It is estimated that this year, 45% of Americans made a new year’s resolution to lose weight. And, of these people, there are two different approaches to improvement.

1. The crash diet, A.K.A. fad diet, where you could lose a bunch of weight in a short period of time (and then usually put it right back on, plus some).

2. Or, make a lifestyle change and commitment to eating healthy and getting physical exercise, which will cause the weight to come off more slowly but at a commitment level that you can maintain.

The concept of one having a diet as opposed to one being on a diet is the single most important factor in a successful lifestyle change as it pertains to nutrition.    

Most diets are difficult to stick to, and because weight loss is so difficult to maintain, it’s no surprise that being on a diet is a short term success, and “DIET” becomes a 4 letter word! The typical ‘dieter’ tends to go through cycles, where they will try a ‘new diet’, (and they are usually miserable about the whole concept to begin with!) possibly lose a few pounds (usually water weight), fall off the wagon, gain the weight back plus one or two more pounds, metabolism slows down, then comes the next diet, weight loss, weight gain, metabolism further slows, etc etc (a concept known as YO-YO dieting which is very unhealthy)…

Experience in nutrition counseling has exposed me to many MANY MANY different “fad diets” and I can tell you what’s right and wrong with most of them. The theories of some are more appropriate than others, and there is a place for many of them.

I would like to invite you all to bounce ideas off of each other and make that important LIFESTYLE CHANGE to getting healthy together.

Any thoughts? What are your plans for change? What has worked for you in the past?

Share your dieting experiences with us!

It’s important to not just keep calories low enough to maintain body weight but to make every calorie count nutritionally. A food that contributes calories without significant nutritional values (also known as junk food!), are known as ‘empty calories’. Conversely, foods that have a high nutrient/calorie ratio are known as nutrient dense foods, meaning they are rich in nutrients when compared to their calorie content. What is important is the macronutrient (protein, carbohydrate, & fat) and micronutrient (vitamin & mineral) content of a specific food. Foods that are nutrient dense supply a significant amount of these nutrients for their calories. A high-performance diet emphasizes nutrient-dense carbohydrates necessary to maintain muscle glycogen - the primary fuel for most sports.

A common belief is that to manage weight, one just must balance calories ingested vs. calories burned. While this may be effective initially (e.g. at the start of a weight management program for an overweight individual), eventually sources of calories need to be taken into consideration. If you were to eat nothing but junk food but stay under 2000 calories, for example, you would have a diet way higher in fat and carbohydrates and too low in protein, vitamins and minerals. Even though you may be staying under your personal caloric limit for weight maintenance, chances are you might end up gaining weight from the fat and carbohydrate calories, not to mention the hormonal response to reckless eating! (See my future blog posting on hormonal responses to foods)

Make every calorie count. Don’t throw them away to nutritionally empty foods! Balance your diet between the macronutrients and keep calorie numbers within your personal range to ensure a healthy body and mind!

I believe the reason that we have so many different views of what it means to “be in shape” is because fitness has become so specialized.

So how do you really examine how fit you are? The first thing we need to do is come to an understanding of what fitness really is. While any one of the people mentioned above would need to train and condition their body it doesn’t mean they’re necessarily fit. It might simply mean they’ve become very good at one physical skill. It is my opinion that a true measurement of fitness should never specialized.

Let me give you an example. Let’s take a runner who regularly does 4-5 miles at a 5:00 minute/mile pace. He is lean, trim and has strong aerobic capacity. To some people he is seen as someone who is very fit.

Personally, I’m not going to be so quick to see this guy as being fit in my book. It just shows me that he’s very good at running. He’s become specialized. If I take this same individual and ask him to do some high intensity/ short duration work like let’s say… a barbell power clean with an overhead press (using even a light load like half of the person’s bodyweight) his cardio-respiratory system would probably fail miserably in a matter of minutes. Why? Because his body wasn’t conditioned to work in that energy system.

On the other hand, if we take the weightlifter and ask him to run 4-5 miles, his cardio-respiratory system will fail in a matter of minutes as well. So which one is really fit? I say neither one.

They’re specialized, they do what they do well but outside of doing their preferred activities they have a ton of limitations. That’s not being fit in my book.

You show me the guy who can run a 6:00 minute/mile pace for 4 miles AND then do some barbell cleans/overhead presses at the end and I’ll show you someone who is fit!

Being fit means you can complete any variety of tasks no matter what you’re called upon to do. There are 10 physical skills that are commonly used to evaluate the performance and function of the human body. They are as follows.

1. Cardiovascular/ Respiratory endurance: the ability of the body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen
2. Stamina: the ability of the body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength: the ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units to apply force production.
4. Flexibility: the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint
5. Power: the ability of a muscular unit, or combination of units to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed: the ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination: the ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility: the ability to minimize transition time from one movement patter to another.
9. Balance: the ability to control the placement of the body’s center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy: the ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.

Just because you’re really good in one of these physical skills doesn’t make you fit. More often than not when specialization is the goal in fitness training you’ll always have limitations. Any limitation could be the difference when you’re called upon to use your physical skills. How confident would you be in your “fitness” in the following situations?

• Run down 20 flights of stairs to escape a burning building…
• Pull your bodyweight up a rock face using only your bare hands to reach safety…
• Sprint to escape an attacker and actually have the strength and stamina to defend yourself if you couldn’t outrun the person…
• Run several miles only to swim across a channel, then climb up over a steep hill, and finally lift several heavy objects out of your path to reach safety.

In these situations, you could brag all day long about how you can bench press 400 lbs or cycle for 20 miles but it will be “what you can’t do” that will make the difference in winning/losing (which may be life/death). You might look like you’re in really great shape and have a body that people “perceive” as being fit but could you actually depend on it to serve you in ANY situation.

Is it worth it to develop cardio-respiratory endurance at the expense of strength, power, speed, or agility for example? I would say no although that’s exactly what a cyclist, spinner, or runner does when they don’t develop and work on the other physical skills.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with people doing whatever exercise they prefer. If you like long-slow distance running, spinning, cycling, or other cardio-endurance work go knock yourself out. My point is that specializing in these activities ALONE will not make you fit in my book.

There is however a way to improve all 10 physical skills and develop true “fitness” across the board. What’s the answer? You simply need to work your body in all the energy systems, varying the demands you place on it. This is best accomplished with combinations of any of the human movement patterns (reaching, rotating, pushing, pulling, level changes, and locomotion) all done in different degrees of intensity.

Short duration/high intensity exercise using compound movements is the best way to develop all areas of physical skill and minimize limitations and weakness. This type of fitness training (also called “burst training”) will develop a body that functions as good as it looks…regardless of what you throw at it.

The beauty of it is when you vary the demands of your workouts while still focusing on short duration/ high intensity workloads you’ll see improvements in all areas, including your endurance.

Here’s an example of “burst training.” You can take most any compound movement and measure your work capacity of the exercises compared to time.

For example:

• Push-Ups
• Pull-Ups
• Bodyweight Squats
• Box Jumps
• V-Up’s

A workout might consist of completing 10 repetitions of each movement for a total of five rounds (for time). The lower your time gets (over time with training) the “fitter” you become. There’s no way you can drop your time on this workout and not improve in one or more areas of physical skill.

If you haven’t done “burst training” before I encourage you to try it. You’ll quickly see just how good of shape you’re really in. The other cool thing is you’re always competing against yourself. If it took you 15:39 to complete the workout above and three weeks later it takes you 13:22 then you’ve won! You’re improving; you’re seeing progress and getting better. There’s huge benefit in seeing this in your numbers and not just basing everything off of how you look or feel.

For more information on the benefits of “burst training” go to www.shapingconcepts.com

Here is one of my favorite Ayurvedic Dishes

Sweet Potato Soup

serves 4

Boil 4  clean sweet potatoes for 45 minutes in water.  add fresh ginger or dry ginger powder to the cooking water.

Drain the potatoes and save 2 cups of the cooking water. 

Peel potatoes and place with water in blender.  Add Silk unsweetened Soy milk 1-2 cups until desired consistency while blending it all together.  Add Marple syrup for sweetness if needed.

voila, great boost of protein and B vitamins AND balancing for all doshas (body types in Ayurveda), which means it is easily digested and sits well for all of us.

YUM, cannot wait to try your dish.

Namaste, Elli

My name is Elli and I am a student and a teacher of Yoga.  It is my Intention to share my excitement about Yoga with you and to open a platform to discuss and exchange different yogic ideas and experiences.  I want you to know that I do not know anything, and that I simply write about my opinions and theories.   Your point of view is always welcome and I invite you to share them.

During my work as a Yoga therapist over the years, I have noticed that all of us struggle more during the holiday season to keep our balance.  Making it to Yoga class becomes more challenging and keeping our center during family gatherings and parties seems almost impossible at times.

I regard Yoga as therapy. The postures are external medicine, breathing techniques are internal medicine and mantra and meditation are psychological treatments.  So Meditation is medicine for the mind.  To be proactive during these next weeks, I suggest to consider meditating daily, as I often prescribe it to my clients and practice myself.  After a little background information, I will suggest different ways of beginning your meditation practice and also discuss overcoming common obstacles to keeping it up.

Many of us have stories made up about what it should look like or feel like to meditate and wonder what is the right way to do it.  Actually, there are many different types.  In the yogic tradition, they vary according to the individuals and their temperament and level of development.  These may be devotional or knowledge-oriented.  They may use techniques such as mental, matra, or pranayama.  But all yogic forms of Meditation have certain characteristics in common, which is they aim at merging the mind into the object of its examination, which is the state of Shamadhi, “the state of perfect balance of mind”.  They require going beyond the mind to the consciousness at its origin.  Some may think that it is about drifting off and being free of thoughts and then struggle to reach that balance.  In fact, it is about focusing on one thing, weather that be your breath, a mantra, a representation of the divine or a candle for example.  It requires foremost consistency, discipline and repetition.  Just as you strengthen your upper body muscles by doing more push ups, you will be able to strengthen your focus and ability to sit and move into stillness.

Depending on your time, willingness and level of experience, there are many ways to begin a Meditation practice.  Please know that you cannot fail.  If you attend yoga classes, you could come early or stay after to sit and meditate.  Yoga studios are sacred places in which you may find it easier to quiet your mind than in your house where you have many distractions.  Many local yoga studios offer free Meditation which can help those of us who lack motivation or prefer the group experience and guidance.

Another way to start is at home with five minutes a day.  It has been my experience that many beginners are not able to commit to 20-30 minutes.  Five minutes is all you need to start.  In my opinion, morning or night work best.  See if you can arrange it to meditate around the same time every day.  Sit up in a chair or on a pillow, legs crossed or whatever is comfortable.  The spine should be erect, supported by pillows if needed.  Be sure to inform everyone in the living space of your desire not to be disturbed and set your alarm for five minutes.  Begin to watch your breath.  When your mind wanders, simply return your attention back to your breath without judging yourself about becoming distracted.  It will happen, so bring your attention back to breathing, in and out, and when you catch yourself thinking about the past or planning the future, come back to your breath.

There are usually a few obstacles to Meditation.  The first is that we may lack the energy for it and fall asleep.  To deal with this as a beginner, i suggest splashing cold water in your face before starting.  If you have experience in Pranayama (breathing techniques), this practice is, in my opinion, the best remedy.  Prana (life force), when energized, provides the energy for Meditation.   According to vedic texts, prana is the energy of the nervous system (Majja dhatu).  Through Pranayama, we increase the flow of energy through the nervous system, in turn energizing the mind.  If you experience fatigue, I suggest turning to Pranayama before meditating.  If you would like to learn breathing techniques, ask your Yoga teacher for suggestions.

The second common obstacle is that our minds lack focus and we easily fall into subconscious thoughts and distractions, which then cause the mind to wander.  Repeating a mantra can be a powerful antidote.   You may have experienced that when we sit still, the mind’s activity seems to increase.  When we sit and close our eyes, we take away all sensory impressions and the mind becomes revealed.  It is always there, but we were not able to see or hear it. Meditation shines light on the mind, which is like an old cluttered attic or basement which has been neglected.  So when you begin to practice and your mind becomes loud, you are doing great.  Connect to your breath or a mantra.  Please ask your Yoga teacher for suggestions for mantras.

Physical discomfort is another undeniable obstacle.  I spent some time in an ashram and remember how painful it was to sit crosslegged for 30 minutes three times a day.   I dismissed meditation after that, judging that it was too painful.  Then I got it that I can chose to sit shorter periods of time and in different positions.  So I invite you to make your body comfortable.  Perhaps start in a chair, using pillows behind your back.  Slowly train your body to sit on a floor pillow leaning against the wall and eventually your body will experience more ease.  Of course, regular Asana practice is vital to create a light subtle body to sit for long periods in stillness.  So get to your Yoga classes.

It takes 21 days to form a habit.  So I challenge you for whenever you are ready, to meditate daily for 21 days straight.  If you miss a day, begin again.  You cannot fail, just do it.

I look forward to reading your experiences,

Namaste, Elli

The most wonderful time of the year is back, and that means one thing: notorious holiday parties! Between the office party, family gatherings, religious festivities, and community get-togethers, sticking to a healthy eating plan becomes, well, difficult to say the least!

Coming up on our horizon is Thanksgiving, the intro to the holiday season for most. Knowing that the average Thanksgiving dinner has well over 2000 calories, its no wonder how much of a challenge it can be if you are watching your waistline. The following are some eating tips so that you can still look good and be healthy after the Thanksgiving dinner without having to deprive yourself.

Healthy Holiday Eating Tips for Thanksgiving

• Don’t go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry - therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at dinner time.
• Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet!: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.
• Turkey - go skinless: choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.
• Side Dishes - watch your portion size: go for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.
• Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: high fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal. For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again moderation is the key.
• Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink calorie-free water to help fill up your stomach and keep you hydrated.
• KEEP CONSISTENT WITH YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE!! Book an extra session with your trainer or gym partner the days leading up to holiday parties – EARN THOSE CALORIES!!!

How can this be? I thought crunches were the best exercise for your abs.

Truth be known, crunches are close to last on my list of the most effective exercises for a tighter waistline. In fact, you could never do a single crunch again and have the best abs of your life..

The first thing we need to do is look at the basics. If you want to have a firm, flat stomach you need to do two things. Number one, you must remove the layer of fat covering your stomach. You can´t see your abs if they´re covered up by a layer of fat.

Number two; you must work your core and abdominal muscles to tighten them up. Sounds pretty obvious right? Unfortunately we often overlook the simplest of details.

Here´s the first of many reasons why crunches are ineffective at changing your waistline. If you want to remove fat from your stomach you must burn it for fuel. The only place fat can be used for fuel is in a muscle cell. Your abdominal muscles are relatively small and require very little energy. This means they simply cannot burn that much fat for fuel no matter how hard you work them.

This may sound crazy but if you want to lose fat from your waistline do more squats, lunges, rows and other total body exercises. The more you work the larger muscle groups the more energy you´ll burn from fat.

That´s the first secret, if you want to have better abs exercise with more total body movements. Don´t waste your time with isolation exercises or any exercise done sitting down. An effective resistance training program is completed three times per week and has plenty of total body movements done with intensity.

The same old 3 sets of 15 reps will get you nowhere. The whole “light weights and higher reps for toning and firming†is another myth for another day. You must provide your muscles with an overload stimulus if you want to see a physiological change.

Alright I´m going to assume for now that you´re eating right and doing thirty plus minutes of aerobic exercise five days a week to assist in the fat burning process. I´ll discuss the cardio side in more detail in a future article. For now let´s get back to that flat stomach. The best exercises for your “core” are ones that integrate instead of isolating.

Some of my favorites are medicine ball chops, planks, band rotations, single leg reaches and cable wood chops to name a few. The primary responsibility of your abdominals is to stabilize your pelvis during movements in which you rotate, flex or extend your back. The crunch helps with none of these and is an unnatural movement pattern. The muscles in your body work together as links in one big kinetic chain. Ever notice how yoga instructors have such great waistlines? I endorse yoga and know plenty of instructors. I have yet to see one doing crunches.

Success leaves clues. If you train with weights like I do simply look to incorporate functional exercises like the ones listed above into your routines for best results.

The reason is these machines work by isolating one or two abdominal muscles while neglecting the deep core muscles (the ones that actually hold your stomach in). This is the same reason why crunches and sit-ups are so ineffective and are pretty much a waste of your time.

I see the “pooch belly” problem a lot with women even after they’ve lost weight and really toned up from doing resistance training. It´s like there´s just that one problem area around the stomach that won´t go away. One of the biggest reasons why women struggle with losing the “pooch belly” is misinformation. Nobody told them that they´ll need to target this area with specific changes in their diet, cardio workouts and different core training exercises. Yes, it takes a specialized approach.

The best ab exercises for bringing in your stomach will work the deep core muscles like the transverse abdominis, which gets neglected with machines and crunches/sit-ups. You need to do exercises that integrate all the core muscles if you want to naturally draw in your stomach. These include chops, planks, single leg reaches, vacuums and others.

In general you want to avoid any ab machine where you do the exercise while sitting down. A lot of female clients I see have some degree of lower crossed syndrome where the low back muscles and hip flexors are tight and the glutes and core muscles are inhibited. Any idea on what is a common cause for this muscle imbalance? You guessed it sitting too much!

It´s not too hard to figure out that an activity that helped to create the problem in the first place won´t likely be part of the solution. The best exercises to naturally draw in your stomach will also help to improve your posture, eliminate low back pain and give you better flexibility. Best of all, most of these exercises require very little or no equipment and can be completed even in the privacy of your own home.