Here is one truly inspirational story: Jo Cantle: “My weight loss journey”

I am delighted to be able to share Jo’s story with you as this is probably one of the most inspirational stories I have come across as Jo has put so much thought into this in order to really inspire those that are ready to take action. She has shared not only her results and how she achieved it, but the entire mind set one needs to have to achieve long term weight loss and health. Thank you so much for allowing me to share your story, Jo, you are an inspiration on many different levels and your determination will never fail you!

(‘Not to be copied without prior permission’)

“I’ve written this for information purposes only and hope that it may help or inspire others to take action. Plus it has always been a personal goal of mine to write my own weight loss testimonial, like I’ve read and admired in so many magazines over the years that I’ve been trying to lose weight.

I have been overweight for as long as I can remember and always would have described myself as ‘the wrong side of slim’ as I was always the slightly bigger one than my friends at school. When I was 7 my parents moved my sisters and I from Birmingham to Weston-super-Mare, where they bought a business….a General Stores called The Chocolate Box – so it was mainly sweets they sold, as you can imagine for a 7 year old – I was literally a ‘kid in a candy store’ and I feel that this was possibly where my weight issues developed.

As I got older and became aware of being larger I of course tried various ways to control my weight, although I’m happy to say, that I was always sensible enough (or was that I just liked my food too much) that I didn’t go the dodgy route of starving myself or purchasing unsafe pills etc – my first real diet that I can remember was at 14 where I think I lost about 7lbs and felt fabulous – however it soon came back on and then what followed for the next 10+ years was some serious yo-yo dieting.

While at Art College, I ate and drank all the wrong stuff as many students do. I ate on the run and drank copious amounts of alcohol and knew little about a healthy diet and continued that style of eating after I left college and moved back to Weston with my husband Colin.

Once in Weston my weight steadily progressed up to a size 22. My husband is naturally quite slim and seems to be able to eat a lot (however I have studied his eating patterns and actually what he does is manage his weight naturally through eating when he’s hungry – now there’s a revelation!). Anyway, I used to match his portions and ate what he did and I got steadily bigger. By the age of 26 I was at my biggest and my doctor was warning me about high blood pressure – having lost my Dad 4 years earlier to a heart attack, I knew I had to take control of my lifestyle.

Colin & I decided to get married in 1998 and I was determined not to be a fat bride, so I joined a club and lost 5 stone – looking back it was not the programme, it was my determination that helped me succeed. I do remember feeling hungry most of the time, which caused a ricochet effect once the wedding was over, as I then made up for the lack of eating during the previous year by making sure I ate everything and proceeded to regain 3 stone.

One positive thing that came from that programme was I became seriously passionate about exercise – in particular running, and had trained myself from running for 5 mins around the block (and then collapsing in a heap) to running over 10 miles at a time. So we then set ourselves a target of running the London Marathon which we did in 1999 in just over 5 hours. This controlled my weight gain to a certain extent, but as any avid runner knows, they advise you carb-load prior to long races – and if you continue to carb-load after racing (which I did) – you gain weight!

Fast forward to 2002 – I was probably at the end of my tether with my weight and certainly an emotional low point, I had tried hypnosis, magazine plan after plan, I had a pile of diet books each discarded as I felt hungry, tired and just completely fed up and really felt I was destined to be fat all my life. I had also become an Aerobics Instructor – but as my eating was all wrong – I was never going to be the shape and size I really dreamed of being.

It was at this point I went searching not for a weight loss solution one day, but a work from home solution, as I was in a personal situation which meant I had to find a way to make more income. This is when I came across Herbalife, now I was very sceptical because it was something that I hadn’t considered before, but once I understood that it was a programme that was built on a very sound nutritional philosophy of over 20 years – it made sense to join the company and use the programme.

So I got started on the programme at which point I was a size 18/20 – within a month I had dropped to a size 16 (sometimes 14 depending on where I shopped). I continued to use the products for weight management, good health and sports nutrition, but the truth is, I got too relaxed with my result and was so busy running our business I forgot that my results ARE my business. Colin & I are fortunate to be asked to be guest speakers and train quite a lot at the Herbalife seminars and when you’re up on stage – you are a representative of the brand, and I was not confident that I was representing the brand that I’m so very proud of.

So in August last year I took some steps to correct this…here is my 4 point plan.

1) I made a decision to lose 30lbs, I didn’t have a time scale in mind, but I knew I wanted to lose 30 lbs and I had also been inspired by friend & fellow distributor Tina Garrett-Clarke who I’d seen lose over 49lbs the previous year (and she’s a Mum of 4, so if she could do it I could too!)

2) I visualised my outcome by getting pictures of bodyshapes I could aspire to and pasting my head onto them, and also wrote out some positive statements.

3) I worked out a plan for myself based on all the knowledge that I have about protein, carbs, calories, exercise and water. I used the Herbalife products (Formula 1, 2 and the Thermo Beverage + others as it makes it easier than trying to work it all out for yourself – this way it was done for me!)

4) I gave myself accountability in the form of agreeing with my dear friends Ian & Karen Goulding that we would set ourselves a challenge and over a 12 week period we emailed each week our results. We then started another 12 week stint straight after.

By Christmas I’d lost over 25lbs and then Christmas, New Year and my birthday got in the way and I ‘relaxed’ a bit – but due to the plan I was following and the control that the Herbalife programme gives me I only regained about 2lbs.

I’ve just got started with a 6 week Distributor Weight Loss Challenge, which is keeping me on track. So I’ve now lost over 2 stone and 55 cms – and I’m fitter and healthier than I’ve ever been.

I’ve increased my exercise as I also had given myself a target of competing in the 2009 London Triathlon with one of my team members, Becky Reeve, and I’m doing the running section which I want to complete in a respectable time So I run or go to the gym 4-5xs per week – which I just LOVE!

Key Things I’ve learned – Which I Hope will Help Others….

1) Loving yourself is one of the biggest gifts you can give to yourself and those around you – and if you’re not sure where to start then I recommend Louise Hay “You Can Heal Your Life”

2) Change starts with making a decision and backing it up with a plan of action

3) Giving yourself accountability is important to help you in those times when you feel like giving up (that’s why we do follow up with our clients)

4) Guilt about eating something doesn’t serve you, it’s more likely to send you bingeing, so get over it, enjoy it and forgive yourself, and be better tomorrow.

5) Balance is the key, if I want to have a meal out or enjoy a slice of cake that my Mum has made, I’ll eat it, the Herbalife programme is designed that you can still do that and enjoy yourself.

6) You have to rethink your bodyshape and think of yourself as slim (hence the visualisation), because otherwise your brain will always sabotage your results, by returning you back to your original state of being overweight.

So thank you for reading, I hope you have found it of interest, I continue on my journey, but it’s now a highly enjoyable road, I now truly feel I will be slim for life!”

If you would like to contact Jo regarding her story, here are her contact details: Jo Cantle, Tel 07984 471 271, Email Address healthy_future@btinternet.com or visit her site at www.future-slim.com

The Power of Protein: Understanding Protein

Protein is the basic material of all living things. Our bodies are made up of 25% protein. Protein itself is made up of small building blocks called amino acids. There are nine essential amino acids, needed by the body for optimum function, and several non-essential but beneficial amino acids.

Recommendation for protein intake are often based on animal food sources such as meat, eggs and milk. However, a high consumption of animal protein often equals a high consumption of fat.

Soy, on the other hand, is the highest quality plant protein available. Soybeans are the only vegetable cource that contain complete protein. This means that soybeans provide all nine essential amino acids. And the quality is equal to that of milk, meat and egg protein, but with no extra fat. Soy protein is long-acting and slowly metabolised.

Whey protein provides amino acids and mixes well with milk to create smooth, creamy shakes. Whey protein is fast acting and quickly metabolised.

Why do we need protein?
We need protein to stay strong and healthy. If we don’t eat protein our bodies will steal it from our muscles and organs. In fact, protein is essential for the development of our muscles, which lead to an increase in the burning of calories. Our muscles could be described as “fat furnaces” as they keep our metabolism running high.

The Carbohydrate Confusion
Traditionally, we were taught that carbohydrates should provide our body with its primary supply of energy. However, many people have confused fast-releasing carbohydrates (pasta, cakes) and slow releasing carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables), eating too many of the former – the tempting, convenient, tasty variety! Most of us lead sedentary lives, so any excess energy (from carbohydrate-rich food) is stored as body fat.

Today’s over-consumption of fast-releasing carbohydrates on a daily basis is creating a global population of “overweight” carbohydrate-eaters!

Our bodies need a balanced diet for optimum health. The right daily intake of protein, carbohydrates and fats are determining factors when we try to achieve optimum health and weight.

It makes sense then to reduce your carbohydrate intake, choose “good “unsaturated” fats that provide research-proven health benefits, ensure you eat plenty of fresh wholefoods such as fruit and vegetables, and increae your protein intake in line with your body’s needs. Remember to use lean protein that does not contain significant levels of fat.

Protein helps to satisfy!
When you eat a balanced diet with the right balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates for your body, your appetite is also satisfied, reducing the desire to snack!

See how well this method works for you if you are trying to lose weight while battling hunger-pangs between meals:

1. Optimise you protein and nutritional intake with Formula 1 and lose weight!
2. Choose slow-releasing carbohydrates foods (whole grains)
3. Increase you intake of “live” foods (fresh fruit and vegetables)
4. Eat regular meals spaced throughout the day
5. Identify your body’s protein needs and consume the amount you need!

How much protein do you need?
On average:
• Women need 100g protein per day
• Men need 150g protein per day

Soy! All the goodness of high quality protein, with minimal fat!
Soy protein is one of the highest quality plant proteins available. It is an excellent source of amino acids, in addition to containing antioxidants.

Herbalife’s Personalised Protein Powder or Formula 3 helps you to match your ideal personal protein intake in line with your body’s needs. Its neutral flavour means you can add it to your Formula 1 nutritional meal replacement shake!

Personalised Protein Powder supplies a special blend of whey and soy proteins, and allows you to customise your diet with the right amount of protein, and minimal additional calories. Each 6g serving contains 5g of protein.

How do I include protein in my diet?
If your target protein intake is 100g per day, here is an example of how you can consume 100g every day:

Breakfast: Any flavour Formula 1 Nutritional Meal Replacement Shake with2 scoops of Formula 3 (Personalised Protein Powder (29g)
Lunch: Any flavour Formula 1 Nutritional Meal Replacement Shake with2 scoops of Formula 3 (Personalised Protein Powder (29g)
Snack: Herbalife’s chocolate covered Protein Bar (12g)
Dinner: Balanced Meal with lean chicken, wholegrain rice, vegetables and salad (30g)

Total protein: 100g

If one needs over 100g of protein per day, you can have additional 1-2 protein snacks: choose from our Protein Bars of Soy Beans (12g of protein per serving) and you can also add an extra spoon of protein powder to your shake or meal.

Formula 1 Nutritional Meal Replacement Shakes are loaded with heart-healthy protein. They include essential vitamins and minerals to provide all the nutrition of a meal with a minimum of calories.

Herbalife Dispels Five Myths about Metabolism…

LOS ANGELES: (BUSINESS WIRE): Jan. 15, 2009: We often blame ’slow metabolism’ for our inability to keep our weight under control. But what is metabolism, exactly? And, is there anything we can do to change our metabolic rate?

“Metabolism refers to all the chemical processes that take place in the body in order to sustain life – processes that allow you to breathe, pump blood, keep your brain functioning and extract energy from your food,” says Susan Bowerman, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D. and a consultant to Herbalife. “Your basal metabolic rate refers to the number of calories your body uses each day, at rest, just to keep all your vital organs functioning.”

The metabolic rate is directly related to your body composition. Every pound of body fat you have burns only about 2 calories a day. But the rest of you – your lean body mass – burns about 14 calories per pound each day. A big portion of your lean body mass is made up of muscle, so one of the best things you can do to boost your metabolic rate is to build up muscle through strength training. And, make sure to take in adequate protein from the diet, which helps to build and maintain lean muscle, too.

Here are the facts surround five myths about metabolism:

Myth: Aging slows your metabolism.

Truth: People do tend to put on weight as they get older – but it’s typically because they tend to exercise less, or less vigorously, than they used to – and that means fewer calories burned per day. As a result, loss of muscle mass can occur which reduces the body’s lean body mass – which results in a slower metabolic rate. Cardiovascular exercise to burn calories and strength training to preserve or build up muscle are great defenses against age-related weight gain.

Myth: You’re stuck with the metabolism you have and you can’t change it.

Truth: While it may appear that there are people who eat all the time and never seem to gain, chances are they make healthy, relatively low calorie selections naturally. Many of these “lucky” people also burn more calories simply because they move more – they might fidget more, or get up from their desks frequently during the day to stretch, or walk down the hall to talk to a colleague instead of e-mailing. So, once you’ve made the commitment to boost your metabolism by building more muscle, use those muscles more by moving around frequently throughout the day.

Myth: You burn more calories digesting ice-cold foods and beverages than foods that are room temperature or warmer.

Truth: In a laboratory, very slight increases in calorie burn have been measured in people who drink very cold beverages. But the change is too small (amounting to about 10 more calories burned per day) to have any meaningful impact on weight loss.

Myth: If you cut calories, your metabolic rate will slow down, so what’s the point?

Truth: It is true that your metabolic rate can slow a bit when you cut calories – your body’s natural inclination is to try to conserve calories as best it can. But, these decreases are relatively small, and if you become more active as you lose weight, you can offset these small changes. With a combination of diet AND exercise, you can help to preserve the rate at which your body burns calories.

Myth: If you stop eating at night, when your metabolism is slower, you’ll lose more weight.

Truth: When people lose weight because they stop eating after a certain time of day, it’s only because they’ve cut their overall calorie consumption – not because they are eating their calories earlier in the day. Consuming all your calories before the sun goes down won’t speed up your weight loss unless you also eat fewer calories than you need.

Source: Herbalife Ltd., press release

Should New Year Diets come with a health warning?

flu

I have recently come across an article from The Daily Mail advising that one should wait until spring before losing weight as the latest research suggests that “having a healthy appetite in the winter protects against flu” and the article further suggests that New Year Diets are not just bad for your health, but for your spirits too. Hmmmm, I thought, how very interesting, I could not resist to comment.

Well, the research from Michigan State University supports the popular idea that nourishing winter meals can stave off colds and bugs and it suggests that having a body ready to fight a virus will lead to a faster recovery and less severe effect and that we need the reserves so our body is ready for any additional stress, including fighting a virus.

The researchers believe that cutting down on food impairs the immune system and reduces the production of antibodies to fight infection and say the findings, based on the study on mice, also apply to people – and that eating sensibly in the flu season can protect against viruses.

So, is this just a lot of nonsense? Well, depends on how you read it. To many who do indeed need to lose weight, I am afraid that this might just give another excuse to prolong overeating as, while research is pretty clear, I do not think that the message is.

What the article is not clear about is that “diets” do not need to mean that one needs to starve to lose the weight. Diets that they refer to where calories are cut by 60% should be out of the question at any time during the entire year.

Of course those diets will weaken your body in the same way as having a “healthy appetite” suggested in the article can too weaken your body as it is not about a “healthy appetite” but “healthy eating” full stop. This actually could make a lot sense if people indeed are looking after their diet and their weight during the entire year by living on more wholesome, fresh and cooked-from-scratch meals. It is quite easy to eat a nourishing balanced diet and also stay healthy and slim.

Statistics show that 90% of American diet is processed food and us Britons can not be far behind as the majority of the population in the UK (that also happens to be overweight, surprise, surprise) also lives on processed foods.

When it comes to calorie restricted diets, the truth is – if you cut the amount of food that you eat, you also cut on the nutrition your body gets. Meal Replacements are ideal way to control your weight without compromising on nutrition, but not all of them are created equal as majority, especially those bought across the counter, i.e. in the shops, not to mention any brands, while they will indeed reduce your calorie intake, they will not be able to nourish you properly and, therefore, are not a long term solution.

I personally enjoy nourishing and absolutely delicious Herbalife’s meal replacement shake for breakfast. I have been doing it for over 4 years now, since August 2004, virtually without exception. It has about 300 calories with all the fruit that I add to it and it has a perfect balance of nutrients, i.e. carbs, protein, fibre and fats are all in perfect balance with 23 different minerals and vitamins also added. My young children enjoy them too with their meals.

I enjoy the shake for dinner too on most evenings and will tuck into a regular, balanced meal during the day with a couple of snacks mid morning and afternoon. I also supplement using highest quality supplements, from Herbalife naturally, and my diet is still around 1700 calories per day minimum, which helps me to control my weight with no stress or much effort, but, more importantly, I hardly get sick.

This winter in particular, while flu epidemic is all around me, I do not think I even sneezed once. Actually, friends will know that I am not even avoiding to give them a good hug despite them being completely stuffed, as I know just how strong my body is. I am very grateful for my health, but I know it is not an accident.

Now, it is a whole new year, a new year that has enormous possibilities of a better life for you and your loved ones. For abundant success. For turning the tide against the negative impacts of last year. My wish to you is your best health ever and your weight is absolutely crucial to how you manifest great health, therefore, remaining overweight is not the path to feeling fit and fabulous! But, please do take caution… many weight loss methods can indeed compromise your health. So, educate yourself on healthy eating and make it your priority as health indeed is your biggest wealth. You owe it to yourself!

So, make this year count! Let this year be the one when you will shed last year’s body and make it one of the greatest years of your life!

Waistline – the best guide to good health and the best indicator of premature death risks!

It has been a while since research has proven that person’s waistline is the most important measure of person’s health. So, the bathroom scales no longer can give us the whole picture. At the same time, Body Max Index can be quite a meaningless measure too and, as tens of thousands of people a year die from obesity related diseases, it seems important to look into the health risk factors…
Doctors have long known that the more weight a person gains, the higher their risk of a heart attack. The first large-scale international study of abdominal obesity has found that a tape measure indeed is a better guide to the risk of heart disease. The risks associated with increasing waists held across all populations, despite the widely varying waist sizes among the 168,000 people who took part. The study was conducted by 6000 family doctors across the globe. Although people in Far Eastern populations have smaller waists on average than those in the West, their risk of heart disease increased at the same rate as they put extra inches.

Body Mass Index, which is a ratio of person’s height and weight, does not take into account the wide variations in person’s shape. American footballers weighing upwards of 300lbs may cross the boundary for obesity as measured by their BMI, but be healthy because they carry most of their weight as muscle rather than fat.

The type of fat and where it accumulates is more important than the amount. Excess weight around the stomach is more harmful then when deposited in other parts of the body, such as legs and hips. Fat deposits deep inside the abdomen, which is seen in an expanding waist, secrets toxins into the blood stream, raises cholesterol and increases the body’s resistance to insulin, essential for controlling blood sugar. A rise in insulin resistance means the pancreas has to produce extra insulin, which can damage other organs, such as the kidneys. Also, fat around waist secretes messenger molecules, compounds and hormones that contribute to heart disease and cancer.

Latest research has found that for every two inches you add to your waistline, you increase your chances of dying early. For every 2 inches (5 centimetres) increase in waist size, the risk of premature death rises by 17% in men and 13% in women, even if you are not classed as overweight.

Two people can both weigh 70 kilos and have the same height, but larger waist circumference in one of them will point to a larger ratio of body fat to body’s muscle mass and, therefore, a larger health risk, despite Body Mass Index being the same for both of them and perhaps even showing a normal weight according to BMI scores. Actually, the study of 350,000 people with normal BMIs of 18 to 25 shows waist size is just as important. People who have slim waists in relation to their hips also lived longer.

Men whose bellies measure more than 47.2 inches double their chances of early death compared to those with less than 31.5 inches round the middle.

Women with waist larger than 39.4 inches are the highest risk compared to those of less than 25.6 inches.

To measure your Waist, you need to follow these instructions:

Press your fingers into your torso near the right side of your waist. Push your fingers into your skin to find the bony pelvis. Keep pushing and moving your fingers along the edge of the hip bone until you find the top curve of the bone. The highest point will be located on the side of your torso, just underneath the lower portion of your ribcage. Generally, this spot will be at around the same level as your bellybutton, and near, or at, the narrowest part of your torso. Position the tape measure horizontally at this spot at the top of your hip bone. Then circle it around your abdomen and entire torso. Make sure that the tape lies horizontal on all sides of your torso. Breathe out when you take measurement, i.e., do not tuck in your tummy…

Now that you have measured it, here is where you can use this measurement to get your Free Instant Body Fat Analysis and see how you can lose those inches.

Bianca-Trish Edgar’s Story: “My weight loss journey… so far!” Story of 230 lbs weight loss & still counting!

I have learnt only recently about Bianca-Trish’s incredible weight loss journey and was honoured that she agreed for me to share her story. Her weight loss is truly remarkable and she truly is one amazing lady! Having already lost 230 lbs on Herbalife Programme, her journey continues as she fights the remaining 120 lbs. I was delighted to get news this morning that she has lost further 5 lbs last week, which is total of 10 lbs loss in three weeks, since she started her “The Last 120 lbs” journey! Read her story from the start and what motivated her to change her life around… and, Bianca, thank you so much for sharing!

“Ever since I was a little girl around the age of 9 I have suffered from Bulimia Nervosa the eating disorder. I have been overweight all my life and went through extreme bullying right from nursery school through to high school, college and into the work place. To the point I tried to end my life 6 times in my teens, I found it extremely hard dealing with school, and social environments for over 17 years.

I was classed as clinically obese at only 11 and told I would not be able to have children easily because of Pcos when I was just 16. The only thing that has ever made me feel good about myself has been my music. I have loved singing, writing songs and poetry for as long as I can remember and doing this gave me a sense of security as you can now see music… no one can ridicule you if they do not see you! That is what I thought anyway.

When I was 18, I moved 150 miles away to South Devon with no friends or family. I felt scared, alone, isolated and very depressed. I worked very part time at a local CO-OP 5 minute walk away, yet physically I could not walk up and down stairs let alone down the hill to the supermarket where I would pack shelves. So I would take a taxi twice a day spending nearly as much as I earned.

I was the biggest I have ever been weighing 29 Stone and wore a 38 dress size, I had many health issues including osteoarthritis, IBS, PCOS, Manic Depression, extreme menstrual cramps.

One of the days after writing a new song I decided to take the plounge and send a demo tape off to some producers in the area. The following day to my surprise I had a phone call from an excited producer who was based over an hour away. He asked me to go as soon as I could down to the studio to record as he said I had a lot of potential. So, I took the day off work, travelled to the studio and was thinking that I could FINALLY be getting my break. My life may finally have meaning.

I walked up the path and knocked on the door shaking, I was so anxious and excited at the same time. When he opened the door and realised who I was, he looked at me up and down then laughed in my face as he said “I won’t sign you, You’re TOO FAT!” and he slammed the door. I was heart broken, I didn’t know what to do, I froze, I felt like my world was crumbling down around me and I could not even run round to my mums house.

I went back to my apartment with the intention to finish things once and for all. I sat looking at photographs and starting thinking about my mum and the amazing things she had achieved with Herbalife. My phone rang and it was my mum, I started to cry and begged her for help. She sent some products and I started them straight away.

I felt the difference in my energy after only 2-3 days, I even walked to work. It felt amazing. I lost an incredible 150 lbs and many dress sizes. Today, after taking a 5 year break to have my TWO CHILDREN after being told I would be able to naturally and getting engaged to my fiancé Mark. I have been back on the products since December 2007 and have lost 80 lbs since then. So, in total, I have lost 230 lbs and still counting and an amazing 12 dress sizes. I have hope and excitement for the direction my life is going and I want to help as many people as I can to achieve their dreams and inspire people to believe! “If You Can Dream It, You Can Achieve It” and that is the true power of Herbalife!

You can follow Bianca’s story at her sites:
www.thelast120lbs.com
www.youtube.com/thelast120lbs
www.thelast120lbs.blogspot.com
And there is also her FaceBook group TheLast120lbs

What Bianca’s story shows is not just the power of our incredible Herbalife products, as I know how magnificent they are, but her determination, her spirit and the fact how crippling the effects of obesity are and how there must be many people like Bianca used to be that suffer in silence, feel they are marginalized (and probably they are), discriminated against and who do not know how to turn their life around.

It is true that sometimes it needs to get worse before it gets better. I hope her story will reach many who lost hope and who need to believe that their life can indeed change around! I admire Bianca as it must have taken an incredible mental strenght to achieve what she has to date!

Please help me share her story and forward it to whoever you think may need the glimmer of hope and inspiration! Please let me know if you have Herbalife story you would like me to share with the world! We can do it together!

Diets to Avoid

Weight loss takes time and patience, and while it’s tempting to join in the latest get-slim-quick fad diet, it’s far better to take an educated, practical approach. As we have seen on the ITV’s programme last week, Anne W. Versus The Diets Industry, just because a diet makes headlines or a celebrity has success with it, it does not make it a healthy diet.

Fad diet disasters may promote quick weight loss, but they will also cause even quicker weight gain—or put your health in serious jeopardy. A good rule to follow is to steer clear of any diet or eating plan that requires you to:

Shun an entire food group

Eat less than 1,200 calories per day

Restrict your ability to find substitutes or selections outside the framework of the diet

Fast

A healthy weight loss programme should promote a long term health and you should be able to sustain it for the rest of your life, not just as some quick fix until you lost the unwanted pounds. Once you see how good it feels to eat healthily, you will be naturally choosing healthy options and food that make you feel good.

You will know that you are on an unhealthy diet if you:

Have no energy: Nutrient deprived fad diets do not have enough nutrition to feed your body properly and you will really feel deprived and it may effect your moods, skin, etc.

Feel hungry all the time: If you are on a diet that is not nutritionally balanced and does not offer you the right balance of lean protein and fibre, you will feel hungry. Also, there is a danger, if you are still eating less calories than what you are burning, that the weight loss achieved will be some of your muscle mass, which can be a serious problem. Loss in muscle mass causes metabolism to slow down and you could soon start experiencing that you are putting on all the weight that you have lost, or even more. Avoid becoming a yo-yo dieter!

Lose more than 2 lbs of weight per week for a long period: In the beginning of any programme you may lose a few pounds in the first few week or two as you are losing some water, however, do not go for diets that promise, as an example, 2 lbs loss per day or 7 lbs loss per week over a month or even longer as you are more likely to be on a fad diet and weight lost will be mainly your muscle mass.

Easier said than done, but, try not to approach dieting out of desperation as desperation sometimes calls for desperate measures. Make a decision that you want to change your lifestyle and start eating healthily for life, not just to slim down for that holiday or for that wedding. That is OK too, however, it is your health that is in question, not just your looks, and long term commitment to your health and weight will help you sustain your weight for life.

Do your research on nutrition and find a programme that offers support, that is nutritionally balanced and that you feel you would be able to sustain for a long time, for life, ideally. And then, take it one day at the time. Good luck!

If you want to see how Herbalife could fit into your life and nutritional, personalised solutions that we have on offer, you can try one of our sample packs. Order your sample pack online at www.wellness-zing.org/sample, Call Sanela on 01225 313 218 or TEXT ‘Sample’ to 07737053498.

Here are some related articles that may be of help:

Dangers of crash dieting: protein – hunger connection

Fad diets – what are they?

Top Ten Weight Loss Tips – based on scientific evidence

More Weight Management Articles

Anne Widdecombe Versus The Diet Industry: "Diets Do Not Work"

I have just watched Anne Widdecombe’s Diet’s Don’t Work programme on ITV, which inspired me to write this. Anne is an ex-member of Parliament who is well known for occasionally stirring up controversy with her words and policies.

She took part in the ITV’s programme Celebrity Fit Club in 2002, so, failed dieter herself, I am not surprised she took on this challenge of questioning diets that currently exist, what they do to our health, then fashion and media industry’s influence on our self image and impact that distorted self image can have on our health and weight.

Statistically, most of the deaths from mental illnesses come from anorexia (20%) and 70% of the teenagers have body image disturbance, which is rather worrying. Those are easily obese or anorexic of the future. Either way, future does not look bright.

Anne took no prisoners on the show. She has portrayed a problem that is quite real and is on increase in today’s society. Anne has shown us examples of people following all sorts of diets: cabbage soup diet, rice cake diet, shake meal replacement diet with under 500 calories per day, juice diet, LA’s 24 hr Miracle diet offering 5lbs loss per day, cookie diet as well as more mainstream diets such as Weight Watchers, Lighter Life, Slimming World, etc., you name it, they were all there (or where they?).

Well, none of the diets shown are nutritionally balanced as some hardly offer any complex carbs or protein which will result in a muscle mass loss; some do not offer enough calories at all, which will have impact on energy levels, skin appearance, and, actually, rapid drop in energy intake can be quite dangerous.

You might think that it is all a common sense and those people are just plain mad, but Anne might have pin pointed the problem, which is partly down to the multi billion worth diet industry as a whole that perhaps needs to take some responsibility as some diets shown would not be approved by any medical profession, so, why do they exist and are allowed to be promoted?

Second part of the problem are fashion magazines and media that create almost an obsession with dieting as they firstly promote unchecked and totally fad diets (Lose 7 lbs in a week!, as an example) and they promote hardly realistic picture – hardly anyone who is size 12, never mind average size 16! They would virtually print anything for money and that looks pretty=skinny! Of course 18-year-old will believe that Jordan has lost all her pregnancy weight on a juice diet! (What?!)

I actually really felt sorry for all those dieters on the programme who have seen their weight soaring by pounds or stones since they initially attempted dieting. Nearly everyone had gained weight back on and more. And they go back to dieting and the vicious circle continues. Typical yo-yo effect! I am not surprised they are frustrated, miserable and fed up!

What happens with our bodies on fad and starvation diets – we starve it from crucial nutrients, your body goes into starvation mode and, as a result, you lose muscle mass and energy, your metabolism slows down, or even shuts down, and, once you go back to normal eating, you can be sure that you will put everything back on as it simply is not the same body any more, it is unable to burn energy effectively.

I totally agree with Anne, that diet and media industries certainly have a lot to answer for as they sell a dream that it is impossible to live up to!

The only thing is, Diets DO work, and that is where Anne and I would obviously not agree. Not all diets are created equal! I am not sure whether Anne is aware of Herbalife, whether she would have patience and will to see the full picture as she did seem fed up on the show and her mind seemed to be already quite made up that all diets are indeed created equal and that they simply do not work. In any case, it is a shame, as programme perhaps left viewers in despair that we all are some rouge traders and want to cash in on their desparation to look fit and healthy. That, perhaps, makes it even more entertaining!

In any case, what I can say with certainty, is that Herbalife is one unique weight management programme out there and, after all, a market leader in weight management for a particular reason: it offers exactly the opposite from any of the above mentioned diets: optimally balanced and cellular nutrition, with a minimum of 1200 calories per day, antioxidant support and personalised programme to ensure strictly fat loss, without compromising on nutrition, which results in a healthier body with more energy and vitality. Herbalife promotes healthy and active lifestyle. Herbalife shakes even my children consume and adore, so, it is hardly a diet, it indeed is a way of life!

Herbalife has been around for nearly 30 years and has been a pioneer then and it seems still to be leading the game. Others smart enough might just follow suit (well, funny enough, Atkins has been relaunched offering nutritional shakes and protein bars – sounds familiar???), however, our 30 years of experience, 45 million customers worldwide and calibre of doctors and nutritional and medical experts that Herbalife has are facts that are hard to beat, but, I am sure, we would welcome anyone who actually takes responsibility and offers a real solution to a real problem.

Until then, we have a lot of job to do – to change nutritional habits of the world and we can only do it one person at the time!

Is this you? Here are healthy solutions to some of your common questions…

Here are solutions to some common questions when it comes to food and diet. A lot of people survive on nutritionally poor diet and find it very difficult to break the cycle. I do believe that healthy eating and making a healthy choice is yet another habit that needs to be exercised every single day until you naturally choose the food that make you feel good. Changes that your body would experience as a result could simply amaze you. Hope this helps…

“I don’t eat breakfast/ I don’t eat lunch”

If you miss breakfast and don’t eat for longer than 13 hours, your body starts to fast and the metabolism slows to conserve energy. You are also more likely to snack on something unhealthy later in the day and overeat in the evening. The Formula 1 Nutritional Shake takes under a minute to prepare and provides a balanced, nutritious and delicious breakfast. It is digested and assimilated by the body with ease, making it the perfect fast food! We call it Intelligent Nutrition! For complete control, try our Basic Wellness Programme

“I eat too many carbs”

Cereals and toast for breakfast, a jacket potatoes for lunch, pasta for dinner and carb based snacks such as rice cakes, cereal bars and chocolate during the day. If your diet is almost all carbs, you have no nutrition going into your body and any excess energy from carbohydrate food is stored as fat. Instead focus on getting protein into every meal. But if you tried to get all the protein you need from foods such as meats, you would consume too many fat and calories. Our Formula 1 Nutritional Shake is a perfectly balanced fix together with our healthy Protein Snacks.

“I crave carbohydrates and sugary snacks”

Too many carbs in your main meals and then “topping up” with carb based snacks as well? Consider how carbohydrate-rich food generates a rapid rise in blood glucose and therefore swings in blood sugar levels. And how insulin works as a storage hormone. As above, look at the balance of carbohydrate and protein in your diet. Our Basic Wellness Programme is a perfect solution as it is nutritionally balanced, it will balance your sugar levels and stop cravings for unhealthy foods as your body will be fully satisfied. And get a balance between fruit, vegetable and Protein Snacks. Restrict carb based snacks such as rice cakes, cookies and cereal bars.

“I eat 3 meals a day and lots of snacks”

If you are consuming too many calories each day and eat the wrong kind of foods: too many processed and fast foods empty of nutritional value, too many carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta – you will, without doubt put on weight. Use the Basic Wellness Programme to control your calorie intake without hunger. And get a balance between fruit, vegetable and Protein Snacks. This programme helps you to increase your nutritional intake in contrast to conventional diets which reduce it.

“I snack on fruit all day”

Yes, fruit is a healthy snack, but not an alternative to a balanced meal that includes protein. Focus on getting protein into every meal by balancing it with carbs, fibre and fat. Try using the Basic Wellness Programme. And get a balance between fruit, vegetable and Protein Snacks.

“I’m too busy”

If you are too busy to think of the ideal balance of every meal, Herbalife takes care of two meals and give you easy to follow guidance for the third. Gradually change your eating habits, as you lose weight, so that you can keep the weight off permanently. Our Basic Wellness Programme is a perfect healthy solution for those on the go.

“I have low energy”

Food is fuel for the body. If you miss meals, do not drink enough water, eat foods with little nutritional value or consume sugary snacks with resulting “highs and lows” then this will affect your energy levels. If you always feel tired, try our Basic Wellness Programme to get back into the routine of eating three meals a day. Includes the high quality vitamin, mineral and herbal supplement Formula 2 that will help nourish and detox your body. “Feed” the body not “starve” it.

“I want to break my coffee-drinking habit”

Too much coffee can rob the body of essential nutrients and increase radical damage. And as a diuretic coffee doesn’t count as part of your daily water consumption. Do you struggle to drink 6-8 glasses of plain water a day? We have blended five fast-acting botanicals to create a herbal treat you can enjoy everyday. This Thermojetics Instant Herbal Beverage is kinder to your body than traditional beverages. Supplement your daily tea and coffee intake with this Herbal Beverage, an invigorating alternative packed with beneficial antioxidants. Each cup contains two thirds less caffeine than a cup of coffee, so you can reduce your caffeine intake and benefit your body with an herbal boost. Counts as part of daily water intake.

“I need something to replace fizzy drinks”

Fizzy drinks contain on average, six teaspoons of sugar in each can. Plain water is often the last option when choosing a drink, despite its importance to our well being. Fizzy and carbonated drinks do not allow the cells of our body to absorb nutrients correctly and can easily upset our body’s delicate infrastructure. The Thermojetics Instant Herbal Beverage provides a versatile alternative to traditional beverages, with an exhilarating low-calorie beverage. It supports body’s metabolism and can be taken hot or cold. I love it with a slice of lemon or cupful of Herbal Aloe Concentrate. Many clients will alternate between herbal beverage (“Thermo”) and plain water throughout the day.

“I plan to exercise”

Lack of good nutrition and lack of energy at the end of the working day often means than good intentions are not maintained beyond January! Drink the Thermojetics Instant Herbal Beverage cold on the way to the gym to provide you with extra get up and go. And use during exercise, added to your water bottle. Use the Basic Wellness Programme to provide your body with fantastic nutrition. Here is more information to help fitness minded individuals.

“I want something to support my weight management program”

Struggling to get through the day without giving into cravings and nagging hunger pains? Snacking habits i.e. mid morning and mid-afternoon. Carbohydrate cravings? Tired frequently due to excess body weight? You need a vitality boost? We have the latest science has to offer – Thermo Complete contains a selection of carefully chosen and blended herbs, which together provide a potent synergistic supplement designed to provide an invigorating boost. Without this product, weight management is ‘not total’! Take in between meals.

“I eat out a lot. I eat fatty foods”

Scientific and nutritional experts strongly advocate an increased consumption of dietary fibre and lower intake of fat and calories to help maintain good general health and regulate weight. Unfortunately, typical Western diets include fast food and tends to be high in fat and low in fibre-rich foods. Fibrebond is a unique blend of active fibres and sodium choleate that can help maintain the process of elimination and assist in the emulsification of fat for digestion. Take 30 mins before a meal high in fat e.g. trip to the Chinese/ Pizza. It deals with the fats we eat, not what is already on the body!

“I have dimpled skin/ excess water”

Dimpled skin forms when fatty tissues in certain parts of the body accumulate fluid and wastes. Herbal Complex Tablets with Vitamin C and Iron are designed to encourage smoother skin, maintaining an effective process of elimination.

“I tend to get indigestion and bloating”

Stress, coffee, cigarette smoke and poor eating habits can upset the stomach and impair digestion. Aloe Vera is undoubtedly one of nature’s greatest inventions. It supports your insides, gently by refreshing and cleansing. Use Herbal Aloe Concentrate on a daily basis and enjoy a real tonic!

“I’ve heard that exercise causes free radical damage, what can I do?”

Your body is exposed to free radicals daily from pollution, poor diet and tobacco smoke. Without an adequate supply of antioxidants, free radicals cause cellular damage, which can have a cumulative and harmful effect on your general health. The harder you exercise, the more antioxidants you need, so eat plenty of fresh, raw fruit and vegetables and take a good quality antioxidant product, Schizandra Plus is highly recommended.

Results of the latest weight loss study: High protein breakfast could aid weight loss

Eating more protein in the morning helps create the feeling of being full throughout the day and could help dieters lose weight, according to a new study. The timing of a meal is a key factor as a greater sense of fullness is experienced after a high protein breakfast compared to when more protein is eaten at lunch or dinner, the report published in the British Journal of Nutrition said.

Wayne W Campbell, PhD, the study author and professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University in the US, said: “There is a growing body of research which supports eating high-quality protein foods when dieting to maintain a sense of fullness. This study is particularly unique in that it looked at the timing of protein intake and reveals that when you consume more protein may be a critical piece of the equation.”

The Purdue study looked at overweight or obese men who ate a reduced calorie diet. The diet consisted of two variations of protein intakes, both which were within federal nutrition recommendations. The first was a normal protein intake (or 11-14 percent of calories) and the second was increased protein (or 18-25 percent of calories). The researchers tested the effect of consuming the additional protein at specific meals, breakfast, lunch or dinner, or spaced evenly throughout the day and they found that the feeling of fullness was greatest and most sustained throughout the day when the additional protein, from high-quality protein foods, from sources such as eggs and lean Canadian bacon, was eaten at breakfast. Other examples of high-quality protein foods include yogurt or low-fat dairy products such as cheese.

One is to argue that basis of this research resembles the Atkins Diet , which works for weight loss because of the same reason as they found – increase of protein. However, impact of calories (especially those coming from fat) when bacon, eggs and bagels are all consumed for breakfast, can be detrimental to health when consumed on a daily basis and more lean sources should be encouraged in order to promote healthy lifestyle as we all know by now that Atkins Diet is not a healthy diet.

A recent survey commissioned by Solae found that consumers increasingly seek filling breakfasts that release energy slowly, expanding opportunities for manufacturers of soy products. Meanwhile the Starbucks Coffee Company has just introduced the Power Protein Plate to its breakfast menus in the US and Canada. This combines an egg, a whole wheat bagel, peanut butter, cheese, and fresh fruit and contains 16 grams of protein (about one-third of an adults daily needs). Katie Thomson, registered dietitian and senior nutritionist at Starbucks want nutritious option including lean protein to help “fill them up and give them energy to make it to lunch”. Well on them for thinking of their customer’s health, however, bagels and peanut butter are hardly a lean protein and neither are cheese and eggs if consumed daily.

Keith Ayoob, a nutritionist and associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said: “It strikes me that there is a real opportunity to increase protein intake at breakfast to see a meaningful impact on people’s weight loss efforts.” Another Purdue University study published in a 2007 issue of Obesity, a scientific journal, revealed that a calorie-restricted diet with additional protein resulted in retained post-meal feelings of fullness and improved overall mood. This is more like it…

Also, Consumers increasingly seek filling breakfasts that release energy slowly, expanding opportunities for manufacturers of soy products, according to US-based Solae. “The relevance of soy protein, in particular to these needs, is its ability to deliver sustained energy and satiety benefits as a high-quality, plant-based protein,” said Jean Heggie, Solae director of marketing. “Consumers seeking the benefits of protein in the morning want to get those benefits in a low-fat and convenient format. Soy protein fits well in foods and beverages designed to deliver on those attributes. There is already widespread understanding and appreciation for the benefits of protein among consumers today. However, there remains opportunity to educate consumers about benefits of specific protein sources.” They are just trying to say that not all protein sources are created equal as those coming from red meat and animal sources, in general, should be replaced with plant based lean protein sources or fish as they contain less fat.

Proteins, such as those in soy, are well known for providing satiety – that is, making the consumer feel fuller for longer. However, slow release carbohydrates also boost satiety when compared to simple carbohydrates like sugar and white flour. This suggests that soy could be used in conjunction with whole grains to provide satiating breakfast cereals. Additionally, potassium content has been linked to lower blood pressure, and when using whole grain as the fibre source, a product can also provide satiety. Source: www.nutraingredients.com

Herbalife Solution: Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix has exact attributes of a breakfast and a meal in general that the above study supports.

It’s important to start the day the right way. Formula 1 is your perfect healthy breakfast to kick-start your day. A shake for breakfast, lunch or dinner provides the ideal blend of protein to help you feel fuller for longer to help you resist the temptation of unnecessary snacking. Formula 1 will provide you with the confidence that you are on track to reqard your body with the nutrition it deserves.

As one of our core products, the Formula 1 shake is ideal healthy meal for everyone! We have programmes available for people wanting a healthy breakfast, weight loss, weight gain and sports nutrition that build on this nutrition. Many people use a single shake for breakfast, just to ensure they are getting their basic nutrition every day!

Formula 1: A healthy meal

High in key vitamins and minerals to help you achieve your RDAs, including antioxidant vitamins A, C and E.
Less than 220 calories to help you control your caloric intake.
Naturally high in fibre to support healthy digestion.
Specially formulated with high quality soy protein to help you feel fuller for longer or help sustain your energy levels.
Available in six delicious flavours.
Keep going for longer!

Herbalife Formula 1 nutritional shakes combine complex carbohydrates with lean protein, which can keep you going for longer without feeling the need to snack!

Heart healthy soy protein

Research shows that 25 grams of soy protein per day as part of a diet low in saturated fats can help reduce blood cholesterol. A single shake provides you with 10.6 grams (in Cookies and Cream). To achieve the recommended intake of 25 grams, add an additional shake each day, and try supplementing with other Herbalife soy-based products like Formula 3 and other foods such as soy beans or tofu.

High in fibre

Dietary fibre can help speed the passage of food and assist with the removal of wastes and toxins. The high fibre content in formula 1 may help support a healthy digestive system as it contains an equivalent of 4 wholegrain toasts. To reach your daily recommended intake or 24 grams of fibre, supplement with other Herbalife fibre products like Fibrebond or Florafibre, or foods such as cereals, grains, fruit and vegetables.

Herbalife weight-management and nutrition programmes are intended for use as part of a healthy diet in conjunction with regular physical activity. It is important to maintain adequate fluid intake. Weight control is achieved with a calorie-controlled eating plan. Only Formula 1 can be used as a meal replacement for weight control, all other products are food supplements and supporting products.