Health Math

Your overall health is only 30% exercise. Don't get me wrong, exercise is very important and should be done regularly, but make sure your nutrition is in check. Nutrition makes up 70% of your overall health.

Quote of the Day

"If you don't make your body uncomfortable, it will never change! .... Push yourself! You have no idea what your body is capable of!"

~Jillian Michaels

Resolutions

It's that time of year again: everyone is making resolutions for the new year. Probably one of the most common resolution is to get in shape/ eat better/ lose weight. So many people make this resolution every year. Make this year the year that it finally sticks!

The key is to not go on some diet, but instead to make some lifestyle changes. It is OK to eat brownies and cake!!!! Just make sure you do not go overboard. Everything in moderation. Any diet that restricts a food is a bad diet. I am doing a Biggest Loser program at my work and last night I ate ice cream! I simply worked it into my calorie allowance for the day.

Try to eat more veggies and less sugar. You can still have that chocolate, just less often! Aim to drink about 100 oz water each day. Try to get in little bits of exercise whenever you can throughout your busy day. Don't park in the closest space at the store. Walk around your house while you are talking on the phone. Take the stairs. Do sit-ups, crunches, or some other exercise while you are watching your favorite television show. There are so many ways you can add extra physical activity into your day. Of course, if you have the time, take some 'you' time and go to the gym or try a workout DVD. I highly recommend the recently released "Biggest Loser Last Chance Workout".

Watch season 9 of The Biggest Loser Tuesday nights on NBC for motivation!

Work Out=Fight Cold/Flu Season

A recent study shows that people who exercise regularly are at a 23% lower risk of catching a cold or flu virus than those who do not. Exercise boosts you immune system. Another study shows that vitamin D is more effective in boosting your immune system than vitamin C. While C is important to get plenty of, make sure you get enough D, which stimulates the body to produce infection-fighting chemicals. If you do catch a cold or flu virus, studies show that echinachea, about 900 mg/day, can shorten your cold by about a day and a half. Zinc, taken every 2 hours while symptoms persist, can shorten your cold by up to 3 days. As always, drink plenty of water!! Even when you are not sick, getting plenty of water is very good for you!

Artificial Sweeteners??

Artificial sweeteners actually make you hungry! Your brain gets confused because you are eating or drinking a sweet thing which should be accompanied by calories, but then the calories are not there. Your brain is like "What?? Where are they?" and it wants those calories so it turns your hunger on so you will eat to provide those calories.

Also, the chemical make-up of artificial sweeteners messes with our bodies and interferes with our hormone levels. When are hormones are not balanced where they should be, it can affect a number of things, including several diseases and your weight.

Tip of the Day

Eat a little something at least every four hours throughout the day, but do not eat anything past 9pm.

Sore After Lifting?

We've all felt it! We lift weights and the next day we can barely move without feeling soreness. This, however, is a good kind of sore! It means that you are getting stronger!

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is what you are feeling. It is caused by small tears in the muscle fibers that happen when you are lifting. Your body works to repair these tears, but it does such a great job, that it over-repairs. This results in bigger and stronger muscle! The next time you feel DOMS think about how good it feels because you are getting stronger!

Make sure to give muscles a rest in between resistance training so they have a chance to repair before you break them down again. Only lift every other day, or if you like to lift every day then alternate: lower body one day, upper body the next.