Every year, millions of people make New Year’s resolutions, vowing to better their health. At the top of the list, along with eating better and losing weight, is to exercise more. So, we run out and join a gym. We buy exercise equipment. We throw ourselves into a teeth gritting, punishing workout regime, determined to get the body we want.
Nutrition and Joyful Movement
All of us want to be able to move our bodies freely. We know that exercise is crucial to our long term health, but many of us struggle to stick with it. We long to be able to exercise in a way that makes us enjoy the experience, rather than seeing it as a punishment.
Part of the problem lies with poor nutrition. When our bodies don’t have the proper nutrition it makes our workouts unenjoyable, even painful, for very little reward. Additionally, the timing of your workouts and nutrition is another consideration that many do not take into concern. When not taking these factors into account, and ensuring proper nutrients, your efforts in the gym may only result in tearing down muscle without giving it the nutrients to build back up.
Personal Training
Making regular exercise a joyful movement is also about knowing what exercises work for your body. And ensuring that you are helping your body versus harming it. That is why we appreciate the skilled personal trainers at Body Worx.
Body Worx includes body structural analysis to help avoid injuries and unnecessary pain. An exercise that is beneficial for one person may be overly stressful or even harmful for another. They create an exercise plan that works with the body rather than against it. Body Worx also understands the power of nutrition and will work with you to maintain your healthy food regimen.
It is never too late to give yourself the gift of health. Find those people and organizations that will empower your healthy choices and offer you the best chance of success. The teams at The Better Weigh and Body Worx are here to support your journey to optimal health!
We work with many bodybuilders at The Better Weigh. What bodybuilders have learned, that the casual or impulsive gym goer hasn’t, is that building and toning muscle is more than just exercise. It is also about nutrition.
Macro Codes for Bodybuilding
At The Better Weigh we assist our bodybuilding clients in knowing their weight loss, weight maintenance and muscle building macro codes. Macro is short for macro nutrients. Macros are the ratio of proteins, carbs and fats a person needs to lose weight, maintain weight or build muscle. It is also very specific to each individual person.
Instead of simply counting calories, macro codes help you understand where your calories are coming from. They also help you understand that not all calories are the same and each has a different effect on the body.
If we don’t get the proper nutrition, we will not see the results we want to see with our workouts. We are breaking down our muscles but not taking the necessary steps to build them back up. The body that we want to see from all of our hard work is not happening.
Downside of Macro Counting
Without guidance, you could meet your macro code goals without ever having to touch a single vegetable. That’s right! You could be a macro counter and still have an unhealthy diet. This nutrition imbalance will hamper your workout regimen and potentially lead to injury.
With our bodybuilding clients, we go a step beyond macros to evaluate and establish the right nutrition for your body and your fitness goals.
But, tracking my food is a pain!
One of the most common frustrations we have heard about with macro codes is that people do not want to spend the rest of their life tracking foods, especially with a grueling workout schedule.
Macros eating can seem overwhelming. The Better Weigh makes eating the proper nutrition for your body and your exercise needs second nature. We teach you how to make your nutrition into a lifestyle, a habit that lasts a lifetime.
The Better Weigh also assists clients in timing meals for optimal muscle growth. We ensure that they get the proper nutrients within their anabolic window to repair the muscles that were broken down in the workout. Once our clients start seeing the results, they never want to go back to their old habits.
These 4 Food Ideas Will Help You Eat Healthy At Work.
For many individuals, attempting to reduce weight breakfast and dinner are the easier meals to plan for. Lunch is the real obstacle. You wish to be able to take something portable, quick, and easy to eat at your desk. Portable and fast typically implies a journey through the drive-through. It ís difficult to eat a healthy lunch if you’re going out all the time. The better solution is to load your lunch. Here are a few simple dishes and ideas that will satisfy all of your requirements. They’re healthy, simple, portable, and fast. Variations on Tuna Salad, tuna is low-cost. It is also helpful for you and you can prepare a tuna salad ahead of time. You can also replace salmon or chicken if you do not like tuna. Try consisting of the following ingredients or produce your own dish.
* 1 6-ounce can portion light tuna packed in water * 1/2 15-ounce can of little white beans, such as cannellini or excellent northern, rinsed * 5 cherry tomatoes, quartered * 2 scallions, cut and sliced * 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil * 1 tablespoon lemon juice * Salt and pepper to taste.
You can easily double this dish to make sufficient for 2 days. Serve it on blended greens or on an entire wheat pita. Change it up and replace the tomatoes and scallions with olives and sliced artichoke hearts.
The Joy of Sandwiches
When most people make a sandwich it’s a piece of meat like ham, a slice of cheese, and a bit of mayo or mustard. Boring! Switch it up. Get innovative. For example, attempt avocado, tomato, and lettuce on whole wheat bread. Add a piece or more of turkey if you desire a little lean protein on your sandwich. And there ís absolutely nothing incorrect with a little light mayo.
It’s low in calories and fat.
Bento Box Style
A conventional bento box has rice, meat, and a veggie. It’s a perfectly balanced meal. You can welcome this Japanese lunch box style of a meal with your own analysis. For instance, hummus, sliced carrots and celery, and a chicken breast.
Soup
Soup is one of those things you can make in your home on the weekend. You can freeze some of it in little lunch sized containers and take it to work. A fast heat up in the microwave and your lunch is prepared to go. Add a side of whole wheat crackers or bread and you have an extremely rewarding lunch. Try bean soups and vegetable soups for optimum nutrition. Lunch doesn’t have to be fattening and it does not have to be dull. A little imagination and you can make a healthy lunch that makes your colleagues green with envy.
As you can see, there are great deals of options to keep you healthy, satisfied, and efficient at work. A balanced lunch can make all the difference.
Are you Still Following your New Year’s Resolutions
One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to lower weight and get in shape. Nevertheless, within a few weeks, a frustrating bulk of individuals are right back where they started eating foods that aren’t healthy and not exercising. So why do so many individuals start with excellent intents and quit working? Many individuals focus on short-term objectives and satisfaction concepts. They wish to reduce weight but aren’t devoted to making the way of life adjustments necessary to lead a much healthier life. Let’s be genuine that chocolate-covered doughnut with sprays definitely tastes far better than a bowl of oatmeal, and who would not want to consume something that tastes better. The fact is unless you are training for an athletic event it’s okay to have a chocolate doughnut from time to time. The trick is not to have a chocolate doughnut every morning. Comprehend that there are some foods that just aren’t healthy and you require to only be consuming them on a minimal basis and in small amounts.
The 2nd part of getting in shape and slimming down is a workout. Once once again individuals start with the very best intents I’m going to run 5 miles every day. However if you have not run a mile in more years than you care to confess, this is a dish for failure. Set moderate and obtainable goals by yourself. Initially, start by strolling one mile. After a couple of weeks start strolling for 2 miles, then 3. When you can conveniently stroll the 5 miles, begin walking four and a half miles and run for a half mile. Maintain adding to the length you run and deducting from the length you stroll. It may take 6 months or more for you to get to that phase, which’s ok. It’s unimportant that you succeed quickly, simply that you prosper. Among the most significant factors individuals give up weight-loss resolutions is temporary defeat.
Insulin resistance is a growing epidemic – it is estimated to affect 40% of American adults between the ages of 18-44. In addition, a third of people in the U.S. have prediabetes. Insulin resistance happens when the cells in your body become less responsive to insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas, which regulates blood sugar levels. As a result, the cells can’t take in enough glucose for energy, and insulin builds up in the body. Blood sugar levels also increase. Insulin resistance can lead to a range of health concerns, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic inflammation and heart disease. In this blog post, we’ll explore the signs and symptoms of insulin resistance, as well as some nutrition tips to help manage it.
Signs and Symptoms
Insulin resistance often develops slowly, so it can be hard to notice in its early stages. The symptoms can be vague and similar to other conditions. However, some common signs and symptoms to watch for include:
Hunger and cravings: Insulin resistance can cause your body to crave sweet and starchy foods because the cells are unable to take in adequate glucose, leading to overeating and weight gain.
Weight gain: One possible cause of insulin resistance is excess body fat, which can be perpetuated by insulin resistance. Insulin resistance often leads to excess belly fat, which increases the risk of heart disease and other health complications.
Fatigue: High blood sugar levels can cause fatigue and sluggishness, making it difficult to stay active and alert. You may notice fatigue especially after eating meals.
Hormonal imbalance: Insulin resistance can affect the balance of hormones in your body, leading to irregular periods, infertility, and other reproductive health concerns.
Skin tags: some people develop small skin growths as a result of this condition.
Testing for insulin resistance
The most accurate insulin resistance test, the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique, is very rarely administered by a primary care provider. This test is mainly utilized only for research purposes. A fasting blood glucose test, an A1C (average blood glucose over the span of 3 months), or an oral glucose tolerance test can also be indicative of blood sugar concerns.
Nutrition Tips
A healthy diet is crucial for managing insulin resistance. Here are some nutrition tips to help regulate your blood sugar levels:
Focus on fiber: Aim to incorporate plenty of high-fiber foods, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, into your diet. Fiber slows down the absorption of glucose into your bloodstream, which can help prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.
Choose healthy fats: Consuming unsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds, can help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation in the body.
Limit refined carbohydrates: Processed and refined carbohydrates, like white bread, pasta, and sugary snacks, can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels and contribute to insulin resistance. These are considered high glycemic index foods – in other words, these foods have a large impact on blood sugar. Aim to choose whole grain options instead, which are lower glycemic index.
While this is a great guide, if you feel that you need a more personalized approach for your unique body, including specific foods and amounts to eat, contact us today!
Other Lifestyle Changes
In addition to nutrition, there are other lifestyle changes that can help manage insulin resistance. Here are a few to consider:
Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity, like walking, can help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other health complications.
Manage stress: We’re all stressed out in today’s world, but it is a major contributor to insulin resistance and other health concerns. It’s essential to find ways to manage stress, like meditation or yoga, can help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation.
Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can affect insulin sensitivity and increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night to support overall health and wellness.
Conclusion
Insulin resistance is a complex condition that requires ongoing management. By making healthy nutrition choices, adopting other lifestyle changes, and seeking appropriate care, those with insulin resistance can minimize their risk of developing serious health complications.
If you think you have insulin resistance, we can help! Reach out to us today to schedule a free discovery call.
