Archive for August, 2009
By Stacey Nolan Young
The summer isn`t over yet so there is no reason to be putting those barbeques away. In the spirit of summer I thought I`d give away a quick and easy recipe sure to impress your family and guests…or even just yourself!
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 lb boneless pork loin or tenderloin
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
Preparation:
- Prepare this the night before as this dish tastes best when the meat has marinated for 2-24 hours.
- Trim and cut pork into 1 inch cubes. In large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, extra virgin oil, garlic, oregano, sea salt and pepper. Add pork and stir to coat. Place covered into refrigerator until ready to grill.
- Evenly thread pork onto six 8-inch skewers.
- Grill the meat on the barbeque, turning until well browned, about 15 minutes.
Tips:
- Wooden skewers should be soaked in water for several minutes before using.
- Serve with whole grain pita slices and a greek salad.
- You can subsititute chicken for the pork as well.
Stay tuned for the upcoming release of our recipe book featuring tons of great and healthy meal ideas and tips!
Enjoy!
August 26th, 2009
By Stacey Nolan Young
Okay so you asked and we are delivering. This is one of the most frequent questions that we get asked. And I am prepared to give you the answer to this popular query. The REAL answer for REAL results.
How do I get rid of my muffin top?
Well let’s start with defining the muffin top, shall we? I’m not quite sure who coined this term but it is the storage of fat that surrounds your midsection and hangs over your pants at your sides and resembles the top of the muffin in relation to the bottom of it. The muffin top is also quite endearingly known as the lovehandles. And I have no idea why they are called this as not many people who have them - love them.
There are many people and companies out there willing to take your hard earned money and sell you a pill, a machine or a DVD workout that promises to rid you of that problem area. And people fall for these scams every single day. Wearing a thermal belt around your abdomen will not make you lose inches in that area, taking a magic pill will not decrease your waist size and doing 1000 crunches a day will not do more than give you back problems. Stop listening to the garbage out there and listen to common sense.
What do we know about spot reduction?
We know that it is next to impossible to actually target a certain area of the body and lose fat there. When a person loses weight, they lose it from different areas around the body, indiscriminately. From my own experience in working with people, I’ll notice some weight loss in the face first, usually. This rarely makes people happy but what they need to realize is that they will lose the weight from the area they want to eventually and it is a process. So spending an hour performing crunches and sit ups is not the best way to go about your task.
Everybody has a six pack. Everyone. It just gets hidden with years of poor diet and poor eating habits. There is a limit to how much you can “grow” your abs so it may be a waste of time to perform abdominal exercises alone. The basic formula for weight loss goes like this:
Calories in versus calories out.
Calories In
Think about what you are eating and providing your body with. In fact, do yourself a favour and actually write it down for a few days. You’d be surprised at the amount of food that the average person takes in and the calories add up. Now, I never suggest counting calories as I feel this can lead to some other problems and obsessive behaviour but it is always good to be aware of what you are putting in your mouth. Does it nourish your body? Is there a purpose for it? Approximately, how many calories does it contain?
Don’t get me wrong, I am not a fan of low calorie diet plans. These are often unrealistic. You lose weight in the short term, mess with your metabolism, deprive your body of energy that is essential for basic function and end up gaining the weight back and usually more when you have reached your goal and start eating again.
What I am saying is to begin by cleaning up your eating. Add more fresh veggies and fruit, substitute lean meats, veggies and whole grain carbohydrates for your combo #6 at McDonalds. Drink water instead of juice or pop. And begin consciously making an effort towards eating healthy. Nobody is perfect so treat yourself once in awhile to what you are craving but make 90% of your food choices be healthy ones.
THIS will make the biggest difference in your appearance and this is the FIRST step in getting that muffin top down to size.
Calories Out
While I believe that nutrition is the bigger part of losing those lovehandles, it has to go hand in hand with a balanced exercise plan. And by balanced, I mean both cardiovascular and resistance exercise. Diet alone will only make a person into a smaller version of themselves. So you may be twenty pounds lighter but chances are your muffin top remains. The resistance exercise is going to help you maintain or put on muscle mass. I know these don’t sound like the magic words that women like to hear. I am by no means suggesting that you will bulk up (a very difficult thing for women to do that does not happen by accident) but that it is muscle that gives you tone and definition. It shapes you. And the more you have, the more fat you will burn. This is one of the reasons that men tend to lose weight more quickly than women. They usually carry more lean mass than women do which allows them to burn fat more efficiently. I know - not fair.
So for resistance exercise you want to drop those abs video routines that you are doing because you are wasting your time and energy on these. Focus on bigger, compound movements because these will allow you to hit various muscle groups and therefore burn more calories. And that is what you are looking for; to burn the most number of calories that you can in an efficient way. I would also suggest doing a whole body routine a couple of times per week to start. You want to make sure that you hit every major muscle group in your body. Exercises like squats, chin ups, push ups and planks are some good examples of what you could do. The ones I just mentioned do not even require a gym to perform them so there is really no excuse not to implement them into your weekly routines.
Your cardiovascular portion should consist of at least 3 hours per week of activity. Notice I said activity and not exercise. There is a difference. As this is to be a lifestyle change it is important that you begin a routine consisting of activities that you enjoy doing. Walking, hiking, stair climbing, cycling, swimming and sporting activities may entice you more than spending an hour on the treadmill at home or at the gym. And these things count as activity! Involve your family and friends and make them a part of your new routine.
This would be a great start to the exercise portion of your new plan to get you towards where you want to be. And I’ve only suggested 5 hours per week which is not that much time when you consider how much time you’ll spend watching television, on the computer and playing around on Facebook.
Side Note About Fat Storage
There has been research that suggests that certain hormones have an effect on particular fat storage sites on the body. I’m sure you have all heard that cortisol effects the “stomach fat” area as they now try to sell you pills to target that. But interestingly, the hormone insulin is what controls the storage of fat in the muffin top area.
So as an add on to the above advice, I would suggest watching your carbohydrate intake, especially the more refined and processed carbs like white bread, rice and sugar (the 3 white devils). A smarter thing to do would be to limit the intake of these and when choosing a carbohydrate always opt for the whole grain version as these act differently on the body and take longer to break down so they are less likely to be stored as fat. But as always with everything, moderation is key, even when eating healthier.
The above advice may not seem as sexy as those pills and quick fixes that paper your magazines but this is the tried and true method to getting to your goal. This is what is going to make you lose those lovely handles of fat that surround your pants.
Give it a try and you are sure to see results!
August 19th, 2009
A Response to the Controversial Times Cover Article on Exercise and Weight Loss
By Stacey Nolan Young
Every once in awhile my sister in law will send us a link to an article pertaining to fitness and nutrition in order to get our feedback on it. So it was no surprise when she did so again the other day. The only difference this time was that when Mark and I both read this separately, we were both incited enough to write separate rants about it to her and for the most part we came to the same conclusion.
This article was a bunch of bull.
Little did we know the impact that this one article would have on the fitness industry. How some of the leading people in the industry would get all up in arms about this. And how an organization like the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) would release a press letter setting the record straight and ask its members to pass it along to local media outlets.
What did the original article say?
If you’re not inclined to click on the link I provided above and read the actual article (it is long and sometimes seemingly random) then I’ll give you the gist of what it claims here:
*Overall, the article claims that exercise is not an effective tool when it comes to weight loss.
*Losing weight matters more than being aerobically fit in preventing heart disease.
*One can’t lose weight from exercise because exercise makes you hungrier and willpower cannot conquer the hunger enough to make good food choices.
*Exercising 60 to 90 minutes most days of the week in order to lose weight (a recommendation from an ACSM Position Stand) is unrealistic.
*Just moving around more during the day is more effective for weight loss than dedicated exercise.
*Vigorous exercise depletes energy resources so much so that it leads to overeating (i.e., weight gain)
ACSM actually spoke to an expert who was consulted for the story and he agreed that his research and opinions were selectively reported. In fact, it appears as if the entire article was selectively reported. Here is the real story according to ACSM:
“Recently, an article in a major media outlet has raised an important health question: Is exercise really an effective means for weight loss?
As a health and exercise professional, I can affirm that the answer is a resounding yes! A vast amount of research has definitively proven that exercise, when combined with a healthy diet, results in both weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight. ACSM just released an updated, evidence-based scientific position stand in early 2009 that proves these exact points.
Further, there is little evidence to the claim that exercising produces hunger so uncontrollable that it leads to weight gain. In fact, a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh proved just the opposite: overweight and obese women didn’t eat any more food after 40 minutes of exercise than they normally would when sedentary.
Exercise does require effort, and it does require self-control. But when these are combined to form a healthy lifestyle, the rewards are beyond substantial.
Economically, expenditures are reduced (the recent Weight of the Nation conference reported that obesity accounts for some $147 billion in health care costs per year); and people lead more enjoyable, more energetic and happier lives.
Even for the non-overweight, exercise provides benefits that no single pill or prescription ever could. It treats and prevents numerous chronic conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, and even depression.
Exercise is a health tool we all need, regardless of our weight, and it is my sincere hope that the public takes its importance seriously. Further, advice about weight loss should come courtesy of a qualified health or fitness professional, instead of irresponsible articles that may not showcase the full realm of scientific facts surrounding the issue.”
Now, this isn’t exactly written as I would have written after first reading the Times article, but this is probably a little more professional so I chose to go with their stand. I agree with it. The point is that exercise IS an important aspect of weight loss and people should never discount the benefits that they can derive from it, not only for losing weight but for their overall health.
Don’t believe everything you read!
August 12th, 2009
By Stacey Nolan Young
We’ve all heard about gaining the “freshman 15″ when you go to college but what about when you make the step to live with your partner? Does saying “I Do” have an ill effect on your health and body?
A study done by the university of North Carolina suggests that this is so.
The study looked at whether romantic partnership and duration of living together are related to incident obesity and obesity-promoting behaviors, also examining whether the development of obesity in one individual increases the risk of obesity in his or her spouse.
What this study showed is that individuals who went from single or dating to living together or married were clearly more likely to become obese than those who were just dating.
For both men and women, living with a romantic partner for 1 year or more increased the likelihood of incident obesity by up to 3-fold compared to single or dating individuals. This risk became even more prominent for couples who lived together for more than 2 years.
These couples reported less physical activity, more television and computer time and other sedentary behaviours that may promote weight gain.
Does this surprise you? I should think not. How many people have told you about their weight gain after marriage? This is why adopting a physical lifestyle TOGETHER is all the more important, not only for your health but also to better your relationship with your partner.
Keep in mind the saying: “Those that play together, stay together.” and start your journey as a couple on the road to health!
August 5th, 2009
