Client Testimonial - Sharrann S.

Client Testimonial - Pat T.

Burning Calories While You Sleep

While your body sleeps it’s performing many operations whether you realize it or not. This of course requires energy to be expended thus calories are being burned while you sleep. It’s important to understand how this works so that you can take the proper steps to maximize the amount of calories burned in your sleep.

First off here is how you can determine about how many calories on average you’re burning. During sleep, a person's weight and the number of hours he/she sleeps determine how many calories are burned.

Normally, a person burns about 0.42 calories for every pound in one hour of sleep. For instance, a 150 lb. person burns about 63 calories in one hour. If this person sleeps for eight hours total, he/she burns 504 calories for the whole duration. Just multiply the average rate with every pound of weight and number of hours of sleep. Therefore, the heavier a person is, as well as the longer a person sleeps, the more calories are burned.

Or you can just go to this link and the FitWatch calculator can do the math for ya J

http://www.fitwatch.com/phpscripts/viewexercise.php?descr=sleeping&mets=0.9

Here are some of the factors that contribute to the amount of calories burned during sleep:

MUSCLE MASS

Muscle mass impacts the rate of burning calories. Even while sleeping, a person with greater muscle mass burns more fats and sugar, compared to a person with average muscle mass, or worse, a person with more fats. A single pound of muscle consumes 50 calories for one whole day, while a pound of fat consumes only nine calories.

Metabolism also plays a key role in calorie burning. An active person requires more energy and burns more calories. On the other hand, a person with slower metabolism rate consumes less energy. It is during sleep that a person replenishes what he/she has lost during the day. Because an inactive person does not spend much energy during the day, there is not much energy to replenish when he/she sleeps.

BODY TEMPRATURE

You'll burn more calories --- several extra hundred each night --- while you sleep if you keep your body temperature cooler. When you bundle up in heavy blankets and wear thick pajamas, your body does not have to work to supply natural body heat. Sleeping with a cooler body temperature, sans excess blankets and cozy pajamas, makes your body's thermostat work to provide natural body heat.

LACK OF SLEEP

Substituting exercise for sleep time sounds like it would be an ideal way to lose weight, but it's actually not. Not getting at least seven hours of sleep each night can contribute to extra fat storage. When your body gets fewer than seven hours of sleep, hormones that increase your appetite kick into high gear. This will likely make you eat more than you would if well-rested. In addition to being hungry, your body will also crave carbohydrates and other high-calorie foods.

ALCOHOL

Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages before going to sleep. It slows down your metabolism rate.

So by increasing your awareness of these variables that effect the amount of calories burned in your sleep you can tip the scales in your favor to maximize your results!

Drinking And Exercise

Many of my clients like to have a drink every now and again. Some more than others ;)

When considering alcohol from a dieting standpoint most look straight to the nutritional information. How many calories are there, how many carbs etc?

So what is so detrimental about alcohol to your weight loss even if it’s a low calorie/carb drink?

It has to do with how your body processes alcohol, and the effects that process has on your body and your metabolism.

Slower Recovery

Hard workouts drain the glycogen stores (carbs stored in the liver and muscles) and leave your muscle tissue in need of repair. High levels of alcohol displace the carbs, leaving your stores still 50 percent lower than normal even eight hours later, according to one study.

Added Weight

When you drink, your body, besides having to deal with the surplus of calories, prioritizes metabolizing the alcohol over burning fat and carbs. Alcohol also breaks down amino acids and stores them as fat. It also increases levels of cortisol (a stress hormone), which further encourages fat storage, particularly in your midsection.

Disrupted Sleep

Drinking also disrupts your muscle recovery and performance by sapping your sleep. In a study of 93 men and women, researchers found that alcohol decreased sleep duration and increased wakefulness (particularly in the second half of the night), especially in women, whose sleep time was decreased by more than 30 minutes over the night. Disrupting the sleep cycle can reduce your human growth hormone output (which builds muscle) by as much as 70 percent.

Depleted Water and Nutrients

Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, which can reduce your capacity to absorb nutrients  For every gram of ethanol you take in, you drain out 10 milliliters of urine (that's about 9.5 ounces for two beers). As little as 2 percent dehydration hurts endurance performance. 

Starting Young

Paige always knows it's time to workout when I show up!

She loves hanging out with her mother and I as we train, and plays "trainer's assistant" handing me things, trying to set up the weights, and can't help but try to squeeze a few rounds of boxing in too!

Caffeine

Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant drug in the world, usually ingested in the form of coffee, tea, soft-drinks, and of course energy drinks.

Caffeine is absorbed by the stomach and intestine, and peak blood levels occur about 45 - 60 minutes after ingestion. Once in the blood stream, caffeine causes a number of responses in the body. Caffeine is well known for it’s stimulant effects on the brain, but there are a number of other effects that occur.

Blood pressure, pulse rate, and stomach acid production are increased, fat stores are broken down, and fatty acids are released into the blood stream. These effects can last from a few hours to as long as 12, but within 4 days or so of regular use, the body develops tolerance to many of the effects of caffeine. For example, although caffeine increases blood pressure and pulse in a first time user, a regular user will not experience any significant change.

Because caffeine increases the production of stomach acid it may worsen ulcer symptoms, cause heartburn, or give you that sick feeling in your gut. Insomnia, poor sleep, and anxiety are also side effects of caffeine. Regular evening use of caffeine may, over time, deprive the body of proper sleep, resulting in lack of energy and fatigue.

Abrupt discontinuation of caffeine in a regular user may trigger caffeine withdrawal symptoms. The most common symptoms are headache and fatigue. The headache may begin as soon as 18 hours following the last dose of caffeine. Differences in metabolism, diet, and frequency of caffeine use are some of the factors that can determine how an individual will react to caffeine.

Although caffeine does not appear to significantly alter water balance or body temperature, dehydration is a potential concern because caffeine is a mild diuretic.

Caffeine like anything else should only be used in moderation. If you rely on it on a daily basis to “get through the day” odds are you’re barely reaping any real benefit from it, or have to consistently increase your intake. Your best bet is to use it sparingly. Take a few days off now and again from it. You never want your body to become reliant on any substance to function. Proper diet and exercise will always trump any sort of stimulant whether you are using it for energy, weight loss, or both.  

Antioxidants

People talk about antioxidants a lot but what are they and why should you care?

I am reminded often by my clients how red wine contains antioxidants... I don't know that they know what they are or what they do, but it's their favorite excuse for a glass of wine :)

Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Antioxidants are found in many foods. These include fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry and fish.

Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A

Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, macular degeneration and other diseases. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.

Because they have one or more unpaired electrons, free radicals are highly unstable. They scavenge your body to grab or donate electrons, thereby damaging cells, proteins, and DNA (genetic material).

The same oxidative process is also what causes oils to become rancid, peeled apples to turn brown, and iron to rust.

It is impossible for us to avoid damage by free radicals. Free radicals arise from sources both inside and outside our bodies.

Oxidants that develop from processes within our bodies form as a result of normal aerobic respiration, metabolism, and inflammation. Exogenous free radicals form from environmental factors such as pollution, sunlight, strenuous exercise, X-rays, smoking and alcohol. Our antioxidant systems are not perfect, so as we age, cell parts damaged by oxidation accumulate.

Until more studies are done, it is best to get your antioxidants from a diet rich in fruits and vegetables rather than from supplements. Taking supplements in high doses can be harmful. No single antioxidant alone can protect the body. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements in the same way it regulates medicines. A dietary supplement can be sold with limited or no research on how well it works.

Regular physical exercise enhances the antioxidant defense system and protects against exercise induced free radical damage. This is an important finding because it shows how smart the body is about adapting to the demands of exercise. These changes occur slowly over time and appear to parallel other adaptations to exercise.

On the other hand, intense exercise in untrained individuals overwhelms defenses resulting in increased free radical damage. Thus, the "weekend warrior" who is predominantly sedentary during the week but engages in vigorous bouts of exercise during the weekend may be doing more harm than good. To this end there are many factors which may determine whether exercise induced free radical damage occurs, including degree of conditioning of the athlete, intensity of exercise, and diet.

Although there is little doubt that antioxidants are a necessary component for good health, no one knows if supplements should be taken and, if so, how much. Antioxidants supplements were once thought to be harmless but increasingly we are becoming aware of interactions and potential toxicity. It is interesting to note that, in the normal concentrations found in the body, vitamin C and beta-carotene are antioxidants; but at higher concentrations they are pro-oxidants and, thus, harmful. Also, very little is known about the long term consequences of megadoses of antioxidants. The body's finely tuned mechanisms are carefully balanced to withstand a variety of insults. Taking chemicals without a complete understanding of all of their effects may disrupt this balance.

The Power Of Love & Positive Energy

MIND OVER MATTER

“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease”

Hippocrates (circa 460 – 370BC) Father of western medicine.

You may think that being “healthy” means that you are not sick, but being healthy is far more than that. If you feel okay, or average, or nothing much at all, you are not healthy.

Remember what you felt like as a little kid? Bursting with energy every day? When you were a child your body felt light, flexible, and moving was effortless.

Children’s minds are clear, happy, free of worry and stress. They sleep deeply, and peacefully every night and wake up feeling refreshed and recharged. Look at a little kid and you’ll see what healthy is… you’ll be looking at the way you should STILL feel regardless of your age. It’s that peace of mind that creates that health inside them.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”

King Solomon (circa 10^th century BC)

What you think in your heart is what you believe to be true, and then THAT becomes your reality. Beliefs are simply repeated thoughts with strong feelings attached to them. When you say things like “I catch colds easily”, “I have a sensitive stomach”, “I can’t lose weight”, “I’m a weakling”, “I’m a wuss” these are all beliefs not facts. You make them real by constantly reinforcing these beliefs in your own mind and heart.

Whatever you believe and feel is true WILL be true for you, whether the beliefs hurt or help you. Whatever beliefs you give out you will receive back in turn.

You have so much more control over your body, and your own destiny than you realize or give yourself credit for. Knowing this… why not use this power to your advantage rather than perpetuate the negatives in your life?

People tend to fear illness and disease more than they appreciate the good health they have. So much of their energy is focused on the negative that it’s all they’ll notice, and will always feel sick, tired, slow or whatever they believe about themselves. Whereas if they took notice of the times they were healthy and gave love and appreciation for it, focused on the positive, shared it with others, they’d find themselves in a healthier state more consistently for longer periods of time.

THE PLACEBO EFFECT

The placebo effect in medicine is proof of the power of belief. One group of patients will be given real medicine or treatment of some kind, and another group will be given the placebo. A sugar pill or fake treatment. Neither is told who has which. The group that gets the placebo often experiences significant improvements and the reduction or even complete disappearance of symptoms. The mere power of suggestion reinforced by genuine belief told their bodies to make the appropriate changes they were looking for. The sugar pill was merely a physical representation of it all. Something for you to label as the cause for the effect… when in reality your own thoughts and feelings were the cause.

Your feelings saturate every cell and organ in your body. When you feel good you receive the full force of health through your body. When you have bad feelings, the tension causes your nerves and cells to contract, the vital chemical production in your body changes, your blood vessels contract, and your breathing becomes shallow, all of which reduces the health in your organs and your entire body. These are all legitimate physical changes that take place in your body based entirely on your feelings.

Disease is simply the result of a body’s not being at ease over a long period of time, because of negative feelings like stress, worry, and fear. This is why I’ll make mention to my clients when I think it sounds like they’re overwhelmed or baring too much stress in their lives. It’s affecting their ability not only to be healthy but to achieve the goals we’ve set.

“Your emotions affect every cell in your body. Mind and body, mental and physical, are intertwined”

Thomas Culko (B. 1931) - Sports Psychologist and Author

Focusing on the negatives of yourself simply keeps you locked in a state that will perpetuate more negative feelings about yourself. It’s up to YOU to break the cycle.

Love and appreciate the parts of you that you are both physically/emotionally happy with and ignore the rest. Don’t give the rest the attention of negativity. You’re only giving more power to the enemy. You’re fueling the negative fire.

Many people have been able to create illness in themselves by simply fearing the possibility of illness. Their body then reacts by creating the symptoms of the illness they fear. This is using your own power against yourself. Now throw it in reverse and you can feel as healthy and great as you can imagine!

“Face towards the perfect image of every organ, and the shadows of disease will never touch you”

Robert Collier (1885-1950)

New Thought Author

Scientists at the Institute of HeartMath in California have shown that feeling love, gratitude, and appreciation in your heart boosts your immune system ; increases vital chemical production; increases physical vitality and vigor; reduces stress hormone levels, high blood pressure, anxiety, guilt, and burnout; and improves glucose regulation in diabetics. It also creates a more harmonious rhythm of your heart. HeartMath has shown that the magnetic field of the heart is 5,000 times more powerful than the magnetic field of the brain, and reaches out several feet from the body.

Now soak all that up for a second…

Look at how much there is to be gained by merely focusing on love, and all the positives in your life. Whatever they may be, or however small they may seem, taking the few minutes in the cracks of your day to merely acknowledge the good in your life keeps your mood up. You can’t be thinking positively and negatively at the same time. It’s one or the other. So the more you make a conscious effort to focus on the positives, not only will you feel better emotionally, but your body will follow suit! What a fantastic tool to have with you the rest of your life, and it will never cost you anything. Merely a few moments of your day, and aren’t those few moments worth the unending rewards?

WATER

In recent years scientists have done extensive research revolutionizing our understanding of the effects of love/positive energy on our health through experiments with water. What does water have to do with your health? Well let’s start with the fact that your body is made up of 70% water, and your head is 80% water! You’re more water than anything else!

Researchers in Russia, Japan, Europe, and the United States have discovered when water is exposed to positive words and feelings such as love and gratitude, the energy level of the water not only increases but the structure of the water physically changes making it perfectly harmonious.

Equally when water is exposed to negative emotions such as hate, the energy level of the water decreases and chaotic changes occur, negatively affecting the structure of the water.

I’ve always compared this to the pink “mood slime” in Ghostbusters 2.

So, if human emotions can affect the structure of water, and your body is 70% water, imagine what your feelings do to the health of your body! Think of the power and control one can have over themselves if they make the conscious effort to do so.

The center of every one of your cells in your body is water, surrounded by another layer of water. Your negative/positive energy is affecting around 100 TRILLION of these cells in your body. This knowledge is being used as legitimate treatment from everything from Cancer to MS and so much more. You can use this knowledge to create a better YOU in whatever way you can imagine. So long as the feelings are positive, and most importantly genuine. You have to BELIEVE in the positives.

This may take more practice for some than others. But if you are making a consistent conscious effort to focus on the positive in everything in your life no matter how small, you will have no choice but to start feeling more positively all around.

Whether you take a moment to appreciate your love of your family, the roof over your head, the car you drive, running water, electricity, a beautiful day… ANYTHING! Each day make a list of 10 things/people/places that you LOVE! Even if it’s the same list everyday just simply going through the motions of it is enough to have spent at least that much time filling your mind with positive energy.  Just giving out that positive love and appreciation will affect you both mentally AND physically!

“Think of love as if it were water in a glass, and the glass is your body. When a glass has only a little water in it, it is empty of water. You can’t change the water level in the glass by waging war on the emptiness and trying to rip out the emptiness. When you have bad feelings you are empty of love, and so when you put love into yourself the bad feelings are gone.”

Rhonda Byrne – Author

So rather than trying to eliminate the negatives by focusing on them you merely eliminate them by focusing on the positives… leaving no room for the negatives to exist.

Think about all of this. Try it. Put it into practice. Nothing bad ever came of being positive… and that right there says something.

“Love draws forth love”

St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Nun, Mystic, & Writer

CONGRATULATIONS JULIE!!!

I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Julie Zavala who after recently taking 2^nd place in her very first bodybuilding competition will now be heading off to Arkansas for 2 years to get her Masters Degree and will be a Graduate Assistant Coach at Arkansas State University for the Women’s Soccer Team!!!

This is a fantastic opportunity for her and I’m very excited for and proud of her!

There truly are no limits to what she (or anyone else for that matter) can do!

Good luck Julie… We all know you’ll do great!!!

Optimum Nutrition's "Whey Crisp Bar"

One common obstacle many people dieting face is the need for something either sweet, crunchy, or both. 

Well Optimum Nutrition recently started releasing their new "Whey Crisp Bar". I love 'em.

There are currently two flavors. "Marshmallow Treat" which tastes like a Rice Krispie Treat or " Double Rich Chocolate" which tastes to me like a Kudos Bar. They're sweet and crunchy. I've found them to be good mid-afternoon Meal 4 snacks to give you that last boost you need to make it through the home stretch of the rest of your day.

The nutritional information is as follows:

Box of 12 Marshmellow Treat

Serving Size: 1 Bar (70g)
Servings Per Container: 12

Amount Per Serving	Amt	%DV
Calories	250
Calories from Fat	25
Total Fat	2.5g	4%
Saturated Fat	1.5g	8%
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	30mg	10%
Sodium	75mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate	34g	11%
Dietary Fiber	1g	4%
Sugars	7g
Protein	25g
Vitamin A		0%
Vitamin C		0%
Calcium		25%
Iron		6%
* % Daily Value is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower based on your calorie needs. † Daily Value (DV) not established.

Box of 12 Double Rich Chocolate

Serving Size: 1 Bar (70g)

Servings Per Container: 12

Amount Per Serving	Amt	%DV
Calories	260
Calories from Fat	40
Total Fat	4.5g	7%
Saturated Fat	2g	10%
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	30mg	10%
Sodium	100mg	4%
Total Carbohydrate	34g	11%
Dietary Fiber	1g	4%
Sugars	6g
Protein	25g
Vitamin A		0%
Vitamin C		0%
Calcium		25%
Iron		8%
* % Daily Value is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower based on your calorie needs. † Daily Value (DV) not established.

http://www.optimumnutrition.com/products/100-whey-crisp-bar-p-272.html

The Importance Of Fiber

Fiber is the part of plant-based foods that our bodies actually can’t digest. It just passes right through our digestive tract without providing any nutrition or calories, and yet it’s incredibly important to your health.

Now we all know that fiber helps keep you “regular”, but it also binds to carcinogens in our intestines and moves them through your colon much faster reducing your risk for colon cancer. It also moves cholesterol out of your body reducing your risk for heart disease. All this AND it helps move fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.

Fiber can be a great tool for those who suffer from overeating. Foods rich in fiber slow down your rate of digestion making you feel “full” longer.

Most foods high in protein like meat and dairy products contain no fiber, and refined grains are stripped of most of their fiber. This is why high protein/zero carb diets can leave you feeling "bound up". Fruits, some vegetables, brown rice, and whole grains (wheat, oats, barley) are all fiber rich foods.

Supplements like Benefiber can be used as well to get your fiber levels up to their optimum levels.

White rice, sugary breakfast cereals, and white bread having been stripped of most of their fiber nutrients, turn into glucose so fast they can cause a spike in insulin levels. There are a few problems with this…

Such a spike tells your body that it has plenty of energy readily available and that there’s no need to burn fat, and stores it instead. Inevitably your insulin then drops leaving you feeling tired, and hungry specifically craving foods high in sugar content. No good! This can start a vicious cycle that can lead to significant weight gain as well as other health issues.

Therefore, eating foods with plenty of fiber maintains a more consistent blood sugar level in your body.

So how much fiber is recommended?

Women
25 grams per day, for women younger than 50
21 grams per day, for women older than 50

Men
38 grams per day, for men younger than 50
30 grams per day, for men older than 50

Some will find that added fiber will constipate them having the opposite effect of what you’re intending it for. This is more often than not due to lack of water. Lots of fluids are needed to push that fiber (and everything else for that matter) through your system. 

Sugar Cravings

What Causes Sugar Cravings?

Sugar cravings can come from both physical and mental causes.

Sugar is a source of energy for your body. So when it needs energy it produces adrenaline. The adrenaline calls for sugar to fuel it. Lack of energy isn’t the only trigger for adrenaline to be produced though. Stress will set your body off to produce it as well. It’s a survival mechanism. Just like if you were being chased by a bear!

Daily stresses such as difficulties at work, home, personal life etc. will trigger lower but constant adrenaline levels thus causing a craving for sweets. This is one reason why sugary foods can be such a “comfort” when you’re feeling stressed or down.

This can also leads to a mental association with sugar and feeling “better”. So, even if your body doesn’t require sugar on a physical/chemical level your brain associates it as a solution to your mood and thus triggers your desire for it.

Another reason sugar can have such a relieving feeling is that it increases endorphin levels in your brain which has a pain relieving effect making you feel good. Sugar cravings are associated with premenstrual syndrome on account of the drop in endorphins that a woman experiences during this time, thus their craving for sugar kicks in.

Imbalances in a person’s serotonin levels can also play a major part in sugar cravings as serotonin has a large impact on your mood.

As much as sugar can provide you energy… once you have burned through it, or if you overindulge in it and saturate yourself with it, you will face an inevitable “crash” and feel suddenly very tired and lethargic.

So how much sugar should you have?

The general ratio for someone on a 2000 calorie a day diet shouldn’t exceed more than 40g of sugar in a day. If you want to get more specific about it… As per the latest details from the American Heart Association (AHA), the recommended daily sugar intake, that is healthy and not harmful for the body, has been established for men, women and children:

• Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Men: 36 grams
• Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Women: 20 grams
• Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Children: 12 grams

Now don’t freak out! I know that seems low, and you’re saying… “Tommy! A piece of fruit has more than that!” This is true. When recommendations for “sugar” intake are made in this scenario it refers to what are called “added sugars” or “white sugar”. These are sugars found in cereal, peanut butter, anything but fruits or vegetables really.  A recent finding shows that even ONE slice of whole wheat bread has about 5 grams of added sugar. That means if a woman eats a slice of whole-wheat bread, she has accomplished 1/4 of her recommended daily sugar intake.

So what do you do about it?

Well there are several basic steps one can take to try and control one’s sugar intake in spite of their cravings.

Protein

Now this isn’t just me getting on my protein “soap box”, but often your body will exhibit cravings for sweets when what it really needs is protein. So, keeping a high protein diet will help limit your sugar cravings.

Fruits

If you find yourself craving sugar go for fruit. The sugars in fruits are not the same as sugar found in candy, or baked goods known as “white sugar”. It processes differently in your body, aids in digestion, carries nutrients in them unlike the empty calories of white sugar, and they are sweet! Do they contain sugar? Yes, but these are “free” sugars. These don’t get counted against you. Besides, if you’re going to have sugar at least get something out of it!

Timing

Try to hold off on foods with significant sugar levels in them until later in the day around the late afternoon or early evening. The reason being, if you start your morning off with say a sugary cereal it will stimulate sugar cravings throughout the day.

Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners have been known to increase your cravings for sweets. So while they may fill a void temporarily they may ultimately be digging you a deeper hole you’ll inevitably fill with a binge of bad sugars.

Meal Frequency

Meal frequency helps not only maintain a higher metabolic fat burning level in your body, but also helps regulate consistent blood sugar levels. This way you are less likely to find yourself with a drop in sugar levels leaving you with an insatiable desire for sweets. Yet another good reason to eat multiple well balanced meals throughout your day.

So, keep an eye on those sugar levels, maintain your meal frequency, keep your protein up, and you should find yourself having fewer, and more controlled sugar cravings. Thus resulting in weight loss, and a healthier you!