AboutKaren Sullivan Expertise Karen can help with lifting technique, muscle recovery, weight loss, body building and powerlifting. She has been certified by AFPA for the last 10 years as a Personal Trainer and has recently acquired a certification from the same agency as a Post Rehabilitative Exercise Specialist. Any recommendations or advice rendered are based on fitness information as specified by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Fitness Professionals and Associates.
Experience
Past/Present clients Clients include athletes training for marathons, mountain climbing and general weight loss. In addition I have clients troubled with COPD, Fibromyalgia, and Parkinsons as well as stroke rehab. She was the Strength and Conditioning coach for Williamsburg Aquatic Club, a USA Swim Team, in Williamsburg, Virginia for 3 years.
Karen is presently working at Main Street Gym in Historic St. Charles, Missouri where she teaches Pilates and continues her work with clients. Her training reaches across the country with her long distance Body Restoration eTraining. Her dedication to fitness reaches into the nutritional supplementation with Shaklee products. She only works with clients who add nutritional supplementation to their training. Read more of her story on www.shaklee.net/BodyRestoration
Expert: Karen Sullivan Date: 7/23/2008 Subject: weight loss
Question Hi Karen,
I am 15 years old and I am about 5' 4"/5' 5". I weigh close to 155lbs and I want to lose weight and begin weightlifting.
As of right now, I don't have access to a good gym, but I do have access to a gym in my neighborhood. It doesn't have free weights unfortunately, but it does have a few machines plus a stair stepper and treadmill.
I have one month till school starts, and I would like to get started as soon as I can.
I used to play lacrosse, but my schedule cannot accommodate the 5 days a week practices and games on Saturdays, so I have not played in awhile. I don't play any other sports.
To give you a good idea of my day to day eating habits here is what I did yesterday (like most normal days, during the summer at least)
(by the way, I'm vegetarian by religion)
Breakfast - soy meat sausages with 9grams of protein per 2 links, i had 4 which i put in a bun with a slice of cheese, and i had a glass of milk.
Lunch - broiled white potatoes with olive oil and garlic, and some pinto beans and rice
Dinner - Indian couscous pudding, blueberries, some more broiled potatoes.
Please help me lose weight and tone up my muscle. I know it will be hard for a vegetarian, but I love protein shakes, and I can do those often. Please get back to me asap
Answer Adrian,
ok. We can start with your diet. Are your parents also vegetarian? This will be easier if they are. While you are working toward getting a balanced protein without meat you are not eating any vegetables. You can change the white potatoes to be new red potatoes (which they might be) or sweet potatoes. You can also do that whole bit with the olive oil and garlic with any vegetables. Try this for size....tomatoes cut up with a tampenade (chopped black/green olives with garlic and olive oil) which you can top off with raw sunflower seeds.
Foods listed below are considered complete proteins, meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids:
Nuts
Soy foods, such as tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy milk
Sprouted seeds -- each type of sprout has differing proportions of nutrients, so it's best to eat a variety of them
Grains, especially amaranth and quinoa, are highest in protein and are high-quality proteins
Beans and legumes, especially when eaten raw
Spirulina and chorella (blue-green algae), which are over 60 percent protein
The unfortunate thing with a vegetarian diet is that trying to get a protein source takes away from taking in vegetables. However, don't forget that you need the flavanoids and caratanoids that are in veggies and fruits and try to dedicate one meal or two snacks to bulking up on these pure foods.
Remember, don't try to cut food back to lose weight. Get more active. Start to walk too! And do this for life....not just for school in a month.
Best of luck to you.
Karen
