A visual reminder…

I recently overheard someone talk about how much they love the Carls Jr. “Grilled Cheese Bacon Six Dollar Burger.”  I don’t have to look up the nutrition facts to know that this can’t be good for anyone.  I think the name says it all.

But how bad is it really?  Well, I looked up the nutrition facts and yes…it’s REALLY bad.

In this single burger, you’ll find 990 calories, 69 grams of fat and 2280 grams of sodium.  Yikes!

Some people don’t understand what these numbers mean.  And of course, many of us  DO understand what these numbers mean but choose to ignore them.

So rather than just tell you the fat/calorie/sodium content of this nutritious meal I thought I’d give you a little visual…

This is a pan of bacon grease and that white stuff is fat.  I’m sure you’ve seen this before.  And this is the stuff that you’ll find in that Bacon Cheese Burger you just ate or have been craving.

My question for you:  Do you really want to put this in your body?  If that burger looked like this pan of bacon grease would you still eat it?  Is this gross enough to make you think twice about ordering that Bacon Cheese Burger?  Hopefully….

Drink water to lose weight!

The body needs water to survive!  Here are just a few of the benefits:
1.    Improves appearance of skin
2.    Improves muscle tone
3.    Flushes toxins reducing risk of sickness/infection
4.    Cushions/lubes joints and muscles for optimal performance
5.    Energizes you

But did you know that water also:
1.    Keeps you feeling satisfied
2.    Metabolizes fat

When it comes to losing weight these two things are very important.

Water keeps you satisfied
Drinking a glass of water before you eat will help you feel “satisfied” or “full” faster.  (NOTE:  eating until you feel “full” is a whole other topic.  I’ll cover that in a future newsletter.  But just know, that you don’t need to “fill yourself up” at every meal.  You just need to feel “satisfied.”).  Water can also satisfy a hunger craving.  The body may tell you it’s hungry, but very often, it’s just that you’re thirsty for a little water.  So, drink a full glass of water before every meal.  And when you’re feeling hungry, first drink a full glass of water and wait 10 minutes.  You may have just been a little thirsty!

Water helps metabolize fat
Drinking water is important for Kidney health, as it allows the kidney to perform its crucial function of removing toxins from the body and maintaining the correct concentration of the blood and other body fluids. So why do we care about this?  Well, when the kidneys don’t get enough water they don’t function at 100%, so the Liver steps in to help carry out the kidney functions.  When the liver starts helping the kidneys, it cannot perform it’s own functions at 100%.  And why is this important?  Well, the liver has many functions, but one of them is converting stored fat to energy for the body to use.  If the liver can’t work at 100% of productivity, then it isn’t metabolizing fat as quickly or efficiently as it could if the Kidneys were working pulling their own weight.
Now, this is quite simplified, but the point is…if you’re trying to lose weight then you must drink enough water.

When it comes to losing weight, the little things are just as important as the big things.  Yes, working out and meeting your daily calorie target are the big ones, but something as simple as drinking enough water can be the one thing that slows your progress down.

How much water do you need to drink daily? It is recommended that you drink half of your body weight (ounces).  So if you are 150 pounds, then you need to drink at least 75 ounces of water per day.

Oh yeah…if you’ve tried increasing your water intake in the past, and found yourself going to the bathroom every hour, don’t worry.  This is normal and it’s not going to last.  Once your body gets used to the increased water intake, your number of daily bathroom visits will decrease.

Whether you’re enrolling in one of the Santa Monica Sweat programs or not, at the very least drink more water!

Relieving pain!

The knee is probably the most common site of injury in athletes or anyone following a rigorous exercise program.

An active person may experience pain (ie: knee pain or sciatica) when soft tissues of the body become restricted due to overuse, trauma, or inactivity.

Last year, I tweaked my knee in a soccer game and ended up with Tendonitis. After having an MRI that came back clean, the doctor have me anti-inflammatories and told me to stay off it. Well, if you know me, then you know that is an impossible solution. So I pulled out my foam roller and within a few months, I was back to playing soccer. So why a foam roller? To understand that, you’ve got to understand what Fascia is:

Fascia is the soft tissue component of the connective tissue that provides support and protection for most structures within the human body, including muscle. This specialized system looks much like a spider web. It is densely woven and it covers and interpenetrates every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein, as well as, all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. This uninterrupted web of tissue connects every body part together like the yarn in a sweater.

In the normal healthy state, the fascia is relaxed and wavy in configuration and is easily able to stretch and move. When one experiences trauma or inflammation the fascia becomes tight, restricted, and is a source of tension to the rest of the body, often resulting in pain or limited range of motion. An extremely high percentage of people suffering with pain and/or lack of motion may be having fascial problems, and this often goes undiagnosed.

So how do we treat this?

Myofascial release is a form of soft tissue therapy that relaxes contracted muscles, increases circulation, and stimulates the stretch reflex of muscles and overlying fascia.

So how do you get this therapy?

Foam rolling is an extremely effective form of soft tissue therapy. Not to mention it’s quick, cheap and easy! I have many clients who have been able to totally eliminate knee pain, Sciatica and other pains from a combination of foam rolling and stretching.

When purchasing a foam roller, make sure it’s hard. Many foam rollers are a soft and spongy, however I recommend one that doesn’t have any “give.” To start, you should use the foam roller before AND after exercising. And don’t forget to stretch after exercise!

If you are looking to purchase a foam roller, you can do so through Santa Monica Sweat for $30.

Email info@santamonicasweat.com if you’d like to purchase one.

Now watch this video for directions on how to use the roller.

Healthy Chinese food at home

Cooking and eating at home is so important when it comes to weight loss…or just being healthy for that matter. It’s definitely possible to eat healthy and count/eye calories when eating out, but it depends on what your eating.

My rule of thumb is: “When in doubt, don’t eat out.”

Ok, I’m so cheezy…but it’s no lie. If you’re not sure what ingredients are being used to cook your food, or you’re unsure how many calories/fat is in that meal…then DON’T eat it!

Chinese take-out or something from your local Mexican Restaurant is likely FULL of calories, fat AND salt!

So I decided to prove to you that making Chinese “take-out” at home actually tastes better than the real “take-out.”

Watch this video: