FacebookTwitterRssYouTubeNewsletter
CNSlogo_final iaacn-logo Gymnastic Bodies Affiliate
Categories Menu

Posted by in News, Nutrition Articles

SLEEP: The Magic Bullet of Fat Loss

Approximately 1/3 of Americans get less than 6 hours of sleep/night, while only 7-8% sleep 8 hours/night. Basically, this means almost everyone is sleep deprived. And sleep deprivation, particularly when chronic, (meaning you get less than 6 hours/night, every night) leads to big problems. Big problems like obesity, cardiovascular risk, metabolic risk, premature aging, and even cancer. Really want to fall off your seat? Know that 81 of 89 studies looking at sleep deprivation have all had the same finding: lack of sleep increases obesity by 55%. Think about that for a minute. You could be doing ‘all the right things’, like eating your vegetables and meats, taking good supplements, weight training, etc, and still have over 50% risk of becoming obese if you aren’t sleeping properly. This is important to know! Additionally, we’ve all know that it takes discipline to eat well and workout, long-term. Well, guess what? Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase impulsivity, and cause people to become less likely to work for something that...

Read More

Posted by in Training Articles

In Defense of Squats and Deadlifts.

It seems appropriate to begin this article with a "thank you" - a thank you to the strength and conditioning coaches out there who go the extra mile and teach their clients how to squat, and perform deadlifts. I say thank you, because in gyms across the country these lifts, and their variations, are as rare as a $2 bill. Certainly not due to any danger in performing the lifts themselves, but due to the inability of the coaches to a. teach the lifts, and b. pick up on the postural/tissue tension faults that cause the lifts to break down. Due in part to a. and b., many coaches simply resort to throwing their clients on leg press machines and watching them, well, sit and press away. One of my favorite quotes by Mark Rippetoe is "the only problem with barbell training is the fact that the vast, overwhelming majority of people don't know how to do it correctly". Truth be told. For just a moment I'll side with...

Read More

Posted by in News, Nutrition Articles

Healthy at Home: Nutritional Strategies for Kids Heading Back to School

As 'back to school' rapidly approaches, many parents are making inquiries about keeping their kids healthy during the school year. This boils down to questions such as: What sort of meals and snacks should they be eating? How do I get them to make healthier choices? Well, the answers are simple: the same meals, snacks, and healthier choices as you, fluff ball. You are the parent - take the lead. Seriously. It's entertaining to have conversations with parents who disassociate their eating habits from those of their kids. Nutritional habits are formed in the household, within the family unit. As parents, it's critical to take as much responsibility as possible for ensuring the nutritional habits formed will be beneficial for life. Nutrition forms the foundation for childhood growth and development, which then sets the stage for adulthood. We want healthy kids, then healthy adults, free of diseases related to: Excess body fat Compromised gut health Immune compromise Chronic inflammation As a society, we're knee deep in trouble right now....

Read More

Posted by in Ashleigh In The News, News

A Gym Earning Every Ounce of Reputation

Our gym was recently featured in the Clearwater Gazette to announce our new name, the staff and the new owner...   The team at Clearwater Beach Fitness (from left): Michelle Lindsey, Marcus Boehmer, Dorothy Hendricks, Ashleigh Gass and owner/former WWE wrestler Brian Wickens, known in the wrestling world as Luke Williams (AKA: Bushwacker). See more at:...

Read More

Posted by in Nutrition Articles

Preventing The Afternoon Energy Crash n’ Crave

Many of the new clients coming to see me struggle with energy levels and cravings, particularly in the afternoon. Between the hours of 3-5pm, many people feel lethargic, irritable, and ready for a nap. Unfortunately, the modern day North American office environment does not permit napping on desks - thus, we must consider alternate strategies! Please realize one important aspect of the symptom “low energy” - chronic illness of all kinds (gut dysfunction and autoimmune conditions, for example) have low energy associated with them. Therefore, if you suffer from chronically low energy levels, please seek out a qualified health care practitioner to rule out major disease. In my experience, the afternoon energy crash (often combined with food cravings) is caused by the following: 1 . Poor sleep habits 2 . Poor food choices leading to chronic nutrient deficiencies and blood sugar dysregulation 3 . Complete lack of strength training exercise POOR SLEEP HABITS Research consistently shows that sleeping a s long as possible (between 7-9 hours/night) provides stress relief,...

Read More

Posted by in Nutrition Articles, Training Articles

Gather your food and HUNT down your workouts!

Gather your food and HUNT down your workouts! Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls - we love your questions, and we get them all day long. "What do you eat, when do you eat, what amounts do you eat, what do you eat prior to training, during training, after training……". "What do you train on certain days, how do you do this, that, or the other, how do you build abs, how do you build legs, what about your butt, how do you get that…….." You get the idea. Over time, we will be providing you with intelligent information to assist you with all of your questions. In this article, we offer very simple, highly effective starting points. Enjoy! Hunt and Gather your Food. Sort-of. Traditional Hunter-gatherer societies obtained most, or all food from wild plants and animals, collecting eggs, nuts, fruits, and seafood. Of course nowadays we cannot obtain exactly the same food our ancestors did (and, thankfully for most of us, we don't have to hunt it...

Read More

Posted by in News, Nutrition Articles

Great Guts

Gut health, or lack thereof, is a hot topic in medicine today. Rightfully so, as proper gas-trointestinal (GI) function is critical to all aspects of body function and ad-equate nutritional status. Failures of the GI system can manifest as diges-tive diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and colorectal cancer (3). Autoimmune diseases can originate from GI dysfunction, and include Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, chronic dermatological conditions, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), allergies, asthma, schizophrenia, and autism (1,3). In my work with clients, I’ve found that most people aren’t really aware of their gut - until things go wrong. This makes sense, since we don’t ‘see’ our gut on daily basis. We go about our days eating and drinking, taking for granted that all of our meals end up getting digested and put to use. That is, until things go wrong and we begin experiencing common GI symptoms: bloating, cramping, gas, constipation, diar-rhea, and insomnia. Let’s review GI anatomy real quick in order to gain...

Read More

Posted by in News, Training Articles

Simple-To-Follow New Year’s Fitness Routine

Backflip off the fitness wagon this holiday season? Let me tell you how to stick the landing... Back to reality, or at least the perception of it. Back to the gym, to work, to 'healthy' eating, regular sleep, and te desire to look good naked. (I'd really like to assist you with the latter category). Good news - it's easier than you think. Bad news - all of your herculean goal setting won't work if you are still guzzling lo-fat instant oatmeal for breakfast every day. In this article, I will outline severl simple and easy strategies, that will, if followed, result in fat loss. I'' condense years of formal education and complicated biochemestry into a few bullet points for you. Here goes: 1. Upon rising, have you normal cup of coffee. This time though, after drinking it, head outside and do a 20 minute walk/jog session. The caffeine tastes good, and helps mobilize fat. Already complaining about lack of time to do this? Get up earlier. You want...

Read More

Posted by in News, Nutrition Articles, Training Articles

How Do I Accomplish My Fitness Goals Over The Holidays?

Did you know that half of the annual weigh gain in America takes place during the holiday period? Furthermore, a recent study found that most of this weight is retained indefinitely. Rather sobering when you realize that the average American gains 3lbs/year, while losing 1 percent of muscle mass/year after the age of 25. Thinking that through, if your lifestyle is largely sedentary, in 5 years you would have lost 5 percent of your muscle mass, and gained 15 lbs of fat. It's the perfect storm formula for insulin resistance, diabetes, abdominal obesity and a really big behind! The motivation to BEGIN, continue, and SUCCEED with fitness over the holidays has to come from a strong inner fire. A determination that come January, you are going to look and feel better than you have in months. A realization that, this holiday season, you can enjoy the food, family, and festivities, while kicking butt in the gym. Here are a few tips that will help you succeed. Sick with simple...

Read More

Posted by in News, Training Articles

How Do I Train if I Don’t Have Time?

Good news - you are not alone. Better news - it has been done before, by many thousands of people with perhaps less time than you! Busy schedules, and general confusion about what to do in the gym are the two most common reasons people never really start a training program. Before I discuss a strategy that works for those of you with seemingly no time to train due to businesses, jobs, families, or all three, understandthis; this strategy is effective, but it's also intense. You will need a bit of coaching in order to do this style of training because there are movements that are likely new to you. These movements are challenging, and very effective for full body strength and toning but require a bit of technical "know-how". Additionally, I always recommend that you learn the basics of injury prevention (flexibility, tension reduction, warm up drills, etc) so that you can incorporate all of this stuff into your 'short and sweet' training program. I have a quick-start training program...

Read More