How Carbs Make Us Fat- a Visual!

Hello everyone!

You hear it all the time- don't eat carbs! They make you fat! But how? For us visual learners out there, I came across this nifty picture which explains it all- why fat doesn't really make you fat and carbs do.

A direct link to this photo so you can see it better: Bigger version!

PiYo: Align - The Fundamentals Review

Hello everyone!


Last week, I mentioned how I would try PiYo out, and review each video as I do them.

Here's the first video!


It's called Align: The Fundamentals and basically what it is is an instructional video.  It's 40 minutes of Chalene demonstrating the poses and you do them along with her and the other three people in the video (each demonstrating beginner/modified, intermediate, and advanced)

I agree with all of these statements except the last one, the "strengthening flow that will have your blood pumping".   Maybe it does for some people, but to me there was a lot of stopping, a lot of talking, and I didn't totally feel that I got a "workout".

If you are experienced in yoga,  you will not need this, mostly you learn the different warrior poses, up/down dog, half moon, triangle, and a few moves like the PiYo flip.

I do recommend at least giving this a watch, but I do not agree with them using it as the first real workout.    I also do not recommend it as a replacement or an "easy" day.

Next review will be Define: Lower Body.

I hope everyone had a good week, see you next time with my next review!

A warning about brown rice syrup

Hello everyone-


I came across an article on Yahoo this morning that is not necessarily about weight loss, but it IS relevant if you eat brown rice/brown rice syrup.

Click here for article


Recently, studies have shown that organic brown rice syrup COULD be a high source of arsenic, and the article also mentions rice itself having arsenic in it.  This just makes being gluten free even harder, if you don't want poison in your food.  And going organic won't change it much- the arsenic was found in organic brown rice syrup-containing foods. 


I actually have a jar of organic brown rice syrup that I think I might have to toss in the can after reading this. 


As far as I know, stevia is still safe to use for sweetening, so I think I will keep doing that. 


I really think the best way (at least for me) is to just avoid grains altogether, since everything seems so wrong with all of them these days.  I usually feel better when I do.




Have any of you tried to be grainless? How do you like it?

Grain-Free Comfort Food?

Hello everyone!




I am always trying to read up on things grain-free, and while chatting with a friend of mine about a book she had seen for vegan comfort food, the lightbulb went off in my head- Are there Paleo (dairy/legume/grain/gluten-free) comfort food books as well?


So, I went to my good old friend Amazon.com and typed in the search line "Paleo Comfort Food".


And then I got directed to this title:

Paleo Comfort Foods- Homestyle Cooking for a Gluten-Free Kitchen by Julie & Charles Mayfield

The good thing about this is that the recipes are free of anything I don't want to eat- grain/beans/dairy.  I downloaded the ebook to my Kindle Fire and I will be going over it during the weekend and let you guys know how it is.

My gluten/grain free ladies (and anyone else) any good websites, books, etc for gluten free recipes? Post below!

Have a great night!

Gluten Free Pizza- At Dominos!

Hello everyone!

For those of you (and myself) who love pizza but don't love gluten, I read that Domino's Pizza will be offering gluten free dough!

It is safe for those with mild gluten sensitivities but not recommended for those with full blown celiac disease.  This is because the pizzas are prepared in the same kitchen as the regular crust pizzas that do have gluten.  If cross-contamination does not bother you,  then this is the pizza for you.

I also read that this crust will be only for small pizzas and sadly, cost $3 more than a small pizza with a regular crust.  According to Domino's, the crust is made from rice flour, rice starch, potato starch, water, and olive oil.

If I hadn't already eaten dinner, I would have ordered one for myself!

For more information, the article can be found here- http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/domino-let-gluten-free-160438224.html

And another article here- http://www.glutenfreephilly.com/2012/05/last-domino.html

Are you going to try it, or do you want to try? Post in the comments below.

Kumato!

Hello everyone!

Over the weekend, I was shopping and I found something called Kumatoes on sale. 

What the hell is a Kumato anyway?  

Basically, it's a brown tomato.

It's a hybrid tomato from Europe that is brown- and supposed to be that way.  They are not colored, GMO, etc but bred by combining different breeds of tomato.

What do they taste like? I do not know myself yet, but I read that they taste sweeter than a conventional tomato. 

I did buy a pack (they came in packs of six and they are not very big- about twice the size of a golf ball.  I haven't tried them yet (looking for good recipes to put them in. Perhaps I might try them in a ratatouille or caprese salad) but when I taste them I will let you know.

I do not like the taste of regular raw tomatoes, I hope these taste better!

Now I am getting back to my final essay (exams done! Yay!)

Have a great day!

Just a Few Opinions.

Hi everyone!

Still waiting to heal up and get my workout done, but this post isn't really about me this time. 

I have lately (and previously) read both a lot of hate and praise for Tracy Anderson and her method. Just thought I would write things that are commonly said and state my opinions on the subject as intelligently as possible.

1. Tracy's diet is dangerous/unhealthy/etc.

Well, in a lot of ways, yes it is, especially for the long term.  In her defense, she does say that this is not how to eat for life.  However, I disagree with her saying how her way of eating is the only way.  MANY people have done her method eating healthfully making their own choices and had great results. On Tracy's Facebook page recently, someone asked if the diet plan was absolutely necessary and they replied that it is optional and that many have achieved results with their own eating plans. (This was said after people came out of the woodwork and shared results)

2. Her method injures people.

In my opinion, I think this is a fairly weak statement against the method IF you are paying attention to your body and doing the moves correctly in the sense that ANY exercise can result in injury. Even walking can cause injury (look at me and my poor ankle for example).   You hear about athletes getting hurt ALL the time. Any exercise done in bad form can also cause injury. It's not TAM specific, it's common sense and fact.

3. Her method is not for people with a lot to lose.

Are you kidding me? I know people who have lost 60-70 pounds doing the method and eating reasonably.  ANY type of movement, when done consistently will cause weight loss especially in conjunction with eating right. However, everyone's body IS different and responds to different workouts accordingly. Which leads me to my next one...

4. Tracy's claims that other workouts make us bulk up are bullshit.

Well, back to the whole "everyone is different" statement, I can attest to the contrary- I have tried a lot of workouts in the past.  Notably, I tried to do P90X at one point. Guess what happened? NO weight loss, seemingly NO fat loss, I was just a heavier, more "solid" version of my previously and still obese self.   Some of us DO bulk from certain exercises, some of us do not.  To quote one of my professors, there are no rules, recipes, or regulations when it comes to human beings.

5. Tracy's fans are all a bunch of crazy cult people who are brainwashed by her "teeny tiny" decree.

Well, I do know a lot of people who are big fans of the method and I have yet to meet a "brainwashed" one in the bunch.  Hell, some of you may even think I'M brainwashed too. Your opinion.   Most of the people I know who do TAM do not fully buy into her "teeny tiny" and "perfection" claims, myself included. I call this blog my Teeny Tiny Quest as a play on her words, and perhaps maybe one day I will be close to teeny tiny with hard work and dedication.   As always, I am sure there ARE some who are brainwashed. 

6. Tracy should not be making videos, she is not a certified personal trainer.

Yeah, Tracy and SO many other "trainers" you may be familiar with- to my knowledge, Tony Horton (p90x), Jillian Michaels (Yep, THAT Jillan from the Biggest Loser), Possibly Billy Blanks (the Tae Bo guy) and many more (Kim Kardashian, anyone?)  ARE NOT CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINERS!!!! Shocker!  (If I am incorrect in saying that any of these people are not certified, I apologize. I searched and found no evidence that they have any certs) And yet, people still trust in them to change their bodies and their lives. 

In short, I believe Tracy can do things for ME, but as far as everyone else, they need to make that choice on their own.  I, for one find it difficult for me to stick with anything that I do not enjoy, ESPECIALLY working out.  I finally feel like I have found something I actually do not want to curl into the fetal position and die at the thought of doing. 

Disclaimer- these are MY opinions. If you read this and think I'm an idiot, cool. If you think I'm brilliant, why thank you.  I am not a certified trainer/dietician/etc, just a girl with an opinion.

Another interesting read about grain-freeness

Hello everyone!




I have been doing more reading about grain free eating (in particular how to do it without spending too much money) and I came across something not really related to budgeting but other facts about benefits of being grain free.

I found this on nourishedkitchen.com

"why you should go grain-free

1. if you can get it from grain, you can get it elsewhere.

The big heroes of most grains’ nutrient profile are dietary fiber and B vitamins.   Take heed, every grain is different and different grains offer different nutrient profiles.   Yet, one thing remains constant: if you can find the nutrient in grain, you can find the nutrient in better quantities in other foods. For example, 100 grams of whole wheat flour contains 44 mcg of folate; however, a 100-gram portion of lamb liver will give you 400 mcg of folate and a 100-gram portion of yardlong beans will give you a whopping 658 mcg per 100-gram portion.   Similarly with the B Vitamins niacin and thiamin, while a 100-gram whole wheat flour contains 30% of the RDA for niacin and 32% of the RDA for thiamin, you can find these nutrients in higher quantities in other foods – namely flaxseeds and sesame seeds.   Whole grains are often touted as health foods for their fiber content, but you can find dietary fiber in better quantities in other, more nutrient-dense foods.   For example: 100 grams of cooked brown rice offers up 1.8 grams of dietary fiber; by contrast, a 100-gram serving of cooked collard greens offers 2.8 grams; 100 grams of raw fireweed contains a whopping 11 grams of dietary fiber and even green peas contain about 5 grams of fiber per serving.

2. grains aren’t good for your gut.

Intestinal health is critical to your overall health.   If you’re gut isn’t healthy, you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat.   If you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, your body is malnourished and is more prone to disease.   Grains are associated with a condition called leaky gut syndrome.   Tiny particles of grains, when ingested, can slip through the intestinal walls causing an immune response.   With your immune system excessively taxed by constantly attacking these out-of-place particles of grain, it cannot effectively fight against true threats like pathogens.

3. you’re probably gluten-intolerant.

If you’re white, there’s a good chance that you’re gluten-intolerant to some degree.   Current research estimates that about 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease, an auto-immune condition related to the ingestion of gluten-containing grains like wheat and barley; however, some researchers on celiac disease and gluten intolerance estimate that 30% to 40% of people of European descent are gluten-intolerant to some degree.   That’s a lot of people who are regularly consuming a food that makes them sick. (And, yes, I’m one of them.)

4. grains cause inflammation.

Due to a high starch content, grains are inflammatory foods.   The more refined the grain, the more inflammatory it is.   For example, unbleached white flour is more inflammatory than whole grain flour; however, whole grains are still moderately inflammatory foods and certainly more inflammatory than other foods like fresh vegetables and wholesome fats.   Chronic inflammation is linked to a myriad of degenerative, modern diseases including arthritis, allergies, asthma, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, emotional imbalance and even cancer.   Unbleached white flour earns an inflammation factor of -421 or strongly inflammatory onNutritionData.com while whole wheat flour earns an inflammation factor of -247 or moderately inflammatory.   Similarly, whole cooked millet earns an inflammation factor of -150 and cooked brown rice earns an inflammation factor of -143 – also moderately inflammatory.

5. grains are fairly new on the scene.

While still a traditional food, grains are, nonetheless, the new kids on the block.   Prior to the advent of agriculture, humans relied on hunting and gathering for their foods.   They foraged for wild greens, berries, fruits and other plants.   They hunted wild animals.   They fished for wild fish.   They didn’t plant a garden, or grow any amber waves of grain or, for that matter, drink dairy from domesticated animals since there simply wasn’t any domesticated animals.   Humans survived like this from the development of the appearance of the first homo sapiens sapiens about 47,000 years ago to the advent of agriculture some 10 – 12,000 years ago. So, for the better part of human existence grains did not comprise any notable portion of the human diet. In essence, what has become the bulk of our modern diet was missing from the diet of our prehistoric ancestors.

6. grains aren’t good for your joints.

Due to their inflammatory nature, grains – even   whole grains – are linked to joint pain and arthritis.     Grain’s amino acid composition mirrors that of the soft tissue in your joints.   Because both synovial tissue and grains are chemically similar, your body has difficulty differentiating between the two.   So, when your immune cells get all hot and bothered by inflammation caused by grain and begin to attack it as a foreign invader, they also begin to attack the soft tissue in your joint – leading to pain, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and, of course, more inflammation.

7. poorly prepared grains prevent mineral absorption.

When improperly prepared as they most often are, grains can inhibit vitamin and mineral absorption.   Grains contain substances like phytic acid which binds up minerals and prevents proper absorption.   Essentially, though your diet might be rich in iron, calcium and other vital nutrients if you eat improperly prepared grain, you’re not fully absorbing nutrients from the foods you eat.   However, please note that souring, sprouting and soaking grains neutralizes phytates and renders the nutrients in grain more absorbable.

8. grains are bad for your teeth.

Due to those high levels of phytates in grain, grain is linked to dental decay.   With high levels of mineral-blocking phytic acid coupled with low mineral absorption rates and plenty of starches for bacteria to feed on, grain contributes to dental decay.  Anthropological records of our pre-agricultural ancestors indicates very little to no tooth decay; however, that changed after the dawn of agriculture.   Indeed, some anthropologists use the presence of tooth decay is an indicator of an agricultural society.

9. grains aren’t good for your skin either.

Grains have a very high carbohydrate content, and while the carbohydrates in grain are complex they are still broken down into sugars nonetheless. These sugars instruct your body to produce more insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IFG-1).   Elevated insulin levels lead to a cascading hormonal response and these hormones activate the sebum-producing glands in your skin – encouraging them to produce more oil.   IFG-1 is also linked with the increased production of keratinocytes which also contribute to acne.

10. eating grain makes you crave grain.

You know how the smell of bread creates a longing in you   – a yearning for a slice, slathered with butter and maybe jam.   Or consider a plate of cookies set in front of you – so delicious – and you can’t just have one?   Foods rich in carbohydrates give you quick energy, but that energy wears off just as quickly as it came. Since grains break down into sugar, they create a rise in insulin levels when those levels fall you crave more grains and, thus, the vicious cycle continues."

For the full article check it out here: http://nourishedkitchen.com/against-the-grain-10-reasons-to-give-up-grains/

Does Hot Weather Help Weight Loss?

Hello everyone!


With summer upon us (in the northern hemisphere anyway) that means it's pretty likely that it's hot outside.

A common question is if this hot weather can help weight loss.  Well, yes and no. 

(I don't like it either!)

First, let's get the "no" part of that answer out of the way.  No, it won't help you for long term weight loss if you only rely on the heat to melt you.

The yes part:  Heat makes sweat, and sweat makes water weight loss.  It can also help detox if you keep replacing that lost water with more water, and not something like coffee (which will dehydrate you more).   The important part with detoxing via sweating: shower often, so that those toxins don't work their way  back into your pores. 

People also tend to be more active in the warmer weather, but it's very important to be careful.  Heat stroke and other heat related illnesses/hazards are very easy to succumb to.  Use your head, if you think it's too hot, if you feel dizzy and so on, listen to your body and get some water and get somewhere cool.

I am sensitive to the heat myself, so I prefer to be more active indoors when the sun is out.

Also, if anti-aging is of interest to you, ALWAYS wear sunscreen on your face before you go outside, especially between 10 am and 3 pm, when the sun is at its hottest.

Hello everyone!

I went to the doctor the other day to get my ankle and knee looked at and the good news is: Nothing broken!

I just have a really bad sprain in my ankle and my knee is less major, even though it's hurting more.  It never hurt to walk on it, just to touch it.   So, the main concern (so I can at least do my cardio) is that ankle.  Even when that feels better, I am not going to jump right into Dance Cardio.  I have weak ankles, I have injured them several times before.  I tried going back as hard as I was before and it had consequences. 

I actually miss my workouts and I am finding this whole ordeal frustrating.

I find it frustrating not because I am bored, but I don't want to undo all of my progress.  I feel my fatigue coming back, and speaking of that, I got some blood work done at the doctor while I was there.  I wanted to rule out diabetes, thyroid issues, anemia, etc.   I also was worried about why in the 3 weeks I was working out, that NO weight was lost.  My doctor is curious about this too, as a woman of my size should be melting at this point, eating what I am eating and working out like I am.

So, I have still been doing crunches and arm workouts, but it really feels lacking. 

Here's to me getting better and finding out what is going on with me. 

First keto day

Hello everyone!


I had a realization today.  If one were to go Ketogenic, but not eat so much fat, I think it is more like a modified version of paleo- meaning that it's like paleo with dairy allowed and less fruit. 


That said, I did a pretty good job of being low carb yesterday, and so far today as well.


Here's a breakdown of what I ate:


Breakfast:


Sausage and scrambled eggs (2 net carbs)
Dark Chocolate think thin bar (2 net carbs)


Lunch:


Hamburger without bun (1 carb)
Salad without dressing


Dinner:


Grilled steak
Salad (no dressing)


It seems like a lot of fat, but the thing is that I am trying to get my body to rely on fat as fuel instead of carbohydrates.  I still also like to drain and blot greasy food when I can, even if it is "healthy". I just don't like the taste of grease very much.


I also think eating low carb is possible without eating buckets of grease. The only thing I would still prefer full fat is my dairy.  Fat free dairy tastes terrible and it's often loaded with sugar. No good.


That's it for today, going to get some movement in~!


Have a great day!

I've decided

Hello everyone!




I have decided that I would like to try the ketogenic diet for a while (with exercise) and see how it pans out for me.  As someone who loves meat/cream/cheese, etc this shouldn't be a problem in regards to me actually enjoying what I eat.


I am going to try a slightly lower fat version (I have read about people on lower fat keto diets and their results were even greater because the body used up body fat as energy more often) but I am not going to think too much about fat grams as opposed to net carbs.




I'll post about how it goes! Have a good day!

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?

Tracy's New Baby!

Hello everyone!


On May 21, Tracy Anderson gave birth to her little girl, Penelope.  Yesterday, I saw online a picture of the new bundle of joy.

I think she's adorable. Almost a full head of blonde hair too, haha.

Just want to again say congrats to Tracy and her family, and welcome to the world, Penelope!

As for how I'm doing- I checked in my weight out of curiosity, and I gained a little!  I think it's water weight because my Aunt Flo is due next week.  Also, yesterday I had some crackers so this might be just bloat. 

When I get home from work today, I will do my workout as planned. Feeling a bit sore from yesterday especially in my inner thighs. 

Have a great day everyone!

Hey guys just a quickie post!


I finished my L1 D2 with 25 reps, a 60 minute walk and 30 minutes of DC.




Tomorrow night I will be doing 30 reps. EEEEK. I don't know if I can handle it. I feel kind of sore today. Hm.




Have a good night!!!

Hello everyone!




I finished day 1 last night (pretty late, I crashed into bed when I was finished) and already woke up today and walked for an hour. I also had a pretty healthy, filling breakfast.


I had one cup of plain fat free Greek yogurt and 1/2 a pint of blueberries. Total protein- 24 grams. I still feel kind of full after eating it, and it was delicious!


Going to get my day 2 workout done today with a little more reps and maybe an hour of dance cardio (not all at once, 30 minutes, a break, 30 minutes) but we'll see. At least 30 minutes. 


As usual I will post again later with how I did. Last night was 20x each leg rep, today 25 and so on.




Have a happy Tuesday!

Hello everyone!


Today I start Meta Abcentric, and this morning I took measurements and weight. (look to the right!)


The only exercise I really did was walk daily and stretch, and since May 23 (about 2 weeks ago?) I lost 4.75 inches and 11.1 pounds!


*Yay!* 


I knew I was feeling smaller, but I thought it was just in my head.




Ok, off to work and do my workouts, and I will check back in tonight!!!




Have a great Monday!

Hello everyone!

Tomorrow I am going to once again begin my Metamorphosis journey.

I am also going to start doing what I did before- drinking a shake in the morning. I still have my Tracy shakes and Clean shakes left, along with some frozen blackberries and a myriad of fresh blueberries and strawberries in the fridge.  I also have 5 think thin peanut butter bars and a box of dark chocolate on the way. (I heard they are to die for).  I figured I might as well use these, I WAS losing weight eating/drinking them and it would be a horrible waste of money to let it go.

I also need to really crack down on gluten. I am always reading up on gluten sensitivity and obesity.  Here is what I read this evening:

"In order for your metabolic rate to be normal and burn the calories you take in, adequate nutrition needs to come into the body and be absorbed by your cells. In our country, where food is very available, consumption isn’t usually the problem. Absorption however can often be. Here’s how:

Remember that gluten sensitivity causes malabsorption due to the damage it creates in the small intestine.

If the food goes into your mouth but never adequately arrives at your cells; your cells are essentially starving.

When the cells are inadequately fed they tell the body to lower its metabolic rate.

This results in a person who while not overeating continues to gain weight. Their body just doesn’t efficiently burn what it consumes but instead “holds on” to it.

The stress of the cells being “starved” causes this decreased metabolic rate and is one of the reasons those suffering from gluten sensitivity suffer from obesity.

The good news is that the situation is resolvable. Properly identifying gluten sensitivity and removing gluten from the diet allows the small intestine to heal. Once healed, nutrients again begin to be absorbed properly and the cells, now receiving adequate nutrition, increase the metabolic rate and weight loss ensues."

So for me, calories in, calories out is not enough.  I may eat enough calories but my body may not be absorbing what I need.  I really do not eat much for an obese person.  I eat normal portions most of the time but they usually are not gluten free. 

So, I will be hopefully starting off on the right foot tomorrow. Wake up, drink my shake, do my Meta, go to work, eat lunch, come home, dinner. 

Have a great night everyone and I am looking forward to tomorrow.

Hello everyone!




Today was the bootcamp workout that almost wasn't.  Last night, my refrigerator and freezer officially died, so I had to deal with that.  For a while I only got my leg reps (25! Yay!) done and my hour of power (walking). 


It's pretty late at night and I just finished 40 minutes of dance cardio as well as 25 of all the arms and abs work. I'm exhausted.


I have to get up early and await the delivery of my new refrigerator, and attempt 30 reps of everything tomorrow. Also tomorrow is my last day of 100% step touching. Scary!






Have a good night!

Missed Days, Starting Over- NOT!

Hello everyone!


Unfortunately, my Memorial Day holiday ended up being a busy one. I took my hour long walk, but then I got too busy (and it was too frickin HOT in a place with no air conditioning) to do my TAM.  So, Day 2 of bootcamp will be done today. 

Pictured: My mentality yesterday.

I was thinking of doing day 1 again but I have only been off for 2 days, not an entire week. 


According to Tracy's Facebook page, there is a note about missing days.  It says it's for Metamorphosis but I am pretty sure it can apply to the book workouts as well since they are also on a 10 workout rotation.

"Once you start Metamorphosis it is really important that you understand all of the gifts it has to give come with you making it part of your lifestyle.  This would mean that the only time you stop would be for a week max if you were sick or something in your life didn't allow for it to happen for a short period of time.  In that case you should pick up right where you left off.  If for some reason you fall off for longer than a week repeat the sequence that you completed before you took the break to get your body moving again with some memory before the next level. If longer than a month of a break happens start at the beginning."

So, that means for today, I will be attempting 25 reps of each exercise and 40 minutes of the step touching.  The workout after next, I am asked to add jumping into it. I'm afraid I won't be able to, but there's no way to know unless I try, right?

Have a great day everyone!!!!