Tag Archives: Holidays

Choose One of Six Habit Changes to Lose Body Fat

2 Replies
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

Below there are 6 healthy habit changes anyone can apply to begin losing excess body fat weight. Once aware of the unhealthy habits causing the excess body weight…, to reverse the course requires acknowledgement of the unhealthy habit and changing it. Thereafter the unhealthy body fat will come off naturally without increasing health risk.

Identify the Unhealthy Habit Keeping You Overweight and Unfit and then make change.

Last Year’s Resolution to Lose Weight Failed You know why you failed your weight loss program. You did not resolve or change the habit(s) and behavior(s) keeping you overweight. Consuming more than one needs is often caused by daily stress at work and/or within the home environment, and/or unhealthy relationship(s), and/or sedentary habits. Also caused by bad behavioral and addictive food selection. Once you target the cause of your stress, anxiety, addiction, obsession and/or depression… remove yourself from the unhealthy environment, or relationship, or situation or obsession.

Thereafter, personal goals like weight loss and healthy fitness levels become easier to achieve and sustain long-term.

Waterproof Health Tracker, MorePro Fitness Tracker Color Screen Sport Smart Watch, Activity Tracker with Heart Rate Blood Pressure Calories Pedometer Sleep…

Shop Now!

Pain Factor All pain is causally related to mental and physical illness, disease and/or injury. And with pain comes more sedentary activities and often increased food consumption and associated weight gain. It is for this reason, if you can not manage the pain, it is advised to see a pain specialist.

Request a referral to see a physiatrist [pain management specialist]. A physiatrist specializes in all pain modalities and treats the patient holistically. Don not let pain keep you in a sedentary and out-of-control weight gain hurt locker.

Pain Relief Hemp Cream – Made in USA – Natural Hemp Extract Cream for Back & Muscle Pain Relief – Efficient Inflammation Cream & Carpal Tunnel…

Shop Now!

Party on Some carry the end of year festivities into the New Year. This behavior can last for months, or the entire year. This perpetual party habit will not help you lose weight. First and foremost, you must understand this is occurring and break the habit. A referral to see a behavioral therapist can help target the cause of unhealthy eating and drinking habit or bad behavior(s) and help you change it if you do not have the will power to do it on your own.

Fast foods after the Holidays – Too many Americans consume fast foods especially during the Holidays and End of Sports Season. Here lies the crux for much of Americas diabetes and obesity problems. Processed foods, especially those you find in colorful and attractive packaging almost always contain chemical substances known to cause unhealthy weight gain. When looking at labels, it is those food ingredients you can not pronounce or recognize… they are food chemical additives, preservatives and taste intensifiers that are also known to cause illness and disease and out-of-control weight gain. Choose more whole foods and avoid processed foods as much as possible.

SlimFast Advanced Nutrition Vanilla Cream Shake – Ready To Drink Meal Replacement – 20g of Protein – 11 Fl. Oz. Bottle – 12 Count – Pantry Friendly

Shop Now!

Learn how to differentiate between healthy and processed foods through food label ingredient awareness. Organic, or mostly organic products on the other hand such as meat from the butcher, fruits and vegetables and desserts from a store baker who displays those consumables ready to eat within days is often a better food selection. This is not to say, those products are not free of unhealthy weight gaining food ingredients and chemicals. But one thing is almost sure, those foods have not been chemically processed to sit on a shelf for 6-12 months. Buy fresh whole foods as often as possible and stay away from highly processed foods to reduce total body fat weight and sustain good health.

Omaha Steaks – Aged Angus Top Sirloin and Premium Ground Beef Patties by Nebraska Star Beef – All Natural Hand Cut and Trimmed and Includes Seasoning – Gourmet Package…

Shop Now!

Love of Baking I know the kids love your homemade cookies, cakes and pies. Remember moderation with deserts. Too much sugar, fat and salt is not good for anyone, even children with fast metabolisms. Try serving healthier desserts, i.e., fresh fruits, jello, pudding and peanut, oatmeal and pumpkin treats, etc.

Blunon’s snack bag variety for Adults – Healthy Snack Bag Care Package – Bulk Assortment (34 pack) – See More Snack varieties now.

Shop Now!

Empty Nester’s Bake for an Army – Regardless of season, there are many who continue to cook for an entire family after the children have left home. Modify home recipes for one or two to reduce leftovers and temptation to eat more than an average serving size.

Bare Baked Crunchy Banana Chips, Simply, Gluten Free, 2.7 Ounce, Pack of 6 – See More Bare Baked Crunchy snacks.

Shop Now!

Once you make healthier lifestyle choices – your fitness levels and health and well-being will also improve as you achieve ideal body weight. Learn how author Marc Woodard’s Ageless MirrorAthlete book, “Overweight and Unfit No More” and how it can help you achieve your weight loss goals naturally and live the lifestyle you need, want and deserve now!

Learn how to live the lifestyle you need, want and deserve now!

Good health to you and your family!

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET.  2019-21 Copyright.  All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.org,  Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

Enjoy Holiday Meals Without Weight Gain or Guilt

Leave a reply
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

Updated, 27 November 2019, by Marc Woodard

I can’t believe how fast the end of year Holidays roll upon us.  And for some it can be a stressful time. Especially if you’ve had a hard time losing weight. For those of you who have had a tough time staying on weight loss course – I have an 8-Tip Holiday food strategy plan that may help you avoid weight gain, yet allow you to have your cake and eat it too.

The 8-Tip No Weight Gain Holiday Strategy has helped past clients stay on weight loss target not only through the festive season but throughout the year. Admittedly – most of my clients didn’t lose weight during this time of year, but most didn’t gain weight either while applying this strategy.

Ageless MirrorAthlete has weight loss proprietary information and programs and marketplace truths and flat out lies you won’t find anywhere else.

MirrorAthlete 8-Tip Holiday Meal Strategy

I was asked during a client consult if I could create a work around food strategy during the Holidays. One that allowed someone to eat favorite Holiday foods without derailing a weight loss goal.

I explained to the client there’s always a risk of falling off the wagon when overeating hyper-palatable [fatty, salty, sugary] foods – especially during the Holiday season. But for those looking to spend quality time with family, or attend a special event where food is the hero… If weight gain risk can be minimized through applying a food habit change plan… infrequent food indulgences can be enjoyed without gaining weight or feeling the guilt. With a properly programmed food plan, I find most people will stay on weight loss target. Admittedly, most clients I programmed didn’t gain weight during this time of year, but they didn’t lose weight either. Its basically a plan that puts weight loss on hold… then can be resumed thereafter.

Some have asked, “Can this 8-Tip No Weight Gain Holiday Food Strategy work long term?” Yes. “I believe certain habits and behavioral changes with an intermittent break in dietary routines will not be a weight loss goal deal breaker.”

Follow the tips below and you can have your cake and eat it to.

Tip#1 – Never!  Go to your mother, or mother-in-laws, or Grandmothers home for Holiday meals hungry!

The habit of starving ourselves prior to the Holiday meal seems to be ingrained within the American culture. I know my family like so many others during the Holidays have repeated this ritual. It’s no wonder we can’t stop ourselves from overeating. So, it stands to reason, you must eat something not less than 2-3 hours before you go over for a Holiday meal.

The way our digestion system processes food the stomach will not be empty for the next 4-6 hours depending on metabolism. This digestive function varies within each one of us.

Serve the foods you want to eat and don’t over load your plate. The point is… when you get to the table you won’t be as hungry or want to eat as much.

Tip#2 – Never, I repeat Never! Drink alcohol prior to going into the meal.

You don’t drink and drive do you? What makes you think you could drink without impact on will power to moderate calorie consumption? Especially while sitting in front of all those incredible dishes? Although I’m being facetious, I’m also serious in the way I want to make my point. Alcohol is a depressant, pain killer, relaxant, taste intensifier and social inhibitor all wrapped into one. This concept is easy to understand: eat and drink like Vikings… equates to calorie gain and falling of the wagon!

Limit yourself to two 8oz glasses of cheer after the meal (your choice). Remember alcohol also contains calories that add up fast.

Tip#3 – Drink plenty of water throughout the day prior, during and after Holiday meals.

Water is a natural solvent, absorbs well in the stomach and intestinal lining to assist the body’s digestive system and process food intake more efficiently while storing fewer calories as body fat. Plus, water will make you feel full faster and has no calories.

Tip#4 – Do not stay at the dinner table after eating.

This is where most of us fall prey to over eating indulgences. It is very difficult to resist picking at the Holiday turkey, cranberry, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pies, olives, sipping on Champaign…  Ohhhhhh the dressing and gravy… Give me a break! I’m dying here. I think I just made myself hungry.

See how hard this is and I’m supposed to be giving you advice. Look, I never said I wasn’t human, or this would be easy. More so the reason to have a pre-meal battle plan strategy that moves one away from the table and out of the kitchen after the meal.

Tip 5# – Take your first serving. After you consume it wait 20 minutes before you think about a second serving.

Take at least 20 minutes and enjoy the meal. Second servings is not recommended. This will be the hardest part of the plan. It takes your brain approximately this much time to register whether you’ve eaten enough or not.

Focus on satiety – not a feeling of fullness. But if you do decide you can’t resist a second helping focus on a favorite serving that doesn’t take up more than 1/2 the plate diameter. And no piling food on the plate.  Focus on 50% less than what you’d normally put on the plate for 1st’s and 2nd’s.

Tip#6 – Never eat dessert after you’ve eaten the main meal.

This will only add insult to injury. For many overweight people, the body simply can’t handle an additional blood sugar spike without storing more calories as body fat weight. Decadent foods are a villain to weight watchers and reason many fall off the wagon. Wait 1 hour to see how your body processes the feeling of what you already consumed. If you experience a feeling of satiety and not overfull after a period of time then do enjoy some a little dessert. But if you experience the feeling of near full anytime – back off and leave the remaining portion of dessert.

Tip#7 – Never, I repeat never!  Take home left overs.

This can set you up for failure early on into the New Year. By continuing to eat these foods in succession leads to similar eating patterns days and months after the event. In this case total body weight can easily increase 8-10lbs within a 30 day period. Especially when one does not aerobically exercise daily.

Tip#8 – Perform Aerobic Exercise daily during the Holidays.

Low-impact aerobic exercise is very important to perform . Especially throughout the Holidays. When you consume excess calories on “any day,” you will need to mobilize the body to remove the unspent fat fuel. I highly recommend at a minimum… a daily walking program, or other low-impact aerobic activity, working up to at least 30 – 45 minutes daily. It is low impact aerobic exercise that stimulates the fat burning body furnace. Whereas body fat fuel is preferred by the body’s metabolism when performing low-impact aerobic exercise.

You’ve now learned how it’s possible to embrace Holiday and annual event foods that don’t add weight watcher pounds or guilt. And best of all, when applied correctly you won’t gain any weight. You may even surprise yourself and lose a little during those festive occasions.

Have a wonderful Holiday season and New Year with family and friends and don’t let your food fears and weight loss program prevent a great social and meal experience with loved ones.

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2017-19 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your free eNewsletter.

Weight Loss through Body Chemical Activation

1 Reply
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

Updated 15 November 2018, Marc Woodard

Any type of physical activity will stimulate the body’s natural release of feel good chemicals to help you lose weight and experience daily well-being.

It is the activation of muscle metabolism during low impact aerobics exercise that will activate these feel good chemicals – while simultaneously melting away body fat.

IMG_0277
Any aerobic activity will release addictive body chemicals to burn more body fat, benefit health and fitness levels.

Once you relate and apply the information that follows – it only takes a little will power to begin chipping away at your weight loss goals and experience well-being daily.

The advantage of low intensity aerobics exercise is it stimulates both the fat burning metabolic engine and activates addictive feel good body chemicals. Unlike high intensity strength and muscle bulking development; and high intensity aerobic exercise – these activities more or less suppress the fat burning engine to varying degree.

Walk to a destination place and fish for dinner.  “Thumbs down no fish.”

What many consumers don’t know is during low-intensity aerobic exercise the muscles metabolism prefers to burn fat fuel. That’s right the  metabolic energy needed to walk over a period of time prefers stored body fat to convert to glucose to fuel the large muscles in the legs and buttocks area.

The same muscles during high-intensity aerobics exercise like running and high impact aerobic dance for instance prefer mostly stored liver and muscle glycogen fuel to convert it to blood glucose [sugar].

The harder you train muscles in the body the less body fat you burn. That’s a major reason high intensity exercise makes you crave carbohydrates after you’ve finished the workout. And for that reason – IS the reason those folks have a hard time losing excess body weight.

The point is, you don’t have to train hard to lose body fat and excess body weight.

The second point I want to make, regardless of training intensity the body will produce chemicals to addict you to exercise whether your building muscle, increasing muscular endurance, or toning the body. But if you’re consuming a stimulant, diuretic or anabolic steroid or heavy herb concentrate supplement to “fast pace” any fitness goal, the natural chemicals released by the body will be suppressed and you’ll become addicted to an unnatural chemical supplement that may increase health risk. You may look and feel good [loss weight, or build muscle, etc.] for a while; but then bad at some point in time…

Unnatural fitness results through the use of fads, gimmicks, supplements and herbal diets are often short lived because their not sustainable habits. In the long run when applying these tactics to achieve a fitness goal – “too often,” may eventually break the fat burning (known as yo-yo dieting), or hormonal metabolism and increase health risk; then cause excessive weight gain.

Eat more healthy whole foods. Cut back on processed foods.

Once you connect how exercise and healthy whole foods dieting increases body chemical activation versus an unnatural fad-dietary course, you’ll better understand there is no good reason to “fast pace” a fitness result (e.g., weight loss). Thereafter you can avoid the pit falls of unsustainable lifestyle habits and ill-health consequences.

The 3 major chemicals the brain/body releases naturally during exercise and supports sustainable healthy weight loss…

1) Adrenaline a neurotransmitter and hormone produced by the adrenalin gland just above the kidneys, also known as norepinephrine and epinephrine (provides attention focus in brain). Together these chemicals activate your fight or flight stimulation designed to get the body out of a stressful situation, or survive an injury scenario. It acts as a natural pain killer, boosts oxygen and glucose fuel to brain, muscles and suppresses depression.

Walk your dog to a neat destination place you enjoy. Both receive the natural feel good brain-body benefits.

2) Dopamine is produced and synthesized in the brain which boosts positive behavior, cognition, motor activity, motivation, sleep, mood, learning and attention.

3) Serotonin is synthesized within the CNS (Central Nervous System). This chemical is also found in many mushrooms, plants, fruits and vegetables.

Research shows Serotonin plays an important role in liver regeneration and induces cell division throughout the body (important for repair and healing of the body). Serotonins role as a neurotransmitter of the brain is to modulate anger, mood, aggression, sleep, sexuality, appetite and metabolism.

Walk the beach and discover cool things.

People are motivated to move or walk for different reasons. Once you find something that motivates you to move more… you’ll enjoy the natural brain-body feel good chemicals; and want to repeat the low impact aerobics exercise experience daily.

Continuous low impact aerobic exercise like walking, hiking, dancing or riding a bike will release those feel good chemicals and cause “for most” an addictive habit to form – whereas you’ll want to continue the course.  It will take approximately 1-2 weeks to become addicted to daily low-impact walk habit for example.

A little alcohol is okay. Over indulging is a bad habit.

Everyone differs slightly in metabolism, exercise and activity interest, intensity, frequency and duration of exercise activity daily. For many daily low impact aerobics exercise will cause an instant craving to continue the course.

To maximize the odds of achieving a fitness, health or wellness goal four behavioral habits must be addressed if applicable. 1) Stop substance abuse. 2) Eat a balanced and nutritious diet. 3) Allow your brain-body the time to become addicted to the body’s natural feel good chemicals released through low-impact aerobics exercise activity. 4) Remove yourself from unhealthy and stressful environments.

Bike, explore and get fit.

The increased exercise activities experienced by former clients did not require a lot of will power to perform low-impact aerobics exercise to achieve significant fitness results.

But it did require some lifestyle changes.

For example, when beginning a daily walk program it doesn’t’ require much will power to get started. But it does require a commitment. In other words, the excuse I often hear people use to avoid any form of exercise, “I don’t have the time.” But if you can make the time you’ll lose weight and feel better almost immediately once you start. Then become addicted to it within 2-5 days.

The best New Year’s fitness resolution advice I could give anyone, as I’ve done with so many past clients… start a daily walk habit. Walking is the best low impact fat burning activity whose large muscles prefer fat stored energy and it’s easy on weight bearing joints.

Walk and capture nature in a picture.

I assure you, if you walk a little each day, you’ll begin to release more of those feel good chemicals. Then body fat will decrease and you’ll have more energy and feel lighter on your feet. You’ll begin to look and feel better in no time.

If you’ve been sedentary for a long time, walking at first may seem uncomfortable and maybe feel unnatural. But if you can work up to 15 or 30 minutes or more each day you’ll have significant fitness results success.

Keep this in mind. Before the automobile how did we survive?

As hunters and gatherers our bodies are designed to get work done by walking. Walking is a very natural and a primal thing we’re designed to do for a lifetime. I guarantee – if you maintain your walking muscle metabolism you’ll become addicted to sustaining it, and in return for your efforts your body will allow you to live life to the fullest.

Walk to the grocery store to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables.

I’ve had plenty of overweight clients walk or ride a stationary bike for a year before they achieved their weight loss fitness goal. Thereafter participated in a competitive long distance walk, hike, jog or ran or biked a marathon event. They never imagined themselves capable of doing anything like it.  They simply believed it possible because they could relate to the muscle metabolism and feel the chemical activation truth working within their brain-body.

Walk a county fair.

Be excited about all the possibilities that lie in front of you and enjoy life to the fullest by maintaining a daily low impact aerobics exercise habit! Now go get addicted to the natural feel good drugs produced by your own body and reap the ideal body weight, longevity, wellness and health benefits!

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2018 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Get Free Newsletter.