10 Ways to Find Time For Fitness

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Time is a precious commodity and with the fast-paced, urgent world we live in, most people push their needs — including exercise — to the bottom of their to do lists. You may not have thought of it this way, but exercise saves you time and will most likely add longer and stronger years to your life. Read on for 10 tips to make time for exercise and 6 ways to express your workouts. Taking a little time for exercise will surprisingly help you manage other areas of your life. Some of the positive effects include lifting your mood, boosting your self-esteem and reducing your stress. Exercising gives you a healthier focus.
Those who exercise are sick less often, report being happier and even make more money then those who do not.

Exercisers make healthier food choices and sleep better. If you can manage to make exercising a priority, you will be pleased with how much better you become at managing life tasks.

10 Tips to Make Time for Exercise:

Make an appointment -
Schedule activity in your planner 1 month in advance and keep that commitment the same way you would any other meeting. When you go to schedule other activities, do so around your workout session. If it’s necessary to cancel a workout session, reschedule it immediately for another time during the day or for the very next day.

Plan Ahead -
Cook on Sunday night for the week. This way, you can head to the gym after work and still come home to a healthy cooked meal. Every Sunday, my husband and I boil at least a dozen and a half eggs, cook up a Crock Pot of chicken breasts, and a week’s worth of steel cut oats. This will help you stay on track for your meal plan as well as your exercise schedule. For best results, both your meals and activities need to be planned for and should not be left to chance.

Workout at Lunch -
A workout break will refresh you for the second half of the day and is known to boost brain power. You will be more productive after recharging your body with exercise than working through your lunch and eating at your desk. Live with no regrets!

Get Support -
Let your significant other know your exercise schedule ahead of time, so there are no conflicts or guilt when it comes time for working out. Inform your employer of your goals and ask for some flexibility in your schedule. For example, come in later and work later, so that you can get in your morning yoga or interval training workout.

Stick to Your Schedule -
Set you watch or palm pilot to go off when it’s time to exercise. Then stop what you are doing and take 30+ minutes to exercise. You will be more productive finishing up tasks after you worked out versus trying to work through a situation knowing you did not keep your commitment to yourself.

Make an Investment -
Consider signing on with a personal trainer, joining a gym or purchasing home gym equipment. Making an investment is likely to help you make a time commitment. Knowing that you have a trainer waiting for you, or that you prepaid for a package of fitness classes will increase your chances of showing up.

Always be Dressed to Move -
You never know when the opportunity will arise to go for a walk or hit the gym. Keep your sneakers in your car at all times, lay out your workout clothes or pack your gym bag the night before. Eliminate excuses and always be prepared for opportunities to exercise.

Engage in Intermittent Sessions -
Take several 10-15 minute walking breaks throughout the day. By days end, you could have completed 60 minutes of cardiovascular activity, and the health benefits can be even better than doing continuous exercise, specifically if you keep the intensity level up during your short rounds of exercise.

Eliminate Time Wasters -
Take a look at your 24-hour schedule and see where you can eliminate some time wasters. Can you multi-task, be more efficient or watch less TV? You only need to dedicate 2 percent of your week to exercise. You are worth it!

Set Yourself up for Success -
Get up 30 minutes earlier — then you don’t have to make excuses for the rest of the day. Morning exercises have the highest compliance rates, as do those who exercise with a partner.

Reaching your goals does not have to mean hours in the gym. You can express your workout routine and still maximize your results. Below are ways you can get the most out of the time you do dedicate to fitness.

6 Ways to Express Your Workouts

Combine Your Upper and Lower Body Exercises -
Cut your strength routine in half by incorporating exercises for several body parts. For example, while performing a lunge, add a set of bicep curls to the movement.

Choose Compound Exercises -
Exercises that work several muscle groups simultaneously are more time efficient than isolation exercises, which focus on one major muscle group. Examples of compound exercises include the leg press, squat, chest fly, walking lunge and seated row.

Circuit Train -
With minimal equipment, you can set up stations alternating cardio activities with strength training activities. This will keep your heart rate up so that you can get both the aerobic and anaerobic (strength) benefits. A sample circuit might include: jump rope, bicep curls, jumping jacks, push-ups, jogging in place, squats, mini-trampoline exercises and dips. Repeating the circuit up to three times is guaranteed to boost your metabolism in under 30 minutes.

Interval Train -
Using active rest and work ratios will allow you to workout at the upper and lower levels of your heart rate zone and optimize calories expended. You can start with brisk walking for 2 minutes and jogging for 30 seconds. Then progress to 2 minutes of brisk walking and 1 minute of jogging. Eventually progress to two minutes of each and ultimately to spending less time walking and more time jogging. If you are already a runner, alternate your running with spints where you accelerate with a burst of energy and then taper back to a run.

Increase Your Intensity -
By picking up the pace, you can cover more miles and ultimately burn more calories in less time. You may need to work up to higher intensities gradually, but you will become more efficient in the process and be able to cut back on the duration of your exercise sessions. Ditto for you strength training workout. If you keep each set intense, you can get the most benefit and eliminate the need for several warm up sets.

Incorporate Mind & Body Exercises -
You can get a lot of mileage out of choosing a discipline like yoga or pilates. Not only will you get the physical benefits of a well-toned body, but you will also enjoy the flexibility, relaxation and stress-relieving enhancements as well.

Make Fitness a Lifestyle Change -
By eliminating some of life’s modern conveniences and getting more physical, you can expend up to an additional 800 calories a week. That can add up to 11 pounds lost at the end of a year. So, start taking the stairs — even if you work on the 10th floor! It will get easier. Park your car in the last spot and join the kids on the playground. You never know when the opportunity will arise to get your heart rate up.

Sex Counts -
While I wouldn’t suggest replacing a formal exercise program with sex, it certainly does burn calories. The more fit you are, the more enjoyable all activities, including sex, will be. Keep in mind that there will be snags in the best though out plan. So, prepare for changes and be flexible. Use obstacles as an opportunity to try something new. In the long run, the time you invest in exercise will come back to you. Remember, no one goes to the grave saying that they should have worked more. You often hear people say, If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself. So, make your health and fitness a priority by making time to exercise.

Okay, it’s YOUR TIME…..

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When you hear an inspirational guru like Wayne Dyer say, “Go for it now.  The future is promised to no one,” what goes through your mind? Do you think the universe might be trying to tell you to do something transformational with yourself before more years pass you by?

As a lifestyle and fitness aficionado, I have long been trying to find the ‘magic combination’ for my clients – a way to combine all the elements of health, beauty, fit and fashionable living in which I specialize, so that it’s not about only ONE element of change.  Why? Because let’s face it; in order to look, feel, live, and be your personal best, all of these elements need to be addressed.  Otherwise, as my husband says, it’s like putting lipstick on a pig, or a band-aid on a gaping wound.

Exercising only is like whacking off a weed and expecting the roots to go away. The same goes for making dietary changes and not doing any kind of exercise. You only get so far in reaching your health and weight loss goals, then you plateau, and you often give up and go back to your old ways. It’s almost like going back to square one. But what about the lifestyle choices you’ve made that have resulted in this ‘eve of discontentment’ you may have about your image, your self-esteem and your sense of well-being? THOSE are the roots I plan to deal with in my unprecedented new programs.

If you are ready to make solid, lasting and permanent changes in your weight, fitness, health, image and lifestyle, I’ve got some solutions.  No, I can’t snap my fingers to make these transformations happen, but with a solid commitment on your part, I can give you the kind of jumpstart to bring it all together at last – an exercise program that you can enjoy, an eating regimen you can count on, an easy as 1, 2, 3 system of dressing to show off your assets, and wardrobe updates and overhauls to make you feel great about everything you take off a hanger and put on your body. In fact, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start this journey sooner, because you’ll experience a turbo-boost in your confidence, and feel a sense of accomplishment right away.

Getting curious?  Stay tuned, I’ve got amazing plans to announce very SOON!

 

Are You Making Any Of These Body Transformation Mistakes?

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Have you ever heard of Tom Venuto, Author of Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle?  He has one of (if not THE) all-time best-selling fat-loss and fitness programs on the internet.

He recently sent out his Top Ten Body Transformation Mistakes list to his mailing list, and I’ve listed them below.

What Tom’s done here is distilled down, through years of experience in the marketplace and countless surveys of his buyers, the top 10 PROBLEMS they face in achieving their fat-loss and fitness goals.

Okay, take a look at Tom Venuto’s top 10 list:

Body Transformation mistake #1:
Blaming something or someone else for your condition

Success Strategy:
Taking personal responsibility

Body Transformation mistake #2:
Self doubt / not believing you can do it

Success Strategy:
Self Faith / believing in yourself

Body Transformation mistake #3:
Dieting

Success Strategy:
Eating healthy for life

Body Transformation mistake #4:
No accountability system

Success Strategy:
Being accountable to yourself AND to others

Body Transformation mistake #5:
Following the crowd

Success Strategy:
Following the successful people

Body Transformation mistake #6:
Using only willpower; trying to change with force

Success Strategy:
Using habit power and your subconscious mind to change automatically

Body Transformation mistake #7:
Lying to yourself about your condition, your commitment or your consistency

Success Strategy:
Honesty about your condition, commitment and consistency

Body Transformation mistake #8:
Inconsistency

Success Strategy:
Consistency with nutrition and training every single day

Body Transformation mistake #9:
No Goals or fuzzy goals

Success Strategy:
Lots of specific goals/ becoming a lifelong goal setter

Body Transformation mistake #10:
Giving up at the first obstacle

Success Strategy:
Persisting through adversity until you succeed

 

So, what do you think?  I’m curious if any of these mistakes and Tom’s associated success strategies resonate with you, and would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.  Are you making any of these “mistakes” currently, or have you found a “success strategy” that you wouldn’t mind sharing?  I thought this was a good subject to get some constructive conversation going.   Please post a comment.

Get Ready For Bathing Suit Season

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It looks like the sun is finally coming out of hibernation, and you know what that means…bathing suit season will be here shortly, and it’s time to shed our “winter coats” ;-).  You know what I’m talking about, that little extra layer of cushion that somehow managed to wrap itself around our bellies, butts, and thighs (just trying to keep us warm during the cold winter months, I suppose).
DON’T PANIC.  I have a multitude of ways for you to get yourself ready for the great summer reveal, but one of my personal favorites is my Bathing Beauty Boot Camp water workout special.  If you or someone you know has a swimming pool that can accomodate 3 or 4 people, then we’re on!

Here’s how it works:  You or the person you know with a pool, is willing to host 1 or 2 Bathing Beauty Boot Camp workouts a week for 6 weeks.  I’ll put ya’ll through 15 minutes of on deck exercises (don’t worry, you can keep your bathing suit cover up on:-), then it’s into the water for a 30-minute aqua exercise experience unlike any other you’ve ever seen or participated in.  We conclude with a few minutes of stretch and relaxation.  Each participant will receive a weekly Bathing Beauty recipe and/or get bathing suit ready email tips in order to turbo charge your results.

The host/hostess gets a 20% discount on the boot camp program if we have 2 other participants, and a 30% discount if we have 3 other participants.  How much is all this fun in the sun you’re wondering?  Well if it’s once a week for 6 weeks it’s $189 per participant, and if it’s twice a week for 6 weeks, then it’s only $324 per participant.  I bring all the gear, tools, toys, and fat loss expertise.  You bring your commitment, and enthusiasm for transforming yourself into the best  Bathing Beauty ever!

I’m prepared to start booking these boot camps in May, and will be happy to conduct them throughout the summer and early fall.  So if you’ve got a pool, and you’re ready to join the ranks of the Secret Society Of The Fashionably Fit’s Bathing Beauties, then call 916-801-2953 or email me so we can coordinate the days and times, and together we’ll spread the word, get your classes filled, and get you the Bathing Beauty body you want soon!
My availabilites are limited, of course.  So first come first served.

You know I like to keep these classes small, private, and exclusive, so no more than 4 participants per class please.

7 Secrets To Getting Pool Side Confident This Summer (from top fitness coach Rachel Gosrove)…

The key to feeling better fast is to drop the layer of water you may be holding that makes you feel puffy, heavier and squishy all over. You also want to lose fat but you can only safely plan to lose 1-2 pounds of fat a week. The following strategies will increase your fat burning potential but for a quick fix will drop the layer of bloat quickly which can be anywhere from a couple pounds up to as much as ten pounds in as little as a few days. Losing this water weight will make you feel better immediately and ready to brave your bathing suit.

1.  Drink Extra Water. The colder the better. Ice cold water will make your body work harder to warm it up burning more calories. Gulp down the stuff like it is your fat burning liquid(because it is). To get rid of your bloat you have to flush your body with water. Start chugging. You should drink at least ½ your body weight in ounces each day. Add lemon and cucumber to it as natural diuretics.

2.  Speaking of natural diuretics include foods such as cucumbers, asparagus, lemon, Green Tea and Vitamin C. These foods will help you to shed excess bloat.

3.  Eliminate any processed, starchy carbohydrates, which cause you to hold water. Most processed foods have extra sodium and preservatives that will cause you to retain water. This summer commit to eating non processed foods including fruits, veggies and lean protein. If it has more than a few ingredients or anything you can’t pronounce don’t eat it. Cut back on breads, pastas, bagels, cookies and crackers.

4.  Eat Veggies at every single meal along with at least 1-2 pieces of fruit a day especially ones high in carotenoids, beta carotene, alpha carotene and lycopene because they have been shown in the research to equal smaller waistlines. This includes kale, spinach, turnip greens, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, collard greens, cilantro, thyme, cantaloupe, Romaine Lettuce, Broccoli, Watermelon, and Apricots.

5.  Reduce your consumption of adult beverages. If you are used to having your nightly glass of wine or your pint of beer cut back to only indulging 2-3 nights a week at the most. And when you do enjoy your favorite beverage, sandwich it with a glass of water on either side. As soon as I knew I’d be posing poolside, I eliminated my glass of wine that I usually enjoy a couple nights a week.

6.  Work on your posture. Standing up taller and engaging your core will make you look like you lost 10 pounds without even losing anything yet. Every 15 minutes set an alarm for yourself to do a “Posture Check” to train your body to stand up straight and hold everything in. Once you are strutting your stuff in your bathing suit you won’t have to think about it anymore because you will automatically stand up tall and hold everything in.

7.  Get your sweat on! Here is a quick body weight workout that you can get done in your back yard. I used this exact sequence of exercises as a finisher to my strength training workout while getting ready for this photo shoot. Doing these four exercises in the morning will get your metabolism revving for the rest of the day.

Summer time Back Yard Metabolism Boosting Workout

Perform the following 4 exercises one after the other with no rest. Perform 10 reps of each the first time you run through it and progress to 20 reps of each. Time yourself and however long it takes you, give yourself the same amount of rest and then repeat. Work up to 4-6 rounds.

Exercise 1 – Body Weight Squat- Perform 10-20 reps

To do it: Simply squat down as low as you can go and stand back up. Repeat.

Exercise 2- Alternating Body Weight Lunges perform 10-20 reps

To do it: Step forward into a lunge keeping your knee tracking over your second toe. Drive through your heel and return to the start. Alternate sides.

Exercise 3- Jump Lunges perform 10-20 reps

To Do it: Start in a lunge position and jump. In mid air switch legs. Land in a lunge on the opposite leg. Repeat. If this is too diificult perform straight leg split jumps instead which is the same thing without the lunge.

Exercise 4- Jump Squats perform 10-20 reps

To do it: Bend into a squat and then explode off the ground as high as you can. Repeat.

Rest = How long it took to do the 4 exercises

Repeat.

Just Like A “Designed To Sell” Show

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I’m very excited about getting to stage a local Folsom couple’s home this month.  They are preparing to retire and move across the country.  Their Realtor was very wise in advising them and helping them implement a team to do the necessary updating of bathrooms, kitchen, paint, and light fixtures in order to compete in today’s market.

Now they’re left with furnishings and personal belongings that need to be streamlined (much of it is getting packed up and going into storage), and arranged in a way that showcases the homes best features both inside and out.  That’s where Showhomes of Folsom Lake and my staging magic come in!  I’ve already assessed and edited their furnishings, artwork, and accessories.  Then in a couple of weeks me and my team will be going in and arranging the furniture, hanging the artwork, adding a few fresh new accessories, and generally merchandising their home into a highly desirable “product” that will sell quickly.  It’s going to look and feel so fabulous after we’re all done with it, it may be difficult for them to leave.

When the project is complete, I’ll be posting before and after photos, and keep you updated as to how quickly the home sells.  So keep your eyes peeled for the updates.  This is so fun–it’s just like doing one of those Designed To Sell shows on HGTV.  I love being a certified Interior Redesign and Staging Specialist!

Break It Up/Mix It Up

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I coach my fitness training clients that it is important to change up and mix up their workouts in order to overcome the laws of physical adaptation, and keep their bodies changing for the better.  The same holds true for your wardrobe and personal surroundings.  In order to keep it fresh, fun and stylish you have to change things up once in awhile.

While doing a Closet Overhaul/Shop Your Closet Session with a client today, I noticed that she kept her suits together in one section of her closet.  She always only wore them as suits.  We took her suits apart, and I had her hang the jackets with her other jackets and blazers, and the pants and skirts that were part of the suits with her other pants and skirts.  We started mixing and matching her suit jackets with her shift dresses, other skirts, jeans, and slacks.  Then we took the suit pants and skirts and mixed them up with sweaters, blouses with belts, and a few sparkly tops that she saved for “going out”, and created multiple outfits for going to work and then going out for cocktails.

We basically doubled her wardrobe options without spending a dime on anything new!  We put belts over some basic tops and sweaters in order to accent her waist, took a skirt she thought was strictly for spring/summer and added tights and boots, and layered long cardigans over tank tops and tee shirts, and gave her multiple ways to wear casual, work, and going out on the town clothes.

The moral of the story…think outside the box.  Don’t be afraid to take that suit jacket and put it over a plain tee shirt and jeans.  Throw a pair of leopard print pumps on with your conservative black slacks and white blouse.  Mix it up, shake it up, experiment, and you’ll find you have more outfits and clothing options in your closet and dresser than you ever imagined!

At this very moment I am wearing a light wash pair of jeans with a pink turtle neck sweater, a multi-chained necklace with some vintage looking mixed metal and sparkly brooch inspired embellishments, a pair of brown motorcycle style boots, and brown leather and eyelet fabric mix motorcycle jacket.  It totally works.  How’s that for breaking it up and mixing it up?  Fashion should be fun.  Go for it!

Privatize your clothes-shopping experience with ‘W by Worth’ and Wendy!

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By now it should come as no surprise when I keep repeating my mantra, “quality over quantity” that I carry this into every aspect of what I do in both my business and personal life.  High quality, well-made, fashion-forward clothing that can stand the test of time is no exception to this rule.

I have always believed that good clothing is an investment. And while it’s okay to pick up odds and ends at big box stores or a department store, the process can be frustrating finding not only classic clothing pieces that make you feel truly special, but also any kind of personalized service  – someone who knows you, your body type and even your tastes.  That’s where I come in!

For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to attend one of my W by Worth trunk shows, you’re in for a treat.   It’s Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus without the outrageous price tag attached.  This private label clothing line syncs right up with my less-is-more philosophy. Exquisite attention is paid to every detail of every piece — from the fabric to the high quality construction to the wide array of styles that can be used for a variety of body types, allowing you to walk away with outfits and pieces that cam span both the season and the years.

W by Worth is unusual. It’s one of the few companies I know of that actually listens to its sales consultants and asks for customer feedback. Then they do something very strange… they respond to it!  This is one clothing company that actually gets that they can create a win-win situation by doing so, giving women the opportunity look and feel good about themselves from carpool to cocktails.

How do I know all this?  Because ladies who have attended my shows were absolutely certain when they walked in that they’d never be able to pick out anything they liked. Then they find themselves going absolutely crazy for what they just discovered on my W racks, especially after trying the pieces on. They had little faith that an in-home private label clothing line could possibly have anything they could fall in love with and the total opposite came true.

But pay attention here!  This is Wendy – remember me?  Those of you who know me know that everything I recommend has got to reflect my own extremely picky standards because if I don’t look good, you don’t look good!  I am often asked what W’s single most popular item is. And interestingly enough, it’s something that looks really funky on a hanger.  It’s called the ‘circle shrug’ and you’d probably never even pick it up if you saw it on a department store rack.  But once you have it on, you realize that it can look good on just about everyone. Couple that over time with beautifully cut pants, amazingly flattering jackets, blouses,  and skirts and you have the beginnings of an exquisite new wardrobe as high quality and timeless as anything you’ll find in a San Francisco department store or high fashion boutique.

To see W by Worth’s clothing line (yes, they use runway models to show you the clothing!)  click here:  W by Worth or pick up an invitation to the next show (January 15 – 23 is the Spring show) when you see me next.  It’s all about being fit and fabulous, you know.

Beat The Holiday Bloat & Weight Gain

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Does the holiday season fill you with a secret dread of weight gain, belly bloat, fatigue and stress?

Are you tired of starting every New Year with 5 to 10 extra pounds that you’ll spend the next 3 months working off?

If this is you (it’s pretty much most of us), I’ve got some good news. Help is here!

My friends JJ Virgin, Nutrition and Fitness Expert, and Leanne Ely of SavingDinner.com, are hosting a no-cost teleseminar on Tuesday, December 7 called “Holiday Survival Secrets: How to Have Fun, Eliminate Stress, and Still be Able to Zip Up That Dress!”

JJ has worked with clients for over 25 years and knows a thing or two about what trips up folks during the holidays. More importantly, she knows exactly what strategies really work to help you NOT blow your diet and fitness routine during this dangerous time of year.

Leanne is a New York Times best selling cookbook author who has been helping people just like you prepare simple, delicious meals for their families for over a decade. She writes a daily newsletter with nutrition and diet tips, healthy recipes, and more, to a huge national audience.

Together, JJ and Leanne have teamed up to share with you their 11 best strategies to surviving the holidays with joy and ease—all without gaining a pound (you might even lose a few)!

Here’s where to learn more and reserve your spot on this complimentary call:

Click:  Enjoy the Holidays, but beat the bloat!

You wont want to miss this.  It’s a freebie.

Fit & Fashionably Yours,

Wendy Harris “The LifeSTYLIST”

7 Quick Tips to Eat Smart After Dark by Dr. Jonny Bowden

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Post image for 7 Quick Tips to Eat Smart After Dark

This is a subject that comes up with my clients over and over again.  So I thought I would share this top nutrition experts’ blog and perspective since is in exact alignment with what I tell my clients.

Late-night eating is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to weight loss. (Full disclosure: I have struggles with it myself.) One of the reasons I tend to recommend eating plans that are lower in carbohydrates is because so many high carb foods literally create their own cravings. Advertisers weren’t kidding when they invented the slogan, “Betcha can’t eat just one”. Foods high in processed carbs are literally engineered to goose your appetite centers; in addition, they stimulate insulin, also known as “the hunger hormone”. (Interestingly, insulin’s other “nickname” is “the fat storage hormone”. Get my drift?)

I asked my good friend VP of Nutrition and Education at Atkins Nutritionals Colette Heimowitz, M.Sc, to provide a few quick tips on how to eat smart after dark. Here’s what she offered:

  • Prevent Late-Night Eating Altogether: Eat low-carb meals throughout the day to keep blood sugar steady, thereby reducing cravings and the temptation to nosh on high-carb items like chips or cookies at night.
  • Crunch Away: If you must snack at night choose crunchy, low-carb foods such as macadamia nuts or celery sticks filled with cream cheese or almond butter. The crunchiness gets your mouth moving, which helps make snacks more satisfying.
  • No Containers on the Couch: Don’t take the food container to the couch. Instead, place your portion on a small plate and bring it with you. That way you’ll eat less and can keep better track of what you’re ingesting.
  • Drink Up: Instead of eating, have something to drink. Hot beverages can help you cut your appetite. Try a mug of herbal tea sweetened with sucralose or stevia, low-carb hot cocoa or some chicken or beef broth. Or for something cool and creamy, have an Atkins Advantage shake. (Note: You can also make a low-calorie, low-carb, satisfying shake at home out of protein powder, with or without berries added for texture and flavor.)
  • Keep Your Hands & Mind Busy: Instead of munching in front of the TV, keep your hands occupied and your mind sharp by picking up an engaging pastime, like knitting or making a scrapbook. You can even do the daily crossword puzzle during the ads.

A lifestyle that wards off late-night cravings, the Atkins Nutritional Approach includes a wide variety of whole foods including lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains to keep you satiated longer. The plan eliminates the simple sugars and simple carbohydrates that cause blood sugar to spike.

Dr. Jonny comments: I’ve always felt that Atkins got a terrible rap and was unfairly portrayed in the conventional media as the doctor who told you to eat pork rinds. Luckily, a great deal of research in the past decade has validated much of what he had to say.

My Diet Boot Camp program uses many concepts originated by Atkins, Barry Sears, Michael and Mary Dan Eades and others who realized early on that the greatest danger to our health and our waistline was not coming from fat but from ridiculously high amounts of processed carbohydrates. Learn more about Diet Boot Camp.

FAT–Good, Bad, And The Wizard Of Oz

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“Are you a good witch or a bad witch?” Glynda melodically asks Dorothy in the movie The Wizard of Oz.

“Oh, but I’m not a witch at all,” she answers.

Glynda figures Dorothy must have great powers to get a house to fall on a wicked witch, so now it’s  only a matter of ‘which kind of witch’ she is, right? Now let’s relate this to nutrition–specifically fat. Fat is a powerful thing. Does that mean there are both good fats and bad fats?  You bet.

We are taught in school that because fat is so calorically front-loaded, eating it as a regular part of our diet could make us, well — fat. And if our bodies were a mere receptacle, that would be true.  But we aren’t a turkey that gets stuffed at holiday time. We have a veritable chemistry lab inside us and each food triggers a complex reaction in our bodies that can do things like drive up our blood sugar, spike our insulin levels and communicate with all our parts as to what is stored as fat and what gets eliminated.

Fat is a complex substance that can even suppress growth hormone if we eat the wrong kind or eat too much of it. Truth be told, two to three servings of healthy fat at every meal is a good thing, but first we must get our heads around what constitute a good fat.  Sorry, but a Big Mac, a croissant or a scoop of Ben & Jerry’s are not what we’re talking about here. A good fat serving is about a third of a large avocado, 10 nuts, 1 tbsp of nut butter, 1/4 cup of coconut milk, 1 tbsp olive oil, or 4 oz of cold-water fish.  Make you think a little?

Now throw coconut milk and coconut oil into the mix.  Coconut is one of my favorite fats, but people freak out about it because they find out that it is a saturated fat. The truth is that it contains an abundant amount of MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) that helps our systems burn fat and is anti-bacterial to boot. Where saturated fats become a problem is when we eat a ton of them we’ve got body fat to spare. Why?  They happen to be the hardest fats to burn. But take heart.  They really aren’t a problem for us when we eat a moderate amount of them. It’s when things have been artificially saturated (the definition of a transfat) that they are our enemies.

So what am I saying here? Don’t be afraid of coconut!  Did you know that in tropical locales where islanders eat a lot of coconut they have lower cardiac risk? Coconut is a pretty amazing food. Avocado, olives and olive oil are fats I want you to focus on. You can even have a little organic butter, since it contains CLA, which has been shown at supplemental levels to help you burn off BAT –brown adipose tissue — which is brown fat tissue around the gut.

What has your major malfunction been with trimming the fat off your frame?  A lot of women I speak to say it can get a lot easier when they focus on what they can have instead of what they can’t, so I always suggest replacing a meal a day with a healthy shake. It doesn’t have to be devoid of fat, containing only fruit and ice. You can use coconut milk, nut butter or whey protein to inject just enough fat in the concoction to slow down stomach emptying to naturally suppress your appetite. And don’t forget that fat is also critical for brain function. It aids with healthy moods, bone density and is important for hair, skin and nails.

So are we clear here?  Controlled amounts of healthy fat=good. Fat that will stand the test of time whether you want it to or not=bad.  Case closed, Dorothy clicks her heels three times and it really wasn’t all just a dream.  After all, they made a movie out of it didn’t they?

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