Are you doing too much??

Stop and ask yourself this question... How much time am I spending working out in the gym or just doing exercise on a weekly basis? How much are you doing? 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 or more days?? How much time are you spending in the gym or doing whatever type of exercise it is your doing? I think you see where I'm going with this... I'm talking about OVER TRAINING!

We get going with a gym membership and it starts off innocent enough, a body sculpting class here, spin class there, cardio combat 2 nights a week, a little Zumba, a few sessions with a trainer or we are just hitting the weights 5 to 6 days and before you know it your hooked, you become addicted, you have tunnel vision and all you see is the new you and how awesome your going to look! But wait.. What about a break? When do you take time to heal your body? Now you feel bad about even missing just one day and to tell you the truth, you could possibly be doing too much and that is a bad thing.

Do you feel like your really changing your body, getting stronger, burning fat and recovering properly? Are you reaching your fitness goals? I know we say to get out there, get in the gym and start moving that body of yours, but we can actually be doing more harm than good if we are not utilizing our time in the gym properly and allowing for proper rest and recovery. Do you feel worn down? Are your having trouble sleeping, are you restless or having trouble falling asleep? Do your joints ache? Are you moody? Are you sick more than normal? Do you have trouble getting excited for a workout and look at it as more of a job than a joy or stress release? If you answered yes to any of these you could possibly be suffering from over training. Some of you may already know this, but in case you didn't, working out is a stress on the body. Your body needs time to heal and recover after a workout of any type. When we workout, we break down muscle tissue, so it needs time to repair. We do all of our repairing while we sleep and if we are not getting a sufficient amount of sleep (8-9 hours) each and every night our repair process suffers and if you do another workout, you just continue to beat your body down and never fully recover.

I'm going to point a few fingers here, but this is the virtual "bitch slap" that some people need. So here it goes... Guys you cant continue to workout 5 to 6 days in a row, working individual body parts and expect to get jacked!! It wont happen if you do not feed your body properly and allow your body to rest and fully recover from those intense weight training sessions. Oh and here's another tip... If your going to lift heavy, lift with proper form and if it's too much, drop the weight down and use a manageable weight you can control. I can bench 300 pounds 3 inches too! Also lift some heavy weight! You can't get big doing high reps with low to medium weight, no matter how good "the pump" feels. Quality over quantity gentleman! Oh ladies don't think your getting off so easy! For the love of Pete get off the mother flippin treadmill and pick up some damn weights! Cardio will not and I repeat not make you strong and I hate to burst your bubble, but the 1 to 2 hours that you spend on the treadmill or doing time wasting cardio is all for not! They have found that doing mindless cardio for extended periods of time has been known to increase cortisol levels. For those of you that are not familiar with cortisol it's a hormone that actually breaks down muscle tissue. Yep, that's right! So even if you think that your burning fat from your endurance cardio sessions and you may to a point but then your body actually shuts off fat burning and starts burning muscle because that's where all the vitamins and nutrients are stored. So more often than not your losing muscle mass instead of body fat. That's something for you to think about next time you want to get on the stupid treadmill. Instead try some type of short, explosive circuits with ropes, kettle bells, jump rope, sprints. Be creative, do some research or ask a fitness professional for some ideas! Keep it the 20 to 30 minute range, keep it short, intense and you will get more out of it. I guarantee it!

I know I kind of went off there for a second but this is something I deal with and see on an day to day basis. I just want everyone to benefit from working out and eating properly and to achieve REAL results. Your workouts are very important, but your rest and recovery are equally as important! Train smart, get plenty of rest, eat clean and you will be surprised what you can do with your body...

BE THE PREDATOR, NOT THE PREY...

INFLAMMATION

So what if I told you that the foods you eat everyday are the cause of inflammation, pain, discomfort, headaches, joint pain, mental cloudiness, moodiness and disease. Are you ready to accept that the food you are consuming is the cause for all the conditions listed above? Guess what boys and girls, chances are this is EXACTLY what is happening. We want to blame it on so many other factors like genetics, allergies, environment and all that jazz. Is it so hard to believe that the way we eat affects the way we feel, move and think?! We are so quick to point a finger and to blame everything and everyone else instead of putting the blame on ourselves.

I know that I hit on nutrition with most of my posts but I want everyone to really understand how important nutrition is to your overall health. If we do not fix ourselves from the inside out, we will never obtain true health. If your GUT health is not at 100%, you can forget about the rest of your body responding and working at maximum efficiency. Proper digestion is vital for everything and for getting the most out of everything you eat. There are certain things we can take to take to aid digestion such as digestive enzymes and probiotics. Certain foods you can eat that have natural probiotics and digestive enzymes are organic sauerkraut, organic kimchee, Keir or yogurt from raw milk to name a few.

Jack Lalanne once said "If man made it, don't eat it. "If it comes in a box or bag, don't eat it." That's a pretty powerful statement! Here is a list of some of the top inflammatory foods. Don't be surprised when you see some of our old friends on this list!!

Sugar

Foods that convert into sugar quickly in the body have the potential to raise the level of blood sugar. In response to the rapid rise in blood sugar, the pancreas quickly releases insulin. Chronic and excessive overproduction of insulin can, over time, reduce the ability of the beta-cells in the pancreas to effectively release insulin, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Blood vessels can become damaged because of too much insulin, leading to a host of conditions, including kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and nerve damage.

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

 (HFCS) is used as a sweetener in most commercially produced snack foods. Consumed frequently and in large quantities, HFCS may lead to diseases such as type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans consume roughly 20 percent more "added" sugar per day than they did 20 years ago. This statistic does not even include the naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables and most dairy products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends no more than 6 tsp. of sugar per every 1,600 calories consumed. Most Americans consume 20 tsp. per day.

Refined grains

Refined grains are grains that have the bran and germ removed during processing. As a result, the nutrients that are in the bran and germ layers are also removed. Because the amount of fiber in refined grains is minimal compared to its original state, it is broken down quickly within the digestive system, causing a rapid increase in blood sugar. Sometimes referred to as "high glycemic" foods, refined grains reduce the body's sensitivity to insulin, causing "insulin resistance," which is known to contribute to excess weight gain and type 2 diabetes.
High consumption of refined grains is also believed to trigger excess production of pro-inflammatory regulatory proteins, throwing off the balance between the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory proteins. The body responds to this imbalance by activating its immune system, and inflammation soon develops.

Dairy

Though rich in calcium, the casein in dairy products can trigger auto-immune disease, asthma and bronchitis, according to the University of Michigan Department of Integrative Medicine. Milk casein is a protein found in most dairy products that has a tendency to irritate the body's immune system. Researchers believe that when dairy cows consume a diet high in grain, they produce large amounts of omega-6 fats. Consuming too much dairy can create an imbalance between the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats and inflammation-causing omega-6 fats, triggering an inflammatory response. In addition, it is believed that up to 50 percent of the population is allergic to dairy. Consuming dairy products when a dairy allergy is present can also lead to chronic inflammation.

I just want all of you to really think about what you are putting in your body. Take the time, do some research, read my posts. We need to educate ourselves and take the time and invest in our everyday heath. You want to be around for a long time and continue to do the things you enjoy right?! Well it all starts with you. You have everything to lose and SO much more to gain...

BE THE PREDATOR, NOT THE PREY