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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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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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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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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After having the full battery of tests performed and getting her checked into a room, her temperature started to come down and the pain started to subside to the point that she started to critique the bedside manner of the nurses attending her.  THAT’s when the fun began!

Now, being a nurse and a patient at the same time is a double-edged sword.  On the plus side, you have ample medical knowledge and experience so you usually know what your body’s doing.  You also tend to have a pretty good network of medical professionals as well as access to all the medical “back channels.”  For example, Teri called and left a message for her doctor and the guy actually called her back!  

On the negative side, you can’t help but compare what everyone is doing, or not doing, with how you would have done it.  I got an earful of which nurse knew what they were doing and which one(s) didn’t have a clue.  After a while, I started to get an idea of how a hospital ward functions.

It turns out that there are nurses with two different nursing “styles.”  The first is hands on and proactive.  At the beginning of each shift, the nurse is supposed to make their rounds going to each patient, introducing themselves, and putting their hands physically on the patient as they check pulse, listen to their breathing, check their IV, and so on.  It doesn’t sound like much but an experienced nurse can tell a lot from this – like whether or not the patient is lucid and responsive, for example.  Being proactive and looking for potential problems before they occur is how Teri was taught so she expected the same kind of treatment.

The second nursing “style” is reactive.  This type of nurse clocks in and sits at the front desk and watches the board or does paperwork.  They assume that if a patient is having a problem, they’ll push the call button.  Then the nurse will get up and go see what the problem is and deal with it.  If no one calls with a problem, they won’t go looking for one.  This kind of nurse drives Teri bats, and after unsuccessfully waiting close to an hour after shift change for the nurse to show up, Teri finally went out to the Nurses Station looking for her.  She told me later that they had “had words.”

Why the difference I wondered?  One answer is the shortage of qualified nurses.  One blog post titled “The American Nurse, our New Endangered Species,” put it this way:

It’s the year 2020 and you’re in the hospital for a minor elective procedure that requires an overnight stay.  Lying in your bed, you try to call for a nurse.  You send your Tweet to the nurses desk.  No nurse.  You Tweet again, and again, and again.  Where is the nurse????  The nurse never comes, because there are no nurses.

A bit farfetched, but the American health system has a problem brewing that has nothing to do with the current healthcare reform legislation.  According to Marla Salmon, Dean of the University of Washington School Of Nursing, “We’re actually at a crisis point in terms of the shortage of nurses.” 

So add being short staffed and overworked to the already overloaded US medical system.   However, this post isn’t about what’s wrong with the healthcare system.  I wanted to pass along some advice on how best to deal with it.

So what can you do if you’re a patient?  Do the same thing Teri did – get out of bed (if you can, of course) and track down to the Nurses Station and ask who your nurse is.  Ask how long their shift is.  Ask what your treatment regimen is.  Ask what instructions (if any) the doctor left.  These are all things the nurse should have come and told you when they began their shift.  If they didn’t – if it’s starting to look like they’re not the proactive type – then YOU need to be the one that’s proactive.  

Some people just don’t want to be a bother.  However, you can NOT take that attitude when you’re in the hospital.  You’ve got to be like Teri – a “squeaky wheel” that keeps calling until they get what they’re supposed to be getting, when they’re supposed to be getting it.  If your doctor prescribes a type of medication every 4 hours (like an antibiotic), you need to have it every 4 hours – not whenever the nurse gets around to it.

When I went to check Teri out of the hospital, most of the other nurses were glad to see her go.  However, she left healthy – which was the whole point of the hospital stay in the first place!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal 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 – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: emergency room, nurse, medical, hospital, heathcare, health

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Of course, he was talking about “just showing up” at the gym, or wherever you do your exercise routine.  But you can’t argue with the pure logic.  Just show up.

I’m sure you’ve heard the quote that “90% of success is just showing up.”  Same goes here.  Whatever your health goals are, however impossible they might seem to you right now, you can achieve them if you consistently show up and do your routine.

The key to success is consistency.  Working your routine day in and day out.  Logging the miles, doing the reps, putting in the time.  That’s how you lose 50 pounds.  That’s how you improve your cardio and lower your blood pressure.  That’s how you do 100 push-ups.

This is so simple, yet so powerful.  And the neat thing is that it works on pretty much anything.  Want to get your degree?  Just show up at the library every day and hit the books.  Want to dramatically improve your marriage?  Just turn off the TV and show up in the bedroom a little early every night.  Want to succeed in just about anything?  Figure out where you need to be and what you need to do – and then just show up day after day.  Bit by bit, step by step you’ll get what you’re looking for.

But you’ve got to be consistent.  You’ve got to stick with it until you reach what you’re working towards.  That’s critical.  It’s also my biggest problem.

I’ve been in great shape so many times in my life it isn’t funny.  If I don’t consistently keep up my exercise routines, my body quickly slides back into “couch potato” mode and actually starts craving ice cream, soda, and chips.  Before I know it, my pants don’t fit anymore.

Exercise is not something you do once and then you’re good for the rest of your life.  Exercise is like brushing your teeth.  You have to do it consistently for the rest of your life.

Same usually goes for everything else.  You don’t just get your degree and then stop learning.  You don’t build a great relationship with someone and then just kick back.  Why not?  Because it all falls apart if you don’t constantly keep working, improving, strengthening, expanding.

So make a commitment to your health goals.  Promise yourself that you’re going to do whatever it takes to get yourself in the shape you want to be in.  Figure out exactly how you want to get there, whether it’s by doing Yoga or Cardio or whatever.  And then just show up.  Like Tony says, if your exercise routine is on DVD, just keep hitting “play.”  Then tomorrow, hit “play” again, then the next day, and so on.

Just keep showing up.  Keep that phrase in your mind and it will help keep you on track.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal 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 – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, cardio, endurance, p90x, tony horton,  consistency, goals, health, weight loss, diet, strength, success

You might be interested in the following items from Amazon.com:

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

Tired of ineffective workouts that sound great but produce less-than-optimal results? Turn to the P90X Extreme Home Fitness system, a bundle of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. Hosted by personal trainer Tony Horton, the series of DVDs will help you get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated. The secret behind the P90X system is an advanced training technique called “muscle confusion,” which accelerates the fitness process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so that your body never plateaus and you never get bored. The more you confuse the muscle, the harder your body has to work to keep up. And the more variety you put into your workout, the better and faster your results will be. By breaking old routines and opening new doors, secondary and tertiary muscles are constantly being activated and developed.

In addition to the 12 DVD workouts, the P90X comes with a comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide packed with valuable information on how to get the most from your program, a How to Bring It DVD that provides a quick overview of the system, a calendar to track your progress, online peer support, and much more.

The DVD Workouts
Each of the 12 highly diverse and intense DVD workouts focuses on either a specific set of muscle groups or a unique training technique.

• Workout One: Chest & Back. This superset chest-and-back-blasting workout emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises–push-ups and pull-ups–to build strength and develop shape. The combination of these two push and pull movements will help you burn loads of calories while simultaneously attacking, strengthening, and developing multiple muscle groups.
• Workout Two: Plyometrics. Get ready to go airborne. Offering more 30 explosive jumping moves, this intense cardio routine will keep you in the air most of the time. Plyometrics, also known as jump training, has been proven to dramatically improve athletic performance. If your sport involves a ring, rink, field, court, or track, this training will give you the edge. Just be prepared to “bring it” for a full hour when you leap into this workout, because there is no letting up.
• Workout Three: Shoulders & Arms. Nothing rounds out the perfect physique like a pair of well-defined arms and shoulders, and with its potent combination of pressing, curling, and fly movements, this routine will leave you feeling stronger and looking sexier. Whether you want to build muscle mass or just slim and tighten what you’ve already got, these targeted shoulder and arm exercises will give you the results you want.
• Workout Four: Yoga X. Yoga is a vital part of any fitness regimen, and is an absolute must for an extreme program like P90X. This routine combines strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, and breath work to enhance your physique and calm your mind. Yoga X will leave you feeling energized, invigorated, and maybe even a little enlightened.
• Workout Five: Legs & Back. Get ready to squat, lunge, and pull for a total-body workout like no other. While the main focus of this workout lies in strengthening and developing the leg muscles (quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves), there are also a handful of great pull-up exercises to give your legs a quick breather while you work the upper body.
• Workout Six: Kenpo X. Kenpo X was created to give P90X users a high-intensity cardiovascular workout packed with lots of punching and kicking combinations to improve balance, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. During this workout you’ll learn some of the most effective ways to defend yourself, while at the same time getting your body in peak condition.
• Workout Seven: X Stretch. Stretching is the one thing that will help you achieve a higher level of athleticism over a longer period of time. The X Stretch routine is an integral part of the program, as it helps prevent injuries and avoid plateaus. The extensive full-body stretches that make up this routine use disciplines from Kenpo karate, hatha yoga, and various sports to ensure that your body is fully prepared to meet all P90X challenges head-on.
• Workout Eight: Core Synergistics. Each and every exercise in the Core Synergistics workout recruits multiple muscle groups to build and support the core (lumbar spine and trunk muscles), while at the same time conditioning your body from head to toe. Loaded with a variety of fun, unique, and challenging exercises, this routine will get you moving in all directions to maximize your P90X results.
• Workout Nine: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps. Packed with an array of moves that target both large and small muscles, this workout will do wonders for your upper body. In just one full sequence you’ll get a healthy dose of presses, flys, and extensions to push you to the brink. The results will be a stronger, leaner, and highly defined upper torso that will leave you looking awesome, with or without a shirt.
• Workout 10: Back & Biceps. With a host of curls and pull-ups, this routine will make it fun to flex those powerful biceps. But don’t worry, ladies–by using lighter weight, you can focus on toning and tightening these showcase arm muscles without adding the size that most guys covet. Additionally, this workout also provides some great back definition that everyone can appreciate. Regardless of your goals, you will achieve them in dramatic fashion if you dig in and max out your reps.
• Workout 11: Cardio X. This low-impact cardio routine can be used in a variety of ways to meet your P90X goals. Use it in addition to your standard P90X workload when you want to burn some extra calories, or as a substitute if your body needs a break from the program’s high-impact workouts. Whatever your reason for using Cardio X, you’ll find it a fun, full-throttle, fat-burning workout that will leave you feeling lean and mean.
• Workout 12: Ab Ripper X. The combination and sequence of movements in this unique workout taps into not only abdominal strength, but true core strength as well. Master these 11 highly effective exercises and you will achieve vital abdominal muscle strength to benefit your overall health and physical performance. You’ll also develop that highly coveted six-pack as you take Ab Ripper X to full throttle. It’s extreme work that’s better than any machine in any club.

P90X Fitness Guide
This is your road map and your plan of attack for using P90X. Learn guidelines for getting started and essential tips for how to make the most of the program. The fitness guide provides you tips to reduce your chance of injury; a fit test; recommended supplements and equipment; detailed instructions for stretching, warming up, and performing exercises; and guidelines to help you select which P90X phase to complete, whether Classic, Doubles, or Lean.

The Nutrition Plan
Following the P90X nutrition plan is just as vital to your overall success as any of the extreme workouts in this program. Specifically designed to work in tandem with the P90X workout routines, this three-phase eating plan recommends the perfect combination of foods to satisfy your body’s energy needs every step of the way. P90X is not about quick fixes or miracle diets. It’s about selecting the healthy foods that you want to eat, and determining the portion amounts that will provide your body with the right amount of fuel to excel during exercise. The P90X nutrition plan offers three phases. Phase 1 is the Fat Shredder, a high-protein-based diet designed to help you strengthen your muscles while simultaneously and rapidly shedding fat from your body. Phase 2 is the Energy Booster, a balanced mix of carbohydrates and proteins with a lower amount of fat to achieve additional energy for performance. And Phase 3 is the Endurance Maximizer, an athletic diet of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and lower fat, with the emphasis on more carbohydrates. You’ll need this combination of foods as fuel to get the most out of your final few weeks and truly be in the best shape of your life.

Tools to Keep You Motivated

• P90X Calendar to set your workout goals, track your progress, and stay motivated.
• Free Online Support Tools for access to fitness experts, peer support, and motivation.

What’s in the Box?
12 DVD workouts, nutrition plan, fitness guide How to Bring It DVD, a calendar to track your progress

List Price: $ 150.00

Price: $ 139.80

P90X Plus: The Next Level for P90X Grads-5 New Extreme Workouts on 4 DVDs

• 5 Workouts on 4 DVDs: (1) Interval X Plus; (2) Kenpo Cardio Plus; (3) Upper Plus; (4) Total Body Plus; (5) Abs/Core Plus.
• P90X Plus workouts are for YOU, if you have achieved a respectable level of fitness and YOU HAVE COMPLETED P90X.
• Fitness Guide with fully customized workout schedules showing you how to incorporate your new P90X Plus workouts into your complete system.

If you love P90X® and you’re saying, “Give me more,” or, “I need a challenge”-then here it is, the P90X Plus Series. Tony amps up the Muscle Confusion with BRAND-NEW MOVES and never-before-seen workouts all set to hot music created exclusively for P90X Plus by Jason Scheff, lead singer of the band Chicago! The NEW P90X Plus will break through plateaus with intense new cardio, muscle chiseling, and ab/core-ripping moves to ramp up your results. Adding these new advanced workouts into your P90X rotation will literally TAKE YOUR WORKOUT TO THE NEXT LEVEL and create workout combinations beyond your imagination. Trust me, it doesn’t get better than this . . .If you love P90X and you’re looking for a new challenge, the P90X Plus Series is for you. Professional trainer Tony Horton amps up the Muscle Confusion with brand new moves and never-before-seen workouts–all set to hot music created exclusively for P90X. The P90X Plus will break through plateaus with intense new cardio, muscle chiseling, and ab/core-ripping moves to ramp up your results.

The P90X Plus Series is for you, if you have achieved a respectable level of fitness and you have completed P90X. It will enhance any athletic performance and is the perfect tool to quickly build on your fitness accomplishments while getting you ripped beyond belief.

Five Extreme Workouts on Four DVDs:

• Interval X Plus: A lot more effective than standard cardio, Interval X Plus propels your heart rate up and down with 3 speeds: recovery, medium, and full-out, creating the most dramatic change in the shortest period of time. (40 minutes)

• Kenpo Cardio Plus: This advanced-level Kenpo, with new moves, will shred the most stubborn layer of fat with an all-out self-defense workout that builds stamina, balance, and agility.



• Upper Plus: This monster upper-body workout will defy the plateau phenomenon by blasting all the muscles from the hips on up: chest, back, biceps, triceps, and shoulders, in a complete synergistic P90X way. After this one, you won’t be able to pick up a ping pong paddle for a couple hours. (45 minutes)

• Total Body Plus: By adding new synergistic moves, your muscles get pumped, then recuperate in stages until you’ve got nothing left. An unprecedented total-body phenomenon. (45 minutes)

• Abs/Core Plus: This advanced new ab/core workout adds 4 different positions (hanging, sitting, standing, and plank positions) to intensify your ab work and shred your midsection even faster. Is a ten-pack even possible? You’ll find out. (20 minutes)

Bonus Materials Include:

• Fitness Guide with fully customized workout schedules showing you how to incorporate your new P90X Plus workouts into your complete P90X training system

• Downloadable worksheets to record your reps and sets and track your progress.

• 24/7 online access to chats with Tony Horton and an amazing online community that will cheer you on.

• DVD extras–Tony’s Trainer Tracks with detailed professional tips on every move to help you achieve perfect form and even better results.

List Price: $ 55.00

Price: $ 69.79

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I had one of those “Internet Emails” forwarded to me the other day.  You know the type – “forward this to someone you care about” or “don’t break the chain” or whatever.  Anyway, this one actually seemed to contain some useful information about drinking water.

Now we all know we’re supposed to get around 8 glasses of water per day, right?  We all know that hydration is critical to good health, right?  Well, what you might not know is that there’s an optimal time to be drinking water.

The following information supposedly comes from a cardiologist.  Now again, this was from an email that someone forwarded to me so I can’t vouch whether it really does come from a cardiologist, or from any other healthcare professional for that matter, so take it with the appropriate grain of salt.  However, it does make sense.

According to the information I received, drinking water at certain times maximizes the body’s ability to utilize it.  Specifically, you should:

• Drink 2 glasses of water immediately after waking up to help activate internal organs,
• Drink 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal to help digestion (and to help reduce hunger pangs so you don’t end  up overeating),
• Drink 1 glass of water before taking a bath in order to help lower blood pressure,
• Drink 1 glass of water before going to bed to help avoid a stroke or heart attack while you sleep.

Let me emphasize once again that I can’t vouch for the accuracy of this information or its source.  However, I do know that water makes up a large percentage of the body and keeping the body supplied with enough clean water is an important part of staying healthy.  I’m also a big believer that your body should be getting the majority of the water it needs from eating water-rich fruits and vegetables and from drinking clean water, not from sodas, coffee, teas, or other flavored drinks.

Take a close look at the graphic for the many ways that water is used in the body – and then make sure you’re getting enough 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: hydration, water, water-rich, health, healthy, weight-loss, diet, nutrition

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• ISBN13: 9781579128005
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Natural Healing Wisdom & Know-How gathers useful and fascinating information on every practice of natural health and healing in one handy volume. The chapters here are organized by topic, including herbal healing, naturopathy, homeopathy, Eastern medicine, energy healing, mind-body healing, and healing with foods. Information within these chapters includes various methods and techniques for managing and curing hundreds of ailments, as well as for maintaining a healthy constitution year-round.

The content is culled from dozens of the most respected books and authors on the topics of natural and alternative health and healing. A special index of ailments and symptoms appears at the front of the book to guide readers to useful methods and techniques for managing specific issues and problems. Included are hundreds of black-and-white illustrations and photographs as well as lists, tables, resources, and step-by-step instructions.

Natural Healing Wisdom & Know-How is one of the most comprehensive resources available, offering information about and treatment for hundreds of ailments and covering nearly every aspect of natural and alternative healing.

List Price: $ 19.95

Price: $ 11.32

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In the report titled “Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D,” committee members looked at the national data for the US and Canada in order to determine how much Vitamin D and Calcium people were getting from their diet alone.  Their conclusion was that when it comes to Calcium, we’re good with most people getting all they need from the foods they eat: about 1,000 milligrams a day for most adults.

When it comes to Vitamin D however, things get a little complicated.  The committee found that most people do NOT get enough Vitamin D from their diet alone BUT that in most cased, they DO have enough Vitamin D in their blood stream, probably because their body gets what it needs from sunshine.  So even though we don’t get all we need from the food we eat, we’re still good to go when it comes to Vitamin D.

So if we’re getting enough Vitamin D and Calcium naturally, why is it that you constantly hear that we should be taking supplements?

I think the fact that we don’t get enough Vitamin D from diet alone provides manufacturers with a perfect line that can be taken out of context and used to promote the sale of supplements.  Please note the following:

I said” we don’t get enough Vitamin D from diet alone.”

I did NOT say “we don’t get enough Vitamin D.”

There’s a big difference – big enough to drive a truck loaded with Vitamin D supplement through.  According to industry journals, sales of Vitamin D went through the roof climbing 82% from 2008 to 2009 and reaching sales of $430 million.  With that kind of serious money on the table, you’re going to attract the attention of a lot of people claiming that Vitamin D is a “cure-all for whatever ails you.”  Besides, if taking a little is good, then taking a lot is better, right?

Here the Institute of Medicine weighs in again warning that excess amounts of Vitamin D and calcium can actually cause some of the problems you’re trying to prevent including bone fractures and other diseases.

What’s the bottom line?  It’s simply what you’ve known all along:

1.  Eat a balanced diet.  You’ll get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs if you eat a wide variety of foods.

2.  Exercise and stay active.  Strong bones are built through strength and resistance training.

3.  Don’t overdose.  If you’re worried that you’re not getting enough of “this” mineral or “that” vitamin, take a good multivitamin.  Mega-doses are rarely good for you (unless of course, it’s prescribed by your doctor) and can actually be toxic in many cases.

4.  Lastly, use your head.  Listen to your own doctor or professional healthcare provider, not the author of the latest “miracle cure” book that’s being interviewed on Oprah.  Your doctor has your best interest at heart.  The guy on Oprah is just trying to sell books.

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In this second, expanded edition of the best-selling The Brain Diet, Dr. Alan C. Logan incorporates the latest research on the connection between nutrition, mental health, and intelligence. Most people today know that good nutrition and good health are related and that poor nutrition frequently leads to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Unfortunately, few people realize that it also is an underlying factor in other medical conditions, such as depression, anxiety, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, migraine headaches, ADHD, and much more. This is startling when one realizes that researchers have found that today more than 50 percent of the vegetables in most people’s diets consists of the trimmings on a hamburger a

Rating: (out of 19 reviews)

List Price: $ 22.95

Price: $ 9.26

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Gut Insight will teach you about probiotics (friendly bacteria) and prebiotics (fibers that feed those bacteria) and how they can positively influence your health. Positive effects include: enhanced immunity, reduction of pathogenic bacteria, increased mineral absorption, prevention of allergy, freedom from constipation, lactose intolerance, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and irritable bowel. Learn what probiotics and prebiotics are, why they are necessary for gut health and immunity, which foo

Rating: (out of 5 reviews)

List Price: $ 18.95

Price: $ 17.80

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Mistake Number 5:  Not Properly Adjusting Exercise Machines

Most exercise machines are designed to accommodate a variety of body types and provide a wide range of resistance or weight settings.  Unfortunately, most people never return the machines to their “neutral” setting when they finish with the machine.  Unless you properly adjust the machine before you begin your workout, you won’t get the most benefit from the machine and in some cases, you might actually injure yourself.

Properly adjusting an exercise machine includes paying attention to the following:

1.  Making sure the machine is clean and in good working order. Yes, I know that maintenance is “not your job” but you’re the one that’s going to get hurt if the machine is not working properly so you need to give each machine a critical “looking over” before you get on it.  In addition to making sure the machine isn’t covered in sweat from the guy that just finished using it, you need to also look for obvious mechanical stuff like jammed, frayed, twisted or broken cables, weight plates that look like they might fall, missing or broken parts, and so on.  If you notice something obviously wrong, get the attention of the gym staff so they can put an “Out of Order” sign on the machine.

2.  Making sure you know how the machine moves. If you’ve never used a particular machine before, get one of the gym staff to show you how to use it.  Make note of how the machine moves – especially note the pinch points, where the weights or bar hit, and so on.  You want to make sure that you keep your hands, fingers, and feet away from those areas when you’re on the machine.

3.  Adjusting the machine to your body type. Most machines can be adjusted to fit a wide variety of body types, from tall to short.  Make sure you adjust the seat and the arm or leg rests to your body size and type.  You should be comfortable moving the muscle group that the machine targets through its full range of motion.  If you don’t adjust this properly, your workout won’t be very effective or you’ll run the risk of injury.  A little time spent adjusting the machine can really make a difference in the quality of your workout.

4.  Alignment, alignment, alignment. Make absolutely sure your body is aligned properly on the machine.  If you adjusted it properly in the previous step, it should be.  There should be no sideways motion or pressure on any joints.  Keep in mind that even though the machine might be adjusted properly, your body type might still have problems maintaining proper alignment.  For example, when I was significantly overweight, I used to try to exercise on a stationary bike.  As soon as I got on the bike and bent over to grab the handle bars, the flab around my gut would drop down between my knees preventing me from keeping my legs aligned properly.   The only way for me to pedal the bike was to push my knees out to the side.  Instead of pedaling straight up and down, I was literally pedaling out to the side.  After a couple of minutes, my knees were killing me.  If you can’t physically keep your joints in alignment – for whatever reason – don’t use that particular machine.

5.  Exercise or Weight Level. The last thing to check is to make sure the machine is on the proper exercise level or that you have the right amount of weight on the machine.  You can injure yourself if you assume that there’s a lot of weight on the machine and there’s actually very little.  The same applies if you assume there’s very little weight and there turns out to be a lot.  In both cases, you’re not prepared and can easily sprain or strain something.  If you’re on a treadmill, you can easily get knocked off your feet if the machine unexpectedly starts off at a fast pace.  Make sure you check what exercise or weight level the machine is at and adjust it to where you need it to be.

By keeping these points in mind, you’ll be able to maximize your workouts in addition to reducing your risk of injury.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal 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 – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, fitness, machines, health, balance, alignment, joints, muscle, workout, exercise mistakes

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Then wouldn’t you know it – I got hurt and had to take a week off from working out.  Here’s what happened.

I was doing my usual Kickboxing routine and was on the speed-bag really making it “sing.”  I was having a great workout and my muscles were really feeling good.  Right next to the speed-bag station was a 4′x4′ square plywood box standing on end.  The box is there so that some of our younger students can have something to stand on in order to reach the bag.

Anyway, somehow I must have nudged the box rocking it forward while I was concentrating on hitting the bag.  The box slammed down hard and caught my foot right on the big toe.  You might as well have hit me with a hammer – the effect was exactly the same.

At first, I couldn’t feel anything but a tingling numbness.  It’s like when a bell rings – you hear the initial “gong” but then you continue to hear a “ringing” sound for quite a while afterward.  My toe felt like it was “ringing” – and not in a good way!

First priority – find out if anything is broken. I gritted my teeth and tried to flex my toes.  OK, I can move my big toe with no problem so no broken bones.  That’s a relief.  However, the “ringing-numbness” sensation is beginning to wear off to be replaced by a throbbing sensation.

Second priority – get some ice on it and elevate it to reduce swelling. Anytime you have an impact injury, the capillary blood vessels in the affected area usually rupture quickly filling the area with blood.  That’s why the area begins to look dark red or purple.  In my case, my toe started looking like a cherry tomato.  As the blood and fluid leaks into the damaged area, it swells creating pressure on the surrounding tissue and nerves – that’s what caused the “throbbing” sensation.  Getting an ice pack on my toe and elevating my foot within 5 minutes of getting hurt really helped to keep the swelling, and the pain, down to a tolerable level.

Common practice is to put an ice pack on the area for 10-15 minutes, and then take it off for 10-15 minutes before putting the ice pack on again.  That should keep the area cool enough to reduce swelling without risking frostbite.  Follow this schedule as often as you can for the first 24 hours.

Third priority – give it time to heal. Walking was really painful the following day, and the day after that.  However, I took things slow and kept my foot elevated as often as I could.  Keeping the area protected from further bumps and damage was also important – especially since wearing shoes was painful so I went barefoot as often as I could.

Unfortunately, this part you can’t rush.  You’ve got to give your body time to heal.  In my case, I was off my feet as much as possible for an entire week.

Fourth priority – keep exercising to the extent you can. Now, that doesn’t mean I sat on the couch and munched potato chips all day.  I still worked my upper body by lifting weights 3 days a week.  I just couldn’t do any running or jumping since my foot was out of commission.  To the extent possible, rest the part that’s injured, keep exercising the part that’s not.

Yes, I know that there are some injuries (like back or stomach injuries) that hurt no matter how you move and in those cases, lay off the exercise completely.  However, if you’ve got an arm or shoulder sprain, continue exercising your lower body.  Knee or foot injury?  Keep doing chest, arms, and back exercises.  Use some common sense but keep exercising to the extent you can.

Why try to keep exercising?  Two reasons.  First, exercising will take your mind off the part that hurts.  That’s a huge benefit all by itself.  Second, exercise will elevate your heart rate increasing the blood flow to the hurt area.  This will (in my opinion) significantly speed recovery time.

My bottom line is that I went from hardly being able to walk to resuming my Kickboxing routine (without the kicks of course) within 7 days of getting injured.  The key to getting back on track with your routine after an injury is to keep your priorities straight!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal 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 – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: fitness, injury, recovery, rehabilitation, exercise, health, soreness

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Mistake Number 4:  Not Progressing Wisely

Let’s face it – we all want instant or overnight results.  We’re like little kids that pick up a dumbbell, do 2 or 3 bicep curls, and then immediately run to the mirror and flex our muscles to see if they’ve gotten any bigger.  And of course we’re disappointed when we see that they’re not.

Now as adults, we still fall victim to the same kind of thinking.  Of course it doesn’t help to be constantly bombarded by non-stop commercials for fitness products that promise to work “even while you’re sleeping.”

Whatever the reason, it’s natural to want quick results.  However, when it comes to physical exercise, trying to hurry the process is a sure recipe for injury.

You risk serious, and perhaps even permanent, injury when you:

• Exercise too much. If your fitness routine calls for doing 1 hour of exercise 3 times a week, trying to get a week’s worth of exercise in one 3-hour setting just doesn’t work.
• Exercise too hard. Who hasn’t gotten that competitive spirit when you’re with a with a group of friends playing basketball or tennis and then paid the price for playing too hard by not being to get out of bed the next day?
• Exercise too often. Trying to get quick results by exercising every day actually slows your progress.  Your muscles need sufficient time to rebuild before you work them out again.

In each of these cases, you’re piling on more than your body can handle – and believe me, it’s going to let you know!

Building fitness requires working through a gradual progression of exercise levels, each a little more challenging than the one before, with enough rest in between to let your body rebuild.

The most difficult thing to do when beginning any fitness program is to start slow, but that’s exactly the way to get the quickest results.  I know it’s counter-intuitive but you see it in professional sports all the time.  You’ll see a star player really pushing himself hard and seemingly making great progress in a short period of time.  Then bam!  He blows a knee or tears a muscle.  Next time you see him he’s on the bench and out for the rest of the season.  Some progress!

Fight the urge to push beyond your body’s current limits.  You’ll only set yourself back.  The quickest way to get into shape is to take things slow and steady.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal 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 – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: fitness, exercise, health, competition, balance

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Well, according to several studies, here is the recommended technique to use in order to optimize your weight lifting sessions:

• Optimal Number of Reps per Set:  8-15. In order to really work your muscles and promote the release of fat-burning hormones, you should only put enough weight on the bar so that you can perform between 8 and 15 repetitions.  Doing less than 8 reps doesn’t release as many fat-burning hormones and if you can do more than 15 reps, you probably don’t have enough weight on the bar.
• Optimal Number of Sets per Exercise:  2-4. Performing 2-4 sets (composed of 8-15 reps per set) will keep your hormone at a consistent, fat-burning rate.
• Optimal Rest Period Between Sets:  60 seconds. You should rest no more than 60 seconds in between sets.  Otherwise, your muscles begin to cool down and heart rate, as well as your level of fat-burning hormones, begins to drop.
• Number of Seconds to Lower Your Weights:  3 seconds. Many people simply let gravity take over and let the weight drop down to the starting position.  This is dead wrong and can actually lead to serious injury.  You may not believe it but in many exercises, your muscles actually work harder on the eccentric, or lowering, phase since they’re working against the force of gravity and trying to decelerate the weight load at the same time.  Take a full 3 seconds to slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.

Are there exceptions to this “formula?”  Of course there are.  If you’re working on building strength, you should focus on lifting heavier weights for a smaller number of reps (usually 1-2 sets of 2-3 reps) and increasing the rest period in between.  However, for people that are trying to build and tone muscle and lose a few pounds in the process, this combination should get you there in the least amount of time.

So what are you waiting for?  Head to the gym and give it a try!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal 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 – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

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Add to the mix the Nike commercials of people falling, tripping, hurting, and getting beat down with the song in the background asking, “How fast you gonna get up?”  It makes me want to jump up and shout, “As fast as I can.  As many times as it takes to be the best!”  And then of course, the Nike logo flashes on the screen telling me to “Just Do It.”

Boy, how much motivation can one guy take?  Especially a middle-aged one like me?  Still, it makes me want to head to the gym and work out like an Olympian!

Well, hold on there Bucky.  The problem with watching experts make some sport look easy is that we tend to convince ourselves that it IS easy – that is until we try it.  That’s when we find out how much skill it really takes – and how out of shape we really are.

So before you seriously hurt yourself, take a deep breath and honestly evaluate where you currently are on a fitness scale with 1 being a couch potato and 10 being an Olympian.  You’re not going to go from a 1 to a 10 in one workout.

OK, so you’ve been beat down right off the bat.  But as the Nike commercial asks, how many times are you going to get up?  Answer?  As many times as it takes to go from a 1 to a 2 …. and then from a 2 to a 3.

It’s OK to see yourself up there at the top of the ski slope with all the other guys and gals that have less than 5% body fat.  It’s OK to use that motivation to drive your fitness plan forward through one more day.  If you keep at it, you might actually get there some day.

But whether you get there or not is not really important.  The important thing is how you answer the question, “How many times are you going to get up?”

…and then as the Nike commercial says, “Just do it.”

Hiram
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

Technorati Tags: Olympics, nike, commercial, sports, fitness, health, workout, exercise, motivation

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According to recent studies, 93% of Americans – let me say that again so you don’t miss the percentage – 93%, that’s almost every one of us, has detectable levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in our bodies.  93%! Isn’t that insane?  Doesn’t that statistic simply blow you away?  It does me.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, over 75% of Americans have detectable levels of phthalates in their urine.

Bisphenol A?  Phthalates?  Where does that stuff come from?  Plastics.

Now before you get too upset, understand that “detectable levels” does not necessarily mean that you’ve got a toxic dose, or that you’re going to get cancer, or anything like that.  “Detectable Levels” are the lowest amounts of a chemical that an analytical instrument can reliably detect.  These levels are probably way below what the FDA says is permissible.  Probably.  However, one thing I do know is that “detectable levels” are not zero, and zero amount is what I’d prefer to have.

So how does this stuff get into our bodies?  Primarily from the food and beverage containers that have become so much a part of our lives.  Everything from the plastic soda containers you buy at the grocery store to the PVC water pipes in your home.  Plastics are everywhere – and in constant contact with our foods and beverages.  Little wonder some of the chemicals in the plastics end up in our bodies.

Think you’re safe because you buy all of your foods, even sodas, in cans?  Think again.  Most cans, especially those containing acidic foods like baby formula, chicken soup, and ravioli (all found by the Environmental Working Group to be of highest concern), have a plastic lining inside of the can.  It’s what prevents the can from rusting.  Quick check of your soda can – yep, plastic lining.

To matters worse, much worse, most of us have been conditioned by all the TV commercials to buy foods in those easy-to-use plastic containers that you simply pop into the microwave and eat.  So let’s think through that last statement.  If these plastic chemicals leach into our foods just sitting on the shelf, how much more of those chemicals are we “baking off” when we heat them in the microwave?

You’re probably already aware of all the adverse health effects that plastic-related chemicals have been linked to.  Here’s one more that modern research is just not beginning to study.  Turns out that BPA and phthalates in our bodies mimic the behavior of estrogen disrupting normal hormonal functions and leading to weight gain.  Some researchers think that this might explain why it is that the old formula of  “eat less and exercise more” just doesn’t seem to be as effective in helping people lose weight as it used to be.

Regardless of the claims (which are still being researched), I think we can all agree that having less plastic chemicals and byproducts in your body is a good thing.  Here are a couple of suggestions to help limit these chemicals from being absorbed into your foods:

1.  Never, never, ever, heat food in plastic containers in the microwave. You already know that after you’ve done this a couple of times, the plastic gets all “crudy-looking” and maybe even a little brittle.  Well, that’s because some of the chemicals in the plastic have been “cooked off” by the microwaves.  And yes, you guessed it, these chemicals then get absorbed by your food.   So no matter how inconvenient it might be, always take food out of the plastic container and put it into a glass bowl before microwaving.

2.  Toss out any water bottles or baby bottles with a 7 on the bottom. You should have already done this when the first BPA stories surfaced at the end of 2009.   Still, this might be a good time to take another look in order to make sure you didn’t miss any.

3.  Rotate your food stocks regularly. Clean out your pantry and don’t leave any foods on your shelves, especially those in cans and plastic bottles, for more than a couple of months.  The longer you leave a food in its container, the more chemicals leach into the food.

4.  Buy frozen or fresh foods instead of canned.

5.  Chunk the plastic coffee mug and soup bowl. And for God’s sake, stay away from putting hot liquids like soups or coffee in styrofoam, a product that can leach styrene.

So in general, use plastic to store cold foods (like milk) or at room temperature for relatively short periods (cans, etc, in your pantry) and avoid using plastic containers for hot foods (like coffee, tea or soups).  In all cases, don’t use plastic containers in the microwave.

I know there’s no realistic way to completely avoid the use of plastic containers, nor should you try.  The benefits of plastic do outweigh many of the risks after all.  However, you can take steps to reduce your family’s exposure by using the tips listed above.

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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