Paleo It Again, Sam

The Paleo Diet.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the new diet trend. It seems it’s all over social media these days. Eat like a caveman and shed pounds. No calorie counting is the theory behind the Paleo Diet. It promises that you’ll be leaner and less likely to get cancer, diabetes and other health issues.  Why? Well, you are eating fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. In reality this “new” diet isn’t new at all. It’s basically a high-protein, high-fiber eating plan. It brings up some of questions. So, I’m gonna do my best to answer some questions I hear.

This diet is great because it calls for one eat a lot of fresh lean meats and fish, fruits, eggs, nuts, olive oil and vegetables.

What I love about this eating plan is you can't eat any processed foods on this diet! You also aren’t eating refined sugar, canola oil or salt. That means you can kiss the prepackaged foods from Walmart goodbye.

Since I’m not much of a cook the idea of cooking things from scratch doesn’t pull me in but the fact that eating processed foods are a no-no, I like. I also really like the fact that I don’t have to go to an In-person meeting. I don’t time in my schedule to attend a group meeting about my diet. I like how you can do this eating plan on your own but if you need to connect to other Paleo followers you can find forums online.

Also, you should know that eating like this (AKA not meals on sale out of a box) may raise your grocery bill. BUT taking care of yourself is a heck of alot cheaper than prescription meds, heart disease or cancer.

Believing in Balance

Most gyms have lots of  fun-looking, toy-like devices but most people aren’t quite sure what these devices are actually used for?  Well, I’m here to tell you that these fitness tools are specifically designed to help you improve your balance and help you develop a strong core. I recently took a balance class and I was so wobbly. I know I’ve been neglecting my balance exercises and this class was a great reminder for me.  You do not have to be a world class athlete to benefit from balance training.  Here are the 5 major benefits to incorporating balance training into your workout:

1. It helps improve the communication between your brain and muscles.
2. It helps with muscle isolation – during balance training you have to maintain stabilization and you are forced to engage an individual muscle predominantly so that you are not using other muscles to help you “cheat.”
3. During balance training your body has to work that much harder to stabilize – in turn this helps you to burn more calories.
4. It helps w hip stabilization – with single leg type balance exercises your glute medius is engaged and worked.  Therefore, this helps with hip stabilization.
5. It helps with core stabilization – this in turn helps to improve your coordination, athletic skill, and posture.

Every person can benefit from Balance training no matter your age, so don’t be afraid to start incorporating it into your workout today.  

What To Expect

One of the most frequently asked questions I get this time of the year is, "How much weight is okay to lose?" My answer is always the same because no two bodies are the same. We are all built differently and that means what works for your friend might not work for you. Factors like your body mass index (BMI) and metabolic rate all factor into determining what your healthy weight loss number should be.

The In's and Out's About Ups and Downs

Do 36 Push-Ups and Lunges Every Other Day

These exercises are oldies but goodies. Push-Ups and Lunges will help sculpt muscle, so you'll sport a more streamlined appearance. Do three sets of 12 of each exercise every other day. Push-ups target your arms, chest, upper back, and abs while lunges work your butt, hips, and thighs. Quick tip to make sure you get the most out of each exercise: Make sure your back and legs remain in a straight line during your push-ups (don’t let your bootie pop up higher than your back) ; it'll improve muscle tone. Also, you can build even more muscle with the lunges if you hold free weights or filled water bottles,  in each hand while doing them.

Pssst Its A Secret

What is one of the best ways to say fit? You guess it...exercise! Surprise, Surprise! I know being committed and inspired are required to make it a daily part of your life. Unfortunately there isn’t a “how to for dummy’s” manual that works for everyone. But there are 3 fitness secrets that might help you. Maybe one or two will speak to you.

1. Go to a Pro aka personal trainer: You need someone to help you work hard and safe. You need to use equipment the right way to get results. Only a pro can help. Not the gym rat who has been a member for 20+ years. He may spend hours upon hours a day there but that DOES NOT mean he knows jack. A personal trainer will help you to exercise well in the proper manner. Most people usually ignore this and end up hurting themselves.

2. Follow an effective exercise routine: I can’t stress this one enough! Variety makes fitness fun. Incorporate different kinds of exercises in your exercise routine to maintain overall fitness of the body. Do NOT just skip cardio training because it is boring. Guess what? Doing just Mat Pilates is not going to give you a 6 pack. It is essential that you undergo cardio training as well as strength training. In addition, getting rest is also important to prevent the muscles from being over-strained.

3.Watch Yo Mouth: Guess what doesn’t work? Eating fatty foods and except to burn off the calories in your next workout session. Being fit doesn’t work like that. It is important that you eat healthy foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, etc. in your regular diet that provide a heavy dose of proteins and vitamins is beneficial.

What Shouldn’t You Do?

Yes, when you are new to exercising you might experience soreness in the calf region and muscles at the initial stages. However, this is not the reason to stop exercising. The main reason for this is that the body needs time to get used to such strain. It will surely take time to get used to this pain but once your muscles are acquainted, there will be no problems. A little muscle soreness is not an excuse to stop all together.

HomeBody

Its almost that time of year again when a lot of people tend to make resolutions, and invariably, top of the list is to get fit. Many people need a more economical choice of fitness then an expensive gym membership. Here's an idea: a home gym.

Some Benefits include:

#1: The price is right! Gym memberships can easily run into hundreds of dollars, and if attendance slackens off after the first few months, which commonly happens, people could be paying out for a service they are not using. You are basically donating your money to the gym each month. A home gym involves an initial cost outlay only.

#2: Convenience. Only have 30 min and don't want to waste time traveling to and from the gym? It's  no problem if there is exercise equipment in the house. A home gym cuts down on gas costs and travel time, as well as fitting easily into individual lifestyles.

#3: Privacy is key. A lot of people either dislike their body and are worried about putting it on display in a public setting, or think perhaps they look foolish or cannot keep up with others when they exercise. Working out at home in your own gym removes these concerns, providing a safe and emotionally secure environment.

A home gym needs to have 2 elements for success. It needs to be both functional and motivating. Use calming colors on the walls, such as blues and greens, and try to make good use of the available natural light. Also make sure there is a music center and television available to provide entertainment. You wouldn't want to waste time making a fun workout playlist if you can't use it, right!

Love To Hate

I have a love/hate relationship with Burpees exercises. It seems like everytime I go take a fitness class the instructor wants me to do them. I always internally groan but they are very effective. Few movements hit as many muscle groups and deliver as intense a cardiovascular workout. After performing 10, no matter how fresh you are, you will be breathing heavily. After performing 75 consecutively, you’ll be on the floor for 5 minutes like a boxer down for the count. Well, that’s is what I feel like but I know a few peeps who can do hundreds in minutes.

Burpees basically combine a squat, pushup, and vertical leap. Think about the amount of mass (your entire body weight) you move over a large distance (your full height plus the height of your vertical leap) and you’ll understand just how many calories you can quickly burn with this exercise.