Weight Loss Testimonial

The following was sent in via email. Congratulations on your weight loss!

"Dear Charles Moffat of Cardio Trek!

I live in San Diego California and I read your website every day. I started reading it about a month ago when I was looking for weight loss tips and a lot of the information on your website has been extremely usefult to me - even the weightlifting posts, even though I am not into that.

Since reading your website I have enacted a number of the tips from your site, including morning jogs (I only jog for 10 minutes, but I find it helps a lot), counting calories and tracking them in a journal, stretching and whenever I am bored I try out some of your frugal exercise ideas. As a result I've lost almost 10 lbs in the last month.

I am trying to lose weight slowly so I don't end up with loose baggy skin, and the prevention information on your site on that topic is very useful too.

I guess what I am trying to say is THANK YOU for offering lots of free advice on your website. I know I am not one of your clients, but I hope you will post my testimonial anyway.

Also one little question / suggestion, why don't you have more information about yourself on this website? A profile? I know a lot of personal trainers out there are egotists who love talking about themselves and are shameless self-promoters, but I couldn't find one single photo of yourself on your website and there is very little else about you. Maybe you are camera shy? Or maybe you're just not an egotist? Sorry if I seem overtly curious.

Thanks again!
Samantha K."

Hello Samantha!

I am happy to hear my writing has had such a profound effect on you and has been so useful to you. I too have an inspiration for my exercise - Sylvester Stallone and his Rocky Balboa film series, which he both wrote and starred in. If I were to ever meet Sly I would be sure to shake his hand and thank him for his inspirational films.

Plus anyone who can fit both Mr T and Hulk Hogan into the same film series deserves some kudos. Mr T was my hero when I was 5 years old.

Yes, its true I don't like putting photos of myself online, but I don't mind talking about myself. My interests include languages, traveling, freehand mountain climbing, cycling, archery, boxing, painting, photography, sculpture, fixing things, writing and perfecting various recipes in the kitchen. Truth be told if you Google the name Charles Moffat you will find a lot of information about my artistic career, my website design business, books I've written available on Kindle/Kobo and a lot more.

I don't like to talk too much about my artistic talents and other things on this website however because I feel it would distract from the purpose of this website, which is to promote exercise, healthy eating, and of course my personal training business here in Toronto.

I am planning to have a professional photoshoot done in 2013 which will be used to promote my talents as a personal trainer, but you're right, I am none too excited about being recognized on the street. I have already had my encounters with fame with respect to my artistic career and I have learned to value my anonymity online. (Because fans are crazy...)

I wish you continued success with your exercise goals and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too! Let me know if you have any specific exercise questions and I will be happy to answer them and post the results.

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat

All About Minerals - What do they do?

Earlier today I was in a Shoppers Drug Mart on Yonge Street in Toronto and I was buying vitamin pills because I was starting to run low.

The pills I purchased had higher dosages of various vitamins, which is a good thing because I lead a pretty active lifestyle. But it also had a long list of minerals in it too.

Now most people know what calcium does (stronger bones) and perhaps also knows what iron does (increases cardiovascular circulation), but a lot of the other minerals I can bet most people don't know what they do.

So as you can see below I've gone ahead and added little explanations for what the various minerals actually do for your body.

Calcium - Strong bones and teeth, nerve function, muscle contraction, blood clotting.

Chromium - Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose (converting sugar into energy).

Copper - Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes.

Iodine - Helps regulate growth, development and metabolic rate.

Iron - Red blood cells and muscle function, white blood cells and the immune system.

Magnesium - Converting energy from food, cell repair, building strong bones, teeth and muscles and regulating body temperature.

Manganese - Facilitates many cell processes.

Molybdenum - Facilitates many cell processes.

Potassium - Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission

Selenium - Antioxidant. Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation

Sodium - Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissions

Vanadium - Used for treating diabetes and anemia and is great for improving performance in weight training; and helps prevent cancer.

Zinc - Immune system, the breakdown of protein, fat and carbohydrate, important part of enzymes.

So as you can see they're all pretty important. Thus having a shortage of several minerals in your diet can be a problem for your health and will harm your efforts to lose fat / gain muscle. When in doubt, best to make sure you have enough of everything you need.

Nutritional Success = Healthy Balance

Fitness is like a cart with two wheels. If you only focus on the exercise wheel and forget the nutrition wheel you will become stuck and never reach your goals.

Nutrition plays a huge part of fitness goals, even more so than exercise. The food (vitamins, carbs, proteins, calcium, etc) that is consumed is our fuel for activity, both physical and mental, and is also the building blocks of new blood, new muscle tissue, and reinforcing our bone structure. The quality of nutrition plays a huge role in how your body is using that food.

The end result is that for every nutrient, protein or calorie you consume your body will automatically try to make the most of it (either by using it or storing it).

How to Eat for Success by Making the Most of your Diet

1. Eat Healthy Food Most of the Time

Aim to eat healthy food 90% to 95% of the time. Every calorie should be going toward a function within the body. Healthy fats from nuts, fish and avocado contribute to healthy hair, skin and nails. A shortage of fats, due to anorexia for example, can cause your hair to fall out. Healthy fats also help the body to absorb nutrients. Vegetables should be a variety of colours and fruits should be high in fiber (apples, pears, etc). Carbohydrates should come from whole grain sources. Aim for a variety and balance and to counteract any deficiencies. eg. If you are low on potassium eat more bananas, spinach, mushrooms, etc.

2. Eat When you are Hungry / Don't Eat when you are Not Hungry

Listen to your body and when you feel hungry. Eat when you are hungry. This prevents over eating. Don't be afraid of snacking, but aim for healthy snacks.

 

When the body thinks it's starving it holds onto fat and this makes it even harder to lose it. On the flip side, if you're feeling satiated, don't eat! Stop eating when you are not hungry anymore. Save the other half of your meal for lunch the next day - or as a snack for later!

3. Don't Drink Calories

If you are drinking soda pop every day the first thing you need to do is cut that out. Its basically just flavoured sugar water, and its not helping you.

 

Calories in liquid form really hurts your daily calorie requirements and soda pop offers nothing nutritionally. Just cutting out sugary drinks during a weight loss diet will help shed a few pounds really quickly. Drink tea, water, skim milk and juices.

4. Track Your Calories

People who track their calories in a journal or on a SmartPhone App are 3 times more likely to succeed at attaining their desired weight. Knowing how much you are consuming daily, learning how to break it up into meals and snacks is an essential key to weight loss and finding a healthy balance. Below is a sample caloric breakdown for a weight loss diet.

 

 Breakfast - 400-500 calories

Mid Morning Snack - 100 calories

Lunch - 500-600 calories

Afternoon Snack - 100 calories

Supper - 500-600 calories

Evening Snack - 100 calories

5. Carry Healthy Snacks on You

If you're one of those people who carries a backpack, purse or briefcase with you wherever you go pack some healthy snacks in there for later.

 

My favourite? Peanut butter granola bars (the kind with no chocolate  in them), although they do have some honey to help it stick together.

 

How To Make

 

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup margarine or butter
3 cups granola

Equipment
Spatula
Glass bowl
Medium sauce pan
Flat non-stick pan

Step 1      
Measure out ingredients and prepare containers. You can buy 12-oz. packages that measure out to exactly 3 cups.

Step 2

Combine peanut butter, honey and butter in a medium sauce pan. Heat to a simmer and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. It helps to dice the butter into smaller cubes before tossing in.

Step 3      
Turn off the stove and pour the hot mix into a glass bowl. Pour in the 3 cups of plain granola and stir until well mixed.

Step 4      
Spoon into a flat pan that is 8 x 8 inches or similar size, such as 6 x 10 inches, then flatten with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Step 5      
Use a sharp knife to cut the chilled peanut butter granola layer into 2 x 4-inch sections, approximately. This should yield 8 to 9 peanut butter granola bars.

The Hunter / Gatherer Diet

THE FIVE PILLARS OF THE CAVEMAN DIET

#1. Nuts, berries, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

#2. Meat that has been recently slain and then cooked over a fire. Eggs are also okay, either raw, fried or cooked.

#3. Lots of water, but also juices from fruits and tea made from local plants for its medicinal benefits. eg. Birch bark tea contains aspirin.

#4. No sugary / fatty / processed factory made foods filled with corn syrup and other horrible things.

#5. No bread or grains. This means no flour, no cake, no rice, no spaghetti, nothing filled with carbs.

Now you might be thinking, what about milk? Well that is a tricky one. You see cavemen also sucked the marrow from bones, but trying to do that in our modern era just isn't practical. Eating nuts, berries, fruits, vegetables, meat, juice and water is certainly easily doable and practical. Sucking marrow from bones is not.

And there is also no proof that cavemen didn't use the milk from the animals they killed. It is widely understood that they used everything... the skins, the meat, the bones... even the intestines. So if they killed a milk-bearing female animal, its quite likely they did drink the milk too. It is certainly a matter of "what ifs" to be debated, so I leave that one to personal preference.

So in short the Paleolithic diet is really just a diet centred around eating the basics. Its very low in carbs, low in fat, its high in veggies, and you are still eating meat 2 or maybe 3 times per week, depending on the quality of the hunting.

Thus the diet of Cavemen and Cavewomen is pretty similar to what our modern athletes eat, with the exception of the protein shakes and protein bars... but that can be compensated with healthy doses of nuts and berries.


Thus the Caveman or Hunter / Gatherer Diet offers something that is easy to follow and is guaranteed to provide a stable, balanced and healthy diet - one that is sure to reduce someone's weight.


Which will people will no doubt break when they're left in charge of a box of doughnuts. Carbs and sugar in combination are difficult to resist, but if a person has the willpower they can just set the box down and forget its there.

Everyone is blessed/cursed with one particular caveman gene, and that is the gene that causes people to store fat for the winter. Whenever someone gorges themselves on fatty food, that fat is then stored on their body unless they have a remarkably high metabolism. As Winter approaches cavemen find themselves eating less fruits and berries and more meat. Combined with less sunlight and they are taking in less Vitamin D, which kickstarts a fat-storing process for the Winter. Thanks to the extra meat they will eating more fat, and if the food is plentiful they should have fat tummies by the time winter arrives and food becomes more scarce.

The reverse happens in the Spring when increased sunlight and more fruits/veggies increases Vitamin D intake and people start losing weight and feeling more energetic. So if your goal is weight loss the modern man does have an advantage: We can keep eating fruits/veggies in the colder months and maintain our Vitamin D levels so we don't store up fat like cavemen do.






The good news about the Hunter / Gatherer Diet is that its very easy to maintain. The food tastes good, you still get to eat meat and dairy, but you're avoiding carbs, sugars and fats - things which have been proven to be bad for us health wise.

Giving up our beloved sandwiches and pizzas and cakes can be tricky. But it can be done if you have the willpower and eventually you reach a point where you don't really miss the carbs because you've kicked the habit.

It also promotes the concept of buying freshly butchered meat as opposed to processed meats which have sugar, salt and other things added to them.

You can still have things like bacon, but you still shouldn't be eating bacon on a constant basis.



Seeds and nuts are a great source of healthy fats and protein. Chocolate covered almonds still make a good treat on rare occasions. You can still expect the once in awhile craving for sugar or chocolate, and you shouldn't be afraid to treat yourself - but you have to discipline yourself at the same time and remember that its all about maintaining a healthy balance.

Ultimately, it's up to the individual to figure out how they want their diet to work. Some people might choose that they don't want to give up ice cream - but as a balancing factor they aim for the low fat ice cream and they sprinkle or combine the ice cream with nuts and berries.

Deprivation diets don't work - but understanding the need for balance in a healthy diet does work.

Six Pack Abs - The Final 5 Lbs

Lets say for a moment that you used to be obese. You've lost 100 lbs since then, and its been a long process of exercise, maintaining your diet, and you may have even fallen off the horse a couple times on your quest to have Six Pack Abs, but now you're almost there.

You can FEEL your ab muscles underneath a tiny layer of fat and skin. You are so close you can literally feel the muscles, but try as you might you cannot seem to shed that last 5 lbs and attain the Six Pack Abs you've been dreaming of.

After succeeding at a long term weight loss program many people like Jim find that they can't firm up the final few few pounds around their midsection. It is a common problem, but there is a solution.

Here are four techniques to try (possibly in combination):

1. Stress Management

On the wellness side of things, stress makes it difficult to shed fat. Especially if you are too stressed to eat properly or keep to your exercise routine. Stress makes you do two things: #1. It makes you want to relax, pig out and let yourself go. #2. Stress releases hormones that will make your body try to store fat - starting with your midsection.

Thus when you are feeling stressed here is what you need to do: Take a nap, do yoga and/or meditation. Sleep and time to think will do wonders for your stress levels and you won't feel the need to relax and binge on food.

2. Focus on Diet

Nutritionists always tell people that if they are exercising to their full potential, and not seeing the results that they want to achieve, then they need to be looking at their diet. The last few pounds around the waistline is notoriously toned with a cleaner diet. This should include eating plenty of vegetables, raising protein and lowering carbs. It also helps to drink plenty of water and avoid sugar.

A more extreme version might be to try a lemonade detox diet for 10 days. Or at very least cutting out carbs for 1 month (no bread, no pasta, no potatoes, etc) until you've lost those last 5 lbs.

3. Core Training

Sometimes putting on extra muscle helps to firm up the skin that is covering the abdominal. In addition to isolated abs training, focusing strength sessions on compound exercises (using more than one muscle at a time) and exercise that combines balance, plyometrics and stretching. Yes, stretching helps to develop muscle!

4. Marathon Training

Or at least a 5 km run. If you aren't doing it already, try training for a long run like a marathon or half marathon. Start jogging/running every day for 1 hour.

A 125-lb. person burns 283 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5-mph pace burns an additional 227 calories per hour.

A 150-lb. person burns 340 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5 mph pace burns an additional 272 calories per hour.

A 175-lb. person burns 397 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5-mph pace burns an additional 317 calories per hour.

Over a period of a month such a regimen will burn approx. 4 to 10 lbs depending on your size and speed. You may discover it will work faster than that thanks to the After Burn Effect - calories being burned after doing high intensity exercise due to your cell's energy being replenished and muscle tissue being repaired  / new tissue created.

Long distance running also produces "Runner's High" - a cocktail of addictive hormones in your system - which will lower your stress, but beware of the dangers of addiction because some runners become so addicted they lose friends and family because they're outside running 100 km+ per week.

Combined these four tips will help to achieve a lean and hard midsection and get you those Six Pack Abs you've been dreaming of.

50 Reasons why it's Harder to Lose Weight as you get Older

Once you hit the age of 40 everything becomes more difficult.

Especially if you were out of shape during your 30s and suddenly realize its time to fix that. Aside from the fact that you no longer look great in your clothes, it becomes harder to lose weight. And there is a long list of reasons why it becomes more difficult as you get older.

Physical Effects

When you hit the BIG FOUR O you will notice a few things are different. You may have noticed gravity is no longer your friend. Gravity isn’t your only problem; the human body tends to go through some pretty crazy changes, beginning around age 35. Here’s a look at a few of the things that may impact weight loss.

1. If you’re a woman, you’re probably dealing with what is known as perimenopause, which is a decrease in estrogen. Yay! Oh, wait… That is not as good as you think.
2. Hormonal changes make you hungrier. That second loaded baked potato is looking mighty tasty right now, isn’t it?
3. Metabolic rates tend to slow. In other words, even if you stick to that all-vegan, macrobiotic-anti-whatever-else diet, you may still gain weight. Who knew green beans could cause muffin top?
4. Cortisol production increases. Cortisol is a stress hormone that may contribute to the aforementioned muffin top. Don’t give up and think that because you appear to be a muffin you should eat more muffins.
5. The sudden incidence of insomnia may result in lower energy levels the next day. Although you might get caught up on your scrapbooking, you are less likely to burn any meaningful calories.
6. Believe it or not, you may lose a few inches as you progress past 40. Gravity has a lot to do with this. Your weight doesn’t go south with your height; in fact, it can be more difficult to lose.
7. It’s almost guaranteed that you’ll lose some lean muscle mass. Losing muscle not only means it’s harder to open that jar of spaghetti sauce, exercise becomes more daunting.
8. Fat cells increase and grow. You can’t lose fat cells without surgery, but you can always grow new fat. Maybe it’s better to skip that second piece of German chocolate cake, after all.
9. Joints begin to creak and ache more. Does this mean you shouldn’t exercise? Of course not. Does this mean you will exercise less? Probably yes, unless you’re into masochism.
10. You move more slowly. Call this a combo of many of the aforementioned effects. Although you may experience less discomfort, you’re also burning fewer calories. Kick it up already!
11. Your skin loses its elasticity. Although this does not have a direct impact on weight loss, the sight of floppy skin may give you the impression that your efforts aren’t working; in turn, you may give up prematurely.
12. Thyroid changes can develop after 40. If you are working your butt off and still not seeing results, visit your doctor. You may need medication.
13. A decline in melatonin can cause you to wander the house at all hours. Unfortunately, we tend to wander to food when we’re bored or sleepless. Put down the brownies and try a cup of chamomile tea, instead.
14. For women, the effects of osteoporosis can be an inhibitor to exercise, which in turn can make it difficult to lose extra pounds. While you should be careful, your doctor can guide you to a safe exercise program.

Mental and Sensory Effects

Yes, this does refer to the fact that all-nighters are no longer a good idea. However, it’s not just your desire to party that changes. There are mental and sensory aspects that can impact your weight loss, as well.

1. You’re tired. Remember how tired you were after a night of clubbing? You may not have gone out last night, but you feel like you did. You need more sleep as you get older, and if you don’t get it, you won’t have the energy to get moving the next day.
2. Now that you’re older, you might think “To heck with it.” After 40, you may feel you’re past your prime; if you already think you’re less attractive, you may be less inclined to exercise or watch what you eat.
3. If you don’t partake in any enjoyable activities for yourself, you may feel depressed once your children grow up and move out; this sadness can lead you to eat more for comfort.
4. You may become more absent-minded. No, that’s not a reference to dementia. As we age, small lapses in memory are common. You may forget that you only exercised for 15 minutes this morning, and promised yourself another 15 minutes at night.
5. Anxiety and depression are more prominent in older adults. Perhaps it’s the thought of our own mortality. In any case, mental health can have a direct impact on physical health and well-being.
6. After 40, you might find it harder to focus on a task. What does this have to do with weight loss? Have you ever tried to cook a healthy meal while imagining bunnies chasing a rubber ball in a field? As silly as it may sound, if you can’t gather your concentration to fix a meal, you’ll probably end up at your local drive-though.
7. Like memory and focus, balance can be affected by age. If you feel off-balance, you may be too self-conscious or afraid to exercise, for fear of looking silly or of injuring yourself.
8. Have you noticed that it takes more salt to flavor your food? Yep, the sense of taste can start to decline, as well. If you’re not careful, you may end up dumping an entire bottle of ranch on that side salad you’re having with dinner.
9. Are you worried about your job? As we age, we often worry that we appear less useful than someone half our age. Fear of your future at your company may contribute to stress levels and make you more likely to snack around the clock.
10. If you used to read the nutritional labels on food, but have recently experienced a change in eyesight, you might opt to avoid the tiny print rather than admit you need glasses. This is more likely to be a concern if you used to pride yourself on having 20/20 vision.
11. If you can’t come to terms with the fact that you aren’t in your 20s or 30s anymore, shaping your body to what you want it to be can be difficult. Accept yourself and strategize accordingly.
12. Overzealous determination to look the way you did 15 years ago can backfire. Don’t skip breakfast because you MUST lose five pounds. Your already slowed metabolism will slow even further from lack of fuel.

Changes in Family and Home Life

By the time you’ve hit 40, there’s a good chance that your home life has reached a comfortable stride: it’s unlikely you’re still raising infants, but you may be dealing with teenagers. Family situations can impact weight loss, as well.

1. If you’re old enough that the kids have left the nest, congratulations. Now you can go out to eat at places that don’t serve toys with meals. Unfortunately, your newfound rich, exotic eating experiences can contain up a day’s worth of calories in one sitting.
2. Even if your kids are still at home, they’re probably a bit older. Chasing after a young child tends to burn more calories; yelling at a teenager, not so much.
3. If you’ve been married for a while, it’s likely you and your spouse are very comfortable with each other. So comfortable, in fact, you don’t feel the need to impress each other anymore. Seconds on everything, please.
4. If you’ve downsized recently, you might find you have less area to clean and sanitize. Less to do=less calories burned.
5. Remember when the kids were younger and there were trips to the park, the zoo, the beach…. All that walking was great exercise. Now your family is older, and no one wants to see the new manatee at the zoo.
6. If you do have teenagers, you are probably restraining yourself from strangling them at this very moment. Stressful family situations can provoke overeating.
7. Blame the kids: if your growing children demand having more snacks in the house, it can be harder to avoid munching. Remember, you don’t burn calories like you used to.
8. If job security isn’t a concern because you’ve moved up in the company, you might find yourself with more responsibility. At the end of a long day, the last thing you want to think about is broiling and steaming up a healthy meal. Burgers and fries are a lot easier to collect on the way home. Besides, didn’t the Reagan administration declare ketchup a vegetable?
9. Dinner problems can be the same on the weekends. The last thing you want to do on your weekend is cook, isn’t it? Besides, your clan would rather have pizza. You’re too tired to cook anyway, and that pie covered in extra cheese and pepperoni sounds too good to pass on.
10. If you have reached the age where the kids have moved on, you probably feel it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy “me time.” Unfortunately, me time might include an uninterrupted movie and a container of cheese balls that you don’t have to share. I bet you’d swear that container was nearly empty when you grabbed it.
11. If you have downsized and it’s just you and your spouse, the two of you may decide there’s no need to cook. Even if you don’t dine out, fast snacks and meals can contain far more calories and fat than a regular meal. Go ahead and cook that meal; your body will thank you.
12. If you suddenly take extra interest in your appearance, your spouse may believe you are having an affair after so many years of marriage. Jealousy and uncertainty can lead you to want to ease his or her mind, and can hamper your efforts.
13. If you have waited to start a family until after 40, you have a host of challenges in front of you. The exhaustion of raising an infant later in life can leave little time for personal consideration and health.
14. If you are over 40, single and sans children, you have all the time in the world, right? All that time will do you no good if you aren’t motivated, and sometimes family is the best motivator. If you still have parents or siblings, turn to them for a little kick in the rear.
15. If your spouse has let himself or herself go, it can be harder to lose weight. Don’t ask me why. I hear spouses start to look the same the longer they’re together. Does that mean the wife will grow a beard, too?

Friend Challenges

Whether you’re a man or woman, you probably have buddies. If not, you should make some. However, your friendships can interfere with your weight loss goals, whether or not the interference is intentional. Here’s how.

1. Friend get-togethers often include snacks and alcohol. Lots of snacks and alcohol. It might have been easier to burn off that second glass of wine or beer ten years ago.
2. Have you ever heard the expression, “birds of a feather flock together?” If the rest of your friends are putting on weight, you may feel more comfortable letting yourself go, as well.
3. Over-40 girls-day-outs (or guys-day-outs) may include less activity and more sitting. Remember when you enjoyed shopping with your girlfriends or working on a car with your guy friends? Now, you may be too tired to exert that much energy on your day off. You may opt to veg out in front of a television with a bag of nacho chips, instead.
4. Ice cream gatherings among women are an opportunity to vent your life frustrations, and an opportunity to stock up on empty calories. The same holds true for beer socials and men. Remember, your metabolism is slower now; all that junk food is wreaking havoc on your frame.
5. Your friends mean well, they really do. However, you are less likely to take on a new diet and exercise regimen if you don’t have the support of your pals. If your friends are comfortable with extra weight, they may not be inclined to support your plans for personal restructuring.

Environmental Challenges

Sometimes, the biggest hurdles are things we can’t change.

1. Now that you’re past 40, you may not want to wear those tiny jeans or those muscle-enhancing shirts. Don’t give up because you can’t fit into them; learn to ignore labels.
2. You may be trying to watch what you eat and do, but have you noticed that portions seem to be growing when you dine out? With a slower metabolism, you have to be cautious about how much food is served. It’s not a contest; you aren’t required to finish the meal.
3. You can’t do anything about society’s perception of healthy or beautiful. If you are healthy and are working out, but not losing any weight, stop trying to look like that 20-year-old billboard model. Even she doesn’t look like that.
4. The media would have you believe it’s perfectly normal to be overweight and unhealthy past 40. Don’t believe that for a minute. How you look and feel is up to you, not primetime television.

How to Shed Those Love Handles

Why do people still call them love handles? Nobody loves them!

I think it is because many people are afraid to hurt the feelings of loved ones and its apparently better to make a lewd sexual joke about love handles than to admit they're unattractive.

Many people, especially men in search of firm six-pack abs, want to ditch their love handles... The problem is HOW!

Love handles are a bit trickier but they basically go hand and hand with ab workouts and cardio - and to be fair cardio is the most important part of this equation because doing ab workouts isn't going to shed the fat, it will only firm up the muscles under the fat.

"Love Handles" is the fat that can hang down from off the sides of the stomach, below the oblique muscles. You can try firming up the region by doing oblique exercises to tone the muscles, but that isn't going to shed the fat on top of those muscles.

If you're looking for a quick solution to get rid of a particular spot of fat on your body the bad news is that you just can't get rid of the love handles or any other particular area of fat that way. Spot Reducing as it is known by impossible. The only solution really is to burn lots of calories, burning fat all over your body and the good news is that your fitness journey will result in you losing fat in every part of your body and toning every part of the body - not just the love handles, but other problem spots too. So if you want to pull a Houdini on those unloved handles and make them go poof like magic you're going to have make lots of other things go poof at the same time - including belly fat, fatty thighs, arm fat and so forth.

If you're trying to "spot reduce" by doing targeted exercises you're only going to increase the muscles in that region. You aren't going to shed the fat unless you're willing to go the extra mile and do lots of cardio.

That means swimming, cycling, jogging, running, jumping jacks, anything that requires full body movement and burns lots of calories. 3500 calories = 1 lb of fat. So set yourself a goal to lose 10 lbs of fat in 10 weeks and then start doing a combination of cardio (to lose weight) and weight training (to maintain muscle definition). Losing 1 lb of fat per week is a relatively easy goal. Over the longer term when you see the results of the first 10 lbs then you can keep going and set more goals until eventually you've shed those love handles (and all your other trouble spots).

When you are lifting weights (with your personal trainer, me perhaps. Hint hint.) there are a number of exercises you can do to increase definition in the obliques (side muscles), and help firm and tighten that troublesome area:

 

-Alternating Side Crunches

-Bicycle Crunches

-Side Crunches

-Side Crunches on a Ball

-Side Planks

-Weighted Side Bends

 

These exercises alone aren't going to shed the fat. They will however firm up the muscles under the area so that when you eventually lose the love handles you will have some attractive obliques you can admire in the mirror.

 

Don't forget to maintain a healthy balanced diet along the way. Nutrition is half the journey! 

 

Maximum Results + Minimum Time

A lot of people in North America really only exercise for one reason: To Lose Weight.

But they don't want to work hard to do it. Exercise? That sounds too much like work. It is that kind of pessimistic and lazy attitude that causes people to become paralyzed by "I'll do it later."  It is therefore no surprise that America has an obesity epidemic when you considered a combined lifestyle of bad diet and lack of exercise. Also to blame is all the nutritional / exercise misinformation being pushed at them by the food industry and even people in the exercise industry who really just want to sell you something.

Well to be fair, I am selling something too. Personal Training. But I am also a strong believer in giving away free information so that people can go the Do-It-Yourself route.

One of the things people are always looking for is ways to maximize their weight loss... but they want to do it in the minimum amount of time required.

This to me is the typical male approach to getting a task done. If you give a guy three boxes and tell him to carry them upstairs one at a time he will look at you funny, stack all three boxes together and then try to carry them up the stairs all at once. Its not lazy, its male logic. "I can carry all three at once and therefore accomplish the task in one shot."

Part of it might be male ego and testosterone, that is for psychiatrists to decide, but the analogy is good.

So how do we apply this to exercise?

#1. You want to maximize calorie loss per minute.

This means you're going to have to compare exercises and pick one that burns a lot of calories in a hurry. The obvious choice is running because that burns the most calories more than any other exercise, but depending on your goals you might also choose weight lifting, a specific sport, skipping rope, jumping jacks or even yoga.

#2. At the same time you want to be able to keep up the activity for the stated length of time.

So for example if your plan is to only exercise for 15 to 30 minutes per day then you ideally want to be burning a lot of calories during that time period and not stopping to rest. So you want to pick an activity that you're certain you can do. eg. Jogging for 30 minutes.

#3. You want to push your limits in order to maximize results.

One way to do this is via Interval Training. So to take the example of running and jogging you could do the following:

Sprint 1 minute, jog for 2 minutes. Repeat 10 times. Total time 30 minutes.

And if you're still not tired after the 30 minutes, sprint for an additional amount of time until you're ready to quit.

The same method can also be used for weight lifting and mixed cardio.

30 lb bicep curls 2 minutes, jumping jacks for 2 minutes.
Pushups 2 minutes, jumping jacks for 2 minutes.
Chin-ups 2 minutes, jumping jacks for 2 minutes.
25 lb bicep curls 2 minutes, jumping jacks for 2 minutes.
Pushups 2 minutes, jumping jacks for 2 minutes.
Chin-ups 2 minutes, jumping jacks for 2 minutes.
 20 lb bicep curls 3 minutes, jumping jacks for 3 minutes.

Total time 30 minutes.

#4. The Fun Factor.

Running and weightlifting can be pretty boring however. That is why it is important to mix it up with music and other things to make them more interesting. Try and pick music that makes you feel invigorated.  Eye of the Tiger, Super Trouper, Hungry like the Wolf, TV theme songs... whatever gets your heart and mind racing.

If that still isn't enough fun for you my recommendation is to take up a sport every day for 30 minutes (or longer). If its truly fun you will lose track of time and want to do it every day. (This is why I got into archery and boxing in the first place. They're sports I never get bored of.)

If you can find an activity you enjoy that you can do every day for 30 minutes and it doesn't feel like a chore or work, awesome. Then all you have to do is push yourself to your limits in an effort to maximize your results / calorie loss.

Eventually you will hopefully lose track of time and your worries over "minimizing time and effort" will disappear.

#5. Variety.

Always try new things.

If the only things you are doing is running or weightlifting, your body will stagnate. You will reach a plateau where you can't cross an endurance barrier. To get around that you need to try new things and use muscles you aren't used to using. Yoga is good for this, but you can find many other activities which can activate those rarely used muscles. Once you do so you will be able to push your "maximum" to new heights by awakening muscles you never knew you had.

Setting and Achieving Realistic Goals

You know that saying "You can do anything you set your mind to"?

Well it is only partially true. You can do anything realistic that you are determined to achieve. There are some goals that are unachievable and some that are not.

Yes, you can exercise and get a younger looking body... but will you end up looking like a teenager again? No, you won't.

But that should not discourage you from trying to exercise to have a younger and healthier body. You can achieve that goal and many other goals too.

Lets take some sample goals.

#1. You weigh 260 lbs and want to lose 100 lbs.

Yes, it is doable. But you don't want to do it too quickly or else you will get loose skin. Ideally you want to lose 50 lbs per year over a 2 year period. Approx. 1 lb per week. This is a goal that is certainly doable.

#2. You are on a diet and want to get nice abs.

No, not doable. If you want nice abs you need to be exercising and doing cardio. A diet will help with general weight loss, but it won't tone up the muscles or help you to lose lots of belly fat. If you take up jogging daily you can achieve your goal. Doing sit ups and crunches will help a little, but its the cardio that does most of the work.

#3. You want to eat more healthy food on a budget.

Yes, completely doable. You will need to learn which foods are healthier and also cost effective. You can also find lots of healthy recipes online.

#4. You want to become a fitness model.

Yes, doable, assuming you have the face for it and are willing to make the honest and concerted effort to do it. It isn't going to be easy, but it can be done. You will need to revamp your nutrition program, hit the weights harder than ever before and do lots of research on how to achieve this difficult goal. Don't forget tanning, protein bars and a personal trainer. It will take blood, sweat and tears on the gym floor, but it is doable.

#5. You want to fit into your skinny jeans from high school.

Yes, doable. Combination of a healthy diet and lots of cardio exercise and you will do it.

#6. Run a Marathon.

Yes, doable. But you will need to jog daily and do longer and longer runs until eventually you can handle longer distances. You will also want to do a complete physical with your doctor and get their advice. But at the same are you sure you really want to wake up early on Sunday morning, strap on a fanny pack and commit to a 40k with a running group while consuming liquid gel? (They're like liquidated gummi bears.) Truly, running a 40 km marathon is not for the faint of heart.

You should never feel discouraged from trying such things. But you also need to be aware of what your limits are and what is realistic. If you weigh 300 lbs and are morbidly obese you won't be able to run a 40 km marathon. It just isn't going to happen.

But if you want something badly enough and are willing to train hard to achieve it, then you can do it.

However lets keep some things in mind before you embark on such things.

A) Body building and endurance sports are SPORTS. They are competitive and they don't just train hard; training becomes a lifestyle. If you aren't into that lifestyle then its just not for you. You don't need to bust your ass and change your lifestyle so completely when all you want is to look good in tight pants.

B) Many athletes are physically awesome. They come from extensive backgrounds of gymnastics, track and field and other demanding sports. They have abs that should be considered lethal weapons. But do you really want to look like that? Or do you just want to look like a young Tom Selleck, Sean Connery or Burt Reynolds?

C) The exercise industry is a pissing contest. A lot of it is very macho and has nothing to do with paying for a mortgage or raising a family. Its an industry full of narcissists who like looking at themselves in a mirror. You really should not be encouraged to go into that industry unless you absolutely want to and are basically already in it.

D) Becoming a "male underwear model" like Marcus Schenkenberg won't make you happy. Yes, you will have the abs that women will drool over... but it won't make you happier. You can achieve this goal of looking 'drop dead gorgeous', but it will require daily discipline in both exercise and diet... and not everyone can make that kind of commitment.

The end result is be careful what you wish for... and remember that you can make your wishes come true if you're willing to pay the price.

5 Easy Ways to Lose Weight

Number 1: Get a Pedometer

Let's be honest: Seeing a number at the end of the day can make getting more walking in a lot more fun (talk about instant gratification). Not bad for an investment of around $15.

Striving to reach a goal, such as 10,000 steps at day's end, can be just the motivation you need to keep moving. University researchers looked at the results of 26 studies involving the use of pedometers in adults. They found that the study results showed that people who used pedometers significantly increased their physical activity -- and took more than 2,000 steps per day more than study participants who didn't use pedometer. Further, the researchers noted two physical benefits as a result of wearing a pedometer -- a decrease in the volunteers' BMIs ( body mass index) and their systolic blood pressure.

After just two weeks of walking more, you might see some measurable health benefits, too. Walking even 30 minutes every day for two weeks should be enough for people with hypertension to see better blood pressure, and people with diabetes or elevated blood sugar to see better blood sugar levels, says Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, nutrition advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Number 2: Drink Tea Twice Per Day

With each sip of green or black tea, you get health-promoting substances: two potent flavonoids -- anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin -- and a healthy dose of catechin. Green tea in particular is loaded with the catechin called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is suspected of having some anticancer properties.

Try buying some flavored green (and black) tea bags, and keep some at work and at home near your hot water kettle. Figure out when you're most likely to want some tea, be it midmorning, afternoon, or before bed. Then you can get yourself into the habit of making yourself a cup of tea at that particular time of day. If you're sensitive to caffeine, choose decaf teas.

This habit can be particularly healthful if tea takes the place of other beverages that contribute calories without any beneficial nutrients.

Number 3: Whole Grains

Switching to 100% whole-wheat or whole-grain bread is easy, especially now that so many 100% whole-wheat products are available in supermarkets -- from hot dog buns to breakfast cereals to pasta.

Whole grains are naturally low-fat and cholesterol free; contain 10% to 15% protein; and offer loads of fiber, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and more. Whole grains can help to protect you against cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, and some cancers. And you may see a difference quickly, some experts say.

"Two weeks should be enough time to see a benefit with a higher-fiber diet in terms of constipation [as long as fluid consumption is adequate]," says Collins. She says this may also be enough time for people with diabetes or insulin resistance to see improved blood sugars.

The trick to switching to whole grains is to keep trying products and brands until you find one that works for you and your family. Once you find brands of whole-grain hamburger buns, sandwich bread, hot and cold breakfast cereals, crackers, and pasta you like, sticking to this resolution will be a snap!

Number 4: Switch to Non-Saturated Fats

When cooking, it's best to replace butter, margarine, or shortening with an oil that has more of the "better" fats and less of the "worst" fats -- like saturated fat -- whenever possible. If a recipe calls for adding melted butter, shortening, or margarine, that's your cue that you can probably switch to canola oil without any change in texture.

Canola oil contributes two "smart" fats -- monounsaturated fat and plant omega-3s. It also has a neutral flavor that doesn't compete with other flavors, and is reasonably priced and widely available.

Olive oil is also high in desirable monounsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. Further, it contains more than 30 phytochemicals from olives -- many of which have antioxidants and prompt anti-inflammatory action in the body. Just remember to drizzle, not drench, your food in oil because even healthy oils add more than 100 calories per tablespoon.

Katz also suggests switching from margarine or butter to a spread with added plant sterols, like Benecol or Take Control. "They are designed to help lower cholesterol and could do so within weeks," he says.

Number 5: Cut Down on the Salt

Too much sodium (aka salt) is a problem for lots of Americans, especially those with high blood pressure. And the key to cutting back, says Collins, is to eat fewer processed foods.

"People need to realize this is largely meaning a change in processed food use," says Collins. "Just using the salt shaker less won't touch the source of excess sodium for most Americans."

Eating fewer processed foods could also make room in your diet for more fruits and vegetables, which increase potassium -- a mineral that has been linked to lowering blood pressure.

According to Collins, people with salt-sensitive high blood pressure who cut down on sodium may see a drop in blood pressure within two weeks. Some people with hypertension are not salt-sensitive, however, so they may not see results so quickly (though cutting sodium will benefit them in the long run).

Some quick tips to help you cut sodium include:

Read the labels on processed and package foods.

Switch to sodium-free herb blends for seasoning food in cooking and at the table

When you have a choice at the supermarket, buy lower-sodium choices in soups, crackers, salad dressings, canned tomatoes, and other products.

Preventing Loose Skin during Weight Loss

Loose Skin is a common result of weight loss programs (or liposuction / gastric bypass surgery), especially ones that make you lose a lot of weight at a faster rate.

If you are trying to lose weight, you probably want to improve your appearance and enhance your attractiveness. However, even when you do achieve your ideal weight, you can end up with a new worry when you see loose and sagging skin all over your body. Thus learning how to prevent loose skin from weight loss becomes just as important as the weight loss itself, because as you can see from the photo on the right it can be pretty embarrassing.

Lose Weight Gradually

Sagging skin usually afflicts people who have undergone a rapid weight loss method, sometimes due to gastric bypass surgery or liposuction. This is because when you lose weight at such a rapid rate, your skin becomes unable to keep up with your sudden weight loss. Despite its elasticity, your skin retains its former shape even after you’ve lost many pounds. The same thing happens to pregnant women after giving birth.

The best way to prevent loose skin is to try and lose weight gradually. Aim to lose 1 or 2 lbs per week. Less if you are over the age of 40.

Instead of going on a crash diet or under the knife to lose weight, try healthier weight loss methods like eating a well-balanced but low-calorie diet and doing regular exercise. Even though the results are not as fast, your skin will have time to adjust and will remain firm and younger looking. AVOID YO-YO DIETS, they will only stretch out your skin more. A slow and healthy weight loss and diet plan ensures that you keep the pounds off on a long term basis.

Avoid going super gungho at the gym and losing 10+ lbs in a month. If you lose that much in a hurry you will end up with sagging skin.

Increase + Maintain Muscle Tone

Another reason behind loose skin after weight loss is the decrease in muscle mass that sometimes comes with doing too much cardio and not enough weightlifting. When you lose weight too quickly by doing a lot of cardio, a lot of the weight comes from your muscle tissues. This is a common effect of crash diets. When your body is deprived of nutrients and calories, it resorts to digesting fat tissues as well as muscle tissues. This muscle loss results in sagging skin.

To avoid this, it’s important that you regularly perform toning exercises to maintain your muscles. Or better yet, do regular weightlifting exercises to build your muscle tone over time. A strength training workout can help you develop muscle mass and make your skin look firmer and tighter.

Hydrate Your Skin

Hydration is an important factor in maintaining taut and smooth skin so be sure to moisturize your skin daily. Cold water is best. Hot water will actually rob your skin of its moisture. It’s important that you drink a sufficient amount of water daily to make sure that your skin retains its elasticity.

Avoid drinking soft drinks, energy drinks and caffeinated beverages, because these will only rob your skin of essential nutrients. If you’re looking for a drink to help you relax, try drinking herbal teas instead.

Lose Weight while you are Still Young

The elasticity of your skin decreases as you grow older, so if you want to lose weight without suffering from loose skin, you shouldn’t put off weight loss. Perhaps you continue to indulge in unhealthy foods with the excuse that you will just try to lose weight later.

Tomorrow. Next Month. Next Year. Later. Eventually later comes and you still haven't done it and the task you wanted to do is now harder than ever.

The more you put off losing weight, the less elastic your skin becomes. When you do eventually get around to losing weight, your skin might not be able to adapt as well as it used to. Its best to get started now.

Eat Healthy Foods

The health of your skin not only depends on the products you use, but also on the foods you eat. Make sure you get plenty of nutrients from your diet. Protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats are all essential for healthy skin. Take multivitamins to make sure you are getting enough and try to get as much variety in your diet, in small portions, as best as you can.

How to Lose that Last 10 Pounds

Losing that last 5 to 10 pounds can be the hardest of all.

When we first start our weight loss journey, and stick to the plan, weight sheds off at lightning speed and you start to feel ever more amazing. For many people who have lost weight they can't believe that they're buying smaller clothes every month and their old "fat clothes" just doesn't fit them any more. They achieved 90% of their goals so quickly that when they get to the last 5 to 10 lbs which are the most stubborn they become mystified at to what they are doing wrong.

Basically everything is going perfectly and then suddenly the weight loss stops and stabilizes. We can only reduce our caloric intake and exercise so much before it becomes unhealthy. So now what do we do? Being so close to the goal and not easily obtaining it can become frustrating. But not to worry, you can do it. It may take longer but with determination and persistence it DOES happen!

Tips to Shed the Last five or ten pounds

1. Is there room to be more regimented?

When we lose weight the plan may have started out by simply adding exercise and quality nutrition into the daily program. Usually this change is enough to lose weight. When it becomes harder to lose weight then a more carefully devised meal plan could be the answer. If you are eating 5 to 6 mini meals approx. 3-5 hours a part at about 2-300 calories each will keep the metabolism revved up. The meals should contain lean protein, vegetables and whole grain / complex carbohydrates. A lot of people lose weight but stick to the same diet they were eating right from the start but as more pounds are lost, less calories are needed to fuel a smaller person. If calories can be cut safely, this is an option to try.

2. Increase Weightlifting / Endurance Training

Sometimes you just need to change your exercise routine every so often to give your body an extra push. Training for a marathon or strength training could be the extra push your body needs to shed the last few pounds.

3. Avoid Toxins and Bad Bacteria

Your body stores toxins in fat as a health precaution, so your system doesn't get overloaded with toxins. If you smoke, cut back on the smoking or quit entirely. If you drink alcohol, cut back on your alcohol consumption. If you are eating blackened toast (which is carcinogen, FYI!) stop eating anything that is obviously burnt. If you are eating a lot of red meat (which is rife with bad bacteria) try cutting back and eating more yogurt instead because yogurt has good bacteria in it which will help you lose weight.

4. A Leptin Boost

Leptin is a metabolism burning hormone which decreases as calories are reduced. After following tip number one all week, you can get a leptin boost from having one day of high calorie foods. It takes about a week for leptin levels to decrease but only one day to get levels back up. This doesn't mean to go all out, but calorie dense foods will "reset" your metabolism and get it back into high gear. When choosing what high calorie meal you want to eat aim for something healthier that is low in toxins and bacteria. eg. Pasta might do the trick. The following day you should feel really energetic and your goal then is to push yourself even harder when exercising.

5. Are you getting enough Sodium?

While you are exercising you might often hit an energy wall wherein you stop feeling energetic and you need a boost. Its possibly you are only dehydrated, but if you've been sweating a lot you may also be low on sodium. Drink more Powerade or Gatorade while exercising and you can reduce this problem, give yourself the extra needed sodium and you will be able to exercise for longer.

6. Break up your Exercise Routine

If you have been doing cardio and weights at the same time (for an hour combined) break up the workout and add a little more time to each. 40 minutes of cardio in the morning, and 40 minutes of weights at night (or reverse) will burn more calories and you will be better rested in between workouts to add more intensity to each. Plus, the cardio will increase your metabolic rate for up to 24 hours, while the new muscle will burn more calories throughout the day. Both forms of exercise will be working for you around the clock!

7. Adrenaline High Weight Loss

Get your heart pumping more by doing more activities that will get your adrenaline pumping. Adrenaline burns fat like crazy and a little bit of fear (even though you're perfectly safe) helps a lot. Take up activities like indoor rock climbing, while running pretend you are being chased by zombies (even though its not real, your brain can still trick yourself into pumping more adrenaline), have more spontaneous sex with your romantic partner and seek out other thrill seeking activities that will get your adrenaline pumping but without putting yourself at any real risk.

How to Control Binge Eating

Guest Post by Chrissy Cee

QUESTION

Is there any chance you might give advice to someone so severely needing a how to control binge eating? I have suffered several years now and I am desperate to defeat it.

The problems tend to arise when I am alone mainly but sometimes also occurs when I am stressed. I think it is trying to numb the boredom and discomfort of being alone.

I have dropped a few pounds twice however each time I've returned to the binge eating ways. I truly really want this gone permanently. Please help.

MY SOLUTION

I used to do the very same, my binge symptoms were mainly at night when I was alone. The biggest issues that helped me to conquering doing that is planning, visualizing, and distracting.

As far as planning, I'd prepare my meals and snacks the day prior to so that I knew I'd eat healthy. Sometimes a binge would happen whenever I had a powerful desire of craving for food because I hadn't had food in a extensive time (5-6 hrs or even more). Now I made sure I eat at the very least some thing every three hours. This assists me to eat 5-6 little meals throughout the day instead of 2-3 big meals.

Visualizing has been the largest motivator for me personally. Just picture yourself on an every day basis feeling and seeing yourself in your mind as already thin in your everyday clothes. You might not be presently there yet however it is incredible how should you retain believing that you're slim, the mind will automatically focus on means of getting there and becoming that image. Your mind is really powerful in so many ways.

One other way I personally use the strength of visualizing is saying how I want a certain event to be. As an example, I had difficulty during the night having the ability to manage my eating habits. So on my way home, while driving, I'd create in your mind walking in the door to my home, drinking plenty of water, washing up, and laying down for bed to chill out.

I additionally make use of visualizing when I go to places where there will be a large amount of food like parties. I'll visualize beforehand eating slowly and gradually and eating only little servings. You'll be amazed at your self-control whenever you try this strategy. I still use this technique almost everyday, for example even before I eat lunch with my co-workers, I quickly visualize eating slowly and enjoying a little meal.

The last thing I use is distraction. If I'm bored and feel the need to eat food when I know I'm not truly that famished I'll go play a game on my computer, watch a movie, call or text a friend, read a magazine, take a stroll or something that will keep me occupied and keep my mind off food. If it's been 20 minutes and I'm still thinking of food I will visualize just enjoying a little treat then allow myself have it. Additionally I see ending after I enjoy that small treat and not permitting myself binge.

I had lots of other approaches that I have in my program, but I think these 3 are best to begin with and can have the most significant influence according to what you said was causing the binge eating.

I have another training I would like you to definitely try for the following fourteen days starting right now. I actually do this everyday anI do this everyday and it has worked best in finding out how to control binge eating and it's been researched upon thousands of people to be the best way to bring your desired goals into actuality.

Every Day for the Next 14 Days:

1) Put in writing on a piece of paper your key goal as if it's already real.

For instance, I jot down: I weigh 118 lbs. I feel so slim and love the way I feel in my clothes. I eat small meals during the day and exercise 5 times per week for at least twenty minutes.

Be sure to state your ultimate goal in the positive. As an example don't put in writing such things as "I wish to stop binge eating" (binge eating is negative. For instance do not write down things like "I want to stop binge eating" (binge eating is negative), or "I'm not fat anymore" (fat is also bad).

Also I imagine myself every morning and every night being my ideal weight.

I wish you the best of luck and make sure you let me know how the 14 day challenge goes!

Teaching your Kids to be Healthy

Guest Post by Kay Dalton

With the noted rising annual obesity levels among children, it is increasingly becoming important to teach your children to be healthy more than ever. Overweight and obese children are more susceptible to illnesses like diabetes and heart problems. Obesity is a very unhealthy condition for children and it is very difficult for them to conquer this by their lonesome without the proper guidance. When kids reach adolescence and may already want to do something about the problem, it may be too late as they may already have well-entrenched eating and activity habits that can easily overpower them if they are not disciplined enough, or they will be trying vainly to break free from it for the rest of their lives.

The most important step you as a parent can take to teach your children to be healthy is to set an example for them. Eating healthy food should be the norm while fast foods, cake and candy should only be thought of as treats which can be enjoyed occasionally. Those categorized as unhealthy food should not be stocked inside the house so as to avoid being tempted.

Be sure that the consumption of fatty foods are minimized while encouraging your children to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat and poultry, and wholegrain carbohydrates. Make it a point to serve healthy meals to the whole family so that it becomes the standard and anything unhealthy is frowned upon as not in keeping with that standard. A very important part of a healthy lifestyle is physical activity, so go out and have fun with your kids and convince them to be active even if it's just to play catch in your backyard. Skipping, hopping and running are activities that are easily blended into various games. One way to pique children's interest in physical activity is to introduce them to traditional games like hop-scotch, tag and handball. They can also participate in sports and other organized activities once they start playgroup or pre-school. Tell them how active you were during your younger days by showing old photos of mom in her cheerleading outfit or of dad playing football.

In the same manner that you should become a passionate reader yourself if you want to encourage your children to read, so should it be when it comes to physical activity. Provide an example by exercising yourself and have fun with your children and support them when they participate in sport or other physical activities.

It is important however to always emphasize the importance of being healthy and not just on being thin or losing weight. Your children need to learn that a balanced, healthy lifestyle is better for them - and for you. Parents stand to gain a lot from being fit and healthy because aside from feeling better - they will also be able to lead a better quality way of life to enjoy with their children and even grandchildren.

It is our responsibility as parents to train our children the best we can. There is no hard rule when it comes to parenting, but keeping our family healthy is always a very wise investment. Don't give in when your kids return from play dates and ask you for certain kinds of food because they claim that their friends can eat whatever they like. Unhealthy food is full of additives, preservatives and flavoring designed to make it taste better, but it is unhealthy. From the very beginning, train your children to be healthy and you won't regret it.

10 Tips To Help Lose Weight

Guest Post by Christy Lyons

When it comes to shedding a few extra pounds it may not be as difficult as you once first thought. But because there are a lot of pills and slimming products in the market today, many people don't people don't know where to begin.

This may seem obvious but the best thing you can do is start eating healthy foods. When you eat healthy, you watch the food that you eat. The real solution is not eating less, rather, it's eating the right kind of foods. Eating foods with less calories is helpful so replace your chips and fries with some fresh fruit like apples.

If you are unsure exactly what healthy food is you could do a search on the internet, there are hundreds of great sites out there with lots of healthily meals and cooking instructions. When you find healthy meals, try and replace your unhealthy ones. When you begin looking you'll find a lot of different meals that you can try.

As well as eating healthy meals taking regular exercise is also essential help lose weight. Your body can burn off calories when you exercise. To avoid damaging your body in any way, take things slowly at first if you haven't exercised for a while. If you want an exercise program or plan, it may be a good idea to start looking at video sites to find a free instructional workout video.

When exercising you can use special equipment such as weights and exercise balls but it doesn't have to cost a lot of money, although many people enjoy going to a club you can just as easily exercise at home using the things found in your house such as the stairs to do step ups on.

When it comes to exercising many people are just plain lazy and require some kind of motivation, if you have any friends or a partner see if they are interested in working out with you. It's a good idea to keep a journal or even use an online blog. Keeping a track of your progress can help boost your confidence as you see your weight dropping.

10 Tips to Help Lose Weight

1. SNACK, BUT SMARTLY

Grazing between meals used to be on the weight-loss hit list. But nutritionists now know that it's better to satisfy a craving with healthy grub than ignore it and risk a junk-food binge later. The best picks are filling, protein-packed snacks, such as one stick of string cheese, a tablespoon of peanut butter on a piece of fruit, or a medium-size bowl of edamame.

2. TURN OFF THE TV

Dining while viewing can make you take in 40 percent more calories than usual, reports a new study. And texting, driving, or any other distracting activity during a meal can also result in your eating too much. Instead, make each meal something you put on a plate and sit down to, even if you're eating solo.

3. STEP ON THE SCALE DAILY

If your regular weight increases several days in a row, it's a red flag letting you know you need to cut back a little or beef up your workouts slightly.

4. SCULPT THREE TIMES A WEEK

Doing 5 minutes each of push-ups, lunges, and squats (in 30-second intervals) will help build and maintain muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be, so you'll torch more calories as you go about your day.

5. REACH FOR YOUR CELL

Next time your mind gets stuck on a certain food, call a friend and redirect your brain by asking how her day's going. Research shows that cravings only last about 5 minutes, so by the time you hang up, the urge to devour junk will have subsided.

6. EAT A BIG, BALANCED BREAKFAST

An a.m. meal made up mostly of carbs and protein with some fat keeps blood-sugar levels steady and hunger pangs away so you're not susceptible to pigging out come lunch, studies show. Opt for something satisfying for your stomach and taste buds — like egg whites and turkey bacon with whole-wheat toast.

7. WATCH THE BOOZE

One innocent-looking margarita or cosmopolitan can rack up hundreds of calories that do nothing to quench your appetite. Treat yourself just on the weekends and cut back somewhere else or stick to a glass of wine, light beer, or vodka and soda — three drinks that each have about 100 calories per serving.

8. HAVE FRUIT TWICE A DAY

Fruit has no fat and is mostly water, so it'll fill you up while leaving less room on your plate (and in your stomach) for high-cal fare. Don't freak about fruit's carb count — we're talking the good kind of carbohydrates that contain lots of healthy fiber.

9. STAY ASLEEP LONGER

Getting to bed just 30 minutes earlier and waking up 30 minutes later than you normally do can help you make better food choices, researchers report. Also, when you're well-rested, you're less prone to snacking out of fatigue or stress.

10. VISUALIZE YOURSELF THIN

When you feel your willpower breaking, conjure up a mental picture of yourself when you looked and felt slim. The visual motivation keeps you focused on your goal weight and reminds you that it is attainable, since you've achieved it before.

BONUS!

Hire a certified personal trainer! If you live in Toronto you could hire me as your personal trainer.