This is part 6 of helpful tips and methods on “defeating the Itis” pertaining to the daily fitness routines that many go through.

Something that I have been doing lately that has kept me motivated at a constant, continual and healthy rate is to fully document my physical progression. Meaning the whole kit-n-kaboodle: weekly and monthly pics, daily, weekly and monthly measurements, diet journals and of course exercise journals. I have always been opposed to this whenever it has been brought up in the past because for some reason it carried a very narcissistic stigma for me. When magazines or people I knew spoke outwardly about this, for some peculiar reason, I thought that they were just being vein but after working in operations in the business world I have changed my mind. Now I know you are thinking to yourself, what the hell do the business world and your perception on this particular subject have to do with anything, the two go together like “ketchup and mint cookies” (I know you are thinking random comparison right, but once as a kid I got dared to combine the two and believe me I can think of nothing worse: validating this opposition). So anyways, I realized that in order for a business to be successful they have to evaluate everything from head to toe on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. And being in operations I crunch these numbers and evaluate progression and unfortunately sometimes decline. Being able to see, have and evaluate these numbers is the only way a business can successfully set, retain and reach the goals that will make them flourish. The same should apply to the gym.

What diets have been working the best? How much weight am I sustaining, gaining or losing? What did I look like at the start of this venture and have a progressed? Why have I been stuck on the same weight for these reps? All of these questions can easily be answered if you are documenting what you do at and outside of the gym. It is really easy and will take no more than 10-20 min a day to keep up with. This is extremely motivating for several different reasons. The first obviously being that if you can see improvement on a weekly-monthly basis and especially a yearly basis, you will be much more motivated to stay on that path and keep in the gym or keep on an exercise plan. Just looking in the mirror when you get home does no true justice because your mind is conditioned to have a certain perception of you…I know that sounds weird but it is true, whereas pictures and actual numbers don’t lie. The same goes for daily measurements; they can also be deceiving depending on if you just worked out, if you just ate, if you just did something extraneous, which is why it is helpful to have ongoing data so that you can truly measure progress or as I am about to bring up, back sliding. The second main motivator can be a plateau or decline in your measurements or appearance. Some people get really attuned to how they look or what they weigh because they feel that because they are going to the gym everyday they have to be improving their physical fitness and appearance. But this can most often lead to falsehoods, because many times we plateau or even, what I like to call back slide. For me I was increasing the weight that I was lifting but I was not increasing the mass of my body. This had to do with several factors like daily calorie intake, protein intake and not enough recovery. But I did not notice because I mentally convinced myself that I was getting bigger because I was going to the gym everyday and hitting it hard. So once I started documenting everything and saw that I was at the same level, I was able to isolate the things negatively impacting me and try and improve them one by one. The whole grand scheme of the fitness game might be as hard to understand at first as the initial reaction to a nerdy dude dating a perfect ten: “how is this really supposed to work.” But truly figuring this “game” out is the key because once you can isolate your downfalls and weaknesses you can move on and improve, which acts as a huge motivation. It is like when a teacher yells at and punishes a student for acting out when called on in class. It seems like the right thing to do because this child is being disruptive. But in reality this kid can barely read and was put into this class due to social promotion and lack of funding for special programs, so he is acting out as a defense mechanism. You can not expect motivate this kid and see progress until you take the time to fully understand him, and truly evaluate his skills. And like in the world of teaching and in the world of business, there is no better, cheaper easier way than to personally document this stuff as you go.

These are simply the opinions of a guy who has opinions about anything and everything, take it or leave it as you will.

Posted in Lucas Hart | 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 >

Posted in Camille, The Biggest Loser | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

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

As a full time worker, mother and wife, it’s easy to make sure I’m never caught without ample nutrition.  Biggest Loser Protein is a great way to fuel up in a hurry for those of us on the go.   Thanks so much to Biggest Loser Protein for providing samples for the Super Cooper Race!  In addition to supporting a great cause for families of children with heart defects, they supplied us with the needed fuel to run our 5K.  I truly can’t thank you enough.  I tell everyone how great this product is and how it’s become one of the staples of my new healthy lifestyle. 

Sincerely,
Vicky Vilcan, BL6

Posted in The Biggest Loser | 1 Comment

Well, my friends and fellow weight-watchers and weight-(hopefully)-losers, I’ve been gone for a couple of weeks and return to you now to get a look-see at how everyone is doing.  So, if you haven’t weighed yourself in the last day or so, go do it quick and come on back, because we’re going to talk about some stuff today.

Back already? Wow, sounds like you have lost a little weight, and turned up the speed knob a couple clicks.  If so, good on you.  If not, well, don’t feel so bad just yet.  It’s now the 12th week of the year.  We are officially into spring, the weather is finally warming up for some of you, and the rain has finally subsided in beautiful southern California for those of us lucky enough to live down here.  The real question at hand is: how much weight have you lost?  By some doctor’s recommendations, you shouldn’t lose more than 1 pound per week.  I’ve been known to lose as many as 10 in a week, though I was working EXTREMELY hard during that week.  I have always felt safe and comfortable with about 10 pounds a month, or 2.5 pounds a week on average.  I think it’s a do-able amount without straining yourself or requiring some sort of extreme workout regiment and diet regiment and taking off of work regiment.  So how much have you lost? 12 pounds? 20? Perhaps an exceptional 30 pounds, putting you in a category of healthy feelings and vibrant energy that you thought you’d never get back?  For your sake, I hope so.  And I’ve had some requests to show an update on how much weight I’ve lost.  Well, I have to regretfully inform you that I haven’t lost any weight.  Although, at the beginning of my blogging, I had started to lose a few pounds, I quickly plateaued, and then I got busy with other things (like excuses) and soon realized that I wasn’t working out at all.  I had stopped all of my dieting, had stopped all of my exercising, all my swimming, my rock climbing, everything.  I barely noticed at first.  I would sit down to watch a TV show or two before my workout, and several hours would pass before I realized that I hadn’t worked out at all.  Then the excuses would come, like “Well, it’s too late tonight to workout, oh well.”  Then the fast food would start showing up in my hand.  Burger King’s $1 double-cheeseburgers are really tasty, and cheap, and super convenient for me since I go to school right next to a Burger King.  But for the $5-6 dollars I’d spend on burgers fries and a drink, I could have walked an extra 100 yards to the Subway and spent the same amount of money on a foot long sub.  Why didn’t I? Honestly, I forgot that the Subway was that close.  Did I repent immediately when I remembered? Nope, I just stuck with my “Well, I’m already here” mentality, like a fool.  Late nights of working and studying would drag into early mornings at school, and soon I’d find myself with that “all-important” 42oz Coke at 9am or earlier, to keep me awake during my class.  Now, I’m not a coffee drinker, or those probably would have been better, but the best thing for me would have been some solid sleep and a little better time-management on my part.  So now where do I sit? I’m just as overweight as I was before, but with 12 weeks of the year wasted already.  Had I worked hard and given A LOT less excuses, I too could be down 20-30 pounds already, without a problem.  But I didn’t.  And I’m still fat.

So now comes the next step.  Because there’s always a next step.  For those of you that have met your weight loss goals, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!  Seriously, I know you feel better, and I know how proud you are of yourself.  Think for a moment how great that feeling is, and how you felt when you made your resolution to finally lose that weight.  Now take that, and use it positively to continue that healthy lifestyle you’ve begun to develop.  Keep working out, keep eating healthy.  And reward yourself! Give yourself some ice cream, maybe some super-greasy pizza, and enjoy.  Don’t turn that into a habit, but with moderation very, very little food is all that bad for you.  1 or 2 slices of greasy pizza might look bad on a calorie chart, but with your metabolism up and your workouts regular, and with the new-found glory of your victory, you are welcome to that.  But like I said, this is not an everyday thing.  This is 1 victory lap, not a whole victory race backwards to where you came from.  You are a changed person, remember that.  For those of us that didn’t succeed?  Well, for those people that are losing weight at the rate that they were hoping for, you are succeeding.  Present tense.  So keep at it, because you should be dialed in now to how things are working for you.  You will succeed.  For those that aren’t losing as much weight as they wanted to, but have still lost weight and are still losing weight, you also are doing well.  Yes, it’s become more difficult that you perhaps originally imagined, but that doesn’t mean you should quit.  If everyone quit every time things got hard, then we wouldn’t even be cooking our food over a fire, much less have the wonderful technological advances that we have.  So keep at it, because if your weight is going in the right direction, then you’re still winning.  Just because you’re not beating your opponent by a lot, doesn’t mean that 1 point won’t win the game.  Winning is winning. And if you’re lighter now than you were on January 1, then you’re winning.  Unless you’re goal was to gain weight, in which case I have no idea why you’re reading my blog.

And for those of us, myself I mean, that didn’t lose ANY weight.  Not 1 pound.  Possibly even gained weight.  Well, I hereby declare this day to be your New Year’s Eve.  This very moment that you are reading this, it has just become New Year’s Eve.  So think, real quick, what you want your new year’s resolution to be.  We all know what we’re thinking.  We really do want to lose our weight, but we lost our way.  That’s why it’s a new beginning, all over again.  Those 12 weeks we lost? Forget them, because they’re gone.  Actually, remember them vividly.  Because they’re gone, and we didn’t lose the weight we promised ourselves we would lose.  So enjoy some champagne or some beers tonight.  Enjoy a slice or two of greasy pizza.  Because starting tomorrow is a new dawn, a new day, and I want to feel good.  So here is my pledge to you, inspired by my good friend Jessi.  I will celebrate a late Lent starting tomorrow: from now on, for the next 40 days, I will eat a maximum of 5 burger patties a week (compared with my normal 4-16 a day).  So that’s 2 double-cheeseburgers a week with a single thrown in for good effect.  I will not consume any alcohol.  I will not consume any Soda.  I will workout 4 times per week (I had originally vowed to do 3, but no more laziness for me).  And I will not watch TV until I have done my workout, and my school homework.  <—That also allows me to get a little more sleep.  So, if you want to hold me to my Resolution, feel free.  Anyone who requests it will get my personal email address, my cell phone number, whatever you want so you can tell me to say no to the junk and yes to the gym.  My friend   Jessi is always “bugging” me to work out, eat less, drink less alcohol and soda, and all-in-all live a healthier life.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had friends that cared that much about us?  She just wants me to be around for as long as possible, and I aim to be around.  Life is too much fun to lose it early simply because I refused to take care of myself.  So here goes, World.  I’m doing to lose this weight this time.  Hard workouts, weak workouts, whatever, so long as I’m exercising.  Decent diet of mostly just NOT fast/junk food, and more veggies and fruits and perhaps a little less meat.  I won’t go vegetarian because I love meat too much.  But eating as much beef as I do just isn’t healthy.  I’m going to do this.  And if anyone wants a personal motivational coach, I’m more than willing to be him.  Let’s do it, world.  Let’s get healthy.

Posted in Nathanael Mulder | 1 Comment

When it comes to winning at the losing game, the scale shouldn’t always have the last word. It’s more than just possible to change body composition or add lean muscle mass and not move the number on the scale. But for many of us, it is necessary to see that number go down.

So sheepishly we walk every Wednesday morning towards the enemy, the scale. For some reason we think that it will help to shed the gym shorts, which in all reality probably weight a couple of ounces. But this Wednesday it was the sweet sight of success. Down ten pounds since the start of the journey. Again, ten pounds off me is the equivalent of lobbing a couple of deck chairs off the Titanic. But it indeed was a victory, albeit small.

As you read our blogs we hope you don’t tire of hearing words of wisdom from successful people, but what a better place to find wisdom but from those who have reached their goals in life. Today we find encouragement from one of the truly decent guys who ever coached in the NFL.

When the Carolina Panthers first came to Charlotte, their first head coach was a guy named Dom Capers. He was a lawn and garden guy so we had a lot in common and sometimes talked after practice. The first major hurdle he faced was the fact that his first ever draft pick a quarterback was holding out and not participating in training camp. And that begged the question to the coach, “How bad does this bother you.”

He said not at all, and when he gave his reasoning we believed him. He said he only worried about the things that were in his control, and a hold out was way beyond anything he could control. A pretty simple thought yes, but it can apply to the battle we wage everyday.

We can’t control how other people treat us, but we can control how we treat ourselves.  We can control how much water we drink every day, and how much protein we take in and how often we hit the gym.  We can’t control when the sun comes up, but we can make time for exercise.

At one time or another we have all been guilty of spending a lot of time worrying about things that are out of our control.  And that negative energy can be placed elsewhere, and could one day result in the sweet sight of success on the scale.

Posted in John Roberts | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

Hey Friends!

Hope this finds you well and healthier then the day before. Did you enjoy the Olympics? I love the winter Olympics. It just amazes me the incredible things people can do on skis, snow boards and skates. I am also glad my favorite show is back on…The Biggest Loser! Did you know that there is also The Biggest Loser Show in Australia? I did not realize that Bob and Jillian are also there. What dedicated people.

Well, I have taken a leap of faith and am applying to be on the Biggest Loser Show. I am going to the Detroit open casting call March 13. For me the Biggest Loser is my hope and I want to have the opportunity to share that hope with others who are bound by their obesity like I am. See, I have never been thin…never ever…I do not know what it feels like or what I would look like thin. I have not been able to connect the eating, exercise and lifestyle to get it to work for me. I believe if I got the opportunity to be on the show I could connect it all together. Believe me I have tried…I have been on diets since I have been 8 years old…that is 34 years of my life! Do you know what happens to obese children? They become obese adults and tend to have their own obese children. It’s a vicious cycle to live in. It’s not my effort and yes I have a million excuses to go along with why I am fat.

It would be so cool to be drinking the Designer Whey Biggest Loser Protein Powder while on the show! I would be so geeked to do that! Whether I get on or not is not what matters. What matters is that I draw inspiration from the crowd of people who have just as much chance as me to be on the show. I heard in Chicago that 1000 people tried out. I think there should be Biggest Loser Shows in every town. This program brings miracles to desperate people seeking answers and hope. What’s sad is that our insurance companies will pay for us to have gastric bypass and not set up programs like the biggest loser ranch.

Oh it’s been a beautiful sunny week here is Michigan. So glad to say to my kids “Go out and play!” Opened up a few windows to let some fresh air in, felt so good. I have to admit to my friends who read this… I have not been to the gym in over 2 weeks! My excuse…I was in charge of our school carnival and was extremely busy. But now that the carnival is over, I got to get back to the gym! I have to figure a way to get some equipment at home so on the days I don’t have the time to go to the gym I could at least do a workout at home, I suppose I could do that anyway and should. One of the Biggest Loser winners, Bill Germanakos suggested like on the ranch get a doctor, therapist, nutritionist and trainers…just do it. Something to consider…putting together a team of people to help us. Of course my program must include Designer Whey. Designer Whey has supported my weight loss journey for a long time now and even though I have struggles with my weight all along they have always been there to suggest and give advice… Love these guys!

I need to keep going, get back on track, and figure this out. I am about to send my oldest off to college with my eating habits and my exercises habits and I am afraid for her. She is already 30 pounds overweight. We visited the campus…let me tell you these kids have the best food available from 7 am until midnight, 7 days a week. All the ice cream they want…huge portions…all the soda pop they want…all the desserts they want…I am scared for my daughter that she will follow my footsteps…
So my friends on March 13 I hope you send me a special thought as I wait for my turn to have the opportunity of a lifetime so that I can bring that hope back home to my daughter, family and friends.

Take Care,
Camille

Posted in Camille | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

Welcome back loyal blog fans, to another stimulating conversation about weight loss and the hard work we put in to do it.  Today, I think we need to talk about something really important: getting over the proverbial plateau.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here it is.

One is said to have plateaued if they continue their workout regiment and find that they can’t lose any more weight.  No matter how many extra laps in the pool or miles they run or walk, the weight loss either slows to a snail’s pace or stops altogether.  I just hit my plateau.

I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, but I guess that’s life throwing me a curve ball.  Here’s what you have to do with the plateau: keep working! Don’t give up and starting eating triple-cheeseburgers just because a few workouts didn’t lead to some lost pounds.  Keep at it.  Because it’s possible that what you may be losing in weight you’re also putting on in muscle.  I’ll be honest, I would workout hard (on Saturday 2 and a half hours straight, almost 4 miles put in! Plus lots of sit-ups and push-ups) and after a week see no change in my weight.  I thought my scale was broken.  Then my roommate Serge said something quite interesting when we were working out together.  He said “Hey man, it must feel good to be able to do push-ups without your stomach hitting the ground.” I thought about that and realized he was right, although my weight hadn’t gone down, my stomach had.  So I may not have been losing weight, but I was losing FAT, which in the grandest of all schemes is really the point.  Putting on some muscle is good for you, and lifting weights is still a great way to burn fat, as your body will burn calories to rebuild the muscles you tore in your workout.  It may not feel as exhausting as running a couple (or 26.4) miles but it still helps out.  So give your body the old “shock and awe” once in a while, lift some weights instead of just a cardio workout, and don’t be depressed because the numbers aren’t dropping.  Because it’s the fat we want out of our lives.  I’m in desperate need of a workout, and Sergio is waiting for me while I write, so I’m headed to the gym.  Who’s with me?

Posted in Nathanael Mulder | 1 Comment