If It’s Easy, You Can Probably Skip It

Awakened Fitness

By: Alex Cromartie, CPT, CHS

When I first began working in the fitness industry, I remember another trainer telling me that “If it’s easy, you can probably skip it.” in regards to exercise selection. For some reason, it always stuck with me. Although I did understand the basic idea behind the saying at the time, it would take me a bit longer to really understand the depth of it. Let me explain.

At first, the idea of concentrating on exercises that are difficult for you, unnatural for you, and sometimes downright agonizing for you may sound either sadistic, or like one of many overused fitness cliches. And while it may be both of these things, it is also a lot more. It is for me, the essence of training. Appreciating my strengths, but focusing most of my attention on the things I don’t do well in order to improve them.

More importantly…

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Open Chain Vs. Closed Chain Exercises

Today’s post is all about open chain vs. closed chain exercises. If you don’t already know, a closed chain exercise is one in which you are moving your BODY in space. That is in contrast to an open chain exercise, where you are instead moving WEIGHTS in space. Let’s use a pushup as an example to clarify. In a push-up, your body moves in space (and the floor is stationary). That makes a pushup a closed chain exercise. If instead you are lying on your back doing a dumbbell chest press, you are then doing the open chain version of the same movement! It may sound like a trivial difference, but it isn’t. Closed chain exercises make you stronger. A lot stronger. This is because they use the whole body, better mimic the movements of real life, and thus are more functional. They are also safer for your joints because they generate compressive forces on the joints which helps to stabilize them. Conversely, some open chain exercises can produce sheering forces on joints which is damaging.

In preparation for an upcoming boot camp class which I’ll be teaching in August, I began focusing primarily on closed chain exercises this summer in my own training. I must say that the difference is amazing. Although I haven’t seen much growth in size, I’ve noticed a difference in muscle tone, and my core strength and overall strength have gone through the roof! I had always incorporated closed-chain exercises into my workout, but really focusing on them has made all the difference.

So should you drop open chain exercises altogether? Of course not! There are many that are close to my heart and that are excellent for strength. Also, because open-chain exercises are often more specific as to the muscle or muscle groups they are working, they can be better for creating hypertrophy (muscle size). Also, you must sometimes know how to modify and progress up to some closed chain exercises because they can have a steep learning curve (pullups for example). Either hit the books to learn the proper progressions, hire a fitness trainer, or join an excellent group exercise class.

Please feel free to ask any any questions about closed chain exercises or share your favorite! Stay strong.

By: Alex Cromartie, CPT, CHC

www.awakenedfitness.com

Mindfulness In Strength Training

I can’t tell you how often I see people at the gym going through their routine focused on the number of repetitions they are completing instead of the quality of the movement they are performing. Sure, reps are important. We want to be consistently pushing our limitations, so creating and meeting rep/weight goals are an important part of that. But I can tell you that if you aren’t paying attention to what muscles you are contracting, to the quality of those contractions, and to what muscles are stabilizing the whole process, then you are missing out on one of the best things you can do to advance your training.

Whether you’re a yogi class calling it “mindfullness”, a professional athlete calling it “the zone”, or a strength trainer calling it the “mind muscle connection”, the fact is there is a very real (if not somewhat esoteric) component to effective strength training that goes a beyond endlessly counting off reps and checking off completed exercises.

Still not sure of what I’m getting at? Take the example of a squat. What do you feel happening to your body when you squat? Is your lower back taking a lot of the weight and fatiguing? It shouldn’t be, if your spine is stacked correctly. What’s going on? Is your dominant leg taking the brunt of the weight and doing the majority of the work? If so, you are further strengthening the dominant side, neglecting the weaker side, and wreaking havoc on your spine. Make a conscious effort to back off of the dominant side and give the other side a chance to work! What if you (or someone observing you) notices that at the bottom of your squat repetition, one cheek dips lower than the other. Chances are you have a lack of flexibility in your hips and/or a weak glute on that side. Again, make a conscious effort to focus on that glue during each contraction of the rep. At the bottom of the squat, make sure to keep your quads and core (including your glutes) tight. Don’t let those muscles take a “micro rest” at the bottom of the repetition! Maintain the focus on the contraction of these muscles and maintain control throughout. Can you contract that flute on demand? If not, maybe it’s time to do a few extra glute bridges or donkey kicks on that side to wake it up! Glutes are notorious for “having amnesia” and going to sleep if you don’t give them a little extra attention on a regular basis.

This example is of course a simple one, for the purpose of getting the point across. The truth is that giving your body the full attention that it deserves is a lifelong discovery process. I realize that this can sound hokey or make me sound like I’m full of granola, but I’m not. Virtually all the best athletes in the world will attest to being in “the zone” when performing their activity. So take a hint from the best in the world and start getting into your own “zone” every time you workout.

Quieting your mind and dedicating this moment to the task at hand (a given exercise) doesn’t come naturally for everyone though. Especially in today’s fast paced, on-demand world where people feel like there getting nothing done if they aren’t doing 6 things at once. If this sounds like you, then it’s all the more reason to really work on this aspect of your strength training. It will add infinite depth to the process, and your body will thank you for it!

Alex Cromartie CPT, CHC

http://www.awakenedfitness.com

If It’s Easy, You Can Probably Skip It

By: Alex Cromartie, CPT, CHS

When I first began working in the fitness industry, I remember another trainer telling me that “If it’s easy, you can probably skip it.” in regards to exercise selection. For some reason, it always stuck with me. Although I did understand the basic idea behind the saying at the time, it would take me a bit longer to really understand the depth of it. Let me explain.

At first, the idea of concentrating on exercises that are difficult for you, unnatural for you, and sometimes downright agonizing for you may sound either sadistic, or like one of many overused fitness cliches. And while it may be both of these things, it is also a lot more. It is for me, the essence of training. Appreciating my strengths, but focusing most of my attention on the things I don’t do well in order to improve them.

More importantly though are the physical reasons why concentrating on your weak body parts and poor movement patterns is so important. To understand them, you must understand the length/tension relationships in your muscles. That is to say that when you attempt to move a joint in a particular plane of motion, opposing stabilizer muscle groups contract to stabilize the joint. If these opposing muscle groups are out of balance (whether due to physiology, a history of bad posture, overuse, or most likely a mix of all these), then the path of motion of the limb will be altered. When we exercise over time without addressing these movement deviations, we further ingrain them into our movement patterns. The overactive muscles continue to overwork and get tighter, whereas under active muscles remain dormant (and often continue to lengthen). What starts as one’s natural physiology in childhood, becomes augmented through the effects of gravity and time when left unchecked. Addressing these concerns is for me, one of the most important aspects of training.

Let’s use the tried and true squat exercise as an example to demonstrate this phenomenon. Say you notice that you tend to squat with your feet wide with your toes pointed out (sumo squat). When you try to squat in a neutral position (feet shoulder width apart with toes in front of your knees), you feel much weaker and your knees may tend to bow out a little. Since the sumo squat emphasizes the hip abductor muscle group (the outer thigh), this is a good sign that your hip abductors are under active, and that your hip adductor group (inner thigh) is overactive. By continuing to do wide sumo style squats, you are further tightening your abductor group, and ignoring the adductor group. This will eventually lead to knee pain and/or hip pain. You may instead be better off lengthening your abductor group through stretching and foam rolling techniques and focusing your strength efforts on your hip abductors with an exercise like ski squats.

Of course as with any exercise, listen to your body. Your muscles should experience a dull burning pain, not an instantaneous sharp one. You should never do an exercise that really hurts you, so stop of one does. Although rare, there ARE exceptions to these mechanical processes (such as femoral torsion, and femoral head size in this example). So if something  doesn’t feel right, have a certified health professional help get you started. You’ll be glad you did!

www.awakenedfitness.com

Set SMART Goals This New Year!

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By: Alex Cromartie, CPT

Time to start setting goals for the new year! To ensure success, remember to create SMART goals.

S – Specific – Don’t just say “I want to loose weight” or “I want to tone up”. Instead, try a specific goal like losing 10% of your bodyweight.

M – Measurable – Again, goals like “I want to tone up” aren’t measurable, and thus never come to fruition. Instead, make sure you are working with and recording numbers like bodyweight, body fat percentage and caloric intake.

A – Achievable – Setting unrealistic goals is a common cause of failed training programs. Give yourself four months to meet your initial goals. If trying to lose body fat, a 10% reduction in bodyweight is usually a good initial goal.

R – Relevant – Make sure your goals align with one another and support each other. If not, you may have some soul searching to do.

T – Time Bound – Finally, make sure to create deadlines for your goals. If not, your mind finds a way to push the deadline back indefinitely. As mentioned above, four months is usually enough to start seeing some real results from all your hard work.

www.awakenedfitness.com

Fifteen EASY Changes To Make In Your Diet

By Alex Cromartie, CPT

http://www.awakenedfitness.com

Want to make healthy changes in you and your family’s life, but don’t know where to start? Often when people try to make a positive lifestyle change, they make the mistake of making to many changes at once, and wind up biting off more than they can chew. Instead, implement changes one by one, replacing negative habits with positive ones. Here are 15 EASY (and even kid approved) changes you can make to your diet that will get you started in the right direction. The idea here is that most of these foods taste almost identical to their less-healthy counterparts. This list is by no means complete, and I don’t mean to favor any brand.  It is simply a sampling of some easy changes we have made (and also what was in the pantry).

Annie Chun’s Brown Rice Pad Thai Noodles and Meuller’s 100% Whole Grain Spaghetti

Whether the European or the Asian variety, everyone loves pasta. But if you understand how little nutrition is in enriched (white) pasta, and that it turns to sugar as soon as you eat it, you’ll realize just how important it is to seek out the 100% whole grain variety whenever possible. Although I’ve pictured Mueller’s brand spaghetti here, there are actually a few different brands and varieties appearing in conventional supermarkets. I had to go to Whole Foods to get the Pad Thai noodles. Nice being able to feel good about eating pasta though!

Grass Fed Ground Beef

Too few people understand that grass fed cows are nutritionally superior to their corn fed cousins. When cows eat their natural diet of grass, their fat becomes rich in omega-3 fatty acids (the same that is present in salmon). For this reason, ground beef can become a nutrient rich source of both healthy fats and protein, instead of an artery clogger. What’s even better is that most conventional grocery stores are carrying grass fed ground beef these days. If not, ask your grocer to carry it. Hallelujah! There IS such a thing as a healthy hamburger!

Kerrygold Grass Fed Butter And Cheese

So if your excited to learn that beef can be healthy, what follows is even more life changing. The fat in the milk that comes from grass fed cows has a high omega-3 to omega-6 ratio just like the grass fed beef itself. This means that foods like butter, cream and cheese that were once off limits are now known to actually be very healthy in moderate amounts. Why you would think that stores would carry everything from grass fed cheese blocks to grass fed, stevia sweetened ice cream, grass fed products are still fairly uncommon, even at organic stores like Whole Foods. One exception to this is the Irish dairy brand Kerrygold. All of their products are made from 100% grass fed cows, and their butter and cheese can be found in conventional supermarkets, organic supermarkets, and even at BJs Wholesale. Think of the possibilities here people!

Organic Valley 100% Grass Fed Milk and Half and Half

Following the grass fed dairy theme brings us to our next easy food switch, grass fed milk and grass fed half and half. While conventional skim milk still has many health benefits, it tastes terrible and is lacking the omega-3 benefits of its grass fed cousin. You will probably have to go to an organic grocer to find the 100% grass fed variety, but any organic milk is grass fed at least a third of the cow’s life. So this is one time that organic is definitely worth the extra cost.

Store Brand Organic Old Fashioned Oatmeal

Oatmeal is without a doubt my favorite morning carbohydrate. I’m almost afraid to train without it. I get the old fashioned kind because you can add water, nuke it for two minutes, add some milk, stevia and raisins or berries, and I have breakfast ready in no time. Yes, the steel cut variety is a bit healthier, but is so time consuming that it is impractical for our family. Also the steel cut oats are a bit heavy for my tastes in early morning hours!

Stevia (Truvia brand)

Stevia is a zero calorie sweetener that is unique in that it is the only zero calorie sweetener that has truly natural origins. Stevia itself is a plant. They usually carry it in the Home Depot plant section, if you’re interested in tasting a leaf. It’s great to have around the house to sweeten tea, and has been used for this purpose for thousands of years in South America. While it is very sweet, there is also a slight bitter taste to the plant in its natural form. For better or for worse, scientists have learned to process the plant and isolate just the sweet molecule, Reb A. Commercial stevia products such as Truvia (Coca-cola) use only that part of the plant in their products. While the research on Reb A is promising, it’s important to understand that it is highly processed and may still alter taste preferences, so like everything, it can be overdone. It is a giant leap forward from using insulin spiking sugar though, so give it a try!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, and Hain Safflower Mayonnaise

Hopefully you know by now that you should be using extra virgin olive oil as much as possible. If you’re not, you seriously need to make it a part of your everyday routine, as the benefits are too many to mention. Sometimes though, you don’t want the olive oil taste in a particular food (Chinese stir-fry come to mind). This is where safflower oil comes in handy. It fries and tastes just like vegetable oil, but has the benefit of being loaded with CLA, a much needed healthy fat. Unfortunately, safflower oil’s omega 3 to omega 6 ratio isn’t nearly as impressive, so stick to olive oil as much as possible. Also, give Hain’s Safflower mayonnaise a try for a truly old school mayonnaise taste, and a lot less guilt!

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an often misunderstood food. If you turn over a jar of it and take a look at the nutrition facts, it is shockingly high in saturated fat. Since they are usually a big nutrition no-no, many people mistakenly steer clear of this tasty super food. The fact is though that the saturated fat in coconut oil is made up of heart healthy medium chain triglycerides and have been shown to reduce cholesterol, improve thyroid function, and aid the body in burning abdominal fat. Studies show that two tablespoons of coconut oil a day will do the trick. I love frying up chicken in it for a wonderful Polynesian flavor, and have even been known to eat it with a spoon right out of the jar on occasion 🙂 If you like coconut oil, then you have to try Earth Balance Peanut Butter with Coconut Oil. It makes the best PBJ sandwich I’ve ever had!

Lacroix Sparkling Water

It’s no secret that both sugar sweetened and artaficially sweetened sodas are terrible for you. Several years ago, after I seriously reduced my soda drinking habits, I realized that it wasn’t the sugar I missed, but the refreshing burn of the carbonation in my throat! This may sound silly to some of you, but I know there are some of you that know exactly what I’m talking about! So when I found LaCroix Sparkling Water I thought I had hit the jackpot. Convenient, zero chemicals, in a can, and often a BOGO at my local supermarket. What else can you ask for? Unfortunately, when I was doing the research for this article I ran across the fact that there is BPA in the lining of the cans! It just goes to show how much effort is needed to stay knowledgeable about what you are putting in your body. Guess it is time to look into that Soda Stream thing. At least I won’t have to buy the flavor mixes…

Nature’s Own 100% Whole Grain Bread

Whether you love bread or hate it, there’s no question that whole grains are a heck of a lot better for you than enriched grains. It’s more fibrous, more nutritious, and slows down the process of bread turning to sugar when you eat it. Nature’s Own 100% Whole Grain Bread is available at conventional grocery stores, and tastes the same as regular bread. It is also sugar free, so there’s another reason to never eat enriched bread again!

Raw Almonds

Almonds. They’re good for you. Raw almonds are even better. Eat them. Almonds are the healthiest nut, and make an excellent between-meal snack. Give almond milk a try too. It doesn’t taste much like milk, but has a great taste in it’s own right. My kids love it in the vanilla flavor. Sure it’s added sugar, but you’ve got to start somewhere…

No Nitrates Added Deli Meat

Sodium Nitrate is a preservative that is added to most deli meats, sausages and bacon to preserve product shelf life. There is a lot of debate about whether or not it is bad for you, and food companies have responded with “no nitrates added” products. Instead these companies add celery juice, which is naturally loaded with sodium nitrate, to preserve their product. So in reality it isn’t “nitrate free” at all, just a more natural source of sodium nitrate, which I do prefer. However, it should be known that sodium nitrate is abundant in vegetables, so it can’t be that bad! However, I think there is great benefit in keeping foods as whole as possible, so give no nitrates added meats (Hormel brand pictured here) a try if you’re a big sandwich eater.

That’s it for now. Remember, all of these changes are so easy you won’t even notice a change in taste or convenience. Make several of these easy changes for a synergistic effect that your body will thank you for!

http://www.awakenedfitness.com

 

 

 

 

 

Anterior Vs. Posterior Pelvic Tilts

By Alex Cromartie, CPT

www.awakenedfitness.com

When performing a postural assessment of a new client, the pelvis is one of the first areas I look at to give me clues as to how their body is operating mechanically. The pelvis may not be the root of their postural problems (look a little lower to their feet ankles), but it does seem to be a key to understanding why your posture is the way it is. If your pelvis tilts forward (an anterior tilt), or backward (a posterior tilt), then your lower back becomes unstable, and chaos ensues! Most people tilt one way or the other, and eventually their lower back (among other things) feel the effects. Here’s what you need to know about both of these conditions.

Let’s start with the anterior pelvic tilt (also known as lower-cross syndrome). If your butt  seems to stick out, and your lower back is overly arched, this may be you! In my experience, people who’s pelvis tilts forward tend to be more active in their youth (of course genetics play a major role here too). Without training though, the abs and hamstrings become lengthened and weak. Likewise, the opposite muscles (the erectors and the hip flexors) become tight (and also weak). Over time, gravity and lack of training take their toll and make the excessive arching in the lower back (called lordosis )worse and worse, eventually causing back problems.

On the other end of the spectrum we have have the posterior pelvic tilt. In this case the pelvis tilts backward (imagine you are tucking your tailbone between your legs and pushing your groin forward). This causes the lower back to not be arched enough, again putting excessive pressure on the spine. I find that this condition occurs more in people who were sedentary in their early life (myself included). The muscular imbalance in a posterior pelvic tilt is the exact opposite of an anterior pelvic tilt (the abs, hamstrings, and in particular the glutes are tight and weak, and the erectors and hip flexors are lengthened and weak). Of course in reality there’s a bit more to it than this, as the complexity of the body is never-ending. Knowing which direction your pelvis tilts (if any) will give you a starting point though to begin stabilizing this crucial area.

Try doing a cat/camel stretch. Do you have considerably more range of motion when doing one than the other? If you’re a lot better at the “cat” stretch than the “camel” stretch, you may have a posterior pelvic tilt. If the “camel” is much easier, thats a clue that you have an anterior pelvic tilt. Remember though that this is just one clue in a complicated puzzle. Find a qualified fitness trainer to help you address your specific needs.

Both anterior and posterior pelvic tilts need to be addressed with physical training. Tight muscles can be lengthened with proper stretching, and overly lengthened muscles can be tightened though weight training. Both interfere with your training progress, as they cause an inability to stabilize the the lower spine. Even more worrisome though are the serious problems the can cause you down the road if you don’t do anything about it. So get busy!

www.awakenedfitness.com

 

MyFitnessPal – King Of The Food Journal Apps

By: Alex Cromartie, CPT

www.awakenedfitness.com

Last week I wrote about how much I had learned by counting calories (even though I’m not trying to lose weight) after many years of avoiding the practice. In it, I mentioned that the key to my success was using the MyFitnessPal app on my iPhone. I’d like to go in to detail about that wonderful app today. Here goes…

MyFitnessPal is by no means a new app. It has been on the smartphone scene for a while and has extensive features. Between having a local library of your most commonly used “favorite” foods, having a handy bar-code scanner function, and allowing the user community to add their own food combinations to its online database, MyFitnessPal makes logging food items just about as easy as can be imagined. Sure you have to be consistent, but it is so easy that it is usually do-able while you’re eating (with the other hand of course)! In fact, the online database of foods is so extensive that, at least as of yet, I’ve never scanned (or text entered) a food item that it didn’t recognize. That is saying a lot, as I have been known to eat some pretty obscure foods. Add this to an amazingly complete macro and micronutrient breakdown, a newsfeed of your friends’ latest accomplishments, the ability to view their food journals, and then throw in an adequate workout tracker, and you have one heck of a food journal that can teach you volumes about your eating habits in addition to helping you lose body fat (or gain weight, if that is your goal).

Use an online calculator to find what your caloric maintenance level is (the number of calories you need to eat to neither gain nor lose weight), subtract 500 calories from your maintenance number, and you have a safe, muscle preserving calorie deficit that should allow you to lose one or two pounds of body fat consistently per week if you stick to it each day. When you plug that number into the app, it appears on your home screen as your daily goal, as does the amount of calories you have consumed thus far, the number of calories remaining in your day, and finally the calories burned during daily exercise activity. The workout tracker is the feature of the app that is the least complete. It has your basic exercise modalities built in, but you’ll have to create custom entries for anything beyond that. My biggest complaint with the app though is that it doesn’t factor in strength training into your daily calorie expenditure at all (only aerobic training). I understand that this is because it is a lot harder to account for strength training calorically. Many calories are burned AFTER the training session, and even then are very dependent on the effort, technique, and metabolism of the individual. Still, you would think they would come up with some sort of algorithm to estimate calories expended. But as of yet, MyFitnessPal only accounts for cardio exercises. Don’t let this turn you off to the app though if you’re into strength training. Yes, I wish they would do something to correct this, but there is still plenty of insight to be had here.

The insight comes when you view your nutritional statistics for the day, or for the week. MyFitnessPal has  a complete breakdown of the macronutrient groups (proteins, carbs, and fats), and also of the micronutrient groups (vitamins and minerals). After a week of logging, you will be able to see if you are deficient in (or overdoing) any vitamins and minerals, and also see what your macro nutrient levels look like. 45 to 65 percent of your diet should be carbs (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), 20 to 35 percent should be protein, and 20 to 35 percent of your diet should be healthy fats. Finally, make sure that those carbs aren’t made up of sugar-rich foods, or empty (not whole grain) carbs. Not the kind of carbs we’re talking about here. Try whole fruits, vegetables, and grains instead. 

The feedback you get from MyFitnessPal is amazing. Even if you think you are doing everything right, you’ll probably find some room for improvement. I learned that although I eat primarily healthy fats, I eat way to much of them. And although a little extra fat may help with strength training, it certainly isn’t going to keep the waistline in check. Whats more, the newsfeed function of the app allows me to check in on my clients’ diets to see how their progress is going or simply send them an inspirational message. I really wish that in the next version though, the developers allow you to take a peek at other users macro and micro-nutrient breakdown. It would make this feature infinitely more useful.

So despite one or two features that could use a little improvement (the workout tracker and sharing friends macro and micro-nutrient breakdowns), MyFitnessPal may literally be the easiest way to record and analyze your diet in existence. Trust me, you will learn volumes about your habits, both the things you’re doing well and about areas that need improvement. Everyone should give this app a try for at least two weeks, and indefinitely if you are serious about your health. Stay strong.

www.awakenedfitness.com

I count calories, and I’m not affraid to admit it!

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By: Alex Cromartie, CPT

I tried to avoid counting calories for a long, long time. Even after intensely studying the important role proper caloric intake plays in human health when obtaining my Personal Trainer certification, a part of me STILL didn’t want to admit that calorie counting was all that important. Since I began my fitness journey in 2008, I had always lived by the idea that if you eat nutritious whole foods, your body’s metabolism will stabilize, and your weight will normalize. And to some extent, this is very true. So many people today have become so dependent on processed foods in their diet that sometimes the simple act of cooking and eating unprocessed whole foods (combined with a regular exercise program) will do wonders for a person’s stamina, strength, and overall health. However, having excess body fat is a serious killer these days, and the quality of ones food alone isn’t the only thing a client wanting to lose body fat (or to gain lean mass) needs to worry about.

Calories count. A lot. Especially when trying to change body composition. Based on your age, sex, height, and weight, and activity level, figure out what your calorie maintenance level is(there are a ton of free calculators online). This is the number of calories your body needs each day to operate properly and perform tasks. Subtract 500 calories from this number, and you will have the number of calories you need to eat each day to safely lose one to two pounds each week. A word of caution here. A calorie deficit of more than 500 calories a day isn’t recommended unless you are very obese. Although excessive calorie deficits may appear to be effective at first, they will have devastating consequences in the long run and should be avoided unless supervised by a doctor.

At first, it may seem like a tedious task to record everything you eat, and yes, like most things worth doing, it does take some effort. Ask any successful bodybuilder, fitness model, or professional level athlete though whether or not they count calories, and the answer will undoubtedly be “Of course!” That’s because its their JOB to keep their bodies in shape, and there is no way to do so efficiently without a “road map”. It’s impossible for many athletes to maintain their optimum performance levels throughout the year, and so before its time to perform, they must orchestrate when their body will be in its peak condition  by manipulating diet and training practices. You too can manipulate your body composition in any way you want, once you experience and become accustomed to what the proper caloric intake levels feel like. Unless you’ve trained yourself to recognize these  (FYI – Whole foods give you a LOT more energy per calorie than sugary, processed foods. So they are a good place to start…)

So there you have it. I am officially on the calorie counting bandwagon. If you really want to change your body composition, it’s a mistake to ignore the hard numbers. I began doing the old calorie number crunch myself and with my clients several weeks ago. Without a doubt, doing so has filled in several missing pieces of the fitness puzzle for me already. In addition to providing a clear plan to get from point A to point B, the tracking has provided some incredible insight into nutritional habits as well when recorded in an app such as MyFitnessPal. In fact, I’m so thrilled with that app that it will be the subject of my next blog, coming soon to a news-feed near you. Look for it, and I’ll talk to you then. Stay strong!

www.awakenedfitness.com

Fifteen EASY Changes To Make In Your Diet

By Alex Cromartie, CPT

http://www.awakenedfitness.com

Want to make healthy changes in you and your family’s life, but don’t know where to start? Often when people try to make a positive lifestyle change, they make the mistake of making to many changes at once, and wind up biting off more than they can chew. Instead, implement changes one by one, replacing negative habits with positive ones. Here are 15 EASY (and even kid approved) changes you can make to your diet that will get you started in the right direction. The idea here is that most of these foods taste almost identical to their less-healthy counterparts. This list is by no means complete, and I don’t mean to favor any brand.  It is simply a sampling of some easy changes we have made (and also what was in the pantry).

Annie Chun’s Brown Rice Pad Thai Noodles and Meuller’s 100% Whole Grain Spaghetti

Whether the European or the Asian variety, everyone loves pasta. But if you understand how little nutrition is in enriched (white) pasta, and that it turns to sugar as soon as you eat it, you’ll realize just how important it is to seek out the 100% whole grain variety whenever possible. Although I’ve pictured Mueller’s brand spaghetti here, there are actually a few different brands and varieties appearing in conventional supermarkets. I had to go to Whole Foods to get the Pad Thai noodles. Nice being able to feel good about eating pasta though!

Grass Fed Ground Beef

Too few people understand that grass fed cows are nutritionally superior to their corn fed cousins. When cows eat their natural diet of grass, their fat becomes rich in omega-3 fatty acids (the same that is present in salmon). For this reason, ground beef can become a nutrient rich source of both healthy fats and protein, instead of an artery clogger. What’s even better is that most conventional grocery stores are carrying grass fed ground beef these days. If not, ask your grocer to carry it. Hallelujah! There IS such a thing as a healthy hamburger!

Kerrygold Grass Fed Butter And Cheese

So if your excited to learn that beef can be healthy, what follows is even more life changing. The fat in the milk that comes from grass fed cows has a high omega-3 to omega-6 ratio just like the grass fed beef itself. This means that foods like butter, cream and cheese that were once off limits are now known to actually be very healthy in moderate amounts. Why you would think that stores would carry everything from grass fed cheese blocks to grass fed, stevia sweetened ice cream, grass fed products are still fairly uncommon, even at organic stores like Whole Foods. One exception to this is the Irish dairy brand Kerrygold. All of their products are made from 100% grass fed cows, and their butter and cheese can be found in conventional supermarkets, organic supermarkets, and even at BJs Wholesale. Think of the possibilities here people!

Organic Valley 100% Grass Fed Milk and Half and Half

Following the grass fed dairy theme brings us to our next easy food switch, grass fed milk and grass fed half and half. While conventional skim milk still has many health benefits, it tastes terrible and is lacking the omega-3 benefits of its grass fed cousin. You will probably have to go to an organic grocer to find the 100% grass fed variety, but any organic milk is grass fed at least a third of the cow’s life. So this is one time that organic is definitely worth the extra cost.

Store Brand Organic Old Fashioned Oatmeal

Oatmeal is without a doubt my favorite morning carbohydrate. I’m almost afraid to train without it. I get the old fashioned kind because you can add water, nuke it for two minutes, add some milk, stevia and raisins or berries, and I have breakfast ready in no time. Yes, the steel cut variety is a bit healthier, but is so time consuming that it is impractical for our family. Also the steel cut oats are a bit heavy for my tastes in early morning hours!

Stevia (Truvia brand)

Stevia is a zero calorie sweetener that is unique in that it is the only zero calorie sweetener that has truly natural origins. Stevia itself is a plant. They usually carry it in the Home Depot plant section, if you’re interested in tasting a leaf. It’s great to have around the house to sweeten tea, and has been used for this purpose for thousands of years in South America. While it is very sweet, there is also a slight bitter taste to the plant in its natural form. For better or for worse, scientists have learned to process the plant and isolate just the sweet molecule, Reb A. Commercial stevia products such as Truvia (Coca-cola) use only that part of the plant in their products. While the research on Reb A is promising, it’s important to understand that it is highly processed and may still alter taste preferences, so like everything, it can be overdone. It is a giant leap forward from using insulin spiking sugar though, so give it a try!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, and Hain Safflower Mayonnaise

Hopefully you know by now that you should be using extra virgin olive oil as much as possible. If you’re not, you seriously need to make it a part of your everyday routine, as the benefits are too many to mention. Sometimes though, you don’t want the olive oil taste in a particular food (Chinese stir-fry come to mind). This is where safflower oil comes in handy. It fries and tastes just like vegetable oil, but has the benefit of being loaded with CLA, a much needed healthy fat. Unfortunately, safflower oil’s omega 3 to omega 6 ratio isn’t nearly as impressive, so stick to olive oil as much as possible. Also, give Hain’s Safflower mayonnaise a try for a truly old school mayonnaise taste, and a lot less guilt!

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an often misunderstood food. If you turn over a jar of it and take a look at the nutrition facts, it is shockingly high in saturated fat. Since they are usually a big nutrition no-no, many people mistakenly steer clear of this tasty super food. The fact is though that the saturated fat in coconut oil is made up of heart healthy medium chain triglycerides and have been shown to reduce cholesterol, improve thyroid function, and aid the body in burning abdominal fat. Studies show that two tablespoons of coconut oil a day will do the trick. I love frying up chicken in it for a wonderful Polynesian flavor, and have even been known to eat it with a spoon right out of the jar on occasion 🙂 If you like coconut oil, then you have to try Earth Balance Peanut Butter with Coconut Oil. It makes the best PBJ sandwich I’ve ever had!

Lacroix Sparkling Water

It’s no secret that both sugar sweetened and artaficially sweetened sodas are terrible for you. Several years ago, after I seriously reduced my soda drinking habits, I realized that it wasn’t the sugar I missed, but the refreshing burn of the carbonation in my throat! This may sound silly to some of you, but I know there are some of you that know exactly what I’m talking about! So when I found LaCroix Sparkling Water I thought I had hit the jackpot. Convenient, zero chemicals, in a can, and often a BOGO at my local supermarket. What else can you ask for? Unfortunately, when I was doing the research for this article I ran across the fact that there is BPA in the lining of the cans! It just goes to show how much effort is needed to stay knowledgeable about what you are putting in your body. Guess it is time to look into that Soda Stream thing. At least I won’t have to buy the flavor mixes…

Nature’s Own 100% Whole Grain Bread

Whether you love bread or hate it, there’s no question that whole grains are a heck of a lot better for you than enriched grains. It’s more fibrous, more nutritious, and slows down the process of bread turning to sugar when you eat it. Nature’s Own 100% Whole Grain Bread is available at conventional grocery stores, and tastes the same as regular bread. It is also sugar free, so there’s another reason to never eat enriched bread again!

Raw Almonds

Almonds. They’re good for you. Raw almonds are even better. Eat them. Almonds are the healthiest nut, and make an excellent between-meal snack. Give almond milk a try too. It doesn’t taste much like milk, but has a great taste in it’s own right. My kids love it in the vanilla flavor. Sure it’s added sugar, but you’ve got to start somewhere…

No Nitrates Added Deli Meat

Sodium Nitrate is a preservative that is added to most deli meats, sausages and bacon to preserve product shelf life. There is a lot of debate about whether or not it is bad for you, and food companies have responded with “no nitrates added” products. Instead these companies add celery juice, which is naturally loaded with sodium nitrate, to preserve their product. So in reality it isn’t “nitrate free” at all, just a more natural source of sodium nitrate, which I do prefer. However, it should be known that sodium nitrate is abundant in vegetables, so it can’t be that bad! However, I think there is great benefit in keeping foods as whole as possible, so give no nitrates added meats (Hormel brand pictured here) a try if you’re a big sandwich eater.

That’s it for now. Remember, all of these changes are so easy you won’t even notice a change in taste or convenience. Make several of these easy changes for a synergistic effect that your body will thank you for!

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