Getting Back On Track With Your Weight Loss



When it comes to weight loss, "tomorrow" is the most dangerous word in the English language. If you're serious about losing weight, and not seeing the results you'd like, it's time to stop living the way you've been living. The price you pay is very high for the cheap thrill that food gives you. In the end, it might even cost you your health. How you're living today directly affects your tomorrow. So, what will you do differently?

I receive emails seeking advice, all too often, from people with a habit of doing a week or two of strict, metabolic boosting eating and then falling off the weight loss wagon into a pile of cookies or store-bought protein bars. They want to know what they can do to stick to the plan, or should they even try. The first thing I tell them is the reason most people fall is that they think they need to be perfect with their eating. It's important to understand that perfection does not exist. 

Most of us fall because we become too legalistic about our diets. Rather, our diets should be treated as a habit of making better choices, requiring us to decide what our actions will be. This makes us responsible for our actions, and the outcomes.

You know the old saying; "If you keep doing what you've always done you'll just keep getting the same results. To expect anything different is the very definition of insanity." Quite honestly, there is a lot of insanity surrounding the foods that will keep you from reaching your goals. 

Have you ever told yourself; "I'll just have a little"? Sorry to say it, but that little bit is what's stopping you from reaching your goals. 

It's at these very times to remind yourself that perfection does not exist. Focus on daily progress, not daily perfection. You have more control than you think when it comes to making food choices. But if you keep falling off the wagon, it's possible you may need a few tools to help keep you on track.

These tools make losing weight faster and easier because they:

    • Help kill hunger and cravings that cause you to fall off-plan
    • Boost metabolism by 25 percent, so you burn more calories all day long, even while asleep. This is especially important when you decide to go off-plan because it will help keep you from gaining weight.
    • Block cortisol (stress hormones) levels from rising, which helps prevent weight gain in the belly, hips, and thighs. Blocking cortisol is more important than you think. Stress causes your body to produce excess cortisol levels, and the only way to melt belly fat is by reducing these levels. It's not an easy job and the very reason you need to attack belly fat with a 1, 2, 3 punch.

STEP #1: BOOST METABOLISM AND BLOCK CORTISOL LEVELS

Drink a LynFit Complete Protein Shake 12 hours after your last meal. Do not add fruit or any type of milk if you're trying to lose a pound a day. Remember, it's all about replacements and better choices, so swap out your high-sugar juice or yogurt for this instead. 

Looking for a delicious shake recipe that will not only tantalize your taste buds but rev up your metabolism as well? Look no further — here's my Melt Belly Fat Birthday Cake Smoothie:

(3 scoops) LynFit Vanilla Complete Whey Protein Powder
(½ cup) Water
(3–4) Ice cubes

Throw it all in the blender and mix until smooth and then drink yourself thin. The extra protein used will help keep you feeling fuller longer and won't spike blood sugar levels the way fruit and milk will.

STEP #2: KILL HUNGER AND CRAVINGS

Belly fat makes you hungrier, so the faster you lose it; the faster you'll be able to lose overall weight. You need to flip the hunger switch off and trick your body into acting like a thin person by teaching and encouraging it to burn fat for fuel instead of overwhelming you with hunger pangs. 

This is where the smart use of safe supplements comes in. If you don't struggle with hunger and cravings, you may not need supplements. But if you've been trying to lose weight, and no matter what you do you can't seem to stay on track because of hunger pangs and cravings, then you may need a little outside help.

Taking a supplement stack is the best way to keep your metabolism from slowing down while killing cravings and hunger pangs. This makes it easier to stay on track with your weight loss. The secret is they balance blood sugar levels while providing natural energy. 

This particular stack teaches your body how to burn fat as fuel when it needs energy vs. sending you hunger signals. Your metabolism will become a high-efficiency fat burning machine. Trust me, if you skip them, you'll see and feel the difference. 

The best time to take this stack is three hours after your last meal, when your body starts yelling, "I'm hungry!"

Sip green tea instead of indulging yourself in your usual snack and take your supplements to balance blood sugar levels instead. 

One note — This step is not good for people with less than 10 percent body fat because they will burn muscle for fuel instead of fat. But if you have body fat to lose you have energy stored that can be used instead.

Here is your supplement stack:
  • LynFit Accelerator with Raspberry Ketones to accelerate the process and trick your body into acting like a thin person. A lean person will burn fat more efficiently. (If you're highly sensitive to caffeine you may want to skip the Accelerator. The stack will still give you what you need, so follow the steps without Accelerator.)
  • LynFit Carb Edge with Forskolin to help enhance thyroid function and balance blood sugar levels, which is the secret to killing your cravings and managing hunger.
  • LynFit Cutting Edge to force your body to burn off that stubborn body fat for fuel.

    STEP #3: AVOID THE AFTERNOON ENERGY CRASH TO ESCAPE CRAVINGS BEFORE THEY BEGIN

    This step is critical because it will not only boost your metabolism, it will also help fight off those emotional cravings that we all battle in the afternoon when we start to get tired and our blood sugar levels begin to rise.

    This is actually where most people fall off the weight loss wagon. But, it's also where your weight loss battle can be won. I call this the "Emo Meal" — meaning emotional, when you're hungry, tired, and craving food.

    PREVENTION is the cure, so grab a LynFit Lean Bar to defeat the afternoon energy crash.

    The LynFit Lean Bar has 10 grams of prebiotic fiber and 15 grams of protein to kill cravings before they begin while helping to keep you feeling full. LynFit Lean Bars are guaranteed to be the best tasting protein bar you've ever tried and #1 in its class when it comes to weight loss and melting belly fat. Try one; you'll see.

    Most store-bought bars are full of sugar and don't supply your body with the right type or amount of protein. They spike blood sugar levels and prevent you from losing weight, despite what their labels may claim.

    Make LynFit Lean Bars your go-to comfort food from now on when trying to lose weight. Comfort in knowing you're making a smart, nutrient-dense food choice that doesn't sacrifice delicious taste and texture.  LynFit Lean Bars are the best of both worlds — they don't leave you with any guilt, only satisfaction that you'll begin to crave. You can eat your new comfort meal food with pride and get on with your day.

    This will be especially important if you're an emotional eater. Choosing the wrong kinds of snack foods can increase hunger and cravings and turn the weight gain switch on. Swap out those store-bought protein bars with a LynFit Lean Bar instead.

    Should you find yourself unable to suppress the urge to eat junk food, adopt the 80/20 rule. You're already following it; you just don't know it. 

    For the most part, you're eating your favorite foods every couple of weeks — it's inevitable. It's going to happen, and you should expect it. So, the best solution is to plan it ahead of time. If you plan for it ahead of time, you can cheat and still lose weight. Have a little pep talk with yourself. Sit down and tell yourself to try the 80/20 plan. 

    On the Advanced Metabolic Boosting Meal Plan, you can eat on plan 80 percent of the time and go off the plan 20 percent of the time and still lose weight. That's the beauty of this plan. In fact, this is the only plan that takes into consideration that you live in the real world, you're human, and that you cheat once in a while.

    Planning in advance when you cheat also puts you in control of the binge vs. the binge controlling you. It also changes how you emotionally respond to a binge—no guilt, because it's all a part of your weight loss plan. You'll accept the situation, not struggle in vain against it. You'll eat less and know exactly what to eat, and how much. The scale will go up slightly, but you'll be back on track in no time. 

    Although there are physiological consequences to binging on junk food, I'd wager that most of the damage comes from the stress we inflict on ourselves—the internal fight and refusal, which only causes us to binge more. The refusal to accept the inevitable situation, combined with the guilt and shame you're piling on yourself for losing that fight.

    Here's what the 80/20 plan get you: Acceptance! You learn to accept things you cannot change. You're no longer fighting a battle you most likely cannot win. 

    I can't think of anything harder or more stressful than struggling with food. I've struggled with it my entire life until I learned about the 80/20 rule. 

    You can live guilt-free. Guilt about eating junk food can actually cause you to gain weight and depress your immune system. By making a plan to "go off" for a meal as an occasional (1–2 times weekly) deviation from your regular schedule, rather than betraying your body, you remove the guilt. Make a plan, if you plan on losing.

    I would encourage you to read this article I wrote previously about how to cheat and still lose weight to keep your metabolism in full swing, and how if you don't, it can alter the physiological effect it has on you. 

    As Kelly Clarkson says in her song: "Think Before You Cheat" so you don't hurt your health or destroy a month's worth of dieting. Most of the time it's not worth it anyway. 

    So, eat happily, just don't' forget to boost first! 

    Snug In Your Skin

    Love Your BodyLadies, if you’ve been down on yourself, I have great news for you. Men, ages 18–50, 80 percent say they prefer a woman with curves. Thin is not in — strong and fit is.

    Know what else men say? "There is nothing sexier than a woman comfortable in her skin. Nothing beats a happy girl who loves to laugh."

    Feeling sorry about your body (and the anxiety that comes with it) is extremely contiguous. So is loving yourself exactly the way you are. Yes, men love when their girls eat healthy food and take care of themselves. It prompts them to do likewise. Men also love a woman who can relax and enjoy eating with them as well.

    This might seem counterproductive for weight loss—thinking that enjoying yourself will lead to a poor diet and, inevitably, the scale sliding up. It's quite the contrary. Often, we use dieting as a way to punish ourselves from the overeating and indulging we have done (which always backfires). When we love ourselves the way we are, we naturally want to take better care of ourselves for the right reasons. And we're happy to do so.

    As women, the media pushes in our faces, and glorifies, super stick-thin models. All the while making us feel unattractive and unhappy about our “average” or curvy bodies. Guess what? Men don't feel the same way. In fact, men prefer voluptuous women.

    Fifteen percent of men prefer average size women while only five percent opt for super skinny. We obsess over every morsel we put in our mouths and over-exercise in the gym at the expense of our families and careers. The worst part — it’s a turn off to the opposite sex.

    I can hear you now, "I do it for myself."

    I work with women and men all day long. Deep inside, everyone wants to be noticed by their spouse, partner, or the opposite sex. We are human after all. Anyone who knows me knows that I have struggled with my weight and food since I was a toddler. When I finally lost the extra pounds and arrived at my goal weight, I didn’t expect what happened next. I was feeling pretty good about accomplishing my weight loss goal and for the first time in my life had wiggle room in my clothes. One day while training at the gym, the girl who worked the front desk said, “Girl, the guys said you used to have it going on, curves in the all the right places. Now you’re too skinny". I was stunned. To this day, I am grateful to her for being so honest. Truth be told, I think she saved me from a battle with little Miss Anorexia. That’s not all; when I went home to talk with my husband about it, he said, “I like you with a few more pounds on you."

    I spent 20 years hating myself, always thinking that I was fat and ugly. I lived in my head with all of my negative thoughts. Little did I know that I was way off. I needed to stop that insanity and start feeling good about myself. That's the secret to being sexy at any age and any size.

    Every morning we get a day older, and it does become more difficult to control our weight with age, so I’m not suggesting that you quit on yourself. Instead, I am suggesting that you learn to love yourself, no matter what size you are. Take the limits off of your life.You are more than your weight or the number on the scale. You are enough the way you are right now.

    I beg you to talk to your healthy friends (be mindful of women who are clearly too skinny) or your spouse about what you’re feeling inside. It will help you get a clear and realistic perspective on your weight and weight loss goals. It will also help you to enjoy every day to the fullest.

    Additionally, as a melanoma survivor, I can tell you that once someone tells you that you’ve got cancer, you realize how much time you’ve wasted worrying about perfection. Perfection doesn’t exist.

    I have a question for you. If it was your last day on earth would that weight loss battle matter? Would you hate yourself so much? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to waste one day hating myself.

    If your weight loss struggle is on your bucket list, do it today so you won’t keep wishing you had done it sooner. It is never too late. Your someday is today, and it’s easier than you think. Anyone can lose weight and feel good once they make the decision to do it. The choice is yours. No one can do it for you.

    Fun facts that may help you like yourself better today:

      • A size 14, which is now considered a "plus size," was approximately sex bomb Marilyn Monroe's dress size
      • 20 years ago, most fashion models were a size 8. Today, that's been replaced by an unrealistic size 0
      • 75 percent of men said the hobby they find most attractive in the opposite sex is cooking, not being a gym queen
      • 78 percent of men said a woman's most attractive feature is her smile
      • Men think being strong is sexy. Swap out those all day cardio and Pilates workouts for strength training. You’ll look and feel sexier
      • Men say we are too obsessed with our weight. It’s not weight that matters but our fat to muscle ratio that counts most

    This article isn’t meant to slam woman who are naturally thin — that is their body type and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either. Another fun fact: most skinny women want to add weight in the form of muscle. These women struggle with body image issues in the same way that we all want to lose weight. We will never be happy until we choose to love ourselves just the way we are. The best part is You Get To Decide.

    I dare you to start today. Please keep these in mind when the old negative voices in your head start talking to you:

      • Men prefer woman 10–15 lbs. heavier than what we think our ideal body weight “should” be 
      • Toned is sexier than “skinny” 
      • Aim to be your healthiest, most fit body. Not anybody else’s
      • Don't be afraid of your weight. Muscle weighs more, but it’s sexier
      • Forget about what the scale says. Focus on leaner vs. lighter
      • Your attitude and confidence are what matters most and what is the most memorable when you enter and exit a room
      • You must love and accept the way you look before anyone can

    Whitey Houston said it best: ”Learning to Love Yourself is the Greatest Love of All."

    If you need help reaching a healthy body weight or learning to love yourself, please reach out. That’s what I am are here for. The Metabolism Solution provides you with every tool you need to lose weight while enjoying what you eat. Most importantly, learn to love yourself by honoring God with your Bod.

     

    Is The School Lunch Causing Your Child's Weight Problem?

    Could School Lunches Be Your Child's Weight Problem?

    If you’re like me, there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. So adding one more thing to your to-do list can send you over the edge. However, I have some information that might just motivate you to start packing your child's lunch every day.

    Shockingly, most school lunches altogether lack nutritional value. Processed chicken nuggets, pizza and cookies for dessert are the norm. It’s also the reason our children are growing more overweight by the second. If they serve vegetables (most schools do not because kids throw them away), chances are it’s a tiny portion of frozen peas that are salted to preserve them and lack flavor.

    The fact is that most school lunches are downright unhealthy, not appetizing, and expensive compared to the simple, delicious lunches you can make yourself at home. Your kids might even eat them if they are involved in the decision-making process.

    School lunches rightfully get a lot of attention. Positive nutritional steps are beginning to be set into motion, but the truth is we still have a lot of room for growth. It’s still, and will always be better if you save money and make the lunches at home. You have better control over your child’s balanced diet this way, and you’ll be improving his or her health while assisting in the weight loss process should your child be overweight.

    One of my big tricks is to have a "big cook night" where you make large portions of everything so you can pack the leftovers in reusable containers for lunch. I like to do this on Sundays after I’ve gone grocery shopping. I invite my kids to help me. This working together is good, not only for the diet it's also a good time to stay close and reconnect with your kids. Almost always, if your child takes part, he or she will gladly eat what they pack for lunch. Don’t forget the "I love you" notes or "I’m so proud of you." We all need to hear more of that.

    I can hear the moaning now — it takes too much time. But, it takes less to do this than it does to visit the doctor when your child is sick or to deal with issues caused from being overweight — saving you both time and money. Most of all, your child will be happier, not just healthier.

    DID YOU KNOW THAT children who are overweight are more likely to be bullied at school?

    School lunch rescue recipes can be the remedy for your overweight child. Your kids will inevitably still be eating lots of sandwiches, wraps, and not so healthy carbs. That’s ok—it’s all about balance. You can make any meal much healthier by swapping out the heavily processed and potential allergy-triggering wheat bread and carbs for some creative options instead. Don’t forget most kids (grown ups too) prefer to eat with their hands making these foods fun alternatives that are good for us.

    Here are some simple solutions to your kid’s school lunch issues:

    Turkey "Not" Wraps: Simply use turkey as your wrap instead of bread. Pack/stuff it with ½ cup of shredded vegetables such as carrots and lettuces. Top it with a delicious and healthy gluten-free honey mustard and add a side of peanut butter balls (see The Metabolism Solution for the recipe). You’ll have a lunch that your kids could sell it's so delicious. It's exceptionally nutritious too. It’s high-protein, full of good for you carbs that won't jack up blood sugar levels. It contains healthy good-for-you fats to help keep them full. It also boosts brain power and sustains energy levels that help them focus.

    Does it get any better knowing your child eats what he or she loves, and it’s good for them? Moms, you should eat this too and don’t forget to pack dad's lunch too if he is struggling with his weight. Heck, even the dog can eat it’s so healthy. Top it off with an apple and bottle of water and it’s a lunch suitable for a king or queen. If your child needs to gain weight, add a homemade smoothie for extra protein without all of the sugar and food dyes.

    Blueberry Smoothie Bomb (big trend for teens):
    2 scoops of Vanilla Complete Protein Powder
    Coconut water or milk
    ½ cup of berries or fruit (mango is in)
    *This is less expensive and much better for your child. In fact, it can even be a lunch on its own.

    For more information on keeping your child healthy:
    LynFit Lean Teens
    The Metabolism Solution by Lisa Lynn

    Expert Tips On Avoiding The “Female 15” — The Best Way To Avoid Lifelong Weight Issues

    College weight gain can be the beginning of continuous weight struggles that continue throughout a lifetime. This is a time of life where males and females, whether they go to college or not, can begin to gain weight at a rapid pace, unless you interrupt this weight gain cycle with new healthy habits. Stress is a huge factor when it comes to college weight gain.

    USA Today reported that 76 percent of female students and 33 percent of males said they eat when under stress. To make things worse, the female metabolism begins to decline between the ages of 17–19 and continues throughout their lifetime, making it easier for women to gain weight and almost impossible to lose.

    Often, they have gained 10 pounds before they notice. This creates another issue: metabolic resistance due to the rapid increase in weight. This flips the weight gain switch on and can last a lifetime due to the metabolic changes that take place.

    Did you know that .....

    • Gaining 10 pounds is enough for you to outgrow your current clothing size 
    • Most college students walk more than they ever have due to the dorm room to classroom distance, so food is 90 percent to blame, not lack of exercise
    • Most people who gain weight in college are less likely to ever lose that weight

    Here are three simple, healthy habits that flip the weight gain switch off:

    1.  Boost energy and metabolism at breakfast with the right kind of smoothie. Not all smoothies are created equal. In fact, most smoothies you buy commercially cause rapid weight gain because they are loaded with sugar as well as other not-so-nutritious ingredients such as soy or vegan sources. These stop weight loss and cause weight gain. Melt more fat by making your own smoothie.

    What’s trending now is “The Dorm Room Smoothie”, aka "The Freshman Fat-Loss Bomb." The recipe is as follows (just mix the ingredients together and drink):

    • 2 scoops of a high-quality, metabolic boosting whey like Lynfit's Complete Protein 
    • ½ cup of water
    • Shake until it’s blended, or you can leave it lumpy 
    • Then pour over 1 cup of iced coffee

    2.  Pass on the campus diet and choose “thermogenic” foods that flip the weight gain switch off and turn on the weight loss switch. Thermogenic foods are leafy green vegetables, white fish, salmon, as well as turkey breast. These foods create a “thermic effect” on your metabolism, causing it to heat up, so you burn more calories.

    3.  Snack leaner and keep it to 1 snack per day. Before you grab that protein bar or bag of chips from the vending machine, stop and read the label. Here is what you should look for:

    • Choose snacks that are under 150 calories 
    • Contain less than 5 grams of fat 
    • Contain less than 25 carbs and have little or no sugar

    Dial Down Your Diabetes With 3 Simple Steps

    Preventing Diabetes

    Every 5 minutes, 2 people die of diabetes-related causes and 16 adults are newly diagnosed according to Centers for Disease Control 2015 statistics.

    You just got back from the doctor, and he told you that you are pre-diabetic. Your blood work didn't look good; your fasting glucose was 110 — which is not diabetic, but not normal either. I'm guessing you have a million questions, and most of them are questions about what you can eat. More importantly, which of your favorite foods (which probably are what brought you to this point) will you have to give up.

    The truth is; the "kick pre-diabetes to the curb diet" is a healthy, balanced diet with the elimination, or at a minimum, moderation of simple sugars. It's the way we should all be eating to stay healthy and fit. But with all the conflicting information out there it can be confusing. I'm going to teach you some simple solutions to help you kick pre-diabetes to the curb. The best part is that you will lose weight and melt off belly fat. For most of us, food is our entire world, so giving up our favorite foods is highly unlikely. However, it's important to understand how your food choices affect your blood sugar levels and how lowering them is much easier than you think.

    Prevention is the cure. Diabetes can cause complications such as heart disease, eye disease, and kidney disease. A little prevention is worth it and is much easier than you think.

    I dare you to take the 7 Day Lower Your Blood Sugar (pre-diabetic) Challenge. The Challenge will not only help you lose weight, but it will also help to prevent diabetes and melt off belly fat. You will have more energy all day and won't be cranky all the time.

    Here are Three Simple Steps to help you lose weight and lower blood sugar levels while enjoying some of your favorite foods. Try to follow these simple steps for seven days straight while monitoring your blood sugar levels so you can see your progress. Do your best and focus on progress, not perfection. If you slip up, get right back on track at your next meal. Lowering your blood sugar is that simple.

    SIMPLE STEP #1: Prevent blood sugar spikes with this high protein breakfast

    Always eat a lean, high protein breakfast every day to prevent blood sugar spikes. More and more, Americans are on-the-go, skipping the "most important meal of the day" and not eating until lunch. Tel Aviv University published a recent study that revealed the substantial impact of skipping breakfast on pre-diabetics (Type 2). It stated that "fasting" until noon triggered major blood sugar spikes and impaired insulin responses in Type 2 diabetics throughout the rest of the day. Skipping breakfast may also cause overeating later in the day which adds insult to injury.

    This can be easily solved by drinking a clean, whey protein shake that is low in both carbohydrates and fats, yet still high fiber. This helps to keep you feeling fuller, making it easier to avoid eating the wrong foods. Adding Sunfiber in particular, will keep you regular. It’s the only regulating fiber that’s tasteless and mixes clear and easy so you won’t even know it’s there. However, most pre-made shakes do not fit these nutritious criteria, so it's better if you prepare the shake yourself. Try this blood sugar lowering, lean muscle preserving, cortisol blocking, delicious breakfast smoothie.

    Cinnamon Smoothie
    Simply combine the following items in a blender or shaker cup and drink up.
    2 scoops of Complete Protein Vanilla Whey
    ½ cup of water or black coffee
    1 serving of Sunfiber
    5 ice cubes
    1 tsp of cinnamon (cinnamon helps lower blood sugar levels)

    SIMPLE STEP #2: Snack smart to lower blood sugar

    Yes, you can snack if you're pre-diabetic. It's important to keep your meals and snacks spaced 2½–3 hours apart. Lots of pre-diabetic people get nervous about being a little hungry. It's okay to be a little hungry, especially if you are overweight. What's more important is that you choose foods that are low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. This will help you to feel fuller longer so you will eat less and lose weight. That's the best way to help control your blood sugar levels. Snack smart on homemade popcorn to help keep your carbohydrates in check. Popcorn is naturally high in fiber. When made from scratch it is an all-natural food without additives or artificial flavorings. You can use Malaysian palm oil that is nature’s richest source of vitamin E.

    Why should you use Malaysian palm oil instead of your typical oil? Malaysian Palm oil is naturally trans-fat free so that you can steer clear of hydrogenated oils. Malaysian sustainable palm oil has beta carotene, tocotrienols, and other nutrients that have been shown to support good health. These nutrients help protect the skin from the inside out, and it’s great for brain and heart health. I also love that this oil is sustainable, unlike soy and other oils.

        • Oil palms grow for 30 years. 
        • Fruit is harvested every 3 months. 
        • They are non-GMO. 
        • No chemical processing required to produce the oil. It’s simply squeezed out. This is always best for our bodies
    Homemade Popcorn (recipe submitted by Kyle Lynn)
    Pour 1 tbsp. of Malaysian palm oil into a heavy-bottom, medium-large pot. Cover the bottom of the pot with ½ cup of popcorn kernels. Spread in a thin layer (if the kernels are too crowded, not all of them will pop). Cover the pot and heat on medium, shaking the pot every minute or so until all the kernels have popped. Take care not to cook too long, which could scorch the popped kernels. Sprinkle the popcorn with any of the following:

    • ¼ tsp of No Salt 
    • ¼ tsp garlic powder 
    • ¼ tsp Allspice or cinnamon or 1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese 
      (Serving size: 1 cup)

      SIMPLE SOLUTION #3: Do this trick before you cheat

      It doesn't matter if you're going to have a cocktail or splurge on a piece of your favorite cake — you need to always do this first.
      Know your numbers. What was your last glucose reading? Was it low enough to cheat? If not—wait. Timing is everything. Cheating when your blood sugar is high can cause major complications that could potentially cost you your life.

      Before you cheat, always make sure you have first eaten lean, metabolic boosting protein and thermogenic (low carb), high fiber vegetables. This will help "buffer" the insulin response. You will also eat less and have more control with your sugary treat (yes, this includes alcohol) vs. eating your treat while starving. Warm vegetables vs. cold are best to help control your insulin. Juicing is a definite "no", as it escalates blood sugar levels as fast as soda would. Some good examples of what to eat before you cheat are shrimp for lean protein, warm broccoli, or a salad.

      Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Don't forget your 1-2-3 punch to lower blood sugar and kick your diabetes to the curb.

      Everyone has individual needs. Work with your doctor or a dietician if you need help. They can help you decide how to balance the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in your diet. Here are some general guidelines: The amount of each type of food depends on: 

          • Your diet 
          • Your weight  
          • How often you exercise  
          • Your other health risks