Slim People in Progress

Discover The "Better Than" Food Plan For Weight Loss

So many of us have tried and failed at weight loss. I know in the past when I have tried to lose weight, it often backfired. Yep, I would actually gain weight while trying to lose it. Nothing feels more defeating than that, let me tell you.

I finally figured out that dieting simply doesn’t work. Then I started wondering why. Being a nutritionist and weight loss expert, as well as a wellness coach led me to some pretty interesting answers.

* Deprivation leads to bingeing
* Calorie restriction leads to a sluggish metabolism, followed by weight gain
* Artificial sweeteners lead to excessive hunger
* Over-exercising results in inflammation and weight gain.
* Cutting out entire food groups (grains or fats usually) causes nutrient deficiencies and cravings

When you have a diet plan that asks you to restrict your calories, you feel deprived. If you are rebellious, like I am, when someone tells me I can’t have something I want it even more!

Over Estimate, Under Estimate

I've been told, I've read and I've experienced it.

We tend to over estimate the amount of exercise we do and the number of calories we burn,  and we underestimate how much food we eat and calories we consume.

I know when I don't weigh and meaure my food, I eat too much. When I don't use my Garmin GPS on a run, I give myself a little more credit than I actually should.

I tested it today. Since I'm tracking everything while on The Biggest Loser Club program, I write down the 9 minute walk to the gym. I've been estimating that I walk a 13-14 minute mile. Hah!

I put on my Garmin and I hustled on my walk. It was actually just under 9 minutes and my pace was 15.28 min/mile. That's 48 calories burned. At least now I know and won't overestimate calories again.

How about you? Where do you fall in this spectrum...over estimate exercise or under estimate food consumption or both?

Grade Your Food with the Fooducate iPhone App

Does your favorite cereal get an A or a C-? Now you can find out with a new iPhone app called Fooducate.  Scan the barcode on a packaged food and based on the ingredients you'll get back a grade on how good that food is for you, as well as suggestions for better products.

Here's the article in the L.A. Times that was brought to my attention by Pilates Studio City (my fave Pilates studio for the past 7 years!) Be sure to watch the video on the Fooducate blog - it's cute.

Not that you can't read the label for yourself, but it is a fast way to get an analysis of what all that gobbledygook means on the label. Wish they had an app for Android phones.

Can Being Organized Help You Lose Weight?

Recently I read a truly inspiring blog post by Stephanie Calahan, one of my former clients who is a professional organizer. I asked her permission to share it with you as it may motivate you to start or continue your journey to better health, fitness and weight loss (and don't miss the before and after picture near the end!)...

Getting Organized Helped Me Find Health and Lose 65+ Pounds
A guest post from Stephanie Calahan

Back in 2008 I was miserable.  I suffered from migraine attacks as well as asthma attacks that would frequently land me in the hospital, not to mention numerous other health issues.  It seemed that no matter what I did, my weight continued to skyrocket up the scale.  I was doing exactly as the doctors instructed and nothing was working.  In fact, I had spent the last 7 years doing the same things and getting no where.

I Decided to Change

Wait…. Isn’t there a famous phrase that says something like “if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always gotten?”  That was me when it came to my health.  I was able to help my clients through major change, but could not figure it out for myself.  I decided it was time for something new.  I decided to hold myself accountable to the change that I wanted to see.  I wanted to live not just merely exist!

Organizing the Metamorphosis

 In order to make this change happen, I had to get my mind and my space organized.  It was time to de-clutter my health and mind!  Here is the short list of what I did.

Seven Easy Ways to Drink More Water For Weight Loss

I'm pleased to bring you this guest post by Sandra Ahten from ReasonableDiet.com...

Seven Easy Ways to Drink More Water For Weight Loss

There are many benefits of drinking water to lose weight and many ways to get used to drinking more water.  According to Dr. Donald Robertson, M.D., M.Sc, here are some really important facts about drinking more water to lose weight:

"Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits. Here's why: The kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When the kidneys don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. If the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it can't operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat, more fat remains stored in the body, and weight loss stops."

Seven great ideas for drinking more water to lose weight