If you’ve eaten out at a restaurant lately, you know that portions sizes are huge, especially compared to those served just a few decades ago. For many of us, this has skewed our perception of what a normal portion size should look like. Here are some easy tips and strategies for controlling both your portions and your food intake.

Source: ACE Fit | Fit Life | 9 Tips to Help You Control Your Portions

The clothing you wear to workout is just as important as bringing a water bottle. Choosing the right clothing, therefore, for your workout is so very important.

Choosing, however, the right exercise clothing is not always easy to do, especially if you are a bit self-conscious about your appearance that I find to be the case with those easing back into exercising. So with that in mind, the best choice is both, practical, objective as well as, subjective, in that it reflects who you are, and your individual taste for fashion. You want your clothing and footwear to be stylish, but they also need to be functional. We wouldn’t want to wear something that’s so practical that you’re wearing something your mother would wear; but of course, I would like to think my daughters feel I have great taste in fashion, so that wouldn’t necessary be a bad thing.

First of all, we want to wear clothing that is appropriate to the sport or activity. That’s a given. If we choose baseball, we wear the appropriate attire, which includes cleats. However, if your activity is just that – to be active, play a little racquetball, hit the cardio machines or run the local trails – to choose the proper attire isn’t that simple.

The best advice I could give regarding workout clothing is that you pick fabrics that breath wicks away sweat. There are many breathable synthetic fabrics that “wick” the sweat away from your skin, which can help it to evaporate quickly and keep your body cool. Clothing made out of fabrics containing polypropylene or fabrics such as COOLMAX® and SUPPLEX® are a good choice for exercise and other activities in which you are likely to sweat a lot, as they allow the sweat to be evaporated from the skin but do not soak clothing and leave you feeling sweaty and uncomfortable.

Cotton shirts and pants, on the other hand, absorb the sweat, and they don’t pull it away from the skin or help it to evaporate quickly. That’s why cotton workout clothes can feel heavy and wet as you exercise.

Equally important is choosing the proper footwear. Having the right, supportive, shoe is extremely important for physical activity, especially weight-bearing activities. Likewise, choosing the right kind of footwear depends on your exercise routine. Certain exercises require shoes that are light in weight while others require more ankle support. If you perform more than one type of workout, you may want to buy a different pair of shoes for each activity, especially for high-impact exercises such as running.

If you’re a runner, for example, you will need lightweight shoes that are designed specifically for running. It’s a good idea to go to a running store to buy your shoes, instead of a standard shoe store. The sales staff will measure your foot and look at the pronation of your foot; whether it over or under pronates, as well as, your gait. If you’re a distance runner, make sure to let the salesperson know how any miles you run each month. This will help them to recommend the right kind of shoes. Now get out there and have some fun!

This graphic was put together by former U.K. pharmacist Niraj Naik, also known as the Renegade Pharmacist

These are the words of the Renegade Pharmacist:

Something that I noticed when working as a pharmacist was why people would still gain weight even though they were following a strict low fat diet recommended to them by their doctor.

This made me question whether it is really the ‘fat’ that causes us to gain unhealthy weight.

After seeing so many people suffering from obesity related diseases like heart disease, diabetes and the side effects of the medication they were taking, I was strongly motivated to research what actually causes people to become obese, it clearly was not just the fat they were eating!

I actually discovered that a trigger factor for many widespread diseases of the west such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes could be closely linked to the consumption of one particular substance found in many processed foods and drinks – fructose in the form of high fructose corn syrup.

Fructose is the form of high fructose corn syrup found in pretty much all processed foods such as ready meals, fast foods, sweets and fizzy drinks and most people are totally unaware of its danger.

It is also often found in ‘low fat’ supposedly healthy alternatives and even many popular weight loss products because food with the fat taken out simply tastes horrible. High fructose corn syrup in combination with many other additives are usually added to enhance the flavor.

Glucose is the type of sugar our body loves. It gets metabolized by every cell in our body and is very easy to burn with very few toxic by-products. It also tells the brain to stop eating when you are full.

Fructose on the other hand is another type of sugar and is found in sucrose which breaks down to glucose and fructose.

Fructose is actually only metabolized by the liver and it’s very similar to ethanol (the alcohol in drinks).

When you consume it, it’s actually like ethanol but without the high. It confuses the liver and ends up making lots of bad fats in the process. It also doesn’t signal your brain that you are full.

This is why people can drink massive cups of fizzy drinks which are high in fructose and still eat huge meals containing refined foods that are also full of fructose.

Many fruits also contain fructose, but nature has provided the antidote, as these fruits are also packed with fibre which prevents your body from absorbing too much of it.

When I advised people to reduce their consumption of high fructose corn syrup by eating lower carb/higher protein diets, free from processed foods, even if the labels say they are healthy options, they started to lose weight and feel much better as a result.

In many cases I asked people to just stop their consumption of fizzy drinks like Coca Cola  and instead swap it with either plain water, or add some freshly squeezed lemon for flavor.

Green tea is also a great alternative, and it is one of my personal favorites because it contains alpha wave stimulating theanine that also double serves as an antidote to the harmful effects of caffeine.

Those who loved to drink tea and coffee sweetened with lots of sugar, I advised to swap with natural sweeteners like stevia instead. This alone had some remarkable results.

There are 1.6 billion servings of Coke sold each day worldwide!! A very significant percentage of that is through supermarket chains like WALMART.

Read more: http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/about-us/coca-cola-by-numbers.html

So you can imagine how unpopular I became in WALMART’s head office in the UK with my information strongly advising people to stop drinking fizzy drinks like Coke!

I recently came across a great article by Wade Meredith that explains what happens when you drink just 1 can of Coca Cola and this applies to pretty much most caffeinated soft drinks, not just Coke!

I have added citations to research I have found that gives some evidence to the claims in the original article.

Read more: http://www.blisstree.com/2010/06/23/mental-health-well-being/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-drink-a-coke-right-now/

When somebody drinks a can of Coke or any similar sugary caffeine drink, watch what happens…

Is the fitness club or even private studio where you and your love ones work out SAFE? How does the equipment look, as well as basic overall club cleanliness?

Are the machines in shambles, and the upholstery cracked and split? Is there a build up of dust, hair, and gunk on the equipment? If so, that speaks volumes not only of the cleanliness of the club but also about the maintenance of the equipment.

The potential dangers in a fitness center can be observed likewise in the proximity of equipment, poorly maintained equipment, and improper use of equipment. But by management taking a proactive approach – through ongoing preventative maintenance, daily equipment checks, and having an attentive, qualified staff, many mishaps can be prevented.

According to Consumer Product Safety Commission spokeswoman Kim Dulic, there were an estimated 24,400 treadmill-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments in 2014 – but just 30 reported deaths associated with treadmills for the 10-year period between 2003 and 2012. Moreover, per the CPSC, treadmills, free weights, stability balls, and resistance bands, four of the most recognizable pieces of fitness equipment were notably four of the most dangerous pieces of equipment.

(http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/05/04/treadmill-emergency-room-injuries-exercise-equipment/26898487/)

A noted safety requirement for all exercise equipment is to leave ample space, two or more feet on each side and four or more feet in the rear to avoid serious injury or even death. Tragically, when safety is not paramount, accidents do happen. David Goldberg, the 47-year-old CEO of an online company, died from severe head trauma and significant blood loss after slipping and falling from a treadmill at a hotel gym in Mexico. Again, you need to ask yourself, is the club where I work out SAFE?

Think Fitness – Think Safety!

Squats work the glutes, hamstrings, quad, back and core, making it a great total-body exercise. Once you’ve learned the basics of good form (described here), you’ll be ready to move on to these six super-effective squat variations that will do wonders for your strength, flexibility, physique and power.

Source: ACE Fit | Fit Life | 6 Super-Effective Squat Variations You Need to Try

6 Super-Effective Squat Variations You Need to Try

July 28, 2015

Love them or hate them, squats can work wonders for your strength, flexibility, physique and power. This multijoint movement engages the glutes, hamstrings, quad, back and core, making it a great total-body exercise.

Before stepping into the squat rack or grabbing those heavy dumbbells, be sure to check in with your squat form. Stand in front of a mirror and begin with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart, giving yourself a good base of support. Throughout the squat, make sure your heels stay on the ground and your knees stay behind the front of your toes. As you begin to lower into the squat position, think about pushing your hips to the back of the room (or whatever is behind you). Continue to lower your glutes until parallel with the floor.

Remember: Squatting is like sitting in a chair. You don’t sit in a chair with your behind half in the air, do you? The bottom half of the squat is the hardest part and the portion of the exercise that really focuses on the glutes and hamstrings. In other words, get low, even if that means using no added weight at all.  (Read More)

If you’re exercising regularly, you undoubtedly are noticing the benefits—better sleep and moods, maybe a few lost pounds. The last thing you want to do is derail your efforts or, worse, get yourself injured. Learn about five of the most common exercise mistakes people make and how you can avoid them.

Source: 5 Exercise Mistakes That Could Get You Hurt

Example:

1. Skipping Your Warm-up and Cool-down

Scenario: You feel you only have time for a short workout so you skip both your warm-up and cool-down.

Consequence: Your body is not adequately prepared for your workout so you underperform and create a greater potential for injury. You also create more soreness by not allowing your body to cool down properly when you’re finished. When it’s time for your next workout, you feel tired, sluggish, sore and ill prepared.

Solution: Instead of skipping the warm-up and cool-down, shorten your workout and increase the intensity. You can get a very effective workout for both muscular strength and cardiovascular health in only just 20 to 30 minutes. Add moderate-to-intense intervals and/or decrease your rest time between sets. But find a way to do five to 10 minutes of mobility (dynamic stretching) work prior to your workout and some static stretching after you’re done.

People look at food labels for different reasons. But whatever the reason, most people would like to know how to use this information more effectively and easily. The following label-building skills are intended to make it easier for you to use nutrition labels to make quick, informed food choices that contribute to a healthy diet.

(www.fda.gov/nutritionlabel)

1 – Start with the serving information at the top of the label.

Serving sizes are standardized to make it easier to compare similar foods.

The size of the serving on the food package influences the number of calories and the nutrient amounts listed on the top part of the label. Pay attention to the serving size, especially how many servings there are in the food package. Then ask yourself, “How many servings am I consuming”?  

2 – Next, check total calories per serving.

Pay attention to the calories per serving and how many servings you’re really consuming if you eat the whole package. If you double the servings you eat, you double the calories and nutrients.

The next section of information on a nutrition label is about the amounts of specific nutrients in the product.

3 – Limit these nutrients.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting these nutrients. Based on a 2,000- calorie diet, no more than 11-13 grams of saturated fat, as little trans fat as possible, and no more than 1,500 mg of sodium.

4 – Get enough of these nutrients.

Make sure you get enough of beneficial nutrients such as: dietary fiber, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients you need every day.

5 – Quick guide to % Daily Value.

The % Daily Value (DV) tells you the percentage of each nutrient in a single serving, in terms of the, daily recommended amount. As a guide, if you want to consume less of a nutrient (such as saturated fat or sodium), choose foods with a lower % DV — 5 percent or less. If you want to consume more of a nutrient (such as fiber), seek foods with a higher % DV — 20 percent or more.

Here are more tips for getting as much health information as possible from the Nutrition Facts label:

Remember that the information shown in these panels is based on 2,000 calories a day. You may need to consume less or more than 2,000 calories depending upon your age, gender, activity level, and whether you’re trying to lose, gain or maintain your weight.

When the Nutrition Facts label says a food contains “0 g” of trans fat, but includes “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredient list, it means the food contains trans fat, but less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. So, if you eat more than one serving, you could quickly reach your daily limit of trans fat.

Learning how to read and understand food labels can help you make healthier choices.

A Girls Guide Gaining Muscle: Weight Training

When it comes to women and strength training, too many women still believe that lifting weights will make them look bulky. Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth. This blog clears up some common misconceptions and offers proven principles and effective exercises that will help shape, tone and strengthen the female physique.

Source: A Girls Guide To Gaining Muscle: Weight Training

One of the biggest misconceptions about weight-lifting is this myth that it will cause women to “get big.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. On the other hand, many women who “lift” weights constantly pick up the same 5-pound dumbbells week after week and wonder why they don’t see any aesthetic changes in their physique. This could be for a number of reasons, but for the sake of this article, we will be discussing the impact of weight training.

Before we get into the “how” of weight training, let’s look at some proven principles and clear up some misconceptions.

1. Lift heavy.

To stimulate muscle growth, or hypertrophy, a stimulus must be placed on the muscle. As mentioned previously, women tend to typically stick with weights that they are comfortable using for a full three sets. However, a greater stimulus must be placed on the muscles to see any real changes. You need to get out of your comfort zone and put greater physiological demands on your muscles. Once you can make this paradigm shift in your mind, you will be able to make substantial progress in both your strength and muscle gains.

(Read More)

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. Also it is a good predictor of being able to live an independent life at old age.

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.

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 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.

The numbers are alarming! More than 25 million people in the United States have diabetes—that’s about one in 10 Americans. And according to recent government reports, rates are projected to surge over the next 40 years, affecting as many as one in three Americans by 2050. New research reveals three strategies that can help change the course of the disease:

Eat less fat.

It can help reduce your risk of developing diabetes, regardless of whether you lose weight. With Type 2 diabetes, your body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, or your cells ignore it; insulin is needed to use glucose for energy. Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham put 69 overweight people at risk for diabetes on either a lower-fat or lower-carbohydrate diet; after 8 weeks, the group who reduced their fat intake to 27% of their overall diet had significantly higher insulin secretion, improved insulin sensitivity and better glucose tolerance. For a 1,600-calorie diet that equates to 48 daily grams of fat; for 2,200 calories, it’s 66 grams. To help reduce fat grams, choose lean meats and non- or low-fat dairy products, use unsaturated vegetable oils, eat more leafy vegetables and fruits and less foods that contain large amounts of saturated fat, like cakes and cookies.

Get a trainer.

A structured and supervised exercise program (that includes aerobics and strength training) helped people with Type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar levels more effectively than just getting advice about working out more, according to a recent review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Scientists also found that exercising for longer periods of time was better at bringing blood sugar levels down than exercising more intensively. Currently, exercise guidelines recommend that people with Type 2 perform at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, and resistance training, such as weight lifting, three times a week.

Improve sleep habits.

Doing so may help you better manage your diabetes, says a new study in Diabetes Care. Researchers found that those with diabetes who suffered from insomnia had a 23% higher fasting blood glucose level, a 48% higher fasting insulin level and an 82% higher insulin resistance than the normal sleepers with diabetes. Some tips to sleep better: stick to regular bed and wake time, try relaxation techniques before bed (like taking a warm bath or listening to soothing music), keep your bedroom cool and dark, and skip exercise, caffeine and alcohol too close to bedtime.

Sources:
http://www.uab.edu/news/latest/item/1256-lowering-fat-intake-might-stave-off-diabetes-even-without-weight-loss

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/305/17/1790.abstract

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2011/03/13/dc10-1962.short?rss=1