Exercise

exrciseThe following article is a small excerpt from one of my books. I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

When you exercise, you breath heavier and faster, your heart beats faster, your muscles hurt and you sweat. These are all normal responses to exercise and your body has an incredibly complex set of processes to meet the demands of working muscles. Every system in your body is involved.

Any type of exercise uses different muscle groups to generate motion. In running and swimming, your muscles are working to accelerate your body and keep it moving. In weightlifting, your muscles are working to move a weight. Exercise means muscle activity!

In strenuous exercise, just about every system in your body either focuses its efforts on helping your muscles do their work, or it shuts down. Your heart beats faster during strenuous exercise so that it can pump more blood to your muscles, and your stomach shuts down during strenuous exercise so that it does not waste energy your muscles can use.

When you exercise, your muscles act something like electric motors. Your muscles take in a source of energy and they use it to generate force. An electric motor uses electricity to supply its energy. Your muscles are biochemical motors, and they use a chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for their energy source. During the process of “burning” ATP, your muscles need three things:

  • They need oxygen, because chemical reactions require ATP and oxygen is consumed to produce ATP.
  • They need to eliminate metabolic wastes (carbon dioxide, lactic acid) that the chemical reactions generate.
  • They need to get rid of heat.

In order to continue exercising, your muscles must continuously make ATP. To make this happen, your body must supply oxygen to the muscles and eliminate the waste products and heat. If these needs are not met, then you become exhausted and you won’t be able to keep going.

ATP is required for the biochemical reactions involved in any muscle contraction. As the work of the muscle increases, more and more ATP gets consumed and must be replaced in order for the muscle to keep moving.

Because ATP is so important, the body has several different systems to create ATP. These systems work together in phases. The interesting thing is that different forms of exercise use different systems, so a sprinter is getting ATP in a completely different way from a marathon runner!

ATP comes from three different biochemical systems in the muscle, in this order:

  • Phosphagen system
  • Glycogen-lactic acid system
  • Aerobic respiration

A muscle cell has some amount of ATP floating around that it can use immediately, but not very much, only enough to last for about three to 10 seconds. To replenish the ATP levels quickly, muscle cells contain a high-energy phosphate compound called creatine phosphate. The phosphate group is removed from creatine phosphate by an enzyme called creatine kinase, and is transferred to ADP to form ATP. The cell turns ATP into ADP, and the phosphagen rapidly turns the ADP back into ATP. As the muscle continues to work, the creatine phosphate levels begin to decrease. Together, the ATP levels and creatine phosphate levels are called the phosphagen system. The phosphagen system can supply the energy needs of working muscle at a high rate, but for no more then10 seconds.

Muscles also have big reserves of a complex carbohydrate called glycogen. Glycogen is a chain of glucose molecules. A cell splits glycogen into glucose. Then the cell uses anaerobic metabolism (anaerobic means “without oxygen”) to make ATP and a by product called lactic acid from the glucose.  About 12 chemical reactions take place to make ATP under this process, so it supplies ATP at a slower rate than the phosphagen system. The system can still act rapidly and produce enough ATP to last about 90 seconds. This system does not need oxygen, which is handy because it takes the heart and lungs some time to get their act together. There is a definite limit to anerobic respiration because of the lactic acid. The acid is what makes your muscles hurt. Lactic acid builds up in the muscle tissue and causes the fatigue and soreness you feel in your exercising muscles.

By two-three minutes of exercise your body responds to supply working muscles with oxygen. When oxygen is present, glucose can be completely broken down into carbon dioxide and water in a process called aerobic respiration. Aerobic respiration can also use fatty acids from fat reserves in muscle and your body to produce ATP. In extreme cases (like starvation), proteins can also be broken down into amino acids and used to make ATP. Aerobic respiration would use carbohydrates first, then fats and finally proteins. Aerobic respiration takes even more chemical reactions to produce ATP than either of the above systems. Aerobic respiration produces ATP at the slowest rate of the three systems, but it can continue to supply ATP for several hours or longer, so long as the fuel supply lasts.

When you start to look closely at how your body works, it is truly an amazing machine! (Training smart)

If you are going to be exercising for more than a couple of minutes, your body needs to get oxygen to the muscles or your muscles will stop working. Just how much oxygen your muscles will use depends on two processes: getting blood to the muscles and extracting oxygen from the blood into the muscle tissue. Your working muscles can take oxygen out of your blood three times better then when your muscles are resting. Your body can increase the flow of oxygen-rich blood to working muscle by;

  • Increasing the local blood flow to the working muscle
  • By diverting the blood flow from nonessential organs to your working muscles
  • By increasing the flow of blood from your heart
  • By increasing the rate and depth of your breathing

These mechanisms can increase the blood flow to your working muscle by almost five times. That means that the amount of oxygen available to the working muscle can be increased by almost 15 times!

When you exercise, your blood vessels in your muscles dilate and the blood flow is greater. Your body has an interesting way of making those vessels expand. As ATP gets used up in working muscle, the muscle produces several metabolic by products (such as adenosine, hydrogen ions and carbon dioxide). These by products leave your muscle cells and cause your capillaries (small, thin-walled blood vessels) within the muscle to expand or dilate. The increased blood flow delivers more oxygenated blood to the working muscle.

When you begin to exercise, a remarkable diversion happens. Blood that would have gone to your stomach or kidneys goes instead to your muscles. This helps increase the delivery of oxygenated blood to your working muscles.

Your heart, which is also a muscle, gets a workout during exercise, and its job is to get more blood out to your body’s hard-working muscles. Your heart’s blood flow increases by about four or five times from that of its resting state. Your body does this by increasing the rate of your heartbeat and the amount of blood that comes through the heart and goes out to the rest of your body. The rate of blood pumped by the heart (cardiac output) is a product of the rate at which your heart beats (heart rate) and the volume of blood that the heart ejects with each beat (stroke volume). In a resting heart, the cardiac output is about 5 litres a minute (0.07 L x 70 beats/min = 4.9 L/min). As you begin to exercise and your heart is pumping at full force, the cardiac output is about 20-25 litres per minute.

As your heart gets more blood to your working muscles your lungs and the rest of your respiratory system need to provide more oxygen for the blood.  As your lungs absorb more oxygen and the blood flow to the muscles increases, your muscles have more oxygen.

Now that you have increased the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your muscles, your muscles need to get the oxygen out of the blood. An exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is the key to this. A protein called hemoglobin, which is found in red blood cells, carries most of the oxygen in the blood. Hemoglobin can bind oxygen and/or carbon dioxide; the amount of oxygen bound to hemoglobin is determined by the oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration and pH. Normally, hemoglobin works like this:

  • Hemoglobin in red blood cells entering the lungs has carbon dioxide bound to it.
  • In the lungs, oxygen concentration is high and carbon dioxide concentration is low due to breathing.
  • Hemoglobin binds oxygen and releases carbon dioxide.
  • Hemoglobin gets transported through the heart and blood vessels to the muscle.
  • In muscle, the carbon dioxide concentration is high and the oxygen concentration is low due to metabolism.
  • Hemoglobin releases oxygen and binds carbon dioxide.
  • Hemoglobin gets transported back to the lungs and the cycle repeats.

As you exercise your metabolic activity is high, more acids (hydrogen ions, lactic acid) are produced and the local pH is lower than normal. The low pH reduces the attraction between oxygen and hemoglobin and causes the hemoglobin to release more oxygen than usual. This increases the oxygen delivered to your muscles.

While you exercise your body is using energy and producing waste, such as lactic acid, carbon dioxide, adenosine and hydrogen ions. Your muscles need to get rid of these wastes in order to continue to exercise. The extra blood that is flowing to your muscles and bringing more oxygen can also take this waste away.

Your body heats up when you exercise, and you sweat. The sweat evaporates from your skin, removing heat and cooling your body. Evaporation of sweat removes fluid from the body, so it is important to maintain fluids for blood flow and sweat production by drinking water and/or sport drinks. Sports drinks also replace ions (sodium, potassium) that are lost in the sweat, and provide additional glucose to fuel anaerobic and aerobic respiration.

Evaporation of sweat is an important cooling system that can efficiently remove heat. However, if exercise is done in a hot, humid environment, then sweat does not evaporate. This reduces the efficiency of this system and you may be subject to heat stroke, which is a life-threatening condition. (Your core body temperature rises to 40 degrees C or 104 degrees F)  You can avoid getting heat stroke by wearing shorts and other loose clothing, drinking plenty of water and exercising in cool weather (below 82 degrees F or 28 degrees C).

If you exercise regularly or if you are an athlete in training, you are trying to make your muscles work better. Three major factors in muscle performance are strength, power and endurance.

Muscle strength is the maximal force that your muscle can develop. Strength is directly related to the size of the muscle. Muscle fibres are capable of developing a maximal force of 3 to 4 kg/cm2 (average = 3.5 kg/cm2) of muscle area. So, let’s say that you have increased your muscle size from 100 to 150 cm2, then the maximal resistance that you could lift could be increased from 350 kg (770 lb) to 525 kg (1,155 lb).

The power of muscle contraction is how fast the muscle can develop its maximum strength. Muscle power depends on strength and speed [power = (force x distance)/time]. A person can have extreme power from muscles (7,000 kg-m/min) for a short period of time (about 10 seconds) and then power reduces by 75 percent within 30 minutes; this aspect is important for sprinters because it gives them great acceleration.

Muscle endurance is the capacity to generate or sustain maximal force repeatedly.

Strength, power and endurance may be due in part to the distribution of two basic types of fibers, fast twitch and slow twitch. Fast-twitch fibers are capable of developing greater forces and contracting faster and have greater anaerobic capacity. In contrast, slow-twitch fibers develop force slowly, can maintain contractions longer and have higher aerobic capacity. Your genes largely determine whether you have more of one kind of muscle fiber or another. Sprinters tend to have more fast twitch fibers. Marathon runners tend to have more slow twitch fibers.

You can help your body to exercise better by eating the right foods. If you want to do well, you should try to increase the stores of glycogen in your liver and your muscles. Athletes eat solid, high-carbohydrate diets (breads, pasta) the night before competition, and liquid, high-glucose diets in the morning before competition. Sports drinks containing glucose are good to drink during competition to replace fluid and help to maintain your blood glucose levels.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit myONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Counting Calories

CountingCaloriesThe following article is a small excerpt from one of my books. I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

COUNTING CALORIES

Counting calories isn’t rocket science. It’s more like basic physics, or at least the first law of thermodynamics, that energy can be changed from one form to another, but can not be created or destroyed. Burn the 3,500 calories that make up a pound of body fat, and you’re that much lighter.

But if it was only that simple, you could stop here, and anyone with a pen, paper, and a calculator could slim down without a struggle. Truth is, if you’re trying to lose weight, the source of your calories matters, as does the type of exercise you combine with a low-cal diet.

If you are consuming too many calories from fatty, sugary, low-nutrient foods, clearly you won’t be getting all the valuable nutrients you need for your body to function optimally. To sustain weight loss, it’s key to keep activity level up and mix up exercises so you’re using different muscle groups or stimulating your muscles in different ways.

You’re not alone if you’re feeling a little clueless about calories. While 77 percent of people say they are trying to lose or maintain weight, only 19 percent track calories. Only 12 percent can accurately target the number of calories they should consume in a day, while 43 percent have trouble estimating how many calories they burn during everyday activities. In my books Get fit stay Fit, and the Best You Can Be, I teach you how to calculate the number of calories you need to maintain, gain or lose weight.

Knowing the facts about energy intake and expenditure can help you pinpoint why the needle on the scale gets stuck. There are also calculators on this website that will help you figure out how many calories you burn on a certain activity with more detailed calculations in my books.

Not All Calories are Equal

It’s like the old saying, “What weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound or rocks?” If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.

But this isn’t a free pass. Calories from protein and fats are more filling than calories from carbohydrate sources. If you are trying to reduce your calorie intake and are eating calories mainly from carbohydrates, you may find yourself hungry, making it hard to stay within your calorie range.

The healthiest calories come from whole grains, high-fiber carbohydrates, lean proteins, andunsaturated fats. These whole foods require more energy (or simply burn more calories) to eat, digest, and absorb compared with refined or processed foods.

“Negative Calories” Don’t Exist

Some believe that negative calorie foods, like celery, lettuce, apples and grapefruit, are the magic bullet for weight loss.

There really is no scientific evidence proving that certain foods will cause your body to burn more calories to digest them than the calories already in the food. However, foods that have been listed as negative calorie foods are mostly low-calorie, high-fiber vegetables. Increasing the amount of these foods in your meal plan will help promote weight loss since you will find yourself feeling full from the fiber and eating fewer calories from other foods.

This negative calorie theory is because of the thermic effect of food.  Consuming foods such as chili peppers and other foods that have capsaicin can help your body burn a small amount of calories because they raise body temperature and boost metabolism. But don’t eat these foods expecting that doing so will help you consume fewer total calories and lose weight.

The number of calories offset by eating, digesting, and absorbing negative energy foods is negligible. Don’t expect real results from snacking on asparagus and blueberries all day without making significant changes to your diet and exercise habits.

The Best Diet is a Low-Cal Diet

When combined with exercise, any diet that restricts calories should result in weight loss, regardless of which macronutrients are emphasized or downplayed.

In a recent survey researchers assigned 811 overweight adults to one of four diets emphasizing various levels of fat, protein, and carbs. Each dieter was instructed to slash 750 calories a day, exercise for 90 minutes daily, keep a food diary, and meet with a diet counselor. After 6 months, study participants across all groups lost an average of 13 pounds.

While macronutrients are important, a focus on calorie counting should trump restricting fat or carbohydrates, and  a diet rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, low- or non-fat dairy, beans, nuts, and seeds is recommended. Limit foods with too much sugar or too much solid fat, and limit alcohol, which contribute lots of calories but few nutrients to your diet.

Tracking calories is the key to successful weight loss, write down everything you eat for a few days in order to calculate your usual calorie intake. Subtract 500 from this amount without going below 1,200 calories. If you stick to this calorie range each day, you will lose 1 pound per week.

To meet nutrient needs and ward off hunger, don’t forget to balance out where your calories come from. Depending on your activity level, 50 to 65 percent of your calories should come from carbs, 10 to 20 percent from protein, and 20 to 25 percent from healthy, unsaturated fats.

Keep portions small for foods or beverages that are sugary, fatty, and otherwise nutrient-poor, that way you won’t feel deprived.

Real Results Require Exercise

You’ve cut calories and made a meaningful effort to consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods. You’re almost there, but there’s one more piece of the weight loss puzzle: the gym.

Diet alone is not enough to promote significant weight loss. Researchers fed monkeys a high-fat diet for several years, then cut caloric intake by 30 percent for sedentary monkeys and made no changes to the diets of those that were trained to exercise on a treadmill for 60 minutes each day. After a month, the exercise group weighed less, while sedentary monkeys experienced declines in energy and lost no weight.

In the beginning, you can start slow then ramp up your exercise efforts. The heavier you are, the more calories you burn per minute. For instance, if a 120-pound woman ran for 20 minutes at 6 miles per hour and a 150-pound woman ran at the same speed for the same amount of time, the 150-pound woman would have burned a bit more calories.

60 minutes of physical activity on most days is recommended in order to keep pounds off.

To make the most of your gym sessions, try short bursts of high intensity exercise, which burn more calories than consistent-rate cardio, like jogging on the treadmill at a set speed. Three, 15-minute, high-intensity interval workouts per week leads to greater reductions in total body mass, fat loss, and leg and trunk mass, compared with steady-state exercise at the same frequency.
Weight Loss Slows Metabolism
If you have a very large amount of weight to lose, you may find that you hit a weight loss plateau over time. As your body gets smaller, it does not have to work as hard to move around and circulate nutrients, which can slightly reduce your overall metabolic rate.

When you lose weight, your metabolism slows due to a loss of lean body mass. And as you get older, your bodies naturally want to gain fat and lose muscle.

The more pounds you take off, the fewer calories you need to stay at your new weight. It doesn’t sound fair, but there is one bonus: If you increase total muscle mass at your new weight, then you may be able to eat more and not gain weight.

To hang on to muscle and keep your metabolism up as the number on the scale goes down, eating protein-rich foods in small amounts and most importantly, performing weight training on all muscle groups two to three times per week. Losing weight in a slow and steady rate, no more than two pounds per week, can also help minimize muscle loss.

If you hit a plateau, increase physical activity and decrease calories by another 100 to 200 calories per day without dropping below 1,200, which could further slow your metabolism. And don’t forget to use the calorie counters in my book to figure out your new daily calorie amounts as your weight decreases.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Diet Tips

lose bigThe following article is a small excerpt from one of my books. I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

The busier you are, the harder it is to find time to take care of yourself.  So here are 25 easy healthy eating tips. Follow these easy tips and you’ll get seven servings of fruits and veggies, all the calcium you need, plenty of fiber and omega-3 fats, tons of healing antioxidants, and more. You’ll improve your chances of fending off cancer, stroke, heart attack, and diabetes; have more energy; stay slimmer; keep your mind sharp; and sidestep urinary-tract infections.

Healthy eating tips: 6 a.m.

  1. Drink orange juice with added calcium. If you start the day with orange juice, don’t miss the chance to get calcium, too. This superstar mineral fends off PMS, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis and it might even help you lose weight! Most calcium fortified orange and grapefruit juices have as much calcium as milk or more!
  2. Take a multivitamin. When you take a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement you have dramatic reductions in the risk of colon cancer and heart disease. Another benefit is the folic acid in your multivitamin is almost two times more absorbable than the form of this vitamin found in food.
  3. Eat cereal with at least 7 grams of fiber per serving, because eating cereal is your easiest chance to get lots of fiber in a small package. Fiber is a cancer fighter, and can actually cancel out some of the calories you eat! For example, if you eat 30 grams of fiber a day, slightly more than double what most of people get, your body will absorb 120 fewer calories a day. That adds up to a 13-pound loss in a year!
  4. Toss some blueberries on that cereal. Blueberries are youth berries. Even frozen blueberries are packed with antioxidants that just a 1/2 cup can double the antioxidant power of most people’s diets, something that experts suspect will slow down your aging clock. Blueberries have actually been found to reverse memory loss in one study!
  5. Make your coffee with milk. If you make instant coffee with hot water, all you’re getting is a wake-up call. Use milk, and you’ve got cafe au lait, along with insurance against osteoporosis from the calcium and vitamin D in the milk.
  6. Drink a glass of water when you brush your teeth. You’ve got the water and the glass right there. So drink! Only one-third of the population gets the recommended eight glasses of water daily. Think a little shortfall doesn’t matter? Signs of mild dehydration include fatigue upon awakening, fatigue at midday, lack of concentration, and headaches.

Healthy eating tips: 8 a.m.

  1. Take an apple to work. Put one on your desk in the morning, and an apple becomes see-food, the handiest snack to grab when the munchies hit. If it’s not there, you’ll be hunting for sticky buns or whatever else is around. In addition to apples being a low-cal snack, a recent study revealed that the lungs of apple-a-day eaters may have better protection against air pollution.
  2. Stash nuts in your desk, because nuts are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, magnesium, and phytochemicals.  People who snack on a small handful of nuts four or five times a week tend to live longer. Just don’t overdo it: One ounce of peanuts (approximately 1/8 cup) contains about 170 calories and 14 grams of fat.

Healthy eating tips: 11:30 a.m.

  1. Buy better bread. If you eat white bread, you’re eating vitamin-fortified starch. Whole-wheat bread has fiber, important nutrients such as selenium and copper, and lots of other healthy ingredients. Maybe that’s why whole-grain eaters seem to have less diabetes, breast cancer, and heart disease. Just don’t be fooled by a dark color: Unless the first ingredient includes the word “whole,” it isn’t whole-wheat bread.
  2. Choose canola salad dressing. Look for a dressing made with canola oil, rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). One study found that if you got more than 1 gram of ALA per day the study group had half the number of fatal heart attacks.
  3. Be picky about decaf tea. Regular tea delivers healing antioxidants but some decaf teas don’t. If the decaf method isn’t listed on the package, assume they used ethyl acetate, which dramatically lowers antioxidant levels. Look for tea that says it’s been decaffeinated with water and carbon dioxide (sometimes called “natural” or “effervescence”) which preserves antioxidants.
  4. Pick up whole-wheat pasta. Do you need more help getting to your 30 or so grams of daily fiber? Try doing this: Substitute 1 cup of whole-wheat pasta (6.3 grams of fiber) for the same amount of regular (2.4 grams). This one easy switch pushes you 4 grams closer to your total daily fiber goal.
  5. Find ice cream that builds bones. Find a brand with 15 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for calcium in a 1/2-cup serving. That means when you eat a cup of ice cream, you’ll get 30 percent of the DV for calcium as much as a glass of milk. Same tip applies to frozen yogurt.

Healthy Eating Tips: 12:30 PM:

  1. Order Pizza the “Double-Half” Way. When you order, ask for double tomato sauce and half cheese. Double sauce? Many studies link higher consumption of cooked tomato products with reduced risk of prostate and other cancers. Half cheese? You’ll cut down on artery clogging saturated fat.

Healthy eating tips: 4 p.m.

  1. Shrimp are low in fat and calories, but they taste so rich that you can really satisfy yourself without gaining weight! (Twelve large non breaded shrimp contain just 65 calories and less than 1 grams of fat!)

Healthy eating tips: 8 p.m.

  1. Order dessert first. Ask your waiter if they have berries for dessert, then order them as an appetizer. Low-cal raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and ellagic acid, a compound that’s being studied as a colon cancer fighter. Since restaurants get the very best berries, don’t pass up this super food!
  2. Order half your entrée as take-out. One restaurant portion can usually feed two and who needs all those calories? So when you order an entree, ask them to automatically put half of it directly into a take-home box. That way, it’ll never show up on your plate! Staying slim helps lower your risk of cancer, diabetes, stroke, and many other illnesses. And you’ll have a ready made meal for tomorrow!
  3. Reach for the sparkling water. Staying well hydrated helps fight urinary tract infections by keeping your urine diluted.
  4. Dip your carrots. Are you snacking only on carrot sticks? Make sure you eat them with some fat a dab of dip or a cube of cheese. Without any fat, you absorb very little of carrot’s cancer-fighting carotenoids.
  5. Salmon is one of the richest and possibly most delicious sources of omega-3 fats. By boosting your intake of omega-3s, you may help ward off depression, severe menstrual cramps, macular degeneration (a cause of blindness), fatal heart attacks, and possibly even breast cancer. (A 3-ounce serving of cooked salmon has 1.9 grams of omega-3s; in comparison, 3 ounces of cooked chicken breast has a mere 0.05 grams.)
  6. Side with the veggies. It’s easy to leave a restaurant without touching any vegetables except French fries unless you routinely order a side dish of broccoli, spinach, or whatever they’ve got that sounds good. The antioxidants in veggies including vitamins E and C prevent the free radical damage that promotes cancer, cataracts, and memory loss. Antioxidants can also bolster immunity, fending off things such as the flu.
  7. Finish with tea. Tea has more antioxidants than most veggies. People who drink 4 cups of green tea a day seem to get less cancer, perhaps due to a powerful antioxidant called EGCG. Black tea contains quercetin, a compound that helps prevent blood clots the immediate triggers of most heart attacks.

Healthy eating tips: 11:00 p.m

  1. Have a cup of hot cocoa. Love chocolate, but still want to be healthy? Good news! Cocoa (chocolate with much of the fat removed) actually has even more antioxidant power than tea! The flavonoids in cocoa can keep blood platelets from clotting, which may prevent heart attacks. Plus, the milk in hot cocoa loves your bones! (An average cup of cocoa has less than one-tenth the caffeine of instant coffee. But if you’re very caffeine sensitive, bedtime isn’t the best time for any caffeine.)
  2. Not drinking cocoa? Pop a calcium supplement. Most women get less than one half of the calcium they need for strong bones, so if you’re not drinking cocoa, bedtime is a great time to take a calcium supplement. (If your tummy is empty, calcium citrate supplements are absorbed best.)
  3. Drink another big glass of water after you brush your teeth.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Toxic Hunger

CartoonEatingI hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life and listen to my CD’S ‘Your body, Your life’ as this topic is discussed and explained in greater detail.

Toxic Hunger. . . is at the foundation of food addiction and the major cause of obesity

Most people will never experience the feeling of hunger. In fact, most desire to avoid it. Feeling hungry is actually a guide to ingesting the amount of calories you require for health and maintaining your ideal weight. When you eat out of true hunger, food tastes much better and you are physiologically primed for proper digestion. Hunger, in the true sense of the word, indicates to you that it is time to eat again.

Real hunger is not often experienced in our modern, overfed population. Most people no longer even remember or are aware what hunger even feels like. Most are surprised to find that true hunger is felt in the throat and not in the head or stomach.

Instead of true hunger, people are experiencing detoxification or withdrawal symptoms that they mistake for hunger. They feel shaky, head achy, weak, get abdominal cramps or spasms, which they believe to be hunger because they are relieved by eating. This is” toxic hunger.” Toxic hunger is symptoms a person experiences that are due to toxic wastes being mobilized for elimination. It occurs after a meal is digested and the digestive track is empty, and it could make you  feel very uncomfortable.

Generally, you eat to get rid of these withdrawal symptoms and it works. In fact, this is one of the most important contributors to our population’s overweight condition. You eat the wrong foods, and just a few hours later you feel ill, stressed out, shaky, weak, mentally dull, and you are driven to eat again to relieve the discomfort. Did you ever hear someone say they need to eat because they felt so shaky? The question is, are these symptoms true hunger, hypoglycemia, or something else? These symptoms occur simultaneous to your blood sugar decreasing but they are not caused by” hypoglycemia.” They result from tissue sensitivity to mobilization of waste products which occurs when most active digestion is finished.

You do not want to go hungry and deny yourself food to achieve an ideal weight. There is a better answer. When you eat a nutrient‐dense diet, rich with lots of colorful vegetables, you will meet your nutrient needs, and this will reduce and eliminate uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. High nutrient eating enables you  to deal with all types of stress, but in this case, eating more high‐nutrient foods will enable you to avoid stress hunger and eliminate cravings and the drive to overeat.

When your diet is low in nutrients, you build up intra-cellular waste products. So when digestion stops, your body goes through a period of cleaning, meaning that your tissues release toxic substances into circulation for removal. Your cells can harbor toxic products that build up in your body when your diet is relatively nutrient poor. Phytonutrients are required for your body to properly detoxify metabolic waste products. When you don’t eat sufficient phytochemical rich vegetation and consume excess animal proteins (creating excess nitrogenous wastes), you exacerbate the build up of metabolic waste products in your bodies. You get confused because when you eat the same heavy foods that are causing the problem to begin with, you feel better. This makes becoming overweight inevitable.

If you stop digesting food, even for a short time, your body will begin to experience symptoms of detoxification or withdrawal from your unhealthful diet. To counter this you eat heavy meals, eat too often and keep your digestive track overfed to lessen the discomfort from your stressful diet . When your body has acclimated to noxious agents it is called addiction. Try to stop taking the heroin and you will feel ill. In fact, you must have it, or you will become terribly sick this is called withdrawal. When you stop doing something harmful to yourselves you feel ill as your body mobilizes cellular wastes and attempts to repair the damage caused by the exposure.

If you habitually drink three cups of coffee or caffeinated soda a day, you will get a withdrawal headache when your caffeine level dips too low. Taking in more caffeine or food could make you feel better by retarding the detoxification or withdrawal symptoms.

Likewise, a few hours after eating the standard low nutrient diet, most people begin to feel hungry. They feel weak, headachy, tired, mentally dull, and have stomach spasms. This is stress or toxic hunger because these symptoms only occur in those who have been eating a toxic diet. True hunger would not have occurred so early after a meal. True hunger signals occur when your body needs  calories to maintain your lean body mass. No one would become overweight if they ate food demanded by true hunger and true hunger only. But in your present toxic food environment, you have lost the ability to connect with your  body signals that tell you how much food you actually need. You have become slaves to withdrawal symptoms and eat all day long, even when there is no biological need for calories.  This cycle of eating, and then avoiding the symptoms of detoxification by eating again, does not have to continue. There is a way out. When you restore the nutritional integrity and relative cleanliness to your tissues, you simply will not have the desire to eat to get rid of the toxin induced symptoms.

In an environment of healthy food choices, you would not feel any symptoms after a meal until hormonal and neurological messengers indicated glycogen reserves in your liver were running low. Your body possess a beautifully orchestrated ability to give you precise signals which tell you exactly how much to eat to maintain an ideal weight for your long term health. These signals are called true hunger to differentiate them from the toxic hunger everyone else calls hunger. Feeding yourselves to satisfy true hunger does not cause weight gain, and if people were better connected with these normal signals it would be almost impossible for anyone to become overweight. True hunger is felt in the throat, neck and mouth, not in your stomach or head. It is a drawing sensation. It is not very uncomfortable to feel real hunger, it makes food taste much better when you eat, and it makes eating an intense pleasure. True hunger requires no special food to satisfy it. It is relieved by eating almost anything. You can’t crave some particular food and call it hunger. A craving by definition is an addictive drive, not something felt by a person who is not an addict.

In order to achieve an ideal weight and consume the exact amount of calories to maintain a lean body mass you do not have to carry around a calculator and a scale to figure out how much to eat. A healthy body will give you the correct signals. So in order to achieve superior health, maximize your longevity potential, and achieve your ideal weight, you have to eat well enough to get back in touch with true hunger and rid yourselves of this stress hunger.

Every cell is like a little factory.  It makes products, produces waste and then must compact, detoxify and remove waste. If you don’t get sufficient antioxidants and phytonutrients from your diet, your cells are unable to effectively remove the waste. If you let waste build up, your body will attempt to get rid of the waist when it can but it can only do that effectively if you are not  eating. Eating makes you feel better because it halts or delays this detoxification process.

My books and Cd’s I explain in more detail some of the most effective ways to reach your ideal weight and stay there permanently when you get there.

You must prioritize your food intake around nutrient dense, high fiber, high water content food, which means fruits, vegetables and beans. This is all about knowledge, not will power. With the right knowledge, you can get more pleasure from eating, avoid restrictive diets, and protect your health.

To get more insight and information check out my CD’s Your Body Your Health and The Secrets of Weight Loss and the Nutritional Sprays (all available on my website) which will bring you the best supplements available all in a spray, with up to 98% absorption. It increases the bio availability of nutrients with a simple and delicious spray into your mouth. Feel Healthy, energized and vibrant.  Help slow the aging process, support your immune system and suppress your appetite for a healthier body and mind in minutes a day.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Alcohol

booze.1The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books. I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

If you have ever seen a person who has had too much to drink, you know that alcohol is a drug that can have widespread effects on your body. In 1997, Americans drank an average of 2 gallons (7.57 liters) of alcohol per person per week and if you consider that about 35 percent of adults don’t drink, this number is actually higher for those who do.

In order to understand alcohol’s effects on your body, it is helpful to understand what alcohol is.
Alcohol is a clear liquid at room temperature.
Alcohol is less dense and evaporates at a lower temperature than water (this property allows it to be distilled — by heating a water and alcohol mixture, the alcohol evaporates first).
Alcohol dissolves easily in water.
Alcohol is flammable (so flammable that it can be used as a fuel).

You will not find pure alcohol in most drinks; drinking pure alcohol can be deadly because it only takes a few ounces of pure alcohol to quickly raise the blood alcohol level into the danger zone. Alcohol is a TOXIN.  When you drink alcohol, about 20 percent of the alcohol is absorbed in the stomach and the other 80 percent is absorbed in the small intestine. How fast the alcohol is absorbed depends upon several things:

The concentration of alcohol in the beverage – The greater the concentration, the faster the absorption.

The type of drink – Carbonated beverages tend to speed up the absorption of alcohol.  Whether the stomach is full or empty – Food slows down alcohol absorption.

After being absorbed, the alcohol enters your bloodstream and dissolves in the water of your blood. Your blood then carries the alcohol throughout your body. The alcohol from the blood then enters and dissolves in the water inside each tissue of your body, except fat tissue because alcohol cannot dissolve in fat. Once inside your tissues, alcohol exerts its effects on you and your body.
The alcohol will then leave your body in three ways:
Your kidney eliminates 5 percent of alcohol in the urine.
Your lungs exhale 5 percent of alcohol, which can be detected by breathalyser devices. You liver chemically breaks down the remaining alcohol into acetic acid.

As a rule of thumb, an average person can eliminate 0.5 oz (15 ml) of alcohol per hour. So, it would take you approximately one hour to eliminate the alcohol from a 12 oz (355 ml) can of beer.
When you compare men and women of the same height, weight and build, men tend to have more muscle and less fat than women. Since muscle tissue has more water than fat tissue, the alcohol will be diluted more in a man than in a woman. Therefore, the blood alcohol concentration resulting from a drink will be higher in a woman than in a man. The result is that a woman will feel the effects of that drink sooner than the man will.

Now since your body can only eliminate about one drink per hour, drinking several drinks in an hour will increase your Blood Alcohol content or BAC. If you have seen someone who has had too much to drink, you’ve probably noticed a definite change in that person’s performance and behavior. Your body responds to alcohol in stages, and these stages are directly linked to the BAC of your body.

Euphoria (BAC = 0.03 to 0.12 percent)
you become more self-confident or daring
your attention span shortens
you may look flushed
your judgment is not as good – and you may say the first thought that comes to mind, rather than an appropriate comment for the given situation.
You will have trouble with fine movements, such as writing or signing your name.
Excitement (BAC = 0.09 to 0.25)
you will become sleepy
you will have trouble understanding or remembering things (even recent events)
you do not react to situations as quickly (if you spill a drink you may just stare at it.
your body movements are uncoordinated
you begin to lose your balance easily
your vision becomes blurry
you may have trouble sensing things (hearing, tasting, feeling, etc..)
Confusion (BAC = 0.18 to 0.30)
you get confused – might not know where you are or what you are doing
you get dizzy and may stagger
you may become highly emotional – aggressive, withdrawn or overly affectionate.
you cannot see clearly
you become sleepy
your speech becomes slurred
you have uncoordinated movements (trouble catching an object)
You may not feel pain as readily as a sober person
Stupor (BAC = 0.25 to 0.4)
you can barely move
you cannot respond to stimuli
you cannot stand or walk
you may vomit
you may lapse in and out of consciousness)
Coma (BAC = 0.35 to 0.50)
you are unconscious
your reflexes are depressed and your pupils do not respond appropriately to  changes in light
you feel cool
your breathing is slower and more shallow
your heart rate may slow
you may die
Death (BAC more than 0.50)
you will usually stop breathing and die

All of alcohol’s effects will continue until your body eliminates all of the alcohol.

Approximately 8 percent of people aged 18 and older suffer from alcohol abuse and/or dependence. This abuse or dependence costs upwards of $1.7 billion in medical treatment, lost earnings, casualty damages and criminal/legal costs per year.

Your body can also increase its tolerance it has to alcohol by increasing the level of your liver’s enzymes that are used to break down alcohol and increase the activity of brain and nervous system neurons. This means that your body becomes more efficient in eliminating the high levels of alcohol in your blood, and with the increased nerve activity, this helps some to function normally with higher then normal BAC levels. This also makes you irritable when you are not drinking. The increased nerve activity may also make you crave alcohol. It also means that you must drink more alcohol to experience the same effects as before, which leads to more drinking and contributes to addiction. These bodily adaptations change a person’s behavior. The increased nerve activity also contributes to hallucinations and convulsions when alcohol is withdrawn, and makes it difficult to overcome alcohol abuse and dependence.

There are also many other adverse physical effects that result from long-term exposure to alcohol: The increased activity in your liver causes cell death and hardening of the tissue (cirrhosis of the liver).
Your brain cells in various centers die, thereby reducing your total brain mass.

Stomach and intestinal ulcers can form because the constant alcohol use irritates and degrades the linings of these organs.
Blood pressure increases as your heart compensates for the initially reduced blood pressure caused by alcohol.
Sperm production decreases because of decreased sex-hormone secretion from the hypothalamus/pituitary and, possibly, direct effects of alcohol on the testes.

Poor nutritionVitamin B leading to anemia.

Alcoholics also lose their balance and fall more often suffering bruises and broken bones, especially as they get older.
Alcohol abuse and dependence can cause emotional and social problems. The emotional and physical effects of alcohol can contribute to marital and family problems, including domestic violence, as well as work-related problems, such as excessive absences and poor performance.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Healthy Fat Foods

image001I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

Some foods you think that are healthy are actually junk food in disguise. Once you learn the difference you will begin to see the changes you are looking for.

Chips, gooey desserts, anything that starts with fried are high in calories and you should know how to avoid these foods. What’s tricky is that some foods with healthy reputations are actually worse for your weight than you may think.

Sushi rolls: The veggies and seaweed wrap are low calorie, but a lot of the most popular rolls are slathered with cream cheese or mayonnaise and the seafood inside may be tempura battered. Thanks to these ingredients, a standard roll may have 500 to 600calories. Also, soy sauce is loaded with sodium. It won’t make you gain weight, but it’ll cause you to retain water.

Dried fruit: Cup for cup, dried fruit has five to eight times more calories than the fresh kind because it has been dehydrated and is much denser. Fresh grapes, for example, have 60 calories per cup, while raisins have 460. And many brands add sugar, which increases the calorie count.

Granola: Because it’s loaded with good for you nuts and oats, it’s too bad that they add oil to make it crisp and tons of sugar for more taste. One bowl racks up around 500 calories. Some cereals with the same nutrients but less oil and sugar pack half the calorie count.

Bran muffins: Whether it’s plain bran or mixed with apples or bananas, the fiber fills you up, but considering all the sugar and butter it delivers, a bran muffin is basically just a round slice of cake. One weighs in at about 20 grams of fat, 420 calories, and 34 grams of sugar.

Half & half: You put so little into your coffee, it seems like a harmless way to get calcium, especially when compared to full fat cream. But a few spoonfuls per cup of coffee two or three times a day quickly turns into 200 or more calories which is about the same amount of fat as a big pat of butter!

Wraps: No matter what you put in it, the average wrap is a major offender. If you roll the tortilla out, it can be 1 foot across and pack up to 300 calories. Since the surface area is way bigger than two slices of bread, you coat it with a lot more mayo or dressing than you would a sub or sandwich.

Bottled teas: Most brands have sugar or honey added, which are calorie sweeteners. One bottle can contain two or more servings, bringing the calorie count to almost 200 which is similar to a bottle of soda.

Rice cakes: These light snacks are fat free and low in calories, but they’re also completely lacking in fiber or protein, two ingredients that actually may help to curb hunger. Eating two or three won’t do anything but add more calories to your daily total and leave you craving something with substance. Limit the flavored kinds.  They tend to have more sugar or sodium.

Veggie burgers: Skipping beef for a meat free patty may save you a little fat and cholesterol, but depending on the brand and what you put on it, you could easily end up eating more than 1,000 calories. The cheese that often binds the veggies together and the huge size of the burgers are anything but diet friendly. Add a bun and some ketchup and you might as well have had a regular burger.

Juice: Reaching your recommended daily fruit serving goal by getting it in liquid form may not be a great idea.  A 16-ounce bottle of OJ or apple juice has 55 grams of carbohydrates, the equivalent of five slices of bread. And most of that is sugar, a whopping 12 spoonfuls of it.

Diet microwave meals: The lean ready to eat dishes tend to be high in sodium. Since the manufacturers can’t rely on calorie rich fat to make the stuff taste good, they resort to salt. As a result, eating them will make you retain water, especially in your arms and legs, leaving you puffy, instead of keeping you trim.

Salads: There’s nothing better for you or your waist than naked veggies, but the shredded cheese, candied nuts, croutons, and globs of dressing often make salads as high in calories as an oversize dish of pasta. Vinaigrettes, may not be as fattening as ranches, but can be almost as high calorie!  If you must use a salad dressing there are many ‘lite’ and ‘low-cal’ versions to choose from.

Tofu: Order this “health food” at a restaurant and what you’ll most likely get is a plateful of sodium, calories, saturated fat, and even sugar. Tofu itself isn’t the issue. The problem is that the white stuff is so bland, it’s often deep fried to give it flavor and texture and served in decadent sauces, making it a diet disaster.

Here are some Habits that have been hyped as healthy but actually add fat to your midsection.

  1. You Skip Meals.  This tactic always backfires. You end up so hungry later on that you can’t help but overeat. And when you do, more fat will find its way to your midsection. Eating small to medium size meals every three to four hours, fills you up without resulting in a layer of flab.
  2. You Go Vegetarian. Women will often avoid foods from the meat, fish, and dairy groups because they think they are packed with calories and fat. But remember, these foods are protein superstars that help boost your metabolism so you can fight off tummy fat. Opt for low-calorie, low-fat choices, like cottage cheese or tuna. One 6-ounce can fulfills three-quarters of your daily protein requirement.
  3. You Think Bread Is Bad.  White bread, yes, but whole-grain breads and cereals, allow insulin levels to rise more gradually, reducing the chance that you’ll add fat to your belly. Wild rice, oatmeal, or whole-wheat tortillas once a day can make a difference.
  4. You’re Crunch Crazed.  Sit-ups tone muscle, but they don’t have any effect on the layer of fat covering your ab muscles. Doing 50, 100, or even 500 crunches won’t make your jeans feel any looser. What does work? Cardio. Instead of wasting all your time on crunches, spend an extra 10 minutes on the treadmill.
  5. You Booze a Lot, but Infrequently.  Alcohol has lots of calories yet doesn’t fill you up at all. So when you binge drink, you’re basically inviting flab to settle on your midsection.
  6. You Eat “Lite” Products.  You may think you are doing your body a favor by opting for sugar free yogurt, diet soda, or any other snack labeled low-fat or low-cal. But these versions are often loaded with artificial sweeteners, which may trigger your metabolism to increase fat storage.
  7. You Think Fatty Foods Are the Enemy.  Foods high in monounsaturated fats help burn off belly fat and help you to consume less.

Foods That Melt Flab Away

Cinnamon: Without going into the whole scientific explanation of why it works, adding 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of this spice to something you eat every day, hot cereal, marinades, yogurt, helps blood sugar get into your cells so they can be used for energy, so less is stored as fat.

Green Tea: One ingredient, caffeine, is a stimulant that raises your heart rate and tells your system to burn calories faster. Green tea also has catechins, a substance believed help burn belly fat. Aim for three 8-ounce cups a day. (Without the milk, cream or sugar)

Yogurt:  Dairy has a bad rap for high calories, but yogurt, both the low-fat and regular kinds, contains probiotics, which are friendly bacteria that may actually help reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs.

CoffeeCaffeine kicks your metabolism into high gear. Caffeine also jump-starts lipolysis, the breakdown of fat. One to two cups a day is ideal. (Black is best)

Chili Peppers:  Often found in high quantities in hot salsa as well as in many Thai, Indian and Chinese curry dishes. These wonder foods are packed with a metabolism boosting compound called capsaicin, which provides chili peppers’ fiery flavor. In addition, capsaicin increases your body temperature, giving your metabolism an extra calorie burning push.

Chicken and Fish:  It actually takes energy to digest food, and your body burns more calories digesting and metabolizing protein than it does while breaking down carbs and fats. Consuming a few servings of lean protein, each day may help keep your metabolism burning fat, long after you finish eating your meal.

Take the first step to achieving healthy blood sugar metabolism and sustained good health right now! And begin by reading ‘get fit stay fit’ ‘The best you can be’ and listening to my audio cd’s which are comprehensive, yet tailored to meet your individual needs. You have the power to shape your body for better health.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Sodium

j0226430The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

Better known as salt, it’s an alkaline mineral whose chemical short form is Na. It’s an essential element in the human body, needed for maintaining the correct balance of acidity and alkalinity and for regulating the volume of fluids.

Salt can effect blood pressure, particularly in salt sensitive people, here is how. Since salt cannot be stored in the body without the right amount of water, it retains water to accommodate sodium levels. Unless the over supply is excreted, the fluid volume in the blood vessels will rise with the sodium levels. The result may be high blood pressure. One in five people have high blood pressure and half these people are salt sensitive. Check with your doctor for high blood pressure and to see if you are salt sensitive.

Nutrition experts cannot really agree on the ideal amount of salt to be taken daily, however their range goes from 500 to 5,000 mg. per day. To put this in perspective, the average adult male consumes about 10,000 mg. daily, while some women consume about 9,000 mg. daily. The most agreed upon amount is about 2,000 mg. daily. Anything over that and you will begin to retain water and sodium can hold up to 50 times its weight in water.

In general, fruits and vegetables contain small amounts of sodium while meats, fish and shellfish contain higher amounts. The more processed, preserved, pickled or carbonated an item is, the more sodium it’s bound to contain.

In certain people excessive amounts of sodium has been linked to water retention, swelling, weight gain, high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart disease. This does not mean to eliminate salt in your diet, because that could lead to severe health problems such as; cramping, decrease resistance to infection, eye disturbances, fatigue, loss of taste, poor memory and circulation, prolonged wound healing, splitting hairs and white spots on nails.

Do not try to change your sodium habits overnight. Keep track of your daily intake and gradually reduce to the recommended amounts.

Here are some tips to help you reduce sodium;

  • be a sodium sleuth and read the food labels (Na or NaCl)
  • do not add salt without tasting and then add    sparingly
  • use lemons, garlic, pepper, caraway, anything low in sodium for a flavour substitute
  • reduce your use of prepared condiments like ketchup, soy sauce, olives and  pickles
  • cut back on cured meats (ham, bacon, salami, bologna, wieners )
  • stay clear of salty fish (lox, herring, dried cod, sardines)
  • cut back on baked goods containing baking powder
  • watch the amount of pop and club soda you drink
  • avoid salted crackers, tinned nuts, pretzels and potato chips
  • avoid the saltier cheeses like Roquefort and Gorgonzola and highly processed cheese spreads, dips and whipped dessert toppings.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Life Style Tips

pe07268_The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

  1. Start with a food diary. Record everything you eat. This will help you to understand just how much you eat
  2. If you’re about to cheat…it’s O.K. Allow yourself the treat but eat only half
  3. When hunger hits do not eat right away. Wait 10 minutes and see if the urge passes.
  4. Instead of eating a piece of candy, brush your teeth. The taste of the toothpaste will often stop your craving Set attainable short term goals.
  5. Be aware that watching T.V. encourages snacking. If you can’t stop watching T.V. then at least try to make your snacks healthy and low in fat. (the book ‘Get Fit Stay Fit’ has a great section on treats under 100 kcal.)
  6. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. It helps cut down on water retention by acting as a diuretic and will make you feel full it taken before a meal.
  7. When a craving hits, try to do something else…anything. Phone a friend or walk around the block. Do anything that will take your mind off the cravings.
  8. Keep an orange slice or a glass of water by your bedside to help stop you from getting up in the middle of the night and heading to the refrigerator.
  9. If you use food as a reward, find another reward like buying new clothes or flowers for yourself.
  10. If you feel yourself ready to really binge…suck on something sour like a pickle or a piece of lemon.
  11. Do not shop when you are hungry, because you will buy fattening food.
  12. Avoid finger foods. They are too easy to eat in large amounts Keep plenty of raw vegetables and air popped popcorn around. They’re high in fibre, satisfying and filling.
  13. Eat at a table and not in front of the T.V.
  14. Lose weight for yourself and not for anyone else.
  15. Never skip meals. Schedule all your meals and snacks at regular intervals so you don’t get hungry in between
  16. Try to avoid sugar. It tends to increase your cravings Plan your meals. A weekly planner is ideal Eat breakfast to start your day and body off right.
  17. Skip the mayonnaise on your sandwich and save 50 to 100 kcal.
  18. Park a few blocks from your work. The walk will do you good. Parking just 5 minutes away from work will add an hour of exercise per week and ultimately 10,000 kcal. or the equivalent of 3 pounds of fat. Take the stairs instead of the elevator…providing you don’t work of the 42nd floor. This will burn about 7 kcal. per minute.
  19. Soup is like water. It’ll fill you up, so that you will eat less of the main course. Choose clear soups rather than creamed.
  20. Skip the chips and dip at parties and go for the unbuttered popcorn.
  21. Get rid of the snacks that are around, because if they’re not there, you can’t eat them.
  22. If you’re really lucky, have sex before breakfast! It’ll burn about 200 kcal and hopefully get your mind off food.
  23. Have some protein following a workout. It will satisfy you and help balance your blood sugar levels.
  24. Eat more frequently but in smaller amounts.
  25. Women need to make sure they get enough calcium and iron. They need about 700 –800 mgs. Of calcium and 13 mgs. of iron.
  26. Exercise can temporarily raise your metabolic rate so that you continue to burn calories for several hours after your workout.
  27. All bread is low in fat. It’s what you put on the bread that really counts.
  28. Avoid adding salt. It retains 10 times its weight in water and leads to bloating and extra pounds.
  29. Replace caffeinated beverages with water.
  30. Out of sight out of mind. Get rid of all the high fat, high calorie snacks in your kitchen or in your desk at work.
  31. Eat a grapefruit. It’s not only low in calories but also contains 15 grams of pectin, the special fibre that is linked to lowering cholesterol and fat.
  32. The body burns 22 to 25 kcal. to digest 100 grams of complex carbohydrates but burns only 2 kcal to digest the same amount of fat. This means 98% of fat can turn right into body fat while only 75 to 78 percent would be available from complex carbohydrates.
  33. Eat fewer dairy foods and make sure what you eat are non fat or skim.
  34. Change from butter to margarine or better yet, nothing at all.
  35. Eliminate fried foods. Instead broil, poach, roast, steam or barbecue.
  36. When grocery shopping, make a list so you know exactly what you are going to buy and stick to it.
  37. Be label conscious. Read about the ingredients, the nutrition information and percent of fat in the food.
  38. But and eat well trimmed lean meats and consider eating smaller portions.
  39. Cut back on oils, dressings, gravy and sauces or at least ask for them on the side.
  40. Phrases that signal low fat preparation are, steamed in its own juice, garden fresh, broiled, roasted, poached, tomato juice/sauce.
  41. High sodium food terms to watch for are, pickled, smoked, in cocktail sauce and broth.
  42. High fat food terms may include, buttery, creamed, in its own gravy, hollandaise or bernese sauce, sautéed, fried, crispy, au gratin, marinated, in oil, basted and casserole.
  43. Do not put serving dishes on the table. Let the remaining food stay in the kitchen.
  44. Quick weight loss programs rarely produce the best long-term results, and can be very dangerous. Instead of crash dieting, try to increase your lean muscle mass. One pound of muscle burns 39.6 calories per kilogram per day while one pound of fat burns just 4.4 calories per kilogram per day.
  45. Remember good things come in small packages. Try to eat 6 smaller meals per day instead of three larger meals. Also try to consume 15 to 30 grams of protein per each meal. Doing this will result in improved muscle growth and better endurance while also helping digestion.
  46. In ancient Arabic the word coffee means, gives strength. While caffeine can give you a boost, too much can leave you feeling fidgety and fatigued.
  47. To be the best…rest. If you are lifting heavy weights, be sure to rest between sets and give your body time to recover. Also do not work the same muscle group two days in a row. Your muscles grow when you’re resting not when you’re working out.
  48. Breathe…Breathe…Breathe…Remember aerobic exercise is sustained physical activity that requires oxygen for fuel, lasts for a minimum of 20 minutes and causes an elevation in your heart rate.
  49. Trying to keep up with the Jones’s can be hazardous to your health. You don’t have to lift more or stretch farther than others in the gym. Simply focus on improving the quality and quantity of your own movements.
  50. Don’t be a copycat. Trying to mimic others more advanced then you can lead to frustration and injury.
  51. Athletes are often judged by their accomplishments. What you should think about is if you’ve tried your best. It’s called ‘heart’.
  52. Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible and before you know it you can do what you thought was once impossible.
  53. Exercise makes your heart work more efficient. If you incorporate an aerobic program into your daily routine you can decrease your heart rate by more than three million beats per year.

I know you want to get in shape and look great. Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Sugar Metabolism

blood sugarI hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape ofyour life.

Achieving and maintaining proper blood sugar metabolism is essential for a lifetime of excellent health. Prolonged unhealthy blood sugar metabolism can significantly affect the health of your nerve, eyes, blood vessels, kidneys and pancreas. It can impact your weight, body shape, energy levels, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, overall cardiovascular health and more. Over 60 million Americans have “insulin resistance”, a form of unhealthy blood sugar metabolism that frequently goes unrecognized, but can often progress to the point where signs of significant health deterioration appear.

Don’t let this happen to you! It is never too early or too late to learn how you can achieve and maintain healthy blood sugar metabolism and experience the benefits of sustained good health.. By understanding how blood sugar metabolism works, and with the guidance of your healthcare provider, you can take the necessary steps to achieve and enjoy the long-lasting benefits of healthy blood sugar metabolism.
Diet, Lifestyle and Healthy Blood Sugar Metabolism
It is import to eat a healthy, nutrient rich diet containing unrefined carbohydrates from whole foods. Through normal, healthy digestion, the unrefined carbohydrates in your diet are progressively broken down to smaller sugars, which are then absorbed through your intestine into your blood. This sugar absorption stimulates your pancreas to secrete an appropriate quantity of insulin into your blood, which facilitates the delivery of sugar into cells throughout your body.

When insulin binds to insulin receptors embedded in the cell membranes, a signal is sent to sugar transport channel vesicles inside the cell. These vesicles respond to the insulin signal by carrying sugar transport channels (“sugar entryways”) to the surface membrane of your cell. The vesicles then fuse with the cell membrane, flatten out and position their sugar transport channels to facilitate effective sugar delivery from your blood into the cell. The sugar then enters the cell and is used for energy production by the mitochondria (the energy factories of the cell), or is stored for future use. The response of the cell to insulin binding, and the resultant insulin signal, is critical to healthy blood sugar metabolism.

Factors That Lead to Unhealthy Blood Sugar Metabolism

Obesity, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet are considered major contributors to developing poor blood sugar metabolism. When you consume excess sweets and refined or processed foods, the simple sugars they contain are absorbed very quickly and can cause a rapid and dramatic increase in your blood sugar levels. With a high concentration of sugar in your blood, the pancreas responds by producing a proportionally high surge of insulin in an effort to help the sugar gain entrance to the cell. In unhealthy blood sugar metabolism, the cell may be unresponsive or “insulin resistant” and sugar delivery into your cell can be reduced. The pancreas then tries to compensate by producing even more insulin. Over time, these high levels of insulin can lead to a host of problems, including increased triglyceride levels, decreased HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, other cardiovascular manifestations and hormone disruption.

This “insulin resistance” may occur because, along with excess sweets and refined carbohydrates, an unhealthy diet is also frequently deficient in the nutrients necessary to support healthy cell membranes, insulin receptors and a strong insulin signal. Unhealthy insulin receptors can result in poor binding of insulin and, in concert with other factors, a diminished insulin signal, thereby reducing sugar delivery into your cell. These other factors include the negative effects of specific enzymes and cytokines, such as phosphotyrosine phosphatases, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappB) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).

An unhealthy diet may even alter the way the genetic information within your cells influences blood sugar metabolism. Scientists now know that a poor diet, along with other contributors, can alter your genetic potential or gene expression. Appropriate gene expression is important for healthy blood sugar metabolism because it stimulates sugar utilization by the mitochondria of your cells, producing energy and – in effect – clearing sugar from your blood.

Taken as a whole, excess weight, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet can reduce the “sensitivity” of your cells to insulin and even impact their genetic expression. Without effective insulin binding and signaling, the sugar transport channel vesicles remain static and unable to travel to and fuse with the cell membrane. As a result, the number of sugar transport channels is reduced, leading to poor cellular sugar absorption and utilization, excess blood sugar and insulin, low energy and a host of other possible manifestations of deteriorating health.

SUGGESTIONS TO HELP ACHIEVE HEALTHY BLOOD SUGAR METABOLISM

Incorporating lifestyle changes that focus on effective weight control, a program of regular exercise and specific dietary guidelines are very important to promoting healthy blood sugar metabolism.

The dietary guidelines should focus on two primary goals: 1) choosing foods that have a moderate effect on raising blood sugar, referred to as “low-glycemic-index” foods, and 2) choosing foods that improve your body’s ability to support the effect of insulin, functionally reducing “insulin resistance”. With the guidance of your healthcare provider, this can be an easy process that results in a healthy and delicious dietary plan.

Nutritional supplementation may also offer great benefit. Your healthcare provider may recommend that you supplement your diet with a combination of macronutrients that include soy protein, special fibers and a low-glycemic-index starch known as high-amylose starch. These help support healthy carbohydrate absorption and blood sugar metabolism.

Supplementing your diet with various fatty acids and micronutrients may also be helpful. These include the essential fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to support healthy cell membranes; conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to promote the insulin signal and gene expression for improved utilization of sugar by the mitochondrion; lipoic acid to further support the insulin signal and sugar utilization by the mitochondrion; vitamin E, inositol and the minerals vanadium, chromium and magnesium to provide additional support to the insulin signal; and biotin to promote sugar utilization by the mitochondria. Other herbs and accessory nutrients may also be helpful.

Take the first step to achieving healthy blood sugar metabolism and sustained good health right now! And begin by reading ‘get fit stay fit’ ‘The best you can be’ and listening to my audio cd’s which are comprehensive, yet tailored to meet your individual needs. You have the power to shape your body for better health.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Eating Tips To Look Good

beauty 1I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

 Blood oranges, cherries and blueberries

Collagen is a natural protein in your skin and muscles that provides resiliency, shape and texture. Unfortunately, collagen production decreases with age but you can fight back with dark fruits. Blood oranges, cherries and blueberries are full of antioxidants, which decrease aging and disease by lowering inflammation. Antioxidants also increase collagen production and thicken your skin, making you look younger and healthier. Antioxidants also decrease the severity of rosacea. Blackberries, raspberries, plums, pomegranates, cranberries, Asian dragon fruit and kiwis also contain antioxidants.

Shellfish, sunflower seeds and sardines

These foods offer a powerhouse of essential fatty acids.  Fatty acids nourish the skin, help maintain skin integrity and keep skin cells performing optimally.  Essential fatty acids, a component of all cell membranes in your body, regulate the flow of nutrients, waste materials, and water in and out of your cells which keeps you looking young. Flax seeds, tuna, walnuts, canola oil, soybean oil and pumpkin seeds are more good sources of essential fatty acids.

 Dandelion, turnip and mustard greens

These foods that keep your livers cleansed of toxins, heavy metals and fats make your whole body function more efficiently.  This makes you happier, which affects how you look.  A healthy liver brightens your eyes and tightens your skin.  Dense green foods such as broccoli, spinach as well as turnip, mustard and dandelion greens have been shown to lessen your sweet tooth.  Simple and refined sugars, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and refined, manufactured foods age you.  Excess sugar has been linked to a process called glycation, in which sugar molecules bond to protein molecules, which has been linked to sagging, wrinkled skin.

Oregano, thyme and parsley

If you have puffy bags under your eyes in the morning, you are almost certainly consuming much more salt than you need.  Another problem is alcohol.  It dehydrates you and can make your skin sag. The worst combination is alcohol and salt, which causes puffy dark circles under your eyes. Reducing your sodium intake will help to eliminate bloating. Instead of salt, season your meals with herbs and spices such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley and garlic.

Crunchy vegetables

Fresh raw veggies are as good for your smile as they are for your skin! Celery, carrots, string beans and cauliflower contain cellulose, which helps scrub stains from your teeth giving you a whiter, brighter smile.  Both the cellulose and the fiber in these foods act as abrasives that clean and remove bacteria from your teeth. Crunchy veggies are especially effective for recent discolorations. If you’ve just consumed blueberries, coffee, mustard, red wine or cranberry juice, follow it up with fresh cucumber slices or an apple.

Sea vegetables

Polluted cells can’t function at their optimum level. When your cells are functioning optimally, not only do you have more energy you look and feel great. Sea vegetables are one of the richest sources of minerals and phytochemicals. These veggies help detoxify, rebuild and nourish all the cells in your body. Unhealthy foods, stress and environmental pollutants cause your cells to age prematurely, potentially leading to thinning hair and premature wrinkles. Sea vegetables reverse this process. For example, spirulina is a ‘detox powerhouse.’ Hijiki, kelp, arame, wakame, and dulse also work wonders.

Meat, cheese and lentils

It may take 10 pounds of milk to make a pound of cheese, but fortunately you don’t need to eat that much dairy or protein to repair your cells. As you age, your hair and skin cells become damaged, making you appear older. The protein in meat, chicken, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, and certain vegetables promotes cell growth and repair, which translates to younger-looking skin, fewer wrinkles, less hair loss and a glossy mane. To take a break from meat or dairy, try soybeans and lentils which contain more protein than any other legume.

Egg yolks, organ meats and whole-milk products

Vitamin A is especially important for skin repair, and decreased levels can lead to dry, flaky skin. A lack of vitamin A may cause your skin to heal poorly and wrinkle easily. The main sources of this vitamin are foods from animals, such as liver, eggs and whole-milk dairy products. Some plants carrots and broccoli, for example supply beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A as needed. Apricots, nectarines, plums and cantaloupe are more great sources of beta-carotene.

Almond or hemp “milk”

Almond milk is a nutritious dairy alternative because of its high levels of magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, vitamin E, selenium and calcium.  Hemp milk is a delicious, nutty-tasting non-dairy beverage that provides essential balanced nutrition. It’s a fantastic alternative to soymilk or dairy, and has a natural well-balanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids to keep your mind sharp, your immune system strong and your skin glowing. Both almond and hemp milks are plant-based, and don’t contain lactose. They offer high-quality protein that can give hair a radiant, healthy shine and helps keep skin soft.

Wild salmon with avocado and mango dressing

This is more than a delicious meal it’s an anti-aging feast!  Wild Alaskan salmon has precious omega-3 essential fatty acids, which enhance blood flow. The pink/orange color of wild salmon is an anti-aging carotenoid called astaxanthin that protects cell membranes. Salmon also contains dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), which improves facial muscle tone and reduces wrinkles. Add avocado for its antioxidant properties and mango for vitamin E and anti-inflammatory carotenoids and you’ll be sitting pretty after dinner!

Part of looking good for some is to have a flat belly and to achieve this here are some tips.

Cut out refined grains and sugar. This may be the simplest way to eliminate empty-calorie junk foods from your diet. The list of products to pass up includes white bread (and other baked goods), soda, candy, and potato chips. These foods are loaded with fast-absorbing carbs that raise your blood sugar quickly. A sugar spike is typically followed by a crash, which can leave you feeling sluggish and hungry. So try to avoid products that contain sugar in any form, sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, or cane syrup and refined flour. If it doesn’t start with the word “whole,” as in whole wheat, cut it out.

Eat more protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich produce and whole grains. This is the balanced diet you’re looking for. Protein fills you up while you’re eating and provides the raw material to help you maintain and build muscle. Fat tastes good and keeps you satisfied for hours after a meal. And fiber, which is also filling, slows down the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream, so you’ll have energy all day long.  And eat more vegetables and fruits which are low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with healthful antioxidants.

Eat breakfast every day. In the morning, you have an entire day’s worth of activity to fuel. After dinner, you lie motionless for hours.  Dieters who regularly eat a protein-rich, 610-calorie breakfast lose significantly more weight in eight months than those who eat only 290 calories and a quarter of the protein.   Big breakfast eaters, have an easier time sticking with their diet and achieving their weight loss goals.

Workout with weights at least three days a week. Pumping iron burns calories and can also can boost your metabolism for almost two days afterward. Also add in cardio workouts using interval training, short bursts of intensity mixed with periods of slower activity.  This burns fat and improves your fitness level more quickly than long, moderate bouts of exercise. You also get the after burn effect similar to strength training, keeping your body burning calories hours after you have stopped.

You need to be self motivated.  Without it, none of the previous techniques will have any effect.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !