January is Thyroid Awareness Month!

Okay, I know this isn't THE most exciting topic, but I tried to make it so by putting an exclamation point at the end of my title. :)

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I pulled this information from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/thyroiddiseases.html.

Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, just above your collarbone. It is one of your endocrine glands, which make hormones. The thyroid helps set your metabolism - how your body gets energy from the foods you eat.

Millions of people in the U.S. have thyroid diseases. Most of them are women. If you have a thyroid disease, your body uses energy more slowly or quickly than it should. A thyroid gland that is not active enough, called hypothyroidism, is far more common. It can make you gain weight, feel fatigued and have difficulty dealing with cold temperatures. If your thyroid is too active, it makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs. That condition is hyperthyroidism. Too much thyroid hormone can make you lose weight, speed up your heart rate and make you very sensitive to heat.

There are many causes for both conditions. Treatment involves trying to reset your body's metabolism to a normal rate.
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As many of you know (because it's on my ABOUT tab), I have Hashimoto's Disease (hypothyroidism) which is an autoimmune disease. I'm going to go through some of the things that I do on a daily basis, with the hopes that it might help someone else.

In dealing with this over the past 8-ish years, I have found that I have to make sure that I take my thyroid medicine according to the instructions (sounds simple - but really - it's a science all in itself). For MY medicine, here's what I have to do every day (and I know many fellow hypothyroid friends who do the same): upon waking with an empty stomach, the first thing I do is take my thyroid medicine with a big glass of water. Then, I am not allowed to eat or drink anything for about an hour. After the hour mark, I take my allergy/asthma medicine. Since no vitamins or supplements are allowed for 4 hours within taking my thyroid medicine because they could affect absorption, I drink my Shakeology for lunch. Yes THAT's what is in my thermos everyday...in case you were curious. ;)

Also, I try to be VERY careful about the food that I eat. If it's "bad" for me, I know I will have to work harder to not gain weight from it. So, I TRY to stay away from "bad" food, but I am human after all. :D In addition, I have found that if I stop working out, I will put lbs back on. So, I am very regimented with my workouts as well. I know it sounds like a strict life, but I also know what obesity can do to your health (read my 'GIVING BACK' tab and you'll know why).
I can't lie, it's an uphill battle, especially in the world of weight loss, but good health is sooooooo worth it.

If you think that you might have a thyroid problem, do your homework and figure out what symptoms you have. Next...please see a doctor (they will make you get a blood test or two) and then start taking the necessary steps to control this disease.

Good luck!

You want to know all about supplements? You got it!

When you are involved in a workout program it's super-important to fuel your body with the right "stuff".  What you eat or drink can affect your progress in building muscle, losing weight, and in how sore you are (or aren't) the next day.  I super-love the "P90X Results & Recovery formula" and I drink it every Saturday morning when I teach (back to back - Turbo Kick followed by Yoga Pump - 2 hours).  That drink is what gets me through hour 2.  You see, my energy reserves are so depleted by the time I get to the second class, that I sometimes feel dizzy and just tired.  I had been searching the supermarkets to try to find something to help me with this particular problem and then I found the R&R formula.  Just when I was ready to give away my yoga class, I found something that made me be able to keep it...for that I'm thankful!  (I <3 my yoga peeps!)

Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse

I get people all the time ask me...what is the Shakeology 3 Day cleanse?  Well, here is what you need to know, are you ready...?

- 3 days (maximum)
- calorie-restricted (800-1200 per day)
- nutrient-dense eating plan
- flushes toxins
- used as a 'jump start' or 'plateau breaker'

Possible results
- weight loss
- feeling cleaner, healthier
- less bloat

Below is an outline of the program. (It is the same for all 3 days.)

Start: One cup green tea
Breakfast: Shakeology (with water and ice only – may add ½ piece fruit)
Snack: One piece fruit
Lunch: Shakeology (water and ice only) followed by one cup green tea
Snack: Shakeology (water and ice only) – can drink this after dinner instead
Dinner: Salad with greens, 3 servings of veggies, 4 ozs of grilled white meat or fish (or tofu, beans, of vegetarian) and 2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing

NOTE: you can eat your salad for lunch instead of dinner if you prefer

DRINK LOTS OF WATER

NO DAIRY (EVEN ALMOND MILK/ RICE MILK)

The cleanse is made to do with exercise, but not INTENSE exercise. Also, it is not recommended to do the cleanse more than once a month. Remember that bodies are different and will have different reactions and results, so it is important to pay attention to how you feel. If you have an adverse reaction - STOP. If you have any medical conditions or questions, ask your doctor.

Good Luck! :)

PiYo VIP

I'm so psyched!  I just got this in the mail, isn't it cute?  The round silver things are magnets...yes, I hung it up on my bulletin board.  What can I say, I'm a proud PiYo VIP!! 

What is PiYo?  It's a class that I currently teach.  It's a combination of Pilates and Yoga.  It is made by the same creator of Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, ChaLean Extreme, and Hip Hop Hustle.  I LOVE it.  I've been teaching it for about 7 years-ish.  Just wanted to share!!!