common conundrum #1: localized fat loss.

bonjour pupils! how is everyone? things have been cray now that we're less than a month away from moving our headquarters to the hustle & bustle of NYC. but don't worry... we're still around! in fact, today we felt the need to take a break from all of our craziness in order to deliver a special PSA regarding a common misconception that we've been seeing lately on the interwebz:

localized fat loss.

you know you've seen the posts that promise you'll lose inches off of your hips if you wear a wrap for a few hours. or those ab workouts that'll have the fat melt off your waist, leaving behind those sought after washboard abs. well, i'm sorry to break it to you, but contrary to popular belief, you can't tell which fat to go first! if that were the case, i definitely wouldn't have had my boobs volunteer as tribute before my thighs…

everyone has different fat distribution. some people have fat deposited evenly throughout their body, while others seem to have more fat in some areas than in others. regardless, when you lose weight, fat is released uniformly throughout the body. if you have unevenly distributed fat, this fact might not seem to be true, but sadly this is where genetics come into play. now, this doesn't mean localized workouts don't do any good! au contraire, mes chéris. all of those core, thigh, butt, & arm workouts you found on pinterest will build muscles in those areas & thennnn with a nutritional diet & all of those guilty pleasures in moderation, the fat starts to peace out & your hard-earned muscles come out to play!

so in summary: without a proper diet & a scientifically based overall fitness program, you can perform all the ab exercises you wish & it will never result in localized fat loss in your waist. all that you'll accomplish is a well-developed & conditioned six pack hidden by the fat you haven't been able to lose because you've been eating poorly & drinking heavily! so to be brief, eat less more often & exercise more! it's as simple as that!

well now. it feels good to clear up at least one myth for the day! so go hide all of those leftover chocolate bars & marshmallows from your july 4th bonfires & rest up! because tomorrow is fit friday & you don't want to miss it ;)

until next class!
xx TFNHQ

lauren's before && after.

well, nerds. we have what you wanted! our official Ultimate Reset before/after pics are in & we're shocked! you know you're feeling better & your jeans fit a little looser, but we thought it was because they hadn't been washed yet! the truth is, the reset worked & we look better than we have in a while! check out the first of our transformation stories with before/after pics below & see for yourself! email us at fitnessnerds@gmail.com if you have any questions about how you can try the ultimate reset!

LAUREN'S RESET TRANSFORMATION

for me, the reset was a great way to learn discipline & self-control. i was always the type of person who would eat food just because it was there. bored? eat food. up late? eat food. standing around at a party? eat the snacks! why not? just a few handfuls won't hurt! well, even though that's true, if you're really trying to lose weight or eat healthier, the hidden calories & choosing WHAT snacks you eat are the main issues to overcome. there's a difference between eating 10 chocolate pieces & 10 carrots. not only are the carrots bigger, but they're so much healthier for you. with my IBS, i find myself needing to eat more than just 3 meals a day. now that the reset got me into the habit of eating lots of fresh fruits & vegetables on a daily basis, i'm much more inclined to grab a clementine as a snack instead of the bag of chips. in addition, i survived 3 weeks without any caffeine, alcohol, soda, processed sugar & meat. things that i'd eat too much of on a daily basis were suddenly removed from my routine & i was able to do it! so now, with the addition of a consistent exercise routine, these items in moderation will still allow me to get more fit without depriving myself entirely!

a favorite outcome of the reset is that i've developed the habit of cooking food for myself & enjoying the prep time. it's now time i can devote to meditation, thinking about what i've done so far that day & what else i can do to make it the most productive day so far. i've become more patient after getting home from work, understanding that i'll be more satisfied with what i eat if i know that i prepared everything myself & knowing each ingredient i eat. another reset outcome favorite is that i'm not dependent on caffeine anymore. i still haven't had a caffeinated drink since ending the reset, but it doesn't mean i don't indulge in my favorite starbucks latte! it feels great to be able to wake up in the morning, feel refreshed & be able to function without the need of any stimulants. but if i want that little place in my heart to be warmed up, i'll grab a decaf soy sugar-free latte & enjoy it for the taste, rather than the caffeine-rush i used to use it for before.

lastly, my body feels like a well-oiled machine! if i eat too much of something, or something my body isn't really used to & probably shouldn't be exposed to, my body let's me know! i don't mean to be TMI...but it feels good to know that my body is finally understanding what i've known all this time. it enjoys fresh or steamed vegetables as opposed to french fries. it also knows how to tell when i'm full, if i'm hungry, or if i'm simply thirsty. drinking water more is definitely the #1 habit i'll take out of the 21 days. it curbs my hunger more than anything & it's helped the most with my IBS. FUN FACT: no one should ever feel thirsty at any moment during the day!! that obviously means you're not drinking enough, which may also mean you feel hungry at times when you really aren't, thus eating unnecessary calories. food is fuel! it's not a source of any type of emotion. once you realize this, you'll look at food a completely different way & you can start having more control over your health, thus living the life you always wanted :) well, that's my spiel!! thanks for reading & i hope there were some inspirational tidbits along the way! my free ultimate reset shirt will be arriving on monday so look out for those posts on instagram! i know i'm super excited to have completed my very first beachbody program & i can't wait for the next one!

keep studying!!
xx TFNHQ