Age . . A state of mind and definitely Body

Getting older is a state of mind and body. You can allow your actual age to define you or maybe not. I want to discuss how exercising and eating healthier can help so that you are NOT defined by your age.
No matter if you are a man or woman, I ask if you take a look in the mirror can you tell me that you look and feel your age and maybe younger OR do you feel and look older? If you look older, there are so many ways to help stay young such hair color and make up, yet those methods of assistance cannot last forever. Now with hair color, that may be out of your control genetically, but with makeup ladies, it should be there to enhance your beauty without masking.

So maybe you are going out on the town with your partner or friends and you find ways to make you feel younger. It may not be just hair and makeup, but maybe something that your are wearing makes you look and feel younger for that moment, however, how do you feel the next day when you have an extra 20, 50 or 100 pounds that you should lose? You most likely feel your age because the weight is still there the next day, week, month or year. The makeup and outfit are not permanent. Are you tired? Do you have lack of energy? Do your joints hurt from carrying too much weight? All of the pampering and superficial stuff does not make that go away.

Think about when you see dramatic before and after pictures of people that have lost 50-100 pounds, you cannot deny that they look younger. They automatically have more energy because the body is not carrying extra weight that it is not meant to have. Everyone has an ideal weight range, which is your BMI or Body Mass Index. For the average adult, you can take a look at many websites to calculate this number, which is an indicator of where your weight should be for a healthier you. One of many sites I came across is, www.caloriecheckbook.com. Check it out!

You can reverse your age by exercising and eating healthier. With each decade of life there are changes that can occur if a person is sedentary. These changes can be a decline of aerobic capacity, body fat distribution around the hips and thighs for women and around the waistline for men, loss of balance, flexibility and core strength. Muscle mass has reached its peak in the late 20s and if the muscles are not challenged outside of what they do every day, they will decrease which contributes to the slowing of the metabolism and eventual weight gain for both women and men.

Eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables and other natural foods can only enhance your health. You have to take care of yourself from the inside out. Reduce or eliminate all of the processed, high fat, salty and sweet foods. The body knows what it needs. It needs nutrient dense foods that provide vitamins and minerals. When you take care of yourself on the inside with healthier food options, it shows on the outside and when combined with exercise, it definitely shows. So work on staying fit and healthy starting now and for your older years to come!

Ways To Include Fitness In Your Life

How much is enough? The bottom line is that, to achieve maximal gain, you need to get physically active every day for at least 30 minutes, preferably up to an hour (especially if you need to lose weight). Across the week, your fitness plan should include not only aerobic exercise, but also a routine to maintain your posture, strength, balance, and flexibility. If you don't know, or are having trouble starting, here are some practical tips to help you get going and stick to a very important component of your life.

1. Choose a time of day that works best for you to exercise. Is it early morning before your day starts? That way it is done and you have time after work for kids activities or anything else that requires your time. Or it may be after work. This time works better for your body and schedule.
2. Get your exercise clothes ready. If you are early morning, have them out waiting for you in clear view so when the alarm clock goes off, you are ready to go. Or if you decide to exercise after work, have your clothes in your gym bag so that you can change after work.
3. Find a partner who is at your fitness level and set dates to exercise together. That way, you keep each other encouraged and motivated.
4. Vary your exercises. Make sure you include cardiovascular challenges, strength training, balance and stretching into your regimen.
5. Discover ways to minimize boredom that may come with a routine. It could be different music, Fit TV clips, DVDs, fitness classes, books/magazines or podcasts when you are on your own.

Think about it. Would you go a day without taking a shower, brushing your teeth or combing your hair???? Include fitness in this list. It is possible; you have to make time to do it. Whatever it takes, GET MOVING!! When you start seeing results and change, you will be glad you did.

WHY am I not losing if I am exercising?

Many times there is the assumption for both men and women that when they start to exercise, the pounds will quickly melt away. If not, frustration sets in. The next question is, how is your nutrition? There are so many sabotaging factors to weight loss which include; eating the wrong choices, not eating enough or eating too much for your entire day, portion size is off, when you eat, where you eat and other possible reasons outside the scope of nutrition.

I want to briefly talk about the effect of proper nutrition when it comes to changing the body. I have been discussing food in the past few posts and would like to re-emphasize the importance of making better food choices.

When I ask participants what changes do they notice about themselves as a result of my fitness classes, I will hear that they are stronger and are losing weight and inches, etc. The few that have not had significant changes will lead me to ask how they would characterize their meals and how many times a day are they eating. The standard answer is, “ not so good and I eat once or twice a day.” What, when and even where you eat has an effect on your weight loss plan.

What are your food choices? Is it chicken wings, mashed potatoes and coleslaw after your workout or is it a boneless, skinless chicken breast with steamed vegetables and a baked yam? When refers to how often you are eating your meals. Is it every 3 hours? If the answer is no, think about how you feel when you have gone 5-6 hours without eating. When you eat more frequently, it prevents your blood sugar from spiking, which keeps it on an even level throughout the day. If you wait too long in between meals, you will usually eat more than what you need at that sitting and then go into a "food coma". This is when you feel sluggish and tired. Eating small portions every three hours is a good standard to follow. The location of when you eat can have an affect that you are not aware of it. Do you eat on the go? In the car? Standing up? If the answer is yes, then you need to take at least 20-30 minutes to eat and really take time to taste your food. If you eat quickly, you usually have no idea what you ate and then psychologically you may want more even though your body does not need it. Have a seat at a table and take time to enjoy your food. Try to chew at least 20-30 times with every mouthful until the food is completely liquefied. It will make a difference.

You can exercise vigorously several times a week, which is very important for your health, well-being and stress relief. The fact that you are not losing the weight you want may be from your nutrition habits that can be unlearned over time.

Take a good, hard look at yourself in the mirror and go to that place of uncertainty. Make a decision to change your eating habits one step at a time. It is always good to voluntarily make a decision rather than anyone (a doctor) or a medical issue to make that decision for you later in life.

Cholesterol, Salt and Sugar

When talking to various clients, I will often hear that they are pretty good with their food habits during the week, but when it comes to the weekend, it all goes down hill. I am a proponent that says, if you are eating incredibly clean and healthy 85% of the time, 15% of the time is okay to have a scoop of ice cream, a few chicken wings or a slice of pizza. Summer is around the corner and with that comes Bbq’s, carnivals, weekend festivals or any other outing where the food choices may not be the best. Many of these foods such as pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, chicken wings and lots of sugary snacks would not be found on the clean eating menu. Instead, these items cater to taste buds looking for something, salty, sweet or full of saturated fat.

This brings me to the topic of cholesterol, salt and sugar and how much your body should be taking in. First, what is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver and found in foods, such as animal products and some dairy products. The main problem with cholesterol is when there is too much; it can lead to heart disease. The maximum total amount that you should take in from food on a daily basis is 300 mg or less. Here is gauge; a large boiled egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol. Remove the yolk and you are down to 0 mg. As stated, your body creates cholesterol because it is needed for various functions. Consequently, you do not need much from food. If your cholesterol numbers are found to be high by your doctor, eat whole grain products such as oatmeal to help improve your overall numbers.

Table salt contains about 40% sodium and when you view food labels, sodium is a standard listing. Sodium is an electrolyte, which means your body cells need it to function. Your body does not produce it, but it can generally be found in your diet. Many of the packaged and processed foods contain sodium. The problem with excess sodium is that it can contribute to high blood pressure (also called hypertension), heart disease and stroke. The average amount of sodium consumed in a day for an American can be 4000 mg and the maximum recommended value by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is 2300-2400mg. Here is a gauge; one regular hot dog has 697 mg of sodium. A strong suggestions is to reduce processed, packaged foods as well as pork products.

Sugar and sweets can taste so good and are a comfort at times, BUT there has to be a limit. Natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables and milk can be enough for some individuals but others feel there is a need for their favorite chocolate bar or honey bun. For someone trying to lose weight, reducing and/or eliminating added or processed sugar from your diet is the optimal plan. If you look at the ingredients of some of your foods, there is a form of sugar in many foods. It can be called high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, or any other type of sweetener or syrups. You may find it in cereals, soft drinks, breads and condiments. According to the American Heart Association, a sedentary woman needs only 3 teaspoons of added sugar in a day whereas an active healthy man could consume up to 18 teaspoons in a day. Everyone else falls in between. Here is a gauge; a 12-ounce can of regular soda contains 8 teaspoons of sugar. One teaspoon of sugar equals 4.2 grams. When looking at a food label, sugar is always labeled in grams. So the sedentary woman should only take in a maximum of 13 grams of sugar in a day. Again, elimination of sugar is the best route because in the end too much sugar contributes to weight gain.

Your food labels have cholesterol, sodium and sugar as standard listings. Use them wisely when buying your foods and tracking your food intake on the journey of being a healthier you! When it comes to those weekend outings, I suggest to eat something healthy and filling before you get there, so you are not inclined to indulge too deeply!

How Much Do I Need?

In my last post, I discussed how you should eat to lose and I know the concept may be a bit confusing. The important point is to make better choices for your calories. Calories that are nutrient dense and healthier are the goal. It is also important to exercise and increase your lean muscle tissue through strength training to help change your body composition.
2000 calories to one person can be a completely different picture to another. For an example of how this picture is painted differently, I used one of the many online food and exercise trackers to input various foods to find the calorie value for two different people.
The first person consumes 2024 total calories and consists of:
Breakfast - 1 McDonalds Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit: 440 calories
Lunch - 2 Taco Bell Chicken Gordita Baja: 640 calories
Snacks - 2 Apples: 144 calories
Dinner - 2 slices of Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust Pork Pizza: 800 calories

The second person consumes 2033 calories and consists of:
Breakfast – 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 grapefruit, Yoplait yogurt: 358 calories
Snack – 1 whole wheat English muffin, 2 T almond butter, ½ T honey, 1 banana: 441 calories
Lunch –2 slices whole wheat bread, 4 slices of low-salt deli turkey breast, 1 tsp brown mustard, 1 cup of carrots, ½ cup lentils: 433 calories
Snack- 8oz soymilk, soy protein powder, and 1-cup strawberries: 272 calories
Dinner – 4 oz Atlantic wild salmon, 1 cup of brown rice, 2 cups of chopped spinach: 433 calories
Snack – 1 pear: 96 calories

The food choices are on an even scale when it comes to calories, but can you see how BETTER choices equates to MORE food? The second person has more nutrient dense, healthier options. The first person has less food, but more fat, cholesterol and sodium than one would need in a day. When you eat more quality choices that nourish your body and have good sources of fiber, fat, protein and carbohydrates, you will see better results in body composition change. It is important to eat 5-6 meals throughout the day and to balance your meals so that you are not eating too much at one time. One final note is to eat more of your calories in the first half of your day and reduce the calories of your snacks later in the day.

This brings me to how much of the nutrients your body actually needs. As stated in the last post, carbohydrates are the most important nutrient for energy. When you reduce this nutrient, you will start to feel sluggish. The body needs between 45% to 65% of total calories from carbohydrates. The better choices are brown or wild rice, whole grain pasta, sweet potatoes as well as fruits and vegetables. This number is a wide range based on the activity level of an individual. Fiber is part of the carbohydrate family and is essential for maintaining the health of the gastrointestinal tract. The body needs at least 25 grams and the natural fiber is in your fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and beans.

The next nutrient needed in the body is fats or lipids. This is the second source of energy and the body needs between 20% and 35% of total calories in a day. The sources are olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fishes (salmon and tuna), and avocado.
Protein should not be thought of as a source of energy. It takes a long process for your body to produce energy from protein, so stick with the carbs and good fats. The body needs between 15% and 20% of total calories and one of its many roles is to build blocks for your muscles. Great sources of protein are beans, legumes, yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, fish, and skinless/boneless poultry. Oh and if you eat really well and make great choices 80-90% of the time, it's okay to have a few Hershey's Kisses every now and then. Just watch your portion!
The online trackers are a great way to see how the foods you eat are broken down into the various nutrients. I named a few in the post dated January 31, 2010 entitled, Track Your Progress. In an upcoming post, I will discuss cholesterol, sodium and sugar.

You Gotta Eat to Lose

I know, I know. You hear it, but you just can’t seem to wrap your mind around the fact that in order to lose inches/weight and improve your body composition, you have to eat. Really??!! Let me explain this as simply as possible.

Most people think deprivation. If I cut calories, usually something like 500 calories a day = 3500 calories in a week, which will allow you to lose 1 pound. While that may be true, it may be short term depending a variety of factors. Factors such as physical activity, the types of foods one eats as part of their regular diet and body fat percentage. These factors vary for each person.

Some people may look at a magazine and determine for themselves that they should be eating between 1600-1800 calories to lose weight. Just check to make sure there is a disclaimer (in fine print) that says this advice should vary by individual. What happens is a 150-pound woman and a 180-pound woman will pick up the same magazine, see the main highlights and miss the fine print (if there is fine print). So do you think a 150-pound woman and 180-pound woman should be consuming the same amount of calories?? The answer is No.

The reason is that food intake has to be customized to be effective. When one is starting to make changes to their meal choices, eliminating processed foods and snacks high in sugar and saturated fats is a great way to start. There should always be a plan and roadmap for substitutions or better options.

Based on various factors, each person has a specific amount of calories they should be consuming to lose inches/weight and keep it off. It starts with knowing how many calories your body needs at the base level of functioning life. This would be the case if you were to sit on the couch each day, not move and need enough energy, (calories) for you to breathe and for your brain, heart and all other major organs to function. This is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). For women, multiply your weight by 11 and men multiply their weight by 12 to get this BMR. The 150-pound woman needs a base level of 1650 calories and the 180-pound woman needs 1980. Remember the magazine article that states you should eat 1600-1800 calories per day?

Let’s move on. There are 3 more custom factors that will affect the total recommended calories needed in a day. They are physical activity, the thermal effect of food and body fat percentage. For example, if the 150-pound woman is active vs. sedentary, eats more nutrient dense carbohydrate foods than high fat foods and has a low body fat percentage, her daily recommendation can be up around 2600 calories. Yes, 2600 calories. If you are very active, you need food to burn to keep your metabolism up. Your metabolism is the chemical process in the body that destroys tissue and releases energy, thereby generating heat. The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn. Carbohydrates provide less calories per gram of food than fat, therefore, one would need more calories if their daily intake was more carbs than fat. Finally, if someone has a low body fat percentage, their body has more lean muscle and (again) needs more calories to burn to keep the metabolism going.

Can you see how the 150-pound woman can need 2600 calories instead of 1600? 1600 calories would put her in a starvation mode. In starvation mode, the body will look for another form of fuel or energy and start to break down precious muscle tissue to create the fuel it needs. You do NOT want that to happen. I blogged about this issue and the importance of having lean muscle tissue in Dieting Truths, an entry dated July 1, 2008. Please refer back.

When you don’t eat enough calories in your day, that is one reason the body will not change composition and the other is not eating the right type of calories. Carbohydrates are your main source of energy and the more whole grain and nutrient dense the better. So think of sweet potatoes, brown rice, fruits and vegetables. Good fats (olive oil, avocado, and fat from salmon or tuna) are your second source of energy and protein is very last. Protein is last because it takes a lot for your body to process it for energy. In sum, stick with healthy carbohydrates, good fats and lean protein and eat them to lose. In an upcoming post, I will discuss how much of each nutrient you actually need.

Shopping List Suggestions

One of the questions I commonly get is what to have as food staples in the pantry because there are so many different food items in the supermarket. If you keep it simple, it takes a lot of the guesswork out when you create a solid list to choose from. I have created a list of ideal foods as you change your eating patterns to have more nutrient dense foods that are healthier options.

Your body would function optimally if fed whole grains, vegetables, wild caught fish, legumes and beans, raw nuts and minimal animal flesh. Chicken and turkey should be the skinless breast from steroid and hormone free chicken or turkey. If you eat the cow, look for grass fed beef. In addition, when you reduce or eliminate processed foods and snacks with high fructose corn syrup or any form of sugar listed in the first four ingredients, you will improve your overall health and energy.

Here is an example shopping list:
Whole Grains: Long grain brown or wild rice, oatmeal, quinoa, whole wheat or rye breads, buckwheat.
Beans & Legumes: Lentils, black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, etc. (any other from the bean family), black-eyed peas, and edamames (soybeans).
Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, asparagus, red and yellow peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, collards, squash, zucchini, garlic, Brussels sprouts, beets, cauliflower, sweet potatoes or yams. There are so many to choose, but you get the idea because the more the better.
Fruits: Berries, avocados, bananas, apples, melons, mangoes, kiwis, oranges, grapes, pears and plums.
Fish: Salmon, tuna, cod, flounder. (wild caught instead of farm raised)
Nuts & Seeds: Raw almonds and walnuts, natural peanut or almond butter. Pumpkin, sunflower and flaxseeds (all in moderation)
Dairy: Low-fat yogurt, fat-free organic milk, and cage free/steroid free eggs.
Other: Extra virgin olive oil, low sodium vegetable broth, low sodium soups, fresh herbs and no-salt spices. These are your items to cook with. The vegetable broth can be used in place of water to give flavor to your rices or quinoa. The soup is a staple to have as a quick meal for lunch or dinner.

I chose many of these foods for the nutrient dense properties. This means these foods provide the energy-yielding nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) along with many of the vitamins and minerals your body needs in a healthful and natural way. The foods are low in fat and although your body needs fat, it should be from sources such as salmon, nuts and olive oil that are not saturated or trans fatty.

Recently, I watched a documentary on the evolution of the food industry called, Food, Inc. It was very insightful on how the industry has changed over the years and why. I suggest you rent or buy it as it really changed my perspective on food and I thought I was eating healthy. Many of my choices stem from healthy and clean eating over the years, and this documentary help shape some of my suggestions above. Before I became a fitness professional years ago, I often wondered why the bodies and health of our children has dramatically changed since I was in eighth grade. When I was that age, there were a handful of kids that were overweight and a handful of girls that were more developed in their bodies. Today’s children are not as active and have all sorts of electronic media taking them from being regularly active. That is one problem, but the other problem is the hormones and additives that have been added to the food, which has helped to develop them beyond their years. So now the percentage of children being overweight and obese has skyrocketed. As adults, we have been eating these foods as well. This has led an astounding 2 in 3 adults to be overweight and obese, and consequently has led (and continues to lead) to all sorts of health problems.

If we eat more whole and fresh foods instead of processed, hormone injected foods, we will be better off. The list above is not exhaustive, however, it is many of the foods in the categories we need and something to consider the next time you go food shopping. Organic foods may not be in your budget, but when you can, try to include a few organic fruits and vegetables. The farm markets are a great place to get your fresh fruits and vegetables. Every once in a while, they have a few organic items that are less expensive than your larger food market chains. Shop and eat for better health!