I received the machine 2 weeks ago and was excited to put it together immediately and do a workout. Fortunately, there is a DVD that accompanies the machine that shows some different ways to optimize your workout and use more muscle groups. I recommend a fitness coach or trainer, or in this case, coaching through dvd, to anyone starting a fitness program to minimize injury and get the best results.

To start, I used the lowest incline and completed just 10 reps of each sequence for a total workout of about 4 minutes. Outside of a little soreness in the inner thigh, I didn’t feel much the next day, so added 5 more reps and then 5 more the next day. I’ve been doing those 20 reps through each exercise sequence since and my workout is about 8-10 minutes. After 8 days of using the Ab Circle Pro™ I’m definitely feeling muscle soreness. I took my weight and measurements, so will share after 2 weeks any results I’m getting.

I like the Ab Circle Pro™ for the following benefits:

• Lightweight, compact machine that is easy to set up and store (would easily slip under the bed or against a closet wall)
• Can be used at any fitness level
• Works multiple muscle groups, including biceps, triceps, pectorals, lats, a variety of abdominal muscles, the butt, hips, and inner and outer thighs. Because you rest on your knees during the workout, the lower parts of the leg are not as affected.
• Provides a low impact aerobic benefit, which I assume increases as the incline increases.
• Workout time is short, intense and great for those who are time challenged.
• At less than $200 is an affordable alternative to a gym or more complex machine
• It’s fun. I found myself wanting to get on it rather than fighting the exercise.
• You can do it in the privacy of your own home on your own schedule.

I’m looking forward to seeing some inches come off the waistline, hips, and thighs and would recommend this as an option for those who want a quick targeted workout that focuses on abdominal fat. If you’re looking for some ways to get a weight loss and/or fitness program started, I’m available for a consult. Simply fill out the form or set up an appointment online and let’s get started.

Meanwhile stay tuned as I keep you updated on my personal 90 day Chick Challenge progress. By combining smart, healthy eating with the weight loss patch and daily activity, I’m maximizing my results even with my physical limitations.

It’s probably been a part of your diet all your life. It’s found in everyday foods like potatoes, grains, and legumes, but recent studies show an increase in resistance when these foods are eaten cooled.

How does it work? Well, to start these foods bypass the stomach and resist digestion in the small intestine, thereby helping to prevent the uptake of starch into the bloodstream. The claim is that it does wonders to control blood sugar levels, which in turn, helps to prevent the storage of fat into cells. However, in many of the foods only about 5% of the starch is resistant, so you have to be careful about this claim.

These foods also contain high levels of fiber that fill you up and reduce the appetite. In fact, animal studies have shown that resistant starches actually trigger a hormone response to shut off hunger. It appears that you don’t get those benefits from eating other sources of fiber.

Last, but certainly not least, the claim is that resistant starches have been shown to up the body’s ability to burn calories. Because these starches don’t digest completely in the small intestine, they end up fermenting in the large intestine, which releases fatty acids that prevent the body from burning carbohydrates for fuel. Without carbohydrates for fuel, the liver begins burning both stored fat and recently consumed fat for energy.

Since not all the starch in these foods is resistant, what about the potential 95% of starch that isn’t? Well, now is the time to issue a bit of a warning. We can’t always believe everything researchers claim. Research can be skewed, based on the funding and agenda of those doing the research. Always do your own due diligence in determining the course you will take to lose weight. The one thing proven to work for the long term is a healthy balance of lean protein, low glycemic carbohydrates, and healthy fats, mixed with controlled eating and consistent exercise.

Some of the foods researched, like potatoes and white rice, have been avoided by those desiring to lose weight because they tend to raise blood sugar when eaten cooked. The research on glycemic indexing and glyemic loading has been in place for years and appears to be sound. Rather than look at these foods as the basis for adding more carbohydrates to your diet, you might want to look at what percentage of the resistant starches each recommended food has, and make your food choices based on those that will resist the most and benefit you in other ways, as well.

Before you jump up and bake a potato, let me suggest to you some of the best ways to add resistant starch to your daily diet.

• First, eating it cooled is important. It is the cooled starches that have been shown to be most resistant.
• It’s always important to maintain the proper balance of lean protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fat each time you eat. Simply replacing some of the other starches with resistant starches may be okay, but adding them to what you already eat does nothing more than raise your caloric intake and probably your glucose levels, too, which I guarantee will cause weight gain, not weight loss.
• Of all the resistant starches recommend by researchers, legumes have the most resistant starches that actually reach the colon. Legumes are also among the highest in fiber and contain a high level of protein, making them a great source of all three nutrients. Make beans, lentils and peas part of your balanced diet for weight loss.
• If you’re going to bake, do it with a resistant starch powder made from corn called Hi-maize. It can replace ¼ of the traditional flour you would use in a recipe. You might want to look for products that have been fortified with Hi-maize, as well. Not only will you be getting higher levels of resistant starches, and more fiber in your diet, Hi-maize has less calories, too.

In the quest to determine causes and find solutions to obesity, researchers will come up with many theories and studies that will certainly create more confusion about what to eat and not to eat. You will always find conflicting views on just about everything, including resistant starch.

Dieters, in their desperation to get results, will follow just about anything that comes along with the hopes that it will work. Be smart, create a realistic plan that is balanced and can be adhered to over time, and stick to what you know works for you. That may require mixing things up a bit, trying new things, and testing your results.

Remember, the proven way to getting and staying lean and fabulous for life is to eat the right kind of foods in the proper amounts and increase your amount and variety of activity. There is a lot that can be added to that, but it’s a great place to start!

You’ve probably heard of the BMI, body mass index, that measures how much body fat versus lean muscle and bone density your body is made up of. It’s called body composition and it’s vital to weight and fat loss success. It also determines the amount of calories we need in a given day since muscle burns more calories and raises metabolism.

There are several ways to measure your body composition, but among the best is a bio-electrical impedance body fat scale. If you’re on a budget many of the current scales have a Bioelectric Impedance Analyzer, two built-in footpad electrodes on the base of the scale that the person stands on. Just as a note: Be sure you’re hydrated when using the scale as dehydration will show up as more fat, and don’t use if you have a Pacemaker.

When starting on a weight/fat loss and fitness plan it is important to figure out what your body composition is so you can set realistic goals. The suggested healthy, body fat percentage for men and women vary so take note:

For Women:

Ages 18 to 39 21% to 33%

Ages 40 to 59 23% to 34%

Ages 60 to 99 24% to 36%

For Men:

Ages 18 to 39 8% to 20%

Ages 40 to 59 11% to 22%

Ages 60 to 99 13% to 25%

I also recommend taking body measurements top to bottom, so you can track fat and inches lost versus weight loss. Try to step on the scale monthly instead of weekly or daily. Since lean muscle is denser and weighs more than fat, the scale will not be an accurate measurement of success.

To increase both your lean muscle and bone density add fitness to your plan. Weight bearing exercises, like resistance training, consistent walking, weights, and cross training will get you to your goals faster and smarter. You’ll be stronger, leaner, more toned, and healthier if body composition is your focus rather than losing weight. So, eat to flush fat and save your muscles from the menu!

I agreed to go support her in her new endeavor and found myself on the floor learning new steps my very first night. I’ve been back four times since. In fact, I spent an hour one of the nights learning a completely new dance and found that it was very much like an hour of aerobic exercise…but way more fun! And the dance floor was packed!

So, I did a little mingling and socializing and found several of the gals were losing a significant amount of weight line dancing. One lost over 75 pounds shakin’that booty and kickin’ those legs. She’s having fun, it’s her social time, and she’s confident she’ll dance away the other 75 pounds she desires to lose, as well.

It’s an ideal place for boomers to be active while having fun. There were people there from 21 to their 80’s. And line dancing allows both couples and singles to enjoy themselves, since a partner isn’t required. Even during couples dancing, singles were line dancing, too. The men and women were enjoying themselves, staying active, and it didn’t feel like they were there for a “catch”. I found it to be a comfortable and relaxed environment.

Now, I do have to warn you that if you drink beer or alcohol while dancing the night away, the chances of losing weight go down, so commit to staying on the dance floor as much as possible and rehydrate with water instead.

If exercising has become boring, you struggle with discipline, or are simply looking for some new ways to add activity to your lifestyle, why not try line dancing? Just get a few friends to join you and go have fun while burning those calories. Believe me, it doesn’t feel like exercise at all! And the country music…well it’s growing on me.