3 Dieting Hacks That Work!

3 dieting hacks that work

Working out hard is an essential part of any fat loss plan. It sculpts your muscles, raises your resting metabolism, whittles down your waist and gives you functional strength and endurance.

The only catch is that you can seriously slow, or even reverse, your results by eating poorly. There’s nothing quite as frustrating as when you are working out like a champ only to face the same belly rolls each morning.

To keep you from giving up in frustration, I’ve put together the following 3 Dieting Hacks to amp up your results.

Why am I calling these hacks? A hack is used to get results faster. These hacks will fool your taste-buds and your mouth into thinking that you’re eating your regular favorites, when, in fact, you’ll actually be eating a meal with fewer calories, fewer carbs and more fiber.

This means quicker fat loss and smaller belly rolls.

That sounds fantastic, right? So let’s dig right in…

Dieting Hack #1: RICE

Rice is a big part of many a meal. There’s white rice, brown rice, stir fried rice, sticky rice, wild rice and the list goes on. All of these kinds of rice (yes, even brown rice) are packed with carb and calories. This is great, if you are a growing child or an athlete, but not so great for someone like you with a fat loss goal.

Rather than give up rice completely, because that would make your veggies and meat look really lonely on a half-empty plate, let’s turn to Dieting Hack #1.

CAULIFLOWER RICE: Now, don’t get skeptical on me until you give this food trick a try. To make rice from cauliflower first wash it and trim the leaves and stems. Chop into small pieces and then run those pieces through a food processor with the grating attachment. This will result in a rice-like consistency. Place the cauliflower rice in a large skillet with a Tablespoon of olive oil and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and you are good to go. Serve your normal vegetable and meat dishes over a bed of cauliflower rice just as you would traditional rice.

Dieting Hack #2: NOODLES

Have you ever noticed that when you crave your favorite pasta dish, you’re actually just craving the sauce? Noodles alone are bland and unspectacular. The magic, as well as the protein, is in the sauce.

Noodles, like traditional rice, are packed with calories and carbs that get in the way of your fat loss results. So, rather than just eating a bowl of sauce, try Dieting Hack #2.

ZUCCHINI NOODLES: Again, try this trick before you knock it, I’m guessing that you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Wash a zucchini, and then run a vegetable peeler down its sides, creating long, wide noodles. Stop when you reach the inner, seedy part of the zucchini. These raw, zucchini noodles do not require any cooking, simply throw them onto your plate and top with your favorite pasta sauce. (Of course, I’m assuming that you’re not going to use a white, cream-based sauce, but that’s another article for another day.)

Dieting Hack #3: BREAD, BUNS, TORTILLAS

Cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles are all find and dandy for those meals that you prepare at home, but what about your meals eaten out? Many restaurant meals revolve around bread, buns or tortillas. These things are tasty, yet filled with calories and carbs that add to those annoying belly rolls.

That’s when you turn to Dieting Hack #3.

THE LETTUCE WRAP: This trick is more popular than the first two, so you may already be familiar with it. How does it work? When ordering your meal, be it a sandwich, burger or tacos, ask that it be wrapped in lettuce in place of the bread, bun or tortilla. Most places are really cool about it, and you end up getting to eat the good part of the meal – the meat and flavors—without the carb-filled extras. If for some reason the restaurant is unable to wrap it in lettuce for you, then ask for the filling to be placed on a pile of greens and eat it with a fork.

Try these 3 Dieting Hacks out for the next 30 days, and see how quickly your fat loss results ramp up. The improved results will motivate you to workout harder and more consistently, which will then add to an even greater level of fitness.

Hacks Become Tradition

The real fat loss benefits from the 3 Dieting Hacks above come when you make this way of eating a part of your lifestyle. It may sound strange or hard at first, but – like anything—once you grow accustomed to that style of eating it will feel comfortable, and you will be leaner!

If you aren’t yet one of my clients, now is the perfect time for you to start. My focus is to get you to your goals using my results-driven method.

How to Avoid Shin Splints

Now that the weather is starting to warm up, this is a great time to dust off your shoes and get outside for a run. One of the more common running injuries that can occur is shin splints. When the athlete over loads their training routine the muscles in the shin area can become inflamed and cause intense pain. So before you up the intensity of your training I have asked my good friend and trusted Physical Therapist Ben Shatto to share his tips with us.

• Check your shoes.  Your shoes may be worn out and may be the cause of the pain. Shoes typically only last 350-500 miles.  If you are nearing those miles, then it may be time to change.  If you’re unsure if your shoes are performing correctly, visit your local running shoe store.  
• If you change running surfaces, progress slowly.  If you are used to running on softer surfaces, such as dirt or a running track, progress carefully and slowly when you run on a harder surface like concrete.  Over all, softer running surfaces are better for your body.
• Have your gait analyzed while running.  Gait or running abnormalities can increase your risk of developing shin splints.  Over striding tends to occur while running downhill.  Check with your local running store or a physical therapy clinic for a monthly gait analysis clinic. 
• Warm up prior to exercise.  I recommend that you increase your normal warm up time by at least 10 minutes in order to increase blood flow to the area.  This allows for better mobility and also prepares the tissues for exercise. .
• Cool down.  After performing your exercises, take extra time to cool down and stretch.  Focus on calf stretching as well as general lower extremity mobility stretches.  Try a foam roller.
• Strengthen the stabilizing muscles of your hips and ankles. Strengthening the muscles of your hips and ankles will help to maintain normal gait mechanics during exercise and running.  Not only will this help to prevent shin splints, it will likely help to prevent developing other orthopedic issues such as plantar fasciitis and hip or knee pain.
• If you experience pain, seek help early.  Don’t ignore those little aches and pains that can develop as you exercise and train.  They may be early warning signs of a developing problem. 

Thank you Ben, and as always you provide us with trusted information and empower us with knowledge. To read more from Ben Shatto you can visit his website at www.thephysicaltherapyadvisor.com.

Original Source from Independent News Paper

It is never to late to start

Lumina at the age of 72 lift weights 3 times a week and hikes daily. Judi, age 76 participates in a CrossFit workout 3 times a week and walks the green belt. Stan at the age of 64 jump ropes, lift weights and runs short distances. There is definitely something to be said that we can work out later in life and still reap the benefits.  According to a study researchers tracked 9,500 women for 12 years, starting when they were at least age 66. In that time, they found that those who went from doing little or nothing to walking just a mile a day slashed their risk of death from all causes and from cancer by nearly half. Their risk of heart disease also fell by more than a third. In fact, they enjoyed nearly as much protection as women who were physically active before the study began and remained so. Jane A. Cauley, DrPH, of the University of Pittsburgh, "We're talking about women with an average age of 77 at the second visit," she tells WebMD. "And we're talking about their engaging in very mild exercise -- and not running marathons."

If your only form of exercise is working out with your cell phone here are a few tips to get started:

Get a checkup before a workout. A visit to your doctor is wise for anyone beginning an exercise program, but it's crucial for the elderly or others who have been inactive because of health problems.

Start  slow. Once you get the okay, the key to avoiding fatigue and muscle pain is to pull out of the gate very slowly. You may not be able to do more than 15 minutes the first few weeks.

Go more often. Of course, those few minutes of your exercise program can be done several times a day. First, try to do some activity for a few minutes several times a day.

Listen to your body. Don’t worry about going fast. If you are tiring easily or cannot talk comfortably you will need to slow it down or stop.

Don’t do it alone.  Studies show you are more likely to continue long term if you have an accountability partner.

Do what you enjoy. Far too often do I hear “I really don’t like to exercise” Pick an activity that you enjoy, gardening, swimming, tennis, hiking, or skiing. Most important is that you keep moving.

original article written: http://www.theindnews.com/

Source: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/20030513/never-too-late-exercise

Thanks for hanging out with me

I am appreciative for this journey you took with me - thank you so much. I learn something every time we do a challenge. My wish for you is to remember what foods brought you to this challenge in the first place and how that food made you feel. Look at how you did this challenge, where you could have improved upon, and hopefully I see you at our next challenge!

I picked two winners this challenge - Paleo Challenge Points Jan 2016

1. $125 GOES to Jennifer had the most points on the board worked hard to earn those points - Great JOB JENNIFER!
2. $125 GOES to Peggy was the most consistent with her food and lost the most percentage of Body Fat! -4.97% If you know Peggy you wonder where she hid all the extra body fat - and she looks great!

CONGRATULATIONS LADIES

Many of you lost AMAZING amounts of body fat. Tawnie came in at -4.90%. Katie lost -4.90%. Andrea lost -4.03%. Ashely with a -3.52% lost. Lanette - 3.14%.

BF CALCULATIONS ARE BASED OFF OF ZONE BOOK AND DR MICHAEL EADES BF TABLE.

Day 30 of our Paleo Challenge

Welcome to Day 30 of your 30 day Paleo Challenge. Today February 2nd you will record your points from 2/1/16 by Midnight. (As a reminder I will not except posts after Midnight)

There are so many women in my life, current clients, past clients, friends, and acquaintances that struggle with weight loss - but they won't give up their alcohol. I have posted this before and it is worth reading.

Can you have your wine and see results too?

I doubt it’s a big surprise that avoiding chronic alcohol use is best for a lean body composition, but do you know why? It’s not just the added calories (alcohol offers seven calories per gram compared to carbs and protein, which contain four each). Alcohol affects  metabolism because when you drink it, and your body puts all other metabolic processes on hold until it has processed the alcohol. Your body can’t convert the calories from the alcohol to fat, meaning it needs to use them up, and will delay all other fat burning and energy use until the alcohol has been processed.

Drinking alcohol affects your hormones as well, increasing cortisol and modifying steroid metabolism in the liver. This results in lower androgens for both sexes. Women with higher levels of androgens and men with lower levels are equally at risk for belly fat gain, and for men, lower androgens mean less testosterone.

Bad news! Read On

And the good news! 

Day 29 of our Paleo Challenge

How did the weekend go? Did you try a new recipe idea? Please share. Today you will post your points from Sunday 1/31.

Day 28 of our Paleo Challenge

"I get plenty of sleep every night, and my body appreciates how I take care of it." ~Louise Hay

Welcome to Day 28 of your 30 day Paleo Challenge. Today January 31st you will record your points from 1/30/16 by Midnight. (As a reminder I will not except posts after Midnight)

I still give my kid's cereal and I TRY and choose what I thought was better than most. Only to find out NOPE its still bad and laden with sugar. Watch a quick video here about cereal

AND another creepy read about what we still allow to have in our food that other countries have banned. READ ON

Many nights I awaken every hour until I finally surrender and just get up. I never thought of eating more food before bed, or getting natural bedding. Here are some great tips if this happens to you...READ ON

This might also be a good time to re-do your workout to see if you score has changed from day one. And if you are ready go ahead and send me your after photos and post your measurements. This will give me a head start on calculating your percentages lost.

Paleo Challenge Points Jan 2016

Day 27 of our Paleo Challenge

Today is Day 27  January 30th. of our Paleo Challenge. You will post your points from 1/29 I am honestly surprised not one you has mentioned having a reaction to gluten after eating it during this challenge. BUT mostly what I am surprised about is that early on most of you complained of bloating and weight gain. Bloating is the #1 side effect to a food source and giving up gluten is the #1 food source to cause the bloat among DOZENS of other side effects. My wish is for all of you to recognize how food makes you feel - that is the first step to making clean food choices.

Exercise Challenges, Water Challenges, Sleep Challenges....Oh MY!  What ?? more food challenges?? Can you do with out fruit? Can you do with out Meat? Nuts and Seeds? Bars? Eggs?

Sometimes our menus look like these examples:

1. Eggs, Apples, Lara Bar, Pear, Chicken, Almonds, Hard boiled Egg

2. Sausage, Peach, Nuts, Raisins, Coffee with Almond Milk, Pork Chop, Lettuce

3. Smoothie, Nuts, Raisins, Jerky,  Paleo Granola with Almond Milk, Apple

4. Protein Shake, Nuts, Raisins, Jerky, HB Egg, Protein in Water, Chicken Leg, Strawberries

5. Pancake, Nuts, Berries, HB Egg, celery, Almond Milk with coffee, Paleo Cobbler

Yes there are holes in each one of those daily meal examples. We all need variety, however we all eat the same things day-to-day. What should a menu look like? Try a variety of menu ideas. Take these last few days to venture out and make a new menu plan. Explore vegetables that you have never cooked with before. Make a Fruit compote to pour over meat. Drag out your crock-pot. Make a veggie Paleo Pizza. Have fun this weekend. Spice it up!

Have you visited our Facebook page and downloaded all the FREE cookbooks available to you?

Perfect timing on a email I just received:

Last week, I got a frantic call from a client of mine. She had identified that gluten (the protein found in wheat, barley & rye) was a real problem for her digestive system, energy and mood. She had been gluten-free for a couple months now & was feeling really good.

Until she went to a party and ate something that she thought was gluten free. When she woke up the next morning, she realized she was wrong. She was starting to have GI symptoms and was getting super stressed that she had done some type of irrevocable damage or had undone all of her good work.

I understand this. When you go from feeling bad to feeling good, and then are threatened with feeling bad again, that is scary and stressful and sets you running to the the phone for help. 

I call it getting "glutened" because I'm using gluten as the example, but exposure to any food/compound that you are sensitive to can create symptoms: milk, eggs, nightshades, beans, sulfites, MSG, nuts and on and on. It's possible to have old symptoms pop back, or new ones to crop up.

Fear not, my dears!

There are quite a few things you can do to help lessen the consequences of exposure. When I was talking to my client about them, it occurred to me that I should share them here, too.

Also, you are NOT undoing all of the good work you've already done. You are not worsening your health. This is a blip in the road, something that will right itself even if you don't do a thing in most cases.

These are the main strategies I implement:

1. Digestive enzymes: Typically I have people take 2-4 digestive enzymes every 3 hours or so, POST exposure. This helps break up not only the problematic proteins or carbohydrates you may be ingesting, but will help chew up inflammatory molecules they generate.

2. Hydration: In my undergraduate career, I studied biology, marine biology and ecology as my loves. I learned a phrase in my studies I've used innumerable times in clinical practice: "dilution is the solution". In ecology class, it was referring to pollution, but we can extrapolate that to the inner pollution one feels upon exposure. Drink up! Water, that is. I recommend a 12 ounce glass as soon as you realize you've been exposed, and then at least 8 ounces every hour, getting several (like 3, more if this is already your normal level) liters in throughout the 2-3 days following exposure.

3. Activated charcoal: 1-2 caps every couple of hours will help absorb gas and those feelings of yuckiness. It WILL turn your poop black if you take more than a couple of grams, so be ready for that :)

Side note: Charcoal, if you brush it all over your teeth, let it sit for a couple minutes (yep, it looks kind of crazy on there!) and then rinse it all out is a surefire formula to lift stains and make your chompers sparkle.

And lastly, fear not! The vast majority of reactions that are due to non-anaphylactic, non-Celiac exposure typically last no more than 72 hours. You can expect to feel much better within three days, and by using the above strategies, you can reduce it even more.

Source: Dr Jillian from metaboliceffect.com

Day 26 of our Paleo Challenge

Today 1/29 you will post your points from 1/28.  

If you have not seen this, it is a must read! Where People Go Wrong When Starting a Paleo Diet

At some point during this challenge you found yourselves eating in front of family, friends and co-workers.  You will either decline a certain food or they may ask you a question about what you are eating.  Other people (usually the typical overweight/unhealthy American who frequents the doctors office) will have the tendency to say something to you in reference to the way you eating such as “oh…man that really sucks” , “I feel sorry for you”, or “I could never do that.”  Upon hearing this you may also start to think these thoughts in your head by saying “yeah…this does suck”…or…”sucks to be me.”  This will only get worse….soon you’ll be crying out for help telling the world about how bad you have it now that you can’t have soda, sugar and white bread.  Or worse…you may convince yourself that you can’t do this and start shoveling the Twinkies an Doritos in your mouth.  This is absolute non-sense and it should be recognized immediately for what it is, which is RESISTANCE that wants to keep you stuck.  It’s the same RESISTANCE that has everyone else stuck, fearful of moving forward and making positive changes happen.  Practice not playing the victim role whether it’s coming from external or internal voices. Read On

Day 25 of our Paleo Challenge

Today you January 28 you will post points from 1/27/16 Now that you have experienced the Paleo Way is the Paleo Diet for you?

The only way to figure out what an optimal diet is for you is to experiment and observe. The best way to do that is to remove the “grey area” foods you suspect you might have trouble with, like dairy, nightshades, eggs, etc. for a period of time (usually 30 days is sufficient), and add them back in one at a time and observe your reactions. This “30-day challenge” or elimination diet is what folks like Robb Wolf have recommended for a long time.

I suggest we stop trying to define the “Paleo diet” and start thinking about it instead as a “Paleo template”.

What’s the difference? A Paleo diet implies a particular approach with clearly defined parameters that all people should follow. There’s little room for individual variation or experimentation.

A Paleo template implies a more flexible and individualized approach. A template contains a basic format or set of general guidelines that can then be customized based on the unique needs and experience of each person.

Read more here

Today your fitness challenge is planks! For every 3 minutes of planking you will get 5 points. 3 minutes = 5 points.

Example: I hold my plank for 30 seconds then I rest for 15 seconds, then I hold again for 30 seconds then I rest for 15 seconds, that equals 1 minute. I repeat this process until I have reached 3 minutes...I have earned 5 points!

There are no modifications for this challenge. You must plank for a minimum of 3 minutes to earn points.