Treat Your Body to a Healthy Diet, Always

Quit eating junk food and high-fat fast food. Your heart, brain, and overall health are harmed by foods high in saturated fats, salt, and cholesterol. There's no getting around it. You've got to replace them with healthy foods: lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, olive oil -- what we call the Mediterranean diet.

The Healthy Eating Plate

The Healthy Eating Plate is made up of one-half vegetables and fruits, one-quarter whole grains, and one-quarter healthy protein. "Whole" and "healthy" are important words here. Refined grains (think white breads, pastas, and rice) have less fiber and fewer nutrients than whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread and brown rice. Healthy proteins include fish, poultry, beans, and nuts — but not red meats or processed meats.

Shop Smart

Read labels and shop healthfully- look for carbohydrates that have 3 grams of fiber or more, proteins with less than 10% of total calories from saturated fat, and sodium should contain less than 300-500mg per serving for main courses (frozen foods, soups) and less than 200 mg for snacks and sides.

Unhealthy Carbs

Bad carbohydrates also known as simple or unhealthy carbs are foods such as white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Bad carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and short-lived energy. For long-lasting energy and stable insulin levels, choose “ good” or complex carbs such as whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

Fish

Choose fish, poultry, beans, and nuts; limit red meat; avoid bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats.

Bone-Building Foods

Calcium builds healthy bones and teeth and ensures your muscles, cells, and nerves work properly. Adults need about 1,000 milligrams a day—that's a little more than three 8-ounce glasses of milk—but what if you're vegan, lactose intolerant, or just don't like the taste of dairy products? Here's a little-known fact: there are lots of non-dairy foods with calcium. Here's how to add them to your diet.

Food Shopping Tip

Look for foods that list 0g Trans Fat. Since a food can list 0g Trans Fat even if the amount of Trans Fat is 0.49g or less, you need to check the Ingredient Statement for ‘partially hydrogenated oils.’ This term signals that there are Trans Fats in the food. Choose foods with 0g Trans Fats and no partially hydrogenated oils.

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food.

Learn to be happy with the body you have while pursuing the body you want with everything you have.

Health Tip

When you have dinner plans, don't starve yourself beforehand. Rather, eat a small, lower-calorie meal or snack including fruit or a bagel so you aren't tempted to overdo your calorie intake for the day.

Push Past Your Comfort Zone!

If you never fail, then you’re not training hard enough. Push yourself beyond your comfort zone!

Lean Meats

When ordering at a sandwich shop or deli counter, choose lean beef, ham, turkey or chicken on whole grain bread or wrap. Ask for mustard, ketchup, salsa or lowfat spreads. Remember to add the veggies and eat only half, save the other half for the next day.

Health Tip: Staying Hydrated

According to the American College of Sports Medicine it is necessary to stay hydrated before, during, and after exercise. Before exercise (10-15 min) drink 8-10 fl oz. Follow this same protocol during exercise consuming 8-10 oz every 10-15 minutes. After exercise drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost. You should weigh yourself before and after exercise to know how much fluid loss needs to be replaced.

Try a new form of consuming calcium besides milk, such as: rice milk, almond milk, oats milk, or soy milk.

“If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus; and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” Push yourself this year in the fitness center!

Try to visit your farmers markets frequently as they have fresh locally grown produce and you also support your farmers.

Old thinking: Eggs will raise your cholesterol and your chances of developing heart disease. Eggs are loaded with antioxidants, protein and nutrients vital to good health. If you have high cholesterol, especially LDL (bad cholesterol), its beneficial to keep egg consumption to no more than 3 a week.

Protein loaded diets are more of a “caveman” diet, which affect your digestive system as you are consuming minimal amounts of fiber. Add fiber by including whole grains, fruits and veggies.

Good low‐cost food items available all year include: Protein — beans (garbanzo, black, cannellini); Vegetables — carrots, greens, potatoes; Fruit — apples, bananas

Medicine Ball Squat

Our The Medicine Ball Squat with Front Raise is a multi joint exercise that has both and upper and lower body component. Adding a Bosu Ball (pictured) or other unstable surface will incorporate balance. Have question or need assistance with this exercise please speak with one of our personal trainers. is very popular, try it!