Good 'ol Atkins....

How many of you have tried the Atkins Diet? How many of you got throught the 14-day carb depletion without 'cheating'? How many of you successfully lost weight & have KEPT IT OFF since?

Really, if you did...contact me, I'd love to know how, because to this day, I have not yet met 1 person who has kept off all the weight. This is why I call the Atkins Diet a fad diet! You can't deprive yourself of carbohydrates forever, so why even start. What happens? You go down, you go up...you lose weight...you gain the weight back, plus some.

David's weight loss attempts following high school was just this. He went on the Atkins Diet...loss a good amount of weight...and then (because it's so hard to sustain), he went off it...and gained back all the weight and then some.

I have a theory that if many people would not 'go on a diet'...they wouldn't have as much weight to lose. Isn't this true? I see people all the time DEPRIVE THEMSELVES...only to go back to the old way of eating and then have some binging, because they cut so many healthy foods out of their diet, their body is deprived & then they fill themselves up w/ junk food, fast food, dessert foods .


1 whole egg has:
70 calories, 4.5 gms of fat &
215 mg of cholesterol!

 Now tell me, how is scarfing down a ton of cheese, red meats, ranch dressing, bacon, whole fried eggs good for you?

This was taken from MayoClinic.com:

If you are healthy, it's recommended that you limit your dietary cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams (mg) a day.

If you have cardiovascular disease, diabetes or a high low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") blood cholesterol level, you should limit your dietary cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg a day.

Look at the 'cholesterol' content in 1 egg - that's all you need for a day. Research the amount of cholesterol by reading the labels on the sausage, meat, cheese, and milk in your fridge. No wonder everyone's on cholesterol meds...get rid of the cholesterol foods & you won't need them.

Now, I never read the Atkins books from start to finish, but I've come to my conclusion that this diet doesn't work by meeting a ton of people who have tried it & not been successful at staying at a healthy weight!

Now back to Dave: David finally got a roommate in 2004 that got him to go to the gym...but here was a 26 year old young man who had never really worked out before, let alone at the gym. Here he was trying to figure out the machines.

David did a ton of cardio and stuck to the treadmill, stair-climber, elliptical, etc. He was trying to use the weights, but never really got instruction on how to use it to lean out...just get strong.

And yes, I guess you could say he was 'fat strong'. You know these people...they don't eat healthy. They kill themselves at the gym trying to power lift, yet a 5 year-old could outrun them. Again, out of balance.

I appreciate Dave's efforts of trying. He did his best with what he had. And he totally gets an A+ for effort.

When I met Dave, he was in the midst of these efforts to lose weight. He had lost about 70 lbs. At the point he was around 290 lbs. The most he had ever weighed had been 350/360 or so, up to this point.

The day we got married, he was about 285 lbs. And me personally, I didn't mind the fluff. In fact, I am grateful that many women Dave had met along the way disqualified him based on that. Harsh? I know. How could they disqualify such a wonderful man? I don't know, but he was available to me because they had & I was veeeeeeerrrry glad they did.

When I met Dave, his honesty, integrity, love for God, service to God, commitment to the Word of God, his hardworking ethics, compassion for people, faith to pray, and those gorgeous brown eyes & dark hair were enough to win me over. I knew at 28 that it those qualities that would help a marriage last...not buffness, a lean cut body...it's character you marry a person for, right?

Now when we got married, I didn't do Atkins. To me, I felt it wasn't healthy....needless to say, I brought carbs in the house and Dave ate 'em. And within first 3 months of us being married, Dave went from a 2X to a 3X. I said, "HOLD THE PHONE".

I realized at that point that Dave would gain weight if he wasn't on this so-called diet. I called it 'set yourself up for failure' eating plan. Really? How could some gain so much in just 3 months. And he wasn't eating bad. Just some noodles, bread, and sometimes rice. I realized that I had to support him in this 'diet'.

We got married Feb. 20th '06, and by May we were doing the 14-day carb depletion TOGETHER...and on day 9 - I found out I was pregnant. So much for a ZERO-carb diet for me!

From May '06 to Feb. '07 - David gained.....140 lbs. Soon he was a 425 lb. man! I was devestated along the way of my pregnancy. Dave never weighed himself along the way. I just knew that he had gone from a 2X on our wedding day to a 4X by the time Daniel was born. I had cried over his gain, begging him to stop gaining to avoid leaving me as a widow at age 40...but my tears fell on deaf years. That summer, I knew things had to change...or Daniel would not have a DAD to raise him through his childhood.

My only solution....to go to the ONE who could change his heart. And that's just what I did!


.....more on this tomorrow....

My Husband's 200 lb. Weight Loss Story!

Check out his blog @
http://www.thislittlepiggywenttothegym.com/
for some Before & After Pics!

Many of you know Dave and knew him as a 300 lb. man...and some knew him as a 425 lb. man.

Sharing Dave's story is heavy on my heart. Perhaps it's to discourage the HOLIDAY BULGE. Perhaps it's to discourage the PROCRASTINATION.

Or maybe it's to ENCOURAGE YOU

that no matter how much weight loss you have, it's possible!!!

I'm going to start from the season I met Dave and our friendship days. The days that he was doing that dreaded Atkins, fat & protein/low-carb diet. The meals we shared: salad w/ ranch, fried chicken & NO FRUITS, little veggies.

I'm going to recap what happened the season we got married, when I got pregnant and how a 285 lb. Dave went to 425 lbs. w/in a 9 MONTH PERIOD.

Then I'm going to share the year that things changed when our first son was born. How the desire in Dave's heart was for Daniel to NOT know him as an OBESE DAD was so strong & was his motivation.

I will share the journey from Weight Watchers, thru Trainer Tom...and up to now. We are going to be transparent on the struggles...and how people who told Dave he was getting 'too skinny' had adverse affects on his motivation.

One thing I've learned is that for the obese person - FOOD is the drug. They have an addiction. They have overcome it...yet it still wants to haunt them and creep back in and take over. But if you have the mindset that you are NEVER going back, and you let people help you - YOU DON'T EVER HAVE TO BE BIG AGAIN!!!!

I'm excited to share this info! As a wife, the role I played will be shared as well. When a man & woman get married, the 2 become 1 - And I had an active position as Dave's helpmate to help him reach his goals. I am going to share how I continue to be that voice of reason, truth, and encouragement in Dave's life. We're in this together - join me as I share!

I hope you join me as share this story of a real weight loss struggle and the truth of what food can do to a life, a marriage, and a family! Join me in this journey, as it is my hope that you will receive truth to motivate you to lose weight, yet give you the hope that it is possible!

Do your kids get enough exercise?

Look who was up early to work out! Amazing boy I have. Yesterday, he got up at 5:45 a.m., got himself dressed, fixed his water bottle & was ready to work out. And he did it again today! (Voluntarily w/ enthusiasm!)

I'm realizing that my attitude toward exercise totally affects my kids' attitude. Last time I worked out when the baby (19 mos. old) was awake, he was trying to jump and swing his arms.

My kids only know me as someone who works out. I started my Turbo Jam routine before Daniel was even 1. And picked back up with the routine a month & 1/2 after Jacob was born.

Kids absorb everything, right?

They absorb healthy habits too!

Daniel is the soda patrol for sure. When Dave decided to give up the occasional soda, Daniel was quick to rat me out, hence I no longer drink them. (I didn't drink them all day, every day...just on those days I wanted something sweet, but no calories...especially when the central valley heat set in...they were refreshing. Great justification, right?) I can proudly say that my kids have NEVER had soda. I love that, they willingly drink water all the time!!!!

When driving around town, Daniel is quick to point out the smokers in their cars and says, "Look mom, they're smoking - yuck, that's not good for them, right?".

It's no secret that my son will blurt out that 'doughnuts are junk'...Why? Because when he's seen other kids with that sugary/fat laden stuff & asked for it, I told him, "No son, that's junk & it's not good for you".

I am devestated that people continually feed their kids the fast food fries,

and let them have sweets daily.



How many things in this picture
do you and/or your kids eat????

Last week, a sweet parent gave out 'goody' bags at school. It had a bag of CHIPS, a COOKIE, 2 Dum Dum SUCKERS, SMARTIES, fruit chewy snacks, & a granola bar. I grabbed the bag as soon as I could to inspect it, I took out the candy a.s.a.p., Daniel had grabbed the chip bag & managed to open it (130 calories & saturated fat galore). And of course this interfered with his appetite for dinner.

The fruit chewy snacks are really candy in disguise, you know this right? He managed to get to the cookie & ate half of it after dinner. But I tossed the other half when he wasn't looking. Crazy enough, he forgot about it too...because that's not a mainstay in his diet.

No wonder 33% of our children are obese in America!

It is NOT OKAY for kids to eat junk food like this regularly. Unfortunately, many eat it for multiple meals/snacks per day. When they are putting this junk in their bellies, there is no room for the good stuff like fruits & veggies. When they eat salty food regularly, veggies don't seem appealing unless smothered in cheese or butter.

For some kids, their butter and cheese intake needs to be watched because they're on the border of being overweight. Some kids, like Daniel, need some extra calories because they run off everything they eat.

So what does your diet look like? What does your activity level look like? Good? Healthy? Or sedentary?

Your kids' activity level and diet probably looks like yours...Are you setting them up for childhood obesity, diabetes, and heart disease risks? Or teaching them that healthy food & exercise leads to a healthy body?

Do your family a favor -

get healthy & active...and they will follow!!!

Shocking Statistics of Obesity (Childhood Obesity)

I love truth! Don't you? It's when we face the truth of ourselves that we can change. It's when we admit the truths about our family, that our family tree can change.

Folks, we have a serious problem. A serious one. The gravity of obesity needs to impact your hearts today Whether you are obese/overweight, your kids are, your loved ones are - we need to take action a.s.a.p.

With the statistics of 65% of American Adults Overweight/Obese & 33% of American Children Overweight/Obese - HOW CAN WE IGNORE OBESITY ANY LONGER?

I heard a councilwoman say it last month that "America is eating herself to death"...and that's a fact.

Here's some truth - some statistics I collected for you.

Locally here, in Kern Co. CA, in 2008, adults of age 20+:

• 29% were obese,
• 7% have diabetes
• 24% are inactive

Across the nation:

• 81% of the counties in Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia have high rates of Obesity & Diabetes.
• 75% of counties in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and S. Carolina have high rates of Obesity & Diabetes.

In 2009:

• California: 24.8% of population - obese
• Tennessee: 32.4% of pop. - obese
• Colorado: 18.6% - obese...wins the award for 'skinniest state'
• Mississippi: 34.4% - obese....wins award for 'fattest state'

So what's this talk about Diabetes (Type 2)? Google it...learn about it. Long story short, YOU DON'T WANT IT!!!! Type 2 Diabetes is the preventable one.

Here's some numbers on this miserable condition that is PREVENTABLE!

• 3.7% of 20-44 yr. olds have it.
• 13.7% of 25-64 yr. olds have it.
• 26.9% of 65+ have it.

Conclusion: How you eat and don't exercise from ages 20-65, will determine your fate at 65.
Solution: Eat healthy and exercise while you have your youth & vigor!

In 2010, the new cases of diagnosed diabetes, by age follows:

• 20-44: 465,000 NEW cases
• 45-64: 1,052,000 NEW cases --- what?????
• 65+: 390,000 NEW cases

What I conclude is that the 45-64 year old group is high risk! Are you in this catagory? I think it would be safe to say that people are getting this horrible disease at a younger age than in the past. So really, narrow it down from youth to 45 (when you have the energy and time) to take care of yourself with diet & exercise - it will SAVE YOUR LIFE & HEALTH!

_________________________LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR KIDS NOW______________________

How many of you who are overweight say, "look at my mom...it's in my genes to be big"? I think the only thing kids inherit from their parents that leads to being overweight/obes is the parents' BAD EATING HABITS & LAZINESS. Think about it.

Daniel's pediatrician just told me yesterday that 1 in 4 children are obese. I've heard the statistic of 33% of American children are overweight and obese. Why? Because it's the 65% of American parents feeding their kids the same thing they eat!

Childhood obesity put the youth, our children at risk for:

1. Cardiovascular disease
2. Bone & joint problems
3. Sleep Apnea
4. Social & Psych. Problems, like low self-esteem

Obese youth are more likely to become obese adults, tragically being diagnosed with:

1. Heart disease 
2. Type 2 Diabetes
3. Stroke
4. Several types of Cancers
5. Osteoarthritis

This is my plea for you as a parent, if you are overweight and/or your kids are overweight - PLEASE DO SOMETHING NOW!!!

As a parent, we are responsible for our kids. What they eat, how much activity they get - it's our job to lead by example and teach them to be healthy. It's our job to teach them great exercise habits, teach them that our bodies need water (not sodas, Kool-Aid, sweet teas, lemonades - daily). It's our job to prepare healthy meals for them, and NOT be lazy and do the drive-thru meals all the time.

I know kids who get McD's breakfast: soggy, greasy hashbrown w/ the sausage McMuffin for breakfast. Then have some fatty McD's happy McHighCalorie meal for lunch, followed by a 'take-out' greasy pizza...all followed by some sugary drink. THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. Needless to say, these are the same kids that are left in front of the t.v. all day, then go from t.v. to some handheld game, then to the computer for more games.

What happened to the good ol' days when kids were outside on their bikes, playing ball, climbing trees? Don't let the advancement of technology and the luxury of your kids being entertained lull your family/kids into OBESITY!

"Houston, we have a problem!" - But the solution is simple: healthy foods & activity 1 hr./day can prevent this state of emergency. Seriously, that's it to save their lives. Please help me create a coalition against obesity today! Email me at jennifermorin@beachbodycoach.com if you want to play a role in saving our youth from early disease & death.