Friday, April 30, 2010
Food Matters
If you're wondering about food, and what to eat, try checking out the documentary Food Matters.
Food Matters is an amazing film. Rather than telling you everything which is wrong with the food industry and how we are all being poisoned etc, Food Matters tries another tack. It tells you some problems and explains how to make things better.
I found this to be an amazing thing since most docs about food tends to just bash everything and give no way of helping out in the fix. As the old saying goes, it's easy to show everything that's wrong, but showing how to fix it is tough. This is exactly where Food Matters comes in.
I found myself many times, say, "Wow I didn't know that." And I work in the health and fitness industry. Mostly I'm a fitness geek and I learned a lot from this film.
Go check it out. You'll be glad you did.
Labels: food matters
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
All About Carbs
You want to get in better shape? Cut those carbs!
We've all heard about low carb diets or no carb diets. While I'm not a fan of no carb diets, lower carb diet aren't bad at all. In fact they are much healthier for you.
For years and years we've all heard about how if you eat low fat you'll be in better shape. But that's not the whole story. A bigger problem for people is carbs, the type of carbs you eat and when you eat them.
The reason is that not all carbs are the same. The carb you get from a piece of white bread is completely different than the one you get from multi grain. That's because the mutli grain carb takes longer to break down in your body. You don't get the sugar rush with multi grain and therefore you won't gain fat from eating it.
When in doubt the browner the carb the better it is for you. So sweet potato is better than white, brown bread better than white etc.
The other thing to remember is that starchy carbs later in the day, past 3pm, really aren't good for you either. That's because your body uses carbs for energy, and later in the day, or evening you're not moving as much. So you can't burn off those carbs and they turn to fat.
So cut those starchy carbs out at 3pm each day, and you'll see a huge difference in your body.
d
We've all heard about low carb diets or no carb diets. While I'm not a fan of no carb diets, lower carb diet aren't bad at all. In fact they are much healthier for you.
For years and years we've all heard about how if you eat low fat you'll be in better shape. But that's not the whole story. A bigger problem for people is carbs, the type of carbs you eat and when you eat them.
The reason is that not all carbs are the same. The carb you get from a piece of white bread is completely different than the one you get from multi grain. That's because the mutli grain carb takes longer to break down in your body. You don't get the sugar rush with multi grain and therefore you won't gain fat from eating it.
When in doubt the browner the carb the better it is for you. So sweet potato is better than white, brown bread better than white etc.
The other thing to remember is that starchy carbs later in the day, past 3pm, really aren't good for you either. That's because your body uses carbs for energy, and later in the day, or evening you're not moving as much. So you can't burn off those carbs and they turn to fat.
So cut those starchy carbs out at 3pm each day, and you'll see a huge difference in your body.
d
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Biggest Loser Week 12
Duration: 20 min
Equipment: You
Intensity: As hard as you can go
Progression: Stairs, Pushups, Squat Jumps, Crunches, Mountain Climbers, Lying I, T, Y
Stairs up and down once
Pushups 10 reps
Squat jumps 10 reps
Crunches 20 reps
Mountain Climbers 30 reps
I, T, Y 10 reps
Run through as fast as you can.
Make sure you push yourself hard. You should be breathing hard and it should be tough.
Equipment: You
Intensity: As hard as you can go
Progression: Stairs, Pushups, Squat Jumps, Crunches, Mountain Climbers, Lying I, T, Y
Stairs up and down once
Pushups 10 reps
Squat jumps 10 reps
Crunches 20 reps
Mountain Climbers 30 reps
I, T, Y 10 reps
Run through as fast as you can.
Make sure you push yourself hard. You should be breathing hard and it should be tough.
Friday, April 16, 2010
No Quick Fix
Everyone wants the fast fix. Fast food, cars, and life in general. People want things they want yesterday. But when it comes to health and fitness the fast fix never works.
Think about this way; you didn't gain weight or get out of shape over night. It took time to get where you are today. And it will take time to get back in shape too. It doesn't happen over night.
So when you start a diet and exercise program you will get results but they won't be over night either. You'll see differences slowly. In fact other people will likely see them before you do. But take heart. Your body will bounce back and more quickly than you think.
That's because it's a machine designed to move. As soon as you start treating it right it will start working the way it should. And before you know you’ll be doing things you never thought you could do.
d
Think about this way; you didn't gain weight or get out of shape over night. It took time to get where you are today. And it will take time to get back in shape too. It doesn't happen over night.
So when you start a diet and exercise program you will get results but they won't be over night either. You'll see differences slowly. In fact other people will likely see them before you do. But take heart. Your body will bounce back and more quickly than you think.
That's because it's a machine designed to move. As soon as you start treating it right it will start working the way it should. And before you know you’ll be doing things you never thought you could do.
d
Labels: ffit exercise weight loss
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Just Like a Job
Sometimes we over think getting healthy and fit. We think about how there are so many things in the way job, kids, spouse, house, cleaning etc. But when you think about it eating right and fitness isn't hard. It's just like your job.
You won't quit your job because you're bored and you won't not bother showing up because you're a little tired. But people use those excuses all the time when it comes to fitness. And the funny thing is, your job gives you all the skills you need to be healthy and fit.
At your job you have to get your work done within deadlines, be on time, not skip days for no reason, multitask etc. And every one of those things lends it self to fitness.
If a client calls you at work and it's important you stop everything and answer the call. Same thing goes for healthy eating. When it's time to eat, don't skip it. Go eat your snack. The ten minutes it takes will make you work better for the rest of the day.
And let's get down to it, you're the most important person you have, and if you're not healthy you've got nothing.
So if you want to be fit, plan for just like you would for work. Build it into your day. Build healthy food into your day. Build enough sleep into your night. If you plan for it fitness can be easy.
Use the skills you have learned and use everyday at work, and apply them to fitness. You'll be amazed if you think of it in a different light. It will come easily. And you won't find yourself trying to figure out how to fit it in anymore.
d
You won't quit your job because you're bored and you won't not bother showing up because you're a little tired. But people use those excuses all the time when it comes to fitness. And the funny thing is, your job gives you all the skills you need to be healthy and fit.
At your job you have to get your work done within deadlines, be on time, not skip days for no reason, multitask etc. And every one of those things lends it self to fitness.
If a client calls you at work and it's important you stop everything and answer the call. Same thing goes for healthy eating. When it's time to eat, don't skip it. Go eat your snack. The ten minutes it takes will make you work better for the rest of the day.
And let's get down to it, you're the most important person you have, and if you're not healthy you've got nothing.
So if you want to be fit, plan for just like you would for work. Build it into your day. Build healthy food into your day. Build enough sleep into your night. If you plan for it fitness can be easy.
Use the skills you have learned and use everyday at work, and apply them to fitness. You'll be amazed if you think of it in a different light. It will come easily. And you won't find yourself trying to figure out how to fit it in anymore.
d
Labels: fitness work healthy
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Biggest Loser Week 11
AB-solute core
Duration: 20 min
Equipment: You
Intensity: As hard as you can go
Progression: Crunches, Leg Raises, Mason Twists, Situps, Plank, Mountain Climbers
Crunches 20 reps
Leg Raises 20 reps
Mason Twists 20 reps
Situps 20 reps
Plank 15 sec
Mountain Climbers 40 reps
Run through as fast as you can.
Make sure you push yourself hard. You should be breathing hard and it should be tough.
Duration: 20 min
Equipment: You
Intensity: As hard as you can go
Progression: Crunches, Leg Raises, Mason Twists, Situps, Plank, Mountain Climbers
Crunches 20 reps
Leg Raises 20 reps
Mason Twists 20 reps
Situps 20 reps
Plank 15 sec
Mountain Climbers 40 reps
Run through as fast as you can.
Make sure you push yourself hard. You should be breathing hard and it should be tough.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
When To Take a Break
I love working out. I love the feeling of sweating, being tired, feeling the muscles burn. All that stuff. And sometimes I have to force myself to take time off so I won't over train.
You see training hard four or five days a week is great for everyone, but it also is hard on your body. It pushes you to the limits and makes your body repair itself almost every day. While that is good for getting in better shape, too much is a bad thing. That's when you start over training.
You can tell if you're over training because you get tired easily, crave junk or fatty foods, can't sleep well and just don't feel like you have any pop left. As soon as that happens, take four to six days off.
Now when you're in a groove it can be hard to do that, but you're doing what is best for your body. You'll feel a little weird about it at first but it will come together fast and in a few days you'll feel like yourself again.
I usually force myself to take time off every 12 weeks whether I feel over trained or not. It just helps my body to recover and feel better.
So try a little down time and you'll be amazed how much better shape you can get in.
d
You see training hard four or five days a week is great for everyone, but it also is hard on your body. It pushes you to the limits and makes your body repair itself almost every day. While that is good for getting in better shape, too much is a bad thing. That's when you start over training.
You can tell if you're over training because you get tired easily, crave junk or fatty foods, can't sleep well and just don't feel like you have any pop left. As soon as that happens, take four to six days off.
Now when you're in a groove it can be hard to do that, but you're doing what is best for your body. You'll feel a little weird about it at first but it will come together fast and in a few days you'll feel like yourself again.
I usually force myself to take time off every 12 weeks whether I feel over trained or not. It just helps my body to recover and feel better.
So try a little down time and you'll be amazed how much better shape you can get in.
d
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Biggest Loser Week 11
Biggest Loser Challenge Week 11
Exercise Homework
AB-solute core
Duration: 20 min
Equipment: You
Intensity: As hard as you can go
Progression: Crunches, Leg Raises, Mason Twists, Situps, Plank, Mountain Climbers
Crunches 20 reps
Leg Raises 20 reps
Mason Twists 20 reps
Situps 20 reps
Plank 15 sec
Mountain Climbers 40 reps
Run through as fast as you can.
Make sure you push yourself hard. You should be breathing hard and it should be tough.