Day 16 : How are the Four Fat Burning Babes doing in Week Two?

Aloha, everybody! Today we have our Kick Fat in the Ass Spring challenge ninjettes' journal entries.

These inspiring women are now past the two-week mark and it's been a joy to watch how strong they've become in every facet of their lives. Moreover, the way they support each other in our private forum inspires me in my daily journey towards optimal performance and health.

A few housekeeping notes:

• Connie M. began a ten-day carb depletion reset after her anniversary vacation to Cancun (see her entry below).

• Susan G. is also going on a mini-vacation as of today so I have her on a de-load week and predict she will come back to even greater strength gains and fat burning after allowing her body a chance to rest and recover. Allowing for this recuperation is going to give her a great rebound by allowing for optimal restoration and hormonal homeostasis. Another thing I had Susan do is increase her volume during her lift yesterday (reps, sets, intensity) before commencing the deload.

• As almost all of us have heartburn over what to do about alcohol. It has the potential to be a downfall and seductive temptress. I freely admit I know this firsthand. Frequent alcohol consumption sets back hard-earned gains, creates poor judgment when it comes to nutrition (and other actions) and derails performance for the days following. And, unfortunately for women, it increases estrogen levels.

• Of course, it's a personal decision. We all have different relationships with alcohol. For more on the effects of alcohol on fat burning, fitness/performance, and women's hormones, read page 17 of No Fail Fat Burning For Women: Get the weight loss edge for your optimal physique .

• COMING UP THIS SUNDAY: Kim K. and R.N. will be doing updated body measurements only on the morning of their carb re-feed this Sunday. While it's difficult and expensive to routinely get an accurate body fat test like hydrostatic or DEXA, measuring body parts (especially around the belly) is a great indicator of progress as opposed to the f-ing scale. Doing it when glycogen depleted (not bloated with water weight) is going to give them an accurate reading.

Now, here's our Four Fat Burning Babes in their own words....

R.N.

Michelle's note: Check back in a few days for R.N. and Kim K's new measurements before their carb re-feeds on Sunday

R.N.

R.N.: Week Number Two. I'm still holding on to to my experiences and realizations from last week. I'm going strong and feeling good.

The only off day was my first carb re-feed on Sunday. I enjoyed every bit of my sweet potatoes and white rice but felt awfully tired. I am not sure if it was the carbs or that I didn't sleep well the night before.

(Michelle's note: the serotonin release makes many people sleepy after a re-feed. Most people get a very deep, quality sleep the night of their re-feeds).

But not to worry, Monday morning I had a cup of butter coffee and I was back to feeling good.
This week's realizations:

1) I am grateful for this journey

2) I like salad. Previously, I would hate having a salad because I would always be using "diet" dressing but now I am using real dressing with olive oil. It tastes great!!

3) I can eat avocados. Previously, I would only eat a small piece at a time and an avocado would last almost a week but now I eat whole avocado at lunch.

4) I enjoy my food. Previously, the food was always bland because I was dieting but not anymore. The fats I used to avoid now add substance and flavor. I have not had mayo in years because that used to be a "forbidden" food but last week I had chicken salad with mayo that I made. There's no reason to avoid it anymore.

I'm excited to see what this week brings. I'm starting a new, heavier lifting workout this week as Michelle feels I'm ready. I'll report back next week on how that's going.

---

Connie M.

Connie M.

(Michelle's note: Connie began a ten-day carb depletion reset yesterday) Heeeeeere's Connie!

The Good
The Mayan Riviera is a beautiful place to spend a 13th wedding anniversary, especially when the 'rents are with the kiddos and the trip is on the company because I beat my sales quota last year. We spent two nights in a cute rental cottage on an amazing snorkeling beach plus three nights at an all-inclusive adult-only resort.

Since this is a post about health, I'll add that I was able to make a few good choices about what I put between my lips:

• drank *significantly* less alcohol than I would've otherwise;
• managed to keep up the butter coffee in the mornings & supplements throughout;
• made choices better-than-I-would-have-otherwise at the buffet line and restaurants -- ceviche & avocado are amazing here;
• was only once hungry before 1-2pm, so ate a fried egg; which we noticed had a nice deep yellow yolk...perhaps Mexican chickens are pastured?
• drinking enough water (though the little plastic bottles make me cringe for the wastefulness).

I haven't lifted anything heavier than a carry-on suitcase, but I've been pretty active with swimming/bodysurfing, snorkeling, volleyball, ziplining, sightseeing and the difficult task of snoozing under an umbrella on the beach.

The Bad
I fell off the No Fail Fat Burning for Women wagon pretty hard. Think I just need to reset and start over. It was that bad. I have downed:

• 6-7 alcoholic drinks & 3 'Nada-Coladas' during cocktail parties -- I still struggle to nurse just one, or avoid the odd stares and 'are you pregnant?' questions asked of non-drinkers at work events... my colleagues party pretty hard;
• white bread (that was dumb);
• fried fish tacos on the beach (amazing);
• mystery sauces (bbq?) that definitely had sugary sweeteners;
• queso in at least two meals (for which I've broken out with the obligatory pimples, serves me right!)
• desserts three nights;
• fruit (for which I'm not going to apologize - fresh papaya, watermelon and bananas taste GOOD when eaten while wearing a wide-brimmed hat in earshot of waves).

Interestingly, I thought I did pretty well given the siren-song of the fried crap I was presented with; still if I'd had more willpower I could have avoided 99% of the crap shown above. I didn't; and already it shows.

I haven't meditated but I think being in the water helps me stay present.

The Ugly

Man are we, collectively, FAT! I'm not talking a cute little muffin top or dimply thighs, but majority of others full-on waddling to the 3rd serving of fried food in the buffet line. Lest you think it's just Gringos, the vast majority of local women > 30 were also obese. Exceptions exist, but fried jalapeños & dulce de leche sure don't help.

I think of my parents, both 70, neither of whom can walk 100 yards without 2 stops to sit down and catch their breath. It's depressing, really. I don't like all-inclusive buffets because I fall into the same bad-choices traps, and wouldn't do this again but for someone else paying. And, I miss my kids!
Oh yes - this is supposed to be about my health, not judging others:

• My first day I wore SPF 85 but forgot to reapply so have a nasty sunburn on my back - you'd think @ 40 I'd have learned by now...(cue the rashguard).
• I've had some time to think about the mental exercises / EFT / meditation -- I have some deeper issues I need to address than just my dress size and inability to do a proper pullup. Frankly I'm damned lucky to have what I have and more gratitude could go a long way.
• Montezuma's revenge has hit me mildly - I'm not hurling but woke this morning bloated & have definitely needed to stay close to 'El Baño' all day. At least I'm now firmly back on the NFFBFW wagon - belly will improve faster I know. And, drinking enough water takes on a new urgency when it goes right through ya!

I'm headed back to SF tomorrow and need to schedule lifting.

---

Susan G.

Susan G.

4/15/15
I was generally feeling pretty good. I was feeling really good, actually. Maybe I was hungrier than the week before but I listened and responded with more fat. I am definitely less bloated after my second refeed.

I can totally tell a difference in my body with the increased intensity of the strength training I’m doing. I love my new pull up bar for the house so that I can do the neural activation exercises Michelle has us doing first thing in the morning. 

I’m excited for my trip and vacation. I think I can handle the food situation as I’m bringing butter, coconut chips (won't eat during intermittent fasting), and cocoa butter for eating before I head out. Fresh fish will be easily available. 

I am definitely worried about drinking with the group of idiots I’ve got going. Usually, I’m one of the idiots but I’ll just “fake” drink like I’ve been doing for the past few months. It’ll be tough, no doubt. I just don’t want to mess up the progress I’ve made since April 1st. I can do anything, I know that, but it won’t be without challenge. 

---

Kim K.

Kim K.

(Michelle's note: check back in a few days for R.N. and Kim K's new measurements before their carb re-feeds on Sunday)

Two weeks into the Challenge (and six weeks No Fail Fat Burning for Women total for me). I am still trucking along according to my protocol.

The routine has become second nature for me now. I'm finding most of the time I really am not hungry at all. In fact a few days it's been 3:00p.m. and I realize I haven't broken my fast for the day.

Most days I eat two small meals. I feel completely satisfied and fine energy-wise. My workouts are completed without issue according to my protocol. Honestly, the hardest part for me is making sure I get all my vitamins in and spaced out correctly and drinking a full gallon of water.

I would say that the biggest thing I've learned is that in the past, I ate 90% of the time because of routine/time of day. Not because of being hungry. I am learning to really listen to my body and only eat when I'm hungry. I eat small portions and eat again in a half hour or so if I'm still hungry. Most times I'm satisfied and don't need to eat again. 

I also know without a doubt that this plan works! It has been a slow but steady progress for me and I keep hoping to wake up 5 pounds down overnight, lol! However, I am happy about that because after each week completed I am making this more of a lifestyle commitment versus a fad or diet. I know I will ultimately get to my goals. 

I'm reading labels a lot more closely now and taking the time when shopping to make sure I'm buying the right things for my family. The few times I've eaten out I planned ahead and looked at the menu online to pick out what I was going to eat. I drank a few glasses of water before leaving the house. This helps me stay focused and resist any possible temptation. I have avoided chips at a Mexican restaurant, popcorn at the movies, and bread at the steak house by making this simple little change! 

---

Michelle here again. I really want to commend these women (and any of you doing the Kick Fat in the Ass Challenge at home). Their honesty, dedication, work ethic, and support for one another pumps me up every day.

Have any questions (or congratulations)? Comment below! 

We'll be back in a few days with R.N. and Kim K.'s measurement updates. I can't take the suspense.

Joey Wolfe

AND! Stay tuned for a special guest post from Joey Wolfe. Joey is the strength, performance and sports conditioning coach to elite professional athletes worldwide.... and a couple commoners like me. He also owns one of the most advanced training facilities on the Central Coast, Paradigm Sport.

Joey is going to answer a reader question about lifting for optimal performance, body composition and bodyfat loss in time for her wedding in two months. I'm interested to see what he has to say!

Remember: you're not a damsel in distress. You're the hero of your story.

Yours in resilience, strength and sticks of butter!
Much aloha,
Michelle

P.S. Follow us on Instagram: @No_Fail_Fat_Burning and @Cousin_Burly

How much of your body is really fat? | Sneak Peek Fat Loss Challenge Update

Aloha, Fat Burning Babes! It's Michelle here.

Real quick, check back tomorrow for a  Day 16 Kick Fat in the Ass Challenge update. Some interesting stuff going on with our participants. But, only for you,  here's a sneak peek of Kim K. who's down 13lbs and 25.1 inches as of this week:

Kim K says No Fail Fat Burning is "...the easiest plan to follow ever."

Congrats, Kim! Onto the show...

I know you're tired of me railing against the evil, awful, anti-Christ of a woman's sanity:

Scale weight.

If you want to understand why scale weight is as about as useful as tits on a fish, read this post. But sometimes the scale is all we have. No worries. We can hack that for a true fat loss number --- opposed to total weight of everything in your body.

 

Why small bodyfat % losses are huge

Shout out to our Fat Burnin' Babes overseas who click their way here, but most of you reading this are American. We like things BIG:

• Big Macs
• Big Boobs
• All about that bass
• Big drops in scale numbers.

For a lot of women who still don't get it, saying you lost five (5) scale pounds this week somehow sounds better psychologically than saying you lost 0.5% bodyfat.

Half a percent of bodyfat versus five total scale pounds. Remember that scale pounds are TOTAL weight of muscle, water, blood, bones, organs, tissue, skin, and then fat. Fat is only one of eight things measured in scale weight.

So, when your scale weight drops when you have a lot of fat to lose that's initially a good sign. But I also have plenty of clients whose scale weight stays the same yet they're rocking curves and shape in all the right places. All while losing inches, firming up and dropping percentages of bodyfat.

Why? Because of smart nutrient timing and sculpting themselves with that precious, oh-so-hard-to-earn lean muscle which weighs more than fat.  So, sometimes after an initial water weight loss and some fat, the scale number goes down then stays at a certain number. Yet you keep dropping pant sizes because of muscle gain and pure fat burn. I've experienced my scale weight increasing while my bodyfat decreases. In fact, two weeks ago a measurement showed my bodyfat dropped 1.5% while my scale weight increased a couple pounds. That's a great thing!

 

How do I know what my bodyfat weighs in pounds?

Let's say a woman (Fannie) weighs 157 lbs and is 40% bodyfat. 
To know how much of her is pure fat in pounds, we must first determine her lean body mass which is everything else in/on her body BUT fat.

It looks like this:

157lbs (body weight) - (157lbs x 40%bodyfat) = Her lean body mass is 94.2lbs.

This means Fannie is carrying 62.8lbs of pure fat. She wants to lessen this number and not the 94.2lbs lean mass number. If the lean mass number (94.2lbs) drops, it would probably mean Fannie's muscle wasting from bad nutrition, starvation dieting, calorie restriction, and chronic endurance cardio habits. You don't have to diet like that anymore, Fannie! Stop!

How do I know if I'm losing fat or muscle when I step on the scale?

Let's say our bestie sister-from-another-mister Fannie wants to use the No Fail Fat Burning for Women method to go from 40% bodyfat to 20% bodyfat... which, by the way, is completely safe, practical, achievable, and sustainable with the protocol.

If she can't consistently get a quality bodyfat test, we can determine how much she should  weigh on the scale to reach the desired 20% bodyfat while ensuring she's not also losing muscle. We want to preserve that precious muscle at all costs.

So if Fannie's total body weight is 157lbs, and her lean body mass is 94.2lbs, determining her ideal scale weight goal to achieve 20% bodyfat would be:

94.2lbs lean body mass  ÷ (1 - 0.20 bodyfat) = 117.75lbs

Fannie would ideally weigh about 118lbs to hit 20% bodyfat without wasting muscle. This means she must lose about 39 lbs of FAT if her total body weight -- including fat -- is currently 157lbs.

Make sense?

Be sure to check back tomorrow for a Kick Fat in the Ass Spring 2015 Challenge update! You can also follow No Fail Fat Burning on Instagram @No_Fail_Fat_Burning and Facebook!

Remember: you're not a damsel in distress. You're the hero of your story.

Yours in resilience, strength and sticks of butter,
Michelle

While You Were Sleeping...

Michelle Burleson at Paradigm Sport, Santa Cruz, California

Effort maker? Excuse maker? Which of these did you decide to be today?

Follow No Fail Fat Burning for Women on Instagram @No_Fail_Fat_Burning

Day 11 Fat Loss Challenge Update & 7 Super Fats for Fitness

Hello, fat burnin' babes worldwide! Hope this finds you in your best health.

It's Day 11 of the Kick Fat in the Ass Spring Challenge. 

We've got lots of updates and a journal entry from one of our Fat Burning Babes challenge participants.

20 mins for incredible shape

• This past week we had them focused on keeping net carbs below 30 grams. They posted their daily totals to our private page. Kim K., Susan G. and R.N. were all able to come in at or below 30g. Connie M. had starches and sugars a few nights and then left for vacation. Yesterday was to be her re-feed but we decided against as it would do nothing for her (and possibly backfire) since she isn't carb depleted. Her lifting routine is supposed to be once a week ala the Body by Science slow movement regimen. We figured this would be best with her free time being so limited. This method is incredibly powerful at 20 mins once every week-to-two-weeks. Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to schedule this yet. She has been reffing athletic events and getting in a tabata and Bar Method workout here and there.

• Connie and Susan G. both had their hydrostatic body fat testing done this week which is about as accurate a reading as you can get. Connie's came in 10% LOWER  than what those crappy scales read. I highly recommend getting this done if you want the true run down on your body composition. 

• 

  Connie M.

  For Connie to reach her bodyfat goals, she needs to lose 5% bodyfat. I'd venture 1.5-2% is doable for the remainder of the challenge if she sticks to the protocol as prescribed upon returning.

• For Susan, she needs to only lose about 1% more to reach her desired 18% bodyfat.  Totally doable. If you recall, Susan

  

  Susan G.

  lifts pretty heavy 3x week. She is on her second week of five-day carb depletion with a re-feed on Sunday. She's traveling next week so I also have her doing a de-load week. And, of course, taking charcoal before meals at restaurants. Connie is also going to be doing the charcoal while on vacation. It's nearly impossible to control gluten cross contamination and sketchy oils in most restaurants.

• Susan is all about the fine-tuning and is really coming to understand nutrient timing and its biochemical impact. I love her desire to learn and be open as I know this protocol is counter to everything that's been marketed to women.

• I also have Susan breaking her fast for tomorrow's re-feed a little later in the day. There's also a modification to the usual protein shake to optimize her insulin spike. See her journal entry below from Day 8.

• R.N. had the longest carb depletion of all at 12 days! She has her first carb re-feed tomorrow and I am so proud of her. She is all in for her well-being and nothing is going to get in this woman's way.

  

  R.N.

• I have R.N. doing a complete protein fast tomorrow for her re-feed. It's gonna be a starchy, farty bonanza at her house. Lookout.
• On our weekly call this past Thursday we went over re-feeds and what to expect. Of course, it's important to accept in our minds that we'll be bloated from the glycogen surge for up to three days. It's not fat. You can't gain fat overnight. Every 1g of glycogen holds 3g of water. That's why it's so important to get that gallon of water to help you flush out the bloat.
• You also get sleepy from the awesome serotonin release. 
• You then bounce back each week tighter, more sculpted and more fat-adapted. Lather, rinse, repeat til you reach your goals.

•  Kim K. had her first carb re-feed yesterday after crushing her ten day carb depletion! One

  

  Kim K. 10lbs and 23 inches in 5 weeks

  thing Kim, Susan and R.N. report is the lack of nagging hunger once you've become fat adapted. A lot of their questions are: I'm not hungry.... should I eat? The answer now is eat when you're hungry. Don't when you're not. Why? Because they are nourishing their bodies in a biologically appropriate way. Moreover, they're caring for themselves based on what their bodies are telling them... not some arbitrary thing they think they should be doing. As Kim K. wrote on our private group forum a few days ago:

  "I didn't have any carbs today. I wasn't hungry until 3:30 and I made bacon and fried an egg in the bacon grease. I planned to eat again but really am fine. Am I better off not eating again or should I make a veggie with butter to get some carbs in?"

• High energy, steady hormones, no more nagging hunger. It's a great thing.

• Beginning today I have Kim K on a heavier lifting routine as I believe she's healthy and committed enough to take this transformation as far as she wants to go. 

• Kim K. even started a blog detailing her fitness journey and protocol-approved recipes. Check it out! I think she should write a No Fail Fat Burning cookbook.

 

Why 30g Net Carbs or Less?

Net Carbs vs Total Carbs

Although the No Fail Fat Burning for Women protocol requires no calorie counting, measuring, etc, I had them focused on <30g net carbs/day this week. The number is relatively general. Depending on activity level, sleep, menstrual cycle, stress, this number will fluctuate. I explained that who we are from a cellular level today is not who we'll be tomorrow. Our bodies are dynamic and ever-changing. This is why learning to listen to it is SO, SO, SO important to their success. A lot of times we do hear our bodies and ignore them anyway because we feel like we have to adhere to something arbitrary and external.... like calorie counts. Barf. Whatever.

Some people can have >30g of carbs and still strip fat from their frames while preserving that precious lean mass. What I wanted them to learn this week was what a ballpark 30g looks like in their daily nutrition. You'd be surprised of the carb content in some foods that could be causing a fat loss plateau.

Self-Reliance

The other thing we focused on this week was the fact that at the end of this challenge in May, I'm not going to be on speed dial to answer every question; to say "yes" or "no." My goal for all four of these amazing women is that they continue finding and knowing the answers themselves for lifetime.

It's very much the parable of give a (wo)man a fish and she eats for a day or teach a (wo)man to fish and she thrives for life.

Instead of asking me what the carb count of something is, I want them to find it for themselves.

Instead of asking me if a questionable food is going to wreak havoc on their progress, I want them to tell me why they think it may or may not.

I want them to have the tools to succeed forever and share them with others who are struggling.

A pre-requisite of being accepted into the challenge was a thorough knowledge of the No Fail Fat Burning for Women protocol from the book. I realized after some questions they had the past few days that a little refresher is in order. The first part of their weekend homework is a quick re-read and study of Chapter Two: Screw the Scale & Eat Your Ass Off. 

It's a quick-n-dirty run down of the veggies, starches, fats, and proteins that compromise the protocol and why.

The second part is that tomorrow, they digitally detox. They're going to literally unplug from all things that need a cable or WiFi; go inward with a meditation and just bask in real life vs. virtual life. I'll be doing the same.

In Her Own Words...

Susan G.

Susan G. shares some thoughts from Day 8:

I was dragging ass at the beginning of last week but I was pretty sure it wasn’t the diet. I was a little nervous about training fasted first thing in the morning on water alone- no coffee before seems scary but I did it, without a problem!

I got such a rush when I finally had my cup and Michelle's modified protein shake concoction.

There is so much comfort in knowing that I have the support of this group and Michelle’s expertise. It’s hard to modify things to your lifestyle without knowing what is important and what is modifiable.

I was trying to wait to eat until two p.m. and finally learned that when I got hungry, it was okay to eat. The weirdest thing happened afterwards:

• I started to realize I wasn’t hungry when I was busy. 

• I wasn’t hungry after my carb re-feed.  

• I wasn’t hungry when I got home from work. I tried making my lunch even higher fat and lower carb and maybe a little smaller. Still not hungry! Pretty cool. Maybe I’ll stop obsessing about when my next meal will be??

My hormones are still wacky and I got my period six days early, again! I still feel a bit bloated and nasty but looking for the big picture. Changing routines, habits, and ideas is tough but it is so worth it. I’m a bit disorganized because my world has been rocked with the new, different routine but I know this is important for body and ESPECIALLY for my brain.

Chapter Two: this weekend's homework

3 Tips to Burn Fat Now and Fat Loss Challenge Update

The tips listed in the graphic above are fat burning basics I drive home to our Kick Fat in the Ass Challenge team every morning.

• Water is more powerful than any diet pill. You'd be surprised. Read more here 

• Fat and Protein. When starchy, sugary breakfasts aren't part of your a.m. routine, you allow insulin levels to subside thus igniting fat cells to begin the burning processes.

• Elliptical/Treadmill Addicts. Chronic cardio/steady state cardio aka endurance activities. Eats away at muscle. Fatigues the immune system. Raises stress hormone levels like cortisol that can signal to your body to hold on to fat or store it. Look at the physique contrasts between a marathoner and a sprinter.

Applying these easy, simple changes to your nutrition and exercise will get you that much closer to your optimal health and physique.

IN HER OWN WORDS...

Each week our Kick Fat in the Ass participants shares an update on her journey.

Today: R.N. 

 

*Michelle's note: if this doesn't inspire you, check yourself for a pulse.

R.N.

R.N.'s Measurements as of April 1, 2015

• Age 51
• 36.3% bodyfat
• 167lbs
• Right thigh - 22.5
• Left thigh - 23
• Hips - 43 1/2
• Waist -38 1/2
• Bust - 38
• Right arm - 12
• Left arm - 12
• Right calf - 13 3/4
• Left calf - 13 3/4
• Shoulders -17

 R.N. writes:

"I am surprised by my first week... and that is pleasantly surprised! I know it's just the first week but I feel the tides shifting. I feel that I made strides and met challenges head on and experienced things that surprised me.

Making Strides and Meeting Challenges

I put myself and my goals first.

This first week was a holiday and I was on vacation. Both of these bring up challenges. I have always been one when a holiday or vacation rolls around, there are no holds barred; nothing is off limits. I mean,  come on, Cadbury Mini eggs only come around once a year! However, this time that was not my attitude, before I left I listed my goals and intentions for the week.

I did not allow other people's actions to control mine. I stuck to my path and remembered my goals. In the past I would go with the flow. Why rock the boat and stand out? It's easier to take the path of least resistance. Not this past week. This was the more difficult road but the more rewarding one to me.

Experiences
More energy - Today I noticed I do not feel as tired. I am not dragging or thinking how tired I am. I really do have a bit more pep in my step.

• A gallon of water really does make a difference
• I have had no cravings and have not felt hungry.
• I can miss a meal. Tuesday, I had my regular lunch and when dinner time rolled around I was still not hungry, I did not need to eat again.

My challenge this next week is to hold on to these rewards and realizations that this week has brought me. Bring on Next week!!"

Questions for me or one of the four Fat Burning Babes? Leave a comment below!

DAY 6: - Kick Fat in the A$$ Challenge Update - Kim K's 10lb and 23inch loss

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! It's the Day Six update of the No Fail Fat Burning For Women Kick Fat in the Ass Spring 2015 Challenge.

So far, it's been a week of major victories for our four fat burnin' babes.

Susan G.

Susan G. (profiled here) had her first carb re-feed last night! She is the first of the four to reach the first "mile" marker... even with getting her period. She did notice fatigue and a little bit of the blues towards the end of her five days. The combo of a drop in estrogen as well as glycogen depletion can certainly do that. Again, that's why we don't recommend starting the protocol in the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle. These iron ladies didn't really have a choice. Well, they did and they chose working through some discomfort for their best health. 

Kim K. also got her period but is really crushing it through her ten day carb depletion and life in general.

Kim started the No Fail Fat Burning for Women protocol on her own one month ago, March 2, 2015, after doing all the mainstream recommended diet and exercise but still gained weight. We then tweaked the protocol to her specifically for this fat loss challenge and she's following it exactly as prescribed.

As of this morning this rock star babe is down 10lbs and 23 inches! 

The bottom pictures in the pink are the Before from one month ago. The top pics in blue are today, April 6, 2015.

A goddess! Kim's got another secret of success: tracking measurements and taking photos. Plus, having those successes to pull out when we hit ruts is a great way to stay on course. 

Check out her measurements. 23 inches lost!

Kim K's No Fail Fat Burning One Month Measurements. 23 inches lost!

Kim K: Culinary Queen

The "K" in Kim stands for "Kick Ass." Moreover,  having a variety of foods is monumental to staying on track with the protocol. Kim's been on a culinary adventure this week tweaking tried and true recipes to fit the protocol. The good news is that flavor is never an issue when the foundation of our nutrition is fat! Her favorite roast is Mississippi Roast but soon realized how much sugar and garbage is hidden in au jus. She circumvented a meat tragedy by adapting the recipe this way.  Give it a shot and let us know what ya think

KIM K's NO FAIL FAT BURNING MISSISSIPPI ROAST

My FAVORITE roast! This is a winter staple in my house because it is fast and everyone enjoys it. It is so easy and very tasty and I love that I can modify it to be okay to eat now.

• 3-4 pound Grassfed Chuck Roast or Sirloin Roast
• 6-8 Greek Peperoncini Peppers (I used Jeff’s Naturals brand)
• 1 stick of grassfed butter
• 3 tablespoons of Paleo Ranch dressing. (I followed this recipe: http://paleogrubs.com/ranch-dressing-recipe)

Put all items in slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4 hours. Shred the beef with forks. I used to serve it on mashed potatoes or rolls with a side of green beans but found that I actually enjoy it more on zucchini spaghetti (using my Veggetti).

Connie M. also got her period. Whew! This woman faced the lion's den of temptations this

One of our mantras this week

week and with planning ahead and preparation, came out on the other side stronger, feeling fantastic and most of all, getting healthier every moment. I am so inspired by these women. Let's take a quick look at Connie's week:

• Flies out of town for work in an area with few healthy options. Gets her period. But she's planned ahead and knows how to mitigate questionable food damage.
• Eats plenty of fat and protein before going with her family to a professional sports event so she's not seduced by all the yummy gooey boozey treats.
• Attends a school board meeting where she had a couple olives but avoided the standard finger food fare of chips, wine, carrots, dips. She came home and made a sunny side up duck egg with seaweed and pink salt. Yum.
• She had a bad case of keto flu that finally broke on day four.
• We hit a road bump when she tested for ketones using the urine keto strips. They revealed she wasn't in ketosis. Of course, this was quite disappointing considering how well she followed the protocol and slayed temptation at every turn. But was her keto strip reading really accurate? No. Here was my response in our private Facebook forum:

 "Depending on our previous nutrition, it can take from two to six weeks to adapt your body from sugar burning to fat burning. Moreover, do not test for ketones after a workout or exertion . Your blood sugar will be elevated bc the liver releases glucose into the bloodstream during exercise. With this rise in blood sugar comes a drop in blood ketones. Give it a few hours. But honestly, I don't care about you guys being in "ketosis." I care about creating powerful and sustainable nutrition habits that will have you fat adapted for lfe. Another thing, breath ketone monitors are just as accurate as blood ketone monitors. Avoid the urine keto strips. They only measure ketones eliminated in urine and they only measure one type of ketone (acetoacetate). They fail to measure the most critical and predominantly utilized ketone when in ketosis (beta-hydroxybutyrate)."

To top off this week full of victories, Connie managed brunch, a child's birthday party and Easter while sticking to good nutrition. She and Kim K. have five more days until their first carb re-feed.

Now, let's spotlight on R.N.

R.N.

For her bio, read this post.

• Age 51
• Body Fat 36.3%
• Scale weight: 167 lbs
• Measurements:

• Right thigh - 22.5
• Left thigh - 23
• Hips - 43 1/2
• Waist -38 1/2
• Bust - 38
• Right arm - 12
• Left arm - 12
• Right calf - 13 3/4
• Left calf - 13 3/4
• Shoulders -17

 R.N. had a lot of victories this week and I gotta say she's the epitome of "attitude is everything." Travel and not having our regular routines makes staying healthy challenging. R.N. managed to travel for this holiday weekend, keep her nutrition on point, modify exercise using body weight, and took the time for herself to go inward. Checking in with yourself and your body is one of the greatest skills you learn on this protocol. R.N. did positive affirmations for inner strength when she knew travel had the potential to thwart her good work. 

A reader wrote in wanting to know why each of the women had different carb depletions. R.N. had great success on the No Fail Fat Burning For Women protocol at the beginning of the year after a frustrating fat loss plateau in spite of lots of exercise. She lost about ten pounds but wants some specific guidance for unique biochemistry.

One of R.N.'s goals is to get to low 20's in body fat percentage. Do I think that will happen in these two months? No. And if someone promises you that, run. But do I think the foundation will be built and she will have the tools to make it happen this year? Absolutely.

So, we've got RN on a 12 day depletion and a secret, fat burning, sumptuous morning concoction (gotta keep the shiniest golden nuggets for the clients). I want to set the stage for as much glycogen depletion/deep ketosis as possible before we reset the hormones for max fat burn. Will 12 days do it? We'll see. Do I think R.N. can do it?  Absolutely. Do I think incredible women in this group can hit their goals? Without a doubt.

Not all weeks will have so many marks in the "Win" column but give these ladies a pat on the back for everything they've achieved and overcome thus far.


Questions for me or any of the ladies? Leave comments below!

Remember: you're not a damsel in distress. You're the hero of your story.

Yours in resilience, strength and sticks of butter,
Michelle

When You Hear Aunt Flo Pull Up in the Driveway

It's always that time of the month to talk about that time of the month! If you've read No Fail Fat Burning for Women  you know --  in probably way too much detail -- about the dysfunctional relationship I've had with the limb on my family tree all females share sometime in our lives:

AUNT F-ING FLO

This is how our collective Aunt Flo appears in my nightmares.

What a bee-otch. I went from having no periods as a college athlete with very little body fat, to the Red Sea runneth over once things normalized, to fetal position with chunks of flesh falling out of me, endometriosis, PCOS, laproscopy, six months of medical menopause having my ovaries shut down with huge hormone injections in the butt cheek, to a buffet of body-whacking birth control. All before 25.  None of this worked. Surprise, surprise! 

My PMS and actual period only afforded me two weeks a month to enjoy life like a stable person. Then there's a week of emotional roller coasting that goes nicely with emotional eating. It derails all the good work I did before my monthly visitor turned me into a pod person. Obviously, I know hundreds of you relate because this is one of the most common questions I get:

I do great with nutrition and eating until PMS kicks in. What do I do?

I'm going to tell you what I found that finally worked for me. My PMS is there but it sooooooo doesn't own me or run my emotions anymore. My cycle has gone from seven days of bloodbath to three days of steadiness and actually being able to walk upright.  This info is in the book but for some reason you ladies are skipping that page, so let me paste an excerpt of the main gist here for your free PMS reading pleasure:

"Besides the physical ailments that come along with our periods, there are psychological ones at play. Sometimes depression, brain fog, breast tenderness, radical mood swings, cravings, irritability, and extreme fatigue takeover. The first thing to do is understand that this is not YOU but a biological process of your body. Meditation really helps me with this. There are some excellent guided meditations on iTunes called Meditation Oasis.   I also listen to Tara Brach’s Radical Acceptance podcasts and meditations.

I digress. These symptoms of PMS signaling our pending menstruation are triggered by increased estrogen in our bodies.  When it comes down to it, it’s basically a regularly scheduled hormone imbalance. Things that make managing the estrogen level worse:

·       Sugar

·       Dairy

·       Alcohol

·       Gluten

These are the Four Horsemen of a Homocidal Period. Some research says caffeine contributes to it but not for me. I think it’s because I’m not adding pasteurized, hormone-whacking creamer or sugar into my coffee. You be the judge for you.

In addition to avoiding the Four Hoursemen of a Homocidal Period (which you should be doing anyway), here’s what will help you become BFF’s with your Aunt Flo:

·       Increase your Vitamin D3 intake during your first signs of PMS. Get your blood levels tested and check with your doctor about dosage.

·       Supplement with Magnesium. Among other things, it reduces the severity of cramps.

·       At least 500mg of B-6 daily and grassfed only organ meats

·       ½ to 1tsp of pink salt in warm water every morning or as fatigue indicates

·       Eat more soft boiled or over-easy pastured egg yolks

·       Move your body more. If it’s not your workout day, choose active resting like a walk or bike ride. Get the lymphatic system moving.

·       Add safe starches. This is why I don’t want you to start the ten-day carb depletion during PMS or your period. If you’re really feeling in the crapper, add the approved safe starches to your meals AT NIGHT. This is not license to gorge but do it until your body feels better.

·       Up your fish oils.

·       Allow yourself extra sleep."

Did you notice I did some fancy highlighting and underlining of the third-to-last bullet point? This is key. Being in a state of deep ketosis might rock the fat burning party for men. But those lucky testicle-swinging-testosterone-pumping lads, they don't turn into an ocean of estrogen every month. Most of them can do a re-feed of refined carbs every night and burn fat in spite of it. Not us, Union of Uterus Sorority Sisters.  Don't be afraid of your safe starches the week before your period.

Follow the No Fail Fat Burning program, get the hormones back to sanity-land, experiment with the PMS hack I suggest above. You should see serious improvement within a couple cycles. I truly believe one of the cornerstones to what ails us starts in the kitchen.

For those of you who have been on the program for a while who are pre- and post-menopausal, I'd love to hear your stories on what the impact has been. Have a great weekend everyone!