How to Get a Thigh Gap and Skinny Legs - even with narrow hips (without starving!)

7 Ways You’re Using your Wearable Fitness Tracker All Wrong

Whether you have a jawbone / apple watch / fit bit (three of the more popular fitness trackers on the market right now) or are thinking about which fitness tracker to buy, chances are high you will make some mistakes when using it.

Don’t feel bad – you’re not alone. Besides, I’ve made a short video especially for you – to help you get the most out of your wearable fitness band or fitness tracker. From not knowing the proper way to wear your band, to wearing it on the wrong arm, to not knowing how to clean your fitness band properly, I’ve got your covered.

Here are 7 common things people do (or don’t do) all wrong with their fitness / activity trackers. Follow and implement my advice to get the most bang for your buck – after all, these things aren’t cheap!

Watch the video below and feel free to share any tips / tricks you might have to getting the most out of your fitness tracker

Why it’s ok to eat under 1200 calories a day

1200. Does that number sound familiar to you? Chances are you’ve heard that number thrown around as the bare minimum amount of calories you can and should eat in a day, right? But is there actually any truth to this widely believed mantra or are there people and situations which eating less than 1200 calories per day is totally fine?

According to a trainer from Flexx Labs the answer is no, there is no truth to this blanket number which often gets applied to everyone, and yes, there are definitely people and situations in which eating fewer calories is not a big deal. All one needs to do is read a few intermittent fasting boards (e.g. eat, stop, eat) to see that people are definitely doing okay dipping below that number periodically; and then there are other who don’t go as low but do eat under 1200 calories a day to lose weight / maintain and are still flourishing.

So if you ever hear someone claim the following: you will drop down dead from malnutrition if you go under 1200 calories, your body will suddenly eat all your muscles, your metabolism will stop working or slow to crawl, my favorite because it’s so ludicrous – you won’t lose weight any more because your body will go into starvation mode, or any other silly and nonsensical rumors, you can write them off because you will know the truth.. and if you want, you can show them this video to shut them up.

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In the following video, I cover just a few of those reasons eating less than 1200 calories a day is appropriate for some people and some situations and won’t do any of the above, so click play and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Urban Outfitters pic of model w/ “Thigh Gap” Banned? Outrageous!

Is this what the world has really come to? According to reports, the hip and pricey retailer, Urban Outfitters was forced to remove a picture of a slim model from its website and the models so called thigh gap had a lot to do with it.

Here’s the photo in question. There is nothing unhealthy looking about this woman. She is slender and in shape – and furthermore, we have no clue if she has a thigh gap since she is standing with her legs wide apart. Anyone but obese people would have a space between their legs when they stand like that.

So, in a nutshell – the UK advertising standards authority (ASA) has forced urban outfitters to remove this photo of a model with a “thigh gap” (but really just slender attractive legs) from its websites stating that it’s irresponsible and harmful.

To whom exactly? I guess the women who don’t look like this and feel that anyone who does is somehow forcing them to starve themselves into submission. It’s not like it’s actually possible to get slim by eating lots of nutritious whole foods and exercising regularly (/sarcasm)

Jo Swinson, the minister for women and equality, supported the decision stating that banning the photo encouraged positive body image.

Surprise surprise. Here’s a photo of Jo rejoicing at the reveal of SIZE 16 mannequins at Debenhams (the avg. size mannequin was a size 10) – claiming to reflect the average woman! Seriously, can someone pinch me and awake me from this nightmare?

We seem to be moving backwards and instead of helping women lower the average size, people like Jo coddle and help keep women complacent by just moving the marker for what should be considered a healthy, average weight/size by calling it the new normal.

This woman claims to promote body confidence, a wonderful euphemism for fat tolerance and more accurately fat encouragement, since she seems to have a problem with slim women celebrating or showing their bodies.

Urban outfitters claimed that they didn’t believe the image was a problem stating that it was a common practice to use slim models in the underwear industry and the model was not underweight or unhealthily thin. So now, urban outfitters has to ban the thigh gap.

And you know what – Urban Outfitters was right! No one wants to see overweight/obese models in underwear. It does not make the clothing look better and certainly doesn’t make me want to run out and shop. Average sized women (that’s the real average size and not the new normal average sized) definitely won’t be persuaded into buying clothing by checking https://www.justemoi.co.uk/bra-fitting-guide and seeing it on women heavier than them. So who exactly is this benefitting?

Methinks if you want to be overweight or fat and proud then you need to realize that you will have to get lane bryant catalogs that specialize in that niche. Other retailers want to appeal to the masses – it’s just a smart business decision!

Check out these unique collections from the best mens underwear that are perfectly designed for slim and obese men.

How to Exercise on the Cheap (No gym membership required!)

As you may or may not know, I am a huge proponent of working out to burn calories, sculpt toned muscles, firm up the jiggle and just generally feel good (depending on your workout it can be quite meditative).In fact, I lost the bulk of my weight jumping around 5 times a week for a year straight in the comfort of my living room – wearing nothing but a sports bra and some skivvies.

However, too many people think working out involves obtaining an expensive gym membership, and engaging in inconvenient rituals such as buying the right workout clothes and traveling to and from the gym or workout studio. Of course, if they can’t afford the cost of a gym or don’t have the right outfit/shoes, then working out gets put off to the side. However, you can now make an informed decision regarding gym equipments by looking up the website of homebodyguide.com.

In this day and age, not being able to afford a gym membership is a pretty lame excuse to avoid working out.

I was recently interviewed for an article by Reagan Nickl on mvelopes.com – a personal finance management app to help people live within their means (http://www.mvelopes.com/7-ways-to-skip-the-gym-and-still-lose-weight-for-free/) where I gave some tips on frugal fitness.

However, some of my tips didn’t make the article and I wanted to highlight them here; so without further ado, here are some of my favorite fitness tips and alternatives to an expensive gym membership:

* Youtube videos – There are tons of youtube channels with partial or full length workouts – choose from the personal channels of celebrity trainers, networks that post nothing but workout videos, or local workout instructors who upload their live classes to the site.

While many of these videos are shorter in length than the time I recommend (at least 60 minutes), you can comprise your own full length workouts by making a playlist of shorter videos to give you a more personalized and varied routine while still meeting the one hour requirement.

* Free workouts in the park – When the weather heats up the parks promote getting outdoors by not only offering free yoga and bootcamp style classes, but other activities that will get your heart rate pumping, such as free rowing programs.

Of course, you can also just bring a jump rope to the park and skip for 20 minutes to burn calories on par with a much longer stint on the treadmill, or if you’re lucky, your park may have a designated area for exercise type equipment. Failing that, the jungle gym can come in very handy for pull-ups, knee ups (work those abs), crunches, dips, etc.

* Running or cycling meet up groups – These groups, and other activity / sports based meet ups, are usually free and will allow you to meet and get to know like minded people who can hopefully inspire you to keep showing up. It’s like having tons of work out buddies that won’t ever flake on you (at least one other person – the organizer – is bound to show up).

* Pedal to the metal – Riding your bike (just avoid hills and steep inclines if you don’t want to build up the thighs too much) is a great way to get your heart rate pumping and burn calories. If you don’t have a bike but reside in a city with a bike share program, you have yet another way to get some exercise in on the cheap. Alternatively, a number of bike sharing websites have popped up that will allow you to rent your neighbor’s bike for as little as $5 a pop.

* Workout DVD’s – The old standby, and again, how I originally got into shape, is fitness DVD’s. While many of the older ones can be found online, you can find these just as effective videos on the cheap on websites like craigslist and ebay, or even snag them for free on websites like free cycle or the library.

* Exercise books and pins – Videos are not the only game in town! There are many books with full workout routines you can follow that can be found for free at the library, on amazon on the cheap for a limited time (kindle unlimited or the books under $3 tabs), and worksheets with detailed sets and reps can be found on sites like pinterest and tumblr.

* Income based workout programs – Companies like yoga to the people strive to bring yoga to the masses by allowing every individual to pay based on their income.

Oil Free Sweet Potato Fries Recipe | Crispy, low calorie & Delicious

In honor of the release of my latest book, “The Oil Free Diet” (May 7th 2015) I have decided to post some of my favorite oil free (no added oil) recipes that didn’t make the book (the book has 30 recipes). The first one up is oil free sweet potato fries (you can also cut the sweet potatoes to make wedges or circles instead)

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes, peeled and evenly cut
1 to 2 tablespoons of Vanilla Extract
Pumpkin Spice
Cloves
Cinnamon
All Spice
5 cloves of Garlic
A pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Soak the sweet potatoes in a bowl of water from 35 minutes up to 2 hours. This will release the starch and is the secret to getting crispy fries

2. Drain the sweet potatoes, pat dry or allow to air dry and turn on the oven to 350 – 375 degrees Fahrenheit so that it can heat up while you add the seasoning.

3. Generously coat the potatoes with all of the spices and mix thoroughly with your hands so that all of the potatoes are evenly coated

4. Take a baking pan lined with parchment paper or non stick foil and arrange the sweet potatoes so that none of them are overlapping. If you don’t have non stick foil regular foil will do but you must be sure to keep on them and flip them before they stick)

5. Bake for about 20 – 30 minute before removing from the oven. Flip each fry / slice over and return to the oven for another 20 – 30 minutes.

6. (optional) If you like your sweet potato fries extra crispy, put in the broiler for 2 to 5 minutes making sure to watch them so that they do not char.

That’s it! You now have yummy sweet potato fries that are low calorie, crispy, crunchy, slightly sweet and incredibly satisfying! Never buy another bag of frozen sweet potatoes with weird additives again! Bon appetit!

Annoying or Smart? Why I Pay Full Price to Order Half Entrees

In front of a restaurant that wouldn’t serve me a half portion of food (I’m not so good at making a frown face)

Yesterday, I was featured in a NY Post Article titled The Annoying New Dining Trend – Ordering Half Entrees.

From that article, I was asked to do an interview with Fox 5 News to give a more in depth report on why I order half entrees and sometimes pay full price for it.

Obviously, I would prefer to pay half the price if I’m getting half the food another patron is getting, but sometimes that’s not possible. In those situations I would rather pay the full price for half an entree.

Why would I ever do that? I promise you, there is a method to my madness, and here it is:

* What’s the price of your goals?

Especially when I first started losing weight, I had to come to the realization that I needed to stop trying to get the most bang for my buck when it came to food. Most of us have been taught to finish everything on ours plate since we could eat on our own, but if you blindly eat what’s put in front of you when eating out it will be very hard to not fall into the overweight / obese category so many Americans are trapped in.

Since the restaurant weren’t going to help me with portion size, I had to make sure I helped myself! That meant creating an environment that would ensure I did not overeat (if there is no more food left on your plate it’s impossible to eat more of it).

Now that I have reached my goal weight, eat slower, retrained my hunger (which I teach you how to do in my book, “The Thigh Gap Hack,”) and know what it feels like to be satisfied, I am apt to paying the full price for the entree, stop eating when I should, and have the rest boxed to go.

* What are they going to do with the leftovers?

I understand the hesitation of some restaurants to half the price of an entree when a diner only wants to order half the food. After all, what are they going to do with the leftovers? Who are they going to serve it to if there are not many other diners requesting the same dish halved?

That being said, if I find a restaurant that can accommodate my needs (and the number of restaurants catering to this need is growing every day) I am more likely to return to that establishment than the ones that won’t.

* Sometimes you don’t want to carry a doggy bag!

If I won’t be home for a few hours after eating and can’t refrigerate my leftovers (in other words the food would probably spoil from seating in a hot car or I don’t have my car to store the food while I go about the rest of my day) then it just doesn’t make sense to receive what is likely to be a huge portion of food and then force myself to eat it all.

As I mentioned in the Fox 5 interview, your stomach shrinks when you start to eat smaller portions and overeating to the point of feeling uncomfortable just so that I don’t waste the food is not worth it to me.

* It’s not such a foreign concept

Whenever I travel internationally I am served smaller portions of food and pay the equivalent of what I would pay for a meal here in NYC. Additionally, whenever I eat at more upscale restaurants, I pay a lot more money for a small portion of food.

To me, eating out is not so much about stuffing myself like a bloat fish, but being social and enjoying the company I am with, especially since I try to cook most of my meals at home.
New York News

Demi Lovato Joins in on the Thin Shaming w/ Thigh Gap Hate

thin shaming courtesy of demi lovato

After famously struggling and supposedly beating an eating disorder, Demi Lovato has jumped on the thin shaming bandwagon by posting an instagram picture of herself to all her fans with the classy caption “Ph_kkk yo thigh gap”.

That’s right – in an absurd move to push back against fat body shaming (who are all these people shaming and demanding that Demi Lovato get a thigh gap?), she has resorted to being a total hypocrite, and kind of a tool, by turning right around and shaming women with thigh gaps (including many of her very own fans i’m sure).

I just thought I’d point out that her logic is flawed because although it’s clear she meant to degrade skinny women with her comment, overweight and average sized women and men can have thigh gaps if they have wider hips.

Additionally, there are those who are able to obtain a thigh gap through healthy diet and exercise (e.g. a fitness model who eats whole unprocessed foods and exercises regularly is able to maintain a low body fat (get very lean) and thus might have a thigh gap with narrower hips, as I explain in my best selling book, “The Thigh Gap Hack”)

There is a way to uplift and be happy in your own body without tearing others down, Demi. And I have to think if you need to call people out for their thigh gaps in order to make yourself feel better you are not as secure and confident as you claim to be.

Final note – have you ever noticed how people who claim to hate or not care thigh gaps just can’t stop talking about it? It’s funny because the things I don’t care about rarely ever cross my mind.

How to Get Legs Like Taylor Swift

Long gone are the days of people only associating Taylor Swift with cheesy pop music about former lovers and that infamous incident involving Kanye West.

Now, all the talk about the 5’11” singer is more about her looks (specifically her lean, slim and shapely legs), closely followed by those less than stellar dance moves and finally, her music.

It’s quite obvious that in the last year or so Taylor has undergone a complete body transformation and in most people’s opinion, it’s for the better!

No, Swift has never been grossly obese or even overweight, but there is no denying that the star has dropped a few pounds and is looking more modelesque than ever.

Call it the breakup diet (when you’re so sad and depressed from a breakup that you lose your appetite, no longer have a boyfriend to constantly take you out or order food in with, or want to show your ex just what he’s missing by hitting the gym), single girl diet (where you suddenly get the surge or motivation to look your best so you can do better in the dating market or actually resemble your old pictures on tinder), or the model friends diet (where you learn all the weight loss tips from your skinny BFF’s Karlie Kloss and Cara Delavigne), whatever reason is responsible for Taylor’s new look has clearly raised her stock and women worldwide are wondering how to follow in Swift’s footsteps.

Clearly, no one will be privy to exactly what and how much Taylor Swift eats, works out, exactly what types of exercises she does, and how active she is on a day to day basis. However, we can assembles pieces of her diet that she has divulge to the media, get insight into the types of work outs that she prefers thanks to the stalkarazzi taking pictures of her everywhere she goes, and drawing from others who have managed to get similar bodies.

With that said, here are some tips to on how to get the Taylor Swift Body (and amazing legs)!

Taylor Swift’s Diet:

During weekdays, Taylor is said to eat only healthy foods, such as salads, yogurt, and sandwiches. Meanwhile, on weekends she allows herself to enjoy eating cookies, ice cream, burgers, and fries. This style of eating resembles the calorie cycling technique that I talk about in my books “Bye Bye Thunder Thighs” and “The Thigh Gap Hack”.

Raising your calories on the weekends or alternate days is great for keeping the metabolism boosted so that when you go back to lowered calories during the week, you burn more fat instead of your body adapting to a steady low calorie diet all week long by slowing the metabolism.

Another secret of Taylor’s is the fact that she eats less as the day progresses. She states, “I try to eat a lot in the beginning of the day and not so much at the end.” This strategy is akin to intermittent fasting where one has an eating widow of around 6 to 8 hours and fasting window of 18 to 16 hours.

Many people chose to skip breakfast on this protocol due to social reason (wanting to eat dinner with family and friends) but it’s just as fine to skip dinner instead. Doing so allows your body to turn to it’s fat stores for energy once all the glycogen has been used up as opposed to constantly eating lots of food throughout the day and never giving your digestive system a break, or a chance for the body to burn stored fat. Again, I talk all about this in both books.

Taylor Swift’s workout:

Some websites have reported that Taylor does an hour of cardio everyday either on her treadmill, on the elliptical or on the road. Besides cardio ensuring that her endurance is on point for her to be able to perform without being out of breath, it allows Taylor to burn a lot of calories and bring circulation to her legs.

But running/jogging is not the only way Swift keeps her heart rate up. The singer has been spotted going to dance classes, hiking and long walks (steady state cardio) to switch things up.

For toning and stretching Taylor opts out of lifting weights and doing any particular muscle building exercise – as I’ve preached for years to those wanting a more feminine, slender physique than hard and buff, fitness model finish.

Instead she swears by ballet (she has been spotted leaving the hip boutique ballet bodies), yoga and pilates. In other words, this girl switches things up and has been quoted as trying not to do things that “feel like working out” otherwise she would be less inclined to do it. (Read my last article about the power of switching up your routine and trying new workouts and/or activities you find fun or intriguing to remain motivated. Swift is a testament to this strategy working extremely well).

To sum things up, if you want to get the Taylor Swift body and legs, find activities that you’ve always wanted to try or love, be consistent with your diet and exercise – making a little room for things you enjoy that won’t derail you (if you know you’ll eat the whole bag of popcorn, ball one single serving pack) so that you don’t feel deprived, ditch the heavy weights and muscle bulging exercises (unless you don’t want to look like Taylor) and rock on!

How to Stay Motivated When you’ve Lost Weight, but Have More to Go

PART II

This question came to me yesterday and I wanted to make sure I shared it, along with my response, here because I thought it could be beneficial to anyone who is currently facing the same problem. The first part deals with how to stay motivated and stop making excuses to work out when you formerly had the zeal and zest to do so.

It’s a very common problem people face, especially after they’ve lost a lot of weight and the weight loss has slowed or they’ve hit a plateau. Thankfully, the answers are not so complicated and difficult to turning things around – in fact there are pretty simple and effective solutions. My answer to this aspect of the question can be found here.

The second part of the question deals with how to prevent backsliding on your diet/exercise regimen and tap back into the motivation you once had specifically after you’ve lost a lot of weight but still have more to go.

Here’s the question and my answer to part II follows.

QUESTION:

Ok. I’ve lost 127 lbs. I hurt my knee pretty bad and needed surgery. I am fully recovered but I’m having suck a hard time with being motivated this time around and I don’t know why. I loved working out before and looked forward to it. Now I find myself making excuses not to. My surgery was 15 months ago. I gained 4 lbs right after surgery because I couldnt move much. I have not gained anything else, just the 4. I also find myself eating stuff I know I shouldn’t because I’m no longer trying to maintain my weight I’m trying to lose some weight. Do you have any advice?

MY ANSWER – Part II:

How to Stop Making Excuses to Work Out (Reader Question)

This question came to me today and I wanted to make sure I shared it, along with my response, here because I thought it could be beneficial to anyone who is currently facing the same problem. It deals with how to stay motivated and stop making excuses to work out when you formerly had the zeal and zest to do so.

I’ll tackle the question in two parts – the first part will deal with how to stop making excuses when it comes to working out and the second part on how to quit backsliding on your diet/exercise regimen specifically after you’ve lost a lot of weight but still have more to go.

Here’s the question and my answer follows.

QUESTION:

Ok. I’ve lost 127 lbs. I hurt my knee pretty bad and needed surgery. I am fully recovered but I’m having suck a hard time with being motivated this time around and I don’t know why. I loved working out before and looked forward to it. Now I find myself making excuses not to. My surgery was 15 months ago. I gained 4 lbs right after surgery because I couldnt move much. I have not gained anything else, just the 4. I also find myself eating stuff I know I shouldn’t because I’m no longer trying to maintain my weight I’m trying to lose some weight. Do you have any advice?

MY ANSWER – Part I:

How To Lose Water Weight – Everything you need to know

The release of my latest book, “How to Lose Water Weight “, is here. It is my third book, joining my current best sellers, “Bye Bye Thunder Thighs” and “The Thigh Gap Hack”

WHO ‘HOW TO LOSE WATER WEIGHT’ IS FOR?

First of all, I need to make it clear that this is not a long term balanced diet and exercise plan. This is a book specifically on how to cut water weight fast for people who have a special occasion or event coming up (wedding, anniversary, reunion, party, photoshoot, video shoot, fitness competition, fight, etc.) in the safest way possible.

Did you know that our bodies are made up of 60 – 70% water? Well, now you know. Because of this fact, the easiest way to lose weight quickly and look great in the short term is to manipulate this major variable that contributes to our weight and body composition (of course we are talking about water).

In my book, “How to Lose Water Weight”, I go over the most popular (and quietly kept secret) techniques and protocols – many of which were previously only known by hardcore fitness industry folks (like bodybuilders and wrestlers). But, I don’t just stop there. I break down timelines, the best foods to tackle bloating and water retention, how to calculate how much you should eat, how much water/salt to consume, how to workout to minimize swelling and maximize calorie burning, and cover non-cosmetic procedures and protocols that will assist you in dropping the pounds.

In the following weeks I will be putting out additional videos on the subjects in the book as well as debuting my workout DVD, “CardioTwist”, a 60 minute workout optimal for burning fat while targeting water retention that is a complement to the book, so be sure to subscribe to my youtube channel so that you don’t miss a thing. Click on this link and hit subscribe.

BUY ‘HOW TO LOSE WATER WEIGHT’ HERE NOW!

7 Ways to Weigh Your Food / Figure out your Calories When Eating Out

eating-out-while-dieting-1 Recently, thanks to Obamacare, restaurants with 20+ locations are required to list calorie content information for standard menu items on menus. Total calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, sugars, fiber and total protein have to be made available in writing upon request.

Unfortunately, most restaurants and cafe’s don’t fall into the 20+ locations category, and as such it can be very difficult to accurately guess what’s in the food you’re consuming when eating out. It would be easy if they had paper overwrapper, as they would need to mention all the info there.

That doesn’t mean all hope is lost though. Here are my tips on how to get a good idea of the nutritional value of food not prepared by you. Keep in mind that all these things can be done in tandem to get the most accurate estimate:

Step 1. Order the Most Unprocessed Food

Processed foods have the most variation when it comes to calories. That’s because added ingredients meant to give food a distinctive taste (creamier, richer, sweeter, crispier) can really add to the bottom line of the nutritional content.

That doesn’t mean that a restaurant can’t totally wipe out the lower calorie value of whole foods like vegetables by pouring on sauce or oil. However, you have a better chance of asking your whole food to be prepared (or not prepared) a certain way to cut back on those calories, while you have no such option of pre-packaged foods the restaurant chooses to purchase – like bread.

So, when dining out look for the most unprocessed, whole – closest to its natural state – foods on the menu. Look out for the way it is prepared and avoid anything deep fried, fried, or breaded and go for grilled, baked, roasted, or boiled.

In case you’re wondering how ordering the most unprocessed food will let you know how many calories you’re consuming – be patient my friend, we’ll get to it in the later step.

Step 2. Always Section Off Half to Go

The next thing you should do when ordering out is immediately upon getting your dish, divide your meal into two. If you are dealing with a solid type of food (like salmon or other white fish, it’s easy to cut and stack one piece on top of the other to visually make sure you have half).

It’s HERE – Bye Bye Thunder Thighs (The Diet for Pear Shapes)

I’ve been a busy bee completing my latest 300 page book, “Bye Bye Thunder Thighs – The Weight Loss Diet Plan for Pear Shapes” (BUY HERE), but I’m proud to announce the wait is over!

In my first book, The Thigh Gap Hack – The Shortcut to Slimmer, Feminine Thighs Every Woman Secretly Desires, I focused on unconventional stubborn fat loss tactics, which most people had never heard of before, that work extremely well for women who want to know how to get a thigh gap.

I lightly touched on diet and exercise (otherwise the book would have been 500 pages long), but still got tons of requests from readers asking for more in depth diet information – like recipe requests, how many calories they should eat, how many grams of carbs, fats and proteins and when they should eat them to see the best fat loss results.

Of course, I would reply to these individuals – but each time was very time consuming. Naturally, I figured if some people were still not 100% clear on what to do it was time to go back to the drawing board and do some clarifying. So, I took all of the most frequently asked questions I received from The Thigh Gap Hack and poured everything I could into my latest work – making sure I left no stone uncovered.

Just some of the amazing topics BYE BYE THUNDER THIGHS covers are –

How and Why it’s possible for pear-shaped women to completely reshape their bodies through strategic dieting and exercise
Specific thigh slimming foods that increase your metabolism, are anti-inflammatory and reduce water retention
Exact recommended calories and macros for losing stubborn fat or overdeveloped bulky muscles
How to build and prepare your meals so that you eat less
My three pronged exercise approach for contouring beautiful, slender thighs without muscle hypertrophy (growth)
What foods you should NEVER eat and how it affects your physique
PLUS 30 of my favorite, easy low calorie recipes broken down into breakfast, lunch and dinner

IF YOU ARE A PEAR SHAPED WOMAN who wants to reshape your body once and for all, this is the book for you! Click the buy now button below to place your order and start reading.

SPECIAL SPECIAL OFFER: If you still haven’t read The Thigh Gap Hack yet, contact me here to receive a special PACKAGE deal for both digital books.

7 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight With Zumba

Right off the bat I would like to declare that I am a fan of Zumba. In fact, I’ve recently begun taking a zumba class here in New York City two times a week after discovering the studio/class during New York Dance Week.

In case you’re not familiar with New York Dance week, it’s a little over a week, and hundreds of dance studios allow folks to check out their classes for free. I actually checked out two zumba classes held at different studios that week and decided on the one I’ve been attending for reasons I’ll cover in just a second.

I had done zumba before through the workout videos where the guy with the accent and the interpreter get on a very nightly colored stage and dance to different genres of music for approximately five minutes each. The videos were pretty cool but it wasn’t something I was crazy about, the way many Zumba devotees praise their method of training.

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I just like to switch up my routine, and an hour of the zumba videos did leave me sweating – mission accomplished.

The zumba class that I attend now was completely packed my first day, and every day I’ve attended since then. I’ve also gotten a chance to chat with a few of the women and was surprised that many of them had been doing Zumba faithfully for months!

The problem is, they didn’t have much to show for their hard work. Before you take offense, I obviously understand that just because someone is not a size 2, doesn’t mean they haven’t made any progress. Who knows where they could have been coming from right?

No one understands this more than me. I am specifically talking about women who have been dancing Zumba multiple times a week over a long period of time who complain about not losing any weight – but coming back anyway because class is in their own words, addictive.

Perhaps you can relate?

Zumba is really fun and doing the live classes with a bunch of other folks really creates a sense of community, but what’s the point in paying for a workout program if you aren’t getting the results you want?

ZUMBA AND WEIGHT / FAT LOSS

If you put in a search on the internet for zumba and weight loss, you’ll find countless stories from women who have lost weight using Zumba as their only method of exercise. Clearly, it is possible to lose weight with this program. After all, it’s cardio – and cardio burns fat and will assist you in losing weight by allowing you to burn more calories than you ingest.

So the immediate answer to the question of whether you can lose weight with zumba is, yes!

However, that being said there are reasons why someone might find themselves plateauing or even gaining weight from just doing Zumba alone.

1. You’re not working hard enough

I see it all the time in the classes I’ve attended – people with low energy, doing modified steps, taking long bathroom or water breaks, etc. If you’re doing a half-assed job of working out, just know that you’re not burning nearly half as many calories that you think you are.

2. The Zumba Teacher Sucks / Lacks Energy

As I mentioned, I tried out two different studios offering zumba. The second class I tried was at the infamous Alvin Ailey dance studio. The class was huge compared to the studio I currently attend, but the instructor was not nearly as motivational or energetic as he could have been. Perhaps it was a long day or something, but the energy of the teacher as well as his/her choreography is going to make a world of difference in the results you can expect.

If the choreography is way too complicated, you’re going to be spending most of your time flubbing steps than actually burning calories. If your teacher is modifying the steps, it’s unlikely that you and your fellow dancers will choose to do the advanced version to push yourself. It all starts at the top!

3. The Group / Class Dynamic

Additionally, the overall energy of the class is important to your success. If your class is full of beginners or people who are not very fit, it’s likely your instructor will try and cater to the majority of the participants and do simpler moves. You’re better off finding a more advanced class with folks at a fitness level more in line with yours or higher that will challenge you.

4. Over-estimating the Calories Burned

The very first day of class my teacher proclaimed, are you ready to burn 800 calories? My face immediately distorted as I know the amount of effort it takes to burn 800 calories is quite significant. Sure, we burn a lot of calories dancing but not anywhere near 800 in my one hour class that includes a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down.

If you are being told you are burning 800 calories and go home and eat as though you actually are, be prepared to not lose a single pound – and probably even gain a few. Remember, you need a calorie deficit and in order to figure that out you have to be accurate about not only the calories you are eating, but the energy you are burning.

5. Your Body Adjusts

Zumba is great and all, but the thing with any workout that we do all the time, your body adjusts. It gets more efficient at doing things you require it to do often (we’re awesome like that). If you are not incorporating other workouts and challenging your body in other ways, or your instructor is not modifying their routines often enough, rest assured that you burn fewer and fewer calories every time.

Is this your pre workout meal that you’ve earned?

6. You Haven’t Addressed Your Diet

Remember, that diet is key to weight/fat loss (80%), while exercise is only approximately 20%. For some people, intense cardio makes them feel entitled to eat a feast because they’ve earned it. We’re not talking about feasting on protein and vegetables either. If you end each class with a celebratory cheesecake, don’t be shocked if the weight isn’t falling off you. One fast food meal (even from the kiddie menu) alone could wipe out your exercise efforts / calories burned.

You must, must, must address your diet to lose weight. There’s simply no way around it. You can get more weight loss tips at Mr Trim Fit.

7. You Might Have Water Retention

You know I love the subject of water retention. In fact, my new book “How to Lose Water Weight – ” is almost complete and is slated to come out next month. I’m excited for you all to read it, but I digress.

In the book I talk about something called the whoosh affect, also known as dieter’s edema. This is when after a while of cutting calories and working out to create a deficit, the body retains a large amount of water that hides your fat loss. Then, seemingly overnight one day you wake up a few pounds lighter, where you remain until your next whoosh occurs.

The point is that you may actually have lost weight because you’ve been doing everything right, but that weight loss is not visible on the scales because of water retention. There are many ways to get rid of water retention (I give 1 day, one week and two week plans in the book for when you need to shed water weight fast for an upcoming event), but if you’re not in a rush lowering sodium, drinking more water, cutting carbs and eating foods that act as natural diuretics is a good place to start.

Skinny Doesn’t Equal Weak – Ask Kacy Catanzaro (Ninja Warrior)

Want proof that being skinny and having a thigh gap doesn’t equal being weak, anorexic or unhealthy? I give you Kacy Catanzaro.

Catanzaro is a five foot (5′) tall, 100 pound gymnast, leaving cross fitters, personal trainers, Navy SEALS, and the like in the dust by being one of the first women ever to qualify for the season finals of the obstacle course show, The American Nina.

The division 1 gymnast, who won division of the year, displays incredible qualities of strength, body control, stamina and power despite her small frame in the video below.

You vs your Jeans – How women put on tight jeans Video

Yikes!

I’m sure the viral video (How women put on tight jeans) making the rounds on the internet has been shared hundreds of times because so many women can relate!

The struggle is very real (especially for my pear shaped ladies) and no amount of vanity sizing, which is the unstated theme of the video, is going to change the fact that you’re not the actual size you might want to be!

Sure, those jeans might say size zero but what do you care if when you see a woman who is a real size zero (wearing a 00) reminds you that you’re only deluding yourself? Do you still feel better about your body?

Look, I’ve been in the position of the woman in the video and I know firsthand that it doesn’t have to be this way! You don’t have to engage in a battle of epic proportions to slip into a pair of pants (only to have the thighs rub out in a few weeks or the back split open when you bend down). Don’t even get me started on the amount of butt cracks I’ve seen on women in my every day observations. It’s shameful and embarrassing! Not even plumbers sport butt cracks anymore and that was their thing.

The way I see it is you have one of three options

Option 1: Give in to the fact that you are not willing to do what it takes to lose the weight and buy bigger sized pants that fit. You’ll be doing everyone, including yourself, a favor!

Option 2. Become well versed on the clothing companies that cater to vanity sizing. Buy that size 24 waist jeans but when you’re thumbing through the rack and realize that in order for a size 24 to fit you, new sizes such as 00 and xxs are now options, you won’t be able to kid yourself for long. You also won’t be comforted by the fact that your body/shape is still not where you want it to be at the end of the day.

Option 3. Do something (like join the thousands of women who have bought one of my best selling books – The Thigh Gap Hack or Bye Bye Thunder Thighs) to lose the fat/weight so that you can buy the actual size you are proud to wear, whether that be a 2, 4 or 6, without giving yourself rug burn trying to scoot into your clothes on a daily basis… or buy the smallest vanity size and still feel great about the way your body actually looks in the mirror and to others.

Did Beyonce Photoshop her Thigh Gap? You Decide!

Beyonce posted a picture of herself golfing while on vacation with her fabulous family and people are speculating that the singer/actress/everything else photoshopped her legs to reveal a thigh gap before making the photo public on social media.

Of course, people are up in arms!

I’m not sure why they would be though given Beyonce famously whittled her legs down to reveal a thigh gap during her grammy’s performance with Jay-Z.

SIDE NOTE: Want to know how she did it? I think she used water weight and dehydration tactics, which I will be covering in my next book: How to Lose Water Weight and Look Great in 2 weeks or less, but you can find out the other ways she could have gotten her thigh gap in this post.

Now, it should be noted that Mrs. Carter is bending her knees and leaning forward which will make anyone’s legs look slimmer and trimmer, so it’s possible there was no foul play involved. What do you think?

I think people need to stop trying to make Queen Bey the epitome of bootyliciousness since it’s obvious she doesn’t even want that physique or title anymore. She keeps dieting and trimming down for a reason: she clearly wants to look more mainstream, slender and feminine and loves to show off her body when she manages to drop a few pounds.

Beyonce won’t be your savior or poster child for women with thunder thighs anymore – and can you blame her? This is the same woman who strives for perfect in all that she does and wants to be anything but ordinary. This is also the same woman whose publicist tried to get unflattering images of her removed after her Super Bowl performance. In fact, those were the images that probably sparked her desire to get those thighs in check!

Blessing in Disguise: Will Sugar Alcohols Make you Gain or Lose Weight?

You see them next to the checkout counter at your natural health food supermarket or whole foods – think thin bars with zero sugars. You mean I can have fudge with 0 grams of sugar? you ask yourself, while curiously examining the back of the label to see if it’s too good to be true.

Indeed, zero sugars… but what do those kazillion grams of sugar alcohols mean? You whip out the smart phone and do a little google glossing before determining you’re good to go and toss a variety of delicious sounding flavors into your basket of unprocessed foods. Sold!

But the question is, are sugar alcohols actually any better than sugar, which is bad for you because it causes huge insulin spikes that prevent fat loss? Will it slow down your weight loss and be stored in the body just like carbohydrates and regular sugar is? Does it count towards your carb consumption? And of course, the number one question on your mind: “Does sugar alcohols make you fat?”

What are Sugar Alcohols?

Is it sugar? it it alcohol? Try neither. The definition of Sugar alcohols is: one type of reduced-calorie sweetener. You can find them in ice creams, cookies, puddings, candies and chewing gum that is labeled as “sugar-free” or “no sugar added. The impact of such sugar can be explained by dentists too, find out more about Smiles By Glerum to learn details.

So, to me it sounds like they are the latest and ‘greatest’ sugar substitutes or sweeteners. We all know how well other synthetic sweeteners touted as low calorie worked out. If you’re not aware, this article from HOW STUFF WORKS will give you some insight.

Are Sugar Alcohols healthy or bad for you? Just say yes or no!

I know, you want the truth and nothing but the truth. No wishy washy, well… maybe, stuff. Ok, I’ll give it to you straight. A huge disadvantage is that you will have a harder time kicking your penchant for sweet foods if you continue to stoke your sugar cravings fire within with sugar alcohol filled foods. So, that’s one strike right there.

Sugar alcohols are indeed a carbohydrate and they do raise blood sugar. You don’t get free carbs here, so if you’re keeping your carbs low like you should be on my ‘thigh gap diet’, you’re cutting into your real meals that’ll keep you full a heck of a lot longer than some candy bar, big time! So, that’s strike two.

The fact of the matter is, sugar alcohols are not good for you and just like other artificial sweeteners, will make you gain weight. But I have to say, overall they are a blessing in disguise!

Sugar Alcohols are a Blessing in Disguise

So why do I call sugar alcohols a blessing in disguise after saying they are not good for your health, and make you gain weight? Did I leave out some redeeming quality that trumps all the bad stuff? Not quite.

However, there is one thing that I haven’t mentioned about sugar alcohol (strike three if you will) and it’s that they stimulate diarrhea and make any irritable bowel syndrome you may have a lot worse. Be prepared for abdominal pain, bloating, gas and a lot of embarrassing tummy sounds if you’re out in public.

Hence, my opinion that they are a blessing in disguise.

TRUE STORY that’ll make you Kick Sugar Alcohols to the Curb

You see, a friend of mine found out the hard way when she shoveled down a few think thin protein bars touting zero sugar (but a lot of sugar alcohol) and ended up with a seriously upset stomach, crazy abdominal pain and vicious gas.

She couldn’t sleep for the entire night and vowed off the stuff for good. “Never again!” She exclaimed when I called the following day to find out if she was feeling any better. If you’ve ever experienced gorging one food so much that it starts to taste gross or it gives you ill consequences, you’ll understand perfectly why I say this!

There’s almost no faster way to kick your habit than being met with undesirable side effects like the ones sugar alcohol causes.

Have you ever experienced painful tummy aches from sugar alcohol or any other food that helped you swear off that food forever? Are you an anomaly who eats sugar alcohol and still manage to stay in shape? Tell me about it in the comments

5 Spring Fashions That Just Go Better with a Thigh Gap

If you’ve worked hard to get those ultra-thin thighs (or even if you haven’t), you are definitely ready to sport all those spring fashions that just go better with a well-defined thigh gap. Especially if you’ve spent the winter bundled up. Since anyone can get a thigh gap, if you don’t have one yet, you can look to these fashion choices as great motivation!

There are so many spring fashions that just don’t go well with bigger legs. Let’s face it, though: Very few fashions actually look bad with a thigh gap. Thin thighs are complementary, no matter which way you slice it, girls. Right? But there are some styles that hide your assets, while others actually enable you to show off your thigh gap! No doubt those are the fashions thigh gap gals want to sport. Looking good in the latest fashions is just one of many reasons that women want a thigh gap.

Short Shorts

Who wears short shorts? Girls and ladies with a thigh gap wear short shorts, that’s who. They may be a little too chilly in the evening, but during a nice spring day, short shorts are fun and look great. They elongate the legs and make the feminine body look taller. They also provide a sporty, sexy and fun-loving image.

Mini Skirts

Mini skirts work as soon as the snow melts! They show off great thin thighs and if they are short enough (or when they blow in the wind) they might just show off that thigh gap as well. Mini skirts also give that air of youth, beauty and fitness. They elongate the legs and help give the illusion of just a little more height.

Skinny Jeans

Ah, the skinny jean. The place where it all started. Nowhere has the thigh gap been more popular than in the skinny jean market. Jeans can be worn in any season, but are especially perfect for spring, when you don’t need to bundle up, but are not sweltering hot either. You can wear jeans in almost any setting too. Even some formal occasions are perfect for a pair of skinnies with a blazer and some dazzling jewelry. You just can’t go wrong with denim, and the best part is you can be fully clad and still show off that thigh gap!

Gym Wear

The gym is hard work, but it doesn’t have to be all work and no play. When spring hits, you can ditch the heavy sweats and put on some real gym clothes again. Looking good at the gym can be a huge motivator for staying in shape. When you’re sweating your thighs off, sporting a great pair of workout pants, nothing makes you feel better than getting a glimpse of that thigh gap in the mirror. Bonus: others get to see it too. There’s nothing wrong with that!

Swimsuits with Wrap-Arounds

On a warm spring day, there’s nothing like a swimsuit with a wrap-around skirt to make for a perfect outfit. No matter what style you’re wearing, there is no hiding flab and cellulite in a bathing suit. The flip side of that is that it’s obviously one of the best fashions you can be seen in when you have a thigh gap to show off. A long, billowy skirt with a slit right at the thighs is the perfect companion piece.

Once you’ve got a great thigh gap going, don’t be afraid to show it off in the latest spring fashions!

Boycott Planet Fitness! Don’t Pay to be Insulted

I’ve never understood people who knowingly patronize establishments that clearly do not value your business and/or hate you. I’m glad one woman didn’t just fall for the okie doke and quit/got her money back instead of just taking the abuse lying down. If you haven’t heard of Tiffany Austin’s story – watch, (like and share) the interview below.

The cliff notes version is she stood up against the thin shaming police that is Planet Fitness, after being harassed and insulted for her body being ‘too fit’.

To me, it’s a stockpile! In light of all the recent whiny thigh gap articles about Target and old Navy – something needs to be done. Read on about how you can help send a strong and clear message that we won’t be pushed around by the thin shaming police any longer by signing my petition to boycott Planet Fitness and spreading the word. https://www.change.org/petitions/planet-fitness-boycott-planet-fitness-don-t-pay-to-be-insulted-harassed

By Camille Hugh, Author of “The Thigh Gap Hack” – http://www.thighgaphack.com

No Judgement, huh? It’s quite clear that Planet Fitness’ motto is to judge, ridicule and harrass anyone who cares enough about working out to get their desired end result – a fit, slim or muscle toned body. If you fall into that group, you are not welcome at this establishment. If you start out as being overweight but through the use of their facility manage to slim down, you will no longer be welcome at their establishment. Why are you still giving them your money?

PROOF THAT PLANET FITNESS DOESN’T VALUE PEOPLE LIKE YOU

1. Take a look at the advertising Planet Fitness used to launched their company. Their more famous one mocked ‘meatheads’ who ‘pick things up and put them down’. They even have a ‘no grunt’ policy, where if you grunt an alarm will sound so that you can be publicly called out, because god forbid anyone actually works hard and strains enough to show normal signs of fatigue.

2. Then there’s the more recent commercial where Planet Fitness mocks women with slender bodies by portraying them as brainless, self absorbed ditzes in a gym changing room, while an overweight member looks on in what more resembles disgust than intimidation.

3. Finally, in more recent events – there’s former member, Tiffany Austin, who was humiliated with stares from members and by two separate staff workers because her ‘too fit’ body was intimidating members. She was asked to cover up because she wore a midriff and arm baring outfit while working out.

Planet Fitness’ response? They stand by their managers and company policy. ENOUGH SAID!

Every company has the right to decide who their target market is, but if you are someone who hopes to really get in shape this company has made it blatantly clear that you are not their target market. Oh, they’ll take your money, but continue to mock, judge and humiliate you in their advertising, outlandish policies and demeaning behavior (e.g. sounding alarms if you work out too hard!)

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE

Lately, we’ve had the media and specific journalists reaching and grasping at straws to pound into the public’s mind that being slim or thin is wrong. All of a sudden being slim is an ‘unattainable body standard/goal’.

Images of slender people are somehow oppressing overweight individuals and without any specific words portraying a specific message, images of slim/fit women is somehow telling nonfit women they must look like the model to be deemed attractive, or influences them enough to develop an eating disorder.

By refusing to apologize to Ms. Austin and the public at large, Planet Fitness joins the ranks of the thin shaming crew. Actually, they’ve been long time members of this crew.

WHY ARE YOU SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO DON’T SUPPORT YOU?

If you give them your money, you are only fueling the fire for this unhealthy and dangerous message to continue to spread. Let them know you’ll take your business elsewhere, where you are actually valued, appreciated and respected as a customer: that place is NOT Planet Fitness

To bring the point home, how about this for double standard: If an overweight or obese person decided they were Big and beautiful and walked into a gym or establishment wearing revealing clothes and were told they needed to cover their bodies up because it was upsetting others, you know there would be an instant lawsuit!