Perfect Fit Personal Training

A blog to enlighten you about health and fitness

8 Minute Workout!!! Get it Done Fast

Hello there,

I hope you are all doing well today.

I wanted to share with you a quick and simple 8 minute interval training workout video.

Perfect Fit Personal Training 8 Minute Workout

If you are short on time but want a good workout, this video is for you! If you want to extend your workout and make it longer or harder, then repeat the video two or three times.

Interval training is a very effective way to burn calories and fat. It’s also more fun than doing eight minutes straight of the same thing; for example running or stationary aerobics.

I hope you enjoy this 8 minute interval training workout. I would love your feedback!

Nicole

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Why your desk job is slowly killing you

A great “Men’s Health” article on why your desk job is killing you.

Even if you exercise regularly, you are seen as “inactive” if you are sitting the other 10 hours per day.

Great read!

Why your desk job is slowly killing you.

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Emotional or Mindless Eating

Do you find yourself on the couch after dinner or the kids are in bed, settled in with a bowl of chips, or some other high fat food?

Is this a regular occurence? Are you hungry, or are you just excited about crunching on something while you shut off your brain to enjoy your show?

Nothing wrong with vegetating, it can be great once in a while. But if you are doing this all the time, you may be a mindless eater, or emotional eater. Let’s delve more into that here:

Can you tell me the ways to tell if you’re emotional eating?:
-You eat because you’re bored, not because you’re hungry
-You plan food around tv shows or other activities, not for nutritional purposes
-Certain foods make you feel happy when you’ve had a hard day, are stressed, etc so you seek those things out

What are the dangers of emotional eating? :
-Extra calories consumed mindlessly are usually from fat and sugar; foods that make you feel good
-Not paying attention to the volume of what you eat can cause you to eat way more calories than you should; causing weight gain
-There is a vicious cycle between feeling sad or depressed because you don’t like the way you look, eating high fat/calorie foods to make you feel better, then feeling guilty and sad about eating the bad food mindlessly, then punishing yourself by continuing the cycle again.

And how do we keep ourselves from emotional eating?:

-Keep a food journal and document everything you eat. Having to write it down makes you more aware of the foods you are eating.
-Don’t buy empty calorie foods, just simply don’t have them in your house. Mindless eating carrots or celery is probably not going to happen, but if it did you would be homefree!
-Try to find the root problem; why are you eating this food? Are you hungry or are you just bored? If you get to the real issues, you will stop emotional or what I call “mindless” eating.

If you recognize yourself doing any of these things, try to take a step back and reassess your eating habits. You may not even realize that you are mindlessly eating!

Give it a few days and let me know how you are doing with your newfound knowledge.

Nicole

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Your Weight Does Not Tell the Whole Story!

Your scale gives you a number, you feel a certain way.

A lower number? You probably feel pretty good. Your mood just changed for the better; it’s going to be a good day!

A higher number? You may feel disheartened, you wasted your time dieting/exercising, you feel discouraged.

Your number on the scale does not tell the whole story, however.

What is your body fat percentage? Do you have a lot of muscle? Are you tightening up and toning more than you were two months ago?

You need to look at the big picture when it comes to your weight and body composition. The way your clothes look tell the tale better than a generic number on the scale.

I found this photo on line and it really speaks to this:

 

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Cheat to Stay on Track

Diet; it can be a bad word in some circles. If you’ve ever been on one, you know how it feels to be without your favourite treats and foods. So why go crazy depriving yourself of all the foods you love…just cheat!
Cheating on a diet is crucial if you want to stay focussed and stop pining over the chocolate bar in your cupboard, or the ice cream in your freezer. So how can you cheat without feeling guilty and going overboard?

Make a plan

If you have a plan in place, it’s harder to fail. Give yourself a set menu for the day, including your fruits and veggies, healthy whole grains and lean proteins. At the end of each day, give yourself something that you really enjoy, but that you know is bad for your diet. For example, one square of chocolate, or two tablespoons of rich ice cream.

Buy Less

If you have less of the bad things in your fridge or cupboards, you are much less likely to eat them! If you don’t have chocolate bars or ice cream pops in your freezer readily available, it’s much harder to go grab some when you’re watching your favourite show on the couch. If it’s not in the house, it’s a lot harder to indulge.

Best Splurges

If you’re going to cheat, but only want to cheat a little, what are the best choices you can make?
• 100 calorie pre-packaged treats. You know you’re getting the same taste as the treats you love, but in a much smaller package. Easier to cheat when you only have one; bigger sizes make it easier to eat more.
• Make Your Own- buy in bulk things like chocolate covered raisins or pretzels and figure out how many make up 100 calories. Make your own cheating snack-packs. Freeze the rest for later.
• Low calorie pudding- you can get your favourite flavours like chocolate or butterscotch in single servings of 60-100 calories.
• Fresh fruit- might not seem like a splurge, but it’s so sweet and tasty! Buy what’s in season and enjoy a variety like strawberries, watermelon, or cantaloupe.

Cheat Day

If you aren’t interested in doing the 100 calorie cheat every day, then why not take a day off from your diet once a week? That way you can enjoy the things you really love in their full capacity. For example, Saturday is your day off from dieting. Enjoy three meals that you really want and craved all week. Get those craving out of your system and get right back on track the next day.
Surprisingly, after you’ve been eating clean for a while, you may stop craving those treats and not even enjoy them anymore!

Depriving yourself of the foods you love for long periods of time can make you feel very unsatisfied. Keep your diet going by allowing yourself that little cheat every now and then. You will be better off in the long run; your diet will last longer and you won’t have so many cravings.

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Suing For Toning Shoes?

If You Purchased the Reebok Toning Shoes and/or Apparel Listed Below From December 5, 2008 Through October 12, 2011 Your Rights May Be Affected by a Proposed Class Action Settlement.


LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The following statement is being issued by the GCG, Inc., in its capacity as the Court-appointed Notice Administrator in In re Reebok EasyTone Litigation, 4:10-CV-11977-FDS (D. Mass.).

If you purchased eligible Reebok toning shoes and/or apparel (listed below) from December 5, 2008 through October 12, 2011 your rights may be affected by a proposed class action settlement.

You are a Class Member and may be eligible to receive a payment if you purchased eligible toning shoes and/or apparel from Reebok and/or its authorized retailers and/or wholesalers from December 5, 2008 through October 12, 2011, with limited exclusions.

Eligible Shoes: Easy Tone, JumpTone, EasyTone Flip, SimplyTone, RunTone, SlimTone, TrainTone

Eligible Apparel: EasyTone Capri, EasyTone Long Bra Top, EasyTone Pants, EasyTone Sleeveless Shirt, EasyTone Shorts, EasyTone Short Sleeve Top

The lawsuit alleges that Reebok violated certain state laws regarding the marketing and sale of toning shoes and apparel. Reebok denies all wrongdoing. The Court did not decide which side was right. Instead, the parties have decided to settle. The parties believe the proposed settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate and it will provide substantial benefit to the Class.

The settlement utilizes the same $25 million fund announced recently with the FTC, less the costs of notice and settlement administration, to pay claims to eligible Class Members relating to the purchase of Eligible Shoes and Eligible Apparel. Reebok shall separately pay attorneys’ fees and costs and class representative awards. All payments under the settlement must be approved by the court. Reebok is also agreeing to make certain conduct changes. The Settlement Agreement and information on filing a claim is at http://www.reeboksettlement.com. ;

The lawsuit was resolved in conjunction with Reebok’s earlier settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, which was announced on September 28, 2011. Working together, plaintiffs, Reebok and FTC agreed that the $25 million could be used to pay refunds to all consumers, less costs of notice and settlement administration. Consumers who heard about the FTC settlement and filed a claim on-line will receive notice about the class action settlement in the near future.

To be eligible for a payment, Class Members must send in a completed claim form electronically submitted no later than April 10, 2012 or postmarked no later than April 10, 2012. Payment amounts to eligible Class Members will vary depending upon, among other factors, the product(s) purchased, the number and amounts claimed by all Class Members and other adjustments and deductions. The amount could be more (up to double), the same, or less than $50 for each pair of Eligible Shoes, $40 for each EasyTone Capri and EasyTone Pants, and $25 for each applicable shirt, bra top and top.

If you are a Class Member, you may (1) do nothing; (2) exclude yourself; (3) send in a Claim Form; and/or (4) object to the settlement.

Claim Forms must be electronically submitted to the Claims Administrator no later than April 10, 2012 or postmarked no later than April 10, 2012. Objections must be filed with the Court by December 28, 2011 Requests to exclude yourself must be postmarked no later than December 28, 2011. Requests to appear must be received no later than December 28, 2011. The detailed notice describes how to file a claim, object, or exclude yourself and provides other important information. The Court will hold a hearing on January 17, 2012 at 2:30 pm in the federal courthouse, courtroom 2, Donohue Federal Building, 595 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, to consider final approval of the settlement.

The class is represented by Timothy G. Blood of Blood Hurst & O’Reardon LLP, Milberg LLP, and Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLC, which were all designated by the Court as Interim Class Counsel in In re Reebok EasyTone Litigation, 4:10-CV-11977-FDS (D. Mass.).

To obtain a detailed notice, claim form or other documents, visit http://www.reeboksettlement.com or call, toll-free, 1-888-398-5389 or write to Notice Administrator, In re Reebok EasyTone Litigation, c/o GCG, Inc., P.O. Box 9770, Dublin, OH 43017-5670.

Text RBK to 247365 for more information; standard carrier message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to end/HELP for help.

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ABsense,

 

 

 

 

My latest article as published in Alive Magazine:

 

ABsense, Nicole Palacios, ACE.

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Popcorn is a Great Snack Food!

Did you know that popcorn is healthy?

Yep, it’s true.

Not your movie theater popcorn of course; that is laden with saturated fat and calories (over 1000 in a large bag). Check out this article on movie theater popcorn from the CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2009/11/19/popcorn-movie-theatre-salt-fat.html

 

However, home popped corn without butter is a great choice for a healthy snack. Did you know it’s a whole grain?

http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/food/articles/popcorn.html

 

So enjoy some popped corn today and eat up your whole grains the fun way.

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The Worst Restaurant Foods | Eat This, Not That

The Worst Restaurant Foods | Eat This, Not That.

Check out this link from Men’s Health Magazine; they have some great pages on healthy and not-so-healthy eating that might surprise you!

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Acai: Healthy and Amazing?


Acai, pronounced AH-SIGH-EE, has been talked about significantly in the press; it has been touted as a “super food” and proclaimed to have many health properties, such as high levels of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins C and E.

Let’s find out just what Acai is, and what it can do for your health.

The Acai berry grows naturally in Brazil, and is about the size of a grape, but with less pulp. The seed takes up approximately 80 percent of the berry, and is separated before using the pulp.

Acai berries in powdered, freeze-dried preparation are high in dietary fiber and low in sugar; both important properties for people who have blood sugar issues.

A December, 2008 study published in “The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” proved that the antioxidants in acai berries are absorbed into the bloodstream; an important discovery for people looking to improve their health by ingesting antioxidant-rich foods.

Many websites have claimed that consuming acai will help people lose weight quickly, like no other superfood out there, but these claims have not been based on scientific research, and are unfounded.

Weight loss is not a sure thing with any specific foods, and acai berries are no exception. According to an article in CanadianLiving magazine, Toronto-based Registered Dietitian and nutrition expert Cara Rosenbloom says that there is no scientific evidence showing that acai is an appetite suppressant, nor can it speed up your metabolism or flatten your belly.

What you will get from acai, however, are the benefits of berries, like fiber and vitamins that are part of a healthy diet.

Acai has been shown to be very high in antioxidants, which is a substance that reduces the oxidative damage to cells, such as that caused by free radicals. Free radicals attack molecules and modify chemical structures in the body.

Antioxidants, such as those found in acai, can help to reduce the risks of certain types of cancer, and age related macular degeneration.

Acai may be the latest wonder food on the market, but it has similar properties to many other berries out there, including regular, tried and true strawberries and blueberries. You can get great health benefits at a lower cost by eating these berries when they are in season, or eating frozen when it’s winter.

A March, 2009 article on CNN’s website which interviewed Johnny Bowden, a certified nutrition specialist and author of several health books agrees that most berries are high in antioxidants and do the same thing as acai; they have simply not been marketed in the same way.

So, eat your berries, any of them, and enjoy the great health benefits of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins!

RESOURCES

REFERENCES

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