The golden keys of weight loss are not some buried treasure found by Indian Jones. In fact, you probably already know what they are. So why are so many people still struggling to lose weight? The message is lost in translation. I heard a commercial today that said this particular produce would work wonders for you in your quest to lose weight IF you followed a diet and exercise program. Newsflash, if a produce claims that it will make fat vanish from your body only if it’s combined with diet and exercise, it was the diet and exercise that made that fat vanish not the magic pill. Guaranteed! That said, there’s still a lot of haze around what consists of diet and exercise. Read my last post on the 80/20 Lifestyle to clear up the diet portion. Here, I’m going to talk about the golden key of weight loss #2 which is the cardio portion of exercise.
The days are over that you have to be stuck on the treadmill for hours on end to reach your goals. More and more studies are coming out with compelling evidence that short, intense burst of energy followed by short periods of recovery are far more effective and take a fraction of the time that tradition cardio sessions took. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is by far the best way to spend your time in the gym. It consist of 20 to 30 minutes of cardio broken up with intense periods of work and recovery. Here’s an example of a routine that a beginner can do on a treadmill or any other type of cardio equipment or even outside:
Warm Up: 5 min
Fast Walk: 30 seconds
Slow Walk: 1 minute
Repeat the fast walk/slow walk pattern 14 times for a total of 21 minutes
Cool down: 5 minutes
This will take 31 minutes to complete and is far more effective and not as boring as 2 hours at the same speed. Integrate HIIT into your week by performing the routine described above at least twice if not three times a week. Combine this with the 80/20 lifestyle and a strength training program and lose those pounds now and forever. If you’ve ever wondered why you’re having trouble loosing the unwanted pounds then follow my advise and the advise of thousands of other fitness and weight loss professionals. We have given you the golden keys of success, now it’s up to you.
Stay tuned for details on the Golden Key of Weight Loss #3 where I’ll discuss what exactly a strength training program should look like and how you can keep the pounds coming off all the way through the holidays.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
What Are You Waiting For?
The holidays are quickly approaching and we all know what that means. Too much food generally. Oh, the families in town or oh, the company party is coming up or oh, but it’s the holidays. Be honest, have you ever justified eating too much of what you know you should be eating with any of those phrases? I know, so have I. But, lucky for you and me there’s a better way a light at the end of the tunnel. The best thing you could do for yourself is to start that new year’s resolution NOW. What are you waiting for? You know that the longer you wait, the more excuses you come up with, the longer it will take to get those extra pounds off as it stands right now. And you may be contemplating waiting until after the holidays and all those extra calories are consumed. That may not be the best idea. Let’s talk numbers. Weight loss on average is 1 to 2 pounds a week. How many pounds would you like to lose? That’s about how many weeks you can average it’s going to take to get to that goal. Granted, some may lose more than 1 to 2 pounds a week and great but some may lose less. That’s just the reality. It’s not impossible to reach your goal, it a journey. Now that the numbers are out of the way just think how many weeks you may have to add if you chose to get started on your fitness goal until after the new year. Bottom line, what are you waiting for!?
The holidays are stressful as it is, help yourself get through them with beginning a workout routine now. It’s been proven time and time again that exercise reduces stress and release the feel good hormones called endorphins. That’s quite a bargain for your buck, if you put in the time and energy you’ll get out of it less stress, less weight, and a natural high not to mention improved self-esteem and looser clothes. Still not convinced, still trying to come up with excuses. Ok, if you’d like to lose weight and you’re not happy with where you are it’s obvious you’ve got to change something. Why? Because what you have been doing isn’t working. Agreed. I’m not trying to make anyone feel bad I’m trying to say what everyone knows is true but doesn’t want to say for fear of hurting someone elses feelings. The time is now to change what you don’t like about your life. Why wait until 2010 as if that’s all it’s going to take to get you to the gym and eat healthier. I don’t think so.
Ok, so now what? You’re ready to go, you realize there’s no sense in waiting, there’s no magic moment that going to happen as soon as 2010 is here. You realize that if you continue like you’re going and go through another holiday season like you’ve gone through every other holiday season, that getting the weight off will be that much more difficult. Ok, so now what? I’m going to give you the secrets of weight loss. I know it sounds like a gimmick but I guarantee you it’s not.
There are three things that have to match up in order for weight loss to happen now and forever.
#1 A Clean Diet: eat as close to the natural food source as possible. Read my last blog entitled “The 80/20 Lifestyle” for all the details on how to eat clean.
#2 Get on a cardio program at least twice if not three times a week. I recommend interval training, it’s much more effective and you don’t have to send two hours on the treadmill. Interval training is a 25 to 30 min block of cardio divided into walks and sprints. The speed and length of each interval depends on your fitness level. When just starting out warm up for 5 minutes walking, first sprint (or jog) for 30 seconds then walk for 2 minutes. Repeat that sprint/walk interval 10 times for a total of 25 minutes. lastly, cool down with a 5 minute walk.
#3 Begin a strength train program. Hire a personal trainer to show you what do, to keep you motivated, to keep your body challenged and guessing, and to teach you how to formulate your own program. I suggest to hire a personal trainer for at least six months. Reason being, the first three months are the most difficult in terms of forming a new habit of working out and getting your body acclimated to the new stresses that exercise puts on your body. Another REALLY IMPORTANT reason to hire a trainer for at least the first six months is because most people tend to stop their fitness programs and loss heart after the first three months of starting and routine. You’ve probable done this before, you’re full throttle, you’re working out all the time, you’re eating really well, you’re thinking you’re doing really well and can’t wait to see the scale move just like it does on the Biggest Loser. Then you weigh yourself and don’t see nearly the results you were expecting. You get discouraged and quite. Has that ever happened to you or anyone you know. Yes? I know, it happens all the time. But, if you hire a personal trainer for at least the first six months then you’ll get through those tricky first three months and have some real hope of seeing real results. Also, if the trainer is worth anything at all, they’ll give you all the tools you need to make healthy food choices and what it means to eat clean and why eating clean is some important along with a cardio program.
Ok that’s it, the three golden keys to weight loss, a clean diet, cardio, and strength training. If one of those three things are missing you won’t get the long-lasting results that you crave. You may get results, but chances are they won’t last. I’m not being negative, I’m being realistic. I love what I do and it would be a waste of time and energy to give you information just so you could buy into the latest gimmick and never reach your full potential. I want you to be armed with as much information as possible so that this time you truly are successful and this time won’t be like those other times. This holiday season won’t be like the ones before because you’ve decided to make a change, that you’re fed up with trying things that don’t work, that you have the power and capability to change your life today for the better. You have it on the inside of you to make for forever changes not temporary ones. Today is your day. What are you waiting for? There’s no sense in waiting, you’ve been waiting and putting off long enough. You can do this! YOU and do this!
Stay tuned for more on keys 2 and 3 in future blogs. If you’re in the Asheville area and would like to set up a free consultation with me to begin your success story call 828-712-1929 today.
The holidays are stressful as it is, help yourself get through them with beginning a workout routine now. It’s been proven time and time again that exercise reduces stress and release the feel good hormones called endorphins. That’s quite a bargain for your buck, if you put in the time and energy you’ll get out of it less stress, less weight, and a natural high not to mention improved self-esteem and looser clothes. Still not convinced, still trying to come up with excuses. Ok, if you’d like to lose weight and you’re not happy with where you are it’s obvious you’ve got to change something. Why? Because what you have been doing isn’t working. Agreed. I’m not trying to make anyone feel bad I’m trying to say what everyone knows is true but doesn’t want to say for fear of hurting someone elses feelings. The time is now to change what you don’t like about your life. Why wait until 2010 as if that’s all it’s going to take to get you to the gym and eat healthier. I don’t think so.
Ok, so now what? You’re ready to go, you realize there’s no sense in waiting, there’s no magic moment that going to happen as soon as 2010 is here. You realize that if you continue like you’re going and go through another holiday season like you’ve gone through every other holiday season, that getting the weight off will be that much more difficult. Ok, so now what? I’m going to give you the secrets of weight loss. I know it sounds like a gimmick but I guarantee you it’s not.
There are three things that have to match up in order for weight loss to happen now and forever.
#1 A Clean Diet: eat as close to the natural food source as possible. Read my last blog entitled “The 80/20 Lifestyle” for all the details on how to eat clean.
#2 Get on a cardio program at least twice if not three times a week. I recommend interval training, it’s much more effective and you don’t have to send two hours on the treadmill. Interval training is a 25 to 30 min block of cardio divided into walks and sprints. The speed and length of each interval depends on your fitness level. When just starting out warm up for 5 minutes walking, first sprint (or jog) for 30 seconds then walk for 2 minutes. Repeat that sprint/walk interval 10 times for a total of 25 minutes. lastly, cool down with a 5 minute walk.
#3 Begin a strength train program. Hire a personal trainer to show you what do, to keep you motivated, to keep your body challenged and guessing, and to teach you how to formulate your own program. I suggest to hire a personal trainer for at least six months. Reason being, the first three months are the most difficult in terms of forming a new habit of working out and getting your body acclimated to the new stresses that exercise puts on your body. Another REALLY IMPORTANT reason to hire a trainer for at least the first six months is because most people tend to stop their fitness programs and loss heart after the first three months of starting and routine. You’ve probable done this before, you’re full throttle, you’re working out all the time, you’re eating really well, you’re thinking you’re doing really well and can’t wait to see the scale move just like it does on the Biggest Loser. Then you weigh yourself and don’t see nearly the results you were expecting. You get discouraged and quite. Has that ever happened to you or anyone you know. Yes? I know, it happens all the time. But, if you hire a personal trainer for at least the first six months then you’ll get through those tricky first three months and have some real hope of seeing real results. Also, if the trainer is worth anything at all, they’ll give you all the tools you need to make healthy food choices and what it means to eat clean and why eating clean is some important along with a cardio program.
Ok that’s it, the three golden keys to weight loss, a clean diet, cardio, and strength training. If one of those three things are missing you won’t get the long-lasting results that you crave. You may get results, but chances are they won’t last. I’m not being negative, I’m being realistic. I love what I do and it would be a waste of time and energy to give you information just so you could buy into the latest gimmick and never reach your full potential. I want you to be armed with as much information as possible so that this time you truly are successful and this time won’t be like those other times. This holiday season won’t be like the ones before because you’ve decided to make a change, that you’re fed up with trying things that don’t work, that you have the power and capability to change your life today for the better. You have it on the inside of you to make for forever changes not temporary ones. Today is your day. What are you waiting for? There’s no sense in waiting, you’ve been waiting and putting off long enough. You can do this! YOU and do this!
Stay tuned for more on keys 2 and 3 in future blogs. If you’re in the Asheville area and would like to set up a free consultation with me to begin your success story call 828-712-1929 today.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The 80/20 Lifestyle
Knowing what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat can be really confusing when you’re just starting out. A healthy lifestyle may be something completely new to you and you’re not sure where to begin. There are so many different and often times conflicting ideas out there it’s sometimes hard to see the true for all the lies. I know, I’ve been there myself. When I first began to embrace the fact that what I was doing was not getting me the results I was looking for I did all the research you’re probably doing now. What I found was a lot of good information but what I also found was that if I messed up I was doomed. “What it takes to burn off a cupcake” have you seen these articles. Needless to say, there’s plenty of truth to these articles but my goodness they also make you terrified of the cupcake. So here’s the bottom line; it’s a lifestyle not a prison. Eating healthy does not mean eating twigs and berries for the rest of your life, or at all for that matter. If you strive to eat really, really well 80% of the time then that allows you some flexibility 20% of the time. Even if you’re looking to lose weight this percentage of perfection will work just fine for you. Think about it, what’s your percentage of perfection now? Based on the fact that we have an ever-growing obesity problem in this country it’s safe to say that the average American’s percentage of perfection is probably the complete opposite of where is should be meaning they eat well 20% of the time and not so well 80% of the time.
Don’t look at a healthy way of eating as though it’s the most confusing math problem in the world. I’m going to lay it out for you very simply. I tell all my clients this and it really couldn’t be any simpler. Are you ready? Get a pen and paper ready for this one….. Eat as close to the natural source as possible. Ta da! Yes, that’s it. That’s really and truly all there is it. Eat as close to the natural source as possible. So, what does that include? You got it; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and dairy. Try this little trick the next time you’re at the grocery store, use up the majority of your budget on the foods that are located around the outside of the store and the rest of your budget on the inside isles. What’s around the perimeter of the grocery store? Fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy. Sometimes the whole grains will be there too but usually they’re down the isles. Whole grains come in the form of pasta, cereal, oatmeal, and breads just to name a few. I don’t buy sweets or anything that I shouldn’t eat, I just don’t bring it into the house. Why make a trap for yourself? It doesn’t make much sense for an alcoholic to have alcohol in the house does it? Same thing goes for unhealthy foods for you right now, maybe a year or two down the road you can have those types of things in the house as a reward for yourself or treats for someone else but right now is not the time to have those cake, ice cream, chips, heavy creamy things in the house. Trust me on this one. If it’s there then the chances of you eating it, skyrocket. And don’t get down on yourself just because you may have a hard time controlling yourself with unhealthily foods that are in the house, that you’re doomed and you’ll never break this negative relationship with food. It’s our human nature it’s not just you. I ask you to trust me on this one because I’ve been in the same boat as you may be in now just like the vast majority of people in this country are in. Bottom line, don’t bring it in the house!! I can’t stress that enough.
So let’s talk some about the 20%. It may be a meal a week and two snacks that you’re not perfect about. Considering you should be eating 5-6 meals a day that should be enough wiggle room where you won’t think you’re in a prison when it comes to what you can and can not eat. Also, like I went over in my last blog entry, food should be thought of as an energy source not a source of entertainment. It’s simply there to give you energy and supply your body with the nutrients it needs. Work really hard at breaking the food fun relationship and reestablishing it as a working relationship instead.
Okay, now that you know how to shop and what you’re looking for just remember the ratio and you’ll be on your way to a healthier, skinner you; 80/20. Don’t feel like you’re in a prison when it come to eating healthy, instead be as good as you can most of the time and if you mess up or what to indulge every now and then, then go for it. A healthy lifestyle is about moderation. Stick with the 80/20, it will be good to you.
If you’re in the Asheville area and would like some more information or a free consultation with a personal trainer call 828-712-1929.
Knowing what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat can be really confusing when you’re just starting out. A healthy lifestyle may be something completely new to you and you’re not sure where to begin. There are so many different and often times conflicting ideas out there it’s sometimes hard to see the true for all the lies. I know, I’ve been there myself. When I first began to embrace the fact that what I was doing was not getting me the results I was looking for I did all the research you’re probably doing now. What I found was a lot of good information but what I also found was that if I messed up I was doomed. “What it takes to burn off a cupcake” have you seen these articles. Needless to say, there’s plenty of truth to these articles but my goodness they also make you terrified of the cupcake. So here’s the bottom line; it’s a lifestyle not a prison. Eating healthy does not mean eating twigs and berries for the rest of your life, or at all for that matter. If you strive to eat really, really well 80% of the time then that allows you some flexibility 20% of the time. Even if you’re looking to lose weight this percentage of perfection will work just fine for you. Think about it, what’s your percentage of perfection now? Based on the fact that we have an ever-growing obesity problem in this country it’s safe to say that the average American’s percentage of perfection is probably the complete opposite of where is should be meaning they eat well 20% of the time and not so well 80% of the time.
Don’t look at a healthy way of eating as though it’s the most confusing math problem in the world. I’m going to lay it out for you very simply. I tell all my clients this and it really couldn’t be any simpler. Are you ready? Get a pen and paper ready for this one….. Eat as close to the natural source as possible. Ta da! Yes, that’s it. That’s really and truly all there is it. Eat as close to the natural source as possible. So, what does that include? You got it; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and dairy. Try this little trick the next time you’re at the grocery store, use up the majority of your budget on the foods that are located around the outside of the store and the rest of your budget on the inside isles. What’s around the perimeter of the grocery store? Fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy. Sometimes the whole grains will be there too but usually they’re down the isles. Whole grains come in the form of pasta, cereal, oatmeal, and breads just to name a few. I don’t buy sweets or anything that I shouldn’t eat, I just don’t bring it into the house. Why make a trap for yourself? It doesn’t make much sense for an alcoholic to have alcohol in the house does it? Same thing goes for unhealthy foods for you right now, maybe a year or two down the road you can have those types of things in the house as a reward for yourself or treats for someone else but right now is not the time to have those cake, ice cream, chips, heavy creamy things in the house. Trust me on this one. If it’s there then the chances of you eating it, skyrocket. And don’t get down on yourself just because you may have a hard time controlling yourself with unhealthily foods that are in the house, that you’re doomed and you’ll never break this negative relationship with food. It’s our human nature it’s not just you. I ask you to trust me on this one because I’ve been in the same boat as you may be in now just like the vast majority of people in this country are in. Bottom line, don’t bring it in the house!! I can’t stress that enough.
So let’s talk some about the 20%. It may be a meal a week and two snacks that you’re not perfect about. Considering you should be eating 5-6 meals a day that should be enough wiggle room where you won’t think you’re in a prison when it comes to what you can and can not eat. Also, like I went over in my last blog entry, food should be thought of as an energy source not a source of entertainment. It’s simply there to give you energy and supply your body with the nutrients it needs. Work really hard at breaking the food fun relationship and reestablishing it as a working relationship instead.
Okay, now that you know how to shop and what you’re looking for just remember the ratio and you’ll be on your way to a healthier, skinner you; 80/20. Don’t feel like you’re in a prison when it come to eating healthy, instead be as good as you can most of the time and if you mess up or what to indulge every now and then, then go for it. A healthy lifestyle is about moderation. Stick with the 80/20, it will be good to you.
If you’re in the Asheville area and would like some more information or a free consultation with a personal trainer call 828-712-1929.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Women, Weights, and Weight Loss
Women and Weights go very well together. The body enjoys a good challenge and weights provide just that. Cardio alone won't get you the results you're looking for. Even if you're a runner or a bicyclist you too can greatly benefit from pumping the iron on a regular basis.
I know, if you're a woman then you probably don't want to get big and bulky and have huge muscles like you've seen on TV where the women resemble men more than they do women. You're afraid that if you start to weight train you'll look just like them in no time and that's not at all what you're looking for. Well rest assured, you're physiological makeup won't get you anywhere near that unless you plan on spending six hours a day in the gym six days a week while maintaining an impeccable diet 98.2% of the time. That's what those extremely dedicated, disciplined, and self-motivating women do every single day, it's their career. If that's not your career then you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Trust me. If you still don't believe me go ahead and try to look like they do, I dare you. Just try.
See, I can make you that kind of challenge because of one simple little hormone know as testosterone. Testosterone aids in muscle growth and men have much much more testosterone than women do. That's why men naturally have more muscle than women do. Now, because 1 pound of muscle burns 50 calories, that's also why men tend to lose weight faster than women do; they naturally have more testosterone thus more muscle. It would take a woman six hours a day in the gym six days a week and a perfect diet to see muscle gains of a man and yet still be miles behind. Women are not genetically built to naturally have huge muscles.
Now that we got that out of the way, let's talk about weight training. Like it or not but as we age we lose a lot of things, our eyesight, our hearing, our "perkiness" if you know what I mean, our bone density, and yes our muscle. The lose of bone and muscle strength is the reason for so many broken bones from simple falls in the elderly. That's why it's so important to begin a strength training program today regardless of your age to help prevent major injuries down the road. Not only that but like I mentioned before, 1 pound of muscle burns 50 calories, At Rest. That means that while you're sitting there reading this your muscles could be working for you while you do nothing. If you're looking to lose weight then add muscle to your body and add it everywhere. Strength train your major muscle groups first; legs, chest, and back. These are the groups where the majority of you muscle is so mainly concentrate on building those up. You don't want to avoid the smaller muscle groups such as triceps, calves, and biceps, just have your priorities straight.
Moral of the story, build muscle to burn calories. Not only will the workout itself burn calories but the muscle you're building while working out will be burning calories without you having to lift a finger. You just can't get those results from the treadmill. Go ahead and start today, lift those dumbbells. Hire a personal trainer to teach you proper form. Even if you think you already have great form the little amount of money will be very well spent in ensuring you have proper form and you'll also learn a thing or fourteen about how to keep it challenging to get the most out of your gym time.
I know, if you're a woman then you probably don't want to get big and bulky and have huge muscles like you've seen on TV where the women resemble men more than they do women. You're afraid that if you start to weight train you'll look just like them in no time and that's not at all what you're looking for. Well rest assured, you're physiological makeup won't get you anywhere near that unless you plan on spending six hours a day in the gym six days a week while maintaining an impeccable diet 98.2% of the time. That's what those extremely dedicated, disciplined, and self-motivating women do every single day, it's their career. If that's not your career then you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Trust me. If you still don't believe me go ahead and try to look like they do, I dare you. Just try.
See, I can make you that kind of challenge because of one simple little hormone know as testosterone. Testosterone aids in muscle growth and men have much much more testosterone than women do. That's why men naturally have more muscle than women do. Now, because 1 pound of muscle burns 50 calories, that's also why men tend to lose weight faster than women do; they naturally have more testosterone thus more muscle. It would take a woman six hours a day in the gym six days a week and a perfect diet to see muscle gains of a man and yet still be miles behind. Women are not genetically built to naturally have huge muscles.
Now that we got that out of the way, let's talk about weight training. Like it or not but as we age we lose a lot of things, our eyesight, our hearing, our "perkiness" if you know what I mean, our bone density, and yes our muscle. The lose of bone and muscle strength is the reason for so many broken bones from simple falls in the elderly. That's why it's so important to begin a strength training program today regardless of your age to help prevent major injuries down the road. Not only that but like I mentioned before, 1 pound of muscle burns 50 calories, At Rest. That means that while you're sitting there reading this your muscles could be working for you while you do nothing. If you're looking to lose weight then add muscle to your body and add it everywhere. Strength train your major muscle groups first; legs, chest, and back. These are the groups where the majority of you muscle is so mainly concentrate on building those up. You don't want to avoid the smaller muscle groups such as triceps, calves, and biceps, just have your priorities straight.
Moral of the story, build muscle to burn calories. Not only will the workout itself burn calories but the muscle you're building while working out will be burning calories without you having to lift a finger. You just can't get those results from the treadmill. Go ahead and start today, lift those dumbbells. Hire a personal trainer to teach you proper form. Even if you think you already have great form the little amount of money will be very well spent in ensuring you have proper form and you'll also learn a thing or fourteen about how to keep it challenging to get the most out of your gym time.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Eating Is Not A Four Letter Word!
Eat! It's Good For You!
There seems to be a misconception that you should boycott eating if you want to loose weight. And if you have to eat make sure it has no taste, you're still hungry afterwards, and your energy level doesn't increase too much. That's the perfect diet! But, if that still doesn't work, couple it with a pill that promises to magically make fat vanish without a trace and has high reviews from it maker yet no scientific proof. Now that's the perfect diet! Right?
Believe it or not this is all a myth. The diet pills and strange diets do not work. I'll say it again, They Don't Work! Time and time again it's been proven that they don't work, that's scientific proof you can trust. The tried and true healthy lifestyle of a clean diet and exercise on most days of the week is the only true way to loose weight and keep it off. Period.
I know it's hard work to loose weight especially when having to combat years of bad information and a household that doesn't go along with the new found knowledge easily; children and spouses can make the transition even more difficult. Despite all the hardships at the beginning and journey gets easier and the results are always worth it.
Don't be afraid of eating! Food is necessary for your body to run as effectively as it can to burn calories at a maximum level. The lack of food sends the body into starvation mode and it holds onto every calorie it can storing those calories as fat. The body is preparing to sustain itself without food for a long period of time and therefore keeps the calories in reserve to use as energy later on. It's waiting for it's next energy (food) supply to be given. The next time it is given food those calories are burnt up slowly because the metabolism has slowed down and it still hasn't burnt any additional calories from the meal before, resulting in weight gain and a lack of energy. If the cycle continues so will the weight gain and the lack of energy.
The moral of the story is to eat. Food is a source of energy for the body that it uses to burn calories and boost the metabolism. A boosted metabolism causes the body to run at it highest level of proficiency. Food is what helps maintains your metabolism's level. As defined by the American Heritage Science Dictionary, basal metabolism rate is the rate at which energy is used by an organism at complete rest. The slower that rate is the slower it's going to burn calories, or use energy, and the faster that rate is the faster it's going to burn calories.
So, how do you manage your metabolism so it works to your benefit? Give your body clean, whole foods as close to the natural source as possible. Eat a healthy breakfast, mid morning snack, and healthy lunch, an afternoon snack or two, a healthy dinner, and an evening snack if necessary. Eat all day, never get hungry, and be prepared with a snack in case you do begin to feel hungry. Don't be fooled though, thirst can feel just like hunger pains so drink a glass of water before having a snack and if you're still hungry then eat something. Notice all those meals but also notice that they are not huge portioned meals, not fast food meals, and not sugary snacks. They are natural, whole food, healthy meals and snacks, the types of food the body works best with.
Breakfast if vital! I can't stress this enough. Without breakfast the body is in starvation mode from the time you have dinner the night before until you eat lunch the next day. Now we know what happens when the body goes into starvation mode so keep it out of that mode with breakfast.
Whole grain cereal, a natural granola bar, fruit and yogurt and a piece of toast with jam on it are all great breakfast choices.
A handful of almonds, a piece of fruit, a natural granola bar, or toast with natural peanut butter are great snack choices.
Chicken with veggies, a chicken salad with dressing on the side, or a sandwich (on whole grain bread, lean meat and cheese, minimum light mayonnaise, and veggies) are great lunch ideas.
Fish with veggies, a lean cut of steak and veggies, baked or grilled chicken and a sweet potato are great dinner ideas.
So go out into the world and don't be afraid to eat, instead think of food as an energy source that will help your body work as efficiently as it can. Keep that metabolism revved up and working to your benefit, not against you. Take control of your diet and don't give up. Keep trying and work really hard at clearing your mind of negative thinking about yourself and about food. You can do this!! Believe in yourself!
Stay tuned to my blog for more helpful tips and information about diet and exercise to arm yourself with all the best tools to set yourself up for success.
There seems to be a misconception that you should boycott eating if you want to loose weight. And if you have to eat make sure it has no taste, you're still hungry afterwards, and your energy level doesn't increase too much. That's the perfect diet! But, if that still doesn't work, couple it with a pill that promises to magically make fat vanish without a trace and has high reviews from it maker yet no scientific proof. Now that's the perfect diet! Right?
Believe it or not this is all a myth. The diet pills and strange diets do not work. I'll say it again, They Don't Work! Time and time again it's been proven that they don't work, that's scientific proof you can trust. The tried and true healthy lifestyle of a clean diet and exercise on most days of the week is the only true way to loose weight and keep it off. Period.
I know it's hard work to loose weight especially when having to combat years of bad information and a household that doesn't go along with the new found knowledge easily; children and spouses can make the transition even more difficult. Despite all the hardships at the beginning and journey gets easier and the results are always worth it.
Don't be afraid of eating! Food is necessary for your body to run as effectively as it can to burn calories at a maximum level. The lack of food sends the body into starvation mode and it holds onto every calorie it can storing those calories as fat. The body is preparing to sustain itself without food for a long period of time and therefore keeps the calories in reserve to use as energy later on. It's waiting for it's next energy (food) supply to be given. The next time it is given food those calories are burnt up slowly because the metabolism has slowed down and it still hasn't burnt any additional calories from the meal before, resulting in weight gain and a lack of energy. If the cycle continues so will the weight gain and the lack of energy.
The moral of the story is to eat. Food is a source of energy for the body that it uses to burn calories and boost the metabolism. A boosted metabolism causes the body to run at it highest level of proficiency. Food is what helps maintains your metabolism's level. As defined by the American Heritage Science Dictionary, basal metabolism rate is the rate at which energy is used by an organism at complete rest. The slower that rate is the slower it's going to burn calories, or use energy, and the faster that rate is the faster it's going to burn calories.
So, how do you manage your metabolism so it works to your benefit? Give your body clean, whole foods as close to the natural source as possible. Eat a healthy breakfast, mid morning snack, and healthy lunch, an afternoon snack or two, a healthy dinner, and an evening snack if necessary. Eat all day, never get hungry, and be prepared with a snack in case you do begin to feel hungry. Don't be fooled though, thirst can feel just like hunger pains so drink a glass of water before having a snack and if you're still hungry then eat something. Notice all those meals but also notice that they are not huge portioned meals, not fast food meals, and not sugary snacks. They are natural, whole food, healthy meals and snacks, the types of food the body works best with.
Breakfast if vital! I can't stress this enough. Without breakfast the body is in starvation mode from the time you have dinner the night before until you eat lunch the next day. Now we know what happens when the body goes into starvation mode so keep it out of that mode with breakfast.
Whole grain cereal, a natural granola bar, fruit and yogurt and a piece of toast with jam on it are all great breakfast choices.
A handful of almonds, a piece of fruit, a natural granola bar, or toast with natural peanut butter are great snack choices.
Chicken with veggies, a chicken salad with dressing on the side, or a sandwich (on whole grain bread, lean meat and cheese, minimum light mayonnaise, and veggies) are great lunch ideas.
Fish with veggies, a lean cut of steak and veggies, baked or grilled chicken and a sweet potato are great dinner ideas.
So go out into the world and don't be afraid to eat, instead think of food as an energy source that will help your body work as efficiently as it can. Keep that metabolism revved up and working to your benefit, not against you. Take control of your diet and don't give up. Keep trying and work really hard at clearing your mind of negative thinking about yourself and about food. You can do this!! Believe in yourself!
Stay tuned to my blog for more helpful tips and information about diet and exercise to arm yourself with all the best tools to set yourself up for success.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
1 Out Of 5 Four-Year-Olds Are Obese.
Our Children Are At Risk!
The rate of childhood obesity is skyrocketing like never before in the history of mankind. That may sound a little dramatic but nonetheless it's true. Our most precious commodity are being raised to kill themselves slowly. "No," you may say "that's going too far, I'm not raising my child to kill him or herself slowly, that's absurd!" But is it really? If you know that that having a poor diet (full of fast food, processed food, almost no fruits and vegetables, minimal physical activity, maximum video game and computer time, and no restrictions on the amount or kinds of calories consumed) is bad for you and you continue to do it then yes you're killing yourself and anyone else you teach this terrible behavior to, slowly.
Don't get me wrong, I realize that there is a lot of bad information out there. And even the good information can be so plentiful that it becomes confusing. An illusion emerges that eating healthy is outrageously costly and time consuming and the kids just won't like. In reality there are plenty of ways to get the cost down at the grocery store, manage the time it takes to prepare a healthy meal, and given time the kids will come around to thoroughly enjoy the taste of healthy food. Myths busted! Then there's the ever changing facts or statistics or scientific findings that this diet and way of eating is better than that diet and way of eating and the long loved low fat, low carb is not really the golden ticket we've all been looking for, but just yesterday it was. I am not blind to the latest and greatest in weight loss ideas and that's what fires my up so much. To see the epidemic that's plagued adults for decades take its hold on our future generations is not only sad but an outrage.
An article written in yesterday's Washington Times (http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/07/1-out-of-5-us-preschoolers-is-overweight-new-study/) reveals this statistic of 1 out of 5 four-year-olds are obese. Mind you that they were not found to be merely overweight but obese which is classified as having a body mass index or BMI above the 95th percentile of children within the same age, build, height, and gender group. This is the largest and only study of its kind in terms of participants being of a wide range of ethnic groups. The study included 8,550 preschoolers that were born in 2001. Researchers found that the highest rates of obesity were found in Hispanic and American Indian children. The reasons why vary some with theories ranging from genetic to family income to education levels of the parents to federal commodity programs. Regardless of ethnicity the preschoolers of this country are at serious risk of not living a long high quality of life that we all want for the next generation. They are being diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure at alarming rates. We can no longer give in to our children and give them any type of food they want whenever they want it just to make ourselves feel better for a moment because when they whine and cry for it we feel guilty and end up giving in to their demands which only continues the downward spiral of their deter rating health and contributes to their lack of self-esteem, self-love, and feelings of embarrassment.
It is incredibly difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of this epidemic that has taken our children by storm. Every one of these above mentioned theories has it's place in the growing size of our youth. I feel it's vitally important to realize that if we continue to stand by and do nothing then we are silently contributing to the problem of childhood obesity which puts children at risk of diabetes, metabolic disorder, heart disease, cancers, and countless other health ailments that they would otherwise not be subject to at such a young age. Blame it on the ways of society, put the blame wherever you like but in the mean time do something. Do something to stop the growing waist lines of our young people by getting them to move more and eat more nutritionally. But remember, our actions speak louder than our words, they always have. Maybe that's the real reason for this childhood obesity epidemic.
Step One: Recognize that you have to take a more active role in the health care of your child. You have to set the bar for yourself first. You are the role model for your child and they will respond a lot better if they see you taking control of your health first. Get the help you need, hire a personal trainer for a couple of months and learn the right way to exercise in order to get the safest most effective workouts for you and your child. Read books and blogs like this one to learn more about nutrition. Be persistent, they may not take too kindly to the changes immediately but they will adapt quicker than you think they will. Give them credit and the chance of a healthy life now and into their adults years to come.
Step Two: Throw out all the junk food in the house. Today! Right now actually. The best policy is to not bring it in the house in the first place. Don't test your strength and will power by trying to avoid the stack of cookies and cake in the kitchen and don't have your children try to restrain themselves that way either by telling them that you can eat by not them. Make it easier on yourself and them by not buying it at all. Trust me, this method works. Try to eat foods that are as close to the natural source as possible. That means stay away from as much processed foods as possible, things that come in boxes and are prepackaged. The more times it's been handled and the more ingredients listed on the box the further away from the source it is. Now, don't worry, the kids may not like every new food you give to them at first and they may complain more than you're used to but be persistent. Taste buds actually change and pretty soon they begin to like what whatever you give them but this takes time. Your kids will get used to a new healthier eating pattern, just don't give up on them because they complain about not liking something. Remember, you're doing them a greater service this way and they'll thank you for it some day.
Step Three: Be as active as possible. This doesn't mean to have them play every sport that's offered especially if they don't like sports. There are all kinds of ways to incorporate activity into your daily routine. For example, take family walks after school or dinner around the block a couple of times. Have the kids ride their bike or skip in front of everyone else and make them the leader for the day. Make sure that their school is involving physical activity during their school day and if they're not do what you can to make them change their policies. Remember, we have an epidemic on our hands now. Go to the park on the weekends, some cities have both indoor and outdoor parks. Check your local area for fun things to do with the kids to get them moving as often as possible and be active with them. They'll be much more inclined to try new things if you are too. Another good rule to put into place is to limit television to only on the weekends and computer time to the bare minimum, for homework only.
These are the three biggies when it comes to weight loss. If we can all start to implement these three simple steps into the daily routines of our young ones then we can do our part in stopping and hopefully reversing the childhood obesity epidemic. Get started today! Don't wait any longer, the longer you wait the further away our youth get from being as healthy and happy as possible and they deserve better. No more excuses, no more playing ignorant, no more delaying. Today is the day we stop helping our children kill themselves slowly and instead increase the longevity and quality of their life forever.
The rate of childhood obesity is skyrocketing like never before in the history of mankind. That may sound a little dramatic but nonetheless it's true. Our most precious commodity are being raised to kill themselves slowly. "No," you may say "that's going too far, I'm not raising my child to kill him or herself slowly, that's absurd!" But is it really? If you know that that having a poor diet (full of fast food, processed food, almost no fruits and vegetables, minimal physical activity, maximum video game and computer time, and no restrictions on the amount or kinds of calories consumed) is bad for you and you continue to do it then yes you're killing yourself and anyone else you teach this terrible behavior to, slowly.
Don't get me wrong, I realize that there is a lot of bad information out there. And even the good information can be so plentiful that it becomes confusing. An illusion emerges that eating healthy is outrageously costly and time consuming and the kids just won't like. In reality there are plenty of ways to get the cost down at the grocery store, manage the time it takes to prepare a healthy meal, and given time the kids will come around to thoroughly enjoy the taste of healthy food. Myths busted! Then there's the ever changing facts or statistics or scientific findings that this diet and way of eating is better than that diet and way of eating and the long loved low fat, low carb is not really the golden ticket we've all been looking for, but just yesterday it was. I am not blind to the latest and greatest in weight loss ideas and that's what fires my up so much. To see the epidemic that's plagued adults for decades take its hold on our future generations is not only sad but an outrage.
An article written in yesterday's Washington Times (http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/07/1-out-of-5-us-preschoolers-is-overweight-new-study/) reveals this statistic of 1 out of 5 four-year-olds are obese. Mind you that they were not found to be merely overweight but obese which is classified as having a body mass index or BMI above the 95th percentile of children within the same age, build, height, and gender group. This is the largest and only study of its kind in terms of participants being of a wide range of ethnic groups. The study included 8,550 preschoolers that were born in 2001. Researchers found that the highest rates of obesity were found in Hispanic and American Indian children. The reasons why vary some with theories ranging from genetic to family income to education levels of the parents to federal commodity programs. Regardless of ethnicity the preschoolers of this country are at serious risk of not living a long high quality of life that we all want for the next generation. They are being diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure at alarming rates. We can no longer give in to our children and give them any type of food they want whenever they want it just to make ourselves feel better for a moment because when they whine and cry for it we feel guilty and end up giving in to their demands which only continues the downward spiral of their deter rating health and contributes to their lack of self-esteem, self-love, and feelings of embarrassment.
It is incredibly difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of this epidemic that has taken our children by storm. Every one of these above mentioned theories has it's place in the growing size of our youth. I feel it's vitally important to realize that if we continue to stand by and do nothing then we are silently contributing to the problem of childhood obesity which puts children at risk of diabetes, metabolic disorder, heart disease, cancers, and countless other health ailments that they would otherwise not be subject to at such a young age. Blame it on the ways of society, put the blame wherever you like but in the mean time do something. Do something to stop the growing waist lines of our young people by getting them to move more and eat more nutritionally. But remember, our actions speak louder than our words, they always have. Maybe that's the real reason for this childhood obesity epidemic.
Step One: Recognize that you have to take a more active role in the health care of your child. You have to set the bar for yourself first. You are the role model for your child and they will respond a lot better if they see you taking control of your health first. Get the help you need, hire a personal trainer for a couple of months and learn the right way to exercise in order to get the safest most effective workouts for you and your child. Read books and blogs like this one to learn more about nutrition. Be persistent, they may not take too kindly to the changes immediately but they will adapt quicker than you think they will. Give them credit and the chance of a healthy life now and into their adults years to come.
Step Two: Throw out all the junk food in the house. Today! Right now actually. The best policy is to not bring it in the house in the first place. Don't test your strength and will power by trying to avoid the stack of cookies and cake in the kitchen and don't have your children try to restrain themselves that way either by telling them that you can eat by not them. Make it easier on yourself and them by not buying it at all. Trust me, this method works. Try to eat foods that are as close to the natural source as possible. That means stay away from as much processed foods as possible, things that come in boxes and are prepackaged. The more times it's been handled and the more ingredients listed on the box the further away from the source it is. Now, don't worry, the kids may not like every new food you give to them at first and they may complain more than you're used to but be persistent. Taste buds actually change and pretty soon they begin to like what whatever you give them but this takes time. Your kids will get used to a new healthier eating pattern, just don't give up on them because they complain about not liking something. Remember, you're doing them a greater service this way and they'll thank you for it some day.
Step Three: Be as active as possible. This doesn't mean to have them play every sport that's offered especially if they don't like sports. There are all kinds of ways to incorporate activity into your daily routine. For example, take family walks after school or dinner around the block a couple of times. Have the kids ride their bike or skip in front of everyone else and make them the leader for the day. Make sure that their school is involving physical activity during their school day and if they're not do what you can to make them change their policies. Remember, we have an epidemic on our hands now. Go to the park on the weekends, some cities have both indoor and outdoor parks. Check your local area for fun things to do with the kids to get them moving as often as possible and be active with them. They'll be much more inclined to try new things if you are too. Another good rule to put into place is to limit television to only on the weekends and computer time to the bare minimum, for homework only.
These are the three biggies when it comes to weight loss. If we can all start to implement these three simple steps into the daily routines of our young ones then we can do our part in stopping and hopefully reversing the childhood obesity epidemic. Get started today! Don't wait any longer, the longer you wait the further away our youth get from being as healthy and happy as possible and they deserve better. No more excuses, no more playing ignorant, no more delaying. Today is the day we stop helping our children kill themselves slowly and instead increase the longevity and quality of their life forever.
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Truth About Personal Trainers
Don't Be Fooled Any Longer!
So what does it mean to be a certified personal trainer? Don't be fooled again into thinking that just because someone works at a gym that they're certified by a nationally or internationally recognized organization. Reason being is that a lot of personal trainers are not. When shopping for a personal trainer make sure you do a little research before you invest your hard earned dollars. Without naming names there are plenty of franchise gyms that hire people as personal trainer who have absolutely no experience or certification to be a personal trainer in the first place. In fact, some of those large franchise gyms will certify people they hire off the street in a weekend seminar and call them personal trainers under their own umbrella of credentials. These 'trainers' are now certified as 'Gym Name' Certified. In actuality that means absolutely nothing. So what kind of certification does mean something? Those that are nationally or internationally certified or NCCA accredited organizations such as The American Council on Exercise (ACE), Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), International Sports Science Association (ISSA), American Fitness Training of Athletics (AFTA), National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT), or National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) just to name a few. Make sure to ask if the trainer is certified with one of the leading fitness associations, that way you'll have a better chance of working with a professional that knows what they're talking about and won't hurt you. That brings me to my next point, there are some strange methods of teaching out here about health and fitness that could end up hurting you in the long run. For example, if you're told that there is only one way to train every different body type and that everyone can do the same thing all the time regardless of fitness level, then run; run as fast as you can from there and don't look back. This is a very dangerous practice that has the potential of either not getting you the results you're looking for or even worse hurting you. Although the body is a marvelous creation that is capable of handling a lot of stress and increased demands very well, it's is important to recognize that everybody works a little differently and designing a fitness program cannot be a one-size-fit-all strategy.
Here are a couple of things that you can look for when you go in to talk with a personal trainer:
1. Are they certified and with who
2. Do they take a complete medical history
3. Do they discuss setting realistic goals
4. Do they go over nutrition
5. Do they explain that there is no quick fix, that it will take time
6. Do they ethically design a safe, effective fitness program with your goals, time schedule and financial ability in mind
This is what a personal trainer does, they don't just count reps. A good personal trainer has knowledge on how the body operates from the inside out and understands how to get results for all kinds of body types in all kinds of fitness levels.
So don't be fooled again into thinking that just because they call themselves a personal trainer that you're really getting what you're paying for, because a good personal trainer is worth every penny. Plus, would you rather give those pennies to the pharmaceutical companies? I didn't think so.
So what does it mean to be a certified personal trainer? Don't be fooled again into thinking that just because someone works at a gym that they're certified by a nationally or internationally recognized organization. Reason being is that a lot of personal trainers are not. When shopping for a personal trainer make sure you do a little research before you invest your hard earned dollars. Without naming names there are plenty of franchise gyms that hire people as personal trainer who have absolutely no experience or certification to be a personal trainer in the first place. In fact, some of those large franchise gyms will certify people they hire off the street in a weekend seminar and call them personal trainers under their own umbrella of credentials. These 'trainers' are now certified as 'Gym Name' Certified. In actuality that means absolutely nothing. So what kind of certification does mean something? Those that are nationally or internationally certified or NCCA accredited organizations such as The American Council on Exercise (ACE), Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), International Sports Science Association (ISSA), American Fitness Training of Athletics (AFTA), National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT), or National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) just to name a few. Make sure to ask if the trainer is certified with one of the leading fitness associations, that way you'll have a better chance of working with a professional that knows what they're talking about and won't hurt you. That brings me to my next point, there are some strange methods of teaching out here about health and fitness that could end up hurting you in the long run. For example, if you're told that there is only one way to train every different body type and that everyone can do the same thing all the time regardless of fitness level, then run; run as fast as you can from there and don't look back. This is a very dangerous practice that has the potential of either not getting you the results you're looking for or even worse hurting you. Although the body is a marvelous creation that is capable of handling a lot of stress and increased demands very well, it's is important to recognize that everybody works a little differently and designing a fitness program cannot be a one-size-fit-all strategy.
Here are a couple of things that you can look for when you go in to talk with a personal trainer:
1. Are they certified and with who
2. Do they take a complete medical history
3. Do they discuss setting realistic goals
4. Do they go over nutrition
5. Do they explain that there is no quick fix, that it will take time
6. Do they ethically design a safe, effective fitness program with your goals, time schedule and financial ability in mind
This is what a personal trainer does, they don't just count reps. A good personal trainer has knowledge on how the body operates from the inside out and understands how to get results for all kinds of body types in all kinds of fitness levels.
So don't be fooled again into thinking that just because they call themselves a personal trainer that you're really getting what you're paying for, because a good personal trainer is worth every penny. Plus, would you rather give those pennies to the pharmaceutical companies? I didn't think so.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
