How much thought do you put into what you eat?

If you want to get into great shape then you’ll be interested to know that 80% of your fitness results are attributed to your diet.

In our fast-paced society, eating is often done with little or no thought as to what exactly it is being ingested. Excess body fat is a direct outcome of this hurried, poor nutrition. Even if you have the best intentions with your diet, you are likely frustrated and fed up with extra pounds.

I don’t blame you for being confused about what you should eat. The media surely doesn’t help. One day the talking heads want you to give up all fats. The next day carbs are the culprit, and then acai berries become the holy grail of weight loss.

The food manufacturers increase confusion by printing misleading labels and bogus health claims.

Sometimes it seems like the whole system is set up to confuse and frustrate us into buying the latest and greatest packaged food.

The bottom line is that your physique is largely a result of what you eat, so the foods that you put into your body should be carefully selected.

It’s time to re-examine what you eat.

It all starts with reading nutritional labels. The nutritional content and ingredient list will give you everything you need to know about the quality of the food item.

I’ve outlined 5 ingredients that should raise a red flag when you turn over that package and find them listed:

Red Flagged Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

HFCS is a manmade sugar, derived predominantly from genetically modified corn. The sweet concoction has been shown to promote binges and hysterical hunger, and wrecks havoc on your blood sugar levels, promoting fat storage.

The introduction of HFCS into our food supply directly paralleled a 47% spike in Type 2 Diabetes cases as well as an 80% increase in obesity. Food manufacturers use HFCS in many mainstream products, including the following:

• Sauces (including ketchup)
• Yogurt
• Energy Bars
• Soft Drinks / Fruit Juices
• Processed baked goods
• Cereals
• Crackers
• Ice Cream
• Salad Dressing
• Most packaged snack foods

Red Flagged Ingredient #2: Hydrogenated Fat / Partially Hydrogenated Fat (Trans Fat)

Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats have undergone such extensive processing that the chemical structure has changed from a “cis” shape, which the human body recognizes and utilizes, to a “trans” shape, which is foreign and destructive to human physiology.

Check each food label for the word ‘hydrogenated’ and avoid it diligently. Cutting out hydrogenated fats is a simple set towards looking and feeling your best.

Red Flagged Ingredient #3: Aspartame

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was denied 8 times by the FDA before being approved in 1973. Many scientists objected the approval, claiming that aspartame hadn’t been proven safe for use as a food additive.

MIT neuroscientist, Richard Wurtman, researched the effects of aspartame and concluded that it promotes cravings for foods high in calories and carbohydrates. Though aspartame is calorie-free it still causes insulin to be released, which job is to stow away sugar – when this sugar is not available, the result is often hypoglycemia and severe hunger. Not exactly a recipe for weight loss.

Red Flagged Ingredient #4: White Sugar

White sugar comes from the juice of a sugar cane plant that has undergone an intensive refining process. In this process all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are destroyed, rendering it nutritionally void. White sugar is also extremely high in calories, which your body loves to store away in fat cells.

Refined sugar has been linked to a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, ADD, mental and emotional disorders, dental cavities, hypoglycemia, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. All that and it leads to weight gain.

Red Flagged Ingredient #5: White Flour

White flour comes from natural whole wheat that has been stripped of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This results in a nutritionally void product that is packed with calories that release quickly into your system, creating a spike in blood sugar. As you know, this promotes fat storage and leads to hysterical hunger and cravings. You don’t need that.

Once you cut these 5 items out of your diet, you’ll be pleased with the results. Expect to lose weight, to have more energy and to feel better than you have in a long time.

If you’re serious about looking and feeling your best through purifying your diet, then focus on eating real food items. Real foods include lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Would you like to expedite your fitness and weight loss results? Email today to get started on a fitness program that will quickly transform your body.

Remember, while nutrition is vitally important for weight loss, true results are achieved through a combination of both nutrition and challenging, progressive exercise.

Hey Gang, Luke Wold here

You’re about to read a great post by my friend Dr. Daniel Chong.  When I saw it on his blog I HAD to ask him if I could share it with you.  (The words are his, the goofy pictures are mine – hope you don’t mind, Daniel!)

Without further ado… here’s Dr. Chong!

Everyone is human.

Myself included.

Lately, I’ve been drinking coffee. Of course it’s organic and I only have one cup a few times a week, but it’s still the dreaded COFFEEEEE (supposed to look spooky) that I learned in naturopathic school is something akin to devil water, especially if you have adrenal stress.

I admit, I have, at various times in the past, asked my patients to stop drinking this stuff. It is very dehydrating and can lead to mineral imbalances and even constipation if consumed excessively. It can also overstimulate a tired person, giving them a false sense of ‘energy’ when really they should be feeling so horribly fatigued that the only viable option for them should be a nap.

AND- It stains your teeth!

These are not good things.

Why then do I drink it sometimes? Why then have I recently adopted more of a lenient attitude about this beverage with my patients (and myself)? Well, a couple of reasons.

For one thing, as I mentioned already, I’m human. So are most of my patients.

Being human, amongst other things, means we are typically unable to maintain a perfect diet and lifestyle 100% of the time, especially if our lives are so crazy that we have no choice but to become so tired that even though we should (correction- we HAVE to) take a nap, we can’t.

What are we all supposed to do then? Drinking green tea would a MUCH better idea if we needed a bit of caffeine pick-me-up, but green tea doesn’t taste like coffee. So some of us, addicted as we are to its lovely flavor and aroma, will keep on drinking it, regardless of what I or anyone else tells them.

The point of this post then is this- For various reasons, some better than others, many of us feel as though we need a vice- some ‘bad’ habit or another that is less than perfectly healthy but makes us feel good. And so, I have come to realize that my job is not only to teach you about the healthiest possible things you can do in your life, but also to teach you about the healthiest UN-healthy things you can do in your life.

In other words, I know many of you think I’m a perfectionist when it comes to health, but I’m trying to be a realist here OK people? I know that this world is FULL of unhealthy things, many of which smell good, look good, taste good and can even make you feel good. These are attractive attributes, especially for someone who is so wiped out and worn down they don’t smell good, look good, taste good OR feel good! So, I’ve come up with a short list of the healthiest options out there for a good old fashioned vice.

Here is my list:

• Coffee
• Dark Chocolate
• Red Wine

What, no doughnuts? No french fries? Come on people, this isn’t a free for all. There actually has to be some benefit to be had here. (I know, I know, “But french fries are made from potatoes, and potatoes are VEGETABLES!” Blah, blah, blah. I’ve heard it all before.)

Coffee

So you are already familiar with some of the negative attributes of coffee. Well, there may be some other ones that are potentially much worse, but for the most part the jury is still out. You see, while some studies suggest that coffee could actually contribute to heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis, other studies show just the opposite, like this one and this one.

All that being said, coffee is still my least favorite vice, mainly because people tend to drink it (or “need it” as some of my patients like to say) when they really shouldn’t, ie when they are wiped out and need a nap! If this is you, try the nap- it’s cheaper and healthier. However, if you are basically healthy and just like the taste and the gentle pick me up it provides you, I don’t really have a problem with it. I would, however, recommend always drinking an extra cup of water and making sure you are taking regular amounts of magnesium and other minerals to help compensate for some of the potential negative effects.

Dark Chocolate

Yummy.

High in powerful, disease preventing antioxidants.

Good fat source.

Lowers blood pressure and reduces stroke risk.

Potential aphrodisiac.

‘Nuff said.

Red Wine

There is rapidly growing list of the likely health benefits to be had from consuming alcohol in moderation, in particular red wine. In fact, when consumed in moderation (1-2 small glasses per day) this is probably my favorite, “healthy” vice of all for most people.

The simple fact that red wine is high in resveratrol, perhaps one of the most health-benefiting antioxidants to be discovered yet, is good enough for me. But now, even the big boys in the health care industry are starting to sing its praises.

Conclusion

So, should we all just skip the exercise, sleep and organic whole foods eaten in a more ‘primal way’ and instead just eat chocolate, and alternate between cups of coffee and red wine?

Funny enough, if you did you’d probably still be better off than the average American, but obviously I jest.

The idea instead would be to do the exercise, get the good sleep and eat really good foods in a primal way, AND THEN feel free to dabble in a few, higher quality vices like these.

Adios from one human to another…..

Dr Daniel Chong is a family physician who enjoys treating people of all ages, with a wide variety of ailments. Over time, he has also developed a keen interest in the treatment of chronic health conditions. His passion is to combine what he calls treating his patients the “old fashioned way”, with cutting edge advancements in functional diagnosis, nutritional and herbal medicine. In addition to his private, clinical practice, he also offers his services via online and telephone consultations.

Dr. Chong is a 2000 graduate of the National College of Natural Medicine, in Portland, an active member of the Oregon Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and is licensed as a primary healthcare provider in the state of Oregon. He can be contacted at www.SeekHealth.net.

Print out this page and keep the quiz for your records.

Are you an emotional eater?  (I’ve written about this before: Emotional Eating)

If you think your emotions are making you overeat, this quiz will help determine why. Choose A or B, or both if they are equally true. If neither A nor B applies to you, don’t circle either one.  (Excerpted from Life is Hard, Food Is Easy by Linda Spangle, R.N., M.A.)

1. When I crave something to eat even if I’m not really hungry…
(a) a specific food immediately comes to mind, such as cookies or potato chips, and nothing else will do. I may even drive to the store to get it.
(b) I wander around thinking, “I want something to eat, but I don’t know what.” I usually end up choosing ice cream or bread.

2. I often experience cravings…
(a) when I’m at work, feeling stressed and pressured.
(b) when I’m home alone or bored.

3. When I crave something sweet, I usually choose…
(a) a candy bar, trail mix or chewy cookies.
(b) a milkshake, a bowl of ice cream or a slice of cake.

4. Even when I’m not really hungry, I could go for…
(a) hot dogs, pizza and French fries.
(b) Mom’s cooking, especially a meal or one of her homemade desserts.

5. The time of day that I’m most likely to experience cravings is…
(a) in the middle of the afternoon, when I’m at work feeling pressured by a million deadlines or I’m watching the clock.
(b) late at night, when I’m exhausted and have nothing to do and no one to talk to.

6. I’m a sucker for…
(a) potato chips, nuts or other snack foods.
(b) macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, fresh-baked bread or other comfort foods.

7. On a given day, I’m likely to feel…
(a) angry, frustrated, resentful, irritated, stressed or tense.
(b) discouraged, lonely, bored, restless or fatigued.

8. Sometimes I snack to avoid…
(a) doing something—eating is a great way to procrastinate.
(b) thinking about my feelings—food helps me bury my emotions.

9. I eat mainly because…
(a) it’s fun. I often seek out snack-type “party foods.”
(b) it feels good. I go for my childhood favorites.

10. If I find myself craving breakfast-type meals, regardless of the time of day, I’m more likely to choose…
(a) cereal or granola.
(b) eggs or biscuits with gravy.

SCORING for Emotional Eating Quiz

If you chose more A’s:
It means your feelings of anger, stress, frustration, resentment, burnout, bitterness, self-disgust or being overwhelmed and/or your desire for excitement are causing you to seek chewy, crunchy foods. You may be munching on a cookie or candy bar, but what you really want to chew on is something in your life: deadlines, your spouse or your boss. Spangle calls this sort of craving “head hunger” because it’s generated by thoughts, attitudes and pressures.

If you chose more B’s:
It means you are probably struggling with feelings such as boredom, loneliness, sadness, grief, depression, restlessness, hurt or disappointment, hopelessness, an overwhelming need for love or attention and/or a lack of meaning in your life. You also may be feeling fatigued or ill. Spangle calls such emotions “heart hunger” because people who are feeling them often crave soft, creamy comfort foods to fill a void in their lives.

If you circled three or fewer responses:
It means emotional eating is not likely to be a problem for you. You may occasionally use food to cope, but for the most part, it doesn’t hamper your weight-management efforts. If you’re having trouble losing weight, it’s probably your eating patterns and/or exercise program (or lack of one) rather than your emotions that are to blame.

A decade ago the average personal training client was looking to lose 15-30 pounds.  People could actually fit into the machines at the gym.

Today being 15-30 pounds overweight is considered “carrying a few extra pounds.”  Most of the average personal training clients can’t even fit into the machines at the gym.

It’s sad…. really sad.

Do you know what’s going on?

Let me show you….

I’ll bet some of the people in these pictures have kids.  What kind of a message are they sending?

Why are all of these people eating themselves to death?

I don’t know. 

Maybe they blame someone else.  Maybe they think there’s no hope for them.

I don’t know what the problem is.

But I know that most fat loss programs won’t cut it anymore.

One of my classmates in exercise science did a 12 week project training his obese mother.  He put her on a TEXTBOOK low fat diet and aerobic training program.

He got an A on his paper.

His mother died of a heart attack a week later.

His exercise program failed her.

Knowing what I know now, I could have taken 30 pounds off of her in those 12 weeks and probably saved her life.

She could be hanging out with her 2 young grandkids right now.

But she’s not.  Why not?

Because 95% of what they teach you about exercise and nutrition is DEAD wrong.

Most fitness experts approach fitness completely backwards.

Don’t listen to them, listen to me.

I’m giving you the first page of the manual from last Saturday’s Rules of The Game Seminar.

You’ll see WHY most exercise programs are doomed to fail you.

And you’ll see what I’ve decided to base all of my fat loss programs on (it’s in bold, so you can’t miss it).

 UNSTOPPABLE FITNESS FORMULA – RULES OF THE GAME

FAT LOSS FACT: 56% of Americans are currently “dieting”

One third of Americans are obese
Two thirds are overweight

In year 2000, obesity caused 400,000 US deaths – 16% of all preventable deaths and number 2 behind smoking (which caused 435,000 deaths – 18%)

This is due to the FAILURE of the fitness professions.

Despite fat loss, body composition, and physique transformation being the number one fitness goal of most people, this is actually a very new concept. 30 years ago we didn’t really need fat loss programs.

30 years ago the purpose of exercise was to ENHANCE an active lifestyle. But now we have to create programs specifically designed to enhance fat loss.

Exercise science has focused on aerobic training for HEALTH – not fat loss. Actually, the idea of training just to lose fat was an alien concept until the 1980’s.

Fitness guys knew it was time to create fat loss programs. They just didn’t know where to start. The first fat loss programs were designed by copying endurance athletes and hoping that somehow the program of a marathon runner would help a fat lady lose weight even when the program was cut down to 20 minutes 3x a week.

Problem: Fat loss was never the goal of endurance athletes. It was a side effect.

Then fitness guys turned to bodybuilding. Remember “Body For Life”? Another failure. To take the program of a full time, genetically gifted bodybuilder and use it to design a fat loss program for Mrs. Krensky was nonsensical.

But hey, at least they were trying something.

Bodybuilders are some of the most dedicated and driven people on the planet. They also devote ALL of their life to bodybuilding.

Then supplement companies (grandchildren of the traveling snake-oil doctors of the Midwest) jumped on the bandwagon and told us their miracle powders could give us the benefits of drugs without actually using the drugs.

This approach was closer. Fat loss WAS a goal for bodybuilders. But the low levels of bodyfat they achieved was a result of their increased muscle mass and metabolism.

Here’s the basis of my Unstoppable Fitness Formula: Before we start to program for fat loss, we have to understand exactly HOW it occurs. Then we design a program based on these principles – not on tradition, junk, or outdated beliefs.

———————————————————————

Now think back on all of the exercise programs you’ve seen or tried.  Were they just bastardized, watered-down versions of bodybuilder routines mixed with endurance routines?

I’ll bet they were.

If you’re serious about speeding up your metabolism, losing weight, and looking so good that you’re confident in your appearance everywhere you go, a lame edurance program or scaled-down bodybulding routine won’t do it for you.

You need something designed SPECIFICALLY for your goals.

I’m going to share my “master system” for rapid weight loss in the posts on this blog, so be sure that you’re subscribed by entering your name and email address in the box below:

Pretty much everyone has heard of the great Jack LaLanne.

He started his first health clubs back in the thirties (30s!).

He invented many training tools and techniques that we still use today.

Well, Jack used to have his own health and fitness tv show.

My Grandma Margie used to work out with Jack every day.  And my mom remembers seeing grandma doing handstands along with Jack on the show!

I could go on and on about how neat Jack is, but I’d rather share some clips of the man himself….

Have you ever noticed that everyone you see looks like the picture on their driver’s license?  Why is everyone so unhappy all of the time?  Here’s Jack’s take on unhappy people:

If you haven’t heard, besides running Wold Fitness and Fit Body Bootcamp, I’m also the strength and conditioning coach for Capital City Volleyball Club.

The volleyball club has several hundred female athletes, mostly between 12-18 years old.

Coaches have noticed that even in the last few years athletes are getting softer, they just LOOK different.  Jack says they look like sugar because they EAT sugar.  (It’s true, these girls eat nothing but candy and nasty-sports drinks on their breaks)

Of course, I’ve noticed that while the girls are getting softer around the middle, their PARENTS are getting even WORSE.

What does Jack have to say about “sugarholics”?

The other day I wrote an article about how to Have More Energy. Of course, Jack has his own techniques and they’ve kept him going like a rocket well into his ninth decade!

Here are his energy secrets:

This is a great story and a great analogy, Life Is A Battlefield. Make up your mind to win!

A lot of people don’t do well in life because they don’t FEEL well. Here’s how to feel good and deal with problems:

The problem with being fat and having poor health is that it doesn’t happen as a single, cataclysmic event. It is the results of just a few errors in judgment, repeated every day for years. And that’s how we end up where we do. (I love the part of this video where Jack says that most people think the body is made up of coffee and cigarettes…)

Are you a slave to your body?

Lots of people I know spend all weekend shuttling back and forth to home depot to make their house look BETTER THAN NEW. Why don’t you take some time to remodel your body?

Jack LaLanne was wayyy ahead of his time. And I love the way he talks to us like we’re all his best friend.

And so we’ll end with a quote from the man himself:

The only way you get that fat off is to eat less and exercise more.

One of the topics I’ll be covering during my next seminar is my “Fat Loss Time Machine” nutrition path.

Basically, the further you go back in time with your diet, the healtheir you’ll be and the better your body will look.

So if you cut out modern foods like McDonalds and chips and cookies, you’ll have sort of an “Amish” diet.

This has lots of whole grains, meat, milk, vegetables, and is a pretty good plan.

If you want to take it to the next level, you’ll go even further back to a “caveman” diet.

One of the cool things with a caveman diet is that you naturally eat all sorts of fruits and vegetables.  You want a big variety, that’s why you hear me saying “Eat a rainbow”

Well, thanks to the sorting programs on microsoft excel, I’ve ALPHABETIZED a caveman diet shopping list.

Now you can eat the rainbow AND eat the aphabet!

Pretty neat.

Here’s a crazy list of natural foods that can fit right into your fat loss nutrition plan.

(But I won’t ask you to eat all of them, I mean I don’t like fenugreek, and I don’t think I’ve ever had kangaroo…)

A:

• Asparagus
• Agar
• Arame
• Artichoke
• Alfalfa Sprouts
• Avocado
• Apple
• Apricot
• Almonds
• Allspice
• Anise
• Ajowan

B:

• Boar
• Bison
• Brazil Nut
• Been Sprouts
• Beetroot Greens
• Broccoli
• Brocolini
• Brussel Sprouts
• Bok Choy
• Berries
• Banana
• Bell Pepper
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Black Currants
• Basil
• Bay Leaf

C:

• Camel
• Cow
• Chicken
• Crocodile
• Calamari
• Caviar
• Clams
• Crab
• Coconut
• Coconut Oil
• Cod Liver Oil
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Carrot
• Celery
• Collard Greens

• Cos Lettuce
• Cherries
• Cucumber
• Cranberry
• Cardamon
• Cayenne Pepper
• Celery Seed
• Chamomille
• Chili
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Cloves
• Cumin
• Curry Leaves
• Cocoa

D:

• Duck
• Dates
• Dandelion
• Dill
• Dulse

E:

• Eel
• Eggplant
• Eggs

F:

• Fowl
• Flounder
• Fish Oil
• Flax Oil
• Fennel
• Fig
• Fenugreek

G:

• Goat
• Guinea Fowl
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Grapefruit

• Grapes
• Guava
• Ginger
• Ginko
• Ginseng
• Green Tea

H:

• Hare
• Hazelnuts
• Herring
• Hijiki
• Honey
• Honeydew
• Horseradish

I:

• Any suggestions?

J:

• C’mon, any paleo foods that start with J?

K:

• Kangaroo
• Kale
• Kelp
• Kombu
• Kiwi Fruit
• Kumquat

L:

• Lamb
• Lobster
• Leek
• Lettuce
• Lemon
• Lime
• Loganberry
• Lychee
• Lavender
• Licorice

M:

• Mackerel
• Mussels
• Macadamia Nuts
• Mushrooms
• Mango
• Melons
• Marjoram
• Mint
• Mustard Seed
• Myrtle

N:

• Nectarine
• Nashi Pear
• Nori

O:

• Ostrich
• Octopus
• Oysters
• Olives
• Olive Oil
• Onion
• Okra
• Orange
• Oregano

P:

• Pork
• Poultry
• Pheasant
• Prawns
• Pecans
• Pinenuts
• Pistachios
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Pepper
• Pumpkin
• Papaya
• Peach
• Persimmon
• Pineapple
• Plum
• Pomegranate
• Passionfruit

• Paprika
• Parsley
• Peppermint
• Poppyseeds
• Pomegranate seeds

Q:

• Quail

R:

• Rabbit
• Radish
• Red Cabbage
• Raspberries
• Phubarb
• Rosemary

S:

• Salmon
• Sardines
• Scallops
• Shellfish
• Shrimp
• Snapper
• Swordfish
• Sesame Seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Scallions
• Shallots
• Squash
• Spinach
• Sprouts
• Strawberry
• Star Fruit
• Sea Palm
• Safflower
• Saffron
• Sage
• Sea Salt
• Spearmint

T:

• Turkey
• Trout
• Tuna
• Tahini
• Tomato
• Tangerine
• Tarragon
• Thyme
• Tumeric

U:

• Any “caveman” U foods out there?

V:

• Veal
• Venison
• Vanilla

W:

• Walnuts
• Wakame
• White Fish
• Watermelon
• Watercress
• Wasabi

X:

• This is a hard one…

Y:

• Yellow Squash

Z:

• Zucchini

That’s a looooong list of foods, and you probably aren’t familiar with all of them (I’m an expert and I had to google some of the ones off of my list!)

Which ones are you going to try next?  And can anyone fill in those few missing alphabet categories for me?  Please!

Leave a message below!

(And if you’re not already a member of my Bootcamp In Carson City leave me a comment why not!)

You and I both know that a great body doesn’t happen overnight:

Here’s the thing: a lot of people email me about my bootcamp and tell me they have something like a wedding or high school reunion in 10 days and want to lose 3 dress sizes by next Thursday.

Ummmm….

I have a special plan I use for getting people “photoshoot ready”, but it doesn’t work if you have 30 extra pounds of fat hanging off of your sides: 

That being said, there ARE some things you can do to look better and leaner in just a few days.  This is just a quick list to get you started, if you want SIGNIFICANT and LASTING change, give my morning bootcamp a try (I’ll even give you a week free, just to try it out!)

Ok, here are 21 Ways To Look And Feel Better!

1. Double the amount of water you drink.  This will heep you from being bloated. (You WILL have to pee more often though)
2. Sleep at least 8 hours a night.
3. Exercise first thing in the morning and you’ll have a glow that lasts all day.
4. Strengthen your core muscles with exercises like planks and you’ll stand straighter.  Having good posture can take ten pounds off your waist and ten years off your looks.
5. Cut out processed carbohydrates.  I give clients a two week challenge with no alcohol and no pre-packed carbs (such as bread) and they often lose 7 pounds in the first week!
6. Eat every 2 to 3 hours.  This will raise your metabolism and give you tons of energy.
7. Eat enough protein.  This means at least 30% of your daily calories come from protein.
8. Stick to a proven exercise plan, don’t jump from system to system.  You’ll make faster progress by following a good program for 6 months than you will switching to something new every week.
9. Don’t “Start Over On Monday.”  If you screw up your eating plan on Friday night, don’t declare the weekend a bust.  You’ll just dig a deeper hole to work out of.  Admit you made a mistake and get right back on track.  (More about this idea in a few days…)
10. Drink a post-workout shake that has the right mix of fast-acting carbs and protein.  Your muscles will recover faster and you’ll burn more fat.  Win-win.
11. Eat enough fat.  Healthy fats will help your hair and skin look soooo much better.  Plus they fuel your body and taste great!

That’s it! 11 easy ways to look better almost instantly!

Leave a comment below with YOUR favorite “look better” tip!

When was the last time that you accomplished something huge?

That’s an easy question for Helen Phillips.

Last month Helen wowed the world with her dramatic transformation on the NBC show The Biggest Loser. At 48 years of age she is the oldest contestant to win the weight loss competition, shedding 140 pounds and 54.7% of her body weight.

I’d call losing more than half of your body weight a huge accomplishment – wouldn’t you?

The crazy part is that Helen was clearly the underdog. She was simply too old and too fat to win. At least that was what the other contestants thought.

And that’s what Helen thought too.

“I never believed in myself in the beginning,” she admits. However when a doctor told her that she was living in the body of a 60 year old woman, Helen got serious.

“I’m tired of doubting myself,” she decided and something inside of her head clicked into place. “The minute I started doing that, things changed for me.”

And, oh, how she changed.

Helen buckled down and made losing weight her only focus. Her hard work paid off, giving her the prized title of the Biggest Loser.

She accomplished something huge and now her life is vastly improved. “I feel so good! I feel like I can do anything,” she told reporters with a huge smile.

Helen also had a message for you. “If I can do it, you can do it.”

I have to agree with her.

If a 48 year old, 257 pound woman can transform her body from a size 22 to a size 2, then anyone really can do it. Think for a moment of that huge accomplishment that you haven’t made. Maybe it’s a weight loss goal that you’ve had for years. Maybe it’s something completely unrelated to your weight.

What’s holding you back?

Are you afraid you’ll fail?

The fear of failure is a powerful thing. No one likes to fail, and repeat failure is even worse. So what can you do to conquer it?

• Realize that failure isn’t the worst outcome. Not trying is.
• You only fail when you decide to give up. Get up and try again!

Are you afraid you’ll succeed?

You may not realize it, but most people fear success. Success means change and change can be scary. It is important that you embrace the idea of success and ditch any negative self talk.

• Close your eyes and picture yourself accomplishing your goal. What will that accomplishment do for your life? List the benefits you’ll enjoy.
• Spend a few minutes each day visualizing yourself accomplishing your goal. How great does it feel? Savor those victorious emotions and use them to drive your motivation.

Helen didn’t believe in herself, until one day she decided that she was done doubting.

Are you done doubting?

When you’re ready to transform your body, like Helen did, I’m here to help. Is NOW a good time? Call or email, and let’s get started on a program that will really improve your life.

It’s your turn to accomplish something huge.

It happens to everyone. That moment when you realize that it’s time to do something about your weight.

It may happen when you’re looking in the mirror or standing on the scale.

Your first thought is to go on a ‘diet’ but as quickly as that enters your mind the ghosts of a hundred diets past return…along with all the frustration.

Then you wonder, why bother?

The weight will come back, as it always has. Then you’ll be back in front of the mirror as discouraged as ever.

The answer is not to go on another diet.

The answer is to change your lifestyle.

You’ve heard this before, and it makes sense, right? So why haven’t you done it?

Your Lifestyle Obstacles. Most people resist changing their lifestyle for two reasons.

1. Change is scary. Whether you realize it or not, your life is in a constant state of change. Though you cling to the familiar, it’s a futile struggle. Change always wins.

The most consistent thing in life is change. Since you’ll never escape it, you might as well channel it. It’s time to make the change in your life purposeful and positive.

2. Lifestyle misconception. How many times have you heard the term ‘healthy lifestyle’ only to picture a health nut with celery sticks in one hand and tofu in the other? The truth is that most people think that changing their lifestyle will be an extreme and unpleasant experience – and that’s not true.

Improving your lifestyle does not mean swearing off chocolate or living in the gym. You don’t have to eat wheat germ for lunch and you can still enjoy a nice plate of pasta. The key is moderation.

Making the Change. It’s time to lose your ‘all or nothing’ mentality. Embrace simple, small changes that will add up to big improvements in your lifestyle. These are your main venues for change:

• What You Eat. Let’s face it, most of the foods you eat aren’t the healthiest. Some are downright terrible (the burger and fries you had last week). While others are simply excessive (the snacks you eat while watching TV).The solution to cleaning up your daily diet is NOT to go back on a ‘diet’. In fact, I never want you to go on a ‘diet’ again. (Yes, you heard me right!) Instead I want you to make permanent healthy changes to your eating habits.

  Here are some practical examples:

  • Choose salad over chips or fries
  • Don’t add butter to your food
  • Eat fresh produce with every meal
  • Purchase fat free dairy productsM
  • Limit desserts to one or two per week
  • Cut out mindless snacking
  • Drink water, not soda

  I don’t expect you to eat a perfect diet every day of the week – that’d be ludicrous. You should, however, make MORE healthy choices every day than unhealthy ones.

• What You Do. Exercise is a huge component to a healthy lifestyle, and quite frankly you’re not getting enough of it. How often does an entire week go by without you ever lacing up your tennis shoes? Don’t disregard the importance and power of a good workout.Your new healthy lifestyle means exercising on most days of the week. This may seem tough, but I have the perfect solution – my training programs were created for busy people just like you who only have so much time to dedicate to exercise.

  I understand how hard it is to find the motivation to stay consistent and to push yourself. Make exercise a no-brainer – contact me to get started on a lifestyle enhancing program today.

  Here are simple ways to move more:

  • Watch less TV
  • Stretch stiff muscles every day
  • Play at the park with the kids
  • Go for a jog
  • Do some pushups every morning

  While none of the above are meant as substitutes for a solid exercise routine, they are great ways to become more active and to improve your lifestyle.

Your lifestyle is the balance of all the choices that you make regarding your body. Swing the balance in your favor – make a majority of your choices health conscious.

So the next time you’re in front of the mirror you won’t worry about your weight.

You’ll relish it.

Your doctor feels like a broken record.

That’s right – he’s sick and tired of telling you how important exercise is to your health because YOU DON’T LISTEN.

He’s sick of explaining how so many of your health problems will improve or even disappear as the result of a consistent exercise program.

He’s tired of tallying your controllable risk factors which include physical inactivity and obesity.

So why does he continue to give you the same lecture?

Because he’s seen exercise change lives.

He’s even seen exercise save lives.

A Doctor’s Perspective

Dr. David Shilling MD has been a family doctor for over 30 years. In that time he’s given a fair number of patients the exercise lecture…with good cause.
He’s seen firsthand the healing power of exercise.

Exactly what kind of healing? Dr. Shilling shared the top 5 benefits that he’s seen patients experience as a result of exercise…

1. Feel Great: The first thing that patients tell Dr. Shilling after starting an exercise program is how much better they feel. “People don’t realize how bad they feel. They get used to feeling bad. Then when they start exercising they feel so much better.”

Your energy levels boost and you feel great.

2. Pain Be Gone: Next patients notice a reduction in aches and pains. Chronic muscle and joint pain that they’ve lived with for years begins to fade. For some, joint replacement surgery is postponed. For others, arthritis pain is reduced.

Your muscles and joints feel better than ever.

3. Goodbye Coronary Heart Disease: While patients can’t feel this healing benefit of exercise, it is the one that saves lives. Exercise removes two of the major risk factors that lead to heart disease: 1) physical inactivity and 2) obesity. Exercise also increases your good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers your blood pressure.

Your risk of heart attack or stroke is reduced.

4. Goodbye Type 2 Diabetes: Patients with type 2 diabetes gain substantial benefits from exercise. Exercise improves the body’s use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. Of course patients with type 2 diabetes need to get guidelines from their doctor before starting an exercise program.

Your blood sugar levels are better controlled.

5. Goodbye Sleep Apnea: Patients with sleep apnea are often caught in a destructive cycle. Their weight promotes occurrences of apnea then inadequate sleep promotes weight gain. Dr. Shilling has seen exercise break this cycle.

Your sleep becomes restful and weight loss becomes easier.

With all of these benefits it’s hard to see why anyone would avoid exercise. What’s your excuse?

• I know you’re tired…exercise gives you energy
• I know you’re in pain…exercise alleviates your muscle and joint pain
• I know you’d rather stay in bed…exercise makes your sleep more restful
• I know you’re pressed for time…exercise improves your efficiency and extends your life
• I know you don’t know where to start…that’s where I come in

Send me an email or call me and we’ll schedule a session where I can show you the fastest and safest way to reap all of the benefits of exercise.

Then the next time you see your doctor he won’t give you a lecture.

He’ll congratulate you.

Maybe even give you a high five…