Posts Tagged ‘Bikini Boot Camp’

Oh my gosh.

I'm so full.

Even though I'm (usually) sticking to the super-healthy Bikini Boot Camp Six-Week Menu, I must confess that sometimes I may be eating way too much.

I may be eating so much that after some meals, I emit a series of sighs. I have to undo my pants. And all I can think about is napping.

I know I’m not the only one. So why do we eat so much, even when we're trying our hardest to be on our best behaviour?

In his new book, The End of Overeating: Taking control of the insatiable North American appetite, Dr. David A. Kessler cracks the code of overeating by explaining how our bodies and minds are changed when we consume foods that contain sugar, fat and salt. He says that food manufactures create products by manipulating these ingredients to stimulate our appetites, setting in motion a cycle of desire and consumption that ends with a culture of overeaters.

The book seeks to explain why it's so difficult to resist certain foods and why it's so easy to overindulge.

For a chance to WIN a copy of The End of Overeating, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about the food you're most likely to binge on. Maybe you set out to have just a few chips and end up emptying the bag every time. Perhaps you serve yourself a slice of pizza one minute, and the next minute, you discover that half the pizza is gone. (This happens to me all the time.)

You have until Friday, June 12 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on Saturday, June 13.

Villamere. That's my last name. It's French, but apparently I'm not. If I was, maybe I wouldn't be such a chub-o.

We've all heard that French women don't get fat. But is it true? And why? (And if it is, I'm adding it to my list of reasons to move to France, right below 'Gilles Marini'.)

To find out the answer, I did a little Q&A with Laura Calder, host of the Food Network's 'French Food at Home', member of Chef Network Inc., and author of the cookbooks French Taste - Elegant everyday eating and French Food at Home. She's lived in France for the better part of the past decade, so I tasked her with confirming or dispelling the rumour that France has no fatties.

Q: We've all heard that French women don't get fat. Surely, that's not true. I mean, during your time in France, you must have come across a hefty French lady or two, non?

A: "One or two, yes. But it's not a blanket phenomenon like it is in North America today. The reason is, I suppose, that they are still eating the way we did two generations ago, to some degree:  good quality ingredients (nothing fancy, just meat and potatoes, apples and cheese, etc.), cooked in homey ways (stews, roasts, sautés, etc.) and eaten at meal times sitting down. The French are not snackers.

Really, there's no secret. It's just good eating. And it's guilt-free eating.  Our downfall is that we eat too much packaged food or food that's pumped full of chemicals and hormones, we snack like crazy on junk, and we don't move around enough."

Q: How do you keep your figure? You must be forever tasting things as you cook.

A: "How do I keep my figure? I eat like a farmer from the 1920s. No, seriously, I eat meals and don't snack and I eat really good food: organic meats from a butcher I know and trust, a lot of vegetables. I eat sweet things, too, but all homemade so I know exactly what's in them.  I also walk everywhere I go and I do a lot of yoga.

I think if we put pleasure first, we're healthier. Pleasure equals the best-tasting (and therefore healthiest) ingredients, plus taking the time to enjoy eating with people we love. That's the best healthy-eating program I can think of for anyone."

Q: Oh my gosh, can it be true? Guilt-free eating? Tell me about some of your favourite recipes from your new book, French Taste.

A: "I love the savoury swiss chard tart in the first-courses chapter. I love the craggy chocolate cake in desserts, and all the apple tarts. I love the beef and carrot stew. See . . . all the granny food. That's my bag."

***

None of that stuff sounds like diet fare. All of that stuff sounds delicious. Can it be true - can we eat deliciously decadent foods and stay healthy and slim?

I don't know, but this is definitely worth investigating. I've got a copy of French Taste and I'm going to start cooking. Maybe I am French after all . . .

If you're ready to eat like a French lady and see what happens, just enter for a chance to WIN a copy of Laura Calder's latest book, French Taste.  To qualify, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about a weight loss myth you've debunked or found to be true. Do you eat quality, homemade meat, potatoes and pies like a French person and still stay slim and trim? Does green tea really help you to lose weight? Did you lose weight when you started eating breakfast? Is cabbage soup really the answer? What about detox diets? Or grapefruits?

You have until Thursday, June 18 to let us know about your weight loss myth trials and tribulations. I'll announce the winner here on Friday, June 19.

Bon chance!

So many contests, so many winners during Bikini Boot Camp! 

Congratulations to roxy, who has won our Day 14 contest by telling us about her bad habits with salt.

roxy says:

"Well I think I’ve always had a thing for salt. I remember being a child out for dinner and shaking some in my hand and licking it and I did this many times it was a habit (like I was a horse?). This seems really silly right and I’m sure I’m the only child who did this but now I see why I used to get yelled at! I know why it was so bad but still this salt craze continues. Anything salty I want. Feta cheese, chips, popcorn, fries etc. I will put salt on everything I have been shaking less these days but its so hard not to just think the meal needs it!"

roxy has won a great prize pack from Mrs. Dash, containing all 12 flavours of Canada’s favourite salt-free, flavour-full seasoning plus a step counter and a jump rope.

Have you entered our Day 26 contest yet?

Congratulations to Carla, who has won our Day 24 contest by telling us how she handles stress.

Carla says:
"I’m very bad at keeping stress inside and then it all snowballs into one big cry/yell fest."

Carla, it sounds like you really need this prize. The Thrive Diet promises to help you achieve optimal heath through stress-busting, plant-based whole foods.

Let us know how it works out!

It's Week Four of Bikini Boot Camp and I hope you're starting to notice some changes in yourself!

I have a lot more energy, I've lost a pound each week and thanks to Maureen Hagan's challenging Boot Camp workout videos, I can feel my muscles!

All this good news means it's time for a little reward. There are many ways to reward yourself for a job well done, from a bubble bath to a shopping trip to a pedicure.

But for many of us, the most coveted reward is chocolate.

Willie Harcourt-Cooze's new book, Willie's Chocolate Factory Cookbook, shows you how to use the ultimate luxury ingredient in a collection of over 60 mouth-watering recipes. And these aren't just desserts — Harcourt-Cooze works this magical ingredient into all kinds of dishes!

For a chance to WIN a copy of Willie's Chocolate Factory Cookbook, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply to let us know your favourite way to reward yourself when you've reached a healthy living goal.

You have until Tuesday, June 2 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on Wednesday, June 3.

I ate two chocolates yesterday.

Neither one was the Turtle from my desk drawer. But still, two chocolates aren't exactly Bikini Boot Camp-friendly.

I woke up on Saturday morning with a sore throat and proceeded to be sick for the entire long weekend and beyond, so I rationalized that somehow I deserved two chocolates.

This kind of rationalizing is baloney, of course. But in my defense, there were 10 chocolates in the box and I only ate two.

The worst part is that I'm going to have to record it in my Food Journal.  Two chocolates. 100 calories. No nutrients.

But the best part is that the thought of having to record it in my Food Journal deterred me from eating the other eight chocolates in the box.

Actually, the best part was eating two chocolates. But the Food Journal is pretty good, too.

If you're new to the Food Journal, here's how to set your goals:

• 45-65 per cent of your calories should come from carbohydrates
• 20-35 per cent of your of calories should come from fat
• 10-35 per cent of your calories should come from protein

Of course, your percentages can't add up to more than 100 per cent. So if you plan to get 65 per cent of your calories from carbohydrates, you can't also have 35 per cent from protein and 35 per cent fat, because then you'd be totalling 135 per cent. You'll need to find a range and balance that works for you that totals 100 per cent.

How do those percentages translate into actual grams of each nutrient?
In a 1,500 calorie diet, healthy nutrient ranges would be roughly:

• 175-242 grams of carbohydrate each day
• 33-54 grams of fat each day
• 42-121 grams of protein each day

The ranges are wide and reflect the values suggested in Canada’s Food Guide (approximately 55 per cent carbs, 15 per cent protein and 30 per cent fat) and popular diet programs like the Zone Diet (40 per cent carbs, 30 per cent protein and 30 per cent fat).

For women age 19-50, Health Canada's Dietary Reference Intakes recommends 25 grams of fibre each day. For women 51-plus, Health Canada recommends 21 grams.

The Bikini Boot Camp Six-Week Menu is based on a 1,500-calorie-a-day diet. You may need to adjust your calorie intake based on your goals.

Congratulations to jentam, who has won our Day 6 contest by telling us about her  favourite non-workout way to get exercise.

jentam says:
"This may sound strange but I enjoy cleaning the house and getting exercise doing so. I move quickly when I clean and I try and stretch as I reach to clean windows or sweep under the bed. It feels great to have a clean house *and* feel like I’ve been working out."

Ooh, extra points for multitasking! Nice work. Your prize is a copy of Move a Little, Lose a Lot: New NEAT science reveals how to be thinner, happier and smarter by James A. Levine, MD, PhD.

In other news, today is World Hypertension Day. Who knew? Not I. But to help . . . celebrate . . . wait, I don't know if we're meant to 'celebrate' World Hypertension Day, but anyway, to help 'mark the occasion', we're giving away a great prize pack from Mrs. Dash. It contains all 12 flavours of Canada's favourite salt-free, flavour-full seasoning plus a step counter and a jump rope. The folks at Mrs. Dash say that using Mrs. Dash instead of salt is a great way to cut down on your sodium intake.

Mmm. Sodium. I confess that I put salt on everything. It's a habit I really have to break. Is there something that you put salt on even when you know you really shouldn't? Do you add salt to your food before you even taste it? Do you ever add a visible layer of salt to your food? If someone served you a bowl of salt, would you proceed to put salt on it? For a chance to WIN this fab Mrs. Dash prize, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about your bad salt habit.

You have until Sunday, May 31 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on June 1.

Congratulations to Michelle and Anna Gregory, who have won our Day 5 contest by telling us about a great decision they've made.

Michelle told us:

"To live in Canada! I came from the U.K. on a work permit for 1 year. That was 19 years ago. Growing up gyms were viewed as something rich people went to because they didn’t have to work long hours like the rest of us. Here, I’m out cycling/skiing/skating with the kids and I’ve just signed up for my first ever learn to run class."

Anna Gregory says:

"I am a recent subscriber…and the best decision I ever made was to quit smoking….I found out I was pregnant and I had no other options.

I joked that I would take a carton of cigarettes and a bottle of rye to the delivery room (I also stopped drinking during my pregnancy!!)…but my oldest son is 26 now and I never did start smoking again…the benefits??? Oh….far, far too many…as you can imagine (know if you are an ex-smoker)…

I still crave a cigarette every once in a while…but I am a non-smoker and will be forever!"

Congratulations, ladies! You've each won a copy of Suzy Welch's new book, 10-10-10: 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years.

I am loving the Bikini Boot Camp Six-Week Menu because I can see all my meals for weeks in advance. It's so easy to make my grocery lists when I'm this organized!

Planning your meals in advance has many benefits:

• It helps you make a grocery list and stick to it.
• You can cross-reference your list to what's on special at your local stores to ensure you're getting the best deal.
• You can identify ingredients that you're going to need a lot of, then save money by buying them in bulk.
• You’re less likely to come home to an empty cupboard, find yourself without a plan, and end up eating popcorn for dinner.

In addition to the Bikini Boot Camp Menu, I'm also using CanadianLiving.com's new Meal Planner tool — it actually compiles a printable grocery list for you! I'm loving it. You can access the Meal Planner through your MyCL account.

Everyone's all atwitter about Tuesday night's Biggest Loser finale.

The changes — both physical and psychological — that the Biggest Loser contestants undergo over the course of the season is staggering.

It's unbelievable. It really is. So much so that I rang up Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper and asked if it was actually possible for people who aren’t on the show to make such a stunning change in their life.

"I think anyone can turn their lives around when they decide that they’re worth it,” said Bob. “You don’t need a TV show. People are looking for an excuse not to start something. I would tell people, ‘Once you pull those excuses out of the way, what’s standing in your way of achieving your goals?’”

He admitted that the results seen on the show are not typical. “You can’t expect those kind of extreme results because on the show, people spend six or more hours working out each day. They don’t have a job or families to go to. They’re in an extreme situation,” he explained. “But you’ve got to find what works for you in your daily life. Don’t make excuses.”

Okay Bob. I’ve ditched my excuses and adopted the Bikini Boot Camp program because it fits so well into my daily life. Now how do I stay with it? How do I stay motivated?

“You’ve got to realize that you have to stay on the course,” he said. “When you decide that you’re making a lifestyle change and you’re not looking for that one certain goal of fitting into a certain size but you’re actually working to change your lifestyle, you’ve got to trust the process. If you trust the process, you’re going to be able to change your life forever.”