by If you’ve followed the rollercoaster of weight loss fads, you’ve heard it all. First we were told that fat was bad and food producers rushed to replace high fat items with low and no fat versions, often bolstered with additional sugar to improve the taste. Then we heard that it was the influx of carbs and sugar that we were eating that was the true demon and masses breathed a sign of relief as they proceeded to the nearest steak house for a salad with blue cheese dressing and the prime rib special.
The truth of the matter is, there is no bad guy here. Healthy fats and carbs are an essential part of the food pyramid. Fat is used by the body in many ways, such as conducting fat-soluble vitamins into the blood stream and cushioning joints and neurons. Carbs, in addition to being a quick source of energy, are also the main component which helps the body absorb water. If the body can’t absorb water, it becomes dehydrated and can’t absorb water soluble vitamins. (Incidentally, the inability to absorb water and consequential dehydration is generally the source of the drastic weight loss that occurs at the beginning of many diets. You haven’t lost fat, you’re just dehydrated.)
While it makes many of us feel better to be able to point the finger at a scapegoat such as fat or carbs, the reality is that it is up to us to learn to include all of the essentials of nutrition into Five Balanced Meals a day to provide our bodies with the food that they need.
Why Become Fit for Life and Explore reasons why a person should make health and fitness a lifestyle change, and never fall off the wagon again
Be Fit for Life and can you stop going from diet to diet and exercise plan to exercise plan. Live Lean Today\’s online fitness plans are designed to not only lose weight and build lean muscle, they are designed to keep you trim and healthy for life. Take your hard work and keep it this time, Join Today and be Fit for Life.
We have all done it. Thought that we would like to get back to the gym to get rid of that problem area or get back into our “skinny clothes.” And, while there is nothing wrong with those goals, there is an implied beginning and an end. We eat better for a while and get to the gym until we can close that zipper without lying on the bed, and then we sigh with relief and go reward ourselves with an ice cream cone.
At Live, we want to propose a new goal. We want to help you find your inner athlete so that you can become fit for life.
For too long, fitness and nutrition have been associated with starvation and deprivation, success or failure. That is not the way that it should be. We want to change the fitness paradigm and create a new way of thinking that takes the punishment out of fitness.
So why should you become fit for life?
…because you never have to go on a starvation diet again. Calorie reduction is actually counter productive to weight loss. The best way to lose weight is to raise your metabolism through the right combination of food and exercise. In fact, on a proper eating regime, incorporating five balanced meals a day, you may find that you’re eating more than you have in years.
…because being fit doesn’t mean giving up your favorite foods. There is no such thing as a food that you cannot have when you change your habits to be fit for life. In fact, you may even find that sometimes a Twinkie is a good choice.
…because you can finally throw away those “fat clothes.” When you stop thinking about diet and exercise with only short term goals in mind and embrace a lifestyle of fitness, you will find that you are finally in control of your weight and can be confident throwing out your “fat clothes.”
…because it’s OK to love yourself. Too often, weight and fitness are associated with failure and self-loathing. Being fit for life is a process that is never-ending and is made up of a string of successes – being able to walk farther than you could a few weeks ago, increasing your weights, being able to touch your toes, running a 5K, climbing a mountain. Every success gives you another reason to celebrate yourself.
…because life is a lot better when your joints don’t ache. A lot of the aches and pains that people go through life with can be linked to weight or strength issues. By dropping those extra pounds, strengthening your core, and bringing your body into alignment, you just might find that the pain that you thought was a life sentence is a thing of the past.
…because you deserve to be the best YOU that you can be. Many of us walk around feeling like our true selves are hidden within a body that doesn’t belong to us. Imagine if the person on the outside truly reflected the person that you are on the inside.
Could Your Thyroid Prevent Weight Loss
Not being able to lose weight can be a frustrating feeling. If you have been working out consistently and are having trouble reaching your weight loss goals, consider seeing your physician, and ask about testing your thyroid function. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. The main function of thyroid hormone is to control your body’s metabolic rate, and when it is under active, people will have a hard time losing weight as a result of a slow metabolism. Hypothyroidism is 10 times more common in women than men and the greatest onset is said to be in those adults between the ages of 40-50. Since those who are diagnosed with this condition are already at a disadvantage, it is crucial that you stick to a healthy diet and regular exercise program.
Here is a short list of the signs and symptoms associated with Hypothyroidism. They typically develop over time and can vary on the level of onset and severity: Constipation, Tiredness, Thinning hair, Dry, rough pale skin, Muscle cramps, Depression, Cold intolerance
Tips for Managing Hypothyroidism in diet and exercise
Stay on a consist program
Physical activity is especially important if you suffer from hypothyroidism. Exercise will play an important role in helping speed up your metabolism and increase weight loss.
Reduce Stress
Stress is a major factor and is thought to be a contributing factor to the development of hypothyroidism. Reduce stress by exercising, take time for yourself to relax or do something you enjoy.
Brassica Vegetables
Cabbage and other brassica vegetables (eg. Chinese leaves, brussel sprouts, turnips and kale) contain compounds known as thioglucosides which, if taken in excess can disrupt the function of the thyroid gland. However, it should be stressed that this tends to occur only in people whose diets are already deficient in iodine.
Avoid Stimulants
Avoid caffeine drinks like coffee, soda; avoid stimulants like smoking and alcohol as these all can negatively affect thyroid function.
Supplements that may help
Iodine
Iodine is a trace mineral produced by the body that is essential for normal growth and development. A majority of the body’s iodine is found in the thyroid gland in the neck. The rest is distributed throughout the body, particularly in the ovaries, muscles, and blood. A deficiency of iodine can lead to hypothyroidism
Selenium
It is also believed to help if you increase your selenium intake. This can be done by eating foods such as whole wheat bread, bran, baked snapper, pacific cod, yellow fin tuna, onions, tomatoes and broccoli. Include some of these foods on a regular basis.
- (1). However, it should be stressed that this tends to occur only in people whose diets are already deficient in iodine
- (2). Zinc: Studies suggest that severe zinc deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. For hypothyroidism, zinc should be supplemented along with selenium. Sources of zinc include chickpeas, baked beans, pumpkin seeds, roast lamb, beef tenderloin.
I have worked with a number of clients who came to me frustrated about not being able to lose weight, and in fact had some weight gain even though they had been on a consistent workout regimen. It wasn’t until we recognized the symptoms associated with Thyroid deficiency that we were able to identify this challenge. See your physician if you can identify with these symptoms and are having trouble with losing weight. Seek out a Registered Dietician who can help you with your dietary needs and monitor the type and amounts of foods that will optimize your ability to get results. (1)
When a Twinkie is a Good Choice and Change your perception of a meal, the importance of eating frequently.
Old habits can be hard to break, especially when they are as fundamental as the way that we’ve been eating for our entire lives.
One of the most difficult issues that our members site is learning how to make five meals a day fit their lifestyle. Here are some tips that might help you make the shift.
Change your perception of a meal – When we say meal, it doesn’t mean that you have to have a fully prepared meal every time you sit down to eat. A meal could consist of yogurt, carrot sticks and some pretzels or a meal replacement shake. In fact, what you eat is less important than the fact that you eat something. From a metabolic standpoint, you would be better off eating a Twinkie for one of your five meals than skipping it altogether.
Plan your meals in advance – Planning your meals at the beginning of the week using our menu planner and grocery list generator will help you ensure that you have the food that you need on hand.
Prepare your meals in advance – Prepare or even cook some of your food at the beginning of the week and keep it in the fridge or freezer ready to be popped in the microwave and eaten within a few moments notice so you never have to make spur of the moment food choices.
Keep snacks and/or a cooler at work or in the car – Many people run into trouble because they are so involved in their daily activities they don’t feel that they have time to stop and eat. Keeping snacks in your desk or car, using a cooler if necessary, will mean that a quick meal is always in reach and even more convenient than the closest drive through.
Stop worrying about it and just do it – It doesn’t take long to form new habits, so rather than overanalyzing and worrying about how you will fit five meals into your day, just start doing it. It may seem like a hassle at first, but after a while it will be just as natural as your old routine.
Fit For Life LIVE’s fitness and nutrition plans encourage lifestyle change and will keep you healthy and fit for the rest of your life
Don’t we all want to be fit for life? No more yo-yo diets, can’t walk in the morning workouts, and the latest diet pill that make us shake; if you are like me there is a better way. Our bodies are designed to feel good. When we give our body what it wants, our body responds with more energy, leaner muscles, and no pain. If you truly want your results choose to be fit for life.
The reason people choose the quick fix diets and workout programs is because they see exercise and nutrition results only in the short term. Every magazine article and TV commercial promises results in 30 days. Have you ever noticed how you don’t know any person who transformed their body in just 30 days? If you truly look at it, the people you know who got their results created a lifestyle. When you create a lifestyle, you don’t have worry about fad diets; you know you are going to get your results. You know this because you have made a choice to be fit for life. Each person’s body is designed differently and isn’t going to respond to exercise in the same way. What true exercise is involves a continuous process of challenging your body greater. What good does your loosing 30 pounds mean if you gain it back in 90 days.
Right now you are thinking, but I hate exercise and to get my results I have to eat rice cakes and water all day. Fit for life is not about extremes. It is about creating a lifestyle that you enjoy the exercise you do and the foods you eat. With LIVE’s fitness programs, we recommend that you substitute at least two workouts a month with an activity you enjoy. Activities could involve tennis, racquetball, and rock climbing, or even playing with your kids in the park. Just think have you ever gotten credit for exercise, by chasing your kids around the playground? Also, you don’t have to give up the foods you love. The key is to eat five balanced small meals throughout the day. Did you know that a burger and water from a fast food restaurant is equivalent to a small meal for most people? Notice how I didn’t say a combo meal super sized, as a combo meal is probably the closest to the total calories most of us need in a day. Fast food isn’t the problem, how we eat at them is. With LIVE’s nutrition plan you can plug in any food you want into your meal plan. You will be able to see the portion size of your favorite foods that achieve you being fit for life. The biggest decision to make is that exercise and nutrition are part of the rest of your life. Once you surrender to that choice, you will find the solutions to create your fit for life body open up to you. If you are struggling you can always talk to LIVE’s certified trainers and registered dieticians. Our staff is trained and has years of experience coaching people through what stops them from becoming fit for life. So what are you waiting for, get out there and become fit for life.
Want Flat Abs? Let’s Get Real Learn the truth about how to get flat abs
Everyone wants flat abs! This has always been one of the first topics people want to discuss when beginning a workout routine. Despite the facts, many people think they can get flat abs if they just keep doing enough abdominal exercises. In other words, we think we can’t reach this goal because we’re doing the wrong exercises or not enough reps. The truth is, getting six-pack abs is hard and, if you are unable to see yours, maybe it’s not what you’re doing that’s the problem, maybe its what you’re eating.
When I ask what is being done to try and reach these goals I generally get the same answers. See if any of this sounds familiar, “I do 100 crunches everyday”, or “I work my abs for 15 minutes 4 days a week doing crunches, twists, bicycles, side bends with dumbbells, and leg lifts and I’m still not getting results”. The truth is that you cannot just do ab exercises and flatten your stomach, it just won’t happen. And remember that weight training can hypertrophy a muscle, so if you are doing too many side bends with heavy weights, you may actually increase your waistline. Yikes! (2)
If you do not incorporate nutrition and cardio components into your program, you can do as many abdominal bicycle reps as you want and you’ll just be spinning your wheels. The abdominal muscles are present on all of us, but are unable to be seen because they are covered by insulation, or fat. Shed the fat, and see the muscles. Keep in mind, we all have our own genetic makeup, so keep realistic expectations and don’t be discouraged because you don’t look like the models in the magazine.
So let’s talk about what it takes. The three components to creating the type of flat, six pack abs that you are looking for, and I’m sure many of you have heard this before, are consistent cardiovascular exercise, integrated, full body strength training, and a healthy diet. You must have all three of these (especially the nutrition part) right consistently in order to get close to the results you are looking for. Cardio can help to reduce the amount of fat on your entire body, weight training can hypertrophy your muscles giving you definition and a stronger capability to burn more calories at rest, and a healthy diet will ensure you have the correct caloric balance for you so you’ll stop storing more fat and start burning it off. Think about where you are in your program and the goals you want to achieve. Ask yourself if you need more consistency, or more cardio, or are you really honest with yourself about what you eat.
Accept that your body works as a whole unit and not in pieces is the first step towards achieving the results you want. Then, be honest with yourself and your support system, be it a Personal Trainer or Registered Dietician, about where you are and what you want to achieve, and you will soon be on the road to success, and flatter abs.
How to Drink at Starbucks and Stay Thin A list of Starbucks coffees and the calories they come with
Now, with very little exception before a meeting I hear, going on a Starbucks run. Far different than the type of runs we went on in college. Everyone places their orders from black coffee to cinnamon spiced mochas, and of course everyone has their own size cup they want. Most people probably have no idea how many calories are in their Starbucks drink of choice. The nutritional information came from Starbuck’s own website.
On a single Starbucks run, one person could be drinking only 10 calories, while others can be packing it on with up to 720 calories. Seven hundred and twenty calories is what you get if you indulge in a Venti White Hot Chocolate with Whip. LIVE’s Nutritional Plan, this person would be consuming more calories than the average person’s lunch or dinner. For some it could be half the calories they need in a day. What do you get for 10 calories? The Grande coffee of the week in regular or decaf is a mere 10 calories, which would be considered free food on the LIVE plan, which is why you won’t see it listed in our food exchange list. By the way a tall coffee of the week has only five calories. You probably burned that many calories reading this article while drinking your Starbucks.
The greatest way to not add access calories to your Starbucks drink is to stay away from the whip cream. Adding whip cream to your Grande drink adds a whopping 130 calories with 110 of calories coming from fat. This fat isn’t the good fat you get from fish either. Also, adding malt to any Grande drink and you just added 140 calories. Adding no excess topping is always going to be the way to keep from adding extra calories you just don’t need. For those of you who need the extra flavor, the sugar free syrup has zero calories and so does sprinkles. Also, chocolate and caramel are 5 and 15 calories per pump, so one won’t kill you.
Here is a list of some common Starbuck’s coffees and the calories that come with them. Each size is a Grande (16 fl. oz).
Caffe Latte 260 calories
Caffe Mocha 400 calories
Cappuccino 150 calories
Caramel Macchiato 310 calories
Espresso 005 calories
Iced Caramel Mocha 290 calories
Iced Vanilla Latte 210 calories
Average Frappuccino 410 calories
LIVE’s Nutritional Plan you will find most of the Starbucks’ coffees. We want you to be able to see how to combine them into an optimal metabolism raising diet. For some, you will find that if you have to have your favorite Starbucks drink, it will be your entire snack. Others will find that they may have to find a new favorite drink to keep within their plan. We know that Starbucks can be a part of anybody’s successful diet once they know what to choose. (3)
Love Your Feet, Get the Right Shoes Match your foot type the right shoe for you
I went into a sporting goods store the other day because I wanted to get a new pair of running shoes. I asked him which shoes he thought were the best cushioned shoes. He told me he didn’t know anything about that, but “this is the most popular shoe, and is the best seller.” From the novice point of view that sounds pretty good, if everyone else likes this shoe should be good for me. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Lucky for me, I knew better so I left, and I want to help you get into the right shoe. In my experience, more pain and discomfort from running has come from improper shoes than any other source.
There are three basic kinds of running shoes. Each shoe is based on what your arch does when you run. Each is explained below and what pronation means. Many of you might have heard that you over pronate and if you didn’t want to feel dumb and ask what is that, I will take care of you in this article.
Pronation is how your foot rolls when it lands on the ground. During normal pronation, your foot will hit on the outside of your foot and roll inward slightly and then push straight forward (neutral arch). Over pronation is where the foot when it rolls inwards continues to roll inward more than forward (low arch). If you are watching people walk from behind it looks like people’s ankles are buckling inward when they walk. It is very common with people who are overweight or have flat feet. Under pronation is where the foot when it lands on the ground stays on the outside of the foot (high arch). It looks like a person is running on the outside edge of their shoes.
The best way to find out what kind of arch you have is to go to a specialty running store that tests people’s arches. Most will do this for free, if you buy your shoes there. If you are going to do it at home there is a test you can easily do. First take off your shoes and socks and be completely bare foot. Next find a piece of blank, white, copy paper. Fill up your bath tub with just a little water and place one foot in the water. You don’t need much water. Then place your wet foot onto the piece of paper, hold for a couple of seconds and then lift off. You should see an imprint of your arch. If you can see the balls of your feet, a thin line which is your arch, and your heel you have a neutral arch. If you see your balls of your feet, a thick arch line, and your heel you have a low arch. If you see your balls of your feet, no to barely an arch, and then your heel, you have a high arch.
Cushioned Shoes
Cushioned shoes are for those people who have mid to high arches. They typically are biomechanically efficient runners which mean their feet land right at the front edge of the heel closes to the toes. These shoes provide maximal cushioning to absorb the shock of your feet striking the ground. Cushioned shoes also have minimal medial arch support, which means if you are an over-pronator in these shoes your feet will have no support.
Motion Control Shoes
Motion control shoes are for low arches or over-pronators. These shoes have good medial support or what is called a roll bar. This support keeps your foot from rolling too far inward, keeping your arch pushing more forward. Also, these shoes have excellent rear heal support as most over-pronators strike the ground to far back in their heel. If you are more than 20 pounds overweight there is a good chance you need motion control shoes. This is a rule of thumb though and I would still get my arched checked before buying shoes.
Stability Shoes
Stability shoes are the best of both worlds. If you over-pronate a little these shoes are for you. They combine excellent cushioning with some medial support. There runners have good biomechanics which means they strike the ground in the front edge of the heel closes to the toes and roll a little inward and forward through the foot.
Running shoes are not just about the money you spend or how great they look. Make sure you put your shoes on in the store and walk around in them for awhile. If you buy them online make sure the store will take them back if they don’t fit, no questions asked. Running shoes should fit good the day you buy them. You don’t break in running shoes. Breaking in running shoes means breaking your foot every time you run. Pick the right running shoes and your feet will want to kiss you.
Tips to be Fit for Life, Learn ways to stay healthy in your workout routine and minimize the risk of injury setbacks
As we look to become fit for life, there are few things we need to consider. Fit for life is just that, fit for life. So often today’s exercisers are working out until they injure themselves, that they either quit or they push through their injury and make their injuries worse. In my years of personal training, I have seen more people hurt themselves seriously through exercise all because they couldn’t take two days off to let their bodies recover.
To be fit for life we need to understand what our bodies go through during life. Right now we can all remember some accident like falling from a tree (maybe that was just me), stepping off a curb wrong, or even slipping in the shower. Have you ever felt more sour than you can ever remember after doing a physical activity you used to do all the time. This is your body’s way of telling you everything isn’t the same from when I was 20. Everyone has some level of abuse their bodies has gone through. By 50 yrs. old more than half the adult population has at least one chronic health problem.
LIVE’s Fitness plans start everyday after the warm-up with corrective exercises. These are designed to do two things. First, in my experience even the best in shape and youngest people have issues, from tight hamstrings or shoulders to even their own broken bones. These exercises work out the body’s kinks. The longer it has been since you did a consistent exercise program the more important they are for you. For some the corrective exercises are a workout in themselves. The next day you will be saying, I didn’t know I had muscles there. The second aspect is prevention. The earlier you start doing corrective exercises the better your chances of staving off chronic problems in the future. I know sometimes it is hard to believe that even you might have back pain, and trust me a couple of corrective exercises every workout will seem like nothing compared to the demoralizing problem back pain is in this country.
Fit for Life Tips
“No pain, no gain”: This is not a good idea. We want to challenge our bodies, and pain is bad. If you\’re experiencing anything that you consider pain, stop. Remember, burning muscles are good. If your muscles feel like they have been worked that can be a good thing. Expect to be sore the first few days of any new exercise program. The first four days should be the peak of any soreness pain.
Warm up: LIVE workout starts with a warm-up. Five minutes of light aerobic activity is the key to staying fit for life and injury free. Injuries occur when our bodies were not ready to do the work that we put them through. This happens more in outdoor physical activities than during workouts. Make sure to warm-up even before your weekend softball game, tennis match, or even playing golf.
Your Body Knows: Listen to your body. If things feel tender take it easy on that muscle or let it completely rest for the day. You are unable to become fat in one day. The best thing you can do to keep the pounds off is to be fit for life, and to do that you have to keep your body healthy. When you give a muscle a day off you will be amazed on how much better it feels and how you can resume your activities faster than pushing through the pain.
More Recovery Time: As your age goes up so does your recovery time. Give your body the rest it needs and it will reward you with a body that is fit for life. Getting more recovery time goes back to what your body knows. Trust yourself, you know your body the best.
Cross-train: Even the fit if they keep doing the same activities will over develop parts of their bodies and cause problems. People who only run develop tight hamstrings that can lead to back pain. Cross-training is doing any physical activity different than what you usually do. For instance, if you run mostly, biking or swimming would be a great form of cross-training. Elliptical machines are a great way to get low impact cross-training in. It is important to get at least one day of cross-training in each week to be fit for life. (4)
Progression is Key: LIVE’s Fitness Plans are designed to gradually keep challenging your body more. They are also designed to do so at a level correct for you. Once your body adapts to the present workout you are on, your results will stop continuing no matter how much you exercise until you increase the level of your program. If you are in the LIVE program, you don’t have to worry as our programs do it for you. The key to progression isn’t always doing more, it is to challenge the body greater.
Be In the Moment: Ditch the ipod or tv for one workout and see what happens. Focusing your intention inward on your breathing, your heart rate, and the rhythm of your body can greatly reduce stress. This will also support you staying in tune with your body and being fit for life.
