Monday, September 27, 2010

Body Fat to Joint Disease -- A Slippery Slope

Joint disease is a common issue for Americans.  But what we often think of as a common sign of aging or short-term injury is, more commonly that you might think, heavy wear-and-tear on a joint that is related to excess body fat.  Yes, excess body fat can weigh heavily upon your knees, hips, and ankles, resulting in a loss of structural integrity of these joints.

Lose just a few pounds and you'll take some strain off your hips, knees, neck, and back.  Extra pounds add to the load placed on your joints, increasing the risk of cartilage breakdown.  People with excess body fat may also have higher levels of substances that cause inflammation.  The good news is that even a little weight loss can help:  Every pound that you lose takes roughly four pounds of pressure off of your knees and other lower body extremities.

In short, if you're overweight, then don't put off your fat loss efforts!  Not only are your risks for cardiovascular diseases high, but your joints are struggling each day to resist the extra pressures that they aren't built for.  For a free consultation with a Perfect Personal Trainer, simply call (877)698-3648 or click here:  http://perfectpersonaltraining.com/signup.php

Thanks for reading!

<< BUY CHONDROITIN & GLUCOSAMINE: BUY ONE GET 2 FREE >>

<< BUY COLLAGEN: BUY 1 GET 2 FREE! >>

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Fad Diet Solution

Hello, readers!

With another holiday weekend now behind us, we have to ask:  Did you make poor food selections?  And, more importantly, did you overconsume calories?

It's times like these that people start considering any of the number of fad diets out there...

Low carb, high carb, low fat, no fat, cookie diet, pure liquid, and one of the recent worst -- the “egg, vinegar, and water diet” -- all have some potential for weight loss over a moderate amount of time, but with unhealthy physiological risks.  It is important to remember that weight loss shouldn't carry risky side effects.  Low carb diets, for example, are especially dangerous because the dieter is cutting out the body’s main energy source.  As another example, low fat diets are dangerous because they minimize the body's ability to absorb and utilize vitamins.  Trading one health problem for another is no way to get things done. And, if you are doing some unhealthy for your body, the symptoms won't be obvious.  While you may feel just fine during a fad diet, there may be some dangerous underlying issues that you are not aware of.
So, before considering one of these fad diets at any point in the future, we suggest that you rely on tried-and-true science, using the labels' serving sizes as helpful quantity guides. Below is a list of foods and their respective serving sizes from The American Heart Association and the government's food pyrimid.  These suggestions are recommended for their cardiovascular health benefits as well as their ability to help maintain adequate body fat.  Not only will you be on the road to heart attack prevention, but these will help you to maintain energy levels while minimizing your body fat!  Have a look and compare to your current diet diary...

Below are the recommended daily number of servings for a 150-180 lb person:

Vegetable Servings Per Day:  3-7 Servings
Examples of a serving:
  • ½ cup of cooked vegetable
  • ½ cup raw vegetable
  • 6 ounces or ¾ cup of vegetable juice
Fruit Servings Per Day:  2-3 Servings
Examples of a serving:

  • 1 medium fruit (apple, orange, banana)
  • ¼ cup of dried fruit (raisins, prunes, etc.)
  • 6 ounces or ¾ cup of fruit juice
  • ½ cup canned, frozen, or cooked fruit
  • ½ cup raw fruit
Whole Grain Servings Per Day:  6-11 Servings
Examples of a serving:

  • 1 slice of bread
  • About 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal flakes
  • ½ cup of cooked cereal, rice or pasta
Dairy Servings Per Day:  3 Servings
Examples of a serving:

  • 1 cup of milk or yogurt
  • 1-½ ounces of natural cheese (cheddar)
  • 2 ounces of processed cheese (such as American)
Legumes Per Day:  4-5 Servings
Examples of a serving:
  • ½ cup of cooked, dry beans
  • ½ cup of tofu or 1 ½ -ounce soy burger
  • 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup of nuts
These are important considerations when meal planning.  As you can see, a "serving" is pre-determined, not necessarily the amount you can comfortably have in a sitting. 

We, at Perfect Personal Training, hope this helps as you plan your meals each day!  For more nutritional information, please comment below or send an email to info@perfectpersonaltraining.com.  Our staff of highly trained exercise specialists and nutritionists are always eager to help with your personalized lifestyle change.


Recommended for Joint Care: Bromelain -- Buy One, Get TWO MORE FREE