How Many Names are There for Sugar? This Infographic Will Tell You.

Sugar may be the biggest factor for weight gain and yet, it stays so well hidden in our everyday food items. Let’s see how well you know the different names of sugar after reading this infographic. 

Dietitian Julie Upton, MS, RD, of Appetite for Health, shared this infographic to help understand better our sugar intake. The first step: learn the many ways sugar is listed on ingredient labels.
Want to know more? Get more information about a healthy diet and sound nutrition from Appetite for Health.

"I’m Fat, But I’m Not…" The Buzzfeed Video That is Challengeing Fat Stereotypes

Buzzfeed recently released a video called, “I Fat, But I’m Not…” challenges the stereotypes associated with overweight people. In the video you see young individuals discuss how they don’t struggle with their weight. In fact, they talk about how they lead healthier and active lives like any other thin or fit person.



 
The video sheds light on a growing problem in the fitness and health industry; the image associated with health and fitness today. What discourages a lot of people from starting their weight loss journey is that they associate the idea of being healthy with being thin.

If you type in “fitness” or “weight loss” into Pinterest, or just Google it, you will find a barrage of images showing you how to get the body  of an Olympian or Supermodel. (Like the photo shown here.

 Some go as far as starving themselves trying to reach that perfect body without realizing that the body needs to metabolize in order for weight loss to begin.

One girl from the video put it best that her body does not metabolize fast enough, even though her friends, who are skinnier than her, eat more than her. 

This video sheds light on the issue of fat stereotypes and shows a different side of the health and fitness industry through people who do not fit industry standards. Check it out and let us know if you agree with the message I Am Fat, But I’m Not… is trying to project.

How to Embrace Your New Curves: Let Ashley Graham Show You with Her New Lingerie Collection

What happens to a woman’s wardrobe when they start losing weight? Do they go back to wearing clothes that are bigger than them to hide their excess fat or do they embrace their new bodies with the latest fashion trends?

  

           


I ask myself this, because recently I saw a very empowering video of a Ashley Graham’s runway show for New York Fashion Week, which used models of all different shapes and sizes. For those who are unfamiliar with Ashley Graham, she is a lingerie model who got her start with Lane Bryant. Ashley Graham’s “I Am Size Sexy” campaign is aiming to do away with referring to bigger models as “plus-size” and instead use the term curvy; going one step further with her collection of lingerie for the everyday woman. 

“There are so many adjectives that you could [use to] describe my body, but the one I love is curvy,” -Ashley Graham.

                                          
Lingerie is a very risqué item for any woman struggling through weight loss to wear, because it exposes the most intimate and vulnerable part of them. A lot of women consider it a victory to be able to wear a two piece bikini in public, much less lingerie in private. Even though nobody else (with the exception of your partner) is seeing it, you are seeing it and sometimes you are your biggest judge.


As a woman who lost some weight recently herself, I realize that choosing new clothes for myself is a challenge, because I STILL  have my curves and my biggest asset is my chest. Whatever I choose needs to be fitted to the top and the bottom, which is nauseating, because every big retail store I go to like Forever 21 or H & M has all these items made in China. Whenever I see a tag that says size 12, I want to laugh, because I can barely get the pant leg over my thigh. 


Many women with curvaceous or bigger bodies are fed up, because searching for clothes that fit them has become somewhat of a treasure hunt.


 So much so that a movie like the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants really resonates, because we have all gone through the exhilaration of finding something that fits us and suddenly wearing it everywhere. 

In my case, whenever I find anything that fits me well, I become loyal to that brand, since that brand understands my body type.


But why don’t more brands understand the average woman’s body type?

Why is the fashion industry missing out on their greatest market; the curvy gals. With the average clothing size in the U.S. being between 12-16, more clothing brands would be making a fortune including bigger sizes and cuts that don’t cut off a girl’s circulation at the hips. 

Ashley Graham’s collection reminds me that my body deserves to feel sexy. The more we become comfortable in our own skin, the more we can start reaching our weight loss goals. Body positivity is a huge factor in weight loss, because it is our insecurities that impact our eating habits to begin with. Learning to love your body starts with looking in the mirror, so might as well find something sexy to put on. 

             

Check out some more pictures from NYFW I Am Sexy show below.




This Girl Can and Why You Should Too!

If you have not seen the latest video to go viral on social media about fitness motivation, then be prepared to grab your work out gear, because the people of Sport England have released a campaign that encourages women of all shapes to be active and have fun while doing it!


 This Girl Can not only looks at a variety of women struggling with weight loss, but champions women’s fitness by showing women engaging in different sports activities. 




From spinning classes to Zumba, the 1:30 minute video shows real women enjoying their workout routines with existential fitness quotes over the screen saying, “I jiggle, therefore I am.” capturing the goal of body positivity; acceptance. The video celebrates active women everywhere by showing sweat and struggle of working out with a heavier body.

                             


The campaign even takes a look at the real stories of women who have found salvation in being active. The women in the video are not your typical lean and toned spokespersons that you see from most weight loss fitness motivation campaigns, but instead women who are simply speaking from a very real place like Alice Brazier. “Getting in the pool after a long day really pays off for both body and mind.”



This Girl Can even goes as far as providing a list of activities to browse through (in case an activity like running and yoga is not your thing). The purpose of the campaign is to find fun in whatever activity you choose, because you will reach your weight loss goal faster enjoying yourself. Let us know what your favourite activity is when you want to workout.

Fat Shaming Does Not Help You Lose Weight, Self-Love Does.

After Canadian comedian Nicole Arbour came under fire recently for her video on YouTube insulting overweight women, the issue of “fat-shaming” became a popular subject across social media. 

Larger women everywhere took issue with Nicole’s words calling the video, “Tired, cruel, and lazy”. (The Guardian) The star of my “Big Fat Fabulous Life” Whitney Way Thore made a video rebuttal condemning the comedian for her viral attack.

Insulting another person’s physical appearance not only demeans that person, but hinders their weight loss success. Fat-shaming is a very real thing that mostly women experience whether at home, in the workplace, or online. It can lead to stress and poor eating habits. 

So why do we “fat-shame” others? Are we in such a dire need to be socially accepted by society that we forget what the struggles of weight loss is like for others? Or is it another way to socially oppress other individuals with larger physiques.

One woman thought that she was going to receive that same kind of treatment when she stripped to her bikini and held two markers in her hand while blindfolded. The point of the exercise was to promote self-love by letting strangers draw hearts all over her body. What Amy Pence-Brown did not expect was all the love and support she would receive from the passerbys who saw her sign. Take a look at the video of people’s reactions to her request.

If strangers can accept Amy Pence-Brown for who she is then why is it so hard for others like Nicole Arbour to accept her. What kind of message is she sending shaming people for conditions that lead to weight gain that they cannot control ?

At Model My Diet, we believe in visual motivation and support. Your model is a reflection of yourself and what you want to be in the future. When you share an image of your model, you are getting support from the community; a community that understands what it means to go through a weight loss struggle. Learning to accept yourself is the first step towards progression. Not everyone can have a perfect body, but once we learn to accept our imperfections, we can invite change into our lives.

The Relationship Between Body Image and Disordered Eating

For people who want to lose weight, there’s a fine line between healthy and unhealthy methods of losing the extra pounds. Often, the way we think about our bodies—our body image—contributes to our ability to lose weight in a healthy and safe manner. With a positive body image, weight loss attempts often tend to be healthier, safer, and ultimately more successful. However, because poor body image contributes to the risk of someone developing an eating disorder, healthy weight loss is more difficult for people who see their bodies in a negative light.
There’s a strong two-way relationship between body image and eating disorders: someone with a poor or unrealistic body image often desires to change their body, and the most common way for this desire to manifest is by dieting. For some people, the result is the eventual development of an eating disorder, which causes body image to become even more distorted. For example, someone with poor body image who develops anorexia thinks of themselves as overweight even if they lose so much that they become dangerously underweight.

Some people with eating disorders develop such a distorted body image that they develop a condition called body dysmorphic disorder. People with this disorder become very preoccupied with their physical appearance, and with particular facial features or parts of their bodies; typically their preoccupation causes them to see serious flaws where none existA study conducted at UCLA shows that people with this disorder may actually have abnormal visual processing—and that they do literally see themselves differently from the way they really are.
When someone with an eating disorder also develops body dysmorphic disorder, there’s a high risk that their eating disorder will eventually become fatal, which means that getting professional help is extremely important for survival.

Mel Strang, Writer and Editor for bulimia.com.


If you yourself are suffering from an eating disorder and would like to get help, find a treatment centre here at www.bulimia.com/allstates/.


We Can’t All Be Runners, But We Can Certainly Try.

Recently the popular creator of the television show Girls, Lena Dunham, surprised everyone by professing her love of running. If you are  familiar with the star then you would know that she not only talked about how much she hated running, but how she could never see herself really doing it. 

Image Source: Lena Dunham

We have all been in that position where we refuse to participate in strenuous activities just because our friends and popular figures are doing it. Even here at Model My Diet, we have been slow to jump at the jogging phenomena. However, here is what we learned when we started running outside.

It is the best way to clear your head, focusing on one activity. A lot of times when we are busy working on new releases, trying to connect with our clients, or researching new diets or information that would be helpful for our users, we take it in all at once. We want to provide the best services, but with so many ideas flowing freely, we forget to take the time to slow down and focus on our bodies. So when we start running, whether it is 5k or over 20k, we give ourselves and our body the time to focus on our thoughts and try to find helpful solutions. 

Image Source: morethanheels.com

Being outside while running is a great distraction and yet, inspiration for new ideas to come.  Our best ideas often come when we are not expecting it. Like the switch of a lightbulb, a solution comes to your mind when you are able to clear all the distracting thoughts in your head. Sometimes it is hard to think straight when you are restrained to an office with so much pent up energy. Running allows you to use that energy to strengthen your body and your mind. It forces you to explore places and destinations that you just don’t find in an office. You see the world differently when you run, giving you a new perspective on exercise and your health. 

We turn “I can’t” into “I will”. We have all made excuses,  including some of us at Model My Diet, for why we cannot run. That first 10 minutes is a killer, because you are using muscles you never normally use. You feel pain in your thighs, your heart is beating at a rapid pace, and your breathing starts to shorten. Nevertheless, it is the best feeling you can have, because you feel your body is detoxing and recharging at the same time. The further distance you run, the more accomplished you feel to the point where you don’t remember why you were making excuses for not running in the first place. 

Whether you run to the top of a mountain or along a beach, the effort to do so is a milestone in your start to a healthy lifestyle. This post is not about leaving advice or sharing tips, but writing from an experience we felt when we started running. After every run, our body was in a well rested state the next day and it allowed us to continue working hard, with even more motivation; refreshed and recharged. 

More Before and After Pictures, More Amazing Transformations!

It is that time again where we reimagine some of the best weight loss transformations found on Pinterest with our virtual models.

 Some of these individual prove that you can overcome your biggest struggle and be confident in who you are. We even included the weight loss before and after picture of one of our users who found success with her model. 

Cherry Mars is probably one of the most successful Model My Diet user. After becoming a fitness coach, she took the time to give us her thoughts on her weight loss journey. Although she had some cheat days, she credits her success to eating healthy and exercising regularly. 

Image Source: Cherry Mars
“I lifted weights mainly and cleaned up my diet. …I cut out out take-out food altogether and reduced my sugar intake. I used the Model My Diet app to keep me motivated. I consistently set myself goals. As a result I now run regularly- preferred distance is 5km and I walk or jog almost EVERYWHERE now (If it is possible). It really has changed my life, because now I am a certified personal trainer” -Cherry Mars
Remember Brittany Wolfe? We wrote a blog post about how she was able to go from 273 pounds to 222! Now her and her model are looking fantastic in their new clothes.

Image Source: Brittany Wolfe

This Pinterest user posted a before and after of her stomach looking toned and lean compared to her former self. The progress she made was over the course of a year and the results show what hardwork and dedication can do for your body. 


Image Source: trimmedandtoned.com

This is what your model could look like once you lose 105 pounds! This user is confident in her new body and was not ashamed to show the results. They say strong is the new sexy and this user is giving us nothing but muscular appeal for her and her model.


Image Source: trimmedandtoned.com

This user displays what every woman goes through while losing weight: stretch marks. Her battle wounds are a reminder of how far she has come on her weight loss journey. Although her model cannot show the same marks of accomplishment, it can certainly support her for the rest of her journey.


Image Source: trimmedandtoned.com

This user was proud to show how fit and active she was after two years of healthy and clean eating. She makes exercising look fun and motivating! We decided to reflect that positve attitude through her model’s active wear outfit, because visual motivation goes a long way in a weight loss journey.

Image Source: Lauren (howdoesshe.com)

This user demonstrates her non-scale victory with this side-by-side of just how much she lost. We can only imagine how happy she feels with her new body. After all, her smile says it all! 


Image Source: trimmedandtoned.com

The road to weight loss is still a long journey and maintaining those new bodies still remains a struggle. However, with the right support and proper visual motivation, your life can transform for the better. Weight loss is a never ending journey, so do not give up!

If you have amazing before and after picture, send it us at info@modelmydiet.com or post it on our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram pages with the #modelmydiet. We are looking forward to creating a before and after model for you!



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