5:30am  Train Cyndi  6:30am  Early morning jog with my husband to watch the sunrise.  8am  Go to my parents house for coffee, conversation, and my dad’s amazing breakfast tacos (my hubs, mom, dad, & two brothers would be there)  10am  Go to a park pavillion, where I would teach my favorite group fitness workout classes, back-to-back: kettlebell, Bootcamp, Cycling, Yogaburn, and finish with Step Aerobics.  We would be outdoors, with a steady breeze cooling us off while a stellar DJ keeps the best cardio jams pumping.  You would all be there.  We’d gather for a fantastic sweatfest followed by hugs, laughs, and stories.  2pm  Hello, WINE!  I would love to share some great wine and good food with friends and family over an afternoon picnic with great live music.  6pm  Long walk in the country, hand-in-hand, with my husband and Kokomo (our Great Dane)  7pm  Small dinner with family  9pm  Prayer, reflection, and gratitude  10pm Go to sleep in my husband’s embrace

To me, this would be the perfect day.  When thinking about it, I realized just how little the things I love have to do with material possessions, but how much my love stems from relationships and fitness (okay, and a little wine).  As an entrepreneur, sometimes, the road gets tough… so tough that I wonder, should I be doing something else?  Entrepreneurs have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable; that is far easier said than done.   It’s questions like these (what would you do if it was your last day on earth) that really  make you consider what really matters to you.  I cannot imagine loving any other job as much as I love teaching group fitness classes, personal training, and inspiring the masses to fitness!  I have conviction that I am spending my days doing what I was put on this earth to do, and that fills my heart with joy- even if it doesn’t always fill my bank account with green and gold! If what you spend your day-to-day doing is not on the last-day-of-your-life itinerary, perhaps you need a game changer.  For where your heart is, there your treasure will be, also.

Carbohydrates get a bad wrap, but carbs are not the enemy.  All fruit and vegetables are carbs.  These are the very foods that you want to load up on to LOSE weight!  Fruit and non-starchy vegetables plus lots of water are your very best bet for losing weight and ridding your body of free radicals.  They are low-calorie and full of fiber!  If you go to a restaurant and see “low carb” option listed by a meal that features lots of vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, onions, and asparagus, you can notify your server that their classification is inaccurate and makes no sense.  Starches are carbohydrates, but carbohydrates are not always starches.

Starchy vegetables contain 80-120 calories per half cup serving, compared to 25-calories per half cup serving of non-starchy vegetables.

To lose weight, a good rule of thumb is to eat lots of non-starchy vegetables and an adequate amount of fresh fruit (use the 2:1 rule: two non-starchy veggies per 1 fruit).  Eat these foods with every meal and snack.

Limit starchy vegetables to no more than 2-cups per day.  Starches include bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, beans (except green beans), peas, and corn.

When you, Lance, and I decide to start training for an endurance bike ride, like the Tour de France, we can eat starchy vegetables to our heart’s content.  However, if our workouts just consist of <60-minute bouts of exercise, we don’t need much starch for fuel.  If weight loss is your goal, vindicate carbs!  Carbs in the form of non-starchy vegetables and fruit are EXCELLENT for weight loss!

Eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables every day, but limit starches to no more than 2-cups.

POWER GULP for iron, healthy blood cell and muscle function; more than a daily serving of Vitamin K (for blood and bone health)

1 c sliced kale (from 2-3 large leaves)

1 c seedless green grapes

1 English cucumber

1 Granny Smith apple, cored

1/2 c water

Blend all ingredients.  Makes 2 cups.  Refrigerate up to 2 days (shake before serving)

Serving Size: 1 cup  Calories 110; Fat 0.6g (sat 0.1g, mono 0g, poly 0.2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 3g; Carbs 27g; Sugars 18g; Fiber 3g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 19mg; Calcium 77mg

POST-WORKOUT REFUELER  For muscle repair and potassium to balance your electrolytes and fluids.

2 medium oranges, peeled

1/4 c. whole, raw almonds

1 small sweet potato, raw, scrubbed, and coarsely chopped

1 medium apple, cored

1/2 c. water

Blend all ingredients.  Makes 2 cups.  Refrigerate up to 2 days (shake before serving)

Serving Size: 1 cup  Calories 231; Fat 9.1g (sat 0.7g, mono 5.6g, poly 2.2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 6g; Carbs 36g; Sugars 20g; Fiber 7g; Iron img; Sodium 24mg; Calcium 106mg

DETOX  For high-fiber- to move things through the digestive tract.  Ginger will help to calm the stomach.

2 t. fresh ginger, peeled & chopped

1 medium beet, raw, scrubbed, and coarsely chopped

4 medium carrots

1 medium apple, cored

1 c. water

Blend all ingredients.  Makes 2 cups.  Refrigerate up to 2 days (shake before serving)

Serving Size: 1 cup  Calories 155; Fat 0.7g (sat 0.1g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 3g; Carbs 37g; Sugars 25g; Fiber 8g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 168 mg; Calcium 62mg

TOTAL HEALTH BOOSTER  For vitamins A, B, C, and E.  Lutein + Vit A & C= strong bones and healthy skin.

1 medium apple, cored

2 medium soft pears

1/2 c fresh cherries, pits removed

Blend all ingredients.  Makes 2 cups.  Refrigerate up to 2 days (shake before serving).

Serving Size:  1 cup  Calories 192; Fat 0.4g (sat 0g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 1g; Carbs 51g; Sugars 35g; Fiber 8g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 2mg; Calcium 29mg

If you are using your shake as a meal replacement, you may add 1c ice, 1/2 c low-fat (& <12g sugar per half cup) yogurt, and 1 medium peeled banana with 1c of any of the juice from the shakes listed.  That will convert your shake into a smoothie!  Just as a snack, the shakes alone should suffice.

With the limited research on forskolin for weight loss, or even the effectiveness of forskolin taken orally, period, it’s too soon to say, but the claims may hold merit.  Only one of the studies referenced above was subject to peer review and published in a medical journal.  One was conducted on six individuals with 50mg per day.  It did show significant fat loss in all of the six subjects, but caution is suggested because this study was partially funded by a company that holds a patent on a forskolin product.  Until more clinical studies have been published in medical journals with similar findings, we won’t know whether this supplement should be among our “101 Legit Ways to Lose Weight.”  The hypothesis is that forskolin may increase activation of lipase (an enzyme that the body uses to break down fat) and thus improve fat oxidation.  Exactly what the optimal dosage is or would be is yet to be determined.  Critics argue that even if this root could improve fat metabolism, there is insufficient evidence that it is effective in pill form.

We wouldn’t suggest snagging a bottle of this off of the shelf at your nearest GNC just yet.  There are possibly unsafe side effects, due to the vasodilator properties.  It carries a warning by cancer researchers that it may have a role in causing cyst enlargement in women with polycystic kidney disease.  Forskolin for fat loss will be under investigation in the months and years ahead.  Keep this one on your radar, as it may be among the weight loss supplements of the future.  Maybe.

The diet and nutrition page provides a complete list of sub-pages.  Some that may be especially beneficial for people aspiring to lose weight are: “Dietary Guidelines,” “Progressive Eating Goals,” and “Rationale.”  ”Develop a Diet” may help you learn how to eat in such a way that you can sustain your weight loss, long term.  It is a way of eating that can become a way of life; this is not intended to be a “diet” in the restrictive sense.

“Foods for Fat Loss” lists certain foods that may rev up fat metabolism, and it documents the research studies that have supported the claim.  However, just because studies have been done that support the notion that a certain food or beverage boosts fat metabolism doesn’t mean that the claim is true or the date complete.  (exrx.net does a great job in listing the items on this page as “foods that MAY aid in fat loss”).  For instance, one of the things listed on that page is that drinking cold water may help you burn more calories, because of water-induced thermogenesis (your body having to warm the liquid to room temp).  The post referenced a large study that supported the fat-burning claim of drinking cold water because it requires roughly 24 calories to raise the temperature of a cold glass of water from 22 to 37 degrees Celsius in the body.  Although that is true, the nominal amount energy expended during thermogenesis is not believed to be substantial enough to consider cold water a fat-blasting miracle maker.  http://www.chow.com/food-news/54270/does-drinking-ice-water-burn-calories/  Be diligent about looking up the studies referenced and do your own research to see what else you can find on it.  After gathering all the information you can, decide for yourself if it’s worth a good ole college try.

www.exrx.net is an informative website that contains plenty of useful information for anyone interested in furthering their knowledge of fitness, health, and wellness.  We find it practical enough to consider Exercise Prescription on the Net worthy of #16 on our 101 Legit Ways to Lose Weight countdown.

We are spooked by big obstacles.  The right brain will quickly send messages as to why the new plan of eating well and exercising cannot work.  However, small, practical changes are hurdles that are confidently crossed.  Just try to direct the small change at your biggest limiting factor.  For example, if your biggest dietary pitfall is that you drink 5 Dr. Pepper’s a day, don’t try to stop drinking soda, altogether.  Doing so would be like trying to leap over a mountain.  Turn that mountain into a tiny hurdle by dropping your DP consumption to 3 Dr. Pepper’s and 1 Diet Dr. Pepper.  Over time, based on your confidence, you can decrease your number of sodas per day and add more water.  In the beginning, start with small, manageable changes that barely affect your lifestyle. The next week, if you feel 90-100% confident that you can take another step, take another victorious stride.  The challenges will feel smaller, your confidence will feel bigger.

Apply this plan of small, manageable changes to whatever your biggest dietary pitfall may be.  If exercise is your stumbling block, try to allot time for two 10-minute sessions per day, as opposed to one long session.  Increase your intensity and duration over time, without rushing yourself to progress.  By shrinking the change, you grow your potential for long-term success.

This is the conflict between client and trainer.  The client comes to the personal trainer because he is overweight, under-trained, and not-so-fit.  He believes that he would like to look or feel differently; hiring a professional seems like the logical step.  The trainer no sooner says “it’s nice to meet you” before he starts constructing a program and a “do this/don’t do that” list of nutritional guidelines.  The client, who had been convinced that he wanted to change starts having second thoughts. It’s not that he wants to keep his lousy physique- he doesn’t- but it seems like a better option than taking orders.  He truly does want to get leaner, fitter, and healthier, but he wants it on his own terms.

The drive for autonomy is so strong that it triggers a deeply wired response to being told what to do- resist, Rebel, RETREAT!  This spontaneous aversion is magnified when it’s a “know-it-all” expert who doesn’t fully empathize, appreciate, or know what it’s like to walk in the client’s shoes.  As a professional personal trainer, trust me on this: a trainer that begins forming a program and action plan without getting to know a client really does have the best of intentions.  The client’s inventory form tells her what’s wrong and she knows what can make it right.  She skips steps of counseling, because she’s in “go” mode and doesn’t want to waste any time getting the client from point A to point B.  But she misses the point- she doesn’t know HIM.

A professional personal trainer, certified through a nationally accredited organization, such as ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine- the gold standard for training the general population), ACE (American Council on Exercise), NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association- the gold standard for training athletes), or NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), can help you reach your health and fitness goals.  But, your trainer doesn’t know you from Adam right off the bat.  Realize, too, that you don’t know your trainer, either.  If she seems judgmental, bossy, or out-of-touch, you may be misinterpreting her behavior.  Initially, you are both strangers to each other.  If you are proactive in helping her understand you, your likes, desires, how you like to be motivated, what you enjoy about your current lifestyle, things in your current lifestyle that you are reluctant to abruptly change, and your short and long term goals, you enable your trainer to work with you on mutually developing a training program.  If she gives you know-it-all attitude and/or refuses to listen to you, you should find a different trainer.  Hiring the right trainer (for you) and equipping her with this unique information about yourself may enable her to customize a program to your liking, and allow YOU to lose weight without losing your autonomy.

Salt is an essential mineral in the body.  It helps balance blood sugar, aids in cell functions, helps the intestines to absorb nutrients, and regulates fluid/electrolyte balance.  Too much sodium, however, results in problems- including weight gain.

Water and salt are supposed to work together.  Water should absorb excess sodium and flushes it out of the body.  But when you shove too much salt down your pie hole, the intended symbiotic relationship between sodium and water is sabotaged.  Too much sodium in the diet can lead to water weight gain (+/- 4-pounds), high blood pressure, and kidney and digestive problems.

We all have different sensitivities to salt, but the American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.  People who are very sensitive to salt should consume far less than this.  The worst salt offenders are: bread, cold cuts, pizza, and canned soups, says new research from the Center for Disease Control.  Avoiding processed, packaged foods, and fast food is a great way to cut a significant amount of sodium from your diet.  Pay attention to food labels, too!  If you eat mostly whole, natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, you should not have a problem with consuming too much salt.  Regular daily cardiovascular exercise and drinking plenty of water also help to flush excess salt out of the system and remove toxins.

According to Jenna Bergen, Fitness Editor for Prevention Magazine, when Prevention Magazine does studies to test workouts prior to publication, they and recruit subjects to adhere to the workout regime and a 1,600 calorie diet.  The biggest determinant of weight loss success, regardless of the workout being tested, has been sodium intake.

It is true that an analysis of 167 studies found that people who reduced sodium saw their total cholesterol increase.  Don’t let that incomplete information inspire you to reach for the nearest salt shaker.  The reason for the rise was an increase in HDL cholesterol, which is “good” cholesterol.  None of the studies found any rise in LDL cholesterol (lousy cholesterol) because of reduced sodium in the diet.  All of the studies found reduction in blood pressure, which translates to better heart health.

As much as you may enjoy a salty treat now and again (or every meal), you are sabotaging your battle against the bulge by indulging.  If you start to taper down your salt intake, you’ll find that with time, you crave salt less.  Try seasoning your food with lemon juice, spices, and fresh herbs.  Even though salt has zero calories, it has colossal impact on your health and weight.  To open the latchkey to a thinner, healthier, less bloated YOU, close the habit of overindulging on salt.

DEPRESSION
SSRIs, such as Paxil, Pexeva, and Celexa may cause weight gain. Some researchers believe that SSRI-style drugs increase appetite. Antidepressants that affect dopamine, such as Wellbutrin and Aplenzin, may actually reduce hunger.

INSOMNIA
OTC sleep aids Sominex, Unizom, and Nytol may cause weight gain if taken regularly. Occasionally taking an over-the-counter sleep aid should not affect weight. If insomnia is a chronic problem, you need to see a doctor instead of simply treating yourself with OTC meds, anyway. Your doctor may prescribe some lifestyle changes that may alleviate the need for medication, or he may prescribe a drug, like Ambien, which has not been shown to cause weight gain.

ALLERGIES
Benadryl, Alka-Seltzer, and Plus Allergy may boost appetite. Claritin and Zyrtec contain different and less potent active chemicals and it is unlikely that these will cause a change in appetite.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Powerful beta-blockers, such as Lopressor and Tenormin may make it harder to lose weight, and doctors believe that this may be because they may reduce metabolic rate. (There are two “mays” in that sentence). Mixed alpha- and beta-blockers, such as Coreg, may be a better alternative if this is experienced.

Here are the families for the drugs listed in this post:
PAROXETINE- Paxil and Pexeva
CITALOPRAM- Celexa
BUPROPION- Wellbutrin and Aplenzin
DIPHENHYDRAMINE- Sominex, Unisom, Nytol
ZOLPIDEM- Ambien
ANTIHISTAMINE DIPHENHYDRAMINE- Benadryl, Alka-Setlzer, Plus Allergy
ANTIHISTAMINE LORATADINE- Claritin
CETIRIZINE- Zyrtec
BETA-BLOCKERS (METOPROLOL)- Lopressor
BETA-BLOCKERS (ATENOLOL)- Tenormin
MIXED ALPHA- BETA-BLOCKERS (CARVEDILOL)- Coreg