Effective Weight Loss: Solutions and Strategies September 29, 2009
Posted by jamieatlas in denver, fitness, nutrition, weight loss, worlds biggest loser.Tags: denver weight loss, weight loss, weight loss plateau
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WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK ‘WEIGHT LOSS’?
When I think of weight loss, I try to imagine what would result in someone feeling good in their own skin – I imagine it as a mixture of athletic muscle with a low level of body fat. Sometimes people are only concerned about the number on the scale.
In my 20′s when ‘getting huge’ meant something to me, the number on the scale told me I was ‘obese’. This was despite my bodyfat being around 6% at the time (I guess muscle really does weigh more than fat, right?)
I could ask you to live in a small cave by the sea to be healthy, but who wants to do that? (except maybe hermits that already live there – they don’t take kindly to sharing, either!)
The following articles include information that gives you
(A) the tools to control your own weight, but also
(B) the understanding of why ‘one diet fits all’ does really anything but.
MASTER THE MENTAL GAME
Before you start anything, you need to understand what you want to accomplish and that the people on Worlds Biggest Loser have no life other than losing weight. You have a life. Adjust your expectations accordingly:
http://jamieatlas.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/results-not-typical-setting-realistic-weight-loss-goals/
WHY YOUR SCALE IS A BIG FAT LIAR (LITERALLY)
Another post that explains that the best way to measure your improvement of health and fitness does not come from the numbers on a scale.
http://jamieatlas.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/your-bathroom-scale-must-be-destroyed/
A more honest look at what it takes to combat the social pressure of having weight to lose and feeling judgment when eating in public areas:
http://jamieatlas.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/your-weight-loss-mindset-pt-1-fk-you-for-judging-me/
PUT AWAY YOUR CALORIE DICTIONARY
An explanation why Calories in DOES NOT equal Calories out:
I ATE DESSERT WITH ONE OF MY CLIENTS AND I’LL DO IT AGAIN!
Even I enjoy a dessert or forbidden fruit from time to time. Read my strategy to make sure I eat it guilt free and that it makes no impact on my waistline.
http://jamieatlas.wordpress.com/2008/06/15/the-personal-trainer-that-loves-dessert-and-wine/
ONE SIZE FITS NONE
Because you have an individual chemistry – you can discover what foods to use – you just need to listen to the messages your body is sending you
BATWINGS BEGONE (TRIMMING THE ARM FAT)
The article everyone keeps asking for – how to get rid of the ‘loose bits’ at the back of the arm. This explains how diet and lifestyle come hand in hand for certain physical alterations.
MY MOST VIEWED ARTICLE ON WEIGHT LOSS:
Weight Loss Plateaus. We all have them. Moving through the plateau is not always so easy – especially in the case of Weight Loss. If we stop and take a closer look at these plateaus, we might gain an understanding of why one person loses weight faster than another and why when it feels like a plateau, it might actually still be progress.
Weight Loss Plateaus can and often do affect everyone trying to make a positive change
Weight Loss Plateaus can and often do affect everyone trying to make a positive change
Plateau Reason #1: Being a woman
While being a woman has many benefits (from what I hear) such as getting doors opened for you, jewelry purchased in your name and having people on bourbon street at Mardigra asking if you would please remove articles of your clothing in exchange for some shiny beads, it also has some complications.
The Spice Girls. One of the first leaders in the 'girl power' movement... Well, perhaps after Cleopatra, Amelia Aerhart and maybe Susan B Anthony.
This particular complication happens around once a month and tends to interfere with ones ability to hold a steady weight. Water retention, appetite fluctuations and energy levels all can vary (and that’s just for starters, right ladies?)
Plateau Solved:
While I am not a big fan of the bathroom scale (see my post on the evils of the bathroom scale here) however, if you must weight yourself, do this:
Weigh yourself once a month
Put a big star next to that weight and repeat this mantra ‘any other weight at any other time of the month is statistically invalid and unreliable”. Then put your scale somewhere you wont look for it until the same time next month (perhaps the top shelf next to the old towels you use for those guests you don’t really like or think are particularly hygienic?)
By measuring yourself just once a month you at least stabilize any hormonal/energy /mood factors that might interfere with your progress. It certainly beats the hell out of watching your weight yo-yo throughout the month only to realize you actually DID make progress and that those two pounds you gained last week didn’t really have to put you in a bad mood all day after all… and you didn’t have to take it out on your nice husband who just wanted to do something nice for you and how was he supposed to know that you now hate cupcakes when last week you loved them and no, he didn’t think you looked like a heffalump and could he please have the remote back and sleep in the same bed and not on the couch again… please?
Where was I?
Plateau #2: Your body has adapted to the meals you are eating
Definition of insanity – doing the same thing and expecting different results.
As your body loses fat, it breaks it down into carbohydrates which get used as fuel for activity and daily living. However, there is such as thing as homeostasis – this means that the body finds a point in which it is happy being where it is and until something changes, nothing needs to change.
Lets say I started drinking 12 glasses of water a day. That might improve my health a certain amount. However, if I drank that water and increased my sleeping hours, I might improve it even more! That is if I didn’t wet the bed from the increased water intake, of course.
That's gotta be at least 8 glasses
If you have been losing weight and found recently that you are hitting a wall in your weight loss, take a closer look at your diet, stress and lifestyle factors.
Plateau Solved:
Got Metabolism?
Take down a diary but write down how you felt after each meal. The meals that have you feeling energetic and upbeat for a longer period of time and had you fuller and more satisfied with smaller amounts are probably going to help break your sticking point. A high energy level means a high metabolism. You might do better with a higher protein diet, you might respond better to more vegetables on your plate (unless you are between the age of 5 and 8, in which case all vegetables are poisonous and are only to be fed to the dog under the table).
Frequency of Feedings
By looking at how often you are eating, you may find that you could space out your calories and your meals bit more to keep your bodys energy levels high and your meals small and steady. By doing this you keep your insulin levels steady and your body fat burning
Living la vida low-stress
If you want to lose weight, lose the stress. Stress can come in many ways, sometimes just not taking care of projects we know we should be doing can cause stress.
If your body is constantly in fight or flight state of alertness then you will retain fat as an energy source. fat storing aside, stress is a killer. Its a killer of workplaces, a killer of relationships and a killer of people. Do everything you can to reduce this.
Quick Stress-Reducer:
Take two minutes to breathe and relax – park and get out before you get home and walk around the block speaking your mantra – whatever it is. Examine meditation – practice relaxing the muscles in your face, especially those between your eyebrows… you know, the ones you are ever so slightly tensing right now… yeah, those ones (unless you have had botox.. in which case, just try not to act as suprised) Ok, all eyebrow-related tension gone? Doesn’t that feel better? Now take a deep breath and feel that moment of stress reduction. Remember and repeat next time you have a moment to take for yourself.
These are just a few ways you can try to break a plateau. Examine your own body and how it is reacting. Things change, and if your weight isn’t then its time to reevaluate. The same diet will not work the same way the whole time.
And remember that if you lost 5 pounds the first week, that may not happen every week – in fact, you may gain some from week to week (remember that whole hormonal fluctuation thing?) The most important thing is that you keep discovering and keep exploring – the results are just a matter of time.
So stay true to the course, watch what is happening to you and around you, and as always – be curious!
Yours in health,
Jamie Atlas
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Secret To Losing Weight? Your Friends – pt2 September 23, 2009
Posted by jamieatlas in denver, fitness, nutrition, weight loss, worlds biggest loser.Tags: denver fitness, denver personal trainer, losing weight, weight loss
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So now you know that losing weight is more than just calories in calories out. You might say that the winning factor is what your friends put into your environment combined with the problems and fears that you entrust to your friends.
Miss part 1 of this article? Click here to go to it now
For more tips on weight loss and how to give yourself/your friend the best chance of losing the extra pounds, read on for part 2:
DON’T stay on the sidelines –
Cheerleaders are great, but they can’t pass you the ball, block a would-be tackler, or back up your errant throw. Providing emotional support and a steady stream of positive reinforcement is a great start, but don’t just be a fan in the stands. Participating as much as possible in your friend’s weight loss efforts can do wonders for your friendship.
DO celebrate successes in creative ways –
Reward successes, no matter how large or small. But make sure you reward in a way that keeps people moving in the right direction.
Weight loss and maintenance is a long-term effort that involves meeting a number of short-term goals. An individual’s interim objectives may include getting to a specified weight by a certain date, fitting into a certain size of clothing, or exceeding an exercise target.
Whatever the goal, passing a short-term milestone is an opportunity to celebrate. A card, flowers, a voucher for some housework, a special gift card to acknowledge your friend’s success or even simply saying “I’m so proud of you” can mean more to your friend than you might ever know.
I am most certainly NOT all about 'Team Heidi' (sorry Spencer, but you suck to the power of infinity). However, friends can always do with reminding that there is someone on their team.
DON’T let setbacks set either of you too far back –
A key component of any good plan is determining what to do when events don’t go as expected – and anyone who undertakes on a long-term weight loss process is going to experience some setbacks.
Missed target weights, dietary “slip-ups,” and exercise plateaus are just three of the many events that can feel like failure to even the most resolute individuals.
Your friend knows when she or he has veered off the healthy path – and definitely doesn’t need to hear you nag or say “I told you so.” Instead, setback situations are great opportunities for you to remind your friend how far he or she has already come, and to reinforce the fact that your friend has your complete faith and support.
DO recognize that your friend is changing both inside and out –
The physical changes associated with a significant weight loss can be dramatic, but they are not the only changes your friend will undergo during this process. A successful weight loss process involves psychological and behavioral components, and can affect a person’s confidence, self-esteem, and self-image.
Your friend may vary from feeling empowered to scared to angry to jealous. As a trusted confidant, your job is to recognize that your friend is working to improve themselves both inside and out and be sure to acknowledge all of these challenges and celebrate all of the accomplishments he or she makes.
DON’T be threatened by improvements your friend is making - Since a successful weight loss effort can require significant changes in the way a person thinks and acts, it can also result in new opportunities, new objectives, and even a new outlook on life. For the friend of someone who has gone through an experience as significant as a dramatic weight loss, it’s important to remember that change, growth, and development are essential components of healthy, dynamic relationships.
Don't make comparisons between your weight loss and others. Stay focused on success for yourself and others.
DO make sure your friend knows she has your complete support –
If you’ve followed the suggestions in this article, your friend should already know this (but go ahead and say it anyway – sentiments like this can’t be expressed too many times).
With an extensive listing, it can be hard to remember all of these handy hints for ensuring your friends success. Of course, if you feel some are too difficult or require too much change on your part, let them know that ahead of time and don’t feel guilty about it (after all, a friendship is all about good communication, right?) Just embracing just one or two of those principles will put your friend closer to success more than you can imagine.
Miss part 1 of this article? Click here to go to it now
How to use this article:
Show this to your friends
Have a friend who has been trying to lose weight? Send this article to them – they will be able to send it to their friends (and will be grateful to you for sharing such an amazing, gripping article by such an enigmatic, charming author…right?)
Use this to improve your chance of weight loss success
Are you trying to lose weight? Read this article over, think about which aspects of it are most important to you and send an email to your closest friends (you know, the ones that have the power to make or break you with their support or lack thereof).
Compose an email for your friends that includes this post (and pt 1 of this post) as a link and tell them which part really spoke to you the most.
Be sure to tell them how much they mean to you and how serious you are about this – let them know how much their support means to you and how much they can help your journey be an easier one by supporting you and being there when you need them. Dont make them feel like they need you to be successful.
Be careful not to make it their fault or make them feel guilty should they fail to support you in the way you want them to – remember that their friendship to you is a gift, not a priviledge. Some friends will embrace the challenge, others just have too many of their own challenges going on to be able to support you the way they might want to.
Sometimes support for your friends can involve pushing, sometimes pulling. But together you can climb almost any obstacle
But above all, ask. Your friend will feel special to have been asked. And now you have nothing to lose but the pounds.
Yours in health,
Jamie Atlas
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Secret To Losing Weight? Show This Article To Your Friends pt1 September 21, 2009
Posted by jamieatlas in boot camp, denver, fitness, nutrition, weight loss, worlds biggest loser.Tags: denver, denver weight loss, lose weight, losing weight, nutrition, weight loss
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Individual Weight Loss is a Team Effort. If you or a friend are trying to lose weight, then this article contains important information for long term success.
Many of us don’t realize how hard it can be to lose weight, learn a language, stop smoking or break ingrained habits and patterns. Until we actually try to do one of those things.
I originally chose this picture to illustrate how weight loss can sometimes just be a matter of 'hanging on', but the more I looked at it, the more I wondered if the photographer actually had time to take the picture AND save the guy before he slipped to a nasty end.
Even when we begin to make progress towards our self-improvement goal, this new fragile world can be (and often is) broken down by a friend with a well-intentioned gift of forbidden fruit du jour. Many a weight loss attempt has been foiled by an errantly purchased box of chocolates/treats.
Why do most people fail at their weight loss attempts? The truth is that even when we have lost the weight, our friends can still put us right back where we began.
don't be that guy.. more importantly, don't be that friend
Many of the biggest loser competitors return home only to regain the weight many seasons later. Why? If you look at recent research, absence of support from their friends and family is a significant factor.
Speaking of Biggest Loser, check out this footage of Jillian from The Biggest Loser gently encouraging her people along. Ever seen someone beat a dead horse? You’re about to… (turn up your volume for this video)
If you have a friend who has embarked upon a weight loss/optimal health journey, then you must read this article and know it inside and out to give your friend the best chance of success.
If you are about to start on a weight loss journey, this is the article you want to print off and mail to the top 5 people who could make or break you when times get tough.
(and if you can get them on board as soon as possible you can give yourself the best chance of things never getting tough)
Here are a few ways you can support your friend in his or her weight loss efforts, along with a series of suggestions about what actions you’d be wise to avoid.
DO help your friend eat healthier –
Removing temptations (for example, when meeting, avoiding eating chips, pretzels, and cookies and stocking up on apples, celery, carrots, and other healthy munchies at home if they visit on a regular basis) is one step in creating a more encouraging environment for your friend. In an article on the Hitched magazine website, nutrition adviser Rovenia Brock also advises supportive spouses to find healthier versions of favorite recipes and to eat out less – two actions that emphasize eating enjoyable meals while exercising greater control over ingredients and portion size.
DON’T be a food cop
As Alvin and Donna Pratt discovered, even well-intentioned friends and spouses can undermine a healthy eating plan by offering excessive “advice.” Health and nutrition expert Cynthia Sass addresses this issue in her book Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy: When Food Conflicts Get in the Way of Your Love Life.
“No one likes being policed, and yet we often do it to people we love in the name of ‘their best interests,’”
“In the quest to help a partner stay healthy, a food cop can become obsessive, overbearing, and in short, a tyrant. And as anyone who’s ever been policed by a friend will tell you, it almost never works!” The same is 100% true from our friends. Being a friend can sometimes mean giving to your friend straight, but more often it means being there to support and encourage, but not to lecture.
DO acknowledge the challenge your friend is facing –
Several weight loss experts have noted that fear can dampen an overweight person’s effort to shed unwanted pounds. Admitting to yourself and your closest allies that you need to make changes in your life can be an intimidating experience – and not having your hopes and plans taken seriously by those you trust can be overwhelming.
Writing on the Mental Health World website about his struggles with depression, Lee Smith could easily have been expressing the emotions of overweight individuals around the world when he observed that “the pain of rejection from our friends at the time we need their support and compassion the most can be devastating.” Simply acknowledging to your friend that you understand the challenges she is facing – and affirming that you are willing to face those challenges together – can give your friend the strength necessary to put his or her weight-loss plan into action. Acknowledging it is tough will help your friend be even tougher.
Weight loss can be tough. Help your friend be tougher.
DON’T dwell on the hardships –
Losing a significant amount of weight isn’t simply a matter of eating a bit less and exercising a bit more. Depending upon the individual, the process can involve breaking decades-old habits or modifying thought processes that date to childhood. In other words, it can literally be a life-changing event. Telling your friend “This is going to be a lot harder than you realize” or asking “What makes you think this time will be different than all the other times you tried (and failed)?” sows seeds of doubt and demonstrates your lack of faith in your friend. Recognize your friends past if they bring it up to you, but remind them that today is a new day with new opportunities.
DO make it a team effort –
Ultimately, the amount of weight your friend loses is dependent solely upon genetics and the diet, exercise and lifestyle plan he or she follows. But this doesn’t mean that your efforts have no influence on the outcome. Let your friend know that this is a team effort, and then be sure your actions back up your words. Taking walks together, discussing goals, and eating healthier foods yourself are three great ways to show your support – and may have the added benefit of improving your health and strengthening your relationship.
Part 2 of this article coming soon! Subscribe to make sure you get it hot off the presses!
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What Foods To Eat To Trim Body Fat and Lose Weight September 15, 2009
Posted by jamieatlas in denver, fitness, nutrition, personal trainer, weight loss, worlds biggest loser.Tags: denver fat loss, denver lose weight, denver nutrition, denver weight loss, weight loss, worlds biggest loser denver
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What foods to eat to trim body fat and lose weight is a question I often get. Sometimes, finding optimal health through optimal eating can be the best strategy. Other times a more focused approach is needed for real weight loss or body fat reduction. In the nutritional consultations I do I often get asked about a ‘top 5′ list or a ‘foods to avoid’ listing – this list of top 5 foods comes from Wendy Smith, a nutritionist that is well known in the blogging community.
After a good conversation the other day I thought it would be useful to have a guest post that gave a different opinion on body fat loss and weight loss with a focus on healthy eating – so without further ado:
Not sure what this picture is shooting for. Is she saying "you wish you were this skinny" or is she saying "I lost all this weight scrubbing this bathroom until it was ludicrously white!"
5 Foods That Promote A Healthy Body Weight And Taste Great
With so much focus on weight loss in today’s body conscious world so many of us forget to factor in good health. Not only are the foods we eat on a daily basis going to influence our body weight and how we appear to others, but they’re also going to influence how we feel each and every day and our risk of getting certain diseases.
If you want to make the most of your life and live for as long as possible, it’s very important that you’re taking care of your body and getting proper nutrition.
Luckily, with smart meal choices what you eat can not only help your body but taste great at the same time. Here are some of the best tasting foods that you should start adding to your diet immediately.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is perfect for both breakfasts and quick snacks, as well as for baking with when you’re creating muffins, bars, or pancakes. It’s slow digesting so you won’t experience the rapid blood sugar spike followed by crash that typically follows many of the foods that you eat and it’s also high in fiber.
This fiber will help prevent you from becoming hungry an hour or two later, so it makes sticking to a reduced calorie diet that much easier.
To jazz up your oatmeal while keeping it healthy, consider adding some peanut butter, cinnamon, maple extract and sugar-free maple syrup, or stir in a scoop of your favourite protein powder flavour.
Blackberries
One fruit that many people forget about as they reach instead for strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, is blackberries.
Blackberries are actually extremely high in dietary fiber, with one cup providing almost eight grams. They are also low in calories, so you really can’t go wrong adding these to your day.
Egg Whites
For a quality source of protein, you may want to consider egg whites. Egg whites can be whipped up in a number of different ways including omelettes, hard boiled, scrambled, or even dropped right into a broth based soup for a totally different effect.
Egg whites are 100% protein and have zero carbohydrates or fats, so they make for a very good food when you’re working to maintain a healthy body weight.
Walnuts
Peanuts typically tend to be the nut choice for many people since they generally are cheaper and just taste great. While it is still smart to include peanuts in your diet, don’t overlook the health benefits of walnuts.
Walnuts are actually higher in essential fatty acids, which provide a wealth of health benefits. If you don’t eat a lot of fish in your diet, walnuts are a good option for you.
Jamie’s Note: I actually prefer raw almonds over peanuts as peanuts tend to be stored in silos for an inordinately long period of time before they reach you. However, if it works for you, it works for you. Alternatively walnuts are just more fun to eat 
Flaxseeds
Finally, the last food to consider adding regularly to your diet is flaxseeds. Flaxseeds are also very high in fatty acids and provide you with a great source of fiber as well. These can easily be added to your oatmeal, blended into a fruit smoothie, sprinkled over cereal, or added to any type of muffin or bars that you’re preparing.
So don’t ever overlook any of these foods from your diet. The more often you can include them in, the better overall nutritional status you’ll have and the better you’ll feel.
About the Author: Wendy is currently writing a book about moderate health strategies to achieve maximum weight loss. She also currently writes frequently for theColon Cleanse Zone: http://www.colonzone.org
Once Pinocchio left for Hollywood, Gepetto had to turn to other materials to make a new boy... And so began the story of 'Vitaminchio'!
Thanks Wendy! Do you have a nutrition post you would like to see? Let me know by leaving a comment in the reply box below!
PS Winter is coming – and the decrease in sunny days can sometimes lead to a temptation to eat less healthily than we normally do.
Stay conscious of what goes into your mouth, and the results will be inches coming off of your hips and waist
(I’m so cheesy sometimes… well, ok, most of the time).
Yours in health,
Jamie Atlas
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PS A summary of different posts I have written on my approach to nutrition:
http://jamieatlas.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/top-nutrition-blog-posts-calorie-counting-is-dead/
