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Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy Memorial Day

What a beautiful day here in sunny NY. Memorial Day a time to reflect on those who sacrificed for this great country. To the brave men and women who have died, served or that are still serving today I salute you. My prayers and my thoughts are with all of you.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Busy Busy Busy

Hello one and all. So sorry I've been so busy lately and have not had time to post. My wife and I are preparing a Vacation Bible School. I was gearing up for a Torch Run to support the Special Olympics and completed an 8.5 mile run. I've been getting my new business up and running it deals with fitness and fitness products. I hope everybody is doing well and has a great Memorial Day Weekend. As a Veteran I am very much aware of what sacrifice is and I would ask that everybody take time out to at least thank a Veteran or remember a Veteran for the sacrifice they gave or are giving for this county.

Tim

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

As promised FATS

Check out this link it really breaks down FATS better than I ever could. http://www.healthcastle.com/goodfats-badfats.shtml

Fats are important to the body. I remember back in the 80's the craze was no fat diets. Then in the 90's the craze was no carb diets. Final things have come full circle and the health industry is preaching balanced diets.
Thank God for that. My wife is going to guest post on here today. As always remember you have the power to change and you need to do it for you. You count and you are important. God loves you and you should too. Have an awesome day.

Tim

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Insanity Video

I know I still owe information about Fats and how they affect the body and I will do that later today but check out this link I found on Insanity. If you have questions afterwards go to beachbodycoach.com/gzus4life35 and drop me an email. I think you'll see first hand how great Insanity is!!!!

http://www.azfamily.com/news/health/Insanity-workout-program-93823959.html

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Proteins

What are proteins? How do they help us?  Well they are complex natural compound: a complex natural substance that has a globular or fibrous structure composed of linked amino acids. Proteins are essential to the structure and function of all living cells and viruses.


2. food rich in protein: a food source that is rich in protein molecules

"a balanced diet of fresh vegetables, fruit, and protein" (Source: Bing.com)
 
What the heck does all that mean? Basically you need protein to build muscles. Your body also uses a lot more energy to break down protein than it does to break down carbs.
 
From Georgetown University we find out this:
Protein is necessary for the building and repair of body tissues.


It produces enzymes, hormones, and other substances the body uses.

It regulates body processes, such as water balancing, transporting nutrients, and making muscles contract.

Protein keeps the body healthy by resisting diseases that are common to malnourished people.

Prevents one from becoming easily fatigued by producing stamina and energy.

Protein is found in muscles.

Protein is found in muscles, bone, hemoglobin, myoglobin, hormones, antibodies, and enzymes, and makes up about 45% of the human body. Muscle is approximately 70% water and only about 20% protein. Therefore, increasing muscle mass requires extra water, extra energy in the form of carbohydrates (to maintain the needs of that extra muscle), and a little extra protein.




According to Dr. Dan Benardot, for an athlete increasing muscle mass at an extraordinarily high rate of 1 kg/week (2.2 lbs of extra muscle per week), only 4 extra ounces of meat per day would be needed. In most surveys that have been done on athletes, protein intake from food far exceeds requirements. The generally accepted athlete requirement for protein is between 1.5 and 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. Many studies show that athletes commonly consume well over 3.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. Most athletes need slightly more protein than non athletes. However, muscle strength, size, and shape comes from athletic training, not dietary protein intake



Two to three servings of lean meat or alternatives each day should give enough protein to meet requirements.

Vegetarian athletes may need two to three servings of legumes, eggs, nuts, seeds or additional dairy products each day.

How do I Get the Right Proteins?

Complete proteins are foods that contain all of the essential amino acids. These foods include beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk and just about anything else derived from animal sources. Incomplete proteins do not have all of the essential amino acids and generally include vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and nuts. Vegetarians can get complete proteins from their foods by combining incomplete proteins. To get all of the essential amino acids, simply choose foods from two or more of the columns.



Grains Legumes Seeds & Nuts Vegetables

Barley Beans Sesame Seeds Leafy Greens

Corn Meal Lentils Sunflower Seeds Broccoli

Oats Peas Walnuts

Rice Peanuts Cashews

Pasta Soy Products Other Nuts

Whole Grain Breads









How to Calculate Your Protein Needs: The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) says: .8 grams of protein for every 1 kilogram body weight.



1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg

2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm



Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary. Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.



Example: 154 lb male who is a regular exerciser and lifts weights

154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg

70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day



Average Protein Intakes



Age Height (inches) Weight (pounds) Protein g/day

Females 15-18 64 120 44

19-24 65 128 46

Males 15-18 69 145 59

19-24 70 160 58



Protein Found in Food

I know I did not write this but I hope this helps. You need to learn to balance what you eat with the right amount of protein and the right amount of carbs. Tomorrow we'll discuss fats. Remember that you have the power to change and you need to change for you. You count and you're important. God loves you and you should love you just the way you are.

Tim

Monday, May 17, 2010

Carbs, Protein and Fats

Carbohydrate: Mainly sugars and starches, together constituting one of the three principal types of nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Carbohydrates can also be defined chemically as neutral compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.




Carbohydrates come in simple forms such as sugars and in complex forms such as starches and fiber. The body breaks down most sugars and starches into glucose, a simple sugar that the body can use to feed its cells. Complex carbohydrates are derived from plants. Dietary intake of complex carbohydrates can lower blood cholesterol when they are substituted for saturated fat.



Carbohydrates are classified into mono, di, tri, poly and heterosaccharides. The smallest carbohydrates are monosaccharides such as glucose whereas polysaccharides such as starch, cellulose and glycogen can be large and even indeterminate in length.



The energy produced by carbohydrates is 4 calories per gram.



Etymology: Carbohydrates are called carbohydrates because the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen they contain are usually in the proportion to form water with the general formula Cn(H2O)n.
(Source: Medicinenet.com)

To find out how many grams of carbs you'll be eating taking your total caloric intake for the day. Using a standard of 40% of your diet will be carbs multiply by that 40% then divide by 4.

Lets say I eat 1900 calories a day.
40% of that is 760 calories
Divide by 4 and your total daily intake of carbs in grams is 190 grams.

Sorry I could not do more today I caught a case at work and was stuck there late today. Tomorrow I will address proteins and fat. If you looking for a good workout program hit my shop button and poke around a bit. Ok just remember you have the power to change and you need to change for you. You count and you are important.

Tim

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Happy Sunday All

Ok well Happy Sunday everybody. Sunday is a cool day as it is technically the first day of the week while most of us think it's Monday as that is the start of the work week. I am going to try to take every Sunday and give you a tip of the week. Tomorrow I will share on carbs, protein and fat that I said I would address today. Sunday is cool  because it is the beginning. A chance to start a new. Use today to shrug off all those worries and struggles you might have had this week and start over today. Don't worry about bumps in the road as you can use them to learn from. Ok now for the tip of the week.

Tip #1. Pack your meals. If you pack your meals and bring them with you then you are in control of the calories you take in. For example I usually have a Shakeology meal replacement shake, a protein bar, a protein shake, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a bag of peanuts or pretzels that I take with me for the day. On another day I will have a protein bar, oatmeal, a smart size portion of left overs, protein shake and peanuts or pretzels or fruit for my snack. Planning ahead will definitely make a difference when it comes to changing your body.

As always remember you have the power to change and you need to change just for you. You count and your important. God loves you so you should love you.

Happy Sunday!!!!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Calories

First and foremost thank you to my wife for putting this blog out there. Second and if not for my wife would be first thank you all for the kind words and feedback. Let me encourage you all if I can do this you can do this. I am not an athlete or athletically gifted I just put my mind to it and my body did the rest.

Calories what are they? A calorie is a unit of energy. When you read the amount of calories a particular food has that means how much energy you can get from that item. If you don't use that energy it turns to fat.

Rule of thumb when losing weight: When you determine how many calories you need subtract 500 from that number. The reason you subtract 500 is because it takes 3500 calories to equal 1 lb. 500 times 7 days equals 3500.

How to calculate how many calories you need is not a perfect science but I found a formula that works to get you in the ball park:

Women 655 + (4.3xweight in lbs) + (4.7xheight in inches) - (4.7xage in years) this will equal you BMR - Basal metabolic rate or the rate at which your body burns calories you would need this to just survive.

Men 66+(6.3xweight in lbs) +(12.9xheight in inches) - (6.8xage in years) then add the number below just like the women.

Now take that number and multiply it by :
20% if you are sedentary
30% if you are lightly active
40% if you are moderately active
50% if you are very active
Then add the number you get to you BMR and this is how many calories you need to function while exercising.

After you get this number subtract 500 calories to lose 1lb a week.
My BMR is 1989 calories I work out hard so I need to add 994 calories to that now I subtract 500 calories and my daily intake should be 2483 calories. Now I subtract another 500 calories and am now burning 2lbs a week but I don't go below that. If you start to feel sluggish you need to add more calories.

Ok hope this helps. Tomorrow I'll talk about proteins, carbs and fats.......
Remember that you have the power to change and you need to change for you. You count and you are important.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Helllllo Visitors from New Friend Friday

Hey visitors from New Friend Friday! It's Diana from The Girl Creative hijacking my husband's new blog!!! Really, it's going to be "our" blog about our weight loss success stories but while it's still getting up and running I wanted to pop over here and welcome everyone!


Writing this post is super fun for me because it's not everyday that  I get to show off Mr. GC and brag about what a great job he has done losing weight. As a struggler of weight myself, I know just how hard it is to exercise, lose weight and STAY FOCUSED!  He truly is my inspiration. He gets up at the crack of dawn and works out when he'd rather be sleeping (while I'm snoring away in dreamland!) and boy oh boy, his hard work has paid off. He looks great and I'm so proud of him. :) Check out his before and after pictures in the sidebar. Amazing!

I hope you won't mind my shameless plug for him but I'd love for you to follow this blog and make his day. I will have lots of "splaining" to do when he wakes up and sees this post! LOL

Thanks so much for stopping by!

xoxo,
Diana

Getting Started

When I decided to make a lifestyle change and get into shape the first thing I did was I went to my MD and received a physical. I wanted to see where I was and to see what if any limitations would be placed on me. Thankfully I did not have any limitations and was able to start working out. Next I set goals that I wanted to achieve. My first goal was to make it through a round of P90X. I did not focus on weight at all. The next goal was to reach a certain weight of which I am 3lbs away. My new goal is help at least 100 people achieve their fitness goals this year. I know its a lofty challenge but I received support while I was getting into shape and so I want to pay it forward. Remember you have the power to change and you need to change for you. You are worth it and you count. Be encouraged today smile look at yourself and appreciate the person in the mirror. When you go out today lift your head up high to indicate you are well on your way to becoming more physically fit. To recap you should see your MD prior to taking on any workout program and you need to set goals. Tomorrow we'll talk about work out plans from Beachbody that can work for you and we'll talk about calories what are they and how they affect your body.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Why? Why? Why?

Ever looked into the mirror and asked "why me God?" I have and I wondered why I could not be in the same athletic condition as other people I knew or saw on tv. Once I decided that I was ok with who I was and that all I needed was a healthy lifestyle change things just started to flow in the right direction. In speaking with people I've heard a gambit of reasons why people want to get in shape. I want to impress a guy/girl, I want to look good for the summer, fit into that dress, I'm making a presentation and don't want to get up in front of people looking like this, and the list goes on. While they are all valid reasons to make that lifestyle change and get into the best shape of your life they are temporary goals with temporary solutions attached called diets. What happens when you reach your goals? When you meet that someone special or when the wedding day has come and gone? The weight comes right back on and we fall into a rut. I think it's important that we look in the mirror and tell yourself that you love yourself. I know it sounds silly but it's important. Why would anybody treat you different than the way you treat you. Remember that you count, your important, and you have the power to change for you. Maybe others will benefit when you change but first and foremost it's for you. List some of the reasons you have used in the past to lose weight and get into shape and see how they turned out for you. God loves you for who you are and so should you. Now let's make sure we get up every morning on the journey to fitness look into that mirror smile and love yourself for being you.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Oh all those diet products and plans!

I have tried it all folks. Gold's Gym, World Gym, local Gyms, Planet Fitness,  Eat right for your type, pills, shakes, powders, ab roller, The T Plan, Body for Life, Xenadrin, Atkins, Southbeach and a host of other products. A few of them had really good results but after I got the results I was back to the same old routine of making poor food choices and not working out. This probably happened because I did not set a realistic goal and the goal was not for me but we'll get into that tomorrow. Those products listed above had temporary results not entirely based on the products but also not entirely based on me. Those products did not present the right plan (except for Body For Life) or keep me really focused.  Then I found out about Beachbody and P90X. Wow what a difference this program was from all the others. The way the workouts were designed with muscle confusion and an eating plan you get from the Beachbody website makes it easy to comprehend and utilize. They give you the schedule and the equipment you need is minimal. The results were commensurate with my effort and they were good.  After I did 2 rounds of P90X  I did Insanity also from Beachbody and the results were even better. I believe in these Beachbody products. They helped me make a lifestyle change not just go on a diet. Diets are temporary but lifestyle changes stick with you for life. Beachbody surrounds you with a support system designed to help you succeed. Remember the 2 most important factors when it comes to a lifestyle change: 1. You have the power to make a lifestyle change and 2. You need to do it for you. Your worth making this lifestyle change for and you count. You can do it so lets get ripped together.

Tim

Monday, May 10, 2010

My Story

As far back as I can remember my wife and I watched the NBC hit show "The Biggest Loser". The irony is that I used to sit on the couch and watch this show while I would eat a big bowl of ice cream with various toppings and whipped cream. When I hit 250 lbs on my 5'11" frame and had outgrown yet another pair of pants I knew I was in need of a change. My wife agreed so we started to eat different. We would cut our portions in half. I would go to the gym. At first the results were awesome I lost some 20 lbs and felt great. Then the great wall hit and I never lost any more weight. I was in a rut at the gym and I saw my weight and clothes sizes going up. As I said I was going to the gym merely going through the motions. Getting up at 5am and getting back home by 630am getting ready for work and starting the cycle all over the next day.

In June of 2009 I was speaking to a co-worker who had talked about a program called P90X. I had seen the infomercials and was not at all interested. I thought that would never work for me. In August of 2009 when my fitness levels were declining, my weight was on the incline I decided to give it a try. I bought dumbbells from Bowflex, got my P90X from Beachbody and on August 24, 2009 started my journey to being physically fit. I started weighing 234lbs and now weigh 203lbs. I started off wearing pants size 40 to 42 pants. I now wear pants size 34 to 36. I'm in great shape and feel that there is nothing I can't accomplish.

When I was finished with P90X I ordered another Beachbody product called Insanity. Wow what a program and the results were awesome. As I drew near the end of Insanity I got to thinking that if I, an ordinary person with not a lick of athletic ability, can do these programs and take my life back I can certainly help others do the same. I want to help mothers, fathers, daughters and sons, friends and strangers alike.

I learned 2 very important things along my journey and they are this. 1. I have the power to change my life. 2. I am changing for me!

To sum up I want to let you know that I am a born again Christian who is thankful to God for all the changes I've been able to make over the past 8 months. I just want to help people as part of the solution. I am not offering a miracle pill, drink, elastic waist band, treadmill or any of the other gadjets that are on tv. No, I am offering friendship so that working together we can achieve what you want for you. You deserve to bfit4u.