6 Steps to Ending Bad Eating Habits

Whether quitting your addiction to snacking, too much sugar, or quitting smoking it  starts with knowing what you want, checking obstacles then handling them in advance. Follow these six steps and you'll more easily reach your goals.

A client wrote, "Help me! I thought I was finally getting a handle on my weight issue but the sugar is killing me. I had an awful day. I won't even tell you what I ate today because it is just so unbelievable. All I will say is that 90% of my food today consisted of sugar! I really, really need some help getting past these cravings. I am no doubt a sugar addict. If I could get past this there is no doubt that I will reach my goal."

 

 If you see a little of yourself in this message, you're not alone. Many describe themselves as sugar addicts. They believe if it were only for that one thing, then they could reach their weight loss goals. If you believe only one thing stands in your way of losing weight, consider this: What if that one thing (an  addiction to sugar for instance) were gone? Do you really believe, "If I could get past this, there is no doubt that I will reach my goal," or is it an easy excuse to stay stuck?

If I told you I could show you a way to stop craving sugar, would you want me to show you how?

Think about that for a moment. Close your eyes and really think it through. You've said if only you didn't crave sugar, then you could lose weight, but is that really true for you? Ask yourself these questions:

Would you eat differently, and if so how?

Would you act differently, and if so how?

What else would change, and what would stay the same?

What would you lose?

What would you gain?

Until you know what you want, know you can achieve it, and know what else will change (i.e. how your life may be different), you can't discover any obstacles that first must be considered. For instance, you may want to stop eating anything after 7 PM yet your husband doesn't come home from work until 8 and he wants you to join him for dinner. That's an obstacle.

If you've got a habit of watching your favorite TV show with a bowl of ice cream, then breaking that habit is another obstacle.

 

If you don't work out ways to overcome your obstacles perhaps through discussion and compromise with your husband, or habit breaking exercises for your ice cream habit, there's bound to be a problem. Just saying you're not going to do something any mroe rarely works. Instead determine what might stand in the way of achieving your goals, find a way around them, and you're much more likely to actually achieve those goals once and for all. 

The statement, "if this one thing were handled, then everything else would fall into place" is an "If Then" statement and gets people into trouble. They want a fairy godmother to make it all better. A strong belief that one single thing such as, "eating sugar is my problem," sets you up to fail, especially if you really like eating sugary foods.

 

Getting a handle on your cravings is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You must leave room for occasional deviations. It's not the occasional side trip that causes weight trouble, it's the road we usually travel.

In NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) a good starting point is the exercise called Establishing a Well Formed Outcome. "Well formed" means it meets all criteria of a well thought-out end result.

NLP: How to Create a Well Formed Outcome & Get What You Want

Here are the steps to creating a well formed outcome:

1) State what you want (not what you do not want). "I want to weigh 135 pounds."

2) Determine whether you can achieve it (do you believe it is possible?).

3) What resources do you have and what do you need (time, money, gear, clothes, equipment, coaching, whatever).

4) Check whether anyone else is involved and any potential obstacles that may come up regarding others. Think of everyone involved in your day-to-day life.

5) Picture yourself "as if" you've obtained what you say you want and see if that picture fits. Do you like what you see?

6) Put together a plan of action for the achievement of your outcome.

While it may seem like a lot of effort simply to decide what you really want, going through these steps at the beginning helps you find potential obstacles which previously stopped you from moving forward. For example, if you decide you want to join a gym and start exercising every day but you've forgotten you don't even own a car and just lost your job, that exercise plan might not work out right now. If you did join a gym, you'd end up not going and then you'd think you'd failed, yet it was the plan that failed, not you. You didn't think it through.

A better plan in this instance may be doing exercises at home, or within walking distance (or simply walking for exercise). Later, when you do have transportation, you can rethink the plan and perhaps join a gym then. There are always options.

It's better to look at what you want from every angle, then put together a plan you know can and will work. Then when you know what you want, you'll also know you can make it happen and begin by taking that first step toward making it a reality.

Damian@FitnHealthy check out our FB Page

5 Must-Try Green Smoothie Recipes

“What’s the one thing I should be eating to improve my health?” As registered dietitians, this is one of the most common questions we hear. Our answer? The title of our most recent book, The Nutrition Twins Veggie Cure, says it all. Yes, veggies! Greens, specifically, are the number one food you can eat regularly to improve your health.
From arugula and Swiss chard to romaine and spinach, leafy vegetables are a great source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that protect against heart disease, diabetes and cancer. They prevent damage from free radicals, stopping chronic inflammation and the associated diseases in their tracks, as well as cell deterioration and the age-related decline that comes with it. Plus, they help to keep skin youthful and radiant thanks to their collagen-promoting vitamin C and their vitamin A/beta-carotene content, which also aids in the inflammation battle and calms the redness surrounding a skin flare-up. And greens assist your liver in its detoxification process—so if you’ve had a couple cocktails, a few too many refined foods or been in a smoky room, these are the foods to help “undo” the damage. In fact, greens like kale and bok choy are two of the few foods that actually assist the liver in both phases of its detoxification process, so they’re superstars when it comes to ridding the body of toxins.
If salads are feeling so 2014 for you, there’s a new way to get your greens and reap all these benefits (and it’s a lot more appealing than a mound of steamed greens on the side of your plate). It’s easy, delicious and even breakfast-friendly—it’s a green smoothie. After all, many greens become undetectable when combined in a smoothie and they take just seconds to transform. And what better way to start your day than with a simple, nourishing breakfast that packs in greens? Here are some pointers for making the most of your smoothies and easy, at-home ways to get your nutrients.
Create your own green smoothie by following these green-smoothie basics. (If you simply want to try a green smoothie recipe that’s tried, true and delicious, make one of the recipes below by blending the ingredients together.)

1. Start with your greens: Typically a few large fistfuls (about 2 cups) will do the trick. Spinach is one the mildest greens and is hardly detectable, but all greens, including kale, romaine and even parsley and mint are fantastic additions. Try a variety of greens and see what you like best.
2. Add some fruit: Fruits add natural sweetness, fiber and phytonutrients for even more of a beneficial boost to your morning. We prefer to add frozen fruits because they make the smoothie more refreshing and “dessert-like.” One half of an overripe banana is a great addition and adds sweetness—frozen berries are great, too. Frozen pineapple chunks can add a lot of sweetness with just a few pieces, but most fruits work well. The key is to keep the fruit portions in check (about half the portion or less, compared to the green) to keep the calories from getting too high.
3. Add your protein/“satiety factor”: Think Greek yogurt, nuts or nut butters, hemp seeds or a scoop of protein powder. One to 2 tablespoons of a nut or seed adds nutrients and healthy fat—but stick to just that portion (about six to eight nuts), as the calories from nuts add up quickly and could cause your smoothie to contain a lot more calories than you bargained for. (Note: If you skip the protein, you’ll need to eat a source of protein with your smoothie to keep you satiated and your energy levels up.) 
4. Add liquid: Add anywhere from 1/2 to 1 cup of either water, unsweetened nut milk or coconut water to make your smoothie. Unsweetened vanilla almond milk adds a nice flavor boost.

Green Smoothie Recipes to Get You Started

Kale Recharge and Detox Smoothie

This light and refreshing smoothie packs a nutrient punch with carrots, kale and spinach. Ginger helps to soothe the stomach while also assisting in fighting inflammation, and the lime adds immune-boosting vitamin C.

Skinny Green Smoothie

Cool, sweet and refreshing, this smoothie is potassium-packed and ultra-hydrating thanks to spinach, cucumber, orange juice, lime, pineapple and coconut water. This combination helps to quickly flush bloat by keeping you hydrated.

Healthy Green Smoothie

Sweet and fruity, the peach and apple complement the spinach and vanilla soymilk, making it a great way to squeeze in those greens in the morning (or for a snack)—all for just 73 calories. Again, eat a lean source of protein with it to make it more satisfying and to round out the meal.

Avocado and Apple Green Smoothie

The good-for-you monounsaturated fat in the avocado boosts the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins beta carotene, vitamin E and antioxidants from the green tea and apple, as well as the avocado.

Detoxifying Green Tea Smoothie

Rich in water and potassium, this smoothie helps flush sodium and restore normal fluid balance. The sulforaphane, a phytochemical found in the kale and chard, helps the liver to flush out harmful toxins, while the phytonutrients in the green tea, fruits and vegetables stave off damage from invading particles.

Source

Health And Nutrition - Fitting Fitness Into Your Busy Day

When it comes to health and fitness training time is always an issue. Some of us are busy, some of us are very busy, and some of us are so busy we don't even know which way is up. Sound familiar? 

If you are the kind of person who is on the go the minute the alarm rings in the morning to the minute your head hits the pillow at night this article is for you. If you have kids who eat up all your time and you dream of a little time to yourself, this article is for you. If you want desperately to get fit but other commitments are making it next to impossible this article is for you.

Here's the good news, getting fit doesn't take that much time. You need to address two areas in your life; exercise and diet. In fact, if you are stuck for time to workout, the diet portion is going to have more of a drastic effect on your fitness. 

Think about it, if you don't have time to burn the calories then you need to cut them out !

 Wait a minute! You are probably thinking to yourself that food is one of the only sources of pleasure in your busy day. I agree with you, it should be. Eating well better darn well also be delicious. If it isn't then you are doomed to fail your diet. So understand what I am saying, you will eat well but you must also enjoy your food. I am not talking about a radical starvation diet or diet extremes where you avoid carbs or fats at all costs. Your diet should be well-balanced.

Here are a few golden rules for your Nutrition and staying on track..

1. Drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day

2. Avoid processed foods

3. Avoid foods with refined sugar

Here's a last tip, if you are the type who eats a lot of fast food because you are so busy, just make better choices. Order water instead of pop with your meal. Have a salad instead of fries with your burger or sandwich. Have honey instead of sugar in your coffee. All these small choices made day after day will add up in the long run. 

Think about it, maybe you have been putting on 5 to 10 pounds a year for a few years. Not a lot of weight over the course of a year. This slow addition of fat has been because of all these small choices. So you don't have to make big changes to reverse this weight gain.

As for a fitness routine do one set of the following as you roll out of bed in the morning and just before you go to bed at night:

1. Push ups

2. Lunges (Take a long stride of a stance and do 1 set each for side)

3. Crunches (Remember to hold your hands by your ears, not inter-laced behind your head ‚ don't pull on your neck while you do these)

4. IF YOU ARE FEELING AMBITIOUS ‚Chin ups ( you can get a chin up bar that installs in a door frame for around $20 from most sports stores)

If you follow a simple fitness routine like the one outlined above you will definitely get strong. This will result in a sleek and shapely physique. As you lose weight and shed fat you will reveal this new toned body.

Fitness workout programs don't have to be a one or two hour ordeal. It can be and short and sweet if that is all you have time to do. What is important is that you do something to keep your body strong and performing well. One day at some point in the future you just may have more free time to join a gym or a running club or whatever you like to do. When that day comes you will be ready for it because this little fitness exercise plan and simple diet has kept you fit.

Don't put it off. It doesn't take much effort. Make a change in your life starting today.

Damian@FitnHealthy

Health And Nutrition - Fitting Fitness Into Your Busy Day

When it comes to health and fitness training time is always an issue. Some of us are busy, some of us are very busy, and some of us are so busy we don't even know which way is up. 

Sound familiar? If you are the kind of person who is on the go the minute the alarm rings in the morning to the minute your head hits the pillow at night this article is for you. 

If you have kids who eat up all your time and you dream of a little time to yourself, this article is for you. If you want desperately to get fit but other commitments are making it next to impossible this article is for you.

 

Here's the good news, getting fit doesn't take that much time. You need to address two areas in your life; exercise and diet. In fact, if you are stuck for time to workout, the diet portion is going to have more of a drastic effect on your fitness. Think about it, if you don't have time to burn the calories then you need to cut them from your diet. 

Wait a minute! You are probably thinking to yourself that food is one of the only sources of pleasure in your busy day. I agree with you, it should be. Eating well better darn well also be delicious. If it isn't then you are doomed to fail your diet. So understand what I am saying, you will eat well but you must also enjoy your food. I am not talking about a radical starvation diet or diet extremes where you avoid carbs or fats at all costs. 

Your Nutrition should be well-balanced.

Here are a few golden rules :

1. Drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day
2. Avoid processed foods
3. Avoid foods with refined sugar

Here's a last tip, if you are the type who eats a lot of fast food because you are so busy, just make better choices. Order water instead of pop with your meal. Have a salad instead of fries with your burger or sandwich. Have honey instead of sugar in your coffee. All these small choices made day after day will add up in the long run. Think about it, maybe you have been putting on 5 to 10 pounds a year for a few years. Not a lot of weight over the course of a year. This slow addition of fat has been because of all these small choices. 

So you don't have to make big changes to reverse this weight gain.

As for a fitness routine do one set of the following as you roll out of bed in the morning and just before you go to bed at night:

1. Push ups
2. Lunges (Take a long stride of a stance and do 1 set each for side)
3. Crunches (Remember to hold your hands by your ears, not inter-laced behind your head ‚¬€ don't pull on your neck while you do these)

4. IF YOU ARE FEELING AMBITIOUS ‚Chin ups ( you can get a chin up bar that installs in a door frame for around $20 from most sports stores)

If you follow a simple fitness routine like the one outlined above you will definitely get strong. This will result in a sleek and shapely physique. As you lose weight and shed fat you will reveal this new toned body. 

Fitness workout programs don't have to be a one or two hour ordeal. It can be and short and sweet if that is all you have time to do. What is important is that you do something to keep your body strong and performing well. One day at some point in the future you just may have more free time to join a gym or a running club or whatever you like to do. 

When that day comes you will be ready for it because this little fitness exercise plan and simple diet has kept you fit.

Don't put it off. It doesn't take much effort. Make a change in your life starting today.

Source : Niall Traynor |GO 

Body Composition: Which Numbers Matter?

Over the years, my perspective on numbers and their value has changed with respect to health and the body. Before I knew much about exercise science or even heard of the words “body composition,” the only thing I knew about was weight. And that word was “scary.” Like many females, I avoided the scale at all costs. I went by the feel of my clothes, and I didn’t want to know any numbers (not that this is bad, trusting your clothes, but the intense fear of a number isn’t great). It was like a warning alarm would sound off if I stepped on to the scale. 

I don’t know where this fear came from or why I let it dictate my perception of my health and myself. As time went on, and I pursued education in health and exercise science, I began to learn how these numbers related to body composition. I also realized that weight is pretty much as useful as my mom having an iPhone. (She has a Galaxy and giving her my phone is like handing her a foreign object she has no idea what to do with it.) My point is this: Weight is just gravitational pull on the body, mass times gravity. What does this number really tell you about your body? As it turns out, not much. You have to know the make up of the weight for it to be helpful. 

Unfortunately, accurately measuring body composition is difficult and expensive. Although there are numerous, extensive definitions of body composition, it is basically the amount of fat mass vs. lean mass. Body composition is typically reported in a percentage of fat mass. Therefore, just stepping on a scale to attain a weight will not shed any insight into how much weight is lean body mass and how much weight is fat mass. Methods that provide fairly accurate body-composition analysis include the Dual X-ray Energy Absorptiometry (DEXA), Bod Pod and hydrostatic weighing. Typically, these machines are located at exercise science laboratories and hospitals and are fairly expensive. 

Fortunately, there are economically friendly tools for measuring body composition, such as skin folds and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Skin-fold calipers measure body fat by pinching visceral fat at specific anatomic locations, and those numbers are used in a formula to estimate total body-fat percentage. Unfortunately, it can be challenge to measure at the exact anatomical site, which can make the measurement less accurate. A downside to this is accuracy on selecting the position of the site. To help improve the validity of the measurements, three measurements are taken at each site and averaged to obtain a more accurate number. 

Bioelectrical impedance sends an electrical current through the body to determine body composition. Because lean mass contains more water, it takes the electrical current less time to travel through the body and assess composition. BIA is typically assessed through hand-held devices or scales. The accuracy of this measurement can be compromised by the individual’s hydration level, with dehydration causing an overestimation of body composition, and overhydration having the reverse effect. 

Unfortunately, not many of these measurements are conducted in clinical settings, so weight and body mass index (BMI) tend to be the default measurements. BMI is a measure of mass divided by height squared. This number can provide insight into a person’s general well-being in regards to weight; however, it still does not offer a true representation of a person’s body composition. 

Waist-to-hip ratio is another common measurement and is an efficient and effective tool for assessing health. Waist-to-hip ratio measures the circumference of the waist at the smallest point and compares it to the circumference of the hips at the widest point. The higher ratio indicates greater adipose tissue exists around the abdominal region, which can signal a greater risk for metabolic syndrome and associated illnesses. 

If you have access to finding out your true body composition by hydrostatic weighing, a DEXA or BodPod—go for it. If not, some of the other methods discussed earlier will work, but they may offer a less accurate picture of your true body composition. However, if you experience improvements in these numbers over time, you can feel confident that you are making progress in improving your health.  

Finally, guard against becoming obsessed with your weight. This number does not define you, nor does it say a whole lot about your health or your body composition.

Source : By Kelley Vargo / Ace

The Basics of Detoxification

Whether out for a run, grilling your favorite meats on a hot summer day, or spring cleaning the house, our bodies are exposed to millions of chemicals considered “toxins”. These toxins in our environment (exotoxins) and that our bodies produce (endotoxins) have the ability to disrupt the essential biological structures needed for the body to function such as DNA, cellular membranes, and protein.


Repeated exposure to various toxins can contribute to adverse health effects in the short-term such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue; and in the long-term can contribute to weight gain and chronic health outcomes.

Detoxification is essential for ridding the body of toxins and preventing their “health robbing” effects. Although all cells have the ability to detoxify toxins, the most important organ for detoxification is the liver–known as the body’s filter and purification system.

Fat Cells House Toxins
Toxins enter the liver as either water- or fat-soluble molecules.  Water-soluble toxins are rather easily metabolized and excreted into the urine. In contrast, fat-soluble toxins can be stored in fat cells where they are protected from the body’s detoxification systems.

Excess fat stores, especially organ-bathing visceral fat, are linked to several diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic dysfunction. The addition of toxin exposure to an overweight or obese individual may only serve to increase these risks (1).

Three Phases of Detoxification
There are three phases of detoxification (2). In the first step, the toxin is metabolized by phase I detoxifying enzymes resulting in an intermediary metabolite. Although there are several phase I enzymes, the most abundant and important are the cytochrome P-450s (P-450s).

During detoxification, P-450s perform two functions: 1) they make toxins more water-soluble, and 2) they convert the toxin into a molecule usually less toxic and, therefore, less reactive towards our DNA, proteins, etc. (Interestingly, sometimes this reaction converts a less toxic molecule into a more toxic molecule, which is where phase II detoxification steps in.) The result is a more water-soluble, less toxic molecule easily transported into the blood, through our kidneys, and out into the urine for elimination.

After undergoing phase I detoxification many toxins are then subject to phase II detoxification. At its most basic level, phase II enzymes place a water-soluble small molecule onto the toxin.

One of the most important phase II detoxifying enzymes is known as glutathione (GSH) transferase. As the name implies, the GSH transferases transfer a GSH molecule onto the toxin. Like phase I detoxification, this step also serves to make the toxin water-soluble and less toxic to the body.
Besides GSH, the body uses several other molecules to bind to the toxin and increase its solubility including sulfates, amino acids, and glucuronic acid.

The use of these water-soluble small molecules makes sense considering that our cells have a surplus of these molecules inside or outside the cell. However, if we’re exposed to excessive amounts of toxins they could rapidly deplete our GSH levels resulting in too little GSH to do what it does best, which is to protect against free radicals and detoxify toxins.

Finally, phase III of detoxification involves the elimination of toxins from cells. In this step, the products of phase I and II reactions are transported out of cells and into the bloodstream for elimination.
Proper Nutrition Essential for Detoxification
To ensure optimal functioning of our detoxification systems it is essential to have an adequate dietary intake of vitamins (B vitamins, vitamins C, and E), minerals (selenium, zinc, copper), and other bioactive nutrients such as coenzyme Q10 and polyphenols.

These nutrients bolster our detoxification defenses either through their roles in phases I, II or III of detoxification or by providing antioxidant support (3). Nutritional support is essential in the detoxification process because some toxins are produced as the result of free radicals.

Additionally, nutritional support is needed to counteract the oxidative damage caused by toxins.
Plant botanicals including ashwagandha, aloe vera, and turmeric (Cleanse for Life), milk thistle (Product B), resveratrol, and other antioxidant vitamins and botanicals (Ageless Essential Daily Pak) have all been shown to improve detoxification.

Beyond these micronutrients, the detoxification system also needs an adequate source of the amino acid cysteine, the sulfur-containing amino acid essential for GSH production. Luckily, cysteine is abundant in whey protein found in IsaLean Shakes,Bars, and Soups.

Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Stimulate Detoxification
Although not yet extensively examined in humans, subjecting animals to calorie restriction (CR) or intermittent fasting (IF) has also been shown to increase efficiency of detoxification pathways. The precise mechanisms responsible for the benefits of CR or IF on detoxification are unclear, but it’s thought that these two cleansing protocols “turn on” genes that increase synthesis of our detoxification enzymes within the phase I, II or III pathways.

Additionally, the reduction of fat mass—the primary target for toxin storage—stimulates the release of toxins into the circulation. Once in the bloodstream toxins are more easily metabolized and excreted from the body. When the body has the additional nutritional support of amino acids, vitamins, polyphenols, and other bioactive ingredients, the detoxification enzymes can perform at peak function.

The Isagenix system ingeniously incorporates both intermittent fasting on Cleanse Days and calorie restriction on Shake Days to help you burn fat and stimulate the release of fat-stored toxins. The polyphenol-rich nutrients and plant extracts found in Cleanse For Life provide plant-based antioxidants (4-7) that support the detoxification enzymes responsible for toxin elimination. Also, the whey protein in IsaLean Shake supplies essential amino acids such as cysteine that can boost GSH production (8,9) and facilitate toxin removal.


References:
1.    Holtcamp W. Obesogens: an environmental link to obesity. Environ Health Perspect 2012;120:a62-a68.
2.    Liska DJ. The detoxification enzyme systems. Altern Med Rev 1998;3:187-98.
3.    Yang YM, Noh K, Han CY, Kim SG. Transactivation of genes encoding for phase II enzymes and phase III transporters by phytochemical antioxidants. Molecules 2010;15:6332-48.
4.    Vinson JA, Al KH, Andreoli L. Effect of Aloe vera preparations on the human bioavailability of vitamins C and E. Phytomedicine 2005;12:760-5.
5.    Kim BH, Hong SS, Kwon SW et al. Diarctigenin, a lignan constituent from Arctium lappa, down-regulated zymosan-induced transcription of inflammatory genes through suppression of DNA binding ability of nuclear factor-kappaB in macrophages. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2008;327:393-401.
6.    Ahmad MK, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males. Fertil Steril 2010;94:989-96.
7.    Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Nash TA et al. Blueberry supplementation improves memory in older adults. J Agric Food Chem 2010;58:3996-4000.
8.    Bounous G, Gold P. The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione. Clin Invest Med 1991;14:296-309.
9.    Sekhar RV, Patel SG, Guthikonda AP et al. Deficient synthesis of glutathione underlies oxidative stress in aging and can be corrected by dietary cysteine and glycine supplementation. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;94:847-53.

Symptoms To Expect When You Improve Your Diet

Excerpted From An Article By Dr. Stanley S. Bass, ND, D.C., PhD

Perhaps the greatest misunderstanding in the field of nutrition is the failure to understand and interpret the symptoms and changes which follow the beginning of a better nutritional program. A remarkable thing happens when a person improves the quality of the food he consumes. When the food you ingest is of a higher quality than the tissues from which the body is made, the body discards the lower quality tissues, to make room for the higher quality materials to make healthier tissue.

During this process of regeneration, lasting about 10 days to several weeks, the emphasis is on breaking down and eliminating lower quality tissue. The vibrant energy often found in the external parts of the body, the muscles and skin, moves to vital internal organs and starts reconstruction. This movement of energy produces a feeling of less energy in the muscles, which the mind interprets as weakness. At this time, more rest and sleep is often needed, and it's imperative to avoid stimulants of any kind which will abort and defeat the regenerative process. Remember, the body isn't getting weaker, it's simply using it's energies in more important internal work rather than external work involving muscle movements. With patience and diligence, a person will soon feel more energy than before.

By ingesting higher quality foods, the body begins a process called "retracing". The initial focus is on eliminating waste and toxins deposited in the tissues. However, the process creates symptoms that are often misinterpreted. For example, a person who stops consuming coffee or chocolate may experience headaches and a general letdown. The body begins discarding toxins (caffeine or theobromin) by removing them from the tissues and transporting them through the bloodstream.

However, before toxins are passed, through elimination, they register in our consciousness as pain, in other words, a headache. These same toxins also stimulate the heart to beat more rapidly, thus producing the feeling of exhilaration. The letdown is due to the slower action of the heart which produces a depressed mind state.The symptoms experienced during "retracing" are part of the healing process!

They are not deficiencies. Do not treat them with stimulants or drugs. These symptoms are constructive, even though unpleasant at the moment. Don't try to cure the cure. The symptoms will vary according to the materials being discarded, the condition of the organs involved in the elimination, and the amount of available energy. They can include: headaches, fever/chills, colds, skin eruptions, constipation/diarrhea, frequent urination, fatigue/sluggishness, nervousness, irritability, depression.

The symptoms will be milder and pass more quickly if one gets more rest and sleep. Understand that the body becomes healthier by eliminating wastes and toxins. Had they remained trapped in the tissues, eventually they would have brought illness and disease, thus causing greater pain and suffering. "The body is becoming healthier by eliminating toxins "Finally, don't expect to improve your diet and feel better and better every day, until you reach perfection. The body is cyclical in nature. Health returns in a series of gradually diminishing cycles. For example, you may begin eating better and start feeling better. After some time, you experience a symptom such as nausea or diarrhea.

After a day, you feel even better than before and all goes well for a while. Then you suddenly develop a cold, the chills and lose your appetite. Without the use of drugs, you recover from these symptoms and suddenly you feel great. This well-being continues for a time until you break out in a rash. The rash flares up, but finally disappears, and suddenly you feel better than you've felt in years. As the body becomes pure, each reaction becomes milder and shorter in duration, followed by longer and longer periods of feeling better than ever before, until finally you reach a level plateau...vibrant health.

Source Dr. Ina Nozek, DC, MS, Clinical Nutritionist

If you are experiencing any “cleansing symptoms” such as headache, nausea, fatigue, irritability, etc., make sure you are hydrated, have a Want More Energy drink, take an Epsom salt bath, or rest if possible. You should start to feel better over the next couple of days.

Why Healthy People need to Cleanse

So Why Do I Need to Cleanse?

Given the toxic nature of the modern world, cleansing should be a part of a basic personal health routine for everyone. Even if you feel pretty good today and consider yourself in good overall health with no serious conditions, you should still consider including full-body nutritional cleansing as part of your overall wellness regimen.
Most debilitating health conditions don’t occur overnight, they commonly take years to develop. What’s more, while the human body is very good at detoxifying itself, our modern world exposes us to so many impurities and pollutants that our bodies simply can’t keep up with the toxic overload. These environmental impurities are everywhere – our air, water, soil and food – and the number of these hazards continues to escalate, making the case for consistent cleansing as part of your ongoing personal wellness plan.

 Here are 10 reasons why Isagenix Cleansing is your optimal long-term health and longevity solution.

1) Precious Minerals- Isagenix products contain trace minerals, gentle cleansing herbs, antioxidants, essential vitamins and a rich, undenatured whey protein free of hormones, steroids and antibiotics – all to help nourish and rejuvenate the body, promoting its natural detoxifying abilities.
2) Rich in Nutrients and low in calories- Isagenix helps lower caloric intake. High-calorie diets contribute to many of today’s lifestyle health problems, like obesity.
3) Amino Acids- Isagenix provides your body with all the necessary branched-chain amino acids.
4)Weight Management- a natural and rewarding side benefit of the Isagenix system is safe and effective-weight loss.
5) Lean Muscle- leaner muscle mass is also a common benefit of the Isagenix products.
6) Athletic Endurance- Isagenix is the perfect support of the athletic performance.
7) Remove Impurities- The superior-quality ingredients in Isagenix are the ideal catalyst for cleansing the body of impurities and replenishing it with essential nutrients.
8) Flexibility- the Isagenix system is flexible and offer multiple options to meet the needs of virtually every individual.
9) Gastrointestinal Support- Isagenix supports the liver and gastrointestinal system.
10) Brain food- another terrific benefit of the Isagenix system is that it supports brain chemistry and helps curb cravings.
Isagenix is the prevention key that unlocks a longer healthier life. Cleansing is just one facet of whole-body wellness.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Isagenix system, please comment below and we’ll chat!

Recovery Redefined: How Much Rest You Actually Need

The reality of exercise is that you don’t make progress when you work out— you make progress when you recover from the workout. The workout is the stimulus, while recovery and improvement is the physical response.But what does recovery mean and what can you do to help yourself and your clients
recover from the physical demands of training? I will answer this question based on the insights I’ve gained through formal learning and my experiences as a 15-year, multiple award-winning fitness professional. Proper recovery is as important as proper training—and it is also often just as confusing as there are many strategies claiming to be the correct way to train and recover. There are rarely—if ever—any training or recovery strategies that will serve everyone universally. Manipulating the bigger concepts to fit a specific individual can take some trial and error, but it yields a more sophisticated understanding of what the body needs.
Rest Day Defined
To most of your clients, “rest” means absolute stillness. A period of stillness can be helpful for both body and mind, but stillness should not last an entire day. The one important factor to remember about recovery is that it is largely about tissue regeneration and nutrient delivery. Exercise creates a physical stimulus for the body to get better at the challenge with which it was presented and that can only happen if there is blood flow. Circulation brings nutrients to the tissues, nutrients provide the material to facilitate the improvement, and circulation is enhanced by movement.
Thus, a “rest” day is characterized by a need for some movement—not by being sedentary on the couch all day. Each day of the week should contain decent amounts of movement, while some days will also contain a challenging workout. Movement is a daily occurrence. A rest day is really any non-training day—a day where you remove the challenge of hard exercise. So it might even include some exercise-type activities, provided the intensity is manipulated to avoid providing a physical demand that is at or above current abilities.
How Much Is Enough?
How much recovery is enough is dependent on a wide range of individual variables, such as current physical abilities, sleep habits, dietary habits and lifestyle activity outside of exercise. An appropriate workout creates a sense of mild soreness, where you can feel that the muscles experienced a challenge; it should not be a debilitating, painful soreness that lasts for several days. That is a poorly designed workout. Many clients wrongly believe that a workout must be so hard that you should feel significant soreness for several days (unfortunately, many trainers mistakenly deliver this type of workout as well).
So how much recovery is enough? It’s when the soreness is gone from the muscle. A workout that is too hard and results in intense painful soreness, requires waiting until the soreness is gone to exercise again. So, if a client’s soreness lasts five days, then he or she should have five days before working out hard again. This is why it is important to train just above—but not far above—one’s current abilities: better fitness is not achieved by long gaps between training days. An appropriately challenging workout will, in general, require one to two recovery days.
If most of your clients' workouts consist of a consistent pattern of full-body training over time, then more frequent training may be possible because better, faster recovery is also likely going to occur in a well-trained individual. After all, a gardener or anyone who performs physical labor professionally does not work only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
How Can You Tell It’s Time to Have an Off-day?
Easy. When you really feel like one. This is your brain’s way of telling you that your body needs to rest. Ignore it at your own risk. Many fitness pros are obsessive about all high-intensity training, all the time, but this is a battle you are sure to lose. When your mind resists the idea of exercise, there is typically a reason. This is mostly true for consistent exercisers. For those new to exercise, it can take time for the body and mind to fully absorb the routine of regular exercise and there may be inaccurate mental signaling for an off-day. In this case, it is imperative to coach your clients on how to tell the difference between the mental pull of their former, stubborn, less-active selves and the brain’s signaling that the body needs a genuine break from the stress of exercise.
In general, even if you have manipulated the variables to allow for different workouts for several consecutive days, it is wise to allow a recovery day or lighter workout day at least every three to five days.
What is the Difference Between Rest and Recovery?
Rest is part of recovery. Recovery is everything that happens after the end of one workout and before the start of the next one. So rest includes sleep, time for stillness—both mental and physical—as well as participation in activities that provide mental and/or physical rejuvenation. This can include some Frisbee time, hitting some tennis balls, playing with your dog, etc. Rest can certainly include some movement as long as it avoids the threshold of providing a challenge to the body. Even lighter workouts can be useful as their main benefit will be to enhance circulation.

Check Out Isagenix Ionix Supreme  Ionix Supreme is a nutrient-rich herbal tonic infused with natural vitamins, minerals and plant-based Adaptogens– perfect for combating the effects of stress and fatigue. Ionix is a powerful asset for building endurance and improving overall personal performance. Ionix Supreme