Quick Nutrition Tips

·         Drink WATER.  

·         Eliminate refined sugars and limit Alcohol.

·         Eat six small meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and three snacks. Try to eat every few hours (ideally between 3 to 4 hours) to curb hunger and promote a higher metabolism.  Always eat BREAKFAST.

·         Choose whole grains and complex carbohydrates to give you more energy and keep you feeling fuller longer. Remember that whole wheat is not necessarily whole grain. Look for breads, rice and pasta that are not just brown, but also made with 100% whole grains. One serving is about the size of your closed fist.

·         Leave calorie-filled, non-nutritional "junk food" at the grocery store. If you buy fresh foods, you will eat fresh foods.

·         Eat as many fruits and vegetables as you want. Try to add one serving, about a handful, of each per meal. Fruits also make great snacks because they are full of natural sugar and can help fight those afternoon sugar cravings. Foods that should make up the majority of your diet are lettuce, green beans, asparagus, spinach, cucumbers and celery.

·         Eat lean meats, chicken and fish whenever possible, staying away from processed and fatty meats. This will give you much needed protein with little fat. One serving is about the size of you palm.  It is also possible to get enough protein with a vegetarian and vegan diet also.

·         Read labels. Look at calorie counts but also look at nutritional value and ingredients. Try to avoid foods with white flour, sugar and sugar substitutes, saturated fats and trans-fats.

·         Take small bags of unsalted almonds, cashews and walnuts with you to work so you don't get tempted by vending machines and break room junk food.

·         Check  internet sites, libraries and bookstores for recipes to keep your new lifestyle fresh and flavorful.

Island City Health and Fitness offers a wide range of services and a full gym with sauna and steam room.  Island City Health and Fitness is located in the heart of Wilton Manors on Wilton Drive.

For more information contact the author Melissa Binkley at 954-318-3900 to schedule a consultation or session with a Certified Fitness Trainer or visit www.IslandCityFitness.com

THIS MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE

Water: H2O

"You're not sick; you're thirsty. Don't treat thirst with medication."
Dr. F. Batmanghelidj

In honor of March being National Nutrition Month I will be discussing nutrition and its basis in the “cure” of most so-called “diseases”, or dis-ease, that afflict our society.  We have the power to heal our minds, bodies, and souls from the inside out.  Proper nutrition is the cornerstone to a healthy lifestyle and is the starting point for any good training program, whether for a sport or just general fitness.  Before we can discuss nutrition itself we have to take a look at the fundamental building blocks of life. Water (H2O ) and salt are the two most essential nutrients for life, yet we are constantly lacking both.

70% of the adult human body is comprised of water (more for children). The human eye is between 95% to 98% water. H2O encompasses 71% of the earth and is vital and essential to EVERY living creature in existence on earth.  The human body requires H2O more than it requires food.  You can survive weeks without food, but only a few days without water.  It is medically necessary for BASIC human survival that a person consume half their body weight in ounces of pure water per DAY.  Therefore, a 200 lb person should ingest 100 ounces of water daily!  95% of the time, the human body does not distinguish between hunger and thirst. When we think we are hungry, we are really thirsty.

All disease and dis‐ease comes from DEHYDRATION.   They are so many so-called incurable diseases that are being treated with drugs and procedures that are caused by lack of water and/or unprocessed sea salt.  The combination of lacking these two essential nutrients and drinking caffeine, alcohol, and soda which wreck our immune systems by ridding our bodies of these nutrients as well as vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.  Dr. Batmanghelidj said, “We are not sick, we are just thirsty.” He also explains the root cause of the following list of “diseases” is chronic dehydration and claims people should not be sold drugs to treat the symptoms of thirst, which is the main reason they are incurable because the treatment is wrong! 

Dehydration causes our bodies to remain in an acidic state. The acid alkaline balance of the body is measured by the body pH factor.  The pH [potential of hydrogen] ranges from 0 [extreme acidic] to 14 [extreme alkaline].   There is a tenfold difference between each number.  For instance, a body pH of 5 is 10 times more acidic as a body pH of 6.  Optimally, we want the fluids in our bodies to have a neutral pH level, which is 7.0-7.4.  A pH less than 5.3 indicates an inability to assimilate vitamins or minerals. A pH below 7 is acid and above 7 is alkaline.

Toxins in the water we drink keep us from absorbing the correct amount of pure water needed to live a long and healthy life. Pure water has an alkalinity of 7.0 PH.  To stay free of disease a body must stay in an alkaline state.  All diseases thrive in an acidic state. No disease in existence has ever survived in an alkaline state.  Water balances your body and keeps it ALKALINE.  Since the alkaline [higher pH] blood, contains excess oxygen, the heart does not have to work as hard. Aging is accelerated because natural acid salts build up in the walls of your cells, causing them to stiffen, thicken, wrinkle and dry up.  This causes cells to lose their ability to receive essential nutrients and oxygen that are required for health and healing.  By the same token, aging is slowed when acid waste is removed from the body. An infant is highly alkaline.  A typical 75-year-old is highly acidic.  Death is 100% acidity.   Dr. Theodore A. Baroody wrote a blockbuster book entitled: Alkalize or Die. Consumption of beverages, such as pop, coffee, diet soda, etc., cause an acidic environment in the body. The body needs to work to neutralize the acid in the body. In addition to the daily ounces of water required by the human body (as a function of weight) consumption of:

• One 8 oz cup of coffee = 64 ounces of H2O to counteract and maintain optimal pH balance

• One 12 oz can of pop = 90 ounces of H2O r to counteract and maintain optimal pH balance

No health disorder or disease can possibly sustain itself when the pH is maintained in the neutral zone.  This is true for every man, woman and child.  At this level, the body is highly oxygenated; it detoxifies and heals itself; its cells are energized; and it has a strong immunity to all diseases.  Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans have a pH level of 6.2 to 6.4.

 

The following are symptoms of dehydration and body being in acidic state:

Acid reflux                                            Autism

Addictions                                             Poor Circulation

Agoraphobia

Most allergies except food                Angina

Arthritis                                                 Asthma  

ADD                                                        ADHD

Back Problems                                      Birth Defects

Cancer                                                   High Cholesterol

Chronic Fatigue                                    Chron’s Disease

Most Colds                                            Colitis

Congestion/Mucus                              Coughing

Cramps (lack of salt)                            Cystic Fibrosis

Depression/Anxiety                            Chronic Dry eyes

Gallstones                                              Gout

Graves disease                                     Headaches

Heart Problems                                    Hiccups

Most HBP                                               Lupus

Many mental disorders                       Minere's disease, MD,

Obesity                                                  Chronis pain

Pet arthritis (99%)                                RSD

Most skin problems                             Strokes

Suicidal tendencies                             Syncope

Thyroid disease                                    Ulcers

Urinary tract infections.*

Alkaline your water and save yourself:  Pure Water with a perfect alkalinity is difficult to find.

You can alkaline your water  check out my website:

Alkalized Water Concentrate

Works Cited

http://www.doctorajadams.com/AcidAlkaline.html

http://www.watercure2.org/

http://www.watercure.com/index.html

Changing One Life at a Time

I recently went to Whole Foods in South Beach, a place a used to frequent daily, when I lived within walking distance of it, a few years ago.  Now I usually stop in on occasion when I am in the Miami area taking care of my few "special" clients that I am willing to keep and make the drive from Fort Lauderdale to help.  On this occasion my partner and I were shopping for something healthy  for my weekly competition "Yummy" meal.  Some call it a "cheat meal", but the negative connotation lives me feeling guilty for something that is supposed to revitalize you. As we were shopping we stopped to speak to a guy handing out samples of a new wine.  Of course I couldn't try it, but I happily got a sample for my girlfriend.  I vaguely recognized the guy, but couldn't place the memory.  After a brief conversation we moved on.

I was finishing my grocery shopping when the guy from the Wine Sample Table came chasing after me, "Are you Melissa?" he said.  I looked at him curiously and before I could answer he continued "You used to train at Crunch on Washington Avenue?"
 "Yes!" I answered excitedly remembering my stint as a Personal Trainer at the gym before moving on to expand my career.
He went on to make many wonderful exclamations as he reintroduced himself as Seth and explained that I had been his trainer at Crunch and had changed his life.  As he began to tell me his story I began to recall the vague memory.  He obviously looked completely different now, fifty pounds lighter than the last time I had seen him.

Seth came to me when I was working at Crunch for advice and training after being very sick.  Due to his illness the doctors had prescribed steroids to help him get better, but unfortunately the drugs had caused him to gain over 70 pounds in the previous year.  He was unhealthy and unhappy and unsure where to begin.  I coached him through proper training techniques, gave him nutritional advice, guided his eating habits, and worked with him to maximize his workouts for better, more efficient results.  These simple little steps are things many of us take for granted and think are so easily accessible and achievable.  But without knowledge most people are lost like Seth was.

I moved from Crunch and soon forgot about Seth. But Seth did not forget about me.  He says that he took everything he learned from me from when we worked together and kept applying to his life and training.  He said I changed his life.  He looks healthy and happy and had lost an additional 50 pounds since the last time I had seen him which had been over a year ago.

His story sent chills down my spine and brought tears to my eyes.  This STORY is the reason why I LOVE my career and what I do.  I am in the business of saving lives and changing them forever.  I am not God, but in many ways we as fitness professionals have the power to touch people and the ripple effect will be felt long after we are gone.  I touched one life and that one life will multiply into something greater.  I feel blessed to have the ability to help, inspire, and teach.  Do ever second guess the little things you do that make huge differences in other peoples lives.  I was just doing what I would do for anybody and the reward is amazing!

Small steps to a Successful Fitness Journey

Spring is quickly approaching and with that in mind the beach and unlayering of clothes for those hot summer months quickly comes to the forefront of my mind. You have three months before the Dog Days of Summer so what can you do to shed that winter coat of fat and show off a healthy and fit physique for those hot days. I suggest you stop by Island City Health & Fitness and gear up for a great workout. There are several easy steps that will kick your metabolism into gear and help you get bathing suit clad.

1. Eat Clean: There are many rules to eating clean. DIETING is not one of them. Always eat breakfast. Try to eat 5 to 6 small balanced meals a day. Eliminated refined sugars. Eat lots of green vegetables.

2. Get Moving: Whether you take midnight walks on the beach, hit the Stairmaster, or take Yoga, or a Group Fitness class the more you move the more calories you will burn. So get up and get at it.

3. Drink Water: The human body is made up of about 70 to 75 percent water. It requires water for proper digestion, transport of nutrients, nutrient metabolism, and elimination of toxins. The brain itself is made up of about 85 percent water, which it requires for proper cognitive function and memory. The body also uses water to maintain cardiac output, heart rate, and blood pressure.

4. Use Resistance: Don’t be a cardio queen! The quickest way to lose body fat is to increase your muscle size. Muscle weighs more than fat and you burn more calories pound for pound when you convert fat to muscle. Step off the machine and hit the rack. Confused about where to start? Ask an Island City Health & Fitness Certified Trainer to get you on the right track.

5. Sleep: You need sleep and rest. Your body can not repair without the proper amount of sleep. Simply getting a couple extra hours of sleep a night will help you lose weight and also give you more energy. With your new found energy you can have a better workout!

6. Nutritional Cleansing: Nutritional Cleansing increases the health benefits you’ll receive from the ancient health practice of cleansing. The herbs, vitamins, and minerals that aid cleansing accelerate the removal of impurities from the body and nourish the body with vital nutrients to rapidly revive health. A cleansed and revitalized body is stronger and resists illness better. It is more efficient and performs at a higher level than one that is filled with impurities. Many people notice an ability to reach and maintain their ideal weight.

Island City Health and Fitness offers a wide range of services and a full gym with sauna and steam room. Island City Health and Fitness is located in the heart of Wilton Manors on Wilton Drive.

For more information contact the author Melissa Binkley at 954-318-3900 to schedule a consultation or session with a Certified Fitness Trainer or visit  http://www.islandcityfitness.com/

Healthy Valentine

After racking my brain for the best way to enjoy this Lover's Holiday without Chocolate, Champagne, or the usual edible goodies that occupany this day I came up with a fun solution.  Instead of a box of chocolates, I am creating a box of memories and a scrapbook.  I have all the fun makings to start an "Our Journey" book that can be added to as the years go on.  So tonight when I get home I am looking forward to sitting down with my amazing partner and creating a display while eating my normal clean eating competition food.  I am five weeks from my first competition of the year and finding creative ways to do normal things is always a fun challenge.

Hi

Healthy and Happy in 2011

I have taken a hiatus in blogging, but have decided as part of my journey this year, both competively, personally, and professionally that I need to start again.  And make a valant effort to continue it this time.  I have started on a new career path with an amazing gym, Island City Health and Fitness.  I have come on board as their Director of Fitness.  This job has many new facets and takes on many new avenues for me and is my dream emerging.  I am blessed this Valentine's Day with love from an amazing partner, health, and passion.  Visit here often for fitness tips and to learn about exciting events at my gym, and about my competition journey.  Visit Island City Health and Fitness