Personal Training with Dave Hansey -- Douglasville's NASM Certified Personal Trainer Personal Training Douglasville - Personal Trainer Dave Hansey

Fewer Ingredients means a cleaner diet

Does a bag of carrots have an ingredients list?? Does a green pepper?? How about a cucumber? Noooooo…. so an easy way to clean up your diet is to reduce the amount of foods you eat with long lists of ingredients. Toss out and change out a few of your staples. Change your bread to one that contains whole grains (such as ezekiel which is so pure you have to buy it in the freezer because it goes bad so quickly on the shelf). If that is not something you are ready to try, at least cut out breads that have high fructose corn syrups and trans fats.

Being healthy is entirely up to you and your commitment to it. So next time you are eating those cheese flavored puffs, turn the bag around and read how they are corn syrup covered in fat and artificial flavor and maybe you will opt for something healthier from that awareness.

Low Carb Warning

Yes, many people can have weight loss success by reducing their carb intake BUT if you replace those carbs with the same amount of calories of protein or fat — you will still not lose weight.

Think of it like a a Pie

First concentrate on the WHOLE PIE size — reduce your caloric intake down to the amount suggested for your weight and activity level. Reduce that caloric intake down until weight loss begins. A food diary is CRITICAL in this step.

Once you have determined the size of the pie (your total intake of calories) then focus on the macronutrients — protein, fat and carbohydrates. Depending on your health, any chronic conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc) and your goals — these quantities can vary per individual.

Once you have your macronutrients under control, you can worry about the micronutrients – vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, etc.

So if you are struggling with your weight, start first with your food diary and figure out how many total calories you are eating every day for a week. Then you can determine what things you want to reduce, change or remove from your diet.

Understanding Your Taste Buds

Foods use added salt and sugar to help to get you to like their products and to eat more of it. Peanuts are a perfect example. A plain peanut, not so amazing. A salted peanut, you can’t stop. A honey roasted peanut, even better.

Learn to appreciate food for its own flavor. Cooking at home helps as restaurants also rely on these tactics.

I am not saying avoid flavor. Try adding natural spices and herbs such as peppers, chiles, garlic, lemon, curry and on and on the list goes….. just be sure YOU are the one who determines your flavor and food destiny and not some marketing committee at a food corporation.

An Extra Hour Can Lead to BIG RESULTS

A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that new exercisers who did 2 cardio sessions per week lost an average of four pounds over 8 weeks while those who did 4 sessions lost an average of 13 pounds over the same 8 weeks. The study suggests that working out more often kept people’s weight loss goals more in their mind as the study used on 30 minutes sessions which could not account for additional loss in itself.

Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking helps improve your health in ONE DAY.

YES ONE DAY.

Within 12 hours the carbon monoxide levels start to go down.

Lung function starts to improve in 2 weeks.

It takes most people seven to nine times before they successfully quit so seek professional help and support.