We have all heard this saying, “we are what we eat.” But the truth of matter is we are what we eat and so are our children. Our young impressionable children follow in our footsteps. They eat what we feed them. Our diet is the same diet of our parents to a greater or lesser extent. It’s the culture we grew up in. The point here is what we feed our children can be beneficial or detrimental to them and their children.

According to research, understanding children’s eating attitudes and behavior is important in terms of children’s health. Evidence indicates that dietary habits acquired in childhood persist through to adulthood. (Kelder, 1994; Nicklas, 1995) It’s not just one parent who’s responsible but both parents set the pattern for the family’s lifestyle. If mom and dad are oatmeal-and-hit-the-gym types, their kids likely are, too. Likewise, if parents are more the chips-and-TV type, the kids will do the same. Parents expect their kids to do things, like exercise that they themselves don’t do. You can’t lie on the couch watching TV, snacking on potato chips, yet tell your child to go outside and get some exercise. It just doesn’t work that way.

Any parent can be a good role model for children’s nutrition. Even if you’re overweight and having trouble losing it, it’s still possible to role model a healthy lifestyle for your child. Try these tips at home:

• Buy fruits and vegetables rather than snacks. Studies show that if parents emphasize how important these are in the diet, children will eat them more often – compared to parents who are more about relaxed it.
• Pass along the basics of portion control. Kids also must learn to stop eating – what nutritionists call portion control. In our culture, we tend to lose sight of the feeling of fullness. The ‘clean your plate’ club overrides the natural cues a child has to stop eating when they are full. It prompts them to eat when there is no reason to eat.
• Studies show that when parents make the effort be model good nutrition for their children, it really does work. One study focused on 114 overweight families, with kids aged 6-12 years old. Like their parents, the kids were overweight. As parents took measures to get into shape, so did their overweight kids. In fact, both parents and kids had similar positive results in weight loss over the five-year study period.

Additionally, much research also shows that many children’s diets in the Western world are unsatisfactory. For example, the Bogalsua Heart Study in the US showed that the majority of 10 year olds exceeded the American Heart Association dietary recommendations for total fat, saturated fat and dietary cholesterol.

With the evidence presented, what can be said about modeling good healthy eating habits and healthy lifestyle? That modeling was found to have a clear influence on how children both think and behave around food, with consistent associations found

between parent’s and children’s eating behaviors, as well as, attitudes. In sum, it goes to say, “We are what we eat and so are our children”.

Adopt a positive attitude. If you start with I know I’m going to fail, because I always do, you will. Make a conscious effort to be positive in all things you do. Tell yourself that you will stay positive throughout the day.

Make gradual changes. Decide on what changes you would like and make one change at a time. Try to focus first on one small, seemingly inconsequential, unhealthy habit and turn it into a healthy positive habit. If you’re in the habit of eating as soon as you get home at night, instead keep walking shoes in the garage or entryway and take a quick spin around the block before going inside. If you have a can of soda at lunchtime every day, have a glass of water two days a week instead. Starting with small, painless changes helps establish the mentality that healthy change is not necessarily painful change.

Eat breakfast. Did your know that your mood is actually affected by the things that you do and eat? In order to jump start your day and prepare your mind and body for the busy day ahead, you need to have a power breakfast. Make sure that you eat something healthy. Whole grains, protein, and fruits can surely give you the nutrients that you need to do the things that you need to accomplish for the day.

Eat your vegetables. Shoot for five servings of vegetables a day — raw, steamed, or stir-fried. A diet high in vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of developing cancer of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, stomach, bladder, pancreas and ovary. Reach for the boldest color vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, grapes and leafy greens for they are packed with many powerful phytonutrients.

Set a 5-meal ideal. What, when and how much you eat can keep both your metabolism and your energy levels steadily elevated, so you’ll have more all-day energy. Five meals will help you manage your weight, keep your cool, maintain your focus and avoid cravings.

Snack sensibly. Grab fruit instead of a chocolate bar or other junk foods. Fruits can surely wake you up in the middle of the day, whereas a bar of chocolate will just give you energy spike for a few minutes. So, you will end up feeling even more tired and sleepy.

Incorporate exercise throughout the day. Get up from your desk often to take a walk break. Take stairs when possible. Establish a before or after work exercise routine. Did you know that daily exercise has shown to reduce all of the biomarkers of aging? This includes improving eyesight, normalizing blood pressure, improving lean muscle, lowering cholesterol and improving bone density. If you want to live well and live longer, you must exercise!

Drink Plenty of Water. Your body depends on water for survival. Did you know that water makes up more than half of your body weight? Every cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water to function correctly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste and lubricate joints. Water is essential for good health. There are different recommendations for water intake each day. Most people have been told they should be drinking 6 to 8, 8-ounce glasses of water each day. This is a reasonable goal.

Get at good night’s rest. It’s important that you establish a regular sleep pattern. Strive to go to bed and wake up at the same time. And if you are have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep, trying darkening your room more and turn your clock away from you. Also, a “small” bedtime snack, such as, a whole grain cereal with nonfat milk, oatmeal or chamomile tea has shown to aid the body and mind into sleep mode.

What makes for a qualified person in any vocation? Before I attempt to answer that question, let me tell my story of why I chose the health and fitness industry. Here I was after earning a hard-earned graduate degree in business, and working a decent, respectable job in my area of study, yet I wasn’t happy. I had no passion for the vocation I had chosen. I’d heard of people who were happy with their job and that it wasn’t even work for them; it was something they very much enjoyed. They were having fun. They didn’t mind going to work. They were doing exactly what they were truly passionate about. I wanted that too – a job I could be passionate about!

So I asked myself, “What was it that I really enjoyed? “ After taking a closer look at how I spent my time (outside the job, I really didn’t like) and asking those who were closet to me – in other words, who knew me well – I then discovered that my love, my passion, a job I knew I would enjoy doing for years to come that would not only benefit me but others was in the area of health and nutrition. I believe wholeheartedly that we are to remain active as well as to enjoy our life to its upmost! Thus, my renewed career focus was to be the best health and fitness professional I could possibly be. I did my homework and discovered exactly what it entailed to be recognized as the best in the industry.

The questions you need to ask when seeking a qualified health & fitness professional are:

(1) Does he have the appropriate certifications?

(2) Does she have an excellent reputation in the industry, as well as, an outstanding reputation with clients?

(3) Does she have overall good communication skills?

In addition, a personal trainer should be educated and certified through a reputable fitness organization. Remember this person’s job is to assess your fitness level, set up a program for you and keep you motivated for this individual’s job is to safely push you past your comfort level–something difficult for you to do on your own.

Now where do you go to find a “qualified trainer”, an individual who will educate, motivate and inspire you to reach for the sky; an individual that knows his/her stuff that will protect, motivate and get you the results and lifestyle change you so desperately want! My recommendation is to do your research before you make that kind of investment. It can be costly!

A good place to start is the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The NCCA accredits programs that meet its standards.NCCA accredited programs is the only place on the Internet where you can compare accredited personal training certification programs. There, you will soon discover that not all trainers are equal when you compare accreditations and standards in the industry.

In short, there are over 400 organizations in the U.S. that purport to certify personal fitness trainers. Of that number, about a handful are considered legitimate by most professionals. Among the most respected are the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the American Council on Exercise (ACE). The better organizations have specific requirements based on tested and practical knowledge, mandatory retesting at renewal periods, and continuing education.

Again, my recommendation is to take heed and do your research! Don’t assume just because a personal trainer works at a fitness center that they carry the credentials they boast. Ask to see their credentials; write the name as it appears on the certificate and the certificate number. Then do your homework and call on the certifying organization(s), for they will be more than happy to provide you that information. In short, seek and you shall find a happy, healthy fitness journey with the right professional for you!

Success lies in faith & perseverance…

Success comes from a strong will,

a relentlessness to excel and accomplish a goal.

It’s largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.

You’re not finished if you fall down…

you’re only finished if you quit.

The most important quality essential to success

 is Faith & Perseverance.

It overcomes almost everything.

Have the courage to stick it out,

follow your heart and

allow me to guide you,

motivate you and challenge you…

by doing so,

 YOU WILL ATTAIN YOUR GOALS!

By keeping your eye on the target and believing

without allowing yourself to be distracted from success…

You will SUCCEED!

Stay the course…

Don’t ever give in!

Follow through on your commitment to be your best!

I am here to fulfill my commitment to you.

I am here to insure your Success!

Your Personal Trainer,

Aline

If you really want to see that number on the scale drop, then you have to think twice about what you put in your mouth. People who simply cut calories to slim down lose about 2 pounds a week. At the same time, people who exercise but don’t restrict calories drop less than half a pound in the same period.

Why doesn’t physical activity produce the same pound-dropping results as calorie restriction? One thought is that though exercise burns calories, it doesn’t rev your metabolism. It also doesn’t prevent your metabolism from slowing as you lose pounds. As you slim down, via any method, your metabolism slows incrementally with your weight loss, and despite what many believe exercising doesn’t keep that from happening. As you lose weight, you burn fewer calories through exercise alone. For example, a 150-pound person who works the elliptical for 30 minutes burns about 306 calories. After losing 10 pounds, that person will burn about 286 calories doing the same workout. So to burn 306 calories, you’d need to extend your workout.

Think diet and exercise combined equals more weight lost? Not so, research shows people who diet and exercise for weight loss drop the same amount of weight as people who only diet. Yet, research reveals that people who are larger or have more muscle burn more calories, even at rest. Likewise, those who diet and exercise are more likely to keep the weight off than their counterparts who simply eat less.

Bottom line: slimming down for the long term, you need to create an energy deficit by eating fewer calories, and by increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity.

• Increased muscular strength
• Increased strength of tendons and ligaments
• Strength Training properly improves flexibility (range of motion of joints)
• Reduced body fat and increased lean body mass (muscle mass)
• Potentially decreases resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure
• Positive changes in blood cholesterol
• Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
• Improved strength, balance, and functional ability in older adults
• Reduce the risk of premature death
• Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
• Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
• Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
• Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
• Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
• Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
• Build and maintain healthy muscles and joints
• Increases Bone Density (builds and maintains strong bones)
• Reduce depression and anxiety
• Improve psychological well-being
• Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance

I‘m often asked, “As a vegetarian, where do you get your protein.” And, “Do you get enough protein?” Why do people think that the only source of protein is animal-based? And why is so much emphasis given to protein?

Let’s me address the first question.

There are many sources of plant-based protein. Ample amounts of protein are thriving in whole, natural plant-based foods. For example, spinach is 51 percent protein; mushrooms, 35 percent; beans, 26 percent; oatmeal, 16 percent; whole wheat pasta, 15 percent; corn, 12 percent; and potatoes, 11 percent.

Do I get enough protein? Of course I do! What’s more, our body needs less protein than you may think. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average 150-pound male requires only 22.5 grams of protein daily based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet, which means about 4.5 percent of calories should come from protein. (WHO recommends pregnant women get 6 percent of calories from protein.) Other nutritional organizations recommend as little as 2.5 percent of daily calories come from protein while the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board’s recommended daily allowance is 6 percent after a built-in safety margin; most Americans, however, are taking in 20 percent or more.

Moreover, plant-based protein is better for you. More plant sources of protein will also offer more health benefits including more fiber and nutrients. There are lots of nutrient dense foods with high protein content.

There are also health concerns of animal-based protein, for the average American consumes well over 100 grams daily—a dangerous amount. But if you eat a plant-strong diet, you’ll be getting neither too much nor too little of protein, but an amount that’s just right.

Why is protein so potentially harmful? Your body can store carbohydrates and fats, but not protein. So if the protein content of your diet exceeds the amount you need, not only will your liver and kidneys become overburdened, but you will start leaching calcium from your bones to neutralize the excess animal protein that becomes acidic in the human body.

Tell me – when was the last time, you knew of someone who was hospitalized for a protein deficiency? Likewise, look around in nature, where you will notice that the largest and strongest animals, such as elephants, gorillas, hippos, and bison, are all plant eaters.

IT’S A FACT: A Plant-based diet is a diet rich in everything you need for optimal health!!

“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.

• I hate looking at myself in a mirror.
• I want to feel I can do this and to keep 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 my picture taken.
• I will be healthier.
• So I won’t die young like my dad, my mom.
• I want be a good example to my children.
• I want to learn to eat healthier food, therefore, my family will eat healthier.
• I want to feel less winded when walking stairs.
• I want to live longer and enjoy my life more.
• I don’t want to be afraid of the scale any more.
• I want to look better and feel better.
• I want to look good at my class reunion.
• I want to look good at my son/daughter’s wedding.
• So my back won’t hurt.
• So my 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 get dressed in the morning.
• So I can feel comfortable in a car, or at the theater, or on an airplane.
• I want to wear smaller size clothing.
• I want to be smaller.
• I want to be able to shop in regular size clothing stores.
• 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 be happy!

Isn't it time that you enjoy and live your life to its fullest and truly, truly be happy?!?!

Clients often ask me what is a healthy snack other than the “perfect snack “of fresh fruit and vegetables. My answer to them, it all depends. Are we asking about easy snacks of convenience or just healthy, nutritional snacks in general.

If we’re at home, we certainly have more snack options, for obvious reasons you have your refrigerator and pantry.

On the other hand, at work and in travel, they’re fewer options. To keep this brief, let’s look at one easy snack option, a nutrition bar. Still not all nutrition bars are created equal. Let’s look at what makes for a healthy snack bar.

I set the “bar” high. A healthy snack bar should have more than 3 grams of protein; more than 3 grams of fiber; most of the fats should be heart-healthy fats (unsaturated fats); and carbohydrates should be mostly whole grains with 10-20 grams of sugar. I’m not going to name specific brands, for that’s your job to read nutrition information.

However, I will point out the things you should avoid. You should avoid, like the plaque, such things as trans-fats, hydrogenated oils, sucrose and high fructose corn syrup.

In understanding trans-fats, it’s pertinent to know that these fats are artificially produced and cause far more damage to your body than any other fat and they are often disguised as hydrogenated oils. Read the nutrition facts and the list of ingredients carefully. Read more: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trans-fat/CL00032

Another ingredient in all products not just snack bars that you should look for is the words “sucrose”, “fructose” and “high fructose” corn syrup. What exactly are these? They’re sweeteners. Sucrose, commonly called table sugar, is an organic compound composed of fructose and glucose. Sucrose is made from cane or beet sugar and can be powdered or granulated. Sucrose is considered empty calories providing only energy without nutritional value. Sucrose is metabolized in the liver and has a variety of beneficial and detrimental health effects.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/517473-the-effect-of-sucrose-on-the-liver/#ixzz2LqTWIzEW

Fructose, often called the fruit sugar, is a type of naturally occurring sugar found in many fruits, vegetables, and honey. Fructose is nearly twice as sweet as sucrose (table sugar) and can give a similar rise in blood sugar as sucrose. Fructose is commonly used in processed foods partly because it is less expensive to produce than sucrose and it takes less of it to produce the same level of sweetness. Fructose is often consumed in the form of high fructose corn syrup, which is fructose that has been combined with corn syrup and chemically treated to increase the concentration and sweetness of the fructose. High fructose corn syrup, a sweetener in its worst form, is found in many of our food and beverage products. Researchers have found evidence that indicates the consumption of fructose in the form of high fructose corn syrup contributes significantly to weight gain and possible insulin resistance.

So if you’re looking for healthy snack bars beware of the artificial “weight gaining” ingredients!! I will discuss in my next blog other healthy snack options as well as other detrimental ingredients to be aware of. Healthy snacking to you!

Sometimes, I wonder how we live civilly with one another. What sets us apart from an uncivilized society? Wow! That’s an oxymoron. Living civilly – having a civic responsibility to play by the rules carries over to all aspects of our lives which includes the gym.

Understanding and embracing good gym etiquette will make for a more positive exercise experience for all. And for the sake of brevity, I am only going to discuss the gym floor, which excludes the locker room, the group classes, the pool area, the racquetball courts, etc.

If I were to sum up the most irritating, most inconsiderate things people do or don’t do in the gym, it would be the following.

(1) Clean up. My biggest pet peeve is someone who walks away from a machine, leaving a slimy pool of sweat behind. No Thanks! Always bring a towel with you and wipe the machines down when you’re finished. Most gyms offer wipes or sprays strategically located around the gym for this purpose.

(2) Pick up. Another pet peeve is the person who leaves excessive weight on the leg press machine. I don’t know, maybe I look stronger than I am. Or your mother isn’t doing her job. The point is, always put your weights back when you’re finished. Likewise, not returning weights to their rack is frustrating for other members looking for a specific dumbbell, especially if there’s only one pair for each weight interval. Putting them away is just common courtesy. Why do some people find this so difficult?!?

(3) Share. If you’re doing multiple sets on a machine, it’s common courtesy to let others work in during your rest periods. This may not always be practical, but offer to share whenever you can. If you’re doing sets on a piece of equipment and resting between each one, don’t sit on the machine while you recover. I’ve seen people sit for three to five minutes while someone else is waiting to work in a set. And if you see someone waiting for your machine, offer to let him or her work in while you rest. Even if there isn’t someone in line, try to limit your recovery time when seated on the equipment to 30 seconds; it’s better for your heart rate and for those around you. In the same way, don’t hog the treadmill! Many gyms have time limits on cardio machines during busy hours. And no, throwing your towel over the display doesn’t fool anyone!

(4) Use the machines properly. I’ve seen people doing crunches on a leg press machine. If you don’t know how a machine works, either look at the diagrams on the machine or ask someone to show you how it works. Most gym-goers are happy to help. Likewise, use good form. Some inexperienced member may be looking at you and wondering is that how I’m suppose to do it? Good form is different depending on what exercise you’re doing but, however, in general, good form means:

Don’t swing your weights. Unless you’re doing a sports specific workout, use slow and controlled movements. If you have to heave the weight up, it’s too heavy macho-man!
Don’t drop or throw the weights down. That’s a great way to break a toe–yours or someone else’. If you’re using a heavy weight, have a spotter nearby to help you.

(5) No personal belongings on the gym floor, please. Your gym bag on the floor takes up space, but moreover it’s a hazard, since someone can trip on it. Use a gym-provided locker or another provided space to stash your bag.

(6) Talking on a cell phone. Hearing someone gabbing away on the machine next to you is always distracting. It’s amazing how many people wear phone earbuds and carry on a full conversation while you’re trying to work out. Keep your phone stashed in your bag or locker while on the gym floor. If you find yourself tempted to make a call, remember that if you’re able to talk easily while you’re exercising, you may not be exerting much effort.

Above all, always respect the people around you and follow any posted rules that your gym may have. If you see someone blatantly breaking the rules, ask them politely to correct the behavior or talk to the facility manager about the problem. If you’ve noticed a situation, others probably have as well. Getting along with others at the gym just takes a little common sense. By following the rules of gym etiquette, you—and the exercisers around you—can all enjoy a great workout with minimal aggravation.