The Body Firm's personal fitness blog » fort Worth

Why You REALLY Aren’t Losing Weight

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:09:08 +0000

According to a recent survey, only one in every eight adult Americans actually knows how many calories they should be eating in a day. This is odd, because almost 75% of adult Americans have reported recently changing their eating habits (the overwhelming majority of which did it in an effort to lose weight).

So 75% have changed their eating habits, but only 1 in 8 know the basic principal of how many calories to consume. This is the reason that most people who are trying to drop pounds are screaming “why isn’t the scale moving??”

The study also showed that over half of the respondents (57%) considered themselves overweight, while 8% said they were obese. In reality, 34% of people are obese and 33% of people are overweight.

Denial and lack of knowledge are the main reasons you aren’t dropping the weight.

You MUST be educated on nutrition and fitness and what it actually takes to get results. You can’t stab wildly in the dark and hope to get results. Set up an appointment, and speak with a professional. Call today.

Kelly Turner is a Seattle area ACE Certified Personal Trainer, health and fitness writer and editor of the fitness website, PhysiqueSpeak.com. To contact Kelly with any questions, you can email her at kellycturner@hotmail.com.

Make Healthy Eating Easier

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:31:22 +0000

The easier something is to integrate into your everyday routine, the easier it is to stick with it. Exercise is one thing: you either do it or you don’t, and regardless of what you do, it’s better than doing nothing. Eating is different: a few hundred calories here and there can make a difference. Eating too much can stop your weight loss, but eating too little can stop your weight loss. There is an emotional attachment to food. Our society revolves around food for celebrating, entertainment, convenience, comfort- everything. Here are some ways to make healthy eating easier:

Plan your meals ahead of time. You know what you have to eat, and there’s no arguing. Take some time the night before, or on Sunday night to plan out your meals so there are no questions of what to eat.
Bring non-perishable, healthy snacks (like unsalted nuts, fruit leather or granola bars) with you everywhere, in case you get stuck and need something to eat. BUT…
If you have impulse control/over eating issues, ONLY pack foods that fit into your meal plan today so you aren’t tempted to eat anything extra.
If you have the money, buy pre-prepped foods like fruits and veggies that are peeled, cut, chopped and ready to go to cut down on meal prep.
If you are trying to save some money, prep your produce when you get home from the grocery store. Peel and cut your veggies, and portion them into little baggies. Wash what needs washed and put it away so all you have to do at meal time is grab and go.
Make big portions of easy to freeze foods like soups or stews so instead of hitting the drive thru when you are in a rush, you can microwave and enjoy a healthy meal in minutes.

What are your favorite strategies to make healthy eating easier?

Break Out of Your Snack Rut

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:14:43 +0000

Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet. Eating in regular intervals will keep your metabolism up all day long, but eating too many calories will result in weight gain. Snacks are the perfect solution to get a kick of energy without going over your calorie requirements. The important thing is, however, getting the right mix of nutrients for optimum results in a small package.

Snacks, and all meals for that matter, should have a mix of carbs, protein and fat to give you energy and keep you satisfied. It’s easy to get in a snack rut, and miss out on benefits.

Here are some different snacks ideas that give you the nutrients you needfor just a few hundred calories.

1 medium whole grain tortilla, 2 tbsp hummus, 2 slices tomato, 4 cucumber slices, 1 oz tuna
1/2 cup whole grain couscous, 4 oz cubed tofu, 1/2 cup broccoli, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup vegetable soup, 3 small whole grain crackers, 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
3 rye crisp crackers, 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 small piece of fruit
1/2 whole grain English muffin, 2 tbsp hummus, 1/2 cup fresh berries
1 small pita, 3 oz chicken breast, 1/2 cup cucumber slices, 1 slice tomato
1 slice whole grain bread, 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1 cup fat free milk
1 packet plain oatmeal made with 1 cup low-fat milk, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Happy snacking!

10 Ways to Boost Your Motivation

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:01:03 +0000

Even the most dedicated exercisers have bad days. Sometimes the last thing anyone wants to do is get out of bed and go work out. It’s easy to fall into an exercise rut and get bored, so the key is to make fitness exciting again. Here are 10 sure fire ways to spark your motivation and get excited about exercise again:

Buy new fitness equipment to use in your home when you can’t make it to the gym. Some cheap places to start are dumbbells, yoga mats, new fitness DVDs or resistance bands.
Hire a personal trainer, even if you can only afford one session. Learning new moves will get you excited about making improvements in your health and fitness.
Buy yourself a new gym outfit or gear to boost your confidence.
Go for an urban adventure. Most people run or bike through quiet, low populated areas, but new scenery with tons of people and activity can really energize your body and senses. Be sure to watch out for cars.
Follow your workout with a massage and/or pedicure as a nice reward.
Try a new exercise you have never tried before for each muscle group. You may find a few more favorites to add to your routine.
Buy a few issues of a few different fitness magazines and get motivated by the models. Girls: Strong is the new skinny, so admire muscle tone and strength instead of super skinny models. Guys: You gotta work for those guns!
Focus on a new goal. If your current goal isn’t enough to get you to the gym, perhaps it’s time to focus on something new.
Try a different mode of exercise. If you usually hit the gym, hit the trails. If you are an avid biker, try a different sport, like tennis.
Be an inspiration to someone you know. Invite them to come to the gym with you, and teach them all your moves.

Motivation wanes, so you have to have a back up plan to get you excited about working out. Find the trick that works for you, or try a different strategy each time you feel the ‘blahs’ coming on.

In Good Health,

Kelly Turner

Top Summer Calorie Burners

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:31:42 +0000

Summer is under full swing, and you better be taking advantage of the warm weather and getting in some outside workouts.

You’re not? Need some ideas? Here are the top 10 best summer calorie burners to give you the best results for your time and effort, while having tons of fun:

Activity Calories burned in 1 Hour

Water Aerobics 248

Horseback riding 248

Badminton 248

Kayaking 310

Hiking 372

Soccer 434

Flag football 496

Beach volleyball 496

Mountain Biking 527

Rollerblading 434

(Calories based on 130 pound woman)

It’s hot out there, so be sure to slather on your sunscreen and drink plenty of water! Grab some pals, and get moving!

In Good Health,

Kelly Turner

What’s a Safe Sweetener for Diabetics?

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:42:05 +0000

What is a good alternative for Diabetics that use the sweetener in place of real sugar? My brother is Type I and several others in my extended family are Type II diabetics. The use of artificial sweeteners is therefore a common practice in their daily lives, family recipes and gatherings. Any suggestions on a healthier alternative(s)? I have done a bit of research on this topic, but there is so much misinformation out there, it is difficult to filter it all. -E.D.
E.D.’s question was in regards to the Dangers of Aspartame article. If diabetics must eliminate real sugar, aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are used as a replacement for sweetness in diabetic foods and recipes.

Stevia is thought to be the safest artificial sweetener because it derived from a plant, therefore it is considered to be somewhat of a natural sugar. Stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way, and is completely safe for diabetics.

The best answer, though? Stay away from it. Sugar is unnecessary, and artificial sweeteners are unnecessary. Yeah, sweet treats taste good and we all want a treat every once in a while, but it is not something you need to have in your diet. I know it sucks, and one more thing that makes diabetics feel different, but if you think about it, it’s the perfect set up to maintain a healthy diet. Most people have to fight tooth and nail to avoid sweets- diabetics have the added incentive of health risks to keep them away from unnecessary foods.

Fresh fruits, veggies, lean proteins and complex carbs are always the best diet, and help keep diabetics healthy and their bloodsugar stable.

In Good Health,

Kelly Turner

The Dangers of Aspartame

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:26:53 +0000

Aspartame is usually thought of in combination with diet soda, but the artificial sweetener is found in more than 6,000 foods, including gum, table-top sweeteners, diet and diabetic foods, cereals, candy, vitamins, prescription and over-the-counter drugs. It is a zero calorie sweetener that takes the place of sugar and has quickly become the diet-food staple of choice.

Aspartame is also the most controversial food additive in history. It’s FDA approved, against many health officials protests, and was even listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent. Aspartame has been in our food supply for 30 years, and has been doing damage to our health the whole time.

Because of it’s much deserved bad press, aspartame has been repeatedly re-branded into NutraSweet, Candereal and most recently, AminoSweet.

AminoSweet- doesn’t that sound healthy?

Aspartame producer Ajinomoto chose to re-brand the sweetenr under AminoSweet to “remind the industry that aspartame tastes just like sugar, and that it’s made from amino acids — the building blocks of protein that are abundant in our diet.”

Name it something to make people think it’s healthy. It’s hardly a new marketing ploy, and it’s doing damage.

There have been over 10,000 reports to the FDA for reaction to aspartame, more than all other food additives combined, and according to the FDA, less than 1 percent of those who experience a reaction even report it.

About two-thirds of aspartame reactions are classified as neurological and behavioral, including headaches, mood swings, and hallucinations, while the remaining third is mostly gastrointestinal symptoms.

Aspartame is most widely used in place of sugar in low- and no-calorie foods, but research shows most of these products can actually lead to weight gain by increasing your risk of metabolic syndrome, may double your risk of obesity, which is precisely the opposite desired effect of consuming diet drinks.

More seriously, phenylalanine in aspartame dissociates from the ester bond, and while these amino acids are completely safe, they are not designed to be ingested as singular amino acids, which will cause complications.

This will also increase dopamine levels in your brain, that can lead to depression, migraines and brain tumors. The aspartic acid in aspartame is a excitotoxin, which cause brain cells to become so excessively excited they die, which can also cause a loss of brain synapses and connecting fibers which leads to neurodegeneration.

Since aspartame is found in so many foods, it is important to read your labels. While real sugar does contain calories and carries risks when consumed in excess, always choose natural foods over chemicals.

In Good Health,

Kelly Turner

Morning Workouts Burn More Calories

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:20:00 +0000

It might be surprising to learn that in addition to the commonly known factors responsible for a successful workout (intensity, duration, type of training, nutrition), you can now add when you workout to the list. When you perform your cardio can effect your calorie burn, strength and muscle development.

There is no one set time that works best because everyone is different, but getting an early morning workout has a few more benefits compared to a night time gym session.

(Of course, getting in a workout, no matter what time it is, is always better than no workout at all.)

Many of the benefits of cardio come after the actual cardio session itself. In the hours that follow your workout, the increases in metabolism, decrease in appetite, and overall boost in energy tend to help you burn more calories, feel motivated and continue making healthy decisions throughout the rest of the day. For these reasons, it is usually ideal to perform cardio earlier in the day, especially if weight loss is your goal, to take advantage of these little ‘extras’.

Another benefit of morning exercise is to prevent the endorphins released by exercise from keeping you awake at night. Working out a few hours before bed time can delay sleep and effect the quality of sleep. cardio and aerobics tend to keep them awake for a few hours post-workout, which usually means they are unable to sleep directly after.

Everyone’s schedule is different, so for some, and early morning workout is impossible, but if you have the chance, give morning workouts a try to reap the most benefits all day long.

In Good Health,

Kelly Turner

Desk Jockies: Get Some Activity At the Office

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:15:54 +0000

According to a WiiFit commercial I just saw 3 seconds ago (this is how I do research) the average American sits 8 hours day. If you work a desk job, the number is probably even higher for you. The office, whether it’s a cubicle or a giant corner office with a view, is not exactly designed for maximum activity. Your desk is basically invented so you can do everything you need to do in a day without lifting your butt out of a chair.

But if you do work in an office, your are there the majority of your waking hours, so fitting in some movement while you’re there is necessary to a healthy lifestyle. You can only bust your butt in the gym for so many hours, and if you sit all day long, those gym sessions are just making up for that lack of movement.

You can get in some movement, and even a little exercise, if you try these ideas:

1. Keep a dumbbell at your desk. It doesn’t have to be heavy—just a five-pound dumbbell will do. Throughout the day, you can use the weight for bicep curls and other arm exercises.

2. Skip the elevator; take the stairs. Even if you’re only on the second floor, taking the stairs instead of the elevator will get in some of that physical activity that you need.

3. Do tricep dips in the break room. Simply turn around with your back to the counter, grasp the counter with your hands, bend your elbows, and slowly dip down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Every little bit helps.

4. Squats are just one more exercise that can easily be done in the office. When you begin to get restless behind your desk, simply stand up, put out your arms, and bend your knees. A few squats every hour or so will do wonders for your thighs- even set an hourly alarm to remind you.

5. Walk when you have a chance. Even if it’s to another office in the building. Getting up and moving around is a great way to resist temptation- just stay away from the candy jars.

In Good Health,

Kelly Turner

Why I Think BMI is B.S.

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:30:46 +0000

Who knows what BMI is? Show of hands?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is the number doctors and other health professionals use to classify people into health categories. BMI is also a height/weight ratio, which means it doesn’t mean jack in terms of health.

To figure out your BMI, you divide your weight in kg by the square of your height in meters. Or you can just click here and let a website do it for you.

The number you get lumps you into a classification:

BMI Categories:

* Underweight = <18.5
* Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
* Overweight = 25-29.9
* Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Here’s the problem with BMI: say you have a male bodybuilder that is 5′6 and weighs 200 pounds. He works out every day, has no health issues, crazy muscle mass and almost not body fat. Then you have another man- a sedentary couch potato who is also 5′6″ and 200 pounds, but has almost no muscle, excess body fat and type II diabetes. Since both of these men are the same height and weight, they would be lumped into the exact same health category, based on their BMI.

Something’s wrong here.

So when people try to tell me that being overweight is unhealthy, the first thing I say is “what is your definition of overweight?” and the second thing I say is “according to who?” If they use a BMI overweight classification to back it up, that doesn’t take the quality of your body mass into account, I’m not convinced. The majority of experts aren’t convinced either.

A growing number of professionals believe that a person’s genes and lifestyle dictate their health- not their dress size.

As with anything, extremes are never good. Someone with a BMI of 35 is going to be obese and unhealthy about 99% of the time. On the flip side, someone with a BMI of 10 is dangerously underweight, and is also 99% likely to be unhealthy.

The inbetween is where it gets cloudy, and where these calssifications are false. Someone who is 20 pounds overweight (by doctor’s standards) is going to have a higher BMI than someone who is at the ideal weight for their height, but does that mean they are more healthy than the first person? Maybe. What if the ‘overweight’ person competes in triathlons and eats a clean diet, while the ‘healthy’ weighted person has never broken a sweat in their life and gets their 3 squares from a drive thru?

In Good Health,

Kelly Turner