10 Things That Will Make a REAL Difference in your Health.

1.  Drink more water- Water helps carry toxins from body tissues via the colon, the kidneys (urination), through our sweat and through the detoxification process of the liver. Drinking sufficient amounts of water will aid in these processes resulting in increased energy, hydration, and overall health.

Our muscles are 75% water and require a substantial amount of water to keep them healthy and performing optimally.  Make sure and drink eight 8 oz cups of purified water per day (mornings, evenings and between meals-avoid drinking water with meals.)  Even being slightly dehydrated can cause hunger, brain “fog,” short-term memory difficulties, even trouble with basic math.

2.  Eat more veggies- Eating vegetables helps create a more alkaline internal environment which works to neutralize acidic foods like sugars and even protein.  Since protein is the nutrient most responsible for building muscle, (of particular importance to athletes),

Why the Holidays are the Best Time to Begin a New Workout Program

A doctor friend of mine shared this holiday tradition with me: every year, just after Thanksgiving, she and her husband begin a four week detoxification program that they deliberately extend to five weeks.  When she first told me about this, I thought she was (insert joke about insanity), or just trying to prove a point, to role model great health and nutrition for her patients at a time when most people go far beyond what would be considered an acceptable level of indulging.

While I am very careful about just how much I indulge during the holidays, I do indulge-(life, after all, is meant to be enjoyed.)  But

On the Yam

Thanksgiving is here!  Yea!  And so are the extra pounds!  Yea!  There isn’t much you can do about it, it’s inevitable…it’s gonna get ugly, so you might as well give in and be happy.  But hold on a second…you can indulge-without all hell breaking loose.  

Thanksgiving only comes once a year; you shouldn’t have to deprive yourself of your holiday favorites just to keep from blowing up like a balloon.  Believe it or not, there are recipe makeovers out there that can taste even better than the original.  Take my personal favorite for example, I’ve been making this recipe (makeover version) for twenty years now (for those who are doing the math, yes, I started cooking at age 4.)  

The recipe makeover below originally appeared in Shape magazine twenty years ago-I’ve been making it ever since.

You Know...Muscle Turns to Fat if you Stop Exercising...

“You know you can’t ever stop working out or all that muscle will turn to fat…” Have you ever heard one of your jealous friends say this?  Ever wondered whether or not it was true?  I hope you didn’t.  I hope you laughed at that ridiculous notion the minute you heard it and told your friend, “that’s ludicrous; muscle is muscle and fat is fat.  That’s akin to watching your liver “turn" into your gallbladder." 

One cannot wave a magic wand and have one type of tissue magically turn into another.”  Would that it could; I’d wave that magic wand over every pound

What Happened to the Spa?

Circumstances beyond our control can impact our lives in powerful ways.  This guest post by personal trainer and writer, Julie Lombardo, highlights the real passion and dedication that many fitness professionals bring to the profession...

Tonight I need to communicate important news to all of you. 

A few nights ago, the owners of The Spa Center (not the actual name) announced they would close the facility indefinitely.  At 10:30 p.m. that night, the seven of us who were still there hugged each other, promised to stay in touch, and write letters of recommendation. My boss hugged us and thanked us for the years of hard work.

The details were sketchy, at best. With 40+ employees and mounting costs to repair and maintain the facility, the financial strain on the owners was simply too great. Employee paychecks were bouncing,

Don't look now but, you're soaking in it!

“Is there anything I can do for you?” I asked my younger brother, sympathetically, as he lie on the couch; his back “out” again.  “Yes,” he said, “can you pick me up a big bag of Epsom salts?”   

I was impressed that my normally non-compliant brother, who I’ve had to practically beg to do the exercises I taught him-that would help rehabilitate his back, would make the effort to run a bath.  But, I guess pain can be a powerful motivator. 

Top Ten Reasons You’re Not Seeing a Change in Your Body (that have nothing to do with exercise) -Part II

When it comes to not getting the results we expect from exercise, sometimes we mistake our “reasons” (not recognizing them for what they are) for excuses.  Then we blame everyone around us for things not working out as we’d planned.  Excuse it seems, has no better friend than exercise.

Just because you put on your shorts and tennis shoes, drive to the gym, park and walk through the door, doesn’t mean the muscle will start growing or the fat will melt off automagically.  Are you really giving it all you got?  You’re not trying to be an Olympic athlete or anything-so what’s it going to take…killing yourself, you ask?  But, is that really what’s going on?  Are you really making the most of your time in the gym?  Are you being honest with yourself when it comes to how you’ve been eating?  Ah ha!  Self-deception rears its ugly head…it’s O.K., it’s easy to do.
 

Last issue, in Part I, we discussed The Top Ten Reasons You're Not Seeing a Change in Your Body (that have nothing to do with exercise.) Below are the next five on the countdown (Part II)...Get past all ten excuses and see your results soar! 

5.  I don’t really know what I’m doing and I can’t afford to work with a personal trainer- If you believe this,