Is Weight Loss Ineffective And Harmful?

That's the title of an article posted on the University of California, Davis website. The link is below.

While I disagree that weight loss, or more correctly fat loss, is ineffective and harmful, I do think that the focus needs to be on creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for long-term success.

Ignore the hypey (did I just make up a new word?) title and take a minute to read this excellent article:

Weight-loss focus is ineffective and harmful, study suggests

World Yoga Day Fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Dedicate your yoga practice to children with cancer and other life-threatening medical conditions.

Sunday, January 30th 1:00 - 2:15 PM

Instructor: Jennifer Grant-RYT

Suggested donation $12



Please contact Jennifer at (717) 293-1442 or jgranthealing@gmail.com for more information.


Body & Soul Fitness Studio
618 Columbia Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 509-7777

Plenty of free parking.

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R.I.P. Jack LaLanne

Jack LaLanne was a man before his time. In the 60s, he was already talking about eating fresh, natural foods, mental attitude, regular exercise, the mind-body connection, etc. on his TV show.

I can't think of anyone who promoted health and fitness to the masses longer or more consistently than Jack LaLanne. He was a true pioneer in the industry.

My mom watched him regularly and exercised along with him. I still remember her doing butt walks across the living room floor. :-D

When he turned 43 in 1957, he performed more than 1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes on the "You Asked For It" television show. At 60, he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco — handcuffed, shackled and towing a boat. Ten years later, he performed a similar feat in Long Beach harbor.

Here's the entire article:
Fitness guru Jack LaLanne, 96, dies at California home


Weird. Just a little over 2 weeks ago, I posted his "10 Point Plan" video below on Body & Soul's Facebook page.



Rest in peace, Jack.

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Injury - Time For A Break Or Time To Adapt?

If you are unable to use the gym due to an injury or medical issue, you have the ability and the right to freeze your membership with a doctor’s excuse but should you?

Obviously you need to listen to your doctor but don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you hurt your arm, ask if it would be O.K. to still work your legs and/or do cardio. If your leg is in a cast, are you allowed to come to the gym and do upper body exercises?

You may laugh and believe I'm taking this whole exercise thing too far. You might be thinking, "Hey, if I'm hurt why shouldn't I just enjoy some R & R?"

Well, here’s the deal. After 15 years in the fitness industry and 10 years of owning a gym, I can tell you that an injury can be a blip on the radar or a real setback to your health, fat loss and fitness goals.

I’ve actually had someone in a lower leg cast come in and work upper body as soon as she was able. I’ve designed programs for members with knee or ankle problems that didn’t involve leaving a bench. If you have an upper body injury, there are plenty of lower body exercises that can be done, even if you can’t hold weights.

So what’s the big deal? Why not just enjoy the exercise vacation? Because the members who continue to use the gym not only maintain a higher level of fitness, they also maintain their exercise HABIT and relieve stress.

Do you really want your fitness level to deteriorate after all your hard work? In addition, many people struggle with working out on a regular basis. If that’s sounds like you, remember, the longer you stay away, the harder it is to get back into a routine.

If you're injured, check with your doctor and then do what you can safely do.

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Collected Fitness Wisdom #30

Too many people focus on short-term goals. Trying to reach some "perfect" physique or losing weight for a big event can only motivate you for so long – then you’re right back where you started. I call these kinds of short-term goals “fixed motivation.” True motivation -- lasting motivation -- is something quite different. If you can tap into your long-term goals and create a group of friends you can relate to, you will never have to make another New Year’s resolution to lose weight, or put all of your hope in an exercise gadget from an infomercial -- and you certainly won’t find yourself going through the perpetual cycle of yo-yo dieting.

~Kris Gethin


People often get stuck on the minutiae of fitness when they really just need to move more and eat junk less. Yes, it’s important to have a goal and a plan but don’t fixate on what are the best supplements, should you eat breakfast before or after your workout, are you in your fat burning zone. Just get to work. You can refine as you go.

~Valerie Waters


If it weren’t for dead guys, we’d probably never have started doing crunches. That’s because for years, much of our knowledge of the way muscles work was based on the study of human cadavers. By looking at the anatomy of corpses, modern scientists figured that the function of our abdominal muscles must be to flex the spine. Which is exactly what you do when you perform a crunch, a situp, or any other move that requires you to round your lower back. As a result, these exercises were popularized as the best way to work your abs.

But the reality is that your abs have a more critical function than flexing your spine: Their main job is to stabilize the spine. In fact, your midsection muscles are the reason your torso stays upright instead of falling forward due to gravity. So your abs and lower back actually prevent your spine from flexing.

The upshot is that if you want better results from your core workout, you need to train your abs for stability.

~Alwyn Cosgrove


A century ago, to consume 400 calories, you had to go buy the meat, vegetables, and rice, and come home and cook it. Now you can consume the same amount of calories just by downing a bag of Cheetos.

~Caroline Apovian, M.D.
Director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center


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How To Find Real Food At The Supermarket

Came across this great article from Darya Pino, Ph.D and really funny (but true) food flowchart.

Is It Food? [Flowchart]

Grocery shopping has never been more confusing than it is in 2011.

With conflicting nutrition information coming at us from all sides, navigating the supermarket can feel as impossible as doing long division while juggling loaded bear traps. It's neither fun nor safe.

To help you find real food within the endless labyrinth of junk, I've put together this handy flowchart for your use and amusement. Consider it your supermarket GPS. If you ever get lost, just start back at the top.

Alternatively you can just ditch the supermarket altogether and head to the farmers market like I do.

Please feel free to share this with friends.

May the food be with you.

Originally posted at Summer Tomato, where you can find more healthy eating tips.

 

Follow Darya Pino, Ph.D on Twitter: www.twitter.com/summertomato 

Darya Pino is a Ph.D trained scientist, San Francisco foodie and advocate of local, seasonal foods. 

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Workout for the Lancaster Public Library 1-15-11 Video

Say Goodbye To Tight Clothing And Failed Fitness Resolutions!

If you're tired of making the same resolution year after year, I can help. I'm offering 3 programs to give you the accountability, support, program design and motivation to reach your goals.

You can get the whole scoop here ==> 2011 Resolution Specials

I only have 1 or 2 spots still available (depending upon schedules) so please don't procrastinate if you're ready to commit to your 2011 goals.

Fellow fitness pros, please don't give me a hard time about how cheap these programs are for what all is included; I'm just trying to help as many people as possible.

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Make 2011 Your Best Year Ever

Each January brings the opportunity for a fresh start. We’ve passed through the gate of the New Year and have the chance to make 2011 YOUR BEST YEAR YET. Grab hold of this chance and run with it. So what if the first day of the year has passed. It’s never too late to start getting better. Whether you’re looking for dramatic change in your life or the chance to get 1% better each day, now is the time to be renewed in the spirit of new beginnings.

~Todd Durkin

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What's Better Than Losing Belly Fat?

What's better than losing belly fat?

Winning $1000 when you do!

And that's exactly what can happen when you use Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training system to lose fat over the next 12 weeks. Just follow the instructions below, and you could be selected as a finalist for the this fat loss body transformation contest.

From Craig...

Here are the complete instructions on what you need to do in order to be eligible to win $1000 just for losing your belly fat in the 10th Turbulence Training Body Transformation Contest...

Mandatory To Do List:

1) Once you are ready to get started take your before photo.

REMEMBER: This Saturday, Jan 15th, is the final day to get started.

2) Use Turbulence Training workouts for the next 12 weeks.

Start with the TT for Fat Loss program here ==> Turbulence Training Workouts

And remember, there are 4 categories and a $1000 winner of each:

Women Under 40
Men Under 40
Women Over 40
Men Over 40

3) Take your after photo.

4) Write your 300 word essay.

5) Send in your photos and essay before the end of the contest.

NOTE: All entries MUST be received before midnight, Saturday, April 9th.

But if you want MAXIMUM fat burning results in the 10th TT Body Transformation Contest, you should also follow this list...

Recommended To Do List:

In addition to All of the Above...

1) The majority of our past winners have started a "thread" (aka transformation journal) in the TT Member's forum where they update daily/weekly with their progress, and also ask others for help with specific questions.

You get access to the TT member's forum when you get your own copy of Turbulence Training here ==> Turbulence Training Workouts

2) Research shows that posting on a regular basis helps you get more results in their weight loss program, so I encourage as much recording as possible - and that also helps you learn a lot about your body and how it responds to certain exercises, foods, programs, etc.

One of the most important things you can do is track your results, your workouts, and your diet.

The more you know about yourself, and the more you respond to this knowledge, the better your results will be. Start immediately.

And remember...

You are not your mistakes. Do not be too hard on yourself. If you make a mistake - and we all do - just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back on track immediately. Learn from your experiences to become a better person each day.

3) Hopefully you have time to start a journal, and I know you'll get even more out of the program when you do that.

4) Of course, you will also want to...

- Plan, shop, and prepare your meals each week

- Clean out your pantry of junk (if it's in the house you are going
to eat it, so get it out!)

- Use Fitday.com to find out how many calories you are eating

That's the perfect plan to lose fat, get lean, and qualify for your chance to get voted as the winner of the TT Transformation Contest.

Craig Ballantyne



It's me again...

Here's that link one more time ==> Turbulence Training Workouts

If you want to check out the official contest rules page, go here ==> TTT Contest Rules

If you want to see the results previous contest participants got, here's the link ==> Turbulence Training Transformation Contest Finalists

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Collected Fitness Wisdom #29

People in this country are too afraid to push the envelope. Our goal is to not just change people's bodies but to change their minds; to shift their thinking from No, I can't to Yes, I can. You can't do that by walking 30 minutes a day.

~Dr. Robert Huizenga

Physician on "The Biggest Loser"
Specializes in medical, sports and obesity-related
Former L.A. Raider team doctor
Former President, NFL Physician Society


Do NOT forget that your DIET is more important than your training for fat loss.

Let the diet do the work while you train smart. As odd as this sounds, there aren't too many things more damaging to a good diet than being injured.

When you're hurt and can't exercise, people ditch the diet pretty quick. Please be smart and safe with your training.

~Craig Ballantyne


Most resolutions lists are filled with unrealistic expectations. For example, "I am going to lose 15 pounds in one month." Yeah, good luck with that. Can it be done? Sure, but again, good luck with that if you want it to be fat and aren't 310 pounds and a 6'1 man. Setting yourself up for failure right out the gate may not be the best idea for success.

~Leigh Peele


Don’t bend and twist your body out of alignment like some circus contortionist just for one more rep. It isn’t worth it.

~Chris Lopez

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Workout for the Lancaster Public Library

As you may be aware, the Lancaster Public Library recently lost $50,000 in funding from the city. The good news is that a local jeweler (Edward J. & Co.) has offered to match any funds raised by the community, up to $25,000. Here's an article about it ==> Jeweler offers to match donations to Lancaster Public Library

On Saturday, January 8th, the proceeds from our regular charity boot camp will go to the library. Donation is $20 and participants are encouraged (but not required) to get sponsors. Every dollar helps and will be matched through the "Diamond Challenge". Please sign up and spread the word. If you are unable to work out with us, please consider sponsoring another participant.

The workout will last approximately 45 minutes, including warmup and cooldown.

All fitness levels are invited. Exercises will be adapted or substituted, as necessary. Anyone 12 and older is welcome to participate.

Please let me know if you'll be attending. You can RSVP on Facebook at Workout for the Library or call me at (717) 509-7777.


Workout for the Library
Saturday, January 8th  9:00 - 9:45 AM
Donation $20 (plus sponsors if possible)

Body & Soul Fitness Studio
618 Columbia Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 509-7777

Plenty of free parking

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How To Choose The Right Fitness Center For You

Are you planning to join a gym? Before you do, please get my free report about how to choose the best fitness center for you.

Find out what's more important than the lowest price or the trendiest equipment.

Get it at ==> GetFitLancaster.com

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Happy New Year!

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