Most people want to start exercising and eating healthy but are completely overwhelmed at where to even start.  So hopefully these tips will help to point you in the right direction.

First and foremost, you need to write down the biggest reason you want to get healthy. What’s your motivation?  If you find this task overwhelming, perhaps, it’s time to seek a professional who can help you with the process. In an earlier blog, I spoke about what to look for in a qualified personal trainer (August 2011). Now let’s take it a step further and look at what a personal trainer should do for you! A qualified personal trainer (Qualifications of a Personal Trainer August 2012) other than exercising you, he or she should be doing the following:

1. Helping you with the initial process of goal setting. Right at the onset, goals should be put in place. You want to be healthy, but what exactly do you want to accomplish?  You need to make these goals measurable and realistic.  For example, “I want to look good” is not a good goal. We all want to look good!  Looking good, what does that mean to YOU? Looking good is different for everyone.  Do you have a goal to lose 30 lbs, or to lose 2 sizes? You might be happy with your current size but just want to tone?  Whatever it is, it needs to be a something you want badly enough. This articulate, written and realistic goal will be a constant reminder for you while you’re embarking on this journey.
2. Taking baseline measurements. Once you have your goals, the next step is baseline, starting measurements: weight, body fat and pictures.  I know, I know, pictures – eeewwww!   Yet pictures serve as a source of motivation and a visual to your progress. Likewise, tracking progress through weekly measurements, strength charts and short-term and intermediate goals are a necessity for accomplishing the ultimate goal of looking GOOD!
3. Monitoring a food diary. You need to be aware of what you’re eating so you know where to make changes. Your food log is a way for your trainer to help you pick out foods that may not have been the best choice and find a way to replace them with healthier options. And learning how to read nutrition information goes a long way.
4. Providing a variety of interesting and challenging workouts. A good trainer will take in consideration the health and exercise history of clients even before exercise. Just ask me and we’ll discuss your goals, your time limits, concerns, etc and find the most challenging and interesting workouts that are right for you.  And keeping your workouts fresh
5. Demonstrating exercises with detail to good form.
6. Tracking progress in a training log.
7. Having a support network. Find someone to help you.

So those are my tips to get started.  You need to be realistic with your time and make an effort to plan.  Believe me, even the most fit and healthy people you know today at some point where were you are right now.  If it were easy, we’d all be looking good!  So if you want this badly enough, you will do what it takes to meet your goals.  Just be consistent; stick with it; and realize that yes, things will come up that will throw you off track; however, the most important thing you can do is to get back on track! That’s what your trainer and your support network are there for. The best to YOU!!

MYTH:
Muscle Turns to Fat When You Stop Working Out.

FACT:
Lack of exercise causes the body to burn fewer calories and may lead to weight gain. The muscles may reduce in size without exercise. This means that muscle is NOT turning to fat, but it becoming smaller while more fat covers it. You can prevent this through a healthy diet and regular exercise.

MYTH:
NO PAIN, NO GAIN

FACT:
Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. A good exercise program puts a reasonable demand on the cardio respiratory and musculoskeletal systems and may be uncomfortable but should not hurt.

MYTH:
Spot Reduction is Possible.

FACT:
Contrary to popular belief you cannot “burn fat” from just one area of your body by exercising that body part. Regular exercise and a healthy diet will help you lose extra body weight, which you’ll lose from your entire body, NOT from one spot.

MYTH:
Women Who Lift Weights Will Get Big Bulky Muscles

FACT:
Most women to not have the genetic potential to get as big as men do when strength training. So don’t worry!! Strength training is good for your bones, muscles, and overall health.

MYTH:
Doing lots of Crunches Will Make My “six pack” Visible.

FACT:
Doing crunches will build the abdominal muscles, but you won’t necessarily see them until you get rid of the layer of fat covering them. To have visible abs, you will need to have a balanced diet and proper exercise to lose fat.

MYTH:
You will burn more fat if you exercise for longer period at a lower intensity.

FACT:
The most important idea behind weight loss is burning more calories than you consume no matter if those calories come fat or not. The faster you walk, run, bike, etc, the more calories you burn per minute. Try some interval training to pick up the intensity in your workout!!

MYTH:
There is a Quick Fix Out There to Make Me Lose Weight

FACT:
In reality, there are no quick fixes. Weight loss is not easy, and requires a balanced diet and regular exercise. If the newest diet pill seems too good to be true, that’s because it is.

MYTH:
Muscle Weighs More Than Fat

FACT:
A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same, a pound! However, muscle is denser and takes up less space than fat. Replacing some poundage of fat with muscle will make you seem smaller, when you really weigh the same

MYTH:
Eating After 8pm Will Make You Gain Weight

FACT:
Your metabolism doesn’t know what time it is. To gain weight you must consume more calories than you expend. You can eat any time and not gain weight as long as you don’t over-consume calories that day

MYTH:
The More Protein I Consume, the More Muscle I’ll Gain

FACT:
The body uses protein, carbohydrates, and fat to build muscle. An excessive amount of protein will end up unused by the body and expelled as waste.

MYTH:
To Lose Weight, I Should Eat as Little as Possible

FACT:
The less you eat, the more the body believes it’s being starved, and will hold onto its precious fat stores. In order to lose weight you must expend more calories than you consume. A deficit of 3,500 kcal/week will result in 1-lb of fat loss. It is best to try to reduce by 500 kcals/day through diet and exercise. A healthy amount of weight to lose per week is 1-2 lbs. Also eating 5-6 small meals/snacks throughout the day will help keep your metabolism active, and an elevated metabolism equals weight loss

MYTH:
If I Really Want To Get Bigger, Leaner or Better I Should Exercise As Much As Possible

FACT:
Too much exercise can lead to overtraining, which will greatly hamper the results you are trying to achieve. The body needs adequate rest and recovery time in between workout sessions.

MYTH:
I Want to Get Defined Muscles, so I Should Lift Lighter Weights with Higher Repetitions

FACT:
You may have increased muscle size through strength training. All the weight lifting in the world isn’t going to reveal it if it’s hidden by a layer of fat! That’s where diet and cardio come into play. A balanced diet and regular cardiovascular activity will help display that hard earned muscle. Also lighter weights with higher reps will just lead to muscular endurance. An increase in lean tissue is best achieved through a repetition range of 6-10 over 3-5 sets. Also it is recommended to perform 3 or more exercises per muscle group!

Source: Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999) Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

A new report from Harvard Medical School says middle-aged and older women need to worry about certain health concerns – osteoporosis, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and microvascular disease, which is a type of disease more common in women.

What can women do to better their chances of not being afflicted with these health concerns? According to the report, A Guide to Women’s Health Fifty and Forward, 10 steps to a longer and healthier life is made available.

They include:

• Shun cigarette smoking. Tobacco smoke that is inhaled causes lung cancer, sinus disease and chronic obstructive lung disease; and increases the risk of strokes and heart disease.
• Keep moving. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests every adult get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. Sessions should be at least 10 minutes in length.
• Follow the Mediterranean diet pattern of mostly plant foods, limiting animal protein to fish and poultry, using olive oil as the principal fat and using wine in moderation.
• Mind the body mass index. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes 20 times and substantially boosts the risk of developing blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and gallstones.
• Lift the glass, but only one. Alcohol’s effects become more insidious as women age because the body’s water-to-fat ratio declines over the years.
• Don’t run up a sleep deficit. Medical evidence suggests we need seven to nine hours of sleep daily, but more than 60 percent of women fall short of this.
• Be your own best advocate on health issues. Know what’s best for you and just do it!
• Keep connected. Older women who remain socially active live longer, healthier lives than their solitary counterparts.
• Avoid stress. Find techniques to reduce stress and its effects.
• Use supplements selectively. Experts agree the best way to get nutrients is through food. Only calcium and vitamin D are recommended supplements.

Research Finds ElliptiGO Produces Comparable Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure Response to Running, Meets Fitness Industry GuidelinesSAN DIEGO, June 18, 2015—Since their debut in 1990s, elliptical cross-trainer machines have steadily ranked among the most popular cardio options by gym-goers, but their one drawback is that users are trapped indoors. The ElliptiGO, a bicycle and elliptical hybrid, provides an outdoor option for elliptical devotees. Intrigued by this machine, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) commissioned an independent study to determine the effectiveness of a workout on the ElliptiGO and how it measures up to accepted fitness industry guidelines for improving cardio respiratory fitness and body composition.

Source: ACE® Study Evaluates the ElliptiGO Outdoor Elliptical Bicycle

Most Americans eat an animal based diet often times with little or no plant based foods. Most “meat-eaters” actually get too much protein, which can lead to a vast amount of health problems.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) on food packages lists protein requirements at 10 percent. Americans, however, average around 15-16 percent of calories from protein. According to respected nutrition researcher Professor T. Colin Campbell, “Only 5-6 percent of dietary protein is required to replace the protein regularly excreted by the body (as amino acids).

Most people do not realize that every whole food contains protein, carrots contain protein, celery contains protein. The protein consumed from a balanced plant-based diet appears to be plenty. Animal products are not the only source of protein. As a matter of a fact, the research shows that an animal-protein diet contributes to diseases of nearly every type; and a plant-based diet is not only good for our health, but it’s also curative of the very serious diseases we face.

Abundant evidence suggests that the most healthful diets set aside animal products and also reduce fats in general, while including large amounts of vegetables and fruits. Eliminating meat and dairy products from your diet is a powerful step in disease prevention and premature death!

For further readings on the topic, I highly recommend, The China Study, by Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Planeat, by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr.

Healthy Aging

 What is healthy aging? How does one effectively offset or slow the effects of aging? In other words, how does one age gracefully? Obviously many factors can influence how we age: genetics, environment and lifestyle. In this blog, I would like to look at what the research points to as the biggest determinant of healthy aging, which is lifestyle and physical fitness. Several studies have clearly shown that physical fitness is an important predictor of both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. In addition it is a good predictor of being able to live an independent life at old age.

 Physical Fitness

However, before we delve into the subject of physical fitness, it is important to differentiate between three different but inter-related concepts: physical activity, physical exercise, and physical fitness. Physical activity refers to any body movement produced by muscle action that increases energy expenditure. Physical exercise refers to planned, structured, repetitive, and purposeful physical activity. Physical fitness is the capacity to perform physical exercise. Physical fitness makes reference to the full range of physical qualities, such as, aerobic capacity, strength, speed, agility, coordination, and flexibility. Thus, daily exercise should be orientated towards increasing daily physical activity and improving physical fitness.

 Aerobic Exercise

One aspect of improving physical fitness is aerobic exercise. The results of aerobic exercise, such as, walking are very positive, especially for cardiovascular health. These improvements are independent of race, sex, age, and body mass index. The research shows that a program of regular aerobic exercise of three to six months duration can improve aerobic capacity by 15%–30%. A training frequency of 3–5 days a week is recommended, and the research indicates that it is preferable to avoid single, hard bouts of exercise once a week. Training intensity should be at some 55%/65%–90% of the maximum heart rate, or of the maximum reserve heart rate (maximum HR –rest HR) (ACSM 1998)

 Strength Training

Strength training or resistance training is another aspect of improving physical fitness. Strength training has been shown to be the most effective method for developing skeletomuscular strength, and it is currently prescribed by many major health organizations for improving health and fitness. Research demonstrates that resistance training reduces the risk factors associated with coronary heart disease, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, and colon cancer; it prevents osteoporosis, promotes weight loss and weight maintenance, and likewise, improves dynamic stability, preserves functional capacity, and fosters psychological welfare. These benefits can be safely obtained when an individualized program is prescribed. In the American College of Sports Medicine’s position stand that, “resistance training should be an integral part of any adult fitness program and should be of sufficient intensity to enhance strength, muscular endurance, and maintain fat-free mass. Resistance training should be progressive in nature, individualized, and provide a stimulus to all the major muscle groups.” In essence, it is imperative that you do what it takes TODAY even eliciting the help of a professional in helping you reach a certain level of age defying physical fitness.

“I want to lose weight.” Nine out of ten times this is what I hear when I ask clients what is their most important goal? When I delve deeper into why they want to lose weight. Here are some of the most revealing reasons – and the best reasons to lose weight!

I hate looking at myself in a mirror.

I want to feel I can do this and to keep it the weight off.

I hate myself in a bathing suit. I don’t even like going to the pool with my kids.

I want to feel good about myself again.

I want to feel better physically.

I want to be happier.

I dread having your picture taken.

I will be healthier.

So I won’t die young like my parent, a relative.

So I will be a good example to my children.

I will eat healthier food; therefore your family will eat healthier.

I will be less winded when walking stairs or long distances

I will live longer, and enjoy my life more.

I will not fear the scales any more.

I will look better, and feel better.

I want to look good at my class reunion; my son/daughter’s wedding.

So my back and feet won’t hurt.

So people won’t think I’m pregnant.

So I won’t have to come up with new excuses for being overweight.

So I won’t feel depressed to just dressed in the morning.

So I can feel comfortable in a car, at the theater, an airplane.

I want to be happy!

I want to be able to run, play and do things with my kids/grandkids.

I want to dance again.

I want to feel better about myself.

I want to wear smaller size clothing.

Short cuts are short lived. So why do we feel we can do something for a short time to get lasting results? We feel all we have to do to lose some weight is to diet or to exercise for a set amount of time. Then presto we get the body, the good health we want. Sadly, we repeat this self-defeating pattern of behavior.

Understandably, we all want to look and feel great. But for this to happen, we need to do the RIGHT THING ALL THE TIME not just some of the time or for a short time. Quick results, do not equate to lasting results!

Likewise, we all want to look and feel good about ourselves. Who wouldn’t want to feel confident with their appearance, and have the stamina, strength and endurance to live a quality life? However, we can’t achieve this level of confidence without a plan, a plan of working towards a lasting goal. This goal should be a healthier you.

What does it take to be healthier and to be more fit? EATING HEALTHY AND DAILY EXERCISE. Help Guide provides some practical and helpful hints http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm.

In essence, you have to change your lifestyle. The weight gain, the health issues, the low energy are all because of the way you are living now. So it makes sense to change your lifestyle to a more productive, positive and healthy lifestyle.

Learning what foods and behaviors are healthy and then establishing a healthy routine requires discipline on your part. No one can make you not eat that fried food or to get out and take a walk. You have to decide once and for all that for a happy, healthier you, YOU MUST MAKE THE LIFESTYLE IMPROVING CHANGES! There’s no turning back. No going back to old behaviors. You have full command of your life, your health!

Living healthy. Living Longer. There’s no short cut to taking care of you!

Eating to Lose Weight & Body fat

While it seems harmless — and possibly even beneficial to weight loss — to skip a meal or a snack from time to time, this common scenario may actually be setting your body up to gain weight.

How is it possible to gain weight by NOT eating?

The first goal of eating regularly every 3 to 4 hours is to eliminate cravings. Skipping meals and snacks causes exaggerated swings in blood sugar, which may encourage these cravings to return. This may cause you to splurge on unhealthy foods, thus reversing your weight-loss progress.
Skipping too many meals can prompt your body to go into starvation mode. In order to conserve energy and resources, your metabolism will start to slow down, ultimately causing your weight loss to stall. You will also lose muscle and not recover from your strength training workouts if you are not fueling your body with quality meals. This loss in muscle will also slow down your metabolic rate and stall all progress.

So what should you do if you’re just not hungry?

Don’t fall into the common trap of mistaking your diminished cravings for diminished hunger. If you’re following the eating plan correctly — eating regular meals throughout the day — you will begin to get hungrier but you won’t feel as ravenous as you did in the past as long as you are eating all of your meals on time. By eating regular meals daily, you will increase your lean mass; increase your metabolic rate and look and feel better than ever!

Your wellness journey starts with you. What I mean by this is that the decision to become a healthier you whether it‘s to lose weight, have more energy or become a better athlete resides with you. You and only you can make that decision.

Most people want to start exercising and eating healthy but are completely overwhelmed at where to start even.  So hopefully I can help point you in the right direction.

For starters, you need to write down the biggest reason you want to get healthy. What’s your motivation?  If you find this task overwhelming, perhaps, it’s time to seek a professional who can help you with the process.

Once you’ve decided that this is something you want to do then the time to start is now! No better time than now. Because a decision isn’t truly made until it’s put into action. That’s where an action plan is created. Again, a professional can help you with the process. However, realize that the process will be ongoing. For good health & fitness is not reaching a goal but continuing to do what it takes to remain healthy & fit. In other words, it’s a lifestyle that you must continue for the rest of your life.

Again, just as important as deciding what needs to be done, is knowing that you need to be realistic with your time and goals and make an all-out effort to plan.  Believe me, even the fittest and healthy people you know today at some point where were you are right now.  If it were easy, we’d all be healthy & fit! Just be consistent with the process; stick with it; and realize that yes, things will come up that will throw you off track; however, the most important thing you can do is to get back on track! That’s what your trainer and your support network are there for to help you stay the course.

I am reminded of the wise words of Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, “Fitness is a journey, not a destination. You must continue for the rest of your life.”