Trick or Treat

Dear Fitness and Wellness Enthusiasts,


In the spirit of Halloween I found it fitting to blog about our sugary treat foes. 


For starters, a few stats on candy and its association with Halloween.

• "The average American eats 24 pounds of candy a year, and most of that is likely consumed right around this time of year." Huffington Post
• "Americans purchase nearly 600 million pounds of candy a year for Halloween." Huffington Post
• "The U.S. is the world's largest candy consumer, spending more than $8.8 billion on various sweets in 2008" Bloomberg Business Week

You get the idea, that is a ton of candy and therefore a fortune of sugar and calories. 


However, to paint a clearer picture and to create a bit of a visual, picture one pound of candy, lets say fun size Butterfingers, weighing in at 100 calories per piece. 


In one pound of mini Butterfingers there are approximately 12 pieces of these chocolates. 


So, time for some math.  

 12 chocolates x 100 calories = 1200 calories per pound of fun size butterfingers

3500 calories = 1 pound of fat.

This means that eating 3 pounds of these delicious treats, will put on 1 pound of fat onto your body, with an excess of 100 calories. 

So, we as a nation consume how much candy? How many calories? Well, if these 24 pounds of candy consumed by the average American in a year are fun size Butterfingers, then that is 28,800 Calories! If the 600 million pounds of candy we purchase for Halloween are also fun size Butterfingers, then that is 720 BILLION calories!

This is crazy! 

Just so that I'm not a complete devil for blogging this entry this Halloween, I end off by saying that ONE of these fun size treats sure won't kill you. BUT, you have to stop at ONE!

All this sugar spikes our insulin levels and leaves us wanting more, so be sure not to get sucked in to the vortex of candy consumption today and all year long. 

BE WISE AND HEALTH SMART AND SAFE OUT THERE TONIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND DON'T BE TRICKED BY THE TEMPTATION OF MORE TREATS!!!!!

Happy Halloween!

In Good Health,

Dani S.

Workout Apparel

Old Navy Jacket

Lucy Perfect Core Pant

Gap Contrast Panel Tank

Dear Fitness Enthusiasts,

Lately a few of you have been asking me about some good places to buy workout clothing. So, I have decided to share with you some of my favorite places to shop for some cute, good fitting, comfortable and sporty fitness attire. Below is a list of places accommodating various budgets and body types.

• Lululemon- more on the pricey side; men and women; great fit
• Lucy- a little pricey but great sales; great fit for you ladies who love Lulu but prefer a more conservative fit
• American Eagle Outfitters- reasonable prices; great workout pants; 
• Old Navy- My new favorite find for workout pants and thumb-hole jackets and long sleeve winter workout tops. Very reasonable prices. 
• Target- average prices; men and women; various fits and styles; equipment, clothing, shoes
• Sport Chalet- various price ranges and brands; men and women; clothing shoes and accessories.
• Marshall's- less expensive; several brands; men and women; equipment, clothing, shoes
• Big 5 Sporting Goods- less expensive; men and women; clothing; equipment; shoes
• Gap- averagely priced, great sales, comfy, conservative, men and women

Hope this list helps you! If I missed a place that you like and think others would appreciate, please add it in a comment below!

In Good Health,

Dani S.

Men's Under Armour @ Sport Chalet

Men's Lululemon Tank

Warm Up

Jumping Rope

Walking Quadriceps Stretch Sequence

                                                                                         
                Yes, summer is ending and the weather may be cooling, but that is not what I refer to when I say "Warm Up". The "Warm Up" I am in fact talking about is actually the first 5-10 minutes of your workout, which if it wasn't before it is now! This is a crucial part of your exercise regime because it is these precious few minutes that prepare your muscles for the work ahead of them and prevent injury.
    Can you imagine trying to bake a very healthy low calorie cake in the oven without pre-heating it and expect it not to flop? Or driving your car first thing in the freezing winter morning with ice/frost still on the windshield and the engine so cold without exhausting your transmission? Now, why would you pick up those heavy weights and start your workout when your muscles are tired, cold, tight and not warmed up? Exactly... you shouldn't! It is when you exercise without adequately warming up that you are at high risk of pulling a muscle(s).
    The warm up exercises are cardiovascular (aerobic) activities needed to heat up your body by circulating blood and oxygen through all your muscles. As your body is warming up, your heart rate starts to rise and your breathing becomes progressively more frequent. So, not only are your muscles in your legs, arms, back, etc. ready for the great workout you have planned, but so is your heart and your lungs. 

A few of my favorites are:

• Jump Rope
• Jumping Jacks- with arms up over head (regular) and with arms across your chest
• Skipping
• Alternating High Knee Jumps 
• Grapevine/Karaokes
• Side Shuffle Runs
• Dynamic Stretching- Stretching in motion. For example, walking quadriceps stretch. 
• Shuttle Runs
• Treadmill - Incline Walk/Jog
• Bike
• Elliptical

Before your next workout, make sure to remember to warm up and prepare your body for exercise!

In Good Health,
Dani

30 minutes

Only have 30min? Don't think you have enough time for a workout? Think a quick run is all you can fit in? If you find yourself in these predicaments, stress no more! In just 30 minutes you can use all the major muscle groups in your body, increase your heart rate, burn calories, increase your resting metabolic rate for the remainder of your day, elevate your energy level, and of course, break a sweat and feel great! What does it take? A strength training circuit! Today I did the following workout in just 30 minutes!

The Warm Up:
Jump Rope (1 min)
Burpees (x15)
Jumping Jacks (x 20)

The Circuit:
~ TRX back row (20 reps)

TRX BACK ROW

~ Body Bar squat - reverse bicep curl - shoulder     press (20 reps)
~ Bosu Ball Push Ups (20 reps)
~ Kettle Bell Swings (20 reps)
~ Plank (30 sec hold)
~ Jumping Jacks (20 reps)                                                                              REPEAT CIRCUIT x 3

                                                                           
 

Give it a try! I look forward to your feedback!

In Good Health,

Dani S.

Welcome!

Dear Fitness and Wellness Enthusiasts,
I would like to welcome you to my new blog! For a couple of months I have been blogging on a different site and have now moved to it's new, more user friendly home. I hope you enjoy the new URL location and different look! To those of you have no idea what I'm talking about and did not follow my previous blog entries at my original blog URL, I am going to transfer all the older posts over here so that you don't miss out! I hope that you will want to read more about what I have to say on everything health and fitness and continue to follow me by subscribing to my blog. Please feel free to comment on any of the posts as I welcome your feedback!
In Good Health,
Dani S.

Self Myo... What?

Tiger Tail                         Foam Roller                          Massage Stick

So, you may have seen these obscure looking pieces of equipment in your gym, friends home, or local sporting goods store. They may resemble to some of you an item that you think belongs in Martha Stewart's Baking section at Macy’s, the rolling pin. Well, let me tell you, these are not your mamma’s baking utensils that she uses to roll out that delicious home made cookie dough. These rollers are meant for rolling more meaty tissue, and I’m not talking about steak. The meaty tissue these bad boys prefer rolling out are YOUR MUSCLES! Yes, you and your tight, sore, crampy, tired muscles! Ouch? That’s right, it will hurt. But only while your royal toughness surrenders to this magical phenomenon and leaves you feeling oh so much better in minutes! This practice is known as “Self Myofascial Release” (in the biz we say SMR).  Self Myo… huh? This fancy scary name simply put means massage, and I’m clearly not talking about the relaxing joyful soothing spa Swedish massage. This massage actually requires active involvement and attention, and maybe a little pain ;-)

The myofascia is a layer of connective tissue that surrounds our muscles. This tissue can tense like a web over our muscles when our muscles tighten up from everyday life and exercise. When this happens we can experience muscle soreness and decreased flexibility. We use these rollers to loosen up the kinks in our myofascia to allow more movement for our muscles and therefore more flexibility and less pain. This is a great technique for reducing back pain and most of the other muscles in our body.

The big roller is better used for the larger and denser muscles in our body and can also be used for postural, rehabilitation, and stability exercises. The Smaller rolling sticks are better used for smaller and more specific difficult to target muscles, but can be used on the larger ones as well. The foam rollers come in different densities and colors, white most likely being the mostly recognizable one as it was the original and least expensive. The smaller massage sticks come in the 2 above pictured materials (sponge and beads) as well as several other variations. I prefer the black and orange one (the tiger tail) because the beads move around and can pinch your skin.

SMR is a great theory and even better practice. I strongly encourage you to implement this technique into your workouts and every day life. Make sure your muscles are a little warmed up prior to this practice. If you have any serious injuries or spinal issues such as a slipped/herniated disc, take caution and preferably the instruction of a fitness professional.

Happy Rolling!

In Good Health,
Dani                            

Smart Muscles!

 

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 @ 14:26pm

Muscle memory? What’s that again?


Have you ever learned an activity or exercise and been told to do it but at first thought you have no idea where to begin? Have you ever noticed that without thinking if you just try do it, your muscles know exactly what to do? For example riding a bike or jumping rope. You may think you "forgot" how to do these activities, but really all you need to do is sit on the bike or pick up the jump rope. Magically, you're doing it! This is no miracle. Our muscles, like our brain and sometimes better, have memory. They communicate, act, and store all of our movements. For example, my inspiration for this post a dear client of mine whose name I will change to Tilly.

Last week I pushed Tilly out of her comfort zone and into the scary world of advanced squats on a Bosu Ball. For those of you unfamiliar with this fabulous piece of equipment not only do you need a session with me, but please see image above for visual. I turned this Bosu Ball torturous piece of equipment upside down so that she would be standing on the flat surface (as shown above) and would be very unsteady. She had done the squats before on the dome side (the blue side of above pic). This was an advancement.

Very afraid and hesitant and under my careful attention and guidance she climbed onto the dreaded Bosu. With a nervous chuckle and fear in her eyes she held my hands and stood straight on the ball and slowly bent her knees into a squat. She did 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Round 1: fear driven and legs uncontrollably shaking. Round 2: ever so slightly less afraid and definitely less shaky. Round 3: more confident and barely any shaking!!!! Fast forward one week. Today's session we gave these amazing awful squats another go. Round 1: zero fear, no instruction, less assistance, zero leg shaking!!! Round 2 and 3: even less assistance and all smiles!!!!

What explains that Tilly knew exactly what to do and that her legs where not shaking???
MUSCLE MEMORY!!!!

The neurons fired, the muscles contracted, the synapses formed and a memory was created!!! Although she may not have been mindful of what she was doing, her muscles were and they knew exactly how to cooperate with squatting on a very unstable surface. What smart muscles we have!

In your next workout try something slightly out of your comfort level and try challenge your balance. Stand on one leg while doing bicep curls or shoulder presses. Don't get too crazy without the supervision of a trained Fitness Professional!!!!

In good health,
Dani S.

Eat Your Breakfast!

Monday, June 20, 2011 @ 18:34pm

 Dearest Fitness and Wellness Enthusiasts, 

After talking to many of my clients and friends, I have found it necessary to bring to your attention a big problem in our busy society. THE NON BREAKFAST DIET!!! Although not a formal diet, this seems to be a critical issue among many. We wake up not feeling hungry, tired, desperate for caffeine, and rushed out the door to get to the office. Well, I am here to interrupt this unhealthy routine and to direct your attention to your morning meal. This little and left out meal has an enormous role in your metabolism and energy level. Breakfast jump starts your metabolism and gives you your first bit of energy necessary to start your day. 

Missing this crucial meal slows down your metabolism by teaching your body to not be hungry upon waking up. It does this by storing the previous nights dinner as energy. This stored energy prevents the hunger until next day lunchtime, your first meal. After which the remaining stored energy is then stored as fat. Yes, fat. This is because this stored energy is what we call calories! When unused and un-metabolized, these calories have nowhere else to go and nothing else to do except to sit as storage in the form of fat.

I know that most of you will say, "but I'm not hungry in the morning and I will feel nauseous if eat". Fine. Break it down and simplify then. One small step, one small bite at a time, and you will become a lean breakfast eating machine. For some of you the first step might be half a piece of fruit or a small spoon of yogurt. Coffee is not considered a meal. 

After 2 weeks of consistently eating a little something every morning upon waking up and before arriving at the office, you will notice that your incredibly smart body will begin to feel hungry when your eyes open in the morning. This is the first sign that, voila, your metabolism is on the rise!!! Your body is metabolizing dinner and not storing the unused calories as fat! 

If time is your enemy and your excuse, grab a healthy food choice and eat it in the car!
Remember, start small, and then progress to a healthy full balanced breakfast.
So, wake up, get in the kitchen, and feed your metabolism.

In good health,
Dani S.

Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Tilapia

Tuesday, June 07, 2011 @ 22:04pm

Dear Fitness and Wellness Enthusiasts,

I am not a big fish eater and therefore I don't cook it a lot. However, I have to say that I got inspired in the supermarket today and tried something new. I found a pre-seasoned quick and easy Tilapia Fish in the frozen foods section I dare ever look at. To my surprise was a healthy option! Beacon Light Steam Series: Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Tilapia. I cooked it tonight for dinner and served it with an arugula salad and brown rice. Below is the menu and nutritional information. What a delicious, light and healthy meal!

Hope you enjoy it!
In Good Health,
Dani S.

Beacon Light Steam Series

Tomato, Basil & Garlic Tilapia

Nutrition Facts in 6 oz portion (1 Pouch):
Calories: 170,

Fat: 1 gram,

Carbohydrates: 1 gram,
Sugar: 0 grams,

Protein: 32 grams

Add some sautéed tomatoes and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Bake in oven on broil. Follow instructions on back of bag. In the bag are 2 pouches, each pouch is one serving.

Serve with organic arugula lettuce sprinkled with a pinch (1tbsp) of shaved parmesan. Dress with ½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, fresh squeezed lemon, pinch of salt and pepper. (80cal, 1g fat, 2g protein)

Side it with brown rice. (160cal, 1g fat, 2.5g fiber, 4g protein)

            - 1cup Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice

A delicious and healthy dinner option! Enjoy!

Total calories for entire meal: 410 calories