4-1-1 on Fad Diets; How to Make a Lifestyle Change Instead

Fad dieting has infiltrated the media and marketing schemes since the early 1900’s, appealing to the masses with get-slim quick gimmicks and easy solutions.  We idolize flat stomachs and thin thighs and want the shortest path to get there only to quit early during a diet or see results but not having the ability to maintain the weight loss.

You are not alone.
Slim Fast Shakes, South Beach Diet, even the infamous Atkins Nutritional Approach, amongst others, all tend to have one thing in common; these diets work due to the reduced caloric intake. The weight loss initially is quick because of water weight not to mention the enthusiasm the dieter may have eager in trying something new. Unfortunately, these strict food requirements (No Carbs, Replacement Meal Shakes) are hard to maintain and cause participants to give up leaving one with even lower self-esteem and sometimes followed by binge eating.

The diets that do allow you to eat what you want but extremely limit your daily calories are starving the body of necessary nutrients,  imitating healthy weight loss. Our bodies, instead, have insufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals to sustain normal body metabolic levels that our body kicks into starvation mode and begins to retain body fat.

At the end of the day, fad dieting is what is attributed to yo-yo weight loss that needs to be stopped.

A different approach is to adjust the way you eat while including a regular amount of exercise will ultimately create a healthy lifestyle and eliminate eating healthy only over a short period of time. What we refer to as “dieting.”

So how do you create this fit lifestyle and relieve yourself of obsessing over what you aren’t allowed to eat? Educating yourself on portion sizes and the bad habits we have all adopted growing up when it comes to consuming food is the first step. See these quick tips that you can apply to your lifestyle today.

Creating a holistic healthy lifestyle wouldn’t work without including EXERCISE. We encourage seeking out a personal trainer to take you step-by-step in building a plan specifically for you and your goals. This includes regular assessments insuring you are meeting these goals and setting new ones!

Personal Trainers offer unique routines that include H.I.I.T workouts (High Intensity Interval Training) that alternates between vigorous movements for a fixed period of time to a less intense exercise that lowers your heart rate for a longer period of time. This type of exercise is efficient, can be done in as little as 15 minutes AND is proven to burn off that muffin top.

Personal Trainers are also able to provide nutritional tools that will encourage you to stay on track in the kitchen.

Eating responsibly and on a regular basis is a mental hurdle that can be learned.

Training your Mind is just as important as Training your Body.

Eat Smart. Train Tough. Feel Great.

Brittany L.

Quick Tips To Avoid Packing on the Pounds During the Holidays

Looking for practical ways to avoid the holiday pooch without driving yourself insane? I asked men and women for helpful tips and they went from one extreme to the other:

“Thanksgiving and Christmas are  your cheat days. Eat what you want and fast for a week after.”

“Workout everyday.”

“Just don’t go all out.”

These suggestions will have you falling off the fitness-wagon and forgetting to hop back on come resolution time. On top of that, they are hard to track. How do you measure “don’t go all out.”

I've put together practical ways to maintain your healthy habits and still enjoy the time spent with family and friends as well as the appetizers, entrees and desserts the holidays have to offer.

1. Don’t go to the party hungry. “Saving room for the big meal” will have you consuming well over your necessary caloric intake as well as binge eating far after you are full. Eat before you get to the party so you won’t be starving when you arrive and become more susceptible to making unhealthy food choices.

2. Enjoy doesn't mean you have to eat 3 of everything and desserts don’t need to be your demise as long as you eat to taste and not tackle an entire plate. Opt for the smaller pieces and don’t go back for seconds. 

3. Look for nutritionally-dense foods to help you feel more full. This includes your smaller “snacks” between meals. The platters and appetizers can be your friend as long as you make good decisions. Veggies, fruits, and nuts can take the place of your small meal especially since they are full of fiber and protein.

CAUTION: Don’t linger by these buffet tables. Make a plate (saucer size) with 3-4 honest servings of these healthy foods and a tall glass of water & take a seat at a table. You will be more aware of how much you are consuming and better off than grabbing a handful of chips or cookies every time you pass by the spread.

4. Casseroles, dips, creamed, and/or candied anything are sure signs of high sodium or sugar foods with hidden calories. The added cheese, milk, and spoonfuls of butter will pack on the pounds without you noticing. When feeling the urge to indulge in these sides remember- Taste not Tackle.

5. 'Tis the Season for Egg Nog- not so fast. Limit your alcohol intake. Holiday drinks like egg nog Bailey’s and champagne may be plentiful but so are the empty calories. Be sure to rotate 8oz of water in between these drinks or aim for only 1 drink towards the end of dinner. Finish the night with water so you aren't bloated before bed.

If you have concerns with fitting in time to exercise the key is to plan ahead. View your calendar now and set an alarm an hour earlier than normal on the days of a big holiday gathering and make a trip to the gym that morning. Many hotels have small gym rooms available for guest or relations with a nearby gym that you can utilize for a minimal fee. Look into those before booking a room.

Be careful of excessive exercising to overcompensate heavy eating during this time of the year. Risk of injury or experiencing burn-out will have you not working out far after the holidays.

We have all heard it before- portion control. Moderation is key when looking to enjoy our favorite foods without going over board. The same is true with exercise. Do your best to keep to your routine during these next few months and your fitness goals won’t be sidelined.

Eat Clean. Train Hard. Feel Amazing

Brittany L.

When it Comes to Your Health, Don't Make Time Your Crutch

"Workout once a week and your heart
will say thank you."- Kurt

Time-

One of the biggest and probably the most outrageous excuses we can give ourselves is to excuse our apathetic position about health and fitness.

Often times we hear prospective health club members or individuals who are seeking to lose weight- as personal motivation or medical reasons- they all have one thing in common; the most frequent excuse that they have for not exercising is that they don't have the time. This blog is intended to dispel the myth of not having enough time to exercise.

I want to briefly share a true story with you about a person who desperately needed to address some serious health concerns. This individual was told by her physician that if she did not engage in 30 minutes of moderate exercise for at least two to three times a week she was exasperating her ways to deteriorate her health. Upon hearing this information, according to the physician, she responded: "Where will I find the time to do that?

There was another gentleman - an up-and-coming professional in his industry- because of his busy work schedule and the demands of his clients, over a period of two years he gained 40 lbs. Although his bank account was rising his health was falling. When confronted by his friends, family and colleagues, the ones who cared about him the most, his immediate response to the inquiry was: When will I find the time to workout?"

So for the sake of argument lets discuss a realistic circumstance that we all may come across.


Let's hypothetically say you are a working, single parent, with 4 children and a very demanding work schedule: Five days a week and average 10 hours a day. Is it feasible for this person to workout every single day of the week? The answer is probably not. But if we asked the question in a different way, is it possible for this person to workout for an hour and a half each week- the answer is probably, with some thought and planning, yes!

We find that the biggest misconception with the novice and intermediate exerciser is that they are too often associated with being asked to exercise with taking up a lot of time.

Truthfully, two hours a week, in most cases, would be sufficient to promote higher metabolic rate, cardiovascular strength, and a better outlook on health and fitness.

I guess the point is this: WE ALL SHOULD START SOMEWHERE.

No matter how busy your schedule may be we must never ignore the importance of proper dieting and exercise.

The time it took you to read this blog you could have already had your Heart Rate over 100 beats per minute.

"Say YEP! to Fitness"
Fitness Expert & YEP! Fitness Founder
Kurt Billups