Fitness & Wellness

Say Goodbye To Love Handles

Published by superadmin on July 15, 2022 | Leave a response

If you’re out of shape, you face problems like beer belly, love handles, bat wings and thunder thighs. Those are just a few of the terms clients use to explain what they want to improve. We’ll help you lose those all those things and replace them with a fit, toned body at Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY. Let’s focus on one, love handles. What are love handles? It’s nothing more than the accumulation of fat around the waist. It can occur from many causes, including lack of sleep, but it all boils down to too many calories and not enough exercise.

Besides making clothing fit poorly, love handles cause other problems.

Fat accumulating around the waist can be of two types. The first is subcutaneous fat, which is fat just below the surface of the skin and easier to lose. The second is visceral fat, the most dangerous type of fat that is deep inside and wraps around the organs. Love handles can include both types of fat. It can cause high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, stroke, cancer, liver disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis. If you take steps to get rid of love handles, you will also reduce the risk of those diseases.

You need to focus on exercises that work the muscles of the abs, hips and back.

While you need a total body workout, if you want to target love handles, add an extra session on exercises that work the muscles in that area. Losing weight all over your body and tightening the muscles in both the front and back of your waist help. To lose weight, include strength building in your diet. Strengthen the back and abs with planks, push-ups and mountain climbers.

You have to eat healthy and lose weight all over your body, too.

When you tighten muscles to lose the love handles, you’ll notice they’re toned better, but it won’t show if the fat’s still there. You need to lose weight. You can’t spot exercise weight away from a specific area. It comes off all parts of the body, even if you did spot exercises all day. Eating healthy is particularly important and focusing on healthy food choices that are nutritious.

Side planks, Russian crunches and twists are also excellent for getting rid of love handles. A side plank is similar to a plank, but you hold your body on its side and hold it up with just one hand, raising the other in the air.
If you’ve never tried a bridge, it’s not that hard, it’s not only good for eliminating love handles, it’s excellent for relieving back pain as well.
Always check with your health care professional first to make sure it’s safe to start a fitness program. In most cases, they’ll heartily approve. If you do have a health condition, let your personal trainer know.
At Body Sculptors, we’ll create a special workout program designed specifically for your needs, goals and level of fitness. We’ll also help you with personalized nutritional guidance.

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

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What Is Lifestyle Medicine?

Published by superadmin on July 5, 2022 | Leave a response

You know the drill. You go to the doctor, he or she finds you have a condition or disease and the string of prescription drugs start. Those drugs help manage the symptoms. Often, you’re stuck with a lifetime of prescriptions and even prescription changes for the rest of your life. It’s a program of managing the disease and treating the symptoms. What if you could eliminate the drugs and get rid of the disease entirely? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? That’s what lifestyle medicine is all about. It’s finding the root cause, often relating directly to your lifestyle, and helping you make the changes necessary to be disease-free.

Lifestyle medicine is used to supplement traditional medicine.

Doctors who use this philosophy of medicine don’t replace traditional treatments with lifestyle changes but use those changes to supplement the treatment. It involves six key changes. The first is a primarily plant-based diet. The second change is increasing physical activity. The third lifestyle change is stress management with the fourth being adequate sleep. Avoiding toxic substances and risky behavior and cultivating social connections are the next two steps lifestyle medicine focus.

All the steps are important, but the first step makes the biggest difference for most people.

Obesity is the leading cause of preventable deaths. Whether you’re just overweight or obese, it plays a big role in your overall health. It can cause increased blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. To eliminate obesity, it takes a lifestyle change to make a difference. That means changing your diet and increasing the amount of exercise you get each day. What you eat is the key to lifestyle medicine. No matter how much you exercise, you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. The food you eat can cause other problems, besides weight gain. You need the right body building nutrients to create a healthy body that can protect itself from illness or chronic conditions.

Exercise and other lifestyle changes are also important.

While your healthcare provider may initially suggest a change of diet, eventually, he or she will add those other changes to the list. Exercise, a healthy sleep pattern and managing stress all play a role in weight control. Exercise not only helps you burn calories, but it also helps eliminate stress, improve your circulation and extend telomeres that protect the body. Adequate sleep is heart healthy and also helps keep the hunger/satiety hormones balanced, so you don’t overeat. Stress can lead to depression, lack of exercise and even stress eating. It can also lead to using toxic substances to bury the stressful feelings.

Changing your lifestyle means cultivating new habits. It takes more than one healthy meal or trip to the gym. It’s a one-step-at-a-time consistent daily change that brings about an overall improvement in health.
Lifestyle medicine isn’t meant to replace traditional medicine but complement it. Talk to your doctor about making these changes for improved health. Most physicians don’t have the background to create a specific diet and exercise plan but will be happy to work with specialists in that area.
If your habits caused you to gain weight, which lead to insulin resistance and diabetes or high blood pressure, losing the weight is important. However, to do that successfully, you have to change your habits.
Lifestyle medicine uses a holistic approach. It’s not only about managing chronic disease, but also promoting health and preventing disease. Even healthy people benefit from lifestyle medicine.

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

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Does Exercise Help You Live Longer?

Published by superadmin on June 25, 2022 | Leave a response

Exercise is important for a number of different reasons. It improves digestion, increases circulation and helps prevent serious conditions that are life threatening, like stroke, high blood pressure, some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes. Not only does exercise help you lose weight, reducing the risk of obesity, the leading cause of preventable deaths, it increases longevity in other ways.

Exercise is half the dynamic duo that helps you live healthier.

Both a healthy diet and regular exercise are a combination that is known to increase life expectancy. While a healthy diet is the most important, exercise is a close second. Not only does it help lubricate joints, relieving many aches and pains, it also lengthens telomeres. Telomeres act like aglets, those plastic tips on shoelaces. Just like aglets, telomeres protect the DNA and keep it from unraveling. The longer the telomeres, the longer the cell lives and replicates, which slows the aging process by keeping chromosomes intact.

You may have heard of stem cells, but did you realize the adult body continues to create them?

Even seniors still have some stem cells. If they’re active, they have more than people who aren’t active, according to studies. Today, stem cell therapy is used to repair joints and other problems. Before the stem cell therapy, doctors suggest the patient increase activity. That helps the body to increase stem cell production to replace the older cells lost during exercise.

Even couch potatoes can increase exercise, but need to start slowly.

If the hardest thing you’ve done the last few years is lift the remote, you need to increase your exercise, but start slowly, especially if you have a health issue. Increasing the number of steps you take daily is one way. A study in Australia showed that when people went from no exercise to 10,000 steps a day lowered their mortality risk by 40%. Just increasing activity by 3,000 steps lowered the risk of dying significantly, according to another study. You can start with walking and after a few weeks, start a program of exercise in the gym.

People with arthritis often forego exercise to avoid pain, but studies show that exercise can actually bring relief. The same is true of back problems. You should work with a trainer to ensure you use the right type of exercise that won’t exacerbate the problem.
Exercise helps lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. It boosts nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide causes blood vessels to relax, so they expand. That makes blood flow easier, lowering blood pressure in the process.
The increased circulation caused by exercise can deliver oxygen and nutrient rich blood to all parts of the body. It helps boost brain power, while also boosting overall health of the body.
Stress is a killer and exercise is a stress buster. When you’re under stress, your body prepares for fighting or running. Exercise burns off the hormones of stress to help your body return to normal and reduce the risk caused by the changes stress makes.

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

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Everything You Need To Know About Manuka Honey

Published by superadmin on June 15, 2022 | Leave a response

Whether you buy local honey in Louisville, KY, or choose more exotic types, the honey is often named for the type of plant that the pollen and nectar comes from that bees collect. Worker bees collect nectar and mix it with enzymes, while also collecting pollen for the bee larvae. The mixture is passed by mouth to others in the hive. It’s deposited in the honeycomb in the hive and dried by other bees flapping their wings to produce honey. Manuka honey comes from the pollen of the manuka bush found in New Zealand. It has some exceptional health benefits.

Manuka honey is antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and has antioxidant properties.

There are several substances that provide these properties. For instance, the dihydroxyacetone—DHA—converts to methylglyoxal—MGO. That provides antibacterial benefits. The DHA is found in high concentrations in the nectar of manuka plant flowers and that converts to the antibacterial properties of the honey.

Some of the most difficult wounds to heal are diabetic sores.

Even the FDA—Federal Food and Drug Administration—approves of using manuka honey for treating wounds. It’s more than just the antibacterial properties that make it so beneficial, but also the antioxidant and the lower pH of the manuka honey. In fact, the pH is lower than most other honey, which makes it ideal for healing wounds. It speeds the healing process and can be particularly effective in reducing pain and speeding tissue regeneration on burns.

It’s hard to believe that something sweet can promote oral health.

While the research is limited, it does show that manuka honey can help prevent the buildup of dental plaque, which in turns, prevents gum disease. It’s been found even more effective than chewing sugar free gum. Even scratchy throats can be helped with manuka honey. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties help bring sore throat relief. It even reduces the amount of Streptococcus mutans in the throat to reduce the potential for a sore throat.

Ulcers related to diabetes are hard to heal and may even cause amputation if not treated properly. One study shows using manuka honey to heal heals the ulcers more quickly than traditional treatments.
Unlike diabetic ulcers that are more likely on the bottom of the feet, gastric ulcers are in the lining of the stomach. Manuka honey can help reduce inflammation by increasing certain enzyme levels to prevent oxidative damage.
Acne may be helped with manuka honey. It not only helps decrease inflammation and reduces the levels of bacteria, it also helps hydrate skin. In fact, many skin care products now contain it.
While manuka honey is a sugar and increasing your sugar intake can lead to weight gain, there’s nothing wrong with using manuka honey as a substitute sweetener instead of cane sugar or applying it externally.

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

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How Chia Seeds Could Be A Game Changer

Published by superadmin on June 5, 2022 | Leave a response

No matter where you talk about chia seeds and the benefits, someone will bring up the chia pets that are so popular around Christmas. They extend beyond the animal world into the world of Star Wars and politics, with Bernie Sanders chias and Chewbacca’s. But chia seeds provide benefits for good health when you eat them. They’re not just meant to create hair on a clay Elvira or David Hasselhoff. They have a long nutritional history, starting by being a mainstay of the diet of the Aztecs and Mayans.

Chia seeds are high in nutrients, including antioxidants, fiber, minerals, omega-3 and vitamins.

These tiny black seeds were used for many things, from medical treatment to food, in ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations. There’s a good reason they were so popular. They are loaded with nutrients and provide healthy calories. Two tablespoons of seeds have 4.7 grams of protein, 8.7 grams of fat and 11.0 grams of carbs. It has 138 calories and 5 grams of ALA, alpha-linolenic acid. There are 9 grams of fiber, high amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, B1 and B3.

If you’re trying to lose weight, chia seeds may come to your rescue.

With a high content of both fiber and protein, both of which keep you feeling fuller longer, it’s easy to see why chia seeds could be a huge benefit for dieters. Several studies have focused on chia seeds and weight loss. One had participants mix chia with yogurt. They reported feeling fuller longer. Another six month study focused on obese or overweight type 2 diabetics. It showed those adding chia seeds to their diet significantly increased weight loss. Another study showed there was no significant difference in weight loss or reducing inflammation markers.

Adding chia seeds to your diet may improve heart health.

Just like many scientific findings, more research needs to be done, but preliminary studies show that chia seeds may be beneficial for heart health. They’re high in fiber, which reduces cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease. They’re also high in omega-3s in the form of ALA, that also lowers the risk of heart disease. A small sampling of studies show chia seeds may benefit heart health by reducing blood pressure.

Your bones and teeth will benefit from adding chia seeds to your diet. They contain calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, all of which are important for bone health. In addition, the ALA also improves bone density.
Maintaining blood sugar levels is important for diabetes and pre-diabetes. Chia seeds contain fiber that can help you do that. Animal studies show it also can improve insulin sensitivity, to aid in stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Chia seeds protect you at the cellular level. They’re high in antioxidants that remove free radicals. The antioxidants contained protect the heart and liver, plus provide protection from cancer.
Inflammation can damage your body and chia seeds have anti-inflammatory properties from the caffeic acid it contains. Adding chia seeds to your diet offers only benefits and no drawbacks and it’s easy to do.

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

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Animal Vs Plant Protein

Published by superadmin on May 25, 2022 | Leave a response

It doesn’t matter whether it’s animal or plant protein, certain factors determine what’s best. For instance, does it contain all nine essential amino acids. The essential amino acids are ones the body can make itself. They must be consumed as food. Some essential amino acids are used more often than others are, such as glutamine compared to tryptophan, which isn’t used as often. The amount necessary for the body should also be considered. Animal protein sources are complete, while only a few plant sources are and they must be combined to make complete proteins.

If your body can’t digest the protein easily, it may not get all the benefit.

Even if the protein is complete, your body may not get all it needs. It has to be in a form the body can use. Some are easy for the body to digest and you get the maximum benefit, while others aren’t easily digested and you may get just half the amount available. In this case, pea protein is far more digestible than beans, rice or nuts, which may offer only provide a 50% usability rate compared to 95% of pea protein.

Protein can cause inflammation.

Inflammation is necessary to protect the body, but chronic inflammation is bad. It can cause serious conditions and prevent proper absorption of nutrients, slower metabolism, heart problems and achy joints to name a few problems. Wheat protein known as gluten and milk protein like casein are highly inflammatory compared to other types of protein.

What’s the best protein, plant or animal?

There are reasons animal protein is excellent and also ones that make plant protein superior. A plant based protein diet may help lower blood pressure, reduce body weight, reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease and cancer. However, it all depends on the type of protein consumed and how it’s cooked. Plant based protein may help prevent type 2 diabetes, too. However, a diet rich in fatty fish may also help prevent heart disease and mental decline. Animal protein can also increase lean muscle mass and prevent muscle loss from aging. Eating both types of protein can be beneficial.

Choose both animal and plant protein that has low levels of toxins. That means choosing organic vegetable sources and animal protein sources. Grass fed and free-range animal protein options also offer even more advantages.
When you choose your protein sources, look for other benefits, like the nutrient density. It should have healthy fat, vitamins and mineral.
High quality protein doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can use canned tuna and wild caught canned salmon, free-range eggs or make it a meatless night with beans and rice, quinoa or buckwheat.
Organ meat from grass fed, organic animals is less expensive but contains tons of nutrients. Beef and chicken liver and hearts are high quality nutritious protein sources that don’t cost a fortune.

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

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What Muscles Do Mountain Climbers Work?

Published by superadmin on May 15, 2022 | Leave a response

When only the best fitness results will do, we provide that at Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY. We focus on each individual’s needs, whether it’s nutrition needs, overall fitness and weight loss. We make sure each person achieves all types of fitness, which includes strength, endurance, flexibility and balance. Some exercises work a number of muscles at once, which makes them more efficient. Mountain climbers is an example of that type of exercise. While it’s done on the ground, it’s just as grueling as climbing Mount Everest when first start starting.

Mountain climbers use body weight for resistance.

Mountain climbers mimic the efforts of real mountain climbers. They build upper body strength, which includes the arms, chest, shoulders and core muscles. They also work the quads, hamstrings, hips, glutes and abdominals. Some say it’s like doing a moving plank. They build strength, improve balance and flexibility and increase endurance. They’re an all around type of exercise, which can benefit anyone.

It’s just like climbing a mountain, but can be done anywhere.

No matter what the exercise, proper form is key. Start a mountain climber in plank position with knees and feet at hip-width. Place hands on the mat with fingers forward and knees off the ground. Keep the abs tight and in place, while bringing the right thigh to the chest, pushing knees toward the elbows. Put the leg back into starting position, then bring the other leg forward in similar fashion.

There are many variations.

Some variations start in plank position but bring the knee up differently or modify the speed. The cross-mountain body climber starts in plank, then brings the knee to the opposite shoulder, while the slow motion mountain climber pauses mid exercise and holds the thigh to the chest for two seconds before alternating legs. Do mountain climbers on an incline by putting the hands on a bench or step or do a decline with the feet elevated. Combine the mountain climber with a burpee and push-up for a really tough workout.

Mountain climbers may help with ankle or knee pain. If painful joints from high impact exercises, like jogging, is a problem, it’s time to make a change to mountain climbers. They’re low impact and work the joints without the excess pressure and pounding.
One of the big benefits of doing mountain climbers is that they can be done anywhere that offers room to stretch the body on the floor. They’re a great addition to the TV workout that is done during commercials.
Mountain climbers improve the VO2 Max levels. They not only boost endurance and stamina, but they also improve the amount of oxygen available when working out.
For people having a difficult time maintaining balance, mountain climbers can bring improvement. They require balancing on one leg as the other is brought toward the chest. It also builds the stabilizing muscles.

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

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Best Foods To Eat In The Morning

Published by superadmin on May 5, 2022 | Leave a response

No matter how much you love to start your day off with a donut, it isn’t on the list of foods to eat in the morning. It should supply not only energy that keeps you going until your next meal, but also adequate nutrition, since it is about a third of your daily calorie intake. Sugar food gives you a burst of energy that depletes just as quickly, leaving you tired and hungry by mid-morning.

Keep your morning simple.

Besides overnight oats, there are other options that can be just as fast. Hard boiled eggs prepared ahead with a side of grapefruit can be delicious and filling. You can segment the night before to make it easier to eat. Healthy zucchini, banana or pumpkin bread with nuts or plain with a tablespoon of nut butter provides nutrients, while keeping blood sugar levels stable.

Make breakfast sandwiches on the weekend for the whole week.

If you have more time on the weekend, it’s the perfect time to plan and cook ahead. You can make a week’s worth of breakfast sandwiches, wrap them in foil and put them in freezer bags for the rest of the week. Remove the foil and microwave for 60-90 seconds when you’re ready to eat them. Healthy fixings can include sour dough muffins, whole grain or sprouted buns or bread. Make the inside vegetable rich with broccoli, mushrooms, chopped spinach, onion and/or red pepper first sautéed. Mix 6-8 eggs then add them to the sautéed veggies in a 9X13 pan and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes. Cut into squares, put on the bun and wrap or top with turkey, chicken or cheese then wrap and freeze.

Have a leisurely breakfast.

Eating breakfast with the family is often a luxury saved for the weekend in many households. It can also be a time to help kids learn what a healthy breakfast is, plus help you lose weight. Make omelets with veggies or a breakfast scramble by sautéing veggies and meat then adding eggs and scramble as it cooks. You can add meat, but stick with turkey or chicken to keep it healthier and calorie count lower. Experiment a bit. Try adding kale, spinach or even carrots. In fact, if you stock your refrigerator with ready to eat healthy veggies, it’s the time to use them before they go bad.

What could be faster than a smoothie? A smoothie where all the ingredients are cut and ready to blend, that’s what. In warm weather, nothing is more refreshing than adding frozen fruit to Greek yogurt and other fruits and veggies for a thick, ice cream-like experience.
Another quick make-ahead idea involves putting veggies cut in tiny pieces if raw or sautéed mixed with whisked eggs into muffin cups and baked. They can be heated when and served later.
Make your breakfast sandwiches even more nutritious. After you heat them, open them and spread on mashed avocado, add tomatoes and greens. The healthy fat in avocado will keep you feeling full longer.
If your morning is rushed, try overnight oats with fruit and ground flax seed or nuts. You can eat it cold or microwave it.

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

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The Pros And Cons Of Restrictive Diets

Published by superadmin on April 25, 2022 | Leave a response

Special diets are all restrictive diets in one way or another, even if it’s a healthy diet. If you’re suffering from a food allergy, you have to go on a restrictive diet that eliminates that type of food. However, most people think of super low calorie or low carbohydrate diets when they hear the term restrictive. There are pros and cons for both those types of diets and diets like paleo, raw food and vegan.

Let’s start by looking at extremely low calorie diets.

Low calorie diets have been around forever it seems. It takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose a pound, so by reducing caloric intake by 3500 less than you need, you’ll lose weight. There’s no definition of exactly what is eaten, just how many calories to eat. That liberal definition means you might eat five or six glazed donuts for 1200 calories per day, which is low calorie, but not healthy. A very low calorie diet restricts calorie intake to below 800 calories a day. While it’s good in the short term for the clinically or morbidly obese in the short term, it’s not sustainable over the long term. It’s not meant for pregnant or breastfeeding women and difficult to stick with.

Low carb or KETO diets look great at first.

When you first see the menu of a KETO diet, if you’re a bacon or meat lover you’ll be thrilled. How could you not be? Low carb diets involve eating less than 26% of your caloric intake from carbs. Normally, the amount advised is approximately 50%. One of the benefits of this type of restrictive diet is that it bans sugary foods and many highly processed foods made with grain, like pastry. However, there are drawbacks. It also limits many fruits and vegetables that are healthy and provide nutrients your body needs. It also can help blood sugar control if you’re diabetic. Changing to this type of diet can make you feel sick with headaches, diarrhea and exhaustion, sometimes called the “keto flu.” It also increases risk of cardio-vascular disease and fatty liver disease.

Paleo, raw food and vegan diets are also restrictive.

Paleo diets are based on what cavemen ate, before farming developed. It restricts milk products and milk, grain and grain products. The raw food diet involves eating food that’s never been cooked. The vegan diet doesn’t allow any animal product. There’s a lot of problems creating a well-balanced diet on all three, so it takes work and dedication. On the raw food diet, getting adequate protein is most difficult, since beans and legumes—a source of vegan protein—can only be sprouted and no animal products are allowed.

The raw food diet risk the potential of food-borne pathogens. It’s associated with low intake of vitamins and minerals, particularly B12, zinc, iron, vitamin D and calcium.
No matter what type of restrictive diet you choose, they all have two similar problems. They’re hard to stick with and normally end quickly. They also may cost more money to maintain than the average diet.
Restrictive diets limit you too much and create an unhealthy relationship with food. When you do break the diet and eat something not allowed, it often ends the diet and you regain the weight you lost.
We provide healthy diets plans with meals, recipes and shopping lists in one location. These diets can be continued for the rest of your life, since they’re based on healthy eating habits. You’ll learn to eat healthier while you’re losing weight.

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

Posted in Fitness & Wellness