Failure to plan is planning to fail. Healthy eating and weight loss are both more than just simply knowing what to do – they require due diligence in menu planning, shopping for ingredients and time for meal preparation. The failure to plan can lead to grabbing whatever is easiest at the end of a busy day or hitting the drive thru on your lunch break. Factor in a family of picky eaters and you’ll find yourself in a nutrition rut that can be hard to climb out of – along with unwanted pounds.

If any of the above hits home for you, Gin has a great solution – one she’s personally tried – which will have you losing weight before the holidays and give you plenty of energy throughout!

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BistroMD Puts Experts In Your Kitchen 

It’s more than calories. It’s deeper than food. When you choose BistroMD, you put weight loss experts in your kitchen. Unlike other diet plans, BistroMDis not just convenient, low-calorie food. Each meal and each day is designed with the proper combination of nutrients. From the amount of lean, adequate protein in our entrées and snacks to the proper balance of carbohydrates, fat and fiber; each ingredient is selected to provide the proper nutrition needed to promote healthy weight loss.

Lasagna Rollatine

If you’ve developed insulin resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome, as more than 80 percent of overweight people have, there’s a different process running your machine. BistroMD meals are specifically designed to get your body back on its normal metabolic program so you can lose weight effectively and finally get healthy again. 

Read More about BistroMD

1 (866) 401-3438 (DIET)
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photo credit: AMagill ~~

Study Confirms Relationship Between High Sodium and Low Potassium Intake on Heart Disease
Hockessin, Del. – A new study shows that a diet high in sodium and low in potassium doubles the risk of dying from a heart attack and is associated with a 50% increased risk of death from any cause.  The study recorded the diet of 12,000 U.S. adult men and women 20 years and older over a 14-year period.  A dietary imbalance of the two minerals posed the greatest risk than simply eating too much salt because potassium may neutralize the heart-damaging effects of salt.  The results strengthen past studies and research showing a relationship between sodium intake and mortality.

The research was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Emory University, and Harvard University, and published in the American Medical Association’s Journal Archives of Internal Medicine released on July 11, 2011.  

The researchers noted, “hypertension is the leading global risk factor for death, affecting almost 1 billion people,” and commented that “encouraging consumption of unprocessed, potassium-rich fruits and vegetables is the safest and preferred pathway to increasing potassium intake.” 

“We’ve known that hypertension has been linked with diets too high in sodium and too low in potassium, but to have this level of confidence about the role of the sodium/potassium ratio on increased risk of both cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality is significant,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) the nonprofit entity in partnership with CDC behind the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® national public health initiative. “Eating a plant-based diet consisting of a variety of fruits and vegetables is a healthful way to manage low levels of sodium and high levels of potassium, thereby helping to prevent cardiovascular disease and promote overall health.”

Fruits and vegetables are available year-round in fresh, frozen, dried, canned and 100% juice forms, are affordable, and easy to prepare.  A wide variety of information, tools, and resources on fruits and vegetables, including a nutrition database, recipes, and videos can be found on the consumer-friendly website, www.FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org.

For more information on the Sodium and Potassium Intake: Mortality Effects and Policy Implications study, read Volume 171 (No. 13) July 11, 2011 journal online at Archives of Internal Medicine, a bimonthly peer-reviewed medical journal published by AMA.

photo credit: jacreative  ~ This 9 minute clip explains how to adjust your blood ph with a properly balanced diet – why antacids are increasing in sales, why we have high calcium consumption but poor bone health, and why diet soda with ZERO calories can make you gain weight. 

About Wellness Works

Wellness Works was created by a talented team that has been changing lives for decades in the fields of Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Behavioral Science, and Education.

Team members hold advanced degrees in their field as well as certifications from:
- The American College of Sports Medicine
- The National Academy of Sports Medicine
- The American Council on Exercise
- The National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Wellness Works was originally developed as a tool for educating employees and is currently used by Fortune 500 companies to form the backbone for their corporate wellness programs.

  Due to popular demand, Wellness Works is being made available to the general public at the Wellness Works Learning Community—to learn more, click here:

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photo credit: IntangibleArts 

~ This is the time of year that people try to erase the sins of the past and many try to do so on the first day! One of my friends, who’d taken time off from working out and resolved to get back in shape, announced that she did 3 full workouts… on Monday!  Most were impressed, but I couldn’t help think otherwise, having seen people make this mistake time and again.

But I’ll be the first to admit, it’s hard not to do it.  When you know how you used to workout, it’s tempting to let your motivation carry you into exercise overkill in an effort to make up for lost time.  If the brain has the will, and the muscles have the memory, it’s easy to push yourself from 0 to 90 in nothing flat. 

It takes weeks to get in shape, but can take only 7 to 10 days to lose a significant amount of conditioning.  The good news is that the fitter you are, the faster you will get it back – as long as you don’t sit around for too long.  If returning after 2 weeks or into months of no exercise, you really should resist the temptation to over-do it on the workouts when you start back.

Those that know that strength training can help with weight loss should be cautious of doing too much too soon after an extended break.  A study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine reported nearly a 50% increase in injuries related to strength training over an 18 year period:

Injuries were most prevalent among males (82%) and among youths aged 13–24 years (47%) and were typically sustained while using free weights. Common diagnoses included sprains and strains and soft-tissue injuries; 65% of them resulted from a free weight dropping on a person. People aged 45 and older had the highest increase in injuries during the 18-year span. Those aged 55 and older typically sustained injuries from overexertion while using machines. Females also experienced an increase in injury rates.  (See Strength Training -Related Injuries on the Rise at www.ideafit.com )

It’s worth noting that the referenced study’s time period coincides with overall participation in strength training, particularly with females and in older populations.  Someone new to strength training should seek guidance to avoid injury, but those who have taken an extended break from training can also be at risk.

At the very least, be mindful that inactivity not only leads to decreased strength, it also leads to a lack of flexibility, making connective tissue particularly susceptible to injury.  In addition, secondary stabilizers and relatively weaker links will weaken further, so it may be a necessary to initially return to strength training with support and in isolation – preferably on machines.  

Inactivity, especially sitting, tends to overstretch and weaken certain muscle groups (upper back, rear shoulders), and other areas tend to shorten or tighten (front shoulders and chest, hip flexors and hamstrings) and this type of imbalance can lead to injury.   After a period of re-strengthening all primary muscles with isolation training and focus on regaining flexibility, especially in the over-tight areas, you can safely return to free weight training in multiple planes and work on the joint stabilizers.  To regain your core stability, isolated supine curls on a mat or ball for abs and low back can help strengthen what can be weak links prior to engaging in more advanced standing stability and integrated training.

Remember that atrophy is quick and easy, but hypertrophy takes time.  It can be hard for the person who used to be able to knock out full plank push-ups to go back to an isolated chest press, but to avoid a complete set-back with an injury, allow your body to, once again, gradually adapt and strengthen overtime.

photo credit: therichardlife

~Again and again, research has shown that women who maintain a regular, moderate strength training program benefit from a long list of health advantages. Some still fear that weight training might bulk them up in unfeminine ways; however, as women of all ages realize the benefits of resistance training, negative attitudes about women in the weight training room are rapidly fading, according to renowned strength training researcher William J. Kraemer, PhD, of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

Weight training expert and researcher Wayne Westcott, PhD, from the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, gives 10 important reasons why weight training for women needs to be taken seriously:

1. Weight Training Will Help You Lose More Fat Than You’ll Gain in Muscle.

Westcott and his colleagues have done numerous weight training studies involving thousands of women and have never had anyone complain about bulking up. In fact, Westcott’s research shows that the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for eight weeks gains 1.75 pounds of lean weight or muscle and loses 3.5 pounds of fat. Unlike men, women typically don’t gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause bulking up, explains Kraemer.

2. Weight Training Will Help Your New Muscle Fight Obesity.

As you add muscle from strength training, your resting metabolism will increase, so you’ll burn more calories all day long, notes Westcott. For each pound of muscle you gain, you’ll burn 35 to 50 more calories daily. So, for example, if you gain three pounds of muscle and burn 40 extra calories for each pound, you’ll burn 120 more calories per day, or approximately 3,600 more calories per month. That equates to a loss of 10 to 12 pounds in one year!

3. Weight Training Will Make You Stronger.

Westcott’s studies indicate that a moderate weight training program increases a woman’s strength by 30 to 50 percent. Extra strength will make it easier to accomplish some daily activities, such as lifting children or groceries. Kraemer notes that most strength differences between men and women can be explained by differences in body size and fat mass; pound for pound, women can develop their strength at the same rate as men.

4. Your Bones Will Benefit From Weight Training.

By the time you leave high school, you have established all the bone mineral density you’ll ever have–unless you strength train, says Westcott. Research has found that weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density by 13 percent in six months. So strength training is a powerful tool against osteoporosis.

5. Weight Training Will Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes.

Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months.

6. Weight Training Will Fight Heart Disease.

Strength training will improve your cholesterol profile and blood pressure, according to recent research. Of course, your exercise program should also include cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training.

7. Weight Training Will Beat Back Pain and Fight Arthritis.

A recent 12-year study showed that strengthening the low-back muscles had an 80 percent success rate in eliminating or alleviating low-back pain. Other studies have indicated that weight training for women can ease arthritis pain and strengthen joints.

8. Weight Training Will Help You Be a Better Athlete.

Westcott has found that strength training improves athletic ability. Golfers, for example, significantly increase their driving power. Whatever your sport of choice, strength training may not only improve your proficiency but also decrease your risk of injury.

9. Weight Training Will Work No Matter How Old You Are.

Westcott has successfully trained numerous women in their 70s and 80s, and studies show that strength improvements are possible at any age. Note, however, that a strength training professional should always supervise older participants.

10. Weight Training Will Strengthen Your Mental Health.

A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did, Westcott says. Women who strength train commonly report feeling more confident and capable as a result of their training program.

© 2011 by IDEA Health & Fitness Inc. All rights Reserved.  Reprinted with permission.  This article was originally published at www.ideafit.com and can be found here: http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/weight-training-for-women

photo credit: o5com ~

Although some old fitness fictions, such as “no pain, no gain” and “spot reducing” are fading fast, plenty of popular exercise misconceptions still exist. Here are some of the most common exercise myths as well as the not-so-common facts based on current exercise research.

Exercise Myth 1.

You Will Burn More Fat If You Exercise Longer at a Lower Intensity.

 The most important focus in exercise and fat weight control is not the percentage of exercise energy coming from fat but the total energy cost, or how many calories are burned during the activity. The faster you walk, step or run, for example, the more calories you use per minute. However, high-intensity exercise is difficult to sustain if you are just beginning or returning to exercise, so you may not exercise very long at this level. It is safer, and more practical, to start out at a lower intensity and work your way up gradually.

Exercise Myth 2.

If You’re Not Going to Work Out Hard and Often, Exercise Is a Waste of Time.

This kind of thinking keeps a lot of people from maintaining or even starting an exercise program. Research continues to show that any exercise is better than none. For example, regular walking or gardening for as little as an hour a week has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Exercise Myth 3.

Yoga Is a Completely Gentle and Safe Exercise.

Yoga is an excellent form of exercise, but some styles are quite rigorous and demanding both physically and mentally. As with any form of exercise, qualified, careful instruction is necessary for a safe, effective workout.

Exercise Myth 4.

If You Exercise Long and Hard Enough, You Will Always Get the Results You Want.

In reality, genetics plays an important role in how people respond to exercise. Studies have shown a wide variation in how different exercisers respond to the same training program. Your development of strength, speed and endurance may be very different from that of other people you know.

Exercise Myth 5.

Exercise Is One Sure Way to Lose All the Weight You Desire.

As with all responses to exercise, weight gain or loss is impacted by many factors, including dietary intake and genetics. All individuals will not lose the same amount of weight on the same exercise program. It is possible to be active and overweight. However, although exercise alone cannot guarantee your ideal weight, regular physical activity is one of the most important factors for successful long-term weight management.

Exercise Myth 6.

If You Want to Lose Weight, Stay Away From Strength Training Because You Will Bulk Up.

 Most exercise experts believe that cardiovascular exercise and strength training are both valuable for maintaining a healthy weight. Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and decrease body fat percentage.

Exercise Myth 7.

Water Fitness Programs Are Primarily for Older People or Exercisers With Injuries.

Recent research has shown that water fitness programs can be highly challenging and effective for both improving fitness and losing weight. Even top athletes integrate water fitness workouts into their training programs.

Exercise Myth 8.

The Health and Fitness Benefits of Mind-Body Exercise Like Tai Chi and Yoga Are Questionable.

In fact, research showing the benefits of these exercises continues to grow. Tai chi, for example, has been shown to help treat low-back pain and fibromyalgia. Improved flexibility, balance, coordination, posture, strength and stress management are just some of the potential results of mind-body exercise.

Exercise Myth 9.

Overweight People Are Unlikely to Benefit Much From Exercise.

Studies show that obese people who participate in regular exercise programs have a lower risk of all-cause mortality than sedentary individuals, regardless of weight. Both men and women of all sizes and fitness levels can improve their health with modest increases in activity.

Exercise Myth 10.

Home Workouts Are Fine, But Going to a Gym Is the Best Way to Get Fit.

Research has shown that some people find it easier to stick to a home-based fitness program. In spite of all the hype on trendy exercise programs and facilities, the “best” program for you is the one you will participate in consistently.

This article was originally published at www.ideafit.com and can be found here: http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/10-exercise-myths

Kettlebells – These kettlebells feature a large rounded grip and is available in 5lbs, 10lbs & 15lbs.  Comes with Gin’s Kettlebell workout as the inbox dvd.

Medicine Balls – These soft medicine balls feature a texture that provides excellent grip when you do the Gin’s Power Abs workout, which you get as an inbox dvd!  Available in 6lbs, 8lbs & 10lbs

Soft Walking Handweights - These cushy-comfy soft handweights are 2lbs each. 

Weighted Walking Vest - Walking is the #1 fitness activity!  Increase your workout intensity and burn more calories in less time – vest weighs 4lbs and you can add 4 more to it for a total of 8lbs!  This weighted walking vest has a strap that clips to adjust size and keep vest secure while exercising. It’s fashionable, comfortable and one size fits most women.

Pilates Portable Studio -  This padded Pilates Portable Bar features 30″ Straps with foot loops on each end.  The bar comes with an inbox DVD workout featuring Gin.

Scented Stress Balls -  These scented stress balls can be used to squeeze and relieve stress as well as help improve coordination, help prevent arthritis, help stimulate blood circulation, help during physical therapy, assist with meditation and help in the prevention or treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Available in 4 colors and aromas: Red- Rose, Purple-Lavender, Blue-Lilac, Green- Eucalyptus

Deluxe Fitness Mat with Carry Strap  - This deluxe fitness mat provides you with a well cushioned non-slip supportive surface and comes with a handy carrying strap so you can roll and go!
Available in Teal or Purple

Gin was featured in a segment done by Lori Corbin of ABC7 in Los Angeles:

If you look back at exercise trends you’ll think of things like high-impact aerobics, step classes, spinning, and mind-body workouts like yoga and Pilates. So what’s next in the world of fitness?

Read Full Text Article

Get Checked Out Under the Hood

The first step is to see your doctor before starting any new physical activity. If you are over 40, or been sedentary a long time, it’s best to face reality and get cleared by a physician. A standard check-up can unveil potential risks related to sudden engagement in physical activity and knowing you are good to go will prevent health concerns from impeding your progress.

Define Your Fitness Goals

Put your goals in writing, be specific and be realistic. “Lose weight” is the most common goal in starting an exercise program and it’s hard to stay motivated when it doesn’t happen right away. Keep in mind that if it took you a year to pack on extra pounds, it may very well take that long to lose them. Since it’s hard to maintain resolve with such a long term goal, break your plan up with realistic short term attainable objectives.

Establish Self Rewards

To keep yourself motivated, your plan should include rewards for achieving established benchmarks. Best is to work in rewards that further inspire you to achieve your overall goal: a new pair of shoes or exercise outfit, new equipment or workout DVD, or a gym membership.

Start Easy & Start Slow

It’s not wise to suddenly try to go from couch surfer to marathon runner. Walking is generally the best place to start – it’s something you already know how to do and no equipment is required other than a decent pair of shoes. Avoid the temptation to make up for “lost time” – gradual increase in time and intensity is the way to go with all forms of exercise.

Enlist Support

An exercise program is often best adhered to when you have someone else joining in your endeavor. Chances are you have a friend or relative that would also benefit from an evening buddy walk. If you need to go it alone, tell your support system of family and friends about your intentions and ask for their psychological support.

Be Prepared for Roadblocks

Roadblocks can come either from within, or from other external sources. Dismiss the internal excuses that come to mind which can impede your progress. Overcome external obstacles by devising alternative plans. If cold and rain threaten to wash out your daily walk, plan B might be to stop by a local fitness center to investigate, or go walk the mall and browse for future rewards along the way.

Accept Derailments and Get Back on Track

If you miss a few days, a week or even longer due to unforeseen derailments, don’t beat yourself up about it. Get back on track and keep moving forward. While you can lose a fairly significant percentage of conditioning in as little as 10 days, if you get right back to it within 2 weeks, you can regain your previous level of conditioning in a shorter amount of time.

Adjust your written goals and objectives and dismiss negative thoughts – it happens, it’s not failure, it’s real life.

Seek Professional Help

If you have no idea about how to proceed with any of the above, or if you find yourself falling short of established objectives, you should consider enlisting professional help.

Success in anything requires learning. If you are not self motivated to educate yourself with reading and research, or if you find yourself bored, in a rut, or just in need of inspiration, hire a trainer to be your guide.