Hey Friends,

It’s hot in Michigan, we are filling our pool up, we bought a fire pit thing for our back yard….all is good.

My weight stayed the same this week but I m ok with that cuz my pants are not so tight. I was at the tightest stage for my jeans almost having it get another size up but now I am just at the tight stage…next will be the perfect fit, the loose then will have to buy a smaller size..whoohooo!

I am feeling good and excited to start a 12 week challenge in my group at fast track to fat loss site. I am excited Kim Lyons one of the pass Biggest Loser runs this site. I joined and loving the meal planners, challenges, exercise planner and meeting lots of new friends…awwww don’t fret Designer Whey friends are still my favs! Coolest of all…I could win a trip to Loreto Mexico on the Fast Track Vacation Home! FREE! I have to get the most votes and be the most improved in the 12 week challenge… what an incentive! So I expect my Designer Whey followers to vote for me when the time comes to vote. Deal?

So who you going to vote for to be one of the 3 finalist on the Biggest Loser? I feel for Darris…I have the same problem…I do excellent all day right on target but as soon as the sun goes down the wolf fangs come out and it is very difficult to control myself. Not sure why that is, something I have to work on. Then Koli he really deserves it he did not mess up and did an amazing job at home. I am torn on who to choose. Final show is Tuesday be sure to watch! I am excited to see all the players and how they did.

Well I am off to mow the lawn in 85 degree weather…that should muster up some sweat! My last weigh in is Wednesday for the 8 week challenge I am in right now so we shall see the fruits of my labor and I will blog about it right after cuz I know you all are there with me.

I love my Designer Whey!

Have a great one.

Camille

Ps I love these 90 calorie buns! Put a hunk of chicken along with some fruit on the side then a glass of ice water with a 2GO pack in it… there ya go a complete meal. Be sure to sit outside and enjoy your meal.

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This is the final thought of helpful tips and methods on “defeating the Itis” pertaining to the daily fitness routines that many go through.

Well once again I am coming to the close of another segment and with that I wanted to offer some final thoughts on the underlining message behind this last series of blogs, which is “it doesn’t matter how you get yourself into the gym, it’s just important that you do.” I say getting yourself into the gym but what I am really talking about here is following through in general when it comes to fitness resolutions. It can be as simple as doing pushups and sit ups in front of the TV or running a mile or two around the block every day or making sure that you stick to a certain caloric value on a daily level. Whatever your fitness goals are it is important that you follow through with them, and in order to do so you have to create some sort of routine or regimen that keeps you on the right path to achieving these goals.  That is what I was trying to do with this set of blogs, offer up some helpful tips and tactics to make staying on whatever path you set for yourself a little less trifling.

Staying on these paths that we make for ourselves is much easier if we make our goals realistically obtainable. Creating goals like seeing a drastic change in your body figure or a major decrease in your weight or wanting to be in the top ten for a marathon are all perfectly fine goals, and yes it is true that anyone can achieve them. But what is unrealistic are some of the timelines that people put forth to reach these destinations. If you are a hundred pounds overweight and in really bad physical health, you are not going see results over night in trying to be in the top ten places of a marathon. But you will see significant improvement and over time if you keep on a realistic schedule you will arrive at that goal. I read stories all of the time about something like this happening, so it is absolutely reachable. But within all of these stories that I read, there are always depictions of the (in most cases) long road that it takes to get there. Which is why it is important to set bench marks for these physical aspirations because while it is in fact important to always keep the main goal in sight it is even more important to mark your progression in reaching it. Lots of time we burn out on our habitual fitness routines because we are not seeing the results we want and we are not receiving that notion of self gratification that we feel when we accomplish our goals.  In this day and age with convenience in technology, schooling, and infrastructure break down, as a society we want immediate results. We loved this “internet thing” when it was brand new even though it took 15 min to change the page we were on. But now we spit at our computer when it takes more than ten seconds load. Don’t get me wrong this progression in life is amazing and I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but it has enabled us as a society in many ways. And part of that enablement is how we handle situations when the going gets tough.

We all hit walls in every aspect of life, there is no avoiding them. But it is what we do when we hit those walls that makes or breaks us. I for one spent a lot of my life getting to these walls and trying to find a way around them instead of a way over them.  I would set goals with unrealistic timelines to achieve them and when I would hit one of these walls I would just create a new goal with a new path, instead. And I would keep doing this over and over again every time a wall popped up.  This just creates a labyrinth where we often find ourselves circling back to where we started and losing a lot of ground and time in the process.  Sometimes when we get to these walls it is in fact good to try and go around them, but in doing so it’s imperative that you remember to find your way back to that original path or you will slowly progress away from your true objective until it is completely out of reach for you.

With the right goals and timelines, it is much more accessible to stick to your routines to help you acquire what you truly want. And when you hit these so called walls try and climb them, use some of the techniques that I have shared with you or create your own to keep you on that mental and physical corridor that is needed for you to reach your overall goals. Once again, these are simply the opinions of a guy who has opinions about anything and everything, take it or leave it as you will.

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All too often we start feeling that our workouts are getting stale. When that happens it’s easy to become bored and fall off track. Or even worse, we hit a plateau and just don’t get the great results we once were. One way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to shake-up your routine by adding new exercise moves on a regular basis, or by varying ones you already do.

Take lunges for example. You can really only do so many before they start getting boring.  When this happens, try the “walking lunge”. It’s more active and will transform your workout from ho-hum to oh-so-fun. We love the walking lunge because it works the glutes, hamstrings and quads and in one move. Many bootcamp classes start out with 50 walking lunges just to warm-up!

You can use dumbells for an even more challenging workout. If you decide to use dumbells, stand tall with dumbbells hanging down on either side. Step forward with your first leg, land on your heel then foot. Lower your body by flexing your knee and hip of your front leg until your knee of your back leg is almost in contact with floor. Stand on your forward leg, feeling the burn in your glutes and quads. Lunge forward with your opposite leg. Repeat by alternating lunge with opposite legs.

Here are a few helpful hints to maximize this move and to make sure you remain injury-free (Always consult a professional trainer or your physician before starting any new workout or exercise move).

1) Make sure you get a really good stretch in before AND after your workout. Flexible hip flexors are very important when lunging. Stretching helps reduce post-workout soreness and helps elongate the muscles.

2) Keep your torso upright during lunge. Your lead knee should point in the same direction as your foot throughout lunge.

3) A long lunge emphasizes the gluteus maximus; a short lunge emphasizes the quadriceps.

4) Do 2 sets of 15 reps, building up to 3 sets.

5) If at first it’s too hard to do with dumbbells, just place your hands on your waist instead. Eventually you’ll work up to using dumbbells.

Posted in DESIGNER WHEY Healthy Minute | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

Hey Friends,

Down 11.5 pounds in 4 weeks! Can I have a whoo-hoot? Thanks to a lot of hard work, a weight loss challenge at Nutrition ‘N’ More Club here in Grand Rapids Michigan and my Designer Whey Weight Control Protein Powders. Finally the scale is going down. My coach has me on 158 grams of protein and a 1500 calorie eating plan. I had a hard time getting in all my protein without getting too many calories so coach Dorris told me to add egg whites to my shake…I was like ewwww, I don’t think so. BUT….I did it after tasting a shake she made. I had no clue there was raw egg whites in my shake. Let me tell you the egg white makes your shake like cake batter. It is so creamy and dreamy you will not believe that it’s only 216 calories with a whooping 34 grams of protein. My eating plan consists of a shake for breakfast, a snack, then a shake for lunch, a snack and Normal Dinner and an after dinner snack. Now my snack maybe almonds or cheese stick with some apple.

Here are my 2 favorite recipes.

Cake Batter…YUM!

1 Cup Skim Milk

1 Serving of Designer Whey’s Weight Control French Vanilla Protein Powder

1 tablespoon Sugar Free Jello White Chocolate Flavor pudding

Dash of stevia or splenda

1 teaspoon real vanilla

2 raw egg white (optional)

8 ice cubes

dash of cinnamon

Smoothitize in a blender let sit 2-3 minutes and enjoy

Strawberry Cheese Cake  

1 cup skim milk

1 serving of Designer Whey’s Strawberry Protein Powder

1 tablespoon Sugar Free Jello Cheese Cake flavor pudding

Dash of stevia or splenda

1 teaspoon real vanilla

dash of cinnamon

2 raw egg white (optional)

8 ice cubes

Smoothitize in a blender let sit 2-3 minutes and enjoy

Now get this…

216 calories

34 grams of protein power *w/out eggs 24 grams

2 grams of sugar 

You can be very creative with 1 tablespoon of sugar free jello pudding there are tons of variety, it only ads 25 calories to the mix. I am going to see how it freezes, maybe our answer to ice cream?

Did you watch this week’s Biggest Loser make over show??? OH MY GOSH! The contestants look amazing. I think Daris looked the most different. Koli needs to ditch the glasses.  They dressed him like a nerd, but a cute nerd! Mike is very handsome…I would have never thought that he would be that cute. Ashley is a doll, she has a tiny waist! Sunshine with her hair all straightened…WOW! I hope I have such an amazing transformation when I lose the weight I need to lose. Now that would be fun! I have no clue what I would look like I have never been thin.

Well friends I gotta get moving, have a challenge to win here! Not only that but I am on my whey to a new me.

If you want to follow me on facebook look up Camille Gibson. Oh, Nutrition N More is also on facebook, lots of great health advice there.

Have a great one! Try the recipes and let me know what you think.

Camille

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So this weekend I made my goal for the month.  I wanted to start with that right there.  My goal by April 30th was to be down to 256 pounds, and on Friday I weighed in at a svelte 255.  Not bad, considering earlier this month I had ballooned to 272.  So I’m really proud of myself for having met my goal, and now that I did, I think it’s a good time to look back at the last few weeks and see what I was doing right, what I was doing wrong, and what I need to do for the next month to keep losing weight.

First off, what I did wrong.  As much as I really hate to admit it, I have to officially place both Philly Cheesesteak & NY Pizza, a restaurant near my school, on the fast food list.  I had initially avoided this move, since it wasn’t a Burger King or a McDonald’s, and therefore wasn’t obviously a fast food place, but the fact that the pizza is extra greasy and the Philly’s are made short order (read: really bad for you) is undeniable, and therefore it goes on the banned list.  My friend really was the one that pointed this out; that basically I had been cheating on my pseudo-Lent promise.  So now I’m officially putting that restaurant on the fast-food list, meaning I can no longer go there.  Probably a good thing, because as good as their food is, it’s really pretty bad for you, and I began eating there more and more lately.  Next up is pizza in general.  It’s great to have a cheat day every once in a while, but this week I think I ate pizza 3 different times, and that’s really not good for anyone.  Sure it’s convenient, but it’s also expensive in comparison to say Subway or making a bowl of soup and a sandwich, which is even cheaper.  Plus, eating an entire large Meat Lovers pizza from Papa John’s just can’t be healthy.  So, ordering pizza is out as well.  Now, grabbing a slice if you have some friends over or are at a friends house watching the game is another matter.  1 or 2 slices won’t really be that big of a deal.  My problem specifically has been that I order an entire pizza for myself, and then eat it myself, and I’ve been doing that more and more lately too.  So, no more ordering pizza.

Now, the good.  I haven’t had a drop of alcohol, and I really don’t miss it at all.  Same goes for Soda.  The fast food, as discussed above, is kind of a gray area, but I haven’t stepped foot into a Burger King or any other traditional fast food place since I placed a ban on them.  Also, I’ve been eating a lot less burgers (my friend’s wedding reception BBQ notwithstanding) which has been good for me.  So I am meeting, on all points, everything I said I wouldn’t do, which is good.  And obviously it’s been paying off.  However, I can’t say I’ve been working out 4 times a week.  I have been walking a lot more places now that I sold my car, so that is healthy, but I haven’t set aside much dedicated time to actually work out, and that’s something I need to do.  30 minutes on the treadmill followed up with some decent weight lifting will do wonders for me, and that’s really what I need to do.  But, I can’t say I haven’t been working out at all, since I do walk to and from school everyday, and some days I will walk around my block (which is exactly a mile) several times over the course of a little more than an hour, which is really nice for clearing my head or listening to some music that I’ve been meaning to listen to.  So all in all, the workouts could be better and more frequent, but I haven’t been skipping them either.

Overall, I’ve definitely slimmed down some.  It’s noticeable, and that’s important.  More important than numbers is how you look.  If you’re 5′5″ and 200 pounds, but you have a trim tummy and well-toned legs and whatnot, then your muscles just weigh a lot (I have no idea why this would happen), but so long as you’re happy with how you look, that’s more important than some arbitrary number.  That said, most people, including myself, have a magic number they want to reach, and that’s based on knowing that at that weight we will look a certain way, which is our ultimate goal.  I want to reach 170 pounds, and with the help of DesignerWhey, I’m well on my way of getting there.  So take a look at what you’ve done the last month and what you’ve accomplished, and keep going at it.  Because there is a pot of gold at the end of this journey, but only if you work hard to get it.  Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you next time.

Nate

Posted in Nathanael Mulder | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

Welcome back to my blogosphere everyone.  We are going to make this super sweet, because that’s how my weight loss is going–Super Sweet.  15 pounds since the 1st of the month.  That’s an additional 5 pounds since I talked to you last.  I’ve finally gotten down further than I started, meaning that I’m starting to get a head of my weight, by which I mean I now weigh less than I did on New Year’s Eve.  So I keep going, and I will eventually reach my goal.

So how is everything else going, you ask? Still no alcohol, fast food, or soda.  Had some burgers last night with some friends, but that’s still only 3 for the week.  Not drinking alcohol hasn’t been nearly as hard as I would have thought; a lot of my friends are very supportive of me trying to lose weight.  The big test will be this weekend at my friend’s bachelor party, but I think I’ll be ok.  Soda is real easy to not drink, especially when you have delicious Protein Water to drink instead.  And not eating fast food is really, really easy when you don’t have any money, so instead I eat Progresso soups and things of that nature, ensuring to watch how many calories and how much fat I’m taking in.  To be honest, this whole thing has been a lot easier than I thought it would be, and that has me thinking I may do it longer than the 46 days I said I would.  We’ll see when we get there though.

So, for all of you out there that are working on your new New Year’s Resolution, I say this: I am living proof that it CAN be done.  If you’re struggling, then take a good serious look at your workout regiment, your diet, and your “cheating” and see if maybe there is somewhere to improve.  There’s room for all of us to improve, perhaps a little less “cheating” and a little more exercise (I should go for a workout right now, but I have a ton of things to do), maybe a little smaller portion of steak.  Every little bit counts, and all those little bits will eventually add up to either weight lost or weight gained.  So be positive, be motivated, and let’s keep losing that weight!  Thanks for joining me, and I’ll talk to you later!

Posted in Nathanael Mulder | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

Excitement is mounting as The Biggest Loser, Season 9 is getting down to the wire. Don’t miss the big finale on May 25!

Casting for Season 10 is in full swing. Recently, we were lucky enough to attend casting calls in Phoenix and Los Angeles where Ali Vincent greeted hopefuls and handed out sample packs of TBL Red Raspberry and Blue Blueberry Protein•2Go.

Both casting calls drew a record number of people who are eager to join the Season 10 cast of The Biggest Loser. Only 350-500 hopeful contestants were expected in Phoenix but over 700 came out. Los Angeles also drew a big crowd with more than 1,100 hopefuls!  At both casting calls, Designer Whey greeted future contestants and fans, sharing information on the importance of protein in everyday diet.  The Biggest Loser protein is an integral part of daily nutrition on the Biggest Loser Ranch. As the show’s contestants are eliminated weekly, Designer Whey provides each contestant with protein powder to help them achieve their weight loss and fitness goals.  Designer Whey is excited to be part of the life changing journey for many Biggest Loser contestants and hopefuls.

Our own Camille Gibson, a contributing blogger for… Designer Whey, recently braved a cold and rainy Detroit day for her chance to get on the Biggest Loser, Season 10. A big fan of the show, Camille’s got what it takes to not only be a star contestant, but she has the will and determination to go all the way! Good Luck Camille! Wish Camille Good luck on her Designer Whey blog page HERE >

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Hey Friends,

 A beautiful day few days here in Michigan! Sunny over 70 degrees but don’t get too excited…this time of the year weather changes every hour! Yes it’s supposed to snow this week!

So what do you all think of the drama on the Biggest Loser the last 2 weeks? Sure has been full of emotions and excitement.  A lot of people hate Melissa, but I myself embrace her strong will and determination. People forget she struggles with weight. She has been blessed with being able to have the opportunity to be on the show and frankly if I got on the show I too would do whatever it took to stay there. Melissa is a lawyer so $250,000 is not that much money in her eyes…she is there to change her life and doing a great job too! I have read all over facebook and twitter the horrible things people say about and to Melissa; mean and hurtful things as well. Shame on you! Did you ever think that maybe her tough attitude is to protect herself from gaining weight again? Maybe she has to take an “I’m gunna do this for me attitude”. Geez people have a heart! Terrible things said like calling her a beast…that’s just not right.

Well, Friends, I started a weight loss challenge with my daughter. It cost us $35.00 each and $25.00 of that goes in to a pot. The “biggest loser’ wins half the pot! It’s an 8 week challenge. I joked with a friend that if we were on the ranch we would lose 80 pounds! I bought a pedometer for my daughter and I and we ordered stability balls to replace our desk chairs. Sooooo drinking lots of water, increasing my protein, I am on my whey!  My coach says I should have 168 grams of protein a day based on my weight, age and height… and that I should eat about 1700 calories a day to lose weight…. That blows my mind! I have been conditioned that I have to eat less and less to lose weight! I have a hard time getting it in my mind that I have to eat to lose weight! My coach has a saying to eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner. 2 small snacks and 2 protein shakes a day, (Designer Whey Protein of course!)  I also have to write down everything I eat. My coach’s motto…if you bite it….write it. So I am on day one, have my pedometer on…I have to get walking! Only at 2000 steps… I just put it on a little while ago…hehehe

I hope you are all having a fabulous day using your designer whey!

Take Care,

Camille

Posted in Camille | 1 Comment

What’s all the fuss about kettlebells? Kettlebell fitness classes and training groups are popping up all over the country. And participants are reporting a drastic improvement in their overall fitness, including better strength, stamina and muscle tone.

If you’ve never heard of kettlebells, you’re not alone. Although they’ve been around for decades, they’ve only recently become the latest fitness craze. Gyms from coast to coast are incorporating kettlebell classes into their regular lineup of cardio classes, and members are lining up to see what all the rage is about.  

Kettlebells are bowling ball-sized cast iron weights with a single-looped handle on top. The weigh as little as two pounds and can get as heavy as 100 pounds or more.  The beauty in using kettlebells is that it places an emphasis on whole body fitness. Lifting and controlling a kettlebell forces the entire body, especially the core, to contract as a group, building both strength and stability at the same time. Kettlebell workouts work several muscle groups at the same time. This means a better workout for your whole body in a shorter amount of time.

As with any new workout regimen, we strongly suggest you work with a fitness instructor or  personal trainer who has experience teaching kettlebell . The biggest mistake beginners make is lifting too heavy a kettlebell before they can control it. This can result in serious injuries to the joints, and especially the neck, back and spine.

Difficulty Rating (On a 1-5 Scale, 1 being a piece-a-cake): 5. But never fear, it’ll get easier as you get stronger! (You can thank us later!)

Stay tuned next week for another amazing workout!

Happy Training,
Designer Whey

Posted in DESIGNER WHEY Healthy Minute | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

Well everyone, I’m back for another exciting episode of “Weight Loss”.  Since my last post, I would love to proudly announce that I have stuck to all of the guidelines I set forth in my new New Year’s Eve Resolutions: no fast food, no soda, no alcohol, only 5 burger patties, and working out more often.  I haven’t stepped inside a fast food joint, nor touched any alcohol, or sipped any soda since the 24th of March, and boy do I feel…well, good actually.  I’ve been eating smaller meals more often, so I’m not really all that hungry, although sometimes a hunger pang does hit me.  I haven’t missed alcohol or soda at all, thankfully.  And my wallet is certainly happier from me eating at home instead of eating out all the time.  So, what negatives have I been seeing from my new, healthier lifestyle? Well, once in a while I do get quite hungry, which is hard to ignore.  A tall glass of water will help for a short while, but eventually you have to eat something.  For someone like me, it’s going to be a battle for a while as my stomach will actually start to shrink in size to adapt to the smaller portions that I’m eating, and it will be a sort of uncomfortable time of adjustment.  But, a banana or some baby carrots go a long way, as well as all the water you can drink (I love that 0 Calorie substance).  Combine that with more exercise, including walking to school or to the movies instead of driving, and I’m already seeing the results. 

One drastic measure that I did take is that I weigh myself EVERY DAY.  Although a lot of people will tell you that weighing yourself every day isn’t really a good idea, since your weight will fluctuate a lot from day to day, I’ve found that on the days that my weight is lower than the day before, I give myself a little fist pump of joy and say to myself, “Self, you’re on the right track, keep it up.” On those days that my weight is higher than the day before, I find myself doubling my efforts and being extra conscious of what I eat and how much exercise I get.  All of this combined has allowed me to lose 10 pounds in this time frame.  For me to lose 10 pounds in about 2 weeks is remarkable, and should be an inspiration to all of you reading my blogs that if even I can do it, surely you can do even better.  The negative side to that is that I also gained 10 pounds from mid-February to March 24th, so the hard work I’ve done has simply put me back to square one.  However, the fact remains that I am 10 pounds lighter than I was two weeks ago, and that’s something to be proud of. 

Now, I can’t guarantee that my weight loss will continue in this trend or at this rate, but I will put a personal guarantee that I will continue to lose weight.  As I said in my previous blog, what’s past is past, and serves now only as a reminder of the time that I wasted.  If I can lose 10 pounds in two weeks, then I should be done closer to 220, instead of at 262lbs.  But here I am, working hard towards a goal, and I hope that those of you who had given up on yourselves, who said it was too hard, have renewed their passion to lead a healthier life and can use my example of the possibilities that exist, if only we choose to accept them.  I have faith that you can lose the weight as I have.  However, only you can put in the work and determination to succeed.  Do it, and be better for it.  Until next time, here’s to living healthy!

Posted in Nathanael Mulder | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG