Eating Less May Not Extend Human Life: Caloric Restriction May Benefit Only Obese Mice

ScienceDaily (2009-01-26) -- Caloric restriction only benefits obese mice, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. The results suggest that caloric restriction may not be a universally beneficial anti-aging strategy, as commonly believed.

I've blogged about the topic of calorie requirements a few times here. Despite what some diet "gurus" might say in order to sell you books, pills, and short term "solutions" that are really "illusions". Here's the truth:

A CALORIE RESTRICTED LIFESTYLE IS DETRIMENTAL TO LONG TERM FAT LOSS AND PRESERVATION OF LEAN MUSCLE.

Yes a caloric deficit is necessary to reduce your body weight, but that deficit should be a safe one. 15-20% of your body's energy requirements.

It's hard to pin down a clear definition here. To me, the term "calorie restriction" means that you are restricting your body from obtaining the calories and nutrients necessary for healthy functioning. I think knowing your body's requirements is the first step in avoiding this state.

It isn't all that hard to figure out your caloric requirements. It just takes a scale, a $15 pair of body fat calipers (or a scale that gives you your bodyfat%), and some simple math. In fact, you don't even have to do the math. I've already done that for you in my Total Daily Energy Expenditure calculator - which is always right here near the top right of this blog.

Let me refer you to an oldie but goodie that I posted a while back:

How Many Calories Should I Eat Each Day?

8 Simple Rules to Avoid Overeating

Here's 8 easy rules to help anybody avoid overeating...

1) Serve dinner on smaller plates. We're programmed to fill - and clean - our plates. This one is a no-brainer.

2) At restaurants, put half in a takeout box before you even start eating. Restaurant food is usually really yummy. If it's in front of you, you're probably going to eat it. Restaurants are notorious for huge portions. Plus having that nice (half a) restaurant meal for lunch the next day is a treat!

3) Don't go grocery shopping hungry. This just encourages you to buy tons of junk food. Head for the market after a good meal - those junk foods won't seem so seductive.

4) Drink water between meals. This can satiate your cravings to snack on junk food between meals.

5) Snack on fresh veggies. Because of high fiber, high nutrient content, high water content and low calories. Fresh veggies are the perfect thermic snack. They provide great nourishment for the body, stoke the metabolism, and metabolism of some veggies actually burn more calories than the veggie contains!

6) Drop dairy fat down a notch. After a few weeks weeks of lower fat dairy, not only will you not really miss the full fat versions - they'll probably make you feel gross if you try to go back to them.

7) Know your salad dressings. Salads are great! Unfortunately, many salad dressings are not. Most creamy dressings add 120-180 calories of pure fat to your salad - and that's if you go by the 2-tablespoon serving size!

8) Buy pre-portioned snacks. Hey, if you can't keep from stuffing your face full of chips or cookies, at least control yourself. One way is to buy the little snack-pack sizes. At least you'll be doing some damage control. The worst thing about processed snacks like cakes cookies and chips is that they don't fill you up, so you just keep eating them as long as they are in front of you. They also spike you blood sugar - which means a big insulin response - which means blood sugar then drops rapidly - which causes MORE CRAVINGS.

Stop Getting Sick So Often: The Most Critical Nutrient To Your Body Is The One You Have No Clue About

In the near future "Glutathione" is going to become a household word. Getting tested for your body's glutathione levels will soon become as common as getting tested for cholesterol or white blood cell count. In health food stores and anti-aging clinics everywhere, glutathione enhancement will be the big thing - and for very good reason. The role glutathione plays in our overall health is already very well known in the fights against HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, Parkinsons, cancer, and other diseases.

What exactly is Glutathione, and why do you need it?

Glutathione is a tripeptide made within each cell of your body. Three amino acids - glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine - are required within the cell to make it. Glutathione serves many health and longevity functions:

Antioxidant: Glutathione is the major antioxidant produced by our bodies. It participates directly in the neutralization of the free radicals which constantly bombard our bodies causing aging, degenerative changes, inflammation and disease. Glutathione is often called the "Master Antioxidant" because without it, our other antioxidants - the ones we consume through foods, like vitamins C, A and E - suffer significantly reduced effectiveness.

Immune Booster: Glutathione is essential for the function of immune cells, which protect us from viral and bacterial infections. In people with immune deficiency, glutathione levels fall well below normal. In particular, glutathione has shown to improve the function of T-cells, a critical component of the immune system.

Detoxifier: Glutathione detoxifies many chemicals, both organic and inorganic, including carcinogens, phenols, bacterial toxins, household chemicals, pesticides, and heavy metals. In fact, quickly raising blood Glutathione levels is a strategy used by doctors to treat some overdose patients.

Overall Health: Glutathione plays a fundamental role in numerous metabolic and biochemical reactions such as DNA synthesis and repair, protein synthesis, amino acid transport and enzyme activation. Thus, every system in the body can be affected by glutathione levels, especially the immune system, the nervous system, the gastrointestinal system and the lungs.

Here's an excerpt straight from the Physician's Desk Reference 2006:

Glutathione deficiency states include, but are not limited to: HIV/AIDS, infectious hepatitis, certain types of cancers, cataracts, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinsons, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, radiation, poisoning by paracetamonol and related agents, malnutritive states, arduous physical stress, aging, and has been associated with sub-optimal immune response. Many clinical pathologies are associated with oxidative stress and are elaborated upon in numerous medical references. Low glutathione is also strongly implicated in wasting and negative nitrogen balance (Droge and Holm, 1997), notably as seen in cancer, AIDS, sepsis, trauma, burns and even athletic overtraining. Glutathione supplementation can oppose this process and in AIDS, for example, result in improved survival rates (Herzenberg et al, 1997).

It's pretty clear that glutathione has an amazing impact on our health and wellness.

How do you raise your body's glutathione level?

First, glutathione cannot be ingested. You may notice health food stores selling glutathione as a supplement. Don't waste your money. Studies have already shown that glutathione is too complex a molecule to be absorbed when ingested - it just passes right through you. As I mentioned before, it is made within the cells of your body, using the three amino acids glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine. The most crucial of the three is cysteine, for two reasons. First, cysteine is responsible for the bioactivity of glutathione and second, science has found out that Cysteine is hard to get from food. And when it is occasionally ingested with food, it is then difficult to get it from the gut into the cells. This is because a cysteine molecule by itself is toxic. Your body’s defense system will oxidize it and destroy it. However, two cysteine molecules linked together – then called cystine (drop the first "e") – will be allowed to travel unharmed from the gut to the cell.

Cystine (the bonded form of Cysteine) is the key!

A quality, undenatured whey protein isolate is the safest effective source of the cystine necessary to raise glutathione levels. There are many whey protein isolates out there, but there is only one that is clinically proven to raise glutathione levels. The product is called Immunocal.

Immunocal is listed in the Physician's Desk Reference and the Pharmacist's Red Book. It is covered my Medicare/Medicaid. It holds numerous worldwide patents proving that the production process results in bonded cysteine that actually remains biologically active (usable). Immunocal has over 10 years of clinical studies proving its effectiveness at raising glutathione levels. Basically it is unique in its proven effectiveness. And it has no side effects! Only those on immunosuppressant medications (for organ transplant perhaps), or people with serious allergies to milk protein will have a problem with Immunocal. It's even Lactose free!

Over my career as a fitness trainer, I have never been one to strongly recommend supplements. Any of my clients will vouch for me on this. I believe in getting the most out of your own body through proper exercise and eating right. In the past, I only talked about supplements with those clients who came to me first about the topic. And even then, I only ever recommended flaxseed oil for essential fatty acids, meal replacement drinks for those too busy to eat well every meal, and Flintstones vitamins :). But I will now be recommending Immunocal to all my clients. I think its a product we should all be aware of. In fact I strongly recommend this product to anybody seeking to improve their overall health and longevity!

I wish I had discovered this product years ago. I have used it myself for two months now and have already seen tremendous benefits. My chronic sinus problems, which even surgery did not help very much, have greatly alleviated. My sense of smell has started to return after many years. My cholesterol profile has improved significantly. I don't get acid reflux anymore, where I had been experiencing it regularly before I started Immunocal. My sniffles and sore throats, that used to always mean an impending cold, just go away without becoming anything. This is only two months of use, let me remind you. I am so excited about the long term benefits! Check my blog in the future for more on glutathione and Immunocal.

Buy Immunocal

"The Biggest Loser" Type Success - Can You Do It Too?

If you're a fan of the hit NBC show The Biggest Loser you've seen the life changing power of living a fitness lifestyle.

Unfortunately, you may not be so fortunate as to get picked for a television show -- to be completely taken out of your daily routine (including your job and caring for your family) and placed in a controlled environment where some of the top doctors, nutritionists, motivational experts, and fitness gurus in the world get paid big big bucks by NBC to drag you out of bed twice a day for workouts, plan your caloric intake, prepare your meals for you, and give you free psychological counseling to boot.

So does that mean that life changing results are only for those lucky enough to get picked for a TV show?

Can you ever in a million years even HOPE to experience a fitness transformation like we see every season on "Biggest Loser"? Is it really possible in the "real world"?

The answer is "HELLLLLLL YEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!"

Are you gonna have to work harder to resist temptations? Yeah.

Are you gonna have to try harder to transition from your old ways to your new ways? Check.

Are you gonna have to learn how to prepare healthy fat-blasting meals on your own? Darn right.

Are you gonna have to rely on YOURSELF a bit more than the people you see getting results on TV? I think you already know that.

But do you have to do it alone?

No. You don't have to do it alone.

If you feel like you've tried everything.

If you feel like you've been betrayed by diets that starved you for months only to have the fat come right back, plus interest, when you couldn't live on 1200 calories anymore.

If you're fed up, at wits end, are sick and tired of it, and just can't stand living the way you're living anymore.

Then get EXCITED!

Because that means you're READY.

You're ready for science based, real world tested, experienced, caring, one-on-one, private fitness training and nutritional guidance.

POSITIVE CHARGE Fitness is here for you. If you live here on Long Island, let us work with you to start you on your own "Biggest Loser" journey. If you aren't here on Long Island, let us help pair you up with an excellent trainer wherever in the world you happen to be.

Jason@positivecharge.net (516) 220-1434

The Power Of Self Talk

What you say to yourself is what you will believe. You determine whether the language you use when talking to yourself is positive or negative, and your choice has a lot to do with how much success you have in life. If you call yourself a loser, tell yourself how much you hate yourself, or how fat you are, then guess what. Soon you will begin to believe those things and become those things, unless you change your self talk.

Self talk is very powerful - it is the thing that can enable you to be a winner or make you feel like a big loser. So which do you want? To be a successful achiever or someone who is always in a slump, creating depression and an unhappy life?

It might not seem like that big of a deal to be down on yourself once in a while - but listen to your language. Is it really once in a while, or is it most of the time? The fact is, negative self talk can destroy your life and make it virtually impossible to have your dreams come true, while positive self talk can help you get what you want and motivate you to achieve your dreams.

Positive self talk means telling yourself things like you're a winner, you're beautiful, and what a success you will be - all things you either believe now or will soon come to believe. The positive or negative language we use absolutely determines our successes or failures, though even more importantly than what we say is how we speak to ourselves.

Professional athletes are masters of positive self talk. Many of them know how to bring themselves out of a slump by changing what they say in their heads. But what if you're not a pro athlete, or an athlete at all? What if you have developed a pattern of negative self talk? How can you get out of that cycle?

The first thing you need to is recognize that you are doing it, and then do something to interrupt the negative pattern. A common strategy is to wear a rubber band around your wrist. As soon as you notice yourself beginning that negative talk pattern, pull the rubber band back and snap the hell out of your wrist. This motion will create pain while it interrupts your negative self talk. Since you want to avoid pain, if you keep snapping the band, eventually you will change your behavior and self talk to something positive, if only initially to avoid the pain.

Say you're a business person who needs to make a prospective call and you hear yourself saying, "Who wants to talk to little old me? What do I know anyway?" As soon as these negative thoughts enter your mind, snap the hell out of your wrist with that rubber band, and than rephrase the negative language with some positive self talk, like "Everyone wants to talk with me because I'm so smart" or "I know way more than anyone else out there, and I'm a super pro at talking to people." This process is called reframing because you are reframing your old negative self talk into something positive.

Now that you've learned how to reframe your negative self talk, let's discuss ways you can make your positive self talk more powerful than a speeding locomotive. The tone of voice you use inside of your head is very important, because there's a big difference between hearing a pencil-pushing geek tell you to go for it or make it happen versus a big strapping giant telling you not to bother because you're going to fail anyway.

So the positive self talk voice inside your head should be like the Wizard of Oz, very deep and strong, demanding you to take action and go for it. Then, add some theme music that has a powerful, motivating beat with background singers, and even thunderbolts coming down as you move closer to achieving your goal.

This powerful voice inside of you can get you to do anything and achieve everything you ever wanted, and more. You no longer are someone who can't get what they want. You are now a well-oiled machine that tells yourself you can do it and believes you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Use this self talk process when you are nervous about asking someone out, in a business meeting, or on the playing field. You can do anything and be anything when you believe you can.

You really are great, but first you've got to believe it to be it. If you constantly tell yourself you are a winner, you will believe it. But if you're still calling yourself a loser, you will most likely believe that. You need only to believe what you say and think, not what others say or don't say about you. Speak to yourself only about how great you are, not about how bad you are, how many mistakes you make, or how you have never succeeded at anything.

Believe me, you will become what you tell yourself, so if you're not hearing how great you are, then you won't feel great. Don't wait for others to tell you how great you are. Believe it yourself, first, and once others start jumping in about how great you, that will only reinforce how great you really are. Without believing if first, and telling yourself how powerful you are, you will make it much more difficult to achieve success.

So I don't care how many times you have to tell yourself you are great or a winner or sexy or beautiful or whatever you want to believe. Say it until you are blue in the face. Say it loud and say it proud. Use a big James Brown voice to say what you want to believe. Be creative, have fun, and say it 100 more times after you have already turned blue in the face.

Remember, say it until you believe it, and then keep saying it, using a powerful voice that propels you forward. Then add a chorus or big band sounds. These creative, powerful, and motivating tactics will get you to really believe what you are telling yourself. Don't wait for others to call you great. Do it now. Start to be amazing on your own - others will realize it once you realize it yourself.

Use positive self talk to make your business, relationship, and life much happier and immeasurably more successful.

Scott White is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist located in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information about nutrition and fitness, reach Scott at swhite@personalpowertraining.net. Also: www.personalpowetraining.net.

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Weight Training For Senior Citizens

Weight training, also known as strength training, is not just for the aspiring body builder, everyone can benefit from weight training. After all it is with weight training that we build muscles and muscles keep our metabolism strong and a healthy metabolism means more energy. So it shouldn't surprise you to learn that weight training is actually an appropriate and beneficial form of exercising for older adults.

As we age, our bodies experience physical and physiological changes. Weight training for senior citizens can improve those changes so that older adults can remain active and mentally sharp well into their aging years.

With age, muscles lose mass and strength, joints become stiffer and can even develop arthritis, making it difficult and even painful to move. One's sense of balance can be thrown off kilter causing falls, that may lead to broken hips and many times the need for long stays at the hospital. Strength training puts back muscle mass, as well as muscle strength that has been lost.

Muscle strength not only aids with movement but also aids with balance, so strong muscles will prevent many of the falls and injuries that cause the elderly to be hospitalized and immobile for long periods, if not permanently. Weight training will keep joints limber which reduces the stiffness and pain that causes many people to become inactive.

Immune systems become weaker making the elderly more susceptible to serious illnesses. Concentration and memory also become harder as we get older. Elderly people who do not exercise at all are at a much higher risk for becoming immobile and requiring long term care such as in a nursing facility, than elderly people who do exercise.

Weight training strengthens the immune system helping senior citizens to avoid illness and the expensive doctor visits and prescription medications needed to treat various illnesses. It is well known that after the age of 50 many of the diseases that can cut a life short develop within inactive bodies. By strengthening the immune system through weight training, one can build their resistance to different illnesses, as well as developing the internal strength the body needs to battle more serious diseases.

As we age, our skin loses much of its suppleness which results in skin that just hangs, usually downwards, on the body. Weight training for the elderly renews much of the suppleness to the skin that aging can take away. Skin will be tighter with less hanging on the body which can also help the elderly to feel more comfortable with their bodies.

Studies have shown that the elderly are at a higher risk for the development of depression and other mental disorders than younger adults. So from a physiological perspective strength training helps the body to manufacture greater amounts of hormones which are naturally made by the body.

These hormones help the organs and systems of the body including the brain to do the work they do. Hormones help the brain with processes such as cognitive thought and memory, and hormones hugely contribute to how we feel and respond to different things. Senior citizens who participate in weight training programs report fewer instances of feeling depressed than those who do not exercise.

Weight training has also been proven to slow the progression of the natural effects of aging, and even thwart the development of such conditions as dementia. Exercise programs brought to senior citizen residents in nursing homes has also been shown to help those who have lost mobility to regain some movement and even improve mental functioning. If you work with the elderly in a nursing home setting, consider bringing the benefits of weight training to them.

It is recommended that a weight training program for the elderly be guided by the expertise of a certified personal trainer.

Scott White is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist located in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information about nutrition and fitness, reach Scott at Personal Trainer | Personal Training.

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How Your Thinking Determines Your Fitness Levels

by Shawn LeBrun

If you're interested in making each and every area of your life the best it can be, then this will be the most important article you ever read.

Here's why.

Like I'm always telling my clients, how you think, each and every day, will determine how you live. In other words, what you're usually thinking about will lead your life in that direction.

If you're always thinking about what you don't want, that's usually what you'll get: more of what you don't want.

That's one of the most important insights I made over the years. Your thinking determines the quality of your life.

Think, for a moment, how that's true. You need to know EXACTLY what it is you want in life. In all areas, not just fitness.

You must decide fully, and in black and white, what you want to have or do in life. It has to be crystal clear. Without clear, well-defined goals, long-lasting success in any area of life is impossible.

For example, you wouldn't say "I want to lose fat". You have to say "I'll shed 20 pounds in the next month." There's a big difference between those 2 goals.

One has a deadline, which is important. Goals must be specific and must have deadlines.

Now, take out some paper and make these headings: Health, Career, Finances, Spiritual, Family, Personal Relationships, Self Improvement.

Under each of these headings, write down exactly what it is you want to achieve with each... and when you want to achieve it by. Again, be absolutely specific.

Here are some examples.

Under health, you could say "I will have six pack abs by September 2005. I will be a size 6 by August. I will have 21 inch biceps by 8 weeks."

Career: "I will be promoted to manager of my department by October 2005."

Can you see what I did? Not only did I make each goal specific, with a deadline, but I also put it in the present tense, like it's already starting to happen.

Instead of saying "I want" you need to say "I will". Putting your goal in the present tense no longer makes it a wish, but rather something that's going to happen in the near future.

Most peoples' goals are "I want to lose weight" or "I want to gain muscle". These are just not specific enough for them to be drawn into your life. The more specific you are with your goals, the more likely you are in getting what you want.

And I'm not talking just material things, but rather qualities you want to have and certain attributes you find yourself being drawn to. Maybe you want to be more confident. Or more loving and compassionate. Maybe you want to be a good leader.

Your goals should not just be material things. Those come and go, but who you strive to become stays with you forever.

Each goal must be something you really, really want. Or else you will not work hard enough to achieve it.

After you're done making a list of your goals, go through them again and cross out the ones that aren't really that important to you. You want to have burning desires on that list. Things that would make your life happier and more fulfilled.

Here's an important point: You need to read that list both morning (when you wake up) and at night (before going to sleep) When you read the list, visualize it completely. Imagine that you have already achieved the goal and try to "feel" what it's like.

The step of visualizing each goal is so important. It crystallizes, in your subconscious, exactly what it is you want drawn to you.

Once you become aware of it consciously and start to visualize it more often, you're sending signals to your subconscious to have it start working towards drawing this goal into your life.

Here's a real-life example.

Say you want a new car. Write down, exactly what kind of car you want. Say it's a silver 2004 BMW, 4-door. Picture the car in your mind. Touch the steering wheel. Imagine what it would feel like being behind the wheel of that car.

Now, what's going to happen after you start thinking about that car is, you're going to start seeing silver BMW's everywhere you look when you drive.

But they were there all along. You're just now consciously aware of them. You've started the process of bringing that car into your life.

I just personally did this in my own life. 30 days ago, I started visualizing having a nice new Mitsubishi Eclipse sports car. And I wanted it fast.

I started seeing Eclipses everywhere on the road. 15 days after I set that goal, I drove past a dealership that had an incredibly sharp, blue Mitsubishi parked out front.

I went in, found out the owner was moving out of town and needed to sell the car fast. And was willing to let it go for about half of what it was worth.

I drove away in a beautiful Eclipse, right then and there. Just 15 days prior, I had set it as a goal.

Let me wrap this up by showing you how you can use this process to get the body you've always wanted.

You need to take these 4 steps:

1. Determine what it is you want, in all areas of your life. You need to be as specific as possible, right down to the color, the size, shape, kind, make, etc. Do you want more money, a better job, a life partner, better sex? Whatever you want, you can have. But you first have to identify it and write it down.

2. Write down when you want to achieve it by. This is extremely important because it puts the mysterious ways of the universe to work, by beginning to bring this goal into your life. Once you have a deadline, you begin to think about your goal continuously.

3. Read and study anything you feel will help you achieve your goal. Read a fitness book, a muscle magazine, study a course. Whatever you feel that you need to learn to achieve your goal, take action and do it. This is usually the step that separates winners from losers. Winners are willing to do what losers only think about doing.

4. Visualize and perform. This is where the rubber meets the road. Visualize what it is you want and how it will feel when you achieve it. Then get moving towards bringing it into your life. Think about it, read your list aloud, think about how you're going to accomplish it, make a plan to accomplish it, and then follow that plan.

If you take these steps in your life, I can assure you that everything you ever wanted in your life will begin to happen. I promise you.

There should be NO self-limitation that holds you back from having what you want. If you can think of it, you can have it.

Shawn Lebrun is a fitness trainer and natural bodybuilder dedicated to helping you build muscle, lose fat, and get your best body ever. Check out what he can do for you:

Shawn LeBrun Fitness programs

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Why Ask A Personal Trainer And Not A Doctor About Exercise

You wouldn't ask your hairstylist to diagnose a mechanical problem on your car would you? Of course not, unless they're also a certified mechanic on the side. Why then ask your doctor about exercise when his or her line of work is in the diagnosing and treating of diseases and sickness? To be sure, doctors are becoming more and more aware of the benefits of exercise in helping their patients to improve their health outlook. But they must spend their very limited time between treating patients and keeping themselves abreast of new developments in medicines and treatments that help patients fight disease. They don't have the time to invest in learning about the mechanics of exercise. Doesn't it make more sense that the ideal candidate for an in-depth discussion on exercise and how it can benefit your health would be a personal trainer?

A personal fitness trainer has spent an extensive amount of time learning all about exercise. How different exercises are done, how to target specific areas of the body with exercise, how to avoid injuries, the structures of the body and how they work, how exercise can help the body to work more efficiently, the physiological connection between the body and mind for complete health and more.

A personal trainer carries certifications that they have achieved and can demonstrate a high-level of understanding about the various aspects of exercise and what exercise can mean to a person's overall health.

A personal fitness trainer has the expertise to guide you through the proper "mechanics" of various forms of exercise, to not only lessen your risk of becoming injured, but to increase the benefits to be gained from exercise when done correctly. They also have insight gained from working with different people from which to draw upon to help you in getting past any stumbling blocks that are keeping you from maximizing your health.

Fitness trainers are also knowledgeable about the physical limitations of some conditions and can tailor exercises to those limitations, so that health gains are still possible. Despite the marine-toughness seen portrayed by a personal trainer on reality-based television shows, not all personal trainers "bark" out orders to get you to exercise. Personal trainers can be quite empathetic to the plight of the overweight person who hasn't exercised in a long while, and who has finally decided to get their weight under control and improve their health. A personal trainer will work with you to reach higher levels of fitness without shaming you for whatever level you start from.

Doctors keep themselves informed about the latest research and developments in the treating of disease and illness, personal trainers keep themselves informed about the latest trends in the exercise and exercise materials recommended for attaining fitness and health. A personal trainer can warn you about the newest fads appearing on the exercise scene with a lot of fanfare and empty promises before you endanger your health by trying to follow them.

A personal trainer gives you the one-on-one instruction and attention that most of us need to take charge of the wheel as we drive towards great and permanent health. The expert knowledge and guidance that a personal trainer adds to your exercise workouts is invaluable. You can achieve more benefits from the time you spend on exercising and working towards your goals of health and fitness from a personal trainer, than just about anyone else.

If you have a bad case of the flu, a broken bone, or a medical concern, seek treatment from your doctor. If you have a question about what the best exercise routines are for the maximizing of your health and fitness, consult a personal trainer.

Scott White is a Personal Trainer and has written the hottest selling Fitness Model book runs a top end Personal Trainer Certification

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How proper nutrition and exercise can be a stress buster

By: Zach Hunt

Starting with the proper diet and nutrition plan is the best foundation for a health life. Building a defense against stress The way we live our lives can have a huge impact on the way that we experience stress. Living a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the stress level in your life and make you more resilient and help you cope with major stressors in your life. Adopting a health lifestyle means that you can concentrate better, have more energy, and increased stamina. Starting with the proper diet and nutrition plan is the best foundation for a health life.

The way we live our lives can have a huge impact on the way that we experience stress. Living a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the stress level in your life and make you more resilient and help you cope with major stressors in your life. Adopting a health lifestyle means that you can concentrate better, have more energy, and increased stamina. Starting with the proper diet and nutrition plan is the best foundation for a health life.

Moderation is the key when eating carbs, protein,and fat. Excess in any area is never a good thing. You are likely to become sick when your body is stressed - your immune system is not working at it's full capacity. When you eat a well balanced, healthy diet you will remain healthy even in times of stress. If you eat mostly fast food that is high in fat, sodium, and calories, you will very likely feel more run down and sick during stressful times. Daily vitamins and supplements can be beneficial but are no replacement f or a healthy, balanced diet.

A balanced dietary guideline for a healthy diet is one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. The FDA food pyramid for the average adult indicate a daily healthy diet consists of at least 3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice or pasta, dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, dry beans and peas, a variety of fruit (fresh, frozen canned or dried) with limited amounts of canned fruit juices, with most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils, and limiting solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening and lard, drinking low or fat free milk (if you can't drink milk make sure to get your calcium from lactose free items), and eating low fat or lean meat and poultry that is baked, broiled, or grilled, and vary your protein choices with more fish, bean, nuts, peas, and seeds.

You've always been told breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But did you know a healthy breakfast can help with weight loss? A 1992 study at Vanderbilt University found that women who changed their diet to include breakfast lost 28% more weight over a 12-week period than women who skipped their morning repast. In addition, a full 78% of the 3,000 people enrolled in the National Weight Loss Registry, an ongoing tally of adults who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year, describe themselves as breakfast eaters.

The U.S. Government's Dietary Reference Intakes recommend that added sugars not exceed 25% of total calories (to ensure sufficient intake of micronutrients). And while there isn't a specific guideline for cereal, it makes sense to aim for a cereal that gets 25% or less of its calories from sugar. If dried fruit is included, it could be a bit more.It's even more beneficial when you add fresh or dried fruit.

Bottom line: start your day off right with a healthy breakfast, eat a healthy, balanced diet through out the rest of the day and you have the best foundation for defense against stress.

Article Source: http://physicalfitnessarticles.net

Zach Hunt is a Spokane stress buster expert, personal trainer and owner of Physzique, a fitness coaching service in Spokane, WA. Go here: Personal Trainer Spokane WA Tips for more fitness tips.