CARB CRAVINGS: How to Eliminate Them

CARB CRAVINGS
How to Eliminate Them

We’ve all experienced it at one point or another, for some of us it’s daily, for others, monthly, yet others seem to have it completely under control except for the holidays! Carbohydrate cravings otherwise known as carb cravings!!!


WHAT CAUSES THE CRAVINGS?

There are many causes to carb cravings: 
1. Hypoglycemia(Lowbloodsugar)
2. Insulin resistance
3. Emotional eating
- Stress
- Boredom - Anxiety

- Fear
- Eating for comfort - Eating disorders
- Depression
4. Imbalance of hormones
5. Low levels of serotonin
6. Allergy (Generally allergic to the food we crave, sounds crazy, but true.) 7. Visual stimulus
8. Not enough healthy fats in the diet


THE MAIN CULPRIT - LOW BLOOD SUGAR

I think the biggest factor contributing to carb craving is an imbalance in blood sugar. Blood sugar MUST be maintained at ALL times. You see, when your blood sugar drops to low levels, you will immediately begin to experience cravings for not only carb’s but for the worst kind: refined. processed, packaged garbage! Your body is sending a signal to the brain to get help, and get it immediately. Processed, refined, ‘foods’ (I have a hard time calling it food), is the quickest way to bring blood sugar levels back up, and also the worst!

When someone consumes a high glycemic (GI) food, which all processed, refined foods are generally high GI, it shoots the blood sugar up, only to have it drop as low, or lower than before the processed carb was consumed. It creates another urgency to eat more crappy carb’s, and the viscious cycle goes on. Now if you happen to be one of the thousands who already have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), this will spell disaster for you, and your health and fitness programs. By the way, hypoglycemia is just a step away from diabetes.


HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE HYPOGLYCEMIA

Go to your doctor and ask to be tested. They can perform both a finger prick test, as well as, a fasting test performed generally at a hospital. Also, look for these common signs of hypoglycemia:

1. Excessive thirst 
2. Carb cravings 
3. Water retention 
4. Mood swings 
5. Confusion
6. Headaches


SOLUTION: Eat regular small, nutritious, fiber rich, nutrient dense food, real food, upon waking, and every 2-3 hours after! Try not to go any longer than three hours without eating!!!! Keep food in your car, your desk, your handbag, your anything you can think of. Keep cash with you at all times in case you’re in a fix. If all else fails, do what I do, carry around protein meal replacement powder for safety, as they are better than nothing, and will hold you over until you can get a bite of some real food! Stay away from white flour products.

SECOND CULPRIT - INSULIN RESISTANCE
Insulin resistance is what occurs in a person who does not yet have hypoglycemia, but indicates they are well on their way. Insulin resistance will cause the same cravings, same effects of fat storage and messed up signals in appetite.


THIRD CULPRIT - EMOTIONAL EATING
As you can see from the emotional eating list above, we all fit into at least one of those categories, at any given time. Children can be trained at an early age to comfort themselves with food, sweets particularly, high GI, refined, processed garbage. Johnny got an ‘A’ parents reward with food. Sally comes home with a skinned knee, parents take Sally for an ice cream, sounds silly, but this type of behavior becomes reinforced time after time. How many times have you gone to the kitchen out of boredom? Mad? Happy? Sad? It makes no difference, as carb’s have become a HABIT. The good news is HABITS CAN BE BROKE!!!!


SOLUTION: First off, distinguish whether you are truly hungry or not. Ask yourself when the last time was you ate, etc. If you find you’re not really hungry, try one of the following:

1. Distract yourself. Read a book. Watch a movie. Wash your vehicle. Clean the house, garage, go for a hike, bike ride, study up on a topic that interests you, etc.

2. Learn to talk it out. Talk with your spouse, significant other, or trusted friend. The sooner you can talk about what’s ‘eating’ you, you’ll stop eating your problems!

3. Face your fears. That’s right. Choose something you fear, and face it straight on, over and over again, until the feeling of fear is something that’s recognized, dealt with, and gone!



OTHER CULPRITS

1. Hormones - Changing hormones can leave a woman, craving carb’s up to a week before her menstrual cycle is due to begin. Women need to be extra vigilant in maintaining regular meals, with a high amount of fibrous vegetables, and plenty of water. Be sure your protein sources are plentiful, as well as, your healthy fats, as the three of these (veggie carb’s, protein, and fat), make a strong foundation for which cravings don’t have a chance, because you'll feel full and satisfied. Leave any of the three out, have too little, or poor sources, and you could be in trouble.

Too many women I know either go on a rampage prior to their Time of the Month (TOM), or they try to completely starve themselves. Keep in mind, as a female you don’t want to dip below 1,200 calories a day, for males the minimum is 1,500 calories/day. Also, be mindful of sugar, salt, and caffeine, as all can trigger a carb craving response. Ditto artificial sweeteners.

Don’t kid yourself, hormonal changes occur with men also, just on a different time table. 

2. Low serotonin - Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate body temperature, sleep patterns, and sexual drive. However, when a person is under heavy stress, serotonin levels tend to drop.

Signs of low serotonin:
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Depression
- Lack of vitality
- Difficulty sleeping

Many people find by simply changing to a healthy meal plan, and getting outdoors, fresh air, sunshine, and enjoying activities helps to naturally raise serotonin levels.

3. Allergies - Yes, sometimes the very food we crave, we are allergic to. The only way to tell is to remove the food from your diet for a month or so, see an allergist, or someone who does Meridian Stress Assessments (MSA).

4. Visual stimulants - Every time you lay eyes on food, drink, a picture of either, a person eating or drinking near you, the smell of food or drink, etc., it can trigger a response similar to emotional eating. At this point, as with emotional eating, you need to decipher what is a real need and what is not.


WHY ATHLETES HAVE AN ADVANTAGE

Readers of my blog are generally getting a hefty dose of exercise. Athletes exercise to their advantage. Exercise is known to curb the appetite. As athletes are burning calories off, they’re also burning away unnecessary sugars that could spike blood sugar. Use exercise to your advantage folks, in every way, shape and form. If you’ve had a little indulgence Friday night, it might not feel great exercising first thing Saturday, but you’ll help to burn yourself clean again!


ARE THERE SUPPLEMENTS THAT CAN ASSIST THE PROCESS?

You know how I feel about supplementing. Supplements are to be used for a specific purpose, not as a crutch. The following is a list of items people have found helpful in helping them on the road to being carb crave free.

1. Chromium picolinate: General dosage is 200 mcg/day.

2. 5 Htp: 50-100 mg. 1-2 hours before bed. (Could also help relax you)

3. Protein : Salmon, flank steak, egg whites or whey protein. (25-40 gms. per serving) 

4. Enzymes: If you find you have a hard time digesting a particular food, dairy, for instance, take an enzyme that will help assist in the breakdown, thus helping to eliminate cravings.

5. Fish Oil: Be sure it’s from a good, reliable clean source.

6. Muilti-vitamin: It can help to cover bases if you’re making changes in your diet.

Others have claimed glutamine, and creatine have helped them with carb cravings, but there is no scientific studies backing these theories.

There you have it!

Balanced nutrition, proper hydration, and sensible exercise makes for much less cravings.
    
                                            Health! 

VISUALIZATION: Can You See What I’m Talking About? Updated

"Envisioning the end is enough to put the means in motion.” ~Dorothea Brande

We've all heard it before: If you desire something in life, visualize it. 

WHAT EXACTLY IS VISUALIZATION?

Basically, forming a mental image. Say you're a runner. You visualize yourself at the starting line, the bang of the gun goes off, you feel a rush of adrenaline run through every fiber of your being, and you set all engines on high and begin your race. You feel the wind through your hair, sweat running down your face, the sun pounding on your skin, and your heart thumping to meet the demands of oxygen output. You come head to head with another runner, feel your second wind, and push through with all your might, pressing your chest against the finish line tape. You've won!!!

Or perhaps, you're the cancer patient who's been told there's nothing left for medical services to do for you. Rather than go home feeling defeated, alone, and hopeless, you immediately begin to take matters in your own hands. You go to your home, pack your bags, find a nearby hotel, check-in, call your family and let them know you need a bit of time to yourself, go to the local movie rental store, check out as many comedies as possible, return to your room, and commence the healing journey. You shower, shave, get cozy, watch comedy, after comedy, after comedy, until you are really laughing, enjoying yourself, and have not a care in the world. You tire, turn off the t.v., close your eyes, and begin visualizing your immune system going on a search and destroy mission, after cancer cells. You do this for a month or so, go back to the doc, and see improvement miraculously has been made, you continue the process. In time, the cancer has been overcome, and eventually you are declared in remission. Yes, this really happened to a man named Norman Vincent Peale.

Like Norman, elite athletes, performers, teachers, lecturers, anyone and everyone from every walk of life, somewhere, can testify of the power of visualization. I can testify of it myself. I teach many formats: Turbo Kick, Pump, Pilates, Yoga, Zumba, Hustle, and Bootcamp, to name a few. Many times I do not have time to practice choreography, so I will run through it visually whenever I can, at the store, fueling the car, washing dishes, etc. It’s worked like a charm. Come class time I feel like I’ve already taught the class a dozen times. 

What is it you would like to improve upon? Change? Your body composition? Awesome. Find a picture of someone who has the composition you're after. Hang the picture up everywhere, make copies, put it on your fridge, in your car, in your planner, on your desk, in your closet, on your bathroom mirror, and when you lay down to rest at night, see yourself in your new body, training, dressing, showering, and notice the big smile on your face, notice how healthy you feel, how much energy you have, and how well you handle stress in your life.

This method works in all aspects of life. Let it work for you. Be mindful of the talk you speak to yourself all day long. Be careful of the thoughts you think when you pass by a mirror and you see yourself. Use these moments and self-talk to empower yourself. You must be your Master. You are your own teacher. You listen to yourself all day long, what are you saying? Thinking? Empower yourself.

Visit: jillnix.com today for all your Health and Fitness needs.

                             Have a wonderful week!

                                           Health!

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The Effects of Unhealthy Fats and Large Meals

“In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.” ~Author Unknown

In the past five years I’ve seen a trend appearing I really abhor, people addicted to high fat, chemically laden fast food, and junk food. It’s a very sad situation. This article is not solely about fast food and/or junk food, so please, read on...

First off, I want those who suffer from any addiction to know I have great compassion and understanding.

Addiction is real folks. It’s a trap one feels they cannot escape. It’s a false reality. A deathtrap. It keeps one from reaching their full potential, and ruins relationships and jobs. It’s a financial drain. It’s an emotional and mental drain. It’s a living hell although the sufferer will refuse to acknowledge it as such. It is a vice.

Listen, this is far more common than people realize. Any time you have a situation where one wants to change something in their life and the struggle goes on for years, decades, or life (yes, many go to the grave as a direct result), there is addiction involved.

The alcoholic, drug user, drug abuser, hell, it could even be your neighbor next door abusing over the counter drugs. It can be a work-a-holic, game-a-holic, text-a-holic, shop-a-holic. It can be a dysfunctional relationship where the people involved have grown so used to the dysfunction (addiction), that they know not how to handle a healthy relationship and will many times sabotage it themselves, so they can feel ‘normal’ again. It is spending money, gambling. You must realize with the rate pornography has grown and continues to, surely there are people you know who are addicted to it, you just don’t know it.

Do not be fooled, the anorexic, perfectionist, etc., are just as much addicted to their behavior as an alcoholic. So please, understand, addiction lies everywhere, it’s just that some addictions lead to death quicker than others, affects more people than others, and some are considered to be ‘healthier’ than others, and indeed they are.

People hide their addictions, they protect them, they guard them and smooth over them like wax on a corvette. The addiction will be denied over and over and over again. I mention this because addiction lies at the root of people who just can’t seem to get away from fast food, junk food, soda, chocolate, etc.

I will save an addiction article for another time. The point I want to make here to be aware and beware of the habits that start addiction in the first place:

1.  Beingbornanaddict(sugar,alcohol,drugs,tobacco,etc.)Thisisrealfolks,andone of the hardest to overcome because the baby is literally born with the craving for substance (abuse), and know’s it not, many times until adulthood, at which time they feel it’s hopeless to try and change it, however, it can be changed with much fortitude on every level: mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. So, one must first really begin strengthening themselves from within, and with materials from without and start educating themselves on health, addiction, hormones, and the effect of chemicals on the brain and human body. They must read and meet many people, watch on youtube, etc., success stories.

2. Consuming anything such as sugar, alcohol (remember, sugar and alcohol are one and the same as far as your body goes), chocolate and fast food can surely become an addiction if one makes it a ‘habit’. Now, if one has it once a month as a habit, it would be hard for an addiction to kick in, however, if one has it a few times a week, the risk for addiction begins to multiply. When one has it daily, there is a sure breeding ground for lifelong addiction. Why? Because these items all have detrimental biologic effects on hormones, and the delicate chemical balance within both the brain and body.

3. Hanging with people who are already addicted and encourage you to partake stating it’s totally cool, and it won’t hurt you.... they ‘know’, because they’ve been doing it for weeks, years. etc.... right?

4. Another main starter of addiction, and perhaps, the ultimate one is emotions. Individuals are faced with a situation they perceive as a challenge, saddening, hurtful, peer pressure, etc., as any number of emotions or one’s perception of a situation can lead to the makings of an addiction.

• Let’s take a look at caffeine. Now, the following are stats based on coffee, however, you can just as easily put Mountain Dew in there, Red Bull, 5 Hour Energy, Crystal Light ‘Energy’, Arizona Tea, and any other product that contains caffeine.
  
  
  Stats To Know About Caffeine (healthresearchfunding.org)
  To better understand the rise in popularity of caffeine and products that contain caffeine, consider some surprising and even shocking statistics. These better demonstrate the country’s love affair with the substance and show how popular it has been in times past as well as today, and how it affects a person’s overall health.
  
  1. At least 68 million Americans drink three cups of coffee every single day.
  2. Some 30 million Americans drink five or more cups of coffee every single day.
  3. Over 21 million Americans drink six or more cups of coffee every day.
  4. Too much caffeine can produce mood swings, insomnia, increased tension in the muscles, and also impair your digestion and nutrition absorption.
  5. Caffeine is thought to reduce or restrict blood circulation to the brain; it also raises blood pressure and accelerates the heart rate to unnatural levels.
  6. A controversial study released in 1998 by the National Institute for Environmental and Health Sciences claimed that women who consumed at least one cup of coffee per day were half as likely to become pregnant than women who did not drink coffee. The study also concluded that women who drank coffee while pregnant were 17% more likely to have their newborn die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. A study in New Zealand discredited the connection between low doses of caffeine and SIDS, butit did conclude that consuming 400mg of caffeine every day while pregnant may increase this risk due to the baby’s sudden withdrawal of caffeine after being born, leading to respiratory distress.

7. It’s believed that some 3 out of 4 regular caffeine users are actually addicted to the substance.
8. After addiction, withdrawal from the use of caffeine can cause mood swings and irritability, similar to the symptoms of withdrawing from a narcotic or alcohol.
9. Consuming as little as 200mg of caffeine every day can lead to addiction and altered chemistry in the brain. Another 100mg per day can lead to increased anxiety, panic disorders, muscle twitching, irregular heartbeat, flushed skin, depression, and even slurred speech.
10. Five grams of caffeine can be fatal. This is the equivalent of some 30-40 cups of regular coffee.
11. Some 50% of people who quit using caffeine experience severe headaches which typically last between 2 and 9 days. Half of people who quit also stated that they had difficulty avoiding the use of caffeine permanently.
12. Caffeine is a not a regulated substance so manufacturers are not legally required to label their products with caffeine content. Many studies suggest that caffeine is the most widely used stimulant in the world.
13. The substance is derived from over 60 various types of plants around the world. 14. Many experts believe caffeine to be a diuretic, meaning it causes the body to lose fluids. Some turn to caffeine to help them lose water weight, while some experts caution against its use so as to avoid dehydration.
15. Some believe that regular caffeine intake can help to ward off Parkinson’s disease and certain forms of cancer, as well as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
16. Some studies have shown long-term benefits to treating preterm infants with a caffeine substance.
17. In low doses, caffeine has been shown to improve one’s cognitive functions, increasing alertness.
18. Overdoses of caffeine can cause manic episodes, panic attacks, hallucinations, delusions, disorientation, and the lowering of one’s inhibitions.
19. Many caffeine users don’t realize that it is actually added to drinks like colas and other sodas. It is suggested by some that this is done because caffeine is addicting, the way cigarette manufacturers add addictive substances in order to keep their customer base.
20. The effects of caffeine on a person’s system can usually be felt within minutes of consuming it. Its peak effectiveness typically takes around 30 minutes, and the substance requires three to six hours to leave the body. This is one reason it’s often recommended that a person stop drinking caffeinated beverages in the afternoon, so the body has time to flush it out of the system before trying to fall asleep at night.

TIGHT BODY BOOT CAMP JULY 16, 2017 4

21. Decaffeinated beverages may actually still contain trace amounts of caffeine. If caffeine occurs naturally in a substance such as coffee, it is treated with chemical that draw out large amounts of that caffeine but they may not be completely devoid of the substance.
22. Energy drinks are those with high volumes of caffeine; Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the U.S., and in 2012 its sales were estimated at well over $2 trillion. Monster, the next most popular energy drink in the U.S., saw sales of around $1.27 trillion in that same year.
23. It’s estimated that the sales of energy drinks in the U.S. will reach well over $27 trillion by the year 2017.
24. Some 5% of adults consume 5-7 energy drinks every month. Over 2% of adults consume at least 10 energy drinks every month.
25. The brand 5-Hour Energy has 69mg of caffeine per serving; a shot of espresso has approximately 51mg, and a typical drip coffee has about 18mg per cup. Brewed tea has around 5mg per cup.

Eye opening, right? It might as well be chocolate, chocolate produces the rush, high, and so forth, as well. 

There are more ways to become addicted, but those are some of the most rampant. I will do an article on caffeine in the near future, as well, it is highly addictive.

Let’s move on...
Have you seen the movie, “Super Size Me”? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it. It’s an eye opener to the effects of fast food (what I prefer to refer to as dead food), on the human body. A man by the name of Morgan Spurlock decided to take it upon himself, and perform an experiment of the effects of fast food on the body, McDonald’s, in particular. He begins by going to his physician, getting his health stats, and used them as a baseline throughout the movie, as he challenged himself to eat nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days. It’s a low budget film, but gets its point across, sometimes in rather vulgar, but truthful ways.

Most people don’t eat McDonald's fare for every meal everyday, but many do patronize it everyday. Let’s face it, with all the ‘food’ stuffs that are currently classified as food, but rather are dead foods (meaning, they have been adulterated, processed, refined, and had things added to them to keep them stable for a shelf life of several years). LIve foods are rich in enzymes, rich in flavor, easy to digest, and will quickly spoil if not eaten, and/or stored properly.


LIVE foods FEED the body. DEAD foods tend to deplete, and in many instances, lower the vitality of the body.

Turns out, this man becomes ill, overweight, lethargic, gets high blood pressure, and experiences several other discomforts. You see, food fare such as McDonald's, or candy bars, ice cream, or anything with a high unhealthy fat ratio and added chemicals, will leave the immune system, circulatory system, and brain feeling groggy. The cells in our system that fight disease now must work through sludgy blood to get to where they need to be, transit time is slowed tremendously.

Some people have performed this experiment on their own. They ate clean (live fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, lean proteins, and no mucus forming foods), for an entire week. Then they hit their cardio first thing in the morning hard, say the stairs. They made note of the highest level they could maintain for 1 minute, and the highest level they could maintain for 30 seconds. They waited one week to fully recover from their max levels on the stairs. Then, they ate one day of mucus forming foods and high fat/chemcial ‘foods’: cheese, boxed cereals, pasta, eggs, ice cream before, candy bar, and called it a day. They woke and tried to perform the same cardio they did a week prior, at the same levels, at the same time of day. The result? They couldn’t hardly breathe, let alone keep the pace they had previously enjoyed just a few days prior. Of course, I don’t suggest anyone try this without the approval of your doctor, it could be risky.

In fact, studies have shown that having either a meal with a large amount of unhealthy fats, or even an unusually large meal (such as one would have at Thanksgiving), quadrupled the chance of having a heart attack within the next two hours!!!!!

The reason for this is because cardiac output of blood is increased and diverted to the intestinal circulation to aid with the overwhelming task of digestion, which can take as long as six hours, or more, leaving other organs, including the heart and brain, relatively deprived. As described earlier, circulation in general becomes less efficient.


WHAT OTHER EFFECTS DOES UNHEALTHY FATS AND/OR OVEREATING CAUSE?
- The body is forced to work harder than it needs to.
- Increases the risk of:
- High Blood pressure
- High ‘bad’ cholesterol and triglycerides - Heart disease and stroke
- Gallbladder disease and gallstones
- Fatty liver
- Osteoarthritis
- Gout
- Diabetes - Type II
- Cancer

- Sleep apnea - Asthma
- Loss of sex drive/arousal
- Loss of self-confidence and self-esteem 5. Depression
-  Obesity
-  Other long term heal effects


WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
Basically, eat clean, at least 80% of the time, ideally all the time. When holidays or other special occasions come around be sure to:

1. Eat clean prior to attending the event, this way you’re less likely to over do it.

2. Stay away from the small unhealthy finger foods. Look for a fresh vegetable tray. Skip the dressing.

3. Look for clean salads, or better yet, offer to bring one yourself.

4. Opt for a smaller plate if you’ve already had some munchies. Use a dessert plate for your dinner instead of the full size dinner plate.

5. Stay with modest portions on meats, and small portions on potatoes, stuffing and the like. Fill half your plate with fresh vegetables/salad.

5. Stay with water, tea, or other beverages low in sugar, if any.

6. Eat slowly, very slowly, enjoy the taste, enjoy the conversation. Enjoy the atmosphere.
7. Commit ahead of time, there will be no seconds.

8. Stick with a piece of fruit for dessert, or if you feel you just can't do without it, share a dessert.

Of course, the holidays and special events of our lives are meant to be enjoyed. I think we all have splurges every now and then, let’s just make mindful choices when we’re in these circumstances, and take responsibility for them. It’s when a splurge a day sets in that one not only suffers on every level of their being, but it leads to a long list of other negative outcomes of which I spoke previously.

Challenge yourself to bump things up a notch each week, or month if you have to, but make the effort to progress to a healthier you.

Have a great week!

PS - For your entertainment and education I have included the link below, 

‘The 50 Fattiest Foods in the States’, beware it is sure to amaze you, shock you, and perhaps sicken you:

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20393387,00.html 

NEED A MEAL PLAN? DO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAVE AN EATING DISORDER?
Contact Jill at jillstightbody@gmail.com

ATHLETE’S AND OVERTRAINING (Updated)

“Sell yourself short on nutrition and you’re selling yourself short on maximizing your physique development.” 
- Ernie Taylor

Good day!

I hope you are all enjoying this nice sunny, warm weather!!
Today’s topic is a common one I run into with athlete’s on a regular basis, overtraining. Over the years, I have had many an athlete approach me to say how they wanted to have a physique like mine. I always appreciate compliments and am grateful for their kindness. Instantaneously, after hearing their compliment, a voice in my head says, “But you sure wouldn’t want to train like I have to get there...” Truth. I have taken several under my wings, with ample warning of the reality of overtraining, only to find them jumping ship after a couple weeks. The longest lasted three weeks, and these were adult males who had several years of what they felt were intense training. Why?

Like much of society today, people want what they are after now. Many have little patience nor the fortitude to stick it out over the long haul, and they give up.

To those beginning to those who have trained for years, I repeat:

1. Listen to your body!!!
   
2. Stop comparing yourself with others.Have a visual of what you’re after,but do not
   become obsessed with comparing yourself to every person you see
   
3. Build up both physical and cardiovascular strength g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y
   
4. Plan and allow for recovery time just as you do your training
   
5. Recovery time is based on your training experience, training level, output, intensity,
   age, weight, gender, and mental/emotion health
   

I think every athlete at one time or another, has experienced overtraining to one degree or another, at least once. Sometimes it’s harder to recognize overtraining than others, depending on how aware one is of their body, emotions, and how closely they are paying attention to details such as, their training, weights used, reps, sets, distance, speed, intensity, and so forth.

First, you need to understand what overtraining is. Overtraining, in a nutshell, is training without proper support of bodily systems. Overtraining can result from a one time killer workout, to an ongoing regimen that has gradually worn out bodily reserves.


OVERTRAINING IS GENERALLY CAUSED BY THE FOLLOWING:

1. Not allowing adequate rest and/or recovery
   
2. Insufficient calories to support training
   
3. Nutritional deficiencies due to poor nutrition, and/or the body burning through
   nutrients faster than they are being replenished
   
4. Lack of sleep, restful sleep
   
5. Stress, which can be attributed to any or all of the following stressors: mental,
   emotional, or physical
   
6. Sunburn
   
7. Compromised immune system.Training when overtired, on the edge of coming down with something, ill, or after a long day or night of travel
   
8. Training onauto-pilot,not paying any attention to how long you have followed the same training routine, reps, sets, etc.
   

The best athlete will always come to a dead end if any of the above are not corrected promptly. If the athlete is relatively new to training, this is when many will give up due to ignorance. They simply did not understand/know what the nature of training in it’s fulness entailed. Once the pain of soreness sets in, or illness, or an injury due to lack of knowing what they were doing, they figure training ‘like that’, isn’t for them.

However, by far the majority of athletes I encounter that have had or are heading to overtraining, are by far the athletes who tend to be OCD (Obsessive Compulsive). They simply are set on their training regimen. Period. Rain or shine. Sickness or health. Injury or not. Sleep or not. Emotionally balanced or not. Time or not. Yes, these are the folks that will ‘make-up’ their lost day of training and do a ‘double train day’ to make up for it. They have a very hard time changing training routines, and generally start to notice injuries. They also tend to not take their nutrition as seriously as their training, unfortunately, and then the dreadful moment arrives.... overtraining.


OVERTRAINING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

1. You find your performance is compromised: strength, power, endurance, and/or cardiovascular strength.
   
2. You can’t train as long or as hard.
   
3. It’s taking you longer to recover.
   
4. You lose your balance more than usual.
   
5. Keep forgetting what rep and/or set you’re on.
   
6. Form and technique are compromised.
   
7. Your heart rate is spiking faster than normal.
   
8. You’re fatiguing more quickly.
   
9. You’re fatigue lingers on throughout the day.
   

10.If female, your menstrual cycle is not normal.
11. Restless sleep and/or insomnia.
12. Headaches
13. Aches in general. Could be achy joints, as well.
14.Getting sick more often.
15. Takes longer to regain health after a cold.
16. Depression.
17.Stress that you normally handle well, becomes more difficult.
18.Easily agitated.
19.It’s hard to think.
20.Body fat plateau’s or increases due to cortisol levels rising.
21.Muscle wasting due to not enough recovery time, poor assimilation, and
overworking the body.
22. You have a loss of enthusiasm for working out.
23.Don’t feel like eating and/or eating properly.
24.Overall performance throughout all daily activities decreases. 25.Feel burned out.
26.You’re more prone to injuries.
27.Don’t feel like training, but force yourself to anyway.

IF YOU SUSPECT YOU’RE OVERTRAINING:

1. Rest,restandmorerest.
   
2. Besuretoget8hourssleepatnight,ormore.
   
3. Drinkplentyofwaterandflushoutyoursystem.
   
4. Goona3-daycleansetogiveyourdigestivesystemarest,andallowhealingtogo
   full fledge in the areas of need.
   
5. Dosomethingfunandenjoyableeveryotherday,whetherit’sphotography,enjoying
   nature, playing with the kids, or reading that book you’ve been meaning to get to.
   
   

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO RETURN, EXERCISE....... CAUTION!

1. Ease back into it. Don’t feel like you need to go double time or double as hard to make up for lost training, if you do, it will soon bring you back to overtraining.

2. Have a plan. Be sure to vary things up,especially if you recognize you’ve been overdoing it in one particular area, such as running, sprinting, etc.
3. Stay in tune during your workouts, and I don’t mean to your iPods!!!! Be in tune with how you are feeling, and make note of what you’ve done that day. In other words, be mentally engaged in your training, not on autopilot.

Enjoy your training. If you ever start training, and do not enjoy it, by all means change it! Life is meant to be enjoyed, and so is your training. Challenging, but enlightening.

Have a wonderful week!

PS - Whether it’s time to change your training routine, you need a meal plan that covers your nutritional and training bases, or you want to know which supplements will give you the edge....

Contact Jill at jillnix.com or jillstightbody@gmail.com

Health!

10 WAYS TO MAKE TIME FOR EXERCISE (Updated)

“Either you run the day or the day runs you.” - Jim Rohn

Hi Team!

I hope this letter finds you in good health, happy, prosperous and rejuvenated after a nice weekend.

We all know the there are benefits to daily exercise, but for many, exercise many times gets pushed back farther and farther on their ‘to do’, list for several reasons. Today, I want to cover ten ways you can ‘find’ time to exercise. Try some of these out if you’re feeling at a loss for making daily exercise a part of your life, or share it with someone else you think might be.

1. GET UP EARLIER
Yes, we all tend to burn the candle at both ends, or we have good intentions on going to bed a bit earlier, but 'things' just seem to continue to use up our time. Designate a specific time you are going to go to bed, and commit to it. Let the people you live with know what your plan is, and ask for their support. Chances are good that they could also use some more zzzz’s, as well. It can be catchy, and a healthy thing for the whole clan.

2. WATCH LESS TELEVISION
According to Nielson Media Research latest report, the average American household watches 8 hours and 15 minutes of television in a 24 hour period. Whoa!!! That comes out to something like 9 years of a persons life by the time they reach 65 years of age. Double whoa!!!! Look how much of that time could be used elsewhere.

3. GO ON A SOCIAL MEDIA 'DETOX'
Sounds funny, doesn't it? I don't know about you, but I find time can quickly pass by if I don't pay attention to it. How many times have you gotten on Facebook, "just for a minute", to find yourself still sitting there hours later? Just try timing yourself.

One of my daughters mentioned something that really struck a cord with me, she said, "Mom, I decided to only be on Facebook for 10 minutes a day. The time I spend seeing what everyone else is up too, and replying, well, I'm missing out on the people in my own home, and they're the people who are the most important to me". I was touched.

While visiting with another daughter who shared an apartment with three other young women several years ago, I noticed on their wall calendar a ‘Fast’ was scheduled to take place. What was unusual is it was a ‘Facebook Fast’, for her and her roomies, and anyone else in their building who wanted to take the challenge. They felt Facebook was taking away from too much of their study time. I was impressed.

4. BUDGET A MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TIME EACH DAY ON THE COMPUTER
Some of us will find this harder to do than others, particularly, if your job requires you to be on the computer. If you have the freedom of choice though, go for it. Let's face it, anyone can spend nine years or more of their life surfing the internet, easily.

5. TALK LESS - TRAIN MORE
Save chats for visits, lunch engagements, or other get togethers. Your training will become that much more intense, effective, and efficient.

6. DO YOU LIVE MORE THAN A 20 MINUTE DRIVE FROM YOUR GYM? CONSIDER CHANGING LOCATIONS OR FORM OF EXERCISE
There are gyms in many areas these days, depending on where you live. Check out what's available in your area. You might be pleasantly surprised. For peeps who get snow, that 20 minute drive can turn into 40 minutes. Or in some cases, when the weather is really bad and streets are in poor condition, people skip the gym all together.

Find something that works for you. Save fuel. Save time. By finding something closer to home you will save yourself both while gaining more training time with less stress. Who knows, you may even save some money, too.

If you cannot find anything closer, consider finding some good routes to run, hike, and bike. You may even consider getting your neighborhood friends together and take turns training at eachother’s houses ding bodyweight exercises with runs, etc., every other day.

7. HAVE YOUR GEAR, TRAINING BAG & CLOTHES, READY THE NIGHT BEFORE
This will save you the time of wandering around aimlessly looking for them while you’re trying to wake up. Have your water bottle, post-workout meal, everything you need ready to roll.

8. DESIGNATE A TIME FOR TRAINING - SCHEDULE IT ON YOUR CALENDAR
Treat it as you would an important appointment. Put it on your calendar, in your planner, and on your phone. Have arrangements made for your kids well ahead of time if you need to. Schedule meetings, etc., around your training time, and stick with it.

9. BREAK UP YOUR TRAINING INTO SECTIONS IF YOU NEED TO
Walk, or run stairs at work during a 10-15 minute break. Talk a brisk walk during lunch, 20 minutes here and there are far better than no minutes anywhere. You might be surprised at how much you can accomplish in just a few minutes.

10. INVEST IN A GOOD SET OF BANDS, DVD'S, EXERCISE BALL, AND WEIGHTS
So your babysitter didn't show up? No worries, take out your bands, throw in a DVD, use your ball and weights. These items are relatively inexpensive when purchasing them a bit at a time. If I were to invest in a particular order, it would be bands first, then DVD's, a ball, and then weights.

As you can see, there are many ways to cut some time here and there. You just needed to know where to look to ‘find’ it!!!

Have a super week!