Fitness Routine

How many times have you sat around at a gathering of family or friends watching your or someone else’s kids run in circles, roll around on the ground, and just play for hours on end without tiring? There’s probably a 99% chance that you or someone else around you made the statement “I wish I had that much energy!”. I’ve done it, as I am sure almost everyone has. But a few years ago I had a light bulb moment. The key difference between “kid” and “adult” fitness My light bulb moment came while at one of those family gatherings as I was sitting in my chair with the other adults watching my cousin-in-law’s children chase each other around like they were on crack. At the time I had a middle-aged client whose main goal was to feel younger and more energetic. Well, someone said something about wanting to bottle the kid’s energy and sell it and it hit me like a ton of bricks. The reason kids are so energetic has a lot to do wit...

Study after study has come out showing that obesity is not only here to stay but is still on the rise, despite an ever-growing negative public sentiment towards those who are overweight and obese. So if being obese is so frowned upon, why are so many people falling victim to it? One reason could be that we are given more things to blame our extra weight on than you can shake an extra value meal at. The growing epidemic of obesity is not an easy disease to pin down and treat because for every proposed fix to a cause, there are two more causes that we come up with to blame instead. Common excuses around obesity: A slow metabolism and certain misleading medical conditions After working for more than a decade as a Nutrition Counselor and Personal Trainer, I have heard people blame weight gain on almost everything you can imagine, though the most popular excuse is a slow metabolism. Until recently, people blamed their slow metabolism on the idea that it just naturally slows as a person ag...

Oh, the rare and lovely days where we actually get to feel like we've done nothing at all. Even while we’re being completely lazy, our bodies are obviously still very busy (they've got a big show to run). The number of calories burned at rest is called the basal metabolic rate, and it’s a measure of how much energy your body uses just to keep all of your complex bodily functions up and running and in check (i.e. your body temperature regulated, your heart beating, your brain humming, and so on). The concept of burning off the body's energy stores while doing absolutely nothing is kind of exciting, until you realize how little you would have to eat in order to avoid putting on extra weight. Related : Search over 500 free workout videos that you can do in your own living room How many Calories do I Burn doing Nothing? Here’s the formula to find your resting metabolic rate: For Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 ...

Unbeknownst to this foodie, the Slimcado is not brand new to the scene. In fact, it has been around for well over 100 years. I just recently saw it in the produce aisle and it raised a red flag; even if the Slimcado was not genetically modified, how do you take a food that is mostly fat and pitch it as a “lite” product, without lessening its nutrition or completely destroying the taste? What is a Slimcado? The fruit boasts roughly 35% less calories and half of the fat of a regular avocado . It looks nearly the same as its traditional counterpart with a few slight variances. There are about 30 varieties sold commercially, but some of the most noticeable differences are that the large seed inside the center of a reduced calorie avocado is slightly fuzzy, and they tend to have a shinier, smoother outside skin. These fruits are grown in Florida in a climate that is much wetter than the ones that regular avocados are grown in. The result is a sort of watered down, less calorie ...

According to the CDC, roughly one out of every five deaths in America is a result of the health repercussions of smoking cigarettes. Smoking causes a person’s chances of developing a long list of various cancers to skyrocket. It impedes circulation and increases the chances of heart disease. On a much shallower note, it’s a very expensive habit, it yellows teeth, and makes a person smell terrible. There’s no doubt that smoking’s a nasty habit, and it’s highly unlikely that you don’t already know that. Having that knowledge doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to drop the habit. There are many tricks, tips, and gimmicks out there meant to help a person quit smoking, but by far and large the one that has the most health perks (not just the absence of health risks) is exercise. How can exercise help you quit smoking? Keep reading, and let the reasons serve as motivation for you to make the move to kick the habit. Exercise can minimize the feel...

An ADHD friendly diet is more complex than simply limiting caffeine intake or large quantities of refined sugars. Media is constantly cramming “health” foods down our throats, but truth be told your best bet in treating ADHD with nourishment is going to be sticking to the basics of the nutrition world, which is the foundation of this ADHD Diet Plan . In that light, there are not only foods that can help, there are also ones that can definitely make it worse. Here are some that you should do your best to steer clear of if you or your child struggles with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Foods to avoid Minimize consumption of packaged products There are very few exceptions to this rule; microwavable dinners, prepackaged lunch meals, energy bars, candy, chips, crackers, and 99% of cereals are loaded with either sugars, salts, preservatives or additives (or all four!). These are not healthy for anyone, but they are particularly risky for someone sensitive to ADHD symp...

Working out with sciatica requires a bit of caution, but having the painful condition should by no means keep a person completely sidelined from physical activity and exercise. In fact, the “use it or lose it” saying applies even to those who have this condition; while rest is an important aspect of healing from an intense flare up, being overly sedentary for an extended period of time can sap your lower back of it’s strength and mobility, which only causes further problems. Core workouts for sciatica prevention and relief Well-developed core strength can help protect the lower back from becoming misaligned and lower the chances of strains and sprains. Try this Sciatica Stretching Video or this short Home Ab Workout in order to tone and tighten your core to protect the otherwise vulnerable lower back. Stretching for sciatica Maintaining flexibility is very important for a person who is prone to develop this painful condition. Stretching the surrounding muscles in t...

Avocados tend to get the cold shoulder from dieters because they are higher in fat and calories than most other fruits. The thing is, this delectable green fruit offers loads of nutrition and heart healthy, hunger-satisfying fats that anyone looking to lose weight should use as an ally. How many calories are in an avocado? There are approximately 230 calories in a fruit of medium size. Avocado nutrition and health benefits They are high in fat, with roughly 20 grams of fat in a medium sized fruit. The good news is that it’s almost all the heart healthy kind; mono and polyunsaturated fat. This fat is also the reason why just a small amount of the fruit can help you feel fuller longer, which is great for fending off mindless munching. They have no cholesterol and very little sodium. Another huge health perk is that they are very high in fiber, with a whopping 9 grams, or approximately 40% of your daily value. They might be fat and calorie dense, but they are also high in vitamins ...

Nuts are widely boasted for their nutritional benefits but what is less talked about is their calories, portion control, and healthy serving sizes. For example, consider walnuts. Walnuts are recognized for their high fiber content, levels of vitamins E and B, and heart healthy omega 2 fats. They taste great in yogurt, on salads, or even by the handful. The potential hitch is the number of calories and the small serving sizes-just one ounce. One serving of walnuts is actually just 7 whole pieces, or 14 halves. One ounce serves up a significant and easily consumed 185 calories, and 18 grams of, albeit healthy, grams of fat. Even considering that the energy is dense and prone to quickly add up if munched on mindlessly, they should be considered an essential diet staple to anyone who is trying to improve their diet or even lose weight. Knowing the basic serving sizes of nuts and having a general idea of how many calories there are in each variation can help keep the fat and caloric conte...

People who are looking to get fit have a much better chance of being successful and sticking to their workouts when they have a partner. Here are just a few of the advantages of having a workout buddy: • A designated partner help to keep you accountable when it comes to following through on your plans to exercise. • Having a workout buddy can make your exercise sessions more enjoyable and less monotonous. • Having a partner who is more fit than you can encourage you to push yourself and increase your fitness thresholds. • Teaming up with someone who is less fit than you can end up putting you in a role that requires a bit of leadership, which can in turn increase your own confidence and motivation levels. • Having someone to do physical activity with gives you someone to share the excitement of achieving your fitness goals. • Having a companion can be a healthy way to cope with life stresses, which boosts your overall health. • Teaming up with a par...

The BMI is widely regarded as a valid reference point for determining whether or not an individual is within a healthy weight range. It is so widely used for gauging bodyweight in reference to wellbeing that health insurance companies use the equation in order to calculate what your rates should be, meaning that they deem a person’s body mass index as being directly correlated with what kinds of health issues an individual is prone to fall ill to. Most health care practitioners chant, “attain a healthy BMI”, like a mantra to their heavier patients who fall outside the parameter of what is accepted as a healthy weight according to this chart. Here's how to calculate your BMI. The Equation BMI = {Weight in Pounds / (Height in Inches) x (Height in Inches)} x 703 A healthy BMI for women is between 19.1 and 25.8. The range for men is from 20.7 to 26.4. Example of how to calculate BMI This particular example of a calculation is for a woman who is 5’8 and 135 poun...

Folic acid is a vitamin that plays a vital process in the body’s production of healthy new cells. Studies have shown that this specific segment of B vitamins encourage a healthy heart, and can help protect the brain from Alzheimer’s and even lower the risk of developing cancerous cells. Some recent research has suggested that folate can provide aid to those that struggle with mood and anxiety disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Folic acid, or folate, is part of the B vitamin complex and is especially important for pregnant women, who have a higher daily requirement for the vitamin. Women who plan on trying to get pregnant should begin taking a B vitamin complex before they actually begin trying to conceive as it plays a crucial role in the development of the baby’s brain and spine. Folate deficiency symptoms will begin to appear when an individual’s diet does not have enough natural folic acid sources, and if ther...

Whole steel cut oat calories are possibly the healthiest kind that you can get from a grain. Not only are they high in fiber, low in fat, and free of basically all sodium and sugars, they are also delicious. Because they are minimally broken down, they have a satisfying, hearty consistency and a great flavor that is slightly nutty tasting. One concern that people often have when switching from faster cooking oats to the whole grain version is how many calories there are in the healthier version. A lot of people erroneously believe that the more natural version is higher in calories. How many calories are in a cup of cooked steel cut oats? The serving size of these oats is ¼ cup dry grain. When cooked with the recommended water portions (usually about a cup), you end up with roughly 1 whole cup of a finished product. Because the water obviously adds no caloric value, there are roughly 170 calories in one cup of cooked steel cut oats (the same amount of calories in ¼ cup, ...

If you’re trying to lose weight, you should be aware that snacking can actually serve as an ally in your efforts. Eating many small and healthy meals throughout the day will prevent you from ever getting too hungry-the kind of hungry that leads to bad diet decisions and maybe even a binge. Healthy snacks can also serve to keep your metabolism boosted throughout the day. The best healthy snack ideas are going to be those that sum up to roughly 100-200 calories. They should also offer some nutritional value, whether it be in the form of fiber content, vitamins, protein, or another dietary essential. 10 Nutritious Snacks Under 200 Calories 1. 8 Ounces Yogurt (120 cals), 1 cup strawberries (55 cals); There are 175 calories total for this mini meal, which offers fiber, probiotics for digestive health, and high levels of vitamin C. 2. 1 Tablespoon peanut butter (100), 1 banana (90); For 190 calories, you get a heavy duty snack that staves off hunger with protein and digestion-slowing ...

High cholesterol, specifically high LDL levels, has been directly linked to an increased chance of heart disease; the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. But what is really to blame is the ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol. The optimal LDL and HDL ratio is 4:1 (or less), meaning you have 4 parts LDL to every one part HDL cholesterol. The lower the ratio between the two, the better off you are. If you work to raise your HDL naturally, your overall ratio will improve, which puts you at less of a risk of developing heart disease. Many doctors either don’t know this for some reason (which is amazing/baffling to me), or would just rather prescribe a drug that has little to no effect on the real danger of the situation; the imbalance between the HDL and LDL levels. You can most effectively lower your chances of heart disease, not by lowering your overall numbers, but instead by increasing the amount of HDL cholesterol you have (compared to your LDL level...

Low calorie, healthy snack ideas are a great way to use your munchies to your advantage when you’re trying to drop weight. Eating frequently throughout the day keeps your metabolism stoked and your hunger from getting out of hand (which can lead to overeating). These snacks under 100 calories are healthy, satisfying, and they wont derail your diet. Nutritious options under 100 calories 1. 1 Medium orange (60 calories), 1 piece Dove dark chocolate “Promises” (35); These 2 are a powerhouse of antioxidants; plus, you get to eat chocolate! 2. ½ Apple (40), ½ Banana (50); Slice these two delicious fruits up together to make a mini fruit salad that makes for a satisfying option that’s full of fiber and vitamins. Sprinkle a little metabolism boosting cinnamon on top if you want more flavor. 3. 1 Medium red bell pepper (40), 2 Tablespoons hummus (50); Slice up your bell pepper and enjoy this colorful treat guilt free. 4. ½ Cup Plain yogurt (60), 6 ...

Many people assume that aches and pains come with the territory of getting older and that they have to just deal with them, but in many cases that’s not entirely true. A lot of our general body aches can actually be related to what we eat on a daily basis. By avoiding the culprits, in this instance, certain foods, joint pain can easily be reduced or even completely done away with. The following are some of the most common causes of joint pain from diet. These are foods that can easily be limited or removed all together to improve your overall health. You may not need to remove or alter all of these things in your diet, but the more you work to find and eliminate the ones causing your inflammation, the better your chances of lowering or getting rid of your joint pain. Caffeine and joint pain This one will make a fair number of people groan, but caffeine can cause issues with this condition. With that said, there is a lot of conflicting information out there as to whether or not c...

You have just started a new work out regimen and you are starting to make some progress. Then you start feeling poorly. There are enough excuses out there not to workout and you just don’t want to have another one, so you think to yourself “maybe I can just push through it, but is working out while I am sick okay”? The quick answer regarding continuing to exercise with a cold is yes, but only if you are sure that it’s just the common cold. You shouldn’t however, keep exercising while sick if your ailment happens to be the flu. There is nothing wrong with exercising with a cold as long as you lower your intensity level a bit. It has been shown that moderate activity while under the weather has no negative effect on the length or severity of a cold, compared to those who did not exercise. Though exercising while under the weather may not necessarily shorten the length of the bug, it can have a positive effect on your symptoms. How can exercise alleviate col...

I have been a nutrition counselor for over ten years and I have learned to not get excited when I hear about a new super food because the claims very rarely come even close to the foods actual attributes and more often then not, they are completely fabricated. Usually all you have to do with fad foods is wait a month or two and you will hear more negative information than positive. For this reason, when I heard the raving reviews about quinoa a few years ago I did not give it much thought. However, I kept hearing good things about the nutrition perks and virtually nothing bad. After hearing so much about the benefits of quinoa, my wife and I recently purchased a pound of it from the bulk section of our local grocery store and headed home to give it a try. After doing a little research on how it is supposed to be cooked, I read extensively into quinoa nutritional information and was actually amazed by what I found. Quinoa Nutrition Facts Nutritionally speaking, quinoa (pronounced keen...

For many Americans with kids, their main goal is to give their children a better childhood than the one they had. Striving to give a kid every opportunity to succeed is the best thing a parent can do to help their child. However, with childhood obesity at an all time high and showing no sign of dropping any time soon, I begin to wonder, does no one consider building and instilling healthy habits in their children’s lives a part of their success? Parents in America need a serious wake up call; stop killing your kids! Excuses, excuses... Now, I am sure that every parent of an obese or overweight child has various excuses, like “but, little Johnny doesn’t like to play outside or exercise” or ”but, little Susie just wont eat anything other than junk food”. Considering that no kid under 16 has the money or transportation to buy their own food, the rate of childhood obesity can nearly entirely be blamed on only one thing; the parents. So what about those ...

The difference between soluble and insoluble fiber is significant. Both kinds play a major role in healthy digestion, but insoluble is the one that is primarily effective at keeping your digestive tract contents moving. Before we delve into a list of food sources, it helps to understand the benefits of each of the types. Soluble vs insoluble fiber; what are some of the differences between the two? Benefits of the soluble variety This kind is called as such because of the way that it behaves in water and in this case, our bodies; it dissolves and becomes a gel-like substance. It's health benefits include lowering cholesterol, boosting the presence of the bowel’s “good” digestive bacteria, and the moderation of blood glucose levels. Benefits of insoluble This type is not broken down into a gel substance within the body. Instead, it remains quite solid (undigested) and literally is pushed through the digestive tract in a way that cleanses the colon of impurities tha...

Groin injuries are incredibly frustrating because they can hinder mobility, are very easy to reinjure, and take a long time to heal. Proper treatment is important so that swelling, inflammation, and the development of scar tissue are limited. Keep reading to learn how to treat and do stretches for a pulled groin muscle . Firstly; is it really a groin strain? An inner thigh strain is common among athletes and those who use sometimes sporadic twisting movements in their exercises, but in all reality, even a stepping motion or holding one position for too long can result in this kind of injury. Symptoms are pain along the inside of the upper thigh, especially in the area where your inner thigh meets your pelvic bone. It may hurt to walk, or you may feel it when you squeeze your legs together or pull them apart. It’s a good idea to see your doctor before you start any kind of home treatment to rule out the injury being a hernia. Groin Strain Treatment Rest is essential. The general ...

The Paleo diet is often called the “Caveman Diet”, or primal diet, and for good reason. People following this diet restrict their foods to those that were available in hunter-gatherer times. That means no refined sugars, no processed dairy items, grains or legumes. The basic rule for allowable foods in the Paleo diet is that if your ancestors didn’t eat it, neither should you. As a nutrition counselor, my first impression of the program is that if you followed the guidelines, you’d be eating much healthier than 90% of Americans. Refined sugars, flour, chemical additives, preservatives, artificial flavorings, artificial colors, and basically any packaged foods where you cannot pronounce the ingredients are a big part of why our country is unhealthy and overweight. With that said, you’d be hard pressed to write a true Paleo Diet review without pointing out some of the fundamental holes in the eating plan. The Pros Generally speaking, the Paleolithic diet ha...

Fibromyalgia consists of a laundry list of symptoms that make physical activity very unappealing, however, exercise is one of the best things for it. Symptoms can take form in seemingly unexplainable body pains, muscle spasms and weakness, fatigue, anxiety, nausea, and problematic sleeping patterns, just to name a few. It is understandable why someone with the syndrome would not want to keeping working out, but exercising with fibromyalgia has many benefits: • Fights depression that often results from frequent pain • Produces “feel good” endorphins such as serotonin that provide natural pain relief • Helps prevent weight gain that will only intensify symptoms • Maintains flexibility and overall mobility that will otherwise be lost • Helps maintain healthy blood flow and circulation • Wards off disease associated with sedentary lifestyles (heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes...) Fibromyalgia exercises should be low impact and have a fo...

Shin splints can be extremely painful but are surprisingly easy to heal. Overstressed or weak muscles and connective tissues that run through the front of the legs are the culprits behind the ailment. They can be brought on by over-training, unbalanced training, and bad shoes and are common in new runners. They are primarily caused by a hard landing on your heel when using a heal-to-toe transition, which is the most common style of long distance running. These exercises are very effective in relieving pain. These four moves can even prevent them from coming back. Do 15 repetitions of these simple exercises in sets of three to get rid of this painful condition fast. Shin Stretch: Sit on your feet with the top of your foot and legs flat against the floor (best done on a mat). Slowly lean back to increase the stretch supporting your upper body with your arms. Toe Pull Backs: Sit with legs together, straight out in front of your body. Use a slow controlled motion to pull your toes back ...