Archive for January, 2012
Exposing Fitness Myths
Just a couple of days ago I stayed up mighty late to watch fireworks displays. And I decided it’s time for me to create some fireworks of my own by committing myth-murder!
I see hundreds of people daily at my chosen profession as a personal trainer. I am unceasingly amazed at the questions I receive regarding “quick fix” topics.
That is the FIRST Myth I am here to stomp out of existence. There is no such thing as a healthy quick fix in the fitness world and anyone who tells you there is probably also has their own Internet site promoting instant wealth in only 30 seconds per day! Ladies and gentlemen, it took more than a month or two to put the weight on and it will take longer than that to take it off in a HEALTHY fashion. Patience, discipline and steadfastness are the keys to honest, long-term success.
“But I read that you can target certain areas to lose weight!” Myth #2 is about to bite the dust. The human body will burn off body fat where it wants to, not necessarily where WE want it to. I am one of the very fortunate few who loses pesky inches from my waist first. That is particularly awesome because of being in my 50s. Most people will lose in their limbs before anywhere else. And ladies, it is a fact that the chest area will decrease most of the time, whether that’s what we want or not! You can’t target an area and count on getting results in one spot. Oh, and by the way, I always ask what it was that a person read and I usually find out some popular publication is the culprit. Check your sources and resources carefully! Magazines are out there to make money and they don’t often do worthwhile fact finding.
“I heard…….” Myth #3. If you heard something on the radio, television, or from a friend’s mouth, check out the source of information. If there is no scientific basis for what has been put out there, it probably isn’t completely true.
For those of you beautiful ladies who are perimenopausal, menopausal or post-menopausal, don’t fall for the most common script out there. Read the rest of this entry »
Weight Loss Nutrition Q’n'A
Q: Do I HAVE to eat 6 small meals per day? How about 4? I’m concerned about the six small meals thing. If I am eating my appropriate caloric intake and following both my dietary restrictions and exercise program, isn’t that enough? I’m eating only 2 big meals per day right now.
Answer:
6 meals are better than 4, and for most people, I recommend 8. You will see better results if you eat more meals. Both science and experience support that.
In your case, since you were only eating 2 big meals per day, we will only jump to 6 for now. That will give you amazing results if you can break down your food intake into 6 small meals.
NOTE: Sometimes a “meal” is just a protein shake and some almonds, so don’t get overwhelmed thinking you have to cook 6 times per day.
Q: How do I modify a man’s nutrition plan for a woman? Do I just do use fewer calories?
Answer:
That is correct. We just do the calculations to get the correct calorie amount for any body weight, and then plan the meals from there. That is relatively accurate for someone that has close to average body fat levels.
I also recommend that every client uses www.fitday.com to track their food intake, so that I can review it and make sure that they are on track. It is easy to see someone’s eating mistakes when we look at their daily food intake.
Q: What Protein bar is the healthiest?
Answer:
The one with the least sugar and least amount of “fake carbohydrates”. But I’m not a huge fan of protein bars. I’d rather that you have a protein shake + an apple or another fibrous fruit. Or even 1/2 ounce almonds. And ideally, the more real food sources of lean protein that you can eat, the better.
Dental Insurance
Dental check ups, teeth cleaning, root canals, tooth extractions and teeth fillings are some of the dental care and treatments that one needs to go through at one point in our life. It could be monthly, quarterly or even annually depending on the kind of care and treatment needed. The dental care and treatment mentioned are very expensive now days but one cannot disregard the fact that we need this to take good care of out dental requirements and problems. A solution to this dilemma is to have a dental insurance that will cover the cost of your dental needs but it has to be reasonably priced and at the same time it has the benefits that you really need. Finding the perfect dental insurance for your needs and requirements is not easy thing to do. Decision will have to be based on careful evaluation of your needs and wide-range of research dental insurance plan.
The first step is to study and find out what might be your dental requirements. Are you the type of person who have big dental problems and will probably need to consult a dentist often than normal, or are you the kind who just needs check ups and maintenance from time to time. If you are on the first group then what you need is a comprehensive dental plan since, this kind of plan covers the entire cost of major dental treatments. Although, you have to bear in mind that a comprehensive dental plan would also command a higher premium rate. But on the other hand, if you do not really need more than the normal dental care you could opt for just a maintenance dental plan. It has much lower premium rates than the comprehensive dental plan. Always compare one dental insurance company from another in order to find the cheapest rate with the right dental care policy without having to sacrifice the services and benefits you would get in return.
There are different kinds of dental insurance plan being offered, the indemnity plan, self-insurance plan, closed panel plan, capitation plan, preferred provider organization, direct reimbursement plan, dental care service plan. Indemnity dental insurance plan is a fee for service plan and you are allowed to choose your own dentist. It has co-payment options and an annual limit on the coverage of dental spending and dental procedures Self-insurance plan has similarities to indemnity plan but the distinct difference is. You cannot choose your own dentist. Closed panel plan has limited used of facilities and the number of dentist available to you. Preferred Provider Organization is also limited to a group of dentists who are available to provide dental care at a lower cost.
Direct Reimbursement Plan allows the employer to directly reimburse their employees for dental care and services they received. Lastly, Dental Care Service Plan uses a group of dentist who forms a non-profit organization to provide dental care and services at fixed fees.
There are many options available to you that are suited to your needs and requirements. All you need to do is find the right one by asking people who are knowledgeable in this field, or searching in the internet. You can even ask the advice of you dentist. He might be able to give you some sound advice regarding dental insurance plan.