"I want to burn calories and build muscle. Please help!"

Got this email from a lady "at her wits end":

I read your article in the January newsletter and
I’m really hoping that you can point me in the
right direction. I had lap band surgery in Dec
2009 with very little success. I originally lost
about 40lbs from my surgery to August of 2010. I
went from 293 down to 256 and hit a wall. Slowly
the weight started to return and my metabolism
slowed down drastically. I am now back up to 269
and at my wits end! I am very frustrated and
disappointed in myself. I honestly don’t know
where to start or how to get back on track.
My husband and I recently got a Y membership and
I’m excited about it, but I still don’t know where
to begin. I want to focus on burning the calories
and hopefully increasing muscle mass.

Could you please help me map out a plan to get
back on track??? Also, is it worth restarting some
sort of protein shake/supplement? I was on those
for a few months after my surgery and it seemed to
help, but now, I’m not so sure.

Thank you so much for listening and please respond
at your convenience.

Erica

My reply:

Erica,

First, thanks for your question. Being at your
"wits end" sounds terrible and I'll do whatever I can to help. But it sounds like you're ready to move forward. And that's an important first step.

It sounds like after your surgery you failed to do
one major thing... change your behaviors.

You see, whether it's lap band, HCG, PX90, or any
other fix, you not only have to change your
attitudes, but your behaviors too.

No one has ever called me without good intent. The
intent is always there. But it's after your
intent when things fall short.

And likely why you've gained back most of your
weight.

If you do not establish new and permanent
behaviors you will slowly start to slide back. Part
of our successful 'secret sauce' here at Fitness Together
is accountability and support.

You cannot fail with your intent to lose weight
combined with our structured program,
accountability to that program, and the support
along the way.

Surgery, diets, fitness dvd's, and the worst of
all, home exercise equipment all fall short with
behavior modification.

===end email===


I can tell you with certainty that buying a
treadmill will NOT turn you into a runner. (But it
makes a great drying rack for your clothes!:-)

When you're looking to lose weight, get in shape,
feel better, or whatever your goal is, make sure
your solution will help change your behaviors
and then support you with those changes. You can
accomplish both here.

To your fitness and weight loss success,

Tim Chudy
Fitness Together

If you're not eating TWO servings of fish per week, please read this now

What a grorgeous Valentine's Day! The forecast
this week is very exciting given our winter so
far. I hope your Valentine's Day is full with love,
romance, and all that good hearty love stuff.;-)

And speaking of the heart, I have an interesting
fact for you.

Picture yourself grabbing a tennis ball (assuming
you don't have one at your computer) and squeeze
it tightly. Do you feel your hand grip the ball
and compress down?

That's how hard the beating heart works to pump
blood. And your heart will beat roughly 72 times a
minute; 100,000 times a day; 3,600,000 times a
year; and 2.5 billion times during your lifetime.
That's a lot of work.

Your heart is THE MOST important muscle in your
body.

And it only makes sense to take care of it. It
only makes sense to exercise it.

If you didn't know, February is heart health
month. Today's holiday is always a good reminder.

So it's a great time to assess how you treat your
most important muscle in the body.

**Do you exercise it?

There is nothing better for you than raising your
heart rate. Get your blood pumping, muscles
working, endorphins kicking, and heart pounding.
That type of exercise makes you feel good... and
proud.

**Do you give it what it needs?

Hamburgers, french fries, cupcakes, and alcohol.
I'm sure your heart enjoys a celebration once in
awhile, but a constant onslaught of that stuff is
a recipe for disaster. Try whole grains, FIBER,
lean meats and FISH, low fat dairy, fruits and
veggies. That stuff makes your heart happy!

**Do you give it more than it deserves?

In a recent survey 76% said they used a fish oil supplement regularly. I'm sure you've heard of Omega 3 fatty
acids if you don't already know their benefits.

Studies have shown Omega 3's, particularly EPA and
DHA support heart health, joint and brain
function, and even help reduce inflammation and
boost your immune system.

This supplement is a no brainer with "very little
downside to taking this supplement." It's a MUST
if you have any form of cardiovascular (heart)
disease or even a family history. And I bet your
doctor would agree with me.

**Do you really know it?

Do you know your blood pressure, cholesterol,
blood sugar and weight? You don't have to go to
the doctor to know these numbers. But you will
want to talk to her about them.

These questions should get you started. There are
more assessments to help you at www.heart.org.

If you haven't given your heart 5 minutes of
thought in the last year, give it now. You can
start by getting some fish oil. For less than a
buck a day you can take some preventative measure.

Then take advantage of this refreshing weather and
get outside and get your heart pumping.

Happy Valentine's Day,

Tim Chudy

P.S. ATTENTION LADIES: 90% of women have one or
more risk factors for heart disease. AND more
women die of heart disease than the next four
causes of death combined! Including all forms of
cancer. Do something now. Start with exercise,
nutrition, and supplementation.