Cathleen Arcori's Blog

Why Strength Training is a Must for Everyone

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:12:16 GMT

Think you're too old to start a strength training program? Well think again! Strength training is just what your body needs to fight the loss of muscle, bone mass and strength that comes with age.

Everyone, no matter how young or old, should be doing some kind of regular strength training. This could be at the gym, or at home using very little equipment. Resistance bands and balls, small hand weights, water and even your own body weight can be used as resistance when designing a strength training program.

So what’s the point? If you've never participated in a strength training program, why start now? Here are some very important reasons strength training makes a difference in your quality of life: Improves your ability to do everyday activities: The stronger your muscles, the easier it is to get groceries out of the car, get a package off of the top cabinet shelf, push the lawnmower…..the list goes on and on! Improves your balance and stability: The stronger and more resilient your muscles, the more balance is sturdier. This will help keep you safe in your daily activities and decreases the risk of falls or accidents. Builds muscle strength: Adults lose between five and seven pounds of muscle every decade after age 20. Strength training will help prevent this muscle loss, and rebuild what you may have lost. Decreases your risk of osteoporosis: Inactivity and aging can lead to a decrease in bone density, leading to brittleness. Studies have shown that consistent strength training can increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis. Reduces blood pressure: Strength training can be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure by strengthening the heart, allowing it to beat more efficiently. Increases calorie burn: Strength training increases the body's metabolic rate, causing the body to burn more calories throughout the day. This aids significantly in long term weight loss. Reduces low back pain: Research has shown that strength training can increase low back strength and alleviate low back pain. Time spent on strength training can literally help you turn back the clock and feel younger each day. Here are some principles to remember when putting together a program: Start by strength training 2 days/week, building up to 3 days/week for more of a challenge. Make sure you have at least one day of rest in between each session. Start with 2-3 exercises each for lower body and upper body and 1-2 core exercises (abs, lower back). Start with one set of each exercise (12-15 repetitions- slow and steady), using light hand weights, resistance bands or your own body weight. As you progress, you can work up to 2 and then 3 sets. As you add additional sets, rest 30 seconds to a minute in between each one. Never hold your breath during the exercises. Always exhale when exerting force (on the hard part of the movement). Always warm up before and stretch before and after each session. Pay attention to proper form and technique, as they are very important for injury prevention and producing results. When selecting a weight, it should be heavy enough that you feel the muscle working and the difficulty increasing as you get to the 15th repetition. The weight should be light enough that you can do 15 repetitions without pain or breaking proper form. Strength training should never be painful! If you experience pain, stop the exercise immediately. No matter what your age, you have a lot to gain from regular strength training. Just remember to consult your doctor before starting any exercise program. It is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your independence for many years to come.

Resource: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=364, author Jen Mueller, retrieved:August 2,2009

So why are we seeing such an epidemic of thyroid problems? Great article!!!

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:50:05 GMT

So why are we seeing such an epidemic of thyroid problems? Well, chronic thyroid problems can be caused by many factors ... What Causes Hypothyroidism? One of the most important factors that leads to hypothyroidism is exposure to environmental toxins such as pesticides, which act as hormone or endocrine disruptors and interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and function. In fact, one study found that as people lost weight they released pesticides from their fat tissue. This then interfered with their thyroid function and caused hypothyroidism. The toxins created a slow metabolism and prevented them from losing more weight. This study highlights the importance of overall detoxification. It is quite a significant finding that shows exactly how toxins interfere with thyroid function. Heavy metals such as mercury can also affect thyroid function. I see many people with chronic hypothyroidism and other thyroid problems because mercury interferes with normal thyroid function. The other big factor that interferes with thyroid function is chronic stress. There is an intimate interaction between stress hormones and thyroid function. The more stress you are under, the worse your thyroid functions. Any approach to correcting poor thyroid function must address the effects of chronic stress and provide support to the adrenal glands. The next major factor that affects thyroid function is chronic inflammation. The biggest source of this chronic inflammation is gluten, the protein found in wheat, barely, rye, spelt, and oats. Gluten is a very common allergen that affects about 10 to 20 percent of the population. This reaction occurs mostly because of our damaged guts, poor diet, and stress. I also think eating so-called Frankenfoods, such as hybridized and genetically modified grains with very strange proteins, makes us sick. Our bodies say, "What's this? Must be something foreign. I'd better create antibodies to this, fight it, and get rid of it." This chronic inflammatory response interferes with thyroid function -- and contributes to the epidemic of inflammatory diseases in the developed world. Lastly, nutritional deficiencies play a big role in thyroid dysfunction. These include deficiencies of iodine, vitamin D, omega-3 fats, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. There are so many reasons for low thyroid function, yet I have seen lots of patients with this problem who were just ignored by their doctors. For example, one young female patient of mine had more than 30 percent body fat and was unable to change her body, no matter how hard she worked. She ate perfectly, exercised with a trainer every day -- and her body still wouldn't budge. She also had a slightly depressed mood and other vague symptoms. So I treated her with a low dose of Armour Thyroid, which is a natural thyroid replacement. What happened? Well, she not only lost 20 pounds and improved her body composition, but her mood improved and all her other symptoms went away. How did I know she had low thyroid function? Once I have asked about symptoms, done a physical exam, and considered all the potential causes of thyroid problems, I do the right tests. Most doctors just check something called the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which doesn't give a full picture of the thyroid. In fact, even the interpretation of this test is incorrect most of the time. The newer guidelines of the American College of Endocrinology consider anybody with a TSH level over 3.0 as hypothyroid. Most doctors think that only anything over 5 or 10 is worth treating. Unfortunately, this leaves millions suffering unnecessarily. There are also other tests, including free T3 and free T4 and thyroid antibodies, which are essential. I also look for associated problems such as gluten intolerance, food allergies, and heavy metals, as well as deficiencies of vitamin D, selenium, vitamin A, zinc, and omega-3 fats. There are many things to consider in a careful approach to hypothyroidism. It is one of the most common problems I see, and treating it properly makes one of the biggest differences in my patients' quality of life. Unfortunately, by using the old guidelines and thinking, conventional medicine misses millions who suffer with hypothyroidism. In fact, in one study, researchers tested everybody who walked through the gates of a county fair with conventional thyroid testing. They found that according to even conservative conventional standards, half of all the people who had hypothyroidism were undiagnosed, untreated, and suffering. So what's the solution? How You Can Overcome Hypothyroidism I encourage you to take the following steps to rebalance your thyroid: 1. Make a thorough inventory of any of the symptoms that I mentioned in last week's blog to see if you might suffer from hypothyroidism. 2. Get the right thyroid tests including TSH, free T3, free T4, TPO, and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies. 3. Check for celiac disease with a celiac panel. 4. Consider heavy metal toxicity. 5. Check your vitamin D level. Once you have confirmed that a sluggish thyroid is contributing to your symptoms, the good news is that there are many, many, many things you can do to help correct thyroid problems. I have developed a seven-step plan to address hypothyroidism: 1. Treat the Underlying Causes -- Identify and treat the underlying causes of hypothyroidism, like food allergies, gluten, heavy metals, nutritional deficiencies, and stress. 2. Optimize Your Nutrition -- Support your thyroid with optimal nutrition, including foods that contain iodine, zinc, omega-3 fats, selenium, and more. 3. Minimize Stress -- Eliminate adrenal exhaustion and minimize stress by engaging in a comprehensive stress management program. 4. Exercise -- Engage in thyroid stimulating exercise, which boosts thyroid function. 5. Supplement -- Use supplements to help enhance thyroid function, including all the nutrients needed for proper thyroid metabolism and function. 6.Heat Therapy -- Use saunas and heat to eliminate stored toxins, which interfere with thyroid function. 7. Thyroid Hormones -- Use thyroid hormone replacement therapy to help support your thyroid gland. I believe a comprehensive approach is needed to address chronic thyroid issues and to diagnose them. Unfortunately, most of the options for healing by conventional care are quite limited and only provide a partial solution. But by following my seven-step plan you can achieve lifelong vibrant health. Now I'd like to hear from you ... If you have low thyroid function, how was it diagnosed? Did you face any resistance from your doctor? Which of these steps have you tried to treat it and have they helped? Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment. Resource:Mark Hyman, M.D. practicing physician and founder of The UltraWellness Center is a pioneer in functional medicine. Dr. Hyman is now sharing the 7 ways to tap into your body's natural ability to heal itself.

WHY WHEY & Wheat Woes by Dr. Matt

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:11:19 GMT

The Best Whey to Supplement

If you want to live a healthy and active life, drink whey and dine early."

~ Florence, Italy, circa 1650

In the world of nutritional supplements, very few products have shown the kind of health benefits of whey protein, without also having questions or controversy associated with it. Whey protein is considered by most to be the best form of protein available. It can be beneficial for improving health, improving fitness, recovering from workouts and even combating some of the effects of aging. Whey protein is loaded with essential amino acids; more than any other protein source. It absorbs quickly, which makes it a great protein powder to use before and after workouts. The only possible drawback of whey is that it can contain lactose, which could cause digestive issues for those that are lactose intolerant. However, if you choose whey protein isolate (WPI), it has a minimal amount of lactose. Many people who are lactose-intolerant find they can use WPI without any digestive issues. Those that are lactose intolerant should probably avoid whey protein concentrates, which contain higher amounts of lactose.

From the standpoint of health, whey protein has been shown to

· Help support the immune system

· Provide the building blocks for a powerful antioxidant

· Contains beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, and immunoglobulins, which help fight disease

· Help reduce blood pressure

· Improve cognitive performance from its effect on brain tryptophan and seratonin levels

Whey protein can be beneficial in weight loss. Whey is very high in the amino acid leucine. Leucine is a key amino acid that affects protein synthesis. If more leucine is consumed and increases protein synthesis, more muscle can be added to one’s body. Adding muscle increases resting metabolic rate which can aid in fat loss efforts. Another benefit of whey protein is it may actually decrease appetite. A 2003 study by Hall et al., showed those who were fed whey protein and then allowed to eat freely from a buffet 90 minutes later, ate significantly less than the group that was fed a casein protein instead.

Just prior to a workout, whey protein isolate is beneficial, because of it is digested quickly. It is also loaded with the branched chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. Prior to and during a workout, these amino acids have been shown to reduce protein catabolism (protein breakdown). If protein catabolism is reduced, the body will be able to more quickly begin building new, additional lean body mass rather than only repairing what was broken down during the workout. The best benefits of protein ingestion around workouts occur with additional consumption of simple carbohydrates like dextrose, glucose and surcrose. Together, whey protein and simple carbohydrates can reduce protein catabolism or degradation during exercise, and enhance protein synthesis post-workout. It is important to take in the protein and carbohydrates less than 45 minutes after finishing the workout.

For the full article, including references, please go to: http://lifetimefitness.mylt.com/community/nutrition

Wheat Woes by Dr. Matt

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If you are like most Americans trying to get an edge on healthy eating, you have probably been diligently working to get your 6 to 11 servings of whole grains in every day as recommended by the USDA Food Pyramid. Whole wheat breads, crackers, cereals, and pastas have now become common fare at mealtime. Yet while it's true that whole wheat is a better choice than refined, for many Americans it is looking like wheat is not a great choice in any form.

The problem lay in a protein component of certain grains called gluten. While harmless to most, gluten causes an adverse immune reaction in a minority of people. But new research shows that the minority is growing. Known as celiac disease, or simply gluten intolerance, the manifestations of this condition range from no noticeable symptoms, to nutrient malabsorption and chronic inflammation involving multiple organ systems. While celiac disease is not new to science, what is surprising to researchers is a seeming increase in the number of undiagnosed cases.

A recent study led by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, analyzed blood samples taken from 9133 otherwise healthy adults between 1948 and 1954, and compared them to 12,768 more recent samples. The blood was tested for certain markers of celiac disease called transglutaminase and endomysial antibodies. This study, published in the July issue of Gastroenterology, represents one of the largest and longest-running investigations into gluten intolerance.

The researchers concluded that the rate of undiagnosed celiac disease was about 4 to 4.5 times greater now than it was 50 years ago. More disturbing was the finding that undiagnosed celiac disease was also associated with a nearly 4-fold increased risk of death. While celiac disease has been previously thought to be a relatively rare condition, affecting 1 in 133 people, these new estimates now place the prevalence at 1 in 33.

For the full article, please go to : http://lifetimefitness.mylt.com/community/nutrition

Food for When You're Out of Ideas

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:20:38 GMT

Stay Consistent With the 'Go-To' Meal

Food for When You're Out of Ideas

You open the fridge and panic sets in. The cupboards elicit a similar response. Same for the pantry. You have no time and have to come up with dinner – and fast. But what will satisfy your hunger without requiring an hour of prep time? In the final hope that something new and exciting will appear, you open the fridge door one last time.

Take a moment, take a deep breath and relax. Before you speed off to the drive-thru as an "easy" solution to fixing dinner, consider this: there are countless "Go-To" Meals that will make cooking swift and simple. When you’re at a loss for time and ideas, you can turn to these without much thought.

Go-To Meals allow you to put in minimal effort while maximizing taste and nutritional value. These meals are quick, easy, and can be a staple in your diet. Only a few ingredients are required, so preparation and clean-up don’t cut deeply into your hectic schedule.

To create your own Go-To Meal, start with a few of your favorite ingredients. You’ll learn to depend on them when you’re in a time crunch. On your next trip to the grocery store, stock up on easy foods that you can whip up in minutes.

These meals should be quick, but still have nutritional benefits. Here are a few of our suggestions:

Peanut butter and jelly is an old favorite that’s even better when served on toasted whole wheat bread.
Pita pocket sandwiches are delectably stuffed with veggies and healthy lunch meat. Its shape is perfect for eating on-the-go. For some variety, try a whole grain bagel sandwich.
Peas and tuna are a breeze. Open a can of each, mix, microwave, and you’re set. For a little more flavor, jazz it up with some spices or more vegetables.
Oatmeal isn’t just for breakfast! Heat some up for any meal of the day. With so many flavors to choose from, you don’t need an excuse to get this boost of fiber.
Beans and brown rice cover two of your main energy sources. The protein in the beans fuels your muscles, while the complex carbs in the rice provides lasting energy. To save time, try a quick-cook variety of brown rice.
Low-sodium soup and crackers will fill you up fast. Add some fresh or even canned vegetables for more nutrients.
Whole wheat pancakes taste great, no matter what time is blinking on the clock. With a powdered mix, you can be flipping some hotcakes in a flash. To save more time, toast frozen whole wheat waffles.
Chicken burritos are probably easier to make than you might think. Heat chicken, beans and vegetables, and wrap them in a whole wheat tortilla. Sprinkle on low-fat cheese and you’ve nearly hit all of the major food groups with one bite.

Resource:

-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer

www.sparkpeople.com, Stay Consistent With the 'Go-To' Meal, Retrieved July 25,2009 From.http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=224&page=2

What do I eat after I work out?

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:25:02 GMT

What to Do After a WorkoutWhen Exercise is Over, the Work Isn't -

- By Zach Van Hart, Staff Writer

SparkPeople Sponsors help keep the site free! Many of us have a great pre-workout and workout routine. We drink plenty of water before and during exercise, warm up, stretch, work the entire body, and even get in some cardio training as well.

Then, after the last exercise, we promptly head back to the locker room, change, and journey home.What so many out there do not realize is the importance of what you do after you work out.

You may have done the majority of the work, but how you treat your body in the minutes and hours after you exercise has a direct effect on muscle soreness, muscle strength and growth, and staying hydrated.

Cool Down

After your last exercise, your workout is not over. The first thing you need to do is cool down. Even if running was all that you did, you still should do light cardio for a few minutes. This brings your heart rate down at a slow and steady pace, which helps you avoid feeling sick after a workout. Walking on a treadmill for five minutes is a good and easy way to cool down.

Stretch

Then, you should stretch again. This is one of the most important things you can do. After a workout, muscles naturally contract. Stretching again prevents them from shrinking. It allows your muscles to rebuild, growing bigger and stronger, and thus allowing you to get the full benefit from your efforts.

Stretching after exercise also relaxes your muscles, helps speed circulation to joints and tissues, and helps removal of unwanted waste products, thereby reducing muscle soreness and stiffness. Add mental sharpness and you have all the reasons you need to make sure stretching comes not only before, but after every workout as well.

Drink Water

Even when you are actually done exercising, you need to keep replenishing your fluid levels. It’s recommended that you drink another 2-3 cups within two hours after you have finished. Then, drink water regularly afterwards. You may not feel thirsty anymore, but you still need to replenish yourself to avoid getting dehydrated.

Refuel

Eating is one of the last, but one of the most important, items to do after a workout. You have not only burned hundreds of calories and lost carbohydrates, but you have also actually torn your muscles. You need to repair your muscles and boost your energy level, and you need to do it fast. It’s recommended that you eat within 90 minutes of your workout, but the sooner the better. Look for foods that are packed with complex carbohydrates and high in protein.

A perfect example is a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread. The carbs will re-energize your body, while slowly turning into calories - so you have plenty of time to burn them before they turn to fat.

The protein helps repair your muscles, so they grow stronger while your body rests until the next workout.

Next time you put down the dumbbells and think your work is done, remember these after-workout necessities to maximize your efforts and get the most out of exercising.

This article was reviewed and approved by Joe Downie, Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach.

Resource: What to Do After a Workout? When Exercise is Over, the Work Isn't

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=117&page=3. Retrieved July 24, 2009

What is that Mantra that keeps you going when the going gets tough?

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:07:28 GMT

Just like "The Little Toaster Story".."I think I can I think I can.." Curiosity kills the "Cat".........................so tell me Cat Arcori what is your rudder? At mile 18 or the last few reps............what do you tell your self? What keeps you making the proactive and positive choices (especially when your vulnerable and struggling). If you like to share you may find the thread post cathartic and solidifying of your belief. Perhaps your tricks and secrets will become your identity!! What is mine? Each morning I wake I up, I MUST not regret the day before, so I may sure I live each day allowing for a clean slate the very next!! This is food choices, relationships, and even the thought process in my head (I just maintain that mantra)....how will this decision make you feel tomorrow Cat? Please share, I love this connection. ;-)

Drop the Fatitude and Get a Winning Attitude!

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:58:51 GMT

Drop the Fatitude and Get a Winning Attitude!

Change Your Thoughts to Win the Weight-Loss Game

-- By Dean Anderson, Behavioral Psychology Expert I

f permanent weight loss were as simple as eating less and moving more, you wouldn’t be reading this article—you’d be off somewhere enjoying your fit, trim self without a thought in your head about the difficulties of weight loss.

But here we are—because things just aren’t that simple. Despite all our scientific knowledge about how people gain and lose weight, there is no one-size-fits-all approach that guarantees your success if you just follow the rules. The fact is that no one else is exactly like you, biologically or psychologically, and there is no pre-existing map for your individual weight-loss journey. You are an “experiment of one” when it comes to figuring out what will work for you, and you’re the one running the experiment.

A big part of this experiment involves learning more about what makes you tick. For most people, just figuring out how much we need to eat and exercise to lose weight doesn’t necessarily make it easy for us to do it. Chances are, you’re going to have to work pretty hard at changing some long-standing habits, assumptions, feelings, and attitudes that influence your relationship with food and shape your lifestyle. So, where do you start? How do you figure out what will work for you? How do you know what's standing in your way and which habits you need to work on changing? One good way to find out is to look at the characteristics shared by people who succeed at long-term weight loss.

You probably already know about many of the characteristics that long-term, successful "losers" have in common. They are:

Optimistic enough to put in an honest effort and see what happens. They don't fill their heads with self-defeating thoughts and negative prophecies that keep them from doing their best.
Stay focused on what they can do instead of fretting about what they can’t do.
Patient enough to take things one decision (and one day) at a time, instead of expecting instant results and losing motivation when those results don't come.
See mistakes and problems as learning opportunities instead of being demoralized by them.

For some people, these basic characteristics seem to come naturally. They go into every challenge with the idea that they can succeed if they try hard enough—and they often turn out to be right. Not because they’re smarter, stronger, or better than anyone else is, but exactly because they actually do try hard enough. That winning attitude allows them to get through the particular problems and obstacles they face without being defeated by them.

Many of us, however, have to really work at getting and keeping ourselves in that positive, forward-moving frame of mind. In fact, transforming our “fatitudes” into winning attitudes may be the single most important thing we need to do to successfully lose weight and keep it off.

How do you know if you have a fatitude problem? Here are three very common patterns that may indicate you have a fatitude problem that needs help stat!

Symptom #1 of a Fatitude Problem: The Drama Queen/King Syndrome
Do you tend to panic every time you have a "bad eating" day? Does going over your calorie goal or missing an exercise session make you feel guilty, as if you’ve done something morally wrong? Does eating something on your forbidden list trigger that negative voice in your head that says you’re too stupid, weak, or messed up to resist a temptation? When you see a number you don’t like on your scale, do you feel like nothing you do is ever going to make a difference, so you might as well give up now and start stuffing yourself with your favorite comfort food? This, my friend, is all Fatitude!

You don’t have to get upset about every little thing that goes wrong. There will always be problems to contend with, but you can choose how you react to them. When you start feeling upset, ask yourself what good it’s going to do to get upset about this particular problem. When you realize that all that drama saps your motivation and prevents you from using your mistakes as learning experiences and opportunities to make constructive changes, you can choose to stop the drama and adopt a more productive attitude

The Winning Attitude: If you never have problems, you’ll never have any successes. You’re in the business of changing your lifestyle, and finding solutions that work for you will take a lot of trial and error. Your problem areas and setbacks can become valuable opportunities—if you let them. So ditch the drama and the negative self-talk, and replace it with a little open-minded curiosity. What was going on when this problem happened (in your environment and in your mind)? How is that different from what goes on when you don’t have the problem? What about your environment (or your thinking) can you change to make it easier to avoid this problem next time?
Helpful Tool: Journaling can be a key to your success!

Symptom #2 of a Fatitude Problem: The All-or-Nothing Game
Do you frequently find yourself thinking that, since you’ve already “blown your diet" for today, you might as well keep on eating and start over tomorrow (or next week or next month)? Is it hard to get yourself to exercise because it takes so much time and effort to burn such a relatively few calories? Do you find yourself going overboard with severe calorie reductions and excessive exercise just to speed things up? Do you feel unmotivated when you think about how far you have to go to get to your goal weight and how long it’s going to take you? Sounds like a Fatitude problem to me!

There are many ways that all-or-nothing thinking can sabotage your chances for weight-loss success. But the fact is that perfectionism and the desire for instant gratification are very likely two of the problems that helped you become overweight in the first place, and they definitely aren’t going to help you change your lifestyle now. No one gets it right all the time; you’re not going to achieve success without paying your dues. Expecting things to be different for you is a one-way ticket to frustration, loss of motivation, and failure.

The Winning Attitude: You create success by doing the best you can with the individual decision or task that’s right in front of you at this moment. Nothing else really matters. All you can ever do is the best you can with what’s in front of you right now—everything else is history or fantasy. You’ll get where you want to go as long as you take more steps in the right direction than the wrong one.
Helpful Tool: Learn to master the mysteries of your motivation.

Symptom #3 of a Fatitude Problem: The Helpless Victim Story
Do you often feel like something beyond your control dictates your eating and exercise choices? Do you think that you’re unable to resist certain foods or that other people are sabotaging your efforts by constantly putting temptations in your path? Do you find it hard to find time for healthy cooking and exercise because of all the demands on your time and energy from work, family responsibilities, and other priorities? Fatitude, again!

There’s no doubt that eating well and exercising regularly takes time and effort. But there’s also no doubt that everyone gets the same 24 hours in the day, and that everyone has many other responsibilities to contend with, too. Many of these same people manage to be successful at weight loss and healthy living anyway. The difference between success and failure is often in your expectations and the language you use to think and talk about the practical problems you face. The more you view your own behavior or decisions as being dictated by other people or circumstances, the more you give up the power to make your own decisions. The longer you wait for other people to change their ways to make things easier for you, the longer it will take you to reach your goals.

The Winning Attitude: You always have a choice. No food has the power to make you eat it, and no one else determines your values or priorities. Sure, the situation may be difficult; sometimes you may have to choose between less than ideal options, or even pick the lesser of two evils. But the choice is always yours, and the only way to fail in the long run is to fail to choose. So, ditch all those stories you tell yourself about why you have to do this or that! Make the best decision you can at the time, then move on to the next one.

Helpful Tool: Put "I" Into Your Vocabulary.

While these three signs of a fatitude problem are the most common, they aren't the only ones out there. There are also many other ways that your attitude, expectations, and thinking can help or hinder your success. The foundation of your success will be your belief that you can do what is necessary to reach your goals. Armed with this basic belief, there isn’t any problem you won’t be able to find a way around!

You’ll find lots of healthy lifestyle articles with practical tips that will help you build and maintain this belief as you move along. Our Message Boards are full of discussions and information you can use to get and give support, and there are SparkTeams for just about every interest you can imagine. So make sure you use all the resources available here at SparkPeople. It will make your journey even more fun than getting to your destination

Resource:Dean Anderson, Spark People .com retrieved: July 14, 2009http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=1366&page=2

How Do I stay Motivated?

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:53:50 GMT

Turning "Someday" into Today

Weighing Some Tough Options

-- By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer

It’s time for some cold, hard facts:

You’re not going to be able to read every book that you want
You’ll never have time to watch all of your favorite shows
The house will never be clean enough
There will always be another errand to run
The grass will continue to grow
Everything you buy will need to be dusted, repaired, maintained or disposed of in some way

This is not a critique of any lack of organizational skills on your part, or a reason to give up altogether. Rather, it’s a statement of freedom.

When you know that life will still be waiting for you tomorrow—no matter what—it gives you the freedom to make today count as much as possible. "Someday" is right now. Anytime. And that can be exciting, if you let it.

If we ever hope to reach our biggest goals (especially weight loss goals), we have to start making some tough choices. We have to start giving ourselves permission to ignore one thing—or several things—for the sake of something more important. What can be more deserving of our time?

Obviously, there are some realities of living that require attention. We need to work, eat, sleep and care for our families. Beyond that, though, everything is optional. The choices are completely yours. If you feel you don’t have time to pursue your healthy lifestyle goals, you can do something about it by making those tough decisions.It’s difficult to accept this idea. We’ve grown up in a world not used to saying "no" or doing without. By now, we’re used to being pulled in 43 different directions. We’re uncomfortable with the idea that we may just have to let something slide. The trouble is, we get so caught up in trying to do everything that we retreat inside ourselves. We get tunnel vision on the next task and lose sight of other people and what’s important. In a pursuit of happiness, that’s a futile strategy. The only way you can be in two places at once is if your name is Dolly and you’re a cloned sheep.

I come before you today to give you permission to start letting go.

Someone smarter than me once said, "You can have everything. You just can’t have everything right now!" To reach your goals and live the life you want, it takes priorities and patience—the ability to choose between two competing wishes, and the willingness to set one aside for now and wait.

You can build the path that you want to walk on, and decide which steps to take. It’s important to you—to your health, your goals and your family—that you take some time to exercise and plan healthy meals. You should treat it that way and give yourself permission to take that time without feeling guilty. The irony is that by being healthy and taking time from your schedule, you’ll be able to take care of more of that "other" stuff in the long run.

Besides, is anything on your to-do list really more important than your health? When it comes down to it, those choices may not be so tough after all

resource:

Mike Kramer, Spark People .com retrieved: July 13, 2009

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=388&page=2

weights and women?? the myth of bulking up?

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:04:28 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWEGlrTlJmc

/user/Instructionalfitness

visit this you tube or this web site the video is very helpful on how to improve your physique,

Instructional Fitness - Q&A Episode 002 Part One

fast forward to 3:25 minutes!!

Will you burn more calories from fat if you exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach?

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:33:34 GMT

As personal trainers, you are continually seeking new and better programs to help clients attain their aerobic activity goals and maximize caloric expenditure in their endurance workouts. To help you better understand fat burning, caloric expenditure and exercise, here are answers to four controversial questions on this subject.Question #1: How does high-intensity interval training (HIT) help burn more fat? Answer: As exercise intensity increases, the body uses more carbohydrate as fuel. However, scientists feel that at the cellular level this overloading stimulus also involves some of the same molecular signaling messages that induce increases in muscle capillary density, mitochondria proteins (energy factory of cells), fatty-acid oxidation (burning) enzymes and other regulatory proteins (Burgomaster et al. 2008; Baar 2006). So, the connection between HIT and improved fat metabolism appears to be associated with adaptation changes that occur at the molecular level of muscle.Question #2: How many more calories do you burn with the addition of each pound of muscle?Answer: The scientific estimation is approximately 7 kilocalories per pound per day (Elia 1992). However, the key point is not so much that caloric yield increases from this additional muscle; rather, it is that the person becomes much more capable of working out longer and harder. It is this training effect that adds to the caloric deficit from exercise.Question #3: Will you burn more calories from fat if you exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach?Answer: The substrate that most effectively powers your workout is carbohydrate. Fat contributes, but carbohydrates in the form of glucose are the main exercise fuel. After a night’s sleep, the muscles are greatly depleted of glycogen (stored glucose) and therefore lack the energy substrate they need for exercise. In addition, the brain utilizes glucose for all of its fuel needs. Consequently, exercising first thing in the morning on an empty stomach can impair the muscles and some brain functions. Clients should have a light carbohydrate snack (e.g., fresh fruit, yogurt and trail mix) before working out, to properly “fuel up” and safeguard themselves from bodily harm.Question #4: Why is caloric expenditure lower during upper-body exercise?Answer: Upper-body exercise is generally complicated by the small muscle mass in the upper body relative to the lower body. This muscle mass is less effective at inducing the return of blood flow to the heart, thus decreasing the volume of blood pumped by the heart each beat. Also, for a given intensity, contraction of the upper-body musculature provides greater resistance to blood flow than occurs with lower-body exercise, resulting in a greater increase in blood pressure. These factors lead to a lower energy (caloric) expenditure from the upper-body muscles.

Resource:

Kravitz on Calorie Burning, Retrieved from;

http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/kravitz-on-calorie-burning?utm_source=Fit%20Tips%20July&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=E1, July 09,2009

For Cat's Clients

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:48:39 GMT

Well

give it to me...........

food log:
and cardio home work:
and did you do your assigned lifts?

well did you

did you??

you know I will be be checking your HRM!!!!

Love your trainer ......kitty cat

Good day.1st ever LTF member cookbook

carcori@lifetimefitness.com — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:51:48 GMT

Below is the link for the 1st ever LTF member cookbook designed by all of the winners of the Healthy Way of Life Cook-off event

http://lifetimefitness.mylt.com/docs/DOC-2424