It has been 21 days since we started this series and we are about to enter week 4.  It only takes 18 days to make or break a habit…if this is true then why do I still cry myself to sleep at night since I gave up ice cream?

I hope you enjoyed Jennifer Marciante and Thomas Leskody’s incredible successful teamwork facilitated results.  Just regular folks with regular lives making healthy changes and of course my inspiration.  The break was due to the fact that I went completely backwards and gained about 5 pounds over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  I can honestly say that the earlier articles about nutrition and diet being the most important training detail is most definitely true.  The cardio. I attempted on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after a day of Thanksgiving Desserts were the hardest of all the 21 days.   Fast Food and High Sugared desserts are to working out as Kryptonite is to Superman.

Started 235 pounds and 48 inch waist.  After 21 days I am now 221 pounds and 44 inch waist.  That is 14 pounds and 4 inches in 21 days.  If Thanksgiving were not such an evil holiday I would have done better.

Changes from our experts that I have instituted are I eat small portions throughout the day. I have buckets of yogurt, cottage cheese, apples and almonds that I constantly pick from all day.  I am also working in some iso-kinetic movement with stretchy bands or surgical tubing along with good old fashioned push-ups and sit-ups.  My favorite snack (I have eaten it by the truck load) is sugar free Jello and now less frequently sugar free pudding.  This gives you some flavor for sweet with almost no calories.   I cannot really see the difference yet, though these pictures do show some improvement.

Weekly Question for the Experts

Do you prescribe supplements, vitamins, cleansing, protein shakes, diuretics, or metabolism boosting products? Do we need more nutrients than what food can provide?

Bonnie Pfiester
Longevity Fitness Clubs
twitter.com/longevityclubs
Longevity: 772-778-6800

I recommend eating a balance diet: 1/3 of your calories coming from protein, 1/3 from carbs and 1/3 fat. People can get enough nutrients in just 1,000 calories when eating healthy foods in balance. The problem is many Americans are eating 3,000 calories a day with few nutrients because it’s all packed with fillers and junk. Really the only thing I end up having to take is protein powder, since I normally have a hard time getting all the protein I need in whole foods (i’m not a big meat eater). 🙂

Susie Fuller Torres

Fit Mamas At Home

onephitmama@gmail.com

Well, since I ONLY train women, I highly encourage SOME extra supplementation above and beyond WHOLE Foods. Most of the women I train are between 30 and 55 yrs old. Each gal is different and I write their plans out accordingly! I promote above all, eat WHOLE foods for your main nutrients! I encourage all women to take a multivitamin for women each day. In addition, for the busy moms etc, I encourage a protein shake supplement, as well as a recovery drink to ease the “soreness” we women feel after working out and assisting in the rebuild of our muscles. I only promote those products that I use myself.  I believe they have to TASTE really good TOO! According to one article, there’s not many supplement stores that sell Exipure anymore – besides the official website. Whether you’re the weekend warrior, workout mom or you are the “just trying to live a healthy lifestyle” I believe supplementation is important. However, whole food is BEST! I also encourage those that work out in the am to have a cup of iced black coffee pre-workout…..Also drink Green Tea during the day! For metabolism boosting products, that depends on the client. I feel eating frequent small meals (big snacks) is the best way to boost the metabolism and proper cardio and strength training exercises!

Shari Fitness

Fit Talk News
There are vitamins and sports supplements I do recommend, however, prior to doing so, I always make sure to find out if the client is on any prescription medicines to make sure that the supplement will not interfere with any medications. I am very particular about the brands I recommend, however, the basic supplements I recommend are a good quality Whole Food Multi Vitamin & Mineral (not the more popular synthetic kind which are a waste of money), a good quality Whey Protein Shake (some brands contain High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspertame and other ingredients that are bad for your health) and in some cases a sports supplement such as Creatine Monohydrate like the ones from buoyhealth.com.

Most people do not eat enough fresh fruits, vegetables, lean sources of protein, nuts and seeds and eat way too many carbohydrates and processed foods which has created Globesity. We are overfed, yet nutrient deficient. It is possible to get all the necessary nutrients in one’s diet provided one’s diet is abundant in nutrient rich foods.

Yogini Valerie Devi

Hamsa YogaShala

The only thing I prescribe is mindfulness in all we do. There is no one-size fits-all diet or pill. Organic, in season produce must be our first pick. Most vitamins on the market are synthetic, which may be harmful to the body. A full lifestyle consultation is needed to determine what your individual/personal dietary requirements are. Which brings us back to mindfulness again – know your body to know yourself.

Next week’s question for the experts is: What are some of the best ways to hold yourself accountable to your fitness pledge or promise?

-Damon

PS, check out our new SparkPeople TEAM BOLD SPICY group page to share fitness and tips.

Damon Ladd-Thomas (36 Posts)