I remember writing a post a year ago for women over 50 about flabby arms. I said if you workout with heavier weights and eat good food you won’t get them. I’ve been cursed I have them…… in one year! And yes I weight train what’s going on?

First of all, get rid of the scale don’t even look at it. If you are working out hard (more on that later) and eating clean food then keep doing what you are doing but think about the following ideas below.

Stress

Your body doesn’t know the difference between internal and external stress. The more stress of any kind, that you have the harder it will be to lose weight or change your body shape.

The diagram below shows that there are 6 main types of stressors:

1. Physical
2. Chemical
3. Electro-magnetic
4. Psychic
5. Nutritional
6. Thermal

From Paul Chek's book "Eat Move and Be Healthy".

Paul Chek says, We are exposed to each of these stressors every day and they are all crucial to our physical, mental and emotional health.  The problem begins when we are exposed to too much or the wrong type of stress.  The diagram also shows that we have Control Systems that help to rebalance the body in order to keep our bodies in balance, which is known as homeostasis.

If you exercise too much or too hard that’s stress, if you eat foods that are not good for you (sweets or maybe even carrots) that’s stress.

If your body is under any kind of stress that could be what’s holding you back and keeping you from your weight loss and health goals.

Diet

So let’s talk about diet, “everyone is as different on the inside as they are on the outside so we all have different nutritional needs”.  That’s why your spouse or friend goes on the same diet as you and they lose weight and you gain. Keto and Paleo are the big craze right now and yes people lose weight on them. But if you are not an Eskimo then maybe you shouldn’t eat like one.  Read this post from William Wolcott, the founder of Healthexcel and author of the Metabolic Typing Diet.

What I am saying is “one man’s food is another man’s poison. So eat the foods that your body doesn't need and you will be putting fire on the wood. It could be sugar, carrots, or any food not just "Bad" foods.  Read more about how to fine-tune your diet here https://elitephysiquesinc.com/nutrition-and-lifestyle-coachingutrition-metabolic-typing-and-lifestyle-coaching/

Exercise

Like I said above exercise can be good stress or bad stress. A good exercise program might be a program you worked up to doing. Starting with light weights and increasing the weights safely to a weight that can overload the muscle and increase muscle mass (to help prevent osteoporosis and burn more calories). This needs to be done slowly over time in order to strengthen the tendons and ligament and small stabilizing muscles. If you enjoy cardio do what you love but don't overdo it. If you lose form or don't like what you're doing that is stress.

A bad exercise program causes stress. This might be a weight training program using poor technique or not lifting enough weight to overload the muscle, killing yourself doing a treadmill or running every day. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying you shouldn't run or do cardio just work smart. Next time you go to a park watch the people running. Some have good form, stand tall and use their core, they run with ease others run with their shoulders forward hunched over. The latter do not have the strength or energy to be running. They are just adding stress to their bodies.

You are not going to lose weight by always being in a stress mode. Don't be afraid to lift heavy but be careful, eat for your genetics, your Metabolic Type and do meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong for stress. Oh ya about my arms, as you get older you need to work out a little more and a little smarter. I increased the weight I use and reduced my stress by meditating and doing Qi Gong. They are starting to tighten up:).

Read "Eat Move, and Be Healthy by, Paul Chek.Best book ever for everyone!

The post This Is How You Lose Weight appeared first on Elite Physiques.

Sugar comes in many ways so make sure you read the labels. Both carbs and sugar will make you sick, tired, and fat (soft and fluffy). Carbohydrates are sugar, there are simple sugar and complex carbs. Complex carbohydrates are found mainly in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Simple sugar is found in fruit, and candy, cookies, soda, and ice cream. Sugars are the simplest form of carbohydrates. All dietary sugars aren’t bad, fruit has a lot of nutrition in it. Added sugars ARE bad. Take the yogurt label below, the total carbs are 22g and 18 of the grams are added sugar. Most yogurt is nothing more than a sugar-filled desert.

Here are some ways to help you stop the sugar cravings.

1. Eat more protein and fat. You will feel fuller and more satisfied and less likely to want to eat sweets.

2. Exercise more, preferably weight training. Overdoing cardio can often make you more hungry for sugar.

3. Put a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in your water a couple of times a day. It's good for digestion and can help with sugar cravings.

4. Hang around people that eat healthily.

5. Reduce your stress, try qi gong or gentle yoga.

6. Break habits! This is an important one don't' eat while watching TV. Don't eat at night after dinner.

7. Take vitamins and minerals. Your body will sometimes keep you hungry because it whats you to keep eating until it gets the vitamins and minerals it needs.

8. Eat veggies when you need a snack. This one works for me.

Some other things about sugar, never eat them alone always have protein and fat, don't drink soda there is nothing good in it, think about what you are eating before you put it in your mouth. How will you feel after? Bloated, fat, tired?

Something else about sugar is cancer. There is so much research out there about sugar and cancer. My Sister has cancer I told her that sugar had to come out of her diet it was one of the most important things she should do. She half listens to me until her doctor saw her drinking a cream soda and went off on her. He told her that sugar feeds cancer and he said to her, what do we give you before your Pet Scan? Sugar because it lights up cancer. Now she believes me.

Something else for your health, a blog post from Wise Mind Healthy Body, 10 products linked to cancer hiding in your home.

Also, check out 7 ways to do a spring detox at https://elitephysiquesinc.com/2015/04/7-ways-to-do-a-spring-detox-for-your-body/

I would love to hear your thoughts on sugar and what helps you to stop sugar cravings. Please leave a commit below.

Thanks for reading! Be well!

The post How To Stop Sugar Cravings appeared first on Elite Physiques.

The movie made me think about what I put on my body and in my home. The movie talked about Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, we will call them EDC’s. Please bear with me for a moment so I can explain, I can see your eyes rolling. Ha! I will keep this part short, promise! Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals mimic hormones that naturally occur in our bodies, including both female and male sex hormones, thyroid, pancreas, neurological, and immune system. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the endocrine system is very complex, regulating our body’s functions including growth, development, maturation, and operation of various organs. When this system is disrupted a variety of health problems can occur. I will name a few, but this list is very long: cancer, neurological problems, skin problems, diabetes, infertility, cardiovascular disease, allergies, inflammation, and obesity.

What types of EDC’s are in personal care and cleaning products?

Fragrances, triclosan which is an antibacterial and antifungal agent, parabens (preservative), pesticides, and artificial coloring. This is a short list that we can elaborate on in a future blog.

So I made a few changes! Knowing that we cannot remove all EDC’s from our daily lives, I thought changing a few items that I use on a daily basis could make a difference and it did. My first adventure was to create a body wash that cleaned, smelled nice, lathered and did not dry out my skin. After trying various recipes I hit the jackpot! I had to tell everyone! As I began to spread the word and bragging to my mom and my aunt, I found out they have been making their own body wash and many other products for years! I should have just asked them first but a self-learned lesson is the best! My body wash can be customized with any scents using essential oils, moisturizing level, and amount of soap used. Here is the recipe that works for me!

Body Wash Recipe

• ¼ cup  Aloe Vera Gel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

• 2/3 cup Castile Soap                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

• 1 tsp  Vitamin E                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

• 1 tsp Oil of choice ( sweet almond, avocado, grapeseed, MCT)                                                                                                                                                                                                                

• 10 to 20 drops of your favorite essential oils. I use Doterra. (optional)

Place in a bottle and shake it up.  Shake well when you are ready to use.

What you will notice with homemade body wash is that it is not thick. Why? Because EDC’s make traditional products thick! This is something that you can get used to. Also making products is extremely cheap! Even after buying all the products to make the body wash you end up with at least four bottles of the wash for the price of one popular name brand product. And without the EDC’s! I gifted all my clients a bottle of the wash for Christmas. I got positive feedback and a few requests for refills. If you would like your bottle refilled or bring me a bottle to fill, I will fill it for $3.

I also make my own face wash and I love it!

The recipe is the same as the body wash except I add ¼ cup of raw honey and 2 tsp of oil of choice. I also heat this slightly when making to blend all the ingredients. I have gotten lots of compliments on my skin lately which leads me to believe it’s working better than anything I have used. For the record, I have oily skin and pores that you can drive a truck though! AND NO CHEMICALS!

I make my own face moisturizer. I absolutely love it! This recipe will work for oily, dry or normal skin by adjusting to the type of oil you put into it. To find out which oil works best for your skin do a test. I had avocado, grapeseed, sweet almond oil, and fractionated coconut oil. I put a drop of each on my skin and waited to see which one gave me the results I wanted. Grapeseed oil works best for my skin. Much cheaper than spending $50 on a chemically laden moisturizer that does not work for your skin type. And you can cook with most of those oils! Win! Win!

Face Moisturizer

• 3 TBSP Aloe Vera Gel                                                                                  

• 1 TBSP Grapeseed Oil                                                                                               

• 1 TBSP Shea or Cocoa Butter                                                                                  

• 3 to 5 drops of essential oil of choice

In a small saucepan or double boiler melt the three ingredients and mix well. Place into a container of choice and add essential oils, mix well.

I store this in a glass 4 oz mason jar on my bathroom counter. It is best to store all your non-chemical products in glass. I prefer to use plastic in the shower area for safety.

The homemade body butter is another one of my projects. This recipe works great for me in colder weather but I may have to tweak it for summer. A larger batch of my face moisturizer would be a great warm weather product.

Body Butter

• ¼ cup each of Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, and ¼ cup of oil of choice. Choose from the list above.

Melt all oils in a double boiler. I use a pan of simmering water and set a glass mixing bowl on top. Melt and mix well. Set in refrigerator to cool and harden. With a hand, mixer breaks up the mix and continue to beat until it fluffs up and looks like whipped cream. Add 1 tsp vitamin E and essential oils. Store in a 12 to 16 oz glass mason jar.

What I changed to clean my home and laundry?

I discovered a product called Sal Suds by Dr. Bronner’s. I love it! It is so versatile and can be used to clean most anything from laundry to dishes to bathrooms. Sal Suds is concentrated and can be diluted for many household needs. www.drbronner.com  has many ways to use this product. I take a ¼ cup and put into a 28 oz spray bottle filled with warm water. I use this to clean everything! Wiping counters, sinks, my yoga mat, and my favorite is dishes. I spray my dishes I’m hand washing with a squirt or two of this and scrub it and rinse. Laundry has been a fun adventure!

I have always been a Tide and Bounce girl so this was a hard change. The results will astound you! First I found Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. Similar to baking soda but a different chemical compound. A box is very cheap and can be used for cleaning just about anything. I use ¼ cup of Super Washing Soda and two TBSP of Sal Suds. If the load needs a deodorizer I add a ¼ cup of white vinegar. I then dry my clothes with wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. Yes, the laundry has a little static but that can be resolved by not drying them to death! What happened? Washcloths that I have converted to cleaning rags can now be used as body washcloths again. I converted them because they no longer let the soap get lather when I took a shower. They also had this weird film on them that made them feel like slick plastic instead of a 100 percent cotton cloth. This is because my detergent and dryer sheets left a film of chemicals all over them and I was unable to use them. The same was happening with my clothes but I did not notice as much. Your clothes touch your skin, which is the largest organ of your body, any EDC’s on your clothes seep into your skin. Laundry items that need a gentler touch I have created a liquid soap that cleans and refreshes.

Laundry Soap

• 1 cup of Super Washing Soda                                                                                                

• 1 cup Sal Suds   

• 8 cups of water

Put all ingredients in an empty laundry jug and shake well.  Add water first to avoid excessive suds.

Over the last six months, I have noticed a huge difference in my skin. I used to get hives and itch constantly after a shower. Hives would pop up just because for no reason. There was a reason. EDC’s. NO MORE HIVES! I have had many health issues in the past seven years. Most unrelated to each other but quite a few were related to my endocrine system. My quest to get healthy, reduce chemicals in my home and body, and help the environment has been a wonderful adventure of learning, experimenting, and sharing! Also, find out if your body care products are toxic at Elite's Blog.

Join me on this journey as learning with others is a beautiful thing!

Have a Healthy day!

Carla

The post Why I Started Making My Own Personal Care and Cleaning Products appeared first on Elite Physiques.

1) Replace Refined Sugar with Honey and Look 10 Years Younger

Make sure you read Wean yourself off the fake stuff on this post and try to find raw local honey. Read more at https://bit.ly/2Tc3aAY.

2) 3 Common Decluttering Mistakes (And How To Get Over Each)

Yes, clutter can make us sick and keep us from reaching other goals. Cary Fortin writes in this post, So why do we do it? Why do we hold onto stuff that makes us feel so bad? You can read more at  https://bit.ly/2RCfT3x.

3) How to Avoid Cancer Causing Plastics

In this post, Ty Bollinger says, "each of these plastic types comes with its own set of risks, but some are far safer than others" he breaks it down to tell you which ones are the worst and how to avoid them. To be Healthy and Fit also requires you to have fewer toxins in your body. Read more about this topic here https://bit.ly/2W8Q0ab.

4) Will Our Time on Earth Be Preserved in Chicken Bones?

I thought this was a different title but it is an important one. It is unbelievable how much chicken we eat. I challenge you to read this and make better choices when you eat chicken. https://bit.ly/2Cz8S8Z 

5) Dandelion Tea Helps Improve Your Liver Function, Digestion and More

Dandelions are very tasty if you've not had them before. I put them in my green smoothie and yes you can get them free in your yard. That is as long as you don't put chemicals in your yard. I hope you do not because you will get them on your shoes and being hem in your house. This post list "9 Remarkable Health Benefits of Dandelion Tea". Trying to quit coffee try dandelion tea. To become more Healthy and Fit Read more on Dr. Mecolas website here https://bit.ly/2WdRhN8.

6) What Are The Healthiest Non-Dairy Milks To Drink?

Are you drinking coconut mike or almond mike thinking you are picking the healthiest option? Read this post from Food Babe to find out https://bit.ly/2T1wR7S.

7) Everything You Need to Know About Intermittent Fasting

All the research is showing that intermittent fasting is the way to go.  I haven't gone Keto and Don't think that I will but I am now doing intermittent fasting and it's not at all hard for me. Have you tried it? If so how is it working for you? https://bit.ly/2W6lAVS

8) Liver Rescue Smoothie

I read the book Medical Medium about a year ago. Recently I started hearing about it and the Live Detox. If you haven't read it you should and try the celery juice that Anthony William recommends. I would love to hear your thoughts if you have read any of his books. You can read more on his website as well as lots of recipes.

http://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/liver-rescue-smoothie

What you think

I also wanted to share these amazing quotes from, Martin Luther King. I received this email from Jon Gordon one of my favorite authors. Read his book "The Energy Bus", love this book.

14 Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

In the spirit of MLK Day, here are 14 of my favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quotes. On this special day let's remember they were spoken by a man who changed the world with his words and actions. As we read them let's think about ways we can live them.

LOVE

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.'

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend."

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

"Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it."

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

"If you can’t fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."

HOPE

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."

SERVICE

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

"Everybody can be great because everybody can serve."

UNITY and EQUALITY

"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

EXCELLENCE

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."

-Jon

*Martin Luther King, Jr. photo by Marion S. Trikosko, 1964. Source: Library of Congress.

Photo believed to be public domain.

http://www.jongordon.com/positivetip/mlk.html

My favorite quote from above is the one under EXCELLENCE. What is your favorite? What can you add to this post to be more healthy and fit this year?

Be Well,

The post 8 Things That Will Help You Be More Healthy and Fit This Year appeared first on Elite Physiques.

I personally do not make New Year's resolutions. I do pick One Word to guide me through the year, (Build is my one work again) more about that later. I will as always continually work on my health and wellness, mind, body, and spirit. Having your healthiest fittest year is not easy so let's make it fun. I know you can do it! We will help you and we will commit to doing it along with you.

Commit! Set your goals extremely high, Surround yourself with others with the same healthy goals, work harder than others your age and younger, GO MOVE THE WORLD!

Do these 8 things to have your Healthiest Fittest year!

1. Ask your self Why? Why is this important to you? Internal why might be less joint/back pain, to avoid cancer (its scary how many people I know with cancer:), or to have a healthier gut. External why might be to fit into the jeans you haven't been able to wear or to not look puffy and bloated.

2. Have someone keep you accountable. It could be a family member, a friend or your trainer/coach. Make sure they have the same healthy goals and lifestyle mindset.

3. Just eat "Real Food". If it has a label don't eat it often. Eat fruit, veggies, lean protein, and good fats. Sign up for this blog and you will get a 60-page download, "Eat Cleaner Get Leaner" with everything you will need to eat to get lean and healthy.

4. Workout every day! No excuses, get up 10 minutes early, get out at lunch, do something after work. Everyone has at least 10 minutes. If you have a sitting job it is even more important for you to move. These workouts don't always have to be hard, take an easy yoga class, take my Qi Gong class, take a walk in nature. Tips from one of our blog post.

5. Get an App. To help you to get moving download an app on your phone. My Daughter has one that sends her a message every 2 hours with a couple of exercises to do. She does them at work throughout the day. Some of the apps that we use are Tabata, Sworkit Workout, wahoo 7-minute workouts, and 30-day fitness challenge. If you get one let us know if it helps you to workout more.

6. Eat Superfoods. The more nutritious foods you eat the less likely you are to have cravings. Superfoods optimize your body’s ability to function by supplying a megadose of nutrients. Also, they improve the health of your skin and bones. Some superfoods are berries (wild berries get a star), coconut oil, collagen, local honey, greens (all kinds) spirulina, acai berries, sweet potatoes, wheatgrass, avocados, cinnamon, wild salmon and almonds are a few.

7. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Be in bed by 10:00 and sleep until 6:00. I know you hear this all the time but it is for your own good. I go to bed at 9:00 and get up at 5:00. It works great for me.

8. OK, if you do all that you can treat yourself. Maybe by a new outfit for the leaner you, you could do a photo shoot with me for my fashion blog:). How about a night out at a fancy restaurant so you can dress and feel good in your clothes, or maybe a trip to a spa or some special place you've been wanting to go.

Consistency is most important. Stop trying all the fad diets out there and just eat real food. Get out and move every day. Everyone can do this. Leave a comment below so we know you are all in.

To the Healthiest year ever!

The post Do these 8 things to have your Healthiest Fittest year! appeared first on Elite Physiques.

One of the things I ate while on vacation was food bowls. I thought wow, I am eating at least 3 to 4 different vegetables and other superfoods like nuts and seeds, sprouts, and healthy grains. How often would you eat that many ingredients that are good for you at one meal?

So I am going to share a food bowl that I made Sunday and some others that sound good. Remember if you are eating healthy and getting all the nutrition your body needs you will eat less.

My Grocery Cart

My dinner last night

                                   Steak, Brussel sprouts, pumpkin seeds, kale, olive oil, and butternut squash

Here are some other recipes you can try.

Superfood Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

Serves: 3
Nutrition: 357 calories, 12 g fat (6.3 g saturated fat), 19 mg sodium, 56 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 21 g sugar, 8 g protein (calculated with ½ teaspoon chia seeds and 20 g goji berries)

You can find the recipe here A House in the hills.

Dark Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

Serves: 4
Nutrition: 375 calories, 16 g fat (9.2 g saturated fat), 132 mg sodium, 60 g carbs, 6.4 g fiber, 15.2 g sugar, 9 g protein (calculated with lite coconut milk, 2 tbsp maple syrup, vanilla extract, 3 squares chocolate and no optional toppings)

You can find the recipe at The Minimalist Baker

Thai Quinoa Salad

Serves: 6
Nutrition: 286 calories, 12.3 g fat (1.8 g saturated fat), 330 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 6.5 g fiber, 8.6 g sugar, 11.2 g protein

Find the recipe at Foodiecrush

More Healthy Bowl Recipes

Find these recipes at here Healthy Maven

10 Healthy Bowls For Any time Of The Day

Find the 10 bowls at Elite Physiques Blog

I hope you also think, It's Easy To Eat Healthy. Cook your protein ahead of time get a big bowl and start adding veggies and superfoods, easy! Let me know what recipes you try and what you thought of them. Leave a commit below, please.

The post It's Easy To Eat Healthy appeared first on Elite Physiques.

Then there are hikers that are still in the "go" mode. My friends Kim and Jim did another 10 miles while Penny (who goes for the same reason that I do) and I went up on the Knob to relax and enjoy. Nothing wrong with wanting to get as many miles as you can, it's just not what I want anymore. The good thing is everyone was OK with it.

Penny and I met Jacob up on the knob. He was leaning against a tree with his earphones in and reading a book. Here was his email to me:

Jacob's story

This next semester, Fall of 2018, I’ll be a junior studying Mechanical Engineering Technology at Purdue University. This summer, I have an internship in Roanoke, VA that allowed me to get away from all the bad things in my life which was needed to say the least. In February of 2018, I was wrapped up in a bunch of bad lifestyle choices: smoking, drinking, unhealthy eating habits, if it wasn’t healthy, I was probably doing it with the exception of illegal substances. One morning I woke up and felt a bit off but disregarded the feeling and went downstairs to take a shower anyway thinking it was just some weak muscles from the workout the day before. I don’t remember much after stepping in the shower because I had passed out from what I thought was dehydration shortly thereafter. I was taken to the ER, where after extensive blood tests, scans, and X-rays, doctors had found a blood clot in my lower left lung. They began to wonder how a, at first glance, healthy 20-year-old has a blood clot when his family has no history of clotting. I blamed it on my lifestyle choices and the doctors, to protect themselves, couldn’t say whether it was that or not.
I knew something needed to be done to change the way I’ve been living. When I came to Roanoke, I found all this free time outside of work where I was able to take advantage of it. I hike, not just to kill myself and cover so many miles a day, but to find the beauty in life and relax in God’s great creation. Since the last week of school this past semester, I’ve suffered terrible anxiety that came out of nowhere. Is it possible its because I’m constantly thinking about the blood clot that could’ve killed me? Possibly because I’m 10 hours from home in a city where I have no family? I’ll never be for sure. It’s a traumatic experience in my life but through it, I was able to find myself, grow closer to God, and regain my physical and mental health.
Here we are now, four months, four blood-thinning prescription refills, countless hours of hiking, and a healthier lifestyle later. I enjoyed meeting and talking to you on the trail! Enjoy your future hikes!

My note: Jacob, so proud of you for changing your lifestyle! Sometimes it takes something to happen to wake us up. If I can help in any way please let me know.

Michael

We also met Michael he was from Russa but lived in Texas. he was working in Va. and on weekends he would hike. He said his wife was in a lot better shape then he was and they were doing a hiking trip to the Grand Tetons in a couple of months. He was working hard to catch up with her. I think he has a little bit to learn before his big trip. He hiked 3 hours uphill with one small bottle of water and a hiking stick he found on the trail.

On the second day when we hiked back up to the Knob, we met a couple of college students and their new puppy. They put up a hammock and stayed the night on MacAfee Knob with their puppy. They watched the sun go down over the city and come up in the morning. If I make it back that is where I am staying.

Carline

We met Carline when we ask her if she wanted us to take her photo out on the edge. She was a cancer researcher. She was very interesting and we ask lots of questions. She also hiked down with us. She said she enjoys hiking on weekends to relax and get away. She takes her time and enjoys the entire journey. Sorry, I can't believe I didn't get her photo.

Here are some other images from our trip. Enjoy!

Get out in nature

Hiking Can Be Life changing. I hope this post inspires you to get out in nature. To leave all your troubles behind, open up your senses and smell the roses, or whatever. Let me know your story and journey. It can also be in your own backyard or a nearby park. Check out this post about how to have fun while hiking. https://elitephysiquesinc.com/category/hiking-backpacking/

Stay healthy and strong!

The post Hiking Can Be Life Changing For Your Body, Mind, & Soul appeared first on Elite Physiques.

Everyone is different so you might have to tweak it a bit. We are striving for a better quality of life when we hit our 50s that why we look for ways to make retirement more comfortable. Like a free calculator to work our the equity on our home, we want to make sure that we are prepared with our bodies too. Join me make this commitment now!
First of all, join our private Facebook page and post before photos and your goals.

I haven't made any changes in my body this year and thought about why. Mostly it was because I didn't have a plan. Well if I want to reach my goal of 17 percent body fat, no sugar, and no gluten then I had better get a plan. So here it is! You can also follow this plan. This plan can work for anyone. The photo above was taken about was 8 years ago in Hawaii. I was 6 weeks out from doing a bodybuilding show. Even on vacation, I stuck with my diet with an occasional drink (Vodka martini straight up so I wouldn't get any extra sugar.) I did it because I had a goal in mind and a plan. I was a size 4 in that photo and I'm now a very tight size 6, does that mean I'm an 8? Am I in denial? It doesn't matter because I am changing the way I eat forever not just until I feel good in a size 6.

Believe me when I say I have to work hard to keep weight off. I am 58 and a personal trainer (no pressure there) I have to set a good example for my clients, it is not easy. Sometimes I have a hard time getting my own workouts in. It seems like it gets harder every year, I just have to work harder. But I am worth it and so are you!

Get out a notebook and start writing your goals and your plan. Follow along with me.

My goals are -

To reach 17 -19 percent body fat. To follow the exercise and nutrition plan below. To make this a habit and a lifestyle so I look and feel healthy and happy every day.

My Nutrition plan -

Below is my eating plan. You can use my plan and replace foods you like with mine that you don't like. Don't worry about detoxing, you will when you start eating clean. No sugar no gluten, once a week I will have something I have been craving. The cleaner I eat the less I will want to cheat. However, if this is a lifestyle change if I eat something bad I will get right back on track and get over it.

Here is a look at what I will be eating

For tips on meal prep go here.

5 DAY MENU Plan

Everyday 1 cup coffee with MCT oil to burn fat and 1 glass lemon water. 8 to 10 glasses of water every day.

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

Now you get it. Start making your meal plan. If you are not hungry don't eat snacks. Go at least 12 hours (intermittent fasting) without eating, between dinner and breakfast. Very interesting information on intermittent fasting here.

My Exercise Plan -

First of all, I will get up at least 5 days a week and do Qigong. I am taking Zen Wellness Medical Qigong Restorative Program – 200 Hours/ 2-year program. I have been going to take this program for the last 10 years and I kept putting it off. Qigong is very powerful. I will be sharing about that with you soon. I will weight train 3 times a week. I walk/hike with my dog almost every day and take a hip-hop class or Zumba when I can. Make your cardio something that you enjoy. Don't overdo it, if you are hungry and want to eat everything after your cardio session you are working too hard or going too long.

Thank goodness I love weight training. It is the best exercise you can do for your body. When I am 70 I want to pick up my 5 bags of 50-pound bird seed myself. That's what weight training does for you. It is also the best way to get lean and change the shape of your body. Check out my training schedule below and write yours down in your notebook.

Here's a look at my weight training week

Monday - Qigong, Legs, and abs (core)

Tuesday - Qigong walk/hike

Wednesday - Chest and back Evening - hip hop class

Thursday - Qigong, bis, tris, and shoulders

Friday - Qigong walk/hike

Saturday - Zumba

Sunday - Qigong walk or hike

In Chinese medicine, winter is a time a time to slow down, turn inwards and reflection. It is not the time to do killer workouts. Try meditation Tai Chi or qigong. If your weight training, don't go all out, go for maintenance and pick up the intensity in the Spring.

Mindset -

How will I get there? I will Have my vision in mind every day. I will have a photo of what I want to look like and something that I want to do 10 years from now. See myself happy and healthy 20 - 30 years from now. I have clients that are in their 70's. They work out like my clients in their 40's, they cross-country ski, do yoga, take bike trips, kayak, and more. No Excuses!

Most Important! Stay away from sugar! When we take in sugar, it causes our bodies to release insulin, and insulin causes the body to store fat. (It also makes us look older) That's why those fat-free desserts with extra sugar are actually causing you to gain weight. Take a good look at the ingredients label and stay away from products high in sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Breakfast cereals and bars are usually high in sugar, so beware.

I hope you are motivated to make a change. I know you want to join me and get in the BEST SHAPE Of YOUR Life! Nothing is stopping you but you. Are you in?

Sherry

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The post Here Is The Plan For Getting In The BEST SHAPE Of Your Life appeared first on Elite Physiques.

First of all by learning everything you can about nutrition and what food does to your body and mind. The more you learn the more you change.

We will be posting about everything you will need to know. Make sure you read Carla's post on, "Tips on Cleaning Up Your Diet and Nutrition for the New Year", below.

Make sure you sign up and follow our blog to learn and for motivation!

You will learn:

• How to get started and what to do first
• What you should never eat and why
• What you shouldn’t eat often and why
• Superfoods that you need to start eating
• What product are the most toxic and what are the best and safest to use

What can you expect from learning about and making these changes?

• Reach a healthy weight (I want to be lean this year 17 percent body fat)
• Increase energy (feel energized all the time - every day)
• Get rid of the blotting and gas
• Sleep better
• Have a better immune system (don’t get sick when everyone around you is)
• Improve your mood

Tips on Cleaning Up Your Diet and Nutrition

Welcome to another new year! A time for change, to reflect on the previous year, and implement anything that will make our lives better on the inside and out! The first items that comes to mind may be health, nutrition and getting in shape. Most of us have just come off a month and a half of sugar, alcohol, and carbohydrate overindulgence. We need a method to clean up our nutrition and bring our pre-holiday energy and life force back into play.

Our bodies and minds do not respond well to major changes that happen overnight. For example, if you have been treating yourself to three or four cookies a day, and you remove them from your life, you may have a few unpleasant withdrawal symptoms until your body is used to the change. You may fill in any word for cookie, like coffee, bread, wine, chips…. get my point? So here are a few tips to help you clean up your nutrition without throwing in the towel and binging on anything in sight due to carbohydrate, caffeine, and sugar withdrawal.

1. Start drinking more water. A regular water glass is 16 ounces. Drink 6 to 8 of these per day. This will help flush out the bad toxins we have been stuffing ourselves with for the last 2 months.
2. Decrease carbohydrate intake slowly. If your diet has been filled with carbs, start by removing anything that does not belong. You know, anything with a wrapper, processed carbs like chips, soda, and that dearly loved café latte. Slowly decreasing will let you move into a healthy nutrition plan without wanting to drive to the nearest drive-through and order the entire dollar menu!
3. Decrease calorie intake As you decrease carbs, your calories will decrease automatically. I hear this daily….” I don’t eat a lot of carbs or too many calories”. If that were true, you wouldn’t be reading this article. Wink, wink.
4. Remove any foods that cause an issue like gas, bloating, fatigue, headache to name a few. If you are having these symptoms caused by a certain food, that food item is not good for you. It’s causing inflammation, and this leads to illness. Recognizing and eliminating these foods may take some time and journaling but the result is fabulous.
5. Eat one pound of vegetables per day. Don’t freak out! One pound is four, four-ounce servings of veggies. For example, you may eat four ounces of cucumbers with lunch, four ounces of celery or peppers for a midafternoon snack and eight ounces of other low carb veggies with dinner. This keeps you fuller, gives you fiber, vitamins, and antibiotics. Veggies also keep your colon happy.

Try incorporating these tips into your daily routine and watch your energy come back to life! Please commit below!

Carla Myers

The post The Year Of Fit and Cleaning Up Your Diet appeared first on Elite Physiques.

Now I am not one to let my age stop me from most things, however, I do know I can’t jump around like I used to and I can’t (and don’t what to) press 65-pound dumb bells anymore. Remember, more important than age, just like everyone’s nutrition needs are different than any ones else so are ones exercising needs. Speaking of nutrition, some people like to add to their workout routine with various supplements. Many of these can reduce stress, aid recovery and help sleep amongst other things. Ashwagandha in particular has been demonstrated to dramatically lower stress levels, which in turn allows you to focus on what's important. You can find this product on Amazon. Just remember to take it alongside your training and exercise, one without the other isn't as effective.

There are lots of things to take into consideration when deciding what type of exercise to do, like your goals, your limitations, and the type of exercise. It seems like every day there are new franchises going up, Boxing, Crossfit, Orange Theory, Hip Hop, Zumba, and then there are too many to count, types of yoga classes. So what exercise should you do? First I will show you how I evaluate an exercise program and then I will talk about the different exercise programs.

Here are some of the things I look at when evaluating my clients before designing an exercise program for them. I think of my program as holistic because I look at the whole body before designing a program. Think about these questions before you start doing any exercise program.

• I find out if they have any injuries or pain, knees, hips, back, shoulders?

If you have any injuries or pain and join one of the group classes above you could be in trouble. In most group classes everyone does the same thing. For example, if you have a bad shoulder (or bad posture) you probably shouldn’t put your arm over your head while loaded (which means with any weight) this can cause more pain and bigger problems. In a group setting, they don’t know about your problems. What you should do is work with a Personal Trainer even if it’s for a short time so they can design a custom exercise program for you. They can also help you decide what classes or program might be right for you. We also recommend checking out Neoteric Nutra cbd for more information on the products they have available for aches and pains. They even help prevent your heart from having any problems later in life, and help keep joints healthy and working well.

• What imbalances do they have?

I look for things like, is one quad or hamstring tighter than the other, is one hip more rotated, what is their range of motion at all joints, do they have a posture problem. If you know you have any of these problems they should be addressed before you start any exercise program. You may find that if you get through to the right health insurance policies, you'll have the option of being able to ask your GP for a referral, meaning you'll be seen to a lot quicker and get a second opinion. Once you get all this sorted, you'll be able to start your exercise programs without any discomfort.

• How is their nutrition, what do they eat?

Did you know that if you eat too much sugar or junk food you are more likely to get an injury and it will take you longer to recover? Well, it’s true! As we get older it already takes longer to recover from our workouts, add bad nutrition and you might be looking at a 3 to 5 day recovery period.

• What is their stress load?

The more stress you have in your life (internal and/or external, your body doesn’t know the difference) the less intense your exercise program should be. A Yale study involving undergraduate students demonstrates how people with chronic stress take longer to recuperate from one high-impact exercise session. Stress levels were assessed using a psychological tool. An hour after the workout using heavy leg weights, the students with the lowest stress levels had regained 60 percent of their leg strength, whereas the high-stress students had regained only 38 percent. You can read more at, 10 ways stress affects your workouts. For example, if your stress level is 8 out of 10 you should be doing something like Tai Chi, Qigong, or maybe a gentle yoga class.

• What are their goals?

Think about your goals, do you want to walk a 12 min. mile, have nicer arms, or maybe lose weight? Then ask what kind of exercise or class do I need to do to reach these goals? Where can I go to do the exercises, what days and times can I go? Make sure you have a plan.

Have you ever thought about those questions before starting an exercise program? How hard should you be working?

Here are some of the types of exercise programs out there and who should be doing them.

• Dance – Zumba, Hip Hop (my favorite cardio workout), Bollywood, and Salsa. Anyone can dance, although some of the classes can be pretty fast. They repeat movement to make it easier to catch on. The good thing is you can use smaller movements to use less energy. Go at your own pace.
• Orange Theory or HIT (high-intensity training) class – if you are competitive you will like this class. The idea is by sustaining a target zone heart rate you are increasing your metabolism. The result is extra calorie burn and increased metabolism. Each participant will wear a heart-rate monitor that synced up to one of several TVs lining the wall, and you’re expected to monitor your own output throughout the class. If you have any type of injury, high stress, or eat bad food this is not the class for you.
• Crossfit - CrossFit is performing “functional movements that are constantly varied at high intensity.” CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program. The CrossFit program is designed to elicit as broad an adaptation response as possible. CrossFit is not a specialized fitness program but a deliberate attempt to optimize physical competence in each of ten recognized fitness domains. In my opinion, you need to find a good coach that works with woman over 50. There are lots of injuries related to Crossfit and overtraining. Read about an incredible, over 50, Crossfiter at http://mysideof50.com/?s=crossfit.
• Cyclebar - CycleBar gives people the option to track their performance, although it's not required most people do. If you ask me it is very competitive. When I took my first class I was expecting a dark room with a big screen and the instructor taking me on a journey, maybe to Ireland. This is the kind of cycling class I like. Anyone, any age one can do this class because you can go at your own pace. Don’t get caught up in trying to keep up with everyone else unless you have been cycling for awhile.
• Barre class - The barre is used as a prop to balance while doing exercises that focus on isometric strength training combined with high reps of small range-of-motion movements using light handheld weights. Mats are also used for targeted core work. Barre work is safe for most people if you listen to your body but, don’t think you are going to get “long and lean” from any class without addressing your nutrition. In my opinion, they do way too many reps, which can cause overuse injuries. If you want nice arms then using heavier weight and eat good food, I’m just saying!!!
• Boxing (Title Nine) – This class starts with a 10-15 minute warm-up, which included some stretching and then plenty of cardio. It can include some jogging, jumping jacks, side stepping, high knees, skips, and more. The basic structure of the regular boxing class includes eight sets of three minutes of boxing, with one minute “active rest” (burpees, pushups, squats, planks, and more), I don’t call that rest, in between. One of our clients, that’s 72 does group training with us and one day a week and does one day at Title Nine Boxing. Her trainer (over 60) went to one of her classes with her. She reported that yes she is in great shape but was not strong enough to hold some of the moves and most of the time she had bad form and no one corrected her. They will push you from the start, so I wouldn’t recommend this class to over 50 gals unless you are already in very good shape.

To sum this up, there are people out there that are over 70 doing all of these exercises. There are several clients in my studio over 70 that are doing some of these classes. So don’t let your age stop you! Do answer the questions above to determine with classes to take and how hard you should work. Do start with a qualified Personal Trainer (https://chekinstitute.com/) to evaluate you before you began.

I would love to know if you think about the questions above before exercising and what kind of exercise class you take. Thanks for reading!

First seen on My Side Of 50.

The post How to Evaluate an Exercise Program as We Get Older appeared first on Elite Physiques.