My Weight Loss is Equivalent to What?!

1 pound = a Guinea Pig
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua

10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
20 pounds = an automobile tire
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year

40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant's penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
80 pounds = the World's Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe

138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds

Lost 10.2 Pounds, Down 14.5 Inches, Dropped 1.2% Body Fat! Impressed? You Should Be...

AP started Female & Fit's Nutrition Program 12 weeks ago and due to her busy schedule as a student and working full time, I didn't see her again until a week ago. When she walked through the door, my jaw dropped. She looked completely different. Not only was she smaller, tighter and more tone, she was smiling again, excited about life and proud of herself-not as proud as I was of her.
Her results are amazing! She has lost 10.2 pounds, down 14.5 inches, dropped 1.2% body fat and removed 2.2 points off her BMI!
This is what she had to say, "I attribute the results to a combination of sticking to your advice about carbs, Paleo themed diet and trying crossfit exercises. You can write whatever you'd like or I can write something. Thanks for all of your encouragement and help with my work in progress! It's really helped!" I can't wait to see her new results in a few weeks.

Want this to be you? Read more about the Female & Fit Nutrition Program Introducing the “Nutrition Coach”

Lose Weight, Keep Weight Off....How?

How does one lose weight, keep the weight off and maintain a healthy body weight? 

Metabolism

Why do leaner people have a higher metabolism than fatter people?   More lean people have more lean muscle.  Muscle burns about  50 times more calories than fat.  So if you want to lose weight, keep the weight off and maintain a healthy body weight gain more lean muscle.  How do we gain lean muscle mass?  Thought you’d never ask…
#1:  Resistance training builds lean muscle and is ESSENTIAL to boosting your metabolism and keeping the weight off for good.
#2:  A study in The Journal Obesity Research found that the best predictors for weight maintenance after weight loss were the following:

• Dietary restraint during weight loss
• High baseline resting metabolic rate (as a result of resistance training)
• Stable body weight, few excessive fluctuations in weight gain/loss
• Low frequency of dieting

#3:   You can’t maintain a healthy weight without consistent effort towards improving your lifestyle. This means healthy eating and resistance training workouts become a part of your lifestyle.  Battling excess weight becomes less of a burden.
Why is lifestyle important?  Being fat is in your jeans!  That may be partially true, however, researchers found that the  “weight regain” in formerly obese persons is a constant without a change in nutrition and exercise. 

So...let’s boost your metabolic rate (which doesn’t occur by spending endless hours doing cardio and following low carbohydrate diets!

5 Tips to Rev Up a Fat Burning Metabolism:
1. More RESISTANCE TRAINING, Less Cardio
Lean muscle doesn’t come about by doing cardio 7 days a week. You need to stress your muscles to develop them. Use your body weight, resistance bands, machines, dumbbells, or any other form of resistance.
2. Eat RAW Food Daily
High amounts of food enzymes found in raw foods allow your body to expend more energy on metabolism and less on digestion.
3. Eat Small Meals Throughout the Day
Keep the fire burning by adding small amounts of wood to it throughout the day. This is more effective than stuffing your face full of food once or twice a day.
4. Drink GREEN TEA
Green tea has been shown to boost metabolism. Researchers believe that antioxidants in green tea can cause the body to burn calories as heat, which increases your caloric burn.
5. Spice Up Your Meals
These herbs and spices are speed up your metabolism: cayenne pepper, jalapeno peppers, ginger, peppermint, and cinnamon – just to name a few

Super Shital

My name is Shital Desai and I’ve been training with Lisa 2-3 times a week since September 2011. I had reached my heaviest weight ever at that time and was not very motivated to eat right or exercise. Lisa really helped turn around my nutrition and fitness regimen, and I have lost 15 lbs so far! More importantly I feel healthier, stronger and happier since beginning my personal training sessions with Lisa.
When I initially met with Lisa before beginning my training, we went over my goals for fitness, weight and nutrition. She encouraged me to start an online nutrition log which she (still) keeps a close eye on. We meet for training 2-3 times a week, where she works with me on an individual basis –I HATE exercising, but LOVE meeting with Lisa, as she makes these training sessions fun and interactive. Every session is different, with new equipment and techniques being incorporated, so I never get bored. I always feel a strong sense of achievement at the end of each session, as she does push you to do your best. She also holds me accountable to exercise on my own, maintain healthy nutrition and generally lead an active lifestyle, without being condescending or judgmental at all. She will do this during face to face visits, text messages, email, online chat and phone calls! I’m really lucky to have found her as she’s been a truly positive influence on my health and fitness!

Sip to Slim

Sip Smart: Back Off Sugar

Replace one sugary drink with water or a zero-calorie beverage and you'll save yourself from about 10 teaspoons of sugar. Think about adding lemon, lime, mint or frozen strawberries for flavor and fun.
The liquid sugar in soda appears to bypass the body's normal fullness cues. One study compared an extra 450 calories per day from jelly beans vs. soda. The candy eaters unconsciously ate fewer calories overall, but not so the soda drinkers. They gained 2.5 pounds in four weeks.

Sip Smart: Use a Tall, Thin Glass

Use a tall, skinny glass instead of a short, wide tumbler to cut liquid calories -- and your weight -- without dieting. You'll drink 25%-30% less juice, soda, wine, or any other beverage.
How can this work? Brian Wansink, PhD, says visual cues can trick us into consuming more or less. His tests at Cornell University found all kinds of people poured more into a short, wide glass -- even experienced bartenders.

Sip Smart: Limit Alcohol 

When an occasion includes alcohol order a glass of water along with it.  Sip each drink intermittently with the each other.  Alcohol has more calories per gram (7) than carbohydrates (4) or protein (4). It can also lead you to mindlessly inhale chips, nuts, and other foods you'd normally limit.

Sip Smart: Go for the Green

Drinking green tea may also be a good weight loss strategy. Some studies suggest that it can boost the body's calorie-burning engine temporarily, possibly through the action of phytochemicals called catechins.  You'll get a refreshing drink without tons of calories.

10 Ways to Avoid Being Stuffed During December

December seems to be the fattest month, meaning the most weight gain is done during the month of December. 

So let’s focus on December, and consider the New Year’s Resolutions in the New Year.

Try these 10 ideas on for size!

1. Keep a food diary during December.
2. Weigh yourself every day from now through New Year’s Day.
3. Limit television time.  Mindless eating occurs during this time.  Instead, do crunches during commercials.
4. Limit holiday snacks and treats to one a day.
5. Bring healthy food to potlucks and parties.
6. Fill your plate with veggies first.
7. Plan your alcohol intake ahead of time.
8. Don’t skip meals in anticipation of social/food events.
9. Lay off the sauces.
10. Go skinless and avoid processed meats.

Merry Fitness & A Happy New You!

Eat Chocolate at Half the Calories

A 15-minute walk can cut snacking on chocolate by half, according to research by the University of Exeter. The study showed that chocolate lovers ate only half as much chocolate as they normally would after this short spurt of physical activity.

Research suggests that employees may find short breaks away from their desks can keep their minds off snacking.  Employees were asked to take 15 minute walks away from their desks.  Upon returning, a bowl of chocolate was made available.  The employees found that they could regulate their eating by half! 

Snacking on high caloric foods like chocolate can be a mindless habit which results in weight gain.  Exercise is known to have substantial benefits for energy and mood levels and possibly used to manage addictions.  Previous research as shown that exercise can curb chocolate cravings but not consumption reduction. 

So go ahead and have chocolate ready to eat…that is after you exercise!

The 21 Day Fitness Solution

Hey there,

I’ve been getting a lot of questions asking if I have a fast solution to help with the shrinking of the waist, hips and rear area…
…while there is no quick fix (no matter what infomercials claim) I developed a new 21 Day Rapid Fat Loss Boot Camp that’s right up your alley-if you want fast results.

I have room for five (5) in my NEW 21 Day Rapid Fat Loss Boot Camp that starts Monday, January 9th and the best part is that the 21 Day Boot Camp is even more discounted than DC’s personal training programs to $10 a day and INCLUDE S a 21 Day Meal Plan Program.

The only catch is that this 21 Day Rapid Fat Loss Boot Camp has always filled up quickly.  So, if you’re ready to fit into your skinny jeans again and want to firm and tone your body while dropping inches and pounds, then make sure to register for my 21 Day Rapid Fat Loss Boot Camp.

Now, as you are reading this, you may be asking yourself how this pertains to you when you are not even within driving distance to me in Virginia.  Here's the answer:  All of this can be done on line as I also serve as an on-line personal trainer. 

The only changes are positive:
A-You can start as early as January 1st!  Start your New Year's Resolution on the very first day of the New Year!
B-You can do this in the privacy of your own home or gym. 
C-There's no limit to how many people you will have  joining you in this adventure.
D-We share plans, recipes and ideas via email, text or calls.
E-It works!  You'll be thin!

Let's get started by contacting me via email at femaleandfit@gmail.com.

I am so excited to help you achieve!

Tis' the Season to Relax (Ho Ho Ho)

Tis’ the Season to Relax  Ho…Ho…wait a minute.  Relax?!? Who, me?   I have to buy gifts, decorate the tree, make a guest list for  the work Christmas Party, reserve hotel rooms for incoming family and and…

 

On a more serious note, stress is a vital component for weight gain, poor health and depression.  Stress can cause physiological and psychological issues.  Women can experience several reasons for weight gain.  Here's our normal recipe:

Holiday Recipe for Disaster

Stress + Comfort Foods + Little or No Exercise + Family + Medication = Weight Gain

 

Instead, our psyche needs to be a Holiday Recipe for Success:

Relaxation + Exercise + Proper Nutrition (via portion size) = Weight Stability

Stress Free Holiday Season! Is It Possible?

The Holiday Season can make us feel stressed about work and family responsibilities.  Here are some quick ideas  to reduce your tension. 

Crack Up

Invite over your best girl friends, watch a movie and share a few good laughs. Every time you crack up, increased oxygen levels going into your organs increase, blood flow increases, and stress dissipates. Just thinking about cracking up is enough to lower your stress hormone levels.

Pet Your Dog, Cat (or for that manner, Your Kids)We’ve all heard that pets give unconditional love, but did you know that they are also good for your health?When you pet your dog even for a few minutes, your body releases feel-good hormones like serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin and decreases the amount of the damaging stress hormones that are released. The results are lower blood pressure, less anxiety, and even a boost in immunity.

Clean the ClutterClean House...Clean Mind.  Too much “stuff” can be overwhelming and be a causing factor to stress. Anxiety can occur when you can't find your keys, purse or the checkbook. De-clutter to De-stress.  Undertake the de-cluttering of a drawer, a shelf. A clean space can be satisfying and soothing.   Not to mention the added bonus of de-cluttering is good exercise and can burn more than 250 calories per hour.

Design a Live Bouquet of FlowersThe smell of fresh flowers can make you feel more relaxed. Chemicals from new fresh flowers can help block the release of stress hormones in the brain. You are also creating something beautiful to place as a centerpiece.  Not only pleasing to the nose, but the eyes as well.

Drink Some Orange JuiceThe tart beverage that already may be a regular part of your morning routine could help you in surprising ways. Researchers say vitamin C may help people manage their stress more effectively by lowering levels of stress hormones like cortisol. If orange juice is too acidic for your digestive system, vitamin C-rich foods such as grapefruit juice, strawberries, or sweet red peppers can help boost your immune system.

Tune UpTurn up the radio in the car or ipod, or sing in the shower. No matter how out of tune you are, singing can make you feel happier.  Added benefits of singing-it can be good for your breathing and posture, as well as your heart and immune system.

Walk With a PurposeExercise is a great way to ease stress. It helps your body produce endorphins -- the neurotransmitters in your brain that make you feel good. It also forces you to focus, helping you forget what's making you anxious. Exercising in warm, sunny weather can boost your mood. And if you walk briskly for at least 30 minutes, you'll meet daily exercise recommendations, and ramp up stress-busting benefits even more.  If the weather outside is frightful, walk on the treadmill or elliptical or just bundle up and brave the weather.  You will also burn calories trying to stay warm.

Chew Gum
Chewing gum can do more than freshen your breath. According to research, chewing a stick of gum also seems to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve mental performance during tasks

Shhh...Have SexWhen you're stressed out, getting frisky might be the last thing on your mind. But having sex is actually a great way to relieve tension and ease stress. Sex lowers blood pressure, boosts self-esteem, and increases feelings of intimacy with your partner. It can also help you sleep better, which is a great benefit when you've spent sleepless nights stressing about problems.

My Most Favorite...Take a Deep Breath

No matter where you are, taking a deep whiff of lavender or rosemary can put you into a more relaxed state. Inhaling those aromas can lower your levels of the stress hormone cortisol.  Just the act of breathing deeply is also a stress buster. Deep breathing sends oxygen surging through your bloodstream, helping to calm your entire body.

7 Strategies to Bust Through Thanksgiving Dinner

During the holidays, are you planning to stick even more strictly to your diet? Or, will you abandon your usual healthy ways and head into the new year with a sense of guilt  and extra pounds?

Lets take the middle road together: Enjoy your most coveted seasonal sweets and cuisine in moderation.  Make a few adjustments along the way to heed to the indulgences. Read on for strategies that will make it easy.

Strategy #1:

The Thanksgiving feast is usually the most laden calorie meal during the holidays. But by merely making a change here and there while whipping up those traditional dishes, even this meal can pass as healthy. Choose Preparation Methods that are definitely lower in fat than others.

"Many people don't realize it, but the Thanksgiving table is actually filled with healthy foods. The problem is often how we prepare them," says Karen Ansel, RD, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman. Don’t load them up with butter, cream and gravy. If you want to add those extras, try the fat free, low fat alternative to the heavy stuff.  Don’t want to make you heavy either.

Strategy #2:

If you're eating at someone else's house and have no idea what went into those Thanksgiving favorites your best bet is to help yourself to spoon half size servings. The key is Portion Control  to make sure you don’t eat too much.

Strategy #3:

Don't just look at your plate, EXERCISE!
The holidays are busy so planning is also important so that physical activity doesn't take a back seat. "Staying physically active reinforces your commitment to healthy living so you won't feel as tempted to overindulge," Ansel says.

Strategy #4:

Celebrate the holidays without involving food. Take walks to gather nature to make a table center piece or wreath. There are lots of ways to enhance your holiday celebration without making it all about the food.

Strategy #5:

Avoid everyday hors d’oeuvres and appetizers.  Feast sparingly on “only for Thanksgiving” foods. "Focus on the foods you can only get at Thanksgiving, rather than things you can get all year round," Ansel says. This way, you can still enjoy your favorite holiday-themed foods while keeping calories under control.

Strategy #6:

Fill up on protein and vegetables first.  It takes 3,500 calories to gain a pound.  Chances are that you will not eat that much in one meal, but could possibly in one day. 

Strategy #7:

Listen to Your Body

Listen to your body and you'll know when to say when. Ask yourself during a meal before you eat seconds, “Am I full?”  If the answer is no, drink a glass of water and join in conversations.  After a few minutes, you may realize that in fact, you were full.  Also, slow down your chewing.  No gulping please, that’s just rude. 

It's 2 O'Clock Somewhere

It’s not the sugar!  Research published in Neuron, scientific journal, 11/19/2011 issue, has shown that protein and not sugar activates the cells accountable for keeping us awake and burning calories. This information is like gold. Keep reading…

Energy and alertness even during the 2 o’clock slump rely heavily on orexin cells.  These cells secrete a stimulant, orexin, in the brain.  Reduced activity in the orexin cells can result in narcolepsy and weight gain.

Proteins contain nutrients referred to as amino acids found in protein products such as egg whites.  Proteins-amino acids arouse orexin neurons.  Electrical impulses emitted by orexin stimulate alertness and inform the body to burn calories.  In contrast, sugar-glucose has been found to block orexin cells, causing after-meal sleepiness. 

What is the link between proteins and sugars?  Aminio acids stop glucose from blocking orexin cells.  In other words, protein “kills” negative effects of sugar.  Protein laden meals make one less sleepy and more alert than carbohydrate meals.

I find it amazing that we can establish the activity level of select brain cells by deciding on which foods we will eat.  In essence, we determine our own alertness and energy levels. 

More research needs to be done to decide how diet affects sleep and obesity.  If given a choice of a bagel with jam or egg whites, choose the egg whites.  The protein will tell the body to burn more calories.  Feel the burn!

No, It's Not A Blessing.....

In 2008, the CDC stated that 34% of North American adults age 20 years and over were obese and 34% were overweight (and not obese).  People that means 68% of the adults age 20 years and over are overweight and risking their health not to mention a “happy” lifestyle.  Most alarming is that 18% of adolescents ages 12-19 year, 20% of children ages 6-11 years and 10% of children age 2-5 years old are obese!  These are our kids that we are raising to be obese.  If I may be brutally honest, are we setting up our kids to lead a life full of diseases caused by obesity? Not able to live a happy healthy life?  Are we causing them to be on medication the rest of their lives?  Do we set them up for failure? to be the butt of jokes? social ostracism?  Do we cause them to have Type II Diabetes?

No, it is not God’s blessing that your child can’t play or jump or swim. It is not God’s blessing that your child snores in his sleep. It is not God’s blessing that your child will probably have a heart attack soon.  You, my parent, need to do something and fast.

The way Americans eat is known around the world as the “North American” Diet with the end result not being the satisfaction of experiencing tantalizing tastes but the sure bet of becoming obesely unhealthy. 

Recently, I’ve had the blessing to be able to travel to the Middle East and Europe.  I love to indulge in their cultures.  I noticed that their diets are high in fat.  That is nutrient dense fat such as olive oil. The way food is prepared is not always fried as in our North American Diet.  The foods are prepared either raw or baked.  I do want to warn you that eating raw foods can be dangerous as bacteria housed in raw foods can cause sickness.  During my last trip to Morocco, I was pleased to see that desserts were always made of fruit!  Not fruit in pies or pastries, but as a fruit plate.  I was impressed that whole fruits such as oranges, bananas, apples, and grapes were brought out to end the meal.  Wow!  Impressive. 

I Hate to Exercise!!!

Sound familiar?  Have you heard that before? or Are you the one who is shouting this?  All the excuses can be pinpointed to one source, “Internal Motivators”.

What are Internal Motivators? Internal is defined as “situated inside”.   By inside, I mean within your mind.  I often communicate with my clients that in order to achieve a goal, that goal has to be owned by you.  You have to want it not just for one day but throughout the entire goal achieving process.  My role in goal setting, as a personal trainer, is to help with the process of setting realistic goals followed by mastering those goals and then reaching  for the next goal on the ladder of success.  I remember when my late husband would lovingly communicate with me that my breakfast consisting of a diet coke and M&M’s was not good by any means for any reason.  I didn’t care.  My breakfast tasted so yummy.  My “Ah Hah” moment took place when I saw myself in the mirror and thought, “Oh My Head!  Is that really you standing in the mirror?  You say you want to lose weight and get in shape, but look at you.  What caused you to be in such a state?”  As I stood there disgusted with what I’ve let myself turn into, I did a quick inventory of what led to this.  I realized that my actions did not line up with my wants.  I had started each day with failure.  I quickly spiraled further away from what I wanted to be.  I decided at that moment to begin my day with success and strive to be successful in everything I did throughout the day!  I don’t drink diet colas and eat M&M’s for breakfast any more.  I know both still taste delicious.    

Motivator is an incentive, a move to action, and is always positive.  This is why I urge my clients to set small goals while focusing on the big picture.  Again, my job is to guide my clients in setting realistic goals.  If these are not achieved, I ask my clients to ponder why not?  What can they change to meet those goals?  Most importantly, I ask, “Are you really going to change to meet those goals?”  Forgiveness is an imperative part in goal setting.  For example, if you miss a workout on Monday that doesn’t mean your whole week is shot.  Forgive yourself! Forget it! Start over!  You get a new chance!  Tomorrow…

 Internal Motivators: 

Stop thinking of exercise as a chore.  Think of the small achievable goals.  Celebrate the goals you have accomplished.  Success is a pleasant experience.

Exercise can be a pleasant experience.  Do something you like.  Take a brisk walk or run with the dog.  Play with your kids at the park.  Listen to audible books on your iPod while walking or ellipticalling or treadmilling.  Go dancing.  Hire a personal trainer, like me, who encourages and motivates you to attain.

Plan how to fit exercise into already busy schedule such as make it an appointment in your calendar.  Exercise while watching TV.  Make commercials useful, do crunches, push ups, leg raises, etc. during commercials.  Park in a space further away from the office building door, grocery store, mall and so on.

Recognize that exercise isn’t just learning how to use your body to perform a swing or swim a lap, it also entails learning how to use your mind to drive yourself into action and continue to equate yourself as someone whose identity is connected with exercise.

No Excuses!  Just Results!

Best Ways to Control Sugar Cravings!

I have incorporated and still use the following best practices to "control" my sugar cravings:

#1-Plan, plan and plan. Eat what you intend to eat instead of eating when you're desperate to eat.
#2-Know what you're eating. Learn how to read and understand food labels.
#3-Get support. Many people turn to sweet foods when they're stressed, depressed, or angry. Food doesn't solve emotional issues. Consider whether emotions are involved in your sugar cravings and whether you need help to find other solutions to those emotional problems.
#4-Mix it up. You may need more than one strategy to detour sugar cravings. One week you may find success with one tactic, and another week calls for an alternative approach. For lack of a better phrase, “have a ‘bag of tricks’ to try”. Figure out what works for you.
#5-Go easy on yourself. It may take time to get a handle on your sugar cravings. It’s difficult to shift into a new lifestyle.
#6-Reward yourself . I reward myself once a week with a special "cheat meal".

As I read over the above ways to control sugar cravings, I realize that I can help you. As a personal trainer and nutritional specialist, and most importantly, a female...I understand what going through the sugar cravings feels like. I know how emotional I can be and eating sugars tastes so yummy at the time and then regret my action afterwards. Let me help you control sugar cravings, I'd love to help.