ACHIEVING YOUR SUMMER WEIGHT LOSS GOALS

Are you looking for some weight loss tips to get your body ready for summer? The warm weather is here and that means hitting the beach with family and friends. Of course, it also means wanting to look great in your brand new swimsuit! Try some of these quick tips and before you know it, your body will be bikini ready!

Cut Calories – Be diligent about finding ways to cut just 100 calories from what you eat every day. Some super easy ways to cut 100 calories daily are to swap regular soda for water or diet soda, trade your morning latte for coffee with low fat milk, eat steamed fresh broccoli instead of frozen broccoli in cheese sauce, eat two poached eggs instead of two fried eggs, or replace 1/2 cup of granola with 2 cups of Cheerios. These subtle changes can have a big impact on your weight loss efforts.

Watermelon and Other Fruits – This refreshing summer treat is not only delicious and practically fat free, it’s loaded with vitamins A, B, and C. The high water content, combined with a healthy amount of fiber and protein, makes watermelon a great fat burner and really aids in your weight loss efforts. Some other fruits that are great fat burners are apples, pomegranates, and grapefruit.

Eating Outside Promotes Weight Loss – Warm weather and more sunshine don’t just make for more opportunities to be active; you can also take advantage of summer days to eat less by eating outdoors. For starters, you eat less when the light is brighter. By the way, this works in the kitchen, too, so turn up that dimmer switch! You also eat more slowly when you eat outside. You look around more, you watch the birds flying by or the lizards scampering in the bushes. Simple things in the outdoor environment can slow down your eating so you actually eat less.

Longer Days Means More Exercise – Take advantage of the long summer days to fit in more exercise time. A nice long walk on the beach is a great form of exercise, and you get to work on your tan, too! Schedule a family barbeque and spend some time swimming, playing horseshoes or frisbee, or even running around playing tag with the kids. Maybe you could even hit the gym more often, and our weight loss Columbus services can help with that. Remember to have fun while you exercise!

Snack Before Mealtime – Momma always said that snacking before dinner will ruin your appetite, and she was right! Having a small snack about twenty minutes before your meal helps with weight loss because it will control your ghrelin hormones (the ones that control your appetite) so that by the time you sit down to eat, you won’t feel like eating so much. Just don’t overdo it… a good choice is a handful of walnuts or a small piece of fruit.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA

Green tea is not only delicious and refreshing, it’s also got some amazing health benefits! These days, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. Millions of people drink tea every day and studies suggest that green tea in particular has many health benefits.

Green Tea

Green Tea in History

In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, practitioners used green tea as a stimulant, as a diuretic to help rid the body of excess fluid, as an astringent to control bleeding and help heal wounds, and to improve heart health. Other traditional uses of green tea included treating gas, regulating body temperature and blood sugar, promoting digestion, and improving mental processes.

Antioxidants and Your Health

Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. Antioxidants are substances that fight free radicals, the damaging compounds in the body that change cells, damage DNA, and even cause cell death. Many scientists believe that free radicals contribute to the aging process as well as the development of many different health issues, including cancer and heart disease. So not only can green tea ward off a number of health problems, it can also help keep you young!

Weight Loss Benefits

Clinical studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. One study found that the combination of green tea and caffeine improved weight loss and maintenance in people who were overweight and moderately obese. Green tea, combined with diet and exercise, can really help with your weight loss efforts and your overall health, Columbus fitness centers can help, too!

Diabetes and Other Uses

Green tea has also been used to control blood sugar levels. Studies suggest that green tea may help prevent the development of type 1 diabetes and slow the progression once it has developed. In people with type 1 diabetes, their bodies make little or no insulin, which helps convert glucose or sugar into energy. Green tea may help regulate glucose in the body. Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay by killing the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Green tea may also be useful in inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis. Chemicals in green tea may also be help treat genital warts and prevent symptoms of colds and flu. Can you believe all of these great health benefits?

Why Go Green?

Why don’t other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the same plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases and promoting good health.

FOODS THAT REDUCE STRESS AND PROVIDE NUTRITION

If you’re a stress eater, you need to find foods that will provide you with nutrition so that you’re not tempted to eat foods that are bad for you. With so much going on in our lives every day, stress is something that we have to learn to deal with the right way. Here’s a list of some super foods that are not only nutritious, they also reduce your stress level.

Nutrition

Delicious Asparagus – This green veggie is high in folic acid, which can help stabilize your mood. When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones that affect your mood. Eating certain vitamins and minerals like folic acid and B vitamins can help keep your mood steady because they’re used to make serotonin, which is a chemical that directly affects mood in a positive way.

Milk – Whole Body Nutrition – Milk is high in antioxidants and vitamins B2 and B12, as well as protein and calcium. Have a bowl of whole grain cereal and low fat milk in the morning to start your day with a stress reducing breakfast!

Cottage Cheese and Fruit – Cottage cheese is high in protein and calcium, and it’s loaded with nutrition. Foods with high protein content that aren’t loaded with sugar won’t cause a spike in blood sugar and will keep you satisfied for a longer period of time. Try mixing the cottage cheese with a fruit that is high in vitamin C, which is full of antioxidants that fight the free radicals that get released when you’re stressed.

Beef and Tuna – Even though beef often gets a bad rap, it’s a great dinner option for a stressed out family. Beef contains high levels of zinc, iron, and B vitamins, which are also known to help stabilize your mood. Some people think they should stay away from beef, but it’s actually full of nutrition, even compared to chicken. If you’re concerned about fat content, be sure to get a lean cut. Tuna is a great lunch option. It’s high in stress fighting vitamins B6 and B12. Tuna is also a good low fat protein source. Just don’t load it down with fat by using a lot of mayonnaise.

Almonds and Blueberries – Try munching on some almonds for a crunchy snack. They are full of nutrition and are a good source of Vitamin B2 and E, as well as magnesium and zinc. Almonds are high in fat, but most of the fat is unsaturated. Like vitamin C, vitamin E has been shown to fight the free radicals associated with stress, and in particular, those free radicals that cause heart disease. Blueberries also make a great snack. Very rich in antioxidants, blueberries offer a high fiber, low calorie fruit option that is also rich in stress- fighting vitamin C. Try them with cottage cheese or as a snack on their own. Not only are they a good source of nutrition, they are delicious and fun to eat!

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STAYING HYDRATED FOR YOUR WORKOUT

Staying hydrated during your workout is extremely important. Dehydration adversely affects your performance, energy level, and even your coordination. Severe dehydration can even cause muscle cramps, headaches, and dizziness during your workout.

Hydrated During Your Workout

The more intense your workout, the more fluids your body loses. But that doesn’t mean that a light workout doesn’t require proper hydration. As your body loses fluid, your blood volume drops, making it more difficult for your body to get the oxygen it needs from your blood and to remove toxins from your cells.

Tips for Staying Hydrated All Day Long

Proper hydration begins long before you ever hit the gym. Drink plenty of water all day long. If you have trouble getting enough, consider adding flavor with a dash of fruit juice. Eating lots of fruit can also help you maintain hydration during the day.

Avoid caffeinated or sugary beverages, which don’t hydrate your body as effectively as water. And remember that it takes your body at least twenty minutes to absorb any fluid you take in, so simply drinking during your workout isn’t enough.

Hydration during Your Workout

During your workout, you lose fluid through sweating. To ensure that you stay hydrated, drink a ½ cup to a full cup of water every fifteen minutes or so. Most of the time, water is the best choice for re-hydrating. But if your workout is particularly long or intense, you’ll want to supplement water with a sports drink; these beverages contain electrolytes, which your body also loses as you sweat. Meanwhile, embrace that sweat! It’s part of your body’s way of cooling itself. When you finish your workout, drink plenty of water again, and pick up your daily hydration routine right where you left off. By staying hydrated, you’ll notice that your body feels better and your performance stays stronger.

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3 SUPER FOODS THAT BOOST YOUR ENERGY

The old saying your parents told you when you were a child, “You are what you eat” is still true today. If you are feeling tired, worn down and fatigued then you should be changing your diet. By replacing empty calorie, high fat foods with super foods, you with is a drastic improvement in your energy and overall mood. Super foods are foods that are richer in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, nutrients, electrolytes, and phyto-nutrients. These foods also contain fewer calories than other foods, while deeply nourishing your body. Below you will find 3 super foods that will boost your energy.

Organic Cacao

Yes, we did say that chocolate is a super food! Unfortunately this does not refer to the chocolate bars in the checkout lane at the grocery store. Organic Cacao is chocolate in its raw, organic form. You can use cacao beans if you wish, however they are quite bitter. The organic cacao powder, that can be found is most health food stores, is incredible for making desserts.

Cacao is rich in antioxidants, magnesium, iron, chromium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, phosphorous, copper, tryptophan, and more. All of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants packed in cacao makes it great for weight loss and boosting energy.

Goji Berries

Goji berries are a fruit that can be found in Asia and the Americas. It is one of the most nutritious fruits on the planet, containing protein, amino acids, and vitamins: B1, B2, B6, E, and C. The antioxidants that can be found in Goji berries help protect your body from free radicals and the aging process. While the B-vitamins found in the berries are a tremendous source of energy.

Try using the Goji berries to make a breakfast smoothie. It is a great tasting, refreshing, energizing way to start your day.

Kale

Kale is basically the top dog of the greens category of super foods. One cup of Kale is packed with more iron than a steak, more than 1000 percent of your daily recommended vitamin K allowance, plus antioxidants that promote bone and regulate blood clotting. Plus it is also an excellent source of dietary fiber and vitamin B6.

Kale is a versatile green that is enjoyed greatly worldwide. One of the greatest things about this super food is when prepared by steaming, microwaving, or stir-frying, very little nutritional value is lost. Making it possible for salads, stir-fries, soups, sausages and more to be enriched with this energy boosting food.

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TOP TIPS FOR BREAKING YOUR UNHEALTHILY EATING HABITS

You’re getting on track – you exercise several times a week and the pounds are beginning to fall off. But exercise is only half the battle against the bulge! The other half: your diet! Eating right is the key to consistent and healthy weight loss. We all know this, so why is it still so tough to make great choices about what we eat?

Most of us let our lifestyles, emotions, and all kinds of thing get in the way of eating right. And in the meantime, as we put off making those decisions, we form unhealthy patterns that become deep-seated habits. Those habits become comfortable, familiar, easy—making them even more difficult to overcome.

Tips To Break Unhealthy Eating Habits

Take an honest look at your diet Sometimes we don’t even realize what we eat each day, or when. It’s often helpful to keep a food journal for a few weeks, so that you can identify your dietary patterns. You may realize that you go days on end without vegetables—or that the base of your food pyramid is made up of ice cream (not the strongest foundation)! After you’ve tracked the trends in your diet, identify the most important habits to change.

Eating Habits

Figure out why you eat what you eat Many of us make poor dietary choices because we’re pressed for time, we’re eating to deal with stress, or we have emotional relationships with our food. Identifying these underlying issues is the most important step if we’re going to change them long term. This awareness will give you new control over our everyday decisions because you’ll pay more attention to the foods you choose to eat.

Make changes that are reasonable and realistic for you and your lifestyle Just as you must be honest with yourself about your current eating habits, you also must be honest with yourself as you decide which habits to break—and how to break them. If you’re eating too much red meat, aim to switch to fish on Fridays, or go meatless on Mondays. Smaller changes will be easier to stick with over time, and you won’t feel deprived or resentful about the changes you make.

The benefits of changing your eating habits stretch beyond weight loss. Eating right will give you more energy, improve your overall health, and even make your skin glow. Talk to one of our personal trainers about tweaking your diet to support your weight loss and fitness goals. To stay up to date and to get daily motivation, please like us on Facebook!

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HOW CAN A HEALTH CONSULTANT COLUMBUS HELP WITH WEIGHT LOSS?

We strive to offer the public what they need when it comes to working with a health consultant Columbus.

Our trainers work hard to help you with your weight loss in every aspect. The first step to our program starts by getting to know your personally. First, we learn your time schedule, so we can set up the perfect time for you to start you gym routine. We then look at your home environment (we don’t get too personal, we just need to know a few things) but a little knowledge of your stress level, physical condition can help us better access your success rate.

We care about your nutrition and we will take a look at the foods you bring in the house, advise you on what to dispose of and what to keep to make it easier to learn good eating habits. We will ask you to give us an example of what kinds of foods you eat for breakfast, lunch and supper. We will also need to know if you are a junk food eater and if so, what do you snack on.

How-Can-A-Health-Consultant-Columbus-Help-With-Weight-Loss

Do you like fruits and vegetables? If so, which ones do you prefer. These questions are important to determine how we can help modify your diet.

We will also ask you things like whether or not you are a nighttime eater. If so, we will help you choose a lighter, healthier snack that will digest easier during the night.

Once we get all of this information, we can then start creating what is the best and easiest way for you to work out and diet. With a Columbus health consultant, you will feel like you are the only person in the whole gym they are focused on; you become number one once the routine gets underway.

The health consultant will start you off with some cardio to loosen your muscles and to get your heart rate a little higher then usual. We will gradually work you into a full work out routing which will keep you on track.

After the first three or four weeks, you will start to notice the benefits that comes with having a trainer, you will start to sleep better, feel better and look better. So when asked if a health consultant from Columbus can help you with weight loss all we can say is seeing is believing.

What are you waiting for? Join us now.

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