Yes! I have done it again! I have finished my second day on the plan with no deviations! I know you probably think that’s not much to brag about but I did face some major temptations today…
I started off with a strange (to me) combination of oats mixed in with cottage cheese and a chopped up apple. (I know, yuck!) But it wasn’t really that bad! The cottage cheese has no flavour so all it does is make my oats creamy – something they were lacking since I had to skip the butter and the milk. Once I got past the idea of eating cottage cheese with oats, it was actually rather tasty.
Two and a half hours later I had a slice of toast with 3 egg whites and a portion of low fat feta cheese. I was feeling rather light headed and thought the toast will fill me up, but clearly, my stomach has much more potential than what a measily slice of toast can fill! By 1 o’clock (an hour and a half later) I was starved and facing the gym with some scary cardio workout. So, I made myself drink one of those horrible shakes again. Except this time it tasted better. I don’t know if I am getting used to it or it was my deprived senses, but I found it much more palatable.
My workout was short – 20 minutes. But believe me, it was a killer. I would much rather do an hour of slower type exercise… I was grasping for dear life after it. Basically, I had to warm up for 2 minutes and do 4 intervals of 4 minutes each where the speed or incline gets progressively higher. I chose the elliptical trainer today (cause I was still a bit dizzy) and just increased the levels every minute for 4 minutes. On the 5th minute I go back to the lowest level and then up again. After I completed the 4 sets I had to do one more minute on one level higher than my highest level so far. “Come on” Jeni says “It’s only a minute”. Guys, you have no idea how long a minute can be! And then I had a cool-off minute before hitting the stretches and a cool shower. As I re-read the last paragraph I realise that the description is no match for the impact of the workout. You guys have to try it to understand what I am talking about.
The good news, though, is that by the time I finished I no longer felt the hunger. Strange! But it is time to eat (on this plan I have to eat every 3 hours) so I had 2 ostrich sausages and stir-fried veggies. Yes, you guessed it – last night’s leftovers. I am not much of the cooking type…
After a three hour gap I had the last leftover portion and then for dinner I had meatballs with salad. I had to measure the olive oil that I put in my salad and let me tell you a teaspoon is an awful little bit of oil!
So, a second star on my chart for today and a cup of rooibos tea for bed (the green tea did not agree with my desire to have an early sleep last night!)
Melissa
Jeni:
Melissa is feeling a little “light” which is quite natural in the first few days of a plan that restricts starch consumption. She only eats two servings of starch per day (e.g. oats and a slice of toast) which is not quite as extreme as the “fashionable” Atkins, Pritkin’s and South Beach diets but is a significant reduction and will speed up her weight loss efforts.
The interesting concept for me today was the perceived drop in hunger levels after her exercise session. Interestingly, a study was published in December 2008 by the American Physiological Society, measuring just that – effect of exercise on appetite levels.
They found that aerobic exercise has a dual action on the endocrine system. It suppresses the production of a hormone called ghrelin (which stimulates appetite) and increases levels of the hormone peptide YY (which suppresses appetite). These hormone effects apparently last for a few hours in the body after a cardio exercise session.
Weight lifting, or resistance based exercise, has similar but milder results. It suppresses gherlin levels but has no significant effect on peptide YY levels.
So, next time you feel you are really hungry and can’t make it till the next meal – head for the treadmill… or the Promenade…
Till tomorrow!
Jeni
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Pros & Cons of Caffeine
Hey gang!
Melissa here. I have survived my first day and am promptly on line to share my experience. I hope it motivates at least one person to set their own goals and go after them, just like me!
My day started kind of late, due to the particularly long party I attended the night before. It was a very good friend of mine’s birthday and since I knew I was starting my new life today, I had to exit the party scene with a bash. Effectively, I slept through my first meal, so only managed four for the day.
Other than that, I did great. I am patting myself on the back as I type this.
The instructions were quite simple:
- I had to eat 5 times today
- I had to drink 2 litres of water (tick!)
- I had to have a serving of protein and a serving of carb for each meal (where each serving is the size of my fist or the palm of my hand) (tick!)
- I had to do my exercise routine (tick!)
So, you see. I did pretty good. Only one missing tick and it was my first day!
Breakfast was egg whites and a slice of toast. Not quite the same as scrambled eggs, but I think I can get used to it. For my second meal (lunch) I had left over bolognaise sauce with green peas and cheese (low fat). Then, in the afternoon, on my way to the gym I had a meal replacement shake. And for dinner I had 3 ostrich sausages with stir-fried vegetables.
The meal replacement shake was by far the worst part of the day! It looked, smelled and tasted like baby vomit, yet the sales guy at Wellness Warehouse assured me that “this is the best tasting shake on the market”. I dread to know what the worst tasting one is like!
The exercise routine was focused on upper body today. I had to do free weights exercises for my chest, back, shoulders and arms. It has been a good few months since I last visited the weight lifting room. For some reason, I remember it as much more boring place than what I experienced today. May be because my instructions were strict: “No chit-chat between exercises. Get it. Do your work. Get out.”
I also really missed my coffee today. I was only allowed one cup and I am a self-confessed caffeine addict. I am nursing a cup of green tea as I write, which is also supposed to be high in caffeine, but believe me, there is no kick. I think I will just go to bed…
Melissa
Jeni:
Thanks Melissa! You really did great today! Be proud of yourself!
Today I am going to tell you a little bit about coffee and the controversy around it, since Melissa mentioned it in her blog-inside-the-blog…
Coffee has been getting both positive and negative press for the longest of times and many of my clients are completely lost as to the benefits, or lack there of, associated with their favourite brew. Here is the low-down:
There is no simple answer as to whether coffee is good or bad for you. Reason being: coffee consumption can help you achieve certain goals (for example, improve fitness performance) and it can be detrimental for other (e.g. weight loss). It also affects things like bone density (due to calcium depletion) and water retention (due to its mild diuretic effect).
In terms of weight loss (which I assume is the key consideration for readers of this blog), I have bad news for coffee lovers. Yes, it is one of the main ingredients in thermogenic fat-loss pills, but the reason why it’s in there is caffeine’s diuretic properties. Basically, the pills make you pee a lot (amongst other things) so that you can appear lighter on the scale. And some people pay good money for that stuff!
Unfortunately, though, coffee consumption leads to increased production of stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol causes the body to store fat, particularly around the midsection and it also incites a wave of undesirable ageing effects on the body. As you can imagine, a cup of coffee a day is not really going to do that much damage, but consuming up to half a dozen cups (as in Melissa’s case) is a bit much.
Having said that, if your objective is to workout harder for longer at the gym, coffee is your new BFF. Why? Cause it stimulates the central nervous system and basically “masks” feelings of fatigue so an athlete can push himself a bit further after a cup of coffee. It is also well known for its mood enhancing properties, protection against gallstones, liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
Bottom line: Have coffee if you like it, but remember: MODERATION. Medium roast is better than light or dark roasts (the roasting method used protects the antioxidants in the raw coffee beans best). Unfiltered coffee (as in espresso, boiled or French-pressed coffee) is better than filtered (i.e. instant). Organic is much better than commercially farmed (with pesticides) beans.
Enjoy that morning java!
Ciao!
Jeni
Melissa here. I have survived my first day and am promptly on line to share my experience. I hope it motivates at least one person to set their own goals and go after them, just like me!
My day started kind of late, due to the particularly long party I attended the night before. It was a very good friend of mine’s birthday and since I knew I was starting my new life today, I had to exit the party scene with a bash. Effectively, I slept through my first meal, so only managed four for the day.
Other than that, I did great. I am patting myself on the back as I type this.
The instructions were quite simple:
- I had to eat 5 times today
- I had to drink 2 litres of water (tick!)
- I had to have a serving of protein and a serving of carb for each meal (where each serving is the size of my fist or the palm of my hand) (tick!)
- I had to do my exercise routine (tick!)
So, you see. I did pretty good. Only one missing tick and it was my first day!
Breakfast was egg whites and a slice of toast. Not quite the same as scrambled eggs, but I think I can get used to it. For my second meal (lunch) I had left over bolognaise sauce with green peas and cheese (low fat). Then, in the afternoon, on my way to the gym I had a meal replacement shake. And for dinner I had 3 ostrich sausages with stir-fried vegetables.
The meal replacement shake was by far the worst part of the day! It looked, smelled and tasted like baby vomit, yet the sales guy at Wellness Warehouse assured me that “this is the best tasting shake on the market”. I dread to know what the worst tasting one is like!
The exercise routine was focused on upper body today. I had to do free weights exercises for my chest, back, shoulders and arms. It has been a good few months since I last visited the weight lifting room. For some reason, I remember it as much more boring place than what I experienced today. May be because my instructions were strict: “No chit-chat between exercises. Get it. Do your work. Get out.”
I also really missed my coffee today. I was only allowed one cup and I am a self-confessed caffeine addict. I am nursing a cup of green tea as I write, which is also supposed to be high in caffeine, but believe me, there is no kick. I think I will just go to bed…
Melissa
Jeni:
Thanks Melissa! You really did great today! Be proud of yourself!
Today I am going to tell you a little bit about coffee and the controversy around it, since Melissa mentioned it in her blog-inside-the-blog…
Coffee has been getting both positive and negative press for the longest of times and many of my clients are completely lost as to the benefits, or lack there of, associated with their favourite brew. Here is the low-down:
There is no simple answer as to whether coffee is good or bad for you. Reason being: coffee consumption can help you achieve certain goals (for example, improve fitness performance) and it can be detrimental for other (e.g. weight loss). It also affects things like bone density (due to calcium depletion) and water retention (due to its mild diuretic effect).
In terms of weight loss (which I assume is the key consideration for readers of this blog), I have bad news for coffee lovers. Yes, it is one of the main ingredients in thermogenic fat-loss pills, but the reason why it’s in there is caffeine’s diuretic properties. Basically, the pills make you pee a lot (amongst other things) so that you can appear lighter on the scale. And some people pay good money for that stuff!
Unfortunately, though, coffee consumption leads to increased production of stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol causes the body to store fat, particularly around the midsection and it also incites a wave of undesirable ageing effects on the body. As you can imagine, a cup of coffee a day is not really going to do that much damage, but consuming up to half a dozen cups (as in Melissa’s case) is a bit much.
Having said that, if your objective is to workout harder for longer at the gym, coffee is your new BFF. Why? Cause it stimulates the central nervous system and basically “masks” feelings of fatigue so an athlete can push himself a bit further after a cup of coffee. It is also well known for its mood enhancing properties, protection against gallstones, liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
Bottom line: Have coffee if you like it, but remember: MODERATION. Medium roast is better than light or dark roasts (the roasting method used protects the antioxidants in the raw coffee beans best). Unfiltered coffee (as in espresso, boiled or French-pressed coffee) is better than filtered (i.e. instant). Organic is much better than commercially farmed (with pesticides) beans.
Enjoy that morning java!
Ciao!
Jeni
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year! Write Your Motivation Today
Happy New Year everyone! The time for renewed resolutions and vows for healthier and happier life is right here. Don’t wait! Take the leap and let’s kick butt this year!
As I promised you, my new client Melissa has agreed to document her journey with me for the next 90 days. I hope her experience motivates you to also reach for your best body ever and to empower you with some very valuable information I will post here interlaced with Melissa’s journey.
Her first task was to write down the exact reason why she is embarking on the program and her expectations of what will change in her life (along with her dress size). Here is what she wrote:
I am NOT happy with myself. It is not that I am morbidly obese or that if I don’t lose weight I am not going to be around for my kids’ graduation. No, not at all. I am 11 kg overweight; size 10 (but mentally size 6) and I guess I would be classified as “normal” according to Jeni’s fancy body fat scales.
But I am NOT happy. I am not happy because I feel I no longer am in control of my life. Because I feel weaker than the box of cookies in the cupboard and I succumb to their calls day in and day out.
And this is why I am doing this program with Jeni.
I want to reclaim my life. I want to be in charge of what happens to me once again. And I am starting with my weight, because to me, it is THE hardest one to get right. It requires patience, time and consistent effort and I am a true 21-century-citizen, hooked on instant gratification and easy-to-get things in life. The next 3 months are going to be hard for me, but by doing this I will once again sit in the driving seat of my own destiny. And I look forward to sharing this experience with all of you.
I pledge to be consistent with the program for the next 90 days.
I pledge to do my best and put all my effort into this.
I pledge to complete the program.
Wish me luck!
Melissa
Well, here are her stats:
Weight: 59kg
Height: 1.65m
BMI: 21.7 (Normal)
Chest: 88cm
Waist: 69cm
Hips: 102cm
Thigh: 59cm
Upper knee: 41cm
Body Fat: 23.5% (17:11:30) (Average)
Melissa would like to lose 11kg, trim down her waist to 60cm and her hips to 90cm.
She comes from a very active background. As she said herself, she is not a severely overweight person. She has been exercising (admittedly, on and off) for many years and eats relatively good… Except for night time. Late evening snacking is her downfall and this is what we will need to work on in the next 90 days.
She is starting tomorrow with a resistance-based upper body workout and will be following a 40:40:20 diet plan. This means that 40% of her calories will be coming from carbohydrates (vegetables, fruit, starch, potatoes, bread, etc.), 40% from protein (meat, egg whites, soya, etc.) and 20% fat (you know what that is, right?).
Log in tomorrow (and every day after that for the net 3 months) to share her experience and feel free to post any comments or questions you may have.
Ciao! Have a prosperous and successful year ahead!
Jeni
As I promised you, my new client Melissa has agreed to document her journey with me for the next 90 days. I hope her experience motivates you to also reach for your best body ever and to empower you with some very valuable information I will post here interlaced with Melissa’s journey.
Her first task was to write down the exact reason why she is embarking on the program and her expectations of what will change in her life (along with her dress size). Here is what she wrote:
I am NOT happy with myself. It is not that I am morbidly obese or that if I don’t lose weight I am not going to be around for my kids’ graduation. No, not at all. I am 11 kg overweight; size 10 (but mentally size 6) and I guess I would be classified as “normal” according to Jeni’s fancy body fat scales.
But I am NOT happy. I am not happy because I feel I no longer am in control of my life. Because I feel weaker than the box of cookies in the cupboard and I succumb to their calls day in and day out.
And this is why I am doing this program with Jeni.
I want to reclaim my life. I want to be in charge of what happens to me once again. And I am starting with my weight, because to me, it is THE hardest one to get right. It requires patience, time and consistent effort and I am a true 21-century-citizen, hooked on instant gratification and easy-to-get things in life. The next 3 months are going to be hard for me, but by doing this I will once again sit in the driving seat of my own destiny. And I look forward to sharing this experience with all of you.
I pledge to be consistent with the program for the next 90 days.
I pledge to do my best and put all my effort into this.
I pledge to complete the program.
Wish me luck!
Melissa
Well, here are her stats:
Weight: 59kg
Height: 1.65m
BMI: 21.7 (Normal)
Chest: 88cm
Waist: 69cm
Hips: 102cm
Thigh: 59cm
Upper knee: 41cm
Body Fat: 23.5% (17:11:30) (Average)
Melissa would like to lose 11kg, trim down her waist to 60cm and her hips to 90cm.
She comes from a very active background. As she said herself, she is not a severely overweight person. She has been exercising (admittedly, on and off) for many years and eats relatively good… Except for night time. Late evening snacking is her downfall and this is what we will need to work on in the next 90 days.
She is starting tomorrow with a resistance-based upper body workout and will be following a 40:40:20 diet plan. This means that 40% of her calories will be coming from carbohydrates (vegetables, fruit, starch, potatoes, bread, etc.), 40% from protein (meat, egg whites, soya, etc.) and 20% fat (you know what that is, right?).
Log in tomorrow (and every day after that for the net 3 months) to share her experience and feel free to post any comments or questions you may have.
Ciao! Have a prosperous and successful year ahead!
Jeni
Saturday, December 27, 2008
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
“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
Thursday, December 18, 2008
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 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
Sunday, November 30, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
