Fitness Facts Friday - Why Can't I Lose Like Him?!

Every week I hear my ladies complain that their husband/boyfriend/father/man in their life can lose weight with the snap of a finger but they struggle on a daily basis. 

With each couple I council, either with The Challenge or while training them at the fitness studio, I make sure to tell the women: “look, he will drop 10 lbs in the blink of an eye and after taking a #2, it’s normal; don’t judge your own results by what HE is doing”. 

I always give the warning but not everyone listens and then there is competitiveness, resentment, and hopelessness, which eventually leads to giving up on the women’s part while the men crush through to their goal. Many men are just like that: they set a goal and they hit it once they make up their minds to do it. Women…well, we struggle; a pound here, a pound there. He loses 8, she loses 0.8.

Both determined, both working out, eating right. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. What’s the difference? 

Well, here are some women’s fitness facts I researched which may help:

1. Men have more testosterone then women (duh, right?). Therefore, they burn fat and build muscle differently than women. So if you WANT to look “big and bulky with big muscles” then you would need to take testosterone producing hormones. By the way, no woman has actually said that to me yet…actually they say the opposite “I just want to tone”, so unless you take supplements you will not burn it as quickly as the men, but the benefit is you also won’t get “big and bulky” by lifting weights!  You will gain muscle, but not “big bulky” ones.  **FYI - Women have the testosterone level of a 10 year old boy**.

2. Women’s fat cells are larger than men’s.  Sucks, doesn’t it?

3. Skipping meals actually leads your body to go into starvation mode….which causes you to KEEP FAT for future use rather than burning it. SO DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST – I’m talking to all you moms out there. Why?  See previous blog from last week about excuses…

4. Women have specific type of muscle fibers which are not able to get as big as men, but are more compacted and strong.

5. Women have a stronger pain threshold (think delivering a baby!) which leads to quicker recovery, as well as more endurance (Yay for women!)

6. Men will burn 20% more calories in a day, so if you want to lose more than your man, gotta step up that calorie burn!

7. Exercising in general, both for men and women, helps your mood, energy levels and confidence.

Cynthia Sass gave a great analogy in an article in ShapeMagazine: Eating with a guy is like going shopping with a friend who makes a lot more money than you – maybe you can’t spend as much, but you can still enjoy the experience, and if you make peace with the fact that you don’t have the same budget, it can be very freeing rather than causing you angst.”

So stop comparing yourself to the men in your life, start comparing yourself to YOU: Where are you today versus yesterday? Where do you want to be tomorrow? Are you at your goal yet? 

Don’t fret – you’ll get there; maybe slower than him, maybe faster. Bottom line – it’s YOUR GOAL, encourage each other to keep on going, no matter what! 

Thursday's Thoughts - Sorry, I Can't...

So, what's your excuse?

Come on.... everyone has one. That reason they consistently skip the gym, or gorge themselves on that muffin they HAD to have on the way home from work.

What's yours? 

I have one. I say I can't workout in the evening. Hate doing it and if I don't get my workout done in the am...it doesn't get done. I'm busy kicking other people’s butts as early as 5 am and going until noon, so sometimes my mind and body are ready to shut down and take a break. The last thing I WANT to do is a workout.

But, I still get it done – most of the time. I’m not perfect and I’m the first to tell you that it’s not going to be easy – but it will damn well be worth it!  Get rid of the excuses. If you have a goal, you have to dig deep and be honest when you ask yourself “What is more important in my day than taking 30-60 minutes just for me? What else has come up in my day that was more important than me? What is more important than making sure that I have a good meal rather than fast food or pizza?”

Now, you’re going to say but Devon, you don’t understand: I have 2.5 kids, practice to go to, I have to walk the dog, take out the trash, WORK, pay the bills, water the plants, wash the kids, wash the car, and wash my hair…I don’t have time to work out! That’s all stuff that has to get done, eventually – but guess what? They are kind of excuses. Yes, I understand that kids have to be taken care of – that’s a given, but there has to be a balance between taking care of them and taking care of you. 

Here’s a quick example of that – would you let your kids go to school without feeding them? I hope most of you said no, so tell me why on earth moms are the first people to skip a meal before going to work or starting their day? Why do you settle for a double-mocha-‘skinny’-latte from “Sucksbucks” and rush to work, just to have a bagel with cream cheese or a ‘power bar’ a good  five hours after you wake up? 

If it’s important enough to feed your kids in the AM, it’s important enough to feed you!!

Quick Tip (and I’ve posted it before...but its work repeating):  eat within 30 minutes of waking up!!!

I hear all kinds of excuses as to why that workout didn’t get done or better yet….why I HAD to have that muffin/bowl of pasta/nachos and bottle of wine.  But excuses show on the scale and in the gym.

So what’s your favorite excuse? Write it down, email it to me if you’d like (info@devontaylor.net), and then crumple it up and throw it away. No more excuses!  When you get rid of your excuses, you will achieve results.

Thursday's Reality - Don't Believe What You See on TV!

We have all heard before: don't believe everything you see on TV; even those so-called "reality" shows are staged and fake. With that said, there are some shows that have some good info and encouragement. Two of my favorites are The Biggest Loser and Extreme Weight Loss. I do love the motivation they create in others, the tips and education provided for living a healthier lifestyle, and proof that even if you feel like there is no hope, you CAN do it!

But here's what is NOT the reality part of the show: the weekly weight loss of 10+ pounds in a week for the average person…the average mom or dad who are working, raising a family, running around to soccer games and ballet practice.

The reality is this - back go to basics: calories in/calories out

The people on Extreme Weight Loss go to a facility for the first 3 months where everything they do and eat is monitored. There is no work to do. There are no kids. No laundry. They workout 2-4 hours a day, eat prepared foods to stay within their 1500-2000 calories (depending on who they are) and get plenty of sleep.

If you had 3 months to only workout and eat right wouldn’t you also lose 90 pounds in 90 days?

So let's break down YOUR reality: It takes 3500 calories burned to lose 1 pound,   which is a NET Number. To lose a pound a day, you have to burn 3500 calories - NET. There is also your metabolic resting rate to factor into the equation which will be different for everyone (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator).

What is realistic for you? Can you go out and burn 3500 extra calories a day? Probably not. The reason I ask this is because I had a client who lost 3 pounds in a week; I was happy for her and she thought she failed. She thought she should be losing 10 pounds a week like they do on the TV shows. When I broke it down to her and asked if she was working out at the gym, burning 3500+ calories a day, she said no. AND THAT’S OK!! She’s a mom of 3 teenage kids, wife of a busy doctor, and works full time herself.

Here is what she is capable of: she walks every day, she works out with me twice a week for strength and interval training, she’s on The Challenge (www.iCanDoProject10.com) and she’s eating breakfast! So, yeah – 3 pounds average per week is great; it’s what the “normal” person can do. 

The next time you only lose a pound or three, that’s okay; you’re going in the right direction. Just know that to do more quicker, you need to change things up and burn more calories, while properly fueling your workouts with the right diet and nutrition.

A pound lost is always better than a pound gained!

Fitness Friday Workout!

It’s Friday!!!  Congratulations – you made it through the week!  

So before you head to happy hour this evening or if you are looking for a quick workout to get in Saturday morning before heading to the beach and BBQs, here’s a short 20 minute workout sure to earn those cocktails and burgers!

Fitness Friday Workout – 8/8/14

• Warmup with a short 5-10 minute walk or jog, and then be sure to stretch.
• 15 Burpees 
• 25 Supermans
• 30 Alternating front lunges (or jumping lunges) – 15 on each side
• 25 Ski Squats
• 25 Jumping Jacks
• 20 Pushups
• 20 Tricep Dips
• 30 Bicycle crunches

Repeat 4 times!  

If you are unfamiliar with any of the moves, feel free to contact me or you can also Google them.

This short workout should get your heart and muscles pumping and is a total body workout with no weights required! 

Feel free to email or call me with any questions.

Cell: 203-499-7168

info@devontaylor.net

Have a great weekend! 

Did She Really Lose 175 Lbs In a Year?!

I first met Jen during a 30 minute boot camp class I was teaching last fall. By then she had lost about 90 or so pounds already, but said she wasn’t done!  She had more to go, a goal set, and she was working her butt off to get there….

Now she’s down 175 lbs in 15 months…and she feels better than ever! She works out every day, but does take a day off here and there and she just rewarded herself with a brand new motorcycle!

She’s a total inspiration to everyone she meets because she doesn’t boast about her weight loss story but is open to tell people about her journey. I’m so grateful that Jen was willing to be interviewed for my blog and newsletter. We both know her story will help inspire others. Enjoy!

Here’s her story…

A little background about Jen: she is a 48 year old, full-time dog trainer and groomer, and also works part time as a bar manager. Her amazingly cute pug, Tebow (YES, named for THAT Tebow) competes for agility competitions and is so much fun to watch, but boy does that dog have energy! And Jen needed more energy and agility herself to keep up with such an upbeat and competitive dog!

  

That’s how it all began….

I first met Jen while teaching a 30 minute boot camp class in Milford this past fall. At that time she had lost over 90 pounds!  I was amazed when she showed me her before picture - I couldn’t believe it and boy did she KILL in the class! Jen’s the one who always went the extra mile – did the extra rep, or jumped one more time than was required. When there was a short break, she would stand there and do bicep curls. There was no stopping this woman from getting to her goals.

Over this past winter, there was about a 4 month period when I didn’t see Jen, and when she walked into My Transformation Training the first time for boot camp class, I literally had to do a double take! She had lost another 50+ pounds and I just didn’t recognize her. She has transformed before everyone’s eyes, and she deserves huge praise and admiration for her accomplishment.

When I asked her how she first started and what she did, she said “I gave up Coke…oh and I worked my ass off!” Jen is an inspiration to anyone struggling to take that first step, whether you have 10 lbs or 100+ lbs to lose.  I was so excited when she agreed to be interviewed for the blog and newsletter and is willing to share her story. Hopefully her story will help someone else get started!

 

Enjoy!

Interview with Jennifer Bridwell:

Starting Weight: 320_____

Current Weight: ~145_____

Height: 5’5___________

What was the turning point that made you want to make a difference and change? Training for agility competition with my youngest dog and I could not run AT ALL. He is super fast and talented, and deserves a good handler/teammate and he was getting very frustrated with me!
What was your original goal when you started your transformation? To be able to run for 2 minutes
How long has it taken you to lose the first 100 pounds? I think around 10 months
What was the first step you took? I gave up Coca Cola
How hard was it for you to admit that you needed to make a change in your lifestyle?  Very! I was never a really huge eater, but didn’t eat well, drank a lot of coke and didn’t exercise at all.
What was the toughest part of your transformation? Dealing with certain people’s attitudes and sabotage attempts to my weight loss. I guess jealousy?
 Who was your biggest supporter? How important was it to rely on the support of others? My mom! Other people that I work out with have become very important to me, but for the first 8 months or so, I did everything on my own
 Did you ever feel like you’ve done “enough” and wanted to stop going after your initial goal? What was it that kept you going? I feel like I’ve lost enough weight, but exercise is part of my life now and I have fitness goals now instead of weight loss goals.
Through the process, did you endure any injuries or set-backs? What did you do to overcome them? I broke 3 ribs, but just kept plugging along and doing what I was able to do. I hit several weight loss plateaus, but  because I don’t weigh myself very often (maybe 5-6 times since I started) they didn’t affect my process too much
What is your current eating regimen like?  What are your daily meals and number of calories you eat (approximately)? I eat pretty much what I want, within my daily calorie goal of around 2000- 2300 calories  a day (depending on the amount of exercise I do), now that I’m trying to maintain instead of lose. I generally eat pretty healthfully- a high protein yogurt for breakfast most days and lots of protein, veggies, complex carbs and fruit. I eat few simple carbs like white bread, pasta, rice and potatoes, but I have some kind of treat almost every day, and usually a splurge meal or two a week- within my calorie goal (I use My Fitness Pal to track). All along, if I was really craving something, I ate it- in limited amounts, I didn’t binge- and adjusted the rest of the day’s meals to compensate.
How often did you work out in the beginning, and how often do you work out now? Once I started working out (maybe 2 weeks after I gave up coke and started watching what I ate) I didn’t miss a day for 3 months. I work out every day, twice a day a couple of times a week, and try to take a rest day every week now, but even that day is somewhat active, with a hike or bike ride or something. Something is off or wrong if I don’t do something physical every day, and I get crabby if I miss a day.
What was the hardest part of working out in the beginning? Showing up at the gym! There were times I had to force myself to go, and a few times I did a short workout, but something is better than nothing, and more often than not, I’d do a decent workout once I got there
What has this transformation done for you both physically and mentally? Physically, I’m a new person. I’ve been thinner than I am now, but never in the physical condition that I’m in. I feel STRONG physically and mentally. Exercise, especially certain kinds, are like therapy for me now and are a great outlet for sadness, anger and frustration.
What would you say to someone else who needs some encouragement to make their own transformation? You are worth your own effort!

Jen at 320 lbs

Jen at agility competitions with Tebow

Jen today - 175 lbs lost!

If you would like to further discuss Jen’s weight loss journey, or are interested in starting your own, call me at 203-499-7168, or email me at info@devontaylor.net

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!