Today's blog is kind of random, funny really! Last night Gunter and I got in to a discussion in the car on the way to meet some friends, about what we would do if we could freeze the world for a week! You see, we just got back from 10 days in CO and I pretty much worked the whole time because I didn't want to come back to piles of work. That's why we decided we needed to freeze the world. We then proceeded to break down every day to perfection in our frozen world. I was on an Island with baby Jake (8 months) and Gunter and in summary, my days consisted on no computers and no phones! In my dream land, we swam with dolphins, worked out every day and evening, ate a fresh fruit, veggie and fish buffet that magically appeared every time we were hungry, my best friends and family were just on the other side of the island incase we were feeling social, and there were naps every day!
Gunter's frozen world was very similar! We laughed as we came up with the perfect worlds and how we would return to our awesome little house in Hermosa and had not missed a thing (cause the world was frozen!!)
The conversation continued with our friends and it was fun to hear where people would be in their world!
On the way home Gunter and I had to laugh at the fact that both of us keep the healthy foods, active fun stuff, and workouts in our perfect world. We really just took out the work for a week and went to the beach!!!
Anyhow, I'm not sure what my point is except to stir your thoughts on your perfect frozen world. If you aren't living an active life and eating healthy foods every day, start now because you will love it and not ever go back to eating unhealthy, even in your dream world:)
I want to hear about your frozen world....
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Muscle Growth!
OK, so here's the lowdown on how to build muscle! Let's face it, muscle looks good, is good for your body, and it boost your metabolism! I really can't think of any negative things about gaining muscle! However, in order to build muscle its essential to understand why muscles grow! Its important to view muscle growth from a physiological side rather than the egotistical side. This analysis is important for a few reasons; understanding the physiological side of the body means the person is more inclined to make the right scientific decisions and not be influenced by some of the crazy trends that come and go. It also helps increase motivation, a key requirement for muscle growth.
Here's why muscle grows..
Muscle growth will not occur just because you do a few curls or tons of curls for that matter. You can eat protein til you are blue in the face, but in order to put on muscle, you have to give muscle a reason to grow.
Muscle growth occurs for a physiological reason. That reason is the same for all bodily changes and functions, its adapts for survival purposes.
When a muscle cell is stressed intensely it causes damage to its internal elements, protein filaments shatter and glycogen storage depletes rapidly. If the cell experiences this level of stress on a regular basis its ability to survive would be compromised. When the stress stops (between workouts) the cell has the time to recuperate, replace and fix the cell back to pre-stressed state. After this recovery the cell will overcompensate for the stress by adding more strength, more protein filaments, glycogen stores and increased enzymes for energy production. The idea is if this stress is encountered again in the near future it has a better chance of survival because there are now more elements to be broken down.
To build muscle fast we manipulate this principle by introducing a new level of stress and cause a further overcompensation process to make cells continuously add strength and this causes muscle growth.
Muscle growth is an adaptive response so train scientifically to continue the muscle building process!
Here's why muscle grows..
Muscle growth will not occur just because you do a few curls or tons of curls for that matter. You can eat protein til you are blue in the face, but in order to put on muscle, you have to give muscle a reason to grow.
Muscle growth occurs for a physiological reason. That reason is the same for all bodily changes and functions, its adapts for survival purposes.
When a muscle cell is stressed intensely it causes damage to its internal elements, protein filaments shatter and glycogen storage depletes rapidly. If the cell experiences this level of stress on a regular basis its ability to survive would be compromised. When the stress stops (between workouts) the cell has the time to recuperate, replace and fix the cell back to pre-stressed state. After this recovery the cell will overcompensate for the stress by adding more strength, more protein filaments, glycogen stores and increased enzymes for energy production. The idea is if this stress is encountered again in the near future it has a better chance of survival because there are now more elements to be broken down.
To build muscle fast we manipulate this principle by introducing a new level of stress and cause a further overcompensation process to make cells continuously add strength and this causes muscle growth.
Muscle growth is an adaptive response so train scientifically to continue the muscle building process!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Stop the plateau with these exercise techniques
Mix it up and challenge your body!
I often hear people say that they out grow, get bored, or plateau doing the same exercises. Here's 5 exercises techniques that you can use to make the exercises more challenging. Keep it mixed up and as long as you keep challenging your body you will see results.
I often hear people say that they out grow, get bored, or plateau doing the same exercises. Here's 5 exercises techniques that you can use to make the exercises more challenging. Keep it mixed up and as long as you keep challenging your body you will see results.
- INSTABILITY—We all want stability in certain areas of our life: relationship, finances or even just knowing that the recipe you prepare once a week will always turn out the same – yummy. But stability in your workouts isn’t always good! In fact, a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that key muscles in the back and abdomen might work anywhere from two to seven times as hard when the upper body, lower body or both are made unstable. So, challenge your balance…and you’ll strengthen core muscles, and boost your calorie and fat burn.
- LOAD—A great way to increase the intensity of your workout is by adding extra weight. FIRST, though, make sure you’ve mastered the exercise without weights! You can increase the load with dumbbells, resistance bands, a weighted vest…you name it!
- TEMPO—The best exercise to demonstrate the power of tempo is a push-up. Faster isn’t always better! In fact, by s..l..o..w..i..n..g it down, it’s actually a lot harder. And, you’ll really feel the burn. You can also increase the tempo, or add speed, but really explode it! Finally, mixing up slow with fast is also a great way to change the tempo to increase the intensity and difficulty of your exercises.
- RANGE OF MOTION—When you’re a beginner, you want to use a smaller range of motion. This way, you can make sure you’ve got perfect form. Once you’ve mastered the exercise, add a deeper range of motion. Believe me, this is super challenging!
- INCREASE TIME, SETS, REPS or DECREASE REST—This is pretty obvious, but not everyone tries it!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
A little pampering...
I usually preach to take care of yourself from the inside out, but I recently discovered a simple, homemade body scrub that is simply awesome. The benefits of a body scrub are numerous- they scrub away dead skin and impurities, giving your skin a healthy glow and a super smooth feel. And if it smells great, that's an added bonus! With the cold winter months dry skin is inevitable, and it feels so good exfoliate it away!
To make a coffee body scrub, you will need:
That's it! It only takes a small amount to exfoliate a significant area of skin, and I use it everywhere except my face (although sugar by itself is a great face exfoliator, and less rough.) You won't want to use it every day because of how coarse it is, and you won't need to for the same reason! It's excellent for a weekly pampering session, and my husband will vouch for how delightfully smooth my skin is, especially when I follow up with a nice moisturizing lotion.
As a side note- you may notice that using this scrub leaves a thin film on the skin. Don't fret- it comes off easily with a little body wash on a loofah or sponge.
You will want to use it up quickly, so if you don't think that you will use it all within a few weeks, plan on not making very much at a time. If you leave it for too long, the delicious coffee scent will disappear. (That's one reason for making sure your container has a good, tight-fitting lid). The simplicity of the recipe allows for dividing it by half or more if you need to. You could even just make enough for one use.
To make a coffee body scrub, you will need:
- About a cup of coffee grounds. It should be ground a little on the coarse side to ensure maximum exfoliation. I've used both fresh grounds and "used" grounds, both work!
- About 1/3 cup sugar, which is also a good exfoliator.
- About 1/4 cup olive oil which will leave your skin as soft as a baby's bottom.
- A container with a tight lid.
That's it! It only takes a small amount to exfoliate a significant area of skin, and I use it everywhere except my face (although sugar by itself is a great face exfoliator, and less rough.) You won't want to use it every day because of how coarse it is, and you won't need to for the same reason! It's excellent for a weekly pampering session, and my husband will vouch for how delightfully smooth my skin is, especially when I follow up with a nice moisturizing lotion.
As a side note- you may notice that using this scrub leaves a thin film on the skin. Don't fret- it comes off easily with a little body wash on a loofah or sponge.
You will want to use it up quickly, so if you don't think that you will use it all within a few weeks, plan on not making very much at a time. If you leave it for too long, the delicious coffee scent will disappear. (That's one reason for making sure your container has a good, tight-fitting lid). The simplicity of the recipe allows for dividing it by half or more if you need to. You could even just make enough for one use.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Bread rocks!
Hello everyone!
I recently went shopping with my college girlfriends that I haven't seen in a while. We were stocking up on some food for a weekend in the mtns and I was shocked when they were so confused in the bread isle! There are so many "tricks" on the labels that can make you think the bread is healthy but most of it is just fluffy while flour, other wise know as enriched wheat flour! So I thought I'd take a few minutes to share some tips with you on how to pick your bread!
Best Bread Tip No. 1: Go for 100%
Just "whole wheat" doesn't cut it. Neither does "made with whole grain," Look for labels that say "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain," and don't settle for anything less. If it’s 100% whole wheat, the first ingredient listed in the ingredient label will be whole-wheat flour or 100% whole-wheat flour.
You want whole grains because they're naturally low in fat and cholesterol free; contain 10% to 15% protein, and offer loads of healthy fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. These breads are packed with whole grains and provide so many health benefits, including protection from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers.
Best Bread Tip No. 2: Watch the Sodium.
Most bread products come with a dose of sodium, which is added to help control the yeast activity and for flavor. If you eat three servings of whole grain bread a day, and each slice has about 200 milligrams of sodium, that contributes 600 milligrams to your daily sodium total. It may not sound like much, but it represents one-third of your limit if you're trying to stay within 1,800 milligrams a day.
The good news is that there are plenty of breads with 200 milligrams or less of sodium per slice.
Best Bread Tip No. 3: Diet or "Light" Isn't Always Better.
There are several brands of bread that are promoted as being lower in calories. They usually have the word "light" in the name or on the packaging. Often, "light" bread means a smaller serving size and a product that is pumped with some extra fiber. For example, Sara Lee has a "45 Calories & Delightful" whole-wheat bread. Although the 45 calories is "per 1 slice," the nutrition information on the label is given for 2 slices. The weight of a 2-slice serving of this bread is 45 grams, compared to Sara Lee's classic 100% whole-wheat classic bread, which weighs 57 grams per 2-slice serving.
The best and Fail proof way to choose bread is to look for sprouted grain products. Sprouted grains of any kind are beneficial because the sprouting process releases more nutrients which yields 10-20 times more nutrients
I recently went shopping with my college girlfriends that I haven't seen in a while. We were stocking up on some food for a weekend in the mtns and I was shocked when they were so confused in the bread isle! There are so many "tricks" on the labels that can make you think the bread is healthy but most of it is just fluffy while flour, other wise know as enriched wheat flour! So I thought I'd take a few minutes to share some tips with you on how to pick your bread!
Best Bread Tip No. 1: Go for 100%
Just "whole wheat" doesn't cut it. Neither does "made with whole grain," Look for labels that say "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain," and don't settle for anything less. If it’s 100% whole wheat, the first ingredient listed in the ingredient label will be whole-wheat flour or 100% whole-wheat flour.
You want whole grains because they're naturally low in fat and cholesterol free; contain 10% to 15% protein, and offer loads of healthy fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. These breads are packed with whole grains and provide so many health benefits, including protection from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers.
Best Bread Tip No. 2: Watch the Sodium.
Most bread products come with a dose of sodium, which is added to help control the yeast activity and for flavor. If you eat three servings of whole grain bread a day, and each slice has about 200 milligrams of sodium, that contributes 600 milligrams to your daily sodium total. It may not sound like much, but it represents one-third of your limit if you're trying to stay within 1,800 milligrams a day.
The good news is that there are plenty of breads with 200 milligrams or less of sodium per slice.
Best Bread Tip No. 3: Diet or "Light" Isn't Always Better.
There are several brands of bread that are promoted as being lower in calories. They usually have the word "light" in the name or on the packaging. Often, "light" bread means a smaller serving size and a product that is pumped with some extra fiber. For example, Sara Lee has a "45 Calories & Delightful" whole-wheat bread. Although the 45 calories is "per 1 slice," the nutrition information on the label is given for 2 slices. The weight of a 2-slice serving of this bread is 45 grams, compared to Sara Lee's classic 100% whole-wheat classic bread, which weighs 57 grams per 2-slice serving.
The best and Fail proof way to choose bread is to look for sprouted grain products. Sprouted grains of any kind are beneficial because the sprouting process releases more nutrients which yields 10-20 times more nutrients
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Myth Busting!
Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great week. It is so beautiful today in southern Cali and I'm sitting on my rooftop deck answering emails and I had to take a break and share a little with you all! It amazes me how I get the same questions over and over again about some crazy nutrition myths that just never seem to die!! Here are a four over the hill myths that I thought I help bust for you all!
MYTH: Low carb diets are the only way to lose weight.
A low fat diet with a balance of carbs and protein is the only diet that has stood the test of time for successful weight loss. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to consume less calories then you expend. Fat has 9 calories per gram, so it’s easy to cut calories by trimming fat.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 20 to 35% of dietary calories come from fat, 10-35% from protein, and 45 to 65% from Carbohydrates. All of these macronutrients, as well as micronutrients (vitamins and Minerals) are essential in the proper amounts for optimal health. From a heart health perspective, the healthiest over all meal plan is a Mediterranean diet which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids from fish, and low in saturated fat, sodium and added sugar.
A diet void of carbs will do you more harm then good and will set you up long term failure. If you are going to cut carbs, cut out the overly processed carbs that are full of sugar and white flour and eat whole grains, fruits, and veggies.
MYTH: Not eating is the best way to lose weight.
Not eating unhealthy high calorie foods is the best way to lose weight, period. If you do not get enough calories, your body will out smart you and store fat because it knows it is not going to get what it needs. Your body could go into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow to a crawl in an effort to conserve its energy stores. This is why people who cut their calories too low may hit a plateau and not loss weight.
MYTH: Eating late at night will cause you to gain weight
Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories then you expend, whether that occurs in the middle of the day, morning, or at night. Eating late at night will not cause you to gain weight. However, people who eat a lot of food late at night tend to mindlessly consume more calorie dense foods through unhealthy snacking. Balance your calories throughout the day and if you choose to eat late at night account for it in your daily balance.
MYTH: Grapefruit and cabbage will speed up your metabolism
We’ve all heard of the crazy diets out there that promise a “magical compound” found in certain foods. Bottom line, there is no magic bullet to weight loss and there is no food that will help you burn more calories. The only way to speed up your metabolism is to exercise and build muscle.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Totally random blog today, but I thought I'd take some time to share fun stuff!! So last night I went to a Clippers Game with my husband Gunter and celeb trainer Gunnar Peterson (say that 10 times Gunter and Gunnar!!!) and his gal Caroline. I'm getting over a cold and was so close to canceling because I just didn't know if I was going to have fun feeling a bit under the weather. But it's tough to catch up with friends these days so I decided to stick it out and just go! So I toss on my ball cap, packed some tissues and headed out to meet Gunnar at his gym (which might I add is my dream gym!) So we show up and he got a limo for the night just to make it easy! Wow, fun! So we get there and turns out Gunnar has season tickets and swapped with some people around him so we could all sit together front row...ON THE COURT! It was so cool, Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers. Gunter (my hubby) is German and doesn't know much about basketball so I was so worried he would have fun. Man was I wrong. the energy was rocking and we were so close I swear I could have made a basket from my seat! Not once did I think about my cold!
We ended the night in Gunnar's Gym where I played on the new monkey bars he just had put up. Seriously, now he has it all it that little gym, it's amazing!
So my true confession and lesson learned, I didn't work out the last few days because I felt crappy, but I have a feeling that the energy in the gym would do me good just like the energy of the game did! Me and my snotty little nose are off to the gym first thing tomorrow! No more excuses!!!
Have a great weekend everyone:)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Happy New Year!
I really have a love/hate relationship with January! I'm so fired up for the New Year, yet I'm never quite sure where to begin. So many ideas, I want to conquer the world and need 10 lifetimes to do it all! And now on top of all my ideas and jobs, I'm a mommy!
So this morning I got up, strapped on my wonder women cape and made it as far as the upstairs couch where I fell back asleep for 2 hours. Wow, really, no kidding! What the heck was that!
Anyhow, on to todays topic, JANUARY!
For those of you that know me you know that I don't usually watch much TV. Frankly, I find it an utter waste of time and while I do love Criminal Minds and True Blood, I don't usually have the TV on. Last night my sister was over and she insisted on watching House, not bad either, but I couldn't get over the commercials. If I didn't know better here's what I'd have learned:
-High Fructose corn syrup isn't bad for you, it's just like sugar.
That's total crap and I don't know how they can put that on TV! High fructose corn syrup is a chemical and it's cheap so that's why food companies use it. It's so bad for your liver and if you are stressing out your liver you won't be losing weight or doing your body good. As for it being just like sugar, well, sugar is bad for you too!
-Cheerio lowers cholesterol. Really, again, processed crap! Soluble fiber is what helps lower cholesterol and there is only one gram per serving. Apples, veggies, and beans and give you 2-5 times that. Sorry Cheerios, you lose!
-Diets fail, lap band works. UGH, do I really need to dig into this! I nearly lost it with this one!
-Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers with their million dollar spokes people. Do you really think they are counting points and eating packet's of god knows what for snacks.
I could go on and on, but I think we all know that if you want to be healthy you need to exercise and eat NATURAL foods.
As much as I'd love to believe that there is a quick fix to get in shape and stay in shape I'm here to remind you that there isn't. Make changes in your routine that you can maintain for life. Now here's your homework for the day.
1. Go clean out your kitchen and get rid of all the things that have High Fructose Corn Syrup and other chemicals (That includes soda, people!)
2. Ditch the processed cereals and eat your oatmeal!
3. Don't go on a diet, just eat 5 small meals a day with natural foods.
Last get moving! Exercise! You'll feel great and have the best year of your life!
PS-I want to know one thing that you found in your kitchen that you were surprised to find high fructose corn syrup in.
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