FitLife Adventure

Fit Food

Steps to Success for your Best YOU

Comments Off on Steps to Success for your Best YOU

By Denise Walsh

Did you know that the #1 New Years resolution is to LOSE WEIGHT?  Yet over 90% never make it past the first few months?!  WHY?  Fitness has been a big part of my life for a long time and I love turning people onto the fact that exercise doesn’t have to be a chore!

I recently competed in my first ever fitness competition and experienced some pretty amazing changes in my mind and body as I completely transformed my diet and trained daily for more than 6 consecutive months… I had so many people approach me and ask questions like, “How did you do it?” “How did you stay motivated and stay on track for so long?”

If that’s you – wondering not only how to get started on a new eating and workout regimen, but how to REALLY stick with your new habits to create long-lasting change, I have a few pieces of advice to share with you…

 

First – Every choice matters. 99% is a bear – 100% is a breeze.

 

This is so important to remember.

One of my favorite personal development books of all time is The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy.  In it, he explains that the choices we make today impact our tomorrow.  Once I solidified my WHY and gained a clear picture of what I wanted my tomorrow to look like – I knew that every choice either moved me closer to or further away from my goals.  In this case, it was a bodybuilding competition that was MONTHS away.  I found myself wondering – “will TODAY’S decisions impact my show in October?”  It seemed crazy that chips and salsa today could impact my long-term results.  But what I found was, it DID!

 

your-why-Fit-Life-Adventure

 

My mindset began to change from, “How much harm can one brownie do?!” to “Choosing veggies is keeping me on track towards my goals!”

You see, the problem is not with the brownie.  The problem, for me, was that it never was JUST ONE!  If I gave myself permission to have “one bite” or “one brownie” – I found that one, led to two, led to … off track!  I always had to make the choice – “should I have that? Or shouldn’t I have that?”

As they say, 99% is a bear – 100% is a breeze!

Once I took “cheating” out of the equation, I no longer had to make a choice.  I saw results.  And it felt easier.

 

Second – The story you are telling yourself.

 

Once I knew that I wanted to stick to my meal plan, and took cheating off the table, I still had cravings, darn it!!  I am sure you do too!

I still wanted some foods that I knew would take me off course.  And I found that the story (my self-talk) I told myself made the biggest difference on if I stuck to my plan, or I didn’t.

I learned that it is very easy for us to give our FUTURE selves more credit.  This is why we say, “tomorrow – I will eat better” or “tomorrow I will workout”

Then tomorrow comes and we say the same thing all over again!

Here are a few things I told myself when I had cravings.

  • If I am going to cheat, TODAY is NOT the day
  • Nothing tastes as good as FIT feels
  • I will be so proud of myself tomorrow morning because of the choices I make today!
  • I can have that on Sunday – just not now.
  • I am developing my will-power muscle and this is a good test.

It worked.  I am not saying it was easy, but it worked!

nothing-tastes-as-good-as-being-fit-feels-quote-Fit-Life-Adventure

 

The TAKEAWAY

  • Get a clear picture of what you want your TOMORROW to look like and be 100% ALL IN.  Take cheating off the table.
  • Create new self-talk habits for when you have cravings or temptations.
  • And know that it IS worth it!!! ♥

The Best Fat Burning Foods

Comments Off on The Best Fat Burning Foods

What if you could eat real, whole foods that can trim your waist line and also improve your health? You can with what I consider to be my Top 5 of the best fat burning foods.

#1 Protein

In addition to being the building block of lean muscle, which is your body’s fat burning furnace, proteins thermogenic effect is 20-30% higher than carbohydrates. This means when you include a protein in every meal you raise your fat burning potential. Make sure to choose lean sources such as fish, eggs, chicken and turkey or a high quality low fat, low sugar protein shake such as our Ultimate ProFit.

#2 Probiotics

Scientists believe that people with certain kinds of unfriendly bacteria in their gut tend to get more calories from their food than others. We all have trillions of bacteria in our gut, some good some harmful. By adding good bacteria such as probiotics your body can naturally digest the excess calories more efficiently. Probiotics can be found in certain yogurts and kefir as well as supplements such as the It’sGreens .

#3  Green Tea

The most common plant associated with weight loss and one of the best fat burning foods! Green tea contains natural chemicals called catechins. Studies have shown that these chemicals increase fat burning and increase thermogenesis. Since it is difficult to control when brewed I recommend a supplement of green tea extract however adding the tea as well throughout the day will increase hydration and help control appetite.  ItsGreens contains green tea extract as well as the Ultimate Thermofit and can be safely taken daily for maximum benefit.

#4 Chilli Peppers

Spicy red peppers can be added to your favorite dishes or even slice and snack on throughout the day. Research has shown that chilli peppers can enhance metabolism however the side effects of the amount needed make it difficult to consume in its natural form. Most recently capsacin, a supplement form of the chilli extract proved safe and effective for weight loss. The Ultimate Thermofit uses capsacin as the catalyst that helps the body increase metabolism natural without dangerous side effects.

#5 Plant Phenols

For many decades plant phenols have been studied for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Most recently new research has begun to reveal potential for obesity prevention. The compounds under study with the most benefit are

Curcumin (turmeric)- can be found in It’s Vital Core nutrition

Resveratrol-grape skin, blueberries, natural cacao powder- ALL in Ultimate ProFIT®!

Quercetin–green tea,onion, tomatoe, broccoli,leafy greens – easy powder form in Greens

Chlorogenic acid-sunflower seeds-found in Ultimate Profit

Getting a healthy serving of all of the best fat burning foods in your daily diet is optimal yet nearly impossible, certainly not affordable to all. To cover all your basis at an affordable price I recommend an Ultimate ProFIT®.  Shake each morning with 2 scoops of Greens, 2 It’s Vital and 1-2 Thermofit for weight loss. It will do your body AND  your waistline good!

Lose Weight And Keep It Off

Comments Off on Lose Weight And Keep It Off

Want to know the real reason you’re still overweight…?

acidity level, acidity and weight loss, The truth is if you want to lose weight and keep it off you need to look at both the inside AND the outside of your body. You will not get the results you desire with exercise alone or vice versa. Weight loss is a combination of science and psychology but the real culprit halting your weightless effort is acid! The acid level in your body is playing a key role in your overall health as well as your weight gain. We eat so many processed foods and live in high stress, toxic environments that our body becomes acidic. When your body is acidic it breaks down muscle to transport acids away from your vital organs for protection. When this happens it’s nearly impossible to lose weight or sculpt lean muscle. This acid state also puts stress on your liver as the toxins in your blood are filtered here. Normally the liver is where fat is metabolized so if your liver is busy trying to clean up the toxins in your blood it cannot metabolize fat as it should.

The first step in correcting this is to detoxify your body to remove the acid and toxins that have built up. This can be done with simple changes in your diet, addition of exercise and providing nutritional support. Giving your body the proper nutrients that aid liver function, cleanse colon and eliminate toxins you can help reverse the acid in your body to alkaline. The Ultimate Body Applicator is an easy, safe and effective way to nourish and aid in the detoxification of your largest organ– YOUR SKIN!  This treatment, with the addition of increased water intake and proper nutrition is a natural way to aid your body and tighten skin at the same time.

The second step is removing acidic thoughts. These are negative self-statements, judging, comparing, anxiety and poor stress management. Detoxification is a holistic approach that allows the body to heal itself, however, for the body to heal itself this process first starts in the mind. How you think of yourself when you look in the mirror can have a direct effect on your weight loss progress.

The secret to weight loss? For your body to burn fat it must be clean and alkaline and your mind bright and positive 🙂

Dieting | A Lifestyle Not A Trend

Comments Off on Dieting | A Lifestyle Not A Trend

How many people in the run of a day say the word “diet”?  

What exactly does a diet mean to them or to you?  Is a diet a specific meal plan used merely for people who are looking to shed a few unwanted pounds or is it a term that people use loosely similar to that of, “Yeah I go to the gym” when in fact they may actually physically enter the gym, but have no direction, purpose or plan.  I personally do not like the term, “diet”.  I much prefer to use the term “meal plan” when speaking specifically about what my nutritional goals, needs and wants are. 

There are a few things that you should consider before starting a meal plan.  For example what are your goals for the meal plan.  Is the plan’s primary purpose to help you lose or gain weight? Is the purpose of the plan to help introduce you to a healthier life style?  Is the primary purpose of the meal plan, to help you deal with medical concerns such as obesity, diabetes, or high cholesterol?  Whatever the reason you chose the meal plan make sure it’s best suited for your wants and needs. 

Here are a few simple recommendations when deciding to use a meal plan.

  • Set goals. Short term, long term. What you are hoping the meal plan will help you accomplish?
  • Do your homework.  You need to understand that some plans work for some and do not work for others. First discuss this with a medical professional (your doctor, nutritionist etc) and consider their recommendations and medical advice.  Most health practitioners can and will provide you with the guidance you are seeking.
  • Do not try to lose or gain too much weight too fast.  A healthy weight loss  is 2-4 pounds per week, especially during the first phase of your meal plan, where you’ll notice the weight coming off fairly quick. 
  • Do not get frustrated or discouraged. There will come a time where your weight loss will slow or stop.  This is due to your body’s metabolism reaching a comfort level with your meal plan.  This is the time to change up your plan, in hopes to fire up your metabolism all over again.
  • Believe it or not there are no fancy fitness gadgets or magic pills as seen on television or in magazines that will help you lose weight quicker or more efficiently than that of a solid meal plan that will help lose weight.  There are credible supplements on the market that will assist you in losing weight.  Again, this is an area where you will need to do your homework, as every supplement company claims to have a more effective product than their rival companies.      
  • Commit to the plan.  Focus on the prize, which is your goal that you have set!  You will need to have strong will power to resist temptations of unhealthy or foods not on your plan.  You will also need to surround yourself with a circle of people (friends, family) that understand and support you in your life style change.  As sad as this may sound, it’s those closest to you that will try to sabotage or derail your progress and plan.
  • Allow yourself some treat meals weekly as a reward for following your meal plan.  Turkey burgers on the grill, a thin crust pizza, steak, frozen yogurt whatever it is that you choose to treat yourself with, know that there are healthier variations of your favorite foods.
  • Hydration is key! Ensure that you stay hydrated daily as this will aid in flushing the toxins from your body which is often a roadblock in weight loss.  Remember water is the best fluid for you.
  • You CANNOT out work a poor diet.  You can exercise as hard and as often as you can, but if you’re not properly fuelling your body, you will not get the results that you are looking for or expect.
  • Be honest with yourself.  If you had a moment where you gave into a temptation, you need to quickly get back on track.  One poor choice doesn’t ruin your entire daily or weekly plan.  Chalk it up as a minor slip on the road to a better you. 
  • Preparation is KEY.  Preparing your meals in advance will help you from falling victim to grabbing something quick at a fast food restaurant, or from grabbing a handful of your favorite treats in an attempt to help deal with your cravings. 

There are so many “trendy or in-the-now diets” that seem to pop up weekly.  Not all are bad, some actually have some sound components supported by medical evidence.  However most of these so called “diets” are nothing more than a gimmick with promises that never materialize.  The best “diets” are the ones that become a lifestyle, the plans that involve real food, sources of protein, fruit, vegetables, essential fats etc.  No one is going to do the work for you.  Make the change and follow your plan and you will be on your way to a healthier happier you.

Turn Your Body Into A Fat Burning Machine–Even While You Sleep!

Comments Off on Turn Your Body Into A Fat Burning Machine–Even While You Sleep!

The truth is, extreme exercise and drastically reduced calorie intake can prompt a “starvation response” in the body, which may actually promote future weight gain. Why? Such severe tactics trigger a metabolic process that sends a signal to your fat stores saying, “Hold on, we may not eat for a while.” And so your body immediately conserves that stored fat—usually where you least want it—and your metabolism slows down. Because of this response, low-calorie diets completely defeat the purpose of permanent weight loss. Sure, you may drop a few pounds, but that loss will most likely be temporary and your ability to lose weight in the future will be compromised.

The single most effective way to turn your body into a fat burning machine- even while you sleep is to eat small meals spread throughout the day. Meals that consist of real, raw, whole foods increase thermogenesis. Sure you could get some results with three balanced thermogenic meals, but with five or six meals over the course of a day you will achieve optimal results! This is why I developed the Profit Superfood Shake  and the ItsEssential weight loss bar for ITworks Global. These two products are the perfect addition to your meal plan. I know preparing five or six meals a day for some is just unrealistic as well as expensive. By adding a shake and a bar each day you not only save money and time, but you also eliminate the guess work. Both of these products help fuel your body, keep you feeling full, and provide nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. In addition, you will create meals using foods that are thermogenic so, the more you eat the more you burn. How can this be? Certain foods have a higher thermic effect, which means it takes a greater amount of more energy for your body to break down the food than it has calories to use. This makes it almost impossible for these foods to be stored as fat. Your body will actually tap into your stored fat to get the remaining needed energy. When fat loss is your goal you should include as many of these foods daily.

Eating frequently is also important to maintain your lean muscle. Every process in your body requires a certain amount of energy, including digestion. If you are not eating enough, your body still needs to get this energy. We have learned that muscle requires energy and protein just to maintain itself. Every time you skip a meal you are not providing your body with enough energy and protein, and so your body looks to your own lean muscle mass to get fed through your glycogen stores. Yikes! That’s a sobering thought. Muscle contains vast stores of glucose; if you don’t consume carbohydrates, your body will look for other sources to maintain balance. Sure you may lose weight, but you will be sabotaging your metabolism long term. If you want to transform your shape and become healthy and fit, maintaining lean muscle is vital. Once you really understand this process of thermogenesis, you will never want to skip a meal again.

This is the most important shift you can make to build a new relationship with food. When you understand this process you learn to view food as fuel to ignite your furnace, allowing your body to naturally burn fat more efficiently.

How To Fight Fat after 40

Comments Off on How To Fight Fat after 40

If you are reading this post I am assuming you are over 40 and have suddenly realized it’s not as easy as it used to be to stay slim and trim. Trust me! You are not alone, most women I know over 40 tell me it has become a lot easier to gain a few pounds that it is to lose them. The good news is, there is a proven and effective way to combat the bulge and it begins in your fridge!! What you eat and when you eat are key to maintaining your youthful weight. Absolutely no more diets! Research has shown that frequent diets will lower your metabolism and make it almost impossible to lose excess pounds. Research has also shown that your secret weapon is building lean muscle mass with proper nutrition and exercise. Did you know that around age 30 we start to lose a half a pound of muscle every year if you are not active? That’s 5 pounds of muscle loss by the time you hit 40 and every pound of muscle burns more calories!

Our vanity wants to look good forever but too tight jeans and an increasing waistline are the least of your concern if your risk for heart disease and diabetes increases too.

What’s a gal to do?

The secret of how to fight fat after 40 is maintaining lean muscle. How do you do that? Increase your protein and resistance exercise. Your body breaks down muscle as fast as you can build it. How do you know how much you need you ask? Follow this simple formula..

Estimate your ideal weight in lbs and divide by 2.2 this will give you your weight in kg. Now, take this weight in kg and multiply by 1.5. THIS is your daily protein goal. So, if my goal is 125lbs I will divide by 2.2 and get 57kg (round up) multiply 1.5=  85.5g of protein per day.

It sounds like a lot but if you spread it over 4-5 meals it’s easy to do. This is why I LOVE the Profit Superfood shake. It’s so easy and portable I can even shake some up with water and it tastes great.

Being prepared is also crucial to have good sources of protein available when you’re in a hurry. Some of my favorite protein sources are eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, chicken, turkey and fish. I try to limit red meat to once a week as it’s higher in saturated fat.

If you eat enough protein and stay active you can maintain your muscle mass. However to build new muscle and keep your metabolism at optimal levels you will need to strength train too. The good news is you don’t have to spend hours in the gym to gain the benefits. Aim for 3-4x a week in 20-30 minute increments. Use weights that are challenging but not painful. You will want to do various kinds of exercise to keep your muscles working hard and keep you from getting bored! Come back next Monday for a peek at my metabolism boosting workout and cut your workout time in half!