How your hormones effect weight loss! Amazing Article!

1.) Three reasons why processed soy (actually, ANYTHING processed) is bad: (a) contains chemicals that 'pull down' the thyroid (leads to hypothyroidism); (b) contains phyto-estrogens that block important minerals like Zinc and Magnesium from being absorbed into the body (2 VERY important minerals especially for women since having a deficiency in either one can cause numerous problems due to an estrogen/progesterone imbalance); and (c) does not contain essential amino acids. Soy products are commonly linked to weight gain and other hormone imbalances for these very reasons. It's also among the top allergens in this country, (the other top allergens include wheat, corn, dairy, chocolate, eggs, shellfish, and citrus). Many people have food allergies to soy and don't even know it.

2.) Zeno-estrogens (environmental estrogens commonly found in heating plastics and pesticides) are very bad. Why? They create an estrogen imbalance which leads to too many problems to list here. The scariest include: female puberty beginning at ages 7 or 8 (or earlier), irregular menstrual cycle, impaired liver function, fatigue, depression, weight gain, water retention, headaches, loss of sex drive, mood swings, inability to handle stress, irritability, low metabolism, symptoms of hypothyroidism (with even normal T3 and T4 levels), unstable blood sugar, cravings for caffeine, sweets, and carbs. And that's just scraping the surface.

3.) Excess Caffeine. Leads to decreases in bone density, unstable blood sugar levels, causes the hypocalmus to produce higher levels of cortisol (the 'stress hormone' which leads to A LOT of other issues), adversely affects the hypothalmus's ability to stimulate the thyroid, and causes us to ignore healthy sleep patterns which also leads to the hypocalmus producing higher levels of cortisol. Excessive levels of caffeine have also been noted for bringing on more severe PMS.

4.) Zinc deficiencies and copper toxicity is common and leads to severe mood swings. The body needs 8 times more zinc than copper, however, most of us have the exact opposite in our body due to the high amounts of copper found in our environment (pesticides, pipes, chemicals in pool water, etc.) and the low levels of zinc in our diets.

5.) Mg deficiencies lead to carb carvings. Most women are Mg deficient, which is why a lot of women crave carbs, particularly around menses (sweets to be exact).

6.) Women are most likely to gain weight late in their menses, since their metabolic rate jumps during the luteal phase and the body wants more energy (i.e. women eat more food later in their cycle). Also, the body becomes more deficient in Mg and Iron due to the blood lost (for why that's bad, see #5 above).

7.) Aspartame destroys cells in the hypothalmus (and that's bad because it's the hypothalmus that's responsible for controlling hunger). So, avoid artificial sweeteners or artificial anything, as they cause numerous problems for the body.

Female hormones can influence weight management tremendously. Imbalances between estrogen and progesterone causes numerous challenges:

1. Estrogen dominance leads to sodium retention, leading to water retention, particularly in the week prior to onset of menses, and in menopausal women this can be an issue throughout the monthly cycle.

2. Loss of magnesium the week prior to the onset of menses often leads to carb cravings (particularly chocolate and/or other sweet cravings) and mood disorder.

3. Loss of iron during the week of menses often leads to cravings for other foods.

4. Increased fat deposition can be due to the influence of LPL enzyme, an enzyme triggered by estrogen dominance.

5. Estrogen dominance causes weight gain in the hips and thigh area (the 'pear-shaped' women).

6. PMS influences weight gain --

a.) Depression often accompanies certain types of PMS, leading to eating behaviors (often triggered by B complex deficiency and/or magnesium deficiency, or zinc/copper imbalance). Also causes deficiency in several other nutrients that trigger emotional and mental symptoms, particularly an increased zinc/copper ratio that causes severe depression or other mood disorders.

b.) Water retention the week prior to onset of menses may be due to Niacin/Potassium imbalance (caused by estrogen dominance).

Ways to fix these problems:

1. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are critically important because they are used in the production of the body's

natural steroid hormones. Fats are good!

2. Are we providing our bodies with an appropriate balance of all essential amino acids (aminos that the body can't make on its own)? This is what's wrong with vegan and vegetarian diets. Are we eating enough protein to satisfy the energy demands of the body?

3. Unrefined carbs (particularly fresh fruits and vegetables) are critically important for maintaining cellular energy. Grains are problematic for many people, particularly people struggling with Syndrome X or food allergies (wheat is no longer natural in our foods and is now the top allergen in the world).

4. Micronutrients are particularly important, especially to 'dieters' since they are notoriously deficient in many vitamins and minerals. Deficiencies are one of the primary causes of inappropriate cravings for foods, or for loss of dietary 'compliance.'

5. Drink water and very little else! Americans consume, on average, 50 gallons of coffee per year. Teenage girls drink, on average, 46 oz. of soda per day! Osteoporosis will be an epidemic in 20 years.

6. Include 35+ grams of fiber daily. Fiber helps remove excess estrogens from the colon before they can be re-absorbed (leading to estrogen dominance).

7. Be sure to nourish the adrenal gland (through sleeping, napping, Siberian Ginseng, Holy Basil, etc.), as cortisol production (through stress) is a problem for female hormone balance!

8. Other lifestyle issues: get plenty of sleep and rest! Stop trying to be superwomen (superwoman is dead!). Exercise frequently, vigorously, and efficiently -- but don't over do it. Excessive exercise can cause endocrine disruption and increased fatigue. Never exercise beyond the body's ability to sustain.

Exercise tends to be more difficult for women than for men, due to lower levels of testosterone and human growth hormone.

'Difficulty' here means the inability to stick with a program over the long term and, more importantly, the ability to lose weight quickly and keep it off. And, it certainly has nothing to do with laziness or 'inferiority'. It's strictly physiological.

Reasons:

a.) When testosterone levels drop (because of insufficient adrenal output) energy is decreased and it is more difficult for women to lay down lean muscle tissue.

b.) Human growth hormone (hGH) levels are more difficult for women to maintain, particularly as they approach menopause. As hGH levels drop, energy plummets because lean tissue slowly decreases. Loss of hGH therefore leads to lowered metabolic rate as metabolically active muscle decreases.

by Matt Pitcher

Fitness Training Routine

Here is my fitness training schedule for my upcoming fitness competition. I will be doing cardio 5 days a week for 40 minutes, 3 of which will be in the morning before breakfast. I will be doing weight training 4 days a week, 2 Leg days and 2 upper body days. One of the upper body days will just be focused on back and shoulders. 

DAY         CARDIO( x6 )            Weights( x4 )
Mon         - Morning Cardio      + Legs
Tues        - Cardio                      + Back/Shoulders
Wed         - Cardio
Thurs       - Morning Cardio       + Legs
Fri            - Cardio                       + Upper body circuit 
Sat           - Morning Cardio
Sun          - Break

Breakfast can feel like one of the hardest meals to prepare. You never have time, and that often leaves you grabbing something on the go that doesn’t fit into your healthy eating plan.

These quick easy nutritious meals can be eaten standing, on the go or between your morning tasks. 

  • Hard boiled eggs - or egg whites; I like to make "Eggies" the night before or at the beginning of the week.  Use your cupcake tin, use your nonstick spray then fill the cups 3/4 full with egg whites. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes and you have Eggies! They’re easy to eat and great on the go.

  • Greek yogurt: I love the nonfat version with berries and a handful of almonds. It’s high in calcium, the almonds provide some healthy fats that keep you satisfied, and the cleanup couldn’t be easier.

  • Cottage cheese: I also prefer the nonfat version of this.  I like to save my fats for almonds, avocados or olive oil. Add a serving of low fat granola (I like Galaxy brand) and you've got a fast breakfast high in calcium, protein, carbs and low in calories.

  • Fresh Fruit – super easy, nutritious, filling – and naturally organic. I eat berries and apples every day. Apples are full of fiber which make for a great afternoon snack. The berries are low in calories, full of antioxidants and vitamin c, oh and they just taste great!

You will feel and look better when you are properly fueled for your day. Don’t forget, food is fuel, keep it clean, simple and portioned for maximum results.

Even the most self-confident among us will experience doubt from time to time. Because we can’t completely avoid it, we need a strategy that allows us to contend with, and conquer self-doubt. So, what is the difference between those who overcome this insidious foe, and those who are controlled by it?

Before we get into that, let’s talk a little about what doubt is, and why it likes to creep into our lives like a party pooper, and throw a wet blanket on our motivation.

Self-doubt is that feeling of uncertainty about your ability to accomplish something. This dark shadow of insecurity can lead to hesitation and indecision. If left unchecked, it can cause us to abandon our course or radically compromise our expectations.

How do we know when we are harboring self-doubt? There are certain words and thoughts that reveal the presence of doubt and we should train ourselves to spot them early on. Phrases like “I’m not sure, maybe I was wrong, I don’t feel up to the task, or this is too hard” may indicate a weakening of confidence brought on by doubt in our own abilities.

As soon as we say or think anything similar to any of those phrases, we should attempt to identify the source. Granted, such expressions don’t always indicate self-doubt, but we would do well to check it out, so we can be sure.

Do not underestimate its destructive power Because self-doubt is a temporary expression of insecurity, it can reach right to our core. Like termites chewing away at the foundation of a strong building, doubt can undermine our strongest beliefs. Often times, it is the only thing that stands between where we are, and where we want to be.

On the positive side As with other kinds of fear, there are positive aspects of doubt for those who manage to overcome it. For example, doubt that is conquered yields stronger resolve. Our determination will always be greater once we successfully meet challenges to our self-confidence.

Once we develop a history meeting doubt head on and conquering it, we become much less susceptible to its influence. It will still surface from time to time, but we will see it coming, and know how to neutralize it.

7 simple steps to conquering self-doubt

1. Recognize and acknowledge your doubt. You cannot overcome something until you first recognize and acknowledge its existence. If we give into the temptation to ignore or deny self-doubt, it will impose limits on our ability to act. Self-doubt can be a stealthy problem. If you suspect that it exists, you need to pull it into the light so it can be dealt with. The better you become at identifying hidden doubts, the easier it will be to overcome them.

2. Analyze your doubt. Spend some time drilling down and figure out what triggered it and why? When you analyze feelings, you make them vulnerable logic and reason. Normally, feelings override logic, but questioning the validity of feelings brings them within the reach of reason.

3. Identify the source. If you can figure out where these feelings originate, then you can hit them where they live. You don’t need to psychoanalyze yourself back to childhood or anything like that. Just try to get a handle on the area of your life that creates your sense of uncertainty so you can work on it.

4. Is there a pattern. Do you have a history of self-doubt in this area? Doubt tends to have favorite places to hang out. This raises the likelihood that we have probably experienced it in a similar situation before. Think back, have you been down this road before? Did you overcome your doubts? If so, what steps did you take? If not, what can you do differently this time around?

5 . Design a plan. Sit down and plan out a strategy for defeating your doubt. Make an educated decision about what to do next. Choose a path that you think will lead to conquering your doubts. Next, put your plan down in writing.

6. Anticipate possible challenges. Now look at your plan and try to identify possible challenges along the way. Is there some area that you need help with? If so, ask someone close to you to give you some encouragement. Sometimes, some foresight and a little support is all it takes.

7. Take action. You have a plan, the next step is to put it to use by taking action. Stick to your plan and ask for help if you need it. In fact, encouragement is good even if you think you can go it alone.

For most people, self-doubt is just a temporary condition. Think of it like a speed bump on the road to success. Take the bump in stride, then put the pedal to the metal, and go for it. When your confidence is challenged, just follow these seven steps and you will get past it. In fact, I have no doubt about your ability to leave self-doubt in the dust.

Hello hello!

I just wanted to share with you that I finished tapping my fitness DVD this past weekend.
MY DVD, modelF!T has been a joy shooting and I'm so excited for all of you to see it.

I've launched another website, solely for the DVD, /modelft-dvd.html so feel free to check it out! :)

Again, thank you for your continuous support, love you guys! xo
-Taya

I am a big believer in using the power of gratitude to create positive changes. Being constantly aware of your many blessings, and feeling grateful for them, can have a huge impact on the quality of your life. When you are filled with appreciation, it quite literally changes the dynamic of your reality. I find it truly amazing how one, simple, positive action can change so much in a person’s life. In fact, recognizing the profound power of gratitude is one of the things that have had a huge effect on my life. It has made me a more positive and caring person. It has also made me a better husband, father, and friend. I can honestly say that in some very tangible ways, gratitude has made my life better.

Harness the power of gratitude Now you might not get the same exact benefits as I have, but I can pretty much guarantee that practicing gratitude and appreciation can change your life as well.  There’s no doubt in my mind that the simple act of being grateful on a regular basis will change your perception in very positive ways. How many other simple strategies do you know that can make such a claim?

Let’s take a look at some practical ways that you can start incorporating gratitude into your life so you can start enjoying the benefits immediately. Of course, these are just some examples based on my personal experience and the experiences of others I’ve talked with. Obviously, not all of them will apply to you, so just choose the ones that you feel comfortable with.

7 ways to improve your life with gratitude

1. Have a morning gratitude review. Make it a daily ritual to take one minute in the morning to think of all the people and things in your life that you are grateful for. You won’t get to everything in one minute’s time, but it’s enough to get you thinking in the right direction. A simple gratitude review will instantly set the tone for the rest of the day and help you focus your attention on other things to appreciate about your life. Can you think of a better use of one minute?

2. When you are having a hard day, make a gratitude list. We all have those challenging days from time to time. During those difficult days it can be hard to maintain a positive outlook. One of the things that can make a bad day much better is to take a break and make a list of all the things you are thankful for. No matter what you are going through, there are always things to be thankful for. Making a list of those things will shift your focus and make you feel much more resourceful.

3. Instead of getting mad at someone, show gratitude. I know this isn’t always the easiest thing because it requires a complete reversal in attitude. But I can promise you that it’s a great thing to do for your own peace of mind. If you get mad, try to bite your tongue and resist the temptation to react in anger. Instead, take some deep breaths, calm down, and try to think of reasons you’re grateful for that person. Find something, anything, even if it’s something very small. Then focus only on that reason to feel grateful. Slowly your mood will begin to shift away from anger toward a more empowering state.

4. Instead of criticizing, show gratitude. This is similar to the strategy above, but much less challenging. This simple tactic can literally transform an important relationship like a marriage. If you constantly criticize your spouse, your marriage will slowly deteriorate. Yes, it’s important to be able to talk out problems, but no one likes to be criticized all the time. So, when you find yourself feeling the urge to criticize, stop and get a grip on yourself. Now take a moment to think about all the reasons you are truly grateful for your spouse. Then share that gratitude, as soon as possible and watch as your relationship becomes stronger.

5. When you face a major challenge, be grateful for it. Many people will see difficulties as a reason to complain and feel sorry for themselves. Trust me, that attitude won’t get you anywhere. Instead, try to see the positive aspects associated with those difficult experiences. Could you appreciate them as an opportunity to learn and grow? This simple change in perception can transform a challenge into something positive with possible long term benefits. But for that to happen we need to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

6. Express gratitude to others at every opportunity. Say thank you whenever someone shows you the least bit of consideration. Doing this will make you feel better and it will encourage others to be more considerate. There are plenty of rude and inconsiderate people in the world, but you can be a force for good simply by spreading some gratitude around. Be on the lookout for even small acts of kindness. When you notice them be quick to express appreciation and watch what happens. You can use the power of your gratitude to help others feel good about themselves.

7. Focus on what you have not what you don’t have. Have you ever looked around you and felt shortchanged because the place you live isn’t your dream house or the car you drive isn’t as nice as you would like? It’s easy to forget that there are billions of people who are much worse off than you are. Those people would be so grateful to have what you have.  When you compare your life to these people’s lives, you can’t help but feel grateful for the life you have.  You may not have everything, but you must admit that you have been blessed in many ways.

Make the shift and enjoy the benefits The more you focus on gratitude the more you will appreciate your life and the happier you will be. An appreciative attitude will also make you more aware of your blessings and prevent you from taking them for granted. Remember, the happiest people are not the ones who have the best of everything, they are the ones who are grateful for everything they have.

What are you grateful for?

If you got very focused and extremely motivated, what amazing goal could you accomplish in 100 days? What if you put all your focus on one thing with so much value that achieving it would elevate the way you feel about your whole life. How empowering would that be?

Most of the time there are only two things that prevent us from reaching our most important goals. Can you guess what those two things are? Let me give you a little hint. It’s usually not the lack of ability or knowledge that stands in our way. The truth is, we are all capable of much more than we give ourselves credit for, and the knowledge we need is readily available.

So what is it that gets in our way? Most of the time, our two biggest obstacles are simply a lack of focus and a lack of motivation. And why is it so hard to gather the focus and motivation necessary to make unprecedented progress toward our most important goals? Distractions, that’s why! Life is full of so many meaningless distractions and busywork that the truly important pursuits get pushed aside and trampled on.

How many of your important goals are in a holding pattern right now? What important areas of your life have suffered because you are either too busy trying to keep up, or you are just too worn out after everything else is done?

What if you were totally motivated? Let’s look at the other side of the equation for a minute. Is there some amazing goal that you could totally immerse yourself in if you could find a way to push all the distractions and busy work aside for awhile? Something that would really light your fire and get you excited? Think about that for a moment and see what you come up with.

I’m guessing that there is something that you feel that way about. Be honest here, isn’t there some special goal that you would love to accomplish if you only had the circumstances. Do you think it might be possible to actually create those circumstances if you were extremely motivated?

Focus follows motivation and commitment Let’s work on the motivation aspect first. As of September 22 there will be 100 days left to accomplish something spectacular this year. I have always found that having a deadline can create a lot of motivation and this one has some great advantages.

One of those advantages is the fact that you’ve got two weeks to get ready. That’s just enough time to get your strategy together and clearly define your action plan. Another advantage has to do with a head start perspective. Most people will postpone their efforts until after the end of the year. Then they will make some kind of a resolution (again). You, on the other hand will have already accomplished your amazing goal. That means that you can look back on this year with a real sense of accomplishment instead of attaching it to some future uncertainty.


6 things you’ll need to reach your goal in 100 days

1. Clarity. The first thing needed is to actually have one or more clear and meaningful goals. Take some time between to get very clear about exactly what you plan to accomplish.

2. Motivation. To pull this off, motivation is a must. Think about all the reasons why accomplishing your amazing goal is important to you. List the benefits you will experience and how it will make you feel. You’ve already got a starting point and a deadline. Make sure you also have a good reason.

3. Commitment. Don’t just say you are going to try, that leaves too much wiggle room. Decide to make a rock solid commitment to actually accomplish your goal by the end of the 100 days. It will take a solid commitment to keep those distractions at bay.

4. Focus. This is where the real power to accomplish your goals comes from. Maintaining a high degree of focus is the difference between mediocre results and outstanding results.

5. Accountability. This one is easy, all you need to do is leave a comment telling us what amazing goal you intend to accomplish between now and 100 days from now. There’s a lot of power in the simple act of putting your goals on display for the entire world to see.

6. Action. As usual, nothing happens without action. We live in an action-reaction reality and all the good intentions in the world won’t amount to much if they aren’t backed up by action. So, spend the next two weeks preparing to take massive action for 100 days.

How good are you at focusing your time and attention toward things that really matter?  In a world full of constant distractions, how often do you find yourself struggling to maintain your focus on the things that are truly important to you personally?

The connection between what we choose to focus on and our current reality is often misunderstood. Increasingly, productivity is being replaced by busy work and as a result feelings of frustration are overtaking our sense of accomplishment.  Learning to purposely direct your focus will make it possible to reverse this trend.

Focusing on priorities while avoiding distractions Understanding how our mind uses focus to direct our attention gives us the ability to create a less frustrating and more targeted living experience. We control our perception of reality by controlling what we focus on. This is because focus brings one thing to the center of our attention while deemphasizing everything else.

When we focus on our priorities it also helps us to block out distractions. The less focused we are the more susceptible we become to every little distraction that comes along. And let’s face it; winning the battle against distractions is getting more challenging by the day.

Are you in command of your life’s priorities? Many people have never actually taken the time to discover what is truly important to them. All through life our priorities are influenced by other people’s advice and expectations.  As a result, much of what we do in life is a reflection of those outside influences. And once life becomes a routine, there is a tendency to just keep doing what we have always done without giving it much thought.

Over time our mind and our nervous system gets programmed through repetition. This causes us to continue to pay attention to the things we have always paid attention to. Eventually we can find ourselves in a rut and running on autopilot. The problem with this approach is that life is constantly changing. If we just keep following our old routine, we could easily spend years putting our focus in a direction that does not reflect our true self.

Aligning our priorities with our true self Before we can establish priorities that truly represent our core self, we need to take the time to discover who we really are. To do this requires that we step outside the programming of those external influences and connect with our deepest values, passions, and motives. But how do we do that?

As important as connecting with our true self is, it is not something that most people are taught through conventional channels. Consequently, it’s a process that many struggle with. In fact, recognizing this need is what moved me to lay it all out in a step-by-step format in my book TRUE SELF. Only when we discover who we are on the deepest levels can we succeed in directing our focus toward the truly important things in life.

Putting it all together So, just to be clear, let’s look at how focus helps us create a more meaningful reality. Whatever we focus on the most will eventually manifest in our life, but that will only be meaningful if it is in harmony with our true self. Because we have been influenced by external feedback all our lives, our concept of true self is skewed toward the strongest or most unrelenting of those external influences. On top of that the constant barrage of distractions we are exposed to on a daily basis further clouds our perception of who we really are.

Having the right priorities in life is how you buy out the time and energy to put your focus where it will do the most good. For those priorities to be right for you as an individual, you must take the time to discover your true self. Then you are in the position to align your priorities and to focus on the thoughts and activities that lead to a more fulfilling life experience.

Unleash the power of focus Focus is a very powerful tool, especially when it is used in a way that aligns with and supports your authentic self. I encourage you to take the time to discover your unique inner person. Before you can harmonize your life and the amazing power of focus you need to distinguish the person you truly are from your response to outside influences and expectations.

Excessive belly fat is unsightly and dangerous to your health. For women, excessive belly fat increases the risk of serious health conditions, including breast cancer and heart disease. In men, it increases the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and sleep apnea, as well as other issues. Speak to your doctor to determine the diet and exercise plan that is right for you. Hanging skin as a result of massive weight loss may require body-contouring surgery.

1 Set a realistic weight-loss goal. Losing a massive amount of weight within a couple of weeks is impractical, and maintaining such strict diet and exercise regimens for long periods of time is difficult.

2 Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Eat low-fat foods whenever possible.

3 Watch portion sizes. Read nutrition labels to determine what consists of one serving size and place only that amount of food on your plate. Refrain from eating straight out of a bag or box.

4 Exercise. Start off slowly by spending 10 or 15 minutes exercising a day. Go for a walk or take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. As your fitness level improves, gradually increase the time and intensity of your workout. Include sports and activities such as rock climbing to diversify your workout routine.

5 Do interval training. This involves changing the resistance, speed, intensity and time of your workout routine. Instead of spending 10 minutes performing the same exercise, perform quick bursts of multiple exercises in the same time frame. Increase the resistance while running on the treadmill or elliptical machine or run outdoors on a hilly terrain.

6 Strength train. Building muscles not only protects your joints and bones, but it also boosts your metabolism, which burns calories even when you're not exercising. Perform weight-bearing exercises, such as push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, crunches and squats, as well as use resistance bands and weight machines.