Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, You're the Most Honest After All

Yeah, yeah . . . sometimes I get cute with titles. But I have learned to really value the mirror as a tool to assess my physique progress, more so than the scale, the calipers, even the tape measure. Many a personal trainer might cringe to know I value mathematical feedback so very little but here's why . . .

When I did my first bikini competition, I was on stage at 119-120 lbs, body fat 13-14%. I looked amazing, even though on stage I suddenly felt huge. I did back-to-back comps in October 2010, and while I didn't place, I felt really good about my physique. Unfortunately, as many of you already know, I did not handle the post-comp weeks very well. I did what many a first-time (or second or third or, you get the point) competitor does after 12 weeks or more of hard training and extreme dieting-- BINGE. First came Halloween. Mind you, I had not yet cut sugars, and oh, did I have my way with them! Each week, I'd clean it up, work out hard, but then go a little crazy on the weekends. Then Thanksgiving came, and I ate a pie. Or two. Probably over a 24 hr period. It got ugly. Then guilt. Then tighten up the diet, work hard again. Then Christmas. And New Year's. And my birthday. And so on and so forth.

comp #2, Oct. 2010

chowing down a choc dipped key lime pie slice after FL Keys Ragnar, Jan. 2011. 10 lbs up!

I realized that without an impending comp, I had no real "threat"-- nothing to motivate me through fear (I've since realized fear is not the greatest path of successful fat loss, but back to the story). I registered for an April comp & got busy. I knew I could do this; I'd done it before. I studied everything I had learned from my trainer the first time, studied other sources and message boards, and melded it all together into my first attempt at devising my own meal plans and workout plans. I confess, I even tried fat burners (which were utterly ineffective & probably damaged my metabolism even more) just because it seemed like everyone else on the forums were utilizing some kind of ergogenic aid. But this time was not like the first time. The weight didn't come off as easily. I'd cut more calories, increase my protein, pop an extra fat burner but to no avail. Don't get me wrong-- I did lose weight; I did tone up. In fact I gained lean mass. But the number on the scale never got as low as before. And I was stuck on that number. 119 was my goal. 119, 119, 119.

I stood on the stage at 124. I felt enormous.

Compare: Oct 2010

April 2011

After that, I decided I needed to change my focus for awhile. I had gotten my hubby turned on to running, and we took to the streets, running multiple Ragnar relays, half marathons, and one full. I ran my first mountain 5K (trail, steep inclines) and placed 2nd for women. I was eating clean but not worried about my macros as much. I survived my first 30 days of no refined sugar challenge, took 2 weeks off, and decided I wanted to go again. And again. And again. Now I've committed to the 2 days a month for 2012 & so far so good. It would seem I had conquered my body image issues.

But that would be a LIE. Even while accomplishing these great things, I felt an uneasy anxiety about my appearance. It was made more frustrating by the fact that I had given up sugar! I didn't overeat. I worked out a ton. I felt fat loss was owed me. The scale disagreed. Now it was regularly reading 128, 129, 130 (the # I said I'd never see again), 131, 132, 133, 134. What the #@$% was happening to my body? (see previous posts about my visit to the women's clinic)

Now, reading about other competitors post-comp, I recognize metabolic damage disorder. Worse than the physical effects were the mental/emotional ones. As a trainer, I knew better. I decided to be my own therapist. Each day I'd take a photo of myself and caption it with something positive about my appearance. I looked cute in any hat. I had a great tan.I still had pretty great legs.

My self-therapy kind of worked. Over time, I realized the scale was just a number. It didn't represent my inner health & vitality. It didn't represent my lean mass I had accumulated. Cutting sugar really helped me mentally and emotionally, too. I was feeling clarity of mind. The anxiety began to disappear. I just felt more mentally and emotionally stable. By February, I was able to record my Fit Minute videos and not cringe at my appearance whatsoever. It wasn't my thinnest, but I looked healthy and felt great. Finally, I felt peace.

So I decided to try another competition. And to take a different attitude. I would start 12 weeks out but begin with a more moderate eating plan; then I incorporated low carb-high carb days, which worked wonders for me-- my high carb days weren't just free-for-alls but very clearly defined. I let myself enjoy oatcakes, an apple with peanut butter, even a slice of real bread. I was already off sugar (except for 2 a month), so even "cheats" weren't out-of-hand.Finally, the #s on the scale began to reverse the upward trend. I began February at 134 after spending January focused on adding muscle mass. I hated that # but I was okay with how I looked in the mirror, so I kept a healthy outlook. By March, I got back in the upper 120s. I would weigh myself every other day or so & record my weight just to get a rough idea. I occasionally took tape measurements & fat caliper readings, but each fat measurement method had such different readings that I dropped it altogether. The mirror (and the camera) would be my best measurement tool. 

Again, I know many trainers will cringe at my sloppy approach, but I knew myself well enough to know that the #s would get to me. I also knew that the #s didn't tell the whole story. I also knew that the #s could be skewed. And I knew that a bikini physique is more about the look than the #s-- everyone is so different. So this time around, I kept my sanity. When people asked about my body fat % (and yes, people do ask!), I'd invent a rough estimate.

I won't delve into my most recent comp a-gain. Let's just say, now that I've had a chance to analyze my results, I do think I cut calories too much that final week and needed more carbs-- my body utterly rebelled. I looked better the week before, and oddly, the week after. But oh well. I also should've used a diuretic, but I've always tried to stay away from those, figuring bikini didn't need such hard lines.

I feel like I've discussed my comps way more than I had originally intended. My main purpose of this post is to show the fallacy of placing so much importance on #s, especially the scale. Let's take a walk down memory lane . . . (ahem, yes, you will notice I took care of matters in the northern region . . . it had to be done.)

I'll show you pics of me at different times but at the same WEIGHT. First, at 120.

2006, weight 120

2010, weight 120

Notice how much chubbier I look in 2006, yet I still weighed 120. That's the difference muscle mass can make!

Now check out a 123 lbs . . .

2008, weight 123, toning up since 06

2011, weight 124. weight up, but looking even hotter

Here's 128ish lbs . . .

2006, weight 126

2012, weight 127.6

2002, weight 130

2012, weight 131

summer 2010, 126 lbs, pre-1st comp

2012, 126 lbs, comp 4

I hope these photos give you an idea of the difference between 120 and 120, 130 and 130, and so on. I'll take my current 127 over my 120 of 6 years ago. I look stronger, more defined, and healthier. I always have to remind my clients, as they lose fat but gain muscle mass, the # on the scale may not budge much sometimes. Look in the mirror! Look at those changes! Feel your clothing get looser! Feel your body getting stronger! Unless you're in serious denial, the mirror never lies ;)

Client Success Stories: Genevieve

I want to start sharing some of my clients' success stories because a.) they make me look good! (It's verification that I do know what I'm talking about, if only people would listen, for the love!) b.) I am beyond proud of their accomplishments & so happy that they reached their health & fitness goals c.) I am inspired by them & hope my readers too will be inspired to set and reach their own seemingly impossible goals, whether you want to run a marathon, lose 10 lbs, or compete in a physique contest-- you CAN do anything you make up your mind to do!

So today I will post about one of my most recent success stories-- my dear friend and co-Ragnarian (we ran Vegas together) Miss Genevieve. Genevieve teaches high school phys ed, so it's clear that her knowledge of nutrition and exercise was strong. She was a roll-out-of-bed kind of runner aka too busy to really train but could get through a marathon anyway. She was active and strong, but like many an athlete, enjoyed fueling her body more than necessary. It's the classic Fit But Fat Syndrome: we work out so much, we deserve to eat whatever and whenever we want. I, too, have suffered and overcome Fit But Fat Syndrome. Alas, Genevieve decided one day that she needed a new goal. She was the running queen, racing virtually every weekend summer through fall. When we chatted about my bikini bodybuilding, a seed was planted . . .

So last October, we met up after she ran the Halloween Half Marathon down my way. (We live over an hour apart, so I wasn't sure how training her would go, but we made it work, thanks to the beautiful technology of email, text, and digital cameras. It helped that she was so on-the-ball & also educated in fitness, so she understood every direction I gave her.) We did an initial consultation, which consisted of me assessing her cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance via the push-up test and plank test, flexibility of quads, hamstrings, & low back, body composition via tape measurements, photos, and fat pinching, as well as an alignment & postural assessment. We also discussed her current diet and foods she liked, disliked, etc.

Then home she went & I sat down to crunch numbers, which is really a big part of what personal trainers do, especially for clients wanting to compete. (Funny, I married an accountant because I was an English major, and now here I am always with a calculator and plugging numbers into formulas. At least he still handles all the bills!) It's a nit-picky art of balancing macronutrients, timing caloric intake, and determining true caloric needs. I devised her first phase of meal plans, intentionally giving her a bit more freedom to gradually introduce her to the strictness of the competition diet. With her OCD personality, however, she actually preferred when the diet got more rigid and precise, and that's when she really progressed quickly.

The girl was stellar! She was obedient to every detail of the meal plans I emailed her, which changed as her weight, tape measurements, and photos changed. I gave her a new meal plan about every 4-6 weeks. I also gave her strength training guidelines, a schedule of what days to hit which muscles and how hard. Luckily, she also had a trainer already up where she lives who works with her and really addresses muscle balance and postural issues, as well as helps Genevieve deal with any injuries/tight areas. Again, this long distance training worked because Genevieve already has a great knowledge of kinesiology, physiology, and anatomy. I'm not sure long-distance training can work unless you have a skilled and knowledgeable client.

Genevieve, Nov. 2011

Nov. 2011

Nov. 2011

And yada yada yada . . . drumroll, please. Genevieve started at 180 lbs, 29.6% fat. Now she is 132 lbs, 15.3% fat. And she competed in her very first NGA Bikini Bodybuilding Competition this past Saturday and looked amazing! Enjoy these pics, which she did give me permission to share, of her amazing journey! Love ya, GiGi-- YOU DID IT!!

pose practice March 2012

A Fork in the Road

Ahhhh . . . that's me, heaving a huge sigh of

relief
exhaustion
disbelief
confusion
exasperation
disappointment
contentment?

All of the above.

Relief. Relief that my 4th bodybuilding competition is over. That this morning, I ate not 1, not 2, but 3 whole wheat blueberry pancakes with warm blackberry compote and real butter, and felt not an ounce of guilt. Though I did relish a feeling of utter gluttony. Relief that my heels are on the ground instead of 5 inches above it, my right pinky toe a pink tender blister. Relief that for today at least, I am not counting calories, measuring food, and timing my meals. Relief that I get a day off from the gym (though the hubby is reminding me it's a 10-miler on the running schedule today . . .).

Exhaustion. I have been running on such little fuel the past 2 weeks and pushing my body to keep up with its normal hard routine and entertaining kids on spring break, exhausted is the only word I can use, despite the fact that I despise it. Exhaustion is for people who aren't smart like me; no, exhaustion is for people who have poor nutrition habits, poor exercise habits, poor time management, poor stress response. And yet, I must wave the white flag and confess, I've hit it. I did it knowingly, in the hopes that my calorie deficit would translate into that rapid fat loss I so needed; that by staying busy with the kids, I would stay out of the kitchen and provide a decent spring break for my chiclets while keeping my mind off my upcoming comp. I accomplished the latter goals. The rapid fat loss, not so much . . .

NGA Utah 2012, Masters Bikini

Disbelief. Disbelief that I STILL did not place in a competition, despite having the chance to compete against women my age (the 35+) & being in a small category for my Novice Bikini (I had a 3 in 5 chance). Of course, looking back at photo and video, I can see that my posing still needs a lot of work (it's much harder than you would think and extremely unnatural & the stuff I thought was cheesy aka pivot turns is apparently what the judges like). Disbelief that after 12 weeks of hard training and diet, it's over. Just like that. Disbelief that my body stopped responding at week 11 & week 12 I started gaining, despite tightening up my diet and workouts. To look at the photos, you would think all I ate during week 12 was donuts. But I attest to you my diet was so tight, I almost crashed during a regular ol' Zumba class. I missed my period. I emitted an odor that is known to occur during ketosis (or extreme fat burning mode). Perhaps I went too extreme & my body found ways to magically produce fat from every calorie of carbs I so carefully counted and inserted into my body in a timely manner. Perhaps I just needed a couple more weeks. Or I needed the comp a week earlier, when I was at my lowest body fat of the past 12 weeks. Disbelief that THAT girl (aka Boobs) beat me, beat most of us. Disbelief that there was not a single female judge on the panel.

NGA Utah 2012 Novice Bikini, front

NGA Utah 2012 Novice Bikini, back

Confusion. After the trophies were handed out last night for the Novice Bikini division (and I already knew I wouldn't place in Masters, as I'm not a delusional idiot), I sat alone in the dressing room to decompress. I felt deflated, demoralized, and depressed. Was I stupid for continuing to pursue this goal when clearly I do not have the body for it? Was it time to just give up? Clearly, I'm fit, active, healthy & have many other things going for me. I don't necessarily need to do this. Most people don't. It wouldn't be such a failure to admit defeat. It was fun. For the most part. Though losing always sucks, I don't care what anyone says about "effort" "the journey" blah blah blah-- losing sucks sucks sucks sucks s u c k s. As I contemplated my surrender, a figure girl walked in. A spunky Latina, she epitomizes the spirit of competing-- she's strong, sweet, friendly, truthful, and always cheers for every competitor. She gave me this rousing lecture about not quitting, while I half-listened and took it in and half-rejected her with fake nods. Others told me I'm more suited to figure with my tendency toward muscle-massiveness. I just need to lean out more. But that's the problem-- I can never seem to lean out enough. I truly feel like if I cut any more calories I would have to quit working out because I would have zero energy. And my body likes fat. This is me at my leanest. I'm not sure how to get leaner. So herein lies the confusion. I face a decision: a.) quit competing altogether. I've tried. Failed. Been there, done that. It's okay to give up, pursue other goals. b.) switch categories. Looking around last night, there were figure girls who I out-massed easily. Obviously, they weren't the ones placing, but it shows that there's a range of bodies in the figure & I could possibly stand my own. I'd have to learn the posing; rent a suit; get a trainer to help me analyze me diet and tweak it. It could be a way for me to finally succeed. Or it could be a new way for me to fail. c.) try harder and go again in bikini. It's the body I desire. It's so lean and pretty. But it may mean give up running for awhile, because I think running is what gives me such massive legs. I don't want to give up running. It's my peace. It's my time with my husband. It's more communal-- there are way more running idiots than bodybuilding idiots & I like the social aspects.

Exasperation. See all the above. Need I say more?

Disappointment. This probably goes along with disbelief and exasperation. What made it all more disappointing is knowing that my sweet hubby and kids had sacrificed their entire day driving to and from Bountiful (a 45-minute drive in the rain) TWICE, sitting through all the other categories of judging before it was my turn. Of course, they got to eat out 3 meals yesterday and get treats from the vending machine, so it didn't turn out too badly for them. But they were so supportive. My hubby truly was supportive, because he doesn't get it; he doesn't even like it. But he supports me anyway because for some reason it's important to me. That's love. My mom & siblings were so supportive and came out to watch the show. They've always supported me, and just like my hubby, don't get it & hate to see me putting myself out there to be judged and shot down. So it's a huge disappointment that yet again, they came out & I did NOT place. But I can say, it is not a disappointment how much my family loves me. At least I have people in my life who never disappoint me! (A special shout-out, too, to my Biggest Loser client who drove out to watch me in the morning show! So thoughtful!)

me after the show with my sis Jody and her fiance Taylor

the back of my sweatshirt-- at least I have a sense of humor ;)

Contentment? The purpose of the question mark is two-fold. First, it means, "Am I content?" Am I pleased with how last night went? No. Am I pleased with how my body responded to my hard work and dedication and sacrifice? No. Am I pleased with the judging? No Am I pleased with my posing? No. But . . .Am I pleased with my effort? Yes. I really think I worked as hard as I could. Am I pleased with the backstage experience? Yes. The group of girls competing was amazing-- super friendly, down-to-earth, sharing, fun, uplifting, good people. Am I glad I improved my physique? Yes. Am I pleased with the progress I did make? Yes. Do the pros and cons balance out? Well, 4-4, so that's a Yes. Therefore, I should feel content. It is what it is-- I say this quite often, but it's true and it generally applies to everything and brings me much peace and contentment in life overall.

Secondly, though, is the question, "Is it okay to be content?" And here is where I wax philosophical . . . To be content (in yoga, we call this "santosha") is to have all you want/need, wanting/needing nothing else. It's a great place to be. And yet, to be content is a stagnant state. In order to change, to grow, to achieve hard goals, you must choose to not be content. You must want something more, or you will always be just as you are.  How many of us choose contentment over possible discomfort, fear of the unknown, fear of failure and wind up never reaching our potential? And yet, if that potential is mysterious and never attained, is it ever anything to be missed in the first place? I suppose this is where the idea of balance comes into play-- one must seek a balance of both contentment and total discontentment. The trick is to discover which aspects of life you will choose to be content and which you will choose to always want more for yourself. This may be what truly defines us, what determines the course of our lives. For by choosing the wrong areas in which to be content or discontent, we may never truly find happiness.

Deep thoughts for such a silly decision I face, but alas, there they are. Apply them as you may. In any case, I do allow you readers to weigh in with your own opinions as to what course I should take. For now, I will enjoy a day of eating what I want (which seems to be fruit for the most part!) and then get back to my regimen merely because it is now what I know, it makes me feel good, and I still have physique goals, whether I'm being judged or not ;)

Body Types Hype

I'm guessing you clicked on this blog post to discover if I have all the answers regarding body types-- what ARE the different body types, how do we EAT for our body types, EXERCISE for our body types, increase METABOLISM for our body type, etc so on and so forth. Just another example of how we look outside of ourselves for all the answers regarding our very own bodies. It's an interesting concept of total disconnection. But I will humor you readers nonetheless & aim to enlighten you about your body. Let me be clear-- I do believe that EVERY body is different. Put 100 women into a room, & I see 100 different body types. That said, there are some aspects of truth to body types. Which is why even doctors want to know if you're an apple or a pear, what your blood type is, what your ethnicity is, and so on.

It is overwhelming how many "body types" types there are! I will discuss a few of them, but admittedly, I will probably be neglecting some more that exist.

First, let's start with the bodybuilding world, of which I like to believe I'm somewhat part of. Here it is common to designate oneself as 1.) ectomorph- tall and skinny usually, often can eat whatever they want, overly efficient metabolisms, struggle to gain muscle mass, long limbs, small-boned, easily tolerate high carb diets, built for endurance sports (think marathon winners), sometimes insomniacs. Women can't stand ectomorphic women-- they usually bounce back really quickly after pregnancy, too, which makes us hate them even more. Do realize, though, that these women often have very little strength and can be "skinny fat". 2.) mesomorphs- aka genetic freaks. These people are natural-born athletes; lean, muscular. They can appear cut without having to work very hard. They gain muscle easily and lose fat readily. Alas, they are extremely rare, so don't feel bad if you aren't one of them. I am NOT one of them. Clearly, I am not one of them. For me, it takes both hours in the gym and virtual starvation to have the physique I most love. Top-level professional bodybuilders are often pure mesomorphs. 3.) endomorph- this category is reserved for the rest of us. Slow metabolism, often large-framed but not always, carb-sensitive, cannot "cheat" and get away with it, shorter limbs, round body contours, wide waist and hips, fairly good strength levels (yep, that's me), hard to keep fat off after losing it, deep sleepers (ok, that's not me), often do better with higher protein intake.

Based on these descriptions, which one are YOU? You can be a combo. I'm a meso-endo, meaning I gain strength easily, but I do not lose fat easily. I have to be vigilant with clean eating and calorie-counting in order to achieve my desired physique. Most of my clients are obviously endomorphs-- they come to me because they want to lose weight, get strong, and appear & feel healthier. I have worked with ectomorphs as well, who really want to gain muscle mass or lose a little belly. Ectomorphs often are so used to fast metabolism that as they age, they don't realize that it does actually slow down, even for them. One day they wake up to a little pooch. Us endomorphs roll our eyes at their self-recriminations-- with their lithe arms and skinny thighs, we'd like to slap them for what they perceive to be "fat." But they are right-- a little pooch on an ectomorph is a sign of poor eating habits & they need to clean it up. Another problem for the ectomorph can be a lack of a derriere. I actually think half the time, this is a postural issue, as these tall-skinnies tend to slouch, anteriorly tuck the pelvis, drawing the glutes in and down. I like to work on these postural issues first to show them that they do indeed have a buttocks, then teach them how to build muscle mass to enhance it.

Obviously, there's a lot of truth to these types, which is why these are probably the most well-known. I also teach Yoga, so I've studied the Ayurvedic Doshas, or body types, as well. They somewhat match up with these bodybuilding types, sort of. According to Ayurveda (classical Indian medicine), there are 3 main body types/doshas: vata (air), pitta (fire), or kapha (earth). An individual is predominately one but can be a combination. Knowing your dosha can help you determine your diet and yoga practice. 1.) Vata- light & thin build, enthusiastic & excitable, bursts of energy, quickness, can worry, be moody, or restless, irregular hunger & digestion; needs soothing yoga, more relaxation. Generally needs sattvic food (grains, cereals, fruit, vegetables, milk, butter, cheese, honey, nuts, seeds, herbs, water) but may need tamasic foods when restless (mushrooms, meat, onion, garlic, alcohol, fermented foods, and fried foods) 2.) Pitta- medium strength & endurance; sharp intellect, likes challenges, bold, competitive, intense, tendency toward anger; warm & emotional; needs calming breathing but also challenging yoga. Generally needs sattvic foods; again tamasic foods can calm anger and intensity. 3.) Kapha- solid, powerful, physical; slow digestion, tendency toward obesity and laziness; affectionate, forgiving, heavy sleeper; needs regular, strong exercise. Generally sattvic with some rajasic foods (coffee, chocolate, tea, salt, fish, eggs, chili peppers, strong spices).

Um, yeah, I know some of this may be way out there for you non-yogis, but it's something to think about. Millions of people (I'm guessing) through thousands of years of Indian history have followed and believed in these doshas, so there must be something to 'em. I most identify with the vata and pitta, but I much prefer the rajasic foods ;) How about you?

So now let's jump forward in history to the present. Of late, the most popular body type diets revolve around either blood type or gland dominance. Here's a quick look at both, based on what I've seen online. In no way do I claim to be a certified pro!

Gland/Hormonal Dominance . . . okay, so I invented this term based on how the body types are designated: adrenal, liver, ovary, and thyroid. The idea here is that body shape is affected by hormones. Learn how to best address these hormonal issues & you will more successfully lose weight & keep it off, according to Dr. Berg's website http://www.findyourbodytype.com/. Here's the gist: 1.) Adrenal-types do not handle stress well and it translates through the body as saggy tummies, round faces, double chins; constant cravings, weakened muscles, even arthritis. 2.) Ovary-types are obviously females. Fat tends to be in hips, belly, and saddlebags. They can have menstrual problems and tend to crave dairy (ice cream, butter, milk); tendency to have cellulite. 3.) Liver-types are often men. Think "beer belly" and you've got the appearance in mind. Thin legs, protrusion of the gut, crave deep-fried foods. Can develop symptoms of liver problems, like jaundice, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. 4.) Thyroid-types gain weight all over. They may notice problems like hair loss, cold feet, constipation. They crave carbs, carbs, carbs.

Of course, in order to learn how to address whatever body type you perceive yourself to be, you must show forth some cash. Once you've purchased the info, and followed the plan designed for your body type, you should meet great success. I have not tried it, so I cannot say, but I'd guess that any plan that creates a deficit in your calories and teaches you to eat clean will elicit positive results. If you're at your wit's end, this may be a good option for you to try. Report back to us how you do with it-- I'm curious to know. I do believe in the premises set forth here-- it explains why some of us are sweet-cravers while others only want salt; why some of us store fat in the belly while others have it on the hips/thighs; etc.

Blood type diet . . . have you heard of it? Well, I'm getting tired of typing & summarizing, so here it is straight from the good doctor's mouth, er, webpage:

"Type O-People with type O blood fare best on intense physical exercise and animal proteins and less well on dairy products and grains, says Dr. D'Adamo. The leading reason for weight gain among Type O's is the gluten found in wheat products and, to a lesser extent, lentils, corn, kidney beans, and cabbage, Dr. D'Adamo explains. Ideal exercises for Type O's include aerobics, martial arts, contact sports, and running.

Type A-Those with blood type A, however, are more naturally suited to a vegetarian diet and foods that are fresh, pure, and organic. As Type A's are predisposed to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, "I can't emphasize how critical this dietary adjustment can be to the sensitive immune system of Type A," says Dr. D'Adamo. Type A's prefer calming, centering exercise, such as yoga and tai chi. 

Type B-Type B's have a strong immune system and a tolerant digestive system and tend to resist many of the severe chronic degenerative illnesses, or at least survive them better than the other blood types. Type B's do best with moderate physical exercise requiring mental balance, such as hiking, cycling, tennis, and swimming. 

Type AB-Blood type AB, the most recent, in terms of evolution, of the four groups and an amalgam of types A and B, is the most biologically complex. For this group, a combination of the exercises for types A and B works best, says Dr. D'Adamo. 

Blood type, with its digestive and immune specificity, is a window on a person's probable susceptibility to or power over disease, according to Dr. D'Adamo. For example, Type O's are the most likely to suffer from asthma, hay fever, and other allergies, while Type B's have a high allergy threshold, and will react allergically only if they eat the wrong foods. Type B's are also especially susceptible to autoimmune disorders, such as chronic fatigue, lupus, and multiple sclerosis. Type AB's tend to have the fewest problems with allergies, while heart disease, cancer, and anemia are medical risks for them. 

With arthritis, Type O's, again, are the predominant sufferers because their immune systems are "environmentally intolerant," especially to foods such as grains and potatoes which can produce inflammatory reactions in their joints, says Dr. D'Adamo. Types A and B are the most susceptible to diabetes, while types A and AB have an overall higher rate of cancer and poorer survival odds than the other types. 

While you cannot change your blood type, you can use knowledge about its nature to implement a dietary plan biologically suited to your makeup, says Dr. D'Adamo, who supplies copious details on eating plans for all four types. "Most of my patients experience some results [within two weeks of starting the diet plan]-increased energy, weight loss, a lessening of digestive complaints, and improvement of chronic conditions such as asthma, headaches, and heartburn."

Sufficiently confused & overwhelmed yet?? And I bet I've missed several others. The point is this: 
1.) We all have different bodies.
2.) And yet we all have rather similar bodies. (i.e., we're all human)
3.) No matter what body type we have, we need to eat clean, healthy, and the appropriate amount for the size body we'd prefer to have.
4.) Our bodies WANT to move. They want to dance & run & skip & walk & twist & feel lithe, young, and strong. So MOVE them that way.
5.) Understanding your body type can be useful. It can also be detrimental. Use this info to spring yourself into action  and it is useful. Use it as an excuse to feel sorry for yourself and it is detrimental.
6.) LOVE your body. It's the greatest gift you have. No matter the type . . .