Watch Bulging Brides & The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp Online!

Full episodes of Bulging Brides (seasons 1 & 2) and The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp (first 3 seasons) are available on the Slice website. Both shows are currently airing in Canada, on Slice Network, and on Fine Living Network in the US.

Find Bulging Brides under the "Weddings" tab at Slice.ca Video Centre. The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp video is under the "Health And Fitness" tab. 

View Fine Living Network program schedules for your time zone:

Bulging Brides Schedule

The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp Schedule 

Nutrition is the HARDEST part!

I have to share with you this super insightful message from Lena G:

"The toughest part about diet and fitness is the nutrition part, let me tell you. Breaking bad habits (and many of them!) and learning to eat again is tough. I thought it would have been the fitness part for a couch potato like me but I've embraced that part. It's the food.

I watch The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp for a reason. In addition to exercise tips I watch closely to see what you're throwing out of those cupboards and what's in the meal plans you give people. Knowledge is power in the weight loss journey."

Lena is SO right and the nutrition aspect is under-rated! We're bombarded with so many messages every day from big corporations that want to have us believe junk food can be healthy. We all know that fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains are superior to anything that comes in a package - no matter what the fat content is!

With exercise we get the automatic sensation of elation as endorphins are automatically released. Eating right is not as quickly correlated with enjoyment for a couple of reasons:

1. If you've been eating like a trucker most of your life (greasy burgers, high fat foods, and limited fruit/veg) then your body may initially have a "negative" reaction to healthy foods.

A detox effect can sometimes result at first as the body adapts to a healthier, more nutrient rich diet. The worse your current habits are, the harder it will be for your body to accept change. Be confident though that it will get easier and you will feel better, usually right when you're about to give up :)

2. Eating right takes more time and effort than working out.

Starting a new diet regime often involves changing the frequency, portion size, and content of your meals - changes that require learning and self-restraint, so it's not a surprise that stress and general dissatisfaction can follow as a result.

You'll notice instant mental and physical improvements from exercising even just 90 minutes a week. Unfortunately the hardest part of changing your nutrition is making it through the first week or two. You need to tough it out, learn how to properly feed your body, and focus on the positives even when the effort seems to outweigh the payoff.

You should feel more energized, leaner, and healthier in general soon after loading your body up with necessary nutrients. Food is your fuel and is a key element in getting all essential vitamins and minerals the body requires to function. Change your mindset and expectations to set yourself up for success!

7 Nutrition Myths Busted!

I found these on iVillage and they are a great addition to the National Post nutrition myth busting article from the other day. Many of you will be surprised and enlightened...read on!

1. The food pyramid is for everyone. For many people, six to eleven daily servings of grains, breads and cereals is just too much. It has been known to cause bloat, fat and ill health.

2. There is a perfect diet that will work for everyone. Some people do fabulously well on vegetarian diets, and some people crash and burn. One size only fits the people who come in that size.

3. All low-carb diets are like the Atkins Diet. There are many ways to get the healthful, weight reducing benefits of eating fewer carbs without going on the Atkins plan.

4. Stress does not make you fat. The truth is that the stress hormone cortisol leads to carbohydrate cravings and overeating, as well as to abdominal fat.

5. Metabolisms are all pretty similar. Metabolisms have as great a range as cars. Some of us are Jaguars and some of us are SUVs. You need to match the right kind of gas (food) with the right kind of engine (metabolism).

6. Blood type does not make a difference. Actually, blood type does play a part in weight loss. People with certain blood types are more likely to be allergic or sensitive to certain foods. Those with type O, for example, are far more likely than other types to be hypersensitive to dairy.

7. A balanced diet will provide you with everything you need. It's possible to have reasonable health without supplements, but it's virtually impossible to have optimal health without them.

___________
ivillage.com
Jonny Bowden

Five meal myths that need to be shelved

Some additional tips on my contribution to the article for how to make healthy pizza:

1. Control your ingredients by cooking at home.
2. Go vegetarian or opt for lean proteins like turkey or chicken instead of high fat, high calorie pepperoni, sausage and beef.
   
3. Go "lite" on the cheese (avoid varieties with over 30% MF) and remember that a portion is just 1oz.
   
4. Unprocessed foods are a healthier option as a general rule so avoid choosing processed (marbled, softer, pre-shredded) cheese and pick hard, smelly brands to top your pizza.
5. Load up on the veggies! Peppers (green, red, yellow, orange), mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and onions are all good options...and don't forget that spices are fat and calorie free!
   
6. Use low sodium tomato sauce to reduce your salt intake. 
7. Make your own whole grain dough from scratch or try cutting a whole wheat pita in half. The thinner the crust, the better.
   
8. If ordering out, (it's still OK once in awhile), Panago is a good option as they now offer a multigrain thin crust dough along with fresh salads. 
   
9. Always add salad whenever possible and choose greens over caesar. You can modify your caesar and cut out tons of fat and calories by trashing the croutons and subbing the creamy caesar dressing for a vinaigrette.
   
10. Remember that just because you've made some healthy substitutions doesn't mean you can eat an entire pizza. Overeating on ANYTHING will trigger fat storage in the body.

So there you go, it's pizza for dinner tonight :)

Basic Ab Exercises

These simple abdominal exercises work for Britney, and they'll work for you too! Check out the video below.

My Top 3 Fat Loss Tips

Exercise regularly and be consistent over the long term. 

Even if you miss a week or two don’t let it turn into a month or six! Working out even just twice per week every week beats training 5 days a week for a month then following it up by doing nothing for weeks. Invest in a professional (certified personal trainer) to gain knowledge and make the most of your efforts. Your workouts need to include resistance and cardiovascular training, regular stretching, plus appropriate periods of rest and recovery. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn and the more efficient your body is at burning fat. If you want to speed up your metabolism and burn calories rapidly even just sitting on the couch, make exercise a priority!

Use the 80/20 rule when making food choices. 

It’s unrealistic to believe you can completely eliminate all your favourite “sinful foods” forever. Imagine saying goodbye, you’re dead to me, to your most cherished sweet treat, creamy pasta dish, or crunchy kettle chips. The 80/20 rule works because 80% of the food choices you make are healthy choices (fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins) and the remaining 20% is dedicated to treats that are less healthy. Use this rule for each individual meal, each day, week, and month to master it and implement it successfully.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. 

The body is made up of 60% water and those reserves need to replenish frequently. Water performs many functions that benefit the body and several are directly related to fat burning. Overeating often results from dehydration as your body can misinterpret thirst for hunger. Dehydration also causes bloating when the body stores water as a survival technique. Storing water restricts the function of other water dependent processes such as waste removal. Not much of an explanation is needed to understand how hindering the removal of toxins from the body is bad in so many ways.

See 50 more fat loss tips!