Lean Body Works .com » General Health

You Can’t Buy Fitness!

Kathy Strahan — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 06:16:58 +0000

Wouldn’t it be great if by paying for a gym membership or joining the Fit Forever! plan, you’d lose weight and get fit? Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way! You’ve got to live the program to see the results! So, if you’re not seeing the inches and pounds come off, ask yourself the following questions – and be honest!

*     Are you following your meal plans exactly as directed?
*     Are you drinking enough water every day?
*     Are you working out at least three to five times per week?
*     When you work out, do you give it all you’ve got?

If the answer to all of these questions isn’t yes, reflect on what’s keeping you from making the changes required to reach your goal. How can you eliminate those barriers? Keep in mind that slow and steady wins the race – it’s the little daily choices you make that make a difference. So be
patient, have reasonable expectations, and hang in there! The results will be worth it!

Leave me a comment.

Are you at a weight loss plateau?

Kathy Strahan — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:41:56 +0000

I have a good friend who is suffering from this right now. I told her I’d write about her challenge in my blog.

What causes a weight loss plateau and what to do about it?

Here is an expert from freedieting.com:

Over time our bodies adapt to the lowered calorie level. Our body becomes more efficient at using energy (lowered metabolism), and therefore burns less fat.

This is why most of us reach a weight loss plateau. At this point, the only option is to boost metabolism; increased cardio, weight training, ‘cheat’ meals (i.e. occasional high-calorie meals), cycling (or zig-zagging) calories, and even manipulating macro-nutrient ratios can all help to do
this (don’t forget adequate sleep and hydration). You often find that the nearer you get to your goal weight (or body fat percentage) – the harder things get!

Continually dropping calories only serves to lower metabolism even further – the moment you return to ‘normal’ eating – the weight comes back on.

So, to avoid a weight loss plateau, I recommend for you to increase your level of fitness as you become more accustomed to your current level and as the weight drops off. Also, with nutrition, the same theory applies: Decrease the amount of calories you eat AS you lose weight since at each weight level, we all need different amounts of daily calorie intake. Do not decrease the amount of calories you consume right from the get go, because this can lower your metabolism since your body is sensing starvation. With a lower metabolism, your body will begin to store fat as a way of ‘protecting’
you.

Hes told me that if she’d only known this stuff in the beginning, she’d wouldn’t have had a mountain of headaches trying to figure out why she wasn’t getting past 270 pounds! lol

To take it a step further, I recommend for you to take a look at Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training program, which puts an emphasis on making sure you lose weight, burn fat, build and MAINTAIN lean muscle, but also in making sure you consistently do so without hitting a weight loss plateau! This is an excellent program for men or women, and is for any age level.

Orovo Million Pound Challenge Guest Post by The Story Lady

Kathy Strahan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:28:28 +0000

by Ronda Del Boccio, The Story Lady

If you could earn money for eating 2 fruits and 3 veggies a day, taking 1 super foods supplement, and exercising 5 times a week for a half hour, would you do it?

It’s a no-brainer, isn’t it?

That’s what Orovo is doing with the Orovo Million Pound Challenge. You buy your super foods supplement for $40 per month, join the MPC (which takes maybe 10-15 minutes), then agree to follow those simple guidelines each week and send in an email reporting your results.

What do you get for doing that? Orovo places 1 person in your group for each time you report. So maybe you just want to get into your bikini as Kathy wrote, or maybe you need to get healthy and need motivation, or maybe you’re like me and have some pounds to shed. The first 6 people you receive just for being in the Orovo Million Pound Challenge each earn you $10 a month. The next 36 each earn you $7 per month.

Not bad, huh?

Why not get rewarded financially as well as reaping the health rewards of getting lean with Orovo?

Kathy’s site is http://Orovo.com/leanbodyworks so you can register under her

Walking a Way of Life

Kathy Strahan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:22:54 +0000

The article points out that French women don’t work out; they walk.

This daily physical activity is one of the reasons they tend to be thinner.
Having a car in any European city is a challenge. As a result, city folks do
plenty of walking, and in the country, they walk or ride bicycles. And when
French people walk or drive, they usually are not eating, drinking coffee in
cardboard cups, or talking on cell phones.

Another thing that was noticed is that it’s virtually impossible to find a
non-smoking zone, in the city or the country. Smoking is a way of life, much
like sitting
in the cafes.

Perhaps all that coffee and cigarettes helps dull the appetite and helps
explain why the French are slim. Of course, we all know that smoking is
unhealthy
and certainly not a good way to get weight under control.

Viva la difference. What can we take away from these unscientific though
spot on observations? Well, I’m feeling a bit inspired to slow down, savor
the flavor, taste and aroma of my meals, eat whatever I like in small
portions, and keep on walking. Keep on working out with intense interval
training a few times a week, and really enjoying life!

What do you think? I’d love to hear your take on this. Please leave a
comment regarding the French paradox.

For a free report that will help you get your dream body to match your dream
life go to
www.kathystrahan.com

A Trip to the Market

Kathy Strahan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:20:42 +0000

This may surprise you. Yogurt is a dietary staple that helps French women
manage their hunger. Guiliano says most French women eat one or two yogurts
a day, often at breakfast
– and especially after an evening of overindulgence to help balance out the
calories.

“Yogurt is the perfect food because it is high in calcium, has
carbohydrates, protein, and fat – everything you need in every meal,” she
says.

In most French markets, yogurts take up an entire aisle, while snack foods
like chips, sodas, and cookies have very little shelf space.

The article points out that it’s hard to figure out the nutritional value of
many of the foods in the French markets because nutrient labeling is
optional.

The average French consumer appears to be less interested in (fat free
items) but instead be more interested in added vitamins and minerals than
reduced fat or calories.

Size Matters

Kathy Strahan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:20:00 +0000

Listen to this… Order a ham sandwich in France, and you may be surprised to
get one thin slice of ham and a few tomatoes with mustard on a baguette. It
has nowhere near
ythe calories found in an American-style overstuffed deli sandwich, or a
cheeseburger and French fries.

And there lies another secret to the French secret of slimness: Portion
control.

The author of the article attended a child’s birthday party where the adults
enjoyed espresso and mini pastries while the children played. After having
one tiny pastry, the author writes that her instinct was to go for another
until she realized that none of the adults had more than one paper wrapper
next to their coffee cups. Woops. Up rears that portion control issue again.

Interestingly, the parents at the party were asked to share their insights
into French dietary habits and here is what they said:

Breakfast is typically coffee with some kind of bread, yogurt, or cereal.
Croissants are a treat, and served mostly to visitors. Snacks are enjoyed
primarily by children after school; adults
usually stick to three meals a day. Dessert is de riguer, but the portions
are small — just like the tiny pastries.

How the French Stay Slim

Kathy Strahan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:18:47 +0000

An article I read today explores the ‘French Paradox’: staying slim on a
no-deprivation diet.

France is certainly known for its good, rich food. Its good wine and
beautiful women and romantic men. So when I came across this article I was
excited to read it and then share it with you.

Apparently the author of the article was paid to go to France to collect
these “unscientific” findings, (right on) On a recent trip to France, the
authors’ mission was to eat like a French person- or at least to find out
just how they stay so slim. Observations that you’ll read here are quite
enlightening. So read on…

This is a country where on one corner, you find a boulangerie with
mouth-watering pastries, and on the next, a café where Parisians linger for
hours. It’s a place known for rich desserts, baguettes made from refined
flour, foie gras, fatty meats, and wine. Yet, as stated above, most
inhabitants seem to have little trouble maintaining a healthy weight. It’s
been called the French Paradox. And we Americans want to learn how to
emulate the technique so we can enjoy the same beautiful results.

Interestingly, one of the first observations was that the French are not all
thin. The percentage of overweight people is not nearly as high as in the
United States, but they are catching up to us.

Why? In part, the French blame the infiltration of fast food, french fries
(now that’s a paradox), and super-premium ice cream for their increasing
girth, according
to French diet expert David Benchetrit, MD.

Still, says Benchetrit, many French women have a mindset that helps them
stay slender.

“French women refuse to accept being overweight,” says David Benchetrit,
director of the Clinique du Poids weight loss clinic in Paris. “It is no
secret that they want to be beautiful, in love, and take care of themselves
so they look good.”

Indeed, Benchetrit says that two-thirds of the women he sees at his clinic
have a
body mass index
(BMI) of less than 23, which is in the normal range of 18.5-24.9.

Another thing that was observed is that the French and American ways of life
are very different. Eating is a leisurely experience. In the United States,
we often
wolf down meals in record time or eat while driving or sitting at our desks.
But the French appear to have all the time in the world to sit around and
dine.

“We sit down and eat for pleasure, using all of our senses,” Mireille
Guiliano, author of the best-selling book French Women Don’t Get Fat, has
said.

In America, low-carb diets have many of us saying no to white foods like
bread and pasta, but in France, everyone seems to be toting a fresh baguette
to
bring home.

“You need to eat a large volume of bread or pasta for the calories to add
up, and most of the time, French meals are quite light and portions are
small,”
says David Benchetrit.

Duck confit, foie gras, and many other fatty foods are enjoyed occasionally
- maybe once in two weeks, he says. Wine is enjoyed regularly, but in
limited
portions. And you won’t find artificial sweeteners in sherbet-colored
packets on every table. That’s because the French prefer small portions of
the real
stuff, like sugar and butter, according to Guiliano.

Ten Super Foods Series: More on Acai

Kathy Strahan — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:19:20 +0000

You’ve been hearing and reading about this new-found wonder berry Acai on Oprah, from the internet, and in the health magazines. So you may be wondering how and where to get it.

In my previous post I described it and told you where it originates. Now let’s talk about the benefits of Acai.
Benefits

Traditionally, Acai fruit and the plant’s roots have been used for treating gastrointestinal problems
Contains a beta-sitosterol known to reduce cholesterol levels in the bloodstream
Acai has about 10% more antioxidants then blueberries and cranberries. Antioxidants are vital to your health since they are responsible for bonding with free-radicals, neutralizing these dangerous compounds in the body
Acai may stimulate macrophages, or white blood cells, improving your immune defense
The tropical plant contains effective anti-inflammatory properties

Contains important minerals such as, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and thiamine. There are so many fantastic properties found in this fruit. So how and where do you obtain it.

Please go to…

http://www.orovo.com/leanbodyworks

Let’s get lean!
Kathy Strahan

Plateau Problems?

Kathy Strahan — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:58:27 +0000

While it may be frustrating, it is not uncommon to reach a plateau during any weight loss program, especially as you get closer to your target weight. Weight loss in any Diet is bound to slow a bit after the initial 3 to 4 weeks, but that’s fine in the long run because sometimes we need to remind ourselves–slow and steady weight loss is best for long-term success.

That said, if you’d like to jump-start your weight loss, here are some strategies to try:

Try eating different foods. Sometimes people get into a food rut, eating the same things day in and day out, which may lead to overeating as a result of feeling unsatisfied with your routine. Add more variety and different veggies to your meal plan to combat boredom. This may be just what you need to get over a weight-loss stall.

Get adequate exercise. Enjoy a fitness program based on interval training. I’ve presented many posts about this very effective training style. Interval training is where you alternate between short bursts of intensive effort and a short period of less intensity for recovery. Then repeat through out your workout session. When you work at a higher intensity, you end up burning far more calories and fat in less time than you would if you were working out at a steady pace. You need to know that interval training will help you develop more lean muscle mass, which helps boost metabolism, in turn allowing you to shed unwanted pounds.

Keep track of what you eat. Truth is that many studies have confirmed that we under report the kinds of foods, and the amount of food we consume. Thus under reporting can be as much as 50%. Clearly this is significant. So, really take this seriously and (at least at first) write down everything for a couple of days. If you have run in to a plateau, you may be eating too much of certain foods that is keeping you from losing weight at the same pace… For example, I recommend that you take a close look at the amount of nuts and cheese you’re consuming and cutting back on these items if you’re eating too much.

Finally, it’s possible that your weight loss has stalled because you’ve already reached your healthiest weight – even if it’s not your desired weight. If your cholesterol and blood-sugar levels have normalized, your desire to lose weight may be a matter of cosmetics. In this case, rather than focusing on the number on your scale, focus on how much better you feel and how much healthier you are.

If you’re looking to burn fat, build muscle and quickly step into the body you have always wanted with less work, then please go get my free report at — www.kathystrahan.com

Please leave a comment about your weight loss struggles, or your weight loss successes.

5 ways to add healthy fruits and vegetables

Kathy Strahan — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:04:59 +0000

Besides their abundance of vitamins, minerals, and feel-full fiber content, here’s another great reason to eat your five servings of fruits and vegetables every day: You’ll cut your cancer risk in half! The reason? Antioxidants! These powerful, naturally occurring nutrients boost your immune system and fend off cell damage! The Virginia Department of Health offers the following advice for squeezing in your five a day:

When you get home from the market, cut up fruits and veggies into serving-size pieces. You’ll be more likely to reach for them if they’re ready to go!
Have fruit or 100 percent fruit juice with your breakfast.
Stock your kitchen with fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruits and vegetables so they’re always on hand!
Munch on a fruit or vegetable snack daily!
Add a side of veggies (steamed or cooked) to your plate at dinner.

How are you going to get the lean body you want this summer? go get your free report which will help you do just that: www.kathystrahan.com

What are you doing this summer to get healthy and lean? Please leave a comment…