The glory of the gut! Friendy Microbes.

Our gastrointestinal track houses about four pounds of bacteria!  We have more bacteria in our body than cells of the body!  That being said we hope those bacteria are “friendly,” providing us with nourishment by manufacturing vitamins, helping to absorb minerals, strengthening our immune system and regulating positive genetic expression and detoxification.

Our bacteria is determined initially by our mother’s bacteria as we move through the birth canal. We continue to colonize through exposure while breast feeding, breathing and living.    Bacteria exposure is necessary to gain a healthy immune system!  Let those kids play in the dirt! 

If we have a disruption in our friendly bacteria then we get overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria or pathogens.  These pathogens cause inflammation in the GI tract and can lead to allergies, GI distress, auto immune diseases, hormonal imbalance, mood disorders, nutrient deficiency and more. 

All health begins with digestion and if we have symptoms of digestive distress (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, heart burn, etc.) then our long-term health will be compromised.

Gut flora imbalance is widespread today partly due to a sterile environment (too many antibacterial cleaners) which wipes out 99% of bacteria, but allows that resistant 1% to thrive, creating “super bugs.”  Also, children do not get exposed to the beneficial bacteria creating a space for pathogens to flourish, and we are bombarded with over prescription of antibiotics which are also present in our food and water supply.

Where do we get probiots?  We can get them from cultured foods: yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, lasi, kim chee, miso, kombucha, temph and kefir, however these foods need to be made by traditional preparation.  Much of the yogurt of today is a sugary processed food; sauerkraut is not naturally fermented but made with food chemicals.  Your local health food store or co-op will carry naturally fermented foods.

The other way to get probiotics are through supplementation.  Supplementation is necessary if we have known bacterial overgrowth or if we have been exposed to antibiotics, highly chlorinated water, high levels of stress, foreign countries, unclean water, do not eat naturally fermented foods or have any digestive complaints.

Quality is so very important when choosing any supplement, but especially living bacteria.  Your best bet is always a professional line of supplements.  These are put through higher standards and quality control than what is generally sold over the counter.  Look for refrigerated, freeze dried powder or capsules with 1+ billion CFU’s that has many different strains.  Another consideration is that some symptoms and disorders are strain specific, your nutritionist can recommend which strains are best for your unique needs.

Happy digesting!

Cheri Soraparu, MS, CCN
Functional Nutrition for a happier you!
Nutrition@teamfitness.info
bewellbalanced.org

Kids Classess for January

Holiday Cheer!

During the holidays there is a lot of stress , candy , and most people are strapped for time . Exercise is the thing that people tend to cut down on most. Once the holiday season is over and we’ve all gained a few lbs from all the chocolate and food and lack of exercise, it becomes more difficult the shed the weight off.

As a trainer I’ve learned its much easier to keep fit if I keep my exercise consistently and use the online nutrition guide at www.TeamFitness.info .  It helps me to keep track of the calories and nutritional content of the food I'm eating so I'm less likely to bing on the sweets.

This holiday keep the weight off, (buy a pant size smaller for motivation), switch up your exercise routine to accommodate your busy life, (we need exercise most during this stressful time of year), get a trainer who can help you to stay motivated during these challenging times, take a second look at the calories your consuming, try a week free trial of the online nutrition guide, ask Cheri about her 15 minute free consultation.

Look forward to feeling energized and good about your self image!  Most of all no more new year resolutions .

Let me know how I can help you achieve your goals!

Holiday Cheers,

Shelby Carpentar

Team Fitness

Certified Personal Trainer

sc79carp@hotmail.com

Revolutionary Health Care

Returning from the Functional Medicine seminar on prevention, treatment and reversal of chronic disease, leaves me with great enthusiasm toward the future of our world as the current health paradigm of a “pill for the ill,” moves to nutrition and lifestyle based medicine.

The goal of functional medicine is to pair every Medical Professional with a licensed, functional based nutritionist.  YEA! 

Functional Medicine or Functional Nutrition is assessing the unique biochemistry of an individual through a physical exam, nutrition and lifestyle assessment, medical symptom questionnaires and biochemistry lab work if needed.  From there the practitioner can make interventions based on removing harmful and deteriorating factors and providing nutrients and foods to create optimal function and self healing. The best part is that Functional Medicine and proper nutrition care has been proven may times to be just as, or more effective than pharmaceuticals at reversing signs, symptoms and lab markers of chronic disease

The body always heals its self when harmful factors are removed and proper nourishment is given.  By nourishment I include moving the body, feeding with un-processed clean non-inflammatory food and positive thoughts and feelings.

We at Team Fitness are very excited to participate in this revolution!  We have paired with licensed and talented professionals who can provide Comprehensive Wellness care.  We will continue to strive to be on the cutting edge of the wellness industry in order to provide our customers with the right tools and support to make lasting positive changes in their health and wellbeing.

Our goal is that you look and feel FANTASTIC!

The choice is yours!  We are here when you are ready!

Be Well,

Cheri Soraparu, MS, CCN

Functional Nutrition for a Happier YOU!

Director of Nutrition & Personal Training

Team Fitness & Well Balanced Nutrition

Lake Stevens & Snohomish, WA

http://www.teamfitness.info/
http://www.bewellbalanced.org/

These gals have experienced incredible wellness by working with personal trainers and changing their nutrition!

Fat Fall Off Body Fat Results - 30 days!!

GREAT JOB!! KEEP UP YOUR HARD WORK!   
REMEMBER THESE ARE LIFESTYLE CHANGES.  NO FAD DIETS OR HORMONES USED HERE!  :) 
JC Female 40 - Lost 10% body fat. 41% to 31%. Lost 28# body fat, added 5 # lean body mass!


(60 days)  DG Female 41 - Lost 13% body fat. 31% to 19%. Lost 26 # body fat, added 10 # lean body mass.
NK Male33 - Lost 6% body fat  21.5% to 14.36%, Lost 14 # body fat, added 12# lean body mass

EH Female 27 - Lost 3.2% body fat. 31.9% to 28.75%, Lost 9# body fat, no lean body mass gain

JO Female 39 -Lost 7.29% body fat. 39% to 31.79 % - Lost 18 # body fat, added 4.4 # lean body mass


EA Female46 - Lost 4% body fat. 31.6% to 27.5 %. -Lost 8 # body fat, added 5.4 # lean body mass

AS Male 42 - Lost 5.5% body fat. 30.55 to 25%. Lost 12.8# body fat, added 8.6# lean body mass

MS Female 53 - Lost 3.55% body fat. 40% to 36.5%. Lost 8.6# body fat, added 2# lean body mass


KD Female 39 - Lost 7.5% body fat. 38% to 30.7. Lost 16# body fat, added 12 # lean body mass

DP Female 56 - Lost 4.6 % body fat. 44% to 39%. Lost 14 # body fat, added 3.2# lean body mass

Day 23- Great NEWS!

FFO - Day 23

My blood sugar is 98!!! My doctor said next week if I get tested again I can get off my diabetes medication. I have been taking Metformin for two years. My blood pressure is normal and I still have some work to do on my cholesterol! I can not believe this! The scale has not moved hardly at all, but that seems insignificant to the fact that I am saving my life! The pounds will come no doubt! I printed and showed my doctor my blog. He reviewed all of my food an is very impressed. He said he puts a lot of people on Metformin and rarely takes someone off. He is very proud of my progress and is excited for the results of my blood tests next week. I am too. I have been really wrapped up in the numbers lately. My husband is ready to throw away the scale…and thinking about it, it may not be a bad idea.

The best part is how great I feel. I have so much more energy and my outlook is much better. I have not had a binge eating episode in a long time and feel very proud of that fact. My clothes are fitting a bit better and the muffin top over my jeans is smaller.

This isn’t like the biggest loser where you lose 13 pounds a week, but it is something. I spoke with Ryan last night while I was waiting for Mike and he said his weight has not changed, but his body fat is much less. I am really hoping for the same kind of results. I am nervous to weigh in and feel like my numbers won’t be good enough, but I guess It all depends on what is good enough. The proof is in the blood sugar right?  I am really proud of how much I have changed in the last 23 days and I know this is life long.

I have tried to do this so many times, and this is the first time I have been able to do it. I owe it all to the nutrition coach, personal trainer and my workout team. Again, if your thinking about this program, don’t wait. You may not see 27 pounds in 30 days, but it is what you can’t see that’s makes the sweat worth it.

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake

Snack: Three Clementine oranges

Lunch: Tuna over lettuce with fresh lemon and dill and crushed Mary’s crackers

 Snack: Paleo almond and coconut bar 

Dinner: Zucchini Boats  ***Incredible***

I took a pound of ground turkey, 1 whole white onion, shredded a carrot, sliced mushrooms and fresh spinach and browned it all. I drizzled some oilive oil in the pan to get it to stick together a bit. I added a ton of fresh basil and garlic and a little bit of salt.

I sliced 6 zucchini’s length wise and hollowed them out with a teaspoon then filled them with the mixture. I baked them at 400 degrees for about 15 min until the zucchini was tender. They were incredible!  The whole family gobbled them up. I served them with a side of brown rice.

This took less than 30 min to prepare. While they were cooking I did up the dishes. Perfect timing.

 My Fitness:

I did the Boeing 2 mile loop today. I knew I would not have time to go to the gym and prepared for the busy evening. 

Day 22

FFO - Day 22

I went to the doctor today and will get the rest of my results tomorrow. I will write about it all then. I made up for my lack of exercise over the weekend today! I got off of work and went to the gym with my daughter. It was great working out with her and I worked just a bit harder as I was trying to show her how strong I have become. I was determined to finish the 5K I tried to do Saturday and accomplished the goal! I was beat red and sweating from every pore on my body!!! After I did the 5K I went over and found Mike to start my personal training session. He kicked my butt tonight. I did pull ups and push-ups, crunches and step-ups. Tonight was the first time I thought I was going to puke. I have always wanted to work out so hard I puked, but I didn’t quite make it tonight. I was sure the rock wall was going to do it! The hour ended right as I was going to blow. O well…another goal to work towards. J

I did great on my food today.

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake

Snack: Two hard boiled eggs

Lunch:  green salad with sliced chicken breasts. I made these on the George Foreman grill and froze them about a week ago and kept forgetting about them. I popped them in the microwave at work and they came out great. I have a little dressing container I mixed olive oil and balsamic in and it was so easy at work.

Snack: coconut bar

Dinner:  Same as lunch. My husband and son had football practice  tonight and they had fast food after practice. I made my daughter and I a beautiful salad!

My Fitness:

See above.

Day 21

FFO - Day 21

 I am trying to keep this blog to diet and fitness and trying to keep my personal life out of this, but as many of you know, that’s tough thing to do when diet and fitness is so closely tied to emotions. I went over to my parents today for a family dinner and I tell you…Family is a true test for any binge eater. I am the biggest one in my family and have been for years. I was the butt of many diet jokes today. Oh they didn’t mean anything by it…I was told. They were calling this the diet of the month and were teasing me for the whole gluten free thing. I have to admit I was irritated. I laughed it off of course, but it hurts. I don’t think our relatives understand how much it affects us when they mock our efforts to lose weight. I got through the dinner and picked at what I could eat. My hubby said all the comfort words and I considered the source. I should have worked out today and that just added to my failure feelings. This is where I would have come home in the past and cleaned out the cupboards. No emotional binge eating for me today, so I guess that’s a win!

Tomorrow is a new day…

Today’s food:

Breakfast: No breakfast, I slept in! Its Sunday.

Lunch:  Had a late breakfast…just the Detox shake  today

Snack: apple and almond butter

Dinner:  Halibut steak brushed with oilive oil and steamed broccoli

My Fitness:

None

Day 20

FFO - Day 20

I tried to do a 5k today and made it to 2.8 miles before I had to stop. I was so tired. It was a pretty busy day starting at 7:00am with a football game. Then it was errands and helping my daughter with a school project. Laundry and the kitchen floor next and finally getting to the gym around 6:00pm. I think if I had someone with me I could have gone further, but to be honest, I was just kinda bored. I texted my two buddies to see if they wanted to join me, but no response. Im still in a funky mood from yesterday.

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake

I bought some peaches and mixed my shake up a little. Used a little bit of frozen coconut ice cream. It is dairy free, soy free and gluten free available at Safeway. It was absolutely delicious!

Snack: celery and almond butter

Lunch:  spinach salad with sliced eggs and tomato        

Snack: none

Dinner:  ground turkey with green beans and tomatoes over brown rice. I don’t recommend this meal. It was so bland and it was the first meal that tasted like diet food. I don’t know what went wrong, but it was terrible. My family could not choke it down and they ended up going out for ice cream.

My Fitness:

See Above

Day 15- Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 15

Ugh…I hate Mondays…

I came into work to an email explosion. I wanted to hibernate at my desk and attack my inbox but I walked away from my desk and instead…went to the kitchen and made myself a cup of peppermint tea. Trader Joe’s sells a delicious brand with a hint of tarragon. Peppermint has been used for hundreds of years as an herbal remedy for an upset stomach, it also relieves stress via aromatherapy and aids in weight loss. Peppermint acts as an appetite suppressant and helps digestion. I drink it because it is sweet without any added sugar. I love it cold in the summer and piping hot in the winter. I peeled my egg I brought and sliced my pear. It was nice to take a moment and actually have a conversation with my co-workers in the kitchen. I tend to be very focused at work and do not socialize much. I know in my heart I do this because I don’t like myself very much at this weight and can’t imagine other people would either. Something is changing in me. I feel more confident right now. I thought about this after I got back to my desk and realized it has everything to do with the power I am giving myself. I have been battling diabetes for over a year. I would take my medication at night and eat candy during the day. I was on a constant energy roller coaster ride and sitting next to me in the front seat were my good buddies Shame and Guilt.  I have nothing to feel guilty about now. I eat like a healthy person, I work out and I feel amazing! I am coming out of my shell!

Tonight I left TF feeling like an athlete! I climbed the rock wall. Let me repeat…I climbed the rock wall! Mike showed me what to do and I got on. He started it very slow and I fell off on my first time. The second time I made that wall my “Biotch!”

For any of you wondering if a trainer or the detox is worth the price…well how much would you pay for self confidence? How much would you pay to be able to walk into your workplace kitchen and just join a conversation? How much would you pay to get your power back? 

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake

Snack:  Hard boiled egg and pear

Lunch: red leaf lettuce with tuna, lemon and a cut up tomato

Snack: Almonds

Dinner:  Grilled chicken breast, brown rice with a tiny slice of butter and steamed broccoli

My Fitness:

1 hour Kick fit class and 1 hour personal training…oh…and did I mention I CLIMBED THE ROCK WALL???

Day 14 - Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 14

I feel so much better today. I am out of bed and cooking again. I stepped on the scale and actually gained a pound! How is it possible to get food poisoning and gain a pound? I was so frustrated this morning I called my good friend Angie. She told me to throw my scale away, that the number doesn’t matter! I had to remind her that I am trying to lose 27 pounds in 30 days. I don’t have room to gain a pound. I told her I hadn’t been to the gym on two days and she suggested we go together. We met at TF at 3:30pm and did interval runs on the treadmill until we were both physically exhausted. We then hit the rowing machine and did 5 min on that beast. Then we went downstairs and did a few of the exercises I did with Mike last week. I left the gym feeling extremely satisfied with the level of effort I put forth. I was determined to lose the food poisoning pound I somehow gained!

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Egg white omelet with basil, tomato and onion.

Snack: Detox shake     

Lunch: Apple with almond butter

Dinner: Grilled Chilean Sea Bass (available at Central Market) with the following Amazing Salad and long grain brown rice

Amazing Salad:

Dice tomato’s, green onions, avocado, cucumber and an olive oil drizzle with a dash of sea salt served over red leaf lettuce. 

My Fitness:

See above

Day 12 - Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 12

Ok…so I cheated. I was trying to save money and use up some non-organic chicken breast I had in the freezer for dinner last night. I ended up poisoning the entire family. We are all violently ill and I’m thinking it had to be the chicken. I took the chicken out of the freezer in the morning and meant to put it in the refrigerator, but ended up leaving it out on the counter all day. When I got home from the I-Melt I realized I had left it out, but it still felt really cold and the middle was still icy. I decided to cook it and well…now we are all on a new weight loss plan.

I’m not working out tonight…I’m too sick.

I am hoping my family will start speaking to me again soon…in the meantime I am just trying to keep everyone hydrated and hopefully this thing passes by tomorrow. 

Today’s food:

Breakfast: water

Snack: water

Lunch: banana and brown rice shake with almond milk.

Dinner: I haven’t even thought about dinner yet. Probably another shake.

My Fitness:

None

Day 10 - Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 10

I had to work late tonight and I didn’t get home until nearly seven. I survived off the almonds and an apple I had stashed in my desk. I was literally starving by the time I came home. I was not expecting to work so late, so I was completely unprepared. As my co-worker went to the vending machine I resolved it was better to stay hungry than eat a bag of chips or packaged doughnuts. I am not one who advocates skipping meals at all, but I didn’t see I had much of a choice. I kept telling myself the almonds and apple gave my body the fuel it needed and I just needed to be strong until I could get home.

Lesson for the day: Prepare for the unexpected. I now have several ¼ c. raw almond baggies and two paleo bars in my desk drawer.

When I got home, I went to the fridge and scrambled some egg whites with mushrooms and tomatoes and green onion. It was very quick to prepare and very filling. I devoured it!

I am exhausted and going to hit the sack. Big fitness day tomorrow!

Today’s food:

At 6:00am detox shake with strawberries and almond milk

Breakfast: Steel cut oats in the microwave (I was hungry this morning…and I know…no microwaves)

Snack: pear

Lunch: Leftover zucchini spaghetti

Snack: Almonds and apple

Dinner: Vegi omelet

My Fitness:

I did not work out today, so it looks like I am trading my Sunday for today.

Day 11 - Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 11

I was so excited today for 1:00. My first I-Melt session couldn’t come fast enough. I was told when I made my appointment I would need to hydrate several hours before my session. The receptionist also told me to wear three layers of 100% cotton clothing. I drank water all day. Being a woman, the decision of what to wear is always on my mind so I evaluated my options and I decided on a pair of yoga pants, my comfy sweats, a pair of my husband’s sweat pants, two long sleeve t shirts and a sweatshirt. I packed everything in a bag and was off to my session. When I arrived Courtney brought me to a massage room and instructed me to remove my watch and all my jewelry.

Tip #1: Don’t wear jewelry. My necklace chain got tangled in my purse on the way home.

Courtney then left me to put my layers on and came back with a piping hot cup of green tea for me to sip on and a bottle of water. She laid a pillow out for my head and told me to hop up on the table where she began to strap me in. She pulled large straps around each thigh, two around my upper arms one around my hips and rear, and one all the way around my abdomen. It was really difficult to move once I was strapped in and I left my IPod on the little table next to me. She was very helpful. She handed me my Ipod and even put the headphones in my ears for me. She told me to relax and she left the room.

            Tip #2: Lay down with your IPod in hand and headphones in place.

I was laying there for about 5 minutes and was thinking, ok…I’m strapped in…I am warm…but how is this going to burn 1200 calories in an hour? My question was answered around the 10 minute mark. I became really warm. I started to sweat. At 20 min, I had pools of sweat on my forehead. At 30 min it felt as if I was laying in the sun on the beaches of Mexico. I was really sweating at the 40 min mark and my clothes were soaked through.

            Tip #3: Don’t wear skimpy layering tee shirts, the straps get really hot and I should have worn thicker long sleeve tee shirts. I had to loosen the straps a little as it felt like it was burning me. These are called “Hot Spots” and can be avoided if your clothes are thick enough.

I was ready to get off the surface of the sun around the 50 min mark, but wanted to finish the whole hour. I didn’t want to cheat myself out of 200 calories. Do you know how long I would have to be on the treadmill to burn 200 calories? I cranked up my Mama Mia soundtrack and sweated out the last few minutes.

            Tip #4: It can feel a tiny bit claustrophobic because you really can’t move all strapped in. Just breathe and remind yourself why you are doing this.

I rang my little bell when the hour was up and another gal that works in the salon helped me out of the straps. I was soaked all the way through all the layers of clothing. I have to tell you it is difficult trying to peel off layers of soaked clothes. I wore my yoga pants and a t shirt to TF and had to drive home in sweat soaked clothes…very uncomfortable.

            Tip #5: bring a towel and an extra change of clothes. You will want a shower as soon as you are done.

When I got home, I stripped myself and jumped on the scale. I lost a pound and a half in an hour! AMAZING! I was so excited. Then I took a cool shower and brought my body temperature down to a more human level. I was floating on air…I have never had such amazing results with anything I have tried in the past. 

I had planned an amazing dinner of acorn squash stuffed with shredded zucchini, diced cooked chicken breast and chopped apple and onion. For the life of me I could not figure out how to cut the top of an acorn squash off. The thing was as hard as stone. I used my best knives to hack into this thing. The directions said to remove the top and scoop out the middle then stuff it with the filling. The directions said nothing about needing garage tools to accomplish the task. I was half tempted to get out the saws-all, but thought that was a bit extreme. I asked my daughter to hop online and look up the directions for slicing an acorn squash…and…nothing. In the end, I threw the mutilated acorn squash in the garbage and said “Forget this!”  I improvised. I sautéed all the vegi’s and threw in some tomatoes for color. I boiled some pasta for the family and tossed it with some olive oil and sea salt. I scooped mine over some raw spinach leaves and we all enjoyed a very tasty meal.

Today was a good day!

Today’s food:

Breakfast: I slept in today, so no breakfast

Snack: detox shake around 11:00am

Lunch: Pear, banana and strawberry slightly blended over baby spinach leaves and thinly sliced red onion. The flavor combination was delicious.

Dinner: See above

After dinner snack was another pear. They are really good! I also had a coconut bar in bites throughout the day.

My Fitness:

I did not work out today as I was soaked through my clothes.

            Final Tip: Work out before the I-Melt session. You will be a little tired after the session and will want to shower right away. No part of you will want to work out once you’re off the table.

Day 9 - Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 9 – 10/13/10

Mike is back from vacation and I have been looking forward to my first training session with him all day. My weight loss has not been what I have been hoping for so I’ve decided to step it up a little more. I went to the 6:30 kick fit class tonight. I have to tell anyone who has never been to Kick-fit…THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN! The class was an hour but it didn’t seem like it at all. The music was blaring, and it was all songs we know and love. I looked around and saw several people singing along to “Pump up the jam” and “Let’s get this party started.” Mike teaches it and he made it awesome. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a party, it was a really intense workout. It has come to my attention tonight that I am physically incapable of jump roping. I looked like I was having a seizure trying to get my rope under my feet. The part I loved, loved, loved was karate kicking the bag all ninja style! I was all like…oh yeah…don’t mess with me! Kickfit ended with an ab-workout that was really difficult but really fun. I paired up with this amazing woman that has lost 100 pounds, she is really funny and I liked working out with her. We sat on our rears and interlocked our feet. We did sit-ups while throwing a medicine ball back and forth. We were only supposed to do 25 each but we sorta didn’t hear that part and kept going waiting for Mike to say “Time!” Finally we noticed everyone else had stopped and were waiting on us. I looked at Mike and said…”Did we miss something?” It was really funny.

After Kick Fit we went into our personal training. I have a new goal. I lack the strength to pick up my own body weight and therefore am unable to lay on my back, feet on the giant orange ball and lift my own rear off the ground. Every time I lifted my behind I would roll to the right or the left. I looked like a spaz and it was really difficult! I have mastered my form on the Ab-Solo (the previous bruise causing machine), but it is still very intense. I must have been making some kind of ugly face, because Mike said…and I quote “That’s the face I am looking for…the OH MY GAWD FACE!” We ended in sprints across the gym. To all who are reading this and wondering if you get your money’s worth with the trainer…the answer is a resounding yes. You will be sore…but if you’re not sore, you’re not working hard enough.

My favorite part of these workouts is when the sweat drips into my glasses. It’s so cool!

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake and pear

Snack: almonds and orange (they taste really good together)

Lunch: Package of albacore tuna, lemon and a package of Mary’s crackers from TF

Snack: coconut bar

Dinner: vegi scramble- it was so good last night, I had it again.

Shred zucchini, dice onion and tomatoes and slice some mushrooms. Separate your eggs and whip up the whites. Sauté the vegi’s in a tiny bit of olive oil and add a dash of sea salt and two cloves chopped garlic. Add eggs and enjoy! Prep time 5 min, cook time, 5 min.

My Fitness:

See above

Day 8 - Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 8 – 10/12/10

I had to work late tonight and I didn’t get home until nearly seven. I survived off the almonds and an apple I had stashed in my desk. I was literally starving by the time I came home. I was not expecting to work so late, so I was completely unprepared. As my co-worker went to the vending machine I resolved it was better to stay hungry than eat a bag of chips or packaged doughnuts. I am not one who advocates skipping meals at all, but I didn’t see I had much of a choice. I kept telling myself the almonds and apple gave my body the fuel it needed and I just needed to be strong until I could get home.

Lesson for the day: Prepare for the unexpected. I now have several ¼ c. raw almond baggies and two paleo bars in my desk drawer.

When I got home, I went to the fridge and scrambled some egg whites with mushrooms and tomatoes and green onion. It was very quick to prepare and very filling. I devoured it!

I am exhausted and going to hit the sack. Big fitness day tomorrow!

Today’s food:

At 6:00am detox shake with strawberries and almond milk

Breakfast: Steel cut oats in the microwave (I was hungry this morning…and I know…no microwaves)

Snack: pear

Lunch: Leftover zucchini spaghetti

Snack: Almonds and apple

Dinner: Vegi omelet

My Fitness:

I did not work out today, so it looks like I am trading my Sunday for today.

Day 7 - Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 7 – 10/11/10

I am feeling really proud of myself. This is a really easy program to stick to. It’s been a full week with no gluten, no sugar and no dairy. I don’t have headaches anymore and I am feeling really energized. I will confess I had a sip of my husbands coffee today and it tasted just as good as I remember. The one thing I have learned is I was really addicted to coffee and when I am off of the detox, I now know I don’t need a pot of coffee a day. I can enjoy a cup for the flavor.

My tummy is feeling a bit rumbly as this is day two of the detox. I spoke to the gal in the salon while making my I-melt appointments and she showed me how to massage my intestines to move some of the gas. I guess my unhealthy lifestyle before needs a little more motivation to get out of my body.

My family is rebelling a bit against the food. I made a meal that I absolutely loved, but they were not big fans.

See the link. http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/10/04/cooking-demo-paleo-spaghetti-baked-green-beans/

This recipe is amazing! I am really enjoying getting out my kitchen tools and really cooking. I’ve been so used to cooking out of cans and jars that my food processor has just collected dust.

Trained tonight and got a good sweat pouring workout. I made my I-Melt appointments and my first session is Thursday. I am really excited about this part.

Basically today I just wanted to share how alive I feel.

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox shake with almond milk, fresh strawberries and half a banana

Snack: almonds and half banana

Lunch: Leftover shrimp and Aztec salad

Snack: Carrots

Dinner: Spaghetti with zucchini noodles

Something sweet: Two squares of the approved chocolate sold at the Team Fitness counter

My Fitness:

Worked out for an hour with personal trainer. OMG!

Day 6 - Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 6 – 10/10/10

I woke up this morning excited to try my detox powder. I blended ice and strawberries, a banana, some almond milk and put two scoops of powder in the blender. I held my nose and prepared to drink. I was indeed surprised at the taste. It was great! I handed it to my husband and had him try and he was blown away that this was a detox shake. It really tasted good! I was also really full. Something I had not been for 5 days. I took my other supplements as directed also. I found the directions somewhat confusing on when to take each pill so I found a sharpie and labeled each bottle with the qty and time to take each one.

I was out of food today so I had to get to the store and quick. My daughter had a bi-week today so we didn’t have a soccer game to rush to. I had some time to plan the menu for the week. I ate my last apple and my last egg for a quick lunch with a bag of Mary’s crackers and was in need of some variety. I went to Traders Joe’s which might just be my favorite store of all time. It is so easy to shop there as everything is clearly labeled organic or free range. I came home and made little snack bags for the week. I cut up carrots, and celery. I measured out ¼ cup bags of unsalted almonds. I chopped broccoli and strawberries. I figure work will be easier if I have everything made up already.

I made an amazing dinner tonight. I grilled large shrimp and served it with the Greek Aztec Salad from the detox menu.  My family was a bit scared of the quinoa, but they ended up liking it very much. The fresh basil was incredible.

I also found a great tasting product at Trader Joe’s called Larabar. It is just Cashews and dates. That’s it…nothing else. The bar is gluten free, soy and dairy free with no additives. It tastes delicious!

Today’s food:

Breakfast: Detox smoothie

Snack: none

Lunch: apple, egg sliced on Mary’s crackers

Snack: Larabar

Dinner: Grilled shrimp over Greek Aztec salad

Today’s Fitness:

No fitness today…it’s Sunday

Fat Fall Off Day 2

FFO - Day 2 – 10/6/10

I would say my mood today was a mixture of excitement and apprehension. I had no idea what to expect. Would I get a Biggest Loser Jillian or Bob type? Could I make a full hour? The walking on the trail yesterday nearly killed me. I arrived early and Cheri told me to go upstairs and get on the treadmill before my session started. She was smiling like “Don’t just sit there! Get moving!” I was on the treadmill at a level 3 for 30 min before my training started. I met my group and talked to one of my team mates about why we were here and what our goals for the program were. She said she owns a chain of fast food restaurants and talked about how difficult it was being around burgers and fries all day. I could only imagine. When we went downstairs and the trainer started to show us what to do, we just met glances, our eyes wide. I was thinking to myself…um…my body does not bend that way. I was surprised how far I could bend and I believe a contributing factor was that I didn’t want to be the fat lady in the group that couldn’t do what the others did. There were so many times tonight that I wanted to quit halfway through thinking I could not possibly do another step-up or Ab-Flexor. But something happens when your in a group and the trainer is counting down the time. I thought to myself...”ok..30 seconds down…I’m done…wait I can go 10 more…” then the trainer would call out 15 seconds left…and before I knew it I had completed a full minute. Me…doing a full minute of crunches? Amazing!

I am developing a fitness plan now. I will be working with Mike Monday’s and Wednesday’s. The other 5 days I will do an hour of cardio and then do the workout I did with my trainer. I am determined to beat the record of 27 pounds and in order to do that I will need to put some serious hours in.

I will be sore tomorrow. On a side note, I am feeling really proud of myself. I drank right at 64 oz of water today, so that was a huge improvement over yesterday. I didn’t have any coffee, and had a slight headache this afternoon. I poured a can of coconut water over ice as Cheri suggested during the nutrition class and that seemed to help a little. I think I am going through sugar withdrawal also.

Today’s food

Breakfast: 2 small hardboiled eggs and one cup of cooked steel cut oats with almond milk and Stevia

Snack: 4 slices of turkey wrapped around a cored and sliced apple. (Turkey was nitrate free and free-range from deli counter) One can of coconut water.

Lunch: salad with tomatoes and shredded carrots with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I was still hungry after lunch but didn’t want to eat my snack too soon.

Snack: Pear and handful of unsalted almonds

Dinner: I did not prepare well for a busy night, and had two sports practices to attend before training. I went to Haggen’s and grabbed some premade sushi. It was brown rice, seaweed, shrimp, carrots, and avocado. I assume the ingredients were not organic, but am still proud of the choice I made as all of me wanted to drive through somewhere. I did not use any soy sauce.

Today’s Fitness: See Above

Day 5 Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 5 – 10/9/10

Cheri emailed me today and suggested I add more protein to my diet. I am hoping that will help keep me satiated. I picked up my supplements when I was at the gym tonight and I plan on starting them tomorrow morning. I can’t wait to see the difference in how I feel with them.

Today was a busy day for moms in Lake Stevens with teenage daughters. The morning started with a 8:00am Pee-Wee football game. I packed my “to-go” breakfast and made hot peppermint tea in my usual coffee thermos. After the game friends wanted to go out to breakfast and I joined them at the buzz inn but just had a cup of tea. I didn’t want to miss out on the socialization and they all understood. After breakfast it was to Target to pick up last minute homecoming dance items and to Safeway to pick up the boutonniere. I started to get hungry and had another apple. Note: Five days of apples get old!

After she was ready I drove her to the meeting house and politely resisted the snacks laid out for parents. We took photos and I left. It was easy to resist the snacks, especially with a public weigh-in in less than a month.

Here is the part I am excited to write about. After that busy day I would have crashed for an hour power nap. NOT TODAY! I went to the gym and worked out for an hour and a half.  Normally I would not have had the energy. This just goes to show that changes in my diet and starting a fitness routine really can increase your energy all natural. This must be what skinny people feel like! 

Today’s food:

Breakfast: 2 hardboiled eggs and an apple with cinnamon

Snack:  Apple

Lunch: Grilled Chicken Arugula salad with tomatoes, mushrooms and basil. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Snack: Coconut bar

Dinner: Same as lunch (I was not in the mood to get creative today)

Today’s Fitness:

42 min on treadmill (5K mostly at level 4)

15 min on elliptical (Level 1)

20 min on machines

100 crunches

50 side to sides holding ball

Day 4 Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 4 – 10/8/10

What an adventure! I left yesterday around noon and had my little igloo cooler in the front seat. It was a four hour drive and I was prepared. I drove straight through and arrived and checked into my hotel. My room had a small fridge so I unpacked my food and headed off to the supplier site for a quick introduction before the big meeting today. I had snacked on what I brought but was starving at 7pm when everyone announced they were heading out to dinner. As many of you know, business is discussed at meals and I was required to go. I didn’t plan for this. Restaurants are forbidden during detox and I was unsure how to pull this off, plus I still had to get my workout in. I arrived at the restaurant and was a bit panicky when looking at the menu. When the waitress came around for drinks I ordered water. That caused some minor ribbing from my dinner mates and I thought to myself, oh man…wait until I order my meal. I did the best I could given the situation. We were dining at an upscale steak and seafood house which actually worked in my favor. I ordered the grilled salmon prepared with no oil or butter and the steamed fall vegetables. I skipped the bread and the baked potato. For dessert I had a fresh fruit cup. My order generated quite the conversation around the table. As I was the only woman, I expected some smart ass comments from the guys, but instead they started talking about how they needed to lose weight. I was able to tell them about this program and they promised to check on the blog and follow my progress. We have another meeting next month and they will be expecting to see a little less Lacie.

This morning was much easier. My oatmeal cooked perfectly and I had my salad for lunch. I didn’t get my workout in last night, but woke up early and used the fitness center in the gym for 45 min. I was starving on the drive home because I ran out of the food I brought. I pulled off the Intersate and  found a sushi place in a little strip mall and ordered a brown rice roll with carrot and avocado. I made a huge salad when I got home and headed to the Lake Stevens Homecoming game. This was a really difficult trip and I am glad to be home.

I am hoping to start the I-Melt system next week and am looking forward to writing about that. I received an email from Cheri and was told my detox kit will be ready for pick-up tomorrow. I am super curious to see how this will help the hunger and cravings. I can tell my stomach is shrinking just based on the smaller portion sizes it is taking to become full, but I am getting hungry shortly after. I am going to talk to Cheri and ask her to review what I am eating and give me some advice on foods to keep me fuller longer. I am also feeling a tad more energized and I didn’t have a headache today. I’m exhausted tonight but I think it’s just from the whirlwind trip. 

 Lacie

  

Day 3 Fat Fall Off

FFO - Day 3 – 10/7/10

Holy GAWD! I can’t move my own arms! The closest I have ever come to working out with a personal trainer is watching the Biggest Loser and thinking to myself…I wish I had someone to push me like that. The wishing fairy answered me with force. It literally feels like I was a victim in a gang related beating. Every muscle is sore…but in a good way. I think we have all seen the t-shirt “Pain is just weakness leaving the body” and that is really how I look at this. It’s similar to the way that a tough guy will brag about his scars… “I got this one in Nam or in a MMA cage match or when I was fighting ninja’s.”

This is my pain story and I am just as proud of the bruise on my behind as the tough guys. Ladies who have some junk in your trunk be warned…There is a machine called the Ab-Flexor. You are supposed to sit in a little padded chair, lean back, and hurl a basketball at a target. You do this as many times as you can in a minute. Here’s the problem with that…Where the seat flexes, it leaves a gap, and apparently my butt is so big that it settled into the crack of the flexing chair and I caught and pinched it with my full body weight. I have a Viking purple stripe across my rear. The good news is you only do it once or twice and tend to really focus on your form after that.  

I am writing this article early in the day as I am headed out for a quick overnight trip for work. It’s noon and I am all packed and ready to go. I have my cooler packed with hard boiled eggs, cut broccoli and carrots, a couple apples and I found little almond butter packets with no sugar added in the organic section at Haggen’s. They are a bit pricy, but when you’re traveling I think it’s ok to pay for convenience. Haggen’s also sells turkey that is preservative free and very lean. I had them slice it for me thick and I cut it into little squares to top my salad. Glad makes tiny salad dressing to-go containers and I mixed a little EVOO and Balsamic for a dressing.  We are supposed to stay away from microwaves as much as possible, but in this case I had to make an exception. I know what is available for breakfast at the hotel and there is no way any of it will be allowed. I packed some steel cut oats I bought at trader joes in a baggie and plan to attempt a microwave cooking. I also have some strawberries for my oatmeal and packed my Truvia. I plan on asking for lemon at the kitchen in the morning for my hot detox drink.

I am excited to see how this plan will work on the road. My hotel has a fitness center so I plan to do a workout tonight after I arrive. Ok…I am off! I will report in full tomorrow.

Fat Fall OFF- Lacie's Experience - Day 1

The shaking legs in the room last night were just one indicator of the nervousness felt by the men and women who signed up for the detox program. We all arrived at 7:30 pm and took our chairs. The class started on time and Cheri began explaining the detox program and why we need it. Our number one question was answered right away when Cheri explained what foods were not allowed on the program. She immediately followed with the list of foods we could eat, which of course was longer than the "Don't" list. I had to applaud one lady's effort when she asked we were allowed to drink organic wine after we were instructed no alcohol or coffee. My husband Joe attended the presentation with me which I think helped him understand how I would need support. Joe has the metabolism of a fruit fry and considers fried zucchini a really good vegetable. No matter how poorly he eats, he never gains a pound.

I will be starting my detox program on Thursday 10/07/10. The detox supplies won’t be in until Wednesday night as there was some kind of shipping glitch. Cheri went through each product and explained how each one worked and the purpose in our bodies. My brain likes to know exact reasons why I am supposed to do something. It drove my parent crazy, but once I understood a rule, I usually never broke it. If Cheri said "Don't eat anything blue" I would probably end up eating blue food, But when she said "Do Not eat food that has artificial color listed as an ingredient and then explained what those artificial colors do to our body, now understand the logic behind the statement and will not be drinking any electric blue Gatorade anytime soon. She handed out some recipes I am excited to try and will post those as I make them.

The weigh in was next in the pool. This weigh in will determine how much muscle we have currently and establishes our baseline. We were also told our weight and body fat percentage. I latterly almost passed out when I was told my body fat was 45%. That is nearly half of me composed of fat! My weight is 229.00. The record is 27 pounds in 30 days and I am determined to beat that.

I am meeting with my sister tomorrow after work to take before pictures and measurements.

Today’s Food

Breakfast: Steel cut oats with Truvia and splash of almond milk.

Snack: Organic strawberries and blueberries. (I packed these in ziplocks for easy snacks)

Lunch: 2 hardboiled eggs and carrot sticks (Free range and organic snack pack)

Snack: Apple slices dipped in whole unsalted almond butter (Safeway lets you create two tablespoon snack containers for .75 cents each.

Dinner: Brown rice with grilled lean steak strips and salad with balsamic and olive oil

I am still struggling with my water intake and am determined to do better tomorrow.

Several cups of organic peppermint tea without sugar.

No coffee today and experienced a major headache. I am craving sugar today and experiencing hunger pains. I will be interested to see if the protein shake in the morning will help keep me more satisfied and how long it will take to break the coffee addiction. 

Fitness

Today was supposed to be the last sunny day for a long time so I walked 2.5 miles on Centennial Trail while my 7 year old rode his bike. I was sweating for about 45 min. Looking forward to my workout with Mike tomorrow.

Fat Fall Off- Lacie's experience INFO Meeting

According to a recent Time magazine article, 90% of people who join a gym stop going shortly after they sign up. I am like most people. My Team Fitness donation has been withdrawn on the 15^th each month for the past 6 months. I drive by my gym at least twice a day on my way to and from work and basically anytime I need to run up to Frontier Village. It has been a big Blue and Gold beacon of guilt, and the reader board has been its voice.

It’s been pretty easy to ignore the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or the bouncy house advertisements, but last week the reader board got my attention. I’d like to describe the experience as a majestic light shining on the reader board with the angelic voices singing in the background…but it was more like a slap in the face.

The Fat Fall Off

Starts Oct 4^th

The time came for the information meeting and I took my seat in the front row. I had my handouts and was ready to hear the secret! Imagine my surprise when the secret to fat falling off was diet and exercise. What? I was captivated by Cheri and her nutrition presentation. She talked about toxin build-up in the body. She drew pictures of cells and provided a visual representation of why our bodies do not absorb the vitamins and minerals we need to maintain healthy cell function. She described how and why we need to detoxify our bodies and how the process can rejuvenate unhealthy cells. I was sold. My body is currently filled with Hostess cherry pies and triple shot latte’s.

Mike then talked about this I-Melt device thing. He claims it melts 1200 calories a session with inferred heat that goes deep into the fat tissue and increases the body temperature to the point it will increase metabolism. I’m still unclear how it works, but I was sold on the process. He brought up the personal trainers and introduced them. Each one spoke about their style of training and their background and how proud they are to be part of this program. Mike introduced a chiropractor and the Dr. showed us the latest chiropractic technology professional athletes and Olympic competitors are using. He adjusted Mike in front of the group and it looked a lot less painful than the adjustments I have had in the past. He then talked about this way to draw toxins out of our feet using negative ions and the benefits of adding this type of detoxification to our plan.

The meeting lasted an hour but it felt like 15 minutes. I was captivated by the brief description of all the products and services but I must admit the most motivating part of the meeting was when Mike brought up three ladies who completed the last session. They were beaming. These ladies were partnered with each other and they described the bond they felt with their team mates. Sure they talked about how much fat and weight they lost, but it was more about the support they received from the program. I didn’t leave the meeting with a full understanding of how each component worked, but I did leave the meeting with the feeling that I needed to be part of this. I needed the nutrition education, the support and most importantly the accountability I would receive from the ladies I would be assigned to.

Tomorrow is day 1 of the program. I will be writing 30 posts in 30 days. I’m signed up for the entire program. I promise to give my full effort and write honestly each day. I will be journaling my food, my fitness and my thoughts. I hope this blog will be a true testament to the life saving program TeamFitness is offering, because as it sits right now, I am killing myself.