Double Your Weight Loss Starting Now

Many people think that gaining weight during the holidays is inevitable. I talk to people all of the time who accept holiday weight gain as a natural part of the season as much as they expect to see Christmas decorations in the stores. Unhealthy weight gain at any time of the year is not natural, nor desirable. In fact, the ideal is to maintain not gain. I have even coached hundreds of people in how to shed excess body fat during the holidays without feeling deprived or missing out on the foods they love. The key is the right foods, in the right amount, at the right time….Balanced Nutrition.



In addition, there is one super simple activity that can make a HUGE difference in not only whether or not you gain weight, studies show that it can help you double your weight loss (even during the final two months of the year!).

What is the secret? Bite It & Write It!! A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that by tracking your daily food intake in a "food journal" may double your weight loss efforts.


Researchers from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research performed a study on 1,685 overweight and obese adults (men and women), whose average weight was 212 pounds. The researchers advised participants to adhere to a reduced-calorie eating plan ( DASH eating plan ) and had them record their daily food intake and their daily/weekly minutes of exercise.


After 20 weeks, the average weight loss was 13 pounds per person. In addition, researchers discovered that the more participants recorded what they ate, the more weight they lost in the end. Participants who did not keep a food diary lost about 9 pounds over the course of the study, while those who recorded their food intake six or more days per week lost 18 pounds—twice as much as those who didn't track any food!


If you’d like to learn more about achieving and maintaining your ideal body weight, you’ll want to attend…..

Get a Jump Start on the New Years Weight Loss Resolution &

Experience a Healthy Lifestyle Revolution.....

Simple Steps to Achieve & Maintain Your Ideal Body Weight


Healthy, Permanent weight reduction through….

• Reducing toxic load and releasing stubborn toxic fat.

• Increasing fat metabolism and improving overall metabolic function.

• Eliminating unhealthy food cravings & developing an appetite thermostat.

• Developing a simple, healthy balance of proper nutrition & physical activity.



Achieving & Maintaining Ideal Body Weight with Proper Nutrition & Essential Oils

Date & Time: Thursday December 16th @ 7pm - 8:15pm

Location: 4307 E. Blue Sage Court Gilbert, AZ 85297

Class Instructor: Melissa Guthrie - Fitness Trainer, Nutrition Coach, Health Educator, & Competitive Triathlete

Contact/RSVP: Jodi Lewis 480.213.6551 or Melissa Guthrie 1.800.775.0712 xt 7015 (Please RSVP!)

We look forward to having you attend. You are welcome to bring additional guests with you.


Gift Drawing & Healthy Snacks Provided.


Taught by Fitness, Nutrition Specialist, Health Educator - Melissa Guthrie. In addition to having two college degrees in Exercise Physiology and Nutritional Science, Melissa was once the fat kid and has achieved her ideal body weight and has maintained it for over 14 years.


To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie



12 Steps to a Lighter Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Week!  There is so much to be grateful for.  I am grateful to share with you some tips to help you stay on  the lighter side this holiday.  I am also grateful to share with you a couple of events I'm doing this week that I know will be a great blessing to all who attend.

Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving:

 Thanksgiving is a holiday centered around family, friends, & feasting (and for some football) as we express our gratitude for our many blessings. There are so many wonderful, positive, uplifting aspects of the holiday. What comes along is over-eating, excess sweets, lots of low levels of physical activity, and thus weight gain. For those who are susceptible to excessive holiday weight gain, this year lets focus on the "Maintain don't Gain" principle. We can avoid being part of the Big Fat problem by incorporating some of the following holiday healthification tips:




* Exercise every day of the week prior to and following the holiday.

* Exercise on Thanksgiving by going for a walk, run, bike ride, hike with friends or family.

*Participate in a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot (1-mile fun run/walk, 5K or 10K).

* Rather than just watching football on TV, participate in a friendly game of football with friends & family.

* If you have a tendency to splurge on Thanksgiving day, then be sure that the 2-3 days prior to the holiday you eat very healthy & clean (watch portions, eats lots of fresh fruits & veggies, some whole grains, and very lean proteins). Do the same for 2-3 days following the holiday.

* Be sure not to skip breakfast and/or lunch on Thanksgiving day. Doing so will result in overconsumpion and less likelihood to make healthy food choices. Not to mention meal skipping teaches the body to become an efficient fat storing machine.

* Use a smaller plate for your Thanksgiving Day meal. You will be less likely to overconsume. If you have a tendency to fill your plate with everything that is offered, select the items that special to you. For example, peas & carrots may be foods you could eat any day of the year. If you really love sweet potatoes and cornbread stuffing and these are foods you only ever eat on Thanksgiving, then skip the peas & carrots.

* Eat to the point of satisfaction rather than to the point of "I'm so full, I can't walk". We can eat small frequent meals throughout the day if we don't overconsume. This means more opportunities throughtout the day to enjoy these special holiday foods.

* Eat your calories, rather than drinking your calories. Opt for pure water rather than sodas, juices, alcoholic beverages, hot chocolate, etc. Water is what your body needs & it's calorie free. You can make some yummy flavored water by adding fresh fruit or CPTG essential oils to your water.

* Watch the sauces & gravies. Either skip them altogether or if you must have them, then consume just enough to get the flavor. Skip or go very light on whipped cream. Use the "dip 'n stick" technique rather than pouring your sauces/dressing directly on your food.

* Share a dessert or at least watch your portion size. Desserts are typically loaded with fat, sugar, & calories.

* Healthify your recipes - use applesauce instead of oil in your baking, use evaporated skim milk in place of cream, use more herbs/spices & less butter/oil in cooking, use chicken stock/vegetable stock in place of butter/oil in cooking, use lowfat or nonfat dairy products.

Events of the WEEK

If your week sounds like this...




Wednesday and Thursday:

Its beginning to smell a lot like turkey every where I go. Well the Turkey is not enough, add a ham to bake and glaze, stuffing to make and pies to bake and mashed potatoes too. I’ve been on my feet all day and soon the guest will come. The house is sparkling clean, the decorations hung, I’m worn out and wondering when the cooking will be done.



Friday and Saturday:

Dashing through the stores with a shopping cart or two, trodding down each aisle to find the super deals. My Arms are loaded down with packages and such, that cramping in my hand means I’m carrying too much. The shopping frenzy’s begun and will last almost a month; my head is throbbing from the noise and pressure – oh what fun. Hussle & bussle, hussle & bussle, stressing all the way!



You are invited to a Holiday Haven event on Saturday Nov 27th at 10:30am – noon. Come relax and receive an Aromatouch Hand or Foot Massage - Sure to refresh & renew, restore & revitalize, calm & soothe, invigorate and enliven not only your weary hands and feet but your whole body and mind.

Aromatouch massage reduces stress levels, increases blood flow & circulation, reduces inflammation, stimulates & boosts immune system, promotes whole body homeostatis. Aromatouch Technique developed by world renowned essential oil expert, Dr. David Hill.


How about a stress-less season with more peace, more calm, more joy?... Then stroll on over to the…


Holiday Haven Aromatouch Hand & Foot Massage Party

Date: Saturday November 27th at 10:30am – noon.

Location: 1263 E. Evergreen St. Mesa, AZ 85203

Cost: None – it’s a gift!

Hosted by Melissa Guthrie & Marianne Trask

Space Limited: Please RSVP to mmguthrie@hotmail.com 1.800.775.0712 xt 7015


Event will include healthy snacks, great prizes and gifts for all that attend.


Note: You will have the opportunity to receive an Aromatouch hand/foot massage and learn how to give an Aromatouch hand/foot massage (a great holiday gift for a friend or family member).

 *************** 

Learn how to optimize fitness, improve athletic performance, and stay healthy & injury-free year round.

How would your fitness training & sports performance be impacted if you could significantly…

· improve metabolic function and increase oxygen uptake

· improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to the cells

· reduce inflammation & oxidative stress associated with exercise, sports training & competing

· speed recovery from hard workouts and athletic injuries

· prevent injuries and boost immunity

· get better, deeper, more rejuvenating sleep

· and much more



Come learn how to maximize your fitness and sports performance naturally through optimal nutrition and the use of certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils.


Maximizing Fitness and Sports Performance with Nutrition and Essential Oils
Date and Time: Tuesday November 23rd 2010 @ 7pm

Location: 3087 E. Redfield Rd Gilbert, AZ 85234 (Higley & Guadalupe)

Presenter: Melissa Guthrie, Fitness & Nutrition Coach

RSVP/Contact: Sharon McDonald 480.275.9767 . Please RSVP as space is limited.

Give-Aways & Healthy Snacks!

 To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
Triumph Training
Nutrition Coach, Fitness Trainer, Health Educator
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast
Competitive Triathlete & Runner

A Moment on the Lips, Forever on the Hips

It is commonly reported that the average person gains 7 to 12 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years (and for most people this weight gain not easily reduces and is often maintained throughout the coming year). This is phenomenal to me. Typically it would not be well for an adult to gain that much weight over an entire year, let alone in 5 to 6 weeks. Some of the contributing factors to this astronomical weight gain include: overeating more than usual, consuming an excess of high calorie, high fat foods, and high sugar foods, dining out more often, higher stress levels, cutting back on exercise and overall physical activity, staying up later and getting less sleep.

Do you have any idea how many calories must be consumed in order to gain that much fat? Trust me holiday weight gain is 99.9% fat gain. There are 3500 calories (kcals) in 1 pound of fat. So if someone gains 1 pound of fat in a week, it means that they consumed an excess of 3500 kcals above and beyond what their body expended in energy that week. Another way to look at it is 500 extra calories were consumed every day for a week. Calories can add up quickly, so it is a good idea to keep a food journal to keep you in check. Use the rule: Bite it and Write it! If it goes in your mouth, it must be recorded in the journal. Following this rule is often enough to make a person think twice about picking up the cookie or going for a second helping of creamy mashed potatoes and gravy. Another key to journaling success it to have an accountability partner who you will show your journal to on a regular basis – this could be a friend or family member who is supporting your fitness efforts, a personal trainer, or a nutrition coach.


High calorie holiday foods to beware of:
Egg Nog - An 8 ounces serving contains 350 kcals, 19gm fat (11gm saturated fat) – this is not good for your waistline or your arteries.
Pie – a generous serving of Pecan Pie can be as high as 800 kcals.
Candies – 3.5 ounces of Peanut Brittle will add up to about 485 kcals
High fat meats – Prime Rib. The healthy serving of meat is 4 oz; the typical person consumes double that. For 8oz of Prime Rib you’ll take on about 850 kcals.
Potatoes – Candied Yams will add about 400 kcals for ¾ cup serving. Mashed potatoes (often loaded with butter & cream) will tack on close to 470 kcals per cup.
Gravies & Sauces – gravy made from fat drippings 375 kcals for ¾ cup.
Stuffing
Alcohol
Hot Chocolate
Cookies
Chocolate


Dining Out: Most people have no idea how many calories they are consuming when they eat out, even when they are attempting to order healthier. It is not uncommon for a restaurant meal to have 1200kcal, 70 grams of fat, 2000 mg sodium. This is as much fat, salt and calories and some people require in an entire day (and they are consuming it in one meal). YIKES!!

Holiday Spirits: Consuming alcohol promotes fat storage, especially when alcohol is consumed with a high fat, high calorie meal. The body does not process the carbohydrate in alcohol the same way it does the carbohydrate in fruit and whole grains and in the process of metabolizing the alcohol sugars, fat metabolism is hinder and fat storage is enhanced.

Stocking of Sweets: High sugar foods are not only high in calories; they also cause a spike in blood sugar levels followed by a surge of insulin into the bloodstream which promotes fat storage, especially when sweets are consumed later in the evening.

Season of Stress: High stress levels increase the body’s production of cortisol (the stress hormone) which promotes fat storage.

No Time to Sleep: Sleep deprivation can lead to overeating, making poor food choices, and can temporarily alter hormone balance which means increase likelihood of weight gain.

Exercise your options: Exercise is what I call damage control for the holidays. Every extra calorie expended means one more calorie that doesn’t end up in a fat cell on your thighs. Ten minutes of exercise is better than no minutes. Simple ways to burn extra calories: Take two laps of power walking around the mall before you start your actual shopping. Park at the farthest parking spot from the door of the store and you'll burn a few extra calories walking and you are less likely to feel the stress of fighting for a close parking spot. . Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Schedule your workout for early morning, so you get it done first before anything else has the chance to thwart your plan. Find a workout partner so you can keep each other accountable to your exercise plan throughout the month of December. Spending time with friends or family – opt to go for a walk and talk rather than sitting on your behind. There are plenty of ways to keep exercise and physical activity a priority during the holidays. Extra benefits are exercise reduces stress levels and improves mood.

Happy Healthy Holidays!

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science, BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast