GrasshopperFitness

When not being able to "just say no" to the craving isn't your fault...

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 23:57:00 +0000

As I continue my research and reading in the areas of fitness, health, and wellness, I strive to provide the best quality service to both the people I coach and my team of coaches. If you've tried diets, pills, fads, and even exercise programs and have just not been able to "stay on track", there may be an actual biochemical reason- it's not your fault, and there's simple relief (with nothing to buy- the solution is already at your finger tips). The information provided below is a summary of/ excerpts taken directly from the referenced text and is intended for your information and use. You may feel this article describes you, perhaps to a "T"!

Sugar sensitivity affects hundreds of thousands of people, knowingly and perhaps more often than not unknowingly. Have you ever heard someone joke about being a choco-holic? We may have said it ourselves, and for some people, this may be a loaded statement.So what IS Sugar Sensitivity? Sugar Sensitivity is a biochemical condition creating puzzling physical and emotional ups and downs. Sugar sensitivity is characterized by volatile blood sugar responses, a low level of serotonin, a low level of beta-endorphins, and a heightened response to the pain numbing effects of sugars.

To determine whether you are sugar senstive, check each of the following ten statements that apply to you:

1. I really like sweet foods.
2. I eat a lot of sweets.
3. I am very fond of bread, cereal, popcorn, and/or pasta.
4. I now have or once had a problem with alcohol or drugs.
5. One or both of my parents are/were alcoholic.
6. One or both of my parents are/were especially fond of sugar.
7. I am overweight and don't seem to be able to easily lose the extra pounds.
8. I continue to be depressed no matter what I do.
9. I often find myself overreacting to stress.
10. I have a history of anger that sometimes surprises even me.

Each of the statements above relates to an aspect of sugar sensitivity, and if you checked three or more, keep reading...

Sugar sensitivity means you have a special biochemistry, whereby your body has a volitile blood-sugar response and low levels of beta-endorphin and serotonin. If you are sugar sensitive, there are three primary things in your body chemistry that contribute to how you feel:

-the level of sugar in your blood

-the level of the chemical serotonin in your brain

-the level of the chemical beta-endorphin in your brain

Let's break these down simply starting with the level of sugar in your blood. Your body uses a very simple sugar called glucose as its basic fuel. During digestion all the carbohydrates you eat are broken down into this simple form so that it can be used by your cells. Glucose is carried by your blood throughout your body to be transformed into energy by your cells as needed. Your cells require a steady supply of glucose at all times. An optimal level of serotonin creates a sense of relaxation and mellows you out making you feel at peace with the world. It influences self-control, impulse control, and your ability to plan ahead. Effects of low serotonin are depression, impulsiveness, intense cravings for alcohol, sweets, or carbohydrates. Lastly, when your beta-endorphin level is low, you feel depressed, impulsive, and victimized, touchy and tearful and have low self-esteem and a desperate craving for sugar. All three of these levels must be optimal for you to conquer what the author refers to as "the Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde syndrome". If you work on only one factor, the others will remain unbalanced, and though you may feel good initially, the underlying symptoms will again rear their ugly heads.

LOW BLOOD SUGAR
Tired all of the time
Tired for no reason
Restless, can’t keep still
Confused
Has trouble remembering
Has trouble concentrating
Easily frustrated
More irritable than usual
Gets angry unexpectedly

LOW SEROTONIN LEVEL
Depressed
Impulsive
Short attention span
Blocked, scattered
Flies off the handle
Suicidal
Reactive
Craves sweets
Craves mostly carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and cereal

LOW BETA-ENDORPHIN LEVEL
Low pain tolerance
Tearful, reactive
Low self-esteem
Overwhelmed by others’ pain
Feels isolated
Depressed, hopeless
Feels “done to” by others
Craves sugar
Emotionally overwhelmed

Balancing the levels of all three of these important biochemicals is crucial to your well-being as a sugar-sensitive person, and it can be done with simple food and lifestyle changes. You do your food plan, and your body and brain do the balancing. You don't have to figure out beta-endorphin or serotonin. You just figure out breakfast.

OPTIMAL BLOOD SUGAR
Energetic
Tired when appropriate
Focused and relaxed
Clear
Has good memory
Able to concentrate
Able to solve problems effectively
Easygoing
Even-tempered

OPTIMAL SEROTONIN LEVEL
Hopeful, optimistic
Reflective and thoughtful
Able to concentrate
Creative, focused
Able to think things through
Able to seek help
Responsive
Looks forward to dessert a bit
Hungry for healthy foods

OPTIMAL BETA-ENDORPHIN LEVEL
High tolerance for pain
Sensitive, sympathetic
High self-esteem
Compassionate
Connected and in touch
Hopeful, optimistic
Takes personal responsibility
Take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward sweet foods
Solution-oriented

The levels of sugar in your blood fluctutates, and if your muscles or your brain can't get the blood sugar they need to perform, they will tell you very clearly that something is wrong. The sugar in your blood comes from the foods you eat, and extra sugar is stored in your liver. Carbohydrates require the least amount of work by the body to convert food to sugar in your bloodstream. Your body's goal is to maintain the perfect level of sugar in your blood by first drawing from the sugar in your blood to feed your cells by releasing a hormone called insulin. If the level of sugar in your blood drops, your body will turn to the backup sugar supply store in your liver (liver stores about 400 calories of sugar at any given time). Sugar-sensitive people have a more volatile blood-sugar reaction to eating sweet foods, whereby blood sugar rises more quickly, releasing more insulin, thus causing a quicker and steeper drop in your blood-sugar levels. Each time your blood sugar spikes quickly, your body's internal alarms start ringing and signal your adrenal glands to release adrenaline, the hormone that gives you a quick surge of energy and mobilizes you in the face of danger. The adrenaline rush makes your heart pump faster and makes you more alert. It also tells your pancreas to release insulin so your cells can get energy by pulling sugar out of your bloodstream. However, your adrenal glands are designed for coping with EMERGENCIES and are not built to go into action several times per day. This results in adrenal fatigue causing your adrenal glands to respond more slowly each time. Because your adrenals are reacting late, your blood sugar rises even higher and your body releases even more insulin in an attempt to get that sugar out of your blood and into your cells. This results in blood-sugar levels that are steeper with shorter intervals between them. Symptoms can include fatigue, restlessness, confusion, shakiness, frustration, irritability, difficulty remembering, anger, feeling weepy, and feeling anxious.

This can be solved by understanding three things:

1. Which foods will give you a stable blood-sugar level that will not send your adrenal glands into action unnecessarily.

2. Which foods will evoke the least reactive insulin response.

3. When to eat to keep your energy up and your spirits high.

BRAIN CHEMISTRY

How is all of this related in our brains? Your brain is designed to communicate information via interconnecting cells. Information is passed across a tiny space between each of them by way of chemical "messengers" called neurotransmitters. There are many kinds of neurotransmitters, each of which has a different molecular shape and carries its own distinct message. Each receiving cell has thousands of receptors (neuroreceptors) designed to catch a specific matching neurotransmitter. Serotonin and Beta-endorphin operate in this way. After a neurotransmitter lands in its own receptor and passes its message along, it floats back into the space between brain cells and is available to hit the receptor again. The brain releases enzymes that break down the used neurotransmitters that act like little "Pacmen" consuming the used neurotransmitters. The other mechanism that prevents neurotrasmitter overload is a sort of "vacuum cleaner" that sucks up the used messengers and deposits them back in the sending cell to be recycled. These are called reuptake pumps.

If too much of a given neurotransmitter is released, the receiving cell will close down some of its receptors, which is called downregulation. On the other hand, when the level of serotonin or beta-endorphin gets too low, your brain will open up more receptors so it can get more "hits". For example, if you are sugar senstitive and have naturally low levels of serotonin, your system has already upregulated to have more serotonin receptors. In this situation, if a doctor prescribes you an antidepressant for symptoms of depression without truly diagnosing the underlying problem or root cause, more serotonin hits your system that was already upregulated to have lots of extra serotonin receptors, which will cause you to have a very big reaction to it, such as anxiety, jitters, wild dreams, etc. On the other hand, when the source is removed, the body will create withdrawal symptoms. When you develop a physical dependence on a substance, you have altered the natural state of your system. Your brain gets used to having the extra serotonin or beta-endorphin hits caused by the substance and it "complains" if the substance is cut off. WIthdrawal symptoms may include irritability, headaches, diarrheat, joint pain, and other flu-like symptoms. This can happen if a sugar-sensitive person stops consuming sugar "cold turkey" as in a crash diet, dramatic lifestyle change, or exercise program.

SEROTONINS

Your body makes serotonin from a chemical called tryptophan, which is an amino acid that comes from protein. You need the chemical properties of simple carbohydrates to move the tryptophan out of your bloodstream and into your brain where it can be used to make serotonin. Most antidepressants work by increasing the amount of serotonin received by the neuroreceptors by blocking the little "Pacman" enzyme that gobbles up extra serotonin. Other antidepressants work by stopping the reuptake pumps from vacuuming up the used neurotransmitters. Drugs called SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), such as Prozac, Paxil, Effexor, Celexa, and Zoloft belong to the second type. In effect, your brain is geting more use out of the serotonin you have; these kind work better than the "Pacman"-blocking kind since they have fewer side effects. Remember, though, that in a sugar sensitive person, affecting only one leg of the three-legged system will still leave you with many, if not all, of the same symptoms.

BETA-ENDORPHINS

Beta-endorphin acts as a powerful natural pain killer. Beta-endorphin is an "endorphin opioid," is found naturally in the body, and has opium-like effects such as that of heroine and morphine. Like other opioids, beta-endorphin (at the proper level) produces a sense of well-being, reduces pain, eases emotional distress, increases self-esteem, creates emotional stability, and even produces a feeling of euphoria. Beta-endorphin also controls anxiety, defuses paranoid feelings, reduces anger, and relieves certain types of depression. One can clearly appreciate the effect of an imbalance in beta-endorphin. A sugar-sensitive person has many more beta-endorphin receptors, and due to this, eating sugar can feel like drinking alcohol! In the mid-1980's Dr. Elliott Blass, through medical research, concluded that sugar somehow acted like an opioid, which is why babies remain more calm when mothers give them a few sips of sugar water prior a doctor visit, where the baby will be getting immunization injections.

Basic Conclusions:

1. All sugar-sensitive people, regardless of gender, like sweet stuff more than people with nonsugar-sensitive bodies.

2. When something bad or scary happens, a sugar-sensitive person crouches and becomes immobile and defensive. This behavior is called "defeat-induced learned submission", and it occurs in response to a release of beta-endorphin.

3. The "defeated" sugar-sensitive people develop a tolerance to the beta-endorphin released in response to a threat.

4. Sugar makes sugar-sensitive people hyperactive, but does not have the same effect on nonsugar-senstitive people.

5. When withdrawing from sugar, sugar-senstitive people become lethargic and passive.

(Sugar-senstitive people possess a learned helplessness with self-esteem that fades and vacillate between hyperactive clarity and lying on the couch- "Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde Syndrome".)

THE BOTTOM LINE

People with normal body chemistries experience the opioid effect of sugars as simply a pleasant feeling. For sugar-senstitive people, this pleasant feeling can become a euphoria that is powerful enough to create a strong attachment to the food or drink producing the effect. Because we love things that make us feel good, we want more. In fact, this heightened sensitivity to the drug-like effects of sugar is the hallmark of the sugar-sensitive person. Remember that sugar-sensitive people have naturally low levels of beta-endorphin and their brains have opened up many more receptors to catch what little beta-endorphin there is. Because of this, sugar-sensitive people will have a heightened response to any substance that causes a release of beta-endorphin, which is exactly what sugar and alcohol do. (In women, beta-endorphin levels are at their lowest in women just before menstruation.)

When you have low levels of serotonin, your brain produces cravings for simple carbohydrates that have the chemical properties needed to move tryptophan into your brain, where it can be used to make more serotonin. Beta-endorphin priming is the reason it is so hard for a sugar-sensitive person to "just say no" after having a taste of something sweet.

THE SUGAR-SENSITIVE DILEMMA

First, you need simple carbohydrates to get tryptophan into your brain. Second, your naturally low level of beta-endorphin gives you a heightened response to things that cause the release of beta-endorphin. Upregulation explains why you have huge problems getting "back on track" after a slip in your diet or your sobriety. The solution is deceptively simple: if you eat the right foods at the right times, you can keep your serotonin and beta-endorphin at their optimal levels. Making food choices based on an understanding of how your brain and body chemistry work will prevent the dramatic ups and downs in beta-endorphin that lead to upregulation and downregulation, cravings and withdrawal symptoms. You can stabilze your blood sugar level; you can boost your serotonin and beta-endorphin levels; and you can minimize the dangerous effect of priming. If you make simple food changes, your body chemistry and brain chemistry will come into balance.

THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO...

Rather than being a drama queen or adrenaline junkie, you become funny and creative.

You may clear up their problems with money

You may start setting healthy boundaries

You may look at relationships with new eyes

You may heal shame

You may heal old emotional wounding

You may clear their clutter, both emotional and physical

You may leave unsatisyfying jobs

You may go back to school

You may start following your dreams and living your passions

When your food is consistent, regular, and on target, there is just no more drama.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU TRY TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN... DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?!

You may begin the process as described in the book and begin to get lazy thinking you can do it yourself, skipping steps, etc. You will find your energy keeps slipping away, especially in the late afternoon, so you add some more caffeine then to help finish the day. You aren't sleeping too well, but you make no connection to the food you are eating, and you assume your fatigue is from job stress. You start getting irritable at work. There's too much to do, not enough time. Your boss is getting on your nerves. You need to stop off for a drink or a sweet treat before going home. Weekends bring low-fat whole-grain pancake instead of the muffin, but much of your days off are spent trying to catch up with your life.

What is wrong with this picture? Your food is low-fat, "healthy". You ask yourself, "Why am I feeling terrible here? Maybe I need to exercise more." You take a "carbohydrate and electrolyte replacemnt" drink with you to the gym. (Be careful of ingredients, because many of them on the market are water, sugar, and salt.) Your energy goes up before the workout; you feel better. Exercise must be the key. But a few weeks later, it's not working. What is the matter here? You can hardly get out of bed. You feel like a truck ran over you.

The answer is simple. Your body is sensitive to sugar. Your blood sugar is spiking and crashing all day. You have huge beta-endorphin releases all day (which are causing downregulation and triggering cravings), and you don't have enough protein, so you aren't getting the tryptophan your body needs to make the serotonin you need to do your life. A traditional food plan or diet will not provide the answer to your problem, because most diet and nutrition plans work for only a little time you, for the sugar-sensitive person. Then, the book sits on your shelf, reminding you of yet one more program that sounded good but didn't work for you.

THE GOAL

With the sugar-sensitive plan you are learning skills rather than following sheets and sheets of instructions. You are taking your life one choice at a time. Only one choice. Knowing you are sugar-sensitive lets you shift the perspective from feeling bad about a thousand "failed" diets to being open to a solution. Your goal is not to go off sugar for the rest of your life. Your goal is to become aware of what, how, and when you eat every day.

If you are interested in the details of the author's deceptively simple 7 Step Plan, feel free to contact me with questions or for help or support or obtain a copy of the book for your own use- and healing! This program has a medically proven 92% effectiveness.

REFERENCE:

DesMaisons, Kathleen. Potatoes not Prozac: Simple Solutions for Sugar Sensitivity; Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, 2008.

Escaping Dietary Solitary Confinement

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:13:00 +0000

Probably one of the most well known board games is Monopoly, and in that game one of the most iconic items is the "Get Out Of Jail Free" card. References to it are made constantly by even the most educated and professorial thinkers of our day, and I intend to shamelessly use it here too!

I am more and more concerned with the friends and family members I see who imprison themselves in the hopes of turning back the clock and shedding a few pounds .With the best of intentions they trap themselves into a fitness and dietary regime that we all have been through, and we all know can only lead to despair. But until it does, it sentences the individual to a 30 or 60 or 90 day self imposed personal prison which they must endure quietly, desparately, and usually all alone.

Time for a jail-break!

I am therefore handing a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card to anyone you or I may know who needs a file baked into their cake and a little friendly intervention.

I'm offering a free sample of any flavor Shakeology with some foolproof recipes plus the standing invitation to join me in my home gym for some fun and productive fitness sessions plus no obligation follow up up-date contacts to ensure success once the bars are cut.

If you've been through what I'm talking about and have joined the BeachBody fitness community then you know the difference, and if you know someone who needs to experience the same type of success then I invite you to tell them to choose either the "top hat" or the "race car" or the "puppy' and to get into the game by accepting my offer.

Take a Chance.
Be sure to Pass Go.
And collect a lifetime of health and fitness!

Having trouble keeping your portions under control?

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:52:00 +0000

29 Tips for Keeping Portions Under Control

When it comes to food portions, size matters. In a world filled with "supersized" options, all-you-can-eat buffets, and extra-large pizzas, it's no wonder people overeat. Have you ever found yourself in one of these situations?

Eating snacks straight out of the bag while watching television, or even grabbing a second bag to munch on because your show is still on.
Continuing to finish your food at a restaurant because others are still eating, even though you're full.
Arriving at a party starving, so your dinner consists of fried appetizers and mayo-laden salads.
Eating an entire packaged item only to realize later that it actually contained multiple servings.

I know I've been there. Once in a while is OK, but doing this too often can supersize your waistline and your risk for medical complications, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. With just a little bit of preparation and planning, you can keep your eating habits and your portion sizes under control.

At restaurants

Doggie-bag it. Don't finish your food just because it's there—or because you're still at the restaurant waiting for others to finish. Most restaurant portions contain more food and calories than you need for one meal. Bring your leftover food home, or allow the busboy to take it away early. Even better, have the server pack half of it to go before bringing it to you. It seems like an odd request, but it's not uncommon these days
Share with a friend. When you split a meal, not only do you cut the price in half, but you cut the calories in half, too!
Order the lunch or appetizer portion. Lunch and appetizer portions are cheaper and contain fewer calories than full-sized portions.
Avoid buffets and all-you-can-eat specials. If you're like me, you want to try everything when you go to a buffet. That's why it's better to avoid buffets when you're trying to control the size of your portions. When you have no choice about where you go (like a large family gathering or party), find the smallest plate and fill it up with the healthy stuff like grilled chicken and vegetables first. If you must go back for more, allow yourself one trip. And only get what you really want. It's such a common habit to take a bit of everything, but if you can savor one reasonably sized serving of your favorite item, you'll enjoy it a lot more.
Choose items with large portions of veggies. Or order salad or fruit on the side instead of fries. If you're starving, you can fill up on high-nutrient, low-calorie food to keep full.
Eat your favorite "indulgence" foods every now and again. Totally denying yourself the foods you take pleasure in is a surefire way to set yourself up for failure. So go ahead and treat yourself once in a while to avoid feeling deprived. But eat a smaller portion, and savor every bite.

At home

Hang up fridge visuals. Don't swing the fridge door open mindlessly. Think before you eat. Hang up a picture of how you once looked, that one piece of clothing you wish you could fit into, someone who you want to look like, or even someone you don't want to look like. Take a moment to think about what you're really hungry for and about your weight loss/health goals before you grab something out of the fridge. I've gone as far as putting up a "closed after 9 PM" sign on mine, since I can't seem to find a fridge lock with a timer.
Preplan your groceries. Don't shop when you're hungry and you'll be less likely to bring unhealthy food home. Stock your house with healthy foods and snacks that are easy to grab when you're hungry, such as fruit, cut-up vegetables with hummus, or light cheese and crackers. You can also purchase single-serving snacks. I love The Skinny Cow^® ice cream sandwiches. (Mint chocolate is my favorite.) They're less than 150 calories and are preportioned so I know when I'm finished.
Don't eat straight out of the box or bag. If you do this, odds are you'll finish everything in it—or at least eat more than one serving. Instead, fill a small container or baggie with a single serving and leave the rest in the kitchen.
Break leftovers down. Instead of putting leftovers in one big container, break them down into single-serving meals or snack-sized portions before storing them.
Hang wall mirrors. We tend not to eat as much when we see ourselves.
Use smaller plates. If you can't fit as much food on the plate, you're likely to eat a smaller portion. Even better, use non-microwavable plates so you can't heat up seconds—lay down a sheet of wrinkled-up foil, or use one of Grandma's metal-glazed dishes; both are considered unsafe for microwave use by the USDA.
Don't put serving bowls of food on the table. Fill your plate in the kitchen and put your leftovers away promptly after they cool so it's too much of an effort to go back to the kitchen to get seconds.
Look at the serving size listed on the package. You may not realize you're actually dishing out a double serving of packaged food for yourself. Make sure you look at the nutrition label so you aren't overeating without even knowing it.

At work

BYOL (bring your own lunch). When you make your own lunch, you get to control the portion and exactly what's in it. Cook a big batch of food on Sunday, like pasta and veggies or chicken and brown rice, then refrigerate or freeze portions to take with you.
Keep healthy snacks at your desk. When you have healthy snacks at your desk, you won't be as tempted to head over to the vending machine for candy or chips. I love Pirate's Booty^® Aged White Cheddar baked corn and rice puffs at 130 calories per serving, or Kashi^® TLC Honey Sesame snack crackers. Make sure to divide them into single portions in baggies so you don't overeat. And keep them tucked away in a drawer rather than on top of the desk in plain sight.
Keep protein bars handy. Protein bars can be a lifesaver when you don't have time to run out to get food, or a meeting postpones your lunch for a couple of hours. Watch out for bars that only have a few grams of protein and seem to taste more like candy bars than meal replacements.P90X^® Peak Performance Protein Bars are jam-packed with 20 grams of protein. My favorite flavor is the chocolate fudge. They save my stomach from growling louder than the speaker in meetings and can replace a meal in an emergency.
Research healthy lunch places near work. A few minutes of research can save you calories in the long run. Some places have light menu options with smaller portions that contain fewer calories. Plus, you can look up the nutrition information for many popular restaurants online even if they're not posted on the menu. And, of course, remember to avoid those all-you-can-eat specials.
Stock up on Shakeology^® single-serving packets. I actually set reminders in my email calendar for 3:30 each day so I remember to have a Shakeology shake as my afternoon snack. It keeps me from raiding the fridge like a maniac when I get home for dinner. Shakeology single-serving packets not only contain protein and fiber that help you feel full, but also whole-food ingredients to nourish your body—all with only 140 calories a serving. I know that whether or not I eat healthily throughout the day, as long as I have my Shakeology, I'll be getting all the nutrients I need, and I'll feel full so I won't overeat.
Drink tea—and lots of water. If you're filling up on zero-calorie water and tea, you'll feel fuller and eat less when it's mealtime.
Log what you eat. Hold yourself accountable for what you eat. If you're a Team Beachbody^® member, you can track your meals here or keep a notepad handy if you're not near a computer. Keeping track of everything you eat will help you take a closer look at your eating habits so you can make better choices.
Don't always have your cake and eat it too. There are about 300 people who work with me. If I ate cake every time there was a birthday, I'd have it almost daily. (Fortunately, Beachbody discourages people from bringing sweets to the office.) It's OK to treat yourself to some cake occasionally, but don't always eat it just because it's there. Make sure that when you do choose to indulge, you stick to your nutritious meal plan for the rest of the day, and just augment it with a small slice of cake.
Bring healthy snacks to meetings. If you're hosting a meeting, instead of the usual donuts and pastries, provide fruit, veggies, hummus, cheese, and wheat crackers. If you're not in charge of food-planning for meetings, break room, or vending machines, request that healthy food alternatives be made available at your office. After all, a sugar crash 30 minutes after the morning meeting isn't going to boost anybody's productivity.

At parties

Pre-eat. Before you leave home for a party, eat your own healthy, nutritious food. When you arrive at the party, you can focus on the people and the festivities instead of making a beeline for the buffet table. You can still enjoy tasting the appetizers, but you'll be satisfied with less.
Be a healthy host. Hosting a party? Serve healthy food. Your guests will thank you—plus you'll probably burn a ton of calories running around playing host!
Wait 20 minutes before going back for seconds. Sometimes, especially at extravagant parties, there's an endless variety of delectable food you'd never make or buy for yourself. Make sure you sit down with your first plate and eat slowly. It's okay to go for seconds, but before you do, take your time enjoying your food and conversing with fellow partygoers for at least 20 minutes while that first round of food digests. After you do, you may realize you've already had enough. And if you do decide to go back for seconds, don't restock the plate with everything on the table. Just take a small amount of a few of your favorites.
Don't hover around the food table. This is a recipe for disaster. I've found myself picking up olives and crackers as if my hand had a mind of its own. Take a cracker and run—far, far away from the food table. If you're still hungry, walk back over—but don't hover. Your waistline will thank you.
Treat yourself with nonedible rewards. It's natural for people to associate events and personal accomplishments with food. Holidays, weddings, football games, movies, job promotions, housewarmings, school events, communitycelebrations—customarily, they're celebrated with food. Instead, though, try treating yourself with nonedible rewards. Work out, watch a TV show, get a massage or a manicure, buy a new outfit, or phone a friend to share your excitement. Focus on the reason for the celebration rather than the food.
Dress to impress. Don't wear clothes that let you overeat without feeling or showing it. If you wear extra-loose, über-comfy clothes—or ones with an elasticized waistband—you might eat more. Instead, try wearing an outfit you look great in—if possible, one that's a little bit formfitting. Then there's less room to get away with eating too much. Besides, you'll get deluged with compliments that'll make you feel so great you won't want to overeat.

Mastering portion control will give you more control over your body and your life. Whether you're at a restaurant, at home, at work, or at a party, there's no excuse. You have the power to set yourself up for success. Being mindful of your portions will help you feel better right after each meal, which will help you manage your weight more effectively. You'll learn how to enjoy your favorite foods, boost your health, and even save some cash by eating less. Now isn't that worth a little bit of effort and planning ahead?

Thanks to the Team Beachbody Newsletter...

"I love this ..." with thanks for Toby Keith

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:26:00 +0000

A few months ago we were at breakfast with a very dear friend of the family. He is in tremendous physical condition, has exercised all his life, been active in sports and very disciplined in his approach to maintaining his fitness program. That's why our jaws dropped when we heard him say, "I hate every minute of exercising and always have!".

You have to tip your hat to a guy who can persist in a lifetime of workouts that are to be avoided at all cost. His determination and results are very very rare. The fact is it is no wonder why so many people are in the midst of a fitness meltdown because they share that attitude but unfortunately not that willpower and level of commitment. I understand. I remember the "old school" of fitness and dieting like everyone else, and I can empathize with his sentiments and those of the majority of potential fitness lovers.

And I suppose I'd be in the majority camp of people we just talked about and not in his camp right now, except for the fact that

I LOVE exercising !
I look forward to the next workout, and I can't wait to find out how much progress I've made.

I LOVE mealtime!
I can't wait to try out a new recipe for supper and share ideas with friends and the rest of the community.

I LOVE my "gym"!
My "gym" is a work in progress and constantly changing as my needs and abilties change, and I'm always finding new ways to challenge myself and move forward.

I LOVE the motivation !
Great trainers like Tony Horton and Chalene Johnson and Debbie Siebers keep everything so fresh and in focus that it's more like visiting with a best buddy than a coach.

I LOVE my fitness community!They are always there for support, to share ideas and to work out with either live or in the WOWY Online Supergym.

I LOVE my fitness program!
Simply put I am grateful that I can tap into the positive side of motivation and utilize these newly learned skills to help me maintain this wonderful new lifestyle I have been blessed with. I feel very very fortunate, but I am neither unique nor gifted nor unaware of the contrary feelings of many others.

If you have found a program that gives you this same sense of satisfaction then I applaud you and welcome you to the fitness community.

If on the other hand you have no idea what I'm talking about , are skeptical or just plain convinced it isn't for you and that you're somehow different all I can say to you is you are entitled to an opinion but NOT the facts.

Everybody can attain this same level of enjoyment and everyone can learn good habits towards a brand new fitness outlook and everyone can experience at their own ability level a rewarding fitness environment.

You are no different than I am.
I know you can do this.
Deep down you know you can too.

Now repeat after me:

I LOVE my gym!

A Night Out on the Town- How to enjoy yourself our and live to fight another day!

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:16:00 +0000

How to Party Like a Rock Star (the Beachbody^® Way)

To some degree, everyone wants to be a rock star. Seriously, who hasn't had at least a passing temptation to throw a television out the hotel window because, you know, Led Zeppelin did it? Especially when you're young, being the wild and crazy party animal among your friends seems like an instant way to gain popularity and adoration. The problem is, not all rock stars have the luck and longevity of Keith Richards, and if you try to emulate his lifestyle, you'll probably end up dead like John Bonham instead. Or Jimi Hendrix. Or Janis Joplin. Or Kurt Cobain. That's not to say we all need to live like the Jonas Brothers and abstain completely, but it's worthwhile to realize that those special nights out are best remembered for the company and camaraderie you shared, rather than forgotten as the result of chemically-induced amnesia.

The Opening Act

So you've nailed down the perfect outfit, got your new 'do, and smell like a million bucks. But don't head out on the town before your body is as finely tuned as Clapton's Fender^® Stratocaster^®.

Rest! If you get less than 4 hours of sleep per night, or you've been up for 16 hours or more, you're probably already acting drunk, even before you've had a drop of alcohol. This is because not getting enough REM sleep negatively affects your body's motor functions, blood sugar absorption, and immune system. You'll be friendlier, wittier, and more sociable with all your friends when you're rested, and this might come in handy if you're looking for a new type of friend (or two, if you really want to love like a rock star...).
Eat well! Van Halen ate M&Ms^® (except the brown ones, according to their notorious concert contract rider), Busta Rhymes eats KFC^®, and Meat Loaf, circa 1970s, ate pretty much everything under the sun, except his namesake. If you want to eat right, you probably want to follow another direction. Ideally, you should eat healthy meals that include a balance of carbohydrates (from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), protein (from lean meats and fish, legumes, nuts, soy, and dairy products), and fats (avoiding saturated and trans fats). A solid meal will help stave off the urge for that 1 AM pilgrimage to the taco truck with your less-well-fed friends.

And remember, eating right doesn't need to be a solo venture. If you really want to seem hip and in the know, bring your friends to the latest trendy "foodie" haven before hitting the bars and clubs. That way, you'll all spend a few hours focused on cuisine instead of cocktails. Know that thrill you get from discovering a new underground band? Well, most people feel the same way about finding a great new restaurant before the masses, so choose wisely and your friends will bestow upon you admiration comparable to what Justin Timberlake receives in a room full of Hollywood starlets.

The Headliner

This is it. The main event. The moment the crowd has been waiting for all night. It's time to shine, so here's how to ensure the lighters (or iPhones with lighter apps) come out, and you walk off stage a legend:

Dance, dance, dance! We all know that half an hour of cardio per day is an essential component of staying healthy and fit, so combine it with your night out and kill two birds with one stone! Dancing is wonderful exercise, and is sure to work up a sweat. If you're worried your moves are less Michael Jackson and more Elaine from Seinfeld, why not try joining a group hip-hop class, or try out Hip Hop Abs^® to learn some funky, fresh moves you can bust out for your friends? (But if you really want to impress them, you should probably never utter the words "funky" or "fresh" in the same sentence.)
Moderation! If moderation isn't a scientific law, it really should be, because there's almost no situation where it doesn't work. Many rock stars may overdo it with the partying every night, but they have expensive publicists to explain away their stints in rehab as "exhaustion." To increase your shelf life as a party animal, stay properly hydrated. Every great rock song has a memorable chorus, so when you head out for a night on the town, keep this little ditty on repeat in your head: "Drink, water, drink, water, drink, water." If it helps, just hum that Chumbawamba "Tubthumping" song and substitute water every other line (i.e., alternate your cocktails with water).You might think that getting drunk early will make you seem cool and fun throughout the night, but in all honesty, you're only becoming that guy or girl.
"I'll have a soda and soda, please." The great thing about spirits like vodka or gin is that they look like water. So the next time your friends are urging you to catch up or it's your turn to buy a round, slow things down by sipping on a soda water—just let everybody think it's liquor. You can even wince when you take a sip if you really want to crank up the illusion that you're hitting the hard stuff. No one will be the wiser, and you'll save a pretty penny too! Little-known fact: The original title of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" was just "Juice," but the record label urged him to change it for fear it would lower his "gangsta" cred.
Energy doesn't come in a can. If you're looking for "wings," don't go for a Red Bull^®, just buy a Paul McCartney album. Avoid the temptation to use energy drinks as fuel, because "energy" is a complete misnomer here. The caffeine and sugar hit'll just leave you jittery and nervous, after which you'll risk pulling a Lindsay Lohan and crashing hard before the end of the night.

The After Party

It's the next day, and you're not sure how to follow up that awesome night you just had. Here are a few suggestions for how to get your groove back:

Rest! Again! Whaddya know, we're right back where we started—your own cozy bed. Hopefully, you spent the night with the Captain to your Tennille. (A dated reference, I know, but who doesn't sing along to "Love Will Keep Us Together"? Admit it.) Anyway, if all went according to plan, you spent the night dancing, romancing, and, well, other things, so now it's time to rest up. Don't worry about your workout today, because trust me, you did enough of that last night. If you're feeling extra sluggish, some light stretching or a leisurely walk should do the trick.
Recovery! Eminem's new album is called Recovery, and we don't think it's a coincidence. He's giving you a hint, so take it! Buy some of Beachbody's own Results and Recovery Formula™. Designed for use after workouts, it will get your body back in tour shape in no time.

There you have it, the official guide to living a Beachbody-certified rock 'n' roll lifestyle. If you heed our advice, both your body and your mind will remain solid as a rock for quite a while, and you won't get caught rolling onto the floor.

from the P90X Newsletter #040

Wondering if you should just get a copy of P90X?

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Are you wondering whether or not you should just use a burned copy of P90X or buy it from a source other than Beachbody or a Beachbody Coach? You're not only doing yourself a disservice, giving up the 90-day guarantee, purchasing a product that may not necessarily by complete or even in English, and others, but there are legal ramifications as shown below. If you're ready to commit to your Self, your health, and your fitness with something that unquestionably will help you reach your goals, I will get you started and coach you through it (and can even legitimately help you save the $20 or $30 you think you're saving by buying a counterfeit copy). Aren't you worth more than the $20 or $30 bucks you might save on counterfeit, non-guaranteed, and/ or incomplete copies if you really are deciding to commit to YOUR success? Maybe, maybe not.

Beachbody® Assists in Convicting Importer of Pirated Goods

Santa Monica, Calif, – July 25, 2010 – Beachbody®, the nation’s leading provider of in-

home fitness, weight-loss, and wellness solutions and creator of the famous P90X®,

Insanity®, Brazil Butt Lift®, TurboFire®, and other fitness programs, has good news to

share on the antipiracy front.

About 1 week ago, a local woman involved in importing counterfeit Beachbody and

other products was convicted by a federal jury, and now faces up to 90 years in

prison and fines of up to $12.5 million. This is the result of a multiyear

investigation Beachbody has been actively pursuing.

Beachbody’s dedicated legal team has been working with the Office of the U.S. Attorney

and with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in their efforts against this

individual, and we are proud that justice has been served. Both the Department of

Justice and ICE have released some of the details relating to this conviction—the

individual was caught importing multiple container loads of counterfeit product and

attempting to bribe a Customs officer to get it released. (Press release from ICE:

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1007/100715losangeles.htm)

This is just one of several criminal counterfeiting investigations that Beachbody is

involved in with law enforcement. Indeed, as Beachbody’s legal team continues to

meet with members of Congress, government officials, and agencies in Washington,

D.C., and continues its nationwide efforts to meet with and provide anticounterfeiting

training to Customs officers and agents, these criminal investigations and prosecutions

will likely only increase.

“Counterfeiting harms not only Beachbody’s ability to sell genuine products and create

new, world-class fitness solutions, but it also specifically harms the businesses of all our

dedicated Independent Team Beachbody® Coaches,” notes Senior Vice President of

Business Development and General Counsel, Jonathan Gelfand.

“While no company or government agency has a magic bullet to stop all piracy in this

global economy, we will continue to fight the counterfeiting epidemic each and every

day, pursuing those dealing in counterfeit products and making them pay. We truly

appreciate all the support we receive from Customs, ICE, the Department of Justice,

and each one of our Coaches.”

If you ever see something that you think is counterfeit or illegal (including any

Beachbody products for sale at a price lower than we offer it, for example), please

submit it to us at piracy@beachbody.com.

The Fitness Buffet

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:47:00 +0000

No one walks into a supermarket with the obligation that they must eat the entire store. Similarly, when one visits a local bookseller they don't expect to read every single copy the store sells. Instead, we sample from the choices, select a combination of things we NEED and would LIKE to have and derive enjoyment and satisfaction from the experience.

At some point in our fitness program we need to adopt a similar outlook.There are dozens of paths to fitness and hundreds of exercises to choose from, and we should approach them all as we approach the many other pleasurable activities in life. Remember, our fitness strategy is a long term commitment and must be freshened up and spiced up every so often. We shouldn't view the inventory of workouts we have as a college course in fitness but rather a library, a resource, a fountain of youth that we can now sample at our leisure thanks to the insights and skills we have acquired. Variety in moderation will help to ensure a healthy mental outlook and avoid the inevitable burnout that comes from unnecessarily burdening ourselves with numbers and quantities.

Treat your body to a "fitness buffet", and it will reward you in ways you never imagined
without the morning-after regrets!

9 Foods NOT to give your kids...

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:13:00 +0000

9 Foods Not to Give Your Kids

By Joe Wilkes

If you've followed the news on childhood obesity lately, you know the state of affairs is pretty grim. Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the past two decades, and most signs point to the next generation being the first whose life expectancy will be shorter than their parents'. Much of the blame for this trend has deservedly been laid at the feet of the producers and marketers of unhealthy food aimed at our youngest consumers, whose parents face an uphill battle: trying to pit fresh, healthy foods devoid of mascots or sidekicks against superheroes and cartoon animals in a struggle to tempt their children's palates and stomachs.

Since most kids have hummingbird metabolisms that adults can only envy, it's often easy to give them a free pass and let them eat whatever they want. But eventually those metabolisms slow down and the pounds settle in. Also, as physical activity decreases and processed food intake increases annually, kids aren't burning calories the way their parents might have when they were their age. And even if the kids aren't getting fat, they are establishing eating habits they'll take into adulthood. As parents, you can help foster a love for healthy eating and exercise that will last your kids a lifetime—hopefully a long one!

Eating can so often be a classic power struggle where kids try to finally locate their mom and dad's last nerve. (I can remember family dinners with my brother and parents that could teach Hezbollah a thing or two about standoffs.) There are a number of strategies you can use to mitigate this type of deadlock. One is to let your kids help with the selection and preparation of the food. If they picked out the veggies at the farmers' market and helped cook them, they might be less inclined to feed them to the family pet. Another is to frame eating vegetables and healthy food as being its own reward. Otherwise, by offering dessert as a reward for finishing vegetables, you create a system where unhealthy food is a treat and healthy food sucks.

With these thoughts in mind, let's take a look at some of the most unhealthy foods being marketed to your kids today, and some healthier alternatives you can offer to replace each of them.

Note: The following recommendations are for school-aged children. Infants and toddlers have different specific nutritional needs, not addressed in this article.

Chicken nuggets/tenders. These popular kids' menu items are little nuggets of compressed fat, sodium, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and in some form, chicken. Depending on the restaurant, chicken might not even be the first ingredient. Oftentimes, the nuggets or tenders are made of ground pieces of chicken meat and skin, pressed into a shape, flavored with HFCS and salt, and batter-fried in hydrogenated oil (the bad, trans-fatty stuff). Then, as if that weren't unhealthy enough, you dunk it in a HFCS- or mayonnaise-based sauce. With all the fat, salt, and sugar, it's easy to understand why they're tasty, but the nutritive value weighed against the huge amount of calories and fat consumed is incredibly lacking. Even healthier-sounding menu items can be deceiving, like McDonald's Premium Breast Strips (5 pieces), which pack 665 calories and 40 grams of fat—and that's before you factor in the dipping sauce. (By comparison, a Big Mac^® with sauce has 540 calories and 29 grams of fat.)

Instead: If you're cooking at home, grill a chicken breast and cut it into dipping-size pieces either with a knife or, for extra fun, cookie cutters. Make a healthy dipping sauce from HFCS-free ketchup, marinara sauce, mustard, or yogurt. Let your kids help make the shapes or mix up the sauce. Try and go without breading, but if you must, try dipping the chicken breast in a beaten egg, and then rolling it in cornflake crumbs before you bake it. It'll be crunchy and delicious, but not as fatty.
Sugary cereal. I can remember as a child, after going to friends' houses for overnights and being treated to breakfast cereals with marshmallows that turned the milk fluorescent pink or blue, feeling horribly deprived when faced with the less colorful and sugary options served up in my home kitchen. But now I can appreciate my mom and her unpopular brans and granolas. True, they didn't have any cartoon characters on the box or any toy surprises, but they also didn't have the cups of sugar, grams of fat, and hundreds of empty calories that these Saturday morning staples are loaded with.

Instead: Read the labels and try to find cereal that's low in sugar and high in fiber and whole grains. Remember, "wheat" is not the same as "whole wheat." Also, avoid cereals (including some granolas) that have hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, or chemical preservatives. Add raisins, sliced bananas, berries, or other seasonal fruit to the cereal for extra flavor and nutrition. Again, letting your child help design a healthy bowl of cereal from choices you provide will get you a little more buy-in at the breakfast table.
Lunch meat and hot dogs. Kids love hot dogs, bologna, and other processed meats, but these are all full of potentially carcinogenic nitrates and nitrites, sodium, saturated fat, and artificial colors and fillers. A study in Los Angeles found that kids who ate 12 hot dogs a month had nine times the risk of developing leukemia.¹ And more health risks are being discovered all the time. Leaf through any research about kids' nutrition, and you're bound to read about the bane of the cafeteria—Oscar Mayer's Lunchables^®. These and similar prepackaged lunches are loaded with processed meats and crackers made with hydrogenated oils. These innocent-looking meals can boast fat counts of up to 38 grams. That's as much fat as a Burger King^® Whopper^® and more than half the recommended daily allowance of fat for an adult.

Instead: Get unprocessed meats, like lean turkey breast, chicken, tuna, or roast beef. Use whole wheat bread for sandwiches; or if your kid's dying for Lunchables, fill a small plastic container with whole-grain, low-fat crackers, lean, unprocessed meat, and low-fat cheese. This can be another great time to get out the cookie cutters to make healthy sandwiches more fun. For hot dogs, read labels carefully. Turkey dogs are usually a good bet, but some are pumped up with a fair amount of chemicals and extra fat to disguise their fowl origins. Look for low levels of fat, low sodium, and a list of ingredients you recognize. There are some tasty veggie dogs on the market, although a good deal of trial and error may be involved for the choosy child.
Juice and juice-flavored drinks. Juice—what could be wrong with juice? While 100 percent juice is a good source of vitamin C, it doesn't have the fiber of whole fruit, and provides calories mostly from sugar and carbohydrates. Too much juice can lead to obesity and tooth decay, among other problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests 4 to 6 ounces of juice per day for kids under six, and 8 to 12 ounces for older kids. Juice drinks that aren't 100 percent juice are usually laced with artificial colors and that old standby, high fructose corn syrup, and should be avoided. Your best bet is to make your own juice from fresh, seasonal fruit. You won't have to worry about all the additives, and it's another way you can involve your kids in the cooking process. Let them design their own juice "cocktail." And if you were even considering soda, read the Steve Edwards article "Top 10 Reasons to Give Up Soda" from issue #024.

Instead: Water is still the best thirst quencher. Explain the importance of good hydration to your kids, and try to set a good example yourself by carrying around a healthy reusable hard plastic or stainless steel water bottle. Get your kids used to carrying a small bottle of water in their backpack or attached to their bike. If they're very water averse, try water with a splash of fruit juice in it. But just a splash. The idea is to get your kids used to not having things be overly sweet, overly salty, or overly fatty. Another great beverage is milk. Growing kids need plenty of milk (or fortified nondairy milks, like soy or almond)—which is filled with nutrients, calcium, and (in the case of dairy and soy) protein—but they don't need too much fat, so choosing low-fat or nonfat options will help ensure that they get their milk without actually beginning to resemble a cow.
French fries. High in calories, high in fat, and high in sodium—and unsurprisingly the most popular "vegetable" among kids. Fries offer virtually none of the nutrients found in broccoli, carrots, spinach, or other veggies not cooked up in a deep fryer, and the fat they're fried in is often trans fat, the unhealthiest kind for the heart. To top it all off, studies are beginning to show cancer-causing properties from acrylamide, a toxic substance that is created when starchy foods like potatoes are heated to extreme temperatures. In some tests, the amount of acrylamide in French fries was 300 to 600 times higher than the amount the EPA allows in a glass of water.²

Instead: Vegetables like baby carrots, celery sticks, and other crudités are great options, but if potatoes must be had, there are some options that don't involve melting a brick of fat. A scooped-out potato skin with low-fat chili and a little cheese can provide lots of fiber and vitamins, with even higher amounts if the chili has beans. You can also try making baked fries, using slices of potato with a light brushing of olive oil. Or the classic baked potato could be a hit, with plain yogurt or cottage cheese instead of sour cream and butter.
Potato chips, Cheetos, Doritos, etc. These are full of fat, oftentimes saturated, and way more sodium than any child or adult should eat. Some chips also have the acrylamide problem discussed in #5, French fries, above. Also, watch out for innocent-seeming baked and low-fat chips that contain olestra or other fake fats and chemicals that could present health issues for kids.

Instead: Kids gotta snack, and in fact, since their stomachs are smaller, they aren't usually able to go as long between meals as adults. Cut-up vegetables are the best thing if your kids want to get their crunch on, but air-popped popcorn and some baked chips are okay, too. You can control how much salt goes on the popcorn, or involve your child in experimenting with other toppings like red pepper, Parmesan cheese, or dried herbs. Try making your own trail mix with your kids. They might be more excited to eat their own personal blend, and that way you can avoid certain store-bought trail mixes, which sometimes contain ingredients like chocolate chips and marshmallows that aren't exactly on the healthy snack trail.
Fruit leather. Many of these gelatinous snacks like roll-ups or fruit bites contain just a trace amount of fruit, but lots of sugar or HFCS and bright artificial colors. Don't be misled by all the products that include the word "fruit" on their box. Real fruit is in the produce section, not the candy aisle.

Instead: If your child doesn't show interest in fruit in its natural state, there are some ways you can make it more interesting without losing its nutritional value. For a healthy frozen treat, try filling ice-cube or frozen-pop trays with fruit juice or freezing grapes. Or buy unflavored gelatin and mix it with fruit juice and/or pieces of fruit to make gelatin treats without the added sugar and color (let it solidify in big flat casserole dishes or roasting pans—another good time for the cookie cutters!) Try serving some raisins, dried apricots, apples, peaches, or other dried fruits that might give you that chewy, leathery texture without the sugar.
Doughnuts. These little deep-fried gobs of joy are favorites for kids and adults alike, but they are full of fat and trans-fatty acids, and of course, sugar. Toaster pastries, muffins, and cinnamon buns aren't much better. The worst thing about doughnuts and these other pastries, aside from their nutritional content, is that they're often presented to children as acceptable breakfast choices. These delicious deadlies need to be categorized properly—as desserts, to be eaten very sparingly. And you can't have dessert for breakfast.

Instead: Honestly, a slice of whole-wheat toast spread with sugar-free fruit spread or peanut butter isn't going to get as many fans as a chocolate-filled Krispy Kreme, but at some point, you have to stand firm. Be the cop who doesn't like doughnuts. Doughnuts—not for breakfast. Period.
Pizza. In moderation, pizza can be a fairly decent choice. If you order the right toppings, you can get in most of your food groups. The problem comes with processed meats like pepperoni and sausage, which add fat and nitrates/nitrites (see #3, Lunch meat and hot dogs, above); and the overabundance of cheese, which will also provide more calories and fat than a child needs.

Instead: Try making your own pizza with your kids. Use premade whole wheat crusts, or whole wheat tortillas, English muffins, or bread as a base. Then brush on HFCS-free sauce, and set up a workstation with healthy ingredients like diced chicken breast, sliced turkey dogs, and vegetables that each child can use to build his or her own pizza. Then sprinkle on a little cheese, bake, and serve. If your child gets used to eating pizza like this, delivery pizzas may seem unbearably greasy after awhile.

Someday your children will come to realize that caped men in tights and sponges who live under the sea might not have their best interests at heart when it comes to food. Until then, however, why not involve them in the process of selecting and preparing healthier alternatives? Some of these cleverly disguised wholesome foods might become their favorites. Who knows, they may even tempt some of the overgrown children among us!

¹ Peters J, et al "Processed meats and risk of childhood leukemia (California, USA)" Cancer Causes & Control 5: 195-202, 1994

² Tareke E, Rydberg P, Karlsson P, et al. Analysis of acrylamide, a carcinogen formed in heated foodstuffs, J. of Agri and Food Chem. 2002;50:4988-5006

"Don't get too skinny"

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:21:00 +0000

The following article was written by Brennen Keene, a member of my Beachbody Team, on his TeamBeachbody.com blog. I thought it was well written and conveys a great message, and so I asked him his permission to repost it here:

"Co-workers, family members, friends, and others I know have noticed my weight loss (40 pounds since January 1, 2010). I'll be the first to admit that I look noticeably different (thinner face, greatly reduced midsection, etc.). Some people are forward enough to ask me how much I have lost (which is fine by me because I am not ashamed to say how much I have lost). Several people have asked whether I plan to lose more weight, and the simple answer is yes, I do plan to lose more weight (although the way I look at my future weight loss will be more focused on body fat reduction and my waist to hip ratio, with weight loss being a consequence of that focus). I find it interesting that a number of people have said something to the effect that I don't need to lose more weight or they say "don't get too skinny!"

When folks say these things to me, I politely say that I still have excess body fat that I need to shed. I know that the people making these statements are well-intentioned, but in my mind, these statements are perplexing (and borderline irritating). For me, a person who has been overweight for most of my adult life, I can't understand the concept of being "too skinny". I just want to be healthy, and it would be a nice bonus to have a flat stomach and (hopefully) some visible abs. But too skinny? Please.

I recognize that there are people who truly suffer with being underweight because of disease, malnourishment and/or eating disorders. People suffering from those conditions are "too skinny" because because of a problem likely beyond their immediate control. But that's not me. My BMI (28.9) is still in the "overweight" range, and I would have to lose another 25+ pounds just to get to a BMI of 25 (the top range of "normal" for BMI). That's just not going to happen. I simply have too much muscle mass in my arms, shoulders, chest and legs for that to happen, and I'm not going to try and reduce my muscle mass just to get to some number that somebody decided was "normal" (particularly since BMI is not the final analysis of what is a "healthy" weight). But I can become more lean (e.g., getting to a body fat percentage of 15% +/-). Heck, right now my body fat percentage is somewhere north of 25% (depending on which measurement tool you use). That alone should tell you that I have the "opportunity" to lose more body fat and still be very healthy.

I'm not quite sure why I get irritated at these statements about me becoming "too skinny". Maybe its because I don't like to be second-guessed as to what my goals should be (in other words, pride). Another part of me says that I should use those statements as an opportunity to tell folks about how to look at weight as only one part of the puzzle to being a healthy weight. But that can come across sometimes as condescending and "preachy". I'm not sure what the right response should be. Maybe I should just keep my thoughts to myself, keep my head down, keep pushing play and focus on my own goals and stop worrying about what other people have to say about my goals."

The Butterfly Effect

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:51:00 +0000

I saw a science fiction show about time travel. A man went back millions of years to when the earth was very young. His curiosity got the best of him and he stepped out of his craft and unknowingly killed underfoot a single ant. When he returned to his own time he discovered it was a desolate and lifeless place. So much was the influence of that tiny incident so long ago.

OK, it's science fiction, but there is no doubt that even the smallest effects can have profound results for both bad and for good. The habits we develop at an early age become ingrained and part of our natures over time, and hopefully these habits are positive ones and will benefit us as years go by. Of course, we all know, often there are also unhealthy habits that come along for the ride and gather steam and influence and result in some very unwanted aftershocks. A harmless visit to the ice cream shop can topple even the most diligent health proponent, and an innocent puff on a cigarette in the boys' or girls' room can become an incredibly stubborn albatross around the neck for that person later on in life. I think for most of us we can pretty much remember the history behind our struggles with the challenges that ultimately become infamous New Years' resolutions.

If this were the end of the story then it certainly would seem a hopeless one. For many people who become indoctrinated into the culture of despair that seems to constantly bombard us, the result is an acceptance of an inevitable although very long defeat.

But just like the flapping of a tiny wing can generate a huge storm so can the smallest bit of determination and commitment gather momentum and produce incredibly beneficial results.
It can be as simple as looking at some old pictures of ourselves as high school athletes or finding your running shoes and lacing them up or looking across the aisle at the restaurant patron siting uncomfortable squeezed into his or her booth and feeling a bit of a chill run down your spine as you wonder how it got that far and could that be you in 5 or 10 years??

Do you recall the magazine article you read in the doctor's office while waiting for your annual check-up?
Do you remember the friend who asked you join them on a run or gym workout?
Do you remember being up late at night and seeing an add for a workout that stuck in your mind?

These small puffs of wind are all we need to eventually fill the sails of our fitness lifeboat.
It works both ways. The ingredients are all around us. If we keep very quiet and stand very still we'll feel the breeze and know which way it's blowing and can set a new course towards a better fitness future.
And what does one do if after all this there still appears to be no wind at all?

Then, my fitness loving friends, all together

WE ROW!

Tip of the Day: Quality over Quantity

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 12:23:00 +0000

It happens to all of us at one time or another especially as we get further into a fitness program that we imperceptibly drift in our form and technique especially during resistance or strength workouts. A few weekends ago, Chuck and my dad were doing Legs and Back from P90X, and Chuck noticed that my dad's pull ups were becoming shorter in stroke length and made it a point of spotting my dad for form on the next set. Within a minute or two things were on track, and as a matter of fact today I heard from from my dad and he has begun to pay particular attention in the other strength routines such as Chest and Back. Although his rep count dropped off for both push-ups and pull-ups he felt the effects were just as good and that the workout was less of an aerobic sprint for numbers and now a real strength building day as it should be.

A few things are worth pointing out here.
First: We've been talking about the benefits of community and workouts buddies. Even those of us who've committed to a fitness program are not immune to slipping into bad habits. Remember that practice makes permanent and not perfect! A buddy can keep us on track and help us avoid some frustrating pitfalls.

Second: Good form is almost synonymous with good results but also less risk of injury. Your body will tell you when it has had enough. When your form heads South you are done. Write it down, and shoot for it the next time. There is no point in twisting and jerking about just to get a few more low quality reps in.

Finally: While it is very important to write down the information and numbers for each workout I can't stress enough that this is NOT your goal! Your goal is to participate at the best level for your own physical fitness program. Don't let your ego take over and undermine an otherwise productive and rewarding day and discourage you from the next workout.

So the tip of the day: If you are working out and are finding it is becoming routine, monotonous, and perhaps even a bit like drudgery then maybe it's time for some fitness technique rehab. Call up a friend and have them make some casual observations, and I think you'll be surprised at how a few minutes of constructive criticism can keep us focused and recharged so we can bring it very day.

Now, dontcha wanna put your shorts on and get into the gym and push play!

"Pay" Yourself First

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Fri, 21 May 2010 04:08:00 +0000

The number one reason why most people I talk to don't want to commit to an exercise program is that it requires too much time. Their days are already jam packed with activities, and by the time evening comes they are wiped out and barely have the energy to drag themselves up to bed let alone hit the weights or jump around and do cardio.

When it comes to personal finances the concept of saving is facilitated by the notion of "paying yourself first". It means just what it says. Before you budget money towards anything else, the first thing we should do is to pay ourselves by opening up a a savings account and squirreling away funds before they get gobbled up by anything else.

But what about our time budgets? Time and money have a lot in commom. We can spend both time and money. Like wise we can also save both. We can also "budget" both.

I am proposing we consider making a time budget and allocating 15 to 30 minutes per day towards our fitness account before we spend the time anywhere else. Do a little research, and DECIDE on a program that fits your style and goals. Then COMMIT to a time slot around which you will plan the other activities in your life. I see no reason why this approach should be any less successful with time than with our personal finances, and the benefits can be just as rewarding.

Just like you get the satisfaction of seeing your bank account grow, you'll gain a greater sense of self esteem as your body benefits from the investment you are making. The control you now have will strengthen your determination to maintain your approach and probably become a reinforcement to other disciplines in your life. And, you may find that the where you once could hardly lift you legs to climb the stairs at the end of the day you now are energized and go to bed expecting restful night's sleep knowing you'll wake up refreshed and able to tackle another day.

A few minutes a day saved for your personal exercise will become time well spent.

A minute saved is a lifetime of healthy living earned.

Start a fitness savings plan with the BeachBody community today, and get the gift of wellness free for opening up your fitness membership!

The Common Touch

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:36:00 +0000

I remember many times as a student seeking advanced guidance with regard to a subject or lesson and approaching to the teacher afterward for help. He or she would do their best to offer a solution, but in many cases I was told either what I already knew or else what I didn't need to know instead of what I actually was interested in. Later on I'd be sitting with a classmate and discuss my dilemma, and within a few minutes we had figured out the answer and were on our way to other challenges.

The same scenario happens time and time again on our road to fitness and well being. The books, the lectures, the trainers all provide valuable information and are an essential resource as we build upon our knowledge base. Very often, however, their advanced position begs us "to keep up" rather than to stop and reassess where we are and cannot empathize with our current situation.
We have fortunately an invaluable and immediate resource.The internet chat rooms and bulletin boards are common ground where we can interface with other individuals and share our similar goals and ideals, and in the event of a slip or question, we can get REAL time REAL world REAL people advice to keep our fitness chins up and moving in the right direction. "The Challenge starts Today" should be our daily motto!

Just as in school, there is no need to struggle alone and in silence for hours on end and wind up frustrated and exhausted. Share your day to day events. Post comments. Read what others like you have written and tap into the energy that is waiting absolutely free of charge for everyone regardless of your current fitness abilty. You'll be surprised and amazed at the effect this cameraderie will have on you, and you'll also realize how much you have to offer to your fellow fitness lovers.

Experts are to be respected, and we should always be prepared to learn form their achievements.

But let's not forget the value of the common touch.

We all have it.

Share YOU today!

Roping Up, Beachbody Style!

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Wed, 12 May 2010 02:20:00 +0000

I remember during my Girl Scout days a trip to a rock climbing gym. We were all eager to grab the hand holds and teased each other as to who'd be the first to reach the top and were buzzing as the instructor came to greet us and send us on our way up to the "Summit". Well, not exactly. First we had to be shown the fundamentals of rope safety, knot tying and proper rope management not to mention how to properly put on the harness. You can imagine the air leaving the happiness balloon as time dragged by...I don't even remember climbing the wall. I'm not sure who if anybody got to the top. What I do remember is the fact that anybody who wanted to climb that wall, or hill, or mountain in real life had to be proficient in all those skills but most especially in the skills of manning the rope which held your climbing buddy as he or she ascended. While some choose to climb alone the vast majority of attempts are made with at least two people linked together with safety rope to ensure that if one were to fall the other(s) might have a chance to self arrest and save that person and the entire team from further danger.

There are many reasons for individuality in sports and fitness, and there are always a few exceptional people who can take on any challenge unassisted and prevail. But for the vast majority of us, a social network and support system greatly increases our chances for success. Working out with friends is a start, but actually belonging to an organized group of fitness "climbers" is so important to avoiding the crevasses that can end a fitness effort it cannot be overstated. You all become linked, tied together, and when one begins to falter the others rally and pull him or her up and with genuine camaraderie reassure that person they are doing fine and to keep pushing forward. Reaching the summit becomes almost secondary to just being part of the ascent. Just being part of the climbing effort.

As you begin your fitness program remember to check you equipment carefully. Desire is not enough. Find a community of like minded adventurers, hook onto their rope, and become a part their team.

We, your friends in the Beachbody fitness community eagerly want to welcome you to our team.

Climbing? I'm on belay.

The Fitness Tipping Points

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Wed, 05 May 2010 02:46:00 +0000

There are many milestones in life, both good and bad. Some are more common than others, especially when it comes to our health and fitness. Maybe you remember going off to college and putting on the "freshman fifteen"? Maybe you had a baby and wondered how you ever would recover from the extra weight you unexpectedly retained afterward? Or maybe you're a "Thirty-something" year old guy who realizes his metabolism isn't burning off the nachos, beer, and pizza like it use to? It doesn't matter. All of these cases have something in common: they are sobering reminders that something has changed combined with a fear that you've reached a point of no return... and perhaps it is too late.

Depending on your age you realize a few things. First, you know that it's really never too late, and second, you remember that usually, for many people, all of these milestones have been hit, solved, and hit again only to be solved again in a seemingly endless and frustrating case of history repeating itself. It's a vicious and discouraging cycle, and it's usually met with failed diets, garage sales of equipment, and expired gym memberships.

Assuming you believe that it's never too late, then breaking the cycle is the next key challenge, and fortunately the solution is a simple one. Regardless of your fitness preference the key to a long lasting commitment is to partner with like minded people in a community of fitness believers and proponents who will encourage, support, and inspire you to make fitness a long term endeavor rather than a patch on a tipping point blowout. You'd even be surprised at how much your own experience and input adds to the community in ways you never thought possible. You never know what actions you do or words you say today might change someone's life tomorrow.

Before long you'll find the negative tipping points have been replaced by positive tippng points on the way to a stronger, more fit lifestyle admired by your firends and acquaintances who, because of your success story, may find a new outlook on their own fitness choices. To your surprise, YOU become an inspiration and a mentor to people you recognize as having had the same dilemmas you once thought unsolvable.

No matter where you are along the path of life, prevention is the best cure, but forewarned is forarmed . If you can keep an open mind to the possibility that one day these tipping points could affect "me", then I encourage you to join the BeachBody Community of fitness lovers, log on to the WOWY gym, post your results good and bad, and become part of the solution to your and other member's problems.

You'll gain a whole new perspective on fitness and turn tipping points into stepping stones.

Welcome to the team.

We've been expecting you!

What's in a name?

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:11:00 +0000

What's in a name? There are a few four letter words no one of wants to ever hear. Now, remember, before anyone gets offended we are talking about fitness! If I had to pick the most common four letter word no one in fitness wants to hear it would be without a doubt Yoga. Yep, Yoga. Surprise you? I suppose in most cases we take for granted what we call things, and even if the object changes but the name remains the same we still will associate the name with the "older" model. Such is the challenge of Madison Avenue and marketing students across the globe. Mention Yoga, and to most people they will have a traditional, dare I say stereotypical image, of sitting in the lotus position chanting ohms and meditating... or trying to in otherwise uncomfortable positions. To those who practice this type of Yoga I offer admiration and respect. I know that there is much much more than that to their avocation.

But I would like to open the discussion up to different types of yoga, in particular, Ashtanga Yoga, sometimes referred to as "power Yoga" (oooh, I don't like that name either!) as an integral part of a fitness program. For those of you unfamiliar with the subject here is a link http://bit.ly/98mZpH, but briefly Ashtanga Yoga is an isometric exercise routine using various postures and techniques combining strength, coordination, and flexibility. It is challenging and extremely difficult to master, but everyone can participate at his or her level and benefit enormously from the rehabilitative aspects of the workout. Most people are initially overwhelmed and shocked at how their preconceptions of what they thought they were about to do go up in smoke! Very few can finish the session the first time through. But nearly everyone is left with a new respect for the exercise and "postures", and within a few weeks can perform them to a satisfactory level and thus begin to appreciate the benefits and realize what they have been missing all along.

Like all forms of fitness Yoga must be respected and performed within your own ability. Some of the postures are very difficult, but there is always a modified version. Any instructor worth his/ her salt will advise you to not push yourself past the point of reasonable boundaries. If you can't do wheel do bridge. If you can't do bow do crescent. If you can't do plow then lie down in corpse pose. There's variety! It's beautiful!

If I had one fitness tip for everyone it would definitely be to incorporate a Yoga workout into a weekly program. P90X YogaX is a masterpiece in my opinion, because it combines the strength with balance postures, stretching postures and an ab workout then finishes with a relaxing series of positions suitable for everyone at any fitness level. It IS the glue that holds the rest of your active life together!

So the next time you are given the opportunity to experience a Yoga session keep an open mind.

It will be a shock.
It will be hard.
It will be uncomfortable.

But...it's good for you....

A Drop in the Bucket

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:47:00 +0000

My sister and I had a piggy bank that said "Girls' Nite Out", and we'd throw our change in it. Before long we'd have enough to head out to Chili's or a movie and were always surprised at how easy it was to save up considering it was only pennies and nickels and such.

I can't help but look at the way things have changed for me in terms of the ease of moving through daily life. So many conveniences! Walk up windows, remote controls, internet shopping, video games...I used to roll my eyes when my parents would tell me they used to "walk to school 5 miles up hill both ways"! But the fact is we fail little by little at most things not all at once. If we could only take a minute and evaluate how our lives have been depleted of the routing efforts we all took for granted I believe we could make huge gains with very small investments.

Simple things like taking the stairs, parking at the end of the row instead of the nearest spot, raking the leaves instead of leaf blowers, going into the bank instead of driving up...these are just a few ideas.

And then consider a more direct fitness application. How about trading in your desk chair for a large exercise ball to sit on? You'll automatically be engaging your core, calves and back and burn calories free of charge. During your lunch break take 5 minutes to do some Ashtanga sun salutions in the privacy of your office or corporate fitness center. For that matter let your co-workers SEE you, and maybe you'll find a workout buddy unexpectedly! You could also bring in some execise bands and during your breaks do some easy stretching and resistance moves.

The possibilities are endless, but the concept is the same: do these small things each day. Deposit them in your fitness "piggy bank", and I guarantee you will be pleased to see how quickly your investment adds up.
And the next time you're having a "girls' or guys' night out" watch as heads turn and eyebrows go up. You can't beat that kind of return on your investment!

Simple Sugar :)

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:54:00 +0000

5 Simple Rules for Eating Sugar

Few topics boggle dieters and fitness enthusiasts the way sugar does. Is this simple carbohydrate the key to unlocking elite sports performance? Or is it the chains that drag our country deeper into the obesity epidemic? Annoyingly, the answer is both. But before you throw your hands up in frustration and grab yourself a Twinkie®, let's take a minute to talk about sugar. It's not as complex as it seems. In fact, with just a few guidelines, it's incredibly easy to use these simple carbohydrates for good instead of evil.

Rule #1: Just say "know."

Here's a grossly oversimplified look at how sugar, also known as simple carbohydrates, works. Just as with all carbs, you eat sugar and it's absorbed by your blood, where, if you have the right amount of it, the insulin in your system converts the sugar to energy. However, if you introduce too much sugar into your system, the insulin stores it as body fat. A little stored body fat is fine; the body likes some emergency fuel. However, if your blood sugar spikes too often and the insulin has to work too hard converting fat, this can lead to a variety of health issues, including type 2 diabetes and heart problems.

As we'll discuss later, when your body obtains sugar from natural sources, like fruits and veggies, the process tends to be checked by fiber, which slows absorption. However, when you eat foods with added sugar, this can overwhelm the usual checks and balances, causing problems like those nasty blood sugar spikes. To make matters worse, consuming too much added sugar can cause a host of other problems, including tooth decay, increased triglycerides (or stored fat), and malnutrition (from overconsumption of foods filled with empty calories and deficient in nutrients).

If you wanted one overarching rule to work from, you might choose to avoid added sugars entirely. You'll get all the energy you need from foods with naturally occurring sugar. That said, there are times when refined sugar is okay or even beneficial. If you're able to build yourself a lifestyle completely free of added sugar, nice work. But for the rest of us, the trick is moderation.

Rule #2: Less is more.

One teaspoon of table sugar has 15 calories. Honestly, if you have a couple of cups of tea or coffee in the morning and you dump the proverbial spoonful of sugar in each, that's 30 calories. If the rest of your diet is tight and you're active, it won't matter. If you're trying to lose weight and eating at a severe deficit, you'll probably want to skip those few spoonfuls of sugar, because table sugar is nutritionally void and you want every calorie to count nutritionally. Other than that, though, life's short—enjoy your java.

Rule #3: High fructose corn syrup is the enemy . . .

In a recent study out of Princeton University, two groups of rats were fed a sucrose solution and a high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) solution. The rats that consumed the corn syrup got fatter. "Some people have claimed that high fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity," said study leader Bart Hoebel, "but our results make it clear that this just isn't true, at least under the conditions of our tests."

There are a few possible explanations for this. One is the ratio of fructose to glucose in HFCS is slightly higher. Another is that in the HFCS manufacturing process, fructose molecules are free and unbound, making them easier to absorb. The fructose in table sugar is bonded to the glucose, which means it requires an extra step to be used.1

Rule #3.5: . . . and it's hiding behind every corner.

And you thought Invasion of the Body Snatchers was creepy . . . Avoiding the obvious sweetened foods like soda, cake, cookies, and pies is only half the battle. Manufacturers add HFCS (as well as other sugars) to a mind-boggling amount of foods because it adds flavor. If it's in a bottle, box, or can, read the ingredients. You'll find sweeteners in everything from ketchup to peanut butter to bread to salad dressing (see "6 Foods with Hidden Sugar" below). With a little effort, you can usually find versions of the same food with no added sugars or HFCS that are more nutritious and taste just as good.

Rule #4: No, the sugar in fruit isn't bad for you.

When the low-carb "revolution" hit in the early aughts, fruit was demonized for its sugar content. This is, in a word, ridiculous. Yes, fruit is loaded with sugar, but it's also usually loaded with fiber, which slows sugar absorption, making it an ideal way to get your simple carbs without straining your little insulin buddies. Fruit is also loaded with easy-to-absorb vitamins and minerals. Most fruit is also filled with water, yet another benefit.

Even relatively low-fiber fruits like bananas offer far too many benefits to deny. Bananas, in particular, are rich in electrolytes, which are crucial to sports performance. As I always say, I defy you to introduce me to an overweight person whose biggest indulgence is fruit.

You can think of the ingredients in Shakeology® the same way. Sure, there's a little sugar in there, but the protein and fiber slow absorption, and the massive amount of nutrients makes it all worthwhile.

Rule #5: Occasionally, a hit of straight sugar is a good thing.

You're sitting around watching television. You haven't done much today. Your glycogen stores are up, and because you've eaten normally, your blood sugar level is balanced. Time for some P90X® Results and Recovery Formula™? Probably not.

Conversely, you just blasted a killer workout. You've blown through your blood sugar and your glycogen, leaving you shaky and tired. Now, getting some sugar in there to recharge quickly wouldn't be such a bad idea. Furthermore, since it'll rush in so fast, it's a great opportunity to add some protein and micronutrients to that sugar blast, because they'll rush into where they're needed just as fast.

If you genuinely gave the workout your all and you're truly wiped out, you won't even come close to storing that sugar as fat.

So there you go. Not so tough, huh? With a little forethought and self-control, keeping an eye on your carbs can be, ahem, a piece of cake.

Too Sexy for Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:19:00 +0000

Seems like everywhere I look there are incredibly seductive adds that make your eyes pop out of your head, your heart race, and stop men in their tracks and drool. I'm not talking about a Victoria's Secret infomercial. I'm talking about the endless barrage of fat-oozing mouthwatering bacon triple burgers, fries, chimichangas, and flaming everything elses that bombard us from every angle from the minute we wake up until the minute we try to close our eyes with visions cinnabons dancing over our beds! Admit it, the only word to describe these adds and their approach is "sexy". They penetrate all our outer defenses and strike right at the nerve centers of survival, pleasure and comfort. Let's not forget self esteem either. After all if you're a real man you're supposed to stuff your face with sausage and buffalo wings on Sunday ( or Saturday if you like College football!) and then saturate yourself with gallons of beer to fill in the blank spaces in your stomach in case the pounds of fat you've gobbled at the speed of sound have left any air pockets.

What about you ladies? You've had a hard day and definitely need a mocha latte grande with whipped cream and some extra caramel drizzle to go with your toasted buttered scone on your way home from picking up a double stuffed double crust pizza with extra cheese and pepperoni.

Hey, this is what America is all about! The land of plenty and, hey, what's wrong with treating yourself? Lighten up!

Sort of reminds me of the casino joke: they stuff you full with a $6 buffet take your money then drop you out the back door with a hangover.

I don't begrudge anyone trying to promote their businesses. Companies have every right to sell their products and let the buyers beware. After a while, though, the hype and the pitch starts to actually sound like truth, and many over the years have become iconic symbols of affluence and the prosperity of our country.

...But it's going to leave us with an enormous hangover.

So, how do I propose we can resist temptation in the face of such sensual marketing shenanigans? Well, let's take a page out their book.

First: What's sexier than a burger that lasts 5 minutes in your hand and a lifetime on your belly? How about one of the hundreds of excellent recipes from the Beachbody website or many others that allow you to enjoy tasty foods in large quantities without the morning after guilt? This is 2010 for Pete's sake! Log on, and you'll see incredible recipes that aren't that hard to prepare and not that expensive considering the benefit.

Second: What's sexier than 18 consecutive hours in a comfy chair in front a wide screen? How about getting your kids or your friends to join you in a game of Frisbee or football outside, or 9 holes of golf, or a Kenpo workout, or maybe even an Ashtanga Yoga series followed by a walk to the nearest park?

Finally: What's sexier than a ripped/ toned spokesperson trying to convince you to celebrate with them and join the party?

HOW ABOUT BEING A RIPPED/ TONED PERSON YOURSELF!!

Ok, it's not Madison Avenue caliber, but you have to admit that unless people begin to see the subtle (maybe not so subtle) conditioning we are being subjected to, generations will be lost to a new model of what it means to be an "average American", and the price tag will be enormous. We need to encourage each other to resist the trend towards immediate or impulsive or temporary "satisfaction" at all cost and take a longer view of where we are going and how we can get there.

Don't end up physically broke and out in the cold after a lifetime of empty calories and being a spectator! What will you be left with after the sexy adds have done their work on you?

Call your best friend, get your sneakers on, and get in the game.

Now THAT'S something too sexy to resist!

10 Reasons to Give Up Soda- courtesy of the P90X newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 02:47:00 +0000

Top 10 Reasons to Give Up Soda

By Steve Edwards

If you're looking for a scapegoat in the obesity epidemic, look no further than soda. It's the single greatest caloric source in the world, accounting for somewhere between 11 and 19 percent of all the calories consumed worldwide. It's cheap, addictive, and readily available, which generally means it'll take some willpower to avoid. But don't despair, as we at Beachbody^® are here to help. We now present our top 10 reasons to give up soda. Drumroll, please . . .

Soda may cause cancer. According to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, consuming two or more soft drinks per week increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by nearly twofold compared to individuals who didn't consume soft drinks. As reported, the study "followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore Chinese Health Study for 14 years. During that time, there were 140 pancreatic cancer cases. Those who consumed two or more soft drinks per week (averaging five per week) had an 87 percent increased risk compared with individuals who did not."

Then why, you're probably asking yourself, is this number 10 on our list, and why is soda still even on the shelf? Not that I'd challenge the ability of such large corporate power to hide such a thing but, in this case, the study slit its own throat. As one of the researchers noted, "Soft drink consumption in Singapore was associated with several other adverse health behaviors such as smoking and red meat intake, which we can't accurately control for," meaning that we have no way of knowing for sure if soda was the culprit. Still, it doesn't hurt to know that when you drink soda it lumps you into a fairly unhealthy user group.¹
It's not just about calories. Calories grab headlines, but recent science is showing that diet soda drinkers are still in the crosshairs. A 2005 study by the University of Texas Health Science Center showed there's a 41 percent increased risk of being obese—and a 65 percent increased risk of becoming overweight during the next 7 or 8 years—for every can of diet soda a person consumes in a day. Admittedly, this one should be higher on the list, but I wanted to make sure the article-skimming crowd knew the score up front: that diet sodas are very much a part of the problem.
It's the water . . . and a lot more. Okay, so that was a beer slogan, but soda is also made up mainly of water, and when you're slinging as much of it as they are, and you need to sling it cheap, sometimes you can't help but run into problems with your supply chain. In India, Coca-Cola^® has found itself in hot water, and not the kind they thought they were purchasing rights to. Two of their factories have been closed, but one continues to run amok.

According to a report in The Ecologist, "They accuse the company of over-extracting groundwater, lowering the water tables and leaving farmers and the local community unable to dig deep enough to get to vital water supplies. Since the bottling plant was opened in 2000, water levels in the area have dropped six metres, and when a severe drought hit the region earlier this year the crops failed and livelihoods were destroyed."²
BPA: not just for water bottles anymore. Nalgene^® and other water bottle companies took the heat when the dangers of bisphenol A (BPA) were made public a couple years back. While these companies went to great lengths to save their businesses, the soda companies somehow flew under the radar and continue to use it in their products. A recent Canadian study has found that BPA exists "in the vast majority" of the soft drinks tested. Most of these were under the national limits set for toxicity, but some were not. And remember how much soda the average person consumes, meaning odds are most soda consumers are at some risk.

"Out of 72 drinks tested, 69 were found to contain BPA at levels below what Health Canada says is the safe upper limit. However, studies in peer-reviewed science journals have indicated that even at very low doses, BPA can increase breast and ovarian cancer cell growth and the growth of some prostate cancer cells in animals."³
Can convenience. As in the 1950s colloquialism: can it. Speaking of the 1950s, those were the happy days when most of our soda was consumed at soda fountains, obesity was a term hardly anyone had heard of, and the most feared epidemic was one involving atomically mutated insects taking over the world. Now instead of hoofing it down to the corner confectionery for one soda, we fill trucks with pallets of shrink-wrapped cans or bottles and quaff the stuff by the six-pack. Not only does this ensure that our diets will be out of balance, it wreaks havoc on the world around us. The bottled-water industry (which is mostly owned by the soda industry) famously uses 17 million barrels of oil a year, and the aluminum industry uses as much electricity as the entire continent of Africa. Not only that, aluminum mining accounts for a ton of toxic chemicals left behind for every ton of the metal produced.⁴
The Frankenfood factor. Whether you consume diet or regular soda, you're getting all the genetically modified food you need and more, via high fructose corn syrup or aspartame. Both of these are under plenty of scientific as well as anecdotal scrutiny. Findings aren't pretty, but so far this multibillion-dollar industry has kept these sweeteners on the shelves while alternative sweeteners meeting cost requirements are explored. Since it's almost impossible to read health headlines without finding one of these ingredients in some type of controversy, I'll just use one example:

"The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nutrition and food safety advocacy group, called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review the claims, which stem from research conducted by the European Ramazzini Foundation in Italy. The foundation reported that rats who consumed aspartame in exceedingly large quantities were more likely to develop cancer. CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson considers this an important finding that should not be overlooked." ⁵

I know, there I go again with the cancer. But some people need to be shocked in order to take action. For me, seeing the Diet Coke^® and Mentos^® experiment was all I needed to swear off the stuff.
Foreign news cares how much soda we sell in our schools. How bad is your country's problem when the whole world is watching its daily actions? "Nearly one in three children and teenagers in the U.S. are overweight or obese and health experts say sugary drinks are part of the problem." 6 Yep, bad. The world is well aware of the problems soda is causing and is looking to us to lead. And we certainly are trying. Are you with the program?

"Under the voluntary guidelines, in place since 2006, full-calorie soft drinks were removed from school canteens and vending machines. Lighter drinks, including low-fat milk, diet sodas, juices, flavoured waters and teas were promoted in their place."⁶

And, while great and all, it appears that no one got the memo about diet sodas.
Diet? Um, that's just like your opinion, man. When it comes to soda, treat the word "diet" as a slogan. A study at Boston University's School of Medicine linked diet soda with increased risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. To be more specific, the study "found adults who drink one or more sodas a day had about a 50 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome," which is a cluster of risk factors such as excessive fat around the waist, low levels of "good" cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other symptoms that lead to heart disease and/or diabetes. And, for those of you only concerned about how you look in the mirror, "Those who drank one or more soft drinks a day had a 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese."
Soda outkills terrorists. A study out of the University of California, San Francisco, shows that soda has killed at least 6,000 Americans in the last decade.

From ABC News: "The new analysis, presented Friday at the American Heart Association's 50th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, offers a picture of just how horrifying the damage done by excess consumption of sugary drinks can be.

"Using a computer model and data from the Framingham Heart Study, the Nurses Health Study and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers estimated that the escalating consumption between 1990 and 2000 of soda and sugar-sweetened beverages, which they abbreviated as 'SSBs,' led to 75,000 new cases of diabetes and 14,000 new cases of coronary heart disease.

"What's more, the burden of the diseases translated into a $300 million to $550 million increase in health care costs between 2000 and 2010."⁷
It's the "real thing" . . . not exactly. Should having the number-one source of calories in the world come from something that's entirely manmade be a metaphor for a dying world? It doesn't have to be this way. After all, there's nothing in soda that we need. In fact, there's nothing in soda that even comes from the earth except caffeine, and that's optional. It's a mixture of altered water (injected with carbon dioxide gas), artificial flavors (yes, "natural flavor" is artificial), artificial color, and phosphoric acid, along with its sole caloric source that is a by-product of genetically modified corn production and offers virtually no nutritional value. It's about as real as The Thing.

Sources:
¹ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-02/aafc-sdc020310.php
² http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/373906/cocacola_just_part_of_indias_water_freeforall.html
³ http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/03/05/popcans.html
⁴ http://www.pacinst.org/topics/water_and_sustainability/bottled_water/bottled_water_and_energy.html, http://www.earth-policy.org/index.php?/books/eco/eech6_ss3
⁵ http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?id=3317079&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
⁶ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8557195.stm
⁷http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/study-sugary-drinks-lead-early-grave/story?id=10019518"

Don't Blink

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 03:17:00 +0000

Anybody out there NOT like Kenny Chesney? His sentimental and thoughtful song is as much motivation as I've ever seen for doing one's best and making the most out of each day we're given. Just like that you wake up and you're 25...35...50...and everybody wonders where the time went. And many may also wonder what they did with the time they were given. We can't change the past, we can only learn from it. We do have something to say about our future though. Look ahead, and imagine you meet yourself in 10 years. What will you have done? What will you wish you had done, and if you didn't do as much as you thought you could then you might ask yourself why? What happened?

Time is moving along with or without us. The question becomes: can we look at ourselves in the future and do something about it now? The answer is: of course we can! This holds true for everything in life from education to relationships and of course to fitness as well. Statistics say the average American will gain 1.5 pounds of fat per year for the rest of his or her life. Think about it. 10 years go by and you meet yourself and notice- Gee put on some weight. Wish I had taken care of that right from the beginning. Too late now...Well, another 10 years go by, and you are even more surprised that you're even heavier. You wonder why you didn't act on it 10 years earlier when you'd only gained 15 pounds!! You get the idea I'm sure. Time will tell who we meet in the future, but think about the little corrections we can make along the way to avoid those regrets that statistics say are inevitable. More importantly let's state it right here once and for all that this is why all of us who promote fitness look at it as a lifetime achievement and a healthy overall environment and not a short term fix followed by a long term failure.

Look at yourself in the mirror tonight, and promise yourself that the future YOU will not be worse off for a lack of commitment and foresight from the present YOU. The choice is up to you, but know that there are plenty of people like me willing and anxious to help you to achieve your long term fitness goals.

If on the other hand you see your reflection, are content with what you see now, and choose to proceed in a casual manner regarding your wellness and lifestyle I wish you all the best but offer a word of advice...

Don't blink.

Fitness Reboot Required!

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:14:00 +0000

Whether we know it or not, we process and store information in a similar way to our very own computers. No, I don't mean binary code or photons or stuff like that! Way too technical for this venue. No, I mean : garbage in, garbage out. We see and read news articles on hundreds of subjects. We are bombarded everyday with information, and we do our best to coordinate the data. However, in many cases it becomes contaminated and jumbled, and we can hardly remember what we heard or read later on let alone give an accurate account or summary. What is left in its place, if we are not careful, is quite simply, garbage. Consequently, if we are not diligent when it comes time to actually use that information our decisions are either compromised, inaccurate, or we choose to do nothing rather than move forward based on the insecurity we feel.

Consider the news and information you may have heard over the years regarding fitness.
What do you think of when you hear the word diet? Celery and cottage cheese? Carefully measured portions and the inevitable starvation from hunger pangs? I'll bet your pulse just went up, your brow just furled, and your gaze just darkened.

How about the word exercise? You remember the images of heavyweights lumbering on treadmills with towels draped over their shoulders, and even the least experienced fitness aficionado knows there is NO chance of that person surviving that regimen.

Old habits die hard. Images such as those are burned into our memory banks, and reprogramming is nearly impossible. Naturally, the automatic defense mechanisms are practically hard wired into our subconscious.

We need to have a procedure to restart the system: Ctrl+Alt+Del our Selves! We need to program our systems with useful and easily updated software. There is no need to hire expensive consultants. You don't have to attend night classes or run out and buy "Fitness Reprogramming For Dummies".

Nope. All you have to do is place your cursor over the link below, sign up for our free community bulletin boards and newsletters and upgrade your personal fitness software yourself.

No experience required.

No need to purchase anything.

No risk.

No garbage.

Just great information and great results.

Your fitness software needs updating!
Click http://bit.ly/BB_Home to begin the transformation!

Let's get real...about fitness and committment

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:40:00 +0000

A year ago my dad admits he was in the worst shape of his life thanks to too many nachos and maybe a few too may Dos Equis! The treadmill and pull ups were not keeping up and the doctor visits confirmed what was easily visible from the outside: bad foods=bad numbers. He did not consider himself a candidate for a fitness program like P90X and frankly either did I! But one day my mom put the DVD in and said;"Just turn it on and push play!" . Since that day back in May of 2009 he has lost 30#, can do hundreds of pull ups and keep up with any of us during one or more cardio workouts. Now, at this point in a commercial there is usually a little disclaimer that says: Individual results may vary . Results not typical...blah blah blah. But the fact is while these results are impressive they ARE typical and very realistic, and he would be the first to admit this to any of us. What may be different in this case though is something not so typical: commitment. I don't remember my dad telling me he was disappointed because of his push up numbers or ever remember him keeping me abreast of his weight. I DO remember him asking questions about better techniques during lifting and how to rebalance his carbs so he had more energy before a workout. I don't remember him keeping terribly accurate records in the first few weeks. I DO remember him bringing his weights to my uncle's house when he went for a visit and a strong commitment to finishing the program in as close to the 90 days as possible. I don't remember him saying he felt he wasn't as far along as the guys he saw on the DVD. I DO remember him sending me a picture of himself on the 90th day!

I've seen dozens of success stories with the P90X program. The results are typical. But it depends on how you define success and what is typical. If by success you mean that an individual has enjoyed a process that he or she believes will or has achieved significant improvements in their overall well being then that result is typical. The individual results may not look exactly the same though! But so what? That's not what defines success for my father and the other success stories I know about. But there is one thing that is common to all of these results and it is something that I am afraid cannot be taught or preached or forced upon anyone- it is the desire to committo the process and let everything else follow along for the ride. Commitment is both the foundation and the key to a long term ability to endure. Results and appearance may vary. But to those who are committed appearance is a false mile marker.

How much commitment do you need to follow through with your fitness program? Superhuman amounts? An ocean of commitment in reserve for bad days? Nope. You need just enough commitment to fill the tip of your index finger so it can push "play" like my dad did a year ago.

The rest?

Typical results.

Guaranteed!

Avocados: The Poor Man's Butter

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 02:11:00 +0000

Tony Horton on Avocados: The Poor Man's Butter

By Tony Horton

Every time I mention that I eat four to six avocados a week, I hear all this gobbledygook about how fattening they are. I want to clear up this avocado debate right now. The fat in avocados is monounsaturated. This good fat is part of a healthy diet. It actually helps lower cholesterol. Avocados are rich in vitamins C and E, folic acid, and potassium. They also help your body absorb beta-carotene from other foods. Half an avocado is only 150 calories, and makes a perfect topping on a salad or some of your favorite whole-grain toast. Plus the pit is a giant seed that grows into a gorgeous plant.

Peace,
Tony H.

Citius Altius Fortius

noreply@blogger.com (GrasshopperFitness) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 01:00:00 +0000

To all but the most disciplined fitness devotees there will come a time, usually around the 4th or 5th week, probably at 5:30 a.m. during the 14th rep of pushups that you'll ask yourself: What's the point? You are eating right. You've lost a few pounds. Your clothes fit better. You feel fine. You don't smoke or drink to excess. Why are you doing this to yourself? After all this can't last forever and so instead of pursuing this painful investment in time and energy why not look for an easier alternative.

Welcome to "the wall". Some hit it harder than others. Some do manage to avoid it. The vast majority of people who embark on a fitness program crumple at its base and stagger off into the sunset headed for the nearest MacDonald's.

But not you. Not this time. Not gonna happen. Here's why. You already are prepared through a proper attitude to ignore the mental recordings that have plagued us ever since the first bicep curl was attempted and instead remember why you are here and what you hope to accomplish. Weight loss, biceps, keeping up with your kids, avoiding family health problems, nice clothes...they all come as a byproduct of what you have committed to: faster -higher- stronger. You remember that it's not about the number of reps (your notebook cares about that). It's not about a goal in a fixed time limit ( the calendar cares about that). It's not about bigger guns ( you saw you earned those last week).

What keeps you pushing through is the knowledge that you can now do things that 4 or 5 weeks ago seemed impossible, and very soon you will reach a fitness level that allows you to move through all aspects of your life with greater ease and comfort and satisfaction. And you also know that within a very short period of time your fitness program has become a part of life not a chore you must do, and that the maintenance of your new found fitness is made easier by the fact that you have approached your program with the correct mindset from the first push up, pullup, and curl.

You are different. You know it. You feel it. You see it. It was worth it.

That sound you heard?

It was a wall coming down behind you as you pushed through it.