By Kevin Weston on May 15 in Blog, Exercise | No Comments

This is the first in a series of short articles addressing common misconceptions in the world of fitness. Stay tuned for other additional articles that may help you be better informed and educated concerning a variety of exercise related topics. If you have a fitness question, please submit them on our contact page.

This common myth shows how much the publicity of bodybuilding has messed-up how many women perceive resistance training. Women and men see these abnormal, supplement-pumped bodybuilders and think if they do an arm curl they’ll swell into the typical meat-head you find at many big-box gyms across the country.

The truth is however, resistance training is one of the best things you can do to build or maintain lean muscle tissue while decreasing storage body fat…especially if you are a woman. During a weight lifting program, hormones like testosterone are needed in order to build muscle tissue. Woman obviously do not produce as much testosterone as men, thus it is much harder for them to build muscle size as compared to a man. Heck, it’s really hard for many guys to put on muscle mass and increase their body weight.

In short, unless a woman takes hard-core supplements (or in some cases, steroids), in addition to putting crazy hours at the gym, she will not turn into a she-man. Resistance training has so many benefits from looking and feeling better, to a decreased risk of osteoporosis, just to name a few. Do not let images of muscle bound body builders scare you away from something your body needs to achieve a high level of health and wellness. If you have not already added strength training to your workout regime, do it ASAP because it is one of the best ways to increase your overall quality of life.

By admin on May 08 in Blog, Nutrition, Weight Loss | No Comments

When you’re beginning the process to eat healthier on a consistent basis, sometimes it’s best to find common everyday food that you consume and substituting it with a better option. To help you find what you can switch out, check the list below and find areas where you can improve today.

Source: MayoClinic.com

By Kevin Weston on May 01 in Exercise, Videos | No Comments

By admin on Apr 24 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

With summer just around the corner, lighten things up with this fresh, low calorie salad that will provide many vital nutrients your body needs everyday!

Source: Sharecare.com

Ingredients: 
1 lb. fresh asparagus (trimmed)
, 8 cups romaine lettuce (torn)
, 1/3 cup low fat Italian salad dressing, 
12 cherry tomatoes (halved
),  2 Tbsp parmesan cheese (shredded.)

Instructions:
Cook asparagus in boiling water 5-6 minutes or until crisp tender; plunge in ice water to cool and stop cooking. Divide lettuce between 6 plates, arrange asparagus and tomatoes on top and drizzle with Italian dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and chill 1 hour before serving. Makes 6 Servings
.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 57
Fat (g): 2
Saturated Fat (g): 1
Cholesterol (mg): 0
Sodium (mg): 147
Carbohydrate (g): 7
Fiber (g): 3
Protein (g): 4

By admin on Apr 12 in Blog, Weight Loss | No Comments

By Dr. Thomas Nienstedt

“I’ve gained so much weight, my metabolism must be slowing down” is a common consent that I hear from patients. “If I could only speed it up”, or “I have a friend who can eat anything without gaining weight. They have a really fast metabolism” are other common comments. You can’t blame people for thinking this way. It is, in fact, a logical assumption-a faster metabolism means you burn more calories, therefore lean people must have a faster metabolism. But is this true?

Nope! In fact, the research shows that people who are over-fat don’t have metabolic rates that are any slower than those who are not. It is also well known that as someone who was once overweight loses weight, their metabolism actually slows down some. So, as you get leaner, you can’t eat as much food and stay weight stable. If it were the opposite, those who became lean could eat more food than before and still lose or maintain their new lower weight. Have you ever seen this? Neither have I.

I agree, it’s disappointing news. But this has to be looked at in the context of survival. In reality, it is a very good thing that we don’t burn calories that readily. If we did, our survival would have been unlikely, at least up until recently. You see, in the distant past, food availability wasn’t a sure thing as it is today. There were times of famine that severely limited our ability to obtain food. In addition, depending on geography, seasonal influences reduced the availability of food as well. If humans burned calories so readily, we’d be required to eat all of the time. Obesity would be non-existent. But in times of food shortage or famine (these days, this is called going on a diet), we’d surely starve to death. But we don’t. For those in the distant past, this was a blessing. For us, in times of constant food abundance, it has become a curse.

While our bodies homeostatic mechanisms and metabolism tend to take care of us in times of famine (at least up to a certain point), it doesn’t do as good a job in helping us regulate our weight in the opposite direction. We can’t eat as much as we want and expect our metabolism to speed up and burn, burn, burn. Instead, it stores, stores, stores. This is another defense mechanism against famine, as fat stores becomes an important source of energy when there is less food to eat. Another blessing for our ancestors. Another curse for us.

The good news here is that, at least for most of us, famine is a thing of the past (yes, I know this is not the case for all humans, unfortunately). And while in the past we had no control over times of famine and seasonal food availability, these days we have almost complete control over how much food we eat. And while it is not necessarily easy to eat less food, there are methods and “tricks” that can help anyone eat less more comfortably. While eating less certainly doesn’t mean you will starve (I’m not taking into account eating disorders here, by the way-you certainly can starve your self to death), but you also don’t want to feel like you are starving.

Dr. Thomas Nienstedt is a Chiropractor and fellow of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. He operates www.healthclubonline.net, a web site for those interested in weight loss, exercise and health. Dr. Nienstedt is currently finishing his Masters degree in clinical nutrition at the University of Bridgeport. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in conservation biology
at Brigham Young University, graduating in 1997. He earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree at Western States Chiropractic College, graduating in 2001. Dr. Nienstedt is an avid fitness enthusiast. He is married and has four children.

By Kevin Weston on Apr 05 in Blog, Exercise | No Comments

These core exercises are not ‘abdominal exercises’. However, your abdominal muscles are involved in many core movements. To understand the benefits of the exercises below, you have to get out of the mindset that you do core exercises to ‘get a six-pack’ or even a ‘flat stomach’. Your core consists of any muscle that attaches to your vertebrae and its major functions are to stabilize the pelvis, spine and shoulder girdle. In basic terms, it’s what keeps you from falling on your face whenever you reach for the handle and pull open a heavy door. In short, your core is your foundation. If it is weak, there is an increase chance of low back pain and undesirable discomfort because the body can’t distribute and move your body weight efficiently, hence putting stress and pressure in areas that are not designed to take on that much stress and pressure. These exercises, if done safely and correctly will target and strengthen the major muscles groups of the core.

Disclaimer: If you already suffer from low back pain, please use caution and good judgment when performing these or any other exercise.

Plank:

Start
1. Lie on stomach with feet together and forearms on ground. Clench fists under shoulders.

Movement
1. Draw-in belly button and squeeze glute muscles.
2. Lift body off floor and form straight line from head to toe.
Hold two seconds.

Modification if needed: Keep your knees on the floor.

Bird Dog:

Start
1. Position on all fours.

Movement
1. Draw-in belly button and tuck chin.
2. Raise arm with thumb up and extend opposite leg behind; keep back flat.
3. Keep arm and leg straight; lifting both until in-line with body.
Hold two seconds; alternate sides.

Floor Bridge:

Start
1. Lie on back with knees bent, feet flat and shoulder-width apart.

Movement
1. Draw-in belly button and squeeze glute muscles.
2. Lift pelvis off floor until knees, hips and shoulders are in line, pushing through heels.
3. Lower pelvis to floor.

Floor Cobra:

Start
1. Lie on stomach with arms alongside body, palms facing floor.

Movement
1. Draw-in belly button, squeeze glute muscles and pinch shoulder blades together.
2. Lift chest and hands off floor, keeping arms straight.
3. Hold two seconds.

By admin on Mar 26 in Blog, My Story | No Comments

By Alvina Lopez

Quitting smoking, for those who have ever been seriously addicted, is perhaps one of the most difficult things you will ever do in your life. After trying to quit at least a dozen times, using all the different cessation methods under the sun, I’d go, at the longest, about three or four months before starting all over again. Now, I’ve discovered the secret to quitting smoking for life. I’ve been completely smoke-free for two years, and I’ve found that all it takes is consistent exercise. It’s worked for me, and science backs it up as well.

Now why is exercise such an effective way to quit smoking? While researchers have not arrived at a conclusive reason, there are several theories. Most importantly, exercise is a mood stabilizer, which increases the amount of dopamine released by the brain. Since smoking cravings usually arise from a dip in dopamine levels, exercise serves to regulate dopamine, meaning you will crave the cigarette substantially less. A landmark study conducted at the University of Exeter in 2009 found that when smokers exercised for only 15 minutes, then abstained from nicotine for 15 hours, brain scans showed that areas in the brain responding to images of smoking did not activate in the way that they activated for smokers who did not exercise and abstained for 15 hours. Participants who exercised also subjectively reported that they did not crave a cigarette as strongly.

There are other reasons, too, why exercise helped me quit smoking. For anybody who has tried to quit smoking before, one of the unfortunate side effects is weight gain. For some of us, it’s a small, barely noticeable gain, but when you no longer have that oral stimulation presented in the form of a cigarette, you’ll usually turn to food as a replacement. What’s more, nicotine often acts as an appetite suppressant, meaning you’ll find you have a much larger appetite than you are accustomed to when you quit. Exercise battles this weight gain associated with smoking, and having a more toned and fit body keeps your mood and self-esteem elevated when you are going through the draining experience of quitting an addiction.

Now for most heavy smokers, exercising is not usually a big part of your lifestyle, so learning to start exercising can be a challenge. The great thing about using exercise to quit smoking, however, is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be very intense; it merely has to be consistent. As the study cited above demonstrates, and as my own experience shows, exercising moderately, for only fifteen or thirty minutes every day, can have a profound effect on your ability to stop smoking. Going over and above moderate exercise, however, will do more for your body than just eliminating your desire to smoke. It will drastically improve your mood, your overall sense of wellbeing, and it will protect you from various life-threatening diseases as you age.

So if you’ve been using the patches, prescriptions, gums, etc., and nothing works, drop all of those methods and go for a run instead. Who knew that the best smoking cessation method is completely free?

Bio:
Alvina Lopez is a freelance writer and blog junkie, who blogs about accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez @gmail.com.

By Joshua Snow Hansen on Mar 15 in Blog, Nutrition, Weight Loss | No Comments

No diet is the same. That’s pretty much a given. Each diet follows different protocols … whether it’s a high protein, low-carb or low-fat diet. It’s all different. I’ve followed a number of different diet protocols, mainly to mix things up and to throw something different at my body. I do the same thing with my exercise routines. Change is good.

But, I’ve found that there a number of little tricks you can follow regardless of what eating regime you are following. Some are so minute tricks that can really make a world of difference to how well you are follow your specific protocol. These are just a few tips that I’ve picked up over the past year, please feel free to add your own in the comments below.

Become a gum connoisseur-Gum has saved my life on numerous occasions. No not in a McGyver type of way, but with my diet, especially when I transition from another diet. I fill my backpack with different flavors and brands of gum for work. So when I either get hungry or bored I just pop a piece in my mouth. I like trying new gums and would classify myself as that guy who buys gum at the checkout stand. I do stay away from bubblegum and sugar loaded gum. But, I’ve found that by chewing gum it really keeps me away from boredom and mindless eating. Which of course is the death of all diets.

Drink 8oz. of water a half hour before every meal-This is a very simple trick, especially if you tend to have a hard time feeling full after meals. By drinking water before each meal you give your stomach the chance to register fulfillment without stuffing it with calories. Plus, odds are any hunger pains you might experience before meals is just your body’s way of telling you it’s thirsty.

Eat six times a day-Since I’ve been trying to eat better, I honestly can say that I eat more than when I was 150lbs heavier. I eat about every two hours … 8am, 10am, Noon, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. I eat most of my proteins, fats and carbs (ie-egg white omelet, tuna and cottage cheese, soups, etc.) during my 8am, Noon and 6pm meals and then snack on veggies, fruits and healthy fats (ie-apples, berries, celery, nuts, etc.) during my 10am, 2pm and 4pm meals. They don’t have to be big productions, but I do like to have a substantial breakfast so I don’t suffer through the rest of my meals. The key is to feel content and keep a constant level of energy.

Eat a large breakfast-As mentioned above, eat a large breakfast. I think as Americans we’ve become rather accustomed to skipping or skimping on breakfast and lunch. This usually leads to mindless snacking and large dinner meals. I really believe the large meal should be breakfast or even lunch. Not only is it better on the metabolism, but it helps curb mindless eating.

Now, mind you this doesn’t mean breakfast should be a Denny’s Grand Slam, it should be something with a substantial amount of protein, good fats and some good healthy carbs. One of my favorite breakfasts is a cup of low-fat cottage cheese with a can of tuna and about half a cup of fresh pineapple chunks or Mandarin oranges. Sounds gross, but you can’t knock until you try it.

Keep a water bottle on your person at all times-When I first decided to change my life and become healthier my new best friend became my 32oz. water bottle. Actually, I have two. One I keep at work and the other at home. I always have it full and in easy reach. Depending on my activity level for the day I tend to drink anywhere from 64oz to 128oz. of water per day. Not only does water help curb your appetite, but it really does help you flush things through your body and help lose weight.

Sleep eight hours per night-Getting a good nights rest is probably one of the best things you can do on any diet. Not only does it recharge you, but it promotes fat loss. The goal for any weight-loss diet. Additionally, less sleeps triggers the hormone ghrelin which triggers hunger and decreases your energy levels. Which will only promote overeating and mindless snacking. A good nights sleep really will help you lose weight and stabilize your energy levels throughout the day better than any food or diet.

Eat an apple a day-I eat at least one apple a day for many reasons than to just keep the doctor away. It’s a great source of fiber, vitamin c and potassium, plus it doesn’t contain any sodium, fat or cholesterol. An apple will only set you back about 80 calories as well (which is why I sometimes justify a second apple for the day). It’s a great snack on any eating plan. I could really sing praises about apples all day. I’ve also found that I have more energy after eating an apple, which to me is a great substitute for a quick caffeine boost. But, if you give me a Granny Smith or Braeburn apple you’ll be my friend forever.

By admin on Mar 08 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

Source: Sharecare.com

Soups can be eaten as an addition to a meal or become the meal itself. This nutrient-loaded pea soup is easy and quick to make, can be frozen or enjoyed the same day.

Ingredients:  

1/2 T olive oil
1 head leaf lettuce, cleaned and chopped
2-1/2 cups frozen peas
6 cups vegetable stock
1 potato, peeled and diced
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Other herbs/spices to taste

Directions:

Sauté peas, potato, and lettuce in oil for 5 min. Add stock and bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer till tender, 20 min. Puree till very smooth and season with sea salt, pepper, or other favorite herbs if desired. Enjoy this soup as an appetizer for a healthy meal, or with a whole wheat roll and salad for a meal itself.

Serves: 6 Cups
Cookware: Medium, non-stick kettle

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories      88
Carbohydrate (g)    15
Fiber (g)    4
Protein (g)    4

By Joshua Snow Hansen on Mar 01 in Blog, My Story | No Comments

This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, “No More Ice Cream for Breakfast” which will hopefully be published in early 2013. To read more about my weight-loss and running journey you can follow me on my personal blog MeJosher as well.

Does every weight-loss story have to start with the words, “I was pretty much the fat kid throughout my whole life?” In my case, I was. I was pretty much the typical fat kid.

Growing up, I was developmentally slower than my peers. That’s a nice way of saying I was “special.” I was a smart kid, but in all reality I was just “there.” My anxieties, fears and insecurities held me back from others outside my home. To quiet those feelings, I would attempt to eat them away.

At a young age I found solace in food. I found that food was a friend that would only give me positive feelings, it never talked back, belittled me or mocked me. It accepted me for who I was. Food was my Best Friend.

Food and I did lots of fun things. Sometimes our friendship was on display at the dinner with the rest of the family or at times it was in my bedroom behind closed doors. But, our favorite time together was every Saturday morning when Food and I would nestle up on the couch and watch Saturday morning cartoons over Lucky Charms, Ice Cream and milk.

It’s hard to pin point the reasons of why I grew up the fat kid. My parents were always a great support to me. They continue to be even now. Even though I had a stay at home Mom I was pretty much a “latch-key kid” for a good portion of my adolescence.

My Dad worked a 9 to 5 job, while my Mother became my Grandparents’ caretaker during the day. After school I would often find myself in front of the TV with a customary bowl of ice cream or other favorite snack.

I never was a rebellious or difficult teenager. On the outside I seemed very social, but in all reality, I felt I was “just there” most of the time. I felt alone for the most part. Somewhat misunderstood. I found it extremely difficult to be social in school.

I slowly started to get out of my shell the closer I got to High School graduation. I started making more friends. I started challenging myself both academically and physically. I really started believing in myself. Self-confidence started to take over where doubt, fear and insecurity once thrived.

Being an average student through high school I soared during my senior year. I was writing for the school newspaper, I worked on the production team painting the sets for that year’s musical and I excelled in gym! The class I always dreaded!

But, here I was a semester away from graduating and I had received my first 4.0 GPA … ever! But, more impressively, I improved my mile and a half running time within that semester by over 15 minutes! I went from barely being able to finish just walking to actually jogging the entire distance.

I remember more than anything how astonished my Gym Teacher was about the feat. I was very proud of that moment. I had stuck with something, improved on it and succeeded. How could I not be proud of myself? I was succeeding in things I never thought I could do!

Despite my progress in the gym, I still remained pretty much the same size. I never quite correlated the link between fitness and diet. It also didn’t help that my mode of employment was working with pizza and hamburgers. I found it much easier to eat what was in front of me at work instead of bringing something healthy from home.

Food still pretty much controlled my life.

My first “real” attempt at dieting didn’t happen until I was on my mission in Chicago. My companion and I volunteered at the local Recreation Center each week. With that volunteer work, we got free access to the gym and weight-room. It was a great perk, especially for my companion who valued exercise and health.

For someone unfamiliar with a gym I probably looked like a lost tourist in the Tel Aviv airport. I would sit at some machine do some exercises, blankly stare into the abyss and spend the rest of the time on the treadmill watching the community TV.

Having never really weighed myself before, I remember the first time I hoped on the scale. I saw my weight teeter just over 300lbs. Hoping it was just a fluke, I hopped on and off multiple times to the same result.

But, the reality was … I was a 300lbs. man.

I knew that I needed a change. I started taking my workouts more seriously, getting tips from my companion and others. I watched my diet closer. I started eating a healthy breakfast (no more cereal and ice cream), more fruit and veggies throughout the day and smaller portions at dinner.

Within a few short months I had lost over 65lbs. and felt great! That renewed change served me throughout the mission and helped give me the confidence that I needed to succeed. I felt like a completely different person. I was a different person.

Unfortunately, I found it difficult to bring back that different person back home with me. Like a number of returned missionaries do sometimes, I fell back into my comfort zone and bad habits. Within a few years I found that my weight was back and rapidly raising.

I had many excuses for my weight gain. One excuse was that I could easily lose it when I needed to, because I had done it before. When you have that mentality you see no problem in eating whatever you want, whenever you want it. I can’t believe I thought that!

But, my time was filled with numerous extracurricular activities. I was involved in the school newspaper and with the Student Government on top of my job on campus. While I was involved in a number of great things, I often sacrificed myself too much.

My health was just not my number one priority.

Even when I transferred to another school, I pretty much stayed in the same self-destructive cycle. I was now well into my 300s. It seemed like every time I found a scale I had added another 25lbs. Once I ballooned to 375lbs. I decided to join a gym and work on my diet. But, this time around the weight didn’t melt like it had in the past. It didn’t just stay there … it continued to rise!

I couldn’t stop my weight gain. It seemed to me that the heavier I got the more reclusive I got. Gone, once again, were my sociability and confidence. I just wanted to hide myself and for the most part I did. My last year of college was spent in a depression I couldn’t shake.

My self-image and confidence was really at an all-time low. My once jovial and personable personality was non-existent. There were days that all I could do was force a smile. One of those days was on my graduation day, day of happiness and celebration.

I remember feeling completely and utterly disgusting. Surrounding by friends and family I just wanted to be alone. I grew too big for my graduation gown and midway through the ceremony it ripped.

What do you do in that situation? I feigned a self-depreciating laugh. What else could I do? I just wanted to cry.

I remember the car ride home. It was just me in a packed car for a long three-hour ride. I had a lot of time to think and reflect. I knew that I need a change in my life. I knew that I couldn’t continue this way and expect to be happy.

I knew that my weight had a lot to do with my situation. Even though I tried to lose weight to the best of my efforts I couldn’t seem to go anywhere with it. But, I knew that underneath all the fat, depression and anxieties was the person I wanted to be. I knew that “Skinny Josh” was somewhere in there. I just had to find him.

To read more about my weight loss journey click here.