Heather Picken

Q.

I eat a low fat diet and can't seem to lose any fat, especially
that stubborn belly fat.

A.

That's the problem, a low fat diet can put the brakes on fat loss (so if you're trying to get rid
of that stubborn belly fat read on)
and actually produce more cortisol, (A hormone associated with the physical effects of the stress response within the body) which when produced in the body contributes to gaining fat
as well as not be able to lose fat. Many women I consult with I find their fat intake is way to
low. Once I help them adjust it, they start seeing results.

One of the most important fats are EFA's (essential fatty acids)
Taking fish oil is a great source to get this type of fat 6-10 grams a day.
Which falls polyunsaturated fats.

You also want to take in monounsaturated fats found in nuts and seeds.

And even a small amount of saturated fats will help improve your HDL
(think egg yolks)

However, don't think you can eat all the egg yolks in
the world either.

Balance is key!

Posted by Heather Picken at 6:44 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Q.

I have lost 86lbs and look lots better but
need to lose a few more pounds.
Can I get my body looking toned and sexy again
and get rid of my saggy thighs?

A.

If you are someone that has lost a lot of weight this will depend on a couple of things.
The elasticity of your skin and if you lost the weight too quickly.

I have to tell you about a woman named "Kelly" who had this problem.
Before she came to me she had lost about 100lbs. but unfortunately it
was in a very short time. She fasted on shakes and pills and didn't do
any type of weight training.

If kills me to think that women will go this route when it always ends negatively.

She started with me and I put her on a muscle sculpting program with both heavy
weights and the right nutrition program. She ended up with some nice lean muscle,
but due to her quick weight loss and the elasticity of her skin she still had some
loose skin. She ended up getting surgery to get the loose skin cut off.

If you have saggy thighs if you start weight training it will help and having the
right amount of calories..too little calories will NOT build muscle and won't
be able to firm up any saggy thighs.

My point is if you're looking for a quick fix it will never work and will always
backfire at the end. If you have a lot of weight to lose I suggest doing it the safe
and full proof way!

Please visit http://www.mybodyisfitnow.com

Posted by Heather Picken at 9:44 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I know many women have a hard time losing that excess fat that seems to come on after their 30's. First you must realize why you have put on that on. Typically I find women as they get older they are less active and aren't eating what I describe in my fat-burning system "fat-burning foods" and "5 star foods" without knowing what to eat and at the right times is crucial!
You might think you are eating healthy but if you don't have the body you want then you don't have the right program in place..period. No matter what age you are. Yes, you can change your body and make it more efficient in burning fat even when you are over 40.
Another mistake is not eating enough protein...again you may think you are eating enough but I find most women aren't and protein is responsible to build lean muscle and the more lean muscle you have the more your body will be a fat-burning machine.

If you just guess on what you are taking in then you will never get the results you want it's that simple. Once you master what I call the fundamentals of fat-burning nutrition then you can really tweak your program by plugging in the fat-loss formula for protein as well as other nutrients.

Then there is exercise. If you are telling me you are just walking then you will never get the results you want. Walking just isn't going to cut it when it comes to losing fat. You need to stimulate your muscles through weight training that is intense, and when I mean intense ..
I mean the weight is challenging and you are breathing hard. Many women I find don't push themselves enough in order to stimulate fat-loss. If you are a beginner at training of course you want to ease yourself into your program.

Now cardio is the second thing your focus on and again, walking isn't going to cut it, if you're serious about changing your body and losing fat. You need interval cardio or HITT. This is simply going at a pace where for 30-60sec an all out sprint or if you can't run then a fast walk on treadmill set on an incline then back to a moderate pace for 30-60 seconds. Do this for 20-45 minutes. Women will vary on how much cardio they need to do.

Finally, you need to be in the right mindset. So many women want the results but they are not committed to the process. So what does that mean? It means you want the results but don't want to but the effort that it takes to get the results. It's not your fault that you tried many programs and failed. One of the reasons you don't have the results you want is because your mind is not programmed for fat loss. That is why I have dedicated my life in researching why women fail and I have developed a scientifically proven method to help you stay focused. If you follow it I guarantee you will see and feel results. This is the secret that is helping women all over the world just like you to stay focused and finally get the results you want. One of the tools I use is affirmations. These are short,simple, and stated in the present tense.

For example:
"I love exercising" " I think of food as fuel" ...this might sound rather simple but it works.
There is an exact formula that you use do that I explain in further detail with the affirmations and once you start you won't want to stop.

Everything you have done starts with a thought..so if you want to lose unwanted fat it has to begin by programming your mind with seeing the body you desire, without it you will never reach your goals.

If you would like to learn how to burn fat ..even after 40 click here NOW!

Posted by Heather Picken at 8:39 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

If you would like to learn what foods to burn belly fat and & inches click here now

Posted by Heather Picken at 10:34 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

To Finally Lose Stubborn Belly Fat &
Inches Without Dieting

(length 8:25 minutes)

Click here to listen...

First and foremost diets don't work.
There is a missing link in why women fail to achieve
the body of their dreams.

Re-programing your subconscious mind is the secret to
losing weight and more importantly keeping it off. If
you learn how to program it the right way you will stop
the vicious cycle of gaining weight or not being able
to lose it, PERMANENTLY!

The average person thinks 40,000-50,000 thoughts a day
and most of them are negative. You get what you think
about. If you think that you will always be broke then
you will. The same thing applies to gaining weight or
not being able to lose it! Your subconscious mind is so
powerful that it remains on like a computer program
running 24/7.

Any diet can make you lose weight but how many can
promise you and show you how to keep it off
permanently? That is where most women struggle
everyday!

We live in a world where the weight loss industry over
promises but under delivers. At least 95% or more of
women who go on diets fail. Don't feel bad if you
haven't been able to stick to a program. The real
reason you've haven't been able to get the permanent
results that you want is because you have been given
the wrong technology.

How to use the Law of Attraction To get a lean and sexy
body

If you have been watching Oprah, I'm sure you have
heard about the movie "The Secret", which
talks about the Law of Attraction. Now,why should you
care? Well, if you're still struggling to lose
unwanted belly fat you should! To summarize this movie
it talks about how every thought you have you attract
what your are thinking and how it is that you attract
what you are thinking.

The secret is the right information, in the right
order, and the application of it is crucial in getting
and maintaining your fat-loss goals. Don't make the
mistake of buying a program or system that doesn't
include this. The number one ingredient in this
fat-loss success formula is to understand how your mind
works in the fat-loss process. Did you know you are
either programmed to lose fat or gain fat and if you
know the exact formula for fat-loss success then you
can undo years of failed attempts of dieting and
gaining it back and never being satisfied in the way
you look.

Think about it, everything we do in life is a mental
process and our habits and beliefs are shaped 96-98%
through our subconscious minds and only 2-4% are
through are conscious minds. The secret is working in
changing your subconscious mind in order to get the
unwanted fat off and keep it off. Part of the formula
goes far beyond just positive thinking and goal
setting. You need to first believe that you can achieve
it and you also need to create more positive chemicals
in your brain. Each time you think a negative thought
you elicit negative chemicals and the same goes for
positive ones. The average person thinks anywhere from
40,000-50,000 thoughts a day. Positive thoughts are
10,000 times more powerful than negative thoughts and
they dictate your fat loss success so if you're
thinking negative thoughts all day about how you don't
like your body then that is exactly what you will
attract.

You can actually re-train your mind to be on
'auto-pilot' so that the majority of your thoughts are
positive. When you master that your actions will match
to get the body you desire and keep it that way.

How does this work with weight/fat loss?

First let's look at why so many women have trouble
losing weight/fat.
It simply starts with what they believe.

For example do you find that you say these statements
to yourself:

"I am too old to lose weight."
"My whole family is overweight and it's just in my
genes."
"It's too hard."
"Nothing ever works for me."
"I can't seem to motivate myself to eat better or
workout."

I'm sure you might have a few more to add to this list.

If you have these types of beliefs then it will be very
difficult for you to lose weight or keep it off because
you have essentially programmed your mind for failure.

So what can you do?

If you find your mind is programmed with these
dis-empowering beliefs you can actually re-program it
for ultimate weight/fat loss success. Think again about
your subconscious mind being a computer program and
giving it a better program to run, rather than one that
takes up too much space or has a lot of errors.

I want to share with you some powerful motivational
tools that help re-program your mind for ultimate
fat-loss success. Nutrition and exercise are very
important. However, without the right mind set,
permanent weight loss is impossible. You need to know
how to change the internal dialog or program in your
mind in order to change your body. Trust me no diet
will work if you don’t understand and apply these
principles.

Here are some powerful examples to re-program your mind:

Each time you find yourself saying something negative
about your body, food, or exercise try turning that
negative statement into a more positive one.

For example you might say: " I hate this fat around my
stomach"
Instead say " My stomach is flatter now"

Another example: " I hate to exercise"

Instead say "Exercise makes my feel energized and is
fun"

This sounds very simple yet it's a very powerful way to
start changing your beliefs and in turn change your
body. Just for fun keep a log of how many times you do
this and of course make sure you re-frame the negative
statements into positive ones. After putting these
powerful mental tools in place you will be amazed and
think it's magic because all of the sudden your weight
seems to melt off your body and you will be happier
than you have ever been.

For more information on the complete scientifically
proven fat-burning system that uses this technology for
women to achieve the body and health they desire and
without the use of fad diets, pills, or even will power
go to www.mybodyisfitnow.com

“This Is The First Time I Have Seen Results Like This!”
– Babs Wright, 44yrs old

Posted by Heather Picken at 11:21 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

One of my favorite fat-burning foods that will help women burn more fat, especially excess belly fat is oatmeal.

That is why I wanted to share some of my quick and tasty recipes for those of you who don't have a lot of time but want to slim down and tone up.

If you incorporate oatmeal every day in your fat-burning menu you will start to notice your belly shrinking rather than eating a bagel, toast, or sugary cereal. Oatmeal also is a great source of fiber which we need in order for our bodies to run like clockwork.

The following recipes can be prepared by stove top or microwave use 1/2 cup of water when cooking.

Peanut butter Oatmeal
1/2 cup oatmeal (use quick or slow cooking oats without sugar)
1 tbl. of all natural peanut butter
microwave or cook on stove top stir in peanut butter

Pumpkin Oatmeal
1/2 cup oatmeal (use quick or slow cooking oats without sugar)
dash of cinnamon dash of nutmeg
2 tablespoons of unsweetened pumpkin
1tbl of powdered non-fat milk

Egg Oatmeal
1/2 cup oatmeal (use quick or slow cooking oats without sugar)
dash of cinnamon
1 packet of splenda
mix in 4 egg white while cooking oats

Maple Nut Oatmeal
1/2 cup oatmeal (use quick or slow cooking oats without sugar)
Stir in syrup after cooking and top off with almonds
1 Tablespoon of no-sugar syrup 8 almonds

High Protein Oatmeal
1/2 cup oatmeal (use quick or slow cooking oats without sugar)
1-2 scoops of protein powder of your choice
after cooking stir in protein powder

Faux Cookie Dough Oatmeal (Yes that's right)
1/2 cup oatmeal (use quick or slow cooking oats without sugar)
Prepare this overnight or put in the freezer after cooking for about 30 min.
1 packet of splenda

This is a required taste but it tastes similar to cookie dough without the sugar and fat!

Heather Picken, specializes in helping women get rid of stubborn belly fat and inches around their hips, thighs, & glutes with her breakthrough 6-Week Fat-Burning System (http://www.mybodyisfitnow.com) for women 30+ all over the world .

Posted by Heather Picken at 10:50 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Q.
How Do I Get Rid Of Belly Fat?

A.
This is the #1 question I get asked!

How did this lower abdomen fat appear and how do I get rid of it?

In my experience it is a combination of a couple of things:

- Eating too few calories and doing too much cardio
When you eat very little and add cardio it is a recipe for producing cortisol
which shows up as fat.

- Eating too many processed foods can stop the abdomen fat loss process. All foods aren't created equal. Don't believe me? Then just try replacing a 1000 cal or chicken and brown rice from you diet with 1000 calories of fast food and watch your body fat go up.Food has a thermic effect (the rate in which it metabolizes in the body). Fatty foods will breakdown differently then foods like lean chicken.

For example, I had a woman that loved to eat those goldfish crackers and would eat them everyday and she was complaining that she had been exercising but still wasn't able to lose the excess abdominal fat. I simply told her to cut that out of her diet and she noticed that week less of a bloat and her stomach was shrinking.

Also stress which produces cortisol is another big contributer to abdomen fat for women.

What other things can I do to achieve abdomen fat loss?

-Try reducing your simple sugars or eliminating them.Sugar (which are found in foods like soda and sweets) can hold onto that stubborn abdomen fat.

- Cardio will help burn it off.Sprinting or some type of interval cardio (30 sec-2 minutes intense intervals with 1-2 moderate pace)

Additionally, if you want to lose belly fat you need to focus on losing body fat. Your body fat percentage is simply the percentage of fat your body contains. For example, if you are 130 pounds and have 10% body fat, it means that your body consists of 13 pounds of fat and 117 pounds of lean mass (which includes bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood ect.).

The best way to make sure your belly fat is going away you need to measure your body fat by using a caliper. This measures specific skin folds on your body. The key is to get the same tester and method to get consistent readings. Make sure the person doing your body fat is doing 6-9 sites. I do not recommend the scales that take your body fat since they can be way off due to fluid imbalances.

The lower you reduce your body fat the less belly fat you will have!
Find out how you can reduce your belly fat today

Posted by Heather Picken at 8:20 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Q.
How to lose 10lbs. in 30 days

A.
Depending on how much you weigh this may or may not happen.
If you weight 190 lbs. you could lose the 10lbs in 30 days.
A smaller person it would be much harder to do.
A woman that weighs more will be able to lose more weight initially and 2lbs.
per week is fine, anything more than that is going to be mostly water and muscle.

I would also focus more on fat loss and not weight loss because fat loss is
more permanent. Many women focus too much on scale weight when really it
doesn't give you the full picture of what is going on. You could lose 10lbs of fat
while gaining muscle and the scale might only go down by 5lbs. That is where
women will go nuts because they are so focused on what the scale says, and
not what their clothes are doing. If you're clothes are looser than you are going
in the right direction and you look better. I have had many women look like they
lost 10lbs on the scale but in reality they only lost 3 or 4 pounds on the scale.

Ok, so getting back to your question about losing 10lbs in 30 days....
First off, you have to be dedicated to the process because if you're not then
the weight/fat you lost will come right back on. You must first condition your mind
and re-program it for ultimate fat-loss without doing this you will never get to your goal.
I discuss this in my 6-Week Fat Loss System
how your subconscious mind is responsible for 97-98% of your beliefs and habits and your
conscious mind is only 2-4%.

So once you have that down, then you can look to see what
you are doing for your nutrition. This is crucial in losing weight/fat as you must have a deficit in your food intake but also make sure that the foods you are eating are what I call "fat burning" foods. All foods ARE NOT created equal, which means some foods will burn fat in your body, while others will store fat! I give these examples in my system so there is no guess work.
For example a piece of chicken and a piece of white bread containing the same calories will break down differently in your body. Forget about those diets that have you counting points because it won't work in the long run, they will only ruin your metabolism since it's focusing on
weight loss and not fat loss.

You need to make sure you are eating high quality, fat-burning foods so you can increase your metabolism. If you don't eat enough then your body will put on the brakes to burn fat. Eating smaller meals throughout the day will also help your body to burn more fat and keep your energy levels up.

Let's take a look at exercise now. Weight training will build lean muscle and believe me you want that because the more lean muscle you have the faster your metabolism will be. I suggest 3-4 weight training sessions a week. These sessions should be fat-burning in which you are using weight that is challenging and working out your whole body. Keep rest in-between set short as well. Cardio should be intense. Walking will not burn as much body fat as doing interval or HITT training. These are short, intense sessions that will keep you breathing hard.
Go at a pace where you are breathing heavy, but let me caution you if you are new to this pace yourself. Doing things too much too soon is not a good idea. If you do 5-7 cardio sessions (30-45 minutes) that are intense you will start to notice your fat melting away.

Keep in mind you need all these components when trying to lose fat/weight quickly and safely.
My best advice is to think long-term and in doing so it will stay off and you will feel better about the process.

If you would like more information on how you can lose fat the right way and keep it off, then visit http://www.mybodyisfitnow.com

Posted by Heather Picken at 3:50 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Q.
What foods are quick, simple while eating at the office?

A.
I find many women want to know the best things they can eat, while at the
office. Here are some things I always recommend:

Protein drinks- Some of these are ready made so you don't have to do anything
or you can take a shaker bottle to work with the powder in there and just add water

Nuts- almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds are great just be aware of portion size as
these are very calorie dense and contain more fat.

Deli-style chicken or turkey- Get slices and take them to work, just make sure they are the
oven roasted and you could even cook chicken ahead of time and cut it into small cubes and put into a small tupperware or ziplock bag.

Baby food- Yes, you heard that right...you can take a jar of sweet potatoes and add it to some low-fat cottage cheese.

Brown rice cakes- Add some all natural peanut butter or almond butter

Rice snaps- Dip this in some low-fat cottage cheese

Low fat mozzarella string cheese

If you would like some more fast, fat-burning snacks and quick recipes check out my system which includes the recipe book at: http://www.mybodyisfitnow.com

Posted by Heather Picken at 3:39 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

This week's first question is:

Q. Hi, my question is what do I eat to burn my fat after exercise.I weigh 195 pounds and I am so desperate to lose weight!

A.
I can understand that you feel anxious about getting the weight off. My first recommendation is to focus on what you want, which is losing weight or I like to say losing FAT. Look at what you are doing or not doing right now, and then ask yourself these questions.

Am I committed to the process of creating a leaner and healthier body?
This means no fad diets because they never work in the long run. You need to
take each day as it comes.

What behaviors and attitudes must I change in order to get my fat loss moving in the right direction? The weight didn't come on overnight so you need to find out why it happened. Have you had alot of stress lately? Have you stopped exercising? You need to dig deep first in order to make the changes you want permanently.

Have a plan. Write down what you will do on a weekly and daily basis to make things happen.
For example:

Plan meals for the day/week
7-15 minutes of meditation
Weight training 3-4x week

You get the picture. Also go at a pace that you feel comfortable at. I have helped so many women just like you and I have developed an exact system in which you can easily maintain,while losing unwanted fat/weight that is permanent. Don't be fooled into taking any type of diet pills either..they just don't work.

Some of the foods you can eat to burn fat after your workouts and that I discuss in my fat-burning system are lean proteins like chicken or turkey and you want some carbs like sweet potatoes or oatmeal. Make sure your eating right after your workouts within 45 minutes. Nutrition is the foundation of losing fat and if you don't put the right foods and amounts in your body you will store fat! The most important nutrient you should eat right after your workout is protein for it helps replenish your muscles and burn more body fat.

Again focus on what you want...not what you don't want and affirm that you can do this and take action!b

If you want to know the secrets on how to burn more fat and know the best foods to eat visit:
http://www.mybodyisfitnow.com

Posted by Heather Picken at 3:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

(length 5:42 minutes)

Click here to listen...

Click here to download…

The other day I was at Starbucks and working on my book that I plan
to have done this fall.
Anyway, I overheard a group of women talking about the movie "The Secret",
and in case you haven't heard about it, as it has been on Oprah, Larry King, and other
national talk shows I suggest you watch it. You can do this online at
www.thesecret.tv

To summerize what the movie is about, it has a documentary-style feel to it and world class
authors and mulit-millionares speak about the "Law Of Attraction" and how your thoughts create
your reality. Now how does this affect you, and why should you care?
Well, if you don't have the body and health you want you should be concerned.

"For every result you want, there is an exact way of thinking and behaving. So, if your're wanting a lean and toned body and you're thinking "It's too hard", or "I'm too old" then you are sabotaging your success. I have seen women well into their 60's that are very fit, and if you were to ask them how they do it, I guarantee you they will tell you they feel it, think it, and
believe it.

You might be struggling with your weight right now and telling yourself it's very hard to change.
Now stop and think what you just "put out there"...you've imprinted in your subconscious that
"It's hard", and that is where you will stay unless you change your inner dialogue.
Now this goes beyond just positive thinking there is an exact science in which has been scientifically proven to re-wire the brain. When I got a hold of this information and began to apply it to my clients the results were amazing.

You must realize that changing your body through will-power (which is conscious) will never work. That's why a few years ago I created a system that is revolutionary in empowering women to do what they felt was impossible. Once you learn and apply the information you will never look at food, exercise and your body the same way. You will finally feel the freedom of having a lean, fit, & healthy body,
while being in complete control.

http://www.mybodyisfitnow.com

Posted by Heather Picken at 4:13 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Q.
Does low carb dieting burn fat faster?

A.
This is a great question!
When trying to burn fat faster you need to first
look at your nutrition. I like to first look at the total
amount of calories that a woman is taking in. From there
I will tweak the amount of carbs first that she should be
consuming. Don't make the mistake of cutting out all
your carbs because if you do, you will only lose water
weight and it will come back and then some!
Trust me..this is a huge mistake!!!

Now the amount of carbs will vary with every woman and
in my 6-Week Fat-Burning System I give you a fat-burning
formula to determine how many carbs you need to burn fat...faster!
This will also depend on the amount of workouts you do every week.
The more you train, the more carbs your body will need so that your
muscles can recover.

Carbs tend to get a bad rap..but in fact when consume correctly they can
really help with fat loss. Don't make the mistake of eating what I call 1 star
carbs either. As all calories are not created equal as explain in my fat-burning
system and if you are eating 1 star carbs like white bread then you won't
get the fat-burning results that you want.

Keep in mind it is the total amount of calories that you take in the day that will
allow your body to burn fat. You don't have to eliminate the good carbs, the ones
that I call "fat-burning" but depending on what your current nutrition is, you do have
to cut back. This again will vary for each woman according to body fat, metabolism,
and workout schedule.

If you would like to know the fat-burning secrets to blasting body fat 3-4x faster,
then please visit: http://www.mybodyisfitnow.com

Posted by Heather Picken at 5:21 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)