Holiday Blog is almost over...

Remember on November 25th when the blog series started, you took some measurements and you wrote a goal on a sticky note or two.  How did you do?  Send me a message and let me know. Did you join the series late?  No worries, take those measurements now and set a goal.  Tomorrow is a new year!  Let's do this!

Measurements
Chest - take up under the arms
Waist - take at belly button
Hips - take at pubic bone
Thigh - take half way between hip bone and knee

How fit are you?

Check out this great site that will calculate your fitness age and your VO2max.  VO2max is an indicator of how well your body utilizes oxygen - the gold standard, an excellent indicator of fitness.

http://www.ntnu.edu/cerg/vo2max

Pick one, just pick one, get up and go!

I have come to realize that one of the best ways to motivate yourself to exercise is to sign up for an event. Do not just say you are going to do that 5K in April, but go ahead and sign up!  This can be a run, a walk, a bike ride, a triathlon, a golf, tennis or volleyball tournament, a trail run, a fitness model competition, a weight training competition, a mud run, a color run, a midnight run, an obstacle run, a wipeout obstacle course, a fitness obstacle challenge and more!  Choose an event that kids can do too and it becomes a family affair!  How about a Disney 5K, look for vacation spots and it becomes a vacation to look forward too also!  Have a charity that means a lot to you, look it up, there is a good chance they have an exercise related fundraiser.

Run/walk through the Disney park!

Remember, the goal can be to finish.  You don't have to beat your neighbor, you have to beat your mind. Register today and then lace up those sneakers and get busy.  I recommend that you choose a realistic goal, but one that is just slightly outside of your comfort zone... what will I choose this year?  Stay tuned...

 

Google the type of event you are thinking of and your city... ready, set, go!

Exercise should not be comfortable

In order to place appropriate demands on the body for change to occur, your exercise session should not be comfortable.  You should not be able to sing or carry on a conversation.

Exercise in your target heart rate zone when doing cardio... calculated
220 - age x 75% = target heart rate
This is what your heart rate should be per minute, give or take a few beats, in order to have physiological change in the body. Or refer to this chart:

When lifting weights you should not be able to lift the weight more than ten times.  If you are doing ten reps, the first three should be do-able, the last three should be challenging - so much so that you want to stop!  Rest between sets is 30 seconds to 2 minute, no more no less.  You should be sore or tender in the muscles the next day - this is a subjective measure that tells us the workout was challenging enough to see physiological change. Be sure to rest the muscle group 24 hours before working it again.

Nutrition Boot Camp

Nutrition Boot Camp
Saturday January 18th
11am - 2pm

Attend this 3 hour nutrition boot camp. Learn about how your body processes foods, what types of foods are best for YOUR body, discover how to be a smart savings shopper and make a change for you and your family upon completion.
Lots of take home tools, tips, demos, lunch and meal plans. The boot camp is instructional and interactive. No workout, don't cry...
Message me and receive the boot camp for Only $55!
3 hours of instruction and hands on training

Burn baby burn workout!

OK, we are all guilty of overindulgence. You can also be guilty of working it off. Do this Five minute workout 3-4 times today to boost your metabolism. 

Cravings versus Hunger - what is the difference?

“But I’m hungry (imagine grasping stomach, super whiny voice)!”  

Really, are you hungry or just bored?  Well, how can you tell the difference?  Stay with me.  In your weight loss journey, it is very important to identify the difference between being hungry and a craving that wants to be satisfied.  Because when you can identify the difference between the two, you will know how to respond appropriately and avoid the pitfalls of over eating or poor choice eating.

            Hunger is something you feel in your stomach, it is a sharp pain, that does not go away.  A craving is something you feel in your throat and mouth.  If you distract your attention from the craving, it will go away.  Take for instance coffee (and I am not picking on coffee drinkers – I am one myself).  But you are not hungry for coffee when you get up in the morning, that is a craving.  You feel in your mouth and throat that you want that warm, rich flavor while you watch the morning news or get the kids on the bus.  A lot of times a craving is an anchor, a memory or attachment to an event or time of day.

            A craving will go away if you distract your attention for 5 minutes.  Go for a walk, do a chore, run a report, something.  But this will not work if you stare at the chocolate bar for 5 minutes waiting for the craving to disappear.  Drink a glass of water and move on.

            If you aren’t sure or can’t remember what it feels like to be hungry, do something that I never recommend, go 5-7 hours without eating.  The feeling in your stomach after 6 hours of no food is hunger. 

            You can overcome those cravings, but it takes discipline and recognition of the difference between cravings and hunger.  The more practice you have at overcoming the craving, the less you will have the cravings – promise!

Interval workout!

Can you do all of these intervals to create one, result driven, workout? The answer is... YES! 

**Tip: Print this out and take it with you to your workout location. It will help you effectively and quickly know what's next!**

Treadmill jog or elliptical 2 minutes

20 body weighted squats

20 straight leg deadlifts

20 triceps dips

20 bicycle crunches

Treadmill jog or elliptical 3 minutes

30 body weighted squats

30 straight leg deadlifts

30 triceps dips

30 bicycle crunches

Treadmill jog or elliptical 4 minutes

40 body weighted squats

40 straight leg deadlifts

40 triceps dips

40 bicycle crunches

Treadmill jog or elliptical 3 minutes

30 body weighted squats

30 straight leg deadlifts

30 triceps dips

30 bicycle crunches

Treadmill jog or elliptical 2 minutes

20 body weighted squats

20 straight leg deadlifts

20 triceps dips

20 bicycle crunches   

ALL DONE!

TransformU 8 week weight loss program

8 week weight loss program

PROVEN WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM NOW IN YOUR AREA
Combines nutrition, workouts and wellness coaching!

Program meets at Mustang Fitness in Oak Ridge:
(beside Oak Ridge Town Hall/ this program is NOT CrossFit)
Nutrition plans and shopping lists, workouts for any level of ability, weekly weigh ins, bi-monthly body composition tests, social media coaching, online metabolic tracking and more!

Program has 3 Saturday Launch dates
January 4th, January 11th and January 18th!                          

Reserve your spot today! annacarterfitness@gmail.com

Anna Carter has coached hundreds of clients to weight loss and wellness in her 16 year fitness and wellness career.  She is known for positive, encouraging motivation through workouts that show you what you are capable of doing!

MA – Exercise Physiology; UNC – Chapel Hill
BA – Exercise Science; UNC – Chapel Hill
BA – Public Policy Analysis; UNC – Chapel Hill
AFPA Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant
ASFA Cycling Instructor
TRX Certified Trainer
Personal Fitness and Wellness Professor, Greensboro College

Street smart lessons from my husband

No two people think alike.  Marriage brings two people together who have had different upbringings and different life experiences. Here are a few things that I have learned from my husband in our 14 years of marriage.  I don’t mean “Deep Thoughts by Dan Carter”… just simple things that I have learned from him.  Street smart lessons.

1)  When parking, always back in.  I have to say that when we started dating and Dan always backed in I thought that he was profiling his car.  You know like a teenager in love wit his new ride.  But that behavior didn’t match Dan’s personality so one day I asked why he was so intent on backing in to a parking space.  His reply was simple, because that way you always start out going forward.  So we back in everywhere we go.  And when we start our day, we are always moving forward – love that!

2)  Finish it that day.  We opened businesses together right from the start and that is no easy task; early mornings, late nights, no weekends, very few vacations.  I am a checklist kind of girl.  If I make a list, my stress load decreases by 90%.  There were nights where I just wanted to go to sleep and wake up and finish those last few items in the morning.  Dan always encouraged and motivated me to “finish it today”, tomorrow will hold a new list of things that need to get done.  He was right, always.  I sleep better knowing that I have knocked it out and tomorrow brings new challenges and tasks.

3)  Men get over it.  I am so glad I learned this one early.  Dan had some help from his brother Ed on this lesson for me.  Ed and his wife Michelle had come to stay with us and Ed was working in one of our fitness centers.  One night after closing the facility we were there doing some close outs, follow up, etc.  I cannot for the life of me recollect what Dan and Ed began to disagree about but it was HEATED.  I was in my office thinking, “How in the world will we all go home together.  This is going to be miserable.”  We left and made it home and as I tiptoed through the house and made it to the kitchen to try and give Michelle a heads up that this would be an uncomfortable evening, I passed through the living room where the Bruins game was on.  Dan and Ed sat on the couch, beers in hand and were joking about something that had just happened.  I was astonished.  The argument they had had 30 minutes prior would have caused female best friends to disassociate for a minimum of 7 years.  Men get over it.  This is an important lesson for moms of boys.  Boys won’t crumble like little girls will and in the end, they get over it.

4)  Generic is not always better.  Dan is as frugal as they come, ask anyone who knows him.  If he doesn’t get a deal on an item, it wasn’t worth having.  However, there are two things Dan will say you can’t go generic on at the grocery store – trash bags and Qtips.  I realize those are just his personal items of choice that cannot be generic.  The lesson here is that sometimes quality does outweigh frugality. 

There are hundreds of spiritual, emotional, business and parenting lessons I have learned from him too.  I certainly do not mean for this to be some type of all inclusive list.  Just a few nods to some things I have learned from him in our 14 years of marriage.

New workout post - deck of cards!

Go grab a deck of cards... Each card has an exercise associated with it.  The order  of exercises will be random.  Try not to rest.  Flip from card to card as quickly as possible.  Print out this post so that you have a quick reference for each card and exercise.

All ACES that come up, you will do 10 Burpees (a squat thrust with a jump at the end).

 Jokers are equal 100 crunches.

 Each JACK will be 20 jumping jacks.

 Each QUEEN, do 20 squats.

 Each KING, do 10 triceps dips.

 Numbered cards work like this:

 BLACK cards are push ups (the number on card is equal to the number of reps that you will complete) ex. 8 of clubs is 8 push ups

 RED cards are stationary lunges on each leg (the number on card is equal to the number of reps that you will complete) ex. 5 of hearts is 5 lunges on each leg

Inflammatory foods to avoid

Did you know that some foods create chronic inflammation in your body, leading to heart disease and common cancers.  While it is not realistic to stop eating all of the following foods or food groups, there are some substitutions and limitations to employ.  Here are 10 foods or groups of foods to watch for:

1) Refined sugar - substitute with honey
2) Saturated cooking oils - substitute with extra virgin olive oil
3) Trans fats - look for foods with no trans fats
4) Dairy products - choose unsweetened yogurt or soy milk
5) Feedlot raised meat - choose organic, free range meats
6) Red meat and processed meat - minimize red meat and choose poultry and fish
7) Alcohol - limit consumption
8) Refined/processed grains - choose whole grain
9) Artificial food additives (like aspartame and MSGs) - use herbs and spices for flavoring foods
10) Any food you find upsets your stomach - your sensitivity to that food is a sign to limit your consumption

Breakfast, it IS the most important meal of the day!

Make sure you get protein in your breakfast, it can make all the difference.  A high protein low fat option like eggs is a great choice!  Protein will help sustain you until lunch, making you feel full and satisfied and fueled up to begin your day!  Look at how different your breakfast can be.

If the shoe fits... wear it!

Having a proper fitting pair of exercise shoes is the single most important exercise decision you will make.  If you do not properly care for your feet, you WILL have exercise injury.  Here are some tips for choosing the best athletic shoe for your foot.

1)      Invest.  You will not find a proper fitting pair of athletic shoes for less than $60, period.  Can you find shoes for less than that?  Yes, but you will be unhappy with them within a week or you will have foot pain and issues within a month. Pain in your feet leads to pain in your calves, which leads to pain in your back.  Proper fitting shoes are an investment.

2)      Do not ask your shoes to multitask. Your exercise shoes will be just for exercising.  They will last you much longer if you only wear them for your workouts.  Carry them to the your workout location; gym, park or otherwise and change before and after your workout.

3)      Fall in love.  When you put the shoe on your foot you will KNOW that it is comfortable.  Do not try to convince yourself that you LOVE them, it will only end in shoe divorce.  Don’t try to tell yourself “they will break in.”  No, they will not break in, they will break you, physically.

4)      Ask an expert.  Choose a shoe store where there are qualified people to help assess your foot’s size and shape, watch you walk, check your current shoes for wear patterns and check the new shoe for proper fit.  Take a pair of shoes that you wear regularly – the salesperson will look at the bottom and the back of your shoe to see how you wear out the tread of the shoe.  This will tell them if you pronate or supinate and then they can recommend shoes based on the wear pattern.  Take the socks you will be wearing with your new shoes for best-fit results.  If the salesperson’s primary role is to search to see if they have your size, find a new store.  Ask fellow runners and exercisers where they buy their shoes. Online purchases are only for repeat buying of a shoe you already know fits.

5)      If a shoe says that it will “shape your body” – run, run for you life.  These “shaping” shoes are known to cause MANY problems in feet, knees, hips and back.  The shoe puts your body in an unnatural position and when worn for any duration can cause pain in other areas or injury.

Choosing a shoe is a big decision.  Choose wisely.

Challenge Loop - app of the week

Check out this great app, Challenge Loop where you can challenge friends in any type of scenario - Eat 5 servings of vegetables everyday this week, don't use your debit card for 4 days, exercise everyday...  Decide what the prize will be and launch your challenge.  You can post pictures and updates to keep each other motivated.  Friends near and far can participate!  Check it out!  http://www.challengeloop.com/

Be Transformed by God, not the World

Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 



Did you need to hear this scripture today?  Me too.  As you approach Christmas in these last 10 days are you trying to choose the perfect gift, host the perfect party, prepare the perfect food, wear the perfect clothes?  Stop and remember two things; 1) we are not perfect and 2) He is.  Christmas is the celebration of Christ coming to earth as a perfect being and dying on the cross for our imperfections.  Trying to be perfect and get everything right is insulting to God.  He knows you are not perfect and He still wants a relationship with you. Slow down and spend time with Him today; read scripture, pray and share Him with others.  

Five things about my son as he turns 12...

Today is my son's 12th birthday - here are five things I want to share about him.

1)  I love to listen to Cameron pray.  At 12 his faith is greater than mine was at 21.  Cameron will grow up continuing to be an example to those around him of what faith is and even more, others will learn from him about how to pray.  At Thanksgiving there is a tradition of writing what you are thankful for on a slip of paper and then we take turns reading them as we go around the table of 20 or so people.  One was pulled and this is what it looked like.... it was Cameron's.

2)  Cameron notices the details.  He picks up on the littlest things that everyone else misses.  One year we were visiting at Ashton's mom's house and all of the kids were entranced by a game on the computer - they did not see or hear me approach from behind them and soon Cameron said very casually, "I smell my mom."  (You know like my perfume, not like because I smell, LOL).  Cameron played with Match Box cars for years and as a toddler he would line them up on a table, drive them around and then reverse them back the other way.  He would do that for hours - and he knew which cars had the same spoilers and the same rims and were the same make - it was all in the details for Cameron.

3) Cameron is strong.  He is strong mentally, physically and emotionally.  His strength comes from within and it is a quiet strength, not one that is loud and obvious but a strong undertone that you recognize is there just by being near him.

4) Cameron loves small children.  He truly has more patience than I can believe.  When a very young child is seeking Cameron's attention, he does not turn away to be with his own friends.  He gives the child attention and smiles and gets down on their level.  In a public place Cameron will notice a cute child and comment on them.  He notices and recognizes those younger than him, an unusual attribute at his age.

5)  Cameron is an all around athlete.  If it is a sport, he can play it.  Cameron does not suffer defeat well.  Cameron wants to be good at everything he does.  He is also a sports fanatic.  He knows teams and their stats and their records and who they play next.  He has the mind of a steel trap and a memory to go with it.

I love this child that God has entrusted me with for the past 12 years.  Cameron Thomas (Thomas, after his grandfather and great-grandfather, the latter of which passed away on December 14 seven years before Cameron was born on December 14).  Happy birthday to this boy who teaches me patience, forgiveness and strength everyday.

On your mark, get set.....Here's your new workout!

Get a stopwatch or timer out!  Don't have one, no problem... can you count to 60?  Can you count to 10, 6 times?  Surely, you have one of these you could use...

Great, then you are ready!

Walk 1 minute
Jog or Speed walk 1 minute
Skip or High knee march 1 minute
Jog or speed walk 1 minute
Walk 1 minute
Squats in place for 1 minute
Repeat 4 more times!

Trail Mix Snack Bar - for the whole family!

Time to plan some healthy snacks for everyone.  Make it a family affair!  Create a Trail Mix Bar, kind of like a salad bar…but, well, with trail mix ingredients.  Whole grain dry cereals, almonds, walnuts, cranberries, raisins, dried blueberries, pineapple or bananas, pumpkin seeds, granola, oats and more.  Keep the sugar content low!  There are fats in the nuts and sugar in the dried fruits, but all in all these are whole foods and they are calorie dense.  Give everyone a one cup container to fill with their contents.  Then they empty that container into a baggie and viola – one snack down… how many more to go?  Great for planning during the week and teaching the kids about how healthy eating can be fun and they can be in control of their contents!

Do I need to drink water?

So you have heard the water spiel before?  64ish ounces per day, has to be water, tea and coffee don’t count, drink it all day, don’t wait until the evening, etc… etc….well, maybe you needed this visual….

Any Questions?

Semicolon – my story isn’t over yet…

            Today is my birthday, 39, I am not afraid to say.  It is just a number, 39.  It means for 39 years I have had an opportunity to create a story.  Parts of my story are great and parts are not.  But it is my story nonetheless.  We each create a story everyday – our goal should be to inspire others with our story.

            When writing, we use commas as pauses or when listing many items.  Semicolons are used to link two related thoughts.  Periods are used when we are finished with our thoughts.  Your life, your story is continuous.  There are no do-overs, start-overs, erasing, ignoring or re-creating your story.  It is what it is and each day ends with a semi-colon.  Because tomorrow you will link another related section to your story.  I hope that my story doesn’t end for a long, long time.  But when it does, I pray I end it with a period or an exclamation point, not a question mark.  Today, I follow yesterday’s semicolon; I begin another part of my story – 39 and counting.  How about you?  What follows your semi-colon today?

Multiples of 10 Workout

Here is your next workout - time to change it up!  If you are following along, this is your fourth different workout in the Holiday Blog Series.  Follow along for the best results - the workouts are designed to maximize your calorie burn through the holidays, keep things fresh and give you lots of great exercise ideas!

March in place or walk for about 2-4 minutes and gently stretch your muscles before beginning this workout.  Start at the top of the list and move from one exercise right to the next!  Rest as needed ( needed is defined as: if you are dying, not just if it hurts. When you have to push through because it is challenging - that is when change is happening.  Only stop if you are straining or literally think you might die :)

100 jump shots (like you are shooting a basketball - jump and shoot)
90 squats in place
80 mountain climbers
70 jumping jacks
60 triceps dips
50 crunches
40 push ups
30 burpees
20 bridge press with heels down and toes up
10 flights of stairs

Eating healthy can be affordable – I’ll prove it!

Let the pictures and numbers speak for themselves!  And if you are an Aldi snob (I am not judging), price match at Walmart.  And if you are a Walmart snob, then just pay the higher prices!  All of these items were purchased at Aldi in November 2013!

All this produce for only $26.96

This produce will feed my family of 4 for over a week!

Strawberries $2.49 each

Blueberries $2.39 each

Blackberries $1.59 each

Lettuce $1.19

Cauliflour $1.99

Celery $0.89

Baby Carrots  $0.99

Green peppers $1.89

Multi colored peppers $2.99

Cucumber $0.49

Bag of Gala apples $2.99 bag

Bag of Naval oranges $2.99 bag

Check out this great breakfast idea - all from ALDI!

Steel cut oatmeal with almond slivers and frozen blueberries

All ingredients from ALDI for $6.57

Steel cut oatmeal $1.89

Frozen blueberries $1.99

Slivered almonds $2.69

These ingredients will make me oatmeal for two weeks, that is $0.50 for breakfast, with Oatmeal left to spare!

Yum!  Seasonal special at Aldi!  Going to put this in my car for a healthy, tasty snack on the run! 

Gingerbread Love Crunch $2.99 per bag (compare to others at $4.99 and up!)  I might even add some Frosted Shredded Wheat (not pictured) in a baggie for even more sweet, calorie density (grab a box at ALDI for only $1.99, that’s right!)

Time for some down time! Mama Carter said so!

Find 10 minutes today where you can have no noise, no distraction (Ok, lock yourself in the bathroom and turn on white noise REALLY loud).  First, take a wash cloth size towel, wet it and apply a lavender lotion or some lemon juice to the cloth.  Microwave it for 90 seconds (or until hot).  Take with you to the location where you will have private, quiet time.  Set a timer for 10 minutes.  Lie down and cover your face with the warm towel.  Slowly relax from head to toe. Take deep breaths and as you exhale visualize all of your stress exiting your body through your toes.  Repeat as necessary.  

Need a Boss? Get a GymBoss

The GymBoss app allows you to create a timer with any interval of work/rest desired.  There are also preset timers designed in the app for Tabata, boxing, 30 minute pre-designed timers for workouts and more! Do not be distracted by looking at your timer or clock during your workout.  Work hard and let the timer do its work, you focus on you!  Need a new exercise toy? GymBoss! 

Looking for a playground? I mean, exercise studio?

Only 15% of Americans have a gym membership, I would like to believe that the other 85% are exercising somewhere else…let me live in my delusion, ok?  So just in case your gymphobia leads you to believe that you cannot exercise, think again! Go and google, “Parks near Me.”  Choose two parks that you will try out in the next 5 days.  Schedule your adventure like a doctor’s appointment.  Get out and walk, jog, play.  Take a bike, take the family, go! Who knows, you may have just found your new gym!  Go play! 

Tabata Time!

 

            Here is your new workout for the next few days; until you receive a new workout, enjoy!  Tabata workouts are metabolism boosting and calorie burning!

You will do one exercise for a 4 minute cycle or eight circuits.  Work/do the exercise for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds, repeat 7 more times.  When you finish the 4 minute cycle of that exercise, rest for one minute, allowing your heart rate to recover slightly and then begin the next exercise with the same interval pattern.  Download a tabata timer that will notify you of work versus rest intervals so you can keep your eye on the prize and not on your clock!  Here are your exercises:

            Jump shots (like you are shooting a basketball and jumping in the air)

            Squat kicks (squat and lift right leg to kick, squat and lift left leg to kick)

            Plank

            Bicycle Crunches

            Alternating side lunges

            Jumping jacks

            Wide squat and hold with twisting punches forward

            Crunches

Standby Slaw Salad

I love this Slaw Salad on the fly!  This high fiber, tasty salad can be made in bulk and pulled out in a pinch as a healthy side or add cold chicken for a quick and healthy lunch or eat as is for a great snack!

Combine the following:

            One 8 oz. bag of shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw

            One 8 oz. bag of shredded iceberg lettuce

            One cup of dried cranberries

Roast ½ cup sunflower seeds, ½ cup sliced almonds, ½ cup pumpkin seeds and 1 package of ramen noodles (no seasoning packet) for 10 minutes and then allow to cool. Add to salad.

The dressing is ¼ cup red wine vinegar and ¼ cup olive oil, mix well and drizzle over entire salad.

Fooducate – My new favorite app!

Love this nutrition education app! And you know if I am recommending it, it is a FREE app! Scan a barcode in the grocery store or pantry and the app will grade the food based on what your nutrition goals and special needs are.  The app will take into consideration medical conditions specific to you, your weight loss goals and the components within the food package.  A grade of “A” is a green light, a “C” grade means take another look and an “F”, well you can just put that junk back on the shelf!  The app will also let you log foods and exercise as well to keep an eye on your calorie balance.  Check it out online  http://www.fooducate.com/

There is no magic pill, magic drops, magic wrap, magic shot…period.

           

           I hesitate to write this blog entry, for my own health’s sake because when I talk about these topics, I am certain that my blood pressure goes through the roof!  Let’s start with a few questions; name the most rewarding events in your life that you had responsibility in achieving… having a child, graduating school, marriage, winning that championship, what else?  So did you find that those things came easy to you?  Oh yeah, pregnancy, labor and delivery – easy, right?   A championship earned over many weeks or months, blood, sweat and tears, simple… no problem, right? 

            Weight loss will be rewarding in ways that you cannot even imagine… reduced medication intake, increased self esteem, better body image, more active lifestyle, more energy, increased lifestyle discipline, etc.   Those are things that you cannot get in a pill, drop, wrap, shot and otherwise.  If it were that easy we would all be skinny, right?  I become infuriated when companies promoting such products take advantage of the desperation of someone to lose weight. 

First, the pill, drops, wrap, shot, etc. will not give you long term effects.  Have you ever met anyone who has used one of those products for 30 years? No. Those supplements are not around that long because they are a fad, a money maker for a period of time and then, on to the next.  In reality you are either a guinea pig for a new product or a sucker for a quick fix.

So the next argument is that it “gets you started” on a weight loss journey.  So, it gets you started and then what?  Oh, you have to eat right and exercise to keep losing weight… uh, so why wouldn’t you just do that to begin with.. oh, because it is too hard, then do not delude yourself into believing that you will do it after the supplement jump starts you!  If you are really ready to lose weight then you are ready to eat well and exercise more.

Lastly, there are serious side effects to chemical weight loss solutions; diarrhea, stomach cramps, ulcers, liver damage, heart damage, hormone alterations, death… hmmm, think I will stop there.  Really, if you think that the benefits outweigh the risks, you are too desperate.

Real results require real effort.  To have results that are rewarding long term, it will require sacrifice and discipline.