Let's Talk about food

WARNING: I am going to step on our toes, no actually I am going to stomp on them. I am going to be doing a series of posts about food additives / ingredients that I believe are making us sick. Most people agree that they would like to look and feel better, but they fail to make one important connection. If you lead a healthy lifestyle (clean diet and exercise) a healthy body will be a natural result of that. But what is a clean diet? What does that mean? Clean eating means that you eat food in it's most natural and healthy state possible.

So with all of that being said, keep an open mind and be willing to change!

Let me give you an example - hot dogs. I am sure that you have some in your fridge, maybe you even bought turkey dogs thinking that you were making a healthy choice. But I can almost guarantee you that your hot dogs contain sodium nitrite. Sodium Nitrite has been used for 100 years as an additive to cured meats. It has two roles. The first is to prevent the growth of bacteria, the second is to enhance color and flavor. Sounds innocent enough.

The downside is that nitrite combines with secondary amines (found in your stomach) to form cancer causing nitrosamines. Several studies have provided evidence that nitrite is harmful, and yet the manufacturers do not warn you of the cancer causing nitrites that they have placed in your food.

I am not saying that you shouldn't eat hot dogs. You can actually buy hot dogs that have ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in them to prevent the growth of bacteria without the harmful cancer causing nitrites in them.

Learn to read food labels! It is THE most important thing that you can do for your family. Stay tuned, I will be talking about trans fat, sugar, high fructose corn syrup and many other additives that you should avoid!

I am always here if you should have questions or comments! I hope that you have a great day - and remember to eat well. Food fuels our life, and if you fill your tank with garbage you won't get very far!

Lack of time

I am not sure about you, but this past week seems to be the busiest I have ever had! It was VERY difficult to get all my workouts in for the week. The excuse I hear the most often is lack of time. But somehow I think the real issue is a lack of commitment. The truth is that we all make time for the things that are the most important to us. How much time a day do you spend on the computer or in front of the TV? Track it one day and you may be surprised to see how much of your day is truly wasted. Now I am not saying that we shouldn't have "downtime", but you need to exercise.

If you are truly hard pressed for time, then try a circuit style workout. Here is an example: warm up 5 minutes, then alternate between cardio for 2 minutes and high rep weight training using compound moves. A compound move is working your upper and lower body at the same time, for example a lunge with a bicep curl, a squat with a front raise, a wide stance squat with an overhead extension. You can use any combination you would like as long as you can safely perform the move. Do the workout as quickly as possible and you will reap the benefits of cardio and weight training in very little time. This style of working out can be completed in as little as 30 minutes or for as long as you can stand (literally).

I hope that you have a great week and remember to make time to exercise! Your body will thank you for it! I am always here to answer any questions you have.

Feeling Tired??? CoQ10 may be your answer!

CoQ10 is a potent antioxidant that helps protect your heart and even burn fat - all while putting a little oomph into your step. It is also one of the safest supplements on the planet, with no known contraindications. CoQ10 appears to be promising for : Hypertension, adjunct to cholesterol drugs, exercise performance, high blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, migraines, weakened immune system, cancer and Parkinson's disease.

So instead of a "Red Bull" or any other energy drink, try supplementing with CoQ10. Remember what we put into our bodies is what we will get out. Garbage in - Garbage out!!

Have a fantastic day today!

Did you know...

For every extra pound you carry, your hips and knees feel the effect of five extra pounds. If you are ten pounds overweight, that means 50 extra pounds for your knees to carry around. This is why excess weight is a major risk factor for osteoarthritis and why losing even a little weight can help. Extra pounds also contribute to lower back pain and low back conditions such as disk degeneration and disc herniation. So, remember, less weight to carry means less stress and strain on those bones and joints.

So go for a walk and pick clean healthy foods to eat today. It doesn't take long to feel the difference in your body and soul.

Have a fantastic day today!!

Bootcamp in the park

I am excited to announce that I will be holding two outdoor bootcamp classes at Henderson Park. This will be a six week bootcamp and we will meet Monday and Thursday nights beginning August 17. The first class is from 5:30 - 6:30 pm and the second is from 6:45 - 7:45 pm. This will be a circuit style class that will include cardio and weight exercises. This is a fast paced class, however modifications will be demonstrated. If you are ready for a challenge then this class is for you. See my website www.fit-for-life-inhometraining.com for pricing.