One cup refers to a common measuring cup (the kind used in recipes). In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or 100% vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the vegetable group. One cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the fruit group.

See more examples of what counts as 1 cup or ½ cup of fruits and vegetables.

	1 cup 1/2 cup 1 small apple 1 small banana
	1 cup 1/2 cup 1 cup of lettuce* and 1/2 cup of other vegetables 6 baby carrots
	1 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 large sweet potato and 1/2 cup of green beans 16 grapes

EXAMPLES OF 1 CUP 1 small apple 1 large banana 1 medium grapefruit

1 large orange 1 medium pear 1 small wedge watermelon

This section will help you learn more about protein. You’ll find information about what foods have protein and what happens when we eat more protein than we need.

What is Protein?

Proteins are part of every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies. These body proteins are constantly being broken down and replaced. The protein in the foods we eat is digested into amino acids that are later used to replace these proteins in our bodies.

Protein is found in the following foods:

• meats, poultry, and fish
• legumes (dry beans and peas)
• tofu
• eggs
• nuts and seeds
• milk and milk products
• grains, some vegetables, and some fruits (provide only small amounts of protein relative to other sources)

As we mentioned, most adults in the United States get more than enough protein to meet their needs. It’s rare for someone who is healthy and eating a varied diet to not get enough protein.

What are the types of protein?

Proteins are made up of amino acids. Think of amino acids as the building blocks. There are 20 different amino acids that join together to make all types of protein. Some of these amino acids can’t be made by our bodies, so these are known as essential amino acids. It’s essential that our diet provide these.

In the diet, protein sources are labeled according to how many of the essential amino acids they provide:

•  A complete protein source is one that provides all of the essential amino acids. You may also hear these sources called high quality proteins. Animal-based foods; for example, meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and cheese are considered complete protein sources.

• An incomplete protein source is one that is low in one or more of the essential amino acids.Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids.

For example, rice contains low amounts of certain essential amino acids; however, these same essential amino acids are found in greater amounts in dry beans. Similarly, dry beans contain lower amounts of other essential amino acids that can be found in larger amounts in rice. Together, these two foods can provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids the body needs.

How much protein do I need?

Maybe you’ve wondered how much protein you need each day. In general, it’s recommended that 10–35% of your daily calories come from protein. Below are the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for different age groups.²

Here are examples of amounts of protein in food:

• 1 cup of milk has 8 grams of protein
• A 3-ounce piece of meat has about 21 grams of protein
• 1 cup of dry beans has about 16 grams of protein
• An 8-ounce container of yogurt has about 11 grams of protein

Added together, just these four sources would meet the protein needs of an adult male (56 grams). This doesn’t count all the other foods that add smaller amounts of protein to his diet.

Rather than just focusing on your protein needs, choose an overall healthy eating plan that provides the protein you need as well as other nutrients.

ChooseMyPlate.gov Daily Food Plan lets you enter your age, sex, weight, height and physical activity level to get a personalized plan just for you.

To help you get the amounts of protein you need:

• Compare the amount of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts, and seeds you are eating per day to what is recommended. As an example, if you refer to MyPlate Daily Food Plan, a 48-year-old female who is active less than 30 minutes a day only needs about 5 ounces each day from the protein group. Some pre-cut slices of meat and poultry, such as a pork chop or chicken breast, can be four to five ounces each. You can see how it would be easy to eat too much.
• Save your money and don’t buy the protein supplements. If you’re healthy, you probably get all the protein you need from your diet.

To help you make lower-fat protein choices —

• Choose meats that are leaner cuts and trim away any fat you can see. For chicken and turkey, remove the skin to reduce fat.
• Substitute pinto or black beans for meat in chili and tacos.
• Choose low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt.
• Choose low-fat or fat-free cheese.
• Choose egg whites or pasteurized egg white products.

What if I am a vegetarian?
Because some vegetarians avoid eating all (or most) animal foods, they must rely on plant-based sources of protein to meet their protein needs. With some planning, a vegetarian diet can easily meet the recommended protein needs of adults and children.

Choosemyplate.gov provides meal planning tips for vegetarians.

Sources

¹Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets. JADA, 2003; 103(6) 748 – 765.

²Source for Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) reference and RDAs: Institute of Medicine (IOM) Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. This report may be accessed via www.nap.edu*

Coach Greg trains out of Primal Justice Training Center in Irvine

I had the opportunity for a little Q&A with Coach Greg

(OCF) How long have you been providing personal training?

(Coach Greg)  I have been personal training for about 17 years. I’ve been group training with boot camps and corporate fitness for about five years when I started LeFever Wellness.

(OCF) Are you certified as a personal trainer?

(Coach Greg) Yes, I have been certified for 8 years now.

(OCF) From what organization(s) did you obtain your certification?

(Coach Greg) My certification is through national academy of sports medicine NASM, and includes their PES, performance enhancement specialist credential.

(OCF) Are you also certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid?

(Coach Greg) Yes, Red Cross CPR, first Aide, and AED certifications.

(OCF) What health, exercise, or fitness literature do you read?

(Coach Greg) I like to read Men’s Health and educational articles.  Always trying to learn more about fitness and health in general.

(OCF) How do you stay in shape?

(Coach Greg) I stay in shape training with my partners at Primal Justice Training Center in Irvine. They don’t cut me any slack and really bring the intensity to a workout. I like to mix the strength and, speed, and cardio together for maximum conditioning rather than a straight weights workout. Although, going old school basic exercises with heavy weights with loud music playing feels really good some days. When I have extra time I jump on my mountain bike and get away from everything and appreciate being in the beauty of Orange County
(OCF) What’s your fitness philosophy?

(Coach Greg) My fitness philosophy revolves around the phrase “just show up and give what you’ve got”. We hear too many excuses about no time, no equipment, etc. but none of that matters if you really want a result. If you show up to training with us or on your own, and give all of yourself at that time, that’s an accomplishment. Every day won’t be your best day but it can be your best effort for that day. I train people in parks, at companies, and in the training center. You can train anywhere with little equipment and some imagination, no excuses.

I also focus on the total wellness of a client. Each person’s program is designed to motivate and inspire total health including dietary changes and nutrition education based on personal goals.  Education is a big part of fitness success.
(OCF) Do you recommend supplements?

(Coach Greg) Yes, I highly recommend supplements. But first I recommend a quality eating program. As a general rule, the supplements should bridge the nutrition gap between what your food provides you and what your body needs to be healthy and well.  I believe that a whole food multi and a quality omega should be the base of a nutrition program. Other supplements serve purposes for energy, recovery, and growth and are recommended based on each particular program and client goals.
(OCF) Are most of your clients long term or short term?

(Coach Greg) Most of my clients are long term (years). My goal is to build a quality relationship, deliver a personal results based training and wellness program, and be more than just a “trainer”. My clients call me Coach Greg because I give the extra attention, education, and encouragement which come from a top level coach. I give people all of my energy and love, sometimes tough love, and they appreciate the personal attention by being loyal clients.

I’m in the training and wellness business to help improve the quality of other people’s lives. I was in the corporate world for many years but always training and being the “go to guy” for fitness at the office. The corporate experience helps me manage clients and accounts and more importantly appreciate the impact of what I do now.

It’s an amazing feeling to watch the transformation of lives and know that I had a part in someone’s happiness. One of my favorite moments was to help a sedentary person who was unable to participate with their kids because of their poor health, lose weight, become fit and be a participant in their family’s lives rather than a spectator.

They know that commitment to our program will result in positive changes they can see and feel.  I wouldn’t trade what I do for any other job. It’s actually not a job, but more of a purpose. It’s what I’m meant to do in life.

You can reach Coach Greg at

LeFever Wellness
Website: http://lefever-welcome.blogspot.com/

My certification is through national academy of sports medicine NASM, and includes their PES, performance enhancement specialist credential.

Yes, it is certainly possible to lose 25 pounds in 3 months.  A safe guideline for losing weight at a safe pace is approximately two pounds per week.  This will ensure more permanent results as opposed to losing a drastic amount of weight quickly, only to put it all back on once you go off your regimen.   There are 13 weeks in a 3-month period.  And two pounds a week would approximate 25 to 26 pounds of sustainable, permanent weight loss.  A large factor in determining how fast you can lose weight is how overweight you are to begin with.

So for example, if you are 100 pounds overweight, your body is definitely not at its natural weight and does not like being that heavy.  So those first 25 pounds will come off rather quickly – much less than 3 months, as long as you are following a reasonably structured nutrition and exercise regimen. It’s when you are at those last few pounds where it gets tricky.  The closer you get to your ideal weight, the more your body will resist losing those last few pounds.  The key here is patience and consistency in your exercise and nutrition.  But again, losing 25 pounds in 3 months is totally doable and, more importantly, it is a very safe way to lose the weight and keep it off permanently.

-Jack Kenefick

www.balanced-life-fitness.com
https://www.facebook.com/OrangeCountyPersonalTrainer
https://twitter.com/#!/JackKenefick

Even the most dedicated exercisers get bored with their workouts. And you can imagine that if your mind is getting bored with your workouts, so is your body. It is important to continue to mix things up by using different pieces of equipment, training techniques, tempos, sequences and more. Follow the ten suggestions below to maximize your workouts and keep your exercises fresh.

1. First and foremost: continually switch up your exercises. It’s easy to get comfortable doing the exercises you are most familiar with but it’s important to try new ones. After about four weeks of doing the same exercises your body adapts and you begin to plateau. Another option is to take your workouts outdoors. After all, we do live in sunny Southern California!

2. Second: try different equipment. Don’t get in the rut of using exercise machines all the time. Try exercises using barbells, dumbbells, resistance bands, fitness balls, kettlebells and others. You may also want to try different equipment and exercises by attending group exercise classes such as spinning, Pilates, yoga, TRX/Kettlebells, and other resistance training classes.

3. If you’re accustomed to doing straight set training (doing one exercise for several repetitions, resting, and then doing another set of the same exercise) then try circuit training. Circuit training requires you to perform a series of exercise moves targeting different muscle groups one right after the other with little to no rest between exercises. Circuit training maximizes your workouts by allowing you to train another muscle group while you’re waiting for the others to recover instead of just sitting and waiting. Ultimately, it allows you to burn more calories, keep your heart rate elevated, and incorporate more exercises in a shorter amount of time.

4. For the more advanced, try a superset program. Supersetting is a workout technique in which you do two exercises, one after the other, with no rest in between. The exercises can be for the same muscle group or two different muscle groups, depending on your goals. They can even be completely different activities (e.g., a strength exercise followed by a cardio exercise). An example of this would be leg curls (for your hamstrings) followed by leg extensions (for your quadriceps) or doing chest presses followed by pushups (both work the chest). Supersetting can save time, add intensity, and help you bust through weight loss plateaus.

5. An additional option is altering the order of exercises. Simply changing which exercise you do first, last and in the middle can have big results on the effectiveness of your routine. Or you can combine different muscle groups that you usually don’t do together on the same days. For example, say you usually do agonist and antagonist (opposing muscle) workouts, meaning you work out your chest and back on the same day, you could switch to doing primary and secondary workouts. Primary and secondary workouts are when you work out the primary muscle. For example you can work out the chest and then do an exercise that would work out the chest’s secondary mover, your triceps. This way you give that secondary muscle an extra workout. You can also apply this to the back and biceps, where the back is the primary mover and the biceps are the secondary.

6. Next, change the intensity. If you normally push yourself to lift weights that fatigue you quickly (less than 8 reps), try lowering the weight size and increase the number of reps. Every four weeks you can switch your intensity level back and forth, going from heavy weight and less reps to lighter weight and more reps. However, always keep in mind you should be selecting the correct amount of weight so that you are barely able to finish your last two reps of whatever your rep goal is without breaking form.

7. Alter the speed of your training technique. A typical exercise might require 8 seconds to perform a rep. To change that up you may try 15 seconds per exercise. By changing the tempo you allow your muscles to focus on different stages of contraction, concentric, isometric, and eccentric. Concentric, when the muscle shortens and contracts, isometric, the peak of the contraction where you hold stable, and eccentric, decelerating a weight, or lowering a load gently rather than letting it drop.

8. Change up your workout frequency. Try increasing from 2 to 3 days per week or even the days and times you do your workouts. It may sound strange, but your body will respond to a change in the time of day or day of the week. Overall, it’s about constantly confusing our bodies so we never hit that plateau we all hate so much, this is also known as muscle confusion. If that means switching the days and times you do your workouts then try it.

9. Don’t ignore your rest and recovery time. Sometimes you’ll want to keep your rest time between sets to a minimum and other timesyou may want it to be as much as 1-2 minutes. Also, some weeks you may want to allow for several days of recovery between workout sessions and others may only need 48 hours.

10. Most importantly, ask for help. To push yourself to your potential, you may want to occasionally try the assisted training technique. This requires you have a spotter who assists you to perform an additional 2-4 reps when you think you have reached your limit. Feel free to ask any personal trainers or weight room attendants if you need a spotter, that’s what they are there for.

If you are unsure of what exercises you should be doing to continually challenge your muscles and reach your maximum potential I encourage you to enlist the help of your local gym.

SoCal Nutrition and Wellness
http://www.socalnw.com/

I wish I were paid for the many times I have been told, “I can’t do yoga, I am not flexible.” It is probably the natural reaction to anything physical that someone does not want to do…that and the fear of being made a fool of in a typical yoga class. Anyone who has done yoga, knows that is simply not the truth. I don’t think I am going to magically convert you with this article, but perhaps I can intrigue you enough to want to explore it on your own. Most yoga we see today is at a studio, 90 minutes, and occupied with the kind of bendy people that might intimidate a 12 year old girl. Ahh yes, everyone wants to be a Cirque du Soleil performer….it may leave you thinking, “Why would I want to do that?” But if you visit India, go to the rooftops at sunrise or sunset and you will see people greeting the sun with simple sun salutations. It is personal, solitary and will start your day in peace instead of jumping into your day with coffee, emails, and all the things you need to accomplish and may not be able to. Does that sound any more enticing?

What exactly is yoga? The term is a Sanskrit word meaning “to yoke.”  So, what are we yoking?  Mind, body and spirit. Let me explain what that might mean to you. First, hold this page in one hand, spread your legs, with feet turned out and squat. When was the last time you did this? Drop that bootie as low as you can. Does that feel ridiculously uncomfortable? Believe it or not, this is the natural way the human body should be at rest and a lot of other natural things…like elimination. If you spend most of your time in that 90 degree angle pose, such as, sitting in a chair, you are spending most of your time compressing your spine and shortening your hamstrings and yes, this is one of the leading causes of lower back issues. There is no escaping it, you will have lower back issues at some point in your life. Most places you will travel in the world, people of all ages and sizes sit in a squat and there is a reason for it.  It is how we are constructed, yes, even you. Watch a dog or cat get up from resting and you will see another yoga pose. They will stretch out their spine, maybe elongate their arms/legs. Whether you are flexible or not, our bodies do like to stretch.

How about that mind connection? For most, the thought of sitting and doing an hour of mediation sounds pretty intimidating. If you have ever tried it, it’s not easy to still your mind for any period of time. Neuroscientists have studied monks that have spent years in meditation and found they have actually grown their left prefrontal cortex which is the part of the brain found to be responsible to feel happy. I am not even asking you all to sit in lotus position and meditate, but I can simplify it for you. Breathe. Yes, close your eyes right now and take ten LOOOONG deep breaths. Breathe through your nose and out through your mouth. When you finish, take notice of your mind. Have you slowed down a bit? Is your jaw LESS clenched? Has your face relaxed? You can connect your movement to this breath through yoga or what we call, Asana Practice. Stand with feet flat on the ground and with an inhale, raise your arms to the side and skyward, exhale bring them down and repeat that ten times…you are doing yoga! Anyone yogi, will know that the breath is actually more a part of yoga than the positions you move in. That is a mind-body connection. We carry so many emotions in our bodies and the more you explore movement and breath, you will begin to conjure up emotions; some not so welcome and some really pleasant. Look in the mirror and turn to all angles. Are your shoulders slumped? Does your belly protrude? How about your face? Do you have those worry lines that tell the story of the stress and challenges of your life? While it is said that we carry the story of our life in our faces by the time we are 50, there is something we can do about it. The cosmetics of botox won’t remove what you have inside. I have been astonished by students that simply cannot connect their mind to their body in the simplest of instruction. I will say, straighten your arm and they will continue to extend their arm with a bent elbow.  Their minds do not connect with what their body is doing.

Okay, that brings me to spirit. How on earth will yoga have anything to do with spirit? This is where many get really turned off by yoga because they don’t need a class telling me how to handle my “spirit.” This can mean many things to many people. In yoga, it is simply the energy movement in your body or Prana. In Chinese medicine or martial arts, it would be Qi. Have you ever walked in a room of strangers and been able to just feel the people you want to be near and those who repel you the minute you get near them? These emotions and energy move, not only inside, but outside our body. We do have the ability to control this movement.

Let’s get back to those rooftop sun salutations. I teach a couple times a week and always outside. There is nothing more complete and sublime for me in my yoga practice. Sometimes it’s at the beach at sunset or early in the morning at sunrise. Of course, it is a challenge if it’s cold, but we live in So California for goodness sake and people all over the world would love to have what we have; the ability to be outdoors. Not only can we experience the seasons; yes we do have seasons, but there is a beauty in standing in Tadasana, Mountain Pose, with your feet planted on the earth and raising arms to the sky and it really is the sky! If you go to the beach at sunset and watch anyone, they are transfixed with the sunset. It is has a peace all its own and I promise you, you will feel yoga at this time of the day.

There are as many types of yoga as there are dance moves! If you have not connected with one, try another! Do you want to sweat and detoxify? Try Bikram. Want to build amazing abs and upper body strength? Ashtanga or Power yoga will be great for you. Do you want to restore and recover? Try Iyengar. They all share the same goal. To yoke your mind, body, and spirit and who wouldn’t want more of that in their lives.

Barbara Howarth
www.openskyyogahb.com

Barbara has been practicing yoga for over 30 years. She is a graduate of the UCI Yoga studies program and has over 700 hours training with renowned Prana Flow teacher, Shiva Rea.

It’s about that time of year when most people are sliding or have already slid back on their new year resolutions.

Here is some information that will help you keep a resolution, or make a lasting change anytime you are ready.

Do you make a new year’s resolution every year? Is it the same every year?

Did you know that Fitness, weight loss, better health are at the top two or three for most people every year.

Why is that?

You know that your life is more fulfilling when you feel good about yourself, have more energy, are looking great, and all that equals feeling great.

Every year most people fall away from their resolution by February or March, and that’s a long time for most people.
So it’s not the New Year anymore but that doesn’t matter. Let’s regroup and get started today.

Ask yourself…How do I make this a life change rather than a flash in the pan, one day declaration?

Here is how to keep your fitness resolution…

1) Set attainable goals

Write them down and put an attainable timeframe on your goals. I.e., 5 pounds down by the end of the month, workout 3 times every week (put it on your calendar), eliminate sugar from my diet this week-log your diet, be prepared for a Half marathon in June etc.

Big pipe dream goals are a set up for failure so be reasonable and be sure you can get it done.

2) Keep yourself accountable
Most resolutions fail because they are a “one time” declaration on New Year’s Eve on a whim.

If you are serious, pick someone in your life that will help you stay accountable to your goal daily, monthly, and yearly.
Share the details and be sure they are ready to help you achieve. (You can always send it to me; I will keep you on track)

3) Commit your goal openly to yourself and your family
Share your goals for the year with your family and friends. The more you talk about it, the more you will feel a sense of commitment to your goals and the more people will ask you about how you are doing.

4) Stay strong
Lets not sugar coat this, changes to lifestyle are tough. It takes determination, focus and support from friends and family.

Focus on the people that support and encourage you. Keep in mind there will be the negative people but you can defeat them with your success.

It doesn’t matter what day the calendar says today. Now is always a good time to begin a lasting change.
I believe in you.

Please use me as your resource to help you achieve your goals for 2012.
Coach Greg
www.lefeverwellness.com
www.primaljusticetraining.com

Congratulations to Mr. Jack Kenefick.

There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of  personal trainers in Orange County, and over the past month we have been checking up on several of our top picks…  And we kept coming back to Jack.

It was a host of things that made Jack stand out, one of which was his openness to share his knowledge.  A lot of personal trainers out there stand behind a never changing website, hoping that you like their images and will give them a call.  Jack on the other hand takes full advantage of his website as well as social media sites to share his knowledge.  Not a day seems to go by that I don’t see a tweet or some other positive message from him.

We definitely need more trainers like Jack.

I had the opportunity for a little Q&A with Mr. Kenefick

(OCF) How long have you been providing personal training?

(Jack) I have been a personal trainer for 8 years now. Before I became a personal trainer, I was a CPA (Accountant) for 11 years. I hated my career and did not feel like I was doing what I was put on Earth to do – helping people with their health, well-being, confidence and self-esteem. Everyone I knew thought I was crazy to give up an established career in accounting, but I have never looked back and absolutely love my job.

(OCF) Are you certified as a personal trainer?

(Jack) Yes, I have been certified for 8 years now.

(OCF) From what organization(s) did you obtain your certification?

(Jack) I received my certification from International Sports Science Association (ISSA.) I did a lot of research on which certification programs were the most comprehensive and this is an excellent organization for anyone considering a career in fitness.

(OCF) Are you also certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid?

(Jack) Yes, I received my certification from the American Heart Association.

(OCF) What health, exercise, or fitness literature do you read?

(Jack) I get most of my literature and education from IDEA Health and Fitness Association. This is an excellent resource for fitness professionals looking to expand their knowledge and expertise in their specialty.

· IDEA Health and Fitness Association – http://www.ideafit.com/

(OCF) How do you stay in shape?

(Jack) I work out for about 90 minutes, 4 days a week, with 30 minutes of resistance training followed by about 60 minutes of cardiovascular training of some sort, such as treadmill, elliptical machine or stair climber.

(OCF) What’s your fitness philosophy?

(Jack) I believe fitness should be the foundation of one’s life because, at the risk of sounding cliché, you have nothing if not your health. Your health must ultimately come first so you are able to handle all the day to day responsibilities of life. I am of the belief that, because the vast majority of people have so much to deal with in daily life (Mortgage, kids, job, spouse, bills, etc.) that being fit does not mean living the lifestyle of an athlete. We need to incorporate fitness into our weekly routine, but as a balance for everything else we deal with. It does not take a great deal of effort and time to make a big difference in the quality of your life – more than any other aspect of being fit and healthy, moderation and consistency are key.

(OCF) Do you recommend supplements?

(Jack) I don’t sell or include supplements with my fitness business, but I do make recommendations for my clients for various needs. A multi vitamin is important and, in addition to a well-balanced nutrition plan, we should not underestimate the importance of getting adequate protein in our diets. Protein helps the body repair itself and build lean body mass, which in turn helps increase metabolism. This goes for women as well. Many people have the belief that if you do resistance training and include more protein in your diet that you will become big and bulky and women especially do not want this. This almost never happens unless you are powerlifting and eating like a weight lifter. But because it is so difficult to get adequate protein in the daily diet, I usually recommend a ready-to-drink protein supplement that can be consumed very quickly and efficiently while at work or on the go.

(OCF) Are most of your clients long term or short term?

(Jack) Most of my clients have been with me well over a year. Some of my clients have been with me since I started in personal training. Along with working with people as clients, I have developed so many friendships and am very blessed to have so many good people in my life.

You can reach Jack at

Balanced Life Fitness
Website: http://www.balanced-life-fitness.com

Everywhere you look you see an ad for a boot camp or fitness class. Some extreme and advanced, some more fun and game oriented, and some tough to tell exactly what you are in for.

The same can be said for personal training. All the gyms want you to buy their fitness packages when you join but do you really need trainer? Is that trainer right for you?

So many choices… which is best for me?

I get asked frequently about which training method is best. So I help them assess with a few basic questions.

Aside from the marketing which guarantees fantastic results, flat stomachs, and tight thighs, there is more to it than marketing promises. Here are a few tips on how to determine where you will achieve the best results for your specific goals and most importantly, keep you safe during your fitness quest.

1- Be realistic about your fitness level.

If you are new to fitness and exercise you may want to consider training with more personal attention. A personal trainer should ensure that your program design is right for your fitness level and that ensure you are using proper form during each exercise as you learn.

Boot camps are generally small to medium size groups where you may not get the attention you need as a beginner to achieve the best results, learn, and be injury free.

If you are more athletic, have enrolled in fitness classes previously, and or train at a gym or with a team, you will have more flexibility based on your personal motivation style and intensity levels.

2- Choose the right intensity for your level.

Some boot camps are a “cookie cutter” style which applies the same exercises at the same intensity level for everyone in camp. If you are already familiar with exercise and are looking to get motivated and driven, then this may work. If you are newer, this can be a recipe for injury and disappointment.

A boot camp group can help motivate and push you to achieve greater results then training by yourself. If you are competitive, people in a group can create that atmosphere and help drive you further.

The right personal trainer may also work for you provided you choose one that understands your goals, intensity and can motivate you to achieve.

We find that most people are in a moderate to intense category and look for a quality workout, positive energy, and flat out results.

Our boot camps specialize in ‘modifications’ of exercises to accommodate all levels of fitness. This means we provide less intense to more intense levels of the same exercises to produce the greatest results.

3- Do your homework

To help ensure you are making the right choice, ask your friends about the boot camp or personal trainer that they work with and determine a few things to help you choose.

a. Are your friends or co-workers enthused about training and looking forward to the next session? As much as they can look forward to a tough workout.
b. Are they seeing and feeling results? Looser clothes, weight loss, muscle tone. Can you tell they are making positive changes?
c. Are they willing to endorse their trainer or boot camp? If the results are good, the trainer is knowledgeable and motivating, they should be raving fans. If not, keep looking.

4- Communication

A personal trainer should be watching your every move during exercises ensuring you are moving with accurate form with you communicating how you feel.

In boot camp you should also be able to communicate any pain or discomfort that doesn’t belong, but your trainer may not see it in your form immediately due to tending to the needs of a group.

Use these tips to help make the right training choice for you. Remember your fitness program is about you and should be all about training for your results. Once you make your choice keep a couple of our simple rules in mind;
1- Have fun
2- Be safe
3- Just Show up (every time)

Coach Greg
www.lefeverwellness.com

Compound in Oranges, Grapefruit Appears Protective

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Feb. 23, 2012 — Researchers have identified a compound found in oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits that may lower a woman’s stroke risk.

Previous studies suggest that eating fruits and vegetables helps protect against strokes, and many believe that antioxidant compounds known as flavonoids may explain why, because they have been shown to improve blood vessel function and they have anti-inflammatory effects.

Among other things, flavonoids give fruits and veggies their vibrant colors. They are also found in chocolate and red wine. By some estimates there are more than 5,000 of them.

In the newly published study, flavonoids abundant in citrus fruits known as flavanones appeared to give the most protection against stroke.

Women whose diets included the highest amount of flavanones had a 19% lower risk of suffering a blood-clot-related stroke than women with the lowest intake of the compound.

“Our study supports the conclusion that flavanones are associated with a modest reduction in stroke risk,” says researcher Kathryn M. Rexrode, MD, MPH, of Boston’s Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

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Citrus Fruits and Stroke

Along with researchers from Norwich Medical School in the United Kingdom, Rexrode and Harvard colleagues attempted to better understand the impact of six specific subtypes of flavonoids on stroke risk.

They did this by analyzing 14 years of follow-up data on nearly 70,000 female nurses participating in a nationwide women’s health study.

At enrollment and every four years thereafter, the women were asked to fill out questionnaires detailing the foods they ate.

Among the different subtypes of flavonoids, higher flavanone intake mainly from citrus fruits was specifically associated with a lower risk.

Women whose diets included the most oranges, and orange and grapefruit juices, had the lowest stroke risk.

The study appears in the April issue of the American Heart Association journal Stroke.

Public Health Message Not Simple

Rexrode says more research is needed to confirm the findings.

“I would certainly not recommend that anyone take flavanone supplements based on this research,” she says.

The public health message is further complicated by the fact that grapefruit juice and fresh grapefruit can sometimes cause dangerous interactions with medications commonly prescribed to lower heart attack and stroke risk.

For example, drinking grapefruit juice can increase the risk for liver problems associated with the use of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs.

Grapefruit juice can also increase concentrations of certain blood pressure drugs, raising the risk for side effects.

Pennsylvania State University professor of nutrition and American Heart Association spokesperson Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, says the study reinforces the public health message that eating a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables protects against heart and blood vessel disease.

She recommends getting the benefits of citrus from the whole fruits instead of juices to limit sugar and calories.

“This is very provocative research which suggests that including citrus fruits in your diet could lower stroke risk,” she says.

via Citrus Fruits May Lower Women’s Stroke Risk.