Portion Sizes – Measuring is Critical for Weight Loss Success

I recently hired a natural bodybuilder to set me up with a diet plan. As I get older, I find I have to tweak my nutrition plan to get the results I’m looking for. I typically do not stay lean all the time and have to lean out for certain events or video filming. So in this occasion, I was curious on how my body would react with something specifically structured for me.
The diet plan was pretty bodybuilder basic 101. He had me eating 6 small meals a day and drinking at least 150 oz of water.

I was getting results, slowly but surely. But then my body hit a stall. The weight wasn’t moving for 3-4 days and I didn’t look any different either. The problem lies in my serving sizes. I wasn’t measuring, just eyeballing. Hey, I’m a fitness professional, I know what 4oz is. I can figure this out. I THOUGHT my husband threw out my manual scale when we moved from NY to TX. He always hated that thing. I went searching for it again deep in the cabinets, and found it!

To my surprise and madness, I was overeating on serving sizes! Sometimes 3-4 times the amount! Pictured here I was suppose to eat 2.5 oz Chicken and 3 oz Yam. As you can see my “guessing plate” and the “measured plate” on how I was way off!

So many of my meals throughout the day consisted of having 1oz of peanuts with the meals. Well, boy do I love peanuts! And the daily increase of an extra peanut or 10 surely made a difference when you times that by multiple meals in a day! No wonder I wasn’t losing weight! Even an extra couple hundred calories a day can make all the difference. Here was another one of my meals and how off I was:

So what does this all mean? YES, weighing and measuring is THAT important for your weightloss success! Even a fitness professional like myself can get it wrong. Invest in a digital scale (btw, I did throw out my manual cheap one after I bought a digital). It will seriously make all the difference in your hard efforts. By delaying measuring, is only delaying the success of your efforts and hard work.

How to Fit in Working Out When You are TOO BUSY?

Fact- You are NOT too busy, you just haven’t scheduled in the time to work out or you haven’t made it a priority in your life. It’s just an excuse, and first thing you have to do, is admit that you are making excuses. I think nowadays, we can all have an argument on who is busier than whom, correct?
I have had many directions and obstacles in my life that could easily be used as an excuse as to why I wasn’t working out. I used to travel nationally/internationally. Flying all day, working all day in an unknown environment, eating out every day; easy recipe to just go back to the hotel and watch tv.
I have had 2 babies, both via c-section all while working 2 full time jobs, 1 managing and developing 60 fitness professionals for a major fitness company and the other was starting up my home business JC Dwyer, Inc where I’m working in creating a monster downline and achievement in the Team Beachbody home business. I was also scheduling and presenting trainings on weekends (3rd job) and so much more! Was that an excuse, could be, but wasn’t.

I’m going to be honest, I personally don’t LOVE working out all the time. I’ll be VERY honest. If it wasn’t for me teaching group exercise, working for fitness celebrity Chalene Johnson, and being a fitness and health coach with the Team Beachbody business, I probably wouldn’t think to work out as much.
But even if those things aren’t your goals or even have the opportunity to do that, you don’t have to believe that’s what you have to do, to do it. You may just need to find the reason for accountability. Because, that is one of mine.

Recently, I moved from upstate Rochester NY to outside of Dallas TX. Family of 4, driving 2 separate vehicles, 1500 miles. My 2 toddlers always wanted to ride in mommies car, which I loved =). But moving across country, away from the state you have always known, the life you developed, comforts of home- is stressful and exhausting.
I didn’t schedule in working out. Left it up to it would only be a couple days, I’ll get back into it. But the struggles of waiting to get into your new home, closing, getting the your stuff moved in from the truck, putting it away can easily be an excuse to not fit in exercise. I did just that! Didn’t schedule it and left it up to how I felt that day and if I had time to work out.
I’m now faced with no classes to teach for group exercise! That was an EASY way for me to have it on schedule, I had to teach other people! It’s up in my hands now.

After 1 week of packing up, traveling across country, unpacking some, I finally scheduled a work out.
It felt horrible! I wanted to quit so many times, but I had to follow through and just do it, because it’s that important.

Bring on the TURBO!

So the moral of this is, schedule it! Life is busy! You can easily let it take over you! If you work for someone else, work from home, or don’t even have a job, your day can easily escape you and get filled with errands and other people’s requests.
Each day, start with these tips to ensure you fit in exercise:

1) Get your work out gear ready the night before!
2) Make your To-Do list which includes your work out
3) Put it on your actual calendar- schedule the EXACT time you will work out!
4) Set an alarm reminder for 30 mins before your scheduled time
5) If you are overwhelmed with things to do when your work out time hits, and you HAVE to do them, change up the length and intensity of your work out to be faster and more intense.

The things you do for other people, the business you build, the meals you make, the errands you run are temporary. How you feel about how you look, your energy level, and your overall positive feeling that you did something for yourself is the fountain of youth. That is longevity, so make it a priority.

Stock Markets may crash – but our health doesn’t have to crash & burn!

It’s no secret – it’s tough out there right now! From the national debt crisis and debt ceiling mess, to the stock market going crazy; these kinds of economic uncertainties will often cause us to pull back on our own spending, watch every dollar more closely and cut corners where we can. But we can’t stop investing in our health.

The good news is – we can stay healthy and physically fit even on a tight budget. It may just take a little planning and preparation just like any other good budget – but it’s very possible. In fact the top excuses about why someone can’t eat healthy and exercise – No time, No money – are the top excuses whether the world is in a financial crisis or not. So, what are some practical ways to eat healthy and exercise on a budget?

Nutrition –

• Bulk! The bigger backs of chicken breast, lean beef etc are always cheaper if you buy the bigger packs. Just separate it when you get home to freeze it or cook a big meal that will give you meals for a few days – saving time and money!
• Frozen! Yes – frozen fruits and vegetables are often just as good, if not better than the ‘fresh’ produce. That’s because they’re ‘flash frozen’ right away and the majority of their nutrients are retained that way. The longer the ‘fresh’ stuff sits out as it gets shipped to stores etc, it degrades the nutrients. And you can get plenty of servings from the big bags of frozen vegetables and fruit for less than the cost of fresh.
• Liquid Egg Whites! We avoid the yolk anyway, so why buy the whole carton of eggs? The containers of liquid egg whites are pretty reasonably priced, easy and no waste!
• Bottled Water – really? Do you need a new plastic bottle every time you’re thirsty? It’s expensive! Invest in one nice thermal water bottle and then refill it with filtered water from your fridge, or a pitcher of tap water in the fridge. Save money and the environment from all of the water bottles!

Exercise –

Everyone knows I love live workouts at the gym, heck, that’s why I teach and get my membership free! But if you don’t teach and can’t swing the cost of a gym there are plenty of other options to keep moving.

• Walk! If the weather is great – get outside and do some intervals of walking, brisk walking and running. Add some ankle or wrist weights for a more intense workout. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, check local malls and even public schools that allow walkers to use their facilities. Schools also often open their pools and fitness facilities for the public at certain times of the day as well.
• In Home Workouts! Invest in one, or go in halves with a friend and commit to doing it together each day! Pick one that is all inclusive with some cardio and strength training to get maximum results.
• Shake up the ‘Regular’ stuff! So we’ve got to sweep, vacuum, rake the leaves and clean the house anyway – just put some extra oomph into it! Crank up some tunes that get you moving and go! Gotta take kids to baseball or soccer practice? Do laps around the field or walking lunges rather than busting out the lawn chair.

There are plenty of ways to make exercise and eating healthy work on any budget or schedule ~ plan ahead and make it happen. No excuses!

FOR THE LADIES! SPORTS BRAS, WORK OUT BRAS, COMPRESSION BRAS!

Whatever you want to call them, I’ll give you my BEST tips, advice as well as my #1 suggestion.

During your work outs, it is highly important to ensure you are wearing a supportive sports bra, no matter the activity.

One thing you have to do is know yourself – the right sports bra for you is primarily based on your body structure and, secondarily, on your personal preferences.

Some of us want a no bounce support while others focus more on the way it looks rather than function.

My focus will be for those of you who do not like to move, want support, and don’t focus so much on the pretty color of the bra. Function over appearance.

Having an ill-fitting bra can cause chafing, sore breasts, sagging and a sore shoulder/neck area are just some of the physical problems.

As an ex-mammographer, the “science” of sagging goes into the stretching of the “coopers ligament”. You don’t have total control in avoiding this from stretching, as age does happen and gravity is around us.
Additionally, it can cause havoc on your motivation, you intensity of the work out, as well as your continued effort to “do it again”

I have always been naturally gifted, never getting measured, but I would squeeze myself into a 36 DD. That wasn’t my size, but it was the one that was the tightest and didn’t make me bounce when I walked.

During exercise, I would always wear 2 bras. I have tried many versions, but had found the resolve to having separation, compression, lift and support was to wear 2 different styles. In doing this, it helped me avoid having the “boob tube”.

Now these 2 are my suggestions that I used prior to me having children. Now my 1st suggestion isn’t available anymore, but it is close to my suggestion below

1. Champion Powerback Underwire sports bra (1 size smaller than you are)
2. Champion Action Shape Sports Bra (1 size smaller than you are- wear that on top)

Now I’m no expert in this field, just an expert in being “gifted” and loving high impact exercises. I have gone through testing many of the so- called “LAST RESORT” bras, and the last resort, didn’t work. I don’t know how many times I bought and returned bras.

When I was nursing my chest size went up off the charts! I ended up wearing THREE (3) Champion Action Shapes at the same time.

In all my years, this is what I have found to be my best suggestions when choosing a sports bra to accommodate your needs:

1. Choose a size smaller than what you actually are (I know, I know, goes against all rules the bra lady tells ya in the fitting room)
2. The bra has to have BOTH back closure AND strap adjustments
3. Make sure the strap adjustments adjust the full length of the strap and not just a couple inches.
4. My personal tip with my suggested bra below is to criss cross the straps. 1 end detaches and you can criss cross them. Creates a tighter fit and you become really skilled and flexible with hooking your bra reaching behind! 😉

So after 2 pregnancies and nursing each child 12 months, my chest has surely changed. I won’t “go there” as if you “are there” you know what I mean.

So currently, I’m still a fan of Champion, as I have tried Enell, Victoria Secret, and so many more of the so-called best. I still put my stamp of approval on Champion, but only if you follow the 4 steps I listed above.

I currently just have to wear 1, I wear it criss crossed. My bra size is 32 D now, but I choose a 32 C in this bra.

My #1 CHOICE and VOTE still goes to….

CHAMPION DOUBLE DRY ACTION SHAPE

http://www.championusa.com/Champion/Products/Women-Champion/Women_ShopByCategory-Champion/Women_SportsBras-Champion/Women_SportsBras_Bestsellers-Champion/CH072.aspx

Happy bra shopping!

Motivation Regeneration!

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing; that’s why we recommend it daily.” Zig Ziglar.

Have you lost your motivation? Stalled out? Stopped moving completely? Let’s face it; sometimes it is just hard to stay motivated. It doesn’t mean that it’s a lost cause. Regardless of where you are, how close to your goals you’ve gotten or how far away you are – you can start, or restart on your path to success now.

For me, it takes daily reminders to maintain motivation and forward momentum. What works for you? Here are some things that work for me in keeping the right mindset and staying motivated, so I wanted to share them with you and encourage you to keep focused on your goals, stay motivated and keep moving forward.

• First, think positive! When a negative thought sneaks in, squash it right off the bat. So much of reaching and achieving our goals is mental, we’ve got to control our thoughts and believe in ourselves! Believe in yourself, tell yourself you can do this!
• Write down your goals, with dates as to when you’d like to accomplish them. Then, break them down into smaller steps & mini goals you plan to do each day to reach them.
• Write down your ‘Why’. Why do you want to get healthy, lose weight, or get a new job? Identifying and stating your ‘why’ will help you focus to accomplish your goal.
• Keep a daily journal, or to-do list to track what you need to do and what you accomplished.
• Make it public! Putting your goals ‘out there’ for the world to see will keep you accountable. Find a success partner that will check in with you and hold you responsible.
• Find an inspirational story, picture, something that helps you envision what you want and post it somewhere you will see it many times a day to remind yourself.
• When you don’t feel like doing your daily to-do’s to meet your goal, revisit your ‘why’ and just do it.
• Reward yourself for accomplishments along the way. A new outfit, a massage, tickets to the game or whatever; you need to recognize and reward small accomplishments as well.

Though 4 months of 2011 are gone, it’s not too late to really get crushing our goals! It’s a new day, let’s re-evaluate, re-focus, and GO! What gets you motivated and keeps you going? I’d love to hear them as well as where you are with your goals!

My Review of Biggest Loser Brett Hoebel and RevAbs- 1st time doing RevAbs

Have you tried RevAbs? Check out my review!

Homewood Suites- Greece NY Offers FREE LIVE workouts- P90x Insanity

Homewood Suites in Greece NY off of the 390 and Ridge Rd. is the ONLY hotel in Rochester NY who offers to their guests a FREE weekly LIVE workout with a FitClub! FitClub is a group of Team Platinum Presenters who are Beachbody coaches with Team Beachbody, the makers of workouts such as P90x, Insanity, Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, Hip Hop Abs, Slim in 6, Yoga Booty Ballet, RevAbs, Brazil Butt Lift, Kathy Smith’s type 2 and more! Along with their top selling nutritional shake shakeology!

Platinum Presenters has teamed up with Homewood Suites in Greece NY to offer to their guests a FREE weekly workout to some of the TOP selling and proven home videos. Each guest just arrives at 5:30pm in the Odyssey Room and we will provide an hour long workout for you compliment of Homewood Suites and Platinum Presenters.

P90x is Tony Horton top rated home workout video. Many people have lost weight, gotten ripped, and helped others in the process. Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire are the workouts from top fitness celebrity Chalene Johnson. Many of the Platinum Presenters team have lost up near 60 lb’s with Turbo. Shaun T has the workouts Insanity. You can find the new Biggest Loser trainer Brett Hoebel workout RevAbs as well. Come join us!