Sleep Off the Extra Weight
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published June 14, 2010
When you get enough sleep, you wake up rested and ready for your day. But that’s not the only reason to get adequate sleep. Research has found that getting too few zzz’s may be a major reason why so many of us overeat and end up overweight. When you don’t get enough sleep, it’s more difficult for your body to burn fat and sugar for energy.
Repeated lack of sleep can actually raise the stress hormone cortisol, which brings on a pre-diabetic state. Inadequate sleep also lowers your levels of leptin, the hormone that works to decrease your appetite. As leptin production is blocked, your brain receives familiar signals telling you to eat. You feel hungry and have intense cravings for sweets and starches. Too bad your body doesn’t actually need food – what it needs is a nap!
But cravings are hard to ignore. And once you give in to them, your insulin levels soar and then quickly crash. This amounts to mood swings, stress, sadness, impatience, aggravation, and, ultimately, another food binge.
Why do this to your body? Forgo the confusion by getting plenty of sleep – 7-8 hours – every night.
Your coach,
Jorge Cruise
MY THOUGHTS
yes, why do that to our bodies. who wants to be on a pre-diabetic state? and i want those leptins. i'm convinced and should really try to get that much needed sleep.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Keeping a Food Log
Grab a Pen, and Shed Pounds Fast
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
Published February 07, 2011
If you want to be successful – really successful – with your diet program, you have to stay accountable for your diet actions. One way is to keep a food diary or log. By writing down what you eat and in what amounts, you’ll know exactly how close you came to hitting your daily calorie goals – there’s no uncertainty or ambiguity. Either you hit your targets or you didn’t, and that’s powerful accountability.
Without this type of accountability assessment in place, it’s easy to think you did well because you avoided junk food for a day, when in reality you really consumed many more calories than you actually burned. Of course, it’s almost impossible to account for every calorie day in and day out, so don’t let slightly imperfect numbers discourage you. Instead, learn to be realistic with your evaluation. As a general rule, if you’ve managed to come within 5% of your daily targets, you’re well on your way to winning the weight-loss battle!
To your body transformation success,
Joel Marion
MY THOUGHTS
are you up to it? i'm not! this is serious weight management. and i'm not that serious. even if i need to be.
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
Published February 07, 2011
If you want to be successful – really successful – with your diet program, you have to stay accountable for your diet actions. One way is to keep a food diary or log. By writing down what you eat and in what amounts, you’ll know exactly how close you came to hitting your daily calorie goals – there’s no uncertainty or ambiguity. Either you hit your targets or you didn’t, and that’s powerful accountability.
Without this type of accountability assessment in place, it’s easy to think you did well because you avoided junk food for a day, when in reality you really consumed many more calories than you actually burned. Of course, it’s almost impossible to account for every calorie day in and day out, so don’t let slightly imperfect numbers discourage you. Instead, learn to be realistic with your evaluation. As a general rule, if you’ve managed to come within 5% of your daily targets, you’re well on your way to winning the weight-loss battle!
To your body transformation success,
Joel Marion
MY THOUGHTS
are you up to it? i'm not! this is serious weight management. and i'm not that serious. even if i need to be.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
EAT PINE NUTS
Your Weight-Loss Solution: Eat Pine Nuts!
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By James Beckerman, M.D.
Published February 11, 2011
Sometimes natural foods and modern chemistry come together in the most delicious way. Pine nuts - the edible seeds of pines - are a newly recognized source of phytonutrients, which are the offspring of nature and healthy chemicals that can do our bodies good.
Pine nut oil contains pinolenic acid, a fatty acid that stimulates the body to produce two natural appetite suppressants: the hormones cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Interestingly, there is a long history of people in Siberia munching on pine nuts or taking a tablespoon of pine nut oil to suppress their hunger when food becomes scarce.
So how can we get them into modern American diets?
The good news is that they’re readily available, delicious and low in calories. A tablespoon of pine nuts contains only about 60 calories and makes an easy (and convenient) snack when you’re driving to appointments in your car or when you need something to curb your appetite at your desk. Pine nuts can also be deliciously mixed into yogurt, cottage cheese, pasta or green salads.
Companies are also marketing pine nut oil in supplement form - capsules, chocolates, bars, and shakes to name a few - and, according to their own research studies, pine nut oil supplementation is associated with a drop of 7%-10% in calorie consumption.
They might be worth a try in your new healthy-eating diet.
Always look up!
Jamie
MY THOUGHTS
love pine nuts! especially when it's mixed with pesto. needs to be processed, of course, into a paste. together with all those garlic and basil and extra virgin olive oil.
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By James Beckerman, M.D.
Published February 11, 2011
Sometimes natural foods and modern chemistry come together in the most delicious way. Pine nuts - the edible seeds of pines - are a newly recognized source of phytonutrients, which are the offspring of nature and healthy chemicals that can do our bodies good.
Pine nut oil contains pinolenic acid, a fatty acid that stimulates the body to produce two natural appetite suppressants: the hormones cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Interestingly, there is a long history of people in Siberia munching on pine nuts or taking a tablespoon of pine nut oil to suppress their hunger when food becomes scarce.
So how can we get them into modern American diets?
The good news is that they’re readily available, delicious and low in calories. A tablespoon of pine nuts contains only about 60 calories and makes an easy (and convenient) snack when you’re driving to appointments in your car or when you need something to curb your appetite at your desk. Pine nuts can also be deliciously mixed into yogurt, cottage cheese, pasta or green salads.
Companies are also marketing pine nut oil in supplement form - capsules, chocolates, bars, and shakes to name a few - and, according to their own research studies, pine nut oil supplementation is associated with a drop of 7%-10% in calorie consumption.
They might be worth a try in your new healthy-eating diet.
Always look up!
Jamie
MY THOUGHTS
love pine nuts! especially when it's mixed with pesto. needs to be processed, of course, into a paste. together with all those garlic and basil and extra virgin olive oil.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Morning Exercise #5 - BALANCE
Morning Exercise # 5 - BALANCE
from the article "Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits"
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2011
Wake-Up Call #5: A morning workout is better than coffee.
Oxygen, not caffeine, is what your brain wants in the morning. So instead of reaching for the coffeepot, reach for your sneakers and you’ll get all the brain-boosting benefits you need.
Studies show that exercise can increase your mental sharpness for 4 to 10 hours after your workout, a benefit you can really use at the start of your day. So, get up and get moving with this quadriceps flex.
This exercise requires a bit of balance – a talent not everyone has. So be sure to use a chair or stable countertop for support:
Step 1: Grasp a chair or other hip-level support, and stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Through a count of 10 seconds, bend your knees as you allow your body to fall slightly backward, letting your heels come up off the floor.
Step 3: At the maximum tension point, hold and squeeze your quads for 2 seconds.
Step 4: Through another count of 10 seconds, slowly return to the starting point.
Step 5: Without resting, repeat three times.
MY THOUGHTS
no,no,no,no,no.! that can't be true! nothing can beat coffee first thing in the morning! not possible. for me, anyway! i know it's pyscho. but i kind of walk around like a zombie without the usual caffeine boost. and i can't imagine a zombie doing this exercise. i cannot even understand how it's supposed to be done.
from the article "Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits"
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2011
Wake-Up Call #5: A morning workout is better than coffee.
Oxygen, not caffeine, is what your brain wants in the morning. So instead of reaching for the coffeepot, reach for your sneakers and you’ll get all the brain-boosting benefits you need.
Studies show that exercise can increase your mental sharpness for 4 to 10 hours after your workout, a benefit you can really use at the start of your day. So, get up and get moving with this quadriceps flex.
This exercise requires a bit of balance – a talent not everyone has. So be sure to use a chair or stable countertop for support:
Step 1: Grasp a chair or other hip-level support, and stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Through a count of 10 seconds, bend your knees as you allow your body to fall slightly backward, letting your heels come up off the floor.
Step 3: At the maximum tension point, hold and squeeze your quads for 2 seconds.
Step 4: Through another count of 10 seconds, slowly return to the starting point.
Step 5: Without resting, repeat three times.
MY THOUGHTS
no,no,no,no,no.! that can't be true! nothing can beat coffee first thing in the morning! not possible. for me, anyway! i know it's pyscho. but i kind of walk around like a zombie without the usual caffeine boost. and i can't imagine a zombie doing this exercise. i cannot even understand how it's supposed to be done.
Morning Exercise #4 - ABDOMINAL EXERCISES
MORNING EXERCISE #4 - ABDOMINAL EXERCISE
from the article "Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits"
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2011
Wake-Up Call #4: A.M. exercise helps you sleep better in the p.m.
Hitting the gym in the morning helps you hit the sack at night. A study published in the scientific journal Sleep showed that overweight or obese women who began a regular morning exercise routine slept better than those who exercised regularly in the evening.
Why? Evening exercise stimulates your body. You become restless and alert, making it very difficult for your brain to turn off and your body to drift into restful sleep.
Exercise is like the ignition in your car – it turns your body on, not off. Get yourself going in the morning with some reverse crunches:
Step 1: Lie flat on a mat, with your hands by your sides, palms down. Pull your heels as close to your bottom as possible. Raise your heels about 2 inches off the ground.
Step 2: While keeping your chin up and abs tight, breathe slowly and rhythmically as you pull your knees up using the lower abdominals through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 3: Hold and squeeze for 2 seconds at the maximum tension point (when your bottom is just off the ground).
Step 4: Lower your body to the starting point through a 10-second count.
Step 5: Repeat three times without resting.
MY THOUGHTS
it can be done. easily. feels good, too. just be sure to dothe exercise as soon as you're on the mat. you might think you're still in bed and continue snoozing.
from the article "Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits"
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2011
Wake-Up Call #4: A.M. exercise helps you sleep better in the p.m.
Hitting the gym in the morning helps you hit the sack at night. A study published in the scientific journal Sleep showed that overweight or obese women who began a regular morning exercise routine slept better than those who exercised regularly in the evening.
Why? Evening exercise stimulates your body. You become restless and alert, making it very difficult for your brain to turn off and your body to drift into restful sleep.
Exercise is like the ignition in your car – it turns your body on, not off. Get yourself going in the morning with some reverse crunches:
Step 1: Lie flat on a mat, with your hands by your sides, palms down. Pull your heels as close to your bottom as possible. Raise your heels about 2 inches off the ground.
Step 2: While keeping your chin up and abs tight, breathe slowly and rhythmically as you pull your knees up using the lower abdominals through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 3: Hold and squeeze for 2 seconds at the maximum tension point (when your bottom is just off the ground).
Step 4: Lower your body to the starting point through a 10-second count.
Step 5: Repeat three times without resting.
MY THOUGHTS
it can be done. easily. feels good, too. just be sure to dothe exercise as soon as you're on the mat. you might think you're still in bed and continue snoozing.
Morning Exercise #3 - SQUATS
Morning Exercise #3 - SQUATS
from "Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits"
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2011
Wake-Up Call #3: It’s your choice to be a night owl or an early bird.
Tick-tock. You have an internal clock that thrives on routine. It’s your circadian rhythm, and it regulates your body on a 24-hour cycle.
Give yourself a strict bedtime, force yourself to wake up when your alarm goes off (no snoozing!), and exercise each day – even if it’s only for 10 minutes.
Over time – a few days for some, a few weeks for others – your body will learn the new routine. It will gently wake you up, no earsplitting alarm required. You’ll feel rested and energized, and will actually start looking forward to your workout.
Get yourself in gear tomorrow morning with lateral squats. This move requires a lot of balance and hip stabilization – a job perfect for your gluteus medius.
Remember, this muscle is positioned not where you consider your butt to be, but rather on the side of your hip. Be sure to keep your hips and shoulders in line, and don’t allow your knee to drop forward over your toes:
Step 1: With your hands on your hips, stand with your feet about a foot wider than shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Squat down to the side toward one leg, while keeping the opposite leg straight, through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 3: At the maximum tension point, hold for 2 seconds. Return to the starting position through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 4: Alternate sides without resting. Perform 2 reps on each side.
MY THOUGHTS
this is not going to give me reason to get out of bed early. i think this is like side lunges. i hate them. side,forward, any kind of lunge. hey, that's just me. don't let me discourage you.
from "Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits"
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2011
Wake-Up Call #3: It’s your choice to be a night owl or an early bird.
Tick-tock. You have an internal clock that thrives on routine. It’s your circadian rhythm, and it regulates your body on a 24-hour cycle.
Give yourself a strict bedtime, force yourself to wake up when your alarm goes off (no snoozing!), and exercise each day – even if it’s only for 10 minutes.
Over time – a few days for some, a few weeks for others – your body will learn the new routine. It will gently wake you up, no earsplitting alarm required. You’ll feel rested and energized, and will actually start looking forward to your workout.
Get yourself in gear tomorrow morning with lateral squats. This move requires a lot of balance and hip stabilization – a job perfect for your gluteus medius.
Remember, this muscle is positioned not where you consider your butt to be, but rather on the side of your hip. Be sure to keep your hips and shoulders in line, and don’t allow your knee to drop forward over your toes:
Step 1: With your hands on your hips, stand with your feet about a foot wider than shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Squat down to the side toward one leg, while keeping the opposite leg straight, through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 3: At the maximum tension point, hold for 2 seconds. Return to the starting position through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 4: Alternate sides without resting. Perform 2 reps on each side.
MY THOUGHTS
this is not going to give me reason to get out of bed early. i think this is like side lunges. i hate them. side,forward, any kind of lunge. hey, that's just me. don't let me discourage you.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
MORNING EXERCISE # 2- DUMBBELLS
MORNING EXERCISE # 2
Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2011
Wake-Up Call #2: Your metabolism won’t boost itself.
You roll out of bed, throw on some clothes and stumble out the door on your way to another busy day. Are you even awake yet? Your metabolism certainly isn’t.
The average person can expect the metabolic boost to last for 30-60 minutes post-exercise. EPOC typically accounts for a few paltry calories – 10-60, depending on the intensity of the workout.
Not only does morning exercise help you burn calories during the actual workout, but its effects linger after you’re finished. It’s called EPOC – excess post-exercise oxygen consumption – and it’s a fancy way of saying you burn extra calories even after your workout’s over.
But don’t let that discourage you! It adds up over time, and because it only takes a daily deficit of 500 calories to lose one pound in a week, every calorie counts.
Pump up your metabolism and your biceps with the standing side curl:
Step 1: Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms down by your sides, with palms facing forward and knees slightly bent.
Step 2: Feather your breathing as you curl the dumbbells up through a count of 10 seconds to just past a 90-degree angle. Hold and squeeze for 2 seconds.
Step 3: Keep your elbows tight against your body as you lower the weights to the starting point through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 4: Repeat three times without resting.
MY THOUGHTS
what is "feather your breathing'? i've researched it already. read the next blog if you want to know more about it.
as for the dumbbells, i wonder why they are called dumb?
Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2011
Wake-Up Call #2: Your metabolism won’t boost itself.
You roll out of bed, throw on some clothes and stumble out the door on your way to another busy day. Are you even awake yet? Your metabolism certainly isn’t.
The average person can expect the metabolic boost to last for 30-60 minutes post-exercise. EPOC typically accounts for a few paltry calories – 10-60, depending on the intensity of the workout.
Not only does morning exercise help you burn calories during the actual workout, but its effects linger after you’re finished. It’s called EPOC – excess post-exercise oxygen consumption – and it’s a fancy way of saying you burn extra calories even after your workout’s over.
But don’t let that discourage you! It adds up over time, and because it only takes a daily deficit of 500 calories to lose one pound in a week, every calorie counts.
Pump up your metabolism and your biceps with the standing side curl:
Step 1: Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms down by your sides, with palms facing forward and knees slightly bent.
Step 2: Feather your breathing as you curl the dumbbells up through a count of 10 seconds to just past a 90-degree angle. Hold and squeeze for 2 seconds.
Step 3: Keep your elbows tight against your body as you lower the weights to the starting point through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 4: Repeat three times without resting.
MY THOUGHTS
what is "feather your breathing'? i've researched it already. read the next blog if you want to know more about it.
as for the dumbbells, i wonder why they are called dumb?
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