Her and Jill Soffa (2nd Place Winner) became friends and rivals which motivated each of them to win the moolah. Now she has an extra $2040 for a girls vacation to Vegas!!

She actually had to eat more calories to lose the weight.  It went against everything she ever heard before!!

Make sure to join the next 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge starting 3/24/2012 by visiting www.CherryHillWeightLossChallenge.com

• 6 oz Greek Yogurt, plain, fat free
• 1 scoop high quality chocolate protein powder go for a protein isolate and not protein concentrate (check ingredients) way better absorption aim for 25 grams of protein
• Sprinkle of unsweetened cocoa powder

1. In a small bowl use a whisk to combine the yogurt and protein powder. Mix until all lumps have disappeared.
2. Garnish with a sprinkle of unsweetened cocoa powder.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 220 calories, 0g fat, 445mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, and 42g protein.

I know what’s on your list this year and it isn’t found at your local department store.

You’re wishing for washboard abs—so I’ve put together “The Twelve Days of Christmas –Washboard Abs Edition” just for you.

On the First Day…Give yourself the gift of Burpees.
Created in the 1930′s by psychologist Royal H. Burpee, the burpee is an intense full body exercise that helps burn fat and tone muscles. A burpee is done in the following 5 steps: 1) Stand with feet shoulder width apart. 2) Drop to a squat with your hands on the ground. 3) Kick feet back while lowering into a push-up. 4) Return to squat position. 5) Jump up with arms overhead.

On the Second Day…Give yourself the gift of Fiber.
Stocking up on fiber will do wonders for your abs. High fiber foods are nutrient dense and low in calories. Try these high fiber favorites: raspberries, pear (with skin), artichoke, peas, apples (with skin), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and carrots.

On the Third Day…Give yourself the gift of a Medicine Ball.
The first medicine balls were created in Persia over 3,000 years ago, made with sand filled bladders and used by wrestlers as part of their conditioning. Today you can get the same rippling abs by incorporating medicine balls into your exercise routine. Do a sit-up holding a medicine ball at your chest then throw it to a partner as you raise your chest toward your knees; or hold a medicine ball with arms straight up in the air as you do crunches.
On the Fourth Day…Give yourself the gift of Reduced Salt.
Too much salt leads to water retention—and that spells disaster for your six pack. Pay attention to the sodium content of your food. Limit salt intake by not eating packaged foods and by putting down the salt shaker.

On the Fifth Day…Give yourself the gift of Oblique V-Sits.
Who really wants a muffin top? You don’t, so incorporate Oblique V-Sits into your routine in 3 simple steps. 1) Lie on your side with legs straight and hands behind your head. 2) Raise your arms and legs simultaneously, while exhaling and squeezing your obliques. 3) Repeat on the other side.

On the Sixth Day…Give yourself the gift of Lean Protein.
Along with fiber, your meals should be packed with lean protein. This will help support muscle growth while controlling blood sugar – all important factors when it come to washboard abs.

On the Seventh Day…Give yourself the gift of Sprints.
The days of long slow cardio sessions are long gone. We now know that short intense bursts of cardio is the ideal way to melt fat. Run 60-90 second sprints in between resistance training sets to really kick your fat burning mechanism into high gear.

On the Eighth Day…Give yourself the gift of No Sugar.
Sure, sugar tastes good, but indulging in it causes your body to store layers of fat. Enjoy fresh fruit, rather than refined sugar. If you really want washboard abs, then say no to sugar.

On the Ninth Day…Give yourself the gift of Hanging Leg Raises.
This is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your abdominals. 1) Hang from pull-up bar with legs fully extended. 2) Exhale and drive your knees up toward your chest. 3) Inhale as you slowly lower your legs back down.

On the Tenth Day…Give yourself the gift of No Grain.
If you’re serious about that six pack then put down the bread basket. Grains are full of insulin-spiking carbohydrates—the perfect combination for fattening you up. Learn to love grain-free meals that center around lean meats and vegetables.

On the Eleventh Day…Give yourself the gift of Mountain Climbers.
Here’s another intense exercise that really targets your abs while also burning fat. 1) Get into push-up position. 2) Exhale as you alternately drive your knees in toward your chest, keeping your back flat.

On the Twelfth Day…Give yourself the gift of Washboard Abs.
Contact me about my tummy flattening programs that will get you those washboard abs that you’re wishing for. Call or email today to get started.

At nearly 410 pounds, he had tried every diet imaginable – with no luck.

No matter what approach he took to lose weight, his body would fight him, and he would inevitably end up heaver than before.

Then one day he had a light bulb-over-the-head “ah-hah” moment: His body wanted to be fat, and as long as it wanted to be fat, there was nothing he could do to lose weight.

If you’ve struggled for any length of time with weight loss, then you know the frustration that Gabriel felt in that moment. He was at war with his body.

In the two years following Gabriel’s “ah-hah” moment, he lost over 220 pounds naturally, without surgery or counting calories. His incredible journey is recounted in his book The Gabriel Method.

One of the key components to his success was that he identified and addressed the mental and emotional reasons that his body felt safe being overweight. Once these issues were eliminated, the weight began to fall off.

The Real Reason You Can’t Lose Weight
According to Gabriel, your body wants to be fat anytime it decides that being fat is the best way to keep you safe. Once your body understands that being thin is the best way to keep you safe, your body will want to be thin and the weight will fall off.

This all ties into our survival instincts to protect us from starvation, freezing to death or being eaten.

In our modern world you have different worries than being chased by a lion, but even modern stress about paying your bills create the exact same chemical signals that are produced when you are starving or freezing. This convinces your body that you need to be fat in order to be safe.

When you approach weight loss from the outside in, you overlook mental and emotional threats that can confuse your body into thinking that being fat can help keep you safe. Here are four such threats:

Fear of Scarcity: When you spend your time in fear that you don’t have enough money then you send a message to your body that resources are limited. The only resource that your body recognizes is food – and storing fat is how your body saves up.
Emotional Obesity: At a subconscious level you may have the association that being fat makes you feel safer, or that it is serving another emotional need. In this case your body is simply trying to protect you; it is making you feel safer emotionally.
Mental Starvation: Though your body only recognizes physical starvation, you can also be suffering from emotional or mental starvation. This could be a desire for love, joy, fun, intimacy, or a deeper spiritual connection. Any mental or emotional longing can send the same chemical signals in your brain that physical starvation causes.
Dysfunctional Beliefs: If you believe that you were meant to be fat, or deserve to be fat, or if you view weight loss as impossible, then your body will obey by refusing to lose weight. Change your dysfunctional beliefs first and then weight loss will become simple.
Exercise was a big part of Gabriel’s remarkable weight loss journey. Once he broke through the mental and emotional reasons for his obesity, his body craved activity.

Are you ready to begin your weight loss journey? I’m here to help.

Call or email today to get started on a program that will transform your life forever – just like Gabriel.

Here’s what you need:

2 bananas, frozen
1/2 cup nonfat milk
2 scoops chocolate whey protein
2 Tablespoons raw almond butter
dash of ground cinnamon
2 cups ice
Throw everything into a high speed blender, blend until smooth and creamy.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 292 calories, 7g fat, 33g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 25g protein.

Here’s what you need:

• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 (6oz) salmon steaks

1. In a large re-sealable plastic bag combine the first six ingredients; mix well.
2. Set aside 1/2 cup of marinade and refrigerate.
3. Add salmon to remaining marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours, turning once. Drain and discard marinade.
4. Place the salmon on a broiler pan. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade; turn and broil for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with remaining marinade.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 392 calories, 19g fat, 2.6g carbohydrate, .2g fiber, and 38g protein.

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• Dash of sea salt
• 4 cups carrots, diced
• 5 cups filtered water
• 3 Tablespoons White Miso

1. In a soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion with a dash of salt and cook for 4 minutes. Add carrots and stir, cook for another 4 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Use a hand blender to process the soup until smooth.
3. Remove 1 cup of the soup and mix the miso into it until dissolved. Add back into the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 187 calories, 4g fat, 27g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 5g protein.

For the past 17 years I’ve been a personal trainer, one of the biggest issues I’ve faced with my clients is eating too little.  Excessive caloric restriction will completely sabotage your well intentioned weight loss goals.  Telling someone to eat more and lose weight doesn’t go over so well.  It’s quite a psychological barrier to overcome.

From a logical standpoint, it makes sense that if you want to lose weight you should restrict your calories, right.  Think again. Restricting your calories can be the worst thing you can do to lose weight.  When you eat too few calories not only will you not lose weight you will probably gain weight.  I know it doesn’t make sense, but let me break it down for you.

Eating too few calories or severely cutting your calories too quickly will bring your metabolism to a screeching hault.  When you eat too few calories you send an urgent message to your brain that you are in a starvation mode.  As a protective mechanism your body starts slowing down your metabolism for preservation purposes. Your body starts to see every calorie like its the last one it will ever see. 

Your body’s ultimate fuel source is fat.  You might be thinking great when I cut my calories back, my body will be forced to use fat as it’s primary fuel source because there won’t be anything else to use.  Once again, logic can be your worst enemy.  Your body doesn’t use logic.  When your body triggers the starvation mode due to caloric restriction, it will hold onto your fat cells with a vengence.  Your body will start using muscle and other important tissues as a primary fuel source.  I know it sounds counter intuitive, but it’s totally true (I have science on my side).  Your body will burn fat cells for emergency purposes, only after it’s depleted available muscle will it even think of using fat as a fuel source. Then guess what?  Now that you are burning muscle for a fuel source, you are losing valuable lean body mass.  Less lean muscle means your metabolism slows down even further.  It’s a double whammy.

All the hype created about low intensity cardio burning more fat is total crap (pardon my French).  Low intensity cardio less than 65% of your Maximum Heart Rate does use fat as a fuel source, however it is not burning stored fat in your adipose tissue (jiggly bits) it’s using the fat in your blood stream as a fuel source.  That’s a huge difference.  Fat circulating in your blood stream doesn’t necessarily get turned into fat cells (adipose tissue).  Don’t get me started.

So how do you know if you are eating too few calories or you are cutting your calories too quickly.  Well I’m glad you asked. To accurately determine your daily caloric intake is a rather complex task.  First you need to determine your Basal Metabolic Rate or (Resting Metabolic Rate RMR).  It takes some really hi-tech equipment to accurately measure your RMR.  Your RMR is the amount of calories your body burns each day just to exist (respiration, circulation, etc).  Your age, weight, height, activity levels, job, all effect your RMR.  Click here for a kool little RMR Calculator, it’s great for getting a rough guesstimate http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm  .

Remember that hi-tech piece of equipment I was talking about before that measures your RMR.  It’s called the Korr metabolic Analyzer and it’s totally awesome.  I spent an arm and leg for it, but it’s absolutely necessary if you want to lose weight.  If you do not know how slow or fast your metabolism is then you have absolutely no idea how many calories you should be taking in, not to mention you will also have baseline data so you can re-evaluate your RMR 1-2 months later to make sure your metabolism is increasing with your workout routine. 

All you do is breathe in a tube for about 10 minutes then it does the rest.  It computates your RMR based on your oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange (real techie stuff).  Once I have your RMR, then I will create you a registered dietitian designed 7 Day Meal Plan and Grocery List.  I’ll tell you exactly what, when, and how much to eat (including carbs, fats, protein, vitamins/minerals, and supplements if necessary).  Meal plans are based on your likes, dislikes, food preferences, dietary restrictions, and goals.  We also give you an online food journal account that ties in with your meal plan so you can track your calories and weight loss. 

It only costs $85 for the 60 minute metabolic evaluation and you get everything I just mentioned.  Stop shooting in the dark and find our your specific metabolic blueprint so you’re not guessing about your weight loss and metabolism.  Call me at 856-751-0033 or visit www.cherryhillbodyiq.com for more info.

So how do you master your metabolism and fire up your fat burning furnace ASAP?

1.  You should never eat below 1200-1300 calories (EVER!!)
2.  Cut your calories by 300-400 calories for 3-4 weeks.  Allow your body and metabolism 4 weeks to stabilize itself before you drop anymore calories
3.  Try to burn approximately 300-400 calories/day with endurance/cardiovascular exercise
4.  You must strength train 3-4x/week to increase lean muscle mass therefore firing up your metabolism
5.  Eat 5-6 small meals every 3-4 hours to stabilize your blood sugar levels
6.  You MUST eat breakfast within 30-60 minutes of waking up.  The reason you’re not hungry in the morning is because your metabolism is all screwed up.  Your blood sugar levels are all over the place and your brain doesn’t know when it’s really hungry anymore.  Drink a meal replacment shake if eating in the morning makes your stomach turn. 
7.  Aim to lose 1-2 lbs per week.
8.  If you do all of these things and after 8 weeks you still don’t see any results you might have a slow metabolism (hypothroidism).  Here are some other symptoms of Hypothyroidism

•Fatigue
•Weakness
•Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
•Coarse, dry hair
•Dry, rough pale skin
•Hair loss
•Cold intolerance (you can’t tolerate cold temperatures like those around you)
•Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches
•Constipation
•Depression
•Irritability
•Memory loss
•Abnormal menstrual cycles
•Decreased libido

Consult with your doctor.  A simple blood test will let them know.  They have great drugs to get your metabolism back on track. 

Schedule your Metabolic Evaluation for $85.  Give me a call if you have any questions or visit www.cherryhillbodyiq.com
 

Kevin Hensel, President Fit-4-Life, Inc.

856-751-0033

Cherry Hill Personal Training Studio Located Just Minutes from Mt Laurel