You Can Do It Too

This is one of my clients who does exactly what I tell her and she's seeing the results she wants to see. When she first started with me, she was at 285 and unhappy. When she first came to me, I couldn't get her to run without being mad or fussing.lol Now at 195, she's happy and more closer to her goal than she's ever been. She works her butt off in the gym and runs on her own when she's not training with me. She did it with no gastric bypass, lipo, or lap band. I'm not knocking those who have done it or planning to. I'm just showing you that with patience, focus, consistency, and discipline, you can do the same thing. Be encouraged. If you are not where you wanna be, what are you waiting for? Start now! Give your body the tender love and care it deserves. You only get one.

How To Get a Flat Stomach

When you lose weight, you lose according to your genetics and how your body stores fat. So when you lose weight, you can't just take the fat off one spot of your body. You usually lose from all over and sometimes some areas more quickly than others...according to your genes. In order to trim up your stomach, you need to develop healthy eating habits and workout consistently. Smaller portions, frequent small meals, and avoiding heavy meals later in the day help. To put it simply, resistance and weight training build muscle. Cardio burns the fat on top so you can actually see the muscle underneath as your fat percentage lowers. You'll never see that 6 pack if you don't burn the fat and lower your body fat percentage. This applies to other body parts as well. If you don't lose the fat on top, you'll look bulky because the muscle pushes the fat out. Make health and fitness a lifetstyle. Working out and eating right work hand in hand to produce the best results. Doing one without the other produces half results. I have a lot of tips to help you throughout my blog. Go back through the archives and check out my articles.

Avoid These Foods to Lose Weight

There are many foods to avoid to lose weight. The list below is certainly not a complete list of foods to stay away from, but cutting these foods out of your diet will certainly help your weight loss efforts.

Soda: Both Diet and Regular
Soda, even diet, is not good for you. It's full of sugars which are not only destroying the body, but making you fat. The artificial sweeteners in diet soda are thought to potentially cause some health problems, including cancer. Even natural sweeteners are capable of raising your blood sugar like sugar. Sodas are empty calories because they do not provide nutrients. Simply replacing your soda intake with water is a good way to lose a considerable amount of weight within a year.

If plain water does not sound appealing, try adding a bit of lemon or cranberry juice to it. Don't replace soda with a lot of juice, because the sugars from the fruit can also produce weight gain.

Coffee
Coffee is thought to have many health benefits, including a reduced risk for diabetes and a reduced risk of cavities. However, the caffeine in coffee is thought to make the body release more of the "stress hormone" cortisol, which can lead to weight gain. If you have to have lots of sugar or cream in your coffee, you're only making it worse for you, packing on the calories. If you must have it, drink it in small amounts, black, and decaffeinated.

For those who want an alternative to coffee, try drinking green tea (with as little sweetener as possible.) Green tea is known to have fat burning properties and is a good substitute.

Fat Free Food
Many people think to lose weight, you should reduce your fat intake. While this is true to an extent, simply going fat free is not a good thing. The body requires certain good fats, unsaturated fats like those found in nuts and avocados, to function. Fat free items are generally higher in sugar, which defeats the overall purpose. Low or fat free diets have also been shown to raise the levels of bad cholesterol in the body.

Fried Food
When you eat something fried, it's been cooked in a high fat oil. It may taste good, but it is full of extra and unnecessary calories. Fried foods are available everywhere.... and even though you don't fry it yourself, the food (corn dogs, potato chips, etc.) may have been fried before you bought it. Cut these foods out of your diet to save calories. Bake, rather than fry, to get a healthier alternative.

White Flour
White flour, commonly found in many desserts and pastas, is not good for you because it is chemically bleached. Don't let the name "wheat flour" or "enriched wheat flour" fool you. During processing, the two most nutritious parts of the wheat, the bran and the germ, are removed, and the result is bleached nearly the same way you bleach your clothing. When you eat white flour, you're eating some of those bleaching agents. During the processing from wheat to white flour, many of the nutrients get pulled out of the product, including:

•most of the good unsaturated fat
•nearly all of the vitamin E
•half the calcium
•and many more

White breads and pastas are foods to avoid to lose weight because they contain many carbohydrates which turn to sugar, and thus, later to fat in the body. Instead of using white flour, use organic whole wheat grain flour.

Health Benefits of Vegetables

Eating vegetables regularly can have many health benefits. They are one of the most natural foods and contain different vitamins, minerals and thousands of other plant chemicals known to provide health benefits. Along with all the many disease-reducing benefits (listed below), eating vegetables can also help control weight.


Vegetables are low in fat and calories, a good source of dietary fiber and provide us with extra energy. All these features help control weight effectively. Being low in calories enables us to eat lots of vegetables without consuming excess energy, the high fiber content also helps fill the stomach faster limiting the total amount of food consumed. The presence of many vitamins and other chemicals in vegetables supply the body with nutrients necessary to boost energy production within the muscle cells. This give us a natural feeling of vitality and the energy to become more active helping to burn more energy each day.

Vegetables are also low in sodium so they help reduce water gains. Sodium is present in virtually all processed foods, it causes the body to hold water within the interstitial areas of the body. It has been estimated that many average people may be holding up to 5 pounds of additional water caused from a high intake of sodium. Any reduction in sodium intake will help lose water weight and if we eat more vegetables our sodium intake naturally lowers.

Great reasons for eating vegetables to benefit with losing weight

Low in fat

Low in calories

Less water retention - low in sodium

Fill stomach quickly - high in fiber

Increased vitality due to high nutrient content


Vegetable tip:

Vegetables can offer better heath benefits when they are cooked and mashed. A study has shown that the body can absorb more of an important substance from cooked vegetables than from raw ones.

What Is It About Me And Milk?

What do I need to know about lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance means that you cannot digest foods with lactose in them. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and foods made with milk.

Should I worry about lactose intolerance?
No. Lactose intolerance is not serious. You should feel better soon if you eat less food with lactose or if you use products that help you digest lactose. Drink less milk because if has lactose in it.

Why does my body have trouble digesting lactose?
You cannot digest lactose because you do not have enough lactase enzyme. The small intestine needs lactase enzyme to break down lactose. If lactose is not digested, it can cause gas and stomach cramps.

How will I feel if I have lactose intolerance?
After eating foods with lactose in them, you may feel sick to your stomach.

You may also have
•gas
•diarrhea
•swelling in your stomach
Some illnesses can cause these same problems. Your doctor can tell you if your problems are caused by lactose intolerance.

How will my doctor check for lactose intolerance?
Your doctor might use one of these tests:

Blood and Breath Tests
You will drink a sweet drink with lactose in it. Then, your doctor will test your breath or blood for signs that you did or did not digest the lactose.

Stool Test
Your doctor can also find out if you digest lactose by testing your stool (bowel movement). The stool test is often used to check babies for lactose intolerance.

What can I do about lactose intolerance?
You will need to eat less of all foods with lactose. These foods include the following:

Foods made with milk

Lactose is in milk and all foods made with milk, like

•ice cream
•ice milk
•sherbet
•cream
•butter
•some cheeses
•cottage cheese
•yogurt

Prepared foods:
Lactose is added to some boxed, canned, frozen, and other prepared foods, like
•bread
•cereal
•lunch meats
•salad dressings
•mixes for cakes, cookies, pancakes, and biscuits
•frozen dinners

How will I know if lactose is in food?
Look for certain words on food labels. These words mean the food has lactose in it:

•butter
•cheese
•cream
•dried milk
•lactose
•milk
•milk solids
•powdered milk
•whey

Can I eat any foods with lactose?
You may be able to eat a small amount of some foods with lactose. For example, you may be able to eat cheese or yogurt, but not drink milk. Aged cheeses, like cheddar and Swiss, have very little lactose. Or you may be able to eat some prepared foods. To find out if you can, try a small amount of the food and then see how you feel.
Some people can eat a little of certain foods that contain milk, but none of others.

Can I take anything to help me digest lactose?
You can buy pills or drops at a drug or grocery store to help you digest lactose. They are:
•Pills that you chew right before eating foods with lactose. These pills are called lactase enzyme caplets.
•A liquid that you add to milk before drinking. The liquid is called lactase enzyme drops.
You can also drink a special milk with less lactose in it. You can buy this milk at the grocery store. It is called lactose-reduced milk.

What else do I need to know about diet?
Drinking milk and eating foods made with milk are the most common ways to get calcium. Calcium is important for good health. If you cannot eat or drink these foods, you may need to eat other foods with calcium:

•canned salmon with bones
•sardines
•collard greens
•turnip greens
•broccoli
•tofu
Also, ask your doctor if you should take a calcium tablet every day.

Points to Remember•Eat fewer foods with lactose in them, like milk, some cheeses, and ice cream.


•Find out if you can eat small amounts of food with lactose.


•Read food labels to find out if a food has lactose in it.


•Use a special pill or liquid to help you digest foods with lactose.


•Eat enough foods with calcium, like broccoli.

Charlie Horse Again?

What is a Charlie Horse?
The term Charlie Horse refers to any cramp where a muscle is locked in a contracted position. This most commonly seems to happen in the leg, particularly the calf area. However, it is not limited to this area. It is also known to happen in the neck and chin, among other places.

What causes a Charlie Horse?
A charlie horse can be a symptom for many different things. It can be caused by deficiencies of such things as magnesium or potassium. Certain medications, and dehydration can also cause them. You can even also get a charlie horse by being struck suddenly.

What can I do if I get a charlie horse?
One of the ways you can best get rid of the charlie horse, is to stretch the muscle that is cramping. If it is in your calf, try pointing your toes up as high as you can.

Frequent Cramping
Getting charlie horses is usually not a major problem, but in some cases can be a sign of serious medical issues. If you experience charlie horses regularly you should probably go to the doctor as soon as possible to just make sure you don't have any underlying issues.

High And Low Blood Sugar

What You Should Know About High Blood Sugar
Hyperglycermia is the medical word for high blood sugar. High blood sugar can occur either slowly or quickly. When your blood sugar goes up and stays high, it means that your diabetes is out of control.

If your blood sugar gets too high, you may have one of more of the following symptoms:

•increased thirst
•increased hunger
•frequent need to urinate
•dry itchy skin
•tired or sleepy feeling
•blurry vision
•feeling sick to your stomach
•breathing problems

High blood sugar can happen for many reasons:
•not taking your medicine as prescribed
•expired insulin (insulin that is too old or was not stored properly)
•getting sick or having other kinds of stress (physical or emotional)
•eating too much (especially carbohydrates)
•not getting your normal activity or exercise
•taking steroids or other medicines which can affect your blood sugar

What To Do:
Check your blood sugar anytime you think it may be too high.

If your blood sugar is higher than normal, but you feel well:

•take your usual medicines at the usual times
•move more, even if it's around your house or at work
•drink several glasses of water or sugar-free liquids (without caffeine)
•eat your regularly planned meals
•check and record your blood sugar every four hours until it is back to normal
If you have type 1 diabetes, also check your urine for ketones every four hours and record the results until back to normal.

You should call your health care provider if:

•you are vomiting, confused, sleepy, short of breath or feel dehydrated
•your blood sugar stays above 180 mg/dl for more than one week
•you have two consecutive readings of more than 300 mg/dl
•your urine shows moderate or large amounts of ketones


What You Should Know About Low Blood Sugar
Hypoglycemia is the medical word for low blood sugar. When the amount of sugar in your blood becomes too low, your body cannot work the way it should. Most people with diabetes don’t feel well if their blood sugar drops below 70 mg/dl.

Low blood sugar occurs most often in people who are taking certain pills or insulin for their diabetes. If you are managing your blood sugar through diet and exercise, it is unlikely that you will develop low blood sugar.

If your blood sugar begins to fall too low, you may have one or more of the following symptoms or feelings:

•shaky or weak
•sweaty
•clumsy
•a fast heart beat (palpitations)
•hungry
•a headache
•lightheaded
•nervous
•confused
•tired
•angry
•tingly around the mouth
You might have other symptoms or feelings besides those listed above. Some pills may hide symptoms of low blood sugar. Ask your health care provider if you are taking one of those medicines. Talk with your health care provider about how to prevent low blood sugar.

Some causes of low blood sugar are:

•skipping or not finishing meals or snacks
•taking too much medication/insulin
•eating meals or snacks at different times
•taking medication at different times
•getting more exercise than usual
•drinking alcohol