Atlanta Personal Trainer giving Dark Chocolate Brownies and Red Wine to Clients and Community!!

Atlanta Personal Trainer giving Dark Chocolate Brownies and Red Wine for Heart Health month!  Can you believe it!  A personal trainer feeding you dark chocolate brownies and wine?  Well, this is your excuse from your fitness coach to eat dessert and drink wine!  I'm doing a Dark Chocolate and Wine- OPEN HOUSE February 29th at Fitness Together North Buckhead concentrating on Heart Health.  This is the catch, the brownies are made out of black beans, cooked oats, very low in sugar or none (sweetened with Stevia or an alternative sweetener), and ground flax seed.  But, not to worry, they will still taste great, yet be much healthier for you.  After all, it still has dark chocolate, espresso powder, and vanilla extract. This is a great opportunity for you to come by!  We will provide information relating to your heart health, that includes the proper fitness approach to starting a cardio program and heart disease risks.  We'll even provide you with a  6-Week cardiovascular program using Cardio Together to get you started on your own.  If you're already doing a cardio program, we can teach you how to make it better! All the while, we'll feed you dark chocolate brownies (heart healthy fruit as well)!  We'll also provide wine (in moderation of course and you must be 21) or you can choose from non-alcoholic drinks available as well!  There will be no pressure to make a commitment to our services. Just have a good time!    Why am I doing it?  Well, it is Heart Health Month!  I want and feel compelled to provide you with heart healthy information (like  other heart healthy foods), and inform you how to achieve heart healthy goals and other goals. Why brownies and wine? It's not just the flavonoids in dark chocolate, but other cardio-nutrient (I just came up with that) rich benefits it has.  The brownies also have oatmeal containing soluble fiber and the polyphenolic antioxidants in walnuts, as well as fatty acids. There are also fatty acids in the flax seed (Omega-3) and the fiber in black beans.  They will have extra virgin olive oil that contributes to the 6 grams of fat, but most of it is polyunsaturated fats (the good for you kind).  Conversely, there is only 1 gram of saturated fat and no trans fat.  They will have 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein (thank you black beans), less than 1 gram of sugar, and only 89 mg of sodium (or less when salt is not added).  The AHA recommends 1,500 mg or less sodium, especially with heart disease risks.   In the red wine you have heard of the coveted antioxidant resveratrol, but it also has polyphenols which are antioxidants as well.  Polyphenols can lower cholesterol and blood pressure and contain anti-bacterial properties.   So, that's my case for giving you brownies and wine and I'm sticking to it.  If I can't get you in to exercise, I will use life's indulgences to my advantage, yet maintain my integrity as I will feed you Heart Healthy food and give you wonderful cardiovascular fitness information. If you plan to come, please let me know if I should expect you.  Of course, you can just drop by too.  I would love to meet you! Date:  February 29th, Wednesday Time: 4:30 to 9pm Where:  Fitness Together North Buckhead,  4840 Roswell Road, Atlanta, GA 30342 Look forward to meeting you! In health and fitness. Kelly Huggins, owner Fitness Together Leadership Council Member LEARN ABOUT PACK TRAINING (YouTube) SEE ME ON CNN! Fitness Together North Buckhead 4840 Roswell Road, E101 Atlanta, GA 30342 404-303-8305 www.FTNorthBuckhead.com www.FitnessTogether.com (national) Please visit my Facebook, You Tube, Linked In, and Twitter pages

Show me the Love at Fitness Together North Buckhead!

Do you love social media?  Is Facebook, Foursquare, and Twitter always in your back pocket? Do you check in where ever you go so friends can keep track of your whereabouts? If this sounds like you, then you are the perfect candidate for competing in Fitness Together's I HEART FT competition taking place in our studio during the last two weeks of February. In celebration of Heart Healthy month, Fitness Together challenges you to show your love of Fitness Together to all your online followers and friends between February 15-29 to earn I HEART FT heart badges and win prizes for your social media love and affection.      YOU ALSO GET ADDITIONAL BADGES FOR DOING CARDIO! Simply check into Fitness Together each time you come for a workout, tweet about Fitness Together to all your followers and share your love of getting fit and living a healthier lifestyle to your Facebook friends to earn hearts and win prizes. Showing your love has never been so easy! What's in it for you?       Earn five hearts and get a I HEART FT T-Shirt!       Earn the most hearts at the end of the month and win a Polar Heart Rate    Monitor!       Bragging rights as Top Tweeter, Facebooker and Four Square User at        the studio! Here are the rules:    It's time to start Tagging, FaceBooking, Checkin In, Tweeting! FourSquaring, etc. Ready...Set...Go... Good Luck and Happy Posting! Kelly Huggins P.S. Make sure to follow our studio on Twitter and like us on Facebook to not only win hearts, but also to stay up to date on all the latest news and deals from the studio! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fitness-Together-North-Buckhead/127712970608166

Nutrient Brief: Audacious Orange

Originating in China and now largely grown in Brazil, California, and Florida, oranges have become one of the most popular eaten citrus fruits in America. Largely known for its sweet tangy taste, it is also known for its abundance in health benefits.

Vitamin C (53.2mg per unit) is the most common know health benefit. The recommended daily value for people 19 and up is 75mg for women and 90mg for men. The main purpose of Vitamin C is to disarm free radicals that are both inside and outside the cell. The damage caused inside a cell to the DNA from free radicals is what results in cancer. Citrus in general helps prevent cancers of the esophagus, mouth, larynx and pharynx. Also, Vitamin is widely known for preventing colds. It helps boost your immune systems to help fight off any nasty cold your friend or child unknowingly passed on to you.

Vitamin C has proven that it can also help lower cholesterol. The orange peel, which is used in culinary cooking as a “zest”, is a GREAT source of a protein called pectin (2.40g per unit). This has been shown to, also, help in the process of lowering cholesterol.

There have been studies that oranges can have good effect on prevent cardiovascular disease as well as helping preventing Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Now, going to your favorite grocery store and buying a jug of orange juice will not suffice in getting you all the nutrient/benefits I have listed for you. The best way to get these benefits is to enjoy a fresh squeezed glass of OJ or simply eat an orange!   

Jana Campbell, NPTI

Fitness Together Fitness/Nutrition Coach

(please recognize Jana Campbell as author when sharing this article)

Healthy Heart, Healthy You!

Heart candies, heart shaped valentines and chocolate hearts are everywhere this time of year, but the heart that should be getting your undivided attention everyday is the one in your chest that works 24/7 to power your body and fuel your internal system. As the powerhouse of your body, the heart needs to run in tip-top shape for overall health and fitness. To celebrate National Heart Month this February, give your heart and body the gift of longevity and health by starting a heart healthy fitness regimen that focuses on metabolic cardiovascular exercises and combines muscle pumping strength workouts with healthy nutrition choices.

Feel the Love with High Intensity, Heart Healthy Cardio

A strong heart drives a healthy body and metabolic cardiovascular training is the key to not only living a heart healthy lifestyle, but also to feel better, look better and perform better throughout your life. Although nutrition and strength training are important elements to physical fitness, you can’t rely solely on one or the other to achieve overall health and fitness well-being. A recent study from Duke University found that when compared with strength training alone, cardio exercise is the most efficient and effective way to lose the belly fat located deep within the abdominal cavity, which is the kind of fat that is the most damaging to your health and heart. Specifically, aerobic training burned 67 percent more calories in the study when compared to strength/resistance training.1

The first step to a healthy you is establishing a strong cardiovascular foundation to jumpstart your body’s metabolism, increase stamina and energize your body’s cells by pumping oxygen rich blood throughout your body.  This leads to not only burning away excess fat, but lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and reducing the risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease. Studies show that high intensity metabolic training in particular is a leading force to reducing heart attack risk and improving physical fitness. In fact, a recent study from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) found that three hours per week of vigorous exercise can cut a man’s risk of heart attack by 22 percent.2 High intensity cardio exercises can range from wind sprints to moving jump squats and plyometrics.

Make Time for Heart Pumping Workouts

While cardio training is king to heart healthy fitness, strength training is an integral counterpart to attaining optimal health and fitness. Strength/resistance exercise allows for developing and maintaining muscular fitness, strength and lean body mass gains, as well as strengthening of connective tissues, increased bone mass and metabolic rate.

Heart healthy exercises that fuel your body with lasting benefits long after you’ve left the gym don’t have to eat up your entire day. As little as 15 minutes a day of metabolic cardio training, combined with 15 minutes of strength intervals, may be all you need. According to industry studies, 15 minutes of total body resistance training can elevate your resting energy and boost metabolism by 6 percent for up to 72 hours,3 and those who added intervals into their fitness routines for two weeks burned 36 percent more fat than those who stuck with traditional exercise routines.4 A 45-minute interval circuit workout that combines a handful of high impact cardio exercises, such as box squat jumps, mountain climbers and burpees, with total body strength exercises, such as weighted lunges with bicep curls and wall sits with shoulder presses, can quickly and effectively build your heart and body’s strength and endurance.

Active Lifestyle, Active Heart

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), seven out of ten Americans don’t get enough physical activity on a daily basis. In today’s fast-paced, over scheduled world, carving out time for physical activity can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be if you focus on adding cardio elements into your workouts, as well as your everyday activities. The AHA recommend that healthy adults under the age of 65 engage in moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three times a week; paired with strength training exercises.5

Working out regularly with a professional trainer one-on-one or in a small group setting is a critical component to keeping your heart healthy and strong, but complementing your regularly scheduled total body workouts with cardio activities throughout your day also helps to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. The following simple tips will help you get a move on and add heart healthy activities into your daily lifestyle.

●      Instead of wasting time searching for the closest parking spot, pull into the furthest spot away from the door and enjoy the extra walk to the building.

●      Use the stairs at work and for appointments instead of the elevator.

●      Walk or bike your kids to school and use two wheels (or feet) instead of your car when running neighborhood errands.

●      Take a 10-minute activity break at work to stretch or take a quick walk.

●      Walk to visit co-workers instead of sending an e-mail message.

●      Instead of sedentary nights out to the movie theater, take your spouse or friends out for a night of dancing.

Heart Healthy Nutrition

You will look better, feel better and perform better mentally and physically if you fuel your body with foods that are nutrient rich and support a strong cardiovascular system. Foods that enhance cardiovascular health can include Mediterranean type foods such as lean proteins, olive oils, dark leafy greens for a strong heart and blood vessels, whole grains and fiber such as oatmeal and brown rice. Researchers also have found evidence that the high levels of antioxidants found in spices with bold flavors such as cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, black pepper and garlic powder can reduce fat levels in your blood linked to heart problems by 30 percent.6

A healthy body and a healthy you start with a healthy heart. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as cardio exercises, strength conditioning and healthy eating will not only strengthen your body’s heart and lower your risk of disease, but it also will help you live your life looking, feeling and performing better. Certified personal trainers at Fitness Together are available today to help you get started on living a heart healthy lifestyle. Contact your local Fitness Together studio to begin one-on-one personal training or group PACK training focused on a healthy heart and a healthy you.

XXX

Sources:

1 Duke University Medical Center, The Effects of Aerobic versus Resistance Training on Visceral and Liver Fat Stores, Liver Enzymes and HOMA from STRRIDE AT/RT: A Randomized Trial”, AJP, Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2011.

2American College of Sports Medicine, “Vigorous Physical Activity, Mediating Biomarkers, and Risk of Myocardial Infarction,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, October 2011.

3European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2011.

4 Journal of Applied Physiology, “Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women,” April 2007.

5American Heart Association, www.heart.org.

6 Pennsylvania State University, “A High Antioxidant Spice Blend Attenuates Postprandial Insulin and Triglyceride Responses and Increases Some Plasma Measures of Antioxidant Activity in Healthy, Overweight Menhttp://jn.nutrition.org/content/early/2011/06/22/jn.111.138966.abstract?cited-by=yes&legid=nutrition;jn.111.138966v1 - fn-1#fn-1,” The Journal of Nutrition, 2011.

Dark Chocolate Brownie and Wine Party (OPEN HOUSE!)

Have you been looking for an excuse from your trainer to eat brownies or drink wine?


Well, here is your opportunity! As a matter of fact, we'll supply the brownies and the wine! All in moderation of course! Not to deter you, but the brownies are also made out of black beans! It's all good, we promise! Not to mention, it will be Heart Healthy!


In honor of Heart Health Month, Fitness Together North Buckhead is doing our group Nutrition Together tied into our Open House! Learn how to decrease cholesterol, increase good cholesterol, learn about the benefits of red wine and dark chocolate, learn about heart healthy foods, etc.


Bring a friend, a co-worker, spouse, or anyone you like!


Date:  February 29th, 2012
Where:  Fitness Together North Buckhead
4840 Roswell Road, Atlanta, GA 30342
When: 4:30 till ....
Why:  Why not!?

MYTH: Stress Tests and Cholesterol Screenings determine Heart Disease Risks

When I was getting my degree in exercise science, one of the things we learned how to do is an exercise stress test with an ECG (electrocardiogram).  Though we learned many different abnormalities to look for, the most prominent is what is known as ischemia. 

What an ECG shows?

Ischemia is where there is a lack of oxygen that is being supplied to the heart by one of the coronary arteries.  On an ECG, it is a “dip” in what is known as QRS complex (electrical waves).  When this happens, this most likely means that there is an occluded artery.  If you have this show up on your ECG, chances are that you would receive further testing (an angiogram or CT scan) to take a closer look.  If nothing shows, chances are, no further tests will be given.

ECG is not Enough!

There is just one problem; ECG’s do not even recognize that there is a problem until 75% of the artery is occluded.  Furthermore, cardiac deaths are attributed to blockages in the arteries as little as 50% occluded.  This becomes a bigger problem considering that more than 25% of those who have a heart attack results in sudden death.  Though I can’t give you the statistics of the number of people who have had an ECG and then had a heart attack and died, we all have heard the story of someone this has happened to.

What cholesterol test shows?

In addition to an exercise stress test, the paradigm is that you should have a cholesterol screening to determine your cardiovascular disease risks.  Cholesterol levels definitely shows that there can be a risk.  Especially if your LDL’s (the “bad” cholesterol) is over 100mg/dL (deciliter) of blood, you are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.  Conversely, if your HDL (the “good” cholesterol) is over 60 mg/dL, that is considered to be a negative risk factor (meaning your at less risk of heart disease).  My experience is, that this is often overlooked.

Cholesterol Screenings is not Enough!

Just like an ECG, it is an applicable test.  Unfortunately, it’s treated often times as the only the test you need.

For example, you can show that your cholesterol is good, but you can still have a heart attack.  You can also show that your cholesterol is high, but not be at risk at all.  This is frustrating, because most in the medical profession are quick to prescribe medication without really knowing if it’s necessary.  At the defense of many others in the medical community, this paradigm is beginning to shift.  As a matter of fact, many physicians are beginning to direct patients toward diet and exercise (though they are outnumbered).  Okay, I’ll break away from this tangent as it is another discussion altogether.

What does all this mean?

For one, this does not mean that you shouldn’t have an ECG exercise stress test or cholesterol screening.  Quite the opposite, you should do those tests.  However, do not limit yourself to only cholesterol screenings and stress tests, especially if you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, if you have ever smoked, are obese, have Type II diabetes, etc.  You own your body and you still have choices.

Here are some other tests you should also consider:

hs-CRP Test- (hs means High Sensitivity, CRP means C-Reactive Protein)

An elevation of this enzyme may mean you have damage that is sustained at the lining of your arteries.  This most likely means you have a blockage as well, which increases the chances of a heart attack.  If you’re at higher risk of heart disease, this test is highly recommended.  All you need to do is to have your blood tested for it.  When your doctor takes your cholesterol, ask him or her to check your hs-CRP.

Homocysteine Test

While you’re at it, have your homocysteine levels checked.  If your homocysteine levels are elevated, this may mean you have a deficiency in B12 and/or folate.  This means that you are at higher risk as well, as these vitamins vasodilate (widen) the arteries (which is what you want). Without enough B12 or folate, your arteries may be vasoconstricting (or narrowing).  Just as with hs-CRP, you can have this checked just by giving your blood.

Last but not Least is a CT scan (computerized tomography)

At the heart of the matter (no pun intended), is whether you have a blockage in the artery or not.  The only way to really know is to go in there and look.  A CT scan can detect atherosclerosis/arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) which can be caused by plaque build up of cholesterol deposits and/or calcium.  Though fairly noninvasive, this test can be pricey.  Often times, health insurance will not cover this test.  However, if you’re at high risk, pay out of pocket.  What’s your life worth to you?

“An ounce of Prevention is worth a pound of cure.” ~Benjamin Franklin

A few years ago when I was doing my radio show, I had a guest by the name of Dr. Robert Superko, author of Before the Heart Attacks.  We discussed (and he shared a lot of information), that the best way to reverse heart disease is through lifestyle changes, proper nutrition, and exercise.  He discussed supplements such as niacin and coenzyme Q10.  He also discussed how cholesterol screenings and stress tests don’t tell the entire picture.  In addition to some other preventative books out there, I highly recommend reading his book.  Stay informed about heart disease!

written by

Kelly Huggins, A-CPT

Exercise Science, BS

Nutrient Brief: Mad for Mango!

Of all the fruits that are available to try, the mango can be one of the most looked over. Mangos are a splendid option for those looking for something different or for someone who is just tired of eating apples and oranges. 


They are Considered the "King of Fruits" in many countries around the world. Mangos represent over fifty percent of all tropical fruit produced globally. The distinction of being a national symbol is held in India, Philippines and Pakistan. One cup of sliced Mangos is packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin A (beta carotene), Soluble fiber and are overall very delectable! So as Americans why don't we ever eat them?


See Mango Madness article for more nutrition facts and recipe!

Find a Mango that is ripe- The biggest obstacle to avoid when purchasing one is realizing that it's not ready to eat yet! You should look for a reddish color with hints of yellow. The more yellow means a sweeter taste.  If the only ones you see are still green you can store them in a paper bag for a couple of days until ripened.  

Take time to prepare- Cutting a mango can very messy and turn into a sticky situation. Cut into the fruit lengthwise just around the seed to form multiple pieces. Slice into the pieces both up and down and sideways but not all the way through the peel. Turn the pieces inside out to expose ready to cut chunks.
  
Mix it up- You can mix in small chunks with grapes and kiwi for a fruit salad. Stir in red oninon, cilantro, lime juice and cucumber for a new take on salsa. Throw in a blender with ice, greek yogurt and a little stevia for a awesome smoothie. For the less creative chefs out there you can always just eat it by itself!

Dennis Sluder

NPTI Certified Trainer

Nutrition Coach