Can Healthy Living Compensate for Bad Genetics?

Let's face it -- some people are just plain lucky.  They indulge in unhealthy habits, get little quality exercise, and somehow, they live a long life, predominantly free of chronic disease.  Others, of course, were dealt a bad hand, genetically.  Some of you have high blood pressure, even though your lifestyle is pretty healthy.  Others have cholesterol numbers that are off the charts, even though your cholesterol intake really isn't all that bad.  And, of course, some have larger bone structure and lower metabolic rates, naturally.

The good news is that, despite heredity, our day-to-day decisions have a whole heck of a lot more to do with what happens to us than our genetic inheritence does!  We can and should fight back against congenital disorders or problems that "we were born with". 

Below is a bulletpoint list of very attackable problems with real solutions.  These sugestions are meant as a jumping-off point, and we encourage you to contact us (or comment below or on our Facebook page) to further personalize your solution(s):

Slow metabolism:  "I've never really been skinny."  "No matter what I do, I always have a big butt."  "I've tried diet and exercise, but I'm always bigger-framed no matter what I do."
Surprisingly, many foods and herbs go a long way in boosting metabolism.  We'll be posting more on this in a future blogpost, but a good start are foods like kelp and grapefruit, as well as items such as hot peppers and acai berries, have all been shown to improve metabolism.  Including these into your daily regimen along with precise, personalized strength training (you don't need the gym -- it can all be done at home) will greatly improve your metabolism to the tune of burning or keeping off an extra five or six pounds per month!

High cholesterol:  Sure, some of us have to work a little bit harder than others to keep our cholesterol ratio in check.  But, solid exercise alone will elevate your "good cholesterol" as long as you're employing the right F.I.T.T. principles... This means the FREQUENCY, INTENSITY, TIME SPENT, and TYPE/SELECTION of each exercise have to be close to ideal for you to really get the benefit you need to improve your good cholesterol.  A moderate walk, alone, won't do it!  And, of course, replacing your higher-cholesterol foods with veggies and fruits of the right caloric make-up will bring down your "bad cholesterol".  Regardless of your predisposition, what you do will make a far bigger difference than what you inherited.

Hypertension:  Did you know that just a small piece of dark chocolate every day will bring down your systolic (top number) blood pressure value?  Did you also know that supplementing with Coenzyme Q10 has been shown to help reduce blood pressure, also?  And, if you think you're already getting ebnough cardio, then think again:  Five days per week of 20-60 minutes are recommended for controlling blood pressure as well as cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease.

Dementia:  If dementia runs in your family, then you may believe that there isn't much you can do to prevent it.  Fortunately, that isn't true!  Dementia is preventable by consuming fish regularly (a small amount each day seems to show the most promise, or supplementing with fish oil tablets in quantities of 1-3grams per day.)  Additionally, moderate-to-high cardiovascular training go a long way in defeating dementia also.  In general, a healthy diet rich in anti-oxidants, steady aerobic exercise, and a good night's sleep are key ingredients to preventing the onset of this horrible disease, even as you reach your 80s, 90s or beyond.

Osteoporosis:  Don't let a family history of this devastating disease make you think that you're a sitting duck!  The right nutrition, water consumption, and progressive strength training regimen are all you'll need to keep your bones strong at ANY age.  The trick is to know the right amounts of calcium and vitamin D to be consuming for you and your activities, and to have a resistive program that is just enough to improve your bones without damaging your muscles or joints.  An exercise professional with a strong background in bone maintenance will craft the right program for your needs, and you'll see your T-score improving a little bit more every few months, regardless of what your bloodline says.

Heart disease, arthritis, poor balance, and most others disorders have fairly simple answers, also!  Please call us (877-698-3648), email info@perfectpersonaltraining.com, or post your questions on our Facebook page or in the comments area below.  There are solid solutions for you and for your family; we just need to put in the time to look at your lifestyle and medical history, and assess your needs for better living and reduced risk.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend, everyone!

Top 5 Things You've Got To Know for Fat Loss

If you're going to effectively lose excess bodyfat, then you've got to have a Caloric Deficit Plan!  Otherwise, you're throwing darts, blindfolded.  It's all a crapshoot if you don't know what you're up against or how your efforts will measure up against it!

#5.  Remember this:  1 lb = 3500 calories.  Burning one pound of bodyfat means creating a caloric deficit of roughly 3500 calories.  These calories can be expended through movement, through consuming fewer calories of food and drink, and through raising your metabolism. 

#4.  While a Perfect Personal Trainer can better personalize these numbers, you can usually assume an approximate caloric loss of...
4 or 5 calories per minute of light aerobic or circuit training exercise
8 - 10 calories burned per minute of moderate aerobic or circuit exercise
13 - 17 calories per minute of intense aerobic or circuit exercise

#3.  It is usually safe for those who weight over 180 lbs to consume as few as 1500 calories per day.  Those between 120 and 180 lbs can usually consume as low as 1350 calories per day without negative repercussion.  For those under 120 pounds, it is often safe to consume as few as 1200 calories per day.  Get to know the calories you're taking in so you can insure your weight loss success.

#2.  Don't rely on bodyweight exercises when they're not in your best interest!
For example, pushups can be an excellent exercise for many. But, this exercise is usually not ideal for those who can safely perform more than 30 pushups at a time, or for those who experience back pain, or wrist or shoulder problems during or after this exercise.  When you're selecting your exercises, choose the ones that are most appropriate and the best use of your time -- not just what's convenient.

#1.  Find out what your body composition is!  You see, much of your body weight will come from bone density, muscle tissue, body water, or other healthy, normal fat-free weight.  Therefore, it doesn't make sense to assume that losing weight is always good or that gaining weight is always bad.  Let a Perfect Personal Trainer assess your body composition (fat percentage) so that you can plan for roughly 1% of body composition loss weekly until you're in a healthy, safe range.
There is a LOT to discuss here, everyone, so please feel free to post comments or call us at (877)698-3648.  We're always here to help you achieve preventive health, your fitness goals, a greater self-confidence, and your lifelong dreams!

The Key To Smaller Meals

Calorie cutting isn't easy, but we often make it harder than it needs to be by believing in obstacles that don't exist.  For example, many Americans believe that by eating a smaller meal than usual, they'll be inclined to overeat in the next meal, due to increased hunger. 

Is it really that simple? Not so, according to a study present in the journal Appetite. Many factors play into our sense of hunger, but simply shortening one meal is not necessarily going to make a person want to overeat in the next. In fact, a study showed that if people cut back on only one meal and maintained their caloric consumption for the other meals, that overall satiety would likely be maintained throughout the day while still cutting calories and, therefore, burning bodyfat through the creation of this caloric deficit. Ultimately, we see that minor changes can, very thankfully, reap major benefits.

If you're wrestling with fat loss, then work with your Perfect Personal Trainer to blend this into your process for calorie-cutting.  Choose just one meal per day, strategically, and cut out the calories that don't need to be there -- the ones that you're already getting in appropriate supply.  It also never hurts to drink a bit more water before, during, and after the meal to help to fill you up, also!

It is important to keep in mind that you should never reduce your calories below 1200 per day.  Roughly 1200-1700 calories per day is, generally, an appropriate amount to sustain some fat reduction without depriving your body and brain of what they need for proper function.  Dropping your intake to fewer than 1200 daily calories is unsafe, and is likely to cause problems such as ketosis and metabolic damage.

Another important point to keep in mind is that a meal isn't a "meal" if it doesn't contain proteins, carbs, and dietary fats.  Having a banana or an apple will deliver great anti-oxidants, but will fail to substantially sustain muscle tissue or metabolism because of the lack of protein and dietary fat.  Build combinations so that you're giving your body what it needs with each meal to not only fuel your activities, but to keep your body burning up calories throughout the day and night.  Your Perfect Personal Trainer will help you to craft these kinds of meals -- just right for you -- in a way that you'll enjoy!

Questions?  Please post below or simply call us at (877)698-3648 - our team of nutritionists and exercise scientists are always here to help!  Happy holidays!

5 Great Ways to Mitigate Thanksgiving Weight Gain

Thanksgiving can really pack on the calories in a short amount of time, can't it?

Evening out the holiday weight gain can certainly take more time and effort than one might think, but if the right plan and understanding are in place, it can actually take nothing more than a week's worth of determination and fun, challenging exercise in relatively short bouts.
FACT: the Average American gains an entire pound of bodyfat during the holiday season, and doesn't burn it off afterward.

If that figure sounds unbelievable then reflect on these numbers for a moment:

There are only 3500 calories in a pound of fat. So, consuming just 3500 more calories than you normally would, over any given period of time, will equate to an extra pound of weight on your body if you're not countering it with a caloric loss elsewhere.

Alcoholic beverages range from 100 to 1000 calories each.

Missing a 30-minute exercise session can easily mean keeping on an extra 200 to 300 calories that you'd have burned off.

Just one dessert can be as high as 1000 calories, easily.

Given those figures above, gaining an extra pound over the holidays doesn't seem so unlikely, does it?  Then, think about all the sitting, and the missed workouts, during the holidays as well...

So, how do we turn the weight gain around quickly and effectively?  How can we get our bodies back to where they were before all the excess, but without overtraining our joints and heart?

We've put together the top five ways to burn off the extra fat and get back to your pre-Thanksgiving physique!
#5. Walking! Walking burns approximately three to six calories per minute, depending upon your pace, cardiovascular health, and bodyweight. In general, an hourlong walk will burn about 300 calories. Twelve walks like this should burn approximately one pound of fat from your body.
#4. The elliptical machine: At a moderate to high intensity, you can usually expect to burn about 500 calories per hour. Commit to just one hour per day for one week, and you'll burn off about a pounf of bodyfat without any additional effort!
#3. Jogging: While Perfect Personal Training generally doesn't recommend jogging (because of its hard nature against lower-extremity joints), it is noteworthy that just thirty minutes of jogging often burn between 400 and 500 calories (again, dependent upon speed, bodyweight, and individual fitness levels). Around eight of these 30-minute jogs will reduce your bodyfat by about a pound.

#2: Circuit Training is another
great way to burn 5 to 15 calories per minute. And, you'll get the added benefit of increasing muscle mass, which boosts metabolism more than the aforementioned forms of cardiovascular conditioning. It won't take long to burn a pound of bodyfat if your circuit training program is updated to reflect your current levels of muscular and metabolic health.

#1: Caloric control! Here it is, friends: as important as it may be to eat "HEALTHY" foods, the real challenge when it comes to weight management is to consume the same amount of calories each day that you're expending. So, hypothetically, if you get into the routine of burning 2000 and consuming 2250, then you're likely going to gain about two pounds per month while that trend continues. On the other hand, by consuming less than you utilize, you can turn those figures around and create a caloric defecit, even without exercise! The trick is to know how much you're consuming, and stick to a plan for fat loss until you can reach a stage of maintenance.
For more information on Perfect Personal Training's personalized, structured, progressive programs, please visit http://perfectpersonaltraining.com or call 877-698-3648.  Our top degreed and certified wellness coaches and weight management consultants come right to your home, and bring eveything needed for your health & fitness success!!

Top 5 Ways to Make Thanksgiving Healthier

#5.  Take just ten minutes Thanksgiving morning to perform moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise.  Just ten minutes will likely burn approximately 100 calories, and will help your metabolism over the next few hours as well.  (If you can, get the family to go for a brisk walk after dinner also.)

#4.  Use fat-free chicken broth to baste the turkey.  This, alone, will save quite a few unhealthy calories without negatively affecting the taste.

#3.  Drinks lots of water that day!  This will help you to curb hunger and fill up faster.  Aim for, in ounces of water, at least your weight in pounds divided by two.

#2.  Prioritize the healthier, lower-fat options such as white turkey meat, plain vegetables, roasted sweet potatoes, and non-fat gravy.

And the number one way to make your Thanksgiving healthier is to simply eat slowly and avoid the high-fat or high-sugar foods. 

Most Americans gain one pound of bodyfat throughout the holidays that they never burn off.  End your meal when you are "satisfied", not "full".

For more health & wellness information, please visit http://perfectpersonaltraining.com or call (877)698-3648.  Gift certificates are easily available in any quantity!

Protein Requirements Defined

The biggest, yet most forgotten, bottom line to achieving a lean, healthy physique is simple: Eat the right amount of protein at the right times of every day. There is no getting around the significance of protein. Protein is necessary for muscle, and muscle = metabolism.

Yes, muscle mass = metabolism!  And protein is essential for muscle mass.

So, what is recommended?  Your protein needs will vary depending upon your exercise's intensity, duration, and frequency, and your Perfect Personal Trainer will be able to help you better craft the specifics.  In general, these three bulletpoints below should give you a good outline regarding your protein needs:

- Get roughly 0.7 - 0.9 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.  Just look at your food labels to determine the numbers of grams of protein that are found in the foods and drinks you're consuming.  If you are very obese, then go as low as 0.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.  Stick to higher numbers (even over 1 gram of protein per pound) if your strength training is taking up more than four hours weekly, and lower if it is minimal (under one hour weekly).

- Divide this daily total by five, and make this new value your requirement per meal, for each of five meals per day. 

- Eat one of these five meals every 3-4 hours.  This way, you have protein coming into your body and building and maintaining muscle tissue throughou the day.

Follow these rules to keep your muscle, battle the normal atrophy that most Americans experience, and elevate your metabolism!  You'll find that in time, you'll have more energy and a healthier physique!

For more, please call us at (877)698-3648 or consult your Perfect Personal Trainer.  Remember, YOU have all the power in the world in creating a lean, strong physique that stays healthy as you age.

Top Five Ways To Keep YOUR Independence

Happy birthday, America!

It is during this time of year that we are reminded of the importance of being a free and independent American.

And, it is during this time of year that we'd like to remind you of how to keep your independence!
We're not talking about political independence, but of maintaining your physical independence.  As you know, Perfect Personal Training is passionate about keeping you free and clear of emergency rooms, overnight hospital stays, and debilitating diseases of the heart, brain, and joints.

So, we've put together our list of five key lifestyle changes that will go a long way in preventing disease and injury.  Please print this list and put it somewhere where it can serve as a daily reminder!

#5.  Keep a Food Journal:  While this may sound like a time-consuming task, just doing this for two or three days each month can give you a great idea of your intake.  It's not just total calories that you should be counting, but your approximate daily carbohydrate intake, your approximate daily protein intake, your water intake, and other important factors.  Of course, a Perfect Personal Trainer can assess your factors and make the appropriate recommendations.

#4.  Know Your Body Composition:  Knowing your weight is not enough!  Only your body composition score can truly assess how "fat" you are, and just how much change is needed, if any, to keep your risk for cardiovascular disease low.  This will also tell us how high (or low) your metabolism is.

#3.  Get Your Cardio In:  Five days per week are recommended for strong cardiovascular health, at a duration of 20-60 minutes per session, and at a "moderate to high" intensity.  This goes for everyone who is in generally good health and who is cleared for exercise by a physician.  This is not just for fat burning, but to keep your circulatory and cardiorespiratory systems functioning ideally.

#2.  Take Care of Your Muscles:  Let's face it - without healthy muscles, we're all in trouble as we age.  Stretch all major muscles safely every day, and perform appropriate strength training for every major muscle at least once or twice per week.  Statistically, even this low amount of strength training, when done properly, will improve metabolism and joint health, while maintaining your level of mobility year and after year.

And, the #1 thing that you should be doing to keep your independence.....

#1.  Load up on anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories!  Yes, more than anything, you need anti-oxidants to fight off free radicals.  Free radicals are worse than ever now, with environmental issues and other factors contributing regularly to our poorer health.  Fight them off by getting high amounts of anti-oxidants through fruits and vegetables, green teas, herbs, and vitamins.  And, by adhering to a diet that is high in anti-inflammatory foods, you will reduce your risk even further.  These are easy and very important components to keeping your body healthy, while minimizing risk for cancer and chronic disease.
Stay independent, America!  Your decisions have the ability to make or break your health, happiness, and long-term physical independence.  Make the right ones, and you'll make your "future self" a healthy one.

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