It's out!!!!

Okay everyone....This is Tamera Jensen ....I'm not sure if anyone from the original group is still looking at this blog but I thought you might want to know that the product is out there. Apparently the infomerical ran at 4:00 this morning on the comedy channel. Some people have even seen it! Mary Kaye is trying to get a schedule together so we will know when it's going to air. More info soon.

Surprise visit

I was needed in Logan on Friday, so I couldn't resist stopping by to see a few people. I sneaked up behind Tamera at her desk right during lunch time (I promise I wasn't just trying to be mean) and guess what she was eating? - a grilled chicken breast out of a zip lock bag! I was thoroughly impressed. None of you are surprised I'm sure, but I continue to be amazed and surprised by the level of commitment I see from all of you. Tamera inspires me.

A word on pain...and more words on how amazing you all are!

I have been focusing on finding answers to your pain questions for the last month. I have asked wonderful coaches, physical therapists, athletes, and researched questions on the internet, in my medical books etc. The more I ask and learn, the more I realize I know so little. But isn’t that how all learning is?

I have a few answers for you. As we’ve discussed, muscle soreness means you worked the area, it needs to recover (rest, good food), the muscle will grow stronger and as it does your body will burn fat and your shape will change (in a good way). Pain, on the other hand, is to be avoided and when it occurs, it should be dealt with quickly.

Many women (not all) who are experiencing knee pain (including myself when I first started) may be doing the movements incorrectly. If you dip forward as you squat, bending at the knee, you are placing too much load on your knees with the repetitive and/or full range of movement. When you dip backward first as you squat, bending at the hips and leaning forward with your shoulders/chest, you are sharing the quadricep load with your glutes/hamstrings and shouldn’t feel knee pain.

One of the best lifters in our Team PINK group was having shoulder pain because of a slightly incorrect position holding the bar overhead. With a minor correction in positioning, it appears we may have eliminated her shoulder pain.

Shelli recently posted a comment I’m adding to the front page: “I have had painful heel spurs for the past year. I had a cortisone shot, shoe inserts and bought elevated blocks to stretch the heel and calf but nothing really helped until now. My main source of exercise has always been walking but I had to stop. I believe everything with the PINK program, the nutrition, stretching and exercising, has helped my feet immensely. I really enjoy the PINK workouts three times a week and I have just realized that I have been without heel pain for the past three weeks. I can actually get out of bed in the morning and walk without any pain.”

Positioning on these lifts is critical. Oh let’s get real, positioning on anything whether your trying to get big arms with bicep curls, or walking down the sidewalk with a bag a groceries, is critical. Improper positioning even in sitting, typing on the computer or sleeping, will create pain and more problems down the road. I see the end result here in the hospital – surgery. Improper positioning in the olympic lifts will be felt quicker than you can say “jerk it”!

Let’s review: Shoulders back (further than that! I can see you!), upper back tight, chest up high, face forward/up, back arched, butt out (further than that – I can still see you!), bend at the hips – stick butt out first as you bend. Do this with every movement – as you approach the snatch, the clean, the jerk, squats, as you sit down to eat, as you bend to get your pencil!

I am so impressed with your commitment level. You have persevered in spite of not only soreness, but pain! You group of ladies are amazing. I thought every one of you would quit when your feet started hurting…then the knees…but when I saw Jodi and Shannon lift in my gym the other night – I was almost in tears. You have really become beautiful olympic-style weightlifters! Absolutely beautiful. There are 4 female olympic lifters in Utah. Probably less than 100 nationwide. I believe it’s because no one has shown us this way to work out - provided a way for us to do this without leaving our families at home - and hidden from us how cool and beautiful these lifts are. You are supporting my theory every day. Your enthusiasm in learning these lifts and then doing them so beautifully – you are truly amazing. So thank you Icon and Scott Watterson for believing that more women than just little ol’ me would fall in love with this type of workout and for putting this program out there for everyone!

You are the coach!

You have probably learned how valuable it is to share your knowledge (the K. in P.I.N.K.) with others. It not only helps them, but helps you become aware of what you are doing and why because you are now the coach.

We have a new team member. Here is a comment she made today: "I just did the first workout on the DVD this morning to see how it was. I used a wooden dowel that goes in my sliding door. ;) Okay, so [the workout] was really short, which I LOVE, but I don't think I could have gone longer anyway, my quads were SHAKING!! I had to grip the banister to get downstairs, it was funny. I LOVE IT!" - Beth

You've all been there. What is your advice for her?!

You will love this homework

Now that you are a team of self-disciplined, hard-core weightlifters and have complete control of what you put in your body at every moment, you have developed the control and knowledge necessary to sit in a restaurant, surrounded by lists and plates of amazingly yummy food and make perfect choices for fueling your body. Here is your homework for the week...go out to eat! Here is how I recommend doing it this week:
1. Decide where and when at least one day in advance (2 days even better).
2. Log it in your book in advance.
3. Decide what general protein and what general carb (chicken and greens or fish and brown rice etc.)
4. Decide how much EXACTLY you will eat during the meal and how much you will take to go.
5. Decide in advance that you will not eat the bread/chips that come and how you are going to succeed in doing that.
6. Avoid breaded, fried, marinated meats. Avoid sauces, dressings. Ask for your dressing on the side and dip (ever so gently) your lettuce tips in for flavor.
7. As you look at your food once it comes, think of it as two meals and remember to take home what you have decided you would.
8. Post your comments and let me know how you did!!!

My choice - Ruth's diner up emigration canyon. I order the wonderful BBQ salmon salad that is very smart. Then I have to take the mile high biscuits home with an order of chocolate malt pudding I order off the desert menu and have them on my high-calorie day. Sooooo worth the wait.

You crack me up

I love you guys!!!

First things first - Ryan knows more about hair than anyone, so unfortunately (and I hate giving in to Ryan) I will have to reanalyze the whole mousse thing - or maybe I should just argue with him for the next 2 months - come to think of it that's more my style.

Secondly - I own the place! Shannon your kids are welcome in my gym if you ever have the inclination to bring them! I have a trike, plastic basketball hoop and baseball T, computer/internet and raisinettes on hand at all times. (I have a 3 yr old and a 17 yr old remember - the trike is for the 3, the computer for the 17 - they fight over the raisinettes). Don't leave them behind - include them - kids are why we are designing this workout for your home - they're our babies!

On that note - I can workout either Thursday afternoon before 6:00 p.m. or Friday anytime during the day or into the evening if that works for you all. Please, please all of you come! I love people who are as serious about working out as I am. Let me know soon so I can arrange my day job!

Mary Kaye - I'm not that smart. I really was just talking about Mousse. However, in thinking about it since, I've got even more craziness for you - mousse the food item is overrated as well! I mean really, if you are going to eat a yummy dessert, who wants a puffy, wimpy, barely-there dessert - give me something I can sink my teeth into! I want to be able to chew my chocolate! As you can tell, I take my high-calorie days seriously as well Shannon!

Teresa - keep it up girl!
Maleesa - anyone doing strength training should eat about 1 gram of protein per bodyweight per day - so a 200lb man should be around 40 grms protein per meal. And just like I've told you, he can go crazy on the dark green veggies. He should try to stay around 1 C. of brn rice or sweet potato, etc. for his carb per meal, but supplement with dark veggies. This, and increasing the protein intake should take care of that hunger thing. And don't get mad at him when his body morphs quicker than yours - he has a big metabolism/hormone/and lean muscle mass advantage. But the turtle won that hare/turtle race so you keep it up and beat him in the end.
Mona – I’ve asked Mary Kaye to follow up. You look great! Keep it up!

Completely unrelated

I’d love to hear where you’re at physically and mentally now that we’re in the thick of the program. I am eagerly awaiting your comments/posts so we can talk. In the meantime - here’s my thought for the morning….I’ve decided mousse (as in the hair product) is overrated. I’ve tried to give it the respect it deserves over the years. Everyone is making it and everyone is using it so it must be necessary. But this morning after 40 years, I decided to take a stand and be done with mousse. I really can’t see a difference in the end result whether I go curly or straight that day – no difference. So I went mousseless this morning and I’m totally liberated. Not as liberated as when I had a pixy haircut as short as a boy’s – that, my friends, was the best. Men are totally right in keeping hair to a minimum. But since I choose to have hair these days, I stand by my decision to abandon mousse. What else can I say goodbye to? – Any advice? :)

So what if I throw out the invitation again to come train with me in my gym? Any takers on making a trip to SLC in the afternoon or evening some day this week or next and workout together? I’d love to get to know you better and workout hard.

Get comfortable with the snatch grip

Thank you all for your input in designing this program. It's difficult to slow down the learning pace when I see you performing so well. But doing just that, slowing the learning, is going to work beautifully. This will give your bodies and brains time to program these movements and make them automatic. It will also allow you to continue to build supporting muscle before asking your joints to pick up the slack. And last, but definitely not least, it will allow your knees to rest from the clean and jerk and olympic squat. Next week's workout should go like this:

Getting Comfortable with the snatch grip

1. Wide grip press 10 reps (bar behind neck, press up to locked position)
2. Hang, 1/2 snatch 10 reps (lower bar along thighs to knee, bring bar quickly up along body to a locked position overhead; body fully upright in final position)
3. Hang, power snatch 10 reps (lower bar along thighs to knee, bring bar quickly up along body with a power jump to a locked elbow position overhead)
4. Overhead 1/2 squat 10 reps (elbows locked overhead in snatch position, back chest and butt position perfect, slow controlled squat above parallel)
5. Pole twist 10 reps
6. lower back stretch (clean grip - hands outside thighs narrower than snatch - lower bar to knee with perfect positioning of your core, 1/2 squat and stand back upright)

Repeat for 3 or 4 rotations; rest before doing overhead squats if fatigued - or eliminate them in your last rotations

Here is a recipe that you will be receiving with many others via email:

Grilled Chicken and Vegetables on the Barbie
Marinate 1 chicken breast (boneless, skinless) in equal parts of Lite Soy Sauce and Liquid Smoke.
Slice the following vegetables and place them on a grilling pan or broiler pan insert (spray with Pam): mushrooms, zucchini, onions, ½ tomato
On a BBQ grill, place pan with vegetables and let them cook. Place chicken on the grill and cook.
Drizzle vegetables with sauce:
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. Red Wine Vinegar
1 packet sweetener
herbs and spices as desired

Broiled Eggplant
½ c. brown rice, measure before cooking, prepare according to package directions
½ eggplant, cut length-wise and cut off ends
½ can of diced tomatoes
½ tsp. minced garlic
½ onion, chopped
1/3 c. chopped red or green pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Sautee vegetables (except eggplant) in olive oil, salt, pepper. Add brown rice. Cut-out an oval from the eggplant. Place sautéed vege’s and rice in the oval. Place in baking dish. Cover with foil. Cook for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Practice clean & jerk

Hello! After performing last week's workouts with you, I think we should have more exposure to the clean & jerk before moving on to the snatch. As I told you on Thursday, your form and technique look very good for having learned these movements so quickly. Reinforcing those correct movements for another week will make this whole program go more smoothly for you. And in the meantime, since your body is primed from last week, repeating what you already know this week will benefit you in gaining strength, lean muscle development and fat loss. You should be somewhat comfortable with the workouts, so really focus on correct positioning and explosiveness. When I see you again, I will be very excited to see your competition-ready clean & jerk.

I am interested in knowing what I can do for you regarding weightlifting and nutrition, so either email your team leads or respond to this posting under comments. I will be "resting" (that's kind of a laugh) this week since I will be competing at Utah Summer Games this weekend - so I'll be watching the blog site to see where I can help out with your goals. How are you feeling regarding your progress? How are you feeling regarding the nutrition plan? The new style of working out? The end of the school year approaching for your kids? Planning summer vacations? Anything!! What are you all up to and how are you feeling?

Log books

I don’t know if your team leaders have introduced you to the concept of logbooks or not, but they will be a very important part of your life from here on out! I was first introduced to the concept of keeping track of my workouts when I began strength training. As I realized how beneficial this was, I started keeping track of my diet as well (for short periods of time). As I started olympic lifting and competing, I began using a literal book to document my training. I have 2 full books now and am just starting my third. I really value these books because they represent a lot of hard work. They also are extremely useful in tracking what my progress has been, what has worked and what hasn’t. My coach will frequently have me refer to a previous week or month to show me how far I’ve come or to adjust my training in a certain area.

I would like each of you to begin, if you haven’t already, a log book. Write out what exercises you did that day and what you ate. Think about this book as being secret - like a diary. Or if you are more scientific in nature, think of this as very critical scientific data. That way you will only put down the most accurate of information. You must not lie to yourself here. If you didn’t do the last rotation – write it down. If you did an extra rotation – write it down. If you ate 3 Swedish fish in the afternoon – write it down. No one will see this book – but it will help you immensely to be able to know just why you are losing so many inches or why you haven’t seen the progress you wanted. When you get discouraged, you can look in the book and be so proud at the 4 straight days of eating 6 meals a day or the 6 straight weeks of following a new program.

In addition, this book will help me or you (3 years from now) to adjust your program if we need to. If you get discouraged or aren’t reaching the goals you had set for yourself – we can really get down to business if I can ask you questions about your logbook and you can give me exact information. If you lie to yourself and put inaccuracies in your book – neither you nor I, can help you. So be very honest. It will be more fun than you think!

Hi Ladies,

It was great to see all of you this morning at our workout. I always feel so much stronger after a workout! I hope you are all feeling the same way. And I hope you are seeing some definate changes in your body, mind, attitude etc, etc....... Keep up the good work, you will not be sorry!!!

Continue to be strong and do the diet perfectly for 6 days, then enjoy your free day. Take one perfect week at a time and you will see your body transforming. It feels so good to see results each week, even if it is small. Do NOT get discouraged because you heard someone lost 8 inches! Everyone loses at different times and off of different parts of their bodies and each person has different amounts to lose. So do not compare yourself with anyone else, just celebrate the results you have each week and you will see how they add up at the end.

I am so proud of each and every one of you for making this commitment in your life. Heck, I am proud of myself!!!! For doing this another round. It has totally changed my way of thinking about food. I truly think this is something I can do for life! I know, easier said than done, but I am sure going to try and keep doing the small meals 6 times a day incorporating everything I have learned during this time. I honestly have never felt better in my life than I do right now.

Remember, when the compliments start coming, you just bask in the glory and say THANK YOU !!!!!!

Again, have a great Free day, whenever that is and then have a perfect six days. I promise the cravings will lessen and lessen with time and with being perfect each day with the exception of the one free day.


Have a Great weekend!!!!

Ladies,
We are on week two and the workouts might seem easier but stick with them. They will change...and no making fun of our home video!!!

I also hate Thursday's because I have eaten so well all week and I still have one more day to go. Yes...even after 13 weeks of being on this program you want to cheat every day. I wish there was a way around it but alas....it is a struggle but the results are worth it.

It is so motivating to work with you all every week. I am starting to learn names and faces so do not hesitate to come tell me who you are and how you are doing.

I just wanted to tell you that I love this program and the way it makes me feel. I cannot imagine going back to my old eating habits. For those that are losing inches slowly....DO NOT BE FRUSTRATED. You are changing the way your body looks and building muscles. Stick with it....you will see results. Take pictures and compare from one week to your initial picture. It is the easiest way to see those results.

Have a great weekend and remember to eat right!!!!

Results

Hello,

Thanks to all of you for participating. Two weeks into the program some of you have started to see some results. Please share those results on the blog to help motivate others. Some of the comments I've heard include:

-Cheryl - lost 100 points on her cholesteral level.
-Kris - lost 50 points on her cholesteral.
-unknown - lost 7 pounds (by the way, you're not supposed to be weighing yourself).
-unknown - lost 9 inches
-unknown - dropped an entire dress size
-unknown - lost 25 lbs (again, you're not supposed to weigh yourself) this person started 3 months ago.
-Many of you have told us you have more energy and feel a lot better.

If you haven't seen results yet don't be frustrated. Everybody is different, but the one thing I learned from the last group is that all of you will see good results by the end of the test period.

Keep up the good work.

Ryan

P.S. Debbie, sorry for posting the weight loss success stories. I know you'll be mad at me...couldn't help it.

Grocery Store

Produce #1

Produce #2

Breads

Meats


Dairy


Energy Bars

Body builders vs. FDA

I love living in America. How great to live in a country where we are trying to protect each other by using scientific research to test, try, and retest products and chemicals before selling them to unsuspecting consumers. In my opinion, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) plays a critical role in safeguarding the lives of millions. I honestly worry a little when using a product from a country without the governmental checks and balances that we enjoy.


On the other hand we have the bodybuilders. I love these guys. We owe a lot to these crazy guys. And the reason is, they are willing to try out all kinds of different nutrition and supplement concoctions on themselves in order to find perfection in the human form at the cost of their health. No guinea pigs or rats here - what these guys discover you can apply directly to the human body since they are using their own human bodies to try it out. We know never to use steroids because of cardiovascular and reproductive damage, not to mention cancer risks. We know that extremely high doses of ephedrine mixed with caffeine and excessive dehydration, can cause a young healthy 16 year old to drop dead on the football field. I hope I've scared you enough to sell you on the fact that it is crucial to know exactly what you are taking, eating and using to achieve your goals. We have a world of research at our fingertips with the internet. Please use it. However, coming from a careful, scientific upbringing by my mentors and professors at BYU - I also encourage you to learn how to tell good research from bad research (that's for another day unfortunately).


When I began trying to find the best overall system to get in shape 10 years ago, I found the most cutting-edge information in the bodybuilding literature. These guys know their stuff. They know chemistry, biology and nutrition like any PhD I've ever met and they apply this information directly to getting a great body. Now you have to wade through magazine after magazine, article after article of dangerous crap before you get to the nuggets of real truth, but when you find those parts that make sense - you have cutting edge information.


In my research I found that the FDA wanted me to take 25 grams of protein a day. The bodybuilder literature was saying 130 grams a day (1 gram per 1 lb of bodyweight). Huge difference! You have a decision to make. If you want to know how I made my decision... I reasoned that the FDA is trying to provide a recommendation for the average American with the average American's lifestyle. I didn't want to live the average lifestyle - I wanted to have strong, lean muscles and very little fat on my body. But I also wanted my heart and brain to survive to the century mark. I had learned from real science that muscles will break down if you abuse them. If you feed them protein, they will rebuild and in addition, they will want to rebuild stronger and bigger (in preparation for the next abuse). As you feed your body and muscles enough protein for them to rebuild (discovered by the bodybuilders), your body will have to rid the waste that is associated with protein, requiring a lot of work from the kidneys. Healthy kidneys are up to the task as long as you give them lots and lots of water to do the job. Your brain on the other hand needs carbohydrates. And fat is necessary in the absorption of vitamins and nutrients. So balancing carbs with protein and fat is what I've decided is the best way to get a shapely body; a strong, energetic body; a quick, alert brain; and a healthy cardiovascular system for living beyond age 100.


Do your research. Know where your research is coming from. Understand the motivating factors and goals of people offering you information. I will tell you to trust me - but you should only smile when I say that and let it warm your heart, knowing that I simply want to motivate you - then do your research! And when you discover good stuff - please, please, please share it with the world! Be healthy, happy and beautiful - inside and out.


Debbie

Happy Friday! I'm going to try to disseminate a little information at a time because everything I've learned about nutrition and fitness over the last 10 years is impossible to present all at once. You all are taking a big leap of faith to change-up your eating and workout routine so dramatically overnight. However, you are the smart and brave ones in the world and it will pay off in the end. All your questions will be answered in time - by yourself, experience, and this program - I hope! I will do my best to help answer all your questions so let's tackle one concept at a time.


Today - the small, frequent meal concept.

Let's talk insulin. You keep hearing me tell you to keep your insulin levels stable and avoiding foods that will "spike" your insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the absorption of sugar (glucose) — your body's main source of fuel — into your cells. The pancreas secretes insulin when you eat. The insulin allows sugar to enter your cells (for energy) and, in turn, lowers the amount of sugar that's in your blood. When you overeat or when you eat foods with specific chemical compositions, your body is forced to produce more insulin to compensate for the decreased sugar in your blood. Weight gain is a common side effect for people with increased insulin. The more insulin you use to control your blood sugar level, the more glucose that gets into your cells and the less glucose that's wasted in your urine. Glucose that your cells don't use accumulates as fat. If that isn't enough, excess weight can make your body resistant to the action of insulin — which means that you may eventually need even more insulin to get sugar into your cells (think type II diabetes). (Mayo clinic 2007) Research has found that small, frequent meals stabilizes your insulin levels. The more stable your insulin levels, the better your body is able to use what you eat for energy vs. storing it. (Also preventing adult onset diabetes - nice bonus)

As women, we were raised with the philosophy that the fewer the calories, the thinner we will be. True, but what a sad, sorry life. Is thin the goal? Thin means tired, no energy, and wispy little body without shape. I lived that life and vetoed it. I bring this up because we are programmed to skip a meal if we are not hungry. "Why eat if not hungry - eating will just make us fat". Wrong. Not eating will make you fat. And overeating will make you fat. And eating the wrong foods will make you fat. My point is - Eat small, frequent meals. And do not skip one. Your tendency may be what mine is - that as the day goes on, I think "I don't really need that 3:00 meal" or "I certainly don't need the meal right before bed". But this is so wrong. If you skip a meal, you will not keep your insulin level stable (see above) and you will not be getting enough calories throughout the course of the day and you will be hungry tomorrow. Take the small, frequent meal concept seriously.

Most women don't want to be "thin". We want pretty, feminine, shapely bodies that are extremely strong and energetic. Right? Thought so. So women need to lift heavy weights and feed their bodies. Enough said. You know I will be on my soap box again soon, but enough for now.

Debbie

Hello Ladies,

I just wanted to comment on what a GREAT workout this morning was!! I was so glad to see such a big turnout. I know I did not get to personally meet everyone, but I think I can put a few more names with faces than I could last week. I am really excited to learn the new exercises. We worked on a DVD this morning for you guys to follow. It will be for "our eyes only" not the most professional DVD you will probably see, but it was fun to help to make it and I think it will be very helpful in making sure we have the moves down and the proper form.

Anyway, keep up the good work and for those of you having your first free day coming up, ENJOY! Also for those of you that have your first measurment day coming up, good luck and be prepared to see some positive results!!!!

Please feel free to share your thoughts, likes and dislikes with us. We would love to hear them and I know we would all learn from them.

Keep going strong!! You all can do it!!!!

Have a great weekend,

Mary Kaye

Team PinK

You all are fantastic! Takes a dedicated woman to get up at who-knows-when to throw a bar around at 6:00 a.m.! A few thoughts on your workouts - your positioning was very, VERY good. I was expecting the movements to be much harder for you and you impressed me with your attitude toward doing them right.

We filmed your next few workouts this morning and it just about killed me. When you get the dvds, you'll get to workout with tired, exhausted, sweaty Debbie - so be warned. The good thing is...I was worried about how heavy a bar you should buy in order to get good results - but these workouts are so intense a pvc pipe will do the trick. Trust me. (if you haven't purchased anything, I'd go for the 9 lb. weight). In the meantime, trust me on focusing on POSITIONING and TECHNIQUE this week. Please trust me. Focus on getting these movement perfect and ingrained in your nervous system. These workouts are going to get difficult and intense sooner than you think. But you will be ready if you get the positioning right this week.

...and stretch. Take long hot baths, drink lots of water and stretch. Can't wait to see you again - Debbie

Day Switching

Debbie is unable to come up on Tuesday’s. In order for all of you to have personal access to her, we must have the two groups switch days every other week. Starting May 27th (Tuesday) and May 29th (Thursday) you will come in on the opposite day that you were originally assigned. On June 3rd (Tuesday) and June 5th (Thursday) you will switch back to your originally assigned day. We will alternate like this each week which will allow you to have personal access to Debbie Millet on a weekly basis. She will coming up each Thursday.

I hear good things about you all!!! One of you had a great question about cocoa. Here is a link for nutritional content: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-Coooo1-01c21QG.html My answer regarding whether or not you should drink cocoa right now: No. Too much fat. I'm aware of the benefits of the flavanols and antioxidants, but the fat and high carb content make it no good for fueling a high-performance machine (your body). ...during these 3 months. Because we are changing the way we look at and use foods (read previous blog entry) cocoa may hold us back. I want to help you reach your goals and right now cocoa won't get you there. Don't despair! You don't have to give it up for good. Just be willing to make the sacrifice right now - for 12 weeks. Always know that I send my best and most sincere encouragement. I will be there next week to meet you and help you all throw away any need for chocolate! :) Wow - that is quite a claim isn't it!!!

Holy cow! I am so excited! I have the best workouts for you! I just returned from Georgia, where I kneeled at the feet of the 2-time national champion, Olympian, and many-time Olympic women’s coach Michael Cohen and feverishly took notes as he outlined a whole new weightlifting program designed specifically for ya’ll (in keeping with the southern spirit). He has so much energy and knows so much that I could hardly keep up. He was sweating and breathing hard as he demonstrated the workouts so we are in for a serious challenge! He doesn’t scare me though – we are going to get so good at these workouts that he will ask us all to be on the Olympic team. As a group maybe – sort of like water ballet – we can all be doing the lifts in unison and change the face of weightlifting forever. Funny image.

For now, write out each day of your nutrition plan for this week. Write out exactly what you are going to eat and when. Then follow it perfectly. You will be changing the way you feel about, look at, and use food. Whereas previously you may have used food for comfort, or because you were bored or stressed or simply for pleasure, you are going to switch entirely over to eating for health and performance for 12 weeks. Not forever – just 12 weeks. At the end of the 12 weeks you will look at food differently and believe me, you will enjoy it more than you did before. But you will be in control of it. Don’t think of this as changing the way you eat for months or years, but only for one week. Go one week at a time. Take each day seriously. Take each meal seriously. Each glass of water. Then cross off every day as you succeed in following the plan you have written. At the end of 6 perfect days you will feel so great! Do this with me!

Because of the switch in how you use food, you may find these first two weeks a challenge when you are faced with breaking old habits. A couple of tips I’ve learned over the years: 1. Take a warm or hot bath. Doesn’t matter what time of day it is – if you need food when it’s not in your plan to eat it – get in the tub. It gives you that warm comfort feeling and acts as a kind of time-out so you can make a more rational decision. 2. Drink Water. Lemon or ice water – just drink instead of eat to break the habit of putting food in your mouth. You’re not hungry – so be in control of what goes in your body. 3. Zinc Lozenges. Zinc is good for you but it also coats your mouth and throat and totally kills any food craving. Magic.

Be strong. One day at a time. You can do ANYTHING for one week. We are only focusing on this one week. See you very soon and I’ll be bringing a really fun and effective workout!

Debbie

MK

Hey Ladies,

I was great to see so many faces this morning. I wanted to congratulate each of you for taking the time to become more informed, and to show dedication to changing your lifestyle to be healthier, fitter and happier. I know it can seem a little overwhelming to have so much thrown at you so quickly, but remember that is why we are here! ask~ Take it one step at a time, just one day at a time, you will be surprised at the strength and confidence you will have after successfully lifting and eating right each day. I really struggled with the eating idea at first. 5-6 meals a day is no problem (remember me, turbo graze), it was the 20/20 protein/carb. healthy part. but after sticking through one day I had accomplished something I hadn't before and I found myself challenged and charged for the coming days! I am sure you will feel the same!

Hello Team!
Hope you don't mind me thinking of you as a team - if you've never been on one before - you are now! Welcome, welcome, welcome! I have done this program alone and with friends and it is so much more fun and effective with friends so I'm glad to be doing this with such a big group this time.

I am very impressed with your courage to not only try something new, but something hard and do it in front of peers. You are an impressive group. You need to know, coming from a real person, that strength training and feeding your body will make you beautiful...well, even more beautiful - on the outside and inside.

I not only want to help you learn this, but I'm excited about it! Weightlifting is something I have learned to really love and I absolutely enjoy sharing it. I will be keeping in close (very close) contact with your team leaders who are well prepared to answer your questions. These ladies are the real deal. They have been there and done that - and only 12 weeks ago transformed a few major parts of their lives successfully. I will be seeing you on a regular basis, posting to the PINK blog, and eagerly answering any questions you may pass along through your team leaders. This is like nothing you've ever done before and you have a constant peer group for support. Email or Blog every question at any time of day if you need advice, encouragement, or you're just excited about something and want to share it.

I live the nutrition plan and have lived it for 10 years (unless I'm celebrating a win or throwing all caution to the wind because I'm pregnant!). I am always in training for some competition, well really just because I love it. I train in Salt Lake and you have my personal invitation to come to my gym and lift with me. I might not share my olympic weightlifting coach with you, but I would love to workout with you if a group wants to come down. This is going to be a lot of fun - and when you have your bathing suit body, you won't mind at all having eaten all that spinach and broccoli...it's so worth it.

I look forward to hearing how your first week goes. You should get a very rough outline of the nutrition plan. It will likely be a little overwhelming. Don't despair! Keep it simple. Trust me and I'll explain everything when I see you in person. If you follow the nutrition plan, stretch, learn and practice the weightlifting basics like the squat and deadlift, you should lose about 1-2 inches this first week. I promise. Commit yourself with everything you've got. You will find an inner strength you never knew existed if you go one day at a time - perfectly. Every decision you make tomorrow will make a difference. Write out a plan for what you are going to do (food and lifting) and do every single thing exactly like you planned. No mistakes. You can do this. You have more self-discipline that you know. Forget dieting and scales and everything you've ever learned about weight loss in the past. Women are strong, amazing, beautiful people. I want to meet every one of you in the next couple of weeks. I look forward to lifting with you soon and to hearing from you on the Blog or from your leads.

Debbie

P.S. Some tips I've learned...tell as many people as you can what your goals are and it will help your resolve. I find that when I tell people I'm going to squat 200 lbs. or have a six pack, or win a competition, I feel a lot of pressure to make sure I am good on my word. Let people see what you're eating - they will want to talk about it and again - it will help your resolve. And drink LOTS of water! :)

I cannot believe that it is so easy to see such incredible results. I want to challenge each and every one of you to start this incredible journey that brings life changing results. I must admit that I started this program as the ultimate sceptic. I was intrigued with the idea of 20-30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week. I was prepared to be hungry every day. I was not prepared to see immediate results. I was not prepared to fall in love with weight training. I am still not prepared to look in the mirror and like what I see. I am 13 weeks into this lifestyle change and I am thrilled to have found something that I can live with forever. I have found a way to incorporate good nutrition into my lifestyle and fix healthy meals for my family every day. I look forward to exercise and I feel strong and powerful every day. I finally feel in control of my weight and feel like it is something I can manage instead of something that manages me. I am just beginning my journey but in 13 weeks I have lost 40 inches. Please come make the rest of this journey with me. Let's celebrate our success together. I promise if you will commit to this program you will fall in love with it like I have. I cannot wait for you to start!

Allison

Take the first step to a new you

TMJ

For years I have been searching for a fitness and nutrition program that I can fit into my busy life. I am happy to say that I have found that with the Debbie Millet PinK program! I have just finished my first three months on the program and I feel better about myself than I have in years. On this program you will not only reshape your body (and lose weight) but you will learn to look at food in a whole new way. I actually look forward to my six meals a day. My family is eating better from the knowledge I have gained while on this program. I have never been a morning person but suddenly I find myself enjoying my morning workout! It leaves me feeling strong and ready for whatever the day may bring. So be encouraged you ladies out there! This program really works!!! Come and feel great about yourself again...you owe it to yourself!

MKO

I have been doing the PinK Fitness program for 13 weeks now and I totally love it! Not only have I lost weight, but reshaped my body. I still have a way to go, but with the awesome results I have experienced in just the first few weeks, I am way excited to go another round to reach my goal. I have never felt better and love eating six times a day. I never feel full or hungry, which is so good for your body. The exercise program is one of the least "time consuming" programs I have ever tried. So if you want results, do the PinK Fitness program. You will be a new person in no time at all.

Welcome to PinK Fitness

We are excited for everybody to join the PinK Fitness program. To help you succeed we are going to assign you into four groups. Each group will have a fearless group leader that was part of the original PinK Fitness group. This fearless leader will help you deal with anything and everything from proper exercise form to eating right. Mostly they will help you stay motivated. More to come...

PinK Fitness

Power - Image - Nutrition - Knowledge = PinK Fitness . The newest and most exciting fitness program for women in the market today. This blog will include a community of women who have been on the PINK program for over 8 weeks and have seen amazing results. Hear what they have to say, get fitness tips from Olympic Weight Lifters and other fitness professional. Join the PINK program today and start getting the results you have always dreamed of!