What's the Deal With Cleansing Diets?

What's the deal with cleansing diets?

As the weather warms up and folks begin to realize they will need to soon shed some layers of clothes, I start getting one question over and over.

In a nutshell, it’s this.

“What's the deal with cleansing diets?”

The term "Cleansing" is thrown around a lot -- it's sexy -- and The media of course likes sexy. But what does it truly mean?

As you'll learn, this term means nothing. It means whatever the author wants it to mean. It could be:

Eliminate toxins
Eliminate sugar
Eliminate gluten
Eliminate waste
Eliminate caffeine
Eliminate alcohol
And so on...

First, it's important to understand that our bodies do a FANTASTIC job of cleansing themselves. If that didn't happen and toxins, chemicals, and so on "built up" in our system, we wouldn't live very long.

There are false reports on the internet showing pictures of built up waste in our colons from eating junk. That doesn't happen. You may have heard the crazy report that John Wayne had over 60 lbs of waste in his intestine when he died -- 100% false and it's used for the "wow" factor. Don't fall for it! It's impossible.

The gist of the various diets is to reduce a lot of junk in our diets ... calling it "cleansing" is the hook to get people interested.

If it means you revamp your diet to lower refined sugar intake, no worries there.
But since these are so popular, I’m going to jump on board the cleansing train and suggest my own “Cleansing Diet."

Ready for it?

1. Eat at least 10 fruits and veggies (total) per day.
2. Eliminate soft drinks and instead drink water, with fruit in it if you want some added flavor.
3. Limit alcohol to no more than 1 drink/day. Once per week for the Super CLEANSE!
4. Eliminate trans fat (listed as hydrogenated oil on food labels).
5. Eat MORE raw nuts, like almonds and walnuts.
6. Follow a 90/10 rule -- 90% of the time, eat very clean. 10% of the time, let your hair down a bit and loosen up the reins.

Balance is key!!

Following these 6 steps are great first steps to transforming YOUR body. Easy enough, right?

Go For Greatness!

Jennifer Labonte
Owner, Ormond Adventure Boot Camp

Why Soda is Making You Fat!

Why Soda Is Making You Fat!

If you’ve been drinking one or more sodas every day, that aluminum can in your hand is to blame for those extra digits on the scale. We’re not talking a couple pounds either. We’re talking long term weight gain. One can of cola adds more than 100 calories to your daily intake. That’s over 10 lbs of additional body fat every year.

Obesity, type-2 diabetes, and soda addiction have all risen together steadily and scarily over the past decades. Coincidence? Not a chance. Soda is sabotaging your body.

What’s so bad about a little bubbly liquid?
Lots and lots of calories and zero nutritional value. Sugary soft drinks account for almost 10% of the average American’s daily caloric intake. That’s a ton of empty calories that lack any of the nutrients, fiber, or minerals your body needs to function. Because soda’s missing what your body craves, no matter how much you drink you’ll still be left feeling hungry. So, on top of hundreds of empty calories, you pile on additional food that still counts against your ideal daily allotment. Remember, there is one absolute truth: if you take in more calories than you burn you will gain weight.

Your odds of becoming obese increase as much as 1.6 times for every 12 ounces of soda you drink over the course of the day. That’s because one small can of soda holds a whopping 140 calories of added sugar. Reality check: at most fast food restaurants, a 12 ounce serving of soda is considered the kiddie size.

All these added sugars are simple sugars, meaning they are readily and easily absorbed. When you take in such a high volume so quickly your insulin spikes. Your body can’t handle the rapid influx, which leads to extra glucose being stored as fat. You don’t get any lasting energy from the liquid carbs; you get that familiar and inevitable crash. Instead of being ready to hit the gym to burn off any extra fat, you’re so exhausted you just hit the couch.

I’ll just switch to diet soda!
Not so fast. Recent studies show that over time diet sodas still cause weight gain. If you drink 2 or more servings of diet soda a day you are 5 times more likely to increase dangerous visceral fat in your midsection. That extra fat puts you at greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.

Let’s say you only drink a single serving of diet soda a day. Diet soda is still high in sodium. The more sodium in your body, the more water you’ll retain. Which means if you’re trying to lose weight, diet soda can actually make it that much harder move the scale in the right direction. And let’s not forget the artificial sweeteners in diet soda – a BIG no-no!

Instead of sodas, why not reach for healthier and even more refreshing beverages?
If you won’t give up the carbonated bite of soda, mix two parts seltzer water with one part 100% fruit juice – like powerhouse pomegranate or cranberry. You’ll get your pleasant pop and fizz along with rich antioxidants and vitamins. Embrace homemade smoothies made with fresh fruit and almond milk or greek yogurt for added protein.

Maybe it’s time you jump on the green tea train. Even if you sweeten your tea, you’re more likely to check your sugar intake when you’re the one spooning in the sweetener. Or reach for that oldie but goodie, pure H2O.

One thing is for sure: cut out sodas and you’ll start to feel lighter than carbonated air.

Let me help you rid yourself of the nutrition which sabotages your health and help you make better choices you can trust.

Time to ROCK Your Jeans

Take the Ormond Adventure Boot
Camp Challenge that starts
Monday, December 5th!


What you Get:
• 3 Weeks of Fat Burning Boot Camps!
• 1 Week of at home workouts during our refocus week!
• Fat Loss Nutrition Meal Plan!
• Measurement Guide and Chart to track your progress!
• Participation in "closed" Facebook group!
• Daily emails with tips, motivation and slimming recipes!

How it Works:
• Try on a pair of jeans you’ve been dying to get into!
• Get a friend to join you and do this challenge together!
• Follow the meal plan – We promise you won’t be hungry!
• “Get your Booty to Boot Camp” and we’ll take care of the rest!
• Try on your new favorite jeans and go out and CELEBRATE!


All Rock Your Jeans participants will be entered to win a NEW pair of designer jeans to ROCK and ROCK STAR treatment with a personal fitting session from:
I WANT TO ROCK MY JEANS CHALLENGE COST:
$110 - 3 DAYS PER WEEK
$140 - 4 DAYS PER WEEK
$170 - 5 DAYS PER WEEK

Visit www.OrmondBootCamp.com for more details and to register!
Or CALL NOW 386-547-9393

11 Nice Ways to Say 'No' to Food Pushers

During the holiday season, food temptations are everywhere. From stuffing and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving to eggnog and sugar cookies in December, the seasonal temptations are endless. It can be tough enough to navigate the turkey buffet without having your great aunt force an extra helping of potatoes on your plate or resisting Grandma Dolly's pleas that you take a second piece of her famous apple pie.

Food pushers range from well-intentioned loved ones to total diet saboteurs. Regardless of their motivation, it's important to stick to your guns. You can always be honest and say that you're simply trying to eat healthier, but if that response gets ignored (or doesn't come easily), the following retorts to their food-forcing ways will keep you in control of what goes on your plate and in your mouth!

Note: These tips work year-round at birthday parties, family get-togethers and Sunday brunches with friends alike!

The Push: "It's my specialty, you have to try it!"

Your Response: "I will in a bit!"

Why It Works: Stalling is a great tactic with food pushers. Odds are the offender won't follow you around making sure you actually try the dish. If they catch up with you by the end of the party to ask what you thought, tell them that it slipped your mind but you'll be sure to try it next time.

The Push: "This [insert name of high-calorie dish] is my favorite. You'll love it!"

Your Response: "I had some already—so delicious!"

Why It Works: A white lie in this situation isn't going to hurt anybody. You'll get out of eating food you don't want or need, and the food pusher will have gotten a compliment on what probably is a delicious dish.

The Push: "It's just once a year!"

Your Response: "But I'll probably live to celebrate more holidays if I stick with my diet plan!"

Why It Works: People can sometimes see healthy eating as vain—a means to the end result of losing weight and looking better. It's harder for a food pusher to argue with you if you bring attention to the fact that you eat right and exercise for better health and a longer life. Looking good just happens to be a side effect!

The Push: "Looks like someone is obsessed with dieting…"

Your Response: "I wouldn't say obsessed, but I am conscious of what I eat."

Why It Works: Words like "food snob" or "obsessed" are pretty harsh when they're thrown around by food pushers. But don't let passive-aggressive comments like this bring you down—or make you veer away from your good eating intentions. Acknowledging your willpower and healthy food choices might influence others to be more conscious of what they eat. Sometimes you just have to combat food pushers with a little straightforward kindness.

The Push: "If you don't try my dish, I'm just going to have to force you to eat it!"

Your Response: "Sorry, but I don't like (or can't eat) [insert ingredient here]."

Why It Works: It's hard to argue with someone's personal food preferences. If someone doesn't like an ingredient whether its sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or butter, odds are that he or she hasn't liked it for a very long time. If you'd like to get creative with this one, go into detail about how you got sick on the ingredient as a kid or how your mom says you always threw it across the room as a baby. Who can argue with that?

The Push: "You need some meat on your bones."

Your Response: "Trust me, I'm in no danger of wasting away!"

Why It Works: This food push is definitely on the passive-aggressive side. Using humor to fight back will defuse any tension while making it clear where you stand.

The Push: "One bite isn't going to kill you."

Your Response: "I know, but once you pop you can't stop! And I'm sure it's so delicious I wouldn't be able to stop!"

Why It Works: This is another situation where humor will serve to distract the food pusher from his or her mission. It's a way to say "thanks, but no thanks" while making it clear that you're not interested in overindulging.

The Push: "But it's your favorite!"

Your Response: "I think I've overdosed on it; I just can't eat it anymore!"

Why It Works: If you have a favorite holiday dish that everyone knows you love, it can be especially tough to escape this push. If a loved one made the dish specifically for you, the guilt can be enough to push you over the edge. But people understand that food preferences change, and most have been in that situation of enjoying a dish so much that they can't touch it for awhile.

The Push: [Someone puts an extra helping on your plate without you asking.]

Your Response: Push it around with your fork like you did as a kid to make it look like you tried it.

Why It Works: While putting food on someone else's plate can be viewed as passive-aggressive, it was probably done with love. (Let's hope!) Making it look like you ate a bite or two can be an easy way out of the situation, but you can also just leave it alone and claim that you've already had your fill. (After all, you didn't add that extra helping!)

The Push: "Have another drink!"

Your Response: "I have to drive."

Why It Works: No one will argue with the fact that you want to drive home sober. If they do, you should have no qualms walking away from the conversation, period. If they offer a place for you to stay, you can always get out of the situation by blaming an early morning commitment or the fact that you need to get home to let the dog out. Kids will also get you out of everything.

The Push: "We have so many leftovers. Take some!"

Your Response: "That's OK! Just think, you'll have your meals for tomorrow taken care of."

Why It Works: Not every party guest wants to deal with the hassle of taking food with them, and this makes it clear that you'd rather the food stay. If the host is insistent, you can feign worry that they'll go bad in the car because you're not going straight home, or it'll go bad in your fridge because you've already been given so many leftovers at other parties recently. Or be polite and take them. You'll have more control of your food intake away from the party anyway. So whether you don't eat the leftovers at all or whether you split a piece of pie with your spouse, you're in control in this situation.


These tactics can work wonders in social situations, but honesty is sometimes the best policy. A simple "No, thank you" is hard for a food pusher to beat, especially if it's repeated emphatically. Remember, too, that it's okay to have treats in moderation, so don't deprive yourself of your favorite holiday foods. Just make sure that you're the one in control of your splurges—not a friend, family member or co-worker who doesn't know your fitness and health goals!

sparkpeople.com

Take the Ormond Adventure Boot
Camp Challenge that starts
Monday, November 7th!

What you Get:
• 3 Weeks of Fat Burning Boot Camps!
• 1 Week of at home workouts during our refocus week!
• Fat Loss Nutrition Meal Plan!
• Measurement Guide and Chart to track your progress!
• Participation in "closed" Facebook group!
• Daily emails with tips, motivation and slimming recipes!

How it Works:
• Try on a pair of jeans you’ve been dying to get into!
• Get a friend to join you and do this challenge together!
• Follow the meal plan – We promise you won’t be hungry!
• “Get your Booty to Boot Camp” and we’ll take care of the rest!
• Try on your new favorite jeans and go out and CELEBRATE!


All Rock Your Jeans participants will be entered to win a NEW pair of designer jeans to ROCK!

I WANT TO ROCK MY JEANS CHALLENGE COST:
$110 - 3 DAYS PER WEEK
$140 - 4 DAYS PER WEEK
$170 - 5 DAYS PER WEEK

Visit www.OrmondBootCamp.com for more details and to register!
Or CALL NOW 386-547-9393

Do Fat Burners Really Work?

Fat burners are essentially pills which contain certain herbal ingredients such as Ephedra, HCA, Chitosan and Pyruvate, all of which claim to either increase energy, stimulate your metabolism and/or suppress your appetite.

It's hard to say whether they work. Try to find a conclusive study about just about any dietary supplement, including so-called fat burners, and you're in for a long day. What we do know is that most supplements need further study and, more importantly, the purity of supplements is definitely suspect. Supplements aren't standardized so you don't know if what's listed on the bottle is what you're getting. Plus, no one knows what the long-term effects of these supplements are and, even scarier, how they interact with other medications. All very scary facts.

A lot of people look for a magic pill to change their bodies. They want fast and easy results. Sometimes, the supplement industry would have you believe that what it sells are magic pills, but believe me, they aren't. However, the right ones can be incredibly beneficial and can fill in the gaps in your nutrition and allow your body to function at its highest level.

Because supplements are not regulated by the FDA we must be smart about what we purchase. This is a list of the supplements that science has shown to be beneficial - and the supplements that I trust and take myself.

1. Multi-vitamin -The all in one supplement. These help guarantee that you're receiving all your essential nutrients, including a healthy does of antioxidants. Women, you'll want to select a product that supplies iron. Men, you generally do not need to supplement iron in your diet.

2. Vitamin B Complex - B Vitamins assist with almost every process and system in your body, including healthy digestion, a strong nervous system, good hair, skin and nails and energy production. Vitamin B helps convert carbohydrates into glucose, which your body then converts into energy. (also knows as your metabolism). Coffee and alcohol drinkers....your need for Vitamin B is increased!

3. Ground flaxseed - These little seeds help reduce your risk of stroke, heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Make sure you've purchased "ground" and then sprinkle in your salad, protein shakes, yogurt, etc. Take in 2-4 tablespoons daily.

4. Green Tea Extract - I admit on this one that I don't drink as often as I would like because I'm not a tea or coffee fan. However, Green tea extract offers one of the best sources of antioxidants because they fight off dangerous free radicals which are the primary source of aging. It also revs up your metabolism, boosts cardiovascular health, offers sustained energy and improves skin quality. Avoid products that include caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, alcohol and gluten.

5. Vitamin D - This is a brand new addition to my daily supplement intake after I researched it after talking to one of our fellow campers. Here is what I've discovered. Scientists have determined that vitamin D plays a vital role in building strong bones, fighting cancer, protecting your body against infection and helping bust your gut and aiding in fat loss. Research indicates that 60% of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D.

Check with your doctor to discuss any deficiencies you may have. Generally a quick blood draw will determine this for you.