Bite Me! Change Your Life One Bite at a Time: An Inspirational Journey of Re-Invention to a Sustainable, Healthy Lifestyle.

By Toni Julian

The only sustainable lifestyle and meal solution with attitude!
"I've had the opportunity to meet and interview a lot of local authors and personalities. But rarely do I find someone as passionate and true to their cause as Toni! She is an individual who leads by example and truly cares about helping others change their lives. It is her compassion that has led her to successfully transform the lives of hundreds of people! Toni is true to her word, a follower of her own advice, and a force to be reckoned with. A contagious positive attitude and genuine passion for health and fitness make her one of the best in the industry!" Ramona Gwargis, Times Media, Inc.
This book and my determination have changed me for the better, for life. I will always incorporate style of eating in my life, and my future family's life. I've had numerous people ask me, what are doing, what is different, you are shrinking! All I can do is forward them the link to this book, and smile because I know what lies behind the first turned page - a change to your life forever if you are ready to take that leap of faith!
Heather Buchholz, client and 2010 recipient of the BITE ME! Best Buns Award

In this book you will find:
An Inspirational Story of Reinvention by the Author
A Lifestyle Assessment
Tools to Make Healthy Foods your New Convenience Foods
How to Overcome Societal Expectations, Misinformation and Fast Food InFATuation
Over 50 Delicious, Nutritious and Simple Meal Solutions
10 Quick Tips for Healthy, Clean Eating
How to Convert Your Favorite Recipe from Mean to Clean!
Complete Nutrient Breakdown for Each Recipe
How to Eat Healthy While On-the-Go
325 Calorie Meal Template
Success Stories from Real People Like You
The Official Eight Week BITE ME! Challenge

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781463419363

Toni Julian

Author Toni Julian is an accomplished professional Lifestyle Coach and owner of aabs (All About Being Sexy) Lifestyle and Fitness Coaching based in San Jose, CA. As a 51-year-old mom of four, she has experienced the gamut of stresses in her life, from blending a family, to having children with special nutritional needs, as well as striving to balance her full-time entrepreneurial career. After losing her best friend to Pancreatic Cancer, as well as surviving her own serious medical issues, she re-invented herself and has developed proven techniques to make lifestyle changes that are not only successful, but sustainable for life. As a personal goal for her own transition to a healthy lifestyle, she shed 14 pounds of fat and gained 6 pounds of muscle within eight weeks. She went on to compete in her first Natural Figure Competition at age 48 and tied for first place in the Sports Model category, taking second, as well as second overall in Figure later the same year. Toni shares her knowledge through personal coaching sessions with everyone from individuals in need of lifestyle and nutrition makeovers to assisting corporations develop and implement strategies to shift their employees' health in a sustainable direction. She has a B.A. from San Jose State University, is a VN Certified Nutrition Coach and earned her Personal Training Certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She founded and manages “The aabsBootyClubTM”, a Co-Ed Personalized Training Program and is a popular motivational speaker, offering seminars and workshops to corporations and professional groups. Visit her website at www.ToniJulian.com

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© 2011 by Toni Julian. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system without written permission of the author and publisher. Product names, logos, designs, words and phrases used in the aabs Lifestyle & Fitness book entitled BITE ME! Change Your Life One Bite at a Time, including and without limitation, are owned by Toni Giuliani-Apgar. Such trademarks, service marks and trade names may be registered in the U.S. and internationally.

First published by AuthorHouse 06/28/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4634-1938-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-1937-0 (dj)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-1936-3 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011909598

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

ONE BITE AT A TIME

CHAPTER 2

TONI’S STORY OF REINVENTION

CHAPTER 3

LIFESTYLE CHANGES FOR LIFE!

CHAPTER 4

WHY DIETS DON’T WORK

CHAPTER 5

RETRAINING YOUR METABOLISM

CHAPTER 6

BLOOD SUGAR—A DELICATE BALANCE

CHAPTER 7

YOUR POSITIVE ATTITUDE

WILL SET YOU FREE!

CHAPTER 8

ARM YOURSELF WITH ASSERTION SKILLS, A FORK AND AN ATTITUDE

CHAPTER 9

JUST SAY BITE ME!

CHAPTER 10

MEDICAL ISSUES AND LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN

CHAPTER 11

LEARN TO EAT CLEAN

CHAPTER 12

LET’S GET ORGANIZED!

CHAPTER 13

THE ONLY REASON I HAVE A KITCHEN IS IT CAME WITH THE HOUSE WHEN I BOUGHT IT

CHAPTER 14

PROGRESS REPORTS FROM INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE

CHAPTER 15

Ready, Get Set, Let’s Eat!

CHAPTER 16

THE EIGHT WEEK BITE ME! CHALLENGE

Chapter 17

Trouble-Shooting Guide

CHAPTER 18

Q& A

Acknowledgements and Gratitude

COVER CREDITS

Photography: Jim Nelson Photography

Hair Stylist: Patti Keating, Owner, City Savvy Salon in Campbell, CA

Make-up: Kathy Obot, Owner, Kase’ Cosmetics

Proofreading and Editing: Valerie Marie Kohl

NOTICE

Mention of specific companies, organizations, brands or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the publisher or author, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations or authorities imply they endorse this book.

The brand name products mentioned in this book are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. The author, publisher, manufacturers, or distributors cannot accept legal responsibility for any problem arising out of the use of or experimentation with the methods described.

Nutritional information for all brand name products mentioned in this book was provided by their companies or on official nutrition labels. Those who do not provide complete nutrition information to the public, the estimates for their products were obtained from CalorieKing.com, an independent nutrition information and communication service that is owned and operated by Family Health Publications Pty Ltd. Nutrition information noted for each recipe was derived through using the bodybugg® or Exerspy, calorie and nutrient tracking online software services owned by Apex Fitness and DotFit, respectively.

IMPORTANT:

This book is not intended as a substitute for the medical and nutritional advice from physicians. Consult a physician before starting any new diet or exercise regimen and regularly consult a physician in all matters relating to his or her health, and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. Content provided in this book is based on the opinion and experiences of the author and does not take the place of medical and nutritional advice.

DEDICATION

To my angel, Barbara Wyman-Sun, 1959-2007, who’s courageous will and free spirit, moved me to help others.

INTRODUCTION

In earlier years, I would lay in bed attempting to drift into a hopefully deep slumber. My body felt like it would take ten years of sleep to recover from my full day. I had reoccurring dreams that I am running; running through the streets in slow motion, struggling to round the curb. No matter how much effort I exerted, I would gain only a few inches. I could never catch up. I would never make progress. After years of these reoccurring dreams, with unsettled and slightly tortured feelings, a slow realization came into focus, like a low resolution, grainy and highly pixilated photograph, once indiscernible, now pixel by pixel creating a crisp picture I can now recognize. I would never truly feel well; never be able to figuratively run unencumbered if I didn’t make some lifestyle changes, and now.

This gradual confrontation of the truth is that we, as a collective of individuals are solely responsible what I call the American de-condition. It is a well-documented fact that nearly 70% of all Americans are either overweight or obese, one of the leading contributors to a proliferation of medical issues. A very small percent of our population, perhaps 10%, can actually be considered fit. The rest of have allowed ourselves to become out of shape, nutritionally deprived and prone to disease, weight issues, hormonal imbalances, and injury. We become tired, depressed, and depleted, and in some cases become a burden on our families and a proverbial weight on the back of an already dysfunctional health care system, yet most of us haven’t taken the action necessary to resolve the problem.

America’s de-conditioned state is compounded by our procrastination and general lack of motivation. We all know the statistics, we hear them frequently; they don’t necessarily move us to take the initiative for change. Are we expecting someone to fix the problem or waiting for some in-your-face, life-altering experience which threatens our very existence before taking action? We want an instant fix; fruit and vegetables in a pill, a miracle drink or foods mailed to our doorsteps. Perhaps the FDA can provide increased regulation for the proliferation of deceptive food labeling cases. Must we wait until we have diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease? The bottom line is we all have the opportunity to be healthy, in addition to the freedom to let ourselves go. Only we are accountable for ourselves. Our personal passivity and demand for convenience are our own worst enemies.

Inexcusably, we have passed down our sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits to our children. We allow our children to eat the most convenient and lowest quality foods possible. They grow up thinking a tomato slice on their fast food burger is a serving of vegetables and nothing tastes good if it’s not dripping with sugar and fat. High cholesterol, obesity, early onset diabetes and hip and joint issues, once considered diseases of our older populations are unfortunately now bestowed upon our children at alarming rates. Further confirming our lackadaisical attitude toward our health, over half our dogs and cats are overweight or obese. Certainly our furry friends are not raiding the treat jar late at night by themselves.

Many of us have the desire to learn how to shift thinking toward better health only to be confronted by external influences providing confusing, and often conflicting, information. Everywhere I turn I am bombarded with confusing messages: From pharmaceutical companies, to food manufacturers and marketers, weight loss companies, and fast food providers; from friends offering well-meaning advice to our respected physicians who take stewardship of our collective health to the best of their ability.

I love humankind, I love my family, my neighbors and my friends, and I love the friends I have not yet met. With this in the forefront of my mind, I carry a deep sadness and disappointment as I am confronted by misinformation as well as an intense anger in situations when I know we are being intentionally misled.

My belief is that prevention is the answer and that lies only within our self. We must change our eating habits, as well as our lifestyle, in a way that makes our newly-learned, healthy behaviors SUSTAINABLE. Become role models and our children will do as we do.

We have an unprecedented opportunity here to change our lives, our family’s lives, the lives within our community, and beyond. We need education, accountability, and most of all, hope. We must educate ourselves to make the best choices in support of our wellbeing. We must be accountable to ourselves and to the one body we are given on this Earth, as well as those in our inner circle—the people we affect for better or worse—depending upon our level of wellness. Let’s have hope so that we may become empowered and not allow our minds and bodies to degrade to the point of ultimate defeat.

It is never too late to start to help yourself and those around you. We can accomplish this empowerment ourselves and ultimately change one life at a time. I am walking proof of that. I’ve been through most everything life can throw at me, and at over 50 dealing with the added complexities of aging as well.

I am on a personal and professional mission to defend the right of people to eat well and to motivate them to shift their thinking toward better health.

This passion to help others was born out of the loss of my best friend to Pancreatic Cancer, as well as my own serious medical issues just a few short years ago. I quite literally can say I stake my life on the assertion that lifestyle changes WORK, because I am a living example. My personal story is bared to all in its vulnerability, from misfortune to fulfillment and everything in between, in hopes that you may find inspiration and motivation to help shift your thinking toward a healthier lifestyle.

My goal is to inspire you to raise your personal nutrition bar, so I will be sharing what I’ve learned as a full-time working mom of four, who has endeavored on a journey to a sustainable, healthy lifestyle, as well as changed careers to a Lifestyle and Certified Nutrition Coach, Figure Competitor and NASM Certified Personal Trainer.

You may have noticed I do not have a forward written by a physician to lend credibility to my words, as you may see frequently in other self-help, diet or fitness books. I did not have a staff of researchers, writers, editors, photographers and designers, nor did I have professional chefs or a test kitchen at my disposal. I am not married to a publisher or have unlimited resources. This book is boot-strapped from my heart in all authenticity, so that in your dreams, you will not have to run in slow motion around those curbs feeling frustration at not making progress toward your well being. I hope to help you to sprint around them feeling light and strong, knowing you are giving your best to make a difference—not only in your life but helping others learn to take impeccable care as well. Feeling good is contagious and looking good is pure inspiration.

May you find the tools and motivation you need to change your life one bite at a time!

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CHAPTER 1

ONE BITE AT A TIME

The greatest wealth a man may acquire is the wisdom he gains from living. And sometimes out of small beginnings come the forces that shape a whole life.

~John Tucker Battle, Screen Writer

You can change your life one bite at a time, one meal at a time, and one day at a time, just by making simple changes in your diet and lifestyle. Eventually all those good choices add up to a better lifestyle and quality of life; one with increased energy, a leaner body, an improved immune system and happier outlook.

What we eat, where we eat, and how much we eat is entirely our decision. It is through the choices we make on a daily basis that have the most significant impact on how we look and feel. Unfortunately, the majority of Americans are misled and left at the mercy of whatever information is conveniently accessible, which is ironically how most of us eat; whatever is convenient and accessible. The quality of this information is as poor as the quality of our food.

We need to regroup; get back to a common sense approach about our nutrition because the way we look and feel is largely impacted by what we eat. And frankly, dining at most restaurants, or buying processed, prepared or fast foods puts us at a disadvantage. Even with the new nutrient disclosure laws, we often do not know the quality of ingredients used or if the information is even accurate. Portion size is yet another issue. Food labeling can be intentionally misleading, and going on diets where the foods are provided or fad diets where certain food types are restricted may be helpful short term, but only while you strictly adhere to them, and they won’t teach you how to make choices for yourself that are sustainable. An astonishing 95% of people who attempt fad diets gain their weight back within the first year.

The better alternative: Learn how to build a strong nutritional foundation; eat in a life-smart way that balances your blood sugar, helps stave off disease and puts you in a better position to persevere through illness, stress and whatever else life happens to throw your way.

Make simple, wholesome meals for yourself and your family, and you will see the benefits within a short time. You will be introduced to the concept of clean eating in the next chapter, and if you read on, you’ll be enlightened to learn how to apply simple guidelines to your life so these healthy eating habits will be sustainable, for the rest of your life. You will begin to feel phenomenal, and your family won’t realize they are eating so much healthier. Think about the positive role model you will be setting for your children; leading by example. Start making good choices now. It’s really never too late to start making positive changes and it’s not as difficult as you think. You can still eat the foods you love in moderation and you won’t need to make changes you’re not ready for.

Our ancestors lived their lives more moderately. In America, just 150 years ago, men, women and children lived challenging lives. Women needed to eat about 4000 calories each day just to provide them with energy to get through their agrarian day; working the fields, cooking, washing, and tending to their families. Present day, we live an over-abundant lifestyle, to the point that we need to create ways to expend our excess energy. To put it very simply, we eat too much and move too little. Even 50 years ago lifestyles were better calorically balanced. We need to learn how to eat like our grandparents, not our parents, who began to incorporate highly processed, convenient foods into their diets.

Anyone who knows me has heard me brag about my family. My Grandmother, Nancy, is 102 today as I write. Although I grew up geographically distanced from her, even as a young child I watched her with an intense curiosity. She is a feisty and petite Italian with beautiful skin, white teeth and a propensity for waking you up by throwing a shoe at your head. Just ask my father.

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Three generations of Julian’s; Grandma Nancy at 102 in center with son John at right and Granddaughter, Toni at left.

What I remember most about her is her lifestyle, which may be a strange thing for a kid to notice. She was different from my parents, from the old world with a heavy Italian accent and unrefined ways. Every day she walked for a miles touring the neighborhood, picking mustard greens from nearby fields for dinner. While it’s one thing to pick a neighbor’s weeds—I realized early she was completely oblivious of neighborly etiquette—when she came home with bunches of roses from their garden too. She made her own pasta from scratch, using a fork to pinch the edges of the ravioli together. A typical Italian, she never measured ingredients and the kitchen was coated with a dusting of flour. For dessert she would slice fresh oranges and put them on the table. All her foods were whole. She bought little that had a nutrition facts label attached to it. It came from the Earth, and embarrassingly I learned, at times from the neighbor’s front yard.

We are the new centurions if we play our cards right, we too will live to be 100 like my grandmother. Although to me it’s not so much the length of life we lead as much as the quality in which we live it, which makes it vitally important to shift the way we think about our eating and fitness habits while we have the opportunity and work toward not only extending our lives but the quality of our life as well.

You will learn how to make lifestyle changes, while eating the foods you love, in a way that is simple and convenient. You will be walked through the process of learning how you metabolize foods and how to reset your own metabolism. You will be motivated and encouraged, and most of all finally see the rewards from your efforts. So let’s get started on our journey together!

CHAPTER 2

TONI’S STORY OF REINVENTION

My main goal is to inspire you to take impeccable care of yourself. I have proven it is never too late to start.

~ Toni Julian

It took a while for me to understand the benefits of being