What's America Coming To?

Well now I've seen everything! Check out this video for the latest commentary on American eating behavior. I really found this amusing but sad all at the same time. What are we doing? Are we so time deprived and needing convenience that we can't prepare a healthy meal anymore? I understand that going through a drive through or eating out is what we seem to be all about but what are we teaching our kids? Will any of them even know how to cook or know the difference between whole foods and fast food? Does nutrition mean nothing anymore? With obesity and disease on the rise, when are we going to stop and take notice of how important it is to quit poisoning our bodies with chemically induced food products and eat for nutrition and not convenience. I challenge you.

Here's my challenge, spend one week planning your meals around nutrition and whole foods. Eat because you are hungry and not because it tastes good. (BTW - cooking whole foods can taste good too if you know how to cook them). Minimize eating out and if you do, make a healthy selection on the menu (No, ranch dressing on a fully loaded salad is not healthy!) Eat whole grain and complex carbs. Watch your portions and make sure you are balancing a protien, a complex carb at each meal with a veggie at two meals. See how you feel after one week! I guarentee you will have more energy, feel better and never be hungry. Don't you want to feel this way all the time? I know I do! Give it a try and let me know how you feel! Need help getting started? Give me a call or write me an e-mail and I'd be happy to help you get started. Just one week of your life to test the theory. Don't let the world come to strapping on a feed bag just because it's convenient!

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/new_wearable_feedbags_let

Target your Heart Rate in the Zone

What are you waiting for? August has been a slow month at the gym for attendance but the regulars who know that a good workout can't be substituted still show up and make the most of each day. While taking a walk and working in the garden or doing general yard work are great additions to a workout schedule, they don't substitute the benefits of lifting weights and getting your heart rate up to it's target. In order for you to gain any fat burning and cardio vascular benefits from your workout, you MUST reach your target heart rate at 70%-85%. To calculate your target heart rate take 220 minus your age and multiply that by 70% or 85%. That is the "zone" you need to get to and maintain for a good 20 minutes to get the full benefit of a cardio or aerobic workout. If you aren't doing that then you are not gaining the full benefits intended. Take a fitness test and see where you are in your aerobic fitness level and you might be surprised. The best for aerobic fitness is the 3 minute step test where you step up/down on a 12 inch aerobic step at a cadence of 96 beats a minute and then take your pulse. The faster you pulse returns to normal, the better off you are. There are scales for women and men based on age that will help determine your fitness level and you can always contact me to help you get started with the test. Women need to be especially concerned as heart disease and heart attacks are the number one killer in women and it is very important for us to focus on making the most out of our routines. Need help getting started? Contact us to help you get on the right track or keep you on the right track. We are experts in womens fitness because we are women who have experienced and succeeded at turning our lives around.

Don't let one more day pass. Focus on you and you will be rewarded!