Category: Health Blog

How to Avoid Food Cravings

Posted on February 12, 2021 by - Health Blog

CRAVINGS

Pizza, potato chips, pretzels, cookies, ice cream, candy… the list of foods people crave goes on and on.We hear about pregnant women having crazy cravings at all hours of the night. Personally, I craved ice cream as well as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches throughout my pregnancy (Halo Top’s PB&J ice cream was HEAVENLY). Even after giving birth to my daughter, I still find myself dealing with cravings from time to time. I know I’m not the only one. Cravings happen and not just to pregnant women. Whether it is something sweet or something savory, everyone gets cravings at one point or another. I could ask you what you crave, but I know you’re here seeking advice about your cravings. The real question is how to avoid food cravings?

A High Performance Machine

Posted on February 10, 2021 by - Health Blog

Your Machine

Let’s be honest, most of us when we see a sexy sports car like a Ferrari, we gawk at its beauty, speed, power, and truthfully, aren’t we usually a little jealous? Well, what if I told you that you already have a high performance machine of your own?
 
Sorry to break it to you, but it’s a little different than one in the picture. Your high performance machine is your body. Take a moment to think about this. Think of your body like a Ferrari or a similar fancy sports car. You wouldn’t put cheap gas into a Ferrari’s V6 turbo engine and expect it to perform well. The same applies to your body. What you put in is what you get out. To get optimal results, you have to fuel your machine properly.
 
 

Be Like a Ferrari

Want your body to look and act like a high performance machine, then you have to fuel it with the proper foods. Load your plate with healthy, nutritious (preferably organic) foods, such as the items like these:
 
  • PROTEINS — lean meats like chicken, turkey, bison, venison, ground beef, egg whites, shellfish, salmon, tuna, etc
  • VEGGIES — aim for mostly leafy greens (spinach, kale, asparagus, broccoli, cucumber, brussel sprouts, etc)
  • CARBS — fruit, beans, legumes, oats, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, Ezekiel bread, etc.
  • FATS — olive oil, avocado, peanut butter, grass-fed butter, nuts, etc

Now keep in mind, that does not mean go buck wild and eat as much as you want of the items listed above. Moderation is key and timing is also another important component, but we can get into that at a later time.

A good place to start is getting accustomed to eating the things listed above and avoiding processed foods. Shop on the exterior of the grocery store. That’s typically where you’ll find the food listed above. The stuff in the middle aisles has been modified to extend shelf life. That’s an entirely different can of worms for another day.

 

Health, A Long Term Investment 

I hear it all the time, “Buying healthy (and organic) is so expensive!” Well, yes. Healthy food is often times not cheap. Stop focusing on the grocery bill and shift your mindset. Your health is an investment and the cost to eat well has long term gains that are well worth it. I don’t know about you, but good health, longevity, and an overall improved quality of life all sound appealing to me. 
 
 

What’s Your Why?

If you choose to eat take out frequently, to binge on sweets, to drink excessively, not to exercise… that’s totally your call; however, know this, your health will suffer later if you go that route so spend the time and money investing in your health now. No matter what, know this — YOU ARE WORTH IT! You and your health are worth investing in.
 
I eat healthy and exercise because I want improved overall health, longevity and an overall improved quality of life, but the main reason I choose to take care of my high performance machine is for my family, specifically to be a good example for my daughter. I want to run around, play, and make memories with her and one day hope to do the same with her future children too.
 
What about you? What is your why for taking care of your health?

 

What Next?

Not sure where to go from here?  Contact us. Our team of highly experienced coaches will help you get on track so you can get your machine (i.e. your body) running the way it should. Also, if you’ve been on a fitness journey and currently have hit a plateau, our team of rockstars can help you push through that. We want to see you happy and healthy so you can live the best life possible.
 
 
 

Helpful Resources

Check out our blog on our website, Transform’s Facebook page, and our Instagram account (@TransformFitCoach) for fit tips, recipes and more so you can reach your goals.
 

 

 

What Excess Weight Does To Your Insides

Posted on February 6, 2021 by - Health Blog

TWO WOMEN

This image shows a 250 lb. woman on the left and a 120 lb. woman on the right. We can see weight gain from the outside, but we usually can’t see what excess weight does to your insides.

Let’s briefly take s snapshot. Look at the fat (white) surrounding the organs in the woman on the left. Do you also see the fat around her heart  and around her brain? A little scary, isn’t it? Look at the compression around the stomach and internal organs. Do you think that would have any impact on GERD (gastroesophogeal reflux disease) and indigestion? Look at the compressed knee joints. Do you think those joints ache a little more than they should? This is just a small list of things of what excess weight does to your insides. 

A Hearty and Healthy Breakfast Burrito

Posted on February 5, 2021 by - Health Blog

Food as Fuel and Medicine

As I’ve mentioned in my previous posts, fueling your body with the right kind of food makes all the difference. As Jillian Kubala from Healthline outlines, “Research shows that dietary habits influence disease risk. While certain foods may trigger chronic health conditions, others offer strong medicinal and protective qualities… Food does much more than simply provide you with fuel. It may promote or worsen health, depending on what you eat,” (2).  Plenty of other medical, health, and fitness professionals agree. Fueling your body with the right kinds of food can reverse the effects of chronic disease, such a diabetes, hypertension, and even cancer (1). The recipe below for a hearty and healthy breakfast burrito is just one example of how we can use food as medicine to get your to your ultimate goal so you can live a happy, healthy lifestyle.

Stretching is Essential

Posted on January 29, 2021 by - Health Blog

Feeling a Bit Stiff?

Let’s face it, as we age, certain things seem to become harder and harder to do. Squatting down to pick up something off the floor for most people was much easier at the age of 25 than at the age of 55; however, it doesn’t have to be that way. Are you one of those people struggling and feeling stiff lately? If so, you definitely need to read on and do the following. You’re probably forgetting (or choosing) not to do mobility work or anything else to improve your flexibility. Well my friends, hate to break it to you, but stretching is ESSENTIAL no matter what age you are! Neglect it now, and you’ll pay for it later.

 

Stretching for Health

As I just said above, stretching is essential to your health. According to health professionals at Harvard “Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way.” 

Stretching has several benefits: