Which is Better, Weight Loss or Inch Loss?

The University of Maryland Medical Center calculates that you can expect to lose 1-1.5 lbs a week safely, that's 6 lbs a month (18 lbs for 3 months).  Realistically speaking, weight loss at this pace can be discouraging but more important it is sustainable!

You can actually lose absolutely no weight and lose inches. The way you do this is to eat enough, lift heavy weights so you are gaining some muscle mass.

The reason this works is muscle is more dense than fat. So, if you are losing fat and exercising you are exchanging some fat for some muscle. You might not lose a lot of weight but you are losing inches that way.

Muscle is more compact than fat, therefore you can lose inches more quickly than weight.  The results you would expect to see are loss in clothes’ size. 

Remember, at the beginning of any weight loss/nutrition/exercise program, you can see dramatic weight loss (mostly due to water loss) which will later plateau as your body goes into “starvation” mode.  This will subside and your weight loss/inch loss will be back on track. 

Burn the calories in exercise and control your diet to use the fat stored there. Your body adapts slowly, it fights against change! Give yourself 4-6 weeks for REAL change to happen. That should be about 10 pounds.

To lose as many inches as possible, you need to incorporate weight lifting with your cardio exercise. You can even burn up to 30 percent more calories when combining weight lifting and cardio circuit training into one workout, according to the "Fitness Magazine" website.   Female & Fit incorporates resistance, cardio, and high intensity interval training into each workout for maximum caloric burn during and after the workout!

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

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!

Coffee...It's a Food Group!!!

Donald Hensrud, chair of preventive, occupational and aerospace medicine at the Mayo Clinic expresses that people have preconceived ideas about different foods, and the common perception about coffee drinking is that it’s bad for you. But for most people, the benefits outweigh the risks.

Studying coffee’s health effects is tricky because coffee comes in so many forms and strengths. The volume is not the issue.  The strength of the potent brown liquid is determined by the amount of caffeine in coffee.

Here are some of the benefits of coffee:

• Might help protect against heart arrhythmia, stroke and depression in women, and basal cell carcinoma
• Contains hundreds of antioxidants. Coffee is the main source of antioxidants for some coffee lovers.
• Improved cognition and alertness
• Decrease in depression risk & suicide risk
• Can potentially reduce the risk of liver disease.

So, go ahead and take advantage of your java with all of its health benefits!

However, as much as I crave a cup of joe, I have to consume sparingly because it sometimes produces acid reflux. Other side effects can include heart palpitations, indigestion, insomnia, and urinary tract problems in men. A side note; coffee doesn’t appear to increase blood pressure over the long haul, among people who don’t drink it often, it can cause blood pressure to spike temporarily. If you add cream and sugar to your coffee, your coffee habit could lead to weight gain.  So the old saying goes, “All things in moderation.”

National Coffee Drinking Trends Study,The National Coffee Association of U.S.A. Inc., 2011

Jennifer LaRue Huget, Eat, Drink & Be Healthy Columnist, 11/15/2011

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!

Top 10 Tidbits to Tiny

Making tiny changes can make an enormous difference
By Lisa Hines
 

Weight control is all about making small changes that can empower you for life.  As you integrate these tiny modifications into your daily routine, you will begin to see how they can add up weight loss. Here are 10 Tidbits to help you to tiny:

1. Asses your eating habits. Are you a late night eater, nibbler while cooking, finisher what’s not eaten at the table, grazer throughout the day?  Identify a few behaviors you can change one step at a time which will result in big calorie cutbacks.

2. If you fail to plan, plan to fail. This old cliché definitely stands true even to your healthy eating habits.  Plan a strategy for your meals and snacks. Pack healthy snacks for the times of day that you know you are typically hungry and can easily drift from your eating plan.

3. Shop with a full tummy. It's a recipe for disaster grocery shopping while hungry. Shop from a prepared list so impulse buying is kept to a minimum. Eating right starts with stocking healthy food in your kitchen. 

4. Eat regular meals. Determine the frequency of your meals that works best in your life.  Regular meals help prevent bingeing.

5. Prevent mindless eating by sitting down at a table and from a plate.  Consuming food from packages or while standing becomes mechanical, usually eating more than intended.  Enjoy your meals!

6. Serve food onto individual plates.  Food serving bowls on the table plead to be eaten only overcome by incredible will power. It takes about 20 minutes for your mind to get the signal from your stomach that you are full.

7. Eat slowly, chew every bite, and relish the taste of the food.  Rest your eating utensil between bites and drinking plenty of water with your meals.

8. Don't eat after dinner. This is one of the biggest contributions to adding calories.  Satisfy your hunger with a non-caloric beverage or a piece of hard candy. Brushing your teeth after dinner can help reduce the temptation to eat again.

9. If you snack during the day, treat the snack like a mini-meal. The most nutritious snacks contain complex carbohydrates, fat and protein.

10. It’s the most important meal of the day.  After a long night's rest, your body needs the fuel to get your metabolism and energy revved up.

Do We Really Need Willpower to Lose Weight?

Dieters may not need as much willpower, if they make simple changes in their surroundings that can result in eating healthier without a second thought, said a consumer psychologist at the American Psychological Association’s 119th Annual Convention.

“Our homes are filled with hidden eating traps,” said Brian Wansink, PhD,, who presented his findings and strategies for a healthier lifestyle in a plenary address entitled “Modifying the Food Environment: From Mindless Eating to Mindlessly Eating Better.”

“Most of us have too much chaos going on in our lives to consciously focus on every bite we eat, and then ask ourselves if we’re full. The secret is to change your environment so it works for you rather than against you,” Wansink said

For example,

Wansink’s study of 168 moviegoers, who ate either fresh or stale popcorn from different size containers. People ate 45 percent more fresh popcorn from extra-large containers than large ones and the people who were eating stale popcorn ate 34 percent more from the extra-large buckets than people eating fresh popcorn, according to the study.

They just don’t realize they’re doing it,” said Wansink. This strategy also applies to what we drink. His research found that people pour about 37 percent more liquid in short, wide glasses than in tall, skinny ones of the same volume.

Even a kid’s cereal bowl can be a trap, according to Wansink. One study showed children of different weights who were given a 16 ounce bowl were more likely to serve themselves twice as much cereal than children given an 8 ounce bowl.

Another myth, according to Wansink, is that people know when they are full and stop before they overeat. His Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University tested this by designing a “bottomless bowl.” They brought in 60 people for a free lunch and gave 22 ounce bowls of soup to half, while the other half unknowingly got 22 ounce bowls that were pressure-fed under the table and slowly refilled. The results: people with bottomless bowls ate 73 percent more than those with normal bowls, yet when asked, they didn’t realize they had eaten more. “The lesson is, don’t rely on your stomach to tell you when you’re full. It can lie,” Wansink said.

Simply being aware of such findings can help people make healthier choices, especially those who are already trying to eat healthier foods, according to Wansink. One of his studies showed that people lost up to two pounds a month after making several simple changes in their environment, including:

* eating off salad plates instead of large dinner plates.
* keeping unhealthy foods out of immediate line of sight and moving healthier foods to eye-level in the cupboard and refrigerator.
* eating in the kitchen or dining room, not in front of the television.

“These simple strategies are far more likely to succeed than willpower alone. It’s easier to change your environment than to change your mind,” Wansink concluded.

The Total Diet (Nutrition) Approach

Here are some simple guidelines to approaching a nutrition plan:

• Eat the right number of calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.  (1200-1800 calories per day)
• Go for foods that are rich in nutrients.  (Super Foods)
• Balance the food choices with a lifestyle of regular physical activity.  (Train with Lisa two or three times a week...cardio on your own or with a friend 4-5 hours a week.)
• Keep portion sizes within check to help maintain a healthy weight. (Complex carbs cupped palm size, protein palm size, simple carbs less than palm size, fats/oils two finger digits)
• Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, lean meat, omega rich seafood (8 ounces/week), nuts, beans and healthy fats.
• Eat less refined grains, sugar, salt (sodium), trans fats, cholesterol and saturated fats.
• Avoid solid fats (SoFAS) and added sugars.
• Examples of solid fats include butter, lard, hydrogenated oils, animal fats and coconut oil. Added sugars include all kinds of sweeteners from sucrose to agave.

• Eat less overly processed foods and refined grains, especially those with added sugars and solid fats, as they tend to contain higher amounts of sodium, added sugars and solid fats like those found in cakes, cookies, pastries, crackers and more.
• Hold the salt – Many experts say we consume way too much salt or sodium, which is a risk factor for chronic diseases like hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Making healthier decisions will be easy if you use the simple plate method to make sure half your plate is covered with fruits and vegetables, one quarter with grains (at least half of them whole grains), and the last quarter with lean protein (animal sources or plant proteins from nuts, legumes, tofu). Complement the plate with a source of fat free or low fat dairy.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!

*WebMED, 2011