A Weight Loss Story: Total Transformation of Mind and Body

"Slow and steady wins the race.  Consistency is important.  There are no shortcuts.  There are no excuses.  You owe it to yourself." These five statements were the self-motivators for one of my newly acquired clients who recently lost over 100 pounds in the past two years.  She constantly kept these mantras in her head to stay on path during her journey.  We had an open and detailed discussion in which she shared factors (common to many women) about what triggered her weight gain and then what she did to overcome those factors to find success.

Patty stated there were many stressors in her life that attributed to the weight gain.  For you, think of what may be making you unhappy and could contribute to your weight gain (if it is not medical); whether it is your relationships or your job and finances or lack of spirituality and self-worth or just the lack of physical activity.  For Patty it was her relationship, which lead to unhealthy snacking and unhealthy portion sizes.  Usually when something is not making you happy, this can lead to unhealthy habits.  Once discovered, realized and acknowledged, you have to find a way to resolve the issue.  Patty got out of the unhealthy relationship.  She then needed to change her behaviors and this was prompted by a visit to her doctor.  He sat her down and directly informed her that she was killing herself and that she had to do something to change.  Another factor that pushed her to change was that her 3 children were gaining weight with her and she knew she had to do something to turn their lives around.  

She discovered over time with therapeutic chats that issues of self-esteem played a major role of holding herself back from thriving and being who she really wanted to be.  With the lack of self-esteem, she always put others ahead of herself which created a safety zone by herself.  That safety zone was comforting when she snacked and ate her larger portions.  In addition, she was afraid of change.  She noticed that when she started to lose weight the compliments she received were perceived differently than when she was at her highest weight.  She did not believe them because she did not believe in herself, consequently, she had a hard time receiving those compliments.  

Then a light bulb clicked on because she was tired, tired of not living her life.  She found her inner strength, her confidence started to soar and issues with lack of self-esteem started to dissipate.  This was not only a body transformation, it was a mind transformation.  She started putting herself first and told herself there are no excuses or shortcuts to this transformation.  She was more aware of her food choices, started to increase her exercise, was more consistent with it and found that she was ready to accept her new body (with the compliments) as it was successfully changing before her eyes.  She felt awesome and an added bonus was that she was released from all hypertension medications!

Patty's story is not unique.  There are so many people that are trying to lose weight and wind up giving up because it is not coming off quick enough or they are not ready for the change or they have not acknowledged what is really the source of the weight gain in the first place.  Patty lost 100 pounds in 2 years which is about a pound a week.  When you do it slowly and naturally, it comes off and is more likely to stay off. "Slow and steady wins the race."

You are so much stronger than you think physically and mentally.  So whether you have 10, 20, 50 or 100 pounds to lose, you have to give yourself a chance and know that "you owe it to yourself."

Kindling Your Fire!

You probably don't need scientists to tell you that your metabolism slows with age. But they're studying it anyway--and coming up with exciting new research to help rev it up again. The average woman gains 1 1/2 pounds a year during her adult life--enough to pack on 40-plus pounds by her 50s, if she doesn't combat the roller coaster of hormones, muscle loss, and stress that conspires to slow her fat-burning engine. But midlife weight gain isn't inevitable. I equate your metabolism to a fat-burning campfire. To keep the pounds off and your energy up, you have to keep that metabolism going by "kindling" your fire. How? There are several ways. 1.Let's start with,You don't eat enough. I find when new clients provide a list of a their daily meals for my review, they are not eating enough because they think cutting calories will help, but it actually is counterproductive. I explain that your body needs fuel to consistently function throughout the day. Let me give the analogy of a campfire. A great campfire burns evenly and consistently when given the right amount of kindling. If it does not have enough, it starts to smolder. Think how you feel when you have not had enough to eat and you feel like your are functioning on fumes. So then you consume something quick, easy and full of processed sugar like a candy bar to give you a quick fix and now your smoldering campfire has gained momentum because you have thrown the equivalent of kerosene on it. This is your blood sugar spiking to give you a quick "pick me up", but then after an hour, you feel tired again and you are back to a smoldering campfire. Why? Because you have not provided your body with the right amount of calories it needs evenly throughout the day to keep the campfire at a consistent level. You need to cut calories to lose weight, but it's important not to overdo it. Going too low delivers a double whammy to your metabolism. When you eat less than you need for basic biological function (about 1,200 calories for most women), your body throws the brakes on your metabolism. It also begins to break down precious, calorie-burning muscle tissue for energy. Finally, you should always consume something for breakfast and eat a snack or meal every 3-4 hours to keep from overeating later in the day. 2. You eat too many white carbohydrates. Boost your fiber intake by switching to whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal and eating more fruits and vegetables. Research shows that some fiber can rev your fat burn by as much as 30%. Studies find that women who eat the most fiber gain the least weight over time. Aim for about 25 g a day--the amount in about three servings each of fruits and vegetables. 3. You are not eating enough protein. Make sure protein is a component in every meal. Your body needs it to maintain lean muscle. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts, or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack. Research shows protein can up postmeal calorie burn by as much as 35%. 4. Consider more iron in your diet. Iron-rich foods are essential for carrying the oxygen your muscles need to burn fat. Until menopause, women lose iron each month through menstruation. Unless you restock your stores, you run the risk of low energy and a sagging metabolism. Shellfish, lean meats, beans, fortified cereals, and spinach are excellent sources or iron. 5. Are you getting enough dairy? There's some evidence that calcium deficiency, which is common in many women, may slow metabolism. Research shows that consuming calcium through dairy foods such as fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt may also reduce fat absorption from other foods. 6. Are you strength training? It is a known fact that when your body has more lean muscle tissue, it helps to burn calories even at rest. If you are not strengthening your muscles, they will not help to keep your metabolism revved up. Find a strength training regimen to help build and maintain muscle for the rest of your life.

Calorie Dense Vs. Nutrient Dense

Which plate are you?

The plate on the left with two pieces of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, a roll with butter and a serving of vegetables compared to the one on the right with half of the plate being vegetables, a quarter of the plate is a healthy protein and another quarter is a healthy starch such as brown rice.

It is important in these times when there is so much confusion of what to eat and how to eat to understand that your choices and your serving portion makes a world of difference if you are trying to lose weight. The plate on the left contains foods that are very calorie dense. The chicken, which is your protein is fried and the starch, which are mashed potatoes (with probably added butter and milk) are topped with gravy. There is also a roll with butter and very little vegetables. For someone trying to lose weight, this is a disaster plate because of the way the food is prepared and the portions are distorted.

The plate on the right is the optimal way to portion a plate. You want your plate to be half vegetables, one quarter protein and another quarter of a starch. This plate is nutrient dense because the protein is grilled, the starch is a fibrous grain and with half of the plate being vegetables (preferably steamed or fresh salad greens), you are able to comparatively eat more and not put on extra pounds.

When you start eating nutrient dense foods rather than calorie dense, you will be on a track for weight loss and overall healthier eating. How do you cut calorie density? By reducing fat, sugar and refined grains and adding vegetables and fruit whenever possible. So a pizza with less cheese, more vegetables and a thin crust is better than the deep dish meat lovers option. Another example is if you are making a casserole or lasagna, remove the meat and add vegetables with whole grain or whole wheat pasta. Be Well!

Why Fiber?

Fiber is one of those nutrients that many of us know is important but that remains a bit of a mystery. Exactly what is it? What are the best sources of fiber? And what are its health benefits? Here are the answers to these and other questions.

Basically, the term fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested. Fiber is present in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. However, not all fiber is the same, and there are a number of ways to categorize it. One is by its source or origin. For example, fiber from grains is referred to as cereal fiber. Another way of categorizing fiber is by how easily it dissolves in water. Soluble fiber partially dissolves in water. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. These differences are important when it comes to fiber's effect on your risk of developing certain diseases.

Current recommendations suggest that children and adults consume at least 20 grams of dietary fiber per day from food, not supplements. The more calories you eat each day, the more fiber you need; teens and men may require upwards of 30 to 35 grams per day or more. Yet the average American eats only 15 grams of dietary fiber a day.

Long heralded as part of a healthy diet, fiber appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation.

Some tips for increasing fiber intake:

-Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.
-Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products.
-Choose whole grain cereals for breakfast.
-Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.
-Substitute legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups.
-Experiment with international dishes (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal (as in Indian dahls) or in salads (for example, tabbouleh).

Carbs are Not the Enemy!

Carbs short for Carbohydrates always seem to get a bad rap. The reason is because there is a misunderstanding that there are good carbs and bad carbs. Carbohydrates still need to be consumed because the body NEEDS them for fuel. In fact, they are the primary source of energy for the body. Carbs are found in a wide array of foods - bread, beans, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, quinoa and sweet potato pie. They also come in a variety of forms. This most common and abundant are sugars, fibers and starches. Some examples of your good carbs from these forms are your natural fruits(sugar), vegetables(fiber) and whole grains such as oatmeal(starch).

Where the confusion seems to lie is that when people say,"I have to cut carbs!" and they forget there are a lot of health carbs. One should consume at least 50-60% of their daily intake to be carbohydrates. What should be cut is the processed carbohydrates. Anything with white sugar and white flour such as breads, muffins, donuts, candy, crackers, cakes, waffles, cookies, and pastries. You should also cut the white pasta and opt for whole wheat or brown rice pasta.

Outside of the whole wheat or brown rice pasta and oatmeal, try some brown rice, quinoa, amaranth or millet. Also, load up on your fresh vegetables and fresh whole fruits. When fresh vegetables are not an option, frozen are the next best option.

Carbs are not the enemy. It is a matter of knowing which ones pose a health hazard and could potentially put on the pounds.

The Ultimate Triad for Health

Cardio, Strength Training and Clean Eating. Yep, that's it. If you have one without the other two, it is just not a complete and effective means to meet your goal of a healthier you. Whether you are trying to lose weight, tone up or just get off of your medication(s), you have to have all three in concert.

I just recently consulted with a former client and a current client. The former client was stating how she gained some weight back and knew she needed to get back to exercise. She was counting her Weight Watchers points, but she was also counting the pounds that were being put back on her body because she was not exercising. One "wake up" call was that she was having trouble breathing sometimes at night. She went to her doctor because she thought she needed to change or increase her asthma medication. Her doctor told her she needed to lose the weight. I recommended getting back to her stationary bike and adding in strength exercises that we had performed together.

My current client, who I strength train once per week, was frustrated because those last 10 pounds did not want to seem to budge. For months, I recommended increasing her cardio by running more. In the past few weeks, those pounds are finally moving because although she had the strength training under her belt and ate relatively good, she was not performing the cardio training she needed for her body to respond.

Exercise ideas are bountiful with opportunities offered in fitness classes, gyms, home equipment, videos and the great outdoors, however, this whole idea of clean eating seems to mystify people when I talk to them. What exactly is Clean Eating? In a nutshell, eating clean is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from the junk that typically makes up the Standard American Diet (S.A.D) These types of food include man-made sugar, bad fats (hydrogenated, trans-fat), preservatives, white bread, and any other ingredients that are unnecessary. For some people, this can be drastic, but moving in the direction one step at a time is better than not moving at all. Finally, if something about your health or body needs to change and it has been stagnant, you have to increase your intensity in your exercise and/or change your eating habits. Be Well!

Everyday Weight Loss Tips

Getting off track when trying to lose weight can be part of the norm until you find your rhythm with what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Getting on track is part of the process toward success . . . staying on track is freaking commendable.
We all need reminders when it comes to getting and staying on track when we fall off. Here are 10 tips to incorporate everyday.

1. Plan Ahead. This means plan for your meals with what you are going to eat today, tomorrow or for the week. This can only bring success.

2. Eat Clean 90% of the time. This leaves 10% of leeway to have a few treats such as chocolate or ice cream, but staying within the serving size and not overindulging.

3. Eliminate food products with enriched white flour, white sugar, white rice, white potatoes and too many items on the ingredient label that you cannot pronounce.

4. Exercise with weights, resistance bands and/or your own body weight 3-4 times per week. Changing your body composition only comes when you increase your muscle mass. This happens when you challenge your body with resistance.

5. Eat some type of protein with every meal. Healthy protein such as fish, lean meats, low-fat dairy, beans and lentils help sustain you and repair muscle as you recover from exercise.

6. Eat vegetables with every meal. A variety of vegetables provides natural vitamins and minerals that your body may be missing. Low in calorie, you can only succeed by filling up with vegetables.

7. Eat breakfast daily. Some people will say they are not hungry when they get up. You can always drink your breakfast by having a fruit smoothie with a scoop of protein. It will help break your fast and get your metabolism going.

8. Eat fruit daily. When you start to feed the body with healthy fruits, vegetables and proteins, it will not desire the junk that you may have been feeding it. Get some fruit daily.

9. Opt for wholesome grains that provide fiber such as brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, bulgur, whole wheat and rye. Ridding the body of weight comes with cleaning it out with fiber. Choose high fiber foods.

10. Always celebrate your success with daily affirmations. Know that you can accomplish anything you want to when you put your mind to it. Start your day by looking in the mirror and telling yourself you will be successful toward your goals that day and end it by praising yourself that you did.