02.01.08
Posted in Weight Loss at 10:33 am by Administrator
Eat smart with these 7 pointers
If you are like most people then you probably glance at the Nutrition Facts label on foods once in a while. Maybe you check for the number of calories or fat grams that an item contains, or maybe you are watching something specific - like your sodium intake.
Whatever the case, it has been proven that those who pay attention to the Nutrition Facts label end up eating healthier.
The more familiar you are with the Nutritional Facts label, the more likely you will be fit and healthy.
Each Nutritional Facts label has been designed to quickly and efficiently give you all of the important facts about a food item. You just need to know what you are looking for. Read on as we break down the Nutritional Facts label into 7 important facts.
Fact #1: Serving Size
This small detail skews the entire label if you don’t read it closely. An item may seem like it is only one serving, but the Nutritional Facts label will consider it to be 2 or 3 servings. If the label says 100 calories, but there are actually 3 servings, then you are getting a total of 300 calories. Pay close attention to what makes a serving.
Fact #2: Calories
Most people don’t have the time to count every calorie that they put in their mouth - this is understandable. However, you probably have a pretty good idea about the amount of food that you eat each day. When you approach a new item, read the calorie totals on the Nutritional Facts label, and factor the new calories into your daily intake. Steer clear of high calorie items - especially in the form of snack foods.
Fact #3: Fat
By now you have undoubtedly heard that all fats were not created equal. Here is a quick 1-2-3 breakdown.
Limit your intake of Saturated Fats - this deadly fat contributes to heart disease.
Avoid Trans Fats at all costs - not only does it contribute to heart disease, it also raises LDL cholesterol (the bad one).
Focus on eating monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats - these don’t raise LDL cholesterol and can even help lower blood cholesterol.
As you decide what food to include in your diet, keep your eye on the type and amount of fat included in each item. Remember, all fats were not created equal.
Fact #4: Carbohydrate
Though zero carb diets are losing their momentum, you may have been influenced by the idea that all carbohydrates will make you fat. That is simply not true. It is true, however that some carbohydrates are healthier than others. In fact, medical experts think that excess consumption of refined carbohydrates (such as soda pop, white rice, and white flour) are one of the reasons behind the rise of obesity we see today.
Choose fibrous, complex carbohydrates over sugary, simple carbohydrates.
Fact #5: Protein
The fact stands that most of us are getting plenty of protein in our diet. The problem arises when we examine the source of this protein. Meats and dairy products that are high full of fat may be filled with protein, but they aren’t the healthiest form of protein. Choose protein from lean meats, dry beans, poultry, and low fat/fat free dairy products.
Fact #6: The Good Stuff
Directly beneath the protein count on the Nutritional Facts label you will see the percent daily value of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron that the food item contains. These numbers are easily overlooked, but hold great importance to your overall health. The more nutrient-rich food items provide you with the greatest benefit per calorie. Compare food brands and choose the most nutrient-rich option.
Fact #7: Evaluate Your Lifestyle
Now that you understand the Nutritional Facts label on your food, you may still have questions about how to change your fitness level. Eating right is just one part of the equation in your quest for a healthy, fit body. Exercise is vastly important as well, and happens to be my specialty. If you have questions about how you can get into the best shape of your life, please contact me today. Call or email me today to get started on an exercise program that will greatly improve the way you look and feel.
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01.01.08
Posted in Exercise, Motivation, Nutrition, Weight Loss at 10:44 am by Administrator
Here we are, already two weeks into the New Year. You know I have to ask…how is that fitness resolution coming along?
If the pounds haven’t budged yet, don’t panic. I have some words of wisdom for you to live by this year - words that will aide in getting you to your fitness goal.
Shoot for dropping a pound a week.
Now, this may not seem like that much, but if you did this consistently for the rest of the year it would result in 50 lbs lost. This may be extreme for you, but the good news is that once you achieve your idea body maintenance is a breeze. How great would it be to begin 2008 with a brand new body?
This all sound well and good, but how do you go about the business of shedding that pound each week? I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be allusive, mysterious or frustrating. In fact, with a little calculation, you can consistently drop one pound a week until you reach your goal.
All it takes are small changes in your daily lifestyle. Let’s break the process down…
How to shed a pound a week: Burn 3500 cal. more than normal.
It’s that simple! No fancy pills or powders necessary, just a progression of calories exerted without an increase in calories consumed. Try the following three steps:
1. Record your normal weekly exercise - look at everything from walking to participating in sports to exercising in the gym. This is your starting point. You need to burn an additional 3500 calories on top of your normal weekly exercise.
If you don’t currently exercise, then this step is really easy for you, a simple blank page will do.
2. Record your normal weekly food intake - this may be hard to do honestly, but remember that you are only cheating yourself by not recording everything. Calculate the total number of calories that you eat in an average day.
In your quest for dropping inches you shouldn’t exceed your normal daily caloric intake - you should, rather, work at slowly decreasing that number.
Remember, we are going for a 3500 calorie deficit each week - this can be done by a combination of increased calorie exertion (exercise) as well as a decrease in calories consumed (eating less).
3. Chart the difference - now that you know your starting point for both calorie exertion and calorie intake it is time to turn the tables in your favor. Take every opportunity to exert more calories by increasing your physical activity, and to decrease your calorie consumption by eating fewer calories and by making healthier selections.
Record your progress in a notebook and refer back to it often. You will be surprised how encouraging it is to see the positive changes that you are taking in your life written down on paper.
If you burn up 500 calories a day you will drop a pound in a week.
Here are some practical ways to lose calories:
If you normally… Do this instead…
Drink a morning Mocha Drink green tea or black coffee (200 calories lost)
Enjoy a candy bar between meals Enjoy a granola bar (180 calories lost)
Sit during your entire lunch break Walk briskly for 30 minutes (150 calories lost)
Watch T.V. for two hours Do jumping jacks during commercials (120 calories lost)
Remember that I am available to help you reach your fitness goals for 2007. If you are looking for new and exciting ways to tone, firm and tighten your physique then don’t hesitate to come see me today. I look forward to helping you make 2007 your fittest year ever!
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Posted in Weight Loss at 10:40 am by Administrator
Goodbye, 2007. Hello, 2008.
Has the New Year gotten to you yet? You know what I’m talking about - that feeling of excitement in your gut as the New Year greets you with the promise that you can turn things around…that you can shake off past mistakes…that you can become better.
The New Year renews hope for your dreams.
And if you are like most people then your dream for the New Year has everything to do with losing weight.
It makes sense, doesn’t it? What better time is there than now to transform your body into the one that you’ve always dreamed of?
To get you off to a great start I’d like to share with you some food for thought:
Why do you eat?
Now I know at first glance the answer to that question seems painfully obvious - but I want you to dig deeper. You’re probably thinking that you eat when your body is hungry to get the energy you need to sustain life. And you’re partially right. But that’s not the only reason that you eat.
The truth is that you (along with almost everyone you know) eat too much. Your body simply doesn’t need all of the calories that you consume, and it shows in a physique that is less than svelte. If we only ate to fuel our bodies then we’d all have washboard abs. And that’s clearly not the case, right?
So what drives you to eat when you shouldn’t? Hmmmm. The answer to this question could be just what you need to see results in 2008.
Here are the four basic reasons that you eat:
1. Because you’re hungry.
This one is obvious. You eat when your body tells you that it’s hungry and in need of fuel. Just like your car lets you know when it’s time to head over to the gas station for a filler up, your body is great at letting you know that energy stores are low.
Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full is a healthy thing. Too bad this isn’t the only reason that you eat…
2. Because you’re emotional.
…but the truth is that you also eat when you are emotional. Think back - can you remember a time when you turned to food after a stressful confrontation? Or how about when you’ve soothed the blues away by treating your sweet tooth? And it’s not just negative emotions that lead to emotional eating - most of us reward happiness with unnecessary calories as well.
Emotional eating adds an untold number of calories to your diet - all calories that are unnecessary and turn into fatty deposits on your body.
3. Because you’re social.
Come on, don’t just sit there, have a slice of pizza with us. No one likes to eat alone, and so you feel obligated to eat with others. How many times have you filled up a plate just because everyone else was eating?
When eating becomes a social activity with no thought to the calories that are being consumed, only one thing will result: weight gain.
4. Because you’re habitual.
At the end of each day you relax in front of the television with a snack, and I’m willing to bet that it isn’t because you’re hungry. You simply associate sitting down to watch television with eating something. Or maybe you always visit the vending machine on your break whether you’re hungry or not - it’s just become a habit.
As humans we love to form habits, and when your habits involve eating extra calories then your waistline suffers for it.
Here is my challenge to you: Take the time to examine why you are eating, and choose to only eat when you’re truly hungry.
This small action has the potential to dramatically improve your physique in the coming year.
Remember that improving your diet is only half of the equation when it comes to reshaping your body. The quickest and most permanent results are achieved when good eating habits are accompanied by challenging exercise.
I’d like to see you transform your body in 2008 - so much so that I am asking you to contact me for a body transformation consultation so I can show you how to get the body that you deserve. Just reply to this email and we’ll schedule your consultation. Click here
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