Why You Can't Ever Just Eat One Cookie

You left for work this morning at 6:00 am because traffic is hectic and you have some deadlines to meet before the day gets away. You didn't get back home till 6:00 pm and decided to skip the gym since you were so tired from work. You've had hard day and making a meal is the last thing on your mind.

Grabbing the left over cookies that you bought for the weekend get together you were going to with some friends is the only thing that sounded appetizing for dinner. You told yourself that eating a couple would be the limit. "I just want something sweet, a little taste and then I'll be okay." One turned into three, and before you knew it all of the 12 cookies were gone and you were still hungry for more. Why is that?

For thousands of years humans relied on a remarkable, naturally occurring hormone called leptin to regulate what we ate. Somehow this regulator has become confused and now it seems like people just don't know how to stop eating.

I have to dive into a little bit of the biochemistry of the brain so you can fully understand these signals or 'non' signals you experience.

Growing evidence shows that leptin may influence areas of your brain that control the intensity of your desire to eat. It has also been found that leptin not only changes brain chemistry, but can also "rewire" the very important areas of your brain that control hunger and metabolism. The way your body stores fat is a carefully regulated process that is controlled, primarily, by leptin. If you gain excess weight, the additional fat produces extra leptin that should alert your brain that your body should stop creating and storing more fat and start burning the accumulated excess.

To do this, signals are sent to your brain to stop being hungry and to stop eating. It is very important that your brain is able to accurately "hear" the messages leptin sends it, as otherwise your brain thinks you're depleted and will continue to feel hungry, even starving. If your brain does not respond appropriately to leptin, you will likely continue to eat and store more fat.

So if you have this incredible innate system that regulates hunger, why are we struggling to put down the cookies? Because you have become "leptin resistant." Leptin resistance occurs when your body is unable to properly hear leptin's signals. How does this happen? By overexposure to high levels of the hormone, caused by eating too much sugar.

You are familiar with the term 'insulin'. When you eat cookies your bodies blood sugar raises and causes repeated surges of insulin to balance it out. These high repeated surges over time can cause your cells to become "insulin-resistant," which can lead to type II diabetes if not careful. It is much the same as being in a room with a strong odor for a period of time. Eventually, you stop being able to smell it, because the signal no longer gets through.

The same process also occurs with leptin. It has been shown that as sugar gets metabolized and stored as triglycerides in fat cells, the fat cells release surges of leptin and those surges result in leptin-resistance, just as it results in insulin-resistance. When you become leptin-resistant, your body can no longer hear the messages telling it to stop eating and burn fat -- so it remains hungry and stores more fat.

This will not only contribute to weight gain, but also increase your risk of many chronic illnesses, as leptin plays a significant, if not primary, role in heart disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, reproductive disorders, and perhaps the rate of aging itself.

Remember that in order to minimize your sugar intake, you need to avoid most processed foods, as most contain added sugar. Even savory foods like salad dressing, soup, and bread often contain sugar. For optimal health, eat natural whole foods, and don't skip the gym (sometimes just being in that environment can get you back into a good mindset).

I'm not saying cookies are bad, but they are no staple for healthy nutritional practices. Have them only in moderation.

4 Reasons Why Your Trainer Should Have A Beard

Some very historical figures were men with beards or facial hair. Charles Darwin, Otto the Great, Colonel Sanders, Wyatt Earp, James "Grizzly Adams, and Mark Twain, are just a few of them that I know of off the top of my head. Some articles say that men with beards are more wise... Hmm. I even read some blogs that said men with beards are likely not show visible signs of aging due to lack of over exposure to UV Rays... Say What. They say women should date a man with a beard because he is well kept, sophisticated, and looks much older... Yassss.

But what about trainers and health coaches. Should they have beards or facial hair? I vote yes. Here's why...

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1) He is goal oriented. Typically guys that make a goal of growing a beard are in it for the long haul. They understand it is going to take some time and they have made the goal to see it through. A goal oriented trainer can look far beyond your scope. Typically you will only see the here and now. A trainer that has the end goal in mind will be able to overcome small obstacles, push through plateaus, and understand the frustrations that come along with the goals you have. He will be able to help you navigate through all the mental aches and pains that you will have.

2) He is obviously patient. Can't be in a rush when growing out a beard. It is a process and learning to enjoy the process is something that is very important. It is essential that your trainer be patient. Some weeks you will not lose any weight, you will question your program, you could possibly go in and out of being motivated, and slipping up on your nutrition will happen. A patient trainer will be able to show empathy. He will make you feel at ease and give you the tools to keep pressing on even when you don't think you have it in you.

3) It shows commitment. Beards can be a bit scruffy at times. Often times growing a beard might resemble like you just don't care about your appearance. But waiting it out is a required necessity when you want the facial hair to look pristine. It is definitely a commitment. Having a trainer that is dedicated to you and your goals are a must. Nothing is worse than having a trainer that you ask a question to and he doesn't get back to you for 3 to 4 days. A trainer that is committed to you will always respond promptly. You will end up creating a good relationship with him because he becomes a part of your life.

4) I doubt he is cookie cutter. Growing a beard sets you a part. Everyone's facial hair grows a bit different, looks a bit different, and styled differently than anyone else. A man with a beard is a creator, innovator, and against the norm. He is no rule breaker but he is no cookie cutter. He takes the time to think about your goals and provides a detail plan into helping you reach them. Your safety is always at the forefront, keeping it interesting plays a huge role, and researching the best possible route to help you achieve your goals is taken seriously. The last thing you want is a trainer that writes up cookie cutter programs or just wants you to do the most popular exercise program that is being featured on social media or TV at the time.

Just so happens that the creators of WebFit have beards. :)

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7 Ways to Take Your Work-outs to the Next Level

As a professional in fitness industry I see the influx of people come in the gym with a goal to lose weight, get 'toned', gain muscle, get a six pack, tighten up the backside, lose the love handles, or get back to the high school weight. Often times they have a magazine in hand that has the '30 day plan to a new you' or '10 muscle building exercises to get you ripped' or '21 day glute routine'. The most popular trends catches the eye but the most basic principle is left by the wayside. From my experience two things end up happening when a proper plan isn't in place. They accept that in order to get results it will take years of weight training or working out and they just don't want to weight that long, while others get discouraged from not seeing results and quit altogether.

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Progressive Overload: I call this a "Standard" set type in WebFit. It is the most commonly used set type and the base of any successful weight training program. This principal refers to continually increasing the demands on the musculoskeletal system in order to continually make gains in muscle size, strength and endurance. In order to get bigger and stronger you must continually lift more and more and make your muscles work harder than they are used to. If you don't, your muscles will not become any stronger or bigger than they currently are.

Conversely, if the demands on your muscles are not at least maintained and are actually decreased, your muscles will become smaller and weaker. Use it or lose it.

Progressive overload is a very simple concept but it is crucial. This principle lays the foundation of any training program. Progressive overload doesn't just apply to resistance training and increasing muscle growth and strength, it can also be applied to increasing bone and connective tissue strength as well as cardiovascular fitness and the associated physiological changes that take place through a progressive cardiovascular exercise program.

I will walk you through an example of this principle in motion. Let's say you perform 1 set of legs using a Seated Leg Press Machine at 100 pounds for 8 repetitions. As your training progresses that 1 set of Leg Presses for 8 reps at 100 pounds becomes easier and easier. This means that your leg muscles have adapted to the demands you placed on them. There is no longer a need for them to try to get bigger and stronger because the demand is not sufficient enough. You could do that same set of 8 repetitions at 100 pounds for the rest of your life and your strength/muscle size would never improve past a certain point. In order for your strength to improve and your muscles to change than they presently are you need to place more demands on them. You continue doing this strategically until you reach your own genetic potential.

The one thing that lowers my spirits is when I see individuals who want to skip out on the basics. I don't blame them because with social media and everything being blasted our faces; sometimes you just want to jump to the 'best' program out there. Just remember this one thing. If your body is progressing with 2 sets of 10 at 30 pounds on a given exercise, don't add more weight or do more sets or increase the repetitions. Ride your program until the wheels fall off and then change something. The old saying, "IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT." is something I try to jam in the minds of people I come in contact with. If you try to apply everything and do it all now, what will you do when you hit a plateau?

I want to share with you 7 ways to apply progressive overload. The beauty of this principle is that these 7 ideas to help you progress can be mixed, matched and put together so artistically that you can very seldom hit a plateau in your program.

1) Increase Resistance Progressively increase the weight you lift as you become stronger and the weight becomes easier. A good indicator of when to increase the resistance is when you are able to perform more than your target repetitions. For example, when your lifting program calls for sets of 10 repetitions but you are able to get 11. This would be an indicator that it is time to move up in your weight.

2) Increase Sets Increase the number of sets you perform for a given exercise. Instead of 2 or 3 sets maybe you'll want to increase to 3 or 4 in order to really fatigue the muscles.

3) Increase Repetitions Increase the number of repetitions you perform for a given exercise. By the end of your last set and you are completing repetitions with ease then next time it might be time to go up in weight.

4) Increase Frequency Increase how often you train a certain muscle or muscle group. This technique is most useful for improving lagging or weak muscles or muscle groups. This technique is often the one that is over used as well. Recovery plays a major role in this. Beginners can utilize this principal because most of the time they are training full body a few times a week but with very low volume. When applying this make sure that muscles have had enough time to recuperate between training sessions before increasing frequency. Every once in a while though it could be useful to train muscles even if they haven't fully recovered in order to shock them and keep them guessing. But be cautious.

5) Increase Exercises Increase the number of exercises you perform for a certain muscle or muscle group with the addition of a new one to your current program. This technique works well if you are trying to add symmetry to a muscle group by increasing the size of individual muscles or parts of muscles within a muscle group.

6) Increase Intensity Increase your perceived exertion or how much effort you put into every set. This is the most important factor for creating progressive overload in my opinion. Way too often people progress by using one of the above factors before they even think about how to increase the effort in which they are currently at. What would happen if you controlled the weight better? How would you feel if you took your time during the set and really focused on squeezing the muscle you are working? Don't forget. Anyone can throw weight around. Few know how to control it. Sometimes learning how to be comfortable in those uncomfortable sets is all you need to progress.

7) Decrease Rest Time Decreasing the rest time between consecutive sets will force your body to adapt metabolically faster and more efficiently over time. Eventually you will be able to lift more in less time.

The last two of those factors are by far my personal favorite. Those two alone can push you to a better you. They aren't fancy and don't even require an extensive amount of knowledge to perform effectively. I hope this helped explain why progressive overload is so amazing in helping you achieve a better you.

The Importance of Warming Up Before A Work-Out

Weight training can be as complicated or as simple as what you like to make it. There are basic principles to follow just like anything in life. The problem is when we look for shortcuts. I get text, emails, and phone calls about how to execute the different set types we have set up in WebFit. Some people think I created the terms. Some think they are made up adjectives that are indicative into how I feel about them (Stretching = "Boring and you don't want me doing anything" - Standard Sets = "I Like You" - Supersets = "You Need To Work A Little Harder" - Circuits = "I'm Mad At You or Punishment".  Haha! While all those gestures are funny. They are false. I only utilize science to help you get closer to your goal in a safe, yet effective fashion.

When the principles of weight training are used correctly, your results can be astounding. The science of weight training is my passion and sharing that is my goal. My goal is to educate you in a crash course on set types; what each of them mean, and the benefit of them when performed correctly.

"Static Stretching" Stretching is the deliberate lengthening of muscles in order to increase muscle flexibility and joint range of motion. Stretching activities are an important part of any exercise or rehabilitation program. They help warm the body up prior to activity thus decreasing the risk of injury as well as muscle soreness. Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. I often see individuals who have a hard time doing day to day tasks such as putting shoes, picking up groceries, changing light bulbs, cleaning the house and putting on your clothes. Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Blood flowing to your muscles brings nourishment and gets rid of waste byproducts in the muscle tissue. Improved circulation can help shorten your recovery time if you've had any muscle injuries as well. Here are some things to keep in mind when performing stretches: * Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears (microtears) in the muscle, which leave scar tissue as the muscle heals. The scar tissue tightens the muscle even further, making you even less flexible and more prone to pain. * If you feel pain as you stretch, you've gone too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch. * Don't hold your breath while you're stretching. * The benefits of stretching are many and have been proven through various studies over time. A study done in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy showed that, "Static stretching is effective at increasing Range Of Motion. The greatest change in ROM with a static stretch occurs between 15 and 30 seconds." Typically static stretching is done at the beginning of a workout prior to doing a dynamic warm up and after a light warm up of some sort of light cardiovascular activity. This quick 5-10 minutes allows you to calm your mind and start actively thinking about the time you are about to spend at the gym. It also allows you to come down off any stress while priming your body for exercise. This is essential to your success not only in reaching your goals but also for quality of life.

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"Dynamic Warm Up" The main purpose behind a dynamic warm-up is to increase the blood flow to the exercise musculature, and to increase the nervous system awareness. You're trying to stimulate that awareness to the exercises that are going to follow. It's the steppingstone before you actually start doing more intense exercises. It should be the first part of our workout; and it's absolutely critical because it warms up your tissue temperature prior to starting your workout and will allow you to perform more efficiently. Because most cardio activities are performed with relatively small ranges of motion and are dominant in one plane (straight ahead, such as walking, running, cycling, stair climbing, elliptical, etc.), it is important to incorporate movements that move the body in more complete ways. This should include full ranges of motion, rotation and side-to-side movements.

These two different set types are often skipped because of a lack of time, not interesting, and some just don't see the benefit. But to be honest, these are the most important of them all. Because without them, you will not be able to get into and out of life positions efficiently (squatting, deadlifting, pressing) or perform exercises correctly. This is the core to any and every exercise program. So please don't skip these two important pieces. They could be the very thing that takes you to the next level.

5 Tips for a Healthy 2016

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Well it is here. The end of another year. They seem to go by really fast. The end of the year can raise a lot of feelings about your past and your future. For the full month of December I like to look back in my planner and journals and analyze what went right and what went wrong. It's a habit I picked up from my dad as a kid. Typically I will list the big surprises, the small moments of pleasure and the challenges I faced with courage (even if things didn't turn out the way I hoped for). So If you don't mind, I would like to share some of the highs and lows from 2015 with you.

BIG SURPRISES In the 4th quarter of the year I moved back to Kansas. Leaving my home in Texas was difficult because of the friendships I have made through the years, not having the ranch to go to when I wanted to, and leaving my father was really hard because we were finally start to have a relationship. But it all worked out for the good. In the midst of all of that I had the chance to hit all the goals I wanted. I had the chance to have a photo shoot with my good friend Chuck, and I totaled 1416lbs over the span of 3 powerlifting meets. I hit my goal of a 501lb squat, a 320lb paused bench press, and a 595lb deadlift.

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MOMENTS OF PLEASURE In the summer of this year I had the opportunity to go to Cancun, Mexico with Tiffany. It was the best trip of my life. It was the first time I didn't workout for more than 3 days in a row, and the first time I have ever saw blue water in person. I ate some of the best food I have ever had in my life, played beach volleyball in the pool (don't know if they even have a name for it), and drank Strawberry Daiquiri's until the cows came home (They weren't strong though, but I still had alcohol and as you get to know me, you will see that is very rare). To top the trip off, I got the chance to ask my best friend to marry me on her birthday on the pier.

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CHALLENGES FACED WITH COURAGE One of my best friends and Tiffany lost there mothers this year. 2015 had many challenges but this by far was the hardest. Watching them grieve and go through the process of healing was tough. I encourage anyone that is faced with something similar to be the rock in the that relationship for your friend, loved one, or family member. They will need your shoulder to cry on, ear to listen to their struggles and pain, and most of all they will need your encouragement to help keep them going. My best friend competed in his first powerlifting meet and also bodybuilding competition at the ripe age of 43. He lost over 50lbs total in his transformation and he could have easily just thrown in the towel. Tiffany excelled in her career by getting 2 raises this year (she can now support my shopping addiction, JK). She is an extremely loyal and hard worker. To see her earn that as a small token of appreciation was amazing. So while I might have been apart of their support system, they continued to press on.

As the year comes to a close, I would like to leave you with some principles that helped me hit my goals for the year.

Let go of judgement of yourself and others. When you are reviewing your past year and preparing yourself for the new year, notice if you are making judgments (being blameful or self-critical). Take a step back and examine if your resolutions are based on feelings of being “bad,” “wrong,” or “inadequate.” For example, before saying “I want to lose 15 pounds this year,” examine why losing weight is important to you. Are you uncomfortable with your appearance because you are not confident about your body or afraid that others will judge it? Base your goals on healthy principles rather than judgment from yourself or others. For example, if your wish to lose weight is based on low self-esteem, consider instead finding healthier ways to feel more comfortable with your body. Or if you want to lose weight because of medical reasons and fitness, perhaps focus instead on healthy eating, such as cutting out processed foods and refined sugars.

Have an accountability buddy. First of all, you need to do this with a partner. And the more committed you are to each other's success and happiness, and the more you wouldn't want to disappoint them, the better.

Let go of old habits or patterns that might be holding you back. Old patterns can perpetuate negativity. Actively listen for negative thoughts or emotions occur automatically, often so automatically that they go unnoticed. Ask yourself if holding onto grudges or negative patterns are holding you back.

Highlight and organize the obstacles. Be prepared for the stumbling blocks along your way. Remember that they can be both external (changes in the environment) and internal (changes in your attitude). Recognizing and categorizing the potential pitfalls will help you decide how to best spend your energy and resources on countering them.

Identify alternatives early. Things don’t always turn out as planned, so it’s a good idea to have a Plan B handy, just in case. Ask yourself how you are going to proceed if, for example, you face too many obstacles, or your priorities shift, or you lose your motivation, get overwhelmed, discouraged, etc. Think of these things beforehand so that you don’t make rash decisions under the influence of your emotions later on.

New Year, New You?

Ask yourself this question: If there were no pressure from others, would you want to change? Studies have shown that people are more likely to succeed in changing their behavior when they are motivated by internal rather than external forces. So basically you are more motivated when your 'why' is deeper than something that is essentially materialistic.

Being motivated by the money you will win at your job for being the "biggest loser" is nice for the first 3 months of the year but what will you do after that? The special date that is coming up where you have to fit in the clothes you already bought will put a fire under your butt, but when that date pasts will you keep going? These are just examples and this is not my attempt to throw you under the bus for what motivates you. Getting ready for vacation, winning a competition, earning money for your work, looking good in that new dress, and having a six pack for summer is nice. But dig deeper than that because ultimately it will keep you going.

Making resolutions work involves changing behaviors and in order to change a behavior, you have to change your thinking. Yes, this means you have to rewire your brain. Now before you start rolling your eyes hear me out. I'm not some voodoo doctor that believes in spells. But scientist have proved through the use of MRI's that habitual behavior is created by thinking patterns that create neural pathways and memories, which become the default basis for your behavior when you are faced with a choice or a decision. Change requires creating new neural pathways from new thinking.

The other aspect of not reaching those resolutions lie in the cause and effect relationship. You make the resolution to lose weight, get stronger, eat better, and be more consistent at the gym. You made that resolution because you thought it would change your life for the better. But when it doesn't do that right away you may get discouraged and revert back to those old behaviors.

The success of resolutions has much to do with the issue of breaking bad habits and establishing new ones Establishing more desirable habits will ultimately keep you going when times are tough. Habits form through repetition of the same behavior in response to the same cue. Researchers have discovered that the first few times you do something are the most strongly habit forming.

Stay tuned! Coming up, I will dive into some helpful tips to assist you in achieving all your health related resolutions.

What is a mind muscle connection?

When I first started training with my mentor Charles Anderson I learned what this old adage meant. Now days it is a lost art because more people are concerned about the superficial aspects of weight training but in the days where huge social media platforms weren't around and the gym wasn't a new workout outfit contest this saying was relevant. No matter your age, your goal, or how long you have been training; you can benefit from this technique.

What is a mind muscle connection? Research shows that when you think about a muscle, greater muscular activity occurs there. For example, one study looked at how much muscles worked in three conditions: (1) thinking exclusively about the muscles that were working, (2) thinking about the weight that was being lifted, and (3) thinking about whatever the participants wanted. Results showed that there was significantly greater muscle activity in the first condition. And more muscle activity during weight training corresponds to the muscles getting stronger.

Let's say you are doing barbell bicep curls. Your brain instinctively wants to concentrate on the weight: "Move this weight up and down." You need to rewire your brain to concentrate on the muscle: "Squeeze and release the biceps." To practice this, imagine flexing in front of a mirror while doing the curls. Using the mind-muscle connection lets you stimulate a muscle effectively with less weight, which spares your joints. It also leads to less cheating - breaking form just to perform an action without engaging your muscles properly. You'll get better results with less risk of injury when you put your mind into it.

Some movements can be completed by more than one muscle, and your body will tend to use the stronger one. For example, maybe you shove your shoulders up toward your ears during a side raise. This means that when you are done with the set your traps and neck are hurting more than the meat of your shoulder (middle deltoid muscle). To target the weaker muscle that is 'supposed' to be the trained muscle, your brain must shut off the dominant muscles and turn on the weaker ones. The mental focus required to do this not only improves your results, but also helps block distractions, relieve stress, and enhance your relationship with exercise.

How do I practice mind muscle connection? I recommend a quick mental systems check for each new strength exercise. Ask yourself: 1) Are the right muscles contracting when I execute the motion? 2) Do I feel mild soreness in the muscles (a sign to take it a bit easier on that area)? 3) Do I feel any pain there (a sign to stop)? 4) Do I feel extraneous contractions anywhere else? 5) Am I completing the full range of motion? By being mindful of everything happening inside your body, you'll get much more from your training than you would by just going through the motions.

To put your mind into your muscle requires organizing your thoughts and concentrating them on the specific task at hand during a workout. Although this sounds like a simple idea, it's not easy to do because there are plenty of distracting thoughts to get in the way. To minimize the distractions, manage your time so that your workout is a priority, which helps your mind be less agitated about other things you think you should be doing. If you start worrying about how you look at the gym or noticing the person next to you, remind yourself that you're there to maintain and improve your health, not to see and be seen by others.

Why Coffee is Actually Good for You

Nearly 60 percent of Americans drink coffee, and for many the habit is a daily one. When you google the benefits of drinking coffee you will see a slew of different takes. It is mostly opinions, and some twisted science. You are sort of left wondering if it is good for you or unhealthy to have your favorite cup of morning joe. The 'common wisdom' of coffee has been negative for years. But this view is changing as the health benefits of coffee continue to be revealed. This is good news for those of you who sip on a cup of joe in the morning, as it turns out this may be a quite healthy way to start your day.

You may have been told that coffee will raise your blood pressure, lead to heart disease, or give you an ulcer or make you diabetic. To start the debunking of some of these myths, in 2012, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study that found coffee consumption did not increase the risk of chronic disease, but was linked to lower the risk of Type II diabetes.

Like anything, coffee should not be used in excess amounts and we will get into how much is too much later but study after study has clearly failed to show us that moderate coffee consumption increases your risk for cardiovascular disease or any other serious illness.

The coffee plant and its seeds (coffee beans) contain a natural blend of polyphenol antioxidants, bioflavonoids, vitamins and minerals that all work together to offer some impressive health promoting benefits, and even help neutralize the harsher effects of the caffeine that coffee naturally contains.

The studies that were related to coffee and heart health showed that the phenolic compounds in coffee possess antioxidant capacity and for those who drank a moderate amount of coffee (3 to 5 cups) were less likely to have calcium deposits in their coronary arteries than those who drank no coffee.

Another study found it may trigger a 30 percent increase in blood flow in your small blood vessels, which might take some strain off your heart and reduce your chances of heart rhythm problems.

Coffee has even been shown to help with exercise and training programs as well. Extensive research has displayed that coffee increases your metabolism by up to 20 percent.

One of the positive effects of caffeine lie within the science of the brain. Caffeine promotes production of the neurotransmitters, which activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, thereby improving your brain health. This means that coffee can benefit those with Dementia or Parkinson.

Have you ever known anyone to drink coffee to stimulate bowel movements? Researchers believe that the bowel-stimulating quality of coffee comes from caffeine and/or other substances contained within the coffee brew. Although there have been no large-scale studies on this subject, what we do know is that drinking coffee can stimulate movement of the colonic muscles, thus promoting peristalsis (the coordinated contraction and relaxation of intestinal muscles that causes bowel movements). One study noted that the magnitude of this peristaltic effect of caffeinated coffee is similar to one induced by eating a meal. It’s also 60 percent stronger than the effect induced by drinking water. On this same note, society has often said that coffee is dehydrating or a diuretic but the research says that coffee only seems to have diuretic effects in larger amounts (more than 500 to 600 mg a day). This means that the typical coffee drinker shouldn't experience significant dehydration from a one or two cup a day habit.

Since coffee is a stimulant it will only worsen symptoms of insomnia and anxiety, and should definitely be avoided if you’re already suffering from either. People with panic or anxiety disorders may find that they are especially sensitive to caffeine and may find that even a small amount of the stimulant exacerbates their symptoms.

Similarly, the caffeine will linger in your body for hours after you drink it, so it might keep you up at night even if you drink it long before bedtime.

Although it's inarguable now that coffee does have therapeutic benefits, if you are dousing your cup of Joe in creamer, sugar, and other sweeteners and flavorings, you are missing out on the therapeutic benefits and potentially harming your health.

If you want to drink coffee for its health benefits, drink your coffee black, without sugar, non-dairy creamer or cream, or flavorings. But if you do use any of those make sure to have them in moderation. Finally, while it appears coffee in moderation is beneficial, be careful not to overdo it. When referring to a “cup” of coffee, most research considers it to be five to eight ounces with about 100 mg of caffeine. In contrast, a small cup at many coffee houses starts at 12 ounces while a large cup may hold 20 to 24 ounces. Simply be aware of how much you’re actually consuming.

Transform You | feat. Randall S.

I knew when the doctor told me he wanted to put me on a pace maker I needed to change my lifestyle. ~ Randall S.  Transformation in the dictionary is defined as an act, or process, or dramatic change in form or appearance.

Why is today's society only focused on the end result and not the process? Are you consumed with what other people are thinking about you? Are you trying to fit into a new social circle? Are you trying to impress a loved one or attempting to date again and want to feel comfortable with your self image?

I want to share the story of a friend and a client who battled through yo-yo diets, massive weight loss coupled with massive weight gain, trending exercise routines, endless gym memberships, and the psychological ups and downs he went through to lose 100lbs.

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Growing up I ate a bowl of cereal in the morning, lunch was typically a sandwich with chips. Dinner was normally cooked at home but we had soda and sweet tea with every meal. I would snack on chips or ice cream at night too. ~ Randall S. 

The belief that "a calorie is a calorie" has done much to contribute to the ever worsening health of our society. It's typically even one of the first things dietitians learn in school and it is completely false.

Calories are not created equal, the source of the calories makes all the difference in the world. For example, carbohydrates and fats, or carbohydrates and fat, will cause entirely different metabolic effects. The reason for the difference in metabolic effects is  largely because different nutrients provoke different hormonal responses, and those hormonal responses determine how much fat your body will accumulate and hold on to.

This is why the idea that you can lose weight by counting calories simply doesn't work. Sugars and grains are among the most excessively consumed foods that promotes weight gain and chronic disease.

Another belief that simply isn't true is the idea that obesity is the end result of eating too much and exercising too little; or consuming more calories that you expending.

I got out of the marines in 2001. I slowly gained weight over the next 6 years. I got up to 270lbs in that time frame. I had a 24 hour fitness membership and went but nothing regular or routine. I later gained another 70lbs over the next 2 years and weighed my all time high at 340lbs in 2009. ~ Randall S.

While the first law of thermodynamics does apply to you, in order for you to actually gain a significant amount of weight, research shows us that two things have to take place. You would have to block your sensation of fullness, and your body's ability to burn fat by regulating enzymes responsible for metabolizing fat would have to be impaired. What this means is that in order for you to become severely overweight you must first become leptin resistant. Leptin is a hormone that helps you regulate your appetite. When your leptin levels rise, it signals your body that you’re full, so you’ll stop eating. Refined sugar (in particular highly refined fructose) is exceptionally effective at causing leptin resistance in animals, and it’s also very effective at blocking the burning of fat.

I met Randall at his all time high of 340lbs. We became friends instantly and since then have had a very unique bond. I was able to watch, guide, help, support, and push Randall to regain his lean body. Seeing the ups and downs physically, the highs and the lows emotionally, and the peaks and pitfalls mentally helped shape the coach I am today. Before I met Randall I thought I had it all figured out. But he showed me how much I didn't know and since then has pushed me to new heights. He lost a 100lbs out of the deal but I gained an intense fire to learn more, read more, and write more.

HOW HAS YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY AFFECTED YOU? "I never knew how much my weight was affecting me until I embarked on the journey of losing it once and for all. One thing I know for certain is my sleep patterns were about as inconsistent as the Dallas Cowboys. I snored so loud that it would wake my wife up. I remember gasping for air in the middle of the night because it was so hard to breath. This would affect me the next day because my energy levels would be terrible. The guy in the picture just survived the day. I would be so tired during the day that I would often times fall asleep at the wheel. I would catch my mind wondering during meetings as if I had transcended myself somewhere else while an important conversation was happening. I couldn't even stay focused on simple task at home. Things had gotten so bad that my endurance to even be intimate with my wife became a challenge. Nobody has time for that."

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WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE WHO JUST STARTED OUT OR IS HOPING TO START POSITIVELY EFFECTING THEIR HEALTH? WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR CHALLENGES? "A few pieces of advice that I would give someone who is starting there weight loss journey or on a quest to improve their health is one meal doesn't make you fat just like one workout doesn't make you skinny. It is a long process. Take it from a person who has gained and lost 50 pounds more than once. Make a plan and stick to it. I started off slow. I focused on my diet first. I used to drink diet soda, sweet tea, too much sugar in my coffee, boat loads of snacks, and I had episodes of stress eating all the time. I worked to eliminate those first and saw some great weight loss from it. Once I created that habit I started in the gym. It was a hard habit to create and brought on a lot of ups and downs but I learned a lot about myself during that time."

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"Kelvin had me just do 15 minutes of cardio on the elliptical and some very light weights to begin with. We slowly increased what I did in the gym month by month. This was frustrating because I was a college football player and I used to be a Hoss. Now I'm lifting 10lb dumbbells and it hurts. But I had to forget about everything going on around me and in the past. I am creating a new and better me and I can not worry about the guy next to me lifting 100lbs or the lady that is out leg pressing me. They have their goals and I have mine."

"Since I know when I am going to the gym to workout I know to pack my bag the night before to eliminate any excuse I may come up with. I go to the gym 3 times per week. Kelvin plans my WebFit workouts for about an hour for each of those days and I typically go on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to avoid the huge crowds."

"I used to make myself feel guilty about going to the gym. This is something I struggle with and is a hard mind set to change. I have an amazing wife and child! I want to spend as much time with them as possible. So I like to rush home after work to see them. I used to think that taking the 1 to 2 hours it takes for me to get to the gym, workout, and drive home was a selfish act and taking away from them. This changed when the doctor told me that I was on the fast track to have a heart attack before 40 if I didn't change my lifestyle. My mindset started to shift and now I continuously tell myself how much more time and energy will I have to spend with them later if I take care of myself now. The selfish act was actually me being unhealthy. They deserve the best of me and nothing short of it. I noticed I could not give that to them if I did not take care of myself better than I had been."

Why You Should Ditch the Scale

January is fast approaching and with it comes New Year's resolutions, which are often based on unrealistic goals, fad diets, and unhealthy habits like stepping on your old dusty scale daily only to place your self worth in a number. Scales are apart of most peoples bathroom landscapes. Something so innocent as stepping on a scale becomes much more threatening if we aren't careful. The scale can become a measure of our self worth. A powerful oracle that can determine if we have a good day or bad day. The judge, jury and executioner of whether we are a good or bad person --- good looking or not --- or whether we hide under our clothes or show off our gains.

The idea that you should weigh yourself daily for weight management benefits is extremely frustrating for me and feeds into a bunch of deep topics that we will dive into on some later blogs. Today we will dive into what the research says about weighing daily and hopefully find a balance with this subject matter. I always believed that health was about the quest for improved energy, sleep, strength, flexibility, quality of life, cardiovascular health and self confidence. When you weigh everyday your health will turn into a number purely connected to the number on that scale.

In a study published by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 1,902 young adults were assessed over a 10 year period.  The majority (over 2/3) of the sample would be classified as “normal” weight. Participants were asked to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statement “I weigh myself often.” The researchers also gathered data on weight, body mass index, weight disparity (the difference between self reported ideal weight and current weight), body satisfaction, weight concern, depression, and self-esteem.

Results of this study indicate that for both males and females, there was no association between self-weighing and either weight or BMI. This calls into question the common belief that self-weighing leads to weight loss or maintaining a lower weight; if that was true then the participants who regularly weighed themselves would weigh less than those who did not. What the researchers did find was that, for both males and females, self-weighing was associated with greater concern about their weight. Females who weighed themselves regularly also experienced more dissatisfaction with their bodies, more depressive symptoms, and lower self-esteem.

Based on these results, it seems like stepping on the scale doesn’t make people lose weight but it may make you feel bad about your body (increased weight concern and body image dissatisfaction), feel bad about yourself (lower self-esteem), and feel depressed. Meaning that the scale comes with lots of risk and no clear benefit.

Now let's discuss the opposite end of the coin as well. Never weighing yourself isn't the best option either. Basing your health entirely on how you feel isn't the best method and not the right way to go as well. While that number that looks back at you should not be the ultimate deciding factor of your self worth, it does give an objective view in terms of you reaching your goals (gaining lean muscle, losing body fat, etc). The number doesn't deserve the right to control your feelings about who you are but it may help you navigate whether you should make adjustments to your nutrition or exercise program.

What we should do? The fact is, you don't need a scale to tell us how our body is doing. You could take measurements of your chest, waist, hips, arms and legs so you can track progress objectively. This type of measurement could give insight into if you are losing body fat, changing dress sizes, and gaining lean muscle. You could also monitor how much better your performance is on your exercise program. Whether that be a strength training program, or cardiovascular program. Both can be monitored to see if you are improving. You could also weigh less frequent. Maybe once a week or every other week. Creating a habit to where you get on the scale at the same time once every 1-4 weeks isn't a bad practice. It is all about balance and approaching it with the correct mindset. Balance.

The Benefits of Exercising Even When You're Sick

Being sick absolutely sucks. It destroys plans and sidelines you due to the uncomfortable nature that seems to take over. But are you doing the best for your body by staying home in a personal quarantine? Colds are a leading cause of doctor visits and missed days from work and school. Americans suffer from approximately 1 billion colds per year, or about two to four colds per year for all adults.

It should be obvious that the majority of colds occur in the winter months. This has to due with the lack of sunshine, and hence decreased levels of vitamin D. So if you have a cold there is a strong chance that your vitamin D levels are too low and it might be a good idea to get them checked before you undergo high levels of antibiotics. Some more contributing factors to you having a weakened immune system might be: 1) Over-eating on too much sugar. 2) Not getting enough rest or sleep. 3) Not using adequate strategies to address emotional stressors in your life.

Should you workout if you have a really bad cold and you are coughing, sneezing, and even find it hard for you to breath? That is the question I will attempt to answer for you by showing you what the research says.

Two little-known studies that were published a decade ago in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed results so much in favor of exercise for individuals with a common cold that the researchers themselves were surprised. The researchers found no difference in symptoms from those who exercised and those who rested. They also found no difference in recovery. Surprisingly, when the exercisers assessed their symptoms, they said they felt okay, and in some cases, they said they actually felt better. They concluded that not only is it safe to exercise when you have an upper respiratory tract infection, but it could actually make you feel better. Even if it doesn’t speed up your recovery.

One study that was performed back in 2006 showed that women who exercised regularly were found to have half the risk of colds of those who didn't workout. The ability of moderate exercise to ward off colds seemed to grow the longer it was used. The enhanced immunity was strongest in the final quarter of the year long exercise program. This would suggest that it is important to stick with exercise long term to get the full effects.

The patients in the exercising group were asked to exercise about 45 minutes a day at home and the gym for five days a week, but they were only able to reach the 30-minute mark per day, with brisk walking accounting for the bulk of their body work. This clearly shows that something is better than nothing.

Personally, I believe that if you have the energy to tolerate it, getting your body temperature up by sweating from exercise will help you kill some viruses. I strongly suggest that you listen to your body and maybe cut back the amount of time that you typically would exercise. Going too hard could also stress your immune system and prolong your illness if you overdue it. Think of this like many things I try to convey through my messages. Moderation and consistency is important.

Why Healthy Eating Can Actually Be Harmful

Nutritional preferences have become very reminiscent of a cult over the past few years. It's safe to say, among certain crowds, you would not even be considered cool unless you belonged to a certain group - "Clean Eating", "All Organic", "Paleo", "Flexible Dieting", "Vegan"... just to name a few. Healthy living and the concept of “healthy eating” appear to be our new cultural fixation. We are constantly flooded with articles and advertisements with elaborate juices, recipes, and lists of super foods. All claim to be able to instill us with optimal health.

The first problem that I have with the idea of “healthy eating” is that all too often it is simply just a more socially acceptable way for people to attempt to control their weight - by manipulating their food choices. They may eat "healthy" but they also have a laundry list of other habits such as: smoking, excessive drinking, tanning, etc. Saying that they are simply trying to “eat healthy” is a way for some people to justify what may become restrictive or rigid eating habits, and could even serve to mask the development of disordered eating or eating disorders.

Saying that you are trying to "eat healthy" gives the notion that there are some foods that are "healthy" and other foods that are "unhealthy". This kind of black-and-white mentality surrounding food sets people up for disordered eating habits. For instance, you have a work function that was providing lunch for you and you decide to eat a slice of apple pie for dessert. If you have a black-and-white mindset surrounding food this perceived “failure” could lead to you “falling off the wagon” and succumbing to a binge or over-eating episode. Food is inherently neutral and you are not a “bad” or “good” person based upon the type of food that you choose to eat. We need to take the concept of morality out of our food choices as this is just another way to shame and berate ourselves for something that we shouldn’t.

Here’s the best way that I can explain it. If all that you ate were carrots, you would likely develop nutritional deficiencies over time. If you only consumed brownies, you would likely develop nutritional deficiencies over time. All foods in moderation can be part of a balanced diet and removing the “good” and “bad” label from foods can help you to heal your relationship with eating and find freedom from diet mentality.

The last issue I have with the concept of "healthy eating" is that health has so much depth and is completely person-specific. We have all seen the lists of the top 10 foods you should never eat, or the top 5 foods that lead to a better body. Those general statements are completely ridiculous. As human beings, we are completely different and unique, with different gut bacteria, histories, environments, genes, and tons of other biological and psychological variations. What may be “healthy” for one person may be “unhealthy” for another, therefore making any general statements that label a food group or specific food, as being “healthy” or “unhealthy” makes zero sense. Ultimately, I don't care how many alkalizing foods you have in your refrigerator, how many 'green juices' you mix up, fermented foods you consume, or how much intermittent fasting you do if the thought of having dessert gives you anxiety. That is not mentally healthy.

4 Things You Should Know About Glutes

We see tons of photos with individuals highlighting their backsides on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snap Chat. I personally respect the obedience it takes into the training anyone dedicates themselves to in order to become a better version of self. But I have an issue with the lack of information provided by those of superior physical stature. When you are reading the content of "experts" or listening to the podcasts, YouTube videos, interviews with popular stars on how they achieved such a 'perfect' body make sure that you discern the difference of science and opinion. 9 times out of 10 they are giving you their opinion and personal insight on what they did and chalking it up to the holy grail of exercise. To give an example of this notion, do you remember the squat challenge. It makes me chuckle just thinking about all the trending pictures. I would show some examples but I would rather keep this blog free of content that has no scientific backing. Mind you, everything can't be explained by science. Their are many things related to health and fitness that have very little research or conflicting research. But human anatomy and physiology is still the same. Lets sum it up. The glutes produce hip extension and external rotation. They are primarily fast twitch, high force producing and very difficult to fatigue. To paint the picture of what this looks like think of a skating stride in hockey. The toe turns out so the flat of the blade can dig into the ice (external rotation and abduction - leg moves away from the body), and then the hip extends back into the ice to provide some forward movement (hip extension).

4 Glute Myths: 1) Squats and deadlifts aren't the best exercises for building bigger, stronger glutes. We see pictures of squats and lunges as the centerfold for being the 'booty builders' and while they are beneficial and make the glutes sore; they target the quads and erector spinae. Even box squatting, walking lunges and sumo deadlifts don't activate much glute in comparison to some other exercises. It's not that people don't know how to use their glutes or use proper form. The glutes just aren't maximally involved in squatting, lunging and deadlifting. Glutes are maximally contracted from bent-leg hyperextension exercises (examples: Hip Thrust, Reverse Hyperextensions)

2) Cardio burns fat in the glute - ham area. I see so many physique athletes slaving away for hours on the stair master, claiming that it sheds fat and etches in the details of the glute-ham tie in. Which by the way is not a muscle. The Stepmill can indeed hit the type I fibers and potentially aid in total muscle building efforts. However, this could also be accomplished via incline walking, cycling, the elliptical, or simply adding in some high-rep, low-load resistance training. I'm not saying that cardio (or the stair master) should be avoided; just know that it doesn't preferentially burn fat in the glutes or hamstrings.

3) There are special exercises to shape the glute - ham tie in.  There is no glute -  ham tie in muscle. The next time someone tells you this ask them, "What is that muscle called?" and listen to the crickets after that. Ha. The gluteus maximus is one muscle. The hamstrings have a supporting cast which are comprised of (biceps femoris long head, semitendinosus, semimembranosus and finally, the adductor magnus). There are plenty of exercises that do a great job of activating the glutes and hamtrings at the same time and there are also plenty of exercises that might make you feel sore in the lower region of your glutes (walking lunges, bulgarian squats). However, if you want to maximize the muscularity of the glutes and hamstrings, you'll need to perform a variety of exercises. No single exercise will optimally build both muscles.

4) Having nice glutes are genetic and can't be built. Glutes are a muscle believe it or not. Some people are genetically pre-disposed for certain body parts being more over powering than others. We could make a case for many things like athletic background, parental DNA and environment. But truth be told we all can strengthen this muscle. It just takes effort, time and some patience. The weapon of choice for glute development is the hip thrust exercise. Hip thrusts can be performed with a barbell, with bands, or one leg at a time. However, no exercise on its own will optimally develop any muscle. Another thing to note is if your body fat isn't low enough your glutes aren't going to look as good. Attaining low body fat levels is best achieved through a periodized combination of dieting, strength training, and cardiovascular training. So we can lose the excuses of, "I am stuck with a flat butt." "My parents had no butt so that's why I have no butt." "I'm too old now to have a butt." Last I checked the glutes are still a muscle which means we can break it down and repair for growth.

The glutes are sleeping giants. Dormant and underused with tons of potential. Go unlock yours.

Why aloe vera is one of the best health supplements

Most of the supplements of today that are advertised heavily cost an arm and a leg. All natural, holistic supplementation of some very basic ingredients that have been around since the beginning of time are often overlooked. They either don't have "miracle cure" tied to them or they were not on the latest episode of the latest talk show. Aloe vera is one of the world’s most-used natural plants, with a market worth an estimated $13 billion a year. It’s also one of the oldest. Historical documents make mention of aloe vera as medicine circa 65 AD, when it was used to treat soldiers’ wounds and bleeding. But those benefits were only a peek into what this magnificent plant could really be used for. All of the nutrients in aloe vera juice are perfectly balanced in a way that is ideal for the body in terms of healing and repair. Although it is not a miracle cure, it contains enough nutrition to significantly help with healing the body, as well as provide other benefits.

Some of the earliest uses of aloe vera involved the use of its sap, which is different from the gel. The sap, found just beneath the leaf’s epidermis, was used as a powerful purification supplement during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Fresh aloe vera gel is rich in enzymes and has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. It’s also a powerful anti-inflammatory, making it useful for soothing a number of digestive complaints.

When taken internally, you’ll get the benefits of aloe vera’s 20 minerals, 12 vitamins, 18 amino acids, and 200 active plant compounds. In addition, aloe vera has been found to be helpful for: * Ulcers * Crohn's Disease * Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) * Relieving Constipation * Stabilizing Blood Sugars * Protecting Kidneys * Oxygenating the blood and protecting the body from oxidative stress * Providing electrolytes * Helping improve physical performance and recovery * Reducing high blood pressure

If you want to give it a try, add 1/2 to one ounce of aloe vera gel into a daily smoothie. It does have a bitter taste, which is why lemon or lime juice works well to mask it.  If you intend to use aloe internally, be sure you’re using a certified, purified version. This is one supplement that belongs in your pantry.

Happy Thanksgiving! Thank You!

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope today is filled with joy in the company of your friends and family. I also want to take this time to say Thank You. Thank you for allowing me to be an integral part of your life. WebFit is my passion and I feel honored every day to be in the position I am in. In 2012 Chuck and I got to work on creating WebFit and I am happy to say that we have now worked with over 150 clients all around the world.  We wanted to create something that was unique. Something that would truly empower you to become a stronger version of yourself and help guide you down the path to have a better quality of life.

We wanted WebFit to be personable, optimal and sustainable for anyone. Personalizing programs to help you at your own pace and meet you where you are. Programs to help you live pain free and able to perform the basic shapes of life (squatting, deadlifting, pressing, pulling) in full ranges of motion. Programs that help you live comfortably in your own skin and help you become confident in the person that looks back at you in the mirror. Programs that hold you accountable and help you create new habits so health is a lifestyle instead of some short term destination. I truly believe we are doing that. I also know the best is yet to come. Currently we are working on WebFit 2.0. We are dedicated to bringing you something special that makes you want to log in daily so you can continue to put the work in necessary to meet your goal. With all of the feedback, emails, text messages and continued support of you, we can not help but to create a better version.

Some of the new changes to come in WebFit 2.0 are: Higher Quality Videos ~ We have over 1,200 exercises in our database and we are working on redoing each and every exercise with better camera angles with a higher resolution camera. We will also be incorporating some new movements so we can continue to bring you movements that will progress you toward your goals. Helpful Descriptions of Exercises ~  We are creating detailed descriptions so you will not only have a visual with the videos, but also have the ability to read up on how to perform each movement correctly. List of Workouts ~ Be on the lookout for a new refreshing front page. Within the workouts tab you will see a list of your workouts. This means the change of date function will go away. This will be helpful so you can have a quicker glance at your workouts for the week and the estimated time to complete each of them without opening the workout completely. Makes for better planning in case your schedule is thrown out of whack for the week. Progress Module ~ I excited about this addition. We are configuring a way to track progress all through the app. This means weekly weigh-ins saved, uploaded progress photos so before/after pics are easily accessible and a measurement tracker so you can see your results as you progress toward your goals. Individual Set Feedback ~ Isn't it hard to remember everything you did after a workout? What went right or wrong. We plan to improve the feedback mechanism so you can submit feedback quickly after each set (group of movements). This will help your communication with your trainer and help your program progress smoothly. WebFit would not be where it is today without you. So far in 2015 as a community we have lost 400 pounds. One of our objectives for 2016 is to assist the individuals that truly want to lead a healthier lifestyle lose 1,000 pounds combined. We can't do this without you. When you come across someone who can benefit from our program let them know we would love to help them become a stronger version of themselves. To show our gratitude for you sharing us we will credit you a full month of WebFit.

Follow these 3 steps to receive your credit when you mention our program: 1) Tell them to sign up here: www.webfitnation.com/mainform.cfm. Use invite code: KE2015. There are several forms to fill out and it usually takes about 20 minutes or so. Let them know to do it all at one sitting. Answer everything honestly. 2) Let them know to put your name in the box that asks who referred them within the forms. 3) As soon as we review their information we will notify you and you will receive your free credit the following month.

Healthy Thanksgiving Ideas

Face it -- November is usually synonymous with an abundance of eating and lack of exercise. Thanksgiving is a time for celebration and family. This is not a time to binge on your favorite meals and throw away all your goals. On the other hand, this is also not a time for deprivation either. When Thanksgiving rolls around it's like you lose focus and throw out the plan? Why? Here are some things I have always kept in mind when approaching Thanksgiving. - Exercise... Don't stop training because it is the week of Thanksgiving. Continue on plan and even make sure you do some sort of exercise on Thanksgiving day. Chances are if you keep exercise in the regimen you will make better choices when it comes to food because you are more conscious about good health decisions. - Don't Starve Yourself To Make Room... I used to hear this a lot when I worked in health clubs. "Oh, I'm making room for Thanksgiving so I'm just not going to eat until later." "I'm going to not have carbs all week so I can eat all my favorites on Thanksgiving." This is not smart. Actually, it is a proven way for you to make bad decisions when it is time to eat and more than likely you will over consume. Have you ever went grocery shopping hungry? Yeah, not a good idea. - Don't Use Thanksgiving As An Excuse To Binge... "I'm just going to eat whatever I want all day and start fresh tomorrow." That quickly turns south. So don't try it. You probably will end up putting off 'tomorrow' until next year. This is not a day to just binge out on all your favorites. This is more of a day to practice self control and good decision making. You can have your favorites but in moderation. - Don't track the day... I love to track my food everyday. So this one is a huge one for me. Let this day be a day where we are not on a strict meal plan. This will allow us to not be busy weighing food, stressing about calories/macros, and missing the opportunity to spend quality time with family. Don't plug your meals in myfitness pal or trying to swap meals out on your meal plan. Call it an non-tracked day. But with this comes great responsibility. That means it becomes a smart choice day, and a portion control day. - Fill Up On Good Vegetables... When good vegetables are what we fill up on chances are we won't make that extra trip for another slice of Grandma's apple pie. - Make Health Conscious Decisions On Carbohydrates... You love your sisters mashed potatoes but you have to have dressing too. Well that is fine but make sure that you use good judgement in portions. There is no such thing as free calories. They all come with a price.

Here are some healthy alternatives to some Thanksgiving favorites:

SLOW COOKER CORNBREAD DRESSING

Ingredients: 4 tbsp. butter 1 medium-sized white onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 4 ribs celery, diced ½ tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. poultry seasoning one pan of Southern cornbread (substitute rice flour or all-purpose GF flour for the wheat flour in the recipe) 6 slices gluten-free sandwich bread, cut into 1" squares 2 c. chicken broth ⅓ c. half and half 1 egg cayenne pepper to taste, optional

Instructions: 1) Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery, and saute for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are very tender. Stir in salt and poultry seasoning, and turn off heat. Crumble cornbread into a large mixing bowl, and add cubed sandwich bread. Stir in butter and vegetables. 2) Add two cups of broth, and stir well. 3) Whisk egg and half and half together in a measuring cup (plus cayenne pepper if desired), and stir into cornbread. 4) Spray crock of slow cooker VERY well with cooking spray, and pour in cornbread mixture. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

HEALTHY APPLE CRISP

Ingredients: 3 medium baking apples, cored, sliced thin 1 tsp cinnamon 2 Tbsp sugar 2 Tbsp flour

Topping: 1 cup quick oats 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp heart-healthy margarine

Instructions: 1) Mix first four ingredients and place into 9-inch (square or round) baking dish. 2) In small bowl, mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over the apples. 3) Bake at 325 degrees until apples are soft and topping is golden brown (about 30 minutes).

Can you exercise when you are pregnant?

It wasn’t long ago that doctors still warned pregnant women against exercising during pregnancy. Fortunately, the myth that pregnant women should spend nine months on their couch is now thoroughly debunked, and most all physicians should be encouraging moms-to-be to stay active. It should come as no surprise to find out that exercising during pregnancy is helpful both for you and your baby. After all, exercise is an essential element of an amazing physical and mental health program. After studying the research, I have more great benefits to share about maternal exercise than you have time to read. So I will get right to it. Some of the most mind blowing research comes from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. They have proven that maternal exercise during pregnancy may have a beneficial effect on fetal cardiac programming by reducing fetal heart rate and increasing heart rate variability. When they looked at the fetuses that had been exposed to maternal exercise they came to the conclusion that hear rates among women who exercised during pregnancy had fetuses with significantly lower heart rates than those mothers who were not exposed to exercise. Researchers concluded that exercising during pregnancy can benefit a mother’s own heart and her developing baby’s heart as well.

Along with a stronger heart for you and your baby, what other types of benefits can you expect by staying discipline to a exercise regimen? * An easier labor and faster recovery from birth * A lower risk of gestational diabetes * Fewer pregnancy symptoms like backache, leg cramps and constipation * A leaner baby * A lower risk of premature birth * An improved mood * A lower risk of gallstones * Relieve your anxiety

One way to look at exercise during pregnancy is that you are conditioning your body for labor and childbirth. As with most physically demanding things in life, if your body is in shape, you and your baby will have a much easier time of it.

Previous studies have show that women who exercise throughout their pregnancies have larger placentas than their more sedentary peers. The volume of your placenta is a general marker of its ability to transport oxygen and nutrients to your fetus, so it stands to reason that having a large, healthy placenta will lead to a healthier baby. It has also been noted that women who exercised during pregnancy gave birth to infants who were lighter and had less body fat than women who slowed down. None of the babies born to women who exercised had babies that were considered low birth weight. Low birth weight is associated with developmental problems in childhood and may be linked to heart disease and other health problems later in life. It is pretty safe to say that avoiding physical movement for fear of causing harm is unreasonable and not based on reality, unless you have some form of medical condition that is putting your pregnancy at risk.

Another pregnancy myth that has long since been debunked is the idea that you need to eat for two. If you’re starting out at a healthy weight, you only need to eat an extra 150-200 high-quality calories a day for the first few months, and then increase that to about 300 calories a day as the pregnancy progresses. This amounts to 25-35 pounds during pregnancy. Some women may start out overweight or obese. In this case you only need to gain 15-25 pounds. This is also where exercising can help you maintain a healthy weight.

When you are pregnant you’re carrying around extra weight and your weight distribution is altered. Therefore, your muscles must work harder to accomplish your normal gait pattern when you walk. Exercising during your pregnancy will help keep your muscles conditioned to handle the increasing weight, and can be very beneficial for both preventive and rehabilitative management.

Pregnancy is not the time to set any records or run any marathons. However, if you’re having a normal, healthy pregnancy you can continue to do just about any exercise that you enjoy, as long as you follow the most important principle: listen to your body.

If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.

Remember, too, that your center of gravity will change during pregnancy, so exercises that require balance will become more difficult. Your body will also produce a hormone called relaxin that’s meant to lubricate your joints to make labor easier. This hormone will increase your flexibility, but can also increase your risk of injury because your joints will be so elastic. So if you feel that you’re stretching abnormally far, back off a bit to avoid an injury. Avoid exercises that could cause trauma to your abdominal area, that require very good balance (biking or skiing), or exercises that require you to lie on your back (not recommended after first trimester).

Aside from those precautions, exercising 30 minutes or more on most days of the week is a great way to have a healthy pregnancy.

References. JF, C. (2002). Continuing regular exercise during pregnancy: Effect of exercise volume on fetoplacental growth. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gyneology, 186(1), 142-147. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?orig_db=PubMed&cmd=Search&term=American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology [Jour] AND 142[page] AND 2002[pdat]

Tips for helping your shoulder problems

One of the issues being a modern human is that you end up living in the front of your shoulder capsule. If you spend any amount of time driving or working at a computer, chances are good that your shoulders have been resting in the fronts of the capsules to such an extent that your posterior shoulder capsules are extremely tight. This causes two problems. It makes it difficult to pull your shoulders to the backs of the sockets (achieve correct posture), and causes you to lose the capacity to generate effective rotation in your shoulders (achieve a full range of motion). This video just shows some simple mobilization techniques that help loosen bad tissue in your lats, traps, triceps and pecs so you can get back into those basic shapes that the shoulder makes pain free. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nIT1pLEpxY[/embed]

Bad Types of Exercise to Avoid

Unfortunately most of us interested in exercise took an American approach to exercise when Dr. Cooper first popularized exercise in the late 1960s. We took the "more is better" approach and started racking up the miles or hours in the gym or aerobics classes and competing in marathons or triathlons. Turns out that this excessive cardio was likely not much better at improving longevity than being sedentary. Most exercise programs today are built based upon a very incomplete picture of the physiology of your body. Getting cardiovascular benefits requires working all your muscle fibers and their associated energy systems. Unfortunately for the long slow cardio folks out there, this cannot be achieved with traditional slow cardio. Unfortunately, anywhere from 90 to 98 percent of people who exercise are NOT doing high intensity exercises. By focusing on slow endurance-type exercises, such as running on a treadmill, you actually forgo many of the most profound benefits of exercise. Your heart has two different metabolic processes: * The Aerobic, which require oxygen for fuel, and * The Anaerobic, which do not require oxygen.

Let's simplify this. Studies show that we have three different types of muscle fibers; slow twitch (type I), and fast twitch (fast twitch IIa & IIb). If you don't actively engage and strengthen all three muscle fiber types and energy systems, then you're not going to work both processes of your heart muscle. Many mistakenly believe that cardio works out your heart muscle, but what you're really working is your slow twitch muscle fibers. You're not effectively engaging the anaerobic process of your heart.

I want to paint the picture of what high intensity is, what the benefits are, and why ANYONE can partake in this type of exercise. High intensity exercises sequentially recruit all the different types of muscle fibers in your body, starting with the smaller motor units made up of slow-twitch fibers which are primarily aerobic (have a lot of endurance and recover quickly) -- to the intermediate fibers -- followed by the fast twitch fibers. If you stopped and gave it some thought, it's actually easy to see that your body was designed for high intensity, short interval exercise. In nature you will never see an animal jogging -- hint hint. Instead of being sedentary for much of the day and then running for an hour on a treadmill, our ancient ancestors combined lots of walking with regular lifting and short bursts of high-intensity activities. It is safe to say that science backs up the notion that they did not have near the amount of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic issues that we face today. So why did we fix what wasn't broken? Steady state aka long slow exercise trains the plasticity out of your physiologic system. This is the ability to handle widely varying levels of exertion within a short span of time. Yes, you can make yourself less adaptable to physical stress in general.

Your fast twitch fibers are largely glycolytic and store a lot of glucose (carbs). When these muscles are recruited, it creates the stimulus needed to grow muscle. We have to remember that muscle is very metabolically expensive. If you become sedentary and send your body the signal that this tissue is not being used, then that tissue is metabolically expensive. The adaptation the body takes is to deconstruct that tissue (Use It Or Lose It). At the same time, it enlarges the glucose storage reservoir in the muscle, which in turn enhances your insulin sensitivity. Normalizing your insulin is one of the primary health benefits of exercise, and this is particularly true in the case of high intensity exercise. Slow long distance cardio recruits the slow twitch fibers only. If you remember, earlier I said those fibers recover quickly. So rather than moving to the next set of motor units, you're just recruiting that one group over and over again. As a result, your intermediate and fast twitch fibers actually begin to atrophy aka SHRINK AND DIE! Aside from losing muscle mass, you'll also experience earlier onset of loss of insulin sensitivity, leaving yourself open to a full scale of health ramifications, such as metabolic syndrome (Diabetes).

High intensity short interval training can be as simple as getting on a recumbent bike and pedaling as hard as you can for 30 seconds, then resting for 30 seconds and repeating that process for 10 minutes. But it also relates to the individual who can perform a set of squats for 6+ repetitions, move on to a set of step ups for 6+ repetitions on each leg and starting over until 2+ rounds are completed. There is no one size fits all. Everyone has to start from somewhere.

Why long distance running isn't that great

I think we can all agree that when it comes to exercise, more is not always better. Granted, this warning does not apply to the vast majority of people reading this, as most people are not exercising nearly enough. But it's still important to understand that not only is it possible to over - exercise, but focusing on the wrong type of exercise to the exclusion of other important areas can actually do you more harm than good. A study performed in 2011 by the European Heart Journal looked at the heart function of 40 elite long term endurance athletes after four endurance races of varying lengths. By measuring cardiac enzymes and taking ultrasounds, the researchers were able to measure the acute effects of extreme exercise on the heart. They found that: ~ Right Ventricular function diminished after races. ~ Blood levels of cardiac enzymes (markers of heart injury) increased. ~ The longer the race, the greater the decrease in RV function. ~ 12% of the athletes had scar tissue in their heart muscle detected on MRI scans one week after the race. The authors of the study concluded that intense exercise causes dysfunction of the Right Ventricular, but not the Left Ventricular. Although short term recovery appears complete, chronic changes may remain in many of the most practiced athletes.

This study is a little scary huh? Right Ventricular damage is not good. Diseases that effect this portion of the heart tends to cause electrical instability that may increase the risk of sudden death. Although exercise reduces your cardiovascular risk by a factor of three, too much vigorous exercise, such as marathon running, actually increases your cardiac risk by seven, according to a study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010 in Montreal. This is a powerful lesson to anyone who engages in large amounts of cardio exercise, because as it turns out, excessive cardio may actually be counterproductive.

Exercise remains the most effective and safest means to prevent and treat heart disease. The overwhelming majority still exercise far too little. I believe the US suffers from sever exercise deficiency. This is only a note of awareness into one of the more popular means of exercise, "long distance running."

The real answer is to exercise correctly and appropriately, and making certain you have adequate and proper recovery. This can be just as important as exercise itself. Part of a healthy regimen is variety. I could go through a load of overwhelming evidence indicating that conventional cardio or long distance running is one of the worst forms of exercise there is. Here are a couple that confirm the health alarming effects of long distance running: ~ A 2006 study screened 60 non-elite participants of the 2004 and 2005 Boston Marathons, using echocardiography and serum bio-markers. Just like the featured study above, it too found decreased right ventricular systolic function in the runners, caused by an increase in inflammation and a decrease in blood flow. ~ In a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology., researchers recruited a group of extremely fit older men. All of them were members of the 100 Marathon club, meaning athletes who had completed a minimum of 100 marathons. Half of these lifelong athletes showed some heart muscle scarring as a result - specifically the men who had trained the longest and hardest. ~ Recently published in the journal Circulation, this animal study was designed to mimic the strenuous daily exercise load of serious marathoners over the course of 10 years. All the rats had normal, healthy hearts at the outset of the study, but by the end most of them had developed "diffuse scarring and some structural changes, similar to the changes seen in the human endurance athletes."

Research emerging over the past several years has given us a deeper understanding of what your body requires in terms of exercise, and many of our past notions have simply been incorrect. In the next post I will dive into what the research says about exercise based on our human physiology.

References. Seigel, A. (2001). Effect of marathon running on inflammatory and hemostatic markers. American Journal of Cardiology, 88(8), 918-920. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11676965 Burns, A. (2011). Exercise-induced right ventricular dysfunction and structural remodelling in endurance athletes. European Heart Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehr397