Does exercise improve sleep? You betcha!

If you don’t know this by now, exercise is the only magic pill available.  While drug companies would like you to spend your hard earned money on weight loss pills, sleeping pills, and other nonsense diet strategies, it all comes back to the basics.  Exercise.  Regular daily exercise does wonders. Include daily physical activity into your life and reap the short and long term benefits.

Benefits of Regular Physical Activity (Just to name a few!)

·   Improved sleeping patterns

·   better health

·   improved fitness

·   better posture and balance

·   higher self-esteem

·   weight control

·   stronger muscles and bones

·   feeling more energetic

·   relaxation and reduced stress

·   continued independent living in later life

Along with the numerous health benefits of exercise comes improved sleep.  Research has shown repeatedly, that exercise will increase both the quality and duration of your sleep.  So how does exercise actually make you sleep better?

Exercising increases the core temperature of your body.  People who exercise, experience a rise in body temperature (this is evident during exercise, as your body will begin sweat). Perspiring is the body’s natural way of cooling itself.  After you finish exercising, your body will eventually return to its original temperature.  This rise and fall in body temperature is important in regulating sleep patterns.  People who are sedentary (do not exercise) do not get this fluctuation in body temperature.  The end result? Decreased quality and duration of sleep.  For many people this may lead to insomnia.  It is by no mistake, people who are sedentary, often suffer from insomnia. 

Along with the scientific evidence (exercise improves sleep), is also common sense.  If you exercise during the day, you are using energy.  Using energy makes you tired.  Therefore, you will be more tired at the end of the day and sleep better. Exercising also decreases stress and makes you more relaxed.  If your going to bed stressed (thinking about a million things going on in your life) you will have a harder time falling asleep.

The Take home Message!

Regular exercise does the body wonders.  It is the only magic pill available. It will improve all aspects of your life.  You will look and feel great.  Not to mention you will SLEEP much better! 

Foods You THINK Are Healthy ;-)

We often try and pass off certain foods as healthy.  We try and justify what we eat.  In many ways we make excuses.  Statements such as, “go big or go home” or “you only live once” are sayings I hear quite frequently.  However, if you live by the “go big or go home principle,” you may be sabotaging your fitness goals. When it comes to food, we live in the now and complain latter.  I see it virtually every day.  People often say how unhappy they are with their figure, but yet continue to make unhealthy food choices.  As humans we are rational and irrational.  We know the difference between good and poor food choices.  Yet when it comes to decision time, we make poor food choices.  When it comes to food humans are irrational.  We live in the now (enjoy the food) and worry about the consequences latter (weight gain).  We also like to think of certain foods as healthy.  This justifies eating them.  If we can pass certain foods off as healthy, we can justify eating them.

Some common foods we typically think of as healthy.  Think again if your really serious about making change.

(1) Sushi Rolls

Most of us think of Sushi as being light.  Think again! With hardly a sliver of actual fish, white rice, and dipping sauce (soy), these carb bomb shells can pack up to 800 Calories in just 6 sushi rolls.  

(2) Guacamole

Consumed in moderation, not so bad.  However, each tablespoon packs about 40 calories.  In most cases people eat 8-10 tablespoons, which adds up to about 400 calories.  And that’s not including the chips! That’s not including your main course either!  Use guacamole in moderation :-)

(3) Reduced fat anything

We often think reduced fat = smart food choice.  However, most reduced fat options are chemically engineered and over processed.  They are anti foods! In addition, they also contain about 80% of the same calories.  If your eating “baked” chips, yes that is technically a smarter food choice.  However, your still eating chips!

(4) Little or Fat Free Dressing

Most people love fat free dressings.  Some claim they can’t taste the difference.  Keep in mind this flavor comes with a cost.  Most fat free dressings remove the fat and add sugar.  Substituting one bad thing for another.  Make your own dressings with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Otherwise your just eating salad dressing with salad.

(5) Fruit Juices

Fruit juices are packed with sugar.  Many fruit juices pack as much sugar as colas.  It’s very easy to drink calories, as it takes no chewing time.  Instead of drinking your apple juice, eat an apple.

(6) Baked Beans

I love my mom’s homemade baked beans.  However, most baked beans are soaked in sugary syrup, which may contain as much sugar as a can of cola.  Beans by themselves are great for you.  However, whether its mom’s homemade beans or ones from a can, these sweat treats may be sabotaging your diet.  

(7) Granola

The name granola sounds so healthy. GRANOLA.  However, the granola that comes in a box is loaded with chemicals, preservatives, and tons of sugar.  In just 2/3 of a cup, Presidents Choice granola ,13 grams of sugar.  If your looking for a healthy alternative, make your own granola.  You can find clean eating granola recipes online.

(8) Healthy Deli Meats

Think about the color and texture of deli meats.  If your eating sliced turkey, how closely does this resemble actual turkey? It doesn’t. These chemically charged meats are a poor food choice.  Stick to real turkey, ham, or roast beef.  Avoid over processed foods when possible.  They are loaded with chemicals and contain tons of salt.

(9) Fruit at the bottom yogurt

You must be thinking by now, this guy is crazy.  How could “fruit at the bottom yogurt” cause harm.  Many of these prepared fruit cups use low quality yogurt that pack tons of sugar.  Not to mention the sugar packed granola that tops these parfaits. If your looking for a smart healthy alternative, buy plain natural yogurt and top with your own fresh fruit.

(10) Commercial Salads  

Salad is great for you! However, most commercial salads usually have bacon bits, cheese, chopped eggs, and dressing.  Think your making a healthy choice by skipping out on the cheeseburger.  Think again.  Many commercial salads can easily add up to 500 calories or more.  If you are going to have a salad, avoid the bacon bits, cheese, and high calorie dressings.  Make your own salad and dressings!

Celebrate your success!

This past summer my friend and I agreed upon a six-week fitness goal that we set for ourselves. My goal was to be able to complete 20 consecutive chin-ups in a row.  His goal was to develop a six-pack in six weeks.  To attain these goals we developed a plan of action.  The end result: I fell short of my goal with 19 chin-ups and he developed a four-pack.  While we were both close to attaining our goal, we fell a little short. Looking back on these fitness goals I think we both had flaws in our strategies.  My goal was not out of reach (I could do 16 before) so expecting to add four more chin-ups was not unreasonable.  However, my strategy to attain this goal was not specific enough.  I should have added additional weights to my body when training and set weekly (short term) goals.  My friend on the other hand, set a goal that was strictly unattainable.  Trying to develop a six-pack in just six weeks is unrealistic.  Even some of the fittest people I know do not have a six-pack.  This is something that takes months of strict discipline, both in diet and training. 

So what can we learn from these two examples?

Set short term and reasonable goals.  Setting short-term goals makes the end goal attainable.  If your plan is to loose 50 lbs you need to shoot for 1-2 lbs per week.  Aiming to loose 50 lbs is not specific enough. You need to develop strict deadlines and carefully track your progress.  It is also a great idea to have some sort of accountability attached to these goals.  Track your fitness goal on a calendar or tell a friend.  If you tell a friend you will be more likely to follow your plan.

Celebrating short-term success along the way is important.  If you are successful at loosing 1-2 lbs each week, reward yourself.  This does not mean going to McDonalds and eating a Big Mac.  Instead, treat yourself to a new pair of jeans that will show off all that hard work.  Or take a Sunday afternoon and pamper yourself around the house.  Take the phone off the hook, get a bubble bath, and reflect on your short-term success.  Use these strategies below to help you reach your fitness goals.

(1) Write Down your goals and Successes

Write down your goals and track your success along the way.  Keep a journal, calendar, or blog about it.

(2) Seek a workout partner or other like minded individuals

We all have days when we just don’t feel like exercising.  Having someone to keep you accountable on those days is important.  It can also be social and keeps the workouts interesting.

(3) Take it slowly

We all want to reach our fitness goals overnight. However, this is not realistic or attainable.  Loosing weight rapidly usually does not pay off in the long run.  Aim for 1-2 lbs per week. 

(4) Be Flexible

Sometimes life happens.  If you workout routine gets disturbed by a snowstorm, work, school, etc… do not get bent out of shape.  Try and fit in some modified exercise routine and keep strict to your diet. A day or two will not ruin your goals.  

Reach your goals

After reaching you goals celebrate your success! Set new goals.  It’s a rewarding cycle :-)  

So... What about my goal: 20 Consecutive chin-ups?  I nailed it last week :-) I got 21 !!! 

The Truth About Flax Seed

Many people often ask me if I eat flax seed.  The answer, Yes!

Flax seed is high in dietary fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.  Flax seed is relatively inexpensive and should be incorporated into everyone’s diet (unless you are allergic to seeds or nuts).  I usually add 1-2 Tbsp of ground flax seed to my oatmeal every morning.  You can also add ground flax seed to brown rice, smoothies, peanut butter sandwiches, and cereal.  Flax seed is very versatile and can be added to just about anything. I include flax seed into my diet for its numerous health benefits.

Top 10 Reasons to Include Flax Seed into your Diet

 Flax Fights heart disease

 May reduce certain types of Cancers

 Reduce constipation

 Reduce cholesterol levels 

 Strengthens immune system

 High in Fiber

 Great source of Magnesium

 In women it can promote fertility, reduce peri-menopausal   symptoms, and prevent breast cancer.

 Can improve liver function

 Can Shorten recovery time from muscle fatigue

Keep in mind: Flax seed does have numerous health benefits.  However, it is not magic pill or seed.  For optimal health benefits, include clean foods into your diet, exercise regularly, and make small healthy changes to your diet when possible. 

Are Pancakes Healthy?

Who doesn't like pancakes?  Most of us love them! Now think about why we love them...  Is it because they are sweet, or is it their soft fluffy texture that makes them so tasty?  Probably both!

Recently during a teaching experience a young person asked me if pancakes were healthy.  He looked at me with puppy dog eyes hoping for my approval.  So are pancakes healthy?  What do you think? Do we really need to ask this question?    

Pancakes are loaded with ingredients such as enriched white four, sugar, baking powder, soy flour, dextrose (sugar), buttermilk, canola, soybean oil, salt, mono-diglycerides, and dried whole egg.  And thats just the pancake mix! What about that "light" syrup you smear over your pancakes?  In Aunt Jemima's "light" pancake syrup there is 19 grams of sugar in just 3 TBsb.  Most people would use double this amount.  As for the ingredients in this "light" syrup: liquid sugar, water, cellulose gum, salt, natural and artificial flavors, sorbic acid, sodium benzoate, carmel color, sodium hexametaphosphate, and sulphites.  Sodium hexametaphosphate? That doesn’t sound healthy! 

The problem with pancakes is that they are loaded with chemicals and sugars.  Pancakes are essentially fried flour covered in butter or syrup.  They resemble more of a desert than breakfast.  Pancakes are also about 95% carbohydrates.   Not complex carbohydrates (the good kind) but rather the refined simple type.  Simple refined carbohydrates (white bread, rice, PANCAKES) are a poor food choices.  Simple refined carbohydrates will give you an instant burst of energy; within an hour your energy levels will plummet and you will be looking for something else to eat.  Complex carbohydrates (such as oatmeal or whole grain cereals) take longer for the body to break down and will regulate blood sugar levels keeping you full for hours. 

The verdict?  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  People who eat breakfast are less likely to become obese, develop diabetes, and have high cholesterol.  In addition, people who eat breakfast are less likely to be hungry during the rest of the day and are, therefore, less likely to overeat.  Making a smart breakfast choice will keep you healthy.  However, making a poor breakfast choice, during the most important time of the day, will reverse any of these positive effects.  If you choose foods such as pancakes or white bread, you will most likely crash mid morning and find yourself looking for another coffee.  Nevertheless, if you strategically plan your breakfast (properly fuel your body) you will have high energy levels to sustain you throughout the day. 

If you are going to eat pancakes I recommend making your own.  This way you can avoid all the unnecessary chemicals and sugars.  This pancake recipe is a tasty, high in complex carbohydrates (the good kind), protein, and low in sugar.  Give it a try, I’m sure you will love it!  

Recipe  Combine all ingredients in a magic bullet or small blender

.5 cup dry oatmeal

.5 cup fat free cottage cheese

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 packet Stevia* (2 packets for sweeter pancakes)

Directions 

Blend everything except the oats. Once you have a smooth liquid, add the oats and blend for only a little bit, you want the batter to be a little bumpy. 

If you're going to add fruit (like blueberries), add them whole to the batter after you blend it or your batter will be too liquidy.  I usually let the batter sit for a couple minutes, to thicken up a bit. Cook in a pan coated with no stick cooking spray. Makes about six 4-5 pancakes. 

Top with fat free yogurt or fresh fruit - Enjoy

Total Calories for entire recipe - Under 500 Calories! 

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 6 

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 47.5

Total Fat: 0.5 g

Cholesterol: 0.8 mg

Sodium: 146.1 mg

Total Carbs: 4.6 g

Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g

Protein: 5.8 g

A Slippery Morning - But a Wicked Day!

Having a very busy week, I had to schedule my workouts in the early AM.  After getting up early and eating breakfast I packed my cooler bag (all my meals for the day), gym clothes, school work, and headed to campus.  I live about half a kilometer away from campus and usually look forward to the walk.  However, yesterday morning it was raining particularly hard, so I dreaded the walk.  Geared up with only a little umbrella, and sneakers with poor traction, I made my way towards campus.  With the roads being slushy, and puddles everywhere, I walked as quickly as possible.  Just before reaching my destination I found myself in a brutal situation.  Just like out of a movie, I slipped on a piece of ice, flew high in the air, and landed on my back.  Ouch!  Luckily I was alright and did not break anything.  Just a few scratches and a sore back.  However, my clothes were soaked and my pride was hurt.  When I slipped a car was driving by and witnessed the whole thing.  The car pulled over, and offered to help (Thanks for pulling over).  At this point, I was already close to my destination so I decided I would change into my gym shorts once I reached campus.  As I changed, I thought, what a brutal start to my day.

After doing some school work I headed over to the gym.  Once I got to the gym I realized, I forgot my student ID Card.  Great - Scratched arm, bruised back, soaked clothes, and no gym card.  However, I persevered!  I decided I would run outside.  With only a pair of shorts and a cut off t-shirt, I managed to find an old long-sleeve shirt, laying on the locker room bench.  After a quick smell, I determined it would do the job and headed outside for my run :-)

Running down Main Street several thoughts were passing through my head.  1st - What a brutal start to my morning.  However, my second thought was much more pleasurable.  Wow, I feel great today.  My legs we loose, my stride opened and relaxed, and it seemed as though I was exerting minimal effort, comparable to how fast I was running.  By this point, my head felt clear and I began to forget the miserable start to my day.  Once my run was complete I felt great! I felt better than most days when I run.  It was just what I needed to turn my day around.  I felt, the runners high.  I felt great.  

Sometimes it is easy to make excuses for not exercising.  Saying, “I don’t have time, or I am to busy, I have class, I have....” are all but excuses.  If I looked at my schedule from yesterday, I did not have time.  However, I made the time, and did not let “life” get in the way. There is nothing more important than your health, and until we realize this, we will continue to make excuses.  

Today, I also don’t have time.  I have mock interviews from 10:30 am -12:30 am and I work from 1:00 pm - 9:00 pm.  However, I have made time today to exercise.  Getting up at 5:50 am this morning, I have allowed myself time to eat breakfast, write my blog, and go to the gym for 8:30 am.  While most people might see this as crazy, I see it as important! 

Lets stop making excuses and get our priorities straight.  Make time for your health !!!! 

The Truth about Health - Practice Makes Perfect

The old saying practice makes perfect is true about nutrition and exercise.  How can you be physically fit if you never exercise?  How can you feel good if you never put healthy food in your body. You can’t!  Just like a high performance car needs supreme fuel and continuous maintenance, your body is no different.  You need to fuel your body with nutritious foods and exercise it regularly.  There is no magic pill or diet.  However, many companies and fitness experts would like you to think this.  Let me reiterate, practice makes perfect. If you want to eat healthy, you have to practice eating healthy.  If you want to be fit, you need to practice being fit.  This is not hard work.  It is actually quite easy.  The hard part is consistency.  Almost everyone can eat healthy and exercise for short periods of time.  The true testament is longevity.  How long can you eat healthy and stick to an exercise program?  For most people this is not long.  The reason, the food and exercise they choose is not something they enjoy or conducive to their lives.  The solution? Make small changes and find an activity (exercise program) that you enjoy.  If you do not enjoy the food or exercise routine, you will give up in a matter of weeks.  Aim for one small change in your diet each week and take time to find an activity you enjoy!

Think about the following quotes.  It speaks more truth then I could ever blog about.  What these two individuals have realized; small changes, back to the basics, and practice makes perfect!   

“You know I realize now I cant just quit my lifestyle cold turkey, it is something i have to work into, like a new pair of jeans.  My clothes are looser now, and after leaving this morning, I actually felt good about myself, which I haven’t for a long time.”

"The most important thing I’ve learned in my time is that nothing

ever really changes....you might say.... there is nothing new under the sun. Fruits and vegetables,grains and nuts and seeds have always been the best choices. All we need to do to prove that is to make these choices habit. I have always known it but was so easily distracted with “life.”

Practice does make perfect :-)

A Brief Blurb on Fibre!

We often hear that foods high in fibre are good for us.  And they are! But what role does fibre pay in our diet, what are the benefits, how much is enough, and what foods are high in fibre content?

Simply stated, fibre is a carbohydrate found in plant material that cannot be digested by the body.  Fibre is a vital part of a healthy diet and are found in cereal, grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.  Because fibre passes through the body undigested, fibre adds zero calories.  Thats why choosing foods high in fibre can be advantageous when trying to manage weight. 

Fibre can be categorized into two distinct groups, soluble and insoluble.  Soluble fibre is converted into a gel like substance in the intestinal tract.  This gel like substance binds to liver bile, (liver bile is made from the body’s cholesterol).  Soluble fibre binds to the liver bile and removes it from the body.  This results in lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of colon cancer.  

Insoluble fibres differs in its ability to absorb water in the intestinal tract.  This is important for the digestion of your food.  Insoluble fibre gives your stool bulk and decreases the time for your stool to move through the digestive tract.  It helps you feel full and prompts regular bowl movements.  It is found in whole grain foods, whet bran, and the skins of fruits and vegetables. 

Increasing your fibre intake is easy! Simply switch from refined foods to whole wheat foods.  This may be hard for some of you, especially if you eat white rice and white bread.  However, what you must keep in mind, is that white foods (man made foods) have been striped of all their nutritional value and are poor choices of carbohydrates.  Choose unrefined foods such as 100% bran cereal, whole-wheat bread with germ, and brown rice.  

Canada’s food guide recommends making at least half your grain product servings be whole grain each day.  I however, would recommend making them all! Why would you put anything less then perfect into your body.  Refined foods have no place in our diet.  A healthy adult needs 21-38 grams of fibre a day (most adults only get 14 grams). 

Top tips to easily increase fibre 

1. Eat a high fiber cereal (Oatmeal is the gold standard breakfast)
2. Eat high fibre, whole grain breads, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta
3. Include lentils or cooked beans into your diet (add them to soup, casserole, or salad)
4. Eat more fruits and vegetables. 
5. Add dried fruit (not too much) nuts and seeds to your yogurt.

Black Bean Quesadillas!

I said yesterday, I would only post recipes on Fridays.  However, after making my Aunt Bev’s Black Bean Quesadilla last night, I have to share this delicious recipe.  

Black beans are a wonderful source of dietary fiber which has been shown to naturally help lower cholesterol.  In addition, black beens help keep sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making them a wise choice for people with diabetes.  Black beans are also rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants aid in the destruction of free radicals.  Therefore, when eaten regularly, black beans can protect against cancer, heart disease, and aging. Finally, for all you women out there, black beans are high in Folate (vitamin B6).  Receiving proper amounts of Folate is important for pregnant women, as deficiency in this vitamin can lead to improper development of the fetus’s brain and spinal cord.  Black beans taste great, are cheep, and easy to prepare.  

This eat Clean Recipe is a new favorite. It is easy to prepare and keeps you full for hours!

Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients 

Grated zucchini

1 Cup Raw Black beans.  Soak them overnight and boil them in the morning. Mash them when spreading them on your pita.

Salsa (for flavor if you wish)

Small amount of grated cheese (I use low fat cottage cheese) 

Small whole wheat pittas 

Directions 

Put a small amount of olive oil on a frying pan.  

Take your pita and spread beans on top.  Next put on the grated zucchini.  

Add cheese on top of beans and zucchini

Place in frying pan and heat on low with a cover over top of the frying pan.

Heat until cheese and quesadilla is golden brown.

Add salsa, low fat sour cream, or avocado for flavor if you wish

Enjoy!!!

Aunt Bev's Easy Lentil Soup

I was asked the other day by a colleague if I posted recipes on my blog.  I have avoided doing this for one simple reason.  There is no magic formula (recipe) that will transform your body.  While diets do work, they are only temporary.  Also, many diets (a soup diet) are not a practical way to live your life.  Lets be honest, even if you love soup, you can not eat it every meal!  The solution? Eat CLEAN.  Choose a variety of foods high in protein and complex carbohydrates.  Avoid foods that are refined or processed.  If you can not pronounce or read the ingredient list, chances are that food (chemicals) should not be going in your body.  I always ask myself, what food group does this fall into? If you are placing your food into the "others" category, chances are you should not be consuming it. 

That being said, I am going to post some of my favorite recipes each week.  I will try and post this featured recipe on Friday, so you can pick up the required ingredients on Friday (when the weekly grocery sales start).  Also, trying a new recipe can be time consuming.  Saturday and Sunday, is the perfect time to spend some more time in the kitchen.  

I made this recipe this morning, after my aunt Bev, so kindly gave me the recipe.  It tastes delicious, is easy to make, high in fiber and protein, and really cheep to make.  If your looking for a soup that packs protein, without meat, this is the perfect recipe.  The red lentils are also high in fiber, protein, and considered a complex carbohydrate.  Which means, you will not get that spike in blood sugar levels,  which happens with simple carbohydrates (white bread, white pasta, etc).  

I have decided for the New Year to avoid meat on Mondays.  I am calling it, Meatless Mondays.  Prepare all your meals without using meat.  This is the perfect meatless Monday meal recipe. 

Easy Lentil Soup

8 oz. split red lentils                                2 large carrots finely chopped or grated

2 tbsp. butter or marg                              1 lemon for zest only  

1 med onion finely chopped                     1/2 tsp salt

8 cups light vegetable stock                     Freshly ground pepper

2 stalks celery finely chopped

Method:

Clean and rinse lentils

Heat butter in pan and saute onion for 2-3 mins

Add the diced celery and carrots then cover and let veggies sweat 5 minutes

In a large pot prepare vegetable stock ( water with cubes or carton or cans)

Add the vegetables to the stock

Stir in the lentils, add the lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 mins or until veggies are tender

Roughly blend the soup in a liquidizer or food processor. Soup should not be too smooth.

Return soup to pot , check seasoning and reheat gently

You can half the recipe if you like, but I think you will want the whole pot! Enjoy :-)

Drink Like a fish and Balloon Like a Whale!

One of the most common questions I get regarding Clean Eating revolves around the consumption of Alcohol. Is Alcohol healthy? 


According to the Eat Clean Principles, we should try and limit our consumption of Alcohol.  Alcohol is simply another form of sugar.  Alcohol, like deserts, pack many unnecessary calories that will hurt your waistline.  If you are serous about your New Years Resolution (we are entering into our 3rd week) you should limit the amount of Alcohol you consume.  Otherwise, all that hard work at the gym will simply go to waste.


Think about some of the Alcoholic beverages you consume.  Do they have nutrition labels?  Chances are not. If they did, many people would not consume them.  I know most people don't what to hear this information, as many people enjoy drinking.  However, if you are serous about shedding a few pounds, these hidden sugars could damage your fitness aspirations. 


The Facts


That Bailey's Irish Cream that you drink - 350 Calories in just 100 ml 


Regular Beer - 150 Calories


Coors Light - 102 Calories in 355 ml Can


Wine - 74 Calories in 100 ml


Vodka - 222 Calories in 100 ml 


Rum - 60 Calories per ounce


Molson Canadian 67 -  Only 67 Calories !!!


Moderation is key! Try and limit yourself to 1 or 2 drinks per social event.  This may be hard for some of you :-) Especially those students in University.  It is not uncommon for some students to drink 10 or more beverages in an evening.  Simple math will tell us, drinking 10 beer @ 150 Calories per drink, equates to 1500 Calories. This is almost equivalent to half a pound (one pound equals 3500 Calories).


Think of Alcohol as another form of Sugar or desert.  Now, lets compare the nutritional facts of the 1500 Calories of beer you drank Saturday night to that of a Chocolate Mars Bar.  A Chocolate Mars Bar, packs about 233 Calories.  If we think about Alcohol as being in the same food category as Chocolate Mars Bars, simple math will tell us, if we drink 10 beer on a Saturday, we have basically ate about 6.5 Chocolate bars.  6.5 Chocolate bars!!! And that does not include the slice of Pizza you picked up at 3:00 am.  


Once again, I will ask you to think about this question. What are your fitness aspirations? For some people, they exercise and eating well balanced meals.  However, when it comes to Alcohol, this is something they enjoy and are not willing to give up.  And I am not suggesting they do!  However, if you are busting your chops at the gym and still do not have that killer Six pack that YOU REALLY WANT, there may be a hidden reason why. What you need to ask yourself, "Am I willing to give up foods that I really like for my health?"

How many Calories do you Need each Day?

How many calories should you consume to achieve a healthy body weight?  This answer will vary for every individual.  If you think about this for a moment, it makes logical sense.  Someone who is 6’6, very active and weights 250 pounds needs more calories than someone who is 5 feet, sedentary, and weights 120 pounds.

Energy (calories) needs are based on your activity level, basal metabolic rate (the amount of energy your body requires to maintain basic functions), and thermic effect of food (energy body requires for digestion, absorption, and transportation of food). 

To calculate how many Calories you need, use the following information and do some basic calculations.

Women 

3-10 years 22.5 x weight (kg) + 499

10-18 years 12.2 x weight (kg) + 746

18-30 years 14.7 x weight (kg) + 496

30-60 years 10.5 x weight (kg) + 829

>60 years 10.5 x weight (kg) + 596

Men

3-10 years 22.7 x weight (kg) + 495

10-18 years 17.5 x weight (kg) + 651

18-30 years 15.3 x weight (kg) + 679

30-60 years 11.6 x weight (kg) + 879

>60 years 13.5 x wight (kg) + 487

Activity Energy REquirements (AER)

At bed rest: 1:20

Low Activity (walking): 1.30

Average activity: 1.50-1.75

High activity: 2.0 

Instructions:

Step 1

Calculate your energy requirements based on your sex, age, and weight.

Ex: A male who is 24 years old.  15.3 x 70.0 Kg + 679 = 1750 

Step 2

Multiply your RER (resting energy expenditure) by your AER (Activity energy requirement) to determine how many calories you need each day to maintain your weight.

Lets assume for this example the male is 24 year old and Highly Active.

RER (1750) x AER (2.0) =  3500 Calories 

In this example our 24 year old male who is highly active needs to consume 3500 Calories per day to maintain their weight. 

Now you try! How many Calories do you need daily to maintain your body weight?

Determining Healthy Weight

Are you underweight, Normal weight, Overweight, or Obese? 


What is the difference between overweight and obesity?


Overweight is present when fat accumulation is between 1%-19% of their desirable weight (the weight range deemed appropriate for people of a specific gender, age, and frame). 


Obesity is present when fat accumulation produces a body weight that is more than  20% the persons desirable weight (the weight range deemed appropriate for people of a specific gender, age, and frame size). 


So what is your desirable weight based on your age, height, gender, and frame size? We use Height-weight tables or the most common guideline, BMI.  Body Mass Index is determined by dividing weight (Kg) by the square of height (in Meters).


For Example: Lets examine the following individual


Weight: 71.36 kg
Height: 1.87 meters  


Simple math will tell us that the square root of 74 (height) is 8.6
Therefore, BMI = weight (71.36 kg) divided by the square height (3.49) =    20.4 


After this calculation has been made you can then refer to the BMI chart to determine your weight classification.  Your BMI will also give you an indication of potential health risks associated with your classification. 

Classification                       BMI Category                         Risk of Developing health problems


Underweight                        > 18.5                                        Increased                    

Normal Weight                    18.5- 24.9                                  Least

Overweight                          25-29.9                                      Increased

Obese Class 1                      30.0-34.9                                   High

Obese Class 2                      35.0-39.9                                   Very High

Obese Class 3                      >40.0                                         Extremely high

Based on the individual in the example they fall within a healthy BMI range (20.4).  


What is your BMI?  Try calculating it.  Remember, just divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. To calculate your BMI quickly click on the link below. 


www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/


Remember BMI is not a direct measure of body fat.  However, it is the most widely used indicator to determine health risk associated with under and overweight people.  


Do not be discouraged by your BMI.  If your BMI indicates you are overweight or obese, take this as a challenge.  You can change your BMI with Clean Eating and regular Physical Activity!!! 

Grocery Shopping & Food Preparation

Grocery Shopping And Preparing meals 

Grocery Shopping can do one of two things to your new lifestyle change.  It can make all your hard work exercising pay off, or it can reverse any progress you have accomplished.  If you think about exercising and how long it takes to burn calories (energy) and how little time it takes to eat, you can see the importance of Nutrition.   Think about the following situation. 

Situation 

You get up in the morning and go for an hour walk with your dog.  Lets say you walking at a moderate pace.  You would burn roughly 300 calories.  Upon returning home you eat a nutritious breakfast and then meet up with a friend for coffee.  You go to Tim Hortons and decide to choose a “health” blueberry bran muffin with orange juice.  Lets examine the following “healthy” choice you just made.

Blueberry bran muffin

300 Calories

20 grams of sugar 

10 grams fat

Orange Juice

140 Calories

0 grams of fat

33 grams of sugar.

A close examination shows that your “healthy” choice was not so healthy.  In fact, your hour walking the dog (planned exercise) was just ruined by the consumption of your blueberry bran muffin and orange juice.  

I am not suggesting that you give up Tim Hortons, as I would not recommend giving up any food.  All foods are good in moderation.  What I would like to point out from the above example, is that any active lifestyle can easily be out-eaten in a matter of minutes. It takes far less time to eat something then it does to exercise.  Please keep this in mind when making “healthy” choices and limit your treats to once or twice a week.  

Start limiting yourself to one “treat” a day.  This may be a major improvement to your current lifestyle if you treat yourself more then once a day.  When I first started making major changes in my diet, I treated myself to one enjoyable food every day.  In a typical day I was eating properly 85% of the time.  However, after several months of changing my diet, I now follow the 95% week rule (I choose healthy foods 95 percent of the week, and allow myself one treat per week, usually on Fridays or Saturdays).  If I do decide to treat myself, I usually exercise hard that day and limit my treat to something small.  For me a treat may be a peanut butter smoothie (a health alternative treat).  You will find after months of eating rich nutritional foods that your body will crave less treats (low nutritional valued foods).  You will be eating to fuel your body rather than eating for entertainment.  

Going grocery shopping can have a dramatic impact on your nutritional plan of action.  If you go to the grocery store and buy foods high in fat, sugar, and with little nutritional value, you are setting yourself up for failure.  Keep the following in mind when grocery shopping.

(1) Healthy eating begins at the grocery store. Fill your cart with whole grain breads and cereals, rice and pasta, fruit and vegetables, milk and milk products, lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and alternatives such as dried beans, peas and lentils. Read labels to guide your food choices.

(2) Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach or when you are hungry.  This will only cause you to buy foods that you “crave” and are not conducive to your lifestyle change.  

(3) Make a grocery list when you are able to think rationally.  Choosing foods in advance will allow you to make better decisions at the grocery store.  The old saying, a six pack is built in the kitchen is so true.  Just think, you can exercise for 1 hour per day, but what about the other 23 hours in the day?  It is very easy to out eat any fitness plan.  Make sure your trip to the grocery store is just as planned and structured as your trip to the gym.  Your grocery trip can make or break your fitness goals.