Lots to read...in no particular order!

[Rochelle]

Welcome! Glad to have you! Be sure to read this whole first page for a lot of great information. Our coaches are here to help YOU succeed!

[Rochelle]

Muscle soreness:

Glutamine (4500 mg/tsp) can work wonders.

Glutamine helps w/muscle recovery. You can buy this at a vitamin store. Mix 1 heaping tsp with a glass of water right after your workout. It does make the water a tad gritty, so I add a little bit of crytal light to flavor the water. I drink it with no problem.

[Rochelle]

How to take measurements:

What Exactly Should You Measure?

The most common measurements include the circumference of your chest, biceps, waist, hips and thighs. Sometimes the neck, forearm and calf are also measured.

Chest: Measure around the largest part of your chest.

Biceps: Measure midway between the top of your shoulder and elbow.

Waist: Measure at the narrowest point, approximately one inch above your belly button. No cheating! Don't pull in your belly or stick it out.

Hips: Measure your hips around the largest part of your buttocks with your heels together.

Thigh: Thighs are measured separately. Stand with your legs slightly apart. Measure your upper leg where the circumference is largest.

We recommend:
# boob
# below the boob
# smallest part of waist
# belly button
# fattest part of hips
# saddle bags
# upper thighs
# mid thighs
# calves
# biceps

How?

* Use a flexible measuring tape as used by dressmakers. It can be as long as you need. If you use a plastic or cloth tape, bear in mind that these materials may stretch over time.
* Wear the thinnest clothes possible, or none at all, so as not to add to the measurements you take.
* Try to measure yourself in front of a full-length mirror so that you can see if the tape is positioned correctly.
* Perhaps you could find another person to help with measuring. They would be able to read the results more easily.
* Keep your muscles relaxed while measuring.
* When measuring, pull the tape just tight enough to keep it from sagging.

Track your progress by your measurements, NOT THE SCALE!

[Rochelle]

This comes from the Oct 2006 issue of Fitness. For anyone who's ever been scale-obsessed...here are ten reasons not to be.

"WAIT -- I WEIGHT HOW MUCH?"


Can you believe what you see? Not always. Ten things that can skew your reading, from what you're wearing to how much fun you had last night. By Cynthia Sass, R.D.

Good news for every woman who's ever had a total scale meltdown: The number staring back at you might not be quite right. "Depending on a variety of factors that have nothing to do with body fat or even the scale's accuracy, your weight can vary by several pounds from day to day," says Andrea Giancoli, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. In fact, experts agree that your body-fat percentage and your physical measurements, rather than your weight, provide a more accurate picture of your health. So before you freak out over the digital readout, keep in mind: a) It's just a number, people! and b) It will yo-yo. Here's why:

1) You're wearing something other than your birthday suit.

Adds: up to 6 pounds.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but how much can you realistically deduct? We tested a few different outfits and found that a sports bra and running shorts probably won't nudge the needle, but sneakers can cause a two-pound jump. Didn't make it into your workout wear this morning? A light bathrobe will up the number by one, a heavy terry-cloth robe by two and a complete outfit (jeans, T-shirt, blazer and boots) by about six.


2)You just took a seriously sweat-inducing cardio class.

Subtracts: up to 5 pounds.

When you work out at a high intensity, whether in a Spinning class or on a hard run, most of the calories you burn come from glycogen (a form of carbohydrate stored in muscle). The depletion of this high-energy fuel can show up as a dramatic shift in weight. But don't mistake the sharp drop in pounds for a loss of bodyfat. "Glycogen accounts for much of the weight you've lost directly after exercise. The rest is cause by water loss through sweat, says Bob Seebohar, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Florida. But hey, if seeing that lower number on the scale keeps you motivated to put the bike shorts back on tomorrow, forget you just read that!

3. You polished off a big bottle of water five minutes ago.

Adds: more than 2 pounds.

Water has no calories, so it can't cause fat gain. But a liter of H2O weighs more than two pounds, so after you down a standard bottle of water, the scale will automatically go up by that much. "Most small weight fluctuations are due to shifts in body water," says Giancoli. The full two pounds will register on the scale only during the first few minutes after you drink it; then, as it's depeleted via perspiration, breathing and other bodily functions, your weight will inch down accordingly (that's why it never hurts to hit the loo before hopping on the scale).


4. You had a few drinks last night.

Subtracts: 3 to 5 pounds.

Alcohol depletes your body of water. (Dehydration is what gives you morning-after cotton mouth and a splitting headache.) Alcohol also irritates the digestive system and can cause diarrhea. This diuretic/laxative combo makes some women look and feel leaner the day after a night out, but while the scale readout will drop, it won't stay down for long. "Your weight will bounce back to normal as soon as you replenish lost fluids," says ADA spokesperson Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D.

5. You had a "light" lunch.

Adds: up to 3 pounds.

Often, the healthiest meals are the heaviest in terms of weight. Filling, diet-friendly foods such as broth-based vegetable soup or salad loaded with veggies are full of fiber and water, both of which have zero calories but add bulk to your plate and, for a brief time, your stomach. So eating them can cause a short-term rise in the number on the scale, even though they'll actually help you reduce body fat over time. Depending on your rate of digestion, the added weight of a large but diet-friendly lunch won't stick to you longer than 12 to 24 hours.


6. You skimped on carbs today.

Subtracts: 3 to 5 pounds.

If you eat nothing but egg whites for breakfast and a protein shake for lunch, your weight on the scale will fall by late afternoon -- but not because protein magically melts away body fat. Like a tough workout, high-protein diets that leave you short on whole grains and fruits can cause your muscles to use up glycogen. They can also generate extra waste products, which makes you pee a lot, pulling more water out of your body. "Carbs stored as glycogen are like sponges that hold water. When you eat fewer cabrs, you lose water; when you eat more carbs, you retain water," says Giancoli. But to lose a pound of fat, you much cut 3,500 calories through either diet or exercise, so losing one or more pounds in a single day is a sure sign that you are shedding water instead of fat.

7. You indulged a salt craving.

Adds: 4 to 5 pounds.

If you wake up feeling puffy and your rings and watch are fused to your skin, you're experiencing a full-on bloat. Consuming salty foods, such as canned soup, frozen meals or Chinese takeout with plenty of soy sauce, can cause your body to retain water in order to dilute excess sodium. "Drinking more water will help flush both the sodium and the excess fluids from your body and will normalize your weight," says Amy Gerardo, a registered nurse and American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer in St. Petersburg, Florida.


8. You're sick.

Subtracts: up to 5 pounds.

Cold and flu symptoms like sneezing and coughing can cause temporary dehydration, and a loss of fluids means a drop on the scale. "In the first day or two of being sick, you will probably get a lower reading, but the truth is that almost none of the weight you lose is body fat -- it's nearly all water," says Giancoli. So don't be too disappointed when you quickly regain as you recover.

9. You can't, ahem, "go".

Adds: 2 to 6 pounds.

When you're constipated, you have excess solid waste in your GI tract, which carries weight. "'Going' at least every other day is considered normal; any less than that can temporarily affect the number on the scale," says Dr. Gerbstadt. Several not-so-ideal dieting practices, such as low-carb dieting, drastically reducing calories, skipping meals and restricting fluids, can lead to constipation. This means that some weight-loss attempts (albeit unhealthy ones) may actually lead to a temporary rise in weight rather than a drop. "Whether or not it's due to a fad diet, consuming insufficient fiber and/or water can lead to dense stool, which can weigh two to six pounds," says Dr. Gerbstadt. Ease constipation by gradually increasing your intake of water and soluble [sic], fiber-rich foods (such as oatmeal, citrus fruit, pears and beans).


10. You had a few extra cups of joe.

Subtracts: about 2 pounds.

Guzzling coffee during the morning meeting might not be as much fun as guzzling cocktails at happy hour, but the effects are similar. Caffeine is a mild diuretic; it also stimulates the digestive tract and bowel movements, and it can suppress your appetite. Between the extra trips to the bathroom and the smaller helpings, your weight may drop. "But once that lost water is replaced, your weight will return to normal fairly quickly," says Dr. Gerbstadt.

[Rochelle]

Here is a picture of one pound of fat and one pound of muscle. THEY WEIGH THE SAME (despite what people will tell you)!!!!

BUT...muscles takes up less SPACE!

One pound of fat burns 1-3 cal/day. One pound of muscle burns 30-60 cal/day. Which would you rather have?

[Rochelle]

Water Fluctuations and Your Weight
By Bob Greene, BFA, MFA
Glee Contributor



Be forewarned that when you first become active or increase the amount and intensity of your exercise, you will retain extra water.

Gaining this extra water weight can be disheartening and has caused many people to give up their exercise programs. The truth is that gaining this extra water weight is a very good sign.

As you become more active and drink more water, your muscles will act like sponges and will immediately become more fully hydrated. In addition, you may also add a little new muscle, which in turn will store even more water.

The more active you are, the more glycogen (a stored carbohydrate) your muscles will retain. Each gram of glycogen stores an additional 2.5 to 3 grams of water.

Finally, the better shape you're in, the more water is stored within your bloodstream. This additional water weight can be significant and is most pronounced when you increase your level of fitness.

This explains why physically fit individuals store considerably more water within their bodies than unfit individuals. This also explains how a very fit person can weigh much more than their appearance would suggest.

When you exercise regularly, you're sending the message to your body that water needs to be stored in relatively large quantities. Your body responds by finding creative ways to store this additional water. The fitter you become, the higher your percentage of water weight will be, and the lower your percentage of body fat.

Don't let this additional water weight frustrate you. It's a good sign! It means that your metabolism is increasing as well as your potential to burn fat. That's why I especially like to see my new clients put on this initial water weight; it usually means that good things are about to happen -- that is, as long as they remain patient through the first four to six weeks.

The water cycles

In addition to the initial water weight gain that you'll experience when you become more active, your body has various water cycles that influence the retention and release of water weight.

These are daily, weekly, monthly and even seasonal water cycles. These cycles occur for a variety of complex reasons, and they are not all fully understood. There are also times when these cycles converge to reach their respective highs, at which time you'll experience a significant increase in your water weight and, consequently, your total weight.

It's at these times that you must reassure yourself that as long as you are consistently "on the program," there will be a gradual reduction in your body fat -- even if the scale doesn't confirm it! By the same token, there will be times the various water cycles converge at a low point, resulting in your body retaining less water. This will lead to a decrease in your total body weight. This is also somewhat of an illusion and should not cause you to become overconfident.

It all comes down to trust -- trust in yourself! As long as you are patient and believe you are doing the best thing for yourself and that you deserve the results your desire, those good results will happen!

Water weight gain is commonly responsible for the scale not budging -- or even moving higher. Remember that each time you improve your level of fitness your body holds more water. Don't worry about it. Water fluctuations happen to everyone and are nothing to be concerned about unless you let them affect your emotions.
If you suspect you're retaining water, just examine how your clothes fit. If, despite an increase in your weight, your clothes fit about the same or even more loosely, water is probably to blame.

When you lose weight the right way -- by being active -- the rules change a bit. It's very common to be losing fat but gaining weight. As frustrating as this can be, my advice is to simply focus on how good you feel, how your clothes fit, and the other positive changes that are happening to you.

[Rochelle]

Water: How much should you drink every day? Part 1
The Mayo Clinic

Water is essential to good health, yet needs vary by individual. These guidelines can help ensure you drink enough fluids.

How much water should you drink each day? — a simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.

Though no single formula fits everyone, knowing more about your body's need for fluids will help you estimate how much water to drink each day.

Health benefits of water

Functions of water in the body

Water is your body's principal chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 percent of your weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

A couple of approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.

* Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is 1.5 liters a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.

* Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3.0 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

Even apart from the above approaches, it is generally the case that if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce between one and two liters of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.

[Rochelle]

Water: How much should you drink every day? Part 2

Factors that influence water needs

You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.

* Exercise. The more you exercise, the more fluid you'll need to keep your body hydrated. An extra 1 or 2 cups of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires additional fluid. How much additional fluid is needed depends on how much you sweat during the exercise, but 13 to26 ounces (or about 2 to 3 cups) an hour will generally be adequate, unless the weather is exceptionally warm.

During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Fluid also should be replaced after exercise. Drinking 16 ounces of fluid per pound of body weight lost during exercise is recommended.

* Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, altitudes greater than 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.

* Illnesses or health conditions. Signs of illnesses, such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, cause your body to lose additional fluids. In these cases you should drink more water and may even need oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or Ceralyte. Certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones, also require increased water intake. On the other hand, certain conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.

* Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are lost especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.4 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.0 liters (about 12.5 cups) of fluids a day.

Beyond the tap: Other sources of water

Although it's a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don't need to rely only on what you drink to satisfy your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake, while the remaining 80 percent comes from water and beverages of all kinds.

For example, many fruits and vegetables — such as watermelon and cucumbers — are nearly 100 percent water by weight. Beverages such as milk and juice are also comprised mostly of water. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea or soda can contribute, but these should not be a major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is one of your best bets because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available.

Dehydration and complications

Failing to take in more water than your body uses can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration — as little as a 1 percent to 2 percent loss of your body weight — can sap your energy and make you tired. Common causes of dehydration include strenuous activity, excessive sweating, vomiting and diarrhea.

Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:

* Mild to excessive thirst
* Fatigue
* Headache
* Dry mouth
* Little or no urination
* Muscle weakness
* Dizziness
* Lightheadedness

Mild dehydration rarely results in complications — as long as the fluid is replaced quickly — but more-severe cases can be life-threatening, especially in the very young and the elderly. In extreme situations, fluids or electrolytes may need to be delivered intravenously.

Staying safely hydrated

It's generally not a good idea to use thirst alone as a guide for when to drink. By the time one becomes thirsty, it is possible to already be slightly dehydrated. Further, be aware that as you get older your body is less able to sense dehydration and send your brain signals of thirst. Excessive thirst and increased urination can be signs of a more serious medical condition. Talk to your doctor if you experience either.

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. Nearly every healthy adult can consider the following:

* Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal.
* Hydrate before, during and after exercise.
* Substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks at social gatherings.

If you drink water from a bottle, thoroughly clean or replace the bottle often. Refill only bottles that are designed for reuse.

Though uncommon, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in a condition called hyponatremia (low sodium levels in the blood). Endurance athletes — such as marathon runners — who drink large amounts of water are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who consume an average American diet.

If you're concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's best for you.

[Rochelle]

How to determine your Target Heart Rate Zone



MHR = maximum heart rate
bpm = beats per minute


30 year-old woman
40 year-old woman
50 year-old woman
60 year-old woman


Find your maximum heart rate (MHR) by subtracting your age from 220.

220 - 30 = 190 MHR
220 - 40 = 180 MHR
220 - 50 = 170 MHR
220 - 60 = 160 MHR


Next multiple (MHR) by 0.60 = lower end of the target heart rate zone.

190 x .60 - 114 bpm
180 x 0.60 = 108 bpm
170 x .60 = 102 bpm
160 x .60 = 96 bpm



Next multiply (MHR) by 0.90 = upper end of the target heart rate zone.

190 x .90 = 171 bpm 180 x 0.90 = 162 bpm 170 x .90 = 153 bpm 160 x .90 = 144 bpm

Target heart rate zone

114 to 171 bpm 108 to 162 bpm 102 to 153 bpm 96 to 144 bpm
The two numbers above represent the target heart rate zone. You should strive to stay between these two numbers during your workout.


NOTE: These formulas apply only to adults. Remember the above example is only an estimate.

[Rochelle]

Healthy Heart Zone (Warm up) --- 50 - 60% of maximum heart rate: The easiest zone and probably the best zone for people just starting a fitness program. It can also be used as a warm up for more serious walkers. This zone has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol. It also decreases the risk of degenerative diseases and has a low risk of injury. 85% of calories burned in this zone are fats!

Fitness Zone (Fat Burning) --- 60 - 70% of maximum heart rate: This zone provides the same benefits as the healthy heart zone, but is more intense and burns more total calories. The percent of fat calories is still 85%.

Aerobic Zone (Endurance Training) --- 70 - 80% of maximum heart rate: The aerobic zone will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system AND increase the size and strength of your heart. This is the preferred zone if you are training for an endurance event. More calories are burned with 50% from fat.

Anaerobic Zone (Performance Training) --- 80 - 90% of maximum heart rate: Benefits of this zone include an improved VO2 maximum (the highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise) and thus an improved cardiorespiratory system, and a higher lactate tolerance ability which means your endurance will improve and you'll be able to fight fatigue better. This is a high intensity zone burning more calories, 15 % from fat.

Red Line (Maximum Effort) --- 90 - 100% of maximum heart rate: Although this zone burns the highest number of calories, it is very intense. Most people can only stay in this zone for short periods. You should only train in this zone if you are in very good shape and have been cleared by a physician to do so.

Recommended Book
Guidebook to Heart Zone Training

[Rochelle]

We are here to promote HEALTH AND FITNESS!

SO...I wanted to post some info on heart disease.

According to the AHA, coronary heart disease is the single major cause of death and stroke the No. 3 killer in the U.S.

One reason is undeniably a lack of commitment to a heart-healthy lifestyle. Your lifestyle is not only your best defense against heart disease and stroke, it’s also your responsibility.

It's as simple as A, B, C:

AVOID tobacco, BECOME more active, CHOOSE good nutrition.

[Rochelle]

NEWBIE CHECKLIST ...these are things that we will say over and over and over and over.

# READ PROGRAM BOOK COVER TO COVER

# TAKE INITIAL MEASUREMENTS

# TAKE BEFORE PICTURES

# REGISTER IN WOWY TO HOLD SELF ACCOUNTABLE

# JOIN OUR WOWY GROUP: ANGELS GET FIT

# MAINTAIN A CAN-DO ATTITUDE

# DRINK AT LEAST 9 GLASSES OF WATER PER DAY

# THROW AWAY ALL JUNK FOOD AND RESTOCK FRIDGE

# POST YOUR MEAL PLANS FOR FEEDBACK

# TAKE, AT A MINIMUM, A MULTI-VITAMIN

# CHECK IN HERE AT LEAST DAILY FOR INSPIRATION

# HIDE YOUR SCALE (no joke)

# PUSH PLAY 6 DAYS PER WEEK

# GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR COACH FOR INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY

[Rochelle]

No wonder Americans have gained weight!

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[Rochelle]

What you eat makes all the difference in your results! You need to have a healthy, balanced diet.

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[Rochelle]

MICHI'S LADDER: EAT FROM THE TOP 2 TIERS FOR A NEAR PERFECT DIET!

C=CARBS
P=PROTEIN
F=FAT

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[Rochelle]

TIER 2

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[Rochelle]

TIER 3

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[Rochelle]

TIER 4

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[Rochelle]

TIER 5

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[Rochelle]

This is what we call a "SKELETON" for 1600 cal/day.

****PLEASE NOTE: THIS SKELETON CANNOT BE USED FOR P90X!****

All you have to do is refer to MICHI'S LADDER and YOUR PROGRAM BOOKLET to see what your choices are for PROTEIN, CARBS, VEGGIES, and FRUITS.

If you would like to do a 1300 to 1500 meal plan, just remove a milk or dairy to adjust the calories.

Breakfast
-- about two servings of carbs
--a tiny bit of dairy
--a serving of fruits

Snack
--a serving of protein
--a serving of dairy
--a serving of fruit

Lunch
--two carbs
--1 serving of protein
--veggies
--condiment

Snack
--1 serving of Protein
--spice, whatever, doesn't count.

Dinner
--1 serving of protein
--1 carb
--veggies

[Rochelle]

STEP ONE: From Meal Plan to Skeleton

The following seven-day meal plan was taken directly from the Million Dollar Body Club Meal Planner.

For instructional purposes, we will take one sample day and teach you how to create your own skeleton:

Please take a close look at the proposed meal plan for day 1. In the column to the right of the food item listed, we have labeled the food “carb”, “protein,” “veggie,” “dairy,” “fruit,” or “fat.”

Basic 1400 Calorie Meal Plan

DAY 1
Breakfast
Oatmeal and Blueberries

* 1 cup cooked oatmeal (CARB)
* 1 cup nonfat milk (DAIRY)
* 1 cup blueberries (FRUIT)

Snack
Raspberry Protein Smoothie

* 1 cup sliced raspberries (FRUIT)
* 1 scoop Beachbody's Whey Protein Powder (PROTEIN)
* 1 cup nonfat milk (DAIRY)

Lunch
Turkey Sandwich

* 2 slices whole wheat bread (CARB)
* 4 slices turkey (PROTEIN)
* 4 leaves romaine lettuce (VEGGIE)
* 1 tsp. mustard (condiment)
* 2 slices tomato (VEGGIE)
* 1 cup alfalfa sprouts (VEGGIE)

Snack
Cottage Cheese with Paprika

* 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (PROTEIN or DAIRY)
* 1 tsp. paprika (condiment)

Dinner
Salmon, Brown Rice, Asparagus, and Salad

* 4 oz. broiled or baked salmon fillet (PROTEIN)
* 1/2 cup cooked long-grain brown rice (CARB)
* 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce (VEGGIE)
* 1 cup chopped steamed asparagus (VEGGIE)
* 1 cup sliced cucumbers (VEGGIE)
* 1-1/2 Tbsp. vinegar and oil Italian dressing (condiment, FAT)


By determining, for example, that 4 oz. of salmon is a PROTEIN and ½ a cup of cooked long grain rice is a CARB, we have just created a skeleton.

Let’s put it all together:


IF you are trying to eat 1400 calories a day, your SKELETON will look like this:

1400 Calorie SKELETON

Breakfast:
--carb
--dairy
--fruit


Snack:
--protein
--dairy
--fruit


Lunch:
--carb
--protein
--veggies


Snack:
--protein


Dinner:
--protein
--veggies
--carb (but try to not eat carbs at night!)


STEP 2: From Skeleton to picking foods you like!

Now that you’ve created your “skeleton,” you’re ready to fill in the categories by picking and choosing foods you like!!

Please refer to

1. the Michi’s Ladder chart that came with your program packet.


2. Your printed out shopping list from MBD meal planner.

Let’s take breakfast as an example of how to move from the skeleton to real foods that you’d actually consider eating!

The meal plan says that on day 1, you can eat:

* 1 cup cooked oatmeal (CARB)
* 1 cup nonfat milk (DAIRY)
* 1 cup blueberries (FRUIT

Your skeleton gives you a lot more flexibility! You can select:

A CARB
A DAIRY
A FRUIT

…from the three sources above.

SO: If I look at Michi’s Ladder (stick with the top 2 tiers) to see what options I have when choosing a carb, I see that I can have several breakfast foods in this category such as: bran, cereal (whole grain), oatmeal, banana, raspberries, etc.

What shall you choose? It’s up to you! But if you look at your skeleton, you’ll see that you can also have a fruit. So, your best option is probably bran, cereal, or oatmeal.

Remember, portions count!

BE SURE TO READ THE LABEL ON YOUR FOOD TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE EATING A SERVING OF A CERTAIN FOOD ITEM and NOT TWO OR THREE!!

Next, you can decide which fruit to have for breakfast, since your skeleton calls for a fruit. According to Michi’s Ladder, you can have bananas, raspberries, nectarines, pineapple, papaya….the possibilities are endless!!

Once you’ve selected your carb and fruit, you are ready to select your dairy. Will you have milk? Soymilk? Yogurt? Cheese? You see, it really is up to you!!

On a typical day, Rochelle’s breakfast looked like this:

Egg whites (Protein)
Cup of soymilk (Dairy)
½ a banana (Fruit)

Rochelle wanted to speed up her weight loss by eating only 2 carbs a day, usually for lunch.

We hope this skeleton will make sense to you! Don’t be afraid to play with it and to post your meal plans on the thread. We’d be glad to provide you with feedback. Here’s to a lifetime of healthful eating!!!

BRING IT!

[Rochelle]

CHEAT SNACK AND CHEAT DAY

YES, yes, yes, all you newer folks!!! You can definitely schedule yourself a cheat day and cheat snack. In fact, YOU SHOULD! It helps prevent binging.

If there is something that you really want, you know that you can have it on cheat day GUILT FREE! So, you do not have to give up your favorite foods.

Cheat day for me is almost always pizza (my favorite food in the whole wide world...I'm a cheap date) or a burrito. YUM!!!!!! Tomorrow is my cheat day, and I can already taste it!!!

A few days later, I have my cheat snack...typically chocolate.

In the beginning of my adventure, I actually STRUGGLED until I found out that I should have a cheat day. Talk about pure freedom!!!!

YOU MUST EAT CLEAN THE REST OF THE TIME!!!!

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[Rochelle]

FOOD TIDBITS

I am posting this for all the newest folks and lurkers (see lurkers, we don't forget about you! )

I want to list some of the "food finds" that can help you on your journey.

Breakfast :

I am in love with Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal with skim milk. It has 9 gms of protein (not counting the milk) and 8 gms of fiber.

My newest breakfast love takes me 2 min (no joke) to make in the kitchen. I scramble 1/2 cup of EggBeaters. I make 1 Boca Breakfast patty. I put both in a Whole Wheat sandwich pocket by Kangaroo. This meal has less than 300 cal, about 30 gms of protein, less than 6 gms of fat, and the carbs are equivalent to one slice of bread! IT'S THE BOMB!!!!

Lunch :

I LOVE LOVE LOVE FlatOut Wraps!!! I really should take stock out. I fill it with lean meat, slice of skim mozz cheese, and fresh baby spinach. It is yummy and also very portable!!!!

My latest way of making the wraps is using Boca burgers or chicken patty as the protein. I am in love with these also.

The FlatOut Wraps taste awesome, have 9 gms of protein, and are equivalent to one slice of bread.

Dinner :

If you are game, tofu really is great to change things up a bit. It did take me some time to perfect making it, so you should also be patient with yourself.

Cheat snack :

I have found that putting fun-size Three Musketeers bars in the freezer are wonderful. I eat 3 at a time.

Another choice is Weight Watchers Chocolate Muffins. They are soooo chocolaty!

I've just discovered Guiltless Gourmet single serving cake mixes. They are new so may be hard to find. The fudge brownie one is AWESOME.

[Rochelle]

HERE IS A SHOPPING LIST.

PLEASE PRINT IT OUT, SO YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU TO THE MARKET!


Milk and Dairy
Cheddar or Colby cheese (low-fat): 8 oz.
Cottage cheese (low-fat): 3 cups
Eggs: 10
Feta cheese: 1 oz.
Milk (nonfat): approx. 8 cups
Swiss cheese (low-fat): approx. 4 oz.
Yogurt, plain (low-fat): 34 oz.

Fish, Poultry, and Meat
Beef flank: 4 oz.
Chicken breast: 20 oz.
Chicken broth (low-sodium): 3/4 cup
Halibut: 4 oz.
Roast beef (lean): 4 oz.
Salmon: 4 oz.
Tofu (extra-firm): 4-1/2 oz.
Turkey: 4 oz.
Turkey or chicken breast (lunch meat): 10 slices
Turkey, ground (lean): 4 oz

Fruits
Apples: 2
Avocado: 1
Bananas: 2
Blueberries, fresh: 1 cup
Blueberries, frozen (unsweetened):1-1/2 cups
Kiwi: 1
Lime juice, fresh: 3 limes
Mango: 1/2 cup
Orange: 1
Peach, frozen (unsweetened): 1/2 cup
Pear: 1
Pineapple, fresh: 1-3/4 cups
Raspberries, fresh: 1 cup
Raspberries, frozen (unsweetened): 1 cup
Strawberries: 1 cup
Strawberries, frozen (unsweetened): 1 cup

Condiments
Fat-free ranch dressing: 1 bottle
Ketchup: 1 small bottle
Lite Italian dressing: 1 bottle
Mustard: 1 jar
Olive oil (extra virgin): 1 bottle
Salsa: 1 small jar
Vinegar: 1 bottle

Deli Section
Pickles, kosher dill: 1 pickle


Veggies
Alfalfa sprouts: 4 cups
Asparagus: 1 cup
Broccoli: 3-1/2 cups
Brussels sprouts: 1 cup
Carrots and peas, frozen: 1-1/2 cups
Cauliflower: 1/2 cup
Celery: 3 stalks
Chickpeas: 1/4 cup
Cucumber: 1 cup
Garlic: 1/4 clove
Lettuce, romaine (or any kind but iceberg): approx. 12 cups
Mushrooms, fresh: 1 cup
Onion: 2
Pinto beans: 1/2 cup
Sauerkraut: 1/4 cup
Spinach: 1-1/2 cups
Sweet potatoes: 1 small, 1 medium
Tomato paste: 1 oz.
Tomato sauce (no sugar): 1 cup
Tomato: 9 slices
Tomatoes, cherry: 3/4 cup
Yellow pepper: 4-1/2 strips

Herbs
Curry powder: 1 jar
Paprika: 1 jar

Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, raw: 54
Cashews: 36
Flaxseeds, raw: 1 jar
Peanut butter: 1 jar

Breads, Grains, Legumes, Cereals, etc.
Bread (whole wheat): 6 slices
Bread, rye (optional, whole wheat may sub): 1 slice
Hamburger bun (whole wheat): 1
Melba toast: 4 pieces
Oatmeal: 6 cups
Pita bread: 2 pitas
Rice (brown): 1/2 cup
Rice (long-grain brown rice): 1 cup
Tortillas (whole wheat): 1 tortilla

Misc.
Beachbody's Whey Protein Powder: 1 container

[Rochelle]

Here is a visual to help with portion sizes!

portion-size.jpg (69.64 KiB) Viewed 3006 times

[Rochelle]

Tips to help you make wise choices from the meat & beans group
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Go lean with protein:

* Start with a lean choice:
o The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
o The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
o Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least “90% lean”. You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.
o Buy skinless chicken parts, or take off the skin before cooking.
o Meats Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.
o Choose lean turkey, roast beef, ham, or low-fat luncheon meats for sandwiches instead of luncheon meats with more fat, such as regular bologna or salami.

* Keep it lean:
o Trim away all of the visible fat from meats and poultry before cooking.
o Broil, grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or fish instead of frying.
o Drain off any fat that appears during cooking.
o Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry, or fish. Breading adds fat and calories. It will also cause the food to soak up more fat during frying.
o Prepare dry beans and peas without added fats.
o Choose and prepare foods without high fat sauces or gravies.

Vary your protein choices:

* Choose fish more often for lunch or dinner. Look for fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring.
Some ideas are:
o Salmon steak or filet
o Salmon loaf
o Grilled or baked trout

* Choose dry beans or peas as a main dish or part of a meal often. Some choices are:
o Chili with kidney or pinto beans
o Stir- fried tofu
o Split pea, lentil, minestrone, or white bean soups
o Baked beans
o Black bean enchiladas
o Garbanzo or kidney beans on a chef’s salad
o Rice and beans
o Veggie burgers or garden burgers
o Hummus (chickpeas) spread on pita bread

* Choose nuts as a snack, on salads, or in main dishes. Use nuts to replace meat or poultry, not in addition to these items:
o NutsUse pine nuts in pesto sauce for pasta.
o Add slivered almonds to steamed vegetables.
o Add toasted peanuts or cashews to a vegetable stir fry instead of meat.
o Sprinkle a few nuts on top of low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.
o Add walnuts or pecans to a green salad instead of cheese or meat.

What to look for on the Food Label:

* Check the Nutrition Facts label for the saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium content of packaged foods.
o Processed meats such as hams, sausages, frankfurters, and luncheon or deli meats have added sodium. Check the ingredient and Nutrition Facts label to help limit sodium intake.
o Fresh chicken, turkey, and pork that have been enhanced with a salt-containing solution also have added sodium. Check the product label for statements such as “self-basting” or “contains up to __% of __.”
o Lower fat versions of many processed meats are available. Look on the Nutrition Facts label to choose products with less fat and saturated fat.

[Rochelle]

TOFU 101

We are trying to set up this thread with lots of good, relevant information in the first few pages so that it is easy reference for others. Thus the info on tofu...so we can find it.
______________________________________________________________________________
Simply put, tofu is fermented soymilk curd. A type of soy cheese if you will. The process is about 5000 years old. There is no such thing as just plain "tofu." It comes in a variety of textures, hardness, and flavors. There are several very different textures of tofu available in markets today:

Tofu Types

Regular Tofu:

This texture resembles a sponge and is fibrous with a silken texture. In most cases, when a recipe calls for just "tofu," it is a safe bet to use this texture. Note that manufacturers do not use the term "regular" for this tofu. They'll typically call it "tofu soft, medium firm."

Soft Tofu:

For regular textured tofu, this hardness is similar to a soft water-logged sponge with really small holes. We know this does not sound appealing, but we're only describing the hardness, not the flavor. For silken textured tofu, this hardness is similar to really soft jello. In many cases, however, soft silken tofu will just have the label of "silken."

Firm Tofu:

For regular textured tofu, this hardness is denser -- similar to a firmer water-logged sponge with small holes. And for silken textured tofu, the jello consistency just gets firmer.

A hardness cannot be made any softer but it can be made firmer by freezing and thawing, boiling in water, or pressing. These three methods change the texture of the tofu in different ways.

Freezing & Thawing: Freezing and thawing makes the tofu more porous so that it soaks marinades and other liquids very quickly. For additional information on freezing and thawing tofu, see "Storage" in this article.

Boiling: When boiling tofu, the outside is cooked more than the inside, causing the outside edges to be a little tougher. This may be exactly what you want when using tofu as a meat alternative. A typical boiling time is 20 minutes; however, boiling it for longer or shorter periods of time certainly will not hurt it.

Pressing: Pressing tofu makes the entire block uniformly firmer. This is the technique to use if a recipe calls for firm tofu and you happen to have soft tofu in the refrigerator. To press a block of tofu, place it between towels and put a heavy weight (such as a cast iron frying pan, concrete paving blocks, or bricks) on top and let it sit for an hour or so. Storing or cooking pressed tofu in a liquid will undo the effects of the pressing.

You are not limited to just one of these techniques to change the hardness of your tofu. You can use any combination of them or all three. You can even repeat any of the techniques or combinations to really toughen up your tofu. When you go to your local health food store, you may notice a wide variety of tofus flavored with herbs. These are not what the authors of your recipe books are referring to unless, of course, they've specified a particular flavor of tofu. Feel free to try these flavored tofu treats in your own creative recipes.


Nigari/Calcium Rich/GDL (Glucono Delta Lactone)

Nigari is a natural component of sea water, primarily magnesium chloride. It is used to make Japanese style tofu. Nigari tofu are generally firmer and more tender.

Calcium Rich tofu is make with food grade gypsum, a natural earth mineral, calcium sulfate. It is traditional Chinese tofu ingredient. The Calcium Rich tofu is softer and smoother.

GDL Tofu is silken tofu. GDL is mixed with the soy milk in the tofu container. The coagulation takes place inside the tofu container. The tofu is never pressed. Therefore, silken tofu has the highest water content. This make silken tofu soft.

Certified Organic:

What is Organic?

Organic refers to methods of growing and processing foods that rely on the earth's natural resources. Pests and weeds are managed using earth-friendly means such as beneficial insects and mechanical controls. Organic farmers work to build natural nutrients in soil which help fertilize plants without reliance on synthetic fertilizers

Organic Production

Offers food produced within nature's own balanced and fertile system. Helps keep our air, soil, and water free of toxic chemicals.

Ensures that animals are humanely raised, without synthetic hormones or antibiotics, and only fed organic feed.

Freshness/Quality

Fresh tofu should have a mild smell when you open the package. A package of tofu should show an expiration date.

Tofu that has spoiled turns moldy, is filmy to the touch, and has a sour, sharp, or biting taste and smell. Some suggest that if it only smells sour, it can still be used in many recipes other than those with very delicate flavors such as mousses and puddings. However, if it smells sour, we suggest that you just throw it away -- it's not that expensive.

Storage

Tofu can be purchased refrigerated and packed in water or packaged in vacuum packed plastic containers. After opening a water pack refrigerated package, drain the fluid, cut off the portion you want, and decide how you are going to store the remainder of the tofu. To maintain its store-bought texture, put it in the refrigerator. To change the tofu's texture and make it tougher (more meat-like), put it in the freezer.

If you want to store it in the refrigerator (which you can do for up to 7 days), cover with fresh cool water. Replace the water daily to prevent it from getting cloudy and making a good home for bacteria. Also be sure that the tofu is completely submerged.

If you want to store it in the freezer, place the drained tofu in an airtight bag or container. The white tofu, once frozen, will turn yellow; but don't worry, when you thaw it, it will become white again. Freezing tofu drastically changes its properties. When you freeze it, thaw it, and squeeze out the water, it will have a more meaty, chewy consistency and will soak up marinades and sauces more readily than non-frozen tofu. To squeeze out the water, simply place sliced tofu between paper towels and press with the palm of your hand to remove as much water as possible, or perform the "pressing" technique described earlier. To thaw tofu quickly, microwave it on a paper towel or in a bowl. You can also boil it for 5 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the tofu chunk. It is usually easier, however, to leave it on a plate on the kitchen counter for a few hours.

Preparing Instructions

Marinating

Marinating tofu is one of the many ways of flavoring it. When a recipe instructs you to marinate tofu and it does not tell you the tofu texture or hardness to use, we recommend using a regular firm or extra-firm tofu. If you are marinating for less than one hour, it can be done at room temperature covered with wax paper, paper towels, or a towel. However, for longer periods of time, marinating should be done in a tightly-covered container in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth and spoilage.

Frozen and thawed tofu absorbs marinades faster than unfrozen tofu. In fact, if the marinade is thin, you may only need to quickly dip the tofu in the sauce on each side for it to be fully absorbed into the tofu. However, if the marinade is thick, the tofu may still require several hours or even overnight to absorb the marinade fully.

Cooking

Tofu can be mashed, blended, whipped, ground, crumbled, marinated, simmered, steamed, baked, broiled, sautéed, barbecued, fried, or deep-fried. Basically, you can do anything to it. Use your imagination and creativity. Remember, tofu has very little flavor of its own, and it will pick up the flavors of the ingredients it is cooked with. Also remember that tofu can be so soft and creamy that it melts away in the dish, or so firm and leathery that it takes a bit of chewing. Choose your flavors and textures.

Tofu may not only look like a sponge, but in some cases it actually acts like a sponge. If you have gone through some time and effort to remove the water from your tofu (i.e., to make it firmer or to maximize the flavor of a marinade), don't put it back in water or other liquids such as soup stocks. The tofu "sponge" will absorb liquid and drastically dilute the marinade and return the tofu's firmness to its original state.

In a soup or stew, you can "lock-in" the flavor of a marinated tofu by first cooking it with a little oil. Deep frying, pan frying, or covering with a non-stick cooking spray and broiling are all methods that may be used. If this locking-in process is skipped, the tofu's flavors will have a tendency to be leached out by the soup or stew broth.


The Power of Soy Foods

Scientist note that people who consume diets high in soy have significantly lower raters of coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer (breast, colon and prostrate), and fewer menopausal symptoms. Several components of the soybean, including protein, fiber, calcium, essential fatty acids, and isoflavones offer the potential health benefits of soy. The daily recommendation of isoflavones (the active ingredient is soy) is 47mg. This equals ¾ cup tofu or tempeh or 1-1/2 cups soy milk.

'Anti-cancer' properties of soy are thought to be related primarily to its isoflavone composition. Studies have shown that soy isoflavones decrease the development of breast and prostate tumors and slow the growth of human breast and prostate cancer cells.

Researchers are focusing on soy isoflavones and their potential role not only for the slowing of cancer growth, but also in the prevention of breast, prostate and other types of cancer. Antioxidant properties of soy isoflavones help reduce formation of free radicals.

OSTEOPOROSIS - Soy foods contain calcium, which helps promote bone health in all age groups. It has been suggested that a diet high in soy isoflavones may also reduce the risk of osteoporosis by potentially reducing bone loss and improving or maintaining bone density in certain groups of men and women (in individuals with low estrogen).

CORONARY HEART DISEASE -The results of numerous studies suggest that consuming soy protein daily may potentially reduce the risk for coronary heart disease by 18-28%. A diet high in soy protein (a minimum of 25 grams per day) has been shown in several studies to exert potential cardiovascular benefits including decreased total cholesterol (9.3%), decreased LDL (bad) cholesterol levels (13%), increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels, decreased triglyceride levels, antioxidant properties, and possible protective effects on blood vessel walls.

MENOPAUSAL SMPTOMS - Due to its rich isoflavone content, diets high in soy (a minimum of 25 grams per day) may have the potential to control menopausal symptoms (length and severity of hot flashes, mood swings, excess hair growth) in women with low estrogen.

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE - Soy products contain no lactose, and provide an important component of lactose free diet.

Please consult with your physician before making any extreme dietary changes.

Here are some recipes that use the principals of this lesson.


Basic Japanese Miso Soup Stock Recipe

Serves 6-8

5 cups of water
3-4 TBS of Aka Miso (red soy bean paste)
(Miso comes in a variety of flavors, textures & colors. Generally white types are sweet, red types are salty - usually found in the refrigerated section.)
1 package or 3 TBS - dried shaved bonito flakes (shaved salted Tuna)
3"x3" piece of kombu or 1 sheet of shredded Nori (sushi wrap)
3 scallions - chopped

Supplementary Ingredients used in this miso soup recipe:

6-8 dried shitake mushrooms
1/2 pkg. of tofu - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1-2 bundles of somen (a very thin white noodle - bundled in the center with a paper strip)
or a handful of rice vermicelli

Soak dried shitake mushrooms in warm water till tender and rinse. Cut out and discard stems and slice thinly.

In a medium sauce pan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, add miso and bonito flakes, and whip until miso is completely dissolved.

Add Mushrooms, scallions and tofu. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile cook somen to package directions (2-3 minutes). Pour soup over somen, top with fresh cut scallions and serve.

*** For a light clear miso soup called “shirumono” which means "soothing to drink", it is usually served for breakfast or as an appetizer in the first course of the Japanese meal.

Bring water to a boil.

Add; miso, bonito flakes, dashi & scallions. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, allow bonito flakes to settle to the bottom. Pour through a strainer.

Top with fresh cut scallions and serve.

Supplemental ingredients for miso soup recipes:

Add some variety to your miso soup with these supplementary ingredients to the basic stock recipe.

Serve with a bowl of rice or over noodles. There are also many different variety of noodles - my favorite are; somen - very thin and soba - very thick. Here are just a few additions but try adding anything you like.

Dried Seaweed: 2-3 strips of dried kombu. Soak the kombu strips in warm water till tender and rinse. Cut into 1" x 2" strips or tie knots along the strip and cut between the knots or slice in long thin strips.

Gobo Tempura: Fried fish cake with burdock. Slice into rectangular strips. It is precooked and found in the refrigerated section. There are many varieties.

Spinach / Lettuce: Rinse and tear lettuce into 3x3 squares / cut spinach leaves in half. Add just before serving.


Marinated Tofu Stir FryServes 6-8

Marinade Ingredients:

½ cup Soy Sauce (I prefer low-sodium tamari, a wheat-free Japanese soy)
Sesame Oil, a few drops
Rice wine vinegar, to taste
Garlic (2 cloves minced)
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. block of Firm or Extra Firm Tofu

Stir-Fry Ingredients:

1 each medium sized red and green pepper (julienne cut)
1 medium onion (julienne cut)
1 carrot (julienne cut)
2 stalks celery (bias cut)
1 cup fresh brocolli florettes
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
4 cups cooked rice
Oil (for cooking)

Directions:

Gently squeeze the extra liquid out of block of tofu with a paper towel. Cut tofu into ½ inch by 1inch pieces.

Mix all marinade ingredients together and toss tofu in marinade. Let stand for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better) tossing occasionally.

While tofu is marinating, cut all ingredients for the stir-fry. If necessary, cook the rice and have ready.

In a wok or deep sided fry pan, heat to medium-hot, 1-2 TBS of good quality oil (canola or olive oil work well).

Remove tofu from marinade and stir-fry for 2 minutes(save marinade for sauce). Remove tofu and set aside.

Stir-fry peppers, onion, carrot and celery for 3-4 minutes. Add brocolli and sprouts and fry another 2 minutes. Add marinade and bring liquid to a boil.

Thicken the sauce with 1 TBS of cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with a little water then add cooked tofu. Simmer for 1-2 minutes and serve over hot rice.


Tofu Cheesecake

Serves 6-8

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 TBS sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2-16oz. pkgs. firm tofu
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup sugar


Preheat oven to 375'.

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter together until well blended. Press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake 8-10 minutes until firm. Let cool.

Blend tofu and all the rest of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture into the baked pie shell.

Bake for 40 minutes. Serve well chilled topped with fresh or frozen fruit or any choice of fruit sauces.

[Rochelle]

10 Scariest Fast Food Dishes
By Joe Wilkes

Skeleton with Bad FoodThis Halloween, forget the ghosts and goblins. The scariest thing out there is the food you can get from a drive-through window. These menu items will stop your heart cold . . . with arterial plaque! Read on and feel the chill of the ice cream shakes that can turn you into . . . The Creature with Two Butts. Or feel the cold grip of death around your heart from . . . The Burger That Was Too Big to Eat! And we challenge you to look away from . . . The Mystery Bowl of Fat. Enter this fast food hall of shame . . . if you dare!

1. Deluxe Breakfast at McDonald'sDeluxe Breakfast (McDonald's). Breakfast. The most important meal of the day. . . the day of the dead! McDonald's, the restaurant that figured out how to fill bread with pancake syrup, starts the day off with a plate full of hotcakes, hash browns, eggs, and sausage—1,140 calories worth! Sure, it's only about half the calories you need in a day, but you get almost ALL of the RDA of fat—59 grams! And 94 percent of your RDA of sodium. I'm lovin' it!® Truly a breakfast only the Cryptkeeper would love. The Egg McMuffin, meanwhile, only has 300 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 34 percent of your day's sodium allowance.

2. The BaconatorThe Baconator (Wendy's). Six strips of bacon, on top of two quarter-pound patties of ground beef with cheese and mayo. If a vampire sucks your blood after you eat this, he'd better be packing some Lipitor. This will set you back 830 calories, with 51 grams of fat, 22 of which are saturated, and almost a full supply of your sodium RDA. This is a sad, new menu item from Wendy's, especially since this is one of the better fast food chains, healthwise. A cup of their chili is only 220 calories with 6 grams of fat. And their Mandarin Chicken Salad (without dressing) is 360 calories with 16 grams of fat.
3. Stacker Quad at Burger KingThe BK Stacker Quad (Burger King). Because you can't spell quadruple bypass without "quad." The BK Stacker is the burger concept designed for people with a flair for architecture, poor impulse control, and/or unhingeable jaws. This outdoes the Baconator with an extra two strips of bacon (eight total) and, as its name suggests, a full FOUR beef patties. This adds up to a nice round 1,000 calories and a full day's supply of fat (68 grams; 30 saturated). Yes you can have it your way . . . to the grave! Mwahahahaha! Or you could get the Tendergrill Chicken Fillet (hold the mayo!) which has 400 calories and only 7 grams of fat.

4. Double Six-Dollar BurgerThe Double Six-Dollar Burger (Carl's Jr.). This burger is marketed on the West Coast as a thrifty alternative to the ginormous burgers served at more "upscale" restaurants, like Fuddrucker's. So you can dress up like Rich Uncle Pennybags this Halloween. It costs $5.49, but I guess since it's double, it could work out to be a TWELVE-dollar burger. It has a whopping 1,520 calories and 111 grams of fat (47 grams saturated). With these kinds of savings, you won't need any more fat for two whole days! So if it's a twelve-dollar value, you're essentially saving $6.51 per burger by eating at Carl's. That means you only need to eat about 153 burgers to save up enough to afford a home defibrillation kit! Or you might check out Carl's Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich with only 360 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. For you East Coasters who want to get onto the defibrillation plan, Carl's sister chain, Hardee's, serves up the Monster Thickburger, which puts up similar numbers as the Double Six-Dollar Burger.

5. Meat Lover's Stuffed Crust Pizza at Pizza HutMeat Lover's Stuffed Crust Pizza (Pizza Hut). Halloween. The season of disguises. And Pizza Hut has hidden extra cheese in the crust of their pizza. This cheese-stuffed delight topped with all of your favorite saturated-fat-laden meaty favorites has 520 calories for one slice, or one-eighth of a 14-inch pie. But who can eat just one piece? If you show restraint and only have two pieces, you're in for 1,040 calories and 58 grams of fat (24 saturated). And if you show no restraint and eat the whole pie, you've got 4,160 calories (that's two days' worth) and 232 grams of fat (four days' worth). Or you could have the Veggie Lovers' Thin 'N Crispy Pizza, which will only set you back 180 calories and 7 grams of fat per slice of an eight-slice, 12-inch pizza.

6. Chicken & Biscuit BowlChicken & Biscuit Bowl (KFC). Maybe you're dressing as a zombie this Halloween and you want to approximate the experience of eating brains fresh from the skull. Give KFC's Chicken & Biscuit Bowl a try. It's not nearly as healthy as human brains, but it is a big bowl of mushy, fatty garbage. It layers mashed potatoes with corn and bits of batter-fried chicken. Then the Colonel tops the whole thing with gravy AND cheese to maximize the artery-clogging value. Stick a white-flour biscuit in the side and you have a bowl full of 870 calories and 44 grams of fat. That calorie count will almost erase any suspicion that this is just a previous customer's plate scrapings. Instead, try the Tender Roast Sandwich (without sauce). It's only 300 calories with 4.5 grams of fat. You could eat three of them before you approach the Chicken & Biscuit Bowl's calories and still only have a third of the fat.

7. Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito at Taco BellGrilled Stuft Beef Burrito (Taco Bell). Ready to bust out the sombrero and serape for a Halloween stereotype? You might enjoy this equally authentic Mexican burrito which comes in at 680 calories and 30 grams of fat. This doesn't begin to approach the technology of the burger joints' fat delivery systems, but you'll still have to make a pretty long run for the border to burn this baby off. And the restaurant that pioneered the concept of the "fourth meal" generally encourages you to buy it as part of a combo, accompanied with another menu item like a 200-to-300-calorie taco or two, which can get you over the thousand-calorie mark before you know it. Instead, check out the "Fresco" menu wherein they have several of their popular favorites with the cheese and sour cream swapped out for salsa. Most of the Fresco items are under 200 calories and 8 grams of fat or less.

8. Caramel PecanbonCaramel Pecanbon (Cinnabon). Who doesn't like a little snack with their coffee at the mall? But something wicked this way comes in the form of this roll from Cinnabon. It packs a whopping 1,100 calories and 56 grams of fat. It makes Wendy's Baconator look like a light dining option. Instead, the sorcerers at Cinnabon have magically shrunk their namesake product into a Minibon, which only has 300 calories and 11 grams of fat. A sensible treat instead of a fat trick.

9. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard at Dairy QueenChocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard (Dairy Queen). How about dressing up as Cookie Monster? How about Cookie Monster with an insulin pump? At the DQ you can carboload with this large milkshake. It'll give you 1,320 calories and 52 grams of fat, 27 grams of which are saturated, and 6 grams are trans fat! Trans fat? You heard me. It's like the 90s are back! And this is likely a dessert you're eating after you've had a burger and fries. Instead, try satisfying your sweet tooth with a 150-calorie soft-serve cone with only 5 grams of fat.

10. Oreo PizzaOreo Pizza (Domino's). Halloween brings out all kinds of unholy manmade mutants like the Wolfman, Frankenstein, and Michael Jackson. This monstrosity from Domino's wouldn't be out of place on the buffet at the Island of Dr. Moreau. I can only imagine the potential dishes in our future if this culinary atrocity takes off. Chocolate-covered french fries? Kung Pao cookies? Caramel Buffalo wings? Half of a 10-inch pizza has 480 calories and 16 grams of fat, 4 grams of which are saturated. Hmmmm . . . it's actually not that unhealthy. But who'd want to eat it? Bleccch!

[Rochelle]

Weight-loss help: How to stop emotional eating

Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you're at your weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort — consciously or unconsciously — when they're facing a difficult problem or looking to keep themselves occupied.

But emotional eating — eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and loneliness — can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet, salty and fatty foods.

The good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.
The connection between mood and food

Major life events — such as unemployment, health problems and divorce — and daily life hassles — such as a stressful work commute, bad weather and changes in your normal routine — can trigger emotions that lead to overeating. But why do negative emotions lead to overeating?

Some foods may have seemingly addictive qualities. For example, when you eat enticing foods, such as chocolate, your body releases trace amounts of mood- and satisfaction-elevating hormones. That "reward" may reinforce a preference for foods that are most closely associated with specific feelings. Related to this is the simple fact that the pleasure of eating offsets negative emotions.

Food can also be a distraction. If you're worried about an upcoming event or rethinking an earlier conflict, eating comfort foods may distract you. But the distraction is only temporary. While you're eating, your thoughts focus on the pleasant taste of your comfort food. Unfortunately, when you're done overeating, your attention returns to your worries, and you may now bear the additional burden of guilt about overeating.
How to regain control of your eating habits

Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take steps to control those cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try these suggestions:

* Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to pass.

* Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.

* Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.

* Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue, postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings don't influence your decisions at the store.

* Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.

* Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast. Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more likely to feel fuller, longer.

* Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's fit and well rested.

If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that ensure better health.

[Rochelle]

Identify Your Fattening Feelings

If you are someone who eats to quell emotions, it's important, at this point, to start paying attention to your feelings of hunger. What you'll probably discover in doing so is that much of what you've labeled hunger is actually something else -- anger, boredom, fatigue, depression, or loneliness.

There are huge differences between emotional hunger and physical hunger, as the chart that follows outlines:

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[Rochelle]

Part 2

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[Rochelle]

Tastes from around the world
By Tams

Foods:

Fage Yogurt For a taste of Greece
FINAX-Good For You Musli For a taste of Sweden
Lingon Berry For a taste of Sweden
Fage tzatziki For a taste of Greece You can make your own.. Use whole milk yogurt, FINELY CHOP THE FOLLOWING: olives, garlic, cucumbers, salt pepper, chives, This is a great treat in sandwiches or paired with meats or salads and incredibly tasty
Clotted Cream (Devonshire) For a taste of England (watch the calorie though!!!
BBQ Bake Beans (Make your own) For a taste of England Try your beans with Toast and Eggs SOOOOO GOOD!
Be adventurous!! Try Duck, Elk, Buffalo, Rabbit, Deer, Oxtail, Ostrich burgers, Pheasant, Pigeons (only if you are in Europe where they are bred for cuisine), Wild Boar, Alligator if you are in Louisiana), Octopus, Squid etc.

Spices:

Cardamom Taste incredible in coffee teas, Oatmeal and even rice
Asian 5 spice blend For a taste of India
Garam Masala Blend (powder) For a taste of China (good for making roast duck, pork, chicken)
All Spice Great in Meats like pork and Lamb (Jamaica)
Turmeric Powder For a taste of India
Curry Powder For a taste of India or Thailand
Szechwan Pepper For a taste of China
Dukkah nut and spice blend For a taste of Egypt!
Japanese Wasabi Powder for a taste of Japan, hey make your own sushi.. I can send recipe!

Sauce:

Fish Sauce (Thai) For a taste of Thailand/Asia
Jamaican Jerk Sauce (Walker's wood) For a taste of Jamaica
Tamarind For a taste of Jamaica, India, Thailand (good on pork, chicken and good source of vitamin C)
Herbes de Provence For a taste of France (Oi!)
Black Bean Sauce For a taste of China
Red Curry Past For a taste of Thailand
Green Curry Paste For a taste of Thailand
Marmite For a taste of England you either HATE Or you LOVE IT!

Sweetner:

Xylitol (Finnland) Xylitol combats cavities - Xylitol is a sweetener that occurs naturally. It is found in many fruits and vegetables and is even produced by the human body during normal carbohydrate metabolism. Xylitol is typically manufactured from birch trees or other natural xylan-rich sources.

[Rochelle]

Speaking of emotional eating...I am a self-proclaimed emotional eater! I understand the struggles and frustrations of it!

This is a picture that my son and hubby took!

I was OUT OF CONTROL, and ...

...in an exasperated move, my family FLUSHED THE DONUTS!!!!!! (Believe it or not...the toilet did not plug up!)

I had no clue until I found the picture!!!!

I was mad!
Mad I say!

I mean, we were talking about perfectly good donuts!!!!

Now...looking back...my men did me such a wonderful favor and a true act of love!

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[Rochelle]

CLEAN-EATING PRINCIPALS:

*EAT 5-6 SMALL MEALS EVERY DAY

*EAT EVERY 2-3 HOURS

*COMBINE LEAN PROTEIN AND COMPLEX CARBS AT EVERY MEAL

*DRINK AT LEAST 2 LITERS, OR 8 CUPS OF WATER EACH DAY

*NEVER MISS A MEAL, ESPECIALLY BREAKFAST

*CARRY A COOLER LOADED WITH CLEAN-EATING FOODS TO GET YOU THROUGH YOUR DAY

*AVOID ALL OVER-PROCESSED, REFINED FOODS,ESPECIALLY WHITE FLOUR AND SUGAR

*AVOID ALL SATURATED AND TRANS FAT

*AVOID SUGAR-LOADED COLAS AND JUICES

*CONSUME ADEQUATE HEALTHY FATS(EFAs) EACH DAY

*AVOID ALCOHOL-ANOTHER FORM OF SUGAR

*AVOID ALL CALORIE-DENSE FOODS CONTAINING NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE

*DEPEND ON FRESH FRUITS AND VEGGIES FOR FIBER,VITAMINS AND ENZYMES

*STICK TO PROPER PORTION SIZES-GIVE UP THE SUPER SIZING!

[Rochelle]

Please take the time to read this from a recent Tony Horton chat! Be forewarned...it may make you uncomfortable or angry, but there is TRUTH in it!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Chat Room Throw Down

Kids,

Turns out I went off in chat last Monday night and a dear friend sent me the transcript from my rant. As I read it over I realize now that I could have been a tad kinder, but the bulk of the message is still important for people to understand. I did some editing but left most of it in intact. I'd love to hear your comments.

TH-



ALRIGHT, SIT BACK, AND RELAX.
LET'S GO OVER A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A GENERAL LACK OF WILLPOWER,
AND THERE ALSO SEEMS TO BE, LIKE CANI SAID, POOR PLANNING.
SHOWING UP TO A PARTY HUNGRY, NEVER A GOOD IDEA, YOU'RE SCREWED.
NOW I COULD SIT HERE AND I COULD TELL YOU LITTLE TIPS ABOUT HOW TO HELP YOU CONTROL YOUR EATING HABITS,
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR FOOD, AND I DO IT WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH,YEAR AFTER YEAR
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE SAME PEOPLE (I KNOW WHO YOU ARE - YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) CONTINUE TO JUST LET FOOD WIN.
AM I CORRECT?
I MEAN, YOU DO THE PROGRAMS, AND YOU COME INTO THE CHAT ROOMS AND YOU GO INTO MESSAGE BOARDS
AND YOU'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND YOU HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS, AND YOU LOSE SOME WEIGHT, AND GAIN IT BACK
THEN YOU LOSE SOME MORE, AND GAIN BACK MORE, AND IT'S JUST A CYCLE THAT CONTINUES.
SOMETIMES YOU TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!
SAD, BORING AND PATHETIC, REALLY...
YOU BLAME IT ON YOUR PARENTS AND YOU BLAME IT ON WORK
AND YOU BLAME IT ON STRESS
AND YOU BLAME IT ON POOR PLANNING,
OR ON THE WEATHER OR LACK OF SLEEP
AND YOU SORT OF TAKE THE BLAME, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE ANY CHANGES.
I MEAN, IF IT DOESN'T MATTER
CUZ APPARENTLY IT DOESN'T
CUZ IF IT DID
THIS WOULD NO LONGER BE A PROBLEM FOR MOST OF YOU.
BUT THE SAD FACT OF THE MATTER IS, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!
IT'S NOT LIKE THIS COMPANY IS SELLING YOU SOME SILLY WEIGHT LOSS DIET PROGRAM THAT IS ASKING YOU TO EAT FUNKY PORTIONS OF STUPID FOOD FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
YOU HAVE TEMPTATIONS AND YOU SUCCUMB TO THEM. PERIOD.
NOW MY JOB TONIGHT IS NOT TO SIT HERE AND POINT FINGERS AND CALL YOU NAMES, AND SAY THAT YOU ARE LOSERS.
BUT IT'S TIME FOR A LITTLE TOUGH LOVE PEOPLE.
AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, I'M 50 AND LIFE IS EXTRAORDINARILY SHORT.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE LIVED 10 LIVES ALREADY AND AS WE ALL GET OLDER, IT DOESN'T GET ANY EASIER, UNLESS WE DO THE RIGHT THING.
SUCCUMBING TO TEMPTATION BASED ON OUTSIDE INFLUENCES AND INFLUENCES INSIDE OUR HEADS
JUST MAKES LIFE SUCH A DULL BORING FRUSTRATING DRAG.
ICK!
IS THIS WHAT WE WANT?
IS THIS GOOD ENOUGH?
IS IT?
BUT WHAT THE HELL YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT?
BECAUSE CHANGE IS A ***** MAN.
BUT IF YOU WANT THE LIFE THAT I THINK YOU THINK YOU DESERVE, THEN YOU HAVE TO DO THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
CUZ I GOTTA SAY, WHEN I SHOW UP TO EVENTS (TEAM BEACHBODY EVENTS OR CAMPS) AND I SEE PEOPLE WHO USED TO BE FIT WHO AREN'T, I JUST THINK, WHAT HAPPENED?
AND I KNOW THE ECONOMY IS ROUGH AND THINGS HAPPEN IN LIFE THAT ARE BRUTAL, BUT SINCE WHEN DOES FOOD SOLVE ANY OF OUR PROBLEMS?
IT MAKES THINGS WORSE!
WE NEED SOMETHING TO MAKE US FEEL GOOD FOR 10 SECONDS, BUT ALL IT'S DOING IS MAKING OUR SITUATION WORSE!
[LisaErin82] Tony__how did you get into fitness? what keeps you going day in and day out? do you take 'breaks' throughout the year?
LISA, GOOD QUESTION.
WHICH TIES INTO THIS TOPIC.
BECAUSE I HAVE TO!
BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO!
BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE SUCKS!
MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CHAT ROOM KNOW THAT IT’S TOO VITAL, IT'S TOO IMPORTANT.
IT MAKES LIFE SO MUCH BETTER. NOT TO DO IT MAKES FOR A LESSER LIFE.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND YOUR LESSER LIFE KEEP ON EATING CRAP BASED ON ALL YOUR LAME EXCUSES.
I GOT INTO FITNESS BECAUSE I WANTED TO LOOK BETTER, I STAYED IN FITNESS BECAUSE I LIKE FEELING BETTER.
I LIKE THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE TO IMPROVE, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT EXERCISE AND EATING RIGHT DOES THAT.
I LIKE BEING FIT AND I LIKE BEING HEALTHY.
I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE THINGS
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT TO ACHIEVE THEM, I HAVE TO EAT RIGHT AND EXERCISE AT LEAST 6 DAYS A WEEK
MY POOR EATING HAS DIMINISHED LESS AND LESS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
I'VE ALMOST CUT CHOCOLATE OUT. WHICH IS HARD FOR ME.
I NOTICE THAT WHEN I GET TO THAT ROUGH PATCH OF 2 OR 3 WEEKS WHEN I'M TRYING TO GET OFF OF ANY KIND OF A PARTICULAR BAD FOOD HABIT THE CRAVINGS GO AWAY AND I FEEL BETTER MORE OFTEN.
I SLEEP BETTER.
MY DIGESTION IS BETTER.
MY ENERGY IS UP.
MY MOODS ARE UPBEAT AND POSITIVE MORE OFTEN.
BTW, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH YOUR DIET (WHICH I KNOW IS PROBABLY MORE THAN 11 OF YOU)
IF YOU NOTICE YOU'RE STRUGGLING IN LIFE, GUESS WHAT?
THAT STRUGGLE COMES WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH FIRST, NOT VISA VERSA
ONE CAUSES THE OTHER.
IT'S NOT COINCIDENCE THAT YOUR WACK DIET IS PART OF YOUR WACK LIFE.
EVERYBODY READ ME?
HEARING ME?
FEELING ME?
ANYBODY THINK I'M TALKING TO THEM DIRECTLY?
HOW DOES THAT FEEL?
KINDA CRAPPY, RIGHT?
AS DR. PHIL WOULD SAY
HOW'S THAT WORKING OUT FOR YOU?
WHEN THIS CHAT IS OVER TONIGHT I WANT YOU TO WALK AWAY WITH SOME THOUGHTS IN YOUR HEAD THAT MIGHT NOT EXIST AFTER A NORMAL CHAT.
ONE THOUGHT OR QUESTION I SHOULD SAY IS... WHAT AM I GONNA DO ABOUT IT?
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
YOU'RE JUST LETTING LIFE PUSH YOU AROUND.
SUPER LEAN, SUPER RIPPED, SUPER HEALTHY, SUPER STRONG PEOPLE DO EVERYTHING RIGHT.
PEOPLE THAT ARE PRETTY RIPPED, PRETTY HEALTHY, PRETTY STRONG, DO MOST THINGS RIGHT
PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT OVERWEIGHT, NOT UNHEALTHY, BUT LOOK OK DO ABOUT HALF OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS RIGHT.
I COULD KEEP GOING BUT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M HEADED.
3 MONTHS AGO, I WAS DOING MY 90/10 % PLAN AND THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD, YOU KNOW, 6 PACK, ETC.
BUT WHEN I CLEANED IT UP MORE, I'M JUST LEANER AND I FEEL BETTER.
IT WORKED FOR ME
AND I DON'T MISS THE CHOCOLATE.
YOU KIDS NEED A PLAN.
ANYBODY WANT A PLAN RIGHT NOW?
FREE OF CHARGE?
NOW THIS PLAN IS SO SIMPLE IT'S GONNA FREAK YOU OUT!
YOU HAVE YOUR PIECES OF PAPER AND WRITING UTENSILS READY?
AT THE TOP OF A PIECE OF PAPER WRITE THIS;
I, [WRITE YOUR OWN NAME] HEREBY DECLARE THAT I WILL FOLLOW THE TONY HORTON FOOD PLAN FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU KIDS THE HARD CORE VERSION NOT MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THE FOOD PLAN.
OK, PICK UP YOUR PENCILS AGAIN.
#1
FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS I WILL NOT EAT WHITE BREAD OR ANYTHING MADE WITH ENRICHED FLOUR OR PROCESSED FLOUR
SNICKERS BARS.
DONE!
OUT!
GONE!
BYE BYE!
SEE YA LATER!
NO MAS!
SIANARA!
GOT IT?
GET IT?
DO IT!
#2
I WILL GREATLY REDUCE MY DIARY INTAKE.
AND FOR SOME OF YOU NO MORE DIARY!
GET IT?
DO IT!
NO MORE PIZZA WITH A TON OF CHEESE!
NO MORE MILK!
NO MORE ICE CREAM!
GONE!
OUT!
GO BUY SOME ALMOND MILK OR RICE MILK.
OR I'LL SMACK YA.
#3
NO MORE CARBONATED BEVERAGES.
NO MORE PEPSI.
NO MORE COKE.
NO MORE 7 UP.
NO MORE SPRITE.
NO MORE DR. PEPPER.
NO MORE DIET PEPSI.
NO MORE DIET COKE.
NO MORE ZERO COKE.
NO MORE MOUNTAIN DEW.
NONE!
#4
WATER AND TEA ONLY!
IF YOU'RE A COFFEE PSYCHO, 1 CUP A DAY.
SHUT UP AND DO IT!
#5
AT LEAST 2 OF YOUR MEALS A DAY THERE'D BETTER BE VEGETABLES ON YOUR PLATE.
1 MEAL A DAY, THERE'D BETTER BE FRUIT.
DO IT
#6
HERE'S HOW YOU'RE GETTING YOUR PROTEIN.
NUTS, BEANS, FISH, TURKEY, AND CHICKEN.
THAT'S IT!
SHUT UP AND DO IT!
GET OFF THE RED MEAT FOR A WHILE.
OFF!
I DON'T CARE ABOUT LEAN RED MEAT.
JUST GET OFF OF IT!
#7
FOR THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF YOUR 30 DAY PLAN
WRITE IT DOWN!
WRITE IT DOWN!
EVERY MORSEL!
"OH, BUT TONY, THAT'S SO HARD, IT TAKES TIME, WHAT IF I FORGET A PEN? WHAT IF I'VE LOST MY PAD OF PAPER TO WRITE DOWN WHAT I'VE EATEN? DOES THAT MEAN I HAVE TO WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING IN MY SALAD? WHAT IF THERE'S AVOCADO, PEPPERS, MUSHROOMS, NUTS, IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF SALAD, DO I HAVE TO WRITE IT ALL DOWN?"
SHUT UP YOU WHINY LITTLE BI*****!
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE LARGE AND YOU WANT THIS MICROSCOPICALLY SHORT LIFE OF YOURS TO BE WORTH SHOWING UP FOR
THEN YOU'LL MAKE A PLAN.
YOU'LL DO WHAT I SAY AND THINGS WILL BE GOOD!
OR YOU'LL KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND THEN YOU'LL JUST BE WHAT YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, OR WORSE.
OKAY?
THIS COUNTRY HAS TURNED INTO PRE-ROME, AND THE EMPIRE'S ABOUT TO COLLAPSE.
THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BEGIN TO TURN IT AROUND IS TO START TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES FIRST, SO THAT WE HAVE THE ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM TO TAKE CARE OF THE REST OF THE CRAP THAT IS GOING SOUTH IN OUR LIVES.
POOR EATING HABITS AND LACK OF PHYSICAL MOVEMENT HAS TURNED THE VAST MAJORITY OF US INTO WHINY LITTLE CRY BABY LOSERS.
FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN THIS STATE OF QUIET DESPERATION.
IT'S LIKE JOE THE PLUMBER...
GOOD GRIEF!
THE GUY, AND NOT TO GET POLITICAL, BECAUSE IT'S NOT POLITICAL AT ALL.
HERE'S A GUY PRETENDING TO BE A PLUMBER
WHEN HE'S ACTUALLY AN UNLICENSED CONTRACTOR WHO DOES PLUMBING, PROCLAIMING THAT HE HAS THE MONEY TO BUY THIS $250,000 PLUMBING BUSINESS, WHEN IN ACTUALITY THE PLUMBING BUSINESS IS ACTUALLY A $100,000 PLUMBING BUSINESS. HE STILL OWES BACK TAXES AND HE MAKES LESS THAN $40k A YEAR. JOE IS MAKING THINGS UP TO MAKE A POINT.
SO JOE THE PLUMBER NEEDS TO READ LAW #5
GET REAL JOE!
WE HAVE TO STOP PRETENDING THAT LIFE IS SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING TO US.
THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE STILL A LITTLE CONFUSED IS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR LIVES. THE ONE THAT IS HAPPENING, NOT THE PRETEND ONE.
WE HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR EATING.
WE HAVE TO STOP THE FANTASY VERSION AND START BELIEVING IN THE REAL ONE.
WE HAVE TO STOP PRETENDING THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO GET BETTER BECAUSE WE JUST BOUGHT A NEW CRYSTAL, OR OUR PALM READING WENT WELL, OR SOMEBODY ELSE'LL DO IT FOR US, OR IF WE JUST HOPE OR PRAY IT'LL GET BETTER ON ITS OWN.
GOOD GRIEF!
IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY, IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU!
IT'S JUST YOU.
YOU AND NO ONE ELSE.
NOT YOUR HUSBAND, NOT YOUR WIFE.
NOT GOD.
NOT YOUR PARENTS.
NOT YOUR WORK.
NOT THE WEATHER.
NONE OF IT.
IT'S YOU AND THE INFORMATION OR LACK THEREOF, INSIDE YOUR BRAIN.
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE MORE YOU CAN DO
I CAN GET IN HERE AND SHOW YOU LITTLE TRICKS ABOUT HOW TO EAT BETTER OR DO PUSHUPS ON YOUR KNEES BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS SUCCESS IS A DEEPER MORE PROFOUND LOOK WITHIN.
ARE YOU WITH ME PEOPLE?
CAN YOU DIG IT?
IF YOU STICK WITH THE SIMPLE PIECES TO THAT PUZZLE OR THAT PLAN, WEIGHT WILL COME FLYING OFF.
YOUR BODY WILL CHANGE.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO COUNT CALORIES.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO EAT SMALLER MEALS.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO NOT EAT A COUPLE HOURS BEFORE YOU GO TO BED.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THERE'S A LIST IN LIFE.
THE GOOD LIFE LIST
THINGS LIKE;
GETTING 7 1/2 TO 8 HOURS OF SLEEP. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE TO PASS AN EXAM TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT
EXERCISE 5_6 DAYS A WEEK. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION FROM SOMEONE ELSE.
YOU JUST DO IT!
EATING FRUITS, VEGETABLES, WHOLE GRAINS, AND LEAN PROTEIN AND NOT ALL THE OTHER GARBAGE IS HOW YOU STAY HEALTHY.
THAT’S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE BRUSH YOUR DAMN TEETH TWICE A DAY.
FLOSS ONCE IN A WHILE.
DON'T BLOW OUT YOUR CREDIT CARD SO YOU CAN'T PAY IT OFF.
CHOOSE PATIENCE OVER RAGE.
BE IN THE MOMENT.
ENJOY THE JOURNEY.
DON'T BE ATTACHED TO THE OUTCOME.
DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, BECAUSE IT'S ALL SMALL STUFF.
OPEN THE DOOR.
TRY NEW THINGS.
CHANGE IS GOOD.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE_MINDED, UPBEAT, GOOD HUMORED PEOPLE.
OKAY, HERE'S THE BOOK OF THE WEEK
IT'S CALLED "MADE TO STICK"
THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU FORMULATE NEW HABITS, THAT STICK.
THE AMAZING THING ABOUT EXERCISE AND EATING WELL...THE OUTCOME. IF YOU'RE CONSISTENT.
IT'S THE SAME FOR EVERYONE.
I KNOW I GOT ON MY BOX NICE AND TALL HERE TODAY BUT I JUST HATE SEEING SMART PEOPLE MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT'S GOT TO BE FRUSTRATING.
WHEN IT COME TO HEALTH AND FITNESS (IN GENERAL) THERE’S 3 GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
THE FIRST GROUP IS, PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW BETTER.
THEY HAVEN'T COME ACROSS THIS INFORMATION YET. THEY'RE STILL BUYING INTO WEIGHT WATCHERS, NUTRISYSTEM, HERBAL LIFE AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WORK AS LONG AS YOU USE THEM.
BUT I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN DOING WEIGHT WATCHERS FOR 15 YEARS.
THEY’RE "WEIGHT LOSS ONLY" PRODUCTS THAT ARE TEMPORARY FIXES.
THESE SAME FOLKS ARE BUYING STUPID AB CHAIRS, AB LOUNGES AND SOME ROTATING PUSHUP STANDS. THIS STUFF IS SUPPOSED TO CHANGE YOUR ENTIRE BODY?
GIVE ME A BREAK!
THEY DON'T KNOW BETTER SO THEY GET TO BE STUCK.
THEN THERE'S CATEGORY 2
PEOPLE THAT COME HERE AND UNDERSTAND THAT EXERCISE HAS TO HAPPEN 5_6 DAYS A WEEK. VARIETY WORKS!
THERE HAS TO BE INTENSITY AND CONSISTENCY.
THESE PEOPLE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT HEALTHY FOOD IS PART OF THE EQUATION. WHEN FOLKS IN CATEGORY 2 DISCOVER THIS INFORMATION THEY UNDERSTAND IT'S IMPORTANCE LIKE AIR AND WATER AND LIVE IT.
FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE (THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT ARE IN THIS CHAT ROOM) ARE IN CATEGORY 3
PEOPLE WHO KNOW BETTER BUT AREN'T WILLING TO APPLY THE INFORMATION.
IT'S LIKE KNOWING HOW TO BREATHE BUT DECIDING TO CONSTANTLY HOLD YOUR BREATH TO BE MISERABLE.
IT'S SUCH A BUMMER.

THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE THE SADDEST OF ALL.
NOT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM THEIR OWN.
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE IT MAKES SENSE TO ANYONE IN HERE?
[Neeeena] If I say "yes" will you not call us b*tches anymore?
NEEENA, I'LL CALL YOU WHAT I WANT Smile
AND I MEAN IT IN THE NICEST MOST LOVING CARING POSSIBLE WAY.
AND LIKE DR. PHIL WOULD SAY
SO HOW'S THAT GOING FOR YOU?
[Neeeena] ok then dude, you're getting a "nice and most loving caring " email.
SO WE KNOW OUR PLAN, CORRECT?
WE KNOW WHAT TO DO, RIGHT?
WE'RE GONNA DO IT RIGHT?
WHY NOT?
THE END RESULT WILL BE AWESOME!
YOU CAN ALL HAVE WHAT I HAVE AND I'M NOT THAT SMART.
I JUST FOLLOW THE RULES.
I'M LIKE SCOTT FIFER.
JUST FOLLOW THE RULES
ALRIGHT, KIDS, THAT'S IT
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
THAT'S IT, I'M OUT
GOODNIGHT EVERYONE
SEEYA IN 2 WEEKS

~Tony Horton



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here's the simplified version....

TONY HORTON'S 30 DAY PLAN
(from October 24, 2008)

YOU KIDS NEED A PLAN.
ANYBODY WANT A PLAN RIGHT NOW?
FREE OF CHARGE?
NOW THIS PLAN IS SO SIMPLE IT'S GONNA FREAK YOU OUT!
YOU HAVE YOUR PIECES OF PAPER AND WRITING UTENSILS READY?
AT THE TOP OF A PIECE OF PAPER WRITE THIS;
I, [WRITE YOUR OWN NAME] HEREBY DECLARE THAT I WILL FOLLOW THE TONY HORTON FOOD PLAN FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU KIDS THE HARD CORE VERSION NOT MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THE FOOD PLAN.
OK, PICK UP YOUR PENCILS AGAIN.

#1
FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS I WILL NOT EAT WHITE BREAD OR ANYTHING MADE WITH ENRICHED FLOUR OR PROCESSED FLOUR.
NO SNICKERS BARS.

#2
I WILL GREATLY REDUCE MY DAIRY INTAKE.
AND FOR SOME OF YOU NO MORE DAIRY!

#3
NO MORE CARBONATED BEVERAGES.
NONE!

#4
WATER AND TEA ONLY!
IF YOU'RE A COFFEE PSYCHO, 1 CUP A DAY.

#5
AT LEAST 2 OF YOUR MEALS A DAY THERE'D BETTER BE VEGETABLES ON YOUR PLATE.
1 MEAL A DAY, THERE'D BETTER BE FRUIT.
DO IT

#6
HERE'S HOW YOU'RE GETTING YOUR PROTEIN.
NUTS, BEANS, FISH, TURKEY, AND CHICKEN.
THAT'S IT!

#7
FOR THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF YOUR 30 DAY PLAN
WRITE IT DOWN!
WRITE IT DOWN!
EVERY MORSEL!

[Rochelle]

Often we are asked how a program like Slim in 6 can work if you are working out the same muscles daily for 6 weeks. This article will explain the process behind the program.

Slim Training: Yes You Can Change Your Shape!

Beach Body has created a new technique for slimming the body, called "Slim Training™", which is the basis for a new program called Slim in 6™ - but it’s something you can create on your own as well. While Slim Training is not a revolutionary fitness concept altogether, it is the first time it has been tested andorganized into a system to work for everyone.

Slim Training combines many elements from traditional fitness programs into one routine that specifically targets all of your energy systems in order to slim down your body. If you have ever done basic training in the military or completed a pre-season "hell week" for a sport, chances are that you have done a similar type of program. What makes Slim Training unique is that instead of being targeted at a sport or performance-related goal, this program is designed to target the way you look and feel!

Sound science: Slim Training is, for the most part, sound science. For six weeks, six days a week, each session you should warm-up, stretch out, work out all of your muscle groups, and your cardiovascular system, then warm down. The 6-week program starts at an easy pace and increases in intensity over time until you peak around the sixth week. Then you should take a break for rest and recovery.

Revolutionary science: Slim training differs from most techniques in that you work all of your muscle groups every day for 6 consecutive days. This is in stark contrast to what most professionals say is optimum. The reason it works is that each workout doesn't totally max each muscle group. While the overall workouts should be intense, you shouldn't overload each muscle group to the point where it needs the standard 48 hours for recovery.

If you decide to use Slim in 6 to get the results of the Slim Training technique, the program's "coach" and creator, Debbie Siebers (also of "Thin Thighs Guaranteed!") is there to make certain that you don't overdo it. If you decide to construct a Slim Training™ routine of your own for six weeks - for instance combining the Sculpt and Sweat tapes of Power 90 into one daily "Slim Session", each workout should tax your system enough so that you can ensure strength gains and maximize your body's fat burning capabilities WITHOUT OVERTRAINING. Use low weight and high repetition resistance training. This allows for only very slight muscle hypertrophy (growth), which is offset by the body's fat loss over the course of the 6 week program. The result is a slimmer, fitter you.

Important: If you decide to turn your current program into a Slim Training program: If you are working your body to its maximum right now and try this, you could overload your body and "overtrain". Overtraining can lead to compromised progress, injuries, and eventually illness. When you workout hard (like in Power 90), your body breaks down. You need to wait for it to recover to train again. That’s how you get stronger. But if you work out too soon, then you will actually reduce your strength and weaken your body’s systems. You must exercise caution not to overdo it if you decide to put your own Slim Training program together!

Overtraining is why the time between resistance workouts should normally vary from a day to as many as 6 or 7 days, depending upon individual recuperative ability, size and type of muscle, efficient use of supplements, diet, rest and other restorative techniques, and the severity of the overload.

Six to seven days for recovery is for severe overload only and is in the realm of the serious athlete. "Normal" gym type workouts will not generate this much "microtrauma" to your system.

Overload is what we call intensity of the workout, with intensity meaning purely resistance training. Meaning simply that for Slim Training, the amount of weight that you push around should be reduced. You don't want to attempt to lift your maximum weight. If you ever fail at less than 12-15 reps, then lighten the load. You can recover quickly from daily aerobic exercise but resistance training (heavy weights, plyometrics, etc) will hammer you if you attempt to do it to the max each day. This doesn't mean that you don't work hard. It just means that you need to re-set your gauges for the purposes of Slim Training™. Don't attempt to lift the same weights you were lifting when you were resting a day or more between sessions. That would be a recipe for overtraining. But if you can make yourself re-adjust and go backwards (hard for some), then you can turn your current program into a Slim Training program and expect results.

Finally, remember that Slim Training was designed to only last 6 weeks. It can be a taxing program. You should back off once you peak and give yourself some time to recover while you get ready to blast away at your next program.

So if you want to change your body shape from say, a pear shape to a V shape, you’ll find this Slim Training technique is a great tool for you when utilized correctly!

[Rochelle]

Need to "ease" into healthy eating? Then you need a plan!

The Easy Six Week Diet Transition

In some ways, changing your diet is similar to making a successful resolution in that it's conceptual at first. Your long-range goal should just be to eat well. As your healthy eating behavior becomes a habit, you will find the other intangibles (such as weight loss, energy gained, etc.) falling into place. The easiest way to accomplish this is a gradual transition from food choices that don't help to food choices that do. By making this transition gradually over six weeks, we've found it to be the easiest diet program ever recommended.

Working in a 6-week cycle, you can train (or trick, if you will) your body into craving more nutritious foods. This cycle is easier if you're exercising because your body will crave the proper nutrients to re-build its broken down tissue.

Week 1
Eliminate the junk from your diet. That's it, just junk; no potato chips, candy, ice cream, etc. Other than this you may eat whatever you like... and here's the kicker: you may cheat on this twice, and that means for TWO WHOLE DAYS YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU LIKE AND STILL SUCCEED!

Week 2
No eating for 3-hours before you go to bed. That way your body can go to sleep in fat-burning mode, rather than in calorie-storing mode. Plus each week carries over, so you still cannot have junk, except for the 2 days when you may cheat and eat whenever and whatever you like.

Week 3
Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day. If you make yourself do this, the size will control itself because you won't ever get ravenously hungry. Try to keep each meal balanced as close to 30% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 30% fat as you can - and try and eat for what you will be doing for the next three hours (If you're working out, eat more, sitting at a desk, eat less)... Still no junk food, and still no eating three hours before bedtime. You may cheat on two days.

Week 4
Eliminate fast food and alcohol. This can be hard for many of us because we now have to plan our meals, but hey, it's only for a couple weeks. People tend to forget that alcohol has calories, and it also slows your metabolism. Cheat ONLY ONE DAY this week.

Week 5
Eat whole foods. This means that you eliminate any processed foods from your diet, such as bread, most salad dressings, almost all cereal, luncheon meats, cheese, anything with preservatives, and most everything served in restaurants. What you can eat are whole foods such as fruit, raw or steamed vegetables, meat (sans any type of sauce), natural grain rice, poached eggs, etc. It shouldn't be terribly hard since your eating habits have been slowly changing. Still, it's a hard week because it will feel like dieting. Try not to cheat, but you may if you find yourself getting ravenous - just keep your blowout to a minimum.

Week 6
Eat healthy. Eat whatever you want, following the general rules we've followed for the last five weeks. You may be surprised to find yourself craving something healthy instead of a candy bar or pint of Ben & Jerry's. You should now be better at listening to your body because it will tell you what it needs to eat, as opposed to what you're used to eating - especially if you're working out. Keep a couple of cheating days, allowing yourself to give in to occasional indulgences. Just try not to overdo it.

Now take some time off and don't think about dieting. Have your eating habits changed? Most likely they have. You may find that your body feels transformed and that you've shed some fat! More importantly, because you have gradually changed your lifestyle, your body is likely to maintain this change, without a lot of effort on your part.

You should now know enough about yourself to tweak the next 6-week plan to suit you. However, keep the cheating days. They are important, and not just because they allow you to have fun. Whenever you are restricting your caloric intake, your metabolism wants to slow down because it thinks that you are starving. By "cheating" a couple of days a week, you actually trick your metabolism to stay higher, so you lose more fat."

[Rochelle]

PREVENTING OVERTRAINING- WHEN LESS IS MORE

Overtraining syndrome frequently occurs in athletes who are training for competition or a specific event and train beyond the body's ability to recover. Athletes often exercise longer and harder so they can improve. But without adequate rest and recovery, these training regimens can backfire, and actually decrease performance.

Conditioning requires a balance between overload and recovery. Too much overload and/or too little recovery may result in both physical and psychology symptoms of overtraining syndrome.

Common warning signs of overtraining include:

Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
Pain in muscles and joints
Sudden drop in performance
Insomnia
Headaches
Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
Decrease in training capacity / intensity
Moodiness and irritability
Depression
Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
Decreased appetite
Increased incidence of injuries.
A compulsive need to exercise

It's hard to predict overtraining since everyone's body is different. It is important, however, to vary training through the year and schedule in significant rest time.

Treating Overtraining Syndrome

If you suspect you are overtraining, the first thing to do is reduce or stop your exercise and allow a few days of rest. Drink plenty of fluids, and alter your diet if necessary. Crosstraining can help you discover if you are overworking certain muscles and also help you determine if you are just mentally fatigued. A sports massage can help you recharge overused muscles.

Measuring Overtraining
There are several ways you can objectively measure some signs of overtraining. One is by documenting your heart rates over time. Track your aerobic heart rate at a specific exercise intensities and speed throughout your training and write it down. If your pace starts to slow, your resting heart rate increases and you experience other symptoms, you may heading into overtraining syndrome.

You can also track your resting heart rate each morning. Any marked increase from the norm may indicated that you aren't fully recovered.

Another way to test recover to use something called the orthostatic heart rate test, developed by Heikki Rusko while working with cross country skiers. To obtain this measurement:

Lay down and rest comfortably for 10 minutes the same time each day (morning is best).
At the end of 10 minutes, record your heart rate in beats per minute.
Then stand up
After 15 seconds, take a second heart rate in beats per minute.
After 90 seconds, take a third heart rate in beats per minute.
After 120 seconds, take a fourth heart rate in beats per minute.
Well rested athletes will show a consistent heart rate between measurements, but Rusko found a marked increase (10 beats/minutes or more) in the 120 second-post-standing measurement of athletes on the verge of overtraining. Such a change may indicate that you have not recovered from a previous workout, are fatigued, or otherwise stressed and it may be helpful to reduce training or rest another day before performing another workout.

A training log that includes a note about how your feel each day can help you notice downward trends and decreased enthusiasm. It's important to listen to your body signals and rest when you feel tired.

You can also ask those around you if they think you are exercising too much.

While there are many proposed ways to objectively test for overtraining, the most accurate and sensitive measurements are psychological signs and symptoms and changes in an athlete's mental state. Decreased positive feelings for sports and increased negative feelings, such as depression, anger, fatigue, and irritability often appear after a few days of intensive overtraining. Studies have found increased ratings of perceived exertion during exercise after only three days of overload.

Research on overtraining syndrome shows rest is the primary treatment plan. Some new evidence indicating that low levels of exercise (active recovery) during the rest period will speed recovery. Moderate exercise has also been shown to increase immunity. Total recovery can take several weeks and includes proper nutrition and stress reduction.

The subjective assessments, and mental state of an athlete is clearly the most reliable indicator of overtraining. Unfortunately, most athletes ignore these signs or wait too long before doing something. An important component of exercise is to objectively measure your training and modify it before damage is done.

[Rochelle]

Phase 1 P90X Meal Plan Broken Down



LEVEL 1.

PHASE I. 1800 calories
FAT SHREDDER. DAILY SERVING CHART.

Part I. How many servings of protein/carbs/dairy/veggies will I have per day while on the P90X meal plan?

Women doing P90X (men will need more calories !). You will need a minimum of 1800 calories per day.

If you want to follow the P90X diet plan, you have to have this many servings PER DAY of each of the foods in these groups :

PROTEINS : 5 servings
DAIRY : 2
FRUITS : 1
VEGGIES : 2
FATS : 1
CARBS : 1
SNACKS : SGL, BAR, RECOVERY DRINK
CONDIMENTS : 1

Part II. How should I break these down into what Rochelle calls a « skeleton » ?

There are several possibilities. The idea is to have a balanced meal plan. Also, take into consideration your personal eating habits.

For example, for those of you who feel that you only have time for a bar in the morning, it wouldn’t be a logical/reasonable idea to create a plan where you have to whip yourself some eggs and oatmeal !

This is one possibility :

AM OR PM WORKOUT :
• Recovery drink

BREAKFAST :
• Protein
• Carb
• dairy

SNACK :
• Single snack
• Fruit
• protein

LUNCH :
• Protein
• Veggie
• Condiment

SNACK :
• Replacement bar
• dairy

DINNER :
• 2 Protein
• Veggie
• Fat

TOTALS :
5 protein
2 veggie
2 dairy
1 fruit
1 fat
1 condiment
1 bar
1 recovery drink

***NOTE : You can move your carb wherever you like. If you really feel that you need it during lunch, then by all means have your brown rice, slice of ww bread, oatmeal, etc.

***TIP : When you plan your meal for the following day, do a « TOTALS LIST » like I did above to make sure you’re getting in all your portions.

**For those of you who will be trying out a 1600 calorie plan : I would cut out a dairy and a protein OR a replacement bar.

DON’T SKIMP ON THE RECOVERY DRINK!

Part III. How do I know what a serving of protein/carb/veggie/etc. is ? How do I know what foods I can eat ?

Refer to pages 16 and 17 of your P90X nutrition book. Below are some examples of foods in the « PROTEIN » , « FRUIT » and « CARB » categories :

Remember : if you’re finding it hard to get allyour protein in, you can double up your portions. For example, I can easily eat 2 soy burgers or 6 oz of fish. However, I don’t know if I could do 12 egg whites !! yuk !

PROTEIN :
• 3 oz. Boneless, skinless chicken/turkey breast
• 6 egg whites
• 3 oz. Fish and shell fish
• 3 oz. Ham slices/fat free
• 3 oz. Pork tenderloin
• 1/3 cup protein powder
• 3oz. Red meat (top sirloin)
• 3 oz. Read meat lean
• soy burger (1 burger)
• soy cheese slices (5 slices !!)
• tofu ( 3oz.)
• tuna (3 oz)
• turkey bacon, 2 slices
• veggie burger (1)
• veggie dog (1)

CARBS :
• 1 medium bagel, whole wheat
• 1 cup baked beans
• 1 cup beans, kidney, black, etc.
• 1 bran muffin (2.5 ounces)
• 2 slices bread whole wheat, rye, pumper..
• 1 cup cereal whole grain
• 1 cup couscous
• 12 crackers
• 2 english muffins, whole wheat
• 1 cup hummus
• 1 cup lentil
• 1 cup oatmeal
• pancakes, 3 of them, 3.6 ounces
• pasta or noodles, 1 cup
• pita,whole wheat, 1
• potato, 2 inch

FRUITS :
• 1 medium apple
• 1 cup apricots
• 1 med. Banana
• ¼ med. Cantelope
• 1 cup cherries
• 1 ounce dried fruits
• 6 oz. Fresh squeezed juice
• one medium grapefruit
• 1 cup grapes
• 1 cup kiwi
• ½ mango, medium
• 1 medium nectarine
• 1 large orange
• ½ papaya
• 1 peach medium
• 1 medium pear


So, for example, if your skeleton requires that you eat a serving of protein, a serving of fruit, and a serving of carbs for breakfast, you can choose any food in each of these categories.

What would you choose ?

Rochelle’s Breakfast would look like this :

BREAKFAST :
--1 cup oatmeal
--six egg whites (or more realistically : 4 egg whites and one whole egg)
--1 medium pear or apple or small banana

or

--1 cup cereal whole grain
--1/3 cup protein powder
--1 med. apple

or
--bagel
--egg whites
--1 medium apple

Ladies, do you see how the possibilities are endless ?!!

You don’t need to make or have elaborate meals ! As long as you have your skeleton, you just have to fill in the blanks.

SPECIAL NOTE : make sure to only eat one serving !!! If you eat more than the recommended amount, you will be, of course, increasing your calories !! That’s fine, if that’s what you intend to do !!

You can still use the MBD Meal Planner.

What will Rochelle’s Meals look like for this week ?

DAY 1 :

Post Workout :
-Recovery drink
-scoop of protein

Breakfast :
-egg whites and egg (protein)
-small banana (fruit)
-cup of soy milk (dairy)

Snack :
-protein powder (protein)
-soy milk (dairy)

Lunch :
-tofurkey sausage (in frozen foods) (protein)
-mixed greens and a snow peas (veggie)
-serving of whole wheat pasta (carb)

Snack :
-replacement bar

Dinner :
-fish (protein)
-veggies (veggies)
-olive oil on salad (fat)

Totals :
-5 protein
-2 veggies
-2 dairy
-1 fruit
-1 fat
-1 replacement bar
-recovery drink

What am I missing ?

I went back to the list of what is needed and notice that I am missing a SNACK. I can have a cup of yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese…or anything else on my snack list. I might add in some string cheese with my dinner. I’ll see when I’m hungry…although looking at this, I think I’m not going to be hungry !

For those of you who enjoy eating, it seems like we’re going to be doing a lot of QUALITY CHEWING !!

Remember : you do not have to follow the plan ! You can simply choose one of the balanced meal plans on the Team Beachbody planner or follow your own plan.

But you do want to keep it lower in carbs if your aim is weight loss.

DAY 1 :

DAY 1. The way it worked out for Rochelle.

BREAKFAST:
-6 egg whites
-soy milk, cup
-banana

SNACK:
--phony cheese (8 gr. protein)
--tofu dog (about 8 gr. protein)

LUNCH:
--2 soy burgers
--salad spring mix with tomatoes, alfalfa, etc.
--soy milk, cup

SNACK:
--1/2 protein bar
--1/2 cup of cottage cheese

DINNER:
--4 oz. salmon
--snow peas
--realized I forgot to eat whole protein bar, so had remaining half.

I WAS SAVING MY CARB FOR LUNCH and FORGOT TO EAT IT!!!

TOTALS:

5 protein
1 snack (which was protein)
1 fruit
1 fat (olive oil)
2 dairy (2 soy milk, the cottage cheese I counted as protein)
1 recovery drink
1 replacement bar
1 snack (cottage cheese)

I DID VERY WELL EXCEPT FOR MY FORGOTTEN CARB.