News and Rants (slightly informative)

Calories IN Calories OUT. WTF is the Truth?  WTF is a calorie?   Simply put . . . it is the amount of heat required to raise 1 kilogram of water one degree celcius.  Geez, thanks Coach Clarence I am good now,  watch the weight fall off (eye roll ensues). Energy is heat production.  Whenever muscle contracts to initiate movement, heat is being generated, thus calories are being burned. If you were to measure your temperature right now, you would probably be in the vicinity of 98.6 degrees. Your body maintains heat on an ongoing basis, and since a calorie is a measure of heat production, it correlates to the amount of energy a food provides. I know you are thinking what does that mean to me?  When the number of calories that you take in equals the number of calories that you expend in energy, you are maintaining an energy balance and your weight will not fluctuate very much. Conventional "diet wisdom" (a contradiction in terms) dictates that if you cut b...

  You have most likely heard about “Keto” unless you’ve been living under a rock. Or have you heard you need to be in a state of Ketosis in order to get into a state where significant ketone bodies are being produced and are actively traveling in your bloodstream. It’s how you   burn fat, right?   Basically, grab a fat piece of protein add butter or saturate it with a heavy dose of oil and “voila,” repeat all day and boom watch the magic happen. I know we live in the cancel culture and for some I just got canceled. I know some people are actively making money on the keto phenomenon. And some people are just into their feelings about it. First, I don’t do good or bad, I work with the science and let you decide. I have no stake in the keto game WHAT IS THE KETO DIET? We live in a polarized society, on one side Trumper’s, on the other side Biden boys and girls.    Its no different in fitness ask one “expert” and he or she will tell you the best way to g...

It’s no secret that the size of the average adult has expanded over the last forty years…and studies show that portion sizes have grown right along with us. Researchers from New York University found that average portion sizes started to grow in the 1970s, rising quickly in the 1980s, and this phenomenon hasn’t shown signs of slowing. A large order of fries from McDonald's’ weighs the same as 1998’s Supersize fries. And it doesn’t stop there. Check out these eye-opening figures, provided by the National Institutes of Health: Today's 6-inch bagel has  350  calories. This is  210  more calories than a 3-inch bagel 20 years ago. Today's 5-ounce muffin has  500  calories. This is  310  calories more than muffin 20 years ago. Today, a large cookie has about  275  calories. This is  220  more calories more than a cookie 20 years ago. Today, a 3 cup chicken Caesar salad has  790  calories. This is  4...

You know that diet and exercise are important when it comes to creating your best body, but you may be overlooking other techniques for getting into the best shape. Even while stuck at home! Try out the following 13 simple habits and watch as your body transforms. 1. Eat a Smart Breakfast. Most people load up on carbohydrates and simple sugars for breakfast. Cereal, pastries, smoothies, and juice are all poor choices when it comes to starting your day off right. Center your breakfast around protein and healthy fat, and you’ll have the energy for hours. Try a protein shake, eggs, lean breakfast meat, or a handful of nuts. 2. Get More Sleep. If you’re not getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night then you could use more sleep. This is especially true if you’ve reached a plateau with weight loss. Give your body the 8 hours of sleep each night and make weight loss easier. 3. Just Do It. If you’re really ready to achieve your best body ever, then dig down dee...

When the social distancing mandate is lifted and we all emerge from our homes, you’re going to notice that many people put on weight during this stressful time. And it’s hard to blame them. Because fitness is  hard. It’s hard when life is normal, let alone when the world is on lockdown causing our stress to steadily rise and tempting us to turn to comfort food. Every day we have choices to make, and these choices take us closer to a fit and lean body or farther from a fit and lean body. Exercise or NO Exercise? Lace-up your shoes and take a run or do a bodyweight workout instead of getting extra sleep, watching TV or doing whatever else it is that you’d rather be doing. Do this 3-5 times each week for 30-60 minutes. OR Spend your spare time being as sedentary as possible. The less that you use your muscles, the more aches, pains and mobility limitations you’ll experience. Oh, and if you’re consuming more calories than your natural metabolism burns then you’ll s...

You’re stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic with Netflix and comfort foods causing you a huge amount of temptation. Not to mention the stress of this uncertain time making it easy to resort to stress eating… The fact is that after this quarantine you’re either going to be in worse shape – having gained many at-home pounds, OR you could use this extra time off to make visible progress towards your best body ever. Here are  12 Steps to Getting Lean while in Quarantine: Step One: Do Some Burpees.  Can burpees safely be performed at home? You bet. Incorporate a few minutes of burpees into your morning and evening routines to burn extra calories and tighten your core. Here’s how to do a burpee: 1) Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. 2) Drop to a squat with your hands on the ground. 3) Kick feet back while lowering into a push-up. 4) Return to the squat position. 5) Jump up with arms overhead. Step Two: Reduce Sodium.  Did you know that salt cau...

Oops, You’ve relapsed Is this you? Have you relapsed into your old unhealthy habits? The sad truth is that nearly everyone who started off 2020 with strong fitness goals has by now given up. I sincerely hope that this is not you. This is the cycle that happens when you relapse into your old unhealthy habits, and here’s how to pick yourself back up: 1) First You Fall Your fall off the wagon could take place in a single moment, or it could be the result of a drawn-out process. You may fall out of exercise slowly as a result of health problems or other various life issues that spring up and monopolize your time. Illness, vacation, holidays, changes at work or any other change in your schedule are all things that’ll get you off the wagon. Once you’re off the real damage begins. 2) Second You Surrender There comes a point after you fall off the wagon that you simply throw your hands up in the air and give in. It may be a dramatic moment when you decide to eat anything you want, ...

Spring has arrived, bringing with it the promise of warm weather to come. You know what happens when the weather warms up? People put on bathing suits. Are you ready to bare it all on the beach? If not, no worries, there is still time. Follow these 12 steps to get your abs beach ready: Step One: Do Some Burpees.  Can burpees really help flatten your abs? You bet. Incorporate a few minutes of burpees into your workouts to burn extra calories and tighten your core. Here's how to do a burpee: 1) Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. 2) Drop to a squat with your hands on the ground. 3) Kick feet back while lowering into a push-up. 4) Return to the squat position. 5) Jump up with arms overhead. Step Two: Reduce Sodium.  Did you know that salt causes water retention? Puffy skin is not going to make your abs look great in a bathing suit! Take the time to pay attention to the sodium content of your food. Limit salt intake by not eating packaged foods and by putti...

Before you start a new diet, answer these five questions to see if it will help you lose fat. Fat Loss Question 1: Does it make you hungry all day every day? When you’re on a diet, it’s normal to feel the occasional tinge of hunger. Much of those light hunger pangs, however, should be done away with by drinking a glass of water. And if you stay busy enough with life in general, you ought to be able to ignore some other hunger. But if your diet has you feeling hungry at all times, you’re not going to last long. To avoid falling into the pit of hungry despair, go with a diet that lets you eat protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Also, as stated above, drink plenty of water to avoid confusing hunger with thirst. Fat Loss Question 2: Does it force you to drop food groups? A healthy diet is one that incorporates appropriate amounts of food from each food group. When a diet cuts an entire food group from your eating options, you’re going to have a hard time surviving your...