Wednesday Thoughts - I Should Eat How Much?

“I don’t want to have to count calories”

“Do I have to buy a food scale?”

“It’s too time consuming to measure things out”

Yes…I know. It’s a PITA (pain in the you-know-what) to do all of the above. Trust me – I've been there, I've done it.  For some people it’s extremely time consuming, cumbersome and just annoying. Others just simply can’t do it – eating out for work functions at events or restaurants can make things awkward if you say “no thanks, I brought my food in my Tupperware”.

So, how do you stay within your ‘allowed’ portions if you can’t or simply won’t measure food?

I am always amazed at the portion sizes served to us at restaurants here in the US; it’s downright gross sometimes. If you go to a popular chain Italian restaurant and order chicken parmesan for dinner, not only do you get about 2lbs of chicken slathered in a pound of yummy gooey cheese, but you get a salad, loaf of bread and about a pound of pasta as a side. And guess what – we eat it!  Many of us will try to eat as much as possible simply because we don’t want to waste food.

Portion control is essential for success in any weight loss program. As many of you know, The Challenge helped me to lose over 20 lbs and now almost 10% body fat. Two shakes a day, two healthy snacks and a third meal of my choice which eliminated the calorie counting, the measuring and the guesswork.

On the flip side, some people become obsessed with measuring and counting therefore creating a fixation and bad relationship with food, and in the long run hindering progress. The emotional attachment or even detachment with food when obsessed with every single meal and calorie is more a mental concern than a physical one.

For those who have not yet had a chance to jump on The Challenge and are not into the counting or measuring thing, there are other ways to help with portion control that do not involve a scale or measuring cups.  Many of these tips I learned from my previous years in Weight Watchers.

The secret is all ‘in the palm of your hand’… or rather IS your entire hand!

·         The recommended proteins per meal is approximately 4-6 oz. which is the same size as the palm of your hand, so if your fish/beef/chicken etc can fit in your palm, then that is your portion size for that meal.

·         How much veggies should you have in a meal? The same size amount as your fist – but depending on the vegetable, I’d say this is the one item where two fistfuls would be okay.

·         Ah, now onto the lovely carbohydrates (yes, you can have carbs!) – A ‘cupped’ handful. So cup your hand – whatever can fit into the cupped portion is your portion for that meal of carbs (for example starchy carbs like pretzels or nuts).

·         Lastly, the fats = your thumb. Fats are essential in your diet so please don’t eliminate fats – don’t go ‘fat free’ crazy at the grocery store and think it’s healthy, because quite frankly, it’s not. Keep in mind, if you have let’s say ‘fat free ranch’, check the label – what would the maker of the fat free Ranch have to add to that dressing to make it taste good? Typically its sugar! So you can have fat, but keep the portion size to the size of your thumb.

Some additional thoughts to keep in mind:

Obviously each person and body type is going to be different and require different portions. Your body will tell you what it needs based on hunger, energy levels and how you are progressing, but portion control is going to be essential to your program, like it or not. So use these guidelines to help you along your journey; they helped me along mine, even when I was counting calories and measuring! 

Wednesday Thoughts - I Admit It, I Have An Addiction...

Well, I admit it, I have an addiction.

I am addicted to a reality show… and anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a fan of reality shows but, there is one that I watch pretty regularly – and no it’s not a cheesy, trashy, ‘look at me, I’m the best diva/rich person/home builder/duck caller around’.

I watch Extreme Weight Loss Makeover. Here are the reasons: inspiration, guidance for help with my own clients, the testimonials and stories, and of course Chris Powell (gosh he is a good lookin’ man!).

So as I sat here last night watching the show (and totally changing my idea for the blog/newsletter today), I see the struggles of the transformation story of the week, Brandi,  and I realize that there is just so much more to be done. So much more to learn, to experience, and to teach to others.

Here are my takeaways from this show…

There was a quote that Chris Powell had said in the show to the effect of ‘people only live up to 50% of their capabilities’. REALLY, there’s more than this?! WOW – that’s kind of, well…daunting.

So I ask you – what are you more capable of?  Brandi, at her six month weigh in did the Half Iron Man while weighing in at 214 lbs.  Another admission – I felt really inadequate. I was watching it in amazement going – well hell, if she can do it, I can – oh wait…I can’t swim. I guess I better start taking swimming lessons!

Off topic – again, what are YOU more capable of:

• Could you double your daily walk length?
• Could you cut some time off your 5K run? 
• Could you hold your plank longer? 
• Could you keep your nutrition schedule and plan in check? (Do you have one?!)

Another thing I learned on the show is that people are going to fail; yes – fail. Brandi failed. She never once hit a weight loss goal. But here’s what she DIDN'T do – she didn't give up! It took her the whole year to get to her overall goal of getting skin-removal surgery, which most people hit the mark at their 9-month weigh in, but she didn't give up. She was so close so many times and she did everything wrong at times, but she still went from 329 lbs to 178 lbs in 365 days; that’s a 151 pound weight loss in a year!

So often we want the ‘quick fix’ – lose 20 lbs in a week and never gain it back again but we all know that is not realistic. The ironic thing about reality shows is that they are not at all the ‘reality’. The Extreme Weight Loss show crams an entire year into a 2-hour time period. You don’t SEE all the pain, struggles, and failures that go on daily.

But here are the takeaways from my addiction:

1) Let’s define failure: Webster’s dictionary’s initial definition of failure is: “omission of occurrence or performance” – really? That’s it? Where does this say it’s bad and so what if you fail? This quote says it all:

You will make mistakes, you will miss goals like Brandi did, but are you willing to push forward and keep moving on?


2) If we are only living up to 50% of our capabilities, then I have a lot more work to do! And if I throw out a third admission – I know this. I know deep down that I could be doing more: more work in the gym, better nutrition, better education for my profession and clients, etc. I know it, I admit it; will you?

3) Lastly and this one hurts just a bit - Chris Powell is married with 4 children – lucky wife!  Bummer for me :(

So, while I’m NOT a fan of reality shows, I know that what these people do, their transformation and story is legit – all of it: from the success, to the mistakes, the crying in pain and tears of joy. You will and should experience all of the these things because they are all an important part of your journey and Transformation!

Tuesday Thoughts - The First Step to Losing Inches is...

The first step to losing inches is changing the 6 inches between your ears….

  

Personal trainers are a dime a dozen as the saying goes. Diets (“fad” or otherwise) and other weight loss products, exercises and gyms are part of a $60 billion weight-loss industry. Now with online coaching and personal trainers available at any time, in any location; with newsletters, blogs and instructional videos at your fingertips, the question I still get asked is: why can’t I lose weight?

You see it all over the web, magazines, Facebook: “Sharon lost 100 lbs doing ABC program” or “Dave dropped a 150 lbs by diet and exercise”. Then you have your diets, trainers and gyms who say “results guaranteed”. Well, kind of …

So many people look at those before and after pictures and the fabulous transformation photos and assume that if they work with that particular coach the results will be 100% guaranteed. But guess what, nothing is guaranteed to work….unless you do. For every success story I have had personally in a short period of time, and for all the others that my friends and colleagues locally have had in their testimonial repertoire, unfortunately there is an equal amount of failure as well.

Some people will never change or maybe even get worse or go backwards. People wrongly assume that just by hiring a personal trainer they will automatically hit their goals.

IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

And why is that?  Because if you don’t change, you won’t well...change.  I know, I know. Duh Devon! But let’s get serious and real here…

The only person who can change you is you and to drop the inches off your waist and thighs, you need to change the six inches between your ears – your mindset.

YOU have to actually do the work. YOU have to push hard and push through. YOU have to commit. YOU have to be accountable to not only your trainer, but to yourself as well, let alone the family that loves you and wants you to be the best healthiest version of you.

This is one of the toughest things for people to understand, let alone do. As a trainer, I can give you all the tools and tricks, information and guidance that I possibly can. I have the background, education, and experience to understand most of what my clients go through, but I cannot MAKE you do the work. You have to do that.

Look, there is no easy way out – regardless of the hype and fad diets that promise you the world, let me say it again, there is no easy way out!

Some people really do not get the process – there will be hard work involved. There will be discomfort; there will be pain and tears and setbacks along the way. But here’s where the 6 inch change in your mindset comes in – is it all worth it to get to your goal?  

The program I give you is not going to be easy and it’s not supposed to be! So think about this – when and if you decide to give up or that it’s too hard, or make changes to the tools, tricks and program that I or any other trainer give you, then really you’re doing it on your own and  you may or may not see results.

Here’s one of my favorite quotes  and I read it all the time to remind myself about why I do what I do and why I work hard in the gym, business, and life:

I can give you all the tools and tricks, programs, nutritional guidelines, number of beloved burpees to do, a goal and deadline…but I can’t make you do the work and unless you put in the efforts, there will be no results.

If this seems hard…then you need to look in the mirror and work on those 6 inches between the ears – the mindset – before the other inches start to come off. 

Wednesday Thoughts: A Gluten Free Diet: Healthy or Not?

I spend a lot of time talking with my clients about their eating habits: when do they eat in the AM, what is their biggest meal of the day, what is their weakness for a snack, what can they not live without, etc. Then we always talk about “macros” or macro nutrients. 

Most people are not familiar with the term and you know there’s no real reason you should be. It wasn't taught to us in school, it’s not a term found in Glamour or Time Magazine but your “macros” are important to understand whether entering a new phase of losing weight, maintaining or building muscle.

Macro nutrients are broken down into three categories: carbohydrates (aka “carbs”), fats and proteins.  When discussing the carbs aspect, “gluten-free” has come up a number of times in conversation, most recently as this past weekend with my family while enjoying a relaxing day on the beach.

So what is a "gluten-free" diet...and is it healthy for you?

Now I am not a clinical dietitian, nor a certified nutritionist so I am not going to tell you what you SHOULD be doing regarding precise macro nutrient breakdowns and meal plans. However I will say this – DO YOUR RESEARCH.

The “gluten-free” diet craze is just that – a craze, a fad diet. It’s the 2014 version of the Atkins Diet. Being gluten free is a necessity for many Americans such as those who have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, but really that’s it!!  Yes, I know what some of you will say: I’m not diagnosed with Celiac, but I have “gluten sensitivity”. Okay then yes, you should reduce gluten intake as well.  But to be “gluten free” without these diagnosed conditions is, well, just another fad diet. You do NOT need to cut gluten out of your diet altogether if you are not diagnosed with these conditions. There is no scientific evidence that cutting gluten out of your diet if you do not have a diagnosed condition is beneficial to you. Not only is it really hard to do, but it’s EXPENSIVE!   Instead, focus on cutting down on processed foods.

But Devon – what do you mean by “processed foods”? Well, here’s a chart to start!

 

My best advice: do your research and while everyone does their research online, don’t believe EVERYTHING you read about what a celebrity has done and how well it worked. You need to find what works for you!

Look, I LOVED the Atkins Diet way back when – I ate steak, bacon and cheese all day!  It was great and I lost weight because I cut carbohydrates out of my diet….but it wasn’t sustainable.  I also did the Lemonade Diet (aka “Master Cleanse”) and I lost weight because all I had was some lemonade concoction for five days. Yes I know - how ironic, me saying all this “fad diet” stuff is just a craze considering that I promote The Challenge – a shake mix that tastes like a cake mix! All I can tell you is that after all the other “fad diets” out there, The Challenge worked for me.

At my third year anniversary of being with The Challenge, I can say my weight has stayed within a 5 lb range. I feel and look the best I ever have and….I eat gluten.

Have a GREAT July 4^th Weekend, Happy Birthday America!

Devon

PS. Please join the MTT team in support of Outrun 38 and their 5K race coming up on Saturday, August 2. I am putting together a team from Milford and My Transformation Training. If you are an avid runner and want to log in another 5K, or if you are beginner and would like to train for this event and not sure where to start, shoot me an email and I can help!  For more information: http://www.outrun38.org/outrun-5k.html.