March is Nutritional Health Month

March is National Nutrition Month! This is a great time to look at your own personal eatinghabits and how they affect your lifestyle. The most important way you can make informed food choices, is to educate yourself. Cellular Nutrition® under the microscope  by Dr. Jamie McManus MD We are fundamentally "cellular" beings, made up of trillions of specialized cells. Each of these cells is powered by a series of chemical reactions, which supplies the energy that every cell needs to carry out its activities. In order to generate energy through the Krebs Cycle, your cells require various nutrients, including amino acids, minerals and trace elements with which Cellular Nutrition® can assist. The full impact of poor nutrition Unfortunately, many people eat a dismally poor diet of "fast foods" or prepackaged convenience meals that are nutrient-deficient. As a result, their cells do not receive the nutrition they need and a person becomes sluggish. Without the necessary cellular nutrition, this can have a number of unfortunate consequences. Your cells deserve the very best Herbalife's Core Nutrition program provides your body with all the nutrients your cells need to perform their individual and collective functions optimally. The Herbalife Medical Advisory Board carefully selects every product's ingredients and determines the optimal ratios of nutrients, in order to create the best nutritional supplements possible. When you supply the necessary nutrients with Cellular Nutrition®, such as magnesium, molybdenum, vanadium and amino acids to power the Krebs Cycle, your body's cells have the building blocks they need to do their job. The result: You feel full of vitality and zest for life. Cravings are diminished and you're on your way to healthful weight control. If you want to look great, feel fantastic and live life to the fullest, be sure to feed your cells with Cellular Nutrition® every day! In support of National Nutrition Month, top up with our Core Nutrition products to ensure all systems are supported: Formula 3 Cell Activator® Supports the body's absorption of micronutrients and promotes cellular energy production. Formula 3 Cell Activator® contains alpha-lipoic acid, a potent antioxidant known to combat the effects of oxidative damage by free radicals and support integrity of the mitochondrial membrane. Shake Bars! Ingredients: 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (any flavor) 1 cup Formula 1 Healthy Meal (any flavor) 1 cup quick oats 2 cups Rice Crisp Cereal (any variety) Optional: coconut, slivered almonds, raisins Directions: Melt together first 4 ingredients. Mix dry ingredients into an 8X8 pan. Mix thoroughly and then press flat. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then cut into 8 equal bars. Enjoy!  Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix®   A healthy meal with up to 20 vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients. http://valparasio.herbalhub.com Formula 2 Multivitamin Complex®   Promotes bones and immune-system health! Formula 3 Cell Activator®   Supports the body's absorption of micro-nutrients and boosts cellular energy production!!

Mindless to Mindful Eating for Weight Loss

Do your clients eat mindlessly? From our underlying clean plate mentality, to dietary danger zones, to chicken wings, storage containers and taller glasses, help them discover strategies to incorporate mindful tactics to overcome barriers to losing weight and keeping it off.

The art of successful weight loss remains elusive for many. On one hand we learn that effective weight loss programs should shift their focus from outcome-based goals where we exhibit less control (e.g., losing 20 lbs. in 15 weeks) to more behavioral-based processes where we exercise more control (i.e., small strategies implemented daily). But we also learn that to better motivate by building importance and anticipation, we should de-emphasize daily caloric differences (e.g., 300 kcal deficit in 24 hours) in favor of speaking to a 31 pound weight difference in a year (i.e., 300 kcal x 365 days = 109,500 kcal or 31 lbs.). Although both effective, they might also be interpreted as somewhat contradictory strategies, so what do you do? In a practice where strategies generally target diet and activity, consider adding a new strategy that incorporates elements from both, yet also addresses the impact of environmental stimuli and how they influence eating behaviors. This strategy is slowly taking center stage as a key player in tackling the challenge of weight loss (1). Examine environmental cues and learn how to shift eating behaviors from mindless to mindful.

What we are discovering is many of us remain mindless, consciously unaware, over 100 – 300 calories of nibbles and bites throughout the day and only become mindful of what we actually eat when surpluses or deficits reach 500 – 1,000 calories (2). For example, if you overate today with an extra meal or 1,000 additional calories, you would probably think consciously about the consequences and quite consider compensatory actions or resolutions. However, the mindless 100 – 300 calories accumulated throughout the day (e.g., two small candies at a co-worker’s desk, a bite of your child’s ice-cream bar, etc.) generally fail to trigger conscious awareness. By the same token, many feel that they pay attention to everything they eat, but on average, we make more than 200 daily food decisions, although we believe we only make about 15 (3). The truth is that we often behave mindlessly around food and although some may discount 100 – 300 kcal daily, it can amount to a 10½ – 31 lbs. (4.8 – 14 Kg) weight gain in a year. The focus therefore of this article is to examine various environmental cues that stimulate sub-conscious overeating and offer helpful mindful takeaways to consider sharing with your clients.

Portion Size It is probably safe to assume we all agree portion sizes have increased steadily over the past 30 years for many reasons – technological improvements to economically mass produce food and consumer demands for more cost value. Yet, this slow and ever-expanding portion distortion, coupled with our ‘clean-plate’ mentality has spurred overeating. One interesting study examined different portion sizes with stale five-day old popcorn revealing that people consumed 53% more popcorn (173 kcal) when given larger containers (4), even with bad food.

As portion sizes expand, so do the tools used to eat (e.g., plates, glasses, etc.). Try reducing portion sizes by mini-sizing eating tools (e.g., use smaller plates or side-plates; use taller thin glasses, rather than shorter fatter glasses which can reduce over pouring up to 37%). Try capping portion reduction to 20% as this generally goes unnoticed. Portion size reductions reaching 30% or greater increases conscious awareness of the reduction inducing a sense of deprivation, and may trigger a psychological reactance effect (1). This is a phenomenon defining behavioral responses that occur when regulatory actions threaten or eliminate specific behavioral freedoms (5). In other words, when a person feels deprived of their choices or freedoms then undesirable behaviors become more appealing, motivating a person to recapture that threatened parameter.

Pace the Clock After eating, the presence of food in the stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) track, and the entry of food into the blood trigger neural and hormonal responses that turn off our hunger sensation. Hormones such as leptin from the fat cells and cholecystokinin released from intestinal cells can suppress the urge to eat further. However, it is estimated that these responses may take up to 20 minutes after those first bites to take effect, which raises the question over how much calorie consuming damage one can do in 20 minutes. On average, fast food is consumed within 11 minutes, whereas food consumed in a moderately-priced restaurant takes 28 minutes (6). Implement a strategy to control your client’s eating pace by taking the time to stop, sit and eat, or to sit with the slowest eater in the group. Be mindful however of the dining ‘pacesetter’, the person who may unknowingly sets standards for how much food and how fast it will be consumed (7). If this person eats chips and salsa, he or she may influence others to mindlessly join in and eat comparable amounts. Identify the slowest eater and mindfully avoid the pacesetter.

In Sight Equals In Mind The power of sight (what we see) can stimulate or suppress appetite, so be mindful of both. In a bottomless soup bowl study (automatically refilling bowl v. regular bowls) those eating from the bottomless bowl consumed more soup and 73% more calories (155 kcal v. 268 kcal) (8). Interestingly, the bottomless bowl group never made mention to feeling full and both groups, as expected, under-estimated total calories eaten.On the other hand, we have also learned that sometimes what we see can raise our level of consciousness or awareness as to how much we are overeating. In a chicken wing study, when bones were left in plain sight for people to see how much they ate, they actually consumed 28% less food (9). Considering our stomach cannot count, and how we consciously or subconsciously are forgetful in tracking what we eat, we may need mindful reminders.Interestingly, individuals who pre-plate their food (i.e., bring all they plan to eat to the table before eating) as opposed to making several trips to the buffet line will eat 14% less food (1). The takeaway message is that we need to be more vigilant about our ‘clean-plate’ mentality; sometimes visibly seeing what you plan to eat or have eaten may give reason to pause and be more mindful.

Out of Sight Equals Out of Mind We appreciate a bargain and often buy in bulk because of its value. In industrialized nations (e.g., U.S.), this mentality is amplified by abundant wholesale stores and larger vehicles, whereas in nations where individuals walk to purchase groceries or drive smaller cars, buying in bulk is sometimes not an option. Generally, when buying in bulk, we tend to initially overeat from these larger containers, then grow tired of the food whereupon it becomes a castaway in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry (10). Researchers have also discovered that individuals consuming snacks from clear jars consumed 71% more food versus food concealed in opaque containers (11). Removing food visibility decreases temptations for mindless snacking (seeing, smelling or thinking). The takeaway message – if buying in bulk, immediately repackage larger containers into smaller, non-see through containers and store out of sight – this helps curb subconscious eating. Even a small strategy such as placing a lid on a container or covering it with foil can curb mindless munching.

Don’t Deprive Foods (Comfort Foods) – Control Them Many food desires and cravings are trigged by thoughts, emotions or environmental stimuli. When we have such desires, comfort foods become a prime target to satisfy needs (1). People seek out comfort foods for many reasons, including rewards, celebrations, or feeling happy, bored, depressed or lonely. Although positive moods generally lead to healthier food choices in comparison to negative moods, we must help our clients consciously understand their triggers that spark specific food desires (12). Once mindfully aware of triggers, strategize distractions since these thoughts and emotions are generally short-lived. Aim to satisfy the thought or emotion while simultaneously reducing the likelihood of eating (e.g., calling a friend, expressing thoughts in a journal, playing with a pet or doing an activity). Keep things simple – the idea is to distract a short-lived desire, but also recognize that if the desire still persists after the distraction (i.e., a few minutes), allow the individual a small mindful indulgence to avoid any psychological reactance. A trade-off is another effective strategy for controlling mindless eating. Give people autonomy (ability to choose) to choose their behavioral action, but use consequential persuaders (i.e., give client the power to choose from several options, while concurrently making them aware of the consequence of each choice). This again reduces chances of psychological reactance. For example, making them aware that a 100 kcal snack is equivalent to a 23-minute walk or standing for 52 minutes (13). Present these consequences and let them decide.

• Women: 1 kcal = 20 steps walking (1-minute walking = 4.3 kcal).
• Men: I kcal = 17 steps walking (1-minute walking = 5 kcal).

Control Choice When more food choices and colors are presented, we typically imagine more enjoyment from the food. By comparison, when we have decreased food choices, we often experience a perception of less food enjoyment (1). Putting the same food into multiple bowls can also result in people perceiving more choices and eating more, by up to 18% (14). A challenge with food choices is that we don’t fully comprehend how much we should take or want, so we gauge our decisions by what we think is appropriate. When there is more food or when we perceive there is more food, we tend to think eating more is appropriate, a concept called sensory-specific satiety (1). In a study using M&Ms^®, researchers compared 7 colors versus 10 colors, and while each color tastes the same, those given more color choices ate 43 more M&Ms^® (99 v. 56 in total) (15). The takeaway message is that by controlling the number of food choices available, we may subconsciously develop a perception of less enjoyment from the food and may actually eat less.

De-convenience Convenient Foods – Create ‘pause points’ This approach is to make snacking a hassle and not a habit. This can be accomplished by making snacks less accessible and creating ‘pause points’ where one has a moment to consciously contemplate the consequences of snacking and possibly avoid mindless eating. In one study chocolates were placed on the corner of a desk, in a drawer, and then on a file cabinet six feet (1.85 m) away in random order (16). The results demonstrated that when chocolates were easily accessible (i.e., on the desk), an average of nine chocolates per day were eaten. By comparison, only six and four were eaten per day with chocolates in the drawer or on the filing cabinet, respectively.Another classic and often-cited study looked at eating behaviors when conscious cues where utilized to help control eating. Participants were served tubes of regular Pringles^® potato chips and allowed to eat as many as they wanted, but in some tubes red chips were placed at regular intervals (7^th or 14^th interval; 5^th and 10^th interval in follow-up study), a process called segmenting. Interestingly, in the tubes with no red chips, individuals ate significantly more chips whereas they ate less with the smallest red chip intervals (17). Individuals eating from the red chip tubes were also better at estimating how many chips they ate. Segmenting packages appears to effectively reduce food consumption by helping:

• Call attention to and encourage better monitoring of eating
• Controlling portion sizes
• Breaking automated eating sequences by introducing a pause
• The takeaway is to move snack foods outside of six feet where an individual has to physically move to access the food, giving time to structure an opportunity for a‘pause point’ where consequences can be contemplated (e.g., that 100 kcal snack will require 20 minutes of walking). Likewise, implementing strategies whereby eaters are given conscious ‘pause-points’ may also help curb mindless eating behaviors.

 Halo Effect Healthy foods continue to garner more attention and popularity, but be cautious not to lose sight that healthy does not necessarily mean fewer calories. In a study comparing individuals who ate at McDonalds^® versus Subway^®, it was the people who ate at Subway that underestimated total calories consumed by a larger margin (34% underestimation v. 25% at McDonalds) (18). The notion of healthy may give eaters a false sense of confidence, believing that choices are healthier and leaner. The takeaway is to read the fine print – don’t be fooled by ‘healthy marketing’ where because food appears healthy, it must contain fewer calories.

Know your Dietary Danger Spots
Many of us are unaware of our dietary danger spots, those locations where we tend to exhibit poor dietary behaviors (choices, portion sizes, or rate of food consumption). Take time to become more aware of your client’s problematic eating environments as this is certainly an area where we can help them improve. Table 1 provides simple strategies to implement to take control of these danger zones.

 Table 1: Dietary Danger Zones

Expectation Assimilation

Be aware of what is called an ‘Expectation Assimilation’ which refers to the expectations that the environment may have upon current and immediate eating behaviors (1). In a wine study using the same wine, but labeled either as a new wine from California (known for good wines) or from North Dakota (not known for good wine), participants were served the same food from the same servers, in the exact same environment, yet those drinking California wine consumed 11% more calories, dined for 10-minutes longer, and enjoyed their experience more, indicating that the food tasted better (19). The findings of this study appear to be one where our expectations of the eating experience may influence choices and quantities before we even eat. The takeaway is to explore environmental stimuli where clients find themselves overeating or choosing more calorically-dense foods.

In closing, whereas traditional weight loss models focus more exclusively upon the parameters of diet and activity, the goal of this article was to present another opportunity we can address when helping our clients target weight loss. Whether you’re a personal trainer or an NASM Weight Loss Specialist (WLS), it is important to simplify the process of behavioral change while motivating them with some of these simple ideas. Recognize that you should not implement multiple strategies concurrently, so create a to-do checklist, identify easiest strategies to implement first, challenge your clients to try them once, then build repeated behaviors as their self-efficacy and ability improve, then progress your program to target more problematic areas.

By Fabio Comana, MA, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES. NASM Director, Continuing Education

Formula 1 Shake Mix and Diabetes.

So happy to share that our family doctor has taken my mom off all her diabetic meds except for insulin. Every since she started on the Formula 1 shake less than a year ago her blood pressure and blood sugar levels have dropped, not to mention her cholesterol. Her type 2 diabetes has improved to the point where she only needs insulin to help manage it. And our doctor has even cut that back as well. ....Nutrition for a healthier life.... I love it!

Exercise...it could save your life!

Decreases in physical activity are directly associated with greater risk and rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and musculoskeletal dysfunction, as well as numerous other chronic diseases. Don't let this happen to you. Get out there and exercise, it will improve your life.... and it might even save it.

Weight loss plateau? Do this now!

Have you hit a weight loss plateau? Has your fitness plan stalled and you don’t feel you’ll reach your goals?  Don’t worry, you’re not alone. I can help you power back up and start seeing results again.

If you ever feel that you are doing everything just right with your fitness and nutrition plan but your results don’t seem to represent all of your hard work then I have a simple but effective piece of advice. Hitting a fitness or weight loss plateau is a very common problem in the world of sports performance and general weight loss. There are many theories on why our bodies sometimes hit a temporary yet frustrating roadblock but, by thinking outside the box, you can power through the frustration and start seeing results again. Keep on reading and you may be surprised at just how easy it can be to jump-start your flat-lined results.

All you need to do is take a few days rest in order to kick start your results.  Honestly – I’m not crazy or cracking one of my usual jokes – you need to do something really different to put body back on track and move past your fitness or weight loss plateau. I believe that if you’re ready to break free from a weight loss plateau or prevent yourself from hitting a future roadblock then a good rest may just be the magic ingredient you need.
Being consistent with your activity level and nutrition plan is an important strategy when it comes to sports performance, weight loss and fitness but have you ever heard the old saying that “too much of a good thing can be a bad thing”?  In my opinion this saying is especially true when it comes to overexerting your body. Pushing your body to the point of exhaustion can spell disaster for your fitness level and weight loss goals. A plateau can happen at any point if you don’t schedule some quality down time into your program.
Three great reasons to rest your body
Here are my good reasons why a rest is sometimes more beneficial than a training session.

1. Avoid fatigue
   Your body needs to re-generate, restore and repair itself often. The most effective way for your body to naturally heal itself is for you to rest. Overworked muscles and overstressed joints just don’t perform as well and luckily our body lets us know when our muscles are overworked.  Your pain receptors will make movements uncomfortable and your joints can become tender when you push your body too hard. The nervous system also needs time to rest in order to adapt and improve from training.

Always listen to your body and rest if you are sore.

1. Natural Cycle
   Athletes train in cycles for a reason, the timing of training may vary from athlete to athlete but one common factor in every athlete’s training program are pre-planned rest days. One of the main reasons athletes rest is to avoid fatigue, but resting the body also helps athletes avoid common overuse or stress injuries. Many athletes notice an improved general performance after taking time off from training.

A well-rested body will get better results than a tired one.

1. Spark Excitement
   If you are putting your body through the motions day after day, you can become complacent and your exercise intensity is likely to drop without you even realizing.

Have you ever seen a dog that hasn’t been walked for a few days? As soon as the dog goes out, it’s like a whole new world and they are just so excited. Well, it can be the same for humans when we’re working out.Taking a day or two off from your current workout routine can make you come back to the gym with a renewed commitment and excited approach.
 *** 
There could be many factors that impact your results but if overtraining is one of them it is easy to fix with a simple day or two of rest. My goal is to help you discover ways to improve your current fitness level and emphasize that you should to listen to your body. We are all individuals and our bodies adapt at our own personal rate: giving your body adequate rest so it can be strong for your next workout is a smart approach to achieving sustainable results.
You only have one body so use it wisely.
Although I am encouraging you to add a few rest days into your intense training weeks, this is not an excuse for you to sit on the couch and do nothing all the time! A simple change of routine or incorporating activities that are at a lower intensity such as a gentle walk or swim are acceptable rest day activities.  Occasionally my family enjoys a ‘duvet day’ where we sit back, relax and read or watch movies.  We’re usually active and we like getting out and about but now and then it’s good for everyone to recharge.
I know that taking a rest definitely improves my performance and helps me reach the next fitness level.  So, aim for one or two rest days a week but keep your completely inactive couch days to a few times a year!
Let me know if you’ve seen the benefit of rest days too. I love that something so simple can have a significant impact on breaking through a fitness or weight loss plateau – even if it does sound counter-intuitive.

Written by Samantha Clayton

Flabby arms? Here's how to get rid of upper arm fat

Do you know what a ‘bingo wing’ is? What about a ‘flabby flapper’? If you have no idea, then you probably don’t have an area of loose musculature at the top of your arms. Plenty of people do however, and it can be a major confidence drain.

Both men and women can have a tendency to store fat on their upper arms and if that applies to you then, don’t worry, we can tackle the issue with some key exercises.  You may also feel that your upper arms are saggy if you’ve lost weight and have excess skin in this area but, again, don’t worry, my advice addresses this too.  Together, we will wave goodbye to arm jiggle and show off our toned and defined biceps and triceps.

Although you can’t command your body to lose fat from a specific area, a variety of weighted toning exercises can help you improve your muscle mass. I recommend combining bursts of general fat burning cardio vascular activity with upper arm focused strength exercises, and you will be showing off your newly sculpted guns and saying goodbye to unsightly bingo wings in no time at all.
It’s easy to add in some upper body exercises throughout the day at home or at work. You don’t even need to use heavy weights; a simple full water bottle or cans from the pantry can be a good starting point. In the workplace, you can try using using paperweights or a ream of photocopy paper.
You might also want to consider investing in small sand bags as these can be great tools to help you start toning up.  I can also recommend resistance bands as these stretchy ribbons are a light weight solution for adding resistance workouts to your day, they are inexpensive and light weight so you can take one almost anywhere and, although it’s a different feeling than weights, the resistance created is just as effective for toning your body.
Focus on toning up and building your strength:
Building strong biceps, triceps and shoulders will give you muscle definition and rid you of an arm that continues to move long after you stopped waving.
Try focusing on movements that mimic everyday tasks. Sculpting your arms can be as simple as placing books on a shelf! Try to do exercises that are consistent with your body’s needs. If your job requires you to lift objects throughout the day, then getting strong through stretching and exercise can make your day easier. Excessive direct overhead movements are often not necessary and can cause stress on your shoulder joints so keep your movements in front of you.
The benefits of gaining a little muscle:
There are several benefits of gaining additional muscle mass.  The most exciting being that your body will naturally burn extra calories all day long in order to sustain your new muscle.  You will also find that the additional strength you will gain from lifting weights can help you with your day-to-day tasks and weight-bearing exercise has been linked to considerable improvement in bone density. Resistance training is recommended by ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) as it is especially beneficial for an aging population.
Focusing on upper arm strength-building for just 10 minutes a day will soon pay off.
Dedicating a small amount of time each day to upper body resistance training, and avoiding the trap of spending hours a day in the gym, can help you reap the benefits without the severe muscle soreness that over exercising a specific body part can give you.
Try to dedicate 10 minutes a day to an arm exercise routine and remember to stretch both before and after you exercise to avoid injury and tight muscles. It’s amazing how quickly your body can respond to resistance training.
There are many effective exercises that focus on the upper arm. Try a combination of bicep curls, bent over rows, tricep kickbacks, shoulder presses and plank holds.
The tricep kickback is one of my favorites as it focuses on the back of your arms and the tricep can be overlooked in favor of the much more famous bicep.
How to do a tricep kickback correctly

 –  Choose some weights that are suitable for your fitness level and hold one in each hand. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, bend yourknees and hinge your back forward slightly so that you are looking at the floor in front of you and your back is at a 45-degree angle.

-  Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle, so that your hands are in front of you and keep you arms tightly tucked into your sides.

-  Extend your arms back behind you and slowly straighten your arms; you will start to feel your triceps working as you lift the weight behind you. Hold the lift for two seconds and return to your starting position and repeat.  If you want to intensify the work turn your palms upward.

-  Try to do 10 reps per arm but stop if you feel uncomfortable.

You can do this exercise with both arms at the same time or you can do it firstwith one arm and then the other.   If you prefer to work one arm at a time, be sure to place your dumbbell free hand on your thigh and use a staggered stance to help keep your back in a neutral position.
There are so many health benefits to be gained from a balanced combination of diet and exercise.  I believe that taking a little time each day to focus on yourself is never a bad thing and with a consistent approach, you’ll soon be waving goodbye to sagging arms with an arm wave that stops when you stop.

Written by Samantha Clayton.