What’s the secret to eating healthy at backyard barbeques and picnics? Obviously, the potato chips and brownies are going to set you back a few belt notches. But seemingly healthy foods can spoil your body shaping goals, too, if you aren’t careful! Here are five of the sneakiest party offenders: Store-Bought Guacamole & Salsa Guacamole and salsa seem healthy—after all, they’re full of veggies. But these “fresh” dips aren’t always so fresh. Journalist Melanie Warner discovered that her tub of guacamole stayed eerily preserved at the back of her fridge for months, despite the “fresh” sticker. Why? The store-bought guac contained ascorbic acid, citric acid and xanthan gum, among other preservatives. Premade salsa usually contains these additives too. Because added … Continue reading
Summer Party Foods to Watch Out For
What’s the secret to eating healthy at backyard barbeques and picnics? Obviously, the potato chips and brownies are going to set you back a few belt notches. But seemingly healthy foods can spoil your body shaping goals, too, if you aren’t careful! Here are five of the sneakiest party offenders: Store-Bought Guacamole & Salsa Guacamole and salsa seem healthy—after all, they’re full of veggies. But these “fresh” dips aren’t always so fresh. Journalist Melanie Warner discovered that her tub of guacamole stayed eerily preserved at the back of her fridge for months, despite the “fresh” sticker. Why? The store-bought guac contained ascorbic acid, citric acid and xanthan gum, among other preservatives. Premade salsa usually contains these additives too. Because added … Continue reading
The Best Way To Snack Healthy
Usually when we tell people that a healthy diet is 3 small meals and 2 healthy snacks throughout the day, the first follow-up question is “What’s a good healthy snack?” Snacking in most people’s mind means a grab bag of chips or some cookies or making a quick plate of nachos. Those can be snacks…if you want the calories of a full meal and very little of the nutrition. When looking for a good snack to help keep your weight loss goals on track, mainly what you want to do is keep yourself feeling satisfied so that when you get to the next meal you’re not so hungry that you go overboard on the calories. This is … Continue reading
Are Kids the Biggest Target of Food Marketing?
Gone are the days when women were considered the primary purchase decision-makers. Kids, it seems, are the new consumers. Especially when it comes to unhealthy foods. Food marketing to children is now a global phenomenon, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports. And “most of this marketing is for foods with a high content of fat, sugar or salt,” they say. The heaviest hitters: sugared cereals, candy, sweets, sodas and snacks. In 2011, the average child (age 6-11) saw 559 TV ads for kid-targeted cereals. Media spending in this area is only increasing in the face of health pressure, according to Ad Age. And of course, there’s fast food. Children as young as age 2 are seeing more fast food ads … Continue reading
Food Package Design: 3 Ways It’s Fooling You
Think your food label vigilance is helping you eat healthier? Don’t get too cozy. Just when we’ve figured out how to be conscientious consumers… marketers get sneakier. They have now found ways to trick you with the food package design of their products. It’s not even just the obvious stuff (like unrealistic serving sizes, which we usually fail to notice, according to researchers). No. It gets much trickier than that. Have a look at the following “hidden packaging persuaders.” #1 – Sights and Smells The FTC may regulate what companies can say about their products, but it doesn’t interfere with other elements of the packaging. But scents and pictures of fresh fruits and veggies may influence us unconsciously. Wait, scents? … Continue reading
When is the Best Time to Exercise?
We get this question a lot in emails and comments and while the answer is “whenever works for you!” We know that seems like a non-answer, so let’s talk about specifics. When it comes down to it, if you need to exercise in the morning because that’s your only time available, then that’s when you should be exercising. Always go with whatever time works for your schedule because as we’ve said, any exercise is infinitely better than no exercise. But, for the sake of argument, we’ll pretend that someone has a schedule that allows them to exercise any hour of the day and that person has no personal preference of when to exercise. Is there a specific time … Continue reading
Family Health: Influence Loved Ones to Eat Healthier
We all care about family health but have you ever noticed how describing the evils of junk food and jumbo-portions rarely causes family members to change their eating behavior? If anything, it makes them MORE likely to order the bleu bacon cheeseburger with a side of smothered nachos. As the much-older sister of two younger brothers—ages 21 and 13—I’ve learned a thing or two about dispensing nutrition advice to family. Namely, that it doesn’t work. At least not outright. Come to think of it, the same thing that causes my siblings to rebel against health advice causes my parents to rebel, too. They just don’t like being told what to do by a know-it-all health nut. Call it the family … Continue reading
Strength Training: Does Your Fitness Need a Lift?
When we hear the word “strength training,” often times an image of an Arnold Schwarzenegger type body is the first thing we picture. We realize that there are a lot of people that want to get healthy, but aren’t necessarily looking to “bulk up.” But here’s the thing; strength training should be incorporated into every exercise regimen because there are a whole list of benefits, ones that don’t necessarily mean you’re going to have to look like you’re going to the local strongman competition. Strength training has been shown to improve your overall health and well-being. It increases bone density, increases your metabolism, improves heart function and promotes HDL cholesterol (which is the good kind.) What should you focus on … Continue reading
Faceoff: “Diets” vs. Nutrition
What’s the difference between a “diet” and healthy nutrition habits? We talk a lot about “diets” on the IdealShape blog (namely how they usually end in tears and regained weight). So I realized it’s probably a good time to clarify the difference between “going on a diet” and “adopting healthy nutrition habits.” The biggest difference between a diet and nutrition habits has nothing to do with the type of food you eat. Rather, it’s the approach to making the changes. To Taper, or Not to Taper? A diet usually implies a complete overhaul of your food choices. “Going on a diet” is a concrete decision. It’s a fell swoop action, and you start today (or maybe tomorrow). Adopting healthy eating … Continue reading
What’s the Best Workout Schedule?
So in your dogged pursuit to lose weight and get healthy, you've come up with a butt kicking exercise program that's going to melt those pounds right off. One hour each day with lots of cardio and a combination of HIITs and weight lifting. It's the perfect workout schedule for the best results, right? Not exactly. You see, you make your muscles bigger by breaking them down. When you do strenuous exercises, tiny tears are created into your muscles and when your body repairs these tears, it makes them stronger in order to avoid additional tearing in the future. Giving your muscles time to repair is as important as breaking them down in the first place. Having at least one … Continue reading
Summer Tips for Swimsuit Season
Summer is just around the corner. And as the temperatures rise that means hanging out at the pool, trips to the beach and fun-filled activities. Which, inevitably means, putting on that dreaded swimsuit. This year, don’t hide underneath the cover up! With summer fast approaching you may be remembering the New Year’s Resolution you set to lose weight and now regret not following through. But it is not too late to get your body ready for bikini season! Now is the perfect time to slim down so you can rock that swimsuit with confidence. There are six weeks left to for you to get in shape – both physically and mentally. Just follow these five simple steps: 1. … Continue reading
Since When Did It Become “Manly” to Overeat?
What does it mean to “eat like a man”? Granted, guys often need to eat bigger portions that gals. But HUGE portions? Where did this notion come from? Last week, we looked at how cultural ideas cause us to “eat with our minds” instead of our stomachs. Because of these influences we often eat more than we want, need or can comfortably digest. Yet another example of this: the belief that mammoth portions are “manly.” Take, for example, eating contests. One of my friends tells a story of his closest friends, “two huge alpha male guys,” who once challenged each other to an eating contest. As they stared each other down across the table, each dug into 2 lbs. of … Continue reading
Ship Shape Winners For April: Dawna and Chessa
April is already over, can you believe it? This year seems to be flying by, but one benefits is that we get to announce more Ship Shape Challenge winners! This month we had so many incredible entries that we finally had to award two winners. So congratulations to Dawna Kopecky and Chessa Leisring for your awesome transformations. Here's Dawna's story in her own words: I have struggled with weight issues my entire life. From a child on, I was always overweight and very insecure because of it. I had my first son, and was able to take off a lot of weight after – but did so in an unhealthy manner. I got pregnant once again and gained everything back … Continue reading
How to Get Abs Fast
When it comes to losing weight, most of us focus on subcutaneous fat, which is the fat that congregates under the skin and is most visible. This is the stuff that’s hiding your six-pack from the world, so let's talk about the quickest ways to expose those beautiful abs for the summer season. Let’s start with diet because there are definitely some foods that are going to help you get your six pack and there are other foods that you should avoid. First, let’s talk glucose and fructose. These two, of course, combine to make sucrose (sugar!) but both are pretty unhealthy for you. Studies show that eating too much of either is going to cause weight gain, … Continue reading
The Secret to Eating Perfect Portions
Ever scarf down a giant platter of food and think, “Why did I just eat all that?!” You’re not alone. Eating until full (instead of comfortably satisfied) is a great way to feel like you have a bowling ball in your stomach — and eventually, look like it too. Consuming an excess of calories causes the body to store ‘em as fat (not rocket science, I know). But add to those extra calories a sluggish feeling after every meal — the kind that sends you to the couch, not the gym — and you’re probably getting even more “padding” than you bargained for. Yet so many of us overdo it at mealtimes. We often don’t realize it until it’s too … Continue reading
The Most Common Calorie Counting Oversights
When it comes to eating healthy and counting our calories, some weeks things just don’t seem to work out like they should. Following the same diet from one week to the next will yield wildly different results and sometimes it’s hard to find out why. Well, there are 3 types of calories that dieters often consume that somehow rarely find their way to the calorie trackers. Let’s take a look and see if this could be one of the major caloric hold ups for you losing weight? 1. Liquids still count as calories This is a weird trap that a lot of people get into their heads. While, yes, water doesn’t count so you can (and should!) drink as much … Continue reading
Excess Salt linked with Gastric Cancer
Most of us know that too much of anything can be a problem. Too much tv can decrease mental intelligence, decrease creativity and increase your amount of time wasted in a day. Too much sugar can cause weight gain, diabetes and increased blood sugar levels. Too much salt can result in increased blood pressure, strokes and even a heart attack. But recent research shows that too much salt may be linked to more than just those things... A new study released by Vanderbilt University shows that diets high in salt could have a large effect on gastric cancer. Especially if you've ever contracted an illness caused by the helicobacter pylori bacteria. In the study, the researchers infected Mongolian gerbils with … Continue reading
Where Are Your Calories Coming From?
A big question that comes our way is "I've reduced my calories and increased my workouts and at first I was losing weight great, but now it seems to have stagnated? What do I need to change in order to get past this plateau?" It's a great question because this happens to a lot of us trying to get healthier. When you first start dieting, being aware of your caloric intake is extremely important, but as start living healthier, you need to start paying a lot more attention to the type of calories you are eating. A friend of mine approached me the other day and said "I'm working with a calorie tracker and it says I've got 400 calories … Continue reading
Are You Consuming More Sugar Than You Realize?
HOW SUGAR SNEAKILY PREVENTS WEIGHT LOSS, AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. There are 119 songs about sugar. It has 30 different aliases. Sugar is used as a term of endearment for loved ones. To “sugar” something means to make it more pleasing. Is it safe to say that we are obsessed with sugar? Some 10,000 years after we apparently began cultivating the stuff, those sweet granules remain as enchanting as ever. So enchanting that we keep eating and drinking it, even though it’s making us fat, impairing our brains, causing a diabetes epidemic and spoiling our appetite for healthy food. Talk about tough love. Sugar stems from an ancient word for grit or gravel — which is starting to … Continue reading
New Gene Mapping Discovery And It’s Link To Obesity
Researchers have made some recent discoveries that give us more insight on obesity and its causes. Researchers have identified some genes that show a close tie to severe childhood obesity. A new study released on April 7th shows that there could be some very significant genetic factors that can lead to childhood obesity: The team found that structural variations can delete sections of DNA that help to maintain protein receptors known to be involved in the regulation of weight. This builds on previous studies that have shown quite a few genetic factors in obesity... "We've known for a long time that changes to our genes can increase our risk of obesity. For example, the gene FTO has been unequivocally associated … Continue reading
Is Your Workout A HIIT?
There are two types of people when it comes to muscle structure and workouts. There are those of us who do better with longer, slower workouts. Setting a nice, steady pace and holding it for as long as possible which trains the slow twitch muscles. These are the marathon runners out there. The other type are basically the sprinters. They are good at short bursts of butt-busting work that trains the fast-twitch muscle followed by a rest periods. If you prefer quick, high intensity workouts, like me, than High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT for short) will help you maximize calorie burn in the shortest possible time. These workout are highly effective if you find yourself short on time, because HIIT … Continue reading
Complete the 12 Week Shape Up Challenge With Success
If you are anything like me, this probably isn’t the first fitness routine that you have tried. We understand the feeling of continually trying to get in shape and continually finding yourself falling back into your old habits. We know, all too well, how frustrating that cycle can be so we decided to come up with some tips for success to help you start the program, stick with it, and make some life changes! Think before you start Before you start any new goal you need to consider what it is you want to accomplish. You need to think specific, here. Don’t just have a vague goal of “I want to lose weight”, instead you need to put a number … Continue reading
Manage Stress, Lose Weight
LEARNING TO MANAGE STRESS WILL HELP YOU GET FIT. HERE’S HOW TO DO IT. Some people don’t experience stress. But, unless you spend your days in a seaside hammock listening to ocean water lap against the sand as you fan yourself with a straw hat, you probably aren’t one of those people. And if you are, then go back to your sunny siesta. The rest of us need to talk about why stress is capsizing our weight loss efforts. Stress, as we know all too well, is the body’s “fight, flight or fright” mode that occurs in response to threats. Thanks to our sympathetic nervous system, we have the ability to automatically release chemicals that help us handle those threats. … Continue reading
The Importance of your Sleep Cycle Throughout Life
More studies released this week from the world of health. FASEB released a study this week talking about the importance of our internal clocks and the sleeping cycle. When your cycle is derailed, you run a higher risk of both Obesity and Diabetes. ...proper sleep patterns are critical for healthy metabolic function, and even mild impairment in our circadian rhythms can lead to serious health consequences, including diabetes and obesity. But if your internal clock is out of sync, it's not too late to start fixing the problem: "The good news is that some of us can 'sleep it off' to avoid obesity and diabetes," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "The bad news is that we … Continue reading
March 2013 Ship Shape Challenge Winner: David Croteau
Another month has come and gone and that means it's time for our favorite event: announcing the Ship Shape Challenge Winner! Holy Cow! We received so many terrific entries that it was very difficult to pick a winner. However, one entry stood out just a little more than the others. David Croteau is our March winner! David has lost 65 lbs in 8 months and has achieved his ideal shape. Here's his story, in his own words: Ever since high school I was a little overweight. However, when my wife was pregnant with our second child, we both really put on the pounds. She lost much of hers in a few days … mine just kept growing! Slowly but surely, … Continue reading
The Best Exercise Program: The Debate Stops Here
The other day I heard two people arguing, and given my curious nature, I decided to eavesdrop. (Shame on me!) When I realized what they were arguing about, I started to laugh. You see, the two had adopted competing fitness programs and were trying to convince each other theirs was the better program. We shouldn't be arguing about which exercise program is better, rather which one is best for me. Dieting is different from exercise. There are some diets that are unhealthy and even dangerous. When we compare dieting to exercise there is a line that we need to draw because the question we should be asking about diets is “Which of these is the healthiest?” I don’t believe that … Continue reading
Why 5 Meals a Day Will Help You Lose Weight
Every once in a while I get a call from my friend in a panic: “Do you want to go out for dinner? I haven’t eaten all day and I need food NOW.” This always strikes me as odd—if not alarming—since she’s hypoglycemic, but I join her for her usual restaurant pick: Italian food. By the time we’re served it’s usually after 8pm and I wonder how she is still breathing. She starts her day at 5am, eats a quick breakfast, and then it’s go time. She’s in charge of a superhuman workload at her full-time job, and then she races to her moonlighting gig where she’s with clients back-to-back until evening. This means she hasn’t eaten since morning. When … Continue reading
Unhealthy Eating Can Make a Bad Mood Worse
That was the conclusion of this Penn State study posted over the weekend, which is odd because Hollywood has told me that the best cure for the blues was a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a Netflix RomCom queue 3 miles long. Actually, I might be okay sticking to this tried and true method as the new study pertains specifically to women: In a study, college-age women who were concerned about their eating behaviors reported that moods worsened after bouts of disordered eating, said Kristin Heron, research associate at the Survey Research Center. "There was little in the way of mood changes right before the unhealthy eating behaviors," said Heron. "However, negative mood was significantly higher after … Continue reading
Announcing: Double Chocolate Meal Replacement Bar!
Since launching our meal replacement bar, the IdealBar™, we’ve had a lot of positive feedback from our customers and we’re so excited you enjoy the bars! We really put so much effort into the formulation of these products to make sure that the nutrition and flavor find the balance we need. It’s great to know that others enjoy them as much as we do. We love reading your comments on Facebook. Like Donna, who said, “I tried the new Ideal peanut butter chocolate bar. My first instinct when I opened it was ‘Wow, these are really small for 140 calories and a meal replacement! Well let me tell you they were delicious! Smooth, creamy, and very good. That was … Continue reading
3 Reasons We’re Suckers for Diet Sabotage and How to Stop It
Diet sabotage takes many forms. Sometimes, it’s the voice in your head luring you like a siren to abandon your healthy resolutions and indulge just… this… once… But other times, it’s not you, it’s them. Your friends and family, your waiter, the advertiser telling you that you need a Coke to be happy. You could strap yourself to a ship mast and pour wax in your ears, and they’d still find sabotaging you – forgive the pun – a piece of cake. Being swayable is a simple fact of human psychology. It’s part of being adaptable, learning and forming communities that keep us safe. Unfortunately sometimes being part of the group can have terrible consequences for our health. So why … Continue reading
Caffeine While Pregnant is Correlated with Low Birth Weight
Caffeine while pregnant, is it ok? A new study from the University of Gothenburg in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health sheds some light on the effects of caffeine on pregnant women: Expectant mothers who consume caffeine, usually by drinking coffee, are more likely to have babies with lower birth weight than anticipated, given their gestational age. This actually isn't new information as the correlation has been seen in other studies, but this one is unique in that it worked with 59,000 women. "The correlation between intake of caffeine and fetal growth was established even among women who followed the official recommendation that they limit caffeine consumption to 200 milligrams a day (two cups of coffee)," researcher Verena … Continue reading
Food Journal: An Eye Opening Experience
Quick, how many calories are in your favorite combo at the local fast food joint? Don’t know? Well you really should. Being aware of how many calories are in the food we eat can actually be a huge factor in getting our brains to want to eat healthier. Many of our i-shapers have probably seen Natasha, our Customer Service Manager posting on Facebook lately about her weight loss journey. She’s done amazingly well, losing 25 lbs since January and she is so happy with the experience. Her biggest key to success was keeping a food journal. “I couldn’t have done it without counting my calories.” She told me, “I mean, I’ve always known the soda and stuff from Panda … Continue reading
Why We Hate Exercise And How to Fix it
The Deep-Rooted Beliefs That Make You Hate Exercise Moving your body is essential if you want to get in shape. You might be able to ”drop a few pounds” without exercise, but what is that worth? If you want the whole shebang—the trim and toned physique, the energy, the lean muscle to burn calories, the strong immune system, the confidence and the mood-boost—it requires regular physical activity. ... which often brings up the question: “How will I ever make a lifelong habit out of something I hate so much?” Having motivation to exercise is one of the 10 behaviors essential to weight loss in “Think: Use Your Mind to Shrink Your Waistline.” And, like the other nine behaviors, it’s complicated: … Continue reading
Liquid Gold: How to use water for Weight Loss
Dehydration is the enemy of every weight loss and fitness goal. And “beverages with benefits” usually are, too. So what’s the problem—why can’t we just drink more water already? Well, as always, there’s a complicated answer for this. Actually, there are four complicated answers: sugar dependence, consumerism, misinformation, and habit. Before we get into these, let’s look at why it is critical to drink water for weight loss, and lack of it can be a culprit in packing on extra pounds. As Mayo Clinic reports, dehydration hampers the ability of the body and mind to function optimally. In the mind, even mild dehydration causes lethargy, light-headedness and fuzzy thinking. In the body, toxins aren’t being flushed out, which essentially means … Continue reading
February Ship Shape Challenge Winner: Heidi Carvalho
The month is nearly finished and we have a great Ship Shape challenge winner to help motivate our i-Shapers. For those of you who don't know what the ship shape challenge is you can find out about it on our home page. Enter to win because we want to hear every one of your weight loss success stories. Our winner this month is Heidi Carvalho. Heidi's weight loss journey isn't over, but she has made incredible progress. She has lost an amazing 54 pounds in just 6 months! Here's her story in her own words: I'm 38 years old. I have three little boys and am lucky to have a husband that works very hard so that I'm able to … Continue reading
Calories: The “Trick” To Eating Fewer of Them At Every Meal
Calories. Those sneaky little things that keep us from losing the amount of weight we want to. Today we are going to talk about a trick to losing weight. How to eat fewer calories. Fast eaters, beware: rushing through mealtime is one of the sneakiest of the 10 behaviors that cause weight gain. Yep, just when we thought giving up fast-food was enough, it turns out that we must also give up the habit of eating our food too fast. Even healthy food, when eaten quickly, can lead to an excess of calories the body doesn’t know what to do with (except store it as fat). In a study conducted by the University of Rhode Island, of 60 adults eating … Continue reading
Spring Fever
Today I walked outside and for the first time in what has seemed like an eternity I didn't feel the least bit cold. I even walked around in my bare feet! Yes, the snow was still on the ground but I could literally see it melting away. I could also feel the warm sun on my face and hear the bird chirping in the nearby trees. I think it's safe to say the I have caught the Spring fever. This winter has been an especially long and cold one. Here in Utah we have been hit with snow storm after snow storm and I'm getting pretty sick of it. Winter is still here for another month and knowing the Utah weather we … Continue reading
Sleep and weight loss: why effective sleep matters for weight loss
Sleep and weight loss go hand in hand. In order to effectively lose weight you need to be sleeping effectively. The pressures of life are enough to keep most people wide-eyed at night—including, even, the pressure to get more sleep. Why is it so critical that we get more sleep? First, there’s fat gain. Sleeplessness, like stress, keeps us in fight or flight mode. When the body and mind don’t get adequate rest, cortisol production increases and triggers the body to hoard fat, especially around the belly. It doesn’t help that excess weight, in turn, contributes to sleep disorders. Beyond disrupting hormones, just a few nights of partial sleep loss can impair the immune system, increase heart rate and blood … Continue reading
4 Ways Procrastination is Harming Your Health (and How to Kick It)
First, take a deep breath and refrain from scolding yourself. If you’re stalling on any of your new year’s health goals, well, everyone else is too. That’s because procrastination is a natural phenomenon. Psychologists call it “hyperbolic discounting,” which is a fancy term for: party today, suffer tomorrow. We think we’ll enjoy a reward now more than we’ll enjoy it later. There’s yet another reason we do it. In a TED talk on procrastination, a young entrepreneur explains that there is a constant battle between two parts of our brain. One part (the prefrontal cortex) wants to work, while the other (the limbic system) wants to play. So, everyone—the driven and the lazy alike—are susceptible to brain wars when it … Continue reading
‘Tis the Season: in season produce
In season produce. Something I have never known about. Even though I've always loved eating my fruits and vegetables. Even as a little girl. I was that weird kid who loved to eat my broccoli and spinach. Each week when I go grocery shopping I make sure that I buy enough produce to last me throughout the week. As much as I love fruits and veggies, I have never looked into what is the best to buy depending on the season. Let me tell you what, I knew I needed to look into it when I bought the most disgusting cucumber I have ever had the other day. I am sure you have had a similar experience. So I thought … Continue reading
Visualization: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Weight Loss Plans
Ever notice how, after you read a book, the thing you recall most is the visual imagery you created in your head to go with it? That’s probably why watching a movie after we’ve read the book is such a letdown. The film doesn’t match the characters’ physical features and the settings we imagined. Our mental version feels more real than the director’s rendition. The human visual system is quite possibly the most fascinating—and bossy—part of our brain. Fascinating because it has the ability to take words and abstract ideas, and make them clear and tangible. Math students grasp complex concepts when a teacher draws a graph on the board. We grasp how to assemble an IKEA bookshelf when we … Continue reading
5 snacks your kids will love {they’re healthy too!}
When I think back on my life and consider the things that I am most passionate about, I immediately think of two things. 1. health and 2. family. For as long as I can remember I have been interested in health and I have always had an interest and passion for families. My major in college was Family Studies so I got to spend the better part of 5 years learning all about families. These two passions of mine really do go hand in hand. I am always looking for ways to incorporate health into my family and I know there are many of you out there who want the same thing. Probably the most important part of living a … Continue reading
Muscle Soreness: After the Fact
We did an article about a week ago about muscle soreness and what you can do to help prevent it (well, at least lessen the impact as much as possible). Unfortunately muscle soreness isn’t ever completely avoidable. When exercising frequently, you’re going to wake up one morning and not want to move. The bigger misfortune comes from treating the muscles soreness. The options are limited, but here are some suggestions about getting through the day as painlessly as possible. Cold beats Hot When it comes to feeling a little better, applying a heating pad to the muscle seems to do the trick. It helps alleviate some of the pain, and makes you feel a little better for a short time. … Continue reading
January Ship Shape Challenge Winner
“I didn’t realize it at the time, but I really started isolating myself when my mom passed away.” Justin told me when I talked to him about his amazing weight loss journey. “I realized that one of her best qualities was that she was an immediate friend for life to anyone she met. I wanted to be more like her in that way.” Justin Meinecke is our January Ship Shape Challenge winner. He has lost an incredible 100 lbs since April of 2012. “I always had trouble with being overweight when I was growing up. I heard the names and noticed the glances from my peers, but I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t believe I could … Continue reading
IdealShape Launches “Think” a book about the Power of Weight Loss and the Mind
Discover What’s Really Going on in Your Brain When You Try to Lose Weight "Wait. You want me to cut back on sugar? The sugar that’s everywhere? The sugar that gives me a burst of energy and a little rush of happiness? The sugar that is at every social event, and is being handed to me in the form of chocolate cake this very second? Shyeah. Right. NOT LISTENING." If you’ve ever felt like your mind has a “mind of its own” when it comes to diet and exercise, that’s because, in a way, it does. Scientists believe up to 80% of our thoughts and actions are determined by the subconscious mind, outside our awareness and control. 80%! This means … Continue reading
IdealShape’s New Weight Loss Book Launches Today!
Wait. You want me to cut back on sugar? The sugar that’s everywhere? That’s delicious? That gives me energy and a little rush of happiness? That my friends are enjoying—and that is being handed to me in the form of a cookie right this very second? Shyeah. Right. For the typical person, this is your brain on weight loss goals. NOT LISTENING. If you’ve ever felt like your mind has a “mind of its own” when it comes to diet and exercise, that’s because, in a way, it does. Scientists believe up to 80% of our thoughts and actions are determined by the subconscious mind, outside our awareness and control. 80%! This means things can get complicated—we’re talking habits, cravings … Continue reading
How to start losing weight
So, you’ve decided to get healthier, and you know that eating right and exercising is the way to go, but how do you start losing weight? Let's talk about how to start losing weight successfully. Well, you should start with a final goal in mind, and take it out of your mind and place it on paper. Writing our goals down makes us more likely to succeed. Now, check your knowledge to see what you know about starting your weight loss plan. What have you done in the past? What has worked and what has failed. More importantly, why did these things work/fail. Were you not ready for change, or was it the plan of attack that didn’t fit your … Continue reading
Affirmations: Hocus Pocus or Logical Weight Loss Support?
A few years ago, you may remember there was a movement created by a book and movie called “The Secret” (ah, the powers of Oprah) which has since faded from the limelight. One of the biggest disservices this book did was move the idea of 'affirmations' into the realm of hocus pocus. By claiming affirmations are meant to tell the Universe what you want and the Universe bending to your mighty will, it condemned the idea of affirmations to fringe. For those who might not be aware, affirmations are the idea that repeating a phrase out loud each day will make it come true. For example, saying “I will become financially secure” each morning into the mirror will somehow make … Continue reading
My favorite 5 workout partners
I love a good workout. I really do. Almost nothing beats the feeling after a challenging workout. But let’s be honest, it can be tough to find the motivation to workout and sometimes it can be even tougher to maintain that motivation throughout a workout. I am always looking out for your guys and I want to find ways to make your lives easier, so I thought of the top things that help me when I am feeling less than enthusiastic about working out. 1- A buddy. Workout buddies are my number one workout motivators. For years I have enjoyed running as my favorite workout. And almost as long as I have been running, my sister has been my running buddy. … Continue reading
Muscle Soreness: Planning For Faster Recovery
You’re motivated, and you’re excited about losing weight. You’ve got a plan and you’re implementing it with gusto. You hit your workouts hard and you pour every ounce of effort into it to show yourself you have what it takes. You finish; you’re tired, but you feel great. You’ve got this stuff locked down. And then you wake up the next morning, try to hop out of bed for another great workout, and your body seems to hate you. Your muscles burn with the hatred of a thousand suns and you realize, not only is working out off the table…your next two days are going to be a myriad of “ouch” and “ugh!” and awkward shuffling. What … Continue reading
Tips on how to train for running!
Hello IdealShapers! My name is Angie and I'm new to writing on this blog. As I was deciding what to write about I thought about something one of my professors once told me. He said, "Always write about something you love or else it will be boring to write and just as boring to read." Well I'm definitely not here to bore you guys. So I thought for a second about something that I love and know enough to write about. Then the answer came to me... running. I love to run. I mean I really really love to run. And although I am no expert on it, I have been running for about the last ten years of my life. … Continue reading
The Raw Deal: Eating Raw or Not?
Ever heard of eating raw? Or are you nuking all your nutrients? Me too. Just when I thought I’d conquered healthy eating, it turns out I have an odd tendency to cook everything. And I’d say I’m not the only one. Given the hot debate over whether cooked or raw foods are healthier, it seems that a great many people are reluctant to turn in their pots and pans. And there’s compelling evidence on both sides of the argument. People who practice “raw foodism” believe that cooking foods negatively alters nutrient composition. In other words, we cook the vitamins, antioxidants, fiber and enzymes out of our meals. Accordingly, some proponents strictly adhere to a raw food diet. Others simply believe … Continue reading
Soy or No Soy: The Psychology of the Fad
The perfect formula for proper diet and exercise was figured out years and years ago. But bloggers like me have to write, and so we do. We talk about every health piece out there, our own personal stories in order to motivate, or whatever we can get our hands on. Most of it boils down to one of two tips: 1 - “Exercise More!” 2 - “Everything in Moderation!” because those two things are the key. They are the golden rule to being healthy. Sometimes, though, the health industry forgets that it has already figured this out, and, in an attempt to be new and exciting, they throw aside these two rules to promote something strange. … Continue reading
Weight loss sabotage: Are people close to you sabotaging your efforts?
As I observe the many new years resolutions that my friends and family are making I am baffled by one thing. It seems that the people closest to them are their worst saboteurs. How is that possible? You would think that you’re closest friends and family would have your back. If anyone is going to be supplying weight loss sabotage you would hope it wouldn't be your closest friends. They of all people would want you to achieve your goals for the new year. I don’t think our friends, family and colleagues have deliberate fiendish intentions. I just think they naturally find that it’s much easier supporting the status quo than adjusting to the unknown world of change. They can … Continue reading
Did You Set the Right Fitness Goals for 2013? 4 Questions to Ask
Want to be happier with your fitness goals this year and make effortless progress toward them? Of course you do. So take a moment to review your fitness goals BEFORE you put them up on the fridge, and in your planner, and on your blog. Chances are there are a few progress-killers on there that need to go. To find them, here are 4 questions to ask yourself: #1 – Are you still doing “research”? Perfection is procrastination in disguise. Sometimes, delaying is a sign that we have the wrong goal (see #3), but other times it’s a sign that we’re looking for the perfect solution. When searching for the best activity to dive into in the new year, don’t … Continue reading
The Biggest Meal Replacement Shake Missteps
Are you drinking a meal replacement shake to double your caloric intake and sharply curb your nutrients? Do you like drinking mud? Presumably, you answered no to all of these questions. Replacing 1-2 meals a day with a shake can be a boon to weight loss and appetite control efforts… or it can be a bust, depending on how shake-savvy you are. To get the most out of your meal replacement shake, avoid these three common shake traps: Shake mistake 1: Tunnel vision A meal replacement shake is not a get-out-of-eating-healthy-the-rest-of-the-day card. It’s to help you lower your overall caloric intake, by providing nutrients in a lower-calorie meal and by curbing hunger. So having a shake for lunch and a … Continue reading
Goal Setting: Today’s the day! Are you ready?
It's officially the New Year so all those resolutions you've been thinking about start now! If you haven't already sat down and written out your goals for 2013, that would be a great place to start with your goal setting. Goal setting (and writing them down) is one of the best things you can do to ensure that this isn't just another year of false promises to yourself. Ever since I can remember I have believed in the power of goal setting. Writing them down on paper, looking at them daily and visualizing what my life would be like after I achieve that particular goal. The first time I can remember setting a significant goal was when I was 17 … Continue reading
December’s Ship Shape Challenge Winner: Julie Nesbit
The end of the year is here, and with many of us just beginning our plans for New Year's weight loss, it's a great motivation to see some of these awesome success stories that come our way. One such story is Julie Nesbit's who is IdealShape's December Ship Shape Challenge winner! Julie's story is incredible and truly an inspiration. She, along with the 11 other winners, will be flown to Park City in 2013 and has a chance to win a 7-Day Caribbean Cruise. Without further adieu, here's her story in her own words: In May of 2012, at the age of 45, I completed my first college degree. Because I was homeschooling our son, I had chosen to complete … Continue reading
How to Give Meaningful Gifts
“Money can’t buy happiness,” they say. If that is true, it has awkward implications for gift-giving this time of year. Isn’t that the whole reason we flock to stores and brave crowds, clutching wish lists? To buy our loved ones happiness? We gather gifts with visions of their excitement in our minds. We picture them using their gifts throughout the year. It gets us through the madness and mile-long lines. And now we’re told that we can’t purchase cheer, after all? On the hunt for meaningful gifts this year, I’ve been taking this question to heart, and digging up social science research on what sorts of things contribute to happiness. It looks like we really can buy happiness, according to … Continue reading
4 Do’s and Don’ts of New Year Resolutions
The holiday season is almost over! You’ve survived Halloween and Thanksgiving, and Christmas is only a week and a half away. Many of us are now becoming a little more aware of that little voice in the back of our heads scolding us for all thehealth missteps. Seeing as the average American gains 5 pounds during this time, that voice is not very nice. It means that we’ve got some new year resolutions to set, right? Well, the law of averages is also not on our side here either. On average, only 8% of us are even able to accomplish any of our New Year’s Resolution. So, why even try, right? Well, there is hope. Let’s looks at the missteps … Continue reading
Your Health: A Gift for All Ages
Last month I did a blog post about Staying Motivated at Middle age. Since then I’ve had a couple more experiences that have really impressed on me the importance of taking care of myself at this age. My husband and I went on a vacation this past month in Palm Springs with my parents. One day I looked down to see what appeared to be a water aerobics class gathering at the pool in our resort. My mom loves water aerobics, so I suggested that we head down there and join in. When we got there they were just starting.. As we got in the water the instructor, Pete, asked us where we had been all week. This was … Continue reading
Positive thinking: Can you think the extra weight off your body?
In the modern world today we hear many successful individuals purport that positive thinking was the difference in reaching their goals. In the weight loss world it is getting more and more common to hear how hypnosis helps people "think" their bodies thin. Other programs claim that no longer will you have to diet by popping pills or exercising. To be successful all you have to do is "Think and Think and Think" to shed off the weight. Weight loss takes a combined approach of healthy eating, exercise, and a positive mindset. The number one problem with changing your body shape is that you have to change your thinking. Anyone who has been on multiple diets can tell you about … Continue reading
Sugar Cravings: How to Avoid Them During the Holidays
Sugar cravings are a battle all throughout the year but overcoming those sugar cravings gets especially tough when you are surrounded by sweet goodies during the holiday season. Before we can understand how to navigate this gooey, sugary calorie minefield, I think it helps to understand why stress causes food cravings in the first place. If we can lower our stress, we at least have a fighting chance of defending ourselves against the sugar buffet that has become synonymous with December. So why the stress during such a cheerful time? Depending on where you live, you may be subject to plummeted temps and gloomy weather during the winter. In Utah, it’s chilly, icy and snowy this time of year and … Continue reading
Weight Loss Hypnosis
When you hear the word hypnosis most people don't automatically think weight loss hypnosis. In fact, when hearing the word hypnosis, many people picture a stage performance where people quack like ducks and do other silly tricks for the amusement of the audience. Stage hypnosis has been used to entertain people for hundreds of years, but real therapeutic hypnosis is something much deeper than anything seen on the stage. Real hypnotherapy can help people to recover from surgery, deal with difficult emotional issues, quit smoking, and even successfully lose weight. Hypnosis is the process of bringing an individual into a trancelike state or a state of deep relaxation. From this place of deep relaxation it is easier to communicate with … Continue reading
5 Crazy Fitness Products For People Who Really Don’t Like Exercise
The internet can be a weird place, even for me who has had it around for more than half of my life. It’s great to be so interconnected sometimes, but there are a lot of drawbacks to it as well. One of them is the “echo-chamber effect” where no matter how weird or crazy an idea is, you can find a community who agrees and supports you. Heading to the New Year, let’s look at some of the strangest/worst fitness products that people will be purchasing in order to get healthy without doing the work of a proper diet or exercise. 5 – Knife and Fork Lift Do you eat too much? Do you dream of a … Continue reading
Would You Join a Gym With a Motivational Fee?
We don’t always make the exercise choices that are in our best interest. Why? Ask a psychologist or behavioral economist, and they’ll tell you the answer is simple: people are not rational. In addition to a desire to be healthy and strong, we’re driven by many other factors: our subconscious, our emotions, seductive advertising, a nagging need to know who’s winning on The Voice, X Factor and American Idol… With so many influences to drive us away from our workout plans, every “nudge” in the right direction helps. Gym motivational fees to the rescue? Recognizing that people hate punishment (especially of the losing-money variety), a few Harvard students decided to test-drive a concept where exercisers pay a fee to their … Continue reading
Being Grateful For (the Sake of) Your Health
As we talked about last week, the days leading up to one of the biggest food oriented holidays is not when I’m interested in reading food tips. Personally, I know I’m going to pig out and I’d rather not feel guilty about it, so what is some good advice for the next week? Well, when it comes to your health remembering the spirit of Thanksgiving is actually where the health benefits come in. You see, it’s pretty clear that there is a significant correlation between your happiness and your health. From a Carnegie Mellon study: “People who typically report more positive emotions experience lower rates of chronic illness, symptoms and pain. Moreover, among the elderly who live … Continue reading
Choice Paralysis: The Repercussions of Too Many Fitness Trends
Hmm… what workout should I do today? Cycling? Tennis? Jogging? CrossFit? You definitely have many options to choose from with all the different fitness trends. If this your typical workout query, then take heed. Experts say that when you’re choosing among A, B, C and D, you’re rather likely to choose E—nothing at all. The reason? Decision making is a complex process for our inner minds, more so than we realize. And here we thought more fitness options would be better! And actually, they are, to an extent—having variety is key to a well-rounded workout and preventing exercise boredom. But too much of a good thing can backfire. The more choices you have, the more potential there is for making … Continue reading
Great Travel Exercises for Tight Spaces
A bit ago, we had a discussion about the dirty, sweaty reality of midday exercise. Well how about the dirty, sweaty reality of vacation exercise? The answer is simple- with travel exercises. Think tight spaces, unpredictable schedules and switching from vacation mode to workout mode. And heaven help you if you’re traveling to a locale where the carbs and sauce flow freely (ahem, Italy). Back during the summer I was getting ready to leave for Syberia, and my biggest exercise challenge was having an audience pretty much all the time. My living quarters were hostels, host family apartments and train cabins. So not only were they small spaces, but they’d be shared spaces. To keep myself on track I put … Continue reading
Reduce stress for healthy children
We've talked before about the stresses in life and how they can have a large impact on our health, even a little on how to combat those stresses, but a new study shows that de-stressing might not just be good for you, but for your children as well. When you're stressed, it seems to flow into every other aspect of your life. Many of us try to maintain a balance between our work, family, and personal lives but it seems even if you're a great compartmentalizer, your own stress could lead to several negative health factors to your children. The study by pediatric researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia shows that when parents perceive themselves to be stressed, their … Continue reading
October Ship Shape Challenge Winner
While the final voting for year 1’s Ship Shape winners is almost upon us, the beginning of the second year is also here. This means that our first of 12 slots was up for grabs and it went to Annette Zapata! A mother of four, she’s lost 40 lbs with the help of IdealShape and she’s definitely on the right track! Here’s her story in her own words: I’m a 27 year old mom of 4. I was a chubby child and i lost some weight in my teens, but once I had my first child i packed on the pounds. I noticed that the only time i ever did lose weight was when i got depressed or … Continue reading
Misleading Ads: When Is It OK for the Media to Mislead Us?
Is it ethical for companies to airbrush models into perfection? Or to make misleading, even blatantly false, health claims? Whether it's ethical or not, it seems that more and more companies are coming out with misleading ads. Increasingly, companies are being outed for employing illusions and trickery to sell their products. Yet their defense is compelling: people are responsible for being discerning consumers. According to the FTC, it’s only false advertising if a “reasonable” person would believe the claim. So, was it “reasonable” for millions of consumers to be misled about Vitaminwater? Could we realistically believe that a high-calorie, high-sugar, colored water beverage made by Coca-Cola was a health drink? Um… probably not. As their defense lawyer retorted, we drank … Continue reading
Exercise and Creativity: there is a link after all
Exercise is a known happiness-booster and stress-reliever, so it certainly seems logical that exercise would put us into a state of mind that’s fertile for creativity. But until now, there has been little more than speculation. But recent research has (finally) found a direct link between exercise and creativity, which supports what I think many of us have long suspected! In this study, researchers rounded up 60 college students to participate in varying exercise regimens, all followed by a creative thinking test. The study looked at creative potential in three situations: Creativity immediately following NO exercise (the study control) Creativity immediately following a workout Creativity two hours after a workout Results showed positive effects of exercise in both #2 (immediate … Continue reading
Ship Shape challenge winners Arrive in Utah!
The Ship Shape Challenge winners are arriving in Salt Lake City today and we’re getting really excited here at IdealShape headquarters. This contest has been a huge undertaking, but we’ve loved nearly every minute of it. Giving runner-up to great entries was incredibly difficult, but we’ve got a terrific group of winners and this is going to be a close race. In a surprise turn of events, the contestants will now undergo a set of grueling challenges that will show their determination and fortitude unlike anything they have ever seen before! Skydiving, hot dog eating, Scrabble, and a water balloon toss will be thrown at them randomly throughout their stay. I am being told that I need to … Continue reading
Health Care Providers ask, ‘Is Obesity a Disease?’
There is a pretty big debate on in the health industry right now and it might seem like a semantic argument, but the conclusion could have far reaching consequences. If you hadn't guessed, the question on their minds: Is obesity a disease? The rising number of Americans who are seriously overweight has triggered intense debate among scientists, federal agencies, insurance companies and drug makers about whether obesity should be declared a "disease," a move that seems to have opened up quite the can of worms. Both sides make some good points and there are quite a few benefits and pitfalls to the change that could have an impact on most Americans. While the BMI scale can be fairly flawed, it's … Continue reading
Weekend Warriors: Not Doomed After All?
Confession: I’m a weekend warrior. And all these studies about how we are sitting ourselves to death are freaking me out. Can anyone really get down to 3 hours of chair time a day? I can’t. I’m an official “desk jockey,” and frankly, a trek desk is not in the cards for me. Not only can I not afford a new desk built for a treadmill, plus a treadmill, but it wouldn’t fit in my teeny apartment. So I save my big workouts for the glorious weekend. But now it’s possible that all those exercise hours are being cancelled out by sitting during the week. Am I sealing my coffin two years earlier? The American Heart Association says that for … Continue reading
September Ship Shape Challenge Winner: Jean Taylor
This month wraps up the final month of our Ship Shape Challenge 2011-2012 contest and it's time to announce our final challenge winner. We now have some truly great contestants ready to fly down to Salt Lake for the final part of the contest. It will definitely be a great time for everyone involved! Jean Taylor is our final monthly ship shape challenge winner this year. She has lost 108 lbs and here’s her story in her own words: "There was never a time growing up, when I did not feel “bigger” than everyone around me. This same feeling carried into my teen years and even into adulthood. In high school I reached my heaviest weight of 375lbs. At 18 … Continue reading
September Ship Shape Challenge Winners: Jean and Rosa
Congratulations to our two Ship Shape challenge winners, Read both of their amazing stories below: Jean Taylor – Lost 108 Lbs! There was never a time growing up, when I did not feel “bigger” than everyone around me. This same feeling carried into my teen years and even into adulthood. In high school I reached my heaviest weight of 375lbs. At 18 years old, and the daughter of a type 2 diabetes father, a mother who had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure in the past, and a brother who suffers from high blood pressure, I knew that I needed to make some changes. I felt as if I was missing out on so much because of my weight. I … Continue reading
Which Yoga Style Matches Your Fitness Goals?
When you think yoga, you think stretching, right? Or perhaps contortionist poses worthy of the circus. Well, you can stretch any old time, and frankly, you’re just not very flexible. So, no, you’re not going to yoga with me. This is the typical conversation I have with my friends and family, and even my students at the senior center. I am determined to set them, and everyone else, straight about yoga. First, there isn't just one yoga style. In other words, yoga isn’t just for athletes and gumbies and chicks. Men do yoga. Injured people do yoga. Seniors, exercise beginners and really inflexible people (i.e., me) do yoga. If Jane Fonda can do yoga at 74, you can do it … Continue reading
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Improve Our Health… Fact, or Fishy?
There has been a lot of hype about omega-3 fatty acids. But are omega-3 fatty acids really that important? I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to start popping fish pills just because someone says it’s healthy. (Actually I’m not going to do it at all, because I’m allergic to fish.) But I keep hearing about the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. Today I read a seafood ad: “Did you know that your body does not naturally produce Omega-3 fatty acids?” No I didn’t. So is it really rich in “awesome health benefits,” as the ad touted, or are fish sellers just looking for a good hook? But then I remembered that one of our regular readers mentioned … Continue reading
Are You Robbing Yourself Of Priceless Fitness Advice?
I didn’t want to sign up for a tennis class. Frankly, I’m a do-it-yourself kind of person. I didn't want fitness advice from a tennis instructor. The thought of hiring other people makes me wince. “But I can just do it myself,” I think. Or I think about the money. Or I think about how they invented the Internet for a reason. But something occurred to me this year: maybe I can’t do everything on my own. Why did it occur to me? Probably because it occurred to Penelope Trunk, a serial entrepreneur and career blogger whose advice I take seriously. And she wrote a post about how she swears by coaching. Wait, a dynamic entrepreneur (and someone who IS … Continue reading
Put Your Diet To Death: How and Why
I’ve referred to the book “Change Anything” in past blog posts and how I resonate with the principles they teach. This past week they put out an article titled “Never Diet a Day in Your Life” so of course, since that’s what we’re all about here at IdealShape, I had to read it. I was curious as to how they helped people understand that concept since one of the issues we face is people will say to us “I’ve started on your diet”. Immediately my response is “we’re not a diet, this is a lifestyle change.” Many of them agree with my statement but deep down I know they still believe they are on a diet. How can we change … Continue reading
Is Hypnosis a Weight Loss Tool That Really Works?
Is Hypnosis a Weight Loss Tool That Really Works? It is not surprising that many people view hypnosis for weight loss with a great deal of skepticism. Most of us usually think of hypnosis as a magician's trick that he uses to make a member of the audience crow like a rooster or perform silly tricks. Contrary to that belief, however, both hypnosis and hypnotherapy have been around for centuries and are considered by many to be very successful methods of helping people change their habits. While using hypnosis for weight loss is still considered to be a relatively new method of treatment, it has long been used to help people stop smoking, deal with insomnia and a plethora of … Continue reading
How to Drink More Water: Make It Taste Better Than Coke
Sure we know that we need to drink more water. We ALSO know that it’s hard to resist the spell-casting ads cleverly deployed by Coca-Cola and other beverage makers. That old “carry a refillable water bottle” trick is great. But for some of us, it’s not enough. We still crave a special drink when the clock strikes 3pm. However, after uncovering the marketing secrets of Coca-Cola, I think I’ve found the solution to our craving conundrum: Steal all their ideas and use them on water instead! Think Like an Advertiser The smartest minds in consumer psychology say that our subconscious mind controls it all: what we crave, what we buy, and even largely what we experience (including how things … Continue reading
How to Stay Motivated At Middle Age
A friend and I were discussing how difficult it is to stay motivated to eat healthy and exercise at our age. We are both in our 50’s. We both thought that after our kids were grown, that we would have all this extra time and would use it to workout. We would also eat healthier meals because we wouldn’t be trying to satisfy their discriminating tastes. What a misconception that has been. So the question I keep asking myself is, ‘why is it so hard to stay motivated when this should be the easiest time of my life?’ Well, first of all, when my kids were home I felt like cooking for 5 was at least worth … Continue reading
What Really Makes for Safe and Healthy Weight Loss?
What Really Makes for Safe and Healthy Weight Loss? Losing weight is a lofty and common goal,. However, anyone who wants to lose weight should first make sure they are losing weight the proper and safe way. No amount of loss is worth ruining your metabolism or doing damage to your heart, kidneys, or muscles. Weight loss programs always tell you to consult a doctor before starting the diet or program and most people probably ignore that advice. However, a doctor, dietitian, or other professional really is the best source to get advice regarding safe weight loss. Typically programs you pay to follow and that have been in business for years also offer the way to safe weight loss. But … Continue reading
August’s Ship Shape Challenge Winner: Michael Ridd!
September is upon us, and it’s the final month of our Ship Shape Challenge contest. We now have some truly great contestants ready to fly down to Salt Lake for the final part of the contest. It will definitely be a great time for everyone involved, and if you still want to enter, don’t worry, you have until September 15th to get your submission to us. Now without further ado let's announce our challenge winner! But I’m going to go ahead and stop taking the spotlight away from Jean Taylor who is this month’s ship shape challenge winner! She has lost 108 lbs and here’s her story in her own words: I didn't start using the Ideal Shape products over … Continue reading
How We’re Defenseless Against Creepy Coca-Cola Ads
That’s funny. When I think back to some recent times I felt revived, relaxed, bold, adventurous or radiantly healthy, Coca-Cola doesn’t come to mind, despite what the coca-cola ads. Neither does Mountain Dew or a McCafé frozen mocha. Pretty sure Vitamin Water wasn’t there. Nor Snapple, or even Honest Tea. Come to think of it, nowhere in my memory of ANY special experience does a beverage figure into the picture. So what’s all this business about drinks elevating our lives? Why are New Yorkers taking to the streets over the prospect of a new law that could downsize their restaurant drink portions, calling it a violation of constitutional liberties? IT'S JUST A SMALLER COKE. I think we’ve been brainwashed. Actually, let … Continue reading
Finding the Most Effective Weight Loss Program
It seems that these days we are bombarded on all sides with information on the "latest and greatest" diet craze that is "100% guaranteed" to make you lose those unwanted pounds. The problem is, so many people fall into these traps. They believe that they will actually lose (and keep off) the weight simply by drinking a special juice or taking a pill. Sometimes these diet crazes work.... temporarily. If you want to actually keep the weight off it is best to ignore these outrageous claims made by the diet industry. If you want to find an effective weight loss plan, you need to find one that will help you get to the root of your weight problem and then … Continue reading
Workout Length: Are Hour-Long Workouts Right For Everybody?
As someone who struggles with getting the right amount of exercise every week, this new study released by the University of Copenhagen, was very enlightening. A study that followed 60 heavy (but healthy) men for thirteen weeks and the results were fairly surprising. Not only were those that worked out 30 minutes each day getting great results, 3.6 kg (just under 8 lbs.) on average over 3 months but they lost more weight than those whose workout length was a full hour each day. Those who were exercising for one hour each day lost on average 2.7 kg (just under 6 lbs) during the same amount of time. Researchers feel that the explanation lies in the thinking: … Continue reading
What you can change About Genetics
If you’re part of the IdealShape community, you’ve likely already decided that you have some control over your health. You’re chasing down the food, exercise and psychological choices that will give you the healthiest life possible. But have you ever believed that your quest for health is in spite of certain genetics? That you might just be "racking up" health points now in order to enjoy a few more good years before some predestined genetic disease strikes? I’ve always looked at my health that way. Like I need to get healthy now so that I’ll be stronger and better-able to deal with the health ailments that'll inevitably plague me in 10 or 20 years. Diabetes, cancer and thyroid conditions run … Continue reading
Hypnosis for Weight Loss Retrain Your Brain and Shed the Extra Pounds
As we all know, our mind is in control of every facet of our body; everything that we think or do is all controlled by our mind. The problem is that most of the mind's influence occurs subconsciously. This means that even though something is happening we may not always be aware of why. This can apply to everything from breathing to overeating. Many people find themselves giving into cravings that seem to come from nowhere but are impossible to resist. Sooo frustrating, right? This is where using hypnosis for weight loss has been proven to be highly successful for a vast number of people. If you are considering using hypnosis for weight loss, you should first understand a little … Continue reading
Need Additional Motivation? Check Out IdealShape’s Pinterest
Are you like me, where you’ve been sitting in the doctor’s office fake coughing to subtly tear out a great product or recipe from one of the countless stacks of magazines sitting in the waiting room? It’s almost worth the disapproving glare from the receptionist because sometimes I have a bad memory and I’m afraid I’ll forget by the time I get home. I have to admit that I’ve done this on occasion. (Sorry!) I’ve had many a corkboard with pictures, quotes, shopping lists, recipes etc. tacked on it for good measure. It really helps if you’re a visual person like me. Which is why I love Pintrest so much. If you don’t know what Pintrest is, it’s a virtual … Continue reading
Cross Training: The Olympians’ Secret to Ultimate Fitness
Watching the Olympics makes me feel like crap. I will never excel in any sport. My attention span is just too short. Just look at all the activities I’ve taken up in the last year: tennis, running, aerial yoga, stair-sprinting. While in Russia I discovered how much fun volleyball is. But before I dive into that, I want to learn to swim. And dance the Tango. Oh, and I’ve upgraded my cycling gear with every intention of boosting my cycling skills this fall. Meanwhile, Michael Phelps and Aly Raisman just raked in multiple Olympic medals in their sports. How? By channeling 100% focus into that single activity. Or so I thought… As it turns out, Olympians actually have “fitness ADD” … Continue reading
Do Meal Replacement Shakes For Weight Loss Really Work?
It would be nice if losing weight was as simple as many commercials make it out to be. I mean how many advertisements have you heard or seen that talk about effortless weight loss? But let's be honest, effort is needed to actually lose weight and keep it off. Unfortunately effortless weight loss is nothing more than wishful thinking. But what if you could get as close to effortless weight loss as possible? Would you do it? Meal replacement shakes are a great way to effectively lose weight while not putting forth a ton of effort. You just mix your shake once or twice a day and watch the weight come off. Many people have found that weight loss shakes are a … Continue reading
“Exergames” Help People To Be More Active
The studies are pouring in about so-called “exergames” which promote physical activity, and unfortunately the impact has been viewed negatively. As a nerd and a gamer, I can sometimes see why. The exergames that are currently on the market have been little more than more interactive exercise videos that use the motion controls as a gimmick; and sometimes, they do it poorly. "What do you mean my motions have to be more exaggerated?!" I don’t hold that against them, I have played video games long enough to know that new technology takes time to incorporate properly. (I’m still waiting for 3D to be implemented in a way that enhances rather than detracts from the experience) However, it may help those … Continue reading
A Different Kind of Brain Food for a Higher IQ
Between the ages of 6 Month and 2 years is when a large portion of your brain tissue is developing. A new study shows that a proper diet could help kids out later in life by making them just a little bit smarter than their peers. Children fed healthy diets in early age may have a slightly higher IQ, while those on heavier junk food diets may have a slightly reduced IQ, according to new research from the University of Adelaide. The study was pretty comprehensive; The study of more than 7000 children compared a range of dietary patterns, including traditional and contemporary home-prepared food, ready-prepared baby foods, breastfeeding, and 'discretionary' or junk foods. While 2 more IQ points not … Continue reading
Your Brain and Weight Loss: Got 30 Minutes to Change Your Life?
We have a lot of our customers that love our shakes, supplements, exercise programs, and the like, but if you’ve spent time researching us, you know that our biggest passion is the brain and weight loss. It’s what sets IdealShape from the hundreds of weight loss programs that you can find on the market. To us, it’s the part that turns the program from ‘another fad diet’ to a program to create a healthier lifestyle with permanent changes. The problem, of course, is that even after all this time we get a lot of calls and questions from people about what brain training is and rightfully so. Frankly, it’s a hard concept to sum up with a quick blog … Continue reading
Is Weight Loss Hypnosis Effective for Long Term Weight Loss?
So many people today are trying to find a way to achieve long term weight loss. A way that can help them address their eating habits, get motivated, stay motivated, and keep themselves physically active. Ultimately, people want a way that they can lose the weight and keep it off--permanently. You might be wondering if there is even such a program out there. If something like that actually exists. What if I told you that the only way to actually lose weight, stay motivated while doing it, and make permanent life changes is to change the way that you think about weight loss and your body? Would you agree with me? It is common for a person to start … Continue reading
5 Simple Ways to Squeeze More Fresh Fruit into Your Diet
Fruit is packed with vitamins, minerals and other slimming nutrients, and fresh fruit contains the most. That’s why Michael Pollan instructs us to “Eat fresh, in-season produce” in his popular nutrition book “Food Rules.” But do you know how to scope out the freshest fruit? As it turns out, I didn’t. A giant bucket of strawberries arrived at the table last week from a neighbor’s cottage farm, and they were the creepiest looking berries I’d ever seen. I hid from them until my host forced me to try one. They turned out to be the sweetest, freshest strawberries I’d ever eaten! So, after staining my fingers red, I set out with an open mind and a new lust for fresh … Continue reading
July’s Ship Shape Challenge Winner: Angela Leahy
July is over, which means that it’s time to name another Ship Shape Challenge winner! With only 2 months left in the contest, we’re getting some great entries. Angela may not have had as much to lose as some of our other iShapers, but we know that the last 20 lbs is usually the hardest. We're all about defining your ideal shape, whether you want to lose 10 lbs or 100 lbs. Angela is in the best shape of her life and even competed in a body building competition. Here’s her story in her own words: I began my journey to get back into shape after seeing a friend train to compete in an NPC bikini … Continue reading
How to find a safe weight loss plan
Safe and Healthy Weight Loss Plans How many weight loss plans do you think are available today? The truth is there are probably way too many to count. Weight loss plans today endorse everything from calorie counting and portion control to lowering or even eliminating carbohydrates or fat entirely from you diet. The key is to find a safe weight loss plan. Getting the true facts about a weight loss program is so important because no amount of weight loss is worth sacrificing your health or safety. There are a lot of safe ways to lose weight but if it is done improperly there can be damage done to your metabolism, heart, muscles, and so on. The scary thing is, this … Continue reading
Where to Start With Exercise
When it comes to living healthier, we’ve put a lot of emphasis on eating healthier and supplementation and sometimes it seems that we’re really letting the fitness side fall to the wayside. Chelsea is our go to gal for fitness ideas and she’s written some very helpful articles, but still we get asked a lot where to start with exercise. When it comes to exercise we understand the same principles that come from eating healthier still apply. If you start out by asking too much of yourself, more than what you are ready for, then it won’t work. If given the option in black and white, between an exercise routine that might be too much, and no exercise at … Continue reading
Weighing the Benefits of Sleep
Getting a proper amount of sleep, definitely helps in those trying to lose weight, but a new study shows that the benefits of sleep may be even more important to those who have a genetic predisposition towards obesity. "After analyzing the sleep habits and body weight of 1,088 pairs of twins, including genetically identical ones, researchers concluded that people who get plenty of sleep -- at least nine hours per night -- have more control over their weight through their behavior than people who sleep less. Among twins who slept less than seven hours per night, genes accounted for 70% of the differences in body mass index (BMI), while so-called environmental factors, such as diet and exercise habits, were responsible … Continue reading
A Peek Behind the Formulation Process
We get a lot of questions about what’s in our shakes, and the decisions we’ve made throughout the formulation process. Today we’re going to talk about the two most common questions and hopefully give you a good idea of why we made the decisions we did when creating the IdealShape Meal Replacement Shake. 1. Why do you use Sucralose? Probably the biggest debated topic on the formulation of our shakes is the use of sucralose as our sweetener. So, let’s talk about why we use sucralose instead of sugar. When we created this shake we wanted it to be healthy and stop hunger, but many of us felt the most important part had to be the flavor. It doesn’t … Continue reading
The Secret to a Fitness Routine That Sticks
Pessimists and procrastinators, listen up! There is only one way to stick to an exercise routine. What is it? Make it a routine! Exercise should have a comfortable, well-worn-in niche in your daily regimen. Of course, you’ll be upgrading the particulars every few weeks. (If you stick to the same old stuff, and you’ll probably plateau in a month’s time.) The point is, you need to work out automatically, right on schedule, without making excuses. Once exercise becomes a permanent wedge in your schedule, you’ll reach your goals in record time. Here are five ways to make your fitness routine unshakable: 1. Find the right program for you. That's one that truly works with your lifestyle and entails a realistic time … Continue reading
Got Fatty Foods on the Brain? Effects of Fat on Brain Activity
A new study was released about the immediate effects of fat on the brain, and the results were interesting. Seeing as how I feel that fat = flavorful, I was surprised to find that fat actually seems to reduce activity in several areas of the brain which are responsible for processing taste, aroma, and reward. The research found that the areas of the participants' brains which are responsible for the perception of flavour, such as the somatosensory cortices and the anterior, mid & posterior insula, were significantly more activated when the non-fatty sample was tested compared to the fatty emulsions despite having the same flavour perception. Now, they’re not sure how the reduced activity effects your perception of flavor, just … Continue reading
Arm Workouts: 4 Fun Ways to Sculpt Your Arms This Summer
For most people, getting a lower body workout comes easy—you walk, run, cycle or climb stairs every day. It’s the strong and toned upper body you have to work for. And who wants to spend summer evenings doing bicep curls and overhead presses in a stuffy gym? You need some fun arm workouts. With these fun exercises, you don’t have to. They’re total-body workouts with extra emphasis on the arms and core, and they’re perfect for summer—and for inviting friends: Summer sports Tennis, swimming and volleyball are three summer activities that’ll give you arms and shoulders so sculpted, you could make a Grecian statue jealous. If you’ve been thinking of joining a sports team or class, or even planning some … Continue reading
Are You Getting Enough Vitamin C?
Have you been watching what you eat? Getting your RDI of vitamins and minerals to help manage you weight loss? That's awesome, but that still might be enough according to researchers. A new report shows that the RDI of Vitamin C is less than half of what would be best for you. "...there’s compelling evidence that the RDA of vitamin C should be raised to 200 milligrams per day for adults, up from its current levels in the United States of 75 milligrams for women and 90 for men." That's a pretty big deficit, especially since most Americans aren't even getting 2 servings of fruit daily. Not only do studies show that higher levels of Vitamin C can help prevent … Continue reading
At Least You Have Your Health, Right?
It’s a pretty common expression I’ve heard from friends and family, Usually when it seems like nothing is going right in my life, someone might hear my woes and respond, “Well, at least you have your health.” And, for the most part it has been true. I got pretty lucky when it comes to genetics. I wasn’t born with rugged movie star looks, but I haven’t had really any major illnesses in my life. I’ve never been allergic to anything and nothing along the lines of asthma to hold me back. It’s something I’ve really taken for granted. A few years ago I was working as a security guard and one of my fellow employees, John, always brought … Continue reading
Lose Weight Fast by Loving What You Eat
People tend to use exercise as justification for poor eating habits, "I went running today so I can have these cookies..." The truth is, you can’t cancel out your chow-downs with a quick jog around the block, or even a long jog for that matter. And it doesn’t make much sense to put effort into physical fitness without putting the same amount of effort into nutrition, too. Just imagine how much faster you’d reach your goals by eating right AND working out! It may seem like a monumental task, but here’s the good news: There’s a simple way to lose weight fast while loving what you eat. Eat with deliberation. How will this help you lose weight faster? It may … Continue reading
5 Healthy Food Substitutions Worth A Try
For some of us, eating healthier isn’t always easy. Healthy food substitutions in meals that are regularly unhealthy has gotten pretty popular but there are those of us that still feel the idea of a ‘Tofu Burger” isn’t very appealing. When a substitution fails, it tends to do so spectacularly (I cannot emphasize enough how much I dislike soy pancakes) and once you experience a bad one, it’s hard to stay motivated to try other new things. It’s always a risk to our palate, but when you find something that you truly enjoy that’s healthier, it really is worth it. To that end, we’ve compiled 5 substitutions that you may not have tried that really deserve a shot. 1. Quinoa … Continue reading
7 Ways to Improve Your Stair Climbing Workout
Stairs were made for exercising on-the-go! Whether you’re hiking the stairwells at work, stepping your way up the Eiffel Tower, or training for a stair climbing race for charity, get ready to see your bod in serious shape. Of course, just like sprinting, there are several ways to improve your stair climbing workout and avoid injury. I’m currently living on the 6th floor of an apartment building and I’ve been hitting the stairs every day to try out different things. If you’re aiming for toned glutes, quads, thighs and calves, a few tips before you start hoofing it: 1. Posture Good form is important for avoiding soreness and injury while stair climbing. Lift your torso up and bend forward slightly … Continue reading
The Real Reason Why Weight Loss for Women is So Tough
If you are a woman and you are trying to lose weight we have some good and bad news for you. The good news is that it is entirely possible for you to shed the amount of weight that you want and to keep that weight off for good; the bad news is that weight loss for women is typically a slower process than it is for men who are trying to lose weight. Women usually need to work harder to lose weight than men do, and this can be a really discouraging thing. No matter how difficult weight loss for women is, it really is possible. There are countless women who not only lose the weight that they … Continue reading
Why it pays to have a fitness buddy
Living in Siberia has me thinking about “community” a lot. People tend to congregate here. Friends and families are close-knit. People look after each other (and sit on top of each other) on the bus. It’s not uncommon to come home and find your neighbor at your kitchen table. It’s great to have personal space and “me time” to think, but sometimes being part of the group will get you further. People here have a strong sense of how community is vital to their survival. Social support is essential to the survival of an exercise regimen for the same reasons. It might be easier to pop in your ear buds and hit the trails after work, but what happens on … Continue reading
June’s Ship Shape Challenge Winner
It's getting pretty exciting around the IdealShape offices when it comes to the Ship Shape Challenge. With only 3 months left we're busy planning the trip to Salt Lake that all of our winners are taking. Trips to the Olympic park and photo shoots and just getting to be around these awesome people who have made great changes in their lives is really exciting for us. Not to mention the whole, we get to give one of the winners a cruise! (With your help of course) The contest is really heating up so if you're hoping to snag one of those final three spots, head over to the Ship Shape Challenge page and submit your entry! We'd love to hear … Continue reading
IdealShape and The Balancing Act on Lifetime TV
We’re going to be on Lifetime TV. Can you believe it? Our company is being featured for our meal replacement shake and our brain training on a reality show called “The Balancing Act”. It’s a health and wellness segment they do each Monday.. They’re following the journey of four women trying to lose weight. On May 30th we had the opportunity to go to Florida and meet the women (three of them anyway-the fourth one was out of the country). That’s when they taped the segment we will be on. The women were so delightful and excited to meet with us and find out what IdealShape was all about. David spent over an hour with each one of them … Continue reading
iShaper Challenge: Making A Positive Change to Your Willpower
Willpower; a simple word that creates all sorts of problems when it comes right down to it. At one time or another, we’ve all stumbled in a way that made us think, ‘If I’d just had more willpower, I could’ve succeeded.’ It hurts to lose a battle of wills because willpower is one of those things you seem to have enough of it, or you don’t. For example, there’s the marshmallow study conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel. He asked children to sit in front of a marshmallow without eating it for fifteen minutes (with the promise of a second one if they managed to make it). Those who succeeded this simple test of willpower ended up being more successful in … Continue reading
10 Super Foods to Make Your Shake An Awesome Smoothie
When it comes to shakes sometimes we want to try something a little bit different, but we don't want to pack on the calories or maybe we want to enhance the nutritional content. To that end, here's 10 super foods to consider when turning your shake into a smoothie. 1 - Spinach Spinach can actually be one of the go-to veggies to add to a shake. Not because it tastes terrific, but more because spinach is almost flavorless. Not only do you enhance your shake with one of the best veggies for you, the only cost to the appeal of the shake is likely giving it a green color. Otherwise, the shake will mostly stay the same , but for … Continue reading
Should Running Be Your Go To Workout?
Ask any marathoner—in other words, ask just about anyone—and you’ll get why running has become so popular. It feels natural, it requires minimal equipment and setup time, and perhaps best of all, it inspires a feeling of solidarity. Burpees with friends? No thanks. But running with friends is fun, and running a race with friends can make the difference between pushing to the finish line and pooping out. But are the fitness benefits really there? And is it worth wrecked knees? I think it’s time we break down the pros, cons and twisted ankles of running, starting with my own cautionary tale… I took up running about six months ago. It was for a good reason: everyone else was doing … Continue reading
Weight Loss Motivation
You look at yourself in the mirror and hate what you see. You wish you looked completely different. You tell yourself you are starting a diet tomorrow and that you are not going to eat anything that will mess the diet up. No more desserts, chips, or pizza. You are only going to eat lean meat, fruits, and vegetables until you can get your weight down and finally love the body that you see in the mirror. You start out doing really well. You are keeping track of your calories and eating under your allotted amount. You are working out and feeling good. But then, two weeks into the diet you find yourself slipping up and eating those foods that … Continue reading
iShaper Challenge is Over For May
It’s now June which means our May iShaper Challenge is over. We’ve gotten some great feedback on what people liked/disliked about it. We’ve also made a few changes during the month, and we plan on refining it for a relaunch in July so stay tuned for that. For us, it has been quite fun to involve the community into our process and we’re really happy with the results. If you set up a jar, go ahead and keep filling it if that seems to be working for you, I know I will be. In the meantime, we did promise our iShaper friends that participated with us in the challenge a little something. So, if you participated in the … Continue reading
Workout Foods- what you should be eating before you sweat
As I was dangling there, harnessed by an aerial yoga hammock, it occurred to me: I should compile a list of the best workout foods to eat before your workout. While nausea, bloating and feeling weighted down by a full stomach are concerns during any workout, they seem to double when you’re inverted. And they triple when you’re hanging upside-down with a band across your stomach. Downward dogs and inverted pigeons aren’t the only tummy-troubling poses. Even if you stick to the basics—cobra pose, bridge pose, cat and cow—pretty much anything that contracts and stretches your abdominal muscles can get your stomach churning. (Bikram may be another beast altogether.) You probably already know all this. But as I hadn’t done … Continue reading
May Ship Shape Challenge Winner
I celebrated my 25th Anniversary early with my husband's family in August 2011. I could hear people talking about me..'OMG she has gained so much weight, what happened to her she is so fat.' I could see them laughing and pointing at me. What was suppose to be a celebration turned in too a very sad wake up call for me, but something I desperately needed. So in August I started my weight loss journey and big life style change. I would walk about a mile and come home totally exhausted and out of breath. As the months went by, it got a lot easier and I started walking further, now I've started jogging a little. I'm up too about … Continue reading
The Most Important First Step For Success
When was that moment you really decided you wanted to get healthier? When did you decide that enough was enough, things needed to change? For some of us it's a story, an event; a low point. Others it was just a realization that you weren't where you wanted to be one day. Suddenly you were motivated to do things differently. Maybe you jumped online to start researching ways to get healthier. Or maybe you dusted off the treadmill that's been decaying in your closet since your well-meaning family members got it for you as a Christmas present--bless their tactless souls. The point, however, is that every decision started in your head, it kind of has to. Just like every unhealthy … Continue reading
Track what you eat—a necessity, or a nag?
Track what you eat. You hear it all the time in regards to weight loss. Keeping a food log is one of the cardinal rules of going on a diet. But obsessing over the details can definitely kill the fun for some people. Maybe you worry that it will ruin the joy of simply being in touch with your food and enjoying healthier eating habits. Maybe you’ve stocked your fridge with healthy foods, and decided not to go the calorie-counting route. Or maybe nutrition tracking just seems like that one extra trivial detail you don’t have time for. That was my view of it. I stopped tracking what I ate a long time ago, because 1) I thought it was … Continue reading
Strong muscles, strong mind: so lift up!
Have you noticed that after a great lifting session, everything rocks? YOU in particular? You feel confident, strong, steady and in control. I’ve certainly noticed this. I’ve also noticed that when I sit in the ol’ office chair all day, I feel flabby. Mentally. Emotionally. Willpower-ly. You want to overcharge me on my phone bill? Sure. Whatever. Yet it seems that even just a few minutes of strength training (with proper warm-up, of course) can fuel confidence in a way no jaunt on the elliptical can. Is it a testosterone thing? An adrenaline thing? Maybe we feel like we have strong muscles after pumping iron because our muscles stay contracted after the workout. Or maybe it’s all in our minds. … Continue reading
Healthy Living Is An Accumulation of Little Choices
So the month is half over and we've been seeing the bonuses and pitfalls of the iShaper challenge here at the office. Overall we love the concept, though as we progress there are definitely going to be a few changes. (This morning we switched from beans to rocks because beans just weren't big enough) In the end, the biggest thing we learned is healthy living is an accumulation of small choices. Being healthy isn't a single choice and a lot of people have somewhat different takes on what is and isn't healthy. One of the biggest benefits that I've seen so far in the challenge is that it showed me that I was already doing a lot of healthy stuff … Continue reading
5 Health Studies with Interesting Results
I like reading about health studies and I lose big chunks of time reading about weird links that have been drawn through studies. Fortunately, I work at IdealShape so they pay me to read about this stuff. Here’s 5 interesting studies that I’ve read recently that you might find helpful (or not) but I couldn’t dedicate an entire blog post to them. 1. A Long Commute is linked with Obesity and High Blood Pressure This one isn’t so much shocking and it’s pretty important. You see, if you live more than 10 miles away from where you work then you’re much more likely to have high blood pressure and at 15 miles you’re at greater risk of … Continue reading
5 Ways to Exercise at Work (Without Getting Fired)
Weekend warrior-ism isn’t going to save us. In fact, a daily workout isn’t even enough. If you’re spending most of your day sitting at your desk, experts say you’re in the health-risk zone. So how do you get out of the health-risk zone? Exercise at work! But, as we all know, fitness advice sometimes falls short of reality. Constantly jumping up to walk to coworkers’ offices in the middle of a project, rather than calling or emailing, might not be feasible. And taking a midday exercise break can render you tired and distracted back at the office. So how are we supposed to prevent work from killing our health, and our health from killing our productivity at work? I wrote … Continue reading
The Best Time of Day to Workout: The Sweaty Reality of Midday Exercise
And now, for the moment of truth: sometimes you can master motivation, flawlessly fuel your workout, and have your gym and snack bags packed—and still not be able to fit exercise into your daily routine. Not midday, anyway. I’m an afternoon exerciser, because it’s my best time of day to workout. But even if you work out in the morning or after work, research says that everyone should be taking a midday pause to get some daily excersise. Sitting for 8 hours is great way to die early, no matter how active you are the rest of the day. So, dutifully, I aim to work out in the afternoon. Only my “midday pause” typically turns into a three-hour affair. First, … Continue reading
April’s Ship Shape Challenge Winner
It’s that time again! Today we mark the 7th month’s Ship Shape challenge winner! Reaching your goal weight and living healthier is what we would love to see from all of our iShapers, and Scott Sigley just needed a little oomph from his exercise and nutrition. He used the IdealShape Meal Replacements as a tool to meet his goals and overcome frustration. He dropped 31 lbs! We love it when we help in any way we can. Whether it’s our full program or just the shakes or supplements, we want to provide all the tools you need to be successful in your weight loss. So here is Scott’s story, in his own words: "I am 42 years old and have … Continue reading
IdealShape’s Weight Loss Game: Are You Ready?
Yesterday we talked about the idea of gamifying healthy living, and today we’re going to talk about what we here at IdealShape are doing with it. We are making a kind of weight loss game. This is a really cool thing to me because we’re letting our readers in on the process at the ground level. We’ve been throwing around the ideas for just a few weeks and we've decided on the iShaper Challenge. Unfortunately, we’re not going to be able to launch a full functioning site as awesome as some of the ones we mentioned, but we will definitely get to have fun with it. So…bean jars! Exciting, no? Alright, alright, beans in a jar may … Continue reading
Gamifying Your Healthy Lifestyle- Stay Motivated in Weight Loss
Normally when I write these posts I am writing it from my perspective as a guy who enjoys reading scientific studies, but today I can pretend to be an expert! I’m a full-functioning adult (or at least, I pretend to be one) and yet I have lived my whole life with video games. At the age of four I was pulling the NES controller out of my mom’s hand because she just couldn’t avoid koopa troopa’s with the finesse that was required of her. After saving money for a long time, I recently invested a sizable sum of it into a computer that, someone else my age might have otherwise used as a down payment for a car. This … Continue reading
Are you a good or a bad health influence?
How do you get your loved ones to care about being healthy? Are you a good or a bad health influence on those you love? You’ve tried discussing the health benefits. You’ve tried scaring them with the facts. You gave up dessert hoping they’d join you, and you lavished them with praise when they dusted off their bike. You gently explained that you were worried. Then you bitterly announced they looked 9 months pregnant. And after all this… it seems you’ve had no influence whatsoever. Mom’s still carting around large McFrappés. Your spouse insists that trekking up and down the stairs is plenty of exercise. And your kids, you suspect, are squandering their lunch money on Cheetos and Mountain Dew. … Continue reading
Weight Loss Motivation: Spring Clean Your Fitness Regimen
It’s the season for overhauls and new (for real this time) beginnings! If you’re on a roll, why not freshen up your fitness regimen too? Chances are you’ll find a few things it’s time to dust off, simplify or dunk in the trash. And you might find a little more weight loss motivation as well. Ready? De-junk A feng shui principle I’ve always loved is that you have to clear out old things or new things won’t come. Clutter blocks progress. It sends a message – to the universe, to your subconscious – that you aren't open to change. Further, it physically prevents fresh additions, because there’s simply no room. So even if you liked the old thing, it might be … Continue reading
Winter Blahs Are Over, Time To Get Motivated!
When December 31st is rolling around, most people are preparing for the new year, planning their resolutions, and getting ready for change. Me? I’m at my desk writing about how everyone else should be making resolutions and dutifully ignoring my own advice. It’s not that I don’t see the benefits, or don’t agree with the posts or anything along those lines, it’s just I know me. The moment the first snowflake hits the ground, I just want to shut myself indoors and go into hibernation until it goes away. (I hope in my next life I’m reincarnated as a bear. That would be sweet on so many levels.) New Year’s day does nothing to break this winter spell … Continue reading
Why ‘Living in the Moment’ Isn’t Always the Best Option
All that about how we need to be “living in the moment”? Sometimes, frankly, the moment is overrated. Like when it comes to saving for retirement, avoiding debt, getting our work done and taking care of our health. In reality, we’re enamored with the now. And our future selves are suffering because of it. Behavior economists have observed the underlying cause of our now-ism: we have a natural psychological tendency to overvalue present experiences and undervalue future experiences. We think a pleasure today will be more enjoyable than the same pleasure tomorrow. And, conversely, we think something bad will be a little easier to swallow tomorrow. We even value our current experience so much that we’ll sacrifice a big reward … Continue reading
Adaptability: Will You Adapt or Self Destruct?
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin Increasingly, I’m in awe of the amazing ability we have to triumph over change and challenging circumstances. Some people blame circumstance for their failure. Others cling to old, outdated paradigms until they kill themselves off. But most people don’t. Most people know, innately, that if they want to continue to enjoy their families and passions, and to feel their best for as long as possible, they have learn adaptability. In the mornings I teach English at a senior center to immigrants from Russia and China. In their 60s and 70s, … Continue reading
March Ship Shape Challenge Winner
March is winding down to a close, which means it's our favorite time of the month. Time to announce March's Ship Shape Challenge Winner! Kimberley Lindsay has lost an incredible 70 lbs on IdealShape, and while her journey hasn't quite ended her results so far are amazing and an inspiration to us. Without further adieu, here's her story in her own words: I have been overweight for most of my life. I have tried many diets, only to gain it all back. When I reached 260 pounds I knew I had to do something major. Last year (early 2011) I went on the HCG diet and lost quite a bit of weight. The problem with that diet is it's so … Continue reading
New Study Makes Concession For Popcorn
Looking for a good low-calorie snack that has high antioxidants and fills you up? Well, a recent study at the University of Scranton shows that popcorn might actually be your best bet. Crazy, right? While in most cases cooking your vegetables without blanching them usually leads to a diminishing of the nutrients; popcorn doesn’t seem to have that problem. They showed that air popped popcorn contains more antioxidants than fresh fruits or vegetables out there. One of the project’s researchers explains: “Popcorn may be the perfect snack food. It's the only snack that is 100 percent unprocessed whole grain. All other grains are processed and diluted with other ingredients, and although cereals are called "whole grain," this simply means that … Continue reading
The Metabolism Myths: What You Should Know
Metabolism is a great word for companies trying to sell you something, and the claims are getting somewhat ridiculous. If you’ve ever seen something that claimed to “kick your metabolism into overdrive!” or talks about changing your body’s Base Metabolic Rate (BMR) then you’re likely being sold a bill of goods. So what are the things that everyone should know about their metabolism? Do you have a skinny friend that has the metabolism of a hummingbird while you feel like you’re severely limiting your caloric intake and not losing weight? It must be the metabolism thing, right? Actually, probably not. In fact, on average, skinnier people are shown to have a slower metabolism than most people. So how does that … Continue reading
Should You Love Your Workouts?
Today I started reading “Poke the Box.” It’s a manifesto by Seth Godin about doing something new and scary, instead of taking a nap. Godin is warning us about getting too comfortable with routine, and also how quick we are to use the “escape hatch” when we do try something new and it ends up being uncomfortable. He says we’ll never reach our potential if we avoid failure. I realized that for the last several months, I’ve been “poking the box” with regard to exercise. It has not been comfortable. It hasn’t really been intentional, either. I don’t know what inspired me to take up tennis and running, two activities I’ve never been interested in. In fact, running? I hate … Continue reading
Habit Zeroes and Why Having Healthy Kids Can be So Difficult
My uncle used to have a wooden spoon called “Mr. Smack.” My cousins got spanked with it when they were bad, and the rest of the time it scowled down at them from atop the fridge, a menacing warning. I was always surprised at how little it affected their behavior. A new exhibit at Disney’s Epcot Center sought a more positive approach to changing kids’ behavior: teaching by fun and example. The “Habit Heroes” exhibit was launched to help address the alarming weight gain among youngsters in the U.S. Michelle Obama says nearly one in three children in America is overweight or obese. Earlier this week, Randy wrote a candid post about the challenges of getting healthy kids and helping … Continue reading
5 Steps Towards Better Family Health
Family health is a difficult thing to achieve. As parents, getting your kids active is no easy feat. It’s a delicate balance between wanting to get them healthy and not wanting to hurt their emotional growth in the process. We talk to clients a lot about overcoming weight issues that blossomed from events in their childhood. At a young age, our peers are the biggest influence on our emotional development and most of us wanted nothing more than to fit in. As much as we want to let our kids know they are special and different, they want nothing more than to be accepted into the pack. It's an unfortunate truth that being overweight is a huge hindrance to social … Continue reading
Make The “Most” Out Of Breakfast
Myth or reality: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Myth or reality: Breakfast jump starts your metabolism for the rest of the day? Well, according to this study released by Virginia Commonwealth University, breakfast is the most important meal of the day for weight loss. In fact, they showed that those who consumed a larger breakfast (half their daily intake of calories) lost 5 times as much weight as those who skipped it entirely. That’s a lot of extra pound loss! Onto the second myth or reality question. There are actually a few new studies out there that show the claim that breakfast jump-starts your metabolism, might be a little off-base. So, then why do people lose … Continue reading
Athletic Focus: How You Can Achieve It
When professional tennis star Maria Sharapova needs to save a match, she gets into her “zone.” “I take it one point at a time and really focus,” she says. Penning an hour-long workout into your planner can seem laughable when you have a business to run, a house to clean, a family to organize. And if you exercised only once in the last two weeks, or you’re behind in your training for an athletic event, it might seem pointless to even lace up your trainers today. Before you dismiss your exercise goal as a pipedream, try Sharapova’s technique for turning a game around. Athletic focus. Take your eye off your losing score, and fix it on the ball flying at … Continue reading
Why Vacations Are Good For Your Fitness
Leap Year Day has me thinking about how powerful it can be to step outside the box, even for just a day. Suddenly people start thinking about the “possible.” We had an extra day, February 29. What could we do with it? My colleagues threw parties or went out to dinner with friends even though it was a weekday. In Ireland, Leap Year Day used to be the one day every 4 years that it was acceptable for a woman to propose marriage to a man. Sure, there are really 365.24 days in every year, but Leap Year Day feels like a free day. It’s exempt from the rules. I’ve had a few fitness experiences that got me thinking about … Continue reading
February Ship Shape Challenge Winner
Congratulations to Jamie Rae Del Giudice, she is our February Ship Shape Challenge winner! She has lost 52 lbs and looks terrific! Here's her story in her own words: After having a child and dealing with the ups and downs of weight loss, I started using IdealShape back in July of 2011. I originally had set a weight loss goal of 50 pounds by my 30th birthday in December. I started using IdealShape’s meal replacement program because I had grown tired of doing the Slim Fast program which seemed to have run its course. When I first heard of the program, I had no idea about it and researched more on it. After doing some research and comparing it … Continue reading
How to Get the Best Sleep: Making the Most Out of the Hour Before Bed
I didn’t need Mayo Clinic to tell me I was sleep deprived. The crankiness, forgetfulness, public napping and new obsession with Clear Eyes were all the signs I needed. It’s been a long two months. Thankfully, the grisly work project that was keeping me up is over and I’m ready to sleep. Specifically, I’m ready to start claiming the same deep, rapturous Zzzz’s that I’ve been watching my cat Penelope enjoy. I need to figure out how to get the best sleep. And apparently so does the rest of America. The Sleep in America poll for 2011 revealed that 43% of Americans rarely or never get a good night’s sleep on weeknights. 60% say they experience a sleep problem every … Continue reading
What Your Trainer Means By “Rest Day?”
We get it. Rest is just as important to fitness gains as the actual workout. I think the real question is: what exactly does ‘rest’ mean? You worked out yesterday, so tonight you’re obliged to slip into your pink bunny slippers and queue up Comcast on Demand? I used to think that. Gee, I sure would like to go for a bike ride around the park, but I’d reverse everything I did at the gym yesterday, I worried. I’ve since learned that letting your body ‘rest’ doesn’t mean playing dead. At least, it doesn’t have to. If you did a marathon of walking lunges and sumo squats yesterday, well, maybe you’ve earned the couch time. But you don’t have to … Continue reading
Cheating On Valentines Day? What?
First of all, no, we’re not talking about that kind of cheating. It’s Valentines Day and while many of us are thinking of flowers and chocolates and fancy dinners, there are those of us that are thinking money and calories and calories. It’s a difficult day for your diet, but that’s what cheat days are meant to be. Cheat days are great for your mental and, believe it or not, nutritional health. When you are in calorie restriction, eating less calories than your body needs for regular daily functions, you need to have at least one day a week where you increase your daily calorie intake by 300-500 calories. Doing this allows your body to maintain normal levels … Continue reading
How to ‘A-Salt’ Your High Blood Pressure
A big question we get when customers are looking into trying our products is “are these shakes okay to use when you have high blood pressure?” Which isn’t surprising when you see the latest studies released from the CDC shows that a whopping 90% of Americans are consuming too much salt. Sodium can be a major factor in high blood pressure, and that puts you at a much higher risk for heart disease or a stroke. First, as for the IdealShape shake; we always recommend speaking with your doctor before beginning our product if you have any doubts. However, the main nutrients that help regulate blood pressure are Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamin E, and Zinc. All of which are … Continue reading
A Good Cause Can Save Your Fitness Regimen
Last year, hordes of people paid thousands of dollars apiece on eBay for pairs of Nikes. Specifically limited-edition “BacktotheFuture” Nikes to benefit Michael J. Fox’s charity for Parkinson’s disease. While Nike didn’t get to keep the $4.7 million in profits, this benevolent act boosted its image too. Nike fans retweeted stories about the fundraiser and redoubled their fandom. The warm fuzzy probably drove some out to buy a pair of plain old Nikes to support the charitable company. You can see how causemarketing is powerful. By linking up with a good cause, companies create a passionate following and good deed stories go viral. Not only do people buy beneficent products even when purse strings are tight, but they’re often happy … Continue reading
5 Tips It’s Time To Get A Personal Trainer
We get it. You don’t need a babysitter at the gym. And yes, you’ve heard of YouTube. But sometimes, an hour with a personal trainer is worth 10 on Google. These are some of those times: You’re on deadline. The sooner you start training for that triathlon, bike race or other athletic event, the better. And before you start specializing, it’s good to build foundational skills, experts say. A few sessions with a fitness coach can get you started with a well-rounded routine to build your strength and endurance, which means you’ll get more out of your training without risk of injury. You’re piggybacking on someone else’s workout. Watching the big kids at the gym seems like a no-brainer, until: … Continue reading
Weight Loss Sabotage: Are You Hindering Your Own Weight Loss?
When we get comments about customers beginning our product, the majority of them say something to the effect of one of two things: “I found you guys when I was researching weight loss products and I’m really excited to try out your program. I’m ready and this is the year!” “Saw your product on line and nothing seems to work for me. Here’s hoping you guys are different.” And while it’s always nice to see people giving us a chance, it’s not hard to see which of these is starting in a more successful state of mind. Our past experiences sometimes have a way of hindering our success in ways we don’t think are apparent. I’m not saying that the … Continue reading
January’s Ship Shape Contest Winner!
It's our favorite time at IdealShape, time to announce the ship shape challenge winner for this month! Our fourth contest winner and competitor for the 7 day cruise for two is Reanna Nix. She has lost an incredible 60 lbs on the program, so without further delay, here's her story in her own words: As a child my mother always taught me to finish all of my dinner. What ever I was given I knew I had to eat. That was the rule and I always obeyed. As I grew older it was set in my brain that I must finish my food. It didn't matter if I was already full. This very quickly lead me to gain weight and a lot … Continue reading
Is the 4 Minute Workout Legit?
This pocket-sized workout might be deceptively powerful Good-bye long, drawn-out cardio. In just four minutes, experts are saying, you can accomplish double what you have been by spending hours at the gym. Appealing to our shortcut-loving brains, the “burst” movement is catching on quickly. The most popular example is the Tabata Protocol (no, this isn’t a Star Trek reference): also known as the “four minute workout,” it calls for eight bursts of 20-second rigorous activity, separated by 10-second periods of active rest. The rigorous activity can be cardio: full-blast running or cycling, interspersed with walking or slow peddling, for example. Or it can be a circuit of full-body resistance exercises, like burpees, plyometric jumps, lunges, mountain climbers, squats or jumping … Continue reading
Overcoming Our Annoyance with Health Tips
I’ve been searching for some fresh health tips this week. I’ve trolled Fitness Magazine, Men’s Health, even the SelectHealth quarterly newsletter. Finally today I found it: an article on Yahoo! by Prevention Magazine about getting in sync with the body’s natural energy and eating cycles to lose weight. The daily play-by-play wasn’t my inspiration. It was the comments section. Specifically, 1,372 seriously annoyed people—most of them ticked off with the advice, the rest ticked off at the people who were ticked off. The exasperating advice? Not 4-Hour Body type stuff. It asks for no extreme diet experiments, no gut-busting workouts. In fact, it’s fairly simple guidance: Get up in the morning, squeeze in a burst of cardio, eat breakfast, eat … Continue reading
Thank You To All Our IdealShapers
In December of 2010, I was just getting back to America after a few months teaching English in China. It was a great, albeit difficult, experience but that's another story. When I landed home I knew I had to find a job. I had been asked to look into IdealShape and to be perfectly honest, I was skeptical. Weight loss was not my area of expertise and I had a personal distaste for the entire dieting industry. I looked at their site, which was…rough around the edges to say the least and didn't know if this was the right place for me. However, when I sat down with Dave, Skyler, and Carla they helped me understand their vision. I quickly … Continue reading
The Marriage Diet: Are You Hurting Your Spouse’s Diet?
Your better half is committed to eating healthy in the New Year, and you’re behind ’em one hundred percent. Or are you? New research has found that when it comes to nutrition habits, we are who we’re hitched to. Which means that, despite your nagging about his dangerous three-bag-a-day Cheeto addiction/her habitual midnight Taquito fests, you could actually be the culprit. Gulp. The Marriage Diet A diet study published in November offered an inside look at this phenomenon. The research team, led by UC Berkeley’s Mark Pachuki, tracked the eating patterns of some 3,400 people—groups of spouses, friends, brothers and sisters—over a 10 year period. As the decade stretched on, they watched in awe (or neutral scientific observation) as the … Continue reading
Diet Advice: The Worst New Year’s Nutrition Tips
You’ve been pigging out for a month straight and now you’re frantically preparing to reverse the damage and start fresh in the New Year. Well in the words of Snoop Dogg: just chill. The National Institutes of Health found that people tend to overestimate the damage done during the holidays. The study showed that most Americans gain only one pound between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. So before you overcompensate with rash diet tricks, it pays to get some perspective. Besides, that’ll buy you time to sort through all the bad diet advice out there. Including these: Bad diet advice #1: Reverse holiday chowing with a detox Considering a New Year’s cleanse? Fasting might seem to offer a fresh start … Continue reading
December’s Ship Shape Challenge Winner
Christmas is over and New Year's Resolutions are looming. It's time to get motivated to get in shape, and here at IdealShape, we're happy to help you with some incentives. Like our Ship Shape Challenge where you can get a chance at winning a Caribbean cruise for two! Or maybe you just need some awesome success stories to get yourself motivated. Well our December challenge winner, Mitch McCuistion, is here to give you the low down on his weight loss journey. Congrats Mitch, you win cash and free product and take the 3rd of 12 slots for the IdealShape cruise entry! Remember the deadline for January's ship shape challenge entries are due by the 15th. Keep it up guys, you're … Continue reading
Working Out When Sick: Don’t Let A Cold Blow Your Fitness
Ahhh… choooooooooo. There goes your workout regimen. And you thought regular exercise was supposed to keep you healthy! (Honestly, it does.) Sometimes there’s just no avoiding a cold during sniffle season. If you work in an office building or have school-age kids, you’re practically doomed to catch something. Then there’s starting a new exercise routine, which can temporarily lower your immune system. So can over-exercising. But never mind the cause. Getting sick might be almost inevitable, but it doesn’t have to send you back to square one in your fitness regimen. At first sneeze you don't have to continue working out when sick but you can follow these steps to make sure you get right back in the game: Use … Continue reading
What You Should Know About Artificial Sweeteners
Zero calorie sweeteners are a great way to add some sweet to your recipe without adding all the sugar. However, since their creation, they've come under a lot of scrutiny, medical controversies, and rampant hoaxes. So much so, that Snopes has had to dedicate a few articles to them. So, are they safe? Are they worth the money? How much testing have they gone through, and which one is best for you? Let's take a look. The three major zero calorie sweeteners are Stevia, Aspertame, and Sucralose. However Neotame, Acesulfame-K, and Saccharin are also FDA approved. Despite FDA approval, The Center for Science in the Public Interest has rated these 6 in safety categories. Let's start with that. Sweetner: Rating: … Continue reading
The Art of Single Tasking
Many of us would like to relearn the art of single tasking. Achieving goals depends on it. Sanity depends on it. Lately I’ve been looking into grad school again. I wanted to make headway on my plan over the weekend. I committed the whole delicious two-day stretch to figuring out the best type of program for what I want to do (behavior economics). Also, the best schools, the best cities for students with dogs, and the types of companies and jobs I might want to work at after graduation. By Sunday night, I had under my belt: 43 webpages open in my browser. A post-it slipped into a Time magazine article about my chosen field of study. 10 pages of … Continue reading
The 12 Best Fitness Apps for the New Year
I know what you're thinking, Christmas is still a few weeks away, and you'll worry about New Year's when the stress dies down. It's what a lot of us do, and it's why a lot of us aren't getting anything done. You see, the problem with New Year's Resolutions is that we set them on January 1st, and try to get everything started that day. You're a new person. One that gets things done! Unfortunately, this doesn't tend to work. In fact, those who fail to plan resolutions in advance are half as successful as those who do! To that end, we've found some great fitness apps (most of them free) that can really help you be successful this time … Continue reading
How To Stay Happy On Your Fitness Routine
Want to see the joy you get from butter rolls fade faster than a Kardashian marriage? Of course you don’t. But according to psychologists, it’s kind of inevitable. And with that fizzled joy comes—yes—a need for more butter rolls. And candied yams. And eventually, the whole pumpkin pie. It’s not easy keeping ourselves happy. For that we can thank hedonic adaptation, a natural human phenomenon whereby we adapt to the things that make us happy. Regardless of what happens, we always end up more or less back where we started, happiness-wise. So how can we stay happy? It’s the classic story of the lottery winner who starts to feel about his Bentley the same way he used to feel about … Continue reading
Surviving the Holidays and Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
This week IdealShape's CEO, Carla Meine, appeared on Southern Fried Fitness Radio during Robin Shea's Lifestyles show. She spoke during two segments, the first was about how getting fit is a lifestyle change and not just a diet. An idea we've held since our founding nearly a decade ago. The second segment was tips to surviving the holidays and avoiding holiday weight gain. The average American gains 7-10 pounds during the holiday season, it's the reason weight loss is the most popular New Year's Resolution. So here are some tips to help keep weight gain to a minimum as we enter the month with some of the biggest, tastiest, and hardest-to-resist holiday partying.
November’s Ship Shape Challenge Winner
Another month is winding to a close and that means it's time to announce this month's Ship Shape Challenge winner! November is special in that we have a dual entry Kate and Ken Nelson who have had some amazing success! Remember to send in your progress/success stories to get free product, cash prizes, and a chance to be entered for your 7 day cruise through the Caribbean! We love to hear from our customers. Now here's Kate and Ken's story in their own words. Reminding us once again that no one needs a 'Diet', the goal is to 'Live it'. KATE'S STORY My husband, Ken and I decided in March of 2011 that we needed to live a healthier life-style. … Continue reading
Calorie Counting: In or Out?
Calorie counting might not be working anymore, according to a New York Times write-around of a recent study. The Harvard study tracked more than 120,000 participants over the course of 10 to 20 years, following their habits and their weight. Their findings: even those who stayed true to the golden rule “eat less and exercise more” tended to gain weight. Researchers concluded that when it comes to preventing long-term weight gain, certain diet and lifestyle behaviors can thwart one’s success even if they match “calories in and calories out.” Calorie counting as a weight management tool has some flaws, too, according to Jane Brody, author of the New York Times story. She suggests that maybe the practice hasn’t been working … Continue reading
Workout Music:Turning Your Workout Up To 11
Now we've been pretty adamant about setting up exercise routines and why they're so awesome. The health and psychological benefits of a proper exercise regimen are numerous, so once you've got that down, what's next? How about getting just the right workout music to accompany your butt kickin' routine? And I'm not just saying it because I could never make it through the full workout without my iPod. Studies show that when exercise and music are combined, the results make your brain very happy. So much so that people who exercised with music did twice as well on a verbal fluency test over those who did not. Music causes our frontal lobes to work overtime. The part of the brain … Continue reading
Seriously? This Thanksgiving, Just Pig Out
This year, skip the calorie-counting and pass the gravy. Indulgence may be the best strategy in your Thanksgiving table game plan.
Warning Signs You’re Headed For The Winter Blues
We had our first snow in Salt Lake City this past weekend, and it got me thinking: 'will my workout regimen withstand the winter?' After staying in to ponder the question over a gingerbread latte and playtime with kitten, I arrived at an unequivocal answer: No. My workout goals are in danger because of the winter blues. Are yours? Here are six telltale signs: 1. You’re a hiker, biker, runner or soccer player. If all your go-to workouts are outdoor activities, you’re headed straight for excuse-ville when the weather turns bad. Get your indoor backup activities planned now. Sign up for an indoor sport or find a gym you’ll actually like. 2. Your mantra is “out of swimsuit, out of … Continue reading
Could Erasing Memories Make You Happier and Healthier?
While the idea of just erasing memories on a whim might seem like the plot of some Sci-Fi Movie (oooooor a romantic drama starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet…) it looks like science might not be too far from being able to accomplish these feats. Basically, they've found a way to enhance or even erase memories using certain molecules. Which presents an interesting question. If given the opportunity to erase or enhance memories, would you jump at it? At first, I had a knee-jerk, almost visceral reaction to the question. 'Of course not!' I thought to myself. 'I am who I am because of the roads I've taken to get there.' and then I took a moment to dwell on it and … Continue reading
October’s Ship Shape Challenge Winner
We're excited to announce the October IdealShape Ship Shape Challenge winner! Congratulations to all three winners (Crystal Mitchell, Jeffrey Ortega, and Donna M. Turk-Haberem) you guys won free product and some cold, hard cash! The first place winner is Donna M. Turk-Haberem who lost 25 lbs and has found her ideal shape. Donna is the first of twelve contestants that will be entered to win the 7 day cruise through the Caribbean. Are you going to be one of the other 11? Just check out the Ship Shape Challenge page for full details. Without further ado, here's Donna's story in her own words: My name is Donna and I am proud to say I am 47 years old! I have … Continue reading
Tricks to Prevent Over Eating
The amount of treats you can eat without realizing it is spooky. Even scarier: the calories and sugar lurking in frosted cupcakes, cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin cream cheese muffins and those little orange taffies with pumpkin faces are enough to turn YOU into a pumpkin. Let others buckle under the weight of Halloween temptations. Use Brain Training techniques to prevent over eating. Keep your hand out of the candy cauldron this Halloween. Following are four easy ways to ‘trick’ yourself into indulging smartly, so the few bites you do enjoy will be all the sweeter (science says that’s all you’ll enjoy anyway). • Write the goal down. “I will not take the kids’ trick-or-treating candy to ‘ration’ … Continue reading
Achieving “Deep Sleep For Effective Weight Loss”
Could you use a little help from your Zzzzs? Our newest audio hypnosis program is designed to help people reap the powerful health benefits of sleep. It’s no secret that sleep quality and weight control are closely related. But how many people know the secret to getting a good night’s rest? As far as we can tell, not many. Poor sleep quality chips away at strength, energy and appearance. It prevents the body from effectively managing weight, hunger and cravings. And it continues on and on, because sleep habits are usually the last place people think to look when they’re frustrated with their health and fitness levels. Our new program, “Deep Sleep for Effective Weight Loss,” follows the 28-day format … Continue reading
Are Your Sleep Habits Making You Gain Weight?
Sleep is actually pretty weird if you think about it. It's something that you've done all your life since the moment you were born. It's like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. But unlike the the sun thing, scientists really can't agree on the whole "why do we need to sleep?" You know, other than that it without scientists think you would probably die. There are tons of studies and resources, however, that tell you the many benefits of sleeping well. It's important enough that someone might spend over $15,000 on a few restful nights. Getting the right amount of zzz's each night is hugely important for your health. Too little…or too much sleep can … Continue reading
Exercise Tutorial: 5 Exercises That Aren’t Doing What You Want
Who wants to spend extra time at the gym? If you’re like most of us, you want to get in, get maximum results and get back to the rest of the things on your 'to-do' list. The health sciences are constantly evolving and while some things never change, there are some workouts that long ago proved to be not worth the effort. Some of these are such a staple of the fitness world, however, that they hold a steadfast claim on our routines for better or worse. So here's a list of five common workout components that are doing absolutely nothing for you—plus an exercise tutorial for what to do instead. 1. Sit-ups and crunches. Sad news: no matter which … Continue reading
5 Everyday Ways People Use Hypnosis On You
Hypnosis is all about planting an idea in your head. Hypnotherapy is overcoming negative thoughts, and replacing them with empowering ones. Unfortunately, there is a flip side to that coin, the yang to every yin, if you will. For many, many years people have used what they know about the average person's subconscious for personal gain. Don't believe me? Here's a list of 5 ways people have planted thoughts in your head for their own personal gain. And likely, we've all had experience with them. 1. Salesmen who speak fast. Idea Planted In Your Head: "This person knows what they are talking about and are much more trustworthy. Why? The idea that someone speaking faster makes us believe they are … Continue reading
Cost of health: Life is a 100 course meal. Eat it up
My friend Heidi posted a question on her FB page that got me thinking “If someone were to pay you one million dollars to get to your ideal weight, could you do it?” I think the answer is yes for all but a few of us, but that's not surprising. Just look at what people are willing to do on “Biggest Loser” and they don’t get a million dollars. Most of them have a lot more weight to lose than the majority of us. So if we’d be willing to get to our ideal weight for a million dollars then why don’t we just do for the things that really matter? Our health, our family, our ability to participate in … Continue reading
Health and Longevity the Scientific Approach
Since the dawn of time, people have been constantly seeking the idea of eternal youth or health and longevity. From cryogenically freezing themselves until such time as science gets their act together, to fables of magical fountains, to crazy historical figures bathing in the blood of younger girls. And while immortality doesn't seem to be on the horizon, science has found some helpful little tips to make the aging process a little easier on us. For example, did you know that low calorie diets have shown to increase the production of something called Sirtuin-1 which helps suppress the aging process at a cellular level? As the average life expectancy increases with each generation, scientists are showing that the average person … Continue reading
Cruise Into Your IdealShape
I love my Job! This past weekend I went to San Antonio Texas to spend time with our friends Trent and Courtney Kimball. They own Texas Armoring Company (TAC). Trent is the CEO and he gave a whole group of us a tour of the manufacturing plant (they armor cars for wealthy business people all over the world). It was so much fun as he showed us around and told stories of some of his clients he has helped. He then did a demonstration of how their product protects lives. He had an employee shoot several rounds of an AK47 into a windshield (if you want to watch a video of it you can go here As I was thinking … Continue reading
Positive Thinking: Can You Think Your Way Thin?
In the modern world today we hear many successful individuals support the idea that positive thinking was the difference in reaching their goals. In the weight loss world it is getting more and more common to hear how hypnosis helps people "think" their way thin. You're beginning to see claims that say you will no longer have to diet by popping pills or exercising. To be successful all you have to do is "Think and Think and Think" to shed off the weight. The truth of the matter, is somewhere in-between. Weight loss takes a combined approach of healthy eating, exercise, and a positive mindset. The number one problem with changing your body shape is that you have to change … Continue reading
Shocking Study: Stress causes Overeating
I read this article last week titled Stress gives rats and humans munchies. It was a really good article and gave some good information. But it wasn't a shock to us that they found out if you stressed out mice(or humans) they would over eat. Our clients have been telling us for years they eat more comfort foods when they get stressed out. They even admit that they know it’s a temporary solution to the stress. In many cases overeating eating only adds more stress to their lives. In the study restricting food was used as the stimulus to create higher levels of stress for the mice. The mice responded by overeating once food was made readily available. Interesting this … Continue reading
The Power of Fiber in Weight Loss
A few weeks ago we briefly mentioned that studies showed that people eating 60 grams of fiber per day tended to pass 20% of their daily caloric intake without the calories being absorbed. Well, the big question there was "how do I get that much fiber on a daily basis?" 60 Grams of fiber is a LOT especially considering that the average American gets only 5 grams of fiber into their daily diet. 30 Grams is where you really want to be at. Fiber itself is any plant, sugar, or starch that resists digestive enzymes. Fiber's major benefit in weight loss is that increases food volume without increasing caloric content, providing satiety. It's why it's a very important ingredient in … Continue reading
5 Tips To Getting Rid of Bad Habits
Do you have a goal of something that you really want to change but don’t seem to have the will power? One that I have had to deal with is a quick check of my emails & Facebook in the morning before I go workout. What starts out as a few minutes can end up taking several hours and my workout time is gone. I’ve even found myself at my computer still in my workout clothes at noon realizing not only did I skip my workout but I haven’t even showered. I don’t think it’s a willpower issue. I believe it’s just bad habits and they need to be replaced with better habits. Somewhere you’re getting some benefit from this … Continue reading
Perception vs Truth: What We Think Means More
On recommendation, this week I watched a video by Paul Bloom, called "The Origins of Pleasure". Despite its risque title, it's a work-appropriate video full of some fascinating information. It's a great video about perception and origin and how they play a major role in every aspect of our life. From the value we attach to objects, to how we experience both pleasure and pain.I was reminded of a clip from the Penn and Teller show about fast food. They conducted an experiment with a Taco Salad from Taco Bell. They divided the group into two rooms and told one group that the Taco Salad came from a local restaurant, and told the other that it was, in fact, a … Continue reading
Exercise: The All-or-Nothing Mentality
Science is a harsh mistress when it comes to being successful on exercise regimens because unfortunately, it doesn’t agree or like any of our excuses. “I procrastinate because I’m a perfectionist!” you say “I need to have the perfect set up before I can start!” “Not True” Says Science in a harsh tone. “There are just so many options out there, how can I ever pick the right one for me?” You respond defensively. “The only real factor is you” Science shakes its head. “Fine. It’s just too much, I can’t keep up!” You say. “Even a small amount of daily exercise greatly improves your health” Science has their hands on their hips now. That’s a big one. Many of … Continue reading
Weight Loss Questions: What Are People Asking Google?
We live in a world where the internet has made it easy to get your questions answered. Better yet, you can do it without the subsequent raise of an eyebrow that follows when you ask "Is it unhealthy to eat my own boogers?" Google has even taken it upon themselves to help you out in this endeavor. When you type the beginning of a question like 'is it unhealthy….' google will guess what you're asking by filling in the blank with their most common searched phrases. So we've compiled a list of weight loss questions that Google (or people using Google) are commonly asking about weight loss. Some of them are great, and some of them, well… 1. Is it … Continue reading
5 Things You Should Know About Calories
Many of us know that a Calorie isn't a thing, but actually just a measurement of heat. In fact, they used to burn food and place it in water, and based on rise in temperature of the water, they could tell how many calories the food had. The idea that "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie" isn't quite accurate. So here's 5 things you should know about calories that you might not already. 1. Not Every Calorie Counts: The Calories in vs. Calories out method of weight loss misses a major factor, and that's not every calorie you consume is absorbed into your body. In fact, a studies show that people with diets consisting of high fibers (60g … Continue reading
10 Ways to DeStress To Shed Pounds
Stress eating is one of the most popular sources of weight gain in today's society. We’ve talked in previous posts about what happens when we get stressed. We release Cortisol to “fight or flight”. Since we don’t usually have to fight someone or take off on a fast run. All that Cortisol in our system isn’t good. The funny thing is in the short-term stress can boost cardiovascular performance. If it’s not too severe the brain will actually perform better. You’ll be able to solve problems more effectively and you’re likely to retain information better. On the flip side though is if the stress is too severe or too prolonged it can actually harm learning. If you’re stressed out you … Continue reading
5 Questions To Ask Before Starting Weight Loss
Losing weight is incredibly difficult. We all wish it would be easy, but if it were easy, everyone would be skinny and healthy and broccoli would taste like chocolate dipped strawberries. And I would have my flying car. So, until we reach some sort of utopian future where being healthy really is as easy as a snap of the fingers, we need to prepare. Here's a couple of questions you should ask yourself before starting weight loss: 1. How motivated am I to be successful? -If you don't feel completely motivated to be healthy and reach your ideal shape, then you're going to have doubts. Doubts lead to discouragement and discouragement leads to failure. Sit down and think about how … Continue reading
Goal Achievement:11 Reasons Why You Aren’t Getting Results
All of us have goals. Goals like losing weight, earning more money, finding a life partner, setting up our business, achieving performance targets, being fitter, building better relationships, and so on. Some people seem to have no problem achieving their goals. Some, on the other hand, don’t seem to be able to make any progress. I’ve a good amount of experience with goal achievement, having been actively setting goals for the past 10 years. I’ve experienced setbacks and successes in my goal pursuits. Running The Personal Excellence Blog (which is all about how to live in excellence and achieve our highest potential), I often receive reader mail seeking help for situations they are stuck in. I work with clients who … Continue reading
An Easy Way For Weight Loss Affirmation
Last week we talked about the power of the mental script agreement. For those of you who checked out the form, you might have seen a section for an "affirmation" which we didn't cover in any real detail. This isn't because affirmations are a trivial part of the contract, (none of it is!) in fact, affirmations needed their own explanation because they are that important. First let's talk about what an affirmation is. Affirmations are most famously found in the program 'The Secret'. However, some of us might have a little trouble believing that the universe is bending to our very will (a bit narcissistic, no?). An affirmation is a powerful, positive thought that we repeat to ourselves any number … Continue reading
Keeping Calorie Consumption Down, the ‘Log’ical Way
I’m going to share some advice that I recommend to our clients but I don’t really like to do it. It’s logging everything you eat each day for at least 30 days. I don’t like to keep track of my calorie consumption but I had to log my food for 30 days to really understand exactly what I was putting into my body. So many items are deceptive. You can eat a salad and think “I just ate a really healthy lunch so I can have a chocolate élcair for dessert”. What you may not know is that, supposedly, healthy salad you just ate was packed with 1,100 calories. No kidding. There’s a Parmesan Crusted Chicken Salad at Macaroni Grill … Continue reading
Starting Your Goals On The ‘Write’ Foot
Proper goal setting is a huge part of being successful with your weight loss for many reasons. It helps decrease our tendency to procrastinate, increases motivation, and creates guidelines for us to follow. The success rates for those that have written down their goals and properly planned their resolutions is many times greater than those who don't. When we start a weight loss plan we often feel overwhelmed by the amount of change that must take place in our life to be successful. It may seem daunting but you have a lifetime to work with. Set yourself on the right track by choosing one or two bad behaviors each month to change and you will quickly see you're moving towards … Continue reading
5 Common Side Effects of Long Term Dieting
Let's clear up one misconception before we start this article. So, what is the difference between creating a nutritionally healthy lifestyle and long-term dieting? Dieting, as defined in this article and in our videos and our battle cry 'diets need to die' is "dropping your caloric intake to lower than recommended levels in order to shed pounds more quickly." IdealShape is all about getting you into the healthy range based on who you are. When we give you a number to strive towards on your caloric intake, we always go for the healthy level for a person in that range. Everyone is different but there are levels of healthy and unhealthy on both ends of the spectrum. Programs telling you … Continue reading
5 Simple Ways to Control Your Appetite
There are a lot of us that feel the need to snack when we're bored, or when we're depressed, or when we're stressed. On the other hand, many of us eat because we're constantly hungry. We struggle with calorie intake because we struggle with controlling our appetite. We rarely feel full and dieting feels like starvation. So, how do we get rid of that feeling? How do you drop calories without starving yourself? Here's five things you can do to keep your hunger levels and calorie-intake down. 5 - Water. Seriously. I know, we're beating a dead horse here, but drinking enough water each day has sooo many benefits that it's hard to avoid in any health conversation. Did you … Continue reading
Coconut Flour, is it all it’s Cracked up to be?
One of my weaknesses when eating a healthier diet is items made with wheat. I love most breads, cookies, pastries, cakes, pizza, etc. Not only are they tasty but wheat is one of the most popular foods in the American diet. Most people I know eat wheat in one form or another at every meal. I think the main reason is that it can be made into so many different foods; plus we have plenty of it as a nation so it’s fairly cheap to cook with. Just a few preservatives but the shelf life is fairly lengthy. Some people, however, are allergic to wheat or cannot tolerate gluten-the protein in many grains. Others, like myself, try to limit the … Continue reading
Summer Calorie Burn. Things you’re probably already doing to get fit.
3200 Calories. That's a good number to focus on if you're trying to lose weight. When we think about counting calories, the first thing that comes to mind is counting how much we're consuming. That's a great thing to do to get an idea of what our intake is versus what it should be, but what else can you do with that number? How about predict your weight loss. Let's do some math! (I know, I know, it's terribly boring but this information is going to help you I promise) We're going with averages so results may vary. Now, on average, if a 24 hour period is spent sitting down 16 hours and sleeping for 8 hours then you will … Continue reading
The ‘How’s and ‘Why’s of Eating 5 Meals a Day
Think about this. When your children were babies how often did they eat? Most babies I know eat every couple hours. In fact, as a new mother it’s sometimes difficult to feed them that often but that’s when they were hungry. As they started to grow, didn’t it seem like they were always eating? Not big meals, more like grazing. Then doesn’t it seem reasonable that eating 5 meals a day is natural? We actually had to be trained to go to 3 larger meals a day. There’s this big debate out there as to which is better for you if you’re trying to get healthier and lose weight. Just eat 3 meals a day or eat smaller meals 5-6 … Continue reading
3 Medical Conditions That Can Cause Obesity
For those of us that have tried weight loss products, "Consult Your Doctor Before ____" is a line of 'we're just covering our butts' legalese that we've come to ignore. It's unfortunate because it's actually a really good idea to talk to your doctor before starting a new health plan. Not only because they can tell you how effective it might be, but because they can check to make sure there isn't a medical condition that is the cause of obesity for you. One that makes it nearly impossible to lose weight through exercise and nutrition alone. Ones like: Insulin Resistance Syndrome/Metabolic Syndrome What is it? Some of you (especially those with diabetes) have probably heard these terms thrown around. Normally … Continue reading
7 Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Weight Loss
We all want to be healthy, but sometimes there are things we've done for so long that it has become a part of us. "I never eat breakfast" you say with a shrug and when asked why, you respond, "I guess I just don't." Well, that shoulder shrug is affecting your health every single day. It's a habit and it's hurting your weight loss success. So here's a list of 7 common habits that are sabotaging your weight loss results in no particular order. 7 - Stress eating Eating causes the release of dopamine to receptors in our brain. Cocaine, heroin, and alcohol do too! This is a large part of what makes bad things feel good. Need to relieve … Continue reading
Back to Sanity. What Should You Do?: Life Long Weight Loss
Here we go with another tightrope walk that is the discussion of competitor products. Many of you might remember the HCG article we printed and the email response and comments that we got were…impassioned, to say the least. Even on a product that has received much more scathing reviews than ours. So let me clarify that we don't think that Insanity Workout is a bad thing, in fact, our resident fitness experts give it a thumbs up. So where's the problem? Well, Insanity workout defines itself as a 60 day program. There are clear before and after shots of people achieving terrific results…but it's how clearly they define the "after" that seems to make us do the double-take. What are … Continue reading
Water You Waiting For?
Who doesn’t know that water is good for us? Even if we’re a little confused as to why we should drink water, I'm pretty sure we're all aware that we should drink more of it. I think there are some very powerful reasons to drink lots of water every day, and forming the habit isn't as hard as it may seem. It starts with a plan. We first need to understand that we don’t just stop a bad habit, we need to replace it. Many times we’re not thirsty because we drink coffee, soda, and alcohol, not to mention, fruit juices, teas, milk and a bunch of other possibilities. Or just as often, we don't drink enough fluids in general, … Continue reading
‘IdealShape For Life’ Our New Health Book
'IdealShape for Life' is our new health book and we've finally been able to release it to the store. This is a great addition to any fitness routine as it is divided into three sections that help ensure your success. The first part gives you the skinny on brain training. It talks about why we have the unhealthy habits we have and how to go about changing them. Next we have our fitness section that gives you a simple exercise routine that you can set up out of your home with ease. Finally, Carla has created a great nutrition section that talks about what you need to be eating to get your calorie count down and increase your intake of … Continue reading
What’s in your meal replacement shake?
There's a lot of variety out there when it comes to meal replacement shakes and we're not just talking about the brands themselves. Everyone is trying to mark up the ingredients they use in a way that gets you excited to buy. But sometimes we get mixed signals... "Scientifically Formulated" are words we've come to recognize on every single shake out there because the alternative that jumps to mind (some random person mixing crushed vitamin A tablets with Ovaltine mix) just doesn't happen. Every shake out there is going to be formulated by scientists, but what about less obvious claims? There's a lot of funny trademarks when it comes to "huger-blockers" that are currently out on the market. Products touting … Continue reading
Just needing Possible
This last week I finished the novel, '127 Hours', which is the story of Aron Ralston who's hand got caught during a climbing accident and he had to cut it off to free himself and save his life. Then a few days later I went and saw the movie Soul Surfer, which is based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton who had her arm bitten off by a shark while surfing. In the movie there was a part where Bethany asks her dad if he can help her surf again. He tells her, "it's not going to be easy" and she responds, "I don't need easy, I just need possible". It was a great line and it really stuck … Continue reading
Obesity Causes, A Novel By Agatha Christie?
As a therapist who specializes in helping people release excessive weight, finding the obesity culprit is like a good mystery. Today in fact, I finished Agatha Christie’s book “Murder on the Orient Express” and began to fancy myself as Hercule Poirot the famous French detective. Each time I begin the process with a client to uncover the true cause of weight gain, I am led down numerous paths that make no sense. As the plot unfolds in Agatha’s book and each passenger on the train is interviewed to find the murderer, the symmetry of my work explodes with similar enthusiasm. Each word and thought that is told me by my clients weaves a story of misdirection, some truth and a … Continue reading
Give Me Perfection or Give Me Death!?
Many of you probably saw the post I did on Facebook about the article titled 'The women willing to trade a year of their life for perfection'. Seriously? Women would give up years on their life for a perfect body? I was so shocked by what this study found I just couldn’t get it off my mind. The study was performed on 320 women ages 18-65, and most of them would be considered in the normal weight range (some were even underweight). This gave me a sinking feeling in my gut. That so many women would be willing to give up at least a year of their life to get the ideal body shape. Give up an entire year with their … Continue reading
Dreaming of Better Sleep? Well, That Might Be the Problem
I remember a few years ago, sitting in a college health lecture only half paying attention (as I was wont to do) when I caught a bit of the current discussion that made me do a double take. They were talking about sleep and the importance of the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep where dreaming occurs. The professor mentioned that too much dreaming is actually a sign of poor sleep, but REM sleep is the most important, right? Nope. Your brain functions at a much different level during the sleep cycle. During the day your brain uses high-frequency Beta waves but sleep is divided in stages consisting of mostly Alpha, Theta, and Delta waves. Why is this important? … Continue reading
New IdealShape Site: CEO Carla Meine Weighs In (Pun Intended)
Hi, I'm Carla Meine, CEO of IdealShape. I have a few things that I want to talk to you about. At some time or another, everybody will lose focus of their goals, it's true for every single person and as we've found at IdealShape, it can be true for a company! In the last couple months we've been doing a lot of updating on our site and recently we've begun to realize that we've muddied the waters on what our mission statement is. If you have visited our site within the last few months, you might think it's "sell, Sell, SELL!" and that's not what we intended. Our true mission statement is "To assist individuals in transforming their mind and … Continue reading
The Weight Loss Goal Story: A Common Dieter’s Tale
The invitation has arrived. You stare down at it in awe; how has it been 20 years, and what will you wear to the reunion? One moment you are ecstatic and the next moment you're filled with anxiety that grows from the pit of your stomach. 'When I graduated from high school I was a size 30 waist, now look at me, I'm sporting a 42 inch waist with 5 inches of flab hanging over my jeans,' you think to yourself, 'on a good day I might be able to suck in my gut far enough to see my toes.' Instantly you picture all of your football buddies and visualize them the same size that they were in high school. … Continue reading
Daylight Savings Time: Time Travel, Zombies, and Heartache…
So I’m wondering if I’m the only one out there that really struggles with Daylight Savings time. It’s been a week and I’m finally adjusting, but for the first four days I can’t get to sleep at my regular time. I go to bed but I lay there tossing and turning for almost two hours which seems odd, since we’ve only lost one hour. The next day when my alarm goes off at the normal 6 AM I can’t drag myself out of bed. All day long I’m finding it difficult to focus and get much done. On Sunday when it first changed I made the unpardonable sin of going in at 1 PM and taking a nap. An hour … Continue reading
Goals: It’s That Time of Year Again
It's that time of year. That's right, 'give up on your resolutions' season is upon us. So how many of you have made it this long? For those of you that haven't, did your resolutions last 2 months? 2 weeks? 2 days? The University of Hertfordshire conducted an analysis of 700 people about their strategies for achieving their new year resolutions and found that 78% of people who made new goals failed to achieve them. So where do we go wrong? Well, the problem is the timetable. People feel that New Years is the time to set goals, whether or not they feel they are truly ready to change. Making the resolution at the last minute can really backfire because … Continue reading
The ‘Harrowing’ Struggles of a Sugar Addict
Yesterday, my wife, Carla, wrote a great post about the negative effects of sugar and how I wanted her to help me cut down my sugar intake. Some of you might've wondered what she meant by saying that I was a 'Sugar Addict'. It has been hard to admit and come to terms with the fact that, for me, it's a real issue. You might wonder how I have come to this conclusion. Well, for the last 6 months I have been working on an advanced degree in Motivation and the Human Mind. One of the obvious subjects was addiction and how to treat them. When I was taking an exam there was a question as follows; “Select from the … Continue reading
Your sweet tooth might be causing more than just cavities
I was on Facebook the other day (my reliable source for up-to-date news and information) when I saw a quote to the effect of, "A study in the Journal of Natural Medicine found that one teaspoon of refined sugar 'paralyzes' fifty percent of the body's white blood cells for five hours. Why is this important? White blood cells are an important component of your immune system. They help to defend your body against infectious disease!" My first thought was, 'you've got to be kidding me! My sweet tooth is causing more problems that I even knew!' So I went on over to my second source for reliable and accurate information: I Googled it. In searching for the actual study, … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 12 – Eating Clean
Nutrition Challenge 12- Eating Clean Well you did it. You made it to the 12th, and final, week of ask fitness coach’s shape up challenge! We really hope that as you finish this last week you have noticed a change in your energy and fitness level. Hopefully you have also noticed a change in the way that your clothes fit. If you took a before picture don’t forget to take an after shot so you can see the results! Sometimes we don’t notice much of a difference until we see how far we really have come. Throughout the past 11 weeks shared several ways for you to eat a healthy diet. We have talked about getting the right balance of … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 11 – Why is Fat An Essential Nutrient?
Nutrition Challenge 11- Why Are Fats An Essential Nutrient? The past two weeks of the shape up challenge we have talked about the importance and benefits of proteins and carbohydrates. Now it is time for us to talk about the last, and often most overlooked, essential nutrient, fat. It may seem strange that fats are considered an essential nutrient because most of us are trying to get rid of it, so it seems only logical to cut it from your diet. The key is to be eating the right kinds and avoiding the wrong kinds. But don’t worry, we will talk all about that in just a minute. Why they are good There are many health benefits that come from … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 10 – Let’s Talk Carbohydrates
Nutrition Challenge 10- Let’s Talk Carbohydrates I feel like carbohydrates have a bad rap. There are so many diets that say carbohydrates are bad and should be avoided like the plague. While it is true that too many carbohydrates can cause problems, it doesn’t mean they should be avoided all together. After all, too much of anything (even a good thing) is bad, right? When carbohydrates are carefully controlled in a diet they can be a great asset to a person who is trying to lose weight or even just be healthy. The key is to not only control how many carbs you are consuming but to pay attention to what kinds of carbs you are eating as well. For … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 9 – All About Protein
Nutrition Challenge 9- All About Protein If you have been following the shape up challenge then you know that we have already talked a little bit about protein in this post. But today, we are going talk more in depth about protein- what it does, the benefits of it, and what foods you should be eating to get the most protein. A little background... When you get in a good workout your muscles undergo quite the challenge. Whenever you do any type of resistance training, not just lifting weights, aerobic exercise too, your body begins to build muscles. The first thing that happens is your muscle tears. Sounds terrible doesn’t it? But it’s true. Resistance workouts cause tiny microscopic tears … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 8 – Water and Weight Loss
Nutrition Challenge 8- 5 Ways Water Can Help You Slim Down Ask any random person on the the street what the best way to lose weight is and they will tell you. Exercise and eat a healthy diet. We all know that. But did you know that there should be a third category added to that list? Diet and exercise are important to any weight loss program but one thing that is often overlooked in a health program is water consumption. I know what you're thinking, “No kidding, smart guy, but doesn't water consumption fall under the healthy diet category?” That is true. Water does technically fall under the healthy diet category, but before you go off insulting me in you head again, … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 7 – Breakfast the Right Way
Nutrition Challenge 7- Breakfast: Break the Fast the Right Way If you ask anyone what the most important meal of the day is they will most likely tell you that it’s breakfast. All of us have heard that. In fact, I have heard that more times than I can even count. But is this cliché saying true? Yes. It is in fact true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast helps to fuel you for the rest of your day. During the night our body uses the nutrients available to it to rebuild and heal from the previous day, so in the morning our bodies need to be refueled. However, it’s not necessarily important to eat breakfast … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 6 – Kicking the Sugar Habit
Nutrition Challenge 6- Kicking the Sugar Habit I love sugar. I would definitely say I have a major sweet tooth. Half the time a food doesn’t interest me unless it has ample amounts of sugar. Unfortunately, when trying to lose weight, sugar can be your worst enemy. It should, for the most part, be avoided. Cutting sugar, of course, is way easier said than done. I’m not saying we should give up sugar completely (remember, cheat days are good!) but addictions to sugar do need to be overcome. One of the major problems with sugar is that when we eat a sugary food, we typically don’t eat just a tiny amount, we usually eat it in bulk, consuming much much … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 5 – Cut the Fast Food
Nutrition Challenge 5- Cut the Fast Food (or at least make it healthier) You get home from a long day at work and the last thing you want to worry about is making dinner. Believe me. I know this feeling all too well. By the time both my husband and I get home around 7:00 in the evening, there are a hundred things I would rather do than make dinner. So what is our solution to that? I am embarrassed to say that more often than not we opt to make a quick trip to a fast food restaurant. At the time it seems like the easier option. Going to the grocery store takes forever and always seems to be … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 4 – Pre and Post Workout Nutrition
Nutrition Challenge 4- Pre and Post Workout Nutrition How many of you wake up in the morning and immediately jump out of bed, put on your running shoes, and go out for an intense run without eating anything? Probably not many of you. Most everyone knows that it is very important to eat before and after your workout so that you can fuel and refuel your tank. But do you know what the best things for you to be eating before and after your workout are? If you don’t eat before your workout you won’t have any nutrients available throughout your workout to give you the much needed energy for a grueling workout. As a result you will become sluggish … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 3 – Cheat Day: The Key to Success
Nutrition Challenge 3- Cheat Day: The Unexpected Key to Success Let me start out this post by telling you a little story. A couple of years ago I did a diet that was very popular at the time. This particular diet was very big on calorie restriction and it lasted about two months from start to finish. While I was on this diet I was very faithful and I never cheated. Well, I never actually cheated. But I thought about cheating all the time. Literally all the time. I was constantly thinking about what I wanted to be eating at the moment and what was the first thing I wanted to eat when the diet was over. I even made … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 2 – The Right Balance of Nutrients
Nutrition Challenge 2- The Right Balance of Nutrients There are so many different diets out there. High carb diets, low carb diets, high protein diets, fat free diets. If you have ever researched losing weight I’m sure that you have found different sources telling you to cut carbs or to cut fat. With all of these different diets it can be tough to know the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that you should be consuming each day. The truth is, you should never completely cut any of these three things from your diet. Each one of these nutrients has a specific purpose and each one is necessary for a healthy body. Eating a balanced diet provides your body … Continue reading
Nutrition Challenge 1 – Counting Calories
Nutrition Challenge 1- The Importance of Counting Calories You want to lose weight. So what do you do? You work out like crazy and try to eat a sensible diet. But for some reason, week after week, the scale says the same thing. You just can’t seem to lose the weight no matter how hard you try. So what’s the deal? Why isn’t the weight melting off like you imagined? Sometimes what we imagine as a “sensible” diet, really isn’t that sensible. For instance, you might think because you had a salad for lunch that you have been eating healthy. Salads can be low in calories if you just eat the lettuce. But, let’s be honest, no one does that. … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 12
Week 12 of 12: Shape Up Challenge FINALLY!! Week 12! You just have 7 more days and then you are DONE with the entire 12 week shape up challenge! We hope that you have stuck with the workouts and the nutritional goals and that you are seeing a difference in your body and in your life. But more than losing weight, we hope that you feel more healthy and happier than you did twelve weeks ago. We hope that you continue to stick to the healthy lifestyle that you have developed even after this 12 week program is over. Your nutrition goal for this week is a little different than the previous week's challenges. This week we want you to … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 11
Week 11 of 12: Shape Up Challenge You've made it to the second to last week of the twelve week shape up challenge! We hope that you have stuck with the program up until this point and that you are happy with the results that you are seeing. You are close to the end so stick with it and stay focused. You are doing a great job! We want to see you succeed! For your nutritional goal this week we want you to focus on fat. We want you to understand why fat is an important part of your diet. We want you to know which fats you should be eating and which ones you should be avoiding. We want … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 10
Week 10 of 12: The twelve week Shape Up Challenge Welcome to week 10 of the twelve week shape up challenge! Hang in there for just a couple more weeks and then before you know it, it will all be over and you will be looking back wondering where the last twelve weeks have gone. Keep working hard so that you can get the results you want and are working so hard for. We want to see you succeed just as much as you want to succeed. For your nutritional goal this week we want you learn all about carbohydrates and focus on getting the right amount of the best carbohydrates into your daily diet. Click the link above to … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 9
Week 9 of 12: Shape Up Challenge Week 8 has come and gone! And now it's time to start week 9. Keep working hard and staying focused. The challenge is almost over and to get the best results you need to put in your best efforts. And stick with it! Consistency is key! For our nutritional goal this week we want you to focus on getting enough protein in your diet. Not just that, but we want you to make sure you are getting the right kinds of protein in your diet. So check out the article and make any necessary changes this week. The article will explain why protein is important and what kinds of food will give you the best … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 8
Week 8 of 12: Shape Up Challenge Week 8! Doesn't it feel great? You are doing an awesome job and we hope that you can feel a difference in your body and in your everyday life. Don't forget to push yourself but continue to listen to your body and make sure that you aren't pushing yourself too hard. We want you to be in the best shape but we definitely don't want you to overdo it and hurt yourself. Continue working hard and you will continue seeing results! Your nutritional goal for week 8 is all about water. Water seems like such a simple thing but getting enough water will do a lot for you and your health. As always, … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 7
Week 7 of 12: Shape Up Challenge Lucky number 7 is upon us. Soon you will be done with the twelve weeks and people will be "oooo"ing and "ahhhhh"ing at your new body. Hopefully you have been setting goals for yourself, working hard, and achieving those goals. You can do anything that you put your mind to! Week 7 nutrition Goal: Breaking the fast the right way. Breakfast is such an important part of being healthy but for some reason it continues to be the most commonly overlooked meal. So this week focus on getting a hearty and healthy breakfast every morning. Have you been doing all of the nutritional goals each week? Remember that working on all the nutritional … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 6
Week 6 of 12: Shape Up Challenge You are halfway there! Can you believe it? This is the week where champions are made! Things are heating up and it's time to step up to the challenge! We hope that you are feeling it by now. Hopefully you have more energy, feel better, and have noticed some positive changes in your body. If you have been giving it your all then there is no way you haven't been making improvements. Work hard this week and remember to share your success with us. Week 6 Nutrition Goal: Kick the Sugar Habit. Sugar is not your friend when you are trying to lose weight and get in shape. This week try and cut … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 5
Week 5 of 12: Shape Up Challenge Week five has arrived! You are almost half way through the entire challenge. Can you believe it? Hopefully you have been working your tail off but still enjoying yourself along the way. It's important to enjoy the journey! Sweat hard and eat right this week. You can do it! You really can! Don't let anything, especially yourself, get in the way of your success. For your nutrition challenge this week we want you to focus on fast food. Her is the article we want you to check out: Cut the Fast Food (or at least make it healthier). With fast food chains on every corner, quickly grabbing a bite to eat has become … Continue reading
Shape Up Contest Week 4
Week 4 of 12: Shape Up Contest You finished week three! Nice work! Week four is an action packed week full of amazing butt burning, ab sculpting, and fat melting demonstrations from our balding and beautiful trainers, Skyler and Chris. You are one third of the way done so don't you dare even think about giving up on us (or yourself) now! This week, pay close attention to the progress you have made up to this point. If you're not seeing any improvements in inches or weight, then set new goals and make some changes. You may want to consider making some changes in your diet, or maybe increasing your intensity during the workouts. Whatever your goal is, make sure … Continue reading
Shape Up Contest Week 3
Week 3 of 12: Shape Up Contest Well friends, week three of the shape up contest is here! This week we are going to pick up the intensity a little more. Don't be afraid to push yourself this week. Maybe start using some weights that are a little bit heavier. Feel free to add an additional set or two on top of what you normally do if you have the time. Please! Please! Please! don't sell yourselves short and just go through the motions. The harder you work the more results you will see. If an exercise just doesn't seem to challenge you, add more resistance or do a few more repetitions. Hopefully by now you are beginning to feel stronger … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 2
Week 2 of 12: Shape Up Challenge Congratulations! You have made it to week two! Aren't those metabolic circuits killer? In a good way though. Well, it's time for us to turn up the heat! This week we are going to increase intensity by introducing resistance into the Calorie Cyclone portions of the workouts. You can use dumbbells or elastic resistance bands, which ever you have available to you will do the trick. If some of the exercises in week two seem too difficult for you right now, don't worry, just refer to the exercises in week one and continue doing those until you feel like your body is ready to move on. Below is the recommended schedule for week … Continue reading
Shape Up Challenge Week 1
Week 1 of 12: Shape Up Challenge Welcome to the first week of the shape up challenge! We are so excited that you have joined us for the fun. This first week should be challenging but you can do it! If you stick with it you will see how quickly your body will adapt and you will be ready to dive into week two. We have included our recommended schedule below, but the great thing about the shape up challenge is that it was designed to allow you flexibility in how long you work out each day. You can spend just 10 minutes a day working out or you can do up to 30 minutes. For example, on day one … Continue reading
When It Comes to the Gym, Bigger Isn’t Always Better
The secret to making your fitness goals happen? Joining a tricked-out gym. Or so I thought, as I was rolling up to the new luxury gym in my neighborhood. After a tour, my head was spinning with the workout possibilities (ooh, heated pool!) and I was eager to sign on the dotted line. But half an hour later, I walked away without a membership. The terms were sketchy. The staff was unfriendly. The $50/month fee seemed a tad steep. Yes, the heated pool would've been nice. But as it turns out, I’m better off without the frenzy of classes, equipment and salon-and-spa extras. The reason? According to researchers, too many options can tank a fitness routine. The More, the Merrier? Not Quite A … Continue reading
Brain Food Means Something Completely Different Over There…
A few weeks ago, Carla wrote a terrific post about what she learned from her experiences in other cultures and I thought I’d approach the topic from a different perspective. Different though it may be, we share a wonderful ability to reach unresearched and completely biased opinions about our observations, so keep that in mind. I haven’t traveled all over the world, but I have spent the last three months in China teaching English at various schools. One of my biggest struggles adapting to Chinese life was getting used to the food. I have a sensitive palate—you say picky, I say refined—and to be quite honest, things like ‘coagulated duck blood’, ‘chicken intestines’, and ‘sheep stomach’ to me, seem less … Continue reading
Everyone Needs A Support System to Lose Weight
Unfortunately I've been hooked into a TV show, which doesn't usually happen to me. Thanks to some recommendations from friends and some clever advertising that included Rulon Gardner, someone I've always liked I'm now officially hooked on this seasons Biggest Loser. There is no doubt that the things that go on during this show are amazing. Bob, Jillian, and the two "unknown" trainers really do a fantastic job at pushing those contestants to do their best and lose the weight. But one thing really stood out to me this season. If you've watched you've seen the majority of the contestants that have been booted off so far go home and not be able to achieve the goals they wanted. They … Continue reading
Eating Less Frequently Isn’t the Same As Eating Less
In my private, hypnotherapy practice I've begun noticing a trend with a lot of my overweight patients, and it's one that I feel needs to be addressed. One of the first things I find out during the evaluation process is that clients have a number of unhealthy eating/sleeping patterns. Around 3 out of every 4 of my clients tell me that they only eat once or twice per day. They think that by cutting down the number of times they eat each day, they will begin to lose weight more quickly, when actually the opposite is true. When you are eating less frequently, your body adjusts to hold onto any excess rather than metabolizing everything you eat. If you want … Continue reading
Taking the Gluten Out of Gluttony
I have been thinking about doing a post on gluten free recipes for a while and then my friend Ryan Sullivan over at no more bacon posted one last week and thought better of it. Then I realized that we have a very different following and it would be a great way to highlight some of my recipes that I've been working on lately. Some of you may be aware of what constitutes a 'gluten free' diet, but for those that aren't; it’s basically taking all wheat products including kamut, spelt, barley, rye, malts and triticale out of your diet. Many people need to do this because they either have wheat allergy’s or a condition called Celiac Disease. Fortunately for … Continue reading
“Real Men Don’t Do Yoga”
Yesterday I was outlining the many benefits of yoga for one of my guy friends, who complained of tight muscles and achiness. He agreed that yoga was great and said he totally understood why people do it. Pause. “So why don’t you do it?” His response: “Yoga is for girls… and hippies.”
8 tips to stay motivated in Month 1
We all know that the first 30 days of any fitness program are going to be the hardest. And while there's nothing really new under the sun, I thought I'd give what helped me make it through the first month without losing sight of my goals. It's important to note that this is 'how to help' get through your first month, not 'what to do'; mainly I'm focusing on ideas for on how to stay motivated. You've probably heard some of these before, and if you haven't that's great. Also there is sure to be more than 8 so if you have ideas, just feel free to post them in the comments. 1. Make a Plan This is going … Continue reading
A New Valentines Date
During this Valentines season I’ve heard a lot of people saying that they think Valentines is a stupid holiday that they refuse to celebrate. There are also many couples that do celebrate it with a fancy dinner, chocolates, cookies, and other sweets. Well, Valentines Day is not an approved day to take off of your diet, because one day leads to 2, 2 days to 3, and on and on. We’re only about 7 weeks into the year, you can’t give up yet! So, I came up with a brilliant new idea for a Valentines date: Skip dinner, add a protein shake, and hit the gym. Sounds silly, right? Your girlfriend would kill you, right? You’re wrong. You don’t have … Continue reading
Are your Leptin levels hurting your weight loss success?
I wanted to write a post about a Leptin, which is a subject that I’m particularly interested in, but I don’t have a lot of knowledge about it. Whatever this is the case, I turn to my relied source for a definition, Wikipedia, of course. Unfortunately, the definition that they have is: "(Greek leptos meaning thin) is a 16 kDa protein hormone that plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure, including appetite and metabolism. It is one of the most important adipose derived hormones. The Ob(Lep) gene (Ob for obese, Lep for leptin) is located on chromosome 7 in humans." It seems fitting that the root of this word is from Greece, because even that definition … Continue reading
Don’t Keep Me Hanging On Like A Yo-Yo Diet
What? It’s my sincere opinion that every fitness blog should use ‘Wham!’ lyrics in a title at some point. And all 80’s pop references aside, I’m actually attempting to bring up a pretty important topic. Specifically ‘weight cycling’ or as it’s more generally known: yo-yo diet. We use the term yo-yo dieting a lot, but what is it? Well, basically, it’s most commonly the process of a dieter choosing a hypocaloric diet that is initially too extreme. The dieter quickly begins to lose weight, but fatigue develops or motivation wanes and the lost weight gets put back on. The dieter then seeks to lose the regained weight and the cycle starts all over. Is this sounding familiar to anyone? For … Continue reading
The Trick to Success Revealed
Well we’re almost through month number one of the new year. How is everyone doing with their New Year’s Resolutions? If you’ve made it this long I would guess you have a good chance of achieving your goals. The trick to success simple. Most resolutions involve some sort of habit formation. Whether it’s work out more, eat healthier, do better in school, or whatever it is you NEED to make it a habit. If your resolution is to go to the gym every other day then you just have to make the gym part of your routine. Studies have shown that it takes 21 days to form a habit (which is why if you’ve made it this long I strongly … Continue reading
How do you keep the weight off after HCG?
So, you’ve been successful losing weight on HCG, but you keep hearing about troubles maintaining the lost weight from others on the program. So…how do you keep the weight off? Over the past year, I have had a large number of friends, associates, and clients who have lost weight on the HCG diet. Unfortunately for most, they gained all or most of the weight back. Many of them even added a few additional pounds. On top of this, studies have shown that individuals that try to do the HCG diet a second and third time are not getting even close to the same results as the first. It’s a discouraging reality. I heard one lady say that if she could … Continue reading
An Apple and Temptation? I Think I’ve Heard This Story Before…
I’ve been thinking a lot about temptations seeing as I taught a class on it yesterday. For my object lesson I made what appeared to be a caramel apple. I asked the class what they thought it was, and of course they all said a caramel apple. A couple of the more intuitive students doubted it and asked if it was Styrofoam (I did that with the fake cake once) to which I responded, “No, it’s not Styrofoam.” Then I asked who wants to come up and taste the apple and describe it to the class. One brave young man came up. I handed it to him and gave him the option to just bite into it or, if … Continue reading
Why Exercise Is Essential For Weight Loss
Let's make this simple and break exercise down into its three most important purposes. 1. Maintaining Lean Muscle Mass 2. Increasing Your Metabolism 3. Keeping You Happy One of the biggest mistakes people make when they are trying to lose weight is focusing only on how much weight is lost. The wrong kind of weight loss, specifically muscle, can make it very difficult to keep the weight off. One pound of muscle has the ability to burn up to 10-50 calories a day, no one really knows but it is somewhere between 10 and 50 calories a day. We will shoot high to make our point, if you lose 10 pounds of muscle the result will be a decrease of … Continue reading
3 Reasons to Try Zumba (and One Reason Not to)
Let’s face it: there’s a good reason for our gymphobia. The gym usually sucks. Stuffy locker rooms. Bad techno. Sweaty equipment. Buzzing fluorescent lights. Grunters. It’s too easy to think of 1,001 reasons not to go. Strange, then, that reportedly 7.5 million people are flocking to Zumba classes every week. Are you wondering if it might be worth a try?
Being Satisfied with Just Satisfied
“Clean your plate or no dessert” “There are children starving in Africa that would love to take your place, finish your food!” I’m sure at one time or another as children we heard our parents use these phrases. (Probably many, many times for some of us.) It’s a great way to get your kids to eat their broccoli, but it’s also a great way to develop unhealthy eating habits. We have been programmed since childhood to eat all the food that was in front of us or, at the very least, stuff ourselves until we cannot possibly eat another bite lest we explode. This is a trick of the brain that we just need to learn to ignore. I, personally, … Continue reading
Over 30 Years of Experience
The other day I gave a speech to a group of students at BYU and I felt some of the bullet points from the post would be great in a blog post.. It was to a group of students that attend the “Women’s Entrepreneur Lecture Series,“ and I started off my presentation with this picture because my first memory of business was when I was about 8 and I would go to work with my dad at his office and sit at his secretary’s desk and pretend I ran the place. I guess I’m just one of those people who always knew what I was really passionate about. The next slide begins a long sequence of my former career … Continue reading
The Golden Rule
Everyone has heard the golden rule: treat others as you want to be treated. Well, here is the REAL golden rule: do unto your body as you would like it to do unto you. I can almost guarantee everyone has been feeling the effects of this lately, including me. Over Christmas and New Years we eat more calories than we can track. All the parties and especially Christmas day leaving us feeling a little hung over... in our jeans. But there are other effects of eating junk besides some extra flab. Your body doesn't like that food and it repays the favor. You just can't function as well. My body loves to tell me when I'm not giving it the … Continue reading
Analogy of Hypnotherapy for weight loss – Training the Brain
We've probably all had a friend who called us for advice about how to lose weight or change a specific negative pattern of behavior. At the time, the friend seemed to enthusiastically listen and agree with your advice. Yet, we later learn that our words of wisdom went in one ear and right out the other. This scenario is actually very similar to applying hypnotherapy to weight loss and understanding how it works. When we are awake, in a conscious state, our thinking, rationalizing, and over-analyzing may often be very well intentioned. Yet, we are still unable to make a positive change, kick a nasty habit, or truly heed words of wisdom for sustainable weight loss. The conscious mind is like a … Continue reading
Cheat Day: “Everybody Needs to Cheat a Little to Prosper”
We believe (and there’s plenty of research out there to prove it) that when you are in calorie restriction, eating less calories than your body needs for regular daily functions, you need to have at least one day a week where you increase your daily calorie intake by 300-500 calories. Doing this allows your body to maintain normal levels of the hormone Leptin. Leptin plays a major role in regulating energy intake and expenditure.
Perfect Fitness: Why It’s a Myth (and Thank Goodness)
“Perfection is a mean, frozen form of idealism.” That’s what author Anne Lamott writes in her book Bird by Bird. It’s about her experience becoming a published writer, yet it’s eerily pertinent to fitness. Her tips on writer’s block? They’re what helped me plow through my exercise impasse in December. I consider myself something of an expert on achieving gridlock in a workout routine. I’m the queen of perfectionism. Or is it procrastination? Or maybe it’s planning to exercise when I should really be exercising. Whatever it is, I've found that adopting Lamott's anti-perfection mantra is a pretty easy way to catapult fitness results. Striving for perfection is immobilizing, she says. (This happens to be true whether you’re trying … Continue reading
Weight Lifting for Weight Loss
New Years is approaching and that means one thing: time to start making your yearly weight loss resolutions. You do it every year with the holiday weight gain. You make a plan and you get motivated and…you dust off the treadmill to start running every morning. I have a cousin that begged and begged for a treadmill for Christmas this year because she wants to get serious about getting in shape. Well, sorry to break it to you, but, while treadmills and running in general, are helpful; they’re not going to get you the results you really want. And that’s going to get you discouraged. You want to know the real secret to maximize your weight loss? Weight lifting. Now … Continue reading
Just Weighting Around for the Holidays to End
So, I was very excited today to find that I have been successful with my goal of not gaining a single pound this holiday season! My typical weight gain during this time of year (from Thanksgiving to Christmas) is about 7-10 pounds. This means that I’m right in line with the average American, and I’ve been gaining this inhaled holiday heft for over 30 years. When New Years rolls around, I once again have to make my resolution to work for months just to get rid of it. This year it was time for a change. I was determined to still enjoy the holidays, but I wasn’t going to overeat and put on any pounds. I had two Thanksgiving dinners … Continue reading
Are Your Fitness Goals Too Complex?
What’s the fastest way to kill your New Year’s fitness goals? Researchers say having too many options and too much information is a surefire way to doom them.
Quinoa: A Discovery 6,000 Years in the Making
I was talking to a friend of mine, Monica, the other week about this very blog and in passing, she suggested that I should really add some quinoa recipes to the mix. After seeing the blank stare on my face for a moment, she informed me that Quinoa (pronounced kin-wah) is actually a grain substitute for items like rice and pasta. She specifically recommended it for use in salads to add a little flavor. As is common when I find out about something new and exciting, and want to learn more, I quickly turned to an irrefutable source…Wikepedia. Imagine my surprise to find out that quinoa has been around for more than six thousand years. It’s an interesting little food … Continue reading
7 Tips for Healthy Holiday Shopping
Tips for a healthy, productive holiday shopping trip. Burn extra calories and avoid the shopping hangover!
The Ten Commandments of Physical Training
Here are ten key tips that can really help your physical training if you’re trying to get into a workout routine again. Some may be more important for you, some less important. 1. Train Regularly: It is typically recommended to workout 3-5 times a week. Less probably won’t give you the results you may be looking for, progression may be extremely slow, if any. More than 5 times a week can be dangerous. Your body could easily become overworked and burnout or get injured. Your body needs a day of rest. You need to find your happy medium and what fits into your workout. 2. Getting Fit Takes Patience: If you’re training to run a marathon and you haven’t ran … Continue reading
Roadmap For New Weight Loss Plan: Hypnosis
Before starting any new weight loss plan it is essential to create a roadmap. The roadmap helps us stay on track and helps us recognize when we get off track. The roadmap lets us know how far we are along the way for a successful weight loss plan. We have to know how we get from here to there. At IdealShape we believe that a successful roadmap starts with hypnosis for weight loss. What are the typical roadblocks for any weight loss program (idealshape calls it body shaping). First and foremost are our beliefs about our body shape, what we eat, how we exercise, and the negative thoughts rolling around in our subconscious mind? Most of us have traveled this road before and … Continue reading
Brain Appétit!: How to Change Your Brain
In my undaunted trek through all the things healthy I found another little gem that I would like to pass on. This weekend I watched a fascinating series by Dr. Daniel Amen on how to change your brain. For those of you that have looked into IdealShape, you know that we put a lot importance on the brains thought process behind a healthy lifestyle, and it’s always great to see another piece of proof behind our practices. In the series he talked of the 3 major parts of our brain and about the choices that we can make to change each of them. Surprise, surprise, he put a lot of focus on proper diet and exercise. Avocado’s, blueberries, broccoli, (decaffeinated) … Continue reading
Controlling Your Metabolism
You’ve all heard at least one person say, “I just have a slow metabolism” and that is usually followed by, “And there is nothing I can do about it.” People are falling back on that excuse much too often these days. Look at those people that have “slow metabolisms” and then look at what they eat. Usually those people aren’t eating the most healthy foods. It’s all excuses. Some people really might have slower metabolisms. But you don’t have to just sit there and just surrender to the fact that you are doomed to be overweight your entire life, take it into your own hands. It’s all about how and when you eat. One of the biggest problems I see … Continue reading
The Birth of the IdealShape Successful Weight Loss Program
Hi, I am David Meine the creator of the Ideal Shape Audio Brain Food CD series. My personal health and fitness have always been very important to me. 26 years ago I was give a cassette tape that allowed me to lose 10 pounds in 30 days. I didn’t realize until 18 years later the power of that experience. That realization came while talking to my Foster Dad Tom Nightingale. One evening while watching the sun set on his back porch, he told Carla and me that he had lost and gained over a thousand pounds over his lifetime. While he was telling me this, in my mind I said “OH MY GOSH” could the secret that I learned 18 … Continue reading
Stop, Taste the Roses and End Obesity
I have reached a place in my life that has afforded the opportunity to travel abroad. I truly enjoy visiting different countries and different cultures, seeing how people live, and, of course, how they eat. Obesity is a much less prevalent issue pretty much everywhere else in the world, and I’m not just referring to countries that struggle with poverty. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to places like India where sixty percent of the population lives below the poverty level, but I’ve also been to places like France, where they nearly idolize their food. The first time I returned from a vacation in Paris, my friends asked me what my favorite part of my trip was and there was … Continue reading
What’s Really In Your Weight Loss Shake?
Protein shakes for weight loss… we know them by different names but drink them for the same reasons — to replace a meal or snack; boost our protein intake, especially in conjunction with a workout; and promote our weight loss efforts with protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. While we may guzzle them for universal reasons, not all shakes are created alike. Unfortunately, we have a tendency not to be very discerning… “In the grand scheme of things, most people choose their protein based on the effectiveness of the marketing, not the product itself,” writes Kevin Neeld on AskMen.com. Yes, I used to be one of those people. “That’s a pretty-colored label, and look — 10g protein and 24 vitamins … Continue reading
Time and Crock Pots : What I’ve Learned Since Moving Out
I've made two big discoveries since I moved out of my parents house for college: time and crock pots. You may think those are complete opposites and they don't go together at all but actually it's quite the opposite. Time became an important discovery because I quickly realized I don't have a lot of it so I have to make the most of the time I do have. One of the ways I do that is crock-pot-cookin'. Have you ever tried a crock pot recipe? If you haven't, you need to. There are some great things about crock pots: 1) It's easy! People think that cooking has to be a whole event. If you use crock pots, it's so simple. This is … Continue reading
The Myths About Weight Loss and Diet Programs Part 1
Since I was a wrestler in High School I have almost always been on a diet. I remember those days of trying to get my 5’11” frame down to 145 pounds. I would wear a plastic sweat suit, only eat hard boiled eggs, and spit a whole lot. I practically did anything that would get my weight to 145 pounds for weight ins on Friday night before my wrestling match. During my senior year our team was half way through the wrestling season and some bizarre events transpired. Before the Christmas break I had beat the previous year’s state champ. I went into the two week Christmas vacation believing I would be the state wrestling champion at 145 pounds. I … Continue reading
Are You At Risk For One of the 8+ Eating Disorders?
In one of my earlier posts I spoke about meal planning and using it to create success. Someone mentioned in passing that the lifestyle changes required might push someone into an eating disorder known as Orthorexia Nervosa, one of the 8+ eating disorders, 6 of which you have probably never heard of. Curious about this condition, I decided to read up on it and I found a great book called Health Food Junkies by Steven Bratman. I downloaded it onto my kindle and here’s what he had to say on the subject: “In fact, it is transferring too much of life’s meaning onto food that makes orthorexia an eating disorder. If you simply eat healthy food but don’t give it more … Continue reading
Prevent the Halloween Candy Hangover from Hanging On
Are you one of the many people worried about adding an extra 5-10 pounds this holiday season? Halloween is the first test and the reality is you may just succumb to the dreaded draw of the candy bowl. All is not lost! It isn't time to throw your hands up in the air and quit because of a few piece of chocolate. 5 Tips To Prevent the Halloween Candy Hangover From Throwing You Off Track 1. Plan on enjoying the candy bowl. Eat a healthy dinner before you head for the candy bowl. Enjoy each bite and try to not inhale the bite-size candy pieces. A few may be enough to meet your need to enjoy the holidays. 2. Don't … Continue reading
5 Times You Shouldn’t Eat
When it comes to eating for weight loss, one of the worst things you can do is skip meals or starve yourself. However, there are certain times when it's actually best not to eat.
Midnight Munchies
You’ve been there, I’ve been there. It’s about 1:30 am and you wake up craving something sweet. You have the midnight munchies. I’ve seen way too many people fall into this trap. It’s more serious than you think. This can be the difference maker when trying to achieve your idealshape. While I was growing up, my family and I would have to hide anything close to chocolate at night because my mom would wake up every single night with a major hunger monster attack and didn’t stop until she had chocolate. Once I woke up in the night and she was eating my Halloween candy I’d stashed in my dresser! This is a serious concern. I know most of you … Continue reading
Observations From a Weight Loss Specialist: People are Divine
Over the last year I have become a Certified Hypnotherapy and Weight Loss Specialist. As I work with clients I am amazed at the many different behaviors that individuals struggle with in creating their ideal shapes. Over the last 30 years I have observed successful people in many different areas of life. Whether it is business persons, medical field, sports, religious, contractors, real estate, technologies and the list goes on and on, the one thing they all have is a positive mind set. This mind set is what drew me to weight loss hypnotherapy. With the United States struggling with an unprecedented number of obese and overweight individuals, I believe that IdealShape has figured out how to change this dilemma. … Continue reading
Based on a “2 Many” Calorie Diet
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet is a phrase I’m sure we’ve all seen as we glance indifferently at the nutrition label of our favorite cereal or snack. But I’m pretty sure it’s not something we, as a society, put enough thought into. For example, are you actually recording how many servings you’re getting or do you know what your caloric intake should be? For women my age who want to lose weight, the daily caloric intake should be around 1600, which means the percentage of daily value never applies to me without some additional math. When we begin our program we usually try to have our clients guess what their daily caloric intake is and then spend a week … Continue reading
What Holiday Weight Battle!?
Announcing a new program to help you keep your brain and body fit through the holidays!
Weight loss hypnotherapy can allow you to change subconscious thoughts and behaviors that lead to weight gain. Learn how our new Brain Food program works.
Are These Dietary Supplements Worth Taking?
Are polyphenols, probiotics and other wonder-supplements worth your time?
Exercising: The Most Important 30 Minutes
In today’s busy world people are skipping the important things. Things like times spent with family, friends, or maybe even time alone. But something else that is often over looked is exercising. I think people are skipping this important part of life because they have the conception that you need to exercise for an hour or two to get the full effect. What people don’t know is that the recommended dose of daily workout is only 30 minutes. As someone that has a busy lifestyle I know I can find 30 minutes to exercise and keep myself healthy. But as I mentioned earlier, other things are being skipped in today’s busy society: family, friends, and alone time (I know alone … Continue reading
Brain Food For Creating and Maintaining Your IdealShape
I have watched thousands of people try all kinds of diets. For the last year I have watched people be very successful taking weight off with HCG. The one thing they all have in common, is that they put the weight right back on. Watching this phenomenon for the past 30 years has made me realize that idealshape has the secret about lasting body shaping. Recently, a woman was having a conversation with an acquaintance of mine. They were talking about HCG and the one woman was hoping to lose 30 pounds in a month. The other woman pointed out to her friend that most people are putting the weight back on. The women made an interesting statement, she did … Continue reading
Are You Getting Enough Protein in Your Daily Diet?
Now I know it has gotten pretty popular in today’s culture for women to avoid a lot of red meats in general and I won’t even begin to call myself qualified to comment on that kind of lifestyle decision. Where I find the problem is that many women that do not eat meat regularly, don’t put any priority on ensuring that they find other means of getting enough protein. It is so important for us as women to get our 105-181 grams per day. Let’s begin with the basics; it’s the building block of muscles and essential for repair and growth of the muscle after exercise. When you exercise you are causing microscopic tears and damage to your muscles, and protein … Continue reading
Should You Exercise When Sick?
Can you really “sweat it out”? Here’s what experts say about exercising while you’re under the weather.
No More Couch Potatoes!
Throw that couch out of the living room! If you’re addicted to “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (like me) or “Project Runway” (not like me) and that is interfering with your workout time, that excuse is gone! I’ve come to realize that really is the worst excuse possible. There is so much you can do while watching your favorite guilty pleasure. If you go to www.youtube.com/askfitnesscoach there are tons of exercise demonstrations. Pick three or four a day and rotate through them during the show. Do 10 repetitions of each exercise and keep repeating until a commercial break. During commercials I always make it a goal to leave the room. Whether it is go run up and down the stairs … Continue reading
Just For The Halibut
Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut I have fond memories of Pike’s Place Market up in Seattle. It’s one of those places that moves to a tempo all its own; time has a different meaning there. It would be the place to go if only for the fresh seafood, but they have something to offer that I have only gotten from them: character. I hope that every coastal state has their own Pike’s Place, but here in Utah, where I find myself inescapably landlocked, I must keep my eyes set on the local Costco. They do a pretty good job getting fresh, Wild Alaskan Halibut here during its season and I figure I can usually get it two or three times a … Continue reading
Better Sleep=Better Appetite Control=Better Weight Loss
When you are tired you eat more. Volume 1 of Mastering the Mind CD series has 3 specific goals. One of those 3 goals is to help our clients get better sleep through daily hypnosis. This volume one CD can be found at www.idealshape.com. Researchers have found that people will eat an average of 221 more calories each day when they’re sleep deprived than they will if they had gotten better sleep. What is startling is this could mean gaining a pound of fat every two weeks. Why is better sleep so critical for appetite control, because lack of sleep disrupts the hormones that control our appetite and cravings? Many medical and sleep experts say that we need at least … Continue reading
Three Exercises To Increase Flexibility
Exercises that increase flexibility are key to a good warm-up. One thing often overlooked in regards to stretch is the importance of strengthening the muscle through the newly created range of motion. If you don't strength the muscle through the new range of motion you are creating you potentially could cause instability and eventually injury. Active stretching has been to created to strengthen the muscle while creating the new range of motion. Here are three active stretches you should be doing before any cardio or strength activities. Spiderman - This exercise has been called the greatest stretch in the world. Lateral Lunge - Lateral flexibility and movement is often neglected in most workout programs. If all you are doing is … Continue reading
Watching TV Leads to Weight Gain (Unless You Do This)
We know watching TV leads to weight gain, but we’re not about to sacrifice American Idol. Now what?
Workout, Shape Up!
We all have the good intentions to fit in our daily workout, but how often do we actually get there? I have been one of those people – “I’m going to the gym tonight” “oh, you wanna go to dinner?" "OK, I’ll workout tomorrow.” I think it’s safe to say that it’s a fairly common conversation (at least I’ve heard it or said it about a million times). But there are some tricks to making sure you actually work it in. 1. Have a schedule: If you just say “I’ll do my workout when I have time,” it will NEVER happen. You have to set aside a time. And if it can be the same time every day that’s better … Continue reading
KISSing the Stigma of Healthy Eating Goodbye
Lately, when I’ve mentioned to people that I run a video blog that puts together healthy recipes for meal planning purposes, I get the same old response. “You dedicate an entire blog to bland/ICCKy food?” (See what I did there?) I usually laugh, but I’m always a little disappointed because the idea of healthy food tasting bad is so ingrained into our society. A chef once told me that the best recipes take quality ingredients and the cook just KISSes (Keep It Simple Stupid) them with seasoning. Many times all that’s required is the proper preparation to highlight your signature ingredient. For example, I remember enjoying brussel sprouts, but for a long while, every time I made them or ordered … Continue reading
Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Loss: Two Common Mistakes to Avoid
When used correctly, meal replacement shakes can skyrocket your weight loss program. But use them the wrong way and they can be ineffective, a drag, even dangerous to your health. Get the full benefits of your weight loss shake by avoiding these common mistakes.
Support Your Children: Give Them What They Need
For all you parents out there, this might be a tough time of the year. Many fresh high school graduates are leaving the nest and moving on to college. Whether this is your first kid or your eighth it’s still not easy. You want to protect your baby and make life easy for them. You can actually do more than you think to support your children on their first year without mom and dad. Take them on their first grocery shopping trip: Grocery shopping on your own for the first time can be more difficult than you’d think. Speaking from personal experience, college students feel overwhelmed when they first see the prices of food and start adding up in their head … Continue reading
Hypnosis for Weight Loss and Understanding Suggestibility
Hypnosis in general has been very miss understood for the last 100 years. Recently, Hypnosis has shown to provide very positive and successful outcomes for weight loss (body shaping). It is not uncommon to hear people at parties or public gatherings talk about a positive experience they had with Hypnotherapy. These experiences now range from pain relief, remembering details for forensics, addiction recovery, weight loss, and many other applications that are beneficial for most individuals. What does “Suggestibility” have to do with Hypnosis? Suggestibility is how we learn. Initially for each one of us, learning is accomplished through our primary caretaker (could be mother or father), from birth until approximately age five. From age’s six to nine, the child’s suggestibility … Continue reading
Peaches, Get Your Fresh Peaches!
Peaches, Get your fresh peaches! Don’t you see the signs all over the place? On every fruit stand you pass. Fresh tree ripened peaches. This is one thing I love about this time of year. They are so sweet and flavorful. I just have to find ways to incorporate them into my diet for the next few weeks. Because after that it will be back to the store to get them and they’re just not as good. I’m having them in my shake in the morning, my afternoon snack is a peach yogurt parfait and then in the evening I just have one plain. That’s why today’s featured recipe is Peachy Creamy Phyllo Cups. All last week I couldn’t get … Continue reading
The Best Exercise in no Time at All
Come on everyone knows that they should be exercising. Especially if they want to effectively lose weight. So why aren't people doing it? Have you ever felt like it takes too much time and energy to see any identifiable improvement. That in order to get to your ideal shape you are going to have to spend hours in the gym everyday. You aren't alone. Many people don't start exercising or stop exercising because the commitment is just to much. If you feel this way it is time to change your approach to exercise and realize that it takes only a few minutes everyday to start seeing results and get the amazing benefits of exercise. Following a basic outline will help … Continue reading
Press Release: IdealShape Taps Carla Meine as CEO
IdealShape, a growing Utah-based weight loss company, welcomes established entrepreneur Carla Meine as its new CEO. Meine brings passion for health and extensive customer service management background to IdealShape.
Weight Loss Hypnosis Myths Dispelled
Questions and misconceptions often crop up about weight loss hypnosis. For those who don’t know much about “hypnotic suggestion therapy,” or who haven’t experienced it for themselves, it probably sounds downright weird. Here’s the real deal about weight loss hypnosis.
What’s the Best Way to Lose Weight? Revamp Your Grocery List!
Your strategy for healthier eating starts at the grocery store. For instant body shaping, here’s what to put on, and scratch off, your shopping list.
Resistance Bands: Deceptively Simple Exercise Equipment
Resistance bands come in many shapes, sizes and resistance levels and can be used to stretch, strengthen and tone the entire body. Weighing just a few ounces, a resistance band can create 30 lbs. of resistance!
Effective Weight Loss: Is Outside Intervention Really the Answer?
America’s weight problem is more complex than today’s studies and statistics portray. Effective weight loss doesn't start with our employers, the media or the government -- it starts with the individual.
You Can Become IdealShape’s Biggest Winner
If you have ever struggled with your weight, you might be among the 74% or 165,886,297 Americans over the age of 15 that are overweight or obese (according to Forbes). Too many programs out there are aimed at trying to get you to lose something. They want to change who you are. To us that seems unacceptable. We want you to come to peace with yourself; we want you to find your idealshape. To find the better you, inside of you. There is no one out there in their right mind that will argue that the only way to be successful is to starve yourself and be miserable. Yet that is what all diets ask you to do. If you … Continue reading
Facebook Points For Product Program
Facebook Point Program (Starting June 9,2010) - Must Have "Liked" IdealShape On Facebook 1. If you answer a question or like a post on our Facebook Fan Page on the day of the post you get one point 2. If you are the first to answer a Facebook Post question you get two points 3. Each comment on the IdealShape blog is worth one point 4. Re-tweeting of an IdealShape Tweet on the day of the actual Tweet is worth one point Point totals will be updated weekly and sent via Facebook messages. Point Redemption 20 points = Mastering The Mind CD 20 points = IdealShape Ebook 30 points = ResveraShape 40 points = Foam Roller 40 points = Three … Continue reading
Pink Slip Exercise? When Losing Your Job Is A Good Thing
Sometimes it takes a major work shift to get us to change our habits. A little time off—say, that time between jobs—can help us regain perspective and finally jump-start a weight loss plan. It’s easy to get swept up in the daily grind at a stressful full-time job. You lose track of the hours spent at your desk, forgetting to move around every so often, drink a glass of water or eat a nutritious lunch. “According to one study,” says Amy Teeple, “over a quarter of the workers surveyed stated they had gained at least 10 pounds while working in their current jobs. Thirteen percent had gained more than 20 pounds.” Clearly, this common workday pattern is taking a serious … Continue reading
Are You In A Sleep Debt?
Find out, and try our tips for a perfect night’s rest Body shaping requires more than exercising and eating right. There are so many factors involved in achieving your ideal shape, and chances are, sleep plays a bigger role than you realize. Can’t Get to Sleep? Despite an increased awareness of the importance of sleep, many still don’t log enough Zzzzs. We put so much focus on the day hours—stretching them to the max—that sleep is the last thing to figure into our schedule. The result? Most Americans get less than the needed 7-8 hours a night and ultimately wind up in “slept debt.” Even if you’re spending 8 hours in bed, it’s no guarantee you’re getting quality … Continue reading
Rise and Shine! How to Wake Up Refreshed
Sleeping too much? These wake up habits will help you kick sleepiness to the curb Believe it or not, getting too much sleep can be just as bad for your figure as not getting enough. Experts say logging more than nine hours a night can adversely affect metabolism and appetite. (Not to mention it might cause you to sleep right through your gym time!) Don’t let morning grogginess keep you from reaching your fitness goals. Set a good sleep schedule and stick to it. That means going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, even on weekends. One of the easiest ways to shape up your sleep? A fool-proof morning routine.
Simple Ways to Increase Your Core Strength
Assuming you’ve read A Core Quiz, you’re ready to start increasing your core strength! In this post you’ll learn how to use your balance ball, achieve proper form, engage the appropriate muscles daily, and figure out what “engaging the core” even means! Core 101 Your core region makes up the muscles of your back, abdominals, glutes and pelvic region. you can see, a strong core is not only critical to every fat-blasting, body-shaping program—it critically influences the way you lift objects, support your neck and shoulders, and move your legs. As critical for life. The good news is that building strong muscles is blissfully simple. Forget seeing a chiropractor. You may not even need to add posture-supporting pillows and padding to … Continue reading
Core Knowledge: Find Out Your Level
A strong core gives you a smooth workout, increased strength, beautiful posture, and a confident walk—tall and graceful. It helps you burn fat and shape your body efficiently. It makes your life easier. Really.
Show Your Muscles Some Love
Myofascial Release for nimble muscles and improved circulation using a foam roller To get the most out of your muscles, give them a little TLC! Studies have shown that people who get regular massages are healthier. They enjoy improved circulation, healthy agile muscles, and less mental tension (which is often caused by physical tension, and vice versa). Relaxed muscles also make it easier to sleep, especially if you’re prone to muscle cramping or “charley horses” in the night. The most important reason to massage your muscles? It prevents injury and allows you to get the most out of your fitness program. So the benefits of massage are clear... but how many of us can afford a massage therapist every day?
A Healthy Appetite Suppressant: Does It Exist?
To many of us, “appetite suppressant” sounds strange. Why would I want to go against my body if it’s telling me I’m hungry? And there have been oodles of unhealthy and untrustworthy diet products on the market. These have only added to our skepticism, and rightly so. But healthy appetite suppressants are possible. It’s simply a matter of tapping the power of foods that naturally fill you up. Add health- and energy-promoting nutrients, and you also get the sustenance your body needs. There’s nothing unnatural about that. So maybe we should look at these natural products not as appetite “suppressants,” but as appetite “satisfiers.” But how do they work, and how do I know it's healthy?
Lindon Utah Fitness BootCamp Schedule
We have a fitness bootcamp starting in Lindon Utah. The bootcamp is all about giving you the best workout possible without requiring too much of your time. People who have done our fitness bootcamp can't get enough of it. You will be working closely with a personal trainer who will help you achieve your goals. These classes are similar to CrossFit. Come check us out and see why they love it so much! Fitness BootCamp Schedule Monday and Wednesday we have three different classes that you can attend: one 5, 6, and 7 pm Tuesday and Thursday we offer two different classes that you can go to: one at 7 am and another at 10 am Friday: Only one class … Continue reading
The Endocrine System and Your Weight
To keep your metabolism high, keep the endocrine system in line! Few really understand the endocrine system and the important role that hormones play in our lives. The endocrine system is a complex network of nine glands and over 100 hormones in our body; it regulates activities from reproduction, metabolism and development to mood, energy and mental abilities. Most endocrine disorders—such as thyroid diseases, metabolic disorders and cholesterol (lipid) disorders—are caused by a heightened or diminished level of particular hormones. When someone is struggling to improve their metabolism’s efficiency in order to lose weight, it is critical to look at hormones. If your hormones aren’t converting food into energy efficiently, you can exercise and eat healthy without seeing the … Continue reading
Battling America’s Biggest Addiction: Sugar
It seems harmless. After all, it’s naturally found in fruits, vegetables and just about everything else. But it's being called the most common addiction in our society today. What is it? Sugar. The findings have proven that we don’t simply eat sugary foods because they tastes good; we’re addicted. The average American consumes 32 teaspoons a day! Just like other addictive substances, when we eat it, our brain's “feel good” chemicals (including serotonin and dopamine) come into play. The more you eat, the more you need to eat in order to get the same high. In addition to furthering many health problems, sugar is one of the biggest contributors to obesity. While it’s important to moderate all sugar intake, it’s … Continue reading
Redefine Your Weight Loss Program
No, this isn’t another post about straightening out the details of your program. We’re talking about the literal definition of weight loss. What does it mean to you? Words are pretty powerful. In the English language, we choose words carefully because we know that the underlying message can pack a stronger punch than the literal one. For example, the word “uninformed” has a harmless connotation, while its synonym “ignorant” paints a very negative picture. When choosing which word to use, we tread lightly. Yet sometimes words control our perception even when we don’t realize it. It has recently come to our attention that “weight loss” is kind of a funny pair of words. This phrase has the potential to send … Continue reading
Body Image Report: Is the Fashion World Getting Real?
“Paris Fashion Week Concludes With Celebration of Women’s Curves,” Fox News announced earlier this month. But they soon revealed their skepticism: “But can a size four model really be considered ‘curvy’?” A more diverse range of body shapes are gracing the runways this spring. But do they represent the “real woman”? A recent headline caught our attention and made us cheer, "The fashion world is getting real at last!" Or were they?
Use Hypnosis to Take Charge of Your Weight
When it comes to food cravings, our brains almost seem to have their own agenda, and it's not weight loss. Here’s an interesting example from Kelly McGonigal, PhD, who studies the science of willpower. In an article she wrote called The Diabolic Secret Powers of Junk Food, she uncovers the complicated relationship between the brain and fattening food: “A recent study shows that foods high in saturated fat—ice cream, cheese, red meat—cause your brain to secrete chemicals that tell the body to ignore biological signals of fullness (like leptin and insulin). The result: you don't ‘feel’ full, and you keep eating.” We already knew that controlling our weight isn’t easy. But is it impossible? McGonigal’s findings make one wonder if … Continue reading
A Stunning Figure: Most Americans Have Tried to Lose Weight
Reader’s Digest discovered in their recent nationwide diet poll that 72% of Americans have tried to lose weight. “Not surprisingly,” wrote fitness writer Joe Kita in the February edition, “women are much more likely to have done so than men—85 percent versus 59 percent.” When we wrote about body image a few weeks ago, our research found that the ladies tend to be more critical of their bodies than the guys. Could that be why so many more women than men were trying to get in shape last year? Of course, negative body image and media messages shouldn’t be the driving factors in weight loss. The best reason to get in shape is health. And, in fact, Kita reported … Continue reading
Caffeine: Good or Bad for Slimming Down?
When people start taking our weight loss supplement, ResveraShape, some are surprised to see caffeine on the list of ingredients. There are hoards of reports out there that give it a bad rap. Just seeing the word, our guards go up and we let out a little gasp: Isn’t it bad for you? Not necessarily. In fact, our weight loss supplement contains caffeine in two concentrated forms: Green Tea and Caffeine Anhydrous. But caffeine is a complex element, and of course, there’s more to the story...
Are You Keeping Tabs On Your Weight Loss Success?
Track your progress to reach your fitness goals faster It’s March! How’s your weight loss program coming along? If it fizzled a little in February, now is the time to put a little spring in your step. The weather’s warming up and it's staying lighter a little longer. So now that you, ahem, have no more excuses not to devote a little time to your fitness program… let’s take a closer look at your goals—and your progress. And let's start seeing some weight loss success! Is your goal vague or concrete? New Year’s Resolutions are tricky: they leave a big, wide 12-month expanse to get the task done. They invite procrastination. Maybe you want to lose 40 pounds this year, … Continue reading
Utah Fitness Boot Camps
Thought of the Day If you stand still in life you for sure won't burn any calories. True success will come when you challenge yourself to achieve more. We know that many of you want to be healthy and in shape but you don't necessarily know where to get started or what exercises to be doing. That's why we created these mini fitness boot camps. We have a Utah fitness bootcamp. If you live nearby come check us out! If not, don't worry, you can just follow the fitness routines that we post to this blog. IdealShape Treadmill Running Program This Program is for people that want to run on their off boot camp class days. Pick Your Ideal 5K … Continue reading
Are Your Weight Loss Goals Realistic?
How To Drop More Pounds By “Keeping It Real” 1. Set achievable goals So what are realistic weight loss goals, anyway? I would say "realistic" means challenging, yes, but doable—within your time frame and with your physical frame. When you have 50 pounds to lose, it can be hard to say “I want to lose two pounds a week.” Ambition and optimism are part of our culture: we want to lose 50 pounds now. Today. We’ve already bought new jeans three sizes smaller, and we’re willing to work hard to reach our goal. Then the results don’t come as quick as we expected... and we give up. Or we work so hard to meet our impossible goals that we burn … Continue reading
Research Unfolds Dual Benefits of Resveratrol
Ready to extend your life and shrink your waistband? Take a peek at Time Magazine’s recent spotlight on resveratrol. In their “Lab Report” column, they say the compound has caught the attention of scientists, who are feverishly working to concoct anti-aging drugs with it. And on top of staving off age-related diseases, it may soon be used to treat them: resveratrol is being tested for possible diabetes and cancer treating properties. CBS News also cast light on the health benefits of resveratrol, guessing that its presence in red wine explains the “French paradox”—how the French stay robust despite their high-fat diet. The results of these studies are exciting, and IdealShape is ahead of the trend. We caught on early to … Continue reading
Utah County, Utah Boot Camp
Fitness Thought of the Day Consistency is the key to success with any fat loss program. Two steps forward and one step back isn't going to get you to your destination very fast. You also may get frustrated with your progress if this is how you approach the program you are on. Is the fat loss program really in-effective if you aren't consistently following the program? Each day you have to be setting goals within the program you are on and you should be setting weekly and monthly goals as well. If you are reading this you have a chance to be very successful and achieve your IdealShape if you just stay consistent and follow the program.
Workouts Dwindling? Turn Up the Volume With Workout Music
Do you accelerate your treadmill stride when Katy Perry comes on? Need The Killers to amp up for your daily jog around the block? or how about a little Eye of the Tiger while you pump those weights? Whatever it is, your workout music it is probably the thing that gets your through those really tough workouts. There’s no denying that rocking out to the right music can get us into “workout mode.” And it turns out there’s actually a science behind upbeat tunes and our upped energy level. Says Core Performance’s Evan Gray, “British researchers found that runners who listened to songs with 120 or more beats per minute (BPM) boosted their running capacity by up to 15 percent.” … Continue reading
Take Our 4-Week Weight Loss Challenge!
IdealShape friends: Are you ready to take your weight loss program to the next level? Good! We’ve got the contest for you! Here’s the Scoop: Start Date: Monday, February 8, 2010 (This Monday!!!) Finish Date: Monday, March 8,2010 Goal: Lose the most inches and pounds of all contestants (by body weight percentage) The Prize: A slimmer figure and $100 to spend any way you want!
Fitness Boot Camp day 1
Thought of the Day Weight loss is a juggling act at times. To lose the weight you want to lose it will require that you have plan that includes nutrition, exercise, and supplementation that all work together. Cheating in one area can nullify the weight loss results we qualified ourselves for in the other area. Remember, weight loss is much different than overall health. Coming in and working out and making small changes to your diet will improve your overall health. Weight loss on the other-hand is a completely different reward that often requires a higher level of focus.
Supplements: Your Secret Weight Loss Weapon
It may be hard to imagine a little capsule being filled with tons of real nutrients. But the sooner you believe it, the sooner you’ll get in shape! The contents of these little supplements can play a huge role in fitness and weight loss. Now, dietary supplements are not meant to replace whole foods in your diet. Nor is taking them a green light to skip the other components of your weight loss program. Supplements are to enhance—or supplement—a nutrition and exercise plan, not to be the plan. That being said, supplements deliver nutrients in a potent, condensed powder form. This makes them very effective, as well as convenient (for those of us who don’t like chewing on seaweed strands, … Continue reading
Time to Face the Mirror and Love Your Body
The Role Body Image Plays in Weight Loss IdealShape strives to promote health and self-confidence in our customers, as much as helping them achieve the “perfect” shape. And guess what? You don’t have to say goodbye to your love handles before you can enjoy a positive self-image. We have found that if you start loving your body today, your weight loss journey will be more rewarding, and much easier. Does This Outfit Make Me Look Fat? Alright, ladies. We need to talk. A funny phenomenon has been reported among women: compulsive mirror avoidance. Have you ever darted from shower to door in two seconds flat, just to get out of the bathroom without catching a glimpse of your body in … Continue reading
Fitness Schedule and Meal Plan Day 2
Thought of the Day The IdealShape program has been designed to address the three main areas of weight loss: The Mind, Nutrition, and Exercise. The story is always going to be the same. How do you get your body to burn more calories than it takes in? Everything we strive to do at IdealShape is to figure out how to get your body to be a calorie burning machine and getting you to eat the foods that will fuel your body, but will also help eliminate fat. So if you are asking yourself why am I not losing weight as fast as I would like? You need to take an inventory of your life and determine if you are eating … Continue reading
Building the Foundation To Your IdealShape Ebook
A Peek Inside the First IdealShape eBook… A crash course in nutrition, fitness and mindset—that you can take on-the-go! Do you need a fitness program that works with your busy schedule? Practical diet and nutrition advice? Effective, adaptable exercise routines—and solid ways to stay on track? The IdealShape™ Fitness and Weight Loss eBook is your ticket to all of this. Called “Building the Foundation for Successful Weight Loss and Maintenance,” it’s just that: a collection of proven health, fitness and nutrition principles, organized for optimum results. The author, Skyler Meine, is a Certified Personal Trainer with a BS in Exercise Science. So it’s like having a personal trainer by your side as you embark on your weight loss journey.
Yes, you DO need a nutritional supplement to lose weight!
ResveraShape Weight Loss Support Nutritional Supplement Yes, you DO need a nutritional supplement to lose weight! We’re often asked—with a raised eyebrow—about the role supplementation plays in weight loss. A lot of people don’t believe that certain nutrients can have a direct impact on weight loss. Others know it’s true, but think they already get what they need from the foods in their diet. Both are untrue. First off, we do need additional nutrients on our weight loss journey. The reason? Excess weight can be caused by a number of factors: a health imbalance, lack of energy, slow metabolism, excessive hunger, or the body’s reluctance to turn fat into energy. You just can’t address all of these areas with exercise … Continue reading
Fitness Schedule Day 3
Thought of the Day Weight loss requires a complete commitment to ourselves. The road to achieving your IdealShape will not be easy, but will become easier as you realize the benefits of healthy living. Nutrition is what fuels our bodies and allows us to perform at high level, but improper nutrition can also undermine our goals and cause disease and sickness. Exercise pushes our bodies to increased level of productivity and helps us maintain or gain strength and flexibility. One without the other can severally limit our ability to accomplish our goals. Find your reason, find your purpose for losing weight, and let that drive you. Challenge yourself and see if you are up to the challenge. If you care … Continue reading
Fitness Plan and Meal Plan Day 4
Thought of the Day You must burn 3500 calories more than you take in to lose one pound of fat. One workout burns anywhere from 300-1000 calories and if it is a good workout more calories after you are done. If you burned a 1000 calories and eat at your maintenance level for a sedentary person you would lose 2 pounds every week. If you eat 500 calories less than the maintenance level for a sedentary person and burned 500 calories per workout you would lose 2 pounds a week. If you burn a 1000 calories per workout and you eat an excess of 1000 calories a day you will lose no weight. Time, Great Nutrition, and Great Workouts are … Continue reading
Mastering the Mind Through Weight Loss Hypnotherapy
Mastering the MindTM Discover the secret to fail-proof weight loss! If you’re like many who are trying to lose weight, this is probably a familiar scenario: you’ve just gone out and bought a new wardrobe to celebrate dropping three clothing sizes, and before you can even enjoy it, you find yourself right back where you started. Well, don’t head back to the drawing board just yet. We’ve pinpointed the real source of most people’s weight loss woes. “Nutrition and fitness are the keys to dropping excess weight, so why do my diets and exercise routines ultimately fail?” We hear this a lot. And while there are many factors in successful weight loss, there is only one that lays the groundwork … Continue reading
Speed Up your Weight Loss Results!
IdealShape’s Weight Loss Shake Can Triple Your Weight Loss Results! A lot of people think if they exercise rigorously, they can achieve their IdealShape regardless of what they eat. Afraid not. You must also consume a balanced diet and reduce your caloric intake, or you’ll just be spinning your wheels. But it’s hard to cut calories when you’re battling hunger and cravings—and starting a new exercise program can really escalate your appetite. The IdealShape Weight Loss Shake, a meal replacement and hunger-blocker with Slendesta®, is a great solution. It’s unique because it targets three critical areas: it curbs hunger, promotes weight loss, and delivers the nutrients your body needs for optimum health and performance. When used the right way, you … Continue reading
Lindon, UT Fitness Boot Camps Day 4
Thought of the Day Don't give up even when it seems impossible. The hardest part in the whole process is really making the decision to start improving your health and you have already done that so now you can focus on sticking to it. Friday or Saturday Fitness Boot Camps Foam Rolling Active Stretching Level 1: 2min at heart rate of (220-Age)*.65 Level 2: 2min at heart rate of (220-Age)*.75 repeat for minimum of 12 minutes For those not attending Friday or Saturday Workouts Do the active stretching and resistance training as well as the core workout from the IdealShape Weight Loss eBook. Don't have the book? Give us a call! 1-800-515-0896. If you are in the Utah area, specifically … Continue reading
The Complete Weight Loss Plan
Get More Than a Slimmer Figure! The IdealPlan Helps You Achieve Your Ideal Lifestyle Let’s face it: you have a clear weight loss goal, and most programs you’ve tried left a lot to be desired. They just don’t work—we know, we tried a lot before creating our own. After a great deal of research and training, we learned why 90% of weight loss programs are a waste of time: 1. They don’t address the whole weight loss picture. 2. They don’t tell you what to do after you’ve lost the weight. Those of you who have used prepackaged diet plans, deprivation and fad diets, and grueling exercise regimens know just what we mean. Extreme programs that zero in on one … Continue reading
Fitness Schedule and Meal Plan Day 5
Thought of the Day Live in the moment. Focus on each workout and getting the most out of each workout. Focus on each meal and making sure you are getting the right portions of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The key to your success over an extended period of time will be how well you live in the moment every hour of every day. Every workout counts, every meal counts. Wednesday or Thursday Workout Foam Rolling Active Stretch At least 20 minutes of steady state of cardio ((220-Age)*.65)
Lindon, Utah: Fitness Boot Camp Class Day 6
Thought of the day Stop believing that you are the exception when it comes to weight loss. You really can lose weight! You need to start believing that you can! Sometimes it takes a little while to figure out why you aren't losing weight as quickly as other people but there is enough knowledge out there to figure it out. I am committed to you and hope you are committed enough to yourself to take care of your health. Remember to enjoy the process. You are getting in better and better shape everyday. You are creating new eating habits. Your self-confidence and self-worth are growing as you learn to value your appearance and health more and more each day. Workout … Continue reading
ResveraShape Weight Loss Supplement Support
ResveraShape Weight Loss Supplement support with Natural Ingredients Regular Price: $39.99 Special Price: $29.99 60 Capsules – One Month Supply How Does ResveraShape Stack Up? Health and long-term results are what matter in an effective weight loss solution. We have created a supplement that is more natural and more powerful than competing weight loss support formulas. Ours is also much cheaper. Why? Because we’re giving you exactly what you pay for: a simple, unique concentration of naturally beneficial ingredients—no hype, no unnatural additives. In addition to fueling weight loss, the right dietary supplementation will bring the body back into balance. ResveraShape ensures that you have the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your body needs to counteract toxins, keep energy levels … Continue reading
Is There a “Best” Weight Loss Plan?
Is There a "Best" Weight Loss Plan? Are you tired of trying all the latest weight loss products every time they come out or following those crazy diet plans that leave you craving odd foods in the middle of the night? Everyone who has a weight problem is always looking for the best weight loss plan in the hopes of finally being able to lose the extra pounds and feel good about their body. With this in mind, one has to wonder if there really is such a thing as the perfect way to lose weight. Herein lies the crux of the problem: what might be the best weight loss plan for one person may have absolutely no effect for … Continue reading
IdealShape launches new website and product line
Press Release IdealShapeTM launches new website and product line in time for the New Year December 30, 2009—Weight loss and fitness company IdealShapeTM went live today with a new website to showcase the IdealShape Premier Weight Loss PlanTM—a brand-new product line that takes a unique approach to helping people lose weight. IdealShape’s core goal is to provide something rare in today’s diet and weight loss markets: a lasting, healthy solution. The new IdealShape product series is also created to make weight loss practical and attainable for the average person. The program is inexpensive, comprehensive, and requires only a few simple resources to be successful. “We have always been passionate about fitness, nutrition and weight loss,” says IdealShape Managing Partner, David … Continue reading
