This word helps sell $40 billion on food. Has it worked on you?

Research from Nielsen reveals that the word "natural" on food labeling is the second most powerful word or phrase in food marketing, helping to sell $40.7 billion worth of food in the United States alone. (First place belongs to "Fat Content" which was found on $64 billion of food packaging.)

So it was significant this past November when a U.S. court determined that General Mills could no longer use the term "100 percent natural" to describe food that contains processed ingredients.  Now the new packaging must specifically describe the part of the food that is indeed natural.  For example, instead of saying the entire product is "100 percent natural," they now must say "Made with 100 percent natural oats."  (Kellogg and Pepsi Co have also faced lawsuits around the use of the word "natural" many of them still in progress.)

This was the General Mills lawyer's defense explaining why they should be able to use the word natural:

"The word natural is completely meaningless.  Everything is natural.  Nature includes everything.  It's not just trees and flowers.  It's everything.  A chemical company's toxic waste is completely natural.  It's part of nature.  We're all part of nature.  Everything is natural.  Dog poo (censored) is natural.  It's just not real good food."

Actually I'm pulling your leg.  The above is from a comedy monologue by comedian George Carlin.  Carlin was making fun of people who think they are eating healthy by buying products with the word "natural" on them.  That said, it does make a pretty good defense for the use of the word.  A defense however that essentially renders the word meaningless.

If you have a young child who has trouble sleeping you'll want to read this.

A pool by the National Sleep Foundation found that two out of every three children ten years old or under have experienced some kind of sleep disorder.

If your child has trouble sleeping, a University of Oxford study is cause for hope.

Study findings showed that children who took 600 mg supplement of Omega-3 enjoyed 58 more minutes of sleep and seven fewer waking episodes each night then the children given corn and soybean placebos.

The study found that higher levels of the long-chain Omege-3 DHA were significantly associated not only better sleep, but less bedtime resistance.

Although further research is required because only a small number (362) of children were involved in the study, co-investigator Dr. Ale Richardson is optimistic...

"This randomized controlled trial does suggest that children’s sleep can be improved by DHA supplements and indicates yet another benefit of higher levels of omega-3 in the diet,” he says.

You can purchase high-quality fish and plant-based DHA supplements in most grocery stores and pharmacies.

Is this the only diet tip you really need?

Home cooking is on its way out.

Not tomorrow, or the day after - but years down the road. That’s the prediction of food consultant Harry Balzer.

Balzar believes the reason for this shift is because people don't want to spend time preparing and cooking their meals.  They want convenience.

However despite Balzar’s dire prediction about the future of home cooking, he also says that if you want to eat healthy you just have to do one thing...

Only eat food you prepare yourself.

Now this doesn't include foods that you buy and merely heat up obviously.  He's referring to foods where you actually assemble ingredients and then cook them all together to form a finished culinary masterpiece.

Bestselling author and nutritional expert Michael Pollan subscribes to Balzar's advice. Pollan uses French fries as an example of how this will help you eat right.  French fries are something that fast food chains know how to make extremely tasty.

But when was the last time you actually took the time to make them at home?

Six weeks ago?  Six months ago?  Longer?

The reason most people don't make their own french fries is it's too labor intensive.  You have to buy the potatoes, peel them, slice them, heat them up in a pot of oil, fry them and then finally eat them.

So not only will the "Only eat food you prepare yourself" rule save you from eating too many french fries which are generally acknowledged as not being the healthiest food on the planet, it will keep you from relying on processed foods as part of your daily meal.  And that can never be a bad thing.

Is this stopping you from losing weight?

“Just one can’t really hurt too much, can it?”

Perhaps you’ve thought this when you're out with friends during a time when you're trying to stick to a diet.

After all, you’ve done your homework.  A typical can of beer (356 g) only contains 154 calories and a 5 ounce (148 g) glass of wine only contains 123 calories.

Not enough really to disrupt your weight loss plans.

Or is it?

Actually just one drink has a much bigger impact on your body weight-wise than just adding calories.  When you drink alcohol your body burns fat slower than usual.

In his book Eat More Weigh Less, Dr Dean Ornish cites a study that found drinking three ounces of alcohol reduced the body's ability to burn fat by one third.  (Other studies have shown that alcohol can hinder fat burning up to 73%.)

So if you're looking to get rid of that beer belly or unwanted fat around your midriff, you'll have the best results if you totally eliminate alcohol from your diet.

If that's not incentive enough, here's something else...

A recent study found that men consume an additional 433 calories on the days they drink a moderate amount of alcohol (61% of that comes from the alcohol itself.)

The study also showed that on the days when alcohol was consumed, more meat and other foods containing high levels of saturated fat were also eaten (and less fruit and milk were consumed.)

10 Ways to Enjoy Your Workouts

Often we all can get stuck in a rut with our workouts. Even so called “gym rats” can get bored with the same old routine. Working out day in and day out can not only cause boredom, but can slow down your results. Here are a few quick tips on how you can spice up your workout routine and keep you moving towards your health and fitness goals.

10 Ways To Enjoy Your Workouts

1. Workout With A Friend- Not only will a workout partner keep you accountable, but you’ll have each other to motivate and socialize.

2. Participate In A Fitness Class- All you have to do is follow the lead of the instructor. You’ll probably try a few new moves, which will be fun. Everyone in the class, along with the instructor, will hold you accountable. Fitness classes are also a great way to meet others that are focused on their health and fitness.

3. Sign Up For A Fitness Challenge- Fitness challenges are typically only 21 days, which is long enough for you to make working out a habit. You’ll set goals and be given all of the tools that you’ll need to succeed. Bonus: most of the time fitness challenges will allow you to try new programs, such as personal training or boot camp classes, at a reduced cost.

4. Workout Outdoors- Most of us are stuck in the office or at home all day. Getting outside will make you feel better. There are so many enjoyable activities that you can do such as walking on the beach, hiking, kayaking, swimming, running on a trail, etc.

5. Try Something New- Break up your routine by trying a new activity that you’ve never done before. Get a friend to join you or teach you the skills. A couple ideas are to learn a sport that you’ve never played, work on something you never thought you could do such as running a 5k.

6. Workout To A New Playlist- Music is a great motivator. Upbeat music will keep you moving and take your mind off of what you are doing. Sing along and it will make your workout even more fun.

7. Set Goals- Goals will set your mind to your mind on an achievement and keep you focused. You are more likely to accomplish your goals when you set goals that have substance or meaning behind them. Also, make sure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-specific so that you have set boundaries so you know that your goal is possible and you know when you actually reach your goal. Another tip is to write down you goal where you see it daily and to tell someone else your goal so they can help keep you accountable.

8. Do Short Workouts- Short workout burst are easy to schedule and can be more motivating because they can be completed quickly. An example is do 30 seconds of each of the following exercises: jog in place, jump rope, high knees, jumping jacks, butt kicks, mountain climbers. Then repeat for 2-3 rounds. You’ll be done with a high calorie burning workout in under 10 minutes. How does that sound?!?!

9. Record Improvements- When you see what you are actually accomplishing in your workouts you will be more likely to keep pressing forward and work harder. We are all motivated by getting results. And getting results will lead to more enjoyable workouts.

10. Join A Rec League- Feel like you are an athlete in school again. By participating in a rec league, you’ll get you exercise again by playing a game you enjoy and have fun doing it. It’s a great way to get your inner youth back, plus you’ll meet others who share similar interests and value their health and fitness.

Consistency is Key

Being a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, many people ask me what the key to success is when it comes to weight loss. The biggest tip I can give is that you must be CONSISTENT. Just like with most habits, if you are not consistent then you will end up on the hamster wheel running the continuous cycle of starting, quitting, and starting over again. The quickest way to get and maintain your health and fitness results is to just be consistent. It doesn't matter if you are a fitness expert or just beginning your journey to better health, consistency applies to everyone when it comes to results and results that last.

Consistency seems like a simple and easy method to apply, but I’m sure as you know when life gets busy and hectic your new fitness and nutrition habits are likely to blow out the window. Because we are all human and need to know how to prevent the cycle to failure, here are some tips you can apply to keep you progressing towards a healthier life and success.

1.       Get an accountability partner. This could be a workout buddy, a friend or family member you check-in with regularly, a personal trainer, a life coach, etc.

2.      Keep a journal. In a notebook or phone/tablet app write down/record what you eat & drink and what you did for a workout each day.

3.      Schedule your workouts. You can do this by either hiring a personal trainer, signing up for a fitness class like boot camp, or just scheduling an appointment with yourself in your calendar. Do not cancel on yourself! Make sure this appointment is just as important as a meeting with your boss. Your health depends on it!

4.      Write down your goals. Transfer your outcome goals (“I want to lose 15 lbs.”) to behavior goals (“I will exercise for 1 hour a day 5 times per week”). You have direct control over your behavior goals, so focus on that. You cannot control your outcome goals, which can lead to frustration and ultimately giving up.

5.      One thing at a time. We all want everything NOW, but for results to last we must be patient. Change can be difficult and it’s easy to say we are going to change, but the doing part (the important part) is another story. So, do yourself a favor and only focus on one change at a time. Our clients are encouraged to only make one change and work on it for 2-weeks before moving on to another change. Why? Because it works time and time again. Don’t overload yourself with several changes; it leads to failure every time.

6.      Keep it simple. When you are coming up with habits you want to develop (eating healthier, working out daily, etc.), start with the simple habits and then slowly progress forward. This will make everything easier on you and you will be more successful.  A good place to start is to come up with one habit that only takes 5 minutes a day. A 5 minute habit we have clients focus on is taking a multivitamin and Omega 3’s every day.

I hope these tips help you become consistent with your health and wellness plan, so that you successfully reach your goals. If you would like more help and information about our fitness and nutrition programs, schedule a complimentary consultation by calling us at 561-880-5799.

How to have a healthy 4th of July Weekend?

As you know Independence Day is on Friday. It's a fun holiday where we celebrate our freedom with BBQ's, family & friends, food, drinks, and fireworks. The 4th of July is filled with fun and one of my favorite holidays. However, it can totally break your diet and easily sabotage everything you've accomplished in the gym this week all in one day. Scary! Well, good news, I always tell my clients that most things are okay in moderation. So, enjoy yourself and have fun. But remember to get back on to your fitness routine the next day. The 4th of July is only 1-day, not all week :-) To help you stay on the right track while celebrating Independence Day this year, here are 10 helpful tips you can apply to make your celebration a little more figure friendly...

1. BBQ lean meats such as chicken, turkey burgers, turkey dogs.
2. Use whole wheat buns
3. BBQ veggies, such as peppers, zucchini, onions, corn on the cob, etc on the grill
4. Replace chips and dip with raw veggies and hummus
5. Eat fruit such as watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, etc
6. For a sweet cold treat eat frozen grapes or a real fruit popsicle
7. Drink lots of water, especially if you're outdoors
8. For an adult beverage replace cocktails and frozen drinks with champagne or a sangria (which is filled with antioxidants and has less calories than a mojito)
9. Get some exercise by playing a game of volleyball
10. Stay active all day by swimming, going for a walk, going on a bike ride, or dancing

Have a Happy 4th of July!!!