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Author Archives: Jody

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Hi, my name is Jody Leon. Yes, I am a weight loss coach, very grateful and excited to meet you. I'm sure you're passionate to love the New You. Your empowered way to healthier living. It is true empowerment, priceless and fulfilling, because health and wellness opens many unlocked doors to love, confidence, happiness and freedom. You get more out of life everyday! Please reach out, I'd love to hear from you. I focus on helping women maximize health, food, lifestyle. Enjoy living in your own skin, healthier, happier, confident in all your relationships beyond food and body...

Why Eat Foods That Get Rid Of Belly Fat?

You’re probably wondering what foods contain MUFAs and how does mufas diet really work to lose belly fat?

Jody - Weight Loss Coach

Weight Loss Coach

Simply put…

It is not yet entirely clear why monounsaturated fats (or MUFAs diet) is effective at targeting belly fat, although women do lose abdominal fat.

According to a study in the American Diabetes Association’s journal…

A diet rich in monounsaturated fats is more effective than a high carb diet for belly fat lose.

When Prevention magazine tested this they had similar results. The bottom line is 1600 calories is a reduced calorie diet for many women.

And with a diet of reduced calories, healthy fats, lean protein and vegetables, most women do lose weight.

If you’re going to diet, this is a healthy and balanced approach and at the very least you can eat more MUFAs as part of your existing diet.

You have nothing to lose… except some abdominal fat.

A MUFA is simply a clever name for monounsaturated fatty acids found in plant-derived foods.

MUFAs fall into five primary categories:

  • Oils
  • Nuts & seeds
  • Avocadoes
  • Chocolate (unrefined)
  • Olives…

Examples of foods made up of these fatty acids include:

  • Flax oil
  • Sunflower oil
  • Olive oil
  • Green olives
  • Almond butter
  • Peanuts & peanut butter
  • Avocadoes
  • Seeds
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Dark chocolate
  • Tahini (sesame seed paste)
  • Pesto (basil) sauce

The good fat helps lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. In addition good fats are filling, which satisfies your hunger longer.

Assuming you’re not an emotional eater, this increased satiation encourages you to naturally eat fewer calories without feeling hungry or deprived.

Other health benefits of eating MUFAs include:

  • Lower blood pressure
  • Lower risk of Parkinson’s disease
  • Reduction in internal inflammation

Frankly, I’m still not confident if most women agree that exercise and fitness is attributed to long term health and weight loss diet success…

Fat burning and belly fat lose is the “in thing” so there are exercises, gadgets, and gimmicks galore all promising to decrease your waist size.

Some women have tried many diets only to see little or no results. As a matter of fact, you may find yourself this year still battling belly fat?

Over the years, I’m sure many women just like me know all baout the roller coaster yo-yo diets and have been on every diet plan in existence.

Of course, some women are disillusioned with dieting altogether, deciding to eat healthy, exercise daily and stay off of the bathroom scales.

Some women are apple shaped or may be like me in the past, have a rubber tire around the middle that just feels like it will never disappear.

If so, I’d like to share with you the reasons why getting the belly fat off the right way and never having to worry about it coming back is life changing.

Have you discovered the health nutrition and health benefits of olive oil verses saturated fats?

I quickly understood by adding just a small handful of seeds and nuts to my daily nutrition as this worked to burn fat.

More importantly, immediately stopped hunger pangs and certailing my appetite in the afternoons.

Good Fats verses Bad Fats:

Monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids are all good fats (heart-healthy).

One way of knowing if any of the oils in your pantry are monounsaturated fats is if they’re liquid at room temperature and thicken when refrigerated? 

Polyunsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature and when refrigerated. 

For example: Most vegetable (safflower, corn, sunflower and soy) oils. 

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish (salmon, albacore, tuna, herring, and mackerel), walnuts and flaxseeds (flaxseed oil).

Bad fats are usually any fat that is semi-solid to solid at room temperature such as a stick of butter or the marbling in a steak. 

Saturated fats main sources are animal products, however, tropical oils (coconut, palm kernel and cocoa butter) are high in saturated fats.

Trans fat or shortening, of course is a (deadly) bad fat produced when hydrogen is added with liquid oils to make a fat solid or extended shelf life. 

Now let’s look at the power of the MUFA and why eating MUFA can definitely assist you in being successful inbelly fat lose through waistline reduction.

The original MUFA superstar was discovered via researchers investigating the benefits of Mediterranean diet which was identified as olive oil.

Just by adding 2 tablespoons of olive oil to your diet has been found to lower harmful levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Not only will MUFAs help you lose belly fat, monounsaturated fats have been identified through nutritional research to be linked to health benefits.

Including reducing rates of serious diseases such as:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Chronic inflammation
  • Breast cancer
  • Alzheimer

Of course, if you have been diagnosed with any of these diseases and are on a restrictive diet plan check with your doctor prior to making any changes.

 MUFA rich Foods

The MUFA list has five categories and the serving size of any of these foods at every meal is based on assisting you in your belly fat fitness regimen.

Oils – A serving equals 1 tablespoon (flaxseed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, pesto sauce, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil).

Nuts & Seeds – A serving equals 2 tablespoons (almonds, brazil nuts, peanuts, chunky natural peanut butter, dry-roasted cashews, dry-roasted sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, roasted pumpkin seeds, tahini (sesame seed paste) or walnuts.

Avocado – A serving equals ¼ cup

Olives – A serving equals 10 large olives or 2 tablespoons ( black olives, black olive tapenade, green olives, green olive tapenade)

Chocolate – A serving equals ¼ cup (dark or semisweet chocolate chips, shavings or chunks)

Fitness and Lifestyle Changes

Happily doing exercise that fits you and your lifestyle is very important.

Obviously a working mom may not be able to spend hours at a gym, but you can take time out of your busy schedule to take care of yourself.

If you want to trim your waist line and lose weight here are five rules to help fight your body cravings and stay healthy as follows:

 1: Interupt your hunger – drink water and/or eating a 100-calorie snack like a hand full of nuts about a half an hour before meal time.

2: Eliminate drinking water – especially soft fizzy drinks with meals

3: Eat plenty of fiber – eat a high fiber breakfast

4: Embrace “awareness” when eating – No more eating in front of television, texting or eating on the run; take time to sit at the table and enjoy your meal.

5: Build your muscles – exercise, walk and begin an exercise regimen

Now, you know and have many good reasons why eating foods that get rid of belly fat…is infact life changing for you!

Want to Lose Weight?

 To lose weight there are a few factors to consider for any weight loss program to be effective. 
Jody - Weight Loss Coach

Weight Loss Coach

If you remember the following formulas…

You can discover how to lose weight, healthy weight loss and keep it off!

Formula #1:

Calories out is greater than Calories in = Weight Loss

This formula is as basic as weight loss gets.

If you exercise and burn more calories than you eat…at the end of the day you will lose weight. Plain and simple!

To lose weight fast is all about calorie intake or creating  “calorie deficiency.”

At the end of a day that does not mean you have to starve yourself.

In fact, decreasing your calories too much can have the opposite effect on your body causing shut down or “starvation” mode.

The human body is built for survival…

When you consume too few calories and not enough water, your body can actually shut down your metabolism to a point where you’ll not burn fat.

Actually your body will store water (called water retention).

So, you definietly will not lose weight and you could in fact gain weight by increasing water retention.

This is where Formula #2 comes into play:

Water + Oxygen = Fat burning

When you breathe, you move the rivers and streams of internal water within your body.

Your physical body is over 70% water and your blood is 90% water.

This water is filled with electro-conductive metals such as sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium, etc.

This is how bio-electricity is conducted through your physical body.

Basically, your body needs water with increased oxygen to burn fat as an energy source.

Water intake can be anywhere from 1/2 gallon for women.

As you drink water, your body will be able to use the retained water for excretion or detox (elimination of toxins) prompting healthy weight loss.

This is not the same as sitting in a sauna and sweating which actually dehydrates your system.

Drinking water will rehydrate your system and enable your body to burn more fat.

As long as you increase your oxygen intake by doing some form of exercise:

  • Walking
  • Swimming
  • Biking
  • Jogging
  • Calisthenics
  • Gardening
  • Lifting weights can help with fat loss and working your cardiovascular system…

Here are some sample calorie expenditures (calories burned) for a variety of exercises for women who weigh 130 – 190 lbs.

If you weigh more than 190 lbs you will actually burn calories, more calories at a faster rate than a lighter woman:

Aerobics:  130 lbs – 300 Calories Per Hour
                     190 lbs – 500 Calories Per Hour

Basketball:   130 lbs – 475 Calories Per Hour  
                        190 lbs – 675 Calories Per Hour

Pushups:  130 lbs – 480 Calories Per Hour  
                   190 lbs – 690 Calories Per Hour

Child Care:  130 lbs – 210 Calories Per Hour  
                       190 lbs – 300 Calories Per Hour

Gardening:  130 lbs – 290 Calories Per Hour  
                        190 lbs – 400 Calories Per Hour

Jogging:  130 lbs – 410 Calories Per Hour  
                  190 lbs – 600 Calories Per Hour

Pushing Stroller:  130 lbs – 150 Calories Per Hour  
                                   190 lbs – 210 Calories Per Hour

Jumping Jacks or Rope:  130 lbs – 450 Calories Per Hour  
                                                  190 lbs – 650 Calories Per Hour

Swimming:    130 lbs – 550 Calories Per Hour  
                          190 lbs – 890 Calories Per Hour

Tennis:   130 lbs – 400 Calories Per Hour  
                  190 lbs – 600 Calories Per Hour

Walking 3 mph:  130 lbs – 250 Calories Per Hour  
                                 190 lbs – 350 Calories Per Hour

These are just a few of the popular exercises you can use to burn calories.

In fact, everything you do (breathing, sitting, standing) burns calories even while sleeping!

As you can see from the above exercise list, any activity that help you burn calaories more are the most rigorous or can be done for several hours.

Take a look at my other health related articles for information on calories as part of the weight loss equation.

It is never a good idea to limit your calories under 1500 calories per day.

In fact, you should consult a nutritionist or dietician if you plan to go under 1500 calories.

The main reason is you can lose weight but become unhealthy due to lack of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from a lower calorie diet.

Remember, the key to lose weight with any weight loss program is drinking water.

You want to eat health food and drink water while developing a fitness plan that helps you add oxygen to burn calories, fat or excess fat.

This will produce the “caloric deficiency” needed if you want to lose weight.

Health and Stress!

Women’s Health, Stress and Stress Management…

Jody - Weight Loss Coach

Weight Loss Coach

Allow me to ask you a question:

Why do you feel stress, the effects of stress, stressed out and stress anxiety?

What’s your plan for emotional health and stress management for a healthier YOU?

Just picture it…

You and your family know how to remove mental and health stressful barriers for stress relief.

You might be wondering why stress is a problem or more specifically why stress causes women to gain weight or lose weight?

Ironically, most women tend to think or even expect workplace stress, we think it needs to be there.

Maybe you think you’re supposed to be stressed at the end of each day too?

Just maybe we’re all sick and tired of facing symptoms of stress?

How are you coping with stress and what’s your typical stress response?

Would you like to the simple formula for mental health and relaxation?

Stress is all around us everywhere…can you control stresses and reduce stress?

You have the power, to make a long story short…

Perhaps you find have to look deeper within for the lighter side of life of funny situations and happiness.

Sometimes stress relief is not so readily available, but stress reduction is within reach and must come from inside…if you have the desire to find it.

Can you make a wish for peace of mind and happiness oe day, one minute, one solution at a time?

Imagine if you decided to stop having to pay bills, living in time deprived very trying and difficult times!

Sometimes the reality of life…it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier?

Stress increases cortisol levels in your body, which can lead to weight gain and muscle loss…

Sometimes life can seem terribly painful and unfair, yet somehow we manage to struggle on, day-after-day, hoping and praying life will soon get better.

But day-by-day the world may feel like a louder, faster, crazier and more politically unstable, uncertain place to live in, and not to mention stressful.

Nothing seems safe anymore…

Millions of people are in record levels of debt paying higher morgage rates.

Many are losing their jobs, homes, health, members of family, divorce, standards of living, and sometimes even their sanity.

Increasing cultural barriers, politics, tension, religious differences, failing health care, land fill issues, breakdown of infustructure and communication.

Lack of sleep, pollution,, medication,drugs fast foods, road rage, overweight, health issues, coping with the demands of family, relationship, worry and depression…

…and anxiety seem to have become a way of life for way too many people.

We seem to have entered the age of the fast-track to mental and physical fatigue, obesity and anxiety!

In fact, just trying to show your feelings and be nice is becoming stressful.

Way back in 2002, the cover of Time magazine proclaimed this loud and clear on one of their covers as the featured story in that issue.

The constant guilt trips, stress and uncertainties of living in the 21st century have certainly taken their toll.

And as a result many of us seem to live a life of constant fear and worry.

When the terrorist attacks happened on September 11, this constant threats of violence, stress and worry seemed to just be magnified.

In fact, many people even now four years later report they are still scared that something of that magnitude could happen again…

Prhaps closer to them.

Turn on the news or open up a newspaper and we are bombarded with disturbing images and stories.

You immediately begin to wonder if you’re safe anywhere?

In this, the information age, never before have you had so much access to so much data.

The economy is another stressor.

The country is in debt and so are many Americans…

Soaring gas prices, outrageous housing costs, even the cost of food has sent many Americans to work in jobs that are unsatisfying and tedious.

You work these jobs because you need a paycheck…

Today, it’s more important to bring home the bacon rather than work in a dream career.

Having more women in the workplace adds to the stress.

So many women feel the need to be everything to everyone and this includes:

  • Paycheck earner
  • House keeper
  • Mom
  • Wife
  • Daughter and sibling…

The only problem with that is some women just don’t make any time for themselves thus contributing to their stress levels being at an all-time high.

Even children can feel the pressure of stress and anxiety.

Teenagers who want to go to college find themselves pushing themselves during their studies to try and obtain scholarships.

They face going to schools that have ever increasing tuition costs.

They find themselves having to hold down part-time jobs on top of all that to earn money for extras that their parents can no longer afford.

Add peer pressure into the mix and you have a veritable pressure cooker!

Cell phones, internet, palm pilots, blackberries, i-pods – we are always on the go and always reachable.

You don’t make time to relax and enjoy life any more.

Why not?

You certainly can!

Maybe you feel guilty or pressured to do these things because you think you HAVE to, not because you WANT to.

All too often, it’s difficult for people to just say “No”.

Not saying that one little word piles up un-needed expectations and obligations that make you feel anxious.

Daily, you experience situations that cause you to become stressed or feel anxious.

The reasons are too many to note but can include:

  • Buying a property
  • Having guests stay over (in-laws)
  • Being bullied
  • Exams (stress test)
  • Looking after children
  • Managing finances
  • Relationship issues
  • Traveling…etc.

Stress is a ‘normal’ function of everyday life. Only when it appears to take over your life does it then become a major problem.

You have different reasons why a situation causes you pressure…

Generally speaking, usually when you don’t feel in control of a situation, then you feel its grip tightening causing you to feel worried or ‘stressed’.

If stress is caused by you not feeling in control of a situation, the answer is to try and reverse this, and regain that control.

The good news is YOU CAN!

You have everything inside you that you need to overcome your stress and the accompanying anxiety.

The big problem, often you don’t realize you’re in control because you feel so out of control of time.

But the resources and tools are here, you just have to use them…

Feel free to take a few minutes out to unwind, relax and re-energize your life!

Health and Stress are both your choices.

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