You may know her as the talented, and insanely fit, dancer on Dancing with the Stars, or as a judge on Dancing with the Stars Australia, but what you may not know is that Kym Johnson is your new best friend to help you get into shape! She recently came out with her 5678 fitness program which includes exercise videos and a book that are designed to help keep you on track throughout your fitness journey.

I was able to speak with Kym about the program, what inspired her to create it, and even got some really great advice from the DWTS winner!

Kym’s inspiration for 5678 started when she began judging DWTS Australia, which meant she was no longer dancing eight hours a day and burning thousands of calories. As a result, she could no longer have the occasional hamburger without feeling the effects of it the next day. She knew she had to make a diet change, which was not going to be fun. In addition to a less active lifestyle, she was also constantly getting asked by people everywhere how they could get a great body like the celebs have at the end of the show. From all of her experience as a choreographer, she felt confident that she could create a program that everyone could enjoy and make a part of their daily routine.

That’s where 5678 comes in; where 5 stands for 5 protein sources, 6 is for the colors of the rainbow, 7 represents 7 anti-inflammatory foods, and 8 is for 8 glasses of water. This idea is based on the program that Kym worked on for herself with a nutritionist after she started judging DWTS. Having the numbers makes it an easy way to incorporate a healthier attitude into your lifestyle! The book that details 5678 has everything you need to get you inspired and started; from a menu guide to a recipe book and even stories about her time working with all of the celebrities on DWTS. Some of whom even collaborated with Kym on the book, including Florence Henderson who added a few of her own recipes. On top of other celebs contributing, she also has friends who are young moms in the book, adding their favorite recipes and giving advice for staying active during their busy days. Kym’s favorite part of the book are the gluten free pancake recipes, like the peaches and cream one, which she’ll often have for dessert. She’s also a huge fan of the tea recipes, especially the Sweet Comfort Tea which has cocoa and cinnamon- a great anti-inflammatory ingredient!

Then, there’s the 5678 DVD that is dance based and designed for anyone from a beginner to a total pro to get a good workout. The best part about the workout program is that it’s essentially interval training, meaning you go from high intensity cardio dance moves, like a jive, to moves that target your arms or legs. This means that you also get as much of a workout as you want, so if you want something low impact, all you have to do is slow down your jive! But don’t be surprised if you keep up with her pace as the workout itself will always keep you wanting to do more as you continue to learn new steps and start feeling just like the celebs on the show. Not to mention Kym’s super supportive attitude that makes you feel like you can conquer the world…or at least the dance floor!

And if you’re having trouble getting motivated, take some advice from Kym: if you’re really unmotivated, just tell yourself you’re only going to workout 15 minutes. You’ll often find that 15 minutes turns into you doing the entire workout once you’ve gotten started. This is a tactic she often used with the celebrities she trained. She would tell them that they’re just doing the first half of the routine, but found that once they did that, they would end up following through with the rest of it. Like she said, the hardest part of any workout, or anything in life for that matter, is just getting it started. But, once you do, you’ll always be happy with the end result.

This is obviously something she’s carried with her throughout her life. She started dancing at just 3 years old and ended up on DWTS Australia before she came to the US version to dance with Jerry Springer in her first US season. Although she was expecting George Clooney as her dance partner, she ended up getting some good advice from him: no matter what you’re doing in life, even if it’s just sweeping floors, just do a great job and you’ll get noticed and it’ll lead to something better. Kym has remembered this advice and it’s helped her when she’s working with a new partner each season. She notes that her partners really rely on her and have to trust her since they are put in an entirely new, and uncomfortable, situation of professional dancing. She becomes a quasi life coach to each of her dance partners, and hopes that that sort of coaching can shine through in her book and inspire readers to work hard to achieve their goals-fitness or otherwise.

And for anyone with kids looking to get into this industry, be prepared for a lot of hard work and a lot of rejection. But Kym believes that you have to have a sense of humor about it, and not let rejection get you down. You just have to remember that as long as you put in the hard work and have passion for what you do, the rest of it will fall into place! This is true not just for future dance stars, but for anyone working towards a goal.

So what’s next for this two-time DWTS winner? Well, she’s engaged to former dance partner and Shark Tank panelist Robert Herjavec and is busy planning their wedding. She says they’re thinking of dusting off their dancing shoes and having a big number at the reception. Fingers crossed we get a video!

*Photo credits: Glenn Nutley 

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You may have heard of the most recent diet craze touted by celebrities to improve your health, lose weight, and even prevent diseases such as diabetes and cancer. The raw food diet is extreme, but also the most basic and simple diet you have heard of in a while.  The drawback, you may have a difficult time convincing your family to join in. On a positive note, meals must be a snap to prepare. You may be asking yourself, is it worth it? The answer is both yes and no and depends on what your goal is.

If you are trying to lose weight, a raw food diet could get you to your goal rather quickly. Any diet that strictly limits your choices will result in weight loss simply because you severely limit what you can eat. The raw food diet will restrict you from eating any processed and cooked foods and all meats except for sashimi, unless you’re a fan of raw meat. This leaves you with the choice of raw fruits and vegetables and nuts and seeds. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and high in fiber, which fill you up quickly resulting in weight loss. Nuts and seeds are higher in calories and supply healthy fats but again, it is difficult for most people to eat huge portions in their natural state. So, if you are looking for weight loss, the diet might be the ticket. You should always be careful not to remain on a restrictive diet for a long period time because it can result in nutritional deficiencies and decreased metabolism.

If you are thinking about trying this diet because you have been told you lose nutrients and enzymes when you cook foods, then you should think again. Certain foods have more nutrients and enzymes when cooked versus raw and vice versa.  For example, Steven Schwartz from Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center reports that you absorb more lycopene from tomatoes cooked with a healthy fat, than if eaten raw (Ohio State University, 2008).  Foods such as carrots and broccoli have more bioavailable antioxidants when they are cooked, according to a report from the Journal of Agriculture and Food Culture (Miglio, Chiavaro, Visconti, Fogliano, & Pellegrini, 2008).  Some nutrients such as vitamin C are more fragile, making raw fruits and vegetables the better choice.  So what foods should you eat cooked and what foods should you eat raw? There is no right answer, except to say you should include both raw and cooked foods in your diet to get all your needed nutrients.  It is better to eat cooked broccoli than no broccoli at all.

Thirdly, should you go raw to prevent cancer, Diabetes and other diseases? The answer may be yes. It’s no surprise that processed foods are not good for our bodies. Processed foods usually contain additives and excess sugar and sodium that cause inflammation in our bodies that can lead to disease. The diet requires you to eat whole foods and keeps your hand out of the cookie jar. So, obviously you will be healthier than you if you eat all those tasty package treats.

Eating vegetables and fruits is good for you, but restricting your diet too much is likely to lead to a binge in the middle of the night. There are no black and white rules to eating, except to say everything in moderation.

References:

Miglio, C., Chiavaro, E., Visconti, A., Fogliano, V., & Pellegrini, N. (2008). Effects of Different Cooking Methods on Nutritional. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 139-147. Retrieved from http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/jf072304b

Ohio State University. (2008, 08 13). TURNING UP THE HEAT ON TOMATOES BOOSTS ABSORPTION OF LYCOPENE. Retrieved from Researchnews.osu.edu: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/lycoproc.htm

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There has been a lot of news lately about women dieting like men. Every woman knows that life is unfair when it comes to which gender loses weight faster. Men generally have the unfair advantage of dropping pounds quickly and easily just by cutting out beer, soda, or their morning latte. Meanwhile, women cut out carbohydrates, lessen calories, and do tons of cardio and still have difficulty dropping weight.

Scientists tell us the reason men drop pounds more easily is that they have more testosterone and muscle mass, resulting in a higher metabolism.  But recent news is telling us that women may be able to drop pounds as quickly as men if they some take diet tips from men.  Men typically attack excess pounds from a different angle, focusing on adding more protein to their diet, lifting heavy weights, and taking the slower more achievable approach of only cutting out one treat per day. A woman typically chooses to do massive amounts of cardio, lowering calories, cutting out protein and increasing vegetables, and not allowing themselves any treats.  Women focus so strictly on the process that it becomes difficult to stick to, leading to yo-yo dieting.  Men typically go slow and steady and are less likely to beat themselves up if they slip up and have that extra cheese pizza for lunch.

 Is this more conservative and sustainable approach men take helping them stay on track longer and remain consistent with their goals or is it really the anatomy and chemistry that is propelling a man’s weight loss? The answer is yes to both.  Men do have a metabolic advantage over weight loss, but they also take an approach to dieting that is stress free and easier to stick with. This stress free approach is another advantage for team men. Stress increases with cortisol levels and leads to weight gain. Women tend to stress more about being overweight and dieting, increasing the amount of cortisol in the body and making it more difficult to lose weight.  

So what is the verdict, should women diet like men and will it make a difference?  Women should take some tips from men, but a woman’s approach is not completely wrong either. Combining the two is the best option. Not every diet works for every person, you must do what works best for your body. 

Follow these modified “man diet” tips:

• Eat like our ancestors: protein, veggies, and nuts/seeds
• Choose lean protein (chicken, fish, and turkey).
• Add weight lifting to your exercise routine, it’s a myth that weight lifting makes women bulky.
• Do not cut out entire food groups. This leads to deficient nutrients and increases cravings.
• Slow and steady wins the race, don’t stress if you slip up one day, tomorrow is a new day.
• Get plenty of rest. When you are tired, you tend to crave starchy and sugary foods.
• Allow yourself to have one treat per day. Knowing that you can have it again tomorrow can help you sustain from over doing it.

The post Look like a Beauty, Eat like a Beast! appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Detox diets are a popular trend in the world of health and nutrition these days. If you have been following the latest in health fads, no doubt you have heard about them. However, the jury is still out on whether or not detox diets are actually good for you. Many health care experts and dietitians are now questioning the claims behind these food regimens. If you are considering using a detox diet to lose weight, get healthier skin, rid your body of certain addictions, or just feel better, you might want to think again.

What are Detox Diets?

Detox diets refer to those eating plans that essentially promise to rid of the body of harmful toxins. The principle behind them states that these damaging substances build up in our bodies and cause a variety of health problems, everything from weight gain, bloating, decreased immunity, fatigue, and aches and pains. If you can get rid of those toxins in your body by following a specialized diet, you will start to feel great and your body functioning will improve as a result.

What do Detox Diets Require?

Of course, the methods of detoxification vary according to which plan you choose in order to accomplish this. There are detox diets that promise quick results that last anywhere from three to thirty days. Some diets focus solely on eating raw foods, fluids, or a certain kind of nutrient. Others focus on fasting and colon cleansing in order to detox. In general, detox diets encourage the consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and plenty of water. Processed foods, meats, eggs, dairy, and refined sugar are typically not allowed.

Are Detox Diets Good for You?

The theory behind detox diets sounds appealing, but there is hardly any scientific evidence these methods do any good. Our bodies get rid of toxins all on their own, no matter what kinds of foods we eat. After all, that is what the liver, lungs, and kidneys do anyway. Moreover, studies have shown that detox diets should never be done for long periods of time because they lead to more health problems connected to nutrition deficiencies. In terms of weight loss, detox diets will help at first because they cut out a lot of calories but the human body cannot last long on such a plan.

Detox diets do offer some noticeable health benefits. They support increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, and water while cutting out junk food and unhealthy drinks. In reality, though, detox diets may be more harmful than helpful. They may be great in the short term but most experts agree that they are not a solution in the long run. The key to taking care of your body is to rely on the tried-and-true methods of regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet.

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