And so it begins...

Due to popular demand I am starting this blog! Hopefully you dear readers will feel inspired and motivated by what you read here... you'll find your courage and let that inner spark shine.

There is a certain sense of accountability that comes with getting older. Our bodies do a good job of communicating this to us sooner or later. At first, it may start with your favorite pair of jeans feeling too tight to fit your cellphone. You laugh out loud and say, "Oh wow. I must have left these in the dryer for too long...oops." You run out the door to meet that special person at a really neat restaurant where the food is delicious but a bit on the heavy side and you are out a lot later than you had anticipated. How does this happen without you even noticing it? Because let's face it: life happens, and you forgot to eat earlier and you wanna see that special person and eat that amazing freshly made pasta with cheesy goodness while unwinding with some cocktails AND THEN comes dessert (of course)... I mean, how can you pass up tiramisu?! It's almost as good as your mom used to make it!.... "Better get one each," you say. The next day you wake up still full from last night, you skip breakfast and the gym because unfortunately you had a little TOO much fun. And so the cycle continues. While sitting in your cubicle at work in a fast paced environment where you think you can continue this lifestyle without it ever catching up with you --- you eat donuts like that's your real job. A few months later you are left with a serious "donut" around your waist line. But apart from the stigma of having a pot belly, science is showing belly fat has other nasty things up its sleeve. It means that visceral fat is packed around your internal organs, potentially contributing to a whole host of problems, including heart disease, diabetes, kidney problems and more. Meanwhile all you were doing was leading a "normal" life, so you thought. Belly fat - as it turns out - is actually there for a reason….to keep your insulin and cortisol levels under control.

Simply put, having a bulging belly is caused by the harmful combination of everyday stress, over-eating, and excess cortisol all ganging up on you- keeping you overweight, tired, and thick around the middle. And yes, I hear all those out there talking about genetics... Don’t hold to the myth that “carrying belly fat is genetic or a normal part of aging. There is a reason for it happening. Sure, you could start buying bigger clothes or making excuses and blaming dryers but it's just our bodies' way of saying, ”Something's going wrong here and we need to talk.” …..But are you ready to listen!?

The solution is to find a way to lead your life and still let it be YOUR LIFE but with some changes here and there. Our bodies are constantly talking to us... but we don't always listen.

I chose to write about this topic because weight loss, belly fat and eating habits all seem to be a huge extrinsic motivator for so many people in my life. Some of my clients and friends will begin their "healthy journeys" by having a goal of losing 20 lbs. However, they fail to see that their real desires are actually so much more significant. They need/want to embark on a journey in self discovery, and rekindle a time when they were happier and had the energy and stamina to play with their kids AND still have their husbands flirt with them as they slipped on that size 6 dress. That's the real goal.

For me, I aspire to help others find their intrinsic goals, so that I can help them make lifestyle changes happen in order to get results that will stick.

So, what's the prescription for that "belly donut" you ask? Along with an exercise program consisting of cardio, resistance, and flexibility training- you have to reduce Cortisol Levels. One good way to control the levels of cortisol and insulin in your body is to reduce stress. You can try meditation, yoga or other types of exercise. Cardiovascular exercise is great because it will help control those hormones, increase your metabolism, while at the same time reduce your stress. But please don't be mistaken! The sole act of doing cardio will not help you lose all the weight and get in shape. Women especially (I am talking to you) let go of that fear of lifting weights at the gym, please? Just keep in mind muscle burns fat and if you do resistance training under supervision you can win battles over stubborn fat or get over some fitness plateaus.

Also, give your liver a break. It's a very important organ in the body, not only because it functions to get rid of toxins from the blood, BUT ALSO because it metabolizes fat. Let it do its job properly. Things that stress out your liver are, processed foods, all forms of sugar (even the ones in alcohols), artificial sweeteners, excessive caffeine, trans fats and soda.

Watch your glycemic levels; the more insulin your body has to produce to combat sugar the more fat the body has to produce to combat it. Choose foods with a low glycemic index score as these are processed slowly in the body and don’t cause a massive spike in blood sugar. Following a glycemic index diet is a good way to reduce belly fat. Chromium, cinnamon, zinc, garlic and omega fatty acids can also be used to help regulate blood sugar.

As for my first blog entry, I hope I have stressed the importance of balance in your fitness program and that you can come way with some of my honest advice.

Moderation to achieve balance, commitment to be consistent, and motivation to be inspired are essentials to a new journey into a new you. Only a few months left before swimsuit season.

Safe voyage friends.