Cooking Healthy

Six Simple Tips

This is part 4 of “Living a Detox Lifestyle”.

1. Clean Your Food

Thoroughly rinse all vegetables, lettuce, and greens before using. The use of vegetable and fruit “soap” is recommended to help removing pesticide residues. Grains should also be thoroughly rinsed before being cooked.

2. Cooking Vegetables

The best way to cook vegetables is to steam them. Boiling destroys their nutrient content. Be careful not to over cook them – you’ll destroy valuable enzymes as well as nutrients, vegetables should be a little crunchy, not soggy.

3. Cooking Meat

Ground meat, should be lean and always cooked to well done. Other meat cuts can be cooked to your preference, although medium or medium-rare better preserve nutrients.

4. Cooking Poultry

Remove the skin of all fowl before cooking. Use a thermometer when roasting to determine when poultry is done. Grill, roast or steam, never fry.

5. Cooking Fish

Fish may smell a bit like the sea, but never bad. Do not eat it if it does. Make sure fish is cooked all the way through.

6. Steaming Fish and Poultry

You can easily steam your fish and poultry in a stacking bamboo steamer. If you want to steam vegetables at the same time, put your fish or poultry on the bottom steamer and your vegetables on the top one. Vegetables usually cook faster, simply remove the top steamer and continue cooking the fish or chicken until done. You’ll be surprised at how tender and moist your food will be.

Avoid Cooking This Way

1. Frying

Broil, steam, bake grill, roast or saute instead.

Do not fry anything.

2. With Salt

Do not salt foods, at least until after they have been cooked. Use unbleached, crystal or sea salt.

3. With Microwave Ovens

Microwaving changes the chemical structure of your food. It’s not a form that is beneficial to your body.

4. With Aluminum

Aluminum is a highly toxic metal. Aluminum molecules enter food that is cooked, covered or stored in aluminum pots, cans or foil. Teflon coatings do not prevent aluminum for leaching into food.

5. Scrambling Eggs

Cooking scrambled eggs causes oxidation of the cholesterol contained in the yolks, making it a harmful substance. Poaching eggs is best, followed by boiling.

4. Raw

Unless you have a healthy digestive system, raw vegetables can be difficult to digest. Steaming is the best choice for the first month or two of a health therapy program. If you digest raw vegetables well, disregard this last suggestion.

For more information visit the NPR website. You'll find a vinegar wash formula for cleaning vegetables and fruit as well as other tips. Click Here.

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. You should never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider

More Healthy Shopping

Shop Smart

This is part 3 of "Living a Detox Lifestyle". These tips will continue to help you navigate through grocery store items in order to choose the highest quality food.

Produce

Although it is usually more expensive, organic produce is much healthier and has more nutrients than non-organic produce. Ideally, produce should be fresh, ripe, in-season and locally grown. Look for a local farmer’s market or consider mail-ordering organic food if there is none in your area. Color counts too–bring home an entire rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables if your eating guidelines allow for them.

Meat

Buy only organic and/or free-range, hormone and antibiotic-free meats whenever possible. Lean meat is always healthiest. If it is not available then trim off all excess fat before cooking.

Poultry and Eggs

Poultry and eggs should be organic and/or free-range, hormone and antibiotic-free. Eggs labeled as “High Omega 3” are especially healthy. If the label says "cage free", it doesn't necessarily mean "free range".

Seafood

Buy only smaller varieties of cold water, non-farm-raised fish. Fish should smell a bit like the sea, but fresh. It should not smell bad. Avoid shellfish and scavenger type seafood. Most fish are contaminated with toxic metals and chemicals, farm raised is the least healthy and most contaminated.

Buy Whole Fresh Foods

Read labels carefully and look for foods that contain only one ingredient. Look for the word “whole” before the first ingredient on the label or ingredient list. Fresh food is healthier than packaged, frozen or canned foods. Always buy fresh first. If you do by packaged foods, always check the expiration dates on the labels.

Watch out for These

Non-Domestic Produce

Non-domestic produce is usually out of season for the climate we live in, picked unripe, heavily sprayed and lacking nutrients you’ll get with local, organic produce. If it was picked ripe and unsprayed, do you think it could handle the shipping?

Ground Meat

A patty of ground meat can contain body parts from up to 80 cattle whose health is unknown. That package of ground meat started collecting bacteria on all of its surfaces as soon as it was ground. If you insist, have your butcher grind it fresh for you, or do it yourself. Better– stick with whole meat cuts.

Frozen Poultry

Most frozen poultry is packaged by poultry processors. Most use hormones to maximize bird size and growth rate and must use antibiotics to prevent disease because of the extreme cage-crowding found in a typical poultry farm. The hormones and antibiotics remain in the bird and are passed into your body when you eat them. 

Deceptive Labeling

The word “natural” does not mean healthy or safe. Insect parts and rodent droppings are also “natural”. If the ingredients say "hydrogenated oil" (of any kind) or "partially hydrogenated oil" then the food contains trans-fats – even if the "Food Facts" say zero trans-fats. Our watchdog government allows up to .5 grams of trans-fats to be in foods without declaring it. A few servings of deceptively labeled processed foods and you are taking your trans-fat consumption into the danger zone.   Click for more trans-fat information.

10 Things to Avoid

1.  Non-domestic produce

2.  Ground Meat

3.  Frozen Poultry

4.  Farm Raised Fish

5.  Food with Additives

6.  Processed Foods

7.  Deceptive Labeling

8.  Hydrogenated Fats

9.  Artificial Sweeteners

10 High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. You should never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider

Healthy Shopping

Shop Well – Eat Well
This is the second part of a series about living a "detoxification lifestyle". For an  overview of detoxification read this blog – click here. My  detox program starts with a metabolic detox and targets the liver, kidneys and helps restore function to the lymph system and intestines. It also includes probiotics and digestive enzymes. The 10-day diet does not include grains of any kind, red meat, alcohol, coffee, dairy or sugar. You'll find versions of some of those items on the healthy food shopping list even though they are eliminated in the detox program. We can’t eat well without having healthy foods around and having a shopping list keeps me from wandering down the bright isles lined with Twinkies and Doritos.

Shop Green

Buy everything organic if you can. But if you have to budget, or if organic simply isn't available, here's a list of foods containing the most toxins which you’ll definitely want to buy organic – and those foods that are safer and can come from from conventional sources. The Environmental Working Group lists the most chemically treated foods, and also provides information on those foods that are safer to eat non-organic.

Buy Organic

White Potatoes

Grapes 

Leafy Greens

Spinach

Kale

Carrots

Pears

Tomatoes

Bell Peppers

Celery

Peaches

Apples

Strawberies

Blueberries 

Cherries

Nectarines

OK Non-Organic

Onions

Avocados

Sweet Corn

Pineapple

Mango

Bananas

Asparagus

Sweet Peas

Kiwi

Cabbage

Eggplant

Papaya

Watermelon

Honeydew

Broccoli

Sweet Potato

Grapefruit

Count the Numbers

Blueberries are rated by as the most polluted berries on the market, containing up to 52 different pesticides. Conventional spinach has up to 48 different pesticides, cherries 42, carrots 26 and pears 28. The extra buzz you get in your non-organic coffee can come from pesticides. Look for coffee beans that say USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified, or Rainforest Alliance (or bird friendly). No washing can clean the pesticide residue from grapes, which can harbor as many as 34 different pesticides – and remember, wine is made from grapes.

Beefy Toxins

Meats contain most of their toxins in the fat, beef muscle is fairly clean but beef fat contains up to 10 different pesticides and both meat and fat can contain growth hormones. Look for grass fed organic.

Grainy Poisons

Animals fed on non-organic grains absorb the toxins of the grains. Conventionally farmed produce and grains are frequently grown with fertilizers that contain cadmium. Cadmium is a known human carcinogen, it damages DNA and also disrupts a DNA repair system that helps to prevent cancer. Cadmium accumulates in and can also damage the kidneys. Two other common toxins that are found in non-organic grains and foods are arsenic and lead.

PCB Salmon

Polychlorinated biphenyls also known as PCBs interfere with our thyroid – the gland most important to our energy and metabolism. While PCBs are no longer used in the USA, they are still in the environment, and found particularly in "farmed" salmon – another reason to choose wild salmon. Enough exposure to these and you end up with a poorly functioning thyroid, or hypothyroid, causing weight gain, depression and low energy.

Whey This

This is a good place to mention that the whey protein you drink to support your gym workouts can contain cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury and bovine growth hormones. Look for Non-BGH (bovine growth hormone) and organic, or from grass fed cows on the labels. You really don't want rat poison in your protein shake do you?

Ads Make Us Fat 

According to “The Daily Green”, the food industry spends $25 Billion a year marketing their products. With processed foods, for example, that kind of advertising power can create enough brand identities to make a whole nation confused and fat. In fact, it has. In 1978, 45% of the population was overweight. Today that number is 67% with increasing consumption of processed foods and obesity comes cancer, liver disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disorders and more.

When you’re shopping, you want to look for locally grown, in season produce and vegetables. In order for a food item to be shipped, it has to be picked before it’s ripe and full of the complete set of nutrients a ripe fruit has. Don’t cheat yourself.

Shopping Suggestions

Here’s a starter list of foods to help you stay healthy, energetic and lean:

Greens and Fresh Vegetables:

Romaine, Arugula, Watercress, Endive, Mustard Greens, Bok Choy, Spinach, Kohlrabi, Swiss Chard, Kale, Parsley, Cilantro, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Asparagus, Peppers, Green Beans, Celery, Carrots, Cucumber, Zucchini and Sea Vegetables.

Fruits and Vegetables

Lemons, Limes, Apples, Pears, Bananas, Melons, Strawberries, Raspberries and all fruits and berries in season.

Beans, Legumes, Grains, Seeds and Nuts

Lentils, all varieties of Beans, Quinoa, Wild and Brown Rice, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Gluten Free Oatmeal, Millet, Almonds and other Nuts (except peanuts), Sunflower and other seeds. Include hummus and almond butters. Avoid gluten containing grains.

Meat, Poultry and Tofu

Lean cuts of Chicken and Turkey, wild Salmon (not farmed) and white fish, organic, free range eggs and grass fed beef. Make sure you only consume organic and non-gmo Tofu.

Beverages

Almond and Rice Milk (avoiding soy milk), distilled and spring water, diluted organic fresh juices, herbal teas, green and white teas. Milk is not your friend.

Sweeteners

Vermont Maple Syrup, Raw Honey, Turbanado Sugar, Sucinat, Stevia and Agave. Please read the three part series on sugars from January 2010 starting with Sugar Baby - Part 1.

Seasonings and Condiments

Cayenne Pepper, Garlic, Basil, Celery Seed, Chives, Dill, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme, Anise, Bay Leaves, Cinnamon, Corrander, Cumin, Curry, Turmeric, Fennel, Ginger, Natural Ketsup, Celtic Sea Salt (the unbleached, grey salt), Miso (in moderation), Braggs Liquid Aminos and Wheat free, low sodium Tamari.

Dan Alexander, a celebrated health writer wrote about processed foods  in his 1960 book  Good Health and Common Sense:

“Many “modern-day” diseases were unknown centuries ago. The types of illness that afflicted 

mankind 5,000 years ago were far different from the ailments of today.

Early men, and primitive people today were dependent on natural foods. They did not eat any 

processed foodstuffs, which lack certain needed elements and contain other needed elements – but in strange combinations that are unfamiliar to the body and possibly unworkable. Examples are whipped butter, hydrogenated peanut butter, processed cheeses. When we began to consume vast quantities of highly refined foods, we became victims of a flood of “new” diseases.”

Good Health and Common Sense was written half a century ago, but it didn't make us wake up. The changes since then have been an exponential increase in chemically treated and processed foods and a corresponding increase in diseases. But we can make a difference in our own lives; start with a personal shopping list, detoxify your body and diet, enjoy eating and live greener.

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. You should never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider

Bad Days Happen

Sometimes I have to sidestep the activity of training, responsibilities and life in general to get a perspective on “what I’m doing now, and why?” Just the movement of getting from one place to another in Manhattan can distort my “well-intended reality”. There are days when a walk down 6th Avenue to 23rd Street feels claustrophobic, almost like there’s no room physically or energetically for me.

I wanted a retreat from everything last week, but I didn’t realize it until after a long grumpy hour at the gym. It was showing up in my body… knee hurt, elbow hurt, no spring in my legs for jumps and I felt really weak.  The scary part is that what I really felt like was “old”.

My brain doesn’t think I’m old, my body’s pretty good, but all last week everything on the outside was hammering away at my favorite commandment: “Never blame anything on your age”. It was a lot of work to stay away from that blame place. I knew the feeling would pass, but not quickly enough for me. There wasn’t a blog posting last week, now you know why.

So I headed up to the Catskills – thinking that alone time in the mountains should turn this around. It was cold, cloudy and rainy. Those kind of creepy dark days just like the middle of winter but without any festive holidays to perk them up. Five wet dark days and then the sun came out like there was never a gloomy day. Everything looked different, my mood slowly shifted, and the reality of handling good and bad days looked a whole lot simpler.

This is how simple it is – I’m not doing the things I do to be 20 again, but to be fully alive, every minute – until I’m not.

Staying fit and strong is a big part of aliveness. If you’re looking for another reason to embrace a healthy, fitness lifestyle, look at your aliveness. Look at it when you’re feeling good – remember that feeling and keep working out… it’ll carry you through the bad times until the sun comes out again.

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider.

Turning 61

May 27, 2010

There are billboards and ads everywhere announcing the release of “Sex in the City 2” on May 27^th. My favorite is one with high heels in the sand and the girls looking as comfortable as if they were walking on a red carpet. No sinking heels in that sand dune. We love Hollywood because it makes the impossible – real. (Photoshop does too) Making the impossible – real is one of my favorite things about California. The whole state lives in the sunny land of possibility. 

May 27^th is also my birthday – I just turned 61 – and I was lucky to spend most of my life in California so that even the last 6 years of living in New York hasn’t changed my mindset. New York is solid, and the city is all about business, no flirting and teasing. But I had to stop for a few minutes and think about my life because it’s always been a combination of California and New York.

Flirting,Teasing & Love

I love the flirting and teasing and the exploration of new ideas and teachings. The concepts that I love get more attention and eventually become part of my life. They become part of the “business of life”.

The same applies to “fitness life”.  For my birthday this year I explored kickboxing and was surprised by how much I loved it. It really helps to love everything we do, even if it’s tough work. Having a “flirt affair” with the treadmill or dumbbells at the gym is a great start. I like to “date “ different kinds of workouts too and then get down to business. The tease comes from watching our bodies change while we’re doing this.

Looking at my body as a business enterprise has been pretty easy. I used to build graphic design projects from a napkin concept to finished campaigns. The ones that were the best always had a special relationship to the businesses that hired me.

If you’re an actor, dancer, or in my case, a lifestyle coach and fitness trainer, it’s obvious that our bodies are important for our careers. But it’s no different for bankers or corporate vice-presidents – a fit body tells the world that you’re focused, strong, and flexible enough to navigate life. No bag of Doritos or financial glitch is going to knock you off course. You’re dependable.

When you believe that you are worth the effort to stay fit and healthy others will believe in your worth as well.

If you can take care of yourself then you can take care of company business… or your client’s – that’s one hidden message. You’ll get promoted instead of someone else – that’s a message that’s not hidden.

Creating our Future

Think of health and exercise this way – working out is like creating a “Fitness 401k”. The more we stock away, the stronger our “F401k” is. The longer we do it, the more we have in reserve. Of course diversity is also security. That means creating strong minds and lifestyle training as much as having a strong body.

If you’re 30, start your “F401k” now. You’ll start compounding the benefits early. If you’re 60 or older, it’s not too late to tap into the unlimited possibilities that a healthy strong body offers you for your future.  If you don’t believe me, maybe it’s time to take a trip to Hollywood.

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. You should never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider.

The Beauty Bitch Interview

BeautyBitch.Com is a website you'll want to visit. The following is a recent interview with their editor, and I like my new title. – Rick

Beauty Bitch interviews Rick Dinihanian a 61 year-old celebrity lifestyle coach and fitness trainer

Hey Ladies and Gentlemen, we were extremely fortunate to have witnessed a photo shoot while at the beach in California and found the ultimate inspiration for "Sexy Bastard."

Meet Rick Dinihanian. He's a lifestyle coach and fitness trainer in New York and Los Angeles and guess what? He's 60... that's right – 60. May he be an inspiration to all of us!

Sexy Bastard

BB: Rick, you made a big change in your life and became an inspirational sex symbol. What made you choose to make those changes and become such a sexy bastard?

RD: I was 49, well on the way to 50, and my jeans didn’t fit any more. I had a 50-year-old belly, and thought “I’m going to deal with this now, or it’s just going to take me over”.

Beside the vanity factor, there was another reason that drove me to take action. At that point in my life I was tired all the time, feeling pretty low in the confidence department and unhappy in an unsupportive relationship. I felt compelled to become the best that I could, instead of staying stuck.

By the time I was 54 my jeans were fitting just fine. Playgirl Magazine agreed and made me their oldest Cover/centerfold ever published. I guess that’s where the sexy bastard comes from.

BB: What mid-life advice would you give to our readers?

RD: Let’s start with the context of being in the best shape that you can be. You get that by training your mind and your body. Then you have to watch your tongue. The tongue stuff is tricky because it’s both what you say, and what you eat. If you have a vision and use your mental muscle you can achieve anything.

Yesterday I received an email from a 68 year-old man. I’ve never met him, but he started emailing me three years ago. Since then he’s dropped 45 pounds and is planning on entering a marathon this summer. Sometimes all any of us require is inspiration and a few words of encouragement.

BB: Give me one tip to survive getting older.

RD: Never blame anything on your age. Own your responsibility. If you blame a lack of strength or fitness on age, well, you’re just stuck. You can’t change your age. But you can change your eating habits, your exercise routine, your flexibility, and your sleep patterns. Pick something that you can change, and then do it.

BB: How do you stay motivated to continue to look the way you do?

RD: Well, I’ve been lucky to have photographers and magazines want to photograph me at intervals close enough together to keep me motivated to stay in shape. My physique is also my personal billboard… I’m a lifestyle coach and fitness trainer. I can’t imagine practicing anything other that what I teach.

BB: How about a few motivational tips for Beauty Bitch.

RD: Make a fitness plan, set specific goals, use the things you know that motivate you, take a before picture, find someone to help you keep going when you’re wanting to stop and be patient and kind to yourself along the journey of transformation.

It’s helpful to set goals with timelines. Anyone can create an event and train for it. You might be getting ready for a presentation at the Tony Awards, a 4th of July pool party or a special date with your lover. Set-up enough of these and you’ve got a year’s worth of motivational goals. The other option is to wait until you’re sick and the doctor tells you to start exercising. Then your motivation is avoiding illness or death. I think you would agree that the first option is a better choice.

BB: You’re one of those exceptional modern renaissance men. You’re a well-known fitness expert and writer, you model, travel with your clients, train celebrities like Jessica Lange, Anika Noni Rose and Marcia Gay Harden and are an accomplished artist. I heard that when you accompanied Madonna’s Sticky and Sweet tour in Europe and North America you were training her dancers. How do you do it all?

RD: All of these things are part of who I am. I use my artistic vision when I’m painting; I also use it when I’m training a client. I can see their transformation, often before they can see it themselves. I rarely get tired doing this because it’s what I love. It was such a great experience training Madonna’s dancers. They’re all passionate and exceptionally skilled. Even though I was old enough to be their father (or grandfather) I brought wisdom and could match them physically.

BB: We’d like to understand more about your life vision.

RD: I’ve always done things that I’ve loved doing. Those times that I didn’t have that passion, my world turned darker. Making choices that bring more light and love into our lives can never be wrong. Turning this towards fitness meant fine-tuning my thoughts and having power over uncontrolled appetites that work against growth and renewal. Take a look at food. How many people do you know that understand how harmful or helpful foods can be? Why not? You wouldn’t try to run your Maserati on kerosene would you?

I believe that we all have an untapped potential to reach high levels of health and fitness. When you’re living pain free, feeling in control of your body and have an abundance of energy, your self-confidence and sexiness is expressed naturally.

BB: What about your writing? I heard you are writing a book.

RD: I do have a book in the works, but you’ll have to interview me about that another time! I can tell you that it will be groundbreaking and inspirational. I write weekly on fitness and health and Beauty Bitch readers can find my writing at BreakingSixty.Blogspot.com.

BB: Can I join your fan club?

RD: That’ll make us even; I’ve already joined yours!

BB: Passion. Is that why you do the work you do?

RD: Absolutely. I do it for myself, and for the joy I get when I see a client walking in the door with a newfound confidence. My message to everyone is to be the best that they can be, no matter what age. Being your best inspires others and ultimately brings more love to the planet.


BeautyBitch.com

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.
Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional, health care provider or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your wellness professional.

Behind the Scenes

I wanted to post a video teaser from a recent photoshoot. This is one of the things that keeps me motivated to stay in shape...  I think the feature will be groundbreaking for the magazine. You rarely see anyone over 60 on fitness magazine pages.

If you have trouble playing the video on my blog, click on the link below for a full screen view.

Video Teaser Link


Thanks for watching... and reading. See you next week.

Train Your Body. Train Your Mind. Tame Your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional, health care provider or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your wellness professional.

Rest Soft – Get Hard

Last week I wrote about sleep. An extension of the fantastic healing power of sleep are days off from intense workouts. We refer to those as rest or recovery days. They’re one of the most overlooked pieces of the muscle building equation.

Lean Muscle Builder

When we do intense weight training and muscle building, our muscle fibers break down. As the muscle repairs itself during rest, it becomes stronger and grows.  If we don’t rest, how can we expect to gain in the lean muscle mass department? Fat loves it when you don’t rest enough. Muscle is just the opposite. Rest and recovery means days off and at least 8 hours of sleep every day.

Last weekend I had a photoshoot for a national fitness magazine (more about that in a future blog). One of the hardest things for me to do when training for this day was keeping my commitment to resting and recovery. Personally, it’s easier for me to go workout, than take a day off and chill, but I knew that the only way to show up my best was to avoid overtraining and get the rest days in.

Balancing your Auto Pilot

When we push our training to the limit, our body is mostly functioning with the help of our “sympathetic nervous system”. This system is responsive to our body’s requirements during times of increased activity and stress. When we are resting, the “parasympathetic nervous system” takes over. Both of these systems are part of our autonomic nervous system, made up of nerves that control and help maintain body functions without our awareness. Things like breathing, heart rate, blood flow and digestion. Both systems work together. When we keep them balanced, we’re functioning in a healthy zone – another reason for taking that day off and a good night’s sleep.

Rest Soft, Get Hard

Resting doesn’t mean parking on the couch with a box of donuts. It means consciously choosing to get 8 hours sleep and taking a day off from our regular gym routine to do something different. We’ll be resetting our metabolic process, increasing muscle growth and preparing ourselves for a better workout on the next day.

While training for the magazine shoot, my best workout days were those after I had a full day off from the gym and plenty of sleep. I made sure that the day before the shoot I let all my muscles rest. It was a mental challenge to stay away from the gym, especially since I was nervous about the shoot (I’ll confess to a light run though, it keeps me grounded). On the day of the shoot I didn’t need to do much of a pre-shoot pump to be photo ready.

Mind Programming

Think of it this way. Our internal mechanism is working really hard to build new muscle and burn fat. By giving it a break from new tasks it will to catch up (rebuild you) and really get you into great shape. So take a day off and go dancing, ride your bike, hike in the woods, have sex in the afternoon, sail your boat, or just go for a walk in the park… your body will still be working hard – just without the intense muscle work you do on other days.

Train Your Body. Train Your Mind. Tame Your Tongue.

Thanks to Adam Razak for inspiring this blog.
Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional, health care provider or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your wellness professional

Good in Bed?

Not Getting Enough?

Sleep! It is the underrated supplement for weight loss and body building. Imagine that. No conscious mental or physical exertion… all you have to do is get into bed and wake up about 8 hours later.

When I’m getting ready for a photoshoot, the two most important things for me are drinking enough water and getting enough rest. Rest equals recovery. It also equals a lot of other things. We detox emotions and physical toxins during sleep. We also create important hormones including growth hormone. You get the picture – if you are only getting two-thirds of the sleep you require, you’re short changing yourself on much more than feeling rested in the morning.

More HGH

A University of Chicago study reported that those who slept 4 hours had cortisol levels 37 percent higher than those who slept a full 8 hours. High cortisol equals less muscle and more fat. If you want really good stuff without supplementation, you’ll be glad to know that another University of Chicago study reported that men who got plenty of sleep – deep sleep –produced about 65% more human growth hormone (HGH) than those who short changed themselves in bed.

On those days where I’ve missed my sleep quota, I’m usually prone to wanting to eat more – that usually means calorie laden, carbohydrate heavy and fatty with plenty of salt. Put a plate of sweet potato fries (everything sweet potato isn’t healthy) in front of me one of those days and I’ll inhale them first and think about it later. Yes, I’ve really done that. But about 4 hours later, I’m reminded of my choice and feel really tired and bloated.

Getting enough sleep isn’t something we’re trained to do as adults. Some men pride themselves on being able to function on 4 hours of sleep.  Eventually, when their bodies have had enough, it’s crash and burn time. Not a great way to manage a fitness program.

10 tips for being a sleep athlete:

1. Regular Sleep Patterns

Plan your evening and your morning. Make your bedtime and wake-up time consistent. You’ll find your natural rhythm and body clock will kick-in and after several weeks and it’ll be natural for you to be getting 8 hours of sleep. If you have a partner, or roommate that loves to watch Letterman and midnight sci-fi movies, engage them in supporting you (and themselves) in better health. If they insist on staying up late, buy them some headphones to plug into the TV.

2. Create an Evening Routine

Your routine will signal your body that it’s time to rest. Eat at least two (better yet, 3 hours) hours before you hit the pillow, have some warm herbal tea, soak in a tub – and if you can’t do that, be sure and take a warm shower to wash off all of the electrical vibration you’ve been exposed to during the day.

3. Sex-place not Workplace

Save your bedroom for sleeping and sex. Leave your legal papers, newspapers, TV and brain activities in another room. The bedroom is a place to recharge your body and soul.

4. Make it Shady

Dim your lights an hour before you are going to sleep. Shut off the TV. The brighter the lights are before you go to bed, the longer it will take for your body to start producing melatonin. Low levels of melatonin have been associated with aging and studies have shown men with prostate cancer and women with breast cancer have lower levels of melatonin. Ever see a rock star right after a concert? She’ll pop on rose tinted glasses to start quieting her system after being in the glare of the stage lights.

5. Hot Magnesium

Soak in a bath with Magnesium flakes and magnesium “oil”. Your body will absorb the magnesium through your skin, relaxing your muscles. The side benefit is that it’s great for your skin texture. If you’re hyper and can’t relax before bed, fill the tub, dim the bathroom lights and soak for 10 minutes. You’ll sleep deeper than you can imagine.

6. Rock Off

Turn off the disco beat and play something calm.  If you find a tune that works for you, keep playing it. Personally, I like new age wind instrument tracks. Try playing them every night for a week. Add this to your other night-time routines to create more restful sleep.

7. Other Hands

Get yourself a massage, chiropractic or acupuncture treatment, or other holistic care once a month. If you’re working out intensely, you’ll benefit from this care more often. All of these treatments assist your body in releasing tension, calming your mind and correcting imbalances. Whenever you do this, your body becomes healthier and more alkaline.

8. Work it Out

You know the benefits of exercise or you wouldn’t be here on this blog. Don’t make it your second priority. Work out so you can sleep deep, and sleep deep so your workouts make a difference. Since you’ll be releasing plenty of feel good endorphins when you work out, just before bed isn’t a great time to exercise. While these endorphins are great during the day, their energy can keep you awake at night.

9. Deep Sleep Tea

It’s really not called that, but it’s my “get me to sleep now” tea. I use a combination of mint and valerian root tea. It’s not addictive and almost always works. Try making it with hot almond milk and water.

10. Spirit Quest

Still dragging your office into the bedroom. Put a box outside the bedroom door and leave your physical or imaginary problems in it. They’ll be there in the morning if you still want them, but they won’t follow you into bed. Take a minute to be grateful, no matter what’s going on in your life.  Sweet Dreams.

Train your body. Train your mind. Tame your tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional, health care provider or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your wellness professional.

Guarantees

And an Extended Warranty

You know how every time you buy an appliance or big-ticket item – like that new flat screen – you get hit up at the end of the sale for the purchase of an extended warranty. The sales person will imply that the extended warranty will guarantee you results for as long as you are going to want to keep your new shiny toy.

Which guarantees are important to us anyway? I couldn’t help but think about all of this when a client (who happened to have won a “Best Acting” Academy Award) asked for a “guarantee that my lifestyle coaching and strength training program would yield results.  Maybe we’ve all become overly accustomed to manufacturers warranties and product guarantees.

No Remote Control

In the journey to getting fit and healthy, most of us are looking for a guarantee of tight abs and a shiny new body. Not much different than the amazing picture quality we are expecting from that new flat screen we’re searching for in all of the appliance stores.  The only difference is that our bodies do not come with a remote control and there’s only one form of guarantee and extended warranty – I’ll get to that in a minute.

Being a good coach means walking a fine line between teaching, pushing, pulling, watching and inspiring – then letting your client be responsible for choosing and taking actions that will yield the results that they desire. Motivation and inspiration are critical to the process. So are positive thoughts and language. If someone is moving and has been motivated, their brain is fed electrical charges that create internal and external change. We didn’t evolve into this spectacular place as human beings without movement and challenges (existence motivation).

Tame your Tongue

Take a look at my Blog tag-line that says: “Train Your Body. Train Your Mind. Tame Your Tongue”. The first two thoughts are pretty clear, but what about “Taming Your Tongue”?

When I penned that last "command", I intended it to have a double meaning. Primarily, I was referring to the voracious appetite that the tongue has for food. The 2^nd meaning was a result of the years spent meditating and studying the effects of positive thoughts, actions and language.  I want to make sure that the meaning of it is clear.

How are you going to “Train Your Mind” if you don’t use supportive language and “Tame Your Tongue”? If you are in the habit of saying, “I just can’t,” chances are you won’t.  When my client said something negative and then made a positive language correction, I had a huge Cheshire cat grin. Tongue taming was in the works.

The Guarantee

Now let’s look at guaranteed results.  When we do the work, stay present in our training, keep our minds sharp, eat right and do not allow our tongues to run away with our confidence and determination – spoiling all our positive work – we’ve got the tightest guarantee around. The best thing about this is that there is no extra cost and it is far better then the “limited” warranty that comes with your flat screen.

You’re the guarantee baby. Go for it.

Train Your Body. Train Your Mind. Tame Your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider.

10 Beach Body Tips

1.   Eat Often

Space your meals out three hours apart and make them small.  Aim for three “meals” and two or three snack size meals. You’ll kick-up your metabolism this way. If you’re still full after three hours, you ate too much at the last meal.

2.   Go Green

Fill up on vegetables. They don’t weigh a lot on the calorie counter, but they’ll fill you up, add fiber and insure your supply of vitamins and minerals. Go for cruciferous vegetables and dark leafy greens.

3.   Drink it up

Drink water. If you’re under-hydrated, your body will hoard water and you’ll feel bloated. Plus water helps your body process toxins and to eliminate lactic acid after you’ve worked out. You’ll want to drink at least one ounce of water for every two pounds you weigh.  Have at least 8 ounces of water ½ hour before a meal, and minimize your water intake at meals to small sips. You want your digestive fires undiluted for the best metabolism of your food. Sodas and juices are not water.

4.   Choose Proteins

We burn about 25% of the calories in each gram of protein while it’s being digested. Compared to carbohydrates (which only take about 6%) protein wins on the calorie burn race. And protein will give you the fuel to build the muscle you want.

5.   Cut your Carbohydrate Intake

But don't cut it completely. Here’s a trick. Alternate low carb and normal carb days like this:  

Give yourself two days with one serving of carbohydrates like brown rice, white sweet potato or quinoa. Replace the missing carbs on these two days with vegetables and protein. On day three, have four servings of carbs. Then repeat for a second time. When you’ve done this cycle, limit yourself to 3 servings of carbs per day.  You’ll notice your body shift. One serving is about the size of your clenched fist.

6.   Challenge Yourself

If you weight train on Monday, Wednesday and Friday then hit the gym for an additional cardio blast on Tuesday and Thursday – and make these two days “challenge” days. Aim to run farther in the same amount of time, or to increase your time from 20 minutes to 25 minutes. Every week challenge yourself to be better than the week before.

7.   Work Up-and-Down

Alternate a lower-body set with an upper-body set when training with no rest between the two sets. Pause 60 seconds and repeat the routine. Do this 3 times for a total of 6 sets. You’ll be resting your lower-body while performing an upper body set and vice-versa.

8.   Do the Big Ones

Work your big body parts. Heck, work your arms too. But focus on your bigger body parts. Working them will create the calorie burn and muscle you want. Your abdominals get worked every time you do a squat, lung, bench press or pull down. Do your abs workouts, but don’t count on them to produce a six-pack. Getting lean and putting muscle on the rest of your body is a better solution.

9.   Sleep Deep

At night our bodies detoxify things like lactic acid as well as emotional waste. When it’s doing that, it’s also secreting growth hormones that we want to build muscle. Besides, you know how good you feel, and how much energy you have to work out after a solid nights sleep. 

Try this for 10 days: Take a warm shower (or better yet, soak in a bath with magnesium flakes) before you sleep every night; your skin holds surface tension from all the electro-magnetic fields you’ve been exposed to during the day disrupting your sleep. 

           

10.   Get Smaller, Look Bigger

When you lean down, your body will be smaller and tighter. Your jeans won’t fit anymore, but you’ll actually look bigger because your muscular definition will be more visible. So eat more often, on smaller plates and double up on your cardio. If you make your mantra “yes I can”, you’ll be beach ready before summer.

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider.