My AdvoCare Weight Loss Story

I wanted to share just a little bit about my AdvoCare weight loss story with you all, my wonderful customers and friends and readers. I know we all turn to AdvoCare for different needs. But for those of you interested in losing weight and or gaining muscle, I think you’ll enjoy this story. http://www.AdvoCare.com/05063233

When I found AdvoCare I weighed about 280 pounds. As a 5′7″ female, that was grossly overweight. As a result of my weight, I didn’t have enough energy. But I wasn’t concerned with losing weight, I just wanted to drink Spark, because it helped me have enough energy to get through my day. I was drinking 1-2 Sparks a day, and began to lose a little weight. Not more really than just enough to see on the scales. It wasn’t like I was out buying a whole new wardrobe. Then AdvoCare released a product called Thermoplus, which was designed to increase your metabolism, but the distributors who test marketed eat said it was like a supplemental energy product. So I ordered a bottle of Thermoplus with my next Spark order. And the weight started to come off a little bit faster.

Mind you, I spent 12+ hours per day in front of a computer, so it wasn’t like I was power training or anything.

Then I went to Success School a few years ago. At Success School I began to be educated about the whole family of products and the numerous ways that I could improve my health and my life just by incorporating them into my daily life. I started to see the vision of people who had lost weight. A LOT of weight. I thought I could maybe be one of those people some day. I started using the MNS 14 day weight loss packs which included my vitamins, meal replacement shakes, and of course Spark. In addition to that I utilized the Thermoplus. And I began to add a few products from the wellness line and the performance elite line. Joint Promotion relieved a lifelong ache in my knees and my ankles so that I was able to get up from in front of the computer and off the couch to get a little exercise. And we are talking a very little. My initial goal was to walk from my house to the stop sign and back. That was two tenths of a mile each way. And it was hard at first. The reason I set the stop sign as my goal, is that portion of the road is a simple incline and decline. At the stop sign either way I turned I had to go up and down steeper hills.

I also began to take Muscle Gain before any times that I was going to exercise and Night Time Recovery any time that I pushed my body farther than I thought it could go and was worried that I would be sore the next day. For example, I got mad at a tree in my yard that was shading my day lilly bed and preventing the flowers from blooming. I thought about taking that tree down for weeks! Finally I did – with a hack saw! Crazy approach, I know. But a real sign of how AdvoCare was changing my life.

At nearly 38 years of age, I also added in AdvoCare’s Fem 20 vitamin supplement and Amplify A.T. an energy boosting supplement. I probably waited too late in life for Fem 20, but couldn’t bring myself to switch to Fem 40+. Now that I am 40, I am still struggling. I do take the CorePlex supplement, anytime that I’m not using my MNS strips or complete kit. Amplify AT on the other hand was like putting my Spark on hyper-drive. My energy was longer sustained, and I felt like getting out and moving around. In fact so much so, that I took up horseback riding again after a ten year hiatus.

And I didn’t just start riding, I joined a mounted drill team and with my AdvoCare income, purchased two un-broke horses to train. Today, my core product line includes a supplement, Spark, and Amplify AT. I do like AdvoCare’s adaptogen product, A-Supreme, but because it has to be refrigerated and my lifestyle has become more active, I have a harder time incorporating that into my life. Flast forward to 2009. I had my first spark on a camping trip nearly six years ago and weighed nearly 280 pounds.

Today I still drink Spark every day. But I weigh 206 pounds! Its been a very slow and steady process for me, but I am well on my way to being below 200 pounds, something I haven’t seen since age 22 or thereabouts. I thank God every day, that for myself and my children I can now get up off the couch and do something with myself. And for myself. I thank AdvoCare for the products. And I thank my friends and customers for the support. A body is truly a terrible thing to waste. I really, really hope that you will share my AdvoCare story with anyone you know who is struggling. I want to be a difference maker. I want to help.

http://www.we-build-champions.net

http://www.AdvoCare.com/05063233

If you dream of being a difference maker, too, check out http://www.we-build-champions.info

Shannan Hearne

http://www.SuccessPromotions.com

http://www.AdvoCare.com/05063233

 

Meet Rosa – http://www.successpromotions.com/Rosa.html

Visit the Women in Business Mall at http://www.WIBmall.com

 

“LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS … IT’S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN.”

Got Arm Flab?

Got arm flab?

Know someone who does?

Some women I know with a healthy sense of humor refer to it as “their wings” because their arm flab flaps when they walk or jog.

It’s time to get rid of your wings ladies…

… and guys, listen up:  You are not immune to arm flab. Even if your don’t have any, the tips I’m about to give will help you build stronger arms.

Before I go any further, I have to tell you about Marty Web.

Marty looked like … well, your typical 59-year-old housewife. Actually she looked a bit worse.

She was a good 80 pounds over her ideal bodyweight. And she had her wings…

… big time wings. Loads of arm flab.

That was at age 59.

At age 61… wow. Different story.

Marty transformed her body to such a degree that even I could have never guessed she was an OUNCE overweight!

Her story and 52 others just like her, male and female, are in my first book — and my best-seller Fit Over 40.

I’d like you to read more about it here –

http://www.fitover40.com/aff/shannan0 <— cure for arm flab

Marty replaced her “wings” with toned, beautiful arms. And you can too.

She has two pages in Fit Over 40… too much to cover in an email… but here’s the basics to get you started:

1. You have to get your nutrition down pat. Most people think that the flab on their arms (or anywhere for that matter) can be solved by “turning it into muscle.”

This is not true folks. Fat does not turn into “anything”. It is used for energy. Period.

Muscle is muscle. Fat is fat.

You must use low-insulin nutrition like I recommend in all my books, including Fit Over 40, to lower your bodyfat. For ladies, the back-of-the-arm bodyfat is often the last bit to go.

But I promise — it will go. I can go for anyone. Marty Web and dozens of other ladies in Fit Over 40 prove that in living color… and they share how they did it.

Low-insulin nutrition means eating more protein-rich foods, foods that are not processed, and plenty of tasty veggies. But it does not mean you cannot have your pizza and burgers here and there. I do every week and my bodyfat is low.

2. You must train your triceps. The back of the arm is made of three muscles called the “triceps”. You have a long head, a medial head and a lateral head that form the triceps muscle group.

If you cannot access a gym, you can do plain-old pushups to work all three heads of the triceps. Here’s a few tips. First, if you cannot do a pushup with your legs straight, start by doing them on your knees. Work up to straight-legged pushups.

Second, do one third of your reps with your hands facing away from your body, one third with your hands facing toward your body (fingers pointing toward you) and the final third with your hands in the “normal” pushup position, facing the same direction as your body. This will work the various heads nicely.

If you have access to a gym, see the exercises for the triceps found in my book Fit Over 40:

http://www.fitover40.com/aff/shannan0  <— say good-bye to arm flab

3. Finally, you have to have a role model. Find someone like Marty who has lost their wings and use their success to inspire you.

Put these three things together and you too will be “grounded” — wingless, but with a lovely pair of arms that never jiggle and look fantastic.

5 Tips for New Year’s Fitness

 It’s that time of year again and many people are attempting to get on the fitness bandwagon.  Honestly, I’ve never truly understood the whole fitness resolution thing.  Maybe it’s guilt from all the parties, lack of activity or just plain old weight gain from the last month to month and a half.  The purpose of this article is to get you thinking about fitness as more of a permanent change.  Otherwise, the gains you’ve made, if any, will all go away once you stop and you’ll end up more disheveled.  To get you going, here are my 5 steps to New Year’s success:

The Big 5

1.  Start Gradual – This doesn’t mean only going once or twice a month, but it definitely doesn’t mean training every day.  This will inevitably lead to burnout and progress probably won’t come as quickly as you might think.  I know, I know, you’ve been watching The Biggest Loser on TV.  My feeling is those people are put into an abnormal situation and a large percentage will probably go back to where they started before or worse.  I still can’t believe they haven’t had a contestant hospitalized with some of the methods they use (the hate mail begins).

2.  Cover All Your Bases – Along those same lines, you must address every area of importance as it relates to your health and fitness goal(s).  This means addressing your weight training needs, cardiovascular (ESD) training and nutrition.  Many people that have made exercising a habit have only part of this equation.  This is the big reason why they’ve stagnated.  Get started with the right formula and you’ll be better off.

3.  Get Support – Not everyone can achieve his/her goals without having a good support structure.  This means having a supportive spouse, friend, colleague, etc. to help you along the way.  By the way, this doesn’t necessarily mean they give you advice on what to do – leave that to the Professionals.

4.  Be Consistent – Without doing anything with some kind of consistency, you’ll only get so far.  This is absolutely true with fitness.  We call it the SAID (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) principle.  If you don’t weight train regularly, for example, your body has no excuse to keep what you’ve worked so hard to produce. 

5.  Get Help – This could be hiring a Personal Trainer, going to group fitness classes, bootcamps etc.  Having a professional to help you along the way has been shown to produce faster results and improve compliance.  Some research has shown a 30% increase in effort just by hiring a Coach – typically means faster results.  By the way, this was just having someone there to supervise the workout and not actually coach.  Imagine the type of progress with someone who coached you up and had great program design skills.

Conclusion

I hope this helps you get started on the right track to better health and performance.  Most New Year’s Resolution people quite shortly after starting and I don’t want that to be you.  Make fitness a permanent lifestyle change and you’ll continue to see the rewards. 

Remember, you can always trust http://www.AdvoCare.com/05063233 to offer the best in products for your health and fitness.

July Product Spotlight – Muscle Gain

https://www.advocare.com/05063233/Office/Incentives/Spotlight/muscleGain/default.aspx

 

With Muscle Gain, you get a superior source of high-grade protein without excessive calories, fats or carbohydrates.

What is Muscle Gain?
Muscle Gain is a great-tasting protein shake available in Vanilla and Chocolate. It provides a metabolically balanced protein blend to feed your muscles the amino acids and other components that are paramount to muscle building.

Why Muscle Gain?
Muscle Gain offers 25 grams of high-grade hydrolyzed protein with only 135 calories. It also includes digestive enzymes (papin and bromelain) that help facilitate protein digestion. Not only are you getting a product with superior protein to support lean muscle, you also receive the components to help your body appreciate this product at an optimal level.

Who needs Muscle Gain?
• Anyone wanting to add lean muscle
• Anyone looking for a good source of protein without excessive calories
• People needing to consume protein through supplementation
• Athletes looking to train with only high-quality protein supplementation

What are the benefits?
• Has 25 grams of high-grade, easily digestible protein per serving
• Offers nutritional support for increased muscle mass
• Enhances physical performance and endurance
• Supports enzyme production and muscle metabolic processes
• Helps maintain and restore energy supplies during and after physical activity
https://www.advocare.com/05063233/Office/Incentives/Spotlight/muscleGain/default.aspx Special offer!  Purchase 2 containers of muscle gain and get a third for just $10!

AdvoCare Muscle Fuel

AdvoCare® Muscle Fuel, Fruit Punch

• Energizes Muscles*
• Maximizes Workout*

AdvoCare® Muscle Fuel pre-workout drink mix is a powerful, one-of-a-kind performance product that helps energize your muscles and maximize your workout.* This patent-pending proprietary drink mix supports your muscle’s metabolism so that you can work out harder and longer.* You’ll feel the difference with the enhanced physical performance and endurance during your workout, and you’ll notice the effects from better recovery and muscle gain after your workout.* Let the unique formulation of L-carnitine, creatine, L-arginine, D-ribose and 20 other nutrients take your conditioning to the next level.*

10 Servings Per Carton
http://www.We-Build-Champions.net

Prevent Exercise Burnout With Isometrics

Any exercise program that requires you to sweat, strain, grunt, sweat and suffer on a regular basis for an un-proscribed length of time is going to lead to burnout, eventually, no matter how satisfying the results might be. Since isometric exercise doesn’t contain any of those elements, burnout isn’t a factor.

There are those who are addicted to gym workouts as surely as any poor unfortunate soul may be addicted to drugs, and they’d be utterly bewildered by any talk of “burnout.” But for the normal, every day, regular exerciser, failing motivation, sagging interest and deteriorating enthusiasm is a real factor; that kind of burnout is a definite probability and a real danger to the ongoing success of any fitness program.

How many gazillion flights can anyone climb on stair-climber … how many thousands of miles can they walk on a treadmill or ride on a stationery bicycle … before a very strong “I am so over this!” factor kicks in? From the moment such a thought surfaces, that person’s entire fitness program is in grave danger and almost certainly will be abandoned before too much longer.

And who can blame them? Maybe, after driving themselves mercilessly for many months, they got the physical look they wanted and lost the weight they’d hoped to lose … but those results came from exercises that endlessly tortured their bodies … left them sweaty, exhausted and in pain … infringed upon their social and family life by demanding endless hours in a gym … and packed a pretty solid wallop to their bank account, what with the cost of gym membership and the purchase of special workout clothes.

That kind of burnout is never experienced with isometric exercise. And that’s especially true if you are working out to the guidance of an isometric training DVD, in the no-extra-cost comfort and privacy of your own home.

The exercises you’ll learn from an isometrics training DVD aren’t the kind that wear you out and leave you enervated, exhausted or in pain. To the contrary, when you’re finished with an isometrics workout you feel vigorous, energetic and ready to take on whatever comes your way. Results are obvious really quickly, too.

Each isometric exercise takes only ten short minutes a day, and you can perform them as you go about your regular routine. You can strengthen your abdominal muscles while answering the phone … you can target your arm muscles while watching TV … you can firm up the muscles in your buttocks while sitting at a desk. Do as many or as few a day as you feel like doing. Do them at any time of the day or night, while you are doing just about anything else. Dress however you feel like dressing (or need to be dressed, if you’re incorporating the exercises into your office workday).

Without the expense – both in terms of money and of time – of a gym membership … without the strain and pain of strenuous, tortuous special-equipment exercises … without feeling ragged, worn out and miserable after each workout, burnout is one thing you won’t have to worry about with an isometrics program as you stay fit, trim and vigorous for the rest of your life.

Owner of IsoBreathing Inc. and creator of IsoBreathing? Ellen has been teaching life style and fitness over 20 years and is a certified fitness practitioner and personal trainer. Find out about Isometric Exercise, Weight Loss Exercise or buy her Exercise DVD – visit http://www.isobreathing.com.

Weight Loss Walking

Of all the exercise programs, walking is perhaps the simplest and cheapest. Walking can also be one of the most effective exercise programs because walking is an exercise that many of us enjoy and will actually take time out of our busy days to do.

Walking results in the same benefits of many other types of physical exercise: It helps strengthen the heart and lungs, improves circulation, increases your confidence, reduces the risk of certain diseases, strengthens the bones, improves muscle tone, and just generally brightens your mood.

Walking works for weight loss, but you will need to make sure you are walking long enough (or fast enough) to burn some calories.

When you are just starting your walking regimen, many experts recommend focusing on distance before you focus on speed. If you get too caught up on your intensity, you may burn out before you have established your walking routine on a daily basis.

You can burn roughly the same number of calories with a short, fast walk as with a long, slower walk. The biggest factor in your overall success will be your consistency. Make sure that you choose the right combination of pace and intensity that keeps the exercise fun for you. There will be some days that you want to take a long stroll. Others, you may want to power walk, burn some energy, and really get your heart pumping.

Most walking fitness experts recommend that you have some sort of activity each day. You can alternate your sessions of higher intensity power walking with lower intensity workouts. Just make sure you are getting out there at least 5 days a week, for 30 to 60 minutes at a time.

If you find it difficult to walk for 30 minutes when you are just starting out, start small and work your way up. It will not take long before you are walking for longer distances, especially if you make a goal to walk nearly every day.

For maximum health benefits, you will also want to make sure that you are walking fast enough to increase your heart rate. Fitness experts say that, for weight loss, you need to be walking for 30 to 60 minutes at 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. Of course, you will need to stretch first and walk slowly for five minutes before and after the workout.

You can also try interval training, in which you walk quickly for a few minutes, and then slow it down for a few minutes. Alternating between higher and lower intensity periods throughout your workout can get your heart pumping and help you to quickly build physical endurance.

Once you have established your walking routine, you can burn even more calories by choosing a route with challenging hills or by strapping small weights to your wrists or ankles. There are also several techniques that will help you build muscle tone as you walk. Concentrate on keeping a good posture, for example, flex your leg muscles and hold in your stomach. Focusing on good walking techniques such as these can help you maximize the time you spend in your walking shoes.

Make it Fun

Here are few ideas to help you make walking a fun adventure that you will look forward to each day:

Make sure you are comfortable and hydrated. Invest in a good pair of walking shoes, which will increase your comfort and reduce your risk of injury. And drink water before, during, and after your walking workout.

Search out new walking or hiking trails in your town or county.

Check out books on tape from the library or download an mp3 to enjoy on your headphones while you are walking.

Schedule your walk like any other event in your busy day. Put it on your calendar and regard it as an important appointment.

Find a friend to be your walking partner. Your friend will hold you accountable and may make the miles seem to pass more quickly. Sometimes, when we get very busy, our friendships can become neglected. When you walk with a friend, you carve out time for physical fitness and your friendship.

If you have small children, take them out in the stroller. Older kids can walk alongside you. My young son likes to ride his bike alongside me.

Take a dog. When I take my dog along, I feel as though I am doing something constructive with my time. If you do not have a dog, see if there is an animal shelter in your area that needs volunteer dog walkers. This is a great way to serve a greater purpose and get in your daily walk at the same time.

Stay Safe

Here are a few considerations to help you stay safe during your daily walks.

Walking with a friend (or even a dog) is safer than walking alone.

Tell someone when you are leaving, where you are going, and when you expect to return.

Do not bring valuables with you on your walk.

Vary your route.

Stay in well lit, busy areas.

Stay alert. Keep your headphones on a low setting so you can still hear what is going on around you.

A walking routine is a great way to enjoy all the benefits of regular physical exercise. Enjoy creating an exercise program that will be part of your life for a long time to come.

Note: The tips in this article are for general information only. Before starting any exercise routine, you should consult with your doctor.

Copyright 2007 Jamie Jefferson
Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com http://www.momscape.com and Susies-Coupons.com http://www.susies-coupons.com where you will find hand selected online coupons and products, including online coupons for shoes: http://www.momscape.com/coupon-codes/shoes.htm

AdvoCare Products on the Golf Course

With Spring upon us, many of us will spend our weekends hitting the links at a nearby golf course. So while you’re cleaning your spikes and hitting the range, don’t forget about taking a few nutritional steps toward a better game. Here are some key AdvoCare products to have on-hand while you’re aiming for the fairways.At the course:

Proper nutritional preparation starting a couple hours before you tee off can be a big help. See the AdvoCare Performance Elite Timeline for tips on that. But once you’re at the course, there are a few key products that can help you play your best:

• Before you tee off: Slam your favorite flavor of SPARK Energy Drink about 15 minutes before you dig in at the first tee box. You’ll obviously need the energy for your round, but the neuroactives actually help support your focus. And we all know golf is a mental sport.
• Watch out for the sun: Protect your face with Daily Protective Moisturizer with SPF 15. It’s not greasy like most sunblocks, and it will definitely do the trick.
• Stay hydrated: As Spring turns into Summer, the heat will take its toll. Have several packets of Rehydrate ready and shake it up in a bottled water.
• Gear up for the Back 9: Once your half-way through with your round, you might start feeling it a little in your muscles. Down a Muscle Fuel as you step up to the 10th hole and give your muscles the fuel they need to stay on top for the whole game.*
• Lunch, anyone?: 18 holes can take a little while to get through, and the cart girl doesn’t always have the most nutritious options for a good lunch. Keep a few AdvoCare bars on-hand to chew on during the day, such as the Fruit & Fiber Bar or a Meal Replacement Bar. The protein and balanced calories will do just the trick.
• Finish Strong: After sinking your last putt on the 18th, quickly chug down a Post-Workout Recovery shake. It’s unique formula helps enhance the muscle recovery process.

At home that night:
Many of us pay for a day at the golf course later that night. The aches and pains in our back, shoulders and legs can sometimes be more than we bargained for. Here are a few products that might help lighten the load:

• Sore back and shoulders: Rub a little SootheX on your back before going to bed. It’ll do wonders for pain relief . . . just be sure to wash your hands after using it.
• Blisters: It’s hard to make it through a full round without a blister or two. Many people use Vitamin C Reparative to help enhance the healing process of your skin.
• Ultimate recovery: Before you go to sleep, don’t forget your Nighttime Recovery. Your body’s natural recovery process is at its peak while you sleep, and this product helps make the most of that process.

Got tips and tricks on how you use AdvoCare products while hitting the links? Share them with us in the comments section below.

Top 20 Benefits of Exercise

  Top 20 Benefits of Exercise

1. Elevates your metabolism so that you burn more calories everyday.

2. Increases your aerobic capacity (fitness level). This gives you the ability to go through your day with less relative energy expenditure. This enables a “fit” person to have more energy at the end of the day and to get more accomplished during the day with less fatigue.

3. Maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscle. Exercise also increases your muscular endurance.

4. Decreases your blood pressure.

5. Increases the oxidation (breakdown and use) of fat.

6. Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.

7. Makes the heart a more efficient pump by increasing stroke volume.

8. Increases hemoglobin concentration in your blood. Hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

9. Decreases the tendency of the blood to clot in the blood vessels. This is important because small clots traveling in the blood are often the cause of heart attacks and strokes.

10. Increases the strength of the bones.

11. Causes the development of new blood vessels in the heart and other muscles.

12. Enlarges the arteries that supply blood to the heart.

13. Decreases blood levels of triglycerides (fat).

14. Improves control of blood sugar.

15. Improves sleep patterns.

16. Increases the efficiency of the digestive system which may reduce the incidence of colon cancer.

17. Increases the thickness of cartilage in joints which has a protective effect on the joints.

18. Decreases a woman’s risk of developing endometriosis by 50%.

19. Increases the amount of blood that flows to the skin making it look and feel healthier.

20. Exercise, in addition to all the physiological and anatomical benefits, just makes you feel GREAT!

Author and exercise Physiologist, Greg Landry, offers free weight loss success stories and articles, and unique weight loss programs at his site.. http://www.greglandryfitness.com
Thank You Greg Landry!

The Importance of Warming Up Before Exercising

To get that flat tummy and 6 pack abs you are pursuing, you will need to implement proper warm up and muscle stretching.
 
 Important: Please consult your doctor before doing any fitness routine, especially if you have heart, high blood pressure, lung conditions etc.
 
 A gradual warm up is very important before any exercise routine. We should not confuse warm up with stretching.
 
 The difference between warming up and stretching?
 
 Warm up – increases your heart rate and it brings blood to and increases your tissue temperature. When your tissues are warmed up, you can then do stretching. It will be more effectively and safely.
 
 Stretching – Helps to loosen the joints and helps with flexibility and strength. It is important to warm up and then stretch before exercising and can help prevent injuries. It will also reduce muscle soreness.
 
 Safety Tips
 
 * It is import to always make sure that your body is properly warmed up before you participate with any exercise or strenuous activity.
 * If you encounter any discomfort or pain rather consult a medical practitioner.
 * It is a good idea to stretch at the end of your warm-up and after you are finished exercising, to help prevent stiff and sore muscles.
 * Avoid stretching of cold muscle(s), since it can lead to injuries.
 * Proper posture is always good to have. A awkward back angle or position can cause discomfort.
 * Drink water to avoid dehydration.
 
 How to warm up:
 
 Gradually increasing your heart rate, body temperature and breathing rate. When your body is warmed up you will begin to feel warm and start to sweat. Start the warm up lightly and gradually increase the intensity.
 
 Your joints also need to be warmed up. Try jumps, knee lifts, squats, trunk rotations, bending, arm circles and side steps.
 
 Warm up for approximately 10 min.
 
 How to stretch:
 
 * A stretch should be done after a warm up, because the muscles will still be cold.
 * Focus on the muscles that you will be using.
 
 Stretch for approximately 5 min.
 
 After you have done a proper warm up and stretching routine you can now start training the muscles you want to focus on. In our case it will be the abdominal muscles.
 
 As we can see that proper warm up and stretching are important, to get a sexy flat stomach and six pack abs.