Off to Costa Rica until August 28th! Be Well!

All or Nothing?

I've found that when it comes to fitness, a lot of people think that they have to take the "All or Nothing" approach. They either diet and exercise like a fiend or sit on the couch eating cookie dough. For most, there is very little in-between. Unfortunately, when you live your life this way, simply living healthy gets lost and your life becomes a constant up and down of of yo-yo dieting and self defeating actions.

If you can identify with this way of thinking, I challenge you to change your mindset. Start to realize that fitness is lifestyle. It's something that you need to incorporate daily and once you do, you won't even have to think twice about it. Healthy will just be how you life your life.

Start by changing things day-by-day. Give yourself diet or exercise goal (or both) each week . Think of a small change you can make without going bonkers and completely falling off the 'living healthy' wagon.

Read on for some small changes you can make on a weekly basis to modify your not-so-healthy lifestyle and perhaps give yourself more energy, tone up, and feel great. Remember, you don't need to do all of these at once. These are just suggestions! Take your time and get used to each change day-by-day and week-by-week.

• Cut down or cut out desserts. For me, this can be difficult. I usually need a little bit of chocolate each day. Ice Cream every day? That I don't need. I can save that for the weekends or special occasions.
• Cut down or cut out alcohol. If you read my blog, you know this is something I have been doing lately. Recent studies show that consuming a little bit of alcohol each day (1 to 2 glasses) can be good for you and perhaps can even cut down sugar cravings. However, most people don't have just 1 or 2 drinks at a time, especially when being social. This is why I usually save my alcohol indulgences for the weekends. If you're going save your drinking for the weekend as well, try not to go overboard when you allow yourself the indulgence!
• Substitute Veggies as a side to any meal. French fries or other starchy/fried items seem to be common sides in most American restaurants these days. To save calories, add fiber, and help you fill up, vegetables are a great option as a side dish. If you are dining out, remember to ask for them to be prepared steamed and without butter. Otherwise, you might as well just order the fries! If you are making them at home, you can also cook them in 1 teaspoon of olive oil to add good fats to your meal.
• Cut out soda. There is so much added sugar, calories, and sodium in sodas. Kick the yucky stuff and keep the bubbles by switching to sparkling or seltzer water. I like getting the flavored kind so that I feel like I'm drinking something with substance while getting the water I need. When choosing a seltzer water, make sure it doesn't have any added sodium as that can be a common culprit in certain sparkling waters.
• Cut out some bread. You probably already know that you should always go whole grain instead of white with your bread (I like ezekiel bread the best), but you don't need a ton of it. Maybe make your sandwich open faced or have just one piece of toast with your eggs in the morning instead of two. Also, cut out the bread basket when you're dining out and save the calories for something more delicious!
• Add an extra 5 or 10 minutes to your workout. If you're used to doing 30 minutes on your cardio machine of choice, bump it up to 35 or 40. If you've got the time, why not work a little harder and challenge yourself to go a bit longer?
• Try a new workout. Your body always wants to take the path of least resistance. The only way to get the most out of your time at the gym is to constantly change up your routine so that your muscles are always guessing and providing you with results. Do something new that excites you and makes you want to do more than jump on a cardio machine. Try yoga, kickboxing, pilates, lifting weights, see a trainer! Do something different!
• Take the stairs.
• Walk to work.
• Bike to work.
• Jog home from work. If your office is within jogging distance and you have a place to stash your clothes or carry them in a backpack home, get your cardio in by skipping the gym and run outside!
• Sign up for a race in your area. A great way to change up your routine is to sign up and train for a 5k, 10k, half-marathon, marathon, triathlon, biathlon, etc. It will challenge you in ways you haven't experienced before. Always follow a training program and feel free to email me with any questions on how to get started.

There you have it. Little changes you can make each week. Try one at a time and Be Well!

Protein Supplements

I'm not much of a supplement person. I don't frequent GNC or The Vitamin Shoppe in search of fat burners or muscle promoters or whatever is new on the market to aid in a quest for the "perfect body." The furthest I'll go with supplementation is daily taking a B-Complex vitamin, a multi-vitamin, and I usually add a tablespoon of whey protein to my morning oatmeal. Even though I'm not really into taking supplements, I think protein supplements are beneficial for weight loss and muscle promotion/maintenance. The more muscle we have, the more calories we are burning at rest. This means that you can sit on the couch and burn more calories while watching TV if you are carrying around more muscle mass--that's fun, right? After reading a recent study on the best types of proteins for weight loss/fat loss, I thought I'd share.

There are multiple proteins available on the market, but the ones that are most easily supplemented are whey, casein, soy and gelatin.

Whey is a complete protein which makes it the best of all the proteins out there. A study found that the best time to take your whey supplement is before your workout because it increases resting energy expenditure (calorie burning at rest). Add a scoop to a shake (or in my case, oatmeal) before your workout and this may improve your body composition over time. Cool.

Casein is a milk protein. Think cottage cheese, yogurt, and, well, milk. It will protect your body against protein loss, but it's not as good as whey at promoting a positive protein balance. Casein is great at promoting a sense of fullness. It's a good choice to add during dinner to prevent muscle loss and aid in meal satiety. To get some casein into your diet, you can also do something like drink a glass of chocolate milk after your workout. It's a great recovery drink to prevent protein loss and replace glycogen stores lost during exercise.

Soy is a plant-based protein. It's incomplete for people who are looking to add muscle mass, but it's a great option for vegetarians and vegans who cannot eat meat based proteins. It's also almost essential for those with lactose intolerance issues. Studies have shown that incorporating soy into your diet can reduce appetite and increase energy. Try adding edamame or soy milk to your diet.

Gelatin isn't a complete protein, but it's easily dissolved, allowing it to be added in sports drinks, bars, and puddings. Gelatin is not an option for vegetarians and vegans because it's a protein that is extracted from animal's bones. Studies show that it's a very effective appetite suppressant and would be a great after dinner treat. Jell-o anyone?

So there you are. Good for you, accessible proteins that will aid in muscle growth, satiety, protein balance, and maybe even weight loss.

Be Well!