Nutrition Question of the Week: August 31, 2015

This week's Nutrition Spotlight

3 Reasons You should be eating Breakfast (with protein and carbs)

1) It gets your mind right for the rest of the day: 

Anecdotally I have noticed that people who tend to eat a nutrient dense and filling breakfast tend to make better food choices throughout the day. Your mindset is already on nourishment

2) It will help you to stop the mindless snacking and reaching for the sugary snacks for bursts of energy: 

Starting off the day with a breakfast that includes protein, fat and carbs will help you stay away from unnecessary nutrient poor snacks at work..especially the sugar filled ones. When you have no fuel, psychologically we like the sugary items to give us a boost.

3) Skipping meals does not help you lose body fat:

People who skip meals throughout the day tend to be big time night eaters where they consume large amounts of calories. It's not the eating at night that's the problem. It's HOW MUCH people are eating at night because they are ravenous from not eating throughout the day. This is not the right strategy for body fat loss

One of my fave breakfasts! Red Velvet Protein Bread (Recipe found on my facebook page under Recipes) Grapefruit and Coffee!

No Scale Challenge Week 1 is Down! Confronting Some Hard Truths

Well I made it.

One week without the scale.  My normal Saturday morning used to include a scale ritual which would  determine whether things were a failure or success that week and then trying to fix whatever didn't seem to be working.

This week I did not do that.  I wrote client programs for the following week, ate breakfast, and had an AWESOME workout at the gym.  After that Mm new esthetician also asked if I was a student and when I told her that I just had my birthday that past Monday she really gassed me up about how young I look so I'm a customer for life.

So I had a good day and there was no scale.  I must confess that I kept fighting the temptation throughout the week and on Saturday to, "just take a peek".   Instead I went and put on the pants that didn't go up over my behind last month and now they are. Next stop buttoning them up.

I have decided that I will not weigh or measure myself until after I complete all the workouts on this program. I'm on workout #12 as of today and I have 32 more to go...so we shall see. 

Confronting some Hard Truths

Seeing how anxious I got about not getting on the scale made me confront some hard truths.

I'm really angry and disappointed with myself

I think what gets me the most about this entire experience is that: I NEVER MADE IT TO THE FREAKING STAGE.  I wonder if I would be handling this better had I accomplished my goal.  Not only did I NOT accomplish what I set out to do, I ended up going backwards in many regards.  It's not just the scale weight.  My endurance has also regressed and I don't recover from workouts as well as in the past.  That could be due to age but I also feel like I'm in worse shape than before. I've noticed an improvement since embracing "STIMULATE DON'T ANNIHILATE" training philosophy.

And yes, I am angry that in this moment and time I would love to be back where I was before this whole "Trying to be a figure competitor" adventure.  I would love to be back at the place where I didn't weigh myself, where I ate well because of the way it made me felt, and where I had fun workouts because they were fun and I loved the way I felt.  Oh yeah and during that time I was 15 pounds lighter...but here you go:  I thought life would be better if I could become a figure competitor and get really lean.  Instead I ended up learning some extremely valuable lessons and having to start from the bottom,

Coming back from Failure

I'm not one of these people who post inspirational messages on Social Media that are feel good empty crap. These are the things that I have to say to myself to not give up and quit.

This endeavor was a failure in many ways but I've learned SO MUCH and I doubt without this failure, I would have gotten as FIRED UP about the following issues: Women's Body Image

Health Coaching/Designing Programs that are targeted towards lifestyle rather than cosmetics and speaking out about body dysmorphia.  I also learned a lot about myself and following my instincts.

Plus we have to take risks in life or else it's boring.  This experience is a definite part of my message to women about finding worth in appearance, ineffective dieting, and self esteem issues.  Who knows what other doors this experience will open?  I honestly believe there  is going to be some major vindication when all is said and done but for now it sucks.  The song Shattered Dreams comes to mind...

Body Dysmorphia is Rampant in the fitness industry and it is having a negative impact on clients.

One of the women trainers I follow on social media recently opened up about her struggle with Body Image.  She used to weigh upwards of 230 pounds and lost 90 pounds much of it through lots of cardio and starving.  She finally understood that was not the way to go and began to educate herself about eating more and strength training because she did start gaining weight again. Then she decided that she wanted to do a figure competition because she thought that would help her get into better shape and challenge herself (Sound familiar?) After about a year of dieting and training she ALSO never made it to the stage and now she's somewhere in between the 90 pound weight loss and 230 pounds.  She is finding herself frustrated and angry because she doesn't want to weigh 230 pounds again but she also is refusing to go back to all the cardio and not eating.

Someone asked her: "What wasthe big deal?  When will she be happy?" She's one of the most popular instructors in her area and one of the top trainers in her gym.  She helps a lot of people but she was so hung up on and insecure about the way she looked. It's hard not to be with all of the naked Instagram and Facebook "trainers" who have no certs but tons of selfies.

In her blog this week this woman talked about how little girls never hear their mothers say anything positive about their body and what type of message that sends to their daughters.  She's right.

I'm going to take it one step further and say that there are far too many people in the fitness industry that are always negative about their bodies or preaching about perfectionism and that is a terrible message to send to clients.  

People have much bigger problems than six pack abs and butts.  They have family troubles, stressful jobs, relationship issues, financial issues, stress, and yet the industry continues to market magic beans, workouts, and meal plans as the answer to real problems.

I really think that the reason that 80% of people are not active is because the public can sense that the shallow message of the current fitness industry is promoted by delusional people who are avoiding their own lives and overcompensating for perceived shortcomings.  The public can sense this stuff is nonsense and stay away.  

My experience has SOLIDIFIED my MESSAGE.

A fitness coach with a healthy body image and sense of self is what we need more of.  We need people who are going to meet people where they are and STOP saying you just need another meal plan or you just need to try this supplement.  How about you need to GET YOUR LIFE.

I could talk about this all day so I won't.  I will shut up now and save more for next week.  Until then, feel free to reach out to me!  I love hearing your feedback.

#GETOFFTHESCALE #NOSCALECHALLENGE

Nutrition Question of the Week, August 24, 2015: Should I eat __________________ to lose weight?

The Blank  space could include any of the following: Eat Gluten Free, Become a vegetarian, become a vegan, not eat wheat, drink this tea, take this supplement, do a detox, do a cleanse, go on a fast

What is the Motivation? 

I want to focus on the last part of the capitalized part of that sentence. LOSE WEIGHT. The answer is if your motivation is simply to lose weight, then NO you shouldn't do any of those things.

Will you lose weight if you do these things? Yes but not because of any magic property or because the food is evil, but because you're eating less calories. This has become another way for people to restrict foods and look for quick fixes to drop weight in a hurry.

LET ME BE CLEAR. I have no issue with people becoming vegetarians, vegans, or not eating wheat because they have decided this works best for their biofeedback, lifestyle and/or beliefs.  Some people feel strong moral and ethical convictions about eating animals and I support them 100%.  For some people wheat is hard to digest and if they find that it works better for them to NOT eat it, then more power to them.

My concern is more so with people who come up with food rules and restrictions because they want to lose weight in a hurry.  My first question would be:  How much fresh vegetables and fruit do you eat on a daily basis?  If you can't do that, then you don't need anymore rules.  You need to work on that.

There is NO POINT in doing these things if you can't sustain it.   Cutting out foods for a quick fix and then going back to eat them (plus some) defeats the whole purpose.

You need lifestyle change not another diet or more food rules.  A great way to begin losing  body fat?

Eat Fresh Food and not from a package.

We must stop focusing on food restrictions, rules, and magic supplements and instead focus on eating fresh food, being consistent, being patient, and realize that our ability or inability to lose body fat has to do with the sum of our whole lives.  if you are stressed, not sleeping, have dieted for too long, etc. you will have a harder time losing body fat. 

We have to pay attention to the WHOLE person.

Nutrition Questions Answered

   

Every week I will be answering a nutrition question so if you have a question, please feel free to message me on Facebook, send me an e-mail, or comment on the blog.  

Thanks and Let's live better together!

Join Me in Getting Off the Scale For the Next Month!! Thoughts on Aging Better

This week I celebrated G Day.  It's the annual celebration of another year of life and another trip around the sun.  On my Facebook page I shared some tips for aging better which I will share at the end of this blog post.

This week I made a decision:  I am staying off of the scale for the next 4 weeks.  I will not concern myself with the scale, measurements, or any of that.  I am going to focus on eating well, enjoying my workouts, and feeling alive

GET OFF THE SCALE

A few weeks ago one of my favorite physique competitors posted this picture.  I found it to be so inspirational.  I've been really discouraged at seeing my weight about 15 pounds heavier than when I started this "You wanna be a figure competitor experience".  It's really been frustrating to feel like I'm working towards an exercise in futility.

Last week I attended a workshop about Why Diets Fail women and it was eye opening to say the least.  Without delving too far into the material, I will say this.  Women become frustrated and don't do well when the focus is simply on numbers and rigid rules.  Is this not a true statement?  Our bodies fluctuate way too much and plus our brains just don't respond well to that type of stimulus.  That's why all of this weighing, measuring, meal plans, scales, measurements, and such get old after a while and women go nuts.  It's just not how we are meant to function.

This gave me a lot to think about/  I've changed training philosophies and I'm relying on biofeedback for my nutrition and diet. I no longer crave things like Quest Bars and have gone back to making protein bread, drinking protein smoothies for breakfast, and eating a holistic diet. I feel way better and my pants are going over my behind again.  All of that in just two weeks but one week the scale would go down a pound and the next week it would be back up a pound and that's when I would get so discouraged about the whole thing even though I feel better.

Something had to change and you know one of my favorite sayings:  It's time to say and do something different.

So I decided to challenge myself:  No weighing myself for the next 4 weeks.  None.  No scale and no measurements.  If I want to see how things are going, then I can use my trusty pair of pants.

Will you join me?  Will you join me in deciding to get off of your scale, stop the measurements, and resolve to eat well, exercise, and feel alive?  Let me tell you something being a slave to that scale can also be a source of stress and anxiety.  Stress and anxiety cause weight gain due to hormones and the way you metabolize food.

4 weeks...No scale and see what happens.

Aging Better

Ah another year of life in the books.  I'm thankful to be in my 30's, thriving, and feeling alive.  If you had known me 20 years ago we both would have been shocked at how things have turned out but I had this life in mind the entire time.  It just took me some years to get it off the ground.

In any case as I keep learning, I'm not in my 20's anymore and that means that I need to train smarter.  I need to rest and recover when necessary and I am taking 8x Mr Olympia Lee Haney's mantra to heart:  STIMULATE don't ANNIHILATE the muscle!  It's so true.  He's in his 50's still looks great and is not falling apart like some of his contemporaries.

As I get older, I'm only going to get louder about this stuff.  I'm so tired of people (women in particular) feeling limited and stifled by age.  There are ways to slow down the aging process.  Fresh Foods, Strength Training, and Training Smart are just three of them.

Mindset is critical.  "You're only as old as you feel" I know several people who are in their 80's and 90's who live by that credo and it's the truth.  If you think you're old and tired, then you will act that way.

We don't exercise as we get older only to look a certain way but we exercise and are active so that we can enjoy our lives and not spend it confined to bed or unable to do the simplest tasks.

Current Program

Doing Scott Abel's Hardgainer Solution which is working the total body 5x per week.  I do 3 on/1 off.  It's high reps, high sets and while it's marketed for people who want to gain muscle mass, in his book about Metabolism, he recommends it for those of us who have experienced a slowed metabolism and need to get things going again.  5 total Body workouts per week = Major calorie burn.  Scott Abel is a fan of stimulate don't annihilate as well so the goal is not to go to failure.

I've raised Cardio to 20 minutes but it doesn't really feel like it because it's either interval training, jumprope, or some sort of circuit I've made up to keep myself entertained.

I am noticing some changes and I really am encouraged.

Until the Next Time!  Get off the scale!!! Stay tuned for my new website coming soon!

Progress Journal: Started From the Bottom and now I'm back at the bottom. Can't zip up my pants...

Anybody who has ever watched Good Times knows what Florida is saying in this iconic scene.  That was how I felt when trying to pull on a pair of pants last week.

Back at the Bottom

Yep.  I'm back at the bottom.  According to the scale, I am about 15 pounds heavier than when I started this, "trying to be a figure competitor" journey.  I had to laugh.  Here I had spent all this time and money because I thought if I got into better shape and did a competition, then that would raise my stock in some capacity.  Fast forward to  now not only did I NOT do a competition, I am 15 pounds heavier AND I've moved leaps and bounds in my career and otherwise.  

Go Figure.  My face look's like this little's boy when I think about that lesson learned.

How am I handling being back at the bottom?  I think I'm okay with it.  Based on all the research I have read about slowed metabolisms this is completely normal and frankly I would rather be like this with 15 extra pounds over having panic attacks about food or hating the gym.  It is what is.  Besides if you don't try, flop, and get back up then you're not taking enough risks and life is boring.

In clothing estimates, I believe I have about 5 pounds to go before the pants go back on.  

At first I found myself angry and frustrated, because not only did I NOT accomplish my goal of getting on stage,  I also gained more weight in the process!  But after reflecting, I decided that was it was a great experience overall.  I learned so much about programming, nutrition, solidified my message about body image/self worth, and even got a new muse out of it....so it wasn't a total loss.

Nutrition

I believe I had a  nutrition breakthrough this week.  One of the things I used to love to do cook healthy recipes that I got from bodybuilding.com or one of my fitness cookbooks.  I liked to make protein bread to eat for breakfast.  When I started training for the fitness competition, I stopped doing that and ate the same boring foods a lot of the time.  It's taken me a while but this week I baked my first batch of protein bread in over a year and a half.  It's red velvet and you can find the recipe on my health coach page.  

For me it felt like a step in the right direction.  I am getting out of restrictive mindsets that "oh you can't eat that" and food anxieties and back into holistic mindsets.

I do have to laugh that I thought I was such a mess before and now I'm 15 pounds heavier and I'm trying to get back to where I was.  Sometimes the grass is NOT greener on the other side.  

Another step forward was that last week I went to Ghiradelli's with one of my favorite people and her daughter who were visiting from out of town.  There are no pictures of the sundae because we murdered them.  I ate my Sea Salt Caramel Sundae with no guilt and the next day just went back to my regular food.  I opted not to have dessert on my free day Sunday because those Sundaes did the trick.  There was no obsessing or being anxious about it.  When your friends are in town and come to visit and you go to Ghiradelli's square, you eat ice cream sundaes.

Training

Ahhhh Training is fun again!  LOL!  Right now I'm strength training 3 on/ 1 off with the 4th day being cardio because I was starting to feel winded while teaching indoor cycling.  No bueno.  Just to get back into the swing of things I did traditional body part training focusing more on super sets and tri sets.  

This coming week, I'm switching to Total Body Training 5x per week, same 3 on/1 off schedule.  Isn't this overtraining?  Nope.  I'm doing mostly Tri-sets (Three Exercises in a Row) and high repetitions.  Why?  Because I want to see some development and it's time to try something different. 

I've been reading Coach Scott Abel's book about Hardgainers and he explains that people who want to see development (aka looks like they lift) are told to lift as heavy as they can but STILL don't really see development.  It's a true statement.  We tell people to lift heavy and many still don't have the development to show for it.  They just have injuries and frustration...*raises hand*

Not to mention with this style of lifting, the idea is to focus on your muscles lifting the weights and not the weights lifting you.  The idea is to engage the muscles not chase PR's.  I've been applying these principles to my strength workouts: decreased poundages by about 20% and supersetting/tri-setting.  I have to say that I feel the muscles that are engaged so I am looking forward to 4 weeks of this and then evaluation.

 Can't be afraid of change and if you want something different, then you have to DO something different.

Goals/Progress

First, I don't want to get caught up on numbers. would like to be back to where I was originally but I don't know if that can happen.  I can't force it.  All I can do is be consistent with my eating and exercise.  You can't force your body to do what it doesn't want to do.  All that happens is it will rebel. If you try to force the body to lose weight when you've been restricting for so long it will simply ignore you and then do everything it can to hold on to every calorie.

I have a goal in mind to challenge myself to live out the message of body acceptance and body image.  I look forward to sharing it.

No progress photos just yet.  I would like to see some progress first before I share but I am confident that I will be able to show why you need to do something different and listen to your body.

Until the next time!!!

The Difference is WHY...This is my Why. What's yours?

First off that is one of my favorite Lenny K songs.  Look it up if you don't know it...

For a few months this past Spring I lost my enthusiasm for working out.  I still went but it was no longer invigorating and empowering.  It had become boring and it felt like drudgery. It wasn't just the lack of exciting gym members I was really just over it.  

During my time of reflection about my whole fitness journey, I was not hard on myself about missing a day of working out.  I skipped when necessary and left if I just wasn't feeling it.  During that whole reflection time, I came to an important realization about my WHY this past year or so regarding fitness.

It was all because I was afraid to get fat.  

Working out had become some sort of fear based activity when before it was fun and empowering.  It had become this whole exercise in futility to force my body to do things it didn't want to do.  With each workout I found myself getting more and more annoyed because things seemed to be going in the opposite direction and I was sick of it.

That should have been my first clue to step away and get a grip on things but it didn't stop until I actually found myself hurt.  I think I overdid it with one of my low back extensors and was forced back into mobility and rest mode.

I can say that in the last few weeks my mojo has completely returned. I look forward to workouts.  They are fun again.  They aren't about losing weight or because I'm afraid to get fat. My workouts are no longer fear based.  My workouts have become high energy, hard working, and all about having a good time and we didn't even get any new exciting gym members... 

If I am being honest that trip to the Fit Expo and electrifying seminar did solidify my observations on social media and provide me with a new muse so I am good.

These are My Why's

As I rediscovered my passion for working out and exercise, I started asking myself WHY I like to exercise and I thought I would share them.

It makes me feel empowered and that I CAN....

Working out makes you feel powerful.  It makes you feel like you can do what you put your mind to.  So many people run around with an, "I can't" attitude and they don't even try.  I think every time you challenge yourself and don't die, then you grow more confident that you can try something else scary.

It helps me to lie  surprise people when I tell them my age

I usually tell the Junior Mints  that I graduated from High School in the 20th Century and leave it at that, but when I tell people how old I am they are generally surprised and we know from a scientific perspective that a major cause of aging is poor nutrition and inactivity.  You have no energy and body parts sag when you aren't active.  The only time I feel my age is when it comes to music and staying up late.  Other than that I feel stronger and better than I did in my 20's.

Someday I will be a Mother and I won't be in my 20's

I like to look ahead and I am not just focused on the now.  We need to start learning how to live a disciplined life in whatever season we are in because when the next one hits, we need to be somewhat prepared.  Trying to keep up with kids with little energy and poor dietary habits sets a poor example for kids and is exhausting for the parents.  No thank you.  It's important to me to live a life before my kids that I want them to model.  This would include their health.

I still want to be able to move, dance, and work into my 80's and 90's

This is in my blood so I know it can be done.  I want to be enjoying my life well into my 80's and 90's.  I don't want to be one of those people who just sits around and does nothing but watch TV all day.  I want to still be active, vibrant, dancing, and even teaching/training people well into The Golden Years.  Yes I want to carry on the spirit of Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia!  

The Gym can still be fun and invigorating

I just feel so much better when I am done.  I have such a good time with my music.  You get some Michael, Prince, Beyonce, Rihanna , Britney, and old school Hip Hop going and it's a party without all the expensive drinks and having to get dressed up.  I truly have fun when I'm there.

I want to LIVE better

Studies continue to come out proving that exercise is more than just about the physical.  It can lessen the risk of Alzheimer's, Dementia, depression, and so on.  I want to LIVE BETTER.  I don't want to go through life with no energy, no confidence, and not able to do anything because I'm too tired and unhealthy.

What's Your Why?

I would encourage you to re-examine your reasons for working out and if all you can come up with is:  I want to lose weight or I don't want to get fat, then I encourage you to change your perspective. What are the positive reasons you are working out?  Going the fear based route is sure to produce frustration when things don't go the way you'd hope.

Take the focus off of the scale, your weight, and all of that and put it back into improving quality of Life.  I can guarantee things will change then!

Let's talk about Body Image: Stop the Body Fascism

I knew of a woman who had been happily married for a few years and had put on weight during the marriage.  She was at a family function at the food table when a female relative told her that she really should go on a diet because she was getting too fat and  her husband might leave her.

How about this scenario?  Maybe you've put on some weight due to life stresses or whatever and before asking how you are doing one of your female friends says to you "OH MY GOD!  What happened!! You've gained so much weight".  She says it with the dead seriousness as if you have been diagnosed with an incurable disease.  Sometimes this  scenario happens and you don't even know the person.

A single woman speaks of her desire to have a partner and a well meaning friend says "Well then you should really try to lose weight because it's really going to be hard to find anyone if you're so heavy."

Or it could be like what happened to me a few weeks ago:  Boy or girl?  Then I get suggestions about why I should go gluten free to lose weight.

Body Fascist Definition

According to the Dictionary, the term Body Fascist is a pejorative and is  intolerance of those whose bodies do not conform to a particular view of what is desirable.   

Below is a typical Body Fascist approved ad.

Yesterday I talked about how strong women aren't celebrated and/or picked on because they don't fill the ideal beauty standards  so women have developed a fear of building strength because then 
hey think they will turn into He-Man and become undesirable.  In case you didn't read my last blog post, or I just need to reiterate the point:

Women do not have the hormonal capability to turn into He-Man.  Women produce as much testosterone as a ten year old boy.  How many 10 year old boys do you know that look like He-Man?  Furthermore the women that do have overdeveloped muscularity diet, train, and have "help" to look that way.  It also doesn't happen overnight.  Training for an overdeveloped level of muscularity takes YEARS.  Just wanted to say it again in case people still had some questions about whether or not they should be building strength.

The Body Fascists have decided that thin is the only thing that is beautiful and those that do not fit that mold should spend all their time and money trying to get that way or just give up entirely.

This is Ashley Graham and she was the first plus sized model to be in Sports Illustrated.  She's absolutely beautiful.  The Body Fascists would say that she is too fat to be in a bikini and should go on a diet.

What do you think?.

Who are the Body Fascists for women?

I've read quite a bit of feminist literature in my day and as a woman I have my own experiences to draw from.  I believe that the majority of the problem with body image comes not from men but from other women.

From the The examples I gave above to what I've experienced and done in my own life, I would say women are the main body fascists for other women.  We comment, snark, or snicker when someone gains weight.  Think about all the mean tabloid articles calling female celebrities cows and whales when they gain weight. We are happy, celebrate, and act like someone has cured cancer if they lose weight.  We're the ones putting all the focus and emphasis on our worth when it comes to our weight.

Am I letting pop culture off the hook for placing all the desirable women as size 2 or smaller onscreen and in magazines?  No.  I would ask where a lot of that comes from?  If a company is trying to get you to buy something, then they want to sell you a fantasy.  If you buy this, then you'll look like this.  People don't want to look like themselves.

if You Lose Weight, then you will be happy

True or False?

The media has brainwashed us to believe the twisted idea that if they just lose weight, then they will be happy. their  lives will change forever, and everything that is wrong will suddenly be made right. I will save you the trouble: It's a lie. 

Losing weight won't make you happy if YOU aren't already  happy.  You will still have the mortgage, rent, traffic, etc.  All  your problems won't be solved if you lose ten pounds. reached one of my lowest weights last year and still same crap different toilet.

We need to have a different conversation

One of the reasons I am writing about Body Image this week  is because i think this is the root of our weight issues.  I think his issue is bigger than nutrition and exercise because I believe this is what leads to all of the emotional eating which drives the unhealthy relationship women have with food. 

We don't talk about the secret binge eating at night or the dinner get togethers with other women where we complain about our bodies and give each other permission to order forbidden desserts off of the menu

Working in the Fitness Industry, I believe their paradigm is all wrong. for fat loss and general fitness  I don't believe the focus needs to be on calorie counting, macro counting, supplements or  any of that.  I believe the focus needs to be on body image, relationships with food, and self acceptance.It is TIME to say something different.

Quit Policing other women about their body/waistlines

My last thought for this post:  Stop with the body policing.  Stop 
telling women that they have such a pretty face and would look so 
much better if they lost weight.  Quit telling women that they 
better lose weight before their husband has an affair with someone 
thinner, quit volunteering your latest diet  and magic bean that is 
going to MELT THE POUNDS AWAY.  Just stop.

Focus on LIVING BETTER.  Focus on Eating Fresh Nutritious Foods,  Focus on Exercising to Get Stronger to live your life better, and focus on healthy habits so that you can radiate life which is what is attractive.  As one of my favorite women's empowerment authors says "HEALTH is attractive.  HEALTH is seductive.  Not dieting and being miserable because you don't look perfect".

This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart so I plan to speak out on it a lot more because as I said I believe this is the ROOT of our frustration.

Please let me know what you think because I am interested in hearing feedback.