Evolve: Fall 2010

Making your Minutes Count in the Gym via the "Super-Set"

The key to starting and not stopping a workout regimen is to part-take in one that is realistic and not ridiculous. This means that, although excited and fired up to begin working out and seeing results, the worst thing you can do to your psyche is to spend 5 hours in the gym working out only to wake up the next day sore as sore can be and feel like, "I need a week off". This not only ruins any motivation you once had, but can cause injury and burnout as well. Don't get me wrong, a moderate amount of soreness is to be expected when starting any workout plan. Recovery is required, but progression and a rational approach is necessary to prevent injury and allow working out to become an integrated benefit of each week.

Each workout I design for myself is handled like a small masterpiece. As Wooden would say, "Make each day your masterpiece", well we can apply this to our workouts too. Each workout has a beginning, middle, and end and most of all each movement has a purpose and benefit. In other words, time is valuable; it would be pointless to waste it when yielding no results.

When embarking on a workout routine it's important to develop consistency. Instead of shoving a 4-hour workout into one day of the week, the best results can be attained by spreading them out over 3-5 days for 1 hour sessions. The rule of thumb is work out 3-6 days per week, never seven and to leave no more than 48 hours of rest between sessions. This ensures you do not over train, but train frequently enough to enable adaptations - a.k.a. results.

Once those days and times are determined, it is important that upon arriving at the gym it is all business for the 1-hour block. 1-hour sessions are fantastic because you will be moving the entire time from one exercise to the next. Now, when attempting to complete a quick and intense workout, a great idea is to use "super-sets". This is a style of "ordering" your workout that entails alternating, with no rest between, two different exercises that each recruit a different muscle. This type of workout will ensure high-intensity and a quick pace. An example of a super-set is combining row and push-ups. The lats recover while performing the push-ups which focus on the triceps.

Next, lets start with the outline of a one-hour session. To start a workout, a warm-up is necessary. Contrary to what most people believe, a warm-up does not include a long-winded stretch. "Warm-up" means to break a sweat. I like to jump on a treadmill and build from a walk to a run for about 5 minutes. Then I will perform 5 minutes of active stretching (what is this?) and light plyometrics (high knees, lunge walks, butt-kickers, side shuffles, etc). 10-15 minutes into my workout... I am ready to go.

The middle part of the workout contains the meat of the activity. Depending on your goals, this can include cardiovascular and/or resistance training. For the next 30 minutes, choose 4-5 exercises to perform, which can be cardiovascular, body weight, freeweight, barbell, etc. The idea is to decide what body parts are going to be the focus for the workout. Then choose those exercise that fits. An example of this may be for a leg/core day, do back-squats/sit-ups and back extensions/sit-ups with rotation. Remember, if you have different goals, then the ratio of cardiovascular to resistance training will be modified. If you are able to come to the gym more frequently, resistance and cardio workouts can be split into two separate days.

Workout like the ones above care called metabolic conditioning because they keep the heart rate elevated for the duration of the workout, making them very intense and a great way to yield results. Remember, workouts like these are not meant to waste your time; choose exercises that translate to the most function in your everyday life, such as squats, deadlifts, and pull and push exercises. A friend of mine, Cheryl Licon says, "Fitness doesn't need to be a chore. What's most important is that you are challenging yourself on a daily basis and doing functional movements. I like to think of working out as playtime; it's an activity that you should have fun with and allows self-improvement mentally and physically. It keeps you from plateauing and sheer boredom. Just have fun, get sweaty, and grunt with some heavy loads."

Lastly, the end of my hour will wrap up with a cool-down stretch. I really attempt to focus on stretching the muscles I worked or that I struggle with during my workout because, again, I do not need to waste time or do anything unnecessary. For example, with the "super-set" we performed, above, I would stretch the chest, triceps, wrists and core.

Then, your home free! Developing this type of mentality towards your workouts will make them reasonable to incorporate into your busy schedule. A really helpful tip is to learn exercises that workout the major muscle groups so that you can pick and choose appropriate exercises to combine to design a whole body effective workout.

Recipe Box"Paleo- Fruit Fondu"Ingredients:
12 oz dark chocolate chips
0.5 T. butter
0.5 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (your choice)
2 pints strawberries or other fruit (apples, peaches, pears, oranges, raspberries)
Skewers
Directions:1. Place the chocolate chips and butter in a bowl and microwave until melted or melt over flame in a fondu pot.
2. After the chips have melted, add vanilla extract
3. Place nuts and coconut in different bowls.
4. Dip strawberries in chocolate and then dip in the coconut or in the nuts and enjoy!

Super-saving Market Finds

Poultry Seasoning
So I moved into my new apartment and I decided to get some spices for making some delicious food. Well, the problem with this venture was I needed to purchase 6 different spices costing 35 dollars just for chicken! So I dug through the spice-shelf some more and found something PERFECT. I came across this delicious spice mix that incorporates thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg called Poultry Seasoning by Mccormick. It makes it a cheap (~4 bucks/.65 oz) way to buy 6 spices in one small package. Even better, it does not contain added salt or sugar. It is very delicious on chicken, pork, and fish! SAVINGS $30!

Evolve: Juicy June/July

Fitness Fact: So you want to do a Burpee?
A burpee is a full body movement that works your chest, arms, core and legs. It combines a squat, push-up, and jump into one move. Basically, it the skill is many of functional movements all jammed into one move. Because this move encompasses so many muscle groups, it taxes the muscular system and cardiovascular system when performed. This combination yields an intense and efficient workout, when performing consecutive burpees. Burpees are awesome to improve coordination, power, endurance, and strength in the entire body.

There are 3 types of burpees: 4-count, 6-count, and 8-count

• 4 Count (Beginners): Stand, squat, shoot-out, stand or jump
• 6 Count (Intermediate): Stand, squat, shoot-out, push-up, squat, jump
• 8 Count (Advance): Stand, squat, shoot-out, push-up, squat, jump, lunge right, lunge left

How to incorporate these:
You can add burpees to pretty much any workout routine that you desire to keep the heart rate elevated. Some examples are:

1. Perform 5-10 reps between sets of a different exercise
2. Perform 5 before running a 100 meter dash
3. Perform them by themselves. I like the WOD (workout of the day) that includes 150 burpees as fast as possible... a REAL challenge

Here are two of the positions:

Squat: Bend all the way down to the grass



Shoot Out: When doing the burpee it is important the your body remain in neutral spine during this sequence, especially if incorporating the push up. Your core must be engaged in order to prevent a sway-back. Think of your body as a "board".



--> Food For Use
Bump Up Your Protein and Fat to Gain Nutrition and Satiation

1. Nuts: All kinds offer a good source of omega-6 and omega-3 oils. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and pine nuts are great choices.
2. Hardboiled eggs: Bump up the texture and protein content by slicing up a couple eggs in your salad. This addition offers a good source of fats and protein.
3. Avocado: Create a wonderful texture with this ingredient, while providing. Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit. Also, avocados offer 3 grams, pre-serving, of monounsaturated fats, which are very healthy.

Recipe Box: Lemony Garlicky Pan-Roasted Chicken-$2/per person
No matter what your budget is, this affordable and restaurant quality chicken dish is sure to make your taste buds run wild!

Ingredients:
1/2 Whole Rotisserie Chicken
1 slice bacon cooked, rendered (we need the fat only)
1 whole lemon, juiced
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 clove garlic clove
1 tsp. chicken gravy mix
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
1/4 chicken broth or 1/2 cup if not using wine
1 T. butter
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper

Directions:
1. Season the chicken with a rub of olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. All sides.
2. Heat a skillet covered in olive oil, until really hot. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
3. When skillet is hot, add chicken skin-side down, cook about 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 3 more minutes. Transfer skillet to oven. Cook for about 25 min. or until chicken is done.
4. Pull chicken out of the oven and transfer to a cutting board and let stand while you prepare the sauce. Remove all but one tablespoon oil from skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of rendered bacon fat. Under a medium flame, heat the oils and add wine (will steam) scrape pan with a wooden spoon. Cook about 1 minute. Add garlic. Cook for about 1 minute. Add chicken broth. Cook 1 minute. Turn heat off. Add butter, stir until melted. Add lemon juice.
5. Cut chicken into 4 pieces (wing, breast, thigh, leg). Serve the chicken with a spoonful of sauce on top. This dish goes fantastically with cauliflower "mash-potatoes". Refer to post for recipe:December 26, 2009.

The Learning Corner
What does "Paleo" mean?

The phrases "Paleo-diet" and "Paleo-lifestyle" get thrown around frequently and some of you might be wondering what these terms really mean. "Paleo" makes reference to our Paleolithic ancestors who roamed the planet about 50,000 years ago. No, these people were not ape-like or Neanderthals... they looked like you and me and they were made up of the same genes that we all share today. The biggest difference between our Paleolithic ancestors and us is the environment. Paleolithic peoples hunted and gathered, meaning their diets contained all natural plant foods and animal proteins. Basically, any food they ate either originated from the ground or had a mother to produce it. There was no such thing as vegetable oil, soy beans, flour, or OREOS. The closest method of "processing" may have been cooking over a fire, dehydrating in the sun, or mashing foods with a rock.

Because we are our ancestors genetics, we must still maintain those types of dietary standards in order to live and function to our fullest. Unfortunatly, we can already see the negative impacts agriculture* and industrialization (over the past 200 years) have had on our society and our current diet is a huge reason for this decline in our health (obesity, heart disease, cancer, low energy, depression, etc.).

We cannot be in denial any longer about the way we are suppose to eat. It is time that to shop like a modern-day hunter and gather in our supermarkets and cook like one too. That means whole fresh ingredients, cooked once, and enjoyed. Recipes that I post will typically always be "paleo-friendly". Lastly, great advice when shopping in the supermarket is to buy a bulk of foods from the perimeter... this is where fresh foods pre-dominantly lie.

*Even though agriculture began in the middle east about 10,000 years ago, it did not become widespread until about 2-3 thousand years ago.

Goals to Reach

Mid-Year Goal: CHECKPOINT

So it is that time of the year.. our half way goal-check up. It is really important to always keep track of your goals during the year. Remember there are long term and short term goals. Our long-term goals tend to be ones that take 6+ months to complete. However, when we set goals its great to be ambitious, but goals can be modified and re-evaluated frequently. It important that you strive towards your goals, but also to be realistic. For example, if a goal is to lose 50 pounds in a year and, at your half-way point, you have lost 10lbs maybe it is time to look at your methods and see what you need improve or make a more realistic goal that you can attain in the time frame. This is not failure because you have made strives and attempted to make progress towards that goal. As John Wooden would say, "Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

Here is what you must do at this point:

1. Look over goals. If there are some that you have not even made progress towards, devise a plan to work on them.
2. Re-evaluate goals that you have been progressing towards. If they seem a little out of reach in the time period you have allotted for them, either change the goal or modify the end-time.
3. Check off completed goals and set new ones.

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Evolve: Cool Sites

My friend posted these two websites on my Facebook page. I thought I should share the wealth of knowledge!

Robb Wolf: A Paleo lifestyle Guru


Paleo Brand: A site dedicated to the Paleo lifestyle

Happy Surfing!

Evolve: A Healthy May

Gym Outlook: Creating the Chaos of Life in the Gym

This past weekend I read the book Functional Training: Breaking Bonds of Traditionalism by Juan Carlos Santana, Med, CSCS, and really enjoyed his evolutionary perspective of the fitness industry and how it has paralleled our human habits. He indicates that our human anatomy has evolved to move in a world that is chaotic. Our ancestors had to navigate tough terrain, lift awkward objects, reach to high places, and perform hours of manual work, such as hunting or gathering. Today, our tasks are a bit different, yet, we still must move in unpredictable ways such as running after a child or picking up grocery bags in a store. Sadly, most Americans today are overweight, weak, and inflexible, thus, the movements described above are tough to do and typically done improperly, which results in pain and injury.

In addition, it has also been unfortunate that since the 1960’s notable companies such as Life Fitness, Nautilus, and Cybex have come out with a gamete of machines glorified with pictures to give the average person a convenient and easy to use workout circuit. However, even though effective at building muscle mass, these machines place your body in a unnaturally stable, and ridged position, which ironically mimics the day-to-day sitting position that most Americans are in for endless hours at work. Again, as mentioned in the last post, this type of working out cannot translate into better functional movement outside the gym or the desk chair.

So, if the real world is chaotic, why not create this instability and chaos in our workouts? Sounds funny right? However, Santana coins the term “controlled chaos” to describe this type of workout regime that should be implemented into the gym. This type of "chaos" he mentions can be created by performing movements without rigid machines and implementing elements or modifications to exercises such as using unstable surfaces, cables, pulleys, your own body-weight(uses gravity), free-weights, barbells, or performing exercises on one leg, etc.

When a person implements “controlled chaos” into their workouts they activate the Central Nervous System (CNS) and enhance a person’s balance or proprioception. Movements that can do this enlist the use of many small and large muscles, in order to keep the body in position, which creates a harder and more efficient workout.

Top Five Exercises “Made Over” to implement the chaos factor to make them more functional.

Stable Exercise	Implementing the Chaos Factor
Seated Chest Press	Push-up with body weight (using gravity)/add stability ball to hands or feet See it!
Leg Press	Body squat(uses gravity), add a Bosu Ball under your feet and perform a body squat, jump squat, perform a single leg squat See it!
Lat Pull Down	Perform the exercise on a Cable Cross Dual Pully with the arms of the machine in the vertical position/ most advanced: a body weight pull up See it!

Food For Use: Strictly Paleo Dorm and Kitchen Delights

I live in the UCLA dorms and over the past three years I have created some of my own recipes using the foods I have around me in order to curb the salt content and increase the taste and nutrition components of my meals.

The "KFC Double Down" of Hedrick Dining Hall
So I enjoyed this sandwich, as seen in the picture, at my friendly neighborhood KFC and thought, heck, I could make this in the dining hall! So I did.

Ingredients:
(2) 3-oz chicken breasts
(2) slices of cheese
(2) pieces of bacon
(1-2) T. Thousand Island salad dressing
Directions: Slap all the ingredients together, using the chicken breasts as your "bun".
Tweaks: Try different salad dressings, cheeses, tomatoes, onions or pickles to make it even more satisfying.
New Salad Dressings I have to admit the salad dressings in the dining halls can be a bit drab. Either they have a funky herb that just permeates your whole mouth and makes you say, "Yuck", or your just sick of your three go-to options. Try these:

Creamy Asian: Mix Toasted Sesame dressing with Caesar- fantastic B-Cafe option. I order the chicken Caesar salad and ask for a side of the Asian dressing and mix them! A life saver after a 100 regular chicken Caesar salads.
BBQ Ranch: BBQ sauce mixed with Ranch dressing
Southwest Caesar: Salsa mixed with Caesar dressing

Zesty Tuna Salad in De Neve: The tuna salad in De Neve, at lunch, tastes like its been sitting around all day. I realized they serve plain tuna at the salad bar so I designed my on rendition.

Ingredients: (1) cup tuna
(2) celery sticks, cut into peices
(1) T. almonds, slivered
(1) tsp. mayonnaise
(2-3) tsp. mustard
(1/2) tsp. favorite hot sauce
(1) hard boiled egg, optional
(1/2) tsp. relish, optional Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Enjoy.

Grilled Portebello Pizzas: Protein packed with a nutrient dense "crust".
Ingredients: Makes 6 mushroom caps
(1) red bell pepper, diced
(1) yellow bell pepper, diced
(1/2) onion, diced
(3) chicken breasts, diced
(1) lb. sausage, casings removed
(2) tsp. garlic, minced
(4) cups spinach
(1) tsp. red pepper flakes
(2) cup shredded cheese, mozzarella
(6) portebello mushrooms*, stems and gills (black) removed
(2) cup tomato sauce Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Salt andpepper mushroom caps and spray with olive oil. Heat 1 T olive oil in a skillet and cook chicken and sausage until cooked almost through, remove from heat. Place another 1 T. Olive oil into skillet and brown the red and yellow peppers and the onion. Add spinach, tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat. Once spinach is wilted, mix in chicken, sausage, 1 cup cheese. Spoon 1/8 cup tomato sauce into each mushroom. Scoop mixture into mushroom caps. Top each with a little more sauce and cheese. Place into oven for about 5-6 minutes, until cheese is browned and the mushroom is soft. Enjoy.

Notes about the greatness of Portobello mushroom: Low glycemic, good source of Folate, Choline (B-complex), and magnesium.

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Evolve: The Beauty of the Push, the Pull, & the Squat: #1

When I design a workout plan for the week, I desire to attack every large muscle group. Part of my thought process in designing a balanced exercise routine is to break all groups of exercises into three blocks with some overlap*: 1) Push 2) Pull 3) Squat. My reason to do this is because these three movements are used everyday you move. The gym should be a place of practice (learning proper technique and form) and strength building- all that will enhance and make your life outside the gym easier. I also realize that gym time is limited for most so focusing on these types of exercises minimizes and wasteful movements that cannot translate into real life movements. For example, push movements occur when you push a door open or move something away from you. Secondly, pull movements occur when you pull open doors or pick up things from the group. Lastly, the squat occurs merely when you sit or stand from a chair. Catering your workouts to these three types of movements will make everyday movements that much easier. Imagine how easy picking up a grocery bag from the ground would be if you could squat twice your body weight in the gym!

My Top 3 Push/Pull/Squat Movements:

1. Body Squat
2. Pull up or lat pull down
3. Push ups or bench Press (flat or incline with dumbells or barbell)

*One last note: Push, Pull, and Squat movements tend to be compound/multi-joint exercises meaning each exercise enlists more than one muscle group. This allows you to work more things at once, which gives you a harder workout and saves you time in the gym!




We have been squatting since we could stand: Keeping this movement as flexible and strong as possible will make all tasks easier and mechanically-sound for your back. As the saying goes "Lift with your legs, not with your back!"


Stay Tuned! Part 2 Coming Soon

Evolve: Feed Our Anatomy The Way It Was Built to be Fed

Today, I left the gym and pulled out a bright green granny smith apple and a pack of Justin's Natural Almond Butter Squeeze Pack from my knapsack. I knew the apple, itself, was a poor choice for a snack after working out because I needed something with that contained protein and would be filling. So I thought, "Perfect!" Almond butter + Apple= Match made in Heaven. It was my first time trying almond butter out of a squeeze pouch, but I was pleasantly surprised. It squeezed out easily on to my apple and left my hands mess free! I also did not have to worry about over eating because the pack is a perfect serving!

Almond Butter Wins Out
I am a huge advocate of almond butter over peanut butter. Peanuts are a legume, NOT a NUT. Although, high in protein, legumes grow underground, therefore, they contain phosphoric acid and starch, which, when eaten with other foods besides vegetables, they become very hard to digest... A.K.A stomach problems. In a sense, peanuts are like eating beans, which I know for a lot of people cause stomach discomfort and lets face it gas. In addition, the form that most people eat peanuts in, is not the healthiest (roasted, salted, sweetened, or as a butter that usually contain a mound of preservatives, such as partially hydrogenated oil-- eeeek!).

Almond butter, on the other hand, is made from a NUT and usually processed raw (sometimes roasted), with minimal, if any preservatives. Nuts are a fantastic source of vitamin E*, calcium, iron*, folate*, biotin*, and magnesium*. Nuts also provide some great fats (mono., poly., and sat.), proteins, and carbohydrates.

Bottom Line:
When we eat anything we need to evaluate its contents in order to make sure we are getting our biggest bang for our buck (reach for nutrient dense foods). This means that snacks and meals are going to adequately fill us up, provide our muscles, bones, and brain with energy and building blocks, and not make our digestive track feel out of whack!

Almond butter placed on an apple, vegetables, in yogurt, smoothies, oatmeal, or even a replacement for peanut butter on a sandwich increases the nutritional density of your food.

A Recipe
Erin's Version of Enjoying the "Squeeze Pack"
1 Apple
1 Justin's Natural Almond Butter Squeeze Pack (classic)
Squeeze almond butter on each bite of apple!

Calories: 265
Fats: 18g
Carbs: 25 g total; 1g (sugar) 7g (fiber)
Protein: 7g

Apparently, it comes in many flavors too: Classic, Maple, and Honey

*For Your Information
Here is a little more explanation about the key benefits of the vitamins and minerals found in Almond Butter if you are interested
Vitamin E: A fat soluble vitamin. Fat soluble means you need fat to absorb it, not water-soluble, such as vitamin C-- this is why FAT FREE diets are dangerous and why full-fat salad dressing are recommended in order to absorb more nutrients in a salad. This vitamin contributes to cell membrane health and prevents cancer.
For more visit: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09315.html

Iron: Blood cells consist 65-75% of hemoglobin, which is a form of Iron. Also, the part of the blood that carries oxygen to muscles, Myoglobin, is made up of Iron. If this cannot happen a person will be lethargic and tired and usually ends up with anemia. Adolescents and females are in special need of adequate Iron. Growth of adolescence and menstruation of women increase the demand for this nutrient. Also, athletes, but especially female athletes, run the risk of becoming anemic and must makes sure they get adequate Iron amounts. Lastly, pairing certain nutrients with other vitamins increases its absorptivity and effectiveness. Iron is recommended to be taken with vitamin C. Hence, and apple and almond butter, ensure that the iron is properly absorbed.
For more visit: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09356.html

Folate and Biotin: These are water soluble vitamins that are part of the B-complex (eight of them). These types of vitamins are not stored in the body, therefore you must eat them every day. These vitamins act as coenzymes so they help your body get more energy out of foods. Without these vitamins one will feel lethargic and tired. Also, they aid in healthy skin, good vision, control appetite, and assist in proper nervous system function and red blood formation.

For more visit: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/FOODNUT/09312.html

Magnesium: Helps with the formation of bones and teeth and assists in the absorption of calcium. It helps cells regulate themselves properly and helps control blood pressure. Again, this enzyme is best utilized when paired with calcium, which is another reason why almond butter is a great food to attain the most nutrients.

For more visit: http://www.anyvitamins.com/magnesium-info.htm

Evolve: A First Ingredient Woah!

Many people flip a food package over and quickly scan the calories, fat grams, carbohydrates grams, and protein grams and typically the food is dropped in to the shopping cart if it displays a "low-fat" label and moderate to low sugar content. However, most people neglect to really study the ingredient list and to notice the astronomically large amount of preservatives, unhealthy fats, low quality protein sources, and refined carbohydrates. Typically, an ingredient list is located under the information section. The first ingredient listed, here, represent what the majority of the food contains. I was astonished to see that the main ingredient in many health food bars is a sugar (corn syrup, brown rice syrup, sugar cane syrup, sugar, etc.) of some sort, which should be avoided as the first ingredient. Also, I discovered that most protein sources for inexpensive protein bars and products use soy, which is a low quality and processed protein source that is used because it is cheap! Lastly, I was also disgusted by the fact that there were ingredients listed that I did not even know humans could eat!

Major RED Flag Culprits!

#1: PowerBar: Triple Threat- Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp

So I decided to cheap out on bars at the grocery store because I am always searching for good deals. I found this bar and it seemed innocent from the nutritional label- you know moderate fat, carbs were reasonable, especially sugar content, and I liked the high number of grams of protein. However, once I got home and started munching, I read the ingredient label and soon realized this bar is a load of crap!

INNOCENT RIGHT?

Body Breaking Culprits

• #1 ingredient CORN SYRUP!
• #2 SOY CRISPS
• #3 CHOCOLATE COATING= Sugar and fractionated Palm Kernel Oil
• ... later on in the list, more SOY and more SUGAR

THINK AGAIN!

What to have instead!

After a further search down the bar lane, PowerBar caught my eye with their Power Bar: Nut Naturals- Mixed Nut/Fruit bar! This bar is a much better choice compared to the above one!

Improvements

• #1 ingredient DRY ROASTED ALMONDS AND PEANUTS (not the best, but better than above)
• #2 BROWN RICE SYRUP

Nut and fruit bars a a new trend that is popping up in the markets. Some pack quite a punch of Energy in the forms of good fats and sugars from fruits and grains, however, watch out for too much sweetener! I like to stay under 10-15 grams if possible of sugar and aim for ones with almonds, pecans, and other nuts (try to avoid peanuts- a legume, which may cause stomach upset).

For more information about reading food labels check out this website! CLICK HERE

Evolve: An Article of Interest- Live like an ancestor...

I was on a friend's Facebook fan page and I found a link to this article. It really highlights the simplicity, wholeness, and greatness of following a more paleolithic lifestyle. Paleolithic refers to a time when hunting and gathering was the only mode of surviving. Agriculture and processed foods did not exist. A paleolithic diet consists of meats, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and using any processed products of any kind very sparingly, including dairy. Fossil remains indicate that these humans lived very healthy lives without obesity, heart disease, cancers, and other ailments plaguing our society today. Natural selection over thousands of years selected genes that were ideal for processing the foods present in a Paleolithic diet. About 12,000 years ago, agriculture suddenly "infected" our food sources- reducing the nutritional density and altering the foods we had evolved to love and eat. The affects of this drastic diet change on humanity is evident in the rising rates of disease.

Click to go to article:
"Paleolithic diet is so easy, cavemen actually did it"

Evolve: A Bar to Mention

I can't go through one day without the need to snack. However, I am away from the kitchen and a refrigerator most of my day so I am forced to find alternatives. A huge trend of today is the power-bar snack. Loads of companies have debuted a bar that they think is superior and more delicious than the rest! Well, I have put many to the test and definitely have come away with some dislikes and favorites!

A Solid Snack Time Filler- When you are stuck in the student union with 2 bucks and starved (1.80/bar)

Odwalla Chewy Nut Bar: Sweet and Salty Almond

This bar has a fantastic taste. I like the ingredients-- nothing artificial, its an all natural bar! This bar comes with chunks of crunchy almonds, is low in sugar and high in fiber. The texture is also very nice. The bar is not huge or overly dense and lacks good amounts of quality protein so it won't fill you up too long and is not ideal for post-workout, however, in a pinch this bar will not bust any waist bands or ruin your diet. I like this bar as a go-to bar when I am quite hungry and on campus.

Nutritional Value

One of a Kind Bar: The You Bar!

I think this has been one of the most awesome sites I have seen about bars. This company actually let's you create your own custom bar! You can add any type of base, nut, fruit, protein, sweetener, vitamins, herbs, antioxidants, etc to the bar-- you even get to name your bar. They will cost you a pretty penny (40 dollars for 13), but it is a bar that will definitely fit your dietary needs in every way. Here is a link to the web site: Youbar

I have yet to try them, yet... but plan on in the near future! Let me know what you think!

Evolve: Devices for Success!

January has begun and so have your New Year's resolutions. Some resolutions equal a quick fix, and others will take the entire year to accomplish. If your goals linger in the health and fitness realm... expect that these will take some time.

When beginning a new fitness program, people of all abilities, ages, and experience levels will attempt to instill new habits. However, depending on your motivation and drive everyone will succeed at different rates.

Tangible Goals:

As humans, we love the sense of accomplishment, whether its an "A" on test, a paycheck from work, a pat on the back, humanity thrives off working towards a reward. Sometimes, when attempting to get in better shape, it is hard to see or feel the rewards from your work, not to mention its hard to know what rewards (results) one shall be looking for.

This is why goal setting is crucial. Accomplishing a goal is in essence one type of reward for your work. Completing a goal can leave one with a sense of well being and happiness. Another effective work-reward system can involve external rewards, such as a massage or "day-off" its up to you! Remember its important to set short (daily, weekly) and long term (monthly and yearly) goals. Short term goals can easily be formed by making the long term goals and then breaking it into parts. Daily goals can be something like, "Be more positive" "Smile more", "Go to the gym today", "Take the stairs at work today". Long term goals, can be monthly, bi-yearly, or yearly. It is important that these goals are challenging, but at the same time reasonable, such as lower blood pressure, increase overall energy, or increase motivation to exercise regularly. Make sure part of your goal(s) is measurable and the other part(s) are more general and focus on overall wellness and mental health. The image at the left shows an example of a goal sheet you can create to keep up with your goal setting. However, some people are great at this type of thing in their head.

Journals and your computer are great places to store these goals too. Remember every month re-valuate all your goals and change them as needed.

Make a Calendar and Stick to It! It is so easy to make a lot of goals and get hyped about it all, but with no action, there is no reward! I like using a planner or large wall calendar and each week I write what I plan on doing at school, work, or in the gym. This easily allows one to see what they are doing and not to forget and double book a time slot- usually overriding the gym. My suite-mate and I created a calendar with the days we will workout and what we will do at each of these workouts. It is also fun to write goals and quotes on the calendar to keep motivated!

Now create some goals and let's get started....