29,200,000 Diets

29,200,000 different links came up when I typed "diets" into Google. Can you believe that? What is a person supposed to do? If I were trying to lose weight, and went to the internet for help, I would be confused to say the least. " The confusion in the diet industry is easy to explain. $$$ it is all about money. People are emotional about the way they look. Because they are emotional about the way they look, it is easy to take advantage of them from a marketing standpoint. Lose 10 lbs in 24 hours! Lose a pound a day! Eat all you want and still lose weight! These are all marketing tags to watch out for. In choosing a diet program, you need to ask your self a couple of questions.
1. Is what I have to do during the program something I can do for the rest of my life?
2. Is this program individualized for me. (i.e. measurements taken weekly and program changed based on results)
3. Am I just losing weight or am transforming my body? (Make sure your focus is not just on the scale)
4. Is my metabolism getting higher, or lower? (Diets that have you on super-low calories will slow your metabolism down, make you hungry, and ultimately when you go back to eating normal, you will have lost a lot of lean muscle (fat burning machinery).)

The point is, look for something that is individualized to your abilities, wants, and that can be incorporated into your lifestyle!

Losing fat and or building muscle is hard work! It is not easy, and it takes time! But when you do it right, your results will last! Someone once said "If you lose weight fast, you will gain it back just as fast!"

How I deal with sugar cravings

I like sugar just like the next person, but there are a lot of products out there that will curb the sweet craving without hurting your results. The item I would like to highlight is "Sugar Free Mentos." They have 0 grams of sugar and taste exactly like real mentos! There are 2 flavors, fruit and cool mint. The best place to find them is at Harmon's by the gum etc in the checkout line. Good luck and enjoy.

Am I obsessed with pumpkin?

Like I said before, I love pumpkin. This is a little recipe for a pumpkin protein shake! Combined with the great taste of the TopForm Whey protein, this is a sure hit!

Ingredients:
6 Ice Cubes
1/3 cup of canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup of 2% evaporated milk
1 cup of vanilla flavored soy milk
2 packets of splenda
Cinnamon to taste
Nutmeg to taste
And the most important ingredient... 1 scoop of Vanilla TopForm Better Whey protein

Add all ice cubes, wet ingredients, and dry ingredients into a blender.
Blend until shake consistency.

The evaporated milk is used for it's creamy consistency. For those that are lactose intolorant, remove the evaporated milk and increase soy milk to 1-1/3 cups.

Nutrition:
Calories 264
Fat 5.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 28 grams
Protein 28 grams

This is an excellent shake to use as a post exercise recovery drink!

Congrats Jared

Jared, just finished his program with me. He is a new consultant at THF that has lots of potential and talent to become the best consultant we have ever had. You can view his blog here... http://jaredthf.blogspot.com/
Anyway here are his before and after pics! This proves that hard work pays off!

Yummy Pumpkin Treat

I love pumpkin! I have been know to eat a whole pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Most people only eat pumpkin in the fall, but it is very nutritious and high in vitamin A, and should be eaten often! Here is a little recipe, that is more healthy than the pumpkin pie, but tastes just as good.

Ingredients:
1 can of pumpkin
1 box sugar free and fat free vanilla pudding
1/2 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 serving light whipped dessert topping (coolwhip)

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients except coolwhip together
Blend well in a bowl
Refrigerate till cool
Dip out 1/2 cup serving and top with a dab of coolwhip

Nutritional info per 1/2 cup:
Fat: 0.8 grams
Carbohydrates: 18.1 grams
Protein: 1.6 grams
Calories 130

212 the extra degree

I read a great little motivational book the other day. It is called 212 the extra degree. It is all about how doing a little more, being a little better, and working a little harder can pay huge dividends. It takes water and its boiling point as the example. Water is just hot at 211 degrees, but at 212 degrees it boils, creates steam, and can power a locomotive. I think that in exercise, fitness and eating healthy there are many opportunities we have to push a little harder and don't. Maybe it is we don't like the pain. Maybe we are lazy? The point is, little things truly make a big difference. Watch this short motivational video and be inspired...http://www.212movie.com/

Make Money Be Fit!!!

Here is your chance to become an affiliate of TopForm. You can sell the the TopForm product line and make $$$$. This isn't one of those get rich schemes, in fact you will probably not get rich, but it is a great way to get a few easy bucks to buy those fun things you would buy if you had extra money. We can give you your own affiliate website that you can post to your blog, or webpage, and when people buy products from it, you make money!!! If you are interested, we will be having a seminar at the Sandy Total Health & Fitness in a couple of weeks. Email me if you are interested, and I will put your name on the list! mike.butler@thfonline.com

Workout of the Day!

The best at home dumbbells period!

PowerBlocks are the world’s best Dumbbells.

Why? PowerBlocks are perfectly balanced. They are the heaviest, most compact and easiest to use quick change dumbbell. PowerBlock is the only dumbbell system that can expand to meet your strength needs. Start with a 50 lb set, expand to 90 lbs, expand again to 130 lbs. Dumbbells are the most versatile and effective exercise tool ever developed for strength training. Now you can have rapid access to a whole rack of dumbbells at home in the space of just 1 pair, and at a fraction of the price of conventional dumbbells.
You can learn more about PowerBlocks by clicking on the banner at the right of the page!

Are you craving????

Super Citrimax is a great supplement for reducing cravings. Did you know that when you diet and or restrict carbohydrates, your body's natural production of Seratonin is reduced? Seratonin is the chemical our brain produces that makes us feel good? Foods like chocolate and starchy carbohydrates increase our body's production of this chemical. (No wonder people can become addicted to chocolate.) TopForm's Super Citrimax (Burn Baby Burn) is the perfect choice to reduce food cravings as well as increase feelings of well being! For more information click here. http://www.topformsupplements.com/p-26-super-citrimax-burn-baby-burn.aspx