The Holidays are Upon Us!

Well, it's that time again the holidays are near, ugh!!  This year let's make a point to listen to our bodies and do what we can to have a stress free holiday season. 
One thing we can all do is throw away that scale!  Make your workouts fun, without focusing on your weight.  Make your #1 Goal about Feeling GREAT, Feeling ENERGIZED!   Enjoy your stress-free time and focus on YOU for 30 minutes/day. 
Feel the ENERGY you build as you release your mind and strengthen your body. 
Thinking Positively!!  Enjoy :0)

May is STROKE Awareness Month

Here is a little something I would like to share from the National Stroke Association.

There are many risk factors, but obesity is one of the most controllable risk factors.

Obesity ~ A Controllable Risk Factor

How is obesity linked to stroke?Obesity and excessive weight put a strain on the entire circulatory system. They also make people more likely to have high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes – all of which can increase risk for stroke. Maintaining a healthy weight through diet, physical activity and other medical treatments with the help of a doctor is important for stroke prevention.
Physical activity
Physical activity can help reduce stroke risk. A recent study showed that people who exercise 5 or more times per week have a reduced stroke risk. Higher risk and burden of stroke have been observed within the Stroke Belt (southeastern states of the U.S.), a region that boasts higher obesity rates compared with elsewhere in the country. Following are tips for increasing daily physical activity:

• Include exercise in daily activities.
• A brisk walk for as little as 30 minutes a day can improve daily health in many ways, including weight.
• Try walking with a friend; this will make it easier to commit to.
• If walking isn't ideal, find another exercise or activity, such as biking, swimming, golf, tennis, dance, or aerobics.
• Make time each day to exercise. Some people enjoy walking in the morning instead of at night. Figure out what works for you.

Maintain a healthy diet
Maintaining a diet that is low in calories, saturated and trans fats and cholesterol helps manage both obesity and health cholesterol levels in the blood, which also reduces risk for stroke. High-salt diets often contribute to high blood pressure. A healthy diet should also include at least five servings of fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and veggies
A recent Harvard University study concluded that eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables can lower your stroke risk by 30 percent. Citrus fruits and vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower are particularly beneficial. Their higher concentrations of folic acid, fiber and potassium may be a key to reducing heart disease and stroke.
Most people eat only half of the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. Increasing that daily intake can be easy. For example:

Drink a glass of orange or vegetable juice.

Buy pre-sliced vegetables or fruit for easy snacking or cooking.

For flavor, use a variety of herbs and spices on vegetables. Add basil or dill to green beans or tomatoes.

Add grated vegetables to casseroles, spaghetti sauces or meat patties.

Low-fat cooking
Eating and cooking in a low-fat manner (free of saturated and trans fats) reduces the waistline and decreases stroke and heart attack risk. Take a few extra minutes to think through food choices, and how they can be cooked. For instance, grilling a piece of chicken instead of frying it in oil reduces fat intake significantly and produces a tasty, healthy meal.
Add the following foods to a daily diet:
Fruits and vegetables
Lean meats such as chicken, turkey and fish
Lean cuts of beef (round or sirloin steak) or pork (pork chops, pork loin)
Low-fat dairy products (skim milk, 2% fat cottage cheese)
Egg substitutes or four egg yolks per week
Fiber, including whole grain breads, cereal products or dried beans
Watch homocysteine levelsHomocysteine, an amino acid or building block of protein, is produced naturally in the body. When needed, it is changed into other amino acids for the body’s use. Researchers recently found that too much homocysteine in the blood may increase a person’s chance of developing heart disease, stroke or other blood flow disorders.
Homocysteine levels are determined by two key factors genetics and lifestyle. Genetic factors affect how fast homocysteine is processed in your body. Lifestyle factors, such as diet, affect homocysteine levels in another manner. For example, people with a high homocysteine level may have a low level of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid. Replacing these vitamins with supplements or fortified foods may help return levels to normal. Low thyroid hormone levels, kidney disease, psoriasis or some medications may also cause abnormally high homocysteine levels.
Folic acid
Folic acid is another part of the homocysteine puzzle. Most Americans, especially women, do not get enough folic acid form their diets. Eating more fruits and vegetables including lentils, chickpeas, asparagus, ready-to-eat cereals, fortified bread, pasta and rice, may increase folic acid levels and decrease health risks.
Vitamins B12 and B6
As a person’s body ages, the ability to absorb B12 is reduced. This may cause a variety of health problems including an increased risk for heart disease. Foods that contain vitamins B12 and B6 include fortified cereals, low-fat meat, fish, poultry, milk products, bananas, baked potatoes and watermelon. In some instances of vitamin B12 deficiency, vitamin injections may be necessary.
However, adjusting diet may not always be enough to lower homocysteine to a desirable level. Vitamin supplements may also be needed. Speak with a doctor before starting any vitamin regimen. Taking high doses of vitamins is not generally recommended. Re-checking homocysteine levels after taking vitamins is essential. If levels remain high, your doctor can modify treatment.

CPR- Are you prepared?

Are you prepared if you need to save a life?

When was the last time you learned CPR?

Do you know all the new changes to CPR?

Get prepared just like the Lorax!  Learn CPR and the importance of an AED if the situation arises...

Call today to reserve your space for our April 15th class...

click the link below to see how the Lorax saves a life!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/TSnbAr0eA2E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Benefits of Moving YOUR Body!

Ever wonder how exercise can benefit you more than the obvious- heart health, weight loss, and reduction of inches?
There are alot of benefits to getting your body moving.  Did you ever think it would help your Nervous System?  Well your about to find out.  Think about it when you are moving, whether playing or exercising you are not thinking about the everyday stresses, possible anxiety or frustrations.

Here are more ways moving/exercising can improve your health...

• Nervous System--

                 ~will also improve concentration, creativity and performance

• Your Bones --

                  ~strengthens bones & improves muscle strength & endurance
                  ~makes your joints more flexible, allowing for ease of movement
                  ~reduces back pain by improving flexibility & posture
                  ~reduces your risk of osteoporosis & fractures

• Heart --

                  ~reduce the risk of developing heart disease & stroke

• Blood --

                  ~improves blood circulation to your entire body
                  ~helps lower bad (LDL) cholesterol & raise good (HDL) cholesterol
                  ~helps to lowere high blood pressure & prevent high blood pressure from occuring

• Digestive System --

                  ~helps control your appetite
                  ~improves digestion & waste removal

• Lungs --

                 ~slows the rate of decline in lung function
                 ~improves body's ability to use oxygen

• some extra bonus benefits...

                ~reduce the risk of developing diabetes
                ~helps maintain a healthy weight (if you are a scale watcher)
                ~improves self-image (confidence)
                ~helps you sleep better and feel more rested

There you go your body is all connected by your NERVOUS SYSTEM!  Make your Nervous System happy, the rest of your body will follow.  Body movement clears your mind, energizes your body, makes your life much easier.

Enjoy YOUR day & keep it moving!! 

Remember Positive Mind + Positive Body is POSITIVELY FITT!!

8 Tips for Preventing Headaches

As a migraine sufferer myself, these are all true.  If I miss workouts my head lets me know.

I hope this article helps you out.

Headaches - 8 Tips on Preventing Them - Dr. Ken Goldberg

Last year, Americans spent more than $4 billion on headache remedies, roughly $16 for every man, woman, and child. That's a lot of pills-and a lot of headaches. Too many in fact, because most of them could have been avoided in the first place. Headaches come in several varieties, but the most common types are tension and migraine. A few simple strategies can help you steer clear of either.

1. Drink lots of liquids, especially when it's hot. Dehydration can bring on headaches.
2. Get regular, moderate exercise. Exercise helps in three ways: It relieves the stress than can bring on tension headaches; it increases the production of the body's own painkillers, endorphins and enkephalins; and it improves the ability of blood vessels to dilate, which reduces the likelihood of migraine headache. Don't overdo it though. Going too hard or trying to lift heavy weights can bring on an exertion headache.
3. Try not to skip meals. Headaches are more likely when your blood sugar drops because of lack of fuel.
4. Avoid certain foods. The National Headache Foundation suggests that people who get migraines watch out for red wine, beer, excess caffeine, foods with MSG, aged cheese and meats, nuts, chocolate, citrus fruits, yogurt, and other foods that are pickled, aged, or fermented. Experiment with these foods to see if any trigger your migraines.
5. Take time to acclimate to altitude. Skiers often suffer headaches when they go from sea level to 8,000 feet or more in a few hours. You'll feel better if you can spend a day at an in-between altitude before hitting the slopes.
6. Sleep more. You're much more likely to get headaches if you burn the candle at both ends.
7. Quit smoking. Add headaches to the list of reason to abandon the butts.
8. Don't drink alcohol to relieve stress. You may enjoy an hour or two of oblivion, but the stress will still be there when you sober up-along with a whopper of a headache.

Despite careful precautions, life will be a headache from time to time. It’s ok (for most healthy individuals) to take an occasional mild pain reliever for those times. But if your headaches are frequent or severe, it’s a clear message to see your health care provider.

Reaching YOUR Goals

When you are setting out to achieve your fitness and nutrition goals you must write everything down.  If you see a pattern that needs to be changed, look at the good things you did and continue with those as new habits.  Make sure you do not dwell on the bad that you see, but congratulate yourself on the things you did accomplish.  Focusing on what you did well will lead you to that positive pathway to great fitness and nutrition success.

Give yourself a mental pep talk at the beginning and the end of each day and map out what you will accomplish tomorrow from what you did today.  This will help rest your mind so you get a good nights rest without worrying about what you have to do in the morning.

Goal Setting 101

Setting goals will enable you to eliminate the distractions in your life and help you to focus on the really important things. By knowing exactly what you want, you're able to concentrate on specific areas with more accountability and focus. Goals allow you to get more things done so you can achieve more. Who doesn't want to achieve more?

We like to take one large goal and break it into smaller, more attainable "mini-goals". This will give you the direction you need if you get off track. Goals create steps. The old saying goes, "How do we eat an elephant?" Answer: One bite at a time. No matter what task we have to tackle, we often can't do it all at once. We can, however take small steps toward completing the task.

Always, always, always write down your goals! Set small, measurable, and attainable goals. Focus on getting the result that you want. Why did you set this goal? Why is it important to you? Make a commitment to yourself, and then take action with your end-result in mind. Use your time wisely and work hard. Don't waste your valuable time and energy with filler.

Tell everyone you know about your goal. You have probably heard this a hundred times, but it really works. This will create accountability, and the more accountability, the more likely you are to succeed! But, be careful with ones who won't support you, don't share with them.

One more thing.... "TODAY, not tomorrow" is critical. Don't put anything off until tomorrow...it will never get done. Besides, if it were really important to you, then why would you wait? Do it TODAY!

What is your Goal?

Let us help you accomplish your goals in 2012. We want you to have a "NEW" goal in 2013, not the same one you make this year.

Define - Plan - Commit - Take Action - Make No Excuses - Be Persistent-

Read Your Goals Daily - & Never QUIT!

Happy New Year!

Committed to YOUR Success

MIND   BODY   FITT