Coach Tiff's FitBlog

Open for Business...FIT by Tiff!

2011-08-08T11:39:00.004-04:00

So I finally have realized my vision for my fitness and nutrition consulting business. I'm going to be a virtual personal trainer!

Check out my web site

Healthy (Kinda) Gold Rush Sandwich

2011-04-07T09:01:00.003-04:00

When I was little, I LOVED going to Roy Rogers to eat. The restaurant is probably the first memory of a fast food restaurant I have. Then they began to disappear off the face of the Earth and I didn't have Roy Rogers for a very long time, until I found there was one right down the street from my college. Now only a handful are left, in Maryland and Virginia, which makes it hard to satisfy my craving for their awesome Gold Rush Sandwich from my current location in North Carolina.

So last night, I decided to recreate this sandwich and make it health(ier) at the same time. While it is indeed healthier, I do not recommend frequent indulging of this :)

Here are the stats for the Roy Rogers version:

Calories: 641
Total Fat: 32g (that's a whole day's worth!)
Saturated Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 86
Sodium: 1531
Carbs: 61g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 11g
Protein: 31g
Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron: 2%, 0%, 15%, and 15%

Here are the stats for my homemade version:

Calories: 554
Total Fat: 19g
Cholesterol: 105mg
Sodium: 1166mg
Carbs: 53g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 28g
Protein: 44g

Ingredients: 1 Perdue Perfect Portions (or any) boneless skinless chicken breast
Seasoning for the chicken (I used a little black pepper, a pinch of sea salt,a pinch of paprika, and a shake of McCormick Salmon Grill Seasoning (it's good on poultry!)
1 ounce 365 Organic Wildflower Honey
1 tbsp of butter (I used Promise Light)
1 tbsp of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used a gourmet smoky brown sugar)
1 slice White American or Monterey Jack cheese
2 slices Great Value Precooked Applewood Bacon
1 tsp Great Value No Sugar Maple Syrup
1 whole wheat hamburger bun
1 medium pan
1 small pan

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

Step 1: Set the medium pan on the oven on medium heat. While you're waiting, trim any fat from the chicken breast. Pat it dry with a paper towel and rub your choice of seasoning on both sides.

Step 2: Put 1 tbsp of butter in the pan. Move it around until it dissolves.

Step 3: Once the butter is dissolved, place the chicken in the pan. Do not touch it or move it for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Mix the sauce while you wait. Mix 1 ounce of honey with 1 tbsp of BBQ sauce.

Step 5: Flip the chicken to the other side. Leave it on this side for 5 minutes.

Step 6: Flip the chicken again, leaving it on this side for 5 minutes. Coat the chicken with the sauce.

Step 7: Heat up the bacon while this side cooks. Set your small saucepan on the burner on low heat. Drop in the 2 slices of bacon along with 1 tsp of sugar-free maple syrup and a few drops of the sauce.

Step 8: Flip the chicken over and coat it with the sauce. Top with the slice of cheese. Leave it on this side for 5 minutes. Flip the bacon as well.

Step 9: Toast the hamburger bun, if you prefer. When it's ready, spread the sauce on the inside to taste.

Step 10: Put the bacon on the bottom half of the bun. Top with chicken breast. Top with sauce. Enjoy!

* If you find your chicken is not quite cooked, leave it in the pan for an extra 5 minutes.

Healthy Movie Snacks

2011-04-07T08:52:00.003-04:00

So in a bold move (and a positive step in the right direction), AMC movie theaters have decided to sell healthy options to theatergoers. Considering I usually spend about 8 dollars for a 16 oz. Dasani and a box of SNOCAPS (they're dark chocolate, at least), $7 seems like a pretty good deal. Check it out next time you go see a movie!

AMC begins selling movie snacks that won't slowly kill you

By Sean O'Neal April 5, 2011

America’s relentless war on you just eating whatever the hell you want all the time, until your veins explode in a pressurized spray of corn syrup and hydrogenated oil, has now reached the front lines of the movie theater concession stand. Today Sony issued a press release congratulating AMC for its new Smart MovieSnacks pack, created through a cooperative effort between the theater chain and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which is a $7 bag that includes Chiquita Fruit Chipsa natural air-popped corn chips, a bottle of Dasani water, and an Odwalla Chocolate Chip Trail Mix Bar—a much healthier alternative to the usual kind of “trail mix,” where you get a large popcorn, dump some Milk Duds in there, then smother it in artificial butter.

The press release quotes Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton’s remarks at ShoWest last year, where he said, “Taking this step is also great for audiences and for your business, because people want to see healthier foods in theaters, and when they do, they’ll buy them.” Which, ha ha, indeed. Still, the fact that the entire snack-pack costs about the same as a large bag of M&Ms suggests he may be onto something.

Read the full article here:

The skinny on.... Microwave Meals

2010-06-25T14:02:00.002-04:00

So how about those microwave meals? What could be better than a meal that's quick, easy, and already cooked??

With names like Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Smart Ones, and Lean Gourmet, what could be bad about them?

Let's look at the cons
- Microwaves can take away the vital nutrients of food, the radiation can cause cancer (in extremely prolonged usage), and a lot of people say they are high in preservatives and sodium.

The Pros - for weight loss, I still believe these entrees can be useful towards reaching a weight goal.

Also, many of these products today use no preservatives or have low sodium

Lastly, no one ever said you had to use the microwave to cook them! Many of these meals provide instructions for heating them using a toaster oven or conventional oven.

So you don't have to go fill up your cart with these convenience meals, but you can at least reconsider them as one of your options! :)

Simple Steps to Boost Your Metabolism All Day Long!

2010-06-10T11:06:00.006-04:00

Another interesting article from Beachbody...

By Ben Kallen

When you want to create a lean, firm body, the best way to accomplish it is with an effective workout program and a healthy eating plan. But that's not the end of the story . . . . Because no matter how much you're putting into your exercise sessions, practicing a range of healthy habits the rest of the time can give your metabolism an even bigger kick.

So here's a full day's worth of metabolism boosters. Any one of them may have a relatively minor effect, but when put together, they're bound to help your body burn fat more efficiently. Add these tips to your weight loss arsenal, and you'll get the results you want as quickly as possible.

Morning

1. Get some sun. A little outdoor time in the morning can help you slim down in three ways. First, bright light helps regulate your body clock, so you'll be more energetic during the day and sleep better at night. Second, during the winter months, sunshine helps ward off SAD (seasonal affective disorder), a condition that can lead to uncontrolled food cravings. And third, sunlight on your skin increases your levels of vitamin D, which are associated with a higher metabolism and a lower risk of obesity. (While sunscreen cuts down on your natural vitamin D production, experts warn that you shouldn't spend much time outside without it. You can also get more D by taking multivitamins, drinking fortified milk, and eating fatty fish.)

2. Eat a good breakfast. Research has shown that a filling breakfast that includes both lean protein and complex carbohydrates helps you burn fat all day (and keeps you satisfied longer, too). In a study presented to the Endocrine Society, dieters who ate hearty breakfasts stuck to their food plans and ended up losing more weight than those who didn't, despite the fact that their daily caloric intake was actually slightly higher.

3. Add some grapefruit. There's a reason grapefruit diets have never gone out of fashion. In a recent study in the journal Diabetes, mice on a high-fat diet that were given naringenin—a flavonoid chemical that gives grapefruit its slightly bitter taste—didn't gain weight, while others on the same diet did. And a study conducted at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found that half a grapefruit before each meal helped obese people drop more than 3 pounds over 12 weeks. (Consult your doctor if you're taking any medications—large amounts of grapefruit can change the way they're metabolized by your body.)

4. Have a hot beverage. As you've surely heard by now, regular consumption of green or oolong tea can raise your metabolism by as much as 5 percent. But plain old java gives your fat-burning ability a boost too. Green coffee beans have been found to boost your metabolism through the combination of caffeine and something called chlorogenic acid. While roasting lowers the amount of this chemical, according to the Coffee Science Information Centre, a light roast retains more than a dark roast.

Whatever you drink, don't overdo it, and keep the additives to a minimum—the calories in cream and sugar, or a coffeehouse latte, can far outweigh any fat-burning benefits.

Coach's Note: Drinking a hot beverage during the hot summer months also regulates body temperature so you won't be so hot! :)

Midday

1. Take the stairs. Your daily workout will do more than anything else to burn fat and build lean muscle. But that doesn't mean you should be a slug the rest of the time. A highly publicized British study found that kids who were very active during physical education classes were that much less active throughout the day, which suggests that you may need to make a conscious effort to move your body when you're not working out, including taking such simple steps as walking everywhere you can and using stairs rather than elevators. Even relatively brief periods of exercise will help keep your metabolism revving at a higher level.

2. Snack on nuts. All nuts (including peanuts, which aren't technically nuts, but whatever) are fairly high in calories, but they're also full of nutrients, especially protein and healthful fats. In a study at Purdue University, when people added 500 calories of peanuts to their daily diets, they ate less during meals and increased their resting metabolic rates by 11 percent. You don't need to eat so many, though. Just an ounce at a time will go a long way toward boosting your metabolism and keeping you satisfied.

3. Shop in the outer aisles of the grocery store. Most supermarkets are laid out in similar ways: produce, meats, fish, dairy products, and other fresh, whole foods are along the outside edges, while processed, boxed, and canned foods are in the inner aisles. Shop on the perimeter first, and you'll end up with nutritious ingredients that will fuel your muscles while keeping you full—and because they're higher in fiber and protein and lower in starch, you can eat more of them and still lose weight.

4. Take time to relax. Stress can take a toll on your metabolism. When scientists at Georgetown University fed two groups of mice a high-fat, high-sugar diet, the ones under stress gained more than twice as much weight as the low-stress group. If your job (or any other part of your life) leaves you feeling like a mouse in a cage, try to find ways of cutting down on stress. At some point during the day, take a break for meditation, yoga, or just sitting in a peaceful place and thinking about something pleasant.

Nighttime

1. Watch your eating. If you're like most people, your activity level slows down at night, and so does your metabolism. And yet there's also a tendency to eat a lot at this time, either by having a big dinner or snacking in front of the TV, or both. If you're overeating due to stress or boredom, the evening is a good time to concentrate on healthful dietary habits.

2. Hold the hooch. Your body loves alcohol—so much so, in fact, that it'll burn its byproducts as fuel before anything else. That means that while you're processing alcohol, you're not burning fat. Of course, alcoholic beverages also have calories, virtually none of which are good for anything other than helping you gain weight.

3. Turn off your screens. At least 2 hours before bedtime, dim the lights, put away your computer, and turn off your video games. Bright lights, including those from computer screens, can interfere with your body's production of melatonin, an antioxidant hormone that builds up in the evening and helps you sleep. Research has shown that higher levels of melatonin are associated with lower levels of body fat.

4. Catch your z's. While you're asleep, your body is hard at work producing hormones responsible for weight loss, muscle gain, and glucose metabolism. Studies have found that consistently getting less than the optimal 8 or so hours per night leads to a lower metabolism and a higher body mass. If you find yourself getting sleepy during the day, going to bed just an hour earlier could make a significant difference in your waistline.

ZigZag Dieting....A new way to talk to your body

2010-06-10T10:55:00.004-04:00

Can Zigzag Dieting Work for You?
By Steve Edwards

One of the most effective dieting techniques we've found is zigzagging. Not to be confused with yo-yo dieting, zigzag is a technique that should be used anytime you want to increase or decrease your daily caloric intake, and can be used to find out what your caloric intake should be. Instead of moving straight to a new daily caloric number, you move in smaller increments on a staggered schedule. You hear the phase "listen to your body" all the time. This technique can actually teach your body how to have a conversation with you.

Here's an example of how it works:

Say you're eating 1,500 calories a day and have been for a period of time during which you've lost weight. Now your weight loss has stagnated. This is a common scenario because the new, fitter you has a different body composition than the former you. You have more muscle and a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR). In order to continue your weight loss, you need to eat more, because 1,500 calories isn't enough—even though it once was—and now your body is reacting by slowing its metabolism and releasing cortisol in a protective response (often called starvation mode because this is how your body would respond to being starved).

It's possible this could be a lot more calories, depending on one's size. A large person who should be eating, say, 2,500 calories to maintain his or her optimal weight could lose weight by massively undereating when he or she is deconditioned. As this person's body composition changes, he or she will need more calories to continue to lose weight. So let's say this individual figures to need 2,500 calories a day.

Weight times 10, plus 10 percent to 30 percent for daily activity depending on how active you are, plus the estimated caloric burn of your exercise (or you can use one of many caloric calculators that will determine this number for you)

You don't want to jump straight to 2,500 calories. First, it would create a shock to your system, and second, it may be wrong, as those calculators only give ballpark figures. The most effective thing to do is to zigzag your caloric intake. In this instance, I would recommend eating 2,000 calories per day for 3 to 4 days a week and 1,500 calories on the other days. Then, you note how your body responds, which I would expect to be positively on the higher caloric days and by feeling famished on the low-cal days.

You want to be energized but not hungry, so after a week or two of this, I would bump up to around 2,200 calories a day for 4 or 5 days, and 1,500 calories a day for 2 days for maybe one week. If you're still starving on the low days, try bumping them up to 2,000 calories a day and see how you respond. Use this tactic until you regulate, which means that you're energized but not hungry, and also not full. You can tell when you're eating too many calories because you'll begin to feel full, you won't digest your food between meals, and you'll feel more lethargic at the beginning of workouts.

Zigzag dieting works whether you need to reduce or increase your caloric intake, and whether you need a subtle change or a dramatic change. There is no numbers formula except to increase/decrease in small increments between 200 and 500 calories a day, and to zigzag your caloric intake 2 to 4 times per week. Then, you just listen and let your body tell you how much you should eat.

Coach's Note: For me, personally, when I was into ZigZag dieting, I would do three days a week at 1600, 2 days a week at 1400, and 2 days a week at 1200 (usually my rest days). It really depends on the average amount of calories you burn from activity every day. My numbers would now be alternating 1800, 1600, and 1400, just because I'm burning 400-650 cals a day through exercise. If you would like to try ZigZag dieting, email me at tnorquest@yahoo.com and I can help you figure out a plan!

Finding the balance

2010-06-08T16:22:00.003-04:00

So as some of you may know, I recently lost about 5 pounds, bringing me down to 137.5, the lowest I've been since I started college in fall of 2001!

I truly believe that this substantial drop came from a) finding exercise that I love to do and b) finding a true balance between calories consumed and calories burned. And by calories burned, I mean naturally, at rest.

I read something in one of Chris Freytag's books that made a lot of ideas and diet myths make a lot more sense. I've never been a fan of the "six small meals a day" group due to the fact that I don't think our bodies were meant to constantly be processing food. I do have a light morning and light afternoon snack in between my well-balanced breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, but that's as far as I go. Anyway, Chris's idea went something like this:

AYou should strive to keep your caloric intake in balance and in rhythm with your caloric output as much as possible

The theory I adapted from this perspective goes like this: The average person burns 100 calories at rest, so eat a "meal" that will be burned off as much as possible in time for your next meal So for instance, I eat a 300-calorie breakfast at 7:30. Between 10 and 10:30, I have a 200-calorie snack, 12:30 lunch, 3-4pm: snack, 5:30-7: dinner (depending on if I work out in the morning or afternoon), and then 10:30-11 bedtime. Without adding in exercise, this plan worked wonders for me because it was so easy and manageable, plus the math really makes it easy to keep track of your calories.

Now, if you add in exercise, this automatically creates a deficit, so then I just rearrange the numbers and add more calories and the same plan works. It's been a real eye-opener.

How To Fire Your Coach

2010-03-16T08:39:00.002-04:00

And no, I'm not talking about your personal trainer or fitness coach. I'm talking about that pesky 5am coach (or the coach who appears whenever your alarm clock goes off). That piece of mind that comes about and tells you a million reasons (when of course you know you just need one good one!) why you don't need to get out of bed and exercise. The 5am coach may say things like the following:

"You're not really feeling like bringing it, are you?"
"Listen to your body. It says to take a rest day."
"Ok, it won't be a rest day. You can just work out later this evening and make it up"
"You look great already. You don't need to work out. One day off won't kill you. You can make it up later."
"It's gonna be cold when you get up and you're not gonna like it. You should just stay in here under the covers"

Sound familiar? If so, you need to take steps to get rid of your 5am coach. So here's how.

1) Plan for the morning at night Lay out your clothes, get your snacks/food/drinks together for the morning. Charge your personal electronics when you get home from work so you can put them away for the morning before you go to bed. Decide what you're going to have for breakfast so you know how much time you need to make it.

2) Decide firmly what time you want to wake up
DO NOT account for how much time you'd like to push snooze. I'm talking about what time you want to get out of bed and put your feet on the floor and go work out. Once you've decided, set your alarm on whatever PDA you use. If you do not use a PDA and use an alarm clock, find a PDA and use it to set your alarm. You can set your alarm clock as well but set your PDA (i.e. cell phone) 5 minutes later.

3) Sleep in your workout clothes The trick is to limit the amount of fumbling around in the wee hours of the morning. And I'll make a deal with you - if you sleep in your workout clothes, you can set your alarm for 5 minutes later :)

4) Put your PDA across the room or in another room The trick is so that you have to get up out of bed to turn it off. I put mine in my bathroom. It worked. I also turned the volume way up so that I actually woke up 5 minutes early and was afraid of it going off. I also didn't want to feel guilty about waking Joe up.

5) Envision your goals Sometimes you don't only need a physical push, you need a mental push as well to get you out of that bed. Now that you're awake, take a few seconds to envision your new body, what your goals look like. For me, I know I'm down to my last 10-15 pounds so I always envision myself at the beach in July and how I made a promise to myself to be 10 pounds lighter than I was last year (I've got 7 pounds to go). If you're working out just to work out, think of how great you feel post-workout or at the very least, how many extra calories you can eat during the day (I mean...burn ;)

6) Start slow Pull the covers off gently and slide your legs slowly out of bed. When your feet touch the carpet, slowly pull yourself up to a sitting position, then stand. Take a minute or two to get the full effect. You don't literally have to "jump" out of bed

7) Take a breather That's right...take a breather before you even start. Visit the bathroom, get a sip of water or juice to kinda wake you up, walk around a little, take the stairs, get the blood flowing. A few minutes will help you adjust to being awake instead of jumping right into your workout. For me, my morning sequence is to go to the bathroom, weigh myself, grab my workout clothes, and go upstairs. While the video is starting up, I get dressed and take my breather so when the workout is ready to begin, so am I.

8) Add cold water A nice trick I sometimes use is to splash cold water on my face when I wake up. It happens faster this way, I believe.

9) Repeat, repeat, repeat Most activities become a habit if you do them for 30 days. At some point, your 5am coach will stop giving you its non-pep talk and your subconscious will take over. You'll just find yourself doing it.

So good luck!!

Why do we pick up pounds in the winter even when we're working out?

2010-03-10T09:47:00.002-05:00

It seems that no matter how hard we are working out or eating right, many of us tend to gain or maintain weight during the winter and find it's so much easier to lose weight in the warmer months. True, there are more options for activities when its nice and sunny outside than when its cold and dreary, but that's not all there is to it. The reason for this frustrating phenomena may lie in the fact that when it's cold, our bodies burn fewer calories (unless you're freezing - i.e. shivering) than in the heat.

According to Dr. Mirkin, "The hotter it is, the more extra work your heart has to do to prevent you from overheating. More than 70 percent of the energy produced by your muscles during exercise is lost as heat. So the harder you exercise, the hotter your muscles become. In hot weather, not only must your heart pump extra blood to bring oxygen to your muscles, it must also pump hot blood from your heated muscles to your skin where heat can be dissipated.

On the other hand, in cold weather, your heart only has to pump blood to your muscles and very little extra blood to your skin to dissipate heat. Your muscles produce so much heat during exercise that your body does not need to produce more heat to keep you warm. So your heart works harder and you burn more calories in hot weather. This information should not discourage you from exercising when it’s cold, because staying in shape is a year-round proposition."

Another specialist, Dr. Sugar, offers the following perspective; "It is true that different temperatures can affect your metabolism and lead to changes in calories burned. This effect is most dramatic at very cold temperatures when we shiver. Shivering alone can actually burn up to a few hundred calories an hour, but this effect of cold temperatures on metabolism is only significant if you’re actually shivering. It would have to be very cold to shiver while jogging, because so much body heat is generated from your exercising muscles. You will notice that sometimes you sweat less when jogging in the cold because the ambient temperature is keeping you cool.

Very hot environments, like saunas, can slightly increase your body’s baseline rate of calories burned, but it’s not dramatic. As discussed in this LA Times article, researchers have found that sitting in a hot tub burns slightly more calories than sitting on the couch, and we can extrapolate that a sauna would be similar to a hot tub. It is estimated that someone would burn 34 calories sitting in a hot tub for 20 minutes versus burning 23 calories sitting on the couch for the same amount of time. This is not a significant number of calories when you consider that walking for 20 minutes burns 100 calories. The long and short of it is that temperature extremes can affect calories burned, but not dramatically unless you are shivering for long periods of time. More articles can be found here on Dr. Sugar's site Also, along the right hand side are great exercise tips and articles!

30 Day Shred!!

2010-02-26T12:10:00.002-05:00

So my dear friend Sherrie and I are doing the 30-Day Shred together!! You can check out our blog detailing our adventures at wwww.2girls1goal.blogspot.com

Anywho, today I took my starting measurements for the Shred and found my old measurements that were taken in April of 09. So I thought I would post the comparisons.

In April 09, my measurements were...

Weight: 150.5
Boobs: 34.5
Bra Band: 31.5
Belly Button: 35
Pooch: 37
Hips: 36
Butt: 43
Abductors: 40.5
L Thigh: 23
R Thigh: 24
Calves: 15
Arms: 11

In February 2010, my measurements are...

Weight: 140.5
Boobs: 34
Bra Band: 31
Belly Button: 35
Pooch: 36
Hips: 35
Butt: 41
L Calf: 14.5
R Calf: 14
L Thigh: 21.5
R Thigh: 22.5
Abductors: 37.5
Arms: 11

So that's 10 pounds weight loss, 12.5 inches lost, 2 pants sizes down!

This will definitely serve as motivation seeing as how I didn't work out for 5 months during this period. So all that success was due to 5 months of hard work, which is exactly how long I have this time around before the beach!

Why the scale may always lie (even when you hope its telling the truth!)

2010-01-28T08:42:00.002-05:00

When Scales Lie: Normal Weight but Still at Risk?

People Considered Average Weight May Still Be 'Normal Weight Obese'

By ANGELA ELLIS

Jan. 27, 2010—

Monika Sumpter did what many women dream of -- she set a goal to lose weight and dropped 50 pounds.

Despite losing all of that weight, her ratio of fat to muscle was around 25 percent, 5 percent from where she started and dangerously close to what some researchers say is an unhealthy situation.

"I was just shocked. I thought that it was a lot lower, and I thought that I was healthy," Sumpter said.

There are others like Sumpter. As many as 30 million Americans who are considered average weight may actually have what scientists call normal weight obesity, according to a recent study by the Mayo Clinic.

Are you a healthy weight? Click here to measure your body mass index.

The study, which followed 6,171 Americans over nine years, found 20 percent to 30 percent of people considered normal weight still have an alarmingly high percentage of body fat.

The Mayo Clinic says that generally, women should have a body fat percentage below 30 percent, while men should have a fat to muscle ratio of less than 20 percent to 25 percent.

Sumpter, a 34-year-old mother of one, is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds, which is in the normal weight range for her height.

However, if 42 of those pounds -- or 30 percent of her weight -- are made up of fat, Sumpter would actually be considered normal weight obese.

That diagnosis means a higher risk of obesity-related diseases, such diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease, which is the No. 1 killer of women.

"Women with normal weight obesity, meaning those who have high fat and a normal weight have a two times increased risk for death or dying from heart problems or a stroke," said Dr. Francisco Lopez Jimenez, who led the Mayo Clinic study.

Sumpter changed her workout routine, adding more weight-bearing exercises to build lean muscle mass instead of only doing calorie-burning cardio.

"Resistance training is the key," said Sumpter, who is now certified as a personal trainer and works at Equinox in New York. "There are three key components to a healthy lifestyle, which is healthy eating habits, resistance training to build muscle and of course cardio to burn calories and for a healthy heart, but it's a combination of all three."

Today she weighs 20 pounds more than her lowest weight, but her body fat percentage is down to 14 percent.

Doctors Suggest Looking at Your Waistline

Inspired by Sumpter's story, ABC News' Juju Chang asked researchers at the Human Body Composition Laboratory at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City to measure her body fat.

Chang's body mass index measured between normal and overweight but was far from obese.

According to the World Health Organization, 23 to 35 percentage of body fat for a woman her age is acceptable. But she measured 37 percent, putting her at risk.

"So on some level this study points to people like me who need to be aware of their body fat," Chang said. "I didn't need a full body scan to know that I'm out of shape and I need to exercise."

Doctors said they do not recommend people getting their body fat tested because of this study. Instead they ask that people look at their waistline.

Because belly fat is considered more dangerous than fat in the butt or thighs, doctors say if you have fat around the waist or love handles, that is an indication that you could be over your normal, healthy weight.

The Hype of Ratios

2010-01-20T10:01:00.002-05:00

Hello all,

I've been reading a lot about ratios for carbs, fat, and protein intake. Some people swear by the Zone Diet (40% Carbs, 30% Protein, and 30% Fat). Some people swear by 40% Carbs, 40% Protein, and 20% Fat). Another popular one is 50% Carbs, 30% Fat, and 20% Protein. And there are thousands of combinations of this. Depending on your goals (to lose fat, to build muscle, to maintain weight, to gain weight), there is likely "the perfect ratio" out there being prescribed for you and I'm sure there's research to support it. There are even diets where you might have a combination of different ratios and interchange them throughout the week to "confuse" or "trick" your system and thus sustain the fat burning/muscle building.

I won't lie, I used to buy into the hype. I used to very meticulously plan out my food journal so that my pie chart would be exactly a 40/30/30 ratio. It wasn't too hard, but it did take some forethought and planning.

I am much more relaxed about it now. I might recommend the Zone Diet for those starting out with weight loss and food journaling just so you can get the hang of foods that fall into the carbs/fat/protein categories. But once you learn the ropes, keeping a perfect ratio is more of a guideline. Sure, its good to make sure you don't go overboard on carbs one day or have too much fat in your diet, but its not an absolute necessity in order to lose weight. Which brings me to my next point.

I've lost weight using several of these combinations. I've lost weight without using ANY of these combinations back in the days before I did food journaling and all of that. And from what I've read, dietary professionals have had clients lose weight on a combination of all these "ideal" numbers. There is not just one rule that applies to everyone.

But you're not off the hook yet! There is a rule that fits almost everyone and that is the rule of caloric intake. CALORIES!! Find a calorie calculator, get your number, and don't go over it! This probably works so well because no matter what you eat, if you can only eat 1300 calories, its pretty limiting as to how much trouble you can get into. So if nothing else, foodjournal based on calories and you should see some results as long as you're trying to eat better (taking a step in the right direction - you don't have to change everything overnight) and doing your workouts (at least 30 mins a day), you should see results!!

Being good is not that bad

2010-01-07T10:45:00.002-05:00

So as part of my resolution, I returned to working out and eating healthy. Joe, who can eat whatever he chooses without gaining a thing, turned up his nose at the idea of me going grocery shopping for my list of healthy foods and snacks. I said "I promise its not that bad, you will like what I make". Sure enough, we are now 4 days into it and I have yet to hear a complaint.

To give people some meal ideas, here are my meals

Dessert: Pan Seared Bananas (with 1 tbsp of brown sugar) with 1 scoop of low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt

Breakfasts: Scramble with egg whites/eggs, 1 turkey sausage pattie, and veggies
Eggo Nutrigrain waffles/pancakes with sugar free syrup
1 Thomas 100% whole wheat mini bagel with cream cheese
4 oz of oatmeal with 1 tbsp brown sugar (and fresh berries if you'd like)
Ricotta cheese with cinnamon/brown sugar or fruit
Goat cheese/tomato/spinach/part skim mozz scramble

Lunches/Dinners: Salad with veggies, roasted chicken, a little cheese and balsamic vinaigrette
Wrap with chicken/turkey, low fat cheese, and hummus or mustard
Grilled fish
Sauteed/stir fry meat with veggies
Veggie burger/lean ground beef burger/turkey burger

Snacks: Sweet potato with low fat butter and brown sugar
Almonds
Raw veggies with low fat Italian dressing/vinaigrette
Baked potato chips (half a snack bag)
Fruit

If I go to Fast Food:

Taco Bell Fresco menu
Chick Fil-A
Subway
Chicken sandwich (grilled) from pretty much anywhere
Salads

To eat healthy and better for you, you don't need to eat tofu or beans all the time. You can take regular food, change it a little, and make it work for you. I never say that I'm on a diet...it tends to get a bad rap. Truth be told, I'm not a "health nut" in that I still like to shop at regular places, I still like to eat out, and I try not to make my meals too gourmet and off-market. I just try to do better than what is marketed for the average American. I eat my whole grains, I eat my veggies (albeit in creative ways), and I try to eat light. The point is to get creative! You don't have to eat boring to eat healthy. There are plenty of sauces, seasonings (like Mrs. Dash), and cooking ways (grilling, baking, sauteeing, broiling) that you should never HAVE TO eat bland meal.

So, going back to my original point, being GOOD is not that BAD!!

Back on the wagon....

2010-01-07T10:33:00.002-05:00

After a 4-month hiatus due to a quadricep tendon strain and then being spoiled by getting to sleep in till about 7 every morning. I decided that I needed to get back into the routine...I missed feeling fit, healthy, and having the positive energy that I used to have. So I decided that I would do it in the new year. I got the motivation around the holidays but they were so hectic and all I decided to procrastinate just a bit longer.

So...this is my New Year's Resolution

1. To get in shape - and let this be the last year I have to use this as my resolution
2. To use my new cooking skills and kitchen gadgets to make healthy, lean meals since you are what you eat, inevitably
3. To get back at it first thing in the morning because I've learned that with a child especially, u never know what will come up
4. To get back to blogging and keeping myself accountable
5. To be the best me that I can be... I've got the tools I just need to use them!

Even though there are 5 pieces to this resolution, they all go together to form my resolution which is to live a fit lifestyle during 2010. One of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard is not to live like you're trying to achieve your goals, but to live like you've already achieved them. I need to live like a fit person who is confidently in charge of their diet and exercise habits. I have never felt so good about my life as I did when I was putting in the work and yielding results. My knee has healed - getting back to it with no more excuses!! Let's do this!!

What the heck are Net Effective Carbs?: A new theory that could change your life

2009-10-16T09:14:00.003-04:00

So I've been hearing a lot lately about net effective carbs or effective carb count. This is the number of carbs you're left with after subtracting fiber. Some people subtract other things like sugar alcohols and such, but that could get pretty complicated. One other interesting note is that hydrogenated starch (the stuff that's in Jello Pudding) is actually able to be subtracted according to this theory since it does not raise blood sugar.

In short, one part of this theory is about fiber. A carbohydrate is only "effective" if it can be utilized by the body for energy. Since fiber is a carb that passes through the body undigested, it can be subtracted from the total carb count. An example would be a bowl of veggies, which has 8 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber. So this theory says that the veggies actually have 4 grams of effective carbs.

Another part of this theory deals with foods that raise blood sugar (or glucose) levels. Since the goal of a low carb diet is to eat in a way that doesn't raise blood sugar levels, this theory says that you can subtract certain sugar alcohols and other products that don't result in effecting blood glucose levels. This is where you get into subtracting counts for sugar alcohols and all that mess.

For sanity's sake, I think I'll stick with the fiber subtraction method. Might as well get on board since I've noticed that Net Effective Carbs are actually being put on food labels of products that I buy in Walmart!

For now until it's definitely decided upon that it's real, I think I'll just stick to my number of carbs I want. And feel good about being possibly lower. I think this could easily just become an excuse for me to eat more carbs. But it is interesting.

:)

Skinny Jeans

2009-10-15T12:21:00.003-04:00

So I've got a question....does the trail of skinny jeans ever end??

Recently, after doing a 20-day eating challenge, I lost 6 pounds :)))

There are a ton of clothes under my bed that I wore back in 2003-2004. These clothes were always my ultimate goal. I always felt like "when I fit back into these clothes, I'll know I've done something."

Well that glorious moment happened this past weekend. In need of jeans for the upcoming fall since my pair that I wear quite often is too big now, I decided to rummage through the tubs under the bed where all my "goal clothes" are to see if by chance I fit into any of the multiple pairs of jeans in there. To my surprise, I fit back into about 85 percent of those clothes. Some were even a little roomy! And wow, my old shorts fit wonderfully! I haven't liked myself in shorts in YEARS! It was a crazy moment. I'd finally reached this goal and fit back into my skinny jeans. But now what?? I still had stuff to do and more to improve! These skinny jeans were not a stopping point for me. So I put all the goal clothes away in the closet for next spring/summer, put on a pair of jeans for the fall day I was about to embark on, and then pondered what to do next.

And then I knew. Go on to the next size down. I looked at my size 8 clothes I had recently inherited from a friend who had lost weight. I had not been a size 8 since the 9th/10th grade. So I picked out a pair of size 8 jeans and thought alright, these are my new skinny jeans. When I fit into these, I will know I've done something huge. To my surprise, I could get them up and buttoned but they were a little too tight to wear in public. Just enough of a goal to motivate myself and perhaps get some new clothes in the future. I'm sure on the day I fit into these skinny jeans though, I will pick up a new smaller pair and decide on those as my new goal.

Forget men -- Behind every good woman is a trail of skinny jeans!

Good luck to you all and remember, change is a process - one pair of skinny jeans at a time :)

Look who's bbaaaaaaack! Updates and Debra Moorhead

2009-09-29T09:00:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! My first post in like 3 months! I've been busy!

Just a couple updates:

- I injured my knee back in May doing backward lunges. Found out in September that I had a quadriceps tendon strain and that I would need to take some time off from working out. Up until then, I hadn't thinking I would just "work it out" and it would go away. However, I apparently irritated it to the point where it hurt to walk. So he gave me a plan to follow and said nothing until October 12th just to be safe, unless you want to do yoga. But no lunges, no turning the knee, no squats. So I decided to just wait and really let it heal since when I get back to it, I plan on doing p90 and some Burn It Up!

- On Sept 21st, I started the 20-day challenge. I was paranoid about gaining weight back while I was unable to really work it off. Having never stuck with a challenge before, I decided to do it. My first goal was to take charge of my eating of course and to lose some weight maybe while I waited to return to working out. My second goal was for the discipline. By solely focusing on my diet (and by diet I'm not talking about dieting but diet in the terms of the food I eat), maybe I could learn some good habits and learn about food without adding in the workouts. Then by the time I return to working out, I wouldn't need to feel like I was juggling the two.

- So far it's day 9 and I've lost 3.5 pounds. Besides food journaling through livestrong.com/thedailyplate, I also learned about what my carb intake should have been all along. I realized I was consistently way over on the carbs, even though I thought I was doing well. But I found a great tool which helped me realize the error of my ways. It's located at http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nutrient_calculator.htm. It's a great tool because it takes whatever calories you want to eat per day and then you can try out different diets and it will adjust and tell you what your carbs, fat, and protein should be. I aim for a 40 40 20 ration of carbs, fat and protein. But I try for at least the 40 30 30 zone diet if I can't make the 40 40 20. Since I've had to lower my carbs alot from what I thought I needed I've learned alot about no and low carb snack and meal options. I'm really excited to see what changes I can make when I start p90 on the 12th.

- Last but not least, an intro to this great article. I stumbled across it last night and while I wouldn't focus too much on her own experience and her loss, but she does make a few great points about controlling your eating. She also includes a followup to the article and several more pieces of information at the bottom. But here's the link! She also has several other motivational articles on her page that are worth a look. Enjoy!

http://www.debramoorhead.com/blog/index.php/how-i-lost-25-pounds-in-one-month/

Has your train derailed? The benefits of getting it back on track...

2009-06-22T09:07:00.000-04:00

So over the past month, I have totally let my workout mojo and mojo in general run down the drain. Before Memorial Day, I had successfully completed all 30 days of Phase 1 of Chalean Extreme without missing a beat. And the first week of Phase 2. Then I slipped. I hadn't missed one workout in almost 3 months. And suddenly I just couldn't get it together. I stopped waking up in the mornings to work out because I figured I could work out in the evenings (first mistake). Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't. I was constantly reminded of why I had switched to working out in the mornings, as things just randomly kept cropping up in my day and stopped me from completing my workouts. But I just chose sleep over exercise every morning. Other days I just didn't feel like doing it and I allowed myself to take off a day (second mistake) or two or three....from working out. After a few months of eliminating white carbs from my diet, I suddenly felt like it was okay to let myself eat some bread (Third mistake). Or pizza. Or pasta. Or white rice. And fried chicken. And most recently, cheese curls and birthday cake. And soda! After I hadn't had any more than a few sips of soda in a couple months!!, I resorted to about 24 oz of it over the weekend! When I looked in the mirror, I could see how puffy I had gotten. My nearly-flat stomach was back in full puffy gear. I confirmed that white carbs were indeed a culprit for me, but that didn't make it any easier to return to my healthy lifestyle.

I have desperately wanted to correct it and some mornings have woken up and worked out. But it's been like 2 or 3 times a week instead of the 5-6 I was doing. So here I am, 19 days out from my goal date and I have sworn to start anew. Starting with today!!!

I woke up at 5, allowed myself to press Snooze ONCE!!! and got out of bed succesfully at 5:08. Started my workout at 5:15. Did Push Circuit 1 and Ab Burner this morning and finished BOTH at 6:05! :) I went downstairs, had a few minutes to cuddle with Joe and the baby, fed her, changed her, took a shower, got ready, and then made us shakes. Today is Day 1 of our 3-day fast. We had a wonderful (terrible foodwise) weekend and I knew I needed the discipline in order to push the reset button and get back to eating healthfully! And Joe decided to join me!

So the question is: how can you push your own reset button and get your train back on track?

1) Make a list of your goals and the way you feel when you work out. Like Chalean says, most people who don't achieve your goals fail because they don't write them down. Or at the very least, say them out loud. Think about all the positive feelings you get from working out - feeling powerful, feeling sexy, feeling skinny...do something with those.

2) Make a promise to yourself that you will work out for the next however many days in a row. It's okay to start small. Don't overwhelm yourself when you're getting back into the swing of things or you might burn out again.

3) Set your alarm for half an hour earlier than you want to wake up. This will allow you to push Snooze a lot and feel like you're getting more sleep in. Or you may surprise yourself and get out of bed earlier which means you finish earlier! As soon as you get moving, you will usually have energy to work out. It's the getting out of bed part that's hard.

4) Plan out healthy meal options for the next day in advance. Don't try to wing it. If you're coming off an eating binge, it's probably going to be harder than you think to get back to healthy ways.

5) Look at a before picture of yourself. Or a recent picture if that will induce disgust. Enough disgust to get your butt moving. Tape it to your night table. Somewhere that you'll see it. Maybe if you wake up in the morning and see what you used to look like or what you want to improve, that will be enough to get you out of bed. Or tape a picture of a model instead. Seeing a fit, sculpted, toned bathing suit model is usually enough to do it for me. I think "Dang, I gotta get on it!"

6) Ask yourself if you're worth it. More than likely, the answer is yes. If you say no, we've got more work to do.

7) Look at how far you've come. I know for me personally, I started out in December with 43 pounds to lose. I am now on my last 15 or so. 15!!!! Joe says more like 10...I think there's 15 left that can go. But I mean...look at your own personal journey. Each step forward is one step closer to the finish line!!! Why throw it all away now for an extra 45 minutes of sleep? Or a slice of pizza?

8) If you really need it, a 2-day fast with Beachbody. Sometimes it's easier to remove yourself from EVERYTHING instead of just bits and pieces. The fast will rejuvenate you and make you feel leaner and smaller. And the discipline will teach you that you CAN eat right and make healthy choices. For me, I need this discipline right now. If I can stay away from all the junk for two or three days, then I know I can be selective when it's over. Why would I want to ruin my results??

So do it today. Make a conscious effort. It's okay to take baby steps, as long as they will eventually grow into leaps and bounds!! Get re-started today!!

Are you looking to lose weight QUICKLY yet SAFELY?

2009-06-11T10:36:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

Lately I have been INUNDATED with messages about weight loss. Yes I have lost 29 pounds in 7 months and you can do it too! If I can do it, you can certainly do it.

Here is my advice. PLEASE TRY SLIM IN 6. This was the first program I ever did. I never had a workout regimen a day in my life. But I needed a long-term solution to my weight problem when I realized I was 173 in Fall of 2007. It came on one of those infomercials late at night and I decided that I needed this. It provided structure, cardio, resistance training, everything I needed in one workout. Not to mention a short 6-week timeframe! So I bought it.

7 weeks later (I skipped a few workouts due to HATING exercise...I look back now and can't believe how far I've come), I had lost 13 pounds. And I hadn't even tried to eat healthier. I have since done another round of Slim in 6 and lost 8 pounds. So it account for 20 of my 29 pounds. And I still use Start It Up and Burn It Up (2 of the workouts) in my workout schedule. I SWEAR by this program! PLEASE go to my web site and check it out for yourself! If you order it from me, I will be assigned as your FREE coach and I can track your shipments and help you out with stuff if you need it! :)

If you are interested in this program and finding out more about how it changes your life, click on this link http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/Tiffgetsfit, go to Shop For Products on the main page, click Video on the left hand side and select Debbie Siebers. Slim in 6 is the first program that comes up! :)

A comparison...between who I was then...and who I am now

2009-06-10T14:20:00.000-04:00

2007-2009

Ate whatever I wanted, mostly all processed/packaged/fast foods
Worked out sporadically
HATED working out
Didn't know much about nutrition or anything
Although I had completed Slim in 6 (or for me, Slim in 7 since I took so many days off) and was doing Turbo Jam, I'd have to say I was not what you would call loyal and dedicated to fitness

February 2009 - Present

Started COOKING! Never cooked a day in my life!...alright. ONE day in my life. One day it just hit me. I read that results are 80% from the kitchen. Having reached a plateau, I thought that my time had come. It was time to not only bring it with my workouts, but bring it in the kitchen as well. I collected recipes that I thought were doable, asked for advice from people who cooked on how long to cook things, went out and bought my first 2 weeks worth of healthy groceries and have not looked back.
I love working out! I feel crappy when I miss my workout
I wake up at ungodly hours of the morning to work out. I love/crave that feeling of knowing my workout is done and the whole rest of the day is mine!!!
Learned about nutrition and fitness - currently seeking my Nutrition and Wellness Consultant and Personal Trainer certifications!
Eliminated white carbs from my diet entirely
Stopped drinking soda except for once per week if we go out to eat. And its even been a few weeks since I did that! I will grab a few sips of Joe's and order water :)
Paid attention to my food journaling...not so much to count calories but to see what the sources of my nutrition were and what I could tweak to make food work for me. Found out I was eating about 300g of carbs per day and tweaked it to 170g carbs or less per day...usually take in about 140-150g.
Introduced a lot of veggies! I love Steamfresh!
Found smart snacks
Started experimenting with new foods - cous cous, fish, egg whites, quinoa, kale

It is the difference of a lifetime! I heart fitness and nutrition!

Sacrifice now to reap later!!!!

2009-06-09T10:34:00.000-04:00

This is my new official motto. It came to me one day after I realized I had about 200 calories of wiggle room left in my food bank for the day. It was after lunch and I was hungry. I am NOT by any means a pleasure delayer. I am often rather impatient and want everything yesterday. So I thought about having another sandwich. Then this wonderful phrase popped into my head. And I thought to myself...If I don't have another sandwich, I'll be able to have some Smartpop after dinner as a snack.

Once this phrase entered my mind, it didn't leave. And I realized that it applied so well to the overall fitness picture. Sacrifice now - your time, your energy, your cravings, your idealistic images of who you want to be - to reap later! If you put the time and the energy in TODAY, one day when you reach your goals you won't have to work so hard as you'll be in maintenance phase. If you eat healthy TODAY, one day when you reach your goals you can have that treat and won't have to stress so much about it undoing your results. If you put aside the ideal pictures and the pressure TODAY, you can really embrace the present and the process and one day when you reach your goals, you will match or exceed those ideals. Not saying that when you reach your goals, you stop taking care of yourself. But you can enter the sought-after maintenance phase where you can relax a little bit knowing that you've crossed the finish line. I love this phrase so much that it has a place on my workout calendar. I find myself saying it when I go grocery shopping, when I don't want to get out of bed in the morning or I want to watch tv at night.

Say it with me:

SACRIFICE NOW TO REAP LATER!

Wanna eat well AND eat healthy?? Here are some tips!!

2009-05-28T08:37:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of my wonderful coach Ro

1. Experiment with new foods and combinations. Try mango or peach slices on whole-wheat toast with a little peanut butter and honey. Toss some mandarin orange and peach slices into a salad.

2. Add chickpeas, black beans or garbanzos to your lunch or dinner salad. If you typically buy a salad at work and no beans are available, bring beans from home in a small container.

3. Try something new for breakfast. Munch on leftover vegetable pizza or make a smoothie blended from exotic fruits, low-fat yogurt and a spoonful of wheat germ.

4. Stir-fry extra-firm or firm tofu rather than meat in oriental dishes. Freezing and then thawing tofu before use gives it a firmer, chewier texture.

5. Make a nutritious snack rather than a full meal when time is tight. For example, spread a brown rice cake with ricotta cheese and fresh strawberries or low-sugar, spreadable fruit. Or try corn muffins with apple and cheese slices, or fat-free refried beans mixed with salsa, a small amount of low-fat sour cream and baked tortilla chips.

6. Add crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to baked products, such as meatloaf, breads, muffins, casseroles, cakes and cookies. Also, use bran products as a crunchy topping for casseroles, salads or cooked vegetables.

7. Grill fresh vegetables for a quick and healthy side dish. Cut vegetables into 1/2-inch slices or large chunks and baste with a light salad dressing or brush them with canola or olive oil. Grill until tender, turning only once.

8. Take advantage of ready-to-use foods. Fresh bagged salads, frozen vegetables, low-fat deli meats, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain breads, and fresh and canned unsweetened fruits take only minutes to prepare.

9. Vary your salad greens and enjoy the multitude of flavors and textures. Choices include arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress. Purchase a different variety each week.

10. For breakfast on the go, munch dry, ready-to-eat cereal with a banana and drink a small carton of low-fat or skim milk.

11. Choose a dish that serves as a full meal for quick and simple cooking. Healthy examples include beef, barley and vegetable stew; chicken, vegetable and rice casserole; turkey and bean casserole (made with turkey breast, white beans and tomatoes); or vegetarian chili with diced vegetables.

12. Take advantage of healthy side dishes offered at fast-food restaurants. Instead of french fries, choose a side salad with low-fat dressing or a baked potato. Or add a fruit bowl or a fruit and yogurt option to your meal.

13. Stock your shelves with good-for-you snacks. Low-fat pudding cups, dry roasted soy nuts, low-fat popcorn and whole-grain crispbread crackers are good choices.

14. Decrease the meat portion on your plate and increase the serving size of vegetables. Use three times as many vegetables on pizzas or in casseroles, soups and stews.

15. Plan meals so that you can use the extra food in other dishes. For example, bake chicken breasts for a meal and use what's left in sandwiches, soup or a stir-fry.

16. Use salsa for more than just chips. Whether it's mild, fruity, scorching, smooth or chunky, salsa is a great companion for potatoes, vegetables, fish, chicken or meats.

17. Marinate meat, chicken, fish before cooking to tenderize and add flavor to foods. Try mixtures of herbs or spices with wine, olive oil, soy sauce, cider vinegar or lemon juice.

18. Expand your grain repertoire with whole-grain complements, such as kasha, brown rice, wild rice, barley or whole-wheat tortillas.

19. Use herbs and spices to add color, savory taste and sensational aroma. Add cilantro to rice or bean dishes. Sprinkle rosemary on roasted potatoes or grilled meats. Add freshly chopped chives to omelets or pasta salads.

20. Explore world cuisines. Discover and enjoy foods from around the world: Mexican, Latin American, Indian, Greek, French and Asian cuisines, just to name a few. Some of the world's most intriguing ingredients — quinoa, edamame, bok choy, bulgur — are as healthy as they are delicious.

A deeper look at carbs...

2009-05-19T15:08:00.000-04:00

http://www.sheerbalance.com/carbohydrates.html

Provides a really nice breakdown of the different types of carbs and a chart outlining which foods are which :)

Chocolate almonds???????????

2009-05-14T14:07:00.000-04:00

Not so much a diet as a new perspective on eating and being healthy, on being practical and sensible and knowledgeable when it comes to my food choices!!

I've realized through my carb-lowering and sodium-splitting endeavors that there is not really any good low-carb, low-sodium snacks. String cheese, sure. But who is trying add dairy into their snacks 100 percent of the time? Not me. Plus, some cheeses have high sodium content.

So I went looking in Food Lion yesterday and after like what seemed an eternity, I found a low-carb, low-sodium snack!! Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds!! And not only that, but they come in 100-calorie packs!!!

They are low-sodium, a good source of iron and protein and healthy fat. They're baked with dark chocolate powder so they're not messy. They have no more calories than regular almonds, so why not bring on the chocolate???

:)

Pure awesomeness

Shameless plug for MyDailyPlate!!

2009-05-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

I know a lot of people use Fitday and My Fitness Pal as their food journaling medium, but I really want to stress how wonderful The Daily Plate is. You can find it through the following link:

http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/

You will notice that it's a part of livestrong.com! It will break down your daily intake into a nice colorful pie chart of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. It has a very large database of food that even contains pictures! It individualizes exercises and calories burned to your current weight and BMI. You can track your weight goals. You can even put in your BMI and your measurements to make it more accurate. They probably pretty much all do the same thing, but this is the one I keep coming back to. And Livestrong took it over about a month ago and they have an iPhone app now! So I thought I would plug it!!

Not the best picture but you can go check it out for yourself! Love it though!

Good vs. bad carbs

2009-05-13T15:26:00.000-04:00

So I recently decided to try a lower-carb diet. Not necessarily low-carb but pretty balanced (about 170g of carbs per day). By tracking my food, I realized I was consuming about 300g of carbs per day. Carbs are my absolute enemy!! Also, I decided to tweak my overall calorie consumption. I was eating about 1800 calories a day and thought it was viable given my resistance and cardio workouts. I decided to try a 1400-calorie diet with lower carbs and to keep my sodium within the given "normal" range (1500-2400mg per day).

Today is Day 3 of this new diet (so far so good!!) and I was having a discussion with a coworker about this new approach.It's not meant to be a fad diet but something I'd like to keep up with in the future. I definitely need to be more aware of foods that are low-carb and low-sodium so I thought putting myself on a little restriction would help me with that. And I was right!!! BUT although I knew there was a difference between good carbs and bad carbs, I didn't really know what that difference was. I thought any type of carb ended up getting processed the same way and would cause weight gain. But luckily, today I found this BEAUTIFUL article which outlined the difference and let me know that all complex carbs are OKAY!! I had pretty much already ruled out "white carbs" anyway. I've been eating brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, veggies, and fruits and have really laid off the soda, candy, and chips route. And the last time I had anything fried was a long time ago! So instead of stressing over the number of carbs I am eating per day, I can pretty much rest assured as long as they are good carbs and not an overindulgence!! So here is the article and hope it will bring enlightenment to someone else!

Good Carbs Vs Bad Carbs!

Should I do more than one workout a day?

2009-05-13T14:58:00.000-04:00

As I started working out and getting involved with others who were doing the same program, I noticed a lot of people mentioned they were "doing doubles", which essentially means two workouts per day. I know off hand it sounds like a great idea and a guaranteed successful results producer, but I wanted to check it out. Essentially, they say to either split up ONE workout or do two workouts per day and give the next day as a rest. So really, it is NOT recommended to work out twice a day. The number one reason being rest and burnout. The other reason being it may actually backfire unless you also tweak your diet and food intake to account for the second workout you are doing. So here is the article I decided summed it up best.

The Benefits of Working Out Twice a Day
When you exercise twice a day, you may actually get more fat burning benefits and faster results. Here's why.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1008074/the_benefits_of_working_out_twice_a.html

That's just one of those pyramid schemes...

2009-05-13T14:52:00.001-04:00

This is what I get the most when I try to encourage people to try Beachbody and become a coach. I am SO TIRED of this so here is some info for all y'all haters and maybe those who are experiencing the same wall people put up! I love what Beachbody did for me emotionally, spiritually, and physically - I am only trying to give back to this company by helping others realize their potential and achieve success!

September 3, 2008 — Rich

I received a brilliant email yesterday from my top coach in Colorado, Mike Bent, and I absolutely have to share it with every one who thinks that BB is a pyramid scheme:

“My fiance and I were having a discussion the other day over a remark that one of her friends made. That remark went something like this “oh, that is just one of those pyramid schemes”.

One of our problems is dealing with the negativity surrounding the reputation of the phrases “pyramid scheme”, “network marketing”. “multi-level marketing (MLM)” or “direct selling business”.

First of all, the grand daddy of them all, Amway, went under very serious, expensive and prolonged investigation into this sort of activity back in the early 70’s. The results proved that Amway was not a “pyramid scheme” (which is illegal) and paved the way for the whole multi-level marketing industry that has boomed over the past 35 years.

In Quixtar’s (the current name used for the Amway distributor business) Business Rules and Regulations it states:

“A pyramid is a scheme in which an individual pays for the right to recruit additional persons into the scheme who, in turn, receive the same right to receive profits from recruiting others.

Three common elements of a pyramid scheme have been identified as: (1) a large, required initial investment or purchase of inventory: (2) direct payment for recruiting additional persons into the scheme; (3) heavy emphasis on recruiting additional persons, with little or no emphasis on selling products to consumers.”

Beachbody certainly has none of the above components of a pyramid scheme. Anyone who refers to Beachbody as a pyramid scheme is talking out of ignorance combined with obvious negative past experiences with MLMs in general or, perhaps, an illegal pyramid scheme. In fact, I was duped into one such scheme because the Chief Economic Advisor of the Reagan administration, Art Laffer of the infamous “Laffer Curve”, was on the Board of Directors of this company. That company did have several of the components mentioned above.

In fact, Beachbody is squeaky clean on this one as: (1) Beachbody has no required inventory, period; (2) there is no direct payment for recruiting in Beachbody, period; (3) Beachbody is all about products to consumers. In fact, on the last point, Beachbody is currently paying $90 million this year for new customers that it passes on to Emeralds and above. I am not aware of any other MLM that does this.

Another interesting fact is that Beachbody was not created to be an MLM. It was already a very successful company before adding a network marketing component. I am not aware of any other MLM company that has ever had such history before becoming a MLM. Are you?

There is no question that adding a coaching program was in the best interest of Beachbody’s customers. If you were the executive of Beachbody would you have created a coaching program with all the overhead of adding a coaching division within the company (the salaries of the coaches, office space, additional phone lines, computers, etc) where the employees true incentive was to keep his job. Or would you opt for the brilliance of the network of independent coaches where:

1. There is no additional employees with additional salaries
2. The only way a coach can be successful is to be a product of the system
3. Being a product of the system he/she is a few steps ahead of the customers and any new coaches that he/she sponsors
4. There is a non-salaried advocate of the company to create new customer activity and to advise existing customers of different or additional products to improve their fitness goals
5. Because, in essence, coaches get paid to be fit through the system of sharing, existing coaches will help the whole system grow. As the coaching network grows Beachbody will have a tremendous impact for turning around the greatest epidemics in the history of the US - Type 2 Diabetes because of a grossly overweight society.

Our opportunity is unprecedented. There has never been a greater need for a fitness and health system that works. And I have never been exposed to a fitness and health company that works as well as Beachbody. Most people will not get involved because it is a network marketing (MLM) company and/or opportunity. I believe the reasons they will get involved will be one of these:

1. To personally improve their physical appearance
2. To look and feel healthier
3. They were convinced that Beachbody has superior products to achieve their weight and fitness goals
4. Because a medical advisor or doctor told them that they must loose weight (this will be big soon with the coming Type 2 Diabetes product)
5. That they needed a motivation or reason to be fit other than number 4 above (I was in this category)
6. They want to be part of society’s weight solution instead of part of the problem
7. They want an at home business that makes sense
8. They like the idea of getting paid to be fit

It is my opinion that after someone is involved and really understands this company’s vision, that they will stay in this program for most of the above reasons.

The company desperately needs additional active coaches to succeed in its mission. In my opinion, that is why they are having current recruiting contests and, most importantly, that is why they are going to get new coaches the same way they know how to get new customers - infomercials.”

Here's another article I found earlier:

Fact:Beachbody is the 69^thfastest growing company in the United States according to an article in Entrepreneur Magazine, March 2008.

Fact:Beachbody was started by Carl Daikeler and Jon Cogdon with $500,000 borrowed from family and private investors and is now a $250 million company that spends $90 million on marketing annually.

Fiction:Becoming an Independent Beachbody Coach is a get rich quick scheme.

Fact:With a modest investment of time, it takes about four months to start making money and then only about $100 a week to start.When you invest more time, you make substantially more money.

Fiction:Beachbody coaches are part of a pyramid scheme - a non-sustainable business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, usually without any product or service being delivered.

Fact:Beachbody coaches market fitness and sell products from their own websites and are rewarded for encouraging people to become members of the Team Beachbody Club,get commissions on the fitness products that they sell and can build a business team where everyone is rewarded for their efforts to promote fitness, weight management and improved quality of life.Network Marketingis a business distribution model that allows a parent multi-level marketing company to market their products directly to consumers by means of relationship referral and direct selling.

Fiction:You have to spend a lot of money to be an Independent Team Beachbody Coach.

Fact:It costs $47.99 to become an Independent Team Beachbody Coach and then $14.95 a month if you decide to continue being a coach.There is no other cost for becoming a coach and the $14.95 monthly fee pays for your own coach website and e-commerce itness product and supplement store.

Fiction:All that you have to do is sign up to be a coach and you will start making money.

Fact:Like any other business (each coach has their own coach business center) you have to work to make money.The more effort you put in, the more money that you will make.Beachbody helps you make money by providing a wealth of information and resources including live and recorded conference calls explaining the company and providing ideas on how to be successful, business building videos, product training sheets to familiarize you with all of the products, success stories, downloadable materials, access to everyone in the management of the company and most of all, your own personal coach to help you build your business.

Fact:The top coach in the company, a now retired school principal, in his firstyear (which is also the first year of the Beachbody network marketing business model)earned $305,938.00.

When to work out?

2009-05-13T14:10:00.000-04:00

So as you read in my story, I struggled with this question A LOT!!! I found out through various research and of course, this lovely article, that working out in the morning is the most efficient and effective time to work out. Whenever I need motivation to get myself out of bed, I refer back to this lovely piece of information!!!

Fat-Burning Morning Workouts

If you're exercising without results, here's another reason to wake up early: morning workouts burn more fat. Rise and shine!

By Ian Lee, Fitness Specialist, Askmen.com

Page 1: Morning workouts

reader's question

Dear Ian,

A colleague of mine started working out early in the morning before coming in to work nearly a year ago. Since then, he lost a lot of weight and feels fully energized all day long. I personally prefer training later at night after work, but I'm now considering switching to a morning routine instead.

I simply need to be convinced. So tell me, what are the benefits of training in the morning?

Paolo
Portugal

start your day on the right track

Rise and shine, my friend, because training in the morning definitely has its benefits. Let's start with the obvious ones.

First of all, training in the morning will free up the rest of your day, allowing you to focus on work and enjoy your evening activities.

By completing your workout early in the morning, you're also guaranteeing that you'll actually do it. My point is, after a long painful day at work, it's easier to make excuses or other plans in order to skip a workout. In the morning, your body and mind are fresh and ready to rock 'n' roll. Just remember that being disciplined is the key to staying fit, so start losing your snoozing habits.

As you may know, exercise increases mental acuity. By training in the morning, you'll wake up faster and be mentally alert at the crack of dawn. It'll also give you time to plan your day effectively before getting to work.

In addition, a good morning workout provides that rush of adrenaline and a sense of accomplishment that will stick with you throughout the day.

Finally, have you ever noticed how healthy you feel after a workout? And how you become turned off by greasy, unhealthy food? That said, training in the morning will force you to start watching what you eat from the first meal of the day. It will help regulate your appetite and set a "healthy mindset."

So do morning workouts burn more fat?

Page 2: Morning

burn more fat

Enough fluff already. I know that all you really care about is whether morning training will help you shed pounds quicker. The answer is "yes," morning training has been proven efficient for weight loss.

The reason is simple: Training in the morning will help "jump-start" your metabolism and keep it elevated for up to 24 hours, thus burning more calories throughout the day.

Again, don't expect miracles. Training in the morning alone won't make you thin overnight. You'll need to carry out a good training routine, maintain a healthy, low-fat diet, and acquire good sleeping habits.

More specifically, the key to losing weight is to carry out a cardiovascular routine first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. If you're feeling a little weak, sip a small cup of black coffee or a glass of orange juice. It will help you get started.

say good-bye, blubber

Now, here's why cardio training in the morning is a great way to blast fat:

Your levels of muscle and liver glycogen (also called stored carbohydrates) are normally very low when you wake up first thing in the morning. With depleted glycogen and lower blood sugar, you'll give your body the perfect environment to burn fat instead of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates or glycogen are your body's primary and preferred source of energy. When they're low, your body will tap into your secondary energy reserve, which is your body fat. The idea here is similar to when the engine taps into the car's reserve tank because it's low on fuel.

Obviously, your body is way more complex than your car's gas tank. It always burns up a combination of carbohydrates and fat. However, the less carbohydrates you have, the more fat your body will burn.

Are you convinced yet? If so, great -- but expect an adjustment period. The same way you're jet-lagged after an overseas trip or drowsy when you suddenly have to switch from the graveyard shift to a regular 9 to 5 shift, training in the morning will require some lag time.

Normally, it should take approximately three weeks for your body to fully adjust to the time change. You'll start feeling fully energized; you'll wake up more easily and will generally be more alert.

Now all you need is a louder alarm clock to help you get up those first few weeks. Before you know it, you'll be a lean, mean, morning machine. Good luck and keep on pumpin'.

My story

2009-05-13T11:47:00.000-04:00

In Fall of 2007, I was 173, the heaviest I have ever been. I felt like a big, unattractive, lazy, motivation-less slob. It took a toll on everything. I was so self-conscious all the time. How I looked was ALWAYS on my mind! I hated myself in pictures. It was awful! I was so depressed and trying EVERYTHING I could do! I even bought an elliptical machine! I was devastated when I didn't see results. I didn't have time to go to a gym and I REALLY didn't want to be seen working out in public. I needed a personal trainer - someone to tell me exactly what to do and how many of this and that.

In November of 2007, I was up one night and saw one of those infomercials on TV. It was for Slim in 6 - a 6-week structured program which guaranteed results. Ordinarily, I would never order from an infomercial but I really thought this was something I could do. And there was a money-back guarantee. I asked Joe if he thought it would be a good idea and he agreed that it seemed legit and if I really thought I would do it, I should order it. So I did. And with that fateful purchase, my relationship with Beachbody began.

The program came in the mail about a week later and I was so excited to start. But man it was no joke. It was a really challenging program. At least for me, who up until that point, had never worked out a day in my life. I was so frustrated and would cry through my workouts because it was hard for me. I was out of shape and unfit and could think of a million things better to do with my time than to spend it sweating and huffing and puffing.I HATED working out! Joe would have to kick me out of bed (literally). He used to put different gifts in envelopes with different weights on them to bribe me to work out. Even that stopped working after a while. But 6 weeks later, that all changed when I had dropped 18 pounds and I took my after photos and saw the ENORMOUS change in my body. Slim in 6 completely reshaped my lower half! I never thought it would be possible to like my body and my butt and my thighs!! But I did.

Here are my before and after photos:

I was actually one month pregnant in my after pics! I would show you the pics of my behind but man they are TMI! Just trust that it changed a whole bunch and where the coloring was outside the lines so to speak, it is back within the lines! :)

I moved on with renewed energy to Slim Series and Turbo Jam. I had a really popular thread on the message boards for TJ and I was doing an advanced round when I found out I was pregnant. Then it all came screeching to a halt. I would walk every now and then but when summertime hit, it was way too hot outside. Then when I started feeling the baby move, it felt weird to me to be jostling around doing exercise. So I stopped completely. But between the baby and my heightened metabolism by getting myself in shape, I actually maintained my muscle throughout the pregnancy and only gained 20 pounds!

Here is a picture of me at the beach in July 2008. I was almost 5 months pregnant!

The other one is a picture of when I was 36 weeks along! I only got a little bigger than that!

After I had my daughter in December of last year, I had a whole new perspective on working out. I had lost 18 pounds prior to getting pregnant and really owe Beachbody programs credit because I think it was due to their muscle-building and fat-burning workouts that I only gained 20 pounds with Alyssa. Once she was born, I was actually down to 10 pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight! I weighed 175 when I went into the hospital with her and I was down to 147 a month after she was born. I don't know why, I ate for at least two people. But I wasn't going to question it. I couldn't wait to get back into working out and I jumped right in.

It was easier this time, I was more in shape, and it made me feel better about myself. Especially now that I had a new body - slimmer calves, slimmer waist, smaller butt and thighs, flatter abs! I was totally going to take advantage of this second chance!

So I started another round of Slim in 6, which was my original hit. The only issue now was time and motivation. With an hour-long, challenging workout I realized that unfortunately, the only efficient way to fit it in was to do it in the morning before the baby woke up. The evenings were just too hectic with making dinner, tending to Alyssa's needs, doing whatever needed to be done around the house, and the TV programs that we liked. I liked my wind-down time spent with Joe at night and didn't want to give that up.

On the other hand, I HATE giving up sleep too. But I figured I would try it. Sure enough, I started setting my alarm for 4:45. I ended up getting out of bed at 5, getting dressed, making a bottle for Alyssa in case she woke up (Joe feeds her in the mornings so I can get my workout in) and then I started my workout by 5:30 and usually finished around 6:30. And I got hooked on morning workouts. I was tired the first couple days but I loved how I felt!!! I felt so empowered and FREE!! Because the rest of the day was ALL MINE!!! There are days when I choose to treat myself and sleep in since the baby doesn't wake up until about 6:30, but now that I love working out, it's not really an issue to find the motivation in the evening. I just do it while dinner is in the oven. But I really do strive for morning workouts. There's nothing like it and that way, if I'm feeling energetic still when I get home, I can fit in another workout to make it doubles for the day. I never thought morning workouts would ever be my cup of tea, but man...you just never know!!

I am now doing ChaLEAN Extreme! I am on Day 29 and doing great! It is a wonderful workout and my own strength just keeps surprising me! Who ever thought I would be doing sumo squats with 18 pounds in each hand?? Not me!! Go BEACHBODY!!

Welcome!

2009-05-13T11:39:00.000-04:00

Hi all! Welcome to my blog! I decided to create this spot to use for fitness-related information since there's so much out there!! Please join me on my fitness journey and let me know what you think!! I would like this to be a source of helpful knowledge and powerful tools to help you along on your own personal wellness endeavors!!

:)