DAY FOUR Mastercleanse

I drank the saltwater and 2 cups of the lemonade mixture this morning and wasn't hungry even after I came home from church at 4:30 pm. I'm supposed to be drinking 6-12 cups a day so I just drank 4 cups and my stomach feels so full. I'll drink another cup or so tonight along with the tea.

So far I've lost 9 lbs. I would seriously suggest this cleanse if you want to lose weight quickly for a big event or a trip to Hawaii or something.

After the 10 days I am still restricted on what I can eat as I'm not supposed to shock my stomach with junk. So it's supposed to take 3 days of adjustment and eating raw foods before I can go hit McDonalds again... haha! I'm kidding, but it will be great to eat normal foods again. I think after the cleanse I will be more motivated to eat right. However, I'm craving homemade cookies so badly. I want to make the Seinfeld recipe so bad.

Tomorrow is Joshy's 3rd birthday and we're taking the kids to Chuck-e-cheese. Alicia, my sister in law, is bringing one of those big cakes from Costco.

I think my biggest weakness of all the sweets the world has to offer is a great, big chunky homeade cookie.

Oh, and I think I forgot to mention earlier that I made a mistake when I made my first horrible batch of lemonade juice. I put in 1 1/2 cups of maple syrup instead of 1 1/4 cups. It was disgusting. I read in Burrough's book that you can lessen the maple syrup if you're overweight so now I'm only putting in 1/2 cup. The lemonade tastes so much better now and finishing the rest of the cleanse is totally doable now.

DAY THREE Mastercleanse

Well I'm on my third day and about ready for it to be over. I felt more hungry today than the first two days but the juice really does quench the hunger pretty quickly. I drank more juice today - probably 8 cups and am looking forward to tea-time.

My energy level is pretty normal. I don't take naps too often and don't feel the need to take a nap even now.

After the salt water drink this morning I ended up going to the bathroom 3 different times. That stuff is nasty to drink and I'm so glad once it's over.

I've had a headache since last night but I think it's cause I started my period. It's one of those hormone headaches.

I am seriously in disbelief that I've only been drinking lemonade for 3 days straight.

DAY TWO Mastercleanse

Well I'm almost done with day two of the mastercleanse and it's going okay. I'm not experiencing the hunger pains I was expecting and when I do feel hungry I just drink a glass of the lemonade mixture and the hunger quickly subsides. My energy level is not depleted either which is surprising.

I made a roast for dinner last night and even though the smell filled my house the entire day long, it wasn't too hard to just drink the lemonade for dinner. Tonight, however, the kids had pizza and cheetos for dinner and I wanted those crunchy cheetos so bad. I love a good crunchy food and know that's what I will be missing the most during this fast.

The lemonade mixture itself is quite nasty but it's growing on me. The first day my gag reflex was quite sensitive, but today I'm able to drink without feeling like I'm going to throw up. I was only able to drink 5 glasses on the first day, but today I drank about 7. The recommended serving is 6-12 cups a day. Tomorrow when I make a new batch of the drink I'm going to use half as much maple syrup (Stanley Burroughs says this is okay if you're overweight) and maybe the drink will taste better.

Last night I had the laxative tea and this morning I drank a quart of the salt water. The tea was neither good nor bad, but the salt water was really gross. One quart is a lot! I drank it through a straw and that seemed a little easier. About 20-30 min's after drinking the salt water my stomach started gurgling and I visited the lady's room...

I'm looking forward to drinking the tea in a little bit to end the night and then on to tomorrow!

B.L.Ts Beware

B.L.T three simple letters they be,
but beware for all who may not see,
the traps, the lies, they truly are.
BLTs have stopped me from coming so far.

Bite Lick and Taste is what it means
and why I don't fit my favorite jeans.
Oh BLT you must be aware
because I choose to end our affair.

No longer will I BLT my days away,
no munching, no tasting, I'm wasting away.

Grilled cheese crust,
truly not a must.
A little tiny bite,
the urge I will fight.
Leftover french fry
such a thing I shant try.
Frosting on a spoon,
the pounds will follow soon.
Just a taste is all I ask,
remembering not to, will be a task.


But today I say to you my BLTs
the choice is mine, its all about me.
Size 8 is calling me louder I plead,
No more BLTs is my new creed.

Mastercleanse or Lemonade Diet

DAY ONE

I got an email from some random person and the subject was "why you are fat"... I didn't know who this person was and couldn't imagine how she could possibly know I was "fat". Well, after I opened the email I saw that it was some advertisement for cleansing oneself. I read it and became interested in the whole idea of cleaning out ones intestines of all the impurities that breed there.

After a little more online research I discovered Mastercleanse, which is also known as the Lemonade Diet. I decided to give it a shot. It will interfere with the Body for Life I started over a week ago, but I'll just start that over once this is done. I'm very intrigued by how the mastercleanse will work and will be posting my journey and results here on this blog.

Here is the daily recipe I'll be using during the 10 day cleanse:

the juice of 5 lemons
1 1/4 cup of organic Grade B maple syrup
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
10 cups of water

Each night I will drink an Herbal Laxative Tea.

Each morning I will drink a saltwater flush:

2 level teaspoons of uniodized sea salt
1 quart of lukewarm water

WISH ME LUCK! ;)

Healthy Snacks

When I go grocery shopping I can never think of healthy snacks to buy! So, I compiled a simple list of healthy snacks. Here they are:

Banana ice — Peel several very ripe bananas, break them into 1-inch pieces, and freeze the pieces in a sealed plastic bag. Just before serving, whirl the pieces in the blender with a small amount of water or juice. Serve right away. Add berries for a different flavor or top with fruit or nuts.

Ants on a log — Spread peanut butter on celery sticks and top with raisins.

Healthy ice pops — Freeze fresh, unsweetened 100% juice in ice pop molds or ice cube trays.

Mini pizzas — Spoon pizza sauce onto half a bagel, English muffin, or mini pita. Top with low-fat mozzarella cheese and your favorite veggies and toast or bake at a low setting until the cheese is melted and the bagel is crispy.

Happy trails mix — Combine 1 cup whole-grain toasted oat cereal with 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup dried cranberries for a healthy trail mix.

Whole-grain Crispbread with Cottage Cheese

Dried Fruit

Vegetables dipped in hummus – Fresh vegetables are low in calories and have many antioxidants, and many have no fat with plenty of fiber to satiate you. Fiber has also been shown to lower cholesterol. Hummus, made from chick peas, is a great alternative protein without saturated fat.

Fat-free yogurt with fruit and a sprinkle of nuts – Get another serving of dairy without saturated fat as well as antioxidants from fruit and unsaturated fat from the nuts.

Simple banana smoothie –
1 Banana
¾ C Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
3-4 Ice cubes

Yogurt
Fruit cup
Apple
Banana
Pear
Peach
Grapes
Plum
Orange
Berries
Watermelon
Raisins
Carrots
Celery
Broccoli
Mixed nuts
Tomato
Chicken noodle soup
Cauliflower
Green or red peppers
Peanut butter crackers
Nuts
Whole wheat cereal with skim milk
Trail mix
Oatmeal
Whole wheat bagel or toast
Pure bran muffins
Fruit smoothie
Spinach
Sweet potato
Broth-based vegetable soup
Skim and low-fat milk
Bean soup

Aspartame Side Effects

Aspartame Side Effects

The components of aspartame can lead to a number of health problems, as you have read. Side effects can occur gradually, can be immediate, or can be acute reactions. According to Lendon Smith, M.D. there is an enormous population suffering from side effects associated with aspartame, yet have no idea why drugs, supplements and herbs don’t relieve their symptoms. Then, there are users who don’t ‘appear’ to suffer immediate reactions at all. Even these individuals are susceptible to the long-term damage caused by excitatory amino acids, phenylalanine, methanol, and DKP.

Adverse reactions and side effects of aspartame include:

Eye
blindness in one or both eyes
decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision
pain in one or both eyes
decreased tears
trouble with contact lenses
bulging eyes

Ear
tinnitus - ringing or buzzing sound
severe intolerance of noise
marked hearing impairment

Neurologic
epileptic seizures
headaches, migraines (some severe)
dizziness, unsteadiness, both
confusion, memory loss, both
severe drowsiness and sleepiness
paresthesia or numbness of the limbs
severe slurring of speech
severe hyperactivity and restless legs
atypical facial pain
severe tremors

Psychological/Psychiatric
severe depression
irritability
aggression
anxiety
personality changes
insomnia
phobias

Chest
palpitations, tachycardia
shortness of breath
recent high blood pressure

Gastrointestinal
nausea
diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools
abdominal painpain when swallowing

Skin and Allergies
itching without a rash
lip and mouth reactions
hives
aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma

Endocrine and Metabolic
loss of control of diabetes
menstrual changes
marked thinning or loss of hair
marked weight loss
gradual weight gain
aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
severe PMS

Other
frequency of voiding and burning during urination
excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating
increased susceptibility to infection

Additional Symptoms of Aspartame
Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all
death
irreversible brain damage
birth defects, including mental retardation
peptic ulcers
aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets
hyperactivity in children
severe depression
aggressive behavior
suicidal tendencies

Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Epstein-Barr
Post-Polio Syndrome
Lyme Disease
Grave’s Disease
Meniere’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease
ALS
Epilepsy
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
EMS
Hypothyroidism
Mercury sensitivity from Amalgam fillings
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
non-Hodgkins
Lymphoma
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

These are not allergies or sensitivities, but diseases and disease syndromes. Aspartame poisoning is commonly misdiagnosed because aspartame symptoms mock textbook ‘disease’ symptoms, such as Grave’s Disease.

Aspartame changes the ratio of amino acids in the blood, blocking or lowering the levels of serotonin, tyrosine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. Therefore, it is typical that aspartame symptoms cannot be detected in lab tests and on x-rays. Textbook disorders and diseases may actually be a toxic load as a result of aspartame poisoning.

Ever gone to the doctor with real, physical symptoms, but he/she can’t find the cause? Well, it’s probably your diet, your environment, or both.

Aspartame is the common denominator for over 92 different health symptoms at the root of modern disease. The Aspartame Detoxification Program demonstrates the most effective way to reverse disease symptoms is removing the underlying cause - aspartame.

I counsel aspartame victims worldwide and have witnessed nine out of 10 clients restore their health by following the Aspartame Detoxification Program. Begin with detoxifying your body of all residual chemical toxins from aspartame's chemical make up of phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol and their toxic by-products, and see if any adverse health symptoms remain. Try the Aspartame Detoxification Program, and within 30 days your symptoms should disappear.

Steps:
Remove all sugar-free products with aspartame from your diet.
Learn to 'read' your body. Begin recording any health changes.
Get a hair analysis.
Be happy with yourself.
Detoxify.
Restore depleted nutrients.
Exercise and get plenty of rest.
Eat 75% raw foods at every meal.
Drink water, water, water.
Get control of your life.

I designed this Ten Step Program to help protect your health and the health of those you love from being seduced by the sugar-free diet craze. Wishing you good health.

What can you do about aspartame side effects?
Set an example by changing your diet.
Tell everyone you know.
Talk to the schools and day care centers. Offer to speak at parent-teachers meetings.
Contact your local, state, and Federal government representatives.
If you see someone with a diet drink, ask if they have had any of the typical aspartame side effects.
Spread the word at your work.
Distribute the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot's Hotline
Tell your doctor about the scientific research available proving the negative side effects of aspartame.
Register a complaint with the FDA, the FAA, the NutraSweet Company about aspartame poisoning.
Return all food products with aspartame, opened or unopened, to your grocer. Tell him/her the products make you sick. The grocer can return them to the manufacturer for a store refund. The manufacturer should get the message. So, will the grocer.
Spread the word on computer networks.
Publish articles in newsletters at your church, place of work, or neighborhood association.
Set a personal example for health and wellness.

Click Here To See Aspartame Symptoms Submitted to the FDA.

Good Reasons to Stop Drinking Soda

I found this on the internet (http://www.lifetrainingonline.com/) and thought I'd post it...

Pop, soda, coke, whatever you call it there are three reasons why we should stop drinking it: Caffeine, Aspartame, and High-Fructose Corn Syrup.

Never having been a coffee drinker, I used to pride myself in not joining the flocking masses waiting in line for their morning fix at the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts. It wasn’t until I started working at one of my clients where they provided all-you-can-drink free soda of your choice that I began my own hook. It was Coke.

At first I drank one a day. It was a nice way to get me over that afternoon slump. Soon after, I added one more in the morning. This felt great for a little while and continued to be the pattern until I switched clients. Unfortunately, I couldn’t carry the free soda machine with me to the new client. My habits, however, did not get left behind.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup

At that time I started reading about the effects of high-fructose corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is produced by processing corn starch to yield glucose, and then in turn processing the glucose to produce a high percentage of fructose. It’s essentially a cheap substitute to beet and cane sugar.

Here are some of the side-effects of a diet high in fructose:

Converts to fat more than any other sugar. This may be one of the reasons Americans are continually gaining more weight not less weight. Dr. George Bray, principal investigator of the Diabetes Prevention Program at Louisiana State University Medical Center told the International Congress on Obesity that in 1980, just after high fructose corn syrup was introduced in mass quantities, relatively stable obesity rates began to climb. By 2000, they had doubled.
Inhibits copper metabolism. Copper deficiency leads to defects in the connective tissues and arteries, and bone fragility. As one chiropractor observed, ?the bodies of the children I see today are mush.? The culprit is the modern diet high in fructose and low in copper containing foods, resulting in inadequate formation of elastin and collagen, the proteins that help hold our bodies together.
After reading about these side effects I stopped drinking coke altogether, but replaced it with something probably worse: Diet Mountain Dew.

Caffeine

About 2 months had passed since I cut out any intake of high-fructose corn syrup. But I noticed something…I had become an addict. It now took about three Diet Mountain Dews spread strategically throughout the day to continue having the same mental benefits I had had before. Anytime I had missed one, I got these nagging headaches and became fatigued. Although I felt alert, it was more difficult to concentrate and the energy I felt was more akin to an unnatural buzz than a true feeling of energy. Again I started to do some research on some of the ill-effects of caffeine. Here is a list of the top 10 caffeine-related health effects from teecino.com (where you can read more details surrounding these 10 points):

Cardiovascular Problems
Stress
Emotional Disturbances
Blood Sugar Swings
Gastrointestinal Problems
Nutritional Deficiencies
Male Health Problems
Female Health Problems
Adrenal Exhaustion
Aging
So with this new-found knowledge I went cold turkey on caffeine and replaced it with my third and final soft drink:Fresca.

Aspartame

Initially Fresca seemed like a great segue to becoming free of the caffeine addiction. There was no high-fructose nastiness to make myself fat or my bones weak, the caffeine was non-existent and best of all there were no calories thanks to a wonder-drug called aspartame. Things couldn’t have been better. I even found that I enjoyed drinking Fresca more than any of the other previous sodas. I liked it so much I drank 2-3 a day. But after two months, I felt worse than when I was addicted to caffeine. Weird symptoms began to pop up such as blurriness of eyesight and random headaches. I began feeling depressed, listless and was constantly fatigued. It was so bad that I wondered if I had developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Depression. My wife, knowing that I’m normally a very happy and energetic person, noticed that I was becoming irritable and argumentative. It just wasn’t me anymore and I couldn’t understand why I was feeling this way.

Pulling out a notepad I began to do a personal inventory. It seemed that all of my areas of life were generally balanced except for diet. It was then that I questioned some of the ingredients in Fresca and began to study the side effects of Aspartame. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with consuming Aspartame! (For a complete list see, Sweet Poison)

It has been over a half a year since I last had a soda of any kind. I feel worlds better now and would suggest to anyone to detox after they eliminate soda from their diet. The Master Cleanse being one of the best ways. The journey to becoming soda free has been long but well worth it. Since doing this, none of my previous symptoms have returned.

How did everyone do over Easter?

I did pretty good thanks to my stingy-but-sweet nephew who wouldn't share any Reeses Peanut butter eggs with me... ;) I had gone to Walmart a few days before Easter and the the candy was pretty much gone. It was probably a good thing though cause all I ended up buying were some chocolate eggs, Robin eggs, and that's about it. Last year I bought Reeses eggs, Milky Way and Snickers eggs, and other things I really love. I guess that's the secret - just buy candy you don't like and the temptation won't be there.

Oh - and if you're craving french fries (which I always do)... I made potato wedges for Easter dinner last night and I loved them. I had a seasoning I bought in a packet at Walmart, but I figure it's pretty easy to concoct your own.

Seasonings (I'm going to experiment but maybe even salt and pepper would be tasty)
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
3 medium potatoes cut lengthwise in 8 pieces

1. Mix seasonings with olive oil
2. Add seasoning mixture to ziploc bag and add potato wedges.
3. Mix till potatoes are coated
4. 400 degrees 30-40 minutes depending on how crisp you want them

Motivation

My husband found this article and when he read it I felt so sorry for that relative. I was thinking of my own children and how I would feel if I accidentally fell on them. I am not morbidly obese but if I don't get myself under control I could head down that road. It certainly is a sad story:

STORY

Hi! I'm Norda...

I am also Heather's cousin, and I am so excited she started this blog! Exercise and nutrition are two things that are very important to my husband and I, and I love hearing other's ideas and tips that work for them! I also have my fair share of "secrets" or whatever you want to call what works for me! Right now I am almost six months pregnant with our second child and so I am on the 'gaining weight on purpose plan'. But I am due in early July, and can't wait to get myself back in shape again! I predict (if this pregnancy is like the last one) I will need to lose about 45-50 pounds. That is about how much I think I will gain. According to the books that's way over the suggested limit for my size, but I think those are unrealistic gains for me, especially since my last baby was 9 pounds 2 ounces!

I did want to put in my two cents on what I did/do to stay healthy. Last pregnancy I had a month where I gained 11 pounds, and it was then that I started looking more seriously at what I eat. My husband acquired a booklet from a chiropracteor he met on his mission, and asked me to read it. I was blown away, I LOVED what it said, and I followed the guidelines from then on in that pregnancy. So, I SWEAR by it for sure, just because I got relatively fast, relatively easy results. (Okay exercise isn't always easy, but when I look back, it wasn't that bad) So I googled this booklet and found nothing, so I don't think it was officially published, but I don't know. It's only 11 pages long, so I am going to share the hilights with you. It's called ACHIEVING AND MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BODY COMPOSITION (Dr. Steven E. Clark, Chiropractor)

The first thing he talks about is making the decision to change. "If you truly wish to change your body and your health, you must realize that you're going to have to change your mind first. You must decide to change first. Even the best information will not help you achieve a desired goal if the decision to achieve that goal has not taken place."

I was really motivated by that - it's so true! He goes on to say, "You can do it!!" That is one reason why I am excited for this blog. The extra support and motivation from other's setting and achieving goals is inspiring and motivating (at least for me!) Luckily I am married to someone who also values the importance of a healthy body and lifestyle - I think that is one reason it was easy for me to make changes, I have had the support. Seriously my sugar intake has gone WAY down since I've been married (as my husband's of course has gone up). Anyway, back to the matter at hand....

The author talks about

1. Identifying why you want to change (health reasons, looking better, better example for your kids, etc.) writing them down, and reading them frequently so you can stay motivated and focused.

2. He suggests doing the "before and after" pictures, and making specific goals. (I'm going to lose x amount of pounds and gain x amount of muscle, I'm going to look good in a swim suit, etc.)

3. Write down any current habits that could keep you from succeeding. (Skipping breakfast, eating while watching tv, fast food, candy, etc.)

4. Write down new habits that you realize you must develop to reach your goal. (Specific eating guidelines, exercise routines, see below)

5. Share goals with others for support! Avoid negative people (people who are threatened by your changes who might hold you back).

Specifics

1. Eat six times a day. Three meals, three snacks. Our bodies are the result of millions of years of evolution. Only very, very recently have we had the luxury of a virtually unlimitied food supply. Our bodies are hard-wired to ensure our survival in the case of a famine, and those people who were able to store the most body fat had the best chance of surviving. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to go on a low-calorie diet. Your body thinks you are starving, and will slow your metabolism down as a survival mechanism. When you do eat the food will promptly be stored as fat. If you do manage to lose weight with this approach, much of the loss will be from muscle. (The less muscle you have, the less calories it takes for you to survive.) When you give in and start eating your previous amount, the regained weight will be a higher percentage of fat than when you started. Now with less muscle and a slower metabolism you will need to restrict even more calories, and again, lose more muscle. This is known as the "yo-yo dieting", and it is the worst possible strategy you can use.

Instead, lose the concept of "dieting" and adopt the mindset of properly nourishing your body. The six feedings a day tell your body that "everything's ok, there's plenty of food". This approach also helps keep your blood sugar levels steady - a critically important point. The practice of always consuming quality protein when you eat carbs also help regulate your blood sugar.

Diabetics know all about regulating blood sugar. It's a good idea to learn the GI (glycemic index) and GL (glycemic load) of common foods. This will help you understand which foods will cause the biggest swings in your blood sugar. These are the foods you want to avoid altogether or at least keep to a minimum. (If I do want something sweet, I always eat it after a meal or when there's plenty of protein in my stomach, so as to avoid the spike in blood sugar)

At this point he goes into detail about all the different food groups. Instead I will give the list he gives at the end:

THE GOOD (majority of your intake)

Proteins: Fish (fresh or canned in water), chicken breast, turkey breast, venison, lean beef or pork, whey/casein protein powders, beans + brown rice, shellfish, non-fat yogurt, non-fat cottage cheese

Carbs: Raw or lightly cooked vegetables (frozen veggies are fine), whole grains, brown rice, fresh fruit in moderation

Fats: Fish oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, borage oil, primrose oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, natural peanut and nut butters in moderation

THE BAD (ok in moderation)

Proteins: Dark chicken or turkey meat, fattier cuts of beef, pork, lamb, cultured soy products (miso, tempeh, natto and shoyu or tamari soy sauce), 2% or whole milk products, cheese

Carbs: White potatoes, whole-grain pastas, whole-grain cereals

Fats: Canola oil, butter, animal fats

THE UGLY (never)

Proteins: Fried, fatty meats (hamburgers, breaded, deep-fried meat or fish of any kind), soy protein

Carbs: White flour products, white rice, sugar, sugary cereals, cookies, cakes, or pastries

Fats: Any and all fats and oils containing trans-fatty acids (margarine, shortening, cooking oils, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, and any foods made with them...read section on fats) WARNING: These fats are in almost all processed foods! Read the label!

2. Schedule 3-6 hours per week for exercise - both aerobic and resistence exercise. (That's only 2-5% of your waking hours! That's it!) 30 minutes three times a week aerobic, 30 minutes resistence three times a week to start out. Add more of course if you want to! By the way, gaining muscle is GOOD! Some women don't like the idea of weight training because they are afraid of getting too bulky. Men gain muscle size when they lift weights because they have testosterone. Women have such small amounts of testosterone that weight training will help shape and tone your muscles better than any other method.

3. Stay hydrated! Sodas and fruit juices don't count. Your body is 2/3 water and many of your body's functions depend on proper hydration. The average person needs 64 oz (8 cups) per day. If you are active you need more. Drinking water will help your body get rid of toxins and help your fat loss efforts considerably. As bodyfat breaks down for energy, you will be releasing toxins into your bloodstream; as most toxins you ingest are stored as fat. Don't undermine your efforts by not getting enough water!

4. No-No's: Eating carbs by themselves causes a large rise in your blood sugar, especially simple or refined carbs. Complex carbs cause a lower insulin response, but should still be eaten with a quality protein. Protein slows the absorption of the carbs into the bloodstream, thereby moderating your body's insulin response.

Eating simple carbs by themselves (most sugary, processed foods, white bread, sugary cereals, etc.) will stop your fat-loss efforts. Other types of eating that will stop your fat-loss efforts:

• Eating simple carbs and fats (especially "bad" fats) together in one feeding. Examples would be pastries, ice cream, white bread or rolls with butter, french fries, or any type of deep-fried food.
• Eating too many calories at one sitting, especially "bad" fat calories.
• Eating a high-carb or large meal before going to bed.

So as much as possible, avoid simple carbs, saturated fats, simple carbs and fats together, and high-calorie meals of all types. And try to include a serving of quality protein with each meal or nack. The goal is to keep your blood sugar levels as even as possible.

What happens in your mind will determine what happens in the rest of your body!

Okay, I hope that all made sense. Sorry this was so long! If anyone has questions, I'm sure I could find the answer in the stuff that I left out. I was surprised he put soy as a 'never' item, but he says why, so if anyone eats soy, comment and I will explain. Also, obviously I am human, and I do still splurge on crap. I didn't do this stuff as strict as it suggests, but the little that I did incorporate, did make a difference in how I felt and looked. Happy healthy-ness everyone!

The One Fact

I found this helpful from the website also:

The One Fact

Your body requires a certain number of calories per day in order to maintain your current weight. This is known as your calorie maintenance level. It's the number of calories required by your body to do everything it needs to do (intense exercise, brushing your teeth, pumping blood, keeping organs functioning properly, etc.). Calories are what our bodies use for energy, so in order to do what needs to be done, a certain number of calories are needed.

As you already know, we supply our bodies with these calories through eating and drinking. If we end up consuming exactly the same number of calories that our bodies need each day, our weight would remain exactly the same. For example, if your calorie maintenance level was 2500 calories, and you consumed 2500 calories per day, your weight would not change. All of the calories you take in would end up getting used (or "burned"). This is how you maintain your weight, by giving your body only the calories that it needs. No more, no less.

However, if you do consume more calories than this maintenance level, your body will store the excess calories as fat. So, for example, if your maintenance level was 2500 calories, and you consumed 3000 calories per day, you would gain weight. You are giving your body more calories than it would end up burning. This is what causes weight gain.

On the other hand, if you do the opposite and give your body less calories than it needs, your body will convert your stored body fat into energy and use that instead. This is what causes weight loss. Sticking with the same example as before, if your daily maintenance level is 2500 calories, and you consume 2000 calories per day, you will lose weight.

Basically, consume the same number of calories that your body needs/burns each day and you maintain your weight. Consume more calories than your body needs/burns and you gain weight. And last but not least... consume less calories than your body needs/burns and you lose weight. The One Fact: A caloric deficit is what causes weight loss.

Read that again if you need to. It is the one fact that practically all tips, hacks, methods and diets are based on... getting THAT to happen. This "one fact" is, in a nutshell, all there is to weight loss. Knowing and understanding it is the key. (From this point on I will refer to it quite simply as the "One Fact.")

I'm so sore

I started Body for Life on Monday and I'm so sore! It will be nice when the soreness is gone! I put together a swingset yesterday and all the up and down and movement about killed me. But the swingset is up and the kids are SO happy about it.

I've also started to count calories... I've never done that before but I found a great website that stated something I already knew but wasn't really paying attention to:

"See, the single most important factor in getting your weight to do exactly what you want it to do is calorie intake. Not fat, not carbs, not certain foods. It's calories. Whether your goal is weight loss, weight gain or just maintaining your current weight, the one factor playing the biggest role in making this happen is the number of calories you are eating. This isn't an opinion or a diet fad. This is the proven science of the human body. "

That is found at this website: http://www.acaloriecounter.com/

So since I started paying more attention to calories I can already see a difference on the scale. Not only that but I'm eating small things throughout the day so it's not like I'm starving myself.

Who's Who

I thought I'd just break the ice here a little for those who have not yet posted anything. :)

Here is a break down of those who have joined the site:

Cousins (or cousins in law): Alonso Family (Corrie), Josh, Carina, Siri & Felicity (Carina), Soulspice (Jenny), Sorensen Family (Shannon)...

Mission Friends: Lawwife (Ally)

Hawaii Childhood Friends: Mary, Stef

BYU-Hawaii Friends: Corrine, Kamjen (Kami)

UVSC Friends: Logan's Mommy (Kim)

Sisters: Jessi, Jul

Austin, TX Friends: Yancey Family (Adrienne)

Lehi, UT Friends: Lena, Kelly W.

Still waiting on some others who have not yet accepted the invitation... hint, hint! ;)

Hi I'm Carina.

Hi I'm Carina! I'm married to Josh who is cousins with Heather, Corries, Brian (married to Shannon), and well about everybody else on this site. I certainly could stand to lose 10 pounds, but probably more important to me is feeling really healthy and (I know this sounds weird) relaxed. I'm a bit of a workaholic...

So I'm about where Shannon is now 138, but I really only would like to be 130. I think 8 lbs is reasonable for me:). You go Shannon for trying for 120 lb!

I started a night yoga video at night 2 months ago. It's only 20 minutes before I go to bed and it is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I don't have the same back pain (although I am sitting in front of the computer just as much as before) and I feel better. I also started doing a 20 minute 80s Denise Austin video called Super Stomachs I got 8 years ago. For me, I know the key is small amounts of time to exercise and a certain time a day (yoga before bed at 10:30 pm and Super Stomachs at 8pm when Siri goes to bed- or sometimes she does it with me lol). If I try to plan to do a 1 hour video things always get messed up and I get really discouraged.

Love this blog! Hope it motivates me!

Body for Life

I started my 12 week Body for Life program yesterday. Whoohoo!!! I did upper body yesterday and today I did the 20 minute workout. It feels great to be following a program and I'm excited to start seeing the results.

I took a before photo and holy cow it's hideous. It's a GREAT motivator though!!!

I found out from the body for life website that my target heart rate for a low moderation but longer workout is 112. My target heart rate for a higher moderation but quicker workout is 150. The in between is 131. Good stuff to know!

Running

I have a lot of friends that love to run and....well....I have never found it a bit interesting or appealing. They have been bugging me to just try it and they even found a program for me called "Couch to 5k". I've decided to give it a try and started it today. WOW.....I didn't know so much of my body could jiggle like that!! It was quite disgusting, actually. Even though it hurt to jiggle so much I'm going to keep at it and see what happens. Here's the site if you're interested in the running program:

Couch to 5k

Introduction

Hmm.....I guess I'll start with how I know Heather. We served in the same mission and have kept in contact (Christmas cards, emails, etc.) since we have both been home. Since then, I have gotten married and have had four kids. My husband and I just celebrated our ten year anniversary and my oldest child just turned 6. After my first child I lost tons of weight but then it all went down hill from there. I just kept gaining and gaining. Every time I tried to lose I would gain what I did lose back and more. I really want to be healthy and back to my favorite size but.....well...sometimes it just seems so far away!

Here's my plan: I will take one day at a time instead of looking at the LONG road ahead. I joined Weight Watchers and will start the program tomorrow as well as walk on my treadmill for 3o minutes everyday while watching Biggest Loser (recorded). My goal is to lose 60 lbs. That will put me where I was when we got married and I was happy there!

Here are some pictures:


(Most of the pictures that I have from when we first got married are hard copies, so this is as close as I can get to a 'before' picture. )


(Picture of my family. Since I've gained so much weight I don't allow pictures to be taken of me unless I can hide most of myself behind something or someone.)

My Introduction

So, I guess Ill be the first to introduce myself. Im Shannon, and I am married to Heather's cousin, Brian. I would love to lose weight. Its been almost 14 months since the birth of my second boy, Austin. Ever since then I have wanted to get back to a good weight. So, I weigh 138 now and I would like to weigh (yikes!) 120. Yeah, that sounds skinny, but I would love to fit into my size 2-4 wardrobe! I would also love to have my energy back as well. Keeping up with two active boys really wears me out and I am frustrated that I dont have any energy to play with them. I would also like to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed. I know that the combination of working out and losing weight can fix that!
My delimma is that we dont have money for a gym membership and it isnt quite warm enough outside to run or walk. I need help and suggestions on what do to on a budget that will help me obtain my goals! I am looking for a good double jogger stroller, so if you have any experience with certian brands or know of someone selling one, let me know!
Thanks Heather, for the invite and I look forward to sharing stories and support!


Before 2 kids


After 2 kids

Before Picture:This was me in the Dominican Republic in 2004 before Drew was born.This is the weight I want to be at (even though I was 10 weeks prego!)

After Picture: This was at Sundance last weekend. Much rounder face and I would never wear a swimsuit! (I might as well be 10 weeks prego with this pooch and weight!)

Month to Month Photo

The shrinking picture of me in the above header was my 7 months of weight loss after I had Josh, my (almost) 3 year old. I'm using it because it's a great motivator.

I would recommend taking pictures (back, front, and side in same outfit) at the same time each month. It's really neat to see the difference month to month and looking forward to seeing how much smaller I could get helped me to work out better and harder during the month.

What are your workout routines and goals?

Did you know everyone on this blog is an author and can add their own posts? Pretty cool!!! I would recommend introducing yourself to the other members of this 'community' so everyone knows who is who. :)

Here we go!!!

Sadie is almost 6 weeks old and I'm ready to really start moving and getting back into shape. Since Sadie was born I've lost 22 lbs so that's been great. A lot of it has probably been water weight, otherwise I've been pretty good about Slimfast for breakfast and lunch.

I've got another 65 to go (yes - I gained a TON with back to back pregnancies and I don't recommend going into a pregnancy 20 lbs overweight if you can help it) and will lose that weight doing the Body for Life program as well as Slim Fast.

I've always loved just drinking a shake for breakfast and I'll rotate the lunch and dinner thing with Slimfast and healthy foods Body for Life recommends. I'll be needing more protein as I build muscle anyway.

I'm going to start the Body for Life workout on Monday, the 14th of March. I'll do weights on M, W, and Friday's at 6 am (Rich can listen for babies if they wake up) and the 20-minute cardio on the other days. I'm also going to try to do the 20 minute cardio on my weight lifting days to get the ball really rolling depending on if I'm able to squeeze it in. I LOVE that it's only 20 minutes and you get such great results! I will start my monthly before and after photos too... that is just the neatest thing - to see yourself shrinking!!!

I did this same workout after Madi was born and was 8 weeks into it when I found out I was expecting Sadie. So I quit... BUT... I did lose a significant amount of weight and felt like it was a really doable program and highly recommend it to everyone. I took the Body for Life book and I went to Kinkos and shrunk the weight lifting pages down and laminated them and put them on a ring. That made it a lot easier to do the exercises.

So now I'm inviting people to join me in my weight loss journey and we can all do it together!