The Power of Probiotics

by Kris Pitcher

Don't be grossed out but you have over 500 different species of good and bad bacteria in your gut. Probiotics are live micro organisms which have a positive health benefit to the host. That's us!

These good bugs are great for us. We get these "live active cultures" in yogurt, fermented foods, miso, tempeh, and in supplements. Probiotics are powerful and healthful bugs to have.

Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium longum have been reported to lessen our stress and reduce anxiety in one British study. These healthy bugs have also been linked to lower levels of LDL cholesterol.

Want cleaner teeth and gums? Lactobacillos reuteri and bifidobacterium can reduce strains of harmful bacteria in our mouth. Look for "live active cultures" in the yogurt you buy. And one note, you can't freeze it. This changes these organisms. Sorry fro-yo folks!

Studies are now looking at the intestinal flora of obese vs. normal weight people to test the strains of organisms they are "hosting". They are finding that those who are overweight have a much different make up of bacteria in their gut.

Supplementing is another way of getting these good bacteria. I don't eat soy or dairy, so I take an acidophilus & bifidus supplement. Be sure you are getting your good bacteria to support healthy intestinal health. Here's to the power of probiotics!

Your Big Bloated Lie

by Kris Pitcher

There are some pretty big lies we tell ourselves. Like, it's the 12th anniversary of my 30th birthday. Lie. I'm 42. Such as, I don't need 8 hours of sleep...I can do fine on 4 or 5 hours. Lie.

But the BIGGEST lie of all is one I hear a lot. Ready for it? "I'm holding water." Or, "I'm bloated." Guess what? You're holding fat.

I'm just holding water...

Today's tough love is brought to you exclusively by me, because that's how we do. We tell each other the truth. No, you did not have too much sodium yesterday...unless you went out for Chinese food. We need to talk if you did.

Sodium is a critical element which you need in your diet and you have in your diet on a regular basis - so it didn't cause a huge swing in your condition. You also haven't been bloated for seven months. You're fooling yourself. Big. Lie.

And here's the thing (play the nice music here) now that we've been honest, we can move forward. Sure it's possible your consistent diet of alcohol and nachos have you a little bloated, but they are also keeping you well insulated. F-A-T.

So you thought you were in better shape than you are. So what? Get over it and get honest so you can make some change. Let's see just how great you look when you get a handle on that 15 pounds of fat you're holding on to. No lie, you're gonna look great!

The Diet Wall, On Stallling Out

by Kris Pitcher

Congratulations to reader Jessica who has lost 100 pounds since August! This takes a complete shift in mind-set, a 180 degree change in lifestyle approach, and a willingness to care for yourself as you never have before.

Eventually, we hit a wall...we stall out. We stop making progress. Now, when we have a lot of weight to lose the numbers are big in the beginning. It's like dating...really sexy at first. Then as things slow down, we have to really work for it.

Really the stall out is our body telling us, "Hey! We've been doing the same thing here for a while now!" and, "We're on to you!" This is all about the principle of progression. We must progressively change what we're doing in order to continue to see change.

It can be as much as a little "tweak". Last week for example, I took my typical 45 minute cardio session and split it into two sessions. Same time, but different because now it's two sessions. My body has to figure out what I'm doing. Ha! Progression.

How do we begin to change things? We need to start by tracking what we're doing. You can track your exercise, your food, your water intake...all of that, etc. One thing to be aware of in terms of managing this process, is just how much you can handle.

We don't want to make ourselves crazy, we want to track what's important. I would suggest the "biggies". Track your food and your exercise. Maybe of that, you select your cardio or your strength training - but if it's going to make you a nut-ball don't track both.

Our food scale is on the counter at all times. Every meal gets weighed before it is packed to go, or eaten at home. Why? Well, for one thing I need to ensure I get what I need. There are days when I can eyeball 4oz. of meat put it in the bowl on the scale and it is right on. But I wouldn't count on my eye for 6 meals a day. (That's too much pressure! Lol!)

I also need to make sure I'm not getting more, or less, than I need. So, everything gets weighed. Using tools to help you make sure you are on track just make sense. Now, do I write down every meal? No. Because I ONLY eat the meals on my diet plan.

HOWEVER, for all the Jessica's - you should be tracking everything that goes into your mouth in a little diary, or on an app for your phone. This personal accountability will help you make better choices before you put something in your mouth that may not help you get to your goals. It stops the mindless eating.

Tracking is the first step to making adjustments toward progressive changes in your plan. Often, the tracking itself will be all the change you need to get over the diet wall you've hit. Keep doing all the right things to move forward in your health and fitness. And congratulations Jessica! Thank you for reading!

Glutamine For Fat Loss

by Kris Pitcher

Well, now I've got your attention! Fat loss? That's right. Glutamine aids in fat loss and I'm going to tell you why. I'm going to tell you a whole bunch of stuff about glutamine...and, I'm getting all sciency-excited about it!

Glutamine is one of 20 amino acids. It's considered non-essential because the body makes it. Now, interestingly it has been reclassified as semi-essential because while the body can make it, under extreme stress we lose more than we can replenish requiring the need for supplementation. Exciting right?!

It's the most abundant amino acid in the body. All amino acids by the way end in "ine". Anywho - it's predominately synthesized and stored in skeletal muscle. One of the most important things it does is acts as fuel for the cells that line our intestines.

Glutamine is also involved in metabolic processes and it helps maintain our blood glucose levels. It also helps us maintain a certain pH range in our bodies. It plays a role in immune function, and (drum roll) it increases the body's ability to secrete human growth hormone (HGH) which assists in metabolizing fat and supports new muscle tissue growth.

Is everyone grinning ear to ear?! Am I the only one who is super-science-excited right now? Well, there's more. Glutamine enhances our brain function, memory, mental alertness and mood. (Maybe that's why I'm so happy?)

Glutamine's role in muscle preservation, intestinal health, and immune function make it an important amino acid for exercisers to get. Especially for those who exercise intensely or regularly. Stress on the body, and the release of cortisol, decrease our glutamine stores. The greater the stress on the body, the greater the demand for this essential amino acid.

So, where do we get it? We get glutamine from beef, pork, poultry, eggs, milk, ricotta and cottage cheese, raw spinach, raw parsley and cabbage. The typical dietary intake ranges from 5 to 10 gms daily. While you should always consult your physician before taking any supplement, therapeutic dosages of 1.5-6 gms, divided, have been given.

There are side effects and contraindications. Side effects include headache, bloating and intestinal distress. And people with kidney, liver disease or Reye's syndrome should not take glutamine. Again, always consult your physician before taking any supplement.

You can have your levels checked when you get a full blood panel done. Consuming food sources above should ensure adequate intake, and many pre-workout formulas, and even protein powders, have this amino acid added to it. Read your labels. There you go!

What Kind of Size?

by Kris Pitcher

If you ask people what size they want to be they can tell you. Men and women alike usually have a number in mind. It's like buying a car...whether you're willing to say it out loud, you've got a number in mind.

But what kind of size do you want to be? You can be a fat 8 or a lean and muscular 8. Either way, you're a size 8. Do you care? Or do you just want the size?

What does it matter you're asking? Well, what it matters is simply everything regarding how you go about losing weight. It's easy to spot over fat people of size. But can you spot a skinny fat person?

Squishy with no muscle...

There's nothing great about being the "right" size if you have no muscle mass and you're just a pile of mush. You can squish the mush into the pants like filing a tube of sausage. Ish!

My point is, it's important to go about it in the right ways. In ways which will build and maintain lean body mass (muscle mass), while burning fat mass. The point is, don't be afraid to incorporate strength training...ladies. It's not going to make you huge.

Just wanting to lose any old weight might leave us little fat people, and we don't want that. So while you might not have thought about it much, it's important to consider what kind of size you want to be rather than just what size.

This helps you slow the process down, not be in such a hurry to get to a certain number. You want to get there with your metabolically active muscle tissue in tact. Besides, there is no "right" size. There's just whatever size you are.

Double Bunned Sword

by Kris Pitcher

As the seasons have changed, I've been looking in my closet for new items to wear. Not only has the season changed, but through my contest prep...I'm also changing. Typically this means I can wear more items in my closet, smaller items in my closet.

Like most competitors I have multiple sizes of clothes. I have tiny clothes that I wear for about a 2 week window. Then I have my 6, 8, 10 run. This year however has been a different experience.

I began to grow out of my 6 as I was dieting down. See, it's the double bunned sword thing happening. This year, I was on a mission to "build a butt". You know, like build a bear...only - behind.

Now my great work isn't fitting into my slacks. Apparently, the standard woman according to the garment industry...has no glutes. Sad really. My solution?

Wear my 8's. Take out the tags if you don't like it. Wear my dresses. Find things which stretch over my big, strong glutes. Be proud of my situation rather than frustrated that I don't fit the norm.

I'm sure you have a "double bunned sword" situation. How are you choosing to see it? To handle it? Your perception determines your disposition and your success. You don't need to fit the norm, or your pants...you just have to be you!

My Squeeze on Juicing

by Kris Pitcher

This is a reader requested topic. If you have a topic you'd like to hear about, let me know. I love to hear from you! Thanks Ginger!

Juicing has been around for years, and like a lot of food trends it has gone in and out of fashion. It's in fashion and people are loving their giant blends of juices. So, why has this been so popular?

Juicing is embraced by the health conscious for it's quick delivery of nutrients and enzymes responsible for cancer fighting properties. The USDA encourages us to eat more fruits and vegetables for a healthy diet.

This practice is also embraced as a weight loss mechanism. But this is where I find I'm tensing up, my teeth are clenching and I have to almost hold myself in my chair. Here's the deal.

Juicing to lose weight is the exact opposite of what you want to do. Liquid calories from fruits and vegetables provide relatively little nutrients, no fiber, and are simple sugars. Simple sugars cause a quick spike in insulin, and a blood sugar environment which isn't conducive to fat loss.

Would you lose weight? Sure. But you would lose your muscle mass. This isn't what we want. We want to maintain our muscle mass and lose our fat mass. We do this by limiting the simple sugar (eliminating it), eating lean protein, complex carbohydrates and the right kinds of vegetables high in fiber.

Does an occasional glass of high quality juice have it's place in your plan? Maybe. I would advocate for enjoying those berries in their whole form so you benefit from the fiber. Skip the 800 calorie Jumbo Juice at the mall - you're not doing yourself a favor or being "healthy". You're having the equivalent of a milk shake. And that's my squeeze on juicing.