New Study Expands on Link Between Caffeine & Exercise Benefits

First off, only add caffeine to your routine if your health allows it. I began drinking 2 cups of Joe on the mornings I perform cardio exercise. I usually drink green tea but caffeine increases your metabolism allowing the body to burn more calories during and after exercise. This study expands on that and shows afternoon exercise actually conferred MORE benefits than morning workouts. That said, I cannot tolerate caffeine in the afternoon as it interrupts my sleep. And sleep is paramount for recovery, physical and mental.

I did notice I burn more calories, thanks to my handy Fitbit, when I added coffee on those days. It's something to consider doing if you can.

Here is Link to Study:

Caffeine & Exercise Burn More Calories 

2021 Health Goals Off the Rails? Hit Reset

 

Gyms are starting to reopen around the country but did you know that at least 70% of weight loss comes from a healthy diet NOT exercise? That's right, exercise is awesome for heart and lung conditioning and sure it burns calories but you can't exercise your way out of a bad diet.

As a certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist thru ISSA, I am sharing 5 easy tips to help you reset your 2021 Health goals.

1. Write down your health goals(yes, with a pen). Be specific. For example, I want to lose 20 lbs is not specific. What steps are you going to take to get there? Time frame? Be realistic. It takes a deficit of 500 calories a day to lose one pound a week. 

2. Keep a food journal ( I saw the eye roll). There are free apps like My Fitness Pal that make this super easy to do. MFP will even help you set a weight goal and will log your exercise calories in for you. You can set your macro nutrient percentages of protein, carbohydrates and fat in here as well. A food journal keeps you accountable. We underestimate how many calories we eat. Log every single thing you eat and caloric drinks. 

3. Find out what your BMI (Body Mass Index) and what your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) are. There are plenty of free online calculators to help you with this. Your goal is to get your BMI to a healthy level and your RMR tells you how many calories your body burns daily just to stay alive! If you can, find out what your body fat and lean mass percentages are so you can see your progress as you lose weight.

4. Plan an exercise program if you don't already have one. Most gyms have personal trainers that will give you a monthly exercise routine or you can hire me to make one for you. You will want a mix of resistance/strength training, aerobic activity, stretching and balance exercises. In your aerobic/cardio exercise consider adding one HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). It's only 20 minutes long and an important component to fitness. Consider investing in a fitness smart watch like Fitbit or a cellphone health app to help you keep track of your exercise and calories burned.

5. Last but not least, Be Kind to Yourself!! There will be setbacks, focus on the long term. Every action, every step you take towards your goals no matter how small, COUNT. Use positive reinforcement, speak kindly to yourself and surround yourself with a tribe that will help you with your journey.

You are making a lifelong change, after all.  If you don't take care of your body, where are you going to live?

Finding Gratitude and Thankfulness can be challenging this year, but there is always something or someone to be grateful for. The following Meditation by Sally Kempton is a beautiful exercise for the season. Peace and Light!

Thanksgiving Meditation 

Self Reflection vs. Ego, who wins?

Lately, an uncomfortable personal issue I took as resolved, crept back to the forefront of my mind like a rising tide of pond scum. What gives, I thought? I banished this tasteless, bitter part of my life to the frozen planet of an outer galaxy with no return ticket. Or did I?
When a certain thought or issue hijacks your mind and won't release you, it is difficult to get down to the gooey, warm center of why. Yet it is imperative for your sanity to find the true reason your mind won't stop obsessing over it. Could it be because it may cause us  to self-reflect on an aspect of ourselves we'd rather ignore than deal with? And how do we know when we've bored down to the raw core and not some convenient conclusion our ego is selling us? The answer may seem to be, if it makes you uncomfortable like sand in your underpants, wriggle in your seat, question your motives, then it is "probably" the truth you are seeking. You may truly believe, even with meditative introspection, something to be true but that does not always make it so. The ego is mighty powerful, a type of Wizard of Oz if you will, that will manipulate, fabricate and exaggerate to stay alive and in charge. It may feel it is protecting you by concealing the unvarnished truth from you. When you do pull back the heavy, blackout curtain, your ego is just human, sometimes desperate, not always intelligent and definitely self-serving.
The challenge is how to dig down to the true reason something is nagging at you. Try a new meditation method or one that never worked for you before. I happened upon a double gong meditation that reset my restless mind button, enabling me to confront my problem in a fresh way. I also dusted off my boxing gloves and punched a bag for half an hour, beating to a pulp the underlying current of anger I apparently still harbored. I'm currently drilling my way down to the raw core, but this time when I get down to the truth (or what I hope IS the truth) I'm detonating this problem to a trillion pieces into the atmosphere. No chance of a return trip back.