Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘More’

2
Apr

An Even More Special Birthday.

hehehee I’m not 3, I just act like it sometimes! BOOYA! It’s my birthday today y’all. I’m 42 years old and this year, in 2011, my birthday is even more special, even more significant. It’s not about this age as much as it about this moment, this birthday is marking the BEGINNING of a new chapter in my life.

I’ve been blabbing talking about this for the past couple of months- since I read some of these very enlightening books and started realizing what’s been WRONG in my life and what I want and need to do to make it better again. And even BETTER in this next chapter. In fact, I can honestly say that it feels like my life is just beginning! Amazing. How blessed I am. 

So celebrating this birthday is simply more significant to me this year because this is a mark…..from here forward it’s all about building my new future, letting go of fear and doubt, treating ME better and directing my path to a whole new place. 

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER TWO YEARS, I AM FULL OF HOPE AGAIN, FULL OF REAL EXCITEMENT AGAIN. 

You’ve heard me talking about this for a while now. But kids, the first peek at what’s coming is here. FitFluential, Inc. is not just a concept, it’s REAL. I would love nothing more on my birthday than for you, if you are interested, to CLICK HERE and see our Facebook page, where we will inevitably be announcing our launch and well, some KICK BUTT FITNESS GOODNESS. You want some?? Tell us! And…..tell your friends kittens. If you want to be a part of this fitness family, spread the word. I promise you this, you will be SO GLAD YOU DID. If you are a fitness blogger and you have not yet been officially invited or you have not yet applied to join, WHATCHU WAITING FOR? 

SIGN UP HERE. This ain’t no spam list y’all. This is about goodness you DON’T wanna miss. 

And on that note, I’ve got a workout to do this morning, before my nail appointment and my massage tonight. Good day, a really good day. ;-)

Finally, I’m really NOT looking back. There is a big difference in WANTING to do that and to actually IMPLEMENTING it. I’m finally there where I am making it HAPPEN. It’s not just talk. 

I’ll shoot a vlog later, but I wanted to get in a short blog post this morning and say HELLO!! ;-) LOVE YOU ALL AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY WISHES AND GIFTS! TOO KIND!!

Share

28
Mar

B Vitamins for Better Health or More Supplement Hype? [Getting Health Advice From the Costco Taste Test Guy]

Cartoon says: (man) “Gosh, Honey, you seem to thrive on cooking, cleaning and dusting and I’m all tuckered out by closing time. What’s the answer?” (woman) “Vitamins, Darling! I always get my vitamins!” Charlotte says: Gee willikers, I want some speed fortified with vitamins too!

I was accosted at Costco. It all started on Saturday – I was trashed after doing Hot Yoga and TurboKick back-to-back (talk about the two sweatiest classes ever!) so I suggested to Gym Hubby that we take the kids to Costco for what I call “the walking lunch.” (Confession: I actually wanted to go to Costco because Gym Buddy Sarah told me they had tutus on sale there and you know I have a tutu addiction.) See, on Saturdays Costco deploys their fleet of taste testers – generally sweet elderly people who give my kids two of everything – and by the time we’ve walked up and down all the aisles the kids have had lunch and I’ve got my shopping done. I know, I’m a parenting genius. (Or lazy.)
As a general rule I don’t eat grocery store samples – first because I don’t like packaged food and second because Intuitive Eating says you should always sit down to eat and sitting in the aisles makes my shopping go slower than it already does with 4 kids in tow. But this time the last sample table caught my eye. At first because the young man was trying to hand my kids a caffeinated drink and they need caffeine like I need more tutus but as I got closer I realized it wasn’t just a drink, it was a fitness supplement. I was curiouser than Alice and Goldilocks in Charlie Sheen’s mansion (I am riding this pony ’till it dies!).
The product was Zipfizz. The man rattled off his spiel, something akin to this, off their website:
Zipfizz is healthy energy in a tube! Give your body a rush of vitamins, minerals and key amino acids to protect the immune system. Zipfizz has created an advanced formula that provides a significant amount of vitamins, fewer calories, lower carbohydrates, superior taste, variety and unique packaging! Simply put, it’s different because it’s good for you!

It has unique packaging; you should totally buy it!! Actually what really made me stop was when the salesman said, “It’s our signature Vitamin B12 that gets you movin’! Dedicated to providing consumers with a healthier alternative to energy and sports drinks we deliver an amazing amount of B12 41,667%. Straight to the point…Vitamin B12 equals ENERGY!” That much is from their website, he added, “It works because B12 uses the excess protein in your body and synthesizes it into energy. B vitamins are natural fat burners so they’ll help you lose weight too.”
I was annoyed. Why does every fitness professional automatically assume I want to lose weight? (Okay, I do but still… I’m trying to not be obsessive about that anymore and this didn’t help.) I smelled shoddy science which, for the record, smells like burnt popcorn. I didn’t buy the Zipfizz. I’d like to say I was overtaken by rational thought but really it was when Gym Hubby announced loudly that I’m not allowed to take caffeine as it interferes with my crazy meds and led me away by the arm. I love that man.
So caffeine’s out but what about those B vitamins? Do they really do what he says? When I was a vegan I took a B12 supplement – of which it is also rumored that Madonna gets megadoses shot into her butt once a month (I’m so on top of my celeb butt gossip!) – but I never really paid attention to why I needed it.
What are B Vitamins?
The category known as B vitamins contain 8 water-soluble vitamins including those known commonly as riboflavin, thiamine, folic acid, biotin and niacin. The nice thing about being water soluble is that it’s nearly impossible to overdose – you just pee out the excess. Bonus: it turns your urine a shade of neon yellow so shocking that if you aren’t prepared for it you will scream out loud in a public bathroom stall. Not that I know anything about that personally. Ahem. The downside of water solubility is that if your body doesn’t need them, it doesn’t store the extra and therefore you just have really expensive pee.
B Vitamin Deficiencies
Remember beri-beri, that hilarious sounding illness that your history teacher talked about, usually in conjunction with scurvy, the other illness that always makes me think of pirates and giggle? It’s caused by a B1 deficiency. Other not-so-funny problems resulting from B vitamin deficiencies include “emotional disturbances”, acne, irregular heartbeat, psychosis and pernicious anemia (beware the pernicious knid!).
While nobody wants to be emotionally disturbed, it’s the anemia that is the real killer. And I mean that literally. The anemia resulting from a deficiency can be fatal and even when it isn’t, the brain damage is irreversible. B12 comes from a bacteria that is only found in animal products (although there is some evidence that some seaweed may contain a form of it), hence the reason vegans are told to either take a supplement or eat foods fortified with it like most breads and cereals.
B Vitamin Benefits
Now that we’ve covered the death and destruction segment of today’s show, let’s look at those Zipfizz claims. According to research, B vitamins are known to increase the rate of metabolism (I suppose that’s where the weight-loss claim comes from), help skin, increase muscle tone, improve the immune and nervous systems, aid in cell growth and division especially that of red blood cells, prevent anemia and reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer.
I know. I’m kinda wishing I’d bought the Zipfizz now. But there’s a catch – like many vitamins, they don’t operate in a vacuum. Many studies, especially the ones related to cancer risk, only show the benefits when the B vitamins are consumed from food and not in pill form.
To Supplement of Not to Supplement, That is the Question
In an LA Times article about B-vitamin infused sports drinks, Hope Barkoukis, an associate professor of nutrition at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and chairwoman of Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionists says,
“Contrary to what ads would have us believe, B vitamins aren’t little packets of energy. It’s brilliant marketing but it doesn’t have any basis.”
“It’s true that the vitamins help unlock the energy in foods, Barkoukis says, but weary office workers can’t expect to get a jolt from extra B vitamins in any form. The reason, she says, is simple: Just about everyone in America [with the exception of some of the elderly] already gets all of the B vitamins they could possibly need in their diets.”
Conclusion*
Surprising no one, whole foods win out again! Instead of buying Zipfizz or other b-vitamin supplements, make sure you get plenty of (this will shock you) leafy greens, fruits like watermelon, tomatoes (they are too a fruit!) and bananas, beans, lentils and the full gamut of animal products including eggs, chicken, beef, liver, seafood, and dairy.
If you are vegan or don’t like lots of produce you should consider a supplement or fortified foods. (Note: despite the popular wisdom in some vegan circles, neither nutritional yeast nor brewer’s yeast contain B12 unless they are fortified with it and it says so on the label.) B12 supplements are not derived from the animal products themselves but rather the bacterial microorganisms that live on animals. (One website adds “although some vegans may get b12 from inadequate hand washing, this is not advisable.” In all my time as a vegan I never once considered getting b12 from my own fecal matter! Awesomesauce.)
Has anyone ever automatically assumed that your primary interest in health products is weight loss? Have you ever tried an energy drink like Zipfizz or 5-hour Engery fortified with megadoses of B vitamins? How do you feel about getting health advice from the taste-tester guy at Costco?
*Let’s remember that I am not a nutritionist, doctor or scientist and am completely unqualified to give advice. I’m just telling you the information I found so you can make your own informed decisions.
Written with love by Charlotte Hilton Andersen for The Great Fitness Experiment (c) 2011. If you enjoyed this, please check out my new book The Great Fitness Experiment: One Year of Trying Everythingfor more of my crazy antics and uncomfortable over-shares!

25
Mar

More Fat Burning Diet Secrets Revealed

The last couple of weeks I’ve been working on my Bonus Fat Burning Workout videos, but this week I decided to go more into some diet secret tips and tricks.  Diet and more specifically the pre-workout meal in a fat burning diet is often overlooked. I decided to tackle this issue first.


Your performance during a workout is highly important if you want to get the most out of your fat burning fitness and diet program.  If you’re not fueled up properly through your diet, your performance will be less than optimal.  For example, you might feel weak or fatigued, and for an exercise where 10 reps and 100 lbs would be best, you might only be able to accomplish 6-8 reps.  That would mean your missing out on 20-40% of fat burning foundation building results. By foundation building, I mean building lean body mass a.k.a muscle, and stimulating your metabolic processes. 

Obviously, if you want to get the best and fastest fat burning and fitness results, you can’t miss out on the benefits of your best performance during a workout.  Check out this free video where I reveal one of my secret fat burning diet meals that you can use pre-workout to fuel you up properly so that you can do your best in your workout!


If you like this video, let me know, and I will reveal more of my secret fat burning diet meals and other tips and tricks in future videos.  

26
Feb

Being more positive

I need to focus on this one , it is so easy to be even a little bit negative and be impatient for quick results. I shall listen out for any negative thoughts today and cancel them in my mind!

22
Jan

No more whinging and wallowing!

5
Jan

My Great Dietary Fat Experiment: How eating more fat made me healthier


Betrayed by my body. Well it wouldn’t be the first time, I thought grimly as I sat in my flimsy paper gown listening to the doctor explain the results of my previous testing. (Dear doctor, please at least allow me the dignity of being lectured with my clothes on next time.) Seriously rank flatulence in a crowded TurboKick class, rogue panty liners, acrobatic falls off the treadmill – really I could go on all day – but this time I was torpedoed by own blood.

It was my yearly physical and my cholesterol, while below normal, showed a disturbingly low level of HDL or “good cholesterol.” The doctor told me to eat better (hah – that was coming off my orthorexic phase, if I ate any cleaner I’d squeak!), get more fiber (my colon is so radiant so you can see it from space – I’m a natural wonder, right up there with the Great Wall of China) and exercise more (hello, it says compulsive over-exerciser right there on my chart that you’re holding!). But then he added, “Eat more good fats.”
At that point in time – yes, just two years ago – I was still afraid of fat. I know. This will be hard to understand for those of you that did not come of age in the fat-phobic ’90′s but back then fat was public enemy #1. Eating fat makes you fat – makes perfect sense, right? I learned to count fat grams before I learned to count calories. (Thank heavens I got that pricey graduate degree so I could learn how to make Excel spreadsheets to tabulate all my macronutrients!) And while the zeitgeist in the health community had changed – Dr. Oz went on Oprah and explained to a nation of women about the wonders of extra virgin olive oil and avocados and we all got breathless over the 7 continents study – there was still a lingering fear of fat.
For one thing, we were told there were “good” fats – pretty much anything plant based – and “bad” fats – anything animal based or man made. That made sense to me. At that time I was hovering between being a vegetarian and a vegan (more on that struggle later) and didn’t like animal products anyhow. The health community still instructed us to drink skim milk and eat fat-free cottage cheese and yogurt. We were still warned to keep fat calories under 30% of our daily total. And I’d been doing all that! Perfectly! (That’s me, Type A all the way!) And then here I was with an “extremely low” freaking HDL? I was irate.
So I did what I always do when I’m upset. I called my sister (you have no idea how many ledges she has talked me off of – love you Laura!) and then I made an offering at the altar of the almighty Google. What I discovered after weeks of studying the issue shocked me. Here’s what I learned, in a nutshell: Fat does not make you fat, not even lots of it. The only truly “bad” fats out there are transfats because they’re an unholy abomination created in a lab. American diets are very heavy in Omega-6′s and low in Omega-3′s and while both are good for you, you should be eating much more of the latter than the former.
I read Gary Taubes, Michael Pollan, Dr. Eades and (warning: blog crush ahead) Mark’s Daily Apple. They told me to eat fat. Lots of it. All kinds of it. But to stick to whole foods sources. I decided to try an Experiment but I knew this one had to be longer than 30 days to see an effect. So for the past year I’ve been eating a crap-ton of fat.
Veggies are stir fried in coconut oil, butter is slathered on oatmeal, olive oil is generously poured over salad greens, meat is eaten with the fat intact, all my dairy is full-fat (bonus: new research shows that full-fat dairy can reduce your risk of type II diabetes), popcorn is coated in coconut oil (before being dusted in chili powder and lime which is a-MAY-zing if you’ve never tried it) and nuts are eaten by the bucket. Every meal I eat has a lot of fat in it. (How much I’m not exactly sure as I stopped counting calories a while ago as it’s my one-way ticket back to eating disorder land but I can guarantee you it’s well over the 30% recommended by the American Heart Association.) Heavens to Betsy, I eat my two morning eggs whole, yolks and everything!
I certainly enjoyed my trip to Fat Heaven – my skin felt better, I stayed full after meals longer and by golly everything tastes better with coconut on it! But how was it affecting my health?
Well, as of today, Experiment results are in and I’m ecstatic. I have a rockstar lipid profile! (That is if they’re the kind of rockstar that doesn’t live like a rockstar since, as my husband pointed out, rockstars are not known for their healthy living.) I’ll break it down for you:
My HDL cholesterol, the one which was very low before, is now 79! They recommend being above 39 for good health. I went up nearly 60 points! (That’s a good thing, the higher your HDL the better.)
My LDL (I’m not calling it “bad” because, as Mark points out, both HDL and LDL serve vital purposes in our bodies and we need both) is 92. For good health you’re supposed to be below 130 and lower is better.
My VLDL (a subset of LDL) is 8. The recommendation is to be below 40 and lower is better.
And here’s where it gets really good: my triglycerides – perhaps the best indicator of health out of the bunch as Mark Sisson writes, “High triglycerides are considered a “lifestyle” measure and strongly correspond with a high carb diet, smoking and low physical activity. They correlate with not only an increased risk of heart disease in general but inflammation and insulin resistance.” So lower is better and they like you to be under 150. My number? 32!
Oh and because I know you’re curious: eating that much fat did not make me gain weight. I was still weighing myself during most of this past year so I can tell you that I’ve only lost weight or maintained during my Great Fat Experiment.
I’m sold. Fat is awesome.
Are you holding onto a lingering fear of fat? Have you tried full-fat dairy yet? What’s your fave way to eat popcorn?
PS. I have two numbers on my test results that I can’t figure out if they are good or bad. My serum glucose is 84 and my vitamin D level is 45. My doctor said they’re both “normal” but I’d prefer “optimal” thankyouverymuch. I just don’t know what optimal is… I’m especially worried about the vitamin D since I take 2,000 mg/day supplement and I still have Seasonal Affective Disorder. Anyone help me?
Written with love by Charlotte Hilton Andersen for The Great Fitness Experiment (c) 2010. If you enjoyed this, please check out my new book for more of my crazy antics and uncomfortable over-shares!

18
Dec

Day 18- feeling more cheery

Feeling a lot cheerier and had a good day today!
Something I am noticing is after dinner in the evening, I am really fancying sugarry stuff. It usually happens just a few minutes after I have finished dinner and I can't think why.
Not sure if …

17
Dec

Breakfast Diet – Start Early To Lose More Weight

Eating a good breakfast can do more to help people lose weight than they realize. Many people are under the false assumption that through skipping breakfast you will be consuming fewer calories in a day’s time and will therefore lose more weight. Nothing could be further from the truth. A breakfast diet will do wonders in your goal to lose weight and keep it off. Didn’t your mom always tell you to eat a good breakfast? What is the secret to a breakfast diet and how can it help you get the day started right? Eating healthy first thing in the morning will help you maintain your physical vitality and your mental clarity.

The secret to a breakfast diet lies in the fact that most people eat cereal for breakfast. A non sugary breakfast cereal is full of carbohydrates which give you energy and fill you up. Eating a good breakfast will help you fight those mid morning cravings you have and help you make it to lunch time. Even if you are a fan of cereals with sugar in them you are much better off than people who skip breakfast and don’t eat cereal at all. And the fiber that you are getting in your breakfast cereal is harder for your body to break down. Your body expends more calories digesting fiber than lots of other foods. That milk you pour on your cereal has certain ingredients that might just reduce the fat in your body and help you build lean muscle mass. Many people have fruit with their morning meal. Fruit is very healthy, is low in fat, aids in your digestion and is a perfect companion to your breakfast diet.

Drink a glass of milk, juice or water with your morning meal and you are off to a good start. Make sure you drink real juice and not some of the so called fruit drinks on the market today. Many of these are loaded with sugar and calories and aren’t segment of a good breakfast diet. Coffee and tea are fine and have very few calories in them. Just be careful and don’t load these drinks down with cream or sugar.

A breakfast diet can get you started down the right path to losing weight. People that attempt and get a early start to their diet through skipping breakfast make up for it later in the day. The bottom line is eat a good breakfast and start losing weight.

Substantial breakfast gives you enough energy that you will need during the day and will help you fight those mid morning cravings. If your goal is to lose up to 30 pounds per month you will need to stick to a low calorie breakfast. Having a good breakfast it will be much easier to consume fewer calories during the day. Low-calorie diet is especially effective if paired with HCG diet plan. HCG diet gives quick and, what is more important, permanent results.

Luckily we live in the world of high technologies which provide us with a unique way to find anything we need or solve an issue. Those who are concerned about their weight, might want to check out this HCG diet site. Of course it would be right to get to know some info about HCG diet drops before trying them.

And this is where it wouldn’t be good not to use this truly unique chance. Modern web technologies help us break the borders and search HCG diet all over the planet. Go to social networks, review relevant topics, join discussions in niche forums. All this will help you be well informed about the events concerning your hobby. Also, sign up for the RSS on this blog not to miss the latest publications on the topic.

Related posts:

  1. Simple Way To Lose Extra Weight
  2. HCG Diet Is Recommended For People Who Want To Lose Weight
  3. HCG Diet Is Recommended For People Who Want To Lose Weight
5
Dec

EAT MORE AND LOSE MORE SHOULD BE THE MANTRA!

Weight loss and size zero has become a fashion. People either do dieting for cosmetic reasons or for health related factors. If one can concentrate on cutting the intake of fat, it is not always necessary to count calories and you can have a diet rich in starchy food, grains and vegetables in generous amounts.

You should always have an understanding of the foods that you eat so that calorie laden foods are avoided. Moderation is the key to achieve the goal. You should eat only when you are truly hungry and should stop once you feel you are full. Never overfeed yourself. It is always important to take foods that are nutritious and nourishing when one is dieting.

Obese people have a devastating affect on their health as they suffer from diabetes, joint problems, aching legs, swollen ankles and this in turn effects their happiness. Severe obesity leads to high blood pressure and gout . They lack self esteem and feel depressed as they cannot enjoy the normal routine activities.

Fat to carbohydrate ration intake is significant in controlling weight. People who consume the same amount of calories but have more fat in their food are likely to be more obese than their counterparts. There is no such cure for obesity but you can achieve weight loss by reducing calorie intake and increasing the amount of physical activity such as brisk walking or swimming.

It is sometimes good to fast for few days and it is beneficial as it cleanses and detoxifies the body. There are different detoxifying diets and it is good to follow a three day or seven day diet. It helps in flushing out the toxins from the body as well as helps you in feeling fresh and relaxed. You have to refrain from heavy and rich diets during detoxification. You should avoid spicy and fried foods and instead consume lots of liquids in the form of water, lime juice, fruit juice, herbal tea and vegetable juice. These act as energizers and are also healthy and filling. If done on a regular basis, the person losing weight will easily feel healthier.

A detox diet starts with a warm glass of water with a teaspoon of honey as it acts as a cleansing agent and helps to get rid of the bowel movement. The stomach is clean and empty and one can have a glass of fresh juice with a toast. Lunch usually comprises of soups and salads. Dinner should be taken before 8 pm and should consist of porridge and soup. Have this type of diet for three days and have eight to ten glasses of water daily.

Once the diet is over, never gorge on the foods that you have not eaten for a few days. Start with a light meal and then slowly increase your intake. Following this type of diet with regular exercise and yoga will help in losing weight.

Readers who are searching the Internet for more information about steps to loose weight, visit the link which is quoted right in this line.

Related posts:

  1. Simple Way To Lose Extra Weight
  2. HCG Diet Is Recommended For People Who Want To Lose Weight
  3. How to lose weight and detox at the same time
6
Oct

How can I be less sensible amd more loony like?

Yesterday went really well, I ate only natural foods and didn't have any sugar, alcohol or stimulants, drank two litres of water, listened to the mp3 and only ate when I was hungry and ate much more slowly.
Plan is going even better today!
I h…

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »