Linda Wood Hoyte is by far not your typical 72 year old. First of all she doesn't look it...at all.
Recently, on the Steve Harvey talk show she stated, "I can still wear a bikini at 71, but my grandson won't let me. I get different looks from older men and younger men who think I'm a cougar, but I'm not. I even get looks from young women in the summer time when I wear short shorts and a tank top."
What grandmother aged 60 and above do you know can wear short shorts and a tank top but still look good? I'll wait...
Now at age 72, the Capricorn grandmother is a National and International Bodybuilding champion with 27 years of body building experience. In fact, her bodybuilding career has run concurrently with her 40-year professional management career in corporate America which spanned working for five Fortune 500 companies. She is also a certified personal trainer with demonstrated success delivering nutritional seminars and exhibiting training techniques at sports conventions and shows.
As we all know, food can make or break how you look, feel and behave. So instead of letting food control you, Linda controls food. Here are 3 food triggers and alternatives that Linda uses to keep that lean, mean body of hers going.
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"Recognize your triggers," explain Linda. "For me, it's always been ice cream. I would buy a carton of fudge vanilla swirl, for example, planning to limit myself to just a half cup for dessert. I'd dig into the creamy mixture, have 'just a taste' ‐‐ and all my plans went into the trash. Along with the empty half‐gallon carton of ice cream. Inevitably, I felt sick the next day and mad at myself for giving in. I'd try setting up rules ('I'll only eat ice cream on weekends,' or 'I'll only eat vanilla ice cream ‐‐ that's safe and boring'), but those rules were a game of deception that resulted only in weight gained."
"After you recognize your trigger foods, discover safe healthy foods substitutes. And for help with this critical third step, check out my list below!"
Trigger Food #1: Ice Cream
Is ice cream one of your trigger foods? Do your crave a creamy, rich cold taste of vanilla, maybe it's chocolate or even strawberry or cookies and cream? Either way, it's a gateway food to more calories and fat.
Healthy Substitutes:
Instead, call around to local frozen yogurt shops until you find one that serves sugar-free, low-calorie frozen yogurt. Check to make sure that it's really low-calorie (for example, one of the yogurt cafes in my hometown has frozen yogurt that is 10 calories per ounce). Rather than take it home, order a small serving at the cafe, and enjoy it there.
Also, buy pre-portioned, sugar-free frozen treats, such as sugar-free Fudgsicles. Just 40 calories each, with calcium, protein and no sugar, these individually-wrapped chocolate fudge frozen treats are one of my favorite healthy foods for after-dinner desserts.
Trigger Food #2: Baked Potatoes
I used to consider myself virtuous for ordering a baked potato instead of French fries at a restaurant. Of course, I always opted for the variety stuffed with melted cheese and butter and topped with sour cream. And I couldn't understand why I didn't lose weight. But here's the answer: Those enormous potatoes served in restaurants actually are the equivalent of two to four servings. Add in those high‐calorie, high‐fat extras like......cheese, butter and sour cream, and you're looking at a so‐called side course that can have more calories and fat than you've budgeted for your entire dinner!
Healthy Substitutes:
Steamed vegetables. Skip the butter and cheese topping and sprinkle on some herbs. -- A baked potato or yam that you share with a friend -- and substitute plain yogurt for
that fattening topping.
Trigger Food #3: Pizza
"I'm just going to have one sclice," you promise yourself. Then the delivery person arrives at your front door. You open up the box and that fragrance wafts through the room. One piece leads to another... and then of course there's the garlic bread on the side. Before you know it, your diet is out the door along with the empty pizza box container.
Healthy Substitute:
-- A whole-grain English muffin half. Top with fat-free or low-fat mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce mixed with herbs, and put under the broiler until the cheese melts.
Currently Linda serves as a National (NPC), Professional (IFBB) and International judge. In addition, she's been a US delegate and judge to the World Universe Championships and been acknowledged for my longevity and dedication to the sport of bodybuilding.
Who knows? At the age of 90, Linda will probably still teaching and training us "yougins'" how to do it right.
For more on Linda, check out her website here.