Some types of food are especially good choices for when you want to lose weight. Along with a routine of regular exercise, these fat burning foods cause your metabolism to speed up, helping you to keep burning off calories even after you’re done exercising. Some of these foods follow.

Vitamin C-rich fruits. You’ll find plenty of this vitamin in citrus fruits including lemons and limes, grapefruit and oranges as well as in papayas, watermelon, tomatoes and others. Most of these fruits are also a good source of fiber, making them even better fat burning foods. Vitamin C  works with carnitine, an amino acid to help you to use stored energy (which is to say, fat).

Apples and pears are good sources of pectin, which helps you to use up stored energy and reduce the amount of calories that your body is able to store as fat. Apples are also a good source of antioxidants that can help to prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition which can lead to an accumulation of fat around the abdomen.

Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products give you the calcium you need to burn of fat. By making dairy products part of a healthy, lower calorie diet, you’ll be able to speed up your weight loss efforts.

Chili peppers: Hot peppers are something which should be part of any weight loss diet. Chilies are high in capsaicin, which also boosts your metabolism shortly – an effect which lasts for as much as 2 minutes following eating them.

Getting plenty of fiber and protein in your diet are also important if you’re trying to lose abdominal fat and weight. It takes more energy to digest protein than it does fat, so it’s something which helps out any diet. Lentils and other beans are good sources of fiber and protein and should be added to your diet along with whole grains and low fat dairy products.

Vegetables which are high in fiber like cabbage, sweet potatoes, beets, cauliflower and broccoli are excellent fat burning foods and should also be a regular part of your diet.

The most important thing to remember about losing weight is to burn off more calories through physical activity than you take in as food. When you exercise regularly and make sure to add the foods mentioned here to your diet, you’ll be able to burn off fat and lose weight much more quickly.

Which Are The Best Fat Burning Foods For Dieters? is a post from: NewdietFitness

Photo © MissingHailstone

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and many people are concerned as to what they should get their loved ones.

I want to help out those who celebrate the holiday by offering suggestions on fitness-related gift ideas.

Gifts for Her:

• Females love to get new workout clothes! I know it helps me with my motivation in the gym. My favorite brands are Nike, Under Armour, and Lululemon Athletica. (Price range: depending if you hit any sales, expect to spend $25+)
• I am obsessed with my digital food scale! When I prepare my meals every Sunday, my scale helps me determine my perfect portions. I have the EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale. (Price: $24 on www.amazon.com)
• A purchase I’ve been longing to make is Apple’s iPod 6^th generation nano! Those things are the coolest! You can even wear them as a watch, but they are ideal for clipping on your tank top or sports bra and listening to your favorite tunes while working out. (Price: starts at $129)

 Gifts for Him:

• Make it personal and customize your own energy bars or shakes! Check out YouBars (Prices vary)
• Choose from any BeachBody products like P90X, P90X2, and Insanity! All great at-home workout programs that provide amazing results.
• The next time your man complains of sore muscles, hand him a Dr. Cool & Dr. Hot bag! Head over to Uncommon Goods! (Price: $16)

Nibble on This

If you’re thinking along the lines of chocolate, opt for a darker chocolate as it lowers high blood pressure and contains potent antioxidants. Sweet!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all you lovebirds!

Baked BBQ Chicken Tenders

Baking your chicken tenders is a great alternative to frying them in oil or having them ordered in, where they are definitely going to be deep-fried and full of fat.  To make crispy and flavorful baked chicken tenders, begin with boneless, skinless chicken cut into slices and dip them in your favorite type of barbeque sauce.  Next, coat the BBQ-coated tenders in a light layer of flour, then dip them in an egg wash (one egg yolk and a few egg whites).  Coat the tenders with whole-wheat flour and spray with non-stick spray or an olive-oil mist.  Bake the tenders at 450 degrees in the oven for 10 minutes on each side or until crispy.  Serve with honey mustard, ketchup, BBQ or your favorite sauce!

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are personally one of my favorite foods.  When they are peeled, cut thin, seasoned and baked, they transform into an even tastier snack called sweet potato fries.  Baked sweet potatoes, and even sweet potato fries are an excellent source of Vitamin A and naturally contain no trans or saturated fat. Again, if you order in your french fries, whether white or sweet, they will certainly be deep-fried and you should steer clear if your trying to keep your fat content down.

Feel free to try and make sweet potato fries on your own by peeling, slicing, seasoning, lightly drizzling your fries with olive oil and baking until crisp, but I usually opt for the store bought brand Alexia Sweet Potatoes Fries.  They come in a few varieties, but my favorite in the Spicy Sweet Potato Julienne Fries.  A 3oz serving is pretty hearty, at about thirty fries.  Each serving is only 130 calories, 4 grams of fat, 7 grams of sugar, 250 mgs sodium and cholesterol free.

Your party guests, and you, will be sure to love a homemade horseradish sauce to accompany the spicy sweet potato fries.  You can easily whip up a lower-calorie version at home by combining 2 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise, 4 Tbsp plain low-fat Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp horseradish, and a dash or pepper and onion powder.

Shrimp Skewers

Shrimp cocktail is usually a crowd-pleaser at holiday parties, so to give low-calorie shrimp a Super Bowl party twist, pile large cooked shrimp, pineapple chunks, and thick cuts of green bell peppers onto kebob skewers and fire up the grill or oven.  Smother the skewers with sauce of your choice, but I recommend Honey barbeque sauce, lemon/garlic/olive oil mixed together, Teriyaki or jerk sauce. Cook the skewers until blackened and serve with additional sauce.

Spinach Dip

If you’re like me and are more of a semi-homemade then start-from-scratch party host, spinach dip is a choice appetizer.  One entire package of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix only has about 80 calories, and although the package says it contains sixteen two tablespoon servings once prepared, eight 1/4 C servings is more realistic for a four-hour game.   The recipe on the package calls for 16oz sour cream, one box frozen spinach, and 8oz water chestnuts.  To make this recipe healthier, use my secret weapon for sour cream swaps, low-fat Greek yogurt.  Mix 12oz plain Greek yogurt with 1/4 C low-fat sour cream to get a creamy mixture that once the dip mix is added, is almost unidentified as a swap.  I also use two-packages of frozen spinach to stretch portions out and add more vegetables.  In lieu of a white bread bowl, hollow out a whole-wheat bread bowl and serve with a variety of veggies for dipping.

Happy snacking TweakFit followers! And let’s go….. Madonna???

References:

“Hidden Valley – Dips: Green Onion Dip, Fiesta Ranch Dip & More.” HiddenValley.com. Web. 01 Feb.          2012. <http://www.hiddenvalley.com/products/hidden-valley-dips-mixes/>.

“Spicy Sweet Potato Julienne Fries | Alexia Foods.” Alexia Foods. Web. 01 Feb. 2012.       <http://www.alexiafoods.com/products/sweet-potatoes/spicy-sweet-potato-julienne-fries>.

Tip #1: Pack for the Plane

So, the airlines say to arrive two hours ahead of time for your flight. Although, I always end up with about an hour and a half time to kill; like my mother always says, it’s better to be safe than sorry. There aren’t many options of things to do while waiting for your flight or while in the air, which leaves many of us reading, listening to music, or people watching to pass the time.  It seems like, as I look around, everyone is also eating, myself included! While the airport has come a long way with variety and options, let’s face it…everything is overpriced and the truly healthy options are limited. You may not be able to get your liquids through security, however, feel free to pack as many snacks as you like. For my ten hours in the air from Philly to Hawaii, I was sure to pack a good number of mini meals/snacks in order to avoid eating somewhere like Sbarro or committing the ultimate sin…PLANE FOOD! Try some of these awesome ideas to keep you satisfied

1. Emerald 100 calorie pack almonds: With varieties like dry roasted, cinnamon and sugar, dark chocolate cocoa, these snack packs are already portion controlled and portable.  Each pack is an excellent source of Vitamin E, sodium-free and contains fiber and protein to help keep you satisfied.

2. Just add water- protein powder and instant oatmeal: If you want a quick mini meal without a mess, just ask the flight attendant or the nearest Starbucks for a cup of either hot or cold water.  Stir one scoop of protein powder in with cold water or shake into a bottle of spring water to help satisfy you and strengthen your willpower for other high calorie snacks.  To warm your bones on a cool flight, add one cup of hot water to instant oatmeal for a low-calorie nosh in a variety of flavors.  The thought of putting on my bikini in January was enough to help me grab for my oatmeal while they were passing out the warm chocolate chip cookies on my flight! Try this mental image travel tip when you get a craving!

3. Apple: Your mother might say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” but my motto is “an apple a day keeps your hunger at bay.” Enough said,  keep a few apples in your carry one to fight off hunger.  They contain a ton of nutrients, fiber, and are one of the easiest fruits to travel with since they aren’t messy, don’t bruise easily, and keep well.

Bring Your Gear

Most hotels these days have pretty decent fitness facilities, but if you don’t pack your sneakers, how are you going to break a sweat!?  Make packing your gear a priority and don’t forget about your other gym essentials.  Mine include my ipod and hair ties, but maybe yours is a knee brace or Under Armour.  Whatever it is, don’t give yourself an excuse not be active, or most likely, you’ll use it!

If your hotel or the place you are staying doesn’t provide access to a gym, think ahead.  Easily portable workout equipment include resistance bands or a workout DVD.  Take advantage of the great outdoors and take a walk, jog, or swim.   Utilize the website walkjogrun.net to create a mapped out route no matter what part of the country you’re in.

Start the Day with a Good Breakfast

Watching your intake 100% is hard for anyone, and frankly, I don’t recommend it.  Not giving yourself a little leeway, can often set you up for an all or nothing mentality  Practice moderation and make sure you are active.  Starting the day with a good, healthy, and satisfying breakfast can help you stay on track with good choices and moderation throughout the day.  Packing extra protein powder, fruit and instant oatmeal is a good idea for easy foods you can make in your room, but another good option could actually be the hotel continental breakfast.  Loading up on muffins and danishes isn’t your best bet, but opting for hard-boiled eggs/egg whites, a whole-grain cereal mixed with low-fat yogurt or fruit with cottage cheese can help you stay energized and satisfied throughout the morning and are all fairly common continental breakfast choices.

Find a Grocery Store

Whenever possible, when I reach my location I like to find a grocery store and stock up on some healthy foods for my hotel room.  Some of the items you could find in my mini-fridge/drawers right now include apples, bananas, low-fat Greek yogurt, green pepper slices, Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip Soft n’ Chewy bars (you MUST try these, so good! And contain 1/2 serving fruit & 1/2 serving vegetable each!), and Bumble-bee Lemon & Pepper tuna medley with crackers. Like I said earlier, I’m not a saint when it comes to avoiding all sweet and sinful foods, but at least being prepared with healthy and tasty snacks help me find a happy median.

Use these tips next time you travel and have a happy and healthy vacation!

If you’re like me, you get bored easily with your routine if you’re following the same plan over and over. I have a great workout you can try that will change all that!

High Rep Sets

For two weeks, I am switching up my routine drastically by doing high rep sets – reps of 40 for four sets! If you’re a beginner, I definitely wouldn’t recommend this to you.

Why am I doing this? I want to work my slow twitch muscle fibers (also referred to as Type I). Because I’m so used to doing 10-15 reps, my slow twitch muscle fibers rarely come into play. Hitting about 35 reps or more will cause hypertrophic stimulus of the slow twitch fibers.

Slow muscles are more efficient at using oxygen to generate more fuel, which is commonly known as ATP, for continuous, extended muscle contractions over a long period of time. They fire slower than fast twitch and can go for a long time before they fatigue. This is why slow twitch fibers are great for helping marathon runners or cyclists for hours.

Other benefits of doing high rep sets are increased strength, vascularity, muscle fullness, and muscle endurance.

How It’s Done

You still want to use the same weight you’d use when you normally do 12-15 reps. When you hit failure, it’s ok to rest at the starting position, but do not put the weight down. You can proceed with a few reps at a time until you make your way to 40 reps.

I try to maintain the same tempo throughout the entire set. Of course the last few reps, I’d say the last five, are going to be the hardest. This is all fundamental in working those slow twitch muscle fibers!

For my first workout of this regimen, I focused on my glutes and hamstrings. Because I really enjoy circuit training, I went from one exercise to the next until I finished one whole set. I let myself rest for a minute and repeated that another three times for a total of four sets.

Sample Routine

Here’s what I threw together for my 40 rep sets:

• Lying Hamstring Curl
• Glute Kickback
• Straight-legged Deadlift with Barbell
• Fire Hydrant
• Seated Hamstring Curl
• Sumo Squat
• Dumbbell Glute Bridge
• Single-legged Bosu Bridge

Interestingly, the worst thing you can do when you develop osteoarthritis or osteoporosis is to become less active. An abundance of research has demonstrated that resistance training is effective for both delaying the effects of osteoporosis and osteoporosis, as well as alleviating and reducing the effects of current bone conditions.

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the best way to exercise for bone health is to perform persistent resistance training exercises. Here are a few tips on how to keep your bones healthier later into your life:

1. Weight-Bearing Exercises Reign Supreme

Like muscles, bones adapt to increases in load and intensity of exercise. When an increased load is placed on the bone, it adapts by becoming stronger and denser so that it can handle future loads of that degree. To force the bone to adapt in the most efficient manner, exercises that bear the entire weight of the body are best. Choose to job instead of cycle, or to do pushups versus using the incline press.

2. Free Weights are Better Than Machines

As a rule, free weights are superior to exercise machines because they force the bones to bear more body weight. You can imagine that performing an overhead press with a bar places a much greater load on the axial skeleton than performing the same exercise on a machine. Free weights have the added effect of targeting the smaller, stabilizer muscles within a given exercise, which can prevent stress on the joints and osteoarthritic conditions later on. Of course, if you suffer from severe osteoarthritis, machines may help you perform certain exercises through controlled ranges of motions without stressing the joints too much. Talk with your physical therapist about what exercises you are capable of performing.

3. Progressively Overload Your Bones

Also similar to muscles, they become stagnant when they are not sufficiently stimulated. Your bones will stop adapting if you stop exercising. Progressively increase the load of your exercises by about 10 percent each week to keep your bones healthy and strong. You will also need to allow for sufficient rest between exercise sessions, and to take a week of exercise off from time to time to allow your body to recover.

4. Calcium and Vitamin D

You’ve probably heard that calcium and vitamin D are crucial for maintaining bone health. It remains true that these micronutrients play the most direct role in preventing bone pores later in life. Calcium helps form the structure of bones and the body uses vitamin D to metabolize and absorb calcium. The best sources of calcium are milk and dairy products, as well as green leafy vegetables. You can get nearly all the vitamin D you need from sun exposure, but vitamin D also exists in fish and eggs.

The one-month period is a critical measuring stick to assess your progress, alter your goals, or consider revamping your resolution entirely. According to a 2010 study in the journal “Sports Health,” most New Year’s resolutions last just two months. It may provide some solace to know that you’re not the only one struggling with your goals at this point, but having this knowledge also allows you to take some precautionary measures to keep you motivated and avoid dropping your program.

Here are some tips, both for those who are struggling and those who are well on their way, to making 2012 the best fitness year of your life.

1. Make Your Resolution Specific and Measurable

We all want to lose weight, gain weight, build muscle, or become healthier. But these are simply dreams, not goals. For a resolution to become an actual goal, it needs to be specific. Research has demonstrated that the more specific and detailed you can make your resolution, the more motivated you will be to achieve it and the more likely you will be to achieve it. Make your resolution as specific and measurable as possible. Don’t just lose weight in 2012. Lose 20 lbs. Don’t just build muscle. Bench 200 lbs.

2. Set a Timeline

As with the specificity of your goals, you may also not have set a timeline for accomplishing this goal other than “sometime in 2012.” You need to take it a step further than that. Have a specific date at which point you’d like to get that goal over and done with, so you can move onto the next one. If you feel that this goal will take the entire year, set several intermediate target dates so you can measure your progress. I suggest one per month.

3. Alter Your Goals

It’s okay, you’re not ditching your program if you need to make your goals a little easier. Just by getting out and exercising more than in 2011, you’re heading in the right direction. But if you’re finding it more difficult to keep your exercise or nutrition program going, make it easier. It’s much better to accomplish an easy goal and feel successful than to feel like a failure for not accomplishing something that you didn’t have at least a moderately reasonable chance of achieving anyways. It always baffles me, but this is the concept that many people don’t seem to get. Goals are just tools and they’re not concrete. You need to use them to your advantage. If your goals are defeating you, it’s okay to pull back on the reigns a little bit. As a rule, a goal should be about 10 to 15 percent harder than your previous level of performance. For example, if you can run a mile in nine minutes, a realistic goal is to run it in eight minutes and ten seconds by your next time point.

4. Reward Yourself

If you’re like me, you berate yourself when you don’t accomplish something but fail to compliment yourself when you’ve done something well. This “never-good-enough” attitude is dangerous when it comes to goal-setting. It’s okay to be hard on yourself from time to time, but ultimately this will wear you down and lead to what sport psychologists call a failure-based goal-setting style. We set goals to avoid failure, not to achieve success. This attitude will never allow you to perform your best, only enough to avoid feeling like what you construe as a failure. Reward yourself when you achieve your goals, but avoid punishing yourself when you don’t. How you reward yourself is up to you, but make sure to acknowledge your own success and efforts.

5. Add Some Social Support

If you’re struggling on your own, involve a friend or family member in your exercise or nutrition plan. Friends and family members can hold you accountable for your program and you can also do the same for them. Sport psychology research has shown that exercising in a social or team environment leads to markedly improved performance and motivation compared with going it solo.

6. Shake it Up

New Year’s resolutions are fun because they inspire us to improve in some way and they make us feel as if we’re stepping into a new “us.” This rejuvenating feeling, however, will fade after awhile and causes many people to rid themselves of their programs or jump to new ones. Don’t completely ditch your program. Simply find ways to mix it up so that your resolution constantly feels fresh and new. If you always exercise in the gym, go hit the mountain or run on the beach. If you’re sick of your nutrition plan and eat the same things everyday, go to a new grocery store or find a bunch of new recipes. Because of practical issues, you probably have to adhere to some sort of routine. But at least once a week, exercise or eat in a way that you never have before. This can even be your reward.

7. Remember Your Purpose

Your purpose for your resolution will keep you motivated when times get tough. Remember why you chose to set a New Year’s resolution. This isn’t your goal itself, but it’s the reason you decided to set the goal in the first place. Maybe you set a goal of losing 20 lbs. because you were generally feeling lousy about yourself. Or maybe you wanted to eat more servings of fruit to avoid getting cancer or to live longer in order to see your grandkids. Your purpose is the one thing that shouldn’t change during your resolution and it will be the one thing that should always provide a sense of motivation. If you don’t know, or don’t remember, what your purpose for changing was, really think on this and try to find one. With a strong sense of purpose, achieving your resolution itself will be almost secondary.

I’ve never been a big fan of protein shakes made with the combination of protein powder and fat free milk or water. I came across a lot of great low carb and high protein baked goods but I never seem to have ALL of the ingredients. Thus, I decided to just make a recipe up using stuff I might just have lying around and lo’ and behold – it was actually pretty good. Just thinking about the chocolate  soufflé is making me drool. Anyway, check out the easy recipe below:

What you need:

1 leveled scoop (70 cc, 70 mL, or roughly 27g) Chocolate casein

I used Gold Standard 100% Casein.

3 eggs (separated to get 3 egg yolk & 3 egg whites)

I used Judy’s Organic eggs from Whole Foods

1 tsp vanilla extract

I used Kirkland’s Pure Vanilla Extract

1 tbp unsweetened cocoa

I used Ghiradelli Unsweetened Cocoa

1/8 cup of brown sugar

I used Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Sugar

¾ cup fat free milk

I used Whole Food’s Organic Fat Free Milk

3-4 ramekins bowl

I had it from buying it for $3.99 at Ross.

Stovetop

1. Fill sauce pan with ¼ of water with heat at low-medium so the water is simmering and not boiling like mad
2. Using a medium metal mixing bowl or even a medium pyrex glass bowl, place the protein powder into the bowl and place the bowl in the water filled saucepan.
3. Slowly add the fat free milk (1/4 cup) at a time while whisking the milk and protein powder together. Once the powder is mixed turn off the heat and let the bowl cool.

Egg Whites/soufflé puffiness part

1. Separate the yolk from the egg whites, placing the egg whites in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer and whisk the egg whites till it gets foamy (like 30 seconds), then add in 1/8 cup of brown sugar. Whisk again until it thickens and when you pick up the whisk (2mins), you get a stiff peak.

Cooled Powder & Milk Mixture (aka chocolate mixture)

1. This is a good time to preheat the oven at 400F.
2. Whisk 1 tsp vanilla extract into the mixture and tbp of unsweetened cocoa to the mixture
3. Using the same whisk, break the three egg yolks and whisk evenly. Add in two spoonful of the cooled (its okay if the mixture is still a little warm) to the beatened egg yolks. Then in three parts, mix in the rest of the powder+milk (So, pour 1/3 of the chocolate mixture to the yolk, mix till its even, then repeat two more times).

Combining chocolate mixture, yolk, and egg whites

1. Add the mixture from previous step into the egg whites, again in three parts making sure that its evenly mixed every time.

Baking

1. Pour the mixture into the ranskin bowl till the line of the bowl.
2. Using another baking tray, fill water to half of the tray and place the ranskin bowl into the water bath (see picture on right)
3. Now bake for 14-16 minutes. Your protein-rich soufflé should have risen.

Disclaimer: I used a mini electric oven to bake the souffle because the gas oven was out. Should be the same temperature in the gas oven though, you might not have to use the water bath in the gas oven if you place the bowls on a cooking tray.

Looks, Texture, and Taste

It’s funny how the top of the souffle looks slightly burnt, I think I

overcooked it a bit since I had to rush it over to the mini oven from the gas oven after my apartment started smelling like gas.

Below the deceiving top layer of the souffle lays the moist and fluffy delicioso mousse-like souffle. It looks like the picture on the right, half eaten.

I can barely smell/taste the protein powder. The souffle is not too sweet and very sponge-like, just how I’d like to have my souffle. Couple this baby with your own protein ice cream and/or favorite fruit, and you’ll be in for quite a treat.

When you’re thinking about your health and fitness resolutions for 2012, here are some things to think about before you race towards your goals and burn out before the finish line. In my ten years of experience as a fitness trainer and wellness coach, I can say with certainty that less is sometimes more when it comes to your fitness goals and health!

Be Realistic

If you have big plans for your fitness and health goals this year such as losing weight, be realistic. When clients come to me saying they want to lose 50 pounds in two months, I look at them and smile, and say, how about losing 1 to 2 pounds per week. Not only will this goal be easier for you to achieve, it’s healthier too!

When the body loses weight too fast you’re actually losing muscle and water instead of fat. Severe and quick weight loss will leave you feeling tired and sluggish, while healthy weight loss invigorates your mind and energizes your body. If your goal is to try and lose a large amount of weight in a short amount of time, you will burn out before you reach your goal, and, you will gain all of your weight back within a month after stopping your crash diet or whatever it was that slopped off the weight quickly. Losing weight too fast put’s undue pressure on the heart as well and should be avoided. If you set your goals to realistic standards such as losing 1 to 2 pounds of fat per week, instead of 50 pounds in 2 months, you will reach the finish line and accomplish the goals you have set out to achieve!

Eliminate Processed Foods

You don’t have to starve yourself this year to get in shape! In fact, crash diets, shakes, and not eating enough calories will cause weight gain and muscle loss in the long run. Here is what you should do instead… avoid buying processed foods! What are processed foods? Processed foods are anything that does not come from Mother Earth, for example, soda, candy, and anything pre-packaged is considered processed. Next time you shop for food, avoid these ingredients; high-fructose corn syrup, artificially sweetened foods, and foods that say enriched or refined.

Cutting out processed foods does not mean eating less or forcing tasteless food into your mouth. Fortunately, when we eat real food that has not been processed, we can eat more of it. Real foods such as, fruits and veggies from the farmers market, grass fed beef, and cheeses that don’t have the label Kraft, give our bodies nutrients that we need and keep us feeling full longer than processed foods, thus, making our unhealthy caloric intake less.

Processed food is nothing more than empty calories and has been linked to diseases such as, cancer, diabetes, and coronary heart disease.  If its flavor you’re craving, believe me, real food has more flavor than processed foods do, it’s just familiarizing your taste buds to them. Carrots for a snake, Dark chocolate for desert, and Fresh fish from the market, are all excellent foods you should add into your diet this year! And remember to start small, baby steps—if you are used to only eating processed foods, eliminate them over a period of time, incorporating real foods into your diet in-between the processed junk, and eventually the good stuff will win out, you’ll feel better, look better, and never look back!

Lifestyle Change versus Bullet Trains

Instead of treating this New Year as a bullet train to reach all of your health and fitness goals within the first few months, how about easing up on the accelerator and slowly incorporating your goals as life long, or lifestyle changes instead? Be patient with yourself this year, and don’t have the over used attitude and phrase, “all or nothing.” Most of my clients who rush into a diet or new workout routine too quickly always give up before they reach their destinations. If you look at your fitness goals as mere Lifestyle changes, things you incorporate into your life naturally and with ease, you’re sure to reach them all. Don’t tell yourself that you have to do this or that, don’t think of your health as a task but rather, think of it as something you can enjoy, like you’re favorite television series or novel. Many people feel like working out and eating healthy is a nuisance, a job that has to be done in-between real life and work. However, if you slowly begin to incorporate healthy lifestyle changes into your busy schedule, it will no longer feel like a chore, but instead, a part of who you are, a piece of the puzzle helping to create  the final masterpiece, your life!

Happy 2012!

So there you have it, a few pointers to make your health and fitness goals become a reality this year and for the rest of your lives.  If you need more suggestions on this topic or have some of your own, I would love to hear from you! Happy 2012!

Being the health enthusiast that I am, I had a lot of questions about the world of fitness in France. How would I get my workouts in? Where would I get my workouts in? Would I still be able to personal train and teach Pilates on the other side of the world?  Would taking dance classes be feasible, and would the French look at me like I was a lunatic if I decided to wake up at 6am and go for a run before my studies… (that’s a yes!) Where were the gyms, and would I be able to afford a gym membership, did gyms even exist in France? To some this might sound shallow and absurd, but to those of you who enjoy preserving your health and staying active, I’m sure you can relate.

Unlike the United States, health clubs are very expensive in France and all over Western Europe for that matter. If you’re a gym rat and plan to vacation or move to France or Western Europe anytime soon, I advise you to start getting excited about working out in the great outdoors. Living in the South of France will push you to enjoy your workouts in nature for many reasons, being economic is one of them!

While I enjoyed, hiking, biking and jogging in the open air in the Unites States, I always had the constant pull to just, “go to the gym” out of convienience. Think about it? How many times do you opt to go run on the treadmill after work instead of running outside? I bet ninety percent of you chose the inside workout version. In France, I don’t have this luxury, or crutch rather, and I have been forced to get outdoors and take in the nutritious vitamins of the sun while sweating to a new hill and grassy park each day.

Sometimes, exercising outside on your own can feel like a burden, especially when the weather get’s lousy.  After living in France for five months however, having no other choice but to burn calories outside, I can assure you that exercising under the open sky has just as many benefits as the gym and in some cases more! Below are three excellent examples of workouts you can do on your own outdoors, or in a group for free, or at least for very inexpensive. Lose your attachment to the gym from time to time and let the international workout of the outdoors help you climb to the top of the mountain in reaching your fitness goals!

Running with ambiance

In France, everyone runs because the gyms are pricey and running outdoors is free.  The popular and celebrated Paris Marathon is another incentive for both serious and casual runners alike to get out there and move. I found a “beau,” (beautiful) park in Aix-en-provence that is perfect for doing running circuits. One lap around the park is a little over one mile. On days when I want to get strict cardio in, I will run four laps around the park keeping a steady pace, staying within my  heart rate zone that burns fat, (aerobic workout).

When I want to change things up a bit and get a more intense, (anaerobic) workout that challenges my strength and endurance, I will jog half way around the park at a light pace and then when I get to the hill, I will sprint to the top. I do this 5 to ten times depending on how intense I want my workout to be for the day.  There is a grassy patch in the park that stretches about the length of a football field. When I want to work on increasing my speed, I will sprint to one end and rest initially for 60 seconds.  I will sprint ten times back and forth and each time I get to the end of one side of the field, my rest time will decrease 5 seconds so that by the last sprint you only have ten seconds to rest. This is an excellent way to work on your (anaerobic threshold), the threshold your body utilizes when burning energy, (without oxygen), it helps increase speed, agility and explosive movements used in sports such as boxing, the long jump, and sprints performed in track and field, for example.

If you don’t like running on your own and need a group to motivate you, there are plenty of running clubs you can join both in France and the USA that are very cheap for the year. This is an excellent way to get inspiration from a running coach and other runners. The running groups range in level from those just starting out to those who run semi professionally, you can always find a running group to suit your particular running needs.

Take a class in the park

Are you sick of taking overcrowded classes in your local gym? Is it packed, sweaty and smelly? How about trying a motivating or tranquil group exercise class in the park!! In Aix-en-Provence you can choose from a variety of classes to take in the park ranging from boot camp, to yoga, to Thai chi! Because the classes are taught outdoors and the teachers don’t have the overhead of a gym to pay for, most of the classes are very cheap and some you can even find for free.

I was teaching a Pilates class once a week at ten Euros per class, 5 Euros for students which is a steal if you’re used to paying for classes that normally range from 15 to 35 dollars per class. Not only will your wallet thank you for choosing a class in the park, but your body and mind will too. The invigorating scents of the fresh air, the warmth of the sun, and the stillness of nature will push your mind and body to new heights, forcing you to be focused, calm and energized, depending on what class you choose to take.

Stretching under the trees

As everyone knows, or should know, stretching is one of the most important exercises anyone can do before and after a workout. It’s important to get your muscles warmed up and stretched out before you begin your workout, and of course, afterwards, it’s imperative to stretch out all those muscles you tightened up.

I like to think of the muscles as a hose. The more kinked up and twisted a hose gets, the less likely it is to work efficiently, and eventually the hose will break if you don’t untangle it and you will have to buy a new one. Much like muscles, it’s important to stretch for at least 15 minutes after working out, stretching all of the major muscles used, and holding the stretches for at least 30 seconds without bouncing, but instead,  holding a static stretch so the muscles get time to elongate. If a person goes too long without stretching, eventually they will tear or strain a muscle or tendon.

Many of the people I personal train despise stretching and don’t have the patience for it. Stretching is meant to be done in a tranquil and quiet setting that feels safe and exudes peaceful energy. What better place to find all of this than the outdoors! Find a nearby park, a grassy knoll, even your backyard under a tree to stretch. When you stretch outside in the calming ease of nature, your mind is able to turn off from the stresses of the day. You can use the outdoors as your stretching sanctuary to not only open up your tight muscles and joints, but also, to slow down and take moment to breath and meditate in a place that’s not over crowded like a gym or gym classes. Stretching is a time to unwind and let go of stress, what better way to do this than heading outside to your favorite peaceful spot.

Enjoy!

I hope this article helped some of you gym crazed individuals expand your workouts to the great outdoors. Remember, working out outside is not only better for your peace of mind, but it’s more of a challenge on your body too. When we work out outside we use many more muscles than when simply going to the gym and hopping on the treadmill or spin bike. The outdoors has grades, inclines and surfaces our body’s muscles are not used to, thus the workouts become more intense, we burn more calories and tone up quicker.

When your body get’s used to the same old routine at the gym you plateau, the outdoors forces us to push past this plateau  by getting creative with our workouts and often it inspires us to work out harder because of the fresh air and sun. Now that the winter is upon us, don’t let that stop you from working out outdoors. Running in the cold is a great way to raise your cardiovascular stamina, just remember to stretch, stretch, stretch, especially when it’s chilly. So, next time you think about heading to the gym for that familiar workout you have done hundreds of times before, think about the benefits of the international workout  and toss the cardio machines aside for a run in the park, or the suggestions I listed above and enjoy!

Performance Benefits

Caffeine’s greatest exercise benefit is on your body’s aerobic endurance, or your ability to maintain a certain exercise intensity for a greater length of time. Numerous studies have demonstrated that caffeine intake prior to, and during, exercise results in greater exercise duration, reduced fatigue, and greater time to exhaustion. Similar effects have been shown for short-duration exercise intervals as well.

Some research suggests that caffeine can improve sprint and power events, but the findings are somewhat equivocal. Furthermore, the number of studies examining caffeine’s role in these types of events (e.g., weightlifting, 100m dash, etc…) are scarce.

How it Works

Caffeine is believed to improve aerobic endurance performance by increasing the body’s ability to use its fat stores during exercise. It is well understood in exercise science research that the greater use of fat for energy prevents the depletion of glycogen — the stored form of glucose that we receive from consuming carbohydrates. The more glycogen we are able to conserve in our muscles, the more energy we will have later on in an event.

Dose

Research has demonstrated that the most effective caffeine dose prior to exercise is about 1.5 to 3 mg per 1 lb. of body weight. Keep in mind that a cup of drip coffee contains about 150 to 200 mg of caffeine, while a cup of tea contains about 50 mg.

Consuming more than 4.5 mg of caffeine per 1 lb. of body weight may cause adverse symptoms, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). The NCAA penalizes athletes who have more than 15 micrograms of caffeine per 1 mL in urine samples, and consumption of more than 10 g is believed to be fatal for most humans. You’d need to consume about 8 cups of coffee to exceed the IOC’s caffeine limit.

Source

Caffeine appears to be more effective when consumed in tablet form than from food sources such as coffee. Consider purchasing pure caffeine tablets for the most optimal effects. If coffee, vitamin water, or energy drinks are your preferred caffeine modality, you’ll just have to consume more. According to Graham and colleagues (1998), coffee may contain a compound that limits caffeine’s chemical response in the body.

Warnings

Not all people react to caffeine the same way. Some individuals may experience heightened nervousness, irritability, and anxiety after consuming high amounts of caffeine. Some sources of caffeine, such as coffee, can cause stomach problems, such as gas, bloating, and cramps. In severe cases, caffeine can lead to heart problems.

Caffeine is also a diuretic, and increases the risk of dehydration and heat-related conditions in hot temperatures.