But what about all that gluten? Isn’t it an energy sabotager?

The problem with carb-loading by eating pasta and bread is that they’re both filled with gluten. As you know, gluten is responsible for lethargy, spikes in insulin, depression, headaches and — perhaps most problematic for athletes – poor digestion. Most human bodies don’t have the enzyme necessary for breaking down gluten (the protein found in wheat and other gluten grains); the pieces left over ferment, which can lead to gassiness, bloating, and poor absorption of other nutrients. The extended digestive period also drains a lot of energy that could be put to better use.

So, how does an athlete get the power boost they need without adding wheat and gluten to their diet? Follow the lead of Tour de France cyclist Christian Vande Velde and his fellow Garmin-Transitions pro-cycling team members: carb-load gluten & wheat-free!

Initially shocked by their team physiologist’s suggestion to go wheat-free, the Garmin-Transitions cyclists soon learned that not only was it possible to carb up without eating wheat and gluten, it actually improved their athletic performance. After Vande Velde found success with going gluten-free, his teammate Tom Danielson gave it a shot and found similarly positive results. “My performance really improved a lot – there was definitely a correlation. I think that my digestion is better, and because of that my sleep is better and my recovery is better.”

Substitutes like quinoa, rice, and corn provide the carbs necessary for maintaining glucose and glycogen levels athletes need for high performance, endurance and recovery without adding in gluten. And it’s not just athletes who benefit from gluten-free diets. A huge percentage of Americans suffer from some degree of gluten intolerance, leading to a whole slew of biological issues including (but not limited to): Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, mouth ulcers, anemia, osteoporosis, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal bloating, depression, acne and other skin problems, asthma and irritability. Even people who don’t have a gluten allergy report feeling healthier and more energetic when they cut gluten from their diet. Their digestion and performance improves and many experience significant weight loss. The thing is, most foods that contain wheat also contain high levels of sugar, salt and processed ingredients. When you cut wheat, you cut a lot of other bad stuff at the same time leading to a healthier, more energetic, happier you!

Because of the wide range of people suffering from gluten intolerance, gluten-free diets are becoming easier to maintain and gluten grain substitutes are widely accessible. In my “Optimal Energy Recipes” cookbook I’ve provided over 70 recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and soy-free! Click here to check it out!

Here’s another video that I made for you that’s all about why you may be hanging on to excess weight and continue to have low energy.

The cool thing is, that it’s probably NOT your fault, so you can stop beating yourself up.

I’m going to show you one of the key missing links to losing weight and getting more energy that most people never talk about, and more likely don’t even have a clue about.

Be sure and leave your comments below again, and tell your friends, co-workers, and family about it too, this is a biggie!

I can’t wait to hear what you think of this one!

FYI… I have a program where I teach more cool stuff like this for losing the last 10-20 pounds and increasing your energy called the 10 Week Transformation Program.

It’s a New Year, and one of my biggest intentions is to help you finally lose the weight that you haven’t been able to, AND at the same time, be filled with incredible energy that I know you crave.

So check out the first video I made for you so you can see today’s tip on how you can lose weight and dramatically increase your energy now… it’s something that you can put into action and get results immediately.

Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts, questions, and stories below because I will be reading them all and can’t wait to hear from you. So join the conversation and let’s make this your best year ever! And don’t forget to click the “Share” button to spread the love!

FYI… I teach more cool stuff like this for losing the last 10-20 pounds and increasing your energy in my “10 Week Transformation” Program. Click this link www.Rosecole.com/transformation for more information.

That’s right. Six months! It started with one day – I skipped the gym because I had some work to do. Then I missed the next day for a dinner party with friends. By the third day I decided, “Oh, I can skip a week. Next week I’ll be really good and workout every day!” But I didn’t. And a week turned into two weeks, which – faster than you can imagine – turned into six months. I have fallen off of the exercise bandwagon and I can’t get back on.

I feel like a deer in headlights; I know I need to exercise but I feel almost paralyzed. I’m flabbier than I’ve ever been and it happened so fast that I’m too overwhelmed to do anything about it … and this wintry weather isn’t helping. I just can’t find the motivation I need to get back in the groove, so I’m coming to you. (I’m not the only one going through this, right?)

Please leave your thoughts on how to beat the cold weather blues and stay focused (or regain your focus) on your exercise routine, especially through the hard winter months. Let’s inspire each other by offering insight and tips on how to stay the course. I welcome your comments, words of encouragement, your love and your support.

Update! Check out my video here of my progress: Video Update

I’ve added over 80 pages of new recipes and resources for all-natural products and healthy substitutes for not-so-healthy ingredients in your own recipes.

Now with over 120 pages of mouth-watering, yummy-licious dishes, this treasure of sugar-free, gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free recipes is a must have for every kitchen.

And the best part is that it’s in downloadable form, so you get instant access to it right after your purchase. Go here for 2 FREE sample recipes! www.RoseCole.com/cookbook

Get your copy now at www.RoseCole.com/cookbook.

Ingredients

• 1 cup extra virgin coconut oil
• ¼ cup organic raw almond butter
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 4 Tbsp agave nectar
• ¼ cup organic unsweetened coconut
• ¼ cup hemp seed protein
• ½ tsp liquid Stevia or 3 tsp powdered Stevia (6 packets)
• 1 Tbsp organic vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¾ cup raw chocolate cacao powder (may substitute Chatfield’s roasted carob powder)
• 1/3 cup goji berries *optional

Directions
1. Spray an ice cube tray with nonstick spray and set aside or use mini cupacake tins and papers.

2. Melt coconut oil under hot water or spoon into saucepan and melt over low flame. When coconut oil turns to a liquid, pour oil into medium bowl.

3. Slowly whisk in almond butter, cinnamon, Stevia, and agave nectar one at a time.

4. Next, whisk in vanilla.

5. Then slowly stir in cacao (or carob), almond meal, coconut, and hemp seed protein one at a time, sprinkling evenly as you go.

6. Batter should run off of spoon. Spoon into ice cube tray, or cup cake papers and chill in freezer for 15 minutes.

7. Sprinkle goji berries of the top. *optional

Fun Optinal Add-ins
• 1–3 drops of your favorite edible essential oil: peppermint, lavender, lemon, rose, tangerine. You can find the best essential oils at www.RoseCole.com/Rose Recomends.

• ½ tsp Course Celtic sea salt (www.TrySunFoods.com)

• ¼ cup Chopped Golden berries, also know as Incan Berries (www.TrySunFoods.com) These taste like tart cherries!

Find more great dairy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free recipes like this in my “Optimal Energy Recipes” cookbook!

Thai Young Coconut

Want to know the secret to looking and feeling younger and losing weight faster? With the help of superfoods you can do just that. In short, a superfood is a whole food that packs a powerful punch of vitamins and other nutrients and at the same time offers some crazy awesome health benefits.

Here are some of my top superfoods that you probably already have in your kitchen, and how to use these powerful foods to go to work for your health.

This is a list of only 5 of the top 77 superfoods that I have in my full report: Onion, Cinnamon, Ginger, Chili Pepper and Coconut.

Let’s start with Onion.

Yes, we’re talking about your average run-of-the-mill onion that you can find in any supermarket. Onions contain a good amount of chromium – a metal that that actually helps you to lose weight!

- Onions both Lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides
- Onions help Blood Clotting to occur faster -
- Onions reduce the incidence of Stomach Cancer risk by 40%
- Onions protect against tumor growth in other parts of the body
- Onions are known to inhibit bone loss in Menopausal women

A great way to incorporate onions into your diet is to just chop up whatever type of onion you want to use, whether it’s a green, white, or even red onion, and sprinkle it on your soups and salads. You can also sauté them in a little olive oil and serve it over your favorite meat dish. They are also yummy in soups!

Next up is Cinnamon.

Cinnamon can be found in every supermarket in America, and who would have thought it could actually help you to lose weight and increase your energy?

- Cinnamon has long been used as a natural remedy for indigestion, diarrhea, nausea and cramps
- Cinnamon Tea is known to reduce internal cramping (both menstrual and muscle related)
- Cinnamon regulate blood sugar
- Cinnamon inhibits cancer cell growth
- Cinnamon works as an anti-inflammatory agent

Cinnamon is great sprinkled on top all kinds of food to add a little pizzazz and make them a bit sweet. Try on top of sliced apples, in your morning protein shake, on toast, and even sprinkled on your cooked squash.

Ginger Root or Powder

Ginger is widely used in Eastern Medicine, but in the West it’s more of a baking spice. You can find it in your fresh veggie section of your supermarket; it looks like an ugly white root. You can also find it in the spice section in powder form.

- Ginger is known to fight cancer
- Ginger is also known to help prevent heart disease
- Ginger contains several antioxidants that are proven to clot blood as well as aspirin
- Ginger can stop an impending migraine dead in its tracks
- Ginger is known to lower high cholesterol levels

To prepare ginger, simply slice the ginger root (you can peel it if you want, but not necessary), and toss it into a stir fry or soup dish, or you can sprinkle in the powder form. You can also find it in the tea section of your store in tea bags ready to go for ginger tea. To make your own ginger tea, just slice fresh ginger and add a couple slices to a cup of hot water and steep of a few minutes.

Chili Peppers Are Good For You?

Chili Peppers aren’t just hot – they are also full of capsaicin. The capsaicin in Chili Peppers is well known to work all kinds of wonders in the body.

- Chili Peppers are well known to work as an analgesic
- Chili Peppers also help prevent cancer cells from forming
- Chili Peppers act as an anti-inflammatory agent
- Chili Peppers help with headaches and sinus problems
- Chili Peppers can lessen the pain of arthritis
- Chili Peppers can help with a host of gastric issues (I know that sounds weird, but it’s true!)

How to you prepare chili peppers you ask? They’re great diced and added to tomatoes and cilantro to make a quick and easy salsa. You can also sprinkle them in soups, salads, throw them into a stir fry, or sprinkle them on tacos.

And Coconut (oil, water, and meat)

Coconut has a bit of a bad rap because it is thought to cause weight gain – but it’s actually one of the best foods to help you lose weight, believe it or not. Your body needs the good fats in coconut, and coconut water is actually better than any sports drink, loaded with electrolytes.

When I’m talking about healthy coconut, I’m talking about organic, virgin coconut oil, water (the water in the middle of a coconut), and the coconut meat itself.

- Coconuts are known to fight cancer
- Coconuts are known to fight heart disease
- Coconuts aid in digestion.
- Coconuts boost the natural immune system
- Coconuts improve Thyroid function
- Coconuts improve the body’s ability to absorb vitamins

Young Thai coconuts are the greenish colored coconuts often found at restaurants and supermarkets or on vacation to tropical destinations. You can just chop off the top and stick you straw right in, but make sure to spoon out all the nutritious tender coconut meat. You can also find organic virgin coconut oil in just about every health food store now days, and is great for cooking just about everything in.

So what IS your thyroid? Your thyroid is an organ that is located at the base of your neck, and you can kind of think of it as your body’s thermostat. If your thyroid is too low, then you have a low metabolism, low sex drive, and low energy. If your thyroid is too high then you have a high sex drive, your body temperature runs high, and you have trouble keeping weight on because your metabolism is too high.

Bottom line is, if your thyroid is low then you can only eat celery stick and work out every single day and STILL not lose weight.

The thing about the thyroid is that it is so integral to your life; it is like the part of your car’s engine that allows it to idle. When your car is idling, it is still running – but it isn’t moving. Same thing for your body. When you sit down in a chair, or sleep at night, your body is still running – even though you are being relatively still. Your body has to work like this, because it’s job is never really done. If your thyroid can’t keep up with what your body’s needs, nothing else in your body is going to work as well as it could be working.

In fact, you may not even realize that you have a thyroid deficiency. You seemingly have plenty of energy throughout the day, and you may not have any trouble getting through your daily workout, but in reality the energy that you are using in these activities is more adrenal based. Your adrenaline is what is getting you through. You won’t necessarily feel sluggish all the time, but if your thyroid is underactive you may notice that you need more coffee, sugar or cigarettes than normal.

A real clue that you may be having thyroid-related issues is that you are having issues sustaining your energy for long periods of time. Maybe you can’t work out quite as long as you used to, or maybe you can’t walk quite as far. If you sit down in a chair halfway through the day and you don’t want to get up – you probably have a thyroid deficiency.

If your PMS is more pronounced than it used to be – that can be another clue. And, if you are pregnant, or recently had a baby, it is *very* likely you have a thyroid deficiency.

Do your muscles feel week? Are you unable to workout anymore? Or are your workouts inconsistent? That’s your thyroid!

Does your head feel strangely heavy after lunch? Could you easily drop down under your desk for a nap? That’s your thyroid!

Basically, you either do, or you don’t have these symptoms. If you wake up feeling fully energized, can maintain your energy on a regular basis without any dips in your energy and are mentally alert, and you naturally adjust to your ideal weight whenever you try to eat healthy and exercise more – that’s a really good sign that your thyroid is okay. If you feel like your thyroid might be an issue, it probably is.

Just remember that the lab tests that doctors do are not always accurate. Let the symptoms be your clue.

So what do you do if you think your thyroid is low?

1. Do an at-home iodine patch test. Your thyroid stores a 3 month supply of iodine, and if you are iodine deficient that can cause your thyroid to be low. Click here for instructions: Iodine Patch Instructions

2. Avoid products with wheat. Wheat can suppress your thyroid.

3. Take my “10 Week Transformation Program”, where I teach you how to rev up your sluggish thyroid by making simple changes to what you eat, and doing inexpensive at-home testing.

Click here for more information about my “10 Week Transformation” program, or call us at 888-898-WELL with any questions.

Please pass this onto anyone who has thyroid issues! We need to get the word out that you can balance your thyroid the holistic way without medication!

Question From A Reader:

Dear Rose,

I’m tired all the time unless I drink coffee in the morning. I can’t seem to lose this 10 pounds to save my life, even though I exercise and eat pretty healthy. I think I have adrenal exhaustion or adrenal fatigue, but how can I tell?

~ Anna, from Chicago

Rose’s Answer:

Seems like everybody’s under stress nowadays. When you’re body is under too much stress it causes your adrenal glands to be exhaustion for being on overload, and it can make it literally impossible to lose weight, cause depression, and cause you to have little to no energy.

80% of all doctor visits in the US are from stress related conditions & 90% all diseases are caused or complicated by stress.

Adrenal exhaustion in the #1 cause of the problems that people come to me for, and I’m not just talking about work stress here.

Stress & Adrenal Exhaustion Causes:

- Weight gain – even on a low calorie diet
- Tired or low energy – rely on caffeine for energy
- Speeds up the aging process – Look & feel older
- Depression/Anxiety
- throws off your hormones
- suppresses your thyroid

I can’t tell you how many of my clients will tell me that they started gaining weight 6 months to a year after a traumatic or stressful event like losing a loved one, or a divorce.

How to Tell if You Have Adrenal Exhaustion:

The stress of the economy, of raising kids, of trying to lose weight, even flying across time zones is stressful to your body, and all this compiled is what is causing our bodies to be in a constant state of “fight or flight” and it’s wreaking havoc on our bodies.

Whether you’re in real danger, or you’re just worrying about something, your body reacts the same. And when your body *thinks* it is in danger, it releases cortisol which turns on the switch to store glucose as fat for reserves for what it thinks is an emergency, instead of using that glucose for energy, thus making us fat and tired.

I can’t tell you how many of my clients will tell me that they started gaining weight 6 months to a year after a traumatic or stressful event like losing a loved one, or a divorce.

Adrenal Exhaustion Signs:

1. Do you ever feel light-headed when you stand up too quickly?

2. Do you crave salt and/or salty foods?

3. Look in a mirror and stick out your tongue. Is it shaky? Can you hold it still? that’s a sure sign. Seriously – I know it sounds crazy, but it’s a tell-tale sign.

4. Are you jumpy or easily startled? If someone jumps around a corner and yells “BOO”! does it always scare you?

5. Do you have difficulty losing weight, even when you exercise and eat right?

6. Do you wake up tired, even after 6 or more hours of sleep?

7. Do you need caffeine to get going in the morning, or to get through the afternoon?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, there is a high probability that you are suffering from adrenal exhaustion (also known as adrenal fatigue).

So what can you do about it?

Healing your adrenal glands takes time, it doesn’t happen over night. When I do saliva testing in my one-on-one practice it usually takes 6 months to a year for them to improve. So this is a process, and requires that you use several different angles or approaches at the same time to help take stress off of them, and then give them what they need to repair and heal. The only thing I’ve ever seen work long-term is using the ‘holistic approach’.

These are just 4 of the many things I’ve used to repair mine…

4 Steps to rebuild your adrenals:

Step #1
One of the things you can do is to switch from table salt (sodium chloride) to Celtic Sea Salt. The reason you crave salt is that your adrenal glands have depleted your minerals, and you need minerals to repair the adrenal cortex. Celtic Sea Salt contains over 80 minerals that your body *needs* desperately. You can use it on your food, or add it to water to make mineral water. Us it liberally, you can’t use too much of this stuff. This is THE best place to get it: http://www.tryvrp.com/

Step #2
Next, try Alternate Nostril Breathing. It may sound silly, but it literally sends a message that calms your body and mind – making you feel safe. It balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and flips the switch in your mind that you switched on when you started worrying about whatever you were worrying about. You can check out my video about it here to see how.

Step #3
Another thing to do is to load up on B vitamins. To rebuild your adrenal cortex, B vitamins are absolutely essential. My favorite is Bio-B100 from Biotics Research. They’re a fantastic company, but you have to set up an account to place an order over the phone. Call this number (800) 231-5777 and give them this number: 05TD9354. This will allow you set up an account of your own to place the order.

Step #4
Finally, my “10 Week Transformation Program” is perfect for getting your body back into balance. This program address adrenal exhaustion, and helps to increase your energy and lose fat by getting to the root cause of your weight gain. The “10 Week Transformation” Program addresses adrenal exhaustion, hormonal imbalances, thyroid issues and cleansing your body of toxins. Call 888-898-WELL for more info, or this link for all the details: http://www.rosecole.com/programs/transformation

Please forward this to anyone you know who may be suffering with these ailments or who could benefit from this information.

What a load of crap. Is anyone ever too old to do something good for their body? One of the gals on my team just lost her great-grandmother who was 92 years old. This fabulous lady would set up a little screen around her and lay out completely NUDE to get some extra Vitamin D from the sun. Isn’t that awesome? So, when people come to me who are in their 40s and 50s thinking they are too old to do something good for themselves, I make sure they understand it is NEVER too late.

Check out this blog from one of my clients: http://fiftylosingfifty.com/

Chuck is 50, and his goal after we started working together in my “10 Week Transformation” Program was to lose 50 pounds. He’s done an amazing job of losing the weight, and chronicling it so we can all follow along. I absolutely love to see this kind of success out of my clients.  I think he’s lost about 40 pounds so far!

Go see how Chuck is doing, and let it inspire you to get your body to its most healthy state – no matter how old you think you are…

Honestly, it isn’t that hard. I just prepare ahead of time. It makes my trip a lot easier, and helps me enjoy myself more. But, what do I prepare?

First, I get my vitamins ready. I take 21 of my vitamin bags (that’s enough for 7 days at 3 per day). If you haven’t seen my system for making single dose vitamin bags, check out the free video here.

I eat five meals a day, and because I’m on vacation I like to have the local cuisine – but I only eat out for 1-2 of those meals, and I still make healthy choices.

Next, I do the same kind of thing as my vitamin bags, but for the shakes I drink for both breakfasts and snacks. I just use the Snack Size Ziploc bags, add I make up enough so that I have enough for the whole week. I just pop the dry mix into a water bottle or cup and I’m good to go. It really helps me stay on track.

And finally, I always pack a bag of raw almonds. Every night I take a cup of almonds and cover them with water. Soaked almonds are hands down my favorite snacks, they’re absolutely are delicious, and they give you so much energy for your trip! Check out this free video for soaked almonds.

If you aren’t a fan of almonds, there are a million other healthy snacks out there – you can find a huge selection at www.TrySunFoods.com

Taking these steps before I even leave really makes a HUGE difference in helping me maintain a healthy lifestyle. I recently went to Italy with a few girlfriends, and two of them gained over 8 pounds and needed a vacation from their vacation when they got home because they were so tired. Because I prepared ahead of time, I didn’t gain a single pound! And I still had energy to spare.