The Team

As a health and fitness editor and writer, nearly every day I come in contact with a fitness, weight loss, or nutrition expert. Many have impressed me with their tips. Many have not. It’s my job as an editor and writer to figure out who has the most sound, factual, safe, and reliable advice.

In terms of the Beyond the Number Project, it is also important for me to surround myself with a strong team to keep me on track with my weight loss goals. It is equally important for me share tips and strategies I have learned from this impressive group of health experts. (And maybe in exchange for this free advice, you can participate in the Beyond the Number Project’s charity program.)

So, without further ado, here is my team, listed in no particular order.

Nutrition Advice – Dietician Dawn Jackson Blatner along with her The Flexitarian Diet book and her 7-Day Jumpstart Diet. You can contact Dawn for information on ordering her book and her 7-day plan, which includes a shopping list, at info@dawnjacksonblatner.com. Dawn has a wealth of information on nutrition and weight loss, and is probably one of the most trusted and talented dieticians I have come across. Her advice is science-based and good for your health!

Nutrition Advice – I have long been a fan of Hope Egan’s bible-based nutrition research, including her Holy Cow! book and What the Bible Says About Healthy Living Cookbook. Her recipes are yummy, healthy, and God-based. What more could you ask for?

Fitness and Anti-Aging Advice – FitCamp creator Greta Blackburn has taught me so much about exercise, self esteem, and anti-aging. Greta recently co-authored a book called the Immortality Edge. Check it out and learn how to live longer and have the body of a 20-something at any age – Greta sure does!

Fitness, Business, and Life Advice – Wellness and fitness expert Shannon M. O’Regan has given me sound advice for my business, my life, and my health. I met Shannon through the Step Up Women’s Network’s Mentor Program – she was my mentor during the summer of 2010. Shannon also holds periodic wellness and nutrition talks.

Weight Loss and Health Advice – Dr. Michael Reilly was referred to me by a colleague who had gone to Dr. Reilly for weight loss. He has proven to be one of the best doctors I have visited. He did a thorough blood work and also helped me set up a plan to lose weight, lower my body fat percentage, and get my cholesterol numbers in check. His medical knowledge of the liver, pancreas, thyroid, etc., and how being overweight affects these vital organs and how to get them working properly again, is invaluable.

Weight Loss Advice – Ravenswood Health Center’s 8 Weeks to Wellness Program has taught me many things about weight loss, including how chiropractic care is essential for weight loss because it keeps your nervous system pathways in order so your thyroid can properly help you lose weight, as well as not eating carbs after 2 p.m. and doing interval training to burn fat. The 8 Weeks to Wellness Program is led by Dr. Jason Fennema DC who is a caring and patient-focused chiropractor and has helped many people lose weight successfully.

Fitness Advice – Phil Campbell’s Sprint 8 Workout is hands down the best fat-zapping workout I have done. The workout helps you release natural hormones in your body that literally, as Phil says, zap your fat. And it only takes 20 minutes to do!

Weight Loss – I recently partnered with Rain Nutrition, an organic, seed-based company that makes an extradinary appetite suppressant product called VAPOR that is made with chia seeds. As Rain Nutrition explains: “VAPOR’s powerful combination of antioxidants, WellTrim®, Salba (chia seed) Green Tea Extract, Avocado Extract, and Cha De Bugre give you natural, stimulant-free, appetite control, improved digestion, and power over craving things that you do not need.”

Fitness – Functional training is the “it workout” when it comes to weight loss. Weekly I do Equinox’s new ViPR workout, which stands for Vitality, Performance and Reconditioning. This workout has proven to be a major calorie and fat burner. The workout is based on interval and functional training – spiking your heart rate. Its trainers say it can be used as a whole body workout and is more effective than traditional weight training. Even Glee stars are doing it! Read Shape Magazine review of ViPR, which they describe as “…a total-body workout that involves lunging, squatting, and lifting in 45-second intervals for half an hour—all while holding a weighted rubber tube.”