Belly Bustin' Tips

Why do I plateau after dieting on my own? I lose for awhile and then it just stops!
Most women will plateau on a diet, even if they are coming to a clinic, but only for a short time. This can be due to hormones or water weight. If you are dieting on your own, however, you don’t have access to medical-grade protein that keeps you from plateauing as much and keeps losing own muscles tissue to a minimum while boosting your metabolism. A lot is to be said for having a coach that keeps you focused and on track when you are upset about a plateau! When a plateau occurs, up your protein, up your exercise, up your water intake, and increase your sleep to eight hours per night. Vary your foods as much as possible for 4 days. Cut back on carbs. Make sure you get eight hours of sleep at night as that has been scientifically proven to greatly increase your metabolism.

I can’t exercise and feel like I am losing the weight loss battle because of it. What can I do?
Move and breathe! Movement burns calories and breathing oxygenates your body to burn fat. Get 2-3 lb. weights and sit in a chair with no arms and swing the weights while watching TV, building reps and switching from arm to arm. Moving from side to side, reaching for the ceiling, lying on the floor and doing a few stretching exercises all count. For breathing exercises, hold one nostril and breathe in deeply enough to feel your diaphragm move upward. Exhale through your mouth. Repeat five times. Then hold your other nostril and repeat five times. You can do this at a stop light or during a commercial!

Several diets I have been on have told me not to eat peanut butter or to limit it. Why?
While peanut butter is a great source of protein, it is very high in fat. If you are on a phase of a diet asking you to limit fat intake, a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter could present a problem. Two tablespoons of peanut butter has 16 grams of fat! Something relatively new called PB2, powdered peanut butter, with only 1.5 grams of fat that tastes, spreads and acts just like peanut butter in recipes. I love it in my diet milkshakes, in Thai stirfrys, and with out pudding mixes. PB2 is great for heart patients, dieters and those with high cholesterol.

Add recipe if need more:
Diet Snickers™ Caramel Chocolate Milkshake
1/2 c. soy milk (or Hood's Low Carb Milk if allergic to soy)
12 oz. water 2 heaping tsp. PB2 (powdered Peanut Butter)*
1 pkt. of Before and After Chocolate Drink** or scoop of protein powder
1 heaping Tbsp. Walden Farm Fat Free Caramel Dip**
1 pkt sweetener or 3 drops stevia if desired
1 cup of ice
Blend all ingredients on the ice crusher with your blender