• juicing
• not eating meals
• eating cookies
• eating grapefruits and cottage cheese
• drinking a shake or 2
• injecting hormones
• counting calories
• counting points

If you lost weight on any of the diets above, did the weight stay off?  If so, you are lucky.   Most clients try one of these diets and are successful for 20-30 pounds and then go back to their old way of eating.  Within no time, the weight is back and then some.  Why will some of the popular weight loss methods not work long term?  They are not sustainable.  Most are not backed by the science of how our bodies work with insulin.

Habits, allergies, or re-balancing of the metabolism has not changed your way of eating when you go on a diet.  The brain triggers for carbohydrate sensitivity have not changed.  You have ended up in this (DIE)T cycle that has to stop.  And by the way did you notice that the first 3 letters of DIET spell DIE.  So we are going to die losing weight with a diet?  Not literally die; but every time you go on a diet your body’s metabolism slows a little more and a little more.  Finally your metabolism is dead moving like a turtle.  To lose weight fast is easy, but you have to make it a lifestyle.

So how do you lose weight fast and change your lifestyle?

1. DETOX YOUR SYSTEM  Start cleaning out your body like you would change the oil on a car. Moving to detox foods for one week can help you lose up to 10 pounds by cleaning out your system.  Detox foods include eating vegetables all day long and only 3 fruits a day.   (Yes, you can do this; but you must be prepared). You will need to detox your body from the sugars, refined sugars, sugar alcohols, high glycemic foods, preservatives, chemicals, and other toxins that are in your foods.
2. BE PREPARED  Prepare your foods in advance.  Plan ahead for every snack and meal.
3. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE Get education on food choices, low glycemic foods, carbohydrate triggers, allergens, and your body’s triggers.  Do you crave sugars foods or carb-rich foods?
4. USE FOOD as FUEL Eat constantly all day long.  From the time you get up until you go to bed.  Avoid huge portions and eat breakfast,  snack, lunch, snack, dinner & a snack.

If you are diabetic I or II, you will not be able to detox with only vegetables and fruit, as you will need to add protein with your meals.  Keep the protein lean, load up on the vegetables and keep the fruits to a minimum while you are detoxing.

There are a few programs out on the market that focus on changing your lifestyle, getting the education that you need, and getting you healthy.   Two of my favorites include Hippocrates Institute’s Life Transformation Program  and the TLS Weight Loss Solutions.   Both programs create new lifestyles for you.  The point is a diet is temporary, while a lifestyle change is forever.

Makeup is supposed to accentuate your best features so you want to make sure you choose the right colors for you.

1. Determine Skin Tone  Determine if your underlying skin tone is blue based or green based.  Look at the color of your vein.  Is it green or blue?  There are blue based colors and yellow based colors for browns, blues, greens, reds, and oranges.  The key is to look at the color on you…if it doesn’t look right, it is probably the wrong base for you.
2. Hair, Eye Color?  Take into account your hair color, eye color and skin tone.  If your hair is blonde, dark brown eyes and dark honey skin tone, a blue hued red or a fuschia lipstick would not look great.  On the same skin tone if you chose a red-orange or even a bright melon and it will pop on the lips.
3. Bright or Muted Colors? If you want to play up the eyes and make them very dramatic, then mute the lips.  If you want bright lips (aka Gwen Stefani and the model above) then you will want to mute the colors on the eyes.  The eyes, lips, and cheeks are focal points for makeup and all of them cannot be at the center of attention at once or you will create a cartoon character that you just might not like.  Pick one area of your face to be the highlight color.
4. Matte, Frost, Shimmer or Metallic?  This is my rule and you may not agree with this, but Shimmer, Frost, and Metallic are not overly kind to anyone over 70.  The shimmers play with the lights, allowing the fine lines and wrinkles to appear accentuated.  Matte eye shadows and blush keep the light from playing tricks.  Create beauty with a bronze look or high cheek bones.
5. When is a color too young or too old?  This is a question that younger clients ask as well as older.  The rule of thumb is if you like the color and it is in harmony with your skin, then all is good.  Sometimes I will see clients in their forty’s gravitating to mauve and I will quick to get them to re-think their color choices.  Mauve is for your 90′s.  Until then kick it up a notch!

Choosing the right colors is not an art or a science except when it comes to your skin tone.   Some easy ways to pick out colors are to choose boxed kits like the Motives Boxed Beauty that has neutral colors in it for any skin tone or complexion.  Not only is the price right, but the makeup colors are perfect for any skin color and tone.

1. You need to escape the hubbub and rat race and lounge on your own private island.
2. You need to re-group, get the kinks out, and re-energize your engine.
3. You need to stare at the Pacific Ocean, watch the sea turtles, watch the waves, and think about your goals in life.
4. You need to plant your feet in the sand, move them up and down, and watch waves roll over them.  (This may take you some time)
5. You need to sip coconut water from a real coconut, watch the hummingbirds, kayak through the mangroves, take a jungle hike, sit on the beach and re-count the coconuts.

No matter your reasons, I’ve found this unbelievable great Healthy Panama Summer Escape.  See all of the details and contact nancy@fishpanamatoday.com to book your trip.

Click Here for Details on the Healthy Panama Summer Escape

Click Here for a Video of Propiedad de Paradise and the Isla Parida Lodge

• 70% of baby boomers think that they look younger than their actual age
• facial wrinkles and brown spots far outweigh gray hair and/or hair loss as an indication of age
• Women, aged 30 to 50 spend an average of 19 minutes a day on their face
• Men spend about 11 minutes a day on their facial appearance
• Half of the women age 30 to 50 say that they have devoted more time to their facial appearance as they have grown older.
• Tops on the list of wrinkle treatments include alpha hydroxy acids (22%), chemical peels (12%), laser surgery (6%), collagen injections (3%), plastic surgery (3%) and Botox injections (2%).

The bottom line for this survey

1. we don’t think we look as old as we are
2. we don’t think we look as old as our parents
3. we will take steps (even if they are a little conservative) to help us look younger than our actual age

Skin Tips to Prevent Fine Lines, Thin Skin and Wrinkles

You want to minimize the aging process by fighting increasing dryness, loss of elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles, rough texture and dehydration just to name a few of the aging signals. As you age, your skin creates less oil and the outer layer becomes rough and dry. Two proteins – collagen and elastin – gradually diminish and the result is a gradual drying, wrinkling and sagging of the skin. And if that wasn’t enough, the skin pigment becomes irregular, resulting in blotchy skin.

Your skin’s health and how you age comes from internal and external sources.   You must look at three areas of your life:

• what you are eating (Internal)
• what you doing in your environment (smoking & drinking) (External)
•  what you are using on your face and body (Internal & External)

1. What You Eat.  You are what you eat.  You are what you eat.  Yes, I did repeat myself.   If you eat and drink perservatives, hormones, dyes, and chemicals, your body will not be able to process this long-term.  Yes, it will be okay for awhile, but sooner of later, the body’s fabulous filtration system will not operate at peak performance and inflatmmation will ensue.  Eventually the immune system will start to falter and the skin will tell the telltale signs of bad nutrition.  Proper nutrition includes vitamin and dietary supplements on a daily basis in addition to a great diet.
2. Water. Drink more water. Your lips are the first telltale sign of dehydration. They will be cracked and dry if you aren’t drinking enough water. The skin is a self-cleansing organ, so water helps keep the skin healthy.  Put fruit or sliced cucumbers in your water and it flavors the water.
3. Minimize the Bad Stuff.  If you smoke or drink (to excess), your skin tells all–same with prescription drugs and narcotics.  The body’s filtration system including the liver, spleen, and kidneys; they must process out the “poisons” so that the body can continue to function.  The skin’s texture, smoothness, color, and splotchiness displays the health of the skin.
4. Use Great Skin Care. Great home care products are a must for great skin including
• alpha hydroxy or beta acid
• skin lightener
• moisturizer & serum
• eye gel
• sunscreen

Additionally there are many new serums available that actually penetrate the dermis layer, changing the cellular structure either through peptide signals or vitamin therapy.  The research is available to demonstrate the incredible advances in skin care technology, so don’t rely on marketing to select your skin care or dietary supplements.

The combination of external and internal anti-oxidants jump-start your cells into producing more collagen. Within a short period of time, the skin’s appearance (texture) will be firmer, smoother and more resilient. Skin tone evens out thus appearing noticeably healthier skin.  You can reverse the signs of aging through proper nutrition and great skin care.

Here are five great reasons you should (MUST) take your dietary supplements. .

1. You don’t eat right which means you do not eat according to the 2009 Food Pyramid, which includes 2 cups of Fruit, 2.5 cups of Vegetables and being physically active for at least 30 minutes. Or you eat industrial (plant-manufactured) foods—fast food, frozen food, injected foods.  Either way, you are not eating right.
2. The foods you eat are deprived of minerals and vitamins.  The soils are depleted of minerals and the foods are deficient in over 77 trace minerals needed to sustain our health.  And with that being said, I didn’t even mention the genetically modified foods or the acid rain.  Food quality is not what it was 30 years ago and all of the tests demonstrate this.
3. Your digestive system is not working correctly.  That means that on a daily basis you do not have a bowel movement or you have acid reflux.  Great immune health starts with digestion.  If your body does not get rid of toxins then they overflow from the liver into the blood stream thus impairing your immune system.
4. Your body is deficient in some of the basic vitamins. The deficiencies in basic vitamins are well documented with numerous studies from the National Health and Nutrition Education Survey and the AMA.  Some more popular vitamin deficiencies include Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.  The deficiencies range from 15% to 85% in research of 100 patients.
5. Why put your body at risk for diseases?  When your body is deficient in certain vitamins, you increase your risks for cardio vascular diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, and auto-immune diseases.

So, from a knowledge and education standpoint, taking supplements is an absolute must.  That is why so many of my doctor colleagues are now recommending supplements to their patients.  The doctors are writing scripts for vitamins like prescription drugs.  The optimal health is the primary recommendation.

Know your body and educate yourself on wellness, as a healthier you requires dietary supplementation.

TWO WOMEN
Two of our city’s foremost business leaders, Nancy Hurd, CEO of the Achievement Centers for Children and families and Kimberly Camejo, Branch Manager and VP of City National Bank and Chairman of the Board of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, took three months to achieve one common goal.  The goal was to improve their health, wellness, and lifestyle.

Under direction of Christine King from Your Best Fit and Nancy Reagan, TLS Weight Loss Coach from Bella Reina Spa, these two women set out on a journey that will forever bond them and change their lifestyle.   The journey for the two women started with a lifestyle partnership between Christine and Nancy.  The two businesses realized that exercising and eating right is the magic formula to long term weight loss success.  They have a developed a results-driven full–proof system that fit the hectic schedules of these two pillars of our community.

Prior to being selected for this amazing common sense approach to weight loss, Nancy and Kimberly only knew each other as business acquaintances.   The bond that was created over the months of utilizing this system contributed to their success because the common bond of getting healthy, and being accountable to a friend.  Research has shown that such a relationship increase results by 32%.

The system which Christine and Nancy developed for the two women consisted of a 12 week program designed to change their body composition, increase their metabolic rate, improve their eating habits, educate them on food quality and quantity, and reduce body fat.  Each business leader was supervised weekly on an exercise regimen and guided through their nutrition program with science based supplements that support the metabolism rebalancing. The system works because of the education, the supervision, and the accountability.

Nancy Hurd said “It took the combination of nutrition and exercise to make such a dramatic change in my weight, strength and general health.  After trying a lot of avenues, at the end of the day it really did come down to diet and exercise….just like we’ve always heard. The nutrition provided the building blocks for the exercise to be effective and make such a difference. Now I realize one without the other is only “half a loaf”…it takes both.”

The results from this system are more than these two women could have ever hoped.   Nancy had a total loss of 36 inches and has dropped over 45 pounds.  She also dropped 50 points off her cholesterol and her triglycerides dropped by half!  Kimberly dropped 6% body fat and over 18 inches.

More than the lost inches and pounds is the knowledge that they are taking with them for their new healthy lifestyle.  Learning how to exercise when you have never touched a dumbbell before can be intimidating.  Learning how to eat the right foods at the right time of day can be a real challenge when you have crazy, hectic schedules.

During the 12 weeks, of course, life got in the way, with both women experiencing major business and personal challenges that would have made it easy to quit.  Both women supported each other, spoke daily, and provided emotional encouragement so, neither could quit or veer off track.   Not only does the system work but so does the “buddy” system.

Nancy told us that “I’ve dropped 3 sizes and expect to drop at least one more to reach my goal. I didn’t think I’d ever see those sizes again and this program enabled me to realize the dream!  I’ve gained back some self-esteem with the success I’ve had; it feels so good to “feel good”.”

“I feel and look better than I have in the past few years,” said Kimberly when asked how the fitness and nutrition program has changed her life.

If these two business leaders can accomplish these amazing results, how can you achieve the same?  Knowledge is power and learning to change your lifestyle will forever provide you with the tools to get healthy, stay healthy, and create the body that you have always wanted.  Even if you don’t’ think it is possible, Nancy and Kimberly are proof that anyone can do this with the right coaches, the right training, and the never-ending support.

Christine’s mantra is “Do what you never thought possible”, while Nancy’s is “Keep the faith and achieve your goal one step at a time”.  The business partnership attests to the success of this program.  If you want to achieve a new, healthy lifestyle, contact Your Best Fit at 561-866-9068 or email Nancy at nancy@nancyreagansblog.com .

Credits:

Cecil Broderick, TLS Weight Loss Coach

Peter DeRosa, PeterMark Salon

Jennifer Davis, 2^nd Time Around

Christine King, Your Best Fit

Nancy Reagan, TLS Weight Loss Coach & Bella Reina Spa

The Zoo Health Club

1. Identify negative triggers that lead to negative thinking.  Is it a time, a person, a place or situation?  Once you have identified the negative trigger, find a positive to combat it.  What’s the big deal about the toothpaste top, the toilet seat up….in the big scheme, who cares?
2. Track and check your internal dialogue at least three times a day.  Are you saying things to yourself that you would never say to others?  Do you look in the mirror and call yourself fat?  Do you say to yourself things like I’m stupid, or I’m ugly, or I’m not worthy?  Say nice things to yourself.  You only get one you, so you better be nice to YOU.
3. Actively re-frame negative thoughts to frame into positive opportunities or possibilities.  Many bad things have happened to me, but I re-frame them as either learning experiences or another door opens ).  You cannot hold onto negative things that have happened in your life.  Life is life….yes there are many bad things, but how  you frame it means everything.
4. Positive thinking is a necessity for your physical, spiritual and immune system.  You must get it to be healthy. Have you ever noticed that negative people get sick?  Look at the positive people who beat cancer against all odds.  Is it a miracle or is it their positive thinking.
5. Remember everything or everybody is not for us or against us—you have to trust destiny.  So you think you have it tough?  You might.  And others before have had it even tougher and beat the odds.  You can have or get whatever you want in life with positive thinking and hard work.  You have to believe.

SMILE Do it again until it wears off.  Positive thinking can get you a lifetime of smiles.