TLS Shape Up - designed with kids, for kids

What is the TLS Shape Up program?

TLS Shape Up is designed with kids, for kids. There are no gimmicks, just proven results. It teaches goal setting and planning skills while instructing kids about the fundamentals of good nutrition and exercise. It helps kids and their families understand that their decisions today will affect them tomorrow.

Watch this Webisode and see for yourself the impact tls Shape Up has had on these families.
Pass it on and make a change across the country

http://blog.marketamerica.com/blog/tls-shape-up-webisode-families/

Every Dollar is a Vote.

Politics? I'm not so big on politics. But I am big on voting. I vote almost every day. I vote when I purchase locally grown produce. I vote when I purchase organic foods. I vote when I support locally owned stores and restaurants. I vote when I don't buy gas from BP. I vote when I purchase a product that is eco-friendly. I vote when I do those silly little energy savers that are passed around in chain emails. I vote when I turn off the TV.



How can we live in a world that is stuck between consumerism and sustainability? That answer is simple. Everyday, understand that how you spend your money counts toward the kind of products and services that are in demand. I believe that it is possible to exist in a world that is comfortable, convenient, joyous, and limitless without the pillaging of natural resources. Vote (spend!!) and demand that local produce suppliers who practice organic and sustainable agriculture remain profitable.



We are at a tipping point in our global history. The challenge we face is that in every example I can think of, it is more challenging, more expensive, and takes longer to choose the sustainable and earth-friendly option. Ever been to your local landfill? You will see very quickly how necessary sustainable and renewable technologies are in need!

As a consumer, your vote counts. Your vote happens every time you make a purchase, or choose not to make a purchase. It is no mistake that every business operates to earn a profit. So the practices of that business answer to the owners/shareholders. The unfortunate truth is that most will pillage any resource in the name of preserving the bottom line. The Fortunate truth is that in the end, they answer to the consumer; you and I, and how we spend our dollars. You are saying no to Big Agriculture and widespread use of pesticides when you buy from a local farmer. You honor the very origin of your human body when you eat fresh seasonal produce. You say no to Big Beef and Pork when you purchase from a local farmer/rancher or meat supplier. You say no to Big Oil when you purchase a Hybrid, or ride your bike.



Use your vote to support the industries and companies that are willing to go out on that limb and charge a bit more for their product or service in the name of being sustainable. With an ounce of faith, you have to believe that we will shift the balance toward "Big" not being synonymous with "Bad". Tell the shareholders that we want them to invest in solar energy, green-packaging, organic products, hybrid technology, waste reduction, recycling/reuse advancements, and goodness.



It's not about being an earth muffin or tree hugger. It's about preservation in this lifetime. It's about changing the world with your daily vote.

If we take care of our planet - it will take care of us....even at the pool!

This little gem of information showed up via email a couple of days ago and I thought I would share it with all of you!
Making the Ultimate Transition is not just about changing the number on the scale -- its about seeing things in a different way and starting to do things in a different way -- hope this helps :)

~Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one
cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5,
Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus,
Potassium and Zinc.




~Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and
pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and
Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for
hours.

~Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in
a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long.
The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a
scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them
flee the area.




~Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out
or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your
problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause
the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and
reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

~Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber
slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free.
Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish
essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium,
avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

~Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge?
Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European
trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

~Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the
spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the
boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing,
relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and
college students during final exams.

~Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth
with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the
phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for
causing bad breath.

You have to love Mother Nature - she has the best ideas!!!
Have a great day!

Can you be grateful in ANY situation??

It is hard to believe that it has only been a month. So much SO MUCH has happen.
So much LIFE has happen. Back in May we were on track and gaining speed! Then BOOM - SMACK out of nowhere we were thrown into another dimension. The details do not matter because we all have our stories of getting sidetracked - but what does matter is that we allowed someone else to stand in our way. We spent hours, DAYS stuck - i spent a lot of time crying and wondering "WHY".
Then just when we were crawling back up to a standing position another wave came and knocked us sideways.
This time - we switched our game. Instead of crying and questioning and sulking we started to celebrate.


With one simple statement "What are you grateful for?" we shifted our energy.
We celebrated and laughed and dreamed and found the source of our strength and picked up right where we left off .... and we are gaining speed :)

I am so grateful for the lessons learned. There is no way I can get to the next step without the lessons that I have learned.
I am grateful to my mom for feeling my pain and never ever leaving my side.


I am grateful for my Sam - every step of the way she kept it real - she says it like it is. She is my WHY


I am grateful for my Ron - how he balances unconditional love and support while always making me laugh is beyond me -


The power is yours and no one can take it away from you - be grateful for everything - I am grateful for my computer to be able to share this with you ;)

"You can't fill a cup that is already full"

I love the movie Avatar. Call me cheesy if you must. I admit to it on occasion. It is one of my endearing qualities; just ask Rhiannon. :-) So your question logically follows; "Ron, what does Avatar have to do with Transitions Lifestyles? Or wellness?" Well, there was a quote in the movie that really struck me.

"You cannot fill a cup that is already full."

I realized that all too often, our brains are already filled up with "junk science", mis-information, or magic pills after years of diets, yo-yo body weight, calorie restriction, eat-only-meat-and-cheese diets, and the other things that pollute wellness and the idea of vibrant living.

Transitions Lifestyle System is different. It is unlike any other experience you will have. It will be the last attempt you make and taking control of your health!


We don't talk about your weight, we talk about your body composition.

We don't talk about calories, we talk about the glycemic index.

We don't talk about "no pain, no gain", we talk about happiness, every day, under all circumstances, no excuses!!


It is different. And new ideas require an open mind, or, in this case, an empty cup.

Ron

For the guys - a note on calorie restriction.

Guys,

Imagine a big block engine. We'll say a hemi. You are the throttle man. And you are really excited to see what this engine can do! Red line it; push it to the limit! With an eye-dropper?

That's right, you are handed an eye dropper with a tablespoon of fuel. Not going to get that engine fired up, is it...

So take this logic and apply it to your fitness goals. You are putting in the hours at the gym. You are logging the miles. You are mixing up your routine and attempting to remain anonymous in the back corner of aerobics classes because you heard it may help you trim down. You are even cutting back and taking in smaller portions and cutting out some beers, because; well, that's just what you're supposed to do. Right?

No results? You are trying to feed your "hemi" with an "eyedropper"!!


It's not about quantity, it's about quality.

Choose quality foods! The key is NOT always to cut back on calories. The key is to choose quality foods, in particular, quality carbohydrates. Want to learn how to choose the best carbohydrates without points, scales, slide rules, or calculators? Learn the Transitions Lifestyle!

You will never go hungry. You will pour in the quality fuel and have that "engine" running hot. Put the pedal to the metal guys!

Check out our weekly webinars to learn more. For upcoming dates, email theultmatetransition@gmail.com.

Time is on our side, yes it is!

"You have that Aha! moment when you say, "I need to lose weight... I need to make more money... I need to become a better person... or whatever." But you have to schedule time in your life to make it happen -- either time you're not using properly or time that you have to take away from something else you're doing" ~ Bob Cox
What are YOU willing to make time for in your life??
I have given up Greys Anatomy on Thursday nights to build my business and focus on TLS Shape Up.
Tell me yours.....

Lets save our kids so they can save us :)

Children are becoming obese at a rapidly rising rate. Transitions TLS Shape Up is changing lives. A comprehensive program THAT ACTUALLY WORKS!!! If you know a child we can help, please notify us. It will be the best gift you can provide.
This program is nothing short of the miracle that I have been praying for. Check it out, feel the power and lets save some lives---shoot LETS SAVE THE WORLD!

http://blog.marketamerica.com/blog/tls-shape-up-the-big-issue/

10,000 years ago!!!

Disclaimer: I'm no evolutionary archaeologist, so just imagine for now that we're painting a picture that is relatively true, and not 100% fact.

100% scientifically accurate? Maybe not.

Funny to imagine you and your entire family following a herd of buffalo wearing loin cloths and digging for roots and eating berries and nuts...? Absolutely! And that is just it! Paint that picture in your minds, and you will begin to have an idea of the way our bodies are "meant" to take in food. I'm sure you've heard the trendy gym-goer's advice to "eat a small meal every 2 hours; 6 meals per day. I would agree. I'm sure you've also heard, and certainly from the Ultimate Transition, to eat complex carbs and plenty of fruits and veggies. Agreed. But why? Did you ever stop to ask why? Well I won't bore you with the physiological details on this one, but instead lets get back to the "painting" of ancestors.

As you roam the open plains, food is abundant, and you spend your days largely in search of food. Typically, women would gather edible plants and herbs, while men would hunt, preferably for large game, but any protein source was welcomed. Food is abundant, and you would probably eat something like 15-20 "meals" per day. Constant energy output (no computer nor TV to build a sedentary lifestyle), so constant energy intake is needed.

10,000 years BC Scenario: You lose the heard in the dead of winter. You have very little food. THIS IS WHY OUR BODIES STORE FAT!! You are low on food, your body is cued to store fat. THANK GOODNESS! It is a protective mechanism against those periods of time when we need a stored form of energy! YAHOOO!! How intelligent in design! How fantastic are those bodies to design a backup plan!

So the takeaway from our example is that while you are walking, searching for food, and using energy to stay warm, that your blood sugar levels drop!! When they drop you store body fat.

MODERN DAY: You eat simple carbohydrates. Doesn't matter what, just say M&Ms for now. Your blood sugar levels shoot up! BRRRAAAAHHHHHAAAAHH!!!! Feeling good! Burst of energy! Then what..........

Crash!! You could go for that all elusive power nap, right? Close the office door and set your cell phone alarm for 15 mins out in the hopes of getting your head straight. This means that your blood sugar levels have dropped!

So, just like our ancestors of the plains, your blood sugar levels have dropped.

Your body does not know how your blood sugar levels got so low. What it does know is that when your blood sugar levels drop, it is supposed to store fat.

Eat LOW GI carbohydrates. Choose natural foods when possible. Live well.

The End.

The Glycemic Index <-- Learn about this!!

Here comes Ron with some fancy science lingo.....

To elaborate, as promised, on a previous blog about "No Carb Diets", lets take a more in depth look at the Glycemic Index.


For starters, it is the foundation of the Transitions Lifestyle! The objective of the Glycemic Index (GI for now) is to provide a guide to always direct your decisions about food to the "complex" or fiber-ous end of the carbohydrate spectrum. I know you're thinking about "cardboard," but trust me, there are some amazingly delicious meals out there that get fiber into your body!!

As you may know, a food that contains the "simple" carbohydrates like sugar and white flour, causes the blood sugar levels to spike which leads you to a fat-storage-mode (read posting "10,000 yrs ago"). So for now, suffice to say that if you eat junky carbs, your body will attempt to store food consumed soon before or after those carbs as fat. Even if it's broccoli. Yep, you read that correctly! Eat junky carbs = cue your body to store the energy from broccoli as body fat. Weird, huh? Imagine for moment that I'm right, and that what I'm telling you is honoring the science of the body. Would it then be possible to understand how so many are overweight/obese?



The GI serves as our guide for getting through all of the meals, lunches, muffins, desserts, pastas and breads of the world. Any food that contains carbohydrates has a ranking on the GI. At the bottom end (Low GI foods) you have insoluble fiber, most veggies, and foods containing solid and hearty complex carbohydrate foods. On the high end of the GI (High GI foods) you have the evilness of High-Fructose Corn Syrup, table sugar, white flour among others (you get the idea).



As I mentioned, all foods that contain carbohydrates fall somewhere on that spectrum as they relate to the impact that eating that food has on your body's blood sugar level. The lower the GI, the less impact on your blood sugar; and the higher the GI, the higher your blood sugar (think room full of 5-year olds on birthday cake). After consuming a high GI food, your body releases insulin. We've all heard about it, and fortunately for you, a degree in Endocrinology is not necessary to understand the function of insulin.

High GI carbs in your mouth? Your insulin goes up.
Insulin takes sugar out of the blood and puts it into muscle.
This leads to sugar levels going too low. (Ahhhh the beloved sugar crash; followed immediately by an insatiable desire to consume even MORE of said sugary sugar sugar suuuggaarrrrr!!!)
See the beginning of a cycle?

Remember from reading post "10,000 years ago"?! When blood sugar goes too low, you STORE FAT!!

TAKE HOME: Eat HIGH GI foods all day, enter into a cycle of fat storage. Eat LOW GI foods, keep your body in fat burn mode. Simple enough?

Stay tuned for our upcoming WEBINARS and posts as we will get into how you can approximate the GI ranking of a food by looking at the label. It's quick and easy! Remember, this is the foundation of the Transitions Lifestyle system. It is a course in making the best decisions about food, and whether you are looking to lose a few pounds, or you're looking to fuel your body for competitive sport, you will benefit from living the Transitions Lifestyle!

Would walking be enough?

What if the only thing exercise that I can do GUARANTEED everyday is walking. Would it be enough? When I start setting new goals of exercise and fitness challenges my next move is usually to acquire a schedule of classes at the local gym I so kindly donate my money too every month. Then I scroll through my collection of workout DVD's ranging from hardcore P90x to stress relieving yoga. Next step is to write it all out in a nice organized format. Then...dom dom doooom! Life. Gotta pick up Sam early, work got busy, ran out of socks so time to do laundry, haven't seen the girls in a while- time to see them ....and on and on. There are so many days that I close my eyes and think "i wish there were more hours in the day"
Why is it that when life gets busy the first thing that goes on the back burner is our exercise and nutrition???? Its the foundation of everything we do. It battles stress better than anything out there, it releases endorphins so we just feel good, it makes our bodies shake and move so we take up less space, and it preserves our life for the future-- this should be the most important part of the day!
SO- I had to ask myself--realistically, what would I be willing to commit to everyday.
Walking.
If I can do nothing else, I can walk. For 10 minutes or 60 minutes - I can find the time to put my body in motion. Happens to be the exact motion that we were designed to do!
So here we go! It will be fun to see how many miles I can accumulate in one year by at the bare minimum walking everyday.
Who's with me!?
"If I could walk 5,000 miles...." Sing along!!

Ron: Kids and sugar

Children do not have a super human ability to metabolize sugar!! I'll say it again... Children do not have a superhuman ability to metabolize sugar. There is a common perception out there that because kids have a spontaneous and seemingly unending supply of energy that they are somehow in need of a steady sugar fix! THIS IS NOT TRUE!! Kids have the exact same nutritional needs as adults. I think that their nutrition should be given even MORE attention, as they are very impressionable, not just mentally, but their palate, their digestive system, digestive flora, and food preference overall.

I have heard before that kids have a natural preference for sweet and succulent (fatty) tastes because these food sources are typically nutrient dense, in other words, kids are hardwired to prefer these food tastes because it will deliver the caloric content they need. However, the problem with this is that in nature (think 10,000 yrs ago) this was very beneficial to young humans. Nowadays, unfortunately, food supply is high and food quality is low (for most Western cultures).

That being said, just because kids prefer sweets doesn't mean that they require them. Next time kids ask for something sweet, give them pineapple, strawberries, apple slices, pears, or have them try some new fruit! And not just once, or twice, but have them try it (and see you eating it!!!) until they eat it too. And if you open the refrigerator and don't see any fruits, ask yourself if it is because you ate all the fruit within the last few days, or if it is because those bottom fruit/veggie drawers are now full of water bottles.

Its not just about weight loss

Day in and day out I am constantly feeding my brain with as much information on Health and Wellness as I possibly can...live, eat and breath fitness. But it will take more that just reading about it. Making the ULTIMATE TRANSITION is not just about weight loss. Its about realizing who you want to be- stand by... a little one needs her cereal

Ron: No Carb diet? Seriously?

Have you ever heard of a NO FAT diet? What would be your first thought if your doctor or wellness expert said "I want you on a NO FAT diet" or "we're going to scale waaaay back on your protein intake." You would probably object, I imagine. So the question begs, why do we insist on cutting back on carbs?

We've all heard of Trans Fats, right? And we all avoid them like the plague. So some are GOOD fats (had your Omega III today?) that we actually supplement. Some are BAD fats and we do our best to ensure we stay away.

So the logic follows that there are some carbs that are GOOD and some that are BAD. There is a spectrum of carbohydrates that span from something horrible like High-Fructose Corn Syrup all the way to Insoluble Fiber (i.e. the Glycemic Index)

The methodology behind the "Low Carb/No Carb" craze is that if you cut out all carbs, there is no possibility of taking in the bad ones. And substituting for Low Carb food usually just means that they have added Fat (protein adds too much to the cost) OR they've added artificial sweeteners, and that, my friends, is a whole other blog subject.

So, the moral of the story (and more to come!) is that you should choose your carbohydrates more towards the end of the spectrum that contains fiber/complex carbohydrates instead of cutting back or cutting off your body from carbohydrates.

Cheers for now!
Ron