Weight Gain and Lack of Sleep…

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Studies prove that lack of sleep shaves years (and joy) off your life. Not a good thing!

But lost years are not the only thing that lack of sleep affects.

If you are currently gaining weight and can’t figure out why or maybe you’re just have difficulty erasing those extra pounds and you have not considered your sleep patterns, it’s time you did.

Believe it or not, the solution to your weight loss issues could be as simple as regulating your sleep patterns.

Studies prove that sleep or lack thereof plays a primary role in weight gain. In fact, science is proving that “sleep is probably the most important thing a person can do if they’re ready to start a diet and lose weight.”

One such research study showed that women who only sleep 5 hours nightly gain weight more dramatically than those who get at least 7 hours sleep.

THEORIES:

Cortisol – Cortisol is the hormone that regulates the appetite and sleep deprivation is believed to affect the amount of Cortisol our bodies secrete. Lack of sleep can cause someone to feel hungry when they aren’t because of the way the metabolism reacts.

Sedentary lifestyle – Less active during the day usually equates to lack of sleep at night. Sleep is supposed to rejuvenate a tired body but if your body is sedentary during waking hours you’ll have difficulty falling asleep and remaining asleep.

Emotions – Emotions become chaotic and affected with lack of sleep and it’s not unusual to experience sudden bouts of depression, frustration and anger. Insomnia breeds crankiness and mind confusion those who don’t sleep do not have clarity of mind. They don’t think clearly – not the best mental conditions for losing weight and keeping it off.

With the proper amount of sleep, dieting and weight-loss is easier and focus and clarity are sharp. Your cognitive functions (reactions times, decision making and memory) will improve and you’ll be able to hone in on the important aspects of your life.

Truth is, weight loss and maintaining weight loss only works when both the body and the mind are working in unity with one another.

Motivation is another key element to losing weight and keeping it off. It takes a hefty dose of motivation in order to focus on and achieve your goals. If you are sleep deprived your motivation suffers causing your weight-loss to suffer too.

If you simply turn to medications to make your lack of sleep go away, you’ll be treading in dangerous territory and likely make your problem worse. It’s simply a temporary band-aid that solves nothing.

There are rituals that you can adopt that will help your system to unwind and slow down. A nice hot bath as well as writing or reading can all help prepare your body for sleep. You’ll also sleep better by reducing the stress in your life because less sleep equates to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol being released – increasing your appetite. If your mind is weak from lack of sleep, your will power will be also, leaving you open to choosing non-healthy foods over healthy ones. Stress also has a tendency to get the mind in high gear…so, avoid anything that might keep your mind in “alert status.”

Computers and all back-lit devices can also be a culprit to a good night’s sleep by affecting the release of the hormone melatonin. So, try and keep your electronic devices out of or away from your bedroom.

It doesn’t take a lot of sleep loss to affect your weight in a negative way. Just 30 minutes of lost sleep can actually cause you to be more likely to gain weight.

So, if you want “sleep like a baby” and remove that excess stubborn body weight give your body the nutrition it needs, get the required physical exercise your body is craving during the day, crank up a nice warm bath at night and crawl into bed with a good book.

The rewards for being fit and healthy during the day is a good nights sleep at night. 

Everything you need to know to slow down and even reversing the aging clock can be found in my anti-aging library of help: “Reclaim Your Longevity.” 

Muscles and Your Immune System

strengthXtraining2Living a long healthy, vital life means protecting your body from deadly disease. That means keeping your immune system functioning in peak performance.

Truth is, we’re more in control than we give ourselves. Most diseases are the result of lifestyle habits and a broken immune system.

The immune system is responsible for protecting us from illness and fighting off infection and foreign invaders. So, we would be wise to nurture and protect our immune system. The best way to do that is through exercise.

The strength of the muscular system is interconnected with immune system functioning. Any reduction in physical condition means a weakening of this system. The end result is that inactivity is the major factor that leads to many diseases. At the top of the list is cancer – not a pleasant thought for sure.

 

Muscle Magic

Our muscles are more than just a way to shape our figure and give us strength to perform our daily activities. They are storage sites for the proteins needed to produce anti-bodies, white blood cells and killer cells. These cells detect and destroy lethal cancer cells. Muscles are also storage sites for the amino acid glutamine and other proteins that are the immune systems fuel source. The more toned, strong muscle tissue you have, the more plentiful the supply is and the greater protection you have. This stored protein is a reserve to be called upon when needed to help fight and recover from illness.

The reality is our muscular system makes up 50 percent of our bodyweight so it’s not hard to grasp the fact that any unnecessary loss of muscle is critical to our overall disease protection.

Studies have shown that sedentary, inactive people are three times more likely to die of premature and preventable disease.

So, if avoiding disease somewhere down the road of life is important to you, if living a long, healthy vital life is part of your dream then you must tend to your muscles now. They must be kept in tip-top condition – strong and toned at all times. Since most people do not have jobs that require manual labor, we must put intentional exercise in place if we wish to experience a disease free, long healthy life.

 

Strength Training is Key

A strengthening exercise program is the only way to reboot entire body strength and bolster disease protection. It directly engages the muscles that help keep hormone levels healthy. This is an important factor as high levels of certain hormones can increase the risk of disease…including cancer. Recreational activities such as walking and swimming are good and contribute to your health. However, these low intensity exercises won’t get the job done. You must engage and work all the major muscles through their ranges of movement under an adequate load. This is the way to build and maintain strength.

Next time you look in the mirror at your figure, expand your perception about your muscles and see them as your armor and defense against disease. They are not there to provide shape and body strength only. If you fail to challenge the muscles to stay strong they will continue to weaken and your disease risk will increase.

* Everything you need to know to slow down and even reverse the aging clock can be found in my anti-aging library of help: “Reclaim Your Longevity.”

Get Fit and Reshape Your Body With Strength Training

resistantXtraining2Although there are a variety of exercise variations to choose from, resistance training should be your number one choice.

Resistance training is the mode of training that will reshape your body, getting you firm, fit, and healthy. It can take many different forms including lifting dumbbells or barbells or using weight machines at the gym. Using resistance tubing bands, or performing basic body-weight activities is resistance training.

As long as you are forcing your body to work against some form of external resistance, you are resistance training.

This said, resistance training with dumbbells or barbells (free weight training) does tend to yield the best results. You’ll have the highest possible external load and you’ll be working your core muscles to a larger degree as well.

Benefits of resistance training

Increased muscle and bone strength: Challenging your muscles beyond their normal stress load with follow up rest and recovery creates strong muscles and bones. Your bones benefit and grow stronger and denser than before reducing chances of incurring a stress fracture down the road.

Accelerated Resting Metabolic Rate: It will significantly boost your metabolic rate for hours after the workout is completed. This is perhaps the primary reason why you should be doing this mode of training more often. After a good strength training workout session, you’ll be burning calories for up to 48 hours, meaning you’ll be torching body fat all day long. This means less work on your end with your diet and cardio training. If you are able to build more lean muscle mass with your strength training workouts, it means you will actually experience a permanent increase in your resting metabolic rate since you have more total lean mass to support.

Muscle tissue is very metabolically active, the more of it you have the more calories you burn doing nothing at all. This is one reason why men don’t seem to gain fat as easily as women. They have more muscle on their body – they have a protective element working for them. You too can get this protective element if you focus on building lean muscle mass. Women will never build as much muscle as their male counterpart will. However, they can definitely build muscle moving them in the right direction.

Improved Functional Fitness Level: Resistance training that also helps to improve your functional fitness level. Assuming you are using the right workout program, you’ll be stronger than you were before and see immediate benefits in your everyday life so. Daily tasks—walking upstairs, carrying groceries into the house, doing anything that involves muscular strength, will now be easier because you have strengthened the muscles involved in performing all of those movement patterns. Of course, if you don’t form your workout properly, it won’t be very functional at all and may not experience any benefits.

Improved Muscle Tone and Development: No better way to contour your body than strength training/resistance training The primary reason many people get involved with a strength training program in the first place—is to see improved body composition and appearance. If you perform the right combination of exercises, you can add more curves to selected regions of your body, capturing whatever look it is that you desire. For instance, want a curvier backside? No problem.

With the right exercises this is more than possible. Wish that you could tone that underarm flab that’s been with you since as long as you can remember? Strength training can help remedy that as well. Of course keep in mind that in order to see the muscle tone and definition that you’re building with your exercise training you will also need to be eating right so that you can achieve optimal fat loss in the process as well. If you aren’t eating right, you won’t be able to burn off that fat covering the muscle; hence definition will not be seen.

With cardio training, you become a smaller version of your current self. With resistance training, you become a brand new you. Which do you want?

Brain Power

Improved Self-Confidence: As you start making positive changes to your appearance, your self-confidence automatically goes up. This is normal and natural and for most people makes sense. The better you feel your body looks and the happier you are with your appearance; the more self-confidence you’ll have. This said, the positive appearance you’re building isn’t the only place where your self-confidence is will get a boost. When you realize just how strong you’re becoming and realize you are reaching the workout goals you set for yourself you’ll notice you’re becoming more self-confident too.

Now, your body takes on a new meaning, a new perspective. You no longer view your thighs as “thick and flabby.” You have a new perspective. You see them for how they can help you achieve. Maybe you can squat 100 pounds and feel very proud of that fact. Or, maybe they helped you climb partway up a mountain on your last hiking trip. Whatever the case, your body now is more than something that you view for appearance’s sake only. It’s now something that serves a purpose. Something you know can perform various feats that you put your mind to. This is incredibly empowering and helps build a healthy relationship overall with your body.

Lower Stress Levels: Finally, the last big benefit that resistance training has to offer is a much lower level of stress as well. Stress is something that you must take control over in your life. It can really come back to impact you in many negative ways if you aren’t careful. Stress cannot be avoided. It is a fact of life. However, the right strategies such as resistance training can help reduce and deal with it.

When you perform intense exercise, you’ll be releasing a number of endorphins into your body. Endorphins are your “feel good” hormone. When released they give you a rush of energy causing you to feel good. You’ll feel more calm, collected, and relaxed. This “feel good sensation” is your own personal euphoric moment.

Truth is, resistance training is one of the healthier ways that you can take out some of your built up anger and frustration. Especially useful for those who like to use force to release pent up stress! Sort of like punching a whole in the wall, but not destructive!

If you can only do one type of exercise variation, resistance training should be your number one choice.

Everything you need to know to slow down and even reverse the aging clock can be found in my anti-aging library of help: “Reclaim Your Longevity.”

Mighty Warriors – Chia and Flax Seeds…

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There are two little seeds that can offer you incredible benefits – everything from unbelievable good health to high energy, effortless weight loss and longevity.

Often called “Ancient Super Foods of The Future” these tiny but might warriors are Flaxseed and Chia seed.

 

Flax seeds

Flax seeds are being tagged as the new wonder food by many because they carry one of the biggest nutrient payloads on the planet.

Similar to grains (although not a grain itself) the vitamin and mineral profiles are similar. But when it comes to fiber, antioxidants and those importantOmega-3 acids, flaxseed is a clear winner.

First cultivated in Babylon as early as 3,000 BC., it was mandatory for all subjects in King Charlemagne’s court to consume it because he believed in the health benefits so much and now 13 centuries later science and research is making him look like a genius.

Containing all sorts of healthy components, flax seed owes its healthy reputation primarily to three ingredients:

Rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids: These are the good fats…the ones that offer heart-healthy effects. Flax seed offers about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s per tablespoon. Omega-3 fatty acids are key players in the war against inflammation in our bodies.

Phytochemicals and antioxidants: Flax seed is perhaps our best source of lignans containing 75-800 times more than other plant foods. Lignans convert in our intestines to substances that tent to balance female hormones and there is even evidence that lignans may promote fertility, reduce menopausal symptoms, offer anti-cancer properties and help prevent diabetes.

Fiber: Fiber in the diet helps to stabilize blood sugar which in turn promotes proper functioning of the intestines and you would be hard pressed to find a food higher in fiber (both soluble and insoluble) than flaxseed. This fiber is mainly responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effects of flax.

An added benefit that flaxseed offers is that it is very low in carbohydrates which makes it ideal for those who wish to limit their intake of sugars and starches. The combination of high fiber with healthy fat makes it a great solution for weight loss and maintenance.

It’s important to note that flax seed needs to be ground in order to make their nutrients available otherwise they simply pass through the body undigested.

Because flax seed helps to keep people feeling satisfied, those wishing to lose excess body fat find this wonder seed a key to ultimately sticking to a healthy eating plan without being derailed by demanding food cravings.

 

Chia Seed

The second little wonder seed is Chia seed. Similar to flax, chia seed is loaded with protein, is an excellent source of fiber, full of antioxidants, loaded with vitamins and minerals and a great source of B vitamins including folic acid and the richest known plant source of omega-3 essential fatty acids offering more omega-3 than Atlantic salmon.

Chia seeds offer important anti-aging properties and fight free radicals by neutralizing the free radicals that cause premature aging and by flushing out age-accelerating toxins. They help you regain youthful exuberance and skin elasticity, they enhance hair, skin and nails, lubricates joints, reduces inflammation and muscle soreness.

Gram for gram Chia seeds offer the highest source of protein bar none. All it takes is one or two tablespoons daily to improve nutrition.

Chia seed is definitely the most nutritious seed available anywhere; it is one of the best health-building super foods or nutritional supplements around. Unlike flax seed, Chia seeds to not have to be ground but can be enjoyed right out of the bag or you can add them to salads or cereals or nearly anything else.

Pair this chia seed with flax seed for a double punch of super-power and super-nutrition. This power duo promotes health in everyone who takes it.

It’s time you became smart and knowledgeable about your diet and know what contributes to your health and longevity and what doesn’t.  Check out the newest addition to my anti-aging library of help…“Reclaim Your Longevity.”

Foods that Contribute to Longevity…

foodssResearch has shown that there are cultures and small groups of people around the globe who enjoy lives that extend far beyond the average. Many, such as those that live in San Blas off the coast of Panama experience less heart disease and less high blood pressure.

What’s their secret?

Diet. Evidence is proving that certain foods can play a role in life extension. A healthy diet does in fact contribute to health and longevity. In reverse, a poor diet will steal away your health and your years.

There is no one single “wonder food”…rather it is a variety of healthy foods that are key.

 

Healthy Life-Extending Foods

Here’s a short list of some of the healthiest and “live extending” foods you can eat.

Salmon: This superfood is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids have been proven to decrease the risk of abnormal heartbeats and reduce blood pressure. They also help to slow the growth of artery-clogging fat deposits. In addition to these physical benefits, omega-3s fatty acids are considered brain food. Salmon is particularly rich source.

Yogurt: Offering probiotics. Similar to the friendly bacteria already living in your gut, probiotics help you digest and absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. They support your immune system and protect you against disease. Effective in preventing certain types of cancer, they are used to treat other health conditions such as urinary tract infections.

Sweet Potatoes: These colorful, sweet tasting gourds pack a powerful nutrient punch and should be included in every diet. Packed with vitamins such as vitamin B6 and vitamin A – important for vision, bone health, cell growth, cell maintenance and even reproduction. Offering 4 times the U.S. recommended allowance for beta-carotene, they also offer a healthy punch of fiber when enjoyed with the skin on,

Blueberries: Rank at the top of the list for disease-fighting foods. In addition to the healthy dose of vitamins and minerals offered, they are loaded with antioxidants. These warriors are powerful enough to reduce the risk of certain cancers, stroke, heart disease and age related brains diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. They also help to decrease inflammation while guarding your cells from damaging free radicals.

Dark chocolate: This does not include the overly processed sugar laden types of chocolate you might find on your grocery shelves. It is the higher grade dark-chocolate that offers antioxidants called flavonoids. Favonoids help support your heart and blood vessels. Keep in mind that calories and fat come along with the package, so treat yourself gingerly without over doing it.

 

Don’t Forget the Greens!

Kale: Rich with vitamin K, essential for blood clotting, this superfood also contains lutein. This nutrient reduces the risk of cataracts and other eye disorders. Kale even trumps spinach with triple the amount of vitamin K!

 

Leafy Greens/green veggies: Kale isn’t the only leafy green contributing to extended years. These healthy, nutrient dense super-foods should be the cornerstone of all healthy eating plans. They are packed with an assortment of vitamins, minerals and protein. As nature’s most alkaline foods, they are readily available to us. Swiss chard, broccoli, collards, herbs and spinach are all great choices. They not only help to prevent disease but have proven effective in reversing some major health issues.

Genetics can predispose us to different diseases. However, we do have a certain amount of control when it comes to our health. Our dietary choices are among the most influential factors. These choices effect how we age, how long we live and the quality of the years in between.

It’s time you became smart and knowledgeable about your diet and know what helps and what doesn’t and I can help. Check out the newest addition to my anti-aging library…“Reclaim Your Longevity.”

Belly Fat is Downright Dangerous…

bellyXfat2The world is getting fatter. The number of overweight people has increased at alarming rates in recent years and doctors are now more concerned about where fat is stored in the body than how much fat you have totally.

Although the body distributes fat differently for each person, there are two types of fat storage:

Types of Fat

Visceral fat: this is deeply hidden fat that wraps around the internal organs in your body. It accounts for about 15 to 20 percent of body fat. Both genders are subject to this type of fat but men in general accumulate more visceral fat than women until women experience menopause at which time their bodies begin accumulating more visceral fat than subcutaneous fat.

Subcutaneous fat: this fat is found beneath the skin and for about 80 percent of all body fat. You could compare this type of fat to the many layers of an onion.

People are overly concerned, obsessed with, hung-up on and self-conscious about the fat they can see (the subcutaneous fat that jiggles and wiggles), when in reality it is the “hidden fat,” the deeply hidden visceral fat that is the most dangerous.

Visceral fat, or fat that accumulates around the middle (belly fat) is the most dangerous from a health perspective. This type of fat actually produces inflammatory substances (cytokines) that wreak havoc on the body’s internal organs.

People love to make “fun of” and “joke” about belly fat calling it names like “beer gut, spare tire and pot belly” but in truth, belly fat (visceral fat) poses much more of a potential risk to your overall health than carrying excess fat on other parts of your body does.

The presence of abdominal fat is a strong indicator (don’t ignore the signs) of other serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and various forms of cancer and other degenerative diseases…that may not be far off in the future if you don’t step up to the plate and clear your body of this dangerous overload now. High blood pressure, high insulin levels and other issues are also at high risk with excess belly fat hanging around. Are you willing to take the risk?

The scary thing is you don’t even have to be overweight to have this dangerous fat… you can actually appear skinny and yet be harboring this dangerous visceral fat deep inside where it continues to damage important organs like your heart.

Body shape can reveal somewhat the kinds of fat present. “Apple-shaped” people carry a large portion of their fat above their waist making them more susceptible to visceral fat than a “pear-shaped” person would be. A “pear-shaped” person carries their body fat below the waist. But neither shape is immune from developing belly fat.

The good news is…you can rid your body of this dangerous fat and restore the health of your organs…but it requires dedication and determination and desire to be healthy. It requires your focus and energy on removing this dangerous fat.

 

Rid Your Body of Belly Fat

Any program adopted to rid the body of dangerous belly fat must include all the following:

Proper diet: Stay away from sugar. Studies prove that excess sugar (because of the amounts of fructose) actually leads to an increase in the accumulation of belly fat. Eat plenty of quality protein along with healthy fresh fruits and vegetables.

Quality sleep: Deep, restful sleep plays a huge role in the health of our hormones and our body.

Challenging exercise: Relays the message to your body that strength and life is important to you.

Motivation and dedication: The fuel that keeps you focused on the health of your body.

In the end, it’s not so much about the dip you’ll see when stepping on the scales when losing visceral fat but the vital years you add to your life. Isn’t that what really matters?

Fabulous Fiber for Gut Health…

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Dietary fiber, although not a nutrient, is important for the optimal functioning of our bodies.

Along with micro and macro nutrients, fiber needs to be an essential part of our daily diets.

Dietary fiber (roughage) is the edible part of a plant (fiber only comes from plant based foods) that is not digested or absorbed before reaching the large intestine. [Read more…]

Chronic Disease Cuts Life Short…

heartXattackAccording to a 50 year study, disease cuts many lives short. For the most part, three big ones – heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke are preventable diseases yet these three diseases alone cut many lives short by decades.

The really sad thing is, these diseases as well as other diseases can easily be prevented by adopting simple healthy lifestyle habits. [Read more…]

Own Your Health and Fitness with Priority Status

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The priorities we place on everyday tasks and activities and the values we associate with each one of them is determined by the programs running in our minds…our “mind software.”

For better or worse, truth is, our deep-seated food and exercise related values and priorities effectively run our lives.

Engaging in regular, proper exercise (strength training), and enjoying quality live foods (non-processed) are two behaviors that are vital to losing weight, keeping it off and maintaining and enjoying better health for years to come.

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUE

With this in mind, the first thing we must address if we want to shift our lives towards stellar health and fitness is to examine how much value and priority we have placed on these two important behaviors.

If our bodies become overweight or unhealthy the likely cause is that we have not placed enough value on lifestyle behaviors (our eating and exercise habits) that would otherwise keep us fit and healthy and these low priorities reflect in our actions or lack thereof.

 

Truth is, if you hope to live a long productive life and dance into your nineties you are going to have to place high priorities and high values on what you eat now and how much exercise you get now in order to stay strong well into the future.

 

Nearly 90 percent of the work required to shift your life towards stellar health and fitness is done on the inside first, however, it doesn’t stop there…you must follow through with physical action…they work hand-in-hand to get the job done.

When we make a conscious effort to increase our health values, the ideas of healthier eating and regular proper exercise automatically move up a few notches in our value system and our beliefs and perceptions begin to shift.

Additionally, the better care we take of ourselves the higher our motivation levels climb as well until one day they become unstoppable.

Once your mind is aligned with your goals and your beliefs and perceptions are working with you…not against you then “follow through” with action becomes much easier to perform.

 

It doesn’t matter what sort of beliefs you may or may not have about your after-life. The only thing that matters is what you are actively doing to enjoy the life you are in.

 

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

You are either actively participating in helping yourself to achieve health and fitness or you are contributing to its neglect.

Let’s get real. Deep down you already know that eating a balanced diet of high quality whole foods, drinking the freshest, cleanest water you can find and engaging in regular challenging exercise is the key to stellar health, preventing disease and dancing into your nineties.

So, what are you waiting for? It doesn’t matter if you’ve never made health a priority in your life before. Don’t look back…focus in the now and do it today. Refuse to settle for less…know that your perceptions and beliefs are dictating your value system and your priorities and they in turn are dictating how you direct your life.

It all begins with you. No one can place health and fitness at the top of your priority list but you. You must own your health and fitness in your mind first and when you do, your actions and your life will automatically reflect this.

Soon you’ll be doing it effortlessly and getting healthier by the day.

If you are serious about achieving a truly healthy lifestyle that will take care of you long into your senior years visit “Reclaim Your Longevity” .

Everything you need to live a long healthy life…dancing well into your senior years is included in this program that is geared towards helping you to find the “fountain of youth.”

Strong Toned Muscles Build a Strong Healthy Metabolism

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The measurement of muscle mass/size means “how many pounds of lean muscle mass you have.” The less muscle mass your body has, the slower your resting metabolic rate. The slower your metabolic rate is, the harder it is to take or keep weight off.

In fact, one of the biggest reasons why people tend to gain body fat as they get older is not necessarily because they are growing older but rather because their metabolic rate is slowing down. [Read more…]

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