WOW this has been an incredible year. Last year I wasn’t even writing on this blog and now it has become a huge part of my day! I am loving writing and filming for you and hope you continue to support me through reading and responding to my posts.
I have had a dramatic transformation this year with launching a brand new workout system designed by yours truly and IT WORKS! I can’t wait until you see what I have in store for you next!!!!
My Top 10 Lessons I Learned About Fat Loss in 2011.
- Lesson 1. Set a Deadline
- Lesson 2. What Gets Measured, Gets Managed
- Lesson 3. Replace One Habit at a Time
- Lesson 4. Tell Someone Your Weight Loss Goals
- Lesson 5. Eating Too Little Will Make You Fat
- Lesson 6. HIIT Is The Fastest Way To Lose Fat
- Lesson 7. Keep Your Heart Rate High
- Lesson 8. Have A Plan of Attack
- Lesson 9. Eat Protein and Fats for Breakfast
- Lesson 10. Eat Carbohydrates After Your Workout ONLY
Lesson 1. Set a Deadline
There is power in setting a deadline. Have you ever said you are going to do something and never get around to it? You’re not alone. Have you been given a deadline to do something, say by your boss? Of course you hit the deadline because there is a time restraint. Set a date on the calendar for you to be your absolute best by.
Goals:
- need to be put in writing
- have to be specific and measurable
- have to have a specific timeline
- and need to be realistic
Learn how to set goals with this blog post
Lesson 2. What Gets Measured, Gets Managed
If you follow Vince Del Monte, you have heard this many times and it is extremely true. You cannot know what direction you are heading towards if you don’t measure and track your results. This is the only sure way you can tweak your program to work for you. Whenever a client asks me what could be going wrong, I simply ask them to take out their tracker so we can look. 99% of times, they haven’t been measuring and the other 1% I fix with a couple of simple and easy tweaks.
Lesson 3. Replace One Habit at a Time
Habits cannot be broken, only replaced. If you start by replacing one habit per month, that will be 12 new habits you will have replaced by 2013. Think of one you want to replace for January.
Lesson 4. Tell Someone Your Weight Loss Goals
Having an accountability partner works in EVERY area of your life. You are more likely not to fail if you tell someone what you are going to achieve. You will not only be letting yourself down if you quit but also your friend.
Lesson 5. Eating Too Little Will Make You Fat
I start to waste away in my upper body and start packing on the weight in my tummy whenever I choose to skip meals and don’t eat enough.
When nutrient intake is low your metabolic rate will become low for three reasons:
- decreased thyroid function
- reduced thermic effect of eating
- reduction in muscle mass
Lesson 6. HIIT Is The Fastest Way To Lose Fat
High-intensity training burns calories for hours after the workout, improves endurance and improves aerobic capacity. I always add in some HIIT to my week and this is the one and usually the ONLY area (in the gym) that I tweak when I want to lose fat fast. All you need is a few 20 minutes sessions and your pants size will shrink in no-time.
Lesson 7. Keep Your Heart Rate High
There is no sense in taking your time during your workout. There is no sense in training one muscle at one time unless you are thinking of becoming a light-weigh bodybuilder. This is the key that COMPLETELY shaped my body this year. Before this my body changed at a much slower rate and working out wasn’t as fun!
Lesson 8. Have A Plan of Attack
Plan out your workouts BEFORE you workout. Don’t be stuck there trying to think of what exercise combos to do and then draw a blank because you think everyone is looking at you and wondering what you are doing. I used to do this all the time. I thought everyone knew I didn’t know what I was doing and then I would draw a blank and just hit the treadmill…so much for fat loss!
Lesson 9. Eat Protein and Fats for Breakfast
Thank goodness for Ben Pakulski who taught me this simple fact. After telling him I seem to crash mid-afternoon, he told me to try ground beef and eggs for breakfast. I know that sounds gross but it works and it’s actually tasty. Charles Poliquin calls it “The Meat and Nut Breakfast”. This is all about controlling your hormones. Give your kids “the meat and nut breakfast” and see their marks increase.
click here to hear more from Ben
Lesson 10. Eat Carbohydrates After Your Workout ONLY
Thanks to John Berardi’s nutrition certification I learned that carbohydrates should be used only to refuel and repair after a workout. This is the biggest contributor to staying lean all year-long. As my husband Vince would say, “What portion of your body is made up of carbohydrates? NONE – therefore we can only use a small amount of them before the body will store them”.
And that’s all folks.
Apply those 10 lessons and you are on your way to your best body in 2012! Those were my strategies to transforming my body and the same strategies to staying lean all year-long!
What are some of your strategies? Don’t forget to like and share this page.
See also: Another 7 Lessons in Fat Loss
I will never ever rely on your boring treadmill and eliptical exercises ever again! I’ve learned so much this year. I used to think that I was “stuck” with the body I have but learning new workouts that took my body to another level gave me the confidence to keep pushing harder and take my body to higher levels. I’ve also increased my knowledge of nutrition and I am constantly reading to learn more. A healthy lifestyle is a journey and not just a one stop deal, its also not about perfection and being hard on yourself. Its all a journey. Thank you for all that you do Flavia, you definitely have such an impact on some many women 🙂 you rock!
Thank you Alejandra, means a lot to me 🙂
Thanks for all ur tips Flav ur truly an inspiration I hope to look like u one day or close enough 😉
Hi Flavia!
I was wondering if you mean raw ground beef and raw eggs for breakfast or not. Do you think it makes a difference for muscle building purposes or how the body can utilize them?
No, I meant cooked. There are a lot of sanitary reasons not to eat certain meats and foods raw. My stomach cannot tolerate raw eggs (I’ve tried raw egg whites). It certainly does make a difference how the body tolerates, especially if you are sensitve to uncooked foods, your body will not use it at all.
I’m not actually sensitive to raw eggs – I’ve tried a WHOLE raw egg a few times but i was hoping you could clear the air on whether it is SAFE to do so (I use organic eggs from grass fed poultry – if it helps!)
It’s just that I’m unsure with all the claims of it causing salmonella and other food poisonings but at the same time I’ve actually heard of people having raw eggs and being fine and I’m just confused
I just don’t want to be doing anything detrimental to my health in the long term and this is my prefered way of having eggs so it would really mean a lot if you could clarify it for me
Thanks 🙂
Isabel De Los Rios (One of Flavia’s fitness friends) has said before that raw eggs are perfectly safe as long as they come from organic free range chickens. My dad eats 4 raw eggs every morning in his protein shake and I have 1, we’re perfectly healthy!
Phew!
I was afraid i’d have to turn to hard-boiled or scrambled eggs!
THANK YOU SO MUCH! 🙂
Your very welcome! 🙂
I totally agree with your tips. It seems crazy, but eating too little will make you fat. Also, I’ve tried salmon and a sweet potato for breakfast lately. Believe it or not, I enjoy it. I appreciate your tips and enjoy your blog. Keep up the good work. You are helping so many people in so many ways! Happy 2012 to you.
Hey, I am sorry but I got confused on one thing…Lesson 9 – Eat Protein and Fats for Breakfast
but in the text you mention ground beef and eggs, where’s the fats??
Also can you provide an example of your HIIT workout that you do?
Thanks so much!
Hey Kelly! There are fats in ground beef and in the eggs. I use eggs as a fat source, not a protein source…but you can also include nuts.
HIIT-sprinting 1 minute, walking one minute, or eliptical intervals…one minute fast, one minute slow….you could also do cycling or stairs. As long as it is a mix of ALL OUT EFFORT, followed by little effort.
If you’re interested in HIIT workouts you should check out TurboFire – it’s all about HIIT and it is amazing!!
Also look at bodyrock.tv. These people live for short and heart pounding work outs and they have tons of tips on what foods to eat.
I enjoyed reading the whole list of ideas! I think #3 is my favorite, simple & something to carry through the entire year.
Thanks!
Lesson 5. Eating Too Little Will Make You Fat OK so how does the body create surplus calories to be stored if one is in a deficit?
Lesson 6. HIIT Is The Fastest Way To Lose Fat You must be quoting the famous HIIT study done where they said HIIT burns 9 times more fat yet the HIIT group lost a whooping 1/10 of a lb after 15 weeks. Now that is what I call fast fat loss.
Hey Marie, have a read of my 5 Big Fat Female Myths, it’s a free download that can be found on the homepage, Lesson 5 is clearly explained there….basically your body goes into storage mode because it is deprived of nutrients….give it a read. And lesson 6 was not taken directly from anyone in particular. It is based on research and experience but yes, it works.
I always thought you needed to eat a little carbohydrates BEFORE your workout so you have energy to work hard, and so you burn them off, and protein AFTER so you rebuild muscle tissue. Why the switch? (Not that I’m arguing — you obviously know your stuff — you look great!)
Good question, and I do have them before a workout if I am going to do a killer leg workout or if I am planning on lifting heavy such as when I am trying to build muscle. I have also heard that avoiding carbs before your workout will help prevent a crash while you workout. I have found that to be the case sometimes.
Eating carbs after a workout at certain intervals is involved in a concept called nutrient timing. By eating carbs after a workout within about 45 minutes you are optimizing the way your muscles store glycogen (aka muscle energy). This will allow you to build stamina and muscle mass more efficiently. It has to do with insulin levels etc directly after your workout.
Thank You Flavia, great year end review! I look forward to reading your blog, e-mails, and facebook posts everyday! You look amazing keep it up! 🙂
Hi Flav,
Does this mean you shouldn’t eat even a small amount of carbs at breakfast on an off training day? So effectively, on a rest day, you would eat protein and fat meals only for the best possible fat loss?
Hey Channii, if you are really looking to lean down, yes, I would stick to carb only after a workout but, I do have a grapefruit some mornings. You can’t look at nutrition as black and white. There is give and take. If you stick to what I recommend 90% of the time, you will succeed. The 10%, eat what you’d like, give into your cravngs, just be smart about it…don’t go to fast foods or eat things with no nutritional value. Above all, write it all down and review to see what works and what doesn’t work for you.
On a rest day, you could have some slow releasing carbs, not much and earlier than later. If I am in a leaning out stage, I will have some friut instead on an off day. Again, switch it up, see what works for you, try one thing one week and another the other week. Hope that helps.
Thanks alot! Some good examples of slow releasing carbs?
Quinoa, sweet potato, oatmeal, brown rice 🙂
When you say no carbs – does that mean vegetables?
NO. Never take Veggies out and I never include veggies in carb counting. Thanks for the question.
thanks for clearing that one up i was getting very confused about veggie carbs, would you include avacados in this??? they seem to have equal amounts of carbs and fats and always seem a popular choice.
No, avacado is a fat!
I desire very much to lose weight and be healthy. I have high cholestrol that I am trying to control with diet and weight loss. However, I am very confused by the fitness and diet lingo. “Slow releasing carbs, carbs before workout vs. carbs after workout, eggs as a fat source vs. protein source. I thought eggs were off limits to me due to the cholesterol issue, but it sounds as if they are very important. Is there an “Idiots Guide to Being Healthy” that could encourage me instead of making me feel hopeless?!?!?!?!
May I suggest : The Diet Solution. Have a look, Isabel is a RD and will be able to help you understand everything about food!
i am new here so im not sure if theres another blog post somewhere, but could you elaborate on #6, 7 & 9? is that possible? what can i do for HIIT? and what exactly is the meat and nut diet for breakfast? i would just REALLY like to know more!!! thanks for the information!!!!
Hey Caitlin, welcome! Make sure you sign up for the “free gifts” on the home page to get more about the concepts of this blog and some exercise videos. See this post for #6 https://flaviliciousfitness.com/2011/03/17/httpwww-flaviliciousfitness-comblog20110317what-is-the-best-type-of-cardio-to-burn-fat-faster/. #7 I talk a lot about in Full-body-licious and #9 I will have to right a post about as this is a new tactic that I am experimenting with but am seeing such an amazing result. It helps control hormones throughout the day and gives you a ton of energy!
I’m trying to cut fat for prom/summer so I’ll be using these tips, but my problem is, I’m a type 1 diabetic. I can’t cut carbs, my blood sugar depends on them. So…
Yes please don’t. Watch your portion sizes and eat carbs that will maintain your blood sugar levels like brown rice, quinoa, oats and sweet potatoes.
Kaylee, do you talk to a dietitian about your diabetes? Protein and green vegies are THE BEST foods you can give your body when you are diabetic. Lean proteins I should clarify that. Enjoy prom no matter what size you are! Quinoa I have found to be a life saver in both taste and nutrition!
Diabetics aren’t generally supposed to have too much protein since our kidneys have to work harder than the average person to begin with, and when you add extra protein (rather than eating more carbs) your kidneys work harder. My doctor suggested Canada’s food guide for how much protein to have without causing long term problems as I am also type 1, but the limit for protein is very low
I actually was cutting carbs for a long time and only eating the minimum amount which is 50 g/day but I recently went to a dietitian who told me I should be eating 180 g/day. I do the high intensity interval workouts along with a 5 mile run everyday…. I’m also wondering what kind of carbs you’re talking about? because I eat lots of fruits which are loaded with carbs
It all depends on your goals but if you are alot of training, you should have more carbs or you can utilize a high carb day every week or every several days. I would increase to 1g per bodyweight after your workout or split into 2 meals, second meal of the day and post-workout. If you are trying to lose weight, 180 may be too much….again, it all depends on your goals, your current weight and how intense you are training. MEASURE AND WRITE DOWN everything that you are doing so you can reassess every day. Quinoa, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, fruit for sure.
You do need carbohydrate in your diet somewhere. According to my human nutritional needs class I took last semester in college, you need at least 130 grams of carbohydrate per day to prevent “muscle wasting” or basically your body eating your muscles (including your heart! yikes!). Your body and muscles need those carbohydrates (which can be found in many foods, not just breads or what we think of as “carbs.” They can be also found in fruits!).
To put a number on a macronutrient is not accurate as we all differ in shape, size, and daily activities. Carbs are important for energy and repai and should be consumed for those purposes only. Thanks Katie.
I’m kinda new at working out. I have had some success with hitt training workout such as turbo fire. I would like to start running ( actually more of a jog). My biggest weakness is watching my diet on the weekends. Do you have tips for working out, running, or sticking to a healthier diet?
Hey Doreen, I would suggest cutting one food out your diet every week to two weeks. Start with something unhealthy such as white flour and work on that one habit (replace it with something healthy like quinoa). Once you are thriving without that food, cut one more out and continue to do that until you are eating a healthy diet everyday as a part of life.
Is there an easy way to measure your body fat at home?? I had a scale once that apparently did it, but I didn’t find it to be very accurate. This month, I’m going to replace my habit of snacking whenever I want with the habit of only snacking TWICE per day. I will find an accountability partner. Thank you!
No there really isn’t. They have machines in gyms that can read body fat.
Don’t forget to drink water like your life depends on it! 😀
Im looking at leaning down a bit and gaining more muscle but Im having trouble knowing what to eat and how it will affect my body in a postive way like protien drinks and meats, carbs and when to eat what. If you know of any help websites or books Id love to know. I work out everyday but I just want to know what I can do eating wise by helping my body gain muscle and tone better and faster in a healthy way.
Have you tried Full-Body-Licious?
How manys carbs do apples have in them?
Depends how big. Go to nutritiondata.com and see a list of all foods.
I eat less..i lose weight, just sayin
Hi Loving the info and workouts on your site, and am waiting for FBL to arrive in the post…but I’m wondering is plain cottage cheese in or out on a fat loss plan?
Thank You 🙂
You can leave it in. It is a great source of protein. I would only have it 3-4 times a week for fat loss 🙂
Hello Flavia!
I am forever trying to lose weight and do really well with my diet for a few weeks but then i run out of ideas on meals and lack variety. Is there any books or websites you suggest? I feel like i am always eating the wrong things because i don’t lose weight. Also my working out routines lack imagination, elliptical, weights, bike, sometimes Zumba. I get so lost
Hey Pauline, here is a great cookbook that I LOVE. You shouldn’t run out of ideas for a while: Metabolic Cooking
Good Morning Flavia. I Have fallen off track with my workouts and discipline. Back in August I was doing 12 weeks of your wonderful workouts. I have a couple questions:
1. I am at a steady 124 with no work outs, I feel most comfortable and my best at 115. Do I need to focus on my fat loss first via ‘dieting’ and HIIT, then work on my muscles? ( I ask specifically that bc although I looked trimmer back in august I gained muscle weight, so I figured if I could get down to 115 I could spare 5lbs of muscle to add and build.)
2. For my cardio, if I did 5 days of HIIT, would that be enough (for fat loss) or should I do more?
3. Is this a good example of HIIT? Does it need to be longer than 20 minutes?
8 minute warm up jog so you break a sweat (6.0 mph on a treadmill)
30 second sprint at your maximal effort (9-10 mph on a treadmill)
30 second quick paced jog (7 mph)
The above two 30 second intervals are cycled 7-8 times until you get to the 15 or 16 minute mark
4-5minutes cool down jog (5.0 mph on treadmill)
4. Thank you for all your help. I really respect you.
🙂 Lillie
oh, one more….. should I be counting calories in this fat loss period? and if so how do I know how much I need?
Hey Lillie! This is a great time to start back up and been smoking fit for summer:
1. 100% all three. Do 3-5 weight training sessions, 2-4 HIIT sessions and start on your diet ASAP
2. Yes, no more or you will burn through muscle and fatigue the body. I recommend starting with 2 and work your way to 4 or 5 ( I never do 5 unless I am in photoshoot prep)
3. Yes, that is perfect. Every week challenge yourself and you will see results.
4. I don’t like to count calories but it is important that you know around what each meal should look like. For fat loss multipy your weight by 12-15….if you workout a lot you want to as least have 124 X 12. Go back to No Brainer Nutrtion and use that!!
All the best girl, you can for sure lose 9 pounds within a couple months.
🙂 Thank you so much for getting back so quickly and for your help, priceless!
Can’t wait to see your photoshoot!
-Lillie
Thank you Lillie!
Hey Flavia,
I’m a huge fan and ready your posts all the time. A year ago, post-baby #2 and breastfeeding, I started working-out again and watching what I ate. I am naturally a thing-built person. Currently I am 5′ 8″ and 114 lbs. I workout five times a week. Bootcamp (Sunday-1 hr), Cardio with weights (Tues-Fri; 50 min each), Rest Days Sat and Mon. I wake up early do this. I am definately more muscular. BUT, everyone always says how thin/anorexic I look. I eat oatmeal/PB after every workout, sprout grain sandwiches for lunch and a sensible dinner. I also usually have a fruit snack and black bean dip with triscuits for mid-meals.
As you mentioned for those not eating enough while working out, I have a tendency to hold fat in my stomach, while being thin everyone else.
I don’t know how to fix this, given my body type. Please help. I am so frustrated!!!
Thank you,
Kalola
Hey Kalola, it’s hard for me to determine what you can change without seeing a week long diet but I would suggest changing breakfast and the last meal of the day to fats and protein. For the other meals if you need to build muscle, add in clean carbs. Sprouted grain breads sometimes still have sugars and things in them so make sure to read the lables and switch sources throughout the day and week. Also, try to do carbs and fats separate, so no PB with oatmeal. I would aslo suggest to change PB to Almond butter or even better, mixed nuts instead. Have PB on occasion.
Hi! Thanks for a great article! This is my first visit to your site, and I have a question about Lesson 10 (eating carbs ONLY after working out). In general, I work out at night and avoid carbs after 4:00/5:00 p.m. or so. So, do you recommend still having carbs after a p.m. workout? Or, avoiding them altogether (except for some fruit)? Would love to hear back from you!
Don’t avoid them! Have them after your workout no matter what time it is. This is when the body will use them most efficently.
Hello Favia,
Thank you for your blog post. I can’t to check out the rest of your site. It’s refreshing to see others posting on healthy weight-loss tips. One thing I would suggest is to use references or site your sources so readers can get more info. I hope enjoy my blog as well. I would love to reblog this post with your permission.
Best,
Miriam
Really? You’re suggesting people only eat carbs after workouts? Are you at all familiar with the food pyramid? Carbs are the largest part of the diet. I have a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, and I can tell you your husband’s logic does not make sense. No matter what the body is “made of,” carbs are extremely important to health. Your body is an amazingly efficient thing and can therefore make energy a lot of different ways, but carbs are the best source of energy. And you know the one part of your body that cannot use any other nutrient for energy? Your brain. So if you don’t get enough carbs (45-60% of your calories), your brain gets them first before the rest of your body, which then makes due with whatever else you’ve been eating. I cannot even begin to explain here all the negative short and long term effects of eating a low carb diet. Unless you are a registered dietitian (not a certified nutritionist), I would refrain from telling people about your suggestions for the best diet, especially when they may practice your advice in an unhealthy manner that you may not have intended.
Thanks for your insight Cheryl but I am a certified nutritionist and a Registered Nurse. Next you are going to tell me to follow the food guide. If you were a member of FULL-BODY-LICIOUS, you would know that I don’t recommend a low carb diet. You are missing the fact that fats are an energy source as well. It would take far too little caloires to deplete your body enough for your brain not to get enough nutrients which I don’t teach. If you want to debate, have a look through EVERY post and the free article, then comment when you have all the information.
Oh and BTW Cheryl, my nutrition program also has a high carb day either 1x or 2x a week depending on where my clients are at and for a period also have carbs twice a day.
Where is a good site to find nutrition stuff of what I should be eating
There is precisionnutrition.com – this is actually where flavia got her masters-level certification in nutrition so it’s worth checking out for sure!
I actually referred to the site myself and I’d say it’s the best site you could visit for nutritional and dietary info
I hope I’ve answered your question 🙂
Hi, I just read your tips and I was wondering if all this is ok for pregnant women. I am 12 weeks pregnant with my first and am terrified of gaining alot of weight. I try to go swimming for an hour 2-3 times per week. Right now I am mildy overweight. I am 5’4 and weigh 160. Any suggestions?
Depends what tips you are talking about. You need carbs throughout your day but I would do protein fat for your first and last meals of the day and carbs and protein for at least 2 -3 other meals. In terms of exercise, as long as you are familar with training you can still train but with light weights and long rest periods. You should aim for 300-450 more calorie than pre-pregnancy.
Hi Flav! I did your flavilicious fitness program last year and really saw some noticeable changes to my physique, except in my abs. The high intensity work out seemed to make me very fatigued and toward the end of the program actually started working against me as far s toning and firming my abdomen. I have had adrenal exhaustion issues in years past, and discovered that a lot of high intensity exercise can actually make the situation worse not better. I also learned that a lot of athletes who do consistently train hard deal with adrenal issues. Other than herbal supplements, as a nurse and exercise specialist what can you suggest to help ne deal with this issue? I know that coffee and stress can really worsen the issue, so I’ve dealt with those factors already. I did take a month long break for exercise and now have picked it up again but slower and more low intense exercise followed by stress busting stretching like pilates, and only a couple days a week of weights. So far it seems to be helping. Any thing else you could suggest? Thanks.,
PS. I also completed John Berardi’s Precision Nutrition program last year, love it. I now have my own business and am doing nutrition consulting for World Gym.
Hey SharaLee. Congrats on your business. During my prep I have been taking an Adrenal supplement. It has Ginsend, Ashwaganha root, Astragulus root and Rhoidola root. It’s from a pharmacy here in Tampa called Adrenal plus. Great question of a naturopath in your area. Teas like chamomlie and passionflower help. Avoid caffine and gluten and eats lots of veggies! Eating frequent meals and eating right after you wake also helps. Best of luck!!
Hi! I’ve been trying to find a good get-healthy foundation to work off of. I think this is it! One question — I really love coffee, but I’m trying to figure out how to make it fit into my diet without drinking it black. I like the thought of switching to soy milk, but I’m unsure if soy is a good carb or bad carb, and where should I fit that into my eating schedule? (please include your thoughts on caffeine too) Thanks! I’m making a to-do list now!
No soy! Soy is very poor for your body and has been found to be linked to many cancers. Try almond milk instead and always organic coffee. Coffee can be fit anywhere really, but it is the BEST before a workout.
Good Morning!
I am really glad I was skimming though all of these posts.
I am only 44 and have been in the pre-menopausal stage for a couple of years now. During this time, I have had my thyroid bounce around from not working to working to kind-of working…I’ve actually grown 1/4 inch!!!!!….lost the need for glasses….and have become lactose intolerant. This is very frustrating as I love cottage cheese and yogurt. I have resorted in drinking soy milk every so often and almond or silk when I can afford it. I have just recently found that I have osteopenia. 🙁 I am now on meds to help slow/halt that.
I work out a lot of the time. I devised a fitness program which I teach at the local YMCA. My classes are pack. I run as well. I did end up with an injury to my hamstring and then have had problems with my back not staying adjusted.
In the course of things, I have gained about 20-25 pounds in just a few months. I am quite short so any weight gain is VERY noticeable. Granted, I am not running my usual 100 miles a month, but I am still active.
I feel embarrassed to be teaching a fitness class and looking so out of shape. I need something to help. I’m just SO frustrated!!! Please help!!
Hey Larisa, welcome to the blog. Have a look around there is a lot of information that will help you. Let me know when you have specific questions and I will do my best to help 🙂
I’m confused. If you go down to the molecular level, there are definitely parts of your body that are made of carbs.
Can you give some examples of high intensity training that you do?
Sure, anything with intervals…so sprints, 1 min all out, 1 min walk for 20-30 minutes. Eliptical, I use the interval setting 1 min intense, 1 min slow. Hill running, up hill sprint, down hill walk. Step mill, 1 minute run up the stairs, 1 minute walk. I tend to do 1 minute intervals because the time goes by so fast.
Sorry guys as an RN the comment “What portion of your body is made up of carbohydrates? NONE – therefore we can only use a small amount of them before the body will store them”.
is totally not true. Carbs provide much needed elements that make up your entire body such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen… just to name a few. If you only eat proteins, you start to break down important tissues and create high levels ketones (by products of tissues breakdown) and basically mimic a diabetic patient who has chronically low sugars and depleting your bodily stores to
“create” gluose. You run the risk of sending yourself into starvation mode (and thus your bopdy will hold onto carbs and fats even more once you do eat them) and are at risk for ketoacidosis- a severe condition that can be deadly. You do need carbs… just not white bread.
I would never suggest just eating protein….lol, that is totally silly. I would also never tell anyone not to eat carbs and just limit white bread? What about the hundreds of other carbohyrate products that cause your sugars to spike and are bleached (whole wheat products for one). Please read the entire article before making comments.
Agreed with Julia. Medical student here. Carbs make up important parts of the body. I did read your entire article, and this one comment sets a terrible tone and spreads misinformation. Sugar – bad, carbs can be good. Don’t use blanket statements, of which you apparently know little about. And your whole rebuttel to Julia is based off of bleached and processed carbs.
Yes carbs are good and needed. I use carbs strategically to give the body fuel (energy) and help with recovery…that is what we need carbs for. I hope you both would agree with that.
Otherwise what are carbs for?
Thanks so much for the awesome tips. I just stumbled upon your site so I have a lot of reading to do. I’ve dropped 30 lbs since Nov and I feel amazing!! I still have about 30 more lbs. As far as the eating protein/fats for breakfast, we’ve just recently switched to vegetarian (not vegan, and we’re pretty flex…still eat eggs, dairy and seafood). What would you suggest as a vegetarian protein for breakfast?
Great job Molly!!! I would suggest eggs, nuts, avocado…fats and protein. You can even add in cheese here but not too often!
amazing info. If someone doesn’t have the support, having a coach is a great idea. Also found that meal planning is essential. Not planning equals running to fast food. Would love to offer your viewers a discount for the services. thanks for giving practical info. Great job on the weight loss.
All I have to say is -amen sister!-. I just found you through Pinterest, so happy I did! Ironically, I wrote a brief post today about detoxing properly and not starving yourself because of the exact reasons you’ve listed. That and I am a big fan of high intensity training in short spurts! My friend and I run stairs together doing 4 sets of 3-4 flights. At the end of each set we do dips and push ups. It’s a quick workout but you definitely feel it!
Welcome Wendy! So happy to have you.
I actually had a question about carbs. Your intake of carbs after your workout only, does that include complex carbs, e.g fruits, veggies, etc or just breads and grains?
Not fruits or veggies. I don’t eat more than 2 servings of fruits in a day and have them fairly early during the day and I never count carbs in veggies!
a lot of this is wrong!! Yes doing high intensity workouts do burn a lot a calories but they aren’t fat calories. Walking daily is the best way to burn fat. Fat needs to be transported from the adipose tissue to the working muscle and that takes time so you need to exercise for at least 20 minutes to even start burning fat. Low intensity high duration burns fat. NOT the other way around!!!
You couldn’t be more wrong Krystle!
krystle is right, from a physiology standpoint, your “fat burning” range is low intensity, long duration exercise. you burn glucose at higher intensity, but you burn more calories in a shorter period of time! If you workout for an hour at “fat burning” range, & 20 min at “glucose burning” range, you may still burn 200 calories in both workouts, but at lower intensity, more of those are fat calories! 🙂
I don’t know about everyone one else but I take one look at Flavia and listen to what She says! If Flavia were wrong about anything posted here, then why does she look the way she does?! Just sayin… I tend to go by the rule ” If you want to be rich, do what rich people do. If you want to be lean and muscular, do what lean and muscular people do”. Pretty straight forward.
You mentioned using ITWORKS products. I’ve recently looked into their products and was wondering what you would recommend. I’ve been in good shape my whole life but I got married a year ago and well, you know the rest. I’ve started running again and eating better but I’m considering weight loss supplements as well. Just curious….thanks!
I haven’t heard of ITWORKS products??? I never recommend weight loss supplements just whole food supplements for protein and vegetables
About Lesson 9, would egg whites and turkey bacon work?
Hi Flavia! you are awesome! I have one question.. if I do my exercises first thing in the morning.. should I eat something.. and if the answer is yes.. what can i eat? I read that if you do HIIT first time in the morning its better to do it with an empty stomach.. is that true? and having breakfast after that. thanks for your time!
Hey Paula. If you are doing weights I suggest you have breakfast….fats and protein or protein and fruit would be good here. I do HIIT in the morning because I don’t have the energy to do it after a weight training session. I do my on an empty stomach but you have to prepare your body for that. You should attempt to have a shake and then try to do slow cardio on an empty stomach first and always have some electrolye/sugar drink incase your sugars bottom out (powerade is a good start). It took me about a month before I felt ok without eating first.
Hello how are you? I have a question… Im trying to lose body fat and get toned, how can I manage my carb intake? Only postworkout? I finish my workout at 4pm. And how about the fruit intake? i would love you can explain me this. Because I need to lose my body fat lol thank you
Hey Maria, all this is explained in both of my programs. Carbs can be manipulated only post-workout or a few times a day depending on what your goals are and if you want muscle. Fruit is fine but should be counted as carbs and not eaten in excess.
hi
For breakfast ground beef and eggs, how do you make it?
Also how often do you eat it?
Hey Alex, I use coconut oil and brown the meat. I then add in veggies, usually a ton of spinach. Then add in an egg and when the white part of the egg is cooked, I mix it all together and throw some hot sauce or cayenne pepper on it. I usually have it 7 days a week first meal of the day.
Thanks for responding. My only concern is the cholesterol I am not old (27) but my cholesterol at my last check up was elevated and I am scared to eat it 7 days. Does it have high cholesterol content?
Also did stair master 2 days ago doing the HIIT 1:1 ration and was I sweating and in pain, I usually do it on treadmill it was really good to mix it up. Thanks for the video and recommendation.
Yes there are some foods with higher cholesterol but they are always good cholesterol.
Thank you so much. But Im not sure what kind of carb I should have after my workout? Can you give me an example? I mean I need complex or simple?
Hi, I really like and support a lot of your advice but I do not think you should be telling others not to eat carbohydrates. I am in school to be a Dietician and carbohydrates are needed in the diet on a daily basis because our bodies use glucose as fuel for our bodies and most importantly our minds. In addition to carbohydrates providing glucose, they (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) are sources of fiber and important phytochemicals that protect our bodies and our guts and promote optimal health. People will hurt their bodies by limiting their carbohydrate and glucose intake so drastically as you recommended. I just wanted to inform you because I am not sure where you got your information from and I am concerned for everyone’s health and well being.
You should read the entire thread before making a comment.
The VAST majority of people eat WAY too many carbs and need to drastically cut back. But no where does Flavia say to avoid fruits, vegetables, and healthy carbs. Instead, she clarifies the best times to eat them and what combinations are optimal. Again, you should read entirely before posting.
Audrey, Let us know when you have your own ‘Health website’ setup so we can decide if you know enough about nutrition and health to believe what you are criticizing Flavia for. Until then, Flavia looks healthy, happy, and sexy. Maybe there’s a bit of envy in your response?… Take care and always review all materials and comments before adding your own take on anything. Wishing you health always!
I use to weigh 205lb two years ago…I lost about 60 lbs. I’m 5’4 tall and fluctuate from 145-155lb.. I have the pear body. I’m small medium frame. I have a really small waist with a big booty. I don’t if I have extra fat deposits or extra skin. I eat healthy and stay active by doing Cardio and weight training . My problem is that its been so much harder to reach my goals. My goal weight is 125-130lb and have a lean toned body. I tend to mess up once in a while but I get right away back on track. I have a tendency to eat between 1,200-1’600 but I burn between 400-900 calories a day with my work out.. I feel like its so hard to loose those extra pounds…it seems like the more I do weight training, the scale # increases… I feel like my butt is getting bigger. . I don’t if I should just stick to cardio to lose all the fat In my body and maybe after 15lbs, concentrate in weight training .Or if I should eat more calories? I get so impatient, I even thought about doing surgery like liposuction or skin tuck on my arms and abdomen.. Please help!!! What are your recommendations?
Hey Maggie, great job in what you have accomplished! I would recommend getting on FULL-BODY-LICIOUS 🙂
Hi,
Regarding the breakfast thing. I work out before breakfast. Then I have a fruit smoothie with one banana, 2 strawberry. Small handful of frozen blueberries, soya milk, fish oil, small sachet of oats & a scoop of vegetable protein powder. Is this ok? Does it fall with the meat/but breakfast thing. I couldn’t possibly have cooked food for breakfast after my workout. Poached eggs & salmon is fine during a hotel stay. My smoothie keeps me full until 1pm.
Thanks for website. It helps a lot. The hit workouts are working already. Goodbye to the straight treadmill run.
Sandra from down under (auatralia)
Hey Sandra, having protein and fats for breakfast is best to control your hormones throughout the day. It also helps your body utilize sugar for the rest of the day. Meat and nuts or eggs would be a better choice.
This is one of the best advice articles on results I’ve read in a long time. All 10 lessons here are backed by legitimate research and also parallel my own experience in what works and what doesn’t. Other strategies I use:
1) I do whatever it takes to get 7-8 hours sleep. Black out the windows, use a white noise machine, have good pillows and sheets.
2) Recovery is where the magic happens, so I plan workouts to avoid working the same muscle group back to back, and I stay disciplined about pre/post workout food.
3) Stress seems to be a big factor for me. Choose some healthy ways to destress like walks, music, funny movies, and high cocoa content chocolate.
Great article!
Karen
Hi Flavia!!
About “Lesson 7. Keep Your Heart Rate High”
I do weight training and after that some cardio (running, walking, spinning or even hiit sometimes) is that ok or what should i do instead of the weight training? should i have some specific routines?
Thanks for all the advices 🙂
Hey Paula,
YES, resistance training is great. HIIT is a great way to do cardio that will burn a ton more calories. I have a lot of specific routines you can watch the videos on the blog or check out Full-Body-Licious and Curvalicious under products.
All the best!!
Go to bodybulding.com… I think this website is amazing. It even has a video-data base with all the exercises and it shows you how to do it.
Hi Flavia,
I found your site through Pinterest and I’m so glad I did! I currently do about 30-45 minutes of steady cardio before strength training 4-5 times a week. I read somewhere here that cardio is best spaced far apart from strength (different days or different time of day), but with my schedule it’s tough making it to the gym twice a day. What would you recommend as a blend of cardio and strength if I’m shooting for a single workout? Is 20 minutes of HIIT followed by a strength routine feasible (I dread cardio and always do it first to get it out of the way). Oh, and is a 1 minute intense, 2 minute recovery okay for HIIT or does it always have to be a 1:1 ratio?
I look forward to your advice, because you have some amazing information and you look fantastic 🙂 Thanks in advance!!
SB
Hey SB,
The workout routine is one that you can follow. yes it is better to space it but if you need to do it all together, that’s cool. The best part about HIIT is that you don’t need to do it as often or as long as steady state cardio. You can do 20 minutes, 3 times a week and burn more fat than doing 45 minutes 5 days a week at a slower pace.
HIIT – that is ok to start but begin to shorten the rest periods as you become more conditioned. The key here is to keep your body really working hard durning the HIIT. You need to keep pushing yourself every time. Once you get the hang of it, you will get to know what to do to keep your body working at “almost” it’s max!
Hello Flavia, question I always workout in the evening 7pm or so I finish about at 8 and have a whey protein shake with water immediately after. Should that be my last meal of the day or should i have a car meal before bed??
People are pretty hard on the good old Cardio-weight lifting combo. I m 31 and I never lost more weight than when I did those 2 together and had a balance diet. I lost 22 pounds and was down to a %20 BF in 5 months. I did crossfit for about 2 months, and I think is OK, but would never replace the Cardio-weight lifting combo for me. The crossfit trainer always told me that the Cardio-weight lifting combo was a waste of time, I do not share that opinion. Honestly exercice and all that training is just a little push to lose weight. What you eat is %80 of your weight loss, the other %20 is your work out.
Wanted to let you know that although most of your advice is spot-on, I would advise you to rethink the bit about carbs. Your brain runs on sugar (i.e. carbs) and for optimum function, you need to be injesting an appropriate amount. Better advice would be all things in moderation, and try to go whole grain whenever possible. A whole grain bagel is going to be tons better for you than a piece of chocolate cake- and it will keep you full longer, too.
Hey Jenn, whole grain is filled with processed foods that causes bloating and is terrible for your organs. A better option would be quinoa or sweet potatoes or legumes. It is for sure important to have enough carbs in your system for proper functioning and recovery I agree!
I just wanted to say that you’ve handled the whole carbs issue over and over again with grace, which after so many times would be difficult. Im not sure why people keep missing the advice on the “when and what” to eat and somehow turn it into “don’t eat carbs”. Our over eating of carbs and huge portion sizes is killing our nation. I expect that to start to change a diet would take some time to adjust to less and eventually you’ll be able to handle the optimum amounts. None of this advice is a “diet” it’s a life style change.
It is very practical & informative for daily life
Hi Flavia & Vince,
I like the recipes you post, but I am perplexed as to which “protein” powder to purchase.
They all are not created equal; which do you use/recommend? Also, in your gym HIIT video,
you are wearing a great pair of shorts; where’d you get yours? Do you & Vince
like using “kettle-bells”? I am not certain how to use them.
Thanks,
Mary
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