Healthiest Life 4 Me

Well, it was a long week.  Full of stress and craziness.  I was worried how my check in would go.  I took myself to urgent care with a fever and a sinus infection on Friday night.  Really excited to get an antibiotic, the Z Pack and a three day weekend!!! I was feeling a bit better in the morning, but still really tired.  I slept through a few meals on Saturday and then ate dinner I shouldn’t have (and even dessert..shhhhh, don’t tell!)  Then twice this week while teaching, I got so busy that I forgot to eat my 930 am snack and once was so tired I went to bed without my last meal.all these things made me very nervous.  Although, I have started working out with a partner that pushes me really hard, so every workout I get is AWESOME and a little painful! 

So, I really wasn’t sure how the check in would go on Friday.  When I got there, of course my nutritionist wanted to know how I was doing with the plan.  I asked him to do the measurements and said we’d chat about my troubles and thoughts after.  When he measured me, I still lost body fat!! I was 2 pounds lighter according to the scale and was down to 27.12% body fat, down a total of 2.43% total body fat in 3 weeks.  I also put on .92 lbs of muscle.  I have to say, I was very excited and he was quite impressed after telling him about my week (not the ice cream on Saturday, though.shhhhh!). 

So, here I go, starting week 4 and ready to kick butt.  Have a lot going on still, but plan to have a PERFECT week with my diet and exercise!!!  Thanks for keeping up with me and helping me stay accountable!!! Check it out next week to see how it went for me!!

Friday marked the 2 week mark of my progress towards the new me and finally reaching my goal.  I had a busy week and was able to be perfect on my plan again, until Thursday night.  I wasn’t feeling well and my nutritionist said I could have a cheat meal once a week.  So, I took it.  I had a protein shake and 2 slices of pizza.  So.failed at the 30 day sugar free diet.but still quite on track for the actual goal!  I was worried about a cheat meal the night before my weigh in would be horrible, but it wasn’t. 

So the results of my check in went well!! Last week I weighed 138.8 and this week 138.6 and although I was depressed about that when I got on the scale that morning, getting my measurements was quite exciting!  I am down to 27.74% body fat!  That is down just a smidge under 3% body fat in 2 weeks!  I was very excited about that! 

So, now onto week 3!  Rough start on my weekend, but planning on making the rest really count.  I have a head cold which is making the gym hard to accomplish, but I do plan on toughing it out!

Thanks for keeping up on my progress and supporting me through this journey.  I will post on my progress weekly!

Friday was the end of my first week of my new meal plan and 30 day sugar free diet.  AND I’d like to say that I made it one complete week with a perfect diet and NO SUGAR or foods that act like sugar in my body!  I can’t believe it.  It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.however I worked all 5 days and ran around like a crazy woman.  It made it a lot easier to keep the bad stuff out of my mouth by not being at home much. 

So at last week’s beginning I weighed 140 lbs and had a body fat percentage of 29.55.  Now my goal is 120 lbs and 16% body fat. 

My meals are planned at 3 hours apart with 6 total during the day.  My nutritionist charges for this advice, so all I can say is that I am trying a new type of plan this time and LOVE IT!  I haven’t been starved between meals, nor am I too full to finish my food.  I feel energetic all day and feel like there are less mood swings related to hunger and insulin spikes/dips in my body.

My workouts are back on track.  I feel crazy trying to fit them in, but they are all fitting somewhere.  One day this week I was able to get up and do 15 minutes of cardio before getting ready for work.  I fit 4 workouts in this week before checking in and 4 and a half hours of total cardio. 

And after all that work my results on Friday were.

.well.

.they.

.were.

.not.

BAD!!!

I weighed in at 138.8, which of course made me sad.  But after measurements of fat, I dropped to 28.28% body fat.  So, I gained just shy of one pound of muscle and lost just over 2 pounds of fat.  VERY EXCITING!!!  Can’t wait until next week. 

Thanks for following my journey and come back to see what kind of results this week will bring!

In this new to me world of twitter, blogging, and social networking I have met a TON of wonderful people who have influenced my life in more ways than one, people who have given me hope, people who have given me support, and people who are introducing me to new ways of thinking.just to name a few.  I have talked about some of these people in previous blogs, but new to this blog is Dr. Scott Olson ND.  He and I met via twitter and let me tell you, he is worth having around!!

Dr. Olson is a Naturopathic Doctor and the author of a book on sugar addiction called Sugarettes. He offered a challenge up to go 30 days without sugar or foods that act like sugar. This challenge is going for the month of January.  It sounded interesting so I asked some questions, got a copy of his book and joined the cause. 

I started reading his book and it was extremely hard to put down.but of course, I had to because people in this house still expected to eat and all!! LOL  Anyhow.it took me a few weeks because of work and all, but I finally got through the whole book.  And am amazed about the horrible things that sugar does to our bodies. 

My favorite part of the book is an analogy about a girl in the store begging her mom for a toy and to shut her up the mom hands her a cigarette.  I gasped when I read it at the very thought that it could happen.  Of course, upon reading further the point was that that story is how we treat our kids every day when we bribe them to behave by giving them candy. 

This book points out the many ways that sugar is KILLING each one of us.  Dr. Olson’s claim is that the medical community overlooks much of the damage done to our bodies due to sugar.  Besides just diabetes, sugar is responsible for all kinds of diseases and preventable health problems including high blood pressure and clogged arteries. 

His book lays out a plan on how to get rid of sugar from your diet to not only LOSE WEIGHT but to improve your health for LIFE!!  If you are interested in losing weight or just looking to improve your health and that of your family, then his book is for you! 

You can grab yourself a copy at www.amazon.com or just click on the book title Sugarettes.  I have never before read a “self help” type book that I’ve enjoyed this much.  Not only is it packed full of GREAT information, its easy to read and interesting.  The analogies are amusing and keep you interested in all the science smashed between them!   This is a MUST READ for anyone interested in health and nutrition, fitness, body building, etc.  Check it out!!

CNN.com has a small article on Vitamins Experts Take and why they take them.  The talked to four doctors about the regimen they take and some offered up reasons why they take certain items.  What I found most suprising about this article is that only 3 of the 4 doctors took a multivitamin and omega-3, while all 4 took a vitamin D supplement.  Dr. Melina Jampolis, who practices in San Francisco, California, and specializes exclusively in nutrition for weight loss and disease prevention and treatment, says everyone should take a basic multivitamin. “I like to call it an insurance policy,” she says.  Dr. Andrew Weil says he takes Vitamin D because, “a Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, and multiple sclerosis, as well as other conditions. Studies show many of us are vitamin D deficient. Weil says look on the label to make sure you’re getting vitamin D3, not vitamin D2.”  Other supplements that top the list taken are magnesium, Co-Q-10, and antioxidants.  Both of the women doctors interviewed took a Calcium supplement to help prevent osteoporosis. 

They all agree that vitamins and supplements are great for ones overall health, but fit together as part of the total wellness package that includes diet and exercise.  They also have some interesting links listed to help you decide what supplements are right for you.  Check them out:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DrugHerbIndex

http://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/Vitamin_and_Mineral_Supplement_Fact_sheets.aspx#f

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamins.html

When you are done with all this information, check out Symmetry Direct’s line of vitamins.  They are by far the best I have ever taken or been introduced to.  Feel free to contact me at lisasurvillas@healthiestlife4me.com if you would like more information about Symmetry Direct and their line of supplements.

More and more children are being diagnosed with ADD and ADHD.  Many doctors and teachers disagree on the diagnosis and treatments of children suspected of having these disorders.  As a parent, it is very hard to hear from a teacher that he/she suspects that your child has this problem.  Well for those of you moms in CA there are 1 problems with this:  teachers are NOT allowed to make medical diagnosis’ SO don’t let them.  But if you have suspicions about whether or not your child does have this disorder, even in the smallest way consider seeing a natural doctor instead of your pediatrician.   There are many natural doctors out there that believe that poor nutrition is to blame from many things including these disorders. 

My son’s second grade teacher was convinced that he had ADD and we took him to the doctor and asked the school to do some testing, but nobody but that teacher believed it was in the best interest of the child.  One thing I have done though is started giving him a product by Symmetry Direct called Future Star.  In fact this product is responsible for me becoming a partner with the company.  Too many fabulous stories from moms about how much it has helped their children.  So I started with the company and also started supplementing my son with it.  I can say I noticed a huge difference in his personality. 

Let me back up.my son’s only issue seems to be that he is shy and doesn’t ask for help.  He struggles with writing and language analysis.  He thinks it’s boring and nobody has sparked his interest in it.  And how could they.it is just constant worksheets and no one on one teaching if needed.  It has been a frustrating few years.  But Future Star (2 times a day-with breakfast and dinner) has made a huge difference in his ability to pay attention.but he still hates those subjects and therefore doesn’t try to do them well. 

A very well known chiropractor in Southern California, Dr. Howard Cohn wrote an article called “The COHN (Compelling Original Health News) Report” about ADD and ADHD treatments in children.  He talks about the medical treatments and the reasons to stay away from them.  Besides just Symmetry’s Future Star, there are some other products that can be used in conjunction to add to the positive effect you are looking for without using synthetic drugs. 

He also has a practice in Newport Beach, CA that offers a once weekly FREE workshop that not only offers you the chance to hear about health the natural way, but also includes a FREE vegan dinner from Mother’s Market.  Please see his site by clicking HERE for more information. 

I understand how difficult these decisions can be, but please know that this information is just meant to help you make informed decisions with the best intentions of your child in mind. 

Future Star is not only used for ADD and ADHD, it is a Phenomenal multi-vitamin for any child or student wanting extra brain food’s helping their brain function!  Check it out by clicking on the link: Live Better With Symmetry on the right side of the page.  Feel free to contact me at lisasurvillas@healthiestlife4me.com for more information.

The most important part of our diet’s in order to build lean muscle is PROTEIN.  Now that the holiday eating season is upon us, we need to pay attention to how to make sure we are getting enough.  Lean muscle controls our metabolism.  The more muscle mass you have, the more fat you will burn at rest.  During the holiday season, our meals usually have more carbs and starches on the tables to tempt us.  In order to stay on target, it is important to understand where we can get the lean protein from to feed our muscles. 

The holiday staple for both Thanksgiving and Christmas is TURKEY.  And what a great staple it is.  Turkey is a great source of lean protein. 

Here is a table that explains how much protein is in different cuts of turkey:

Type (3.5 oz portion)	Calories	Total Fat	Protein
Breast with skin	194	8 grams	29 grams
Breast w/o skin	161	4 grams	30 grams
Wing w/ skin	238	13 grams	27 grams
Leg w/skin	213	11 grams	28 grams
Dark meat w/skin	232	13 grams	27 grams
Dark meat w/o skin	192	8 grams	28 grams
Skin only	482	44 grams	19 grams

What this table from the University of Illinois show us is that the  best cut of meat is the breast without skin.  It provides the highest amount of protein with the lowest amount of fat and calories.  If you are not a fan of white meat, then the cut of dark meat without skin is the next best choice, although it has twice the amount of fat as the breast. 

In addition to Turkey being a great source of protein, the University of Illinois says that turkey “is an inexpensive source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and B vitamins.” 

Potassium is used to “maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body.” according to Wikipedia.  Translated.potassium will keep you from dehydrating and from storing excess water weight.  Besides turkey, a great source of potassium is an avocado.  Bananas and potatoes also have potassium, but are foods that act like sugar in the body. 

Check out the story, “Ultra Vitality-What and Why” to see what the other vitamins included in turkey are good for! 

Of course, adding things to your turkey like gravy and cranberry sauce add to the levels of sugars, carbs, and fats (not the good ones) and only defeat all your hard work. 

If you are choosing to have side dishes, limit the simple carbs and stick with green, crunchy veggies.  If you can choose a carb like a yam.it is the best choice you can make.  This is a low-glycemic index carb and will not act like sugar in your body. 

Hope you have a happy holiday season with your families and that your fitness goals stay on track!  (PS.I hope I can stay on track too!)

Ultra Vitality is Symmetry Direct’s multivitamin that is like no other.  Ultra Vitality is a wellness collection that has been changing people’s life for the better. Even the highly respected Journal of the American Medical Association now recommends that all American adults take a multivitamin to supplement their diet and help prevent disease.  Ultra Vitality comes in 3 different forms to meet everybody’s preferences. You can choose to take 4 caplets daily, one packet, or on ounce.which ever way you choose, you will be getting the Best Vitamin Coverage on the market.  In addition, Ultra Vitality has something that no other multivitamin has.DELTAZORB (exclusive Absorption Technology) which is technology for maximum nutritional absorption.up to 160% more absorption to be exact!  Ultra Vitality is like no other.its BETTER!

This is a link to a brochure about WHY ULTRA VITALITY. 

Vitamins are “organic substances essential for life.  They can not be produced by the body, therefore they must be ingested through food and supplements.  Without them, the body would not survive.” 

This is a comprehensive list of the vitamins included in Ultra Vitality and what they are and what the benefits of each are. 

Vitamin A (Beta Carotene)

*An antioxidant.  Helps form and maintain healthy eyes, hair, teeth, gums, skin, mucous membranes and fat metabolism.

Benefits:

*Stimulates the immune system

* Reduces risk of some tumors including lung, corectal, prostate & breast

Vitamin D (Calciferol)

Improves the immune function and helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus.

Benefits:

*Protects against osteoporosis, osteomalacia, breast and colon cancer, some deafness, diabetes & acne

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

Forms RBC’s, muscle and tissue.  An antioxidant that protects against damage from smoke and pollution.

Benefits:

*Anti-cancer, cataracts, heart disease, neuralgic disorders, breast disorders, sexual & athletic prowess

*Slows aging

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid & P Bioflavanoids)

An antioxidant that binds cells together, strengthens blood vessel walls and promotes healing.

Benefits:

*Anti-cancer, immuno-stimulant, lowers cholesterol, good vision, male fertility & helps control asthma

*Prevents scurvy

Vitamin K

Needed for normal blood clotting.

Benefits:

*Role in fighting off osteoporosis and arthritis as well as some types of cancer

Biotin

Lipid synthesis, metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

Benefits:

*Boosts athletic energy

*Hair health-prevents graying and baldness

B1 (Thiamin)

An antioxidant promoting proper nerve and brain function, metabolism of sugars, starches and digestion.

Benefits:

*May stop foot pain in diabetics

*Enhanced muscular endurance in athletes

*Combat seasickness

B2 (Riboflavin)

Carbohydrates, protein and fat metabolism.  Helps with proper vision, mucous membranes, brain function and energy production.

Benefits:

*Helps combat Esophageal cancer, acne, arthritis, confusion, baldness, and mouth and GI ulcers

*Immunostimulant

B3 (Niacin)

Helps appetite, digestion and convert food to energy while protecting the nervous system.

Benefits:

*Reduces cholesterol, triglycerides, acne, canker sores, diabetes, migraines and baldness

*Good with sex hormones

B5 (Panthothenic Acid)

An anti-stress vitamin that maintains blood sugar levels, antibody formation, antioxidant action and cellular metabolism.

Benefits:

*Boosts athletic ability & speeds healing

*Lowers cholesterol and protects heart

*Slows aging and gray hair formation

B6 (Pyridoxine)

For hormone balance, protein and fat metabolism, RBC formation and protecting nerves. 

Benefits:

*Boosts athletic ability & speeds healing

*Lowers cholesterol and protects heart

*Slows aging and gray hair formation

B12 (Cobalamin)

An energy vitamin that helps build genetic material, RBCs, function of all cells and mental health.

Benefits:

*Energizes the body

*Halts some brain disorders, prevents certain birth defects & neuro-psychiatric disorders

Choline/Inositol

Basic part of lecithin and memory loss.

Benefits:

*Heart disease, treats & prevents memory loss

*Anti-aging

Folic Acid

Forms proteins, genetic material & builds RBCs.

Benefits:

*Combats cancer & birth defects

*Treats mental retardation & dermatitis

Minerals are in-organic substances (not living) essential for life and can not be manufactured in the body.  These are macro minerals (such as calcium and zinc) that are needed in relatively large amounts, and there are trace minerals (such as chromium and selenium) that are needed in trace amounts.

This is a comprehensive list of the minerals included in Ultra Vitality, what they are and what their benefits are.

Calcium

Builds strong bones, teeth, helps blood clot, nerve and muscle function and helps convert food to energy.

Benefits:

*Lowers blood pressure & cholesterol

*Treats leg cramps, protects against colon cancer, osteoporosis & PMS

*Regulates heart rate

Chromium

Controls blood cholesterol, synthesis of fatty acids and appetite.

Benefits:

*Lowers blood pressure & cholesterol

*Treats leg cramps, protects against colon cancer, osteoporosis & PMS

*Regulates heart rate

Copper

An immunostimulant that helps absorb and carry oxygen in hemoglobin, and forms bone.

Benefits:

*Anti-cancer & anti-inflamatory

*Helps heal ulcers, colitis, arthritis, anemia  & thyroid function

Iodine

Controls metabolism and function of thyroid.

Benefits:

*Relieve pain in fibro-cystic breast disease

*Mental clarity

*Prevents goiter

Iron

Helps absorb and carry oxygen in hemoglobin and myoglobin (muscles)

Benefits:

*Resistance to cold

*Improves attention span in children & cooperativeness

Magnesium

Activates enzymes to transfer and release energy in body.  Regulates heart and muscle function.

Benefits:

*Helps protect against blood clots, migraines, PMS, epilepsy, diabetic retin-opathy, polio

*Anti-stress

Phosphorus

Builds strong bones and teeth.  Transfers and releases energy in body.

Benefits:

*Endurance in athletes & fights fatigue

*Good tonic

Potassium

An electrolyte for nerve conduction and muscle (heart) contraction.

Benefits:

*Treats high blood pressure, protects against stoke, improves athletic ability & treats cancer

Selenium

An antioxidant that prevents breakdown of body chemicals from free radicals.

Benefits:

*Protects against cancer & heart disease

*Increases male potency & sex drive

*Anti-inflammatory & good for the skin

Zinc

An antioxidant; works with RBC to move carbon dioxide, form bone, smell, taste, healing and prostate function.

Benefits:

*Heals cold sores & boosts immunity

*Prevents cancer, blindness & infertility

*Increase male sex drive

It is also important to understand, when looking at Ultra Vitality why many of the amounts are higher than the Daily Value.  Symmetry does this because “Daily value can be understood as ‘minimum wage’ for nutrition where it is enough to get by and prevent sickness, but not enough to be vibrant and happy.  For example, while 100% of Vitamin C  will not generate scurvy or other deficiency symptoms, studies show that about 8 times that amount can increase life span by five and a half years.  Thus, Ultra Vitality goes beyond the Daily Value recommendations on Vitamin C and other nutrients.

In addition to these amazing Vitamins and Minerals that are listed, Ultra Vitality includes an antioxidant blend, energy blend, nutritive herbal blend/urinary health blend, proprietary blend: digestive support/enzymes/probiotics, chlorphyll blend, and a super food blend/immune herbal blend.  These are comprised of all natural ingredients.  There is no caffine and no sugar in Ultra Vitality. 

Ultra Vitality is a vital part of everybody’s daily needs.  If you are interested in ordering, please see My Symmetry Page or click Live Better With Symmetry under blogroll.  Or you can contact me directly at lisasurvillas@healthiestlife4me.com.  In addition, the company has a Wellness Guarentee that gives you 120 days to like the product or your money back (contact me for details), so you either like them and feel better or you can get your money back.where is the harm in that?  Let’s get started on a journey to total health today!

Everyone who reads my blog and who has an interest in either becoming a Independent Business Partner with Symmetry Direct to make some extra money and possibly earn a special trip for January 2010 or wants more information on the products offered by Symmetry Direct are welcome to come to this once in a lifetime event here in Riverside, CA. 

For the first time EVER, the company founder’s son, Brandon Langer who is the Director of Sales and Marketing for the US is coming here to Riverside, CA to kick off the new year.  He is coming to talk to us about how to build our businesses bigger and stronger in the new year!  This information is usually only available to us if we spend hundreds of dollars and attend a Seeds Of Success Workshop in Chicago.  To those of us here in Southern CA, that is a expensive trip.  So, please take advantage of this opportunity to learn from the BEST!

Also at this event, Dr. Howard Cohn is making his second appearance here in Riverside, CA.  The last time he spoke, I took 23 pages of notes.  And I know I missed about 20 more pages due to not being able to write fast enough.  His product training is invaluable to building a business.  His experiences in his practice (chiropractic) with the products and how they have HEALED so many will help you to explain to your customers just how VALUABLE these products are to their lives.

Now, obviously many of you are not business partners, but you are still invited to come and learn about the products, the valuable of residual income, and what Symmetry Direct can do for your life.either by business or by products. 

The deal is.I need RSVP’s because the room only holds a certain amount of people.  The person responsible for hosting this event is paying per head for space and it is VITAL that if you RSVP that you are coming.you must show UP!  Please let me know if you are interested. 

The event will take place on January 31, 2009 at the Orange Terrace Community Center here in Riverside, CA.  The event is from 1-5, so please come fed as there will only be water and snacks available. 

I would love to see many of you at this event.  In the times of economic struggles, the stresses added to our bodies can cause many health problems.but adding nutritional supplements can keep our bodies healthy to keep us through these tough times.

While hanging out on Twitter one night, I saw a blurb about being able to do push-ups.  My curiosity took over and I asked why she was so focused on the amount of push-ups she could do and how many weeks she had to do it in.  @Kelownagurl responded to me with a website with this 100 Push-up Challenge. 

I have become quite impressed with my strength in the past few months.  And although I am struggling with my diet again, I am fully focused on my training.  So, I inquired at 100 Push-up Challenge to see what all this fuss was about.  And now have committed to this challenge.  The program can be as long as 6 weeks depending upon how many push-ups you can currently do. 

Here is how the program works:

1. Take an assessment of how many pushups you can do in one sitting.  Do the push-ups correctly and don’t cheat if you want the program to work. 

2.  Go to the website 100 Push-up Challenge and email Steve and let him know that you are taking the challenge and he will add you to the list.  Admitting to someone that you are taking the challenge will keep you accountable.  Recruit a physical partner if you’d like to report to someone physically each week.  Feel free to comment here each week if you want to have encouragement from me.

3.  Print up each week and follow the directions.  You do push-ups 3 times a week and depending upon the week you are told to start in and the amount you are capable of will determine how your workout will look each day.

4.  Follow each week without cheating.

5.  When you complete week 6, you will rest for 2 days and then you will try to do a set of 100 push-ups!

It may seem weird to have the need to do 100 push-ups, but the push-up is the most comprehensive upper body exercise that you can do.  And most importantly.it can be done ANYWHERE!!  You don’t need any special equipment or special facilities to do it in.  When executing a  regular push-up you are pushing 60% of your body weight.  When you elevate your feet and do decline push-ups you push 80% of your body weight.  Talk about upper body strength training. 

So let’s get started on this journey together.  And just because I am starting my program next week, doesn’t mean you can’t start yours anytime.  You will be so proud of yourself for the accomplishment and even with the way your arms take shape!