Archive for the ‘Nutrition’ Category

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The Industry of Personal Training Has So Far To Go at Highland Park personal trainer!

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Of course we all get sick sometimes and while making good food and health choices increases your immunity, sometimes you just have to go to the doctors office.  I want to share with you an experience I had going to the NorthShore University Health System’s Highland Park Hospital.

First, let me say that I really trust my doctor and appreciate the professionalism and care that I receive there, but I just can’t stop being a Highland Park personal trainer even when I’m sick and trying to be a patient!  Fortunately, I didn’t have anything more than the flu but I was sitting in the waiting room with my GH School for Healthy Living work shirt and one of the nurses asked me if I worked at a wellness center or if I was a Highland Park personal trainer?  I said yes I was a personal trainer thinking that maybe she wanted some advice about training or fitness as she was working as a nurse and probably had 50 lbs of weight to lose.  I thought for sure she was focused on the health benefits of losing weight, how it would lower her risk factors, increase her energy and improve her life.  She’s got a background in health, she obviously cares about her patients like I care about my clients, so I was so eager to help!

But after I said, yes I am a Highland Park personal trainer and started telling her how much I enjoyed helping clients, she stopped the conversation and looked away.  I asked her if I had said something wrong, and shared with me her own experiences with another personal trainer in Highland Park and why she thought the industry of personal training was full of quacks and idiots (her words not mine).  Long story short, she went to a gym, they sold her a “personal trainer” who had gotten 3 months of training and a certificate and she trusted that person enough to take the HUGE step to try.  After two sessions, that person pushed her so hard that she was exhausted, depressed, and they pushed her so hard she actually injured her back.  When she called to tell her trainer that she couldn’t come because of the injury, he shouted at her that she was giving up and he would never give up and she should try to be as tough as he was!  I couldn’t help myself but spend the next 30 minutes apologizing for the poor treatment she received and explaining that a personal training certificate is not enough – but someone has to have a passion for what they do and a love of helping others.  I tried, but I don’t think it made any sense to her.  After all, a nurse gets professionally training and then they are ready to work and patients can trust they are prepared.  Unfortunately, in personal training, a certification is not enough.  That was a day that I was embarrassed for my industry, and even more committed to raising the bar for what it means to be a Highland Park personal trainer and everywhere!

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Posted in Nutrition, Personal Trainer | 1 Comment »

Wilmette Personal Trainer Says Train Hard for Body and Health Betterment

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Wilmette personal trainers know that men and women should be serious about their fitness and their health. This is why these trainers are here to aid state of Illinois health enthusiasts. They aim to provide the best quality of personal and customized fitness services for the residents here. Every trainer is highly skilled and is a professional that is willing to share their knowledge and time with their clients.

A Wilmette personal trainer varies from being a fitness trainer to a massage therapist. There are also some that are yoga instructors for yoga aficionados. No matter what their specialty is, they understand that there is a need to personalize the exercises so that every activity is suitable for the trainee perfectly. Each service is created to meet the needs of the clients.

Every Wilmette personal trainer works in a private gym or center where their customers can experience a pleasant and friendly place to exercise. Whether you would like to decrease the size of your waist or to hone your muscle and improve strength, the private gyms can help you achieve that.

The best thing about a good Wilmette personal trainer is that he or she can provide you with a diverse routine session to keep your fit work enjoyable. It does not matter if you are a seasoned athlete or a young professional who just started to be health conscious, your Wilmette personal trainer can guide you at your current fitness level. Eventually, you will be able to augment your functionality as well as your endurance and your strength.

Your Wilmette personal trainer can help you also in different areas such as in increasing your energy, boost your sense of awareness, agility, balancing and also in acquiring a better posture.

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Posted in Fitness, Nutrition | 1 Comment »

Your Workout And Your Food!

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Many of my clients ask me about what foods to eat and what foods to avoid.  Making good nutritional choices is not limited to which foods to choose or avoid.  The timing of your nutrition, especially with regards to your workout, is also important.  This week at GH we are going to focus on the surface tissue of the muscle, or building size and strength.  This week’s system is designed to stimulate these muscular responses.  Your recovery helps to ensure the quality of that response is high.  Muscle tissue depends on protein to rebuild and repair itself after strength training.  Strength training causes micro tears in the muscle tissue.  Protein supplies the essential amino acids necessary to repair that micro trauma.  The higher quality the protein source, the wider range of essential amino acids available to rebuild tissue.  Eating a post-workout snack with a ration of 80% protein to 20 % carbohydrate within 30 minutes takes advantage of the body’s high rate of absorption and ensures the muscle tissue has the material it needs to recover.  Carbohydrates are the body’s main energy source.  Carbs are converted to glycogen, which is fuel for the muscle tissue to move.  To ensure you have the necessary glycogen stores, eat a snack of 80% carbohydrate to 20% protein one hour before your workout.  Just like protein, all carbs are not created equal.  Choose minimally processed, whole-grain sources of carbohydrates, like whole grain breads or fibrous grains.  Ask your trainer about the food choices best for you and take full advantage of this week’s system at GH.

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Food is Not the Enemy.

Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Many people who have tried to lose weight unsuccessfully have a love/hate relationship with food.  We all need food, but making the right choices and finding the right nutritional balance can be difficult.
So much information influences our nutritional decisions.  Many of us learned about the food pyramid when we were young, but heard about the Atkins diet as adults.  What does a serving of pasta look like?  Is all seafood healthy, or just certain kinds?  How many servings of vegetables per day do I really need?  Questions like these, along with the challenges presented by the range of choices at the typical grocery store make many people feel overwhelmed.
Luckily, there are some ways to sort through the confusion.  Learning about portion control is important.  Web MD has a great online tool that shows you standard serving sizes of many different foods.  You can find it at http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-portion-size-plate.  You may be surprised at how restaurant potions compare with actual serving sizes.

Keeping a food journal is another way to learn more about your diet.  Writing down your intake can make you think twice about having that second helping or taking just one handful of potato chips.  It can also provide a record of all the healthy choices you make. Websites like The Daily Plate offer a free food journal that can make keeping a food diary easy and convenient.

Saying no to fad diets and focusing on healthy, sustainable, habit-forming choices is another way to improve your relationship with food.  Fad diets usually claim quick or rapid results through minimal effort, cut out entire food groups, or involve using supplements or products.  What they don’t advertise is their likelihood of damaging your metabolism, feelings of exhaustion, or unsuitability for long-term success.

The grocery store provides a huge range of food choices for us to consume.  Many of these choices are edible food-like products, rather than actual food.  Real food is usually found in the outer aisles of the store.  Fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, nuts, and seeds are not kept next to fruit roll-ups, cheese-puffs, tuna helper, or sodas.  If what you are buying lists more than seven ingredients, it is most likely a processed food product.

Food is a necessary part of life.  It is the fuel to move through our days with strength, purpose, energy, and joy.  Take the time to learn about your nutrition so that you can live your best life.

Chicago Personal Trainer will teach you how to balance your food. Enroll now at GH Fitness or call 773-527-4961

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Spring Forward!

Friday, March 5th, 2010

Often times we think we want to change and we really try. For a few weeks we’ll go all out! But then we get back to our old familiar routine whether it’s from catching up with old friends or enjoying our favorite pastimes, like a baseball game. Our new healthy lifestyle is one that takes a lot of maintenance, and gradual change. If it were easy we would have done it a long time ago. But it isn’t easy. Our environment very much dictates the way we live, what we eat, and how we feel. It is very important to surround ourselves with good supportive people and positive things, to remind ourselves the course we want our lives to take.  If the company we keep doesn’t support us in our change for a better life, should we really want to keep that company?

Don’t eat the piece of wedding cake just because you had a hard workout. Peer pressure is just in our teens, be sensible, do you want to spend your workout making up for the cake, or do you want to use the workout to push farther and burn the piece of cake that’s still there from last wedding season? Sharing that tid bit with your friends will really help the badgering. This spring, spring forward!

As we approach spring, this wonderful time of renewal and freshness we must also remember all the work we have put into our bodies and to our good health and build upon that and move forward. When the weather is nice, make sure to enjoy. Lace up your sneakers and enjoy a nice jog along the lakefront. Renew your love of Chicago and Lake Michigan and yourself! While you’re at the baseball game make sure you take in the fresh air not just the ballpark food. This spring go back to the simple things in life. Enjoy the great friends and times that we share!  Take in the beautiful parks on a picnic or a walk with a friend. I know I can’t wait for spring!

Don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers. You can also drop by in our GH Fitness Facilities :)

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Posted in energy, Fitness, Goal Setting, Motivation, Nutrition | 5 Comments »

Pregnancy and Nutrition

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Starting off your pregnancy in the healthiest you!

Nutrition is very important when it comes to a healthy pregnancy. Here at GH Personal Trainer we help women reach the healthiest possible state of mind and body as they plan for baby! We work with you to establish healthy food and exercise habits. We also work with you through pregnancy and post to help you quickly lose the “baby fat.”

It is vital to know the critical growth times of the baby and what nutrients you need to increase during those times. Talking to a nutritionist is very beneficial for the most effective plan, but there are other ways to check your nutrient intake.

Check your food labels! Or log your food journal into a website like www.babyfit.com this site is much like the dailyplate but is run by www.sparkpeople.com. Babyfit allows you to log your food intake and then evaluates your needs, it tells you where you need to eat more or less, and making sure the baby is getting the right nutrients in the right places. It will even generate a grocery shopping list!

Here are some very important increases that need to be included in your diet:

  • Protein intake needs to be between 75 to 100 grams per day. This affects the growth of the fetal tissue, your breast and uterine tissue and helps to increase your blood supply.
  • Calcium requirement is around 1000 milligrams. Helping regulate fluids and build baby’s bones and tooth buds.
  • Iron is needed to help increase your blood volume and prevent anemia. 27 milligrams is an ideal intake.
  • Folic acid prevents spina bifida and 600-800 micrograms is needed daily to prevent that and other neural tube defects.
  • Vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables promote metabolism, tooth and bone development and recovery. A minimum of 85 milligrams are needed per day.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor for the right prenatal vitamin! Even if you are eating right and varying your food choices it is very important to take the vitamin to ensure everything is absorbed. Remember the baby needs you to gain healthy weight!

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Facts on Fat!

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Trans fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat… we’ve all heard about them, but what do they mean and how can we avoid them,  and do we need to?

The four types have different chemical structures and physical properties.  The bad fats, saturated and trans fats, tend to be more solid at room temperature (like a stick of butter), while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats tend to be more liquid (like liquid vegetable oil).

Fats can also have different effects on the cholesterol levels in your body.  The bad fats, saturated fats and trans fats raise bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in your blood.  Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can lower bad cholesterol levels and are beneficial when consumed in moderation.

Because fats are so energy-dense, consuming high levels of fat – regardless of the type – can lead to taking in too many calories.  That can lead to weight gain or being overweight.  Consuming high levels of saturated or trans fats can also lead to heart disease and stroke.  Health experts generally recommend replacing saturated fats and trans fats with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats – while still limiting the total amount of fat you consume.

Be watchful of foods labeled “0 trans fat” or cooked with “trans fat-free” oils may contain a lot of saturated fats, which raise your bad cholesterol levels.  “Trans fat-free” foods may also be unhealthy in terms of their general nutrient content.  For example, baked goods tend to be high in added sugars and low in nutrients.

Eating foods with a moderate amount of fat is definitely part of a healthy diet.  Just remember to balance the amount of calories you eat with the amount of calories you burn.  Aim to eat more vegetables, fruits, whole-grain/high-fiber foods, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, and fish (at least twice a week).  Doing so means that your diet will be low in both saturated fats and trans fats. Get healthy fats, from foods like avocados and almonds. The best way to avoid bad fats, stay away from fried foods and processed foods. Stick to CLEAN FOODS!

By avoiding these unhealthy fats, you will have more energy! All it takes is a little planning, and attention paid to what you are putting in your body. Look at the preparation of your foods and if they are higher in fat make sure to have a smaller portion of them!

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Simple ways to find the right size!

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

If you are truly determined to change your eating habits it is highly recommended to prepare all meals yourself. Cutting back on eating out is the best way for you to lose weight. Making your own portion sizes and preparing your own meals make a dramatic difference to your health.  

Some people have a difficult time determining portion sizes. If you do enjoy visiting a restaurant or attend a lot of business dinners, keep it in moderation and choose the best options. Outrageous portion sizes served at restaurants are to blame for the misconception. People want to feel as if they are getting their moneys worth, there is no question where this confusion is coming from.

Our portion sizes have nearly doubled in size and physical activity is on a scary decline. There is no reason a 16 oz steak should be on a menu, but that’s not all it comes with. People like their steak, potatoes, and a vegetable.  Preparation is also important! You may have your grilled steak but what’s on it? Steak rub filled with sodium and butter? Or a nice chimichurri made with all organic vegetables? Hopefully you choose the latter.

What did you choose as a side? People think they are making a better decision choosing the baked potato over the mashed, which if cooked at home may be the better decision, the best option, the sweet potato or brown rice with limited or no topping this will provide the most nutrients and be the most satisfying. And the vegetable? Make mine the steamed vegetables. Not the stir fry, sautéed or creamed.  If you choose the chimichurri you may not even need a vegetable.

Now let’s go back to the steak, did you know that correct portion is just the size of a deck of cards or the size of your palm? I also am willing to bet that your steak is not lean cut. And that potato, should be the size of your computer mouse. Those vegetables should be the size of your fist. Here is a list from WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic, they have made portion sizing as easy as looking at your hand.

  • Vegetables or fruit is about the size of your fist.
  • Pasta is about the size of one scoop of ice cream.
  • Meat, fish, or poultry is the size of a deck of cards or the size of your palm (minus the fingers).
  • Snacks such as pretzels and chips is about the size of a cupped handful.
  • Apple is the size of a baseball.
  • Potato is the size of a computer mouse.
  • Bagel is the size of a hockey puck.
  • Pancake is the size of a compact disc.
  • Steamed rice is the size of a cupcake wrapper.
  • Cheese is the size of a pair of dice or the size of your whole thumb (from the tip to the base).

To get in the habit of correct portion sizes, pull out the measuring cups. Just for one week, measure everything. Pour it into the bowl as you would normally then measure. See how far off you are from the serving size listed on the package. Now consume the correct amount.  Doing this will not only make you aware of serving sizes but how much you are overeating and will make it easier to make smarter decisions later.  Changing your eating habits can be easy by making those small choices and taking the time for one week to measure out the correct portion, later you will be able to “eyeball” the correct amount.

Look at this as a challenge. Good luck on your journey! Happy eating!

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Posted in Goal Setting, Nutrition | 1 Comment »

A New Year, a New You, a New Way

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Reflecting over the past year of diet fads and thinking about the New Year’s resolution season here and almost past, I think that it would be nice to address some of these fads. Here at GH Personal Training we like to remind our clients to focus on something to improve that’s achievable. Talk to your personal trainer about what you have in mind. Your personal trainer will be able to find and develop a program for you to reach that goal. Now should be the time to start your resolution, all holiday stress should be out of the way, holiday bills almost paid, family back on schedule and holiday snacks out of the house!

Being a personal trainer in Chicago and only have swimsuit season for a few months we want to deter those seeking that sleek body this swim SEASON, but encourage those trying for the YEAR!  If you want to improve your body you should start by improving your health first, the body will follow, by making simple healthier decisions. You have a choice with each decision you make, life is about choices. Your personal trainer will to direct your attention the right way. If you chose to make a commitment this New Year’s to better your health, make sure you are making the little choices that will lead you to the goal. Let’s try a new way with the resolution this year.

Make sure you eat your healthy filling breakfast, oatmeal with fruit or egg whites with veggies, instead of grabbing that donut! You will reap the benefits of that choice all day! You will crave more nutrient dense food throughout the rest of the day; you wouldn’t want to ruin the progress you started out with. You’ll choose that apple and unsalted nuts you brought to work instead of the candy in the machine, and you’ll feel amazing after having that healthy snack instead of the crash from the high sugar content of the candy. As a personal trainer in Chicago, these winter weather months really try to entice you into more starchy carbs, and comfort foods, but instead stick with your nutrition plan and when the workout comes along you can focus on building muscle to do the work instead of working off those extra carbs to maintain your physique.

Some fads insist on all liquids or all grapefruit as a way to diet, this is great if you want to lose two pounds this week and gain 10 next week and starve and be irritable! A better decision is to increase water intake and increase the amount of meals and decrease the portion size. This not only helps you make healthier choices but boosts your metabolism. If you are regularly feeding your body in small nutrient dense meals, small salad packed with vegetables, your body will love that it is getting fed more often and will not store the food as it would if you skipped a meal. Skipping a meal is much more harmful than you can imagine.

Some people may eat a less healthy meal and then decide to compensate by skipping the next. Your body will create starvation hormones which will hold that meal, instead of taking the nutrients and letting it pass. By eating small healthy meals 5-6 times per day will help the body take what it needs and let the rest pass, not holding on to more than necessary. When making this decision to better your health and eating smaller healthier meals more often you will notice that your body will truly enjoy the good you are providing. And will start to shift, and this change will become easier and easier.

Exercise is a great compliment to changing your diet. By eating healthy and exercising your body’s metabolism will increase in great amounts. Building muscle will increase the amount of calories burned at rest and you will doubly benefit, fueling your body with great nutrients and healthy calories as opposed to empty calories, those you get with out any gain in nutrients.

This year you if you are thinking of changing something you should choose something with long term benefits and let it change your lifestyle. It may be an absolute shift in your life or just a small change. But remember that you have a choice each time you walk past the cookie jar. Put the bowl of grapes, or fruit bowl right next to it, it will be harder to reach for that cookie! This will make your personal trainer proud and shift their focus from your nutrition plan to increasing your muscle size.

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Posted in Fitness, Goal Setting, Nutrition, Sport, Strength Training | 1 Comment »

What’s the interest rate with your body?

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

Is putting an extra $20 into your savings every week going to make a big difference?  Just doing this small thing equates to an extra $1,040!

Changing little things everyday can add up to a large change over the course of the year… tiny tweaks made to your form make a huge difference. As a Personal Trainer, I always remind my clients that what may seem like minor changes to their form can make a huge difference over the course of the year! This could mean that you lose an extra few ten pounds, take off or put on and extra inch, or get that promotion at work just because of the extra edge!!!

Exercising efficiently can be done by isolating the muscle effectively. Turn off the muscles you are not trying to work. If you are let’s say on the bench press, you have to make sure you have your shoulders down and back to really decrease use of the shoulders and help focus on the pectorals. By making this somewhat small change to the exercise, you work your pectorals up to 40% more! When you use correct form, you only need to work that group once a week because you are working it almost 100%

Increasing the intensity of your cardio work each week, or getting outside of the comfort zone and pushing yourself could increase your confidence and self-esteem. Depending on your level, could it could also inspire you to take a 5k challenge head on!

One small nutritional change, changing from vegetable oil to canola or olive oil could mean lower cholesterol, or a few inches off your waist! Reducing your alcohol intake by one glass/pint per week, could also make a huge difference.

Think about your goals and things that you can change daily, WRITE THEM ALL DOWN, and post them on your fridge or mirror, or even inside your planner. Seeing these goals will remind you of why you do what you do every day and inspire you to think of more goals and stay on track.

Think of the small achievements as the $20, what do you think you save/lose/gain over the year?

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