Which of the following foods do you think constitutes a healthy breakfast?

A bran muffin
A supermarket smoothie
A cereal bar
A bowl of corn flakes
If you’re like most folks, you probably think any of the above would be a pretty healthy way to start your day.

In truth, experts say, any of the four could be a less-than-optimal choice — unless you know what to look for. At the same time, studies show that it’s vital to eat breakfast – this will increase your metabolism, help you think better, start your day off in a better mood and increase your energy. Skipping it can lead to problems in both the short and the long run, in fact most people who skip breakfast frequently consume a greater amount of calories and fat for the remainder of the day.

Smoothies – Smoothies are a great way to jump start your morning and on the road to eating your daily requirement of fruits and veggies. Chop up some fresh fruit, (frozen works too and creates a nice slushy) throw it in the blender with some ice, soy/low fat milk, ground flax seeds and for the adventurous – add in a scoop of Greens+. For a heartier breakfast smoothie add some yogurt or a little high-fibre cereal or wheat germ.

Breakfast Burrito – Scramble some eggs/egg whites or egg substitute, cracked black pepper and place them in a whole wheat tortilla. Add in some chopped tomatoes, spinach, a little low fat grated cheese, turkey bacon and salsa or whatever other kinds of veggies you like and roll it up. If you have the time add some chopped garlic and onions to the pan before you scramble the eggs. Be creative!

Yogurt with berries and granola

Don’t like plain yogurt? Try adding fresh fruit to a bowl and top it with some low fat granola and plain yogurt. If you are really crafty you can make your own by toasting some rolled oats until golden, mix with seeds and nuts of your choice, add in a little bit of honey to bind, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake at 350 for 15 – 20 minutes.

Perfect Oatmeal
2 cups of water, 1 cup of regular rolled oats, cinnamon to taste, ½ cup of raisins, sprinkle with chopped walnuts, sliced almonds etc. When the water boils add in oatmeal and cook for 5 minutes – add in remaining ingredients and serve with a splash of milk or soy if desired.

Still not really a morning ‘food’ person? If the thought of even having a smoothie upsets your stomach at least try a piece of fruit or a handful of almonds. Even better if you can do both –oh and don’t forget to drink a nice big glass of water as soon as you wake up. Eating breakfast and drinking water in the morning will do wonders for your fitness goals.

As many mothers are only to aware, when it comes to exercise it can be near to impossible to manage a few stretches let alone a full blown work out when juggling housework, our work lives and our children. Maintaining our physical fitness is something which many of us do in order to maintain our figures, help provide us with a sense of confidence and for those certain times of the year-help us look good in our swimsuits come vacation time! However, many of us often find that with our vacations comes the temptation to relax a little too much which can often result in weight gain and hard work going to waste. It is for this reason that when it comes to our summer vacation, keeping up with our physical fitness will not only help keep our confidence high, but will also allow us to remain the ‘yummy mummy’ that we know we are.

Regardless of whether you have already planned your vacation or not, there is no need to fret about where you will be able to exercise as you will soon discover there are plenty of ways you can exercise without even noticing! What’s more, many of these methods are even free, making them perfect as many of us are only too aware of the costs which can come from a fantastic vacation! If you see yourself as a bit of a gym bunny, the best step you can take it to book yourself into accommodation which has its own gym. This will help you to keep up with any fitness plan you are already following and will also help keep you motivated on any fitness goals you have currently. Most hotels today have their own gym as well as their own swimming pool. Swimming is a great way in which to burn off some calories whether you are doing laps or simply playing with the kids. If you are vacationing near the sea, why not hit the beach and combine some fun beach games with the kids with a swim in the sea? Not only is this a fun way to get some exercise, it’s also a great way in which to cool off from the heat.

Jogging is a favorite for many mothers as it offers an effective workout which can be easily slotted in between school drop offs and work. During your vacation, take the chance to explore your new surroundings whilst feeling the burn with a jog throughout your resort or for the die-hard joggers, why not a grueling jog on the beach? For a fun alternative to this, why not bring the kids or your partner along for a bit of fun competition, something which is sure to liven up your morning workout. However, jogging isn’t for everyone so for those with a lower fitness level walking will not only be easier on the body, but will also help to burn of calories. Take the time to walk around your surroundings with the family and do this as often as possible. Whether you are walking to the beach, to a restaurant for your evening meal or to a sight seeing spot; by not taking the bus or a taxi where possible, you will not only help with your fitness, but will also help to keep your costs low-something which your partner is likely to be very happy about if you went a little overboard on a new vacation wardrobe!

Many hotels, etc will have a wide range of facilities to help make vacations as fun filled as possible. This will often come in the form of sports facilities such as golf courses and tennis courses so if this is available to you, why not take advantage and have a game? This will not only offer you some entertainment, but will also be a good alternative to your typical workout routine-especially if you usually spend your workouts in the gym-a perfect way in which to take advantage of the gorgeous weather. If you hotel has an elevator, try to use the stairs wherever possible. Although you are on vacation, this does not necessarily mean that you must use your legs as little as possible! In the instance that you are residing on the highest floor, this may not always be feasible but this is a great way to burn the calories and tone up your legs and bum. Finally, ensure that you eat as healthily as possible. Many of us will often try to stick to a diet before our vacation to ensure that we look as good in our bikini as possible. On vacation we often allow ourselves a treat here or there but this does not mean that we must eat every ice cream which is offered to us! By remembering to follow a balanced diet and allow ourselves treats in moderation, not only will we help stave off any weight gain during our vacation, but we will also enjoy our vacation more by allowing ourselves to be treated. However, in the instance that you are offered something new and exciting, don’t hesitate to try some-you’re on vacation after all!

As a mother we will often find it difficult to fit our exercise routine into our everyday lives, but when it comes to our vacation, it has never been easier to make this possible. By simply following a few of the above tips, you too will not only thoroughly enjoy your vacation with your family but will return home feeling refreshed, energized and fitter than ever.

We all realize that the harder we train the faster we deplete our body’s reserves. Usually we monitor our daily intake of protein, carbohydrates, fats and liquids. But even the most health conscious of us often fail to take into account the key vitamins and minerals, which are essential to our overall health.

One mineral that often goes unnoticed until low levels start interfering with our ability to maintain peak physical activity is iron. Some of the most important roles that iron plays within our bodies are synthesis of hemoglobin (one of the protein that transports oxygen); helps control the energy release from cells; red blood cell production and a catalyst against free-radical production.

We lose iron through sweat (endurance athletes are at a greater risk, especially on hot humid days), urine and gastrointestinal tract. Females are more vulnerable to iron depletion because of the added losses through menstruation. Clinical symptoms of iron depletion (anemia) can vary from person to person but may include reduced endurance capacity, poor concentration and irritability.

Now, after reading the last paragraph please do not start surfing the net looking to buy iron supplements. Most nutritionists question the need and long term safety of daily intake of iron supplements. That is because there are plenty of foods with high iron content.

Animal sources of iron, know as hem iron, are lean pork, eggs, turkey, with fish, skinless chicken, roast beef to name only a few. Vegetable sources of dietary iron (non hem iron) are less effectively absorbed than animal sources, but there are plenty to choose from: nuts (almonds, cashews), sweet corn, potato, leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach), and whole grain foods.

Different foods combination can also optimize or impair iron absorption by our bodies:
- Vitamin C is known to enhance the absorption of iron. Consider combining plant iron sources (hem iron) with foods high in vitamin C (orange, grape fruit).
- On the other hand caffeine can impair iron absorption. If you are iron deficient or a vegetarian or an endurance athlete it may be a good idea not to combine foods reach in iron with coffee or tea.
- Calcium can also inhibit iron absorption.

The rest period or inter-set rest is a break you take between sets when working-out, it is not for watching TV, taking a nap on the bench or making conversation with your buddy. In fact rest plays a critical role in designing strength training programs and can be manipulated to fit the goal of a weight training program. Research has indicated that the rest interval significantly affects the metabolic, hormonal and cardiovascular responses to resistance exercise programs.

When training for strength is your primary goal, rest a lot between sets. Five minutes are standard, three minutes are pushing it, and ten minutes are not unheard of. Now be careful: “rest” does not mean falling asleep. Best you can do stand up, walk around or even work on something else. The idea is to recover as close as 100% before the next set. That means mentally and physically. So you still need to be focused and alert, sitting or lying down will turn off your nervous system diminishing your performance and may even increase the risk of injury.

If your goal is to train for speed or power performing pylometrics is the way to go. But again, you need at least 3-5 minutes recovery time between sets or intervals. Drills should not be thought of as cardio respiratory conditioning.

Conditioning is simple: rest as little as possible. If you are not panting, you are slacking. Muscle building is a little trickier. Resting too long interferes with the production of muscle building hormones. Resting too little forces one to use lighter weights. A compromise is in order. Typically one to two minutes is sufficient.

In conclusion, the rest interval between sets is an important variable that should receive more attention in resistance exercise prescription. When prescribed appropriately with other important prescriptive variables (i.e. volume and intensity), the amount of rest between sets can influence the efficiency, safety and ultimate effectiveness of a strength training program.

Sleep to lose weight? As strange as it sounds, researchers from several separate studies have found that how much we sleep and the quality of our sleep could disrupt the hormones in the human body that regulate glucose, metabolism rate as well as appetite, leading to a substantial weight gain.

For this article I have looking at the results in 3 recent studies, one in Finland, two in United States, but for the sake of simplicity I will try not to overwhelm you with lots of numbers and statistics. We are after all not scientists but health conscientious people looking after our health. What it is important to know is that two specific hormones can influence our appetite and studies show that production of both may be influenced by how much or how little we sleep.

Leptin is a hormone released by your fat cells that tells your brain to stop eating. People sleeping only five hours a day have a lower leptin level of 15% compared to those who sleep for eight hours. The brain takes the low leptin level to mean starvation and boosts your hunger and burns fewer calories. The result is that you gain weight without eating any additional food.

A second hormone, ghrelin, shows levels of 15% higher in sleep depraved subjects. Ghrelin it is produced by the stomach and works in the opposite direction telling your brain to keep eating.
Together with a healthy diet and regular physical activity, getting a minimum of 7 – 8 hours of sleep a day may be more important than we previously thought not just for weight loss but for our overall well being.

Here are some suggestions of actions you may take in order to improve your sleep patterns:

• Try not to go to bed hungry, or within three hours of eating a full meal
• Minimize caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, especially before bedtime
• Avoid mental stimulation too close to your bed time. Leave all electronic devices (TV, laptop, cell phone) outside your bedroom
• Avoid physical activity at least 2 hours before going to sleep

A lot of people think that the secret to losing weight is to stop doing the things they love. So they will cut back on ice cream, and sweets, and beer, and sure, they slim down, but they are miserable in the process. This is not the way to achieve long-term weight loss. There’s no reason to deprive yourself of the things you love. If you like beer, drink beer, if you like to eat dessert, have it. It is better to be happy than in a constant state of desire.

However, you can minimize the effects of all those calories by working with us to design an exercise regime that suits your style. We can get you started with leg presses and ball exercises so your belt doesn’t need to add any notches.

What’s the new diet of the week?
The diet industry is a multi-million dollar a year business and is always growing. So how does a consumer work through the maze of misinformation and come out a winner on the “weight loss battlefield”?
We will now examine some of the Diet/Nutrition/Exercise myths that are so prevalent in the Health and Fitness industry.

Myth:
Fad diets work
Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets are often limited in calories and food choices. Many of these diets are hard to follow and you may find yourself putting the weight back on. Fad diets may also be lacking in the nutrients that your body needs.
Tip: Losing ½ to 2 pounds a week is possible by making health food choice, watching serving sizes, and adding daily physical activity.

Myth:
High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.
Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet are unknown. But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lead to constipation due to lack of dietary fiber. Following a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak.
Tip: A reduced calorie meal plan that includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will assist you in your weight loss while keeping energy levels high. By following a balanced meal plan “refer to: Canadian Food Guide” you will not have to stop eating foods you enjoy such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Myth:
Carbohydrates are fattening
Fact: Bread, rice, pasta, cereal, potatoes, fruits and vegetables are actually low in fat and in calories. They also provide complex carbohydrates which are an important energy source. It is the butter, sour cream, mayonnaise and other toppings that make these food high in calories and in fat.
Tip: The Canadian Food Guide recommends 6 – 11 servings a day. Watch your serving size and limit the use of high fat toppings.

Myth
Foods like salsa, grapefruit, celery can help you burn fat
Fact: No foods can burn fat. Caffeine or other stimulants may speed up your metabolism for a short time, but the end result is not weight loss.
Tip: One pound equals 3500 kilocalories. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to add physical activity and lower caloric intake.

Myth:
Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective.
Fact: Herbal products are not tested to verify claims as they are not regulated by the Health & Drug Administration. Ephedra, considered a herbal product, is now banned because of serious health problems and even death. Products that claim to be ephedra-free are not necessarily safe as they may contain ingredients similar to ephedra.
Tip: Always talk to your physician before taking any herbal/natural supplements. They may not be safe/effective or may interfere with other medications you are taking.

Myth:
You can lose weight eating your favorite foods
Fact: You can lose weight eating what you want as long as the calories expended exceed calories consumed.
Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat. Eat smaller meals frequently and choose foods that are lower in calories.

Myth:
Low-fat or nonfat is good
Fact: Low-fat/nonfat versions may contain added sugar, flour or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture of the food product and these ingredients add calories. Many processed low-fat or nonfat foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food or even more calories.
Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts Label on a food package to find out the serving size and how many calories are in a serving.

Myth:
You should not eat Fast Food when dieting
Fact: Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a little bit of know-how.
Tip: Choose salads and grilled foods such as a grilled chicken breast. Limit fried foods as they are high in fat and calories, so order them only once in a while. Use small amounts of high fat toppings such as mayonnaise, salad dressing, bacon, cheese, sour cream etc.

Myth:
Fewer calories = greater weight loss

Fact: Cut your calories too far—below 1,200 a day—and you’ll end up with a double whammy that quickly decreases your metabolism and muscle mass. Your body will start using muscle for energy and store the fat thinking it’s going through starvation.

Tip: To get the most out of the calories you do eat, choose whole foods such as produce, fresh meat and fish, and whole grains.

Myth:
Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. Eating smaller meals throughout the day helps to control appetite.
Tip: Frequently eat small healthy meals throughout the day including low-fat and low-calorie foods.

Myth:
You’ll gain weight if you eat after 8 pm
Fact: It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight not the time of day.
Tip: Take into consideration how many calories you ate during the day. Avoid eating in front of the television as the distraction may cause you to overeat.

Myth:
Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you “bulk up.”
Fact: Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches 2 or 3 days/week will not “bulk you up”; but will actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities will help you build muscle which means you burn more calories even while sitting.
Tip: Add 2 to 3 days a week doing such activities as lifting weights, using resistance bands, push-ups, sit-ups or household tasks that involve pushing and pulling.

Myth:
Eating dairy makes you fat.

Fact: Dairy is necessary to fat loss
Combined with calorie control, a dairy-rich diet can nearly double body-fat reduction and weight loss and help prevent weight gain. Part of the reason is the hormone calcitriol, which helps conserve calcium for stronger bones while telling fat cells to convert less sugar to fat and burn more body fat. The result is leaner fat cells and a leaner you.

Tip: Follow the Canada’s Food Guide recommendations for dairy.

Myth:
“Going vegetarian” means you are sure to lose weight and be healthier.
Fact: Research shows that vegetarians on average tend to weigh less and eat fewer calories than non-vegetarians. Choosing a vegetarian eating plan with a low fat content may be helpful for weight loss. However, food choices such as high-fat, high-caloric foods will contribute to weight can in vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians. Vegetarian diets should be well planed to make sure they are balanced.
Tip: Choose a vegetarian eating plan that is low in fat and that provides all of the nutrients your body needs.

Myth:
Brown equals whole-grain.

Fact: Read the labels – there are lots of products claiming to be whole-grain.

Tip: Look for labels where “whole-wheat” or “whole-grain” top the list. The extra fiber in whole grains is the key: It makes you feel full, which means you eat less. It also helps level out the peaks and valleys of

About Personal Fitness Trainer

Professionally certified personal trainers can offer you direction, and a framework of success. Trainer listen to you, and by working around your busy schedule, he/she are able to provide motivation – every day of the week, whether it’s through email, phone calls, positive thinking, and during your personal training sessions.

Trainer will come to your home and train you there.

Many of clients are post-natal or pre-natal mothers. When you have your hands full, you don’t have the luxury or time to travel to sessions. They do that for you. Personal trainer will come to your home, fully equipped, and take you through a personal exercise regime that suits your style, to that will make you feel healthier, happier and more confident about your body.

They don’t believe in long-term contracts.

Look at professional trainers, not salespeople. Trainer don’t want to rope you into a contract you are uncomfortable with. He don’t want to profit from your laziness. Their mission is one thing: they want you to reach your personal fitness goal.

They work at your pace. If you are happy, than keep going. Personal trainers help people who come into the gym to get healthy with a smile on their face.

They are flexible.

The first thing he will ask when you come in is – if you could rank the three things in priority, what would come first, second, and third? Knowing this, trainer can build an exercise regime around your personality and desires.

How would you rank the following in terms of your personal training goals:

Time Dedicated to Workout Program
Efficiency
Enjoyment
Challenging

When you have established your priorities – work around them. It is their job to ensure that your personal training is exactly what you want it to be.

Bootcamp Fitness Instructor/ Personal Trainer
Qualified candidates – Work ethic, integrity, punctuality, personality, willing to learn, certified,
able to work 530am’s, resume
Please email resume
Eric Bonilla

Walnut Women’s Bootcamp
Tagged as: bootcamp, fitness, QUALIFIED, Walnut

Personal Trainer / Fitness Specialist – Skyline Sport & Health
Job Description

Sport&Health is seeking Personal Trainers who are responsible for providing personalized attention and professional fitness instruction and programming that significantly contributes to each member’s health and fitness goals. Instructors design fitness programs, perform fitness testing and assist in equipment maintenance and cleanliness. The Fitness Instructor provides exceptional services to all customers; members, guests and staff, whether by phone or in person and upholds the clubs operating standards in a professional manner at all times.
Required Skills

Sport&Health requires a passionate, positive, focused and driven Personal Trainers.
Candidates must have:

- A Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology or a related field is preferred, or proof of enrollment in a fitness related degree program.

- Experience and demonstrated knowledge in fitness instruction.

- Personal, outgoing and motivating personality: Ability to work well with people.

- Current CPR certification.

- Certification in one of 14 sport&health approved national fitness certifications.

- Ability to communicate effectively.

- Ability to remain flexible in order to adapt to changing work environments.

- Ability to study and apply new information.

- Exhibit a professional and polite appearance and demeanor.
We offer competitive compensation, continuing education, room for growth and FREE health club membership and more!
PLEASE NOTE:
•NO phone calls, inquiries, please!

•Only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.
•Candidates outside of the DC Metro area are welcome to apply but if selected for an interview, they must be willing to travel at own cost.

•Relocation assistance is not offered

Job Location

Falls Church, VA, US.

Position Type

Part-Time

Salary

Varies-Varies US Dollar (USD)
To apply go to: https://sportandhealth-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfo&jobid=150&company_id=16119&version=1&source=ONLINE&JobOwner=992476&startflag=1