Fitness Cure

Any great bra is worth buying.

I’m sure all of you have experienced the bras that are too tight on the straps…maybe flatten your chest…some have poor material or don’t flatter your shirts.

I’m always looking for the best sports bra. (especially since I am preggers and wear sports bra 99 percent of the time) Right now, I’m IN LOVE with the Handful sports bra. Firstly, it comes padded. Sure, my breasts are pretty big because they’re full of milk right now but when I’m not pregnant, it’s great to have that extra lift. Secondly, it FITS well. I love the criss-cross on the back and tiny straps. I was a little nervous that it might dig into my shoulder fat, but it didn’t! Lastly, it’s one of those fashionable sports bras you can wear under your workout top or just wear period.

They come in black (I have black), pink, white, cocoa and nude. If you are looking for a quality sports bra that will last you for many workouts, then this is IT!

The Handful Sports Bra!

I befriended the founder of Fitwize4kids years ago and really enjoyed the idea of gyms specifically for kids. Of course, he joined the market when circuit training was the fad and childhood obesity was starting to get some really good coverage.

Now, they have a lot of Franchises and I believe he sold the company (which was his goal from the get go). I like the idea, I’m not a big fan of kids using equipment, but I definitely feel that they provide a healthy and fit environment for the kids.

If you don’t want to enroll your kids in a circuit training program OR if there is no such gym that exists for you…then you can create an indoor gym for your kids! (Of course, this is if you don’t have a local McDonald’s that doesn’t have a jungle gym in it. LOL)

This indoor gym is fun LIMIKIDS gym – especially for young boys, to climb, jump and maneuver their way around a space that costs approximately $300-$800 dollars to install. I would LOVE to put this in my house (along with my own personal gym) so that my boys have somewhere to play and train their bodies and minds while I’m also doing the same!

That’s pretty cool!

A lot of us have belly fat as our main problem area. In fact, for some (especially men) everywhere else on our body is pretty skinny EXCEPT for the belly! What I enjoyed most about the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook is that it targets a SPECIFIC area on your body that influences your health in BIG ways. Fat that surrounds the belly is more dangerous than fat that surrounds other areas of the body because belly fat is fat around our major organs.

There are two distinct types of belly fat to know about: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is that inch (or so) that’s just underneath the skin and easy to pinch. This visible fat becomes a health problem when too much of it puts a strain on your heart and other organs. The other type, visceral fat, resides deep in your abdomen, where it surrounds your organs. Visceral fat has been linked to a long list of adverse health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, breast cancer, and dementia.  – The Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

This book not only educates you on the risks involved in having THIS TYPE of fat, but it also provides numerous solutions on how to combat it…the biggest solution being: changing your diet!

First you begin with a ‘jumpstart’ program, which includes a balanced diet that is not too strict. In fact, you keep your dairy and your fruit…a benefit most low-carb diets don’t have. It then TEACHES you how to cook! From slowcooking, to stirfrying..it goes into detail what you need to do to prepare a meal.

With recipes like:

- Peanut Butter-Stuffed French Toast

- Cranberry-Pecan scones

- Stir Fry Walnut Shrimp

- Chocolate-Almond Macarrons

YOU won’t even feel like you’re dieting!

This diet book will definitely inspire the people suffering from extra belly fat and provide them with the necessary education and tools to combat it!

Every week, no doubt..someone will ask me, “What do you think of p90x??”

And to be honest…I really don’t know much about it.

However, my close girlfriend was on the program and she took me through a workout and it was good. It wasn’t super great,  but it was intense, long and did the job. If you don’t know how to workout, I definitely think it’s easier to get on a generic program and have it work for you.

I also think that if you aren’t incorporating weight training, then this is a great way to get started.

Do I think it works?

SURE!

Do I think it’s worth getting?

Not so Sure!

I THINK that if you aren’t already commited to working out at some degree right now, then you are wasting money trying to ‘buy’ something else that will do the quick fix on your body (especially something guaranteeing 90 days)

I also think that if your DIET is not super clean, then you shouldn’t get the program because as you  know, your fitness transformation is 85% diet!

Lastly, I think that ANY new physical challenge will create some effect on your body.

SO! If you want to make the investment do it only if:

- your diet is clean (because you should already be losing weight with a clean diet alone)

- you’re already working out (because it means  you’ll be dedicated)

- you have the extra money (because God knows everyone can use some extra cash flow right now)

Are you worth it????

I really enjoyed reading one of the newest health books on the market: Younger (thinner) YOU Diet by Eric R. Braverman, MD. Instead of focusing on the stomach as the root issue behind weight gain, this book actually looks into what WE talk about a lot….what’s happening in the brain!

Even if you are eating low carb, low fat and low calories….
Even if you are exercising every single day…
and EVEN if  you are the best health guru on the planet…

IT does not mean you are guaranteed to lose weight and be in great shape. There is another factor in this fitness equation that we most often fail to acknowledge….the deficiencies that could be happening inside our brain.

Braverman’s book provides a simple-to-understand overview on how your brain (and the chemicals that exist within it) effect your health. According to the book, there are four brain chemicals effecting your ability to process, digest and metabolize foods.

1) Dopamine: this chemical is your brain’s natural power source, which keeps you mentally and physically energized

2) Acetylcholine: this chemical controls brain speed, the primary function of which is to provide the lubricants and insulation for our muscles, bones and other inernal systems in the form of fat.

3) Seratonin: this chemical acts like an ‘off’ switch for the brain and body. It transmits a signal that tell thebody when to shut down and when to rest.

4) GABA: this chemical determines the pace at which  your body and brain function, as well as how you handle stress.

An alteration in any of these chemicals can create negative consequences on your body. For example, low Dopamine levels slow your metabolism down creating weight gain. It can also cause you to eat more. 

This book captures what causes these chemical imbalances and what YOU can do to change it so you can be on the right health track. I personally found this book to be very enlightening as I dealt with Bulimia and Binge-eating in my early and mid twenties. According to Braverman, this was influenced by a GABA imbalance. The book says that “.. a GABA deficiency is connected to overeating and lack of portion control….the brain never gets satisfied. These findings show that losing weight is not primarily connected to willpower, love, God, discipline, family support, or any twelve-step program.  It’s about an aging brain, genetic tendencies, and bad habits we’ve developed.”

Some of the tips they give to binge eaters to stabilize their GABA levels are:

- don’t over-caffeinate during th day

- make sure bowel movements are adequately cleansed

- begin drinking teas that heal

If you think you are suffering from a brain chemical imbalance, this might be a book you would want to look into. It also provides specific diet and exercise tips.

CLICK HERE to order.