Two Words Peeps: WEIGHT LIFTING

If you want to burn fat, boost your metabolism, and sculpt/tone any part of your body, it’s imperative you do some strength training. And I don’t mean using some “two-pound-my-bra-weighs-more-than-your-dumbells” kind of weight lifting. I want you to push yourselves outside the “heavier weights = bulkier frame” mindset. I’ve been following the ChaLean Extreme (www.beachbody.com) program for a couple of weeks (three mornings per week, approximately 30-45 minutes each set) and I’ve seen metamorphisizing results already. My cousins Sunny and Mandy are currently in different cycles of P90X (www.beachbody.com) which I have followed in the past and let me tell you, it produces the same results.

Muscle truly does burn fat! It was hard for me mentally to imagine that lifting 20-30 pounds for each exercise wasn’t going to turn me into She-looks-like-a-He-Man and it was physically hard for me to lift that much weight but the goal is to exhaust your muscles after only 6-8 reps. And it works! My foopa/apron/tube of biscuits belly is actually starting to shrink, yeehaw!

But get real. If you haven’t worked out other than getting off the couch to change the TV channel because the batteries in your remote went dead, please don’t plunge into this intense kind of workout program. Exercise is something you want to ease into, make small commitments and stick with them, then up your anty by adding more days per week, more challenging routines, and heavier weights.

I know from personal experience that you have to keep “tricking” your body by doing different things to see results. If you run all the time (which is of course a great way to exercise), you occasionally need to break that cycle and try a group fitness class or workout DVD at home. Same goes for group fitness (which is my personal choice for a cardio workout………..running is something I truly try to avoid unless I’m being chased). However, I occasionally run stairs or run on the beach (easier on the left knee) giving that dreaded exercise “plateau” a big ol’ kick in the face! ARRRGGGGHHH! (That was my Pirate yell, hahaha).

So what are y’all waiting for? Get moving and lifting, and don’t forget to shake that booty!

THE SKINNY ON: FAT- UNDERCOVER

(He give a smashing performance and wears a first-class disguise! I'm portraying fat as a he because I cannot fathom it being a female...why would we terrorize/victimize ourselves in such a fashion. Nope it's a deceptive male...but not all fats, like men, are bad ;-)

Ever hear the term FAT-FREE, LOW-FAT, LIGHT, REDUCED FAT, 1/2 THE FAT, 1/3 THE FAT, 99% FAT-FREE, 99.9% FAT-FREE (seriously, who are you fooling with the 0.01%?), NONFAT, DIET, LOW SUGAR, REDUCED SUGAR, NO SUGAR (and the list goes on AND on). If so you're definitely standing under the umbrella of dupery (so I made that word up but I used the root word of dupe; an easily deceived person; person who functions as the tool of another person or power).

All of these terms were created by food companies for one major purpose: to SELL their product! Approximately 200 million Americans, including our children, are overweight. In 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services estimated the overall annual economic costs of obesity in the US to be $117 billion and that was 9 years ago. So, you can do the inflation math. Americans spend an estimated $40 billion per year on diet-related products alone. Guess who literally wants a piece of that money pie? Everyone in the "weight loss" business; fitness companies, food companies, pharmaceutical companies, etc. So that's why the rest of us have to become educated about the choices we make about what to put in our bodies. This is the only body we're given. We've got on shot to use and maintain it.

The truth? Most fat-free or low-fat foods are high in processed sugars, dangerous artificial sweeteners, low in fiber, and contain MSG. As you eat these processed foods, the acid in your stomach dissolves them very quickly.

It's like trying to fill a sink that has no stopper! The MSG causes insulin production so you are hungry an hour later, making healthy weight loss very difficult (if not impossible).

The result? You consume excess calories and your body stores them as fat.

Many people consume larger quantities of low-fat or nonfat foods than they do of regular foods, thinking they will break even, which they do not. Or, they rationalize that because they're eating some low fat or nonfat foods, they can eat larger servings of foods that are not low in fat. Focus on adding more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet. These foods are good for you, are essentially fat-free, and because of their fiber have a high level of satiety.

"The bottom line, according to Frechman: Don't put too much faith in products labeled fat-free at the expense of making smarter decisions about portion size, your overall diet, and the amount of exercise you get, which are the real keys to a healthy weight." : Frechman, Ruth, M.A., R.D., dietitian in Los Angeles; spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association

One of the Answers

Truthfully anyone can lose weight and many do. However, a much smaller percentage of people lose and keep off the weight for good. When you eat fewer calories than you burn you will lose weight. Following any eating plan that reduces your calories will result in weight loss.

Keeping weight off however requires more than calorie cutting; it requires changing your behavior. You can throw all the money you have at weight loss, but you will not have permanent weight loss unless you change and strengthen the organ between your ears.

Your brain is the most important body part in your weight loss efforts. With any addiction, if you simply take away the object of addiction you have not solved the problem. A drug addict is not cured simply by going through detox. An alcoholic is not cured by being deprived of alcohol. Taking food away will cause temporary weight loss but lasting change requires a change in the way you think about food.

My cousins and I and many others are living proof that when you change your mind about weight loss you are on the way to lasting behavior change and a healthy lifestyle. I'm not saying it's not going to be tough or challenging or that you won't have bad days, but it is possible to achieve permanent success. Look at Mandy's story...rock on couz, rock on!

Resources:
http://www.meriter.com/
http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/eating-organic-and-whole-foods-will-help-you-lose-weight-458857.html