Mind Over Matter Health & Fitness · (212) 865-9290 » Overall Fitness

There’s No Magic Bullet

admin — Sun, 10 May 2009 21:47:17 +0000

When one decides to set out on that road towards fitness, you are first confronted with a fork in the road. Already at this point you are setting yourself up for success or failure, whether it’s a conscious decision or not.

Choose the “Magic Bullet” and you are choosing a path to unfulfilled promises and guarantees. Choose the path to fitness as a lifestyle. It will be a much rockier journey, but ultimately one that will help you reach your goals.

If it’s too good to be true it probably is. More times than not, when you hear about some promise to get your body to look the way you always wanted it to, but with half the amount of work, you are probably going to get half the results. If you are not prepared for hard work and discipline then you are not prepared to make any changes to your body.

The “Magic Bullet” approach is appealing because it offers you an immediate solution with little or no discipline. It requires no responsibility. You simply put yourself into a system, and the system tells you what to do. You don’t need to think, understand, or learn you just need to suffer. They some how seem to promise all of the answers some how you never seem to find them.

There’s a reason why the largest concentration of books at Barnes N’ Noble is in the diet section, they don’t work. Use common sense, look for long term health and fitness goals. Prepare yourself for a lifetime of change.

The Forever Workout

admin — Sun, 10 May 2009 21:36:02 +0000

Exercise is forever, at least if you are hoping to achieve any measure of long term success. If you don’t believe this from the outset than you will be fighting an uphill battle your entire life.

Exercise and life are synonymous. It should be a part of who you are. Not necessarily everything, but a component of your lifestyle. Arguably, exercise is a lifestyle, and only those of you that adopt it as one will be successful forever.

When you start that journey to working out you may be seeking something immediate. Maybe you have a trip coming up that involves a bathing suit, a high school reunion, your sisters wedding. Even better, maybe you are preparing for an athletic endeavor or contest.

All of these can be great motivational tools. So embrace them and use them, but bear in mind they are only temporary. Once the event is over and the trip is through, now what? Are you going to sit back and be dormant, undue all of the hard work, time, effort, and energy you have put in, and more significantly put the weight back on. Well, if you are like most other people than you will. Oh, you’ll look good, but it will only be temporary, it won’t last forever.

For some, forever may seem like a daunting word, like there is no ending in sight, no conclusion. Exercise isn’t about finality, like most other endeavors it’s about the journey and enjoying yourself along the way. In this instance what forever can bring you as far as exercise is a healthier and better looking you.

Unplug

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:57:51 +0000

Put down the Blackberry. Switch the computer to hibernate, turn off the television and shut off the cell phone. Even if it that means you don’t finish the rest of this thought…..you can’t do it, can you?
We’ve all become slaves to the technological culture that we have created for ourselves, a technological paradox if you will. What was supposed to be created to connect all us has now isolated us to our unhealthy selves.

That’s not to say that technology is not without its merits. After all, I would not be able to reach any of you if were not for it. However, all of these are more excuses why you are yet to get to the gym. Why you have yet to start that new exercise routine you have promised yourself long ago.

It all adds up. So you stay a little bit later in the office that day, one more person you need to Facebook, one more you tube you need to download, one more video you need to watch. All of these moments in time added up could easily equal an extra workout during the week or at the very least, an extra ten minutes on the treadmill.

Break free from the shackles of technology. Spend a little time on yourself. Take care of yourself, better yourself by undoing all of the damage you’ve done to you posture sitting at a desk for ten hours a day. Stave off the tide of carpel tunnel syndrome from hammering away on the Blackberry. Put those backs, hands, feet and every other part of your body to good use.

We are the only mammal created to stand on two legs, yet we’ve done everything to regress back to our pre-historic posture. Unplug.

Post-Workout Bar Food

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:55:24 +0000

The theory that eating greasy bar food after a workout is just that, a theory. There are very few studies that can prove this. The post exercise workout or post competition meal should generally be 60% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 10% fat. Now this is just a standard breakdown, but what is more significant is what foods make up those percentiles.

Protein source should always come from lean meats. Several ideas are chicken, turkey, and nowadays, bison. Other quality protein sources include fish, beans, legumes, tofu, and eggs. You of course need to get your glycogen stores back up and that’s where carbohydrates come in. If you a re going for the French fries at least go for sweet potato fries as they provide a better source of carbohydrates for the body. Another option is baked fries; at least you will then avoid the fried oil that the starch is swimming in. Alternative sources are brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta. If you are recognizing a theme here then you are on the right track. Think brown when you are choosing your carbohydrate sources, not white. If it’s white it’s not right.

In general if you are thinking of bar food after a workout you may want to change your thought process. This is due to the fact that anything cooked at a bar it will have remnants of food prepared before it on the grill. Which means you are consuming everything o the menu that you shouldn’t be eating.

Nutrition Tips

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:49:08 +0000

Add flavor to meals without added fat by substituting low sodium chicken broth for oil or butter when cooking rice and pasta dishes.
Get more fiber and lower your chance for heart disease by exchanging whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, millet) for white rice and cous cous. Cook them like rice and add to soups, salads, and stir-fries.
Add “no salt added” canned beans (easier and just as healthy as dried beans) to any meal for an economical and tasty fiber and protein boost!
Yogurt is a healthy choice, but be sure to get plain low- or non-fat Greek yogurt to avoid extra sugar, then sweeten naturally with stevia, honey, or berries.
Answer your cookie cravings with healthier cinnamon graham crackers!
Candy doesn’t have to be off-limits, but control your portions by enjoying a 60 calorie Tootsie Pop or even two Mini York Peppermint Patties (100 calories/2 g of fat).
Veggie chips aren’t as healthy as the look! Make your own by spraying pieces of kale with cooking spray, sprinkling with sea salt, and baking at 350 for 10-15 min.
Avoid the calorie and sugar surprise of smoothies by making your own! Mix in a blender 1 container of 0% Greek yogurt, ¼ cup skim milk, ½ cup frozen fruit, 1 packet stevia, ice as needed.
Eat breakfast! It is the easiest way to lose weight, start your metabolism burning at full speed and prevent over-eating later on in the day!
An ideal lunch or dinner plate is ½ veggies, ¼ lean protein like fish, chicken or tofu, and ¼ complex carbohydrates.

Brought to you by Amy W. Shapiro, RD CDN
awsnutrition.com
amy@awsnutrition.com