Mindless Eating... and the solutions to avoid it!

Today's tips are brought to you via "Today's Dietician Magazine"

• Today the average person makes nearly 250 food decisions each day. Wow! and most of these decisions happen without thinking! 

• Research shows that people eat an average of 2.2 more candies each day when they are visible, compared to when they are not. Solution? Don't leave candy out on your desk, dining room table, or anywhere near them! If you don't think 2.2 extra pieces of candy is a lot, you should do the math (2.2 x ~50 calories = ~100 extra calories per day, times 365 days = 36,500 extra calories a year, which is 10 pounds.......)
• Be careful when you purchase 100-calorie packs. While the idea may be a good one (portion control) they tend to backfire for about 30% of the population, according to research. The idea of portioning out your food is a great way to make a healthier environment, but you're still going to be better off eating 100 calories of a fruit, vegetable, or low fat dairy product than you will eating a 100-calorie pack of cookies. Also, it's cheaper just to do the portioning yourself!
• Have you ever noticed that the foods with the most marketing tend to be the ones that the worst for us? If you have the ability to do so, fast forward through your commercials, or just leave the room when they are on.
• Believe it or not, food is cheaper these days, and according to the article it only takes up about 6% of our income (this is an average). I think a lot of us get caught in the traps at stores where we see a "good deal" and then we must buy it, even if we hadn't planned on doing so.Can you say "mindless shopping"! Remind yourself that unhealthy food is typically cheap food, so stay away, unless you really must have it....

Bride to Be Tip: How to dine out smarter and guilt-free

Food is a part of our social interaction. You can stick to your diet all you want- but when you get an invite to have dinner out with friends, or out to a special date night with your sweetie, you should be able to accept and not freak out about what the scale might say the next day. Here are some tips to help you dine out smarter and guilt-free.

1. Prepare before you go. If possible check out the restaurant menu online (if possible) and choose what you will eat ahead of time. 
2. Don't skip breakfast and/or lunch. You don't want to be ravenously starving and dive head first into the bread basket. If you are really hungry, eat a small snack before you leave the house (example: small handful of almonds, a few baby carrots, or a small box of raisins). 
3. Ask how the food is seasoned or prepared. Fish may sound like a healthy idea on the menu, (and it usually is) but if it is blackened- then it's got a layer of grease and salt getting in the way and you are losing the benefits of eating fish in the first place. 
4. Splurge if you must. But pick only 1 item to splurge on. If you really want a glass of wine- got for it. Or if you really want cake for dessert- have it. Just don't have the alcohol, and the bread basket, and the fries, and the cake, and.... (get the point?)
5. Eat half of your meal. Portion sizes are HUGE these days! Split the meal with someone, or eat half and have the other half boxed up. If you have trouble leaving food on the plate, ask the server the bring the box out with the meal and box up half right away. Then you won't be tempted to overindulge.
6. Eat Consciously and Intuitively. Stop eating when you are 80% full. If you overdo it, because "it just tastes SO good!" Box the rest up and you can always eat it later and it will still taste great.

Look for these key words when choosing off the menu:

• steamed
• broiled
• baked
• grilled
• poached 
• roasted

Stay away from menu items that are:

• fried
• crispy
• au gratin
• blackened

You have your resolutions... now what?

Maintain your 2011 fitness and weight loss resolutions

We all set out with the best intentions when making our resolutions for the new year. Hopefully, you are staying on track with your physical fitness goals. If you have strayed from staying the course, don't beat yourself up. Changing bad habits and adopting a new a healthier lifestyle won't happen overnight. Be patient with yourself and keep your focus and set your goals for what you can achieve today.
Here are 5 inspirational tips to keep your 2011 New Year's Resolution of keeping in shape on track.
1. Think about how much better you'll feel after your workout. Getting started or motivating yourself to start is the hardest part. After working out, endorphins kick in which help elevate our mood, relieve stress, and keep us coming back for more.
2. Tell yourself you only have to do 15 minutes. By the time you have finished those first few minutes, you'll feel re-inspired to keep going. Our bodies like to move, and after you warm-up you will realize how good it feels and continue for 15 more minutes, or even a full hour!
3. Schedule to workout with a friend. Inspire each other to keep the appointment. No one likes to cancel on a set social event. Find a friend who has similiar workout goals and make sure you both hold each other to it.
4. Invest in some new music. Listening to an upbeat song will help get your body, and your mind, moving. Put on earphones and go for a walk. While listening to your favorite new song or playlist you may find yourself picking up the pace or even going for a refreshing jog.
5. Multi-task! Workout while you are watching your favorite TV show. Lie on the floor and do Pilates mat exercises. Here is a great abdominal endurance exercise that is easy to do at home.

Make your 2011 Resolutions a Reality!

This year be smarter about what you set out to achieve in regards to your health and fitness goals for 2011. Contemplate what you aspired to accomplish last year, did you succeed? If so, congratulations! What worked well for you? If you did not achieve your goal last year, here are some tips designed to make your resolutions a reality:

• Pick an attainable (yet still challenging) fitness goal. Don't just say, "I'm going to lose 10 lbs this year." How are you going to do it? 

• Be specific. Instead, tell yourself that you are going to commit to working out 6 days a week. You have to make it part of your everyday routine, just like brushing your teeth! Give it a try and take it week by week, or even just day by day. Once you get started, and see results you will begin to enjoy and look forward to your next workout.
• Fit in a brisk walk during your lunch break, or make it an after dinner ritual with a family member, eager dog, or friend. 
• When given the choice- always take the stairs, and never the elevator.
• Schedule a workout with a friend and hold each other accountable for not flaking out. You can even go as far as making it a $5 or $10 penalty you pay each other if you cancel. (I bet you will show up more often than not, and you might even make some money while getting your workout in!)

• Commit to eating better this year. You owe it to yourself to feel better, look better, and perform your work outs or daily activities better. 

• Start out with baby steps. Ease into adding more fruits and vegetables into your diet. (No one can change overnight, so don't beat yourself up over a slip up here and there, you're human and we have sweet tooths!) 
• Exchange your breakfast cereal for fruit, trade that lunch club sandwich for a fresh green salad, carry almonds with you during the day when hunger hits for a snack, eat lean meat and vegetables for dinner instead of pasta.
• Eat smaller portions more frequently and once you start making healthier choices and enjoy a guilt-free indulgence on occasion, you will surprise yourself by craving healthy options naturally.
• Really listen to yourself, are you eating because you are truly hungry, or are you just bored, upset, or emotional? Intuitive eating and consciously knowing why you are eating is so important for your weight loss results and will banish any post meal guilt.

You CAN do this! Small steps like these will lead to attainable physical results and sustainable daily eating habits to make your resolutions a reality in 2011. 

Should I use light resistance and complete high repetitions? or Should I use heavy weights and low repetitions? and which is better?

Should I use light resistance and complete high repetitions? 

or 

Should I use heavy weights and low repetitions? 

This question can be controversial and will likely spark up a debate within the fitness industry and amongst professionals. The answer will differ depending on one's own personal preference and who you consult on the topic. A conventional personal trainer will most likely promote heavy resistance paired with low repetitions. Whereas, other methods like martial arts, yoga, and Pilates tend to favor lighter resistance (if any) and high repetitions. To obtain the best results, make sure to always focus on the quality and form in which the movement is performed. Working out in poor alignment in hopes of lifting more or doing more will only result in injury.


Using a light resistance and doing more repetitions will train the fast twitch muscles and build your strength endurance. This can create a more aerobic type of calorie burn, and is more beneficial on your joints. It will create long lean lines in your muscle development. Most women do not like the 'bulky muscle feeling' they get from heavy weight lifting and will tend to favor this type of workout. If you tend to bulk easily, using light weight (between 3-8 lbs) and lots or repetitions (more than 20 reps) is best for you. Another good rule of thumb is to complete as many repetitions as you can with very good form. Keep in mind- It is all about the quality of your movement, not the quantity. This is why Pilates is such a great choice because it replaces weights with spring resistance technology which creates a lengthening or stretching within the muscle fibers. Many methods like Martial Arts, Yoga, or the Pilates Mat work use your own body to create the resistance.


When you use heavy resistance, you are working the larger muscle groups. Heavy weight training will result in gaining strength rather than creating muscular endurance. If your goal is to increase the size of and build up your muscular structure, then opt for a heavier resistance with low repetitions. This is a favorite among body builders, cross-fit and many boot camp driven methods. Choose a weight that is heavy enough in resistance so you can only complete 10-12 repetitions with excellent form. Again, the quality of the movement and maintaining good form is still a key factor to prevent injury and to correctly complete the work. This is an excellent way to burn more calories efficiently and boost your metabolism when done before your cardiovascular exercise. 



High reps (more than 20) plus low weight = fast twitch muscle fiber or endurance and toning

Low reps (between 10-12) plus heavy weight = slow twitch large muscle groups or strength gaining/building

Bottom Line: both are beneficial, it comes down to personal choice and what you are trying to achieve with your own body. Try both methods and see which one feels right for you. You can always do both within the week. Switch up your method throughout the week and use heavier resistance one day with low reps, and lighter weights the next with many repetitions. This way you will train the large muscles along with the smaller fast twitch muscles to compliment strength with endurance.
Don't forget to pair resistance training with 3-6 days of a cardiovascular workout. You have to burn the fat to even see the toning and the muscle definition results. Also keep in mind, the more muscle you build, the more efficiently your body will burn off fat during cardiovascular exercise and while at rest.


*As with any new fitness program, consult your physician and work closely with a certified trainer. Always listen to your body and if you feel pain during any exercise, stop or modify.

Tired of the gym, New year, New workout! This year you should...

Try a Pilates Reformer Class! and here is why...

 

Are you tired of your old ‘going to the gym’ routine? The same old weights, treadmill, and elliptical can get boring quickly because of the repetitive and mindless movement. Pilates will get you out of that monotonous cycle and jump start your mind to work with your body.

A Pilates Reformer class can offer many customized exercises to get you out of your rut and on to a better, more balanced body. Certified Pilates instructors are rigorously trained in over 500 different exercises so you will never get bored. Not only that, but just when you think you’ve got it mastered, we make it harder! In Pilates, you can change the smallest detail, such as inhaling instead of exhaling at the point of exertion, to make the exercise more effective, challenging, productive and fun.
A typical Pilates Reformer class is a full body workout that addresses more than just muscular toning. Each one hour session will include strength training, flexibility, abdominal conditioning, balance work, and spinal movement in all planes of direction. You can add a great cardiovascular workout by using the Jump Board at the foot of the Reformer.
Say goodbye to the uncomfortable short, tight and bulked up feeling you get from kettle bells, bar bells and dumb bells. Pilates incorporates springs for resistance rather than weights. The springs are more effective than weights because they mimic the natural contraction of your muscles. The result is improved balance, better postural alignment and a wonderful lengthening sensation.
Pilates can supplement your weight training more effectively, offer variety to help you cross train your activities, prevent injuries, and promote a healthier, more mindful approach to your workout. You can also supplement time on the elliptical or treadmill with a Jump Board session. Next time you grow tired of your same old trip to the gym, switch it up and seek out a Pilates Reformer class.

Chocolate Pretzel Recipe for Christmas ...a crowd pleaser!

Save your sanity and your waistline by making these easy Chocolate Pretzels instead of the time-consuming, and calorie filled Christmas cookies and cakes. This dessert is so simple and you can make a ton of them (aka- give them out as gifts, and please a lot of happy mouths!)

1. Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper and spread out a bunch of Bite Size Waffle Pretzels  
2. Place 1 Hershey Kiss on top of each pretzel. 
3. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for about 4-6 min (until the hershey kiss melts and softens a little, it will still have the same shape) 
4. Take them out and quickly smash down the kiss with 1 M&M (plain or peanut or get creative and use hugs) on top and in the center of each Hershey Kiss/Pretzel. 
5. Then you let them cool 

They are small, convenient, and satisfy that chocolate salty craving! It sure beats the alternative of eating a slice of cake, pie, or cookies.