Sheri’s Rants #34: FAST WEIGHT LOSS NOW!!

There are two popular routes to ‘fast’ weight loss. The first one is fasting and the second is diet pills.  A third route gaining in popularity is a dangerous combination of the two – the HCG diet which combines injections of human growth hormone with a metabolism-wasting 500 calories a day.

First some factual background that you want to understand:

1)    The human liver can only burn 1 to 1.5 lbs of fat per week in a female, and 1.5-2 lbs of fat per week for males.  Any ‘weight’    loss over that is valuable muscle tissue and water. Further, if you are losing muscle tissue and water, your body will not process fat readily – because they are two very different processes.

2)    ‘Weight’ loss at any cost wastes muscle tissue (see above) and that lowers your metabolism drastically.  That’s why the weight comes back  with a vengeance!  Further, you’ll gain back more fat – not the muscle that you lost.  That means you’re fatter than when you started, with a tanked metabolism due to muscle wasting.  Ouch.   Add to that little equation the internal stress on your organs, higher cholesterol (due to muscle wasting) and a host of issues now termed ‘metabolic syndrome’ or ’syndrome x’ – which means a wide range of physical problems related directly to a trashed metabolism.

QUIZ: now, if  you’re overweight and you’re exhibiting metabolic syndrome symptoms and you obviously need to drop weight and to accomplish that you go on a low calorie diet (I don’t care who is telling you to do it) what do you think will happen?  I’ll bet you can guess.

Okay.  That understood, many folks just panic with wanting to ‘get the weight off’ at any cost – usually due to some sort of impending social event – and go one of these routes anyway.  Here’s some more lowdown on what’s going to happen:

FASTING: It makes people irritable and less able to deal with stress because the blood sugar is so unstable, will make it difficult to think clearly,  the hormones go crazy, and your energy will tank.  This won’t make you popular with anyone, can ruin relationships, and make life generally difficult.  With the attendant (and impossible to avoid) muscle wasting and internal organ stress you are setting yourself up for long term imbalances that can take years to correct.  Life is already stressful.  Don’t make it worse.

DIET PILLS: Diet pills work by teasing your metabolism through unnatural means – which basically means they are full of caffeine and potential problems include racing heart, anxiety disorders, irritable bowels and acid reflux.  These are not attractive options.  The long term effects of kidney and adrenal disturbances, liver stress, and metabolic wasting aren’t pretty either.

By the way, along with all these unsavory side effects you may not lose any weight.  That’s a lot of risk.

THE SANE PATH:  start a sensible (metabolism supporting) weight loss program and plan on it taking about a year.  This will give you time to let your body work naturally,  will restore your body to health, you’ll stand a better chance of not putting it all back on in the first 6 months, and you’ll be able to enjoy the process and learn to incorporate the new life skills that you’ll need in order to maintain your new, lean, healthy vibrant self.

***What I find is that the folks who tend to opt for these self destructive paths usually have addiction issues with food and or alcohol. How this plays out is an unrealistic, short-sighted view of the long term reality – with an emphasis on the short term gratification.

EAT THIS: Eat Your Greens!

Greens are the food we all need more of: greens strengthen blood and immune systems, prevent cancer, fight depression naturally and are loaded with fiber.

Lots of folks think that as long as they are popping ‘green’ pills or swilling green powders they are ‘getting thier greens’ bases covered.  Not so true.  There is a huge difference between the nutritional vitality of a whole food and the many refined processes that pills and powders go through!  For both sturdy health and fat loss – eat your greens!  There’s a multitude of ways to enjoy eating greens – we’re giving you some favorites here:

Raw Brussel Sprout Salad with Almonds

1 cup slivered almonds

2 pounds Brussels sprouts

1/4 cup olive oil

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

2 TBSP finely sliced chives

1/2 TSP salt

1/4 TSP freshly ground black pepper

3 TBSP finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place almonds on baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, slice Brussels sprouts as thinly as possible.
• In large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper.
• Add Brussels sprouts, almonds and Parmesan cheese.
• Toss until combined.

Green Juice

½ bunch of spinach

1 apple

4 stalks of celery

1/3 cucumber

1 tsp fresh ginger (1 quarter size slice)

Put all ingredients through your juicer and add a scoop of protein powder.

Green Smoothie

2-3 hand fulls of greens (salad, kale, swiss chard, mustard)

½ c blueberries

½ banana or apple (could substitute 1 tbsp ground flax seeds)

1 – 1 ½ c water

Energy Soup

1 avocado

.25 cups cilantro, fresh, chopped

1 cucumber

1 clove of garlic

1 TBSP raw ginger root, chopped

3 TBSP Lemon juice

½ cup parsley

½ cup red pepper

1/8 cup scallions

3 oz spinach

Got or cold, a great way to get in lots of veggies and greens!

Process all veggies, avocado last, in a food processor or powerful blender. Eat cold, room temperature, or heat gently

Sheri’s Eggs

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

3 eggs

2.5 cups swiss chard

DESCRIPTION:

She’s a simple eater – and loves her veggies in the morning. Here’s Sheri’s favorite way to eat greens for breakfast! Hey, it’s better than it sounds. Plus, will give you tons of good energy. The chicken broth is best homemade; veggie stock is also good.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pour chicken broth into small (non stick) pan. Bring to a boil; turn down to a simmer. Add the chopped chard (or other greens, any will do). Cover for about a minute, until the greens are slightly wilted. Remove lid and carefully break 3 eggs on top of the greens, replacing the lid. Steam for about 3 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Pour carefully into a large bowl and top with black pepper.

Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

2 ½ cup low sodium veggie broth

1 cup dry lentils

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp raw ginger

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup onions chopped

4 cup spinach

8 oz chopped sweet potatoes

DESCRIPTION:

You will also need: 1 TBS curry powder, 1 tsp Cumin, and 2.5 cups of low sodium vegetable broth. The garlic and ginger should be minced.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat olive oil in a medium pot; add onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder, ginger, and cumin – cook for 1 minute. Stir in lentils and broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, cover, and cook 10-15 mins longer, until water is absorbed and potatoes tender. Stir in spinach and cook 1 more minute, until just wilted. Garnish with chopped almonds if you like but remember to add to your journal. Can prepare without potatoes for low carb dish.

Kale Fusion Salad

1 TBSP Raw Honey

2 TBSP Apple cider vinegar

½ cup grated carrots

1 clove of garlic

½ cup green onion

2 TBSP Jalapenos, chopped

5 cups Kale

1/3 cup lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup red pepper chopped

1/3 cup sesame seeds

2 TBSP Low sodium tamari

DESCRIPTION:

Great and tasty way to eat kale, and you can substitute other greens if you like. In addition to the ingredients listed, you will need 1/4 cup of minced fresh herbs, any variety, and a dash of cayenne pepper, as well as black pepper to taste! Yum!

INSTRUCTIONS:

Destem Kale and place in large mixing bowl with olive oil and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 20 minutes or longer, up to overnight to allow kale to soften. Mince the garlic and add. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Scrambled Egg Whites w/ Spinach & Tomatoes

6 egg whites

12 grape tomatoes

4 oz spinach, raw

DESCRIPTION:

Easy dish for getting your protein and low in carbs, high in those ever important greens.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat a non-stick skillet and spray lightly or coat lightly with coconut oil (or olive oil). Add spinach and saute quickly, until half wilted, and put it on a plate. Pour the egg whites into the skillet and cook on medium, stirring. When white, pour on top of the spinach and top with the tomatoes. Salsa is good on this as well!!

Jan’s Journey – February

This is the 3rd of Jan’s installments, tracking her Transformation.  This month, she struggles with the classic issues of seeing herself get smaller, but frustrated not to see it on the scale – as well as social eating and travel…

The journey over the last month has been bumpy.  A big positive in the last month is that I can finally grab my leg in Yoga class and do dancer’s pose.  This was a big event for me!  Also I can now wear a pair of jeans that I haven’t worn in 4 years.  So although I haven’t lost a pound in 2 months, I am getting smaller.  On the down side, it is getting pretty frustrating not losing any weight.  I understand I am not supposed to lose weight during “fueling” but at parties and dinners at friend’s houses, I am the one drinking water and eating carrots or not eating dinner at all or bringing my own food.  And then my friends ask “What diet are you on…you don’t seem to be losing any weight or have you lost any weight?”  To be honest, this hurts and it is embarrassing.  I respond with “I am just trying to eat healthy because of my heart problem”.  They usually buy this explanation and don’t ask any more questions.   My husband though says that this response of “eating healthy” is insulting to the other person as it implies that they are not.  I don’t mean it to be insulting but he thinks that is the impression I am giving.  It is depressing to have no one see any results even though I do and my husband does.

Jan In New York

It is also a challenge traveling.  We are currently in New York City.  We fortunately have a hotel room with a kitchenette so I can cook oatmeal in the morning and cook yams in the microwave.  I fill my pockets with protein bars (that I cooked before we came) and bananas and yams and my water bottle.  I look like I am pregnant with my coat pockets so full.   My husband even took a picture of me eating a yam in Times Square.  My husband is very frustrated because we can’t just go to any restaurant and because I am a “slave” to the computer (entering my food to see where I am on my protein/carb/fat count).    He feels that this is just another diet program and not a lifestyle.  It is a “jail”.  He is very resentful that I cannot have a drink or eat an appetizer at a party like everyone else.  I guess I am not very good at explaining the program to him!

School Is In Session

Erin Sabin

When you start with Genesis Transformation you are promised an education.  We spend our lives focused on the importance of education.  The prospect of learning can be daunting, but the exciting thing about the Genesis Transformation education that you are the subject.  Where in life are you promised a degree in yourself?  What I have found as I have been receiving this in depth education in my body is that this in depth education has opened me up to personal empowerment.  Personal empowerment is what you have to look forward to as you delve into your own Genesis Transformation.
As with any education, challenges will arise.  These challenges are both mental and physical.  Some days the physical obstacles are small like the last set of exercises on a resistance day at the gym.  Some days they are a bit more difficult.  The good thing about physical challenges is that once you have overcome one, you automatically feel better and you give your ego a boost!  When you are faced with the next physical obstacle, you have your history to fall back on and suddenly you and your body are achieving things that you never thought possible.
The mental hurdles are the whammies.  We as humans are great at sabotaging our success.  Trying new things is scary and when you look in the mirror and start to see a new, empowered person that can be terrifying.  You may also scare your friends and family.  For some reason, as we begin to change our lives, overcoming seemingly impossible physical challenges and doing crazy things like drinking a gallon of water in ONE day, we set those around us spinning.
I have learned is that my mind will try and mess up the success of my transformation. There are patterns that have been a part of me for a long time when I get into a good rhythm, I find a way to set myself off track.  Recently I started telling myself that there were days when I just DID NOT want to track my calories.  It got to the point where every 10 days or so I was giving myself a free day of sorts.  My “free” days would come and go and I would eat clean foods but I certainly wasn’t exact.  It didn’t matter how clean my food was, I got off track, lost control and started making excuses.
We all have our stumbling blocks, we lose sight of our goals and we get off track.  That is a part of human nature.  The empowerment comes from recognizing our weaknesses, accepting them and changing our behavior so that when we are faced with the next set of challenges we are able to look them head on and keep on walking.  The empowerment comes when we log back on to Genesis and track our food, when we are honest and accept ourselves for who we are.
When venturing out on the path of Genesis Transformation, I would offer these words.  Great job!    You are setting yourself up to receive the most valuable education of your life.  You will learn that you have strengths beyond your imagination. Your successes will scare your friends and family because their own weaknesses will come to light.  Set your sights high.  You are about to achieve things you never thought possible and grab a pen and start taking notes!  You are a great text book and this will be a fascinating read.

Sheri’s Rants #33: Regeneration

Robert has cancer – lymphoma of the liver – and is waiting for a liver transplant.  We spoke at length about nutrition.  He’s highly nutrition aware these days, and this is what he told me:  “Basically, I’m living on a lot of raw veggies and fruit, and I had to cut my protein down from meat and raise my intake of powdered protein because with my liver so compromised, regular processing of animal foods is harder.  Sugar, random chemicals, trans-fats, wheat, corn, soy – these things are literally fuel for cancer – and I won’t let anything mess with me.  You know, Sheri, it used to be that I ate out all the time on the road (Robert travels extensively for his work) and I ate as ‘clean as I could’ for general health reasons.  I’d eat a random sugar thing and not think twice.  I ate french fries, tortilla chips, and I thought eating 1/2 hamburger bun was doing pretty good.  My world is so different now!”  I asked him how.

“Right now, I am in line for a liver transplant in the next 8-12 months.  If I eat in a restaurant and I eat one wrong thing, one tiny thing I didn’t know was in the food – I’ll need a liver transplant in 72 HOURS.”

We moved on to talking about the actual transplant, and Robert shared something interesting with me.  It turns out he doesn’t need a WHOLE liver from a donor.  He can actually use 1/3 liver of a live donor, and that will be enough to regenerate a new liver in his body – plus the donor’s liver will regenerate fully.  But that live donor has to be stellar healthy – no history of diabetes, for instance, or any other of the big diseases that compromise the liver (and most do) – and of course the right blood type for Robert.

Yes, your liver does regenerate.  Your entire body regenerates, on a cellular level.  What we do in the Fueling process in Genesis Transformation is to begin that regeneration, which ramps up your  metabolism and sets the stage for fat loss.  If your body has been compromised on any level – if you’ve been medicated for metabolic diseases (high blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid etc) or have a history of dieting/fasting/cleansing -  then this process is going to be a little slower.   Fat loss will happen but it’s not going to be overnight because your body will be busy regenerating.  YOU’LL FEEL FANTASTIC and stronger, more vibrant as your body shifts.  You’re going to have to be patient as your body heals – which it will – and understand the intense chemical cellular processing going on.  This might take a few months before the scale moves regularly as it burns fat.   Listen – there is no faster way.  There isn’t.

Or you COULD go waste your body some more on yet another diet promising fast results – and lose more muscle, get deeper in the hole with your health, age quicker, and deal surgically with loose skin.  It’s the average route folks take.

Robert doesn’t give a holy rotten crap about the scale right now.

Client Story: Janet

My name is Janet and I am a 65 year old grandmother.  I started the Genesis program in September of 2008 after being on vacation in Montana.  My daughter, Kristin Bodeen, had been on the program, lost tons of weight and looked fantastic!!  While we were there she watched what I ate and the amounts I was eating.  We had a reversal of roles and she explained how I was trying to lose weight in the wrong way.  I was not eating enough and not eating the right things, so my body was holding on to the fat afraid that I was not going to feed it.  I was so proud of her and all she had accomplished, but I was not sure I would be able to do it.

Janet

I agreed to give Genesis a try and she introduced me to Jamie.  I met with Jamie a few days before leaving Montana and my journey began.  I started the fueling stage and was doing fine.  I could not believe the amounts I had to eat and yet I did not gain weight, all because I was eating the right things and in the right amounts.
However, in December it all came to a screeching halt.  I had my second total knee replacement and after surgery I had zero appetite.  There was absolutely no way I could eat 2600 calories a day.  I took a break and started again several months later.  A few years ago I went on vacation with my daughter’s family and had to ride a Jazzy or be pushed in a wheelchair at Disneyland and Sea World because of my knees.  I have read that for every pound you are overweight it is an extra four pounds of pressure on your knees.  I know I need to be good to my new knees and Genesis has helped me to lose weight and be able to do that.
There were many times along the way that I became discouraged, but Kristin and Jamie were always there to talk over my frustrations and keep me going.  After being on Genesis for a short time, my doctor cut my cholesterol medication dosage in half and now I am off the medication completely.  I was taking anti-inflammatory meds for my knees and have now switched to a willow bark herb.  To me, that is a really big thing to be able to go off both of those medications.
Before starting the program I had the mentality that it was part of my age to be less active and a little heavier.  The program has helped me to learn how to eat healthy and the weight loss was a great big bonus.  I now know what it is like to be a healthy senior citizen.  I started out at 135 and my original goal weight was 120.  I ended up at 115 and I am now in the maintenance program. Twenty pounds may not seem like much to lose.  However, I am only 5 feet 0 inches tall, so 20 pounds on me is more like 40 pounds on someone taller.  Even though I am 65 and don’t need to look like a twenty year old, it does make me feel good that I can fit into size 4 jeans.  I also like the comments I get from some people on the way I look and questions on how I did it.
I am grateful to Kristin for caring about me and me health and introducing me to the Genesis program. I owe a lot to Jamie for her knowledge and for her patience with me.  She was instrumental in helping to achieve and surpass my goal weight and to keep me motivated through our telephone conversations and sessions in Montana.  Thanks to both Genesis and Jamie for making me a healthier person!!

Coffee and Fat Loss – Samantha Gilman

How can coffee affect fat loss?  There are many people that believe their daily mug of coffee or other caffeinated drink helps them to lose weight. The diuretic effect of caffeine contributes to this weight loss which comes from a loss of water and not fat.  Coffee is also an appetite suppressant so people end up not eating breakfast and therefore lose more weight (muscle and water) because they are starving themselves.  Coffee gives the body a false sense of energy that does not come from our bodies fuel,  which is whole foods.   This temporary lift is created by the adrenal glands releasing their hormones into the bloodstream which causes blood sugar or blood glucose to be released from storage too.

Drinking caffeine as coffee even over a short period of time has been shown in many studies to raise blood sugar levels.   What happens when blood sugar levels are increased?  It results in large amounts of insulin being dumped into your blood stream.  The job of insulin is to regulate your blood sugar, it is a hormone that has an extensive effect on the body’s metabolism.  This is where the metabolic damage occurs, the body needs to do something with the excess glucose (sugar) and the easiest thing for insulin to do with it is to store it in your body as fat.    Caffeine raises blood sugar levels by causing the body to put out large amounts of adrenaline (secreted from the adrenal glands) that makes cells less responsive to insulin.  High levels of insulin also constrict arteries to cause heart attacks and act directly on the brain to make you hungry, on your liver to make more fat, and on the fat cells in your belly to pick up that fat.  So in fact, drinking coffee negatively alters blood sugar, which will in turn affect the body’s ability to burn and store fat.

According to researchers writing in Diabetes Care (February 2002), “Caffeine significantly reduced insulin sensitivity by 15%.  The decrease in insulin sensitivity was comparable to the increase in sensitivity produced by taking diabetes drugs.”  Bottom line is that when insulin is raised for prolonged periods of time not only does it promote weight gain but it can also increase your risk of developing diabetes.   Perhaps you will think twice before consuming your morning cup of joe?  Or at least make sure you eat a meal (especially protein) in the morning while you’re drinking it.

Sheri’s Workouts – Combo Supersets BACK

THIS IS A CHALLENGING WORKOUT.

A reminder that these sets are for intermediate to advanced exercisers with weight room experience -  it’s assumed you know the basics.  Talk to your coach, get a good book on weight training or hire a trainer if any of this doesn’t make sense to you, okay? This is serious stuff, weight training, and you don’t want to get hurt.

You’ll be training your back in this workout, and further training your core and lower body with the Round the
World Lunges (do NOT add weight – we want the energy for the back, which has big muscles).  It’s okay if your legs are sore from a prior leg workout – this will get the blood moving around and recover them quicker.  Expect to get tired…the Round the World lunges are quite ’special’, and will work muscles you didn’t know you needed…

BACK DAY

Four sets of every set of exercises.  First set is 15-20 reps, second is 15-12 reps, following sets are 10-12 reps.  Remember, that means a weight heavy enough that you can’t possibly do MORE than the recommended rep count, okay?

SET ONE:

DUMBELL BENT ROWS: support your self with one hand and one knee on the bench; watch your back alignment.

ROUND THE WORLD LUNGES:  Imagine a compass, and use the directions N (north), NE (northeast), E (east), SE (southeast), S (south), SW (southwest), W (west), NW (northwest) and finally back to N. Standing in neutral stance, come forward with your right leg into a front lunge (N), and back to nuetral .  Then lunge with the same leg NE (45 degrees) to the front, and back to neutral.  Then lunge into a side lunge (E) with the right leg,  so that the left leg is extended and the right thigh comes parallel to the floor, and back to neutral.  Next lunge is SE, again lunging so that the right thigh comes parallel to the floor, and back to neutral.  Finally a reverse lunge (S or South) and back to neutral.  Now switch legs.  The left leg comes back into a reverse lunge (S), back to neutral.  Left leg lunges SW, thigh coming parallel to the floor, back to neutral.  And so on, as with the right leg, completing lunges for W, NW, and completing the round with left leg lunging N.  NO, YOU ARE NOT DONE. Now work your way back around, starting with the LEFT leg – lunging N, NW, W, SW, S and switching to right: S, SE, E, NE, N.

Do that whole sequence, all the way around, 5 times. 5 FULL times.

SET TWO:

LAT PULLDOWNS: basic pulldowns on the machine, to the front.  If you want to make this more advanced, substitute PULL UPS and do as many as you can for all 4 sets.  Even if it’s just 3 or 4.

ROUND THE WORLD LUNGES: another 5 rounds.  I hope you’re not short-cutting these.  Really.

SET THREE:

CABLE LOW ROWS: seated cable machine, basic low rows.

ROUND THE WORLD LUNGES: another 5 rounds.  Are you wondering if this is leg day?  Nope.

NOW, THESE 3 SETS WILL DO IT.  IF YOU’RE FEELING EXTRA PERKY, OR DRANK TOO MUCH COFFEE, OR NEED TO SHOW OFF – THEN COMPLETE WITH A FOURTH SET:

ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS (also called straight legged deadlifts):  with a barbell.  Doesn’t need to be overly heavy.  This is going to put some work into your low back, and also finish taxing those glutes and hamstrings.   Keep the barbell sliding up and down right along your legs, not coming below your mid-shins.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then do NOT do this exercise.  You probably won’t feel up to 4 sets.  I’d do two if you do two more sets of round-the-worlds.  You’ll love how it targets your glutes; that combo there.

Body/Mind Perspective: Warrior Pose

Warrior II or Vira Bhadrasana II – As the name suggests, this posture instills a feeling of fearlessness and inner strength

1)  Stand in with your feet hip distance.   With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, palms down.

2)  Turn your right foot in slightly to the right and your left foot out to the left 90 degrees. Align the left heel with the right arch. Firm your thighs and turn your left thigh outward so that the center of the left knee cap is in line with the center of the left ankle.

3)  Exhale and bend your left knee over the left ankle, so that the shin is perpendicular to the floor.  If possible, bring the left thigh parallel to the floor. Anchor this movement of the left knee by strengthening the right leg and pressing the outer right edge of the foot firmly to the floor.

4)  Stretch the arms out to the side, parallel to the floor. Don’t lean the torso over the left thigh: Keep the sides of the torso equally long and the shoulders directly over the pelvis. Press the tailbone slightly toward the pubis, keeping your spine in neutral. Turn the head to the left and look out over the fingers.

5)  Stay for 1-2 minutes. Inhale to come up. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.

Benefits:

* Strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles

* Stretches the groins, chest and lungs, shoulders

* Stimulates abdominal organs

* Increases stamina

* Relieves backaches, especially through second trimester of pregnancy

* Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome, flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis, and sciatica

Beginner’s Workout 2

This is a good workout whether you are a beginner, or a more advanced exerciser coming back from illness or needing a recovery day.  Go slow and pay attention to your movement:

Start with 15 repetitions of each exercise for the first set.  Shift to 12 repetitions for the next 2 sets.

Stationary Lunges

Stand next to a wall for added support.  Stand with left leg forward right leg back, hip distance apart.  Be sure to keep the pubic bone forward to prevent an arch in the low back.

INHALE: Reach your tailbone down to the floor

EXHALE: Return to starting position

Switch sides

Supported Hip Extension

Stand with hands on a bench or counter, hinging forward at the hip.  Be sure ankle, knee and hip are in a straight line.  Shift weight to the right foot keeping right knee soft.

EXHALE: Lift left leg off the floor with flexed foot

INHALE: Return to starting position; switch sides

Ab Crunches with Stability Ball

Lie on your back on a mat with legs resting on a stability ball.  Bring hands up to head, keeping shoulder blades back and down and spine in neutral

EXHALE: Reach chin to chest while looking over the top of your knees and maintaining neutral spine and keeping your legs relaxed

INHALE: Return to starting position

Overhead Press

Sit on a stability ball or bench with feet hip distance apart. Hold dumbbells in your hands, 3-5 pounds is fine.  Bring arms up so there is a 90-degree angle at the elbow.

EXHALE: Reach dumbbells over your head so they meet right above your head, keeping shoulders down

INHALE: Return to starting position

Wall Push Ups

Stand about 3 feet away from a wall with hands directly in front of the shoulders.  Knees are soft and heels are lifted off the floor.

INHALE: Reach your chest toward the wall, not your chin, while keeping your elbows close to the body

EXHALE: Push yourself back to your starting position.  Be aware of keeping your shoulder blades pressed together and down.