Over the last couple of years, I've noticed companies like "Flat Tummy Tea" saying that their products get rid of bloat, slim you down, and detox you. We've seen many reality TV stars, such as Nicole from 90 Day Fiancé, and Khloe Kardashian model these products. 
While I'm sure these products work, they are outrageously expensive! The average Joe or Jill cannot handle purchasing a 4 week supply of Flat Tummy Tea for $60-$100. Their 1 month supply of Flat Tummy gummies are $70+. It's crazy! 
I will admit, I was attracted to their teas and gummies. If it weren't for the fact that I'm a single mom and barely making ends meet, I would have bought their items. 
​
I needed to find another way...and I did!

I have been reading about the benefits of apple cider vinegar for quite sometime. When I learned about its weight loss, bloat, and detox benefits, I was sold. 
I was able to find a 128oz bottle of ACV at Walmart for $4. 
I brought it home and looked up recipes for ACV shots. Drinking ACV raw is quite unpleasant. It's extremely potent and it makes you gag. It can also be tough on your stomach. 

My favorite recipe for ACV shots consist of 1 shot of ACV, 1 part water, a little bit of lemon (you can get bottled lemon juice in a 2 pack at Walmart for $6), and a little bit of pure honey (you can get an 80oz bottle of pure honey for $21 at Walmart). All of these elements together provide you with optimal benefits. Your bloat will go away, your body will detox from toxins, and you will feel healthier. I recommend taking this ACV shot in the morning, before you eat breakfast. 

I must warn you, you might be on the toilet more than you're used to. It's your body's way of eliminating the toxins from your body, and you're losing weight at the same time (if you're in there for a long time, download Toon Blast on your phone. It's highly addictive). 

To those who endorse Flat Tummy Tea, I'm not trying to shade you. I'm just trying to help my fellow commoners get the same results, but for less. Your teas run anywhere from $60 to $100. The items I use will last for at least a few months, and will cost less than $35 TOTAL. Aren't these detox programs all about wellness? People want to get results. With your program, they are buying your name only. They can get the same results for $35 every couple of months. 

Give it a (ACV) shot guys!

​"Fat Amy" no more! Rebel Wilson has reached her goal weight! Her 'Year of Health' concluded on Saturday, and she excitedly shared the milestone with her fans on Insta-story. 

​Back in May, Wilson revealed that her goal weight was 75kg, or 165lbs. Rebel 'with the revenge body' Wilson will be going live on Tuesday to thank everyone for their support, and to share even more info with us. 

Wilson has not shared plans to lose additional weight. She did mention on The Drew Barrymore Show that she loves her curves and that she doesn't want to get "too skinny."

Rebel Wilson shared her secrets to her holistic transformation:
"For the last few years I've been theme-ing my years. So I had the Year of Fun, last year I had the Year of Love, and this year it's gonna be the Year of Health because I turned 40 this year in March. I never really focused on my health, which was probably obvious. I was going all around the world jet-setting everywhere and eating a ton of sugar. That was kind of my vice. I have a very sweet tooth, I love desserts. I think what I really suffered from was emotional eating and dealing with the stress of becoming famous internationally. There is a lot of stress that comes with it and I guess my way of dealing with it was just eating donuts. So I was working on the mental side of things -- why was I not doing that? Why was I not valuing myself and having better self-worth? And then on the nutritional side, my diet was mainly all carbs. It was delicious, but for my body type, I needed to eat a lot more protein." 

Wilson has been using the Mayr Method to help with her food intake. The Mayr Method consists of high-alkaline foods, and making major life changes. The method also consists of cleanses, taking vitamins, and fasting when you first start. Milk is prohibited on the diet. 
One of the most widely-known aspects of the Mayr Method has to do with chewing. If you are doing the Mayr Method, you are told to chew your food 40-60 times before swallowing. 

Rebel Wilson, you are lovely, inspiring, and I'm so happy for you. Congratulations to Rebel for achieving her weight loss goal, and inspiring others to create their own 'Year of Health.'
You are a goddess, babe!

#RebelWilson #YearofHealth #weightloss #weightlossjourney #Health #MayrMethod #Queen

Well dayum! Following his recovery from coronavirus, Dwayne Johnson is back to life as usual! He is hittin the gym hard, and going even harder at cheat day.
On Sunday, Dwayne Johnson let us peep at his cheat day meal, while he watched the Eagles and 49ERS game on the telly. 

Johnson had a magnificent feast in front of him. He had a big ass bowl of Penne with Vodka Bolognese, 2 toasted bagels with garlic powder and butter, and a sexy bottle of tequila. 
I have a tendency to eat like this too (minus the tequila because I don't drink). I just forget to exercise that week. Baby steps, folks! I'll get there!

Check out the sexy food porn below. 

Here's a little ditty about John Mellencamp's daughter Teddi...

Teddi Mellencamp has come under fire for her accountability program "All in." The program is being accused of encouraging eating disorder behavior.



Mellencamp started the "All In" program after going through her own weight loss journey (she was overweight for a hot minute). She created the program to help others be accountable for their own weight loss journey. Basically, participants weigh themselves daily, take pics of themselves on the scale. They send pics of what they eat throughout the day, and then the coaches send their words of wisdom.

Participants start with the 2-week jumpstart program, which is $599. You are only allowed to eat 500-1000 calories, and you MUST complete 1 hour of cardio per day. After you complete the Jumpstart program, you move on to the Monthly program. The monthly program costs $399 for 4 weeks. The same rules apply, but you get a slightly updated menu.

Many people shared their horror stories about the program, some of the stories include abusive dialogue from the accountability coaches.

The "All In" program has exploded in popularity, due to Mellencamp's time on RHOBH.

What people do not realize is, Mellancamp and her coaches do NOT hold certifications in health, medical, or fitness. They are just people who completed the program under Mellencamp's watch.

Mellencamp addressed the backlash, saying that she is 100% confident in her program. She adds that the program has helped over 15,000 people.

My Two Cents
I happen to hold a certification in Personal Training. The program I went through also trained us on meals. Having people eat 500-1000 calories per day is DANGEROUS. Unless you are 600lbs and under the watchful eye of a Bariatric doctor, you shouldn't be eating this little.
Women should be NETTING at least 1200 calories a day. Men should be NETTING at least 1800-2000 calories a day. Netting anything under 1000 calories is STARVATION MODE. Your body will not burn fat. In fact, your body will be so hungry for food, it will feed on muscle. It's science!

The "All In" program not only promotes physically unhealthy habits, it also promotes mentally and emotionally unhealthy habits. Coaches should not be verbally abusive to their clients.

I really wanted to like Teddi, since I'm a huge fan of her dad's. Those of us with a brain, and an ACTUAL certification, are holding YOU responsible for your eating disorder program that also promotes abuse.  
Teddi wants to say that her program isn't about certifications. Honey, those of us that have certifications know our shit. We studied, interned, and took a very comprehensive exam to obtain our certifications. Do NOT downplay certifications.

Readers: Who would you entrust your weight loss journey to? A Reality TV star with ZERO certifications, or someone who is certified in fitness, health, food, and CPR?

Let me know here or on social media.

Shame on you, Teddi!

If you are like me and an avid follower of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s cheat meal train instas, you were more than likely WOW’d by his latest nom-fest.
Last night, our favorite wrestler/actor/singer/muscle God/Jack of all effing trades, showcased two fatty double cheeseburgers with bacon and fries, his signature Tequila, and TWO PLATES of sugary goodness. We are talking brownies, blondies, cookies, and even cheesecake (Oh MYYY!). This meal took place at midnight as he watched Prohibition, a documentary by Ken Burns. He was the envy of all of his followers, including the social media staff behind his HBO series “Ballers.” They even requested that he bring in treats for everyone.

Dude, those burgers and desserts got me licking my computer screen!

No time for breakfast before work? Well, you may want to make some time.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, skipping breakfast was associated with an increased risk of heart related death, especially stroke-related. Those who have never eaten breakfast in the morning had an 87% risk of a cardiovascular event occurring that resulted in death.
Dr. Wei Bao, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Iowa, released a statement about the study:
"There are a few cardiovascular risk factors -- for example diabetes, hypertension and lipid disorders. Our findings are in line with and supported by previous studies that consistently showed that skipping breakfast is related to those strong risk factors for cardiovascular death."

My Two Cents

I am a busy adult myself. I am a single mom of a 20 month old, and I work. I start my day very early so I can have time to make myself coffee and oatmeal.
Aside from the above study, if you don't start off your day with a balanced breakfast, it weakens your ability to function in every part of your life. Food is fuel, and in order for your body to work, you need to fuel it. By making time for breakfast, you will be starting your day off on a positive note, you will feel energized, and you will feel more confident in approaching what ever the day has in store for you.

#breakfast #mondaymotivation #tuesdaythoughts #wednesdaywisdom #thursdaythoughts #friday #health #diet #wellness #worklife

Looking to get fit in the new year? One of the most popular fitness techniques in gyms today are the strength machines. You have your Dual Pulley Rows, Chest Press, Tricep Dips, Hip Abduction and Adductions, Lat Pulldown, Ab machines, Leg presses, Calf extensions and more. All of these help an individual with toning and muscle gains.

If you are considering using a strength machine for the first time, you should know both the pros and cons.

Pros:

• Various intensities in one weight stack.
• Individuals using these machines are in a fixed plane of motion, limiting any excessive planes of motion
• These machines provide users extra support, which helps those who are special needs.
• Weight machines are less intimidating for many individuals.
• If you are rehabbing an injury, or bodybuilding, weight machines help you emphasize specific muscle groups.
• Weight machines do not require the assistance of a spotter.

Cons:

• Moves in one range of motion
• Does not challenge the core stabilization system.
• Most machines do not have the ability for users to train total body.
• Weight machines may not be ideal for those looking to improve athletic performance.
• Weight machines do not fit all body types.
• More expensive than free weights.
  ​

There are definitely some important cons to weight machines. However, if you are a gym member, and you've gotten the 'okay' from your physician to strength train on a machine, these machines can help you start your journey.
When it comes to strength training machines, you are only in one plane of motion. However, if you target certain muscles one day, and do others the next, it actually helps to use the weight machines. You can specifically target those muscle groups, while allowing other muscle groups (previously trained) to recover.

Let's crush our goals together, and get into the best shape of our lives! Be sure to get permission from your doctor before you begin any fitness journey. 
#strengthtraining #training #fitness #musclegains #bodybuilding #health #wellness #legday #upperbody #strength #WCW

If you're on a weight loss journey, you may have heard the term "body composition." Body composition refers to the percentage of body weight that is fat versus fat-free tissue. This is more commonly referred to as "body fat percentage."

If you are looking to see what the recommendation is, based on your gender and age, pay attention to the information below.

For Women
Essential Body Fat: 8-12%
Athletic: 12-22%
Under 34yo: 20-35%
35yo-55yo: 23-38%
Over 56yo: 25-38%



For Men
Essential Body Fat: 3-5%
Athletic: 5-13%
Under 34yo: 8-22%
35yo-55yo: 10-25%
Over 56yo: 10-25%

source: NASM
Photo credit: Me. Pic is of me at my highest weight, versus what I look like today.