Picture courtesy of BeachBody

Got Tony Horton’s P90X fitness DVD’s and having a hard time making it through the workouts?  When Tony’s cheerfully counting out the reps and everybody on the screen is smiling and following right along with no problem, are you flat on your back gasping for air?  Well, you’re not the only one that’s wondered how in the world anyone can possibly make it through 60 minutes of P90X without suffering a stroke.

Although this is my 4th time through the program, I still struggle.  I hate it when Tony’s doing bicep curls with 45 pound weights and pumping them out counting 1-2-3-4 like a military Drill Sergeant.  Meanwhile,  I’ve got half the weight and slowly counting ooonnnnneeee, gasp, gasp, ttttwwwwwoooo, gasp, gasp, and so on.

There’s no doubt that this is a tough workout – but then you knew this going in.  So let me share some of the workout “secrets” that allow me to make it through an entire P90X workout without passing out.

Secret # 1.  Take Mini-Breaks.  When you first start out, it’s critical that you pace yourself and take as many 30 sec to 1 minute breaks as you need in between the exercises.  Many of the workouts, especially those with weights, consist of 4-5 exercises that you repeat making a total of 8-10 sets before Tony calls a break for anywhere from 30 seconds to a full minute.  That’s not enough when you’re first starting out because you haven’t built up your cardio yet.  If you’re “bringing the intensity” like Tony wants you to, you need to hit the “Pause” button and take what he calls “mini-breaks” after each set.  As you build your cardio, you’ll be able to reduce the number and length of your  mini-breaks.

When I started, it usually  took  me an extra 15-20 minutes to finish a routine because of all the extra breaks I had to take.  But here’s the real secret – don’t let your breaks last more than 1 minute because you’ll start to cool down.  Your break should last just long enough for you to catch your breath before you hit “Play” and jump right back in – which brings me to the next point.

Secret # 2.  Breathe.  The P90X workouts are as much cardio workouts as strength workouts so make sure you don’t hold your breath through any of the exercises.  Take deep, full breaths in order to completely fill your lungs with the oxygen your muscles need to keep going as well as to fully expel the waste gases (mainly CO2) from your body.

The key to taking a deep breath is to maintain a straight posture.  When you’re tired, it’s natural to want to slump over.  However when you do this, your lungs are compressed resulting in shallow breaths.  Your lungs can’t get rid of all the CO2 and bring in enough fresh air to feed your muscles if you’re taking shallow breaths.   So stop, straighten your spine, and take as many full, deep breaths as you can during your workout.

Secret # 3.  Stay hydrated.  The P90X workouts are designed to be non-stop, cardio-pounding, strength building workouts.  If you’re bringing the intensity, you should be dripping with sweat within the first 10 minutes.  As a result, it’s important that you keep your body hydrated.  Here’s the key – take small but frequent sips of water throughout your workout.  Don’t wait until Tony calls a break and then try gulping your water all at once.  If you do, you’ll soon be throwing it back up.  Keep your water bottle close by as you exercise and take small sips frequently during the entire workout.

My Workout Calendar

Secret # 4.  Keep track.  This is perhaps one of the best “workout secrets” ever – and it’s built in to the P90X program.  In every workout, Tony is constantly telling you to “write it down.”  How much weight did you use?  Was it too much or not enough?  How many reps did you do?  As Tony says, “How can you know what to do if you don’t know what you did?”  Use the P90X worksheets for every session that has them.

Secondly, keep of your progress overall.  One of the things that motivates me is tracking my workout sessions on a “scoreboard” that I can see from across the room.   I went down to the local office supply store and bought a desk calendar.  You can get the store brand (in my case, from Office Depot) for about $4.  I then hung it on the wall right next to my “workout corner.”

As you can see from the picture on the right, I just completed Week 6 of the program (I did Kenpo X on Saturday).  Every time I complete a workout, I take a marker and place a big red check on that day.  It really motivates me to keep going and fill up the entire month with red checks.

If you do this, there’s no lying to yourself.  Note that I missed the first 3 days in February (no check marks) but then tried to do 3 workouts on Saturday.  That didn’t work out well and is not recommended.  Also, I missed a workout on Friday the 10th but made it up by doing 2 workouts on Saturday.  Not ideal but I was fighting to get on track and work out out every single day.  My scoreboard tells me that I finally accomplished my goal of working out every single day on Week 5.

Secret # 5.  Stay with it.  To get the results you want, you’ve got to be consistent.  You’ve got to work out every single day.  As Tony says, “keep showing up.”  Keep popping in the DVD to your video player and pressing “Play.”

Went on vacation and missed a week?  No problem.  Pop in a DVD and start back in.  Sick with the flu and got set back a couple of days?  No problem.  Jump back in when you’re feeling better.  Totally slacked off and haven’t worked out in a couple of months?  Do what I did and buy yourself a desk calendar – write down the routines on each day – number the weeks – and then start over at the beginning.

No matter where you are, keep going.  No matter where you left off or what the reason was, jump back in.  Keep pressing “Play.”  Keep pressing “Play.”  Keep pressing “Play.”

The real “secret” to success in ANYTHING is to keep working at it.  If you really want to lose the fat and build the muscle, then stay with it.  The P90X program works – but only if you work it.  These workout “secrets” will help get you there.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: p90x, fitness, workout, strength, health, tony horton, beachbody, weight lifting, muscle, secret

You can get the P90X Fitness Program from a number of places including Amazon.com.  Shop around for the best price or for a place that offers free shipping.

P90X: Tony Horton's 90-Day Extreme Home Fitness Workout DVD Program

• Get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated
• Muscle Confusion technique accelerates the results process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so your body never plateaus
• Collection of 12 highly diverse and intense DVD workouts
• Also includes comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options
• Personal trainer Tony Horton will keep you engaged every step of the way

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The bottom line of the Nature article – and the part that has generated so much controversy – is the assertion by the authors that refined sugar is just as “toxic” to public health as alcohol and tobacco and should similarly be regulated by the government.

Now think about that for a minute.  Does that make sense?  So what’s next, “Food Nazis” patrolling the streets in brown shirts looking for people feeding a cookie to their kids and hauling them off to the office of the local ATS (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Sugar <grin>) ?

Can you really “regulate” good health?  Can you legally force people to avoid the things they like to eat but should be avoiding?

Yes, I’m aware of the statistics.  According to the CDC, more than a third of the US population over the age of 20 is obese.  More than a third!  And yes, I know that there’s a strong link between obesity and sugar.  And true, obesity-related illnesses cost us $116 Billion per year and will consume 21% of ALL healthcare costs by 2018 (source:  USA Today).

But still, can good health be regulated?  Regulation really hasn’t worked for either alcohol (estimated $45.5 Billion in healthcare costs) or tobacco (estimated healthcare cost:  $97 Billion) so what makes people think it will work for sugar?

Where does self reliance enter into the picture?  Don’t we have a right to choose what we eat and don’t eat?  Well, here’s where the picture gets fuzzy once again.

The CBS article quoted a prepared statement from the Sugar Association (OK, why there’s an association for sugar in the first place is anyone’s guess but in today’s world, everybody’s got their own lobby group).  In it, a spokesperson said:

“We are confident that the American people are perfectly capable of choosing what foods to eat without stark regulations and unreasonable bans imposed upon them.”

Actually, that would be true IF they didn’t already put sugar into just about everything we eat – from breakfast cereal to spaghetti sauce.  If it’s a “processed” food, it’s got sugar.  You’ll even find sugar in some canned vegetables (I looked in my pantry and found sugar listed on cans of creamed corn, peas & carrots, and in ranch-style pinto beans).

So if sugar is being added to all the foods we eat, then where’s the choice?

I’m interested in hearing your thoughts in the comments.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: sugar, obesity, weight loss, diet, healthcare, regulation, toxic, health, alcohol, tobacco

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In one often quoted article, MTV asked celebrity trainer Jeanette Jenkins how she helps stars like Beyonce get back into shape after their pregnancies.  Her advice makes a lot of sense and is consistent with the “balanced” health philosophy I teach.  Jeanette says:

I couldn’t agree more.  It’s counter-intuitive that if you want to lose weight, forget about chasing down the latest diet and exercise routines and focus instead on creating and installing a healthy mindset.  In other words, FIRST you’ve got to “get your head straight.”

If you don’t do this, it doesn’t matter which diet or exercise routine you start on, you’ll constantly backslide and the weight will pile right back on.  Why?  Because in spite of all the physical activity, your mindset, your attitude towards food, your beliefs about exercise haven’t changed – and if that’s the case,  you’ll always convince yourself that it’s OK to only do half a set, or eat a second piece of fried chicken, or to select the mashed potatoes instead of the broccoli.

On the other hand, if you work on developing a healthy mindset, you’ll automatically make healthy decisions.  You’ll automatically reach for the green veggies instead of the bag of chips.  You’ll automatically grab the dog and head out the door for a brisk walk instead of plopping down in front of the TV when you get home from work.

Change your mindset and the effects are dramatic.  All of a sudden, eating healthy and exercising are not just things you force yourself to do, they become part of who you are.  All of a sudden, living a healthy life becomes automatic and because you’re consistently making healthy choices, the pounds drop off by themselves.

Want to lose weight like Beyonce and have a “botylicious” body?  Then get your head straight.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: beyonce, weight loss, health, balance, diet, nutrition, baby, pregnancy, exercise, choices

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Still, the growing popularity of energy drinks such as Red Bull, Full Throttle, Monster and others requires that consumers understand their effects and potential risks – especially since they’re being marketed to young adults and children.

Red Bull and Other Energy Drinks

So what are “energy drinks” anyway? Energy drinks are what the beverage industry call a “functional drink.” These are drinks that are designed to beneficially affect one or more target functions in the body (like increasing energy, for example) beyond what is achieved by a normal diet.

Although there are no regulations actually defining functional drinks, they typically contain the following types of beverages:

•  Sports Drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade, or All Sport. Sports drinks are “hydration boosters” designed to prevent dehydration as well as supply the body with electrolytes and carbohydrates that are lost during hard work or exercise. They do not usually contain caffeine since caffeine’s diuretic properties run counter to the sport drinks’ goal of improving hydration.
• Nutraceutical Drinks. These include any beverages that are designed to promote and enhance health through the addition of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, or extracts from teas, herbs, fruits, or vegetables. Examples include evoLv, vitaminwater, and Acai Immune Booster. Nutraceuticals do not normally contain caffeine as an added ingredient although many herb and tea extracts contain various amounts of caffeine naturally.
• Energy Drinks. These are beverages designed to increase “energy” and contain various levels of caffeine in combination with other “energy-enhancing” ingredients such as herbal extracts, taurine, and B vitamins, among others. I’ve placed the word “energy” in quotes to denote the fact that in the context that we’re using it, “energy” is not a single physical attribute but a number of characteristics including alertness, clarity, physical endurance, drive, and so on.

There are other types of functional beverages but these three make up the lion’s share of the category with energy drinks dominating the other two. Globally, energy drinks compose more than 47% of the overall market share for functional beverages. In the US, the percentage is even higher at close to 63%.

As you can imagine, these types of quantities translate into big bucks for manufacturers. According to a 2008 Datamonitor report, the US energy drink market – this is for energy drinks only – is projected to more than double over 2008 figures and reach $19 billion by 2013. $19 BILLION!!

This market has attracted more and more manufacturers increasing consumer choice and fueling market growth even further. Here in the US for example, there are currently more than 300 varieties of energy drinks representing more than 200 brands being sold everywhere from brightly lit supermarket shelves to dark, seedy mini-marts where the cashier sits behind bulletproof glass. With market figures this large, everyone wants to jump in and get a piece of the action.

As large as the energy drink market is, almost 80% of it is dominated by 5 major brands: Red Bull at 43%, Monster at 14%, Rockstar at 11%, Coca-Cola’s Full Throttle at 7%, and PepsiCo’s Amp at 4%. As the clear market leader, the Red Bull name tends to be used to describe energy drinks in general, no matter who the manufacturer.

“Red Bull Marketing”

Athletes looking to enhance their physical performance used to be the primary source of energy drink consumers. However, the performance gains tended to be overshadowed by the increased dehydration caused by the caffeine. Also, several sports associations, at one time including the NCAA and the International Olympic Committee, classified caffeine as a banned substance. Although many of these banns were eventually lifted, by then most athletes especially body builders, had moved on to functional beverages that included creatine or other muscle-building ingredients instead of caffeine.

Today, the majority of energy drinks are marketed in a totally different way. Instead of targeting athletes, a relatively small market anyway, marketers focused on a much larger part of the population: young adults aged 19 to 30. Rather than emphasizing athletic performance, manufacturers began to advance energy drinks as the answer to being able to manage today’s young adult modern lifestyle composed of college, careers, late night video games, weekend parties, and budding relationships.

“Life is fast. How do you keep pace with it all? Easy! Pop open a can of Red Bull…” Its been reported that as much as one half of all college students drink at least one energy drink per month seeking to increase their energy level and compensate for lack of sleep or to give alcohol an extra boost. The use of energy drinks have become commonplace on most American colleges.

Energy drink manufactures know exactly what motivates their target group and they spend millions of dollars sponsoring sports teams, creating branded clothing and other merchandise, and hosting “extreme sport” activities such as BMX motocross, snow and skate boarding, and windsurfing to name a few. Red Bull in particular is active in everything from Formula 1 racing to stunt flying. What better way to appeal to the young, especially young males, than with sleek and sexy cars, planes, helicopters, and extreme sport competitions?

Manufacturers also host or sponsor music festivals, celebrity concerts, and break-dancing competitions – all done to make sure their products are associated with what the young consider cool and trendy. And it works.

It works so well in fact that most young adults nowadays simply consider energy drinks a normal part of who they are. As a result, any attempt to question the safety or potential misuse of energy drinks is seen by many young adults as a direct attack on their lifestyle, a result that I’m sure has manufacturers smiling in their board rooms. It’s also why my previous post on Red Bull gets strong emotional comments like the ones I’ve listed throughout this post.

The “Magic Mix” – Energy Drink Ingredients

What makes energy drinks so “potent” – and I’ve put this in quotes because it’s another one of those words that has both negative as well as positive connotations – is the combination of ingredients they contain. Although there are a number of different energy drinks on the market, they all tend to include the same basic ingredients designed to give you an initial energy boost as well as to maintain that energy for as long as possible.

Front and center in all energy drinks and responsible for most of the energy boost is caffeine, taurine, and sugar. Manufacturers can also add other ingredients such as B-vitamins, ginseng, guarana, yerba mate, and green tea extracts in order to enhance the overall flavor, the amount of energy and its duration, or to satisfy any health claims. Although the actual concentration of each ingredient is usually proprietary, the list of ingredients in your favorite energy drink is usually pretty easy to find.

But Do They Actually Work?

Do they work? Does Red Bull really “give you wings?” Do energy drinks really increase your energy? In a word, yes. Study after study, some of the sponsored by Red Bull, consistently find that energy drinks increase concentration, reaction time, alertness, as well as physical performance and endurance. They do help you stay alert and perform at peak levels for longer times. Energy drinks do in fact work – one of the reasons that professional and amateur athletes were originally attracted their use.

So if energy drinks do in fact work, why aren’t we all chugging them one after another? Why doesn’t every employer in the world supply energy drinks to all of their workers in order to increase production? Well, it turns out there are some risks, which is why many of the sports associations, and some countries, originally banned their use. Although most of these bans have been reversed or overturned, that doesn’t mean the risks went away. They’re still there and if you routinely drink energy drinks, you need to know what they are.

The Down Side – Potential Risks

One characteristic of Americans is our belief that if a little bit of something is good, then a whole lot must be better. It’s not always true, especially when it comes to energy drinks. Since the main active ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine, drinking too much can easily result in the “jitters” as well as nervousness, headaches, insomnia and nausea. However, this varies greatly from one individual to another since some people have a greater caffeine tolerance than others.

A more serious risk is the potential association between the consumption of energy drinks and cardiovascular events such as increased blood pressure, increase heart rates, and in some cases, cardiac arrest and death. Although the supporting data and research is very limited, there have been enough documented cases to raise some serious questions.

The response from the energy drink manufacturers is that their products usually contain less caffeine than a typical cup of coffee. This is a true statement but there’s more to it than that. You’ve got to consider the context as well as the fact that coffee does not contain ingredients designed to sustain the energy boost. Most people don’t drink one or two cups of coffee while they’re playing a sport like basketball but many young adults will chug one or two cans of an energy drink without even thinking about it. This creates two problems. The first is a potential caffeine overdose (of the 5,448 US caffeine overdoses reported in 2007, 46% occurred in those younger than 19) and the second is the dehydrating effect caffeine creates.

You also need to keep in mind that in the US, energy drink manufacturers do not have to list the total amount of caffeine in their product. They only have to list that it contains caffeine and in most cases, this only means added caffeine. They don’t have to identify other sources of caffeine and list them as caffeine. For example, many energy drinks like Amp, Monster, and Rockstar contain guaranine, an ingredient that comes from an Amazon plant long used by the natives to increase awareness and energy. Guaranine’s active ingredient? Caffeine.

Apart from the physical health risks are some that are behavioral. Several studies have associated energy drink consumption with increased risk-taking behaviors. Although I don’t doubt the research, you have to consider the fact that we’re talking about a population (19 to 30 year olds) that’s already prone towards risk-taking behaviors. However, it might be that a little bit of extra energy is enough to increase those behaviors.

A final behavioral risk is the common practice of mixing alcohol with energy drinks, especially among college students. One study found that almost 25% of all college drinkers mix energy drinks with alcohol. This is a very dangerous habit since several studies have shown that the boost in energy from the energy drink tends to mask the effects of intoxication leading the drinker to believe that they’re totally OK to drive home.

 Whether you think these potential risks are valid or not, please pay particular attention to the following points:

1. It’s difficult to determine the actual amount of caffeine in a drink. Although manufacturers are required to list ingredients on the label, they are not required to list actual quantities or concentrations. Yes, you can get an idea of relative amounts by the order the ingredients are listed in but this not the same as knowing exactly how much of each ingredient is present. This makes it difficult to determine exactly how much caffeine is actually in the drink. Also, pay attention to the serving size. Many drinks list the amount of caffeine on a “per serving” basis while the can or bottle contains more than one serving.

2. Despite the research, no one knows for sure. Although caffeine is one of the most studied and researched chemicals in the list of energy drink ingredients, the others are not. Very little is known about some of the individual ingredients and even less is known about what, if anything, changes when they’re combined in various proportions.

3. No upper limit on caffeine. In the US, there is no upper limit on how much caffeine can be in an energy drink so you can be getting more caffeine than you think, especially when you take into account the caffeine that’s naturally part of some of the other ingredients (such as guaranine or guaranine seed extract). Interestingly, the FDA does place an upper limit on the amount of caffeine that goes into cola’s. Go figure.

4. Confusion with Sports Drinks. Energy drinks are often sold next to, or in relation with, sports drinks making many consumers think that they are both similar products. They are definitely not the same. As already pointed out, energy drinks should not be taken when exercising or performing physical labor due to their dehydration effects.

5. Effects on the heart. Energy drinks do increase your heart rate and your blood pressure. Yes, so does coffee but coffee doesn’t contain the same ingredients designed to boost and sustain the energy so it’s not a valid comparison. The increase in heart rate and blood pressure is probably not a big deal for healthy individuals (check with your doctor if you have doubts) but it should be obvious that energy drinks should not be consumed by people with hypertension or by women who are pregnant.

 My Best Energy Drink Recommendations

After reading more research papers than I really cared to, I found that there were some recommendations that they all seemed to agree on. These include:

•  Energy drinks should not be consumed before or during exercise or manual labor.
• Energy drinks are not a substitute for water or sports drinks for hydration.
• Monitor your kids. Children or adolescents should not consume energy drinks.
• Do not mix energy drinks with alcohol. Period.
• Do not drink energy drinks if you have hypertension, have an underlying medical condition, or are taking any kind of prescription medication.
• Do not drink energy drinks if you’re pregnant.
• Do not exceed the recommended daily allowance (usually one can per day).
• Know the signs of too much caffeine (jitters, restlessness, fidgeting, anxiety, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irritability, irregular or rapid heart beat)

References and Recommended Reading

What’s Your Take?

If you fall into the “Red Bull” demographic, I’m sure you’ve got a strong opinion on this topic.  Scroll down to the comments and lay it on me!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: red bull, caffeine, energy drinks, amp, rockstar, monster, performance, sports drinks, gatorade, functional, jitters

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So how do you snap out of it and get back into the game?  How do you come back when all the world seems to be fighting against you?  Here are 5 tips that might help:

Number 1:  Don’t fight it alone.  The first instinct when you get depressed is to seek isolation but that’s the worst thing you can do.  Find someone you can share your problems, your fears,  and your feelings with – which brings me to the next tip:

Number 2:  Verbalize your depression.  Try “talking” to your depression.  Describe it to a friend or loved one.  What does it feel like?  What “color” is it?  Where does it come from?  Focusing  on trying to verbally describe your depression can actually make you forget you’re depressed.  If you don’t have a friend handy, try writing your description in a notebook or journal.

Number 3:  Don’t label yourself.  Don’t say or think “I’m depressed.”  No you’re not.  You might feel depressed.  You might look depressed.  You might even act depressed but you are not depression personified so don’t pin that label on yourself.  Saying “I’m feeling depressed” tells your subconscious that your current state is a just a feeling and like all feelings, will soon pass.  (NOTE:  I am not talking about clinical depression here.  If you have been diagnosed with depression, make sure you follow your doctor’s instructions at all times.)

Number 4:  Take care of your body.  Don’t neglect proper exercise and diet and by all means, stay away from the junk food.  You might think that ice cream or chocolate cake will make you feel better but it’s not doing your body any favors.  Taking a walk or doing in some light exercise or yard work will actually release endorphins that will help chase away depression.

Number 5:  Exhibit gratitude.  When you begin to feel depressed about what you don’t have, that’s the time to start focusing on what you do have.  You need to write these down in order for this to work.  Don’t just casually list out loud what you’re thankful for because it won’t have the same impact.  You need to not only hear yourself say that you’re grateful for something, you really need to see it in writing.  Your body needs to really feel the motion of writing it down.  This more than anything will help to put whatever is causing your depression in perspective.  The more things you can list that you’re really grateful for, the weaker and weaker your depression will become.

Depression can hit anyone, at any time, for any reason.  It might pass through like a dark cloud or it might decide to stay a while.  If it does, use these tips to get yourself back in the game of Life.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: depression, depressed, health, emotions, emotional,  gratitude, life

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I always knew that it sucked getting old but I never knew exactly how much.  Now that I’m essentially there, I’m more determined than ever to fight the effects of it for as long as I’m physically able!

Losing Fat Is Not Always a Good Thing

One of the more insidious tricks that old age plays on your body as you age involves fat.  Yeah, I know that we spend most of our lives fighting the accumulation of it but fat plays a very important role in how our bodies function.

The type of fat I’m talking about here is called subcutaneous fat.  This is the fat that’s right below the surface of our skin.  Subcutaneous fat acts like a “shock-absorber” protecting bone and muscle tissue from the usual bumps and grinds of daily life as well as the typical exercise routine or one-on-one game of basketball.  It also acts as an insulator helping our body regulate temperature.

As we age, the amount of subcutaneous fat steadily decreases, especially on our face and hands, the elbows and lower arms, as well as the knees and lower legs.  This is the reason that as you age, you tend to look gaunt or even bony,  especially around your face and joints.

The problem with this is that as you lose more and more subcutaneous fat, your muscles and joints become much more susceptible to bruising and injury.  It also means that your body has a harder time regulating it’s temperature – one of the reasons many elderly are always feeling cold.

So losing subcutaneous fat is not a good thing and one of the things you’ve got to compensate for as you age.

The Worst Part of It

Although the effects from the loss of subcutaneous fat is bad enough, it’s not the worst part of the story.  As you age, Father Time throws you a “1-2 punch” composed of the two following facts:

First is the fact that as we age, our body increases it’s accumulation of body fat to our upper arms, upper legs, and torso.  Remember that the rest of our body is actually getting skinnier as we loose subcutaneous fat from the face and extremities.

Second is the fact that aging generally reduces the size of muscle tissue.  As you age, you’re not as strong as you used to be in addition to having less endurance.

“But wait a minute,” you say.  “That can’t be right.  I can’t be accumulating more body fat because I still weigh the same!”  Sorry, but the cruelest trick of all is that as we age, our body increases the amount of body fat it stores at the same time that our muscles are shrinking.  Your weight may stay exactly the same but your proportion of body fat vs. lean muscle slowly and consistently increases until about age 70.

Now, you tell me – does that really suck or what?

Getting Old Sucks!

The more I read, the worst the story got.  Aging essentially slows down, reduces, or in some cases, begins to shut down essentially all of our physical and “life support” systems.  Everything from the loss of your sex drive to the creation of brittle bones.  From your digestive system to your heart, everything begins to lose strength, endurance, and efficiency.  “Geez!” I thought. ”Why not just shoot me now!”

But There is Hope

I was really depressed at this point.  Why would anyone want to watch their body slowly deteriorate day by day?  Why would you go through that?  All of a sudden,  the movie “Soylent Green” didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

But the chapter did end with some hope and since the focus of my blog is fitness, I’m pretty sure you’ve already guessed what it is.  It turns out that in study after study, moderate exercise has been shown to delay – in many cases significantly delay – the physical effects of aging.

More specifically, it appears that resistance training tends to create a wider range of positive benefits than does endurance training.  It’s not that cardio isn’t important, it is.  But resistance, or strength, training positively affects a number of things (other than building strength) including balance and flexibility as well as increasing the production of essential hormones that normally decrease with age – and maintaining strength, balance, and flexibility are the keys to staying independent as we age.

No Magic “Youth” Pill

Sorry, regardless of what you might see on the late-night Infomercials, there is no “fountain of youth” pill, elixir, injection, or supplement.  Nothing that “works while you sleep” to turn back time.  The only proven method that delays the effects of age, the ONLY PROVEN method, is exercise.

So it turns out that the only way to beat Father Time is to literally beat Father Time.  Punch him in the face with your kickboxing gloves.  Smash his foot with a dumbbell after working out.  Tie him up with your resistance bands after your routine.  Every time you engage in any kind of physical activity – taking a brisk walk, lifting weights, doing pushups, whatever – you’re taking a punch at Father Time.

Yeah, I know that Father Time always wins in the end but I’m determined not to give him an easy fight.  I’m determined to go the full distance and give it all I’ve got until the Good Lord rings the final bell.

How about you?

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: aging, getting old, exercise, health, fitness, muscle, father time, hormones, fat, resistance, cardio

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Weird isn’t it?  We’ve lived together for so long that she’s become a part of me, a part of who I am.  It’s hard for me to even imagine my life without her physically being there and then bang, one day I turned around to say something to her and she wasn’t there.  It felt, well, weird.

Then there’s all the household stuff.  You know, the dirty dishes, the laundry, all the stuff that used to somehow get taken care of that now just accumulates until I finally get around to it.  This separation is really going to take some getting used to.

Still, there are a couple of things we’ve done to cope with being apart.  If you’re a military spouse, none of these will be new.  However, for those couples for whom separation is a new experience, these tips might help you get through.

1.  Maintain frequent communication by whatever means you can.  Couples need to talk.  When you’re physically together, it’s simple to just turn and say what you need to say.  Constant communication is the “glue” that keeps the relationship together.  When you’re physically apart, communication becomes more of a challenge.  However, it’s critical that you maintain it by whatever means you can.  That means:

a.  Phone Calls.  Most cell phone plans now allow nationwide calls so there’s really no such thing as “long distance” charges any more or you can use any of the web-based phone services such as Skype.

b.  Video Chats.  We set up a webcam on our computers so we could see each other’s face while we chatted.  Seeing the other person makes a real difference.  Video chats still leave a lot to be desired since the video sometimes freezes or blacks out altogether (depending on your Internet speeds) but still, seeing the face of your loved one makes a real difference.

c.  FaceTime.  Got an iPhone 4?  Use the FaceTime feature to turn your phone call into a video call.  It’s a huge improvement over a webcam.  We’ve found the video to be much faster and responsive than a webcam.  Don’t have an iPhone 4?  Then use one of the many video-call alternatives such as Qik.

d.  Email & Text Messages.  Yeah, email is pretty impersonal but hey, it still counts as a form of communication.  Same goes for text messages although with SMS, you can add emoticons ( ) to spice them up a bit.

e.  Cards and Letters.  Try communication the old fashion way – in writing.  Or take the easy way out and run down to the drug store and pick up a Hallmark card that says, “I Miss You.”  Either way, getting a card or letter in the mail says that your special someone is thinking about you.

2.  Keep a routine.  Even though your “other half” might be missing, there’s still plenty of stuff around the house to keep you busy.  Jump into it.  You’ll obviously have to pick up whatever chores were being done by your missing partner so work that into your routine as well.  Yeah, it’s a hassle but it will keep you busy instead of allowing you to sit around feeling lonely.

3.  Stay healthy.  Really feeling the absence of your partner?  Go out for a quick walk or jog.  Dealing with the emotional side of separation is difficult enough so make sure to keep your body in good shape.  That means eating right and getting plenty of exercise.  With no one to watch (and comment on) how much ice cream you go through, it’s really easy to pack on the pounds when your spouse is away.

4.  Keep your emotions in check.  OK, this one’s hard but you’ve got to try to keep yourself from feeling lonely, mopey, and miserable.  The best way I’ve found to cope with the emotional side of having to live alone for a while is to keep busy following all the previous recommendations.

5.  Value the Relationship Above All Else.  Being together is what nourishes a relationship.  However, with today’s economy, more and more couples are having to take temporary, and sometimes even permanent, assignments apart from each other in order to make financial ends meet.  That’s OK as long as you make sure that you work just as hard on keeping the relationship alive and healthy.

Having to live apart for a while is tough on a couple.  You have to learn a whole new household routine while dealing with the emotional roller-coaster that goes along with it.  But by following these tips and figuring out a couple on your own, you can get through it.

For my part, I’ve found that after some of our phone conversations, my lips hurt from smiling so much.  The last time that happened was when we were dating!  Still, I wish we were together….

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: relationship, lonely, couples, separation, marriage, healthy, emotions, emotional

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However, if you’re anything like me, you find you spend way too much time thinking and planning about your goals instead of actually working on them.  I even found myself buying some “special” goal-setting paper this past week!

Forget that!  Forget about following a special goal formula or using special goal-setting paper or journal.  Quit spending so much time on designing your goals and start spending most, if not all, of your time working on them.

Someone once said, “Life is not practice.”  That’s right.  We don’t get a chance to live life over.

So don’t worry if you don’t have a neat list of goals for 2012 – all categorized by area of your life, cross referenced with your family goals, and put in order of date due.

It’s the start of a new year.  Just pick a direction and go!  If things change, it’s much easier to change direction if you’re already in motion that it is to rearrange your card catalog of goal cards.

Like Nike says, “Just do it!”

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: goals, new year, 2012, resolution

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Why?  Because if you don’t decide where you want to go, any road will take you there.  Because if you don’t set goals, you’ll just float along life with no direction.  Because if you don’t set your sights on something, you won’t have a compelling reason to get up early and stay up late.  Because if you don’t set goals, you’ve already failed.

“Failed?  Failed at what?”  If you don’t set any goals at all, you’ve already failed to accomplish all the great things you’re capable of.  It could be losing weight, building muscle, earning extra money, building a relationship, really anything you can imagine.  Anything – you can really have and achieve anything – if you’ll only set a goal and consistently work towards it.

SMART Goals

Every great journey begins with the first step and every great accomplishment, whether it’s finding the cure for the cancer or putting a man on the moon, begins with a goal.  But how do you set goals?  The best way I’ve found to explain the process is by using the acronym S-M-A-R-T.  Here’s what it means:

S – Set SPECIFIC Goals

Make sure your goals are as specific as you can possibly make them.  Saying “I just want to be happy” is not going to cut it.  ”I just want to lose some weight” isn’t effective either.  In both cases, you’ve got to be specific.  What exactly would it take to make you happy?  Exactly how much weight do you want to lose?

Setting a nonspecific goal like “I want to make some extra money” may prove very disappointing.  You might find a discarded penny on the sidewalk and stop to pick it up.  Boom, you just completed your goal!  You just made some “extra” money.  You see how important it is to be specific?

The first key to effective goals is to be specific, specific, specific.  If you can’t clearly see the outcome of your goal when you close your eyes at night, it’s not specific enough.

M – Make Your Goals MEASUREABLE

Now that you’ve made your goals as specific as you can, you need to find a way to measure your progress.  You might think that making your goals measurable is simply an extension of making them specific but it’s much more than that.  Making them measurable is like putting a ladder under an apple tree that allows you to climb up, step by step, to reach the best pieces of fruit the tree has to offer.  Making your goals measurable provides a step-by-step road map to their accomplishment.

If I ask you how your weight loss goal is coming along, you should be able to tell me exactly how much weight  you’ve lost as well as exactly how much further you have to go and how long you think it will take you to get there.  All specific, measurable steps.

Once you specifically define what it is you want, figure out a way to measure your progress.  It could be dollars, days, pounds, inches, boxes shipped, whatever.  Just find a way to measure your progress.

A – Make Your Goals ACTIONABLE

Like all the others, this one is key.  Your goals should be something that you can DO, WORK TOWARDS, or ACT ON.  Here’s the difference:  if you say “I want to make a million dollars” and don’t add any actionable steps, it’s a wish, not a goal.  On the other hand, saying “I want to make a million dollars through affiliate marketing (or product creation, or by writing a novel, or whatever you want to do),” then you’ve got something you can actually work on.  This puts you in control.

Every January 1st, most people set “I want to lose some weight” as one of their New Year’s goals.  Can you see why 99.9% of people that set this kind of goal never accomplish it?  It’s not specific.  It’s not measurable.  It’s not actionable.

Now, the person that says “I want to lose 15 pounds by the end of March through better diet choices and exercise” has got a much better chance of reaching their goal.  Their goal is specific, measurable, and actionable.  They’ve got something specific to work on.

Note:  some people list the “A” in SMART as “Attainable” as in “your goals should be Attainable.”  I like “Actionable” because I think it better describes the fact that YOU HAVE TO WORK ON YOUR GOALS.  They don’t come true all by themselves.

R – Your Goals Should be REALISTIC

Time for a gut-check:  is your goal realistic?  Can you really see yourself achieving it?  If you can’t, you need to work on 2 things:  your self confidence and your goal.  Once you become practiced at goal setting and have accomplished a few, your self confidence will explode and you’ll automatically begin setting bigger and bigger goals.  However, at the beginning, make sure you don’t set your goals so high that they end up discouraging you instead of inspiring you.  Make them realistic.

Also, make sure your goals are congruent with your life in general.  In other words, don’t work towards a goal that is actually going to create problems in other areas of your life.  For example, don’t set a weight loss goal that is so aggressive that you damage your overall health in the process.

T – Make Your Goals TIME BASED

Set a time limit on your goals.  Otherwise, you’ll always procrastinate and put off working on them for another week, another month, another year.  Set a deadline and stick to it.  Saying “I want to lose 5 pounds by the end of the month” has a lot more power than just saying “I’d like to lose some weight.”

Putting a time limit on your goals is another way to measure your progress.  You tell yourself, “I’ve got until the end of the month to reach my goal and it’s already the 15th.  I’ve got to get moving!”  There’s massive power in that.  It creates a momentum that propels you forward and keeps you moving.

Reaching Your Goals

Is it really this easy?  Well, yes and no.  Setting effective goals is a straightforward process.  However, you still have to DO THE WORK and that part isn’t so easy.  But setting up the right process, making your goals specific, measurable, action oriented, realistic, and time based will provide a framework where you can see exactly how much progress your work is producing.  Your work will have purpose – and that will inspire you to maintain the pace.

You see, if you can’t measure where you are and you’re not sure where you’re going, it’s difficult to find a compelling reason to do the work. If you can’t see the “big payoff” at the end and see yourself moving closer to it, there’s no incentive to put in the extra effort and you’ll quickly find reasons to procrastinate.

So be SMART about setting your goals this New Year.  Stack the deck in your favor but making your goals specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-based.  You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: goal setting, goals, smart, resolutions, new year, motivation, weight loss, lose weight

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Every meeting, party, or social gathering I go to this time of year, and I mean EVERY ONE has a “Holiday Spread” of cakes, cookies, and assorted edible things – all designed to add inches to my waist.  How do you ever survive the Holidays and still lose weight?

Portion Control is the Key

The answer to that question is portion control, portion control, portion control.  Yes, I know that’s easy to say but hard to do.  Yes, I know.  I’ve gone through buffet lines and holiday lunches where even though I only took about a teaspoon-ful of several different dishes, there was simply SO MUCH FOOD that I still ended up with an overfilled plate.

You’ve got to fight that.  Here are two things that I do that seem to work for me:

1. Start with a smaller plate.  Grab a dessert plate or a salad plate instead of the over-sized dinner plate.  The smaller your plate, the less likely you’ll feel compelled to fill it to the brim.
2. Second, get a salad and make sure that it fills 1/3 to 1/2 of your plate.  The good part about a salad is that it’s bulky and will automatically fill a big portion of your plate.  Let your salad be your main course.
3. Next, focus on getting some veggies BUT try to say away from casseroles or veggies that are swimming in cream sauce or gravy.  Steamed vegetables are best but may be hard to find on a traditional holiday spread where everything seems to be drowning in some form of thick cheese or butter sauce.
4. Skip the bread.  Period.
5. Last, get a small sliver of meat or fish.  Let this be no more than 1/4 of your total meal AND only stick to one kind of meat.  Many Christmas dinners include several kinds of meats to choose from.  Choose only one kind.

The key to making through a Christmas or Holiday dinner with your waistline intact is to not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by all the choices that are available to you.  There will probably be 5 kinds of vegetables in all kinds of sauces, casseroles of all kinds, 3 kinds of meats, several kinds of breads, biscuits, or rolls, and 10 different kinds of cookies, cakes, and frosted desserts.  It’s so easy for your good judgement to get overwhelmed.

Remember that you DO NOT have to try everything.  If you do, even if you only take just a “little taste,” there’s simply so much food that you’re going to overeat.  Don’t fall victim to this.  Be very selective in your choices – and try to make those choices good ones.

Another thing to remember is not to be bullied.  Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE is going to be shoving food in your face and saying something like, “You’ve just got to try this.”  You DO NOT have to put up with this!  Yes, I know it’s really hard (really, really hard) to turn down your Aunt Bertha’s chili-cheese-fri-casserole that she spent all day cooking but you’ve got to be strong.  It’s perfectly OK to say, “Thank you so much but I’m totally full.”  Take home a foil-wrapped serving that you can dispose of later if you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.  We’re talking about YOUR HEALTH here so don’t allow yourself be bullied.

Increased Activity

In order to balance the increased calories that the Holidays just naturally seem to bring, you’ve got to increase your activity levels.  Go to the gym, take a walk, go shopping, do ANYTHING that will keep you moving.  Increased activity is not something for a New Year’s Resolution.  It’s something that you should build into your Holiday plans and be doing as you enjoy the season.

Watch Your Stress Levels

Lastly, don’t stress.  Yes, I know you have no idea what kind of gift to get that special someone but believe me, anything you get them will be fine.  What’s important is that it’s from you.  So quit stressing about finding the “perfect” gift.

Remember that most stress is self-imposed.  You have control so turn down the dial.  One way to do this is to remember all those less fortunate than you and to try to do something for someone else.  Give to a charity, volunteer, visit, drop off a gift – there are numerous ways to help those who would otherwise not have any Christmas at all.  Keeping things in perspective is a great way to relieve holiday stress.

Keeping all of these thoughts in mind should help you “survive” the holidays with your diet, and your sanity, intact.

I hope you all have a great Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!  Remember the “Reason for the Season” and take the time to give thanks at the house of worship of your choosing.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: Christmas, weight loss, diet, nutrition, holidays, eating, dinner, stress, sanity, exercise, New Year

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The Situation

Older brother Adam and younger brother Crosby have gone into business together to open “The Luncheonette,” a music recording studio.  For a receptionist, they’ve hired Rachel, the best qualified person they can afford – who also happens to be a very attractive, very shapely, young lady – all attributes that Adam’s wife Kristina just can’t help but immediately notice.

To summarize this specific episode, let me quote the Parenthood website directly:

“…Over at The Luncheonette, Crosby’s incredulous to learn that Rachel kissed Adam. For Crosby, it’s like Christmas came early – but now the question is should Adam tell Kristina? Adam tells Kristina everything. Crosby jokes around, but his message is clear. This is one thing Adam should NOT tell Kristina…”

Kristina and Adam have one of the most traditional marriages that you can possibly portray on TV.  They totally love and support each other in every way.  They share everything.  Adam’s dilemma is whether or not to tell her about getting kissed by their hot, young receptionist.  The secret is visibly killing him so he does come clean explaining how it all came about.  Kristina is taken by surprise but being the supportive wife that she is, she trusts Adam and is willing to accept his version of what happened ( “she kissed me – I didn’t kiss her back”).

She then says, “Well, I assume she’s no longer there.”  And that’s when Adam starts down the “dark path from which there is no return.”  He says, “Of course not” – a little white lie.  He then goes to bed knowing what he’d have to do the next day.

The problem is that for a number of reasons,  he doesn’t follow through.  He reprimands Rachel instead of firing her and the “little white lie” he told his wife the night before gets bigger and bigger.  Imagine Kristina’s shock when she calls the office a couple of days later and Rachel answers.

Ever had your relationship suffer a similar situation?  I’m sure you have.  This is a classic “powder keg” that can blow apart the most solid relationships.

Even though Adam got major points for telling Kristina about the kiss in the first place, he lied to her about firing Rachel.  That’s all Kristina sees – and she’s right.

From a man’s perspective, it was a “little white lie,” something so small, so trivial as to not even warrant a second thought.  He thought that by letting Kristina believe that Rachael was already gone, he would be able to calm the immediate situation and get a good night’s sleep.  Besides, he really intended to “correct” the situation in the morning – so it wasn’t really a “lie” after all, right?

From a woman’s perspective, a lie is a lie, period.  The “intent” – what you were going to do or not do – doesn’t matter.  The fact that this was a “little thing” makes it even worse because a woman believes that, “If I can’t trust you in a little thing, how can I ever trust you on the big things?”

Relationships 101

The first rule of relationships is that honesty rules.  Think about it.  When you’re in a relationship, you pretty much put everything about yourself out in the open:  where you came from, your family, your past, every dirty little thing.  The really neat part is that no matter how messed-up your past might be, your partner in the relationship doesn’t care – they still love you anyway!  How great a deal is that?

Want to know the one thing that can instantly kill the best thing you’ve got going?  Not being honest.  And you know what else?  There is no such thing as a “little” lie, white or any other color.  Being dishonest is being dishonest and once you start down this road, your relationship is in deep serious trouble unless you take immediate action.

The Truth Always Surfaces

Of course Kristina was going to find out.  The truth always seems to float to the surface right when you least expect it.  The same applies to your relationships.  The truth always comes out and you end up exposed as a liar.  Your partner feels betrayed, taken advantage of, gullible, lied to.  It’s really hard to recover from that, and many relationships don’t.

So don’t even go there.  When Kristina said, “Well, I assume she’s no longer there,” Adam should have told her the truth.  The ensuing conversation would have been completely different.  However, by taking the easy way out and telling a “little white lie,” Adam set himself up for failure – and inadvertently put his relationship at risk.  How this will affect the marriage will play out in future episodes I’m sure.  However, real-world relationships don’t often get the “Hollywood happy endings.”

Is It Worth It?

Is lying worth it?  That’s the question you’ve got to ask yourself every time you get put in the same type of situation.  Think about all the great things your relationship brings to your life and put all of that on one side of the scale.  On the other side of the scale, put the convenience you think telling a “little white lie” will buy you.  Is it worth the risk?  Of course not.  Not even close.

So again, don’t go there.  Your relationship is based on trust, so trust that your partner will understand and support you.  However, difficult it might be to be totally honest, it’s almost always a fraction of the emotional price you’ll pay if you tell a “little white lie” and then are found out.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: honesty, relationships, truth, little white lies, parenthood, nbc, tv, marriage

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I stumbled upon this formula while making some improvements to my own dietary habits.  Within 2 and a half weeks, I had lost 10 pounds without having to do  single push-up.  Here’s exactly what I did:

1.  Reduce the amount of MEAT in your diet – especially RED meat.  This does NOT mean you need to go all vegetarian (although that’s not altogether a bad thing).  Just quit going to the local Sizzler Steak House and getting the 12 oz T-bone with the “loaded” baked potato and thinking you’re eating healthy – you’re not.

“Reduce” does not mean I eliminated all meat from my diet.  I still eat chicken and fish.  HOWEVER, these meats are NOT the biggest portion on my plate.  If you do continue to eat meat, make sure it’s a side dish, not the main course – and eat a big salad with every meal you can.

You see, when you reduce the amount of meat you eat, you automatically increase the amount of vegetables.  As a result, your overall diet naturally becomes higher in fiber and lower in fat.

2.  Reduce the amount of WHEAT products in your diet – especially PROCESSED wheat.  Again, this does not mean totally eliminate them, although the more you take out, the better.  Reducing the amount of processed wheat products in your diet will take out most of the cakes, white breads, cookies, cupcakes, and so on – none of which are good for you.  Remember to also take it easy on any wheat-containing gravies or stuffings.

3.  Reduce the amount of DIARY in your diet.  I know what you’re going to say:  ”Where am I going to get my calcium?”   You’ll get plenty of calcium from eating dark green and leafy vegetables, a natural byproduct of eating less meat in Step 1.  Reducing the amount of dairy in your diet will force you to cut down on whole milk, cream filling, ice cream, and cheese.  Again, you don’t have to totally eliminate it – just take it easy.  Quit thinking of milk as a beverage.  It’s a food with calories and fat content, just like any other food.

Now use some common sense with this one.  Diary can be an important part of your diet if you’re nursing or are making changes to your kid’s diet.  I didn’t say eliminate, I said reduce.

4.  Reduce the amount of SUGAR in your diet – especially PROCESSED sugar and HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.  In fact, even if you skipped the other 3 steps and only did this one, you’d probably still 7 or 8 pounds easy.  Obviously, this one is the most important.  In order to lose weight, you’ve got to significantly reduce the amount of processed sugar and high fructose corn syrup in your diet.  This means no soft drinks, no fruit juice drinks (100% juice is OK), no cookies or cakes with frosting or creamy centers, no candy, no fudge, none of that stuff.

If you’ll make these 4 changes to your diet, I guarantee that you’ll lose anywhere from 6 to 12 pounds pretty much automatically, with no physical effort at all.  Better yet, as you reduce the amount of processed wheat and sugar in your diet, you’ll find that food begins to taste differently – more flavorful and filling.

Give it a try and see for yourself.  What have you got to lose except a couple of ugly pounds?

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: diet, nutrition, health, sugar, meat, processed, wheat, weight loss

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We’ve all been taught that exercise is a great way to reduce stress and for most of us, it really works.  But what affect does all this exercise have on our productivity at work the next day?

A recent study in the October issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at the relationship between exercise, workplace stress, and productivity.  The results were not what you might imagine.

The study looked at a sample of 2,823 workers in Minnesota who were surveyed on their levels of workplace stress and amount of exercise as well as their productivity on the job.  The researchers found a couple of interesting things including (quoting directly from the JOEM Press Release):

1. “In general, higher stress levels at work were linked to greater productivity loss.  Workers with a higher body mass index were less productive, regardless of other factors.”
2. “After adjusting for body mass index, there was a significant interaction between physical activity and stress level. For highly stressed workers, a high level of physical activity was linked to significant productivity loss. In contrast, for workers with relatively low stress levels, physical activity had less effect on productivity.”

What this study appears to show is that the recommendation that you “exercise your stress off” should only apply to low stress levels.  The study found that for overweight employees who exercised 7 hours per week, the ones that felt highly stressed at work suffered an estimated productivity loss of 11% while those that felt lightly stressed at work only suffered a productivity decline of 2%.  Apparently, trying to “exercise off” a high level of stress leaves you so tired the next day that your productivity suffers, which probably leads to more stress.

The study concluded that when stress levels are high, increased physical activity tends to decrease productivity.  If that’s so, then what’s the best way to cope with high stress levels?  The study suggests that “stress management is at least as economically relevant to promoting worker health and productivity, compared to more traditional lifestyle factors…”

OK, so what are the takeaways from this?  Here are some of the things I found valuable (NOTE:  these are totally my opinions – read the study for yourself and come to your own conclusions):

• Workers who are overweight (high BMI) seemed to be more susceptible to stress and productivity loss than workers who were not overweight.  The study did not specifically say this but to me, it seemed implied in a number of places.  The key takeaway from this observation is to lose the weight.  Reduce your BMI and you’ll be in much better shape to handle whatever your workplace dishes out.
• If you face high stress levels as work, you’re much better off learning effective stress management techniques, such as meditation, than you are trying to “work off” the stress with exercise.  Heading to the gym after a stressful day only leaves you tired – and the stress is still there.
• What works for me, even after a stressful day, is exercise that requires my complete attention.  For example, I head to karate class or practice kickboxing with a partner.  It’s hard to worry about how much stress I have when you’re in the ring with someone trying to rearrange your face.  You’re forced to focus on the activity, not on the stress.  As a result, the stress tends to melt away.  On the other hand, if you do an exercise routine that doesn’t require any thought or concentration (weights, stair-master, treadmill etc), then the stress is going to stay front and center.

Stress is a killer, and not just of productivity.  It’s effects on blood pressure and heart disease are pretty well documented.  However, stress is also a part of everyday life.  As a result, you need to learn how to deal with it in a way that reduces it’s effects and doesn’t create more of it.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: productivity, fitness, stress, exercise, balanced health, meditation, journal of occupation and environmental medicine, joem

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The Holy Grail of Nutrition

That’s where I was a couple of weeks ago.  I had just finished watching a great movie called “Forks over Knives” (available on Netflix) as a result of someone’s recommendation.  It had a profound effect on me.  I thought, “Finally!  Someone’s found the Holy Grail of Nutrition:  the “Optimal Diet.”  Someone’s finally got scientific proof on which kind of diet works best.”

I was in 7th Heaven.  I thought the mystery of which type of diet is really the best in terms of health and nutrition had finally been solved.  It was like someone had actually discovered which “one true religion” out of all the “one true religions” that are out there really was the one, true, religion.

If you haven’t seen the film, here’s a short summary from the film’s webpage:

“FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.”

Let me run that past you again:  …examines the profound the claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and process foods.

Holy Moley!  That’s way more than a “profound” claim.  That’s revolutionary!  That’s monumental!  That’s bat-crazy astounding!!

But is it really true?

Bitter Disappointment

I really, really, really wanted to believe everything the film presented at face value.  Watching the movie had been almost a religious experience.  I was convinced.  I was converted.  I was “saved.”  I was ready to turn totally vegetarian.  However, it wasn’t long before the air was let out of my emotional “high” and I came crashing down to earth.

Being the skeptic that I am, the next morning I Googled “is ‘forks over knives’ legit?” just to see what came up.  That’s when I came face-to-face (virtually, of course) with Denise Minger, a very unique and talented young woman.  Denise has written a blog post titled “Forks Over Knives”: Is the Science Legit? (A Review and Critique) that has gone viral and it immediately caught my attention — and started putting my feet back on solid ground.

Denise is a raw-food advocate as well as a self described “numbers geek.”  She’s not part of any lobby group nor does she have the backing and financial resources of the major food manufacturers.  She’s simply an individual with a critical mind, some sharp analytical and research skills, and a flair for writing.  The firestorm that she started with her post has been nothing short of amazing.

First of all, Denise’s post on “Forks over Knives” is not a “review” in the normal sense.  A “review” of a movie is when some blogger takes 2 or 3 paragraphs to say, “Yo, I saw such-and-such movie and I really liked it.  You guys should go see it.  Click on my affiliate link to buy your tickets….”  Now THAT’s a “review.”  What Denise wrote however, is a detailed, fully documented, point-by-point critique of the movie’s assertions, primarily those based on the research of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, that spans more than 40 screen pages (not counting another 80 or so pages of comments, some of which are quite informative).  Her critique is so thorough and so detailed that it elicited an actual response/rebuttal from Dr.  Campbell himself, something that most researchers rarely deign to do.

You really need to read Denise’s post and subscribe to her website if you’re at all serious about nutrition.  Her writing style is easy to understand and she does a super job of explaining the research.  The link again is:  “Forks Over Knives”: Is the Science Legit? (A Review and Critique)

“Slight of Hand” Conclusions

Denise brings up a lot of serious questions with the research cited in the movie.  One of the points that impressed me the most early in the movie was the chart that graphed Norwegian mortality rates due to circulatory disease during the Nazi occupation of their country in 1940′s.  Here’s a copy of the graph I’m talking about:

As you can plainly see, mortality rates start plummeting right after the Nazi’s come marching in.  Dr. Campbell explains in the move that this is because the first thing the Germans did was confiscate all the livestock for their own use.  This left the poor Norwegians with no meat in their diet and as a result of this primarily vegetarian diet, their mortality due to circulatory disease dropped like a rock.  In 1945 when the Nazi’s left and meat began to be reintroduced into their diet, the Norwegian heart disease mortality rate began to increase again.  Therefore eating meat equals increased mortality rates due to circulatory disease, and not eating meat equals lower mortality rates.  So sayeth Dr. Campbell.  It is logical, right?

This chart impressed me more than any of the other data in the movie and I was ready to accept Dr. Campbell’s conclusions hook, line, and sinker.  I was sitting in my living room waving my arms overhead and singing, “I believe, I believe.”

However, like most stories, there’s more to it than meets the eye and it takes someone like Denise Minger to ask insightful questions like:

– “Is that really the case?”

– “What else was going on at the same time?”

– “Could there be something else that might explain this effect?”

Denise not only asked those questions, she researched the answers.  What she found blows some pretty serious holes in Dr. Campbell’s arguments.

Denise reasoned that just because the Germans took away their livestock doesn’t necessarily mean that the Norwegians had no meat in their diet.  She figured they’d probably try to find substitutes.  That’s what you or I would do.  Oh by the way, isn’t Norway by the ocean?  Aren’t there fish in the ocean?  If you lived in Norway during this time, wouldn’t you go out and find a way to catch, barter, or buy fish to feed your family with, especially if all of your livestock has just been confiscated?  Of course you would.

Here’s what Denise found when she researched the dietary records of Norwegians during the Nazi occupation and plotted the results (this is Denise’s graph and is part of her post “Forks Over Knives”: Is the Science Legit? (A Review and Critique)):

 What you see is just what you would expect if you really gave it some thought.  Sure, the amount of meat (pork, beef, chicken) decreased during the occupation because the nasty Nazi’s kept taking it all for themselves.  However, the amount of fish increased to compensate for the loss of meat.  And as Denise says in her article, “the last time I looked, fish is not a vegetable!”  (I’m paraphrasing.  If you want the exact quote, read her post.)  Isn’t it possible, Denise poses, that the drop in mortality might be because people were eating more fish and not because they all turned vegetarian as Dr. Campbell states?

I felt like I had been had.  ”Damn you Denise,” I thought.  I had really hoped that I had finally found the “One True Diet,” the “Diet to Rule Them All.”  Instead, what Denise did was rip back the stage curtain and expose the guy working the springs and levers.

The Problem with Nutritional Research

I’ve known and written about the problems with traditional research for years so it’s even harder for me to believe that I fell victim to Campbell’s conclusions so easily.  But I did.  Maybe it’s because the movie did such a great job getting me emotionally involved that my common sense and skepticism went to sleep.

In order to perform proper research, a researcher typically spends a significant amount of their time trying to find funding.  After all, somebody’s got to pay for all the fancy lab equipment and lab rats.  However, more and more of today’s research gets funded by groups that have a vested interest in the outcome of the research.  Even grants doled out by the government are often times reviewed by committees and/or legislators with ties to and/or backgrounds in industry groups.

Researchers are no fools either.  In order for them to win funding and to have that funding extended or increased, they do everything they can to design experiments that are highly likely to produce the types of results their financial sponsors are looking for.  What you end up with is a lot of research that sounds and looks impressive, but really has little application to real world applications.

For Dr. Campbell, his pinnacle research project was the compilation of a massive study on the Chinese mainland that looked at diet, lifestyle, and disease in a wide variety of locations.  Titled “The China Study,” it forms the basis for much of Campbell’s assertions in the movie.  Denise does a great job of analyzing some of the data in The China Study and pointing out some of the problems with the correlations that are drawn.  Basically, she shows that if you create a large enough pool of data points, you can pretty much correlate anything you want.

Trust Me, I’m a Professional

The thing that really left a sour taste in my mouth was Dr. Campbell’s response to Denise’s post on a number of vegetarian and vegan websites (here’s one for example).  Although Dr. Campbell was polite, his responses at times seemed downright condescending.  What he basically seemed to be saying was that since he’s got several degrees, he’s the only one that can understand and interpret his data.  In other words,  he seemed to be saying ‘trust me, I’m a professional.’

Sorry Dr. Campbell, not good enough.  Denise brought up some very specific questions and all we get is ‘don’t worry your pretty little head missie??’  (obviously not a direct quote <grin>)  I expected more.  Much more.

If anyone performs a study and comes up with any kind of conclusion, especially one as profound as this one, they should be able to explain exactly what they did and how they did it.  There should be no unexplained gaps or assumptions in logic.  And they should be able to explain it a way that you, I, or anyone else can follow along, step by step, and reach the same conclusion.  Like the cartoon at the right, you can’t just say “and then a miracle occurs” or respond to questions by saying “because I say so.”  You need to be able to prove your results in a way that’s reproducible.

Somewhere along the “vegetarian yellow brick road,” I get left behind unable to jump over the gaps in logic.

So Where Does That Leave Us?

So after spending way more time than I can really afford reading blog after blog and trying to decipher all kinds of statistical charts and tables, where did all this leave me?  Well, actually in a pretty good place.  I’ve learned, or in some cases re-learned, the following:

1. There is no “Holy Grail of Nutrition” after all, even though I really wanted to believe in one.  There is only the path that is best for you, at your current stage of life, taking into account your environment, lifestyle, culture, and health goals.
2. Judging from the comments on some of the websites, you can only conclude that a lot of hard-core vegetarians and vegans are flat out kooks.  To them, diet is more like religious dogma rather than an issue of optimal nutrition.  These people believe what they believe and nothing will ever change their minds.
3. Judging from the comments on some of the websites, you can only conclude that a lot of hard-core carnivores and paleo-diet followers are flat out kooks.  To them, diet is more like religious dogma rather than an issue of optimal nutrition.  These people believe what they believe and nothing will ever change their minds.
4. Research on nutrition, in fact pretty much research on anything, is often times funded by groups with a significant stake in the outcome.  As a result, it’s really difficult to conduct research that is truly objective.  Since the primary purpose of every researcher is to acquire the next round of funding, studies can be inadvertently biased in one direction or another.  This results in conclusions that have little or no application to real world issues.  We’ve done so much research in the field of nutrition that you can literally find a study that will support ANY conclusion you care to make basically proving the maxim that too much knowledge leads to ignorance.
5. Everybody’s got an opinion to sell, and as a result, relevant facts sometimes get left out because they may not totally support the case you’re trying to make.  It’s human nature.   We ALL have “selective memories.”  This human tendency to try to “push the facts towards what we already believe”  tends to creep into books, movies, and yes, even scientific research.  You’ve always got to listen to the skeptic inside you and evaluate all sides of an issue.
6. The best diet is the one that works for you – and that may be totally different than what someone else is eating.

Thanks Mike.  Great advice.  The Holy Grail of Nutrition may truly be “Eat a Balanced Diet – whatever that means to you.”  That may be as specific as science can get simply because we’re all individuals and because our bodies are made up of complex interconnected systems.  Throw in the fact that we all come from different cultural backgrounds, each of which have different customs and beliefs about food and eating, we live in different environments and have different foods readily available and you can easily see why there will never be a “one size fits all” type of diet recommendation.

What I Eat Now

I did learn enough through this experience to change my diet in a way that is currently working for me.  I’m actually losing a couple of pounds that I though I’d never get rid of.  My energy level is steadily increasing so I feel confident that I’m giving my body what it needs.

Although I learned that “Forks Over Knives” took quite a few liberties with the facts (maybe THAT’s why the work of the researchers is not so well known and not because of some sinister plot by Big Pharma or the Media), some of the lessons did stick.  My dietary “rules” now include:

1. Rather than a totally “Meatless” diet, I’ve gone to a “Less Meat” diet.  This is not totally vegetarian (ie: meatless) nor is it the typical American diet (where meat is the primary component).  I still eat meat – it’s just a much, much smaller portion of my total meal than it used to be.  What little meat I do eat is usually in form of soups or stews – and always with a salad.  Gone are the 12-oz T-bone steaks with the tiny “garnish” of vegetables.
2. The majority of the meat I do eat is fish.  I’ve pretty much eliminated beef and pork from my diet completely.  If I do occasionally have chicken, it’s in soup.
3. No red meat.  I covered this already.  Nuff said.
4. No deep fried foods.  I reduce fried foods as much as possible and avoid all deep-fried foods.
5. No dairy.  God, I hated to give up my Blue Bell ice cream but I feel better for it.  I do occasionally have cheese as part of a dish but no more cookies and milk, which brings me to:
6. No sugar or high fructose corn syrup.  Cut out the sweet stuff period.  No cakes, no cookies, no soda.  This alone will significantly improve your health and help you lose a couple of pounds.
7. No processed foods.  If it comes in a cellophane wrapper with cartoon characters on it, don’t eat it.  If it’s made with “refined” anything (sugar, wheat, flour, etc), stay away from it.  There’s a scene I remember from some old boxing movie in which someone offers one of the characters a sandwich.  The boxer says something like, “I ain’t eating no white bread.  That stuff will kill ya.”  Stay away from breads and cereals made with refined flour.
8. Reduce the starchy vegetables.  Yes, that means go easy on the potatoes.
9. Increase your intake of dark green, leafy vegetables.  Have a spinach or mixed green salad before every meal – or better yet, have the salad AS your meal.
10. Drink water instead of soda, tea, coffee, or the “power” drinks.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: diet, nutrition, vegetables, processed foods, sugar, high fructose, dr. campbell, forks over knives, denise minger, vegan, paleo, meat, optimal health

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I mentally started making fun of how she looked, of how she ran, of how obviously out of shape she was.  She wasn’t jogging, she was waddling! She wasn’t breathing, she was gasping for air!  She wasn’t running, she was stumbling!  She…..   “STOP!!” I had to yell at myself.  ”At least she’s out there working up a sweat.”

 I have no idea why I felt so smug and critical but what made me stop cold was the realization that she was out there taking action and I wasn’t.  She was trying to improve her health while I was sitting on my butt in an air-conditioned automobile.  She was the one DOING SOMETHING and I was the one feeling superior??  

What’s the old saying… “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”  Yeah, that’s it.  People who don’t get up early to go jogging shouldn’t “throw stones” at those that do.  

This “episode” taught me two things:

1.  Criticism swings both ways:  Giving it is easy – taking it, not so much.  It’s way too easy to sit on the sidelines and criticize or poke fun at all the people trying to improve themselves.  It’s easy to tune into the “Biggest Loser” and laugh.  Look at ‘em sweat!  However, taking a long hard look at your own body in the mirror after you’ve gotten out of the shower isn’t easy, or fun either.  Before you get ready to throw a “stone” in someone’s direction, remember that you live in a glass house as well.

2.  To make changes, you’ve got to take action.  If you want to get healthy, lose weight, gain muscle, or whatever else your goal might be, you have to take action.  You have to get out there and sweat.  You have to work at it.  You have to get up early and stay late.  You have to take things as they are and then make them the way you want them – and that takes work.  

So the next time you see some poor slob jogging along the side of the road gasping for air, don’t cop a superior attitude.  Instead, put on your running shoes and go join them.  Get off the sidelines and get into the game.  Do something!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: run, jogging, overweight, weight loss, fitness, exercise, critic, criticism, judgment

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Now, there’s even more reason to stop – and this time, to stop for good.  A recent infographic has shown up on the Internet showing the various organs in the human body that the ingredients of soda can negatively affect.  Some of these I already knew about.  Some of them are new.

Although it’s been claimed that this infographic is from “the insurance industry,” that’s not the case.  It’s from a site called TermInsurance.org, a domain which according to a WhoIs search,  is registered in the Grand Cayman Islands.  From what I could see, it looks like an affiliate site.  However, don’t let the apparent lack of authority of the website detract from the information on the infographic.  

The health problems listed on the infographic supposedly come from reputable sources and can include things like:

• Increased Tooth Decay
• Asthma Attack
• Heart Disease
• Kidney Disease
• Reproductive Issues
• Sugar Overload
• Obesity
• Diabetes

Check out the original article here, where you can get a larger image of the graphic that you can read and/or print out.

IDEA TIP: this would be a great graphic to print out and tape to your refrigerator door. If that doesn’t make you think twice about reaching for another soda, I don’t know what will!

The empty calories coming from the high amounts of high fructose corn syrup sending your insulin levels sky-high is reason enough to stop drinking — or at least significantly reduce — your soda consumption.  This infographic should convince you the rest of the way.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: soda, coke, corn syrup, fructose, heart, disease, health, fitness, diet, nutrition, diabetes, obesity, calories, sugar, kidney

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1.  Before you start, map out your route.  There’s nothing that will waste gas faster than getting lost and having to double back and cover ground you’ve already gone over.  Know where you want to go and map out exactly how to get there before you head out on the road.

2.  Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained.  This means a couple of things including:

• Air pressure.  Low tires increase road friction and that means it takes more energy.  Bottom line is that your engine works harder and you burn more gas.
• Air filter.  It’s estimated that a clean air filter can increase your gas mileage by as much as 10%.  That’s no small savings.
• Tire alignment.  Improperly aligned tires are another thing that increases road friction, as well as your gas bill.
• Tuned engine.  Although modern vehicles can go a long time between scheduled tune ups, it’s important that you keep your vehicle tuned up and properly maintained.  Fouled spark plugs or clogged fuel injectors can really cost you at the gas pump.
• Gas cap.  Check to make sure that the cap on your gas tank fits properly and locks the way it was originally designed.  A gas cap that doesn’t fit properly can release fumes into the environment as well as create a partial vacuum in your gas tank preventing the free flow of fuel to your engine.
• Oxygen sensor(s).  Most modern vehicles have a number of oxygen sensors that directly affect engine performance.  Make sure yours are checked periodically and in good working order.  Replacing a faulty oxygen sensor can have a huge (as much as 40%) impact on your gas mileage.

• Know where the bargains are.  We all know that most gas stations located right off of busy streets and highways usually have the highest prices, sometimes significantly so.  Try to plan your fill ups so that you can take advantage of cheaper prices at supermarkets or Walmart.  Obviously, this means not waiting until your gas gauge is reading completely empty before you start looking for a place to fill up.  If you’ve got an iPhone or Android phone, yes there’s an app that helps you find the cheapest gas prices.
• Don’t buy Premium Grade gas.  Most cars are designed to run on Regular Grade gas (check your owner’s manual) so filling up with a higher grade of gasoline is simply wasted money.  You won’t get any better gas mileage.  True, the higher grades might give your car a little more “pep” but this may encourage you to drive a little faster — which reduces your mpg’s.  Again, a waste of money.
• Don’t fall for the “magic” gas-saving gadgets.  After testing a number of gadgets that were supposed to improve fuel efficiency, both the Consumer Reports and the US EPA failed to find any that made any significant difference.  Bottom line:  they don’t work so don’t waste your money.

4.  Be a smart driver.  As most drivers get more experienced, their driving habits sometimes get worse.  We begin to tailgate, make quick stops and starts, and are more likely to zip around “slow” vehicles because we have increasing confidence in our driving skills.  Some of these habits actually cost you in terms of gas mileage.  To be a smart driver and increase your fuel savings, try these tips:

• Slow down.  How fast you drive has a direct impact on your mileage.  Yes, I know you have to maintain the flow of traffic to keep from getting run over but you don’t exactly have to lead the pack either.
• Use your cruise control.  On the Interstate, one of the best ways to increase your mpg is to use your cruise control to maintain a constant speed.  It aggravates me to see the same car 3 or 4 times in the lane next to mine because they pass me, then slow down, then pass me, then slow down.  The cruise control is a standard option in most cars.  Use it when road conditions allow.
• Don’t make quick stops and starts.  Avoid making quick, hard stops and then “flooring it” in order to catch back up with traffic.  Best way to do that is to stop tailgating.  In neighborhoods where there’s no stop-and-go traffic, come to a stop smoothly when required, then smoothly accelerate back up to posted speeds.  By driving “smoothly,” you’ll find that your stress level also begins to “smooth” out.

5.  Reduce drag.  You’ve seen the commercials where they put the car into a wind tunnel to check for drag.  Aerodynamics are an important way for car designers to increase gas mileage without any other changes to the car.  Make sure you don’t negate the benefits of all that technology by mounting luggage on a roof rack, driving at highway speeds with your windows down, or doing anything else that can increase the amount of drag on your vehicle.  If you’ve got a pickup truck, driving with the tailgate down actually increases drag as well.  In all these cases, increased drag means lower gas mileage.

6.  Chunk the clunker.  If you own a vehicle that’s older than 10 years or so, you need to really consider getting yourself a new vehicle.  Newer vehicles tend to have more efficient engines and less drag increasing your fuel savings.  In addition, they emit fewer waste products into the environment.  And I didn’t even mention all the nifty electronic gadgets they come with….

A typical 8-cylinder vehicle tends to have an 18-25 gallon gas tank.  At an average cost of $3.40 per gallon (based on Houston prices on 8/26/11), that’s around $61 to $85 per fill-up.  Since most people tend to fill up every week or so, that’s around $244 to $340 per month.  And that’s for ONE car!  Most families have at least 2 cars with many families having 3 or 4.  Finding ways to cut your fuel costs by around 10% or so can add up to some serious money.  Following these tips can easily get you there.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: mileage, savings, gas, gasoline, mpg, prices, environment

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Happiness Is Not “Somewhere Out There”

Happiness is not something external that pops into your life unexpectedly, although it can certainly seem that way at times.  It’s not something that someone brings and shares with you, although that can sometimes be the case.  In fact, happiness is something that you already have.  It’s something that’s already inside of you.  It just may be hidden underneath a lot of personal and emotional baggage that you insist on carrying around for some reason.

What Keeps Happiness Under Wraps

What kind of personal junk can keep happiness hidden and undiscovered?  What kind of emotional baggage can prevent happiness from taking center stage in our lives?  Some obvious things (in no particular order) include the following:

1. Waiting for happiness to come to you.  I’ve already mentioned this in the second paragraph but it bears repeating.  Happiness is not something external.  It is not something that someone else gives you or creates in you.  So stop waiting for that “special someone” to come into your life.  Stop looking for that “special something” in the stores or catalogs.  Happiness is already inside of you.  You just need to find it and let it out.  Unless you really believe this, there’s no point in going further because you’ll always be stuck waiting, waiting, waiting.
2. Living in the past.  So maybe a loved one left.  Maybe that big deal fell through or that big promotion went to someone else.  Wallowing in resentment and regrets is a sure way to kill any chance of happiness.  Some people have made “crying over spilled milk” a profession that’s taken over their lives – and in that kind of environment, happiness has no room to grow.
3. Poor self-esteem.  Do you feel like you don’t deserve happiness?  Feel like you’re not worthy of it?  Poor self-esteem and the negative thought patterns it produces can be a happiness killer.  Correcting this one is so important that if it applies to you, you might want to consider professional help.
4. Stress.  It’s impossible to feel happy if you’re under stress all the time.  Now here’s the kickker – a large portion of the stress we all feel is self-imposed.  We want everything in our lives to go according to plan and when it doesn’t, we freak out.  Trying to control the uncontrollable – and stressing out about it – will always keep happiness under wraps.
5. Isolation.  Do you spend most of your time alone?  Bad idea.  Man (as in “mankind” – no gender bias intended <grin>) is a social animal.  We all need to be around and interact with other people.  We need to hear their troubles as well as be able to share our own.  It helps to keep things in perspective in addition to making us feel needed, valued and accepted.  Whether it’s a circle of friends or family, you need to be part of a social group.  If you’re not, it will be really difficult to find happiness.
6. Poor physical condition.  You know, one of the reasons you’re not happy might be because you’re sick.  Keep yourself in good physical condition by getting regular checkups and by following your doctor’s advice  - especially the part about losing a few pounds and exercising.
7. No mission or purpose.  Feeling like there’s no purpose to your life is the “mac-daddy” of all happiness killers.  However, taking care of most of the other 6 areas will take help to eliminate this one automatically.  For example, if you have a close group of friends and family, you’ll automatically begin to feel needed.  Agree to bring the coffee to the next group get-together and now you begin to feel like people are depending on you.  Feeling like your life has purpose automatically comes from being involved with your family, your friends, and in your community.

Letting Happiness Shine Through

1. Get positive.  Learn to look on the bright side.  I said “learn” because optimism is a learned behavior.  It’s a habit, just like being negative is, only with a much better payback in terms of happiness.
2. Learn to laugh more.  Don’t cry over spilled milk.  Learn to see the humor in everything around you, even the little things that used to drive you nuts.  Once you do that, you’ll begin to experience joy, and from there it’s a short skip to happiness.
3. Forgive the past.  Let go of all the resentment and regrets.  Learn to forgive others for the wrong they might have done (real or imagined) as well as yourself for not meeting whatever goals or expectations you might have set for yourself.  Quit trying to blame others or situations as the reason you’re not happy.  Learn how to forgive and let happiness shine through.
4. Get physical.  Get out and get active.  Meet new people.  Make new friends.  Play games.  Compete.  Contribute.  Find a group where you can volunteer.  Eat right.  Smile.
5. Give thanks.  Yes, I know times are tough.  Yes, I know there are millions of unemployed and that the economy is in the dumps and that the Middle East is in flames, and blah, blah, blah.  Still, take time to give thanks for what you have, for your health, for the people in your life, for life itself.

Happiness is not something magical that’s “out there” somewhere that you need to find.  It’s not part of “someone special” that you need to meet or “something special” that you need to buy and own.  Happiness is already inside of you.  You already are happy.  You just need to strip away all the junk that’s preventing you from seeing it.  Get started today!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

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