Tag motivation
It All Adds Up
When you add the label of “forbidden” to a food, it suddenly becomes quite irresistible, revealing the human tendency to become lured by temptation. Of course it doesn’t help that these so-called forbidden foods are full of sugar and other substances which trigger more cravings. You may be the type of person who occasionally nibbles on a food which is ordinarily on the do-not-eat list, or you may find yourself in a pattern in which you rationalize your dietary transgressions and cannot stop the behavior. If your indulgences are frequent, you have probably noticed the evidence accumulating around your waistline.
While competitors must follow rigid meal plans which discourage the consumption of any fat-laden or sugary treats, those of you who do not compete can follow a clean diet 90% with the occasional treat and suffer minimal consequences, However, individuals who do not follow rigid meal plans may be consuming nutrient-poor foods laden with saturated fat and sugar far more often than they realize. They may also be tricked into ordering a meal which seems to be clean, such as a chicken caesar salad, only to find out that the salad dressing alone can obliterate any possibility of consuming a healthy meal. The temptations continue when people are trying to keep up with busy schedules and ordering less than foods out of hunger and exhaustion. More temptations may also be lying in wait at home. Perhaps you have rationalized a nightly glass of wine or a Pop Tart as a treat for a busy day at work, but when this is practiced on a daily basis, it will surely trap you in a “one step forward, two steps back” pattern which will prevent you from achieving your fitness goals. Suddenly the clean and healthy diet is followed only about 40%, meals are random, and the risk of malnutrition also emerges as a result of erratic and unhealthy eating practices.
The key is to follow nutritional guidelines which will ensure that you get the nutrients and calories which your body requires. If it is too difficult to determine what it is that you need to consume on a daily basis for optimal nutrition, hire a nutrition coach to give you structure and consistency. You will still be able to enjoy the occasional treat, as long as you remember that moderation is the key. Another valuable habit to implement is the daily intake of a multivitamin, preferably one which is taken several times a day to optimize absorption. What I love about SWAT Fuel’s .40 Caliber Multivitamin is that it has high bioavailability of nutrients along with a three time per day dosing recommendation. This is my personal choice of multivitamin, and yes, I do take it three times daily. This formulation is very clean and doesn’t cause the intestinal upset that some multivitamins can cause. I can tell that I actually feel more energized when I take this particular multivitamin as opposed to other brands.
You can order .40 Caliber directly from the website: http://swatfuel.com/products.aspx
Check Out The Six Pack Fitness Bag Collection!
This collection is growing next year too, with a whole line of luggage! Please make sure to enter my discount code DRNAITO1014 If you order within the next day, and code DRNAITO1114 if ordering after that. You will receive 15% off your order.
I have used other brands of meal bags, and I honestly love Six Pack bags the best. This company has come a long way, and now they not only have Meal Management Bags, they also have Backpacks, Duffels, Briefcases, Women’s Bags and Accessories to help you keep everything in perfect order. They are top quality, fuctional and stylish. Get one!
What a great meal bag option for the fashionable gal!
Lululemon Love
I think that if there was a sudden requirement for me to wear fitness apparel all the time that I would be the happiest woman in the world, because I automatically gravitate towards fitness apparel on a daily basis. I am not a business casual person, nor am I into wearing jeans and a t-shirt look when I need to run to the grocery store for something, I have a tendency to throw on capris or booty shorts (if I am not already wearing them) and a sporty tank. Of course I live in Los Angeles which is blessed with glorious weather the majority of the time, plus I tend to run hot.
<a
Over the years I have remained loyal to certain brands which seem to fit my body well. In sports bras, I prefer Champion and Under Armour, I love the fit and wear of Nike, Under Armour, Champion and Dcore capris, my favorite booty shorts are made by New Balance, and I love Dcore tank tops. When I began working in the fitness industry back in 2009, I was surprised to hear fitness folks sing the praises of Lululemon apparel like it was the best stuff ever. After I heard how expensive their items were, I shied away from them.
I finally went to a Lululemon store last week for the very first time, and now can honestly say I understand what the hype is all about. The quality of Lululemon garments is exceptional, from the fabric to the stitching, fit, and little details which set them apart from other fitness clothing companies. I am not a fan of the sport bras and find that I am between sizes in this brand, a fact which I find quite odd. Everything else fits like a dream though! As a result of my shopping trip, I am now addicted to Lululemon and have been living in Lululemon garments for the past week.
I honestly love Lululemon!
Packing Fit Foods For Travel
It can be extremely challenging to maintain healthy eating habits while traveling abroad, especially in countries which have not embraced the concept of clean eating. An additional challenge which I encounter when I travel abroad is that it can be extremely difficult to consume the quantity of protein which I am accustomed to on a daily basis (150 to 200 grams per day). If I didn’t have access to wonderful products like P28 Bread, B-Up Bars, Quest Bars, Training Table Sports Meals and Kris Gethin’s Nutrition By Design Meal Cups to pack, I wouldn’t meet my macronutrient needs solely by eating at restaurants. I will continue to pack these convenient meal options when I go to Germany and England next year.
Both the Training Table Sports Meals and the Kris Gethin Meal Cups are whole food sources and pack a ton of protein (27 to 34 grams). The only drawback is that Training Table meals should be heated up in a microwave, and the Gethin meals require boiling hot water to rehydrate the ingredients. For this reason, I always make sure to pack P28 Bread and bars, since they don’t require any preparation. I can easily pack a box or two of bars (and yes, I ONLY eat B-Up and Quest) in my checked bag and also add a bag of P28 Flatbread. I pack the Gethin meals inside a rigid box so that the containers don’t get crushed, but everything else travels well without additional padding.
The only issue I ever run into is when I return to the States and have to go through customs. If I have any food left, the customs officials treat me like I am a drug lord or criminal! The food items which raised the most suspicious eye were the Gethin meals, which surprised me since they are dry. However, I will not allow the U.S. Customs officials to rain on my parade. I will continue to pack Gethin meals because they are so convenient and lightweight. Another great thing about Gethin meals, Training Table and B-Up Bars is that they won’t spoil during my travels.
Here are images of the products I have mentioned here. The only company I have not worked with is Kris Gethin Nutrition By Design, but my opinions of these products are completely honest and unbiased. All of these products are fantastic!
No Excuses Calisthenics Training Video Series On RxGirl: Hindu Pushups
Check out the new series which Ian Lauer and I compiled for our viewers!
Sexy Image In Budapest Industrial Building
I love My New Dcore Pixel Tights!
These tights are fantastic! You can order them directly from Dcore:
http://dcore.com/product/Pixel-tights-grey-rasberry
They fit so well, are made with a sturdy yet comfortable material, and the design is fashion forward. Get a pair!
Great Leg Shot From Zoltan Vegh Shoot, 7th September 2014
Don’t Bully Your Coach
Before I dive into this topic, I want to make sure that everyone understands that this is meant to be general, and is not directed at anyone in particular. But because I have had numerous conversations with other coaches and trainers recently who have described behavior in their clients which I find unacceptable, I thought this was a good topic to cover in my blog.
First of all, when you hire a coach or trainer, you are hiring that person for his or her knowledge, education and experience. When you challenge fee schedules that are in place, and expect the coach to give you bargain basement pricing just because you are short on funds, or because you don’t see why you should pay that much for someone else’s time, it is insulting to the coach. In addition, coaches and trainers are trying to run businesses and have expenses which need to be covered. I recently saw a quote on Instagram which I loved: “If you think a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur.” Please keep this in mind when you are selecting a coach, and have respect for what they offer.
If a coach is designing a customized plan for you, do not expect the plan to be ready within minutes. It takes time to create a customized plan for a client, so please be patient. Once you get your plan, please do not ask incessant questions, especially if they are presented in the middle of the night. Since I am a physician, I understand what it means to be on call all the time, but I will not put up with a 2 am text asking me whether it’s okay to substitute swing lunges with seated leg curls!
Another sure way to aggravate your coach is to be non-compliant, whiny, and intent on changing every aspect of a well designed plan. Why even hire a professional to help you if you are dead set on being a person who uses the word CAN’T all the time? If you trust, admire and respect your coach, then let your coach work his or her magic and help you to reach your goals. Otherwise, you are wasting both your time and energy and those of your coach. Allow your coach to guide you and be your motivator, and speak up if you are faltering in your efforts or if your self-confidence is flagging. Let your coach be truly that: a coach.
dr. stacey naito's blog 