Ketogenic Diet

Hello everyone-


I was talking with a friend of mine and she decided that she is going to start doing a ketogenic diet because she has tried everything- including gluten free and has had very, very slow results, even with exercise.


What is the ketogenic diet?


In essence, it is a very low carbohydrate diet that is meant to put your body in ketosis- which is when your body is using fat (dietary or your own body) for energy.  When this happens, your body produces chemicals called ketones that are used by some organs as energy, and some excreted as waste. 


People who are on a ketogenic diet often use test strips (available at any Walgreens in the diabetes section) to detect if they are secreting ketones in their urine and how much.   The test strips are often a tan color and turn various shades of purple in response to different levels. 


Also, ketogenic diets consist of daily consumption of 20-50 net carbs per day (or less) while eating mostly fat and protein.


I may try this as well just to see if it works for me. Giving it some thought. 


Have you or anyone you know tried a ketogenic diet? How were the results?

Grilling Without Getting Fat

Hello everyone!




It's summer, which is grill season.  A big fear a lot of dieters have when it comes to going to barbecues is that eating at one will make them gain weight and hinder their weight loss efforts. 


I found an article that gives 10 tips on how to grill healthier. 

"Healthy Grilling Tip #1: Don't fear red meat

In 2010 a study in the New England Journal of medicine found that the most effective diet to lose weight is a diet that is high in protein and low in carbs.  Another plus about protein is that since your body takes longer to digest it, you stay fuller longer than if you were to have eaten carbs.  When grilling, choose leaner cuts of beef like flank or other lean cuts. 

Healthy Grilling Tip  #2: Switch to whole grain buns

3A study in 2008 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that diets high in whole grains result in lower body fat than diets high in refined grain.  

Healthy Grilling Tip #3: Add spice

For fat loss, the best spices are chili and cayenne pepper. In 2011, the Journal of Food Science and Nutrition found that capsaicin (what gives peppers their spice) helped weight loss in overweight rats.   It has also been seen to reduce appetite, raise metabolism and reduce inflammation.

Healthy Grilling Tip #4: Upgrade your barbecue sauce

Americans on average eat way too much sugar- on average, 22 teaspoons a day. When it comes to your barbecue sauce, be careful.  Kraft original gets 80% of its calories from sugar.  Look for sauces with no added sugar, or one that does not have sugar as one of its first ingredients.  A lower sugar option- Stubb's Original. 

Healthy Grilling Tip  #5: Toss fish on the grill

A 2011 Turkish study found that grilled fish has the highest levels of protein compared to fried, baked, or microwaved fish.  Avoid the fish that is already wrapped and go to the fish counter.  The fish will be fresher and better tasting.

Healthy Grilling Tip #6: Read meat nutrition labels

Until recently, it was not required to show nutrition information on meat.  Recently, the USDA made a law requiring grocers to show nutrition information on 40 common meat cuts, including poultry and ground meats.  Before choosing meat for grilling, give the labels a look to see if they're something you want to be eating.

Healthy Grilling Tip #7: Marinate

If you don't use spices, use marinades. They make cheaper, tougher meats more tender and allow them to be more flavorful like more expensive meats.  Also, research from the Food Science Institute of Kansas State University found that the polyphenols in marinades reduced cancer causing levels in grilled food by 88 percent.

Healthy Grilling Tip #8: Trim fat

By trimming even a little fat off of steak, you can get rid of 100 calories and 16 grams of fat.  Also, your risk of cancer will decrease.  Carcinogens get on the food when excess fat drips into the coals and makes the black smoke that contains them.

Healthy Grilling Tip #9: Fire up your produce

It's well known that higher fruit and vegetable intake usually results in healthier weight, but most people think grilling is for meat only.  Try grilling veggies like asparagus, eggplant, and Brussels sprouts.  Leafy greens can also be grilled.

Healthy Grilling Tip #10: Give your fast-food favorites a healthy makeover

Get creative.  If you have a fast food burger that you like, try making a healthier version at home.  Here's the article's author's example. :

Carl’s Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger
740 calories
34 g fat (14 g saturated)
1,500 mg sodium

And now, our version:

Grill This, Not That! Cowboy Burger
460 calories
22 g fat (11 g saturated)
850 mg sodium

This burger saves calories right off the bat by switching from traditional fast-food beef to lean ground sirloin or bison, and to kick up the flavor, we rub it down with coffee and chili powder. Instead of onion rings we used fried onions, and that allows us to keep the cheese and bacon while still cutting nearly 300 calories. Trust me, it's way better than anything that comes from a drive-thru window."

So if you are trying to lose weight, don't fear the grill!

For the full article, click here: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/20-fat-burning-secrets-grill?page=1

A man loses 370 pounds with Zumba!

Hello everyone!


I came across an article about a 44 year old Neil Burns,  who once weighed 680 pounds and within 2 years, lost 370 of it.  


Did he get surgery? Did he take some other drastic, crazy measure?


No. Good old diet and exercise.


He went from eating 10,000 calories per day in fast food to 1,800 calories per day in healthier choices.  The slowly began exercising, eventually getting into a Zumba class- and he eventually became a Zumba instructor!


He works out twice a day- Weights in the morning and cardio at night.  Together, these burn about 1,000 calories a day.  


However, the journey wasn't easy.  He had some tips:


1. Get a workout buddy to keep accountable. 


2. When you cheat, admit it.


He also has a "skinny list" for motivation- things he has been able to do since losing weight. 

NEIL BURNS' SKINNY LIST

1. be able to sit in a chair with arms

2. fit into a airplane seat with no seat belt extension's

3. walk up and down stairs like everyone else

4. pick something up off the car floor without having to get out of the car

5. lay down flat in bed and not feel like lungs aren't going to collapse

6. fit through a turnstile

7. buy clothes off the rack

8. not being the big fat guy in a group on guys night out

9. not having to stretch out shirts so they will fit

10. knees - ankles - feet not hurting

11. Not hearing "wow" you're big from little kids

12. have a watch that fits without extensions

13. fit into a sports car

14. fit into a booth at a restaurant

15. bending over to pick stuff off the ground

16. being able to see my feet

17. not breaking chairs

18. going to the pool and not wearing a shirt

19. quit being lapped by 80 year old mall walkers

20. being able to tie my shoes when there on my feet

21. doing spin class and not feeling like I got violated

22. go horseback riding

23. fitting into a public rest room

24. walking on the beach at sun set

25. being able to play sports with my son

26. brushing my teeth without losing my breath

27 walking into Walmart

28. walking to mail box

29. not being stared at

30. being able to look at myself in the mirror

31. feel worthy of love

32. using a vacuum cleaner

33. being able to do laundry standing up

34. being able to unload and load the dish washer standing

35. going hiking

36. not having strangers taking pictures of me  (Really?  People can really be cruel!!!) 

37. being able to walk thru a door way without going sideways

On a day where I needed motivation, this was a good article for me to read. 


If you want to read it too, click here: http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/man-loses-370-pounds-old-fashioned-way-reclaims-100129123--abc-news-health.html

Well that didn't go well.

Hello everyone!




This is how I am feeling about my workout today.

Facepalm. Oh yeah.

I did something dumb, I decided against bootcamp at the last minute and decided to go with meta. To make matters worse, I foolishly tried to do all 40 reps on the legs (very clumsily and I'm sure with HORRIBLE form) and now I am sore as hell in a bad way.  Also for some odd reason I didn't stretch either. BAD IDEA.


Also cardio was a total BUST!




First, I tried doing the Meta cardio. 5 minutes in, I had to stop. My legs felt like they were weighted down with cement (like during the MS). Then I tried to do the trampoline and it wasn't much better. The longest I could jump at a time was 1.5-2 minutes. I managed 8 minutes and had to quit.


So, I am going to go back to the original plan- bootcamp and TAKE IT SLOW. I have no idea what the hell I was thinking that possessed me to do all the reps. Nope. It's only been one day, so switching now is not too bad. I will just think of today as a warmup. 


Tomorrow I am going to do things the RIGHT way. Boot camp, 20 reps per exercise, 10 minutes of step touching cardio and my walk/stretch. And eating right. I ate slightly junky today too and my skin is reacting kind of badly to it. I tend to get eczema on my hands and belly when I have too much gluten- and my hands were flaring up today, a spot neat my belly button, and a spot on the inside of my elbow. NO FUN.


So, time to go to sleep and do it RIGHT next time.


Sleep well everyone!

Goals for this summer

Hello everyone!




I am off to a very late start, but I have some summer goals.  I had more, but realized that it's probably unrealistic and is just begging for injury or failure.


The original goals: 


1. Walk for one hour a day and start to jog
2. Do 60 minutes of dance cardio
3. Do power yoga as often as I can, preferably daily
4. Stretch for an hour
5. TA MS work bootcamp, then Meta.




The new goals:


1. Walk for one hour a day
2. Build up my dance cardio endurance based on the boot camp book 
3. Stretch
4. MS bootcamp- 6 days a week instead of 30 days through unless I honestly feel up to working out on my rest days.
5. My goal is to be at one hour of cardio (even if it's just step touching) by the time I hit meta. We'll see.
6. NO MORE GLUTEN!!!!! There's really no excuse why I can't other than literally just not giving a shit. (pardon my language)
7. More exercise is extra and not required. If I feel like it, I will do it. If not, no big deal.
8. Try to make vlogs. (finally) I have a different computer set up now so it should work better.


Yeah, I've tried Boot Camp  before and quit, but that is also because I made it an all or nothing thing. I quit because I missed a couple days and thought I "messed up". I was able to get through Metamorphosis up to half way through before, so I figure if I break boot camp down into 6 days instead of daily, it could be more doable for me. I also need to get over it if I miss more days, TAM is an ongoing thing (which is why there's continuity). There is no "end date" or "deadline" because it's a LIFESTYLE change, not "doing a program". If one were to just choose to do the boot camp or meta only, then that is "doing a program". However, keeping up with it from then on is making it a lifestyle and there is no end date to live up to or feel bad about missing. Listening to your body is also very important.


Also, I took out yoga because I am not a fan of over training and I firmly believe that weight loss is 90% diet, exercise just makes your body LOOK nicer and helps along the weight loss more. (Burning calories, every little bit helps)


I am going to take new measurements tonight, weigh in in the morning and get my ass on the mat!


Also if I do not meet my goals 100%, I PROMISE this time not to scrap everything, call myself a failure, etc. I am working on being more lenient with myself. It's harder than it sounds!  

Getting Ready for Summer with Tracy Anderson

Hello everyone!




As we all know, summer is coming, and I got an email from Tracy Anderson about it.  Here's what was inside!


Since the following  copied as a picture, the link to the cleanse menu can be found here:


Cleanse Menu

Yes, it is getting warm outside, and for anyone who has not been able to meet their fitness goals over the winter, that's no excuse to stay stuck inside with the winter blahs. We have plenty of time to get you feeling polished, proportioned, and prepped to take on the bikini of your dreams. I take a lot of pride in giving you all of the tools that you need to transform your body while still looking and feeling like years are coming off your body. This is your guide to getting beach-ready, and includes everything from tips on how to use my products, a new detoxifying cleanse specific to skin tone, and all of my favorite skin tone products.

01: METAMORPHOSIS The release of this in home product was a dream come true for me. I care first and foremost about your results, and I know without a doubt that I know I can transform you. It is vital that I understand where you are weak and out of balance and from there, I can design your body to be a body you had no idea you actually have! The fact that I can give you a program custom for you and the ability to deliver you new content every 10 days is revolutionary and Metamorphosis is the only at-home way to really win the battle against problem areas and aging!

02: CONTINUITY Continuity is the continuation of Metamorphosis, in which you enroll to make sure that you stick to the method and constantly own each step of your transformation. Once I get in there and design your muscles that design is what will eventually pull your skin to it. That takes time and consistency but it does happen! Metamorphosis never really ends, and Continuity has been the progression of Metamorphosis. For example, my partner Gwyneth Paltrow has been given a new program from me every 10 days for the last 6 years like all of my wonderful clients and you can too. If she had just repeated the same 90 days of workouts, she wouldn't have seen the results she continues to see today. She has stayed focused as a wonderful student progressing in the levels and constantly becoming stronger and better. So please continue after your first 90 days and let me take you through the advancing levels, because you will continue to see amazing results. If you stay the course, I promise you that over the years you will never get bored and neither will your muscles.

03: TRACY TRAMPOLINE AND NEW TRAMPOLINE DVD Let your skin glow this spring and summer by adding the new trampoline DVD as a boost to your Metamorphosis workout and to burn extra calories and detoxify. In addition to being a cardio alternative, the trampoline workout will also help with skin tone and detoxifying your body. Here's to healthy cells for summer!

MY FAVORITE SKIN TONE PRODUCTS Mama Mio - Its rare that I will find a beauty product that delivers visible results so when I do I am impressed! Here’s a few of my favorite Mama Mio products.

04: MAMA MIO'S SKIN TIGHT TONING SERUM Exfoliation is so important for perfecting skin tone, and this effective cream is packed with papaya enzymes, the powerful moisturizer hyaluronic acid, and ingredients used to fight crows feet.

05: MAMA MIO'S LUCKY LEGS You can apply this in the morning before your workout. This leg treatment sends a cooling feeling to your legs and helps circulation, which is an incredible help in improving our skin tone!

06: MAMA MIO'S OMEGA SUPER RICH BODY CREAM Dry skin can cause a real problem with skin tone after exfoliating and I put this cream everywhere first before layering on all of the specific treatments.

07: ACURE'S BRIGHTENING FACIAL SCRUB My sister-in-law knows everything about skin care and she turned me on to this amazing scrub. Let me tell you all scrubs are not created equal and not only do I use this on my face, but I use it on my whole body because it actually scrubs enough to create a difference!

08: BOBBI BROWN BEACH BODY OIL For years, my scent of choice has been Bobbi Brown Beach and I continue to be devoted! When you are getting your body ready for spring and summer, slather this moisturizing oil all over your layers to give you that extra sensory motivation to be healthy, fit, and sexy!

09: AMALOU SKIN DETOXIFYING TONIC I have become obsessed with this wonderfully focused line of skincare during my pregnancy, and my face has never been more clear and alive. Amalou is skincare designed for pregnancy and is not only totally safe for pregnant women to use, but it is also incredibly kind to your skin. I recommend the detoxifying tonic to everyone, pregnant or not. It is set apart from all other sprays because its antibacterial and you feel it working right away which is great to mist on as you sweat in the summer on the go. Keeping pores tight is important to skin tone!

10: VITAMEDICA CLEAR SKIN SUPPLEMENTS I have used these supplements for a few years now and they really help with skin tone from the inside out, providing your body with essential nutrients in daily vitamin packets that help fortify and building your skin cells.

11: ALKA-PI WATER Next to regular and focused exercise water is the obvious single most import element in keeping your skin glowing and healthy that many people don't take seriously. Unfortunately not all water is created equal these days. This water is a leader in the world of water. Alka-pi water is an antioxidant.

12: CLEANSE MENU Diet also directly effects your skin tone and I have formulated this menu specifically to go along with your workouts to improve your skin tone. Try this exclusive menu in conjunction with my favorite skin tone products to see the best results. This menu isn't a lifestyle but a detox week for weight loss and skin tone improvement designed to go with the Tracy Anderson workouts.

WORK ON YOUR SKIN TONE NOW! Looking forward to a glowing spring and summer in 2012!