Tag / Healthy Weight Loss

by tessbrennan

Are You Pregnant? — And you are NOT!!!

I was 10 years old (maybe 9) and sitting in class and the substitute teacher, who was a dear friend of my mother and a neighbor, came by my desk. I looked at her beautiful, glowing face and exclaimed excitedly, “ARE YOU PREGNANT?  WHEN ARE YOU DUE?”

She blushed a bit, and told me she was NOT pregnant! I was still young, but I remember my embarrassment, the knot in my chest, and how badly I felt for her due to my mistake.

obese

This weekend, my friend was the one who was asked this question by someone else.  As I read her account of the event, that familiar lump came back to my chest.  But so did a loving smile, because today I can offer her a way to never have that happen again.

I’ve been the one who could have very easily been mistaken for being pregnant and I’ve discovered how easily it can be reversed for the LONG TERM.

If you would like to JOIN A TEAM working toward a similar goal, contact me, we can talk to see if your needs match what I have to offer.  I have many different options that require different amounts of time and at different price points to help you reach your goal and STAY THERE!

Lets get you on the road to better health and a smaller waistline!

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

7 Tips to Healthy Weight Loss and Attaining Your Health Goals.

No matter what system you choose to use, there are 7 tips to attaining your health/weight loss goals.  They sound easy, they are easy, however, the trick is in maintaining all 7 tips at the same time for an extended period of time.

It can be done. I’ve done it, my friends have done it, and others are doing it too.

The tips I will mention here will be specific to the Shaklee180 Turnaround Plan, but are basically the same for other balanced systems.

7 Steps to Weight Loss

  1. Know your why. (Here are some examples from my clients.)
    — To fit on the roller coaster with my kids
    — To get healthy so I can play with/coach my kids in sports
    — To eliminate my type 2 diabetes
    — To get my “sexy” back
  2. Make a PUBLIC commitment. (When others support you, the challenge is easier to maintain.)
    — Tell your family
    — Tell your friends
    — Tell your co-workers
    — If you tell a friend & they don’t support/back you – FIND A NEW FRIEND!
  3. Get an accountability partner. (Its always fun to work with someone along side you.)
    — Someone to join you in the journey
    — Someone who also wants to improve their health/get sexy back
  4. Exercise 30 minutes each day. (The more you exercise, the more you can eat!)
    — Walk briskly
    — Train for a 5K or other event
    — Find a Yoga class
    — Find a High Intensity Interval Training Program (HIIT)
  5. Follow the plan as it is DESIGNED. (Shaklee180 Turnaround is designed to be complete and work as a system.)
    — Science backs the program
    — It is proven to work – when you work it
    — Complete nutrition is a must – the system provides it
  6. Keep a food journal. (Many times my clients find they eat more than they thought in a day.)
    — Everything you eat AND drink
    — Trouble shooting is easier when we know where to begin
    — Many times we find the lips are very busy during the day
  7. Don’t get complacent. Don’t Give up. Don’t be mean. (Attitude makes a difference.)
    — Set the goal – reach for the goal
    — If you have a set back, move on from there
    — Don’t beat yourself up for mistakes you make

For additional information on the Shaklee180 Turnaround or how we can work with you and coach you to reach your goals for your why, contact me.

 

by tessbrennan

Obesity & Autism–a link???

I just turned on the news this evening and happened on the news report about women who are obese during pregnancy have a 67% greater chance of having a child with autism.

http://www.winknews.com/Eye-on-Health/2012-04-09/Autism-and-Obesity-Research

This is a new report, just released, and it raises many questions in my head.

  • Is it the diet of these mothers?
  • Is it the environmental conditions of these mothers?
  • Is it something triggered by the strain on the body from carrying the visceral fat?
  • The questions just keep popping into my head.  WOW

This just boggles my mind!  Since 1/3 of all expecting mothers are obese, and this seems to raise a woman’s chances of giving birth to an Autistic Child from 1 in 88 up to 1 in 53!  WOW!

One more reason why I am so glad to have found the difference healthy choices make, before I gave birth to my daughter.

I am happy to work with anyone who would like to commit to shedding these pounds before conception.

Not that obesity is the only factor here, we know there are more factors involved in Autism. I have many colleagues working with me to assist those dealing with autism, but it helps to have one more tool to fight back.

 

Autism linked to Obesity

 

Contact us to schedule your personal and confidential consultation.

by tessbrennan

How do You Judge Weight Loss Success?

Health is not all about this number

In racing and cars, we use the dynamo-meter to measure our success or failure – where our horsepower and torque are – how fast and strong our vehicle is.  It helps, when rebuilding an engine, to know where you are beginning  and what your goals are for that engine.  The same is true with our human engines.

With healthy weight loss, it is NOT always about the number on the scale!  It is, in fact, about many different numbers.

  • Inches measured around (waist, arms, hips, chest, thighs)
  • The way your clothes fit
  • Your energy levels
  • Other issues plaguing you (HDL, LDL, Blood Sugar, etc.)

When you decide you are ready to begin, here’s a good place to start.

Tess, the Healthy Grease Monkey is here to support you when you are ready to stage and begin your race to better health, and we will be here to continue to support you in not only attaining that new found health, but also in maintaining that new lifestyle, for the long haul.

Weight Loss Finish Line

I’m so happy to be back on the lead lap of life, won’t you join me?  Contact me for your consultation and to see if what we have is a match for what you are looking for.

by tessbrennan

Healthy Peanut Butter Cup Shake

This protein shake rocks my world!  I Love it! Tasty way to start my day, boost my blood sugar and keep it from dropping later in the morning. I consider this one of my Fun Foods. Its fast, easy and starts my day off right! Everything I need, nothing I don’t.

Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Protein-Shake

You will need

8 ounces (1 cup) Lowfat milk/Soy Milk/Almond Milk (even water)
2 scoops of Chocolate Life Protein shake (with Leucine)
1 heaping teaspoon of natural, organic peanut butter
2 ice cubes

Blend in mixer, Pour in Cup, & ENJOY!

(Almost posted a photo of my Fast Food Mustache – then decided NOT)

Smile

by tessbrennan

The Dreaded Diet Cycle–Don’t get trapped

I love the roller coaster as much as the next guy, however I did NOT enjoy the weight loss roller coaster that I rode for years. Up to 200 pounds, back down to 170, back up to 185, back down to 165… I was ready to get off the ride, however I didn’t understand what was happening. 

Weight Loss Roller Coaster

Now I do know. I understand how the cycle works, and I make it
WORK FOR ME

Diet Cycle

We begin by deciding to make a change.

  • We diet. We cut back on calories with the intention of shedding the pounds. 
  • Due to insufficient fuel, the body drops into the FAMINE response.
    • The body cannibalizes lean muscle and fat
    • Our Metabolic rate drops from decreased muscle mass
    • Our body begins increasing fat storage
    • Our energy levels drop
  • We fall off the wagon and return to “normal” calorie levels
  • The body jumps into the FEAST response
    • We have a reduced metabolism from lost muscles
    • We regain weight from fat (so when we are back to our original weight, we have twice as much fat as the muscle we lost)
  • We gain it all back, as fat, and decide to try it again
  • We diet…

It wasn’t until I understood this cycle, and had a friend teach me how to overcome this cycle that I was able to get off the roller coaster once and for all!  Now, I’m a lean mean racing machine, loving life, and full of energy.

If you would like additional information on how to get off this weight loss roller coaster too, drop us a line, I am happy to work with you.

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

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.The Healthy Grease Monkey promotes sound nutrition, ways to improve your success and a little bit of humor.

If you have topic ideas, feel free to request a story, after all, this site is just for you. You can find out more about our products by visiting our online store and/or subscribe to an email newsletter by visiting our Smart Grease Monkey website and entering your email in the subscription area on the right pane of the web page or by adding us to your reader by subscribing to this blog.

by tessbrennan

Tips to starting your weight loss trek

You’ve decided to do something to get back to a healthy weight. You’ve shifted into 1st gear by making that choice and now you are ready for 2nd gear and to begin taking the unwanted pounds and inches off your HUMAN chassis. Some of  these you will have heard before, but when you put them all together, they can be powerful!
Shift into weight loss mode


  1. Begin keeping a journal of everything you eat AND drink! (hmmm sound familiar?) — Sometimes we don’t even realize how much we are taking in, or we find out our habits are starving our body and that is from where the problems stem.
  2. START drinking more water — ideally 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds of weight. (# pounds/2 = how many ounces you should be drinking daily) — This allows us to begin eliminating toxins in our system and allows for faster fat burning.
  3. Cut back on your sugar intake — sodas, highly processed carbohydrates, white sugar.
  4. Increase your fiber content — more raw veggies, and use products with higher fiber content —LOOK at the labels.
  5. STOP all artificial sweeteners!
  6. Increase your activity — even if it’s just adding a short walk after dinner — Get moving!
  7. CONGRATULATE YOURSELF! You are doing something to make your life better and you are setting a great example for our youth!
We can help

Give us a call to get started, remove that over-inflated tire around your middle and get back on the track to healthier living!
-239-246-9488 We will build your ideal system and get you back on the road again!

Stop kicking tires and Get Healthy

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

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 supporing 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. Grease Monkey Marketing promotes sound nutrition, ways to improve your success and a little bit of humor.

If you have topic ideas, feel free to request a story, after all, this site is just for you. You can find out more about our products by visiting our online store and/or subscribe to an email newsletter by visiting our Smart Grease Monkey website and entering your email in the subscription area on the right pane of the web page or by adding us to your reader by subscribing to this blog.