One of the casualties of hosting holiday events is that I always find myself saddled with a plethora of desserts which are difficult to resist. For example, I still have homemade fudge, vegan brownies, and vegan banana bread sitting in my fridge which I cannot throw in the trash, because I know all too well how delicious they are. The strange thing is that I have only a small quantity of savory leftovers from Thanksgiving, so I never ran the risk of getting tired of eating turkey and stuffing. Years ago, I would have indulged in whatever leftovers remained without much consequence, but now that I am firmly entrenched in the fitness world, there is no possible way that I would risk unraveling my efforts to remain shoot ready year-round. I hope this proves to people that it is possible to have decadent desserts around without feeling the need to indulge in them. I am not saying that there is no temptation, but I try to ignore the fact that they are in my house. I have a photo shoot in five days and keep reminding myself that it is right around the corner!
Tag health
Healthy Grocery Shopping
Regular grocery stores in the United States are notorious for putting processed foods in alluring packages and displaying them prominently on grocery shelves. If you are in the habit of reading ingredient labels like I am, you probably know that the most processed foods are located along the aisles in the center of the store, while whole foods are found at the perimeter. As a result of this, I advise patients and clients to do the majority of their shopping around the perimeter in order to maximize the chances of making the healthiest food choices.
Think about it. If a food item can be stored in a box, bag or can at room temperature, it means that it probably has preservatives which keep it from spoiling. Start reading ingredient labels and you might be shocked at what you find. If ingredient labels are excessively long or have long names which you can’t pronounce, you probably should steer clear. Remember that the least processed foods will be assimilated by your body the most readily.
Grocery stores are designed to lure you in like a rat in a maze, but instead of getting a reward at the end of the maze, you might be signing up for health issues if you are distracted by all the colorful advertising found on the most popular food items. You are far better off avoiding the maze and selecting fresh meats, produce, nuts and whole grains. Happy shopping!
How Can You Forget To Eat?
Every time I hear someone say that he or she forgets to eat, it blows my mind. I could never forget to eat because I am so in tune with when my body needs fuel that my body reminds me that it is time to eat. Such fine tuning only comes with feeding the body properly with the right foods at the right times. I understand that most of us lead very hectic lives and that it can be difficult to stop everything just to get a meal in. But I do not understand how some people can work for 6, 8, 10 hours straight without a meal and feel no immediate physical repercussions from it. What about the churning, growling stomach? What about the impaired concentration or slump in energy? I get GROUCHY when I haven’t eaten my scheduled meals, and my body yells at me to eat.
Every time you skip meals, you prime your body to devour the most readily available foods, which in most cases means a trip to a fast food drive-through window. By this time, you are probably so ravenous that you will end up ordering far more food than you should. In all likelihood you will dip one hand into the bag of food while holding onto the steering wheel with the other hand, munching away rapidly and mindlessly, without allowing your body to respond to its satiety cues. If you make such fast food runs a habit, you increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Why wreak havoc on your health by engaging in such behavior?
If you are prone to forgetting to eat regular meals throughout the day, do yourself a favor and reprogram your eating habits. Set a timer to go off every 3 to 4 hours to remind you to eat. When the timer goes off, don’t continue to work, but put everything down and make sure to eat a balanced meal. Pack healthy snacks and meals to take with you and make sure that you have easy access to them. Some of you may be wondering how many meals are ideal and when to eat those meals. If you can get 4 to 5 meals in per day, evenly spaced apart, you will optimize your energy levels and re-set your metabolism.
My Cat Wants Center Stage! YouTube Video Outtake…
Can’t Sleep? Try This Sleep Aid
For many years I have recommended the Delta Sleep System to patients who suffered from insomnia and have had incredible results reported by many people. Here is a description of the system:
There are several stages of sleep that people pass through in the course of a good restful night. In each stage our sleep gets deeper, our bodies gets more relaxed, and our brainwave patterns slow down. The deepest and most rejuvenating levels of sleep are associated with delta brainwave patterns.
Delta sleep is the most physically relaxed stage of sleep, and it is the time when the body recuperates and rebalances itself for the new day. Getting enough sleep, but more specifically enough delta sleep, is essential for healthy, productive living.
Dr. Jeffrey Thompson’s breakthrough audio techniques, developed over 25 years of clinical research, are proven to increase levels of delta brainwave activity. He has helped thousands of people to achieve regular, restful, revitalizing, sleep.
How This Program Can Work for You
Play Delta Sleep System on any ordinary stereo or through headphones. Pulses of sound embedded into an ambient musical soundtrack, combining rich orchestration and three-dimensional sounds of nature will coax your own brainwaves toward their natural pattern of deep delta sleep.
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8225570
http://www.soundstrue.com/shop/Delta-Sleep-System/2222.pd
This remarkable system is available in CD and MP3 formats.
Please Check Out My Updated Bio And Pics On The SWAT Fuel Website!
http://swatfuel.com/team_snaito.aspx
if you are looking for a fat burner or preworkout formula which delivers stamina and focus without jitters, you must check out 9mm and 9mm+P! I have NEVER had an issue with jitters with these products, and always get great energy.
If you are looking for a top quality multivitamin, check out 40 Caliber which is incredible as well!
My YouTube Video On TS Fit Sports Containers
TS Fit Products make transporting and taking your sports supplements a breeze! Check out my video here:
Check Out My Profile On The P28 Foods Team Athlete Page!
Please click on the link below to read my P28 Testimonial and Bio:
High Protein And Delicious! P28 Food Products
https://www.p28foods.com/products
Many people ask me about the flavor of P28 Bread Products since they are high protein food items and packed with nutritious ingredients. A common assumption is that because of these features, the bread is lacking in flavor. Believe me when I say that P28 Food Products are absolutely delectable! I frequently get cravings for the bread products because they are tasty and substantial. These products freeze well so you can store them and simply toast the portion you want to eat each time.
I cannot mention the bread products without also mentioning the INCREDIBLE nut spreads that are part of the P28 Foods lineup! Here is a description of each flavor that is available. Yes, they are all delicious!
https://www.p28foods.com/baked-goods/p28-high-protein-peanut-butter
P28 High Protein Peanut Butters are All Natural and jam packed with 14 grams of Protein per serving. Our Spreads also have No Sugar Added, 0 Sodium, 0 Trans Fat, and are Cholesterol Free. Our Spreads are made with the absolute highest quality ingredients, including Whey Protein Isolate – the highest quality protein source on the market today.
Our P28 Spreads currently come in 5 flavors:
Peanut Butter – Our classic P28 High Protein Peanut Butter spread is made with the highest quality Whey Protein and Dry Roasted Peanuts. Our High Protein Peanut Butter spread is the perfect nutrient-rich addition to our P28 Bread, Bagels, and Flat Bread. Peanut Butter is a good source of Fiber, Protein, and Vitamins B3 and E. It’s been known that poly-and monounsaturated fats in peanut butter can lower your risk of developing heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.*
Signature Blend – The P28 Signature Blend is an amazingly delicious mixture of high quality Almonds, Peanuts, Cranberries, Sunflower Seeds, Honey, Flax Seeds, Cinnamon, and Whey Protein. This is an extremely nutrient rich blend high in Protein and Omega-3’s.
Almond Butter – Our P28 Almond Butter is a smooth and tasty mixture of high quality Almonds and Whey Protein. Our Almond Butter is an excellent source of Protein, Vitamin E, Magnesium, and Fiber.
White Chocolate – The P28 White Chocolate Spread is an amazing combination of high quality Peanuts, White Chocolate, Vanilla, and Whey Protein. Our White Chocolate Spread is incredibly tasty and nutritious. With 14 grams of Protein per serving and made with such high quality ingredients, you’ll never have to feel guilty eating P28 White Chocolate Spread!
Banana Raisin – Our newest flavor! An amazing mixture of Dry Roasted Peanuts, Whey Protein Isolate, and of course….RAISINS! With 14 grams of protein per serving and only 7g of carbs, this is a must have Spread in your arsenal!
Lastly, be sure to check out Team 28 on this link! https://www.p28foods.com/team-p28
Also watch for William “The Breadman” Sullivan IFBB Men’s Physique Pro as he hits the globe with these amazing products!
Too Much Cardio: The Skinny-Fat Trap
This blog post is dedicated to all of you who think that by doing massive amounts of cardio with no weight training, you will somehow keep yourself trim and tight. People who are of normal weight but who lack curvy, tight muscle because they do not lift weights often develop a palpable frustration. When I hear someone complain about feeling flabby despite doing tons of cardio at the gym, I want to SCREAM, “PICK UP A WEIGHT!!!”, because I know that this is a key component which is missing in their regimens. For those who don’t like weights, use resistance bands or the resistance of your own body weight and do SOMETHING that will challenge your muscles and create those microtears that lead to the development of new muscle.
I have actually seen some of the regulars at the gym I have frequented for many years descend into that skinny-fat trap because all they do is climb onto treadmills, bikes and elliptical trainers, perform boring steady-state cardio, then drive home without ever lifting a weight. Over time, they look more and more deflated as the aging process slowly but surely shifts their lean mass to body fat ratio in an unfavorable direction. Who wants to be mushy? If you don’t want that, it is time to stop wasting your time in the gym and become smarter about your training. You need nice, full, curvy, sexy muscles under skin to lift sagging areas such as the buttocks, chest, arms, and belly.
For those of you who are still timid about lifting weights, or who perhaps don’t know a thing about such activity, hire a trainer. Once you start to get used to challenging your muscles, it is important to establish a routine in which you are lifting regularly. If free weights (dumbbells and barbells, kettlebells and medicine balls) intimidate you, just use the machines that are scattered around the gym until you feel comfortable enough to venture into free weights.
I know that there are many of you who are concerned about looking overly muscular or about gaining pounds instead of losing them, so let’s address those concerns. If you think that by embarking on a weightlifting regimen, you will suddenly grow ridiculous amounts of muscle that would rival Popeye, think again. What you will develop is better muscle tone which will pull your skin tighter and give you a lifted, tighter, more toned appearance. You will actually end up looking more compact as a result of building a modest amount of muscle. If your concern is based more on the fear of seeing the number on the scale increase, relax. It is more important to monitor your progress by how your clothing fits. If you are accustomed to living in a skinny-fat body, you should notice over time that your pants clothing will fit differently, probably looser in the waistband. You should notice that your shorts and pants fit differently and that your butt line is higher than it was before you began training.
If you are slender but flabby, it is time to switch up your thinking and embrace the idea of building muscle through lifting weights or performing exercises with your body weight as resistance. Of course if you want to like a deflated balloon, keep doing massive amounts of cardio and no weights. It’s your decision!
