Coach Dinos Fitness » External Articles

Healthy Holiday Eating – Tips & Secrets For Saving Calories

coachdinos — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:12:33 +0000

This article is a re-post from ShapeFit.

This article is about choosing foods wisely for a fit Thanksgiving and at home workouts to keep fitness up through the holidays. This can also be applied to the Christmas Holidays and Halloween!

This is the season where sweets and treats are prevalent, tempting and in your face at the office, at home, at friends, at the bank and just about everywhere. We are hit with a whammy every few weeks from here until the New Year making it harder to stick with an exercise regimen and proper diet. Family gatherings and holiday travel make it sometimes difficult to continue training especially if you do not go somewhere with gym access. All these holidays revolve around good, rich and yummy foods which you want to and should partake in especially if you have been exercising and eating right diligently all year round. The key is portion control on the rich and sweet foods plus consideration to the fact that it is not just one meal you will be attending that’ll include these foods so portions control is stressed even more.

It is easier to control a meal if you are the one hosting, making it easy for you to use healthier alternatives which everyone will enjoy. This is a great way to teach your guests some tips so that they can take hold and use them for their own entertaining. Passing greetings this season is a blessing but teaching some healthy meal tips can save lives and help your guests with their or heath improvements. Health issues such as hypertension, diabetes and the like are easily remedies with lifestyle change in the diet but can be hard. By trying the foods you can clinch them, and then you can teach them how easy it can be to implement these new healthy foods because if they like it they will ask you about the recipe.

Choices that are lower fat and substitutes can be tastier than the original item. Using no fat plain yogurt in place of sour cream and mayonnaise can lower the fat of items such as mashed potato, coleslaw and other cold salads. Even egg and tuna salad are excellent done this way. Salad dressing can also benefit from the use of yogurt. I like to use lemons, grainy mustard and yogurt for a simple yet tasty, creamy salad dressing and you can even use this on top of a baked potato.

Vegetable pate, olive tapenade, bruschetta and chopped, marinated roasted veggies make for fast and easy finger foods, appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. An alternative to crackers is bagel chips, rye chips and Raincoast chips (this is a brand, one of their items is made with olives, honey, figs and seeds, very nutritious) are all made from lower carb and lower fat choices and are double baked to be a crisp.

Fresh veggies are always present at gatherings and with good reason. The dressing I mentioned above is a good dip for these veggies. Choose dark green and bright colored vegetables which are full of cancer fighting phytochemicals.

When visiting, make sure to pick and choose the most nutritious items then find a few of the rich and or sweet items to try out but choose smaller portions so that you can enjoy more than one but do not go overboard and this way you can try some at your next outing as well.. Alternatively if there is one item in particular you like best and can forfeit all other sweet and rich foods for, then get a nice serving of that and enjoy your treat! You can do this at each outing, within reason of course.

Whether you cooking or being cooked for, your time will be limited and the more the social activities you do with higher frequency during the holidays the more important it is to get in some type of exercise each day even if only in small spurts.

The best idea is to get up from bed 15-30 minutes early and get the workout done first. For those with fat loss needs you will want to go for 30 minutes with 15 for weights and 15 for cardio.

The cardio portion can be 15 minutes of a jog or if you wish to stay indoors, you can try 5 minutes stepping using any stair case and a bottom step or do the stairs up and down for 5 minutes followed by a series of 2 minutes jogging on the spot followed by 2 minutes jumping jacks and 2 minutes skipping with or without a rope. For the last 4 minutes you would march on the spot slowing the movement down each minute until you are done and can stretch.

The 15 minutes of weight bearing work is comprised of 2 sets of 20 pushups/knee pushups/chair pushups (depending on your fitness level), 2 sets of 20 crunches, 2 sets of 20 horizontal chin ups, 2 sets of 20 tricep dips, and 2 sets of 20 overhead presses using dumbbells or even water bottles if you have no equipment accessible to you.

Do these 6 times per week with a day off during your holiday and busier weeks. It is a very light workout so there is no fear of overtraining during this program. You can also split up the cardio and weight bearing into 2 different times of the day if you need. The sweat you get from the cardio is needed so maybe save this for pre shower time!

By Linda Cusmano

Coffee can be very fattening! But you knew this, right!?

coachdinos — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:00:05 +0000

What’s hiding in your brew? From the 1,200-calorie “triple chocolate mocha” to a Dunkin Donuts option akin to a Big Mac and fries, The Daily Beast ranks the most fattening coffee drinks. Read the full article.

See the media gallery.

Healthy Refrigerator – re-post from Nell Ellis

coachdinos — Sun, 30 May 2010 04:06:14 +0000

Healthy Refrigerator – Stock Your Fridge With Nutrient Dense Foods

In order to maintain proper nutrition, it is important to have the best foods available to you. It is important to eat from the major food categories, i.e. protein, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans/legumes and fats.

There are many protein sources to choose from including fish, chicken and beef. Other protein sources are sometimes hidden in whole-wheat pasta, beans and some cereals. It is important to read packaged food labels in order to discover hidden protein sources.

For vegetarians, other sources of protein include soy products, meat substitutes, lentils, nuts and items from the other categories like legumes and whole grains. Eating foods rich in vitamin C such as strawberries, oranges and the like at the same time as non-animal protein helps the body absorb iron.

Here are my favorites or my best of the best.

Best Fruits:

Apples – Remember the saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away? At an economical price and readily available in your grocery store, apples put needed fiber, vitamin C and potassium into your day.
Blueberries – These berries are rich in vitamins C, B complex, A and E. They also help provide iron, copper, selenium and zinc which are beneficial in building the immune system.

Best Protein:

Tuna Fish – This fish is packed with protein and a good source of vitamin D. Although information about the benefits are seemingly still being discovered, tuna fish also has essential omega-3 fatty acids. I love a tuna fish sandwich – just don’t have too many as there are low levels of methylmercury.
Salmon – Salmon is rich in color and flavor. Along with that good news, salmon gives us a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. So when you can, ask for wild salmon instead of farm raised.

Best Dairy Products:

Yogurt – A great source of calcium, protein and active cultures, which are important for general immune health and metabolism of protein, fat, carbohydrates.
Fat Free Milk – An excellent source of calcium, vitamins, and protein with little fat and cholesterol.

Best Vegetables:

Broccoli – Plenty of vitamin C, carotenoids that enhance the function of the immune system, and folic acid which helps produce healthy red blood cells and prevent anemia.
Grape Tomatoes – They’re packed with vitamins C and A, some fiber and great taste with a touch of natural sweetness.

Best Legumes:

Lentils – These legumes or beans add protein, fiber, iron, magnesium and potassium to your diet.
Black Beans – These beans provide protein, vitamin B and iron. You can add black beans to salads, soups or burritos to add extra flavor and essential vitamins and minerals at low cost and caloric value.

Nell’s Favorites and Also Best Bets:
100%, No Sugar Added Cranberry Juice

I must admit I’m a sucker for this juice! Just make sure you purchase the 100% no sugar added version of this juice when at your local market or grocery store. Providing a cleansing effect on your kidneys and some vitamin C, this juice could be more beneficial than orange juice.

Grapes
My absolute favorite sweet substitute, hunger killer and all around convenient snack! Not only are grapes a good source of vitamins A, C and B6 they also provide minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and selenium, as well as small amounts of copper, manganese, and zinc. They even provide get some fiber and protein. I’m in love!

So when you go to the market or grocery store, keep these items in mind. They’ll keep you full and healthy. And remember, I’m pulling for you!

By Nell Ellis

What Does It Really Take to Change Your Life?

coachdinos — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:59:52 +0000

* Article By Michael Masterson on http://www.earlytorise.com/2009/12/21/what-does-it-really-take-to-change-your-life.html

I was 14 when I first heard the word “underachiever.” Mrs. Growe, my ninth-grade English teacher, used it to describe a student who had, in her opinion, failed to work to his potential. The student? Yours truly.

“Mr. Masterson,” she announced to the class, “is the classic example of an underachiever. He doesn’t complete his work assignments. He shows up late for class and then wastes his time day dreaming. As a result, he produces C work. From a child with modest potential, I would be happy with mediocre results. In his case, I am very disappointed.”

I was not surprised by the assessment. It was accurate. I couldn’t deny it. The female maturation process held my interest at that time. That and football. And goofing around with my friends. And just about anything else but schoolwork.

I wasn’t a good reader. And I couldn’t sit still during class. Much later, I discovered that I was suffering from a combination of dyslexia and what is now called “attention deficit disorder.” But neither Mrs. Growe nor I knew about such things then. As far as she was concerned, I was a peren nial slacker. I shared her opinion.

At least once a year, however, I promised myself that I would “turn over a new leaf.” I sensed, as Mrs. Growe did, that I was not as dumb as my grades suggested. And I felt, deep down in my bones, that eventually I’d make a success of myself.

But before I could be successful, I had to change something very fundamental about myself. And that change began at the end of my senior year, when I woke up one day and re alized I was disgusted with myself.

I was tired of being a perennial screw-up. I was sick of getting lousy grades and playing the fool in class. I wanted to become the person Mrs. Growe thought I should be. But it seemed to be too late. There was only a month to go before graduation, and it was obviously impossible to rectify four years of poor performance in so short a time.

Since my grades were mediocre, I had no chance of getting a college scholarship. And since my parents couldn’t afford to help me with tuition, I had no choice but to attend a community college. The community college was happy to take my $400 a year, and would be equally happy to give me the Cs I had been earning in high school. But I wasn’t willing to live that life any longer.

Oddly enough, it seemed that my lack of academic success at that point in my life was a benefit in disguise. I was about to put my self in an environment where mediocrity held sway — where I would be competing with other high-school screw-ups just like me. But what if I used the remaining time I had in high school to prepare for a new and better life in col lege? What if I directed my energy toward developing skills and habits that would help me succeed over the next four years?

And that’s exactly what I did. The Saturday after I made my big decision to change, I drove my ‘56 Bel Air to Nassau Community College in Garden City, NY. I gathered together everything I could find about the school. I brought it all back home and spent the rest of the weekend carefully reading every pamphlet and brochure.

I was doing something I had never done before: getting ahead of my competition by planning my success. In the next few weeks, I became a minor expert in that little college. I knew every course they offered, every major they offered, and every teacher who’d be teaching freshmen that year.

Taking the initiative to plan my success gave me a very positive feeling. I could actually feel my self changing. I was becoming — even before I began — a serious and committed student.

I realized that I would be starting college as a brand-new person. None of my teachers would have heard about my high school antics, and none of my fellow students would be expecting me to be the class clown.

Starting college without the bad reputation I had established in high school was like a gift from the gods. I could walk into my new classes as an interested, enthusiastic student who was there to succeed.

And that’s what happened. I showed up for classes in September on time, prepared with the re quired texts. I sat in the front row and raised my hand whenever the teacher asked questions. I did my homework assignments and spent my spare time studying. Between attending classes, study ing, and running a house-painting business on the side, I worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

By the end of the first semester, I had the reputation of being an A student. Throughout the rest of my college and graduate school career, I never regressed.

I sometimes think about what would have happened to me if I hadn’t finally become disgusted with myself. Or if I had failed to make those preparations that allowed me to turn over a new leaf.

It’s highly likely I would be grinding out a living somewhere, working a job I didn’t like, struggling to pay my bills and making futile resolutions — knowing I’d live out my life as a bootless loser.

The difference for me was the simple realization that if I didn’t change myself, my life wouldn’t change — not then or ever. I had wasted my high school years making promises I never truly meant to keep. But I was tired of doing that. Thinking back, I can see that there were several factors that allowed me to change in a serious and committed way:

First, I had bottomed out emotionally. I had finally reached a point where I truly detested myself for not achieving what I felt was my potential.

Second, I made a decision to change completely — to go from being a C student to the top of my class.

Third, I recognized that I would have to change not just my work habits but the way I thought about myself. I would have to “become” the A student I wanted to be.

And last, but not least, I took action immediately. I didn’t wait till September to make the change. I started right away by preparing myself to succeed during my final months of high school.

Have you made resolutions that you’ve failed to keep? Held dreams of success and happiness that you’ve failed to fulfill? Do you sometimes feel that, however much you’ve done, you are still, in part, an underachiever?

If so, there is good news. Your past behavior has no bearing on your future work habits. If you can change the way you work — even a little — you can change the way you live.

Most people reading this will think, “I don’t need another motivational speech. What I need is a change of luck.”

I’m here to say that luck had nothing to do with the change in my life. And it needn’t have anything to do with whatever changes you would like to make in yours. Had I waited for luck to come to me, I might be waiting still. My life changed when I got fed up and started planning my success.

You, too, can change your life if you are (a) dissatisfied with the lack of success you’ve had so far, (b) willing to make a big change — and not just a minor adjustment, (c) prepared to start working differently and thinking about yourself as a different kind of person, and (d) willing to start now by preparing yourself to succeed.

A Realistic Approach to Weight Loss

coachdinos — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:35:22 +0000

A Realistic Approach to Weight Loss, by Michael Masterson

Sally has an ambitious weight-loss goal for 2010. She told me she is planning to lose 40 pounds. She said she figured she’d lose four pounds a month for 10 months, and then celebrate in October. If she fell behind a little bit, she’d have two months to catch up.

That is good thinking. But rather than shooting for an even four pounds per month, I suggested that she should plan to lose weight more realistically. For example, she could aim for six pounds in each of the first three months, five pounds in each of the next three, three pounds in each of the next two, and the final pound in the ninth month.

That approach corresponds to the way the body actually works. You take off more weight at the beginning — when your new eating and exercise program is having the greatest impact — and then give yourself time to settle into a stable routine for the rest of your life.

Read the original article.

From Pat Rigsby

coachdinos — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:13:53 +0000

Why are some people more successful than others?

I think there are 5 traits that play into to:

1. Intelligence – Some people are just smarter than
others. Not really ‘book smart’, rather more ‘street
smart’ with things that can be applied in the real world.

2. Aptitude – everyone is good at certain things – some
people just aren’t good at stuff that pays well or they
don’t know how to monetize what they’re good at.

3. Knowledge – Being smart isn’t enough. Successful
people keep learning – and the more you learn, the
more you earn.

4. Attitude – Successful people have a positive, action
oriented attitude. They never see failure as an option.

They set out to achieve their goals – and they make it
happen.

5. Effort – Successful people work both smarter and
harder than everyone else. They take massive action
over and over. They’re relentless.

I know you have these traits – that’s why you’re
reading this email.

You’re different than most.

So quit settling and start making your goals
a reality.

* This post written by Pat Rigsby

From CalorieLab: New York City campaign warns against soda consumption

coachdinos — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:22:02 +0000

“Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley says sugary drinks shouldn’t be a part of anyone’s daily diet, and that almost half of the 200 or 300 extra calories that people consume these days compared to 30 years ago come from sodas, sports drinks and sweetened coffee and tea.”

Read the full article

An email from Pat Rigsby on "The 5 Things Holding You Back"

coachdinos — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:36:45 +0000

Here are 5 things that are often the difference between success and failure – or at least mediocrity.

1. You don’t set *real* goals and hold yourself to
them.

Most people dream big dreams, but never set anything
tangible and spend their time muddling along from
one thing to the next. Do you have specific goals
and measure yourself against them regularly?

2. You’re lazy.

No one wants to hear it – but most of the failure
I see is tied directly to not doing enough or not
doing enough of the high ROI stuff. You need to
be working smart doing the right things and stop
wasting time on things that don’t move you closer
to where you want to be if success is your goal.

3. You don’t believe in yourself. All successful
fitness pros – and successful people for that
matter – have enormous self-belief. They know
that they have something special to contribute
and they are determined to make their mark. This
shouldn’t be confused with arrogance – rather
a self assured attitude that you have the
talent, passion and work ethic necessary for
success.

4. You are comfortable.

It is easy to settle. Why bother stepping
out of your comfort zone if you’re doing OK.
Well, if you want to be a high achiever you’re
going to have to take some risks and get out
of your comfort zone.

5. You are not around enough high achievers.

Let’s be honest, most of the time your friends
and family are not going to challenging you
to achieve more. Spend more time with high
achievers and other entrepreneurs. They will
encourage you, inspire you and hold you
accountable.

Take a long hard look in the mirror and if
you’re not where you want to be – it’s
likely that one of these obstacles are
standing between you and success.

If you are one of the motivated 125 in
Louisville on September 11th and 12th – we’re
going to help you remove those roadblocks
and give you everything you need to make
your bootcamp a huge success.

But register fast as we’re already half-full
and well be raising the price $100 at the
end of July (if any seats are left.)

http://www.bootcampbootcamp.com
Fitness Consulting Group

Yet another article on natural sugar and artificial sugar

coachdinos — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:55:18 +0000

Scientists see little dietary benefit in food companies’ scramble to swap out processed sweeteners for natural ones, according to this article in the Chicago Tribune.

As with everything, the most tests that scientists do, the more studies the clearer the truth becomes.