Be The Healthy Role Model for Your Family

Childhood obesity, underage drinking, smoking and failure to exercise are all concerns for parents these days. If you want your kids to adopt a healthier, wiser lifestyle, you are going to have to show them the light. Children often learn best by example. Lead and they will likely follow.

How can you set the example and get them off on the right foot if your habits aren’t that great? Consider taking these steps to put yourself and your family on the road to better health and fitness:

• Work closely with a Jackson personal trainer – Exercise is one of the best ways to get yourself and your family in shape. Coming up with a program that will suit the needs of family members of varying ages isn’t easy though. A Jackson personal trainer can help you pick a plan that works for you while encouraging family members to get involved. You may even want individualized plans that also include family exercise time that’s fun. Taking bike rides together, walks or even jogs through the park might do the trick.
• Make eating right cool – Children are not born with a hatred for fruits, vegetables and other healthy food choices. They learn to scorn these things when processed, sugary and salty snacks and treats are introduced into their diets. Reserve the unhealthy snacks and fast-foods for occasional treats and make the healthy options the staples in your house. Also make sure your family sees you eating healthy foods. If you munch on grapes, yogurt or whole grain crackers in between meals, your children will be more likely to do the same. At mealtime, present healthy options, but do take the steps to make them tasty and enjoyable. Grilled or broiled lean meats, fresh vegetables, whole grain side dishes and other similar choices are healthy and they can offer a lot of flavor.
• Make exercise fun – When it’s your time to exercise, don’t let your kids hear you complain. If you really can’t handle the idea of a trip to the gym on a particular day, load up the kids in the car and go to a park for a hike. Or, just head to the backyard for a game of Frisbee or something fun. You’ll know it’s exercise, but your kids won’t.
• Work on breaking bad habits – If you smoke or drink too much, take steps to kick these habits. When children see their parents smoking or drinking, they associate these behaviors with being grown up. They also believe they are acceptable. Keeping drinking down to low or moderate levels or giving up tobacco can send your children the message you want them to learn.

If you want your family to become healthier and more fitness conscious, you may have to take the first steps. When your children and even your spouse see you having fun, they are likely to follow your example. Working with a Jackson personal trainer at Raising The Barr Fitness can help you get off on the right foot to effect a change for yourself and your family.

Say Good Bye to Cellulite

The anti-cellulite program is simple. You only need to know 5 tips to rid yourself of cellulite.

Those tips include nutrition, hydration, cardio, strength training and rest. These are the 5 tips to fat loss. Before I hand over those 5 tips I really feel like we should break down some misconceptions about cellulite.

The anti-cellulite plan is not about creams or surgery. It is not about skin wraps or miracle cures. The anti-cellulite plan focuses on one primary goal- fat loss.

Cellulite is nothing more than stored fat. It’s not some genetic mutation of fat cells. Cellulite is simply stored fat. The cottage cheese look, or the dimpled look, associated with cellulite occurs because of the connective tissue in our body. Men tend to have horizontal tissue. This tissue actually creates little departments where stored fat lives.

Women have the same tissue, but it’s shape is different. Women have honeycombed shaped connective tissue. The cellulite settles into the honeycomb compartments and gives the look and feel of cellulite.

A REDUCTION IN BODY FAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO RID YOURSELF OF CELLULITE.

The best anti-cellulite program is one that combines cardio, rest and nutrition. Here are the anti-cellulite tips to fat loss…

1) Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Each meal should be 2-3 hours apart. Each meal should contain one protein and one carb. The first meal should be eaten within an hour after waking.

2) Drink a cup of water at each meal.

3) Rest properly. This means taking at least 48 hours between strength training the same muscles, and it also means getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Lastly, it means taking 1-2 days off from exercising per week.

4) Cardio. This should be done at different intensity levels and different session lengths. Consider doing a low intensity/long session, a high intensity/short session and a few medium intensity/medium length sessions.

5) Strength Training. Strength train each muscle 1-3 times per week. You should lift a proper weight and perform the proper amount of sets/reps for your strength training method.

All of the above things combined will result in fat loss. This anti-cellulite plan will work. It includes good wholesome foods and regular exercise. Above everything else it asks you to make permanent lifestyle changes. Dieting and crash exercise routines are unsafe to continue for long periods of time.

I suggest working closely with one of our trainers.  Our trainers are certified to be the best in the area for lasting fat loss and overall health.  The best time to start your program is right now!

10 Secrets to Keeping the Weight Off for Good

What’s interesting about weight loss is that many people think that it’s just a process that begins when you make changes to lose weight and ends when you’ve lost all the weight.

However, if you’re not continuing with the changes that you’ve made, you might find yourself back at the original weight that you were. Instead of going up and down on the scale, here are ten secrets that you can use to keep your slim figure.

1. Weight training works – Studies have shown that people that have more muscle mass will burn more calories, even at rest. Because of this fact, you will want to incorporate some weight training into your maintenance plan so that as you increase your calorie intake, you’re able to burn them off without any gain.
2. Food journaling – When you write down what you eat, you will be able to control the amount of food that you are eating. Even if you only write down your food intake for a few days a week, keeping an eye on how you’re eating can help alert you of problems before they become pounds.
3. Daily exercise – When you want to keep the weight off, exercise will need to become a part of your life. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to workout for hours each day.  Work out by doing something you enjoy… dancing, hiking, kick boxing…
4. Allow yourself treats – Life isn’t about deprivation, so neither should your new figure. When you’ve lost weight, you have learned about how much you needed to eat in order to cut back on calories. Once you’ve learned this, you can also learn to have a treat every now and then, enjoying it instead of overindulging in it.
5. Look at making changes rather than dieting – When you’re looking to lose weight, the ‘sprint’ approach isn’t going to be a long term fix. You need to permanently change your eating habits in order to ensure that your weight stays at its new position.
6. Learn to make favorite recipes healthier – If you have a favorite cheesecake recipe; why not learn how to make it lower in fat and sugar? This way, you can still enjoy the foods you love.
7. Get support – You don’t have to join a weight loss club to do this, but telling your friends and family about your goals can help to get everyone into supporting your efforts. When you do this, people will start to recognize that family gatherings should have healthy options as well as not always revolve around food.
8. Keep the stress away – Many people eat when they are stressed, but when you’ve lost weight, you want to avoid this kind of trigger. Instead, figure out ways that help you deal with stress. What can you do instead of eating to help calm down and relax?  Note: exercise is a great stress reducer, and a very healthy alternative.
9. Watch your weight – Studies have shown that those that regularly monitor their weight tend to keep off weight better than those that don’t. You don’t have to get on the scale every day, but weighing in once a week can help alert you to when you might need to rethink that second slice of pie.
10. Recognize a slip up and forgive yourself – When you start to get angry about mistakes, you can backslide into old eating habits. You will have times when eating right will be more difficult, but you will persevere. Acknowledge that you made a poor eating choice (or several) and then forgive yourself and eat better at the next meal. There’s no need to punish your self.

Keeping the weight off can actually be more difficult than losing it in the first place, but when you’re committed to keeping trim, these tips will make sure that you do.

Consider working closely with a weight loss expert.  They can provide you with a safe and effective weight loss program while keeping you motivated.  There is no better time to make this decision for yourself than right now.

Super Foods for a Healthy Body

We’ve all had days when we didn’t feel like we were ‘on our game.’ And as we age, both our bodies and our brains grow old as well.  By making smart food choices though, we can preserve our precious gray matter longer and improve brain function.  Here are some brainy choices for keeping our noggins in tip-top shape.

- Blueberries have been shown to shield the brain from stress, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.   Research has also shown that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills.  They go great with a steamy, hot bowl of oatmeal too!

- Avocados contribute to healthy blood flow and decreased blood pressure, lessening the chances of developing hypertension, which can lead to a stroke.

- Deep-water fish, such as salmon, is abundant in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are essential for healthy brain function.  Plus, research shows that individuals who consume fish are have 9% less body fat than those who don’t eat fish regularly.

- Nuts and seeds are good sources of vitamin E, an important vitamin needed by your brain to stave off declining cognitive functions. Cashews, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower and sesame seeds and almonds are all great choices.

- Whole-grain breads, brown rice, and oatmeal also contribute to a healthy brain by reducing the risk for cardiac disease.  By promoting a healthy heart and improved blood flow, the brain is sure to thrive via excellent oxygen and nutrient delivery through the bloodstream.

Complex carbohydrates also supply the brain with a steady stream of glucose that enhances brain function. It’s important to avoid simple carbohydrates often found in junk food because the glucose gives the brain a short-lived sugar high, often followed by a crash that makes you feel hungry and tired.

- Freshly brewed tea also has potent antioxidants, especially the class known as catechines, which also promotes healthy blood flow. Since black teas do contain caffeine it’s important to use it sensibly.

- Dark chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties, contains several natural stimulants, which enhance focus and concentration, and encourages the production of endorphins, which helps improve mood. Again, moderation is the key.

Exercise and Stress

Even though exercise may not be the most exciting word in your vocabulary, it sure is a word with a lot of benefits.  Participating in daily exercise will not only make you healthier in general, but it can also diminish the effects of stress on your body as well.

Think about all the times you have heard someone say “the doctor says it’s stress related”.  Normally people will laugh it off, concluding that doctors say that when they don’t know the real answers or diagnosis.  The truth of the matter is that too much stress will play a role in many diseases.

Consider exercising as a safe and effective way to help “boost” your immune system and decrease your stress level.  It can be as simple as stretching and walking.  The whole idea is to get moving!

There are several different exercises that you can do to help you eliminate the stress in your life.  Walking is by far the best, as you can easily lose yourself and your troubles by walking.  Even if it is just around the block, walking can do wonders for your health as well as stress.

If you enjoy sitting around watching television, consider buying a jogging board.  These padded boards will make running, jumping, or walking in place less stressful on your knees and joints.  They are easy to store as well and also very portable.

In many people’s opinions, jogging boards are the best pieces of equipment you can buy.  They are also far cheaper than bulky treadmills and stationary bikes.

Another option for you to consider is joining your local fitness center.  Working out then sitting in the sauna is a great way to relieve tension.  If your gym has a pool, you may find swimming to be very beneficial as well.

One of the best ways to reduce stress and get healthy is to work directly with a Jackson personal trainer.  It may sound scary at first, but working with a fitness professional in a small group training program or one-on-one has been shown to get people fit and healthy faster than doing it alone.

Whatever you decide, the over all idea is to get moving!

Why Exercise Is Important

Are you interested in losing weight? If you are, you may be in the process of developing a weight loss plan for yourself.  For many individuals, a weight loss plan is like a road map that they can follow to achieve their goals. If this is your first time developing a weight loss plan for yourself, it is important that you place some emphasis on exercise, as exercise is important component of weight loss.

You may be wondering exactly why that is. For your body to lose weight, you must see a reduction in your calorie intake. The amount of calories that you need to reduce, in order to lose weight, will depend on your current weight and weight loss goal.  Unfortunately, this is where many individuals automatically assume that they can’t eat three meals a day and many actually just stop eating. This is not only dangerous to your health, but it can be deadly.

Instead of reducing your calorie intake by solely limiting the amount of foods that you eat, you can use exercise to your advantage.  By exercising, you burn off calories.  If you have a specific weight loss goal, like one that involves losing at least twenty pounds, you may want to focus on fun exercises or workouts, but also ones that burn the most calories.  Adding exercise to your weight loss plan is a natural and a healthy way to lose weight.

Since it is important to incorporate exercise into your weight loss plan, you may be wondering how you can go about doing so. In all honestly, there are an unlimited number of ways that you can go about using exercise to help you lose weight.  For starters, you can buy a collection, even just a small collection, of exercise equipment.  Exercise equipment can include items such as exercise balls, weights, a treadmill, a stair climber, and so forth. Even if you have limited financial resources, you should be able to find a number of exercise equipment pieces that are within your budget.

Despite the fact that exercise is often associated with exercise equipment, like a treadmill, that is not all that exercise is about. Exercise can also involve something simple like going for a walk or taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work.

You may want to consider finding an exercise buddy.  This is a person who can workout with you, even if it just involves walking around your local shopping mall.  Not only can you make a new friend or strengthen your relationship with one of your current friends, having an exercise buddy or exercise partners often means that you are more likely to stick with your weight loss plan and achieve your weight loss goals.

You may want to take the time to examine your local gyms or personal training studios.  While this route is usually more of an investment compared to working out at home, the results are often times much greater.  Working with a personal trainer or joining group exercise class can also keep you motivated and accountable.

It is extremely important that you incorporate exercise into your weight loss plan, especially if you are serious about losing weight and wish to do so in a healthy matter.  With multiple ways to go about incorporating exercise into your weight loss plan, there really isn’t any excuse for not doing so.

Healthy Diet Essentials

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a healthy diet is one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts, and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

But just what minerals and nutrients are vital to our health and well-being? Consider these nutrient-dense foods when you’re looking to improve your vitamin and mineral intake.

Vitamin A is needed for good eyesight and optimal functioning of the immune system. Cod liver oil, dairy products, sweet potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables are all great natural food sources of vitamin A.

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamin, is imperative to the body’s ability to process carbohydrates. Whole grain breads, cereals and pastas have high amounts of thiamin.

Riboflavin, or B2, can be found in fortified cereals, almonds, asparagus, eggs, and meat. It’s used in many body processes, including converting food into energy and the production of red blood cells.

Niacin, also known as B3, can be found in lean chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour, peanuts, and fortified cereals. It aids in digestion and also plays a key role in converting food into energy.

Vitamin B6 can be found in fortified cereals, fortified soy-based meat substitutes, baked potatoes with skin, bananas, light-meat chicken and turkey, eggs, and spinach. It’s vital for a healthy nervous system, and helps break down proteins and stored sugars.

Vitamin B12 is needed for creating red blood cells, and can be found in beef, clams, mussels, crabs, salmon, poultry, and soybeans.

Citrus fruits, red berries, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, red and green bell peppers, cabbage, and spinach are all loaded with vitamin C, which is vital to promoting a healthy immune system, and making chemical messengers in the brain.

Vitamin D can be found in fortified milk, cheese, and cereals; egg yolks; salmon; but can also be made by the body from sunlight exposure. It’s needed to process calcium and maintain the health of bones and teeth.

Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant and is essential to your skin’s good health. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, almonds, hazelnuts, and vegetable oils like sunflower, canola, and soybean to get this vital nutrient.

Folic acid can be found in fortified cereals and grain products; lima, lentil, and garbanzo beans; and dark leafy vegetables. It’s vital for cell development, prevents birth defects, promotes heart health, and helps red blood cells form. Pregnant women need to take special care to ensure they are getting enough of this for themselves and their developing baby.

Dairy products, broccoli, dark leafy greens like spinach and rhubarb, and fortified products, such as orange juice, soy milk, and tofu are all loaded with calcium. Like vitamin D, it’s very important in helping to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.

Organic meats, oysters, clams, crabs, cashews, sunflower seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole-grain products, and cocoa products are all high in copper, which aids in metabolism of iron and red cell formation. It also assists in the production of energy for cells.

Iron can be found in leafy green vegetables, beans, shellfish, red meat, poultry, soy foods, and some fortified foods. It’s needed to transport oxygen to all parts of the body via the red blood cells.

Potassium can be found in foods like broccoli, potatoes (with the skins on), prune juice, orange juice, leafy green vegetables, bananas, raisins, and tomatoes. It aids in nervous system and muscle function and also helps maintain a healthy balance of water in the blood and body tissues.

Red meat, fortified cereals, oysters, almonds, peanuts, chickpeas, soy foods, and dairy products are great dietary sources of zinc. Zinc supports the body’s immune function, reproduction capabilities, and the nervous systems.

Protein is the main component of muscles, organs, and glands. Every living cell and all body fluids, except bile and urine, contain protein. The cells of muscles, tendons, and ligaments are maintained with protein. Children and adolescents require protein for growth and development, and adults need it to maintain cell integrity. It can be found in foods like beans, milk and meat.

The primary function of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body, especially the brain and the nervous system. Complex carbohydrates are the best choice for a stable blood sugar level. Whole grains, legumes, and non-starchy vegetables are all good complex carbohydrate sources.

Essential fatty acids play a part in many metabolic processes, and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential fatty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in a number of illnesses. Good sources are fish and shellfish, flaxseed, canola oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts.

Though this list is far from complete, it gives a good base of knowledge on which to build a healthy, well-balanced diet.

The Benefits of a Jackson MS Golf Trainer

A Jackson MS golf trainer reports! Golf is a well loved sport and many individuals spend a good amount of money on books and DVD’s trying to improve their game. However, there are times when the best help can come in the form of a Jackson MS golf trainer. As many who play the sport know, practice is the only thing that can realistically improve a game. While many do their best to practice as often as possible, it does not help to keep practicing the same bad habits over and over. It is not uncommon for an individual to spend a good amount of time on the course and see their game improve slightly or not at all.

For those who plan to take on golf seriously, practice will take more than an investment of time out on the green. Occasionally, it can take an investment of money in the right types of equipment. For example, a half circle swing golf trainer is ideal for those who need help with the force of their swing. Using this piece of equipment in conjunction with a golf analyzer can get an individual on the fast track to not only hitting better but hitting farther. A quality piece of equipment will be tested and engineered specifically for helping any player enhance necessary golf skills.

A Jackson MS golf trainer can be incredibly simple or incredibly complex. Home golf trainers are meant to be effective but efficient with space. The most advanced types of Jackson MS golf trainers are often found at golf courses or training clinics. Many times, a number of high tech features are combined such as swing setters and radars. A swing setter ensures that an individual assumes the proper form and follows through as they swing while the radar measures speed. A golf trainer can be adjusted for both men and women of any height. This ensures that each person gets the best out of their practice session.

Used regularly, a Jackson MS golf trainer can steadily help an individual perfect the mechanics of their game. Using this type of equipment is not an indication of lack of talent, gift or aptitude. Even well known pro’s with an inherent knack for the sport use golf trainers to improve their game. As many have come to find, there is nothing better than seeing solid proof of one’s efforts in the form of an improved score. This often inspires individuals to continue their quest to improve their game in other ways as well.

Into the Swing of Things with Fitness for Golf in Jackson MS

Many of those who play golf in Jackson MS would assume that a killer golf swing is the key to a great game, it is actually golf fitness that can make or break a player. Golf fitness covers a number of areas, from flexibility and balance to focus and visualization. As the sport of golf uses a number of muscle groups throughout the body, a healthy physique ensures that one gets the most out of their game. Many times, golf injuries amount to strains and tears that could have been avoided had the player taken on a simple, regular routine of pre game stretching and warming up.

For the most part, a golf in Jackson MS fitness program will rest on flexibility and core training. This helps an individual strengthen the parts of the body that move in addition to the ones that stabilize. Flexibility has to do with keeping muscles, ligaments and tendons elastic and pliable. It is also what provides a player with a broader range of movement. When a trainer for golf in Jackson MS speaks of core training, he or she is typically referring to the area from the chest to the knees. Much of the effort required in golf comes from this area and it is very important for it to be in the best shape possible.

Flexibility exercises in your golf in Jackson MS fitness program usually focus on reaching the maximum range between the joints and muscles in a comfortable manner. A majority of golfing injuries have to do with strains or tears in ligaments and muscles. This can not only delay a player’s chances of getting back out on the green, a serious injury can change a player’s movement permanently. For those who take on golf on a regular basis, many pro trainers recommend taking on a flexibility program at least three to four days per week. These sessions can be combined with warm up exercises and need not last more than ten to fifteen minutes.

Core exercises have a far range of benefits. Not only do they influence the power of a golf swing, they promote balance and a strong posture. Those wanting to see an actual improvement in their performance for golf in Jackson MS will need to take on core strength training exercises at least three to four times per week. To keep from overdoing it, those new to strength training can start with a mere fifteen minute session, two to three days per week. As endurance and strength builds, one can move their sessions up in five minute increments over the course of several weeks.

Reaching the Top with Stretching for Golf in Jackson

Golf in Jackson is a serious sport, and as the fitness gurus have been saying for years, any kind of physical activity requires an adequate warm up. Golf is a sport that uses a number of muscle groups, meaning golfers need stretching just as much as any other kind of athlete. A pre game stretch and warm up simply ensures less in the way of injuries and helps promote range, focus and feeling of readiness. One should never wait until an injury occurs to take up a quality golf stretching routine. Stretching for golf in Jackson simply ensures one can enjoy their game more often and longer, as compared to those who must take time out to wait for a strain to heal.

When it comes to stretching for golf in Jackson, many pro trainers recommend a routine that moves from the head down. This helps to ensure that an individual doesn’t forget a muscle group during a warm up session. The routine does not have to be overly vigorous nor does it need to take up a great amount of time. A series of golf stretching and warm up moves can be completed in ten minutes or less. By the end of the routine, a player is not only limbered up and more flexible, the muscles have adequate blood flow and are ready for action.

A warm up is a series of light repetitive movements that are meant to get the blood pumping and give the heart and muscles a nice, alert feeling. It does not need to leave a golfer feeling tired or completely out of breath. Just the same, stretching for golf in Jackson, which comes after a warm up, should never be strenuous or painful. Pushing a body beyond what is comfortable can lead to injury, something that is the very antithesis of a golf stretching routine. Once a player gets to where the stretch feels adequate for them, the pose should be held for twenty seconds with no bouncing and a gentle inhale and exhale of the breath.

There is also a number of gentle stretching moves for golf in Jackson for back pain sufferers as well. Loosening the lower back is essential to ensuring a golfer can physically keep up with his or her game. Many of these stretches can be completed just by sitting in a chair. For example, while sitting one can rotate the upper body so that the right arm is stretching straight behind the body while resting the left hand on the right knee. The stretch is then held gently for ten seconds before switching sides. Repeating this movement eight to ten times will not only stretch the lower back muscles but the abdominal muscles and the obliques as well.

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