Why The Scale Stopped Going Down

Summer has hit and you bought your new gym membership. You're going twice a week and thinking you're looking fine. You've lost a few pounds and are sure this trend will continue. But after a month, the scale has come to a slow...and stop. What's up? What happened? I thought those trainer sessions were going great! WTH?!

Let me let you in on a little secret: you're eating the same things you were before you started working out. You thought it didn't matter what you eat, as long as you're cranking out those reps. WRONG!

Of course you lost weight when you started moving more. Your body had to expend extra calories, but it's used to it now. Adaptation, isn't it a bitch?

Your body adapts to whatever you give it. That's why P90x was made so famous. It changes up the workout every day, every week, and every month. Your body has to keep burning more and more calories to try and keep up the changing need of energy. More and different muscles get used when you introduce variety into your workout. Don't do the same thing everyday, and don't eat the same thing everyday. Mix it up! Variety is the spice of life.

Back to food. You're not an olympic athlete, so you must eat healthy. You can't out-exercise a bad diet, no matter what you think. You must eat your fruits and veggies and I'm here to make them tasty. Stay tuned for Recipes of the Month.

It's not hard to change your diet. And it's not a 14 day, lose 7lbs diet. It's the food you eat daily diet. The food you will continue to eat the rest of your life. No, not egg whites for breakfast, salad for lunch, and grilled salmon for dinner diet - although that sounds yummy to me! But a style of eating that will keep you naturally thin. 

3 Easy Rules to Live By

1. Close to Nature: Eat as close to nature as possible. No, I don't mean go outside and have a picnic. I mean eat foods that are straight from the ground, tree, or animal. Forget the preservatives, chemicals, "natural" added flavors and colors.
2. Forget Health Claims: If it makes a claim, it's not healthy for you. Low Fat. Low Sugar. No Sugar Added. Does lettuce have this written on it leaves? No. Because everyone knows lettuce is healthy. It doesn't need to make a claim. If it's healthy for you, it most likely already has low fat and low sugar. If not, then eat a small portion. Don't deprive yourself, just have a little serving. ;) And that means a few bites! Not a bowlful.
3. Eat Produce-Organic If Possible: Got high cholesterol? Eat more plants. Got high triglycerides (fat in your blood)? Eat more plants. 
1. Hint: Plants raise your HDL (H for Healthy) and lower your LDL (L for Lousy). HDL and LDL are types of cholesterol. The HDL goes around your body and cleans out the bad junk in your arteries. Ever heard of good fats? Those are especially good at doing this job, like olive oil and avocados.

Getting There

Whoever told you being fit was easy lied.  Recipes for healthy food can be easy. Working out can be fun. But getting from Point A of "I don't like how I look" to Point B of "Wow, I'm proud of this body." is a hard journey. I'm still on it.

After 3 months of working out in various ways, trying multiple workouts, I wasn't getting the results I wanted. My arms and legs were responding, but my mid section was not. I started to cut my calorie intake to about 800 calories and burning about 600 calories a day. I figured I would get skinny and fit in a sinch...WRONG. Over-stressing your body will make it hold on so strong that you'll cry in frustration and wonder how the HECK is it not whittling away.

Well, I gave in. I let up. I stopped working SO hard (burning 400-600 calories per day) and started eating more (1500-1800 calories per day). And guess what happened!? My pooch started disappearing. My confidence started going up. I realized, like all things in life, you have to balance hard work and good food. Eat lots of grilled veggies, drink lots of water, and indulge in a bagel before doing super hard cardio. I'm on my way to an after picture for you, even though I don't like the title "After Picture." I think it should be called "Current Picture" because if you name something after it gives you the idea you've stopped. I'm not stopping. I'm forming a daily habit. Even on my upcoming getaway, I plan on working out at least an hour a day.

It's officially like sleeping; I need it or else I don't feel right.

Touring the Good Ol' USA

I'm going on a trip. Not just any trip, but a huge, long, discovery-filled, bucket-list, type of trip. I'm driving from California to New Hampshire with my lovely man and dog! We're moving to New Hampshire for work opportunities and to start our life on the East Coast. I'm stoked! 

Welcome to my new playground

You get the best part: experiencing our trip by reading my rants and seeing photos of all the fun places to go - without all the driving and expenses.  We're starting to book hotels now as we stress and freak over how much this is all going to cost. Luckily, I'm good with my mu-lah and have been saving for a rainy day... or should I say sunny summer trip. =]

I've got my certification to be a personal trainer under my belt and am working on my Fitness Nutrition Specialist certificate. I gotta say, I'm pumped to be working for a new gym/studio in a quaint little town. Growing up in Cali is not all that its cracked up to be. I've had my run with you California, but I'm ready to break new sand. See sunrises instead of sets. Venture into historical place instead of seeing construction and traffic.

Of course I'll miss being close to my immediate family, but everyone has to grow up and move away sometime, right? Well enjoy the written ride across the country with me, because I know I would love to read this adventure I'm about to embark on. 

Motivation Monday: Body Biased Fat Loss

Don't get discouraged when you realize you've been working out super hard, but still don't see a major difference in your six pack area. Every body responds differently exercise and stress.

Personally, my belly is the last to go...like most people. But why? First I notice my face thinning out, then in the following order: arms, legs, butt, boobs, stomach. My stomach, where I hold my stress, worries, insecurities, and waistband, insists on holding onto every last ounce of fat before letting go. My arms are toned. My calves are poppin'. My butt is smaller. And my breasts are firmer. My stomach is finally flatter, and gaining some tone on the top half, but the pooch refuses to surrender it's insulation. This is understandable to me because I know about cortisol, but I think most people exercising will wonder, "What the heck is going on?"

When we stress, cortisol (a stress hormone) is released, keeping us from losing that bottom layer of fat. The best we can do is eat 4-6 meals a day, keep our anxiety to a minimum, take rest days after hard sessions, and focus on the positive. Focus on how toned your other parts are becoming, and your tummy will follow suit soon. The most important thing to focus on is your diet. 

As I'm sure you've heard; abs are made in the kitchen. Get skinny with healthy food, get fit with the gym. So eat smaller meals more often to keep that fire kindling in your body. 

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) (Insanity, sprinting, etc.) also helps burn fat faster. The upside to the rest of your body getting toned is that your body composition is changing. The more muscle you have elsewhere, the more calories you are burning. So even though I don't have ridges down my front, the ridges down my back are helping them come out. 

Last Monday I challenged you with a 30 second plank. Today I challenge you mentally to look at the good, and believe the "bad" will be the good soon. Check out your guns, your calves, your face, whatever part(s) of you is the best, and savor all the hard work you put in.  

Hello Bicep :) 

Journey to Your Pot of Gold

There are specific skills one needs to live a healthy life; knowledge of quick and healthy recipes, an exercise routine, a stress-reducer, a motivator, social support, emotional support, etc.You might think it's just diet and exercise, and most of the time it is, but it takes a whole lot more to lead a happy life than simply losing weight and feeling sexy.

We all have boundaries and road blocks that keep us from living the life we truly want. 

Do you even know the life you truly want? Do you know your goals? A part of you might, but you may not fully be aware of it as you should be. That's why someone or something that comes along always wakes us up from the wool that has been over our eyes. We need to be autonomous of ourselves to really take charge and live our life. The one we see in our dreams. The one we draw in our doodles. The one we cut out of magazines. The one we pin on pinterest. The one we falsely update in our status message. The one we portray in our Facebook photos. But what's happening behind the scenes? Behind the social media screen?

My goal is to be that clout that slaps people awake and makes them achieve what they've always wanted. Let it be a healthier body, a happier soul, a dream job, or so on; I want to help you get there.
Of course, I'm on my own journey as well riding the colors of a very long double rainbow, but by helping others jump on their yellow brick road will help me reach my pot of gold.

What does your metaphorical "pot of gold" look like right now? Is it empty...?

Or are you jumping in head first?

Today I want you to think about what your dreams are. Truly think about it. Don't just pin it. Don't just Facebook it. Think about it away from your computer, Iphone, and Ipad. Look up at the sky, the sun, the moon, wherever you are. And start trying to make it happen. If you put the positive thoughts out there and set that world into motion, your goal will be closer than you ever imagined.

REPEAT AFTER ME,

"I Can Do This!"

12 Quick, Easy, Cheap and Healthy Meals

Many of these recipes will be semi-homemade and include products from Trader Joe's. I find TJ's to be one of the cheapest and best grocery stores around. And I'm sorry if you don't have one near. Many of these are made with a George Foreman grill (GF), toaster oven, and/or microwave. So grab one from Wal-mart and get cookin' healthy! *denotes vegan/vegan option.

1. Chick(e)n PizzaDilla (dee-yah)*
1. Heat a nonstick pan with 1 Tbsp Earth Balance. Place one whole wheat tortilla down. Cover with grilled chick(e)n and Daiya/light cheese. Spice up with oregano, garlic, and onion. Place second tortilla on top and press down with spatula. Once cheese is starting to melt, flip the dilla. It's done when crispy and melty. Cut into 6 pieces. Place a 1/2 cup of marinara on a plate and dip that hot thang!  Enjoy with a cup of spinach/fresh veggies on the side (cold or cooked).
2. Chick(e)n PitaDilla*
1. Cook up some Gardein chik'n scallopini or regular chicken on your GF grill. When that's done, heat up your Mediterranean Pita (90 calories each) until pliable. Place chick(e)n, 3 Tbsp hummus, a handful of spinach, and handful of Daiya or light cheese on one side of the pita. Fold in half and press down grill. It's done when the cheese is melting out and there are grill marks on your bread. 
1.  I make many versions of this, using whatever I have on hand. If I don't have one thing, I switch it out for another. No chicken? Use tofu/tempeh/mushrooms. No spinach? Use romaine/kale. No hummus? Use light mayo/sauce.
3. Veggies and Hummus*
1.  Heat up 4 mini-whole wheat pita pockets (TJ's) in toaster oven or GF grill for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, chop up: 1 bell pepper, 1 cucumber, & a handful of organic baby carrots. Enjoy with a 1/2 cup of organic hummus.
4. Miso Soup and Brown Rice*
1. Microwave a frozen rice packet (Trader Joe's has brown and wild mixed rice) for 3 minutes. Set aside. Place a cereal bowl in the microwave filled 3/4 of purified water for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, chop a green onion stalk into small rings. Square a half cup of tofu (preferably silken soft). Drop a tablespoon of miso paste in hot water and stir. Add in  tofu and green onions. Enjoy 1 cup of rice on the side with 1 Tbsp Earth Balance or mix it into the soup if you like it that way. 
5. Tofu Scramble*
1. Place chopped veggies such as bell peppers, green onions, tomatos, and mushrooms on a heated nonstick pan. Saute with a tsp of Earth Balance until soft. Spice up with garlic, onion, and paprika. Add in one box of silken soft tofu. Add one handful of Daiya cheese or light mozzarella/cheddar. Stir until cheese is melted throughout. Enjoy with a banana or chopped strawberries on the side. This meal is good anytime of the day! 
6. Tofu Edamame Nuggets
1. Buy frozen from Trader Joe's. Cook one serving in the toaster oven, on a small foil-lined pan for 5-8 minutes (or until cooked through). You will see them start to brown, and you'll know they're done. You could also cook these on the GF grill for less time. Enjoy with honey, ketchup, or your favorite "nugget" sauce. Have a salad on the side with a low-fat dressing. 
7. Spicy Arrabatia Pasta*
1. Buy frozen from Trader Joe's. Cook on stove top for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, toast up some fresh sourdough bread. Cover with 1 tsp organic Earth Balance, and a dash of each: garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.  
8. Chick(e)n Spinach Salad*
1. Grill up/heat up some Gardein/grilled chicken on a George Foreman or stove top. Place 2 cups organic spinach in a bowl. Top with chopped cucumber, bell pepper, and dried cranberries. Place cooked chick(e)n on top. Drizzle with favorite low-cal dressing. I use brown rice vinegar and miso paste, plus S+P. 
9. Wheat-Free Waffle Breakfast*
1. Buy frozen from Trader Joe's. Toast. Cover bottom one with a layer of sliced bananas.  Cover top one with organic Earth Balance and agave/maple syrup. Have yogurt and fresh fruit on the side. 
10. Black Bean Enchilada*
1. Buy frozen from Trader Joe's. Microwave for 4 minutes. Have a salad on the side.
11. Vegan Chick'n Parm*
1. Grill/heat 3 crispy chick'n strips. (I use my George Foreman grill) After crispy, but not cooked all the way through, take out and put on a plate. Cover with a handful of Daiya/light mozzarella and some organic tomato basil marinara. Cover with paper plate and microwave for 1 minute (or until cheese is melted). 
12. Thai Gyoza Miso Soup
1. Microwave a bowl of purified water and 3 Veggie Thai Gyoza for 3 minutes. When done, take out carefully with rag/oven mitt and place a Tbsp of miso paste. Stir. Optional: Add chopped tofu.  

Motivational Monday

I'm taking my test next week to become a Certified Personal Trainer. I've been studying since last December and am really excited to finally take this exam. The knowledge has accumulated in my brain and I'm ready to start sharing it with you, if that's okay.  

What is Motivational Monday? I want to motivate you to get up and do something. Move your body. Dance. Lift. Squat. Sit. No wait, don't sit unless it's a wall sit! I know you're sitting now reading this, but when you're done, try something with your body. 

Today's challenge is a:

 30 Second Low Plank

Looks easy enough right? 

Once you lift up, count 30 potatoes and rest by placing your knees down. Make sure to tighten your butt and pull your belly button towards your back (drawing in). If this is too easy, try raising one arm or one leg. Then try raising the opposite arm and leg at the same time! 

This exercise targets your local core stabilization muscles. These control posture and balance, along with the rest of your core. Best of all facts is that this exercise beats crunches. You are drawing in and tightening your whole body, challenging your balance, and activating 66% more muscle fibers. 

If you're truly motivated now, get up and go work out. Turn on some music and start moving your toosh. Have a great week! 

Vegan "Hershey's Cookies N' Cream" Bar

I've always loved white chocolate. I remember going to Trader Joe's as a kid and picking out these hunks of white chocolate amongst milk and dark. My favorite candy bar was the Hershey's Cookies N' Cream. It's white. It's creamy. It's oh-so-delicious. When I became lactose intolerant at 15, I could no longer have my precious ivory delight...until now! I came across this recipe on Pinterest and immediately ordered all the ingredients from amazon. After I made my first bar seen below, I knew I had to add oreos to make my childhood delight. The very next day I got a pack of Trader Joe O's and made this wonderful bar! And now I must restrain myself from making this all the time.  

This is the magic ingredient that makes this bar possible:

Cocoa Butter. 

Some use it as a moisturizer but it's the main ingredient in this candy! Of course this brand is certified food grade. Once you open the jar, you smell the sweet memorable smell of chocolate. 

I was surprised at how easy it was to make this! After gathering all the ingredients from Amazon and Mother's Market (the soy milk powder), I got to working. 

Here are the simple steps: 

(!Read all the way through before attempting!)

1. Use a fork or knife to break out 1/4 cup of cocoa butter. 
2. Microwave it in 45 second intervals until fully melted. Use a fork to stir it when you stop at each interval. It will take about 2-3 minutes to completely melt into a yellow oil. 
3. In the mean time, measure out all the ingredients like the picture you see above. (The vanilla bean paste, the milk powder, and the powdered sugar are all measured out.)
4. Once the oil is melted, use a sifter to quickly incorporate the powdered sugar into the oil, stirring the whole time and scraping down the sides. 
5. Add in the milk powder. 
6. The vanilla bean paste is cold so it will make the oil clump up. So make sure you VERY quickly stir it in LAST and then scrape the smooth mixture into the molds. The recipe only makes one bar, so double it if you want to fill your whole double-bar mold. 
7. For the Cookies N' Cream Version: Scrape the cream out of the middle of 2 oreo style cookies and place the sides in a ziploc bag. Crush the cookies into crumbs. Sprinkle some into the mold, place some of the white chocolate down, and then sprinkle some more. Don't stir it in because it will turn the bar brown. Use a butter knife or your finger to smooth the bottom of the bar.
8. Cover with parchment and foil and let sit in the fridge for two hours to firm up. 
9. Enjoy alone to get the best of the flavors, or use like you would any other white chocolate or candy bar!

Campfire S'mores Delight (Cocktail)

I had this amazingly tasty S'mores cocktail at the Chandelier bar in Las Vegas. Ever since that night, I've been wanting another one. After a week of searching for the ingredients, I recreated this drink!

It's not entirely vegan because of the marshmallows, but you can use Dandies in place. "_"

Ingredients for Two Drinks 
4 shots Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
4 shots Fluffed Mashmallow Smirnoff Vodka
1 shot Creme de Cacao
1 Tbsp Nesquik Chocolate Syrup (I just drizzled mine in.)
Handful of Ice

Graham Crackers, smashed into crumbs on a plate
4 Marshamallows
Two Skewers, cut in half



Shaker
Shot Glass
Agave Syrup
Paper Towel

Do It This Way 
1. Put a dab of agave on a folded paper towel.
2. Rim the glasses with a 1/2 inch of sticky goodness.
3. Dip the glasses in the crumbs.
4. Put ice into shaker.
5. Put all alcohol and chocolate syrup into shaker.
6. Shake what your mama gave you for 2-3 minutes. HINT: You want the ice to melt because otherwise it will be STRONG (my mistake).
7. Pour your drinks.
8. Skewer two marshmallows on each stick.
9. Toast them on your stove.
10. Place them over the drinks.
11. Enjoy the Shiite out of those bad boys!

Warning: You may crave these for weeks after you make them...like I did. 

Creative Crescent Rolls

I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with them, so I did it all. 

Cinnamon Rolls
(Toffuti + Almond Milk + Powdered Sugar + Cinnamon) 

Veggie Cheese "Pig" in a Blankets 

(Tofu Dogs + Daiya Cheese + Spices)

Buffalo Chicken

(Franks Hot Sauce + Grilled Chicken) 

*For the B.F. but to make vegan use Gardein chik'n* 

Bacon and  Cheez

(Vegan Bacon Bits + Daiya Cheddar) 

Immaculate Baking Co. was on sale at Whole Foods and I couldn't resist. Vegan crescent rolls and cinnamon buns on sale? Hello Diet Breaker! We all gotta live sometimes. ;) 

I couldn't just make plain old crescent rolls so I spiced them up with all these fun things. 

Things I Used to Fill Them 

Yves Tofu Dogs

Daiya Cheddar 

Fakin Bacon Bits 

Grilled Chicken cooked in Franks Red Hot Sauce

Tofutti, Powdered sugar, and Cinnamon to make mini Cinnabons 

The rolls start off at 100 calories a piece. (Not so bad.) 

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients

• 1 cup Organic Strawberries
• 2 tbsp Tofutti Non-hydrogenated
• 1 tbsp Agave Syrup
• 1 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract

Directions
1. Cut tops off 8 strawberries. 
2. Core all strawberries. 
3. Mix 2 Tbsp Tofutti, 1 Tbsp Agave nectar, and 1 tsp Vanilla together in small bowl until fully incorporated and creamy. 
4. Use the fork you mixed the cream cheese to fill the strawberries. 
5. Optional: Add graham cracker crumbs to the tops. 
6. Optional: Pipe the filling in the strawberries for a prettier effect. 
See Me On Pinterest and Livestrong

Vegas and Vega



Our awesome room 

Our awesome view

My photo skills

The Bellagio fountain exploding 

All dolled up for the show "O"

More photo skills

The best bar in Vegas: Chandelier at Cosmo

A Giant Woman's Steam-Punk Heel

The Wynn's entrance

The best Vegan Cake - Black Forest @ SW (Steve Wynn Steakhouse)

I had a blast! I drank lots (although probably not nearly enough for Vegas), partied sorta-kinda-hard, and had amazing food at the Wynn. Steve Wynn, the creator/owner of Wynn and Encore (and many other amazing things) is vegan so he has a vegan menu at all his nice restaurants. I was able to eat mushroom croquettes for an appetizer, an amazing veggie risotto, and even had my own vegan butter for my bread! AH! I wish I had one of these near my place :( even though my wallet would die if I did. 

We were so stuffed the first night that we couldn't eat dessert. So we came back another night just for it. Haha. Dessert may be $20 a plate at a steakhouse, but you know what? It was worth it. =] I was delighted, satisfied, and joyed by the food and atmosphere. 

Once we got home though, we realized we would have liked to see Fremont Street and old Vegas. Maybe another trip is in store for us. Though I must admit, by the last day there, I was thinking to myself,"Get me the hell out of this place!" That may have been because of the influx of the NASCAR crowd though.  

What do I miss? Besides being on a vacation and giving myself excuses to splurge on food and drinks, the Cosmopolitan's gym! Oh.My.Gymness, that gym was awe-some. So big. So fun. So nice. It even has a boxing ring. Downfall? $20 a day pass. 

Today: back home and back to my cleansing and exercising. My wonderful, amazing, open-minded boyfriend has decided to do the 3-day Vega journey with me! I'm stoked. We've been practicing making yummy salads to make these next 3 days go over easily. The following is a plan I've made for the cleanse, edited from a BeachBody Shakeology routine.

We are using "VegaOne Vanilla Chai" for the shakes, grilled chicken for his salads, and Gardein chick'n tenders for mine. I've filled the fridge and counter with fruits and veggies for snacking and am ready to tackle my last few inches! I'm really excited because I did this before leaving to Vegas, and I felt and saw the fast results. So now I'm  going to do it for 3 days (Wed-Fri) take St. Patty's off, workout on Sunday, and go back to it for Mon-Wed. So in a week, I'll  have done it for 6 days, hopefully breaking through this layer of stomach fat and breaking out my abdominals! If it happens, I might show you a before/after pic. We'll see.

If you want to join me or do it yourself, please let me know! I'll offer all the advice and support I can. 

Tips:

• Use Trader Joes "Just Grilled Chicken" in the frozen aisle to make salads quick and easy.
• Buy all organic produce. If you can't afford it, use a little dish soap to clean regular produce.
• Get bottled green tea so its an easy access drink. (Trader Joe's has flavored 0 calorie ones!)
• You can buy Vega online through the link I provided and get free shipping, or if you have a local GNC or VitaminShoppe, it's the same price to pick up. 

Jump start fitness. Break a weight plateau. Shed pounds fast and effectively in a healthy manner. 

NO EXTRA SUGARS
NO DAIRY PRODUCTS (for maximum results, no almond, soy, or rice milk)
LOW FAT DRESSINGS (I suggest olive oil and rice vinegar, or hummus and rice vinegar)

BREAKFAST:
1 Shake (140 calories)
½ cup of fruit (60-90 calories) (optional)
1 cup of green tea or a Detox Tea

SNACK: (85 calories) (optional)
1 piece of fruit - Apple, pear, orange,
banana mango, etc.

LUNCH:
1 Shake(140 calories)
1 cup of green tea or a Detox Tea

SNACK: (you can have this either
before or after dinner)
1 Shake (140 calories)

DINNER:
Salad with grilled poultry, or vegan meat (Gardein or Tofu)
(roughly 340 calories)

**Remember working out should be done at a minimum, and you should consume an ounce of water per pound of body weight. Water will help flush out toxins. **

120lbs=15 cups

160lbs=20 cups

Slimming Down For A Vegas Birthday

You know what helps me lose weight and get fit? A goal event or destination. This time of the year it is Las Vegas to celebrate my birthday. I've been to Vegas as a child and teenager, but never a legal, able-to-gamble adult. I'm excited! 

I've never gambled before, and not looking to make it a habit, but think a few games will be fun.

And since it's just going to be me and the boyfriend, I won't be having a big cake this year...but this would have been awesome.  :)

The only pig I would eat...who can make me a vegan one?

Okay enough party stuff, let's talk fitness and health. As some of you may know, I'm studying to become a personal trainer. I've been training since after the holidays, trying to get fit as a fiddle (what ever that means). And after talking to another coach and doing some research, I've decided to do a 2 day cleanse period/weight loss jump start.

For the past couple of months my workouts have included P90x, Insanity, my own weight lifting sessions, and going to the gym. Most of my body has responded well, but my trouble spot is my stomach. That pooch refuses to leave! This jumpstart should help it go away and boost my confidence while I wear skimpy, shiny, dresses in Las Vegas.

What is it? Well it's definitely not one of those lemon juice-cayenne drinks that were popular a bit ago, or a starvation diet. It is however a VLCD (very low calorie diet) that includes 3 shakes a day, 3 pieces of fruit (optional), and a salad for dinner. Since I actually don't have lettuce right now, I'm just going to have a bowl of cereal for dinner, or a 300 calorie meal. You're supposed to cut out all sugars, fats, and dairy for 3 days. But since it's my birthday on Sunday, I'm doing it for two days. Also, you're not supposed to work out because you're taking in so few calories, but I did anyway because I'm trying to get this pooch gone!

I just wanted to share this journey because I know so many people out there need help with those last few pounds or inches. You body tries to hold onto those last few fat cells because it is so used to having them. And once you get them off, your body will try its hardest to get them back (which will most likely happen during my week of vegas, so I'll have to do it again when I get home.)

What shake am I drinking? This plan comes from BeachBody's Shakeology, but since its $120, I bought a shake called VegaOne for only $59. Half the price, less calories, and same or better ingredients.

The specs are pretty awesome as you can see: 

And best of all for me, its vegan! And best for you, if interested, it tastes great. You can get it on amazon by clicking on the first picture. Simply mix one scoop with water and you've got a meal.

I'm on my second shake, and still feeling great and energized. Hopefully I can make it to tomorrow night! 

What my diet looks like for today and tomorrow: 

Breakfast - Shake (136 kcal)

(workout or run errands) (-300kcal) 

Lunch - Shake (136 kcal)

Snack - Banana (90 kcal)

Dinner - 300 or less calorie meal (salad, cereal, etc) (300 kcal) OR a shake (136kcal)

Snack - Pear or Banana (90kcal)

Drinks - Lots of water and green tea  (0 kcal)

Total calories: 588(shake) or 752 (dinner) w/workout: 288 or 452

During this time my body will have no other choice but to eat the fat!! 

EDIT 3/4/12: I lost two pounds in two days! I'll be doing this again when I get home for as long as possible. :) 

Fitness Myths Debunked

Does eating at night make me fat? Do carbs make me fat? What's better, a high protein or high carb diet? Can I eat whatever I want if I workout enough? Do I need a high protein diet for muscle gain? Read on for the truth to these questions we all ask. 

No. 

No. 

None.

Eat healthy to be healthy. 

No. 

Source: NASM Essentionals for Personal Fitness Training. Michael A. Clark. Scott C. Lucett. Brian G. Sutton.  Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2012.