Fatass No More!: How I Lost Weight and Still Ate Cheeseburgers and Fries

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You can lift weights two, three, even five days in a row as long as you break up which body parts you work. So think quads today, back tomorrow, biceps and triceps the next day, and hams and glutes the day after. Muscle burns more calories even at rest than fatty tissue. Cardio like running and cycling is a great calorie burn and will make your heart stronger. But strength training will not only improve cardio performance, it will sculpt those muscles and build the lean muscle tissue that keeps your metabolism humming - while preventing conditions like osteoporosis later on.

Done properly, the deadlift works your glutes and hamstrings as you come up and squeeze the glutes. But it also engages and strengthens your lower back as you work to keep the core tight and your back from being rounded as you come up and down. Well, the blueberry scone calories and latte calories are calorie-dense and filled with sugar and the kind of carbs that will send your blood sugar soaring - then crashing. And the bowl of granola is dense with calories about for a big bowl and sugar 28 grams for 1.

McDonald's doesn't seem like the best choice, but that Egg McMuffin is only calories and has a good balance of carbs 29 grams , protein 18 grams and fat 12 grams with minimal sugar. Interval training that sends the heart rate up and down burns lots of calories and fat.

By mixing bursts of high intensity with low intensity "recovery" periods, you're challenging both your aerobic and anaerobic systems, getting the benefits of both aspects of training at the same time. Indoor cycling classes , treadmill sprints and track workouts are a great choice for interval training. Badass Bookshelf - Women, Food and God. Does this sound familiar?: Butter's bad for you; eat margarine. Margarine is terrible, go back to butter. The best diet is Atkins.

The best diet is South Beach. Heavy weights and fewer reps are best. Light weight and high reps are the way to go. Out here in the universe of fitness and health, there is a lot of information. Some of it is just plain wrong. Some of it is convoluted. Some is right on target. All of it, put together, is enough to make the Badass Army's collective brain scatter in a million confused directions.

Being successful in the Badass Journey has a lot to do with motivation and determination, but it's tough to stay on track without the right read: To start off yet another week, I present you with the Monday Myth Buster Edition!!! I should avoid eggs because they'll raise my cholesterol: Eggs , nutritionally speaking, are second only to mother's milk. The cholesterol hype of years past has mostly died down, thanks to studies showing that eating a whole egg or two everyday is most certainly not going to put you on cholesterol-lowering meds.

Eating fat will make me fat: Our bodies need fat to absorb nutrients. That's why a spinach salad dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar is better than a naked spinach salad. The key is to avoid saturated fats and seek out "good fats" like the ones found in olive oil, flaxseed oil, and foods like eggs and avocados. If a female lifts too many weights, she'll look like a man: If she takes steroids along with those dumbbell curls, then yes Roberta might start to look and sound like Robert. But I lift weights often, and heavy ones - 12 reps of a pound leg press, thank you very much!

And I'm pretty sure I still look like Shannon, not Shane. The fact is, lifting weights builds lean muscle -- whittling us into shape, boosting metabolism and strengthening our bones to stave off osteoporosis. I can't lift weights everyday: We should definitely give our bodies a rest day, but you can absolutely lift weights on multiple days in a row as long as you're dividing up your program so that different body parts are worked on different days.

Glutes and hamstrings with abs on Monday, back and biceps on Tuesday, chest and triceps on Wednesday, quads and calves with abs on Thursday, and shoulders with core work on Friday. For a six-pack, I should do crunches every night: Give me 15 minutes, and I'll work your core without ever doing a single crunch. The key to losing weight is to eat as little as possible: The key to losing weight is to burn more calories than we take in.

But our bodies are pretty much still the vessel of caveman days. So if we drop daily calorie intake too low below 1, calories, as a general guide , our bodies go into "foraging for food" starvation mode and metabolism slows to a crawl. It's a survival mechanism. The best method is to feed your body moderate, sensible meals while exercising. Skipping meals or eating carrots for dinner is not the way to go. Americans have been programmed to eat three, sometimes just two, big meals. But to keep blood sugar levels stable and to keep the 'furnace' that is our metabolism burning, the ideal formula is smaller meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner with a couple of healthy snacks thrown in.

Think almonds, string cheese, fruit, hummus, carrots, whole grain crackers, etc. Cardio is the best way to boost my metabolism: Cardio is a great calorie torcher, but for long-term metabolism boosting the best strategy is to build lean muscle through a combination of cardio and strength work read: Muscle builds more calories, even at rest, than fat. So add muscle, and raise your metabolism.

Chocolate, coffee, and wine are evil: Lots of things are evil in moderation I. But chocolate, coffee and wine do not belong on the "do not touch" list. Dark chocolate has antioxidants, it is a mood booster, and sometimes we just need it. Coffee has been shown to make those who drink it regularly far less likely to develop Parkinson's.

And red wine contains antioxidants such as reseveratrol that may help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of "good" cholesterol and protecting against artery damage. The best diet for me is [insert diet-of-the-moment here] and the best workout plan is [insert the latest celebrity-driven workout here]: I hate the word "diet. A part of your everyday life.

There's no use going through life feeling starved and self-deprived. Find balance in your eating. And as far as exercise, the best method for you is the one that you enjoy. If you hate distance running, don't force yourself to train for a half-marathon. If cycling is your thing, have at it! I often tell my cycling students, "This is your ride. Do what works for you. So take it as your own. Find what works, and keep going. A new head-to-toe Badass busting routine! They often don't realize it, but my cycling and group fitness students and training clients inspire me.

It happened last week with a cycling student and client who, every day and little by little, is getting more confident. She will be the first to tell you that she isn't confident, and that she used to avoid gyms and exercise. Think about the implications of that. Think about how many doors that opens up.

What does it mean for you? On your Badass Journey, are you trying new things, seeking new challenges? Or are you stuck? At a fitness conference in Atlanta last weekend, I learned dozens of new ways to use those big round resistance balls and discovered that the Indo-Row machine can kick my Badass to a whole new level. I learned a whole slew of ab and core exercises that involve everything BUT laying on my back.

In short, I did things I'd never done before. So as we head into the weekend Can I get an Amen?!? Instead of what you always do for exercise and eating, try something else. Get out of your comfort zone, and get stronger! Instead of regular squats, try Put a Bosu Ball on its flat side. Stand on top, positioning your feet for balance at about hip width apart. Instead of regular pushups, try Instead of forward lunges, try Holding dumbbells in each hand pick a challenging weight , lunge with your right foot at a diagonal to the right.

Step back, and lunge the left side at a diagonal to the left. Mixing these with forward lunges engages more of the lower half of that Badass! Instead of regular triceps dips off a bench or chair, try Rest an 8- to pound medicine ball, or if you're up for it a pound plate, on your lap as you dip. Instead of crunching on a stability ball, try Get off your back and rest your shins in the ball, chest facing the floor. Pull your knees in toward your chest and push them out slowly, feeling your core engage.

Or pike into a V to come up and down. Instead of jogging for 6 miles at a steady pace, try It will make your legs and heart stronger, your pace faster. Instead of cycling, try You know your legs are strong, but what about your upper body? Work those shoulders, arms and lats! Instead of regular milk, try Less sugar and calories than regular or soy milk, it's ideal for smoothies and oatmeal. Instead of regular yogurt, try Low in sugar, high in protein and more like a thick pudding, this is great with berries or used in recipes in place of regular yogurt or sour cream.

Instead of a Whopper, try I just wanted to make sure you're paying attention! Instead of beef, try bison: It's leaner and just as tasty, especially if used for burgers or meat sauce or chili. Instead of meat or poultry, try fish: A note to close: Within a matter of weeks, she had gone from the intimidated new student to a veteran rider, sharing her enthusiasm with others.

Had you told her a couple of months ago that she would be there on that bike, riding and smiling and pushing herself to new climbs real and figurative , I'm guessing she would have said, "No way. And inspiring the Badass CEO to keep going Stability ball circuits - that inflatable ball does more than you're letting it do for your Badass! So many bottles, so many scientific-sounding names with multiple syllables. Which do you need? What can they do for the Badass Journey? Research is key before any purchase - especially the purchases you put into your Badass temple. So do your own reading and questioning, because there is plenty of scary stuff out there that is expensive and overrated, even dangerous.

This amino acid supplement has long been used to help treat heart problems, and researchers have proven its positive affect on memory, mood, and cognitive ability. But it's also used by bodybuilders for fat-burning. The body uses L-Carnitine, which occurs naturally in many meat and dairy products, to turn fat into energy. And don't we all want to get rid of the fat and boost our energy AND our physique?

Our bodies don't make CLA, so we have to get it from our food - and from capsule supplements, if desired. Research shows that it increases lean muscle mass by interfering with the way the body stores fat. Much like L-Carnitine, it helps the body to use existing fat for energy. Take one 1,mg capsule with three meals a day. This is the stuff from hot red cayenne peppers, and taken in capsule form daily it has multiple benefits.

It boosts metabolism by raising norepinephrine levels, and its helps with digestion and to clean out the arteries. Take capsules, ideally one with each meal three times a day. Or simply add spice to your cooking. This sweet spice doesn't just taste good. It's good for you. Cinnamon has been used for centuries to deal with indigestion, upset stomach and other digestive ailments. But recent studies have also found that less than a teaspoon a day can help keep sugar levels stable by improving insulin sensitivity - a key element in weight control.

11/15/2010

Add it to your daily oatmeal or yogurt, or take cinnamon extract capsules with a meal. This is a form of dietary fiber that comes from the root of the konjac plant. Fiber helps us stay feeling full and is great at keeping the appetite at bay, particularly when we're trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss. You can take three capsules with water before meals, or do like she does and break it apart and stir the fiber into yogurt.

She's obviously onto something, because have you seen her hot bod? They taste like sweet caramels, but they're each packed with half the daily recommended calcium and, in most brands, Vitamin D. Plenty of us don't get enough daily calcium or Vitamin D, so chewing one of these each day ensures we do. Have it at night after dinner, and call it a sweet happy ending!

Green tea with caffeine: Guess what two of the primary ingredients are in all those expensive fat burners on the market? Yep, green tea extract and caffeine. Caffeine binds to fat cells, preventing storage, and it gives our metabolism a little boost. And green tea contains catechins, one of which helps stop the breakdown of norepinephrine.

That little act can keep your metabolism and fat-burning hummin' along as well. So have your morning coffee and afternoon green tea -- or take a capsule supplement of caffeine and green tea once daily. Badass Foodie gets her protein from a bar. And no, it's not beer from Bullwinkles!

Pop quiz, question 1: Actually, it's more like four portions - each weighing in at nearly calories, 30 carbs and 13 grams of fat, according to the Calorie Counter by FatSecret on my BlackBerry. Sadly, for all you potato lovers, it's the computer mouse that should guide your potato eating. In the journey to a leaner, stronger Badass, food matters as much if not more than exercise. Specifically, food portions matter.

Brown rice and sweet potatoes are great complex carbs, filled with fiber and whole grains and all sorts of great vitamins. But if you eat the equivalent of three servings at lunch and dinner instead of one, guess what?

I lost 30 pounds in three months using the Lose It! app | CliqueClack Food

Your scale probably isn't budging, and your jeans aren't feeling any looser. Blame not just inactivity but portions. They're so out of whack, most of us have no sense of portion size. A client just last week, during a discussion on his eating regimen, told me something I hear so often: I have no idea how much a serving is. The golf ball - not the baseball, not the football - should be our barometer for single portions of almonds, of hummus, of walnuts.

And sadly, the delicious duo of cheese and chocolate should be doled out in servings the size of dice and dental floss boxes. Knowledge is power, Badasses.

I lost 30 pounds in three months using the Lose It! app

So if you don't know them yet, learn portion sizes. The next time you eat out, save half for the next day. Odds are, the restaurant gave you the equivalent of two or more portions anyway. Badass Fitness Inside every person -- fit or on their way to fit, is a strong, motivated, determined Badass! Follow Cycling instructor and trainer Shannon Colavecchio down the road to a better, more Badass you. When I ask you to pick up dinner, please find me something that isn't fried or loaded with starch and sugar. When you eat [insert non-clean eating food] right in front of me, I admit it is so tempting.

Do you mind eating fast, or away from me altogether, instead?

Please be willing to compromise. I know you love [insert their fave 'cheat food' here], and I do too. But maybe we can limit that to once a week instead of every night. It would feel so supportive if, at least a couple of times a week, you would eat my healthy foods. Love, [insert your name]. Here's what I did: Cut back on diet cokes and high-caffeine energy drinks: Their is no nutritional value in diet coke, and it will just keep the sweet tooth alive and kickin'. And those empty calorie energy drinks are all about the energy spike and crash that follows. Cut back on processed frozen meals and carbs like Lean Cuisines, Cheez-Its, etc.: Amy's Organic meals are the best choice when you must grab a frozen meal for convenience, but they still tend to be high in sodium.

Added fruits and vegetables: Low in calories, high in vitamins, fiber, and overall nutrition. If you're going to get sugar, fruit should be the natural source. It digests more slowly, requires more calories burned in digestion, and will keep her feeling full longer. Before I saw too many carbs, many of them processed and empty. Cheez-Its, soft pretzel, etc Set up a schedule of eating every few hours: This keeps her feeling satisfied all day, and keeps her metabolism humming. Retained many of her food "likes": She still gets one diet Coke.

She still gets that frozen pizza. She still gets her iced lattes in the morning.

Going to have a beer with dinner? The results, after three months of using Lose It!: The app purposely adjusts for your current weight and will gradually bring your allotted calories down as you lose weight. Try to limit your pasta intake. The app asks you your goal weight and how much you want to try to lose per week, which it will use to tell you the date when you should reach your goal. I tried a goal of losing 20 pounds, two pounds per week, and that was too difficult at first. I dropped down to one pound per week and that was much more reasonable for me. Eventually I got so used to it that I was able to jump to 1.

Oh, and preferably at home, unless you like stripping down in public. If you decide to give the Lose It! Related posts The chopsticks diet: Clack , Features , Gadget Clack , General. Clacked by Keith McDuffee on May 29, I can also now run 6,21miles 10km in 55 minutes and I used a Garmin and the free SportTrackssoftware to track my progress.

So I can pride myself on actually gaining muscle. And you are right. I finally am back to the weight I had when I was in school. Took me two and a half hours but still — man. I never ran that long or far in my whole life. One day I ran my 6. Ah well what can I say — I took up on your story and talked about myself.

What I wanted to convey is: I did it with sports and a scale but still looking at the numbers each day too. My approach demands a lot of spare time which I had on my hands. For us guys, numbers are a huge help. Checking the GPS-routes of the tracks I ran and the roads I drove on with my bike from my Garmin were a huge help but all in all I guess the main driving force behind all it was falling haplessly in love and not knowing where to put the excess endorphins, which is an unfair advantage.

Because losing it is always easy — I was down to 85kg back in for two weeks — but never had the body structure I have now. Now the hard part is keeping the weight down. I totally overate on tomatoes yesterday with onions. Ok this comment was all over the place, I hope you still get something out of it. I love this app-just wrote about on my blog, that I am determined to start keeping up with!

It definately makes you accountable. I do it everyday and not one week have I been over even 1 calorie.

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