Mike finds happy trails

Mike has an inspiring story. He embarked upon a health and fitness journey and in the process found happy trails. At 56 years old, Mike was living a sedentary lifestyle and gained a lot of weight. His wake-up call occurred when a good friend, who was three years younger and more active, almost passed away from a heart attack. He knew he needed to make a change.

Mike started off slowly. He took out his old bike and began riding again on flat trails nearby. The first few miles were tough, but he soon gained endurance and began riding further. Then he added swimming laps to the mix. Finally, he began using his gym equipment at home and later joined a gym.

In addition to his physical activity, Mike began tracking his calorie intake on My Fitness Pal. He soon realized he was overeating by about 2,000 calories per day! A big soda fan, Mike was challenged by his son to cut out the soft drinks. He also began eating food with fresh ingredients, including fish and vegetables. When he made these changes, he really noticed the weight coming off. When he went to see his cardiologist, the doctor was very happy with his progress. To date, Mike has lost a total of 42 pounds.

Mike’s two tips include:

1. Find an exercise you enjoy. Mike picked bicycling because he knew he would enjoy it and could make measurable progress. He set goals that were attainable and measurable.

2. Have a good support group. If you don’t have friends and family, use My Fitness Pal, which has a lot of great information and encouraging people.

Mike has found happy trails and you can too! To connect with Mike directly, find him on My Fitness Pal.

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Low carb versus low fat diets

Have you ever wondered about the science behind low fat and low carb diets? Which one is better?

In a study from 2003, 40 people between the ages of 24 and 61 were evaluated during a 10-week program. This program looked at health outcomes as a result of being part of a low carb or low fat diet.

Those within the low carb diet had no more than 15% of their calories coming from carbohydrates. Those within the low fat diet had less than 18% fat in their diet. In the end, both groups improved and lost nearly the same amount of weight, with the low fat group having lost 18.2 pounds on average and the low carb group having lost an average of 18.8 pounds.

In addition, both groups lowered their triglycerides and cardiovascular risk. However, the low carb diet increased their HDL but saw no change in LDL. The low fat diet saw improved insulin sensitivity, whereas the low carb group saw no change with this. The low carb group also saw their ketones increase, while the low fat group did not experience this.

So both diets worked well in their own ways and showed weight loss. But how do you decide what will work best for you? To do this, you have to prioritize what matters most to you. If you want to impact your insulin sensitivity, perhaps the low fat diet is for you. If you want to see your ketones increase, then the low carb diet might be the right choice.

Ultimately, the right choice for you is the one that will work with your lifestyle. If the changes are not sustainable in the long-term, it won’t be the right fit. Consider what food you have access to and the nature of your everyday lifestyle. Be realistic. If you know you cannot give up bread and carbs, then perhaps the low carb diet is not for you. Choose one or the other and stick with it. The choice over a low fat or low carb diet is truly yours to make!

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Dealing with weight loss plateaus

In a health and fitness journey, there is one certainty. At one point or another, progress will slow and a weight loss plateau may occur. You may be doing all the right things, but the weight has simply stopped coming off. Perhaps the number on the scale is ebbing and flowing. This can last for days, weeks, or even months in a weight loss plateau.

Do a self-evaluation. Evaluate the quality and quantity of your food. Did you stop eating well? Start doing your food logs again. Are you stressed? A cortisol response with stress could be causing your body to store fat. If you’re having trouble being objective, you may consider bringing in a coach for ideas on how to improve.

Don’t overlook the importance of progression and patience. Over time, you will see great progression. At first, you may see drastic improvements—big losses of body fat and advances in strength. But over time, your body will level out in this plateau. You may come out of a plateau, only to end up in another plateau yet again. This is normal. Your body is trying to find balance.

Make sure you’re looking at several different measurements, not just the number on the scale. Check out this free infographic, 7 Health and Fitness Measures That Matter, to consider some other measurements. If you’re not seeing progress in one area, chances are you will see progress in other areas.

The key is to focus on health first. Stay on the plan. Don’t panic and don’t quit. Continue to work on what is showing results, keep progressing, and tweak the plan as you go. Have the patience to stay the course and you will overcome this temporary weight loss plateau.

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Emotional roadblocks in health and fitness | Ellen Shuman

Ellen Shuman is an emotional eating recovery coach who specializes in removing emotional barriers to achieving health goals. Her work focuses on teaching emotional regulation tools to those who have trouble being present and following through.

Sometimes people experience emotional roadblocks that threaten to derail their progress in achieving their health and fitness goals. This issue is not simply a case of laziness. Conversely, many people who experience these roadblocks are hypervigilant in other areas of their lives.

The issue is more often about having the ability to tolerate moments in one’s life—feelings, tasks, disappointments, stress. When these roadblocks are not well-tolerated, there can be difficulty in following through with an exercise routine. When people experience these problems, they feel the need to distract themselves from the present moment. And exercise is actually a totally mindful act—one in which the participant must be fully present. The resistance comes from the desire to disconnect. They don’t want to be mindful, and that desire is stronger than the desire to follow through on their health goals.

So how can people overcome these roadblocks and this desire to disconnect?

Get connected first thing in the morning

Make your bed. Adopt a meditation routine. Take a simple action that will make you feel a sense of accomplishment, which will turn on your mindfulness switch for the day.

Do a daily self-check on goals

Use PENSO: physical intention, emotional intention, nutritional intention, spiritual or social intention, and outstanding/other/opportunity. Address each area once per day.

Feel competent and confident

Feel confident that you can create the day you want to create.

The need to go mindless dissipates when you are mindful. If you are willing to tolerate being in the present moment and live mindfully, it will increase your possibility of following through.

Want to learn more about Ellen Shuman and removing emotional roadblocks? Learn more at www.aweighout.com or join her free telephone seminar on Sundays at 4pm ET. You can also reach her directly at (513) 321-4242 for a free assessment for coaching.

Habits and failure

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Todd loses over 300lbs

Todd is a 46-year-old married, father of two from Illinois. He also has an inspiring story to share. Now in the fifth year of his weight loss journey, Todd was able to lose over 300 pounds.

Todd’s wake up call began in September 2011 when he found himself in the hospital. At that time, he weighed in at 589 pounds. The doctors told him if he didn’t do something about his health, he’d only have about five years to live. He looked at his daughters from his hospital bed and thought about how he would not be around for them. He knew he needed to make a change.

But it would be difficult for Todd. Because of his physical limitations, he was unable to exercise. After doing some research and finding that at least 80% of weight loss was due to adopting an appropriate diet, he knew what he needed to do. He adjusted his diet and was able to lose 323 pounds.

Todd had a few tips for those who want to make a change:

Don't give up

There will be good and bad days. Some may even start questioning themselves. Is all of this worth it? Know that it is worth it. The good days will last longer than the bad days.

Lower your carbs

Cut back on your carb intake. Eat 4 to 5 smaller meals with snacks. Eat lean proteins, raw vegetables, and drink plenty of water. This will also help with getting your body into ketosis faster.

Todd has had an amazing journey in losing over 300 pounds. Want to connect with Todd directly? You can find him on My Fitness Pal as stogie40 or via his profile on www.realbodiesrealresults.com. Be sure to comment on transformation page. Don’t forget to check out the six-month program at which will give you access to a registered dietician, food plans, recipes, and much more.

Patterns of success in weight loss

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Habits and failure

A commitment to creating a fitness lifestyle is all about establishing habits and lessening the chances of failure. To be successful, a person’s “why” has to be at least partially for him or herself. This is critical to establishing a new self-relationship.

Consider Sandy, who has been featured on previous episodes. Sandy was establishing healthy habits and taking action. She was eating better, staying active, and drinking more water. All of this was allowing her to play with her grandchildren just the way she had imagined when she set out on her fitness journey.

In this call with Sandy, she considered next steps in her journey. She needed to develop her goals for the short-run. What did she want to accomplish in the next six months? These goals were to be measurable and attainable, and she seemed ready to get started.

She also recognized that she needed to drink more water. Sandy had a history of joint issues. Though her increased water intake was helping, but even more would be needed to get her to full hydration. This would allow her to avoid additional pain and problems in her knees. These added fluids would also help to flush toxins out of her system both quickly and efficiently.

Overall, Sandy was making progress. She was losing weight and getting stronger. She had increased endurance and was even getting compliments on her physical changes. However, unexpectedly and unexplainably, she dropped out of the program at Week 7.

Emotional roadblocks can be a tough obstacle to overcome. They have the power to derail previously established habits and threaten failure. This is so very important and will be discussed on the next episode.

My client Sandy makes the commitment

Emotional roadblocks in health and fitness | Ellen Shuman

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Patterns of success in weight loss

Terry has a passion for fitness and helping others succeed in weight loss. As the founder of Real Bodies Real Results, he started his career in fitness years ago. He began offering fitness coaching and tips to friends and family, who later asked for his help in losing weight. After working with clients in this area, he knew these success stories would be valuable to those starting on this path.

Enter Real Bodies Real Results, a website with a mission to tell weight loss success stories in a deeper, fuller way to inspire others and share tips to be used by those undergoing their own journey.

A few of these tips include:

It's a lifestyle

Fitness and weight loss is a journey. Hard work is key. Only make the changes you intend to live with the rest of your life. Think of this as the new way you’re going to live your life, not just a diet. Fad diets, pills, and wraps are not sustainable.

Eat less move more

There is no one size fits all solution. You may need to reduce portion size or possibly eliminate some foods entirely. You need to do what’s right for you.

Motivation comes from within

Nobody will do it for you. Desire may be motivated by others, but ultimately it must come from within. You must love yourself enough to make the commitment.

Weight loss is not linear

Don’t let it discourage you. Consider this quote from Brandon on the Real Bodies Real Results website, “Will it be hard? Maybe. Will you be discouraged? Perhaps. Will you slip up at times? Most likely. Will it be worth it? Most definitely.”

The truth is, weight loss is a mental game. The main reasons that people decide to lose weight all have emotional ties. It is this emotion that gives people the motivation to continue or stop.

Remember, success in weight loss is a slow process. Keep at it and you will see success. For more information, check out the website at http://www.realbodiesrealresults.com/ or email realbodiesrealresults@gmail.com.

https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/secret-successful-fat-loss-fitness/

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music