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With Super Bowl Sunday is tomorrow, the time is now to start prepping for the smorgasbord of goodies for your football party. However, why not make a couple tweaks to some of your favorite party food recipes to make them healthier and more figure-friendly come kickoff?
The following is a comprehensive list of both approved food choices and/or healthier substitutes for traditional party foods. Use this list to satisfy your taste buds while saving at least hundreds if not thousands of calories in the process. If you use these strategies consistently for parties and social gatherings over the course of the year, this could prevent 5-10 lbs of fat gain… easily! Yes I said it 5-10 extra pounds equates to frustration and disappointment. Proper planning prevents poor performance. As well as remember the definition of insanity: doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result.
Section I- Appetizers
• Naked Sandwiches (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Thin Crust Whole Grain Pizza
• Fruit Salad (throw low carb whipped cream and dash of splenda/stevia on top as desired)
• Super Salad Bowl (use unlimited veggies and meats, dip dressing on the side or use low calorie substitutes)
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Tuna or Chicken Salad
• Nut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Cheese, Eggs, and Meat Tray
• Caprese Salad
• Raw Veggies (use dip sparingly)
• Grilled/Sauteed Veggies (use extra virgin olive or coconut oil)
• Figure-Friendly Nachos (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, cheese, salsa, and guac)
• Buffalo Chicken Bites (skinless, no breading, use low calorie buffalo sauce sparingly)
• Pasta Salad (use whole grain pasta and go easy on the dressings, choosing marina based sauces over creamier versions)
Section II- Accessories
• Natural Whole Grain Tortillas
• Natural Baked Chips
• Natural Cheetohs
• Diet Lipton Green Teas (or other low calorie/carb beverages)
• Water
• Natural Salsa
• Guacamole
• Salad Dressings: Vinegars of choice (apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
• Other Low Calorie Condiments of Choice: mustard, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.
Section III- Main Courses
• Lettuce Burgers (use extra lean sirloin or bison, preferably bun-less only using whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Rotisserie Chicken (choose “plain” and remove skin and dab off any grease as needed with paper towel)
• Extra Lean Kosher Hot Dogs (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Chili (preferably bean-less, only use if absolutely needed and feel free to swap extra lean turkey for the beef version to cut down fat intake)
• Pizza (see “appetizers” above or use whole grain/thin crust options from restaurants or frozen food isles)
Section IV- Desserts
• Edy’s Grand Light Ice Cream
• Prograde Cravers (100% organic chocolate snacks bars)
• Larabars
• Cocoa Via Bars or Packs
• Low Carb Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory
• Protein Cookies (swap in protein powder for flour)
BONUS- Top 10 Tips to Save Thousands of Calories on Super Bowl Sunday
1.) Go Naked (not literally but figuratively): Replace all buns or breading for sandwiches with a lettuce wrap alternative to cut calories, stabilize blood sugar, and boost fiber and micronutrient intake.
2.) Hydrate: Drink at least two to four cups of water before eating AND one to two cups every 15-30 minutes after you start eating to fill your stomach and prevent overeating that can be triggers by dehydration. Or better yet if some of you have to have that beer, do the A/B. Drink a beer and then the next beverage that you pick up has to be water.
3.) Eliminate Empty Liquid Calories: Have a game plan like your favorite team, or one of the teams that you are routing for. Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. I know you are probably like “yeah whatever” so option 2 is: plan to only drink a certain amount of empty calorie liquids before you arrive or everyone else arrives to your party. Opt for water, tea, or low calorie/carb beverages in moderation to leave more room for whole food choices that have more nutritional value and better fill you up.
4.) Do not fast in preparation for a feast as it will turn your body into a famished fat-storing machine the next time you eat. The resulting low blood sugar levels that come from not eating for four hours or more make you crave junk foods high in both fat and refined sugars. (MESSAGE!!!!!)
5.) Replace All White with Brown (Or Better Yet... Green!): Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta). Whole grains have more vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber which means they won’t have as negative of an impact on your blood sugar compared to its white counterparts. However, if you want to be a nutritional boy or girl scout, go one step further by replacing all brown with green in the form of green veggies (see “Go Naked” above).
6.) Focus on eating lean proteins and fruits and veggies first. Use these in unlimited amounts as needed to fill you up and best prevent the typical party “killshot” of high carb and high fat meals (e.g. thick crust pizza with extra full-fat cheese).
7.) Never eat directly out of the bag or community bowl and use smaller plates to put your food on while limiting yourself to a pre-set plate total (e.g. four plate maximum during a three-hour football game). (Another proper planning strategy to cut off those 5-10 lbs).
8.) Replace Gold With Green: Opt for guacamole over cheese for your salads and chips. Guacamole is not only low in saturated fat and high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats but it also has a ton of fiber that will help fill you up fast and prevent overeating. Though cheese is a true super food in moderation, it is very easy to overeat especially when mixed with refined carb sources like white chips and pizza.
9.) Replace Flour with Protein Powder: Few people know that protein powder makes a great cooking or baking substitute for flour (e.g. protein cookies). By adding protein and reducing carb intake you will boost metabolism.
10.) 20 Chews: Eat slowly and require a certain number of chews before you swallow to allow your brain enough time to get the “I’m full” signal (e.g. 20 pre-swallow chews).
Boot Camp and Personal Trainer in Charlotte, NC
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
How To Build The Ultimate Circuit Training Workout For Rapid Fat Loss
In the past, the cornerstone of most resistance training workouts has been performing exercises in a straight set format. Essentially, this means you perform a certain number of reps for a given exercise or you perform as many reps as possible for a given exercise and then you rest anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes based on your training goals before repeating this set a certain number of times based on your goals. For more of a fat loss and lean muscle gain emphasis shorter rest periods are ideal. For more of a strength or power emphasis, longer rest periods are prescribed.
So, what’s the problem with this format? Well, though straight sets are extremely easy to comprehend for people new to fitness, they are also an extremely inefficient way to order your exercises. In most commercial gyms you’ll typically see someone perform three sets of 10 reps for let’s say the bench press. They pump out 10 reps, go to the water fountain, talk with some buddies, watch a couple of highlights on ESPN, and then gingerly walk back to the bench area-answer their phone (which I never really understood who in the heck can be that important to carry their phone in a gym to workout) then hit up their second set. In general, most people, guys in particular, tend to take about 3-5 minutes between sets. In the case of three sets of 10 on the bench that means it would take up to 15 minutes to complete only one movement pattern (a bench push). That means you’d need at least in hour to perform four different exercises!
Truthfully, I hate working out! I wish there was a better way to keeping the weight off and looking good naked; however, the man upstairs didn't design us that way. So with that said, a much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program. There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:
1.) Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges)
2.) Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges)
3.) Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises
Though supersets and trisets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option time and time again. To demonstrate why, let’s examine my favorite circuit training template using timed set intervals:
The 50-10 or 5:1 ratio Five Exercise Circuit: You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for all five exercises in the following 5-minute circuit:
Exercise#1- Squats
Exercise#2- Dips
Exercise#3- Single-Leg Hip Extensions
Exercise#4- Pull-ups
Exercise#5- Leg Raises
Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.
Basically, in the same 15 minutes that it took to get in three sets on the bench you could have gotten in three sets of five different exercise for a staggering total of 15 work sets! Plus, the intensity on each exercise will be just as high as in the straight set format because in this five exercise circuit you will have full recovery with over four minutes before you return to any given exercise (just as you did with the straight set format described earlier).
To recap, the key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain. Use the following template I use with my many boot camp clients for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:
Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core
If you liked the sample circuit workout and have more questions as to how this type of workout gives you the best results in the short amount of time, then come to our Xtreme Makeover Boot Camps in upcoming weeks to come.
It's A Process!
A. Lamail Spain
Boot Camp in Charlotte, NC
So, what’s the problem with this format? Well, though straight sets are extremely easy to comprehend for people new to fitness, they are also an extremely inefficient way to order your exercises. In most commercial gyms you’ll typically see someone perform three sets of 10 reps for let’s say the bench press. They pump out 10 reps, go to the water fountain, talk with some buddies, watch a couple of highlights on ESPN, and then gingerly walk back to the bench area-answer their phone (which I never really understood who in the heck can be that important to carry their phone in a gym to workout) then hit up their second set. In general, most people, guys in particular, tend to take about 3-5 minutes between sets. In the case of three sets of 10 on the bench that means it would take up to 15 minutes to complete only one movement pattern (a bench push). That means you’d need at least in hour to perform four different exercises!
Truthfully, I hate working out! I wish there was a better way to keeping the weight off and looking good naked; however, the man upstairs didn't design us that way. So with that said, a much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program. There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:
1.) Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges)
2.) Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges)
3.) Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises
Though supersets and trisets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option time and time again. To demonstrate why, let’s examine my favorite circuit training template using timed set intervals:
The 50-10 or 5:1 ratio Five Exercise Circuit: You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for all five exercises in the following 5-minute circuit:
Exercise#1- Squats
Exercise#2- Dips
Exercise#3- Single-Leg Hip Extensions
Exercise#4- Pull-ups
Exercise#5- Leg Raises
Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.
Basically, in the same 15 minutes that it took to get in three sets on the bench you could have gotten in three sets of five different exercise for a staggering total of 15 work sets! Plus, the intensity on each exercise will be just as high as in the straight set format because in this five exercise circuit you will have full recovery with over four minutes before you return to any given exercise (just as you did with the straight set format described earlier).
To recap, the key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain. Use the following template I use with my many boot camp clients for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:
Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core
If you liked the sample circuit workout and have more questions as to how this type of workout gives you the best results in the short amount of time, then come to our Xtreme Makeover Boot Camps in upcoming weeks to come.
It's A Process!
A. Lamail Spain
Boot Camp in Charlotte, NC
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Alpha II Omega Explains How to Turn Your New Years Resolutions Into Results
Over the last several years, I have helped countless people maximize their overall health, performance, and body composition faster than ever before. Put bluntly, I know how to help people lose ugly, unwanted body fat faster than most people can fathom. Now, make no mistake about it, a big reason for this is because our integrated rapid fat loss training and nutrition system is second to none. I have done the countless hours of research and trial and error and I have had hundreds of people as real world case studies to prove that our system flat out works. A sidebar to this is that I am not only the trainer but I too have used the same techniques and strategies on myself as well to lose the weight and keep it off!
But, today I am going to share something more powerful; something that must be set in place before you can even start to think about following a fitness program.
So, let’s just get right to it. What do you think is the real secret behind my client success?
Well, if your answer was my aforementioned training and nutrition system, then your answer is wrong. Yep, it’s an incredible program, but unfortunately it’s useless if someone is unwilling to start it AND stick to it, right? So, it appears that the most important component of changing your body is finding the motivation to achieve your goals, and that’s the main focus of this article today. I am going to literally walk you through the initial consult and three step goal setting process that each one of my clients undergoes before they start working with us. This is so important to weight loss success that I now require it for any new client to be considered for joining our program.
Before I get into this goal setting process, I just need to get something off of my chest. I know a lot of people think goal setting is just a cheesy, useless thing. Unfortunately, these people just don’t get it and frankly if you are one of those people, please do us both a favor and stop reading this article and go buy another useless weight loss book or pill because I simply cannot do anything for you. I can only help people who want to learn. I simply cannot help people who already think they know it all and think they are too good to take some time to figure out what the hell it is that they actually want to accomplish. The bottom line is that the most successful people out there, and I mean not just weight loss success, I am talking business, lifestyle, etc., are shamelessly goal driven. They know exactly why they want to do something and harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to teach you how to do today, so let’s get to it!
Step One- The Why: Why do you want to do this?
This is where it’s time to get real. In almost every initial consult I do, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:
“Well, I just want to get healthy and lose weight I guess.”
Nope, I don’t buy it. Sure, I know they want to lose weight and be healthy, I mean who doesn’t, but really WHY do they want to do this? I mean, what is it that’s going to get them up at 5 am to get their morning workouts in or take a couple of hours on Sunday to plan and prepare their meals for the upcoming week? It sure isn’t “being healthy” because for some reason this just isn’t a very powerful motivator for most people (though it should be).
Let’s face it: everybody, including YOU, wants to look better naked. Stop giggling, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay because the desire to improve one’s appearance is the most powerful motivator there is. This shouldn’t be such a big surprise since the main life mission of humans, or any species for that matter, is to procreate. This is instinctual. And obviously, looking better makes this more of a reality.
So, after a little digging, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; I find their past or pain and then establish their current and future ambitions. Some people want to be able to mow the lawn in the summer with their shirt off and not feel self-conscious. Others want to get back into their favorite pair of pants that they haven’t been able to get one leg into for the last five years. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships and/or put for their best image at work. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines. Wanting to get as lean and tight as possible to rock that dream bathing suit in Argentina, or get off the plane in Texas when visiting family you haven’t seen in two years to blow them away with your new body, or being a classic beauty in your wedding dress on the big day, it all works! This is the stuff that gets people jacked up and ready to commit to making some real changes. How do I know? Well, I just shared with you verbatim the exact “WHY’S” of some of my own clients.
So, the first thing you have to figure out is your personal WHY. To make this even simpler for you, just answer this question: what are your physical dreams? Once you establish this, everything else is easy baby.
Step Two- The What and When: What do you want to accomplish and when do you want to accomplish it by?
So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look better and maximize your sexy! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this subjective dream.
Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three major ways I track “look better” progress with my clients, in order of importance from least to most important:
1.)Scale Weight: This is by far the least important goal, but it gives a number that’s worth tracking. Though body fat percentage would be a much better method of tracking progress, it is simply too inaccurate on a small scale and too costly on a large scale. The key is to taking your initial weight before you start and then not weighing more than every 2 weeks. I have found most people to do better with tracking their weight every month. There are simply too many variables for controlling your body weight and the natural fluctuations based on diet (and for women, their menstrual cycle), means the less frequently you do this the better. If the scale is just too de-motivating for you in general, then just skip this one altogether if you must, because the next two markers are far more important.
2.)Dress/Pant Size: This is probably the most simple and effective unused method of tracking whether or not you look better. I think it’s safe to say that if you are dropping dress and/or pant sizes that you will be looking better, right? Your best bet is to also select one dress or one pair of pants that you really want to get into since that is the true end goal in mind. I tell my clients to assess how they are fitting in their preferred dress/pant size tracker on a weekly or bi-weekly basis since our clients that follow our program exactly as outlined typically lose a dress and/or pant size every month (until they get to their ideal dimensions). For those of you would want to argue that every outfitter has different sizes, well that’s a mute point if you use the same pant or dress size to track. There’s nothing more powerful than being to literally being able to feel yourself comfortably get into clothes that use almost rip when you put on.
3.)Digital Pictures: Pictures don’t lie, that’s the bottom line. If you want to look better, what better way is there to assess this than pictures? I cannot begin to tell you how important this is. Taking a before picture is essentially you telling the whole world that you are ready to change and that you are ready to do whatever it takes to make those changes. They key is take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Now, don’t be sending me nude pictures of yourself, ha (though you can keep these for yourself to track if you’d like). Maybe it’s taking pictures of you in the dress or pair of pants that you are using to track your dress or pant size. Or maybe it’s a sleeveless shirt and tank top that you want to wear during the summer. And if you want to see your abs, then you best believe that you need to take pictures of your abs to track how much more definition you get. Take a front, side, and rear view picture and be sure to note the exact conditions in which the picture was taken (lighting, distance from camera, time of day/week, etc.) to be as accurate as possible in your assessment. The clients whom failed to take before pictures in the past have nothing but regret about it. Your before pictures will become your trophy and they are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count. We tell our clients to take new pictures either bi-weekly or monthly until they reach their goal(s).
Step Three- Planning and Preparing for Roadblocks: What are the big obstacles that will prevent you from having the success you desire? What’s contributed most to past failures?
Now that we know what you want to accomplish, it’s time to plan and prepare for any obstacles that might get in your way of getting the job done based on your own personal schedule.
In general, the number one thing I hear is that people are too busy and tired and don’t have enough time to get their workouts in or make their meals. Well, I don’t care how busy you think you are, there is always hidden time throughout the day and week that can be freed up if your re-prioritize. Again, think back to why you wanted to do this in the first place and then examine what’s most important to you. Make your workouts and your meal times just like work appointments. Either you make the appointment or you don’t. And if you want to keep your job (or get your dream body) then you better make that appointment.
Another big obstacle is alcohol. People like to drink and unfortunately alcohol is about as detrimental to burning fat as it gets. Again, what’s more important to you, looking sexy or getting hammered. The choice is yours. Remember, once you achieve your goal(s), alcohol can be added back in with moderation. But know this, lean people just don’t get wasted unless they are genetic freaks. Low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and that’s a fact.
Lastly, many people deal with boredom eating or emotional eating. Boredom eating means just that, eating to fill up dead time when you have nothing better to do. The best way to deal with this is, you guessed it, to do something! Find an active hobby to keep your mind off of eating when boredom strikes and you can beat this trend. Emotional eating describes the use of food to cope with stress or to reward for accomplishment. Food is not unlike drugs or alcohol in this regard, it can be very addictive. There is no quick fix for emotional eating other than avoiding trigger situations (bars, parties, etc.) and trigger foods (starches, sugars, fast food, etc.) in the short term to break bad habits.
At the end of the day, whether your roadblocks are very individual or if they fall in line with the general roadblocks our clients encounter on a regular basis, the key is to be honest about them and to plan and prepare for them. And that’s where social support and accountability come into play. The clients who have had the most success with us have undergone their transformation with the support of other friends or family members. This is so critical, especially since most of the poor food and drinking choices that sabotage one’s progress occur on the weekend, when most people hang out with their friend and family. If they are committed with you and your goal to get fit and look better, you can put yourself in a much better position to realize the success your desire and deserve. The last thing anybody needs is sabotage or peer pressure from those closest to you, so get them on board and get them on board early.
Personal Trainer and Boot Camps in Charlotte, NC
But, today I am going to share something more powerful; something that must be set in place before you can even start to think about following a fitness program.
So, let’s just get right to it. What do you think is the real secret behind my client success?
Well, if your answer was my aforementioned training and nutrition system, then your answer is wrong. Yep, it’s an incredible program, but unfortunately it’s useless if someone is unwilling to start it AND stick to it, right? So, it appears that the most important component of changing your body is finding the motivation to achieve your goals, and that’s the main focus of this article today. I am going to literally walk you through the initial consult and three step goal setting process that each one of my clients undergoes before they start working with us. This is so important to weight loss success that I now require it for any new client to be considered for joining our program.
Before I get into this goal setting process, I just need to get something off of my chest. I know a lot of people think goal setting is just a cheesy, useless thing. Unfortunately, these people just don’t get it and frankly if you are one of those people, please do us both a favor and stop reading this article and go buy another useless weight loss book or pill because I simply cannot do anything for you. I can only help people who want to learn. I simply cannot help people who already think they know it all and think they are too good to take some time to figure out what the hell it is that they actually want to accomplish. The bottom line is that the most successful people out there, and I mean not just weight loss success, I am talking business, lifestyle, etc., are shamelessly goal driven. They know exactly why they want to do something and harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to teach you how to do today, so let’s get to it!
Step One- The Why: Why do you want to do this?
This is where it’s time to get real. In almost every initial consult I do, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:
“Well, I just want to get healthy and lose weight I guess.”
Nope, I don’t buy it. Sure, I know they want to lose weight and be healthy, I mean who doesn’t, but really WHY do they want to do this? I mean, what is it that’s going to get them up at 5 am to get their morning workouts in or take a couple of hours on Sunday to plan and prepare their meals for the upcoming week? It sure isn’t “being healthy” because for some reason this just isn’t a very powerful motivator for most people (though it should be).
Let’s face it: everybody, including YOU, wants to look better naked. Stop giggling, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay because the desire to improve one’s appearance is the most powerful motivator there is. This shouldn’t be such a big surprise since the main life mission of humans, or any species for that matter, is to procreate. This is instinctual. And obviously, looking better makes this more of a reality.
So, after a little digging, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; I find their past or pain and then establish their current and future ambitions. Some people want to be able to mow the lawn in the summer with their shirt off and not feel self-conscious. Others want to get back into their favorite pair of pants that they haven’t been able to get one leg into for the last five years. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships and/or put for their best image at work. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines. Wanting to get as lean and tight as possible to rock that dream bathing suit in Argentina, or get off the plane in Texas when visiting family you haven’t seen in two years to blow them away with your new body, or being a classic beauty in your wedding dress on the big day, it all works! This is the stuff that gets people jacked up and ready to commit to making some real changes. How do I know? Well, I just shared with you verbatim the exact “WHY’S” of some of my own clients.
So, the first thing you have to figure out is your personal WHY. To make this even simpler for you, just answer this question: what are your physical dreams? Once you establish this, everything else is easy baby.
Step Two- The What and When: What do you want to accomplish and when do you want to accomplish it by?
So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look better and maximize your sexy! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this subjective dream.
Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three major ways I track “look better” progress with my clients, in order of importance from least to most important:
1.)Scale Weight: This is by far the least important goal, but it gives a number that’s worth tracking. Though body fat percentage would be a much better method of tracking progress, it is simply too inaccurate on a small scale and too costly on a large scale. The key is to taking your initial weight before you start and then not weighing more than every 2 weeks. I have found most people to do better with tracking their weight every month. There are simply too many variables for controlling your body weight and the natural fluctuations based on diet (and for women, their menstrual cycle), means the less frequently you do this the better. If the scale is just too de-motivating for you in general, then just skip this one altogether if you must, because the next two markers are far more important.
2.)Dress/Pant Size: This is probably the most simple and effective unused method of tracking whether or not you look better. I think it’s safe to say that if you are dropping dress and/or pant sizes that you will be looking better, right? Your best bet is to also select one dress or one pair of pants that you really want to get into since that is the true end goal in mind. I tell my clients to assess how they are fitting in their preferred dress/pant size tracker on a weekly or bi-weekly basis since our clients that follow our program exactly as outlined typically lose a dress and/or pant size every month (until they get to their ideal dimensions). For those of you would want to argue that every outfitter has different sizes, well that’s a mute point if you use the same pant or dress size to track. There’s nothing more powerful than being to literally being able to feel yourself comfortably get into clothes that use almost rip when you put on.
3.)Digital Pictures: Pictures don’t lie, that’s the bottom line. If you want to look better, what better way is there to assess this than pictures? I cannot begin to tell you how important this is. Taking a before picture is essentially you telling the whole world that you are ready to change and that you are ready to do whatever it takes to make those changes. They key is take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Now, don’t be sending me nude pictures of yourself, ha (though you can keep these for yourself to track if you’d like). Maybe it’s taking pictures of you in the dress or pair of pants that you are using to track your dress or pant size. Or maybe it’s a sleeveless shirt and tank top that you want to wear during the summer. And if you want to see your abs, then you best believe that you need to take pictures of your abs to track how much more definition you get. Take a front, side, and rear view picture and be sure to note the exact conditions in which the picture was taken (lighting, distance from camera, time of day/week, etc.) to be as accurate as possible in your assessment. The clients whom failed to take before pictures in the past have nothing but regret about it. Your before pictures will become your trophy and they are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count. We tell our clients to take new pictures either bi-weekly or monthly until they reach their goal(s).
Step Three- Planning and Preparing for Roadblocks: What are the big obstacles that will prevent you from having the success you desire? What’s contributed most to past failures?
Now that we know what you want to accomplish, it’s time to plan and prepare for any obstacles that might get in your way of getting the job done based on your own personal schedule.
In general, the number one thing I hear is that people are too busy and tired and don’t have enough time to get their workouts in or make their meals. Well, I don’t care how busy you think you are, there is always hidden time throughout the day and week that can be freed up if your re-prioritize. Again, think back to why you wanted to do this in the first place and then examine what’s most important to you. Make your workouts and your meal times just like work appointments. Either you make the appointment or you don’t. And if you want to keep your job (or get your dream body) then you better make that appointment.
Another big obstacle is alcohol. People like to drink and unfortunately alcohol is about as detrimental to burning fat as it gets. Again, what’s more important to you, looking sexy or getting hammered. The choice is yours. Remember, once you achieve your goal(s), alcohol can be added back in with moderation. But know this, lean people just don’t get wasted unless they are genetic freaks. Low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and that’s a fact.
Lastly, many people deal with boredom eating or emotional eating. Boredom eating means just that, eating to fill up dead time when you have nothing better to do. The best way to deal with this is, you guessed it, to do something! Find an active hobby to keep your mind off of eating when boredom strikes and you can beat this trend. Emotional eating describes the use of food to cope with stress or to reward for accomplishment. Food is not unlike drugs or alcohol in this regard, it can be very addictive. There is no quick fix for emotional eating other than avoiding trigger situations (bars, parties, etc.) and trigger foods (starches, sugars, fast food, etc.) in the short term to break bad habits.
At the end of the day, whether your roadblocks are very individual or if they fall in line with the general roadblocks our clients encounter on a regular basis, the key is to be honest about them and to plan and prepare for them. And that’s where social support and accountability come into play. The clients who have had the most success with us have undergone their transformation with the support of other friends or family members. This is so critical, especially since most of the poor food and drinking choices that sabotage one’s progress occur on the weekend, when most people hang out with their friend and family. If they are committed with you and your goal to get fit and look better, you can put yourself in a much better position to realize the success your desire and deserve. The last thing anybody needs is sabotage or peer pressure from those closest to you, so get them on board and get them on board early.
Personal Trainer and Boot Camps in Charlotte, NC
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
10 HABITS TO ADOPT FOR A SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR’S RESOULUTION
Unfortunately, this ritual commitment to self-improvement has been widely viewed as something of a joke--in part because most peoples’ New Year’s resolutions attempts fail before they even get started. After years of watching others--or themselves--excitedly commit to a new goal, only to abandon the quest by March, many come to conclude that New Year's resolutions are an exercise in futility that should not be taken seriously.
Where or who started New Year’s resolutions?
The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar. With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.
The New Year has not always begun on January 1, and it doesn't begin on that date everywhere today. It begins on that date only for cultures that use a 365-day solar calendar. January 1 became the beginning of the New Year in 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar developed a calendar that would more accurately reflect the seasons than previous calendars had.
The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. Thus he could look backward and forward at the same time. At midnight on December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new. The Romans began a tradition of exchanging gifts on New Year's Eve by giving one another branches from sacred trees for good fortune. Later, nuts or coins imprinted with the god Janus became more common New Year's gifts.
In the Middle Ages, Christians changed New Year's Day to December 25, the birth of Jesus. Then they changed it to March 25, a holiday called the Annunciation. In the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to January 1.
Making New Year's resolutions does not have to be futile--and to make them is not silly; done seriously, it is an act of profound moral significance that embodies the essence of a life well-lived. Consider what we do when we make a New Year's resolution: we look at where we are in some area of life, think about where we want to be, and then set ourselves a goal to get there. We are tired of feeling chubby and lethargic and unattractive, and want the improved appearance and greater energy level that comes with greater fitness. So we resolve to take up a fun athletic activity--like fitness boot camps, an aerobic or spinning class--and plan to do it three times a week.
I have set some resolutions for myself, however, what I did was change my mental verbiage in believing that these are not resolutions but simply some goals that I want to accomplish throughout the year. We set goals all the time. Daily goals are met throughout the course of a day i.e. meeting a deadline at work for a major project, setting up a presentation to ask for a raise from your boss, planning your day around trying to get home in time to watch American Idol, or planning to get that house that you wanted or dreamed of. All of these are similar to a New Year’s resolution but we don't see them in that light. So, we are accustomed to setting and meeting goals; however, I think that when we look at resolutions, they seem to take on a life of their own. By setting goals you have a road map to where you would like to start and how you will like to get there.
Before I get into this goal setting process, I just need to get something off of my chest. I know a lot of people think goal setting is just a cheesy, useless thing. Unfortunately, these people just don’t get it and frankly if you are one of those people, please do us both a favor and stop reading this article and go buy another useless weight loss book or pill because I simply cannot do anything for you. I can only help people who want to learn. I simply cannot help people who already think they know it all and think they are too good to take some time to figure out what the heck it is that they actually want to accomplish. The bottom line is that the most successful people out there, and I mean not just weight loss success, I am talking business, lifestyle, etc., are shamelessly goal driven. They know exactly why they want to do something and harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to teach you how to do today, so let’s get to it! To assist those reading this, I have come up with 10 tips to get you started for this New Year:
Aim low. It goes without saying that most New Year's resolutions are easier announced (or written) than done — but if you set the bar too high, you're doomed from the start. Instead of a sweeping declaration like "I will lose 30 pounds by April and finally fit into that dress," target a goal that's more attainable, like losing 10 or 15 pounds.
Start with one resolution. If you try to make too many, you may not accomplish any. Don't overload yourself. It's difficult enough for the average person to follow through on one ambitious New Year's resolution; why on earth would you saddle yourself with three or four? Choose the most pressing issue at hand — losing weight, finding a girlfriend, improving your relationship with your parents — and concentrate on that. Trying to do everything simultaneously practically guarantees failure across the board.
Reward yourself. Following through on a New Year's resolution is rarely easy, so a little Pavlovian conditioning goes a long way. (You know Pavlov and his salivating dogs!) If you've resolved to shop less, stroke yourself for not buying those shoes by springing for a steaming hot cappuccino at the mall. If you've resolved to be losing 10 pounds, reward yourself with one meal that is your favorite comfort food.
Wait until spring. Sometimes the best way to accomplish a New Year's resolution is to make it at a time of year of your choosing, rather than the one dictated by the calendar. May 1 is a good alternate date, since the change of season will neatly coincide with the change you're hoping to accomplish in yourself.
Make your resolution very specific. "Don't say 'I want to lose weight'— instead, say 'I want to lose three pounds a month so that I look hot in my new swimsuit come summer,'".
Be serious about your resolution. If you don't take your resolution seriously, it is a waste of time to make one.
Write your resolution down and post it in a visible place. Out of sight is out of mind. Remember that saying? If you see your goal every day, it will be in the forefront of your mind.
Don't let yourself quit. Even if you slip up once or twice, you shouldn't abandon your resolution.
Enlist the support of friends and family. Bring others in on the resolution so you have a support group to help you accomplish your goals.
Tell everyone you know. One school of thought says New Year's resolutions are best kept to oneself, but look at it this way: the more people to whom you announce your resolution (say, to get out of your dead-end job by spring), the more people there'll be to prod you along if you fall behind. There's no shame in seeking help if you can't accomplish your resolution on your own.
The last two bullet points are the main ingredient in accomplishing your goal. Group support and group involvement are key. Two heads are better than one and the power of synergy is great! This is where social support and accountability come into play. “Birds of a feather flock together “. Like minds think and accomplish things together. Join a support/ interest group, or better yet a fitness boot camp because then you will have a support group that you will first began to become close with and then become accountable to because of the bond that you have established with that particular group.
The clients who have had the most success with us have undergone their transformation with the support of other friends or family members. This is so critical, especially since most of the poor food and drinking choices that sabotage one’s progress occur on the weekend, when most people hang out with their friend and family. If they are committed with you and your goal to get fit and look better, you can put yourself in a much better position to realize the success your desire and deserve. The last thing anybody needs is sabotage or peer pressure from those closest to you, so get them on board and get them on board early.
Finally, remember Rome wasn’t built in a day. The little things add up. The power of momentum will catapult you to greatness and success. The goal is to accomplish a New YEAR’S resolution, not New month, or New couple of months, or New Spring Break resolution; therefore, continue to work at your goal and believe that the small changes ARE AND WILL pay off in the long run even though right now you may not see them.
GOOD LUCK.
Personal Trainer in Charlotte, NC
Friday, January 9, 2009
Celiac Disease and Autism
As posted previously, gluten is found in everything from commercial baked goods to pastas, to medications and lipsticks, to kids toys such as Play Doh. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease of the small intestines caused by the body's reaction to the gluten protein gliadin. The only treatment is a diet free of gluten based ingredients.
We will shift gears a little today and look at how a gluten-free diet assist those with autism.
Proponents of the gluten-free diet say that many children with autism have gastrointestinal difficulties that make it hard for them to digest certain grains properly. There are different possibilities for ways in which this could affect children with autism. The most studied theory is that eating gluten leads to high levels of protein by-products, called gluteomorphines, in some children with autism. These by-products may then affect behavior like a drug would. Specifically, in these children, gluteomorphines could reduce their desire for social interaction, block pain messages, and increase confusion. If gluten is taken out of the diet, the idea is that this will reduce the level of gluteomorphines, and behavior will improve as a result.
What is the theory behind it?
Gluten is broken down in the intestines into several by-products, including one called gluteomorphine. These by-products are much more common in the urine of children with autism than in children without autism. Some scientists have concluded that they are leaking from the intestines into the blood of these children. Many research studies report that children with autism often have gastrointestinal problems, including intestinal leakage. The argument is that, if gluteomorphine is being absorbed into the general circulation in children with autism, then it could affect behavior. In support of this theory, there is evidence that blocking at least some of the action of gluteomorphine improves the behavior of children with autism. Moreover, recent evidence of a genetic mutation common among children with autism has been traced to a gene involved in gastrointestinal function
Does it work?
The effectiveness of elimination diets in improving the behavior of children with autism has only recently been scientifically researched. This research has almost always examined diets that are both casein- and gluten-free.
One well-controlled study focused on children with autism who had abnormally high protein by-products in their urine, and therefore were more likely to be sensitive to casein and gluten (see What is the theory behind it?). One group of these children was fed a strict casein- and gluten-free diet for 12 months. This group had significantly fewer autistic symptoms than the remaining children, who were not fed this diet. Another well-controlled study of casein- and gluten-free diets focused on children with autism regardless of the level of protein by-products in their urine. Overall, the study found no significant differences in behavior between children on the elimination diet and children on regular diets, although individual parents reported behavioral improvements. This overall lack of effect in the second study could be because the elimination diet only lasted 6 weeks, or because the children were not pre-selected according to the level of protein by-products in their urine.
Regardless, in both cases, the tested diets were casein- and gluten-free, so it is not clear whether it was the elimination of casein, gluten, or both that resulted in any improvements. A third study that did examine the effect of a gluten-free diet on the behavior of children with autism did not compare children on the elimination diet with children not on the diet. Therefore, even though there were improvements seen in the behavior of children on the diet, these may also have occurred over the 5 months of the study without the elimination diet.
The current thinking is that there is at least some evidence showing that a gluten-free diet, when combined with a casein-free diet, can help improve the behavior of some children with autism. Although the casein-free diet combined with a gluten-free diet is popular, there is little evidence to support or refute this intervention and reviewers have determined that meaningful conclusions cannot be drawn from the existing literature.
Is it harmful?
The major health concern for a child on a gluten-free diet is whether the child receives adequate nutrition. A recent report showed that the protein and nutrient intakes of children with autism on casein- and gluten-free diets were not different from those of children with autism on standard diets, but there was a trend towards lower calcium and copper intake in children on elimination diets (11). As a result, some researchers suggest that all children on elimination diets should be under the care of a nutritionist or physician (1).
Resources
Cookbooks as well as casein- and gluten-free diet starter kits for children with autism can be found at: http://www.gfcfdiet.com/.
The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network provides many resources to help children live with a gluten-free diet: http://www.foodallergy.org/.
Several books that might be helpful in understanding the casein-free diet approach are:
Diet Intervention and Autism: Implementing a Gluten Free and Casein Free Diet for Autistic Children and Adults: A Guide for Parents by Marilyn Le Breton and Rosemary Kessick. 2001. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
How to Eat Well Again on a Wheat, Gluten and Dairy-Free Diet by F. Crosthwaite. 2006. Merton Books.
Special Diets for Special People: Understanding and Implementing a Gluten-Free and Casein-Free Diet to Aid in the Treatment of Autism and Related Developmental Disorders by Lisa S Lewis 2005. Future Horizons.
The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet by P. Compart and D. Laake. 2006. Fair Winds Press.
article taken from this website http://autism.healingthresholds.com/therapy/gluten-free-diet
Personal Trainer in Charlotte, NC
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Gluten-free Restaurants in Charlotte, NC
In continuation of the topic that I posted a couple of days ago about Celiac Disease and Gluten-free food, I decided to take upon myself to research if there were any restaurants that catered towards serving individuals with Celiac Disease.
Again, it was hard for me in the grocery store to find products that had the signature of Gluten-free on the product. Due to the frustration that was experience, I thought it would be a good idea to see where a person with Celiac Disease could eat in the local area that I live in. Likewise, what if a person was traveling in from another state or city and needed assistance where would they go? Now, you'll know how and where to eat out gluten free, no matter where life takes you! Gluten-free restaurant dining doesn't need to be challenging.
The following restaurants all have gluten-free menus. These restaurants are all in the Charlotte area; however, you will notice that many are national chains. Thus, you may look for these restaurants in your travels and know you can eat safely. Call ahead if you have any questions or concerns...
7900 Stevens Mill Rd.
Matthews, NC
(704) 882-3036
across from South Park Mall
6518 Fairview Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28210
(704) 366-6688
Hearst Tower, Corner of College & 5th St
214 N. Tryon St., Ste. 100
Charlotte, NC
(704) 927-2583
Charlotte Locations:
1500 East Blvd
(704) 377-6344
9330 Center Lake Dr. #100
(704) 714-2100
14825 John J. Delaney Dr.
(704) 369-5020
4724 Sharon Dr., Suite H
(704) 714-1117
2215 Ayrsley Town Blvd., Suite D
(704) 714-4566
440 E. McCullough Dr.
(704) 971-3380
7520 Pineville Matthew Road
Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 541-6659
2235 Roxie Street
Kannapolis, NC
(704) 782-9558
8338 Pineville-Matthews Rd. (51)
Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 759-9575
Matthews
10400 E. Independence Blvd.
Matthews, NC 28105
(704) 844-0464
South End
1520 South Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 377-2458
Huntersville
16408 Northcross Drive
Huntersville, NC 28078
(704) 895-3080
Philips Place (near South Park Mall)
6809 F. Philips Place Court
Charlotte, NC 28210
(704) 552-6644
Take I-77 to exit 25 on Northcross Dr.
16203 Northcross Dr.,
Huntersville, NC 28078
(704) 892-2822
Ballantyne
13855 Conlan Circle
Charlotte, NC
(704) 543-1121
~ not to far south of the NC border
845 Stockbridge Dr.
Fort Mill, SC 29708
(803) 802-5666
Near Carolinas Place Mall
8302 Pineville-Matthews Rd. (51)
Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 543-6265
16 Union Street South
Concord, NC 28025
(704) 795-5500
Open: Tues. thru Sat.
for Lunch and Dinner
11 am until 9pm
Blakeney Shopping Center
9824 Rea Road
Charlotte, NC 28277
(704) 342-3651
North Lake Mall
Located near entry #1 near Borders Books &
Music.
(704) 295-1919
Uptown - Corner of College & 2nd St.
Uno Chicago Grill
401 South Tryon Street Suite 130
Charlotte, NC 28202-1937
704-373-0085
Wolfgang Puck Express
(allergy menu)
Promenade Shopping Center
@ Providence & Ballantyne
Commons Parkway
5349 Ballantyne Commons Parkway,
Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28277
(704) 708-5802
Fast Food Restaurants with a Gluten-free Menu
Chick-fil-A
Wendy's
Qdoba
Personal Trainer in Charlotte, NC
Again, it was hard for me in the grocery store to find products that had the signature of Gluten-free on the product. Due to the frustration that was experience, I thought it would be a good idea to see where a person with Celiac Disease could eat in the local area that I live in. Likewise, what if a person was traveling in from another state or city and needed assistance where would they go? Now, you'll know how and where to eat out gluten free, no matter where life takes you! Gluten-free restaurant dining doesn't need to be challenging.
The following restaurants all have gluten-free menus. These restaurants are all in the Charlotte area; however, you will notice that many are national chains. Thus, you may look for these restaurants in your travels and know you can eat safely. Call ahead if you have any questions or concerns...
7900 Stevens Mill Rd.
Matthews, NC
(704) 882-3036
across from South Park Mall
6518 Fairview Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28210
(704) 366-6688
Hearst Tower, Corner of College & 5th St
214 N. Tryon St., Ste. 100
Charlotte, NC
(704) 927-2583
Charlotte Locations:
1500 East Blvd
(704) 377-6344
9330 Center Lake Dr. #100
(704) 714-2100
14825 John J. Delaney Dr.
(704) 369-5020
4724 Sharon Dr., Suite H
(704) 714-1117
2215 Ayrsley Town Blvd., Suite D
(704) 714-4566
440 E. McCullough Dr.
(704) 971-3380
7520 Pineville Matthew Road
Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 541-6659
2235 Roxie Street
Kannapolis, NC
(704) 782-9558
8338 Pineville-Matthews Rd. (51)
Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 759-9575
Matthews
10400 E. Independence Blvd.
Matthews, NC 28105
(704) 844-0464
South End
1520 South Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 377-2458
Huntersville
16408 Northcross Drive
Huntersville, NC 28078
(704) 895-3080
Philips Place (near South Park Mall)
6809 F. Philips Place Court
Charlotte, NC 28210
(704) 552-6644
Take I-77 to exit 25 on Northcross Dr.
16203 Northcross Dr.,
Huntersville, NC 28078
(704) 892-2822
Ballantyne
13855 Conlan Circle
Charlotte, NC
(704) 543-1121
~ not to far south of the NC border
845 Stockbridge Dr.
Fort Mill, SC 29708
(803) 802-5666
Near Carolinas Place Mall
8302 Pineville-Matthews Rd. (51)
Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 543-6265
16 Union Street South
Concord, NC 28025
(704) 795-5500
Open: Tues. thru Sat.
for Lunch and Dinner
11 am until 9pm
Blakeney Shopping Center
9824 Rea Road
Charlotte, NC 28277
(704) 342-3651
North Lake Mall
Located near entry #1 near Borders Books &
Music.
(704) 295-1919
Uptown - Corner of College & 2nd St.
Uno Chicago Grill
401 South Tryon Street Suite 130
Charlotte, NC 28202-1937
704-373-0085
Wolfgang Puck Express
(allergy menu)
Promenade Shopping Center
@ Providence & Ballantyne
Commons Parkway
5349 Ballantyne Commons Parkway,
Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28277
(704) 708-5802
Fast Food Restaurants with a Gluten-free Menu
Chick-fil-A
Wendy's
Qdoba
Personal Trainer in Charlotte, NC
Friday, January 2, 2009
Celiac Disease aka Gluten Intolerance
Over the last couple of weeks, I have had the pleasure to get to know some wonderful people that have given me the opportunity to work with them on their fitness goals and dreams with regard to becoming healthier individuals for this new year. As a result, I recently met a woman who wanted to hire me as her fitness professional through a program that I offer called the Virtual Trainer's Program. This program is neat in which it is an online personal trainer service design specifically for the person’s needs that still gives them the benefits of having their own personal trainer. However, when we started to converse she told me of a condition that she had called Celiac Disease or commonly known as gluten intolerance. This was the first I had heard of such condition and so as we started to work alongside of each other and began building a good healthy working relationship, she started to educate me on this condition. There isn't a lot out there about this condition that I knew of in comparison to such disease like cancer, diabetes, and hypertension (the 3 Amigos as I like to call them). Likewise, yesterday, I went into the store to get a couple of items and to see what products are out in the market to accommodate someone who has Celiac Disease. I was amazed at how painstaking it was to go on this safari, as it felt, and how frustrating a person must feel if they don't already know what foods are out there that are gluten-free. Yesterday in the time that I spent at my local grocery store, I only found 4 foods that were marked "Gluten-Free". They were two margarine products and two bread-type products (one muffin mix and another brownie mix). 
Today I wanted to just give some general information about the disease and a website that people can go to to read more about Celiac Disease.
Celiac Disease is also know as gluten intolerance and is a genetic disorder that affects 1 in 133 Americans. There is an estimated 2.18 million people in the United States with this condition.
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Celiac is difficult to diagnosis due to the broad range of symptoms that an individual may occur. Again these symptoms include chronic diarrhea, progressive weight loss, abdominal bloating, weakness, and bone pain. Studies show that if a person with Celiac Disease continues to consume products that have gluten in them, they will increase their chances of gastrointestinal cancer by 40 to 100 times.
Diagnosing someone with Celiac Disease includes blood testing for antigliadin (AGA) and endomysium antibodies (EmA) and/or performing a biopsy on the areas of the intestines.
Treatment for Celiac is pretty simple in theory, but can be hard and frustrating in application. They must adhere to a 100% strict gluten-free diet for life. Likewise, they must avoid any products with wheat, rye, and barley or any of their derivatives.
We will continue this series with helpful strategies (i.e. recipes, shopping, and other helpful information) to inform and educate you on how people with Celiac Disease should and can make their lives as normal as possible. Until then keep moving.
Here is a helpful website if you want more information on Celiac Disease and ways to deal with it.
www.Celiac.com
Personal Trainer in Charlotte, NC
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