Natalie Jill Fitness Video

Natalie Jill talks about how she became a fitness expert,  why being FUNCTIONALLY FIT is paramount and the importance of being GLUTEN FREE and eating an UNPROCESSED food diet.

You can find out more about Natalie Jill and her fitness / weight loss programs.

I am starting a new blog at Lose Fat Fitness, with new articles and the existing articles here will be transferred over soon. Thank You

Glycemic Index, and "White Foods"

I'd like to start a little discussion today about carbohydrates,  in particular "white foods" as well as potatoes. One of the reasons I wanted to mention this is because so many health and fitness professionals dismiss potatoes as being a bad carbohydrate choice because of the so called high glycemic index. Believe it or not potatoes have a medium index. Some people  say such ridiculous things as "avoid any and all white carbohydrates".
OK, now while I certainly agree that white bread and refined white sugar are two of the worst things we can be feeding our bodies, I definitely don't agree with avoiding any and all of these so called "white carbohydrates". Now I know all of the buzz lately has been about colorful foods and the protective antioxidants that they contain. They tell you to focus on colours and stay away from white.
"White Foods" aren't necessarily always the enemy
It's true that colourful foods are great, but it is a big mistake to specifically avoid white foods! There are plenty of white foods that have specific nutrients that are hard to find elsewhere. Let's look at a few examples...
Onions & Garlic
What about onions and garlic? They are both white and they are chock full of protective phytonutrients, vitamins, and trace minerals that aren't easy to find elsewhere in a normal diet... such nutrients as allicin, quercetin (an important flavonoid), chromium, and other unique anti-inflammatory nutrients.
In fact, onions are so powerful for our health, that one study of centenarians (people that live to over 100 years old) identified that a common thread of these amazingly healthy individuals was that they ate a lot of onions throughout their lives.  We also know that garlic is one of the most powerful substances for a strong immune system, among other qualities.  
Cauliflower
Another example of something white that is great for you is cauliflower. Cauliflower is surprisingly high in vitamin C, fiber, trace minerals, and special compounds such as glucosinolates which are anti cancer in nature, and thiocyanates (a lack of which can damage a persons immune system) , these are specifically abundant in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.  Another little-known fact is that some of the compounds in cruciferous vegetables help to combat other estrogenic compounds in our food supply and environment and can help prevent excess abdominal fat.  So eat up on that cauliflower!
Mushrooms
Not many people realize this, but surprisingly, even white mushrooms have high levels of unique nutrients and antioxidants. White mushrooms are high in a couple types of antioxidants called polyphenols and ergothioneine.  Some types of mushrooms, such as portobella mushrooms, are surprisingly good sources of Vitamin D.
Potatoes
Now that also leads us to another example - the humble white potatoe (which by the way, can also be found in red, yellow, purple varieties, etc). Many health professionals claim that potatoes are a bad carbohydrate because they are thought to have a high glycemic index. First of all, if you've read my Truth about Six Pack Abs ebook, then you'll understand that glycemic index is not necessarily the most important factor in choosing your carbohydrates.
While a generalization can be made that most low glycemic index carbohydrate choices will help you lose body fat more easily than higher index choices, it is not all that it's cracked up to be. There are many other factors that determine how your body will react-to and process the carbohydrates you ingest, such as glycemic load and also how you combine the high GI food with other foods.
For example,  it is known that watermelon has a high glycemic index. However, the rise in blood sugar of a normal serving of watermelon is just way too low for your body to start packing on body fat just because you ate a high  index fruit. You would have to eat such an enormous quantity of watermelon just to get enough grams of carbohydrates to have any negative glycemic effect, that it  just does not make any sense.
Not to mention that watermelon is also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and lycopene. There's just no reason to avoid it simply because it has a high GI. The point I am making is that... chocolate bars, cupcakes, and donuts make you fat, because they are full of sugar. NOT watermelons, carrots or potatoes,  French fries are excluded of course.
Also, as I mentioned, food combinations are important in how your body processes the carbohydrates and the associated blood sugar and insulin response you receive. For example, if you mix a high glycemic index carbohydrate with an extra source of fiber, healthy fats, or even certain proteins, many times the blood sugar and glycemic response will be slowed down considerably by the way you combined the food. Again, I will talk about this in detail about the entire topic in my Truth about Six Pack Abs book
Alright, so back to my point that white potatoes are actually a healthy carbohydrate as long as you eat them in the right form - that's with the entire skin left on, and please don't ruin them by deep frying them into french fries either! French fries are one of the most evil things ever invented for your health, but only because we ruin them by soaking them in a scorching bath of trans fats in the deep fryer from the hydrogenated oils that are typically used.
Keep in mind that potatoes contain so many vitamins and minerals that the list is way too long to even try. Also, as long as you eat the skins, you'll get some fiber too.
Are eating  7-9 potatoes per day going to make you fatter?
There was a study which found that potatoes not being so bad after all, I don't remember where I saw this referenced, but I recently saw a particular study that had participants eat something like 7-9 whole potatoes per day for several weeks. Here's a good newspaper article on why potatoes are good for you.
At the conclusion of the study, the potatoe eaters had actually consistently lost weight! I'd venture a guess that the reason the people lost weight is that they were probably so full from eating all of those damn potatoes, that they actually consumed less calories than normal! An average sized potato has about 100-120 calories, and I can't imagine you'd be full constantly from eating 7-9 potatoes each day. 
Of course, this does NOT mean that french fries are ok to eat!  Those will only make you fat, and the trans fat will lead to an early death.  Seriously french fries / potatoe chips are one of the most deadly foods in our food supply.  Plus, deep fried potatoes accumulate dangerous acrylamides absorbed from the frying oil that reacts with the starch, and these compounds are carcinogenic. 
Anyway, back to the 7-9 whole potatoes per day... Now I would never recommend going to those extremes, but my point is that an occasional potato is not going to hurt your efforts to get lean, especially if you combine it with some other fibrous vegetables and maybe a healthy fat and some protein. On that note, I have one of my favorite recipes for you, using potatoes.
Geary's Lean-Body Potato Side Dish

• Desired quantity of baby potatoes, preferably a mixture of white, red, yellow, and purple baby potatoes
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 or 2 onions
• a couple cloves of garlic, finely chopped (or mashed garlic from a jar, organic preferably)
• 1 or 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and/or virgin coconut oil
• a little salt and pepper to taste (I like using a sea salt instead of normal commercial salt)

Cut the baby potatoes into slightly smaller pieces and place in a steamer until soft all the way through. Slice up the peppers and onions into strips and add with the chopped garlic into a pan with the olive oil. Cook the peppers, onions, and garlic until tender, and then add the steamed baby potatoes. Stir it all together and serve. This is a truly delicious, and healthy side dish that goes great with chicken or red meat.
I hope you've enjoyed this little topic today about potatoes, healthy carbohydrates, glycemic index, and my delicious healthy potato recipe. If you want more recipes like this get a copy of my book Truth about Six Pack Abs.

Stressed, Exhausted, From Fatigued to Fabulous

Are you Stressed, Exhausted, Can't Sleep at night? - read on.
Our health is truly the foundation that supports every other aspect of our lives. It’s difficult to live passionately, strive for our wildest goals and give generously of ourselves when we’re sick and exhausted…believe me, I’ve tried it and I know!
For more than a decade, I suffered from extreme exhaustion, mysterious symptoms and the unpleasant side effects of more medications than I care to recall. I finally reached the point where enough was enough – it was time to try a different approach to life.

Funny thing is, the approach that ended up working for me had nothing to do with the marvels of modern medicine or any high-tech treatments. It was, quite literally, getting back to basics – eating real food, slowing down (while paradoxically, accomplishing more) and giving my body all the things it was (at that point) screaming for…but in a language I hadn’t yet learned.
When I finally deciphered my body’s code, the change in my health was nothing short of astounding. Given the right conditions, our bodies have a miraculous capacity to heal themselves! My life was so dramatically changed that I promptly enrolled into a nutrition and wellness course and became a board certified health coach.
Today, my passion is to help others overcome their struggle with fatigue, brain fog, digestive discomfort, stress, insomnia and other unexplained symptoms that keep us from leading vibrant, fulfilling lives. One of my first projects was to interview the 16 dynamic, inspiring and incredibly knowledgeable women in From Fatigued to Fabulous .  This interview series is filled with tons of useful tips and information about nutrition, sleep, relaxation, relationships, career and finance along with many other topics that are vital to our wellbeing.
Traveling the journey I have, I now know with certainty that good health truly is the greatest gift in the world – but for many of us, it’s a gift we have seek out and earn.  I hope From Fatigued to Fabulous  will make your journey that much easier and I wish you all the good health and hope in the world!
Having just graduated from nutrition school, along with taking lots of pre-med classes for my 2nd degree, I thought I knew a lot – but From Fatigued to Fabulous taught me even more! If you’d like to take your life and health to another level – especially if you’re struggling with exhaustion, stress and sickness like I once was – I hope you’ll join us.  You can download the program right here  and rest easy knowing there’s a 60-day risk free, money back guarantee.

About the author:
Maria Saracen is a board certified Health Coach and the host & creator of From Fatigued to Fabulous. 

Variety of fruit in the fall

If my practice has taught me one thing, it’s that a variety of foods are absolutely essential. Literally every one of my friends and clients eventually comes to a point where they just can’t stand to eat one more salad or filet of salmon. Boredom is dangerous when you’re learning how to be healthy – if you don’t have plenty of options, you’re more likely to fall back on the satisfying processed but bad-for-you foods you relied on in the past. Healthy eating requires variety, and lots of it.

Luckily, nature is on our side. The start of fall doesn’t only mean walking our kids to the bus stop and bracing for cooler weather. It also means we have a whole new variety of fruits and veggies to choose from! Eating seasonally offers real taste, budget, and health  benefits. Here are just a few of them:

1. Fruit tastes better in season. If you’re eating a summer fruit in the middle of winter, chances are it was produced in one of two ways: It was either grown in a greenhouse or other controlled environment, or it was picked early so it could be saved and shipped to you on demand. While there’s nothing wrong with either of these methods – an out of season apple is still an apple – both methods have a real effect on taste. Fruit that’s allowed to ripen fully on the vine as they say, not only tastes better, but contains healthy sugars called monosaccharides. When you’re training your palate to like healthy foods, taste is essential.


2. In-season fruit is less expensive. Transporting food across long distances in the off season costs companies money, and they’ll generally pass that cost on to the consumer. With a few exceptions, fruit is scarcer in its off-season. That scarcity is what drives up costs, which means that buying your fruit in season can significantly lower your shopping bill at the checkout counter. You can even buy in-season fruit and freeze it so you can keep it longer.


3. Nutrients are more plentiful in seasonal fruit. Fruit has a certain amount of time it needs to ripen to be at its maximum free radical-fighting weight. Picking it early – or growing it in artificial conditions – depletes its nutrient store.

Keeping a list of what fruits and veggies are in season is a great way to make sure you aren’t eating exactly the same thing, day in and day out, for the entire year. Here’s a list of fall fruits to stock up on:

Apples: Some researchers believe that apples may aid weight loss by reducing the number of calories you eat throughout the day. For the full antioxidant effect, make sure you eat the skin, which is packed with nutrients.

Pumpkin: Pumpkin's are high in fiber and packed with vitamins A, C, and beta carotene, which help boost immune function. Plus, pumpkin makes a great entrée, and a tasty dessert (heat it up and sprinkle with a little cinnamon).

Grapefruit: Research suggests that grapefruits can aid weight loss. Plus, it contains 75% of your daily value of vitamin C.

Other fruits to look for in the fall, include cranberries, grapes, figs, pears, and pomegranates.
Why not check out Mike Geary and his Truth about Abs Program

Does juicing provide good nutrition whilst dieting

Juicing works - you bet:

Apart from the fact that juiced fruits and vegetables have very low calories and no fat (just make sure you make them yourselves), they are loaded with a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes that help your body to perform at its best. Our bodies spend a lot of time trying to detoxify, repair and protect cells. When we are undernourished our bodies go into protection mode and store fat for survival. But, when your body is functioning at its peak condition and getting all the  nourishment it needs,  it can focus energy on fat loss. Juicing delivers a concentrated healthy cocktail straight into your body. No extra effort is needed to break down the juice and so it is absorbed quickly and starts working magic immediately.

Keys to weight-loss success while juicing:

Juicing vegetables and herbs while reducing fruit. Yes, of course fruit makes it taste so delicious. Yes, fruit sugar is healthier than refined table sugar… but it’s still sugar and will still cause spikes in your insulin and if your body cannot clear those sugars out, they will convert to fat stores. Also, watch how many carrots you use, believe it or not they have a lot of sugar as well.

Save juicing fruits for before and/or after your workouts. For the same reason as above, when you work out your body becomes primed for using glucose.

Skip snacking and start juicing. It seems that people always get hungry between meals. The solution to avoid binging on things you probably shouldn't be eating before dinner, is to juice up a big green glass of nutritional goodness. Hopefully the liquid will tide you over until your next meal, or at least it will get your brain thinking about health-conscious snacks.

Snack while juicing. Not on cheese and crackers or anything man-made but on the vegetables you are getting ready to juice. Sometimes our brains like chewing and feeling food in our mouths and stomach's, so give it that satisfaction while nurturing you.

Healthy habits don’t end with juicing. Whether you are having 1 juice a day or 5, remember that beyond your glass jar, you need to be eating healthy all day long. It kind of defeats the purpose of juicing for weight loss when you eat a big bowl of sugary cereal for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and burgers and fries for dinner.

Fill up on fresh juice before meals or going out. Even though juice is digested quickly and doesn't leave you full for long, your hunger may be quenched by the nutrients more than the feeling of full.

Alternate your veggies. Two ways that this works: you don’t get bored and you get a variety of nutrients.

Add some chia seeds, avocado, or olive oil. Healthy fats and fibers are not only good for you, but will keep you fuller longer. No one wants to diet, or spend their time with someone who is dieting, who has a big hungry monster in their stomach.

Create lasting habits:

Remember, juicing for weight loss is not a diet. Let juicing be your basis for a  healthy lifestyle. If you are taking the time to clean, chop and juice fresh fruits and vegetables then you should be making time to prepare and cook healthy homemade meals.

Some people start cold turkey with a juice fasting session. Others like to test the water with one, slowly adding more as they feel necessary. If you prefer to start the day with a balanced, nutrition-rich eating plan, you will find that having at least one glass of vegetable juice per day will make it easier to reach your weight loss goals in the long run. Try replacing your morning, afternoon, or before-bed snack with a juice and you are well on your way!
Why not see what Mike Geary has to offer on such foods whilst dieting.
In the mean time why not try.

Morning-time:

     1 beet
     1 pink lady apple
     1 small slice of ginger

Before dinner:
     4 tomatoes
     2 green onions
     ½ green pepper
     2 carrots
     2 celery ribs
     Handful of parsley
     1 peeled lemon

Before bed:
     2 cucumbers
     4 romaine lettuce leaves
     Handful of mint

Is your coffee and biscuits habit robbing you of Nature's wonder nutrient?

Psychotherapist Susan Smith is ‘not keen on traditional medicine’, she says. So she decided to treat her sluggish gut with magnesium supplements. 
Within a few weeks, says the 55-year-old from Bromley, Kent, she felt noticeably stronger and more energetic. Her eyes — and sinuses — are now clearer, and she goes to the loo regularly. Read more: