My Blog Has Moved…

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to let you know I have moved my blog. Please go to this link and subscribe to my re-designed (still “under construction”) blog: Healthy Life With Max

Thanks for your support and for reading my blog!

To Your Health…

Debbie James
www.HealthyLifeWithMaxBlog.com
850-450-2000

What’s Your Excuse for Not Exercising?

You know you need to exercise more, or even you need to start exercising, but you don’t. If not, why not? We all get down and out, especially with what’s going on in the world. I really don’t watch the news very often as it’s too depressing. Anything that is so important, someone will tell me. Why watch all the negative…just makes you more negative. That’s a whole different topic (being positive, the Law of Attraction, etc., and really not for this blog. (Check out my Abundant Wealth blog for that). Sorry, back on topic…my point is this, exercise is a great way to relieve stress. It will also make you feel better, then you will start to eat better, then you will continue feel better and your attitude will change. Just get started. Go to this website and watch the short video on the right. Then come back and tell me what your excuse is for not exercising.

To Your Health…

Debbie James
www.HealthyLifeWithMax.com
850.450.2000

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How to Prevent or Delay Diabetes

In my last post you saw a video about people who changed their diet and their blood sugar levels came down. If that wasn’t enough evidence, the American Diabetes Association talks about how to prevent or delay diabetes.

Why would you want to be insulin dependent for the rest of your life? While a lot of “our makeup” is genetic, so much can be changed thru diet, exercise and supplements…all natural of course!

To Your Health…

Debbie James
www.HealthyLifeWithMax.com
850.450.2000

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Change Your Diet, Change Your Health

Tomorrow’s an exciting day! I’m going to be featured on SoWalScene’s website! Yippee!!! Check it out and let me know what you think.

This is truly amazing and is just additional proof about the foods you eat. I found this video on YouTube and felt it is worth sharing. Consult with a doctor before doing anything…A Natural Doctor, of course

Did you ever see the documentary Super Size Me? Director Morgan Spurlock takes a hilarious and often terrifying look at the effects of fast food on the human body. For one month, Spurlock eats nothing but McDonald’s food, ordering everything on the menu at least once and “super-sizing” his order if asked. With 2 out of 3 American’s overweight, Spurlock’s film begs the question: Where does personal responsibility end and corporate responsibility begin?

Why won’t people take their own responsibility for becoming healthier?

What are your thoughts?

To Your Health…

Debbie James
www.HealthyLifeWithMax.com
850.450.2000

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7 Week Progress Update

It’s been 7 weeks already since I started. Boy, how time flies when we are having fun and working toward our dream size!

Thankfully, I have been seeing a Naturopath. She is wonderful and I am making great progress. My challenge is my thyroid and adrenal levels are still to low. Both of which, when in balance, help you to lose weight. That being said, for me, right now, it’s like pushing an elephant. Not impossible, just very difficult…ok maybe impossible (my Mom always says “the impossible just takes a bit longer”). Add to the fact I was (yes was) eating bananas everyday. I know bananas have sugar, at least the “good” kind. What I didn’t know is that if you eat a banana everday, DO NOT expect to lose weight. (Unless of course you are working out 8 hours a day)!

Dr. Leesa explained that when I would eat a banana, before working out, I was burning sugar, not fat. I would have to work out for hours before all the sugar was burned off. OOopppsssss. At least I found out now and not 90 days from now. The banana also goes back to the glycemic index. They are on the high glycemic index list. When losing weight you really need to eat low glycemic index foods.

I have been reading a fabulous book by Rick Gallop called “The Glycemic Index Diet”. He does a wonderful job at explaining why you want to eat low glycemic foods while losing weight. (Go to my post on “What is the Glycemic Index” for a video and website with great information).

Given that information, here’s how I have done over the past 7 weeks. To start I have lost 4 lbs. Now, I know people are going to say, only 4 lbs in 7 weeks?? To me, here’s the best part. I am down 8 1/4 total inches. Here are the areas where I have had the biggest results are:

Waist – 1.375″
Chest – 1″
Belly – 1.5″
Hips – .5″
Left thigh – 1.375″
Right thigh – 1.125″

I’ve had some reductions in my upper arms, knees and calves. Probably from lifting weights. The above are really the areas I care about. Here’s the best part…the weight loss supplement I am taking, is working!! It has been clinically proven to help reduce fat in your mid-section. It’s about the fat loss, not so much the weight. It takes time to reduce your Leptin levels (more about Leptin in my next post).

I’m about to kick things up a notch and I made changes to my eating, too! There is no magic pill to all this. If there was, I would be a gazillionaire ’cause I would have invented it. I don’t have patience, I’m the first to admit it. I would at least like to see progress, and progress we have.

Sorry, no video this time. Stay tuned for my next update in 2 weeks.

To Your Health…

Debbie James
www.YourDreamSize.com
850.450.2000

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Why Do Diets Fail?

While reading thru a bunch of websites and blogs, I found these 7 bullet points that I wanted to share. DIETS DON’T WORK, long-term. Remember you must make lifestyle changes and change your eating habits. Besides, I hate that 4 letter word…diet!!

• Dieters often underestimate the number of calories in foods and overestimate the number of calories burned through exercise
  —Dr. Barbel Knauper, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
• Nearly 1 in 5 people have tried to diet six or more times over the past 24 months
  —PacificHealth Laboratories, Inc. Diet Survey
• Socializing is one of the top three reasons people eventually fail with a diet
  —Dr. Michael Dansinger, Tufts-New England Medical Center
• 2 out of 3 people say they are most likely to go off of a diet between the hours of 5 PM and midnight
  —PacificHealth Laboratories, Inc. Diet Survey
• The number one predictor of weight loss relapse is stress
  —Dr. John P. Foreyt, Baylor College of Medicine
• Nearly 40% of women say they did not have enough willpower to stay on their diet
  —PacificHealth Laboratories, Inc. Diet Survey
• Satiety is the missing ingredient in most weight loss programs
  —Dr. Barbara J. Rolls, Penn State University Department of Nutritional Sciences

Why put yourself thru this agony? All you will end up doing is binging…I know, I’ve done it! You deprive yourself of say, chocolate, and then get so upset, mad, irritated, hungry, or whatever else and then eat more than you should. All you end up with is a tummy ache. Now you’re mad because you know you should not have binged.

Don’t diet! Just make some “tweaks” to your eating and make a lifestyle change. Just one…take baby steps if you must. I recently had to cut wheat out of my “diet” and there are some really yummy foods…try Millet bread (I buy this at my local health food store and you should toast it) and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free brownies (I buy Bob’s brand at my local Publix).

To Your Health!

Debbie James
850.450.2000

Energy Flows Where Attention Goes

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My First YouTube Video!

It’s not as easy as you think! If you have never been in front of a camera, it’s strange. The news and weather folks make it look so easy!

Here is my first video. I’m going to be documenting my progress on my weight loss accelerator. I have taken before photos and when I hit my goal weight, I will post the before and after shots. It’s been about 4 weeks and I’m feeling great! My cravings are down and so is my appetite.

Let me know what you think!

To Your Health…

Debbie James
www.YourDreamSize.com
850.450.2000

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Nine Tips for Staying Motivated to Exercise

I stumbled across a blog called “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. What a wonderful blog with tons of inspiring posts.

I thought you would enjoy one of her posts as it pertains to exercise: Exercise, Nine tips for staying motivated to exercise. Enjoy!

Everyone knows that exercise is a KEY element to good health. The trick is keeping yourself motivated to exercise, if you’re a person who naturally relapses into the couch-potato pose.

It took me years of prodding, but I’ve finally managed to turn myself into a dedicated exerciser. I never push myself very hard (at all), but I do manage to stick with a routine.

Personally, I find it more motivating to think about short-term gratification like “I’ll sleep better” than long-term considerations like “I’ll live longer” or “If I have surgery, I’ll recover quicker.”

Here are some things to keep in mind, if you’re trying to keep yourself motivated to exercise:

1. Exercise boosts energy. It took me a long time to notice that I’d drag myself to the gym, work out for forty minutes, and leave feeling far more energetic than when I went in.

2. Exercise provides an outlet for feelings of pent-up hostility, irritation, and anger. I always find that I’m far calmer and more forbearing on days when I’ve exercised. I have a jittery, high-strung nature, and exercising takes the edge off.

3. Repetitive, rhythmic motion of exercises like walking and running brings a serene mood and clarifies thinking. I’ve had all my best writing ideas when walking or running, and sometimes assign myself a particular problem to think over during a walk.

4. Sticking to an exercise regime raises your self-esteem for the very fact that you’re sticking to an exercise regime.

5. Exercise offers a chance to be alone and uninterrupted—a relief if, like me, you’re often surrounded by distractions. Or, if you prefer, exercise also offers a chance to get together with other people–a relief if, like me, you spend a lot of time working alone. I have both kinds of exercise during my week.

6. Regular exercise helps to keep your body chemicals in balance. When you experience stress, your body prepares for “fight or flight” with a huge number of biochemical reactions. A stressful event these days, however, is more likely to require a phone call than a sprint uphill. The potentially damaging byproducts of the stress response, such as cortisol, nevertheless continue to pump through the body, and exercise helps offset that effect.

7. Exercise helps you fall asleep more easily and sleep more deeply. The Big Man really notices this in himself.

8. Pure vanity can be a good motivator. Remember that people who exercise move more easily and energetically, and appear more youthful.

9. When I don’t feel like exercising, I remind myself how lucky I am to be able to move easily and without pain—no wheelchair, no crutches, no brace, no trick knee or bad back.

To Your Health…

Debbie James
www.YourDreamSize.com
850.450.2000

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Mind Over Body

Diet. A word I absolutely HATE! When I think of that word, I think, “I’m going to be hungry”. I also think, I can only eat what “someone” tells me to eat. Rather difficult if you are as picky of an eater as I am. I don’t eat red meat and I’m allergic to shell fish, (which is not so bad since I don’t like fish!) hate mushrooms, tomatoes, olives, to name a few. So, where do we go from here?

What if we think of the word “diet” as a lifestyle change? Not so bad then, huh? My body doesn’t like yeast…yes, I could eat it, and my body reacts accordingly. So, I stay away from it. Same thing with wheat. I recently discovered that I need to stay away from wheat. At first you think, ugh…what can I eat?

Diet is also short term. Lifestyle change is long term. About 10 years ago, I cut yeast out of my “diet” and have never looked back. That was a lifestyle change. I went to the health food store and bought a yeast free, sugar free bread. Yes, I had to try several before I found one I liked. Since there are no preservatives, you just have to toast it first. No big deal…I made sandwiches, french toast, etc. I changed my “diet” (short term) and made a lifestyle change (long term) and have not had problems.

A Naturopath I started seeing earlier this year, suggested I cut wheat out of my “diet”. So I did. The bread I loved so much, that I mentioned above, has wheat! So, I go to the health food store and ask them for a wheat free, yeast free bread. They suggested a Millet bread, which is rice based. Love it!!! Again you have to toast it. I made another lifestyle change. The wheat was affecting my sinuses/allergies. Since cutting wheat out of my “diet” my breathing has been sooooo much better. Amazing! For many years, I was trying to figure out what was bothering me. My trial and error never seemed to work when I would eliminate a food from my “diet”. Now I know. Again, I can eat foods with wheat, and my body reacts accordingly.

I have been buying gluten free products and ‘testing’ them. Bob’s Red Mill and Pamela’s products are yummy! Cookies, brownies, pancakes are incredible. I would put Pamela’s pancake mix against any. You would be hard pressed to know it is gluten/wheat free. Same goes with Bob’s products.

Here are some differences between diet and lifestyle:

Diet: The goal is self-limiting. When you get to your goal weight, you stop the diet.
Lifestyle: The goal is open-ended. Weight management becomes part of your daily life, with strategies that vary as circumstances, priorities, and needs change.

Diet: A diet is a surface level change. It involves simple changes in behaviors you are already doing (or not doing). You take in fewer calories from food and (maybe) expend more calories on activity. Foods are “good” or “bad” based on calorie content.
Lifestyle: Lifestyle changes are made on many levels. In addition to healthy changes in your relationship with food and exercise, you will challenge the basic attitudes, beliefs, thoughts and feelings that made you overweight (and unhappy) to begin with.

Diet: Progress and success are measured by the scale. Anything that results in weight loss is considered acceptable, even if it poses potential problems or risks. Failure to lose weight as fast as desired is very upsetting, and the process feels like a constant battle. High stress is constant.
Lifestyle: Progress and success are measured in terms of satisfaction & quality of life.
Weight loss and maintenance continue to be important, but are put in perspective as one way you can move towards larger, more rewarding goals. Daily ups and downs become much less stressful.

Diet: Results don’t last. Even if you manage to stick with all the unpleasantness of a diet long enough to reach your weight goal, your odds of keeping it off permanently are less than one in twenty.
Lifestyle: Results are lasting. Your lifestyle change is an open-ended, ongoing process with goals that continue to expand and grow. There is no reason to go back to the habits that got you overweight in the first place.

Just make one lifestyle change today…

To Your Health!

Debbie James
www.YourDreamSize.com
850.450.2000

Energy Flows Where Attention Goes

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Do NOT Starve Yourself

Since I was a teenager, I have “struggled” with my weight. I was so skinny before that time, that my mom had trouble find a belt to fit me! That all changed when I hit my teen years.

I grew up riding horses where weight was always an issue. My riding instructor would always make us conscious of our weight. And I was ALWAYS trying to lose weight. It wasn’t until I got married, divorced and started to work out with a personal trainer, Lance, that I hit my dream size. Lance taught me how to work out properly and more importantly my diet.

Some people, like my husband’s family has a metabolism that we all dream of. They can eat what ever, when ever and not gain weight. The total opposite of me. I’m sure you have friends like that..you secretly hate them Me too! hehehe

So, now, 13 years later, I am not at my dream size anymore. I could practically starve myself and NOT lose weight. Why?? Because what people don’t realize is that lowering your calorie intake puts your body into what is called starvation mode, where your metabolism slows enormously. If you don’t eat enough your body will hold on to what little food you give it, making losing weight difficult because you will feel hungry and deprived. It is also extremely difficult to workout on a low-to-no calorie diet, because your body feels weak due to the lack of food. Exercise can feel impossible.

Calories are often the first thing people take into action when they begin their fitness plans. Many people think that “starving” themselves is the best way to lose weight. WRONG!

Calories are the energy for the body. It is like fuel in an engine, they ‘burn’ in order for your body to function properly. It is pointless to try and starve yourself to death. As a matter of fact, it is one of the worst things you can do if you want to lose weight. You will be losing precious muscles that will help you to burn fat and you will wind up even ‘fatter’ than before! Yes…you can starve yourself (very low calorie diet), and in the short term you can lose weight, temporarily…in the long run you will gain it all back, and then some. Why do you think diets don’t work? Why do you think the yo-yo diets don’t work?

It’s always better to be smart, eat smart and healthy, and workout regularly. This is the key to losing weight.

So, what am I doing to get back to my dream size? Stay tuned to find out…

To Your Health…

Debbie James
www.YourDreamSize.com
850.450.2000

Energy Flows Where Attention Goes

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