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4 Green Smoothie Recipes to Kick-start Your Day

breakfast smoothies Atlanta Personal Training

We hear all about the importance of eating fruits and veggies (6-10 servings a day) and for most people the fruit part of it is a no-brainer—it’s the vegetables that are a struggle. But if you throw some veggies into a blender with some fruit (which will mask the taste of the veggie), then getting your daily greens can be downright tasty.

Why does it seem that green leafy veggies are more important than other veggies? Well, they are and they aren’t. All veggies are important, and consuming a wide range of colorful veggies every day will give your body a larger variety of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Each color group is dominant in a certain type of antioxidants; for example, tomatoes are a great source of lycopene and butternut squash is rich in beta-carotene. Blueberries are full of anthocyanins and greens are good sources of carotenoids and flavonoids. A diet that’s as colorful as the rainbow will help reduce inflammation, blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of cancer, as well as give you energy and make you more successful at achieving your weight goals.

Green Smoothies 101

We have a pretty simple formula for making green smoothies: leafy greens + liquid base + fruit + superfood. Make sure to blend up the greens with the liquid first and then add the rest of your ingredients and blend until smooth. If you are looking to make a complete meal in a cup, add a source of protein and a healthy fat (avocado, coconut oil/butter or nut butter).

healthy breakfast ideas Atlanta Personal Trainer

Lean and Green Smoothies

Makes 1 serving

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 cups baby spinach
1 banana, frozen
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
ice
DIRECTIONS:

Place everything except ice into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes, a few at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Anti-inflammatory Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

6 ounces coconut water
1 cup baby spinach
1 pear
1 apple
1 tsp. fresh ginger
¼ tsp. ground turmeric
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
ice

DIRECTIONS:

Place everything except ice into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes, a few at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Hydrating Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

8 ounces coconut water
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup de-stemmed kale
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
Juice of half a lime
1 Tbsp. chia seeds

DIRECTIONS:

Blend ingredients in order listed until smooth.

Energizing Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 frozen banana
15 frozen green grapes
1 tsp. chia seeds
1/2 tsp. matcha (green tea powder)

DIRECTIONS:

Blend ingredients until smooth.

 

Adapted from:

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/5235/4-green-smoothie-recipes-to-kick-start-your/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACE-Fit-Life-02-04-2015&utm_content=Consumer+Outreach&spMailingID=22081608&spUserID=Nzc3OTkyMjU3NTcS1&spJobID=500424344&spReportId=NTAwNDI0MzQ0S0

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Weight Loss Plateau – BUSTED

weight-loss-plateau Atlanta Personal Trainer

The end of January is rapidly approaching.  As you continue to implement and hold to your new year resolutions, are you experiencing the success you had anticipated?? OR are you feeling frustrated and like you’ve embarked on yet another roller-coaster ride??  Check out AceFitness.org’s article below to learn some useful strategies in overcoming barriers to weight loss and to set you free from the dreaded roller coaster ride.

Weight loss-Tipping the scales in the right direction
Do you feel like you are on a roller coaster of losing and gaining those same unwanted pounds over and over? If so, you are not alone. Most people in your situation have lost count of how many diets, pills, shakes, and gadgets they have tried in hopes of finally losing weight for good. It’s time to stop searching for a magic cure and learn what it really takes to lose pounds and keep them off. These 7 steps offer a no-nonsense approach to losing the weight for good:

Understand weight loss. There is no other way around it—in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. One pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories. If you want to lose 1 pound per week you need to average a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day. Ideally, this is done by increasing physical activity and making some cutbacks in your diet. Realize that the weight will come off more quickly at first, but then slow down.
Calculate your daily caloric requirement. The amount of calories that you need in a day depends on your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the amount of calories your body uses at rest. BMR accounts for roughly 60 to 75% of all the calories you burn in a given day. Calculate your BMR and daily caloric needs.Set a realistic weight loss goal. A goal of losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week is realistic and attainable. Larger, quicker weight loss will most likely be regained.
Determine your strategy. No matter what your weight loss goal is, the best approach is to create a caloric deficit by decreasing your caloric intake and increasing your physical activity. For example, to create a 500 calorie deficit per day, cut back 250 calories from your diet and burn 250 calories doing a physical activity that you enjoy.
Find ways to cut back on calories. Some suggestions include:
-Decrease portion sizes
-Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day
-Avoid skipping breakfast
-Don’t drink your calories (i.e. soda, juice, alcohol, coffee with cream)
-Substitute healthy fats for unhealthy saturated and trans fats
-Eat the “My Plate” way-load up on fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and good carbs
-Be consistent throughout the week instead of dieting more strictly on certain days of the week
Burn more calories by getting active. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.  Adding strength training will also elevate your basal metabolic rate, so that you burn more calories even when you are resting. Check with your health care provider if you are not sure if you are healthy enough to begin exercising.

 

 

Source:

http://www.acefitness.org/fitness-fact-article/3588/weight-loss-tipping-the-scales-in/

 

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Post Workout Recovery | Atlanta Personal Trainer

Happy New Year! We welcomed 2015 just a couple of weeks ago, and with the turn of the year, many of us have set new year’s resolutions (many of which probably encompass bettering our health).  If working out or eating better was part of your new year resolution, you’ll want to read Brad’s article featured in Trainer Talk on WellATL.com.  The article (read below) was published January 7, 2015 and explains the best formula for you to follow post-workout to not only ensure you leave your workouts feeling your best but helps you recover quickly so you can hit the gym again ASAP!  And…if that’s not enough to motivate you to read the article, there are some great pictures of Brad (and Rocky, our labradoodle) to browse.

-Mandy

What Should You Eat After a Workout? Trainer Brad Kolowich Jr. Shares His Recovery Formula

Atlanta Personal Trainer - Brad Kolowich Jr

Ever wonder what workouts trainers do when nobody’s looking? What they eat after a tough workout? Or what their favorite exercise is? Wonder no more! WellATL’s new Trainer Talk column will get answers from coaches and trainers around the city. First up, Atlanta native and certified personal trainer Brad Kolowich Jr. shares his post-workout snack.

From his 3,000-square-foot training studio on the Westside, Brad and his team train athletes, celebrities, fitness competitors, and anyone else looking to take their health to the next level. His abs are so legendary they were featured in Exercise & Health magazine and praised by Men’s Workout as an example of “peak physique.” We asked him what he eats to help his renowned body recover after a workout. Here’s his advice:

“The post-workout meal is the most important meal of the day because the body is so depleted. Anything you consume at this time will be quickly absorbed by the body to help in the recovery process. My suggestion is to consume protein powder in a combination of a fast-acting (absorbed quickly by the body) and slow- and medium-acting (absorbed at a slower rate by the body in the sustained release of amino acids in the recovery process). For a fast-acting protein powder, I suggest whey protein. For the slow- and medium-acting protein, I suggest a plant-based protein powder and/or one that contains casein protein (slow-acting) and/or an egg-based powder (medium-acting) and/or soy protein powder (medium-acting). You can find protein powder blends of some or all of the above ingredients, or you can purchase each individually and make your own combination. I’m currently doing a natural whey protein powder which I blend with a plant-based powder. I suggest shooting for 24 to 50 grams of protein post-workout.

In addition to protein following a workout, I suggest adding fast-acting carbohydrates such as dextrose (corn sugar) for best results. If you prefer to add more nutritional value to your post-workout meal, skip the dextrose and go for a faster-acting fruit-based carb source such as a banana, watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe, or dates (to name a few), which are higher on the glycemic index. Consuming these faster-acting carbs in addition to protein will ensure that the protein is shuttled into the muscles at a quicker rate, speeding recovery and minimizing down time between workouts. A good starting point is about 20 to 30 grams of carbs post-workout, then vary that based on goals and specific individual nutritional requirements (in addition to the above protein recommendations). It’s a good idea to eliminate fats immediately following a workout since fats slow the absorption of nutrients. A good rule of thumb is to consume your post-workout meal within 30 minutes of the workout for the best result.”

JANUARY 7, 2015 /BY KIMBERLY TURNER

EatWellATL.com

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How can I have a healthier Thanksgiving?

healthy living thanksgiving Brad Kolowich Jr Personal training

With Thanksgiving Day right around the corner, you may have begun considering what you’re going to contribute to the feast. As we all know, the day is famous for its indulgences and, for many, an annual ritual to overeat and then lounge lazily for the rest of the day watching football games, napping, and spending time with family and friends.

This holiday is a little bit of a challenge for highly health conscious individuals. After all, if you show up to the feast with a dressing-free salad and whole wheat dry rolls, you might be turned away at the door. And, honestly, a once-per-year day of overeating most likely isn’t going to sabotage your diet plans, though sustaining this eating behavior throughout the holiday season could lead to a few extra unwanted pounds to lose in the New Year.

The good news is that there are some simple changes you can make to your Thanksgiving plans this year that will save you some calories (without sacrificing taste or your reputation) and add some fun to your holiday.

Fit it all on one plate. Prevent over-stuffing yourself by fitting your Thanksgiving feast all on one plate (This works best if you don’t use an oversized plate filled to the brim). Sample small portions and avoid going back for seconds. If you’re tempted to return for more, give yourself 20 minutes (about how long it takes to feel full) first.

Eat slowly. Thanksgiving foods are likely to be richer and more filling than your everyday fare, so eat slowly and savor every bite.

Enjoy the company of family and friends. Socialize during your meal and festivities. You can’t eat and talk at the same time — so the more conversation you enjoy, the less you’ll eat.

Get moving. Sign up for a local Turkey Trot 5K or 10K and spend your Thanksgiving morning getting some exercise. Not only will you burn some calories, but you’ll also enjoy some holiday fun!

Make some easy Turkey day substitutions. For example:
Eat the white meat without the skin instead of the dark meat with skin and shave off 190 calories.

Turkey — white meat, no skin (6oz): 180 calories, 3g fat
Turkey – dark meat, with skin (6oz): 370 calories, 20g fat

Make your own cranberries rather than the jellied stuff and save 120 calories.

Cranberries (boiled in sugar) (1/2 cup): 100 calories, <1g fat
Jellied cranberry sauce (1/2 cup): 220 calories, <1g fat

Cut the marshmallows on your sweet potatoes and instead add a little bit of spice to save 100 calories.

Sweet potatoes, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg (2/3c): 200 calories, 3g fat
Candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows (2/3c): 300 calories, 3g fat

Skip the green bean casserole and instead just steam some green beans and cut 110 calories.

Steamed green beans (1/2C): 20 calories, <1g fat
Green bean casserole (1/2C): 130 calories, 7 g fat

Choose pumpkin pie over the pecan pie for dessert and decrease your caloric intake by 160 calories.

Pumpkin pie (1/8 pie): 340 calories, 15g fat
Pecan pie (1/8 pie): 500 calories, 25g fat

Add it all up and you find that you’ve saved yourself 650 calories.
More Healthy Total: 850 calories, 23g fat
Less Healthy Total: 1500 calories, 56g fat
There are 3,500 calories in a pound, so if you calculate the calorie savings from these substitutions, you will find that you saved yourself nearly ¼ pound weight gain! That’s not including the other four other tips above that will help you eat less and move more and save yourself from holiday weight gain. Try adding a few new traditions to your holiday this year with some healthy Thanksgiving Day recipes.

By Natalie Digate Muth
Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD, FAAP

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10 Health Tips For Surviving the Holidays

Health tips for Holiday Survival Brad Kolowich Jr Personal Training

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, marking the beginning of a 5-week holiday celebration that often spells doom for your health and fitness plan. Along with those celebrations will come headlines and broadcast news stories highlighting the holiday weight gain that thousands of people experience every year.

Ignore them.

Don’t think about weight gain this holiday season – think about celebrating with friends at family while simultaneously enjoying the sensation of living in a body that’s healthy.

Below are 10 tips you can use to change how you think this time of year. The result will make it easier for you to make the right choices – even when a lot of people around you aren’t.

1. It’s not about the actual holidays.

What you do on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day isn’t your major concern. It’s all the other days in between that will determine if your holidays are healthful. You may encounter holiday treats at random at work or at home from a kind neighbor bringing you a home-baked gift. These situations are more frequent than a binge on a holiday. Overeating on Thanksgiving Day isn’t going to get you out of shape. Just like doing things right one day isn’t going to get you in shape. It’s all the little things on a daily basis that determine if you are moving toward fitness or away from it.

2. List your top 2-3 favorite treats during the holidays and commit to having only those.

We’ve all got our favorites. List them, and stick to them so you can enjoy your favorites without consuming any “accidental” junk food you weren’t planning on.

3. Let go of perfect.

We don’t expect it in other areas of life – school, work or in with our family members. So why do we expect “perfect” when we think about our fitness routines? You may miss a workout. In fact, everyone will at some point. It’s not the end of the world. Really. Just make sure you get the next one done.

4. Forget your workout routine; just challenge yourself.

You may not have time for your full routine, so don’t do it! Exert yourself for 10 minutes if that’s all you have. Your body responds to the challenge of exercise, not to the amount of time you spend doing it.

5. Focus on the positive (what you can do), not the negative (what you can’t).

Every year I hear an endless parade of, “I’ve just been so busy with the holidays and family visits, that I couldn’t workout.” This year, focus on what you can do instead of what you can’t. Look for solutions instead of repeatedly dwelling on the problems and obstacles.

6. Ask yourself, “Do I really have to _________ ?”

There is likely something that you tell yourself you “have to” do that you don’t. Maybe it’s sending out holiday cards to everyone in your address book. Or maybe it’s hosting the family at your house (again!) just like you do every year. You have more choices than you think.

7. Pick your top 5 favorite exercises

Write down your 5 favorite exercises – I’m sure squats will be on everyone’s list this year – and when you need a blast of movement, do all of them for 30 seconds each. It will be easier if they are bodyweight exercises, but you can use anything as long as they are your favorites.

8. Explore fun ways to get the family moving.

Family gatherings usually involve too much food and too much sitting around. Get everyone outside any way you can. Reinvent old traditions in movement-based ways. Instead of sitting around talking about what you’re thankful for, have everyone share that while they’re out on a walk together. Whoever is talking has to walk backward and face the group while they share. Be creative. Too cold? Bundle up – once you’re out and moving, you’ll warm up.

9. Keep sugar off of your vegetables.

I used to hate sweet potatoes. A few years ago, I realized this was due in large part to when I was growing up they were always served with brown sugar and marshmallows. Awful. Let there be no glazing of carrots this year. Sugar has no place on vegetables. There will be enough sugar in your favorite dessert. Glazing is for doughnuts. This year, find ways to make side dishes that are both delicious and nutritious.

10. Remember that the holidays come at the same time every year

Your favorite holiday comes on the same day each year (for the most part). Those annual celebrations won’t catch you by surprise, so there’s no reason why you can’t plan for them. Unknown interruptions to your fitness program like car trouble or sick children can’t always be avoided, but when celebrations come every year there’s no excuse. Use your smarts and creativity combined with some of the tips above to come up with a plan for celebrating that will allow you to enjoy the festivities without wrecking your fitness plan in the process. Keep at it and you’ll get a little better each year!

By Jonathan Ross

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/2951/10-health-tips-for-surviving-the-holidays/

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Hauntingly Healthy Recipes for Halloween

Candy, candy, candy!  Tis the season!  Don’t let Halloween kickoff the holiday season by adding inches to your waistline.  Below are some healthy recipes that will help you feel as though you are cheating but will continue to help you focus on bettering your fitness and health!

Candy Corn Popsicles

candy corn popsicles Atlanta Personal Trainers

 

Turn yogurt and juice into a seasonal treat. Serve these on Halloween morning for a fun & healthy breakfast treat OR eat after your halloween workout!

Ingredients:
1 scoop vanilla whey protein mixed with 6 oz water or unsweetened almond milk
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
Popsicle molds

To make these dairy-free, use coconut milk and veggie based protein powder.
If you don’t have popsicle molds, use paper cups and craft sticks.

Carefully pour two tablespoons of protein mix into the bottom of your molds. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Pour the orange juice evenly into all the molds. Freeze for another 20 minutes.
Pour the pineapple juice on top of the orange juice.
Freeze until set.

Serving Size: Makes 6 popsicles
Pumpkin Shaped Vegetable Tray

Atlanta Personal Training

If you’ll be going to a Halloween (or any holiday) gathering, make sure to bring an appetizer or food option that will help encourage you (and others) to fuel up with the healthiest alternatives to typically snacking foods.

 

Ingredients:
large shallow bowl
2 small ramekins
1 cup low-fat ranch dip or dressing (or another variety)
3-4 (1-pound) bags baby carrots
1/2 cup sliced cucumber, each slice cut into triangles
Dip:
16 oz Greek Yogurt
Ranch dressing mix

For garnish:
Pepper strips, olives, nasturtium leaves, etc.

Directions:
Pour the carrots into the dish.
Pour the dressing/dip into the ramekins and nestle them into the carrots where the jack-o-lantern’s “eyes” should go.
Arrange the cucumbers on top of the carrots as “teeth,” and place two pepper strips above the “eyes.”
Add the nasturtium (a type of edible flower) leaves as the pumpkin stem, or use a wedge of cucumber, cut side down.
Just before serving, place half an olive on top of each ramekin of dip.

Serving Size: 1 tablespoon dip, about 1/2 cup carrots

Number of Servings: 20
Banana Yogurt Ghosts

Atlanta Personal Training

These fun frozen bananas are as simple as they are healthy. You’ll need just three ingredients.

Ingredients
1 banana, sliced in half
2 popsicle sticks or wooden skewers
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein OR 1/2 pouch sugar free vanilla pudding mix
4 mini chocolate chips

Tips
Greek yogurt sticks to the bananas better than regular yogurt.

Directions
Carefully poke the banana onto the skewer.
Mix the yogurt and whey protein or vanilla pudding together.
Spread the yogurt mixture over the bananas.
Gently place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper.
Adorn with two mini chocolate chips as eyes.
Freeze until firm and serve.

Serving Size: 2 banana “ghosts”
Pumpkin Protein Cake Balls

Atlanta Personal Trainers healthy-cake-batter-paleo-dough-balls

Satisfy that chocolate craving with a high-protein, low carb healthy treat.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup protein powder (vanilla)
1/8 cup agave
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup pure pumpkin
1/8 cup almond butter
2 tbsp sugar free vanilla pudding mix
Lily’s chocolate chips sweetened with stevia (or sugar free chocolate)

Mix all ingredients together. Add little bits of water if needed. Dough should be thick like cookie dough. Form 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper. Freeze. Once frozen, melt chocolate chips and coat balls with a thin layer of chocolate. Freeze again and serve frozen or at room temperature. They stay fresh in the fridge for 5 days and in the freezer for 5 months.

Tip:  For an even healthier option, roll the cake balls in cocoa powder or cinnamon in lieu of the chocolate coating.

Makes approximately 6-8 balls.

 

Recipes adapted from Spark People

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Atlanta Personal Trainer | Why the scale lies…

Weight-Loss-Scale Atlanta Personal Trainer

One of our personal training clients, Kat Carney, runs a very successful blog that shares successful weight loss stories from around the world. Kat was inspired by other weight loss stories she read and lost 90 lbs. Now she helps bring these inspirational stories of weight loss to others on her blog, The Weigh We Were.

Last week she featured an article about the truth the scale forgets to display. Daily, as personal trainers we have to explain the importance of having various modes of measuring progress to clients. I found Kat’s article very helpful in explaining the importance of not using only the scale to dictate your success. Below is the article she featured on her blog.

The Scale Lies! Find out exactly why it changes day-to-day…

We’ve been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can’t resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can’t bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the many reasons it fluctuates day-to-day…

A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it’s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn’t have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content.

That’s why, when it comes to eating, it’s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored.Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it’s wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It’s the actual weight of everything you’ve had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you’ve finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it’s not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it’s likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it’s only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it’s physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you’re really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale’s sneakiest attribute. It doesn’t just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose “weight,” that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you’ve lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate.Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you’re just sitting around. That’s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.

Robin Landis, author of “Body Fueling,” compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn’t differentiate between the two. It can’t tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat. There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current. If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don’t be discouraged by a small gain on the scale.

Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. It’s a matter of mind over scale.

For more article like this and to connect with others on the same weight loss journey, visit Kat’s website at The Weigh We Were.

Source: Health Discovery

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Atlanta Personal Trainer | Rainy Day Workout

rainy-day-workout

Don’t let the rain ruin your good intentions to workout! When the weather has left you feeling less than motivated to get to the gym, try this workout in the comforts of your living room.

Length: 10-30 minutes

Equipment: chair, mat (optional)

Type of Workout: Full Body Circuit, Muscle Cardio

Muscles Worked: legs, chest, biceps, triceps, core, back

Fitness Level: Beginner to Advanced

Full Body Meltdown:

Do each exercise back to back with as little rest time as possible between each exercise. After completing the circuit one time, rest 1-2 minutes and go through the circuit again. Complete the circuit up to 3-5 times for a 20-30 minute workout.

40 jumping jacks

15 squats

20 alternating reverse lunges

10 mountain climbers

5 burpees

25 bicycles

10 supermans

10 push-ups

40 high knees/run in place

20 vertical leg crunches

:30 second plank

10 tricep chair dips

rest 1-2 minutes and repeat 2-4 more times

-Mandy

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Grass Fed or Grain Fed Beef?

grass_fed_cattle

Fit Chow Atlanta | Grass Fed or Grain Fed?

What’s the Difference between Grass Fed Beef vs Grain Fed/Grass Finished Beef?

Grass Fed Beef = cattle roam free on a pasture & eat only grass
Grain Fed/Grass Finished Beef = Cattle confined in feed lots & eat mostly grain

What’s the Difference between Nutrition Profiles?

The label “grass-fed” refers to cattle who are given an all-grass diet. Grass-fed meats are higher in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). Studies show omega-3 fatty acids lower the risk of heart attack, lower blood pressure, and improve brain function. Studies also show, CLA’s may reduce the risk of cancer.  Grass fed beef is leaner and juicer, thanks to higher moisture content in addition to having more omega-3 fatty acids, CLA’s, vitamin B6 and beta-carotene. Also, grass fed beef has as little as 140 calories per serving plus lower cholesterol.  When you are shopping for beef, look for a meat that has fat yellowish in tint (not white).  This color in the fat is derived from the cows grass intake.

Grain-fed or grass finished beef is more greasy and not as juicy. Plus, it’s ‘fattened up’ on a variety of grain or corn by-products that are not healthy and highly refined (the fat will appear white in color in a grain fed cow). Regular consumption is not recommended as part of a healthy diet because there is risk in elevating bad cholesterol levels.

The “Quick and Dirty”…

CTGB_Circles

Fit Chow Atlanta only uses meats that have never been treated with antibiotics or given hormones.  Our beef is always grass-fed and of the leanest cuts.

Source:

http://www.justaddgoodstuff.com/grass-fed-vs-grain-fed-beef/#.VCrbUkvXklI

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The Dirty Dozen

dirty-dozen2

 

www.fitchowatlanta.com

Eating fresh produce is the best way to obtain the nutrients that support optimum health, but the pesticides used on many crops remain a major health concern. This is the primary reason why at Fit Chow we use produce that has never been treated with pesticides. By choosing organic foods, you can reap the health benefits of fruits and vegetables without exposing yourself and your family to potentially harmful chemicals. Pesticides present real health risks, particularly to children and those with health concerns. The toxicity most commonly associated with pesticides in animal studies include disruptions in the normal functioning of the nervous and endocrine system, and increased risks of cancer (http://www.drweil.com).

You may be familiar with the term “Dirty Dozen”. This is a list of produce (fruits and vegetables) used to identify the produce with pesticide residue found in them. If you don’t want to eat bug and weed killers, when shopping on your own you most definitely want to purchase organic or pesticide free versions of the produce listed on the the Dirty Dozen. However, rest assure, at Fit Chow you will only be served organic and/or local pesticide free fruits and vegetables.

The Dirty Dozen

Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen™ list of produce includes apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, sweet bell peppers, imported nectarines, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes. Each of these foods contained a number of different pesticide residues and showed high concentrations of pesticides relative to other produce items.

In particular:

Every sample of imported nectarines and 99 percent of apple samples tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other food.
A single grape sample contained 15 pesticides. Single samples of celery, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides a piece.
The Clean Fifteen

Environmental Working Group’s Clean Fifteen for 2014 – the produce least likely to hold pesticide residues – are avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbage, frozen sweet peas, onions, asparagus, mangoes, papayas, kiwis, eggplant, grapefruit, cantaloupe, cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Relatively few pesticides were detected on these foods, and tests found low total concentrations of pesticides. So when shopping, if cost and saving a some money is a concern for your family, you may choose to use the conventional versions of these produce items.

Notable findings:

Avocados were the cleanest: only 1 percent of avocado samples showed any detectable pesticides.
Some 89 percent of pineapples, 82 percent of kiwi, 80 percent of papayas, 88 percent of mango and 61 percent of cantaloupe had no residues.
No single fruit sample from the Clean Fifteen™ tested positive for more than 4 types of pesticides.
Detecting multiple pesticide residues is extremely rare on Clean Fifteen™ vegetables. Only 5.5 percent of Clean Fifteen samples had two or more pesticides.
Source:

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php

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