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Posts Tagged ‘weight loss’
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
 Q: Hi Tanja, I’m only 19 years old, but about 3 years ago I lost 70 pounds. I now weigh 110 pounds but look a little bigger in certain areas because I have a lot of loose skin and bits of flab left.
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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Tags: loose skin, weight loss
Posted in Ask Tanja | No Comments »
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
Q: Is it possible to lose weight if I gain muscles? I mean, I’m training 5 days a week with your DVDs (like 1 hour and a half each day), and I’m on a diet. But with your DVDs, I’m developing my muscles; I can see it. It’s good, but I’m just wondering this: if I gain muscles, won’t that mean that I’m gonna gain weight, too? How can I lose more weight AND have beautiful muscles? Thank you very much; I know that my question is a little bit weird, but I don’t know the mysteries of the human body… –Mouz
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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Tags: fat, muscles, weight, weight loss
Posted in Ask Tanja, Fitness | No Comments »
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
Q: Dear Tanja, I am 40 years old, 5’8″ tall and I weigh 143 lbs. For the last 20 years I have been fighting with my weight.
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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Tags: emotional eating, swimming, weight loss
Posted in Ask Tanja, Fitness | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Q: Hi, I suffer from depression and panic disorder, and I have developed social anxiety disorder and obesity due to medications, diet, and no activity. About a year ago I tried working with a personal trainer 3 times per week and had a healthy diet. It lasted for 5 weeks and then I didn’t have the money to continue. In the 5 weeks I also didn’t lose any weight.
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
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Tags: weight loss
Posted in Ask Tanja, Fitness | No Comments »
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
Q: Hi Tanja, I am on the Abs Powerfoods Diet. Want to lose weight. I am 26 years old (170 cm height, weight 70 kg).
I’m working from early morning and I am at home about 5, then I have dinner and then when I am ready to do my workout, it’s 8 already. I finish about 9 and I’m not really sure what should I eat then? I am going to bed about 11… Please, Tanja, I really need your help.
By the way, I already bought a second DVD workout with you. I enjoyed the Resistance Cord one so much, I bought the Total Body BalanceBall a couple of days ago and it’s fantastic. I have so much fun and I feel like you are here, doing the exercise with me.  Thank you, Tanja. – Kasia xxx
A: Hi Kasia, Great question! This is a problem for a lot of people because they are stuck in the rule of not eating before bedtime. The more important thing is actually to eat after your workout, to replenish your energy supplies and get the MOST out of the workout you just did!! If a small meal of vegetables, a grain, and protein feels like too much before bedtime, a protein shake can be beneficial at this point. Just make sure to get shakes that are LOW in sugar, which can sometimes be difficult to find.
You might also consider getting up an hour earlier and switching your workout time to the morning hours. It can be hard to switch, but after a few weeks you will start feeling the benefits of what a great start that workout gives you. In my own experience, evening workouts can sometimes cause insomnia because of all the endorphins and adrenalin that get produced. But again, this is a very individual experience. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Thank you for working out with me!!!
Live Life Loud!
Tanja
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Tags: weight loss
Posted in Ask Tanja, Fitness, Nutrition | No Comments »
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