Don’t sleep on your protein

A lot of people start off the new year with plans of getting healthy in a natural way.  They get the gym membership and start buying healthy food. But a few weeks in, they hit a wall.  They give up because they are not getting the results they expected. That’s because they didn’t have a plan. A plan that would set them up for success. A plan that would include what a lot of people don’t think they need…protein supplementation.

One of the best ways that a person can benefit from a healthy diet and exercise routine is adding extra protein to your diet. Protein is found naturally in many of the foods we eat. But a person who exercises often should get one gram of protein per pound of their body weight. At my last weigh in, that would mean 168 grams of protein a day for me. 😳 Here’s the problem. We don't always get the protein our body needs to benefit from our daily workouts. Having said that, we can get the protein we need from high quality protein supplements. 

Protein nutritional sports drinks and mixes can provide many benefits other than increasing muscle mass and body tone. Protein supplements can help your body repair damaged cells, such as repairing muscles and bones that may get damaged during a workout. Like carbohydrates, protein can give you energy throughout the day, but unlike carbohydrates, protein offers a lower level of energy but lasts much longer. Getting the right amount of protein, even through sports nutrition supplements, can help the body make essential amino acids as well. 

One type of protein supplement you may see in the market is one called whey protein. Whey comes from milk and is one of the highest quality forms of protein with a rich amount of amino acids. And unlike other forms of protein (red meat for example) whey offers protein in a low fat and low cholesterol form. Whether you just run every other day or you are a professional athlete, protein supplements can help increase your body's energy and strength. Most athletes consume a protein shake of some kind before and immediately after exercise to help repair and rebuild damaged muscles.

For the best results before, during and after a workout and for your overall health, consider introducing a protein supplement to your diet today. For some recommendations and some of my favorites, message me!

How to lose weight naturally

 Eat right, keep moving.

You just have read all that you need to know about how to prevent being overweight. That simple set of instructions should be easy to follow, but not for 35% of Americans who are unable to prevent being overweight.

Of course, once we are overweight, we usually want to trim down for a whole lot of reasons, some related to health, others, for an aesthetic. 

However, it is never too late to lose weight. But the fact is, it is a whole lot easier to prevent putting on pounds than to try losing them later on. And if there is one thing we all know, it is that weight gain is likely to happen if we do not have a plan.

Health experts say that most people who are on a journey to lose weight usually stray. They tend to go back to their old eating habits even after they learn to eat well according to their goals. They tend to return to sedentary ways even though they enjoy exercising.

Despite the momentum toward weight gain, you can stop it from happening, experts say. And there are plenty of good reasons to avoid excess pounds, reasons that go beyond vanity or social acceptance. 

In fact, some health experts contend that the significance of excess weight is more than cosmetic. They say that it takes a huge toll on people’s physical health.

But first, you need a plan

The nuts and bolts of eating right and maintaining a healthy weight is not all that complicated. So, losing weight the natural way should not be a problem at all…when you have a plan.

Consequently, a reasonable approach for losing weight naturally is to stick to a diet that is high in complex carbohydrates, high in fiber, moderate in protein, and low in fat.

Most health experts say that dietary fat promotes weight gain because it is a very dense source of calories. Also, when you consume excess calories from dietary fat, you store those calories as body fat more efficiently than excess calories from other sources.

On the other hand, it can also help you lose weight naturally if you don’t fall into the “fat-free” trap. Manufacturers keep introducing low-fat or fat-free versions of their best-selling foods, but Americans still have trouble managing their weight.

One of the greatest delusions of the 1990s is that “no fat” means “non-fattening.” The truth is, you are often getting just as many calories from the no-fat version, even if the calories are not coming from fat, i.e. added sugar. If you start to believe that you can eat unlimited amounts of ‘fat-free’ foods, then you may fall into this fat-free trap. 

Experts say it would be better to try eating every three to four hours. As a CNC, I tend to agree.

If you’re feeling a little peckish, try replacing sweet or salty treats with some healthy snacks between meals. Keep in mind, if you practice eating meals that are rich in fiber and lean protein and healthy fats, the need to snack between meals will lessen over time.

Remember, if you want to lose weight naturally, get into the habit of keeping a journal to track your meals and activities. 

Losing weight naturally is a process and not a fad. Embrace it! It’s going to take a lot of determination, self-control, and discipline to achieve your ideal weight. 

For a plan that can put your goals in motion, start here!

3 tips to losing weight without losing your mind

Losing weight can be a long, ongoing process and it is too easy to "throw in the towel", so to speak.  This is primarily due to frustrations because of slow results or the seeming lack of results.  Keep your sanity in your weight loss goals - learn how to take the little strides to achieve your long term weight loss goals.

1. Make a plan

Do you have a plan?  People sometimes get confused by plans and goals. The end result goal in your case is weight loss, the plan is the means you are going to use to get there.  While you will undoubtedly have short term goals and a long term goal, they are not your plan.  A plan would consist of, for example, eating breakfast; walking a half hour per day; not eating after 8pm; eliminating soda from your daily routine; etc.  These are plans that can help you reach your goal of weight loss.  If you've tried certain things before and they didn't work because of your lack of commitment then try loosening the plan a little for something that you could easily achieve without pushing yourself too hard. If you have a plan of walking/running 1 hour a day but you think that you might give up too easily on that: shoot for 15 minutes a day & once you've made the 15 minutes try and push yourself for 15 minutes more.  You're much better off making a plan for 15 minutes of walking a day and doing it than making a plan of walking 1 hour a day and never leaving the couch.

2. Execute the plan

The greatest weight loss plan in the world will do no good if you don't use it.  That's where so many people fail is that they want to lose the weight but aren't willing to take any steps to actually meet their goals.  It's like someone saying "I want to make $5,000 this month" but doesn't have a job and never leaves the couch to look for one.  A job is no more going to show up at your door and give you $5,000 for sitting than you are going to lose weight if you continue to do nothing about it.  Again, if your plan is not something you think you can commit to: loosen up your plan to something that is feasible given your lifestyle and situation.

3. See the plan through

Keep on keeping on, stay focused on your weight loss goals, and don't give up.  It is not the easiest thing getting started, but it is a proven fact that it takes 21 days to form a habit.  Keep your plan up for a few weeks and you'll be well on your way to your weight loss goals.

By simply creating a plan, working a plan and staying with it, you'll soon begin to see results with your weight loss goals.  Sometimes it only takes us seeing the start of results to get us really motivated to take the weight off.

For a plan that you can stick to and execute at your own pace, click here!

4 Tips to Simplify Achieving a Healthy Weight

These four tips include suggestions in each of the four elements you need to work on in order to achieve your health, fitness, wellness and weight loss goals: (eating right, exercise, support and accountability).

1. Good Eating Tip

Next time you order pizza for yourself, or your kids ask for half the cheese. You’ll barely notice any taste loss. But what you will lose is tons of calories and a whole lot of grams of saturated fats. Pizza doesn't have to be left off the weekly menu anymore.

 

2. Making Exercise Safe and Fun

In order to lose weight, you have to become more active. Most people do anything to avoid moving their bodies. And society is an accomplice. You can pick up food, a prescription, your clothes and your kid without leaving your car. Aim to walk 30 minutes a day, even if you have to break it up into 10–15-minute chunks. Not only will you burn 200-300 calories, but you can also walk with your family and increase your quality time as well. Move family time away from the TV and onto the street.

 

3. Maintaining Your Support System

If you’re the type of person who feels guilty about things, great news. You can use that emotion to help you lose weight. Here’s how. Exercise with a partner. But before you start making a pact that you will not let the other person down and you will pick them up should they start losing interest. It’s much easier to let yourself down then another person. You won’t do it, because you’ll feel guilty if you do.

 

4. Accountability Tools

A food diary is a great way to keep track of what you are eating and when. Keep track of what you consume on an hourly basis throughout the day. If you do this for 2 weeks you will see exactly where those extra calories (and thereby those extra pounds) are coming from. Also, don’t forget to keep track of what you’re drinking.

For THE total solution to your overall wellness made simple, START HERE!

Losing Weight, Gain Health

Many people have thought about losing weight over the years, but often seem to fall short of an actual attempt to do it. The reason why so many people think about it so much is because deep down, they know that having that extra poundage is not at all good for them. The problem is, just knowing that being overweight is bad is not enough to really push many people to do something about it. Much like wanting to quit smoking, knowing it is bad for you doesn't induce people to quit doing it. However, if you were to find some really good reasons to quit smoking, like your doctor told you if you don’t quit, you will lose a lung next year, that might make you act and just do it.

Well, losing weight is just like quitting smoking, the better reasons you have to do it, the more likely you are to act on it and make it happen. If you have something driving your motivation aside from just knowing it is bad for you, you are also more likely to maintain your weight loss goal once you reach it.

First and foremost, losing weight means getting healthier. When you lose those extra pounds, you greatly reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and joint stress, all conditions associated with being overweight. When you reduce these risks, it means you can have a much better chance of being around to see your children grow up and being around to enjoy your grandchildren. That alone is reason enough to get that weight down.

Another reason you might want to consider losing weight is that you will feel better. As you begin to lose some of those extra pounds, you will start to notice your energy levels increasing. Being overweight by 20 pounds is like putting a 20-pound sack of potatoes on your shoulders all day. Extra body fat is nothing more than an extra burden to carry around with you every day, so the extra weight drains your energy. For this reason, overweight people tend to be less active, and this promotes more fat to collect up on them. As this continues, they become even less active and so this becomes a vicious cycle leading to obesity. 

As a nice little side benefit, losing weight will make you look better, and who doesn’t want to look better? Each and every one of us has a vision of what we want to look like. Most people are not completely satisfied with the way they look. They will always find something they don’t like about themselves and wish they could change and for people who are overweight; this can be a great motivator to lose weight. A recent study concluded that as early as age 5, girls who had higher body weights had lower self-esteem than girls with normal body weight.

When a person loses weight, what are almost always the responses of other people who know that person? You hear things like; you look good; you’ve lost weight, haven’t you? And think about how you would feel when you’ve lost enough weight to be able to fit into that dress or that pair of pants you wore back in high school. Now keep in mind, looking better is a great reason to lose weight but it should not be the only one.

When you have at least a few good, valid reasons to want to lose weight, it will be a lot easier to motivate yourself to get started and stay with it. Let’s face it, your health, wellbeing and self-esteem are very good reasons to get rid of those extra pounds and keep them off for good.

For THE total solution to your healthy weight goals made simple, START HERE!

Lose Weight Quickly With This Simple Method

There are a lot of people in the world who are trying to find ways to lose weight quickly. In this article I write about a simple method that worked for me.

I have always had an ongoing battle with my own weight, however a few years ago I managed to come up with a plan to lose those excess pounds.

I have always liked the wrong types of food and drinks (especially during pregnancy) and as a result have mostly been on the large side. I have to be very careful what I eat as I seem to gain weight very easily. In my life I have tried many weight loss programs or diets, however I have always looked for a way of losing weight without having to resort to starving myself or by having to do huge amounts of exercise.

I am not sure if you are like me, but I have always been annoyed and frustrated with people who seem to be able to eat seemingly huge amounts of food, without getting fat. I am sure I eat half as much as these people but am still twice their size, it is not fair! That was until a couple of years ago.

I decided I needed to find my own weight loss program. I had to be realistic, I was aware that I was limited in the amount of exercise I could do and that I liked all of the wrong types of food. I loved the taste of fast food but more importantly, due to my limited mobility, it was incredibly difficult to prepare meals at home. One of my biggest problems though was that I liked snack food, such as peanuts, chocolate and chips. 

I knew that most people would advise me to stop eating all of these fatty type foods, especially pizza and chips. They would also, no doubt, advise me to join a gym and to go jogging every morning. Get real! Those gyms are full of thin, judgmental people, and jogging was out of the question!

I decided that what I would do is to basically eat a healthy breakfast, which would be a superfood smoothie. I would have a moderate lunch, such as a sandwich with a piece of fruit or some veggies or a salad and keep my evening meal light. The most difficult to build discipline around would be the fact that I would no longer be snacking at night. The snacks had to go! I am not trying to say that this was easy to do, however I had a need and was determined to lose weight and gain my strength back.

For exercise I decided to focus on strength training at home. And no ladies…weight training does not bulk you up. In fact, it is THE ideal exercise routine, especially those of us of a certain age.  It is amazing how much weight you can lose by working with weights. You can turn your body into a fat burning machine and rev your metabolism to phenomenal levels the likes of which you cannot get by cardio training alone. As someone who cannot do much cardio (yet) and relied on diet and strength training as part of my plan to lose weight and gain strength but still lost 10lbs in 4 weeks is a testament to how powerful strength training is to your overall weight loss goals.

These things are helping me to lose weight, gain strength and return to the ME I once was and beyond!

6 tips to prolong your life by 13 years!

We hear it all the time…lose weight for your health. However, few people realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.

In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults. The study showed an obese 20-year-old white male, (5'10")178cm and weighing (288 pounds) 130kg was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.

It is now well researched that a Western diet that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells. It is never too late to improve your health through healthy eating and adopting a healthier lifestyle. Here are simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your health and vitality.

1. Check to see if you are overweight or obese.

To find out your BMI you need to divide your weight (measured in kilos) by your height (measured in metres) squared. If the result is greater than 25, your health may be improved by losing weight. Having said that, use this a guide only. BMI measurements don’t account for all factors that account for your weight. In other words, if your BMI is at 26 or 27, there is no cause for alarm. Rather, it is a marker to indicate that you should evaluate your diet and activity level to optimize your overall health. 

2. Match your diet to your body’s requirements.

If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you will put on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants. Also learn how to snack with healthful choices.

3. Color your diet with a large variety of colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables.

There are seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients. The prettier your plate, the better.

4. Eat lean protein with every meal.

Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to controlling your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass. Choices of protein should be smoothies with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimp, prawns, scallops and lobster and ocean fish.

5. Rev up your metabolism with activity.

If you want to enjoy a lifetime of wellbeing, exercise is a key ingredient. Thirty minutes activity each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk is recommended for adults. Children should be active for an hour each day.

6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthy eating plan and reach your goal weight.

A study, “Effects of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes” shows that participants who had the support of an accountability partner lost more weight than those who didn’t. The study concluded that the support of an accountability partner can significantly improve weight loss results.

Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk to developing cancer. Even small weight losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects including reversing some of the effects of chronic illness and stroke. So, it’s never too late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health and do something about achieving a healthier weight.

Lose Fat, Not Muscle

Ah, so you thought you've finally found the answer to permanent weight loss. You went on a strict diet and ran your heart out. You dropped pounds quickly. But somehow, something is wrong when you look into the mirror in your birthday suit. Yes, you have lost some weight, but somehow your body shape isn't as flattering as you would like it to be. And then suddenly, you hit a plateau.

No matter how strict your diet and cardio workouts are, your weight just simply refuses to drop any further. Then horrors of horrors, you actually start to gain some weight! You get disillusioned because with the unrewarding program and soon you succumb to 'guilt food' more often, and the weight comes right back up once again. The program fails and you blame it on your bad genes. Why???

Here's why. First, take a good look at the title of this article. It's to "Lose Fat, Not Muscle" and not "lose weight". My point is, by merely losing weight, you will also lose some muscle mass in the process. By losing muscles, you will lose body tone and thus your metabolism rate for burning calories will slow down. Therefore, you have got to build muscles while losing fats. You may even gain some weight because muscles are heavier than fats.

To lose fat and keep it off permanently, you have to combine healthy eating habits, incorporate cardio exercises and lift weights to build muscles. For every lb of muscles you pack, you will burn an extra 70-100 calories per day even without doing anything. Can you imagine the benefits of building up 5kg of extra muscles? You will be burning 350 to 500 extra calories a day even if you just laze around. You'll be burning a Big Mac every day!

To further illustrate my point, 1 lb = about 3,500 calories, thus if you burn 500 calories a day because of the extra muscles you have, you will be burning off about 2 lbs every 2 weeks simply because of your higher metabolism rate!

You'll also look good, healthy and well-toned too! Is it any wonder why bodybuilders eat so much but do not put on fat as easily?

Everyone knows that intensive cardio and strict diets cause you to lose muscle mass along with fat. So, while you will lose some weight at the beginning, you will look like, well, just a smaller version of you without any muscle tone. That's not what we want is it?

So, as you lose more and more muscles, your metabolism begins to slow down. On top of that, your body will start conserving fat and 'eat' your muscles for energy because it is reacting to your strict diet. What happens then is that you will hit a plateau and no matter what you do, you will not lose any more weight and your fat will start creeping up again. This, in a nutshell, is the 'yo-yo' dieting effect that we hear so much about.

Losing fat is simple. And notice that I said 'simple' but did not say that it is 'easy'. My pointers will be simple to understand, but the execution will take determination and discipline on your part. It is a lifestyle change to keep the fat off permanently and you will be glad you did because you will get used to the changes in only a few weeks. By then, it will become a cultivated habit for you, especially when you are rewarded with a fitter, healthier you, together with a glowing complexion to boot!

Here is how you do it. 

Join the Empowerment Zone! 

It is through communities like the Empowerment Zone, (our virtual wellness camp) where you receive the support that everyone needs to not only get great abs but also to empower you to grow as well as create and nurture balance in your life. It's where I built the courage and strength to overcome obstacles associated with chronic illness that caused my immobility for years!  There is still time to register and save your spot for the Summer Group! Learn more about the benefits of groups 👉here!