The Clearer the Goal, the Better Your Chance to Succeed

“The clearer the goal, the better your chance to succeed”
“Failing to plan is planning to fail”

I am sure I can think of at least another dozen proverbs with the same bottom line (no pun intended!) What I am trying to say is, before you start doing anything – learning a new language, backpacking through Europe or losing weight, you need to have a plan. All successful ventures start with a well thought out plan. Would you open a business without a business plan?

So, since we are at this time of the year, routinely associated with taking stock of the year that passed and setting our intentions for the one that’s coming, I figured, I will mention the subject one more time. Plus, if you plan to follow Melissa’s program, this is your perfect opportunity to start with her.

Yep, that’s right. Melissa (a new client) has agreed to participate in a 12-week program and document her results on this blog. We will start on January 1st, when I will publish her current stats (height, weight, BMI, body fat percentage). Then, from Jan 2nd, onwards, I will give Melissa her daily eating and exercise plan and she will write a short paragraph every day to say how she is doing. We will track her results monthly in comparison to her goals. If you wish, you are most welcome to follow her plan but I would advice you to drop a comment on the blog if you want to make any changes to the program. I will do my best to answer each comment! Also, please let me know if you are following the program and have any previous injuries, allergies or medical conditions. I will offer suggestions for exercise and meal modifications based on your situation.

Back to the point… Melissa’s first assignment starts today and she has 5 days (till January 1, 2009) to set her intentions. IN WRITING.

Here are the rules:

Goals must be realistic and obtainable. Is you are 1.65m tall, you never will look like Naomi Campbell. Get over it! Set goals that you can actually achieve!

Develop long and short term goals. You need to know where you will be in 4 weeks time, 8 weeks, 6 months and 1 year. “I want to lose 20kg in 1 year” doesn’t mean anything. To make it worth the piece of paper you write it on, break it down to “lose 2kg in January”, “1 size smaller (8kg) till end of March” and so forth. It is the short-term goals that will keep you pumped and ready to go in the next three months. They help you stay focused on the task. But you should always keep the “big picture” in mind.

When setting your goals, I also need you think about and answer the following questions:
- Why are you doing this? Who are you trying to please? Yourself or someone else?
- What is motivating you to make these changes? Your doctor, your family, your social life (or lack there of)?
- How is your life going to change when your goals are achieved? Remember, exercise, healthy diet and lean body can work wonders for your self esteem but they are by no means “magic wands” that will take all your problems away. Having said that, it’s easier to be miserable and slim than miserable and fat…
- What exactly are you trying to achieve? Small waist? Fitting into dress size 8? Looking lean?
Now, once you’ve thought it all out, what I need you to do is create a “road map”. Make a chart that has months on the horizontal axis and weight on the vertical. Then plot your current weight over the first month mark (which should be right now or Jan 1) and then plot the weight you plan to be at in Feb, Mar, Apr and so forth. That will be your “goal line” then every month you will need to plot your “actual line” (i.e. how much you actually weigh that month) to make sure you are moving in the right direction.
Remember to be realistic about the whole thing. A relatively moderate increase in activity and diet change generally result in 500g a week weight loss or approximately 2kg a month. That’s with “moderate increase” in exercise AND improvements to your diet. Not as easy as it sounds! So, if your plan includes weight loss of 5kg per month every month… you will need to subject yourself to one of these “Biggest Loser” type plans – 7 hours of exercise a day and carrot sticks. Can you do that? For how long?

Cool. I will write to you all again on Jan 1 with Melissa’s goal weight chart (so you can see what it looks like) and a bit about her and her plan. In the meantime, if you need some help with the goal setting – just drop a comment.

See you all!
Ciao!


Jeni

Cooling Cravings

Everyone wants to look good. And in the female language this generally means “thin”. I have come to believe this after observing thousands of women in the years I have spent in the fitness and wellness industry. The only difference is how desperate the particular person is to achieve her own version of “good looking” and what is she prepared to do for it.
The one theme that I see occurring time and time again is cravings. They seem to appear out of nowhere doing their best to disrupt the progress of even the most dedicated of people and are always directed towards the “bad” stuff. No one craves carrots and spinach, but slap chips and chocolate feature prominently…
So, let’s look at cravings today and what can be done about them. Beginning with: which cravings you can sort of give in to and which ones are as bad as they sound. There are some surprises!
Everyone wants to look good. And in the female language this generally means “thin”. I have come to believe this after observing thousands of women in the years I have spent in the fitness and wellness industry. The only difference is how desperate the particular person is to achieve her own version of “good looking” and what is she prepared to do for it.
The one theme that I see occurring time and time again is cravings. They seem to appear out of nowhere doing their best to disrupt the progress of even the most dedicated of people and are always directed towards the “bad” stuff. No one craves carrots and spinach, but slap chips and chocolate feature prominently…
So, let’s look at cravings today and what can be done about them. Beginning with: which cravings you can sort of give in to and which ones are as bad as they sound. There are some surprises!

Bread and Potatoes
Bread and potatoes do not make you fat. Starchy vegetables and (whole grain) bread, are carbs you need for fuel. The problem is not these foods, but how much we eat of them and how we tend to prepare them. A slice of bread is a serving and so is a medium potato that fits in the palm of your hand. It’s also when you smear your bread with butter and fry your potatoes that you increase the calorie intake as much as four times. Spread fat free cottage cheese on your bread or eat it plain instead and dress your baked or boiled potatoes minimally (fat free plain yoghurt and squeezed lemon = guilt free sour cream) to get the benefits from these foods without skyrocketing your caloric intake.

Water Intake
Some people believe that drinking a big glass of water before you eat helps you feel less hungry. Well – sort of. Water does curb your appetite if it's incorporated into food like a soup, or a thick vegetable juice like V8. Apparently, when water is bound to food, digestion is slower and a fuller stomach means fewer hunger pangs. The thing to look out for: It's easy to confuse hunger and thirst, so if you find yourself craving something, drink a big glass of water first and see what happens. It may be that a drink is all your body really wanted.

Shellfish
We, in the Cape, are spoilt for choice when it comes to seafood and shellfish in particular. And I am sure you have heard about the mountains of cholesterol packed in your shrimp cocktail. It's true. Three ounces of shrimp contain more than a third of your daily cholesterol. But there's more: Shrimp is low in saturated fat and has a bit of omega-3 fatty acids. Eaten in moderation, shellfish can have health benefits. According to researchers at the University of Southern California, eating shellfish every week produced a 59% reduction in heart attack risk. The trick? Go to one of these nuveau cuisine restaurants (like Beluga and Sevruga) where a portion of langoustines is just that – a portion. Ocean Basket may be offering value for money for your wallet, but the only way to enjoy it is to order a single portion for a girls’ night out… Thinking of it – it’s a good idea for the cash-strapped January days!

Burger & Fries
It is fine to eat the occasional burger and fries. The problem: Your interpretation of the word, “occasional”. If that means every Friday night to you (and some Wednesdays), you’re probably pushing it. Now, if we’re talking every few months and you're fit, your numbers for weight, waist size, cholesterol, and blood pressure are all good, AND the rest of the time you’re eating vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and other nutritious fare, well, okay then. You’re fine. But few of us are that perfect. If you do “occasionally” indulge, take a nice fast paced 90-minute walk afterward to help offset the effects.

Coke (Zero or Regular)
Many girls I know are hooked on Coke and believe that the sugar-free Zero version is better for them, weight-wise. Truth is, both regular and sugar-free carbonated drinks are lousy for us. Both types increase kidney and heart disease risk, plus they contain acids that erode tooth enamel and welcome cavities. It’s always best to satisfy your thirst with water, diluted fruit juice, and green tea rather than any type of soda. If you really miss the bubbles, go for sparkling water, but avoid the flavoured ones. Just squeeze fresh lemon in it yourself or pop a few chopped strawberries.

Well, that’s great to know, you might be thinking – but what do I do when I’ve just GOT to indulge in a little something before I go NUTS??!! It’s holidays, after all…
I’ll tell you what. If you’re going to indulge yourself in something sinful and delicious and there’s just no stopping you - do it as early in the day as possible. Researchers say that we get the most satisfaction from our food in the morning and our capacity to feel satisfied steadily weakens over the course of the day. (Hence we often overeat in the evenings – trying to satisfy the taste buds on weakened senses). If you eat your biggest meal at breakfast and continue to eat small portions of healthy foods throughout the day, chances are that you’ll be a lot less likely to have strong cravings for unhealthy “comfort” foods in the evening.

And if you absolutely can’t avoid the overindulgence this holiday, I will let you in on a little secret: Starting from 2 January 2009, a new client of mine has agreed to follow a daily exercise and meal plan for 90 days designed specifically for weight loss and is willing to publish her journey on the blog. So, starting from 2 January, I will publish her measurements and daily exercise and diet. You can choose to follow the plan too (or modify however you choose to). I would love to hear about your experience with it, so feel free to send comments or questions and I will do my best to address each one of them personally.

Ciao! Enjoy the holidays!

Jeni

The Truth About Food

Hey guys!

Did you watch the TV program called The Truth About Food on SABC2 last week? Three of my clients watched it and there has been some healthy debate since then, so I am going to lay it out flat here – on the blog.

For those of you, who missed it, the program displays five admittedly unscientific experiments with a bunch of volunteers to confirm or reject some wide-spread claims from supplement manufacturers, celebrity nutritionists and dieticians worldwide. The tests done were as follows:
- Three London cab drivers were initially tested for their basal stress tolerance levels (read someone got in the cab and irritated the living cr*p out of them). Then, the drivers were put on a diet consisting of fatty fish (salmon & tuna) at least twice a week for three months. Then, their response to “stressful situations” was tested again. The purpose of this test is to verify the effects of Omega 3 fatty acids (in fatty fish) on the nervous system’s ability to cope.
- A group of 12 karate masters, all vegetarian, are split in two and half of them agreed to accept meat once again in their diets for 2 months. The objective is to evaluate the performance of meat eaters vs. vegetarians and specifically whether the low occurrence of creatine and iron in the vegetarians’ blood hampers their physical ability.
- Two caffeine addicts are subjected to a blind experiment with one of them being given decaf coffee for a week, while the other downs real java. The goal is to determine whether caffeine withdrawal interferes with mental performance.
- The forth test was the one that drew my clients’ attention. Here , four sets of very active identical twins are split in two groups (a twin of each pair in each group) to “take genetics out of the equation”. The two groups are fed drastically different diets, high carb vs. Atkins’ type protein-fat combo, and then taken through a gruelling physical competition, to establish which nutritional plan is more appropriate for athletes.
- Finally, the last test aims to identify whether it is carbs that fuel performance or “the taste of carbs”. The test involves sugar cane farm workers who are split in three groups. One group drinks water, one group – sugar water, and the third group only swirls the sugar water solution in their mouth and then spits it out.

As I said, the debate with my clients was centred around the fourth test. While I do not support the drastic carb elimination suggested by Dr. Atkins, and Dr. Agatston (the author of The South Beach Diet), I do know that reducing carbohydrate consumption is essential to weight loss. And since my clients are primarily concerned with weight loss, their meal plans resemble the no-carb team’s one much closer than the sugary cereal and spaghetti the other team was offered in the test. By now you have obviously figured it out – the team of twins consuming carbohydrates won the challenge, which consisted of a 5 hr mountain bike ride, a run through a lake, carrying a raft and some boot camp drills back at home base. Thus, my clients believe that I am misleading them by “taking away their daily bread” (excuse the pun!).
So, for all of you out there, let me clear it all out:
The test was measuring performance for HIGH ENDURANCE athletes. In fact for the first two hours of the test both teams kept up with each other. It was only after 2 hrs that team protein started slowing down. Now, if you run/swim/ride/etc for 3 hrs or longer every day, by all means you need the carbs!
How many of you do that?
I thought so!
The other thing to remember is what are you trying to achieve. None of these athletes were trying to lose weight! There is no such thing as a bad diet. Just a diet that achieves different results. To lose weight you lower the carbs and to keep up the pace in a long-distance event you down Energades. Simple!

Oh, and if you are curious about the rest of the findings:
Apparently eating fatty fish does reduce the stress levels significantly. How to cook the fish was believed to be the major issue people have with adding it to the menu, so if you fall in that camp – supplement… (Just watch out for the mercury in some of the supplements!).
Caffeine addiction is absolutely real and mental performance did dip quite a bit for the poor oak on decaf in the second and third day of the test. By day 7, though, he was back to his espresso-days-performance and the addiction was cleared. Is it worth ditching your daily fix, then? You decide…
On the vegetarian vs. meat eaters debate, the conclusion was inconclusive! One of the girls in the experiment improved her scores by 21%, while the others recorded no significant change…
And lastly, it is the TASTE of carbs, not the actual carbs that fuel performance, according to the sugar cane experiment. This is apparently due to some carb receptor on the tongue that sends a message to the brain that carbs are coming, which subsequently energizes the body! I know these findings clash a bit with the twins’ test, but the difference is (again) in the duration. The latter test was only done over a one hour period.

So, to make a long story short, you still need to watch the carbs if you want to lose. Period.

Weight Loss: What NOT To Do

Being in the midst of weight loss season (September to late November is the period when the weight loss industry really flourishes in South Africa!) we are currently immersed in “professional tips” and “proven information” on what to do to get the coveted 60cm waist. Shape magazine has a new plan guaranteed to help you lose 5kg till Christmas. Cleo Mag also offers advice on battling the bulge. Actually, I don’t think you will find a mag that doesn’t.

The concepts are all quite simple (and similar), really. Eat healthy, exercise daily, take care of your body and mind, visualise your success… All the things that you already know you should do…

Yet, weight loss sometimes requires of you to just let go and NOT do. Relinquish the control and let it happen naturally…

Here is a list of some common mistakes that we all get caught into amidst our eagerness for slimmer and prettier “me”:

1. Don’t check your weight in your bathroom scales everyday.
I know you are eager to see the confirmation of your efforts in the shape of lost pounds, but you should not let this drive you to checking your weight everyday. The daily fluctuations of your weight will soon have you depressed and ready to quit the plan. And this is something you want to avoid.
2. Don’t rush into the toughest weight loss diet
This is the most common mistake by far (in my view). Super strict diets don’t work. Period. They don’t work for anyone in the long term. Not even for the “testimonials” used to sell the books. Get it into your head and stick to the more sensible approaches. I mean, come on… You know that you can’t survive the strict routine for more than 3 days, right? And then what? Once again admitting to failure and beating yourself with endless guilt?
3. Don’t go to the gym too often to lose weight!
Another common mistake is to use the enthusiasm of the first days to hit the gym every day. This won’t help you at all. Your body needs time to heal and expand the muscle mass after each training session and going to the gym every day interferes with this natural process. Besides, a week of non-stop training could never offset ten or twenty years of couch potato lifestyle.
4. Don’t cut down too many calories in order to lose weight
We all know that cutting down on calories is one of the building blocks of all diets, but you have to be careful about it. Cut down on too many calories and your body will start storing anything it possibly can. This is not a good way to lose weight. You can look at the earlier posts in this blog to calculate the “safe” amount of calories to cut, but general rule of thumb is no more than 20% of your total intake. I.e. if you currently eat 1,800 calories a day, you can’t cut out more than 360 calories at a time… about a small meal. Yep, you are right – you will need to keep a food diary to track that!
5. Don’t skip meals in order to lose weight quickly!
Some people think that skipping one or two meals could help them lose weight faster. Been there, done that. Won’t even talk about it any further, but just for the uninitiated: Work towards INCREASING your number of meals, not reducing it. Eating all your calories in one or two sittings a day is totally counter-productive. 6 meals a day IS YOUR GOAL!
6. Don’t rely on your will power alone for weight loss
Use your head as well. If you wish to know how much you eat, then write everything down and analyze the list for things that should not be there (or mail it to me!). Sometimes “hunger” creeps up on you and make you eat something you shouldn’t. Beat it. Unless you are pregnant (and I am not even too sure about that one!) physical cravings DO NOT exist. It’s all in your head!
7. Don’t let emotions drive your weight loss
Aside from the eagerness that drives people to check their weight every day, there are other emotions that influence dieting. If you know you’re used to reaching out for ice-cream or snacks when you are bored, frustrated or angry, then you should deal with these issues first. Weight loss will happen, once you have your life sorted out.
8. Don’t lose touch with reality while following a weight loss plan
You can’t realistically expect things to happen over night. When choosing your goal, start small, but be prepared to go far. If you hear someone saying that he lost a large number of pounds in a short time, don’t make it your goal to match his performance. Diet results are different from one person to another. It is NOT a competition!
9. Don’t deny yourself your favourite foods while trying to lose weight
Treats are allowed and actually required to preserve your mental sanity and wellbeing. But don’t go overboard. It wasn’t treats that made you fat. It was overdoing them. So, make peace with your past and allow yourself a treat occasionally. Keywords to note here are “a treat” (as opposed to “treats”) and “occasionally” (meaning exactly that)!
10. Don’t refuse to seek help for losing weight
Not knowing what to do in order to lose weight effectively is NOT a reflection on you. Unless you studied dietetics, kinesiology and physiology, no one expects you to know what a phytonutrient is, why you need it and how your body reacts to its presence in your digestive track. No. Going to a weight loss coach, dietician or trainer is NOT embarrassing. Think about it… How does it differ from going to a doctor, mechanic or enrolling for Spanish lessons? You need something to happen and you go to a professional, right?

I wish you all a successful weight loss journey!

Ciao!
Jeni

How Much Do You Know About Sugar?

This is an easy topic. Everyone knows that sugar is bad, particularly when taken in excess. Right? So, why is it so difficult to stay away from it then? My personal opinion: sugar is a drug. It has no nutritional value. It is “addictive” and once you are into the sugar cycle, you simply can’t “quit”. I know the medical society may disagree with my terminology, but read further and see for yourself.

In order to keep the amount of sugar floating through your blood vessels at around a teaspoon, your body releases insulin whenever you eat foods that result in sugar entering your blood stream. Most carbs fit this category. Sugar, most sweeteners, grains, cookies, pastries, cakes, pasta, and starchy vegetables like potatoes all lead to a release of sugar into your blood stream. Insulin works by stimulating your cells to sponge up this excess sugar out of your blood stream. Once inside your cells, sugar is used for energy, with any excess amount being converted to adipose tissue (i.e. fat). Insulin also happens to promote fat storage. Nice!

If you eat sugary foods or too many processed carbohydrates for long enough, your body will have released so much insulin that it will begin to lose its sensitivity to insulin, which means that your cells won’t receive as strong a signal to sponge up excess sugar out of your blood. This will lead to excess sugar floating around your blood vessels and all the health problems that come with this scenario. (Your doctor will probably call this pre-diabetes.)

Basically, if you start the day with sugar (sugary cereal, sugary juice, etc...) you will start the roller-coaster of glucose/insulin and you'll end up having to continue to consume sugar throughout the day. Bad plan!

The, issue, however, is that most people have no idea how many different “disguises” sugar can take in packaged foods! So, you really need to educate yourself into what is what and once you know – read those labels!

Here is the BADDIES list:

Sucrose: This is pure white table sugar. Just another name for it…
But you knew that, right? How about the following? They are all different names for essentially the same thing – sugar:
Glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, glucose syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, raw sugar, molasses, black treacle, golden syrup, dextrose, levulose, sorbitol, maltodextrin…
Basically anything ending with –ose is a type of sugar, that you would be better off without.
High Fructose Corn Syrup: This is a really bad one! It originates in the States circa 1977, when import tariffs were imposed on sugar, so food manufacturers turned to this “monster” as a financially viable alternative. It is basically corn syrup that has been enzyme-processed to increase its fructose content and then mixed with pure corn syrup (100% glucose) to become “high fructose corn syrup”. You would really do good staying away from that one as it really wracks havoc in your intestines. HFCS is often found in biscuits, pastries and soft drinks. For example, Coca Cola uses sugar or HFCS in its recipe, depending on the country in which the drink is manufactured (i.e. what is the cheaper raw material).
Aspartame: So you think, "Well I'll be smart and get Coke Zero!" Bad idea! While aspartame does not contain any calories, the stuff is possibly worse than sugar! Something like 20 types of cancer have been linked to aspartame and while non of the studies has provided “conclusive” evidence, are you interested in being one of the lab rats? Aspartame was rejected by FDA twice, before in 1983, Dr. Arthur Hayes (then commissioner of FDA) overwrote his own decision and approved it, two months before his retirement. Strangely enough, he then accepted a position as Senior Medical Advisor to Burson Marsteller (NutraSweet’s PR agency)… Enough said… You make your own choices.
Sucralose: The “new age” sweeteners that apparently “come from baby sugar cane” and somehow, miraculously possess all the sweetness but no calories… I know that you know better than that!
Sucralose (sold at Pick’nPay under the brand Splenda as well as just Sucralose) may not penetrate the blood brain barrier as aspartame does, hence entering the brain and creating neuro-toxic havoc at the brain center, but it CAN adversely affect the body in several ways because it IS a chemical substance and not natural sugar. It is simply a chlorinated sugar. A molecule of sugar chemically manipulated to surrender three hydroxyl groups (hydrogen + oxygen) and replace them with three chlorine atoms. It has a powerful marketing team propelling it forward and again, if weight loss is all you care about, then go ahead and use it! You will look pretty in your coffin, if nothing else… (Sorry! Don’t mean to be rude, just an issue that I am very passionate about).


So what can you do then, when no matter how many apples you chow, that sugar craving just doesn’t go away?

Here are two options that I found, which (I think) are quite acceptable – a safe compromise:

Stevia: Stevia is a tropical plant native to South America . Its extract has up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar. It has a negligible effect on blood glucose, in fact, it even enhances glucose tolerance; therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets. It is not calorie free, like the artificial sweeteners, but because of its sweetness, much less is used, therefore controlling the overall calorie count.
Xylitol: Xylitol is a five-carbon sugar alcohol that is used as a sugar substitute. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms. It can be extracted from corn fibre, birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. One teaspoon of Xylitol has less than 10 calories, vs 15 in the same amount of sugar. It contains zero net effective carbohydrates, whereas sugar contains 4 grams per 5 mL. Xylitol has virtually no aftertaste, and is advertised as "safe for diabetics and individuals with hyperglycemia". This is because sugar-alcohols have less impact on a person's blood sugar than regular sugars.
Xylitol is also a "tooth-friendly" sugar. In addition to not encouraging tooth decay (by replacing dietary sugars), xylitol may actively aid in repairing minor cavities caused by dental caries. Possessing approximately 40% less food energy, xylitol is a low-calorie alternative to table sugar. Absorbed more slowly than sugar, it doesn't contribute to high blood sugar levels or the resulting hyperglycemia caused by insufficient insulin response.
Xylitol is widely available at PnP, Checkers, Wellness Warehouse, Clicks, Dischem, etc. (in the health food section). It looks and “feels” like sugar – in recipes you can substitute like for like, i.e. one spoon of sugar for one spoon of Xylitol.
The one and only side effect I know about is it’s laxative properties when consumed in excess. But then may be that’s a good thing… Helps with portion control.


What I am trying to say is: avoid all forms of sugar like the plague and when you just can’t resist it, opt for the natural sugar-substitutes. They are not “free” calorie-speaking, but are much better for you.
All the best!

Ciao!
Jeni

Let's Talk Figures

Hey!

Summer is practically here and “bikini panic” is definitely all around me!
“What am I going to do? I am still 3 sizes over my goal weight? May be I should just skip Camps Bay this summer!” (I get a variation on this theme at least twice a day!)

Here is what I can do to help…

Sadly, I CANNOT tell you that it’s all ok, that it is “just water” or that you can blame your hormones/genes/circumstances for this. (I can, but it still doesn’t solve the problem!). The most I can do on that front is to point you to a cool website that recommends the most flattering beach wear for your shape (www.sofeminine.co.uk).
It’s something…

But now, to get to the core of the issue – why are you not losing weight. You eat clean, exercise several times a week, stay away from alcohol and starch and yet, nothing! What is the issue?

It is all in the maths. Yep, weight loss is all about mathematics. Eat more calories than you burn and you will store excess fat. Even if it is a lettuce leaf! Yes, I know, you have heard this before.

So, tell me, off the top of your head:
How many calories do you eat a day?
How many do you need?
What is your percentage deficit?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you probably are not eating as “clean” as you think and your weight loss efforts are, at best, “opportunistic”. It’s like trying to shoot a target in front of you while looking to the left – you might get it right, but if you do, it will be pure chance!

So, today I will give you a brief tutorial into the figures of weight loss and your assignment will be to do the math, calculate your needs and plan from there. (You know you can always e-mail or call me if you get stuck, right!)

And here is the simplest way of calculating your calorie needs.
Take your weight in kilograms and multiply it by 2.2. This is your weight in pounds. Now take this number and multiply it by:
- 14, if you are mostly sedentary
- 17, if you exercise 3-4 times a week at moderate pace
- 20, if you exercise relatively vigorously most days of the week.

For example, if you weigh 65kg, then your weight in pounds is 143 (65x2.2). If you exercise on average three times a week, then your daily calorie requirements are in the region of 2,431 calories (143x17). Remember, this is the amount of calories you need to MAINTAIN your current weight.

If you are following this blog, let’s assume you are trying to lose weight. So, you need to eat less than that (this is what they call “calorie deficit”) to give your body the opportunity to use some of the stored fat, right? You may remember that we spoke about your body going into “starvation mode” if you cut your calories too drastically? This is where the second rule comes to play.

When cutting your caloric intake, never go beyond 20% of your total needs. It is counter-productive and chances are, you will feel too hungry to maintain your eating plan in the long run. Now, if we go back to our fictitious 65kg lady who exercises 3 times a week and needs 2,431 calories a day, we can calculate her “reduced nutritional needs” (i.e. cutting 20% of her daily calories to allow for some fat burning) we are looking at 1,945 calories a day. (2,431 less 486, i.e. 20% of 2,431, gives us 1,945.)

OK, so we have our first figure – the total daily calories.
From here, we are going to do two more calculations before we are done.

Firstly, we are going to estimate our example’s meal values. In other words, if Helen (I am tired of calling her example, so I gave her a name!) eats 6 meals a day, then each meal will need to be approximately 1,945/6 = 325 calories. So, if Helen decided to go to Woolies or Kauai or anywhere to pick up something for lunch, she should look at the label and ensure that her meal is not too far out of that amount. (Note that no one is recommending that Helen buys lunch – it is far better that she prepares it at home so she knows exactly what’s in it, but hey… life happens!)

Secondly, we are going to calculate how much of each macronutrient Helen needs. 40:40:20 is generally a good (and relatively easy to maintain) ratio for people trying to lose weight. This means 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fat. While these don’t have to balance precisely for each meal, you need to tally them up at the end of the day. This calculation can get a bit tricky as fat has twice the calorie density of carbs and protein, so pay attention.

40% of 1,945 is 778. Helen needs 778 calories from protein and carbohydrates respectively every day. There are 4 calories in a gram for these two elements, so we are looking at 195 grams of protein and carbs.

The remaining 389 calories (1,945 – 778 from carbs – 778 from protein) will be derived from fat. 389 calories of fat is approximately 43g of fat. I know it sounds like a lot, but fat has a habit of sneaking up on you, so keep your eyes open for it! The salad dressing, the skin on the chicken, the rind of the chop – it’s all fat.

Now, what you can do is put your requirements down on a piece of paper and try to figure out what foods you are going to incorporate in your menu to achieve your goal. Stuck? Post a reply and I will work it out for you!

Ciao!

Jeni

Help! Cardio is making me FAT!

Here is a question for you: What goes through your head when you are planning your exercise sessions? I mean, do you ever actually sit down to think about what you are trying to achieve through exercise and consecutively, what would be the best exercise routine to achieve this goal?

If you’re like most people you’ve probably just fallen into the rut of doing the same things from workout to workout with little consideration as to WHY you’re doing them. For example, most people are presented with a beginner programme when they join the gym which includes some basic exercises for each muscle group and is essentially designed to “introduce” you to the environment, the equipment, the routine, etc. The problem comes when this programme is being followed blindly for weeks, months or even years without ever taking the time to think about whether or not the programme is right for your particular goals. No wonder so few people achieve the results they desire from their training… they don’t even know what their exercises are supposed to do!

It is simple: exercises are tools that you need to use to sculpt the body you desire. In order to achieve your training goals you need to use the right tools! Choosing the wrong “tool kit” will make it harder (or may be even impossible) for you to reach your goals. It’s like trying to drill a hole using a hammer! It simply doesn’t make sense…

But here comes the twist: it is not only the TYPE of exercise that is important, but also the INTENSITY and DURATION. I know this probably sounds way to “scientific” so I will explain it through a simple example – cardio training!

Most women incorporate cardio into their training routines primarily as a method of weight control and body fat reduction. Using all sorts of cardio options from rowers to steppers, treadmills to bikes and cross-trainers to ‘aerobics’ classes, women can be found spending a disproportionate amount of their total training time on exercises that… …wait for it… …may actually be making them fatter!

That’s right, it’s not a typo. The much hailed panacea of aerobic training can actually contribute to making women (and men too) proportionately fatter than before they started training. Talk about using the wrong tool!

You see, the way the human body works is paradoxically simple yet complicated at the same time. The simple part of the energy system equation tells us that exercises that are performed at a lower intensity (like walking) use fat as the primary fuel source and oxygen as the catalyst. Indeed, the very term ‘aerobic’ means ‘with oxygen’. By definition these activities are less taxing and are able to be sustained for longer, almost indefinite periods of time. So aerobic = low intensity fat burning. Right?

The twist, again…
The longer we engage in higher level aerobic activities such as those typically included in a workout, the more we secrete a nasty little group of hormones, with the stress hormone ‘cortisol’ chief amongst them. One of the lesser known qualities of cortisol is that it is catabolic in nature, meaning that it breaks down muscle tissue along with fat in order to metabolise this stored energy for immediate fuel.

Why is this bad?

Well, it’s our muscles that give shape and definition to our bodies. If we lose muscle faster than we lose fat then proportionately we’re fatter… even if the scales tell us we’re several pounds lighter! To add to that, it is our lean tissues (our muscles) that burn the fuel (calories) we eat to create movement. So, any loss of muscle tissue will result in slowing down of your metabolism. We have spoken enough about why you don’t want that to happen, right? (See old blog posts if you are not sure)

So, am I saying that cardio is “bad” for you?
No, far from it!
Cardiovascular training is extremely beneficial in maintaining a healthy heart, preventing disease and keeping surplus body-fat at bay, but over-emphasising cardio in your training plan will NOT speed up your weight loss.

What I am suggesting is to give “anaerobics” a try. Anaerobics is basically, the opposite of aerobics… really! It is an activity carried out “without oxygen”. (OK, this is not really true, strictly speaking… we are never really without oxygen; it’s just that these activities are performed at such high intensity that oxygen cannot meet the body’s demands.) You may have heard of it under the heading “interval training” – shorter bursts of high intensity exercise, intermittent with slower pace breaks that help you recover, before you go again.

The benefits of this type of training are huge:
- Higher calorie consumption;
- Anabolic in nature (i.e. it promotes lean tissue growth);
- Increased metabolism
- And my personal favourite: Shorter, more effective workouts (you are looking at 20 min session vs. 45-60 minutes if you were to do “traditional” cardio)

So, enough academics... Practically speaking, this is what you do: Climb onto your favourite cardio machine and do 2-3 minutes of moderate intensity as a warm up. Then go for 1 minute of the highest possible level you can bear, followed by 2 minutes back at your moderate pace. Now do it again. And again! 5 times in total. (Come on, it’s only one minute!). Now 3 minutes of cool down. Here… you are done!

You can also try “climbing” levels (i.e. start at moderate for 1 minute, then hard for 1 minute than harder for another and all out for the fourth minute). Repeat this “cycle” 4-5 times for a full workout.

There are various other “sequences” you can use, but don’t worry about this just yet. Focus on the 20 minutes! You really need to do this, because the kind of intensity I am talking about will “require” it from you. That’s the key to making anaerobic intervals work! If you can hold a conversation during or immediately after the activity then you didn’t come out of your aerobic zone and need to put forward a little more effort next time.

There you have it. Probably the most effective, yet least utilised, fat loss method there is. Give intervals a try, I mean a fair try and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve in a relatively short period of time. The results can be quite spectacular!

Just one last thing… don’t expect it to be “a walk in the park”! It definitely isn’t! Well, let me know how it goes!

Ciao!
Jeni

Best Alcohol for Fat Loss

Not only is it my birthday tomorrow (Happy Birthday to Me!) but I have 6 clients whose celebrations are also fast approaching. Hence, I have been dealing with the question regarding alcohol and fat loss (in some form or another) for several weeks now. So, let’s get the facts out and get this question out of the way.

Firstly, I am noticing that whenever the subject is approached, clients keep asking the same question over and over in different ways because in essence they would like to get a different answer. Unfortunately, no matter how you look at it… it is a philosophical argument. Simply put:

THERE IS NO AMOUNT OR TYPE OF ALCOHOL THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO YOUR WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS.

You wanna lose weight? You have to skip the cocktails! It is that simple!
“Is white wine better for me than hard liquor when I am trying to lose weight?” sounds the same as “Are jelly beans better than candy bars?”. Bottom line: Cut all of them out if you are serious about losing weight!

But clearly this is easier said than done, so for now, we are going to deal with “if you have to drink, what can you chose”. So, we are going to assume that:
a) you ARE going to drink and
b) there is a BETTER choice

Well, here are the basic rules:
o Do not drink alcohol while trying to lose weight. Alcohol suppresses fat oxidisation not to mention the calorie punch it packs up.
o When trying to maintain your weight, you may consume alcohol in moderation. “Moderation” means 1-2 drinks on some days of the week, but definitely not more than 3-4 days a week.
o Always consider the amount of calories you consume in a glass and ensure they are traded off in your daily plan. In other words, if you are going to drink an extra 300 calories, either reduce the amount you eat at other meals, or break up a bit of a sweat on the treadmill, or both.

If you absolutely have to have a drink:
o Chose light beer over regular
o Have white wine or champagne over liquor (or a spritzer made of ½ white wine and ½ soda)
o Avoid cocktails like the plague (even Bloody Mary’s)!

A glass of chardonnay is worth about 90 calories. A glass of champagne is roughly the same. A tot of whiskey – about 60, but that excludes the soda used to mix it. A double vodka and Red Bull can add about 300 calories to your intake and a Margarita – about 500! When you consider that you will probably have two or three drinks and there will be finger snacks around too, you will soon realise that a single “not-so-good” outing can knock back 3-4 days of good work. And if you do that more than once a week… you will sadly be less-than-successful in your weight loss endeavour.

Ciao!
Jeni

Your Excuses ... Busted

For some or other reason I have had to deal with a lot of excuses lately from clients and friends who have very “legitimate” reasons as to why the potential Elle McPherson inside them is hiding behind a Bridget Jones… or worse. So today I will tackle the most common excuse I have been hearing this week: “I don’t have time to exercise!”

The truth is, we all have the same amount of time. Yep, 24 hours in a day, no matter who you are, where you are, etc. How we use these hours is the key and basically people spend their hours doing things they really must do (e.g. go to work, do the chores) and things they like to do. And since exercise seldom falls into any of these two categories (particularly at the beginning) it needs to be important enough to feature in your daily schedule. But be honest now… on your list of priorities where does exercise fall? Is it even on the list? Here is what I actually hear when you guys give me your reasons for skipping that workout:

• Exercise is boring. The little conversation with the regular gym bunnies in between sets is nothing compared to Desperate Housewives. There is no drama, no excitement, no immediate fun. Shame!
• There are no immediate consequences to skipping a workout. It's not like you'll gain 10 pounds or suddenly get heart disease if you miss one day. Plus, you keep reading in all the glossy mags that three times a week is enough, so surely you can do it tomorrow, right? Well, before you know it, a month has passed and 5 pounds have stuck to your ribs! (I know… it was just Sam’s birthday party… followed by the deadline at work and by James’ house move and… and… and…)
• You're waiting for things to calm down. Haven't you figured it out yet? Life doesn't calm down as we get older. Jobs, kids, family, social obligations...they're never going to go away. If you're waiting for a clear schedule, you'll be waiting for a long time. If you really want to exercise, find a way to do it now.
• You're waiting to fall in love with exercise. Think you'll suddenly wake up one morning, itching to get to that workout? It just doesn't work that way. You have to work at it every day and find that motivation wherever you can.
• You get frustrated by lack of results. It is not your fault that you got caught up in the immediate gratification thing… it’s just how the world is today, right? Nope! We may be able to get things easy from the store, get information on our fingertips and chat to friends on Facebook but some things stay the same. Ask the farmers in Orange Free State. You want to get oranges… you have to work at it till the little seed becomes a tree and then three years later you will get your fruit!
• You don't have huge chunks of time to do all this exercise. That’s the crappiest of excuses out there! No really! If you do it right, you can get a workout in 10 minutes and kick butt in 20! So, get off your bum right now!

So, here are some ideas you may want to try to get on the exercise wagon… and stay there:

- Get up an hour earlier and go for a run first thing in the morning – just like a boring chore. Then you don’t need to worry about it for the rest of the day.

- Schedule your yoga class in your diary just like you would any other business meeting. Write “appointment” (as opposed to “yoga”) and don’t let anyone talk you into changing your schedule.

- Split your routine into mini-workouts: when you need to use the bathroom, go to the one three storeys down in your office building and walk back up; walk to a café two blocks away at lunch time (instead of the one in front of your building) and climb up the stairs of your flat when you go home. When meeting friends at the Waterfront, park at the lot next to the Radisson hotel and walk to there and back. (Bonus, that parking is free!). The possibilities are endless!

- Cut TV time to 3 hours a week! I mean can you really argue that watching Will & Grace is more important than looking good? If so, I am busy making T-shirts that say “I am fat cause I love TV”; call me and I will organise you one! Think about all the programs that you watch weekly and decide which of them you could sacrifice for some exercise. It’s OK to have a “TV night” but remember… too many TV nights equal a large behind. You decide what’s more worth it!

Why don’t you guys share your ideas and how you manage to find time to clock in your fitness routine?

Ciao!

Jeni

Let's Talk Breakfast

Hey guys,

It is mid-August already (can you believe it!) and all my clients seems to be panicking about September and their shape! I personally am yet to understand why September is the holy grail month that everyone targets, I mean beach weather only comes towards November in Cape Town, yet if that’s the date that gets you guys motivated, then let’s get going!

Someone asked me this week if they can only change one thing, what should that be. I didn’t have to think twice about it. BREAKFAST, of course! Now how many of you haven’t heard that breakfast is the most important thing of the day? I thought so… Do you know why it’s so important?

The easiest way to explain it is that breakfast is like the foundation of your meals for the rest of the day. So, just like you can’t skip primary school, get into grade four and expect flying colours in all subjects, you will have a hard time eating right later in the day if you skip breakfast. Further, eating the right kind of breakfast (like something with loads of fibre, e.g. oats or bran flakes) will keep you regular and you will definitely notice reduction in bloating, if you are suffering from it in the first place.

Plus, breakfast is an easy meal to get right. I mean, how many of you feel like a Snickers bar and a can of Coke of breakfast? Just the thought of something so sweet early in the morning is off-putting! It is much easier to control what you eat for breakfast than any other meal of the day.

While on the subject, the second most common question I deal with (after “you have to eat breakfast every day, even if not hungry!”) is “what should I eat then?”. I am one for variety! As far as I am concerned, you can have a different thing every day and you can make a daily ritual out of it. For me, Monday is protein breakfast day. I eat scrambled eggs (only one yolk and three whites), reduced fat feta cheese and some tomatoes or cucumber. Plus coffee. Tuesdays are smoothies days (probably cause I always oversleep on Tuesdays and need something I can consume while driving to clients!). On Wednesday I will eat bran flakes with fat free milk and strawberries and so forth.

Generally speaking, slow cooking oats, the ones with the large flakes) are better than instant ones. Bran flakes are better than corn flakes, oaties (however their name is spelt) or crispies. Egg whites (with one yolk), scrambled in a tea spoon of olive oil are better than fried eggs. But most importantly, eating breakfast, any breakfast, is better than not eating one at all.

So, to those of you who want to get in tip top shape as soon as possible: I have one piece of advice for you – eat! First thing in the morning. Even if you don’t feel like it. Even if it means you have to cook something before dawn. It is worth your while. I promise.

Ciao!

Jeni

What Makes It Work?

Hi guys,

A prospective client asked me a question today that is so simple and so profound that I decided to write about it in the blog…

She is 32 years old and has apparently tried everything to lose weight – from fat loss shakes to anti-cellulite creams to liposuction. Needless to say, nothing worked for long enough. “So, what is it about your approach” she asked “that makes it work?”

The answer is so simple yet so difficult to comprehend… What makes the program work is YOU. You are the only one that has that power. I can (and will) be there to guide you, teach you, support you, push you when you need me to, but YOU need to pull it together. It is your responsibility, your battle, and ultimately – your reward.

Now the tough step to overcome, particularly for someone who has been overweight for a long time is the lack of faith in your own ability. Throughout the years you have probably told yourself time and time again that you are not going to eat those cookies, will get on the workout wagon from Monday or will eat healthily from January 1^st. And, of course, time and time again you have broken your own promise. You have failed yourself enough times to lose all confidence in yourself.

Well, guess what. It doesn’t have to be this way. I know it has been like this for a while, but you can change that. In fact, once you try you will see that keeping your promise to yourself is not that hard. You just have to promise to yourself that you can and will invest the time and effort to get your body in shape. You have to convince yourself that you are worth it (yep, just like the L’oreal ad!).

I am going to say it again: the first step in winning the battle of the bulge is to believe that you can do it. And yes, you can! I don’t care how overweight you are! So, give yourself permission to succeed and get on with the program (so to speak)! Summer is about 8 weeks away!

Ciao!

Jeni

The Deamon of "Boredom Eating"

Hi,

Winter is the time of “comfort eating” according to many… It is the time to curl under the blanket, read romantic novels or watch DVD’s and sip on decadent Cadbury’s Hot Chocolate (complete with full cream milk and chocolate shavings).

While I fully appreciate the rationale of this argument, I tend to disagree with the terminology. I would classify “the winter munchies” more as boredom eating rather than comfort eating. We, Capetownians particularly, are used to be out there. The beaches, the mountains, the parks, the malls… We simply love to be “outside” and “to do stuff”.

But what happens in winter? The South Easter starts blowing faster than the speed limit of city roads, the rain and subsequent mudslides make our usual hangouts inaccessible and with the current economic crunch, the mall isn’t such a viable option either. So, what do we do? We eat!

Eating more than what we need on a daily basis will invariably result to excess storage (remember the cookies in the jeans back pocket) and by the end of winter we will spot “the winter 5” (which is kind of like “the freshman 10 (pounds)” in the first year of Varsity life). Not to mention that the dark cold mornings and early dusk (which apparently make gym an impossible option) don’t help much either.

OK, so what can you do about it?

Sorry to break it to you guys, but losing weight is not going to get easier because you have a “justifiable” reason for gaining it in the first place. (I am told time and time again by my clients that gaining weight in winter is “justified”…)

Thus, the easiest way to deal with the problem is to avoid it altogether. I can understand that your “entertainment” options are limited in winter. I can even understand how you may feel that dragging yourself for a walk, or heaven forbid a full-blown exercise session, is virtually impossible. But what I can’t understand is why you must fill the void with food. Why can’t you call a friend, read a novel, watch DVD, whatever… without shoving pounds of artery-clogging cholesterol in your mouth? In fact, I challenge you to give it a try. It is not THAT horrible… I promise!

Ciao!

Jeni

The Walking vs. Running Debate

I know, I know....
Running sucks!

It is really hard work, compared to the leisurely stroll in the park with friends that Shape magazine promises "will get you in bikini form in no time". You get all sweaty and your cheeks are as scarlet as stove hot plates!

Plus, everywhere you look, "experts" tell you that it really doesn't matter if you run or walk - you will burn the same amount of calories if you cover the same distance, right?

So, then why should you strain your joints (and willpower) and run, you ask?

First things first. The above "experts" are correct. Let me say that again: you burn the same amount of calories, whether you walk or run the same distance. So, walking 5km will burn the same calories as running 5 km.

Yet, there are differences. Subtle ones, but they build up to a lot in the long run (excuse the pun!).

To start off with, there is the time factor. Walking 5km (if you are a 5.5km an hour leisurely-
stroll type) will take you just under one hour. If you were to run the same distance (at say 10km/hour... not particularly fast) you will be done in just 30 minutes. It gets worse as the distance grows!
Remember, one of the reasons you started the whole weight loss thing was to enjoy life, right. It will be hard to do so, if you have to spend more and more of your precious time exercising simply because you don't feel like picking up the pace!

Then there is the intensity! Intensity is important, because it works almost the same way as compound interest! It really adds up!

Because running requires so much more energy than walking, your heart rate gets really high. (In other words, your muscles need more oxygen, so the blood needs to get to them faster to deliver that oxygen; the only way to make that happen is if your heart pumps double time to make sure enough oxygen gets transported.) When you stop running, your heart rate doesn't just drop back to normal. It takes a while. Like 2-2.5 hours, actually! So throughout these follow-up hours your body is still using much more energy than normal. Sounds like little, but can work up to 2-3kg of extra weight loss a month (depending on how fast you ran and how much you weighed to begin with) but definitely a worth while difference, achieved from simple recovery!

On the other hand, after you finished your stroll, you are back to square one (low calorie burning mode). But because you feel you did "exercise" and you were sooo good, you figure "I can reward myself with something to eat!. And this is where your problem gets worse.

It is highly unlikely that you will feel like something sweet after a run. After a walk, however, things are different. Need any more reasons to pick up a jog this afternoon?

Ciao!

Jeni

The Diet Vs. Exercise Debate

Albeit my best intentions, I opted to stay at home and watch TV this weekend, having just been greeted by the windy wet Cape Town winter this morning (while going for a run, of course!). DSTV has never been on my household's priority list, so watching the Comrades Marathon on SABC2 was the best "entertainment" option available. Seeing the large number of overweight runners who managed to cross the finish line of such a grueling race, I decided to attack a question that many a new customer of mine have asked:
"Between exercise and diet, what is the most effective weight loss solution?"

Those of you who know me, clearly know that I am an exercise junkie. I mean, I literally live at the gym! So, surprisingly to you, friends, I actually believe that watching what you eat will help you melt the pounds off a lot faster than any exercise regime. The overweight runners this weekend are simply a case in point!

Having said that, I do not mean that exercise is not important. On the contrary! But exercise and diet fulfill different roles in the slimming quest.

Here is what I mean:
If you want to change your size, then focus on your diet.
If you want to change your shape, exercise is your best bet.

If you were to simply watch your diet as a means to weight loss, what will happen is - you will lose weight. Initially, it will go relatively fast, and as time goes by, your body will get used to functioning on less food, until the weight loss eventually comes to a halt. As I said, you will lose some weight in the process, but your shape will remain the same. So, from a big fat person, you will become a little fat person.

Now, let's add some exercise.
Firstly, you will be burning some extra calories while working out. You don't need to be a brain surgeon to figure that out!
Secondly, you will build a bit of muscle. (This is the same as what some of you call toning.) Now, muscle gives you a double benefit. On the one hand, it is metabolically active tissue. What this means is that a person with more muscle burns more energy than a person of the same weight but less muscle. Secondly, building a bit of muscle gives you shape! Something that really makes the difference between an average and an awesome looking person.

And just to set the record straight - you WILL NOT get big by lifting heavy weights at the gym. This is the biggest objection I get from clients who "don't want to look like Arnold Swarznegger". Do you really think it is that easy to get to look like that? If it was that simple, don't you think there would be a lot more body-builders walking around?
Let me say that again: lifting moderate to heavy weights will not make you "big" unless you feed your body exorbitant amounts of protein, train 4-5 hours a day and push weights double your body weight. So, stop playing with the little pink dumbells at the gym. Chances are, your grocery bags (and definitely your baby) are much heavier than that.

OK, I think I went off in another direction for a while... Here it is again:
The winning formula to a slim and toned physique is 70% diet, 20% exercise and 10% rest.
You will not get slim, unless you watch your calorie intake, but that alone, will not take you far!
Going for a 5K run 2-3 times a week is not an excuse to eat whatever you like. It will show!
You need some R&R and some pampering to show off this great body you worked so hard on!

That's all from me for now. Have fun!


Jeni

Fat Burners - Miracle Pills or Plain Rip Off

I went to Dischem this morning and just out of interest counted the number of weight loss miracle pills that were on offer in the two very well merchandised "slimming aisles" (yep, there are two full double-sided aisles of the stuff!). There were 347 brands of pills, drops, creams and some combinations thereof. That does not include the slimming teas, slimming water and the few other utterly crazy inventions on offer. With this variety in mind, I shouldn't be surprised that the question "what can I take to lose the fat faster?" (or the variations such as "does this brand work?") comes up with amazing regularity in session.

So, here are my feelings on the matter. You are welcome to agree, disagree, comment or challenge anything you read.

Well, my opinion on the question "do weight loss supplements really work" is both yes and no. Here is the low down.

Most slimming supplements available in South Africa are based on the traditional CEA formula. CEA stands for caffeine, ephedrine and aspirin. I can already hear the USN and Evox guys disagreeing! But the point is, whether the fat burner you choose has ephedra, garcina cambogia, pyruvate, HCA or any of the other "miracle" ingredients marketed this particular season, they are all thermogenic. Same thing, different season... that's how marketing goes!

Anyway, let's look at how thermogenics work.

In most simple terms, they raise the body's core temperature. In order to keep up with this increased temperature, your body needs to work a bit harder and thus, it burns more energy. The more energy you burn, the more fat you lose, right? Well, the principle is very sound, but it all falls apart when you look beyond the principle and add up the numbers. The increase of 0.1 degrees in body temperature (which is what you will get if you take the pills as directed) will result is a whole 80kcal expenditure in 24hrs for the average person. Wow! This is a total of 2,400kcal a month! A whole 270gr! Isn't that fantastic! And you paid R400-R500 for a month's supply, you lucky fish!

The other thing that thermogenics do for you, generally due to the high concentration of caffeine in them (natural or otherwise) is that they perc you up! Now, of you use that extra energy boost to go to the gym and kick butt, then you have a chance. But if the added energy is used to fuel routine trips to the fridge to pick up cold beer... well, you might be somewhat disappointed with the overall results.

The only "real" slimming result most people experience when taking weight loss supplements is the diuretic effect, again coming from caffeine or some more serious substances, depending on the brand of fat burner. Again, it is all very good to dehydrate yourself, but how long do you think you can last before you drink some water and put the "weight" back on?

So let's look at the history of fat burners and I will give you my answer right there!

The original CEA fat burner was designed for bodybuilders who are preparing for competition. To those who have no interest in bodybuilding, let me briefly explain the "pre-contest" phase.

The bodybuilders you see in magazines and on the web don't look like this all year round. In fact, they only look as ripped as that for a few days (weeks at most) and again, the light when the shots are taken plays a big role! So, what happens is 12-16 weeks prior to contest these guys start "cutting" for the show. This process involves hectic exercise (between 3 and 7 hours a day, mostly intense cardio) and even more hectic dieting (read protein shake, protein shake, chicken breast with plain lettuce leaves, more protein shake, more chicken breast). Needless to say, this is not a regime for the weak at heart (or body) and exhaustion sets in. For these guys, fat burners are absolutely invaluable. They give them the extra energy kick to keep pushing on the stationary bike after 2 hours have gone by and its time for posing practice. They also affect their appetite, so they can survive the grueling 3 months on protein shakes. (Sadly, for the rest of us this appetite-suppressing effect is not particularly useful, cause if we only ate when we were hungry, we wouldn't have picked up weight in the first place!)

So, bottom line, unless you are a body building competitor preparing for a show... you are really wasting your cash on these potions.

To make matters worst, the stuff can be down right dangerous to you too. The key here comes in the bodybuilding cycle (again!). Those dudes prepare for contest for 3 months but then have 4-6 months of what they call off-season which basically means no pills, more relaxed diet and ONLY 2 hours of exercise a day. During this phase they would put on about 10-20 pounds of fat (yep, that's right!) that they will have to get rid of in the next pre-contest... Sad, hey...
Ordinary folk, on the other hand, simply live on Phedra Cut. All year round! And when the slimming is not happening satisfactory fast, they just up the dosage. Which is OK, if you don't mind having cardiac arrest or heart attack...

If you are serious about weight loss, there is only one right way to do it. And I am sorry to break it to you, people, but XenaLean is not essential to it. Exercise and correct nutrition, on the other hand, are!

Have fun!

Jeni

Why Do You Need a Weight Loss Coach?

It always amazes me when people come to me for coaching, yet they can't wait to pop the question... "Why Do I Need a Coach To Lose Weight?"

I wonder what would happen if the same person woke up one morning thinking he wanted to be a tennis player. Do you think he (or she, no sexism intended) would have just gone to TotalSports, picked up a racket and a set of 3 balls and taken off to the court on his own?

Anyway. For some reason everyone seems to think that one should know how to lose weight. I mean, there surely are enough diet books out there. The web is full of advise. And the skinny chicks at the Point with their matching socks and sports bras can easily fool you that eating nothing but steamed chicken breast for 3 weeks at the time is easy. Or at least tolerable.

So off you are, to Fruit & Veg City to stock up on organic carrots and lemon juice ready for the Monday morning kick-start! You secretly hope that the lemon juice diet can turn you into Giselle Bundschen in a fortnight although you know better. And you pray that drinking green tea (yep, with lemon juice) is nowhere near as disgusting as a week on the Cabbage Soup.

Ag, it can't be that bad. It is only 2 weeks after all! I can be 6kg's lighter! Finally! It will be all right!

Now the previous paragraph is what is going through the mind at about 16:30 on Sunday afternoon. This is the "mental preparation" that apparently every diet requires, more often than not carried out while watching Desperate Housewives reruns and eating Pringles... cause you are starting a diet tomorrow, right? I mean, every time you are about to wash your hair, you go stick your head in the mud. Just like every time you are about to clean the carpets you make sure the dog pees on them. So, why should you not binge. You have every reason to do so. You are about to go on a diet!

Along comes the coveted Monday and once again the entire office knows that the diet is on. Comments of encouragement pour from "concerned souls" who have simultaneously developed a whole betting system based on your diet's collapse. Yet, they are supportive. They scold you for using sugar in your (green) tea. They lustfully devour double pieces of chocolate cake right in front of your eyes "to help you". And heaven forbid if you hear the Doritos in the vending machine call your name when you walk by (which invariably happens by day 3). Then you are condemned as the weakest link in the office for the next 15-minutes or so. Your best friend quickly speeds off to the bathroom (to collect her winning 50 bucks) and then, suddenly "you are not really that fat... I don't even know why you try this... You look just fine... Let's go buy new shoes at lunch!"

Well, the truth is that not everyone knows how to lose weight. And just because someone had enough money to publish a book doesn't make him a guru (look at Robert Kioyosaki!).

The toughest thing about weight loss is not the beginning. Everyone is very eager to take the first step. But then, as the weeks go by, the enthusiasm wanes. The cold front grips Table Mountain and hot chocolate with marshmallows seems much more appealing than a jog on the Promenade.

This is when you need help. This is when the diet book will fail you. This is where you need the phone call that says "Remember the goals we set? Remember what we are doing this for? Now get off your butt and work it!"

Some people struggle with motivation. Some need information. Some need to be hand-carried and hand-fed. Some need to be pushed. At the end of the day, they all need the personal touch and they are all friends.

Welcome to my blog and welcome to the extended Food & Fitness family. I hope you find it enjoyable, informative and entertaining. I look forward to your comments and posts! Please take this opportunity to share, have fun and show off (if that's what you really feel like!). But remember... there is no competition. It is all about YOU!

To being slim!

Jeni