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Celebrity Weight Loss Secrets – What They Don’t Want You To Know

June 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Celebrity Weight Loss Secrets – The Truth About How They Do It And Why It’s Not As Easy As They Make It Sound

Not a day goes by without at least one celebrity revealing their weight loss secrets which run the gamut from Megan Fox’s bizarre practice of drinking a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar to Madonna’s super healthy regime of yoga and a strict macrobiotic diet.

Their stunning figures and skinny size jeans turn some of us green with envy and leave us with a burning desire to know exactly how they got that fabulous body, and more importantly – how they keep it short of stuffing their faces with Kleenex to calm hunger pangs as some models are rumored to do.

Some celebrities are more forthcoming than others about what it takes to stay skinny and fabulous looking such as Kim Cattrall who has been quoted as saying, “I diet every day of my life. After 40 you’ve got to.” Okay, maybe I don’t need to look as fabulous as Kim Cattrall because the thought of dieting every day for the rest of my life is just too depressing. But I’d sure like to be less like the puffy and plump Pillsbury Dough Boy

Other celebrities, who obviously want us to believe they were first in line when “good genes” were handed out and that they have metabolisms that burn calories as fast as a jet engine burns fuel, have been quoted as saying they “eat whatever they want,” “never diet,” and “are lazy and hate to exercise.” Yeah, sure. They don’t get toned arms and tight butts by sitting around eating Twinkies and Oreos.

What are the real “Celebrity Weight Loss Secrets?”

Although I’m far from famous myself and don’t know any celebrities personally, here’s what I’ve learned from reading celebrity gossip websites (my guilty pleasure that I will hotly deny if you ever ask me about it), perusing Tabloid headlines while waiting in line at the grocery store, and reading interviews celebrities have given.

The real key to their weight loss isn’t so much about what they eat or don’t eat, but is the fact that they can hire fitness coaches, personal trainers, and personal chefs.

There’s nothing like a personal trainer knocking on your door and dragging you out of bed in the morning to give a person structure and accountability. Do a little reading and the theme become evident. Celebrities gush about their personal trainers and how they got them in shape and keep them in shape. Some celebrities even have their personal trainers travel with them so there’s never an excuse to not exercise.

Then there are the personal chefs some celebrities have. It’s easy to eat healthy and delicious food when there is a chef doing your grocery shopping, which eliminates the temptation of grabbing a Kit Kat and Pepsi that are within reach while waiting in line at the grocery store and your stomach is growling, and then having that chef cook for you. There’s no excuses about being too tired to cook and stopping at McDonald’s on the way home for a Big Mac, Fries and Coke; or not having anything in the house to eat but having a phone in good working order which makes it easy to order in a fatty greasy pizza with a side order of breadsticks.

The structure and accountability celebrities get from their personal coaches, trainers, and chefs – while expensive – flat out works. It’s just not the same as online programs or group coaching where it’s easy to “cheat” and not give it your all.

Does that mean you are doomed if you don’t have a wallet bulging with one hundred dollar bills?

No, but if you need someone to make you accountable and to make sure you exercise then it’s time to find someone to help you with that.

Hire a personal trainer to work with you if you can afford it, even if it’s just once a week or a couple times a month. For a cheaper option consider a college student. They are always looking for a way to make some extra money and some of them are fitness fanatics, although keep in mind that the cheaper cost will mean not having a certified personal trainer so keep it simple and hire them to make sure you get out for that morning run, jog or walk.

Or find a friend or family member that will be tough with you and make you accountable. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have a friend that will show up at your door every day and won’t accept any of your feeble excuses about why you can’t exercise that day. Don’t, under any circumstances, ask your spouse to be the person dispensing the “tough love.” That will just get ugly.

Food can be a little trickier since personal chefs do not come cheap, but cooking school students will work for reasonable wages. Contact your local cooking school or technical college that has a cooking program and see if you can hire a student to cook for you. Hire that student to do your weekly shopping, cook for you once a week, and then stock your fridge with labeled containers of healthy food. Or, consider trading cooking duties with someone you know. They cook and shop for you one week, and you do it the other.

The key is find a way to find structure and accountability that is really hard for you to opt out of and to find someone to remind you of why you want to lose weight and get healthier even though it’s raining outside and the last thing you want to do is put on those athletic shoes and go for a walk or run.

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Motivational Weight Loss Quote of the Week

April 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Marvin Phillips (author and speaker)

“The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph!”

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How A Dog Can Help You Lose Weight

April 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

If you are one of those people that find it hard to motivate yourself to exercise like you should, enlist the help of your furry four legged friend, your dog.

Dogs love to go for walks. Even if you are not feeling motivated and up to a daily walk, your dog is still more than happy to follow you around with those puppy dog eyes waiting for you to give in and go.

At our dog’s last vet visit, we were told our dog needed to lose a few pounds and were asked about how much exercise she got. Although we live in the country on several acres of land where our dog has the freedom to romp and play at will; our vet pointed out it’s not the same as giving her daily exercise like a walk or run would. And, he only half-jokingly pointed out as he patted my husband’s found stomach, it a daily walk with the dog wouldn’t do my husband any harm either.

Dogs Love Walks (They're Good For People Too!)

So a few month’s ago the daily walks with our dog and my husband started. I go along on the walks but I don’t actually hold the leash because our dog doesn’t really walk, she pulls on the leash like an Alaskan sled dog because she wants to go faster and smell more things. I have a hard time controlling the dog when she’s in the mood to pull on the leash like that, which is most of the time and she’s not a huge dog, she weighs less than 50 pounds but she’s strong enough to nearly pull my husband off his feet if he’s not paying attention when she sees a rabbit or squirrel that she thinks needs to be chased.

At first the walks were only a mile in duration. Now my husband and dog, her name is Montana, walk three to four miles a day, walking for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. There are days my husband does not feel like going for a walk. But, Montana knows the routine at our house. After my husband walks in the door at night and has eaten she knows it is time for a walk. That’s when Montana starts to act like she glued to my husband. She follows him around the house, dancing around him, licking his hand when she can, wagging her tail, and looking at him in that happy “we are going for a walk now aren’t we” way.

Even on the nights he has looked at her and said “Montana, I don’t feel like going for a walk tonight,” the dog just tilts her head as if to say “But we have to go.” Now that the dog is used to the routine of walking, my husband never lasts more than 10 minutes after saying he doesn’t want to walk. He gives in and goes because he can tell how much Montana wants to go because like any dog worth its furry coat, she doesn’t give in. She just keeps waiting and being excited about that walk and stays right next to my husband as a reminder that he needs to take her. Now, even if it’s raining (or snowing) they go for a walk.

They have only missed a few nights and that was because it was storming with lightning. On those nights my husband rewarded the dog by playing a game where he chased the dog (yes, he chased her around the house much to her delight), and played a long game of tug of war with her to tire her out and make her not miss her walk too much.

Has all that walking helped? It sure has. When our dog got her shots last week she had lost two pounds. My husband has lost nearly 10 pounds over the last three months by going on the daily walks. He hasn’t made any modifications to his diet or added any other exercise. Just the walking itself has resulted in the weight loss for him.

I’m not advocating that you get a dog just to help you exercise every day. But if already have a dog, get up off that couch and take him or her for a walk every day. It will be good for both of you. And, if you have been wanting to get a dog anyway and are ready for the commitment of caring for a dog and giving it the exercise it needs, then visit your local animal shelter or humane society and talk to them about adopting a dog who needs a loving home.

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Motivational Weight Loss Quote of the Week

April 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Jim Rohn (author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker)


“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

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How To Eat Fast Food And Still Lose Weight

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Because there is so much fast food out there that is loaded with fat, lots of sodium, and is high in calories, many people believe the only way to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight is to stay away from fast food restaurants.

Subway features a line of "healthier" choice than many other fast food joints

Yes, it is true that a fast food meal that includes a burger, fries, and a soft drink is not healthy and has too many calories in it. But there are fast food options that are healthy and okay to have. Here’s one way to think of it. Most weight loss experts today say having 5 to 6 small meals a day is better then having 3 larger meals and that skipping meals is a bad idea because it leads to binging later on in the day. So is it better to skip lunch because you are busy and only have access to a fast food restaurant? Or should you go to that restaurant and make the healthiest choice you can? (And while it’s true that you cannot always get super healthy food at a fast food restaurant, you can almost always find a reasonably healthy choices.)

I’m not saying you have to walk into that fast food restaurant and ask them for a bowl of plain lettuce either. What are some decent choices?

• Go Mexican but don’t have the taco salad in the edible bowl. That taco salad at Taco Bell that you probably think is a healthy choice contains 860 calories and 46 grams of fat. Even without the edible bowl, the salad still has 490 calories and 25 grams of fat. Instead consider having something at Taco Bell with a soft flour or corn tortilla that is done in their “fresco style,” which means they use a salsa of tomatoes, onions, and cilantro in place of cheese and sauce on an item. Two grilled steak tacos done in their fresco style contains 340 calories and 10 grams of fat. Two of their ranchero chicken soft tacos are 340 calories and 8 grams of fat (nutrition information for Taco Bell was found at: http://www.yum.com/nutrition/documents/tb_nutrition.pdf). If you are at any fast food Mexican restaurant, look for similar choices; items with flour or corn tortillas that are not deep fried; salsa toppings instead of ones containing cheese, cheese sauces, and sour cream; low fat cheese instead of full fat cheese if you really want the cheese.

• Have a burger if you really want one, but have the regular hamburger, skipping that slice of processed American cheese. You know the fries aren’t a healthy choice, a side salad with light dressing is much better. But if you have to have fries (and once in a while is okay even when trying to lose weight because a person is much less likely to be successful on their diet if they completely forbid all their favorite food) have the smallest size available. You may have to order the kid’s meal to get a small order of fries, but that’s okay. Make your beverage water (most fast food restaurants have bottled water now which is great for people on the go) or a diet soft drink.

• Grilled chicken sandwiches are okay if you skip all the extra toppings; deep fried chicken sandwiches are bad. People have a tendency to think a chicken sandwich is healthy because chicken is healthy. But once that chicken goes for a swim in the deep fryer, it’s not so healthy. A grilled chicken sandwich from Wendy’s has 370 calories and 8 grams of fat. A deep fried chicken fillet sandwich from Wendy’s has 470 calories and 16 grams of fat. If you’re thinking their mandarin chick

en salad is a better choice, it has over 500 calories and 26 grams of fat.

While eating fast food is not something any health expert will recommend having for every meal every day of the week, a person can eat at fast food restaurants some of the time still lose weight. It’s all about being informed about the calories and nutrition of the food available at restaurants and making the best choices possible.

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Motivational Weight Loss Quote of the Week

April 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lee Iacocca (American businessman known for his revival of the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s)

“You’ve got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It’s called perseverance.”

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Motivational Weight Loss Quote of the Week

April 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Ralph Marston (author and publisher)

“Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality.”

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Motivational Weight Loss Quote of the Week

March 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

David Viscott (American psychiatrist, author, businessman, and media personality)

“You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be.”

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7 Android Apps That Can Help You Lose Weight

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Use Your Android Phone to Lose Weight

Remember the days when a phone was just a phone and it had a cord tethering you to it like a leash on a dog?

Those days are long gone and phones these days do so much more than just make calls.

In fact your phone can help you lose weight.

I did a little checking on my Motorola Droid and found 7 cool little apps that can help you lose weight, stay healthy, and get in shape.

The bonus is these apps are all free so you’ll have more money to put towards those new smaller clothes you’re going to need soon.

Calorie Counter – Provides nutritional value on fast food, restaurant chains, popular supermarket foods, and has a bar code scanner that instantly brings up the nutritional info for that product.

Plus you can track your daily calorie intake in the food diary, track your exercise and track your weight.

And you can sync the data to fatsecret.com and have the info you enter available on both your phone and your computer.

My favorite part of this app is the food diary. It’s way easier than lugging around my paper notebook weight loss dairy (which I tend to leave on the kitchen counter) whereas my trusty Droid is nearly anatomically attached to me and is always with me (except when I shower but if it ever becomes waterproof……..).

My Tracks – It monitors your performance when you go biking, hiking, walking or running. You can track your route, see how fast and far you went, and watch that data live (but please use the “watch live” feature carefully because it wouldn’t be cool if you ran into a pole while you were looking at your data instead of watching where you’re going).

The data or “tracks” can be shared once they’re recorded (start a competition with your best bud if even if he or she is thousands of miles away to help push both of you to go faster and farther and get fitter).

Ultimate Stopwatch – A great app that does exactly what it sounds like – works as a stopwatch.

Healthy Recipes – Browse thousands of healthy recipes anywhere. Then when you’re at the store and can’t think of something healthy to make for dinner and are 2 seconds away from tossing a couple of frozen pizzas and a package of cupcakes in your grocery cart, you can quickly find a healthy recipe instead, grab the ingredients, and stay on track with healthy eating.

CardioTrainer – It’s your free training partner for outdoor running, cycling, and walking. My favorite function is the pedometer. The downside is that the weight loss trainer and race against yourself functions on it aren’t free.

Rockon – Let’s face it, exercise is more fun with music and android’s built in music player is about as useful as a using your seat cushion as a floatation device in the event of a water landing.

With Rockon you can create playlists of your favorite “pump you up” music to help make your workout more effective. Yes, music helps with your workout. A study in 2005 showed that listening to music boosted workouts, leading to a greater reduction in weight and body fat compared to the participants who weren’t rocking out to tunes (done by researcher Christopher Capuano, PhD.). The music also helped participants stick with their exercise program, probably because the music took their mind off the difficulty of the exercise and helped time seem like it was going by faster.

If you get sick of your own music and want to try out some new tunes, give the Pandora (my fave), Last.fm, or Slacker apps a try.

WWdiary – If you’re a Weight Watchers follower, this app is for you. You can set what day your new “points” week starts, decide whether to use the extra weekly allowance of points or activity points first when you go over your daily allowance, and also use it to track your weight. It’s a great alternative to the “pen and paper” trackers from Weight Watchers.

Those are my favorite “freebie” apps, but if you have a couple extra bucks in your pocket (or better yet can find $2.99 in change in your sofa cushions – moving those cushions around and digging for the change counts as exercise, right?), then check out FitSynch. It has 1600+ exercises, videos, 500 workouts, and 60 fitness plans. Plus you get to “try before your buy” with a 15 day free trial.

You don’t feel like taking the time to download apps? No problem. Your android smartphone can still do lots to help you with your weight loss.

Use the browser to quickly access your favorite calorie counter websites; send a text to a friend when you’re in need of moral support to help you resist walking into the ice cream shop and buying a triple scoop fudge ripple cone; or my favorite technique when it’s a super busy time crunched day – use the camera to take pictures of everything you eat during the day and then browse those pictures later in the day when you have time to fill in your food diary (the one on your phone, on your computer, or your “old school” pen and paper). The camera will help your faulty memory remember everything you ate, including that latte you grabbed at Starbucks for a much needed afternoon pickup.

What about iPhone users?  Well, I don’t personally have or use one, but you can read about similar apps for the iPhone here, here and here.

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How To Stick To Your Diet Plan… By Not Following It!

March 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Look, following a diet plan can get old and really wear a person down after a while, especially if you’re like me and have a lot of weight to lose.

It’s enough to make a person channel their inner teenager and rebel but instead of going out and getting your nose pierced or dying your hair, you flip your diet the bird and eat all the junk food you can find and then some.

So here’s a way to make sticking to you diet infinitely easier.

Take a day off!

You don’t work 7 days a week, do you? No, you get weekends (or at least a day) off, right?

And you don’t exercise 7 days a week either. So why should you be expected to diet 7 days a week? You shouldn’t.

Remember, even God rested on the 7th day when he was creating Earth.

Just like a bridge that doesn’t have any “give” to it, it won’t hold up over time and disaster will happen. The same thing happens to most of us while dieting. We stick to a super healthy and strict diet plan to get the weight off, but at some point we just can’t take it anymore and go off the deep end.

So by building in some “give” to a diet in the form of a day off makes it much easier to stick to the diet the other 6 days of the week.

That way when you’re at a restaurant and the waiter walks by with a delicious looking plate of pasta drenched in Alfredo sauce that’s practically calling your name, you don’t have to sigh and think you can’t ever have it while simultaneously stabbing the lettuce leaves in your salad with a vengeance. Instead you can smile, know that on your day off you can have it if you want, and know that you can stick to your diet for the other 6 days of the week. It’s instant resolve and willpower!

This is how it works:

One day a week you get a break from dieting. That means no weighing or measuring of food.

It means no counting calories, counting carbs, counting fat grams, counting points or counting how many Twinkie wrappers are in the trash can!

It means no writing down what you ate. Your food journal gets decommissioned one day a week.

You eat what you want when you want the entire day.

Want fried chicken? Eat it!

Want an icy cold bottle of sugary Coca-Cola? Drink it!

Drooling over that chocolate cupcake in the bakery window? Buy it and enjoy every last morsel

Then the next day get back on your diet and follow it for 6 days using that upcoming 7th day off as a source of your willpower and resolve because you can do anything for 6 days, right?

One word of caution though. NEVER EVER weight yourself the day after your day off. Wait at least 2 days of being back on your diet to step back on the scale.

My son used this technique with a lot of success. He has followed some very strict vegan, raw food, and juice fasting diets to lose weight, cleanse his body, and feel healthier. While they were tough for him to follow he was able to do it because he never did them more than 6 days in a row. He knew what he was doing wasn’t permanent. There was light (aka – any food he wanted) waiting at the end of the tunnel!

By trying this technique myself I’m finding another bonus to it – it’s keeping my metabolism from tanking which means I’m not having those super frustrating plateaus that make a lot of us give up.

So go ahead, stick to your diet plan by not following it, one day a week!

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