Hi everyone!

Hope you all are having a great summer.  It has been a busy one the past few months!!

I recently received a question with regards to protein powders and all the chemicals found in them.  It is a really good topic to bring up as many people are now experimenting with protein powders...they are not just being used by bodybuilders anymore.

When you look at the ingredient list on a container of protein powder you might be surprised to see a long list of things you can't pronounce, in most cases.  Unfortunately even protein powders can be heavily processed like many foods in the iles of the grocery store.  Basically they have taken a natural product and added a number of additives and artificial flavors to make it taste more appealing.  As someone that promotes health and fitness I have a hard time recommending products such as this, despite the convenience of the protein in the powder for muscle repair. 
Fortunately, there is a solution that gives you the best of both worlds...all natural protein powders with no additives/flavors/dyes/etc.  These are certainly hard to find...but they do exist.  I do not endorse any products but I can tell you that a good health food store will have an all natual protein powder...and if they don't, they can order one in for you.  If you would like a brand recommendation send me an email and I can provide that for you.  These products are so much healthier for you...and that is supposed to be the point anyway, isn't it?  And to make it taste better...just add healthy berries or all natural nut butter to your smoothie.  And the best part?  Without all those chemicals in your drink you will also eliminate that chalky aftertaste most protein powders leave you with.  Your drink will be healthier and actually tastier!

Feel free to contact me anytime with other questions.  Always happy to help!

Angela

Hi everyone!!

I just finished having a great conversation with one of our trainers this morning.  Our topic of discussion was regarding how fitness trends have changed so dramatically over the past couple of years. Boy, does that make me sound old!

It used to be that just being active was enough to keep people feeling good about their workouts but today many individuals feel like they are not doing well or progressing unless they are in pain during or after their program.  It is great that more and more people are getting active and wanting to workout, however, pushing yourself to the point of pain is not necessary and can be dangerous.

Our conclusion to the conversation was , the term "no pain, no gain" is not a very good way to approach your fitness. 
How do you describe what pain is?  A burning sensation in your muscles during exercise or breathing very rapidly are not dangerous habits or "pain".  This is what we call "discomfort"...totally different than pain.  Pain is pushing through an injury, going so hard you get sick, lifting weight you can not control, pulling or straining a muscle, sharp or shooting sensations, etc.

In order to see results you must put yourself in a little discomfort.  Pain, however is something you want to avoid.  Don't be fooled by TV shows or Infomercials...these tools are simply for entertainment and money making.

Sometimes exercise can be a challenge, and it should be to get you to your goal.  An effective program will feel like this but you will be able to complete the program with a bit of struggle and mental preparation without sharp pains or injury.  This is one of the magic zones for an effective fitness program. 
Have any questions?  Send me an email!

Angela

Hi everyone!

I had a funny discussion with someone earlier this week about how skewed our meal portions are now a days.  Ok, so some of you are reading this and thinking "boring"...and some of you are nodding your heads in agreement...and some of you are saying "really?".  This blogg entry is for anyone saying "really?"

You may have heard of suggestions such as "eat meat servings the size of a deck of cards, or cheese should be the size of two dominos, or rice should be in a serving the size of a baseball.  All of these can be helpful, however our perception of things can often get the better of us once the plate is infront of us.  Is that about the size of two dominos?

A really simple solution:  Use your hands to determine the size of your meals.

This works and here is why...because you always have your hands with you when you eat...perhaps not baseballs or cards.

For one MEAL:  use TWO hands as your guide...this is the amount of food you can eat.  One hand will represent your vegetable portion, one palm for your protein, three fingers for your grain portion, and two fingers for your fat portion.  How simple is that?!

For one SNACK:  use ONE hand as your guide...this is the amount of food you can eat.  A snack should be around 150 calories.  An idea snack would include some protein and vegetables or fruits.  Try a few almonds and a few cherry tomatoes.  Remember that the entire snack should fit into one hand. 
I encourge you all to try this next time you have a meal and snack.  It might surprise you at how much or perhaps how little you might be eating.

Have a wonderful Friday!!  I'm off to train another client!!

Angela

Hi everyone!!

So most of my clients have recieved this recipe in the past week and it is a hit!  I thought I would share it with you all too!

Every summer (training season) I am always looking for new energy/power bars that are low in sugar, high in good carbohydrates for fuel, and high in protein for muscle retention.  I think I have found the answer!  Check out the recipe below and let me know what you think.

Cranberry Quinoa Peanut Butter Power Bars

Ingredients:

2 Cups            Cooked Quinoa

2 Cups            Oats

½ Cup             Nut Butter (all natural peanut butter is nice)

½ Cup             Almond Milk or Skim Milk

½ Cup             Cranberries or Raisins

1/3 Cup          Honey

¼ Cup             Ground Flaxseed

1 Tsp              Cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Mix all the above ingredients together and press into a rectangular pan 

Cook for 12 to 15 minutes

Let cool before cutting

Note:  ½ Cup Dry Quinoa = 2 Cups Cooked Quinoa

Hi everyone,

We all know that eating a balanced diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, good fats, and little (or better yet) no processed foods, is a huge component to a healthy life.

We have also been told over and over that portion size is a big key for aquiring and maintaining a healthy weight.

But did you know that the TIMING of your meals and the TIMING of certain food components such as Carbs and Protein can take you to the next level?

Just by making a few simple adjustments to your diet can take your body to the next level.  So what are a couple of these tricks?

1.  Eat your whole grains only in the morning and after a workout...you will burn them off faster at these times.  It is never a good idea to cut Carbs completely out of your diet...they are essential for heart health, energy levels, great workouts, etc.

2.  Eat protein BEFORE and AFTER a workout (I call this a workout sandwich).  By doing this you will help your body develop lean muscle faster.  Protein is the building block to develping lean muscle mass (lean muscle is crucial for weight loss, overall strengh, injury prevention, etc.)

If you are starting out on a new weight loss plan it is best to start with small adjustments to your lifestyle first.  You won't feel overwhelmed and will be much more likely to stick to a plan long term if you do so.  The food timing tricks are great for individuals that have already been eating a healthy diet, exercising, and simply want to take things to that next level. 
If you fit into the later category - wanting to take things to the next level, try these few tricks out for about 1 month and see the amazing results you will get.  I'd love to hear about it!!

Ang

Hi everyone!

We all know that water is the number one choice when it comes to beverages (water is essential for life).   For some, coffee is considered to be just as important for survival, in their minds.

Now I am not going to say that coffee should be completely eliminated from your diet or daily routine, however, what you put in your coffee could be the culprit that is holding you back from your best physique.

Just by adding a little cream and sugar to your coffee could be adding up to nearly 100 calories per day!  Over one year if you have one coffee a day, that would equate to about 10 extra pounds!

Here are a few ideas to flavour your coffee without the extra calories:

Add vanilla or maple extract (all natural flavoring)
Add cinnamon
Add one piece of dark chocolate (>75% cacao) and stir into your cup of joe

It might take some time to switch from your milk and sugar coffee to these options, but give it a shot as the benefits are well worth it!  Try switching out one day/week then two, then three, etc.  Eventually you will be there and will feel so much better for it!

And remember, one cup of coffee/day is the recommendation.  You do not have to cut out everything in your diet...just keep it within reason.

Hello everyone!

I recently celebrated my Favorite Dad's birthday, (my only dad...but my favorite...our little inside joke), and got him a cool high tech pedometer.  As we all know, the more you move the more energy or calories you burn in a day.  Of course, the more calories you burn the more weight you can potentially lose.

My Favorite Dad and I chatted today about how it was going with the walking.  He said something to me that really made me laugh...

"I can really tell if I had a good golf game or bad golf game based on the number of steps my pedometer says...about 8000 steps equated to a score of 82 and about 12,000 equated to a score of 102!"

We came to this conclusion:

The worse the golfer you are...the more fit you will become!  There is always a silver lining!!!

The recommendation is to try for 10,000 steps a day for good health.  Most people average between 3000 and 5000/day.  A pedometer is an easy, inexpensive, and fun way to monitor this.  Try it for yourself...you might be surprised at how much or how little you move during the day!

Ok, enough typing...off to workout!  Have a great day!

Ang

Hi everyone!  I received this email early this week and thought it might help some of you out too!  I get this question quite a bit...eggs are a great breakfast option but not everyone's stomach tollerates them (especially in the morning).

Q:
Hi Ang!
I was wondering if you could help out with a breakfast alternative to eggs.  Something that would have just as much protein and keep you full with maybe some carbs to go with it.  I love having eggs, but have been getting an upset stomach from them lately, and would love an alternative that would be just as beneficial.  Thank you!

A:

Eggs really are a wonderful source of protein in the morning...but if your stomach is saying "no thanks" then it is time to either take a break from the eggs for a while or simply change to some other alternative.  Here are a few alternatives:

1.  Try Greek Style Yogurt and sweeten it with either stevia or berries.  (Greek Style yogurt has 2X the Protein of regular yogurt!...and then you get your carbs from the berries)  You could add Bran Buds to the Yogurt instead of berries as another carb alternative...and loads of fiber.

2.  Simple Cereal and Milk (but go with a high fiber cereal with less than 4g of sugar/serving...Fiber 1, Bran Buds...all great options.  Don't get fooled by the marketing on the front of the box.  They might say high fiber, Omega 3, low in fat, Health Check, Heart Smart, etc but if the box has more than 4g of sugar, put it down!  And did you know that 1 Cup of milk has the same amount of protein as 2 eggs!

3.  Try Protein Powder.  There are a number of options out there but I recommend something tastless so that you can put the powder in anything for extra protein and not really notice.  Any Whey by Optimum Nutrition was recommended to me and I really like it.  A smoothie recipe I enjoy is:

1 scoop of protein powder
1/2 Cup peaches
1/4 Cup Almond Milk
Ice
Add water as desired if you do not like a thick smoothie

Note:  if you simply do not like protein powders then you could try egg beaters instead (as long as your stomach can tollerate it)

4.  Try an english muffin with cream cheese and smoked salmon (again, it provides you witht the protein and the carbs you are looking for...plus some good fat that will keep you feeling full)

5.  Meat?!  Not everyone likes to have meat in the morning...but a a few slices of turkey bacon or regular bacon (they are often the exact same in terms of calories/fat/sodium)...again marketing at its best, can keep you feeling full until your mid morning snack.  One of my favorites is a breakast BLT:

1 Slice of Whole Grain Toast
3 Slices of Turkey Bacon 1/2 Tomato slices

And I will usually add 1 small glass of milk to this option just for a little extra protein.  Note:  this is portion for someone my size/gender...you may need to alter these protions for your own particular body type/gender/caloric needs.

Whew, ok I hope that this helps out a bit!  As you can see there are lots of options out there...it is just a matter of finding one that you enjoy.

Hi everyone!

Today I chose to complete my fitness appraisal.  The goal was to run 1.5 miles in the shortest amount of time possible.  This information then gives me the opportunity to do some calculations to see what my predicted VO2Max is (the efficiency level of how the body uses oxygen during exercise...the more fit you are, the more efficient your body becomes).

Why on earth would I put myself through this difficult test if I already know I am in good shape?  Motivation.

It does not matter who you are, what level of fitness, what type of fitness program you are doing...everyone needs a little inspiration once in a while.  Of course each of us will be motivated in differnt ways and for different reasons...that is what makes us all unique (right now some of you are thinking I am crazy and others are thinking they want to try what I just did).  The key is to find ways to keep you motivated...for me it is a challenge to beat my original time/VO2max/etc.  I enjoy competing with myself..this is what keeps me going day in and day out..and it feels great!  Here are a few ways my clients stay motivated (thanks so everyone for your permission to blog this!):

1.  Remind yourself how you feel when you are done.  (even record a message to yourself on your iphone and listen to it when you feel like passing your workout by)

2.  Remind yourself why this fitness journey is important to you (again..this could be just a verbal reminder, a mental reminder, or a written reminder)

3.  Focus on what you like about yourself what you are good (not the other way around...this is demotivating).  For example, if you know your arms look great - tell yourself that and wear a short sleaved top to the gym, or if you are reallly good at sprinting...plan a few into your program that day so you feel more excited to go.

4.  Do your favorite exercises first, then you are already committed and can finish off your workout with the ones you are not as accomplished at.

5.  Just plan for a 5 minute workout.  Once you are into the workout it is not so bad and you actually want to do more!  And if you only do do 5 minutes...it is better than nothing!

6.  Create a new playlist.  Music can really keep you going!

7.  Tape a show you like on your PVR and watch it while you work out.  Of course intensity is key...but in this case anything is better than nothing.

8.  Put up a motivating photo (of you, or of someone you aspire to look like)

9.  Put up a bad photo of you...reminder of why you are doing this.

10.  Tape an inspiring message to your treadmill

11.  Focus on Can vs Can't

12.  A fitness Challenge!  Thanks Ang for all of your tips!


As you can see, there are a lot of ways people stay motivated, and I am sure many many more.  What inspires you?  What do you want to accomplish?  Who do you want to be?  Keep these things in mind when you are trying to find that drive.  It is in us all...we just need to find it sometimes!

The number one question I receive is always "how do you stay motivated?"  I wish this answer was an easy one, or at least one that would help everybody.  The truth is, motivation is not the same for everyone.  We are all driven for different reasons.  Before you can become motivated in doing something you must first do two important things:

1.  Set a Goal (But this goal needs to be specific and measurable so you know that you have reached it.  It is also best to set a time to this goal).  If your goal is to lose 100 lbs in 1 year this may seem daunting..so it is best to set mini goals leading up to this goal (sort of like how you would create an outline for a storybook).  This way you will see small wins along the way (which can really help with motivation later on).

2.  Consider what has been holding you back (or demotivating you) in the past.  Perhaps your goal is not specific enough, perhaps you goal is too overwhelming...maybe you need to scale it back or break it down into smaller goals, perhaps the goal is not something you really want or is something you want for the wrong reasons, perhaps the goal you set is for someone else and not really for you, perhaps you are unmotivated because you do not know what to do in terms of eating well or exercising...

Once you understand where you are going and what things potentially hold you back you can begin to move forward with a gameplan.  A plan that lays out what you are going to do, for how long and how you are going to handle challenges/barriers such as time, a birthday bash with lots of your favorite foods, a stressful job, holidays, etc. will set you up right from the beginning.  If you start your journey off this way you are already ahead of the game because now you are prepared for what lies ahead.  It does not mean it will be easy...but when the going gets tough at least you will not feel like you are just floating around hoping things will simply work out in the end.  You have a path to follow to the best of your ability...and you will be monitoring your progress along the way to make sure you get there.  Once you have this step in place you will be in good shape to get started.  For motivation tips along the way...stay tuned next week!

Angela