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Vanessa’s Tip of the Week: Hit the Hay to Keep the Fat Away!

Jul11

Night owls who consistently stay up late may be putting themselves at higher risk for weight gain!

Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago found that people who burn the midnight oil typically consume more calories in the evening and eat more fast food than “early to bed, early to rise” types.

The study, published online in the journal Obesity, examined 51 people averaging 30 years of age. Twenty-three typically went to bed by about 3:45 a.m. and woke up by 10:45 a.m. The rest, considered normal sleepers, were in bed by 12:30 a.m. and up by 8 a.m.

The researchers found that people who stayed up late consumed an average 248 more calories daily. The diet of the night owls also included twice as much fast food, more non-diet sodas and only half as many fruits and vegetables as those with earlier sleep times. These extra calories were typically consumed at dinner and later in the evening. The study also found that those who regularly stayed up late had a higher body mass index than normal sleepers.

Continue reading →

My Super Sweet 15: Week 6 Update

Jun29

Hey Y’all!

No video this time but I just wanted to update you guys on how I’m doing with my challenge. Things are going very well with my workouts with Vanessa. She is adding more weight to my routine to step things up! I still feel sore after my sessions, but it is not as bad as the beginning of the challenge. The soreness goes away after a day or two. I found out that the most difficult components of my workouts were any exercises that involved using my own body weight. Vanessa would make me jump, hop, and kick my knees to the ceilings. Let me tell ya, lifting my own body weight is HARD. I feel a lot stronger from practicing these movements though, which in turn has improved my running.

As far as my diet goes, Vanessa offered me a list of suggested foods to eat. The main key is to keep it simple. That means eating out less, and eating more raw/natural foods. I told her I had the most difficult time controlling what I ate when I am out and about. Vanessa suggested I either eat before a party, or bring my own snacks during a gathering. Very smart. I started carrying veggies and fruit in a ziploc bag wherever I went and even tried to eat at home before I went out if I was already hungry. Eating raw foods helps keep things simple because you know exactly what you are putting in your body. Eliminating processed foods have actually helped me retain more energy throughout the day. I mentioned that I cut down on my soda consumption before, and guess what? It actually physically makes my stomach hurt when I sip on some bubbly now!

Last but not least, I think having a  personal trainer is a great opportunity for any and everyone. Even if you sign up for just a couple of sessions, you can learn a lot about your own body. For instance, I learned that doing exercises in the incorrect position can diminish the chances of you reaching your goals. It’s nice to have someone observe the way your body is positioned during exercises so they can direct you how to do it the right way. It’s also beneficial to have someone push you when you feel like you want to give up. Normally when I work out by myself, I will take a break if I get tired. No way Jose when Vanessa is around. She is always 3 steps ahead of me and has a new set for me to complete by the time I’m finishing up my last 5 reps!

So I definitely recommend contacting Vanessa asap! Her contact info is on the side! You will not regret it.

Vanessa’s Tip of the Week: B-12 Supplement and It’s Benefits

Jun22

 

What ist it? - Vitamin B-12 naturally occurs in meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. It has many health benefits that range from the production of healthy red blood cells to the regulation of metabolism. There are many who have a deficiency of B12 due to diet. Those who are vegetarians are the most susceptible to a Vitamin B12 deficiency as it does not occur in plant form. Vitamin B12 can aid in weight loss because it is possible to boost your metabolism naturally with B12 supplements. By naturally boosting your metabolism, you increase the amount of calories your body burns during all hours of the day. By burning these additional calories, you begin to burn more of your fat that stores, and over time you lose weight in a healthy manner. (www.ehow.com)

How to take it: Take 1 teaspoon after eating breakfast. Ultra B12 by Now brand is a great product that I recommend. It’s a combination of B vitamins and your body will use it more efficiently than if you were taking just B12 alone.

Thanks for the great tip Vanessa!

My Super Sweet 15: Week 4 Update

Jun15

Howdy folks! Check out my video update below now that I’ve reached the midway point of My Super Sweet 15 Challenge. 

Right now my measurements are:

  • Waist= 32.75″
  • Hips= 42″
  • Shoulders= 43″
  • Chest= 38.5″
  • Leg= 22.5″
  • Arm= 12.5″

Body Fat = 29%

So not only will I be monitoring my weight on the scale, I’ll be tracking my measurements and body fat % as well. It’s more important that I lose body fat versus pounds! I still want to aim to lose as much weight as possible so I am going to have to really cut out the FAT in my meals y’all!

Make sure you read Vanessa’s Tip of the Week!

Thanks for tuning, in. Til next time toodle-loo!

Vanessa’s Tip of the Week: The Misunderstanding of ‘Bulking Up’

Jun15

Weight Loss Mistake: Deciding to lose weight FIRST before beginning to weight train.

This thought process is 90% personal theory to avoid “bulking up” and 10% excuses to not step outside a comfort zone. Ask anyone with this mindset enough of the right questions and I guarantee it will boil down to the fear of bulking up or getting too big. Many women (and even men these days) feel that shedding weight through cardio and diet before resistance training will lead to a leaner looking body in a faster time. The thought is to lose all the excess pounds on the scale and then “tone up” the leftovers for a sleeker, sexier, firm body. Is it possible to lose fat exclusively through diet and conditioning? Yes – but it’s not faster, nor is it more efficient in the long run. Weight training in conjunction with improved eating habits and conditioning has major advantages over cardio and diet alone.

It’s actually the body fat over the muscle that’s making you look big. It’s not all muscle on a female body. It rarely ever is. Even if you have an athletic background or a naturally more muscular build, if you can pinch an inch on your quad or calves while standing – don’t blame it all on leg day. You just have more work to do. Now if you’re a cheap pincher or you flexed the whole time and still think you’re super lean, get naked and shake or jump up and down in front of the mirror. If it’s still jiggling when you stop wiggling, it’s body fat.

Fat hides and fills in everywhere and the arms and back are a good example. You may get freaked out when you see a bicep curve in your arm as it starts to take shape because you think your arm looks too big and hate the way it looks in pictures. It’s likely the fat over the bicep and the notorious fat holding triceps that make the arm as a whole look bigger. Unless that arm is carved and lean with muscles that flicker when you move, you’re not jacked. The point is that it’s possible you are not over muscularly developed. You may just need to shed a bit more fat.

Get stronger NOT bulkier – Women have 10-30 times less of the hormones that affect muscle-building. If it were that easy to get huge every guy on the beach would have massive biceps. But you don’t see that. You see skinny dudes, fat guys and the men that you can tell lift hard, eat well and put in the years of hard work that goes into getting and maintaining a built physique. Getting stronger will make your life easier; picking up your children, putting heavy boxes in the attic, carrying your luggage, and even lugging laundry baskets up and down stairs. Life just gets easier when you’re stronger. Start opening pickle jars for him. (www.articles.elitefts.com)

My Super Sweet 15 – Week 2 Update

Jun1

Yo yo yo! As I promised you all, I would be updating you guys every other week to let you all in on my progress regarding My Super Sweet 15 Challenge.  Today marks the completion of week 2 and I was aiming to have lost 3-4 lbs by now since I had a goal of losing about 2 lbs a week! So what REALLY happened?

Week 1 was great! I lost two pounds and was jumping for joy as I hopped off the scale. Then came week two and boy was that a change of pace – sort of. I basically did not control my eating over the Memorial Day weekend and overdosed on all types of BBQ and the common accompanying side dishes – YIKES! I ate really bad Sat-Mon :( During  Week 2, I did not lose any weight, I actually gained one pound. One positive is that I have been keeping up with the workouts, seeing my personal trainer, Vanessa, two times a week in addition to completing my cardio three times a week outside of that.

I won’t let one week discourage me in completing my challenge, no way! I just have to pick up the pace for the next 6 weeks and really watch what and how much I eat. Are you with me?!? Hopefully you tuned in and read Vanessa’s tip of the week last week, good info!

Look out for another update in two weeks and I promise I will be talking about RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS!

Vanessa’s Tip of the Week: The Dark Side of Diet Soda

May25

As you may recall, I mentioned as a part of “My Super Sweet 15″ Challenge that my personal trainer, Vanessa, will be providing you all with some really useful advice regarding diet and fitness every other week. This week’s tip is related to diet - keep reading below!

Myth Buster #1: DIET soda is better for you that REGULAR soda

Reality: It may lead to weight gain

Vanessa says …

Just because diet soda is low in calories, that doesn’t mean it cannot lead to weight gain. It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages—even if they’re artificially sweetened—may lead to a high preference for sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert—everything. In fact, new research found that people who drink diet soda on a daily basis have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. These days, the world of food is full of nasty surprises like this one, and knowledge is power.

Alternatives: Water, water, and more water! Add a lemon or cucumber slice for flavor. Fresh brewed (NOT bottled) green tea with a teaspoon of Raw Sugar is another great choice. Drink it hot or pour it over ice. I realize that it’s not easy to replace that sweet bubbly stuff! If you’re a heavy pop drinker, start by weaning yourself off by reducing the number of cans/glasses you drink per day. Before you know it, drinking soda will be a thing of the past!

Thanks for the tip Vanessa! This tip completely speaks to me and I’ve been trying to decrease my diet soda intake to 2 cans a week versus 4. It is hard because like you said, I love the sweet bubbly stuff. Replacing my cravings with sweet green tea helps alot. See you tonight so you can kick my butt =)

My Super Sweet 15: Day 1

May18

Hello Guys and Gals,

Today is Day 1 of My Super Sweet 15 Challenge! What does that mean? I’m going to be trying something new, exciting and life changing today. My goal is to lose 15 lbs by the end of 8 weeks – Pray for me! Today is the start of eating a healthy balanced diet, and more thrilling, I will be working with a fantastic trainer named VANESSA. Vanessa is a newly certified personal trainer who has a passion for living a healthy happy lifestyle! I will be meeting with her twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays for the next 2 months – can you say ouch!?

Each week there will be a post related to My Super Sweet 15 Challenge. One week I will be updating you all on my progress, and the next week Vanessa will share her secrets in staying in shape the fun and EFFICIENT way.

Personally, I have always been a yo-yo dieter for years. I can gain and lose 5-10 lbs easily but in the least healthiest manner, of course. I’ve tried counting carbs, calories and even body cleansing in efforts to achieve my dream body! So now, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and for the first time ever I’m working with a personal trainer. I think her techniques, food recommendations and motivation will help me reach my goals!

What do I want from this? A nice chizzled body that I can proudly flaunt on the beaches of Chicago … heck, anywhere! Ok, in all seriousness – my main focus areas are my arms, back and tummy! This is what I’m working with now, a thick 158 lb body! See my before pic below.

Looking to get your sexy back as well?? Challenge yourself, and contact Vanessa!