Tag / drop pounds

by tessbrennan

A 7 day cleanse ruined my life!

I decided I had consumed way too much trash over the Thanksgiving-Christmas holidays. I felt sluggish, had no energy, and was bloated, not to mention I’d gained 9 pounds. I heard about this awesome all you can eat cleanse and that sounded like something I could do. I stocked up on healthy, fresh produce and embarked on this great challenge. No starvation, no crazy concoctions, no drugs, just tasty, pretty, raw veggies and fruit.

Day 1: I want to eat a wheel of cheese and a whole tuna. (Don’t forget the protein.) I did very well on this day. Not many cravings, but the knowledge that I should avoid it for 7 days made me want it.IMG_20150109_192701

Day 2: <Head hits desk> When my body doesn’t get protein it doesn’t function. I had misunderstood the instructions and omitted any protein on day 1. Unable to function, a half serving of a plant based protein brought me back to life and I commenced to shoving large quantities of food in my mouth.IMG_20150107_184019
Day 3: I began feeling clearer in the head, my energy picked up a bit, I wasn’t wanting to eat forbidden foods (as much) I was very thankful for the 2 avocados that had fallen off my tree. I ate half of each of those beasts each day.IMG_20150104_133659
Day 4: This was a Thursday for me. When I walked into Rotary, the meat entre’ smelled divine. This day was very difficult to get enough food past my lips…to which my hubby found very entertaining. I felt that I could not possibly force anymore raw veggies past my teeth. Yet, I continued on.IMG_20150106_191831
Day 5: Must I really continue to eat this stuff? I had lots of energy, felt very clear headed, yet fixing chicken and such for the rest of my family caused me to be jealous. For dinner, I told my husband, “I give up, I want a pizza. I’ll just eat a veggie pizza so it won’t be that bad.” He said NO, so I had slightly steamed tomatoes with avocado and some homemade Italian dressing.IMG_20150105_130904
Day 6: I’ve made it this far… could I eat a whole cow? Nope…one more day to go. Tomato juice warmed with right protein tastes just like cream of tomato soup! I packed an apple and orange in my purse for snacks at the hockey game and ate my salad when we returned home at 10 pm.

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Day 7: Easy, this is it. I am finished at dinner time. I shoved fruits and veggiez and plant based protein past my teeth with the knowledge of a small, grilled chicken breast for dinner, and maybe even a bite of ice cream.

IMG_20150118_200311

Free dinner -its over!  Hubby grilled the chicken perfect, but when I bit into it, it didn’t meet my expectations.  When darling daughter finished her dinner and got ice cream, I had a single bite of the fowl tasting frozen concoction..

The cleanse ruined my taste buds! I lost 7 pounds in the 7 days, several inches around my waist, increased my energy levels, and wrecked my taste buds for the crap that infiltrates our daily lives.

Chicken is better now, fresh caught grouper is amazing, ice cream still doesn’t cut it and I am craving more veggies.

Things I learned.
*I am thankful for my supportive husband, even if he  makes fun of me in the process.
*Fruits and veggies make me feel good.
*Iron can eliminate cheese cravings.
*Fresh and lightly steamed veggies make gorgeous meals.
*I can do anything for 7 days.
*If I can do it for 7, I can commit to healthier choices on a daily basis for life.
*Keep drinking water-it keeps things moving.
*Protein is an integral part of my daily diet.
*If I have “side effects” it is due to my errors in following proper protocol.

Cleanse-Why_Raw_Food-Side_Effects

I was devastated that the things I once coveted as delicious, no longer strike my fancy, however it is amazing how delicious these whole foods can taste when there isn’t anything skewed by hyper-palatable foods.  My “junk food life” was ruined! Now I focus on whole foods for my sweets and such!

For more information on this amazing All You Can Eat Cleanse, contact me.

by tessbrennan

The ONE thing that made me gain weight!

It is amazing all the articles written about what it is that is making our fellow humans overweight and obese.  I have compiled a list of articles listing out what is making us fat. I will post some links at the end of this article.

I’ve heard such a list of “the one thing” that make us fat, but I don’t believe 1 thing makes us gain weight.  It is a list of things, combinations; the perfect storm.

What makes me Fat

So, what ONE thing on this list has made me fat?  How about you?

There are so many myths about what is making our friends, neighbors, family AND enemies fat that it is getting difficult to recognize the actual culprit.   We KNOW what to do, we KNOW what to eat, we KNOW we are gaining weight.

ALL OF THESE MADE ME FAT… and ATTENTION TO ALL OF THESE made me thin again.  Each one of us has the ability to change our personal future.  Each one of us has free will.  It is a matter of being mindful and choosing the healthier alternative.

Temptation has always been there and it will continue to be there, we just need to learn to brush it away and grab an apple instead. (Pun intended)

Genesis 3:3

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”  – BibleGateway.com NIV

My personal story:

I realized my health was declining, my weight was increasing, my pain levels were increasing, and I was sick all the time.  Hence, attention to prevention (or in my case repair). 

Through attention to what I eat, how much I move, what toxins I surround and slather upon myself, and disproving the time and money myths, I have been able to lose the weight, gain TONS of energy, lose the pharmaceuticals, and cut back to one cold per year.  My asthma is all but eliminated, my depression is controlled without Rx, I don’t need pain meds all the time, and I can walk 60 miles at a time.

If you would like more information, or to discuss what a plan for you might look like, contact me.

MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!!!

(HERE’S YOUR PROMISED LIST OF LINKS)

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/5-surprising-reasons-you-are-gaining-weight

  1. Lack of Sleep
  2. Stress
  3. Medications
  4. Medical condition
  5. Menopause

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/for-women/11-causes-for-weight-gain-in-women.html#b

  1. Pregnancy
  2. Menopause
  3. Not eating enough
  4. Eating “low fat” foods
  5. Lack of Fiber
  6. Too Much stress
  7. Lack of Sleep
  8. Depression
  9. Lack of fatty acids
  10. Diseases & Illness
  11. Birth control

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-sugar-drink-preschoolers-20130805,0,4412618.story

Among the randomly selected children in this study, 31.4% of 2-year-olds were already classified as obese, and 32.7% of 4- and 5- year olds.

"Overall, children drinking sugar-sweetened beverages on a regular basis have 17% to 20% increase in total calorie consumption," the researchers write in the paper.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/25/7-surprise-reasons-for-weight-gain/

  1. Depression
  2. Rx
  3. Gut is slow
  4. Body doesn’t have enough of certain nutrients
  5. Getting older
  6. Plantar Fasciitis or other aching joints
  7. Cushing’s syndrom

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/Puttingonweight.aspx

  1. Foods labeled “low fat”
  2. Stres
  3. TV
  4. Rx
  5. Late Nights
  6. Good Manners
  7. Portion sizes
by tessbrennan

Get “Ripped” for the New Year! (How about you get healthy)

Since we’ve been home more over the holidays, we’ve had the boob tube on more than normal.  I’ve been amused at some of the… well a lot of the commercials.

“Get Ripped” “Drop 16 dress sizes in 16 DAYS!” “Look like me just by taking this magic pill”

It IS the New Year – at least at midnight it will be. It is another chance for a NEW start and a healthy new you!

I’ve noticed one thing missing from all these ads. How to stay there.  All these companies are offering magic pills, tools, foods, machines and the like to help you LOSE the weight, to get into better shape and such however… None of them offer maintenance to stay there.

I want to offer you the opportunity to not only begin to shed some pounds, if that is what you need, but also the chance to KEEP it off for the long term. 

When we say “Feel Good Fast” it’s a relative term. Relative to how fast you want to get there and how long you want to STAY there. I’ve been there done that– lost and gained, and finally, almost 6 years ago lost and maintained that loss. I’ve lost the prescriptions, the weight, the depression, the asthma, and the need to yo-yo diet repeatedly!

We’ve got the vehicle, if you have the drive.

HGM_Happy_New_You_2013

(Taken by my 5 yr old at Busch Gardens)

Happy New Year and Healthy New You!

by tessbrennan

Bigger isn’t always better, or is it?

I wasn’t sure about raising this topic, it’s a bit touchy, then my friend told me to go for it, so here it is! In a story run by MSNBC today it was stated that “Penis Size Does Matter” 

So, why the title? Well that comes from Dr. Oz.

“And, losing weight improves the sex lives of men in another way. "If you lose 35 pounds, if you’re a male, you are gaining one inch of penis length," he says. Often when a man is carrying a lot of extra weight, Dr. Oz says a fat bundle builds up and starts to surround the shaft. As a man drops the weight, that fat starts to recede.”

(I do want to clarify that by losing 35 pounds he means 35 pounds of extra weight not by losing 35 of your 70 pound body, sorry.)

I’m not saying that the size of a man’s penis makes a difference one way or another, I am not a scientist. 

obese

What I am saying is if this: If losing 10-100 pounds or more could help you in any way, I am here to assist you, coach and support you. I’ve lost over 55 pounds and kept it off for over 5 1/2 years and I have a host of colleagues that are here to work with us as you dive into your goal.

Contact me for a consultation to see what would be the best plan of action to get you back on the road to better health, and maybe better… Smile

by tessbrennan

Common Weight Loss Mistake–Not eating enough

You’ve decided that dropping a few pounds would be beneficial for your well being, and make those jeans fit better, so you think to yourself, EASY!!!  I’ll just cut my calories in half, drop a few pounds, and all will be well.

WRONG!

Weight Loss Assistance Available

Yes, you can lose weight by dropping your calories, however, when you drop too many calories, you run the risk of slowing your metabolism by dropping muscle mass.  On most diets you lose fat AND muscle mass, then when you go off the “diet” you put the weight right back on. (plus some in my case)

Instead of forgoing eating, perhaps, eating with a purpose, and eating foods that support your metabolism, are balanced to provide you the nutrition needed to maintain your health and well being.

RIGHT!

Look for trusted systems that couple sound science with complete nutrition.  Avoid chemicals or pills with side effects.  Natural solutions that help maintain your muscle mass and perhaps even boosts that metabolism.

I broke the cycle this way, and have maintained my 55 pounds of weight loss for 5 years, easily. (update – it’s now been 8+ years…)

Our clients  are smart about their health, they search for wisdom from nature before they reach for over the counter drugs or prescriptions. They are passionate about creating a non-toxic environment for themselves and their families, and they are fussy about ingredients in whatever they consume. They are committed to investing in prevention and education so they can reserve the meds and MD visits for the critical care and emergencies.

If you’ve got the Drive, we’ve got the Vehicle!

Human Engine

The Healthy Grease Monkey is a project by Tess Brennan dedicated to writing useful blog posts for consumers who are smart about Nutrition & what they put in & surround their body with, passionate about protecting our environment, and are committed to supporting local entrepreneurs. Those who are about healthy weight loss & dynamic living. If you would like to find out what it is like to live a healthy life, we invite you to explore our product line or find out more about our services.

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