The magic question; Does size matter or is it what you weigh that is most important?

Are you always weighing yourself regularly? Are you trying to get to that magic number on the scale? When you hit it, then are you freaking out when it goes up a pound or two and you have not eaten too much and you are still being very active and exercising?
Women are usually worse than men about the dreaded “Number on the Scales.” This post is to help you “FORGET ABOUT IT”!

Let me ask you this question and I want an honest answer. If you were 5’2” tall and weighed 125 pounds but wore an easy size 2, do you think you would look good? You may be thinking that isn’t possible….but I am here to tell you it is!

These numbers belong to a person I know. She looks awesome because she has muscle not FAT!
Muscle is lean and heavier than fat. Muscle makes you look smaller and fat makes you look larger. You take a person that has muscle and little fat and compare them to another of the same height and weight but has more fat, that person will look heavy in comparison.

The number on the scales should never be your goal. A certain dress size should be your goal. If your clothes fit better or more loose you are making progress no matter what the scales say.

Exercise 30 minutes to an hour each time and at least 6 days a week. Make sure cardio is 30 minutes or more and incorporate weight lifting or using Bodylastic bands for resistance training. (bands are not expensive and you can use them at home and travel with them) I recommend Bodylastics because of the quality and price. There is a link on Recommend Resources at www.totalwellnesstv.com if you would like to get your own set.

Normally I would not recommend a product to assist you in losing inches. I would tell you to just work hard, eat a low glycemic diet and eventually your goals will be met. But…I am going to recommend one product because it promotes “Fat Loss” AND it really works well with no side effects. You can hear my Fat Loss participants on my WebTV Show talk about how it is working for them.

REMEMBER: Throw out the scales at your house today and concentrate on the measuring tape or just how much better or much looser your clothes are fitting you.

If you like this, I would appreciate you sharing it with your friends.

Many kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. The busy family’s lifestyles have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many people in the new millennium.
The percentage of overweight children in the United States is growing at an alarming rate, with 1 out of 3 kids now considered overweight or obese.

Preventing children from becoming overweight means adapting the way your family eats and exercises, and how you spend time together. Getting the parents to make wiser choices and decisions for the family’s well being needs to be handled first. Helping children lead healthy lifestyles begins with parents who lead by example.

Let’s talk about BMI, Body Mass Index. To calculate BMI, divide weight in kg by height in meters squared; for pounds and inches, divide weight by height squared and multiply the result by the conversion factor 703.

Once you know your child’s BMI, it can be plotted on a standard BMI chart. Kids fall into one of four categories:
1.underweight: BMI below the 5th percentile
2.normal weight: BMI at the 5th and less than the 85th percentile
3.overweight: BMI at the 85th and below 95th percentiles
4.obese: BMI at or above 95th percentile

BMI is not a perfect measure of body fat and can be misleading in some situations. For example, a muscular person may have a high BMI without being overweight (because extra muscle adds to a body weight — but not fatness). In addition, BMI may be difficult to interpret during puberty when kids are experiencing periods of rapid growth. It’s important to remember that BMI is usually a good indicator — but is not a direct measurement — of body fat.

The Effects of Obesity

Obesity increases the risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol — all once considered exclusively adult diseases. Obese kids also may be prone to low self-esteem that stems from being teased, bullied, or rejected by peers.
These children are at risk for developing medical problems that affect their present and future health and quality of life.

Cardiovascular risk factors present in childhood (including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes) can lead to serious medical problems like heart disease, heart failure, and stroke as adults. Preventing or treating overweight and obesity in children may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as they get older.

Genetics also play a role — genes help determine body type and how your body stores and burns fat just like they help determine other traits. Genes alone, however, cannot explain the current obesity crisis. Because both genes and habits can be passed down from one generation to the next, multiple members of a family may struggle with weight.

People in the same family tend to have similar eating patterns, maintain the same levels of physical activity, and adopt the same attitudes toward being overweight. Studies have shown that a child’s risk of obesity greatly increases if one or more parent is overweight or obese. Again children follow their parents example. If you are obese and are reading this now, decide to stop being a poor example for your child.

The key to keeping kids of all ages at a healthy weight is taking a whole-family approach. It’s the “practice what you preach” mentality. Make healthy eating and exercise a family affair. Get your kids involved by letting them help you plan and prepare healthy meals, and take them along when you go grocery shopping so they can learn how to make good food choices.

 Don’t reward kids for good behavior or try to stop bad behavior with sweets or treats. Come up with other solutions to modify their behavior.
 Don’t maintain a clean-plate policy. Be aware of kids’ hunger cues. Even babies who turn away from the bottle or breast send signals that they’re full. If kids are satisfied, don’t force them to continue eating. Reinforce the idea that they should only eat when they’re hungry.
 Don’t talk about “bad foods” or completely eliminate all sweets and favorite snacks from kids’ diets. Kids may rebel and overeat these forbidden foods outside the home or sneak them in on their own

This is not new information but yet the rise of obesity in children is alarming. Parents must be proactive about their own health and their children will follow by example. Are you making good choices for your family. Let’s turn around this trend and stop Childhood Obesity today.

Food psychologists have studied why we eat the way we do and why so many people are overweight. The answers are not surprising to me at all. They range from package and portion size to plate shape and circumference, the presence or absence or others, the lighting in the room and the variety of foods offered.

If you decrease your calorie intake by 200 calories a day, it will add up to a twenty pound weight loss in a year without surgery or starving yourself. Begin by leaving 4-5 bites on your plate or reducing your portions by 20%. Look at some more strategies below.

• Use smaller plates, bowls, and utensils, and serve smaller portions. In several studies conducted at Dr. Rolls’ laboratory, people ate 30–50% more when they were given larger vs. smaller portions. They often didn’t notice they were eating more, and they didn’t feel any fuller. So think small: Down-size your dishes and serving utensils take advantage of the new 100-calorie snack packs (or make your own), and when you eat out order the small instead of the medium or large.
• Track the calories you eat- Studies have shown keeping a food diary is very helpful when attempting to lose weight. Foods eaten at mealtime but also impromptu nibbles like that handful of M&Ms or those leftovers you snacked on before bedtime will add a lot of calories. One study found that fast-food eaters who ate supersized meals underestimated their calorie content by about 40% on average.
• Visualize how much you intend to eat beforehand. To prevent overeating, try to visually plan how much you intend to eat before you start a meal.
• Limit variety. Buffets are not a good choice. A spread of diverse foods encourages overeating. So limit your plate to no more than two items at a time. You can refill it if you like, but always stick to the two-food limit.
• Hide the candy and other snack foods. Research shows that people who see more food eat more food.
• Do not get distracted. Make it a rule to never eat in front of the TV or while reading. You’re not paying attention to what you’re eating — and that’s an invitation to overeat and consume extra calories.
• Eat alone whenever possible. Research shows that people eat at least one third more when they eat in the company of others, probably because they’re not paying close attention to what they consume, the meal lasts longer (allowing more opportunities to nibble), and they may eat to keep up with what their companions are consuming.

Along with these suggestions I also suggest exercising daily. The more calories you burn, the faster those unwanted pounds will come off too. Check out my other articles and videos on fat and weight loss. I appreciate comments below too.

I am available for coaching to help you meet your weight loss goals. Call me at 336-430-7393 to schedule an appointment.

• Weight loss will mean you’ll look better
• You’ll feel better
• You’ll look good in clothes
• You’ll look good without clothes
• Weight loss will give you more energy
• You will lower your susceptibility to heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure problems and cancer
• You will be able to take part in more activities
• You’ll be able to run around with your kids
• You will only need one airline seat (and people won’t mind sitting next to you)
• You will look younger
• Weight loss will mean you’ll wobble less when you run
• Things won’t hang over your waistband
• You’ll only have one chin
• No one will ask you when the baby is due
• Weight loss will mean you can shop in regular clothing stores
• You’ll have more choice in what you can wear
• People will judge you less (especially when you eat in public)
• Weight loss will give you the confidence not to care what others think!
• lower blood pressure
• lower cholesterol
• reduce high levels of blood glucose (associated with diabetes)
• reduce sleep apnea
• decrease depression
• decrease the risk of osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints
• increase self-esteem
• To feel better about myself.
• To increase my feelings of self worth.
• To be able to run and jump without worrying about hurting myself.
• To look good in a tight dress.
• To be able to wear shorts in the summer.
• To be able to go swimming without being self-conscious.
• To feel I can go swimming at all!
• To be able to run with my grandchildren
• To be healthier.
• To not have fear going to the doctors, because he’ll make me get on a scale.
• To be able to wear a bra that actually fits.
• To not worry about lawn chairs breaking.
• To not worry about where to sit at a picnic or on an airplane.
• To not get “those looks” at a restaurant, even when eating normal food.
• So my ankles don’t puff up and look like there’s half a tennis ball on each side.
• To be able to use a public washroom comfortably.
• To be able to go into any store, and buy the clothes I like, not just the ones that fit.
• To not feel awkward about going clothes shopping, or shoe shopping.
• To be able to order clothes from a catalogue without worrying if they will fit.
• To be able to wear something that doesn’t say PLUS on it.
• To reduce my blood pressure.
• So I can feel comfortable.
• So I can run on the beach in a bathing suit and feel proud.
• So taking a bath is a luxurious thing, instead of taking a shower so I won’t risk overflowing the tub.
• So my pants won’t wear out between my legs while the rest of them are still in good shape.
• I want to be able to read the scale by just looking down, straight down.
• I don’t ever want to feel my fat jiggle again!
• So I can look in the mirror from the neck down and like what I see.
• To feel strong and fit again.
• So I can show off my muscles, instead of just feeling fat.
• So I can drive my car and feel comfortable.
• So I don’t feel like I’m always leaning back while sitting in a chair, because of my butt.
• So I can walk up a flight of stairs and not feel winded.
• So I can wear tight jeans.
• So I can get up and dance and not feel weird.
• So I can go on rides at amusement parks again, without stuffing myself into the seat shamefully.
• So I don’t have to worry about the maximum weight an exercise machine can take before I use it.
• I want to deprive my cats of a perching spot on my chest because it’s too small.
• So I don’t get that pitying look when I go to a gym to work out.
• So I can lay outside and suntan on my front lawn if I want.
• I want to wear underwear that looks cute and dainty, not something industrial.
• So I can buy lingerie that fits, and looks good.
• So I can buy lingerie without getting weird looks from store clerks or other customers.
• I want to be able to at least consider entering a triathlon and have it be a possibility.
• So getting dressed every morning is a joy and not a dreaded chore.
• So I can pick the haircut I really want and not just one that is for fat people.
• So when people start talking about weight loss, I don’t feel they mean me.
• So I’m not embarrassed to have my picture taken.

What would you add to this list?

Let’s work together and make your goals come true. What is stopping you from making that commitment? Is it fear of failure? I can help you by being your accountability partner. Give me a call for a 30 minute FREE consultation to discuss your goals and desires.
What is stopping you now? Call me through Skype at Beverly.Monical or by phone at 336-430-7393.

Muscle weighs more than fat so that could be why the scales show you gained. Always go by the way your clothes fit or measure yourself. Lost inches means lost fat which is wonderful!!!

Dr. George Griffing from Brentwood,Mo. Believes that measuring abdominal height is more efficient and accurate at predicting the risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease than more commonly used methods such as calculating BMI, waist to hip ratios or measuring the circumference of patients waists. Those all factor in subcutaneous fat on legs, arms and hips, which is not as bad for you as fat in the gut. Measuring a patient’s abdominal height zeroes in on visceral fat, which oozes between organs, bathing the liver in fatty acids.

Dr. Griffing’s studies are not yet standardized but he says most have found that abdominal heights that measure more than 10 inches in women and 12 inches in men triple the chance of cardiovascular disease.

Studies are still being done on this measurement.

Are you going to get the ruler or yardstick out tonight?

Losing Fat will help you be healthier. Watch these videos for a suggestion about something that is safe and has a 6 month, 100% money-back guarantee. Click the links below.
Lose Fat The Healthy Way
Demonstration on Use
One Body, One Life, Choose Wisely
Beverly