2Inspire Health & Fitness Magazine #11 - August 2020

From Couch Potato to Fit & Healthy 3 Foods That Aren’t as Healthy as You Think How to Set Reasonable Fitness Goals When You’re Totally out of Shape Pros and Cons of Fitness Bootcamps Health Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle 2Inspirenutrition.com August 2020 FREE

Parks, Recreation and Keto with Phat Girl in the Kitchen, Monique Breau

INSIDE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE From Couch Potato to Fit & Healthy pg. 3 Parks, Recreation and Keto with Phat Girl in the Kitchen, Monique Breau pg. 13 How to Set Reasonable Fitness Goals When You’re Totally out of Shape pg. 21 3 Foods That Aren’t as Healthy as You Think - pg.23 Pros and Cons of Fitness Bootcamps pg. 24 Health Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle pg. 26

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From Couch Potato to Fit & Healthy

How to Get Moving, Get Fit & Enjoy the Process

How many times have you thought, “I should exercise”?

Yet you’re tired, maybe you’re really out of shape, and the idea of exercising seems so overwhelming that it’s just easier to push the idea of exercise from your mind. Deep down you know that you will feel better, look better, and live a better and healthier life if you just get started.

That’s what this guide is designed to do. It’s designed to help you leave your sedentary lifestyle behind. And it’s not filled with huge promises and goals that you will give up on. Instead, this guide puts you in charge of how you move forward. We stress the idea of small steps so that you create a pattern of success. It boosts confidence and helps you make exercise part of your lifestyle.

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There is no shame in living a sedentary lifestyle.

Millions of people are living this way. It’s the result of a hectic life that leaves you feeling exhausted at the end of the day. It’s the result of not really finding an exercise program that feels manageable or even fun.

That’s all about to change.

In this guide, you’ll transition from your currently sedentary lifestyle to a lifestyle where you’re focused on doing something terrific for your body and your health every day.

This guide is divided into nine steps. Each step leads you through the process of getting off the couch and exercising in a way that makes you feel proud, energized, and that provides results.

Use this guide, be honest with yourself, and work through each step to create an exercise program that you can integrate into your lifestyle – we’re talking about exercising every day.

Ready? You can do it, let’s get started!

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Step #1 Setting Your Exercise Goals The goal initially is to get you off the couch and exercising on a daily basis. However, if you’re motivated by numbers or events, then something tangible can help. For example, you might decide to set a goal of:

For now, just start getting an idea about what you might want to achieve.

We’ll figure out how you’re going to achieve it as we work through the steps together.

Measurable Goals and Why They Matter

Are you familiar with the concept of SMART goals?

• Exercising for 20 These are goals that are minutes a day specific, measurable, • Losing 3 pounds a week attainable, relevant, and • Running a 5K time bound.

• Reducing your blood pressure, cholesterol, or Here’s an example of the A1C blood sugar levels average goal a person sets – “I want to run a You might have less marathon.” tangible or measurable goals as well. For example: Great. That’s a good goal.

Running a marathon may • Looking good in a be the perfect incentive swimsuit to get you off the couch • Having more energy and onto the trails or • Feeling confident in the pavement and exercising. gym However, it’s a pretty vague goal and it makes it Stop right now and think difficult to measure, track, about what you want to and plan for. gain from exercising. You don’t have to write down Something better might any goals just yet. Just be to say, “I want to start thinking about what complete a marathon in your goals might be and nine months.” This makes how you are motivated. it a little bit more time bound, and because we We’re going to talk about know that a marathon is how to achieve exercise 26.2 miles now the goal is goals throughout this becoming more specific book and focus specifically and measurable. Is it on them in step seven. attainable? That depends

on the person. There’s a difference between saying “I want to complete a marathon” and “I want to run a marathon.” There’s no pace or finish time in the goal so yes, it’s achievable.

Let’s take a look at another example of a typical goal.

“I want to start exercising.”

Okay, when are you going to start exercising, and how long are you going to exercise for? This goal is very vague and it’s one of the most common goals that people set.

How about, “I’m going to exercise for ten minutes every day”?

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goal and let’s move onto the second step, which is finding your motivation.

Step #2 Finding YOUR Motivation Why do you want to start exercising and what is going to get you off the couch and onto your feet each and every day?

If you don’t know why you’re exercising and you don’t have a motivation or a reason that really connects with who you are, then it’s not going to work. It is darned near impossible to make something part of your life and to make big changes to your lifestyle without a motivating reason.

Or “I’m going to walk for ten minutes every day for six months and I’m starting If you’re serious about today.” becoming more active and living a happier, That is measurable, healthier, and better achievable, and pretty life (and quitting the specific. It’s also time sedentary lifestyle), then it bound. is imperative that you find your motivation. Here are a So, you’re getting the idea. few examples of different The goals that you set will types of motivation. be easier to measure, and to achieve, if you build in Accountability some specifics, deadlines, Some people find it and parameters that are easier to get and stay easy to track. motivated when they’re accountable to someone Start thinking about what else. For example, if you might want to do and you and your friends how you might write that create an exercise club

and you begin meeting every day to work out together (and motivate one another), then you’re accountable to someone else. Accountability might also happen when you’re motivated to get healthy so that you are around to take care of your children or someone that you love.

Event/Competition Other people are motivated by the idea of an event. Training or exercising for an event taps into their competitive side and gets them off the couch and out the door.

An event can be anything from a 5K race to a mixed martial arts competition to a dance marathon. There are so many different types of exercise and physical activity to consider.

Data and Hard Numbers You might be one of those people who is motivated by numbers. You might enjoy tracking your data and improving on those numbers every day. For example, you might time yourself to see how many squats you can do in a minute. Maybe you do 15 in a minute and tomorrow you push yourself to do 16 because you’re motivated by the data and

trying to improve on your performance.

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Money

JoAnne pays a hefty Rewards amount to be a member If you’re motivated by at her local gym. To justify material rewards, leverage that expense, she decided that aspect of your that she had to hit the personality. For every goal gym 25 times each month you achieve, buy yourself to make the expense something nice or treat worth it. She’s motivated yourself. For example, you by money and doesn’t might reward yourself with want to waste hers. She a massage for every 30 knows that she has to go days in a row of exercise. to the gym six days a week to reach her goal of 25 Vanity times a month, and it gets There’s no shame in her out the door and into wanting to look better. the gym every month.

Take a photo of yourself now and create a system There are probably other where you take a photo things that motivate of yourself every 30 days. people, but this is a pretty As you exercise each good start. Did any of day think about that these methods resonate upcoming photo. As the with you? Think back weeks and months go to other goals that you by, you’ll start seeing a have achieved. Why did change in your body and you achieve them? What that is motivating. It can motivated you? This can be really fun to see your give you a clue about hard work pay off. your motivation style or personality and help you Because It’s on Your integrate exercise into Schedule your daily life.

Some lucky folks are motivated to complete If you’re not sure what a task simply because it’s motivates you, that’s on their calendar. If that is okay. As you begin your you, then put exercise on new exercise program your calendar right now. you’ll start to see patterns.

Get up fifteen minutes Become aware of those earlier or find a nugget of patterns and you’ll time during your day and learn your motivation schedule exercise. personality.

Step #3 Tracking Your Success One way to become more aware of your personality and your patterns, and to help you stay accountable to your goals, is to track your exercise and fitness success. Many goal-setting experts, coaches, and motivational teachers strongly emphasize tracking your success. It gives you valuable insight and can be both cathartic and informative.

There are a few different ways that you can track your success. You can embrace all of them, some of them, or create your own.

Selfies – We’ve already talked about taking photos of yourself and your progress. Sometimes it is difficult to see what you’ve accomplished, but photos don’t lie and they can be very motivational.

If you choose to take selfies, make sure that you photograph yourself in the same clothing and at the same angle each time. It’s easier to see your progress this way.

Diary/journal – A journal or fitness diary is another option. This one helps you get all of your feelings

around your body, your lifestyle, and your new exercise program down on paper. If you’re having a difficult day, you can vent.

If you are struggling, you can work through it on paper.

And if you’re having a good day and enjoying success, celebrate it.

Journaling helps you get thoughts, especially the negative ones, out of your mind so you can focus on being positive and doing what you need to do.

Fitness tracker – Another tool that you can use is a fitness tracker. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of applications and tools that you can use to track your fitness. They count everything from steps taken and calories burned to minutes of exercise and intensity.

You can enter the information yourself online using something like MyFitnessPal, or you can clip a pedometer or Fitbit type device onto your clothing and let technology do the work.

Keep in mind that simply gathering the information isn’t enough, you have to look at it and learn from it.

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7,000 steps today and your goal was 10,000, why did you fall short and what can you do differently tomorrow? Or if you walked 12,000 steps today, what helped you get those extra 2,000 steps in and how can you repeat that success?

Tracking your exercise and documenting the process is important. It helps you embrace your successes. It provides you with valuable insight and information to make positive changes if you’re struggling, and it helps you deal with the emotions and challenges of transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one.

Step #4 Managing Failure Okay, here’s the harsh truth that you have to hear and you have to embrace.

There will be bad days.

There will be days where you fail. There will be days when you feel like quitting and you do quit. There will be days where maybe you feel so terrible that you just can’t get into the gym and face the public.

You may feel badly about your fitness, about your body, or about yourself, period. You have to learn For example, if you walked how to manage those

days. They are going to happen. They happen to everyone. So let’s explore ideas and tips to manage the sucky days and to come out fine on the other side.

It’s not all or nothing. If you make a mistake today, tomorrow is a fresh start.

It’s that old, “Get back on the horse” mentality. You don’t have to be perfect every day. You simply have to keep trying.

Ask yourself why. Why did you fail? What happened and how can you avoid that experience next time? What can you do differently? This is where a diary or a journal may be helpful. Reflect on what works for you when you’re successful and what hinders your success.

Shift your self-talk.

Sometimes we fail because we’re not loving ourselves. It may sound a bit silly right now, but how you talk to yourself really matters. For example, if you’re sitting in your car outside of the gym and you’re feeling ashamed of your fitness or your body, pay attention to the words that are running through your mind and change them.

Simple phrases like “I am worth this effort” or “I am proud,” “I am a fighter,” “Everyone starts somewhere, this is where I am today and I honor that” can help you find your motivation and to move past your fears and shame.

Find a mentor. You don’t have to hire a mentor or a coach; you can find someone in the media or someone that you know who achieved success.

When you’re having a difficult day, remember that this person achieved success, and you can too.

Hire a coach (or call a good friend). Find someone who can talk you through the bad times. If you’re sitting on the couch and you just can’t get out the door to go for that run or to take that dance class, then call or text your coach or friend. Tell them you need a push. It’s okay to ask for help.

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Don’t let one bad day turn into dozens. The snowball effect works two ways. You can leverage momentum and turn repeated successes into huge results. Or you can let repeated mistakes turn into a failed experience. If you have a bad day, let it only be one day.

Finally, remember what you like about yourself and your body. Make a list, create an affirmation, or give yourself a daily pep talk. Find things that you love about yourself and embrace them. Let go of the things that you don’t like about yourself. Focus on the positive.

Step #5 Overcoming Fear

mind. You may be: • Afraid of failure • Afraid that it’s going to be uncomfortable or hard work • Afraid that you’re going to be laughed at • Afraid that you will feel like a novice or that you don’t know what you’re doing • Afraid of success (seriously, this is a common fear)

One of the biggest reasons that sedentary folks stay that way (and one of the biggest reasons why people in general don’t pursue their goals and dreams) is fear.

They’re all valid fears, but that doesn’t mean you have to let them stop you.

Identify your fear. Say it out loud. “I am afraid that I’ll be laughed at.”

Fear stops most people dead in their tracks and keeps you from doing what you want to do. Fear stinks! There’s really no point to fear – unless your life is in danger – and yet it keeps people from living their best lives.

Saying your fear out loud gets it out of your mind where it can spin out of control and take over your actions.

It may be keeping you from living your best life too. So what do we do about it? How do you overcome your fears and start exercising? Well, the first step is to identify your fears.

Assess the scenarios.

What’s the worst that could happen? What if someone did laugh at you? What would that do to you; how would you feel? Now assess the bestcase scenario. You go into the gym, you get a good workout, you feel good about yourself and you take one solid step toward your goals.

What Are You Afraid Of? There are many fears that may be looming in your

Is it worth facing the worst-case scenario?

Probably, right?

What Else Can You Do To Move Around Or Through Your Fears?

Get started at home or with friends if the gym freaks you out. If you just can’t face the gym right now, fine. Don’t. Do something else to get in shape right now until you feel like you do have the courage to go to the gym.

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achieve any goal you set your mind to.

Step #6 Accountability Assistance

Accountability is defined as the presumption of responsibility. Essentially, when you hold yourself accountable for something, you’re making a commitment to see it through. The exercise Get help from a pro. If goals that you set for you feel overwhelmed yourself are the first step. and don’t know how to To make those goals a use the equipment or reality, it’s important to what to do, then get help. create systems to hold Hire a trainer to walk you yourself accountable. So through the equipment let’s take a look at some or to create a beginner ways to hold yourself program for you. That’s accountable and to create what they do for a living systems that support you and you’re not going to be to succeed. the first beginner exerciser they’ve ever worked with. Friends – Friends are wonderful for holding you Everyone is a beginner at accountable. The simple some point. Remember act of asking you how that everyone has to you’re doing with your start somewhere, and exercise goals may be that person you may be enough to get you out the comparing yourself to door. However, consider may have been in your creating an exercise shoes once. You can do it. group with friends so you Positive self-talk truly helps can all hold one another you get through the fears accountable. and the tough stuff.

Social media – There are Next, we’re going to talk social media fitness apps about something that that can help you stay can also help you move accountable. You can join through your fears, and it’s or create groups within a tactic that will help you the apps or you can share

your progress and success.

Strava, MyFitnessPal, and even the Fitbit device offers social functionality.

Clubs – Love to run?

Join a running club. The camaraderie will keep you coming back. There are clubs in your area for a number of fitness activities. Create or join your own fitness club.

Money – If you’re money motivated then paying money for a gym membership or a trainer can help you get to the gym.

Personal tracking – We’ve already talked about the importance of tracking your efforts, progress, and results. Sometimes this tracking system is enough to support you to create a daily exercise habit.

This is a short list of possibilities. Think about what might make you feel responsible to your goals and help you exercise every day.

Step #7 The Power of Small Steps One of the biggest reasons that people fail to achieve their goals is that they fail to plan and that they bite off more than they can

chew. The goals are too big and unmanageable.

Now no one is telling you not to set your sights high. However, every goal that you set must be manageable. It has to be achievable.

That’s where small steps come into play. By creating a series small steps, you’ll get to your larger goal. And small and manageable steps help you create a pattern of success.

How small should your steps be?

As small as they need to be for you to achieve them.

For example, let’s say that you want to run a marathon. That’s a pretty big goal for anyone, and it may feel like an overwhelming goal for someone who is sedentary, maybe hasn’t ever worked out in their life, and is out of shape.

But with small steps, running a marathon is achievable.

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increase the time that you are running so eventually you’re running for thirty minutes without having to stop to walk.

Then, once you’re comfortable at that distance/time, start adding time and distance to your runs. Once or twice a week, add a mile to your run. For example, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday you run three miles.

On Tuesday and Saturday you run 5, then 6, then 7 and so on until you’re running 12-15 miles one day a week.

See how the baby steps work?

Over time you gradually move from walking to running to running longer to eventually training for a marathon.

And the idea of walking for a mile is manageable, much more so than going from the couch to marathon training. As you gain more confidence and fitness, you’ll be able to comfortably step it up and add more time and You might start by walking distance to your workout. a mile a day. Do that for a week, or two, then This approach works for graduate to jogging for any exercise or fitness three minutes and walking program regardless of the for two minutes. Gradually movements. Start small

and set intermediate goals that you know you can achieve. Build a pattern of success. Integrate these easily achieved habits into your schedule and enjoy the process.

One quick story…

Ann was four months post-pregnancy. She hadn’t lost an ounce of weight after having her baby and was in fact about 50 pounds overweight.

Ann also hadn’t exercised since she was in high school (a good ten years ago).

She decided to exercise for five minutes a day and invested in an elliptical machine. For two weeks, Ann exercised for five minutes a day. She knew she could fit that into her busy schedule and she knew it was doable.

Then she started adding minutes. Each week she added two minutes.

So, the third week she exercised seven minutes, then nine, then eleven, and so on. Eventually, she was exercising about an hour a day.

She didn’t focus on the weight that she needed to lose. Instead, she focused on putting in the time on the elliptical. Ann went on

to pick up other activities like cycling, rock climbing, and running. Ann not only lost that extra 50 pounds, she got back to her high school weight and felt better about herself and her life than she had in years. Small steps and a pattern of success lead to tremendous rewards.

Step # 8 Make Exercise a Daily Habit

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If you’re a night owl, then exercise at night.

If you can get up a little earlier then exercise in the morning. It is true that mornings are often best because then you get it done right away and nothing can get in your way. Exercising in the morning ensures that you get it done.

Consider

First and foremost, any exercise program that you are interested in can be structured for you. Remember that everyone is a beginner at some point. So, if you want to practice martial arts, go for it. If you want to lift weights, go for it. Dancing, swimming, • Make it something that running, CrossFit, bicycling you enjoy! Exercise is and anything else that At this point we’ve talked not a chore. It shouldn’t you can think of can all about motivation, setting be something that be integrated into your goals, and accountability. you dread. Instead, lifestyle, regardless of your But what about the look for exercises and current fitness level. real world. What about movements that you actually fitting exercise enjoy. Dance, jump Some exercise programs into your busy schedule? rope, get on a rowing are a little easier to First, remember the baby machine, or hop on a integrate into your life. steps. Right now, as you’re treadmill and watch getting started, you don’t romantic comedies For example, walking is have to set aside an hour while you work out. It’s super easy to add to your of your time. easy to do something life. You just need a little that you enjoy and it’s time and some good You certainly can if you easy to prioritize it. walking shoes. There’s want to, but what’s more no special equipment important is to begin to So, think about the time required. And you can make exercise part of your during your day that you’re walk indoors on a treadmill daily life and your routine. most likely to succeed. when the weather is bad.

What time of day should So… you exercise and how Yoga is an example of a • Schedule it. Make room much time, initially, are mobility program that in your calendar and you going to set aside? you can include in your follow through. If it’s And most importantly… week. It’s always a good on your calendar and what are you going to idea to do some cardio, you’ve set aside time do? How are you going to some strength, and some for it, then honor that move your body and start mobility. For example, you commitment. exercising? might walk on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On • Exercise during the best Step #9 Beginner Tuesday and Thursday, you time of the day for you. Exercise Programs to do body weight strength

training, and on Saturday and Sunday you do yoga.

Find days each week for each type of exercise.

Remember Ann? She started by exercising for five minutes a day? She also stretched for about five minutes after each workout and spent one day a week at yoga. She started doing bodyweight movements like sit-ups and pushups as well. You can do the same.

Remember that all movements, even the basic pushup, are scalable to make them easier. It isn’t important that you do a perfect pushup today.

What is important is that you get started with your exercise program. Start moving your body. As you get stronger, and you will, your form will improve.

Hire a trainer, use a DVD or stream an online class. There are exercise programs available to you and you get to set the pace and determine your path.

Remember that everyone starts somewhere. It Conclusion doesn’t matter where you start, what matters is Set your goals, determine that you do. Leave those Everyone has their own your motivation, and put fears behind. Turn your starting point, and systems in place to hold sedentary lifestyle into any movement can be yourself accountable. an active one that makes modified. For example, if you are unable to perform Keep in mind that exercise you feel terrific and puts a smile on your face. All the a full squat or a lunge, try should be fun. That gives you permission while you’ll be improving squatting to a chair or your health, losing weight, lunging with your hand on to try different things and to learn what you and changing your life one a support device. enjoy doing. Work out step at a time.

Instead of squatting, with friends, work out because it could be at the gym or at home. initially hard on your What If You’re Injured or Unable to Move Like You Want to?

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knees, you might squat to a chair. Instead of running, you can start with walking.

Add a band, or two or three, to your pullups to help you get your chin over the bar. As you get stronger, you can gradually remove bands.

Parks, Recreation and Keto with Phat Girl in the Kitchen, Monique Breau

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Today, we’re talking to Monique Breau of Phat Girl in the Kitchen.

Originally from New Orleans, Monique serves as recreation coordinator for the Marble Falls, Texas, Parks and Recreation Department, specializing in community relations and sponsorship acquisitions.

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Gladiator, an Austin-based outdoor fitness group.

Dennis Postema: How is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the parks and recreation department?

Monique Breau: The parks and rec world is in the process of going virtual. Whether on Zoom, Facebook Live, Monique actively Instagram TV, or IGTV, participates in several we are taking what we professional development do on a daily basis and organizations. She won the we are flipping that on a 2019 John C. Potts “Pottsie” national level. I’m a part Leadership Development of a group called Women Scholarship and is a proud in Parks and Recreation graduate of Louisiana where we share ideas, State University. She everything from cake holds a master’s degree and cookie decorating in public administration to Camp-In-A-Box where and is a certified you can purchase different park and recreational activities, and you follow professional. She has also along online. obtained the nationally recognized certified youth It’s like we’re going back to sports administrator the roots of what playing endorsement. outside really looks like.

We had one event, for Her goal is to serve example, called Chalk Your the local population of Walk. It was a national Central Texas through initiative while the country health and wellness was in quarantine. We with opportunities encouraged people for residents of all everywhere to take ages while promoting sidewalk chalk and write environmental education, a nice note or draw a stewardship and picture in their neighbor’s community enrichment. driveway.

Monique follows the ketogenic lifestyle and is People all over the United a silver member of Camp States participated, telling

people happy birthday, telling their neighbor that they miss them, and stuff like that. We’ve also done online presentations teaching kids how to play jump rope and make slime. Going back old school and doing the vinegar and baking soda volcano. We are really getting down into the weeds and having fun with making parks and rec a virtual experience as best as we can.

Dennis: Have you found that COVID-19 has helped people make positive changes in their lives?

Has that been a silver lining?

Monique: It’s the perfect silver lining. Think about how busy people are with the fast-food generation, as I call it, and now you get to stay home. Instead of getting pancakes from a fast-food joint, you can make a pancake bar like my friend. Because they were used to going out for brunch, or lunch on Saturday mornings, she flipped it, and she’s like, “Well, I’m going to do the pancakes, and do all the toppings.”

And now they’re like, “Oh, these pancakes taste better than so-and-so’s.” It’s

all going back to the roots of how people grew up in the ’80s, ’90s, and the early 2000s, before we became so dependent on the digital lifestyle.

and there was nothing I could do about it, and I was very, very upset about that. I cried many days because I was to the point that I felt I couldn’t gain another Dennis: You had a real, ounce because it was personal transformation dangerous. I was getting before the pandemic. Can closer and closer to you tell us about that? becoming a diabetic. I was already on three blood Monique: In 2015 I had a pressure medications a brain tumor removed. I day on top of the other went through a transfer steroids. And it was just modal procedure where like, “This is snowballing they cut the top of the into something else.” And I gum line, go in through didn’t want to live like that. the back of the sinuses, then cut out a section of Dennis: What led you to the brain. the keto diet?

It was an eight-hour surgery and when I came out, I ended up in the hospital for about seven days. I was taking steroids three times a day, and I had to take medication to keep my stress levels under control, so my cortisol had no way to normalize. And my weight ballooned to 400 pounds.

So I was quite ... fluffy. My family was very nice about it. My mom and sisters were just like, “You’re still beautiful.” And I thought, “I can’t see my feet. I don’t care how beautiful I am. I can’t see my feet.”

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I gained a lot of weight

Monique: I did a bunch of research, looking for different ways to get off this medicine and heal my body. And I prayed, “God, show me what to do, because I can’t live like this.” Because I was also experiencing swelling in my legs, lymphedema, and I couldn’t wear shoes. That was also embarrassing, because how can you go anywhere and you can’t even put on shoes?

I ran across the ketogenic diet, and I saw that it was used all the way back in ancient Egypt to control epilepsy. At first, I didn’t really get it, but I kept

doing research, and then I started reaching out to people online because I couldn’t get the macros right because I was used to the typical Atkins or the low-fat diet. And mentally, keto didn’t make sense.

You’re telling me that a high-fat diet is going to help me? No, you guys are ... It’s a trick, right. I can have butter in my coffee?

This has to be a trick.

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are apprehensive about beginning a workout program?

people might not support the fact that you’re coming in last. People are going to support you. And that’s Monique: Do it. the thing that I like about going to group exercises.

Do it afraid. Do it with all They have built-in the pain. Do it to the best cheerleaders. Even when I of your abilities. Yes, you’re was the last one, I still got going to be tired and sore. high fives and cheers, and Yes, it’s going to hurt, but it makes you feel good. So don’t let that stop you. it does reassure you. Don’t People often get caught quit. up in their minds, deciding what they cannot do. But Dennis: What are your But no, it saved my life. once you can get past that fitness goals?

And after that, I took it mental barrier ... it’s going and I ran with it. And I to hurt anyway, but it’s Monique: I would like adapted the keto lifestyle going to be a good hurt, to run a 5K. I’ve done to the things that I like. and you’re going to feel them—I’ve power walked I’m from Louisiana. In New accomplished. them, I’ve mall walked Orleans, food is a passion. them, I’ve walked really, So the gumbo, the potato I started Austin’s Camp really fast like I was going salad, the po’ boys, the Gladiator at 400 pounds, to a great Black Friday sale beignets. I have adapted and I was last every single during them, but I want to the way I was raised time. I’ve been doing it actually run the 5K. to eat to a ketogenic for two years, and I have lifestyle, because this is come in last every single That’s my immediate goal. a permanent lifestyle for time. At first, I felt defeated. me. I’ve experienced the But that means at least I’m Dennis: What’s more carb hangover, and it’s lapping everybody on the important: the number not worth it. I’d rather be couch. That’s what I would on the scale or the mentally clear and not tell myself when I’d have numbers on your medical have the aches and pains, to take off for my mile jog. chart? because when I go back So do not let walking at a to carbs and sugar, my turtle’s or armadillo’s pace Monique: That one’s a body betrays me. Every stop you. At least you’re catch-22. I was stuck on joint that I have is inflamed moving faster than people having the ideal weight almost instantaneously. So who are doing nothing on and it was defeating me, I know ketogenic is for me the couch. because I’m big in stature on a permanent basis. naturally. My dad is 6’4”, Don’t let your mental my baby nephew is 6’4”, Dennis: What advice barrier make you think 350 pounds. I’m 5’10”. So can you give to other that people are going to naturally, I call myself a plus-size people who look at you differently, or giant.

I wanted to see that perfect number on the scale. But when I started getting my lab work done, and my A1c dropped from being almost diabetic to normal, my glucose was normal, and I no longer needed three blood pressure pills a day, I realized the medical chart trumps the ideal weight.

Start with the medical stuff, and then eventually you’ll get to where your body is comfortable.

Everybody is not born to look like Heidi Klum. And I had to get that in my head that, if I’m never the next Ashley Graham, or a plussize model, it’s going to be okay.

Dennis: What has been your greatest non-scale victory thus far? And how did you celebrate that milestone?

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Monique: When I was battling with all the hormones and the lymphedema, all I could wear were ballet flats and flip flops. This year, I was able to purchase a pair of athletic shoes that I could actually string up.

One thing that people don’t realize is that when you are overweight, sometimes reaching your feet is not easy.

When that happens, wearing shoes without laces becomes a lifestyle, something you can slide in and out of, because it’s easy, and you don’t have to be embarrassed to ask for help when you’re not an 80-year-old lady who can’t bend over, just a 37-year-old who can’t reach her feet.

So I was able to buy a

pair of really cool Reebok athletic shoes with crazy laces in all these colors.

When I put them on, I was able to string them up without getting winded.

I was like a little kid on Christmas morning, skipping around my kitchen, because I could wear shoes.

First of all, a pair of shoes that I was able to order online. I didn’t even have

to try them on to make sure my feet weren’t swollen and all that.

Second, I strung them up myself. I skipped and jumped all excited, and my mom said, “I’m so proud of you. Keep going.

Congratulations.” That was the best non-scale victory.

Dennis: Any advice you would give to anybody who’s a little reluctant to start?

Monique: Just get out of your own head and experience life. Stop living your life from the sidelines, and just begin.

Begin somewhere. Little bitty steps will eventually add up to bigger accomplishments.

It’s just like a paper towel roll. If you take one piece of the roll off every single day, by the end of that roll, you’re going to wonder, “Wait, how did I use them all at one time?” This is the same thing. You may start off with a five-pound weight, and eventually get to lifting 30-pound weights. You build that endurance slowly but surely, and you make it a lifestyle.

Just start somewhere, whether you’re watching something on YouTube,

or on POPSUGAR, or Instagram Live. There are so many outlets and avenues. Even Dollar Tree sells workout tapes.

Challenge yourself. Take baby steps. Walk to your mailbox if you live in a subdivision, instead of driving to the mailbox.

But just start somewhere,

and you’ll be so proud of yourself 30, 60, 90, 120 days out. Don’t try to make it a quick fix. Because a quick fix, that’s done for vanity. It’s not reality.

To find out more about Monique, visit her website, phatgirlinthekitchen.com.

Dennis: Yeah, yeah, exactly. I love that.

So has the ketogenic diet solidified itself as a mainstay in our culture? Or is it another fad?

Monique: I would say both. People who are truly into the science behind the ketogenic diet, and who’ve done it for three or more years, have seen the results. If your migraines have gone away, or your tiredness, or your joint inflammation, it has been solidified in your life.

But I think that some parts of our culture have turned it into a fad, while in other parts of our culture, this is a mainstay lifestyle that helps combat different ailments or illnesses that may be recurring if you did not eat that particular way.

I just had a conversation with my friend before I hopped on this call, because she was trying to purchase these keto shakes. And I told her, “Well, let me just give you a warning that if you don’t commit to the ketogenic diet as a lifestyle, you’re going to regain this weight with a vengeance once you stop.”

And she was just like, “Well, I want to lose 15 pounds for my birthday.” I said, “But I’m telling you, the minute that you stop, you’re going to regain 15 plus, because you’re trying to use it as a quick fix. You’re not trying to do it for the health benefits, or as the lifestyle. You saw it as, ‘My birthday is at the end of the month, and I can drop 15 pounds in two weeks.’”

She actually hung up on me. But I told her, “Three weeks from that, as soon as you celebrate your birthday, you’re going to want cake, and you’re going to want to go out to eat and have cocktails, or whatever. You’re going to wake up on September 1 so angry that you gained all this weight back, and you’re going to spiral right back into the yo-yo dieting.”

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How to Set Reasonable Fitness Goals When You’re Totally out of Shape

So you’ve been a little bit too lazy in the last couple of months and you finally decided to change something about your physical activities? You’re tired of people calling you bad names like “couch potato” and you know you can do much better than just looking like a grumpy overweight person right?

And so right now you want to prove others, and more importantly to yourself, that once you start working out, you won’t stop until you reach your goals. But how can you reach them? What should you do in order to become a better looking person, and start something that will tell others you aren’t joking with this stuff?

Don’t Rush It

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The biggest mistake people make when it comes to attaining fitness goals is that they usually rush way too much and expect things to happen

too early. When it comes to working out, patience is usually the most important thing along with discipline. Obviously, you can’t think about having a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s in just few weeks.

Therefore, it’s important to set reasonable fitness goals—things you can attain to keep the motivation going.

Take Baby Steps When setting big fitness goals, the most important thing is to have smaller goals that will lead to reaching the bigger one.

So, if your goal is to perhaps lose 28 lbs in the long term, you can start off with cutting out fried and fatty food first, followed by a fun cardio workout.

Eventually, you’ll begin to start losing 2.5lbs. every other week, and before you know it, you’ve taken 30 lbs. off your weight. Instead of pushing yourself to lose the whole 28 lbs. as

soon as possible, you may want to set 4 smaller goals of losing 7 lbs. instead: • Your first goal will be losing 7 lbs. 3 more goals to achieve and you’ll reach your final form!

• After first two goals, you will restore your motivation when you realize you have already crossed the halfway mark.

Or let’s say you’ve just started working out so you want to add some mass to your chest and shoulders but that goal looks so far away and you’ve already started thinking about giving up. There’s no giving up! If you press 75 lbs. on the bench press, try reaching 100 lbs by the end of this month and in 2 to 3 months you’ll press 150lbs!

The most important thing about setting a reasonable goal in order to bring your body to your desired level is to be honest to yourself, not to expect too much during the beginning stages, and be disciplined!

There is nothing in the world of fitness you can’t achieve so just set few smaller goals and you’ll without a doubt reach that big one!

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3 Foods That Aren’t as Healthy as You Think Companies are sneaky in the way they advertise their food products as “healthy”. They usually promote the healthy part while leaving out information about the unhealthy ingredients, which in some cases far exceed the healthy ones. The only way to tell for sure is to read the nutrition label.

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with a chemical call sulfur dioxide. If you like dried fruit, you are better off making your own with a dehydrator and only eating a few pieces at a time.

Diet Soda

Because it has “diet” in its name, it should be good for you right? Wrong! Because most diet sodas are sweetened with an For example, many “fatartificial sweetener, they free” products are loaded fool your body into thinkwith added sugar. Fat ing it is real sugar and in provides flavor, so if it is taken out, something has response cause your insulin level to spike. Once to replace it to make it as palatable as possible. That it comes crashing down, you are left hungry. Studis usually sugar in one ies have shown that the form or another. chemical used to give soda (diet and otherwise) Dried Fruit its caramel color is also This sounds innocent bad for you. Water, either enough – fruit with the plain or carbonated, is still moisture taken out. How the best drink that will not bad can it be? It can be full add calories to your diet or of sugar, both natural ocspike your insulin level, but curring and added. When quench your thirst. fruit is dried, the natural sugar is concentrated so Margarine (or any of the you are actually getting butter substitutes) more sugar for the same Several years ago when size piece. And on top of the low-fat, no-fat craze it, some companies also began, butter fell out add more sugar to their products, not to mention of favor in lieu of one of processing their dried fruit many butter substitutes.

If you knew how margarine was made, you would (and should) stick with real butter. To make margarine, vegetable oil is extracted from corn, soybeans, or safflower seeds, steamed, hydrogenated, emulsified, bleached, steamed again, and then doctored up with synthetic vitamins and colors to make it look and taste like real butter.

Does that sound whole process sound healthy? If your answer was no, you are right! Real butter in moderation is the only healthy option because it is made with real milk with minimal processing.

The only way to tell if a food or drink is healthy is to read the nutrition labels.

Stay away from foods with added sugar in one of its forms or another, along with high amounts of saturated or trans-fat. Also look at the number of ingredients. The more it has, the less healthy it will be.

Stick with foods that are minimally processed and contain few ingredients … all which you can pronounce.

Pros and Cons of Fitness Bootcamps Fitness boot camps are increasingly becoming popular. In fact, many people are opting for this form of fitness training over traditional solo routines at a gym.

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The idea of exercising together with fellow fitness buffs under the watchful eye of a fit drill sergeant may sound appealing but the truth is that boot camps are not for everyone. So, before taking the plunge, here is a quick overview of the pros and cons of fitness bootcamps, which will give you a good understanding of what to expect.

Cost Effective Boot camps are cheaper than hiring a personal trainer. Much of this has to do with the fact that the cost is shared by all members in the group.

Peer Motivation If you are with the right group, exercising with other people can be motivational.

If everyone else is working hard, this will inspire you to do the same.

organize boot camps base aspects such as gender, age and goals (e.g. routines designed for weight loss), participants have varying fitness levels. This means that if you are least fit person in the group, the whole experience could end up being intimidating.

Heavily Dependent on Nature of Instructor The success of any boot camp will depend on the Pros of Joining a Fitness instructor’s personality, Boot Camp enthusiasm and knowledge.

Enlightening Good boot camp instructors With the wrong instructor, Add Excitement to the whole experience could usually begin or end Mundane Regimens end up being unsatisfactory.

Fitness boot camps provide sessions by sharing some the perfect way to break up fitness or nutritional tips.

Adjustment Issues This allows participants to boredom or monotony of The initial days of a your usual workout regimen. learn as training goes on. boot camp are the most These group exercises Cons of Fitness Boot Camp challenging because can take place anywhere, you will be learning new including outdoors, which routines and dealing with No Personal Attention could provide a change During a fitness boot camp, soreness that may result of scenery for regular gym from trying new workouts. the routine designed for a goers. given day is what everyone In order to reap the benefits, you will need to master up will do. The problem Self-Improvement the will to follow through with this “one-size-fitsBoot camps place an with the boot camp to the all” approach is that the emphasis on interval workouts are not tailored for end. trailing. Switching back everyone on an individual and forth between intense With these pros and cons of basis. The truth is workout and moderate workout fitness bootcamps in mind, requirements differ from routines is a great way to one person to the next. For it is important to know what push yourself harder when you are getting yourself larger groups in particular, it comes to fitness. What’s into before signing up for the instructor will not be more, individuals who do any program. Choose boot not practice interval training able to provide everyone enough feedback regarding camp programs wisely and can take what they learn only join a group where the form, and technique. during boot camp and trainer takes into account emulate the same after the fitness level of each Intimidating resuming their normal individual.

Even though instructors workout routine.

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Health Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle

Put Your Heart into Your statistics claim sedentary Efforts toward Good Health living will cause 17 million deaths due to cardiovascular As a muscle, your heart also disease and that diabetes requires activity in the form deaths will increase 50% in of increased demand for 10 years unless changes are blood. If you run around made. This can be avoided the block or use vibration with whole body vibration equipment, your circulation and a healthy diet. will increase. Failing to take care of your heart, by living Current WHO projections a sedentary life, can lead tell us that one out of every to coronary artery disease, three human beings is stroke, and hypertension. overweight and that one out of every ten is obese.

Again, movement and These conditions can lead activity are the keys. Sitting to serious health risks and still can literally kill you if death. Luckily, being obese you do it too much or for or overweight is preventable too long. Inactivity increases and treatable, as are your body mass, or the ratio atrophied muscles. of fat to muscle within your body. Even simple, regular Regular exercise will help to movement and muscle restore your good health.

Muscle Mass: Use it or Lose stimulation can provide your Basic changes in eating It heart and other muscles habits, such as drinking with much needed activity.

If you do not use a muscle, it more water and eliminating will atrophy, or waste away. fats, sugars, and highly Other Health Risks of a If you exercise, you develop processed foods will bring Sedentary Life muscle tissues and maintain measurable results. In your weight. If you stop Inactivity can lead to breast addition to dietary changes, exercising and continue to cancer, colon cancer, individuals must participate indulge in a fast food diet, osteoporosis, and Type 2 in some kind of moderately the muscles will atrophy and diabetes, among many intense physical activity for your body will begin to store other illnesses. World at least 30 minutes on most the excess calories as fat.

Health Organization (WHO) days.

A basic law of physics states, “A body in motion tends to stay in motion, a body at rest tends to stay at rest.� Our modern conveniences have altered human behavior in more ways than anyone could have predicted. While convenience and comfort have certainly increased, the toll on human health is far worse than many realize. A sedentary lifestyle is crippling. As our lives become more convenient, they also become dangerously sedentary.

Obesity is not the only problem that might occur from inactivity. A multitude of health complications also occur when our muscles are not used.

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