Phit-N-Phat...Making Fitness and Weightloss a Lifestyle

Don't You Want to Lose FAT?

I am as guilty as all of you. That scale going down always just seems so rewarding but it can be MISLEADING if you aren't careful. Let's talk about what we all REALLY want to see happen; lose FAT not WEIGHT. These terms are NOT the same.

Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss: What's the Difference?

• Weight Loss. You want to lower your body-weight, the sum weight of your bones, muscles, organs, body fat, water, hair, fake-nails, everything.
• Fat Loss. You want to lower your body fat, the amount of fat your body carries. Healthy goals are 20-30% for women. This article is a good explanation of the different age groups and charts.

Problems with Weight Loss. If you want to lose weight, it’s most likely because you carry too much fat. There are people who must lose weight, like athletes before a competition, but most want fat loss. So, learn to track your success in other ways than the scale. It's only one flawed measure and not always a reflection of what you are doing RIGHT.

• Unreliable. Your body-weight can fluctuate daily since it’s influenced by your stomach/bowel/bladder content, water loss/retention, muscle loss/gain, fat loss/gain, … You’ll have no idea what’s going on.
• Irrelevant. Two people with similar height can weigh the same, but look completely different because one has lower body fat than the the other.

The pictures below are me a few years ago at 145 pounds and me today at 145 pounds. The difference? I've spent the last few years lifting weights and focused on a balanced diet to have FATLOSS. The first picture I ate decent but too FEW calories and only did tons of cardio to lose WEIGHT.

 

Here’s How The Weight Scale Can Mislead You. Clothes, pictures, and measurements don’t lie. But the weight scale can become your worst enemy by misleading you. You have a day with a false reading from too much sodium and you eat like crazy that day feeling like a failure.

Think of this: have you ever woke up feeling slimmer to only weigh more? I have done it so many times and let me tell you, right now I am not weighing and my eating is better than ever. Why? I feel good about myself each day and it makes the day easier to fuel up properly for my workouts. Otherwise, I want to drown my sorrows in a bucket of KFC.

• Carbs & Water. Carbs bind to water. Eating less carbs will make you lose weight: water loss. This is why you lose so much weight on a diet like Atkins the first 2 weeks: it’s mostly water. Of course, increasing your carb intake will make you gain weight again: water retention. This is why I'm doing a lot of work with the PNP girls on an Abs Menu.
• Muscle Gains & Fat Loss. You’ll gain muscle while losing fat when you start a strength program. But on the weight scale it will look like you’re not making progress: your body-weight doesn’t change. Track your body fat using a fat caliper and you’ll see your body fat is going down.

How to Make Sure You Lose Fat, Not Muscle? Check the picture above: 5lbs muscle takes less space than 5lbs fat. That means you’ll look slimmer at the same body-weight by building muscle. Keys to losing fat, not muscle:

• Get Stronger. Strength training builds muscle & prevents muscle loss.
• Eat Healthy. Follow my Basic Eating Strategies 101.

You can do cardio to speed up fat loss, but without strength training, cardio will cause muscle loss and you’ll end up skinny-fat. Here's some free routines from my site and my 30 Day Treadmill Bootcamp for those who MUST combine cardio and strength due to time constraints.

How to Track Progress Efficiently. You don’t need to track progress weekly, changes wouldn’t be drastic enough. Track progress every 2 or 4 weeks. You'll see more results and get more excited about your efforts!

• Stop Weighing Yourself Daily. The daily fluctuations will kill your drive unless you have a VERY HEALTHY mental state about why the scale goes up and down so much. Weigh yourself once every 2 weeks or once a month.
• Look in The Mirror. Self-image issues can skew perception. Start practicing choosing something you love about your body daily. Focus on it and TRULY appreciate it.
• Track Body Fat. Even though body fat scales can be "off" you can certainly track the trend to make sure it is going down.
• Take Measurements. Once a month measure yourself and make sure your problem areas are shrinking.
• Shoot Pictures. Full body pictures in the same outfit every two to four weeks show a good diary of progress.
• Training Stats. Keep a training log. Make sure you are lifting more weight, walking further, and doing harder levels in your cardio. You should be doing a little better each week or it's time to switch things up.

Last but not least, when someone says you look like you've lost weight just simply say, "Thank you. I've been working very hard." Most of you will dismiss the compliment and it's time to start appreciating what other people say to you!

PNP's Five Workouts In 45 Minutes WINNERS!

We periodically run challenges at PNP and the past eight weeks we did with this schedule available here if you are not a member of the site. I love this schedule because it allows my clients (a.k.a. the girls) to workout in a limited amount of free time. My latest schedule takes it one step further - we're calling it Muscled Up Cardio and it is now available, too. I'll be blogging about it soon.

This challenge, everyone who wanted to enter put up $10 to win some money. We had a lot of finishers and the average person lost 5% of their body weight over the eight week period! Great job everyone!

First Place - MARIA!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maria lost 16.6 lbs and 10% of her body weight in EIGHT WEEKS! I wish I could take all the credit, but she did the work, the schedule, wears phabulous shorts, and ate healthy. Here's what she had to say about how she did it.

"I followed the tips provided by PNP for food planning. Food was my biggest concern over the fitness training. Seriously, following the advice on food prep and planning was my life saver.

I reduced unnecessary sugars and bad stuff. It was tough giving up my vanilla coffee creamer! Once the cravings stopped everything just felt right and I no longer was dying for junk.

I cycled the same menu and took items from Corinne's Abs Menus that fit into my plan. I struggled for about a week with coming low in calories and used protein shakes to help get adjusted. Then I came up with better planning. I found something I liked to eat and then ate it week. Very basic for me with some good cheats each weekend. The recipes on here were great."

 

Second Place: PAULETTE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paulette lost 13 lbs in EIGHT WEEKS! She REALLY took it to town in those abs. Woohoo! This is what she had to say about how she feels after the challenge.

"I feel absolutely AMAZING and truly believe nothing tastes as good as I feel right now.  I walk taller and am more confident.  And have had to start buying skirts and blazers 1 or 2 sizes smaller!  My pocket book hurts, but dang, I like how I am looking and feeling in my new clothes!  THANKS!!"

 

Third Place: JESSICA!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica lost 9.4 lbs. Isn't she just so cute and you can see in her abs the pounds coming off! Jessica said this about PNP and the workouts...she is a Moderator AND WW online member. She uses their program for her eating plan.

"Yes, I’ve been around PNP for several years now. I’ve participated in many challenges and each one has challenged me in a new way. The workouts really push you. The great thing about the 5 in 45 is for people like me the 45 min. workout is perfect. That is honestly sometimes all the time I have to give."

 

Tomorrow we will see our Couples Challenge winners! For now I leave you with a little happy from me. Some days I feel like do-do before hitting the gym just like some of these WINNERS did along the way. It's not always easy but you have to take motivation anyway you can get it. Enjoy!

Don't Stop Believing!

How Long Does It Take to Reduce Body Fat???

A PNP client posted this question in our forums yesterday. Honestly, it can be a tough question to answer. Not so much because of all the conflicting information out there, BUT most people who start out with a little weight to lose yet still have a lot of body fat DON'T love the answer.

See, just like me and you, these girls love the scale feedback. They want low numbers and dropping body fat doesn't always yield the number you want to SEE on the scale. Lately I have sent the scale to Chris' office to live for a month. I'm simply NOT WEIGHING because I want to make some physique changes. To do that while still swelling from surgery means the scale is going to reflect a lot of lies.

My example is this: twice this last week I woke up and felt GOOD. I mean, rolled up out of the bed and thought I am tight and looking nice. Got on the scale...up 2lbs, 3lbs, 4lbs!!!! Are you kidding me? 4-freaking-pounds in a week? Ugh. Then I mope around the rest of the day feeling like a failure and asking Chris with tears in my eyes, "do I look like I have gained 4lbs? I'm trying so hard!"

So, here is a summary of her question and then my response. YOU CAN THANK THE PNP girls for this blog. This information is what they PAY FOR and they said I should share it with all of you because a lot of blog readers would love to hear it. They are the sweetest girls and, like me, they want everyone to feel as good as they do and have the chance to change their life. Thanks PNP GIRLS!

I am 5' 5" and 136 pounds. My goal is to be 130 by the time the year ends which will be very doable. My ultimate goal is only around 125, along with incorporating healthy habits (I tend to get into an all or nothing mentality, so I'd prefer to lose slow and realistically than hardcore diet for a week then give up).

My current body fat percentage is 31% according to my scale. I know those aren't always the most accurate but I'd guess that is fairly accurate based upon the size of clothes I wear (usually 8) and the fact that I haven't done much weight training in the past year or two. I'd like to set a goal for body fat percentage to reach by the end of the year but am not sure what is reasonable.

With fairly clean eating, sticking within calorie range and working out 4-5 times a week, what is realistic for me to expect by the end of the year?

To lose body fat percentage more than just pounds or muscle I know weight training is key. Would you also recommend more steady state cardio versus high intensity to burn fat?

 

My advice is to work on losing sizes and not worry about the scale at all. You might very well never get below 130lbs and yet wear a size 4 or 6 without trouble.

Muscle is tight and compact yet it weighs the same as fat.

When you start weight training you are likely to build some muscle fairly fast because you haven't been doing anything for so long. The fat will hold on for dear life for about three to four weeks.

During this time, the scale goes up a few pounds and you feel things are tight. That's because you have added muscle and water BEFORE you have dropped that fat the body wants to hold onto.

Suddenly at about three to four weeks you have a FAT DUMP and drop the 3-4lbs you gained. This puts you back to your original scale number YET the pants are looser.

Why? Think of muscle as a brick of gold and fat as a bag of feathers. 4lbs of gold and 4lbs of feathers WEIGHT EXACTLY THE SAME. Pile them on them bed. The gold is small and the feathers take up your entire side of the room.

If I were to strap 4lbs of gold (muscle) to your body, it's tight and compact. If I strap 4lbs of feathers (fat) to you, there is lots of billowy volume hanging all over you. Those 4lbs of feathers are tough to cram in some jeans. 4lbs of gold aren't; it would be the prettiest Spanxx of your life.

So, for the first month of really working on losing body fat you are going to add 4lbs of gold and hold onto all the fat you currently have without seeing payback on the scale. Then when you dump 4lbs of feathers you lose a lot inches, you still have your gold holding you tight, and clothes look and feel better. Weightloss is nothing at first even if you LOOK better.

Not everyone goes through this but people with little to lose on the scale but a lot of fat to drop (anything over 22%) do go through this typically. The more weight you have to lose the more likely you are going to lose weight and add some muscle. I just don't want anyone shocked and scared out of strength training that first critical month.

My advice is to work a plan and don't weigh for a month. Really don't weigh for a month. Then see at the end of the month what the weight is and if you lost a 1-2% of body fat. It might be more but it may only be that month one. By the end of 12-16 weeks of hard work you will be AMAZED at the new shape.

Training Plan:
Cardio is cardio. I don't think any type is much better than the other outside of doing some cardio 3-6 times a week and a minimum of 20 min. hard or 60 min of intervals or steady state.

One day you may feel like a nice, long session. Go for it! The next time you only have 30 min. so you better work it like a tiger is on your tail. The shorter the more you need to feel like puking. The longer the more you need to be breathing very hard but able to hold out for the amount of time you have.

Use the Work Your Butt Off book. It has over 55 cardio routines for a variety of machines, body parts, and even track workouts. The workouts range from 20 min. to 60 min. and you WILL NOT GET BORED. The best part is most of the routines challenge your muscles, too, so you get some added strength training for the week. That burns more calories.

Find a Strength Training program on the site you like and WILL DO at least three days a week. We have over 30 now so I know you can find a goodie. Three days is where someone your size needs to train to drop body fat.

I have several non-subscribers can order:

• Eight Week Beginner Program
• Intermediate and Beyond Eight Week Program
• Twelve Week Beginner Program for HOME
• Treadmill Bootcamp for those who love cardio, short on time and need the strength mixed in.

REMEMBER: Strength always before cardio. If you have to miss workouts it is better to drop cardio first, strength gets done, and food is clean and filled with things that make you happy.

For building a food plan...look at my abs menu in the Phit Eating Forum. Those menus are right in your calorie range and will get you results for your body fat drop. If you don't like something just sub it out for something similar you do like.

Don't get caught up in the black and white. B and W isn't what makes it happen for you. You have to learn to do things to be consistent with your life. It's when you are B and W that you fall completely off and get nowhere. You'll have days where you will want to eat something "not clean" but not bad either. Like some people get freaked out if they want to eat lowfat waffles. OK...have the dang waffles. Don't avoid waffles for three days and then end up at the Donut Hut covered in powder sugar when a couple of lowfat waffles for three days with yogurt would've done the trick. :)

Thanks for asking a question everyone can benefit from! If any of my readers have questions please feel free to post a COMMENT and I will answer for you.

Losing Weight is a Challenge

Are you tired of searching for the "right" workout program to do to lose weight? Do you want to get fit but you need to do in a limited amount of time?

Great NEWS! I designed a brand new eight week CHALLENGE workout program for my PNP clients and now I am offering it for all my readers to purchase!

Many of you have asked me to put more of the PNP workouts and tools out for those who do not want to join but LOVE what I have to say and the results my girls get. I have added two new programs and I know you will love them.

 

Five Workouts in Forty Five Minutes - Intermediate and Beyond

This is an eight week program. It has...

• all your strength training workouts - you will know exactly what to do.
• custom cardio workouts for eight weeks so you won't get bored.
• links to videos to further explain how to do the exercises correctly.
• motivational videos to make sure you are ready to work.
• pictures and descriptions of all exercises to take to the gym
• modifications to exercises so you can go from low impact to INSANE in an instant.
• a gym version and home version so you can workout wherever you are.

 

This workout will have you working hard, seeing results, and support whatever healthy eating plan you choose to follow.

 

Five Workouts in Forty Five Minutes - Beginner and Starting Over

This is also an eight week program. It has...

• all your strength workouts with descriptions and modifications for every beginning level of fitness.
• cardio workouts designed to get you used to training your heart effectively.
• videos, pictures, and descriptions so you know what to do.
• gym and home versions so that you have variations and ways to workout wherever you are.

This workout will work you hard by building up your fitness level and burn up the fat.

 

To celebrate the release of my two new books, my girls will compete in a weightloss competition over the next eight weeks. Each of them is putting up a few bucks and the winners get some sweet cash in their pocket to buy some clothes that FIT the smaller body.

I have a big passion for family fitness, too, so we are also doing a couples challenge along with the individual challenge. Yes, my girls are working with their husbands to change those family trees. I'm offering help and workout ideas to the husbands. I can't wait to see the progress in these girls and their families.

The best news of all is that my SWEET HUBBY and I are participating. We aren't in it for the winnings, but I will be helping the girls by journaling how I help Chris get PHIT while I recover from surgery. Don't worry, I will share some of knowledge with all you.

Girls, let the fun begin and I hope you love this new program I am offering to all my PNP girls who have followed me and stuck with me. I love what I do, I love my lifestyle and I want you to have every advantage you can to experience what I do everyday.

Tomorrow! An exciting update on Mammy!

Should I Lose Weight Every Week While Exercising and Dieting?

Uhhh...no. You shouldn't. Don't even think you should, dream of it, or desire it. Why? If you are then you are doing something wrong.

I teach my clients that this lifestyle is about a few things...

1. You eat enough to fuel your body and to lose FAT - not weight. FAT is what you see and WEIGHT is your muscle, water, fluids, and a little fat. Why would you want to lose your energy sources and muscle?

2. Undereating is just as bad as overeating and when you eat just right you don't put up numbers like the Biggest Loser. You SEE and FEEL changes way before you can count them.

3. Strength training is your priority workout. You want to lose FAT then you should be lifting weights with the cardio.

4. Cardio is important but it is second to weights. We mix up the cardio a lot, too.

5. What you eat is more important than how much. You have got to get calories right but if you are eating crap you will workout and look like the crap you eat.

When you are doing these things amazing things happen to your body. Your shape changes, not just the number on the scale. You feel energized and your body glows. Everything is working. You start building some lean muscle tissue to replace that blobby, ugly fat.

This process means that you are also going to have weeks through the journey where you gain a little or not lose at all. To sculpt muscle the body needs water. Often it is so busy doing the work for the muscle that it doesn't burn any fat. That's OK because in a week or two it will. You might just see the scale go up because you have more water and muscle before a big fat dump.

You also have your menstrual cycle to consider. You want to stay healthy and by having slight gains at TOM it means that your body is in good hormonal balance. So don't get mad when your body is functioning as it should. It's when you don't experience this you should be worried.

The lesson for everyone today is celebrate your losses regardless of how little or lot they are and to keep a healthy perspective when things aren't operating on your timeline. Does life really ever operate on the timeline we establish? It doesn't for me!

Remember, nobody got fat eating right and exercising...that's how you get PHAT.

I Just Can't Seem To Lose Weight

Funny how so many people feel like they can't lose weight even though they try so hard. Honestly, I can show any of you how to lose weight as long as you do what you are supposed to. The basics will get you there:

1. Consistent workouts: mix of heavy strength with intense cardio.

2. Consistent journaling: every bite goes on paper.

3. Consistent measuring: no guessing - use cups and spoons.

4. Water

5. Sleep 7 hours a night.

6. HONESTY!

Do you realize #6 is the hardest aspect of the weightloss journey? Let me give you a look into a "typical" PNP girl frustration and what I think.

Ms. Thang: Help. I've been doing everything right and my weight won't move. I'm convinced that this is the weight I'm supposed to be. (slams her keyboard)

Me: Let me see your workouts and your food journals for the past two weeks.

Ms. Thang: I've got all my food journals but I don't record my workouts. I just do what you say and hit some cardio.

Me: Well, send me the links to your food and let me look at it. Hope you have notes in there about the day and such.

Ms. Thang: Oh, I do! I write it all down because I'm so frustrated.

Me: Great!

OK...this doesn't sound too bad does it? Here's what I typically find.

1. She's eating around the calorie range I give her. Most girls who workout with PNP need around 1700-1900 calories a day when they do my workouts and 1500-1800 when they are off or only doing 40 min. of cardio. Ms. Thang will almost always be eating about 1750ish.
2. She's got in her journal a pretty clean diet. Nothing jumps out that should be changed outside of moving some snacks around or adding in more veggies.
3. Her workouts (cardio) are always TOUGH. She's ripping a new one on the cardio. Strength, she describes a good workout but I don't know if every exercise is done to the max because she doesn't list how much weight she is using and how many reps she can do.
4. Sleep is almost always on the short side. Most of my girls are moms, in school, working a job, and doing a lot. They tend to get the short end of the stick on their sleep.

Still sounding pretty good but let me tell you the LITTLE things that make all the difference in the world.

BLT's: I can't tell you how often I read food journals and think this looks great! She's eating a great menu and can't lose? Then I troll around her posts in other people's journals and read she's been having BLT's and not measuring exactly what she's eating.

Let's remember Ms. Thang is eating right BELOW maintenance. She needs to eat tight to get results in order to eat enough food to feel satisfied. By taking BLT's and not measuring she is throwing herself into maintenance calories.

Notice I don't care if she occasionally has a latte (1-3 per week), PB sammy instead of chicken and brown rice for dinner one night, and goes out to eat and has some fries instead of baked potato. What I absolutely CARE ABOUT is that all of this gets in her journal and that it is accounted for. I would rather see a journal filled with some "treats" every few days squeezed into the calorie matrix versus a journal that looks perfect but isn't complete.

PNP PSA: You see, OTHER GIRLS READ YOUR JOURNALS. When you moan and groan you aren't getting results eating a tight, clean diet (although you are BLT'ing and not measuring) you DISCOURAGE them from trying to eat clean. PNP Girls! This is me telling you to journal honestly and quit worrying about what people think. You only cheat yourself and you cheat someone else from making a clean leap when it's "not working." End of PSA.

Workout Journal: Everyone should have a workout journal especially if you are a little unsure of the intensity and what a solid strength workout feels like. By recording your reps and how much you lift you can see if you are able to do more over time. Most of you will lift about the same today as you will in five months and wonder why you stop making progress. Because you stopped upping your game!

I can help people better when I see how much you are lifting. Example, if you chest press and bicep curl the same amount of weight you aren't chest pressing enough weight. Your chest is hella bigger than your arms woman!

Same with bentover rows and lateral raises. You should row so much more than you lateral raise! Pet peeve.

Not only does a lifting journal show you progression but it also allows you to see declines in strength. For my girls who lift like no other, you can easily see when overtraining is happening because you'll notice your lifts are going down.

The workout journal can also show me when you are doing too much cardio. A lot of people think they need hours upon hours of cardio. If they ever skip a workout it is always strength. Next thing you know they are strength training twice a week versus three to four and only doing one body part they love. If you find you are always needing to drop workouts you need to find a new scheme that allows you to get in a balanced week. That's how you get results; you choose a program that is geared for you versus a program that is really hard but unlikely you can give 100%.

Let's all keep this in mind: It's not hard. It's consistency and honesty that yields results. Now go lift some weights, measure some chicken, get in bed and off Facebook (cough cough), and drink your water.

Phat Camp Dayton Re-Cap

I just returned from Jen Hendershott's Phat Camp which was inspirational and my third one this year. I have taken the opportunity to bring my clients and friends from all over the country to these camps so we can experience workouts, breakthroughs, and personal achievements together. If YOU EVER have the opportunity to attend a camp you should! As we all discussed this weekend, it is an investment in YOU and too often women don't take the time to make the investment of health.

Each time I go, it profoundly changes some aspect of my life and this camp was no different. Every camp I have grown in a new way.

My first camp in 2007 I found the love of strength training and pushing myself further than I ever imagined.

My second camp Jan 2008 I realized I wanted to compete and I did.

My third camp June 2008 I woke up and realized I needed to work on my remaining fat girl thinking. I didn't know how much it plagued me until that weekend.

My fourth camp this weekend I got a true sense of what I want to do with fitness business and, beleive it or not, I had a spiritual awakening. I heard Jesus telling me it was time to get back to church, trust in him to lead me to amazing heights, and be willing to dream large dreams.

You see, I have been depressed lately with Logan's progress in autism. Even though I understand he is making great progress I have caught myself getting wrapped up in what we don't have versus what we do have. By living in that funk I have also denied myself the dreams for my child most parents take for granted.

Today it all ends. I was meant to be at this camp not to get my butt kicked, not to think of my self-image, and not to see how far I have come physically. This camp was all about me realizing that there is no limit in this life except the ones that are self-imposed. Today I start dreaming big, praying for strength and guidance to live a full and rich life with blessings beyond even my dreams for my family, and working out with intensity because, after all, it is Phat Camp and you have to learn you can always turn up the heat a notch or two. :)

To the ladies who went with me - all nine of you - thank you for making this a great weekend! Each of you with your own breakthroughs helped me have my own. I needed you there sharing your fears, questions, and stories to see what "I" needed in my life and I appreciate it more than words can say.

To Jane...you winning the pop squat competition was also a moment I'll never forget. I was so proud of you, cried when you finished, and I wouldn't trade anything in the world for seeing one of my girls take down the crown. Now I have TWO (Michele) winners this year at PC. I wonder how many we will have next year?

Our Phat Camp season has ended this year and I can't wait to see what 2009 has in store for us.

How I Build My Legs

I added a great page to the Phit-N-Phat.com site talking about how I build my legs. It's a good article on sculpting sexy legs, good exercises for women to work the legs and butt, and what you need to do with your exercise routine to improve it.

I hope you enjoy it!

How I Build My Legs