This course will help you establish the following: 

• A realistic goal weight with a specific plan for rate of weight loss and time frame for achieving goal weight. A new mindset about weight loss, help you discover where your motivation comes from and how to maintain it and how to manage a busy schedule will making time for optimal weight and health. 
• A realistic goal for the frequency, duration, and intensity of exercise that will enable the learner to achieve and maintain the goal weight. 
• A specific set of strategies for grocery shopping, eating in restaurants, eating at social occasions, and dealing with hunger and emotional eating. 
• 4. A plan for monitoring food intake, exercise and weight loss.
• A plan for continued evaluation of progress to goals and strategies for adjusting goals for continued weight loss for the next 6 months or longer. 
• A thorough understanding of the difficulty of maintaining weight loss and a plan for maximizing the chances of keeping off the weight lost. 
• Provide customizable Meal Plans and Exercise Options with videos and tutorials. 
• Find the best fit for your life to create a sustainable lifestyle of the strategies that you learn in this program. 

WEEK 1

We will get you started on designing your personal weight loss plan! We will provide you with QUICKSTART solutions and we begin this first week by setting a personal goal weight that is realistic for you and making a plan for exercise. You probably expected that we would start out with and food and energy expenditure (calories in and calories out) - but these two topics are actually the right place to start! 

We Will Help You...

• Determine Your Goal Weight 
• How and When to Weigh Yourself 
• Making a Plan For Exercise
• Establish S.M.A.R.T. Goals 
• Start a Meal Plan With Delicious and Easy Recipes, Shopping Lists and More!
• Start an Exercise Plan With Journals, Videos, and Inspiration and Much More! 

WEEK 2

In week 2 we will fill focus on helping you with the reprogramming of your mind about weight loss beliefs and how to begin resetting your mindset for lasting change, giving up perfection and working towards progress that will yield realistic results and optimal health. 

WEEK 3

Is it OK to eat out in restaurants when you are trying to lose weight? How can you manage your calorie and food group intake in your workplace cafeteria? What strategies are most likely to increase your ability to lose weight and keep it off? The truth about dieting and understanding the mistakes that some people make when trying to lose weight. We will also outline strategies for eating out and Identifying Support and implementing Self-Monitoring. 

WEEK 4

This week we will learn about the "triggers" that can get you off track when you start your weight loss program and we will develop strategies to deal with these. We will also take some time to review all the goals you have set for yourself so far and make any needed revisions. We will also look at the best way (and time) to eat certain foods like carbs, fats, and proteins. 

WEEK 5

Healthy living doesn't have to be difficult with our specific strategies on cooking, shopping and understanding the science of weight gain and loss to empower you in your choices. Our focus this week will be on helping you to stay on track and avoid going back to old eating habits as you lose weight. We will also consider why it is so hard to keep weight off once you lose it and some strategies you can use to increase your success. 

WEEK 6

Ways to approach your new paradigm, that healthy eating doesn't have to be more expensive or take more time, plans for eating out, ways to save money while eating out and controlled cheating strategies.

WEEK 7

The science of getting fit and understanding simple biology is your tool to success as well as specific plans to implement to work with your body to lose weight and feel great! 

WEEK 8

Why losing weight can be easy once you understand the science and why you may not be losing weight or why plateaus happen and what to do about them.

How to stay on track and keep the weight off once you lose it!

Our Deep dive modules really help teach you strategies and give you specific plans for your weight loss and wellness journey 

Nutrition Module

So many things in our environment can sabotage our efforts to be healthy and maintain a healthy weight, you will find this module full of information that they may never have taught you in health and nutrition class in school. How to eat to lose eight, common problems with starting a new diet and details about nutrient densities of foods, meal prep and timing and more! 

Workout Module

Creating an effective workout plan that fits your individual needs and lifestyle is one of the most important parts of this journey. If you don't love your workout you may force yourself to do it for a little while but it's just simply not sustainable. Creating your exercise goals is the first step to understanding the concept of realistic and attainable and working towards those smaller wins and keeping your eye on the prize. Success is in the process, progress not perfection and making sweeping statements or grand goals of unrealistic outcomes is a recipe for self-sabotage and disaster.

This module is chock full of fun and easy exercises, at home workout videos strategies for creating your best most effective workout plan.  

Physical Activity Module

Exercise strategies that work with the science of your biology will maximize your results, you will learn about intermittent exercise techniques that will have you creating a plan of fitness, that may take less than 15 min a week if done right!

Principles of muscle building and strength training with specific targeted exercises are something else you will love about this module! 

Lifestyle Module

Here, you'll find information on sleep, stress, emotional eating strategies, food triggers and how to deal with relapse.

Health Module

How to assess your overall health, lab tests you might consider asking your doctor for, and multiple health trackers. 

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD PDF

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD PDF

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD PDF

How To Determine Your Goal Weight

In order to achieve the goal of permanent weight loss within a healthy lifestyle, we need to begin with the end in mind.

Our objective today is to set a personal goal weight that's realistic and achievable for you.

That sounds like a simple process, just chose a weight that sounds good to you and go for it.

Maybe you'd like to weigh what you did in high school or before you got married, but those weights may not be where you necessarily want to be now.

There are four steps that we will work through today to get to a personal and realistic weight loss goal for you.

1. The first step is to take a step back in time and think about what was your highest weight as an adult. Think about how you felt physically at that weight, think about how you felt emotionally at that weight. What kind of comments did people make to you, friends and family about you at that weight?

Did you have any medical problems because of being at that weight?

Write that weight in your workbook and label it as high.

2. The second step is to think about what your lowest weight was as an adult. Write that weight in your workbook and label it as low. 

3. The third step is to try to think about what weight you usually keep coming back to when you're not gaining weight and you're not dieting. So this is what we would call your stable weight and also think about how you felt at that weight. Write that weight in your workbook and label it as stable.

4. The fourth step is a little more complicated and that's to calculate an ideal body weight for you, using a scale that measure. Standard BMI is not as specific as it doesn't take into account bone density, percent fat, etc.  

It's a mathematical formula, for men it's 106 pounds for being 60 inches tall and then we add six pounds for every inch over 60 inches.

For females it's 100 pounds for being 60 inches tall, plus 5 pounds for every inch over 60 inches. Keep in mind that 5 feet equals 60 inches.

We're going to calculate that weight and then you'll write it in your workbook and label it as your ideal weight.

So here's an example for a man who is 5 feet, 10 inches tall. So 5 feet equals 60 inches and so that male gets 106 pounds for being 60 inches tall. We then add 6 pounds for every inch over 60 inches, so a realistic and reasonable weight goal for this man, would be 166 pounds.

This would be an example for a female who is 5 foot, 4 inches tall. So there's 100 pounds for being 60 inches tall, and then an additional 5 pounds for every inch over 60 inches. So a reasonable weight for a woman who is 5 foot, 4 inches would be 120 pounds. Looking at your workbook, you can see that you have a range of four different weights that you've had as an adult and one that we've calculated by the Hamwi method.

In order to choose for you the goal weight that you would like to achieve now through this weight loss program would be to look at that range and also think about those questions that we asked earlier on.

How did you feel at these weights?

How did you feel physically?

How did you feel emotionally?

What kind of comments did you get from family and friends?

Between this range of weights then, we will select a weight that is a goal weight for you, the weight that you would like to get to. It should be no lower than your HAMWI weight.

It could be within 10 pounds either way of your STABLE weight. You want to select one weight that is within that range, where you felt good physically, where you felt good emotionally and it probably should be very close to that stable weight.

There is a theory that we have a set point weight and no matter how much we try to lose weight, no matter how much we gain, no matter how much we exercise, we keep coming back to that stable or set point weight.

You want to share that weight with your family and friends, sharing goals you'll see throughout, is very important in keeping you on track, having other people know what you're trying to accomplish.

You don't need to tell them what you actually weigh now, but you want to tell them that you have a weight loss goal now that is realistic and reasonable for you.

Now that we have a weight, we need to think about time frame, so in what time frame can you expect to get to this weight?

For example, if your goal weight is 20 pounds less than your current weight, a good short term goal would be to lose one to two pounds per week. A realistic rate for weight loss is about one to four pounds per week. Your long term goal then would be to lose 20 pounds In 20 weeks. If you'd like to go with short-term goal option number #2, that would be to lose two pounds per week, then your long term goal would be to lose 20 pounds in 10 weeks, which is about 2-1 /2 months.

Your To DO list for today is to write your goal weight in your workbook, for example, my goal weight is 150 pounds. You want to write down also your short-term weight loss goal, an example of that would be to lose one pound per week. Then the third goal that you would record in your notebook would be your long-term goal which would be to lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks.

You want to share these goals with your family and friends so that you can gain the support that you need in order to move forward with your important goals.

Congratulations, you've taken the first step to achieving a healthy weight by setting realistic weight loss goals. You have a goal weight, short-term and long-term goals for how you're going to achieve that. 

Standing Quad Stretch

Tricep Stretch

Standing Hamstring Stretch

Side Bend  Stretch

Piriformis  Stretch

Pretzel  Stretch

Lying Quad  Stretch

Lunging Hip Flexor  Stretch

Lunge With Spinal  Stretch

Knee To Chest  Stretch

Frog  Stretch

Figure 4  Stretch

Ab Roller

Bird Dog

Burpees

Crunches

Deadlift

Dips

Hip Raises

Leg Raises

Lunges

Planks

Push Ups

Rows With Resistance Band

Side Squats

Sitting Rows

Sitting Shoulder Presses

Squats

Standing Rows

Progress Not Perfection...

How do you go from someone who talks about their goals to someone who accomplishes their goals? The right mindset to get and stay fit is within us all.

Do you follow fitness stars on social media? Their perfect, chiseled body images popping up in your news feed to give you just the right amount of motivation to get you into the gym.

Or does it? 

Striving for perfection usually doesn't work.

Quite frankly, perfection is unattainable and will always leave you falling short and feeling bad about yourself.

Progress isn't as exciting as perfection, but it is attainable. And progress builds upon more progress as you climb your way towards the accomplishment of real goals.

And yet...the gap between your current body and the body you want gapes wide and deep. Any time that you want progress and improvement in your life it requires crossing over from one way of doing things to a new way. 

But how do you make it across the chasm? 

How do you go from 50 pounds overweight to a healthy BMI? 

How do you go from a junk food lover to a health food lover? 

How do you go from a snooze-hitter to an early riser? 

How do you go from a couch potato to active and fit? 

Lucky for us there's a formula to follow that will get you from point A to point B every single time without fail. And all you have to do is stick with it...

Small Degrees of Progress + Time = A New You 

Commit to making one small degree of progress each and every day, and over time you will arrive on the other side of that chasm, a brand new you.

Did you eat white rice with dinner yesterday? Today choose brown rice. Next week choose cauliflower rice.

Did you eat a donut for breakfast yesterday? Today eat half of a donut and a piece of fruit. Next week choose a protein bar.

Did you wake up at 7 a.m. today? Tomorrow wake up at 6:45. Next week wake up at 6:30.

Did you sit all day today? Tomorrow walk for 15 minutes. Next week walk for 30 minutes.

 And the end result, the reward, comes after you've made that new way of doing things a part of who you are.

We are all capable of great progress and great improvement - just not all at once.

Progress takes place one degree at a time, so don't look to perfect fitness images on social media as your measurement of success, but rather look at your personal degrees of progress in the right direction. Refuse the urge to compare yourself to others-the only comparison that matters is between yourself yesterday and yourself today.

Progress isn't about finishing the race it's taking that next step in the right direction. 

Forget The Past

Please resist the urge to let past failures get you down. I don't care how many times you've tried and failed to transform your body - and you shouldn't either. What matters is that you're motivated NOW, so let's grab that momentum and get moving!

The one and only way to reshape your body is with a combination of cardio exercises, a healthy diet, and the right resistance workouts. This is the winning combination that will see you through to your goal. 

1. Myth: All calories are the same, whether from whole foods or processed ones.

Reality: Nope. While a 100 calorie candy bar and a 100 calorie apple contain the same amount of energy, the source of each calorie changes how your body digests and uses it.

Your body has to work harder to process whole foods such as vegetables and legumes than it does for packaged foods like crackers and sugary cereal.

If you eat Cheerios, by the time it gets to your belly, there's no processing that needs to happen. But if you eat quinoa or beans, your body has to break that down.

You expend more energy breaking down unprocessed food and protein than processed fare, which means eating things found in nature, not made by humans, is the better dieting strategy. 

2. Myth: Losing weight is all about will power.

Reality: Physiologically, as humans, we are not created to lose weight. Hanging on to fat helped our ancestors survive, so we have evolved to keep the weight we gain.

If you are struggling to lose weight, it's your chemistry, not your character.

Yes, some people may be blessed with a faster metabolism that helps them shed pounds a little easier than others. But metabolism tends to slow down as we age, making it even more difficult to lose those pesky extra pounds. And when people do lose a lot of weight quickly, their bodies try to return to their previous "set point." This could also affect their metabolism and make them feel hungrier.

Indeed, a study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that for every two pounds lost, participants ate about 100 calories more later on.

The battle of the bulge is a battle against biology, so obesity is not some moral failing. We can't stress enough that becoming overweight is a normal. natural, natural response to the abnormal, unnatural ubiquity of calorie-dense, sugary and fatty foods.

Our weight-loving genes, combined with easy access to fast food, candy and other unhealthy food, may indeed explain why nearly 40 percent of Americans are overweight and almost 8 percent are severely obese, according to a study in JAMA. So what can you do? We recommend a plant-based diet to help keep you at a healthy weight. Ditch the processed food, and make sweet stuff like cake and ice cream an occasional treat. 

3. Myth: Carbohydrates are bad.

Reality: Whether or not eating a lower-carb diet works really depends on the individual. From the data we have today, some people may lose weight on a low­carb diet, while others may lose weight on a low-fat diet.

What we do know is that different people like different routines that keep them in a calorie balance. The key is that whatever you do, you have to like it enough to stick with it.

For health benefits, a high-carb diet including sweet potatoes, winter squash, peas and corn, legumes, fruit, oats, wheat, quinoa and high-protein foods such as yogurt is preferable to one of processed foods, refined grains and sugary drinks.

4. Myth: If you really want to lose weight, you ultimately have to go on a diet.

Reality: A thoughtful, proactive plan on how to manage your food intake is not a bad thing.s. The problem is that we're overwhelmed with all sorts of fads and schemes that are rarely helpful and that often lead to throwing our hands up like there's no point in doing anything.

What's more, though people think they can diet temporarily and lose weight, the majority gain it back. Lasting results depend on incorporating healthy eating into your lifestyle long-term. Permanent weight loss requires permanent dietary change," he emphasizes. "Healthier habits need to become a way of life.

To make this possible, let your friends and family know you're trying to make good food choices, and try to leverage them to keep you accountable. Keep a daily food journal, make sure you get enough sleep, drink lots of water, and move at least 30 minutes a day. Finally, think of weight loss as a lifestyle choice.

5. Myth: Eating smaller meals more frequently is one of the best ways to control your appetite.

Reality: The underlying premise here is that eating small meals throughout the day controls your appetite because your blood glucose (or blood sugar level) is more stable and doesn't drop, which causes a spike in hunger. But assuming you eat the same number of calories, it doesn't matter if you graze or gorge, according to a study by researchers at the University of Ottawa's School of Human Kinetics. Another study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, actually found the opposite of this myth: that eating more frequent and smaller meals made people want to consume more.

This doesn't mean you need to eat three meals a day, necessarily, some people find it easier to eat in nontraditional ways. This is fine. Just don't expect a miracle. 

6. Myth: Juice Cleanses will help you lose weight.

Reality: "If you enjoy juicing because you like drinking the juice, have at it. But don't get swept up by claims of dramatic magic weight loss. Often, the drop you will see will be "just water weight."

Also, keep in mind that juice is typically high in calories, so it's best to keep your intake moderate at most.

There are also health risks to juicing such as electrolyte imbalance, potential dehydration as your intestines empty and even kidney issues.

Juices made from foods such as spinach and beets, which are high in oxalate, a natural substance, can cause kidney problems. 

Strategies For Eating Out

Restaurant food is meant to look, smell and taste great, and that means nutrition can sometimes fall by the wayside when menus feature main dishes drenched in butter or rich sauces, salads with creamy dressings, and few whole grains, fruits and vegetables. 

Try these strategies for enjoying a meal out while sticking to a healthy eating
 plan...

1. Sleuth it out...

These days, you can find healthful foods almost everywhere. The trick is to know what you're getting into before you get to the restaurant and are tempted by enticing menu descriptions. Many restaurants have their menus online -some with nutrition information readily available. You'll be able to choose the destination with the healthiest options, and go into the eatery ready to order the best meal and ask for substitutions where necessary. 

Before you head out, make a plan.

Eat a light dinner if you ate a big lunch that day. Or, if you know ahead of time that you're going to a restaurant, plan to have lighter meals during the day.

Make a commitment to eat slowly.

It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message from your stomach that you are no longer hungry.

Fast eaters often are over eaters, while slow eaters tend to eat less and are still satisfied.

Make physical activity part of dining out. All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes. Pick a restaurant that's a 10- or 15-minute walk. You'll get your meal, 30 minutes of physical activity and avoid the parking hassles.

 Or, get moving as a group before or after eating.

A brisk walk before a meal gives you time to chat. A stroll afterward helps your digestion.

2. Don't Split Your Plate.

You've probably read advice to ask for half portions or share your meal with a friend. But given the huge portion sizes doled out at some restaurants, half may still be too much.

Practice visualizing what your plate would look like at home and trying to replicate that in your restaurant meal.

Balance your meal by including healthier selections from all the different food groups such as lean protein foods, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Look for freshly made entree salads that give you "balance in a bowl."

For example, entree salads with baked or grilled chicken, beans or seafood provide protein along with fiber and other nutrients.

 Ask for dressing on the side so you can control how much you use.

For sandwich toppings, go with veggie options including lettuce, tomato, avocado and onion; if using condiments, choose ketchup, mustard, relish or salsa.

Round out your meal by ordering healthy side dishes, such as a side salad, baked potato or fruit. Boost the nutritional value of your baked potato by topping it with vegetables, salsa or chili. 

3. Add to your meal...

Think eating healthfully is all about what you can't eat? Focus on what healthy items you can add to your plate instead of only what foods to avoid. Look for whole-grain breads, pastas and sides; opt for foods with healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds; be sure to order lots of fruits and veggies; and go for lean meat, turkey, chicken or fish. 

4. Don't go overly hungry.

If you're ravenous before you leave for the restaurant, nosh on a small snack such as a piece of fruit. Or, at the restaurant, order a cup of broth-based soup or small salad to stave off hunger. 

5. Watch for the wording...

The way a dish is described on a menu can give you clues to how it's prepared. Look for words including "grilled," "broiled" or "steamed," meaning the food is cooked with less fat, and avoid dishes with descriptions such as "fried," "breaded," "smothered," "alfredo," "rich" and "creamy. 

6. Ask, ask, ask...

Don't be afraid to ask your server to help you healthy-up your meal.

For example, you could ask for a salad in place of the usual fries or chips with a meal. You can also ask for items to be prepared with less oil or cheese, ask the server to take away the bread basket and serve salad with dressing on the side, and request an appetizer portion of a main meal.

You can even often order "off-menu" - for example, ask what vegetarian dish the chef can prepare for you or if it's possible to make grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. Many restaurants are happy to comply.

If you enjoy dining out, don't think you have to stop if you want to stay healthy. With some preparation and savvy substitutions, you can order meals that are as nutritious as the ones you prepare at home. 

The Truth About Diets

When you diet you lose, but not in the way you might expect...

A diet is any behavior taken on with the intention of losing weight. While dieting seems harmless, the outcome is actually harmful and possibly dangerous.

The problem with diets is that they only work--result in weight loss-- if you reduce the amount of food energy eaten. Fairly quickly, your body tries to get you to eat more by sending signals of distress--constant food thoughts, jitteriness, irritability, inability to think clearly. If you don't respond by eating more, your body makes an adjustment. Gradually, within about 3 to 6 months, your body reduces its metabolism by lowering body temperature, slowing heart rate, reducing hormone production, and a number of conservation efforts that result in feeling tired and sluggish.

The reality is you don't get to choose your weight. Body weight is a trait that is embedded in each person's genetic code. Variation in weight occurs within a small range of normal for the individual, a range called set-point weight.

If diets don't work, why do they continue to exist? The simple answer is money. The dieting industry is a multi-billion dollar industry--each and every year. Ironically it's a self-perpetuating business. Weight loss is followed by weight gain in almost everyone, often followed by repeat dieting.

The more complex answer is bias. Having a high body weight is stigmatizing in our society. When people feel bad enough about their bodies, they seek change. The most accessible change is to try yet another diet. 

SEVEN MORE LIES ABOUT DIETS
(YOU DESERVE TO KNOW THE TRUTH)

Have you ever asked yourself, why does the diet industry make billions every year? Why is there such a huge, continuous market for dieting in nearly every established country around the globe? Why are there new diet trends every day? 

There is one plain and simple answer to all of these questions. Because the diet industry makes money when you feel bad about yourself.

Weight loss is a $55 billion-a-year industry globally. Players in the industry include weight loss franchises, food companies, pharmaceutical firms, the diet book industry and dietary supplement suppliers. 

IN ORDER TO HELP YOU BURST OUT OF THE DIET INDUSTRY'S HOLD, HERE ARE A FEW REASONS THAT DIETS ARE A LIE: 

"THE SMALLER YOU ARE, THE HAPPIER YOU WILL BE."

Sorry to break it to you, but no number on your scale can automatically make you a happy person. 

"DIETS ARE GOOD FOR YOU!" 

Focusing on numbers and fat-free, carb-free, sugar-free foods can lead you to eat too much of the wrong thing. Your body has a way of regulating itself, and dieting throws that balance off. 

"DIETING IS ALWAYS EFFECTIVE!" 

Most dieters that shed weight will put it all back on, plus some! Rarely is weight loss permanent. 

"THIS DIET ALWAYS WORKS!" 

Most people that diet end up falling off the bandwagon at some point, and most often before they reach their 'goal'. Rarely, people, who diet stay in the shape that they aimed for.

"DIETING IS EASY!"  

While anyone can physically lose weight if they try hard enough, that doesn't mean that everyone should. Most times people try too hard to shed the pounds and end up gaining more. 

"DIETS HELP YOU LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE!" 

This is simply untrue. Diets can cause you to live in the future, always pushing for the one day that you reach an unattainable number on the scale. 

"DIETING IS HARMLESS!" 

Dieting most often leads people to focus and fixate on their weight and body more than they should. Most American women try upwards of 4 diets every year. This leads to us pushing ourselves to the limit just to reach a certain weight, a certain size, a certain body mass index. Dieting is far from harmless. 

5 Mistakes That Cause Different Types of Belly Fat

Having excess body fat can be a sign that you are unhealthy. Different types of belly fat can be risk factors for diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and overall unhappiness.

"Visceral fat" is the medical term used to describe unhealthy fat in your belly and the area surrounding the liver and other organs in your abdomen.

If your goal is to drop belly fat, you're not alone. Studies have found that among Americans, as many as 91 % of adults and 69% of children excess body fat present that impairs health. 

Cause of the Common Types of Belly Fat 

Keep reading to learn the seven mistakes you might be making that cause different types of belly fat:

1. You're Consuming Too Much Sugar

There's a good chance that you are consuming more sugar in your food and beverages than you might realize.

There's obviously a ton of sugar in foods like candy and cake. But there's also loads of sugar in seemingly healthier foods like frozen yogurt and muffins. As for beverages, flavored coffee drinks, soda, and sweet tea are packed with sugar.

There have been studies that show there is a link between high sugar intake and extra belly fat. This is likely because of the high fructose in these sugar items.

Both regular sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are high in fructose. Regular sugar is actually fifty percent fructose, while high-fructose corn syrup consists of fifty-five percent fructose. So if you're consuming sugary foods and beverages that are high in fructose, that is likely one of the causes of your belly fat. 

2. You're Drinking Too Much Alcohol Which Causes Types Of Belly Fat

Consuming alcohol like red wine in moderate amounts could actually lower your risk of strokes and heart attacks. On the other hand, drinking large amounts of alcohol could lead to liver disease, inflammation, and other health problems.

There have even been studies that show drinking alcohol can prevent fat burning, and all the excess calories from alcohol get stored right in your belly fat. This is where the term "beer belly'' comes from. In other words, drinking a lot of alcohol increases your risk of many different diseases and is linked to excess belly fat.

3. You're Eating Trans Fats

Trans fats come in two types. They can either be naturally occurring in animal products, or they can be artificial, usually in the form of hydrogenated vegetable oils.

4. You Have The Wrong Gut Bacteria

There are hundreds of different types of bacteria that live in your gut and most of this bacteria is in your colon. While some of these bacteria are good for your health, others can cause problems.

Your gut bacteria are known as microbiome and flora. Gut health is key to keeping up a healthy immune system and preventing disease. But if your gut bacteria isn't balanced, this could lead to type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart, and other diseases.

There's even research that suggests an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria can lead to weight gain, including abdominal fat.

As it was found that obese people actually have a higher amount of Firmicutes compared to those who are of a normal weight.

This type of bacteria can even increase the number of calories the body absorbs from food. So basically, if you have an imbalance of gut bacteria this could lead to weight gain and belly fat. 

5. You're Not in a Caloric Deficit

Finally, you'll only see your abs if you get lean (that is, achieve low body fat). Otherwise, they'll be hidden under a nice layer of fat that will keep them a secret.

To lose belly fat, there is one rule that even the marvels of modern dieting haven't changed, and that is that you'll need to be in a caloric deficit.

Personally, I know two good ways to end up in a caloric deficit, one that is simple and one that takes more effort.

The simple approach? Eat a large quantity of vegetables with every meal (more than 2/3rds of your plate), eat moderate amounts of protein, and limit your additional carbohydrate and fat intake. The reason you need to limit your fat intake (such as nuts, cheeses, egg yolks, and oils) is that fats are very calorically dense at 9 calories per gram.

If you eat 3-5 meals like this per day, many (although not all) people will be at or near a caloric deficient.

The more difficult, yet more accurate, approach to being in a caloric deficit? You can track your food using a food app (like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer) or follow a nutrition plan provided by a Registered Dietitian (RD). Personally, I track my food, so that I know my calories in and calories out.

In short, to reduce belly fat and see those coveted abdominals, you'll need to get your body fat under 16-18% and the lower the better. At 10-15%, your six­pack will really start to show. 

Don't make these mistakes...

You can start dropping most types of belly fat if you don't make these mistakes. Start by limiting your intake of sugar, alcohol and trans fat.

Make sure to stay as active as possible, get enough protein and keep the bacteria in your gut balanced. 


 

Beware!!! Triggers and Pitfalls Ahead 

Let's focus on identifying triggers or situations that come up in daily life that cause you to lose sight of your goals and plans for calories, food groups, and exercise.

If you identify these triggers ahead of time, and you have a plan in place to deal with them, you will definitely increase your ability to lose weight and keep it off. Our learning objectives for this lesson are for you to select two key environmental triggers that can be barriers to weight loss and also develop a plan for monitoring and managing your hunger level. Emotions are important and common triggers that can get you off track. 

Emotional Stress

Many people feel stress from work, personal relationships, or finances on a daily basis. Think now about your stress level. How much stress do you feel?

Does that stress cause you to eat more, and how often does your stress level get you in trouble with healthy eating and regular exercise?

Thinking about these questions now will help you know if you need a plan for dealing with stress when you start your personal weight loss program. There are better ways to deal with stress other than eating more food or eating unhealthy food. Exercise is actually the very best stress buster there is. Your brain makes more endorphins.

Those are hormones that reduce stress when you exercise on a regular basis.

Meditation and yoga are also useful. There are classes, videos, and even apps for your telephone that can help you reduce stress and stay on track. Maybe stress is not a trigger for you, but boredom or loneliness are very common triggers that might get you off track.

There you are at home or with what's on TV and feeling lonely, so off you go to the kitchen and look for food to give you something to do even though you're not hungry at all. I know you've done this. I've done it too. But if this happens to you often, then you need to have a plan in place for how you're going to deal with boredom when you start your personal weight loss program. Now, I know I might sound like I'm repeating myself, but exercise is also great for cutting off boredom. Instead of scouring through the kitchen, call a walking or biking partner and go out for a walk or a ride. Anything that gets you moving and out of the house is a good option when boredom sets in. Other solutions are listening to upbeat music, starting a new to­do list and actually doing something that is on the list, cleaning out the junk drawer or even rearranging your furniture. The point is to replace the activity of eating food when you're not hungry with another activity. If boredom is a trigger for you, make a plan now for activities that will stop the boredom and stop you from going off your plan for weight loss. 

Do you eat when you're not hungry just to keep yourself awake and alert?

Everybody does this sometimes, but if you do this frequently, if this is your number one over eating trigger, then we need to make a plan now to minimize this. 

The most obvious solution is to get adequate sleep every night. 

Did you know that the lack of sleep causes a hormone imbalance in your body that actually makes you more hungry. Your body makes more of a hormone called ghrelin, the hormone that increases your appetite when you have a pattern of poor sleep. Please see the supplemental reading in this lesson for more information on getting adequate sleep. It's no surprise that exercise can increase alertness as well. Instead of heading to the vending machine when you have an afternoon energy slump, a quick 10 minute stroll around your office building or workplace is a great way to spike your alertness. 

Surprising Weight Loss Tips That Really Work 

As you develop your plan to reach your ideal weight, bear in mind these little-known, sometimes-counterintuitive tips and tricks...

1. Sleep in a cold room. Setting the thermostat 10 degrees lower or opening a window may boost your metabolism. Lowering the room temperature activates brown fat cells that require energy. It makes your body work a little bit harder.

2. Get more shut-eye. Lack of sleep doesn't just mean being tired the next morning. It can also have metabolic effects. In short, if you're sleep-deprived, your body tries to hang on to any extra calories. Sleep is part of the weight-loss journey, as well, and we recommend eight hours a night.

3. Turn off the tech. Studies show that we tend to eat more when we're watching TV or scrolling through social media and we're less attuned to the body's natural "I'm full" signal. So get used to going dark during meals, and use your senses to actually enjoy your food.

4. Tap your forehead. A study conducted by Richard Weil, director of the Weight Loss Program at Mount Sinai St. Luke's Hospital in New York City, found that tapping your forehead and ear with your index finger for 30 seconds, or tapping a toe on the floor, can distract you and reduce your food cravings. You can also try clenching your fists: Doing so can help strengthen your resolve to "overcome food temptation" and withstand physical pain, according to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research.

5. Take a break from dieting. Going on a two-week hiatus from dieting can help you shed weight, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity. The study investigated the body's "famine reaction" to continued dieting and found that resting metabolism slowed down more than expected, making it harder to drop pounds. That doesn't mean you should gorge on whatever you want; rather, you should eat sensibly and concentrate on consuming whole foods. 

Best Way and Time to Eat Fats and Carbs ... 

Nutrient partitioning (also called nutrient timing or meal timing) is the careful scheduling of macronutrient intake to support weight loss, fat loss, or bodybuilding goals.

Athletes who use this dietary strategy plan exactly when they eat carbs, protein, and fat to take full advantage of the nutritional advantages of each.

People who are trying to lose weight may use meal timing strategies to help them stick with their eating plan. Not all experts agree on the value of nutrient timing for fat loss or muscle gain. In fact, the research shows some promise but also indicates mixed results. 

Nutrient timing and exercise...

If you are a regular gym-goer, you may have noticed weight lifters grabbing a protein shake within minutes of finishing their session. Many times, the shakes include supplements (like herbal compounds) or other ingredients to boost the benefits of macronutrient partitioning.

The word "partitioning" is used to describe this food timing practice because scheduling your intake of protein and carbs may influence how the nutrients are used or "partitioned" in the body.

People who practice nutrient timing believe that consuming certain nutrients at specific times promotes insulin regulation for fat loss and muscle building.

For example, you might consume a carbohydrate and protein-rich meal or snack right before exercise or immediately after exercise to increase insulin production.

The theory is that by elevating insulin levels, you boost glucose uptake in the muscles which builds and repairs muscle that is broken down during your workout. While some research supports timing your macronutrient intake, other studies have found no advantages to meal timing. One large review of studies concluded that there is evidence to support eating protein within a certain timeframe, but not carbohydrates. The researchers stated that "high-quality protein dosed at 0.4-0.5 g/kg of lean body mass at both pre- and post-exercise is a simple, relatively fail-safe general guideline".

They added that the timing of carbohydrate intake is less important, as long as you meet your daily requirements. 

Nutrient Timing vs. Nutrient Balance...

Carefully monitoring of what and when you eat can be a lot of work. For many people, simply eating a balanced diet is difficult enough. Is it really necessary to practice nutrient timing as well? The answer depends on your goals. Many experts say that getting a proper balance of nutrients is more important than food timing practices. As a result, macronutrient partitioning may be more trouble than it's worth.

The timing of specific nutrient intake should be reserved for only those who are serious about their fitness level. Achieving optimal body composition, modifying weight (loss or gain), and/or improving performance are typical goals.

Timing and absolute daily intake of nutrients are equally important.

For inactive individuals, absolute daily intake of nutrients is more important than meal timing. Avid exercisers, performance athletes, and bodybuilders may benefit from the benefits of nutrient timing.

For these individuals, investing more time and effort into their athletic endeavors makes sense.

For many of us, however, scheduling the intake of each nutrient is more work than we need to put into our diets. Simply getting the right balance of nutrients at mealtimes is enough of a challenge. We may be able, however, to benefit from scheduled meal timing if weight loss or healthy weight management is a goal. 

Meal timing for weight management...

If you're trying to lose weight and following a calorie-controlled diet, timing your food intake may provide additional benefits. In fact, research has suggested that scheduling your food intake to eat more in the morning may offer a small boost in your results.

One 2013 study of 93 sedentary overweight and obese women with metabolic syndrome found that front-loading calories by eating a larger breakfast, followed by a smaller dinner, was more effective for weight loss than doing the reverse (eating a smaller breakfast and larger dinner).

Women who took part in the study ate 1,400 calories per day and maintained a sedentary lifestyle for the duration of the trial. The study authors concluded that "high-calorie breakfast with reduced intake at dinner is beneficial and might be a useful alternative for the management of obesity and metabolic syndrome."

Having the structure of a meal plan makes eating well less stressful. Not only do people know when to eat, they also know how much and what types of foods to eat to get the right balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

There is no perfect meal timing schedule for everyone. Your perfect food schedule may be unique to you. It depends on the individual and many additional factors. Factors that can come into play include your physical activity level, the type of exercise you participate in, the duration of your physical activity, and even genetics.

Specific nutrient timing has the potential to provide benefits for weight loss and athletic performance. However, these benefits are probably minimal for the average person.

If your goal is weight loss, eating certain foods at specific times won't compensate for a diet that is unbalanced or too high in calories. If your goal is to improve your athletic performance, nutrient partitioning can't take the place of a consistent, well-designed training program, but it may prove some benefit. In short, food timing helps you fine-tune good nutrition, but it doesn't take the place of a balanced eating and exercise plan. 

Healthy Living Doesn't Have to Be Difficult ... 

Healthy seems hard. We're inundated with numerous diets promising rapid results and a life full of leisurely skinniness.

I'll be the first to say, I have very vivid dreams of eating cake straight out of the fridge, no holds barred, with my hands. Glorious dreams. We're human. We have cravings. We eat our feelings. We read diet books to try to manage our stress and our desire to eat whole cakes when life literally weighs us down.

But guess what?

We're also powerful machines. We're built by habit. Almost everything we do is because it's a habit that we formed. And that's good news. We're malleable. We can change. We can be stronger, fitter, faster.

It's not as hard as you think. Start building your good habits today and you'll be the healthier person you want to be tomorrow. 

1. Take small steps.

Take the stairs. Get off the bus or train a few blocks before your stop. Walk to your friend's house instead of driving. If you can do nothing else, as fitness pro Sue Koch taught me, do 20 pushups in the morning and 20 more before bed. 

2. Change your attitude.

Take pride in being healthier. Instead of talking about how much you love eating copious amounts of chocolate, try talking about how much you love eating your favorite healthy foods. Don't thrive on junk food or excuses. 

3. Get inspired...

Surround yourself with healthy friends. Go to farmers' markets. Join healthy groups through organizations like MeetUp.com. Read magazines and books that inspire you. 

4. Find your health passion.

A friend of mine couldn't shed the 15 pounds she had been so ardently trying to lose. Why? Because she wasn't motivated to. If you hate running, running won't keep you motivated. Find your groove. Everyone has one. My friend found out that she loved hot yoga. She's lost more than 15 pound. Explore your options.

5. Educate yourself. 

Diets like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers can help you lose weight, but I'm not crazy about them. Why? Because you don't have to take the time to learn about what you're putting into your body. It's not just about portions; it's about getting the right nutrition, avoiding artificial food products, and having a well­rounded diet. Start reading labels when you go to grocery store. Understand what you're putting into your body. Discover a credible source on line and get daily nutrition tips. 

6. Start eating clean.

The quickest, easiest way to become a healthier person is to avoid processed foods. If it's not in packaging and the ingredient list is short, it's your friend. If it contains more salt than the Dead Sea, has ingredients you can't pronounce, and has a longer shelf life than your cat, put it back. Eat whole foods like oatmeal, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils. 

Why Do I Gain Weight Overnight?

Here are twelve science-backed reasons you might see weight gain in the morning, that wasn't there the night before. 

1. You had more sodium than usual...

Sodium is one major factor that can cause weight gain overnight. Sodium can cause you to retain a large volume of water and weigh in heavier on the scale the next morning. Very salty foods are a common cause of sodium, so try cutting your salt intake down!

Also, other sodium variants beyond table salt can cause this phenomenon, such as monosodium glutamate, otherwise known as MSG, sodium nitrite, sodium saccharin, and baking soda, for example. And you may be consuming more sodium than you even know.

Many processed foods can contain a lot of sodium, so it's important to read the labels before you purchase food so that you can avoid consuming excess sodium.

If your excessive sodium intake was just a one-time thing, try drinking some extra water to help flush the sodium out of your system a lot more quickly. Plus, drinking water is good for you! 

2. You had more carbs than usual the day before...

Eating a lot of carbs generally can cause weight gain, but specifically, eating a lot of carbs one day when you normally don't can also cause you to retain weight and weigh in heavier the next morning.

One gram of a carbohydrate retains three grams of water, so it's a really easy way to gain a lot of weight quickly. This is especially true if you've been staying away from the carbs recently. 

Suddenly eating a lot of carbs after staying away from them for a long time can cause your body to store more glycogen and cause more bloating.

If you suddenly ate a lot of carbohydrates and saw a weight gain, don't stress out. Going back to your normal diet will likely see you back at your normal weight within a couple of days. 

3. You weighed in earlier than normal...

If you weigh in earlier than normal, there can still be food left in your stomach. More importantly, the longer you sleep, the more water you'll breathe out as respiration. So if you weigh in earlier than normal, you'll likely to weigh in heavier than usual.

Try to weigh yourself at the same time every day so that you'll get a consistent measurement and a more accurate picture of how much you weigh. Try creating a schedule so that you can stay consistent.

You can also create a sleep schedule, which will keep you healthier and make it easier to weigh in at a consistent time each day.

4. You've Eaten Foods That Cause Bloating...

Certain foods, like artificial sweeteners (such as sorbitol, erythritol, or xylitol), processed foods, carbonated sodas, and for some people, dairy, can all cause bloating.

If you ate something that's not your norm the day before and were feeling a little gassy before bed, this might just be the cause of why you weighed in heavier the next morning. However, depending on what you ate, you may want to check in with a healthcare professional.

For example, if dairy products consistently leave you bloated, you may want to make sure that you're not suffering from lactose intolerance. Or you could be sensitive or have another allergy.

5. You Did an Intense Workout the Day Before

If you did an intense workout the day before, this can cause water retention as the muscles work to repair micro abrasions and tears. If this is the type of weight gain that's affecting you, then don't worry about today's weigh in.

Water retention from working out is likely to go away on its own, and this type of weight gain isn't related to body fat.

On the other hand, if you've been worried about your workout routine, there are other things you can do to get yourself back on track. If you're having trouble with your workouts, then check out these tips on working out from home.

6. You Haven't Had a Bowel Movement Yet...

If you weigh in before taking your morning poop instead of after, you'll likely observe body weight fluctuations. That's especially true if you're having an issue like constipation.

The average bowel movement of adult human weighs around 0.25 to one pounds. Of course, larger people who eat more and those who have less frequent bowel movements will tend to have heavier poops. Whether or not this factor will impact you will depend on:

• Your body size
• The size of your daily bowel movements
• The sensitivity of your scale (i.e.k it's ability to measure a single or double decimal point

Thus, if you'd like to see a lower weight, try using the bathroom before you get on the scale.

7. You Ate Fiber-Rich Foods

Fiber is the non-digestible part of plants. Fiber rich foods are awesome, because they fill you up, keep you regular, lower cholesterol, and play a major role in digestion. However, if you up your fiber levels quickly, your body might need some time to adjust. When you consume a lot of fiber, you should plan for a bulkier, waterier, and larger bowel movement ahead. Of course, both the fiber and the water it retains can lead to overnight weight gain. Foods that are particularly high in fiber include beans, lentils, fruits and vegetables. So if you notice overnight weight gain, consider your consumption of these foods the day before. 

8. You Ate Late the Night Before

If you eat late the night before, there could be food left in your stomach the next morning that is nudging up the figure you see on the scale. Plus, any food eaten at night is more likely to be stored as fat, rather than as energy, especially if you're eating foods that are high in carbohydrates.

To avoid weight gain overnight, try eating earlier in the evening and stay away from midnight snacks whenever possible.

Start a regular eating schedule and stick to it in order to avoid gaining weight overnight.

9. You Consumed Alcohol

Many types of alcohol are high in carbohydrate and sugar levels. This can cause your body to retain water and induce weight gain the next morning. In some cases, drinking may also cause you to stay up later than normal, during which time you may find yourself consuming late night snacks. This will increase the undigested food volume in your body the next morning. If you ordered food from a bar, you probably ate your fair share of salt as well. If you're tired from drinking the night before, you may also find yourself sleeping in later than normal. Naturally, this will alter your weigh-in time. Finally, alcohol can cause internal inflammation and gastrointestinal distress. So if you wake up after a night of drinking, don't be surprised if you're feeling "beer/booze bloat." 

10. You Were Nose-Breathing Last Night

When you're in good health and have clear sinuses, you will nose breath at night. For a variety of reasons, this is the body's preferred way of breathing. When you do this, you secrete healthy amounts of the hormone vasopressin. Vasopressin is produced by your brain and released by a pea-sized gland called the pituitary.

Unfortunately, when conditions such as allergies or a cold cause you to mouth breath overnight, your body lowers its production of the hormone vasopressin. When you don't release adequate vasopressin, your kidneys excrete too much water, causing you to urinate and inducing dehydration.

The upside of your overnight bathroom breaks is that you'll weight in lower than normal in the morning. The downside is your body is not regulating itself properly and dehydration is associated with a host of health problems.

So remember, when you're in good health and nose-breathing at night, you'll tend to weigh in heavier than when you're forced to mouth breath.

11. You're About to Menstruate

For women who menstruate, this one's for you. Before you start your period, fluctuations in hormonal levels can lead to weight gain. This process can start as early as five days before your period begins.

There's a few factors involved here, one of which is that the female sex hormone estrogen peaks during the latter part of the menstrual cycle, shortly before blood flow begins. High estrogen levels can cause your body to retain fluid, creating weight gain overnight.

Progesterone also tends to be elevated during the later half of the menstrual cycle. This can slow down your digestive tract. In addition to experiencing bloating, you may see this reflected on the scale.

Elevated progesterone also explains why some contraceptives cause weight gain. For example, the birth control medicine Depo-Provera is a common culprit.

12. You Started a New Medication

This cause is one that all too often gets overlooked. Several classes of both over­the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications can induce weight gain. This is logical, given that most medicines exert their effects by shifting your body's rhythms.

Common culprits for weight gain can include birth control meds, antidepressants, beta blockers, angiotensin-receptor blockers, migraine meds, antihistamines, and more.

Why does this happen? In the short-term, these medications usually cause water retention. In the long-run, they may increase appetite, down-regulate metabolism, or increase fat storage.

How to Avoid Weight Gain Overnight

If you avoid these twelve common culprits that cause you to gain weight overnight, then you'll see your weight stabilize (or drop) in no time.

But remember, some of these things causes are actually healthy, so don't worry too much if you occasionally see your weight fluctuate. It'll go back to normal soon!  

 

Eating Healthy Doesn't Have To Be More Expensive ...

Study published online December 5, 2013 in BM) (British Medicaljournal) 

Eating healthy versus eating an unhealthy diet costs about $1.50 more per day.

Meta-analysis pinpoints the price difference of consuming a healthy diet, which could be burden for low-income families but is trivial compared with health costs of eating an unhealthy diet.

Boston, MA - The healthiest diets cost about $1.50 more per day than the least healthy diets, according to new research from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). The finding is based on the most comprehensive examination to date comparing prices of healthy foods and diet patterns vs. less healthy ones. 

"People often say that healthier foods are more expensive, and that such costs strongly limit better diet habits," said lead author Mayuree Rao, a junior research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at HSPH. "But, until now, the scientific evidence for this idea has not been systematically evaluated, nor have the actual differences in cost been characterized."

To address this question, the HSPH researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 27 existing studies from 10 high-income countries that included price data for individual foods and for healthier vs. less healthy diets. They evaluated the differences in prices per serving and per 200 calories for particular types of foods, and prices per day and per 2,000 calories (the United States Department of Agriculture's recommended average daily calorie intake for adults) for overall diet patterns. Both prices per serving and per calorie were assessed because prices can vary depending on the unit of comparison.

The researchers found that healthier diet patterns-for example, diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, and nuts-cost significantly more than unhealthy diets (for example, those rich in processed foods, meats, and refined grains). On average, a day's worth of the most healthy diet patterns cost about $1.50 more per day than the least healthy ones.

The researchers suggested that unhealthy diets may cost less because food policies have focused on the production of "inexpensive, high volume" commodities, which has led to "a complex network of farming, storage, transportation, processing, manufacturing, and marketing capabilities that favor sales of highly processed food products for maximal industry profit." Given this reality, they said that creating a similar infrastructure to support production of healthier foods might help increase availability-and reduce the prices-of more healthful diets. 

"This research provides the most complete picture to-date on true cost differences of healthy diets," said [[Dariush Mozaffarian]], the study's senior author and associate professor at HSPH and Harvard Medical School. "While healthier diets did cost more, the difference was smaller than many people might have expected. Over the course of a year, $1.50/day more for eating a healthy diet would increase food costs for one person by about $550 per year. This would represent a real burden for some families, and we need policies to help offset these costs. On the other hand, this price difference is very small in comparison to the economic costs of diet-related chronic diseases, which would be dramatically reduced by healthy diets."

On the surface, healthy eating seems like an easy enough task. After all, the most nutritious foods come straight from the earth; pure and unprocessed. But fresh whole foods are not always accessible to everyone. With obstacles like food deserts, expensive organics, and high-priced meats, eating healthy on a budget seems nearly impossible.

Like exercising, eating well can start with small steps. For example, introducing conventional produce into your diet is better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all. If you can't afford fresh organic produce, shop for pesticide-free fruits and vegetables in the freezer aisle. If expensive meats aren't doable, substitute with tofu or other alternatives, like beans or lentils. 

Pack Your Pantry

When trying to save on your grocery bill, start by filling your pantry with shelf­stable items like beans, rice, and lentils. Dried foods, devoid of water, cost less because they are cheaper for manufacturers to store and ship. Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, these kitchen staples last months in your cupboard and yield substantial portions.

Shopping for nutritious food on limited funds requires a bit of strategy. Pay close attention to grocery store sales so you can stock up on discounted staples. Big box stores like Target and Costco offer easy-to-use digital coupons for their growing stock of organic and health food products. These large retailers usually provide private label options that eliminate marketing costs associated with household name brands. For the same reason, buying in bulk saves money-and without packaging costs, bulk foods are discounted even further.

Weekly meal planning is another cost-saving measure that will pay off in spades. Spending just 30 minutes preparing for the week ahead helps you spend less money and waste less food. Instead of throwing away leftover sauteed veggies, add them to your eggs the following morning. Grill chicken for dinner and save some to pair with leafy greens for lunch. And, consider which fruits and vegetables are in season. Food grown closer to home is less expensive. Importing grapes from Chile or peppers from Peru in the winter will increase the price dramatically. 

The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen

The World Health Organization's (WHO) International Agency for Research of Cancer (IARC) lists five commonly used industrial pesticides as probably and possibly carcinogenic. Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup, is the most widely used agricultural pesticide in the U.S. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), "250 million pounds of glyphosate are sprayed on American crops" each year. These toxic pesticides are so prevalent that researchers have even found residue of pesticides in breast milk. 

If you buy conventional produce, use a vegetable wash or drop of soap and water to remove pesticides on the surface. For harder foods, like potatoes, you can clean the skin with a food brush. Removing the skin works too, but you lose some important nutrients in the process. It's a balancing act.

Reducing your exposure to harmful pesticides is as essential as ever. While it may seem overwhelming, community organizations like EWG can help you make informed decisions that protect your health and the health of your family. EWG publishes an annual "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce." Named the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, these lists make shopping for safer, conventional (non­organic) fruits and veggies simple.

Once home, you can further decontaminate your food. If you buy conventional produce, use a vegetable wash or drop of soap and water to remove pesticides on the surface. For harder foods, like potatoes, you can clean the skin with a food brush. Removing the skin works too, but you lose some important nutrients in the process. It's a balancing act.

When deciding whether to invest in organics, maybe you need a shift in perspective. With our exposure to the high amounts of pesticides in some of the foods we eat, many of us develop serious health issues. We end up spending significant amounts of money on health care. If you can, why not invest in the prevention of disease instead? 

Shop The Rainbow

A rule of thumb when shopping for healthy foods is shopping the perimeter. This strategy keeps you away from the temptations in the snack aisle and focuses your shopping trip on rainbow eating. Full of phytonutrients, colorful fruits and vegetables protect us from illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Each color has disease-fighting superpowers, so eating the whole rainbow is ideal. 

A Rainbow of Health-Boosting Phytonutrients

Red foods are chockful of carotenoid lycopene, which destroy free radicals that damage your genes and lead to diseases like prostate cancer. Examples: Red peppers and raspberries.

Orange and yellow produce is rich in beta cryptothanxin, which may protect us from heart disease. Examples: Carrots and bananas.

Green vegetables and herbs harness the power of sulforaphane, isocyanate, and indoles to fight cancer. Examples: Spinach and broccoli.

Blue and purple foods use potent antioxidants to prevent blood clots and slow the aging process of cells in its tracks. Examples: Eggplant and blueberries.

White and brown staples provide antioxidant flavonoids that contain anti-tumor characteristics. Examples: Onions, garlic, and mushrooms.

Pro Tip: Growing your fruits and vegetables is one of the cheapest ways to get variety in your diet. With minimal care, a backyard garden is plentiful in the summer months.

For apartment dwellers, a windowsill is a perfect place to grow fresh herbs.

When neither works, you can share the cost with neighbors and build (or find) a community garden. At the end of the growing season, you can freeze or can your bounty for winter cooking.

Prioritize Plant Based Eating

As Michael Pollan famously writes in his book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, "Eat Food." Not too much. Mostly plants.

Plant-based diets bring the best results for overall longevity and quality of life. Eating a plant-based diet is cheaper and helps us prevent chronic disease. 

The objective for this lesson is to identify three strategies for choosing the best menu options when eating in restaurants or cafeterias. 

When it comes to eating outside your home, you might be one of the many people who eat in a workplace cafeteria. If you work five days a week and eat in the cafeteria every day, this gives you plenty of opportunity to practice choosing healthier and lower calorie menu items, so that you can get to your weight loss goal. Here are some strategies you can try. Instead of eating in the cafeteria, try packing your lunch at least two days a week. Five days a week would be ideal, but when you pack your own lunch, you will save calories and you'll save money. 

Eating vegetables in a salad, as your entree, or as a side dish every day, is a very important strategy. Vegetables really fill you up without giving you lots of calories.

Speaking of salads, you might not have a good low-calorie salad dressing option in your cafeteria. You can bring your own low-calorie salad dressings. When you're looking at different kinds of soup in the cafeteria, in general, broth­based soups like chicken noodle, beef barley, vegetarian vegetable. Those are usually lower in calories than the cream based soups like cream of mushroom, cream of tomato, or New England clam chowder. As far as beverages that you choose when you're in the cafeteria, stick with water or another low-calorie beverage. And read the menu board before you go into the cafeteria. Many times a lower-calorie entree might be featured.

Even if your workplace doesn't have a cafeteria, it probably has vending machines. These can be very tempting, especially in the late afternoon when you might just be starting to feel a little hungry. The good news is that new regulations require vending machine companies to include healthier options in their machines. But those unhealthy options will still be there, possibly tempting you. Fellow workers who bring baked goods or pastries to work and leave them in the break room have good intentions. They don't intend to distract you from your healthy food choices, but they do. Here are some strategies that can help you control your calorie intake when faced with vending machines or break room treats. 

The very best defense is to keep a stash of your own favorite snacks at work. Vegetable spears and fresh fruits are all good options (bearing in mind any food allergies you may have).  It's a great idea to just stay out of the break room when you know someone has brought in sweet treats or pastries. Take a brisk walk around the building or around the parking lot instead. 

Ask yourself if you are really hungry when you're standing in front of a vending machine or about to open the door of the break room. Use that hunger scale that we talked about. If you're between a level 4 and a level 6, you're not hungry and you don't need a snack at all. Sometimes cravings for sweet treats are actually signs of thirst. So drown your cravings with lots of water. You may actually be thirsty and not hungry at all.

But what about restaurants?

Do you go to fancy places ... or is it mostly burger or pizza joints? When you're trying to lose weight, the best plan is to avoid restaurants of all types. There's just too much temptation as soon as you walk in the door. The smell and the sight of restaurant foods are both powerful triggers that can get you off track. Now, I'm not suggesting that you become a recluse. Sharing a meal that you don't have to cook with friends and family is one of life's most enjoyable pleasures. Just try to limit the number of times you eat out per week to once per week when you start your weight loss program.

Planning to limit this in advance is a powerful tool in your weight loss toolbox. Remember how important making a grocery list, going to the grocery store is? We've talked about this before and the very reason is, when you have food available in your home that you know you can prepare for yourself, this will help you limit your restaurant visits. There are some strategies that you can use before you go to a restaurant, while you're at the restaurant, and after the fact. We'll discuss these in order now and think about which strategies might work for you as we go along.

Before you go to the restaurant, you can cut back by 100 to 150 calories a day for three days before you plan to eat out. This will give you an additional 300 to 450 calories to spend at the restaurant.

You can also add an additional 10 to 15 minutes to your exercise plan for three days before you eat out. Be the one who chooses the restaurant. Choose one that you know has options that will fit your meal plans. You should know that you actually eat more calories when you eat with more people. So try to keep your restaurant outing to just a few people. You can look at the menu online before you go and plan your order in advance. Having a plan is an excellent strategy. And remember, use the hunger scale. Don't go to a restaurant when you are really hungry. It's better have a light snack and get yourself back to level 4 to 6 in the hunger scale, rather than go to a restaurant at a much higher hunger level.

When you're at the restaurant, there's some strategies that you can use as well. You should be the first one to order, that way you won't be tempted by menu items that other people order. You should tell the wait staff not to bring the bread or the tortilla chips. These are the kinds of refillable foods that keep coming to your table, and those calories add up very quickly. You should always ask the waiter how the food is prepared and how many ounces are served for the meat, poultry, and fish items.

You can always ask for double vegetable side dishes instead of potatoes or another starch, and always ask for salad dressings, sauces, and gravy on the side. That way you can control the portion sizes. You can always ask for grilled or broiled versions of meat menu items. And as always, pay attention to the hunger scale. Stop eating when you start to feel full, and that's when you ask for the to­go box.

After you finish your restaurant visit, you can always cut back by 100-150 calories for 3 days after you eat out. And you can also add 10 to 15 additional minutes to your exercise plan for those 3 days after you eat out.

If you happen to get off track while you're at the restaurant, don't let yourself get in a funk. Get yourself right back on track the very next meal with your food and exercise plan. Hopefully these suggestions have been helpful for you. Take a minute now to name three strategies that you think can help you control your calorie intake when eating outside of your home. 

10 Ways To Save Money While Losing Weight... 

You may be aware of the health benefits of losing extra weight, but have you thought about the ways you'd save money if you acheive and maintain a healthy weight?

Costs for doctor's visits are lower when you aren't sick as much, your joints aren't strained by extra weight so there are fewer knee issues and ankle sprains. You miss less work from illness related to an immune system that's not at it's prime, and don't have to buy so many medications for obesity-related symptoms like acid reflux, diabetes, high blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol. Also, life insurance premiums drop quite a bit-I saved hundreds each year on my own policy by reaching a healthier weight before buying my policy.

But does it feel like you have to fork over bundles of money to lose those pounds?

Everywhere you look, people advertise ways to spend on weight loss. Join this pricey gym, hire a trainer, buy those premade meals, buy expensive shakes and "cleanses" sold by a multi-level marketing scheme. But does lasting weight loss really have to cost so much financially? While some of these things can promote a jump start, and trainers can certainly get you moving, there are actually ways to save money, and possibly even make a few bucks, while dropping those unhealthy pounds. Here are ten ideas: 

1. Eat half, or at least less, of what you were previously eating. I'll start with something simple-make the decision not to go back for seconds. You'll have leftovers for another meal. Eating smaller portions means you don't have to buy as much food, a great way to stretch the grocery budget. Restaurant portions can certainly be split most of the time, and give you two meals for the price of one. 

2. Cook with dried beans as the main protein source for several meals a week. Make a goal of testing and choosing several recipes you can prepare that feature beans as the main protein source, and instead of grabbing cans-just cook them from dried. It's really not that hard if you plan ahead, and beans are one of the cheapest-and healthiest-protein sources around. If dried beans intimidate you, you can still save a bundle by going with canned beans, just give them a good rinse to get the extra sodium off before cooking. Going partially vegetarian can be a huge boost to your health and add padding to your wallet, if done correctly.

3. Save on produce at the Farmer's Market. Go to the farmer's markets right before or at closing time. Frequently, the farmers just don't want to pack up the unsold merchandise to carry home, and are interested in cutting deals. One farmer threw in a big pile of cucumbers last time after I paid, just because he didn't want to take them home. 

4. Seek out free accountability. Accountability is one of the secrets to Weight Watcher's success. And while they are a great program, you might not be able to afford their fees. If you don't have friends or family dedicated to making long­term healthy changes alongside you, there are plently of ways to get free accountability via social media (MyFitnessPal is great and you can friend people through it for encouragement), interacting with the weight loss blogging community, start your own weight loss blog to chronicle your journey, or join my Fit Friday link-ups on my blog, Little Progress Notes, where you can enter your weekly successes and failures in the the comments even if you don't have your own blog. 

5. Don't buy soda. This is hard for a lot of people, but there is nothing beneficial they have to offer, even diet sodas. And they aren't cheap! Spend that money on some good produce instead. Pop a slice of cucumber, a wedge of lemon, or some mint leaves into your glass of ice water and enjoy. It might take some time, but go without soda for a while and see if your taste buds don't start craving water instead.

6. Grow your own veggies, or at the very least, your own herbs. You'll burn calories working out in the yard, and get plenty of great, healthy cheap food.

7. Stop buying and eating red meat on a regular basis. It's more expensive anyway, and numerous studies associate it with increased disease.

8. Make breakfast cereal at home with simple whole grain ingredients. I make granola in my crackpot {harder to burn that way}. Processed cereals are more expensive, and most have more sugar and preservatives than what you can make at home. I buy whole grains in bulk to use in my granola. You can find bulk bins at natural food stores, or even order them on Amazon. My most recent granola concoction is Maple Almond Quinoa Granola. 

9. Earn money by making a Diet Bet. You don't have to be on the Biggest Loser to enter a weight loss competition these days. DietBet is one of several online contests that allow you to wager some money (usually $1 Oto $50) that you will be able to lose 4% of your body weight over 4 weeks time. The number of people who enter each DietBet determine how big the pot is, and the pot is split only by the winners of the DietBet at the end (that's everyone who lost 4%). My husband entered several of these and won most of them, and I entered one at the beginning of the year and won. They add another layer of motivation and score you a little cash. You can read my review post about Diet Bet here.

10. Become familiar with Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" and"Clean Fifteen" lists, which are yearly updated rankings of produce with the most and the least amount of pesticide, according to testing. If you're on a limited food budget, don't stress over spending extra for organic. Any produce, even if not organic, is far better than no produce. Learn to wash your fruits and veggies well, peel them, etc. If you are worried about pesticides and can afford to spend a little more, just focus on buying organic versions of those fruits and veggies listed high in the EWG's dirty dozen list. Don't bother forking out the cash for an organic fruit or veggie that's on the "clean fifteen" list, when the cheaper, conventional version probably doesn't have much pesticide residue anyway.

These 10 steps can get you started toward a trimmer waist and a fatter wallet. One key to success I've found in my own weight loss process is to focus on one new goal at a time. Only when I've gotten a new habit down pat do I try to add on another. Too much, too soon, and you can get discouraged and give up quickly. You are in this for the long haul so just accept that change can take time. Quit searching for overnight results and focus on positive changes you can stick with. 

Where Does Fat Go When You Lose Weight???

Stay On Track...

Stay on track designing your personal weight loss plan. You now have all the tools, goals and strategies needed to start implementing your weight loss plan. You've learned without a doubt that planning is essential for successful weight loss. Remember, failing to plan equals planning to fail. Before you start your personal weight loss plan, let's take some time to consider how you are going to keep yourself on track when times get tough. The learning objective for this lesson is that you will identify three key strategies for keeping yourself on track, for continued weight loss and adherence to goals.

Staying on track with your weight loss plan will make or break you on your weight loss journey. Remember that you are in this for the long haul. There's no quick fixes, there's no magic pills in your plan. Consistent behaviors like planning meals, grocery shopping, self monitoring, and exercise are going to help you get to your goal week. Don't deprive yourself of the food you'd like to eat, even the occasional sweet treat. You just have to eat smaller portions. And really take the time to savor and enjoy the flavor of those special foods. As you lose weight, you'll start to notice changes and how your clothes fit after about ten pounds. You can use a tape measure to follow the changes in your waist, hip and thigh measurements if you like, but your clothes will really tell the truth.

The scale will give you the numbers but the real deal is how you look in your clothes. Here is some strategies that can help you stay on track. First of all, get support. This is a very effective strategy. Talk to this people honestly about your goals, your successes even your slip ups. Their words of encouragement and advise will definitely be needed along the way. Reward yourself for reaching small goals, maybe plan a little reward for yourself after each ten pounds you lose. Of course, the reward should not be food. But a new pair of shoes, a massage, or a new music album can definitely help keep you focused and feeling positive. Self­monitoring has proven to help with weight loss, as we've discussed. Tracking your food groups and calorie intake along with your daily weight can help you stay on top of changes, and allow you to quickly make adjustments if needed. The same goes for tracking your exercise.

Positive thinking is a skill that you can train yourself to correct your negative thoughts about your weight loss efforts. This is not about ignoring unpleasant feelings. It's about trying to reframe or redirect your thoughts to take you in the direction of success. For example, if you're thinking, this is too complicated, I just cannot do it. Try replacing that thought with, I'm going to keep trying because I want to improve my health. If you start thinking, I'm too lazy to exercise. Replace that thought with, I wasn't able to fit it into my schedule today, but I can schedule exercise for the rest of the week on my calendar. And lastly, never stop exercising. There's absolutely no question that it's the key to keeping weight off once you lose it.