Overcoming Sugar Addiction

I'm not sure how many of you read the GOOP Guide by Gwyneth Paltrow, but along with being a great actress, mother of two, and married to a rock star, she is also a foodie and health fanatic. Her GOOP guide highlights some of her newest discoveries. 
This article in particular is interesting as it deals with sugar addiction. Obviously, she probably doesn't get her body from eating sugar and cheeseburgers every day but like all of us, she also battles that inner cookie monster that is yelling "cookies! me want cookies!" 
In this article, she talks with Dr. Lipman about sugar addiction and the best ways to deal with them. His advice isn't 100% IP-approved, so if you have any questions for me on specific things you read, call me or email me and let me know. But we all will deal with the effects of eliminating sugar from our diet, and things like "learning sugar terminology", "take a breathing break", and drinking lots of water are suggestions that will help us all succeed.


Article: Overcoming Sugar Addiction

Exhilaration of Victory! The Swim Suit Challenge

"Accept the challenges so you will feel the exhilaration of victory"

Are you ready for a challenge? Memorial Day officially kicks off summer. White pants, swim suits, air conditioning (wink), it's here to say- at least for the next three months. So let's face it, it's time to get ready. 


Our Summer Swimsuit Challenge begins Tuesday May 29th-Friday June 1st. And our challenge will last 28 days. We'll see who can lose the most weight, inches and body fat!!! The best part? 


The FIRST place winner will receive a:
-$100.00 Gift Card to Victoria Secret for your teenie bikini 
- 30- day Gym membership ($60.00 value) 
- one- on- one Pilates Session ($50.00 value) 
- wonderful Salt Glow service ($100.00 value)


  Oh, and you'll be thinner, healthier AND bikini ready. So what can be better than that?! 

Perfect Herb Garden

Growing an Herb Garden that all of your neighbors will admire is easier than you might think... Follow some of these tips and you will be happy with the results!  Your thumb may be Greener than you might think.

Herbs are probably the most popular and intriguing group of plants in existence. Undoubtedly, the explanation for this is that over the centuries herbs have been used in so many dif­ferent ways. They flavor our foods, perfume our homes and bodies, decorate our garden and cure our ills. One way or another, herbs touch each of our lives.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-grow-an-herb-garden

Fat Isn't The Culprit!

click to enlarge

We can read articles and listen to programs about how carbohydrates is the segment of the food chain that is wreaking havoc on our bodies, but for the most part, seeing visual representations of the same message is what drives it home. At least it does for me. Like seeing a physical transform after using the Ideal Protein weight loss method, or seeing the methodology illustrated in this infographic, a picture is truly worth 1,000 words.

We know that Ideal Protein helps us lose weight, while also decreasing blood pressure and triglycerides, but understanding the science behind it usually takes back seat to my excitement of how well my jeans are fitting. The most important part to keep in mind is that this is improving your overall health, and this infographic explains why. We can see from this that new studies show, it’s not the fat that is making us fat, it’s the carbs. You’ve noticed your craving less carbs? Your energy level has increased? Take a look at “The Worst Offenders” portion and realize how much better you, and your body feels without them.

It’s not realistic to say you will never eat a carb again. And we want this program to be realistic so that it is successful. For a moment, think about how often you really need to eat a carb in your life. Think about all of the ways they have snuck sugar into our diet over the years.  When you stop and think that you are not “treating” yourself to your grandma’s special cinnamon rolls but picking up one out of the vending machine or co-workers desk, you realize how extreme things have become. And our point- it IS realistic to limit this. Think about this infographic and the effects carbs and sugars have on your body. And then take a second look at that not-so-tasty mediocre donut and remember, you’re not really treating anyone by eating that, let alone yourself. The real treat is in the satisfaction of walking away (with a spring in your step nonetheless!)

May Specials and a FREE session!

May Flowers! (after those april showers)

May 9th is one of our FREE weight loss information sessions. These sessions are not only valuable to me as it gives me the opportunity to interact with new faces as well as my successful, dedicated clients. But, these free sessions also give you the opportunity to ask questions, stay on point, and gain the motivation you need to look festivities like Cinco de Mayo right in the face and say "Not this time, Margarita!".

Please join us from 5:30- 6:30pm. Call me or email me for reservations. 

While you are on our website, look at our new May Specials! 

Free Diet Seminar

I wanted to Thank everyone that attended the Ideal Protein Diet Seminar last evening.  It was a great success!!! I look forward to helping all of you with this new chapter in your life.  If you have any questions or concerns I would love to talk to you.  Please feel free to call me at 319-365-7721 you can also email me at dusty@iamedicalspa.com .  Have a wonderful day.

How to win the fight with your metabolism

Good Morning,  Are you battling with your metabolism?  I find that more and more of my clients are asking about ways to Boost their Metabolism.  I found this wonderful article on WebMD and I think it has some great tips.  Let me know if this article is any help.  Have a great day. ~Dusty

Rev Up Your Metabolism

Follow These 7 Dos and Don'ts to Boost Your Metabolism

ByCarol Sorgen
WebMD Feature

Reviewed byCharlotte E. Grayson Mathis, MD

You used to eat anything -- and everything -- and not gain an ounce. Now it seems that just looking at a Krispy Kreme packs on another 10 pounds. You shrug your shoulders and say, "I'm getting older. My metabolism's not what it used to be."

You may be right (like it or not, your metabolism does slow down as you get older), but does that mean you have to live with it? Not necessarily. There are things you can do to rev up your metabolism, say nutrition experts -- just as there are things that won't work at all.

Simply stated, your metabolism is the way your body burns up all of the calories from the food that you eat, says Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, LD, CDN. It's a complex process that includes all of the chemical reactions that take place in your body to keep your organs working and to keep you alive.

The speed at which your body burns up calories is called your metabolic rate, says Shames, who with her twin sister, Lyssie Lakatos, RD, LD, CDN, is the co-author of the forthcoming Fire It Up! 200 Simple Ways To Jumpstart Your Metabolism and Lose Weight Forever. Your sex, height, weight, genetics, age, lifestyle, and body composition affect your metabolism. Your metabolism plays a significant role in weight management: The faster your metabolism, the more calories you'll burn, and the less likely that you'll be overweight.
Here are 7 "dos" and don'ts" for revving up your engine. For more advice about metabolism and weight loss, sign up for the Weight Control newsletter

1. Don't fall for "fat-burning foods."

Can certain foods -- such as celery and grapefruit -- help you lose weight? Not so, say Shames and Lakatos. "Celery is low in calories and has a good deal of fiber, but it doesn't speed up your metabolism," says Shames. As for rumors that grapefruit increases your body's ability to burn calories because of its acidity, there are no studies to substantiate that myth. "In fact, if you were to eat the same number of grapefruits as any other fruit, such as peaches, or oranges, you may actually be more likely to gain weight from eating the grapefruit, as they are slightly higher in calories (due to their larger size)," says Lakatos.

2. Don't fast or skip meals.

The idea that fasting or skipping meals regularly is a great way to cleanse the system of impurities, speed metabolism, and encourage weight loss is just another myth, says Sue Ayersman, a certified clinical nutritionist (CCN) at Kronos Optimal Health Centre in Scottsdale, Ariz. "Your body needs a certain amount of calories and nutrients each day for normal function," says Ayersman. "Denying the body of these essential elements throws the system into survival mode, slowing metabolism and encouraging the storage of energy in the form of fat. You have to eat in order to lose weight." Four to six small meals a day is a good way to keep your metabolism humming.

3. Spice foods up for taste.

Spicy foods don't really help you burn calories, says Carey Clifford, MS, RD, vice president of Nutricise (www.nutricise.com), an online nutrition and weight loss program. But they may help you enjoy healthy choices such as vegetables and chicken. "Spicy foods may boost your metabolism slightly, but unfortunately, it's too small a boost to be significant," says Clifford.

4. Drink water.

Lack of water can slow the metabolic rate just as lack of food can, says John Acquaviva, PhD, assistant professor of health and human performance at Roanoke College in Salem, Va. "Since water is the body's most important nutrient, the liver will turn its concentration to water retention instead of doing other duties such as burning fat."

5. Tone up.

Becoming more active will stimulate your metabolism, says Susan L. Burke, MS, RD/LD, CDE, director of nutrition services for eDiets. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, she explains, so replacing your fat stores with lean muscle allows you to maintain your weight much more easily. "It's not necessary to become a body builder," says Burke. "Just use light weights to firm and tone your muscles."

6. Get moving.

Aerobic exercise will burn calories, says Burke, who recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate activity every day. Combined activity counts --walk, skip, jog, or dance. Activity in your home counts, too. Garden, clean closets, or clean your house. "You'll burn the most calories, however, with sustained activity that gets your heart rate up," says Burke.

7. Watch those calories.

As you get older, your metabolism will slow down -- approximately 5% a decade, says Madelyn H. Fernstrom, PhD, CNS, associate professor and director of the UPMC Health System Weight Management Center in Pittsburgh. A slower metabolism is a natural part of aging, Fernstrom explains, so to maintain a stable weight, you must adjust your caloric intake and/or physical activity. "If someone needs 1,500 calories a day to maintain his body weight at age 40, for example, he or she will need about 1425 calories a day at age 50 to maintain that weight, without changing anything else," says Fernstrom.

The bottom line when it comes to metabolism, says Susan Burke, "If it sounds too good to be true, it is."