Strength training, fat loss, body composition, supplements and health advice from one of London (UK)'s leading personal trainers
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
“Whatever it is that you desire to do in life, have the courage and the commitment to do it and to do it to your absolute best.” –Pat Summitt
Pat Summitt, the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history who won eight national championships at the University of Tennessee, wrote about commitment and pushing oneself to greatness in her new book, Sum It Up.
Summitt retired last year after being diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s Type. In her book, written with the assistance of Sally Jenkins, Summitt talks about how making commitments can help you work towards goals. Try applying it to your training, and see where it takes you. Here’s what she says.
“A lot of people are afraid of commitment because it means they’ll have to say ‘that’s the best I can do.’ They elect to be average. When you compete, you decide to find out what your real limits are, not just what you think they are.“
Summitt goes on to write about a time that she pushed her players to the limit after an embarrassing loss on the road, making them run suicides for their mistakes when they got back to campus in the middle of the night. A paraphrase of her description of pushing her players’ mental and physical limits follows.
“Most people have no idea what they are capable of—they didn’t have a clue. There is an old saying that ‘a champion is someone who is willing to be uncomfortable.’ If you turn away from real effort, you’ll settle for less. If you do it once, you’ll do it for the rest of your life.”
Don’t let lack of effort be the reason you don’t reach your training goals, whether they be performance or body composition based. Aim high, and approach every day like it is a national championship.
Reference
Pat Summitt and Sally Jenkins. Sum It Up. New York: Random House. 2013.
Study finds that markers of long-term stress (hair cortisol) correlate just as strongly to cardiovascular disease as traditional CHD risk factors (via @Mark_Sisson)
Nutri-Calm is an amazing combination providing generous levels of Vitamin C and B-Complex vitamins with added chamomile, and helps us settle when life becomes too much of a challenge. Designed for the nervous system during times of pressure, and for physically stressful conditions that can deplete the body of B-vitamins.
You can bling up these kale chips with additional seasonings. Paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, lemon zest, almost anything that tastes good on potato chips will taste swell on kale chips. Add them when you sprinkle the kale with salt. If you really want to convert non-kale-eaters, sprinkle the kale with finely grated Parmesan cheese (use your Microplane) before baking.–Timothy Ferriss
Tim Ferriss fans can attest to the fact that the man seems to get more outta life than many of us. And yet we all have just 24 hours in a day. To that end, the book from which this recipe comes isn’t just a cookbook. It’s a manual on life. Witness just a glimpse of what we’re talking about.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.
2. Tear the kale into bite-size pieces, leaving them on the largeish side as they’ll shrink during roasting. Remove the thick fibrous stems from the leaves and discard or save them for juicing or smoothie-ing.
3. Rinse the kale pieces under cool running water and pat them completely dry. Let them rest at room temperature on a baking sheet or a kitchen towel for at least an hour or perhaps a few hours, as the kale needs to be absolutely, completely, undeniably dry or it won’t crisp properly during roasting.
4. Spread the kale on the baking sheets or dump it in a large bowl. Dribble a very small amount of oil over the kale, partly covering the opening of the oil bottle with your thumb to control the rate of release. Toss the leaves with your hands, rubbing the oil into each and every leaf to ensure the kale is completely coated with oil.
5. Spread the kale in a single layer on the baking sheets. You need to make certain that no leaves overlap, as this will lead to soggy, gross edges, crying children, and whimpering puppies.
6. Sprinkle the kale with salt.
7. Bake until the edges are lightly browned but not so browned as burnt toast. Take a nibble at about 15 minutes, and if it seems like it’s good, you’re done. Otherwise, if it still needs more crisping, check again in a few minutes. Bake for no more than 20 minutes total. Transfer the kale to a sheet of parchment paper to cool to room temperature.
Stress will shorten your life, make you fat, stunt your training results, and make you a poor performer in every area of your life. You MUST minimize your stress if you want to achieve your potential! Use these ten strategies to manage the difficulty caused by living in the modern world.
Tip #1: Strength Train
Strength training is the perfect way to counter the physiologic chronic stress response caused by life because it elevates the body’s natural anti-stress system. It also improves energy use, builds muscle, and makes you feel good.
The cool thing about strength training for stress management is that it lets you get rid of your aggressions, work through problems in your head, but it ALSO enhances the body’s antioxidant system. This is critical to managing psychological and physical stress because it is this system, which centers around the activity of a molecule called glutathione, that will get rid of the factors produced inside the body when you are stressing out that cause damage to cells. Glutathione protects you from the ill effects of everything from inflammatory factors caused by lack of sleep to those produced by excess cortisol or insulin.
For example, one recent study compared a hypertrophy-type with a strength-type training protocol in men for six weeks and found that resting levels of glutathione were much higher in participants at the end of the study than at baseline. Markers of inflammation were lower at the end of the study. Both protocols were equally effectively at elevating glutathione and decreasing the physiological evidence of chronic stress in participants.
Tip #2: Do Yoga
Yoga practice will help minimize sensations of stress and has been proven to elevate glutathione and total antioxidant levels in a number of studies. For example, one study split a group of young men in the Navy into a group that performed yoga a few times a week for six months and a group that did aerobic training. At the end of the study, the group that did yoga had higher glutathione levels, indicating less inflammation and biological stress, and higher total antioxidant levels. The group that did aerobic training had their total antioxidant levels drop significantly from the start of the study, highlighting the fact that steady-state exercise causes stress that will compromise the immune system and health.
Tip #3: Meditate
Just like yoga, mediation provides a safe but structured time to get rid of stress. Interestingly, studies show a regular practice is MORE effective than yoga at lowering the markers of inflammation that damage cells and cause aging.
For example, IL-6, a marker of stress in the body that is elevated in response to sleep deprivation, in situations of high anxiety, and in individuals with financial problems at the poverty line, has been found to be much lower in people who regularly practice meditation than those who practice yoga. Researchers suggest that meditation is so very effective for stress reduction because the yogic breathing that accompanies it helps to clear stress hormones, and elevate the body’s antioxidant system that is driven by glutathione.
Meditation provides a planned time for mental stress reduction, but it also allows people who practice it to develop active skills for reducing stress when they encounter it head on in daily life. Evidence suggests best results with yoga and meditation for stress reduction will come from a planned practice at least a few days a week.
Tip #4: Practice a Martial Art
Martial arts practice has been shown to decrease markers of stress in the body by improving the antioxidant system and raising glutathione. A series of studies have shown that practices including judo, tai chi, tae kwon do, jiu jitsu, soo bahk do, and aikido all decrease stress.
For example, one study took judokas and sedentary men and had them perform a maximal exercise test. The judokas had much high antioxidant status and much less “bad” or oxidative stress following the test than the sedentary men. Researchers don’t know what uniquely sets martial arts, especially a very strenuous one like judo, apart in enabling better stress management and lower physiological stress, but they do note the benefits to be robust. Similar findings have been produced from testing practitioners of all the martial arts mentioned above.
Tip #5: Get A Lot of Omega-3s Omega-3 fish oils are proven to decrease inflammation in the body and studies suggest they can help you fight the sensations of chronic stress. A series of recent studies have shown omega-3s will elevate glutathione, and they are particularly good at protecting the body when exposed to debilitating physical stress.
For example, one study found that giving omega-3s to rats at birth after they had been exposed to chronic alcohol as fetuses resulted in restored glutathione levels AND brain function. A control group that didn’t receive omega-3s had much lower antioxidant status and brain damage was evident. A second study shows omega-3s can eradicate oxidative stress and raise glutathione after a heart attack.
In addition, there’s robust evidence that the omega-3 DHA is highly effective at decreasing inflammation in the brain, which can lead to better cognitive function and less feelings of psychological stress and depression. Omega-3 supplementation has also been found to decrease the acute stress response from intense strength training, leading to less inflammation post-workout and a faster recovery.
To get stress reduction benefits, take a large dose. Rat studies have shown the best benefits from doses as high as 500 mg/kg of body weight a day. Human studies have always used lower doses, but data indicate as much as nine grams a day to be therapeutic.
Tip #6: Eat Antioxidant-Rich Foods
Antioxidant-rich foods such as berries and leafy green vegetables will increase your glutathione to minimize the effects chronic stress, but not because the antioxidants in these foods actually fight the stress themselves. Rather, antioxidant-rich foods provide nutrients that the body uses to produce enzymes that enable glutathione to be biologically effective for stress reduction. When you have more of these enzymes in your body, an anti-inflammatory or anti-stress cascade is enabled that allows for the removal of stress and better health.
Antioxidant-rich foods include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower), dark green vegetables (kale, collards), berries (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries), flavanol plants (green tea, cocoa, grape seeds, olives), spices and herbs (turmeric, ginger, boswellia), garlic, onions, grapes, and kiwis.
To actually achieve stress reduction from antioxidant-rich foods you need to eat them every day at every meal. You’ll find that for stress-reduction benefits from any of these tips, you have to make them lifestyle habits that shape your experience.
Tip #7: Drink Green Tea Green tea is well known for being high in antioxidants and lowering stress. To experience the wonders of green tea for stress reduction, a fairly large amount is needed and you need to get it daily. There are a number of studies that show green tea will increase your total antioxidant level and raise glutathione, especially in people who have very high levels of stress and lots of inflammation. Animal studies show even greater stress reduction benefits from large doses of green tea.
For example a study that gave mice a large green tea dose of 100 mg/kg/bw daily for 15 days prevented a buildup of stress and the corresponding behavioral and cognitive deterioration from extreme swim training. A control group experienced significant anxiety, chronic fatigue, and had high oxidative stress in response to the exercise. Smaller green tea doses countered stress in a dose response manner, but the large dose effectively produced baseline levels of health.
Data suggest that six to seven cups of green tea can provide a general dose of antioxidants, but to alleviate serious stress, consider getting a highly concentrated green tea capsule or liquid.
Zambroza conatins a unique and powerful blend of juices as well as green tea extract. This unique juice blend not only tastes great but gives your body what it needs to enjoy maximum health and long lasting vitality - not only will you feel revitalised but these antioxidants have a powerful effect on the health of the skin helping you to look great too.
Potency of antioxidants is measured by their ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity), which indicates their ability to neutralise and scavenge free radicals. When tested by Brunswick Laboratories the results were astounding with Zambroza’s scoring more than twice that of the nearest competitor, demonstrating its superior protective properties. Rich in Polyphenols and Flavonoids Zambroza is proven to give unparalleled antioxidant protection.
Tip #8: Perform Self-Guided Imagery
Performing self-guided imagery or positive visualizations is an effective treatment for stress disorders, especially those that manifest in regards to sleep with nightmares and insomnia. A large-scale analysis showed that guided imagery and meditation “seem to be good and effective methods for stress reduction,” and that they are most effective if they favor a mind-body approach. This means you should pay attention to how the certain parts of the body feel during the visualization.
Guided imagery can take on many forms from recalling stress-free experiences, to imagining beautiful places, to performing passive or active muscle relaxation. It makes sense that doing a visualization session with deep breathing would be calming and reduce stress since it allows you to stop anxious thoughts. However, it is different from meditation, which tends to have you focus on the present moment in the here and now.
Tip #9: Do Self-Foot Reflexology
Self-foot reflexology is a form of body work in which you apply pressure to different parts of your feet in a similar way as massage. It is designed to target the reflex areas of the foot to improve energy flow in the body, and it has been shown to significantly reduce perceived stress and fatigue.
In one study, university students were taught to perform reflexology on their feet and then they practiced it in a group setting for one hour three times a week for six weeks. Results showed that the practice reduced stress and fatigue and raised skin temperature, which is thought to indicate lower stress levels. Other studies have shown similar subtle calming benefits from reflexology, and although it hasn’t been shown lower cortisol, it’s reasonable to include a regular self-foot massage or reflexology practice to lower stress, especially if you take the time to do deep breathing and visualization as well.
Tip #10: Laugh A Lot
This one’s no surprise, but it IS highly effective at reducing stress and improving glutathione and the immune system. Studies show genuine laughter can increase natural killer cells, which make you more resistant to disease and stress in the same way high antioxidant levels do.
For example, one study compared natural killer cell levels in women who saw a humorous video with those who saw a tourism video. As a group, the women who saw the funny video had a much greater increase in killer cells than those who saw the tourism video and there was a dose response effect to their laughter—more was better!
Nutri-Calm is an amazing combination providing generous levels of Vitamin C and B-Complex vitamins with added chamomile, and helps us settle when life becomes too much of a challenge. Designed for the nervous system during times of pressure, and for physically stressful conditions that can deplete the body of B-vitamins.
BENEFITS OF NUTRI-CALM
Provides nutrients for the nervous system and brain
Helps us settle when life becomes too much of a challenge
Helps to replenish vitamins that are often depleted in times of stress
Vitamin C and B-Vitamins contribute to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue
Today I have a motivational article from successful fat loss coach Joel Marion...
Living in an early 20th century home, I have a unique appreciation for historic architecture, especially homes built in the early 1900s. Perhaps one of the most renown architects of this time period was Chicago native Frank Lloyd Wright.
You see, throughout Frank's decorated career he designed more than 1,000 structures and completed more than 530 works. While certainly highly recognized during his lifetime, in 1991 the American Institute of Architects honored him in the most meaningful way, officially recognizing him as "The greatest American architect of all time."
But despite his accomplishments, there's something Frank once said that we can all learn an extremely valuable lesson from:
Late in his career, after completing some of the most masterful pieces of his day, he was asked "Frank, out of all the beautiful works you have constructed, which is your favorite?"
Without hesitation, Frank replied these powerful words that are still often quoted today:
"My next one."
You see, even though Frank had already accomplished so much, he still realized that his work wasn't done and that there was still even more to achieve -- that despite all of his great success, something even greater still lied inside him.
And it's this mentality, this type of mindset, and this type of perspective that drove him all the way through his career.
You see, after completing 100 highly praised structures Frank could have thought "I've done enough. After all, it's more than most have done."
But then the world would have missed out on the more than 400 additional, marvelous constructions that he went on to complete throughout his lifetime.
Let me ask you this:
What is the world missing out on from you? Are you pushing forward toward your next great masterpiece, or have you settled for where you're currently at?
Are you looking forward, or have you grown complacent where you are?
Many times, instead of reaching for our best, we fall victim to drawing comparisons to what others have accomplished.
"I'm healthier than most." or "I'm doing more than most are about their fitness." or perhaps "I can't complain, there are a lot of people in worse shape than me."
Is your standard others living an average, mediocre life? Or is your standard YOUR best? I hope it's the latter.
Fact is, there's a lot more in store for you, and no matter where you are, you've only begun to scratch the surface of just how much you're capable of accomplishing.
Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player who ever played the game, even at the pinnacle of his career ALWAYS knew he could be, and strived to be, better. And you know what? That mentality is what drove Michael Jordan to become the best, and it's what kept him at the top throughout his entire career. Michael knew that what he had already accomplished wasn't where it ended...there was always much more ahead.
Today, you have a great, bright, beautiful future lying ahead of you. Although you may have had past success, the biggest rewards lie in what's to come. Don't ever stop striving for more, driving for me, and pushing to be your best.
You may be surprised just how much you can accomplish when you're always looking toward you're "next one."
By Dr. Mercola
A recent article by CNN1lists 25 ways to get healthier. Some of the suggestions certainly have merit, but it was more noteworthy for the many ridiculous tips they included, and some of the crucially important ones they neglected.
Actually, no surprises there, as the media is a mere reflection of the corrupted medical paradigm that focuses on treating symptoms rather than addressing the foundational causes of disease.
So, here’s my own list of the top dozen lifestyle strategies I believe can make the biggest difference in your health as they address most of the disruptions that are at the core of most health challenges.
#1. Add Sprouts to Your Diet
One of the most nutritious powerhouses to add to your diet are sprouts. They are an authentic “super” food that many overlook or have long stopped using. In addition to their nutritional profile, sprouts are also easy and fun to grow in your own home as they don’t require an outdoor garden.
They can contain up to 39 times the nutrition of organic vegetables grown in your own garden, and allow your body to extract more vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fats from the foods you eat. During sprouting, minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, bind to protein, making them more bioavailable.
Furthermore, both the quality of the protein and the fiber content of beans, nuts, seeds and grains improves when sprouted. The content of vitamins and essential fatty acids also increase dramatically during the sprouting process. Sunflower seed, broccoli and pea sprouts tend to top the list of all the seeds that you can sprout and are typically each about 30 times more nutritious than organic vegetables. While you can sprout a variety of different beans, nuts, seeds and grains, sprouts in general have the following beneficial attributes:
Support for cell regeneration
Powerful sources of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and enzymes that protect against free radical damage
Alkalinizing effect on your body, which is thought to protect against disease, including cancer (as many tumors are acidic)
Abundantly rich in oxygen, which can also help protect against abnormal cell growth, viruses and bacteria that cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment
Planting and Harvesting Sprouts at Home
I used to grow sprouts in Ball jars over 10 years ago but stopped doing that. I am strongly convinced that actually growing them in soil is far easier and produces far more nutritious and abundant food. It is also less time consuming. With Ball jars, you need to rinse them several times a day to prevent mold growth. Trays also take up less space. I am now consuming one whole tray you see below every 2-3 days and to produce that much food with Ball jars, I would need dozens of jars.
I am in the process of compiling more specific detailed videos for future articles but I thought I would whet your appetite and give you a preview with the photos below.
About to plant wheat grass and sunflower seeds – 2 days after soaking
Wheat grass and sunflower seeds – 3 ½ days post germination
Sunflower seeds and pea sprouts – 3 days until ready for harvest
Sunflower seed sprouts and wheat Grass – ready to harvest
My two favorites are pea and sunflower sprouts. They provide some of the highest quality protein you can eat. Sprouted sunflower seeds also contain plenty of iron and chlorophyll, the latter of which will help detoxify your blood and liver. Of the seeds, sunflower seeds are among the best in terms of overall nutritional value, and sprouting them will augment their nutrient content by as much as 300 to 1,200 percent! Similarly, sprouting peas will improve the bioavailability of zinc and magnesium.
I have been sprouting them now for a few months and they have radically improved the nutrition of my primary meal, which is a comprehensive salad at lunch. They are a perfect complement to fermented vegetables. My current salad consists of about half a pound of sunflower sprouts, four ounces of fermented vegetables, half a large red pepper, several tablespoon of raw organic butter, some red onion, a whole avocado and about three ounces of salmon or chicken. It is my primary meal. In the late afternoon, I typically only have macadamia nuts and coconut candy in addition to drinking 16-32 ounces of green vegetable juice. I break it up occasionally by going to a restaurant with friends.
#2. Make Fermented Vegetables a Daily Staple
The importance of your gut flora and its influence on your health cannot be overstated. Your gut is home to countless bacteria, both beneficial and pathogenic. These bacteria outnumber the cells in your body by at least 10 to one, and maintaining the ideal balance of good and bad bacteria forms the foundation for good health – physical, mental and emotional. In fact, your gut literally serves as your second brain, and even produces more of the neurotransmitter serotonin than your brain does.
Cultured or fermented foods are essential for maintaining a healthy gut. The culturing process produces beneficial microbes, also known as probiotics, which help balance your intestinal flora. Fermented foods are also some of the best chelators available, capable of drawing out a wide range of toxins and heavy metals. Just a quarter to a half a cup of fermented vegetables per day is sufficient for most people. Ideally, you’ll want to include a variety of fermented or cultured foods, as each food will inoculate your gut with a variety of different microorganisms. To learn how to easily ferment your own vegetables, see my interview with Caroline Barringer, a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and an expert in the preparation of the foods prescribed in Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride's Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Nutritional Program. We are currently finishing some sophisticated DNA sequencing experiments on our new high dose vitamin K2 probiotic starter culture.
#3. Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels with Appropriate Sun Exposure
Vitamin D, once linked to only bone diseases such as rickets and osteoporosis, is now recognized as a major player in overall human health. There are only 30,000 genes in your body and Vitamin D has been shown to influence over 2,000 of them. That’s one of the primary reasons it influences so many diseases, including diabetes, depression, heart disease and cancer, just to name a few. But while many focus on vitamin Dsupplementation, it's important to realize that the IDEAL way to optimize your vitamin D level is not by taking a pill, but rather allowing your body to do what it is designed to do – create vitamin D from sun exposure (or a safe tanning bed). Sunlight is superior to supplements for a number of reasons:
It is natural. Our ancestors optimized their vitamin D levels by sun exposure, not by swallowing it in foods. Although vitamin D is in some animal foods, it is in relatively low quantities and to my knowledge there are no known ancestral populations that thrived on oral vitamin D sources
When you expose your skin to the sun, your skin also synthesizes high amounts of cholesterol sulfate, which is very important for cardiovascular health. In fact, Dr. Stephanie Seneff, believes that high LDL and associated heart disease may in fact be a symptom of cholesterol sulfate deficiency. Sulfur deficiency, in fact, also promotes obesity and related health problems like diabetes
Most experts believe you cannot overdose when getting your vitamin D from sun exposure, as your body has the ability to self-regulate production and only make what it needs
When taking a high dose vitamin D supplement, you also need to boost your intake of vitamin K2, either from food or a supplement, in order to maintain the proper ratio. These two nutrients work in tandem, and vitamin K2 deficiency is actually what produces the symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, which includes inappropriate calcification that can lead to hardening of your arteries
Sunlight has many additional health benefits unrelated to vitamin D production
Solstic Nutrition has been formulated by Nature’s Sunshine’s own team of scientific experts and has been created to bring you a great tasting synergistic blend, providing 100% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, D, E, biotin and pantothenic acid. The formula also includes vitamin K, calcium, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc. The vitamins and minerals in Solstic Nutrition are formulated in a way that makes them quick and easy for the body to use. Each sachet contains only 15 calories, no sugar and is low in carbs to support any weight loss programme, and can be easily used at the gym or during outdoor activities.
#4. Intermittent Fasting
It's long been known that calorie restriction can improve metabolic disease risk markers and increase the lifespan of certain animals. More recent research suggests that intermittent fasting can provide the same health benefits as constant calorie restriction, which may be helpful for those who cannot successfully reduce their everyday calorie intake. I believe it’s one of the most powerful interventions out there if you’re struggling with your weight and related health issues. One of the primary reasons for this is because it helps shift your body from burning sugar/carbs to burning fat as its primary fuel.
Research has also shown that fasting can boost your body’s production of human growth hormone (HGH) by as much as 1,300 percent in women and 2,000 percent in men. HGH, commonly referred to as "the fitness hormone," plays an important role in maintaining health, fitness and longevity, including promotion of muscle growth, and boosting fat loss by revving up your metabolism. Other health benefits of intermittent fasting include:
Normalizing your insulin and leptin sensitivity, which is key for optimal healthImproving biomarkers of diseaseNormalizing ghrelin levels, also known as "the hunger hormone"Reducing inflammation and lessening free radical damageLowering triglyceride levelsPreserving memory functioning and learning
A simple way to incorporate intermittent fasting into your lifestyle is to simply time your meals to allow for regular periods of fasting in between. To be effective, the length of your fast must be at least eight hours long. This means eating only between the hours of 11am until 7pm each day, as an example. Essentially, this equates to simply skipping breakfast, and making lunch your first meal of the day instead.
#5. Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into Your Exercise Routine
Compelling and ever-mounting research shows that the ideal form of exercise is short bursts of high intensity exercise. Not only does it beat conventional cardio as the most effective and efficient form of exercise, it also provides health benefits you simply cannot get from regular aerobics, such as a tremendous boost in human growth hormone (HGH), aka the “fitness hormone,” which is essential for optimal health, strength and vigor.
HIIT has also been shown to significantly improve insulin sensitivity, boost fat loss, and increase muscle growth. Best of all, high intensity exercises are so efficient, you can get all the benefits you need in just a 20-minute session, start to finish, performed twice or a max of three times per week.
The key factor that makes interval training so effective is intensity. To reap maximum results, you need to work out at maximum intensity, with rest periods in between spurts. If you are using exercise equipment, I recommend using a recumbent bicycle or an elliptical machine for your high-intensity interval training, although you certainly can use a treadmill, or sprint anywhere outdoors. (Keep in mind that if you intend to sprint outside, be very careful about stretching prior to sprinting. Also, unless you are already an athlete, I would strongly advise against sprinting, as several people I know became injured doing it the first time that way.)
You can also modify your weight training routine to turn it into a high intensity exercise. This is done by slowing it down. The super-slow movement allows your muscle, at the microscopic level, to access the maximum number of cross-bridges between the protein filaments that produce movement in the muscle. To learn more, check out my interview with Dr. Doug McGuff – an emergency room physician who is also an expert in high-intensity interval training. An important dietary adjunct that will help you get the most out of your high intensity training is to avoid fructose. If you consume sugar or fructose, especially within two hours post-exercise, you will increase somatostatin (also known as growth hormone-inhibiting hormone), which will in turn obliterate the production of growth hormone that you’d otherwise get from your high intensity exercise. So avoid commercial sports drinks, juices, enhanced water products and any other beverage containing fructose, and stick to pure water. If you need to replenish electrolytes, coconut water is an excellent alternative but it’s only recommended if you’re exercising intensely and sweating profusely. Otherwise, the high sugar content can be counterproductive.
#6. Get High Quality Sleep
Sleep is such an important part of your overall health that no amount of healthful food and exercise can counteract the ill effects of poor sleeping habits. Poor sleep has been linked to a number of health ailments, including short-term memory loss, behavioral problems, weight gain, diabetes, increased risk of heart disease and cancer. Sleep deprivation also prematurely ages you by interfering with your growth hormone production, normally released by your pituitary gland during deep sleep (and during high intensity Peak Fitness exercises discussed above). Growth hormone helps you look and feel younger.
Most people need somewhere around seven to eight hours of sleep per night, but sleep needs are highly individual, and tend to vary depending on your current state of health and stress levels as well. If you still feel sleepy upon waking or feel like you need a nap during the day, you’re probably not getting enough.
Whether you have difficulty falling asleep, waking up too often, or feeling inadequately rested when you wake up in the morning – or maybe you simply want to improve the quality of your sleep – I strongly recommend reviewing my special report on improving your sleep hygiene.
If you feel well-rested in the morning, that's a good sign that your sleep habits are just fine. But if not, you might want to investigate your sleep patterns more closely. ZEO is an innovative sleep measurement device that allows you to perform a personalized 'sleep study' from the comfort of your own home. The beauty of this device is that it lets you evaluate how various factors affect your sleep. For example, you can evaluate how your sleep was affected by a cup of coffee in the afternoon, or how doing computer work past a certain hour impacted your sleep.
You could actually go through my 33 recommendations for improving your sleep and evaluate the effects of each one if you wanted to. I recommend using the less expensive mobile sleep manager as that will allow you scan your brainwaves without transmitting the data until the morning when you awake and manually transfer to your smart phone or tablet via Bluetooth.
#7. Get Grounded
Did you know the energy from the Earth can help you live a healthier life? The concept is known as earthing or grounding, which is nothing more than walking barefoot; grounding your body to the Earth. You can connect any part of your skin to the Earth, but one is especially potent, and that's right in the middle of the ball of your foot; a point known to acupuncturists as Kidney 1 (K1). It's a well-known point that conductively connects to all of the acupuncture meridians and essentially connects to every nook and cranny of your body.
Compelling research shows that lack of grounding has a lot to do with the rise of modern diseases.
When you're grounded, there's a transfer of free electrons from the Earth into your body. And these free electrons are probably the most potent antioxidants known to man. Any free radicals they encounter in your tissues will immediately be electrically neutralized. This occurs because the electrons are negative, while the free radicals are positive, so they cancel each other out.
Another very important discovery, and one of the most recent, is that grounding thins your blood, making it less viscous. This can have a profound impact on cardiovascular disease, which is now the number one killer in the world. Virtually every aspect of cardiovascular disease has been correlated with elevated blood viscosity. It can also help protect against blood clots.
The ideal location for walking barefoot is the beach, close to or in the water, as sea water is a great conductor. Your body also contains mostly water, so it creates a good connection. A close second would be a grassy area, especially if it's covered with dew, which is what you'd find if you walk early in the morning. Concrete is a good conductor as long as it hasn't been sealed; painted concrete does not allow electrons to pass through very well. Materials like asphalt, wood, and typical insulators like plastic or the soles of your shoes, will not allow electrons to pass through and are not suitable for barefoot grounding.
Exercising barefoot outdoors is one of the most wonderful, inexpensive and powerful ways of incorporating earthing into your daily life and will also help speed up tissue repair and ease muscle pain due to strenuous exercise.
#8. Drink Pure Water
Your body requires a constant daily supply of water to fuel all the various waste filtration systems nature has designed to keep your body healthy and free of toxins. Your blood, your kidneys, and your liver all require a source of good clean water to detoxify your body from the toxic exposures you come into contact with every day.
When you give your body water that is filled with toxins leached from plastic, by-products from chlorination, volatile organic compounds, or water that is contaminated by pesticides, fluoride, or prescription drugs, you are asking your body to work twice as hard at detoxification, because it must first detoxify the water you are drinking, before that water can be used to fuel your organs of detoxification!
Clearly, the most efficient way help your body both avoid and eliminate toxins is to provide your body with the cleanest, purest water you can find. This is easily done by installing one or more types of water filtration systems in your house.
If you could only afford one filter, there is no question in most experts' minds that the shower filter is the most important product to buy for water filtration, even more important than filtering your tap water. This is because the damage you incur through your skin and lungs far surpasses the damage done by drinking water (which at least gives your body a fighting chance to eliminate the toxins through your organs of elimination).
An even better solution to the problem of harsh chemicals and toxins in your home's water supply is to install a whole house water filtration system. There's just one water line coming into your house. Putting a filter on this is the easiest and simplest strategy you can implement to take control of your health by ensuring the water and the air in your house is as clean as possible. To learn more about different types of water and water filtration systems, please see my special report on this topic.
#9. Limit Processed Foods and Replace Non-Veggie Carbs with Healthy Fats
Two of the most powerful dietary interventions I know of are 1) limiting or eliminating processed foods and 2) replacing non-vegetable carbohydrates and excess protein with healthful fats. Beneficial fats include avocados, coconut oil, olives, olive oil, butter and nuts. Wild Alaskan salmon is also a powerhouse of nutrition, providing critical omega-3 fats. As a general rule, when you cut down on carbs, you need to increase your fat consumption. Both are sources of much-needed energy, but fats are a source of energy that is far more ideal than carbohydrates. Replacing carbs with more protein is not a wise choice as it can produce similar adverse hormonal changes as burning non-vegetable carbs.
For a comprehensive guide on which foods to eat and which to avoid, see my nutrition plan. Generally speaking, you should be looking to focus your diet on whole, ideally organic and/or locally grown, unprocessed foods. For the best nutrition and health benefits, you will want to eat a good portion of your food raw.
Processed foods are notoriously high in fructose, not to mention artificial additives. All forms of sugar (but fructose in particular) have toxic effects when consumed in excess, and drive multiple disease processes in your body, not the least of which is insulin resistance, a major cause of chronic disease and accelerated aging. Replacing non-vegetable carbs with healthful fats will also optimize your insulin and leptin levels, which is key for maintaining a healthy weight and optimal health.
Most people eat far too much protein. Like many areas of health there is a “Goldilocks” dose that provides most of the benefits and minimal side effects. Dr. Rosedale believes that the ideal amount is about one gram per pound of lean body weight unless you are pregnant or doing competitive athletics. But that is a level that will more than supply your body’s amino acid needs without sacrificing your health.
#10. Avoid Toxins
Volumes of books could be written on modern day toxic exposures, but while it may be impossible to list every possibility, if you avoid the most notorious offenders, you’ll be way ahead of the game. In general, this includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides, and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives. In terms of specific toxins, some of the most hazardous yet commonly encountered ones include:
Mercury – found in dental amalgams and fish.
Fluoride – found in toothpaste, fluoridated water, and non-organic food (due to the widespread use of fluoride-based pesticides. For example, conventionally-grown iceberg lettuce can contain as much as 180 ppm of fluoride – 180 times higher than what's recommended in drinking water).
EMFs. Electromagnetic field exposures are becoming increasingly pervasive and they can interact unfavorably with your biology. So please review the many previous articles we have written on this subject to learn more.
Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Bisphenol-S (BPS) – Used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics, bisphenols are estrogen mimicking chemicals that can leach into food or drinks from the plastic containers holding them. These chemicals are known to be particularly dangerous for pregnant women, infants and children.
To avoid plastic toxins such as bisphenols, opt for glass over plastic, especially when it comes to products that will come into contact with food or beverages, or those intended for pregnant women, infants and children. This applies to canned goods as well, which are a major source of BPA (and possibly other chemicals) exposure, so whenever you can, choose jarred goods over canned goods, or opt for fresh instead. Another good idea is to ditch plastic teething toys for your little ones and choose natural wood or fabric varieties instead.
Phthalates – found in soft plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), as well as many toiletries, including shampoo, toothpaste, and cosmetics. Phthalates is one of the most pervasive type of endocrine disrupting chemicals discovered so far, and have been linked to a wide range of developmental and reproductive “gender-bending” effects. Twelve tips for avoiding common sources of phthalates, see this previous article.
#11. Have Great Tools to Address Your Stress
Research has linked emotional stress to a wide variety of health problems, including physical pain, chronic inflammation,2 stillbirths,3 lowered immune function, increased blood pressure, altered brain chemistry, increased tumor growth4 and more. Even the conservative Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 85 percent of all disease has an emotional element.
Clearly, it is not possible or even recommended to eliminate stress entirely. However, you can work to provide your body with tools to compensate for the bioelectrical short-circuiting that can cause serious disruption in many of your body's important systems. By using energy psychology techniques such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), you can reprogram how your body responds to the unavoidable stressors of everyday life so that “the little things” no longer pose such a great threat to your health.
Exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and meditation are also important “release valves” that can help you manage your stress. EFT is akin to acupuncture, which is based on the concept that a vital energy flows through your body along invisible pathways known as meridians. EFT stimulates different energy meridian points in your body by tapping them with your fingertips, while simultaneously using custom-made verbal affirmations. This can be done alone or under the supervision of a qualified therapist.5 Since these stressors are usually connected to physical problems, many people’s diseases and other symptoms can improve or disappear as well.
#12. Replace Drugs with Natural Alternatives that Address the Cause
Last but certainly not least, replacing drugs with natural alternatives, or better yet, addressing the lifestyle factors that are causing your health problem in the first place, are your best bets if you want to avoid becoming a disease- or pharmaceutical-mortality statistic.
Drugs are known to cause well over 125,000 deaths per year in the US when taken correctly as prescribed. This is not so surprising when you consider the average drug label lists 70 potential adverse reactions. Overall, drugs are 62,000 times more likely to kill you than nutritional supplements, and 7,750 times more likely to kill you than herbal remedies. According to the US National Poison Data System,6the following drug categories are among the most lethal:
Analgesics, sedatives, hypnotics, and antipsychotics
Cardiovascular drugs
Opioids
Acetaminophen combinations
Antidepressants
Muscle relaxants
Anti-inflammatories
Antacids
Anticoagulants
Antihistamines
The vast majority of health problems are in fact responsive to appropriate lifestyle changes – the most important of which have been covered above. Type 2 diabetes, for example, is not only wholly preventable, it’s virtually 100 percent reversible through diet and exercise alone. Even cancer has been shown to be responsive to such measures. Scientists are seriously looking into a number of dietary treatment alternatives, such as ketogenic- and anti-angiogenesis-type diets.
For example, research led by Dr. Dominic D'Agostino has found that when lab animals are fed a carb-free diet, they survive highly aggressive metastatic cancer better than those treated with chemotherapy. The reason a ketogenic diet can have such a dramatic (and rapid) effect on cancer is because all of your body’s cells are fueled by glucose. This includes cancer cells. However, cancer cells have one built-in fatal flaw – they do not have the metabolic flexibility of your regular cells and cannot adapt to use ketone bodies for fuel as all your other cells can.
So, when you alter your diet and become what’s known as “fat-adapted,” your body starts using fat for fuel rather than carbs. When you switch out the carbs for healthy fats, you starve the cancer out, as you’re no longer supplying the necessary fuel – glucose – for their growth. Intermittent fasting, discussed above, is one of the most powerful ways I know of to become fat adapted.
Watch out Raspberries, there is a new fat buster in town!
That’s right, unlike raspberries that grow on bushes, these tiny fruits grow on woody vines that encircle the sides of buildings and trees.
They are commonly used to make many different selections of wines, jellies, and juices.
Now, they come in many different varieties and colors and can be found in both seeded and seedless varieties.
What are we referring to…
Grapes!
And, yes, similar to the red raspberry (raspberry ketones), grapes may also help you shed the fat!
Grapes and Fat Loss
You already know, that as part of a healthy diet, you should consume a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
And that the fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals found in those fruits and vegetables will boost your health and wellness,
Since most fruits and vegetables are low in calories and fat, they are an attractive option for leaving you feeling full and satisfied – while burning FAT!
However, grapes – green, red, and purple ones – may hold a secret…
A secret so powerful, that many weight loss experts don’t want you to know about it!
The fact is: grapes may help you shed unwanted pounds…
Reduce the accumulation of body fat…
And, may be able to reduce inflammation, which may be one cause of dysfunctional fat cells.
Plus, there is research to prove it!
A team of researchers from the University of Michigan Health System tested the use of freeze-dried grape extract and its effects on many different markers in the body.
Here is what they found:
First, the researchers fed Western-type diets supplemented with or without freeze-dried grape extract to subjects for a period of 90 days.
They wanted to see the effects grapes had on heart, liver, kidneys, and fat tissue in rats altered to gain weight and fat.
Now, here is where the study gets interesting:
They showed that 90 days of grape extract supplementation resulted in lower inflammatory markers in the liver and abdominal fat tissue.
Plus, grapes also reduced liver, kidney, and abdominal fat weight compared to the control diet.
And that’s not all! The grape-supplemented diet increased antioxidant defense markers, especially in the liver and kidneys!
They concluded:
“Our study concluded that a grape-enriched diet may play a crucial role in protecting against metabolic syndrome and the toll it takes on the body and its organs. Both inflammation and oxidative stress play a role in cardiovascular disease progression and organ dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes. Grape intake impacted both of these components in several tissues which is a very promising finding.”
Eat More Grapes
Grapes - which are low in calories and but high in nutrition – should be part of a healthy diet.
They also contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are vital for optimal functioning of all the cells in your body.
Besides all that, all varieties of grapes may be beneficial for boosting your fat loss.
In fact, according to this study, grapes consumed for 90 days may lead to lower abdominal, liver, and kidney fat weight.
And, including grapes may increase antioxidant defense markers in the body.
For faster fat loss, better antioxidant defense, and improved inflammation markers, eating grapes daily may be the best option for you! Zambroza is a unique and powerful blend of concord grape, red grape and raspberry juices, and grape skin and grape seed extracts, plus other juices that are naturally rich in vitamin C - a powerful antioxidant. Not only will you feel revitalised but these antioxidants have a powerful effect on the health of the skin helping you to look great too.
Supply powerful nutrients that give the body energy and vitality
Maintain a healthy immune system
Neutralise free radicals throughout the body
COMBATING FREE RADICALS
Antioxidants are natural substances that stabilise highly reactive molecules known as ‘free radicals’.
Free radicals occur naturally in the body. Pollution, chemical additives, stress, exercise, sunlight and other factors can increase free radical production.
Excess free radicals can have a damaging effect on the body’s cells. A great deal of attention has been directed at the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E because of their function in protecting the cells from damage caused by natural body processes, lifestyles, and environmental and chemical pollutants.
These vitamins, along with the trace mineral selenium, help to prevent important molecules and structures within the cell from reacting with oxygen, which often injures the cell structure. This process is called oxidation.
RICH IN POLYPHENOLS AND FLAVONOIDS
Nature’s Sunshine has harvested the most healthful fruits and natural extracts from around the world and combined them into this unique delicious, nutritious juice that has been specially formulated to neutralise excess free radicals.
This unique juice blend not only tastes great but gives your body what it needs to enjoy maximum health and long lasting vitality - not only will you feel revitalised but these antioxidants have a powerful effect on the health of the skin helping you to look great too.
Potency of antioxidants is measured by their ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity), which indicates their ability to neutralise and scavenge free radicals. When tested by Brunswick Laboratories the results were astounding with Zambroza’s scoring more than twice that of the nearest competitor, demonstrating its superior protective properties.
Rich in Polyphenols and Flavonoids Zambroza is proven to give unparalleled antioxidant protection.
Today, I have an article by Josh Bezoni, of Bio Trust Nutrition, who wrote the 7 Day Belly Blast Diet...
What if you could eat FOOD and burn fat? Well, you can.
Fact is, there are many foods that have fat-fighting properties, and today we're going to talk about one belly-blasting food in particular that you probably never even heard of.
I'm talking about: Resistant Starch.
Resistant starch (RS) is starch that escapes digestion and the small intestine and passes through the system while providing only HALF the calories of a typical carbohydrate. In fact, RS is now known as a third type of fiber, possessing numerous health and weight management properties.
First, resistant starch is low calorie and low glycemic, both great properties for those looking to shed some belly blubber. Even more, resistant starch has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals, individuals with Type II diabetes, as well as insulin resistant individuals.
Second, resistant starch encourages the growth of healthy bacteria in the bowel, making it known as a "prebiotic fiber" that soothes the intestinal tract and aids in promoting regularity.
In addition to that, resistant starch has also been shown in numerous studies to increase fat oxidation and fatty acid metabolism.
But it doesn't stop there...consumption of resistant starch has also been shown to increase satiety and lower calorie intake automatically.
So yeah, you probably want to make sure you are adding this stuff to your meals.
But you're probably also wondering which foods contain resistant starch and how you can begin adding this powerful nutrient to your diet. Good question...here are some of the top foods:
1. Navy Beans (9.8g per 1/2 cup) 2. Bananas (4.7g per medium banana) 3. Yams (4g per 1/2 cup) 4. Lentils (2.5g per 1/2 cup)
Start the day with a banana and a fibre and protein shake, add some yams to your lunch, and incorporate some navy beans or lentils in your dinner meal...and voila, you've got 15+ grams of resistant starch right there.
Each capsule contains Caprylic acid (300mg), Elecampane root, Black Walnut hulls and Red Raspberry leaves and is enteric coated to ensure that they are released in the intestinal tract. This product can work in partnership with Probiotic Eleven.
I was looking at some old pictures and came across this:
It was when I was in Tampa Bay filming Fix My Knee Pain program. It was a long 6 hours of filming but fun.
Okay, lets get to what I got for you today.
Before I headed to Tampa Bay, I was in Miami and did a QnA with Tyler Bramlett on Common Ab Training Mistakes.
Here is the video:
For those that like to read, here you go: Q – Rick: I am down here in Miami for a Fitness Mastermind meeting. I got chatting with Tyler during lunch. We were talking about ab training and a common mistake he ends up seeing people make when it comes to ab training. I will get Tyler to explain the mistake that people make when it comes to ab training. A – Tyler: Yes. The biggest mistake that I see people make when they do ab training and in all training in general, is the fact that they go too big too fast and they don’t master foundational movements.
Instead of thinking about things like “Ok, I’m going to do some crunches and when I get to 50 crunched, I am going to do a hundred and then I’m going to do two hundred”, they do that kind of training and it doesn’t actually benefit them in the long run because they are not building strength, power and performance.
First you need to get the essential muscles to act for example, therapy exercises. A – Rick Interrupting Tyler: Therapy exercises are important, especially the activation part. You need to activate the right muscles and you need to layer on strength, power and performance ontop of the therapy exercises. A – Tyler: Yeah.
The analogy I can use in this, when people go out there and run, they just run longer and longer distances, they become marathoners.
What happens is they don’t get lean muscles; they don’t get a lot of benefit from it in terms of their metabolism and a lot of times, people get injured.
If you want to have strong ab muscles when you’re performing, you have got to have a logical sequence in order for you to be able to build that foundation for results.
Then you are ready to go to that next exercise and then, that next exercise.
I see this most predominantly in gymnastics. These are the people with the best abs and strongest abs in the world.
They do that by starting with very basic exercises like leg-raising and core activation and then they move from there like hanging leg raises and things that seem impossible to most people simply because they do understand that progression. A – Rick: Awesome!
Thank you very much Tyler. Thanks you very much ExercisesforInjuries.com readers, listeners and watchers, this is Rick Kaselj from Miami (sent from Tampa Bay). If you want more information on Tyler and the system that he ends up using with his clients in order to create strong abs, you can check it out here.
Recommended Resource:
You can check out the program that Tyler uses with his client’s to create athletically strong abs, here.
If you’re a mom, how would you like to get back into your pre-baby jeans, burn the fat off for good, and achieve a lean, toned, and feminine physique? It sounds great, right? But, you’re A MOM. Maybe you’re a new mom, or a mom with a toddler, or even two (or more!) children around… you’re incredibly busy, so how do you find the time? Hi, I’m Sumi Singh. I’m a personal trainer from Austin Texas, and I’d like to thank Tom Venuto for the opportunity to share my fitness tips for moms on the Burn the Fat Blog. Tom says that over half of Burn the Fat readers are women and many of those women are moms, so I’m happy to contribute.
As a trainer, a mom, and a trainer TO moms, I understand, and I’ve heard more than my fair share of reasons about why mommies can’t take the time or make the effort to hit the weights, get to the gym, work out at home, and exercise.
And if you’re a mom, some of your reasons seem pretty legit. But at the end of the day, they’re just excuses; they’re barriers that prevent you from achieving the body you could ultimately have. I wouldn’t say that if I hadn’t overcome them myself and helped countless clients do the same (and you’ll hear some of their stories below)…
In working with many moms who are new to training, I’ve gathered 5 great tips to help you find your motivation, get you started in the right direction and obliterate excuses and barriers. 1. I have no time. YOUR BREAKTHROUGH: Set your alarm clock earlier, cut out pointless behaviors (watching TV, surfing the internet), work out when the baby naps, involve your baby in your daily walks, take a mommy and me stroller class (or something similar), make exercise a priority, budget your time better, hire a housekeeper to free up some time (or even leave dishes in the sink!) Seriously, if you can’t take 3 or 4 hours out of every week to dedicate to fitness and wellness, that’s saying something about where in your priority list you place your own health.
One of my top client success stories, Mari (a new mom who was also new to strength training) shares her two best tips:
• Prep your meals in advance or on the weekends so you don’t have an excuse when life gets too hectic with baby or when you’re running out the door. • Work out at home, even if the workouts are short. You don’t need endless hours in the gym. 2. I’m too tired.
YOUR BREAKTHROUGH: Take a closer look at your diet. Are you getting in proper nutrition? You could be deficient in vitamins or minerals, not eating enough, not drinking enough water, or are simply choosing foods that make you feel sluggish. Consider supplementing with a multivitamin.
Another client of mine, Catherine, a mother of two and also new to strength training, pointed out that by nailing her nutrition from healthy foods at the start of each day, you’ll be less tempted by the low nutrition value items later in the day. She said:
“Breakfast is Greek yogurt with fruit –every morning. It’s fast and easy and keeps me from the temptation to swing by the donut shop “just this once” on the way to work.”
That brings up an important point; many people experience fatigue after eating meals high in sugar and processed carbohydrates (like donuts). As moms, we know the feeling all too well - the sugar crash that happens after the sugar high. We complain about being tired, but we’re doing it to ourselves by choosing foods that don’t sustain our energy.
If you handle stimulants well, a cup of green tea or coffee is fine. But don’t go overboard. Get your energy from food and yes, training…
Try a little bit of cardio early in the morning before the family wakes up. People seem to believe that exercise makes you more tired, but in the right dose, it gives you more energy; it gets your blood pumping and it’s an instant pick-me-up. Then if you need it, take a nap while hubby watches baby. 3. I’m intimidated by getting in the weight room, I’m self conscious of my body, and I’m still in maternity clothes.
YOUR BREAKTHROUGH: You don’t have to go to a commercial gym. It took you 9 months to complete your pregnancy, so the weight will take time to come off. If you can’t make it to the gym, invest in some resistance bands and light dumbbells at home. My book and DVD contain all the exercises I used and my clients used to get in shape after the baby.
Having a plan is key, ladies! Set a goal, stick to a plan, and get it done. If you can’t find the time for the commute or don’t have the money to make it to the gym, find a good plan you can follow at home.
As Arianna, another of my clients suggests (she’s a mom AND a grandmom!), going to the gym without a plan is like being blind and lost.
“I remember coming in to the gym with a very skeptical attitude and leaving feeling excited and hopeful. I didn’t think that I could lose a meaningful amount of weight at my age, but you didn’t give any hint that you thought I couldn’t do it… and I guess your confidence and belief in me rubbed off.”
“I don’t know that I would ever have picked strength training without your influence. In the gym, I found the free weight area beyond the elliptical machines somewhat intimidating, but I did know as a woman reaching a certain age, that strength training could have positive effects in minimizing osteoporosis, gaining strength, among other benefits, so I was willing to give it a try.”
“Now I love it. I have never felt athletic before and lifting weights and being able to see progress in the form of increasing ability and muscle definition has made me feel better physically and feel better about my appearance.” 4. I have no motivation to exercise.
YOUR BREAKTHROUGH: Find a training partner, enlist the help of a friend, hire a personal trainer, an online diet coach (can reach me at sumi at shailafitness.com, and be accountable to SOMEONE. Someone you pay, or someone who is waiting for you at the trail for a walk.
Use the internet for something productive – your fitness and health! Social networks are only getting more popular. Some people use them to fritter away their time, others use them for accountability. Get on Facebook, or in your favorite online group, and announce your goals publicly (“I want to lose the baby weight, help me stay on track!”) and see how many friends help you stick to it.
After Mari lost over 30 lbs with online training with me, she posted on Facebook:
“I did it! I lost 30 lbs! Thanks to my friends who supported me and to my trainer, Sumi, I have reached my goal. I am so thankful for all their help, guidance, and motivation and for the faith other people had in me.”
The best part is, that was over 6 months ago and she still looks fabulous… there’s nothing for motivation like accountability… especially making your bikini pictures public! 5. I’m a mom and therefore I must put my family first; I feel guilty about taking the time to exercise.
YOUR BREAKTHROUGH: Just ask your husband/boyfriend/partner if he feels guilty about spending Sunday afternoon on the couch watching football while you entertain and distract the little one for a few hours.
Yes, your children, family, and husband need to know you will be there for them. You’re a parent and you always will be. Life will be hectic from from the day you step into that role. But if you don’t make yourself a priority and take care of your own health first, you can’t take care of others.
Many moms think it takes an hour a day or even longer to make training worthwhile and that becomes a barrier to them even getting started. But if you use workouts designed for efficiency, you can get it done in a half or even a third of that time. If you make every minute count, 30 minutes of strength training will do it. Even if you only get away for a 20-minute walk, every little bit helps.
When you learn to make use of those smaller blocks of time, you’ll amaze yourself at the results you get and you’ll be proud of how productive of a person you become. Learning how to work out at home is a lifesaver – check out my Stay at Home Strong program if you want to learn more).
To make it even easier, remind yourself that exercise is a great stress reliever. Raising a family, being a wife, being a mom and working a job is plenty stressful. What if physical activity became your way to destress? It works for me and it has worked for my clients. It’s time for a breakthrough, for you.
About the author
-Sumi Singh is a Personal Trainer in Austin, TX, an online diet coach, and the author of Stay at Home Strong. To get more information on the Stay At Home Strongprogram, visit www.stayathomestrongebook.com/. She can be contacted for personalized diet coaching at sumi @ shaila fitness.com or visit www.shailafitness.com
Good health begins with balance,
especially in the intestinal system, where Probiotics help maintain the
delicate balance of friendly micro-organisms in the intestines.
Maintaining healthy gut flora helps us to digest and absorb proteins, and produce B vitamins.
It also helps to protect the gut wall and prevents more harmful organisms from establishing themselves.
Recent scientific investigation suggests
that probiotics are a valuable part of a healthy diet as they act as
natural health promoters by populating the gastro-intestinal tract with
friendly microbes.
The delicate balance of healthy gut
flora can be disrupted by a number of circumstances, including the use
of antibiotics, excess alcohol, stress, disease and exposure to
environmental toxins.
NOURISHMENT FOR HEALTHY BACTERIA
Probiotics help to replenish
healthful micro-organisms, and it is especially useful to take
probiotics after using antibiotics that indiscriminately destroy both
good and bad bacteria in the body.
Probiotic Eleven is a high potency,
multi-strain probiotic supplement. Providing almost 12 billion bacteria
per serving, the 11 strains of bacteria in Probiotic Eleven ensure you
replenish your gut with a diversity of beneficial flora.
Each capsule contains a built-in prebiotic to nourish and spread the bacteria throughout the gut.
Use Probiotic Eleven as part of your
daily health maintenance programme, and in particular when you are about
to have, or have recently undergone hospital treatment, are pregnant or
trying to conceive, are planning to travel abroad, have recently
suffered from a digestive upset, or have recently completed a dietary
cleanse or colonic irrigation treatment.
Pat Summitt, the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history who won eight national championships at the University of Tennessee, wrote about commitment and pushing oneself to greatness in her new book, Sum It Up.
An important dietary adjunct that will help you get the most out of your high intensity training is to avoid fructose. If you consume sugar or fructose, especially within two hours post-exercise, you will increase somatostatin (also known as growth hormone-inhibiting hormone), which will in turn obliterate the production of growth hormone that you’d otherwise get from your high intensity exercise. So avoid commercial 
