When not being able to "just say no" to the craving isn't your fault...

As I continue my research and reading in the areas of fitness, health, and wellness, I strive to provide the best quality service to both the people I coach and my team of coaches.  If you've tried diets, pills, fads, and even exercise programs and have just not been able to "stay on track", there may be an actual biochemical reason- it's not your fault, and there's simple relief (with nothing to buy- the solution is already at your finger tips).  The information provided below is a summary of/ excerpts taken directly from the referenced text and is intended for your information and use.  You may feel this article describes you, perhaps to a "T"!

Sugar sensitivity affects hundreds of thousands of people, knowingly and perhaps more often than not unknowingly.  Have you ever heard someone joke about being a choco-holic? We may have said it ourselves, and for some people, this may be a loaded statement.So what IS Sugar Sensitivity? Sugar Sensitivity is a biochemical condition creating puzzling physical and emotional ups and downs.  Sugar sensitivity is characterized by volatile blood sugar responses, a low level of serotonin, a low level of beta-endorphins, and a heightened response to the pain numbing effects of sugars.



To determine whether you are sugar senstive, check each of the following ten statements that apply to you:

1. I really like sweet foods.
2. I eat a lot of sweets.
3. I am very fond of bread, cereal, popcorn, and/or pasta.
4. I now have or once had a problem with alcohol or drugs.
5. One or both of my parents are/were alcoholic.
6. One or both of my parents are/were especially fond of sugar.
7. I am overweight and don't seem to be able to easily lose the extra pounds.
8. I continue to be depressed no matter what I do.
9. I often find myself overreacting to stress.
10. I have a history of anger that sometimes surprises even me.

Each of the statements above relates to an aspect of sugar sensitivity, and if you checked three or more, keep reading...

Sugar sensitivity means you have a special biochemistry, whereby your body has a volitile blood-sugar response and low levels of beta-endorphin and serotonin.  If you are sugar sensitive, there are three primary things in your body chemistry that contribute to how you feel:

-the level of sugar in your blood

-the level of the chemical serotonin in your brain

-the level of the chemical beta-endorphin in your brain

Let's break these down simply starting with the level of sugar in your blood.  Your body uses a very simple sugar called glucose as its basic fuel.  During digestion all the carbohydrates you eat are broken down into this simple form so that it can be used by your cells.  Glucose is carried by your blood throughout your body to be transformed into energy by your cells as needed.  Your cells require a steady supply of glucose at all times. An optimal level of serotonin creates a sense of relaxation and mellows you out making you feel at peace with the world.  It influences self-control, impulse control, and your ability to plan ahead.  Effects of low serotonin are depression, impulsiveness, intense cravings for alcohol, sweets, or carbohydrates. Lastly, when your beta-endorphin level is low, you feel depressed, impulsive, and victimized, touchy and tearful and have low self-esteem and a desperate craving for sugar. All three of these levels must be optimal for you to conquer what the author refers to as "the Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde syndrome".  If you work on only one factor, the others will remain unbalanced, and though you may feel good initially, the underlying symptoms will again rear their ugly heads.



LOW BLOOD SUGAR
Tired all of the time
Tired for no reason
Restless, can’t keep still
Confused
Has trouble remembering
Has trouble concentrating
Easily frustrated
More irritable than usual
Gets angry unexpectedly

LOW SEROTONIN LEVEL
Depressed
Impulsive
Short attention span
Blocked, scattered
Flies off the handle
Suicidal
Reactive
Craves sweets
Craves mostly carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and cereal

LOW BETA-ENDORPHIN LEVEL
Low pain tolerance
Tearful, reactive
Low self-esteem
Overwhelmed by others’ pain
Feels isolated
Depressed, hopeless
Feels “done to” by others
Craves sugar
Emotionally overwhelmed


Balancing the levels of all three of these important biochemicals is crucial to your well-being as a sugar-sensitive person, and it can be done with simple food and lifestyle changes.  You do your food plan, and your body and brain do the balancing.  You don't have to figure out beta-endorphin or serotonin.  You just figure out breakfast.

OPTIMAL BLOOD SUGAR
Energetic
Tired when appropriate
Focused and relaxed
Clear
Has good memory
Able to concentrate
Able to solve problems effectively
Easygoing
Even-tempered

OPTIMAL SEROTONIN LEVEL
Hopeful, optimistic
Reflective and thoughtful
Able to concentrate
Creative, focused
Able to think things through
Able to seek help
Responsive
Looks forward to dessert a bit
Hungry for healthy foods

OPTIMAL BETA-ENDORPHIN LEVEL
High tolerance for pain
Sensitive, sympathetic
High self-esteem
Compassionate
Connected and in touch
Hopeful, optimistic
Takes personal responsibility
Take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward sweet foods
Solution-oriented

 The levels of sugar in your blood fluctutates, and if your muscles or your brain can't get the blood sugar they need to perform, they will tell you very clearly that something is wrong.  The sugar in your blood comes from the foods you eat, and extra sugar is stored in your liver.  Carbohydrates require the least amount of work by the body to convert food to sugar in your bloodstream.  Your body's goal is to maintain the perfect level of sugar in your blood by first drawing from the sugar in your blood to feed your cells by releasing a hormone called insulin.  If the level of sugar in your blood drops, your body will turn to the backup sugar supply store in your liver (liver stores about 400 calories of sugar at any given time).  Sugar-sensitive people have a more volatile blood-sugar reaction to eating sweet foods, whereby blood sugar rises more quickly, releasing more insulin, thus causing a quicker and steeper drop in your blood-sugar levels.  Each time your blood sugar spikes quickly, your body's internal alarms start ringing and signal your adrenal glands to release adrenaline, the hormone that gives you a quick surge of energy and mobilizes you in the face of danger.  The adrenaline rush makes your heart pump faster and makes you more alert.  It also tells your pancreas to release insulin so your cells can get energy by pulling sugar out of your bloodstream.  However, your adrenal glands are designed for coping with EMERGENCIES and are not built to go into action several times per day.  This results in adrenal fatigue causing your adrenal glands to respond more slowly each time.  Because your adrenals are reacting late, your blood sugar rises even higher and your body releases even more insulin in an attempt to get that sugar out of your blood and into your cells.  This results in blood-sugar levels that are steeper with shorter intervals between them.  Symptoms can include fatigue, restlessness, confusion, shakiness, frustration, irritability, difficulty remembering, anger, feeling weepy, and feeling anxious.

This can be solved by understanding three things:

1. Which foods will give you a stable blood-sugar level that will not send your adrenal glands into action unnecessarily.

2. Which foods will evoke the least reactive insulin response.

3. When to eat to keep your energy up and your spirits high.

BRAIN CHEMISTRY

How is all of this related in our brains? Your brain is designed to communicate information via interconnecting cells.  Information is passed across a tiny space between each of them by way of chemical "messengers" called neurotransmitters.  There are many kinds of neurotransmitters, each of which has a different molecular shape and carries its own distinct message.  Each receiving cell has thousands of receptors (neuroreceptors) designed to catch a specific matching neurotransmitter.  Serotonin and Beta-endorphin operate in this way.  After a neurotransmitter lands in its own receptor and passes its message along, it floats back into the space between brain cells and is available to hit the receptor again.  The brain releases enzymes that break down the used neurotransmitters that act like little "Pacmen" consuming the used neurotransmitters.  The other mechanism that prevents neurotrasmitter overload is a sort of "vacuum cleaner" that sucks up the used messengers and deposits them back in the sending cell to be recycled.  These are called reuptake pumps.

If too much of a given neurotransmitter is released, the receiving cell will close down some of its receptors, which is called downregulation.  On the other hand, when the level of serotonin or beta-endorphin gets too low, your brain will open up more receptors so it can get more "hits".  For example, if you are sugar senstitive and have naturally low levels of serotonin, your system has already upregulated to have more serotonin receptors. In this situation, if a doctor prescribes you an antidepressant for symptoms of depression without truly diagnosing the underlying problem or root cause, more serotonin hits your system that was already upregulated to have lots of extra serotonin receptors, which will cause you to have a very big reaction to it, such as anxiety, jitters, wild dreams, etc.  On the other hand, when the source is removed, the body will create withdrawal symptoms.  When you develop a physical dependence on a substance, you have altered the natural state of your system.  Your brain gets used to having the extra serotonin or beta-endorphin hits caused by the substance and it "complains" if the substance is cut off.  WIthdrawal symptoms may include irritability, headaches, diarrheat, joint pain, and other flu-like symptoms.  This can happen if a sugar-sensitive person stops consuming sugar "cold turkey" as in a crash diet, dramatic lifestyle change, or exercise program.

SEROTONINS

Your body makes serotonin from a chemical called tryptophan, which is an amino acid that comes from protein.  You need the chemical properties of simple carbohydrates to move the tryptophan out of your bloodstream and into your brain where it can be used to make serotonin.  Most antidepressants work by increasing the amount of serotonin received by the neuroreceptors by blocking the little "Pacman" enzyme that gobbles up extra serotonin.  Other antidepressants work by stopping the reuptake pumps from vacuuming up the used neurotransmitters.  Drugs called SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), such as Prozac, Paxil, Effexor, Celexa, and Zoloft belong to the second type.  In effect, your brain is geting more use out of the serotonin you have; these kind work better than the "Pacman"-blocking kind since they have fewer side effects.  Remember, though, that in a sugar sensitive person, affecting only one leg of the three-legged system will still leave you with many, if not all, of the same symptoms.

BETA-ENDORPHINS

Beta-endorphin acts as a powerful natural pain killer.  Beta-endorphin is an "endorphin opioid," is found naturally in the body, and has opium-like effects such as that of heroine and morphine.  Like other opioids, beta-endorphin (at the proper level) produces a sense of well-being, reduces pain, eases emotional distress, increases self-esteem, creates emotional stability, and even produces a feeling of euphoria.  Beta-endorphin also controls anxiety, defuses paranoid feelings, reduces anger, and relieves certain types of depression.  One can clearly appreciate the effect of an imbalance in beta-endorphin.  A sugar-sensitive person has many more beta-endorphin receptors, and due to this, eating sugar can feel like drinking alcohol!  In the mid-1980's Dr. Elliott Blass, through medical research, concluded that sugar somehow acted like an opioid, which is why babies remain more calm when mothers give them a few sips of sugar water prior a doctor visit, where the baby will be getting immunization injections. 

Basic Conclusions:

1. All sugar-sensitive people, regardless of gender, like sweet stuff more than people with nonsugar-sensitive bodies.

2. When something bad or scary happens, a sugar-sensitive person crouches and becomes immobile and defensive.  This behavior is called "defeat-induced learned submission", and it occurs in response to a release of beta-endorphin.

3. The "defeated" sugar-sensitive  people develop a tolerance to the beta-endorphin released in response to a threat.

4. Sugar makes sugar-sensitive people hyperactive, but does not have the same effect on nonsugar-senstitive people.

5. When withdrawing from sugar, sugar-senstitive people become lethargic and passive.

(Sugar-senstitive people possess a learned helplessness with self-esteem that fades and vacillate between hyperactive clarity and lying on the couch- "Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde Syndrome".)

THE BOTTOM LINE

People with normal body chemistries experience the opioid effect of sugars as simply a pleasant feeling.  For sugar-senstitive people, this pleasant feeling can become a euphoria that is powerful enough to create a strong attachment to the food or drink producing the effect.  Because we love things that make us feel good, we want more.  In fact, this heightened sensitivity to the drug-like effects of sugar is the hallmark of the sugar-sensitive person.  Remember that sugar-sensitive people have naturally low levels of beta-endorphin and their brains have opened up many more receptors to catch what little beta-endorphin there is.  Because of this, sugar-sensitive people will have a heightened response to any substance that causes a release of beta-endorphin, which is exactly what sugar and alcohol do.  (In women, beta-endorphin levels are at their lowest in women just before menstruation.)

When you have low levels of serotonin, your brain produces cravings for simple carbohydrates that have the chemical properties needed to move tryptophan into your brain, where it can be used to make more serotonin.  Beta-endorphin priming is the reason it is so hard for a sugar-sensitive person to "just say no" after having a taste of something sweet.

THE SUGAR-SENSITIVE DILEMMA

First, you need simple carbohydrates to get tryptophan into your brain.  Second, your naturally low level of beta-endorphin gives you a heightened response to things that cause the release of beta-endorphin.  Upregulation explains why you have huge problems getting "back on track" after a slip in your diet or your sobriety.  The solution is deceptively simple: if you eat the right foods at the right times, you can keep your serotonin and beta-endorphin at their optimal levels.  Making food choices based on an understanding of how your brain and body chemistry work will prevent the dramatic ups and downs in beta-endorphin that lead to upregulation and downregulation, cravings and withdrawal symptoms.  You can stabilze your blood sugar level; you can boost your serotonin and beta-endorphin levels; and you can minimize the dangerous effect of priming.  If you make simple food changes, your body chemistry and brain chemistry will come into balance.

THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO...

Rather than being a drama queen or adrenaline junkie, you become funny and creative.

You may clear up their problems with money

You may start setting healthy boundaries

You may look at relationships with new eyes

You may heal shame

You may heal old emotional wounding

You may clear their clutter, both emotional and physical

You may leave unsatisyfying jobs

You may go back to school

You may start following your dreams and living your passions



When your food is consistent, regular, and on target, there is just no more drama.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU TRY TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN... DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?!

You may begin the process as described in the book and begin to get lazy thinking you can do it yourself, skipping steps, etc.  You will find your energy keeps slipping away, especially in the late afternoon, so you add some more caffeine then to help finish the day.  You aren't sleeping too well, but you make no connection to the food you are eating, and you assume your fatigue is from job stress.  You start getting irritable at work.  There's too much to do, not enough time.  Your boss is getting on your nerves.  You need to stop off for a drink or a sweet treat before going home.  Weekends bring low-fat whole-grain pancake instead of the muffin, but much of your days off are spent trying to catch up with your life.

What is wrong with this picture?  Your food is low-fat, "healthy".  You ask yourself, "Why am I feeling terrible here? Maybe I need to exercise more."  You take a "carbohydrate and electrolyte replacemnt" drink with you to the gym. (Be careful of ingredients, because many of them on the market are water, sugar, and salt.)  Your energy goes up before the workout; you feel better.  Exercise must be the key.  But a few weeks later, it's not working.  What is the matter here? You can hardly get out of bed.  You feel like a truck ran over you.

The answer is simple.  Your body is sensitive to sugar.  Your blood sugar is spiking and crashing all day.  You have huge beta-endorphin releases all day (which are causing downregulation and triggering cravings), and you don't have enough protein, so you aren't getting the tryptophan your body needs to make the serotonin you need to do your life.  A traditional food plan or diet will not provide the answer to your problem, because most diet and nutrition plans work for only a little time you, for the sugar-sensitive person.  Then, the book sits on your shelf, reminding you of yet one more program that sounded good but didn't work for you. 

THE GOAL

With the sugar-sensitive plan you are learning skills rather than following sheets and sheets of instructions.  You are taking your life one choice at a time.  Only one choice.  Knowing you are sugar-sensitive lets you shift the perspective from feeling bad about a thousand "failed" diets to being open to a solution.  Your goal is not to go off sugar for the rest of your life.  Your goal is to become aware of what, how, and when you eat every day.

If you are interested in the details of the author's deceptively simple 7 Step Plan, feel free to contact me with questions or for help or support or obtain a copy of the book for your own use- and healing!  This program has a medically proven 92% effectiveness.

REFERENCE:

DesMaisons, Kathleen. Potatoes not Prozac: Simple Solutions for Sugar Sensitivity; Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, 2008.

Escaping Dietary Solitary Confinement

 Probably one of the most well known board games is Monopoly, and in that game one of the most iconic items is the "Get Out Of Jail Free" card. References to it are made constantly by even the most educated and professorial thinkers of our day, and I intend to shamelessly use it here too!


I am more and more concerned with the friends and family members I see who imprison themselves in the hopes of turning back the clock and shedding a few pounds .With the best of intentions they trap themselves into a fitness and dietary regime that we all have been through, and we all know can only lead to despair. But until it does, it sentences the individual to a 30 or 60 or 90 day self imposed personal prison which they must endure quietly, desparately, and usually all alone. 

Time for a jail-break!

I am therefore handing a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card to anyone you or I may know who needs a file baked into their cake and a little friendly intervention.

I'm offering a free sample of any flavor Shakeology with some foolproof recipes plus the standing invitation to join me in my home gym for some fun and productive fitness sessions plus  no obligation follow up up-date contacts to ensure success once the bars are cut.

If you've been through what I'm talking about and have joined the BeachBody fitness community then you know the difference, and if you know someone who needs to experience the same type of success then I invite you to tell them to choose either the "top hat" or the "race car"  or the "puppy' and to get into the game by accepting my offer.

Take a Chance.
Be sure to Pass Go.
And collect a lifetime of health and fitness!

Having trouble keeping your portions under control?

29 Tips for Keeping Portions Under Control

When it comes to food portions, size matters. In a world filled with "supersized" options, all-you-can-eat buffets, and extra-large pizzas, it's no wonder people overeat. Have you ever found yourself in one of these situations?

• Eating snacks straight out of the bag while watching television, or even grabbing a second bag to munch on because your show is still on.
• Continuing to finish your food at a restaurant because others are still eating, even though you're full.
• Arriving at a party starving, so your dinner consists of fried appetizers and mayo-laden salads.
• Eating an entire packaged item only to realize later that it actually contained multiple servings.

I know I've been there. Once in a while is OK, but doing this too often can supersize your waistline and your risk for medical complications, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. With just a little bit of preparation and planning, you can keep your eating habits and your portion sizes under control.

At restaurants

1. Doggie-bag it. Don't finish your food just because it's there—or because you're still at the restaurant waiting for others to finish. Most restaurant portions contain more food and calories than you need for one meal. Bring your leftover food home, or allow the busboy to take it away early. Even better, have the server pack half of it to go before bringing it to you. It seems like an odd request, but it's not uncommon these days
2. Share with a friend. When you split a meal, not only do you cut the price in half, but you cut the calories in half, too!
3. Order the lunch or appetizer portion. Lunch and appetizer portions are cheaper and contain fewer calories than full-sized portions.
4. Avoid buffets and all-you-can-eat specials. If you're like me, you want to try everything when you go to a buffet. That's why it's better to avoid buffets when you're trying to control the size of your portions. When you have no choice about where you go (like a large family gathering or party), find the smallest plate and fill it up with the healthy stuff like grilled chicken and vegetables first. If you must go back for more, allow yourself one trip. And only get what you really want. It's such a common habit to take a bit of everything, but if you can savor one reasonably sized serving of your favorite item, you'll enjoy it a lot more.
5. Choose items with large portions of veggies. Or order salad or fruit on the side instead of fries. If you're starving, you can fill up on high-nutrient, low-calorie food to keep full.
6. Eat your favorite "indulgence" foods every now and again. Totally denying yourself the foods you take pleasure in is a surefire way to set yourself up for failure. So go ahead and treat yourself once in a while to avoid feeling deprived. But eat a smaller portion, and savor every bite.

At home

7. Hang up fridge visuals. Don't swing the fridge door open mindlessly. Think before you eat. Hang up a picture of how you once looked, that one piece of clothing you wish you could fit into, someone who you want to look like, or even someone you don't want to look like. Take a moment to think about what you're really hungry for and about your weight loss/health goals before you grab something out of the fridge. I've gone as far as putting up a "closed after 9 PM" sign on mine, since I can't seem to find a fridge lock with a timer.
8. Preplan your groceries. Don't shop when you're hungry and you'll be less likely to bring unhealthy food home. Stock your house with healthy foods and snacks that are easy to grab when you're hungry, such as fruit, cut-up vegetables with hummus, or light cheese and crackers. You can also purchase single-serving snacks. I love The Skinny Cow^® ice cream sandwiches. (Mint chocolate is my favorite.) They're less than 150 calories and are preportioned so I know when I'm finished.
9. Don't eat straight out of the box or bag. If you do this, odds are you'll finish everything in it—or at least eat more than one serving. Instead, fill a small container or baggie with a single serving and leave the rest in the kitchen.
10. Break leftovers down. Instead of putting leftovers in one big container, break them down into single-serving meals or snack-sized portions before storing them.
11. Hang wall mirrors. We tend not to eat as much when we see ourselves.
12. Use smaller plates. If you can't fit as much food on the plate, you're likely to eat a smaller portion. Even better, use non-microwavable plates so you can't heat up seconds—lay down a sheet of wrinkled-up foil, or use one of Grandma's metal-glazed dishes; both are considered unsafe for microwave use by the USDA.
13. Don't put serving bowls of food on the table. Fill your plate in the kitchen and put your leftovers away promptly after they cool so it's too much of an effort to go back to the kitchen to get seconds.
14. Look at the serving size listed on the package. You may not realize you're actually dishing out a double serving of packaged food for yourself. Make sure you look at the nutrition label so you aren't overeating without even knowing it.

At work

15. BYOL (bring your own lunch). When you make your own lunch, you get to control the portion and exactly what's in it. Cook a big batch of food on Sunday, like pasta and veggies or chicken and brown rice, then refrigerate or freeze portions to take with you.
16. Keep healthy snacks at your desk. When you have healthy snacks at your desk, you won't be as tempted to head over to the vending machine for candy or chips. I love Pirate's Booty^® Aged White Cheddar baked corn and rice puffs at 130 calories per serving, or Kashi^® TLC Honey Sesame snack crackers. Make sure to divide them into single portions in baggies so you don't overeat. And keep them tucked away in a drawer rather than on top of the desk in plain sight.
17. Keep protein bars handy. Protein bars can be a lifesaver when you don't have time to run out to get food, or a meeting postpones your lunch for a couple of hours. Watch out for bars that only have a few grams of protein and seem to taste more like candy bars than meal replacements.P90X^® Peak Performance Protein Bars are jam-packed with 20 grams of protein. My favorite flavor is the chocolate fudge. They save my stomach from growling louder than the speaker in meetings and can replace a meal in an emergency.
18. Research healthy lunch places near work. A few minutes of research can save you calories in the long run. Some places have light menu options with smaller portions that contain fewer calories. Plus, you can look up the nutrition information for many popular restaurants online even if they're not posted on the menu. And, of course, remember to avoid those all-you-can-eat specials.
19. Stock up on Shakeology^® single-serving packets. I actually set reminders in my email calendar for 3:30 each day so I remember to have a Shakeology shake as my afternoon snack. It keeps me from raiding the fridge like a maniac when I get home for dinner. Shakeology single-serving packets not only contain protein and fiber that help you feel full, but also whole-food ingredients to nourish your body—all with only 140 calories a serving. I know that whether or not I eat healthily throughout the day, as long as I have my Shakeology, I'll be getting all the nutrients I need, and I'll feel full so I won't overeat.
20. Drink tea—and lots of water. If you're filling up on zero-calorie water and tea, you'll feel fuller and eat less when it's mealtime.
21. Log what you eat. Hold yourself accountable for what you eat. If you're a Team Beachbody^® member, you can track your meals here or keep a notepad handy if you're not near a computer. Keeping track of everything you eat will help you take a closer look at your eating habits so you can make better choices.
22. Don't always have your cake and eat it too. There are about 300 people who work with me. If I ate cake every time there was a birthday, I'd have it almost daily. (Fortunately, Beachbody discourages people from bringing sweets to the office.) It's OK to treat yourself to some cake occasionally, but don't always eat it just because it's there. Make sure that when you do choose to indulge, you stick to your nutritious meal plan for the rest of the day, and just augment it with a small slice of cake.
23. Bring healthy snacks to meetings. If you're hosting a meeting, instead of the usual donuts and pastries, provide fruit, veggies, hummus, cheese, and wheat crackers. If you're not in charge of food-planning for meetings, break room, or vending machines, request that healthy food alternatives be made available at your office. After all, a sugar crash 30 minutes after the morning meeting isn't going to boost anybody's productivity.

At parties

24. Pre-eat. Before you leave home for a party, eat your own healthy, nutritious food. When you arrive at the party, you can focus on the people and the festivities instead of making a beeline for the buffet table. You can still enjoy tasting the appetizers, but you'll be satisfied with less.
25. Be a healthy host. Hosting a party? Serve healthy food. Your guests will thank you—plus you'll probably burn a ton of calories running around playing host!
26. Wait 20 minutes before going back for seconds. Sometimes, especially at extravagant parties, there's an endless variety of delectable food you'd never make or buy for yourself. Make sure you sit down with your first plate and eat slowly. It's okay to go for seconds, but before you do, take your time enjoying your food and conversing with fellow partygoers for at least 20 minutes while that first round of food digests. After you do, you may realize you've already had enough. And if you do decide to go back for seconds, don't restock the plate with everything on the table. Just take a small amount of a few of your favorites.
27. Don't hover around the food table. This is a recipe for disaster. I've found myself picking up olives and crackers as if my hand had a mind of its own. Take a cracker and run—far, far away from the food table. If you're still hungry, walk back over—but don't hover. Your waistline will thank you.
28. Treat yourself with nonedible rewards. It's natural for people to associate events and personal accomplishments with food. Holidays, weddings, football games, movies, job promotions, housewarmings, school events, communitycelebrations—customarily, they're celebrated with food. Instead, though, try treating yourself with nonedible rewards. Work out, watch a TV show, get a massage or a manicure, buy a new outfit, or phone a friend to share your excitement. Focus on the reason for the celebration rather than the food.
29. Dress to impress. Don't wear clothes that let you overeat without feeling or showing it. If you wear extra-loose, über-comfy clothes—or ones with an elasticized waistband—you might eat more. Instead, try wearing an outfit you look great in—if possible, one that's a little bit formfitting. Then there's less room to get away with eating too much. Besides, you'll get deluged with compliments that'll make you feel so great you won't want to overeat.

Mastering portion control will give you more control over your body and your life. Whether you're at a restaurant, at home, at work, or at a party, there's no excuse. You have the power to set yourself up for success. Being mindful of your portions will help you feel better right after each meal, which will help you manage your weight more effectively. You'll learn how to enjoy your favorite foods, boost your health, and even save some cash by eating less. Now isn't that worth a little bit of effort and planning ahead?

Thanks to the Team Beachbody Newsletter...

"I love this ..." with thanks for Toby Keith

A few months ago we were at breakfast with a very dear friend of the family. He is in tremendous physical condition, has exercised all his life, been active in sports and very disciplined in his approach to maintaining his fitness program. That's why our jaws dropped when we heard him say, "I hate every minute of exercising and always have!".

You have to tip your hat to a guy who can persist in a lifetime of workouts that are to be avoided at all cost. His determination and results are very very rare.  The fact is it is no wonder why so many people are in the midst of a fitness meltdown because they share that attitude but unfortunately not that willpower and level of commitment. I understand. I remember the "old school" of fitness and dieting like everyone else, and I can empathize with his sentiments and those of the majority of potential fitness lovers. 

And I suppose I'd be in the majority camp of people we just talked about and not in his camp right now, except for the fact that

I LOVE exercising !
 I look forward to the next workout, and I can't wait to find out how much progress I've made.

I LOVE mealtime!
I can't wait to try out a new recipe for supper and share ideas with friends and the rest of the community.

I LOVE my "gym"!
My "gym" is a work in progress and constantly changing as my needs and abilties change, and I'm always finding new ways to challenge myself and move forward.

I LOVE the motivation !
Great trainers like Tony Horton and Chalene Johnson and Debbie Siebers keep everything so fresh and in focus that it's more like visiting with a best buddy than a coach.

I LOVE my  fitness community!They are always there for support, to share ideas and to work out with either live or in the WOWY Online Supergym.

I LOVE my fitness program!
Simply put I am grateful that I can tap into the positive side of motivation and utilize these newly learned skills to help me maintain this wonderful new lifestyle I have been blessed with. I feel very very fortunate, but I am neither unique nor gifted nor unaware of the contrary feelings of many others.

If you have found a program that gives you this same sense of satisfaction then I applaud you and welcome you to the fitness community. 

If on the other hand you have no idea what I'm talking about , are skeptical or just plain convinced it isn't for you and that you're somehow different all I can say to you is you are entitled to an opinion but NOT the facts.

Everybody can attain this same level of enjoyment and everyone can learn good habits towards a brand new fitness outlook and everyone can experience at their own ability level a rewarding fitness environment.

You are no different than I am.
I know you can do this.
Deep down you know you can too.

Now repeat after me:

I LOVE my gym!

A Night Out on the Town- How to enjoy yourself our and live to fight another day!

How to Party Like a Rock Star (the Beachbody^® Way)

To some degree, everyone wants to be a rock star. Seriously, who hasn't had at least a passing temptation to throw a television out the hotel window because, you know, Led Zeppelin did it? Especially when you're young, being the wild and crazy party animal among your friends seems like an instant way to gain popularity and adoration. The problem is, not all rock stars have the luck and longevity of Keith Richards, and if you try to emulate his lifestyle, you'll probably end up dead like John Bonham instead. Or Jimi Hendrix. Or Janis Joplin. Or Kurt Cobain. That's not to say we all need to live like the Jonas Brothers and abstain completely, but it's worthwhile to realize that those special nights out are best remembered for the company and camaraderie you shared, rather than forgotten as the result of chemically-induced amnesia.

The Opening Act

So you've nailed down the perfect outfit, got your new 'do, and smell like a million bucks. But don't head out on the town before your body is as finely tuned as Clapton's Fender^® Stratocaster^®.

1. Rest! If you get less than 4 hours of sleep per night, or you've been up for 16 hours or more, you're probably already acting drunk, even before you've had a drop of alcohol. This is because not getting enough REM sleep negatively affects your body's motor functions, blood sugar absorption, and immune system. You'll be friendlier, wittier, and more sociable with all your friends when you're rested, and this might come in handy if you're looking for a new type of friend (or two, if you really want to love like a rock star...).
2. Eat well! Van Halen ate M&Ms^® (except the brown ones, according to their notorious concert contract rider), Busta Rhymes eats KFC^®, and Meat Loaf, circa 1970s, ate pretty much everything under the sun, except his namesake. If you want to eat right, you probably want to follow another direction. Ideally, you should eat healthy meals that include a balance of carbohydrates (from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), protein (from lean meats and fish, legumes, nuts, soy, and dairy products), and fats (avoiding saturated and trans fats). A solid meal will help stave off the urge for that 1 AM pilgrimage to the taco truck with your less-well-fed friends.
   
   And remember, eating right doesn't need to be a solo venture. If you really want to seem hip and in the know, bring your friends to the latest trendy "foodie" haven before hitting the bars and clubs. That way, you'll all spend a few hours focused on cuisine instead of cocktails. Know that thrill you get from discovering a new underground band? Well, most people feel the same way about finding a great new restaurant before the masses, so choose wisely and your friends will bestow upon you admiration comparable to what Justin Timberlake receives in a room full of Hollywood starlets.

The Headliner

This is it. The main event. The moment the crowd has been waiting for all night. It's time to shine, so here's how to ensure the lighters (or iPhones with lighter apps) come out, and you walk off stage a legend:

1. Dance, dance, dance! We all know that half an hour of cardio per day is an essential component of staying healthy and fit, so combine it with your night out and kill two birds with one stone! Dancing is wonderful exercise, and is sure to work up a sweat. If you're worried your moves are less Michael Jackson and more Elaine from Seinfeld, why not try joining a group hip-hop class, or try out Hip Hop Abs^® to learn some funky, fresh moves you can bust out for your friends? (But if you really want to impress them, you should probably never utter the words "funky" or "fresh" in the same sentence.)
2. Moderation! If moderation isn't a scientific law, it really should be, because there's almost no situation where it doesn't work. Many rock stars may overdo it with the partying every night, but they have expensive publicists to explain away their stints in rehab as "exhaustion." To increase your shelf life as a party animal, stay properly hydrated. Every great rock song has a memorable chorus, so when you head out for a night on the town, keep this little ditty on repeat in your head: "Drink, water, drink, water, drink, water." If it helps, just hum that Chumbawamba "Tubthumping" song and substitute water every other line (i.e., alternate your cocktails with water).You might think that getting drunk early will make you seem cool and fun throughout the night, but in all honesty, you're only becoming that guy or girl.
3. "I'll have a soda and soda, please." The great thing about spirits like vodka or gin is that they look like water. So the next time your friends are urging you to catch up or it's your turn to buy a round, slow things down by sipping on a soda water—just let everybody think it's liquor. You can even wince when you take a sip if you really want to crank up the illusion that you're hitting the hard stuff. No one will be the wiser, and you'll save a pretty penny too! Little-known fact: The original title of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" was just "Juice," but the record label urged him to change it for fear it would lower his "gangsta" cred.
4. Energy doesn't come in a can. If you're looking for "wings," don't go for a Red Bull^®, just buy a Paul McCartney album. Avoid the temptation to use energy drinks as fuel, because "energy" is a complete misnomer here. The caffeine and sugar hit'll just leave you jittery and nervous, after which you'll risk pulling a Lindsay Lohan and crashing hard before the end of the night.

The After Party

It's the next day, and you're not sure how to follow up that awesome night you just had. Here are a few suggestions for how to get your groove back:

1. Rest! Again! Whaddya know, we're right back where we started—your own cozy bed. Hopefully, you spent the night with the Captain to your Tennille. (A dated reference, I know, but who doesn't sing along to "Love Will Keep Us Together"? Admit it.) Anyway, if all went according to plan, you spent the night dancing, romancing, and, well, other things, so now it's time to rest up. Don't worry about your workout today, because trust me, you did enough of that last night. If you're feeling extra sluggish, some light stretching or a leisurely walk should do the trick.
2. Recovery! Eminem's new album is called Recovery, and we don't think it's a coincidence. He's giving you a hint, so take it! Buy some of Beachbody's own Results and Recovery Formula™. Designed for use after workouts, it will get your body back in tour shape in no time.

There you have it, the official guide to living a Beachbody-certified rock 'n' roll lifestyle. If you heed our advice, both your body and your mind will remain solid as a rock for quite a while, and you won't get caught rolling onto the floor.

from the P90X Newsletter #040

Wondering if you should just get a copy of P90X?

Are you wondering whether or not you should just use a burned copy of P90X or buy it from a source other than Beachbody or a Beachbody Coach? You're not only doing yourself a disservice, giving up the 90-day guarantee, purchasing a product that may not necessarily by complete or even in English, and others, but there are legal ramifications as shown below.  If you're ready to commit to your Self, your health, and your fitness with something that unquestionably will help you reach your goals, I will get you started and coach you through it (and can even legitimately help you save the $20 or $30 you think you're saving by buying a counterfeit copy).  Aren't you worth more than the $20 or $30 bucks you might save on counterfeit, non-guaranteed, and/ or incomplete copies if you really are deciding to commit to YOUR success? Maybe, maybe not.

Beachbody® Assists in Convicting Importer of Pirated Goods 

Santa Monica, Calif, – July 25, 2010 – Beachbody®, the nation’s leading provider of in- 

home fitness, weight-loss, and wellness solutions and creator of the famous P90X®, 

Insanity®, Brazil Butt Lift®, TurboFire®, and other fitness programs, has good news to 

share on the antipiracy front. 

About 1 week ago, a local woman involved in importing counterfeit Beachbody and 

other products was convicted by a federal jury, and now faces up to 90 years in 

prison and fines of up to $12.5 million. This is the result of a multiyear 

investigation Beachbody has been actively pursuing. 

Beachbody’s dedicated legal team has been working with the Office of the U.S. Attorney 

and with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in their efforts against this 

individual, and we are proud that justice has been served. Both the Department of 

Justice and ICE have released some of the details relating to this conviction—the 

individual was caught importing multiple container loads of counterfeit product and 

attempting to bribe a Customs officer to get it released. (Press release from ICE: 

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1007/100715losangeles.htm)  

This is just one of several criminal counterfeiting investigations that Beachbody is 

involved in with law enforcement.  Indeed, as Beachbody’s legal team continues to 

meet with members of Congress, government officials, and agencies in Washington, 

D.C., and continues its nationwide efforts to meet with and provide anticounterfeiting 

training to Customs officers and agents, these criminal investigations and prosecutions 

will likely only increase.   

“Counterfeiting harms not only Beachbody’s ability to sell genuine products and create 

new, world-class fitness solutions, but it also specifically harms the businesses of all our 

dedicated Independent Team Beachbody® Coaches,” notes Senior Vice President of 

Business Development and General Counsel, Jonathan Gelfand.   

“While no company or government agency has a magic bullet to stop all piracy in this 

global economy, we will continue to fight the counterfeiting epidemic each and every 

day, pursuing those dealing in counterfeit products and making them pay. We truly 

appreciate all the support we receive from Customs, ICE, the Department of Justice, 

and each one of our Coaches.”  

If you ever see something that you think is counterfeit or illegal (including any 

Beachbody products for sale at a price lower than we offer it, for example), please 

submit it to us at piracy@beachbody.com.

The Fitness Buffet

No one walks into a supermarket with the obligation that they must eat the entire store. Similarly, when one visits a local bookseller they don't expect to read every single copy the store sells. Instead, we sample from the choices, select a combination of things we NEED and would LIKE to have and derive enjoyment and satisfaction from the experience. 


At some point in our fitness program we need to adopt a similar outlook.There are dozens of paths to fitness and hundreds of exercises to choose from, and we should approach them all as we approach the many other pleasurable activities in life. Remember, our fitness strategy is a long term commitment and must be freshened up and spiced up every so often. We shouldn't view the inventory of workouts we have as a college course in fitness but rather a library, a resource, a fountain of youth that we can now sample at our leisure thanks to the insights  and skills we have acquired. Variety in moderation will help to ensure a healthy mental outlook and avoid the inevitable burnout that comes from unnecessarily burdening ourselves with numbers and quantities.

Treat your body to a "fitness buffet", and it will reward you in ways you never imagined 
without the morning-after regrets!