Next Step Fitness Solutions

If you have hypertension or diabetes, please proceed with caution with diet fads like 5&1.

http://www.stack.com/a/these-muscles-in-your-butt-might-be-dead-heres-how-to-find-out-and-fix-them

The Muscles in Your Butt Might Be Dead. Here's How to Find Out (and Revive Them)

It may not look pretty but it's so good! Overnight oats-1/2 cup oats, 1 scoop protein powder (I use MRM vanilla), 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and 2 tablespoons of this chia/flax blend. Mix it all together at night and throw in the fridge. It will be ready and waiting for you in the morning.

Health benefits of chia and flax seeds are Omega3s and fiber.

You can also try these in shakes, yogurt, pancakes- just to name a few things! Enjoy!!

So sorry I have been out of the loop for so long. I plan on more activity on this page in the near future along with several give-aways/contests. Stay tuned!

So for those of you who know me (and those that don't), I HATE running!!!!! Sprints- could do those all day long. Running- it's stupid as far as I am concerned.

That being said, I find myself intrigued by a 1/2 marathon. A group of girls from my gym ran one this year and loved it.

I'm thinking of making it a bucket list item and checking it off next year. (I want to give myself enough time to train). I will be using a "couch potato" to 1/2 marathon program. Yes, I am that bad at running distance.

Any advice for me for those of you that have run 1/2s, fulls, etc? Anyone else interested in running a 1/2? Love to hear from you!

Great article on sugar and sugar substitutes. Realistic approaches to reducing your sugar consumpton. Also- fruit is not the enemy!

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/06/17/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sugar/ #1

For those of you who are an egg white only eater, if you are buying whole eggs and only eating the whites, you are only getting about 50% of the total protein per egg that you though you were getting. That is because nearly 50% of the protein in an egg is actually in the yolk.

So save yourself money, and ensure yourself the amount of protein you think that you are getting, and buy a good quality 100% egg white only product.

If you are eating whole eggs:

Make sure to buy eggs that are high in Omega 3 fatty acids. I will post a few of the product options we have come across. Chickens fed mainly corn will have very low amounts of Omega 3's and relatively high amounts of Omega 6's. Most commercial and store brand eggs (Safeway, Albertson's, Walmart, etc) sell eggs high in Omega 6's and relatively low in Omega 3's.

Although Omega 6's are necessary for proper health, too much of an imbalance of Omega 6's over Omega 3's appears to lead to health issues (heart disease, cancer, inflammation). Ideal dietary ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 is 1:1, and the average American dietary ratio is 20:1 to 30:1.

In fact, it may eventually be discovered that this imbalance is more harmful than the amount of cholesterol found in egg yolks. Remember, only 25% of the cholesterol absorbed by your small intestine comes from your diet. The other 75% comes from what your liver produces, and your body reabsorbs.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5445649_egg-yolk-nutrition.html

Egg Yolk Nutrition | eHow Whether or not egg yolks are good for your health has been debated for years, with nutritionists and authorities on both sides of the fence. Because they contain a lot of cholesterol, egg yolks were thought to be unhealthy for most of the nineties, and Americans were advised to avoid them. However,…

Chris and I are going to be more involved with this page int he coming months. We are hoping it becomes a source of useful information on fitness and nutrition.

We would like for folks to share their experiences for others.

We do not want to be the only ones posting lessons learned and useful tips for improving health and wellbeing.

We have a lot of friends and family members who have lost weight, cleaned up their diets, and have taken up activities as hobbies.

Not a single one of the success stories are the same.

There are also a growing number of personal trainers following this page. Some are local, and some are scattered throughout the US.

Please share this page with friends and family, regardless of where they live.

Besides the useful tips and personal experiences shared, we are hoping to connect people who will be able to help people achieve their personal fitness and lifestyle goals.

It's up and running! I am the newest affiliate to Quest Nutrition. Love their protein bars and so happy to be a part of this company. Click on the link below to be taken to the website.

http://www.questproteinbar.com/nextstepfs/

Here's a great resource for comparing Polar heart rate monitors. Check out Amazon for better prices.

http://www.heartmonitors.com/polar-comparison-chart

Polar Comparison Chart HeartMonitors.com has been serving the fitness consumer and fitness professional since 1991. Our offices are located in Vista, California. We offer the highest quality customer service and product support available. Orders are shipped within 24 hours Monday - Friday for orders place by 1 PM Pac....

I've been absent for awhile. Adjusting to life with 2 little ones. Today, my son turns 4 months and I feel that life is getting "normal" again. I will be more active with this page going forward. :)