Archive for the ‘fitness’ Category
Are you on a mission to either get lean OR stay lean?
Maybe you don’t care about getting lean or have even given up trying.
My guess, though, is that we’re all at one or the other of those two places.
Here are 3 tips to help you out:
1. Accountability.
Staying accountable to someone, be it a friend at work, someone at the gym, or a coach or mentor means you’ll MORE often make better nutritional choices.
Keeping a food journal, even if no one but you ever sees it,
has also been proven to increase the likelihood of positive results.
2. Eat the same foods everyday.
Sometimes this is just what you need to get the fat loss ball rolling because it keeps choices SIMPLE.
Obviously this isn’t for the long term.
Create healthy choices for mealtimes (breakfast and lunch seem to be the easiest meals to simplify in this way) and stick with them until you get bored.
I’m guessing that for those of you that have maintained a lean body over time, you’ve probably already done this instinctively.
3. Increase your fiber intake.
Fiber fills you up and helps you eat fewer calories.
Puzzled about simple ways to get more fiber in your diet?
* Use raw nuts when you make smoothies
* Add vegetables anytime you make an omelet
* Eat fruit between meals instead of other higher calorie snacks
* Use raw nuts as snacks
Try these simple proven ways to improve your nutrition and increase your odds of a LEAN lifestyle!
shelli
Have you ever heard or read this statement:
Drink ‘This’ For Fat Loss?
I’m sure you have.
Is there really a beverage that will aid you in fat loss? And if you think so,
what do you think it is?
Did you answer, “water”?
Drinking water increases fat burning.
The reason is because water relieves the burden on your liver by keeping your kidneys properly filtering.
When your kidneys are stressed from too little water, your liver has to take over and help.
Why is this a problem?
Because that takes your liver away from one of its other important functions. Your liver is your primary fat burning organ.
Here’s your first tip: Drink 16 ounces of water 15 minutes before eating and you’ll lose weight.
You’ll find that drinking water prior to meals decreases the amount of food consumed.
One reason is obvious. Your stomach feels more full, right?
The other advantage of drinking more water prior to eating is this.
In your body you want to keep acidity at optimal levels. This increases
your core temperature slightly. This is called “thermogenesis” and is a good state to be in for fat burning purposes.
So there you have it. This week try it and see how it goes.
And remember, there are three benefits:
1. Better appetite control
2. Increased thermogenesis, which aids in fat burning
3. Decreased stress on your liver so it can optimally burn fat.
Yup, good old fashioned water is the number one
fat burning beverage. So drink up and enjoy!
shelli
In my last blog post about belly fat loss I mentioned strength training, in other words, adding muscle.
And then it occurred to me that many women (and yes, even many men) are confused about why muscle is so ESSENTIAL.
So we might title this week’s blog post:
MUSCLE: Why you need it!
First, you need time to build muscle so it’s important you don’t get discouraged. You can’t take a linear approach like you can with fat loss. Muscle is built in spurts.
Next, adding muscle will melt body fat faster than any diet plan or cardio workout.
How? It increases your metabolic rate.
Muscle gives you an edge because it requires fuel to burn. It’ll burn up calories and your body will have less calories to store as fat. Another way to say this is that your consumed calories are burned at a quicker rate.
And YES, even over the age of 35 people can still build muscle!
You lose more than a pound of muscle every year past the age of 35, which means keeping muscle and adding more muscle is a MUST.
That’s because muscle (even a POUND of it) melts off body fat. If you don’t pay attention to your muscle mass, you’ll get fat.
Here are some tips to apply to your muscle gaining efforts:
1. Change your routines frequently. Remember, muscle is built in spurts and responds to intense activity. Once your body gets used to what you’re asking it to do, it’s time to change things up.
2. You want to keep your training fresh. Often a three week routine followed by a week of rest and then a new routine for the following three weeks works well. Cycle your routines.
Some people need to gain muscle to look the way they want and some people have enough muscle and just need to burn fat. I rarely come across anyone who doesn’t need to diet down first and then add some muscle. Five to ten pounds of muscle added for most of us is a good goal.
Again, we all should be REALLY serious about adding lean muscle to our bodies. Don’t think it’s not important for you just because you’re not into “bodybuilding.”
I’m talking about having a healthy and lean body look. I don’t like the word “toned” but that’s the image most people think of. When we see a woman who has a healthy proportion of fat and muscle, we often think of that woman as “toned”.
Yes, we need to lose body fat, but adding muscle ensures the fat doesn’t come back!
So I hope this refreshes your memory as to why we need muscle.
If you’re not already doing muscle KEEPING or muscle GAINING activities, I’m encouraging you to start NOW. You have nothing to lose (maybe) and plenty to gain!
shelli
Some research-proven belly fat burning tips for you today.
But first let’s do away with a myth…..or two.
You’re NEVER too old and it is NEVER too late to lose belly fat.
Perhaps you know this, but perhaps you’ve been discouraged and are glad
that I’m reminding you of this. Either way, it’s good to review what I’m sharing with you.
Another myth is that it’s hard to lose belly fat.
While I won’t promise you it’ll be easy, I do know that with these tips it’ll
be a whole lot less struggle and your efforts will be a whole lot more effective.
Yes, you must plan for exercise, shop accordingly and even prepare yourself mentally for the challenge, but it’s well worth it.
So here are 5 tips!
1. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
It’s been proven time and time again that no matter what
diet you’re on, if you eat more fruits and vegetables you will lose
more fat than anyone eating the same diet BUT not as many fruits and vegetables.
In one study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
after 1-year, the low-fat, fruits and vegetables group (LF-FV) lost
more weight than another group of women on the low-fat (LF) diet
only.
Why?
Because the LF-FV group reported being less hungry. They ate more food in the form of fruits and vegetables so they felt more satisfied. Eating more makes sense, right, but it still depends on WHICH foods.
2. Make Sure You’re Utilizing Interval Training
Many studies have found interval training to be best for losing
belly fat.
According to Professor Steve Boutcher, an Australian expert on
interval training, “high intensity intermittent exercise may result
in greater fat loss in the abdomen”.
That means that unlike doing hundreds of crunches which can potentially wreak havoc with your back, interval training can work to burn belly fat better than everything else.
3. There Are Different Types of Cardio
If we separate out interval training from other cardio exercise for fat burning purposes, what do the studies show?
In one study researchers compared high-intensity cardio against
low-intensity cardio. Both groups burned the same amount of calories
in their workouts (400), but the high-intensity group exercised less.
Results?
The subjects in the Low-Intensity Exercise group did not lose fat.
On the other hand, the High-Intensity Cardio group lost a
significant amount of abdominal fat.
How can we interpret this?
The research shows that exercising harder results in more
belly fat loss in less time. This less time factor is great to know.
So it’s not the time spent, but rather HOW you spend the time that counts.
And in fact, slow cardio does NOTHING for fat loss. Yes, it has benefits but is not the best choice for fat loss. If you’ve ever trained for a marathon you can probably attest to this.
All cardio is not the same. First decide on what results you want and then match the exercise choice.
4. Exercise with Supersets Leads to More Calories Burned
The latest research shows that superset training boosts metabolism more than traditional straight set training.
You can read more about what super set training involves or talk with your own personal trainers. I want to bring this to your attention and point you in the right direction. Again, choose the result you want
and then choose routines accordingly.
5. For Calorie Burning Use Lower Repetitions in Your Workouts
Researchers had women do two workouts. One workout was done with light weights and high reps, and the other workout was done with heavier weights and 8 reps per set (this group was called high-intensity).
The study found that the high intensity group burned more calories
AFTER exercise and therefore the scientists recommend high intensity
resistance training rather than low-intensity high rep lifting.
Many women (though very few men) still seem to be stuck on the old outdated way of strength training: light weights and many repetitions.
Let’s move along and use newer more informed knowledge so we are not wasting our time and efforts.
In other words, lift heavy, lift often and learn to love to lift! OK–maybe just LIKE to lift, but lift never the less!
So if you hear yourself saying, “Belly fat be gone,” these five tips will come in handy.
shelli
Three nutritional tidbits for you today!
1. Are you thinking of buying organic fruits and vegetables?
One of the questions I get asked most often is, “If I want to buy organic fruits and vegetables, which ones ARE on the MUST buy organic list?”
So here it is. I suggest printing this list out and posting on your fridge for quick reference.
To avoid pesticides the TOP 10 most contaminated fruits and vegetables are: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, cherries, strawberries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes.
2. Do you need a boost with your math skills?
Chocolate has been shown to improve math skills.
Now I must admit that my math skills are just fine but this study caught my eye anyway.
Researchers from the UK recently showed that “flavonol-rich” chocolate, defined as containing at least 520 mg of cocoa flavonols per serving, significantly improved mentally demanding tasks like arithmetic. You might want to test this theory out yourself!
3. Do you eat breakfast before you exercise?
Researchers report that eating breakfast BEFORE performing resistance exercise leads to greater increases in muscle protein synthesis.
Why should you care?
Because that means you’ll boost your muscle-building power if you eat before you strength train, no matter what time of day it is. You are strength training, I hope?? Eating a small meal (or shake) approximately 30-60 minutes prior to training should do the trick.
shelli
5 Simple Easy Work-Out-in-No-Time Tips!
1. Spend a lot of time cooking in the kitchen?
Hold two 14-ounce cans, one in each hand, palms down. Raise your arms straight out in front of you until they are parallel to the floor. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 15 times.
Benefit: Strengthens your shoulder muscles and your grip.
2. Spend a lot of time in chairs?
Do chair squats.
Stand in front of a sturdy chair as if you’re going to sit down; raise your arms straight in front of you. Bend your knees and slowly lower yourself onto the chair; lightly touch down and then stand back up. Repeat 10-15 times.
Benefit: Strengthens thighs and glutes.
3. Spend time at counters or in front of the sink?
Hamstring kicks are fun.
Stand facing a counter (hold on for balance). Shift your weight to one leg, and bring your other heel up toward your buttocks. Hold and squeeze for a few seconds. Return your leg to the starting position, then lift it straight out to the side, and again back down. Repeat 15 times with each leg.
Benefit: Works hamstrings and outer-thigh muscles.
4. Waiting in line at the mall?
Try calf lifts.
Rise up on your toes and hold for 3 seconds. Lower; repeat 15 times.
Benefit: Tones and strengthens calf muscles.
Also try a balance challenge. Shift your weight to one foot and raise the opposite foot (hold on to something for balance if you need to). See how long you can keep your balance. Repeat with the other leg.
Benefit: Strengthens the supporting leg and improves balance.
5. Find yourself standing at the buffet table or in line to order food?
Tighten your abdominal muscles as if preparing to take a punch. Hold and squeeze for 5 to 10 seconds. Release and repeat 10 times.
Benefit: Strengthens abdominal and core muscles.
Try these and let me know what you thin. And always remember to have fun!
shelli
Let’s look at 4 Bone Myths!
1. “Milk builds bones.” False
Women with the highest calcium consumption from dairy products have more fractures than those who drink less milk. The fracture rates are much lower in countries that consume little dairy.
Fact: Mild exercise reduces the rate of falls and fractures by 25%
2. “HRT (hormone replacement therapy) protects you from osteoporosis.” False
While low levels of estrogen are associated with the loss of bone density, it is bone QUALITY that determines the likelihood of fracture. HRT has failed to live up to its promise of building better quality bones.
3. “You have osteoporosis.” Often false.
Under the old standard, fracturing a bone after it experienced just slight stress was the best indication, but not any longer. New diagnostic techniques of bone imaging make it easier to detect osteoporosis. Don’t be bullied into taking unnecessary drugs with long term risks for a disease you don’t have.
Fact: Best protection is to get a bone density test and then use nutrition and physical activity to support your bone structure.
4. “Calcium supplements do the job.” False.
Not antacids, candy supplements or breakfast cereals that say “added calcium for strong bones.” None of them do the job. First, calcium is hard to absorb and needs to be combined with vitamin D. It also needs to be in a specific form to be effective (calcium citrate for example). Second, calcium is just one of many vitamins and minerals your bones need for health.
Fact: For healthy bones you need to have a diet rich in vitamins and minerals and then PERHAPS a supplement that includes minerals such as boron, silicon and zinc.
shelli
I’m going to talk about sex because I get many questions from women who notice their sex drive isn’t what it used to be as they begin experiencing hormonal changes.
Even if you’re not in menopause yet, keep reading because as the old saying goes, “nothing is guaranteed but death, taxes and menopause.”
OK, so menopause wasn’t mentioned, but if it weren’t such a taboo subject it would have been!!
I read in a recent poll that 40% of women stated they had not had sex in over 6 months and that 75% of women polled said they weren’t having enough sex.
Getting healthy is the best way to supercharge your sex life and start feeling sexy again.
Getting healthier will reverse aging and bring your sex life back on track.
And when I talk about getting healthier, I’m referring to getting your hormones balanced again. You see, one of the main reasons you age prematurely and lose your sex drive is an imbalance in your hormones.
This can be caused by many different factors but the most common are eating junk food and general lack of good nutrition, eating too much meat and milk, stress, lack of exercise, and living in a toxic body.
A hormone imbalance can also contribute to depression, anxiety, fatigue, endometriosis, hair loss, facial hair growth, and osteoporosis.
So if not feeling like you’re in the mood for sex isn’t much of a motivator for getting those hormones balanced, maybe one of these other potential outcomes of hormone imbalance will motivate you!
Having more sex will also help you live longer, look younger, feel better and experience a happier mood state.
I wish I made all that up because it sounds so good, but in fact a recent study at Scotland’s Royal Edinburgh Hospital concluded that more sex slows the aging process. Many other studies also show through the use of CT scans that during orgasm, the areas of the brain that involve fear, anxiety, depression and other “negative” emotions are deactivated. I interpret this to mean that sex and orgasms really relax you and help you to let yourself go.
Three herbs in particular are popular when going the herbal route to balancing hormones for increased sex drive. They are Dong Quai Root, Chaste Tree Berry and Wild Yam Root.
These three powerful herbs are thought to affect the pituitary and hypothalamus in the brain, which both control the manufacture and release of hormones from the ovaries through the release of metabolic chemicals.
Licorice Root and Hops Flowers have also been used to treat hormonal imbalances. They also give you the sense of well being.
Of course it is important to get healthy and stay FIT.
So here are three simple steps to improving your sex life based on what I’ve covered.
1. RELAX. Do not be afraid to discuss how you’re feeling with your sex partner. How can you expect to enjoy sex without any communication with your partner? Talk and share what’s going on.
2. Herbs can be used as sexual stimulants. They both increase circulation to the sexual organs and boost up the hormones. Herbal formulas are one option for firing up your sex drive.
3. Get HEALTHY! When you are healthy and fit you naturally feel sexy and want to have more sex. A healthy lifestyle that includes nutrition, exercise and stress management (and the kinds of things we talk about each week in this blog) is the key to balancing hormones and experiencing a fulfilling sex life.
Vitality and passion are yours for the taking, so take good care of yourself (and your hormones) and the rest will follow!
shelli
Menopause is usually thought of in a few different ways.
Sometimes it feels like a curse, sometimes like the hell of old age, and sometimes like a beautiful natural change of life.
Kind of depends on which side of the bed you wake up on that morning, huh?
This can be the best part of life, not the worst.
It can be a time of contemplation, deeper spiritual awareness, and helping to educate and influence others around us with our wisdom and experience.
As for what actually causes menopause, the ovaries slow down and eventually stop functioning. This is marked by a reduction in the female hormone levels of estrogen and progesterone. In some women, this hormone drop is barely noticed. Most women do notice something and for many it’s debilitating.
The most common symptoms are hot flashes or lushes caused by vasodilator instability. Other symptoms are nervousness, fatigue, mental depression, crying episodes, insomnia and headaches.
It is very similar to PMS, which is also caused by hormone levels dropping. But, it does not stop in 5 or 10 days and can continue indefinitely. In some cases, menopause can lead to bone loss, osteoporosis and artery disease.
For some women menses just stops one day.
For others it gradually reduces over months, until it finally stops.
For some women the length of the menstrual cycle gets longer and then eventually ends.
Women who smoke cigarettes go into menopause on the average of one to two years earlier than non-smoking women. That statistic alone makes me glad I stopped smoking during college!
There are 4 things I find that make the hormonal changes and fluctuations easier for most women.
Step 1: Hormonal support and balance.
There are many natural options for bringing your hormones back into balance. That’s why I wrote Navigating Hormone Health. It’s a great guide to assess what’s OUT OF BALANCE and then understand what to do to get that balance back.
Without proper understanding of your hormones and an intelligent approach to balance, you really are missing the link to feeling well and performing at your best during the changes of your middle years and beyond.
Step 2: Improve your nutrition.
Any time your body is being challenged and is changing, as it is during menopause, it’s a good idea to make sure your nutrition is top notch because of the levels of both physical and emotional stress.
Fatigue and low energy are often chief complaints of women during menopause and optimal nutrition really will restore your energy.
I can’t say enough about the importance of a good healthy food program during this time of change. Junk food, too much salt, artificial anything, and overly acidic foods all contribute to increasing the symptoms of menopause.
Step 3: Keep your channels of elimination healthy.
The physical location of the uterus between the colon, rectum and bladder, makes keeping a clean colon important. If you have bowel issues, see that you get these handled.
Same goes for your kidneys. You want to keep your urinary tract clean, disease-free and functional. Keeping your elimination systems clean and working properly takes physical stress off the female reproductive organs and eases the transition through menopause.
Step 4: Get enough exercise and increase circulation.
Maintaining a routine exercise program during menopause is NOT AN OPTION, it’s a must.
It helps with everything from circulatory disturbances to bone loss.
Not walking? Start walking 45 minutes to an hour 4-5 times a week. Hot flashes are the biggest menopausal symptom and exercise which benefits the circulatory system works wonders for flushes.
Even if you’re not in menopause yet, it’s coming down the pike.
If you’re over 40 and notice the effects of aging like a loss of energy and stamina and a general slowing down, NOW is the time to make what could very well be some of the most important decisions you’ll ever make involving your self care program.
EVERY woman needs these 4 steps in place so that we age well, protect our health, and have the peace of mind to live a vibrant and happy life!
shelli
A sedentary lifestyle can lead to costly chronic diseases……and has many other costs as well.
Do you feel like you’re getting enough exercise?
When I see surveys that look at different states in the U.S., across the board the answer is no.
Generally about half the adult population does not meet physical activity recommendations.
Many people cite that it costs too much money or takes up too much time, however I’m convinced that being unhealthy can cost both more time and more money in the long run.
Inactivity, along with an unhealthy diet (and they are often linked) adds up to gaining more pounds, putting you at risk for chronic diseases that are very costly to treat.
When departments of health or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looks at the statistics and adds up the costs, the numbers are staggering.
In Hawaii, for instance, if all adults were physically active, about $140 million could be saved on hospital costs related to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
In the U.S. as a whole, health care costs associated with physical inactivity topped $76 billion in 2000.
If only 10% of adults started a regular walking program, $5.6 billion spent to treat heart disease could be saved. Please read that again because that number is staggering.
A 10% weight loss can reduce an overweight person’s lifetime medical costs by $2,200 to $5,300 by lowering costs associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and high cholesterol.
Just how much physical activity is beneficial to your health?
Studies show that 30 minutes of mode
