Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to have my body fat measured. I was in the healthy range, so I was happy about that. Body fat % is pretty interesting to me. You can be “overweight” but still fall within the healthy range (remember that muscle weighs more than fat). You can also be at a healthy weight, but have a high body fat %. Have you ever heard the term “skinny fat.” I’m not a big fan of that term, but what it means is that someone can be seemingly “skinny” but if they’ve never worked out, it’s possible that their body fat % is higher than someone who’s “bigger” that works out a lot. Crazy, right?

So what’s the healthy range for your age? Here’s general guide:

Age (20-29):  women 19%, men 11.8%
Age (30-39):  women 20%, men 15.9%
Age (40-49):  women 23.5%, men 18.1%
Age (50-59):  women 26.6%, 19.8%
Age (65+):  women 27.5%, men 20.3%

Want to get your body composition analysis? Well my friend Linda has a mobile hydrostatic body fat testing clinic and she’s going to be in Culver City on Wednesday September 15th outside the Herbalife Building from 2 – 8 pm. You can call 949-283-3655 to make an appointment.  Wear a bathing suit and remember to bring a towel with you!

You can also click here for some of the other locations.

For more information you can visit www.bodyfattest.com

Sources:  www.bodyfattest.com

You can get it at Trader Joe’s, Ralphs, Von’s, Albertsons, Pavillions and Target.

This stuff is all natural; ust raw milk, raw cream and live active cultures. It’s got that thick creamy texture without the added fat and calories.  I love mixing in fresh fruit to sweeten it up.  However, I also always keep a bag of frozen mixed berries in my freezer (the kind without syrup.  just fruit!).  This way, I can still sweeten it up when I don’t have fresh fruit in the house.  And if I have neither, I’ll take a small scoop of raspberry preserves and mix it in.

This is a really good snack because it tastes great and it’s filling!

The 6 oz container (larger than other brands) of the 0% Fage Yogurt is only 90 calories, Zero fat, and 15 grams of protein.  That’s pretty amazing!   So try it out and let us know how you liked it!

How to minimize chafing this summer:  Boot camp on the beach

I recently had a break-through: Working out is actually fun.

After years of exercising (or, uh, not exercising) on a treadmill like a hopped-up hamster, I just now discovered the great outdoors (yeah, I know). I also discovered how much fun it is to bring friends into the fitness mix. And last week, I accomplished both of my recent discoveries while working out with Santa Monica Sweat owner Laura Hebert while overlooking the Pacific.

Hebert, who buffs bodies at the Easton gym in Santa Monica when not working beachside, is all about circuit training. And her customized programs — which incorporate cardio, strength training and some really great stretches — are perfect for an ADD-riddled sole like myself. Not to mention the fact that it literally hurt when I smiled for three days after my workout and continues to hurt as I sit here and write this today. In other words, it feels awesome.

Now Hebert is gearing up for her latest hour long, on-the-ocean bootcamp, which begins on June 7th. And you can sign up to go for six-weeks ($297/ $16.50 per class), three-weeks ($147-$165) or simply drop in on a single session ($20). And I think I’d rather do this with my friends than eat and complain.

And as an added bonus, Hebert is offering 20% off of her six-week package for Style Section L.A. peeps. Just enter STYLELA upon checkout.

Yes, bootcamp starts at the ungodly hours of 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. But it will be worth it when you can fit into your favorite cut-offs and walk up a flight of stairs without turning blue in the face.

Santa Monica Sweat Summer Session Bootcamp, June 7-July 16. Monday, Wednesday and Friday 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. or 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Bay St. and Ocean Ave. santamonicasweat.com

Style Section LA

8 am – 9 am

Ocean Ave between Bay St & Bicknell

Must RSVP by 8 pm tonight to attend.

Bring: water, yoga mat & a pair of dumbbells if you have them

Cost: You decide!  People typically contribute $10- $20 to the confidential donation bucket!

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….

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!

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.