Jillian Michaels is probably the most intimidating person on the Biggest Loser. Personally, she scares me! But I guess fear can be used to stay on the treadmill or walk away from those Oreos. However, her drive, determination, and wisdom has changed the lives of people all over the world.

I received the Jillian Michaels- 30-Day Shred for christmas. I have heard so many different reviews that I thought it was about time that I try it out for myself. Jillian Michaels can be tough, but at least she has proven herself to know what she is doing.

I will give a low down for those of you out there that have never tried Jillian Michael’s workout video. The 30-day Shred is broken down into 3 different levels of 20 minutes each. Each level contains 3 rotations of cardio, lifting, and abs. The only down fall is that it can get monotonous after doing the same routine for 30 days.

The time goes by so fast while working out with Jillian Michaels and your body will be sweating and shaking by the end. I could barely get out of bed the next morning after completing Day 1 of the 30 day Shred. It might sound sickening, but there is nothing better than the feeling of your entire body aching after a good workout!

I’m sure many of you have tried Jillian Michaels 30 day shred! What are your thoughts on the workout?

I thought this was an interesting clip from NBC on Diet myths, which is the series that I had started a while a go.

Hope you enjoy!

Question: What Diet Myth do you struggle letting go?

… I think I am killing myself.

I drink and eat aspartame like it’s water. My sweet tooth just can’t get enough of this stuff and sugar has never cut it for me.

Aspartame is defined as “an artificial sweetener made from aspartic acid; used as a calorie-free sweetener.” In 1976 FDA approved aspartame in the use of foods, and later discovered that the researcher who submitted the work, “had cut out tumors in animals that had been fed aspartame and neglected to report all of them or check for cancer. Also, animals that were “reported as dead, were later reported alive again” In fact, I have discovered that people can get aspartame toxicity from this deadly chemical… not just from several cans of diet coke. Reports have shown that people have gotten aspartame toxicity through one single piece of sugar-free gum.

Symptoms include:

Eyes

- Blindness in one or both eyes decreases vision and other eye problems such as blurred vision, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision, pain in one or both eyes, decreased tears, trouble with contact lenses, and bulging eyes.

Ears

- Tinnitus: ringing or buzzing in ears, severe intolerance to noice, marked hearing impairment.

Neurological

- Epileptic seizures, headaches, migraines, dizziness, unsteadiness, confusion, memory loss, severe drowsiness, sleepiness paresthesia, numbness in limbs, severe slurring of speech, hyperactivity and restless leg syndrome, and severe tremors.

Psychological/Psychiatric

- Severe depression, irritability, aggression, anxiety, personality changes, chest palpitations, tachycardia, shortness of breath, high blood pressure.

Gastrointestinal

- Nausea, diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools, abdominal pain

Endocrine and Metabolic

- Loss of control of diabetes, mentrual changes, marked thinning or loss of hair, marked weight loss, gradual weight gain, aggravated low blood sugar, severe PMS.

Ok, so now that I have scared you into never picking up a diet coke for the rest of your life, I am pleased to present to you stevia! Stevia is a natural sweetener found in a herbal plant in South America.

Having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, this sweetener is sure to meet your sweet tooth. Careful though, no one warned me about this and I poured in the same amount as that of Splenda. One small pinch of this stuff and you are good to go.

Now for you Diet Coke addicts like me, Zevia is a new calorie free coke made from stevia… Hints the name!

ZEVIA is all-natural, has zero calories, zero net carbs, zero fat, and little or no sodium. Flavors range from Zevia natura coke, Zevia ginger ale, Zevia root beer, Zevia natural twist, Zevia orange, and Zevia black cherry. I have had the pleasure of trying all of these flavors and I must say that I enjoyed all of them, but my favorite is black cherry and orange.

But don’t take my word for it… check out some of these stores to try a few out: Whole Foods Market, Henry’s, Albertsons, or Vitamin City. Check out HERE for a local store near you.

Question

Have you ever tried Stevia? What did you think about it?

What Zevia flavor would you like to try?

Good-Bye Summer. . . Hello Fall

With September in full swing, we can finally enjoy Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes, the cool and crisp weather as the red, orange, and yellow leaves scatter on the ground. Oh I just love fall! By favorite part of Fall is Apple season. Nothing tastes better than a crispy apply, freshly picked from a tree. I love going up to Oak Glen around this time of the year in So Cal when the weather starts to cool off and sample all the different apples and drink hot apple cider while visiting all the random stores, picking apples, and feeding the animals at the animal park.

Picking apples straight from the tree leads to some great great low calorie, low fat recipes… grocery store apples just can’t compare to the taste of those from the tree. If you are obsessed with apples like me, than you will love this recipe!Picking apples straight from the tree leads to some great great low calorie, low fat recipes… grocery store apples just can’t compare to the taste of those from the tree. If you are obsessed with apples like me, than you will love this recipe!

* * Crustless Apple Pie Recipe * *

Ingredients

6 apples

1/2 cup splenda or 1 tsp Stevia

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbs. lemon juice

1/4 cup splenda or 1/2 tsp Stevia

2 tbs. white flour

1/4 cup wheat flour

3 tbs. butter

Directions:

1. Peel, core and cut up the apples. Mix in with the sugar and spices and lemon juice.

2. Mix together the 1/4 cup sugar, flours, and butter, then sprinkle over top.

3. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes

Serving Size: 9

Less than 150 calories per serving!

Ah… I can smell the aroma of baked apples and cinnamon filtering through my house! Now to wait till this weather cools off so I can go pick me some apples to bake!Ah… I can smell the aroma of baked apples and cinnamon filtering through my house! Now to wait till this weather cools off so I can go pick me some apples to bake!

Question: What’s your favorite Apple brand and what do you like to eat them with?

I love Pink Lady apples. Use to love eating them with Peanut Butter until I became allergic to it

A long, hard, strenuous, workout deserves a snack, but did you know that the food you choose is just as important as the actual workout itself?

For many people, exercise has become an excuse to eat whatever you want. Not just right after the workout, but throughout the entire day. This can be especially harmful since the metabolism is jump started after a workout, increasing one’s appetite throughout the day. With this mentality and an increased appetite, it can lead to over eating and reaching for the wrong type of food.

On the other hand, one might think that not eating at all after a workout will aid in weight loss, when in actuality, a small 200 calorie snack can prevent you from pigging out down the road with a 800 calorie snack. Having a post workout snack also helps in keeping your metabolism rev’ed up. One should grab a snack 30 minutes to 2 hours after a workout.

So, what should you eat when you get home from the gym?

To contrary believe, carbohydrates are essential to a post-workout snack and should make up about 60% of it. During a workout, the glycogen storage is depleted and should be replenished and refueled to make it through the day without overeating. A post-workout snack for moderate exercise should include 30-50 grams of carbohydrates.

Second, the snack should include some sort of protein which aids in rebuilding muscle.

Here are 7 great post workout snack that will leave you full and keep you going throughout the day:

* Egg Sandwich: 100 calorie English muffin with egg whites

* Fruit and Yogurt mixed with a small amount of granola

* 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 banana on a rice cake

* Low fat fruit smoothie and protein powder

* High fiber crackers and low fat cheese

* Low sugar fruit juice and a hand full of Nuts

* Cottage cheese and fruit

Question: What is your favorite Post-Workout Snack?

I love making fruit smoothies after my workout!

It use to be that I would workout for a certain amount of time, but lately that has switched. Instead of staring at the clock, I have started focusing more on distance. For me it has helped me to go longer in my workouts and increases my intensity when I am in a time crunch.

But really, what is more beneficial, exercising for distance or exercising for time?

“FITT” is a great acronym that can guide you in your cardio workout plan.

F.I.T.T. stands for Frequency, Intensity, Type, and Time.

Frequency

How often should you workout?

For those of you that are just starting to workout, start out slow and work your way up. Aim at about 3 days a week and gradually work your way up to 5 or 6 days a week. When it comes to weight loss, the more days the better. But don’t forget to allow your body a day or two of rest!

Intensity

How hard is your workout?

This can be a hard balance to find. You want your workouts to overload your body but at the same time you don’t want to create too much intensity in your workout that it creates injuries or burnouts. A heart rate monitor can determine intensity but another great way of measuring your intensity is from the ability to speak while working out. You know you are having a great workout when you become out of breath during it.

Type

What activities do you do that increases your heart rate?

Most of us have our one cardio activity that we enjoy doing. For me, it’s the elliptical. I can stay on that thing forever, but put me on a treadmill and I can’t stand more than 5 minutes without getting bored and miserable. Find activities that increase your heart rate and that you love. Switching it up too can throw off your body from adjusting to that one activity.

Time

How long is your workout?

The recommending time of a cardio workout is going to vary on it’s intensity but it’s around 20-60 minutes.

So, maybe I shouldn’t just focus on miles. According the “FITT” principle there are several things to take into consideration. Bring both miles and time into my workout would be more beneficial than focusing on one or the other.

Question

When you workout, do you focus more on time or distance?

What is your usual time or distance each day?

Eating out is a lot of fun, and at times can be unavoidable. While this can be fun, it can also be tough while on a diet. I always say that one should look up the nutritional content on the restaurant they are going to or deciding on what they will be eating ahead of time. But sometimes this is just not possible. Either plans change or the internet is down and you can’t see the nutrition facts.

Have no fear my weight loss buddies. There are other ways to beat all those unnecessary fats and calories loaded on those plates.

Did you know that are thousands of calories behind one word?

Yep, the name or description of a plate can say a lot about the nutrition facts and health level. By discovering and learning menu key words or phrases, you can save yourself from sabotaging your diet as well as the stress of finding something healthy and yet still enjoyable.

*

Here are key words that should be red flagged and avoid.

* Battered

* Breaded

* Buttered

* Cheesy

* Country-Style

* Creamy

* Crispy

* Crunchy

* Crusted

* Fried

* Glazed

* Gooey

* Honey-dipped

* Melted

* Smothered

Oh man, I’m drooling now just thinking about all the foods that contain these words. But ingraining these small words in your head can save you from that next morning hangout of “why did I eat that.”

Instead, look for these keywords on your menu that add flavor and texture without extra calories.

* Roasted

* Baked

* Broiled

* Broth

* Fresh

* Multi-Grain

* Poached

* Rubbed

* Seared

* Grilled

* Scented

* Sauteed

* Spiced

* Seasoned

* Steamed

Figuring out the language of hidden calories is the first step to surviving a meal at sit-down chain restaurants. Stick with this list of healthy words and you will be set in finding a healthy restaurant meal.

Question: What is your favorite restaurant and what healthy plate do you like?

I would have to say mine is Chillies and I love eating their Chicken Fajita Pita… YUM!

Since It’s Wednesday and all, I thought you might enjoy a little laugh to get your though the week. . . only two more days till the weekend.

Question of the Day: How often do you weight yourself?

I don’t know if it’s out of boredom or out of habit, but why is it that overeating late at night occurs one too many times in our diets?

It’s tough work going through the day, rejecting the cookies a co-worker brought in, denying the cake at the birthday party, opting out of the french fries at dinner, but some how we do it. For some reason staying on track with food can be right on. . . until about 9 or 10pm rolls around and then it’s just all down hill from there.

By no means am I talking about an apple or scoop of ice cream… I am talking about a full blown meal. For the amount of calories consumed that evening, you might as well have had the cookies, cake and fries!

So how do you prevent your self from sabotaging your diet from late night binge eating?

The answer is simple, stop eating! Ha… If only it were that easy, right? Because this task can be so hard to do for many of us, here are some tips to break the old habit and toss it out the window!

* Distract yourself. Go for a walk with your dog. Find a great book to read. Do some of your blogging during this time.

* Instead of brush your teeth right before bed, do it right after dinner. Brushing your teeth has been proven to decrease one’s appetite.

* Have a high fiber dinner, which will keep you full longer

* Keep that cup full and glued to your side, keeping your hands and mouth busy!

* Make a list of healthy low calorie snacks that you can eat at night and nothing else. I always know around 9pm that I will eat a sugar-free pudding cup. I know that if I can just hold out a few hours that I will get to enjoy this and then it’s back to the water!

* Go somewhere in the house where you can’t see the kitchen. For some reason when I see the kitchen, I gravitate towards it… weird, I know!

* Suck on a hard candy. This keeps your mouth busy and will last longer than chowing down on several bowls of cereal.

* Work on your food journal during the evening

* Ask your roommate or spouse to hold you accountable to only a small snack and nothing more at night

* Make sure you are getting enough calories in during the day, so you aren’t starving late at night.

QUESTION: What is your favorite night-time dessert or snack?

Mine is chocolate pudding with cool whip or a bowl of cereal.