Liewsville woman shed pounds to enlist in army

As Ashley Barrett-Carter left Ryan Memolo’s Army recruiting station following their first meeting more than a year ago, the staff sergeant thought, “I’ll never see her again.”

Sgt. Memolo had seen overweight applicants before, including some who dropped the pounds and returned to enlist. But those people exceeded the weight requirement by 20 or 30 pounds.

Ms. Barrett-Carter needed to lose 100.

But two months later and 20 pounds lighter, she came back. And she kept returning to Sgt. Memolo every few weeks to report more weight loss.

Today, the Lewisville resident has shed a total of 113 pounds. She met the enlistment requirement and is preparing for basic training.

“It’s given me the courage to follow through and serve my country,” she said.

Ms. Barrett-Carter, 21, started contemplating a military career a few years ago. She said she maintained a “normal” weight during high school but then started gaining. She weighed 263 pounds and wore size 22 pants when she first met Sgt. Memolo.

The Army’s weight and body fat requirements vary based on height, age and gender. Sgt. Memolo gave Ms. Barrett-Carter a target weight of 160 pounds.

Startled to hear that her weight surpassed the Army’s standards by such a large margin, Ms. Barrett-Carter that night tore apart her pantry, pitching anything that she considered unhealthy.

Her doctor advised her to shed the pounds slowly — about 2 per week is considered healthy weight loss.

Ms. Barrett-Carter estimates that she had been consuming 5,000 calories a day, more than twice the recommended amount. She reduced her calorie intake and started exercising daily.

She hung a pair of size 7 pants on her closet door as a reminder of her goal. No fads. No pills. No as-seen-on-TV gut-busting contraptions. Not even a gym membership.

She didn’t diet; she changed her lifestyle.

“I didn’t stop eating normal food, I just started rationing,” she said. “I still eat rice; I still eat ice cream. It’s just about how much you eat. … You have to control the urge to eat the entire half gallon.”

Ms. Barrett-Carter initially gave up fast food, sweets and junk food. Her daily exercise started with walks around the block. She couldn’t go any farther.

As her endurance increased, she added jogging, stationary biking and weights. She enrolled in a physical education class at Richland College, where she was working toward an associate’s degree, and the instructor helped devise a workout regimen.

When Ms. Barrett-Carter reached 200 pounds, she indulged cravings once or twice a week with small helpings of previously off-limits foods. After hitting 180 pounds, she was exercising 90 minutes a day.

Every few weeks, she took the size 7 pants off the hanger to try them on. At first they barely touched her knees. At 200 pounds, they reached mid-thigh. And when they finally slipped over her hips and buttoned at her waist, Ms. Barrett-Carter joyfully danced around the house.

“It didn’t just fall off. It took a lot of changes on my part,” she said. “It just got easier and easier as time went on. Eventually I looked at it, and those little mini goals suddenly became the huge goal that I wanted it to be.”

Ms. Barrett-Carter avoids fast food, though she acknowledges that “eating out of a box” is easier and cheaper than buying fresh foods and cooking them. She exercises five days a week, running a mile, doing sit-ups and pushups and completing the routine from a workout video.

Sgt. Memolo says Ms. Barrett-Carter is well-prepared for nine weeks of basic training, which she’ll follow with 18 months of nursing instruction at Fort Sam Houston near San Antonio. Her husband, Jerrod Carter, will stay in the Dallas area to continue school.

Adjusting to her new size has taken time. Sometimes Ms. Barrett-Carter still walks to plus size area in clothing stores before realizing those clothes are too big. Airplane seats no longer feel snug. And the constant exhaustion has evaporated.

“I didn’t even realize how much it was affecting my life,” she said. “I have more energy. I’m healthier. I’m able to do everything I want to do in a day.”

Jeanne Barrett said her daughter’s outlook transformed along with her appearance.

“She made a commitment to change her life,” said Ms. Barrett, who has followed her daughter’s example by altering her eating habits and replacing a living room couch with an exercise machine. “She’s inspired me.”

In her quest to join the Army, Ashley Barrett-Carter lost 110 pounds over the course of a year. Here’s how she did it: .

Basic principles

Weight loss occurs when you expend more calories than you take in, either through diet, exercise or both.

Ms. Barrett-Carter followed her doctor’s advice, which coincides with healthy weight guidelines by the National Institutes of Health.

Exercise

For weight loss, the NIH recommends at least 60 to 90 minutes of moderate physical activity daily.

Ms. Barrett-Carter started with 10-minute walks and later added jogging, weights, sit-ups, pushups and stationery biking. She eventually began exercising 90 minutes a day.

To maintain her weight, she works out for an hour five days a week, including one-mile jogs, sit-ups and push ups.

Diet

To lose 1 or 2 pounds a week, the NIH recommends cutting 500 to 1,000 calories a day.

Ms. Barrett-Carter initially cut out fast food, junk food and sweets, but later allowed herself to eat small portions.

A typical day consists of oatmeal for breakfast; an apple or banana for snack; half a sandwich, soup, fruit and water for lunch; a granola bar for an afternoon snack; and for dinner, skinless chicken, fresh fish or pork with small portions of side dishes.

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200 pounds weight loss inspiration by 57 years old woman

At 452 pounds, Deborah Diederich could barely walk without breathing heavily. Sometimes, she'd call her children from across town to help her up if she fell.

The Burton resident developed diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

A yo-yo dieter, Diederich had tried Weight Watchers and Take Off Pounds Sensibly groups in the past. She even considered gastric bypass surgery.

"I've always been an emotional eater," said Diederich, 57. "I used food for medicating. I'd eat when I was happy, sad or bored. I could eat a big bag of chips in one sitting or go through a half-gallon of ice cream."

Now a much-thinner 250 pounds, Diederich is an inspiration to TOPS Chapter 1738, which she leads.

She will tell her success story at the chapter's open house 6-8 p.m. Thursday at West Court Street Church of God, 2920 W. Court St., Flint. Also speaking will be Irene Houghton, nurse manager of the heart unit at McLaren Regional Medical Center.

"Even when (Diederich) did have a little setback, she still kept going," said Kim Murdough of Swartz Creek, chapter secretary. "She didn't let it throw her off track. She really walked the walk of eating sensibly."

Diederich was the state and international division winner for her weight group in 2006. She was honored in Providence, R.I., last year.

TOPS - a nonprofit, weight-loss support organization based in Milwaukee, with chapters worldwide - celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. It has 200,000 members in 10,000 chapters in the U.S., Canada and other countries.

After years of losing and gaining weight, Diederich was fed up.

"I had to change my lifestyle or I was going to kill myself by overeating," she said.

Either that, or she figured she would be bedridden.

A friend who belonged to TOPS told Diederich about the group she attended in Flint.

"I'd always had good success with TOPS," Diederich said. "I know I have to go every week. If I don't want to eat at 10 p.m., I can give someone a call. It's affordable, too ($24 per year and $5 for monthly dues at the West Court Street Church location)."

Diederich tackled her weight loss one day at a time, sticking to a 1,200-calorie diet.

She used a smaller plate and didn't fill it up to overflowing. She chose an 8-ounce glass for milk. She wrote down everything she ate, and she didn't eat after 8 p.m.

"I try to eat healthy - whole grains, lean meats, lots of vegetables," she said.

For example, she'll drink vegetable juice and eat a small bowl of cereal with low-calorie bread and a teaspoon of peanut butter for breakfast.

Lunch includes a cup of soup, a sandwich with turkey and lettuce, a small salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and a glass of milk.

For dinner, she'll consume a 3-ounce piece of lean meat, a small sweet potato with spray butter, salad with low-fat dressing and fruit.

"Once in a while, I'll have a small candy bar," she said. "But I try to stay away from it. Sometimes I have to argue with myself and say 'you don't need that' (especially) at family gatherings where everything revolves around food."

Diederich, who is 5-foot-6, said the reason she succeeded this time is because she was "very determined. It has to all come from within. No diet's going to do it if you don't do it for yourself."

Diederich exercises regularly by lifting 10-pound weights, walking on a treadmill and using an exercise bike or "mini-stepper."

Someday, she might have surgery to remove the excess skin from the weight loss, she said.

As part of her makeover, she cut her hair and bought a few new clothes. But she wants to lose another 100 pounds before purchasing any more outfits.

"I'll wait until I get to my goal and buy a new wardrobe," she said, beaming.

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Alex Bennet weight loss - 15 kilos in 6 months

Alex Bennett lost 15 kilograms in six months. The bonus? He no longer needs medication for blood pressure, gastric reflux or cholesterol.



At the beginning of 2007, after spending a relaxing summer holiday on the beautiful New South Wales beaches, I should have felt terrific. Instead I was disgusted as I viewed the photo snaps of myself. Gut hanging over my board shorts, T-shirt bulging past my feet as I looked down.

Time to diet, exercise and discipline my body back to health.

Ten years earlier I had lost weight on the Atkins diet, but that weight returned quite rapidly and I wasn't comfortable with all the bacon and eggs.

I also recognised the value of exercise as I had had some success in the past with swimming laps, but found the results rather patchy.

I was willing to work out but needed it to be convenient and relatively cheap. I purchased some second-hand gym equipment, set up the machines in my garage, and invited my family and a close friend with similar goals to work out if they felt the need. It is terrific to have another person to help you become committed to routine.


Getting started




I chose the CSIRO Total Wellbeing diet because it seemed like a more sensible use of a broader range of food groups than the Atkins diet, and had the backing of a very reputable organisation.

I started to exercise about three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes a time, but soon found I could extend my routine and enjoyed working out five days a week for around 40 minutes.

I appreciated the relaxed feeling after exercise and preferred not to miss out. It really helps to have an exercise partner to keep you on task.

The weight loss was slow at first and I preferred to weigh myself in the morning after sleep. Originally I hadn't considered what sort of weight reduction I could achieve and my primary focus was to reduce the waistline.

I purchased a set of electronic scales that calculated BMI, or Body Mass Index. It showed that an ideal weight for my height would be around 80 kilograms. That would put my BMI at around 25 which is on the upper limit of a healthy range.

With fluctuations I lost 15 kilograms in six months. My weight plunged from an obese and disabling 97 kilograms to a more reasonable and comfortable 82 kilograms. I felt fantastic but I found additional benefits.

No more medication



Prior to this time I was on 'permanent' blood pressure, gastric reflux and cholesterol medication. Upon losing the weight, I discontinued the blood pressure medication (on doctor's advice) because I was feeling very dizzy. Blood pressure without medication is now well inside normal limits.

A relaxed and calmer man would arrive home from work, without feeling the need for a stress-relieving red wine. In fact, alcohol was easy to cut down on as my health improved.

No need for the gastric reflux meds anymore. The CSIRO diet does not include many carbohydrates after the midday meal. I found this was easier on my digestive system. No longer did I have the uncomfortable feeling of gastric juices fighting with my evening meal. No more waking with a very uncomfortable burning in my throat, and no need for the expensive medication.

No cholesterol medication because I was no longer at risk. My reduced weight, sensible diet and regular exercise has put me into a very normal category. Not superman, just normal.

The new me

My message is simple. Don't allow pills to let you follow an unhealthy lifestyle. I made a decision to improve my health by losing weight and I now save over $90 a month on medication and I feel much better. My stamina and concentration has improved and my general demeanour is far more positive and less aggressive (lower blood pressure makes you far less volatile).

My family prefers the new me and I get the bonus of people telling me how much better I look. All my family members benefit from better food and they have an exercise partner to help them reach their own goals. I look forward to my exercise and I enjoy my meals a lot more than the junk food and snacks that I rubbished on before.

www.abc.net.au

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Big weight loss of a Shreveport mom

It's sometimes difficult to weigh the differences between twins.

For Tyler, Texas, native Dottie Buck and her twin sister, most people overlooked such details as their unique personalities and obvious difference in hair color.

Instead, the most common distinction between the two was measured in pounds.

"I have an uncle that says, 'You used to be the chubby one,'" Buck said. "People always looked at my weight. I got tired of it and I wanted to change."

Today, Buck is more than 50 pounds lighter.

In addition to the physical change, her life changed in October when she was named a $10,000 winner by fitness Web site MillionDollarBody.com.

The giveaway is a part of the company's Million Dollar Body Game — an online competition that will award more than $1 million this year to urge people to get in shape, according to the company.

Each month, male and female contestants submitted their stories of their transformation, along with before and after photos, and each month a male and female $10,000 winner is chosen. Winners also were selected for $1,000 prizes and other giveaways.

There have been more than 75 winners this year.

The contest will conclude in March with a $250,000 grand prize for the Best Transformation of the Year.

As a $10,000 winner, Buck is eligible for the grand prize.

"It's still a little unbelievable," Buck said. "It's a very cool thing."

Buck, 40, lost the weight by eating healthy and exercising. But it the road to healthier living wasn't easy, she said.

"Obesity runs in my family," she said. Buck had been a petite 98 pounds as a teen, until she became pregnant at age 18. It seemed to trigger rapid and significant weight gain, she said.

"At three months, I was 98 pounds," Buck said of her pregnancy. "By nine months, I weighed 200 pounds."

After giving birth to her son, she began to try a myriad of weight-loss products, which included everything from exercise videos to diet pills, she said.

Though she lost weight, she quickly gained it back between diets. Eventually, she found herself spending a lot of time at home with no desire to do anything.

But as time inched closer to her 40th birthday, Buck's feelings began to change.

"A lot of people say that life begins at 40," she said. "I didn't want to be the one sitting at home on the couch doing nothing. I knew I had to do something and do it the right way."

Buck's friend Tonette Lovett was a customer at Cyndi Johnson's permanent cosmetics business off U.S. Highway 80 in Princeton. When Buck learned that Johnson had won a trip to Hawaii as a result of losing weight, it was enough to motivate her to work hard to get in shape.

Also, Johnson decided to coach others upon returning from her trip, which also was good news for Buck.

"I wanted to be able to give back by helping others lose weight," said Johnson, 41. "It's not a quick fix. It's a life change."

Buck, joined by her close friend Lovett, began working out with Johnson nearly a year and a half ago.

Leigh Ann Hardage, of Bossier City, joined the group last summer.

The group, which started with 30-minute workouts five days per week, now works out for about 90-minutes five days per week.

Having each other makes it easier, Buck said.

"We have a reason to be accountable," she said. "We all make each other accountable for the decisions we make. We support each other and we push each other and we all feel good about ourselves."

Lovett, of Haughton, had gastric bypass surgery eight years ago, but gained more than half the weight back. She was hesitant about joining the group until Buck suggested that they do it together.

Now, it's contagious, she said.

"It's not easy," said Lovette, 46. "One year and five months later, it's still hard, but we push our sleeves up and work harder. We depend on each other."

Hardage's weight reached 200 pounds after the birth of her fifth 9-pound baby. After working to lose the weight, she was stuck at 175 pounds.

Soon after, Hardage, 45, started working out with the group on weekends.

"I live here now," she said, laughing. "I'm in better shape now than I was 25 years ago. I've dropped two sizes and I've built muscle. I feel so much better."

Together the group participated in a Walk for the Cure event in Shreveport in September. Then in October, the group supported Johnson in her participation in the 60-mile Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day fundraiser walk in Dallas.

Since Buck shared her story, she's talked to others who ask for advice about losing weight and living healthier.

"Talking to someone and motivating them is a motivation in itself," she said. "Now I have the energy to do anything. Once I get up and exercise, my whole day is different. It gives you strength in more ways than one."

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Fat burning success of Adam Waters - 84 days to new body

Here's the video story by Adam Waters, the man who tired of seeing his ugly body in the mirror and decided to change his life. Watch and get inspired!




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Woman drops 110 pounds, 8 dress sizes

Three years ago Sharon Twitchell was miserable.



Carrying 227 pounds on her tiny 5'2" frame, the 51-year-old mother and wife could barely squeeze into her plus-size clothing.

Twitchell is the first of eight CNN.com I-Reporters who shared their weight loss stories with CNN. Over the next several weeks, we'll reveal their secrets, the defining moments that motivated them to lose a combined total of 1,167 pounds and how the weight loss has changed their lives.

"I was wearing a size 22 and getting my clothes at stores where the biggest size was a 24. I asked myself, 'Where are you going to buy your clothes after you get bigger than a size 24?'" said Twitchell.

Adding to her misery, Twitchell says her ballooning weight was also wreaking havoc on her 31-year marriage.

"We were literally just co-existing together, like roommates," recalled Twitchell.
"Friends asked my husband to e-mail them a picture of us. Later, I discovered that he had sent them an old photograph taken when I was much smaller. Even though he loved me, he was embarrassed at how much weight I had gained."

Afraid she would have to purchase clothing from online stores catering to larger women, Twitchell told her husband she'd had enough and was ready to make a change.

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Initially, Twitchell made an appointment with her physician in hopes that he would write her a prescription for a pill to help her lose weight. Instead, she says she saw the "w" begin to form on his lips and knew he was going to recommend she try Weight Watchers.

Uncomfortable with the thought of going to actual meetings, Twitchell lost 30 pounds on her own and eventually joined the online Weight Watchers POINTS program on October 26, 2004. She also bought an elliptical machine and a recumbent bicycle and started working out six days a week.

The pounds melted off.

Ten months and another 80 pounds later, she reached her goal weight on August 26, 2005.

Twitchell says she hasn't been this size since before her first daughter was born. She now weighs 117 pounds and wears a size 2 or 4, depending on the store.

How has this changed her life?

"I have a marriage again," says Twitchell, who recently retired and relocated with her husband from New Jersey to their new home in the mountains of western North Carolina.

"When I finally reached my goal (weight), my wedding ring was two sizes too big. I had already had it resized twice and the jeweler was hesitant that I might lose more weight. Rather than resize it, my husband bought me a new beautiful diamond ring and when he gave it to me he said this was a renewal of our wedding vows," she recalled.

Twitchell says her husband keeps telling people that he's got his wife back. This August, the couple will celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary and they couldn't be happier.

"If I can lose 110 pounds, anyone can," says Twitchell.

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Weight loss success story of Sorrels family - 580 pouns off

When Maggie Sorrells looks at her husband, Andy, she doesn't see the man she married. In fact, most days, she doesn't even recognize herself.

Before the Franklin, Tennessee, couple met online, both had endured lifelong struggles with weight and emotional overeating. Together, they had a combined weight of nearly 1,000 pounds.

Maggie, who had a family history of heart disease and diabetes, had been warned by her doctor at the age of 27 that she wouldn't live to see 30. But her real moment of truth came when she visited her mother in the hospital.

"The biggest shock of my entire life was stepping on a hospital scale and realizing I weighed 440 pounds," she recalls.

Until that moment, Maggie says she never knew how much she weighed, because she was too heavy to register on a household scale.

Andy, like Maggie, tried countless diets but failed to keep the weight off. At his heaviest, he was 505 pounds and had to have most of his size 64 clothing made by his mother to fit his 6-foot-3-inch frame.

Maggy, on the other hand, tried to conceal her misery by making other people laugh.

"I was so depressed and so miserable. I was always the funny fat girl, but on the inside I was miserable," recalls Maggie. "It held me back in many ways and I started to accept it as being genetic and felt this was just the way I was going to be."

Though she never let her obesity keep her from traveling or socializing, it had affected her quality of life. Maggie had to use a seatbelt extension on airplanes and was once asked to get off a roller-coaster at an amusement park.

In August 2002, the couple was married and they soon made a decision that would forever change their lives.

Before getting married, a friend introduced Maggie to The Weigh Down Workshop, a faith-based weight loss program, which teaches people to conquer their addiction to food, as well as other substances and vices, by turning to God.

Maggie says she was never consistent or committed enough to stick with the program. But shortly after their wedding, the couple started packing on the pounds and while Andy tried another diet, Maggie gave Weigh Down another try.

"At the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003, I called Weigh Down and started taking the classes," says Maggie. "My whole life, I had always wanted somebody to [lose weight] with me. But I knew if I wanted it bad enough, I would have to do it alone."

She began to lose weight.

"I ate whatever I craved, but only when I was truly hungry and then I ate a lot more slowly, so I could tell when to stop," Maggie says.

In February 2003, after seeing his wife's results, Andy stopped counting calories, gave up the low-fat foods and reduced his portion sizes. Fifteen months later, he had lost 257 pounds.

"Once I started this program, it changed my outlook on my entire life. I realized that being happy is a choice. I can either be filled with hate and despair or I can be happy," says Andy, who realized he no longer needed the anti-depressants.

Maggie's weight loss was more gradual. Shortly after starting the program, Maggie became pregnant with the couple's first child. Sadly, she lost the baby when she was seven months pregnant.

"Many of our family members were afraid that we would turn back to food after we lost our first daughter, since we had turned to food to solve our problems our whole lives," remembers Maggie.

Faith, she says, helped her overcome the loss and continue on the program. Three years later, she had not only lost 300 pounds but she also gave birth to another daughter, Lily. Last week, the couple welcomed their son, Jacob.

How has the weight loss changed their lives? Maggie, who now weighs 140 pounds and wears a size six, and Andy, who weighs 220 pounds and wears a size 36, say they had no idea their lives could be this good.

"It blows my mind that we look the way we do," says Maggie.

The couple shares their success and strategy for weight loss by leading online classes for Weigh Down. Maggie believes if just one person's life can be changed by her story then her struggle will have been worth it.

"I want people to know there is hope. I looked for hope my whole life," says Maggie. "I want that person who is just like the old me to look at where I am now and know that you want to be here!"

Via http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/diet.fitness/07/23/weightloss.sorrells/index.html

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Interview With Jeanette Jenkins - Author of "The Hollywood Trainer Weight-Loss Plan"

I recently spoke with Ms. Jeanette Jenkins, while she was out touring the country, promoting her new book, The Hollywood Trainer Weight-Loss Plan. She is a genuinely caring person, who values family and friends. No wonder the stars love her!

Ms. Jenkins: I love the inside photo of your mother and yourself. Tell me about your reason for writing The Hollywood Trainer Weight-Loss Plan and how it is related to your mother, Karen Jones.

I was supposed to publish The Hollywood Trainer Weight-Loss Plan in January. Then I received a call that Mom had had a gallbladder attack. I was raised by my mom—she was my sole parent. I had to prioritize; I quickly realized how I would be devastated if I lost my mother. It’s important to have a mental and spiritual connection with your family and not always be motivated by external factors.

I was under pressure to get the book out, but decided that I had to go to Canada to make sure my mom was OK.

Publishing in May is a Mother’s Day gift, and a blessing in disguise. Mothers are the number one provider, and sacrifice their own time for their children and families.

However, they need to find time to incorporate family into healthy living because we need them.

That’s my connection—to inspire other women to motivate themselves.

How did you become a trainer to the stars?

I moved to LA ten years ago from Canada. I was originally born in Hollywood, my parents divorced, and Mom took us kids to Canada. I moved back afterward. California is the mecca of fitness. Wanting to do what I love to do, LA was the place to be for the most lucrative income.

I chose Hollywood and received referrals; Christina Applegate among other celebs would show up in front of my class. I knew I was doing something right! Then I got a call one day, “We’re looking for a trainer for Queen Latifah.” All of these clients have come from a personal referral.

Location is the case. I capitalized on the Hollywood thing. Queen Latifah is so inspiring, she lifts people up around her with her gift of entertainment. I wanted to help people live healthy lives through my Hollywood Trainer Weight-Loss book and DVD.

Your forward is written by Queen Latifah. She states, “Here’s the real deal: Jeanette knows how to keep me motivated, and how I can motivate myself when she’s not around.” While on your program, Queen Latifah lost 25lbs in less than six weeks.

How do you motivate your clients?

I motivate clients through education. If you can explain and help people understand who they are, they will be interested. No preaching. “This is why this motion is difficult for you. Your aerobic level is very low.” I have them get initial assessments for fitness, blood, resting and active metabolic rates. I want them to understand what’s going on in their bodies. For resting and active metabolic testing—I encourage everyone to get this.

Today, we know you are biologically an individual. The things you’re going through environmentally and socially will affect hormones and how you burn calories. Clients get results quicker with me than with other trainers. Beginning assessments help me avoid trial and error.

What other stars do you train?

Kimora Lee Simmons—she inspires me. She’s only 30 years old and has two children. Taryn Manning, she’s been through a lot in the industry and she keeps coming back on top. This month she is on the cover of Stuff Magazines 100 sexiest women issue and she has a starring role in Fox’s new Prime time show Drive.

How often do you hit the gym?

Every day. I practice what I preach, and mix it up. Right now I’m traveling to promote my book. This morning I had to be on a show. My wake up time was at 5:45 AM to do treadmill first, before hair and makeup. I plan for it.

What does your eating program incorporate?

Oatmeal without milk. I believe in using raw dairy, not pasteurized, to be as close to nature as possible. I’m a berries person and include them four times a week with the oatmeal.

I eat French toast and buckwheat pancakes with berries the other three mornings.

Sometimes I’ll have eggs and chicken sausage.

I eat four meals a day, every 2 to 3 hours.

What’s your message to women who have delivered babies?

I prefer to address women before delivery. On the mental and spiritual side, women lead careers, have a changing hormonal situation, and lead busy lives. Under stress, the stress hormones (including cortisol) will go to the child in the womb. Women need to decrease their schedules and find a place of peace. As a sign of affirmation—take a day off. We do too much, shut down, make parameters. People will respect them if you set them; make peace in your life.

I see many African–American women with fibroids, which feed off estrogen. They need to decrease amount of estrogen produced. Under a microscope, fibroids have more estrogen receptors than any other kind.

Estrogen is affected by the cortisol, and cortisol is sometimes created by stress.

Find out what’s causing you to be unhealthy rather than getting a prescription to take care of the symptom. Don’t feed yourself with caffeine. Fight or flight, the rise of cortisol, is increased by diet pills, caffeine, and the rush rush go go of life. Cut it off.

Your book comes with The Hollywood Trainer Workout DVD, a great feature to the program. Who will best benefit from it?

I’ve had experience making my own DVDs. They are necessary to help people. I’ll open up Shape magazine, and look at the pictures of the exercises. They can only show so much of the exercise. That’s where motivation and results come from.

For the DVD, I chose 8 to 10 back up people. They include a variety of ethnicities and ages: a 63 year old grandma (She’s in great shape!), a pregnant woman, a 40 year old female with kids, a man aged 40 and another in his 30’s.

It’s important to show how this exercise is for anyone, for people just beginning to workout. The routine is all low impact.

Your recipes look delicious and nutritious. With your busy schedule, do you cook and prepare ahead?

Yes, I made all my own recipes and I love to eat!

Page 27 explains the proper footwear and fit for the feet. This is unusual in a diet book and is a welcome feature. Do I need a special shoe for the workout?

Yes. It’s important, especially if you’re overweight or if you have pain. Don’t wear $7 Target shoes. Some people spend little on the comfort of their feet, but they’re driving a Mercedes. Are you feet flat, do you pronate or supinate? It’s important that your feet are comfortable. Then you’ll stick with the program. Muscular-skeletal issues will be avoided too.

I especially like the Today’s Affirmation boxes for each of the 21 Days. How do they go hand-in-hand with the exercise Weight-Loss Program?

Motivation is a layering effect, involving education, fun, and a little bit of love. I reward or compliment. Everyone needs to feel loved. Through The Hollywood Trainer Weight- Loss Plan, I use daily Personal Affirmation. Next is the workout. Then the meal plan, fitness tip, and nutrition tip of the day.

One tip a day is given. Too much information at once isn’t useful. If the reader wants to read more after the tip, about healthy fat for example, she can read the whole section on the subject in the back.

What else is part of The Hollywood Trainer Program?

Learning to Love yourself!

Besides the book, I have DVDs, teach classes in LA, and I often speak at expos, and other events around the country.

What do you want the reader to take away from The Hollywood Trainer Weight-Loss Program?

Today people have a choice in health, either wake up and once a week collect your pharmaceuticals, or you can wake up and take your grandchildren to the park. There’s so much out there to enjoy. My book can inspire people to change their lives for the better.

Ms. Jenkins, thank you for the interview. Much success to you and your Hollywood Trainer Weight-Loss Plan.

Thank you.

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Jen Sall weight loss success - from "Fit but fat" to slim

Jen Sall, 36, managed to lose over 42 pounds, starting from 196 lbs. Her example shows that traditional weight loss is worth and can lead to perfect results with proper dedication! Here's her story:


"Hey, fatso! Get out of the way!" a voice yelled as I pushed through the crowd heading into a concert. How rude, I thought, feeling sorry for the target of his nastiness. And then the truth kicked me in my size-16 rear: He was talking to me—I was the fatso!


Me, the once hard-bodied, soccer-playing girl who had moved to Boulder, CO, for college 12 years ago; got addicted to skiing, rock-climbing, and hiking; and eventually called it home. Me, who'd quit my pack-a-day habit so I could run faster, only to gain 15 pounds in 6 months. Me, who'd put on almost 40 more by staying in a relationship that was so miserable I ate my way through it.


It had been easy to ignore my weight. After all, I was still running and competing in mountain bike races, but the truth was, after a 20-minute jog, I was so wiped out that I'd retreat to the couch and do my favorite exercise: powerlifting a bag of Doritos and a pint of ice cream.


At the end of 1999, my boyfriend and I broke up, and alone at a New Year's Eve party surrounded by cute, thin people, I forced myself to face the facts: I was fit but fat. Even though I loved exercising, I hated dieting, and this is where it had gotten me. I downed a few Cosmos and some fudge, and the pity party was over: I was ready to get slim.

I joined a gym that had a much-buzzed-about trainer, Marcus Eave. (It was impossible not to notice the perfectly sculpted muscles his clients displayed.) I finally snagged a coveted spot in his Spinning class and concluded that even on my sales-job salary, springing for his $80-per-hour private sessions once a week would be worth it.

Proving Myself

"I can't take you on," Marcus said, when I asked him to be my trainer. He only had time for clients who were really committed to getting in shape. Apparently, he didn't think I was, and I hadn't been at the gym enough to prove otherwise. I glanced at a woman parading around in fab fitness wear, and thought, If she can be a member of the buff-client club, so can I. It almost killed me, but I exercised every day for 2 weeks and cut back my calories. When I showed up 5 pounds lighter, Marcus said, "Okay, you're in." His prescription: cross-training, to build up my strength and stamina. My drill was to work out five times a week, whether strength training or running and biking out in the foothills.

What I'd lacked before was consistency. I'd go 10 days between workouts. Now I was going to be lifting weights and doing cardio 5 hours a week. As an athlete, I could handle this challenge. I was less sure of his diet suggestions. I'd convinced myself I could eat anything if I worked out hard and threw in the occasional crash diet.


Marcus explained why my strategy wasn't working: It was almost impossible for me to burn off as many calories as I was taking in each day unless I made exercise my job.


Clean Machine


The diet I'd begun was a start, Marcus said. I'd eliminated sugar, but if I wanted to really lose weight for good, I'd have to make more permanent changes. He pushed me to eat five or six small meals a day—rather than three large ones—to curb cravings.

Moving in Slow Motion


I was all geared up to start shedding pounds, and nothing happened. I wasn't losing a thing! Where were the 5-pounds-a-week losses I was used to from my crash diets? I wanted to try it my way again, but Marcus kept insisting I eat. "Give it time," he said. I visualized his thin clients and agreed. I outlined my meal plans and prepared preportioned snacks of raw almonds or cashew butter and ZonePerfect bars so that I could fuel up on minimeals all week.

After a couple months, I definitely felt fitter. I loved impressing Marcus by doing a one-armed push-up off a medicine ball, but the slight changes in my shape were barely registering, which made it, at times, very difficult to resist sweets.

For a long time, the experience remained more about the journey than the destination. It took months of hard work for the 2 pounds I was losing each month to become noticeable to me or anybody else.


A Thinner, Fitter Me


Half a year later, I got my reward at long last. I was in a dressing room and realized that for the first time since college, I had choices. That first glimpse of success gave me the resolve I needed to keep at it. Now, 5 years later, there's no fatso in sight. I've gone from a size 16 to an 8. I've lost 42 pounds, shaved more than 2 minutes off my mile time, and packed on a lot of sleek, toned muscle. That's not to say that it's over. My get-fit journey continues—and will for the rest of my life.

Via health.yahoo.com

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Benefits of physical activity

Weight loss success is simple as stated

Despite contrary opinion, losing weight is not hard to do; it's amazingly simple:

1) Eat a little less than you want

2) Wait five minutes before you start

3) Walk a little more than you would

4) Focus on today (tomorrow will take care of itself)

5) Repeat process until desired results are obtained

Voila! No weight loss pills. No bizarre food concoctions. No expensive plans. Simple. To the point. Successful.

As stated, it's not difficult.

Why then do Americans spend $33 billion a year on a process that can be outlined in fewer than 50 words? Here's the thing: Losing weight is not hard; changing one's mind to accept reality can be another issue.

I offer my own experience as case in point. I am no Johnny-Come-Lately to the rigors of dieting; having been on weight-loss programs since before my memories were formed. As an overweight child who wore "husky" pants and XXL shirts, my mother served skim milk in (non-sugary) cereal and fruit for dessert.

Doctors tried to shame me into losing weight; again and again forcing upon me those purple mimeographed pages overloaded with food lists, calorie counts, and dieting "secrets" (which never worked). Upon reaching adulthood, well-intentioned friends pointed out the health risks of obesity: heart disease, diabetes, and stroke; attempting to nudge me toward change. My life has been forged and melded in the furnace of dieting. I know this stuff better than the back of my slightly chubby hand.

So, why do I still have trouble sticking with it?

The answer? We make the process more difficult than necessary, gunking it up with all manner of artificial mental barriers and obstacles. Instead of accepting what must be done, I lament the process of change; stubbornly hanging on to the ineffective, seeking to finagle my way around what is required. I devise excuses for not waking in time to exercise. I tell myself, "just this once won't hurt" while nibbling leftovers from the refrigerator. I protest the higher price of healthier foods, opting instead for the long-term cost of greasy, crunchy, fried bags of chips.

Our thoughts are the problem, not the diets. We put ourselves at odds with our own best interest. At day's end, it is usual to want to "shut down" and unwind. Close the curtains. Turn off your mind. "Relax," coos the seductive call of well-worn behaviors, "You can start tomorrow."

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance," said our third president. To obtain independence from the tyranny of destructive habits requires ongoing diligent effort, as anything of value does. Yet, it is equally accurate - and too often forgotten - that when we pursue our passion, treat our bodies with respect, engage our better selves, and witness the results of those actions, there is no comparison to the elation, joyfulness, and euphoria that floods our soul.

At that point, the whole thing almost seems too easy.

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About the author: Scott "Q" Marcus is a THINspirational speaker and author. Since losing 70 pounds 12 years ago, he conducts speeches, workshops, and presentations throughout the country.He can be reached at http://%20www.theeatingcycle.com/, scottq@scottqmarcus.com or 707.442.6243.

Via redbluffdailynews.com

Weight loss success with Proactol

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Weight loss success with Proactol

Laura Price (Horsham, West Sussex) was overweight for years, hiding her body behind loose clothes. She had a school mate who had a figure of a model and they both were called Large and Little. Unable to control her weight, she felt miserable and ate more and more, so by her mid-teens she gained 14 stone.

Now 22, Laura says she had low self-esteem and considered herself being a plump, but a visit to her general practitioner made her face the truth. At 5ft 3in her weight was 15 stone and GP classified her as obese.

"It was a shock," Laura says "Nobody has actually used that word before and I’d never considered myself to be obese."

Laura admits she always felt sluggish and lethargic. "It was a vicious cycle. I was bullied and felt sad, so I’d eat – mainly cheese and savory stuff. My weight crept up throughout my teens and I never dieted."

"After I left school and began hotel work. I ate food as a reward. If I’d had a bad day at work, I’d treat myself to a whole tub of ice cream or a pizza, I drank spirits containing coke or Red Bull. Eventually it got to the stage where I don’t want to be that person any more."

Year ago Laura decided to take care of her problem.

Among many weight loss drugs Xenical, Acomplia and Reductil are considered as most effective for weight loss, but they also have side effects. Laura changed her diet radically and combined it with a Proactol – natural fat blocker from Neopuntia fiber extract. Proactol is considered the only natural alternative to Orlistat (Xenical, Alli) that underwent medical studies which showed that Proactol effectively reduce around 30 % of fat before it is absorbed by the body.



"I began losing weight at the rate of 6lb a week." she says. Laura managed to lose more than five stone of excess weight; she now weights 9 stone 10lb and is a size 10, down from a size 16.

"Losing weight has given me much more confidence," she says. "For the first time in years, I’m taking interest in clothes. I can go into a shop and know that they’ll have clothes that fit me."

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"Weight Loss Journey" of Jason Bliss

For the past 13 days, Jason Bliss, or "JayBo" as his friends call him, has been walking across South Carolina in a yearlong journey that will take him to San Francisco.

The 2,800-mile trek is part for weight loss, part for self-discovery to change his life.

"What this does is challenge above and beyond, and the rewards are far superior as well. I get to see wonderful things, meet new interesting people, and yes I will lose weight," Bliss, 27, wrote in his blog on day three.

Bliss began on the pier in Garden City, S.C., on June 16.

Carrying a 45-pound backpack and walking stick, Bliss averages about eight to 10 miles a day. He walks from about 6 to 11 a.m., then rests in the heat of the day. About 4 p.m. each day, he resumes his journey until 7 p.m.

From pictures of scenery to photo-documentation of foot blisters, Bliss' blog gives viewers a taste of what it has been like to walk the highways in the middle of summer: the good, the bad and the sometimes gross.

"So far, it feels like I've been walking for a month-and-a-half," he said. There is no cheering crowd and no modern amenities, save for a cell phone he uses to text and e-mail blog entries.

During his down time, he finds a patch of shade, reads a book or a pocket-sized New Testament and writes in a notebook.

His trek is occasionally eased with one-night hotel stays, but mostly it is just Bliss, his tent, his pack and the occasional breeze as the cars rush by.
After his divorce in 2004, Bliss said he began to self-destruct.

"Alcohol, as a problem, came after the divorce," he said. With the over-imbibing came the weight gain. The final straw, Bliss said, was being forced to file bankruptcy. "I fell to the bottom rung of the ladder," he would later write in his blog.

While hanging out with two friends in Boston, the three discussed Bliss moving there so he could walk everywhere and lose weight. His friend, Chris Hartz, came up with the idea that he should walk across America.

It took the unemployed Bliss a couple of days to mull over the idea and decide to go through with their plans. "I wanted to do something phenomenal."

His friends help Bliss maintain a Web site and keep him stocked with the basic necessities.

He doesn't say how much he weighed when the journey began, only that his goal is to drop to 250 pounds. But he hopes the experience will result in more than weight loss; he hopes it will branch into a new life.

The trip comes with more than a few obstacles. Bliss has battled bugs, blisters and beeping motorists. He relies on kind strangers to replenish his water. Temperatures reach near 100 degrees on the asphalt, and his feet and ankles once swelled so much he walked barefoot.

But there has been extraordinary sweetness, too. He won't take money, but he gratefully accepted healthy-food "care packages" from a motorist or two.

His motivation is not letting down family and friends who support him. "I think about giving up each day. If the walk was just for me, I would give up."

Via www.charlotte.com

Jason Bliss blog

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