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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Old Navy Thigh Gap Reach – Thin Shaming Police Strike Again!

Oh, brother! Just when you thought it was safe –

Here we go again! The thin shaming police are really working over time now and seriously reaching with the latest accusations of Old Navy photoshopping a thigh gap on to a ‘plus sized’ mannequin.

For those of you who have googled your way on to this blog – and journalists – please note that a true thigh gap is when someone is standing with their feet together, legs straight and there is a gap or space, ranging from small to large, in between the thighs. I mean, do these bloggers even do any research? They can start with my website or book to educate themselves before blindly throwing terms around to get a reaction.

CLEARLY, if you look at the picture in question from Old Navy’s website, the model has one knee bent and the picture is also taken from an angle. Many women would naturally have a small space between their thighs with the combination of these two things; bent knee and posing at an angle.

Also, is it possible that since we are talking about a mannequin here that the mannequin was actually fashioned in this way.

Finally, I’ve said it a billion times before, and I’ll say it again – there are overweight women and women with what would be considered BIG THIGHS with thigh gaps. This is because of the shape of their hip bones. If these women were to lose fat, they would be the ones with the really large thigh gaps.

On the other hand, there are women with smaller hips who have to work a little harder to get a thigh gap and if they were to lose a lot of fat and follow the other tips in my book to get lean and contour their thighs. They would have a smaller thigh gap.

This mannequin is representing someone’s (in fact, thousands of someones) body out there! It is not unrealistic nor is this picture magically water dunking women into trying to look like the picture. No one is forcing anyone’s hand here – we all have free will and minds to think and rationalize for ourselves! Since when does one model, or one mannequin for that matter, have such a stronghold over us?

FACE THE FACTS: Many women and men find thigh gaps sexy, feminine and appealing all on their own. And just look at this picture and you’ll see why.

In the immortal words of Robin Thicke, “You know you want it!” ;D

5 Ways to Slim Down Big, Bulky or Muscular Calves

I got the following message on my Facebook wall the other day regarding how to slim down muscular, over-toned calves

This is a common problem amongst many women, who find their calves are so big that it plays a huge role on their self esteem and makes them extremely self conscious. Not mention, buying jeans, boots and wearing high heels or clothes that show off the calves wind up being a complete disaster.

So, what do you do?

Well, I have never personally felt like my calves were too muscular, as I did with my thighs, however I did notice that when I lose weight doing the techniques outlined in my book, The Thigh Gap Hack, my entire legs slimmed down drastically… including my calves.

The calves are not so different than the thighs – they can both get too bulky and muscular for our taste, so I’ve decided to do a video response to this often asked question outlining 5 things you can start doing today to slim down your calves.

If you’ve ever dealt with this problem before, or found something that worked for you please share in the comments section. Watch the video after the jump!

NOT FAIR! 10 Celebrity Guys with Thigh Gaps (Man Gaps? Guy Gaps?)

I can remember when I first told my boyfriend about the thigh gap and subsequently put him through the thigh gap test. My bemused beau obliged and to our surprise, he was indeed sporting a pretty sizable thigh gap!

You may be able to relate as you stretch, tone and do copious amounts of cardio in an attempt to winnow down those legs or keep your gap from closing and then catch a glimpse of your boyfriend of guy friend scarfing down pizza while his gap remains firmly in tact.

By the way, what should we call it? Man Gaps? Guy Gaps? Let me know your preferred or most creative terminology in the comments section.

As I cover in my book, it’s easier for some people to get thigh gaps than others (although anyone who is determined can get one in a healthy way). Men included possess thigh gaps if their hips are wider and legs are on the skinnier side. They also tend to hold their weight in their stomachs as opposed to their legs, which as it turns out is more dangerous for your health but easier to lose.

I’ve also had a lot of male customers who have used my protocols successfully (Hey, guys like skinny jeans too).

Here are a list of well known guys whose stems you can totally be envious of.

# 1 Adam Levine –

The Maroon 5 singer and The Voice Judge has a pretty lean frame and as can be seen here in slim fitting jeans, is sporting a thigh gap.

# 2 Harry Styles – Member of the popular all boy band ‘One Direction’, Harry Styles, is seen here in a before picture with no thigh and after with slender legs.

His hips don’t look particularly wide to me! If he can do it, so can you!

jared-leto-gold-and-black-suit-oscars-nominees-luncheon-beverly-hills__oPt

3. Jared leto –

Fresh off of his Oscar win, Jared Leto has always been a pretty slender guy. Here’s gorgeous, rich and successful – and yup, has a thigh gap to boot. Some guys get all the luck!

In Defense of Target – Should Target Have Apologized?

In this week’s roundup of thigh gap news:

TARGET PHOTOSHOP DEBACLE – WHY THEY DON’T NEED TO APOLOGIZE OR EXPLAIN:

As you all know by now Target has come under fire for photoshopping a thigh gap, as well as a narrower hip, arms and torso on a model for its bikini-wear. Ok, so we can all agree that it was a pretty bad photoshop job (and not just some technical glitch as Target claims). It was an oversight that made its way on to their website or a big publicity stunt to get people talking about target, or forgetting about their data breach which was recently in the news.

Of course, you have the hang-wringing, body policing, opportunistic journalists who have taken to their blogs and websites to publicly flog Target for setting ‘unrealistic body goals’ and standards for those girls who saw the ad. “They can’t un-see the ad and the feeling that they got when they looked down at their thighs and wondered why a huge chunk of their private wasn’t missing!”

THIGH GAPS EXIST IN REAL LIFE

Ok, that wasn’t a direct quote, but that’s the gist of their argument. If we dissect their argument we know that first, a girl with a thigh gap is not an unrealistic body goal because there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of women (and men) out there with natural thigh gaps – ergo: very realistic body type.

Of course, there are also plenty of women out there with narrow hips (like my clients and myself) who have gotten slender enough to see some light between their thighs – ergo: very realistic!

THIS IS STANDARD ADVERTISING PRACTICE

The other aspect of the uproar is that Target would DARE put a thigh gap on a young model who is already pretty slender. “Why would they even do this?!” These overly sensitive, outraged and offended people want to know.

Here’s the thing, every single company does this. So, if you want to be outraged at Target, you should be outraged at everyone – but it’s not healthy to go around raising your blood pressure for silly things such as this.

Companies make advertisements and marketing campaigns that appeal to their target market / demographic. In this case, target wants to TARGET teen girls, who as we all know (along with plenty of adult women) want slimmer thighs and thigh gaps. They find this look to be attractive and desirable.

Target, knowing this, wants the model in its ads to appeal to those young girls who ALREADY want thigh gaps. If Target were to put an obese girl in its pictures on its websites you can be sure that people who don’t find obese women attractive or see themselves reflected in the model won’t be interested in the product regardless of how cut the piece is.

MODELS APPEAL TO WHAT WE LIKE OR ASPIRE TO LOOK LIKE

If they can’t relate to the model or find the model inspirational, they won’t be compelled to want to wear, much less buy, the outfit that she is wearing. This is why the most popular models are beautiful and skinny. Most women want to be skinny and beautiful and look like the models do in the ads. We in turn buy those clothes to look like them!

Come on, we all know this to be true, so to rake Target over the coals for being business savvy, and in fact following common advertising practices is quite silly.

Yes, it was a botched photoshop job, but the only person who should be apologizing is the graphic artist/intern who was clearly either drunk on the job or on his last day. Let’s stop appeasing these extreme people who want to place the blame on everyone but themselves when it comes to their daughter’s/childrens self image.

Health at every size? Are you Lying to Yourself?

I have heard a lot of people who want to feel better about being overweight or obese claim how ‘healthy’ they are despite their size, and I’m sure I’m not alone. You hear it all the time: “You can be overweight and healthy” or some other “fat acceptance” propaganda meant for us to not criticize or make assumptions about the way a person looks as it relates to their health despite the high likelihood that a heavy person is not going to be the model of health.

In fact, there’s even a “health at every size” campaign trying to convince people that those who are severely obese are actually “healthy” and have a good relationship with food!

Now, I am by no means saying that just because you’re skinny or slim that you are healthy! We all know this, we’re focusing on an entirely different matter so let’s dismiss this strawman argument off the bat.

Here’s a clip from the Dr. Drew show with Meme Roth addressing the issue and making some very valid points:

:Sigh: When are people going to stop lying to themselves?

Thank God for people like Meme Roth, and the many readers who send me notes daily reminding me that I’m not in another galaxy, who point out the obvious without mincing words. You’d think people who recognize the truth are in the minority because many of the loudest people on the internet are a part of the obese/overweight crew, and in fact the overwhelming majority of Americans are overweight (over 2 in 3 adult Americans are overweight).

These folks collectively push their DANGEROUS fat acceptance agenda/speech to feel better about the lies they tell themselves.

Yes, fat acceptance is dangerous as explained beautifully by Meme in this quote:

“Yes, my entire family is obese and I have to tell you when you grow up with the people that you love and respect the most and you see the hardship, the damage to their bodies and spirit due to obesity it breaks your heart.

My grandmother just passed away this February and she lay in a bed for four years, not even getting up to go to the bathroom because she got so heavy she had to be put in a home. It’s just beyond tragic and I think calling what gets people to that point beautiful is dangerous and really cruel. I think it comes from a good place wanting people to feel good…”

Just as we discourage anorexia and bulimia, we should discourage the other side of the coin. Our bodies were meant to be lean – not lugging around a bunch of excess weight (as evidenced by the many diseases associated with being fat and obese).

So, the question I want to ask you if you’ve arrived here from the Cosmopolitan article after taking offense that someone could dare be helping women achieve a body size/aesthetic that THEY find attractive is, “Are you lying to yourself?”

Are you are lying to yourself when you claim you love your ‘fat’, ‘overweight’, or ‘curvy’ body, throw up your first for being a BBW, and jump for joy in public over having thick, thunder thighs? Do you secretly pine on the inside to be slim and fit, wish you could get your disordered compulsive eating habits under control, and feel beautiful without a doubt? Then let me help you!

My book is called ‘The Thigh Gap Hack” but it’s not ONLY about getting a thigh gap. If you want a thigh gap, I’m all for it – because it’s your body and you’re entitled to make it look the way you want it to.

I’ll help you get slimmer, feminine legs in a HEALTHY manner, but my book WILL ALSO teach you how to get lean and slim down all over by using unconventional fitness tips that will increase your metabolism, reset your hunger, burn your STORED fat, and keep the weight off forever.

NEW! Cardio Dance Workout |Talk Dirty to me – Jason Derulo & 2 Chainz

Allow me to talk dirty to you for a second –

Get your @$s up and do my ridiculously fun, fat blasting cardio dance choreographed workout video, NOW!

That’s right, the latest and greatest calorie burning thigh gap workout is up on my channel http://www.youtube.com/thighgaphack

It’s a brand spanking new, low impact – HIGH intensity, cardio dance workout set to Jason Derulo and 2 Chainz’s crazy popular song, Talk Dirty to Me! #noexcuses

Click read more to watch the actual video after the jump

Pinterest Infuriates Women Everywhere – Thigh Gap Warning

I’ve gotten a ton of notes today from readers regarding pinterest’s new warning that pops up when you search for ‘thigh gap’ on their website. Here’s a screenshot:

UGH. Can you say insulting? How about infuriating?

Earth to pinterest – you don’t have to have a mental disorder to have or want a thigh gap or find them attractive. There are millions of women in the world with natural thigh gaps due to their bone structure. There are others who are able to get a thigh gap with narrow hips by using healthy dieting and exercising tactics as displayed in my book. There are millions of men who find thigh gaps attractive and sexy!

When did society come to this? It’s now abnormal to want to have a slender and slim frame! Women who actually care about their bodies and what they put in it get accused of having anorexia or bulimia or being ‘obsessed’ for not wanting to eat pizza/cake with the rest of the overweight/obese population. And why would you when the evidence of what’s to come if you do indulge is staring you right in the face.

We’re told, ‘You can have one cookie – it won’t kill you! You can stand to gain some weight?” Are we supposed to trust the opinions and standards of those who are killing themselves with food and would probably give their left arm to be instantly thin (your size or desired size) or if a genie popped up and granted them one wish would change their bodies?

Yeah, pinterest – sorry, but this is not a good look or move on your part! Sure, there are those who might have eating disorders that want thigh gaps, but there are also those who might have eating disorders that want flat stomachs, slim arms, long hair, designer jeans and a billion other things that get searched for on pinterest daily.

Where are the steroid disclaimers / warnings about drug use and hotline numbers for guys searching for six packs and biceps?

Until you put that disclaimer for every single search term, you are offending a huge portion of your users!

What do you think? Do you agree with me – if so let pinterest know!

Heat VS Cold Temperatures for Fat or Weight Loss

Check out the first episode of my youtube show, “Fitness Hacks with Camille”

The topic is…

HEAT VS COLD TEMPERATURES FOR LOSING WEIGHT / FAT
Which one comes out the winner?

Please share on your Facebook pages, tumblr, twitter, instagram, pinterest, etc. if you learned something new!

Click read more to watch the video

5 Ways Celebrities who Procrastinate Slim Down for the Oscars

Many celebrities have been prepping for months for their close up and full body shots at the Oscars! Others, have been bitten by the procrastination bug and had a bit of catching up to do to be in tip top form.

You can bet, for the past week some of the most famous faces have been turning to tried and true diet tips to slim down their waist, hips and overall figure. Since it’s harder to drop a lot of weight in a short time, they’ve opted to lose what’s known as ‘water weight’.

Our bodies are comprised of mainly water, and when you lose the water weight you can drop anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds enabling you to zip up that super glamorous designer dress for the cameras.

After the jump, I reveal 6 of the industry tips/secrets for losing water weight fast! (Watch the video and don’t forget to subscribe)