10 Health Benefits of Using Cinnamon in your Food.

10 Health Benefits of Using Cinnamon in your Food.

Who doesn’t love a sprinkling of cinnamon on fresh apple pie or atop a chai latte? It’s just one of those spices that tastes fantastic. But taste is not the only reason to love cinnamon. Here are 10 health reasons (plus an extra reason) to love this super spice:

1. Numerous studies show that cinnamon regulates blood sugar, making it a great choice for diabetics and hypoglycemics alike. That’s also great news for anyone who wants stable energy levels and moods.

2. It reduces LDL cholesterol levels. LDL is also known as the harmful cholesterol. Reducing it may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

3. It has natural anti-infectious compounds. In studies, cinnamon has been effective against ulcer-causing H. pylori bacteria and other pathogens.

4. It reduces pain linked to arthritis. Cinnamon has been shown in studies at the Department of Internal Medicine, Kangnam Korean Hospital, to reduce cytokines linked to arthritic pain.

5. Research at the University of Texas, published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, shows that cinnamon may reduce the proliferation of cancer cells, holding promise for cancer prevention and sufferers of the disease.

6. It is a natural food preservative.

7. It contains fiber, calcium, iron, and manganese—albeit small amounts to the typical dose of ground cinnamon.

8. It’s been proven effective relief for menstrual cramps and bloating.

9. infertility. Cinnamon contains a natural chemical called cinnamaldehyde, which studies show increases the hormone progesterone and decreases testosterone production in women, helping to balance hormones.

10. Cinnamon holds promise for various neurodegenerative diseases, including: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, and meningitis, according to research at the Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas. Their research shows that cinnamon reduces chronic inflammation linked with these neurological disorders.

On a side note:

Not a health benefit, but a great reason to love cinnamon, it’s versatile. It works with sweet and savory dishes alike. Consider that many curries and savory Moroccan dishes include cinnamon.

Eat More Chicken!

Benefits of eating Chicken.

Chicken soup, chicken stew, chicken chili, chicken breast on salad…chicken in almost any form is great for your health—unless you’re the chicken of course!

All kidding aside, the health benefits of eating poultry are plenty. When this fowl comes in a lean breast, it’s low in fat and calories and high in protein, which makes it ideal for weight maintenance. Not to mention that this bird is jam-packed full of essential nutrients and vitamins.

Plus, with so many ways to prepare this plucky protein, you’re family won’t tire of chicken as a frequent weekly menu staple. Here are the top ten healthy benefits of eating chicken:

1. High in Protein

If you’re looking for a great source of lean, low fat protein, this bird is the word. The protein in chicken lends itself to muscle growth and development, and help support a healthy body weight and aid weight loss.

2. Natural Anti-depressant

Chicken, like its brother fowl the turkey, is high in an amino acid called tryptophan, which gives you that comforting feeling after consuming a big bowl of mom’s chicken soup. In fact, if you’re feeling depressed, eating some poultry will increase the serotonin levels in your brain, enhance your mood, blasting stress, and lulling you to sleep.

3. Prevents Bone Loss

If you’re entering your senior years and you’re concerned about Osteoporosis or arthritis, eating chicken will aid in your fight against bone loss thanks to the protein punch it packs!

4. Poultry for Heart Health

Homocysteine is an amino acid that can cause cardiovascular disease if levels are high in the body. Fortunately for us, eating chicken breast suppresses and controls homocysteine levels.

5. Phosphorus

Chicken is also rich in phosphorus, an essential mineral that supports your teeth and bones, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system function.

6. Selenium

Chicken also abundant in selenium, an essential mineral involved in metabolic performance—in other words thyroid, hormone, metabolism, and immune function.

7. Metabolism Booster

Vitamin B6 (or B-complex vitamins) encourage enzymes and metabolic cellular reactions (or a process known as Methylation), which means eating this bird will keep blood vessels healthy, energy levels high, and metabolism burning calories so you can manage a healthy weight and activity level.

8. Rich in Niacin

Chicken also happens to be rich in niacin, one particular B-vitamin that guards against cancer and other forms of genetic (DNA) damage.

9. Promotes Eye Health

Chicken is high in retinol, alpha and beta-carotene, and lycopene, all derived from vitamin A, and all vital for healthy eyesight.

10. Essential for Healthy Tissue Growth

Many of us are plagued with chapped lips, cracked mouths, tongue sores, or dry skin in winter. However, a boost in riboflavin (or Vitamin B2), found in chicken livers, will drastically reduce your skin problems and repair dry or damaged skin.

So make sure you include chicken breast as a part of your nutrition program. There are so many different ways to cook chicken too.

Who likes Peanut Butter?

Benefits of Eating Peanut Butter

Peanut butter, once a scourge among healthy eating advocates, is now a darling of the nutrition community. High in protein and "good" fats, this once-humble sandwich spread is now known to help prevent or reduce type 2 diabetes, gallstones, cancer and cholesterol. It can even help your sex life! Adding peanut butter to your diet is a smart, healthy choice.

Cholesterol

Most of the fats contained in peanut butter are monounsaturated fats (MUFA), which lower "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipids) and raise high-density lipids (HDL), the "good" cholesterol, according to the according to the Mayo Clinic. MUFAs found in peanut butter improve anti-inflammatory abilities in HDL.

Diabetes

According to research by the Harvard School of Public Health, published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association," peanut butter helps significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Eating an ounce of peanut butter, five times per week, helps decrease the risk of developing this serious disease by as much as 27 percent.
Heart Disease

According to the Peanut Institute, studies like the Physicians Health Study, Iowa Women's Health Study and Adventists Health Study, found nut consumption, including peanuts, reduced the risk of heart disease by as much as 25 percent.
Fiber

Peanut butter is high in dietary fiber, which reduces instances of colorectal cancer and regulates blood sugar and cholesterol. Fiber also helps prevent atherosclerosis, which leads to hardening of the arteries.
Vitamins & Minerals

Peanut butter is about 24 percent protein by weight, and is a good source of Vitamins E and B6, iron, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, manganese and calcium. Niacin plays an important function in the secretion of sexual hormones, and the "Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry" reported that niacin provides protection against Alzheimer's.
Resveratrol

Peanut butter contains resveratrol, an antimicrobial agent that helps fight bacteria, viruses and molds. According to the Peanut Institute, research on resveratrol and mice has found benefits including anti-aging, cancer prevention and anti-inflammation.
Gallstones

A Nurse's Health Study found that women who at ate least 1 oz. of nuts or peanut butter each week decreased gallstone development by 25 percent compared to those women who did not eat nuts.

Learn to Motivate

Learn to Motivate

 I hope everyone is having a great week. The sunshine has been awesome this week, it seems as winter has finally thrown in the towel and our infamous Texas summer is just around the corner.

 So now it's time to step up the motivation and get ready for the busy summer months. I'm going to use a quote from Zig Zigler about motivation. "Motivation is awesome if applied daily, it's just the same as taking a bath, you bathe daily so you smell fresh and feel better. Motivation is the same as taking a bath, if you don't apply it daily you lose the power and you start to smell"! 

Using Motivation to your Benefit

When we are motivated, our self-confidence is sky high, and we feel extremely confident in accepting the challenges of daily life. It becomes easier for us to reach our professional goals as we can stretch ourselves beyond our abilities. While trying to motivate others, it is important that you keep yourself motivated because of two main reasons. Firstly, if you are motivated yourself, you can apply motivational techniques to others in a better way, and secondly, you have to make sure that you are motivating others in the right directions. If you just want to achieve your goals without considering the needs of others, you will end up with temporary, motivational solutions. This temporary change in motivation can cause high turnovers, bad work attitudes, and a poor working environment.

The best way to begin each day is simple, just tell yourself your going to have a great day! Put a smile on your face and head out the door. When you see others put a smile on your face and have something positive to say. When you greet customers always smile and listen to what they have to say. Offer them a resolve to their problem and do it with a smile on your face. Give the customer what they expect, "a solution to their needs" once you've done that you will have a customer for the long haul. They will come back to you and they will refer their friends and family to you. That's called success!

REMEMBER The energy you put out is the energy you will  get back. If you expect to stay motivated then put out that positive energy and that positive energy will come back to you. Think about it for just one minute, it's always the happy people that seem to have everything fall into the right place all the time, well that's no accident, those people understand that being positive means positive things will happen.

We offer a total wellness solution to you, it's not just about your weight, it's also about the mind and spirit. You're only as strong as your weakest link.

Have a super day and let's finish out the week in a positive way!

Mental Attitude for Training and Life.

Mental Attitude for Training and Life.

To get the best out of your training every time you prepare to train, make sure you have cleared your mind of all the negative.

Having a clear mind and letting go of daily stress will help you preform better in your training session.

We've all heard that stress is one of the leading causes for heart attack and stroke but many of us never really think about what else it's doing to our bodies. Just because your heart is functioning as it should does not mean you are not effected by the stress.

Stress produces cortisol and cortisol helps fat stay right where it's at and locks up fat loss. Stress also causes hypertension, and elevated blood pressure especially during resistance exercise is very dangerous.

Recent studies have also shown that stress reduces the production of ATP within the Mitochondria of the cells and limits your anaerobic endurance. Reduced levels of ATP will make your training session a real struggle. Cortisol also slows down the healing process and can bring on symptoms of over-training and cause disruptive sleep patterns making it even more difficult to train properly.

So when you walk into the gym make sure you take a moment and clear your head of daily stress and focus on the job at hand.

The truth be told, the stress you created is all in your head and only you can allow it to consume you or LET IT GO!

I highly recommend reading a book by Dr. Wayne Dyer entitled,
"There's a Spiritual Solution for Every Problem". This book has nothing to do with religion, it simply tells you how to let go of the stress that is effecting your life.

Remember being fit in the gym is just 1/3 of being totally fit. Remember to exercise the mind and spirit as well. You are only as strong as your weakest link.

Stress, You can live without it!

This week seems to have gotten started off great, the weather is beautiful and Spring is in the air!  Take the time this week to enjoy this beautiful weather and let go of some of the stress that burdens us throughout the day. In fact read this short story on stress. Have a great day!!!

A short story on Stress.

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything."

Remember to put the glass down.

I know some of you are wondering what does this have to do with health and wellness?

This simple truth is, "EVERYTHING"!!!!

Relieve yourself from everyday stress and regain your health! The burden we carry is on us because we put it there. Have a happy and healthy day!

Carbohydrate Addiction is Epidemic........Part 3 Conclusion

Carbohydrate Addiction is Epidemic........Part3 Conclusion

Novel Flavor-Enhancers May Also Contribute to Food Addiction

Another guiding principle for the processed food industry is known as “sensory-specific satiety.” Moss describes this as “the tendency for big, distinct flavors to overwhelm your brain, which responds by depressing your desire to have more.” The greatest successes, whether beverages or foods, owe their “craveability” to complex formulas that pique your taste buds just enough, without overwhelming them, thereby overriding your brain’s inclination to say “enough.”

Novel biotech flavor companies like Senomyx also play an important role.

Senomyx specializes in helping companies find new flavors that allow them to use less salt and sugar in their foods. But does that really make the food healthier? This is a questionable assertion at best, seeing how these “flavor enhancers” are created using secret, patented processes. They also do not need to be listed on the food label, which leaves you completely in the dark. As of now, they simply fall under the generic category of artificial and/or natural flavors, and they don’t even need to be tested for safety, as they’re used in minute amounts.

How to Combat Food Addiction and Regain Your Health

To protect your health, I advise spending 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent on processed foods. It’s important to realize that refined carbohydrates like breakfast cereals, bagels, waffles, pretzels, and most other processed foods quickly break down to sugar, increase your insulin levels, and cause insulin resistance, which is the number one underlying factor of nearly every chronic disease and condition known to man, including weight gain.

By taking the advice offered in the featured study and cutting out these high-glycemic foods you can retrain your body to burn fat instead of sugar. However, it’s important to replace these foods with healthy fats, not protein—a fact not addressed in this research. I believe most people may need between 50-70 percent of their daily calories in the form of healthful fats, which include:

1. Olives & Olive oil

2. Coconut and Coconut Oils

3. Natural whole fat butter

4. Organic raw nuts, especially macadamia nuts, which are low in omega-6 fat.

5. Organic pastured eggs and pastured meats

6. Avocados


A growing body of evidence also suggests that intermittent fasting is particularly effective if you’re struggling with excess weight as it provokes the natural secretion of human growth hormone (HGH), a fat-burning hormone. It also increases resting energy expenditure while decreasing insulin levels, which allows stored fat to be burned for fuel. Together, these and other factors will turn you into an effective fat-burning machine.

Best of all, once you transition to fat burning mode your cravings for sugar and carbohydrates will virtually disappear, as if by magic... While you’re making the adjustment, you could supplement L-Glutamine (1,000MG) before each meal and 3,000-6,000 MG at bed time. This will help reduce cravings.

Other tricks to help you overcome your sugar cravings include:

Exercise: Anyone who exercises intensely on a regular basis will know that a significant amount of resistance exercise is one of the best "cures" for food cravings. It always amazes me how my appetite, especially for sweets, dramatically decreases after a good workout. I believe the mechanism is related to the dramatic reduction in insulin levels that occurs after exercise.

Organic black coffee: Coffee is a potent opioid receptor antagonist, and contains compounds such as cafestrol -- found plentifully in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee -- which can bind to your opioid receptors, occupy them and essentially block your addiction to other opioid-releasing foods. This may profoundly reduce the addictive power of other substances, such as sugar.

Carbohydrate Addiction is Epidemic........Part 2

Carbohydrate Addiction is Epidemic........Part 2


The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

Previous research has demonstrated that refined sugar is more addictive than cocaine, giving you pleasure by triggering an innate process in your brain via dopamine and opioid signals. Your brain essentially becomes addicted to stimulating the release of its own opioids.





Researchers have speculated that the sweet receptors located on your tongue, which evolved in ancestral times when the diet was very low in sugar, have not adapted to the seemingly unlimited access to a cheap and omnipresent sugar supply in the modern diet.

Therefore, the abnormally high stimulation of these receptors by our sugar-rich diets generates excessive reward signals in your brain, which have the potential to override normal self-control mechanisms, thus leading to addiction.

But it doesn’t end there. Food manufacturers have gotten savvy to the addictive nature of certain foods and tastes, including saltiness and sweetness, and have turned addictive taste into a science in and of itself.

In a recent New York Times article, Michael Moss, author of Salt Sugar Fat, dished the dirt on the processed food industry, revealing that there’s a conscious effort on behalf of food manufacturers to get you hooked on foods that are convenient and inexpensive to make.

I recommend reading his article in its entirety, as it offers a series of case studies that shed light on the extraordinary science and marketing tactics that make junk food so hard to resist.

Sugar, salt and fat are the top three substances making processed foods so addictive. In a Time Magazine interview discussing his book, Moss says:

“One of the things that really surprised me was how concerted and targeted the effort is by food companies to hit the magical formulation. Take sugar for example. The optimum amount of sugar in a product became known as the 'bliss point.' Food inventors and scientists spend a huge amount of time formulating the perfect amount of sugar that will send us over the moon, and send products flying off the shelves. It is the process they've engineered that struck me as really stunning.”

It’s important to realize that added sugar (typically in the form of high fructose corn syrup) is not confined to junky snack foods. For example, most of Prego’s spaghetti sauces have one common feature, and that is sugar—it’s the second largest ingredient, right after tomatoes. A half-cup of Prego Traditional contains the equivalent of more than two teaspoons of sugar.

Carbohydrate Addiction is Epidemic........Part 1

Carbohydrate Addiction is Epidemic........Part 1

And the Food Industry Promotes it right along with the FDA & the AMA!

A staggering two-thirds of Americans are now overweight, and one in four are either diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Obesity rates in children in several states are now above 30%!!!!!!

Carb-rich processed foods are a primary driver of these statistics, and while many blame Americans’ overindulgence of processed junk foods on lack of self-control, scientists are now starting to reveal the truly addictive nature of such foods.

Most recently, researchers at the Boston Children's Hospital concluded that highly processed carbohydrates stimulate brain regions involved in reward and cravings, promoting excess hunger.

As reported by Science Daily:

“These findings suggest that limiting these 'high-glycemic index' foods could help obese individuals avoid overeating.”

While I don’t agree with the concept of high glycemic foods, it is important that they are at least thinking in the right direction. Also, the timing is ironic, considering the fact that the American Medical Association (AMA) recently declared obesity a disease, treatable with a variety of conventional methods, from drugs to novel anti-obesity vaccines...

The featured research is on the mark, and shows just how foolhardy the AMA’s financially-driven decision really is. Drugs and vaccines are clearly not going to do anything to address the underlying problem of addictive junk food.


Brain Imaging Shows Food Addiction Is Real

 

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the effects of high-glycemic foods on brain activity, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One dozen overweight or obese men between the ages of 18 and 35 each consumed one high-glycemic and one low-glycemic meal. The MRI was done four hours after each test meal. According to the researchers:

“Compared with an isocaloric low-GI meal, a high-glycemic index meal decreased plasma glucose, increased hunger, and selectively stimulated brain regions associated with reward and craving in the late postprandial period, which is a time with special significance to eating behavior at the next meal.”

The study demonstrates what many people experience: After eating a high-glycemic meal, i.e. rapidly digesting carbohydrates, their blood sugar initially spiked, followed by a sharp crash a few hours later. The MRI confirmed that this crash in blood glucose intensely activated a brain region involved in addictive behaviors, known as the nucleus accumbens.

Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, a pioneer in decoding sugar metabolism, weighed in on the featured research in an article by NPR:

“As Dr. Robert Lustig... points out, this research can’t tell us if there’s a cause and effect relationship between eating certain foods and triggering brain responses, or if those responses lead to overeating and obesity.

'[The study] doesn’t tell you if this is the reason they got obese,' says Lustig, 'or if this is what happens once you’re already obese.' Nonetheless... he thinks this study offers another bit of evidence that 'this phenomenon is real.'”

Previously, Dr. Lustig has explained the addictive nature of sugar as follows:

"The brain's pleasure center, called the nucleus accumbens, is essential for our survival as a species... Turn off pleasure, and you turn off the will to live... But long-term stimulation of the pleasure center drives the process of addiction... When you consume any substance of abuse, including sugar, the nucleus accumbens receives a dopamine signal, from which you experience pleasure. And so you consume more.

The problem is that with prolonged exposure, the signal attenuates, gets weaker. So you have to consume more to get the same effect -- tolerance. And if you pull back on the substance, you go into withdrawal. Tolerance and withdrawal constitute addiction. And make no mistake, sugar is addictive."

Trans Fat a Major Factor in Heart Disease, Cancer and Diabetes.

Trans Fat a Major Factor in Heart Disease, Cancer and Diabetes.

For decades, saturated fats were said to cause heart disease. Responding to such health concerns, the food industry replaced saturated fats with trans fats, giving rise to a whole new market of low-fat (but high-sugar) foods. Trans fat is also a major contributor to insulin resistance. Americans' health has plummeted ever since, and millions have been prematurely killed by this horrible mistake.
Trans fat, found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, is thought to act a pro-oxidant, contributing to oxidative stress that causes cellular damage, and many researchers agree that there is no threshold at which trans fats are safe. Dr. Fred Kummerow, author of Cholesterol Is Not the Culprit, has researched fats for eight decades, and he was the first researcher to note that trans fat clogs your arteries and promotes heart disease. Moreover, trans fats prevent the synthesis of prostacyclin, which is necessary to keep your blood flowing. When your arteries cannot produce prostacyclin, blood clots form, and you may succumb to sudden death. Trans fat has also been linked to dementia.
While trans fat consumption decreased by about one-third between 1980-2009, many are still getting far too much trans fat in their diet. The problem is that it’s oftentimes hidden. Even products boasting a “zero trans fat” label can contain trans fat, because food manufacturers are not required to list trans fat if it falls below a certain amount per serving. Using ridiculously tiny serving portion is a legal loophole that permits food manufacturers to mislead you about the trans fat in their products. As a general rule, to successfully avoid trans fats, you need to avoid any and all foods containing or cooked in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, so be sure to check the list of ingredients.
Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed trans fats from the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list. This is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, instead of reverting to healthy saturated fats like coconut oil, lard, and butter, trans fats are being replaced with other non-saturated vegetable oils that produce toxic cyclic aldehyde, when heated. These byproducts appear to be so harmful they may even make trans fats look benign in comparison, and we may not realize the full ramifications of this switch until a decade or two down the line.

The Right Mental Attitude for Training.

The Right Mental Attitude for Training.

To get the best out of your training every time you prepare to train, make sure you have cleared your mind of all the negative.

Having a clear mind and letting go of daily stress will help you preform better in your training session.

We've all heard that stress is one of the leading causes for heart attack and stroke but many of us never really think about what else it's doing to our bodies. Just because your heart is functioning as it should does not mean you are not effected by the stress.

Stress produces cortisol and cortisol helps fat stay right where it's at and locks up fat loss. Stress also causes hypertension, and elevated blood pressure especially during resistance exercise is very dangerous.

​

Recent studies have also shown that stress reduces the production of ATP within the Mitochondria of the cells and limits your anaerobic endurance. Reduced levels of ATP will make your training session a real struggle. Cortisol also slows down the healing process and can bring on symptoms of over-training and cause disruptive sleep patterns making it even more difficult to train properly.

So when you walk into the gym make sure you take a moment and clear your head of daily stress and focus on the job at hand.

The truth be told, the stress you created is all in your head and only you can allow it to consume you or LET IT GO!

I highly recommend reading a book by Dr. Wayne Dyer entitled,
"There's a Spiritual Solution for Every Problem". This book has nothing to do with religion, it simply tells you how to let go of the stress that is effecting your life.

Remember being fit in the gym is just 1/3 of being totally fit. Remember to exercise the mind and spirit as well. You are only as strong as your weakest link.

Good...better & best!

Good...better & best!

Over the last few months I've done allot of reading and research and I've seen some really poor articles and I've seen some really great articles that provide people with information they can actually use. 

Ignore that Guru hiding behind the curtain.

Some self proclaimed industry experts, (The Guru) are writing articles to self promote their own personal agendas and that in my opinion is where the confusion begins. Many of these gurus will bash sound exercise programs telling people that some exercises that have been around for decades are absolutely useless. In fact I read just a few days ago where one of the self promoting gurus announced that the Triceps push-down exercise is a complete waste of time. In fact the use of machine weights were a waste of time in his strongly opinionated article. What's really sad many people will buy this garbage and stop the exercises completely.

In my opinion, there is always a good, better & best with everything and that includes exercise. Every single person that has decided to begin an exercise program should do just one thing to start and that is get up off your butt and MOVE!

No one will ever improve their health sitting around talking about how they are going to get in shape. So less talk and more action!

Next is really simple, do NOT get caught-up reading articles in magazines because 95% of them are written to get you to buy a supplement or a program by the gurus of the industry.

The bottom line is any exercise beats no exercise every day of the week.

If you are wanting to lose body fat, great stick to the basics, squats, dead-lifts, Olympic style lifts and high impact cardio. Build the muscles in your body and let the muscle  burn your fat.

If you are in shape already and want to do some fine tuning of a particular muscle group great, add those triceps push downs or bicep curls to your routine.

In my opinion if you are exercising your are making progress to a healthier YOU! If you need help seek out a good trainer that can take you to the next level. Find one that fits your personality, don't hire the first one that you meet, interview several and pick the trainer that best listens to your needs and proves to be knowledgeable and will be able to take you to that next level. Remember YOU are the client and it's your money, the trainer works for YOU.

In closing my object of this article is just to help you get going in the right direction and that all starts with ACTION! Sitting and talking about it never accomplished anything. Clearing the air about all these self proclaimed experts was also important, do not get caught-up in believing that one program is superior to another. In the big picture all programs are either good, better or best. It's all up to YOU on what best fits your own personal needs.

The Dangers of Sugar!

The Dangers of Sugar:
* Sugar can damage your heart

*Sugar specifically promotes belly fat

* Sugar is the true silent killer

* Sugar may be linked to cancer production and may effect cancer survival

* Your sugar "addiction" may be genetic

* Sugar and alcohol have similar toxic liver effects on the body

* Sugar may sap your brain power

* Sugar hides in many everyday "non-sugar" foods

* An overload of sugar (specifically in beverages) may shorten your life

* Sugar is making us fat 

Excessive sugar in the diet is not the best idea when it comes to healthy living. Nonetheless, few of us are consuming sugar in recommended moderate amounts and most of us are eating tons of it. In fact, worldwide we are consuming about 500 extra calories a day from sugar. That's just about what you would need to consume if you wanted to gain a pound a week. Most people know that sugar is not good for them, but for some reason, they think the risk of excess sugar consumption is less than that of having too much saturated and trans fat, sodium or calories. Perhaps it's sugar's lack of sodium or fat that make it the "lesser of several evils," or perhaps people are simply of the mind frame that what they don't know won't hurt them. If you really knew what it was doing to your body, though, you might just put it at the top of your "foods to avoid" list. Here are ten things that may surprise you about sugar.

1. Sugar can damage your heart
While it's been widely noted that excess sugar can increase the overall risk for heart disease, a 2013 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association displayed strong evidence that sugar can actually affect the pumping mechanism of your heart and could increase the risk for heart failure. The findings specifically pinpointed a molecule from sugar (as well as from starch) called glucose metabolite glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) that was responsible for the changes in the muscle protein of the heart. These changes could eventually lead to heart failure. Approximately half of the people that are diagnosed with heart failure die within five years.

2. Sugar specifically promotes belly fatAdolescent obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years and childhood obesity rates have doubled. Many of us are aware of the data that demonstrates just how literally big our future is looking, but beyond the studies and all the initiatives to curb childhood obesity, one needs only to visit an amusement park, school or mall to truly see what is happening. One factor that seems to inflict obese children is fat accumulation in the trunk area of the body. Why? One cause may be the increase in fructose-laden beverages. A 2010 study in children found that excess fructose intake (but not glucose intake) actually caused visceral fat cells to mature -- setting the stage for a big belly and even bigger future risk for heart disease and diabetes. 

3. Sugar is the true silent killer
Move over salt and hypertension, you've got competition. Sugar, as it turns out, is just as much of a silent killer. A 2008 study found that excess fructose consumption was linked to an increase in a condition called leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone that tells you when you've had enough food. The problem is, we often ignore the signal our brain sends to us. For some people though, leptin simply does not want to work, leaving the person with no signal whatsoever that the body has enough food to function. This in turn can lead to over consumption of food and consequently, obesity. Why the silent killer? Because it all happens without symptoms or warning bells. If you've gained weight in the past year and can't quite figure out why, perhaps you should look at how much fructose you're feeding your body. 

4. Sugar may be linked to cancer production and may effect cancer survival
In the world of nutrition, it's hard to talk about sugar without talking about insulin. That's because insulin is sugar's little chaperone to the cells, and when too much of it is consumed, or our insulin does not work (probably because we're eating too much sugar) and the body revolts. One connection that has been well documented in the literature is the link between insulin resistance and cancer. A 2013 study found that sugars in the intestine triggered the formation of a hormone called GIP (controlled by a protein called β-catenin that is completely dependant on sugar levels), that in turn, increases insulin released by the pancreas. Researchers found that β-catenin may in fact affect the cells susceptibility to cancer formation. Futher studies have found negative associations between high sugar and starch intake and survival rates in both breast cancer patients and colon cancer patients.

5. Your sugar "addiction" may be genetic
If you've ever said, "I'm completely addicted to sugar," you may actually be correct. A recent study of 579 individuals showed that those who had genetic changes in a hormone called ghrelin consumed more sugar (and alcohol) than those that had no gene variation. Ghrelin is a hormone that tells the brain you're hungry. Researchers think that the genetic components that effect your ghrelin release may have a lot to do with whether or not you seek to enhance a neurological reward system through your sweet tooth. Findings with this study were similar to study conducted in 2012 as well.

6. Sugar and alcohol have similar toxic liver effects on the body
A 2012 paper in the journal Nature, brought forth the idea that limitations and warnings should be placed on sugar similar to warnings we see on alcohol. The authors showed evidence that fructose and glucose in excess can have a toxic effect on the liver as the metabolism of ethanol -- the alcohol contained in alcoholic beverages had similarities to the metabolic pathways that fructose took. Further, sugar increased the risk for several of the same chronic conditions that alcohol was responsible for. Finally, if you think that your slim stature keeps you immune from fructose causing liver damage, think again. A 2013 study found that liver damage could occur even without excess calories or weight gain.

7. Sugar may sap your brain power
When I think back on my childhood, I remember consuming more sugar than I probably should have. I should have enjoyed my youth back then, because unfortunately, all the sugar may have accelerated the aging process. A 2009 study found a positive relationship between glucose consumption and the aging of our cells. Aging of the cells consequently can be the cause of something as simple as wrinkles to something as dire as chronic disease. But there is other alarming evidence that sugar may affect the aging of your brain as well. A 2012 study found that excess sugar consumption was linked to deficiencies in memory and overall cognitive health. A 2009 study in rats showed similar findings.

8. Sugar hides in many everyday "non-sugar" foods
While many of my patients strive to avoid the "normal" sugary culprits (candy, cookies, cake, etc.), they often are duped when they discover some of their favorite foods also contain lots of sugar. Examples include tomato sauce, fat free dressing, tonic water, marinates, crackers and even bread.

9. An overload of sugar (specifically in beverages) may shorten your life
A 2013 study estimated that 180,000 deaths worldwide may be attributed to sweetened beverage consumption. The United States alone accounted for 25,000 deaths in 2010. The authors summarize that deaths occurred due to the association with sugar-sweetened beverages and chronic disease risk such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. 

10. Sugar is making us fat
I figured I'd leave the most obvious fact for last. While you may be aware that too many calories from any source will be stored as fat if not burned, what you may not connect is that the lack of other nutrients in sugar actually makes it much easier to eat gobs of it with no physical effects to warn us of the danger that lurks. Foods rich in fiber, fat and protein all have been associated with increased fullness. Sugar will give you the calories, but not the feeling that you've had enough. That's why you can have an entire king-size bag of licorice (with it's sky high glycemic index at the movies and come out afterwards ready to go for dinner.
On a final note, it's important to point out that simple sugars from milk (in the form of lactose) don't display the same negative health effects that we see in the literature when reviewing sugar's effects on the body. Simple sugars coming from fruit are also less concerning given their high amounts of disease-fighting compounds and fiber.
So now you know, and knowing perhaps can create action. You can do something about decreasing your overall sugar consumption without feeling deprivation or sheer frustration! 

Source: University Studies, Huff Post.

The Importance of L-Glutamine to the Brain and the Body!

The Importance of L-Glutamine to the Brain and the Body!

Glutamine/glutamic acid, along with glucose, is one of the principle fuels for the brain cells. It stimulates mental alertness, improves intelligence, normalizes physical equilibrium, detoxifies ammonia from the brain, improves and soothes erratic behavior in elderly patients, improves the ability to learn, aids in retaining and recall in memory, helps with behavioral problems and autism in children, stops sugar and alcohol cravings, may improve IQ in mentally- deficient children, enhances peptic ulcer healing, and may be used to treat schizophrenia and senility.

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid found in the muscles of the body. Because it can readily pass the blood-brain barrier, it is known as brain fuel. In the brain, glutamine is converted into glutamic acid—which is essential for cerebral function—and vice versa. It also increases the amount of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is needed to sustain proper brain function and mental activity. It assists in maintaining the proper acid/alkaline balance in the body and is the basis of the building blocks for the synthesis of RNA and DNA. It promotes mental ability and the maintenance of a healthy digestive tract. When an amino acid is broken down, nitrogen is released. The body needs nitrogen, but free nitrogen can form ammonia, which is especially toxic to brain tissues. The liver can convert nitrogen into urea, which is excreted in the urine, or nitrogen may attach itself to glutamic acid. This process forms glutamine. Glutamine is unique among the amino acids in that each molecule contains not one nitrogen atom but two. Thus, its creation helps to clear ammonia from the tissues, especially brain tissue, and it can transfer nitrogen from one place to another.

Glutamine is found in large amounts in the muscles and is readily available when needed for the synthesis of skeletal muscle proteins. Because this amino acid helps to build and maintain muscle, supplemental glutamine is useful for dieters and bodybuilders. More important, it helps to prevent the kind of muscle-wasting that can accompany prolonged bed rest or diseases such as cancer and AIDS. This is because stress and injury (including surgical trauma) cause the muscles to release glutamine into the bloodstream. In fact, during times of stress, as much as one third of the glutamine present in the muscles may be released. As a result, stress and/ or illness can lead to the loss of skeletal muscle. If enough glutamine is available, however, this can be prevented.

Supplemental L-glutamine can be helpful in the treatment of arthritis, autoimmune diseases, fibrosis, intestinal disorders, peptic ulcers, connective tissue diseases such as polymyositis and scleroderma, and tissue damage due to radiation treatment for cancer. L- glutamine can enhance mental functioning and has been used to treat a range of problems, including developmental disabilities, epilepsy, fatique, impotence, depression, schizophrenia, and senility. It preserves glutathione in the liver and protects that organ from the effects of acetaminophen overdose. It enhances antioxidant protection. L-glutamine decreases sugar cravings and the desire for alcohol and is useful for recovering alcoholics. Many plant and animal substances contain glutamine, but it is easily destroyed by cooking. If eaten raw, spinach and parsley are good sources. Supplemental glutamine must be kept absolutely dry or the powder will degrade into ammonia and pyroglutamic acid. Glutamine should not be taken by persons with cirrhosis of the liver, kidney problems, Reye’s syndrome, or any type of disorder that can result in an accumulation of ammonia in the blood. For such individuals, taking supplemental glutamine may only cause further damage to the body. Be aware that although the names sound similar, glutamine, glutamic acid (also sometimes called glutamate), glutathione, gluten, and monosodium glutamate are all different substances.

Making Exercise a Habit.....

Making Exercise a Habit.....

We know that it’s not the easiest habit for most people, and most people’s experiences consist of starting and stopping and starting again. Which is fine — don’t beat yourself up about it. The important thing is starting again.

The Main Problems
So why do most people have trouble making exercise a regular habit? Well, there are probably a number of factors, but here are a few of the obvious reasons exercise in not a habit for everyone.

1. Too difficult. People set out with a lot of ambition and enthusiasm, and start out with a big goal. “I’m going to go to the gym for an hour a day!” or “I’m going to run 30 minutes every day!” The problem is that the goal is too difficult to sustain for very long. You can do it for a few days, but you soon run out of energy, and it becomes a drag to do it.

2. Too many goals or unrealistic goals to start. Often we set out to do too much. We want to run, and lift weights, and eat healthy, and quit sweets, and stop drinking soda. Some of us have an image in our heads of exactly what we want to look like and set a time to get there! STOP!!! Take your time and focus on getting daily exercise first, clean up your diet and drink water with fresh lemon or lime juice instead of soda. If you stick to the plan and get the good habits to replace the bad then the rest will fall into place. Your body will reflect your new habits but be patient you didn't get in the shape your in overnight so it certainly won't be fixed overnight either.

Golden Rule never give yourself a deadline for looking good!
3. Not enough Motivation. So many times we start with good intentions yet the motivation dies quickly. Well if that's the case lets fix it!!!! Starting May 18, 2013 we will start our support group for everyone that needs motivation. That is a Saturday and we will meet at the Studio at 7:00PM sharp. If you want to stay motivated you have to have a great support team to help and that's what your trainer and our staff is here to help you do "STAY MOTIVATED"
 

Solutions

1. Start by setting your goals low and attainable for you. Remember if you set unrealistic goals you will FAIL! Set goals that will assure your SUCCESS! As you become more fit and eager for more that is when you step up and make those harder goals, just remember to baby step your way up to the bigger goals!!!!

2. Write your goals down and keep them posted so you can see them everyday multiple times a day! Remember out of sight out of mind!

3. Be specific with your goals both short and long term. Write down the exact exercises you plan on doing everyday and DO THEM!!! Make a date with yourself everyday and stick to it so at 3:30PM I will walk 2 miles and do 25 push-ups and 25 set-ups. Like I said be detailed with your daily goals. Once you've completed the goals write down how you feel and how easy or difficult the exercise was for you, evaluate yourself and increase or decrease the exercise based on how you feel.

4. Look for a Trigger mechanism that will spark the motivation to exercise daily. This will help you get into the habit and stay there. We all have events that happen everyday without fail. So take one of those events and use it as a trigger for your exercise program. Here's what I'm talking about. Many of us wake-up to coffee brewing in the kitchen or an alarm clock blasting in our ears that starts the day rolling it makes us focus on the task at hand, "getting ready for the day". Many of us now have smart phones so set a timer or your alarm for your workout time and give yourself ample time to get where you need to be to exercise. If you work 15 minutes from the gym then set your alarm on the phone 30 minutes before you need to leave. That way you can close things down, take your pre-workout supplements and get to the gym on time.

5.Hold yourself accountable- Journal every workout everyday. Be detailed and write down exactly what you did for the day. As you get in better condition your will be impressed with how much more you are able to do with greater ease. This will help establish the good habits and boost your self confidence and self-esteem.

6. Visualize your new image....cut out pictures from magazines clip out articles on fitness and nutrition and post them where you work and live. If you can see yourself in a bikini or that cute dress you saw at the mall, chances are you will succeed by staying focused. Remind yourself with visual images.

7. Avoid Negative People, the last thing you need in your life is a nay sayer! You know the type always giving you an excuse as to why you are wasting your time! Remember this, they just want you to quit because what you are doing is making them feel bad about themselves. Stay away from these people, remember misery loves company. Stay in contact with people that are lifestyle friendly with your new program. These people will support you and encourage you to stay focused.

8. Educate yourself on what you are doing to your body. Take the time too learn how your body is responding to the exercise and the nutrition programs just don't follow a plan without actually doing some research and learn what really works best for you. Remember the only person that can build the perfect program for you is YOU! Sure trainers can help and I highly recommend using one if you are just getting started but lets face facts few us us want to pay money for years and years and never learn a thing. Personal Trainers are a great way to start your program and if you are training for a specific sport or event you need one. But they can not tell you how you feel after you train with them! Only you know how you feel and only you can adjust to get maximum results with your efforts.

So get in the habit of being accountable to YOU! Set your goals and get in the right HABIT!!!!

High Intensity Training (HIIT) Part 1

High Intensity Training (HIIT) Part 1

 
Follow these simple guidelines with your HIIT training and succeed in burning the fat while sparing the muscle.

Sensible Training Guidelines For High Intensity Training:

1. Perform 1-3 sets of 4-6 exercises for the lower body and 6-8 exercises for the upper body, and not more than 12 exercises in any workout most of the time.

2. Select a resistance for each exercise that allows you to do between 10-15 repetitions. Some may need 15-20 reps. Lower reps may be used at times.

3. Continue each exercise until no additional positive repetitions in good form are possible. When 15 or more repetitions are performed, increase the resistance by approximately 5 % the next workout. Go for overload.

4. Work the largest muscles first and move quickly from one exercise to the next. This procedure develops cardiovascular endurance.

5. Concentrate on flexibility by slowly stretching during the first couple of repetitions of a movement.

6. Accentuate the lowering portion (negative) of each repetition. If the weight stack is banging, you've lost control.

7. Move slower, never faster, if in doubt about the speed of an exercise. Don't move around in equipment while training.

8. Do everything possible to isolate and work each large muscle group to momentary overload. Don't hold your breath!

9. Attempt constantly to increase the number of repetitions or the amount of weight or both. But do not sacrifice form in an attempt to produce results. Train safe! Don't hold your breath! Your goal should be to exceed the last workouts performance, in as many exercises as you can.

10. Train no more than three times a week, Avoid over training!

11. Keep accurate records--date---resistance---repetitions---of each workout.

12. Use any equipment that you have----machines or free weights---- the main point is safety. The muscles do not have brains that tell them if you are using machines or free weights, they only know resistance. The myth that free weights are better than properly developed machines is just that--a myth! Use advanced HIT principles sparingly, such as: breakdowns, pre-exhaust, negative only, negative accentuated, 3X3's, 30's Day, forced reps and more.

Body fat loss stuck on hold? Can't seem to lose that last little bit of fat? This may be the problem......

Body fat loss stuck on hold? Can't seem to lose that last little bit of fat?

This may be the problem.......

Artificial Sweeteners will over stimulate the hormones that make you hungry and create a resistance too the hormones that suppress hunger...... IT'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD!!!

Contrary to popular belief, studies have found that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame can stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain. In one of the most recent of such studies, saccharin and aspartame were found to cause greater weight gain than sugar.

Aspartame is perhaps one of the most problematic. It is primarily made up of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. The phenylalanine has been synthetically modified to carry a methyl group, which provides the majority of the sweetness. That phenylalanine methyl bond, called a methyl ester, is very weak, which allows the methyl group on the phenylalanine to easily break off and form methanol.

You may have heard the claim that aspartame is harmless because methanol is also found in fruits and vegetables. However, in fruits and vegetables, the methanol is firmly bonded to pectin, allowing it to be safely passed through your digestive tract. Not so with the methanol created by aspartame; there it’s not bonded to anything that can help eliminate it from your body.

Methanol acts as a Trojan horse; it's carried into susceptible tissues in your body, like your brain and bone marrow, where the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme converts it into formaldehyde, which wreaks havoc with sensitive proteins and DNA. All animals EXCEPT HUMANS have a protective mechanism that allows methanol to be broken down into harmless formic acid. This is why toxicology testing on animals is a flawed model. It doesn't fully apply to people.

Now a little education on the two hormones that artificial sweeteners effect.

A lot is known about what causes obesity. The simplest explanation is that the genes that have protected us from famines for millions of years are at the core of the cause of obesity. These powerful biochemical systems are centered on a small area in the middle of the brain called the hypothalamus. A specialized area in the hypothalamus, called the arcuate nucleus, is where the signals that control metabolic rate, hunger and satiety are located.

In the arcuate nucleus are two cells types. One cell is the NPY/AGRP (Neuropeptide Y/Agouti Related Protein) cell. This is the hunger cell. If it is stimulated you feel hungry and your metabolic rate drops. The other cell is the POMC (Proopiomelanocortin) cell. This is the satiety cell. If it is stimulated you feel full and your metabolic rate increases.

The two major hormones that control the hunger and satiety cells are ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is produced by the pancreas and travels to the brain where it turns on the hunger cell and turns off the satiety cell. Leptin is produced by the fat cells of the body and travels to the brain where it turns on the satiety cell and turns off the hunger cell. When you are obese you have lots of fat cells and thus your leptin levels are high. The high leptin levels in combination with high insulin levels turn off the stomach cells that make ghrelin so your ghrelin levels are low. Now if that seems backward, your right. The problem is that high leptin levels over time make the satiety cell insensitive to leptin and low ghrelin levels make the hunger cell hypersensitive to ghrelin. The result is that even though the leptin levels are high and the ghrelin levels are low, the hunger cells are turned on and the satiety cells are turned off.

This is exactly the situation that occurs in a famine, hunger cells on and satiety cells off. So if you are obese, even though you have plenty of fat stores, the brain behaves like you were starving. This has many consequences. First and foremost is a loss of the conscious signals that tell you when you are full and when you are hungry. A common sign of this is that most obese people don't feel hungry when they get up in the morning. As a result they often skip breakfast. The brain interprets this as more starvation signals and further shuts down the metabolism. In fact the number one risk factor for obesity was skipping breakfast.

Ghrelin is also important in many other functions of the body. One of the most important is sleep. In order to efficiently progress though the normal cycles of sleep you need adequate ghrelin levels. If you don't have them you will not sleep as efficiently, you will dream less and get less restorative sleep. This will make you more tired the next day and since dreaming promotes leptin production, you will be hungrier and have a lower metabolic rate.

The imbalance of leptin and ghrelin are at the heart of the cause and consequences of obesity.

Now I know your thinking to yourself this only effects obese people not someone like me that only needs to drop a few more pounds, right?

WRONG, I am especially talking you you folks that just need to drop a few pounds and in particular those of you getting ready for a competition.

You see the leaner your body becomes the more sensitive it becomes too. Drop the artificial sweeteners and see the difference for yourself. You will be amazed at how quickly your body will respond and those last few fat pockets will vanish.