Coco"nuts" About Weight Loss

Coconut oil is very useful in reducing weight. It contains short and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs or MCFAs- Medium-chain fatty acids) that help in taking off excessive weight. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems. Further, it increases the body metabolism by removing stress on pancreas, thereby burning out more energy and helping obese and overweight people reduce their weight. Hence, people living in tropical coastal areas, who eat coconut oil daily as their primary cooking oil, are normally not fat, obese or overweight

Studies have shown that MCTs can help in the process of excess calorie burning, and thus weight loss. MCTs are also seen as promoting fat oxidation and reduced food intake. There has also been interest in MCTs from endurance athletes and the bodybuilding community. While there seem to be health and metabolic benefits from MCTs, a link to improved exercise performance is yet to be proven.

This doesn’t mean go out and eat coconut. The meat and milk of a coconut is very high in fats and should be consumed in moderation. I take a supplement of Coconut Oil or you can cook with Virgin Coconut Oil. But the type of Healthy Fat in coconut oil is easily converted into energy by the body and unlikely to be stored as fat unless taken in excess. Do not exceed doses to expect More weight loss or appetite suppression. At the end of the day it is a Fat, good or bad too much leads to fat storage.

I especially take this supplement, because the body needs fat for fuel. I eat a very low fat, balanced protein and carb diet, so I need to supplement with the right kinds of fats. This why I choose Coconut Oil, my other is Fish Oil. But that’s another topic. LOL

The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. These benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc.

-Miss Fit

Spice It Up!

Cinnamon on your oatmeal, toast or fruit instead of sweeteners is the way to go! The popular spice, once considered more precious than gold, has medicinal value that is making even pharmaceutical companies take notice. Cinnamon has been proven in USDA testing to assist in lowering blood sugar levels and LDL "bad" cholesterol and aiding in natural insulin production. I personally cannot eat that much cinnamon so I take a supplement daily. It can reduce fat stores noticeably in the abdominal area. Since abdominal fat cells are so close to your digestive organs, and there is an extensive network of blood vessels circulating in the abdominal area, it’s even easier for fat cells to store excess glucose there as opposed to other areas of the body. Since cinnamon assists in the metabolism of sugars it is less likely for them to be stored and when blood sugar levels stay low, less are the cravings and the less we eat, so the less fat! Its a great and simple cycle. Studies have also proven any other benefits such as improved memory in elderly, lowered anxiety, soothes the stomach, prevents ulcers and assist in lowering the bacteria that causes UTI's and yeast infections. Sounds like an all around PLUS.  So I say spice up your life!!! Tips for Using Cinnamon I prefer to use cinnamon as a supplement, and this is certainly a safe and effective way to incorporate cinnamon into your diet. Be sure you pick a quality supplement.
Others would rather get their ½ to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon a day using the spice in their foods. The cinnamon you can pick up off any grocery shelf comes from the bark of the evergreen cinnamon tree, and was probably grown in China. You’ll find it in stick or ground form at most markets and health food stores.
There are many tasty and simple ways you can enjoy this super spice: Add one-half teaspoon of cinnamon to unsweetened applesauceAdd cinnamon to your breakfast cereal or oatmealSprinkle on toastSprinkle cinnamon on your morning cup of coffee

Hasta la vista las margaritas!

We all enjoy a night out on the town, beers with the guys or a few glasses of wine with the girls. I personally have over indulged this summer. I would lounge by the pool, with a cocktail…At the beach, with a cocktail…BBQ-ing, with a cocktail. Summer for me should have spelled F-U-N which at the time it did, but now I have been faced with the aftermath of side effects and see F-A-T. Research studies have shown that acute consumption actually has some health benefits. Like the antioxidants in wine  that help fight free-radicals as well as a few others.  But if we knew how alcohol negatively affects our skin and body, maybe we wouldn’t enjoy it as often. Here’s why:
The water you drink serves as a type of internal moisturizer for your skin. Staying properly hydrated can smooth out wrinkles, causing your skin to appear brighter and younger. Alcohol, along with caffeinated drinks like coffee and soda, has the opposite effect. A drink will dehydrate you and deplete vital skin nutrients, making your skin appear dull. Doctors have also found that those who drink heavily tend to have less healthy diets, which can deprive the skin of necessary nutrients that keep it looking healthy and young
Drinking alcohol also causes facial blood vessels to dilate, and repeated overindulgence can cause the vessels to dilate permanently, causing red, spidery veins. Eeew! And if you have a pre-existing skin condition, excessive alcohol use can worsen it. Alcohol consumption may exacerbate flare-ups of rosacea and psoriasis, and dermatologists recommend minimizing your intake to avoid these issues. Skin wrinkles can occur after an extended period of alcohol abuse because the water in the body and skin is continually evaporated. This occurs because alcohol is a powerful dehydrating substance. Also, overindulgence of alcohol causes a decrease in the body's level of vitamin A. This is a very important antioxidant vitamin that supports body and skin health.
If you drink, moderate alcohol consumption is the best way to avoid any negative side effects. And after a night on the town, water will help to counteract the dehydration that comes with drinking alcohol. Avoid the greasy foods or cocktail concoctions often associated with hangover cures and replace them with healthier, nutrient-rich foods to reverse some of the negative effects of a night out.
If that doesn’t give you frown lines, then this will. Alcohol provides empty calories. No nutritional benefit is derived from alcohol. Alcohol is 7.1 calories per gram, which is almost as high as fat in caloric content at 9 calories per gram. Be it beer, vodka, wine, etc.  In addition alcohol temporarily slows down the metabolism. The effect of this is that less fat is burned. Generally, high fat foods are consumed with alcohol, which makes matters worse. Also, alcohol inhibits the liver from metabolizing fat. As you can see any weight loss programs suggest to refrain from alcohol when trying to lose weight.

Spin Instructor

I teach a not-so traditional style of spin at a local gym GB3 in Clovis, CA. Loud Music, No mic, loads of encouragement, rhythmic movements, similar to dancing with proper form all while engaging several muculatures throughout!

Warning you may experience some or all of the following:
*released endorphins (good mood)
*severe sweating
*fat burning
*weight loss
*increased endurance
*improved strength

and in some cases:
*complete addiction

Start your day off right if you're in my neck of the woods:
Mondays 5:30-6:30 AM
Tuesdays 5:00-6:00 AM
Thursdays 5:00-6:00 AM

A gallon a day helps keep the cravings away!

It can also make your skin appear more youthful, too. Water keeps you full, replenishes your tissues and joint fluids, and has NO calories. The suggested water amount is 64 ounce a day but I encourage you to drink a gallon a day (164oz.) You'll be in better control of your cravings, feel great and its only 10 water bottles a day. That's the equivalent of about 1 16oz water bottle every 90 minutes you're awake!

You can do it!
Bottoms Up,
Miss Fit

Why Stress & Fat are BFF’s

Some people tend to gain weight when under stress, but the cause of this weight gain is most likely a combination of hormonal and psychological factors. The body has many hormones it uses to regulate our body. Unfortunately these can also be triggered by lifestyle or environmental circumstances which cause our brain to release these hormones involuntarily. Such factors may actually promote weight gain when you're stressed out.
The "stress hormone" cortisol is released in the body during times of stress along with the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine that constitute the "fight or flight" response to a perceived threat. Following the stressful event, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels return to normal while cortisol levels can remain elevated over a longer time period. In fact, cortisol levels can remain persistently elevated in the body when a person is subjected to chronic stress.
Cortisol has many purposes in the body, and one role of cortisol is the provision of energy for the body. Cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for quick energy supply, and also stimulates insulin release to maintain blood sugar levels. The end result of these actions is an increase in appetite. Therefore, chronic stress, or poorly managed stress, may lead to elevated cortisol levels that stimulate your appetite, most likely leading to weight gain or difficulty losing unwanted pounds.
Cortisol not only promotes weight gain, but it can also affect where you put on the weight. Researchers have shown that stress and elevated cortisol tend to cause fat deposition in the abdominal area. This type of fat has been referred to as "toxic fat," since abdominal fat deposition is strongly associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.
Whether or not your stress levels will result in high cortisol levels and weight gain is not easily predictable. The amount of cortisol secreted in response to stress can vary among individuals, with some persons being naturally more reactive to specific stressful events. Studies of women who tended to react to stress with high levels of cortisol secretion showed that these women also tended to eat more when under stress and had higher BMI’s than women who secreted less cortisol. Studies also have discovered that women tend to gain weight when having relationship woes or financial difficulties while men tend to gain abdominal fat more so when faced with a feeling of failure to perform at work. Another study confirmed that women who stored their excess fat in the abdominal area had higher cortisol levels and reported more lifestyle stress than women who stored fat primarily in the hips. Weight gain for most individuals, especially us women, causes us to stress out even more thus creating a vicious cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to stop.
Physicians, scientists and fitness professionals agree that stress management is a critical part of weight-loss regimens, especially in those who have elevated cortisol levels. Exercise is the best method for weight loss, considering that exercise leads to the release of endorphins, which have natural stress-fighting properties and can lower cortisol levels. Activities such as yoga and meditation can also help lower your cortisol levels. To effectively reduce elevated cortisol due to stress, lifestyle changes are key.
Beyond the possible hormonal causes, many people eat in an attempt to fulfill psychological needs when under stress, which may be another reason or an additional factor to explain why some people gain weight when experiencing stress.
Take a little time everyday to clear your mind of the clutter of stress. Take a walk, ride a bike or even meditate. Your mind and your waistline will thank you ;)


Yours in Health,
Miss Fit

Muffin tops, Love handles and Cankles Oh MY! Spot training doesn't work!

I get asked a lot at the gym about specific “spot training.” For example, “How do I get flat abs?” or “How do I get rid of my inner thighs?” I have myself done 600 varied ab exercise reps and 300 “fire-Hydrants” per workout and seen little to no improvement. Unless my diet and all 3 aspects of my training are in harmony, then neither is my body.
The bad news: Spot training doesn't work to help you achieve your overall long-term goals. The best way to lose fat from one particular area is to lose fat overall, then concentrate on toning individual parts of your body. It is genetics and hormones that play a part on where our fat is stored on each of our bodies. So the best way to get those “love-handles” or “saddle bags” gone is to cut body fat and increase lean muscle mass. Then once you reach your goal you must think of weight maintenance. Therefore, it must become a lifestyle change. No diet pills or diet fads like Atkins or Paleo diets will actually yield long term results. They do in fact work initially because of the drastic change but they are not diets you could healthfully live on for life. They lack balance and can create nutrient deficiencies, but that’s another article…J
Let’s get back to the myth of Spot-Training:
I’m not saying that doing several ab exercises and reps are a waste of time. I encourage working every muscle group evenly to keep a balanced and lean figure.  There is just more to it than working out your problem areas, or overworking them. Here’s my recommendations based of my research and experience:
Eating a balanced diet can help regulate how much fat your body stores and eliminates. I tend to personally go for a diet comprised of 50% protein, 30% Carbs and 20% fats (but healthy fats).  As a general rule, eliminating 250 calories from your diet each day will yield a recommended weight loss of one pound every two weeks — but don't worry, you may not have to eat less, you just may have to start eating better.

• Make sure the calories you're eating come primarily from nutrient-dense foods that offer more nutrition for relatively few calories, such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds.
• If you eat dairy products, choose low-fat or nonfat options, and if you eat poultry, beef or other meat, try to choose leaner cuts.
• A healthy eating plan will prevent you from storing fat in unwanted places and will help build muscle mass at the same time.
• Maintain a daily Caloric Deficit. Always make sure you are consuming less than you burn. Not just what you burn at the gym, but daily as a whole. The average person uses 2000 calories a day to maintain body functions, work, sleep, etc. Add exercise expenditures on top of that and that is your expended calories. Then subtract the amount of calories you ate in a day. The remainder should be your deficit.

Cardio Exercise is an effective way to burn calories from your daily diet, if you burn an extra 250 calories each day due to exercise be it walking, running, spinning or strength training, etc., you will be on the road to a healthy weight loss. If you monitor your heart rate and be sure to vary your cardio training from intense cardio, to lower intensity fat burning, you could lose as much as one pound a week. One pound of fat is about 3500 calories. So always keep that in mind when creating your diet & exercise plan.
Strength Training. Should you eliminate the sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts or other isolating strength activities you've taken on to "spot train"? While you can't whittle away the fat on your belly only with sit-ups, you can tone those muscles so when you melt off the overlying fat through a healthy diet and exercise, your gorgeous abs will shine through. Plus, strong muscles have their own benefits …

• Strong abs help support your back: improving your posture. You'll look taller and reduce your risk of back injury.
• As an added bonus, one pound of muscle burns 35-50 calories a day — even when you're not doing anything!
• Try more resistance and fewer repetitions to build strength. Do the opposite to build endurance.
• A healthy diet, adding dietary supplements as appropriate, and cardio and strength training—combined, these are your best defense against fat all over your body and will help you fight fatigue and mood swings.

Flexibility is the final and very important aspect to any fitness program. Many overlook the stretching and are losing all of its benefits. Stretching after a work out is a MUST. It helps to slow down your heart rate and elongate the muscles you just tightened during training. By stretching and even massage of the muscled worked, it helps to lessen the lactic-acid build up in the muscles which helps to shorten their recovery period. Most importantly, stretch After not Before a workout. A warm-up prior to a work out is ideal. Some light ballistic stretching and quick loosening of the muscles is all you need. Intense stretching prior can begin to already fatigue the muscles, lessening the intensity of your workout. So I recommend long stretches for post-workout.

Healthfully Yours,
Miss Fit