Don’t let Exercise-Induced Asthma Stop you. Exercise-Induced Asthma Symptoms usually begin about five to 20 minutes after beginning to exercise. The symptoms often peak about five to 10 minutes after stopping exercise then gradually diminish. The symptoms are typically gone within an hour, but they may last longer.
Symptoms include one or a combination of the following: Coughing, Wheezing, Chest tightness, Chest pain Prolonged shortness of breath Extreme fatigue.
Northshore Allergy & Immunology, LLCNAI, LLC Office (985) 792-4022 NEW LOCATION: 350 Lakeview CT. Suite B Covington, LA 70433
Richard J Guillot, M.D. Board Certified In Adult & Pediatric Allergy & Immunology
mastHEAD cover
publisher
kellyWALGAMOTTE
editor
lanaWALGAMOTTE
marketing
August
scotANTHONY
2013
Cover: Live Fit Meals By: lindaCUCCIA Page: 16
volume4 NUMBER 8
account executive gregFLORIDI
chief designer chrisTIBLIER
contributing writers mikeMILLS jamesFAMBRO, MD catherineWILBERT fredKLINGE garyDRAGON lyndsiLEWIS travisMANNY kristenSMITH lindaCUCCIA lisaVONEBERSTEIN ryanLOWE
Metro Fitness is published monthly by Metro Fitness P.O. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459, 985778-6171. Copyright 2012 by Metro Fitness. No part of this publication can be reproduced without the written, expressed consent of the publisher. Reproduction of editorial content or graphics in any manner or in any medium is prohibited. Opinions of staff & contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. For advertising information, contact Metro Fitness business department at 985-778-6171 fax at 985-201-8165 or e-mail at metrofitness@live.com. Letters to the Editor are Welcome – send signed letters to P.O. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459. Please include a phone number for verification (it will not be published). E-mail letters to metrofitness@live.com. The Editor reserves the right to edit for length, style and spelling. Postmaster: Send address changes to Metro Fitness P.0. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459
Distribution in: New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Westbank, Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, & Hammond
page 8
page 8
supplementREVIEW
dragon’sCORNER
page 10
page 12
FunctionalMEDICINE
page 24 Why Fad Diets Don’t Work by aaronPOTTS
athleticTRAINING
page 8 TID BITS (new column)
page 26 Maximizing Fitness by krisGUNNARS
by staffWRITERS
page 16 Live Fit Meals
page 28 The Importance of Protein by johnROTCHKINS
by lindaCUCCIA
page 22 Strong Body Stronger Mind by travisMANNY
PUBNOTES
page 12
healthyEATS
page 30
mentalFITNESS
kellyWALGAMOTTE publisher
Like Metro Fitness A wealthy man requested an old scholar to wean his son away from Magazine on: bad habits. The scholar took the youth for a stroll through a garden. Stopping suddenly he asked the boy to pull out a tiny plant growing there. The youth held the plant between his thumb and forefinger and pulled it out. The old man then asked him to pull out a slightly bigger plant. The youth pulled hard and the plant came out, roots and all. “Now pull out that one,” said the old man pointing to a bush. The boy had to use all his strength to pull it out. “Now take this one out,” said the old man, indicating a guava tree. The youth grasped the trunk and tried to pull it out. But it would not budge. “It’s impossible,” said the boy, panting with the effort. “So it is with bad habits,” said the sage. “ When they are young it is easy to pull them out but when they take hold they cannot be uprooted.”
God Bless, Kelly Walgamotte (985) 778-6171 • metrofitness@live.com
6 www.metrofitnessmag.com August 2013
Read us online at: www.metrofitnessmag.com
Insurance: Auto • Motorcycle • Homeowners • Condo • Renters • Business • Boat • Flood
Dave Martin Insurance Agency • 1900 Front Street Slidell, LA 70458 • (985) 649-7531 Financial: Annuities • IRA’s • Mutual Funds • Life Insurance
Hours: Mon-Fri: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Husbands Who Share Housework Have Less Sex Husbands who help out with household chores have less sex than men in so-called "traditional" marriages where housework is done exclusively by the wife, researchers from the USA and Spain reported in the journal, American Sociological Review. In faithful relationships, the wife whose husband is involved in housework obviously has less sex too, the authors added. This latest study contradicts most previous ones, which tended to imply that married men generally have more sex in exchange for doing housework. However, those studies did not take into account which chores the husbands did. The researchers, all sociologists, said their study demonstrated that sex is not a bargaining chip in marriage. Rather, it is associated with the kinds of chores each partner completes. Married couples reported greater sexual frequency if the women did the cooking, cleaning and shopping and the men did the gardening, electrics and plumbing, car maintenance, and paid the bills.
Next Generation Condoms
Bill Gates Foundation Awarding $100k Grants If you think you can create a Next Generation Condom that considerably enhances or preserves pleasure, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation might award you a Phase I $100,000 grant. The aim is to improve condom uptake and regular use. Male condoms are inexpensive, easy to produce and distribute, and they are available all over the world, even in remote and resource poor settings. Currently, about 15 billion condoms are produced each year and there are an estimated 750 million users. According to Grand Callenges in Global Health, it is a steadily growing market. Condoms are nearly universally recognized. When used correctly, condoms can protect females from becoming pregnant and protect both sexual partners from several sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Nowhere in the world is a prescription required to obtain a condom. Unlike other contraceptives or STI-preventive products, condom usage is not linked to adverse events. With all these advantages, the male condom is the ideal multi-purpose prevention technology (MPT) product, especially in low-resource areas.
8 www.metrofitnessmag.com August 2013
Beetroot Juice Can Help Lower Blood Pressure A cup of beetroot juice a day can help lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension, according to a new study. The study was conducted by researchers from Queen Mary, University of London and was published in the American Heart Association journal, Hypertension. The scientists examined the impact of consuming the nitrate on blood pressure in rats and then confirmed their findings in a small study involving 15 patients with high blood pressure. Vegetables rich in nitrates include: beetroot, lettuce, cabbage, fennel Vegetables take in nitrate through their roots in the soil where the chemical is naturally found. Nitrate is crucial to the growth of vegetables. The authors explained that when it is converted to a gas called nitric oxide, it has a relaxing effect on blood vessels and may help lower blood pressure.
FDA Approves First Medical Robot for Hospital Use
A robot that allows patients to communicate with doctors via a telemedicine system that can move around on its own has just received 510(k) clearance by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). The robot, called RP-VITA, was created by InTouch Health and iRobot and allows doctors from anywhere in the world to communicate with patients at their hospital bedside via a telemedicine solution through an iPad interface. According to iRobot and InTouch Health, RP-VITA combines the latest from iRobot in autonomous navigation and mobility technology with state-of-the-art telemedicine and electronic health record integration developed by InTouch Health. RP-VITA makes it possible for doctors to have "doctor-to-patient consults, ensuring that the physician is in the right place at the right time and has access to the necessary clinical information to take immediate action." The robot is used in ways that scientists have never before seen. In order not to get in the way of other people or objects, it outlines its own environment and utilizes a range of advanced sensors to autonomously move about a crowded space. Irrespective of a doctor's location, using an intuitive iPad速 interface allows them to visit patients and communicate with their co-workers with a single click.
Diabetes Costs the US $245 Billion a Year, Says New Report Diagnosed diabetes cost the United States an estimated $245 billion in 2012, according to new research released by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) this week. The new figure represents a 41% rise in five years. In 2007, when the cost was last estimated, it came to $174 billion. A report on the research, commissioned by the ADA, was published online. The study examines the increased financial cost, the use of health resources, and the productivity that was lost due to diabetes in 2012, and breaks down the figures by gender and race/ethnicity, for the whole country and state by state. The $245 billion includes $176 in direct medical costs (such as hospital and emergency care, visits to the doctor, and medications), and an estimated $69 billion resulting from indirect costs like absenteeism, reduced productivity, diabetes-related job loss, and productivity loss due to premature deaths. The rate of diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the US, where nearly 26 million adults and children have the serious, life-threatening disease, and another 79 million are estimated to have prediabetes, a cluster of risk factors that puts them at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
supplementREVIEW by: mikeMILLS Increase Energy with Complex Carbohydrate Supplements Carbohydrates seem to have been given a bad rap lately. Every time the subject of weight loss is approached, carbohydrates are considered the #1 enemy, even more so now than fat. However, complex carbohydrates are the best source of energy for the human body to perform and function at its full potential. Simple carbohydrates (sugar) can raise blood sugar levels and put one at a risk for type 2 diabetes but complex carbohydrates are metabolized into sugar at a slower rate, so they are more likely to be used as a fuel source. Furthermore, complex carbohydrates are essential after exercise to restore glycogen (the source of energy most often used for exercise) to muscles. Blood sugar levels
foods such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice, and
can drop to dangerously low levels after intense physical
whole grain breads. There are now supplements available
activity. Complex carbohydrates can help prevent blood
that contain complex carbohydrates that are derived
glucose levels from dipping too low and restore energy
from corn, potatoes, and rice that are low calorie and
to muscles. Complex carbohydrates can be found in
contain zero sugar.
Do you FATIGUE easily in the gym? Just can't seem to get through an entire workout without feeling tired? KARBOLYN from All American EFX will fill your muscles with glycogen providing long lasting stimulant free ENERGY for hours after consumption! Great tasting and SUGAR FREE, Karbolyn is a one in a kind product that is a must for anyone that wants to take their workouts to the next level!
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Karbolyn is a popular complex carbohydrate blend that is widely used for carbohydrate loading, which is a great way to quickly provide muscles with energy. Karbolyn mixes easily with water, and can be used pre and post workout to transport nutrients and carbohydrates rapidly into muscle tissue. Karbolyn can be consumed by itself or mixed with other pre-workout and postworkout formulas. Waxy maize is a modified starch, a very unique complex carbohydrate capable of being absorbed very quickly. Whereas proteins assist with muscle rebuilding, Waxy Maize Starch is designed to refuel and replenish glycogen stores. Waxy maize can be used before, during, or after training. Waxy maize helps to expand the muscle fascia, which is the lining around muscle fibers. When the muscle fascia is stretched, more room is created for blood flow and increased muscle growth. Waxy maize promotes a sustained insulin response and allows added supplements like creatine, branch chain amino acids, and nitric oxide to absorb faster. Many supplement companies are now adding karbolyn and waxy maize to their products due to their ability to increase the overall
effectiveness
of
the
product.
Furthermore, it is much more affordable to use supplements that already contain karbolyn and waxy maize, rather than purchasing them separately and adding them to a mixture of creatine, glutamine, and protein. Anyone who is trying to boost performance in athletics or in the gym can benefit from the added energy that complex carbohydrates provide. An automobile cannot run without gasoline, which is a great example of how the muscles perform when glycogen levels are depleted. So make sure to “carb up� before and after prolonged periods of physical activity to allow muscles to perform at their full potential.
Mike Mills is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, has a B.S. in Health and Exercise Science from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), and 10+ years experience in the Vitamin and Supplement Industry.
cuccia’sCORNER by: lindaCUCCIA Grit Several years ago I found myself going through a very tough time emotionally, physically, financially, and
tions in fitness and in life, and I hope to teach the concept to my son as he matures into young adulthood. In a moment of frustra-
spiritually. My marriage of thirteen
years
had
just
ended, I had sold my home, moved into an apartment with my son, and was struggling to find my way forward as a single woman and mom. I remember feeling intense fear and emotional pain like I had never experienced in my life. My family had watched
“Grit is defined as indomitable courage, toughness, or resolution. And grit is what it takes to move when you do not feel like moving.”
my weight drop and my fre-
tion, my brother sat me down on the couch in my apartment and told me to imagine myself outside on the coldest of winter nights, knee-deep in snow, miles from the nearest shelter. He said, “There is a home far off in the distance, and you can see the firelight glowing from the windows and the smoke from the chimney. You
quent bouts of crying for far too many days, when final-
don’t feel like you can walk even one more step in the
ly my brother spoke up, and gave me the best advice I
freezing cold, but you know you have to in order to get
have ever gotten. I apply it often to challenging situa-
to the warmth. In moments like these, you tighten your
dragon’sCORNER coat, grit your teeth, and walk, no matter
Running Shoes: So Many Choices
how hard it is. You have no other choice if you’re going to survive.” He told me, “Right now in your life, things feel bad enough to sit down and cry. But you can’t stay here. You have to get up and walk, and eventually you will get to the place you want to be.” I took his advice that day and learned the valuable lesson of grit. Grit is defined as indomitable courage, toughness, or resolution. And grit is what it takes to move when you do not feel like moving. To brush your teeth and get dressed for work, when all you want to do is crawl back in bed. To drop to the ground and do ten more burpees after you are completely spent, or run yet another mile when your body is already aching. From his advice that day, spoken harshly but motivated by genuine concern, I have learned to channel the emotions I am feeling and use them as momentum to reach the goal I have in mind, whatever that may be. By the time we reach adulthood, we realize that not all of life is easy or pleasant. There are many times when we have to set
garyDRAGON Years ago I was able to go to a sporting goods store,
you while walking and running. Undergoing a gait analysis
pick out a pair of running shoes, and bring them home
will give you a better understanding of your foot type and
without trying them on, and everything was perfect. Well,
running style. It can also determine other dysfunctions in
it isn’t that easy anymore. It seems
your gait such as abnormal hip,
as though running shoe technology
knee, leg, or foot movements due
is changing faster than my comput-
to muscle weakness and/or tight-
er software. Finding the perfect
ness.
shoe is becoming more and more
Dysfunctions in gait pattern and
difficult. There are so many choices,
not having the proper shoe can
that I never know which ones to
cause you to have foot, knee, hip,
buy.
and even back pain. You may not
Last month I held a seminar with
have pain immediately. It may take
Dr. Ryan Green from Varsity Sports.
weeks or months for pain to devel-
During
the
seminar,
Dr.Green
op. So knowing your foot type is
explained that running shoes are
very important when purchasing
becoming so specific, that it’s important to know your foot
your running shoes. If you are unsure of which shoe is right
type and running style. It is helpful to know if you land with
for you, call us at Action Physical Therapy or Varsity
a neutral foot, if you pronate (foot rolls inward) or
Sports for your gait analysis. Let us keep you running and
supinate (foot rolls outward). This is best determined by
remain in the “ACTION.”
having a trained professional perform a gait analysis on
our minds to a task, grit our teeth, and get through the challenging part, no matter how tough it seems. But we also learn that
Gary Dragon, owner of Action Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, has a Master’s & Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine. Gary has 13 years of experience specializing in orthopedic and sports related injuries.
the rewards are well worth the effort. John Ortbert, Christian author and speaker, assures us, “Over time, grit is what sepa-
healthyEATS
rates fruitful lives from aimlessness.” Instead of lying down in despair, or quitting when forward progress becomes
Asian Style Lettuce Wraps
too difficult, we can choose to stay the course and reap the benefits of arriving at our chosen destination by finding the courage and resolve to simply keep moving forward. Every decision counts.
robHOWELL This is a dish I really enjoy
vors of this dish with the option-
making and eating! It’s a great
al ingredients I have listed.
party dish or great for the family. Most people are familiar with
To Make:
these; they are served at a lot
Add olive oil to a large sauté pan
of popular Asian restaurants.
or wok, then add the yellow
The problem is the ones in the
onion and bell pepper and cook
restaurants are high in fat and
for 1 minute. Add the garlic and
can be a little expensive. This is
cook for about 1 more minute.
a simple recipe that can be
Next add the turkey and cook
cooked and served in less than
until done. Then add the rest of
30 minutes and tastes great! You can change the fla-
the ingredients, except the lettuce, and cook for about 2 minutes. Let stand for about 5
Linda is a National Board Certified teacher, certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer, presenter, writer and life coach. She is most passionate about BodyPump and helping others achieve their fitness goals www.everydecisioncounts.org
Ingredients: 12-15 leaves of Boston bib lettuce 1 lb lean ground turkey 1 tsp olive oil 1 med yellow onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 8oz can water chestnuts, drained
2 tsp soy sauce ¼ cup Hosin sauce 1 tsp Szechuan seasoning 1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tsp sriracha sauce (optional- makes it spicy) 1 tbsp toasted peanuts (optional)
minutes, then scoop a nice size portion of the turkey mixture on each lettuce leaf, wrap the leaf around the mixture, and serve!
by: dr kristinSMITH Low Back Pain...Is it your Psoas? Low back pain is common and can be caused by many reasons. There is a strong correlation between low back pain and a tight Psoas muscle, one of the largest and thickest muscles in the body. It attaches to the vertebrae of your lower back and the head of your thigh bone. Its primary job is hip and thigh flexion and has a lot of influence over your lumbar posture and the way your hips are positioned. A tight psoas can compress the joints and discs of the lumbar vertebrae. This pressure causes degeneration and will make them more susceptible to injury. A tight/shortened psoas on one side will pull the spine or pelvis to that side, and can lead to many painful problems from pelvic imbalance. Incorrect posture during standing, walking, and exercise will leave it tight and hard to loosen. A tight psoas can stop your glutes firing normally. Lack of glute activity plus postural imbalancs can lead to overcompensation in other muscles of the back, leaving them tight and overworked. How can you avoid a tight psoas? Chiropractic adjustments can help you correct biomechanical/postural imbalances in your spine and pelvis. Another tip is to sit back in your chair. This will stop you from leaning forward as much, and thus your psoas won’t be in as shortened a position in comparison to when you sit on the edge of your seat. Set your feet flat on the floor, or on a raised platform if you are short. Stop sleeping on your stomach. When you are on your stomach, your back goes into hyperextension. This exacerbates what a tight psoas already does to your back. Move more. Staying in a seated position all day creates a tight psoas. Last but not least, remember to stretch! Add psoas stretches to your pre- and post-workout routine. As always, if you have questions regarding your low back pain and possible psoas muscle involvement, please feel free to call. We'd love the chance to assess your posture and give you some more tips to avoid psoas issues and help with stretches.
Dr. Kristin Smith LifeCare Family Wellness & Chiropractic (985) 774-9303
Debunking the “ Fridge Test” myth by: AndreaWATSON
It is a rather widespread belief that the purity of extra vir-
tains a very high level of polyunsaturated fat, many seed oils
gin olive oil can be verified by the “Fridge Test,” which dictates
contain high levels of monounsaturated fat. Canola oil and
that if pure extra virgin olive oil is refrigerated, it will solidify.
peanut oil both contain 50% - 60% monounsaturated fat. This
While this myth is based on fact, it is not accurate. Let’s look
is a marginal difference from the range of monounsaturated fat
at the facts.
in olive oil: 55% - 83%. These oils would be indistinguishable
Extra virgin olive oil is comprised mostly of monounsatu-
from extra virgin olive oil on the basis of the “Fridge Test.”
rated fat (oleic acid). The melting point of monounsaturated
The UC Davis Olive Center conducted an experiment based
fat is 4°C, which is around the temperature of a typical house-
on the “Fridge Test.” They concluded, “The ‘Fridge Test’ is
hold refrigerator. Meaning, at or below 4°C, monounsaturated
unreliable in judging whether an olive oil is truly made from
fat is a solid; at any higher temperature (such as room tem-
olives, nor does it provide information on the quality of the oil.
perature), it is a liquid. Some other oils, like sunflower oil, con-
Sensory and chemistry testing is essential to determining olive
sist mainly of polyunsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated fat solidi-
oil authenticity and quality.”
fies at a much lower temperature, around -30°C. No domestic
experts at Infusé for full chemical and sensory analyses and
refrigerator could reach temperatures cold enough to solidify a
more information on all of the olive oils we carry!
Come see the olive oil
polyunsaturated fat. Based on this knowledge: If extra virgin olive oil is comprised mostly monounsaturated fat, it will solidify when refrigerated, and an oil made up of mostly polyunsaturated fat will remain liquid.
14 www.metrofitnessmag.com August 2013
Here’s the problem: While sunflower oil con-
310 Dalwill Dr. Mandeville, La 70471 Phone (985) 778-0903 Fax (985) 778-0904
Largest TRX
Facility in St. Tammany!
Anyone who is trying to live a healthier lifestyle knows the challenges of shopping, preparing, and eating whole, healthy foods. We are often too busy to plan lower-calorie meals that offer variety and taste, and we may end up eating the same foods day after day or settling for take-out. CNO’s Meals To Go offers solutions for people who want to enjoy delicious meals without all the work. by lindaCUCCIA
photo’s by bakRIZAEV
Earl Scioneaux (pronounced C-N-O) is the creator of CNO’S Meals To Go. Earl says he had been in the restaurant and hotel industry most of his life. The long hours in a highly competitive and stress filled environment coupled with a lack of family time drove him to search for a more balanced approach to his business and family life. In 2003, motivated by a desire to provide high-quality home-cooked meals that families could enjoy at their own dinner table, he began envisioning CNO’s. After many months of planning and refining his ideas, his dream became a reality in 2004, and the response since then has been overwhelming. Earl initially opened his business with two different types of meal choices. The first is called Take & Bake Homestyle Meals, which are pre-made in disposable aluminum baking pans, ready to heat in the oven from frozen or thawed. Each meal provides two adult-sized portions, and the many choices include such delicacies as Gulf drum with Louisiana lump crabmeat and lemon chive sauce, Asian crusted bay snapper with rice, and meatball lasagna. The second type of meal choice is Grab & Go Gourmet Meals. These are familyfriendly meals that feed four to six people, and include selections like sesame beef with broccoli, shrimp Tuscany, and eggplant Parmesan. He also offers appetizers like crawfish cornbread, side dishes like stuffed artichoke rice, and desserts like caramel pecan bread pudding with molten chocolate. Because he prepares everything fresh, right inside his business in Mandeville, there is no pre-ordering or scheduling necessary. Customers can simply stop in and select their meals and take them home to enjoy with their families. Recently, Earl added the newest component to CNO’s Meals To Go. Inspired by the dietary concerns of CrossFit enthusiasts in the building next to his, Earl created Live Fit Meals. These are single-portion microwave meals based on the principles of the Paleo diet. They are prepared with no grains, no wheat, no preservatives, and low glycemic, low fat and low sodium. And the best part is, the variety of choices keeps even the
AREAS WE DELIVER: New Orleans • Metairie Kenner • West Bank Mandeville • Covington Abita • Slidell
(985) 624-8503
pickiest eaters satisfied. Choices on the Live Fit Meals menu include Asian coconut lime chicken, rosemary pulled pork with Dijon glazed carrots, and herb-crusted pork chop with mashed sweet potato. Earl says that following the Paleo principles also meets the needs of those with health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure. But it also meets the needs of those who are simply looking for healthier, lower-calorie meals. “People on traditional diets typically get bored. They cannot stick to the diet because the choices are so limited. The end up binging or quitting,” Earl says. “With these gourmet choices, prepared with pre-measured, fresh foods, people can stay on their diet plans without the frustrations of monotonous meals or the guesswork of portion sizes.” Customers have been thrilled with the Live Fit Meals. When Jennifer, a busy Mandeville mom, stops in to purchase Live Fit Meals for herself, she also picks up Take & Bake Homestyle Meals for her children. “I cannot always prepare two dinners, one that conforms to my diet and one that appeals to them. CNO’s Meals to Go is one place that I can go to get both.” In addition to having a fully stocked freezer selection in-store, CNO’s offers delivery to the greater New Orleans area, on both the north and south shores. Customers can also order online and have their items shipped. Parents of children in college have been taking advantage of this option. Knowing their children are enjoying wholesome home-cooked meals instead of French fries and pizza is very reassuring. Earl says he plans to expand the Live Fit menu to include some choices with healthy whole grains, like brown rice, couscous and quinoas. “I would like to offer choices that appeal to everyone who wants to eat healthier.” For health-conscious people who have been eating bland chicken and vegetables at every meal, the menu looks almost too good to be true. Take, for example, the herb crusted pork chop meal. It is a center cut boneless pork chop marinated with fresh rosemary and thyme, coated with seasoned almond flour on a bed of cremini mushroom puree, with oven-roasted Louisiana yams flavored with agave nectar, organic butter and sea salt. One taste, and you may never want to go back to baked chicken and steamed broccoli again!
For more information on Live Fit Meals, menus and ordering options, check out the website at www.cnosmealsolutions.com, or call (985) 624-8503. Your tastebuds (and your waistline) will be glad you did!
Thinking “ Out of the Box� by: marcusOLIVO
Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful daughter so he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the merchant's debt if he could marry the daughter. Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender's wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble, she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail. They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's garden. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick her pebble from the bag. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her? Careful analysis
would produce three possibilities: 1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble. 2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a cheat. 3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl put her hand into the bag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebblestrewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. "Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked." Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an advantageous one. MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution, sometimes we have to think about them in a different way.
by: travisMANNY
1. K now W hat You Want Before starting on your journey, you've got to know where you're going. What do you want to accomplish with your body? Are you a young guy looking to get big, or do you want to lean down? Do you want to focus on strength for a sport, or would you rather focus on overall health? Do you have dreams of losing 100 pounds, running a marathon,or becoming a professional athlete? It's your body, your mind, and your choice. Remember that! Despite the simplicity, answering the question "what do you want?" is difficult for most people. One reason that question is so hard is that it forces you to come to terms with your current state of affairs. You might want to be a behemoth bodybuilder, for instance, but if you're already overweight to an unhealthy level, then gaining more weight isn't a great idea. You'll have to diet first, and that’s tough! It's a lot easier in the long run if you're honest with yourself and honest about your goals.
2. Surround Yourself With Positive People Once you decide to change your body, you might find that all sorts of previously pleasant people start to become discouraging. It's rarely anything overt, though. You'll just hear offhand comments about your "Spartan" diet or "obsessive" training schedule, and some people will notso-playfully poke fun at you for taking fitness seriously. In the long run, these people can poison your progress. Outside negativity will eventually wear down even the most strong-willed, independentminded person. And, even if you never cheat on your diet or miss a workout, constant negativity will cause you some serious stress. This is a real progress-killer for people trying to be their best. While you always have to deal with stressful people, the trick is to minimize their influence on your life. You don't need to cast out every person who's not a die-hard fitness fanatic, but avoid people who belittle your goals.
Whether you're trying to lose weight, gain mass, get lean, or run further, mental strength will be the key to your success. Your goals may be physical, but your mind controls everything you do. Just read some biographies of great runners, swimmers, football players, and even golfers. Their sports may be different, but all true champions reach the top by honing their mental game. Almost every trainee has a capable body; it's the willing mind that sets the successes and failures apart! Even if you're not a pro athlete, don't think you can get away with a mediocre mentality. Whether you want to gain five pounds of muscle or lose pounds of fat, you'll need to make big changes to your habits, work ethic, and lifestyle. Those big changes don't come without strengthening and improving your mind. Your work is never done. It might be as tough for a newbie just to reach the gym as it is for a world-class sprinter to prep for a race. Your journey, however, is about you. Feeling the pressure? I sure hope so! It's all on you to get results, but that just means you also have the power to make things happen. With a few changes to your mind-set, you can make your daunting goals seem like obstacles you just can't wait to tackle! To help, here are six of my favorite tips for improving mental strength.
3. Do W hat You Hate If you want to make everything else in your routine seem a little easier, aggressively tackle the stuff you hate the most. Dreading your next leg day? Do double your normal volume on squats! Is cardio getting your down? Crank up the treadmill speed and tough it out. Getting a little sick of your diet? Try eating everything with zero spices or herbs for a few days and see if your normal meals don't seem a little less boring. You can only make so many tough choices per day. It's a lot easier to fall off the wagon when every meal and every workout feels like a burden. By forcing yourself to do the hard stuff, you effectively make all of exercise and dietary habits "easier," freeing up your mental energy for other tasks.
4. Maintain Mom entum "The highs are high, and the lows are low." That old adage applies to most endeavors, and fitness is no exception. For me and most of my clients, training hard and eating right becomes easier the longer we do it. Like any other habit, they are tough to start, but even tougher to break. Consider your own momentum the next time you think about skipping a workout or having a cheat meal. Is it worth it? You won't just suffer the ill effects of that one bad decision, you make it easier to slip up in the future.
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5. Set Short & Long Term Goals When you try to improve your body, one of the worst things you can do is to become complacent. It's fine to take a break now and again. Even pro athletes have "maintenance" periods, but you need to keep new goals in mind if you want to make continual progress. To keep yourself moving forward, have shortand long-term goals going at the same time. Say you want to increase your run distance. If you're currently running 2 miles, you might have a shortterm goal of running 4 miles. Don't stop there! Think about how much stronger you want to be and set a lofty goal: try for 5, 6, even 7 miles!
6. E m brace Failure It might hurt to hear this, but, you should know that you are going to fail, and probably more than once before you reach your ultimate potential. Even if you exert the utmost control over your diet and training, you're going to have setbacks like bad workouts, periods of low energy, injuries, and external stress. Know this isn't an excuse to be undisciplined, but an understanding that you'll have to stay in the game for the long haul. If you don't understand the likelihood of occasional setbacks, every mishap will seem like the end of the world. Keep those failures to a minimum by remembering that you can never be forced to eat bad foods or sit on the couch instead of going to the gym. Optimize everything you can control, and understand that the things you can't control may sometimes bring you down. The right mindset will allow you to bounce back as soon as possible!
For more than 20 years the media has bombarded us with a perpetual diet craze. An avalanche of fad diets are announced one after another as breaking news while producing zero true results. Sure, you may lose 5, 10, or even 20 pounds on a fad diet... but you'll gain it all back and then some. How can I be so confident that your results will be short-lived? It's actually a simple concept, and once you understand it, you will be forever saved from the tortures of yo-yo dieting.
by: aaronPOTTS
F
ad diets saddle you with unreasonable calorie restrictions and some even cut out entire food groups just to produce that short-lived drop in weight - a process that is actually harmful to your health. The fad diets also ignore one major component to shaping up: exercise. Most fad diets operate on one ageold premise: cut calories, cut calories, cut calories. By restricting the type and amount of food consumed, the fad dieter usually sees an immediate drop in weight. If only it stopped there... But it doesn't stop there. Life continues, and the fad dieter returns to their prediet eating habits - with one major difference in their body due to the sudden drop in pounds. Their calorie requirements have gotten smaller. In practical terms, this means the dieter will begin gaining weight even though they are eating their normal pre-diet portions. And since exercise hasn't become a part of their routine, the unneeded calories will result in pounds gained. So what's a dieter to do? Find a brand new diet to follow right? Wrong. There is a way to drop pounds and firm your body, but you won't read about it in the next diet book or hear it on the news. The solution to your fad dieting nightmare is a lifestyle change. What is a lifestyle change? To change your lifestyle means to replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones,
and to do so consistently. It isn't something you do for a week or two, only to revert back to your old ways a lifestyle change redefines who you are. Changing your lifestyle from one that is unhealthy to one that is healthy
Fact:
The shape of your body is the direct result of your current lifestyle. will be the best thing that you ever do for yourself. Trust me, I help people like you make this change every day with amazing results. So how do I change my lifestyle? That is a great question, and the answer is actually easier than you might think. Most people who are unhappy with their bodies are really only holding on to a few bad habits. Once these destructive habits are identified and then replaced with healthy habits, their body naturally transforms from one they loathe to one they are proud of. In other words, to get the body that you want, simply determine your unhealthy habits and replace them with healthy ones.
Here are the most prevalent unhealthy habits: • The habit of inactivity. Failing to exercise on a consistent basis is one of the most destructive obstacles for your health and figure. (The key word here is consistent. If you aren't exercising at least 3-4 times each week, then you own this habit.) • The habit of overeating. Consuming calories in excess of your daily caloric needs is one of the main reasons that more adults are overweight today than ever before. • The habit of empty calories. Filling your diet with foods that hold little to no nutritional value is a great way to expand your waist. (Hint: if a food item is made up of mainly sugar and/or fat, consider it “empty” calories.)
by krisGUNNARS Our physical bodies were made for movement. Movement is a necessary way of life for healthy bodily function. Properly performed exercise can stimulate metabolic functions within the body that powerfully promote anti-aging traits.
Our ancient ancestors had very strong and fit bodies. Survival depended upon both good endurance and the ability to perform feats of incredible strength and speed for short periods of time. They constantly moved as nomads and tribesmen and they had to endure short periods of very high intensity activity in order to hunt, battle, and run for their lives. Most people assume that walking, casually riding a bike, gardening, and strolling along on an elliptical machine are adequate forms of exercise. These are more accurately considered “forms of movement.� Movement regimes typically get the heart rate between 50-75 percent of maximum. The proper form of exercise should get the heart rate between 85-100 percent of maximum for optimal results. There is a significant difference between move-
ment and exercise. Movement is an essential nutrient for the body because it brings proprioceptive information from joint receptors to the brain. Additionally, it helps improve circulation, oxygenation and lymphatic drainage of the body. We must certainly incorporate regular movement into our lives, but it is not the same as exercise. Real exercise must be focused on stimulating natural anti-aging hormone secretion within our body. This is done by overloading our joint and muscular systems with a challenging resistance. This could be done with resistance training and different forms of sprinting exercises.
R u l e s to m a x i m i z e f i t n e s s 1. Use large muscle groups: Compound movements that focus on multiple muscle groups. Easy examples of this would include squats that work the entire lower body and push-ups that challenge the entire upper body. 2. Explosion: Exploding on the concentric phase of the exercise stimulates more motor neurons which recruit a greater percentage of muscle fibers. This not only increases strength and power production but it greatly boosts anti-aging hormone secretion. 3. High intensity: Each set should be particularly challenging near failure with little rest between sets. A great strategy is to superset between opposite muscle groups such as pushing and pulling exercises with little to no rest in between. This would be dumbbell presses followed by pull-ups. It could also include sprint intervals with a short rest in-between. High-intensity training challenges the anaerobic system forcing greater production of lactic acid. The increased lactic acid stimulates greater HGH production. It also produces greater endogenous antioxidant production within the muscle and nerve cells as they adapt to be able to produce energy and eliminate waste more efficiently.
4. Short time period: Performing
compound exercises at a high-intensity is a major challenge on the neuromuscular system. The body thrives when this is performed for short periods of time (5-30 minutes) several times a week. These sort of workouts can lead to overtraining if they last too long. Find what works for you.
5. Unique time periods: Everyone is unique and one individual may need more or less neuromuscular demand than someone else. This often depends upon training levels, body type, gender, race, genetic structure, sleep cycles, nutritional status, antioxidant carrying capacity, anaerobic capacity, stress levels and exercise enjoyment.
6. Proper rest periods: Movement activities should be performed every day. However, high intensity exercise should be cycled to get the best benefits. Most individuals can have amazing strength, speed and energy in fewer than 60 minutes of high intensity exercise each week. This could mean the following equations: a. Six to seven days of 5-10 minute workouts b. Four days of 10-15 minute workouts c. Three days of 15-20 minute workouts
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by johnROTCHKINS Proteins are the building blocks of life and every living cell uses them for both structural and functional purposes. They are long chains of amino acids linked together like beads on a string, then folded into complex shapes. There are 9 essential amino acids that we must get from the diet and 12 that are non-essential, which the body can produce out of other organic molecules. The quality of a protein source depends on its amino acid profile. The best sources of protein in the diet contain all the essential amino acids in ratios that are appropriate for humans. In this regard, animal proteins are better than plant proteins, which makes perfect sense given that the muscle tissues of animals are very similar to our own tissues. The health authorities recommend an intake of 56 grams per day for men and 46 grams per day for women, varying between individuals based on age, body weight, activity levels and some other factors. While this meager intake may be enough to prevent downright deficiency, it is not in any way sufficient to optimize health and body composition. People who are
physically active or lift weights are going to need a lot more than that.
How Much Protein is Too Much? The body is in a constant state of flux, constantly breaking down and rebuilding its own tissues. Under certain circumstances, our need for protein can increase. This includes periods of sickness or increased physical activity. We need to consume enough protein for these processes to occur. However, if we eat more than we need, the excess protein will be broken down and used for energy. Even though a relatively high protein intake is healthy and safe, eating massive amounts of protein is unnatural and may cause harm. Traditional populations got most of their calories from fat or carbs, not protein. Although I don’t know of any study that demonstrates exactly when it becomes harmful, I’d say that 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (2.2 grams per kg) or 30-40% of calories should be safe, but going beyond that is uncharted territory. I personally eat
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about 100-150 grams of protein per day, but on workout days I eat about 200 grams because I like to have some whey protein right after my workouts. Keep in mind that athletes need more protein than sedentary individuals, especially strength athletes or bodybuilders.
Take Home Message In my opinion, the idea that protein is harmful to humans is one of the more ridiculous myths out there. Our species evolved as meat eaters, not to mention the fact that we’re literally made of meat. How could something we’re made of be bad for us? It just doesn’t make sense. At the end of the day, there is no evidence that a high protein intake causes harm and plenty of evidence showing benefits. If you have healthy kidneys, then it’s probably best to err on the side of a higher protein intake, rather than lower. For the majority of people, there is no reason to be concerned about the exact number of grams of protein in the diet. If you eat healthy, unprocessed animal foods every day, then your protein intake should automatically land in a safe and healthy range.
mental fitness by ryanLOWE A Positive Attitude is Key to Great Leadership
Ryan C. Lowe is a professional motivational keynote speaker, sales trainer & author. He is the president and chief attitude officer of Get off Your Attitude Seminars & Presentations. His passion is to work with organizations that want to inspire and motivate their leaders and team members with principles that will help create a positive culture and mindset to achieve excellence. For more information or to hire Ryan to speak, call 504-233-8199 or e-mail us at info@ryanclowe.com. You may also visit www.ryanclowe.com
Text GOYA to 96362 for his weekly GOYA inspirational text message!
Get off Your Attitude means for one to think positive and take action; to talk, believe, act and think in a positive manner; to create a positive mindset during a negative situation or environment; to help someone create a positive mindset to overcome fear, adversity, oppression, or challenges that person may face in life.
Grab a copy of his book entitled Get off Your Attitude Today! To order go to www.getoffyourattitude.com
Leadership is a word that inspires us in many walks of life. To lead is to manage, to create, and to guide. It has positive connotations for many of us who want to follow that leader, or who want to become him or her. Leadership is a powerful word. It is associated with an individual who has earned the respect of others and who leads them effectively and in the right direction. It should evoke positive feelings in people. If it doesn’t, that leader needs to question what it is they are doing wrong. Leadership should not be a dictatorship; it should not produce negative feelings among others. It needs to be able to inspire at all times, and the key to this is attitude.
Leadership and Power Training courses on leadership skills might gloss over tensions in the workplace and focus instead on techniques and tools to use for management in business. Leaders are told their task is “different” from others, because they have been chosen to lead and therefore they have more power. Interestingly, power has always been linked to fear. Managers might create a fierce reputation for themselves on the basis of this and they choose to lead others by using this power. Employees will do as they’re told because they are working in an environment driven by fear: a fear of being fired. Too much emphasis is on telling employees that they need to behave and perform well because their leader has absolute power. An ideal alternative to this approach would be to empower all staff by telling them their judgment is valuable and they will be listened to. Good leaders use influence to steer others towards their goals, rather than power, and this is a useful point to remember. Power is a negative aspect of leadership, but influence depends on your attitude and ability to rally the workforce. Personality is central to the workplace; people come together in harmony or collide depending on their personalities, and tension can easily be caused. Often it is unavoidable. After all, we all have different opinions about problem solving. The best leaders will harness the strengths and skills that people have and use them to their best ability, meeting the demands of the new workplace, which is being led by technology and where the old-fashioned ideals of power and fear have no place.
Challenges Leaders Face and How a Positive Attitude Helps
towards business practice and your staff. The empathetic leader relates well to others and is able to listen to and understand their experiences. This is very much a “people” person who can roll up his or her sleeves and wade in, to inspire their team and achieve good results. The visionary inspires through exciting ideas, examples being Steve Jobs and Whole Foods’ John Mackey, and their teams follow them and are motivated by their enthusiasm and knowledge. The ethical leader abides by rules about behavior, with every employee adhering to these rules and the workplace becoming a moral environment.
Motivational Tips Motivation and productivity are important goals of a leader. Whether they inspire their team by providing a sympathetic ear or by setting the example, a good attitude helps a leader reach those goals and ultimately win over others throughout the process. Motivating staff can be quite a challenge in any environment, but there are some useful tips for achieving this, based on raising morale. Setting targets is a good way of motivating staff, as long as they are realistic and not out of reach. Armed with a positive attitude, you can rally your staff around you and reward them when they reach their goals. Business rewards take many forms: from vouchers to lunchtime treats to corporate gifts. You can motivate staff by holding awards ceremonies for the hardest workers and there are quality gifts to choose from to make the event special. The best leaders inspire their teams to work hard on a long term, rather than short-term basis, and rewards are viewed as great motivational tools. Great leaders listen to their staff and understand how to make the workplace a happier, as well as a more productive, environment. They do not seek ultimate empowerment to rule their flock with an iron fist and these methods are becoming outdated as we move further into a technology-driven age. Leaders with positive attitudes find that their followers appreciate these little touches, whether it is through empathy, vision or reward systems, and that, ultimately, people respond much better to someone who empowers them. "Remember that it is up to you to choose every day to Get off Your Attitude and to create a positive lifestyle for yourself and oth-
ers." Ryan C. Lowe - Positive Attitude Coach Leadership has been described, by Forbes magazine, as a We would love to hear from you! You can find us on lthe web at marathon rather than a short sprint. Problems arise on an ongoing basis, challenges need to be met, and a leader’s focus has to be on www.getoffyourattitude.com, Facebook (Getoffyourattitude), and the long term in order for him or her to be most effective in their role. As the workplace becomes more flexible, diverse and mobile Twitter (Gtoffyrattitude). Thank You! than ever before, leaders need to adapt to the changes and see them in a positive light. It is a testing time for those who like to be in control and to show that they have the knowledge to pass on to others. With the right attitude, leadership today should be a more exciting role than ever. The vulnerability of leaders, when they don’t have all the answers, makes them actually more appealing in the eyes of others because they show their human falliMetairie- A new free report has been released that reveals how breakthrough bility. Being a good leader is less about being the medical technology is offering new hope to disc and sciatica sufferers. Discover smartest and more about understanding others and what how a clinical study has revealed that non-surgical spinal decompression is makes a team work together to reach solutions.
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Different Leadership Styles, One Mission Whatever your style of leadership, your goal will be the same. Different styles suit different workplaces and all can be successful in their own right. It is important to support these leadership qualities with a good attitude
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