There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a favorite, unless it’s holding you back from progress and results. Now I’m not saying that if you are a endurance athlete, you should change your program to a 50/50 split between cardio and weights, but I haven’t met a runner yet that couldn’t use a little more stability exercise to assist their running performance. Even the large weight lifters could benefit from some cardiovascular system enhancement…. IT’S TRUE!

One of the most common ways we see this expressed in exercisers’ programs, who are looking to lose weight and fat, is an over-abundance of their exercising time spent on low intensity cardiovascular exercise. Once you have gotten a cardiovascular base, this low intensity needs to be progressed to higher levels and resistance training included to spike your metabolism to help make you a fat burning machine. One of the ways to conserve on time and get both benefits is to use circuit training (or some form like Tabata training).

Regardless of your favorite type of exercise, an optimally balanced exercise program will help you achieve greater success and have a more completely conditioned body. If you think you need help finding your balance in your program or making that difficult change, contact us anytime for assistance.

There is something called the respiratory exchange ratio (RER). The RER is the ratio of carbon dioxide produced relative to the amount of oxygen that is consumed. The RER is a marker for the proportion of fat or carbohydrate used for fuel at different intensities during steady state exercise. Steady state exercise is where the relative intensity stays generally the same for an extended amount of time. At rest, the average RER is 0.75, and this means the body is burning approximately 85% fat and 15% carbohydrate. As the intensity increases, so does the RER. A higher RER means that a larger percentage of the fuel is coming from carbohydrate and less from fat. The link that has been incorrectly made is that low intensity exercise is the best for burning fat.

Here’s the take home message, in case the science has bored you. A greater percentage of fat being used as fuel does NOT mean you burn more fat! What this means is that when you train at a higher intensity, the fat burning percentage may be lower, but the amount of fat you actually burn is greater. Not to get all numbers and sciency on you again, but here’s an example: A person weighing 130 pounds runs at 5.0 mph for 20 minutes, they burn about 157 calories. If fuel from fat is down to 50%, they burn about 9 grams of fat! Same person walking at 3.5 mph for 20 minutes burns about 74 calories, and with 75% of fuel from fat, ends up burning about 6 grams. While you may be saying to yourself, “there’s not a lot of difference here!”, the fact is more fat was burnt at the higher intensity.

If you are new to exercise or unaccustomed to greater intensity in your cardio, this doesn’t mean you should go kill yourself with your cardio tomorrow at the gym. If your goal is to burn fat, you should attempt to gradually increase your intensity levels. The higher you can sustain a working steady state intensity, the more fat you will burn. Let’s not forget, as you get in greater physical condition, your body becomes much better at utilizing fat as a fuel source and you are a more effective fat burning machine, even at a rest!

Natasha has been in the fitness industry for two decades and understands the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. It’s through this commitment to fitness and living a healthy lifestyle that she expresses her passion and gets her clients to reach their full potential. She enjoys training clients of all fitness levels. She especially enjoys working with women to help them overcome the many barriers they face in their pursuit of fitness. Her certifications include Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1 and Exercise Coach from the C.H.E.K.Institute, National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer certifications.

In today’s fast paced world with so much to do and so little time, one of the things that seem to go is not only the amount of sleep we get but also the quality of sleep. Ideally, your body needs 8 hours of sleep a night. If you don’t think a little lack of sleep can derail your fitness goals read this article from LIVESTRONG. COM, entitled Sleep: Good for the Brain and the Belly. By implementing one or more of these simple steps, you may be able get a good night sleep and not have to fight the battle of the belly bulge.

1. Develop a bedtime routine. A pre-sleep ritual will help with the transition from a busy day to a restful night. Start 15-20 minutes before, dim the lights, take a hot shower, or enjoy some light reading. This done consistently will send the signal to the brain that it is time to wind down.
2. Use the bedroom for sleep and sex. Keep the bedroom dark and quite. If you must have some noise, opt instead for soft sounds. Keep the laptop, TV and cell phone out. The bright lights and distractions from these will only serve to disrupt sleep, causing you to stay wake. Instead of an overhead light, try a low watt bulb.
3. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol may make you fall asleep but it also causes you to wake a few hours later. A cup of decaffeinated herbal tea can be more soothing and less disruptive.
4. Limit caffeine. Studies show that it can stay in your system for up to 8 hours, causing you to toss and turn through the night. Restrict the caffeine to morning hours and definitely nothing after 3 PM.
5. Get regular exercise. Aside from the benefits, of both mental and health, exercise can also make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. The timing and intensity can play a key role in its effect on sleep find a time is best for you.
6. Restrict nicotine. Although it feels relaxing it is actually puts a stimulant into the body. The effects of nicotine are similar to those of caffeine. It should be avoided near bedtime or if you wake through the night.
7. Keep pets off the bed. This is the perfect time for you to give your pet a bed of their own. They often cause you to wake through the night either from pet allergies or from movement.
8. Heavy meals. Eating a heavy meal or a sweet snack will make falling asleep more difficult. Choose a more balanced snack, mixing foods that contain tryptophan (which promote sleep) with a carbohydrate.
9. Manage stress. If anxiety from the day is keeping you awake, focus instead on turning negative thoughts into positive ones before heading to bed. Meditation or essential oils can have a powerful effect on creating a positive mood.
10. And lastly, if after 20-30 minutes, you are unable to fall asleep, get up and try a low key activity with dim lights until you start to feel sleepy. Tossing and turning will only add to your frustration.

Done consistently, these tips will have you off to a good night’s sleep in no time.

This what I was sent recently - High Fructose Corn Syrup Commercial (Spoof). It gave me a laugh, because it makes everything seem OK!!!

I’ll include this fourth YouTube clip - High-Fructose Corn Syrup Truth, Still Not Sexy, HFCS – because educate is always key. Watch all the clips and then you can make up your own mind … and hopefully laugh about it!

Let me know what side you fall on … sugar or HFCS or Nazi-ism!

So I know what your thinking, “How could this be? The more we move, the more chance we won’t be fat?!?! What kind of bad science is this?” Well, according to the research, those that used active transportation in Latvia, Sweden, and the Netherlands were 67 %, 62 %, and 52 % respectively. Their rates for obesity were 14 % in Latvia, 11 % in Sweden, and 9 % in the Netherlands. What the heck are they doing over there to only have 9 %?

By comparison, in the U.S., only 12 % use active transit and we have anywhere from one-quarter to one-third of the population falling into the obese range. For those of us who live around the Washington Metropolitan area, as the suburban sprawl make commutes longer and longer, I would agree that we need to move more, but I’m not quite sure we have developed a country infrastructure that supports this.

The county that I live in are now just really getting to the point that bike lanes are readily available and the local area is more setup for active transit. Those that live here, but commute to Washington to work, would have to leave about 3 a.m. to get there on time. Who needs sleep when you can be biking to work for three hours in the morning?

Hopefully, as oil issues become ever more difficult and as the obesity epidemic increases, the new administration will look at developing more of the country’s infrastructure to support active transit and “kill two birds with one stone”.

Evidently, this conclusion was 4 years in the making. A panel was convened in 2004 and found that there was not enough evidence to support that HFCS is more likely to cause you to become obese any more than other sugars. I like the fact that at the end of the article, as if it’s a minor consideration, that it might have a link to causing heart disease and kidney disease. “Oh really! It’s like sugar (only not metabolized like sugar!)… effects my blood sugar levels… could give me heart and kidney disease… and still gives me all the wonderful calories I want to avoid… You’ve sold me!”

You may think I’m being a little unrealistic with this, but have you seen the latest marketing efforts for the HFCS industry? There’s a lot of money being spent in their Sweet Surprise campaign.

All I ask is that you keep an open mind about both sides of the evidence. This entry from CrunchGear may have you questioning the HFCS industry facts: High Fructose Corn Syrup mob tries to take down our own Doug Aamoth.

Let me know what you think: HFCS… safe? healthy? causes weight gain?

In the SixWise Newsletter, there is an article entitled Six New Studies Confirm Health Dangers of Plastic. The article sheds some really interesting light into why we might have some health concerns and not know the reason. Plastics can act as “endocrine disrupting chemicals” which may hinder the action of thyroid hormones, affect testosterone production, and act like a xenoestrogen in the body.

The use of plastic seems to be be affecting fetal development, animals, and the environment. Chris Jordan is an artist who does amazing work with common objects. In his work called Plastic Bottles, he shows you the magnitude of the problem and the use of plastic beverage bottles in the U.S. for just 5 minutes.

While there probably isn’t anyway we can totally eliminate our use of plastics at this point, the article does give tips for limiting our health complications from the exposure to plastic. They recommend:

• Use glass and paper products instead of plastic.
• Avoid drinking bottled water.
• Replace toxic plastic products with safer plastics, such as bio-based materials.
• Be aware that a “3″ or a “V” stamped underneath the recycling symbol of your plastic product indicates that the product contains PVC.
• Smell your plastic! PVC products give off a distinct odor from toxic gases being released, such as the smell from a vinyl shower curtain.
• During the construction process — when building a house, for instance — make sure to avoid installing PVC plastic piping.

I continue to try to stay as informed as I can on the matters that affect the health of my family, including my Longevity Studios family. I have adopted ways in my home-life to avoid these dangers and I continue to search for ways to move them into my business practices as well. My use of plastics for Longevity Studios will be significantly reduced in the very near future. I will let you know how when it happens. I hope you take actions to do the same.

Natasha has been in the fitness industry for two decades and understands the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. It’s through this commitment to fitness and living a healthy lifestyle that she expresses her passion and gets her clients to reach their full potential. She enjoys training clients of all fitness levels. She especially enjoys working with women to help them overcome the many barriers they face in their pursuit of fitness. Her certifications include Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1 from the C.H.E.K.Institute, National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer certifications.

Whether a lack of time, hunger, or a desire to lose weight is your reason for skipping breakfast, you may want to rethink your choice. Studies have shown by skipping breakfast we are setting ourselves up for over-eating later in the day.

• Timlin MT, et al. Breakfast eating and weight change in a 5-year prospective analysis of adolescents: project EAT (Eating Among Teens) Pediatrics 2008;121:e638-645
• de Castro JM. The time of day of food intake influences overall intake in humans. Journal of Nutrition 2004 134:104-111
• Klem, M. L., Wing, R. R., McGuire, M. T., Seagle, H. M., Hill, J. O. (1997) A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss. Am J Clin Nutr. 239–246

Breakfast is the first chance the body has to refuel after 10-12 hours without food.  Glucose or blood sugar levels are at it’s lowest in the morning. Glucose is essential for brain function, muscle activity and even the fat burning process. The benefits of a healthy breakfast can be seen in increased energy, mental alertness, a positive attitude, and weight loss.

With very little planning the night before, breakfast can be done quickly in the morning. If traditional oatmeal and eggs aren’t for you, then think of it as the first meal of the day. Some choices maybe leftovers from the night before. A healthy wrap or any other healthy food that you had for dinner is a great choice. Make it simple!
For those that are saying to yourselves “I truly don’t get hungry in the morning”, start out with something small to get your body use to eating in the morning. You’ve taught your body not to want to eat in the morning and now you have to teach it to expect food when you get up. You should increase with small amounts until you are eating a healthy breakfast at the right level for you.

The results you will see from just this one action will pay off with more energetic days and a smile when you look in the mirror!

If you have specific questions for Natasha or would like to know more about her services, email her at natkinson@longevitystudios.com.

In the article, Prof Ian Broom, of the Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology at The Robert Gordon University, discusses the importance to research like this for tackling the growing obesity problem. But then he goes on to say:

… any such drug should be used alongside dietary and lifestyle changes to tackle obesity.

This is the part where I go off on a rant. First, I must state a few clarifications. We definitely need to address the obesity problem in the UK, this country, and as a global health issue. I am not opposed to all drugs. With that being said, I don’t necessarily think the fix to chronic health problems are going to rely on drugs that “trick” the body into anything, because we don’t EVER trick the body. The body usually has a reason for doing what it’s doing, even getting fat.

When you introduce a foreign agent in to the body to shift it where you want it to be, it will go there for a period of time. This shift is only a compensation that moves the body there while the the foreign substance is there. This usually also causes the body to negotiate other resources to manage the foreign substance and keep the body at a state that is not natural for it.

It is pretty amazing to me the results that happen when you take a drug and combine it with dietary and lifestyle changes. You have high blood pressure – you take a high blood pressure pill and combine it with exercise, good nutrition, and stress management and that blood pressure drops. High cholesterol? – take a cholesterol lowering medication and combine it with exercise, good nutrition, and stress management and that cholesterol comes right down. What seems to be the constant here?

What we need to start doing is to look at what we are doing to ourselves and find the etiology of why we have these chronic health issues and address with the appropriate methodologies for the person with the condition and not just the condition.

I welcome an open dialogue on this one. Please let me know what you think about all the “miracle pills” that are looking to be developed to save us from our lives.