BO: The Gross of It

I've recently been paying a LOT more attention to my body and what it's telling me.  The last few weeks I've been noticing a strange scent to my body odor.  It's not the usual sweat odor I've had in the past.  What does it smell like?  Well, slightly like ammonia.  What causes this body odor?  Too much protein, not enough low glycemic index carbohydrates; nuts, dairy, veggies, soy milk, pasta, fruits, rice, popcorn, oatmeal, citrus fruits, peaches, apples, prunes,  pineapple, leafy greens, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower....there's more, but there's a good basis, and not enough water!  So, as usual, I'm going to talk up WATER!  It's good for you, it helps your body release toxins and balance pH....DRINK IT!  Not tea, coffee, soda, juice, sports drinks....just WATER!  Now, the good of lately, I've been really watching what I eat, so much that the bad has happened, I don't have enough carbohydrates in my body.  I haven't been working out extremely hard, but have been living a VERY active lifestyle full of kid chasing, housework and traveling. 

Personal Workout Space....

One of the biggest benefits of the Beachbody programs is they allow you to ditch your gym membership and, with it, its monthly fees, gross showers, and the time it takes to travel there. That said, shoving your coffee table off to the side and dealing with your teenager because your plyometrics workout caused her to miss Cupcake Wars can get a little old quickly. By creating a personal workout space in your house, you not only sidestep these issues, but you'll be more motivated to do your daily workout!  

For me, it creates my "me time" and give me a space to get away from the trials and tribulations of raising small children.  I LOVE my workout time; it's productive, relaxing, motivating and healthy.  I started with P90X...Love Tony.  Then moved to Turbo Fire...Chalene is SO motivating.  As soon as I master the Turbo Fire workouts, I have my sights set on Insanity.  Beachbody gives me the tools I need to create the body I want.  Just follow the workouts, follow the nutrition plan and stick with it.  Insanity could  be my next sanity.

Work It.

Do You Feel Like This?

Then it's time to make a change.  I know all too well how this feels and I don't feel like this anymore!  It's a great feeling to know when you grab a pair of jeans, they'll fit....OR, even better, be too BIG!  Nobody wants to squeeze into clothes that don't fit.  Nobody wants to be uncomfortable in jeans.  Take action and make changes to get healthy today.  I don't care if it's 5 pm, it's not too late to start TODAY!  Don't wait for tomorrow.

Is Shakeology Worth It?

I LOVE her insight.  I feel the same way about Shakeology!

Supplements: The Top 10

• Multivitamins
• Meal Replacements
• Sports Nutrition Supplements
• Calcium
• B Vitamins
• Vitamin C
• Glucosamine & Chondroiton
• Homeopathic Medicines
• Vitamin D
• Weight Loss Pills

With all the supplements out there, these rank among the top 10.  I can honestly say I've taken most of them at one time or another in my life. It's important to remember that dietary supplements are designed to supplement your diet, not to replace nutritious foods.  My rule of thumb is to thoroughly research a supplement before I take it.

What do I take?  Well, here's my daily cocktail....
Spironolactone, an androgen blocker prescribed to me by my OB/GYN.
Norethindrone, another one prescribed to me by my OB/GYN for endometriosis.
Glucosamine Chondroiton, for knee pain .  I take it sporadically when I feel I need to and when I'm doing workouts or activities that are hard on my knees.  I used to take it daily when Royce and I lived in Colorado and we snow skied A LOT!
Multivitamin, Women's One A Day.
Acid Reducer for heart burn as needed.
Raspberry Ketone for fat loss.
Shakeology as a meal replacement and overall nutritional supplement.
Whey Protein to enhance results and recovery of muscles after strenuous workouts.

I meet 5 of the top 10 plus my daily other drugs.  Do they work?  Mostly from what I can tell.  Raspberry Ketone alone or Shakeology alone aren't miracles for weight loss.  Paired and combined with a nice exercise program and good nutrition they are wonderful and I see great results.  6 weeks in, I have less cravings, increased weight loss, AMAZING fat loss and I can't pinpoint one factor or another.  It's a daily cocktail of drugs, exercise and nutrition that's leading to success.  I've tried one without the others with little results.  But, combined I can't believe how effortless it seems.

I got some Raspberry Ketones before I started Shakeology and my BeachBody workouts.  They didn't do much.  However, my recent study of Shakeology with Raspberry Ketones along with 3-4 workouts a week was more effective than any one or combination of 2 out of 3 together.  Combined, it's a trifecta of fat blasting!

How Much Should I Be Eating?

There's a formula for that, or should I say series of formulas to make it easier.  I'm sure there are many out there to figure out what your caloric intake should be.  This is what I use:

1. Calculate your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): Your current body weight x 10 = RMR

2. Calculate your Daily Activity Burn (DAB)

• Sedentary RMR x 10%
• Moderately Active RMR x 20%
• Very Active RMR x 30%

3. Add Calories burned from Daily Exercise (DE)

4. Subtract or add your Caloric Deficit (CD) or Surplus.  This is the number of calories you'd like to cut out (or add) of your current diet in order to lose (or gain) weight. A good number is +/- 500 calories to gain or lose a pound a week.

5. Put them together:
RMR + DAB + DE - CD = Your Calorie Target

Write it down!  You're diet and nutrition will be more effective and complete if you write it down.  You won't have to wonder.  Measure and weight out your portions too.  You'll get it accurate.  Nutrition is a science, treat it that way!

Don't forget to recalculate as you lose or gain weight!  As your weight changes, so does your calorie target.  Your activity level may also change as you feel better and change your lifestyle.  Look at all factors separately when re-calculating.  And, do it about every 3-4 weeks.

Eat smaller amounts more often to boost your metabolism and lose weight more effectively.  You need to eat every 2-3 hours!  Eat breakfast within an hour of waking and eat at least 3 hours before going to bed.

Keep Snacking AND Drink plenty of WATER!