Why TA

So the big question is, why did I choose Tracy Anderson Method (TAM) and Metamorphosis (Meta) in particular? 

For several reasons (read below).

First, of course Tracy has made quite a big name for herself, and even though I am far far far away from fitness programs, I still heard a lot about her.

Second, I absolutely LOVE dancing. And as she combines a lot with dancing movements, I thought it would be great for me (I will let you know later how I like the dance cardio).

Third, I really really really dont like bulky bodies and a lot of muscle. I hate to see those on women at least. On guys it might be a bit different. But on women - for me it is a no-go. And this is what TAM is about - getting slimmer, fitter and tighter without bulking. It seemed perfect for me. A dancers body is its inspiration and goal, and thats what I want too.

Fourth, when I started reading about her different workouts available out there - and she does have a diversity - I found Meta a very interesting program in many ways.

A) it doesnt require you to workout several hours in a row - I simply dont have that much time - that with my PhD deadline looming on me.

B) I can avoid gyms - which I dont particularly like: sweating together with others around me is just not my thing...

C) opposite to many other workout DVDs out there, it actually HAS a program - i.e. it so to say prescribes you to do certain things on certain days; it is of course then up to you whether you stick to it or not, but a-priori you do NOT have to make a schedule of regular workouts, etc.

D) it has a diet too - at first I was slightly skeptical about dieting, as I have never done that and am afraid I would not be able to - but after looking through it, even though of course it does reduce the ammount of calories, etc, but it is more about healthy eating than anything else. Which is great for anyone - you dont need to actually loose weight to go on this diet for a little while, as it should cleanse and energize you, rather than restrict too much. But again, as I have never been on diet, I will have to see how hard it is for me.

So, all in all, I do have a lot of reasons, and I take my own risk of starting - I might of course not like it at all. But I want to try and I know I want to finish. And I want to do it all - the workouts, the diet, sleep better and have more energy every day.

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Weight Loss for Men Why Is It So Difficult

When it comes to weight loss for men, men have a slight advantage over women, but there are still plenty involving challenges that men need to be aware of. Genetic endowment, genetics and our own bodies could work against us. While weight loss for men is not impossible, you will need to have a well-constructed plan to reach your own goals.
The first thing men who are trying to lose weight need to understand is that our body is programed to work against us every single step of the way. You see, an incredible number of years ago when we ate determined by our ability to hunt and accumulate, famine was not uncommon. Back and then, when our bodies sensed a famine coming because we were having less food, our bodies would react by storing fat, burning muscle tissue and slowing down our metabolism.
Unfortunately, our bodies react the same manner today. When you go on a diet, you reduce your calories. After you do that, your bodies think there exists a famine coming, and in an hard work to help you survive the shortage, your body will hang on to fat, burn muscle and slow straight down your metabolism.
So why does your body hold on to fat? Because it knows which fat is a good source of energy and your system can live longer on these fat stores. Unfortunately, when you go on a diet, you are looking to do away with fat, not store it, but thats exactly what happens.
So why does your body burn off muscle? It burns muscle because the item knows that muscle requires more muscularity to support. Do you remember the previous saying "muscle weighs more which fat"? Well, it is legitimate. Not only does muscle weigh additional, but it also helps you burn up more fat.
The problem is when you embark on a diet, as we mentioned, your body hangs on to fat and burns up muscle. This is the EXACT complete opposite of what we want to happen. In reality, for every 12 pounds you lose on a diet, 5 pounds of that weight loss was muscle. The bad news is that 5 pounds of muscle used to shed 250 calories per day. Said another way, for every 5 pounds of muscle you burn your current metabolism is now 250 calories per day slower.
The math doesnt stop with 12 pounds either. When you lose 24 pounds, you burn 10 pounds of muscle and your metabolic rate is now 500 calories per day slower. When you 36 pounds, you burn 15 pounds of muscle and your metabolic process is now 750 calories per day slower.
This is known as the hunger response. Your body thinks it will be starved and it has gone in starvation mode.
It soon becomes mathematically impossible to lose weight. We see this all of some time. Someone goes on a diet. They reduce their calories and they lose some weight. After a while, as their bodies are getting rid of muscle, the weight loss slows and eventually it stops.
The dieter becomes discouraged, and goes off the diet. The really bad newsworthiness is that their body has currently burned a ton of muscle, so their rate of metabolism is now slower than it has been before they went on the eating plan so they gain back all in the weight they had before the diet, in addition to quite often, even more.
In a few months they find a new diet and the cycle starts once again. This is known as yo-years old dieting.
The trick would be to find a way to eat healthy and inform your body that it OK to reduce fat and hang on to its muscle.
Fortunately, modern science has found an essential amino acid that does exactly which. Taken in the right form and the right amounts this essential amino acid actually flips the hunger response and tells your body "We have been now reducing our calories, but its OK. Go ahead and burn body fat, and keep the muscle".
The results of this are you build a lean, strong healthy body and your system becomes efficient at burning fat.
So if this amino acid is really efficient at helping our bodies reduce fat, retain muscle and increase our metabolism, why isnt everybody using it?

Because it is very difficult to acquire this essential amino acid in the right kind and in the right quantity. While it is available in many foods, modern food processing techniques heat this essential amino acid and render it ineffective or they dont provide it in enough variety or in the right format (existing with other amino acids) for this to do its job.

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Flu Shots and Why I dont get them

Hi everyone!  I wanted to write a quick post about flu shots, as it seems to be about that season.  At my work, our health insurance offers flu shots to anyone who wants them for free.  So if they are free, why dont I participate, you might ask.  Good question!

Ok, this is NOT a post to try to guilt anyone into getting or not getting a flu shot.  I just thought I would present my personal reasons for not getting one in case anyone could identify with me and make a more conscious decision for themselves whether or not to get the flu vaccine.  It should be noted that I am not a health care professional, but have done research in understanding how vaccines work and have my own opinions as a result of that research.  I encourage all others to be active learners when it comes to their own health, and to please consult a physician as necessary.

Often times when I ask people why they get a flu shot, they give me reasons like "well, just because I always do", "doesnt everyone?", and "because it was free, so why not?".  I dont know about you, but I would like to make more educated decisions about my body and what goes into it than just saying "why not?".

I have never gotten a flu shot in my life (nor do I ever plan on getting one), and I can probably count the times I have had the flu on one hand, give or take.  All of the times I had the flu, I was a child or teenager and was in school, where sharing germs is as regular as sharing homework answers.  Often times, as my mom would undoubtedly well remember, my two older brothers and I would catch the flu from each other and result in a household of passing around the flu for a week or two.

First off, now I am 24 and I havent had the flu since I was in high school.  Even when I was in college and the swine flu was spreading like wildfire around my campus, I didnt get so much as an upset stomach.  When Im going on the better part of a decade not having the flu, I dont see why I would want to get the shot.  It would be like loading extra air into your car tires unnecessarily because you got a flat tire once.

Secondly, each years flu shot is designed to protect against the "most likely" flu virus strains of the year as predicted by CDC (Center for Disease Control) research.  So what happens if an uncommon flu virus springs up (such as the swine flu in 2009)?  It doesnt matter if you have the flu shot or not, youre just as vulnerable as everyone else.  From the CDC:

"How effective is the flu vaccine?  How well the flu vaccine works (or its ability to prevent flu illness) can range widely from season to season. [...] During years when the flu vaccine is not well matched to circulating viruses, it’s possible that no benefit from flu vaccination may be observed. During years when there is a good match between the flu vaccine and circulating viruses, it’s possible to measure substantial benefits from vaccination in terms of preventing flu illness. However, even during years when the vaccine match is very good, the benefits of vaccination will vary across the population, depending on characteristics of the person being vaccinated and even, potentially, which vaccine was used."

So if the vaccine isnt well match for the year, "tough sh*t", and even if it is well matched it might not work for you for a multitude of reasons.  If a vaccine has such ambiguity surrounding its effectiveness, why would you want to put a foreign matter in your body with the ability to affect your immune system in any way?

Thirdly, I believe in relying more on your own immune system than in medicines and vaccines.  I am a firm believer that the best thing we can do for the immune system is to give your body whole, nutritious plant foods and let it do its job.  I dont like to get in my immune systems way of trying to take care of me.

Even if I do get sick with a common cold, I dont throw cold and cough medicine down my throat.  I make sure to load up on more veggies and drink plenty of water, as well as clean common surfaces and change my bedding daily.  For an extra immunity boost, I like to get a couple of oranges and munch on those for some added Vitamin C.  I did just that with my cold I had on Monday and found that most of the bothersome symptoms were gone in a day, and I feel back to normal today (Friday).

Lastly, I dont find myself to be a high-risk individual for contracting the flu virus.  I work in an office at a personal desk, so I rarely share germs with others.  I have good hygiene habits, especially in public places (i.e. washing my hands and not touching public surfaces and then touching my mouth, eyes, nose).  I rarely, if ever am in contact with the elderly or young children, so I wouldnt have the risk of passing a virus on to someone more vulnerable.  I eat a diet filled with immune-supporting foods, rather than the Standard American Diet filled with immune-limiting foods.

With all of that being said, please remember to use your own judgement with your body and what you decide to put into it.  I am happy to hear others opinions that are presented in a constructive and respectful manner, so please leave comments if you would like to add to the conversation.  Any and all offensive comments will be removed.

Editors Note: I thought this article was interesting that came out later this flu season.

Health and Happiness,

Amy

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