Nutrition and Losing weight..what is it going to take??

Nutrition and losing weight...what is it going to take??!!

I used to think losing weight and getting fit involved 3 things....cardio, strength and nutrition...and that each were equally important.

After countless clients and hours spent at the gym, I no longer believe they are equal.  For someone to be healthy and strong, yes....to decrease fat from fat cells...no.

If my clients do not have their food intake at the right level and eating healthy
, the scale will usually not budge.  Of course, all human beings are unique and this does not apply across the board, but generally speaking, this is what I'm witnessing.  In myself and in others.

I read numerous books and articles, watch documentaries and check in with other sites from trainers and across the board it is apparent that we are fighting a war against food/chemical dependencies (sugar, high fructose corn syrup, msg) and it can be demoralizing and difficult to win.  Food companies want people to buy their products so often these foods are laden with additives to engage our senses and keep us coming back for more.

Each of us has to decide that enough is enough.  The mindset has to be on tackling the cravings and addictions.  I have found that food addictions usually take between 10-20 days to overcome.  Like other addictions, we need to turn off the deep rooted desire by staying away from the food or additive that is causing our problem. 

And that isn't always easy.

I advise reading labels, researching nutrition facts for each food online and checking caloric, fat, and sodium levels of restaurant offering prior to leaving the house.  Getting fit takes more effort than just working out at the gym.  It has to involve research on your part.  You have to be interested and knowledgeable about what is in your foods. 

Once you are "in the know" about your food...you can start to make healthier choices.  Find out how many calories are entering your body and what is in those calories.  Do you need to increase healthy calories?  Or decrease sugar/sodium/saturated fat? 

Keep working out...keep moving and training but remember that if your goal is losing stored fat in your body it is essential to focus on your clean and nutrient dense food intake!

The Benefits of YOGA

The benefits of YOGA ...

I frequently receive calls from people interested in trying yoga  and they immediately apologize..
                             "I am NOT flexible...I will probably not be any good at yoga"

This is not their fault and I know it comes from how yoga is depicted in the media.  Many pictures you see in magazines or online have a sculpted male/female in adorable yoga clothes in a crazy and extreme yoga pose...

Pul-lease!  I never teach those poses...most of us wouldn't live through them!  (I'm kidding, of course).  But, truly it is so important that people understand that yoga is so many things and is going to assist you, to help you to become healthier, happier, more flexible, and stronger. 

I would love it if you were already all of those things, but most of "real" folks aren't.

MORE FLEXIBILITY - Yoga can help you become more flexible.  Poses should be slow, controlled and help you gently get into a position that provides for a nice strength to lengthen muscles calmly.  Each participant should always feel safe getting into and out of a pose and each should feel a "good" strength not pain.

GAIN STRENGTH - Some yoga classes contain poses that cause you to build strength in various parts of your body.  A plank will provide for a stronger core, chest and triceps in addition to other muscles.

RELAXED MIND - Yoga is slow and focused on the moment.  When we let go of the past and try not to involve the mind in the future, all we have left is the space and time we are involved in.  That moment is usually peaceful and free of obstacles and frustrations.  Practicing being in that place is very calming.

SLOWER HEART and BREATH RATE - When we focus on our breathing, we can decide to slow it down and allow it to be deeper and more filling.  Breathing in this way will slow the breath and expand the lungs which in turn actually increases lung capacity.

In the next post, we will add more of the benefits of yoga...and please feel free to comment on benefits you have noticed for yourself!

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Protein Bars, Fiber Bars, Granola Bars...
Which are best??

Many of my clients ask me to recommend nutrition bars they can lean on that are fast, easy and healthy for moments when they are stuck and don't have access to their normal food choices.  Of course, the best situation would be preparation and having pre-cut vegetables, fruit or a salad.

But this is life and it usually doesn't work out that way.

I've spent a good bit of time in the granola bar aisle of grocery stores looking at the nutrition facts of various selections.  It's tough.  Some have a great deal of sugar or fat.  Some read off like a candy bar!

One company, Good Greens, recently sent me a box of their "bars" to test for myself.  I have to say they tasted great.  I loved them and they were quite filling.  I noticed that the Pumpkin Spice flavor contained 190 calories, with 2 grams of saturated fat and 16 grams of sugar.  Not the best I've seen, but on the plus side, the vitamin and mineral content was excellent!  They advertised that the bars contained 100% of my daily fruits and vegetables, 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber (hense the "full" feeling), along with probiotics and antioxidants.

In addition to Pumpkin Spice, I was able to sample a number of other flavors and honestly, they tasted fantastic. 

Check these and other types of bars out for yourself.  Educate yourself by reading those labels and comparing.  Then, go ahead, grab a box and keep them handy for your "OMG...I don't know what to eat and I'm famished!" moments.

Food Diaries....gotta use 'em to lose 'em!!                                                    

Writing down everything you eat.  What a total pain!  What a total benefit! 

The first couple days of using a food diary are always the toughest.  This is when you will find out if the method of keeping your diary is going to work for you.  Some folks like to list their food choices in their hand held devise, but I've notices that this doesn't always work well.  I'm not really sure why..it seems like a great plan. It could be that it is hard to type out the foods on small devises or that time gets away from people.  Or it could be that when you are about to have a meal, it isn't that much fun to be playing with your cell phone or tablet at the same time.

Whatever the issue, you can try using an app and see how it goes.

Some clients use a website calorie counter.  Again, you need to be able to easily access the website for this to work.  This is definately worth a try if even for all the info you will get from it.  Some websites list calories, keep frequently eaten foods in a list you can select from, and calculate a slew of other informative numbers.  (Total fiber, carbs, protein, etc.)

What seems to work the best, though, is a small notebook.  Small enough to be able to slide into a purse or by the side of the carseat.  Big enough to be able to write in a legible print size!  Every single client of mine who has gone this route has lost weight.  All of my clients have gotten stronger, but to lose weight...this is probably the bomb.

For more info on getting fit, visit:
www.Balance-Strength.com

 

 

 

 

 

Our trail jogging program was great this fall!    The leaves you see above were almost golden when we visited.  The sun shimmered through the leaves remaining in the trees and it was a heady experience as we increased our mileage, decreased our time and built up our stamina. 

 

We visited trails at the following parks and each was stunning!

 

River Styx Park

Plum Creek Park 

Reagan Park

Huffman Park

Buckeye Woods

Roscoe Ewing (see above picture)

 

Thank you to all participants!  Everyone arrived on time and ready to try anything! 



Trail Running

I see so many people jogging along the sidewalk, through neighborhoods and in town.  As a trainer I love to see this movement and exercise, but for me, the pavement is too harsh, the openness too brittle.  I love the woods.

The dirt under my feet is soft and naturally shock absorbing; the smell is energizing.  You may see deer or a chipmunk around any turn in my path.  The sun as it shines through the leaves fills me with hope and peace.  And the dog walkers and children I meet along the way are happy, eager to say "Hi!" as I pass.

If you have the opportunity, try a jog along a woodsy trail - it may be a turning point for you as well.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.   Robert Frost (1874–1963)     Lisa Campbell - Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor Balance Strength Personal Training and Fitness   "Tail to the Trail" Trail Program   October 2012