Muscle and Metabolism

Hello everyone!  I hope everybody has recovered from the holiday frenzy of gift buying and consuming an overabundance of baked goods!!  Has anyone started to head back to the gym yet? Well if you did or didn't, I wanted to give you some food for thought. 

I have been incorporating weight lifting in my exercise routine since I was a teenager because I loved the way the weights felt in my hands and the way they made my body feel and look.  So many times I have heard people say to me..."I don't lift weights because I want to get smaller, not bigger" or "I want some muscle, but I don't want to look like a man."  My response has always been the same...you can't look like a man because you are not a man!.  Incorporating weight resistance in your routine will not only give you more shape, but will also increase your metabolism!!!  Yes that's right ladies, you will actually burn more calories at rest with more muscle on your frame.  Hooray!!! Something natural that will actually make your body work harder even when you are reading and just hanging out with your crew or kids... Yes it does exist!  

Muscle is what we call the "hungriest" tissue in your body, so the more you have, the faster your metabolism.  So lift those weights and burn baby burn!!!  Don't get me wrong, Cardio is a great way to burn calories and work your cardiovascular system, but weight resistance is the key to building muscle and strength.  I suggest using weights in your routine 2-3 times per week and if you have never worked with weights before, start out with light weights with high repetitions (15-20).  Just try it for at least a month and I promise you that you will feel and see a difference in the mirror.  Consistency is key!!!!  Never give up!!! 

Happy 2015 to all! The majority of us (myself included) always start the new year with many high aspirations, new hopes, and pledges to do things differently.  Typically, nutrition and exercise are always included in our "inner self" conversation.   However, I am going to limit myself to only one at a time and encourage you to do the same.  I suggest you may want to start with the word "BAD" when discussing food choices and behavior.  Yes, I am a Registered Dietitian, but NO, neither myself or my family eat perfectly all the time.  I believe all foods are not created equal, but they can and should all be enjoyed!  Moderation has been talked to death when discussing food choices and it is still the conversation we should be having, but another word I always hear at work, in the malls, or in the supermarket is "BAD".  For instance, "I ate bad yesterday!", "That food is bad for you!", "I don't let my kids eat bad food".  The word BAD implies only negative thoughts.  How can something so yummy be BAD?  No food is bad if you only eat it "sometimes"....like once a week or maybe on the weekend.  I believe all foods can be eaten in moderation if you are also consuming foods of high nutritional value and are also incorporating some type of exercise in your life.  For our children, we need to teach them not to stay away from "bad" foods, but rather how to view them as treats, teach them how to portion size, and how they can still fit them into a healthy lifestyle.  We all deserve a piece of cake, a cookie or two, and a bowl of ice cream without calling ourselves BAD!!!!!! 

Gals and guys, before you get in your car to head to the market, the first and best nutritional choices start at home on a full stomach!  IT ALL STARTS WITH THE LIST!!!   I am pleased and excited to announce that I will be part of the Gals Shopper team and will help you better navigate the sea of shopping aisles more efficiently, prepared, and nutritionally charged.  Let’s face it….we all need to food shop and the Gals Shopper is going to make it easier, more organized, and nutrition savvy.  With every purchase of the Gals Shopper, I am going to send you your own personalized shopping list based on information you provide me with.  I also welcome all of you to follow my Gals Shopper nutrition blog to have “real” discussions about food, exercise, feeding our children, and making it all work!!  I look so forward to hearing from all of you and Happy 2015!!