When I first moved to Seattle to go to college at Seattle Pacific University, my mom gave me a great book called “Where’s Mom Now That I Need Her?”

I had all sorts of recipes, plus useful info like how to iron clothes and sew on buttons.

The title of this book gave me a great idea, so I’d like to give you the Mom’s Weight Loss Diet:

Your mom told you everything you need to know about basic nutrition

1.  Eat more fruits and vegetables

2. Don’t drink pop

3. Take you own lunch to school (or work!)

4. Don’t spoil your dinner with cookies or chips

5.  Plan your meals

6. Stay away from fast food

Start following these six simple tips and you’re well on your way to mastering nutrition.

And when you fit into your skinny jeans again, just say “Thanks Mom!”

Brussels sprouts are the classic vegetable everyone jokes about hating:

But I figure the only reason these aren’t your favorite vegetable is that you’ve never cooked them Momofuku style!

When you cook them properly, brussels sprouts take on a crispy, caramelized quality that makes them freakin’ addictive.  David Chang, the chef behind the Momofuku restaurant group actually had to take them off the menu at one of his eateries.

“Every single table ordered them.  It was ridiculous.  I would’ve had to dedicate one of my cooks to doing nothing but cooking sprouts all night.”

Here’s how to turn brussels sprouts from boring and ordinary to a delicious favorite that even kids won’t stop eating.

The sprouts Chang took off the menu were pan roasted with crispy chunks of bacon and then tossed in pureed kimchi.  At another restaurant, he deep-fried them and tossed them in fish sauce.  And at Ko (a restaurant with only 12 seats!) he browned them in a skillet, tossed them in sriracha hot sauce, and served them with a squirt of lime juice.

“Basically, you can’t f*ck them up,” Chang says, “Cook the Sh*t out of them; just don’t turn them in to charcoal.  They’re really resilient to strong flavors.  They’re incredibly forgiving.”

The key to brussels sprouts isn’t the flavoring, it’s how you cook them.  Get the first part right and you can give them any kind of a spin you want.  Your secret is to give them an evenly browned finish.

Slice the sprouts lengthwise, then cook them cut side down.  I like to use nitrite-free bacon fat (I’ve written about uncured bacon before here: Sodium Nitrites Are Not A Good Idea)

A cast-iron skillet on your stovetop is the best way to get a delicious carmelization.  But if you’re cooking for a large group you can easily lay them down on a baking sheet and roast them in a hot oven.

Brussels sprouts cooked right don’t need anything more than some salt and lemon juice.  Anything else you want to add is totally up to you

Here’s a recipe straight from David Chang (serves 4):

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh brussels sprouts
• 1/4 pound thick cut bacon (get uncured!)
• Butter (optional, get butter from grass-fed cows)
• Sriracha hot sauce (also called “rooster sauce”)
• Lime
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degress
2. Trim the hard ends off the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise
3. Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat until crispy (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate
4. Drain most of the fat from the pan and add the sprouts cut side down.  Raise the heat to medium high and sear until sprouts begin to sizzle.  Put the skillet in the oven and roast until the sprouts are deeply browned (about 8 minutes), then shake the pan to flip them over.  Pull the pan from the oven when the sprouts are bright green and fairly tender (about 10 minutes more)
5. Return the pan to your stovetop over medium heat.  Stir in the bacon and, optionally, a pat or two of butter.  Swirl until evenly mixed.
6. Place in a bowl and add a few squirts of sriracha and a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve with anything!

If you’re working out hard, eating right, and STILL not losing any freaking fat, this post is for you.

Have you heard that hormones can affect your fat loss?

It’s true!

The first thing you need to know is what hormones are.  Here’s the definition: “A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.”

This means that a hormone just a little bit out of whack can derail all of your fat loss efforts!

It also means that slight adjustments of your hormones can have a profound POSITIVE effect on your body.

A really cool thing about hormones is that you can actually use the shape of your body to figure out which hormones are out of balance.

Once you know what the hormonal culprits are, I can help you figure out a plan to get back on track.

Love handles?  Insulin is messing with you.

Arm fat?  Testosterone is low.

Belly fat?  Too much cortisol.

Thigh and butt fat?  Estrogen levels are high.

Before I dig deep and expose these hormones for you, I want you to understand something important:  If you’re not exercising right and you eat like crap, don’t blame hormones.  These are the “final piece” of the fat loss puzzle.  Eat right and do metabolism boosting workouts before you start blaming hormones.

Rant over.  Now some specifics…

Hormone: Testosterone.

Too much? Almost never an issue.

Too little? Increased body fat, decreased lean muscle.

All right, pretty much everyone needs more testosterone.  (Don’t worry ladies, you won’t grow a mustache unless you take steroids!!)

To let you know how to increase testosterone, I want you to know how college kids “fake out” hormone tests to get prescription steroids.  See, if you get low test results, the doc can prescribe steroids and you don’t have to worry about legal issues.

So when a football player wants to artificially lower his testosterone levels, he will do four things: cut out protein, cut out fat, cut out sleep, start doing aerobics.

To NATURALLY increase your testosterone, just do the opposite: eat lots of protein, eat lots of fat, get more sleep, stop the aerobics and start lifting weights!

Hormone: Thyroid

Too much? Hard to put on muscle, weakness, fatigue

Too little? Fatigue, slow metabolism, increased body fat

If you want to fix your thyroid hormones, you first have to fix another hormone: Leptin.

Leptin’s primary purpose is to restore fat reserves when you eat.  This is to help prevent starvation during times of famine.  After checking fat reserves, leptin decides how much energy your body needs and where to send it.

When leptin drops, your brain gets a signal that it’s time to eat (this signal comes from the hormone ghrelin).  As you eat, leptin levels rise and your brain gets the signal to stop.

Not eating enough (or, more precisely, not getting enough NUTRITION from the food you eat) gets leptin to signal the thyroid to slow your metabolism in order to conserve energy.

Step one of optimizing your thyroid hormones: Eat enough food.  Starving yourself will just shut down your metabolism and make you gain fat.

Now, if leptin levels are too high, you can decrease leptin sensitivity and “fullness” signals won’t reach your brain and tell you to stop eating.  Overweight people actually have very high leptin levels, the problem is their hormonal receivers don’t recognize it any more.  (Like The Boy Who Cried Wolf, the receptors just stop listening)

All of this extra eating without feeling full leads to too many calories being consumed and then stored as fat.

It is really hard to overeat on “clean foods” so most extra calories come from junk foods: pop, candy, cookies, muffins, anything made with sugar, wheat, or soy.

Step Two of optimizing thyroid function is to only eat good foods (my rule is “only foods a caveman would have eaten)

Hormone: Insulin

Too much? Increased body fat, increased body weight, increased blood pressure, insulin resistance

Too little? Type-1 diabetes

Insulin is a Big Deal.  Look at health reporting in any major news network and you’ll hear about insulin again and again.

I’ve written about insulin before: Understanding Insulin

While insulin is necessary to keep you alive, insulin surges have a devastating impact on your body, including making fat loss almost impossible.

The number one way to get insulin under control is to CUT DOWN ON CARBOHYDRATES.

Your goal isn’t to get insulin down to zero, you need it to move nutrients around in your body.  Instead, you want to prevent the insulin surges that come with a rush from sugars or dairy proteins.

Just start replacing carb calories in your diet with vegetables, proteins, and fats, and you’ll get your insulin levels where they need to be for a great looking, healthy body.

Hormone: Estrogen

Too much? Increased body fat, increased body weight

Too little? Joint pain, health issues, slowed muscle building

When talking about estrogen, there is no simple 101 course.  Overly simplistic doctors just provide hormone pills that cause as much (or more) harm as good.

But for fat loss, there are 3 keys to taking control of estrogen.  They are:

1) Blood sugar management

2) Adrenal glands

3) The gastrointestinal system (including gallbladder and liver)

For blood sugar management, just follow the guidelines in the insulin section above.

The adrenal glands get messed up from constant stress – I think we all have that!  Simple things you can do to reduce adrenal fatigue are: get more sleep, take less stimulants, take time to relax, exercise (but not aerobics!!), and to eat fewer carbohydrates.

If your adrenal glands are overactive, you might have these symptoms:

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Allergies
• Excessive sweat
• Gastric ulcers
• Fatigue after meals
• Sweets Cravings
• Excessive urination

If your adrenals are underactive, you might notice these:

• Difficulty staying asleep
• Dizziness when standing quickly
• Blurred vision
• Shakiness or lightheadedness between meals
• Eating relieves tiredness
• Salt cravings

Symptoms aside, getting a Salivary Adrenal Test is the best way to pinpoint what you need to fix.  (I could give blanket supplement recommendations, but you don’t mess around with adrenals.  Get the test done and I’ll help you )

And the third key for taking control of your estrogen levels is managing gastrointestinal health.

High fiber isn’t the cure-all here.  In fact, high fiber diets based on bran and grains may make your digestive system WORSE.  Ugh.

The best way to fix your bod is to eat organic vegetables and wild, grassfed meats.  The chemical changes that take place in chemically fertilized plants and corn- or grain-fed animals absolutely DESTROYS your gut health.

Take home message for estrogen: Cut out carbs, get adrenal levels tested, eat wild foods.

Hormone: Cortisol

Too much? Slowed metabolism, increased body fat, decrease in lean muscle

Too little? Almost never an issue

Mastering your cortisol is about mastering your stress.

Not just lifestyle stress, but also dietary and exercise stress. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one stressed out. Check out the Top Ten most prescribed drugs from 2008:

1. Lipitor – Cholesterol lowering medication. Cholesterol is often increased during times of stress.
2. Acetaminophen – Pain medication. Stress causes inflammation, which drives pain.
3. Acetaminophen – Pain medication.
4. Levothyroxine – Thyroid medication. Stress responses directly causes defects in thyroid hormone physiology.
5. Amoxicillin – Antiboitic. Stress negatively impacts our immune system, making us more prone to infection.
6. Lisinopril – High blood pressure medication. Stress is well known for causing or contributing to high blood pressure.
7. Nexium – GERD medication. Stress is a well known contributor to symptoms of “heartburn”, or gastroesophageal reflux.
8. Synthroid – Thyroid medication. Stress responses negatively impacts defects in thyroid hormone physiology.
9. Lexapro – Depression and anxiety. Stress obviously contributes to both depression and anxiety.
10. Singular – Asthma medication. Stress can induce asthma and makes the condition worse if someone already has it.

Yikes!

Ok, after that top ten list, here are Luke’s Top Three Ways To Reduce Cortisol:

1.  Cut out carbohydrates!  (notice a trend yet?)

2.  Get more sleep!

3. Stop doing aerobics, they are totally overstressing your body!  (use metabolic resistance training instead!)

All right!  This post was a lot more technical than usual, but I’ll be back with some crazy new exercises – and a BIG announcement! – in a few days.

Talk to you soon

~ Luke Wold

We all want a nice booty, right?

Incorporate the following best backside exercises in your regular strength routine and you’ll burn fat, shape and firm your booty, sculpt surrounding muscle groups, and rev up your metabolism.

1. Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings combine strength and cardio training to redefine your backside. In addition to toning your glutes and hip flexors, you’ll work your core, and cardiovascular system (an all-in-one exercise). Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Place the kettlebell about one foot in front of you. Push your hips backward, with a slight bend in the knee (shins almost vertical) and reach forward, placing both hands on the kettlebell. From your “hike position” (hips pushed backward, back flat, and chest out) hike the kettlebell behind you, with a purpose (don’t let go).Drive your hips forward, while contracting your glutes and tucking your tailbone under, to swing the kettlebell (always above the knees) until you are standing at “attention” with your hands about chest height.

Important Tips: Always make sure to keep your abs tight (this will keep your lower back protected.) Keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine. Always drive the swing with your hips and NOT your arms. If the bell ever gets too far out in front of you, never reach for it- just let it drop!

2. Lunges

Lunges are a bootcamp workout staple that will firm your butt and tone your legs. Start with your feet hip width apart then step forward with one leg. Keeping your abs tight, chest high, and spine straight, sink down into the move until your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is almost touching the ground. Concentrate on squeezing your glutes as you push through your front heel back to the starting position. Important tip: don’t let your moving knee extend past your toes.

3. Step Ups

This is a great exercise for your butt as well as your quads and calves. Step ups also increase your heart rate so you’ll get the extra benefit of fat-blasting cardio. Stand with your right foot firmly planted on a step or a bench, your left foot on the floor. Push down through your right heel to straighten and stand on your right leg, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement. At the same time, pull your left leg forward and up, knee bent 90 degrees and raised waist-high. Lower your left leg back to the ground, then step your right foot down. Alternate legs to make one rep.

4. Hip Extensions

Like lunges, hip extensions can be performed anywhere and without equipment. The key to this movement is positioning your weight so that your butt does the brunt of the work, not your legs. On your hands and knees, you’ll focus the main effort in your glutes and lower back without involving your hamstrings. Tighten your core and squeeze your butt to lift one leg toward the ceiling, keeping the 90 degree bend and flexing your foot so you’re reaching with your heel as you raise your thigh in line with your spine. Keep the movement slow and controlled to the top and then back down again.

5. One-Legged Deadlifts

One-legged deadlifts do triple duty, activating your muscles for a highly effective toning session that works your butt, hamstrings, and lower back. Holding a kettlebell/dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet hip width apart, knees soft. Keeping your weight firmly on your left leg, lean forward from your hips, reaching the dumbbells toward your left foot and raising your right leg out behind you. Remember to keep your core tight and not round your back. Now stand straight, squeezing your glutes as you come back to start. Do a full series of reps before switching to your right leg for the second half of the set.

As doctor’s fees rise, I see more and more people turning to do-it-yourself medical tests you can order through the mail.  Some work, some don’t.  Here’s what I’ve found about some of the most common tests:

Home Test: Cholesterol

Cost: $18

What It Does: The machine scans a drop of blood from your finger and a small monitor shows you your total cholesterol

Does It Work?: Not well enough.

These machines aren’t as reliable as real lab tests.  Plus total cholesterol is a poor gauge of heart health.

If you’re interested, have your doctor order a test that will show your HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol), and triglyceride levels.

Home Test: PSA

Cost: $40

What It Does: A finger-prick analysis looks for prostate-specific antigen, a protein that may signal prostate cancer.  Smear your blood on the collection card, send it to the lab, and get results in about a week.

Does It Work?: Occasionally.

If your results are lower than 1 nanogram per milliliter, take the test every 3 years.

If your results are over 1 nanogram per milliliter, take the test every year.

If your results are over 2 nanograms per milliliter, go to see a urologist.

A high prostate-specific antigen count doesn’t always mean you have prostate cancer, but a doctor will need to take a biopsy sample to make sure either way.

Home Test: Male Fertility

Cost: $50

What It Does: A color-coded test gauges your sperm sample concentration

Does It Work?: Sorta.

The test is a pretty crude way to check sperm count and isn’t nearly as accurate as results from a fertility clinic.

Plus, sperm count is only one possible cause for the inability to conceive.  You need to see a specialist if you’re worried about your fertility.

Home Test: Colon Cancer Screening

Cost: $50

What It Does: The collection paper changes color if there’s blood in your stool.  Blood can mean cancerous colon polyps.

Does It Work?: No.

This test reports blood, not cancer.  All sorts of things can cause blood in your stool (I’ve written about poop before: Quick Notes On Poo), not just cancer.

And precancerous polyps won’t cause blood.

At best, this test can notify you of less than half of precancerous polyps.

As your doctor for an endoscopic colonoscopy – it’s the most accurate test.

(If you’re worried about cancer, memorize the 7 cancer warning signs here: Cancer C.A.U.T.I.O.N)

Home Test: HIV-1

Cost: $65

What It Does: You mail a blood sample to a lab to be tested for the antibodies to HIV

Does It Work?: Yes.

There is only one FDA-approved home test on the market: The Home Access HIV-1 Test System.

It’s a useful and anonymous form of at-home HIV testing.  But if you think you’ve contracted the virus in the last 6 weeks, you need the more sensitive tests available with a doctor.  The home test isn’t sensitive enough to catch HIV in the early stages.

A few of my friends on facebook have posted a question like this: “How can I get an action hero body?”

Now, Hollywood action stars have a few advantages: they all have a personal trainer, they can get someone to cook healthy meals for them, and they have lighting technicians making sure they always look their best.

But you can totally steal their workout and do it on your own.

Have you seen “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” on TV?  I’ve caught a few episodes – pretty cool.

And the stars definitely have that “action hero” look:

Here’s a video of the Spartacus stars working out:

(Don’t copy their kettlebell form! Everything else is all good )

The Spartacus workout above was written by Rachel Cosgrove, owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, CA.

Here’s the complete program:

60 seconds work / 15 seconds rest

1. Goblet Squat
2. Mountain Climber
3. One Arm Dumbbell Swing
4. T-Pushup
5. Jump Lunges
6. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
7. Dumbbell Side Lunge and Touch
8. Dumbbell Renegade Row
9. Dumbbell Lunge with Rotation
10. Dumbbell Push Press

Total Time: 12:30.

Rest 2 minutes and repeat.

Total Work Time: 27 minutes!

After trying one of my bootcamp workouts, you’ll know that a circuit like this are no joke.

By working every muscle in your body, you not only strengthen and shape, you get a whole body cardiovascular workout… at the same time!

If your idea of “cardio” is running on a treadmill or playing on an elliptical machine, you’ll find that a workout like this is really fun, really intense, and more effective at building an Action Hero Body than anything else.

Talk to you soon,

~ Luke Wold
291 Rhodes St
Carson City NV 89703

A Carson City Gym post by Luke Wold….

Hey there, it’s Luke – hope you’re doing awesome, and I gotta tell you: I’m excited about today’s post for you.

You know there are just some days when you can’t make it to the gym: kids get sick, family in town, big project due, traveling, whatever.

And it sucks because the gym has all the cool toys: kettlebells, ValSlides, suspension trainers, swiss balls… the fun stuff!

Annnnnd, summer is coming up.  You don’t want to miss a workout right before beach season

So I want to share FIFTY sweet exercises that will give you a killer workout using only your own body!  You can do ‘em anywhere.

Have fun….

1. Toe Grab Squats

Areas worked: thighs, ankle flexibility


2. T-Pushup

Areas worked: Arms, Chest, Shoulders, Core


3. Reaching Hockey Squat

Areas Worked: Thighs, Balance


4. Hip Circles

Areas worked: butt, hips


5. Cobra

Areas Worked: Back, Low Back, Shoulders, Butt, Hamstrings


6. Short Arc Leg Lifts

Areas Worked: Stomach, Front Of Thighs


7. Quad Stance Push Up

Areas Worked: Front Of Thighs, Arms, Shoulders


8. Grasshopper Pushup

Areas Worked: Sides, Arms, Chest, Flexibility


9. Butt Lift

Areas Worked: Butt, Stomach


Advanced Variation: Use one leg


10. Pike Plank

Areas Worked: Stomach


11. Jackal Pushup

Areas Worked: Stomach, Back Of Arms


12. Kick Through

Areas Worked: Stomach, Arms, Coordination


13. Bird Dog

Areas Worked: Low Back, butt


14. Hindu Pushup

Areas Worked: Arms, Flexibility


15. Warrior Sit Up

Areas Worked: Stomach


16. Tiger Pushup

Areas Worked: Back Of Arms, Stomach


17. Butt Lift Leg Swing

Areas Worked: Butt, Stomach, Leg Flexibility


18. Chest Tap Push Up

Areas Worked: Chest, Arms, Shoulders, Core, Explosiveness


19. Plank Walk Up

Areas Worked: Balance, Back Of Arms, Core


20. Wide Toe Grab Squat

Areas Worked: Thighs, Groin, Ankle Flexibility


21. Moving Side Planks

Areas Worked: Sides


22. Squat

Areas Worked: Thighs


23. Long Jump

Areas Worked: Thighs, Explosiveness


24. Side Feet Lift

Areas Worked: Sides


25. Gateswing Squat

Areas worked: Thighs, Groin

Level 1:


Level 2:


26. Shin Box Switch

Areas Worked: Hips


27. One Arm Lowering Pushup

Areas Worked: Chest, Arms, Shoulders, Core, Balance


28. Deck Squat

Areas Worked: Stomach, Legs, Balance


29. Turtle Rolls

Areas Worked: Core


30. Thrusting Side Plank

Areas Worked: Sides

Level One:


Level Two:


Level Three:


31. Pike Pushup

Areas Worked: Shoulders, Back Of Arms


32. V Up

Areas Worked: Stomach


33. Pendulum Lunge

Areas Worked: Thighs, Balance


34. Frogger

Areas Worked: Flexibility, Arms


35. Ground Spiral Squat

Areas Worked: Legs, Hips, Flexibility


Spiral Squats Explained:


36. Squat Hold

Areas Worked: Thighs


37. Shin Box Flag

Areas Worked: Stomach


38. Willow Quarter Burpee

Areas Worked: Heart and Lungs, Arms, Core, Thighs


39. Spinal Rock To Pistol Squat

Areas Worked: Core, Thighs, Balance, Coordination


40. Hop Squat

Areas Worked: Explosiveness, Thighs, Calves


41. X Plank

Areas Worked: Core, Balance


42. Spinal Rock To Deck Squat To Burpee With Pushup

Areas Worked: Everything!


43. Downward Dog Kickover

Areas Worked: Back Of Thighs, Arms, Butt


44. Bottom Pushup Hold

Areas Worked: Arms, Chest, Core


45. Cycle Jump

Areas Worked: Balance, Explosiveness, Coordination, Legs


46. Planker Pushup

Areas Worked: Arms, Stomach


Planker Pushup Explained:


47. Rocking Chair

Areas Worked: Core, Groin, Hips, Flexibility, Coordination


48. Pushup Position Stomach Circuit

Areas Worked: Stomach, Sides, Arms


49. Hip Touch Twist

Areas Worked: Sides, Arms, Shoulders


50. Threading Plank To Butt Lift Hold

Areas Worked: Core, butt, Coordination, Balance

Whew!  Have fun!

Talk to you soon,

~ Luke

PS – It would be totally awesome if you left me a comment with YOUR favorite bodyweight exercise

Whenever I read what the mass media has to say about health and fitness, I have to laugh.

Our Carson City paper (the Nevada Appeal) had a health article the other day with a stock photo of a woman trying to choose between an apple and a donut.

I mean… really?

A half page article about choosing between fruit and pastries seems like it should be shockingly obvious.

Today I want to share 15 INCREDIBLY OBVIOUS health headlines:

1.  BINGE DRINKING ‘CAN DAMAGE MEMORY SKILLS’ IN TEEN GIRLS

Wow, that’s a shocker. (source: bbc.co.uk)

2.  TO WARD OFF DEMENTIA, TRY STAYING HEALTHY FROM HEAD TO TOE

“Try staying healthy”?  That’s GREAT advice!  Why didn’t I think of that?!? (source: time.com)

3. TEENAGERS PREFER DRINKS WITH CAFFEINE

Wow, I’m glad the government funded a study about this, I had no idea! (source: nytimes.com)

4.  STUDY: MEN NEED CUDDLES, TOO

Ok guys, who blabbed?  (source: kgoam810.com)

5.  EXTRA SLEEP COULD BOOST ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

You mean a fresh athlete outperforms a tired one?  Crazy!  (huffingtonpost.com)

6.  NO MAGIC BULLET TO IMPROVE DIET, STEM OBESITY EPIDEMIC

This one’s a bummer.  I guess I’ll have to stick to eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep.  (source: newswise.com)

7.  EXERCISE: THE NEW DOCTOR’S ORDERS

Before this article, were there any doctors recommending sloth instead? (source: foxbusiness.com)

8.  NUTS INSTEAD OF MUFFINS CAN BE BENEFICIAL FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS: STUDY

I’m glad someone finally revealed that replacing carb- and bad-fat-laden muffins with natural healthy nuts is a good idea (source: frenchtribune.com)

9.  HEALTHY FOOD NEEDS TO BE MORE AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE, EATERS NEED EDUCATION, EXPERTS SAY

Mind-bending. (source: usnews.com)

10.  POTATO CHIPS ARE PILING ON THE POUNDS, STUDY FINDS

Turns out that if you eat a pound of carbs fried in trans fats, you might gain weight (source: floridatoday.com)

11.  EATING OUT AND FREQUENT SNACKING SEEN AS MAIN CAUSES FOR OBESITY

I’m amazed at this one!  You mean McDonalds for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus candy snacks all day, will make me obese?  No way! (source: seattlepi.com)

12.  HEALTHY LIFESTYLE MAY WARD OFF SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH IN WOMEN

Good to know! (source: usnews.com)

13.  STUDY:  SOME FOODS HELP SHED POUNDS, OTHERS HELP PACK THEM ON

According to this, 100 Calories of oreos is NOT equal to 100 Calories of broccoli when it comes to losing weight.  Who knew? (source: washingtonpost.com)

14.  OBSESSING OVER BODY IMAGE ISN’T HEALTHY

You mean anorexia isn’t just doctor code for “really strong willpower”? (source: abcactionnews.com)

15.  HEALTHY LIFESTYLE MAKES WOMEN LESS LIKELY TO DIE SUDDENLY

Unless you get eaten by a bear while you’re out on a hike (source: medpagetoday.com)

A Carson City Kettlebell Gym Post…

Kettlebells are one of my favorite training tools.  A weird looking hunk of iron you get to do cool tricks with?  Count me in!

And kettlebells are taking off in popularity, most likely because so many celebrities are using them with their personal trainers.

Kim Cattrall, Jennifer Lopez, Katherine Heigl, Penelope Cruz, Robert Downey Jr, the Pussycat Dolls,  Lance Armstrong, Mariska Hargitay, Sylvester Stallone, Clair Danes, Ethan Hawke, the cast of “300″, and Matthew McConaughey all work out with kettlebells.  (I feel more famous just for typing all those names!)

The most basic kettlebell exercise is the swing:

If you want to blast off fat, strengthen your whole body, and build scary endurance… the kettlebell swing is your go-to exercise.

Now, don’t just rush out and get a kettlebell workout DVD and try to follow along.  After a kettlebell workout with Jillian Michaels you won’t be burning fat, you’ll be looking at your spine lying on the floor and cursing her name.  Even if you don’t know anything about exercise, you can see Jillian is putting the low back at risk with her kettlebell technique:

I don’t want to try to teach the swing over the internet, you really need an experienced trainer’s eye on you to get it mastered.  BUT, if you’re kettlebelling it up already, here are a few tips to help you groove your swing:

• NEVER round your back over at the bottom of the swing (see Jillian pic above).  Keep your low back locked into neutral position.
• Don’t try to pull with your arms, back, or shoulders.  Drive with your butt and hamstrings instead.
• Don’t just pick up the kettlebell.  Set yourself up perfectly first, with the kettlebell in front of you, then “hike” it back to start the first rep.
• Keep your chest up and your back flat.
• Don’t just let the kettlebell come down on its own.  “Snap” it back like you’re hiking a football.
• Flex your lats (big muscles on your back) to keep your shoulders packed tight.

Cleansing your body does not require fancy pills or supplements nor does it take some extensive amount of time. By implementing simple dietary changes you can help your body release the chemicals, toxins and fat that has built up in your tissue over time. If you suffer from acne, fatigue, irritability or fogginess then your body may be telling you its time to be detoxified. There are simple changes you can make in your daily diet to cleanse and keep clean your body. Following a 14 day cleanse diet is a perfect way to jump start the cleansing process.

Many people tend to skip breakfast. Coffee is not breakfast. A doughnut is not breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. People who eat breakfast have been able to fight off hunger longer into the afternoon and also are more common to have success loosing weight. To detox your body, eat only fruits until noon each day.

Blueberries, raspberries, cranberries and strawberries are packed with antioxidants which fight off free radicals that are in your body. Free radicals are wreaking havoc on your insides and corroding your arteries and other body tissues. Fruits also have natural sugars that curb your sweet cravings without subjecting your body to sugar highs and lows. The fiber in fruits will fight off hunger as well. Eating fruit also promote healthy energy. In order to get the best effect with the 14 day cleanse diet you also need to eliminate caffeine. Instead, reach for an all natural herbal coffee or tea that is caffeine free. Remember how energy was unlimited as a child? That was before we started bogging our bodies down with the junk we eat and drink. Herbal beverages will give you the natural energy boost you desire and help your body rebuild its natural energy source.

For lunch and dinner you need to start eating smarter. You can still enjoy all the foods you love, but changing what you eat will help detoxify your body. While eating steak and potatoes is a normal part of many families meal plan, it also leaves you feeling weighed down. The reason for this is that two separate enzymes are needed to break down carbohydrates and starches. During digestion the two enzymes partially neutralize each other making digestion less effective. It is far more ideal to eat salad with a steak.

Dark leafy greens release nutrients that help flush your system of waste that is built up. During this 14-day cleanse diet it is also vital to drink lots of water. Non-flavored, filtered, all natural tap water. Although it may not seem appealing, water is the purest substance to put in your body to help it detoxify. By following these two easy steps you can detoxify your body in as little as two weeks. Keeping these healthy dietary changes as part of your lifestyle will result in an increase in energy, weight loss, improvements in skin, hair and nails and increased mental clarity.

Special Guest Post by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN, author of The Total Wellness Cleanse.