Former Fat Guy Blog » Fat Loss

Laughing Yoga. My Experience.

Christina — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:22:57 +0000

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

One day while on Facebook I saw an event called Laughing Yoga and before I knew it I had signed up and called the yoga studio to pay my registration fee. Originally, I had seen Laughing Yoga featured within the documentary film about yoga, Enlighten Up! and at the time it seemed to me like an interesting concept. What appealed to me most was that no yoga experience was required and all that was needed was the ability to laugh. I had never taken a single yoga class. But, this I could do and just thinking about it brought a smile to my face.

If laughter was an instant vacation, then what a trip I was about to embark on!

Definition: Laughter is an audible expression or the appearance of happiness or an inward feeling of joy (laughing on the inside). It may ensue (as a physiological reaction) from jokes it is in most cases a very pleasant sensation. Laughter is used as a signal for being part of a group — it signals acceptance and positive interactions with others. Laughter is sometimes seemingly contagious, and the laughter of one person can itself provoke laughter from others as a positive feedback.

Laughing Yoga was created in India by Dr. Kataria in 1995 with his first laughter club. It is Pranayama, “yoga breathing” and unconditional laughter. His concept: The scientific fact is that the body cannot differentiate between fake or real laughter. It has both physiological and psychological benefits to the individual. Laughter is simulated as a body exercise in a group; with eye contact and childlike playfulness, it soon turns into real and contagious laughter.

Today there are over 600 Laughter Clubs in 6o Countries throughout the World.

The yoga studio itself was quite beautiful and minimalist in its décor filled with bolsters, blocks and sticky mats. It was a perfect setting for the normal zen like calm that would soon erupt into hearty laughter.

Our instructor Graham welcomed us with a brief introduction into Laughing Yoga, what to expect and we introduced ourselves. He then asked if there was anyone who did not practice yoga and as I looked around at the small group of Lululemon wearing, Hippies, hard bodies and yoga experts. The voice in my head went, “Oh shit!” I smiled and timidly raised my hand. He quickly acknowledged that we wouldn’t be doing any difficult poses but it would include stretches and simple poses. I silenced the voice in my head and was relieved that I wasn’t going to have to contort my body into a pretzel!

We began our class with a 15 minute unison vocal meditation in lotus position (cross legged for those not familiar with yoga terms). During the vocal meditation, focus on the sound of the words and the effects on the different parts of the body. Vowel sounds were pronounced as we traveled through a series of yoga poses and stretches on our sticky mats. It was an interesting experience to hear the harmony, tones and musicality of the sounds in the different positions. What was particularly more interesting was how my body responded to the sounds. Throughout the several simple playful exercises, different patterns of breathing continued to bring more oxygen to the body and brain.

Yoga brings the body to a relaxed state and during the exercises you soon find yourself immersed in a giddy, joyous state connecting with your inner child. The one you continually push down. The one that wants to jump in puddles, laugh at in appropriate times or who laughs at cartoons or silly jokes. Throughout the class, I noticed the edges of my mouth curving in an upward state.

One of the suggestions is to fake your laughter if you are not “feeling it” through the exercise or “fake it ‘til you make it” and before you know it you are laughing spontaneously. Perhaps the moments of how absurd it looked contributed to the such moments. The laughter becomes contagious and before you know it, the whole room is laughing! There were times when I was laughing so hard that I could feel my whole body vibrating with energy. The energy filled my entire body as the laughter came from my core.

One doctor who has studied laughter says, “Laughter is a mechanism everyone has; laughter is part of universal human vocabulary. There are thousands of languages, hundreds of thousands of dialects, but everyone speaks laughter in pretty much the same way.” I was once again reminded that we are all connected. It was an amazing experience and one that I am blessed to have been a part of.

Next week, I begin my beginner’s yoga course and I will enroll in the next Laughing Yoga course. My smile has returned.

Namaste.

Christina

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Win A Free Copy of Metabolic Surge

Rob — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:01:22 +0000

The Rapid Fat Loss program Metabolic Surge takes fat burning to a whole new level as it literally uses the stored energy in your fat to build muscle. Under the right training and nutritional conditions, your body has the capability of actually building muscle while burning tremendous amounts of fat. In fact, under these conditions, your body can actually use your own bodyfat to provide the energy for building that muscle, practically DOUBLING the speed of fat loss!

Want to learn how to do it?

And secondly, would you like it as a FREE GIFT?

I thought so.

Free Gift

During the week of February 2 through February 6th 2009 (Mon to Friday this week), Nick Nilsson and I are giving away a free copy of all his fitness books and programs starting with Metabolic Surge.

This is NOT for the timid and should only be applied by anyone already in good to extreme shape already.

A Fat-Loss Program That Actually Allows You To Build Strength AND Muscle? How Is That Possible?

Continue reading to find out how to WIN a FREE COPY….

It’s possible with a scientifically-designed program that harnesses and applies the real power of your own natural metabolism.

With the right training and nutrition, your body is fully capable of building muscle even when on a fat-loss program. You see, your body reacts to certain nutrients and certain training styles in very predictable ways.

By exploiting your body’s natural reactions, the right program not only maximizes the positive fat-burning and muscle-building effects of Growth Hormone, it also maximizes the anabolic effects of Insulin while minimizing Insulin’s possible negative impact on fat burning.

It’s a combination that has the potential to transform your body in a remarkably short period of time!

The training part of it combines elements of low repetition / high intensity training along with short duration cardiovascular intervals. Your body is constantly moving, switching back and forth between weight training exercises and cardio exercises for the duration of your workout.

During your rest periods for your weight lifting, you’ll be doing cardio and while resting for your cardio, you’ll be doing weight training – for 45 minutes.

It forces your body to burn calories continuously during the workout which dramatically increases your metabolism leading to increased fat burning long after the workout is finished. More so than either the weights or the cardio alone.

For an example of this type of training, have a look at a sample day of Metabolic Surge.

You can print that out and take it with you to the gym for your next workout.

The training program along with the nutritional manipulation make rapid fat loss while building muscle a reality. Normally, one would build muscle, and then cut up afterwards.

Again, this is ONLY for the advanced athlete who has a good base of fitness prowess already.

There is a protein principle in his nutritional program that really shook my beliefs. I still use it once a week at the very least and will continue to.

Win A Free Copy…

Tell me why you must have this program in the comment section. Over the weekend, I’ll be choosing one person who has left the most compelling comment and send their email to Nick for a free copy. We’ll be doing this all week, with a new program every day, so stay come back and leave a comment. Subscribe to the rss feed too, for instant delivery of the blog post.

that’s it… leave a comment telling me why you should have this rapid fat loss and muscle building program, and it could be yours.

50% off Fitness Bailout Sale

For the next 5 days, Nick Nilsson is having a Half Price Fitness Bailout Sale on his entire fitness product line. Get programs such as Metablic Surge, Muscle Explosion (28 days to Maximum Muscle), Gluteus to the Maximus, The Best Ab Exercises, The Best Exercises You’ve Never Heard of and more at 50% off their already low price. This is an offer not to be missed. Find out all about the Fitness Bailout Half Price Sale.

Winner…
and the winner is Ryan Evans – Comment #11. Thank you for everyone who participated in this giveaway.

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Eating At The Table – Food For Thought

Christina — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:39:35 +0000

It wasn’t until today that I decided that I need to revitalize a old tradition from my childhood and reminiscent of the Thanksgiving or recent Christmas Dinners – Eating at the table.

Eight weeks ago, we purchased a gorgeous dark wood pub style table and chairs for our kitchen.

We live in a smallish condo. perfectly comfortable for two with no designated dining area. I chose the table because of the dark wood and it gave the area special warmth. A place for us to dine together. Until then, we had a tiny table not suitable for two.

40% of North Americans eat with their family at home each night each week

Until then and even after we had the table, we shuffled our plates on our laps while we unconsciously, almost zombie like, sat to watch a sit com, the news or whatever reality tv show was on. After a busy day at work and especially throughout the Christmas season, it was our time to relax and our time to rest.

After recently talking to a couple at a party, I learned that they too would quite often watch tv with tv trays. Not only the two of them but their children as well.

Now, I suspect that we aren’t the only ones doing this.

A recent survey suggests that 40% of North Americans eat with their family at home each night each week. So, what about the other 60% of the time? Dining in restaurants, eating on the run, eating in front of the computer, or even in the car.

Eating in front of the tv or computer can lead to mindless eating and overeating caused by being distracted and prevent you from listening to your body’s hunger signals and satisfied signals.

Case in point, Popcorn in movie theaters. Do you need that much popcorn to make you full? While watching a film, we not only eat kernel by kernel but stuff handfuls of popcorn into our mouths and wash it down with huge containers of soda pop.

My Challenge To You

Instead of going out for dinner, why not have dinner at home tonight? Turn off the computer and the tv and take the time to enjoy the flavors, texture an taste your food by sitting down at the table. Enjoy the company of your family, partner or friend.

You’ll be healthier for it and reap the benefits of being connected, communicating and even try new foods or share favorite foods with those special people in your life.

Don’t limit yourself to holidays or special occasions, make everyday special.

Bon Appetit!

Christina

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10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Gym

Christina — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:46:52 +0000

If you are a beginner like myself or a seasoned gym rat, choosing a gym is an important decision to be made and there are lots of things to consider. As the saying goes, “location, location, location”, but it’s more than just that. There are costs involved, contracts to be signed, hours of operation and if you’re a mom, what about the child care options. There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a gym, and it should be done only after careful consideration.

I’m on a journey towards a healthy lifestyle filled with vibrancy and vitality. Most recently, I have made the decision and committed to a gym membership after serious contemplating. Exercise was the missing piece to my puzzle.

Significant changes over the last several months in my eating and lifestyle choices have been made but until now I was not mentally ready to join a gym.

The year was 1981 and Olivia Newton John zoomed to the top of the music charts with her song, Let’s Get Physical which inspired everyone to join a gym, sign up for gym class and wear spandex. Me, I was in Grade nine and (mandatory) gym class later ended ended for me in 1985. Not to mention, Participation.

Folks, it’s now 2008!

During my recent tours of various fitness facilities, the following are the top considerations I had to make before signing my contract

10 Things to Consider When Choosing A Gym

1 Atmosphere You’re going to spend a good portion of your time and money here so make sure it feels right to you. When a friend and I started looking for a gym I felt incredibly intimidated by one such gym with the amount of grunting, groaning and amount of posturing that went on in front of some of the mirrors. Make sure you get good vibes and feel comfortable the moment you walk into the door. Think of it this way, why would you spend your time or money going somewhere that you don’t enjoy? If you don’t consider this, your money will be wasted.

2 People A gym is like any other business, it’s there to make money. No matter how good the product is, it’s the people that can make or break a business. What is their interaction with others when you check out the gym(s) to make your choice? Are there many staff around when you need to ask questions? Can you connect with them or are they unapproachable? Do they have the qualifications? I actually interviewed the manager of the gym we chose and discovered she had been with this company for 25 years! She showed passion, enthusiasm and genuine interest in us when we met.

3 Cost What is your budget for exercise? We all want the most for our dollar but it shouldn’t be the driving force for you when it comes to deciding which gym you will choose. Ask lots of questions: Can I use this gym anywhere it is located in the city or is it this gym only? What is the cost of a drop in fee? What is the cost of a personal trainer? Am I being charged a membership fee as well as a monthly fee? What are my different options regarding price and/or payment? Ask for a complimentary pass to try out the gym before you make your final decision and I am sure that no one will say no. Shop around if price is one of the things preventing you from joining a gym or health club. One way you could save money is if your employer is offered discounts for their employees.

4 Location Did you choose where you live because of the location? Ask yourself where your doctor, dentist, grocery store, school or bank are located? Most likely, nearby. If it’s inconvenient getting to the gym, it’s going to be easy to start using it as an excuse not to go. I knew that if I chose a gym that was hard to get to that I wouldn’t go. So, I chose a gym that is a fifteen minute walk from my home which I use as my warm up.

5 Hours When do you plan to workout? Do the hours of the gym meet your needs? Take note of gyms with limited hours which might include evenings and weekends. I’m not a 9-5 person so I had to make sure that they had extended hours in the evening and were open on weekends. If their schedule doesn’t work with yours, you’ll soon have an excuse for not using your membership.

6 Maintenance Take a look at the equipment to ensure it runs smoothly and everything you think you will need to workout with is readily available. What is the quality of the equipment and is it current equipment? Is it regularly maintained? Is it clean? Is there enough space between you and others working out? You don’t want to lose your personal space.

7 Co-Ed or Not Everyone reacts to others differently, and exercising should be done in a place where you feel comfortable. As a woman, I enjoy exercising in a same sex gym and since I’m a beginner, I don’t want to exercise where I might feel embarrassed or intimidated. The choice is yours.

8 Change rooms. Locker rooms. Are they clean? Do they offer facilities that you will use? IE , showers, sauna, lockers. After making it to the gym, I realized I didn’t bring along a lock so for twenty five cents I could rent a locker complete with key to keep my personal items safe.

9 Classes. Where are your interests? What classes do they offer? If you are a beginner are they offering more intermediate or advanced classes that aren’t at your skill level? Are classes included in your membership or additional? Are classes offered when you are available to take them?

10 Contract Many gyms require a yearly contract as well as a monthly fee. What happens if you are unable to use your membership due to illness or injury? Does the contract protect you or the company? There are many things to consider so make sure to read the contract in full before you sign on the dotted line especially the fine print that can be quickly overlooked.

Today is only the beginning.

I accomplished what I had set out to do and instead of falling asleep on the couch at 9:00 PM I find myself alert and energized well into the early morning hours.

Tax Deductible Gym Memberships

My challenge to you this week is to act now and make gym memberships tax deductible in Canada!

According to Dave Hardy, President of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada, “The financial incentive offered by a federal adult fitness tax credit will encourage nearly one million more Canadians to get active and healthier,” said Hardy. “These healthier Canadians will need less health care and miss less work due to illness.”

Extending the program to include adults is not only good for the personal health of Canadians but also the financial health of the country. We urge the government to act quickly on this important initiative.

When Canadians were polled in 1997, more than three in five Canadians supported the idea of expanding the existing federal Children’s Fitness Tax Credit to include all Canadians over the age of sixteen.

Contact your local MP and Minister of Finance through the following link and make your voice be heard!

For details, read more about the Adult Fitness Tax Credit

Have a great week!

–Christina

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Tempted by Dietary Demons in Sin City

Christina — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:43:32 +0000

In Vegas, you can indulge in some of the seven deadly sins which might include lust, sloth, greed or gluttony.

Gamble into the wee hours of the morning, wander in a alcoholic haze, belly up to an over indulgent buffet or shop until your credit cards are maxed out. Las Vegas is a temptress. Be prepared to take a chance and gamble. The choice is yours. These are the choices I made.

Pre Trip Apprehension

For me, I knew that when I traveled to Las Vegas that I would be tempted by my old dietary demons once again: sugar, sweets, junk food, overeating and not to mention irregular eating. It was with this realization that before departure I suffered a great deal of apprehension and stress about going on this trip. After committing to this trip, I decided that nothing would prevent me from attend my brother’s wedding or missing these experiences.

Everything in Las Vegas is big, bold and boisterous! It begins the moment you enter the McCarran Airport and are confronted the moment you step off the plane with greetings of the obligatory sounds coming from the slot machines, colorful decor, lights, huge billboards selling everything from five star shows to porn. A true sensory overload.

Finding Healthy Food in Las Vegas

Vegas is world renowned for it cheap buffets and most North Americans love to get as big of bang as they can for their buck. The plates are big as are the portion sizes. I cringed at the selections available. Vegetables in many cases were boiled beyond recognition, usually canned variety and watery. A staple in the buffet was cheese. Cheese sauce, sliced cheese, grated cheese and cheese sauces. For the first time, I saw things like grits and empanadas wrapped in corn stalks. Tacos, fried chicken, lasagna, ham, roast beef, Chinese food, Mexican food, several type of potatoes were the features. I’m not a desert eater but for the first time, I saw a buffet of deserts including carrot cake, donuts, cookies, turnovers, cream puffs, and other sweets. Unlimited soft drinks, food and desserts for the masses.

I even saw a deep fried Oreo for $1.00 on Freemont Street!

Found a Buffet With Vegetables and Fruit

I was giddy with delight when I was able to find a buffet that had fresh veggies and fruit. The buffet included steamed crab legs, shrimp, fresh fish and lean meats. I steered clear from sodas, sauces, salad dressings, condiments, deep fried foods and ate a small portion of dessert. I noticed that throughout the hotels, airports, and smaller stores that healthy eating options were available however limited. This included apples, bananas, boiled eggs, bottled water, soy milk, health foods and unsalted nuts. I realize that some of these option are processed but were a better alternative to the fast food that seemed to be everywhere in the form of pretzels, ice cream, mixed drinks, candy and I even saw a deep fried Oreo for $1.00 on Freemont Street!

Craving Healthy Food

I learned early in that my body now craved healthy food and I also experienced problems with my digestion when I ate too much or the unhealthy foods. I mentally rehearsed before I took this trip and as a promise to myself, I would experience and taste without going crazy or regretting it all later. When I ate well and listened to my body I had an enormous amount of energy compared to some of my traveling companions who indulged in the variety of foods. Eight months ago, you would have seen me at the hotel room resting but now I was up until the wee hours of the morning with energy to spare. I know that if I hadn’t eaten well or taken better care of myself like I have been, I wouldn’t have been able to participate in this holiday and attend my brother’s wedding.

Water

Unaccustomed to weather like this and temperatures like this ( I live in Canada and the week before we left we had a snowfall!) I was reminded by my body that I needed hydration and that water was a must. Throughout my travels in the city I made sure I had water with me and stayed away from sugary drinks. I would like to plead that I didn’t drink alcohol but I did have a glass of wine to toast the bride and groom . Yes, and then there was the 32 ounces of Margarita marketed by Coyote Ugly as the “Ugly Stick.” I was a tourist and I allowed myself this indulgence. Was I perfect with my eating and did I stay on plan 100% of the time? No.

My goal was to maintain my weight

My goal was to maintain my weight and I was not going to deny myself but I would not go crazy, food wise. I tapped into my personal comfort zone.

Lots of Walking

If you travel to Las Vegas, bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes. I had researched the streets, buildings, and places to see but what I did not realize was that to get anywhere on the strip or surrounding areas means lots of walking, hailing a cab or taking the local transit. Everything isn’t as close as it seems. I guarantee that you will burn off many of the calories you’ve consumed once you start walking. However, it doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that some of the input must be decreased by the output.

My Favorite Places in Las Vegas

Some of my favorite places were Freemont Street, the Bellagio Water Fountains, Caesar’s Palace, Mandalay Bay, shopping at the Premium Outlet Mall, and the Las Vegas Strip. There are many places I would like to see which include tourist spots as well as those more off the beaten track. Where else can you travel to see France, Italy, and USA or travel to the top of the Effiel Tower to see a city of lights?

The city itself is truly amazing and comes alive at night as a glittering jewel guaranteed to bedazzle the most cynical of heart. The fluorescent sign age, gold gilded buildings, amazing architecture, the palm trees, desert landscape, dancing fountains, original restaurants, and the bluest of skies was simply mesmerizing to me. I could sit and people watch for days.

Everyone should visit Las Vegas once. If you haven’t, I highly recommend it! You’ll be glad you did! It was a holiday I will never forget with no regrets and ..see myself returning to Vegas again.

I’m quite happy now back at home and about to dig into my salad with fresh spring greens, tomatoes, cukes, hemp seeds, red onions sprinkled with my homemade salad dressing. Oh, how I missed thee! There is something satisfying and comforting about knowing what is on my plate and to know that I have made the choice when it comes to what I consume.

My challenge to you this week: Plan a holiday. Travel outside of your comfort zone!

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Mirror Mirror

Christina — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:05:58 +0000

Facebook. Often thought of a big time waster and not great for the procrastinators in us, it is marketed as a networking community!

I’m surprised but I will admit that Facebook actually taught me something about myself today. I learned something from one of their ”applications”. It came through “Social Me” (from what I can figure out is a dating opportunity for the singletons out there). I have a friend who actually met someone through this applications.

I found this video which sums up the type of impact Facebook is having on many people, have a look.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Now, let me explain how this Social Me application works.

Facebook Application Social Me

Social Me is an application or as described, an “interactive and addictive game” where your photo(s) from your Facebook profile is posted and people can characterize what they see in the picture, and even send a message to the person you are interested. Some of the choices are pretty, nice, sexy smile, nerdy, hot, kissable lips, etc. The reason I chose to have this application was because I’m literally plagued by email requests from my Facebook friends to use the applications so they can access the results of their profile pictures and I wanted to support them. You know who you who you are!

Even though I am not looking for someone, I was curious enough to see what the application revealed. Anyone who would tell you otherwise wouldn’t be telling the truth. Today I decided to scroll through and see how the public sees me. I was waiting for the word fat to come up on the panel. Instead I saw words like pretty, nice, happy, smart, pretty eyes and even the word nerd.

I then thought about how I perceived myself and how others perceived me. Something as simple as wearing a pair of glasses, used to improve your eyesight, immediately sent out the connection to others the characteristics of nerd or smart. People had preconceived notions of what I was like (the characterization of nerd) and even I had decided how I perceive myself.

Part of any body transformation involves changes within your psyche and I consider this to be a part of my continuing journey.

One characteristic of who you are isn’t your entire being! As an overweight woman I openly admit that this is something I battle with at least weekly because there is a mental shift happening inside of me and I am battling with what |I believe to be the old me. Why do we discount our entire person because of our opportunity(s). We are always so quick to highlight what we believe are the negative about our physical bodies. This might explain how the sales of cellulite creams, wrinkle creams and plastic surgery has become the norm in today’s society.

My journey is not an easy one and as Rob reminded me the other day, I have a long way to go. I recently spoke to him about my frustration about not losing weight fast enough even though my body has been visibly changing and I am the healthiest I have been in my adult life! I then began to compare myself to the others on his program who were having amazing results and releasing pounds of fat. Darlene reminded me that I was doing a dis service to myself by comparing my body to others. My body is exclusive to myself and I am not a duplicate of anyone.

Weight loss and exercise for me is not about a hard body. For me it is about healthy and being comfortable in my body. People choose to lose weight and/or exercise for different reasons. I can only speak for myself.

Look in the mirror and tell me what you see? Do you quickly point to what you perceive as less then perfect skin, weight, teeth, wrinkles, age spots or are you happy enough to proclaim what you do love about yourself?

My challenge: My challenge to you this week is to post as a reply to this blog what you are happiest about when you look into the mirror. Remember, the word BUT cannot be included in your reply. I love my… but…

I look forward to your replies. Have a great week~!

** As a side note, I tagged all the profiles I read as having a nice hairstyle. My apologies to all of those who are bald. Its my sense of humour!

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Youre Only Human

Christina — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:00:30 +0000

Anytime you try to do something new, you’re guaranteed to stumble along the way and it’s a part of the learning process. Realize that part of being human means that we’re not perfect and remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. Learn to recognize your triggers and then put together a plan to beat them. Knowing what leads you to over eat is the first step in overcoming it.

Discover what is preventing you from eating well or from staying on plan. Remember, eating well for many of us isn’t something that we learn as a child or even as an adult. For some of us, it came later in life. The paths you choose will teach you more about yourself then you realize. Learn from each mistake and move forward.

Our Mothers watched us tumble and fall before we took our first steps alone. Tears came and frustration. Why would now be any different? Dust yourself off and get back to it!

Take a deep breath and ask yourself, “Where do I want to be?”

Being Human Means Not Having To Be Perfect

I was talking with Rob about my not so perfect eating habits lately and he asked me,

Would it be ok if you don’t eat perfect all the time?

I hesitated and said yes.

I reflect on what was said during that conversation. I was continually beating myself up over making mistakes instead of recognizing my errors and taking action. It was easier to throw in the towel and fall back into poor eating habits that felt comfortable then to once again get ‘back in the saddle’ which means work. I have now realized that eating healthy will contribute to the results I am looking for and yes, hard work.

I am not alone. There are others that struggle on their journey. Jessie battled with a plateau on her weight loss and every man or woman I know battles similar challenges as myself at one time or another in their life. Remember, you’re not alone.There is someone out there who is feeling the way you do and experiencing the same challenges. I guarantee it. You have a support system and you might not even know it.

Remind yourself of your goals and why you are on this journey. For me it is: I am ready to change. I want to be healthy and I want to live my life. Most importantly, I’m doing this for no one but MYSELF.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to get back to it as soon as you can. Every now and then we need the “do over”. Here’s your chance to continue where you left off…

Get back in the saddle!

Recognizing your triggers will help you overcome your obstacles. For me, stress and exhaustion lead to overeating. My body was sending the signals and I was reading them as being hungry. I conditioned myself into doing this and it felt good so in fact, it was a habit I formed.

4 Ways To Beat Overeating

Make healthy food choices: When I am stressed, I now find other ways to use my energies and by eating healthy foods I find that I am not getting as stressed out as easily.
Eat at regular intervals: Eating regularly controls blood sugars that can get out of control and only add to my stress.
Drink more water: My exhaustion was caused by a number of things. One of them was, to my surprise not consuming enough water. I was dehydrated which caused me to be tired. Now, when I am tired, I make sure I am hydrated and if its rest I feel I need, I rest!
Meal planning: Meal planning has really helped me reduce my amount of fast food and processed foods. Quite often, I’d rely on fast foods that sabotaged my plan for a quick fix when I had no time to prepare a meal. Now I make sure I have meals on hand, ready to go and always have fresh fruit and veggies in my refrigerator. They are a must and I miss them when they aren’t there.

Try Something New

Maybe something isn’t working for you in your plan. What caused you to ‘fall off the wagon”? Are you bored with your menu? Sometimes changing one item you are eating or trying something you haven’t tried eating before can revive your existing plan. I’ve read Rob’s story about his weight loss and his journey has involved many different foods. Back in November, for one week I became a vegetarian which was very eye opening. I realized that I didn’t need all my vitamins and proteins to come from meat. Until that point, I was eating meat two times a day! I felt revitalized, energized and excited to try new fruits, vegetables and legumes. Now, I consume less meat and my eating is more balanced.

Just because you’re watching what you eat and making healthier choices doesn’t mean you have to stop eating some of the foods you truly enjoy. Why not substitute items and tweak recipes which will make you happier with your choices instead of leaving you feeling guilty about what you ate? I have more thoughts on this later in an upcoming post.

Consider the changes you have made and celebrate them! Why discredit your successes? Ask yourself if your goals are realistic. Setting unrealistic goals are guaranteed to set you up for disappointment. We live in a society that wants it now and is incredibly impatient. Ask yourself, how long did it take to get to where I am now? Instant gratification can be great but in the world of having a healthier body, it doesn’t happen overnight.

Baby, you’ve come a long way!

Today I enjoy meals made with whole foods and have eliminated processed foods from my kitchen. I am not longer relying on pain medications to relieve my body aches and pains. I feel healthier, have more energy, my moods are balanced and have prevented UN wanted weight gain. My body measurements have decreased by five inches and eating breakfast every day led to a 5 pound weight loss.

Gratitude Challenge

This week, I challenge you everyday to write down things that you are grateful for. This idea came from the book, “The Secret” and will help you focus you energies. Not only are you transforming your body but also your mind whether you realize it or not…

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You, Just Wait A Minute!

Christina — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:00:59 +0000

Eating when read in a dictionary refers to the consumption of food for nutrition. Consumption yes but at an intense rate. Once again, our lifestyles dictate what food we are consuming but also the amount of time we consume it in.

Let me tell you about the ‘ah ha’ moment I had today.

It came to me while I was out doing an errand and at of all places, a food court and discreetly watched those around me “eating”.

Ever hear yourself say,

I was starving; I didn’t even taste the food. I inhaled it!

Inhaling Your Food

My husband and I while dining together, seemed to always finish our meals at different times. He would eat slowly and enjoy his food while I, would eat so quickly that I often didn’t get the opportunity to savor or enjoy the food as it was meant to be. My husband would eat half of his meal and quite often he was too full to continue eating so his leftovers would be put away and result in a meal for the next day.

My eating habits were hurried and stressful. By the time I got to my lunch, I was famished and wanted to consume it as fast as possible. By eating slow, this was his time to rest his mind and refuel his body.

I Missed The Signal I Was Full

Not only was I denying myself the pleasure and the romancing of the food but I also hadn’t allowed my body to receive the signals telling it that I was full.

Instead, that 20 minute time frame consisted of eating my meal, a second helping and sometimes dessert!

In many families, meals were and still are a social event. Often, meals lasted a few hours with everyone gathered around a table talking, savoring the food and enjoying each others company. Today, the average meal is finished in 12 minutes and breakfast or lunch on average is finished in a mere 2 minutes. We’ve replaced our family dining with a one the go dining style.

Eating Whole Foods

My plan involves creating meals with whole foods. When preparing and cooking whole foods, it takes time to prepare so why not take the time to experience the textures, taste the flavor and the smell the aromas of the dish you took the time to prepare? Why not indulge in your sensory abilities? I’ve noticed that I am, the first time in 40 years able to truly taste my food but I can taste the difference by choosing natural, unrefined foods. In fact, I make better food choices because of the taste.

Eating slowly will also help with the digestion process and make it easier on your stomach. If you eat slowly, you will also tend to chew more which will result in the digestive enzymes being activated much sooner. By eating quickly and not allowing your stomach to digest, you are inducing digestive problems which may results in heartburn.

Eat Slow – Weight Less

One added bonus to eating slowly is weight loss. Studies have shown that participants in a study who took double the time to consume their meal consumed fewer calories and became full much sooner. Within one year, by simply eating slowly you can lose up to 20 pounds.

Take my challenge: Enjoy a meal with someone special to you and not only savor the food but also indulge in their company. Take it slow. Couldn’t we all use a little more time to connect with that special person or people in your life?

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Top Ten Reasons to Eat Breakfast

Christina — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:30:36 +0000

The reasons for eating breakfast far outweigh the time saved walking out the door on an empty stomach. My recent 5 pound weight loss after adding this simple habit got me curious about the benefits of eating breakfast.

Breakfast is simply ‘breaking the fast’. We have not eaten since evening and expect our body to be fueled and blood sugar to be replenished for the day without food is unrealistic. Think of your stomach like the gas tank of your car. You put gas in the tank of you car so that it runs, why wouldn’t you do this for your body? Think of it as a ‘jump start’.

In Canada alone, forty per cent of Canadians do not eat breakfast and an alarming one half of them are women. The inconvenience and minutes it takes to make breakfast is outweighing its benefits!

Top Ten Reasons to Eat Breakfast

1 A better attention span, focus and better productivity at work, school or at home. More strength and endurance. Studies on those who work at labor type jobs have shown that those who do not eat breakfast are unable to work as hard until lunchtime and studies on children reveal that they are unable to complete school work.

2Maintaining a healthy weight. People who skip breakfast are shown to choose less nutritious and convenience foods to curb their ravenous appetite. Poor eating habits lead to eating throughout the evening and calories are stored the evening hours as the metabolism slows down. Calories stored equals fat.

3Setting an example for your children and helping them develop healthy eating habits at an early age that they can carry on throughout their lifetime. If they see you eat breakfast, they are more likely to as well.

4Essential nutrients. Many of us do not meet the essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals needed daily. i.e., calcium, iron, fiber and Vitamin B1. Skipping breakfast guarantees we will not get these essential nutrients.

5Eating breakfast can reverse the effects of fasting: irritability and fatigue. That tone can last up to 16 hours. We’ve all had our crabby moments. I know I have! Why not enjoy your meal and focus on what’s important instead of using that energy to rip into someone?

6Lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease. Research has shown that people who eat breakfast consume less dietary cholesterol then do people who don’t eat breakfast.

7 Eating a healthy breakfast has been linked to better learning ability and memory functions.

8Increase your metabolic rate. People who skip breakfast have a metabolic rate four to five percent below normal, which may lead to an expected weight gain of eight pounds per year (one pound every seven weeks).

9Eating breakfast can have long term effects and prevent Obesity, High Blood Pressure and Diabetes.

10Breakfast foods are delicious! Avoid the processed, fatty foods. Skip the breakfast sandwiches and you will prevent yourself from consuming 560 calories and a whopping 32 grams of fat! Folks, that’s not even including a coffee and a hash brown that teams up with the heart stopper. Ultimately, you will be able to restrict the calories you are consuming so why not eat something healthy and nutritious? Bob’s Hot Cereal, Fruit, Eggs or a Smoothie?

Believe me, you’ll taste the difference and your body will thank you! Make the right choice.

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Fire Up Your Fat Loss Goals With A Photo Shoot

scott-tousignant — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:42:14 +0000

I attribute my past successes in both fat loss and muscle building to my unstoppable mindset. I set big goals and mission statements, I visualize, I adopt positive beliefs and attitudes, I incorporate support, accountability, and I find role models and mentors to help me along the way. All of these things have motivated the heck out of me in the past. Now I’ve discovered something that has ignited a flame under my butt and has taken my motivation to entirely new level. Scheduling a photo shoot.

I heard a few of my fitness mentors mention this before but I guess I brushed it off. Well not this time. The topic came up in a recent conversation with Tom Venuto and as soon as I got off the phone with him I booked a photo shoot for both my wife Angie and myself. We’re doing this together.

Pay For The Photo Shoot Ahead Of Time

8 weeks from today on April 2nd, Angie and I have a prepaid appointment with a professional photographer. We told her if we don’t show up, she can keep the money. There’s no way that I want to just hand money over for nothing, so you can be sure that this is incentive for me to go ahead with it.

What separates a goal from a dream is a deadline. So many people have a vision in their head of what they want their body to look like, but they don’t give themselves a time line to achieve it by. Scheduling the photo shoot not only provided me with a concrete deadline, it also puts a bit of fear in me because there’s no way that I want my picture taken if I’m not looking my absolute best for it.

I also have a sense of pride about this journey. Having a professional photo taken will give me the opportunity to show off the results of all my hard work that is going into the process.

Scott & Angie’s Fat Loss Goals

On April 2nd the day of the photo shoot I am 5% body fat and Angie is 13% body fat with incredible definition throughout our physiques. We look at our bodies with a sense of pride and accomplishment, much like a sculptor would admire the completion of one of their great works of art. There is a great sense of joy in observing our children, Shayne and Noelle looking at us and our pictures with great admiration and knowing that our actions and behaviors are being passed on to them.

Knowing that accomplishing our goals and sharing our journey with many others has now led a path for others to follow makes us feel like we have taken a giant step towards fulfilling our destiny. After all, we are just an average family but we take our health seriously. We have busy schedules and the typical stresses like everyone else and we have proven that if we can do it so can you.

We are on a mission to reverse the obesity trend and help 100,000 people create the vibrant healthy bodies that they deserve, and we are certain that our journey will spark the inspiration to get this movement going.

We also feel that having accomplished our fat loss goals together as a husband and wife team, truly demonstrates the power of spousal support.

Public Accountability

Angie and I are announcing our goals to everyone that we know and even the thousands of people that read this article for a reason. We understand the power of public accountability. And now for one more piece to the puzzle. Posting our before pictures.

These are our most recent photos. I’m at 10% body fat and Angie is at 18% body fat currently.

I can honestly say that I have never been this psyched about my fat loss goals in all my life.

Even if you aren’t going to be competing on stage, and even if your goal isn’t 5% body fat. I highly recommend that you schedule a photo shoot and capture the image of your vision of your own perfect body.

Pay the photographer in advance and prepare to look your absolute best.

Go for it!

Scott Tousignant

Scott Tousignant, BHK, CFC is the creator of Unstoppable Fat Loss… “Empower Your Mind… And Your Body Will Follow”. Scott has also authored 2 books that are transforming the bodies of people around the world. The Fit Chic and The Fit Bastard not only contain a FULL YEAR of workouts, they provide intense motivation to drive you to fat loss success.

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Quick and Intense Leg Training

scott-tousignant — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:36:15 +0000

My wife Angie is a very busy mom on the go. She doesn’t have time to socialize at the gym let alone even make it there. That’s why when I put her through an incredibly intense leg workout that took less than 10 minutes all in the comfort of our home, she was ecstatic. Like most women, Angie desires lean and tight thighs as well as a firm butt. This quick and effective 10 minute leg workout will do just that.

One of the strategies that I use to get the most out of my workouts in very little time is to perform dropsets. In the workout below Angie demonstrates dropsets for Squats, Forward Lunge, Stiff Leg Dead Lift, and Calve Raises.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

So as you can see in the video it’s really not that difficult to perform a great workout in the comfort of your home, with your kids running around, very little equipment, and in a very short amount of time.

Please don’t let me hear you using the excuse that you don’t have enough time to workout, that you can’t afford a gym membership, that you don’t have any room in your home, that you are too tired, or that it’s too difficult with your kids around.

With this type of training there is no excuse for why you should not be well on your way to achieving your dream body.

And by the way all you fella’s out there. I dare you to try this workout yourself. I bet that you’re not standing by the end

If you are going to workout… give it all you got!

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Effective and Fun Cardio Training

scott-tousignant — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:28:20 +0000

It doesn’t matter how effective a cardio program is at burning fat if it’s difficult to comply to. The easiest way to increase your compliance with your fat loss program is to make the activity fun. Long jogging sessions can be a lot of fun to many people and at the same time seem dreadful to others. I have found a way to make my cardio sessions outrageously fun and the time flies by while I’m doing it. Would you like to know what I do?

Well first of all I like to incorporate a variety of cardio training into my overall program. I enjoy brisk walks in the morning because it clears my head, gets me out in nature, and I can prepare for my day. To me it’s not even exercise even though it contributes to my overall fat loss.

Now here’s what I do to really spice up my cardio program and put my fat loss into overdrive…

High Intensity Interval Training With Loads Of Variety
[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Honestly that session flew by and I was sweating buckets. My body temperature was raised for hours afterwards and I swear I can feel the fat melting from my body.

So here’s what I did…

First I started with a 3 minute warm up on the stationary bike. Then I went into the HIIT training session. I like to train 30 seconds at a high intensity and then 30 seconds at a low intensity.

30 seconds of burpees which works out to be about 10 of them
30 seconds of marching on the spot
30 seconds of jumping jacks
30 seconds of marching on the spot
30 seconds of skipping
30 seconds of marching on the spot
30 seconds of mountain climbers
30 seconds of marching on the spot
30 seconds at a high intensity on the stationary bike
30 seconds at a low intensity on the stationary bike
30 seconds of climbing up and down a flight of stairs
30 seconds of marching on the spot

Repeat the entire thing one more time followed by 2 minute cool down on the stationary bike.

Entire workout time… 17 minutes

As you can see you really don’t even need any equipment to get in a great workout. If you don’t have a stationary bike you can always substitute in another activity.

If you want to crank up the intensity even more you could reduce the marching on the spot time to 15 seconds. The idea is to make the difference between the high intensity portion very obvious from the low intensity portion.

Is this type of training more effective than long duration cardio? Like I said, it all depends on if you enjoy it. If you can’t stand it, then the chances of you complying with it are slim to none.

I find that I keep my love for this type of cardio and for my brisk walks because I alternate between the two. Some days I don’t feel like walking and some days I don’t feel like HIIT training. I do what feels right to me at the moment. Sometimes it means that I load my kids up in the bike trailer and hit the roads.

Find what you love and you will find the key to your dream body and fat loss success.

I have a lot of fun doing that HIIT training session which I demonstrated above. The variety of exercises makes the time fly by. Haven’t you ever caught yourself staring at the clock and counting down the seconds of your cardio session?

With this type of training there’s no time to look at the clock and count down how much time is left. Plus it’s so much fun that sometimes I just want to keep going if my legs will allow me.

Try it out for yourself. Tell me how it feels and if it’s something that you could comply with. If anything, I hope that this article has inspired you to find ways to make your training fun.

Have an absolutely amazing day!

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Happy Halloween 2007

Rob — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:36:19 +0000

It’s Halloween night again here in North America. Naturally this holiday brings up thoughts of costumes and candy, but what about the environmental impact? The writers of this blog have been hard at work providing environmentally friendly tips, Halloween pumpkin recipes, Naughty costumes and a way to remove any fears that originated with your first scary experience many years ago.

Scott Bird, from Australia is passionate about the environment and posts something environmental related each Sunday. His Halloween contribution is about 10 Environmentally Friendly Halloween Tips. Scott also writes about food and cooking and his newest project is on worm farms. He’s hard at work, writing a book about building a worm farm from start to finish. Expect that soon

With all the Halloween pumpkins available for carving, Darlene and I thought, “why not come up with some recipes and cook them?”. So we did just that.

Halloween Recipes

This is Darlene’s Pumpkin Apple Curry

Darlene and I release a new whole food recipe each Saturday and we’ve still got two more recipes yet to post, one of which we made just this morning, a pumpkin pancake recipe and the other a pumpkin and butternut squash soup. The soup is yummy.

I first asked Michele if it was possibly pets that she was passionate about, but she told me in no uncertain terms that it was in fact relationships.

Michele has been contributing some great articles on the subject including a Naughty Halloween Costume article to spice up your bedroom. Great any time of the year.

My buddy Scott Tousignant, author of The Fit Bastard and The Fit Chic e-books contributed a Halloween Workout video that makes use of the Halloween decorations you might have around your house. Proof that you can make use of anything handy to get in a workout.

Halloween Fear

Yes, it’s real. I remember as a kid seeing some pretty scary shit out there on the streets and at such a young age, can wreak havoc on our little, impressionable brains.

What if scary experiences from our childhood Halloween nights have now caused us fear of other things? And more importantly, how can we get rid of the fear?

Dawn Murray is a friend of mine who I turned to for help with my own emotional shit. Dawn is a Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner and does work by phone or in person. She recently contributed her Fear of Halloween Night article.

Emotional Freedom Technique is a major contributing factor in weight gain and weight retention as far as I’m concerned. That fear and negative emotion is also toxic and can be stored as acidic waste in our bodies. Any sort of work you can do to remove these fears will take your body to a new level of health and peace. I highly suggest you have a look at it. Talk to Dawn for more information.

Please be safe this Halloween everyone. Kids may have a hard time seeing you in your car through their Halloween masks. Their attention is elsewhere, so please be extra careful when driving. If you don’t have to drive tonight, don’t.

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Heart Rate Monitor Review

Annette — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 17:23:04 +0000

It was my 30th (yes I said 30th) birthday and I was sitting on the couch opening my birthday gift from my husband.

The card said, “Wear this when you’re near me so I can see your heart race.”

Knowing my husband and how he knows me… I knew what was inside the package. It wasn’t diamonds or perfume or a box of chocolates. It was pink, made for a girl and something I could wear….

My very own, pink Women’s Polar F6 Heart Monitor.

I’m sure some women would equate this to getting a blender for their birthday but not this girl!

Let me tell you about my new cool gadget.

First things first. It was really easy to program all of my personal information into the watch (including the set-up for your “own-zone”). And this is coming from me. Someone who’d rather have their toys pre assembled and ready to go straight out of the box.

My watch sends me personal messages detailing how many minute of exercise were preformed as well as how many calories burned.

It talks (beeps) to me when my heart rate starts to climb. The monitor communicates with all the cardio equipment at my gym too. So I can see my heart rate on the screen right in front of me as well as on my watch.

The instruction manual tells me I can go online and my watch will magically transfer my weekly exercise information to the Polar website. Seems like my watch does a lot of communicating…hope the hubby doesn’t think that means he’s off the hook!

Have I noticed a difference in my workout intensities? The answer is yes. Before my new watch I would get on my choice of cardio equipment and I had a preconceived idea of how fast I thought I could go. Now I pay more attention to what my body and my watch is telling me and not what I thought should be the speed.

So now when I wake up in the morning I have every thing I need to hit the right intensity levels and sweat like a girl!

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Halloween Fat Loss Workout

scott-tousignant — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:04:46 +0000

One year ago I created a Halloween Workout that is a quick and intense workout using 2 pumpkins and 2 bails of hay. My point was to prove that you can achieve an incredible workout any time and anywhere. Another key point is to have fun with your fitness program. Lack of equipment, space, or time should never hold you back from achieving your dream body. Let’s revisit this fun and effective workout shall we…

The exercise routine is interval training in nature. I grouped a few resistance training exercises with a short bout of cardio training. The entire session took about 10 minutes and had me sweating as you will see in the video.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

These pumpkins were only 10 pounds and you could easily increase the intensity by using heavier pumpkins or increasing the duration of the cardio interval segments. You could also hold the pumpkins while doing the squats, lunges, or even during the interval segment.

Not to mention that you could do the entire circuit 2 times if you are in good shape.

If you celebrate Halloween and use bails of hay and aren’t sure what to do with your decorative pumpkins have a little fun and create your own exercise routine with them.

I encourage you to be creative with your training. Have fun with your programs. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Get outdoors and enjoy being active in the fresh air.

And by the way I like to keep my videos real and show the human side of me. While making this workout video my daughter was crying because she had a runny nose. No I wasn’t ignoring her, my wife was right there taking care of her

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Weight Loss Competition Finals

Jessie — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:52:49 +0000

My morning walks to the gym have become something that I look forward to. I use this time to reflect, to contemplate, to plan.

There are no voices. The silence tolls its minutes mute as a mime artist gazing through infinate shadows. A nuisance of shroud lined streets…one after another.

I get lost in the chemical slip of lights and traffic knuckled down to marauder strides of panic. I lock inside sublimation and beating 4 am lasts forever. This is a place with no windows, only space. This cold, quiet mantra of my mind, where beneath midnight lurks shallow clocks and silent warnings as I catch dreams like moths in my mouth.

And its beautiful this way.

My eyes placate, tasting the cool fire of my imagination, climbing inside my soul in an onslaught of sliding sensations. Pulling a pheonix canopy over questioning eyes, inducing rays of skyfire and orange tinged horizon fantasies.
Something in the air whispers contagious and I devour impossibilities while I take one step closer to my goals…

I felt a rush as I stepped through the mall doors and continued down the hall towards the gym.
Something great is going to happen today…I can feel it.

I changed quickly, remaining overly excited for my date with the scale.

Did I push it enough? Will I able to pull it out last minute? What if I didn’t lose? What if I gained? I wonder how much Israel lost?

Panic sets in and all of a sudden getting on that scale is the last thing I want to do.

“Get a grip lady, you are running yourself into a frenzy here….just breathe. You know you’re amazing.”

Ahhhhhhh the voice of reason.
She forever remains a prisioner inside my head, but holds me close when I need her the most.

*deep breath and step up*

I began this competition weighing 246.5lbs
(a far cry from the 270lbs I weighed at the beginning of my little adventure)
Two weeks passed and I did not see the scale move, however, these last two weeks were a completely different story….

Lets take a look shall we?

September 7, 2007

Weight: 246.5lbs

Waist: 44.75 inches
Hips: 50.5 inches
Thighs: 21.75 inches
Arms: 13.25 inches
Boobs: 47 inches

Total body fat: 44%

October 8, 2007

Weight: 239.5lbs
( I lost 4lbs last week and 3lbs this week)

Waist: 42.25 inches
Hips: 48 inches
Thighs: 20.5 inches
Arms: 12.5 inches
Boobs: 45.25 inches

Total body fat: 41.4%

Total weight released: 7 pounds
Total inches released: 8.75 inches
Total body fat released: 2.6%

I am now officially under 240lbs!!!!!!!!…you have no fucking idea how happy that makes me.
The exciting thing for me is that I am actually beginning to see a difference in my body when I am looking in the mirror. I can see the curve that is developing between my hips and my chest. I have gone down an entire cup size in bras. My thighs and arms look noticeably smaller and the shelf that sat on top of my ass is almost non existant. I feel sexy, and beautiful.

You will notice that I am lacking the 4 week before and after pictures. The only reason I did not include them is because there really is no visable difference between the two.

I do want to show you what my total weight loss to date looks like though.
These were my favourite jeans…well really the only jeans that fit me when I began. They are a size 24. I put them on today and had to hold them up.

These past four weeks have felt like only one. It really is amazing how quickly time passes.
A lot of things have happened in this short period of time.
I have said goodbye to my trainer and embarked on a new fitness program. I have become more involved with my children and my extended family. I have committed to bettering myself mentally because I know I’m losing grip, and the edge shouldn’t look better from the bottom.

I feel spectacular…I truely feel absolutely wonderful. I can not think back to a time where I have been in this place before. I am beginning to see things with clearer vision, I have goals that I am achieving every single day and I am proud of myself for the things that I have done…the things that I continue to do.
I’m changing who I was into who I am.

I can’t wait to see how Israel did with his 4 weeks. I think he is an amazing guy and I truely believe that he can do anything that he sets his mind to.
We’re both winners today, no matter what. We have both found our inner warriors and allowed them to unpack their bags for an extended stay.
Thanks Israel, you gave me that extra push I needed…and for that I am grateful.

You know…if I had the choice of having an easy way out of this weight loss or working for it, I would choose working for it hands down.

Why?

Because the payoff is beyond words. I am re-acquainting myself with someone that I haven’t seen for a really, really long time….
I’ve missed you J…..

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Weight loss? How To Tell If You Are A Fat Burner!

The Inner Biochemist - :Kristine:Earl: — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:25:37 +0000

The Inner Biochemist

The Simple Weight Loss Solution

FAT BURNERS

The “Fat Burner / Slow Burner / Ketogenic” Inner Biochemistry imbalance type

I bet you didn’t know…

- both “Sugar Burner” and “Fat Burner” are Inner Biochemistry imbalances…

- slow burning “Fat Burner” Inner Biochemistry imbalances have a problem digesting carbohydrates on their own.

- “Fat Burners” need complex carbohydrates to provide quick burning fuel in order to speed up their oxidative rate. So complex carbohydrates speed up their metabolism!!!

- Extra protein for a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance will create a cortisone overload, which causes “STRESS”.

- STRESS = FAT

- If someone is Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced and tries to do the “normal body building diet” – they will feel extremely sluggish – and even depressed… not knowing what’s happening with them.

- more than 60% of all blood pressure problems are at least partially related to high insulin and poor glycemic control

- when balance is lost in the many internal hormone systems, and the patient begins to age prematurely.

- Since a Fat Burners blood is too alkaline (YES! TOO ALKALINE is ALWAYS POSSIBLE!) – wheat will help acidify them – restoring balance

- Fat Burners easily suffer from emotional and mental problems – anything from being easily angry, to schizophrenia, could be triggered simply by the FAT BURNER INNER BIOCHEMISTRY IMBALANCE!

- In uncontrolled Diabetes, where the person breaks down only fat and protein, the dissolved CO2 level gets so low, it affects circulating blood ketones, which may actually lower cerebral respiration to the point of coma. Once they reach that point, sugars are prescribed – which works only in a diabetic Fat burner Inner biochemistry imbalance, but as you will see in the forthcoming article on this topic, there are other kinds of diabetics too.

So what is this mysterious Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance?

Please print and study this article repeatedly – once it “clicks” the deeper understandings and “flat earth” to “whole earth” paradigm shifts behind this article will change your life - I hope you will gain a clear understanding (please print and reread this article as many times as you need…) because this has been a major stumbling block for many millions of people around the world when it comes to weight loss…

Now let’s talk about the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance or slow burners I’m sure most of you will say “hey I want to be a fat burner”, but that’s not really good.

A Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced person is one who has an oxidative metabolic imbalance, meaning their metabolism is not functioning well.

They are called slow burners, they do burn fats, but only in the presence of sugar. Yes sugar. So this means that this person needs to definitely eat carbohydrates with a meal in order for his or her body to access fat. The sluggish metabolism of the slow burners is slowed down even more by too much protein and too much fat. They need complex carbohydrate to provide quick burning fuel in order to speed up their oxidative rate. So complex carbohydrates speed up their metabolism!!!

A slow burner/Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced person has a problem digesting carbohydrates on their own…

Here is a simple way to picture what is going on. If Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance means low energy production, what would you expect to find when you look for the normal end products of the energy production cycle? Decreased energy would mean decreased end products of energy. The major end product of energy metabolism is carbon dioxide (CO2).

…So both Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced and Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patients, being low in energy production, tend to have low CO2 levels in their blood stream… So they burn fat, sugars and proteins…A more familiar analogy is the smoky slow burning of leaves, or grass, or wet wood. It makes the smoke (CO2) – but it’s not burning very well

…Just like the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances’ CO2 level demonstrate an inefficient “smoky burning” of fat, and carbohydrates. ie. They burn fat, but only in the presence of carbohydrates.

Now in these cases, since the level of dissolved CO2 carried in the blood is less than normal; meaning that it is “like a slow burning fire”; this equals an indication that this person may not be oxidizing fuel properly in their tissues – Particularly carbohydrates – and this is going to affect their nervous system. So a depressed activity rate is called Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance oxidation and this affects the nervous system. So you have to understand that in the burning of carbohydrates, you make CO2 as a final product together with energy and water.

EXAMPLE

People suffering from this Inner Biochemistry imbalance may feel lethargy, “brain fog”, depression, and even certain types of schizophrenia… are purely the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance.

EXAMPLE 2

Because they have a problem with the burning of carbohydrates, Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances produce very little CO2, and therefore very little energy.

…This creates an elevated serum PH (go back to the “Sugar Burner” article for this biochemistry example) in a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance, meaning an elevated blood ph or a more alkaline blood than they are supposed to have, which is the exact 7.46 PH of healthy venous blood… the brain constantly monitors the blood PH and it uses different kinds of Inner Biochemistry buffering systems to maintain homeostasis.

As carbon dioxide and water are the major end products of the oxidation of all types of food, the amount of CO2 that is produced by the tissue, as related to the amount of oxygen that is consumed, providing the principal basis for measuring the energy output of the entire organism; CO2 enters plasma as dissolved gas from tissue cells, where it is formed by the process of intermediary metabolism, in the extra cellular fluid, a small amount of which is hydrated to form carbonic acid – in this very unstable Inner Biochemistry equation: (for those of you who like to punish yourself with biochemistry, read this part – LOL )

CO2 + H2O H2CO3

…the bicarbonate ion, HCO3- is normally balanced by the sodium (Na) in NaHCO3 – so the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration by the extra cellular fluid is determined by the degree of disassociation of H2CO3, and by the amount of this available base or alkaline substance (Na/Sodium—that’s why it’s very important to have sodium in your body-which does not come from table salt), this relationship is summarized by the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation:

In chemisty, the Henderson-Hasselbalch (frequently misspelled Henderson-Hasselbach) equation describes the derivation of pH as a measure of acidity (using pKa, the acid dissociation constant) in biological and chemical systems. The equation is also useful for estimating the pH of a buffer solution and finding the equilibrium pH in acid-base reactions.

Two equivalent forms of the equation are

and

in the equations denotes the ionic form of the relevant acid. Bracketed quantities such as [base] and [acid] denote the molar concentration of the quanity enclosed.

This is the non-generalized form of the above equation: meaning actual numbers have been plugged in…

PH = 6.1 + log [HCO3-]/[H2CO3]

…According to this equation, when the bicarbonate concentration (HCO3-), is 27 mM/l (milimol per litre) and the concentration of dissolved CO2 and H2CO3 is 1.35 milimol per litre, the plasma will be exactly 7.40 PH.

When the ratio is based upon a PH of 7.40, a bicarbonate level of exactly 27 milimols per litre, and the dissolved CO2 plus H2CO3 is = 1.35 milimols per litre, it is considered to represent the theoretical “ideal”, or “normal”.

Under conditions of “normal” PH, the volume of CO2 produced divided by the volume of oxygen (O2) consumed in a given period of time, allows the calculation of the respiration quotient (RQ) which provides a clue to the type of food being oxidized.

EXAMPLE:

The RQ of a single molecule of carbohydrate, is 6 over 6 which equals 1, it is oxidized according to this equation:

C6H2O6 (sugar) + 6O2 = 6CO2 + 6H2O

The average RQ for a single fat molecule is 0.71, and for protein is 0.8 RQ. If you are eating the average “mixed diet of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats” it is at 0.85 RQ …since the brain has a RQ of between 0.9 and 1.0, it mainly depends on carbohydrates for energy.

Approximately 90% of the brains respiration can be accounted for by glucose consumption, even though the brain possesses both anaerobic (glycolitic) and aerobic (citric acid / Krebs Cycle) metabolic pathways. The brain appears to be capable of oxidizing the same substances as other tissues…though it prefers carbohydrates due to this RQ.

The volume of CO2 expired during normal respiration is related to the partial pressure of CO2 in the alveolar air. Since blood volume of dissolved CO2 + H2CO3 is in equilibrium with partial CO2 of the alveolar air, the higher the CO2 + H2CO3, the higher the percentage of carbohydrates being oxidized.

In uncontrollable diabetes, for example, where fat and protein are oxidized instead of carbohydrates… The average RQ may be 0.7…With the proportionate decrease in dissolved CO2 levels, the same circulating blood Ketones, resulting from excessive break down of fat in this Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance or any diabetic, may actually lower cerebral respiration to point of coma. This can also explain why some diabetics have a harder time maintaining their focus and concentration. See the forthcoming article on this topic, as there are other kinds of diabetics too.

Now a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance has problems oxidizing carbohydrates, and glucogenic amino acids… resulting in a slow but preferential utilization of fats and ketogenic amino acids.

Now a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance oxidizes these proportionately faster carbohydrates and glucogenic amino acids… Together with the slower but still more “rapid than normal” oxidation of fats and ketogenic amino acids.

General Supplementation for the Fat Burning Inner Biochemistry imbalance:

Phosphoric ester of thiamine (TPP) is a co enzyme in a major decarboxylation which leads to formation of CO2. In the process of decarboxylation of pyruvic acid to acetyl coenzyme A, which then can in turn be oxidised in the tricarboxilic acid cycle into co2 and water…thiamine (Vitamin B1), niacin (Vitamin B3), or nicotinimide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) also participate in this decarboxylation.

The absence of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) will prevent the break down of pyruvate, resulting in incomplete carbohydrate oxidation, and the accumulation of both pyruvate and lactate in the blood. Then large amounts of thiamine (Vitamin B1) and niacin (Vitamin B3) will result in increases in the rate of decarboxylation of pyruvate to coenzyme A.

In other words, the large amounts of Niacine and Thiamine help THE FAT BURNER break down carbohydrates.

Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6 as pyridoxal phosphate) as well as riboflavin (Vitamin B2) as well as flavin-adinine-dinucleotide (FAD) play important roles in the catabolism of amino acids. Pyridoxine is required to help transamination as well as functioning as a coenzyme in the alternate pathways of amino acid breakdown during decarboxylation of FAD – and participates in the oxidation deamination of amino acids.

Both the transamination and deamination of amino acids result in keto acids – some of which are pyruvic oxaloacetic and alpha oxoglutaric, and are formulated from glucogenic amino acids, and are further oxidized in the same manner as are carbohydrates.

Since pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) and riboflavin (Vitamin B2) are essential to the catabolism of amino acids, some of which are ultimately oxidized in the same metabolic pathways as are carbohydrates – it appears possible that under appropriate conditions, excess amounts of either vitamin could accelerate the rate of operation of tricarboxylic acid cycle, by increasing the rate of formation of pyruvic and oxoloacetic and alphaglutharic acids.

So in simpler, plain English, a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance will feel worse by taking Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance-specific supplements, and a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance will feel much worse by taking Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance-specific supplements.

Specific common supplementation that will work for Fat Burners:

(take only these, stop anything that has anything else)

Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, Vitamin C as ascorbic acid only, Vitamin D, potassium citrate, copper gluconate, manganese, magnesium, vanadium, potassium, chromium. Of course, see the Inner Biochemistry lab tests for the precise details for your body. I also have specific products I recommend for removing this and other imbalances in a short period of time… leading to anti-aging and my PREMIUM GOLD HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

So a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient is also one that has developed insulin resistivity or insulin insensitivity… most of them produce tremendous amounts of insulin in a desperate attempt to push the sugar out of the blood into the tissue, but to no avail…

EXAMPLE

The chronically high levels of insulin will set the chain of reactions like high blood pressure — more than 60% of all blood pressure problems are at least partially related to high insulin and poor glycemic control — where balance is lost in many other hormone systems, and the patient begins to age prematurely. See this new, breakthrough Y-Age product which does not imbalance your biochemistry at all.

…The Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient tends to go into ketosis very easily because of the deficient carbohydrate metabolism… because of the beta oxidation pathways which produce Ketones.

They easily suffer from emotional and mental problems – anything from being easily angry, to schizophrenia, could be triggered by simple FAT BURNER INNER BIOCHEMISTRY IMBALANCES.

Now let’s be honest, we do not become Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance because of a deficiency in some miraculous supplement – but because of the grotesque amount of sugar intake that an average person has: about 100 lbs and more of sucrose (sugar) per year – and this does not include the fruit juices and natural sugars in fruits…

Read the forthcoming article on this topic

Inner Biochemistry Lab-proven Fat Burner Diet recommendations:

My recommendation for a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance is to eat frequent meals with protein (2 to 3 oz or less per meal)

The carbohydrate levels have to be “a bit higher” than in a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance, and the fat levels must remain moderate to high. Make use of the precise Inner Biochemistry lab tests for exact quantities.

…They can’t handle high amounts of protein without entering ketosis, and they will even feel comfortable in ketosis – which prolonged could be dangerous.

If for example a body builder who is Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced needs to gain weight, they need to increase the fat intake using saturated and mono saturated fats only, and eat as many vegetables as they can.

Good vegetables for the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance are:

Beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, swiss chard, corn, eggplant, garlic, jicama, lettuce, onions, parsley, pepper, radish, sprouts, squash, tomato, turnip, yam, zucchini, kale, potatoes, and cucumbers. This includes all of the nightshade family of vegetables.

Less efficient vegetables for the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance are: (eat less of these)
Artichoke, avocado, mushrooms, lentils, spinach… more details available with my precise testing.

Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances definitely do better on lower fat and lower protein quantities.

White meat works best for them … chicken breast, turkey breast, white fish meats.

…it should be emphasized that Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances strive on complex carbohydrates, -not- simple carbohydrates. They do fine on -all grains- and we teach that one of the best grains is WHEAT for them. It’s uniquely Inner Biochemistry balancing for them. Since their blood is too alkaline (YES! TOO ALKALINE is ALWAYS POSSIBLE!) – wheat will acidify them – which is very balancing (unless there is a real wheat allergy, they should always incorporate wheat in their diet.

Other grains that are good for the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance are quinoa, millet, amaranth, buck wheat, barley corn, and kamut.

Brown rice and spelt could be a big part of this diet.

This particular imbalance really needs to minimize oats in their diet.

If accelerated weight loss is desired by a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient, then they should remove the starchy vegetables, and the sweet fruits. So, things like potatoes, grapes, papaya, nectarines, and anything that’s sweet… should be eliminated from the diet during this process.

Nuts and seeds should be eaten only in moderation – with almonds being the top choice.

Olive oil, is ok for this imbalance, coconut oil can be used sparingly, eggs are a good source of protein.

Dairy products only in low fat variety, salty and fat foods should be restricted.

Red meat should be eaten only occasionally, no more than once a week.

People with this imbalance do great on vegetarian diets, because vegetarian diets are almost always low in protein and high in carbohydrates.

For breakfast, these imbalances usually are not hungry – but I still insist that they eat something like a fruit, fruit smoothy, or toast, eggs, and if you really, really like oatmeal for breakfast, have it only in combination with eggs, or in combination with some healthy fat such as extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, or Udos oil. They should never eat meals consisting of just carbohydrates, like a bowl of oatmeal or a bowl of cereal. Remember – Oatmeal is not great for a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance, unless they combine it with eggs, for example.

Foods that should totally be avoided by Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances:

Organ meats, shrimp, lobster, clams, peanuts, peanut butter, soy – in all forms must be avoided, fruit juices, corn syrup, mayonnaise.

Even More on Weight Loss – Specifically for the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance:

These people have to be very careful with how much protein they put in their diet. Why? Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances will go easily in Ketosis and be quite comfortable. Ketosis for a long periods time is dangerous because it stresses the kidneys – which are the eliminating organs and they are overworked – the skin takes over the elimination cycle. Fats as fatty acids are split into smaller compounds known as ketones in a process known as beta oxidation. These ketones then are further broken down into a substance called the acetyl coenzymes (acetyl coenzyme A) which we covered earlier above. …In which form they enter at the top of the Krebs Cycle.

Extra protein for a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance will create a cortisone overload, which causes “STRESS”, and stress causes “MORE FAT”. If someone is in a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance and tries to do a “normal body building diet” – they will feel extremely sluggish – and even depressed… not knowing what’s happening with them.

…Ironically, their only problem is the extra fat and extra protein in their diet.

…The primary substance or the raw material for the Krebs cycle on the left side is glucose and on the right side it’s fat, which gets broken down into ketones and fatty acids…assisted by amino acids.

An imbalance of raw materials fed to either side of the Krebs Cycle right or left, will result in less than optimal energy production – as the 2 sides need to balance each other out – for the Kreb cycles’ full energy potential to be realized.

To further complicate matters, each of the 2 oxidative types, the Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance and the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance – whose energy levels are both directly tied to the function of the Krebs Cycle – requiring different fuel mixes.

Fast oxidizers tend to burn up glucose too rapidly, therefore they require more proteins and fat to be fed to the Krebs Cycle – to slow down the rate of glucose burning… and slow oxidizers/ketogenic/Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances do not burn glucose rapidly enough… Therefore they require a higher percentage of glucose (not equivalent to simple sugar – ie. don’t eat candy because you read this!), and less protein and fats, to be fed into the Krebs cycle…

If a Inner Biochemistry balance is not achieved, then insufficient energy production (ATP – Adenosine Tri Phosphate) occurs – and all kinds of further, more dramatic Inner Biochemistry imbalances happen: because it affects the mind, the famous line I always hear with these patients is:

…The Famous – Oh, I’m healthy, I just have low energy!”

MY LAB WORK SHOWS CLEARLY what this really means:

It is these these very people who, saying this while in this mind-altering imbalance, suffer from over weight gains, allergies, undernourishment, acne, also low weight conditions, mood swings, hormonal imbalances, chronic pain, deterioration of tissues, down to serious mental problems… to name a few. These people, as anyone with a sickness, would want to use my Gold Premium tests, to find out what’s really going on inside them, in detail, and continuing until they get better and meet their health goals. Weight loss follows exactly this process as well. If you have a clear Inner Biochemistry, and have achieved a GOLD PREMIUM HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, you have no health complaints.

Approx 80 to 90% of the body’s energy is generated through the Krebs Cycle. The other 10% to 20% is produced through a less efficient process, called glycolosis. We will discuss this in a few articles…

As you can see, with both the Sugar Burner and Fat Burner are Inner Biochemistry imbalances… a healthy person would be able to switch between sugar burning and fat burning, depending on the available food supply and their activity type, at will – and effortlessly.

Before I cover the special bonus I’m including in this article…

In the next article we will be covering the common diseases that fall under these two imbalances

hypoglycemia
syndrome X
diabetes

Which are growing dramatically – more than tripling in the last 10 years. It’s time for these answers.

On the other hand, I have precise Inner Biochemistry lab tests that will precisely determine if someone has just a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance, or has a strong predisposition to a Fat Burning Inner Biochemistry imbalance. A good start is with Bronze and Bronze Plus tests which can often determine this imbalance, but only Silver tests (currently unavailable) will accurately determine this particular Inner Biochemistry imbalance (and we can make accurate supplement determinations only then) and the Gold Premium test also incorporates it, together with all 5 of the other Inner Biochemistry imbalances being fully identified.

Also ensure to read the following articles for the full coverage of all 5 imbalances.

So what is this mysterious Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance? I hope you now have a clear understanding (please print and reread this article as many times as you need…) as this has been a major stumbling block for many millions of people around the world when it comes to weight loss…

BONUS: Comparing the two Inner Biochemistry imbalances – How to Ratio Your Foods based on your “current imbalance” type:

For advanced results with weight loss, and also with various dis-ease conditions: here is a highly precise guideline…

I hope you have found this article on FAT BURNERS informative!

Please post your comments and questions below, simply by scrolling to the end of this article…

So make sure you follow us closely – and if you have any questions – or future areas of interest – go to my forum at

The Inner Biochemist Question and Answer Section

Listen to an entire One Hour Long Interview with :Kristine:Earl – The Inner Biochemist

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…Because if you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?

www.TheInnerBiochemist.com

Comment on this article below, or go to my forum to ask further questions, and see more answers.

Please see my POINT-AND-CLICK ONLINE TESTS for amazing accuracy and health…
…because they get RESULTS

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The Fine Print

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Related Articles at Former Fat Guy Blog:

Sunday already?

Jessie — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:13:00 +0000

The week is about to come into full swing. Are you excited? I know I am.

I have decided to put Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. away for a little while. Not because it isn’t working for me, but because I am a girl that likes VARIETY!! I like to have a bit of everything on my plate at the buffet.
MMMMMM buffet!! KK calm down J

I have chosen instead to use the Unstoppable Fat Loss program designed by Scott Tousignant . More specifically, the Fit Chic nutrition plan, along with the complimenting workout program.
After all, I have a competition to win here!!
I will of course be keeping you all in the loop with my progress.
I am also anxiously awaiting my “Bronze Plus” Test results from :Kristine:Earl The Inner Biochemist. So stay tuned to see if I am a Sugar Burner or a Fat Burner.

On Friday I talked about how my week didn’t quite go according to plan. Something that I failed to mention though was how my body reacted to my deviations.

To be quite honest I felt like shit the entire time. Not because I felt guilty, but because the foods that I was putting into my body were having an adverse reaction.
I have been on a healthy eating kick for 5 weeks and all of a sudden I start putting all the crap back into my system. My body gave me a big dose of “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?”…
I felt tired…
My stomach started giving me problems…
I was irratable…
My face broke out into a lovely mess of pimples…
I couldn’t sleep properly…
I got headaches….

And what did Jessie learn from all this?
STOP EATING CRAP!! YOUR BODY DOESN’T LIKE IT ANYMORE!!!!

See ya guys later
*kiss*

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Related Articles at Former Fat Guy Blog:

Weight loss? How To Tell If You Are A Sugar Burner!

The Inner Biochemist - :Kristine:Earl: — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:25:23 +0000

The Inner Biochemist

The Simple Weight Loss Solution

SUGAR BURNERS

The “Sugar Burner / Fast Burner / Glucogenic” Inner Biochemistry imbalance type

…I bet you didn’t know that a large majority of depression and substance abuse can be corrected by prescribing the perfect diet for that individual precisely.

…I bet you didn’t know inner-starvation-induced neurosis and psychosis cannot be differentiated clinically – from functional mental illnesses? Many mistakenly believe this to originate in much more complex psychological conflict, and trauma?

…How many people do you know who have low vitality, low sexual desire, can only make it through their day with lots and lots of sugar and caffeine – and chocolate?

…How many people do you know that are over weight or under weight for that matter, and have blood sugar problems, suffer from anxiety or depression, and chronic complainers?

…How many people would you like to restore to health for no other reason than to put a stop to their “incessant whining?”

Obviously these are the most “whined” about symptoms in the modern world…

The “Sugar Burner / Fast Burner / Glucogenic” Inner Biochemistry imbalance type is important because it means that you have poor glycemic control. Your blood and brain sugar tends to be very erratic. Your body does not produce energy from the foods you eat very efficiently. You have a particular difficulty handling starchy or sugary foods (by the way you utilize the sugars extremely fast. See more below)

The term by biochemical individuality was coined by a great biochemist, Dr Roger Williams. It is true Dr Williams has so elegantly asserted that metabolic biochemistry has infinite variations, that there can be no one diet that in inappropriate for everyone. Dr. Dean Ornish, MD recommends a low protein low fat low carb diet. Dr. Robert Atkins, MD recommends high protein, high fat, low carb diet. Barry Sears, PhD, recommends the Zone diet a more evenly spread more balanced diet of 40% carbohydrates, 30% proteins, and 30% fats. Robert Young, PhD, recommends a “Alkalarian” vegetarian diet very high in carbs…

As the old saying goes, one’s man food is another man’s poison. Now who’s wrong and who’s right?

So what is this mysterious Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance explained?

Let use the analogy of an engine not firing on all cylinders… In a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient the miss firing cylinders relate to FAT METABOLISM. So, it is a deficient oxidative energy metabolism. So, it means that this person needs a lot more protein and fat to functional normally. They burn their carbohydrates very quickly – and if they are not involved in some kind of a physical activity – they tend to increase they’re serum cholesterol level and triglycerides — body fat. Proteins and “good quality” fats slow down this process, so they allow energy to be generated in a slower and more even fashion.

Any and all protein foods are suitable for the Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance, but they do best with darker meat, red meat, dark chicken, all the steaks, lamb and “oilier” fish, like salmon, sardines, herring, tuna, mackerel, etc.. These proteins are higher in an amino acid called “Purine”.

Wheat and all the products made from wheat are totally unsuitable for the Sugar Burners Inner Biochemistry imbalance, but they can still eat complex carbohydrates in the form of Spelt, Kamut, Quinoa, Millet and even Oats. Eggs are good – preferably free range organic eggs.

Now we have to look at the vegetables that work for this Inner Biochemistry imbalanced group of people…

All “night shade” family foods, including potatoes, tomatoes, egg plants, peppers and “cruciferous vegetables” like cabbage and the broccoli family should be minimized or avoided. There is only one exception in this food family, cauliflower.

Good veggies for this Inner Biochemistry imbalance are spinach, carrots, celery, asparagus, artichoke, avocado, winter squash, green beans, peas, mushrooms, more detailed list with a test result.

“Moderately ok” are leafy greens salads particularly with swiss chard, and Kale.

Fruits: less sweet fruit is what works best, like tart apples, firm bananas, firm pears, berries, especially blue berries… only small quantities of strawberries and raspberries. However, fruit is a very small part of what the Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance diet; they can eat a maximum of 1 for weight loss, to 2 fruits servings a day.

Nuts and seeds are excellent for a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance.

Fats: cold pressed, extra virgin only olive and coconut oil. Real cow butter is the best kind of fat.

NEVER TOUCH: MARGARINE, CANOLA OIL, OR BOTTLED SALAD DRESSINGS.

People with the Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance need to eat often, and must snack in between meals.

Note: my “Point-and-Click Online” Bronze and Bronze Plus Tests often catch these imbalances. But my Silver test and Gold Premium test and Lifestyle are always very accurate in catching this.

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a very serious condition that makes the patient become anxious, or depressed, or irritable – ie. “Very Bitchy” (either sex) – and they simply feel miserable.

When you’re urine PH goes over 7, you enter this hypoglycemic condition where your insulin is very strong and pulls your sugar out of your blood very quickly.

When this happens, you need to snack immediately on something like cottage cheese or 1/2 an apple with cheese or celery with nut butter or tuna or sardine or 1/2 an avocado or some nuts and seeds…Avoid eating “carbohydrates” as this will not sustain the energy.

These people who experience this Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance have a hard time eating a vegetarian diet. It seems almost impossible to them because of the low “Purine” content in these foods.

Someone who is young and having a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance might seem like they are doing “ok” on a vegetarian diet – but after a while their energy and digestion will start to fail. By the way, even if they are not very young, and that person changes their diet wrongly to “vegetarian” if they have this Inner Biochemistry imbalance, they will only survive it for a short period of time—damaging their body in the process.

Why? Let’s go deeper…

The Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient has a qualitatively high concentration of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) in their blood stream, because of the predominant “carbohydrate” metabolism and their almost “non fat” metabolism…

…So that means that the blood PH is slightly more acid than it should be: which is at 7.46 only.

We should talk a little bit about blood PH:

-The PH scale runs from 0 to 14, “7″ being called “neutral”.

-Any PH under 7 is acid, anything above 7 is alkaline.

-Blood PH must maintain at 7.46 PH to be at optimum.

Now, why does this concentration of CO2 change the PH?

CO2 + H2O = H2C03 = CARBONIC ACID

When CO2 increases in the blood stream, the PH decreases, making the blood more acid, because of the increasing concentration of “Carbonic Acid” – so is this starting to make sense now?

We always think of CO2 as a poisonous toxin you breathe out. And we think of O2 (Oxygen) as “life giving gas”…. but the human body needs CO2 to perform many vital functions.

One of its roles is as a catalyst that allows oxygen to be released from the hemoglobin… freeing it up so it can be absorbed in the tissue cells.

FOR EXAMPLE:

In your brain, heart, kidney tissue cells. In fact, your tissues themselves require approximately 3 times as much CO2 as they require Oxygen (O2). When this ratio is not correct, we have very hard time absorbing oxygen at the tissue level…causing the blood vessels to be “more relaxed” causing excessive build-up of fluid (edema) causing sometimes intra- and sometimes inter-cellular waste products to be ineffectively eliminated, and diminishing internal energy production, in the “Krebs cycle”.

People experiencing the Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance usually tend to have a lower diastolic blood pressure because of certain adrenal and renal (Kidney) endocrine weakness. Their pulse is usually a bit higher than normal… This is due to the stress hormone “Catecholamine”, plus their reduced capacity of oxygen transport. In other words – they are functionally anemic .

In a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance patient, there is extreme insulin sensitivity. Sugar is very quickly pulled out of the blood stream to either be stored as fat, or pushed through the “Krebs citric cycle” to produce energy. (We will talk more about the Krebs cycle in a later article…) Unless these patients have the capacity for a strong sympathetic compensation, they will consequently run extremely low blood and brain sugar. These patients can literally experience extreme physical, mental, and emotional hypo-glycemic symptomatologies.

What is interesting is that they might show “Ketones” in their urine. (Fat Burner/Ketogenic Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patients I find regularly have Ketones in their urine. That’s where the name “Fat Burner/Ketogenic Inner Biochemistry imbalance” comes from. This will be the topic of our next article…)

Carbohydrates Are Not Bad – Just Bad For Sugar Burners When Eaten Alone

The patient with a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance tend to be overly “Carbs”-dependent, for what little energy they can produce, and they tend to run a low blood sugar very quickly. They constantly feel compelled to reach for the “carb” foods that are bad for them – perpetuating this cycle! Again, “Carbs” are not bad, they are bad for Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances when eaten alone…

It doesn’t take much for the blood sugar to drop low enough that they struggle to inefficiently produce what energy they can from fats – from the few fats that they feel inclined to eat, and from the stored fats. Thus going into “Ketosis”.

These individuals will show “Ketosis” only when in “post absorptive” state – when they have not eaten for many hours, or when they eat predominantly “Carbs” – which they oxidize or store as fat very quickly. They then usually have low body temperature. If “Bilirubin” is present in urine, you know for sure that person’s diet is too low in proteins and saturated fat, or too high in starches.

How To Determine The Ideal Amount Of Protein You Should Eat In a Day?

Take your ideal weight in pounds and divide it by 15.

…This results in the ounces of cooked lean protein that you should eat.

Now sure… if you’re a body builder, you can use a lot more protein…

FOR EXAMPLE:

Lets say if your ideal body weight (for your height and gender) should be 135 pounds, divide 135/15 = 9 oz of cooked lean protein per day divided evenly through 3-5 meals per day. If you are more active, you could definitely utilize more.

Remember one of my initial points? “I bet you didn’t know that inner-starvation induced neurosis and psychosis cannot be differentiated clinically from functional mental illnesses, which many believe to originate in psychological conflict and trauma.” Abnormally fast oxidation of glucose both in the central nervous system, and in other tissues of the body, results in abnormal psychological reactions.

FOR EXAMPLE:

It has long been known that a deficiency of a single vitamin -nicotinic acid- can cause psychosis – and that this illness can be cured by administering its “amide” ie. “Niacin amide”.

If a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient is anemic they will respond to an increase of protein and Vitamin B12.

In a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient, the problem relates to fat metabolism. In a Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient (again, this will be covered in the next article) the problem relates to carbohydrate metabolism. So Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced and Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patients both have deficient oxidative energy metabolisms… if both of them have problems producing energy internally, then the end products of energy production should be decreased (ie. found in very minimal quantities.)

What is the end product of energy production? CO2.

So both Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances and Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances, being low in energy production, tend to have low CO2 levels.

Now Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances are low in CO2, both quantitatively and qualitatively, meaning they are qualitatively low because they are deficient in carbohydrate metabolism (which produces CO2 as a major end product) and quantitatively low because they inefficiently produce energy from the foods they eat.

Now Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances, like the Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances, have quantitatively low CO2 because of their inadequate energy production cycle, but they have qualitatively high CO2 because of their predominantly carbohydrate metabolism, and very poor fat metabolism.

Sugar Burners MUST Exercise

Let me explain why it’s very important for a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient to exercise. The volume of CO2 expired during normal exhalation is directly related to “partial pressure” of CO2 in the alveolar air (at the cellular level in the lungs). Since blood volume of dissolved CO2 + H2CO3 (Carbonic acid) is in equilibrium with partial CO2 of the alveolar air, the higher the level of CO2 plus “Carbonic acid” the larger the percentage of carbohydrates being oxidized.

This “partial pressure” of CO2 is influenced by 2 things… the blood flow rate, and the metabolism rate. Increasing the blood flow rate, or decreasing the metabolic rate – will have the effect, for a short period of time, of decreasing the “partial pressure” of CO2 in the interstitial fluids. Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances already have quantitatively decreased metabolically produced CO2. So increased blood flow as physical activity occurs will temporarily further decrease this already-low “partial pressure” of CO2… If you can get these patients to do some strenuous-enough activity, long enough, to increase CO2 levels – they will get a double shot of vitality – thus the increase of CO2 levels short term is the immediate effect of exercise.

Adding a regular exercise program increasing CO2 long term – increases the patient’s metabolic rate, meaning the “partial pressure” of CO2 increases, meaning they feel better.

A Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance patient needs both aerobic and anaerobic exercise to increase their metabolic efficiency of fat metabolism.

More on “Protein Intake”

When talking about proteins, the required quantity of protein consumed on a daily basis by most Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced people, most of the time, I find is not more than what the majority of people already consume, but their problem is that they tend to consume 80% of that protein at 1 meal, instead of divided equally among 3-5 meals. This means, that having an 8-10 oz steak in one sitting is hurting you, regardless of your Inner Biochemistry imbalance(s). Instead, you might want to seriously consider having 3 oz of protein at each of you 3-5 daily meals (meaning cutting that steak into pieces through out the day.)

Sugar Burners And Weight Loss

If weight loss is a major consideration for a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced patient they may decrease the “carbs” to 0 and add as much protein and saturated fat as they can or love to eat. They can eat the veggies mentioned above as much as they want, and if weight loss is not the primary goal, they need to totally avoid cereals, pasta, potatoes and bread, they simply must rearrange the proportioning of their diet to emphasize more protein and fat and fewer carbs.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of protein and yes fat, in a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced diet.

When a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance eats disproportionately high “Carb” to “Protein-and-fat” levels, their gall bladder will get into trouble—that’s right, the gall bladder!

So it is always ironic from my Inner Biochemistry perspective that nutritionists will always promote “high carb, low fat and low protein” diets for gall bladder issues.

Here are the results of an experiment conducted on this exact wrong kind of diet:

38 women were put on a low protein, ultra low fat and high carb diet. 2 things were concluded:
1. How little weight woman lost in 8 weeks and
2. 13 out of 38 women developed gall bladder problems in 8 weeks, this is shocking.

The purpose of the gall bladder is to assist the digestion and the simulation of fat. When the gall bladder is over loaded with excess fat, particularly “trans fats”, you are more likely to develop a gall bladder problem. The gall bladder is in your body to help digest fats, but the functioning of the gall bladder depends on normal metabolism for proper operation. The excess starch in some “high carb” diets among Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances interferes with normal gall bladder functioning, and it is associated with fatty deposits in the liver, meaning your doctor tell you you have a “fatty liver” – that is the subject of a future article.

One final consideration is the elevated serum cholesterol, and this is due to poor utilization of fats associated with excess dependence on glucose for energy. A medical doctor or an allopathic nutritionist would then put you on low fat foods, and make you avoid dietary cholesterol (eggs, steak, burgers, cheese – see my future article on “Redefining Cholesterol”)

…Unfortunately, nothing could damage Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced people more than having them on a low fat diet.

The reality is, on a scientific basis, we need to remove the sugar in their diet, to help them drop cholesterol, which is a sign if internal inflammation, which means deeper health problems than meet the eye. (More in a forth-coming article)

Foods that Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances should strictly avoid

…Sugars, fruit juices, fresh fruit (extremely limited quantities), meals consisting of starches, coffee, tea…

Foods that Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalances should only combine with proteins are:

…Onions, peppers, tomatoes… see a more specific list for your highly individualized Inner Biochemistry with my POINT-AND-CLICK ONLINE TESTS.

SUGAR BURNER INNER BIOCHEMISTRY IMBALANCES SHOULD NOT TAKE SUPPLEMENTS OR “MULTIS” THAT CONTAIN ANYTHING OTHER THAN:

A partial list of General Supplements that will help a glucongenic are: Vitamin B3 in Niacinimide for only, B12, E, Choline, Inositol, Carnitine, A in Palmitate form only, zinc, iodine, calcium , phosphorus, and bioflavonoids, etc. …see a more specific list for your highly individualized Inner Biochemistry with my POINT-AND-CLICK ONLINE TESTS.

SUGAR BURNER INNER BIOCHEMISTRY IMBALANCES SHOULD ABSOLUTELY STAY AWAY FROM SUPPLEMENTS OR “MULTIS” THAT CONTAIN:

…Vitamin B6, B3 in Niacin form, Vitamin C in Ascorbate acid form, B5, folic acid, magnesium, chromium, manganese, etc. …see a more specific list for your highly individualized Inner Biochemistry with my POINT-AND-CLICK ONLINE TESTS.

It is very important to know how to supplement so you don’t exacerbate your Inner Biochemistry imbalance(s).

From looking specifically at how a person gains weight, you can make some “distant” guesses… because Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced people will usually gain weight below the waist, as much as above the waist. Otherwise known as the “Apple shape”.

On the other hand, I have Inner Biochemistry lab tests that will precisely determine if someone has just a Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance, or has a strong predisposition to a Sugar Burning Inner Biochemistry imbalance. A good start is with Bronze and Bronze Plus tests which can often determine this imbalance, but only Silver tests will accurately determine this particular Inner Biochemistry imbalance (and we can make accurate supplement determinations only then) and the Gold Premium test also incorporates it, together with all 5 of the other Inner Biochemistry imbalances being fully identified.

Also ensure to read the next articles for the full coverage of all 5 imbalances.

So what is this mysterious Sugar Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalance? I hope you now have a clear understanding (please reread this article as many times as you need…) as this has been a major stumbling block for many millions of people around the world when it comes to weight loss…

I hope you have found this article on SUGAR BURNERS informative!

The Inner Biochemist Question and Answer Section

Listen to an entire One Hour Long Interview with :Kristine:Earl – The Inner Biochemist

…Please help me change and heal the world! Spread the word…
…My Mission–is–My Passion: listen to my MISSION here…
…Because if you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?

www.TheInnerBiochemist.com

Comment on this article below, or go to my forum to ask further questions, and see more answers.

Please see my POINT-AND-CLICK ONLINE TESTS for amazing accuracy and health…
…because they get RESULTS

The Best a Person Can Get – Your Natural, Scientific Alternative to Drugs and Surgery

The Fine Print

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Burn Fat With The 8 Sets Of 8 Workout

scott-tousignant — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:27:42 +0000

For the past 4 years I have been incorporating 8 Sets Of 8 into my workout program and every time I complete the 4 weeks of training I am amazed at how incredibly effective it is for not only burning fat but I always seem to add a bit of muscle during this phase as well. Believe me, I’m not the only one who has experienced tremendous fat burning results from this program. Does the name Arnold Schwarzenegger ring a bell?

Yes you heard me right. Arnold was just a huge slab of meat before he used the 8 sets of 8 workout program. He was introduced to the program by it’s creator, Vince Gironda. Vince was known to help bodybuilders achieve the definition and ‘cuts’ that are necessary to win a contest, especially the Mr. Olympia.

Now you can take advantage of this amazing program to chisel away the fat from the muscle and sculpt a masterpiece. The great thing about 8 sets of 8 is that it’s very time efficient. I’m in and out of the gym in less than 30 minutes tops when I follow this program.

In order to get the maximum results from the program you have to perform the routine properly. I’ve put together a video which demonstrates the proper way to do 8 sets of 8.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

The key is choosing the right amount of weight. This is what separates the people who are willing to do what it takes to achieve a sculpted physique from the ones who are ego driven and are obsessed with stacking large amounts of weight on a bar. Check your ego at the door guys.

The weight that you lift in the 8 sets of 8 program is much lighter than what you would typically lift for the exercise. In this program you choose a weight for a particular exercise and you use that same weight for all 8 sets.

To really maximize this type of training you should use a rest period of 15 to 45 seconds between sets. Believe me, your heart will be thumping, your muscles will be pumping, and you will be sweating buckets, especially on leg day.

I guarantee that I am getting a better cardiovascular workout on this program than everyone on the treadmill or stepper.

Typically I will choose 3 exercises for the major body parts and 2 for the smaller body parts and I work no more than 2 body parts per day.

Whether you are a male or female, if you want to burn fat this is definitely a program that you want to use for 4-6 weeks of your fat burning phase.

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:Kristine :Earl – The Inner Biochemist – My Passionate Mission: Healthcare Revolution

The Inner Biochemist - :Kristine:Earl: — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 01:00:02 +0000

The Inner Biochemist

The Simple Solution

My Mission–is–My Passion:

- Healthcare Revolution

listen to my MISSION here…The Full Version

…We don’t experience migraines because of a deficiency in Tylenol 3.

…We don’t experience depression because of a deficiency in Prozac.

…Our child doesn’t have ADHD because they were born without Ritalin.

…We don’t experience cancer because of deficiencies in “Chemo”…

My mission is to change individual health care. I would like to see everybody understanding real health. What is Real health? Is it the absence of symptoms? No. Health is when a man becomes natural. What is natural? It is easy spontaneous and without effort. The word “SAHAJ” in Sanskrit means “what is natural, what is innate, in anything’s being.” When you are your natural self and don’t have any obsession or compulsion, you are not bothered about the results of your actions. That is what health is.

Health, is freedom from pain in the physical body… Having attained a state of true well being …Freedom from turmoil and conflict on an emotional level …Having attained as a result, a dynamic state of serenity and calm. Freedom from selfishness in the mental sphere, having as a result: total unification with truth.

…The mental level is the most important level for us human beings. It is the level where the spiritual content of a person emerges. That which is the true essence. We are all here for evolving in consciousness and if the inner tools of obtaining a higher consciousness are broken or disturbed then the whole purpose of evolution in consciousness is lost. Then what is the meaning of life? An absolute healthy mind is expressed by a person living in a continual spiritual bliss. Daily revealing new creative ideas… Expressed in very clear ways, always in the service of others. That is health.

I want to see that when your child experiences an earache, he or she is given natural remedies to help heal. Not antibiotics. And true understanding of the biological conflict that causes that symptom.

I want to see that an allergy is cleared naturally, instead of being “treated” or suppressed with Claritin or whatever else is available in the pharmacy.

Antibiotics, Pain killers, allergy medications, antacids and laxatives are all used and well over abused for the wrong reasons. We just need to understand why we are experiencing that certain symptom – and then follow the road to health.

You don’t experience a migraine because of deficiency of Tylenol 3.

You don’t experience depression because of deficiency of Prozac.

Your child doesn’t have ADHD because of deficiency of Ritalin.

You don’t experience cancer because of a deficiency of chemo.

I found this snip in an ancient text of Sumeria called

“The Sacred Script of the Covenant“:

“Honor your body, which is your representative in this universe. It’s magnificence is no accident.

It is the framework through which your work must come true, through which both the spirit and “the spirit within the spirit” speak.

The flesh and the spirit are two phases of your actuality in space and time.

Who ignores one, falls apart in shambles.

So it is written…”

The human being was originally designed to function harmoniously, and compatible with the environment. Since human beings are gifted with consciousness and awareness, they carry great responsibility both for their own benefit and for that of the cosmos, to live accordingly to the laws of nature.

But what we see is that most individuals, instead of enjoying an increasingly vibrant degree of health from generation to generation, are experiencing a continuous decline in heath.

Why?

For 2 reasons,

1: Humans are in violation of the laws of both nature and health.

2: Mankind has gradually lost an inner awareness which would have enabled correct perception of the laws of nature and health, which still must be respected.

So here I am to help you get out of this vicious cycle!
I believe that this universe would not be the same without all the individuals that are born…

We are all very unique and all of us have something very valuable to offer — and we have to help each other to reach our full consciousness.

All of us are here with a mission; there is no reason why anybody should be depressed, but in truth, millions of people are.

Why?

So let’s engage in this journey together, and untangle health, layer by layer, and reach our full potential together.

That is my mission.

…I hope you have found this article on MY MISSION informative!

Please post your comments and questions below, simply by scrolling to the end of this article…

So make sure you follow us closely – and if you have any questions – or future areas of interest – go to my forum at

The Inner Biochemist Question and Answer Section

Listen to an entire One Hour Long Interview with :Kristine:Earl – The Inner Biochemist

…Please help me change and heal the world! Spread the word…
…My Mission–is–My Passion: listen to my MISSION here…
…Because if you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?

www.TheInnerBiochemist.com

Comment on this article below, or go to my forum to ask further questions, and see more answers.

Please see my POINT-AND-CLICK ONLINE TESTS for amazing accuracy and health…
…because they get RESULTS

The Best a Person Can Get – Your Natural, Scientific Alternative to Drugs and Surgery

The Fine Print

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You’re doing what?

Jessie — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:00:24 +0000

I’m losing a bunch of fuckin weight….that’s what!!!

In 5 short weeks I have said goodbye to 21 pounds. TWENTY ONE POUNDS!!!!!!!!
That is the average weight of an eight month old baby!! I have gone from a size 24 to a “just a smidge too tight” 20.
I’m a little excited….can you tell?
I feel fantastic and my energy level is through the roof. I am more confident with myself, my clothes are falling off and people are actually starting to notice my weight loss. I have been on the receiving end of some interesting comments over the past few days..
“Did you do something different with your hair cause your face looks skinnier”
“Holy crap those pants are baggy”
“Are you wearing contacts, because your eyes look huge”
“Have you been working out?”
“Whats going on with your boobs? I thought they were bigger”
“Are you taking diet pills or something?”

HAHAHAHAHAHA I love my friends.

Twenty one pounds is A LOT, so I should probably stop here, hey?

PFFFFFFFFT YEAH RIGHT!! Not this girl…
I’m not even a quarter of the way to my goal weight. Watching that scale go lower and lower each week gives me motivation to keep going. And I can assure you that I will continue to see those numbers decline. I’m a woman on a mother fuckin mission, and nothing short of a sherman tank is going to stop me on this one. I know this because I know myself.

I am not going to sugar coat it for you and say that these past few weeks have been all rainbows and butterflies. It has been some seriously hard work, and it has been emotionally draining at times. I have obstacles and set backs just like everyone else but I continue to push forward, because I know the payoff will be massive.

The gym that I play in has a motto, “Change your Body, Change your Life, Change your World.” I am loving the changes, I am loving the effect they are having on my life, my body, my family, and even my relationships. I really have no idea why I didn’t start all of this sooner.

So what exactly is “all of this” ?
Oh man, I’m soooooo glad you asked….

As you already know, I have been following a program called Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. It is an “e-book” that is downloaded directly onto your computer.
Now, I have attempted MANY weight loss programs in the past, but this one…..this one is quite different. It is incredibly easy to follow, and it has given me a wealth of information in regards to proper nutrition, the “fuel” that is turning my body into a fat burning machine!!
I have the attention span of a peanut, and I love this book because it tells me exactly what to eat, how much, and when. It’s actually fairly fool-proof. There is no weird food involved here, there is no starvation. In fact, I have not heard my tummy grumble for a good two weeks.
One sec, I’ll show you some of the Tastey Part…

Day One
Meal 1: Egg whites and Cream of Wheat
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Sweet Potato with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Lean Steak and Broccoli
Meal 4: Egg white omlette with Asparagus
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Spinach Salad with Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Hard boiled egg and Spinach Salad

Day Two
Meal 1: Egg white omlette and Oatmeal
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Brown Rice
Meal 3: Basa fillet and steamed Green Beans with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Protein Shake
Meal 5: Lean Steak with steamed Veggies and Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Egg White Omlette and a piece of Fruit

Yeah man…I TOTALLY know what you are gonna say…”That doesnt sound very tastey AT ALL!!”
Dude..it’s what you do with it…
I use seasonings and stuff, it’s not like I am forcing naked chicken down my throat. Fresh herbs and my new favourite Mrs. Dash seasonings make a WORLD of difference. I LOVE food, and I am not feeling left out at all here. I will admit that I have not been 100% clean with my diet…if I want a treat, I have a treat. I just dont eat the whole fuckin box. HAHHAHAHHAHA

I spoke a bit about my Gym days last week. I want to show you what this past week has consisted of. Let’s call this the Sweaty Part

Day One: Upper Body (On my own)
*35 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Lat Pull down: 60lbs- 2 sets of 25. Last set I made it to 20 (I went to failure)
Shoulder Press: 40lbs- 2 sets of 20
Bicep Curl (machine): 30lbs- 2 sets of 25
Tricep Extention (machine): 40lbs- 2 sets of 20. Last set I made it to 18. (I went to failure)
*25 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 4)

Day Two: Lower Body (Personal Trainer)
*30 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer(A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Lunges: No weight- 2 sets of 20 (each leg)
Ball Squats: No weight – 3 sets of 20
Leg Curl (seated):50lbs- 25 reps(too easy) 60lbs- 2 sets of 20
Leg Sled (seated):200lbs- 10 reps(too easy) 240lbs- 20 reps + 5(too easy) 265lbs- 20 reps +7 =)
Leg Extension: 40lbs- 2 sets of 20. Last set pushed it to 30 reps =)
Seated Calf Raises: 25lbs- 3 sets of 20

Day Three: Cardio (On my own)
*Straight Cardio for One Hour- Eliptical (HIIT)

Day Four : Upper Body (Personal Trainer)
*30 minutes of Eliptical (Custom HIIT)
Lat Pull down: 65lbs- 3 sets of 25
Girlie Push Ups: 2 sets of 20. Last set I pushed it to 24 (I went to failure)
Incline Chest Press: 30lbs- 2 sets of 25 40lbs- 21 reps (I went to failure)
Isolateral Front Pull: 35lbs- 20 reps(too easy) 45lbs- 2 sets of 20
Free Weight Shoulder Press: 20lbs- 3 sets of 20
Tricep Extension: 45lbs- 2 sets of 20. Last set I made it to 27 =)
Bicep Curl (machine): 35lbs- 3 sets of 20

Day Five: Lower Body (On my own)
*35 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Lunges: No weight- 2 sets of 25 (each leg)
Ball Squats: No Weight- 3 sets of 20
Leg Curl: 62.5lbs- 3 sets of 20.
Leg Extension: 42.5lbs- 3 sets of 25.
*25 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 4)

I should mention that on the days I see my personal trainer I do the cardio on my own, before our appointment. I have a full hour of weights when I see her.

I freakin love the gym…I truely do. I want you to love it as well…
So I’ll tell you what..

If you live in Edmonton and you are ready to make a significant change in your life, and you are sick and tired of sitting there being miserable with yourself, I have a proposition for you….
I have two weeks of gym time (at my gym of course) that you can have….for free!!! You can even come with me if you want. I don’t bite. *wink*

Careful though, there’s a catch…(shhhhh, you knew there would be one)

You have to be willing to put in a solid effort, NO PUSSY FOOTIN AROUND, for 5 days a week. That is ten days of gym time….NO EXCUSES!!!
I’m not expecting you to go all Arnold Schwarzenegger in there, but I want you to get full use out of it. Find a temporary niche and then push yourself past your comfort level a bit.
If I can do it, YOU can do it. All you have to do is commit.
Two weeks is nothing…dinner parties take longer to prepare. It is just enough time for you to get a taste of the changes you will experience, physically AND mentally.
I want you to tell me how badly you want this….I want you to dig deep and tell me why you deserve to be happy, and what steps you are willing to take to get there…
I will be accepting responses in the comment section until September 15, and on that day I will choose a partner in crime!

If you don’t think that the gym is the right place for you right now, but still want to get off your ass, join me Sunday mornings in the River Valley. Psssssst…I’m a beginner too, don’t be shy. I’ll even bring snacks!!!!!

I will see you succeed, I will see your confidence level soar, I will share your experiences, I will watch you transform yourself into something amazing. I will follow YOUR weight loss journey, just as you are following mine. Actually caring is so much better than pretending to care. I care because I am figuratively in your shoes right now.

I wanna see you drip sweat and make some fuckin noise!!!

Challenge me….I dare you.

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Miracle Pills or Propaganda? Vitamin C and Calcium, What Else Do You Have In Your Cabinet?

The Inner Biochemist - :Kristine:Earl: — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:45:36 +0000

The Inner Biochemist

The Simple Solution

I’ll bet you didn’t know!

…I bet you didn’t know vitamin C causes destruction of proteins in your body, which will accelerate the aging process?

..I bet you didn’t know that vitamin C will cause formation of the toxic chemical pentosadine, a marker for premature aging and the tissue destruction?

…I bet you didn’t know that vitamin C depletes your body of many minerals and trace mineral nutrients? In order to eliminate vitamin C from your body you need to chelate every excess molecule of vitamin C with calcium, magnesium, zinc, or other minerals and trace minerals – and that’s the only way the kidneys can dump vitamin C!

…I bet you didn’t know that vitamin C will actually cause high cholesterol in certain cases?

…I bet you didn’t know that the “antioxidant” vitamin C actually decreases the activity of ceruloplasmin, one of your body’s most important antioxidants.

…I bet you didn’t know that vitamin C will convert the mineral iron to a form that damages the blood vessels, and leads to hardening of arteries and heart blockage?

…I bet you didn’t know some people will go into hypoglycemic crises from vitamin C, and in certain cases it can push a diabetic into ketoacidosis…

Are you beginning to get a little nervous about vitamin C or about the propaganda of vitamin C?

Yes vitamin C is very useful and wonderful when you need it and in the right form and quantity.

My name is :Kristine:Earl:, The Inner Biochemist – I am also the Ultrahomeopathic physician. I am now writing exclusively for this blog and I will be here to hold you by the hand, and teach you the right way to use Vit C, and your entire Inner Biochemistry(TM) – to your advantage.

I’ll bet you wonder why your diet doesn’t work for you? For the next few years I’ll be holding you by the hand and guiding you through how to pick the right diet for your Inner Biochemistry.

… I bet you didn’t know why no one specific diet or one specific supplement got you the results in your weight loss that you were looking for.

Fat Burner Vs Sugar Burner

You hear that a friend of a friend lost 50 pounds on the Atkins diet and supplemented with XYZ product. …So you get started on exactly the same plan, and you fail miserably, what was the problem?

Well, we are very unique individuals that have different Inner Biochemistries(TM) – following different metabolic types and principles. Let me explain: we have what we call fat burners and sugar burners. This defines how you oxidize your food and make your energy. Then we have the autonomic types, which fall into 2 categories: Sympathetic and parasympathetic. This defines how your nervous system functions.

We have electrolyte stress or insufficiency – which defines the electrolyte mixture running through your blood vessels. Electrolytes are minerals that when suspended in the conducting solutions of our bodily fluids carry an electrical charge. Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium – all function as electrolytes. They are vital for almost all tissue and cell function.

Electrolyte stress is equivalent to clumping, or lack of dispersion.

Electrolyte insufficiency occurs when there are not enough electrolytes in the body fluids to perform your Inner Biochemistry functions.

Anabolic AND Catabolic imbalances show me how at the -cellular level- your Inner Biochemistry is processing fats, and how you build membrane at the cellular level.

Anabolic imbalance means an excess build-up of sterol chains which makes your cells too rigid, so they can’t properly “breathe”.

Catabolic imbalance means a build-up of fatty acid chains resulting in “leaky” cell membranes.

Acidosis and Alkalosis imbalances: show the ph level of your blood – ie. of your whole system. This is impossible to measure directly, because the second blood hits oxygen, its ph changes. So I use special tests to calculate your true blood ph….And it has nothing to do with urine and saliva ph!

I find all the imbalances with our Sugar Burner vs Fat Burner Biochemistry Test.

…Now with so many variables just on the Inner Biochemistry types, how are you supposed to untangle yourself -and your Inner Biochemistry- in the amazing jungle of supplements and diets available?

There simply is no diet that is right for everyone.

Eating for your Inner Biochemistry imbalance – is absolutely imperative for managing your weight – especially long term.

Most diets are correct – for that author’s particular Inner Biochemistry imbalance! That’s why it worked for him or her!

Approximately 60% of overweight individuals will start to see their weight correct itself, simply by adjusting their diet for their Inner Biochemistry imbalance. However eating biochemically correct is not always sufficient, there are other complicating factors such as insulin resistance, estrogen dominance, hypothyroidism, adrenal deficiency, stress, various pathologies, and various medications.

Insulin resistance is the main reason for weight gain – particularly in the middle years, but increasingly appearing in young people. All the other factors have a huge effect on weight – and we’ll explore our possibilities in future articles.

Now let’s talk about supplements…

Herbal, Vitamin/Mineral or “Pharmaceutical Supplements”

Some can be quite effective – and some are useless – and even harmful.

Everybody these days seemed to be taking some sort of supplement either herbal, mineral, homeopathic, vitamins, or pharmaceutical.

Pottinger discovered in 1930 that some supplements would have opposite effects in the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the nervous system. A substance that stimulates one will inhibit the other! It’s the same with foods… a food that is acid in a certain type of Inner Biochemistry imbalance – will be alkaline in a different Inner Biochemistry imbalance. So there is no such thing as real “acid foods” and “alkaline foods” – even though on the market you can buy at least 20 books on “how to make your body more alkaline!” And I get communications from different companies all the time trying to sell me products that “make me more alkaline”. This whole idea is another myth – there is no substantive research behind it – we will discuss this whole area in a future article. Be warned, I will really open your eyes!

For example:

Did you know that… depending on YOUR Inner Biochemistry – meat can be alkalizing?
Did you know that depending on YOUR Inner Biochemistry – the “evil” wheat can be alkalizing – and very nourishing?
Did you know that depending on YOUR Inner Biochemistry – “the healthy” spinach can be very hurtful to you?

Let’s take another example – Calcium. Because “Everybody knows about calcium” right?!

Calcium is alkaline forming in the INNER BIOCHEMISTRY IMBALANCES – the oxidative imbalances – ketogenic and glucogenics. Calcium is acid forming in the autonomic INNER BIOCHEMISTRY imbalances – sympathetic and parasympathetics. So what that means is that a ketogenic INNER BIOCHEMISTRY IMBALANCE will be hurt by calcium, because he’s already running on very alkaline blood, but the glucogenic who has a very acid blood, will feel great. A parasympathetic who has an alkaline blood already will became more acid and the sympathetic will become even more acid – even though he’s already running on acid blood. So a parasympathetic Inner Biochemistry will feel great and a sympathetic Inner Biochemistry will be even more “on edge”.

“But wait a minute!” you might think – everybody needs calcium to build up healthy bones! While indeed everybody needs calcium, some get it from food directly (green leafy vegetables, dairy, and other whole foods.) Others need to supplement it.

On the calcium idea, let’s continue. I work with 10 different types of calcium that are individually precision-tracked – and given to you according to your Inner Biochemistry. Why do you think there are so many types of calcium? Who would have known? Everyone thinks “Calcium is Calcium” or “Everybody needs Coral Calcium”. That public myth couldn’t be more wrong: There is ascorbate, citrate, carbonate, lactate, aspartate, chelate, orotate, coral, and more… Which calcium does your body need – today? Which one are you going to buy? “The one that is on sale?” NO! Only the one that works for you… or your are hurting your Inner Biochemistry? How is your body then supposed to help you with weight loss?

But-how are you going to find which specific calcium works for you – today?

Now if we continue the same with magnesium, with manganese, with vitamins B1, B2, B3… B17, C, D, E, K… you’ll understand why it is very important – imperative – to get Inner Biochemistry help.

This is the first of a series of articles where we will be spotlighting a special diet that will help correct each type of imbalance.

I will also cover a general list of biochemical substances that will work to correct each specific type of imbalance. These being very specific vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and amino acids.

I hope you have found this article on VITAMIN C, CALCIUM, AND MUCH MORE informative!

Please post your comments and questions below, simply by scrolling to the end of this article…

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3 Weight Loss Tips – Play With Your Foods

Rob — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:15:46 +0000

3 Tips Friday, a collection of weight loss tips that you can take action on today and be 3 days ahead of your friends who start things on Mondays. Each Friday, I publish 3 weight loss tips or fitness tips that allow you to take steps towards you ultimate physique today. Taking action is one of the main themes of this blog and my weight loss forum. There is a saying that Knowledge Is Power, however, it is my belief that Knowledge In Action Is Power. Take action. Begin today.

Weight Loss Tips – Playing with your food

The idea here is to test small changes to your weight loss program. Make a small tweak in your diet and then monitor the results on your body fat. I call this “playing with your food”

Increase Your Protein Intake – proteins are essential building blocks for living systems—hence their name, drawn from the Greek proteios, or “holding first place”. The power of protein cannot be denied and simply by adding a little protein to each meal, you increase your fat burning capability. More protein equals more fat burnt.

Two ounces of protein is a little less than 200 calories according to Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle program. Begin by adding one or two ounces of lean chicken breast to each of your meals. The total calories would be 300 to 600 for the day, but the thermogenic effect of eating it burns more fat than the calories you consume. Tom’s trademarked phrase is “Eat More Burn More“. Try it for 21 days. Monitor your results

Properly Combine Your Foods – Fit for life author Harvey Diamond taught me about food combining. Food combining, otherwise known as natural hygiene was even practiced and taught by Henry Ford, the inventor of the Model T. The idea is that you can greatly improve your digestion and release enormous amounts of energy stored as fat on your body by simply combining your foods properly. Do not eat Starches and proteins together. You can eat protein and vegetables together or starches and vegetables, but not protein and starches. Choose chicken breast and vegetables as your primary food meals for say 2 meals a day. Make this one change and apply it for 21 days and monitor your results. For more information about food combining listen to my free interview with Harvey Diamond.

Eliminate Banana’s From Your Diet – Simple. I used to eat 1 single banana every day at 11:30 am before I had my lunch. I ate it by itself, according to the principles of proper fruit consumption and then had my lunch about an hour later. I heard that bananas had a lot of sugar in them and were very mucous forming. I didn’t believe it. It’s a natural food. I was told that by eliminating them I’d drop a few pounds, so I decided to prove him wrong. I proved him right. I lost 5 pounds in two weeks by eliminating this one single banana. Will it work for you? Dunno? Try it for 21 days, monitor the results and report back in the comments.

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Unstoppable Fat Loss Interview Series

Rob — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 02:23:52 +0000

Scott Tousignant, also know as the Fit Bastard interviewed me for an hour as part of his Unstoppable Fat Loss Interview Series. I’ve been listening to the other interviews when I go for my walks, as part of the 10,000 steps a day walking program.

Unstoppable Fat Loss is a series of interviews with 21 Fat Loss Experts and Inspiring Fat Loss Achievers.

I’ve been listening to them, and they’re inspiring me too!

Unstoppable Fat Loss includes interviews from: Tom Venuto, Jon Benson, Dax Moy, Dr Joe Vitale, Donna Krech, Clarke Bartram, Jim Katsoulis, Fran Harris, Shane James, Marna Goldstein, James Villepigue, Kevin Gianni, Scott York (Joe Vitale’s Trainer), Roxayn Daniels, Zack Even-Esh, Kyle Battis.

Now, I knew a few of those, but now I really now them. I know how they think, what they teach people about weight loss, fat loss and building your ultimate body. I know what inspires them and how they wake up every morning inspired to create their day.

Along with those 16 experts, 5 more with exceptional circumstances were included:
Jon Bartlet – went from being obese to being on the covers of many fitness magazines.

Rob Kottenbrock – Dropped 120 pounds using some very interesting weight loss methods

John Riccio – Born with Cerebral Palsy and was told he was never going to amount to anything, overcame that as well as 49 surgeries. He trains and nothing stops him… This interview alone begs the question “What the hell is stopping you?”

Nino Savona – you have to listen to believe it

Born 3 months premature. Nearly died. Told by doctors that he would never be able to be active or exercise. Told by fitness professionals that he may hurt himself if he works out…
But none of that held him back. Nino wouldn’t even let his speech impediment hold him back from sharing his powerful and inspirational message to help you achieve your dream body.
Nino is the definition of “UNSTOPPABLE”
How to work around your ‘so called’ limits.
How is deep faith drives him to succeed and achieve 3.5% body fat.

Nino has an amazing website which is very inspirational. You can visit his website at Nino’s Mission.
… and Myself – Rob Cooper who dropped 300 pounds and then put on over 50 pounds of lean muscle

There are a good number of people that I’m sure have a lot of excuses as to why they’re not doing something about their weight, their fitness level, their health etc. I’ve learned a lot from the new members of my weight loss forum as well. Lucie was over 450 pounds and has dropped nearly 100 pounds of it in 6 months. Carole was over 400 pounds and is now at 260, approaching her goal of being sub 200 pounds. She’s 64 years young and has 66 more pounds to go to reach her goal… and now Anthony from Florida, an IT Administrator starting his journey at 405 pounds, has decided to do something about his weight as well. Anthony is proud to declare “Let My New Life Begin” These people inspire me. They’re actively doing something about their health.

Unstoppable Fat Loss is a very motivational interview series. Each interview is an hour or nearly an hour, so perfect for listening to while out walking. There are VERY FEW things / programs that I personally recommend, but this is one of them. Listening to the interviews WILL make you Unstoppable!

Scott has given me permission to post a 4 minute audio clip of the interview he did with me, so here it is, in all it’s 4 minute glory!

[See post to listen to audio]

Unstoppable Fat Loss is available for only $47. That’s only $2.25 per hour long interview. So, for less than the price of a coffee at your favorite locale, you can be inspired, educated and motivated by the industries best Fat Loss Experts. One single tip may be the thing that takes your physique to the next level… so is that not worth the $2.25 per interview investment?

Get your copy of Unstoppable Fat Loss and move one step closer to being Unstoppable!

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Breaking Your Fat Loss Plateau

Rob — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 18:10:14 +0000

Q: I have never been overweight until after high school. I started gaining around 20 years of age and stayed overweight til I was 25. I started working out at a women’s gym for a year, I was persistent. I lost about 30 and I have kept it off til now. I work out at a coed gym now, they took a body fat comp and my percentage body fat was 20 %. I am around 152 and my goal is 140 but i cant get beyond 150. Lately I have been trying to burn at least 1000 calories 3-5 days a week. I have hypothyroidism but luckily by working out i have increased my metabolism. I still have a lil belly I want that gone! I am 5’7 1/2 by the way. I try to eat a lot of chicken and fish for protein and I drink protein shakes every other day, mostly on the days that I lift. I lift 2-3 times a week. Now that you know my stats and stuff, could you give me some advice? I would really appreciate it! Thank you and God Bless!

Angel

A: So you’ve upped your exercise to burn an extra 1000 calories a day. Have you compensated for the 1000 calories by adding an extra 1000 calories from protein?

When the body is being worked, it has to have the fuel to support it and when it doesn’t get it, the metabolism slows down to conserve what it’s got. Now, adding an extra 1000 calories from protein may be an exaggeration, but the point is that you will need extra calories from somewhere.

We may get results in the beginning as exercise is increased, but eventually it will slow down. The easiest way to deal with this is to not only increase the exercise (or output), but to also increase the calories (the input). The extra calories increase metabolism and increase thermogenics. It’s a two-fold punch.

Most people doing a fat burning program will begin to cut calories, but to cut them more than 15% below maintenance levels (that which is required to keep running your body at it’s current levels of muscle) will slow things down. It’s a very fine line between burning body fat and entering starvation mode, especially if you’re that active in the gym.

Conversely, what people don’t do is increase their calories AND increase their exercise. Exercise will not only build more fat burning muscle, but it also increases the demand for fuel to support that increase in muscle.

I have a client who is a personal trainer. She was struggling with a few extra pounds and wanted to lose them. After telling her to increase her protein consumption, she too did not agree with me and did not do it. Finally she gave in and increased her protein following my advice of 2 extra ounces of lean chicken breast with each of her 5 meals per day. A week later she had dropped 6 pounds.

Metabolism is an amazing function of the human body. It’s been working for millions of years to support our eating habits and keep us alive during times of famine. Where restricting calories slows down the metabolism, increasing calories steps up metabolism to “waste the calories” consumed. Thyroid activity, thermogenics and leptin levels increase during overfeeding.

The composition of your food intake also plays a role. Carbohydrates cause an increase in insulin levels as the food is broken down and turned into sugar (rates of uptake depend of the composition of the meal). Insulin can be a powerful ally in your fat loss, but only under certain circumstances.

Insulin is a hormone produced and secreted by the pancreas. It’s primary function is to regulate the level of sugar in the blood. It also shuttles amino acids and other nutrients into muscle cells, facilitating protein synthesis and promoting anabolism. Insulin can be thought of as a storage and locking hormone. It makes you fat by causing fat storage and it keeps you fat by baring access to fat stores.

Insulin rises due to carbohydrate consumption or when a large amount of calories are consumed at one sitting regardless of their composition. Protein on the other hand has much less impact on insulin creation, but it will if protein is consumed in high quantities.

When the sugar is removed from the body, it is used in various ways:

1. Some is used for immediate energy (instead of fat, which is your preferred fuel source)
2. The rest is converted to glycogen and stored in the muscles and liver
3. Anything else that is left after glycogen storage is converted to triglyceride and transported via the bloodstream to adipose tissue for storage. It’s turned into bodyfat.

When insulin is used for immediate energy as in point one, fat burning is put on hold because “getting rid of excess blood sugar takes precedence”. If the excess blood sugar is not removed things can get really bad ie: death.

It’s a natural process that has been taking place since man first appeared on the planet.

“….anything else that is left after glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles is turned into bodyfat… “

By keeping glycogen stores lower, our body should never have excess glycogen to store as fat. You seem to be doing this by actively doing cardio and weight training at your gym. You’re using up the glycogen in your liver and muscles. You can also cut all starchy carbs for your last two meals of the day. I don’t know what you’re eating as you did not mention that in your email, but by increasing calories in the form of protein, a little at each meal, you provide your body with the nutrients it needs without increasing insulin.

Glucagon on the other hand is an unlocking and burning hormone (the exact opposite of insulin). It mobilizes fat for use as energy, but only does so in the absence of stored glycogen. Glycogen raises blood sugar.

The dark side of Glucagon.

Glucagon is a fat burning hormone and can be a force for good, however, to do it’s job of raising blood sugar, it will in some instances break down muscle to provide that sugar as well as getting it from the liver. Muscle tissue is broken down to provide amino acids for conversion to glucose in a process knows as Gluconeogenesis. If you body is in a hormonal state where it’s a sugar burner, then this can be a bad thing. Conversely, if you’re in fat burning mode, Glucagon is a good hormone.

Using Glucagon To Your Advantage

Eating protein stimulates the pancreas to secrete Glucagon as does not eating anything for several hours. It does this to counter the effect of the drop in blood sugar.

If you’re not eating for a long time, Glucagon will have a catabolic effect (breaking down of the muscle tissue) and is not what we want. To combat this, simply eat more frequently. This is why most effective weight loss programs advise to eat smaller meals more often thereby spreading the calories over a larger time frame as well as keeping your hormones in a balances state to increase fat burning and reduce cravings. As Tom Venuto says, “never go more than 3 hours without eating protein”

So how do you put this all together.

1. Keep training as you’re doing
2. Eat 5 smaller meals throughout the day
3. Add additional protein and good fats to each meal
4. Lower your carbohydrate intake
5. Never eat starchy carbs in your last 2 meals
6. Add more cardio sessions. ie: from every other day to every day.

As crazy as it seems, adding protein and adding good fats are not what people expect to hear, but it works. Good fats in the form of EFA (essential fatty acids) such as Udo’s Oil or any other balanced omega 3-6-9 increase thermogenics as well. Fat has no effect on insulin or glycogen – it’s neutral in that respect. Fat in the presence of insulin is a bad thing however and you should try and avoid eating fat with carbohydrates. Fat with protein is fine.. Fat tends to reduce cravings while carbohydrates tend to increase cravings. Never eat rice cakes for example. They’re the worst introduction to the food chain in the past 20 years.

My bet is that you’re simply not eating enough. Add the extra protein, monitor your results for the following week and two weeks. If you still haven’t broken the plateau, further increase the protein by another 2 ounces per meal.

Thanks for the question, and before I leave it, I’d like to say how sexy it is to hear a woman say the words “I lift”.

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How I Lost 300 Pounds – My Weight Loss Story

Rob — Sun, 27 May 2007 23:56:01 +0000

My name is Rob Cooper. In 1990, I tipped the scales at 475 pounds and my waist was 55 inches (at least). Over the next two and a half years, I lost 288 pounds, dropping to a low of 187 pounds, and I fit into a size 38 pair of jeans. But I wasn’t finished yet. In the years that followed, I took up the bodybuilding lifestyle and slowly but surely added over 50 pounds of lean muscle while dropping even more body fat. That brought my total fat loss to over 300 pounds. Today, I weigh 240 pounds of lean muscle and I’m in the best shape of my life

How did I do it?

It all began with a decision

When I realized that I had hit bottom, I decided I had to do something about my health – and fast! But I didn’t choose to lose nearly 300 pounds of fat – I chose to learn how my body worked, how it used foods, and then began to put the principles I learned into action on a daily basis.

I was working as a cab driver for about 2 years after leaving university. I set the land speed record for the greatest amount of weight gained in the shortest period of time. I went from 320 pounds when I left university to 475 pounds a short 2 years later.

My life consisted of driving a taxi, eating, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse and a lot of “Nintendo”. The only exercise I got was getting out of bed and the short walk from my taxi to the restaurant and back to the cab.

I challenged my skin to keep up with the weight gain, and it lost. I was covered in stretch marks which not only were beet red, but quite wide. Do I have them now? More about that later, but yes, there is hope and yes you can do something about it (I have a little secret weapon that has served me well).

In 1989 when I hit my highest weight or 475 pounds, my body let me know in no uncertain terms that enough was enough. I had what I refer to as “my episode” one night after a shift of driving taxi. My heart began to race and I was having a challenge with breathing. I got out of my chair and began to pace thinking about what was going on.

It scared me.

Did I do anything about it? Nope.

What did I know? Yes I was clinically obese, I was wearing the same clothes day in and day out as I hated shopping and once I found a set of clothes that I liked, I stuck with them for months at a time, washing them every other day.

I was young. I was at the tender age of 22 years. I was invincible.

2 days later it happened again. I was sitting in the same chair after a shift of driving taxi when it all happened again. My heart began to race, my breath was short and I was struggling to breathe. I began to sweat profusely and I got up out of my chair and clutched the wall. My life flashed in front of my eyes and I envisioned my parents finding me – dead at 22 – 475 pounds and nothing to show for my life. It scared the crap out of me.

I made a decision to do something about my health

You’d think that at 475 pounds, I’d have realized that I was fat and had to get rid of the weight, but that was not in my mind at all. I knew nothing about health and nutrition except for what I had read in newspapers or seen on TV, namely that salt was bad and fried foods were bad, so that’s where I began.

I made a new years resolution to quit using salt, to give up fried foods and to “lose weight by exercising”

I did not choose to drop 300 pounds….

I chose to learn about my health and what I could do to improve my health.

Health Education and Action

I became a glutton for information and then began to put the information into practice. My first introduction to my new lifestyle was to purchase foods that I knew were healthier and make sandwiches instead of eating out so much. In the beginning, what I began to do was create “fridge experiments” where everything I bought quickly turned green and melted away while being in the fridge for a week. I learned how to create penicillin!

It wasn’t all that bad. I did eat some of it, but at least the decision was set and it began to create a new mindset that I used.

I was out of the house more than I was in the house and ate at a lot of fast food joints. When I did, I reduced the intake. I’d eat one big mac and shake instead of two. I replaced fries at the restaurant with a baked potato and I quit putting salt on anything.

I still drank pop, but switched to diet pop. I still drank coffee but quit using sugar in it.

I believe that once you make a decision and fully commit to it, that the universe supports your decision and attracts into your life things that wouldn’t ordinarily be. Facts came my way, people with info came my way and I began to learn new lessons. Doors began to open as it were and those doors may have very well been there before, but I wasn’t open enough to see them. I wasn’t open enough to see the opportunity. I have found this to be the same with the rest of my life in the years since as well.

Implementing what I already knew

….which wasn’t a lot I might add

I had been dieting since I was in the 5th grade. I had been on a starvation diet when I was in my final year of high school and had lost 80 pounds from December until the summer when I graduated. I say I lost it because I surely found it again, and then more.

I had carried with me some of the product from that diet and began to use the last of it which lasted me about a week. I got very very ill. So ill in fact that my roommate were going to take me to the hospital if I didn’t do something for myself, or snap out of it. They joked that they’d get a forklift and cart me out of the house and to the hospital.

Being so sick, I essentially did a week long fast and dropped about 20 or 30 pounds. Not a healthy way to do it, but it was enough to support my initial decision and inspired me to continue to do more.

Fit For Life and My First Role Model

I had a friend that drove cab with me, who knew about some information contained in a book called Fit For Life by Harvey and Marilynn Diamond. The book outlined something called natural hygiene or put another way “food combining”.

The idea was that digestion is the most energy consuming thing the body does and that if we can eat foods in combinations that simplify the digestive process, that an enormous amount of energy is released and used to clean the body and thus burn fat and become healthy.

My friend had followed the principles before and introduced me to the subject because I had suddenly taken steps on my own to do something.

“when the student is ready, the teacher will appear”

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A slow burner/Fat Burner Inner Biochemistry imbalanced person has a problem digesting carbohydrates on their own…

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SUGAR BURNER INNER BIOCHEMISTRY IMBALANCES SHOULD ABSOLUTELY STAY AWAY FROM SUPPLEMENTS OR “MULTIS” THAT CONTAIN:

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