Turn Sabotage into Success

Without even knowing it, when we start working toward a goal of fat loss or weight loss we often do things to sabotage our success. We think we are doing the right things, but in reality we are putting our bodies in a place where it will refuse to do what we want. This leads to feelings of frustration and defeat because we aren't getting results. We aren't seeing a change and often times we don't know why.

Three common things women and men do that sabotages weight/fat loss:

1. Reduce calories - We start under-eating. We starve ourselves and eliminate certain food groups. We label certain foods as bad and avoid eating them. We think we are going to lose fat/weight, but in reality our body gets stressed and stops burning fat. Instead, when we severely restrict calories, our bodies will hold onto fat for survival.
2. Over exercise - We start to exercise too much and at a high intensity. We pile on the minutes and hours spent at the gym or running. We track those calories burned obsessively and even double up on workouts to reach a specific high target number. Exercising too much only stresses the body and prevents it from doing what we want -> burn fat/lose weight.
3. Wrong mindset - We often start our journey off great but then can’t follow through because we have the wrong mindset. It becomes all or nothing, good versus bad, on versus off. When we look at our journey this way, it often leads to failure because we are being too hard on ourselves.

To turn the sabotage into success you have to do three things:

1. Eat enough - Eat enough of the right foods to fuel your body properly. Each of us has to find out what that amount is and make sure that we are hitting our goals. When we do that, our daily movement creates a natural deficit. This is a healthy deficit because the body is fueled but burning fat stores for movement and any exercise that we do. 
2. Exercise right - When we get in 30 minutes of exercise a day and when we get a variety: cardio, strength training, and low intensity, our bodies will burn fat, build muscle and not be in a state of stress. Our body will be happy to burn fat and let go of the weight.
3. Positive mindset - Fat/weight loss is a process. It won’t be perfect. We have to focus on what we do well and set a goal to do the rest better tomorrow. Having a positive mindset that allows us to embrace the struggles and celebrate the wins helps us to sustain our journey. We are more likely to follow through than when we have an all or nothing mindset.

My mission is to help women and men who are feeling frustrated because they are not getting results from deprivation diets and working out all the time. I want to show women and men that there is a better way, a sustainable way. 

As a FASTer Way to Fat Loss coach, I teach my clients fat loss strategies that are sustainable because they eat enough, they exercise the right amount and the celebrate the process. 

You can join my next round on August 19 and end your frustration too. Use this link to register or to learn more about the FASTer Way to Fat Loss program. 

Now is the time to get started with a new routine and build healthy habits that work! 

I hope you’ll join me!

Focus on Losing Fat, Not Weight!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I am hopping on today to chat a little bit about losing fat versus losing weight.

Many people are obsessed with what the scale says and I want to tell you why you should be focused on losing fat instead.

 So many of us have been taught to focus on our weight in terms of being healthy. It is important, but it is also just a number that shows our relationship with gravity!

When most people say they want to lose weight, it’s because their clothes aren’t fitting well anymore and they see a number on the scale that is to blame. People blame weight because they feel out of shape and unfit.

However, when people focus on losing weight, often times they will also lose water, muscle mass, strength and overall fitness. This can have a lot of negative side effects on our body.

Again, don’t get me wrong, a healthy weight is important, but what’s more important than losing weight, is losing fat.

Here’s why:

When we focus on losing fat with the right nutrition and fitness, we can see so many benefits.

When we lose fat we change our body composition – 

• we feel comfortable in our clothes again, 
• we see muscle definition re-emerging, 
• we find a version of ourselves that is in shape and fit.

 Something else that happens when we lose fat -

• our metabolism increases, 
• our body’s ability to burn fat on its own is greater, 
• we have more energy

The truth is, we want to lose fat, not weight. Losing weight is often temporary and most of us do not want to find again after we’ve lost it!

To turn your body into a fat burner you have to make sure that you are eating the right amount of the right foods. That means eating the right amount of carbs, fats and proteins every day. Eating enough every day. Once you do that, you will no longer be obsessed with the number on the scale!

And to really lose fat, you really need to limit your alcohol – which can stop the fat burning process for up to 36 hours!

Feel free to follow me on IG at amycainefitness, I would love to connect with you there.

Let me know if you have any questions! I’m happy to answer them for you. If you found this information helpful, please share this post.

FWTFL Chocolate Coconut Fat Bombs

On low carb days, people often think about and focus on consuming meats, poultry, fish and veggies. There is room for smart treats though, too. 

Since our carb intake is reduced, to make up for those calories and hit our daily goal, we must increase and consume healthy fats. If you are craving something sweet and chocolatey, try this yummy recipe on your next low carb day.

FWTFL Chocolate Coconut Fat Bombs

Ingredients

• 6 T coconut Oil

• 3 T PB

• 3 T cocoa

• 2 T stevia

Instructions:

Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan.

Add the other ingredients and mix well. Do not boil.

Pour into molds and freeze until solid.

Pop out of molds and store in the freezer or refrigerator.

Nutrition (varies per ingredient brands): 1 candy approx. 88 cals / 9.1g fat / 1.1g net carbs / 0.9g protein

They make a great sweet treat on low carb day, especially after a high intensity workout!

Eating Healthy: It Doesn't Have to Be All or Nothing

Today I want to talk to you about eating healthy and how it doesn't have to be all or nothing.

When people start thinking about changing their habits to lose weight or get healthy, they sometimes follow methods or trends that will make it hard to be successful.

People often think of eating healthy as one of these:

• Cutting calories or following a calorie deficit
• Giving up fun, favorite foods -> like donuts, pizza, wine
• Eating boring, bland and plain food day after day
• Following rigid rules that interfere with everyday life

None of that is healthy! 

Eating healthy means:

• Confidently eating the right amount food for you and your goals. Fueling your body properly, not under-eating, so that it performs optimally. Consuming the right amount of macronutrients to build muscle and increase your metabolism to burn fat effectively.
• Eating with intent and planning those fun, favorite foods. Choosing foods in a thoughtful way so that it fits your macros (known as if it fits your macros, IIFYM, method). Not eliminating certain foods or food groups forever is healthier because it is more realistic. It creates a healthy mindset about food.
• Enjoying a variety of delicious whole food from every macronutrient. Fruits, veggies, meat, poultry 
• Focusing on progress, not perfection. Making healthy choices one day at a time. Learning how to deal with struggles and push past them to reach goals. Figuring out how healthy eating can be a lifestyle, that's not perfect, but still healthy.

These are some of the things that you will focus on when you join my FASTer Way to Fat Loss® tribe. We will focus on how to make eating healthy work for you and your lifestyle LONG TERM.

My next round starts soon. Click here to learn more and to register! I would love to help you reach your health and fitness goals!

My 10 Day Detox: 5 Things I Learned

In the FASTer Way to Fat Loss® program we emphasize the importance of whole food nutrition and trying to be gluten and dairy free. The point is to stay away from processed foods as much as possible because a lot of those foods contain ingredients that are unhealthy. I do the best I can.

In an effort to clean up my food act, I joined the January 10 Day Detox with the FWTFL VIP community.  For 10 days I would be thinking about whole foods, clean foods, organic foods. The goal was to reset my body by giving it a break from foods that are known to have a heavier toxic load or prevent the natural detoxification process. Yes, even coaches needed a little motivation and support!

That meant giving up some of my favorite things like apple cinnamon rice cakes with peanut butter and jelly, eggs, cheese, meat and caffeine! My heart literally sank a little while I was reading the What to Eat (what to avoid) list. Instead of changing my mind (which honestly crossed my mind) I went into plan and prep mode -> with the help of mrC.

Here's How the 10 Day Detox Worked: 

Day 1: 24 hour water fast

We do these once a month in VIP, so this was pretty routine. We started our fasting clock at our last meal the night before and broke our fast at dinner the next day. mrC met me for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and I broke my fast with grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, veggies and a COKE ZERO! No guilt here. I'm all about what you can, when you can and progress not perfection.

Days 2-9: FWTFL food cycle and What to Eat list

Eating according to my regular food cycle was not as hard as I thought it would be without processed foods. Our two low carb days were the biggest challenge for me because so many of my go-to items were on the avoid list: eggs, peanuts, peanut butter, sliced turkey breast from the deli. Both days I failed to hit my macro goals, but I wasn't hungry. 

What I Learned:

1. New recipes to try with foods I already enjoy. I'm a creature of habit, so the detox helped me get a little more creative with my food choices. Although, I did eat the new things repeatedly! I made this sauce  (dairy free) for my shredded chicken and quinoa -> it was seriously SO GOOD!

Coconut chicken and quinoa

2. I managed to live without my go-to foods much better than I expected! I don't "need" the foods that were eliminated and hopefully will limit the amount I bring back to my menu. Day 6 was my one off day...I was under calories (again) and there were GF cheese crackers in the apartment. I caved and had a pretty big snack after dinner. But I didn't crash and burn. I was right back on track the next day!

3. Food prep is the key to success when doing a detox! Preparing large batches of chicken breast, quinoa, sweet potato chips, broccoli and stuffed peppers made it insanely easy to mix and match my meals. 

4. I like my caffeine. I tried to limited myself to one cup of coffee in the morning and 1 glass of Coke Zero. Some days this worked, some days it didn't. 

5. A detox is about more than what you eat. We examined all the ways that toxins can invade our lifestyle such as through cleaning products, makeup, toiletries and more. I've already purchased some BeautyCounter products, and I found deodorant and shampoo at the American store. 

I'm excited that I made it the whole ten days with only one big slip. I definitely felt more energized in the afternoons and many days I slept later than I have in years. My goal is to continue to limit the amount of processed foods we eat and keep looking at ways to lessen the toxins we bring into our lives.

PS - This detox was offered as part of the FASTer Way to Fat Loss® VIP membership and is one of the things that made me fall in love with the program before becoming a coach. We are given the chance to learn even more about healthy living to supplement what we learned in the six-week program and follow-up. The FASTer Way is about helping people THRIVE when creating a healthy lifestyle. To learn more about my next round, click here.

Have you ever done a whole foods detox?