Its all in this magic pill.... I promise you!!!

This Pill can Solve Everything!

     Did you know that you don't have to change the way you eat!?!  Eat all you want, how you want, when you want, and you my friend can still lose all of the weight you desire!  What is this magical new product that will allow you to conquer your weight problem?  I will tell you right now, the new magic, we are going to speed up your heart, destroy your kidneys, make you into a leaky car, and just might drop a couple pounds off of you!  Now doesn't that just sound awesome?!?

     Fact is there is no such thing.  This is one of those classic cut the crap moments.  Some of these pills may indeed help you lose the weight you want, but at what cost?  I can tell you right off the bat, your stomach is going to be your worse enemy for the time.  Weight loss pills are going to do a number on your stomach.  

     There are many dangers in over the counter weight loss pills.  Both the herbal and non-herbal varieties present many dangers.  In my humble opinion it is not worth it.  Side effects include; nausea, nightmares (yes nightmares), heart palpitations/arrhythmia,vomiting and so much more.   


     One diet test done on herbal diet weight loss pills presented very interesting results.  3 years later 100 of the participants had some kind of kidney problem, 10 years later many of the participants developed urinary tract cancer.  This is not the answer.  It is not worth the impact that these pills can have on your life, including when there are other alternatives.


    What are these alternatives?  Well of course you can get surgery, you can starve yourself or other options that are out there.  However, these are not recommended and unnecessary.  What you need to do is eat Subway twice a day, walk everywhere you go, and become famous!  Haha ok just kidding, I love Jared but let's face it, we all can't afford that and there are other and better options (although Subway is very good).  


     Here comes the words that we all hate.  The best alternative to weight loss pills is changing your diet.  There is no such thing as a magic pill that allows you to eat everything you want and lose the weight you desire to lose.  If there is, trust me, it will make you pay in other ways.  Now, there are some foods that can help you lose weight.  I will give you a brief look at some of these pills, for I plan on talking more in depth about the best super-foods for you in a later blog.

1. Fiber-  Of course fiber is going to be first.  This will help you keep your pipes clean, and everything moving through your body like it should.  Of course it will help you also lose weight.
2. Eggs-  New research has proven that eggs do not give you the type of cholesterol that we all fear.  It has taken me a long time to believe this.  In fact eggs have so much great nutrition for you that this is a must in every diet!  
3. Spices- Spices are awesome!  The best ones being cinnamon, chili peppers, mustard seed, ginger, black pepper, and turmeric are huge boosts to your body.  Cinnamon is natures natural blood sugar stabilizer, chili peppers gets your blood flowing in a natural and healthy way, and ginger helps boost calorie loss.
4. Protein- Protein helps you in many ways.  After exercising I am sure to eat at least 30 grams of protein, this helps build muscles and in return muscles help burn fat and calories.  It can also help you lose blood fats.
5. Water-  Water goes a far way in helping you lose weight.  From making you feel fuller to keeping you hydrated and moving.  A healthy amount of water is essential to losing weight.  

     Keep this in mind the next time you are looking at a diet pill.  There are better alternatives that won't wreck your life.  These alternatives in fact will help your life.  I love you all, God bless you!

Slipping sucks

 It happens...

     Last week Kate and I decided that we would go out on a date and enjoy some personal one on one time.  That morning I weighed myself in at 201.  This was going to be a great day, lost weight, get some alone time with my wife, what could go wrong? 

     We went out to a Thai restaurant and had some really good food.  I decided that hey, I was close to being under 200, I could go one day without worrying about what I am eating and just enjoy the day.  Not saying that you shouldn't do this, because it is important to once in a while enjoy yourself and take off the burden of measuring just about everything.  However, this has come back to bite me hard, I think I went overboard. 

     We had some really good food, and afterwords we went out bowling.  We had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves.  Of course I'm not going to tell you how bad I did bowling.  It's been almost two years since I had bowled haha.  Also I'm almost positive those lanes were smaller than most, but anyways. 

     I woke up that morning and stepped on the scale, 208.  I rubbed my eyes, made sure I was awake and then checked the scale to make sure no one had messed with any of the settings.  I sat the scale back down and tried again, and sure enough it was still 208.  That was back breaking.  How did I gain 7 pounds in just one day? 

     That day I decided what is the point and decided again to eat whatever I want without calculating it.  I did exercise however and was pleased when I didn't gain any more.  Quickly I put myself back into the right state of mind and started back on my long trek.  It is six days later and I'm back down to 204.  Just comes to show that there will always be bumps in the road, it's all about what you do when those bumps get in your way.  Sometimes it's hard, but remember why you started your diet.  I quickly remembered the importance of being healthy.  I realized I am going to slip, it's alright too, but don't let it drag me under.

This mornings workout

Just a little insight to my workout this morning.  I can tell you my arms are burning right now!

For starters I warm up with a mixture of stretching and Yoga.  This allows my muscles to get warmed up and get me in the right frame of mind.  Oh and a little bit of Lead Me by Sanctus Real always helps me get going as well.




To start I used a resistance band, two 4 pound weights, and my 8 pound medicine ball. 

My first workout was a chest press using the resistance band, 2 sets of 15.
Second went into doing a seated row with the band, again 2 sets of 15.
From there I did arm curls using the band, 2 sets of 15.
Then switched to Lateral rises using the band, 2 sets of 10 (shoulders fatigued too quick for 15 haha).

Just to let you know I alternate between these.  For example I will do the chest press, move to the row, back to the chest press and then do the second row.

From here I switched it up to the dumbbells.  I did 2 reps of 15 of the squatting arm curls, bracing my back against the wall.
Then I went to triceps extensions, again 2 reps of 15.

I did then some knee bent triceps dips, 2 reps of 10 and medicine ball aided pushups.

Lastly I did with the medicine ball something called clockwork.  Starting by holding the ball at a 12 o'clock position, with locked elbows I went clockwise going from 12 to 12, and then reversed it back counterclockwise, one of those is a rep and man do those burn.

Then it was chow time!  Loaded up on some carbs and protein with some ground turkey fried up in onions and topped it on some brown rice. 

Just another day in the office. It might be a little time consuming and painful but I am seeing the results in my arms, so it's worth it.

Mono a whata a what...?

The 6 Benefits of Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs)

by BodyEcology.com (2011)

 

Why consume processed foods full of trans fats when you could have delicious meals made with heart healthy olive oil? Besides tasting great, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a good fat that has amazing health benefits!

Good fats, bad fats, what’s the difference?
With all the nutritional information out there it can be tough to keep everything straight. In fact, just a few years ago, low fat diets were all the rage.
But cutting edge research supports what people living in Mediterranean climates have known for generations: a diet with monounsaturated fats is a recipe for a healthy heart and a slim body.

Monounsaturated Fats: That Means Good, Right?
Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are good fats. Liquid at room temperature, they turn solid when they are chilled. Common sources of MUFAs are olive oil, avocadoes and nuts.
Monounsaturated fats are a healthy alternative to the trans fats and refined polyunsaturated fats you find in most processed foods.
Research shows that diets with healthy amounts of monounsaturated fats have a host of amazing health benefits, including:1

• Decreased risk for breast cancer. A study of women in Sweden found that those with diets higher in monounsaturated fats (as opposed to polyunsaturated fats) resulted in less frequent incidence of breast cancer.
• Reduced cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends the consumption of MUFAs to improve your blood lipid profile.
• Lower risk for heart disease and stroke. Diets with monounsaturated fats correlate with healthy hearts and fewer strokes.
• Weight loss. Studies have found that switching to monounsaturated fat from diets with trans fats and polyunsaturated fats results in weight loss.
• Less severe pain and stiffness for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis. Diet plays a role in improving the pain and stiffness of those who already have rheumatoid arthritis.
• Reduced belly fat. A study published by the American Diabetes Association found that diets with monounsaturated fat could improve the loss of belly fat better than high carbohydrate diets.

Besides protecting your heart, decreasing your risk for certain cancer AND helping you maintain a healthy weight, sources of monounsaturated fat taste great!
You can do something good for yourself with every delicious mouthful of foods rich in monounsaturated fat.
Make the Most of MUFAs With These Foods
Great sources of monounsaturated fats are:

• Olive oil
• Avocadoes
• Tea Seed Oil (more on this new oil below)
• Almonds, cashew nuts and pecans
• Macadamia nuts

The Body Ecology system for health and healing recommends using a delicious variety of healthy fats…including plenty of the monounsaturated fats mentioned above. Use them instead of the hydrogenated fats found in margarine and processed fats found in refined vegetables oils. If you haven’t changed your oils yet and still eat bad fats...changing to the wonderful fats and oils recommended on the Body Ecology Diet is one of the most important first steps you can take.
If cooking with monounsaturated fats is new to you, here are some Body Ecology-friendly tips to help you get started!

1. Use a bit of olive oil when you low-temperature sauté your vegetables to keep them from sticking to the pan.
   
2. Roll avocadoes, blanched and sliced vegetables and cultured vegetables in sheets of nori for a vegetarian, heart- healthy sushi roll.
   
3. Macadamia Nut Oil adds a delicious buttery flavor to any Green Smoothie recipe.
   
4. Imperial Republic’s culinary Tea Seed oil from the Camilla sinensis (tea plant) is an extra virgin oil from China. It has a high flash point of up to 485 degrees so can be used for low-temperature sautéing. It’s also delicious on top of vegetables, quinoa and in salad dressings.
   
5. Dip celery and carrot sticks into raw almond butter for a delicious treat.

Switching your fat intake from bad fats to good fats could be one of the best (and best tasting) decisions you ever make!

The Body Ecology Diet. (2011). The 6 Benefits of Monounsaturated Fats. Retrieved from                         http://bodyecology.com/articles/6_benefits_monosaturated_fats.php

Weight Loss Update!!!

May 1st Weight in and Measurements

     Another good month, kinda hit a plateau but still managed some weight loss and cut inches. 

Unit	April 1st , 2011	May 1st, 2011
Weight	209	203
Waist	40.5 in	39.5 in
Hips	38 in	38 in
Waist to Hip	1.07	1.04
Body Fat %	29.1 (overweight)	28.3 (overweight)

I don't have time to exercise...

 

Finding the Time…

            I always had an excuse when it came to not exercising.  My number one reason for not doing it was that there just was no time to exercise.  I would go out with my friends, play video games, or watch TV.  For some reason that seemed to be the better alternative then exercising.  When I started to work again after my ICD was implanted, that only added to the reason of not wanting to exercise. 

 

            Eventually in 2008 Kate and I got memberships to a gym in order for us to go and get fit.  We started to use the facilities regularly and were getting trim and fit.  This was becoming routine for us to go about 3 to 4 times a week to work out and both of us were feeling good from our decision.  

            A few months later however, it was all stopped by one turtle shell (back brace). In March a car accident slowed down my progress and I regained all I had loss plus some extra.  I was back to making my excuses of I don't have time, I don't feel well enough, I just can't do it.  It took us having our 3rd child to realize that there is more to life than just breathing the air.  If I want to be there to watch my girls grow and watch them start families of their own, I needed to stop making those excuses.  

            I already have a setback in my life being born with my heart the way it is.  I finally realized one important thing in my life is my health.  I cannot be obese anymore and expect to be around for my kids.  I needed to cut the excuses I had when it came to exercise, so I created ways to use what time I have. 

           Sometimes I am really busy and there does not seem to be time to do any sort of exercise.  Instead of missing out, I compromise.  Whenever I go up the stairs I will stop towards the top and use the stairs to do 10-20 push ups.  When I go down the stairs I will stop on the stairs again and do dips to work on my triceps.  When I'm standing at work and not really doing too much I will do calf raises or squats.  I have decided I should not care what others think, I'm getting healthier.

            It is important to realize that we won't always have time to take 20 minutes out of our day and commit it to working out.  However we can find ways to incorporate workouts into our day.  Take time and look into your day and see just what you can do to exercise while you are busy.  It can be walking instead of driving, going up stairs instead of using an elevator, taking the long way, or even standing there and do some calf raises.  It is important to get exercise in, I try at least 6 times a week.  It is for my health.  It is for my kids and my wife.  Life is precious and I'm just now learning how to treasure and extend it.

7th Grade Bullys...

Kids are tough...

     Growing up I never really saw myself as the fat kid.  I would see movies and other kids that were bigger than me and I felt that I was just a little bigger than normal.  I thought that what I was, was normal.  My parents didn't tell me any different.  The only person who would tell me I needed to drop a few pounds would be my doctor and what did he know?  

     I wish that I would have eaten healthier as a kid, but I have to now share what I experienced in the hope that others can learn before it's too late.  There are always going to be something kids will find about you that they do not like or want to let you know about.  As a kid it is extremely hard to handle what kids have to say about you.

     In seventh grade, instances very much pop out in my head that let me know not just how poor we were, but how overweight I was.  We didn't have the money to buy me a new coat that year so I wore the one from the year before, even though I had grown out of it.  It was the year that the movie Tommy Boy with Chris Farley was very popular.  One kid, who I thought was my friend, saw it and decided it would be funny to use a popular line from that movie on me.  "Fat guy in a little coat." It didn't take long for that to catch on with other kids, leading to not just being teased, but picked on by physical abuse as well.  

     We all had our demons when we were kids.  Many of us were picked on for one thing or another.  It is more important than ever to help our kids avoid being bullied.   It took a lot but I was eventually able to overcome the bulling I had unleashed onto me.  Eventually in high school kids started to see me for what I was, not for how I looked.  However, I do wish that I would have been more educated about my weight when I was younger.

     Bulling is rising and is becoming more of a concern in today's society.  It may seem like kids just being kids, or a little bit of teasing, but I've been there and know that is just the start.  It's time to cut the crap of giving kids excuses and not holding them accountable for their actions.  My teasing started as just teasing, then lead to being pushed into lockers, and being made fun of worse than just Fat kid in a little coat.  It is time to speak up for our kids.  Many schools do not put up with kids being bullied, but can't help if they don't know. Speak up.  Not just for your child, but for all the children that may be being bullied by the same kid.

     Also, I have determined that there is nothing wrong with teaching our kids about eating healthy and exercising.  I wonder if someone would have had a serious talk with me about these issues if things may have been different.  Too many of our kids today are obese, but we must be sensitive to their feelings.  If we educate them on eating right and exercising and lead by example, then their weight will become a healthy weight without hurting their feelings.  We need to make sure we aren't one of those bullies when it comes to our kids weight. 

     It is going to take a huge movement to not just change the way our kids eat at home, but also at school.  Education is the greatest weapon we have today against weight loss.  Who knows, maybe you will also learn something yourself.