New, and got a question!

[MrsMacTheKnife]

Hi, I've just purchased the 12 week programme (not sure how to post on that section as it's password protected?) and am gearing myself up to start.

Both my husband and I going to start - we are totally opposites body wise but ultimately, both want to reach ideal body weights and optimum health. He is a strength and conditioning coach working with a rugby club, short and musclely (sp?) with a body fat of 7%, I've just left a stressful corporate job to set up on my own Foot Health practice and I have the body fat of a Pepperami. I'm tall and have always been curvy with big boobs, small waist and big hips but I've hit 40 and the pounds have crept on to the point where I can't fit in any of my clothes and much more importantly, I feel tired, unfit and pretty unwell. And damn un*exy!

Onto the good points, my husband is very supportive and motivated and we are both in it together. We are spending a week or so gathering every thing we need and clearing out the cupboards of crap. We are having the water sorted out underneath the sink as we speak! I've bought a sprouter and PH drops and Green powder - anything else essential bearing in mind our differing needs?

I wanted to ask for advice - my husband is concerned about losing weight, he struggles to keep on weight when eating healthily with large portions. He trains in some way each day - does anyone have any top tips about how to keep and add weight?

It's a big lifestyle change for us but we've been talking about it for a long time - now is the time to stop talking and start eating greens!

Take care, MrsMac

[ross]

Hey MrsMac

Congrats on joining the course and taking action to make some change! No worries on asking questions, remember that I'm here as well as other Energise staff to help you as much as possible and give you all of the support you need while you're on the course.

With regards to your husband, I'm sure he knows his own body pretty well and he needs to make sure he is listening to it. He should not lose any muscle weight during this course, but he needs to make sure he supplements well and eats well, especially if he was used to getting quick and easy protein from sources such as meat. He will need to keep eating a lot to ensure that he doesn't have calorie deficit (and lose muscle). I know it sounds complex but he'll know all of this. So the first thing I would recommend is:

1) a good, clean, healthy protein supplement, preferably from hemp. I know many people don't like the protein supplements and think they are pointless but if you are a strength coach you are not an average person with average protein needs!

2) omega oils - this is MASSIVELY important (take note of those capital letters - I really was speaking louder when I typed that!). Really you should both be supplementing your diets with omega oils, especially omega 3. I wholeheartedly recommend Udo's Choice. This is widely regarded in the bodybuilding and sports communities as being the single most important thing to do. It will give him a really good source of clean, efficient fat calories, meaning that his body wont turn shed muscle. The health benefits of omega 3 are so many and varied that I really think you should both do this. See my blog post here for more:

http://www.energiseforlife.com/wordpress/2801/why-i-love-essential-fatty-acids

3) make sure he eats lots. there is no danger of eating too much with this approach to health, really. if you are hungry - eat. there is never a reason to be hungry - just don't let it happen! this is an approach to health that is unashamedly about abundance. enjoy it!

So with regards to your other question about what else you should purchase - the only other absolute essential is the omega 3 supplement.

Good luck and let me know how you get on!

Have a great weekend
Ross

Hi, I've just purchased the 12 week programme (not sure how to post on that section as it's password protected?) and am gearing myself up to start.

Both my husband and I going to start - we are totally opposites body wise but ultimately, both want to reach ideal body weights and optimum health. He is a strength and conditioning coach working with a rugby club, short and musclely (sp?) with a body fat of 7%, I've just left a stressful corporate job to set up on my own Foot Health practice and I have the body fat of a Pepperami. I'm tall and have always been curvy with big boobs, small waist and big hips but I've hit 40 and the pounds have crept on to the point where I can't fit in any of my clothes and much more importantly, I feel tired, unfit and pretty unwell. And damn un*exy!

Onto the good points, my husband is very supportive and motivated and we are both in it together. We are spending a week or so gathering every thing we need and clearing out the cupboards of crap. We are having the water sorted out underneath the sink as we speak! I've bought a sprouter and PH drops and Green powder - anything else essential bearing in mind our differing needs?

I wanted to ask for advice - my husband is concerned about losing weight, he struggles to keep on weight when eating healthily with large portions. He trains in some way each day - does anyone have any top tips about how to keep and add weight?

It's a big lifestyle change for us but we've been talking about it for a long time - now is the time to stop talking and start eating greens!

Take care, MrsMac

[MrsMacTheKnife]

Hi Ross, thanks for your answers and for your welcome too.

We use Udos oil (well, when I say 'we', I mean my husband, lol) and he takes an Omega supplement, which I have started to take too - he has been stressing how important it is to me, so I think you are on the same wavelength... Thanks for the other tips, his major concern is not to lose weight, whilst mine is see those pounds drop off.

I'm off on a course today for a week but by next Saturday, I will be home and have everything needed to start in earnest. I'm going to wean myself off tea this week - the biggest challenge for me, but not impossible. I'm starting my own business next week too but I am an all or nothing girl so what the heck!

As I have said previously, my husband is very much on board with healthy living and exercise, I've kind of had a ephiphany lately and this is the way forward for me. I'm probably similar to lots of people, often eating the kind of foods that don't benefit me, don't enjoy exercise (because of being overweight, I feel uncomfortable and embarrassed) and always putting off changing until tomorrow. Well, tomorrow is here in a weeks time in the form the 12 week plan and I'm going to keep a daily journal here as not only a record, but inspiration to others - should I be posting on the section above, and if so, how do I obtain a password?

Many thanks, MrsMac

[MrMactheKnife]

Hello Mrs Mac x

Hi Ross, obviously the other side of the Mac....lol

I recently went on an internship with Phil Richards who put me on the track of greens and acid/alkaline and I must say the concept is great!

On the protein supplements- do you recommend staying away from casein and whey ( I was taking rice and pea protein in the form of Lean Protein from infinity however the taste of chalk was too much!).

I am a big fan of Udos Oil and used to pour that on my pasta and tuna- shock horror! That is now turned to lots of veg, quinoa and salad which I love!!

Any protein supps that you recommend?

Oh and hello to everyone else!!

[callum001]

Hello to both of you! It's fantastic to hear two committed, motivated people such as yourselves!

With regard to a protein supplement, the one we recommend is the Hemp Protein:

http://www.energiseforlife.com/item--Detox-your-World-Organic-Hemp-Protein--Hemp.html

Hope this helps,
Callum

[paulieGB]

Hello to both of you! It's fantastic to hear two committed, motivated people such as yourselves!

With regard to a protein supplement, the one we recommend is the Hemp Protein:

http://www.energiseforlife.com/item--Detox-your-World-Organic-Hemp-Protein--Hemp.html

Hope this helps,
Callum

Hi,

I have read that hemp protein powder is very high in manganese and also very acidic.
How much can we have per day ?
I have a lot of hemp protein which i bought a while ago and haven't used that much of.
Im thinking of having just one serving (scoop) 30g of powder each day, that will give me 15grams of protein, how does that sound ?

[callum001]

I don't believe that the Hemp Protein is acidic, but I will double check for you.

Just thought I would post this here, as you might find it interesting. It's a post related to building muscle using the alkaline diet you may be interested in.

The following is an email response from New Zealand's two time National natural body builder and a question from one of our readers on how to build and maintain muscle mass while living the pH Miracle Lifestyle and diet.

================================================== ============

I am a personal trainer and nutritionist with over 30 years experience. When I started (4 months ago), the pH Miracle Lifestyle and Diet, the first benefit I received from it was that I started losing fat very quickly. At first it was a big shock to my body because I use to eat a lot of fish and chicken breast - but no red meat. Within one month my body fat dropped significantly from 19% to 7% and it has remained that way.

You asked me how the pH Miracle Lifestyle and Diet has affected my muscle mass. Cows, elephants and gorillas are very powerful and muscular animals and they are plant-eaters. This is because plant protein is raw and unprocessed and plants include all amino acids which are very easily absorbable. Plants like brocoli, spinach, sprouted lentils, seeds and nuts are full of high-quality unprocessed protein and this is the food I am eating now and I am amazed at how my muscles appear. Until now, I believed, because I read it in many body building magazines and books, that if you want to increase your muscle mass, you always use some amount of fat as well, but thanks to the pH Miracle Lifestyle and Diet Plan, you can gain lean muscles only, without any fat. This is because only excess animal protein can make you fat. How? Because the protein your body doesn't utilize is converted into glucose, and if this isn't used as a source of energy, is converted into fat and stored in our body .

Oils are very important for muscle mass - your body needs them for making hormones and they are an excellent source of energy -which protect your muscles against burning when you get into the catabolic stage. I personally use Flaxseed Oil, Olive Oil and Coconut Oil. The pH Miracle Diet Plan which consists mainly of vegetables provides your body with an excellent source of minerals.

After the age of 45, as written in body building literature, it is very hard to grow new muscles because your digestive system has a problem to digest processed acidic animal protein, but it doesn't have a problem to digest alkaline plant protein. I am nearly 54, preparing for body building competitions this year,- gaining new muscles - and without any fat. I'm getting stronger and my muscles have never looked better. I am probably going to be the first alkalarian body builder in New Zealand to prove that protein in plants has higher biological value than animal proteins.

Many thanks for your question - it's always very nice to hear from people who have the same interest.

Kind regards

Dusan Dudas (two times Mr New Zealand in Natural Bodybuilding) duva@xtra.co.nz