Healthy Living – Take Your Omega-3s!

Omega-3s, also known as fish oil may very well be one of the most important nutrients that…most people never take. Omega-3s are a combination of docosahexaneoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EHA), and are found in fish and marine algae (where the fish get them from). There is a third type of omega-3s found in plants, seeds and nuts - alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Recent research has shown that the greatest benefits come from the combination of DHA and EPA. Studies have shown that these two acids may reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as possibly help prevent arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder, and autoimmune disorders.

Artemis P. Simopolus, M.D, a physician and the president of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health in Washington D.C. feels that “They’re part of your body’s basic nutrition – they’re involved in the metabolism of each individual cell”. One example of how omega-3s can make a difference is in the case of Randall McCoy. Last year, after the underground coal mine explosion in Sago, West Virginia, Randall was the only survivor. His 12 oxygen-starved colleagues had died, and he was suffering from acute carbon monoxide poisoning. He was in a coma and in deep shock. One of his lungs had collapsed, his liver and kidneys had shut down. It was believed that he would be severely brain damaged if he ever came out of his coma. The carbon monoxide had stripped the protective myelin sheath from most of the neurons in his brain. While going through oxygen treatment in his hospital’s hyperbaric chamber, his doctor ordered that he also be given a daily dose of 15,000 milligrams of DHA and EPA. After several weeks, he emerged from his coma. And, he’s recovered most of his memory, is gradually regaining his ability to walk / talk / see.

Yes, this story sounds miraculous. And, no, fish oil is not a miracle cure. Yet, the omega-3s helped rebuild the damaged gray and white matter in his brain. But, why does fish oil have this impact on us this way?

One theory comes from the director of London’s Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition. Michael Crawford, PhD’s theory is that while many mammals evolved as meat-eaters, only humans developed our “megabrains”. Paleontologists have found evidence that early man lived on the coastlines of southern Africa. And, since it’s far easier to catch fish & collect shellfish than it is to hunt down four-legged prey, which fed early human’s brains with DHA.

But, how can you get omega-3’s into your diet? Simple – fish oil supplements! You can choose either fish oil capsules or liquid. They’re equally effective at getting omega-3s into your system, so it’s really a matter of choice. Here’s a couple of things to think about when finding fish oil supplements:

1. ConsumerLab.com tested 41 fish oil supplements, and none were found to contain unsafe levels of mercury, PCB’s or dioxins. (And this is another reason why you should take supplements – as you can’t guarantee that if you ate the quantity of fish you’ll need to get the right level of omega-3s in your diet, that your fish is free of these poisons). To be sure you’re getting “clean” fish oil capsules, look for them to have been “molecularly distilled”.
   
   
2. Dosage – Take a look at the label, and make sure the combination of DHA and EHA totals at least 500 milligrams. You want a 3:2 split as well of EPA to DHA – so you’re looking for at least 300 milligrams of EPA and 200 milligrams of DHA.
   
   
3. Antioxidants – Your body can quickly oxidize omega-3s – so take Vitamin E at the same time to keep this from happening.
   
   
4. Fish Burp – Yes…as your stomach dissolves the fish oil capsule, you can get “fish burp”. You can avoid this by either buying entric coated capsules – or, keep them in the freezer! This way, the fish oil will be released into your small intestine, rather than your stomach, and you’ll avoid the dreaded “fish burp”!

Exercise – How To Avoid Boredom When Running

We’ve all had that problem when running, whether on a treadmill, or outside on our familiar running route. Boredom. And, if it happens often enough, that boredom can translate into an acute lack of motivation for our exercise program! But, how can you avoid getting bored?

Belgian researchers have discovered that if you can keep yourself distracted while running, you’ll exercise for up to 20 percent longer! New treadmill designs coming out take this into account, offering video screens and iPod connections. So – if you’re looking to buy a new treadmill for your home, visit Fitness 4 Home Superstore, and take a look at some of the newest equipment designs that can help you stay distracted – and motivated!

But, for those of you that aren’t ready yet to buy a new treadmill, there are a few tricks you can do to help stay motivated.

1. Buy an iPod, or other type of mp3 player – and load it with content that will help keep you distracted. And, it doesn’t have to be music – also consider audio books from Audible.com, or learn a new language with language tapes.
   
   
2. Get a flat screen TV and put it up in front of your treadmill. Watch your favorite show, or hook a DVD player up to it, and put in travel videos – and imagine running a different route through a foreign country!
   
   
3. Speaking of running a different route – do that! It’s easy to get into a routine, so break up that routine! Get up early on a Saturday morning, drive across town, and run a route you’ve never run before!

In the end, just by refocusing your mind on something different, you can not only keep yourself motivated, but you’ll go longer & farther – which will help you get that much closer to achieving your fitness goals!

Diet - Ginger Salmon

Looking for something with a little more “exotic” taste, while also simple to make? Try this recipe for Ginger Salmon – and get some extra omega-3’s as well!

16 oz. Salmon fillet
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp minced ginger
¼ cup mirin (Japanese condiment available in the ethnic food isle of most supermarkets)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp vodka
1 tbsp butter
2 scallions chopped (white part only)
3-4 sprigs cilantro
4-5 shitake mushrooms, sliced

Cut salmon into 1” squares. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add salmon, ginger, and mushrooms. Sear together for 1 minute, then pour in the mirin, soy sauce and vodka over the salmon. Turn the heat to medium – cook for about 3 minute, or until fish turns pale. Add butter and turn off the heat. Spoon the salmon onto a serving plate, top with scallion and cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Info (estimated)
Per serving – 359 calories. 24g protein. 6 g carbohydrates. 22g fat (5g saturated), 1g fiber.

Equipment – The Benefits of a Home Treadmill!

It’s not easy finding the time to work out, or go to the gym. Yet, getting back in shape, loosing weight, and feeling fit requires that you spend some time working out. Running has proven itself to be a very effective way of accomplishing those goals, without requiring a gym membership. Yet – running in Arizona’s heat isn’t just difficult – it can be downright dangerous!

But, there’s an easy solution. You can still run, whenever you want, in the convenience of your own home on your own home treadmill! But there are many other benefits to having your own home treadmill.

1. Treadmills are a proven way to burn calories. In fact, they are the most consistant calorie burning machine on the market – better than ab machines, rowing machines, and even stationary bikes!

2. You can track your results much easier on home treadmill. Thanks to advances in technology in the last few years, you usually have access to digital readouts that may include calories burned, time spent on your workout, and how far you walk / jogged / ran.

3. Yes, this may seem obvious, but with your own home treadmill, you can use it at any time. You don’t have to wait for a machine to be open at the gym – and if you feel like running at 4am, you can (try doing that at some gyms!)

4. Treadmills, unlike the road – are adjustable. You can work at whatever pace you want, set the incline to whatever you need, and know you can concentrate on your workout, not on avoiding that pothole!

5. With new, shock-absorbent moving treads, treadmills tend to be less stressful on your joints and tendons than running on the road. As much as it would be nice to be able to run on soft surfaces such as grass, the reality is that you normally get stuck running on the road. Running on a home treadmill gives you a stable surface that can help you avoid injury!

6. You can avoid boredom with a home treadmill. You can watch TV, read a magazine, or listen to music, without having to have your workout interrupted with outside distractions. Your workouts go by faster, which helps make you want to come back for more!

7. Home treadmills are cost effective! Think about what you spend on your gym membership for you and your family. A good treadmill like you’d find at Fitness 4 Home Superstore can last you over 5 years. When you look at the cost of gym memberships for that length of time, you’ll see that a home treadmill is really a cost-effective investment in your health!

So, the next time you’re either trying to find time to get to the gym, or you’re stuck outside trying to get a run in before it gets too hot out, think about taking a trip over to one of our three Phoenix-area stores, and check out our selection of home treadmills. You’ll be glad you did!

Exercise – How Much Cardio Do I Need?

So, you’ve got your treadmill, your exercise bike, or elliptical trainer, and you’re wondering how often you should work out? Well, recent studies have shown that it only takes two workout sessions per week to improve your heart health, as long as you train hard during those workouts. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should only do two workouts per week. But, we all have those weeks where it’s hard to get our workouts in, so as long as you get your “two a week” in, you’ll be doing what you need for “good heart health”!

One way to make sure you maximize your cardio training is to stick with interval workouts. What this means is – treat you cardio workouts like you would your weight lifting workouts. Do your cardio workouts in sets – for example, do 30-45 seconds of near all-out work, then go as a slow pace for 60-90 seconds – and repeat this for a “set”. Do multiple sets, just like you would a weightlifting set. When you’re first starting out, your second interval may shorten by as much as 25 percent – and you can build it up from there. And, the benefit of doing intervals extends to weight loss burns three times as much fat as doing cardio at a slow, consistent speed.

Diet – What Are Healthy Foods?

A healthy lifestyle is more than just working out, it’s about eating right as well. But, it can be difficult at times to remember what foods out there are the best for you. And, even if you have a favorite group of “healthy” foods, sometimes aren’t as good for you as you first thought.

One criteria for a “healthy” food, is that the food should be “nutrient-dense”. This is a measure of the amount of nutrients a food has, compared to the number of calories it has. When the level of nutrients is high, compared to the caloric count, then that food is considered “nutrient” dense. Your goal should be to get the highest amount of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids, and fiber, for the least number of calories.

Another criteria is that the food should be a “whole food”. No, this doesn’t mean you have to shop Whole Foods, but it does mean that have not had all of their nutrients processed out of them. They shouldn’t contain synthetic, artificial, or irradiated ingredients either. Organic foods are a great way to help make sure the foods you are eating are “whole foods”.

Another way to find healthy foods is to keep in mind that most healthy foods are ones that you already know, but sometimes forget to think about. These include lean meats & fish, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds, olive oil, herbs and spices.

Finally, one last thing to remember, is that healthy foods taste good! Sometimes it’s hard to remember that - so when the temptation to eat food that isn’t on your nutrition plan comes along…remember that not only is eating healthy good for you, you’re not sacrificing taste for health!

Looking for a good resource for healthy eating choices? Visit http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php

Healthy Lifestyle - Running Can Make Your Bones Stronger

by Bob Lachniet
President - Fitness 4 Home Superstore

A weekly run around the park may not put an individual into the same league as Michael Johnson or other Olympic runners, but it may help keep bones healthy, study findings suggest.

In a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 4,454 Black, Mexican-American and white males show that people who run on a regular basis have fewer chronic health problems, weigh less, are usually non-smokers – and, have stronger bones as well!

"This finding may have public health significance, since thigh bone mineral density is a strong predictor of hip fracture, which is the most devastating consequence of osteoporosis from a public health standpoint,'' according to Michael E. Mussolino, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and his colleagues.

In addition, average bone mineral density in the thigh was 5% higher in joggers than in non-joggers. And bone density was almost 8% higher among joggers, compared with men who shunned exercise altogether.

And, it doesn’t take a lot for this to happen. Those that reported jogging 20 or more times per month had similar bone density amounts as those who jogged less than 20 times per month. (Although the study looked only at men, Mussolino told Reuters Health that previous research has suggested the same holds true in women) So, getting on your treadmill, or hitting the road nine or more times a month helps you strengthen your bones.


Note - Information for this article can also be found within the American Journal of Public Health 2001;91:1056-1059.

Make Sure You Eat Your Fruits and Veggies!

Are you eating your fruits & veggies? Researchers in Scotland have addtional proof that eating fruits and vegetables is good for you.

When they compared both vegetarians and non-vegetarians, they found that vegetarians have higher levels of salicylic acid in their blood than non-vegetarians. Salicylic acid may sound familiar - it's the active ingredient in asprin, which can also help prevent heart attaches due to it's ability to block blood clot formation. It's also a non-sterodial anti-inflammatory drug that is also present in fruits and vegatables!

What this means is, researchers now believe that the high concentration of salicylic acid in these foods, might help explain why other studies have also revealed low levels of heart disease among people who eat higher quantities of fruits and vegatables.

One thing to keep in mind - if you are a vegatarian, you should also supplement additional vitamin A and iron into your diet. Although many vegatarians do eat extra carrots, sweet potatos, and broccoli to meet their daily vitamin A requirement, your body may not be able to absorb any more than about 50% of vitamin A from these foods. Your body needs vitamin A for reducing the risk of birth defects and guaranteeing optimal vision. Non-vegatarians usually get enough vitamin A and iron in their diet from fish, meats and dairy products. So, if you are a vegatarian, you can make up for these potential deficiencies by eating extra dark-colored fruits and vegatables - and make sure that you get a total of 900 milligrams of vitamin A per day for men, and 700 milligrams per day for men.

Exercise Equipment – Product Spotlight: True Fitness Z5 Recumbent Exercise Bicycle

So, you’re thinking of an purchasing a home exercise bicycle, yet you’re not sure what to look for. One exercise bike you should consider is the True Fitness Z5 Recumbent Bike.

The Z5 features a steel-gray, sturdy frame that will definitely look good in your home. But, function is also important, and the Z5 doesn’t disappoint. Options include a 8x16 Heart Rate Control that both monitors your heart rate, but also allows you to maintain your desired heart rate and control your workout with adjustable resistance levels. And, speaking of adjustability, the Z5 also can be adjusted to fit you, as the back adjusts from 45 to 75 degrees, and the seat adjusts into 24 different positions.

With the Z5, you can create the workout that fits your fitness needs. Once you plug in the eddy current brake system, you can duplicate the same feel you have on the road with constant torque. And you can keep that same feel of the road with 16 resistance levels, and four preset programs for hills, cardiovascular workouts, weight loss, and random workouts.

And when the Z5 was reviewed by Consumer Reports, they felt that it was worth an Excellent rating – considering it a CG Best Buy! Plus, even after your purchase, True Fitness also backs up the quality of their products with a 1 year warranty on labor, and 2 years on parts.

Want to know more? Come visit one of our 3 Valley-area Fitness 4 Home Superstore locations today!

Healthy Living – Mental Toughness

By Bob Lachniet
President – Fitness 4 Home Superstore

Funny thing about your exercise program – the hardest part of it will always end up being the part where you have to make good on it! Making progress in your fitness plan takes two things – a dedication to executing your plan on a regular basis, and pushing yourself to improve on what you’ve been doing. In other words, Mental Toughness – the drive to go beyond your limits, which often means the ultimate difference between success and failure for your program.
The problem is, although we understand that drives a triathlete has to survive the last mile of an Ironman competition, the question often is: How do I get that drive? Well, let’s define mental toughness first. It’s simple, really. Its keeping focused on achieving your goal, no matter how difficult. And, the ability to accomplish that differs from person to person, so if you find yourself having difficulty keeping yourself focused on your fitness goal, you’re not alone!

What it all comes down to is how you motivate yourself. There are those who need little encouragement to be a self-starter, while the rest of us (actually, the majority of us) that need a little pressure to force us to get motivated. That pressure can be either a desire for success, or a need to avoid failure. Another way of putting this is, you either believe you’ll succeed by busting your butt, or you’ll do it to avoid being humiliated.

Understanding which type of personality you have is the first step in coming up with the best way to build your motivation. Here’s how:

-If you’re the “success driven” kind of person, paint yourself a mental picture of what “success” looks like to you. Remind yourself of the great opportunities being fit will bring you, whether its clothes fitting better, more energy, or that flat stomach you’ve always wanted.

-If you’re the “avoid failure” kind of person, talk to yourself! (Actually, you probably shouldn’t do that out loud to avoid funny looks from people around you!) Be positive. Remind yourself that you can do this – that the only way you can fail is not to try. And, when you do have the occasional negative thought, push it aside and focus on the positive ones. And, one of the best ways to find that “positive” thought is to write down “why” you want to improve your fitness level, whether it’s to run a marathon, loose 10 pounds, or whatever your goal is. Then, repeat that goal to yourself as you train.

Lastly, get uncomfortable! That’s right, as funny as that may sound, getting yourself uncomfortable is important – it’s how you’ll improve! Think about all the times in your life where you were afraid to try something new, but once you did it, it became easier. Yet, had you not tried it, you never would have found that out! The same holds true for fitness. When you exercise, you need to push your body a little farther than the last time, otherwise your body won’t adjust and improve. Yes, this sounds corny, not to mention obvious. But if you keep in mind that the momentary discomfort you may feel, is worth it when you’ve accomplished your goal!

Equipment – “Why Should I Consider an Elliptical Trainer?”

Everybody knows what at a treadmill is, as well as an exercise bike. But those elliptical trainers – you know, those things that look like your either walking or cross country skiing. What do they do, and why should I consider adding one of those to my home gym?

Simply put, an elliptical trainer is a piece of equipment that combines an exercise bike, a stair climber, and a treadmill – all into one machine. And, yes – it is very much like stationary cross country skiing! Your feet move in an oval pattern (hence the term “elliptical), and this motion is very fluid and smooth.

Additionally, there are two handles that connect to the foot pads that move back and forth as well, and as you hold onto them with your hands, your upper body gets a workout as well as your legs.

If you’ve ever been jogging, you’ve just experienced a “high-impact” form of exercise. Although running is one of the most effective forms of cardiovascular exercise, if you find your knees, ankles, shins and back start to hurt, you’ve just experienced the downside of “high-impact” exercise. Weight bearing exercises such as running can put a great deal of stress on your joints. But, with an elliptical trainer, you can get all the benefits of weight bearing exercises such as running, but without the stress!

When you look for an elliptical trainer, make sure you take your time and look for quality equipment. Yes, decent elliptical trainers can be expensive, but don’t skimp on your purchase, as it’s worth it to spend a little more money to get the best equipment for your needs. What you’re looking for is a combination of comfort, range, and durability, as well as a good variety of settings and intensity levels. The greater the range of settings available, as well as the greater the range of motion, means your workouts can be that much more effective. Inexpensive models not only may keep your workouts from being as effective as they could be, but the models that cost under $500 aren’t as smooth as the more expensive models, which might cause you problems with reliability.

And, when you do decide to look for an elliptical trainer, the best place to get help in determining which would best serve your needs is your local specialty dealer like Fitness 4 Home Superstore. We have a vested and personal interest in providing our customers with the finest equipment and customer service available to assure your goal’s are achieved and your satisfaction is complete.

Diet – Big Flavors Beats Big Proportions!

In the quest to lose weight, once of the secrets is to eat less. And it doesn’t help that when you eat out, the portions you get at most restaurants are much greater than you really need. Yet, there’s a surprising trend – small plates are on their way back! Whether it’s Chinese Dim Sum, or Spanish Tapas, taste-rich foods in smaller portions are the way to go if you wish to loose weight, yet still enjoy what you’re eating! And, since much of your eating satisfaction comes from the visual impact and flavor intensity – you’’ll find that you won’t miss those big portions! Try this recipe for Spicy Garlic Shrimp and see how good flavor can be in a small portion!

Spicy Garlic Shrimp

1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
16 oz shrimp, peeled & devained
1 tbsp cilantro1 tbsp red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a small sauté pan, add the pepper flakes & garlic and brown. Season the shrimp with salt & pepper, and add to the sauté pan, swirling the pan as you add them. Saute for 1 minute, then add the cilantro, and sauté for another 45 seconds. Remove from heat and serve!

Per serving: Approximately 250 calories, 22 grams protein, 15g fat (1 g saturated), 3g carbohydrates.

Healthy Lifestyle – Turn Back Time

Getting older – is inevitable, just like death & taxes. But, surprisingly enough, it’s possible to turn back the clock a bit. So – what’s this secret to this “fountain of youth”?

Simple answer is – weight training. When you weight train, a number of things happen. When you lift weights, over time, you build muscle. Yes, men will build more muscle than women, and a good reason why men will put on more muscle is due to testosterone. (As a side note – women should weight train, just like men – and you won’t get all bulked up like men do since your bodies don’t produce nearly as much testosterone as men. The women that you see that are simply huge from weight lifting – well, it’s more than likely that they supplemented with products that boosted their testosterone).

But, by increasing your muscle mass, you also accelerate your metabolism, which helps you burn fat, creating a leaner body – and a younger looking body. Resistance exercise also increased your testosterone production – at any age. Your body, as you get older, naturally declines in its production of testosterone, but weight lifting counteracts this decline by causing your body to increase its production after your workout.

Additionally, as your body becomes stronger, your body is also better equipped to ward off health issues and illnesses that otherwise would break down (i.e. “age”) your body. And, as a side benefit (for both men and women) – testosterone is the hormone that regulates your libido – which makes you feel younger as well.

Resistance training also is a wonderful way to increase not only your muscle strength – but the strength and flexibility of your connective tissues improves as well. There are three types of connective tissue – cartilage (which serves as padding between the bones that meet at your joints), ligaments (which connect bones together), and tendons (which connect muscle to bone). So, if your joints feel like their “old”, weight training will help increase your flexibility, while also giving you more energy during the day (as your body can better handle physical stress)

So, although your cardio program is an important part of your exercise program, so is weight lifting – and the benefits truly can make you look & feel younger! And, Fitness 4 Home Superstore has a wide variety of resistance training equipment to fit your exercise needs – visit one of our three Valley stores today to find out more!

Exercise – How To Increase Your Endurance

We’ve all had that frustrating feeling of been working out for quite awhile, yet we’ve “hit a plateau” – and cannot seem to build up our endurance beyond a certain point. Here’s one way you can get beyond your plateau, and increase your endurance in your workouts.

First of all, if you’re looking to increase your weight lifting endurance – the best way to do that is by working on your cardio program. Improved cardiovascular fitness, whether done by running on a treadmill, riding an exercise bike, or workout out on a elliptical trainer, is an excellent way to improve your endurance during a resistance training workout.

When you put together your cardio training plan, divide it into three levels. The first level is your intense plan – this is where your training so hard, you can’t talk to anybody during your workout, even if you tried. The second level is your moderate level – this is where you could blurt out a few short words. And, the third level is your recovery level – this is where you could carry on a conversation while working out.

Next, plan your routines. Our plan is based on whether you do your cardio workouts once a week, twice a week, or three times a week. If you workout more than this for your cardio routine, just double up the routines – if you workout four times per week, take the 2x plan, and do it twice during the week.

• Once per week: Do the below “Intense” workout, then do 15 minutes at an easy pace.
• Twice per week: Do the “Intense” workout one day, the “Moderate” one the other day.
• Three times per week: Do “Intense” one day, “Moderate” the next, and “Recovery” the third.

The Workout:

• Intensive: Do an intensive workout of eight alternating sets of 1 minute at hard, 1 minute easy – without rest between sets.
• Moderate: Do five alternating sets of 3 minutes hard / 2 minutes medium without rest between sets.
• Recovery: 25 minutes at an easy pace
  

After a couple of weeks with this workout – you should start to see your endurance improve –both in your cardio workouts, as well as your weight training sessions. Have a great workout!

Diet – Watch out for those “Low Fat” labels

We’ve all been tempted to buy items labeled “low-fat”, thinking that they are better for us. And, they may very well be – but it’s how we eat them that can be a problem.

Cornell University did a study recently, and they used – of all things…M&M’s! They discovered that when overweight people thought they were eating low-fat M&M’s, they ate almost 50% more of them than the regular M&M’s – when in reality, there was no difference between them, other than the label on the package (as there is no such thing as a “low-fat M&M”).

What the researchers confirmed is that when we see the “low-fat” label, we underestimate the calories that the food really contains. Most people, in fact, think the product has on average 40% lower calories than the regular version – but in reality , the average of low-fat foods only contain 15% less calories than their full-fat counterpart.

Plus, there is that feeling out there (and more often than not, it’s justified) that the low-fat versions just don’t taste as good. So – what is the best type of product to buy – the low-fat or regular version?

Well – here’s a simple idea. Read the packages, and if the low-fat version isn’t that much lower in calories than the regular version – buy the one you like better – and eat a smaller portion of it! This way – you get the taste you like, while also getting the diet benefit you’re looking for as well!