How Healthy Is Your Salad?

Did you ever think that a salad could have more calories and fat than a serving of fried chicken?

Most people believe they're making a smart diet choice by opting for a salad, but end up sabotaging their weight loss goals.

Don't get me wrong - salads are a great way to get your recommended daily allowance of fruits and veggies and are often full of nutritious goodness. Made with the right foods they can also be a great meal for those seeking to lose some weight.

Next time you inspect the salad bar or your refrigerator for ingredients to toss in your salad, keep the following tips in mind.

Fruits and Vegetables
Leafy greens and veggies should be the base of your salad. Choose as many vegetables as you would like. Choose from mixed greens, broccoli, sugar snap peas, spinach, cucumbers, onions, peppers, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, zucchini, shredded carrots, radish, sprouts, cabbage, beets, tomatoes, and whatever veggie you can think to add. At only 25 calories per serving, vegetables are loaded with vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. So the more veggies, the better!

In addition to all your other veggies, go with the darkest green lettuce you can find. Choose Romaine, spinach, mustard leaves, or green leaf over iceberg for increased nutrition. Leafy greens come in at less than 20 calories per two cup serving and provide folic acid, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Fruit is also a great salad option, as they add sweetness and nutrition to your salad. Try fruit such as cranberries, grapes, sliced strawberries, tangerines, or apples, and watch your plain old salad transform into a piece of culinary art.

Protein
If you find yourself feeling hungry soon after eating a salad, add some protein the next time. Good sources of protein to toss in a healthy salad include hard-boiled eggs or just the egg whites, grilled chicken, grilled salmon, steamed or boiled shrimp, tuna packed in water, low-fat cottage cheese, or roasted turkey breast. A good serving size of this protein would be three ounces.

If meat or animal products aren't your thing, add about three quarters cup of one or more of these protein sources to your salad: lentils, tofu, black beans, garbanzo beans, chickpeas, or a small amount of nuts (they're also high in fat, so don't over-do them).

Tempting as they may be, avoid fried, crispy, or saucy items that many add to salads.

Extras
Though many salad extras may be packed with nutrition, they are often also full of calories. On average, extras add approximately 600 calories to an otherwise low-fat salad. A good rule of thumb when it comes to preparing a light salad is to choose just one high-calorie extra or two half-portion extras. Popular high-calorie add-ons include fried noodles, cottage cheese, pepperoni, avocado, bacon, blue cheese, croutons, cheese, or nuts.

If you love the taste and texture of croutons, try crushing a few and sprinkling them over your salad. If your salad doesn't seem complete without cheese, try a strong flavored cheese like Feta or Parmesan. A small amount will go far. Also, use chopped nuts instead of whole to get more bites of a good thing.

Dressing
Dressing often makes the salad. Unfortunately, it can also make a salad a high-calorie event. The average vinaigrette contains 50 calories in one tablespoon, while the same amount of ranch dressing contains about 90 calories. Plastic containers or dressing packets at restaurants contain four tablespoons of dressing. The entire packet adds an additional 200-360 calories. As if that weren't enough, many dressings also contain saturated fat. This raises cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

Instead of grabbing the first dressing you see, look for a low-fat, low-calorie option. A healthy dressing choice is a couple teaspoons of olive oil mixed with vinegar or lemon and spices or herbs. Instead of drenching your salad in dressing, dip your fork into dressing before taking a bite of salad.

Remember, eating healthy is half of the battle when it comes to fitness and wellness. The other, equally important, side is maintaining a regular, challenging exercise program.

For an exercise program to be challenging it must always be changing. That's why my workouts are never the same.

It's my goal to get you into the best shape of your life. Call or email me today to begin your transformation.

Cheers,

Bouncelife

Antioxidants.... The Super Heroes Of Food

So, free radicals are bad and antioxidants are good. Are you with me so far? Antioxidants are the super heroes of the food world. They come in different costumes as well as wield all kinds of super powers.


Ok, so we hear it all of the time. Antioxidants are good for us... well what the heck does that mean? I am going to try to spell it out for you in this post.

Antioxidants are natural compounds that protect the body from free radicals which are atoms that damage our cells. They can impair the immune system, lead to infections, and many diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Free radicals are thought to be the basis for aging as well.

Antioxidants are found in the foods we eat but as our foods become less nutritious for us and our environment more harmful it continues to get harder to get all of the antioxidants you need from food alone.  This is where supplementation comes in handy but we must make sure to try to get everything that we can from good quality foods first.

A mix of natural carotenoids provides more health benefits than beta-carotene alone.  There are many good combination formulas available on the market. Just remember that "supplements" are exactly that, a supplement to you diet. Always, always make sure to have a good base diet first.


THE ANTIOXIDANTS

• Alpha-lipoic Acid
• Bilberry
• Burdock
• Carotenoids/Vitamin A
• Coenzyme Q10
• Turmeric
• Flavenoids
• Garlic
•  Ginko Biloba
• Glutathione
• Grape Seed Extract
• Green Tea
• Melatonin
• Methionine
• N-Acetyl-cysteine
• Nicotinomide Adenine Di-nucleotide
• Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins
• Pycnogenol
• Selenium
• Silymarin
• Superoxide Dismutase
• Vitamin A
• Vit C
• Vit E
• Zinc

 Remember, no single antioxidant will protect all of the body systems.

Cheers,

Derek

Of These 7 Reasons, Which Motivates You?

Let's face it, most people dislike exercise. Or at least they think they do.

They say it takes up too much time, they don't like to get sweaty, or maybe they're so out-of-shape that exercise hurts.

Or maybe they'd just rather lie on the couch and eat cake.

I think that anyone who says they don't like exercise is really saying that they don't have any motivation.

Motivation is what gets you to stick with an exercise routine—even when it's the last thing you feel like doing.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer for motivation, since different things motivate different people. Try the following 7 reasons on for size and discover what motivates you:

Reason #1: Health
The long list of health benefits attributed to exercise should be enough motivation for anyone. Physical activity helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. It also helps lower bad cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure, while improving the amount of good cholesterol in your body.

Additionally, exercise strengthens your bones and muscles, lowers your risk of cancer, decreases stress, helps you battle depression, and even improves your sex life.

Reason #2: Making Progress
When it comes to exercise, many people find it helpful to track their progress so they can see where they started and how far they go over time. Seeing improvements reminds you that your hard work is worth the effort. Perhaps you were only able to walk a mile, now you're able to run two! Maybe you weighed in at 250 pounds, and now you're down to 215! Track your progress using a regular journal, phone app, or fitness website. This is a great way to stay motivated and to remind yourself that while you may not notice your progress, you're making progress every day!

Reason #3: Convenience
Many people don't stick with an exercise routine when it becomes inconvenient for them. Whether you face a schedule change or don't have time to drive to the gym, it's important (and possible) to find a time and place that work best for you and your busy lifestyle. Just remember to be flexible! If you're too tired at the end of the day, try waking up a few minutes early to fit in a workout.

Reason #4: Enjoyment
If exercise is a bore for you, find a way to make it fun. Everyone likes doing things they enjoy. You might hate running but enjoy swimming or riding a bike. Perhaps you don't like being alone and would rather be social. So join a team! Or maybe you don't like the idea of driving all the way to the gym, changing out, and exercising with a crowd. Find out when your local gym is least populated, and hit the weights then. Do what's most fun for you and you'll be less likely to stop.

Reason #5: Goal Achievement
If you're just getting started in the world of exercise, a good place to start is by setting goals. How much weight would you like to lose? How far would you like to run? Working towards a goal is a great motivator. However, don't set up for failure by striving after unrealistic goals. Do this and you'll soon feel overwhelmed and give up altogether. To avoid this, set realistic milestones. When you reach them, enjoy your accomplishment and then set new goals to take your good health even further.

Reason #6: Increased Confidence
If you're out of shape or overweight, it can take a lot of courage to start an exercise routine. Remember to be confident in who you are, no matter what size or shape. Don't compare yourself to the skinny, toned figure strutting her stuff through the gym. Keep your eyes on your goal and don't expect perfection after just a week of exercise. Strive to have your best body—not someone else's.

Reason #7: Rewards
Rewards are a great motivator. In fact, much of what you do in life is motivated by a reward of some kind, whether intrinsic or extrinsic. When it comes to exercise, a good reward probably shouldn't be an ice cream sundae, but it may be that new pair of jeans you've been eyeing, or perhaps a night out with friends. Maybe for you, weight loss and lowered blood pressure are reward enough. Just know that your hard work is paying off and deserves to be rewarded.

It's my passion to help others find their motivation for creating a healthier life for themselves and their families. I'd love to hear from you – call or email today.

Together we will figure out what motivates you!

Cheers,

Bouncelife

Being Lean Means Eating Clean

You want to lose weight, and have been trying hard for months without success.

You've heard fitness people refer to 'eating clean' but what does that really mean?

The labels on hundreds of different food items proclaim to be 'healthy' but can you trust labels? There are so many misconceptions when it comes to what constitutes as clean eating.

What are you eating wrong?

Let's dispel the myths and outline your simple, straightforward 3-step guide to eating clean and watch as the pounds melt off.

Step One: Steer Clear of Packaged Foods

Your worst enemy in the fight against weight gain is packaged foods. Yes, even those packages that are described as ‘healthy'.

Think of packaged food in these 3 categories:

Sweets:
Cookies, brownies, muffins, cupcakes, donuts, candy and desserts. These packaged items are laced with sugar and bad fats, and lack any viable nutrient that your body actually needs. All the empty calories from these items will end up deposited on your waist and hips as stubborn fat.

There's never a good reason to eat these so-called foods.

Processed Grains:
Crackers, breads, cereal, chips, instant oatmeal, energy bars, and popcorn. This category is tricky because many of the packages are labeled as ‘heart healthy' or ‘low fat'. The reality is that packaged, processed grains contain sugar and more carbohydrates than you need while striving to lose weight.

If you have a weight loss goal then stay away from processed grains.

Whole Grains:

Brown rice, wild rice, whole oats, sprouted grain pasta, and sprouted grain bread. Here's a category of packaged foods that you are able to include in your clean diet. You don't, however, have a free pass to eat as much of these items as you'd like. Whole grains, while healthy and acceptable, are very calorie-dense. This means that a little bit goes a long way.
Eat whole grains in moderation in order to meet your weight loss goals.

Step Two: Fill Up on Fresh Foods

Fresh vegetables and fruits are a huge part of your clean diet.

The nutrients and fiber found in these natural food items are vitally important for your weight loss journey and your overall health.

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables in all shapes, sizes and colors.

The only ones that you need to limit are vegetables that are high in starch, such as potatoes and corn, and fruits that are very high in sugar, like melons.

Step Three: Get Plenty of Protein

The cornerstone of your clean diet should be lean protein.

Great examples are chicken breast, albacore tuna, lean ground turkey, white fish fillet, whole beans, tempeh and egg whites.

Protein is what holds your clean eating plan together, for two reasons.

Protein satiates your hunger, keeping you full and keeping your blood sugar stable. This eliminates false hunger and prevents unnecessary snacking.
Protein helps to grow and maintain your muscle mass, which increases your resting metabolism. This means that your body will be naturally leaner.

For faster results, pair your clean eating with a challenging exercise routine.


Cheers,

Bounce Life

What The Heck Are Kettlebells Anyway?

So what the heck are the balls with a handle? Well, they are called kettlebells and have really been catching fire over the last few years. I use them quite a bit myself and with my clients in my studio.

Here is a quick history lesson.

Kettlebells originated in Russia around 1704 and gained popularity in 1913 when they were featured in Hercules magazine.  They gained momentum in the U.S. around 1985.

If you are using kettlebells (kb's) in your training then you already know how awesome they really are however you also realize how potentially dangerous they are if not used with perfect form.

Essentially, kb's are bowling balls with handles. In comparison with other weight-training tools, the strange form of kb's design makes trainees to pay attention to their every movement, which leads to an entire-workout with many different movements that concentrate on the lifter's core. 

Typically, kb's are constructed in iron or steel and are available in weights that vary from 2 to 100 pounds. No matter what the weight from lightweight to the heaviest kb's most of the muscles in the body will get exercised when utilizing them.

Because kb's are now being discovered by present day weight trainers, a lot of companies offer more cost-effective options compared to iron originals. Some kb's are even adjustable, permitting you to easily handle them with different weight without needing to possess a room filled with kb's on the ground.

On the top of enhancing your physique, a kb's routine, if done correctly, will enhance your cardiovascular health, while you move effortlessly in one exercise to another without a break.

Using kb's can be as simple or as difficult while you choose. For most people, an excellent use is by using them rather than hand weights or barbells to do familiar exercises. The bench press, military press, curls, along with other common exercises could be carried out using kb's. The only real difference when utilizing kb's may be the form of the load.

When you become comfortable want to bolster your relationship with kb's by carrying out kettlebell-specific exercises. Fortunately, you will find many exercises which were produced particularly for that unique shape and size of kb's. Specific exercises, like the kb swing and also the aptly named the Turkish Get-Up, provide the kb's user a huge number of intense exercises custom-designed to challenge the whole body and make muscle.

If you are looking to super-charge your workouts and burn fat then kb's may be the thing for you to try but make sure that you are using extremely good form to avoid injury.

Cheers

Bouncelife

#1 Tip To Alleviate Low Back Pain.

When I am first interviewing a client in our initial consultation the topic always turns to the core, what it is and how to work it. 
Clients often come to me saying that they have a weak core but don't understand why because they do 100's of situps.
As always I advise them that the core is not just made up of the abdominal muscles and we don't even do situps in the Bounce studio. (extremely ineffective exercise).


I thought I had better take some time out from my vacation to talk about this part of the body that is so important to the function of our bodies on a daily basis.


Your abdomen, hips, glutes (buttocks) and low back--collectively known as your core--serve many important roles. Strong core muscles reduce the chance of backache, shield vital organs, and transfer forces between your upper and lower body as will as all twisting movements.

A simple way to work the core is with any planking movement. In order to protect your low back, you'll need to "activate"your core muscles.  Draw your belly button inward, tense your abs, and hold this stabilized position during all exercises.  I always say to my client "imagine pulling your navel into your spine" For the ladies out there perform a Kegel contraction (tighten the muscles you'd use to stop the flow of urine;hold). Most dudes have no idea what a Kegel is...LOL.

In the beginning it may be a struggle to keep your core muscles (particularly the muscles of your pelvic floor) under tension for more than a few seconds at a time.  But don't worry, you'll build core strength and stamina after a few workouts. This tip alone is one of the best ways to beat backache.


At Bounce we focus on the core and improving it not only for you performance but also for better life quality and freedom from back pain. 


If you have a personal trainer you they should be focusing on this as well.

Yours in health,

Derek Shannon

What The Heck Are Phytochemicals?

In our diets we concentrate on proteins, carbs and fats for the most part. One of the key chemical compounds that are found naturally in plant life and therefore your  veggies that has come to light in recent years are phytochemicals.

Phyto means “plant” in Greek and are responsible for certain properties in veggies such as the blue in blue berries and the pungent smell of garlic. I had known about the colours of veggies being part of their phytochemical makeup but just learned this morning that their smell is part of this as well.

There are over 10,000 different phytochemicals and have the potential to affect many diseases such as cancer, stroke or metabolic syndrome.

One of the things that I am seeing in the supplement industry is that the companies are jumping on these chemicals and producing supplements that have a specific phytochemical make up. Currently there aren’t any studies that support this. In fact, the studies point out that the chemicals only work when combined with other substances in the foods they come from.

So as always get your nutrients from whole foods and you will always get exactly what Mother Nature intended for your body. Do not look for the quick fix in supplement form for these chemicals.

Remember that each and every colour has a different property that is good for your health so eating a rainbow of colours is key.

 

Cheers,

Bouncelife.