Nutrition is 70% of weight loss!

Mediterranean Diet: Day 4

Nutrition Log: Thursday

Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled, 1 pancake, light syrup, black coffee

Lunch: chicken salad with cranberries and walnuts

Snack: Apple

Dinner: Spinach and Romaine Salad with avocado, cranberries, rasberry vinigarette dressing

Exercise: 30 min walk/run, abs and glutes

Thoughts: I did cheat a little this morning with the pancake, but it was the only carbs I had for the day. I'm finding myself being more consious of my grains and dairy since doing the paleo diet where I actually lost weight and felt great. I think this diet is great for someone trying to focus on eating healthy and changing their habits, but I don't think the average person will lose a lot of weight from it.

Mediterranean Diet: Day 3

This week may be a little tough being that its Spring Break. Its not easy being on a diet when you are on vacation or are doing fun things and eating out with the family! This one of all though again I will say is the easiest I think. I can also see me not being very successful with it though because you can eat alot of things and it doesn't necesarily give you portion limits.

Nutrition Log: Wednesday

Breakfast: 2 Scrambled eggs with garlic and artichoke salsa, coffee

Lunch: Chicken sald with grapes and walnuts

Snack: Diet Dr. Pepper, peanut butter Clif Bar (prob not really on the diet!)

Dinner: Baha Grilled Chicken Salad (grilled chicken, avacado, pineapple salsa, vinigarette) and a Bud Light!

Exercise: Water Workout, Stretching (I was sore!)

Thoughts/Notes: I'm still trying to stay pretty clear of the dairy and carbs. Today we were at a hotel for a little staycation, so thats where I had dinner and did my water workout. I really miss water workouts and the resistance of just running or kicking in water! Then the fire alarms went off and there was a fire at our hotel! Staff told us they had a confirmed fire in the building and sure enough there was! After sitting out on the curb for 3 hours we were able to go in to retreive our things from our room and headed back home. Interesting night. A wednesday night at a holiday inn and it catches on fire! Still glad it wasn't the middle of the night!

Mediterranean Diet: Day 2

Today I did pretty well, although I really needed to hit the grocery store! I like that I can still have whole grains on this diet, but I am trying to not eat many.

Nutrition Log: Tuesday

Breakfast: Strawberries and Blueberries, black coffee

Lunch 10:30am: Tuna packet, grapes, orange

Snack 1:00pm: handful walnuts, peanut butter and sugar free jelly on whole wheat

Dinner 5:00pm: Leftover chicken breast and asparagus, piece of TJ's cheese pizza (cheat!), Diet Dr. Pepper

Snack: Strawberry Greek Yogurt

Exercise: Took kids to the zoo (push double jogger), Fitcamp (pilates, bar, etc.) ouchy hips and abs! Sore from last nights workout! Should be pretty sore tomorrow too!

Thoughts: I tried to go really light in the morning, but I was very hungry by 1pm. Maybe I didn't have enough protein? I really needed the peanut butter and jelly sandwich to feel satisfied.

Workout of the Week: Pilates, Bar, Ballet, Yoga

This week we focus on the dance and pilates insprired workouts. Some of the moves can feel very akward especially if you have never dance or done anything graceful before! Lol! I've done some studying of the Tracy Anderson Method, The Bar Method, and taken plenty of Pilates, Yoga, and Pilates Sleek style classes which focus on burning out muscles using repetitive motion and your body's own resistance. Some of it feels funny, but you are guaranteed to feel it! I've gathered some groupings of exercises that are used in some of these classes.

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Mediterranean Diet: Day 1

This may be the easiest of the diets for me to follow. I don't really need much meat in my diet and I really love fruits and veggies and healthy fats. So far, we are getting along!

Nutrition Log: Monday

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with garlic and artichoke salsa, black coffee

Lunch: Chicken Salad with walnuts and grapes

Snack: Strawberries and Blueberries

Dinner: Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken, asparagus, whole wheat pasta (small serving)

Snack: Large Margarita and some chips and salsa! (with my fitcamp ladies...great right? :)

Exercise: Track workout with client (run/walk 30 min), Fitcamp (pilates, ballet)

Thoughts: Felt like a pretty good day, besides the margarita! I think this is a very reasonable diet.

Week 3: The Mediterranean Diet

This week is the Mediterranean Diet. It is known as the heart healthy diet. It limits meats and unhealthy fats, but allows whole grains and heart healthy fats. It also allows red wine! Me and this diet might get along! :)

Mediterranean Diet Overview

 If you're looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you. The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating — plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps a glass of red wine — among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

 Most healthy diets include fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains, and limit unhealthy fats. While these parts of a healthy diet remain tried-and-true, subtle variations or differences in proportions of certain foods may make a difference in your risk of heart disease.

 Benefits of the Mediterranean diet

 Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, a recent analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of overall and cardiovascular mortality, a reduced incidence of cancer and cancer mortality, and a reduced incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

 For this reason, most if not all major scientific organizations encourage healthy adults to adapt a style of eating like that of the Mediterranean diet for prevention of major chronic diseases.

 The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:

-Getting plenty of exercise

 -Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts

- Replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil

- Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods

- Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month

- Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week

 -Drinking red wine in moderation (optional)

Weight Watchers: Day 4 and Reveiw

I have to be very honest and admit that I did not prepare well enough for weight watchers! I didn't have a really bad day 4, but again I did not do my homework on what I was eating. What I didn't do was eat breakfast, simply just to save the points! I don't like that because I always eat breakfast and thats a complaint about this diet. I don't like that you can save all your point for one meal if you want. I believe in eating smaller meals throughout the day, but on a day that I'm at school all day I don't get to do that!

I didn't total today or day 5, so weight watchers was a fail for me! Thats not to say that it doesn't work for many people! I think it is a great way to teach about portions or how much fat and calories are in foods, but you must really commit and do your homework before starting weight watchers. I myself am not a person who can count and portion out everything. I just don't like doing it and it makes me feel obsessive. Congratulations to those who lose a lot of weight with weight watchers! You are making a commitment and sticking to it and being honest about what and how much you eat!

Weight Watchers: Day 3

Let's see if I did any better today. Remember I'm not really totaling up points until the evening. I guess technically I'm not "following" weight watchers, but seeing what my normal diet looks like when converted to weight watchers.
Nutrition Log:

Breakfast: Fit & Active Vitality Cereal= 3, 2% milk= 3, bluberries= 0, black coffee= 0 Total= 6

Lunch: Spinach and Iceberg Salad with dried cranberries= 4, mozzarella= 1, avacado= 7!, and olive oil and balsamic vinigar= 2 Total= 14

Snack: grapes= 0, diet dr. pepper= 0

Dinner: Grilled Chicken Sausage= 3, brown and wild rice= 5 Total= 8

Daily Total= 28 Points! This was close to a typical day for me and I still went way over my points!

Exercise: Run/Walk 30 minutes, Resistance Band and Playground Workout

Thoughts: I need to be a bit more prepared in knowing what my points values are ahead of time! I plan on eating more avocados....I just bought 4 of them at the store!

Weight Watchers: Day 2

At least today started at home and back to my normal routine! I still haven't looked up my points until tonight, but I think it was a much better day!

Nutrition Log:
Breakfast: Hard Boiled Egg white= 1, black coffee= 0 Total= 1

Lunch: Lemon Pepper Tuna pack=2, cup of grapes= 2 (not sure? thought fruits and veggies are now free. Need more research on that), string cheese=1 Total= 5

Snack: 2 Lemonade Girl Scout cookies :)= 4

Dinner: Small Hamburger (no bun)= 3, chicken sausage (grilled)= not sure? will guess 3?, baked potato with margarine & sour cream= 5, salad w/mozzarella & rasberry vinigarette= 1 Total= 12

Total for the Day= 22

Exercise: Outside all day with kids! Fitcamp Plyometrics

Thoughts: If my limit is 23 points for the day I don't think I can do this diet?? I had a pretty good day minus the cookies and still almost went to my limit! I guess I could have traded cookies for fruit, especially if they are free! Tomorrow I might have to have an avacado though :)

Weight Watchers: Day 1

Let me start by saying that I woke up this Monday morning in Vegas....probably not the best place to start my weight watchers diet, nor is the breakfast buffet!!! Yep, thats where I started. So, although I enjoy healthy foods and eat pretty well, I'm pretty sure already I blew my points for this day.
My daily allotted points is 18-23. This is based on the old points system. I know the new Points Plus allows a lot more, but this is just for the experiment. I want to know how far over that I typically go. I'm not a big counter and I eat a lot of avocados...two biggies why weight watchers might not work for me :)

Nutrition Log:

Breakfast (at the buffet :): 2 egg veggie omelet with mozzarella cheese= 8, hash browns= 5, fruit (watermelon, honeydew)= 0, black coffee= 0. Total= 13

Lunch: Oatmeal Raisin Clif Bar= 4, water= 0. Total= 4


Snack: Ritz Cheese Crackers (on the plane)= 3, diet soda= 0 Total= 3

Dinner: Bread Co. Meditteranean Veggie Sandwich= 15 points!! whoa!!

Total for the Day= 35 Points! There goes day #1. Hope tomorrow gets better!

Exercise: Airport walking? I don't like to count things like this as real exercise, but thats all I got today!

Thoughts: I am not a fan of counting, but I assume you get used to knowing these points or being prepared ahead for what you will eat. I knew my sandwich had 590 calories, but I didn't know the point value. Looks like I will be finding another Panera sandwich if I stay on this diet :(

Week 2: Weight Watchers

I am now on week 2 of my diet experiment. I must admit I am playing a little bit of catch up since I went to Vegas for the weekend and returned on Mon night! I'm still going to be very honest though with my points!

How the Program Works

The program is based on the use of regular grocery store food, optionally supplemented with Weight Watchers food items. The focus of this program is portion control and moderate, steady weight loss (average of 1-2lbs per week). No foods are "off limits", but you do account for everything you eat and assign a point value to it. The goal is to stay within a certain daily point level. While not a focus of the support group meetings or planning, exercise is encouraged.

The latest program offering is called TurnAround. TurnAround offers a choice of two food plans: the Flex Plan or the Core Plan. With the Flex Plan, you can enjoy the full range of food options and track their POINTS. This is the points-based approach that the company has used for many years. Similar versions of this plan in recent years have been known as Winning Points and Personal Choice. Like its predecessors, the TurnAround plan is the mainstay of the Weight Watchers program utilizing the points-based approach.

The objective of the Core Plan is to help you control calories by focusing on a core list of wholesome, nutritious foods without tracking points or counting calories. The list includes foods from the standard food groups defined by the USDA food pyramid – grains, vegetables, fruits, fats and oils, dairy, and meats and beans - to ensure that all nutritional requirements are met. To help you avoid feeling too restricted on the Core Plan, it allows you to have occasional treats in controlled portions.

Weight Watchers Online

More recently, the company has strengthened its online presence and offers a variety of resources, including an online journal, a points calculator, a customized Weight Tracker, 1500 recipes with points values, a database of over 31,000 foods to calculate daily points values, and restaurant guides. You can now take advantage of the TurnAround plan 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from anywhere with internet access.

Program Costs

The Weight Watchers program is affordable, flexible, and safe. Initial program registration varies from $12-30 (registration plus first week), plus a weekly meeting fee.  If you achieve your goal weight and maintain it for 6 weeks, you become a lifetime member and your ongoing weekly meeting fees are waived.

Conclusion

The main focus of the program is that every item of food from pizza to potatoes and cake to carrots has a point value based on its nutritional content. You may eat what you want as long as you stay within your allotment of points. This point system causes you to reduce your caloric intake and lose weight, but it doesn’t necessarily help you identify healthier eating choices. With the Core Plan, however, you focus more on a balanced nutritious menu and learn more about healthy nutrition and eating habits that you can incorporate into life-long behaviors.

This program is attractive to many people for its flexibility and affordability and can be effective. The Core Plan appears to be designed more for teaching life-long behaviors that may enable you to more effectively maintain your weight loss for the long-term compared to the more popular points-based Flex Plan option

Paleo Results & Review

Day 5 of the Paleo I felt amazing! Weight at the start was 121. Weight on day 5 was 119. I lost 2 pounds in not even a full week. Imagine what would happen over 2 weeks or a month?? I have to stress though that this diet really is a way of life diet. Not something you do to lose weight for a couple weeks. I think this diet is good for someone who enjoys eating meat and fish for sure. A perfect diet for someone with celiac disease or lactose intolerance. The lack of carbs, processed foods and dairy really eliminated any bloating that I normally experience after dinner or at night before bed. I will say that even though I broke the diet on friday, I really payed close attention to what I was eating and how it made me feel. I am definitely considering this way of eating on a regular basis. After a few days of no sweets, cheese, or bread I really didn't miss it! I think this diet is effective and very healthy. I would consider having whole grains now and then, but I think this is a very do-able way of life.

Rating...(1-10, 10 being best) I would give this diet a 10. After my experiment I may go back to it for good!

Paleo: Day 4

Felt great going into day 4. Really felt like my body was appreciating the foods I was eating and had no bloating or gas for these 4 days. I was worried about not getting enough fiber, but I've stayed very regular! :) My coffee helps with that.
Nutrition Log for day 4:

Breakfast: Hard boiled egg white, blueberries, black coffee

Lunch: Lemon pepper tuna packet, apple, walnuts and dried cranberries

Snack: Tuna salad

Dinner: Romaine salad with salsa and an avacado

Exercise: Yoga at home

Workout of the week: Fitball

This week's workout was fun and funny at times! Like when my ball slid out from under me! Something about a ball even makes adults laugh and smile! These balls are great for the office or at home. Many of these exercises can be done right in your living room. You can do these all through 2x or take 2 exercises and alternate between the two for 2 sets.

Squat Bounces: Bounce and lift while seated on the ball (holding at the top) 20 reps
 
Plie Bounce: Same thing, but stratle over the top of the ball, knees and toes out, bounce and lift- 20
Supermans: 15 reps 
Push-Ups: 15-20 reps
Wall Squats: 15 then hold and pulse for 10 
Chest Press:  15
Chest Fly: 15
Seated Bicep Curl: 15-20 (pretty self explanitory) Sit tall on ball (challenge your balance!)
Seated Overhead Extention: 15 (triceps)
Seated Lateral Raise: 15
Crunches on Ball: 20
Oblique Crunch: 20
Pike or Roll in on Ball: as many as you can
  
Plank on Ball: Hold 30 sec

Paleo: Day 3

It is true that cravings for sweets or carbs go away after a few days! I was really wanting something sweet last night, but today, I'm feeling pretty good without. I still don't like to see things that I can't eat on this diet and if it weren't for the experiment I think I might cheat here and there. I think this diet really has to become a lifestyle. You have to decide that you don't want to or can't eat grains and that you don't want to or can't eat dairy. Taking out processed junk is just a given and thats what I do really love about the diet. Everything is fresh or the way it was meant to be eaten. I can truly see why Paleo followers look great! They have no bloating! My stomach feels very flat. And perhaps the greatest thing about this diet is there is almost no limit to how much you eat of these foods. I hate counting or measuring! Thats a plus.
Here's my log for the day:

Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled with salsa, blueberries, black coffee

Lunch: leftover Salsa Shredded Chicken on romaine, walnuts and dried cranberries

Dinner: Romaine salad with avacado and salsa, baked cod with broccoli

Snack: glass of red wine (really good at keeping me from eating a snack!)

Workout: Strength Training (free weights)

Thoughts: I was feeling like I ate alot today, but when I look at it it really doesn't look like a lot....probably less than I usually eat. Ready to take on Day 4!! Good Night!

Paleo: Day 2

Made it through another day of Paleo! I love the thought of it, but wow I really wanting a cookie or something sweet! The girl scout cookies that came in today didn't help, but I'm stronger!!!
Daily Nutrition Log:

Breakfast: Strawberries and Bluberries, black coffee

Lunch: Romaine Salad with Tuna, dried cranberries, walnuts and olive oil and balsamic vinigar for dressing, apple.

Snack: grapes, 1/2 cup tuna salad

Dinner: Crockpot Salsa Chicken (spoonful of sourcream added, but that was to the whole pot- small cheat) on a bed of romaine.

Snack: Blueberries

Workout: Fitcamp Ball Workout, running with the kids at school....not much today!

Thoughts: Feeling pretty good and feel like I could lose a few pounds from this diet, but I'm not going to weigh until Friday. Hope I don't cave tomorrow when I don't have much going on in the evening!

Paleo: Day 1

Today was day 1 of the Paleo Diet. As I said before, this is my version. I'm not going all organic with my food, but cutting out the grains and dairy is still HUGE for me! Here's what my day looked like:

Breakfast: black coffee, strawberries (would have had more, but hadn't been to the store yet!)

Lunch: Walnuts and dried cranberries with chicken salad

Snack: Apple

Dinner: Romaine salad with dried cranberries, rasberry vinigarette (no cheese!)
             Baked Pork and Turkey Tenderloin & fresh steamed broccoli

Snack: Glass of red wine!

Exercise: Ran 4 miles, fitcamp-ball workout

Thoughts/Challenges: I realized how much I just grab a snack without thinking about what it is! I would have grabbed a string cheese or some pretzels several times today! That was challenging. I will also miss the grains, but I will say that I feel thinner at this time of night,  maybe because of the lack of carbs?  Some nights I go to bed feeling bloated and heavy and I ate dinner at 5:30pm. Did drink a lot of water today too. Going to bed! Ready for tomorrow!

Diet Experiment Week 1: Paleo

Here we go! Today started my experiment with a week of the Paleo Diet.

A Paleo diet, also known as paleolithic diet or caveman diet, is all about natural foods to help achieve great health and a perfect physique. The human body evolved for more than 2 million years with the food found in nature: game meat, fish, vegetables, wild fruits, eggs and nuts. The human race was thriving on this diet high in animal fat and proteins and low in carbohydrates, but things changed when we introduced unnatural foods to our bodies.

The 15 rules of the Paleo diet

1. The Paleo diet should be high in fat, moderate in animal protein and low to moderate in carbohydrates. Calorie counting is not encouraged, neither is portion control.

2. Eat unlimited amounts of saturated fats like coconut oil and butter or clarified butter. Beef tallow, lard and duck fat are also good, but only if they come from healthy and well-treated animals. Beef or lamb tallow is a better choice than lamb or duck fat. Olive, avocado and macadamia oil are also good fats to use in salads and to drizzle over food, but not for cooking.
3. Eat generous amounts of animal protein. This includes red meat, poultry, pork, eggs, organs (liver, kidney, heart…), wild caught fish and shellfish. Don’t be scared to eat the fatty cuts and all meals with proteins should contain fat as well. Learn to cook with bones in the form of stocks and broths.
4. Eat good amounts of fresh or frozen vegetables either cooked or raw and served with fat. Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and yams are also great as a source of non-toxic carbohydrates.
5. Eat low to moderate amounts of fruits and nuts. Try to eat mostly fruits low in sugar and high in antioxidants like berries as well as nuts high in omega-3, low in omega-6 and low in total polyunsaturated fat like macadamia nuts. Consider cutting off fruits and nuts altogether if you have an autoimmune disease, digestive problem or are trying to lose weight faster.
6. Preferably choose pasture-raised and grass-fed meat coming from a local, environmentally conscious farms. If not possible, choose lean cuts of meat and supplement your fat with coconut oil, butter or clarified butter. Also preferably choose organic, local and/or seasonal fruits and vegetables.
7. Cut out all cereal grains and legumes from your diet. This includes, but is not limited to, wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, brown rice, soy, peanuts, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans and black eyed peas.
8. Cut out all vegetable, hydrogenated and partly-hydrogenated oils including, but not limited to, margarines, soybean oil, corn oil, crisco, peanut oil, canola oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. Olive oil and avocado oil are fine, but don’t cook with them, use them in salad dressings and to drizzle over prepared food.
9. Eliminate sugar, soft drinks, all packaged products and juices (including fruit juices). As a rule of thumb, if it’s in a box, don’t eat it. At the grocery store, visit only the meat, fish and produce sections.
10. Eliminate dairy products other than butter and maybe heavy cream. You don’t need dairy, but if you can’t live without, read this article and consider raw, full-fat and/or fermented dairy.
11. Eat when you’re hungry and don’t stress if you skip a meal or even two. You don’t have to eat three square meals a day, do what feels most natural.
12. Eliminate to most sources of external stress in your life as possible and sleep the most you can. Try to wakeup without an alarm and to go to bed when it’s dark.
13. Don’t over-exercise, keep your training sessions short and intense and do them only a few times per week. Take some extra time off if you feel tired. Consider short and intense sprinting sessions instead of very long cardio sessions.
14. Consider supplementing with vitamin D and probiotics. Levels of magnesium, iodine and vitamin K2 should also be optimized. Iodine can be obtained from seaweeds. You probably don’t need a multivitamin or other supplements.
15. Play in the sun, have fun, laugh, smile, relax, discover, travel, learn and enjoy life like a daring adventure!

My groceries for the week:
(note: the paleo diet is suppose to be mainly organic with grass fed meats, but I'm an aldi shopper, and that can get pricy! Already a downfall for me. Nuts are expensive enough!)
Starting weight: 121

The Diet Experiment!

In my fitcamps this week I am handing out info on some of the most popular diets out there. Many people ask me what diet is the best and my answer is always..."There is no one diet that is better than another. It just depends what works for you." Not one way will work for everyone. I have tried many diets and I concluded a while back that I just do better when I don't "diet". I try to eat lots of fruits and veggies, moderate amounts of fat, and I love carbs...but try to eat the right ones. I do like my wine, but again with moderation. I have gotten to the point where I know what works for me, but.....for the sake of experimenting and allowing clients to really see what these diets are about, I have decided to experiment on myself with 3 popular diets!

It seems daily I hear more and more about the Paleo Diet. It's a hunter and gatherer diet made up of a lot of animal protein, fat and fruits and veggies, but eliminates all dairy and most carbs. I've been curious to try this, although I do love my cheese and yogurt!
Weight Watchers is very popular among my clients. I think its attraction is the simplicity of it and the fact that anything is allowed on Weight Watchers as long as you stay within your "points" range for the day. You do have to track everything you put into your mouth though!
Third is the Mediterranean Diet. This diet claims to be very good for your heart. It is made up of lots of fruits and veggies, fish and poultry, but limits red meat and unhealthy fats. You are allowed whole grains on this one and....red wine!! Now that's a plus! :)

Why did I choose only these three? Well, number one I think they are all pretty popular right now and second they are some that I can live with or that I think I might succeed with. I have done Atkins before and ended up with a kidney infection from all the protein. I've gone vegetarian for lent before, but think that's pretty straight forward and also not very realistic for me with a family. And just counting calories seems like anyone can do it, but also makes me crazy!! Way too much work for me.
So, for the next 3 weeks I will take on these diets, each diet for one week. Well, at least Mon-Fri because I have some big weekends coming up that I just can't sacrifice! Lol!

Follow me! I'll log my food journal each day along with my starting and ending weight each week (not that I'm doing these for weight loss, but just to see what happens), and I'll let you know exactly what my opinions were of each. This should be fun....I HOPE!!

Workout of the Week: 100's

I'm a little late posting this week's workout, but for those who accomplished it this week in camps...it wasn't hard to remember! 100 repetitions of squats, push-ups, lunges, burpees, and sit ups!

5 sets of 20 repetitions:
Squats
Push-ups
Walking Lunges
Burpees
Full Sit-ups (with weight)

Its a tough one to get through, but feels like an amazing accomplishment when you're done! Go get it!