Archive for the 'weight loss' Category

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18 days to go – nearly there!

Published on October 4, 2010 in motivation, Pregnancy, training routines and weight loss. 12 Comments

I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact I will be delivering a live (well I certainly hope so) baby in the next few weeks. My tummy is exploding in these last few weeks and I am very uncomfortable now! Bub doesn’t have a whole lot of room in there anymore.

Today I had my 37 weeks appointment which went the same as usual – feel the tummy, and pay $70. All good that there are no problems of course.  My blood pressure has remained low right through – today, 102/60. Not bad for an old broad in her first pregnancy!

Doc reckons my baby is about 7 lb – I hate to think of the size of it if I go over my due date. At this stage of the game, baby puts on 30g of fat each and every day. Above is my tummy last week – I’m sure it’s grown even more now.

Still very swollen feet and ankle bones despite putting them up as often as possible. Still numb, tingly hands though they have improved by massage. I swear by massage – I’m now having a full body massage every week. My lower back is always very tight which is not surprising in the least.  But even to date, I still have had no back pain which I put down to my fitness background, massage, chiropractic and pilates.

I’m sleeping pretty good, most nights I don’t even have to get up to go to the loo which is surprising because when I am awake I am going every 5 mins.

I’m busy trying to get everything up to speed for my new website – yes that’s correct, new website. We have a brand new range of instant programs coming out very soon and these will have their own site.  Be on the lookout for Body Blitz Blueprint for Fat Loss! I’ll be sending out an email or two when we are launching the new range. Along with that, my Motivation Magnified – Win the Mental Game of Fat Loss will also be released. I’ve had excellent feedback on it, and I believe it’s something that is severely lacking in the fitness and weight loss industry at present. So, if you are one of those people who (like most of us) struggle to finish what you start, this book is for you!

www.bodyblitzblueprint.com - Coming soon!

The last couple of days have been awesome weather wise – such a different feel when the sun is out! I hope everyone is enjoying it!

So, does anyone care to make a prediction on what gender my bub will be, based on my tummy pic? :)

My interview with fitness model, Belinda Benn

Published on August 27, 2010 in inspiration, motivation, Nutrition Articles, Transformation and weight loss. 0 Comments

It seems fitness model Belinda Benn and I have a few things
in common. We’re both in our 40′s, both Aussie, and we
both love helping others achieve their fitness and fat loss
goals.  Being 32 weeks pregnant, one thing I definitely don’t
have right now is Belinda’s abs! But they’ll come back…
 
In light of the upcoming launch of her Get Lean Program,
today I have something quite special for you. 47yo fitness
model Belinda Benn provides us with a sneak peak into her
fat loss secrets as well as some great tips on skin care.
 

 
Sue: Belinda, I’ve read your story and seen you in the magazines – how did you transform your body so dramatically later in life.  I read you never exercised before the age of 37 – is that true?!

Belinda:  Sue, yes it’s true!  I was a coffee drinking, sugar addicted executive.  I was so busy trying to be a “super women” with my career, husband and all my other responsibilities that I had stopped caring for myself – doing things “just for me”.   One day while trying bathers on in a department store dressing room I was shocked to see cellulite and saddle bags (amongst other things) and I realized the body I had in my 20’s had disappeared without me even realizing.  Soon after I set myself the goal of learning to surf and before I knew it I was eating healthily, losing weight and feeling in the best shape of my life.

Sue: I think we can all relate to the dressing room story at some stage or another – probably unbeknown to them retail stores do an amazing job drumming up business for weight loss companies!

What was the hardest aspect of your transformation?

Belinda:  The hardest part was not knowing how to eat right – for energy, longevity and fat burning.  I knew nothing about nutrition.  I started getting fitter but the big change didn’t come until I got my diet straightened out.  It took a while but once I got on track I couldn’t believe how much food I could eat and not put on weight.  I had been eating the wrong foods, at the wrong times in the wrong combination!  When I think back to what I ate in my 30’s it’s shocking – I lived on coffee, milk, sugar, Arnott’s biscuits and fatty foods!  

Sue: I know you get asked this all the time, but how on earth do you look so young? 

Belinda:  Early in my career I worked with Shiseido, the Japanese skincare company and they taught me about holistic wellness.  Which simply means, looking after the total person – inside and out.  We all know things like stress, toxins, over eating, too much alcohol, not enough sleep or a lot of sun, ages us prematurely.  I neglected myself and over indulged like a lot of people do but once I realized, I made some radical life changes – and thankfully it paid off in a big way.   I believe that doing the right things, consistently, adds up to big results over time.

Sue:  Since I am talking with an expert then, a lot of people find that their skin becomes slack after weight loss and they suffer stretch marks.  Did you have those problems? 

Belinda:  Yes I did!  When I started losing weight I began exfoliating every day.  The Japanese had taught me about this and it really works.  I also made sure I included foods in my diet that improved the elasticity of the skin.  In fact, that’s one of the reasons I wrote my Fitness Model Skincare Secrets so I could help people with concerns like that and prove that getting older doesn’t mean we have to age prematurely. 

Sue: What makes your Get Lean Program different from everything else out there?

Belinda: Sue, as you know, many diets start out super strict.  Then as our motivation wanes we go back to our old habits and the weight comes back on.  I have discovered that the easiest and most effective way to achieve a lean physique is to work with the natural harmony of our body’s physiology. From my experience, it takes roughly four weeks before our metabolism jumps to the next fat burning level.  So, the process of obtaining our ideal lean physique should be viewed as fat burning “phases” that we control through establishing new eating habits, rather than a “diet”.  For this reason the Get Lean Program is divided into three, monthly phases: Momentum, Acceleration and Peak.

The Momentum Phase begins the process of increasing your fat burning metabolism. Your body will adjust to new eating habits and these changes will enable you to maintain your diet while gradually reducing your caloric and carbohydrate intake.

The Acceleration Phase will help reduce your body fat % while maintaining the energy levels necessary to work and train hard.  Your body will adjust to producing efficient energy from fewer calories and you will see acceleration in your fat loss.

The Peak Phase will help you reach your optimum lean physique at the end of Month 3.

Many physique competitors use a similar system to prepare for competitions.  But this program takes that science and makes it doable for anyone who wants to lose weight!

Sue: I noticed that you focus a lot on the mental and emotional aspects of losing weight – why is that?

Belinda:  Often it’s not eating healthy or working out that’s our biggest challenge – is our own self-image and self-esteem.  If we allow negative thoughts from the past to contaminate our thinking then that will continually undermine our efforts for success.   Personally I have done a lot of work to change my thinking, from feeling like I am over the hill, old, not sexy anymore, it’s too late or I’ve failed in the past (add in a few of your personal favorites here) and replaced those with new thought patterns of self-confidence and a can do attitude.  We all have moments of weakness and self-doubts, that’s normal.  But there is a lot we can do to get our thinking straightened out!  For that reason I will be giving away my “Think Lean – Get Lean” audio recording with every purchase of the Get Lean Program next week.  

Sue:  Belinda, once last piece of advice for all my readers please!

Belinda:  Transforming your body can seem like an insurmountable task.  But if you take one new positive step forward every day (no matter how small) and tomorrow do it over again – your habits, body and life will progressively change.  Positive change will become a way of life and one day you will catch your reflection in the mirror and realize – there’s a new you! 

 
F.REE FAT LOSS REPORT

If you haven’t get grabbed your copy of Belinda’s free report
Eat to Get Lean – here’s the link. It’s only available until Sunday
so be quick: 

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram

 
P.S. Next week be on the lookout for my Get Lean
Program launch emails. If you purchase the program
through one of the links in my emails I’m going to provide
you with an awesome 50% discount on our instant
training programs along with an additional 15%
off everything in our Products Store (excluding
ebooks), in conjunction with Belinda’s
launch. So don’t purchase from any other link if you want
to pick up these discounts! I’ll remind you next week.
 

Free fat loss report and competition winners

Published on August 25, 2010 in training routines and weight loss. 0 Comments
First – quick heads up - the f.ree stuff from Dr K I’ve been telling you about
is closing down as of 2pm Thursday so please, if you haven’t already,
grab literally hundreds of dollars worth of fat loss gifts here:

www.idealbodiesonline.com/defatloss

Don’t miss out on this brand new angle on fat loss training that has been proven to be super effective. You don’t have to pay a cent to get this great info right now (and you can always unsubscribe later on):

I’ve spoken with Kareem personally, and the next couple of weeks he is going to teach you all kinds of stuff, such as:
  1. The Final Answer To Fat Loss – TS + EST + HRSMS = Rapid Fat Loss (video)
  2. A Killer Method To Make Every Exercise Rip Up Your Core (article)
  3. A Lunge Tutorial (video)
  4. The reason your muscles aren’t turning on… (video)
  5. The secret to staying fit once you get there… (this is easier than you think)
  6. The science behind DEFL and why NBC decided to feature this exact program on TV
  7. Workout demonstrations that will give you an insane metabolic burn so you can start losing bodyfat right away…
I told you he was serious.  Please, join us!
 
Competition Winners
 
I announced an in house giveaway last week, inviting people to provide feedback on our site, as well as asking what their favourite Ideal Bodies Online success story was. I had some fabulous responses, and a myriad of different favourites. There were 2 packs to give away, but I have decided to give away 4 prizes. Here are the winners of our supplement prize packs, and their submissions:
 
 
I love the whole Ideal Bodies website not only for the content – (the member’s area is fantastic and a great place to communicate with other like minded people, the FAQ’s were really spot on and straight down the line, especially going into my program, and the online store has products you just can’t get anywhere else), but the website signifies more than those things for me…it’s symbolises a real positive, exciting phase of my life…something I had wanted to do for a long time, and now almost 2 weeks into my 12 week program am realising my dream body – and feeling amazing!
The changes I want to make are not massive weight/fat loss, but honing my already advanced level of fitness and getting my body fat down to almost competition standard if possible…. and the amazing thing about Ideal Bodies is that you have worked out programs that are getting me to reach my goal, and also doing the same for people that do need to lose lots of weight and start their fitness journey from the ground up (and everyone in between).
To that end I’d have to say that although they are all fantastic and inspiring I’d have to say that Carolyn Gerdtz would have to be my favorite success story, purely because I know how hard you have to work to have a body that you’re proud of and how excruciatingly hard it is for most people to change their dietary habits…She (with the Ideal Bodies online expertise) has done an amazing job…her transformation is pretty unbelievable and shows that anything is possible – something I think we all need to be reminded of now and again (or every day!)
As far as new info goes I love reading as much as I can get my hands on about the latest nutrition and supplement breakthroughs and theories/opinions on exercise/ training, so any articles on those would be fantastic on the website.
Absolutely love your work Sue, thanks for taking the time to read this.
 
Lisa M
 
 
Well where do i start!
 
I love your website, and what got me hooked was reading your own personal success story! I myself found your website after logging onto the 12 week body blitz challenge, and i started looking at other sites in mags for motivation, i love that you have come from the same place as us and that your experience has made you want to share. Thank you very much and congrats on it turning into a successful business!
 
I also love that you offer the free 6 workouts, it was this advert in a mag that got me into your website in the first place, i wanted all the tips i could get for my 12 week transformation :)
 
I’m glad you have found a great team and i enjoy going through all the pictures, it motivates me to see that other people have done it so i can too.
 
You have great tips throughout your website, but not really any glimpses into the nutrition side of things unless you buy the plan, i would like to see maybe some snack ideas, or coming into summer healthy smoothies to be made at home with ingredients that are easy to come by.
(Please note we do have a nutrition page on my blog, and, various emails are sent out to those on our subscriber list, with nutritional information and recipes!)
 
Now when it comes to the success stories there were two that really stood out to me, they were Vanessa Maddocks and Michelle Wood, they bpth had beautiful soft figures for there after pics which is exactly what i am aiming for, the still have curves which i dont want to lose but are slim and toned and most importantly look healthy and happy!  I was very excited to read the salmon stack recipe on Vanessa’s page and i am going to try it tomorrow yum! and Michelle referred to a book on her page that i have just purchased, the 7 habits of highly effective people.
 
The only thing that was a bit dissapointing for me was that there were no before and after weigh ins so I couldnt get the sense of just how much they had achieved!
(We shall keep this in mind but remember, scale weight doesn’t take into account body composition changes!)
 
Thank you very much for providing a great website, with great and inspiring content
 
Jo R 
 

I was going to e-mail you with feedback anyway to say what a great concept IBO is and how it has changed my life – forever.  I’m into Week 5 of my program and really enjoying it.  I’m also starting to notice changes.  I don’t think I would have been as motivated or focused on my program if it wasn’t for your informative and inspiring website.  The library and forum are fantastic sources of information and I refer to both regularly.  But the thing that struck me most about your website when I  first visited was that evidence of the wonderful results you and your team achieve is right there, in your face.  The Before and After  photos prove that anyone can achieve extraordinary results if they wanted to with the guidance of IBO.  

My favourite success story would have to be Carolyn Gerdtz.   Her determination and success is totally awesome and inspiring.  But the thing that struck me most was Carolyn’s generosity and honesty in sharing her story, photos and all.  I have thought of Carolyn many a cold morning when deciding whether to get out of bed and go to the gym.  I decided to suck it up because she did. 

To be honest, I can’t think of anything else that I want to see on your website.  The fact that other people are ripping off the website and whole IBO concept is a good indication that you’ve got it right.  Sad but true.

Thanks again.

Annmarie H

 
I’ve just printed off and read Belinda’s free report and I must say I can’t wait for the launch of her product.  She looks absolutely amazing.
 

What I love about your website is that it is user friendly and I love the easy links for the supplements and products store when I wish to purchase something.  I also like how close the website makes you feel to other people out there also trying to achieve a weight lose goal.  The message board has been a fantasic tool in keeping myself motivated.  Not just being able to share thoughts and feelings with other but the excellent knowledge and tips that are on there.  To see you so committed in helping others achieve goals is truely amazing. 

And of course the success stories on there are a true inspiration.  I have found it hard to pick a favourite as what fantastic success all these women have achieved. Everyone has had their own hurdles to overcome, and to achieve what they have done is a true credit to themselves.  Although what you have done and provided has help guide and make it possible for people to achieve success, this women have all still had to dig within themselves to do it.
I definately take my hat of to the ladies that have achieved this with children, what a fantastic effort that is.
However if I was to pick out one lady that stood out for me, that would be Michelle Wood.  My reasoning for this is that I could totally relate to Michelle’s story.  I to have suffered depression with my weight and it has been a constant on going battle. I to have worked in the fitness industry but have missed out on futhering this and some great opportunites due to lack of confidence and not feeling like “I look the part”.  Well done Michelle, you look amazing and that even shows in her smile!

There is nothing I would like to see more on your site Sue, you already provide that and that shows by your support of and sharing Belinda Benn’s program. 

Thanks for such a great program and products!

Jacqui S

 
Thanks ladies!  Please email me with your delivery address details so I can send your supplement packs!
 
Have a great day everyone. If you have any questions re Dr K’s program, don’t hesitate to email me. And look out for my own bonus gifts over the next 2 weeks.
 
Sue

www.idealbodiesonline.com/defatloss

Help, there’s an alien in my tummy!

Published on August 23, 2010 in Nutrition Articles, Pregnancy and weight loss. 1 Comment

Man, this baby doesn’t stop! I know it’s not going to be a couch potato that’s for sure.

So, it seems all of a sudden various things are taking their toll – as of about 31 weeks I’ve started getting carpal tunnel (mild thus far) ie pins and needles in hands at night, aching, stiff fingers and wrists in the morning, some heartburn, and of course the continuing sore swollen feet/ankles. I am tossing and turning all night, just nigh on impossible to get comfortable. So insomnia is a big issue once more (and not because of needing to pee all night!). I’ve had a sore throat that has felt like I’m swallowing razor blades which hasn’t helped, meaning I have been up at all hours drinking LemSip and gargling salt water. Thankfully it’s starting to improve.

I’m thinking bring on the crying baby, I can use a change.  Perhaps not just yet though.

Yes I’m well aware I’m complaining -  I’m also well aware that the end result will be well and truly worth it. Just let me complain for a bit ok. LOL!

Anyway, so I sent out an email to my database about some great offers coming up – and I wanted to also note them on my blog here.

 I’ve recently become friendly with fitness model Belinda Benn, a great Aussie lady who is now located in Panama, Central America.   Not only does she have an amazing physique at the age of 47, but she’s such a lovely person to boot.   

Belinda has a new program out, and asked for my feedback and opinion. I’ve got to say, I was blown away.   In a nutshell Belinda has put together a fantastic 90 day diet program that provides you with 90 days of menus and includes a unique and invaluable  “nutrition intuition” section.

You can grab a copy of her free report Eat to Get Lean right now: 

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram

Something astonishing to me is that Belinda became a fitness model at age 44.

44!

And she didn’t start working out until she was in her late 30s. So if you have made a bit later start than you would have liked (or perhaps you have been contemplating, but haven’t actually started yet!), here’s proof that it’s never too late!    She’s been published in many fitness magazines…

Does modeling all over the world… 

As a result, demand for her expertise became so great she’s finally sharing her fitness tips with the world.

You can start here with her free report:

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram

Be sure to watch the short video on the website. You’ll get to hear Belinda talk about her program and see how real and down to earth she is.

Ten years ago Belinda was stuck inside stuffy offices and boardrooms as a corporate executive.   She finally stopped ignoring her dreams and began the remarkable journey that took her to where she is today.   In this report you’ll see how you can transform your body too… and your life.  

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram  

In the report you’ll find a fat burning blueprint. Plus insider info on dopamine and toxic foods.   You’ll also find out what really makes you overeat (hint: you can stop blaming yourself).

Oh, and best of all, you really will EAT to get lean!

You won’t starve and deprive yourself (I’m big on that!).

So head on over there right now to pick up the f.reebie:

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram

P. S. The report is loaded with awesome photos and graphics that make it a pleasure to read.  

P.P.S. Just a heads up: There’s no workout to go with this diet program, but many of you will already have one of our instant programs or a tailored program which would compliment this diet really well. If you don’t, I’m going to also provide you with an awesome 50% discount on our instant training programs along with an additional 15% off everything in our Products Store (excluding ebooks), in conjunction with Belinda’s launch.   There will be more information coming when the program launches next week, but if you are in a hurry to grab this program, please do so now from the link in the report, and send me your receipt so I can forward you the information with the discount codes. 

Have a great day.  Will be back later to give you some details on another great offer coming up!

 

 

18 weeks preggo

Published on May 19, 2010 in Articles, Nutrition Articles and weight loss. 2 Comments

Wow, it’s been a month since I last posted.  Things have been moving along somewhat in the pregnancy department.  I’m over the nausea, well 90% of the time, I did actually have my 3rd spew of the pregnancy just 2 days ago, at 6am before I went for an hour’s walk with Nadia!  Tiredness and insomnia still prevail.  I’m so fortunate I work for myself – I often have 6 hours of work done by 8 or 9am!  If I was an employee, I’d never be able to hold down a job.  So, very thankful for that.

My tummy is getting rather largeish.  Even though little bubba only weighs about 150g!  I have my 18 week scan on Monday, though I am not really looking forward to it for the simple reason I have to drink 1 litre of water an hour before I go.  There is no way I can hold on to that much water.  I nearly pee’d my pants on my walk this morning, and I’d only had a coffee and a water, plus I’d already been before I left!  I’m REALLY worried about it so I’m going to do a test tomorrow morning.  I might have to cut down the time frame and cut down the volume of water.  My bladder it seems can only hold about 1/2 cup before I feel like I am going to burst.  That’s still the reason I wake at all hours of the morning.  My stomach is like a big balloon.

So what else has been happening?

We bought a king size bed – gel top – no movement of other person detectable.  We get it on Friday and I can’t wait.  Next on the agenda is a tall boy and new bedside tables.  And of course new quilt cover and sheets etc.  Going the whole hog.

I am off to the Gold Coast on the 31st May for 7 days.  We are having a lunch in Brisbane on Saturday 5th, and anyone is welcome.  Email me if you would like to attend.  I think we have about 10 going so far.  I can’t wait to catch up with the girls.

I’m going to start pilates when I get back from the Goldy. I found a pregnancy pilates class, but first I have to get my ob’s ok so will wait til Thursday when I see him.  This will be a first for me, never done it before.

I’ve started cleaning out cupboards and re-organizing my house.  It feels good to throw stuff out!

I’m still eating like a horse at times especially after I do some exercise.  My weight gain was bothering me a bit but I figure I need to allow for the fact I was dieting and training 2 x day prior to falling pregnant.  So given that, I think all is ok.  I’m still within the average weight gain, just, so that’s ok!  I also figure that once I get back to my usual lower carb diet, my body will respond pretty quickly.  I feel much better now I have found some decent clothes to wear that actually fit me.  I spent nearly $500 on 3 items at David Jones (Metalicus, not maternity) but they are great and I will get heaps of wear out of them as they are stretchy.  Found some good preggo workout wear at www.pregfit.com.au  So I’m all set for a while.  I’m into maternity jeans and actually love them, so comfy.  Believe it or not my Lorna Jane XS pants still fit me but I’ll be moving up to an S when I go shopping on the Goldy.

I’ve been looking into child care options and we have an appointment on Friday with ABC Learning Centre, which is very handily, just down the road from us.  Can’t hurt to be too organized in this regard I think!

As for Ideal Bodies Online, I have a few projects on the go.  I’ve been searching around for corporate identity kit designers for our new project.  While on this subject, we are looking for expressions of interest from mums who have their PT qualifications or who want to get them, who are interested in a unique new business opportunity.  Email me if you would like some further (still sketchy) details.

Next, I’m busy researching and setting up an affiliate program for our instant programs which will be inproved, revamped and repriced at the same time.  If anyone has a blog, or web site and would like to earn 50% commission on sales, please email me your expression of interest so I can get back to you when things have been finalized.

I had my friend Kerry stay with us a couple of weeks ago for the night, that was lovely to catch up with her (as well as Jodie and Logan) – Kerry has lost nearly 50kg in weight and she’s barely recognizable!  She gave me a harmony ball to wear and I haven’t taken it off yet :)

I’ve started walking 3 x week in the early mornings (ie dark) with Nadia who has moved into Mildura and lives quite close now.  We meet at my usual exercise spot, and do stairs, hills, and a bit of jogging and walking.  I’m still able to do some of this but it’s starting to get a little uncomfortable. 

I just came back from a massage – it hurt but was soooooooo good.  How anyone can live without massages is beyond me.  Already my lower back and hips are tight, well everything is really. 

I am due for a belly shot tomorrow, 18 weeks.  So perhaps I’ll do a short blog and post my (definite) belly pic.

If you missed our recent newsletter, here’s an article for those confused about low carb dieting:

Is a Low Carb Diet Sustainable? (by Sue Heintze)

With the low carb diets craze all the rage these days, one important question to ask is: “Is the low carb diet sustainable?” Can you lose weight and keep it off once you go off a low carb diet?

The quick answer to this question is no. However, don’t stop reading now. As with any successful diet out there, the idea is to turn the diet into a lifestyle of healthy eating. So, as with low calorie or low fat diets, in order to sustain the amazing weight loss achieved on a low carb diet, the dieter must turn the diet into a lifestyle once the excess weight is gone. So, the long answer is yes, a low carb diet is sustainable.

Let’s explore this thought further by examining what happens to the body on a low carb diet. When you stop ingesting carbs or significantly lower your carb intake, your body enters what is called ketosis. Ketosis is when your body is actually using fat for fuel instead of sugar. This state is the very reason why you have rapid weight loss on a very low carb diet.

The other benefit to a low carb diet is the fact that the body isn’t losing muscle providing you are getting enough protein and overall calories and you are lifting weights. Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle tone and therefore so is exercise, which is why a low carb diet is best for burning fat and keeping muscle, as well as for long term sustainability.

As with any diet, it’s very important to not deprive yourself of essential nutrients like calcium, fibre and protein. Calcium is pretty easy to get on a low carb diet through cheese, cottage cheese and canned sardines or salmon. Protein is also very easy to get from lean meats, eggs, cottage cheese and whey protein. Fibre is probably the most difficult nutrient to obtain from a low carb diet, but you can incorporate some carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal, berries and legumes.

Once the excess weight is off and you’re ready to begin increasing your carb intake, it’s important to do so slowly. The day you hit your goal weight, you don’t want to run out for a tub of ice cream. However, you can allow yourself some treats once in a while, but as with any diet, if you want to maintain your new weight, you must continue to eat healthy and exercise regularly.

Have a great evening everyone.

Sue xxx

Preggo update and stubborn fat

Published on March 28, 2010 in Articles and weight loss. 1 Comment

So I had my 2nd spew last Thursday morning – I got up at the usual 4am and didn’t really feel any more sick than usual but I must have gulped my water too fast (water not really something I am enjoying at the moment, hard to get down).  Straight after the water I was sitting on the floor in the loo.  I must say I felt really good after a good heave, LOL! 

I had a good day yesterday, I even had enough energy to go for a walk, with some stairs and a bit of running – 45 mins all up so was happy with that.  Today I was planning to get my butt in the gym but it wasn’t to be.  I didn’t wake up good today.  I did make myself go for a 30 min walk however.  I also just did some stretching, leg lifts and foam rolling just to get my muscles active!  I’m hoping very soon I will be able to get back to a routine of some sort, for the gym and my eating.  I desperately need to wash my hair but I can’t be bothered today!

Apparently my weight gain (for my starting weight) for the pregnancy should be a minimum of 25lb, an average of 30lb and a max of 35lb.  Holy moly either/or that’s a lot of weight.

We are cooking a rabbit dish tonight, I looooooooooove rabbit.  I remember mum used to make rabbit casserole and it was awesome.  While at Nadia’s the other evening I was browsing one of her recipe books and I found it.  It has onions, red wine, crushed tomatoes, garlic, cinnamon, and other herbs/spices.  I reduced the amount of oil by heaps.  We decided to add carrots and mushies too but I think we may have ruined it because we had to add a lot of water to cover everything.  Oh well, see how it goes.

Now to diet and training stuff (it’s starting to sound like a baby blog).  I had an email from a past client who was having trouble keeping that last bit of fat off.  I’ll share it with you because it seems that many people think that competitors stay competition lean year round. 

Hi Sue:

Thank you for this newsletter.  It’s nice you keep us in the loop.  I have to tell you, I feel like a fool every time, I write you about this.  As you know from all of my past e-mails, I have been  a client of yours for a long amount of time.  But why do I never keep it off completely.

Sometimes you need to give yourself a bit of a break – it’s often the last few lbs that is really hard to get off and keep off without being absolutely religious about it.  That’s why in the off season I don’t mind sitting a couple of kilos over what I’d prefer.  It takes too much work and gets in the way of life sometimes!

I am gaining weight on tummy again.  I hate it.  I am still wearing smaller sizes in clothing, but the weight is gravitating to my stomach.  I’ve purchased many programs from you, and I just need to be on a program which after I finish the program to continue with my results.

Maybe your age has something to do with this too – not saying you’re old by any means (hey I turn 41 very soon), but that is what happens as you get a bit older.  The only thing we can do is train and eat well, and, perhaps get your hormones checked to see if there is some kind of imbalance there.

Usually what I do after I finish the program, is I mess up during dinner and my husband is such a bad deal for me.  He loves his wine at night and his snacks and at times I give in.  I hate it.

Yes, well obviously this will not be helping.  It comes down to what you want the most I guess – choices.  But you should not be so hard on yourself as it is difficult to be so regimented all the time.  Sometimes we need to splurge a little.  As long as you know what ‘phase’ you are in, then I think it’s ok.  For instance, try being ok with it for awhile – then in a month or so you might want to really kick things up a notch and get serious again.  Just give yourself a little leeway and be ok with it once in awhile.  My total effort is when I compete – otherwise I’m a bit more liberal so I can actually enjoy social occasions etc.

Well give me words of wisdom, again.  But tell me my long range solution to keeping a flat stomach.  Help!!!!! Again, hopefully this time I can stay lean without feeling like I am cheating myself.  I’m turning 42 this year, can you believe it, I have to take control.

Basically you need to be on your game the whole time if you want to be in fantastic shape all the time, or be a little lenient every now and then and accept that at these times you might carry a little more.  Your choice :)  It doesn’t happen by chance.

For those who are really keen to get rid of that last little bit of stubborn fat, there is a great 6 week program recently released and designed for precisely this purpose.  It combines different training methods such as lactic acid training, density training and dynamic training, each having a specific effect on appropriate hormones.  Check it out.

http://www.idealbodiesonline.com/final-pha

Ok, well the rabbit was only so so.  The rabbit was good but as we suspected, the sauce was too watery.  Nice and healthy though.

Back in sunshine!

Published on March 19, 2010 in weight loss. 1 Comment

So I’m home.  The day before we left was nice and sunny so all in all we had 2 clear days, and 5 days that pissed down.  I managed all of 2 hour long walks in the national park while I was there.  That was the extent of my exercise.  I didn’t feel up to going to the gym at all.  From Hastings Street we had a big steep hill to climb via stairs to get back to where we were staying.  I had to stop at least twice to catch my breath every time I climbed it.  I feel so weak and have no stamina.  I don’t like it much!  I am going to ask for an iron test on Tuesday when I have my next scan.  He said he’d do it at week 12 but I want it done now.

I caught up with Di for a coffee while in Noosa which was lovely – we decided then to catch up again (with the boys) the next evening for dinner at the Coffee Club in Coolum.  We had lots of laughs as usual. 

I’m back to my old ways of waking at 3.30am on the first morning home.  Bugger.  So I’ve felt worn out all day and again, no exercise.  My eating has been a lot better though and it needs to be.   Still feel crook but the morning sickness pills are doing a reasonable job.

Had some great feedback from my Drop a Dress Size Diet just now.

Just wanted to thank you for sending me a copy of the “drop a dress size” diet. After being “on plan” with my diet all year, I decided to go “off plan” for one week and just enjoy our holidays. Even though most of my main meals were healthy, and I did continue with my weight training, I also had quite a few treats and wines in between. By the end of the week I was feeling quite bloated and lethargic. I had already made the decision to eat clean and low carb and drink lots of water the following week to flush out the excess fluid I was carrying. Then I came across your generous offer which took all the guess work out of it for me. The only change I made was having green salad instead of green veges at lunch. All I can say is WOW! I dropped almost 4 kilos and felt great. Being just fluid weight, I regained 1.5 of those kilos when I went back to my regular healthy eating, which now brings me back to my “happy” weight. I love that it was so easy to stick to and it only took 5 days. I will definately be using this diet again when I have a special event coming up.

Again, THANK-YOU! I am definately back on track now,

Regards Lynne.

Ok well I think it’s time to clock off and give my brain a bit of a rest.

Avoiding the chocolate gifts at Christmas

Published on December 20, 2009 in Articles, food, Nutrition Articles and weight loss. 2 Comments

There are so many Christmas gifts that contain chocolate, that things can turn into a bit of a nightmare if you are trying to cut down on your intake.

As well as the many children’s gifts that contain chocolate such as selection boxes, many of the gifts aimed at adults are also full of it. Chocolates are one of those gifts you give when you can’t think of anything else – after all, who doesn’t like chocolate?

So, how do you avoid it without coming across as some modern day Scrooge who won’t allow any chocolate in their house?

You will quite often find that it is usual at Christmas for your children to receive boxes and boxes of the stuff and they will eat it just for eating’s sake (just like the adults do!). Hence the familiar scenario of young children running around the house like mad things due to the fact that they have overdosed on their fix of sugar on Christmas Day. As far as the kids themselves are concerned, generally they will have so many things to occupy themselves you will be surprised how they won’t even miss the chocolate – so have a quiet word with your friends and family and request alternative gifts to chocolate for your children. Having said that, make sure you buy the kids some chocolate treats yourself every now and then but make sure that you are in charge of when and how much you give them.

And of course it’s not only the kids – there is so much chocolate lying around at this time of year you can’t really help over indulging and end up feeling guilty that you have given in so easily. After all, you don’t want to waste it do you!

So again, a quiet word with your loved ones should do the trick and alternative presents will get rid of this problem. It’s a similar issue at Easter time – I cannot remember the last time I was given eggs at Easter time. My family has been aware for years that I don’t care to have them around – and you know what, I don’t ever miss them! Chocolate isn’t going anywhere, it’s always around if you need it, so why gorge yourself on it at particular times of the year?

I find that the best way for the adults in the family to avoid the chocolate gifts at Christmas is to have an alternative. We have already come to the conclusion that it is a good idea to limit the amount that you have in the house but you should always ensure that you have some kind of healthy alternative which will in effect mean that you won’t really miss the chocolate at all – well not so much anyway.

Try a few bowls of fresh fruit placed around the house and try and get into the habit of picking at those whenever you have a chocolate craving. Or chop up your favourite protein bar into pieces, and have one piece whenever you feel the need. Of course, if you are eating every 3-4 hours as you should be, you should never get hungry enough to want to gorge on chocolate anyway.

If you must have chocolate, get hold of some good quality dark chocolate. It does have a little bit of an acquired taste but once you get used to it, it is absolutely gorgeous and better for you and a little goes a long way.

And of course, Christmas is all about giving, so the best idea by far is to give away your chocolate gifts to someone who will appreciate them. Try the local Salvos or a charity of some description.

Double Your Fat Loss…

Published on November 1, 2009 in Articles and weight loss. 0 Comments

We had a lovely evening out with the Robertson’s the other night at Australia’s best steak restaurant (that’s right, right here in ‘lil ol Mildy), the Spanish Bar and Grill. I hadn’t caught up with Nadia properly for months so was great to do so – lots of laughs and a very funny evening.

I’m still a bit crook – I have this nagging cough and was sooooooooooo exhausted that I slept for 12 hours straight on Friday night, followed by 3 more naps the next day (yesterday). Consequently I have missed training both yesterday and today, however I did go for a nice walk/jog this morning at 7am. It’s very, very hot here today and that was the only time you would want to venture outside.

This week is looking rather busy. I received my Blackberry Bold on Thursday and managed to finally open the box yesterday. Now I need to book in to have someone come and set it all up for me (with my Outlook etc).

I have 3 hours of phone chats scheduled tomorrow, then, yippee, a much needed massage at 4pm. Tuesday is Cup Day and still unsure what, if anything, we are doing for that. Thursday is hair day, along with 3 more phone appointments, and Friday more phone appointments.

It’s meant to be very hot tomorrow too so my plan is to get up ultra early again (was 5.30am this morning) and do my cardio, then train mid morning so that I am back in time for appointments. I really must get myself a head set for Skype actually – I meant to do that today. Will write a note this minute!

I will leave you with a little article – it’s pretty basic stuff for many however Ideal Bodies Online is broadening our horizons with some mainstream promotions and much of the gen pop who are trying to lose weight are unaware of how important this aspect is:

Double Your Fat Loss with Weight Training

Did you know that in order to completely reshape your body and keep it that way it”s absolutely essential that you make weight training an important part of your health and fitness program?

Yes, weights! While cardio will definitely help (and has numerous other health benefits), weight training is the key to fat loss. If body fat loss is your goal, resistance training (or working out with weights) has numerous important benefits.

Weight training will do far more for your fat loss efforts, both in losing the fat and keeping it off long term, than low intensity, steady state cardio aerobic training will ever do.

First, an intense weight training session burns calories during the actual workout.

Second, research shows that intense weight training elevates your metabolism for up to 39 hours after your actual workout. In other words, after you finish your weight training session, your metabolism has been stimulated so you will now be burning more calories while you are doing nothing! Your metabolism continues to burn more calories than normal for up to 39 hours after you”ve stopped your workout. This doesn”t happen with typical low/moderate steady state cardio programs.

The carbohydrates you eat will power your intense weight training sessions (which is why you should not completely remove carbohydrates from your diet!). The more intense the session, the more you will deplete your carbohydrate stores and the more fat is burned during the recovery phase, i.e. after the workout and during rest.

As the intensity of the training increases there is a proportionate increase in fat burning after the workout.

One study showed that 15 exercise sessions per month (50 minute sessions at 50 percent of oxygen uptake) could lead to an extra 2 plus pounds per month of fat loss, strictly from the elevated metabolism and extra calories burned -while doing nothing! That”s an extra 26 pounds plus, of fat burned per year.

Remember this is extra fat loss, above and beyond the calories burned during the actual training sessions. It also doesn”t include the extra calories burned from the higher metabolism due to added lean and shapely muscle.

Adding lean muscle is another extremely important benefit of resistance training. Muscle burns calories even while resting. So, the more lean muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolism and the more calories you burn each day while doing nothing. This translates to ”you can eat more food without getting fat!”

Studies have estimated that for each pound of muscle that you add to your body, you burn another 35 to 50 calories per day. So, an extra 10 pounds of muscle will burn approximately 350 to 500 calories a day, or an extra pound of fat every 7 to 10 days, without making any other changes.

This is essential to losing the fat and keeping it off. You see, when you add muscle to your body, you greatly increase the number of calories your burn each day. So, once you achieve your fat loss goals you can start eating more food without putting the fat back on, as long as you have built muscle (and keep it of course, by continuing to train and eat well)!

Now ladies (I am talking only to the ladies here as I know this will have crossed your mind), don’t be scared when we talk about ”adding lean muscle”. No, you won’t end up looking like the female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger – it’s just not physically possible. We ladies don’t have enough of the male hormone testosterone to promote that kind of muscle growth. In reality, adding lean muscle is quite difficult, but just a few additional pound of muscle will completely change the way you look – in an amazing way!

On the flip side, if you don’t train with weights while you are dieting, two very undesirable things will occur. First, much of the weight you lose will be muscle. Second, this in turn causes your metabolism to slow down, causing progress to eventually grind to a halt, leading to rebound weight gain (and more). If you’ve tried any of those fad shake diets around, you will know what I”m talking about.

Pure and simple – you can not keep the weight off permanently without training with weights.

As you can see, training with weights is an extremely powerful and necessary component of any successful weight loss program!

Why the blog negativity?

Published on October 2, 2009 in competition and weight loss. 9 Comments

Doing the rounds of blog land recently and have noticed that there seems to be a lot of negativity going on in the Figure comp/training/dieting world. It seems certain people are scouring blogs to try and take down anyone who enjoys improving their health and physique through structured training and nutrition.

Having goals is actually perceived as a negative by these people. Maybe this negativity has come about because these particular people were not successful at their own goals, and are envious of those who are, and those that enjoy the process of achieving them? Why shouldn’t you have a goal, something to drive you to improve and achieve? How someone can see this as a bad thing is beyond me.

It was also mentioned there is no such thing as a ‘bad food’ just the way you think and perceive the food.

Sorry, but tell me what’s good about a double whopper cheeseburger deluxe or whatever you want to call a bunch of fat, sugar and preservatives piled on top of each other? There is nothing good about this type of food, end of story. If you eat it, you are eating it for emotional reasons, so accept that, but don’t try and justify it by telling yourself it’s not bad for you.

Here’s a picture of me in the off season, taken this week. I manage to stay within a 2-3 kg of my week before comp weight. So I’m fatter, I’m softer, and feel a bit chunkier than I’d like but I’m very happy with where I sit off season. Maybe I’m lucky – but I don’t think so. I make an effort (and it’s really not hard) to eat well consistently – because I want to – it makes me feel good, physically and mentally. I’m not obsessed if I eat something that’s not particularly healthy. I just don’t need that kind of food on a regular basis. Nobody does.
Off season

Kristin recently mentioned on her blog that she was excited to be setting new goals toward another competition, having just completed her first (2) and having thoroughly enjoyed the experience. She was asked this question by a fellow blogger:

“Why do you have to have a goal, competing or other, to wake up each day with excitement and a purpose? Isn’t living a happy, fulfilled, contented life purpose enough?”

I’m a little confused. I mean, what do you think it is that makes a ‘happy, fulfilled, contented life’? Sitting on the couch watching tv and munching on Macca’s, simply existing? I don’t feel its right to bag those who enjoy the challenge of competing and the process that goes along with it. If that makes them feel great, that’s awesome. If it’s not for you, that’s fine too, but don’t go suggesting to those that do enjoy it, that they should be happy just ‘existing’ without the challenge of improvement and competition.

I always wonder why, if these people aren’t obsessed themselves, why are they continually talking about food and dieting within their blogs? They aren’t fooling anyone!

So, here’s my question to readers out there – what >makes your life happy, fulfilled and contented? Love to hear your responses!

Still on competition, here’s an article that was recently in the Adelaide Advertiser, that I just uploaded to my site. Written by the lovely Kathy Marusic, my excellent ‘backstage b*tch” on the day!!

Iron Maidens