Clean Out Your Cupboards and Make Room for a Healthier You!

If you’re anything like me, you know you have those bad-for-you foods that you absolutely SHOULD NOT consume, but you just can’t throw away. (Cheeze-Its anyone?) You initially bought the food for someone else, or as a quick snack when you’re on the go, or someone thought they were doing you a favor by leaving them with you. Now? Well, now that food is just sitting in your cabinets, your pantry, your cupboards, staring you in the face and daring you to take a bite, JUST ONE, because you know you want just one little taste.

Why do we keep these foods? For me, personally, I grew up in a home where we didn’t waste anything. Stale chips, soggy cereal, whatever, we weren’t allowed to throw food out. This mindset has transferred into my adulthood, despite my best efforts, I have a hard time throwing out food until it’s considered “expired”.

There’s also the issue of cost. It’s hard to justify tossing a $4 box of crackers when you think about what else that $4 could have bought. Or you’re worried you won’t find a good (preferably healthy) replacement for that box, and you don’t want to get rid of it until you do “just in case”.

The majority of us are all guilty of doing this, in varying extremities. Well, it’s time to step into that spring cleaning mode, and we should start with those cupboards!

Research has shown that visualize stimulations from these “bad-for-you” foods causes increase in hunger and cravings, and makes it harder to make healthy, SMART choices when it comes to food. Your portion sizes increase in your mind, and your desire to snack becomes more evident.

How do we stop this?! Easy. Toss is out! Get rid of those bad foods, and restock with healthy substitutes! Or make your own!

Can’t handle parting ways with your kids’ favorite box of crackers snacks (that you usually eat alongside them)? Make your own cabinet! Separate the junk food from the healthy and put all of the GOOD choices in its own cabinet. You can open your cabinet doors and ONLY your cabinet doors, and make informed healthy decisions about the foods you consume!

Or do one better and take a box of that food to a nearby shelter, that way it won’t go to waste so you won’t feel guilty AND you’re doing a service to those in need!

Make sure to restock with the right foods, too! Don’t go grocery shopping hungry, and come with a list! The fastest way to a lifestyle change is removing that temptation, so let’s do it!

Kayla Hargaden
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified TRX Group Instructor
guidingfitness.com
kayla@guidingfitness.com
(317) 473-3398

The Importance of a Personal Trainer

The Importance of a Personal Trainer

There are 5 basic elements to a well-rounded fitness program.  They are aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, stretching, core stability and balance training.  For people who may be new at incorporating physical training in their daily lives, or not new, but not getting the most out of their work-outs, it is important to have sessions with a personal trainer.  A certified personal trainer has been educated in all the 5 elements of a good fitness program.  They can help you get the best out of every movement and reduce the risk of injury.      When doing aerobics, the purpose is to increase your heart rate for a period of time.  It is important to have a professional monitor your progress so you are still challenging yourself but not taking risks to over-extend your heart.      In strength training whether using weights, machines, or any other equipment, a personal trainer can guide you through every movement to achieve the best results.  In this area, it is easy to injure yourself if you are not familiar with whatever apparatus you are using and the most efficient way to utilize it.      Stretching is of course also important, and if not done properly, can also cause some major injury.  Something you may think is easy to do can cause a pulled or torn muscle that can be very debilitating.      In all of these areas of exercise, there are hundreds of choices that best fit your lifestyle, age and abilities.  Even if you can only use a personal trainer for a short period of time, the investment is well worth it to maximize your work-outs for life. Did you find this helpful? Have more questions? Visit our website and find everything you need there! Including our phone number ;) guidingfitness.com

Childhood Obesity: Who’s Responsible? By Mikenna Kossow

Childhood Obesity: Who’s Responsible? 

Judy Davis once said, “This might be the first generation where kids are dying at a younger age than their parents and it is related primarily to the obesity problem.” 

Childhood obesity is a growing concern in our society today. According to Richard Deckelbaum, obesity has doubled in the past three decades in children and adolescents. Is it the parents’ responsibility to teach their children healthy eating as well as active lifestyle habits? Is it the child’s responsibility? When do children begin to decide for themselves? The prevailing question should not be whose fault is it but what steps can be taken to prevent it? Childhood obesity is preventable with the right knowledge, guidance, activities, and healthy habits. By understanding the causes of child obesity, more solutions can be obtained and the United States as a whole could better prevent this problem. The causes and trends of youth obesity are multi-factorial. The general causes are usually unhealthy eating and a lack of physical activity. Genetics, society, ethnicity, socio-economic status, media and marketing, as well as the environment the child is in can also play a factor in obesity.

    There are many different problems/consequences caused by obesity. Not only health problems but also social status and emotions are affected. Several studies have shown clearly that children at a young age are sensitized to obesity and have begun to incorporate cultural preferences for thinness. Overweight children are ranked lowest as those with who most would want to be friends with. Obese adolescents begin to develop negative self connotations that may appear in adulthood. Behavioral and learning difficulties are a growing problem in children who are gaining weight. Examples of potential health consequences are but not limited to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, and heart disease.

Good health is a primary importance in our society. So how do we help prevent child obesity? Promote a healthy lifestyle! Create healthy eating behaviors, exercise regularly, and reduce usage of television, video games, computer, etc. As parents and elders that children look up to and learn from, provide healthy meals, encourage them to be active daily (be active with them, Children watch adults and learn from their parents). As a family you should focus on good health. Teach positive attitudes towards physical activity. Do it as a family. You can be the change in your child’s lifestyles by how you live and how you teach them.

Steady State Cardio vs HIIT

Steady State Cardio vs  HIIT 

Steady state cardio and high intensity cardio are different types of training.

HIIT exercises are short but intense workouts designed to improve your glucose metabolism, which increases your overall fat burning process, and to improve your athletic capabilities. The normal routine for HIIT is to do 30 - 40 seconds of sprinting and then 15 - 20 seconds of walking, split for 15 -  20 minutes

How effective is HIIT? Burns more at a rapid pace, boots metabolism for fat loss throughout the day. 

Drawback to HIIT is it's  easy to overtrain with this type of training . By overtraining, you would put your body in a state in which it tends to store fat that would make you feel tired.  2 - 3 times a week with rest is an optimal amount to do HIIT workouts. 

Steady state cardio would be doing the same exercise at the same speed the entire time.

This type of cardio does not necessarily mean that you have to run; it can also be done on a bike or elliptical. It burns a good amount of calories in the process. The good thing about steady rate cardio is that it can be done in between the days you do HIIT.  It's not as intense as HIIT, you can do it after every workout. 

The only drawback to doing steady state cardio would be the results you see will not be as fast as HIIT workouts.

Alternating HIIT and steady state workouts would both be a great way to keep the fat burning going! Try one of Guiding Fitness’ group classes! We implement all these things for a body changing workout. 

Any questions please feel free to contact:

Rachele Fultz 

Personal Trainer

TRX Certified

rachele@guidingfitness.com

(801) 391 - 8169 

Finding Your Inner Circle

It’s a hard fought battle in the gym, in the grocery store and at home in the kitchen. It’s harder still in those places of judgment like your work office or sitting at a restaurant table across from friends, family and the likely acquaintance. Do I bow and follow or do I take my stance and BE my goals. Where do I derive my inspirations and motivators? How do I win this WAR!

Last Sunday afternoon I found myself surrounded with old friends and new alike at a park in Rocklin that I hadn’t ventured into before that day. A great day to play FOOTBALL!! It had been a long time since we last gathered for a game or anything for that matter.  After a couple hours of ugly pass patterns and smashing each other to bits we find ourselves reminiscing and gaining speed on each other’s lives as old friend might do. This leads me to sending an email to an old coach of mine and writing to you. 

It’s a re-realization I come to that those who care most for you are those who give it to you straight; Tell you when you wrong; Pick you up when you are down. They are the one who appreciate you for your differences and allow you to be who you are without scrutiny. These people are part of your inner circle.

The past, though it has gone, is pure education. The moments you have embraced the wild, you regret. Most importantly the moments when your stomach fluttered and your chest tightened, when you felt like all you were about to do was explode in total……fear, excitement, sadness, joy. Those moments are part of your inner circle.

Your present along with you future and future goals are all dependent on how you find and build you inner circle. Those whom we keep near and the moments we create, should all be enough to inspire and motivate in some way. Fill this circle with experiences and people worth sharing to the world. If you’re not willing to share some or all of this with the world ask yourself “If I continue with this (person/thing) how could I ever be In control of my life?” The vulnerability of the entire world peering upon your inner circle should leave you humble and proud to have inspired so many. If it does not it is not the world that looks down upon what you have done rather it is you who is still looking Down. For those out there look aimlessly down at the grown this is YOUR CALL TO ACTION! It’s time to lift you head, dig deep inside and come full circle. There is little in this world that will do for you, that you will not do for the world. Become that little piece of this wonderful world that shines bright from within your inner circle.

Ryan Canon   CFT

We learn We grow We conquer!

Contact: Guiding Fitness at 916-626-7739 or by email at info@guidingfitness.com

For a more direct approach contact me at Ryan@Guidingfitness.com

What is BMI?

A BMI (Body Mass Index) is a tool that calculates the ratio of your body mass and height. Many organizations use this calculation to estimate body fat and tell clients that they are obese or overweight even if the clients have 15% body fat or less! Collin Kaepernick, quarterback for the 49ers, is a 6’4” 230lb male with a BMI of about 28, which is overweight. Compare him to a sedentary couch potato with the same proportions and they will have the exact same BMI. The difference between the two people is that one has more fat free mass (muscle, bone, anything other than fat) while the other has more fat mass. BMI is not an accurate indicator of body fat percentage!

For an ACCURATE  body fat percentage there are tools out there to help! One of the best ways is to do underwater (hydrostatic) weighing but that is expensive and only a few locations offer it. Also you can ask your doctor about x-rays, or air displacement plethysmography, which are really expensive, as well.  Some clubs and studios also have equipment to analyze body fat that is less accurate but less expensive, such as handheld machines.  With the handheld equipment you will get a ballpark range on your body fat percentage.  Another method for estimating body fat percentage is to get your skinfolds measured, which is the next best thing to hydrostatic weighing. This is where a caliper is used to measure the amount of fat in a skinfold pinch on various areas of the body. 

Here at Guiding Fitness we have a handheld machine to estimate your body fat percentage! I also have a skinfold caliper to provide for skinfold testing. Let’s stop over analyzing about our BMIs and find out our body fat percentage correctly   I am offering free skinfold tests to anyone who would like their estimated body fat percentage!!!  Please contact me or Guiding Fitness for details.  

By Melissa Patrick

(916) 532 - 8779

melissa@guidingfitness.com

The Body Competition: Kylie's Inroduction

My whole life I've just wanted to be thin!  I did like most teenage girls and compared myself to the average 5'5 110 pound high school cheerleader that I could never be... Although I have always been very active I have never been a small girl. At 5'9 and 160 pounds I have busted my booty and done tons of cardio to have the body I have today. 

This is a cardio body! 
I feel and look good but I want to be stronger.  My passion is to help others love and be strong in the body they have. As a partner of guiding fitness my goal is to help the community be healthy and active.. to change the world. 
Going into this body competition I have a lot of fears and I know it's going to take a lot of work but I'm inviting you to watch my process and my progress as I take this body to a bikini competition and push it further than it's ever been pushed before. 

For more on this amazing journey click the following link:

Kacie and Kylie's Journal: The Body Competition