Those who watch me train my clients think I am crazy! :)~ This is mainly because they often see me pushing the people I train VERY hard. Over the past 4 1/2 years since I have been training, I have had clients cry, refuse to do what I tell them and walk out on me, throw up and nearly pass out while I have trained them. I am telling you this, not to brag (well, okay maybe a little:) but primarily because this level of intensity is often needed to create the kinds of changes many people dream about. This does not mean that EVERY time you workout you need to try to kill yourself. However, having periods of testing yourself to see just how far you can really go, makes a HUGE difference to your body's ability to create changes.
Physical change only occurs in our body when we put it through something that it is not used to. After working in a gym for nearly 5 years, I have seen quite a lot of people come in and do their "routine" expecting their body to change. I am sure that many of you know the definition of insanity, but just in case here is a refresher: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result" - Albert Einstein. Unfortunately workout "routines", by Albert's definition, are crazy to follow! Of course, Mr. Einstein's definition of insanity completely negates all accusations of me being crazy, since I am putting my client's bodies through some serious change! :)
Our bodies are constantly trying to be a in a state of homeostasis. This means our body is always trying to be the same. God made our bodies this way to actually help us. Before the days of convenience, we actually had to go out and kill our food and drag it home and eat it. Sometimes, the food we wanted to catch wouldn't always make itself available. Thankfully, because our bodies are not constantly changing (because they are in a state of homeostasis), we would be able to live a day or 2 or even a week or 2 without dieing off if nourishment wasn't available. In addition to that, it would have been very smart to eat more than was probably needed back in those days to help build up more bodyfat. The extra fat that was stored would help you survive during the leaner times.
Unfortunately however, we are no longer a people of hunters and gatherers. We have very convenient lives of microwaves and pre-killed animals! :) We usually don't go out and kill our food anymore and most people tend to expend very little energy during their workdays. So, it is now both easier to store bodyfat (because most people are less active) and get food (thanks to grocery stores, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants). In order to fight our body's ability to stay the same, we really need to step up the intensity!
So, what level of intensity is necessary to see change? The only way to know the answer to this question is for you to track your workouts. By keeping track of what you currently can do with your weight training and cardiovascular exercises, you can give yourself new target goals to shoot for. For example, if the last time you did a bench press with dumbbells you were able to bench press 65lbs 8 times, the next time you did a bench press, you might want to set a goal to bench press 65lbs 10 or 12 times or even try to do 70lbs for at least 6 repetitions. After you do that, you should try to set another goal to either increase the weight again or increase the repetitions. Another example could be with running. If the last time you ran, you ran for 3 miles, the next time you plan to run, try to go for 3.5miles or even 4miles. Or, try to see if you can beat the time that you ran your last 3 mile run. It's progression that determines if your body makes progress! In order to see this progression, you have to push yourself beyond what you are comfortable doing.
Many times, in order to really see how far your body can go, you need the help of someone else. A motivated friend or trainer can really help boost how hard your workouts can be. If you workout regularly, you may have had a few workouts with a motivated friend (someone who actually wanted to workout:) and your workout hit higher highs. The reason is because competition and energy. Having someone else there who is motivated helps give you energy. Just as Newton stated in his First Law of Motion: "...Any object in motion tends to stay in motion". Stick with people who tend to "stay in motion" and your body will follow suit. Also, if you are a bit competitive, you will get more motivation out of having someone else there to push you then working out alone.
When you get beyond your own self-imposed limitations of what you think is possible, and believe that your body is capable of overcoming whatever you can dish out, you will then see the progress you have been hoping for. Set aside some time to see just how much you truly can take. How far can you run if you really set your heart, mind and soul into it? What kind of weight can you lift if you stopped believing you were not strong enough? I pray God will show you this week at least a glimpse of what you are truly capable of accomplishing. Remember: "...with God, all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 NIV)
To see an example of what is possible with God, by cranking up the intensity and really pushing it, watch this video (I would imagine, many of you have already seen it):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF9wm-Hbh54
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Accountability
Staying on track is tough! Just as Jesus writes "...the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult..." (Mathew 7:14 NLT), we all naturally have a difficult time accomplishing the tasks that will make us better. It is often too easy to put aside proper dieting, exercise and tracking for a later time or another day. This is especially true if there is no one else to keep you accountable to your goals except for yourself.
Accountability with your health goals is the number one way to dramatically increase your odds of success! Regardless of how much you know about diet and exercise, it always comes down to just doing it. Accomplishing the tasks of exercise and tracking your diet becomes a higher priority when you know that there is someone else to answer to if you don't do these things.
I think we all agree that when we were in school, if a teacher told us that there was going to be a test in the next week, we all might at least think about studying or reviewing a little bit more if we wanted to do well in that class. Well, diet and exercise is exactly the same. When you have someone to hold you accountable to your goals, you will want to be well prepared by making sure you exercise the way you are supposed to and keep track of your diet to show him/her how well you are staying on track!
Having an accountability partner or trainer is a great way to make sure you achieve the results you are looking for. When I prepared for the previous bodybuilding competitions that I competed in, I met with a very knowledgeable trainer to make sure I was on track to be in the best condition possible. Even though I am a personal trainer already, I realized that if I wanted to be in the best condition, I needed someone to hold me true to my goals. In addition to that, meeting with her allowed me to relax about the whole process and just do what she recommended and not worry about if I was doing the right amount of work or eating too many or too few calories. I just did what she said and I got results. In most cases, when you place your trust in someone who has the expertise that you are looking for and you do exactly what he or she says, you won't have to stress about the results either, it will just come.
When you are searching for an accountability partner/trainer, make sure he/she is very honest and not afraid to hurt your feelings. In order to get the results that you are looking for, it usually takes honest dialogue, and quite often the truth hurts. If you think your best friend or spouse is going to be a good accountability partner for you, you are more than likely setting yourself up for failure! These people will typically not give you the honest criticism that you need to be successful. You also may not feel like you can tell him/her everything because sometimes there are situations that involve this person (i.e. spouse wants you to eat ice cream late at night with him/her before you both go to bed). When you deeply care about someone, it is very hard to be as upfront and blunt about what you need to do to change. It is really best to find someone that is pretty impartial to your living situation and can tell you the truth whether you want to hear it or not.
Hiring a personal trainer is one way to make sure you stay on track to meet your goals. Having a personal trainer used to be only exclusive to the rich. However, these days personal training has become very affordable. For anywhere between $40-$75 for a session, it's not a bad option to consider. Many people pay much more than that in doctor's visits, co-pays and pharmacy transactions. By meeting with a trainer once each month, you can make sure you stay on track with your goals, improve your health and more than likely decrease your other medical expenses.
When looking for a personal trainer, look for one who has the background and experience you are interested in (i.e. pilates instructor for someone interested in learning pilates or a trainer that has done bodybuilding competitions to learn about bodybuilding). Also, look to see how long he/she has been training and what types of results/testimonies he/she can produce. In addition to that, credentials can also be an (but should not be the most) important aspect. Look to see for specific health related degrees (kinesiology, exercise science, phys ed, nutrition, etc) and personal trainer certifications. There are currently three big name certifications that are nationally recognized by all gyms: NASM, NSCA and ACE. If a trainer has at least one of these three, this means that he/she has passed a nationally accredited exam that demonstrates that he/she knows the important aspects about how to effectively train individuals. However, I want to remind everyone that book knowledge does not always mean he or she is "effective". Effectiveness is best determined by experience and testimonials. If you have a friend that recommends a certain trainer, I would listen to him or her. Usually the best trainers are the ones most often talked about (or complained about ;-)
If you are interested in finding out how a personal trainer can really help you achieve your goals, please let me know.
"Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:14 (New King James Version)
Accountability with your health goals is the number one way to dramatically increase your odds of success! Regardless of how much you know about diet and exercise, it always comes down to just doing it. Accomplishing the tasks of exercise and tracking your diet becomes a higher priority when you know that there is someone else to answer to if you don't do these things.
I think we all agree that when we were in school, if a teacher told us that there was going to be a test in the next week, we all might at least think about studying or reviewing a little bit more if we wanted to do well in that class. Well, diet and exercise is exactly the same. When you have someone to hold you accountable to your goals, you will want to be well prepared by making sure you exercise the way you are supposed to and keep track of your diet to show him/her how well you are staying on track!
Having an accountability partner or trainer is a great way to make sure you achieve the results you are looking for. When I prepared for the previous bodybuilding competitions that I competed in, I met with a very knowledgeable trainer to make sure I was on track to be in the best condition possible. Even though I am a personal trainer already, I realized that if I wanted to be in the best condition, I needed someone to hold me true to my goals. In addition to that, meeting with her allowed me to relax about the whole process and just do what she recommended and not worry about if I was doing the right amount of work or eating too many or too few calories. I just did what she said and I got results. In most cases, when you place your trust in someone who has the expertise that you are looking for and you do exactly what he or she says, you won't have to stress about the results either, it will just come.
When you are searching for an accountability partner/trainer, make sure he/she is very honest and not afraid to hurt your feelings. In order to get the results that you are looking for, it usually takes honest dialogue, and quite often the truth hurts. If you think your best friend or spouse is going to be a good accountability partner for you, you are more than likely setting yourself up for failure! These people will typically not give you the honest criticism that you need to be successful. You also may not feel like you can tell him/her everything because sometimes there are situations that involve this person (i.e. spouse wants you to eat ice cream late at night with him/her before you both go to bed). When you deeply care about someone, it is very hard to be as upfront and blunt about what you need to do to change. It is really best to find someone that is pretty impartial to your living situation and can tell you the truth whether you want to hear it or not.
Hiring a personal trainer is one way to make sure you stay on track to meet your goals. Having a personal trainer used to be only exclusive to the rich. However, these days personal training has become very affordable. For anywhere between $40-$75 for a session, it's not a bad option to consider. Many people pay much more than that in doctor's visits, co-pays and pharmacy transactions. By meeting with a trainer once each month, you can make sure you stay on track with your goals, improve your health and more than likely decrease your other medical expenses.
When looking for a personal trainer, look for one who has the background and experience you are interested in (i.e. pilates instructor for someone interested in learning pilates or a trainer that has done bodybuilding competitions to learn about bodybuilding). Also, look to see how long he/she has been training and what types of results/testimonies he/she can produce. In addition to that, credentials can also be an (but should not be the most) important aspect. Look to see for specific health related degrees (kinesiology, exercise science, phys ed, nutrition, etc) and personal trainer certifications. There are currently three big name certifications that are nationally recognized by all gyms: NASM, NSCA and ACE. If a trainer has at least one of these three, this means that he/she has passed a nationally accredited exam that demonstrates that he/she knows the important aspects about how to effectively train individuals. However, I want to remind everyone that book knowledge does not always mean he or she is "effective". Effectiveness is best determined by experience and testimonials. If you have a friend that recommends a certain trainer, I would listen to him or her. Usually the best trainers are the ones most often talked about (or complained about ;-)
If you are interested in finding out how a personal trainer can really help you achieve your goals, please let me know.
"Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:14 (New King James Version)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Making Your Metabolism Work for You
For some people who really struggle with weight loss, one of the best things to do is to focus on raising your metabolism. We all have a set metabolic rate, this is the rate at which our body naturally burns calories without us doing anything (often referred to as "BMR" [Basal Metabolic Rate]). If you have an active metabolism, a struggle for you may be to keep weight on. However, I don't train too many women who have this "problem". High BMRs are usually seen with men. Women most often look to lose weight and sometimes struggle to see results. If you are uncertain about your need to increase your metabolism to help you lose weight (more specifically body fat), here are some ways to be sure this is what you need to do:
1) No matter how much you exercise, the scale doesn't move
2) Regardless of how little you eat, you don't lose weight
3) After monitoring your calories and exercise for 3-4 weeks, you notice that you need to bring your caloric intake to a very low level (1000 calories or below) to start to see weight loss
If these conditions sound too familiar to you, then focusing on raising your metabolism may be the best option for you on your weight loss journey.
"So, How Do I Do It?"
If you took note of what I stated in the first paragraph that most men typically have higher metabolisms than women, there is a good reason for that. One of the biggest physical differences between men and women is the amount of muscle that is on our bodies. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate. Your BMR and your muscle are directly linked to each other. The more muscle you have, the more you need to eat to keep that muscle on your body. Muscle will burn up stored body fat to keep itself on your body. One of the best aspects about muscle is that it only takes up about 1/4 of the space that fat does. So, if you focused on building muscle, you wouldn't necessarily become "huge" (like most women are afraid of), your body circumferences would actually decrease. For example, if there were 2 women standing side by side who both had identical heights and they both weighed 150lbs each, but one had a body fat percentage of 30% and the other had a BF% of 15%, the lady with 15% body fat would be noticeably "skinnier". Her clothes would all be significantly smaller and she would look like she weighed about 15-20lbs lighter than the other lady who had a BF% of 30%. In some ways, that is true. The woman who has a BF% of 30% has 22lbs more body fat than the woman who has a BF% of only 15%. Most people who have a goal of "weight loss" really have a goal of losing body fat.
So, in order to gain muscle, you need to focus on the activities and diet plans that would be helpful in gaining lean weight. This involves a good weight training plan coupled with a diet rich in protein and adequate calories. Now, for you women who are telling yourself "I really don't want to bulk up and look like a guy", don't worry. It is so difficult for a woman to end up looking like a guy, that even if you tried hard, you would still need to take steroids in order to come close. God made us different and weight training will not change that! :)
If you are currently not following a weight training plan, I would recommend following a plan that involves 3 days of weight training (maybe Mon, Wed, Fri) splitting upper body and lower body muscle groups to allow adequate time to recover from your workouts.
If you have already been following an upper/lower body split for some time, consider splitting the body parts up even more to push/pull muscle groups. This means couple body parts that help you "push" like chest muscles with shoulders and triceps muscles (the back of your arms). "Pull" muscle groups will be back and biceps (top of your arms). Then you may want to have a separate day for legs. I would recommend having 4 days each week to weight train and rotate the 3 workouts. For example, if you wanted to workout on Mon, Tue, Thur and Fri. Your schedule might look like Mon-Push muscles, Tue-Legs, Thur-Pull muscles, Fri-Push muscles and the following week Mon would start with Legs. This would allow your body plenty of recovery time between workouts. If you are interested in what types of exercises to consider, please refer to the blog I posted a few weeks back "Resistance Training for Women."
In regards to what your diet should look like, you want to make sure that you are meeting your body's needs calorically and giving your body extra protein to use for muscle building. Your body is going to have a very hard time building muscle if you are keeping it in a calorie deficient state. So, "meeting your needs" will be determining what your BMR is and then adding an estimated activity load. For example, if you know that your BMR is roughly 1400 calories (this is typical for a woman who is average height, age 40 and about 150lbs). You would then want to add enough calories to cover all of the activity that you do. For example, if you do weight training 3 days each week plus 3-5 days of cardiovascular exercise, you may want to add approx 300 calories for the cardio that you do and an additional 200 for the weight training. This would bring your calories to approximately 1900 calories each day. In addition to these amount of calories, you should try to consume approximately 1gram of protein/lb of body weight. This will give your body more than enough protein to help develop muscle and also give you a little extra. The little extra will actually help burn more calories than consuming other foods, because protein has a high "thermic effect" which means it burns up a lot of calories as you consume it. Make sure to drink plenty of water with this plan to help get rid of built up protein (10-12 cups should do). By eating this much, your weight should stay roughly the same, but if you continue to do the exercises as we discussed, your body fat should decrease.
In some ways, it may appear that you have to take a couple steps backwards to go forwards. However, your body will thank you. Many people who have struggled with weight loss for years may have been doing more damage than good with their weight loss efforts. As you continue to restrict calories, you increase the likelihood of burning off muscle. When you burn off muscle, you lower your metabolic rate. Then, when you begin to eat what you normally did before you started to diet, your body stores even more bodyfat than it did before. This is the dieting "yo-yo effect". It's much better to destroy the yo-yo with weight training and muscle growth! Use your metabolism to your advantage instead of trying to work against it. By doing the activities that help your muscles grow, you can really start to decrease body fat.
If you are interested in finding out how many calories and grams of protein that you need to follow this program, please let me know.
"From whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." Ephesians 4:16 (New American Standard Bible)
1) No matter how much you exercise, the scale doesn't move
2) Regardless of how little you eat, you don't lose weight
3) After monitoring your calories and exercise for 3-4 weeks, you notice that you need to bring your caloric intake to a very low level (1000 calories or below) to start to see weight loss
If these conditions sound too familiar to you, then focusing on raising your metabolism may be the best option for you on your weight loss journey.
"So, How Do I Do It?"
If you took note of what I stated in the first paragraph that most men typically have higher metabolisms than women, there is a good reason for that. One of the biggest physical differences between men and women is the amount of muscle that is on our bodies. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate. Your BMR and your muscle are directly linked to each other. The more muscle you have, the more you need to eat to keep that muscle on your body. Muscle will burn up stored body fat to keep itself on your body. One of the best aspects about muscle is that it only takes up about 1/4 of the space that fat does. So, if you focused on building muscle, you wouldn't necessarily become "huge" (like most women are afraid of), your body circumferences would actually decrease. For example, if there were 2 women standing side by side who both had identical heights and they both weighed 150lbs each, but one had a body fat percentage of 30% and the other had a BF% of 15%, the lady with 15% body fat would be noticeably "skinnier". Her clothes would all be significantly smaller and she would look like she weighed about 15-20lbs lighter than the other lady who had a BF% of 30%. In some ways, that is true. The woman who has a BF% of 30% has 22lbs more body fat than the woman who has a BF% of only 15%. Most people who have a goal of "weight loss" really have a goal of losing body fat.
So, in order to gain muscle, you need to focus on the activities and diet plans that would be helpful in gaining lean weight. This involves a good weight training plan coupled with a diet rich in protein and adequate calories. Now, for you women who are telling yourself "I really don't want to bulk up and look like a guy", don't worry. It is so difficult for a woman to end up looking like a guy, that even if you tried hard, you would still need to take steroids in order to come close. God made us different and weight training will not change that! :)
If you are currently not following a weight training plan, I would recommend following a plan that involves 3 days of weight training (maybe Mon, Wed, Fri) splitting upper body and lower body muscle groups to allow adequate time to recover from your workouts.
If you have already been following an upper/lower body split for some time, consider splitting the body parts up even more to push/pull muscle groups. This means couple body parts that help you "push" like chest muscles with shoulders and triceps muscles (the back of your arms). "Pull" muscle groups will be back and biceps (top of your arms). Then you may want to have a separate day for legs. I would recommend having 4 days each week to weight train and rotate the 3 workouts. For example, if you wanted to workout on Mon, Tue, Thur and Fri. Your schedule might look like Mon-Push muscles, Tue-Legs, Thur-Pull muscles, Fri-Push muscles and the following week Mon would start with Legs. This would allow your body plenty of recovery time between workouts. If you are interested in what types of exercises to consider, please refer to the blog I posted a few weeks back "Resistance Training for Women."
In regards to what your diet should look like, you want to make sure that you are meeting your body's needs calorically and giving your body extra protein to use for muscle building. Your body is going to have a very hard time building muscle if you are keeping it in a calorie deficient state. So, "meeting your needs" will be determining what your BMR is and then adding an estimated activity load. For example, if you know that your BMR is roughly 1400 calories (this is typical for a woman who is average height, age 40 and about 150lbs). You would then want to add enough calories to cover all of the activity that you do. For example, if you do weight training 3 days each week plus 3-5 days of cardiovascular exercise, you may want to add approx 300 calories for the cardio that you do and an additional 200 for the weight training. This would bring your calories to approximately 1900 calories each day. In addition to these amount of calories, you should try to consume approximately 1gram of protein/lb of body weight. This will give your body more than enough protein to help develop muscle and also give you a little extra. The little extra will actually help burn more calories than consuming other foods, because protein has a high "thermic effect" which means it burns up a lot of calories as you consume it. Make sure to drink plenty of water with this plan to help get rid of built up protein (10-12 cups should do). By eating this much, your weight should stay roughly the same, but if you continue to do the exercises as we discussed, your body fat should decrease.
In some ways, it may appear that you have to take a couple steps backwards to go forwards. However, your body will thank you. Many people who have struggled with weight loss for years may have been doing more damage than good with their weight loss efforts. As you continue to restrict calories, you increase the likelihood of burning off muscle. When you burn off muscle, you lower your metabolic rate. Then, when you begin to eat what you normally did before you started to diet, your body stores even more bodyfat than it did before. This is the dieting "yo-yo effect". It's much better to destroy the yo-yo with weight training and muscle growth! Use your metabolism to your advantage instead of trying to work against it. By doing the activities that help your muscles grow, you can really start to decrease body fat.
If you are interested in finding out how many calories and grams of protein that you need to follow this program, please let me know.
"From whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." Ephesians 4:16 (New American Standard Bible)
Monday, April 6, 2009
Supplements
The world of supplements can be a very confusing and potentially harmful arena. Before you consider taking any type of supplement, it is very important that you check with your physician about any potential harm that it may cause.
I know after yesterday's testimony, many of you have been asking me questions about the supplements I have been selling. So, this is a good opportunity to address a lot of the reacurring questions and concerns I have been asked.
First of all, let's take a look at what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says about supplements:
"FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering "conventional" foods and drug products (prescription and Over-the-Counter). Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.* Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading.
FDA's post-marketing responsibilities include monitoring safety, e.g. voluntary dietary supplement adverse event reporting, and product information, such as labeling, claims, package inserts, and accompanying literature. The Federal Trade Commission regulates dietary supplement advertising." http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html
So, as we see here, the regulation of supplements really occurs after they hit the market. Basically, if someone uses the product and is seriously injured or dies, than they will pull the product from the shelf. This is why it is very important that you speak with your doctor about any supplement use at all (and this includes vitamins).
There are many, many types of supplements. Here is just an example of a few popular types:
Fat burners
Weight Gainers
Vitamins/Minerals
Meal Replacements
"Fat Burners" tend to be a supplement that has a lot of caffeine added to it (usually the equivalent of 2 cups of coffee/serving) to help suppress your appetite and increase your metabolism (by burning more calories due to all the extra caffeine in your body). The major drawback to this is the dependency on caffeine that you will have if you try to get off of this product.
"Weight Gainers" are often used by guys (although I know of some women who have had practical uses for it) to gain extra size. These supplements are often made as milkshakes and used to increase the total amount of calories and protein in your diet to help build muscle.
Vitamins/Minerals are often consumed by most people. A daily multivitamin can often be looked at by many physicians as a way to give your body a little "insurance" to make sure you are giving your body everything it needs in a day. The down side to vitamins as a supplement is that you can overconsume some of these vitamins if you are taking more than you need. Be aware of the fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K and make sure you get what your body needs but generally not too much more because if your build up too much of these vitamins, than your body will have a hard time getting rid of it. The water soluble vitamins: C and all of the B's (includes Niacin, Thiamin and Folate) should not be a major concern in overdosing, however it is important to drink plenty of water to make sure you don't dehydrate yourself. If you consume more than the RDA of the water soluble vitamins, your body will more than likely compensate by making your feel thirsty so you drink plenty of fluids to help wash down the higher levels of vitamins.
Meal replacements are designed to hopefully make your life a bit more convenient. It's a good idea to eat small meals more often throughout the day to help keep your body satisfied and keep your energy levels up and increase your metabolism. However, sometimes life just is way too hectic and busy to cook up 4-6 meals containing chicken breast, rice and salad. A meal replacement bar or shake may make sense to a number of folks who lead busy lives and still want to follow a balanced diet. The downside to these are every product is different and you need to read the label carefully to make sure you are giving your body what it needs. Many meal replacements contain unnecessary amounts of sugar and saturated fat and are usually low in fiber and protein.
My main focus is with meal replacements and sometimes a little bit of vitamins. A meal replacement bar or shake tends to make life a bit easier for people. It often makes sense to a lot of people to pick up a meal replacement bar because they tend to lead busy lives. It is a great way to keep your hunger satisfied and if selected correctly can provide you with quality protein.
As for vitamins, there are 2 types that I may consider for the general public (at least for where we live) in addition to a multi-vitamin. The first one is a fish oil supplement. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids that our body uses to help reduce our risk for heart disease. It is also used in helping to develop brain function in children and some studies have shown that cognitive ability increases in adults with fish oil supplementation as well.
The other supplement I would generally recommend here in New Hampshire is taking a little more vitamin D. Vitamin D is usually produced in our bodies through sunlight. During the winter months (and early spring/late fall) many of us don't tend to get the required amounts of vitamin D to help our bodies. 3 days each week for 15 minutes with both our arms and legs exposed (without any sunblock) is what our body needs to produce enough vitamin D to help our body. Vitamin D is necessary in helping to prevent bone degenerating diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets in the younger populations. Also, many recent studies have shown that vitamin D plays critical roles in helping to prevent many types of cancers like both breast and prostate. In addition to this, many scientists also believe that Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is often due to a lack of vitamin D and that's why most of the occurances of this disease are in the upper parts of the northern hemisphere. A little extra vitamin D in these locations (like where we are) is usually helpful (but please make sure to check with your doctor first).
I have been selling supplements through Nutrilite. The creator of this company is actually the founder of the multivitamin and really the birth of the supplement industry. It's the oldest supplement company dating back to the 1920's.
All of their products are organically grown and produced on their own farms, free from pesticides and other harsh chemicals. All of their products are also WADA (World Anti-Doping Association)compliant, which is a rarity among supplement companies. This product line is exclusive so if you are interested in Nutrilite supplements, you need to contact a Nutrilite distributor, it's not sold in stores. If interested, check out their website: http://www.nutrilite.com/
If you are interested in seeing what I have available, please check out my website at: http://jarnold11.qhealthzone.com/
Let me know if you have any questions, you can either respond to this post or email me: jonathanearnold@gmail.com
Thank you
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 (New International Version)
I know after yesterday's testimony, many of you have been asking me questions about the supplements I have been selling. So, this is a good opportunity to address a lot of the reacurring questions and concerns I have been asked.
First of all, let's take a look at what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says about supplements:
"FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering "conventional" foods and drug products (prescription and Over-the-Counter). Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.* Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading.
FDA's post-marketing responsibilities include monitoring safety, e.g. voluntary dietary supplement adverse event reporting, and product information, such as labeling, claims, package inserts, and accompanying literature. The Federal Trade Commission regulates dietary supplement advertising." http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html
So, as we see here, the regulation of supplements really occurs after they hit the market. Basically, if someone uses the product and is seriously injured or dies, than they will pull the product from the shelf. This is why it is very important that you speak with your doctor about any supplement use at all (and this includes vitamins).
There are many, many types of supplements. Here is just an example of a few popular types:
Fat burners
Weight Gainers
Vitamins/Minerals
Meal Replacements
"Fat Burners" tend to be a supplement that has a lot of caffeine added to it (usually the equivalent of 2 cups of coffee/serving) to help suppress your appetite and increase your metabolism (by burning more calories due to all the extra caffeine in your body). The major drawback to this is the dependency on caffeine that you will have if you try to get off of this product.
"Weight Gainers" are often used by guys (although I know of some women who have had practical uses for it) to gain extra size. These supplements are often made as milkshakes and used to increase the total amount of calories and protein in your diet to help build muscle.
Vitamins/Minerals are often consumed by most people. A daily multivitamin can often be looked at by many physicians as a way to give your body a little "insurance" to make sure you are giving your body everything it needs in a day. The down side to vitamins as a supplement is that you can overconsume some of these vitamins if you are taking more than you need. Be aware of the fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K and make sure you get what your body needs but generally not too much more because if your build up too much of these vitamins, than your body will have a hard time getting rid of it. The water soluble vitamins: C and all of the B's (includes Niacin, Thiamin and Folate) should not be a major concern in overdosing, however it is important to drink plenty of water to make sure you don't dehydrate yourself. If you consume more than the RDA of the water soluble vitamins, your body will more than likely compensate by making your feel thirsty so you drink plenty of fluids to help wash down the higher levels of vitamins.
Meal replacements are designed to hopefully make your life a bit more convenient. It's a good idea to eat small meals more often throughout the day to help keep your body satisfied and keep your energy levels up and increase your metabolism. However, sometimes life just is way too hectic and busy to cook up 4-6 meals containing chicken breast, rice and salad. A meal replacement bar or shake may make sense to a number of folks who lead busy lives and still want to follow a balanced diet. The downside to these are every product is different and you need to read the label carefully to make sure you are giving your body what it needs. Many meal replacements contain unnecessary amounts of sugar and saturated fat and are usually low in fiber and protein.
My main focus is with meal replacements and sometimes a little bit of vitamins. A meal replacement bar or shake tends to make life a bit easier for people. It often makes sense to a lot of people to pick up a meal replacement bar because they tend to lead busy lives. It is a great way to keep your hunger satisfied and if selected correctly can provide you with quality protein.
As for vitamins, there are 2 types that I may consider for the general public (at least for where we live) in addition to a multi-vitamin. The first one is a fish oil supplement. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids that our body uses to help reduce our risk for heart disease. It is also used in helping to develop brain function in children and some studies have shown that cognitive ability increases in adults with fish oil supplementation as well.
The other supplement I would generally recommend here in New Hampshire is taking a little more vitamin D. Vitamin D is usually produced in our bodies through sunlight. During the winter months (and early spring/late fall) many of us don't tend to get the required amounts of vitamin D to help our bodies. 3 days each week for 15 minutes with both our arms and legs exposed (without any sunblock) is what our body needs to produce enough vitamin D to help our body. Vitamin D is necessary in helping to prevent bone degenerating diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets in the younger populations. Also, many recent studies have shown that vitamin D plays critical roles in helping to prevent many types of cancers like both breast and prostate. In addition to this, many scientists also believe that Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is often due to a lack of vitamin D and that's why most of the occurances of this disease are in the upper parts of the northern hemisphere. A little extra vitamin D in these locations (like where we are) is usually helpful (but please make sure to check with your doctor first).
I have been selling supplements through Nutrilite. The creator of this company is actually the founder of the multivitamin and really the birth of the supplement industry. It's the oldest supplement company dating back to the 1920's.
All of their products are organically grown and produced on their own farms, free from pesticides and other harsh chemicals. All of their products are also WADA (World Anti-Doping Association)compliant, which is a rarity among supplement companies. This product line is exclusive so if you are interested in Nutrilite supplements, you need to contact a Nutrilite distributor, it's not sold in stores. If interested, check out their website: http://www.nutrilite.com/
If you are interested in seeing what I have available, please check out my website at: http://jarnold11.qhealthzone.com/
Let me know if you have any questions, you can either respond to this post or email me: jonathanearnold@gmail.com
Thank you
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 (New International Version)
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