There’s no doubt that calories in vs calories out is the foundation of weight maintenance and weight loss. Yet, anyone who’s been on a diet and drastically cut calories, logged every morsel that’s passed her lips, knows the frustration and truth of being confronted with the math not working out when standing on the scale and not seeing the number that she had hoped for. So what’s that about? How is it that we can live in a calorie deficit and not lose weight? Truth is that although calories are in fact the way that we gain and lose weight, BUT there are many things happening within our bodies that are so complex – that we really don’t know why two people can eat and do the same things, and while one person will lose weight, and another won’t. In this episode of the Done with Dieting Podcast, we’re going Read More . . .
Are fitness apps a waste of time & effort?
I’ve been reading a lot of news stories lately about the accuracy of fitness trackers, which has been debate in the fitness community ever since I started in fitness over 10 years ago. The calorie readouts on the treadmills, ellipticals, and heart rate monitors were all that were available, back then. Soon after I started personal training, the bodybugg was introduced (and if you’re a long time reader, you know that I loved my bodybugg sooooo much that I became a reseller). It was expensive, but it was a great tool, and I finally felt like it offered the missing side of the equation to my food logging; you can log your food all you want, but unless you know how many calories you’re burning, you don’t have the full picture. Even if you are logging your food, how do you know if you’re consuming too many? Or not enough? I Read More . . .
Buzz
Television House Hunters International We had the opportunity to be on House Hunters International after we moved to Mexico. It was a fun experience, and even though we filmed about 40 hours, and that got boiled down to 22 minutes, we were happy with the result. Click Here to enjoy the show! Podcasts Unf*ck Your Brain Podcast with Kara Lowentheil Ep# 258: Myths about Women in Midlife: A Conversation with Karen Anderson, Elizabeth Sherman, and Jill Angie Something that breaks my heart is how women who are in midlife, or even younger, start having this thought pattern that their life is over, it’s too late to change things, or that their lot in life is chosen and it’s all downhill from this point onwards. I’ve seen this pattern only get worse over time, but the great news is these thoughts aren’t facts. To declare that your life is over Read More . . .
Back on the Wagon
I just posted a new newsletter to my website! If you’re not on my newsletter list, please feel free to sign up here. I try to send out newsletters once a month. I’m not really sure what happened, but apparently I took a 9 month hiatus! Initially I think I can blame it on my bodybugg. I’ve been trying to add more activity in my life, and sitting, doing computer work does not accomplish that goal. Eventually, it became a daunting task, my self talk being something like: "Well, now it needs to be an AWESOME newsletter because you’ve been saving all of this information up. It needs to be rockin’!" That type of self talk reminds me of what we do to ourselves all the time when it comes to LOTS of areas in our life; whether it’s eating "I can’t start eating better until I’ve gotten all of Read More . . .
Let Your Food Burn Calories For You
You’ve seen the titles of books & magazine headlines: “Fat Burning Foods”; “Eat More to Weigh Less” and it goes on & on. So what are these articles & books trying to teach us? THey’re trying to get us to use the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) to burn more calories, and yes, it does work. Thermic Effect of Food Defined: “the increment in energy expenditure above resting metabolic rate due to the cost of processing food for storage and use” or, the number of calories our bodies use in eating. Yes, we burn calories by eating. NancySBrandt: I’m thinking this #bodybugg thing might be too good to be true. How can I have 747 calorie deficit after eating fast food for two meals? bodybugg: @NancySBrandt Ucould eat donuts all day &still hv a calorie deficit! it doesn’t mean tht it’s a good thing. Uburn fewr K digesting fast food Read More . . .
Exercising on an Empty Stomach
@dasschus ? for the week: do you burn more calories if you have something to eat first? Went on hike but past lunch & was hungry. on same hike after eating picnic bodybugg said I burned more calories. So does fueling up before exer. burn more calories? This question is a hotly debated topic among the fitness community: do you exercise on an empty stomach or not? The current theory is that when you perform cardiovascular exercise on an empty stomach, you’ll burn more calories from fat than you would if you ate prior to performing the same cardiovascular exercise. The rationalization is that while you’re sleeping, your body uses up all of the reserve energy in your muscles & when you wake, your body has no choice other than to use the body’s fat reserves to create energy. Let’s evaluate the pros & cons. Pros Exercising on an empty Read More . . .
Which Burns More Calories?
I was talking to one of my clients yesterday about what great exercise walking is, when I realized that everyone else might want to know too! Years ago, when I started my quest for fitness, I would walk my neighborhood. Eventually, I got an elliptical machine and a treadmill – I had always wanted to be a runner, and was finally able to make that happen through the help of the treadmill. I spent hours on each of those until I started running outside & the rest is history. I was a gym rat for a really long time, spending countless hours on the cardio machines – even on perfectly beautiful days because I thought that I was burning tons of calories that way. One of the most fun aspects of the bodybugg, is discovering how many calories each of my activities burns. For example: cleaning the house can burn Read More . . .
Sufferin’ Succotash!
I just updated my website with a new recipe. It's kind of an invention, kind of a rip off of Skwigg's Lazy Fiesta Mix. I'm calling it Tex-Mex Zucchini Succotash & I think I've been making it once a week: Gary's probably sick of it. The nutritionals on it are great though; just about 135 calories for 1/4th of the recipe! You can use this recipe as a side dish or as a filling for vegetarian tacos. YUM! Also, the price of the bodybugg is lower! $209 + $26 activation! Read More . . .
Referrals = $ for you
I’ve decided to implement a referral program for current & past clients, anyone who knows me, or knows of me. Here’s the deal: You refer a new, paying client to me & I pay you a referral fee. Bodybugg – $10 cash (price matching guarantee still applies) Personal Training – $50 Gift Card to Total Health by Elizabeth or 10% of initial purchase (lesser of the two)* Nutritional Coaching – $50 Gift Card to Total Health by Elizabeth or 10% of initial purchase (lesser of the two)* Wellness Coaching – $50 Gift Card to Total Health by Elizabeth or 10% of initial purchase (lesser of the two)* Fine Print: No, there’s not a catch – just some details. I’m doing this as a thank you for giving my name out. I have actually been doing this for some time, but have now opened it up to non-clients. There are no Read More . . .
3 Tips for Increasing Activity
Part 3 in the Runtex University Bucky & Bob Speaking Series In the ongoing debate of whether someone can be overweight and be healthy, one thing is clear: Being active and incorporating intentional exercise into your lifestyle is going to positively contribute to your quality of life as you age. It may or may not help you live longer, but then who wants to live until the age of 150 if you’re strapped to a wheelchair and feeding tube? The body and mind are so tightly inter-connected that regular, intentional exercise improves mood, quality of sleep, decreases stress and the risk of disease. What I have also found intriguing is that as individuals become more active, their bodies start to crave healthier options. Don’t be surprised if you start craving broccoli or salmon once you incorporate activity into your day. Your body was meant to move; treat your body well Read More . . .