Want to lose stubborn weight? Show your bod who's boss!

I wrote Expedition: Eat ! because no one should struggle with losing weight.

For years I tried to get fit and hated myself for failing. Making things even worse, I felt responsible for my husband and baby girl's weight problems too.

Being lectured by my daughter's pediatrician was mortifying. My health was declining, my husband had terrible gastric reflux and nothing we tried worked.

Then I figured out how to show my body who's really in charge! Without denying favorite foods and without starving, this system transformed my whole family. I lost 70 lbs, my hubbie lost 50 lbs and my daughter is a healthy size for her height. The weight has not come back for any of us.

Expedition: Eat ! is a fool proof method to make your body and brain do what you want them to do. It really works. Check out my before and after shots...

Buy the book and change your life. Get it today. Click the link or go to Amazon.com and type "Expedition Eat" in the search bar.

Follow the expedition on Twitter and Facebook. Post your transformation pics during your weight loss journey. Road trips are always better with friends.

-Dina

Staying Motivated: Mud Runs

It's obstacle course race season again! This year I've been in the Zombie Mud Run, Rugged Maniac, MudManX and this Saturday is Warrior Dash. Please enjoy this replay of a post from last year on staying motivated to keep running, climbing, jumping and moving.

Stay strong.


Lose weight: check!

Get fit: check!

Now what?!

How do I stay motivated to keep the habits that lead to a 70 lb weight loss and improved my immune system?

Wish I could say feeling great and looking good are enough. But sadly, no - I find it's very easy to backslide into old habits.

When I look back at what worked during the 14 month transformation, it's obvious that playing to my personality was a main factor. As a goal oriented type A, I worked hard to achieve nutrition and fitness metrics. It makes sense that if I want to continue to be healthy, I need to set some more goals. Time to push some boundaries.

Growing up I was not considered the athletic sibling. That was my sister - who was not afraid of anything. And she was generally pretty darned good at anything she tried. What if I didn't have to be the non athletic sibling? What if I could be any damned thing I wanted to be?

As I struggled with how to maintain the improvements, I saw a Groupon for the Survival Race. It was a mud run - a 5K timed obstacle course with mud. Running. Climbing. Swimming. Carrying sandbags. Hurdles. Not anything I've ever done or anyone could imagine me doing.


But I had set a goal to push myself. And this certainly counted. It must be on a weekend I have to work, right? Nope! Must be expensive? Nope! Must be happening too soon to properly train, right? Nope! 2 months was plenty of time and I was out of excuses so I bought the Groupon and signed up for the race.

Knowing it was coming up supercharged my enthusiasm for working out and eating right. It also made me find different workouts that would get me ready fo the obstacles. I would have never been able to do pull-ups or monkey bars if I wasn't trying to increase my upper body strength.

I was 42 at the time and my goal was only to finish and not punk out on any of the obstacles. It was crazy fun and finishing in the top 16% of all participants was a rush. I signed up for 2 other mud runs:, MudManX: Beach Bash N Dash and the Zombie Mud Run: East Windsor, NJ


MudManX had some issues with their first beach event, a bunch of the obstacles couldn't be used and running in the sand without something to break it up gets old fast. My performance resorted to a run-run, trudge-trudge, run-run cycle. But there were still good times to be had after the race took to the streets.


Oh, but the Zombie Mud Run...so much fun. Probably because I'm such a horror geek. Tough obstacles, great course (at the Fields of Terror, East Windsor NJ) and very nice observation area for my hubby and daughter complete with bonfire (it was on Nov 8). Runners needed to finish with one flag football flag still attached to have "survived". I did not and was "infected". But still had a muddy good time.


Right now, I'm planning what runs I'll be in next year because the earlier you register, the cheaper the signup cost. And that will keep me working my butt out throughout the winter, because I want to do even bigger and badder runs next year.

Find out what works for you and your personality. When something new sparks enthusiasm it makes staying fit an adventure that ensures ongoing success. You might be surprised what you can do if you try.

-DK

Did I really just publish a weight loss book?

I lost a lot of weight a few years back and everyone asks how I did it. In hallways, on the street, in passing at work...as hard as I tried, I couldn't come up with a 1 minute elevator speech that explained it. There was too much to it.

And there is so much mis-information about weight loss and fitness in the media that I feel bad for folks who are really trying to take care of themselves and can't lose weight permanently.

So, I wrote this book...that way I can tell people to download it from Amazon if they want to lose weight forever like I did. Safely, permanently and without fad diets, expensive food/supplements or feeling hungry all the time.

My style is very NJ and I've got a thing about honesty so I'm apt to cheese off some folks who won't like what I have to say. Oh well, maybe they shouldn't be telling people fibs just to make money on their weight loss products. It's a mean thing to do...the diets and products don't work and they know it. They convince folks who really are trying to get fit to spend money and then the customers think they didn't follow the plan right when the weight doesn't come off or comes back.

For a very brief overview, check out my previous post on How to lose 70 pounds forever . Hopefully, I can use this book to spread a little truth and help folks figure out what works best for them.

-DK

Biscoff / Speculoos Sandwich Cookies

We happened to have Girl Scout Shortbread cookies and cookie spread in the house at the same time. So, of course I spread the cookie butter on the flat bottom of a shortbread GS cookie and smooshed the bottom of another on on top of the cookie butter to make sandwich cookies. It's called cookie butter for crying out loud. I couldn't not do it.

This can be done with either Biscoff Spread or it's equally yummy cousin Speculoos Cookie Butter.

That's all...no actual recipe and, good God, no nutritional info.

Just try this. You won't be sorry.

-DK

Guest Post: Tips for Fighting Hunger at the Airport

Time for some holiday survival tips! Although it's fine to enjoy a holiday meal to its fullest, we don't want to detour too far from our healthy path. This is especially true when it comes to travelling. Our regular routines are tossed out the window and we feel like we're at the mercy of whatever is easiest to eat while we try to get to our destinations.

Cole Millen of Cole's Mill has some great advice on how to do it right. Take it away, Cole....

Tips for Fighting Hunger at the Airport

As those watching their weight know, airports can be traps. Because airports are filled with unhealthy restaurants, it can be tempting to spend a bit of time eating a calorie-rich but unhealthy meal. It is important to be proactive, and a bit of effort can help you make it through the airport without giving in to temptation. Here are a few tips.

Stay Hydrated

When people feel thirsty, they often grab a soda or high-calorie coffee drink. In addition, it can be difficult to resist the urge to buy food while getting a drink. Unfortunately, drinks cannot be taken through airport security, so your options are limited after you arrive. Drink plenty beforehand, and try to have enough that you won't feel tempted to purchase a drink while waiting. Even if it means an extra trip to the bathroom, extra hydration can help you make it on board without an additional meal.

And Meals to Your Plan

When people travel, they often make a list of the day's activities. However, many fail to account for meals. When making your travel itinerary, write in some extra time for having a meal before heading out. You'll also want to bring along some snacks as doing so can help you stay comfortable while dealing with security and waiting for your flight to begin loading.

Avoid Especially Bad Foods

While knowing which meals to eat is important, it may be even more important to know which meals to avoid. Airports are filled with terrible options, and eating them can cause acid reflux and other problems, which can make travel even more unpleasant. Avoid cinnamon rolls and drinks with too much caffeine. Fried foods should be avoided as well. You may also want to avoid drinking soda, which is loaded with calories and sugar.

Research, Research, Research

The best way to avoid eating excessively the airport is to perform extensive research before leaving. This knowledge is helpful in general, but it is especially important when waiting for a flight. Not only should you read about the food within the airport but in the city as well. You never know when your flight will be cancelled and you’ll be stranded so it is important to prepare for the worst. I got stuck over night in Las Vegas a couple months back that could have led to a dietary disaster. Fortunately, I found a great site where I could do some quick research and book a hotel with a healthy restaurant, allowing me to avoid the deadly buffets.

 Learn about what meals each restaurant offers, and try to find information online about their ingredients and calorie loads. In addition, some knowledge about different types of restaurants can help. For example, Mexican restaurants generally offer a number of healthy options. Chinese restaurants, on the other hand, tend to offer fewer healthy choices. Also, keep an eye out for restaurants that market themselves as healthy; they can become go-to options for those who travel regularly.

The wide range of dining options available at most airports indicates that travelers frequently eat between flights. Travelers have a natural tendency to use them as ways to pass some time before departing. However, they also make it incredibly easy to wreck your diet each time you travel. By taking some time to prepare before heading out, you can ensure that you remain healthy no matter how frequently you travel.

Thank you, Cole! Excellent advice - and I'd like to add my own 2 cents....keep movin'! Waiting for a flight or a layover doesn't mean we have to plant our rears in a plastic chair and watch cat videos on our phones. Sitting is eeeevvvviiiillll! Get up, walk around, do some jumping jacks or use the edge of the chair to do tricept dips. I've gotten full workouts in while waiting around for different reasons. Don't worry about what others in the airport think of you. Your health is more important than the random thoughts of strangers. Repeat after me: "what other people think of me is none of my business." Freeing, isn't it?

-DK

Surviving the Wilds of Holiday Destinations

Like anything else, mitigating the holiday damage requires planning. Tell your friends and family ahead of time you are on a food and fitness journey. Work it into conversations leading up to the visit, so when you aren't pounding down pie by the shovelload, they aren't offended or surprised. I have been known to be quite the eater in the past, but my whole entire clan knows I've lost 70 pounds to eradicate some deleterious health issues, so they tend not to act like sugary dealers when I'm around now.

But not all folks are as accomodating. For some, food = love and if you don't eat, and overeat, they are upset. Be nice, but firm. Don't give in, unless you have decided you do actually want the food. My point is don't eat more than you want just to be nice. The food = love thing is their issue, not yours, or mine. And if they get upset, that's their issue too.

How about those relatives who don't know what to get you and refuse to follow the "we just give presents to the kids" rule? And we end up with a giant basket from Harry and David's or a box of chocolate big enough for a platoon to share. DON'T OPEN IT! Once it's open the food just crawls into my mouth every time I walk by it. Take it home unopened and dump it at work on the other side of the building/dept/office from where your workstation is. It'll be gone. Really fast. And you'll be a hero.

Bring healthy snacks with you. There are a lot of options like Naturebox or Fruit & Fiber Bars. Just toss em in the luggage and go. Maybe grab an apple before Dad makes pies. Or my fav, eat all those apple skins while he's baking!

And move, move, move. Don't hang around shooting the breeze on a couch all day - get everyone outside walking. If the weather stinks, have a contest with the little ones to see who can walk up and down the stairs the most. (in my family, it was who could bounce all the way down the stairs on their butt!) Or dare the cousins to a burpee contest. Or play a dancing video game. Watching family videos? Great time to do planks or crunches.

If you show up with a mindset of moving, enjoying what you choose to eat while declining what you don't need and ensure healthy snacking you can't lose...er, I mean...gain! Happy holidays!

-DK

Cardio With No Legs

Recently I had a little work done...cosmetic but necessary as far as I was concerned. Being obese for a long while had ruined the small veins in my legs. After losing the weight I wanted to show off my new self but really got tired of answering the same question: "how did you get those bad bruises on your legs?"

Arrrrgh! They weren't bruises, it just was there were so many spider veins grouped together it's what it looked like. So I went to a local vein center and paid a whopping $250 to have a really nice doc use little needles (didn't hurt) to cut off the blood supply to the spider veins. Had to wear compression stockings for 2 weeks afterward. In the summer! Soooo hot. My own fault for waiting until after my June mud run to get the procedure done. But, hey, when the mud calls I gotta answer.

What was hard was I couldn't run or lift weights with my legs while wearing the compression stockings. I kept lifting with my arms but I still needed some cardio about twice a week. Tried to search on the internet for leg free cardio but most sites suggested swimming (not an option in compression stockings) or using a manual wheelchair outside (not really in my wheelhouse).

What I ended up with was air boxing while sitting and watching TV with my hubby. Ended up working up a sweat and raising my heart rate which was the point anyway. Standing and swinging my arms in circles also worked but didn't seem to raise my heart rate quite as much. Both exercises worked out my upper body with it's own body weight while burning calories.

Anyone who has a doc telling them they can't cavort can use these little time wasters to bust out some cardio until they are on the mend. Or if the arthritis acts up. Or if an ankle is sprained while in a late night battle with supervillians. You know, the usual stuff.

Anyways, the compression stockings are off and the legs are looking much better. Time to get my runner's high on!

-DK