurt

I ate later today becuase I started eating later in the morning. Saturdays are often like that for me. My water intake was about 6 glasses. I had to minimize it due to running to the bathroom at Kippers. The jumping up and down thing becomes a problem sometimes! Sometimes its the reason I keep moves low impact. but is that sharing too much info? LOL

Day 5 was a good day.

D.

The Number 1 Rule For Fat Loss

2011-01-08T03:27:00.000-08:00

This is the one absolute requirement for weight loss, and it’s something you’ve heard of before. However, there’s one critical distinction about this familiar advice that you might not have considered - and this 1 thing makes all the difference in the world…

Let me quote Melvin Williams, PhD, professor emeritus of exercise science at Old Dominion University and author of the textbook Nutrition for Health, Fitness and Sport (McGraw Hill)

“Human energy systems are governed by the same laws of physics that rule all energy transformations. No substantial evidence is available to disprove the caloric theory. It is still the physical basis for bodyweight control.”

If you do not know how many calories you are consuming on a daily basis you are fighting a losing battle.

The down and dirty way to figure out your caloric needs for fat loss is to multiply your current body weight by 12. This is a good starting point. After 2 weeks if you have not lost any fat, go with 11. This is how many calories you should be consuming on a daily basis for fat loss.

For some reason people think they do not need to do this. They feel that they just know how many calories they are consuming. I doubt this very much.

I would start with a 40% carb, 40% protein, 20% fat program based on your caloric needs.

Also remember that initial weight loss in almost always water weight so don't get too excited in the first week when the number on the scale goes down. It is body fat we want to lose.

There are a variety of diet programs and weight loss “gurus” who claim that calories don’t count. They insist that if you eat certain foods or avoid certain foods, that’s all you have to do to lose weight. Dozens, maybe hundreds of such diets exist, with certain “magic foods” put up on a pedestal or certain “evil fat storing” foods banished into the forbidden zone.

Other weight loss “experts” invoke the insulin/carbohydrate hypothesis which claims that carbs drive insulin which drives body fat. That’s akin to saying “Carbs are the reason for the obesity crisis today, not excess calories.”

They are all mistaken.

Of course, there IS more to nutrition than just calories. Food quality and nutrition content matters for good health. In addition, your food choices can affect your energy intake. We could even point the finger at an excess of refined starches and grains, sugar and soft drinks (carbs!) as major contributing factors to the surplus calories that lead to obesity.

However, that brings us back to excess calories as the pivotal point in the chain of causation, not carbs. A caloric deficit is a required condition for weight loss - even if you opt for the low carb approach - and that’s where your focus should go – on the deficit.

Now, here’s that critical distinction…

You’ve heard it said, “exercise more and eat less” a million times. However, saying “focus on the deficit” is NOT the same thing. If you don’t understand the difference, you could end up spinning your wheels for years.

You could exercise more, but if you compensate by eating more, you cancel your deficit.

You could eat less, but if you compensate by moving less, again you cancel your deficit.

This type of compensation can happen unconsciously, which leads to confusion about why you’re not losing weight or why you’re gaining. That often leads you to make excuses or to blame the wrong thing… anything but the calories. It is always about the deficit.

Therefore, “focus on the deficit” more accurately states the most important key to weight loss than “exercise more and eat less.” Make sure you understand this distinction and then follow this advice.

Last but not least, keep in mind that there are a lot of ways to establish a deficit and many of those ways are really dumb. Eating nothing but grapefruits, cabbage, twinkies… but in a deficit?… Dumb!

A calorie deficit is required for fat loss, but once your deficit is established, the composition of your hypo-caloric diet DOES matter. That’s why any good fat loss program starts with calories but doesn’t stop there - you also need to look at protein, essential fats, macronutrients, micronutrients, food quality and how the diet you choose fits into your lifestyle.

Don’t let the simplicity of this idea fool you. This is the #1 key to your successful weight loss this year, and every year: Focus on the deficit.

http://www.mypersonalimprovement.com

Day 4 - 24 day challenge - Deanne

2011-01-07T17:41:00.000-08:00

Day 4 started off with a bang. Kevin took both sets of car keys to work with him so I had no way to start the car. Mark saved the day and drove me to Lunenburg to get the keys (thank you)and then I drove home and got to work about 1015. New Germany to Lunenburg is quite a commute when you are not planning for it. So my eating and such was delayed all day.

Breakfast: 930 am cheese string, one piece of whole wheat bread with natural peanut butter, coffee

Snack: (11 am) handful of almonds, water

Another snack: 130 pm : hard boiled egg and two clementines

Lunch: 230 pm whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce

Snack: 4 pm: yogurt

Supper: Late: 8 pm, butternut squash soup and 1 piece of whole wheat toast with tuna/green onions and a slice of cheese

I taught Hard Core Booty class at 1215 and then I went to Mary Ann's Ab ripper class at 615. WOW, was that a great workout. I am sore already.

Work was a bit crazy as I played catchup all day.

I didn't get stressed out that badly by all the oddities of today's routine. I just tried to solve the problem and move on. And since I make a mess all the time on a daily basis, I easily forgave Kevin for his boo boo with the keys. I mean, usually he is following me around with a shovel (or a vaccuum, or a broom) cleaning up behind me! (this is true, ask him). We are partners, so we had a good laugh about it now, and tomorrow will be a better day.

Soon ready for bed. My water intake was a bit lower than normal, as I didn't get my 4 glasses in by noon. I did have a G2 drink after the ab ripper class, so that I will improve tomorrow. So I took 4 classes and taught a class, so right on track with the workouts.

more tomorrow!

D.

Day 3 - 24 day Challenge - Deanne

2011-01-06T16:20:00.000-08:00

This was a busy day at work. I also had a plan to eat out with my coworkers from my previous job. Eating out can be challenging. We decided to go to Pizza Delight so I researched the menu in advance and found a couple of options (instead of opting for the buffet). Details to follow.

Breakfast (715 am): cheese string, clemintine, 1 coffee (running late today so it was grab and go

Mid morning (930 am): clementine, handful of almonds

Lunch: noon I preordered at the restaurant to save time (Pizza Delight). I had a chicken ceasar wrap with a huge salad. I had a smidge of Italian Dressing on the salad and water to drink. I am not a huge condiment or dressing fan. When I do use it, I am sure people look at me like I am nuts. I take a very small drizzle and the rest goes to waste on the side.

Mid afternoon: (2 pm) 1 apple

Late day: (330 pm): yogurt (vanilla), boiled egg

Supper: (545 pm) I made steak in the slow cooker, it was a nice lean cut, and I used water and tomato soup. Brown rice and kernel corn for the veggie.

I did not do as well with my water, its 815 pm and I still have 2 glasses to go. I managed to avoid the birthday cake that is still in the house so I am happy about that.

I didn't get a workout in today because Hannah is not feeling well so I decided to stay home with her. The kids go to their dad's tomorrow and I thought I should be close to home. I will make up for it tomorrow, I teach the lunchtime HEAT class tomorrow; Hard Core Booty. Its a 45 minute lower body workout. I love working lower body and abs. I also plan to do the "ab-ripper" class for the 24 day challenge clients at HEAT, Mary Ann will have some challenges for us I am sure!

Thanks for following!

D.

Keep It Simple

2011-01-06T06:07:00.000-08:00

How many different workout videos and gimmicks and books do you think there are out there. It is a multi-billion dollar a year business. Each week sees a new miracle food or supplement hit the market.

Maybe it is the new shape up shoes, or some other gimmick.

Why not just keep it simple? Eat veggies, with some protein and drink lots of water.
Try to be active every day. Just walk.

Skip rope, do push ups, body weight squats and some burpees.

You do not need some fancy piece of equipment to get in shape. Get some resistance tubing if you want to have something.

Loving my carb cycling diet. I get a day to eat carbs and refuel muscle glycogen. Rest of the time carbs are being kept well below 100 grams a day to induce ketosis(burning fat as fuel instead of sugar).

Might post some pics later.

Day 2 - 24 day challenge - Deanne

2011-01-05T15:24:00.000-08:00

Here I am at day 2. It is my daughter's 11th Birthday. Happy Birthday Mariah. We had birthday cake and yes, I did have a small slice. I still plan to live and celebrate the important milestones. Now the cake is off limits to me.

Food for today:

Breakfast (720 am): 1 coffee, 1 banana and cottage cheese

Midmorning: (930 am): 1 coffee, cheese string, 1 apple

Lunch: (1130 am): baked ham whole wheat wrap, dijon mustard, slice of marble cheese on top and 1 deli pickle

Mid afternoon (2 pm): spinach greens, handful of almonds and dried cranberries on top, mini tomatoes, no dressing

Late day: (4pm) cottage cheese, boiled egg

Supper: (615 pm) chicken stir fry (brocolli, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, snow peas, brown rice. I did fried wontons for the kids and Kevin and I ate 2. (I stopped at 2 ! amazing)

6:45 pm : 1 small slice of Mariah's bday cake (chocolate)

Here it is 715 pm and I have drank all 8 glasses of water. I am stuffed actually.

My workout today was a kick butt Turbo Scuplt class at HEAT at 1215. Lots of upper body with lots of reps. Feel my legs too, we did lots of squats with weights as well. I always feel so good after this class, I think it is my favorite.

Tomorrow, my workout will be in the evening; a cardio class. Not sure which one yet! Turbokick I think.

You will not see me doing any weigh-ins over the next 4 weeks. Doing one at the beginning and one at the end. I usually am a 'slow starter' anyway, so not going to focus too much on the number.

Thanks for following!!

D

Day 1 - 24 day challenge - Deanne

2011-01-04T14:24:00.000-08:00

Today is Day 1. Blogging for day 1 begins. I ate every two hours today. That is tricky because you have got to PLAN. In December, I ate anything that wasn't nailed down.

My food today:

Breakfast (715 am): vanilla yogurt, 1 piece of whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter and 1 clementine, 1 coffee

Mid Morning:(930 am) 1 coffee, cheese string, celery and carrots dipped in white bean / roast red pepper dip, vanilla cottage cheese

Lunch (1130 am) : whole wheat wrap with oven baked ham (Natural selections brand), 1 slice of deli thin pickle, 1 slice of Havarti cheese, dijon mustard

Snack (2 pm) and I was hungry because I went to the gym: spinach / greens with handful of almonds, handful of dried cranberries, 1 boiled egg cut up on top, handful of baby tomatoes (no dressing).

Late Afternoon (4 pm): 1 apple

Supper (545 pm): 1/2 cup of whole wheat pasta, spoonful of tomato sauce, (No parmesan!); 5 oven baked scallops

At 7 pm: I plan to eat one handful of almonds.

It is now about 630 pm and I have had 6 of my 8 glasses of water. Heading for the fridge when I am done blogging to get one last bottle of water for the day!

My workout today was Gymstick Muscle at HEAT at 1215. I enjoy the gymstick and I really need work on my upper body. I tend to have neck and shoulder issues but I really focused on my posture today.

As I said, my 3 resolutions were more water, more blogging and more HEAT classes. The other 'unwritten' changes I plan to make (since I was naughty in December) are no booze, no chocolate, and no potato chips (this one may be the hardest!)

I am sitting her full and satisfied. I am not following any particular eating plan, just better choices, and grazing. I tend to get back on track when I keep track of what I eat. I did a start weigh-in (But Mary Ann won't tell us the number) which I like. I will see what it ends up being in 24 days. Its not about "the number" but about making some good changes.

I am not 'dieting' and at no time was I feeling like I was 'starving'. I am eating lots and feeling great. I felt tired and lazy in December because of all the sugar I was eating. What a difference that makes for the body !

Thanks for following my Blog. :)

D.

24 Day Challenge - Deanne

2011-01-03T06:46:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed the holidays. In many ways. Food mostly. I did get to the gym once per week. Not enough! I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Of course the holidays are our 'permission' to indulge. And I gave myself that permission. So yes, I am up in weight. Today I will weigh-in at HEAT and tomorrow is Day 1. Part of the challenge is to make 3 resolutions. Mine are:

1. Drink 8 glasses of water a day

2. take 3 HEAT gym classes per week and teach 1 per week

3. Blog everyday (which means keeping track of my eating)

I remember Mark's words - "you can't out-train a bad diet" So true. My eating was crazy over Christmas. Back to being focused and on track.

Thanks for reading.

D.

Ketosis

2011-01-03T04:30:00.000-08:00

Ketosis Diet Plan:

What is ketosis?

A lower carb intake to force the body to switch from using sugar as its primary fuel to using fat as fuel.

A ketogenic diet is what bodybuilder and fitness competitors use to get super lean for a competition.

Foods for a ketogenic diet would include quality lean protein, healthy fats, and some veggies. That's it. Protein and fat have to be high to make up for the calories lost from cutting carbs below 100 grams per day.

Most carbs should be consumed around your workout period.

Off to the gym for a workout this morning.

Daily Workout Schedules

2010-12-24T08:08:00.000-08:00

So I am in Halifax picking up my brother. He is working so I have the day to kill.

I decided to actually go to an actual gym for a real workout. I usually workout at home with my PowerBlock Dumbbells, which are awesome. I of course also do the P90X workouts.

But it is always good to get to a gym with heavy weights and hard core equipment just to change things up.

So off I go. I have my daily workout schedules with me. All I have is a little scribbler with my workout written down. I need a plan. Guess what. I am the only person there with any kind of workout log. People are kind of wandering around, not sure what to do. Don't get me wrong, some are in okay shape, but if you are not using any daily workout schedules or a workout log how can you see where you have come from and where you want to go? How much weight did you lift?
How much for next time?

Gym memberships are expensive. My day pas was 15.00$. But I feel it was 15$ well spent. I had a plan and followed it. And I had a killer total body workout. The goal is to deplete carbs completely. It has been low carb for me the past 4 days. Now I am going to carb load over the next 24 hours(perfect for Christmas day!) to take advantage of increased insulin sensitivity.

Anyway, get your hands on a printable workout log and start tracking your progress in the gym. Your results will be so much better.

My Fat Loss Diet

2010-12-22T04:22:00.000-08:00

Low Carb High Protein Fat Loss Diet

100 grams of carbs per day. This is the magic baseline number for my fat loss diet.

You can read why this level of carbs is near perfection here.

Every time you eat carbs your body secretes insulin to store those carbs. Too many carbohydrates end up getting stored as body fat. And the more carbs you eat, the more you crave. It becomes a vicious cycle.

Your body also become resistant to carb intake. The body has to produce more and more insulin just to keep up with what you are shoveling in your mouth.

You want to be insulin sensitive. You want your body to be a sponge and soak up nutrients when you eat.

If you are a carb chugging eating machine you will not be insulin sensitive.

My Fat Loss Diet Plan

What individuals are lean? Bodybuilders and fitness competitors.

How do they do this?

They monitor their carb intake. Protein stays high. Around 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight(or higher) to maintain lean muscle mass. Healthy fat intake is also high to make up for the deficit in calories caused by reducing carb intake.

A wholesale cut in calories in NOT the answer. This will cause the metabolism to slow and may end up in you STORING body fat.

Low Carb High Protein Fat Loss Diet

100 grams carbs = 400 calories
210 gram protein = 840 calories
80-90 grams fat = 720-810 calories

I will have a carb up day once per week where I will increase my carbs to 150 grams.

Progress will be monitored weekly and adjustments made as needed.

How To Lose Stomach Fat For Good

2010-12-22T03:27:00.000-08:00

Do you want to know the truth about how to lose stomach fat? Every time you turn around there is another diet claiming to be "the one" that will get you to lose weight. First of all you can't just lose stomach fat. You will lose fat from all over your body. This, of course, is not a bad thing.

Second, we tend to lose fat last from the place it is stored first. If you store fat easily in the midsection area, this is the last place it will come off. Sorry.

Diet is king when it comes to losing fat. You can workout regularly, but if your eating sucks you just will not achieve the results you want. You cannot "outtrain" a bad diet.

So here is the truth about how to lose stomach fat, belly fat, back fat, face fat and any other fat you want to get rid of.

You have to cut your carb intake.

This is how fitness competitors, bodybuilders and people who can actually see their abs do it.

No magic formulas or workouts.

They eat clean. And they watch their carb intake.

Most people in our society consume 200 to 500 grams of carbs per day. Bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, doughnuts, etc. We are a carb craving society.

But if you were to put a gun to the head of fitness experts and ask for the one piece of advice that would help people lose fat this is what they would say:

Eat 100 grams of carbs per day.

This is how to lose stomach fat. And the rest of your fat as well.

This simple solution makes more sense than just about any diet strategy you'll ever try. Is it overly sexy? Not really. But it works. And it is healthy. Lots of veggies and some fruit.

Eating 100 grams of carbs a day is as close to nutritional magic as you can get:

It's Low-Enough Carb

At 100 grams of carbs per day your carbs will be low enough that you'll be preferentially stoking your metabolic furnace with stored and dietary fats and not carbs. You want to burn fat as fuel.

Also, most people won't experience any mental fogginess, crabbiness, or lack of energy that often accompany really low-carb diets.

It's High-Enough Carb

At 100 grams, you still have room to get in fast-acting carbs as part of your peri-workout nutrition strategy.

There's never a reason to skip the carbohydrates consumed around your weight-training workout. Carbs taken in at this time won't contribute to fat gain and may even speed up the fat loss process.

With a 100 gram daily allowance, you can lose belly fat fast and maximize the anabolic potential of the peri-workout time frame.

In addition, with 100 grams of carbohydrates allowed every day, there's no reason to avoid nutritionally ass-kicking fruits, berries, and vegetables as you have to do with 20 and 30 gram diets. This not only allows you to eat good-for-you foods, it opens up your diet to a wider variety of meal choices. No need to live on bacon and string cheese for twelve weeks as you would on an ultra low carb diet. That is just not practical.

This will also provide enough energy for your workouts. Remember, you want your body to be tapping into your fat stores as fuel for your workout.

If you are serious about learning how to lose stomach fat, this is it.

The 100-grammer won't fall for bullshit "Low-Fat!" and "Made with Whole Grains!" health claims you see all over the cereal, bread, and Pop-Tart aisle. He or she will ditch the fruit juice, most sugary dairy products, pasta, and other junk. You will become wary of those "guiltless" menu options at chain restaurants, which border on fraudulent.

For the rest of your diet (i.e. protein and fats) there are a couple of other guidelines.

Eat protein at every meal: a bunch of eggs, protein powder, or a hunk of meat. It's hard to screw this part up.

Add fats to each meal as well(except post workout). Don't go overboard with nuts and seeds because they come with their fair share of carbs and you'll quickly be on the 250 Gram Carb Plan. Walnuts are great because they have a lower carb count than any other nut, and they contain the most diverse fatty acid profile (including omega-3s).

Use oils and some butter on your vegetables. Sprinkle salads with different oils.

How to lose stomach fat? Eat 100 grams of carbs per day and see what happens.

Does P90X Work? December Update

2010-12-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

Does P90X Work?

Wow, it has been forever since I posted on my blog.

Let's see. I have been participating in a local weight loss challenge that is put on by a local fitness center. Of course it is just weight that is tracked, not overall body composition. So if a person lost 3 pounds of fat but gained 3 pounds of muscle their weight would be the same and in essence they would be penalized. Even though they would look quite different even from this small change in their body composition.

Anyway I don't pay attention to the weekly weigh in number. I feel good. My new jeans(size 36 waist) are almost too big. I still have some body fat to lose. Way back in April when I started this I think my body fat was at about 25%(or more). This is clinically obese.

Here is what this means.

235 pounds at 25% body fat is 56 pounds of fat! Yikes

Now I am 225 at 18% body fat. This is 40 pounds of fat. Still a lot but I am on the right track.

Here is the starting pic.

I am going to estimate my body fat at 18%. I am planning on having my body composition calculated in a few days.

Here are pics from today

So does P90X work? I certainly feel it does. Anything works if you are consistent and your eating is fairly clean.

Food Combining Diet

2010-10-28T04:58:00.000-07:00

I have always been skeptical of a food combining diet. It is commonly believed that the human stomach should be able to digest any number of different foods at the same time. So I eat foods that are all mixed together at one time. And I feel like crap. Hmmm, maybe there is a correlation between food combining and digestion.

Digestion is governed by physiological chemistry. It is not only what we eat that is crucial to our health, but what we are able to digest and assimilate for energy.

So since I have always been interested in digestion and cleansing the colon and detoxifying the body, etc., I decided to look into food combining diets a bit more.

The science behind healthy food combining is that acid foods and alkaline foods should not be eaten together. There is much more to it than that of course, but this is the basic premise.

When looking at a food combining chart I want to say that it would be difficult to follow a food combing diet. The food combining rules are fairly rigid. Of course, being able to do something or not do it depends on the person.

So for the past few days I have been following a food combining diet. And I actually feel better. No nausea, more energy, less gas, the constant pain in my knee is gone, better trips to the bathroom. Could all of this be attributed to a food combining diet?

For some people who may have digestion problems I think there is a link between food combining and digestion. So if you are one of these people it may be worth it to try a food combining diet.

What about food combining for weight loss? Well if you are digesting foods more efficiently, and eating healthy foods of course, you should notice that you do lose weight. You still have to exercise and follow a daily healthy eating plan. A food combining diet alone will not be the weight loss miracle you may hope it to be.

It is more about proper digestion, feeling better, and having more energy. So far it is working for me and I intend to keep following along with proper food combining.

Stay tuned for more on this interesting topic.

Eat Foods With Protein For Fat Loss

2010-10-25T04:50:00.000-07:00

Foods With Protein

Muscles are made of protein. This statement is rather obvious to all of us. So to build muscle, equally obviously, you need to eat foods with protein. This can be found in eggs, fish, meat, cottage cheese or protein concentrates like protein powder.

A lot of people cut calories when trying lose weight, and certainly some dietary changes should be made. Cutting out baked goods and junk food is a great idea. But all too often calories are reduced too drastically. What then happens is that your metabolism slows down and weight loss stops.

You still need to eat to keep your metabolism running at high capacity. Eating foods with protein not only gives you calories, it has a thermic effect. This means that is raises your body temperature ever so slightly as it processes the food. This is a good thing.

The human body is in a constant state of flux, it looks the same from day to day, but through multiple biological processes, it is always rebuilding itself."

Science has proven that 99% of the atoms in your body are replaced within one year. Every cell in your body is always being recycled. Protein is what is used in the creation of new cells. It is the building blocks of your body.

Skin, hair, bones, hormones, and antibodies are formed of protein. Save for water, protein is the most abundant substance in your body. Like other nutrients, proteins are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. But unlike other nutrients, proteins are the only nutrients that bring nitrogen into the body.

Thus by measuring the amount of nitrogen in ones excreta, compared to the amount taken in, one can estimate the amount of protein used for muscle growth. If the difference is positive, then muscle is being made.

But if the difference is negative, there is a negative nitrogen balance, and the body literally begins to feed on its own muscle to produce energy. Proteins are broken down by digestive acids like protease to smaller units called peptides. This occurs in the stomach where there are acidic conditions necessary for the digestion of proteins. The peptides are in turn are digested by peptidase, found in the duodenum, into amino acids. These are what the body actually absorbs and utilizes to form body tissue, including muscle.

There are 20 amino acids that are required for the normal growth of the body. Eleven of these are naturally made in the body and thus are called non-essential amino acids. The other nine have to be ingested into the body as it cannot synthesize them and are thus called essential amino acids. Foods with protein containing both types of amino acids in the exact amounts as they are needed by the body are called complete proteins. Only when all the essential amino acids are available can the body grow muscles. Otherwise it starts breaking down body tissue to suffice the amount of essential amino acids for growth and repair purposes. Thus lack of these amino acids actually leads to muscle loss.

More muscle is what you want. Muscle is active. It burns calories, even when you are resting.

Try to eat foods with protein at each meal. A bit of tuna or a spoonful of cottage cheese are great ways to get more protein in your diet.

So if weight loss and fat loss are your goals you must be eating foods with protein to have any hope of long term weight loss success.

Liposuction Pricing

2010-10-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

Liposuction surgery is a procedure of removing excess fat from areas like the face, chin, love handles, thighs, abdomen, buttocks, flanks, hips, upper arms, jowls and neck. The sole purpose of liposuction is similar to all cosmetic surgery-to improve your physical appearance and body. And yes I would love to have liposuction for my abdominal area. But liposuction pricing is in the thousands of dollars.

I am not sure of how many choices for plastic surgery in Nova Scotia there may be. If I were looking for liposuction in Los Angeles I would probably have hundreds of plastic surgeons to choose from.

When it comes to liposuction, the surgeon has in mind the goal of improving the contour of your body. It comes from the Greek word ‘lipos’ which means fat. It is also known by its other terms such as suction lipectomy and lipoplasty.

In order to remove fats, liposuction uses suction, which is provided by a vacuum-like device or by a large syringe. The suction is inserted through a small incision in the body, and the surgeon will suction out some of the fat tissue.

In contrast to what most people believe, liposuction surgery is not an alternative method to losing weight, if you are overweight. What it offers is a way to a smoother and trimmer body if you have extra pockets of fats that will not go away with physical exercise.

Discarding liposuction pricing, the ideal people to have liposuction are those who are close to normal weight. But, they have pockets of excess fat with firm skin, and are physically and psychologically healthy.

Before the procedure, you need to find the right plastic surgeon for you. Discuss with him all your expectations and concern. Even if liposuction sucks the fat tissue out of your body, it is not a guarantee that you will have a perfect body. A good surgeon will discuss with you the facts about the procedure, the preparation, the benefits, risks, costs and the recovery period.

You will also have to take certain measures as part of your preparation. For example, if you are taking birth control pill, it should be stopped and be replaced with another birth control method, until after the liposuction surgery.

Drugs such as Ibuprofen, aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided for ten days before the surgery, because these drugs can contribute to bleeding during and after the surgery. Even certain vitamins and herbs can affect bleeding, so it is best to inform your surgeon, if you are taking them.

If you are a smoker, your surgeon will recommend that you stop, before the surgery, and you should not resume even after the procedure. Smoking can put you at higher risks of contracting chest infections, after anesthesia is injected into your body.

Depending on some cases, your surgeon will inform you not to eat any food and drink any liquid after midnight a day before the surgery. The choice of anesthesia depends on several factors, including the amount of fat removed, the technique of liposuction used and your pain tolerance.

There are three types of anesthesia that your surgeon will choose: local, regional and general. The local numbs only the area to be treated, while regional numbs the lower half of your body, and general makes you unconscious.

The three techniques common in making liposuction surgery are wet liposuction, super wet liposuction and tumescent liposuction. The wet liposuction requires general anesthesia. The amount of wetting solution will be less than the volume of fat removed.

In super wet liposuction, the wetting solution is equal to the volume of fat removed, and requires general anesthesia. Finally, the tumescent liposuction surgery has a wetting solution of two or three times the volume of fat removed. It requires local anesthesia, and causes fat deposits to swell. This technique is the most common, because it has the advantage of having less bleeding, and bruising.

Compulsive Eating Disorder

2010-10-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

I have always been what I would describe as a binge eater and an over eater. I am not saying that this is a compulsive eating disorder in any clinical sense.

But even as a kid I always wanted 2 or more helpings of a meal. One cookie was never enough. I wonder where this behavior comes from. Do I find comfort in food? Sometimes. But after a binge eating session I am guilty as hell.

Usually my worst time of day for compulsive eating would be at night. Am I bored? Perhaps.

Well since taking on a gluten free diet plan I have not had any compulsive eating or binge eating sessions. I do need to eat more vegetables and fruit. I need to follow more of an eat clean diet.

I have noticed advertisements on TV for compulsive eating disorder support groups. Maybe it would worth my while to actually attend one of these meetings just to hear what people have to say. Maybe I should actually look into eating disorder treatment centers in the area.

There must be an eating disorder clinic in Halifax.

Is a compulsive eating disorder physical, psychological, or both? I guess it depends on the person. Certainly something to look onto.

Lose Weight Walking

2010-10-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Walking For Weight Loss

Let's keep things simple shall we? A lot of people get all bent out of shape when it comes try trying to find the best way to lose weight.

Should I eat less? Exercise more? Do more cardio? Do resistance training?

When it comes to body transformation- that is losing fat and adding some muscle- proper nutrition is by far the most important part of the equation.

Resistance training is second and cardio is third. What do most people do? Ignore their nutrition choices, not do any resistance training and do tons of cardio. Something doesn't add up. And these these people wonder why they are not losing weight.

Sure the calorie equation may be in their favor, but because calories have been cut, the metabolism slows to a crawl. End result, no weight loss.

Physiques you admire, the lean muscular men and women, are built with dialed in nutrition, resistance training and some cardio.

Too much cardio eats away precious muscle, which is what you need more of to lose fat. Muscle loss due to excessive aerobics drastically lowers the resting metabolic rate and inhibits natural hormone production. When this type of person goes back to even just normal, healthy calorie and exercise levels, they gain all of the weight back plus a few extra.

Aerobic sessions elevate cortisol levels. Long sessions can lead to excessively high levels, and too frequent sessions can lead to chronically elevated levels, neither of which is good for body composition enhancement. Cortisol can force the body to break down its own muscle tissue, convert it to glucose (gluconeogenesis), and use it as fuel. It also leads to increased fat accumulation, especially around the midsection.

Okay some cardio has to be done. And the cardio of choice to preserve muscle and burn fat should be walking. Sounds too easy doesn't it. That's what the seniors in my neighborhood do! Walking for fat loss is the way to go.

Walking for weight loss gives us many of the same benefits as traditional aerobic activity (calorie burning, lowered blood pressure, lowered resting heart rate, lowered cholesterol, increased cardiac output, increased capillary density, increased nutrient/oxygen delivery, etc.) without all of the drawbacks (musculoskeletal injury, joint wear and tear, elevated cortisol, muscle loss, lowered metabolic rate, etc.). Simply put, walking is the aerobic activity we were meant to do.

I'll post a detailed plan in a couple days. Now go for a walk!

Too Much Of A Good Thing?

2010-10-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

So we are a few weeks into the local version of the Greatest Loser. Weekly weigh ins take place on Monday's. So far so good. Those of us in the contest wear a simple elastic bracelet and if our weight goes up we lose it and Mary Ann wears them.

I still have mine. I don't know my weight. It has gone down obviously. The number on the scale is just a number. It doesn't really tell the whole story. For me it is more about body composition and body fat percentage.

There were some people getting weighed who went up and they were not really pleased. They have been doing LOTS of different fitness classes and they can't understand how they cannot have lost weight.

Could it be that they are doing TOO much? Are they eating ENOUGH? What are they eating? How much water are they drinking? How much sleep are they getting?

The body wants to hold onto fat. You've got to feed it to help it think that food is in abundance.

My gluten free healthy eating plan is on track and I feel that this has helped me greatly. Lots of protein, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats. Not a ton of variety but I am okay with that. Keep it simple.

I do a few fitness classes each week, have been walking a every day and doing some heavy resistance training twice per week.

Pics later.