It's About Your Health

When it comes to weight loss and your health, you have been lied to, misinformed and cheated!

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misleading information about weight loss. If you have ever been on a diet you already know that it is one thing to lose weight and another to keep it off. In fact, 95% of people gain back their weight and then some more!

In this breakthrough program, nutritionist and former Olympic Athlete, Michelle Baumgartner reveals the missing ingredient to losing weight quickly and easily - your brain! Once you understand the role your mind plays in weight loss and how to use it effectively, you’lllose weight easily and quickly!

Discover:

• How to eat, think & exercise for your unique body type & lose weight fast!

• Overcome emotional eating & self-sabotage with powerful tools for positive thinking & self-confidence!

• How world class athletes stay motivated to win & you can too!

• Stop yo yo dieting: The secrets of staying lean & healthy for life!

• Food charts, recipes, exercise programs, and everything you need to get started and stay on track!

ARE YOU READY TO SAY HELLO TO THE NEW YOU?ARE YOU READY TO LOSE WEIGHT QUICKLY AND KEEP IT OFF?
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GIVE ME 8 WEEKS AND I WILL TRANSFORM YOUR BODY FOR LIFE!

Buy it on Amazon

Michelle's Website

My Review:

There's a wealth of information in this book. It's pretty smooth reading, not like you're reading a textbook, which I always appreciate. I learned some new things (which honestly is amazing as my degree is in exercise science and I worked in the fitness industry for ten years). I did feel like the nutrition aspect was a bit more extreme than I am willing to be, but I really enjoyed the positive thinking aspects of the book. 

Ready for those resolutions

I think I'm almost ready to stop the chocolate party. Almost! But I decided I'm getting too old to go on some strict diet (plus, diets never last for me) so I'm just going to be smart and exercise some self-control, but not make myself crazy. My poor family just doesn't deserve a chocolate-free Momma, it's not fun for any of us!

Most of my resolutions this year are focused on being more patient, more charitable, and less of a shellfish (sorry, if you're not a Junie B. Jones fan that won't make much sense).

What about you? I love hearing about resolutions, it gets me motivated to set more myself!
Have a wonderful New Year!

Hugs,
Cami

All or Nothing

I've worked with a lot of people who are either on or off. They are either on their diet and exercising hard every day or they are off with very frustrating results.
I think too often we get caught up in thinking, I didn't make it to the gym today or I ate a cookie (or two or three) and all my weight loss or healthy living plans are done. This becomes especially hard during the holidays when we're too busy to exercise and there is so much good food around. I find myself thinking, I'll worry about it in January!
But living healthy is not an all or nothing propisition. It's possible to be healthy (and meet those weight loss goals) by just doing the best we can each day and making small changes that will add up to big results.
I always recommend just one small change a month. It can be something as simple as, drinking eight cups of water and cutting out one soda or scheduling three exercise sessions a week on the calendar (but not getting frustrated if we don't make it). As the months come and go and you keep adding a new healthy goal each month (and hopefully the previous months' goals have become a part of your lifestyle) you will see amazing results and not feel like you're completely changing your life or seeing the yo-yo effect of being all or nothing.
The most important thing is to not give up. Wake up each day excited to make healthy choices. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't perfectly healthy. Remember that we're not trying to lose seven pounds in a week or something ridiculous like that. We're making smart, healthy choices that will help us to feel good and look good for a lifetime.

Cutting Caffeine - A Busy Mother's Guide

The only form my caffeine comes in is chocolate and the occasional Diet Dr. Pepper with strawberry and vanilla from Sonic (Have you tried that one, it is to die for!) so I was thrilled when Paige Taylor sent me an article for my blog about healthy caffeine intake as it is not a subject I am an expert on. Read on for better health!

Cutting Caffeine:  A Busy Mother’s Guide

 

We hear it all the time:  “I need my morning cup of coffee.”  As mothers, it makes sense that we sometimes rely on coffee to wake up and get everyone moving, including ourselves.  But even though coffee can be a great pick-me-up, it’s important not to get addicted.  If you’re like me and have already started to feel your body tolerating caffeine more and more, now is a good time to kick that caffeine addiction before that bitter cold comes and makes you grab another cup.

 

Think about your total caffeine intake—not just coffee.  Do you drink soda often?  Do you consistently take a painkiller with caffeine?  Can you still feel the effects of a cup of coffee, or can you drink a cup and go to bed with no problems? 

 

If you feel like caffeine is becoming too much of a crutch, it might be time to consider ways to cut back on your intake, while still being able to enjoy your morning cup of coffee.  If you’ve ever researched the effects and health benefits of caffeine, you know there’s a huge range of information, and the topic is still up for debate.  But I’m a big believer that moderation is key to balanced health and happiness.

 

A professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at John Hopkins explained how caffeine is the world’s most commonly used stimulant, and when people don’t get their usual dose, they can suffer a range of withdraw symptoms including headache, fatigue, and they may have difficulty concentrating.  He went on to describe that it may feel like they have “the flu with nausea and muscle pain.”  Yikes.

 

But there are several ways to help you overcome a dependence on caffeine, without experiencing as many of the withdrawal symptoms:

 

·         Try sticking to caffeinated beverages you love and substitute the others with decaffeinated options.  Staying hydrated is a key to keeping the body healthy.

·         Chose beverages with lower caffeine content such as teas.  Black tea has the highest caffeine content, following with green, white, and herbal teas.  Beware, though!  Some herbal teas do have caffeine in them, depending on what herbs go into them.  Research the caffeine content beforehand.

·         Still want that coffee taste?  Try a shot of espresso or an Americano (espresso and hot water).  These options actually have less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee.

·         It’s all in the timing:  John Hopkins Medical Center found that symptoms generally appear within 12 to 24 hours of stopping routine caffeine use, and they peak within 20 to 48 hours.  Effects can persist for two days to an entire week.

·         Substituting light exercise and fitness with that extra caffeine jolt has also been a common way to conquer withdrawal symptoms.  Exercise unleashes endorphins, which helps curb headaches.

 

Remember that like all kinds of habits and addictions, change comes with time.  Don’t go all out and cut out caffeine completely if you’re used to a drinking coffee throughout the day.  It’s probably not going to work and you’ll feel the effects.  Listen to your body, and if you cut caffeine out slowly, you’ll feel the difference. Your body and mind will thank you.

 

Paige Taylor writes for Treatment Centers to help raise awareness of the dangers of addiction.

 

 

 

How Fitness Can Aid in Cancer Treatment

Liz Davies is my guest today, sharing with us insight about fitness and cancer treatment.

Studies have shown that it is important for individuals who are fighting illness to keep physically active, maintain a positive attitude, and eat a balanced diet. These attributes are known to improve the extent of recovery and the duration of recuperation.

It is natural for an individual to become fatigued and lethargic when battling cancer. The disease and treatment, as well as the emotional toll can be difficult to handle. It may be the last thing that a person wants to do, but being active can improve the coping ability and energy levels of the individual suffering with cancer. This is true for people battling a cancer with a low survival rate like mesothelioma or a cancer with a higher survival rate like breast cancer.

Cancer is a stressful condition and unfortunately, stress has been linked to poor outcomes when treating health issues. Physical activity addresses this problem in several ways. A person will experience the release of “feel good” chemicals that lead to a better emotional state as a result of participating in exercise. The added circulation aids the immune system in combating cancer and healing after treatment or surgery. While a person is participating in the activity, it provides a period of distraction for other pressing matters.

The immune process of an individual is elevated when daily physical activity is completed. Anatomically, this is due to the features of the lymphatic system, which mirrors the vessels of the cardiovascular system and relies on it to achieve transportation to every area of the body. A healthy vascular system equates to the ability of the immune system to function at an optimal level.

Participating in physical exercise enables a person to maintain energy. This simple fact has a large impact on a person who is fighting cancer, for example pericardial mesothelioma. Battling fatigue is a strain that an ill person should not have to deal with in addition to the disease and treatment, this situation has a negative effect on the person’s outlook and stress management.

Body motion leads to a better tolerance of pain in most people. This enables a person to cope with symptoms and procedures much more easily.

People who remain in motion naturally keep healthier weights and have better blood chemistry levels when tested, showing a better overall function of the organs.

Fitness when dealing with cancer does not mean a person should be able to run in a marathon. Each person is different. Participating in yoga, Tai Chi, gardening, or walking the dog is enough for some people. Discuss an appropriate activity level with the attending physician.

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.

Cruise Time

We're cruising to Alaska. I'm thrilled to see this beautiful area, spend time with my husband, and relax, but I'm worried about leaving my cute boys and eating healthy in the midst of so much temptation!

I'm sure my boys will have a wonderful time with their cousins. Here's hoping I can survive without them. And how to survive without trying every dessert on the menu? The plan is to only eat the foods I am dying over (chocolate) and ignore those I can do without (bread basket, pastries, pie). We're also planning very active shore excursions to keep us feeling good.

Any advice on how not to gain the Cruising Five?

Balance

It's easy for me to become obsessive about exercise and eating right. I realized the other day we were in trouble when my 5yo held up his Honey Nut Cheerios and asked, "Does this have too many calories?" I think it's extremely important to teach children how to live healthy but there's a balance. For me it works best to schedule my exercise. I can workout in the morning, but the rest of the day is focused on my boys. I also try to keep it real with meal planning and treats. We will eat healthy meals most of the time, but it's okay to go out on Saturday night, or plan a meal that has cream of chicken soup in it every once in a while (you should see how excited my boys get at those dinnertimes), or eat a bowl of ice cream while we sit around and chat at night (we try not to do it every night, I promise).

How do you keep a balance between being healthy and enjoying life?

Unlearn Your Pain Book Review

I finished reading Unlearn Your Pain by Dr. Howard Schubiner. If you have any kind of chronic pain (migraines, fibromyalgia, neck or back pain) you should read this book. For a complete review and more information please refer to my book blog.

Baby Steps

1 Corinthians 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
This scripture reminds me that Heavenly Father has given each of us an amazing gift, our physical bodies. We are each responsible to care for our body or temple spiritually, mentally, and physically. Taking care of ourselves physically can increase our capacity to serve others and serve the Lord. It keeps our minds strong and our spirits free from the debilitating effects of depression and addiction. But how do we go about improving our physical bodies?
Start small with a concept I like to call baby steps.
Begin with one change at a time. Little differences can add up to big results. Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to rule or completely alter your lifestyle. By starting small you won't feel completely overwhelmed and give up. Baby steps are the key to making lifelong changes. Instead of losing weight with a crash diet – which always comes back on – or starting an ambitious exercise program and getting injured or burned out, take it slow and change one thing at a time.
One change a month is a great goal. Twenty-one days will form a habit (good or bad). If you stick with a goal for a month you can be certain of making it into a long-term habit and if you concentrate on one goal a month you won't become frustrated and quit, but will instead make a positive change.
For example:
January - make a goal to eat five servings of fruits/veggies a day. Reward yourself with a treat on Saturday night if you keep your goal.
February - outline a plan to lift weights twice a week. Write on your calendar which days and times you're going to strength train or program it into your cell phone (the reminder feature could be very helpful).
March – decide to use only child-sized plates and bowls, it will force you to eat smaller portions.
April - convince your family to go for an after dinner bike ride or walk every weekday. If this is too overwhelming with busy schedules aim for a couple of nights a week.
May - trade white bread for high fiber bread.
Our main goal should be healthy and fit for life not just a desire to lose weight because we have an exotic vacation or a best friend's wedding coming up. So go write on your calendar what your next month’s goal is going to be. I write my monthly goals on my desk calendar then I’m reminded of them many times a day. My latest goal - walking at least 20,000 steps a day. It's a tough one but I'm amazed how those steps add up when pacing with a baby, dancing with my preschooler, or going on bike rides with my older boys (we put the pedometer on our shoe so it counts rotations, hope that's not cheating!).
The difference between a normal weight person and an overweight person is a hundred calories a day. An extra hundred calories a day adds up to ten pounds of weight gain in one year. Can you believe that? A hundred calories is half a Twix bar.
It's amazing how seemingly insignificant choices (baby steps) can make a big difference in our health. The choices you make today not only affect you but your family now and in the future. Because my son has a blood disorder the doctors have instructed me to eat extra healthy for him. Now that's amazing motivation. If you're struggling think about how your choices will affect your family, it makes it a lot easier to choose wisely.
Change your diet slowly and the healthy food will become tastier to you than the junk. I still haven't given up a few chocolate splurges each week (I don’t believe any woman should!), but I can hardly stand greasy food anymore. It takes time to change your diet and exercise habits. Decide on one area and do it today. I promise you will like the long-term results.

Positive Thoughts

Yesterday, the yoga instructor challenged each of us to write something positive about ourselves every day this week and stick it on our fridge or mirror.
Why is that tougher than it should be?
Here's my thought for yesterday - I'm a very loving mom. I think my boys are wonderful and I enjoy being a Mom more than I thought possible.
Today I'm struggling. I finally decided to go with - I'm a service-oriented person, I usually put other's needs before mine and look for ways to help.

What about you? Care to share something positive about yourself? It can be physical, mental, intellectual, spiritual. I'd love to hear what you love about you!

Starting Over

Don't you love crisp autumn air? There's a feeling of starting fresh, becoming organized, finishing up those projects it was too hot to do all summer, eating homegrown produce, getting on a schedule, and hopefully fitting an exercise routine into that schedule.

As most of you know I had a baby last month. Being on a schedule is still a bit out of reach for me, but once I hit that six week postpartum mark it's time to at least attempt some semblance of organization, revisit my former life and hopefully someday fit in those old jeans (it is horrid to still be wearing maternity clothes after the baby is born).

But getting back into an exercise routine is not easy. I've been shocked by how painful it is. When you're in shape and exercise vigorously it hurts but it's a productive, feel-good kind of hurt. When you're out of shape and/or recovering from injury or pregnancy this exercise-induced hurt is a miserable, I want to sit down on the side of the road, have a good cry, then call my husband to come get me kind of hurt. I keep promising myself and I want to promise any of you who are just starting out that it will get easier. Someday it will feel good to push myself again. But how to get to that point?

Motivation - First of all we need the motivation. That part seems easy to me. I'm very motivated to lose the pregnancy weight, to fit into my clothes again, to feel good, to be healthy for myself and my children (most especially my baby who gets all his nutrients from Mom right now). There are plenty of reasons or motivators to get into shape and eat healthy, but if you're like me I'm gungho in the morning but by mid-afternoon I'm justifying why I need some ice cream or dark chocolate (dairy in the ice cream and mono-unsaturated fat in the dark chocolate, how can you turn down health food like that?). In my case the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). So how do we keep that motivation strong in our minds and get through the tough times when exercise hurts or we don't have time to fit it in or we really, really need a slice of chocolate pound cake?

Day by day - take it one day at a time. Every morning I tell myself that this is a new start, a new chance to be healthy. Don't start telling yourself that you'll never eat chocolate again, the depression will overwhelm you and if you're like me you'll go on a chocolate binge. Focus on the healthy choices you're going to make today, worry about tomorrow later.

Promises - I make promises to myself. If I workout four days a week I get to sit down on Friday afternoon and read a good book (if I can talk the boys into it). If I hit my water goal every day I can get a specialty lemonade on my Saturday night date. If I eat five fruits and veggies each day I can have a treat (because if I say absolutely no treats the entire family suffers).

Deals - Another thing that really helps me is to make deals with other people. Promise your friend that you'll meet at the gym or go on a walk each morning, if one of you flakes you have to take your friend to lunch or she has to babysit your toddler for a few hours. Husbands work great for deals. When I hit my "normal" weight my husband has money set aside for me to go shopping for new clothes. (Now if I could just figure out where he hid it. )

Help - Turn to the source who cares about you in all aspects of your life. It's not wrong to pray for help and strength to be healthy. The Lord wants us to take care of ourselves and feel good, doing so means we can serve and love others more.

I hope we can all enjoy starting fresh this beautiful time of year and use some positive motivation to improve our health in some way.

Sugar = Poison?

The past couple of days I've consumed an entire piece of The Cheescake Factory's Black-out Cake. If you've ever seen one of these slices, you'll understand why I'm disgusted with myself. They're bigger than a dinner plate and richer than Ghirardelli chocolate. Yesterday I seriously could not move out of my chair. I was so weak and sick it terrified me. I started wondering if it was the sugar overdose. I did some research online and found everything from cautions to too much sugar during pregnancy because of gestational diabetes to an article that basically equated the effect of sugar on a fetus to be as awful as alcohol, cigarettes, or caffeine.

Oh, the guilt!

The hard thing is there isn't a lot of solid research out there, but I guess I understand that. None of us would want to be the guinea pig to see what hurt our baby or not.

So I've decided to be careful about excess sugar for the next few weeks and see if I feel better. I'm not giving up jam on my toast but I did hide the rest of the Black-out Cake in the outside freezer!

Any advice? Have any of you noticed an adverse effect from sugar on you or your children? I definitely feel gross if I eat too much and I think my children get whinier, but I've really never equated sugar with poison as some of the articles I read suggested.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,

Cami

Sleep Deprived?

Lately I consider sleep a luxury. I'm sure my sleep isn't going to improve when the bambino arrives. Sleep is too important to miss out on. Not enough sleep can effect your mental abilities, your mood, your ability to lose weight, and much more. I found a great article in Prevention Magazine on how to improve your sleep.

• Soak up the sun - an early morning walk will prevent low energy later in the day.
• Reenergize with exercise - It will help you sleep better and energize you.
• Take a nap - right after lunch is best, either less than twenty minutes or 60-90 minutes to avoid waking up from deep sleep.
• Work on something interesting - Guess I can't fold that pile of laundry, again.
• Eat for stamina - small meals or snacks with complex carbs, protein, and a small amount of healthy fat.
• When in dire need, reach for some caffeine. I'm not much of a caffeine fan, but a Diet Coke once in a while is truly a necessity!

I believe that a short yoga or stretching session right before bed really helps me sleep. I try to avoid working on my computer late at night as screen time too close to bedtime can make it hard to fall asleep. So read a good book instead or soak in a tub with some lavender oil. That sounds nice, maybe I'll soak in the tub and read a good book right now.

"5 Surprising Signs You're Sleep Deprived" by Kaitlin Bell, Prevention Magazine, March 2010

Health Tips for Moms

Frank Martin shared this great list with me - 100 Health Hacks Every Mother Should Know.

Some great stuff on the list.

Good Posture

My husband told me at Cross-Fit they had him doing hundreds of pushups. I screamed, "Don't do it! I don't care if you lose the competition."

Why is this so scary?

Pushups works the pectoralis major and minor (chest) and anterior deltoids (front of shoulders). Doing excessive pushups (or any chest exercise) will strengthen those muscles to the point that they will overpower the back muscles - which are usually weak because we spend so much of our day slouching over a computer, leaning over cleaning, or holding a cute little one.

If you want to have good posture you need to strengthen your core with a balanced approach. A little bit of work on the chest is okay, but make sure you offset it with upper back exercises. Also, make sure to stretch your chest whenever you have a chance.

My favorite chest stretch - go to a corner or a door frame, place hands a little more than shoulder-width apart, lean forward until you feel the stretch in your chest, hold for thirty seconds.

Another key of good posture is strong abs and lower back. Make sure you hold your abs in tight throughout the day and whenever you get the chance press your tongue in the spot where the back of your upper teeth and the roof of your mouth meet. If you press hard enough it will straighten you up every time.

So remember - strengthen back, stretch chest, especially if you are a mom or have issues with posture already.

My favorite back exercise you can do anywhere - stand up straight, extend arms out to the side, level with shoulders, fingers pointing towards ceiling, contract upper back muscles, slowly bring arms in front of you while keeping back contracted, as soon as you lose the contraction go back to start position. Repeat three-four times a day.

Good posture will make you look ten pounds lighter and much more confident.

Yoga to lose weight

When I'm pregnant yoga is the only thing that helps me sleep at night. It may be all in my head, but if I don't fit in 10-15 minutes of yoga each night I might as well count on not sleeping.

It's also been proven that yoga can help you eat more mindfully and lose pounds.

Check out Yoga Finder for a class near you or try a fun DVD: Shiva Rea Flow Yoga or Rodney Yee's Yoga.

Please share your favorite yoga moves or a DVD that you love. My favorite yoga pose used to be the Child's Pose, but now I can't breathe in that position, so I'm going with the Warrior Pose.

A break from running

Last Wednesday I ran 3 1/2 miles, at a decent pace for a pregnant lady, then I walked 3 miles. I received three phone calls that day telling me to slow down and two friends at the gym said the same thing. I complained to my husband that night. His response, "These people all care about you. Maybe you should pray about it." I did and the answer humbled me, "This baby is a miracle. How dare you jeopardize that?" I'm done running. I'll keep exercising, but force myself to keep it under control.

Have you ever had a time in your life when you were forced to slow down? How did you deal with it?

Setting Achievable Goals

How are those New Year’s Resolutions treating you? Are you irritable without your chocolate? Or sick of getting out of bed early to drag yourself to the gym?

If you’re like me I’m on fire about my lengthy list of goals and then a couple of weeks into the year I realize something – my list is too long and I’m miserable. I’ve finally discovered that it doesn’t work for me to make too many goals at once. I get overwhelmed and frustrated. I now make goals that will be with me for a lifetime, not just a quick fix to get me through the first weeks of January.

One goal a month:

I decide on one goal each month and write it on the top of my calendar. Then if I need to I break it into manageable goals for each day. For example, my goal might be: incorporate more interval training into my workouts. I break it down into: do intervals for my cardio workouts on Monday and Thursday. Then I write on my calendar each Monday and Thursday so I won’t forget. Or my goal may be to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. Again, I use my calendar, but this time I make a little slash mark for each eight ounce glass I drink. Another goal I’ve made is to play (and actually be fun) for at least an hour with my youngest son each day. Again, the goal is already spelled out for me I just make a check mark on the calendar when I accomplish it.

There’s something about writing that goal on the top of my calendar. I look at the calendar often so I can’t forget about or neglect my goal. If you’re not a calendar person, you could place your goal on the mirror or fridge or maybe put it as a reminder each day in your cell phone. Since my cell phone is often lost or dead, this wouldn’t work for me, but you need to find what is most effective for you.

A habit is formed in 21 days. That’s what makes a month-long goal so perfect. If you can make it a month, you will have turned your great goal into a fabulous habit. Then next month you can make a new goal and keep progressing. When I am feeling really ambitious I will set goals in a few different areas. A physical goal: more strength training or at least 5-6 veggies and fruits each day. A spiritual goal: study my scriptures each night or do one act of service each day. A mental goal: add 1000 words to my work in progress each weekday or update my blog three times each week. But this is only when I’m feeling really ambitious and the rest of my life is pretty settled (boys aren’t involved in too many activities, husband’s not ward mission leader, I’m not expecting a baby). Most of the time I am thrilled with one goal a month and that is plenty to work on.

Think about the type of goals you’re setting. As you’ve probably noticed from my examples, my goals are all things that I can accomplish. They are not something vague like: Hit the NYT bestseller list with my next novel or lose twenty pounds for my class reunion this summer. Those might seem like powerful and motivating goals, but they may be out of our control. All I can do is write the best novel I am capable of and work night and day to promote said novel. Even if I eat perfectly and exercise diligently, I may lose fifteen pounds but not twenty. Am I then a failure?

I get annoyed when women come to me wanting me to help them lose weight for an event. Weight is not a great indicator of health and quick weight loss rarely lasts. What I think most of us really want is: to look good, to feel healthy, to be strong and active and enjoy loved ones. Do people really walk up to you and ask how much you weigh? Can you imagine? People do notice how you look. But they really notice how you carry yourself with confidence, the smile on your face, and the spirit you have about you.

Set goals that will make be you your best you. Set goals that you can achieve. Here’s my latest: Smile all day long even when I feel like screaming. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Cami Checketts is an author and exercise scientist. She and her husband are expecting their fourth, he’s praying for another boy. Her latest book, The Sister Pact, is in stores now. www.camichecketts.com

Can fat hinder your strength?

Does your diet really affect your workout?

"Canadian researchers found that when you regularly eat high-fat foods, the excess fat is stored within the muscles, slowing their fat-burning ability." (i)

"It's like carrying a backpack with 33% of your weight in it, but your muscles can't compensate for the extra work," Thomas Hawke, PhD, associate professor at McMaster University

So basically the more fat you consume the more you hinder your ability to burn that fat, even if you're exercising vigorously. Makes you think before gobbling that next Big Mac.

(i) "Wake Up Your Workout" Prevention, February 2010

Love Your Body by Brooke Parker

Brooke Parker has written an amazing book on becoming the best you and feeling good about yourself. Win your free copy of Love Your Body

If you're struggling with body image issues or just want some great tips from an amazing dietitian and motivational speaker, this book will make a difference in your life.