GLYCEMIC INDEX? WOWY SUPERGYM?

GETTING PERSONAL ABOUT CARBS..

So, here I am again and I have to say that today I can relate to all of my dieting clients who are feeling tremendous frustration. Don't get me wrong, I haven't binged or eaten anything not on my food plan. However, yesterday I ate two sweet potatoes as opposed to one, and two bowls of oatmeal today, as opposed to my one allotted 1 ½ to 2 cups in the morning--and I can already see it! Now I know that sounds like some major eating-disorder/ body-dysmorphia kind of talk. But my body fat’s relatively low generally, so when it does go up (or fluid retention occurs) I really do see it quite drastically. I'm practically a dress size larger than I was last week! This is mostly my stomach and hip area (big shock) and is most likely due largely to bloat. If I'm going up in carbs though, which is exactly what I've been doing, I put on weight quickly--water and fat. Yes, I too suffer from such maladies--and I too get pretty discouraged when it happens. The only saving grace is that I'm also aware that some of this water retention seems to take place in my brain, thus causing an overreaction/panic of sorts. : / I know full well that my feelings are just that--feelings. The weight will fall right off as soon as I tighten up my food again. And since I'm in the midst of seeing specialists for several physiological issues, I'm aware that my body is pretty out of whack right now. Until we get to the bottom of what's happening with regards to my health, I'm gonna to have to deal with this rather drastic water-weight gain…such a bummer.


Pay attention here--this is important: In the past this would have been the ultimate excuse to go off my food plan and binge, hence, truly sabotaging myself--which is then a great reason to feel sorry for me--which is then an excuse to binge, which in turn causes more self-pity...get the picture? Yeah--the circular thinking is far more the issue at hand. The point is I'm still eating healthy, I caught the beginning of what could have spiraled out of control very quickly, and I'm nipping it in the bud by, A) Telling all of you about it, thus holding myself accountable, and B) Taking responsibility for how I feel so as not to let my somewhat over the top adolescent feelings, drive my bus, so to speak. In other words, my challenge now is to change my thinking so that I can get to a better FEELING place, which will stop the cycle in its sabotaging little tracks. And so, I continue to work myself back up the emotional scale until I feel enough relief, thereby avoiding the cycle of self-pity and poor self-image, followed by more unnecessary eating.


I'll check in again soon--thanks for reading..


Pursue health--happiness will follow!

High Carbs? Low Carbs? What IS The Answer??

Well, that’s exactly why I’m writing this—I’d asked that very question for years to no avail. I’ve tried a high “healthy” carb diet, a low carb diet, a no carb diet, an evenly distributed diet, (in terms of protein, carbs and fat ratios) and on and on.

Let me say this: like many females, my body tends to respond poorly to a high (if healthy) carb diet. Now having said that, I can honestly say that I did seem to do better with a relatively high carb diet in my twenties and thirties, as long as I consumed the more benign forms like potatoes, (even potato chips if they were cooked in lard—or technically all “natural”) and I steered very clear of “sugar” in any form. 

By the time I reached my forties, however, it was different story. Now, if I ate white potatoes in any form I’d begin to see a weight gain almost immediately, but not necessarily a lot of water retention or bloat. Throughout that decade I almost constantly had to watch and reassess my carbohydrate intake—something I’d never had to do before—it was disconcerting.

Hahahahaa.. I had no idea what I was in for in my fifties; I’m currently 52. The changes to my body have been what I consider to be radical. Although in some ways it’s almost easier for me to maintain a fit body, (most likely because I’ve been at it for so long) I have water retention and inflammation issues that I couldn’t even have comprehended prior. Now I find myself battling not only my allergies almost constantly, (an inflammation reaction) but a harsh sensitivity to carbs in terms of water-weight and even swelling. (I also experience far greater water-retention from sodium than I had previously.) Even “healthy” starchy carbs can bloat me to a depressing extent if eaten late in the day, or in a somewhat larger quantity throughout the day than is the norm for me.

So what’s my point?—you may be asking. Well my point is this exceedingly important and far too commonly overlooked one. One diet clearly, does not fit all.

Having done this kind of “Health/diet consulting” for many, many years now, I can’t stress enough how contradictory my experience with clients has been to the “This is the diet that works” one size fits all mentality that saturates our culture. Is it any wonder that women, (women in particular since they’re the target market) have low self-esteem regarding their weight? How undeniably discouraging it is to try the latest surefire techniques, one after another, only to fail miserably—again.

In the spirit of reader retention, thus hopefully brief enough to be “readable” I’ll cut to the chase here and provide you my objective, as I could indeed go on (shocker).  : )

Out of necessity, I’ve researched this seemingly wide variance in diet results for some time now. After all, it’s not so easy to be touted a fitness guru of sorts, when you’re at a complete loss for answers regarding the topic of weight loss—even and especially with the traditional knowledge base. (Isn’t book learning for the birds on some topics??)  But a simple assessment of the results, (or lack thereof) in your own circle, screams that it’s no secret—no one really has “The Answer” do they? If they did, I wouldn’t be pounding out this blog at seven thirty in the morning, as it would clearly be a colossal waste of my time. But there most certainly IS an incredibly enduring need as evidenced by the multimillion dollar diet industry that continues to flourish.

The most recent conclusion I’ve reached is that a person’s insulin reaction to carbs (and eating a meal in general by the way) is highly individual. For reason’s I won’t go into now, many things occur throughout one’s life that influence current homeostasis, which may or may not be in a healthy state. If you have what seems to be an inconsistent reaction to carbs, meaning that on any given day carbs seem to make you feel better—more energized and clear headed, suddenly followed by a feeling of lethargy, body aches and brain fog, you probably have a low sensitivity to insulin (or you’re insulin resistant) and it takes more insulin being dumped into the blood stream to sense and handle the carbs in you tissues. Those individuals who are insulin sensitive handle carbs better.

In my situation, and again, unfortunately you’re going to have to do a little work to figure out exactly what your own situation is, it turns out that I need to carb up a bit before, during and after a workout, followed by almost no carbs for the rest of the day—who the heck knew?? But when I exercise my glycogen stores simply get so depleted if I don’t do this, that the next day follows with the response described above (previously unbeknownst to me).  I’m too exhausted to work out again, I’m craving carbs like crazy and I’m suffering brain fog to such an extent that I’m convinced Alzheimer’s is knock, knock, knockin on my door.  

Before you decide it’d be easier to simply shoot yourself than to deal with these complications, understand that I’ll be following up with more information to help you figure things out—a great deal of the work’s been done for you. In the meantime, you can start paying attention to how your body’s currently responding to carbs. Make notes as you notice reactions—it’ll make this process far easier in the long run and you’ll actually be able to lose weight!!

In addendum, it’s decidedly important that you pay attention to the glycemic index of the carbs your ingesting when you begin this endeavor. As has been noted for some time now, high glycemic carbs in particular inflict the most harm to your system—especially for those who are insulin resistant.

Fortunately, Shakeology continues to meet and exceed the standards required to effectively and healthfully lose weight, while sustaining good nutrition and glycogen stores. It’s by far still one of the best resources out there, beyond all doubt.

Thanks for reading guys! Until next time.. : )

IT'S THE WEEKEND! FITNESS SURVIVAL TIPS..

ARE YOU A SKINNY FAT PERSON?

I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU..

It never ceases to amaze me how much this kind of thing helps/works to keep me going--a bit like magic.. The funniest part is that I tend to fight it tooth and nail--ya know, the reaching out thing. Yes, even I struggle with that. But once I finally commit to it, get honest, and allow my humanity to show, it's like a thousand pounds is lifted—and that's because it is! Other people seem to take the weight for me with their encouragement--and support. Let me elaborate on the support aspect because for me, that's really the key. See, I really don't like being human to be honest. I'd actually prefer to be perfect, above it all, not "need" anyone. Sad, ‘ey? It’s very sad because that's the loneliest life possible. Once I let my guard down and say "HELP! I have chronic fatigue, food allergies, a crazy schedule, etc..," people come out of the woodwork to support me! AND they share their own struggles and humanity. I love how our struggles become our greatest bridge to friendship, intimacy and a feeling of belonging--a very cool and well thought out design, I might add.. ; )

I have such warm feelings for all of you who open your hearts and share with me, let alone support me. You're good good people and deserve to be acknowledged. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the richest woman in the world because my cup runneth over with outstanding people and their beautiful hearts. xo

SHAKEOLOGY-INTELLINGENT WEIGHT LOSS..

NUTRITION THAT CAN'T BE BEAT! CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR THE BEST NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT AVAILABLE TODAY!

ACCOUNTABILITY--DO YOU HAVE IT?

Just worked out in WOWY and I'm so grateful that I've been far more committed to recording my workouts here! Last week was AWESOME in terms of energy and I totally took advantage of it by pushing my workouts to the MAX! This week's not so good as far as my energy level goes, but that's ok and to be expected. I suffer from some chronic fatigue issues and have a very restrictive diet that helps a great deal. So I've managed my workouts this week, but not with the energy of last week, and I'm working hard to be ok with that. As a fitness lifer, it can be hard not to beat myself up for not doing more. I've learned, however, how important it is to listen to my body and allow it more recovery time than others may need. I'm careful not to compare myself to those who are achieving difficult goals at a much faster pace and I find that I actually do better with that attitude and make more progress in the long run. If I force myself to push when my body's telling me it's too much, I wind up with some illness that requires bed rest and frequently, antibiotics. My food is paramount to my health and fitness and my most difficult challenge. To this day I struggle with the restrictions that I need in order to keep things like migraines at bay--especially with the seasonal changes like spring and fall. Life is good overall though, I've learned how to cope and even manage many if not most of my symptoms. I'm generally a happy camper with two fantastically wonderful teenaged children and the greatest love I've ever had. Lucky me lucky me--a great career and lots of love! At 51 years old, I feel like life is just beginning!

WHAT IS BEACHBODY FITNESS?

HOW OFTEN CAN YOU TRAIN A MUSCLE GROUP?

www.beachbodycoach.com/vawny

DOES DIET PLAY A ROLE IN MY FITNESS RESULTS?

www.beachbodycoach.com/vawny

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD..

It's been far too long since I've posted, but my personal training business is booming--and that's a good thing! Never the less, I continue to struggle with Chronic Fatigue due to allergies, Candidiasis, etc.., and I wanted to keep you posted-and me, accountable.

My diet is absolutely key in controlling my symptoms and when I'm not careful, I can suddenly find myself back to "hitting the wall" so to speak. It doesn't take much either, so I feel your pain regarding diet issues, whether it's due to food sensitivities, or simply trying to lose weight/fat. It's not easy to live in country where food and alcohol are major forms of recreation! Talk about not fitting in.. So, it's a bit lonely on the leading edge some days, but what I've found is that the longer I hold my ground and share my story, the more people come on board. Within ten minutes of discussing these issues, most people are fascinated...and relating to me. I can't tell you how many times A DAY, people say that they know exactly what I'm talking about in terms of the struggle to keep going, or to begin any kind of fitness program, let alone stick to it.

I'm choosing to be accountable to you here by letting you know what my diet is like. I'll do my best to report in daily--however, many days start with my first client at 6:30a.m. and my last one finishing at 8:00p.m. On days that I'm too tired to do anything but prepare my food and hit the sack, I may not report in until the next day.

Today I started with my usual--oatmeal with pure stevia, 500 ml of water, and believe it or not, 5 ounces of sirloin steak. When my energy is particularly low, I often eat red meat, which helps kick it up a little. I've learned that I sometimes need that. I had a cup of black coffee and plan to eat again soon (every 3 hours). I'll have another bottle of spring water, 5 oz. of protein, and 1 1/2 cups of raw or steamed veggies. Later I'll allow myself a sweet potato with the same quantities of protein and vegetables and water. I'll do this five to six times a day, depending on how long my day is.

Thanks for reading! Pursue health—spiritual, emotional, and physical, and the pursuit of happiness will no longer be a pursuit, but a reality!

Your pioneer in the pursuit of quality,

Vawny

I just made a HUGE faux pas in my weight loss endeavor

...And thought it apropos to share. OK, so I'm pretty experienced at this whole weight loss/fitness thing--that's fairly clear. But even I'm vulnerable to being "taken" when it comes to "healthy food." Let me explain…

First of all, I know you're thinking "And why, in God's name, are YOU losing weight, Vawny??" Well, if you've seen my Beachbody Fitness site, you'll know that I gained ten to lose ten, so that you could watch my progress and know that I feel your pain. I'm 50 years old, so it's not a ridiculous idea to think I could hit a weight loss plateau. However, I have a strict diet and I workout frequently and intensely. Needless to say, I was a bit shocked when my metabolism seemed to stall out on me. Now, I'm aware that I don't lose weight as easily as I did a decade ago--in fact, I've joined the ranks of those who gain weight by virtually looking at fattening foods, (such a bummer…) but this time, I was really mystified. Nothing seemed to be budging my weight--cutting carbs, increasing cardio, etc., until a couple of days ago, that is...

I decided to stop at the grocery store that carries the only ground turkey that I truly love (oops--duhh--red flag Vawn) and since the price had gone up, yet again, I started reading the labels to find a comparable product. Well, guess what I found? Yeah...I'm an idiot. It said that right on the label--“Vawny is an idiot!“ The reason I loved that ground turkey enough to go out of my way to buy it?? The damn FAT CONTENT!!! I couldn't have been more shocked--or incensed, for that matter. While the store “muzak” morphed and hammered the Freddy Krueger soundtrack through my head, the words "17 grams of fat per serving; serving size 1 oz" jumped off the label like a landed tuna. GOOD GOD! I had been eating about four ounces per meal!

Once I recovered from what felt like an impending apoplexy right in front of the meat section, I was able to pull together some gratitude for the fact that I didn't actually gain a bunch of weight--fat head, notwithstanding…Whew!

So, I'm sharing this with you because I know how cunning, baffling, and powerful the food industry can be, and I know how insidiously fat can creep into ones diet. I can already see the difference in just a couple of days of changing to a low fat ground chicken. But I'm sending out a warning to you all--READ THE DAMN LABELS NO MATTER HOW HEALTHY YOU THINK WHAT YOU'RE BUYING IS! The food industry in general, has one goal and that's to make a profit. I thought I'd struck gold when I found that stuff--and I know better! That, my friends is called "Denial" with a capital "D" and most of us are vulnerable. To assume that “because it’s ground turkey, it must be low fat“ is some weighty rationalizing. I'm embarrassed--hanging my head in shame, (and from the fact that my head now weighs more). I need to clean house. Confess. So that my blunder is not your blunder--and not in vain.

Is all this label reading/weight loss information driving you to near psychosis? Contact me at Beachbody Fitness and liberate yourself from guesswork with our unparalleled support! You are sooo worth it!!

REALLY QUICK AND DIRTY WEIGHT LOSS...

This is real simple guys...

1) Don't eat after 6:00 p.m.
2) Dance damn-it! It's still a workout...
3) Uh, yeah--still gotta get that H2O down. At least six of em...OK, five if you're repulsed by it. But DO IT!

There. Done. You'll lose weight today if you do these three things.

OH YEAH!! And lest I forget the magic of SHAKEOLOGY--what the heck was I thinkin'?

Want more? www.beachbodycoach.com/vawny RIGHT NOW...BEFORE YOU GET DISTRACTED...AGAIN.

CHRONIC FATIGUE, FIBROMYALGIA, S.A.D.?

Ok, it's been a while, I know. I have an excuse...sort of. Honestly, this time of year is incredibly hard for me--not because I don't like it. In fact, I love Autumn! But the sad truth is, I suffer from horrendous allergies in the Fall. So much so, that I'm not sure it's not a combination of allergies and SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'm telling you this because once again, I do truly struggle to work out at times. Working out is my passion, and so I think this incredibly unfair. I mean, c'mon--one would think that with an extremely clean diet, (no sugar--refined or otherwise, no white flour, etc...) and a very regular challenging workout routine six days a week, I'd be feeling pretty damn good 'ey? Yeah, me too. And generally, I do--I feel incredible. That is, until Fall. Then all hell breaks loose in terms of control over how I feel. And what's worse, is that if I stop my routine I get so sick I can't function! I'm not kidding--it's been going on since I was a kid. The only way to manage it is to continue the strict routine I've established and do my best to function throughout the day.

Now, I've been told that I have Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, systemic Candidiasis, among a few other things--by doctors. So what the hell am I doing?? Well, it's all very interesting and challenging for sure, and I certainly have the option to role over and die--or wallow in it. But for some reason I was born as feisty as they come--well, some might say "stubborn" is a little closer to accurate (like my poor old mother--who's earned that right) regardless of my not so feisty immune system. And for some reason, I've chosen to live my life to the fullest.

But seriously, there are many days that I wonder how in God's name I'm gonna get through it, so I break it down into small "bites" as it were. And some days I simply need to nap, or I'll fall over--driving or something entertaining like that. Today was no exception and yet I managed to get a great workout in. After 40 minutes of cardio, I did my P90X, Back, Biceps and Ab Ripper. Not easy...and ya know what? I feel much better. I do too! I swear it--or I don't think I'd be able to talk myself into it. I still feel crappy compared to the way I'd normally feel, or the way I'd like to feel, but I feel better than I did earlier, and it's sooo worth it to feel better, look good, and get something really important accomplished everyday.

So my point here is not to gain your pity--if that were the case, I'd be all over this thing whining regularly. My point is that I do know how hard it can be to maintain a workout routine--and I know first hand how much better it makes life to simply do it anyway--even when we can't do a great job.

I've chosen not to focus on all those "issues" I've been told are mine. I take great care of my body and my mind, just like the doctors and books tell me to, and I let it go. I choose life today--and in order to do that, I push my body to move, forcing blood and oxygen to pump at it's maximum through my muscles and cells, while feeding them the nutrients to support their hard work. I'm certainly no doctor, and I'd never advise anyone with a serious diagnosis to ignore it. But I thought it your business to know me, to know who this "Vawny" (who's always poppin' off about taking care of yourself) truly is. I am human and I have frailties, just like you--But I don't see myself that way. I see myself as strong, healthy and happy. I'm aware that certain times in life are more challenging than others, and I'm aware that "This too, shall pass." So, rather than live in the problem, I chose to live in the solution--or simply to live.

For help dealing with any of these health issues, or others, contact me at www.teambeachbody.com/vawny, or http://www.art-of-fitness.net/, and start living your life again!

AMAZING TRANSFORMATION!

I just started my 9th week of P90X and I'm shocked at the difference! After my "rest" week, I came back so much stronger I couldn't believe it! That feels REALLY good. If I knew what to say to get you to try a Beachbody program (there are many to choose from) I'd say it--over and over. THIS WORKS YOU GUYS!!! Logging in to work out everyday because my buddies are expecting me makes a huge difference--and being entered in the thousand dollar a day give away doesn't hurt either. What the heck are you waiting for? Your new life is a click away!!!

A Crisis Is Right Around The Corner...

"Wow--Not the most positive way to start a blog, there, Vawny..." K, but listen--I'm concerned--truly concerned about you. I know, I know--of course I make money as a personal trainer and Beachbody Fitness Coach. Nevertheless, I do this because it's my passion. Let me fill you in on a just two of the biggest reasons that I do this for a living with such fervor. Two out of three of my brothers were born with severe heart defects, something called Tetralogy of Fallot. I won't go into the technicalities, but suffice it to say that I was somehow blessed enough to have missed out on that lovely little anomaly. From the time I can remember, I watched them suffer the undesirable consequences of HAVING NO CHOICE in the matter. And without going into great detail and boring you with my childhood memories, I have never forgotten the drastic differences between us, in terms of lifestyle options. I was an active kid--swimming all day, all summer long. Gymnastics was an absolute joy in my life. I didn't have to worry about heart surgeries, heart attacks, turning blue and passing out from walking to far or too fast. I didn't have to face my own mortality from early childhood on, but I had to face theirs, and it broke my heart.

A little while ago, I was informed that a much younger cousin just went through emergency heart surgery due to the severe blockage of a main artery to his heart. This cousin was born a robust healthy baby and stayed that way. His only issue now, the need for a healthier lifestyle. Thank God he's OK and has the opportunity to turn it around--he has a lovely wife and children--not everyone's so lucky.

Please, Please hear me! I'm not kidding about this stuff! Your health is EVERYTHING! You may not be cognizant of that at the moment--not until you have to be. Do you really wanna wait for that? Take it from one who's witnessed another's heart surgeries; YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THERE! I can help you and I will go to great lengths to do so--if you are only willing to try. It's not too late to get healthy and live happy the rest of your long life! You deserve that and so do your loved ones. Join me in my quest to change the world's health! www.teambeachbody.com/vawny

Wanna get fit and make money? What could be better motivation? CLICK HERE!

GO HERE NOW!!!

Click HERE to change your health, change your life!!

Hi, just got my new "Turbo Jam" and I wanted to tell you about it! First of all, I was surprised that I received several workouts, including a separate "abs" workout. I also received very nice fitted hand-weights, a measurement tracker along with a tape measure to track my progress, a sturdy, impressive "Turbo Results Guidebook" full of information, inspiration and support, AND a "Turbo Slim 10 Day Kick Start" booklet to jumpstart my weight-loss for up to TEN POUNDS in the FIRST WEEK!!! This is all legit, scientifically tested and proven stuff, guys... So log onto WOWY and start tracking your progress along with mine!!! Or feel free to watch me for a while! But... don't take too long, hm? That's been the problem right along, after all!

Don't forget about all the support you get if you join the club, including: The "Thin Kitchen TV" (cooking show) along with Beachbody's Thin Kitchen cookbook which you'll get once you join, the daily Million Dollar Giveaway, and much, much more!!!

Stay Fit, Stay Happy!

Vawny Sullivan
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Beachbody Fitness Coach
www.beachbodycoach.com/vawny
ssullivan60@charter.net
www.art-of-fitness.net
757-375-1311