TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

This past week was going to be a lighter week (at least after my b-day workout), but it didn't really turn out that way.  Although the overall volume was down a little, by Saturday I was feeling pretty much beat up, stiff and sore from the following:

2 Table Rock runs
1 Jacksonville Forest Park 9 mile hike
1 Jacksonville Forest Park run
2 heavy bag workouts
1 TGU/pullup/pushup workout
and let's not forget what got the week started, the infamous ~TOPFIT Birthday Workout~ (see Monday's post for details)

What did you do this past week to challenge yourself?

~No Challenge, No Change~

Don't let fitness take a summer vacation

Oh, how I love the summer and the warm weather, and the opportunity it gives me to be more active outdoors.
I am more active overall, because I still do my typical strength training workouts, but I also get in more cardiovascular workouts — walking, jogging, biking and playing outdoor sports.
As a trainer, though, my clients tell me they don't need to do their usual workouts because they're involved in so many more outdoor activities.
Granted, there are the few who actually train their rear ends off (tri-athletes), who run, bike and swim several hours a week.
But trainers know what most of our clients are actually doing more of is sitting on their boats drinking beer, driving golf carts around the golf course and lounging poolside drinking margaritas and eating chips and salsa.
Don't get me wrong; I'm all about enjoying summer and having fun while the sun shines.
I love all of those activities, too. Feel free to invite me to join you, by the way.
Seriously, though, we still have to make sure exercising and taking care of our bodies is a priority.
We all need vacations, time to get away, relax and just enjoy life. Our bodies' fat factories don't take a vacation just because you do.
I hate for someone to work hard all year, to finally get into a consistent exercise routine, build up his metabolism and start losing weight — and then throw it all away by taking the summer off.
My goal is to encourage everyone to be more active, stay on a fitness routine, eat healthier and not throw away all his or her hard work, so that at the end of summer he can be healthier, fitter and happier.
Ironically, when fall rolls around, most people come back heavier, less fit and more frustrated. There's still three weeks of summer left, and some beautiful fall weather ahead.
Make the most of it. Get moving, get it in gear (and tighten that rear).

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Rest Day
The week took its toll on me, so other than some active time with Mason and Hailey, I kind of took it easy today.

~Feelin' Alive!~

7 Things to Know About Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC)

What happens to your engine at the end of a long car trip? It doesn't require a degree in automotive engineering to know that once you've reached your destination, your car’s engine stays warm as it gradually cools to a resting temperature.
Here's a cool fact: The same thing happens to your body after exercise. Similar to how a car’s engine remains warm after being turned off, once a workout is over and you’re back in your daily routine, your body’s metabolism can continue to burn more calories then when at complete rest. This physiological effect is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. Also known as oxygen debt, EPOC is the amount of oxygen required to restore your body to its normal, resting level of metabolic function (called homeostasis). It also explains how your body can continue to burn calories long after you've finished your workout.
Your metabolism is how your body converts the nutrients you consume in your diet to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the fuel your body uses for muscular activity. ATP is produced either with oxygen using the aerobic pathways or without oxygen relying on the anaerobic pathways. When you first start to exercise, your body uses the anaerobic energy pathways and stored ATP to fuel that activity. A proper warm-up is important because it can take about five to eight minutes to be able to efficiently use aerobic metabolism to produce the ATP necessary to sustain physical activity. Once a steady-state of oxygen consumption is achieved, the aerobic energy pathways are able to provide most of the ATP needed for the workout. Exercise that places a greater demand on the anaerobic energy pathways during the workout can increase the need for oxygen after the workout, thereby enhancing the EPOC effect.
Here are seven things you should know about EPOC and how it can help you achieve optimal levels of calorie burning from your workouts:

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
It was definitely time to give my body a break today.  It seems those TGUs I did yesterday (in addition to everything else I did during the week) really left a mark and I woke up very stiff and sore.  But, I couldn't just be a couch potato all day, so I settled on a moderate intensity 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Does High Fat + Stress Slow Metabolism?

Fitness pros: You know that some clients respond to stress by eating. Now a new study has found that experiencing one or more stressful events the day before eating a single high-fat meal can slow women's metabolism, potentially contributing to weight gain.

Researchers questioned study participants about the previous day’s stressors before giving them a meal consisting of 930 calories and 60 grams of fat. The scientists then measured the women's metabolic rate—how long it took them to burn calories and fat—and took measures of blood sugar, triglycerides, insulin and the stress hormone cortisol.

On average, in the 7 hours after eating the high-fat meal the women who reported one or more stressors during the previous 24 hours burned 104 fewer calories than the nonstressed women—a difference that could result in weight gain of almost 11 pounds in 1 year.

The stressed women also had higher levels of insulin, which contributes to the storage of fat, and less fat oxidation (i.e., conversion of large fat molecules into smaller molecules that can be used as fuel). Fat that is not burned is stored.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Run and a TGU/Pullup/Pushup Workout
I was going to kind of take it easy this week, but it hasn't really worked out that way.  It was just too nice outside to not go for a run on the J-Ville Forest Park trails.  Afterward I spent some time in my gym doing KB Turkish Get-ups, pullups and pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Seven fitness fails that are sabotaging your goals

Whether you're not doing something you should be or you're doing something that you shouldn't be, exercise mistakes result in one thing: A frustrating plateau. The problem is, not all fitness fails are obvious and, what's worse, some even disguise themselves as legitimate practices.

That's why we've rounded up some of the most common fitness faux pas that sabotage your goals. Once you figure out which of these workout no-nos you're guilty of, you'll be sure to see your progress skyrocket.

_Fitness Fail No. 1: Thinking you can 'undo' your sedentary life at the gym.

Sitting is almost inevitable in our modern world - sit in your car, sit at your desk, sit on your couch. But you're combatting all that on-your-butt time by meeting the daily 30-minutes-of-moderate-to-vigorous-exercise requirement at the gym, right? Unfortunately, that's not how it works. Previous studies have demonstrated that the risks for diabetes, obesity, blood pressure, and even mortality linked to high sitting time remain significant after controlling for physical activity.

If you're not convinced that an athlete can still live a sedentary lifestyle, consider a recent study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health that looked at sitting behaviors of marathon and half-marathon runners. The 218 runner participants trained an average of 8 hours (marathon runners) or 6 hours (half-marathon runners) per week. There's arguably no better example of a highly-active individual than a runner, so it's shocking that the research also found that runners still sit nearly 10 hours a day during the week and 8 hours a day on the weekends. In a striking paradox, this population is considered both highly active and highly sedentary, or, as the researchers call them, "active couch potatoes."

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run
After a relatively low volume and intensity day yesterday, I picked things up a bit today with a good run on Lower Table Rock.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Unintended Consequences Of Food Substitutions

Life is always a series of tradeoffs, but you may have unintended nutritional consequences when you substitute one food for another. In the quest to cut calories, sugar, cholesterol or fat, you can sacrifice important nutrients. Here’s a look at the cost of common food swaps:

Egg Whites for Whole Eggs
An egg white omelet is a high-protein, low-fat breakfast much loved by fitness enthusiasts and dieters. While egg whites are healthy, egg yolks are the real goldmine of nutrients. Half of the protein in an egg is in the yolk, along with all of the vitamins A, D, E, B6 and B12, plus the minerals choline, iron and zinc. The yolk does contain all the cholesterol, but eggs are very low in saturated fat —the fat that has the most impact on blood cholesterol. A large egg has 215 milligrams of cholesterol and one whole egg a day is within the dietary guidelines for healthy adults. So, next time you want an egg for breakfast, don’t toss the yolk.


Almond Milk for Dairy or Soy Milk
Plant-based milks are all the rage, but did you know that almond milk has only 1 gram of protein per cup, compared with 8 grams for cow or soy milk? Getting sufficient protein at breakfast is a challenge for many of us, so if you are a cereal-and-milk lover, remember that almond milk on your Wheaties won’t deliver a protein punch. Almond milk is also short on potassium at 120 milligrams, compared with 382 milligrams in cow’s milk and 287 milligrams in soy milk. Potassium is a shortfall nutrient in the diets of many Americans, so a good breakfast strategy is a whole-grain, high-fiber cereal with dairy or soy milk. You can toss in a few whole almonds to boost the nutrients without shortchanging your protein or potassium intake.

Popcorn for Nuts
Popcorn is a whole grain and that’s the good news, but nuts deliver so much more. All nuts are healthful, providing protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients that popcorn can’t deliver. Studies have also found that a small portion of nuts is high on the satiety scale, meaning they help you feel full longer. Movie theater popcorn is especially high in calories and added fat. The Center for Science in the Public Interest found that a medium popcorn ranged in calories from 600 to 1,200 (9 cups to 20 cups) across three movie theatre chains. To be sure, nuts are high in calories and eating a whole bag of smoked, salted almonds or dark chocolate-coated pecans can sabotage a healthy diet, but a small handful is a good snack to curb hunger and to add variety to a salad, a grain or vegetable dish.

Post-Workout Whey Protein Shake for Real Protein-Rich Food
Whey is one of two milk proteins (the other is casein) and is an excellent source of branched-chain amino acids such as leucine, which appears to be an anabolic trigger to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. However, whey protein shakes are the not the only way to get the anabolic effects. Real food delivers high-quality protein and leucine, often at a fraction of the cost. Milk has been studied as a recovery beverage and found to be a good delivery vehicle for amino acids, with the added bonus of providing naturally occurring sugar (lactose) and a host of vitamins and minerals. Another good real food option is cottage cheese; a cup of low-fat cottage cheese has 28 grams of protein (most of it whey). Pair it with fresh fruit (pineapple, peaches or melon) and you've got a perfect recovery snack with more nutrients than your shake (and I’ll wager it tastes better, too).

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag
Today I had to take a break....my body told me I had no choice.  So, the only exercise specific activity I did was a moderate intensity 30 minute heavy bag workout.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Parents Think Their Overweight Kids Are Healthy

New research shows parents often think their overweight kids are a healthy size

Parents are increasingly viewing their overweight kids as “healthy.”

Between 2005 and 2008, parents—mostly mothers—were more likely to say they viewed their overweight child as healthy, compared to parents surveyed between 1988 and 1994, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics. The largest increases were seen among low income parents, followed by African Americans. These also happen to be groups at a higher risk for obesity.

What’s troubling is that parents often judge their child’s weight based on how he or she measures up to their peers, suggesting that overweight is increasingly the norm, the researchers say. As Americans get heavier, the new study suggests, perceptions of what’s healthy becomes distorted.

“We rarely compare our weight status against an absolute scale or a number recommended by doctors,” says study author Dr. Jian Zhang of Georgia Southern University. “Instead we compare to what our friends, neighbors, and coworkers look like. If we look like most of others, we of course perceive that we are just fine. As the prevalence of pediatric obesity has tripled within decades, the socially accepted ideal body weight may also be shifting accordingly.”

As more children become overweight, the trend shows that more parents will not think their child is unhealthy, and will be less likely to take action. That could lead to a vicious cycle, the researchers warn. “At a certain point, if no effective strategies are taken now to reverse this trend, all kids are obese, and they continuously carry the extra weight and the risk of various health problems into adulthood,” says Zhang.

The researchers call on pediatricians to talk to their patients—and their patients’ parents—about a healthy weight.

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike
After opening two large cans of whoopass on myself yesterday, I figured I'd kind of take it easy today.  So I headed out to the J-Ville Forest Park trails for a short, easy hike....just a little active recovery time....or so I thought.
9+ miles later I finally made it back to my car.  There's just always one more hill I can't resist climbing and one more trail I just gotta explore.

~Feelin' Alive!~

5 Habits That Will Help Increase Your Longevity

Growing older is a fact of life. We all want to live long and happy lives, but unhealthy habits can put a kibosh on the quality of those years. Listen, I know that you are busy. I’m busy too! But living healthy doesn't have to be a chore. To equip your body for the marathon that is life, incorporate these five habits into your normal routine.

1. Aspire to Eat Clean
If you take a close look at a carrot, you’ll notice a lack of an ingredient list on its back. Just pure carrot. When you eat food that comes out of a box, a can or a take-out container, “pure” is instantly thrown out of the window. Instead of fueling your body with preservatives, chemically altered fats, extra sodium and artificial flavors courtesy of ingredients that you can’t pronounce, eat foods that are closest to their natural state as possible. Aim to get the majority of your daily calories from fresh fruits and vegetables, minimally processed whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, lean meats and fish. A body that is fueled operates better (and longer!) than a body that is just fed.

2. Drink More Water
The advice varies—while some suggest drinking the classic eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, others say to take your body weight, divide it in half and drink that many ounces. What we do agree on is that drinking water—lots of water—is a must-have healthy habit. Because water is our body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 60 perfect of our body weight according to the Mayo Clinic, water should be our drink of choice over sugary, calorie-laden drinks. Yes, Coca-Cola can provide a temporary caffeine boost, but it falls short in all other benefits. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that water helps your body maintain a normal temperature, lubricates and cushions joints, protects the spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, and gets rid of waste. Make a water bottle your fifth limb and continually refill it to hydrate your body the entire day.

3. Move More and Move Often
A 30-minute daily trip to the gym is good, but adding constant movement throughout your day is even better. Instead of finishing a workout and calling it quits for the day, activity should be a 24/7 priority. By now, most of us have heard that sitting is the new smoking and long bouts of inactivity really is the kiss of death. The Sax Institute’s “45 and Up Study” found that adults who sat for 11 hours or more a day had a 40 percent greater risk of dying in the next three years compared with those who sat for fewer than four hours a day. Stand up every half hour at work, lap your house while talking on the phone, add a short nighttime walk—it doesn’t matter how you do it, just move more. I tell my clients everyday that a workout of some sort is a personal triumph over laziness and procrastination!

4. Think Positive
Thoughts are powerful, so be sure to pay attention to yours. Do you encourage yourself with positivity or hold yourself back with negativity? The Mayo Clinic reports a number of health benefits associated with positive thinking, including increased life span, lower rates of depression, greater resistance to the common cold and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, among many other things. Hang your favorite uplifting quotes on your fridge or bathroom mirror. Come up with a positive mantra that you repeat to yourself when you feel negativity swirling in your head. Make it a goal each day to be more positive than the day before. A happier life is a longer one. One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”

5. Don’t Forget to Strength Train
Too often people get psyched that they are exercising most days of the week—with some type of cardio—and they forget about strength training. Not building and maintaining muscle could be one of the biggest mistakes related to your health. Studies have shown that after the age of 40, people lose about 8 percent or more of their muscle mass each decade. Not only do muscles keep our bodies functional, mobile and strong, but they also help burn calories even when you’re not working out. Seriously, muscle is the key to metabolism in our golden years. “Strength training” does not mean you need to become a body builder and lift heavy barbells. Free weights, resistance bands, muscle sculpt classes or even using your own body weight with push-ups, planks and squats all work.

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- The ~TOPFIT Birthday Workout~ and an Upper Table Rock Run
My birthday present to myself.......the infamous and patented ~TOPFIT Birthday Workout~.....4 circuits of KB swings (24 kg), burpees, pullups, pushups, SB crunches and SB leg curls. The repetitions on the four circuits were 56, 8, 25, 58 (my age and the date of my birth).
I figure if I can survive this workout, I'm probably good for another year.
A little later I had a good run on Upper Table Rock.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

Wow!  Another fantastic week of activity is in the books!  In addition to the usual yard work and active time with the grandkids, I made time for:

2 Table Rock runs
2 Jacksonville Forest Park hikes/runs (a fairly even mix of running and hiking)
1 Punisher run (with a Bandersnatch return)
3 Heavy bag workouts
1 Kettlebell workout
1 Tabata workout
1 Snatch workout

Did you meet, or even exceed, your health and fitness goals this past week?

~No Challenge, No Change~

7 Steps To Get Over Food Cravings & Gain Control Of Your Life

Here are 7 essential solutions to overcome food cravings:

1. Practice stress reduction.
Your entire being needs to know that you are not at a 4-alarm fire! Even five minutes of mindfulness meditation twice daily can calm your nervous system, help your cortisol levels return to normal, and transform your life. I practice a “quickie” meditation whenever I feel my stress level mounting. It goes like this: While inhaling deeply to the count of 4, say to yourself “I AM” and on the exhale to a count of 4 say “AT PEACE.” Rinse and repeat 4 times.

2. Practice mindfulness in food choices and while eating.
To do this, simply take a moment before you eat something to really check in with yourself, from a place of centeredness. Ask yourself whether this is optimal for you and take a moment to think about what your body really needs right then. Eat only when you feel relaxed. Eat slowly so that you can enjoy and savor your meals. Food should be one of our great pleasures in life. Mindful eating can help you break free from the grip of food addictions and feel better about your choices so that you can enjoy eating once again.

3. Keep your blood sugar balanced.
Blood sugar balancing is a key to alleviating food cravings. Eat a healthy breakfast with a good quality protein every day. Eat only nutrient rich foods, emphasizing proteins, high quality fats, and vegetables. Sugar sends your body on a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. The lows (hypoglycemia) trigger your brain, which depends on sugar for energy, to think you are in a state of emergency and causes your stress response to get activated full tilt boogie. Stable blood sugar = stable stress hormones, smoother emotions, and healthy weight.

4. Keep your fridge and pantry health friendly.
Simple logic: If you only have healthy food choices, you’re more likely to eat well.

5. Optimal nutrient intake will help with satiety.
If your body isn't getting the nutrients you need, you will crave more and more food as your body tries to get the nutrition you are really craving. This takes you back to points 2, 3, and 4 above. Taking a good multivitamin and mineral can also provide missing ingredients for optimal health.

6. Sleep well.
This means getting 7 to 8 hours each night. Less than this also leads to activation of the stress response and increased cortisol levels. We've all experienced fatigue leading to sugar cravings. Back to the same vicious cycle of stress, cravings, weight gain and so on.

7. Find ways to feel full other than food.
Sometimes feelings of emptiness, sadness, loneliness or boredom can also activate our stress response and trigger hormones and chemicals in our brains that stimulate cravings – a need to fill ourselves. Since fat, sugar, and salt “feed” us when we are in a stress response, calming the anxiety that arises when we feel fight-or-flight feelings, or depression, these are what we tend to crave when we feel empty emotionally. Tending and mending the broken parts of us is part of becoming whole and healthy.

read the full article here

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike/Run
After a few hours with the grandkids, which ran be somewhat ragged, I spent a couple of hours hiking and running on the J-Ville Forest Park trails.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Paleo, Vegan, Intermittent Fasting: How to Choose the Best Diet

It’s a common question: What’s the best diet? And Dr. John Berardi, a world-leading nutrition coach, is asked that more than most people. Is he in the paleo camp? The vegan camp? Low carb? Intermittent fasting? In this article, Dr Berardi explains why those are actually the wrong questions to ask. He’ll also offer a new kind of question and reveal which nutrition camp he really belongs.
Most effective nutrition programs are more similar than different (yes, even Paleo and plant-based eating).

When done properly, Paleo diets, plant-based diets, high-carb diets, low-carb diets, eating small meals frequently, eating larger meals infrequently, etc. all accomplish the following:

read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Snatches
I took a break from a day filled with business and personal chores and errands for a fun hour of snatches, power snatches and overhead squats.

~Feelin' Alive!~

10 Healthy Foods You Can Eat on the Cheap

By including these items in your snacks and meals, you will save money and boost your health.

1. Bananas. Bananas are high in vitamin B6, fiber and vitamin C. Their high potassium content helps protect against heart disease and decreases cramps. Because of their peel, bananas are low in pesticides and easy to grab-and-go.

2. Eggs. While egg yolks do contain cholesterol, they are high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are important in heart disease prevention and brain development.  Eggs are inexpensive, easy to prepare and versatile.

3. Black beans. An excellent source of protein, omega-3 fatty-acids, iron and fiber, black beans also contain several antioxidants that help protect from heart disease, cancer and age-related memory loss. For optimal flavor and cost, buy dried black beans and simmer with onion and garlic until the beans are soft.

4. Chicken breasts, bought in bulk. Boneless, skinless chicken breast is loaded with protein and low in calories. For a quick dinner, defrost a chicken breast the night before, season it with a little bit of pepper or herbs, and bake or grill it.

5. Oatmeal. Very high in fiber, oatmeal helps to remove bad cholesterol from the blood stream and to clean out the GI tract for anyone suffering from constipation. Optimize your health (and save money) by choosing plain, steel-cut oatmeal for the highest fiber and lowest sugar content.

6. Carrots. Easy to prepare and eat, and packed with vitamins A, C and K, folate and fiber, carrots are a great addition to any meal or snack.

7. Canned tuna. Eating water-packed tuna is a low-calorie way to get lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, selenium and vitamin D.  It also helps reach the recommended minimum of two servings per week of fish.

8. Canned diced tomatoes. Canned tomatoes have all of the benefits of raw tomatoes, and have a more active form of the antioxidant lycopene. Diced tomatoes sautéed with a little olive oil, garlic and onions make a delicious, healthy pasta sauce.

9. Sweet potatoes. A sweet potato contains twice the recommended daily amount of vitamin A, almost half of the recommended  daily amount of vitamin C and, if you eat the skin, more fiber than oatmeal.

10. Water. The cheapest and best beverage is water. Spruce it up by adding sliced fresh oranges, lemons, or cucumbers to your water pitcher.

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- The Punisher and Bandersnatch, plus Heavy Bag
As if I hadn't punished myself enough lately with all of the trail induced injuries, I decided to do the Punisher today with a return via the Bandersnatch trail.....and as usual, it kicked my ass.  Later I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~

6 Reasons Carbs Are Your Friend

If you’re like many weight-loss hopefuls who come to us believing that carbs are their worst enemy, we’ve got some good news. You actually should eat some carbs to assist in your weight loss! In fact, opting for quality carbohydrates like whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies will help you feel satisfied and show off a leaner, more energetic body. Another bonus? Quality carbohydrates actually improve your health.

The key to the making sure carbohydrates are your friend is to choose portion-controlled, quality carbohydrates (like the ones mentioned above) that are packed with fiber and nutrients and that aren’t processed into a lesser food.

Here are six reasons you shouldn’t be afraid of all carbs:


1. Hello, energy!
Carbs are the number-one fuel for your brain and for your muscles. Without them, you’ll have trouble focusing, you’ll feel tired and, when it comes to exercise, your workouts will suffer—you’ll feel physically and mentally exhausted.
The fix? Simply have a small portion of a healthy carbohydrate with each meal and snack so that your brain and muscles have a constant supply. For example (the quality carbohydrate and portion suggestion is first in each snack): ½ cup oatmeal and a hardboiled egg; a banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter; an apple and 30 pistachios.

2. They've got fiber.
This means that not only do they help to fill you up for very few calories, but they help to keep you regular and flush waste out of your body.
Looking for a flatter tummy? Fiber helps prevents constipation resulting in fewer bulges in the belly.

3. They boost your mood.
Have a carbohydrate and soon you’ll be singing Pharrell’s song Happy. That’s because carbohydrates boost your body’s feel-good chemical, serotonin.
Again, the key is the wholesome, unprocessed carbs—reach for sugar and the Happy boost will be short-lived and quickly followed by a low (a.k.a. “a sugar crash”).

4. They make your heart sing.
Quality carbohydrates keep your ticker in good shape. Their phytonutrients help to fight disease as well as protect the heart against damaging free radicals.
Plus, their fiber fights diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Of course leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, citrus fruits, apples and grains like quinoa, oats and brown rice all fit the quality carbohydrate bill, but don’t forget about beans (legumes), which are one of the best foods for your heart. Ideas? Black bean, corn, tomato and avocado salad; hummus sandwich with spinach; or a three-bean salad.

5. Carbs can help trim your waistline.
Choose whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates and you actually may reduce your total fat and your belly fat (score!). According to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, if you can get about three servings of whole grains a day, you’ll have about 2.4 percent less body fat and 3.6 percent less belly fat than those people who eat less than a quarter serving of whole grains.
Quality carbs may help your waistline because they help you to feel full longer. Remember to drink water with your meals as the fiber in the carbohydrate will act as a sponge in your stomach, filling you up, making you feel more satisfied and helping to prevent you from overeating.

6. They prevent sugar cravings.
Skip out on energy-providing carbs for your brain and muscles and you’ll crave energy. In fact, your brain will crave the quickest pick-up it can get—sugar. An easy way to prevent this is to fuel your brain with quality carbohydrates—those with fiber and nutrients.

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TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Heavy Bag and Tabatas
After taking care of today's business, I spent 30 mins of quality time with my heavy bag.  A little later, I did a Tabata workout of susp. pullups, pushups, SB oblique crunches, and squats.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Does fitness boost kids' brainpower?

Does fitness boost kids' brainpower?
Exercise and brainpower in children may not seem closely related, but a small new study hints that fitness may supercharge kids' minds.  read more

TOPFIT says: I think this is a no-brainer.  Was there ever any doubt?

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run and Kettlebells
The slightly cooler temps made for a fantastic run on Upper Table Rock today.  That should have been enough for the day, but later I felt the need to get up close and personal with my kettlebells.  So I put together a workout of Turkish Get-ups, and single arm swings, snatches, and clean & presses.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Nutrition Tips to Protect Your Body against Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation is a hot topic in health and fitness these days. You’re probably most familiar with the kind of inflammation that accompanies a small sports injury. For example, perhaps your ankle swelled after twisting it. That swelling is an example of “acute” inflammation, which helps protect and heal the body after an injury or infection by improving blood flow and recruiting white blood cells to fight foreign invaders.

Although inflammation is beneficial initially, if it sticks around too long, it also can become destructive and cause long-lasting harm within the body. This inflammation is known as chronic, low-grade or systemic inflammation. The good news is that although chronic inflammation is a threat to health, there are steps you can take to greatly reduce inflammation, including avoiding lifestyle factors that are unhealthy and increase inflammation. These include being overweight, breathing polluted air, smoking, not exercising or sleeping enough, and having a stressful lifestyle. Controlling these factors automatically will put you ahead of the inflammation game.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike
It seemed like a good day for a fun run on the J-Ville Forest Park trails, but once I got out there, my mind and body said no.....so, I took a leisurely 5-6 mile hike instead.  It was the perfect opportunity to take in all of the healing and rejuvenating effects that the forest has to offer.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Are Two-a-Day Workouts Right for You?

Are Two-a-Day Workouts Right for You?
For people with specific fitness goals, could organizing your workouts into two training sessions a day provide any benefit? The answer, of course, depends on a number of variables. To determine whether two-a-day training might be right for your needs, ask yourself the following questions:  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run and Heavy Bag
After taking care of business in the morning, I headed out into the heat of the day for a run on Lower Table Rock.  Later, after dealing with chores and errands, I made time for a 30 minute heavy bag workout.

TOPFIT Personal Training & Fitness Education

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

I feel like I put together a well balanced week of activity this past week.  In addition to a few hours of yard work, I also made time for:

2 Table Rock runs

3 Jacksonville Forest Park runs/hikes (1 run, 1 hike, 1 mixed)

2 heavy bag workouts

1 pushup/crunch/plank workout

1 bench press workout

1 chinup workout

1 deadlift workout

What did you do to stay fit and active this past week?

~No Challenge, No Change~

Why it really is harder for women to lose weight

Why it really is harder for women to lose weight
Some of the differences stem from biology; other differences are behavioral. But though many of these seem to give men a head start, they shouldn't be taken to imply that guys have it easy. No matter who you are or where you’re starting, the road to your ideal weight is difficult at best, and confusing for most.
Biology is not destiny, after all. Lifestyle choices are immensely powerful.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Deadlifts
In addition to a couple of hours of yard work today, I also made time for a workout of standard and sumo deadlifts.

~Feelin' Alive!~

Infants at Risk for Obesity

Infants at Risk for Obesity
The prevalence of obesity in American children and adolescents has increased over the last 30 years and now it seems that infants are at risk as well.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike and Run
This afternoon I spent 3 hours hiking and running the J-Ville Forest Park trails with a friend. Berry foraging was great, and wildlife was plentiful.
Disaster was narrowly averted at one point when I tripped and fell on a rocky part of the trail. Somehow I managed to somewhat control my fall by twisting, spiraling and rolling as I fell and spread out the impact over a greater area, and luckily avoided falling on all of the sharp rocks on the trail. A glancing blow to the knee was the worst of it, and a little ice should have me back to 100% in no time.
My running partner, who saw the fall. said it was the most graceful thing she'd ever seen me do. I'm not quite sure how to take that.......so, tripping and falling is the most graceful thing I do?

~Feelin' Alive!~

Office Fitness: Stand Up For Health & Turn Your Desk Into A Gym

Office Fitness: Stand Up For Health & Turn Your Desk Into A Gym
“Sitting is the new smoking,” has become a catch phrase suddenly being espoused by a fast growing number of medical experts around the world. There is plenty of evidence to support the claims that our chair-oriented sedentary lifestyle is taking huge tolls on both our health and our economic productivity, and it’s probably even truer for the deskbound office worker or exec than the couch surfer due to the nonstop hours at our computers. Between cars, couches and desks, Americans spend about half their lives sitting – and that does not include sleeping.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run and Chinups
After my morning sessions, I made time for an Upper Table Rock run.....and the heat is definitely back.  Later, I spent some time in my gym doing weighted chinups, single arm low cable rows, and hanging scapular depression/retraction.

~Feelin' Alive!~

The Skinny on Obesity

The Skinny on Obesity
I challenge you to watch the entire series….actually watch them and pay attention. I think the role of personal responsibility is downplayed too much, but overall the science and the points made are valid. Yes, it will take some time to watch them all, but what is your life worth? What is the life of your children and future generations worth?  watch the videos

Bringing Fitness to Your Life.......it's what I do.
Contact me now and take the first step to a healthier lifestyle.

TOPFIT Personal Training & Fitness Education

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Jacksonville Forest Park Hike and Bench Press
After a couple of really good runs this week, I figured it was time to reduce the intensity a little, so I spent a couple of hours hiking the J-Ville Forest Park trails.  It's always worth it to slow down a little....the body needs recovery time, and you get to take in more of what the forest has to offer.
To finish off the day of activity, I spent some quality time in my gym doing BB bench presses, and supersets of DB flyes and presses.

~Feelin' Alive!~

10 Ways to Avoid Overeating

10 Ways to Avoid Overeating
You can't control everything in your life, but you can control yourself and how you react to each situation. You are ultimately in control of you!  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run and Heavy Bag
I got out for a fantastic run on Lower Table Rock today during a break in the light rain showers.  Although it was humid, it was a welcome break to run in the cooler temps and on a rain softened trail.
And, to finish off my evening, I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~