It's Time to Break Out the Bikinis!

I know it sounds ludicrous to get out the bikini--or tankini or one piece or whatever you choose to wear--when it's raining on the west coast and the east coast is buried in the remnants of a blizzard. But bear with me...I have a good reason to request that you get out the old suit and actually put it on.

Most of us wait until spring to even begin to give thought to getting ready for summer. Granted, we may have had a burst of enthusiasm when the first of January rolled around last year...New Year's resolutions and all. But in the back of our minds we knew we had plenty of time to hide beneath the layers of our wool coats, fuzzy jammy pants, sweats and hoodies where no one could really see how extemsive the damage was.

You see, the trouble with waiting is that you really don't have enough time to accomplish your goals before the pool opens. And if you feel you won't accomplish your goals, well, it's pretty likely that you will give up far too soon (not that you should give up at all!).

The secret to getting bikini-ready--and staying that way--is to start now, giving yourself a huge headstart and taking pressure completely out of the picture. I'm going to give you some tips to help you get started right away on your smokin' hot bikini--okay, your smokin' hot swimsuit body.

1. Don the Suit

Dig the bathing suit out of the back of the drawer and put it on. Stand in front of a full-length mirror and assess the damage from all angles. Make a mental note of how bad it is and the fact that you would never go out of the house with that on.

2. Get Mad

Yes, I want you to get mad. Or maybe disgusted, grossed out, bummed, whatever. I want you to realize that what you have going on there is not what you want to have going on come June because it's simply not good. In fact, it's horrible (do you see how far down your butt is sagging?). You should be ashamed!

3. Plot and Plan

Now that you're good an angry at how bad you look, plan to do something about it. If it coincides with your New Year's resolution, great. If not, make it a stand-alone goal that WILL be reached. Remind yourself that there is no way you're butt is leaving the house uncovered looking like last Thanksgiving's mashed potatoes.

4. Set Individual Goals

Take a piece of paper and jot down (or type if you live at the computer) how much weight you'd like to lose, what kind of eating plan you want to use to accomplish this, and what type of exercise program you plan to embark on.

5. Picture This

If possible, put a photo of yourself and your squish someplace you can see it regularly. If you can't stomach the idea of such a picture, find someone on the Web that is approximately your size and print out their picture (they won't care). You can go to Google, choose Images, then type in overweight woman. Voila! You have supply of pics from which to choose. Now, when you feel a moment of weakness coming on; i.e. you want to give up, give in or eat a jelly donut, get the picture out and remind yourself why you are doing this!

6. Picture That

Now find a picture of the #%$!@ who has the body you want to be walking around in this summer. There are an abundance of those too, so it should be no problem. Again, print it out and put it where you can see it on a daily basis, especially when you are feeling weak. Show the picture to your significant other and ask them if they'd like it if you looked like that. When they start salivating tell them to hang on to their socks 'cuz you're going to make that girl look like last week's leftover pasta.

7. Get Serious

By this, I mean take this seriously. You are not just setting out on a whim to lose a pound or two. Rather, you are embarking on a fantastic journey to a hot bikini body and YOU WILL DO THIS, COME HE## OR HIGH WATER!

8. Stay Tuned

In upcoming posts I will be supplying you with all kinds of tips, tricks and ideas to get you through this. If you fall off the wagon, watch out, because I have long arms and I will reach out and drag you back on!!!

Now, quit lollygagging and go put on that bathing suit! You have work to do :)

Are You Ready For a New Body? I'm Challenging You to Do This!

How would you like the gift of a new body for 2011? A svelte, sleek and sexy body?

How about a hundred grand to go with it?

Sound good? Sure does! This is your chance to have the motivation necessary to completely transform your body. This is how I got started 12 years ago, and believe me, it is one of the best ways possible to achieve the seemingly impossible in just 12 weeks.

Bodybuilding.com will have work out plans to help you, plus a plethora of information and articles written by experts like myself to help you lose the fat and sculpt some sexy, new muscles.

Go ahead, take the challenge. You have nothing to lose but your gush and guck, and everything to gain!

Like Arnold would say, "Do it. Do it now!!!!

Time to Put on the Apron and Lighten Up

I don't know about you, but I love to bake. In fact. I love to bake cookies and breads MORE than I love to eat them. I'm just weird like that. Go figure.

And since it is that time of year when I don the apron and get flour all over the kitchen, I wanted to share a few tips that you can use to lighten up your baked recipes without sacraficing flavor or texture.

Some of these you may be familiar with and some, or all, may be brand new. Regardless, they are all worth trying when you want to eat a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven but don't want to feel guilty about it.

1. EGGS

If your recipe calls for three whole eggs, use two yolks and two whites. If it calls for two eggs, use one yolk and two whites. Alternatively, use 1/4 of egg substitute in place of half of the eggs called for in the recipe. In breads, cakes and cookies you can't tell the difference.

2. OIL & BUTTER

Most baked goods call for either oil or butter, both of which can pack a lot of fat and calories. Next time you bake, try cutting the "fat" ingredient in half. So if a cake recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, oil or margarine, use 1/2 cup instead. The missing half of the fat ingredient needs to be replaced by something moist. Some great substitutes are applesauce, greek yogurt, pureed fruit, lowfat buttermilk, light or fat-free cream cheese and lowfat or fat-free cottage cheese. You may need to experiment to see which subsitutes work best with which recipes.

3. SUGAR

Sugar is what makes things taste sweet, but it is also what gives you cavities and saddlebags. Almost every recipe for baked goods calls for sugar, some in minute amounts, others in huge quantities. In order to cut the amount of sugar in your baking without sacraficing sweetness, try using something that has concentrated sweetness. Stevia is 250 times sweeter than sugar, which means you use a lot less of it. In fact, you only need one teaspoon to equal a full cup of sugar. To compensate for the loss of volume, add applesauce, pureed fruit, canned pumpkin, fruit juice or yogurt.  Add 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of the replacement bulk for every cup of sugar that is called for.

Other sweetners you can try include maple syrup and molasses. When using maple syrup, use ¾ cup for every cup of white sugar and decrease the amount of liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons. For molasses,  use 1 1/3 cups molasses for 1 cup sugar, and reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 5 tablespoons.
Another good substitute is honey. Use ¾ cup plus1 tablespoon honey in place of 1 cup sugar, and reduce the other liquid ingredients by 2 tablespoons. Unless the recipe includes sour cream or buttermilk, add a pinch of baking soda to neutralize the acidity.

4. CHOCOLATE AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Everyone loves chocolate-laden sweets, but beware: they are full of hidden fat (that's why chocolate tastes so good). To retain the lovely chocolate flavor but pare down some of the fat, instead of using two squares of baking chocolate, use 6 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of canola oil and 1 tablespoon of fat-free sour-cream. For every 2 squares of baking chocolate you replace, you'll shave almost 90 calories and 14 grams of fat (most of which is saturated fat). If your recipe calls for chocolate chips, use the same ingredients and amounts listed above for every two oz. of chocolate chips you are replacing.

5. MILK

If your recipe calls for whole milk, you can substitute 2% without anyone noticing. You can also use fat-free milk and whisk in a tablespoon of fat free plain yogurt or Greek yogurt per cup to add body to the milk. Alternately, soy or almond milk works great in many recipes and often the taste of the finished product is better than if made with cow's milk.

You don't have to completely give up baking--and consuming---goodies. Plan ahead by going over your recipes and figuring out your substitutions so that you have them on hand on baking day. And above all, be brave and dare to experiment. Some great low-fat cookies just may be in your future.

It's Holiday Time! Indulge Yourself (With Restraint)

So it's that time of year again...holiday goodies are everywhere. Gift baskets full of cheese and sausages, office parties with eggnog and deviled eggs, cocktail parties with wine spritzers and mini-quiche. Plates of cookies and boxes of candy at every turn. It's enough to sabotage anyone's good eating plan.

It's inhuman to deny yourself these fat-laden treats. We all deserve to treat our tastebuds to the forbidden now and then. By not doing so, your subconscious will plot against you and before you know it you're downing double-doubles from In 'n Out and Ben and Jerry's Mooset Tracks ice cream by the quart. Only the strongest of constitutions can go completely fat-free, sugar-free and treat-free for long.

The reason for this is that our bodies are programmed to insulate themselves with fat. And to accomplish this, our tastebuds are programmed to like the way fat tastes. When you eat something with fat in it, say a butter cookie, your olfactory glands send a message to your brain that says "Mmmm, good. More please." 

Ever wonder why as good as an orange can taste, it never hits the spot quite like a bite of cheesecake or a bite of mashed potatoes dripping in country gravy? Simple, an orange has zero fat, and while it does send a pleasant signal to the brain, our brains will not rank it up there with something that contains the coveted ingredient: fat.

We can train our tastebuds to love, or at least enjoy foods that are low in fat and rank high on the healthy scale. This takes time and patience, just like housebreaking a puppy. And, like you do with a puppy, you need to allow for mishaps that present themselves at certain times, like the holiday season.

The key is in the planning. You should not plan to avoid all parties, buffets and lunchrooms laden with tempting loot. Instead, head to these events with the mindset that you will taste whatever you want, but it will be in moderation. One piece of summer sausage on a toothpick. One cracker with a smathering of cheeseball on it. One cookie and one small glass of egg nog.

If you are in a restaurant situation, order something yummy but only eat half. Share with someone else or take the remainder home for another day. If you are offered a slice of pie or cake, ask for a sliver rather than a slice. If they cut you a larger piece than you wanted---which happens quite frequently---simply pass it to someone else and ask who ever is cutting to cut you a piece half that size.

Another helpful trick is to eat before you go to a party or dinner. Have a light meal or a healthy snack to curb your appetite. All the goodies won't be near as tempting if you're not hungry.

Above all, enjoy yourself and your family and friends during this wonderful time of year. Indulge in the festivities, food and drink. Just don't over do it!



Got Belly Fat? You Just May Get Osteoporosis

I just read an article published in ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2010) that says that belly fat in women can cause a decrease in bone strength and an increase in osteoporosis.

In the past, studies had indicated that the opposite was true, stating that the excess body fat protected against bone loss. But a new study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) found that having too much internal abdominal fat may have a big impact on bone health.

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"We know that obesity is a major public health problem," said the study's lead author, Miriam A. Bredella, M.D., a radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "Now we know that abdominal obesity needs to be included as a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone loss."

We already know that approximately 72 million American adults are considered obese (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more and that being obese contributes to a multitude of health problems.

When it comes to being overweight, or obese, the type of fat stored by the body is what determines what type of issue the body may experience. We have many types of fat; subcutaneous, superficial, even bone marrow fat, but visceral fat--the intra-abdominal fat that is packed around the organs in the abdominal cavity---is the fat that is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

In his study, Dr. Bredella and his colleagues set out to evaluate the abdominal subcutaneous, visceral and total fat, as well as bone marrow fat and bone mineral density, in 50 premenopausal women with a mean BMI of 30. Each woman's bone density was tested using specialized equipment. The imaging revealed that women with more visceral fat had increased bone marrow fat and decreased bone mineral density.

Dr. Bredella concluded, "Our results showed that having a lot of belly fat is more detrimental to bone health than having more superficial fat or fat around the hips. It is important for the public to be aware that excess belly fat is a risk factor for bone loss, as well as heart disease and diabetes."

While bone loss is more common in women, the research team is currently conducting a study to determine whether belly fat is also a risk factor for bone loss in men. According to the National Women's Health Information Center, 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and 18 million more have low bone mass, placing them at risk for the disease.

Osteoporosis, or low bone mass, is a disease that puts you at risk for bone fractures. It also is the reason that older people, mostly women, stoop over when they are upright. The name Osteoporosis literally means "porous bones." Most common in post-menopausal women, after age 75 it is seen in both men and women.

Exercise and taking the proper amount of calcium and Vitamin D have been shown to greatly reduce the chances of developing the disease, or helping minimize it once it has been diagnosed.

The lesson here is pretty obvious: get off the couch, exercise and lose some weight. Your entire body will thank you for it!

Homemade Artisan Bread in Five Minutes!!

I don't know about you, but I absolutely love hot bread fresh from the oven, especially if it's homemade. But who has time for that?

Not this girl.

I decided one day when I had nothing better to do (yeah, like I have those kind of days!) to surf the Web and find a way to make healthy homemade bread without a machine, a mixer, hours and hours of kneading and rising, and without a billion ingredients.

Guess what? I found it! Although the recipe was for white bread using white flour (which unless I am making it just for my husband who lives for white bread I will not touch bleached white flour), I decided to brave it and use whole wheat flour. This recipe comes from a book titled Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The five minute part is the "hands-on" time spent; it does take several hours from start to finish. Afterall, it is not "instant" artisan bread!

So I tried it  and oh my gosh--it was so good. Crispy and crusty on the outside, dense (a bit heavy but not overly so) on the inside, and spread with some almond butter it was simply Devine.

When I made the second loaf, I added in some raw sunflower seeds and brushed the top of the loaf with oil and sprinkled some seeds on it prior to baking.

Beyond Devine.

If you like (or love) healthy, nutty, crunchy, warm and comforting bread, you have to give this a try. It is so easy you will not believe it.

And if the seeds and whole wheat don't trip your trigger---go ahead and use white flour. I won't tell anyone!

Homemade Wheat Artisan Bread
(Makes Four One-Pound Loaves)

• 3 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 TBL sea salt
• 1 1/2 TBL yeast
• 6 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour (or a blend of white and wheat for softer bread)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
• 1 TBL sunflower seeds (optional)
• Olive or canola oil
• cornmeal

Preparing the dough:

In a 5-quart bowl or a resealable, lidded, plastic food container, add yeast and salt to lukewarm water. Don't worry about getting it all to dissolve.

Add in all the flour at once. Mix with a wooden spoon (you can use very wet hands to help if needed) or a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Don't knead the dough; just mix until it is uniformly moist without dry patches.

Cover with a lid that fits well, but is not airtight. Allow to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, about 2 hours. (You can let it go up to 5 hours.) The dough is ready to use at this point, but will be easier to shape if it is refrigerated at least 3 hours first.

On baking day:

Prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal (or line it with parchment).

Sprinkle the surface of your refrigerated dough with flour.

Pull up and cut off a 1 pound (grapefruit-size) piece of dough, using a serrated knife.

Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won't stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. (Most of the dusting flour will fall off.) The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but it will flatten and adhere during resting and baking. Handle the dough as little as possible.

Place the shaped ball on the cornmeal-covered pizza peel. Allow the loaf to rest on the peel for about 40 minutes, uncovered. Depending on the age of the dough, you may not see much rise (more will occur during baking).

20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

Brush the loaf lightly with oil, or even spray with non-stick cooking spray and press the sunflower seeds onto the surface. 

With a quick forward jerking motion of the wrist, slide the loaf off the pizza peel and onto the preheated baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour about 1 cup of hot water from the tap into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely (unless you're like me and have to have instant gratification), preferably on a wire rack.

Store the remaining dough in the refrigerator in your lidded (not airtight) container. Cut off and shape more loaves as you need them anytime over the next 14 days. The flavor and texture will improve after even one day's storage.

Note: If you don't have a baking stone, you can bake the loaf on a cookie sheet, but I found the crust did not come out as crusty/crispy this way. You can also try using unglazed garden tiles or buy a ceramic floor tile at the homecenter and use the backside (the unfinished side) to bake on. If you don't have a pizza peel, the back side of a cookie sheet is a good substitute.
I'm thinking this bread would be delicious with lots of other add-ins as well. I'm thinking all kinds of nuts, maybe cranberries or dried cherries, sesame seeds, whatever you like.

Give it a try the next time you're craving homemade bread but not wanting to spend hours preparing it!



Breaking Medical News

As most of you know, I keep up with the latest medical and health news (I subscribe to a ton of Journals). While the majority of the news I read about studies and such is pretty ho-hum, here and there are a few gems that cause me to put on my glasses  and read thoroughly.

Here are a couple of recent finds that you may not have seen and that are rather interesting:

1. Aspirin may help ward off Cancer

Taking low doses of aspirin (75 mg per day) can reduce the risk of many kinds of cancer, scientists found, and the evidence is strong enough to suggest people over 40 should take it daily as protection.

In the study, published in The Lancet, researchers found the 20-year risk of death was reduced by about 10 percent for prostate cancer, 30 percent for lung cancer, 40 percent for colorectal or bowel cancer and 60 percent for oesophageal cancer in those taking aspirin. For those over the age of 70, aspirin may not be advised due to the increased risk of stomach bleeding.

2.  Smoking may thin the outer layer of the brain

A study published in the Journal of Biological Psychiatry found that the left medial orbitofrontal cortex was thinner in smokers than non-smokers, and the more someone smoked, the thinner the membrane. It has been revealed in the past that smoking is linked to brain abnormalities and decay.The thinning of the membrane is associated with cognitive impairment.

3. Walking may slow degenerative brain issues such as Alzheimer's

A study by the Radiological Society of North America found that in healthy adults, walking at least 72 blocks a week (about six miles) helps preserve brain volume and slow the risk of cognitive decline. Cognitively impaired (those with symptons or have been diagnosed with an impairment) adults needed to walk at least 58 city blocks a week (about five miles) to achieve the same results.

4. Electronic cigarettes found to be unsafe

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside conducted a study that suggests that the chemicals present in the aerosolized vapors emanating from electronic cigarettes may be harmful to your health. This is one of the first studies conducted and researchers feel that much more research needs to be done on the possible unsafe effects that e-cigs may trigger.

5. Even a couple extras pounds can mean trouble

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, while not conclusive, found that in 1.5 million caucasion adults, the risk for death was higher in those above the average weight. Stay tuned for more on this topic!

Want to Earn More Money? Lose Weight!

It's long been held that being thin equates to being more beautiful, more popular, more desirable, etc. But did you know that it may also mean a larger paycheck?

It's true. Recently, Timothy A. Judge of the University of Florida conducted two separate studies, one on 11,253 Germans and the other on 12,686 Americans. He concluded that thin women, i.e. those weighing a full 25 pounds less than the average for their height, earned a whopping $15,572 more than their normal-weight counterparts.

And it goes further than that.  A woman who gained 25 pounds above the average weight earned an average $13,847 less than an average-weight female. That means that if you weigh approximately 50 pounds more than the woman in the next cubicle, chances are she can afford designer duds a tad better than you can.

You may have also seen on the news recently a story about another study that found that being overweight is more costly than being thin, most notably in women. Economists at George Washington University, who conducted the study, found that costs for things such as medical expenses, coupled with lost wages and reduced work productivity cost a man $2,646 annually and a woman $4,879 annually.

While I find studies for the most part to be about as reliable as ten cent batteries, I have to admit that in my working lifetime of about 37 years, the women at the top of the heap, both power-wise and salary-wise, were always on the thinish side. Maybe not a full 25 pounds below the norm (that seems really thin to me), but thin enough to be shapely and wear fitted suits and other trendy garments.

The thing is, they were all women who were hard workers and cared deeply about their looks. And frankly, if these women are the ones at the top of the corporate ladder, then they deserve to be there. Whether an employer realizes it or not, a person's outward appearance speaks volumes on who they are and how much self-esteem they have. That's not to say that they didn't make the climb to the top a little faster, or even easier due to their curves, but you can't hold that against them, can you?

What it boils down to is that if you are overweight, chances are you are not happy with yourself. And if you're not happy with yourself, why would someone want to hire you and pay you top dollar to do your job?

If you are above-average weight and perfectly happy with yourself, more power to you. But if you are of above-average weight and are suffering from low self-esteem, and even worse, out of work and job hunting, why not seriously consider losing weight? It will not only go a long way to make you look and feel better, it just may fatten your wallet too.

More Obesity? Give Me a Break!!!

I just read an article on CNN about the ongoing increase in obesity in this country. We are already at epidemic proportions, yet they say the worst is yet to come. Researchers at Harvard University claim that if the current trends continue, the obesity rate in the U.S. won't level off until it reaches at least 42 percent, circa 2050. Already, approximately six out of ten Americans are considered overweight.

You are considered "obese" when your weight is 20% or more above what is considered normal, or average weight for your height and build. So, for example, a women who is five foot five and average build should weigh approximately 130 pounds. If she weighs 156 or more, she is obese.

In the USA, the consumption of calories increased from 1,542 per day for women in 1971 to 1,877 per day in 2004. The figures for men were 2,450 in 1971 and 2,618 in 2004. Most people would expect this increase in calories to consist of fat - not so! Most of the increased food consumption has consisted of carbohydrates (sugars). Increased consumption of sweetened drinks has contributed significantly to the raised carbohydrate intake of most young American adults over the last three decades. The consumption of fast-foods has tripled over the same period.

It's no wonder we are fat.

It seems to me that we currently have two schools of thought on the subject and they are polar opposites.

The majority of us are struggling with weight issues and will continue to do so. Many will ultimately wind up in the obese category. It is just the path they choose to take.

On the other hand, there is a movement of people who say, "Enough is enough already! We do not have to be an obese nation and I for one will not be obese."

Can you guess which group I'm in?

Yes, the minority group. I think it's high time that us in the minority reach out to those who are losing the weight battle and let them know that they too can join our ranks. It takes effort. It takes time. It takes decication. But it can be done.

It will not be accomplished by putting money into the coffers of fast-food companies, convenience food companies or even the local donut shop. I like a double cheeseburger and fries as much as the next guy (or girl), but I know it is not the way to maintain a healthy weight.

The same goes for soft drinks, sweets, processed foods and packaged snacks. They must be vitually eliminated from the diet in order to avoid the sticky claws of obesity that will reach for you for the rest of your life. You simply cannot keep putting junk into your body and not expect it to stay there in the form of fat deposits.

Until people make a conscious decision to change their eating habits, obesity will continue to snowball, not only in the United States, but worldwide. When 2050 rolls around, it is not going to be pretty.

The next time you have the opportunity to speak to someone who is overweight, offer them your help. Tell them you understand how hard it is but assure them that they too can be a healthy weight. Encourage them to ditch the junk food and embrace a healthy lifestyle.

If we all pitch in and work together, 2050 might not look so bad after all.

Success: It's All Up to You

In most aspects of your life, success is an elusive creature. Slippery to catch hold of and often fleeting once you have it. And to experience success, you must risk failure. Not for the weak of heart, for fear of failure can be paralyzing.

The wonderful thing about success, however, is that it is subjective. Your success may not be your co-worker's success and vice-versa. But regardless, it is all yours and you mustn't forget that. This is especially true when it comes to things like losing weight or getting fit. Are you trying to lose weight and lost a pound since last week? Cha Ching! Success!

Are you determined to add muscle definition to your twiggy body and have only been able to add a smidge of weight to your bench press for the last two months? Face it. A smidge is better than nothing at all. You've got a success story.

You may be snickering and thinking I'm nuts. Why? Because you, like the rest of humankind set goals for ourselves and if we do not meet or exceed them then we do not consider them as a success. More likely, we feel like we failed.

"I want to lose 20 pounds but I have only lost 10 in four months. I can't seem to succeed."

This is where you need to readjust your views. Think of it this way: four months ago you weighed 10 pounds more than you do today. You have managed to lose ten whole pounds! Instead of berating yourself for not reaching your goal, you should pat yourself on the back and say "Wow, I did good. Now I KNOW I can lose the next 10 because I've already succeeded at the first 10!"

Just because something takes you longer to achieve than you would like does not mean you should chalk it up to failure. Likewise, if you don't succeed at all it doesn't point to failure.

I know, you're thinking "What the heck is she talking about?"

Let me put it simply: if you have a plan, execute the plan and nothing happens, perhaps you need to tweak what you are doing. By readjusting your plan, you have taken your first step toward success. You may even need to do this several times. IT DOES NOT MEAN FAILURE. It means you need to reevaluate, or reroute yourself on the road to success.

When it comes to losing weight, or getting fit, even the tiniest of improvements is a success.

Whenever I have a client tell me that they failed, or are about to fail, I remind them of an old Japanese proverb that says "Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight."

Why?

Because the eighth time may be the time. Success may be standing there with its hand out, ready to help you get up. You wouldn't want to miss that, would you?

So the next time you set out to do something--anything--and you feel you are not accomplishing your goals, don't despair. Like the old saying goes, "Get yourself up, brush yourself off and start all over again."

Doing that, in itself is a huge measure of success. It's all up to you!

What Am I Doing Wrong?

This is one of the most common questions I get from people. "I'm doing everything you instruct me to, but I'm not losing weight or adding muscle. What am I doing wrong?"

The short answer is possibly nothing wrong at all.

There are many reasons why people feel like they are not making the progress they should. Often it is just that humans, like animals, are programmed to expect instant gratification. Putting in the necessary time and understanding that significant changes do not happen instantaneously is just not in the forefront of their minds. Your body did not become this way overnight and it will not change dramatically overnight. You MUST exercise patience as well as your muscles!

And the long answer? Maybe you're doing a number of things wrong.


 Here are the most common reasons why your changes are seemingly nonexistent or possibly stuck in neutral:

YOU'RE NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH

1. Often people convince themselves they are giving it their all, when in reality they are holding back or allowing themselves to believe that they are giving 100%. To make changes in the shortest amount of time, you MUST give 100% to your eating and work out plan at all times.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Did I complete all reps and all sets at the recommended weight or did I give in at rep 6 or 7 because I thought I couldn't do another?
• Did I shortcut my cardio session because I was running late or just not feeling overly energetic?
• Did I order my salad with Ranch dressing instead of Balsamic Vinegar because I am getting sick of the same old dressing all the time?
• Did I miss my midweek workout because I had a rough day at work and was exhausted?
• Did I allow myself to have cake and ice cream at the party so people wouldn't think I was being a snob?

These may seem like small things, but they add up and wind up sabotaging your progress.



YOU'RE WORKING TOO HARD

Many times people, in their quest to speed things up, actually do more harm than good.
Undereating and overtraining are all too common when trying to lose weight or add muscle.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Did you skip your rest day and throw in an extra workout?
• Did you do 60 minutes of cardio AND your regular work out in one session?
• Did you skip your protein supplement and/or meal replacement and have carrot sticks instead?
• Did you forfeit sleep in order to get up early and work out?
• Have you been doing the same work out routine repeatedly without changing it up?
• Are you making sure to eat a clean, green and macro-balanced diet and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day?
• Are you taking your vitamins and supplements?

These are some of the more common reasons, although there are many more. If you're over 40, hormones can have a great deal to do with the speed of your progress.

The main thing to remember is to stay focused, don't doubt yourself and never give up on yourself. The changes you seek today will be reflected in your mirror very soon!

If you're too busy to put in an hour at the gym, I HIGHLY recommend this program. It is fast and it works!

Do You Know Your Bodytype?

A while back I wrote a short series of articles on Working Out After Age 40 for Bodybuilding.com. One section of the article series addressed body type which is pretty much the same across the board no matter your age. I thought I would share part of that here because I feel it is very important to know and understand your body type. It has great impact on weight loss and muscle gains. Read and learn!

 

KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE

There are three basic body types: Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph. Typically the Ectomorphs are the “hard-gainers”, those who most likely have been slim all their lives and have small frames, little fat and long, lean muscles. Picture those Ethiopian runners competing in track and field events. They epitomize Ectomorphs.

A Mesomorph is a body that is in most ways “average,” not overly large and muscular and not round and fat. The real difference between an Ecto and a Meso is the ability to gain both fat and muscle. Ectos have difficulty gaining either while Mesos can grow fat if they are inactive and overeat and likewise can transform into hard bodies with a modicum of effort. Many NFL Quarterbacks are good examples of Mesomorphs.

Lastly is the Endomorph. These body types are typically rounded with belly fat, hips (for women) and double chins. They can, however, add muscle fairly easily when it is approached correctly and combined with clean eating and the addition of cardio. Many large bodybuilders are Endomorphs, having to restrict caloric intake drastically (i.e. a cutting diet) prior to a competition to reveal the massive lean muscles they have developed that lie hidden under a sheath of body fat.

While there are a few people who are truly one body type or another, most of us are a combination of two, with one type being more dominant than the other. Knowing your own body type will help you understand both your nutritional and exercise needs for losing fat and gaining muscle, and will also help you to plan a long-term strategy that is reasonable and does not set you up for disappointment. In other words, if you are an Ectomorph, don’t expect to have bulging biceps overnight. It is going to take time for you to add that extra lean mass.

Here are training and nutrition regimens broken out into the three major body types. These are not meant to turn you into Hercules or Sheena, these are meant to increase your strength, lean muscle mass and overall fitness level. Again, you may need to adapt your routine to coincide with your own unique body type.

ECTOMORPH




Weight Training:

• Always warm up muscles and stretch lightly before picking up any weights
• Employ split-training, working one or two body parts each workout to target muscle groups
• Train each body part twice a week if possible
• Aim for eight to ten repetitions per set and do two to three sets of each exercise
• Get plenty of rest between workouts; never train if scheduled body part is still sore from previous workout
• Try different routines and exercises for muscle confusion
• Increase training intensity slowly to avoid strain or injury
• If you stay sore for more than three days chances are you are lifting too heavy, scale back on your weight
• If gains in muscle and strength seem stagnant, try adding weight until you are limited to eight reps per set
• Work your abs three times per week, three sets of 25 of two different exercises (crunches and lying leg lifts for example)

Cardio:

• Keep cardio activity to a minimum, no more than three times per week.
• Keep cardio conditioning at the lower end of the target heart rate for no more than 20 minutes per session. To compute target heart rate per minute, subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 0.6 and 0.8.
• Cool down for five minutes after your cardio session (walking is perfect)
• Good cardio exercises include the elliptical machine, stationary or recumbent bike, the treadmill and walking outdoors

Nutrition:

• A clean diet and proper supplementation are extremely important
• Consume five orsix small meals per day
• Make sure your daily protein intake is 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight (i.e. a 160 lb. person would need 240 grams of protein per day)
• Protein intake should be 25 – 30% of daily dietary intake; carbohydrates about 50%; fats 20 – 25%.
• Drink a protein shake after your workout and one at bedtime.
• Increase daily intake of fibrous carbohydrates whilst limiting the intake of simple sugars
• Eat slower burning glycemic index foods such as beans, corn, sweet potatoes, oats, pasta, brown rice, whole grain breads
• Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water per day
• Limit or eliminate alcohol
• If you smoke you must give it up (you should anyway!)

MESOMORPHS




Weight Training:

• Always warm up muscles and stretch lightly before picking up any weights
• Employ split-training, working two body parts each workout to target muscle groups, do upper body parts first then follow with lower body parts
• Aim for three sets of eight for each exercise
• Train each body part twice a week if possible
• Get plenty of rest between workouts; never train if scheduled body part is sore from previous workout
• Change your work out routine every two months by adding new exercises
• Increase training intensity slowly to avoid strain or injury
• If gains in muscle and strength seem stagnant, try adding weight and add one set to each of your exercises
• Work your abs three to four times per week, three sets of 25 of two different exercises (crunches and lying leg lifts for example)

Cardio:

• Undertake some cardio activity three times per week for 30 minutes
• Keep cardio conditioning at the lower end of the target heart rate for no more than 20 minutes per session until you build your cardiovascular system, then you can raise your target heart rate. To compute target heart rate per minute, subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 0.6 and 0.8.
• Always cool down for five minutes after your cardio session (walking is perfect)
• Good cardio exercises include the elliptical machine, stationary or recumbent bike, the treadmill, Jazzercise, jogging and brisk walking outdoors

Nutrition:

• A clean diet and proper supplementation are extremely important
• Consume five or six small meals per day
• Make sure your daily protein intake is 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight (i.e. a 160 lb. person would need 240 grams of protein per day)
• Protein intake should be 25 – 30% of daily dietary intake; carbohydrates about 50%; fats 20%
• Drink a protein shake mid-morning and after your workout
• Use low-fat (2% milk) for your protein shakes
• Increase daily intake of fibrous carbohydrates whilst limiting the intake of simple sugars
• Eat slower burning glycemic index foods such as beans, corn, sweet potatoes, oats, pasta, brown rice, whole grain breads
• Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water per day
• Limit or eliminate alcohol
• If you smoke you must give it up (you should do this regardless)

ENDOMORPHS




Weight Training:

• Always warm up muscles and stretch lightly before picking up any weights
• Employ split-training, working two body parts each workout to target muscle groups
• Train each body part twice a week if possible
• Aim for three sets of no more than eight repetitions. When you can easily do eight, increase the weight
• Get plenty of rest between workouts; never train if scheduled body part is sore from previous workout
• Try different routines and exercises for muscle confusion
• Increase training intensity slowly to avoid strain or injury
• Train hard for maximum fat-burning effect while building lean mass
• ·Work your abs three to four times per week, three sets of 25 of two different exercises (crunches and lying leg lifts for example)

Cardio:

• Undertake some cardio activity a minimum of three times per week for 30 minutes -- five times is best
• Keep cardio conditioning at the lower end of the target heart rate for no more than 20 minutes per session until you build your cardiovascular system, then you can raise your target heart rate. To compute target heart rate per minute, subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 0.6 and 0.8.
• Always cool down for five minutes after your cardio session (walking is perfect)
• Good cardio exercises include the elliptical machine, stationary or recumbent bike, the treadmill, Jazzercise, running, biking and jogging
• ·For added fat burning find a good HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) program and work into it slowly

Nutrition:

• A clean diet and proper supplementation are crucial
• Consume five or six small meals per day, watching your calorie intake closely
• Make sure your daily protein intake is 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight (i.e. a 160 lb. person would need 240 grams of protein per day)
• Protein intake should be 25 – 30% of daily dietary intake; carbohydrates about 50%; fats 20%
• Drink a protein shake after your workout and one at bedtime
• Use non-fat milk or water for your protein shakes
• Increase daily intake of fibrous carbohydrates whilst limiting the intake of simple sugars
• Eat slower burning glycemic index foods such as beans, corn, sweet potatoes, oats, pasta, brown rice, whole grain breads
• Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water per day
• Limit or eliminate alcohol
• If you smoke you must give it up (you should do this regardless)

Regardless of your individual body type, there are several constants that cross the Ecto, Meso and Endo boundaries:

1. You must lift weights on a regular and consistent basis;
2. You must always warm up and stretch prior to working out;
3. You must undertake some cardio activity a minimum of 3x per week;
4. You must eat clean and supplement your diet;
5. You must increase your protein intake to feed your muscles;
6. You must start out slow and avoid injury;
7. You must drink a gallon of water per day;
8. You must limit or eliminate alcohol;
9. You must quit smoking if you are a smoker;
10. If you're over the age of forty, adding muscle and losing fat will take a little longer – the important thing to remember is DON’T RUSH IT

Happy Training!!

Don't Max Out on Mexican Food

First things first. I love Mexican food. I mean,
I L-O-V-E love it. When my cheat meal rolls around, 9 times out of 10 I will choose tacos or enchiladas or both to satisfy my cravings for the bad.

But you know as well as I do that Mexican food is laden with saturated and trans-fats that go straight to the thighs and arteries. While the mouth says "Yes, more please," the body says "You can't be serious! This is a heart attack in a tortilla!"

If , like me, you treat yourself to a number two combination plate only occasionally, you may not need to alter your ordering habits at your favorite Mexican restaurant.

On the other hand, if you find yourself eating at Mexican eateries quite often, you may want to consider these suggestions to limit your fats and save your waistline:

1. Share. The average combo plate has 2000 calories, Share with someone to cut the calories in half, or take half home to eat for lunch tomorrow.
2. When ordering fajitas, ask for less oil and no cheese.
3. On tacos and tostadas, ask them to hold the cheese.
4. Ask if the restaurant has black beans. Black beans typically have half the calories of refried.
5. Limit yourself to one tortilla and skip the butter.
6. When ordering a combo plate, limit yourself to two items. Your best choices are a soft taco and a tostada. Tamales and cheese enchiladas are your enemy.
7. Use willpower when the chips and salsa arrive at your table. Half a basket of chips is roughly 250 calories.
8. When ordering an appetizer, opt for fresh guacamole. It contains the "good fats" that your body needs. Just don't overdo!
9. Choose chicken or fish over beef or cheese. They are likely to have less calories and fat.

If you have an On the Borders Restaurant near you, give them a try. The Border Smart menu is full of dishes that are in the 500-calorie range and all quite good.

So, the next time you crave Mexican food, remember these tips. Ole!

The Skinny on Fats & Oils

How much do you know about fat? Good fat. Bad fat. Saturated fat. Your body needs fat in the diet, but do you know what kind or how much?

Dietary fat is very easily converted to body fat (at any age), so controlling your fat intake is crucial to control the weight gain associated with ageing. Each gram of fat you eat contains nine calories, regardless of what type of fat it is.

A tablespoon of vegetable oil contains 14 grams of fat and 125 calories. That can add up! You must avoid any foods that are higher than 30 percent fat content. Items high in fat and saturated fat are lard, animal shortening, oils, butterfat, whole-milk solids, shortening and margarine. You should focus on eating fresh, wholesome foods and avoid processed foods as much as possible.

There are fats that are good for us however. Fatty acids are necessary for good health, and some fat-soluble vitamins require fat for absorption into the system.Fat also helps to keep us insulated and warm. Elderly persons who have lost weight due to reduced appetite need to consume a moderate amount of dietary fat to maintain a healthy weight. Unsaturated fats, especially the monounsaturated ones, are considered "the healthy fats." These fats can be found in oils such as olive and sunflower, seeds, nuts, avocados and even in some margarine products.

Polyunsaturated are fats that can have a beneficial effect on your health when consumed in moderation and when used to replace saturated fats or trans fats. Polyunsaturated fats can help reduce the cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease. They also include essential fats that your body needs but can’t produce itself – such as omega-6 and omega-3. You must get essential fats through food. Omega-6 and omega-3 play a crucial role in brain function and in the normal growth and development of your body. Most foods contain a combination of fats. Foods high in polyunsaturated fat include a number of vegetable oils, including soybean oil, corn oil and safflower oil, as well as fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout. Other sources include some nuts and seeds such as walnuts and sunflower seeds.

Saturated, or "unhealthy fats," are found in red meat, dairy products (cheese, butter, ice cream) and lard. They are generally solid at room temperature. These fats contribute to higher blood cholesterol levels, thereby increasing increasing risk of heart disease. Certain vegetable oils such as palm and coconut contain large amounts of saturated fat, so use in moderation as much as possible. As for red meat, try ground white turkey breast instead. With the right seasonings you can't tell the difference!

Unlike other dietary fats, trans fats are not essential, and they do not promote good health. The consumption of trans fats increases one's risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. Trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils are more harmful than naturally occurring oils. Trans fats can be found in many foods – but especially in fried foods like French fries and doughnuts, and baked goods including pastries, pie crusts, biscuits, pizza dough, cookies, crackers, and stick margarines and shortenings. You can determine the amount of trans fats in a particular packaged food by looking at the Nutrition Facts label. You can also spot trans fats by reading ingredient lists and looking for the ingredients referred to as “partially hydrogenated oils.”

Several large studies indicate a link between consumption of high amounts of trans fat and coronary heart disease, and possibly some other diseases. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association (AHA) all recommend that people limit their intake of trans-fat.

Following is a table with the most commonly used fats and oils and their corresponding saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated percentages:

 

Type of Oil or Fat	Saturated	Monounsaturated	Polyunsaturated
Butter	66%	30%	4%
Clarified butter	65%	32%	3%
Canola oil	6%	62%	32%
Coconut oil	92%	6%	2%
Corn oil	13%	25%	62%
Cottonseed oil	24%	26%	50%
Grape seed oil	12%	17%	71%
Lard	41%	47%	2%
Margarine, hard	80%	14%	6%
Margarine, soft	20%	47%	33%
Diacylglycerol (DAG) oil	3.5%	37.95%	59%
Olive Oil(Extra Virgin)	14%	73%	11%
Olive oil (Virgin)	14%	73%	11%
Olive Oil (Refined)	14%	73%	11%
Olive Oil (Extra Light)	14%	73%	11%
Palm oil	52%	38%	10%
Peanut oil	18%	49%	33%
Rice bran oil	20%	47%	33%
Safflower oil	10%	13%	77%
Sesame oil (Unrefined)	14%	43%	43%
Sesame oil (Semi-refined)	14%	43%	43%
Soybean oil	15%	24%	61%
Sunflower oil (Linoleic)	11%	20%	69%
Sunflower oil (High Oleic)	9%	82%	9%

Hopefully this helped you to get a basic understanding of the types of fats and which ones you should be sure to add to your diet. A word to the wise: too much of any fat, even good fat, will make you fat. Being cognizant of how much fat you are consuming will go a long way to help you lose weight and keep it off.

Have Trouble Sleeping? You Need to Read This!

I will be the first to admit that cardio or aerobic exercise are not my favorite things to do. In fact, I rate it right up there with doctor's visits or eating liver and onions.

However, I do include them in my weekly work out schedule because they not only keep me lean, the health benefits of cardiovascular exercise are almost endless. For the sake of time and space, I won't go into that here...

But this I have to share. I just stumbled upon an article that sums up research that was conducted by Northwestern Medicine and funded by the National Institute on Aging and was intrigued by their findings.


Are you ready?

Aerobic Exercise Relieves Insomnia

If you're like me and have had trouble sleeping, this is very good news!
The study is the first to examine the effect of aerobic exercise on middle-aged and older adults with a history of insomnia. The aerobic exercise trial resulted in the most dramatic improvement in patients' reported quality of sleep, including sleep duration, compared to any other non-pharmacological intervention.

"This is relevant to a huge portion of the population," said Phyllis Zee, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Northwestern Medicine and senior author of a paper to be published in the October issue of Sleep Medicine. The lead author is Kathryn Reid, research assistant professor at Feinberg.

"Insomnia increases with age," Zee said. "Around middle age, sleep begins to change dramatically. It is essential that we identify behavioral ways to improve sleep. Now we have promising results showing aerobic exercise is a simple strategy to help people sleep better and feel more vigorous."

The drug-free strategy also is desirable, because it eliminates the potential of a sleeping medication interacting with other drugs a person may be taking, Reid said.

Studies over the past several years have shown that sleep --- quality sleep and plenty of it --- is crucial to health and well-being.
"By improving a person's sleep, you can improve their physical and mental health," Zee said. "Sleep is a barometer of health, like someone's temperature. It should be the fifth vital sign. If a person says he or she isn't sleeping well, we know they are more likely to be in poor health with problems managing their hypertension or diabetes."

The study included 23 sedentary adults, primarily women, 55 and older who had difficulty falling sleep and/or staying asleep and impaired daytime functioning. Women have the highest prevalence of insomnia. After a conditioning period, the aerobic physical activity group exercised for two 20-minute sessions four times per week or one 30-to-40-minute session four times per week, both for 16 weeks. Participants worked at 75 percent of their maximum heart rate on at least two activities including walking or using a stationary bicycle or treadmill.

Participants in the non-physical activity group participated in recreational or educational activities, such as a cooking class or a museum lecture, which met for about 45 minutes three to five times per week for 16 weeks.

Both groups received education about good sleep hygiene, which includes sleeping in a cool, dark and quiet room, going to bed the same time every night and not staying in bed too long, if you can't fall asleep.

The participants reported their sleep quality had risen, from poor to good. They also reported less depression, more vitality and less drowsiness during the day. More vitality during the day means you will not only do better at work or play, but you will enjoy it more because you are not tired.

So, like it or not, I will continue to do my cardio and monitor the days I do it and the following night's sleep. Who knows, if it turns out that I sleep better on cardio days, I may be converted from a hater to a lover! Why don't you give it a try too and let me know your results!

Win a month of FREE ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINING

Would you like to get a month of FREE ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINING? It's easy! To celebrate the launching of my new website, http://www.fitnesscrush.com/, I will be giving away one month of free online training to one lucky person each month!

All you have to do to enter is to like Fitness Crush on Facebook. It's that simple! I will choose one random winner each month and post the winner's name on Facebook.

Enter today...you may be my next winner!  Good luck!