A practial guide to holiday eating!

I was reading Mike Boyle's blog today and he posted a few points on holiday eating.  I thought It was a good post because while many nutritionists would have you using their own state of  the art calorie counting method, mumbling numbers to yourself like rain man, Mike Boyle keeps it simple.   If you ask any fit person nine times out of ten they do not count calories they just generally eat more of the good stuff and less of the bad. 

Heres what he had to say:

#1- EAT LESS. This is the top tip. Eat less at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Remember, we don’t need 4-5 meals a day, we need 4-5 feedings a day.

#2 Plan to Fail- as above, don’t eat normally if you know you are going to attend a party. Eat sparingly during the day leading up to a party.

#3- Plan to Fail Part 2- get extra workouts in. Expend more calories in anticipation of taking in more calories.

#4- Forget all the stuff about sparkling water and celery. Just decrease your intake on “party” days and up your activity.

#5- Eat protein. Protein is filling and satiating. Better to eat chicken wings than chips in the mad, mad world of holiday parties.

BOTTOM LINE JUST EAT LESS!

200 calorie snacks for women

I had a chance to try some of these awesome snacks on the weekend.  These recipes were from my friend and wholistic nutritionist Laura Discepola.  These recipes are in perfect nutritional balance for a women on a fat loss diet and they taste great.  Give them a try and incorporate them into your regular diet to cut out those extra calories and loses some extra fat!

1. Cinnamon Apples n’ Cheese


Ingredients
1 small Apple
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 tbsp Lemon juice
2 Light string cheese sticks
1 tsp Brown sugar

Instructions
Slice the apple into wedges (remove the core). Sprinkle with lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon. Serve with cheese strings.

2. Pear, Nuts n’ cheese

Ingredients
2 oz Low-fat cheddar or mozzarella cheese (less than 7% m.f)
1 tsp Almond butter (or natural peanut butter)
1 medium pear

Instructions
Slice pear into quarters. Spread almond butter thinly on the pear slices. Serve with cheese.

3. Berry cottage cheese parfait

Ingredients
3 oz (approx. 1/3 cup) 1% Cottage cheese
1/4 cup Blueberries (or other berries)
2 oz (1/4 cup) Low-fat yogurt (any flavour)
1 tbsp Chopped walnut, pecans, almonds or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup Sliced strawberries

8 foods you should eat everyday

1. Walnuts and other nuts
Substitutes: almonds, peanuts, soy nuts (especially for their heart-disease-prevention potential), pistachios and macadamia nuts.
Walnuts are richer in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than salmon. They're also loaded with more anti-inflammatory phytochemicals (polyphenols) than red wine and contain half as much muscle-building protein as chicken. Get one daily 1-ounce portion, or about 7 nuts, to enjoy the benefits of walnuts.

2. Beans
Substitutes: kidney, fava, pinto, lentils and peas.
Black beans boost brain power because they're full of anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that improve brain function. One 1/2-cup daily serving of the beans provides 8 grams of protein and 7 1/2 grams of fiber. Beans in general are low-calorie and free of artery-clogging, heart-disease-promoting saturated fat.

3. Spinach
Substitutes: kale, bok choy or romaine lettuce.
Spinach is rich in plant-based omega-3s and folate, which helps to prevent heart disease. It's also a good source of lutein, a chemical compound that fights macular degeneration. Spinach is "man food" because "it builds muscle and, while not an aphrodisiac, may help men out when they get that lovin' feeling."

4. Yogurt
Substitutes: Cottage cheese, kefir or soy yogurt.
Yogurt boosts your immune system and protects against cancer, and yogurt with live active cultures provides great pro biotic protection for your digestive system. It balances good bacteria in your gut, which helps you to better absorb vitamin B, zinc, calcium and carbohydrates and avoid digestive upsets like nausea, constipation, diarrhea and bloating. Make sure to buy yogurt that lists "live active cultures" on the label.

5. Raspberries and other berries.
Substitutes: acai berries (it may be easier to find acai berry powder in health-food stores), purple grapes, prunes, raisins and strawberry
Some call blueberries the miracle fruit because they contain more antioxidants than any other well-known fruit. They also help to prevent cancer, diabetes and age-related memory loss. Because they're rich in antioxidant vitamins A and C, they also boost cardiovascular health.

6. Oatmeal
Oats are the first food to get FDA approval for their heart-disease-prevention potential. They contain soluble fiber, which protects against heart disease by making your arteries suppler and lowering your blood cholesterol level. Oats do have carbs, but they are complex carbs, which means that through their protein content (there are 10 grams of protein per serving of oats), they slow down the release of sugar to the blood stream, making it possible for you to use the fuel as energy and to build muscle. Building muscle helps you burn calories more efficiently, even at rest.

7. Eggs
People who consume eggs as part of their breakfast, consume fewer calories the rest of the day than people who skip the eggs. Eggs also contain all 13 essential amino acids making them a complete protein. Women who are low in vitamin b12 should include eggs in their daily diet.

8) Carrots
Substitutes: sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, yellow bell pepper, or mango.
Carrots are a great source of the fat-soluble phytochemicals beta-carotene and vitamin A, which help protect you against cancer and inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.

10 Nutrition Rules to live by

I am not a calorie counter or nutrition nazi however I do eat based on certain basic principals. Food is best in its most natural form. I eat mainly whole unprocessed foods, lean proteins good fats and lots of fruits and veggies as we all should. Eating this way will keep you energetic, lean and lowers your risk of almost every disease on the planet.

Our society is dominated by excuses in the form of pathologies; bad genetics, a predisposition to fat storage a slower than normal metabolism etc. It seems like the answer is always in the form of some magic pill or product. Could it be that companies that have something to gain from the solution are overstating the problem?

40 years ago, being overweight was an exception. If you don’t believe me, ask your parents how many overweight kids were in their class when they were in high school. Where did all these diseases and syndromes come from all of a sudden???

One of the major problems is that the customs that previously governed the way we consumed food have been broken down. Set times for breakfast lunch and dinner have been replaced by eating on the go. Prepared meals have been replaced by fast food in predetermined portions. 140 lb females are eating the portion size as their 200lb husbands who are eating as much as their 14 year old son. I believe that the problem is much easier to identify and fix than most would make it seem. If you left you lights on and your car died would you curse your faulty battery or would you just stop leaving your lights on?

So I was reading “The Female body breakthrough” By Rachel Cosgrove and it’s an awesome book for women who want to get over the mental humps that are keeping them from changing their bodies forever. Her ten rules to live by are a nutritional troubleshoot if you are having problems losing body fat. Follow all of these rules along with a regular exercise program before you decide that you have a “problem”. For most people following all (not some or a few) of these simple guidelines along with an exercise program will lead to a significant improvement in body composition, big boneded or not.

1. Eat breakfast within 15 minutes of waking up followed by a meal every 3 to 4 hours

2. Eat a high quality protein source at every meal and eat a mixture of different proteins

3. Eat a fruit or veggie at every meal or snack

4. Eliminate all processed carbohydrates

5. Use healthy oils and fats freely

6. Eliminate caloric beverages and drink half your weight in ounces of water everyday

7. Eat whole foods instead of bars and shakes whenever possible except immediately after a workout

8. Supplement with a multivitamin and omega 3 fish oil daily

9. Always drink a workout shake either during or within 10 minutes of finishing your workout

10. Keep a journal and stick to these rules 90% of the time. Plan to splurge no more than ten percent of the time

It is the interpretation of some of these rules that can be harmful to your progress so if you have any questions let me know.


Derick

M is for Moksha

I tried my first yoga class yesterday and let me tell you it was a hell of a workout. First of all I’m built more like a football player than a yogi. So walking into a class of mostly women and some vegetarian looking men was a bit intimidating never mind my friend who was much more experienced promising to laugh at me mercilessly if I made a spectacle of myself. Glad to report that I didn’t embarrass myself which was extremely difficult considering early on my sweat had created nothing short of a water hazard underneath me. It is only by the grace of God and my eco friendly non slip mat that I made it out of there without a face plant, front teeth intact.

For those of you that don’t know, Moksha yoga is a comprehensive workout focusing on upper and lower body strength, balance and flexibility. It also focuses on opening the hip area where much lower back and knee pain originates. What surprised me was the cardiovascular conditioning that it took to get through class. Each pose flowed into another movement without rest so my heart rate was moderately elevated comparable to going for a light jog for 75 minutes.

I would definitely recommend this type of yoga for 3 reasons

1. It is a great strength and cardiovascular workout. I have above average core strength and my muscles were challenged. This morning I felt a deep soreness in my abs that only comes from changing up your routine and using your muscles in a unique way. Also my heart rate was constantly elevated for the entire class which went for 75 minutes.

2. The various poses focus on strengthening your pillar of strength (shoulders, torso, hips, knees and ankles) stabilizing and injury proofing your frame. All these places are exceptionally susceptible to injury and by strengthening these muscles not only do you become more injury resistant but more capable in all things physical.

3. Great activity for regeneration. Anyone who lives a fit lifestyle knows that you don’t get stronger when working out- you get stronger during the recovery process. This type of activity encourages blood flow to the entire body, aiding in the healing of worked muscles. Yoga has also been linked to better sleep. The better quality your sleep is the higher your growth hormone levels which have been linked to improving muscle growth and fat burn. I slept like a baby and woke up from less sleep than I get in a typical night feeling extremely energetic and refreshed.
This was pretty far out of my comfort zone but I must say I loved the challenge and I plan on practicing yoga regularly as part of my routine. I’m looking forward to seeing how this improves other aspects of my fitness.

Namaste,
Derick

This caption is American Entrepreneur and Hip hip mogul Russel Simmons.  He has a net worth of over 300 million dollars and is a devout yoga practitioner.  He inspires me because he is probly one of the busiest men in the U.S. If he can find time for exercise, I think we all can.

I forgive me....

Recovering from the flu, I had barely done anything that didn’t involve lying in the fetal position much less anything that resembled exercise. Today was the first day back so I had already forgiven myself in advanced for how bad I was going to suck. My program looked like this:

Hack Squats X 20 superset with
Split squats X 20 x 2
Incline cable press X12 superset with
Bench push ups X 10
Dead lift X 15 superset with
Wide chin ups X 10
French Press X 12 superset with close bench press to failure barbell biceps curl X 12 and neutral grip chin-up to failure.

I did 3 sets of each superset with about 1 minute rest in between. The workout took about 50 minutes and a small piece of my soul.

After any hiatus, I always opt for a full body workout vs. a split program. Don’t expect the performance of a specific muscle group to fill your workout time after time off. Chances are you'll tax the muscle in a shorter period of time so spread out the work over the entire body and you will burn more calories overall and prime all the muscles to get back into your regular routine asap.

Tomorrow back to regularly scheduled programming

Derick

Spoke too soon- H1N1 and seasonal flu

Me and my big mouth
Okay so I’m talking to my clients last Saturday in a group training session and I’m all “I don’t ever get sick, my immune system is like friggen fort Knox" two days later WHAM! I get slapped by irony with a big fat case of the flu. Not sure if it was H1N1 because I didn’t ask but I would like to think that if a flu was going to take be down, it wouldn’t be the weak garden variety flu bug, it would be the ambitious, pandemic level Michael Jordan of the flu world, H1N1. It just makes me feel better. This is the first flu that I’ve had in almost 10 years and I’ve never had a flu shot.


What’s the difference between H1N1 and seasonal flu?
Seasonal influenza is caused by viruses that are responsible for global flu epidemics each year, usually experienced throughout the winter months. H1N1 is a new strain of influenza that was first identified in April 2009 and continues to spread around the world. Over the years most of us have built up immunity to seasonal flu so if you are relatively healthy, exposure to seasonal flu will not and should not result in infection. The H1N1 strain is new and because our bodies don’t recognize it, exposure is more likely to result in infection. It is also for this reason that it more commonly affects children and young adults.

How do you know if you have the flu?
The U.S. center for disease control and prevention defines flu like illness as: A fever of 38 degrees celsius (100.4 fahrenheit) or greater, plus a cough and sore throat and possibly other symptoms like runny nose, body aches, headaches, chills, fatigue, vomiting, or diarrhea. Fever is a key factor. I developed a cough that felt like Satan himself was trapped in my trachea. But for most, its official when you develop the insatiable thirst for chicken soup, cartoons and your mothers affection.


Most healthy people recover from H1N1 flu without any complications.  My fever started on Tuesday and was gone by Friday night which i think is on the shorter side from what i've heard.  H1N1 can be particularly risky for children and young adults who have not yet built up sophisticated immune systems. For young people, those with compromised immune systems and pregnant women the symptoms can be much more severe, even deadly.

If you want to be proactive about the Flu this year, don't rely on the flu shot alone. Studies have linked regular moderate exercise as well as good sleeping habits to lower incidences of flu and a significantly lower severity. Including these foods in your grocery cart this flu season will bump up your immune response to potential invaders.

citrus fruit, broccoli -vitamin C
nuts, vegetable oils, and whole grains - vitamin E
garlic - a natural antibiotic

beef, turkey, beans, oysters, crab - zinc
fruits and vegetables - bioflavenoids
chicken, whole grains, tuna, red snapper, lobster, shrimp, garlic, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, brown rice - selenium
carrots, yams - carotenoids
nuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel, flaxseed oil - omega-3 fatty acids


Good luck!

Derick

The hierarchy of fat loss

I’m not necessarily impatient. I’m not the guy cursing under his breath in the grocery line at the woman who can’t find her reading glasses to sign the Visa slip. I’m not that guy. However, I am the guy that likes to get the things I need to get done quickly so I can do more of the things I want to do. I recognize that with so many demands on the average person’s time such as work, family, and friends, fitness, especially getting rid of unwanted fat, goes to the backburner. So you live with it. You might not remember your 10 pound friend from day to day, but you certainly remember when it’s time to shop for new clothes, when you run into old friends, or in the middle of the day when your energy is low. I had a client whose wakeup call came when her 6 year old caught her in her skivvies and asked “Mommy why is everything jiggly?” She wasn’t what you would have considered overweight at the time but given her “all cardio” approach to weight loss, muscle tone was nonexistent. Even worse was that by adopting an all cardio approach she was actually lowering her metabolism and increasing her chances of gaining the weight back plus more!

One of the top reasons motivated people fail at permanent fat loss is because they take a majority cardio approach and half-ass the weight training.

Prioritize your fat burning activities to elicit maximum results in the least amount of time. Strength coach and world renowned fat loss expert Alwyn Cosgrove talks about the hierarchy of fat loss. He lays out the activities you should be focusing on in order to achieve the best fat loss results for your time. You’ll notice that resistance training ranks at the top of the list and aerobic training falls toward the bottom of the list. For those allergic to change you can stop reading now and continue on in mediocrity. If you want to lose fat fast, read it, know it, apply it!

Before I go on you must know one thing. Fat loss will not happen if you take in more calories than you burn. It just won’t. A diet that contains a balanced amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats is a must. You must burn more calories than you take in. Oh, and just because it’s healthy doesn’t mean that the calories don’t count against you. If you overeat 800 calories of veggies it elicits the same results as overeating 800 calories worth of cheese burger and waffle fries at your local greasy dining establishment. The excess calories will be stored as fat. Buying organic won’t save you from this fact.

Cosgrove breaks down hierarchy like this:

1) “If you have 3 hours –high intensity resistance train only.” This type of training kills calories on three fronts: calories burned during exercise, calories burned during recovery (up to 31 hours) and calories burned by adding muscle. You can do it in 3 sixty minute sessions or 4 forty-five minutes sessions. Focus on full body circuits using compound exercises that combine multiple muscles within the same movement, for maximum muscle stimulation.

2) If you have 3-5 hours – high intensity resistance training and high intensity anaerobic interval training. This type of cardio training burns more calories than steady state cardio and it also maximizes post exercise calorie burn. An example of this would be interval sprints at close to maximum effort on land or on a bike for 30 – 60 seconds followed by a rest interval. Note: this is a difficult interval. Beginners should build up to this gradually under supervision of a certified personal trainer.

3) “5-6 hours – add aerobic interval training”- this burns a bit more than steady state aerobic interval training. An example of this would be moderate intensity and low intensity intervals (2:1, 1:1) on an elliptical or treadmill that are continuous for 25 – 45 minutes.

4) “7-8 hours – Add Steady state high intensity aerobic training.” For those cardio junkies, steady state has its place; it just falls lower in the pecking order. Prioritize this activity and you’ll be cheating yourself out of post exercise calorie burn and metabolism increase from increase in lean muscle. Under this umbrella would be any cardio activity done at a constant pace for 25 minutes or more.

5) “8+ steady state low intensity cardio activity”- These are just the little activities that come under the umbrella of moving more. Doesn’t make a huge impact on fat loss but it doesn’t hurt either.

There is no magic here. Do the harder stuff before the easy stuff and you will get to your fat loss goal faster and maintain results.

I am currently putting together a program called Quiktrain 3x that integrates the hierarchy of fat loss along with principals of good eating and lifestyle in an 8 week package. I’ll be posting the details on the blog in the next couple weeks.


In the meantime, stay healthy and strong,


Derick

Quiktrain Run for the cure seminar 4/4

Run for the Cure seminar 4/4
Yesterday’s seminar was by far the best.  Everyone has progressed over the last 4 weeks and I got the feeling that the group was generally impressed with how easy the run was this week.
Team quiktrain should have an awesome showing next week at Nathan Phillips square!
For those of you that haven’t seen it yet, here is a link to the route map.

https://www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/en/pdf/2008/TORONTO.pdf

It should be an interesting route. We run right up university and around Queens Park. You’ll probably find that you get less tired because there will be lots to see.
This week get at least two 3k runs in before Saturday, stretch lots, do your stride drills and drink lots of water!
We will be meeting at 9 am at Nathan Phillips square this Sunday October 4th.
Any other questions give me a call.
Thanks for everyone for coming out giving your effort and showing you support to a great cause!
See you next Sunday!


Derick

Running seminar 3/4

This week was a lot more of the same. I thought that it would be a good idea to keep week 3 the same as week 2 so we can improve on some of the things that we have learned about proper stride mechanics.  

In this picture some elite african distance runners give a visual of a few points that we have been working on for the last couple weeks.

Notice the heads are looking forward, slight forward lean, arm angle of 90 degrees or less with emphasis on a powerful back drive and high relaxed recovery, foot contact near midfoot underneath the center of gravity with push off well behind, and all momentum going in the forward direction.

This coming sunday we will be taking less time with the stride drills and we will focus more on getting in a longer run.

There is a slight possibility of rain but if it does it will be very little so come prepared.

Looking forward to seeing the whole team out for the final group run before the big one!

Derick

Run for the cure seminar 2/4

Yesterday we had an awesome clinic! This Sunday was a bit more challenging than last week. However everyone showed improvement in both endurance and stride mechanics.

We ran through a series of stride drills that world class runners use to burn optimum mechanics into their muscle memory. These stride drills have the overarching goal of improving:

1) Cushioning upon impact
2) Creating a powerful push off
3) Turnover speed

We started the training with some dynamic stretches

Sumo squat stretch X 10
Lunge stretch X 10
Knee to chest stretch X 10
Calf/shin stretch X 20

Next some Stride drills for 30 m with a 10 m hill run at the end of each drill to add resistance to the push off.

2 X 30 m High Knees –Strengthens the hip flexors and improves your power push off
2 X 30 m Butt kicks – Stretches and strengthens the quadriceps muscles
2 X 30 m Skipping – improves coordination and push off power
2 X 30 m Bounding – Improves coordination and strengthen glutes and calves

We ended off with a 2k continuous run.

This week make sure you get your reps in. Run a 1:1 on interval days and on your continuous light days attempt to go as long as you can without stopping. If and when you do rest, monitor the time and don’t rest for any more than 3 minutes at a time.



» Day 1 Speed training - 1 minute fast run, 1 minute fast walk or light jog X 10 (30min)
» Day 2 endurance training - 30 minutes light continuous

We will be doing the same format this coming week so do your dynamic stretches and drills and keep getting better!

See you next week!

Derick

CIBC Run for the Cure: Quiktrain Running Seminar 1/4

It was great to see everyone on Sunday put in such a great effort! If you keep your training consistent then you will be ready for your best run by October 4th.
We did a total of 3 km on Sunday with some breaks in between. You should aim to run every other day for the fastest improvement.

You will be doing 2 kinds of running for no more than 30 minutes.
• Day 1, Speed Training
- 1 minute fast run, 2 minutes fast walk or light jog X 10 (30min)
• Day 2, Endurance Training
- 30 minutes light continuous

Before you start make sure you do your dynamic stretches to prepare the body for running.
Here are the stretches that we covered:
1) Sumo Squat Stretch X 10
2) Lunge Walk Stretch X 10
3) Knee to Chest Stretch X20
4) Calf/Shin Stretch X20

Keep in mind these Points on Form as you go through the program:

1) Run Tall - Imagine that wires are attached to your shoulders, pulling you up slightly. Chin should be up to encourage a straight spinal alignment. Gaze should be fixed into the horizon. This will allow you to breathe better and put your body in the optimal biomechanical position for moving forward.

2) Relax - Tension in the upper body reduces efficiency. Arms should remain close to the body and swing forward and back and not across the middle of your body to minimize torso rotation.

3) Your Breathing - should be rhythmic and deep, and you should feel your diaphragm, not your chest, doing the work. Exhale with controlled force. When you pick up the pace, don’t let your breathing get shallow.

4) Land on the Mid Foot - Hit the ground in the middle of the foot or midstrike. This will allow you to keep your forward momentum. In the push off, focus on thrusting backward with force. A heel-first landing is a brake. It means you’re extending your leg out too far in front of your center of gravity, so it takes more energy to move forward.

5) Run Softly - The louder your footfalls, the less efficiently you’re running. Try running more quietly; you’ll be unconsciously switching to a midfoot strike and a shorter, quicker stride.

The next seminar will be on Sunday September 13th, originally scheduled for 10am however this may change to 11 am or 12 pm. I will keep you posted.

Have a great long weekend!

Derick

Q: What Ab Exercises Should I DoTo Get Rid of Belly Fat?

A: The only solution to significantly reducing belly fat is to increase your calorie output and decrease your calorie input or burn more than you eat. When you workout, choose compound exercises. These usually involve multiple movements at once (like the squat press or dead lift row) and they burn more calories then exercises that isolate single muscle groups.

Remember that you don’t have to burn what you don’t eat so stick to eating low density, nutrient rich foods like fruits and vegetables combined with lean meats and unrefined carbohydrates. Lower your portions and avoid eating while distracted (in front of the T.V., computer or while commuting) so you don’t overeat.

Kick-Start Your Day with this Protein Packed Pancake Recipe

Tired of boring oatmeal and cereal for breakfast? Try this delicious pancake recipe!

Blueberry Oatmeal Egg White Pancake
24 grams protein, 30 grams carbs, 10 grams of fat.

Ingredients
1/2 tsp Coconut or olive oil
2/3 cup Egg whites
10 g vanilla protein powder (up to 4 g carbohydrates and 1 g fat per scoop)
1 1/2 tbsp Flax seed (or chia or hemp)
1/3 cup Oatmeal cereal, ground into a fine powder
1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp Psyllium Husks (optional for extra fibre)
1/4 cup Blueberries (or other berries)

Instructions
Heat oil in an 8″ frying pan at medium-high heat. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour into hot frying pan. Cook for 2 minutes on one side then flip and cook for one more minute until slightly golden. Serve warm.

Makes 1 serving.

Running Clinics - CIBC Run for the Cure

RUN/WALK AGAINST BREAST CANCER
@ NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE
Ocotober 4th 2009

Team Quiktrain will be running/walking to help in the fight against breast cancer.
Join us for an opportunity to get out and get involved in the community, connect with friends both old and new, and most importantly - make a difference in the fight against breast cancer!

I invite you all to join us for four weeks of training leading up to the event. This is totally free and open to all ages. Team training will be 1 hr in length and include a free seminar every week. Topics will include running for fat loss, proper running/ walking posture, and how to improve your speed and endurance.

This is not a hardcore or competitive run. The purpose is to have fun and bring awareness to a great cause.
ALL ARE WELCOME!

We will meet in the park at Everson and Harrison Garden Blvd on Sunday morning at 10 am for 4 weeks starting August 30th until September 27th excluding the long weekend September 6th.

Are You At Risk?

For the most part, people think of having a flat and toned tummy purely for aesthetic reasons. With bathing suit season in full effect, it’s great to show off all your hard work over the winter months to your friends and family in the form of swimsuits and flattering summer couture however looking past the purely aesthetic value of having a tight midsection there is another reason to take out the measuring tape and find out where you stand.

Did you know that waist to hip ratio (WHR) is one of the most important stats for determining your risk of preventable disease?

Apple-shaped people store body fat around the abdomen and chest, surrounding internal organs, such as the heart.
Pear-shaped people store fat on the hips and thighs, just below the surface of the skin.

Apple shaped people have a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and gall bladder disease than their pear counterparts even though they may have the same height and weight. Belly fat has effect on the body that fat elsewhere doesn’t. The fat that settles around your belly secretes substances known as adipokines, which raise your risk of disease so, the larger your midsection grows, the more dangerous it becomes!

Take a close look at what your belly fat is producing:
• Resistin: a hormone that leads to high blood sugar, an independent risk factor for diabetes and heart disease
• Plasminogen activator inhibitor: a substance that contributes to the formation of blood clots, which can cause heart attacks and strokes
• Interleukin-6: a chemical that causes arterial inflamma tion, which can trigger pieces of plaque to break off arterial walls and block the flow of blood to the heart
• Angiotensin: a compound that raises blood pressure
• Adiponectin: an anti-inflammatory compound that helps counteract the effects of interleukin-6. Unfortunately, as fat cells grow larger, the amount of adiponectin they secrete usually decreases.

To find out your waist to hip ratio measure your circumference around your belly button and divide it by the measurement of the largest part of your hips.
Lower Risk
• WHR less than 0.8 for women
• WHR less than 1.0 for men
Higher Risk
• WHR greater than 0.8 for women
• WHR greater than 1.0 for men

For apple shaped people, especially if you fall in the high risk category, you need to actively seek to reduce the amount of belly fat you carry through clean eating that includes fruit, vegetables lean protein and healthy fats. Stay away from refined carbs and foods high in sugar. These foods cause you to store more belly fat as they send your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride that promotes fat storage. Have a consistent exercise routine that combines strength training and cardio to help you fight fat and keep the body’s immune system functioning at peak levels. Keep in mind that pear shaped people can still be at high risk especially if your body fat percentage is higher than normal and you have an above average body mass index (BMI).

Whether you are going for chiselled look or you just want to fit better in your clothes the fact still remains, the smaller the waistline, the more likely you are to live a healthy life so make sure you are keeping score!

Live strong, live healthy,

Derick