Fitness & Wellness

Reasons Why You’re Not Hungry

Published by superadmin on June 15, 2021 | Leave a response

If you started one of our new meal plans at Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY, and find you’re not hungry between meals or feel full enough to make it to the next meal from the snacks, that’s normal. In fact, the diet plans are created to help you feel fuller longer, without consuming tons of extra calories.is However, hunger is normal and regulated by hormones, leptin, the hormone that makes you feel full and ghrelin, the hormone that makes you hungry. The hypothalamus also regulates hunger, as does your blood sugar levels and even your empty stomach and intestines.

If you should be hungry but aren’t, maybe it’s anxiety, depression or stress.

Stress can cause anxiety and depression. It can also make you feel sick to your stomach. It triggers the fight or flight response, which can slow your digestion and decrease how hungry you feel. Stress can cause anxiety and the reverse is also true. When you’re anxious, it can trigger the stress response—fight or flight. People who are depressed also find their hunger signaling is interrupted. According to one study, it slowed the activity in the brain that assessed the body’s hunger level.

If you’re sick, you may not be hungry.

If you don’t feel good or are sick to your stomach, you’ll probably not feel hungry. Think about the last time you had a cold or allergies that caused your nose to run like crazy. Food probably didn’t sound good and if you ate, didn’t taste good either. That upper respiratory distress interfered with the sense of smell and ultimately taste. If the stomach flu has you trapped in the bathroom, of course the thought of food is completely unappetizing. Chronic health conditions like cancer, heart disease and kidney failure can cause your appetite to wane. Even pregnant women with morning sickness or heartburn might find they aren’t as hungry as normal.

The older you are, the more likely you’ll experience lack of hunger more often.

As you age, your body makes a lot of changes. Hormone levels, even the hunger and satiety hormone levels, are lower. Your body has a slower metabolic rate and needs fewer calories. The sense of taste and smell diminishes. There’s less saliva production and sometimes fewer teeth, no teeth or chronic dental illness that interferes with eating. Even chronic illness, depression and medications can dull the appetite.

Antibiotics, diuretics, sedatives and antihypertensives all may have a side effect of lack of appetite. Some medications make your stomach upset, while others make you feel fatigued, or both. Cancer treatments are known for decreasing appetite.
If you’re suffering from chronic pain, there’s a big chance that your appetite will suffer as well. Chronic conditions like arthritis or even cramps from menstruation can cause your appetite to suffer.
If you’re losing too much weight, find ways to make your food more enjoyable, whether cooking with herbs or focusing on food you love. Make sure you eat foods higher in calories and if necessary, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to eat.
See a doctor if lack of appetite is longer than a week or couple of weeks or if you can’t swallow, keep food down or have symptoms indicating a serious condition. Also check with your doctor if you’re losing weight unintentionally.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Could You Be Lactose Intolerant?

Published by superadmin on June 5, 2021 | Leave a response

Lactose intolerance acts differently in everyone and can even change within the same person at various times, in various situations. Some lactose intolerance starts early in life in infants who produce no lactase. It’s a genetic form of lactose intolerance and occurs most prominently in people of East Asian and North American Indigenous lineage. It can also occur in premature infants. As children grow older, the need for lactase diminishes as other foods are introduced. If the production diminishes enough, lactose intolerance occurs. Sometimes, antibiotics, illnesses, accidents or surgery can cause lactase to be reduced, making the person lactose intolerant.

What causes the symptoms of lactose intolerance?

Your body produces lactase, an enzyme that changes lactose into glucose and galactose, which then is absorbed through the intestinal lining into the bloodstream. If you don’t produce enough lactase, the milk product doesn’t break down, it goes to the colon undigested. In the colon, water enters the picture, to dilute the lactose. That causes diarrhea. Microbes in the colon then eat the lactose, producing gas as a byproduct. That causes the cramping and bloating people feel after consuming milk products.

Stomach pain, diarrhea and gas are symptoms of lactose intolerance.

A short time after eating dairy, if you find yourself bloated and gassy, you may be lactose intolerant, especially if that gas is extremely unpleasant. That’s from the fermentation in your colon, which is methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The body produces more acid, which can cause even more pain and the bloating can sometime be so rapid and so much that it’s excessively painful. Even if you have a flat tummy before, the distention can make you look like you’re ready to deliver a baby if you have a severe case.

There are other less common symptoms of lactose intolerance.

While most people experience gas, diarrhea and stomach pain in various degrees, not everyone reacts the same. Constipation can be a problem that occurs from the methane gas produced slowing the food moving through the intestines. Fatigue, headache, inability to focus, joint and muscle pain, eczema, mouth ulcers and problems urinating can also be symptoms, but normally very rare ones. A more severe problem is a milk allergy, which can also have vomiting, diarrhea, eczema and stomach pain, but may include asthma and anaphylaxis, which are far more serious and can be fatal.

You can identify lactose intolerance by using an elimination diet or keeping a food diary that includes the after effects of a meal. If you find you have symptoms of lactose intolerance only after you consume milk products, you probably do have the problem. Remove dairy from your diet to be sure.
Although all studies show that lactose intolerance is primarily genetic, there is evidence that changing your gut microbiome—the microbes that aid in digestion—can help.
Exercise can increase the number of beneficial microbes and some people find the more exercise they get, the less dairy tends to affect them.
If you think you have lactose intolerance based on a food diary or elimination diet, check with your doctor to make sure that’s what it is and not something else causing malabsorption. A hydrogen breath test can be given by your doctor to identify whether it’s lactose intolerance or not.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Nutrition Vs Workout

Published by superadmin on May 25, 2021 | Leave a response

There are gyms that focus simply on the best workout and places that highlight nutrition, whether it’s to help you lose weight or just be your healthiest. The truth is, you really need both to be your fittest and to shed pounds quickly. While you can’t out-exercise a poor diet, lack of exercise makes losing weight extremely difficult. Not only does exercise help burn calories, it stokes your body’s furnace to burn more calories around the clock and boosts your strength, endurance and flexibility for a fuller life.

It’s about more than calorie or carb counting, it’s about nutrients.

It’s almost impossible to say which is better, exercise or diet. If you’re trying to lose weight, diet will be a top priority, but the two actually go hand-in-hand. It’s why we offer both personal training and nutritional guidance. Eating a healthy diet with a large variety of fruits and vegetables means you’ll get not only the major nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, but also phytonutrients that provide many additional benefits and fiber.

Healthy eating ensures a great workout.

You have to have enough calories and the right nutrients to have the energy for a good workout. A healthy diet includes all three macronutrients, fats, protein and carbohydrates. You need all three. If you want to start immediately, just cut out processed foods and foods high in sugar. Sugary foods will slow you down and interfere with your energy level. Stick with leafy greens, colorful vegetables, a lean protein source and some healthy fat, such as nuts.

Exercise improves your digestion and your microbiome.

You are never alone. You have trillions of microbes in your body that go with you everywhere. Most of them are in your gut and help to digest your food so you can reap the benefits of healthy eating. When you workout, you actually increase the healthy microbes, making your digestion better. Exercise helps protect the digestive tract and studies show it lowers the risk of colon cancer, diverticular disease and constipation. Exercise increases microdiversity, so you’ll get more nutrients from the food you eat and have better digestion.

Do you have a problem with recovery after a tough workout? Maybe your diet isn’t as healthy as it should be. If you’re sore and tired for days after your last workout, it should be the first place to check.
Some foods can help you feel fuller longer, such as healthy fat and protein. You still need carbs for the energy to get you through the workout.
When you eat is also important. Having a snack of carbs and protein before a workout can make your exercise more effective. Eating protein and some carbs afterward can boost recovery.
We feel so strongly that both diet and exercise are equally important, we provide help for both. Our nutrition program, like our workouts, are personalized so you get maximum benefits.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors

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How Can I Lose Fat In My Face?

Published by superadmin on May 15, 2021 | Leave a response

There is no difference in fat in your body, no matter where it is, so if you want to lose fat in your face, you simply have to lose weight. While there’s no guarantee that it will make your cheeks look less puffy, most people actually complain that when they lose fat, it usually comes off their hands and their face. If you have chubby cheeks on your face, you probably have chubby cheeks elsewhere or at least a higher percentage of body fat.

Is it facial fat or puffiness you’re seeing?

Are you eating too much salt or certain foods that make your face look puffy? Checking your diet and ensuring it’s healthy can help. You can even do an elimination diet to see if any particular food is puffing up your face. Perhaps you don’t drink enough water. Dehydration can make your cheeks puffy and cause your face to look fat. Drinking water also acts as a diuretic, flushing toxins and water weight out as you do. If your body is thin, but your cheeks look chubby, try drinking more water.

Cut out the salt, the alcohol and lower your carbohydrate intake.

Everyone knows salt can cause fluid retention, which leads to a puffy face. Alcohol is even worse, especially if you drink more than moderation. It’s a big contributor to dehydration and can make your face look puffy and not in a cute baby fat way. Too many carbs, especially sugary treats, can pack on the pounds all over your body. Cut sugar and processed food out immediately.

There are facial exercises to help tone the cheeks and under the chin.

If you’ve ever seen facial exercises, you know they’re not faces you want to make in public. Your face has tons of muscles and you can tone them also. Puffing your cheeks out, roaring like a lion, opening your eyes wide and pulling your lower lip up over the upper one are just a few. Closing your eyes and squeezing can help get rid of chubby cheeks. Do they work? Some people say they do. As for me, I’m sticking with weight loss for the best solution.

If you’re overweight, lose weight. It’s just that simple. Your whole body will benefit and you’ll look better. Feel lucky, since most people don’t want to lose weight in their face, but prefer it comes from other parts of their body.
Lean your head back and purse your lips. That simple exercise can be great for toning the muscles under the chin to get rid of a double chin.
Leaning your head back with your face toward the ceiling and pursing your lips like you’re getting ready to kiss someone then holding that pose can work all the muscles in your face.
Suck your cheeks in, creating a look of fish lips and hold them for ten seconds can work off some of that cheek fat. Your best bet, however, is to lose five to ten pounds and you’ll see real results.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors

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Can I Do an Ab Workout Standing Up?

Published by superadmin on May 5, 2021 | Leave a response

AT Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY, we help you achieve your goals. Getting great looking abs is usually one of those on everyone’s list. Not only do we provide an ab workout you can do standing up, we actually recommend part of your training be on those types of ab exercises. After all, it’s how the world will see you most of the time, so it mimics your everyday movements. Standing ab exercises also work the major muscles of the hip flexors and the obliques. They help you improve your range of motion and work all the ab muscles.

You’ll give your core muscles a workout with standing ab exercises.

Not only will you get the benefits of regular mat exercises, you’ll get other benefits, too. Standing ab exercises strengthen your core muscles. They add gravity to the mix, so they increase the difficulty, while also improving your balance and posture. They train you to stand tall doing daily activities as it builds back, ab and core muscles in the process. Best of all, standing ab exercises can be done anywhere, like hotel rooms or places where you don’t want to lay on the floor.

If you’ve done a bicycle exercise laying down, the standing form should be easy.

The two exercises are similar, but the standing one requires balance. Start with your feet together and your knees slightly bent. Put your hands behind your head and lift your right heel. Hold your abs tight as you lift the right knee up as high as possible, while you rotate your shoulders toward your knee, touching the left elbow to the knee if you can. Put that foot back on the floor and repeat. Then do the other side.

A standing pike crunch can work wonders on your abs.

This one works your hip flexors and also your core. Stand with feet together then raise your hands over your head as you raise one foot in front of you. Lower your arms as you try to touch your foot, then slowly lower the foot back down to the ground, while you raise your arms back in the air. Going slowly makes it more difficult, but also works the abs more. Make sure the motion is controlled. It may take you a while to do that. Keep repeating the motion of touching your toes and raising back to upright position as you lower your leg, then work the other leg.

Standing ab workouts are superior to ones laying down if you have a neck injury or find it difficult to get up and down due to back or knee injuries.
You can use those few minutes at work to get an ab workout. Do a plank. Not on the floor, do a desk plank. Lean forward putting your hands on your desk and keeping your legs and body straight. Hold.
Another easy exercise to do anywhere and sprinkle throughout the day is a side twist. Twist to the left as far as you can go, then twist to the right. You can do it in a chair, but put your hands behind your head when you do.
If you have a physical limitation that requires limiting mat exercises, or simply want standing ab exercises you can do on the go, our personal trainers will be happy to create an entire workout for you.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors

Posted in Fitness & Wellness

Should Your Nutrition Change As You Age?

Published by superadmin on April 25, 2021 | Leave a response

Your nutritional needs often change as you age, we know that at Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY. It’s why we create individualized eating plans. No two people are alike and you may not be like your younger self, either. Even though you need all the building blocks you needed in your youth, your body may not be as efficient at absorbing them. Eating healthy snacks and healthy meals can help reduce the potential for malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies.

What’s the easiest vitamin to get that we often lack?

The answer is vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is rampant in the US, even though it should be easy to have enough. It comes from the sunshine hitting your skin and is made by the body. While overexposure to the sun can cause skin cancer, 10 to 20 minutes of direct exposure without a sunscreen is recommended. Older people, people in northern climates who can’t get enough sun during the winter months and those with darker skin to get enough have more of a problem getting vitamin D from the sun.

The amount of calories you burn as you age often changes.

People tend to slow down as they age and require fewer calories. While your metabolism does slow, loss of muscle mass with age plays the biggest role in the need for fewer calories. Fewer calories mean eating less, which could mean eating fewer nutrients. Watching the type of food you eat becomes far more important as you age. Dental issues can also change the type of food elderly people eat. You have less wiggle-room for adding unhealthy foods in your diet and far more need for extra nutrition as you become older.

Absorption of vitamins becomes more limited, so you need to increase your intake.

You need to increase your vitamin B12 as you age, since it becomes harder to absorb. It’s necessary for the healthy function of nerves, plus formation of red blood cells and cell metabolism. Getting more calcium from food is just as important for bones as getting enough vitamin D. Make salmon one of your food choices, not just for calcium, but for the healthy fats, too. Stay hydrated.. While hydration is important for younger people, it’s particularly important as you age. You tend to lose moisture more quickly the older you are. Dehydration can lead to UTIs and behaviors that resemble dementia.

Avoid prepackaged food. They’re often over-processed and filled with additives but limited in nutrients. Instead, make smoothies if you’re short on time. If you have the vegetables and fruit already cut, it’s a snap.
Obesity is the leading cause of preventable deaths and far more prevalent as people age. Watch your diet and make it healthy options. Also get plenty of exercise to help with weight control.
One of the biggest issues faced by seniors is living alone or cooking for two. While it may seem cheaper to eat at the drive-through, it’s hard on your health. Do meal planning and freeze extra dinners for later.
If you have dental issues, get your nutrients via a smoothie. Make sure you include the skin if it’s edible. It provides the fiber you need to be healthy. We can create a program that’s healthy for you, regardless of your age.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Is Intermittent Fasting Right For You?

Published by superadmin on April 15, 2021 | Leave a response

Intermittent fasting—IF—is one of the most popular modified ways of eating that can also help you lose weight. It’s not about what you eat, although you should eat a healthy diet, but about when you eat. While there are all types of intermittent fasting, from eating very light on certain days of the week and regular on others, to eating between certain hours or skipping meals for several days. The latter is not recommended unless your in good health, since skipping food for several days can actually slow your metabolism. What does work is eating between certain hours, which gives your digestion a bit of a break as well.

There are multiple benefits from intermittent fasting.

Animal studies that date back to the 1940s showed the effect of IF on mice. The studies from the University of Chicago fed rats on alternate days. That led to the rats living longer and delaying the signs of normal aging. While that might sound cruel, fasting has always been part of wild animals’ lives, including early man. Sometimes, there are several days animals go without eating until they find a source of food. The studies showed improved metabolism, a reduction of inflammation, weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, improved brain function and a lower risk of cancer. It also improved insulin resistance.

Weight loss is a benefit of intermittent fasting.

Whether you fast a day or two a week or use an eight-hour window to eat, it could improve your chances of losing weight. Since your body requires glucose as fuel, which can come from simple sugar, if it comes from sugar or simple carbs, it’s broken down more quickly. When you fast, your body uses body fat to create the fuel. It helps lower insulin levels and aids in losing weight. In fact, in all studies, when participants ate during an eight hour window, they actually ate less food.

There are people that should do intermittent fasting.

If you have advanced diabetes and take medication, don’t try fasting without the supervision of your health care provider. Anyone taking blood pressure medication, is pregnant, taking heart medicine or is breast feeding shouldn’t fast without consulting their health care professional. For those with an eating disorder, it’s counterproductive.

Japanese human studies confirmed the earlier animal studies and found that fasting sped up metabolism and slowed the aging process. Rats that had food at regular intervals actually grayed earlier than those who had IF menus.
Eating healthy foods should be the prime objective of any change in your eating pattern. You can consider eating your food in an eight-hour window or other IF, once you learn to eat healthier.
By narrowing the window of when you eat, such as between the hours of ten and six, you automatically cut out late night snacks, which can pack on the pounds.
Just fasting for 16 hours can make changes to your body. It can cause the process of cell repair to start, plus increase hormones that burn fat. It also increases HGH—human growth hormone—by as much as five times.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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Favorite Indoor Exercises

Published by superadmin on April 5, 2021 | Leave a response

When you workout at the gym, you’re doing indoor exercises that can also be done outside the gym. However, most people don’t have the gym equipment in their home. That’s why bodyweight exercises are often one of the most popular at home/in home ones to do. Bodyweight exercises include everything from push-ups to squats. As the name implies, they use the weight of the body instead of barbells or dumbbells.

Would you care to have this dance?

If you want to enjoy your workout at home, try dancing. Fast dancing, whether it’s hip hop, salsa or even pole dancing, it can get you into shape fast, providing all three types of training, strength, endurance and flexibility. The amount of each is based on the moves you make during your dance. No matter what your age, there was some type of fast dancing in your youth, so take out your dancing shoes, shake your booty and get your groove on.

Have fun with the kids on a rainy day and get in your exercise at the same time.

As mentioned before, dancing can be quite healthy and is also something you can do with the kids. Try freeze dancing for extra fun. You can use a hula hoop if you have the room or opt for crab carries. Crab carries involve walking on your hands and feet that starts by laying on your back. Wheelbarrows, another fun activity, start with one person grabbing the legs of another person and lifting them, so they walk on their hands. The person carrying the legs looks like they’re pushing a wheelbarrow. Working out with the kids can be fun and all it takes is your imagination to get the ball rolling.

Yoga and Tai Chi are harder than they look.

Those gentle stretch and hold movements of both tai chi and yoga may seem far simpler than lifting weights and pounding battle ropes, but you’ll find them far harder than you think. While they don’t cause damage to knees and ankles, like running or other exercises can, they do help you stretch and build strength and endurance. Both are nice relaxation techniques that can be done anywhere you have a mat or some space.

Our program provides exercises you can do without equipment, which means you can do them in your own home, too. If you want a complete at home workout, for those days you’re not in the gym, ask your personal trainer.
Try Zachary Bush’s four minute workout. You can do it several times a day. It boosts nitric oxide, which can lower blood pressure and help build muscles. A set is a combination of 10 each of squats, 90 degree arm swing, arm swing—upper body jumping jack and finish with a military press. Do three sets.
Just do a plank. Another often underrated exercise is a plank. It’s tough to hold for very long, but can be done during TV commercials. If you’re a beginner, try a modified plank.
Use your stairs if you have them. Whether you have to put laundry away or simply run up and down the stairs for no reason, climbing stairs is a good workout.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

Posted in Fitness & Wellness

Balancing Work And Health

Published by superadmin on March 25, 2021 | Leave a response

America is a nation of workers and many take pride in how hard they work. However, balancing work and health is important. Some people think it’s selfish to take care of themselves. It’s not. In fact, it’s selfish not to take care of yourself. If your job is taking over your life and you don’t have time to do the things that make you healthy, one day it will all catch up with you. Then the stresses of work and lack of self-care will catch up. Not only will you have to miss work, you’ll have to have someone else take care of you.

Studies show that if you aren’t taking care of yourself, your work performance declines.

You have to make the time to exercise. It’s amazing that you’ll have time when it’s part of your schedule. While it might feel odd to tell a client you can’t meet them at one, but you’ll be available at 2:30, you’ll find most people accept that. They don’t know you’re working out at one and probably will never ask. Exercise, especially if your day is stressful, can burn off the hormones created by that stress. It can help you think clearer and improve your mood, so you’ll be more optimistic and that can reap big dividends.

When you increase your fitness, you also boost your brain power and endurance.

You’ll not only work faster, you’ll work smarter when you’re fit and functioning at peak performance. You’ll have more endurance and that means more energy to function at your best longer. The exercise increases your circulation to send nutrient laden and oxygen-rich blood to the brain to protect and increase brain cells. Studies show that a program of regular exercise improves cognitive functioning.

It takes more than just exercise to be your best.

Eating healthy is important, too. Some foods boost your brain functioning and can prevent inflammation that can damage all areas of the body from your cardiovascular system to your nervous system and brain. Not only does junk food add extra calories, which causes obesity—the leading cause of preventable deaths, but it robs the body of much-needed nutrition, spikes blood sugar levels and lead to serious health conditions. Try meal prepping for a month. You’ll probably find you feel better and enjoy your meals more.

Learn to relax. Whether you learn meditation, deep breathing or have a hobby or interest that lets you relax, getting away from the stress is important. Smiling and laughing can also benefit your health.
Take charge of your life. It’s hard to say no, but sometimes you need to do it. If you’re constantly asked to go above and beyond at work, it’s time to set limits. You need time for you.
People often brag about how little sleep they get and how many hours they work. Unfortunately, if you do that, you’re only hurting yourself. When you get adequate sleep, you’ll think clearer, get more done and be doing your body a favor.
For those that sit in front of a computer all day, taking a five-minute break every hour can improve your health. Get up, walk around and stretch your muscles. Get your circulation going. Sitting longer than an hour impacts your health negatively.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

Posted in Fitness & Wellness