Can I really lose weight and get fit using exercise DVD's?

The infomercials are everywhere. The before and after photos are all over the Internet. So, you see these DVD's advertised and wonder if they're too good to be true. Could you ACTUALLY lose weight at home by turning on a DVD?

The answer is yes and no. Exercise DVD's can be amazingly helpful when you're trying to lose weight. Especially if you're busy and don't have access to a gym nearby, or childcare for your kids while you workout. But, just like any other exercise program, you actually have to do it in order to succeed. Don't think that you can buy a program and then do the workouts once in a blue moon and see results. Those people in the before and after pictures worked their butts off to get to their goal. They didn't slack. They made a commitment to follow whatever exercise plan it was and to eat clean while doing it. They didn't just call the 800 number, order the program and then pray. There is still a ton of hard work and dedication involved using at home workout DVD's.

With that being said, DVD workouts can be EXCELLENT. But, you have to find a program that fits your needs both with time and ability. Some programs are geared towards athletes who just need a refresher. Some are geared towards postpartum moms who may need modified exercises to avoid injury. Some are mostly cardio based programs, and some are mostly weight training. There are even yoga, pilates, and dance programs out there. But, you have to be realistic with both your abilities and expectations.

For instance, when I started my journey, I wanted to do Insanity. I'd seen the infomercials. I'd drooled over the before and after pictures and wished they were mine. But, I also knew that at the time, I was more than 100 pounds OVERWEIGHT. Realistically, I knew that if I tried to do Insanity I would have either done serious damage to my body, or I would have given up quickly because I lacked the physical ability to do the workout. So, I lost the first 47 pounds on my own (which you can read about here) and then jumped into the Insanity program.

It was perfect for me because I had 3 kids at the time who ranged in age from infant to 7 years old. My husband works weird, ever-changing shifts, so finding childcare to go to the gym (which is about a 40 minute drive anyway) wasn't an option. So, I would put my kids to bed and pop in my Insanity DVD's right in my living room and get to work. It worked great for me. I lost the rest of my weight that way, and gained a lot of muscle and endurance that I never had before. It also ignited a fire in me to do more and challenge myself even further. They're also good when you need a quick workout at home as a supplement to whatever you're currently doing. You can just pop in a workout disc and burn some quick calories without a lot of planning and preparation. I've used other DVD programs since then.  But, like any exercise program, they only work if you do them and you commit to completing the program. And, please check with your doctor before you start any exercise program.

How bad do you want it?

Weight loss can be so incredibly difficult. Staying on track can be difficult. Add in an auto-immune disease and a house full of kids and it can seem impossible. But, it's not impossible at all. It just depends on how bad you want to be healthy.

Ask yourself one simple question: How bad do you want it? "It" can be losing weight, gaining muscle, getting in shape, running that half marathon, lifting heavier, or doing some crazy exercise you never thought possible. Whatever "it" is for you, you need to decide how bad you want it. If it's something you can't stop thinking about, and strive for every day, then you need to commit to making that a focus in your life. I'm not saying you should live every single second of your day as if your life depends on hitting those goals. You still need to focus on your family and work and whatever else is important to you. But, there is a certain level of commitment that people who are successful in fitness have. And that needs to be something you strive for if you're serious about reaching your goals. 

Nobody is saying that you can never have a slice of birthday cake. Nobody is saying that you can't take a rest day. Rest days are important for both your physical and mental health. But, I am saying that if you really want to get fit and lose weight, you need to make that a priority in your life. 

So, what does that mean? It means that you stop making excuses. It means that you make tough choices. It means that instead of spending your day on the couch drinking lattes and binge watching Netflix, you get up and get moving. It means that you can ask your husband to watch the kids for an hour so you can go for a run. It means you can schedule your workouts like you schedule other appointments and make it a priority and an appointment you can't and won't cancel. You don't necessarily need to do crazy workout routines, but you do need to get moving. You need to be moving and active more than you're not. You need to make small changes here and there that put physical fitness and health first. Walk more, run more, do a few extra squats and jumping jacks here and there. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Pay attention to what you're putting in your mouth. Keep a food journal and be honest!

The biggest myth in weight loss is that there is some secret to doing it. The real secret is that you have to really want to succeed and you have to commit to doing it. Nobody is going to lose the weight for you. Nobody is going to make you stronger. Nobody is capable of changing you. You are the only one capable of changing yourself, and only if you truly want to. And, if you think it can't be done, think again! Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you and know your ability to succeed. 

Why would a coffee addict like me switch to tea?

Hello. My name is Jill, and I'm a coffee addict. I admit it. I LOVE coffee. I love the smell of it. I love the taste of it. I especially LOVE the caffeine. So, why in the world would I give up my coffee?

I gave up coffee so I could have more energy. Yep, you read that right. I am a busy mom of 4 young kids (10 and under, including a 2 month old baby). Trust me, I need energy. I also have hashimoto's hypothyroidism. That means that my energy is taken away from me quicker than most people. I'm usually in a constant state of tired. It's a tired feeling that doesn't go away, even with a good night's sleep. It's just one of the many side effects of having an autoimmune thyroid disease.

I've always relied on coffee to keep me alert, awake, and functioning. The trouble is, it never really worked too well. I started off drinking one small cup of coffee a day. Then, it became one large cup. Next, I ended up drinking 2 large cups. And, before I knew it, I was up to 3 large cups of coffee every single day, and I still felt like a zombie. So why was this happening? Why was the caffeine not working? I felt like I was being lied to by the coffee industry. I felt like my gold membership at Starbucks was worthless. I felt like my Keurig had betrayed me.

For me, it was the cream in my coffee that had to go. Many years ago, before I knew better, I used to use Coffee Mate or International Delight creamers in my coffee. I poured those bottles with reckless abandon into my coffee cup every morning. My coffee tasted more like a dessert than a morning pick-me-up. Then, a few years ago I switched to using Heavy Whipping Cream in my coffee. This is the stuff that you use to make your own homemade whipped cream. It's thick, it's creamy, and it doesn't have sugar or carbs. It's a coffee addicts dream come true. Except that it's not. It's still dairy. And dairy is HIGHLY inflammatory. That means it causes bloating and intestinal discomfort. And, sadly, unless you buy the fancy expensive organic stuff (which I don't), you still have chemical additives like carrageenan and polysorbate 80. So, you've basically swapped one chemical ridden creamer for another. For many people, dairy causes fatigue. And, I am clearly one of those people.

Alas, what is a girl supposed to do? I can't stand drinking my coffee black. Sorry, it's just nasty. It tastes like gasoline. I've tried using organic coconut milk, I've tried making my own creamer, I've even tried that whole butter in your coffee craze. Nope. Not having it. Nothing else tasted "right" except for the heavy cream. But, I also knew that it was counterproductive to my health. It's making me tired and bloated and I can only imagine what the chemical additives are doing to my insides. Not to mention that the price of heavy cream has skyrocketed lately. It now costs $6 for a quart of the same heavy cream I was getting for $3 a month ago. And, let's be honest, I used A LOT of them in a month's time.

So, I decided to give it up cold turkey. I drank my last cup of coffee on March 7. Since then, I've only been drinking plain green tea (and water of course). I've noticed that I have a lot more energy now. I'm not exhausted all day. I don't feel like a zombie who needs to reach for that cup of coffee to survive. I've lost a lot of the bloat around my belly and my pants are fitting much better. I never thought I'd give up my coffee. But, then again, I never thought I'd be a chronic label reader and be very picky about what foods our family eats. I'm a firm believer that doing better for yourself and your family starts when you know better and want to make a change. I've known better than to drink coffee with cream for a while now, but I had to WANT to make that change. And, now that I did, there's no looking back.

It's OK to take a day or two off every now and then

You've gotten into a good groove with your workouts. you've got a nice schedule and know when you're going to exercise. You're eating right. You're motivated. But then something comes up that doesn't fit into your workout schedule. What do you do?

It's perfectly OK to take a day or two off from working out every once in a while. It's not the end of the world. It won't stall your progress. And, it's good to have that mental break every now and then. And, sometimes your body needs a break too.

For me, that break came yesterday. I got an email that Wheel of Fortune was having tryouts. It's been a dream of mine for many years to get on that show. But, the auditions were at the same time as my small group personal training class. So, I had a dilemma on my hands. Do I skip my workout and go chase my dream of being on this fantastic game show? Or, do I stay and workout and miss the opportunity of a lifetime? If I skip my workout, am I going to get off track? Am I going to make up the workout on another day? Or is skipping that workout going to be the thing that breaks me? If you can honestly say that skipping that one workout isn't going to derail you, it isn't going to make you quit and give up, and you will make up that workout later, then you can skip it. But, if you think there's even a chance that skipping that workout will derail your progress, you can't afford to miss it.

I know I'm on track. I know I'm not going to miss one workout and suddenly become a couch potato. And, I also know that I really want to be on Wheel of Fortune! So, I went to the auditions. I was lucky enough to have two friends join me (one of them also skipped the same workout with me), and we took our chances with the hopes of getting on the show. In the end, we didn't get picked to go up on stage to audition. But, we still have that chance that we can get picked from the applications we submitted yesterday. And, we had a lot of fun too. A mental break can be good for the soul, and the body. So, if you trust yourself to take one on occasion, please do so. Just make sure you get back to work!

Baked Chicken with artichokes, mushrooms, carrots, and mixed greens

As a busy mom, I like meals that are quick, easy, healthy,  and family friendly. This recipe accomplishes all of those tasks. You will need a large skillet and a large oven safe baking dish.

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cans plain artichoke quarters, drained

3/4 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 large organic carrots

about 15 medium-large mushrooms

about 3 cups organic mixed greens (spinach, kale, chard)

salt, pepper, organic Italian seasoning (all to taste)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, melt your coconut oil and toss in your minced garlic. Season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and place them in the skillet. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, just long enough to lightly brown it. 

While the chicken is browning, chop your mushrooms and carrots. Once the chicken has lightly browned, remove from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, toss in your veggies (including the artichokes) and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lightly grease your oven safe baking dish with coconut oil to keep the food from sticking. Transfer your veggies to the dish, then place your chicken breasts on top of the veggies, and pour your vegetable broth on top. 

Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, or until your chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving. Serve with a side of fruit and enjoy!

5 Reasons why shape wear is the enemy of a weight loss program

We've all seen shape wear in the stores, in magazines, and on television. We've all heard the claims about how these magical undergarments can "instantly slim you" and "take inches off of your waist without exercise." Are they all they're cracked up to be? Could they actually be harming your weight loss plan? Here are some reasons why shape wear can be your worst enemy when you're trying to lose weight.

1. Shape wear makes you feel WORSE about your body. You put on this magical undergarment and you look slightly slimmer and smoother. But, what happens when you take it off? You suddenly find yourself even more discouraged by your body than you were before. Now the body that you thought needed just a little toning feels like the body of an obese cow. You suddenly notice every single inch of fat. You think your belly looks 10 times bigger than it did yesterday. Suddenly your thighs are gigantic, and your butt is huge. You instantly feel depressed. 

2. Any compliments you receive aren't about you, they're about the fake you. You are wearing your shape wear and you go out to meet friends. Suddenly you get compliments like "Oh my gosh, you've lost weight," or "You look amazing!" You might feel great about those compliments for a hot second. But then you realize the truth. You haven't lost weight. You haven't worked hard. You don't deserve those compliments. If the same people saw you naked, they wouldn't compliment you at all. Any compliments you receive when wearing shape wear aren't about the real you. They're about the fake you.

3. It's harder to get into some shape wear than it is to just workout! Getting into some shape wear takes skill. This is especially true if you're overweight. They are meant to be tight. They are meant to be form fitting. If you're carrying around extra weight, it can feel like you're trying to stuff a sausage into its casing. Do you want to feel like a stuffed sausage? I know I don't. It's much easier to get to work and exercise so you can fit in your clothes properly without feeling like you're being stuffed into them. 

4. Shape Wear can't hide the work you didn't do. It just can't! Even if the shape wear you buy takes an inch or two off of your waist, it just redistributes that fat somewhere else. Trust me, I've seen people stuffed into these things. They might look slightly slimmer in one area, but then they turn around and it's like their back exploded with fat. Think about it, you didn't actually lose the weight. So, the fat that's being "smoothed" out has to go somewhere, and it's not going to be pretty. 

5. You're not fooling anyone, not even yourself. If you think that wearing shape wear is going to fool someone into thinking you've lost weight, you're delusional. It's obvious when someone is wearing shaping undergarments. Nobody is going to think you've hit the gym 6 days a week. Nobody is going to envy you for your hard work in losing the weight. Nobody is going to ask you for your weight loss secrets. We all know your secret, it's sticking out of your clothes. If you think that wearing shape wear will give you that extra push to lose weight, think again. If anything, wearing shape wear will depress you. It will make you feel worse about your body when you take it off. And while you're wearing it, it will give you a false sense of accomplishment. That will make you end up giving up on your weight loss program and settling for being fat and "smooth" in clothes instead of being thin and fit in real life. If you're truly honest with yourself, putting on shape wear is the same as giving up on yourself.

You are worth more than shape wear. You are worth more than what the undergarment manufacturers are trying to sell you. You are worth the effort of exercise. You can do it! Don't give up on yourself and put on a pair of shaping underwear. Instead, put on your workout clothes and hit the gym!

Clean Eating: Label Reading 101....class is in session!

When you're eating healthy and exercising, the last thing you want to do is hurt your progress by eating something that's not good for you. But, labels can be tricky to read and understand, so how do you differentiate between the good, the bad, and the ugly? 

Let's go over a few basic things about label reading. 

1. The majority of your food should not have a nutrition label at all. Think about it. Your main food sources should be fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein, and healthy fats. When was the last time you saw a nutrition label or ingredients list on a bunch of bananas or a chicken breast?

2. Look for foods with 5 or fewer ingredients. If you do eat something with a label, make sure the ingredients are REAL food, not chemical food-like substances. You want to be able to pronounce all the ingredients and know what they are. 

3. Avoid buzz words. Foods labeled "all natural" or "healthy" aren't necessarily good choices. Instead, look for organic ingredients and non-GMO foods. 

4. Avoid added sugars. This goes for artificial sugars as well, and yes I include stevia in my non-approved list. As far as I'm concerned, for a healthy diet, refined sugars are a no-no. And, sugar substitutes like stevia, sucralose, aspartame, splenda, equal, etc are way worse than even regular table sugar. My only approved sweeteners are organic coconut sugar, raw honey, or real maple syrup (not the processed kind that's not pure from nature). 

5. Don't worry about the calories and fat. Unless you have a specific caloric or fat need as prescribed by your doctor, don't even pay attention to that part of the label. If you mainly eat real, whole foods, you don't have to worry about counting calories and fat. The quality of your food is of the utmost importance. 

So, looking at these 3 labels, which one is the good? Which is the bad? And which is the ugly? 

THE GOOD
 This is a jar of almond butter. Check out the ingredients. There's only ONE ingredient and it's Non-GMO almonds! The only way that ingredient list could be better is if they were organic. But, at least you know they're not GMO franken-food almonds. 

The BAD
This is a box of pasta. Durum Semolina is a highly processed and very high in gluten  (but low in nutrients) type of pasta. Niacin (also known as Vitamin B3) is added in to try and make up for the lack of nutrition.  Ferrous Sulfate is Iron, which again is added in to try and mask the lack of nutrition. Thiamine Mononitrate is a synthetic form of the naturally occurring B1 vitamin. The reason this is significant is that this synthetic form is fat-soluble, which means your body has a harder time expelling any excess.  Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and Folic Acid  are also added in this particular pasta. Why would you want to buy a product that was stripped of it's naturally occurring nutrients only to have these particular vitamins added back in? 

The UGLY
This is a bottle of coffee creamer. The first ingredient tells you which ingredient is in the highest amount. So, there's a lot of water in this creamer. Next you have sugar. Regular, white, unhealthy table sugar. And, it's in a large amount since it's the 2nd ingredient. Vegetable oil is next. Run away now! Vegetable oil is made from soybeans. Soybeans are the top GMO crop. Plus, soy has a number of unhealthy side effects. It's a goitrogen as well as a form of phytoestrogen. Run away now! And, to top it all off, it's partially hydrogenated. Those words mean it contains trans fat, which is the most unhealthy kind of fat. Any time you see "hydrogenated oils" or "partially hydrogenated oils" those are major red flags. Sodium Caseinate (sometimes labeled Casein) is a milk derivative. It's a tricky way for companies to label hidden milk products in your foods without you knowing it. So, even though this is a "non-dairy creamer," it actually contains dairy. This can be a big problem for people with allergies or milk sensitivities. Mono and Diglycerides are food additives that are there to extend shelf life. That means they add in chemicals (these happen to contain trans fat) to make the "food" last longer than it should. Sounds appetizing right? Dipotassium Phosphate is a highly water-soluble salt used to prevent coagulation. But, it's also commonly used in fertilizer. Cellulose gel is a thickening agent used to thicken foods without adding calories. But, it's made from wood pulp. Yep, you read that right. Salt is the next ingredient, because we didn't get enough sodium already with the dipotassium phosphate. Natural and Artificial Flavors is basically a code word for "anything and everything under the sun." It can even include things like castoreum, which is the secretions from a beaver's anal glands. Yep, you read that right too. Cellulose gum is there to prevent sugar from crystallizing, and it's from that good old wood pulp again. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener which is not good for you by any means. And, by the way, this product already contains sugar, so why does it need more sweetener? Finally, we have carrageenen. Carrageenen is a thickening agent with no nutritional value. It's derived from red edible seaweeds. The problem is that it's extremely bad for your digestive system and causes inflammation, and has even been linked to gastrointestinal cancers in lab animals. Does this coffee creamer sound appetizing to you now? 

The takeaway from all of this should be that you need to know what's in your food. Don't fall prey to  the buzzwords and advertising on the front of the box. Read your labels, know your ingredients, and buy REAL FOOD!