It's Easy Being Green..."

Happy April! 

We’ve had three full months to figure out if we want to try or toss our 2018 resolutions! This year, I decided NOT to make any specific resolutions, but to look back on the healthy practices that have worked for me in the past, and see what I can add this year.

In 2010, I wrote about a supplement called CLA. I’d been taking it for a few years and had seen benefits. I’ve continued to take it twice a day and have seen a reduction in belly fat first hand. When I have forgotten it or switched to a less potent brand, I notice a real difference. You can read about how CLA works in , “Hit The Road Fat…”

http://fitnessbarista.blogspot.com/2010/05/ive-never-been-huge-fan-of-supplements.html

In 2013, I decided to try taking Apple Cider Vinegar every day. So many articles, both pro and con, have been written about the drink, but I still see benefits from it, so I’ll continue along that path.

 Check out the benefits I have seen in “Cider House Rules…” http://fitnessbarista.blogspot.com/2013/02/cider-house-rules.html

Then in 2015, I started meditating on a regular basis. This, by far, is the best thing I’ve done for my overall stress level and well being. It has helped me better deal with situations, people, life events and my own trepidations. And now, there are so many new options. There are books, apps, and videos to teach you meditation. There are even classes in some cities where you can participate in group meditation.

But as I said in the blog, you can do it on your own. Read about it on Fitness Barista in “Let’s Talk About Stress Baby…”

http://fitnessbarista.blogspot.com/2015/03/lets-talk-about-stress-baby.html

So this year, I’m continuing these practices. 

However, with the flu so rampant this season, I also decide to try adding additional “greens” and healing herbs and spices to my daily routine. My family jokes that I’m adding to my “voodoo” and ask, “What is this witchcraft?”  But really, I’m using ingredients that you probably have in your spice cabinet.

The one addition is the individual packets of dried greens. The ones I use are called “Greens On The Go” from ITWORKS. I had ordered them a while ago, but never got to trying them. The blend has quite a few ingredients that you can find listed on their website, but I like that there’s broccoli, kale, blackberry, beets, blueberry, strawberry and spinach listed in the powdered packets. It’s got an orange flavor to it that is surprisingly good. (Even though my husband calls it “Swamp Juice”!)

 -Greens supplements are the powdered remains of fruits, vegetables, and herbs that have been either freeze or light-dried, so the end product is essentially calorie-free or very low-calorie. 

-Additionally, greens supplements will often contain a wide variety of ingredients, so sourcing the ingredients for the supplement isn’t limited to what can be easily pressed and juiced.

-Greens are know to boost energy levels, prevent chronic disease, reduce inflammation and brighten skin.

-Because they are in a powdered form, the nutrition is highly concentrated and you get more bang for your buck.

-The powder is easily absorbed into your system, so they get to work quickly. 

-And, most of all, they’re convenient: you should be eating whole fruits and vegetables, but sometimes you can’t get it all in. This is an awesome alternative/addition!

I mix it with my apple cider vinegar and add extra powdered turmeric and cinnamon. I shake it up and drink it in the morning right before I work out. I don’t want to jinx it, but, so far, so good! (After having pneumonia twice last year, I’m hoping this keeps me healthy).  

My daughter knows one of the distributors and her kids drink the greens, too. She calls it “Hulk Juice” which I’m sure encourages her boys to partake!

It could be a placebo effect, but I don’t think so. With everyone around me at home and work sneezing, coughing and feeling yucky, I’ve had only mild sniffles and sneezing.

My resolution every year is to feel the best I can, and if these little additions can help, I’ll keep at it!

What practices, foods, supplements, workouts have you added to your year?

"Hit The Road 'Fat', and Don't Ya Come Back No More.."

I’ve never been a huge fan of supplements. While other trainers were taking creatine or glutamine to optimize muscle growth, I kind of steered away from anything stronger than a calcium chew or a multi-vitamin.
But, about 10 years ago, I read about a supplement thought to decrease body fat while increasing muscle tone. Having spent a lot of time working on my fat loss and muscle gain with diet and exercise, I figured it couldn’t hurt to try and keep things working!
CLA (Conjugated Linoliec Acid) is a special form of the fatty acid, linoliec acid. Scientists believe that it helps you keep body fat off once you have dieted or exercised it away. CLA occurs naturally in meat and animal fats and in dairy products, such as milk (not skim) and some cheeses, but most of us don’t really get enough from the foods we eat. A University of Wisconsin study showed that a group taking a CLA supplement (3 grams a day of 80% CLA) had a 5 % drop in fat mass in seven months over a group taking a placebo. It works by inhibiting fat cell filling, meaning it prevents fat cells from getting larger, but doesn’t actually cause the loss of existing body fat.
So, what does that mean for you? Well, CLA is useful for preventing fat gain once you’ve lost it, and it spares lean muscle typically lost when dieting. It helps reduce your whole body fat percentages and preserves and aids the growth of lean muscle. Several studies have also touted the antioxidant, immune-enhancement and anti-cancer benefits of CLA, but the test groups are limited.
CLA is typically sold in a softgel form and sometimes called Tonalin, a patented vegetarian source of CLA. Aim for 3-4 grams per day to retain muscle and prevent rebound after dieting.
Also, I’ve tried different brands and there IS a difference between high quality health food or supplement store brands and the ones at the drug and discount stores (Be especially careful of fillers some brands use). My current favorite is Iron-Tek CLA soft gels.
However, if you hate pills, Old Home Foods in St. Paul, Minnesota has just launched a new product called Safflower Power Yogurt with Clarinol CLA, with the benefits of both yogurt and CLA. A 6 oz. serving is 160 calories and contains 1.5 grams of CLA. Eight different flavors are currently available in Minnesota. To read more about the product, go to http://www.safflowerpower.com
As a CLA guinea pig myself, I can say that the softgels have worked for me, but the jury is still out on the yogurt! I’ve not read of or experienced any negative side effects either. If you’ve worked hard to get in shape, it might be worth a try.