"I'm Back!" (Rebound Weight Gain)

It's the little things we do that create the big changes.

One of the most difficult aspects of my profession (fitness training) is when a client realizes ten to twenty pounds later that she has gained her lost weight back.  I would say twenty-five percent of my long standing clients have had this frustrating experience.

When in doubt: water, water, water!

It usually starts like this:

"I don't want to weigh in today.  I went totally crazy over the weekend and ate copious amounts of chocolate (or whatever)."  To which I reply:  "This is the best time to weigh in, so that you know where you are, now, as a result of going overboard and get focused again."  (Now I have to ask, why is it perfectly OK to check our blood pressure, cholesterol and our temperature, but not our weight?)

"No, I don't think I could handle it."

And on it goes, week after week until her favorite jeans have been sitting in the closet for a few months.  In the mean time, her denial about what is happening to her body is keeping her from wanting to be willful with her program.  Old patterns resurface like eating mindlessly while watching TV.  Or more excuses as to why she didn't go for her usual walk (link to my YouTube video's for a no excuse fast workout!) and opted instead to "deal with something more important" like putting stray photos into an album.

I alsways feel better when I have my favorite healthy, lean foods around to keep me revved and ready for action!

This well meaning woman then starts to justify eating two helpings of mac and cheese (or an extra large wedge of homemade carrot cake) because she "hardly ever eats stuff like that".  I am here to say that most women in the US eat more than they need to maintain good health.  So why do we think it is down right obsessive if we endeavor to moderate our caloric intake?

Discover new recipes that you can make easily.  This one from Ellie Kreiger, "the Foods You Crave" is fantastic.

I am going to dedicate the next few weeks to getting on or back on track with your fitness and diet and learn ways to stay the course even with the occasioned pig-out or lazy slump.

These were the pants she used to wear at the hospital.  Nurses are always giving to others, she started giving to herself

For now, take a good look at what and how much you are eating.  The best way to do this is to write it down.  And, please, this is not crazy and overboard!  We do not learn anything new without study and practice!


The sun will eventually come out and you will likely want to wear something that will expose your arms or legs.  Don't look at regaining weight as "all is lost and I'm a loser".  It is the small and doable steps that get you to your goal.

Oops, can't wear those anymore!  She has always made sure she enjoys her favorite treats, only now she has just a bit.

Remember Helen?  She almost slid and she got right back on the scale and began being conscious.  She is much happier with her leaner, healthier body and feels the small amount of time she puts into her body is time well spent!

We can do many things to work out, such as clean our floor.
The End

365 Days Ago

Helen has just entered her second year with me.  Well, actually, we performed my assessments, took photos and did a goal setting, her first actual workout with me wasn't until January 29, 2010.

                                         

                      Notice anything different in these two photos?
                                                          Taken yesterday.

January 13, 2010

 

Helen said to me that she now knows for sure that anyone can achieve amazing results from a few small and doable changes in their lifestyle.  "The key is to not give up!  You don't 'blow it' anymore.  It isn't that I don't enjoy my favorite goodies anymore, I do! (She does...trust me!) It's just that I don't beat myself up anymore.  If I'm going to have a brownie, I sit down and truly enjoy very single bite.  The change for me is that since I am no longer depriving myself, I don't crave foods emotionally.  I can eat anything I want, and that is the key, to want something doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself with it.  Now I can have a few bites of cake and feel indulgent!" 

"I cannot believe these used to fit me!"
Helen has been a nurse for more than 35 years.  As a 'caretaker' to so many, she neglected taking care of herself.

"I have so much i can do now!  What is it all about?
It's all about choices.  One step at a time, I never looked back!"

I was going to list all of her stats for you from when we started to current.  It isn't important.  What is important is her personal joy at knowing she is doing something positive for herself and enjoying the journey!

What small and doable change can you make to your current lifestyle?  What has worked for you and what hasn't?  I am curious to hear your story!

Of Women, Wine and Weight Loss

Sophia says, "eat, drink and be merry,  mia amore!"

I am a fitness trainer. I am a woman.  I am a mother.  I am a wife.  I am a sister, a daughter, grand-daughter, niece, aunt, a friend, associate, acquaintance.  I am a an artist and a writer.  I am many things and not defined any one of them.

"What am I doing here?"

Many times I have been in the grocery store, shopping for my family, and my cart will bump into another belonging to a client or a student from my fitness class.  Their eyes dart to my cart to sleuth out my weaknesses.

She asked for it!

Before my boys went away to college, I may have had a frozen pizza or a bag of chips in my cart.  I may have had a bottle or two of wine.  I am sure I had half and half; it's all I'll use in my morning coffee.  It seems they find pleasure in inspecting what is in my cart like I'm up for public scrutiny; I do not get the same 'privacy policies' as the rest.

Yes, I've bought these,  and worse, for my kids.  

"You let your kids eat frozen pizza?"  "I didn't know you ate fat?" "I thought dairy was bad for you."  "So, you drink wine, huh?" "Why do you eat meat?"  "Is that for you?"

Can we live without wine and chocolate?

I am a human being.  Yes, I eat fat and dairy as well as white fluffy carbs.   And I enjoy a Martini.

NO THANKS!

I am a fitness trainer, yet do not hang out with many in my trade.  They can bore me to tears.  "Join our 'Runner's Club!'"  "I'm having a potluck.  Can you bring the edamame?"

I run all the time, thank you very much!  I run when I need to get somewhere quickly, but I prefer to walk fast.  Hit the gym?  I'd rather clean my windows so I can clearly see the beautiful countryside that surrounds me.

Can we play, now?

I have a lot of energy and use it for purpose or fun.  And, I understand the importance of having prescriptive exercise; exercise that creates balanced muscle and strength as well as cardiovascular health. This kind of exercise can be achieved in as little as fifteen minutes a day.  You simply have to know what prescriptive exercises your body requires to keep progressing and/ or maintaining it's youthful abilities.

They 

are  beautiful.

I think of the fifty year old (plus) and exceptionally youthful, beautiful women I know and have known.  Most do not spend a second in a gym and they drink wine.  And eat fat.  And may even have a cigarette at a party.  They live life on their terms, with a sense of youthful abandon mixed with educated choices.

To them I say, "You are Bodeci, Il mia amore!'

My 14,000 Calorie Surplus

Since my sons have been in and out of my home throughout the summer, I have put on about four pounds.  Those pounds snuck up on me it seemed overnight!  I've had to take a good look as to what I've been doing to deserve this newly stored 14,000 extra calories!  I needed to investigate!

Jordan with Tickles and Rocky

  Let's see, I made them their favorite dinners (last night it was mashed potatoes and gravy and I'll be darned if I'm going to scrimp on the ingredients) a few nights a week and they've had "their" food clogging my fridge and cupboards.  (What's the big deal if I have one small bowl of Cocoa Puffs before bed?)

My overstuffed, junk filled fridge

But, I can't blame it all on them.  As I made one of my typical breakfasts the other morning, I actually looked hard at what I assumed was a teaspoon of peanut butter on the knife poised atop my toast.  I tried to measure it by site then decided to use a measuring spoon.  I was nearly dead on!  But, once I'd finished preparing my toast, I automatically put the knife back into the jar to do my usual  knife dip; that extra lick from the knife before putting the jar away.  I decided to measure my dip.  It was a full teaspoon or more!  OK, it's only thirty five or so calories, but, on a grander scale, it becomes a pound of fat after swallowing the hundredth knife scoop.  What if I didn't do my "knife dip" and instead put the jar away?

Gian made dinner one night.  He told me he was making chicken burritos.  White tortillas, 210 calories; refried beans, 190 calories; avocado slices, 100 calories; plop of sour cream, 70 calories; chicken breast, 90 calories.  (I added fresh vegetables to mine, just for kicks.)

Later in the day, while I made my lunch,  I mindlessly went to the kid's stash, ready to nibble on a few tortilla chips while heating my soup.  It occurred to me that if I simply did not do those little extra nibbles, I could lop off approximately one hundred or more calories.  Hmmm...I'm beginning to see a pattern!

The yummy zucchini bread Cathy made me.  I finally learned to enjoy one slice, not two or more!

A multitude of studies have found that, on average, normal weight people underestimate their daily caloric intake by about 20% and obese people underestimate by 30 - 40%.  Quite a few underestimate up to 50% or more!  (Even those who walk around with their trusty calorie counter will underestimate the amount of calories they consume.)  That said, it is no wonder why so many fitness professionals ask their clients to measure and weigh portions as well as keep an accurate food journal for at least three weeks.  The more aware one is, the less likely they will underestimate, with such glaring disparity, what they put into their mouth.

I've gained a few pounds and I am again mindful to what I am eating and drinking.  I am not going to diet because every time I have ever thought about dieting, I get all weird and start thinking about food compulsively.  Yuck!  No way!  Nope, it's the 10, 100, 5 rule for me.  Bye bye, four pounds!  I'll let you know next Wednesday how it's going!

GianPaolo and his Kirby

Oh, and bye bye Gian!  I am getting him up in a few minutes.  He's driving to his new school in LA.   And, I am once again an empty nester!  So, this will be a good time to be mindful!  Wish me luck!

What is Sabotaging Your Weight Loss?

I have just lost my entire post.  I've spent an hour or more flip-flopping my sentence structure before it had made sense.  Then, while typing, at a mindless speed, the post vanished.  How did I lose it?   I tried everything I knew to retrieve it.  I am just a bit frustrated!

How is it we can't lose weight as easy as we lose a document, an engagement ring or a pair of designer sunglasses?  Then we are frustrated when we can't lose it as quickly as we desire.  Similarly, we are frustrated when we lose our car keys having just had them a moment ago.


Weight loss, for most of us, is more of an emotional endeavor than a physical one.  Have you ever stopped to ask yourself what your motivation is for losing weight?  I have asked each and every client who desires to lose weight what their motivation is.  Here are the two most common answers:




     1.  "I want to look better and have more confidence."  
I'd say, when my client finally is truthful, that this is the most common answer given.  We feel better about ourselves when we can fit into our clothes.  And, there is a sense of achievement when we can maintain a size that is enviable to our peers.


     2.  "I want to be healthier."  
There are a number of people who really do not seem to care whether or not they look better, they want to be able to feel physically stronger and have a better quality of life.  Often this person is dealing with some kind of health issue.


    Let's face it,  we care what people think about how we look or how disciplined we are.  In the world we live in today we are bombarded with perfect looking bodies everywhere we turn.  It can be downright exhausting to try to compete with all we are exposed to.  Stop competing, and move towards a leaner, healthier body right now by giving up the diet mentality!


This is easier said than done.  I am sure all of you would love to never have to think about dieting again as long as you live.  Well, then do it!  Let me guide you!

For today, give yourself permission to simply observe how you eat and what your true desire is when it comes to food.  If you are a sugar junkie, getting your appetite under control can be difficult.  Once you eat sugar, your blood sugars elevate , but, will drop quickly. This process can make us feel hungry, even if we aren't truly hungry.  When we diet we feel deprived and hungry and our blood sugars drop.  This is when we will eat anything that will fulfill us.  Usually, it is the high octane carbs, such as cookies, chips and breads, that we will jump on when given the opportunity.

Marchelle, Bodeci Body of the month.  She lost the weight she gained vacationing by doing the "10 minutes, 100 less and 5 more"  program.   More on Marchelle and her fantastic achievements to come!

Once you have openly discovered your patterns, make the choice to eat healthier; more vegetables, more fruits, legumes and whole grains.  When you want a special treat, allow it, but only if it is a treat you truly desire and find extraordinary in it's appearance, texture and flavor.  Do not settle for less!

I have seen time and again my client's disciplined weight loss plan begin on Monday.  Then it's the weekend and Friday through Sunday is a buffet line in Vegas.  I know, you are human.  Deprivation and suffering doesn't work for more than a few days.  (You'll only put on more weight because you make up for the dieting deprivation by eating whatever and whenever you can from Friday through Sunday.  Huh..)

If you want to feel unsuccessful, diet, if you want to feel strong and powerful,  don't diet, be mindful.  A great book on the subject is Brian Wansick's "Mindless Eating".  Read it and understand what is behind FAT!  You are not to blame for your ignorance.  You have been fed a bunch of junk!  (No pun intended!)


No more frustration!  Today you are a human being.  So, be human!

Remember The Rule of 10, 100, 5?

Did you read my post of July 23th about the "Rule of 10 Minutes, 100 Less and 5 More"?  I have been wondering how you did?

100 calorie items

  Less than half of a hard roll, 14 almonds, 1/4 cup cranberries.

If you had tried my "challenge" back on July 23d, you may have discovered that there is a joy to losing a few pounds.  I think it is because you weren't dieting in order to achieve the results.  


My clients have gotten the best results with this formula because they can lose a pound or two every few weeks and not be deprived!   They're not starving their body or their mind and end up craving "bad" foods.  


Humans are far more satisfied when eating REAL food.  The diet mentality promotes the thought that you may never get to eat real food again.  So, when you are at the party or the restaurant, you eat as much "forbidden" food as you can thinking you will be going back to the prison camp the next day.

This is about 120 calories of Provolone cheese.

So, had you started with the simple RULE of 10 Minutes, 100 Less and 5 More, you would be feeling lighter. You may even feel stronger and notice a bit more tone.  Wow!  For such a small investment, you could be feeling better about yourself and really groove on the life you are living!


I think we should take as much pleasure from life as we can, but instant gratification doesn't promote the true essence of joy.  Grabbing junk food to satisfy your hunger is not the same as sitting down to a wonderfully prepared dish.  Take your time and prepare your food thoughtfully.  Sit down with your tasty meal and savor the flavor, texture, color and aroma of the food you prepare.  


Order what you truly desire at a restaurant and eat with sheer delight while you take your time to really appreciate the gift of great food!  Then stop before you are stuffed knowing you can eat whenever and whatever you want.  Eat what you want, but eat less.  You will become less extreme in the calories you consume!


Be mindful.  Know what you truly want and then eat moderately. 

I just read yesterday's blog (August 4) from The Rich Life on a Budget.   Adrienne talks about her experience with losing the "diet mentality" and losing weight!  You must read it.  


If you haven't read my blog "The Rule of 10 Minutes, 100 Less and 5 More", check it out.  I would love to hear from you if you try this easy to do lifestyle shift.  Let me know your results!

One-half cup of whole grain pasta.
One and a half tablespoons Ranch dressing.

I'm on my way to the races and I'm running late! (Is that a misnomer?)

This is one of those days.  And I am running late.

I have been feeling like a rubber band stretched a bit too tight.

We moved the kids (again) this last weekend.

 It takes a village.

But, it takes a hell of a lot more than that!!

(You know how it goes.)

  We love our boys.  

Here's GianPaolo, home for a few weeks until we have to to move him down to his new school in L.A.  I love you, GianPaolo!  (Now, go make some money.)

We moved our younger son, Jordan, to another apartment down in Santa Barbara.  He will be a Sophomore this year (and he got a job!).   His girlfriend just left to go back to Chico after spending most of the summer with us.  Another move.


There are chapters ending and chapters beginning.  Randy and I are needed for all of the necessary transactions.  (Transactions, sounds like banking! )


So, we have committed to a day at the races with friends.   They are held at our local county fair.  We usually place a few bets and lose a little bit of $.  Then there is the food!  Hmmmm....food?  I finally have lost my appetite.  Too darn tired to think about fair food!  Why am I so tired?  I want to have fun.  I want to see my friends.  But, I am pooped.  Is it that I am getting older?  NO!  I am getting more needed for BIGGER objectives!   And, if it were just me, it'd be only MY stresss.

Here's to LIFE!

Remember Luba?   This is her twelve years ago.

And here she is today!!  Wow, Luba did it the BODECI way.  She was able to lose about thirty pounds and went from 35% body fat to under 19%!  All in it's time;  She did it gradually,  about two and a half years.  Now, she is a total health enthusiast.  I almost have to tell her to "ease up, already!!" 

E stands for: Exercise. To have Energy!

If you aren’t too keen on it, I really want to challenge you to change your mind (Yes, we’re talking about exercise!). I certainly wasn’t an “A” student in P.E., and I know how tedious conventional exercise can be for some of us. However, it should be enjoyable and/or purposeful, so whatever floats your boat is OK! The only rule is that you need to do something 6 days a week for one hour a day. Now don’t freak out, you can work up to that slowly. In no time you will be looking forward to your workouts as you will come to view them as time spent with the most important person in your life….you!  And for some it is the time spent with others, friends old and new and family.

The key to enjoying exercise is finding out what kind of movement you enjoy doing. Ultimately it should be balanced and beneficial to your whole being.  And, it should burn more calories than your usual day to day activities as well as work your cardiovascular system for better endurance. 

I personally abhor "cardio" equipment but love to walk (really fast), bound up stairs, hike beautiful hills and mountains and dance with abandon both on the "floor" and off! And, I am fortunate to teach my BODECI method workout several times per week. I'm not dissing treadmills  and I know plenty of people who really dig jogging on a treadmill or zipping along on the elliptical trainer; it affords them personal time to catch up on reading  a book, catching the news, or to simply "zone out". Your choice is personal.

Fitness isn’t just cardiovascular exercise, however; it’s also maintaining muscular strength and endurance.  The average person loses about a pound of muscle per year after the age of 25, which will not only weaken the body but slow down the metabolism. Simply put: Aging!  Your body ages many ways, but, not rebuilding it is a slow death.  I want to be alive at an old age to see my great grand kids, too, but I don't want them carrying me to the event.

Helen, my Bodeci body of the month, has lost a total of 26.5 lbs. on the scale.  But, she has gained an amazing 17 lbs. of muscle!!  Her total fat loss is 43 lbs.!  

Resistance training is for building strong muscle. Strong and healthy muscles act as a machine for our structure as they fuel movement and function. For every pound of muscle gained, one can burn 50 to 100 calories more per day. One may notice they are getting leaner, but may not even see a drop on the scale because they may have gained five pounds of muscle and lost five pounds of fat.  Now, at the same weight, a person could burn two hundred fifty to five hundred extra calories per day!!  That can add up.  Once muscle muscle is developed, one can lose half a pound to 1 pound of fat and not have to give up a whole lot!  But, let me be very clear here, working out is not a complete means for weight loss especially when one has been working out for a while and they only need to lose five to ten pounds. 

Exercise, whether structured or playtime, is one of the most positive things you can do for yourself.  A shaman I studied ‘myself’ with years ago said it is hard to have an unhealthy mind in a fit body.  Exercise gives us confidence and a wonderful sense of wellbeing.  On those days you’d rather sleep in or run home for a glass of wine right after work, you are missing out on more energy and more relaxation. Yes, exercise does both. I call it relaxed energy and it is the best feeling one can have.  The ability to comfortably move through your day with a lack of stress can make you more productive and happier. So never think you don’t have enough time in a day to exercise, you won’t have much energy to get the job done if you don’t.

O stands for: Organize your world!

Now that you have begun the BODECI method, it’s time to organize your world. It will take some time to get used to new habits and ways of thinking, and by preparing well, you will find these transitions comfortable and even enjoyable.

Organize your kitchen to serve your new body.  Get rid of those items that will tempt you to old ways.  Plan ahead with a shopping list of foods you enjoy and nurture a healthy lifestyle.   Prepare your foods so that you will be able to make good choices.  Make sure you clean and properly store your vegetables, have hardboiled eggs, unsalted almonds, apples, berries, sliced turkey, Bodeci negative calorie soup and meatloaf, and plenty of water and water type beverages on hand at all times.  Keep a list of your personal basics to use for future shopping trips.  

Some of todays fridge and pantry items.  I am trying to use up the items I have before stocking up again.

Stocking a weeks worth of groceries is best for success!  Plan!

Organize your car so that you may use it as a sanctuary instead of a stress mobile.  You spend a lot of time in your car; make it a comfortable place that will give you peace and a break from your hectic life.  Soothing, nurturing music or inspirational tapes are wonderful ways to shift your attitude. 

Organize your personal space.  Get rid of clothing or shoes that are over-the-hill.  Buy a few things that will transition you to your new body. You need to feel attractive every day; go through accessories, make-up and personal products; toss out old or outdated items, and restock if necessary.  When in doubt, store those items in a separate box.  In six months, if you haven’t had a need or desire for those items (or that you can simply live without them) send the box off to a friend or favorite charity. 

Part of my closet today.  I can see what I have and am organized by 

separating jackets, tops, bottoms, dresses and accessories.  

Organize your people.  I know this sounds kind of manipulative, but the truth is you will need to have your family and friends’ help and support.  Let them know immediately that you’ve made a decision to make some positive changes in your life and that your intentions are not to make life more difficult for them, but rather you are giving yourself the gift of honoring your deepest desire; to have a fitter, healthier body. 

Trust me, they want it for you, too, but alas there is an element of selfishness in all of us and some of them may forget that your life isn’t just for making them comfortable and content! (So listen up, my supermoms and/ or work-a-holics, you will need to make yourself a priority!)

It is time to purge your environment of all the things that bind you to your old unproductive lifestyle and prepare yourself now for the new one!  While your at it, how about all those "too good to be true" diet books and plans.  They only serve to remind you of a past failures.  

The BODECI method is about shedding deprivation and  shame while shedding old outdated modes for changing your body.  Andiamo!  Organize a closet or a drawer,  allow yourself a short time frame, say fifteen minutes, then be done with it!  Keep it simple, and you will succeed!

How to Enjoy a Snack

Ak Mak cracker with a light spread of honey dijon, chopped onion, garden lettuce.  

Topped with a half slice of swiss, turkey breast and fresh ground pepper.

Made two and ate one then thought to take photo.  Everything was put away before I sat down to my snack.  OK, I went to my computer to do some work while eating it, but I didn't go back for more.  Too much work and by the time I gave it anymore thought I was totally satisfied!

What is your favorite healthy snack?  I'd love to hear from you!