I am a “road warrior” in my car all day in hospice sales and marketing, and have been fit my whole life until last year when I lost my previous job. I was unemployed for a year and gained 10 pounds. Some of this could be stress and hormones. I used to weigh 115 and am now 131 on a good day…and all my clothes are too tight.

Can you recommend a program and what to be using for supplements? I know the basics…I am very healthy and was fit my whole life; 54-year old energetic professional looking for a quick start. I teach yoga and wellness and love to inspire others…interesting now I need it for myself! – Julie

A: Hi Julie, Thanks for writing! Nutrition is essential when it comes to being healthy and weight loss; this isn’t news to anyone, I know! The key, however, is to find the right balance, and to learn new patterns that combine the type of training you enjoy and feeding your body properly. In just a few weeks I’m releasing a 10-week online coaching program that guides you through the steps towards a healthy sustainable lifestyle.

But in essence my suggestion for you right now would be to get off the bad foods – flour, sugar, alcohol, excess salt and sodium – and incorporate 4-5 GREAT workouts per week. Try to stay away from the Diet mentality. Meaning, don’t follow any diet to a T, but instead eat 5 small meals per day to level your blood sugar. Balance your plate well: imagine your dinner plate being split in halves, and then one of the halves in another half. The biggest part is all the veggies you can think of, and the other two are a good carb and protein.

As for supplements, most of the time flaxseed oil is sufficient. I try to get all other nutrients through real food. It can be challenging, but drinking freshly squeezed veggie juices is a total winner here!

It is a commitment to get back on track, but the commitment is one that will create a deeper foundation of trust in yourself (so that when bad times come around, you don’t fall apart!) and strength (again, so that when the going gets rough – and it does for everyone! – you feel physically, spiritually, and mentally strong!). Good luck, Julie!

Tanja

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Mainly it’s all at my inner thigh area but I do have some in the outer thigh saddle bag area. I’m most concerned with the inner thigh skin/flab because out of every area on my body it’s the one place that I can’t seem to make go away. The outer thigh has been slowly trimming down with lunges and squats. I have seen little to no improvement on my inner thighs. They are so embarrassing in a bathing suit!

I have had a few personal trainers, none whom helped with that area. I’ve even had someone suggest I get liposuction plus a thigh lift… I’m only 19! I would prefer to not go nipping and tucking my body unless extremely necessary.

Do you know of an exercise or exercises that can really help me trim this down? I no longer have the money for a personal trainer or a gym membership so I’m limited to equipment. Thank you! –Rebecca

A: Hi, Rebecca! I’m so proud of you! I hope that you take time out every single day to thank yourself for the great love you give your body. You are truly an inspiration!

To answer your question, I also absolutely think 19 is an age where you still have so much time to work on the things you want in a natural way. As you mature, your priorities and decisions will also adjust and that is a beautiful process worth waiting for.

As for strengthening the inner thigh muscles, any lateral sideways motion is recommended, as well as balancing! I also like the Sumo Squat, which is a squat with a wider turned-out stance. You can also use mini bands for lateral walks, and a cable attached to the ankle for an adductor pull.

Now with all of that said, you are still young and if you have a lot of extra skin, there is still a chance that it will contract a little. So be patient and eat healthily, staying as close to mother earth as possible, and give it some time. Maybe you can write in your diary about how it would feel to accept your body for being amazing, strong, and healthy?

Please let me know how it goes! You are a Hero! Live Loud!!

Tanja

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A: Hey, Mouz! Thanks for your question. Yes, if you gain muscle mass, the scale will show less weight loss than you might expect, or maybe even a bit of gain. Now, if you do lose fat weight, too, you should still be losing weight overall, but maybe not as much as you imagine you should.

Your weight on the scale doesn’t tell you very much. When you have more muscle and muscle tone (instead of that flabby no muscle look), you will actually burn fat more effectively … and it looks so sexy. Although muscle mass weighs more that fat, it takes less space. Compare a pound of gold (muscle) to a pound of cotton (fat) – takes a different amount of space, right? That means muscle looks “smaller” even though it’s heavier.

If you are not running or jogging at this point, maybe you should consider starting. It’s a great addition to the DVDs. Do the DVDs every other day, and do cardio in-between. Make sure your diet is balanced. Take in enough water and try to eat fewer salty foods, which can also contribute to water retention.

Hope this clarifies it a little bit!

Tanja

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Mitt problem är att jag ändå inte alls är nöjd med hur min kropp ser ut, jag är 1,57 lång och väger ca60 kg, vilket i mina öron låter som oerhört mycket men jag vet också att mycket är muskler! Jag känner att jag nästan inte kan träna mer, speciellt med tanke på att jag har problem med mina benhinnor. Och jag är heller inte en person som inte gör eller tar i mycket bär jag väl tränar, för det för jag verkligen! Känner att jag har för mycket fett på min mage då det nästan är som en liten kula på den.

Vad kan jag göra mer än vad jag redan gör? Jag tränar för att jag älskar det, men också för att jag behöver det för att må bra! Anledningen till att jag vill gå ner i vikt är för att jag känner att den där lilla magen inte gör sig särskilt snygg i kläder! Vore jätte Tacksam för svar! Värt att tillägga, din blogg är grym. – Maria

A: Hej!! Ja då svarar jag på svenska då!! Tack för ditt mail. Du låter verkligen som en friskis tjej! Du har absolut rätt när du säger att muskler väger mer än fett…och muskler är verkligen dunder bra att ha då de håller upp kroppen och de använder mycket energi för att jobba och röra på sig, alltså skapar de en bra förbränningsmaskin av din kropp.

Det som kan bli lite fel ibland när man tränar mycket är att man ändå äter på ett sätt som inte gynnar de MÅL du har. Det kan tom röra sig om att du äter för lite mat, eller helt felbalanserat så att du inte får i dig den näring kroppen kan använda sig av. Det i sin tur skapar fett depåer på kroppen (såsom på din mage tex) som den väldigt ogärna släpper taget om. En annan sak kan vara att du inte vilar ordentligt mellan dina tränings pass och på så sätt hindrar kroppen från att verkligen förändras och anpassa sig. En tredje orsak är att du alltid kör samma pass, vecka efter vecka så att kroppen inte känner någon skillnad i tempo, typ av träning och rörelsemönster…Jag vet inte alls vilken eller vilka av de här passar in på dig, för vi har ju inte träffats men några ev dem kanske tänder en lampa?

Ett råd är att hitta bra information om hur man balanserar maten med träningen (min blogg kan vara till hjälp här) och att hitta ett PROGRESSIVT tränings schema där du förändrar någonting med din träning hela tiden. Ett annat sätt att göra det sistnämnda är att träna i på engelska “cycles”: Cycle 1: balans, koordination, flexibilitet, Cycle 2: Styrketräning för muskeluppbyggnad och Cycle 3: explosiv högintensitets träning. Checka in min medlems sida på loudfitness.com där det finns tränings pass, mat tips och liknande!!! Hoppas det här hjälper dig lite grand!

MVH och Lycka Till
Tanja

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My first problem is I cannot do cardio training anymore as I have extreme pain in my knees and hips. The doctors told me I should quit or take it easy, but I cannot afford that. Secondly, I cannot train in the evenings because than I stay awake all night. I am bipolar and maybe because of that when I overtrain my body I cannot sleep.

What I do now is one hour of fat burning yoga every morning, but that is not enough. I am thinking of plastic surgery, but I know even if I do liposuction, I will still need some effective sport in order to maintain the weight and my body shape. Do you have any idea what can I do? Thank you! –Irina

A: Hi Irina, I react the same way when I train in the evenings, so I always try to schedule my workouts before 5 pm if possible! It’s not clear what is going on with your hips and knees, but there are a few things I can recommend for someone in your situation. Yoga, pilates, and swimming are things that are in combination highly effective and keep you fit and healthy, when you do them on a regular basis. Swimming is great because it takes the pressure off joints and since you have so much help from the water, which keeps you buoyant, you can move in different ways and not only have to swim. I’m confident that this can be a great option for you!

The other part of maintaining weight is diet. Your diet needs to be tailored to your needs, and there is no space for emotional eating, which can be a problem if you have a bipolar diagnosis. The quality of the food is highly important here, too, as it really affects your overall experience of health, and all functions in your brain and body! There might be some tips for you in my book Your Life Force about eating and how to find a good balance.

Lastly, I want to say that liposuction brings a whole other set of problems or risks with it, but if that is your last resort, and you have really tried everything, you would definitely want to spend time researching and interviewing several doctors to find a GREAT one.

Tanja

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My problem is that I feel that although I train a lot, my body is still not fit enough. For example, my stomach, when I bend down to do the plank, I still have this loose skin hanging down (it’s still there since my pregnancies and losing 16 kg some years ago) and it never goes away no matter how hard I workout and diet. I’m 1,60 m (5’3″) and weigh around 50-51 kg (110-112 lbs). What can I do to get rid of this ugly loose skin? Would appreciate your professional opinion a lot. Best regards, Linda

A: Hi Linda, Thanks for reaching out! First I have to congratulate you on all the hard work you are doing. It seems to me like you are in pretty good shape, and you seem happy about that.

There are a few things to say about your concern:

1. If you don’t feel fit enough, is it a matter of reality or the picture you have of your body in your head? One of the reasons CAN be that you are NOT weightlifting enough, as at our age we really need to build muscles to feel firm, to increase and maintain our metabolism, which naturally slows down as we get older. If you are concerned that it might be your mind playing a trick on you, take pictures, measure your body fat and compare. Also, how do your clothes fit?

2. Skin after babies is tricky. Some women I work with go back to what they had before, and many women just have the skin on the stomach stretched out. When the fat deposit underneath is gone, and the only thing left is the skin, re-asses if the skin bothers you so much. Your beautiful body brought you your children! If it still really bothers you, there are tummy tucks you can do with a plastic surgeon. I’m sure that it is very costly in Sweden, as it is here, but it might be worth exploring if you feel there is no other road to take.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Tanja

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Now I’m trying again, training 5 times a week with the PT and have a good rhythm of eating healthily and regularly, but I have only lost 6.5 pounds in 8 weeks. My motivation is low. Sure, I feel better when I’m active but I had been more motivated to lose weight. Is it possible that I have a block in my body? I am about 50 pounds overweight. Please, what can I do?

A: Hello … it sounds like you have had it really tough. In my experience, I have noticed that the common drugs for anxiety and depression can slow down the metabolism. In your case, 6.5 pounds in 8 weeks sounds good. It might feel slow, especially because we always hear claims about how fast people lose weight in advertisements, but it is important to focus on your own reality, your circumstances, and your effort. You are making progress!

Since I am not a doctor, I cannot address your medication questions and what your options are. The only thing I can advise you is to give yourself time and patience. Being healthy takes time and I often say that it’s as much an exercise in patience as physical exercise.

I also think working with a personal trainer is a great option, and a good investment. Maybe you can find someone who has some more experience when it comes to what you are going through? Another good investment for you may be a really good nutritionist. But as I said, I cannot emphasize enough: give yourself time, love, and patience – that’s what you might need!

Tanja

Do you have a question? Don’t be shy – ask it here!

A: Hello, Nikita! In my book Your Life Force there is a whole chapter with tips and tricks on how to stop emotional eating. It requires focus and a real resolve, as stress is so common and we need to eat every day. But there is hope if you really want to stop!

My advice is to work with the different methods in the book, and if it still feels like you are not getting anywhere, you have to call in the Army! There are support groups for overeating, and there are cognitive psychologists who can help you change your behavior around food. Do not give up and do everything wholeheartedly!

Tanja

Do you have a question? Don’t be shy – ask it here!

A: Hello! Yes, exercise sounds very boring. Yes, it doesn’t seem like too much fun. Have you ever been a person who likes to move around? Are you trying to start a new healthy life all by yourself? Feeling better, happy, and motivated requires a catalyst. It is not something that comes in just a few weeks!

Usually it doesn’t help at all that OTHER people are giving you reasons why you need to do this or that… You need to ask yourself and create your own reasons! Sit yourself down and answer these questions about yourself and your life:

• Why do you need to start working out?
• How do you want your life and your health to look in 5, 10, 15 years?
• Are there activities that you would like to do with others, but you’re just too tired and feel inadequate?

How does this sound: join a group that works together to become healthier! Not an online group, but a physical group with real people?

With programs like Weight Watchers and Biggest Loser Club, you can find a few friends who feel the same way. It is easier to do this in a group, and it does not necessarily mean you should go to the gym right away, which can be a bit uncomfortable at first.

If you feel that there are other things that are preventing you from working out, such as depression or other issues, seek out a skilled life coach or psychologist who can help.

Good Luck!

Tanja

Do you have a question? Don’t be shy – ask it here!

A: Hello! Thank you for your question. I understand being nearly 40 and feeling like your body is changing. The fact is that we start to get rid of muscle mass and put on more fat mass as we age … not so fun to hear, I know! This happens to the most die-hard fitness buff too, believe me!

Once this happens, it is important to change your workout routine. If you have been doing the same thing for awhile, it’s important to start doing something completely different to “wake up” the body again. It will be sweaty, it will be tough, and it is likely to be uncomfortable (it’s sounding better and better, hahaha). My advice to you is:

1. Change your workout completely for about two or three months before going back to what you usually do.

2. How is your diet? If you know you can eat a little better, this is an important step. Your fitness progress directly parallels what you invest and, unfortunately, sacrifice (I love cheese puffs, but I can’t always eat them ).

3. 40 is an important time in our lives!! Make the most of it and be the best that you can … and start lifting weights so you can build muscle, because in the long run it’s the muscles that will help you burn more calories.

Hope this answer helps. Live Life Loud!

Tanja

Do you have a question? Don’t be shy – ask it here!