proteins

6 Habits That Destroy Your Otherwise Healthy Lifestyle

Posted on October 23, 2017 by LetlerFit

Creating a healthy lifestyle is all about habit. Just like good habits, there are also bad habits. Some of them are killing your healthy lifestyle journey, and you may not even realize it.

Lack of Sleep: Sometimes, life requires you to lose sleep, and that’s ok. The problem is not a few nights of lack of sleep, the problem becomes too many nights without adequate sleep. Sleep is so crucial. I know we all know how awful it feels after consistent sleep deprivation. What many people may not know is that lack of sleep triggers an increase of cortisol hormone to be released in our bodies, which may cause us to bloat and have difficulty losing weight. Without Sleep our bodies cannot properly repair the muscles we just worked out.
Restriction: Leading a restrictive diet, leads to binges and constant yo-yoing and that’s not what we want. I’ve said time and time again it’s about establishing a balance of consuming more health foods than junk foods.
No Exercise or No clean foods: Sometimes eating clean is the easiest part of the nutrition and fitness equation. For others exercise is the easy part! But they go hand in hand! Not exercising or not eating clean but doing the other is only half of it and yields not so great results.
Alcohol: Going ham on the drinks during the weekend, EVERY weekend, is KILLER to your healthy lifestyle.
Not reading nutrition labels: Never go by the front of the packaging, read the label and pay attention to the ingredients!
Not Meal Prepping: Buying “healthy” foods from restaurants is no where near as good as prepping and cooking your own foods where YOU control everything. Sometimes the cleaner options are still loaded with hidden salt or sugar.

Learn more about the best online fitness program which includes comprehensive programs focused on shifting towards healthier eating habits, staying fit, and building a better booty. You’ll also find a variety of fitness apparel to help get you that extra motivation to take your goals to another level. Contact me today to learn more about the best fitness programs available to get your body in gear.

8 Common Misconceptions about Exercise

Posted on August 19, 2017 by LetlerFit

Lifting Heavy Weights as a Woman will Bulk You Up: I promise you, you will get a lot more done with 15 pound dumbbells compared to 2 pound dumbbells. As a whole our bodies do not have enough testosterone to create that bulky appearance. The way our muscles look has a lot to do with how we eat, how we exercise, and our genetic predisposition. I’ll also let you in on a little secret, most of those “bulky” “manly” looking women that scare non weight lifting women into training with weights use steroids. But I’ll just leave it as that as it’s a touchy subject.
I Don’t Want to Lose Weight: Guess what? You should be working out for LIFE! Life is demanding and if you’re unfit you have a higher probability of aches and pains as you age and injuries from simple daily tasks. No one wants to be the person known for throwing out there back trying to move a chair…it happens…I see it all the time! Usually in those who live a sedentary life. Our heart, lungs, EVERYTHING benefits from exercise.
No Pain No Gain: For the general fitness goer you really shouldn’t get passed a moderate level of soreness. If you are so sore it severely impairs your ability to carry out regular activity you may not be sore? Felt a sharp shooting pain during your workout, maybe you should stop and make sure you didn’t pull/strain/injure anything…DO NOT keep going. ESPECIALLY if the pain persists.
You Have to Be In the Gym for hours on End: FALSE! For the average gym goer MAX 60 minutes for warm up workout and cool down. As little as a properly thought out 14 minute workout science has now found can be beneficial when done right! It’s about QUALITY not QUANTITY.
When you Stop all your muscle become Fat again: That’s like saying when you stop eating an apple it turns into an orange. One cannot become the other. If you stop exercising for a period of time your muscle shrinks (atrophies).
Ab Exercises will Give You a 6 Pack: Everyone has a 6 pack, but because of genetics some people have to be more strict about their diet and cardio regimen to see it! For some it is easier than others, but we all have them other wise we’d be flopped over (our abs help keep us uprite). Ab exercises actually contribute to a minimum when you compare ab exercises to diet in their relevance to obtaining a 6 pack.
You can do the same thing every day and get Results: FALSE your body adapts. And QUICKLY! Changing things up is how you will see better results over a long period of time.
The Machine says I burned 300 Calories: The machine and what you actually burned are different as calories burned is different for everyone due to mass, metabolism, etc. What the machine calculates it’s is own RPM (rotations per minute) not your actual energy output.

6 Supposedly Healthy Foods You Should Be Avoiding

Posted on August 9, 2017August 9, 2017 by LetlerFit

The thing about the food and fitness industry is, marketing and advertising goes farther than science. It’s a sad reality, and is one of the reason so many people are quick to fall for gimmicks, nutrition labeling etc. Just today I went grocery shopping and was baffled at how the industry charges more or hides poison in their labeling. Here were the top 6 offenders that stood out to me today.

Fit and Active brand popcorn versus the generic brand popcorn: Fit and Active brand was almost a dollar more expensive and when you compare the labels…the EXACT same thing. Just because something is labeled fit and active or something along those lines does not necessarily make it any better.
Sugar: A bunch of BS, and WORSE for you! Your brain gets the same stimulation only instead of being natural, it’s synthetic, can mess up insulin regulation, and most are metabolized in to carcinogens…cancer causing agents. Go for REAL sugar, avoid the sugar alcohol. Even in moderation, real sugar is better than fake. Same goes for regular vs diet sodas
Arctic Zero Ice Cream: People love it because it is low calorie, has minimal protein, but just like sugar free labels are ridded with sugar alcohols. Limit sugar alcohols as much as possible (generally anything that ends in “ol” ie. sorbitol, erythritol, maltitol)
Low Fat anything: Your body NEEDS healthy fats. Low fat labels are usually a guise for companies to add sugars and MORE sugar alcohols in order to make the food tastier since removing fat makes food less appetizing. Whole fat is totally OK!
Organic Tostitos: While the ingredients may be “cleaner” they have more sodium and do in my opinion more harm because people consume more of it thinking it’s healthier.
Organic Granola: uhmmmm 36g of sugar per serving and only 8g of protein? what?! READ your labels!! Ideally there will be no added sugar.

Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Posted on August 7, 2017August 7, 2017 by LetlerFit

With the what the health phenomena I have been getting so many more inquiries about people wanting to become vegetarian or vegans so today I wanted to share a quick and easy, animal cruelty free dinner recipe!

Vegan Lettuce Wraps:

Romaine Lettuce = Taco Shell Replacement, Butter Lettuce is a great substitute as well!
In a pot saute mushroom, onion, tomatoes and season (I use cumin, cayeene, and celery salt)
Add in Beans on your choice and mix together
sprint hemp seeds to taste (I added 1 tbsp to the mix for 2 people)
Slice up some fresh avocado on top
Enjoy!

Have you watched any Netflix health docs lately?

Posted on July 17, 2017July 17, 2017 by LetlerFit

What the Health?, Forks Over Knives, Fed Up (personal fave), Food Matters, Vegucated, are just a few of the Netflix documentaries you can find on food. There are plenty more, but those are the ones I’ve seen recently. I must admit I have a love-hate relationship with most of them leaning more towards the hate than the love.

Here’s what I do love:

I love how they are bringing awareness to fruits and vegetables and how we need to increase the amount we are eating. The majority of us don’t even get half our recommended daily dosage.
I love how they shed light on the atrocities of the meat slaughtering industry, because regulations NEED to happen. The real animals are us humans, who choose not to find more humane ways to put down the meat that we do eat. Personally I am a vegetarian, I believe in doing my part, but I also do not believe everyone needs to go vegan. I’m a realist who believes it should be a personal choice as to whether or not someone decides to consume meat, and because I am a realist I know not everyone will remove or decrease the amount of meat in their diet, which is why more humane treatment of animals needs to be put in place.
I love that they shed light on the amount of garbage they are adding to meat, poultry, and farm raised fish.
I love how are they are raising awareness to the amount of added sugar the majority of us eat without realizing it
I love that they bring awareness to how food can help prevent more health issues than the pharmaceutical companies want you to believe. YOU NEED A BALANCE PEOPLE!

Here’s what I don’t like

How EXTREME and one-sided they are. The ones pushing people towards veganism more so than the ones warning people to stay away from wheat and sugar. At least the one’s I have seen about wheat frequently give the disclaimer that the negative effects of wheat more so impact the gluten intolerant. The documentaries about sugar also frequently express the need more consuming added sugar in moderation. However the ones that promote veganism, never once touch base on the idea of grass-fed or organic meat and poultry alternatives that are worth the investment due to significantly less pesticides, etc.
I do not like how they neglect to go over the differences between complete and incomplete proteins and how animal proteins are complete proteins where as plant based protein usually requires 2-3 different sources to reach the complete protein status.
I do not like how they neglect to mention that for athletes looking to get stronger, IGF1 only found in red meat is a legal and natural “steroid” in the sense that is helps our strength gains. I’m not saying you won’t get stronger if you only eat vegetarian or vegan because that is not the case. The gains can come faster though with the help of red meat, but I opt out of that natural boost.
I don’t like how they neglect to talk about the dirty dozen (aka the most contaminated fruits and vegetables) that everyone should prioritize as buying organic because of the amount of pesticides found in them.
- Peaches, Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Pears, Grapes, Spinach, Lettuce, Potatoes
I don’t like how they do not touch on the subject of how easy it is to also be overweight and have health issues has a vegetarian or vegan. I personally know way too many overweight, anemic, or overall unhealthy vegetarians and vegans

Overall for people who do not have extremist personalities and tendencies I would recommend educating themselves with these documentaries, however also keeping in mind that there are 2 sides to every story. I wish they would make them with less of a bias. I believe they’d have more success reaching larger audiences if they did. I also believe they would make meat-eaters understand the POV of vegans and vice versa. We all know that vegan or meat eater that tries to make the other side feel like terrible people for choosing to eat or not eat meat. We need to educate people on both sides and THEN let people decide and respect their decisions! The lesson continues to be that everything in MODERATION is key!

The Importance of Snacking

Posted on March 8, 2017March 8, 2017 by LetlerFit

The general rule of thumb for healthy snacking is 200-300 calorie healthy snack in between breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The problem is most people skip out on the snacks or go for unhealthy fatty snack foods. I’ve coached over 100 people in the last 2 and a half years and I would say 50% of my clients initially skipped snacks, 25% opted for unhealthy snacks, and the other 25% were snacking the right way.

A few advantages to snacking include:

Prevention of over eating: Do you ever find yourself come 12pm about to rip your hair off from hunger? Which prompts you to go out to lunch eating with your eyes. It happens to the best of us. When we have our healthy snack, we can nip that hunger in the butt and hold off our stomach until our next major meal. Plus that overeating usually happens with carbs, and when most people scarf down an extra serving of food for lunch due to the extreme hunger, they’re met shortly after with fatigue from over spiking their insulin. Also, something we want to avoid.
steady blood sugar levels: The last statement about crashing after a meal has to do with the blood sugar levels. spiking our blood glucose level excessively over and over again can overtime lead to weight gain.
Provides nutrients: Healthy snacking provides healthy nutrients. Both macro and micronutrients. Healthy macronutrients give us energy, and who can say no to mid morning and mid afternoon natural energy boosts?

Because snacking can get boring and confusing I designed an ebook with 25 of my favorite snack creations called snack like letler to help you! All 25 recipes of mainly vegetarian snacks for only $2.99. Click here to download your ebook!

Get LetlerFit in 2017

Posted on January 6, 2017 by LetlerFit

A New Year means a fresh opportunity to start making new goals and adopt some healthy habits into your life, maybe by adding some level of exercise into your schedule. Exercising doesn’t mean you have to completely change your schedule and become one of those people that spend tons of hours at the gym. A few minutes to an hour or so a couple of times a week is the first step towards a new you, and one of the LetlerFit e-books can help!

The LetlerFit e-books include just about everything you need to help you get started on your fitness journey, except the motivation which you’ll have to provide yourself. Are you looking to get your abs toned for 2017? You can start with the Beginner Abs at Home e-book or work on perfecting them with the Intermediate and Advanced Abs e-books. Maybe you need some tips on changing up your diet as you start to exercise. The Snack like Letler e-book has several recipes that taste delicious and will help you stay on track. Check out the LetlerFit e-book page to see all of the e-books for sale as well as money saving bundles!

Click here for the total body package and get Snack Like Letter FREE:

http://www.letlerfit.com/Total-Body-Package-p/total.htm
Learn more about the best online fitness program which includes comprehensive programs focused on shifting towards healthier eating habits, staying fit, and building a better booty. You’ll also find a variety of fitness apparel to help get you that extra motivation to take your goals to another level. Contact me today to learn more about the best fitness programs available to get your body in gear.

Macronutrients vs Micronutrients part 1

Posted on March 30, 2015March 30, 2015 by LetlerFit

Macronutrients vs Micronutrients. What are they? We all hear about them, but do we really know what they are? Today’s post is on the subject of macronutrients.

Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram, Protein has 4 calories per gram, and Fats have 9 calories per gram. Ever wonder how they figure out how many calories should be listed in the nutrition label? This is how! So for example, if something has 15g of carbs it carries over to 70 calories. Easy peezy. 🙂

Macros are incredibly simple to understand. They are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Let me start with carbohydrates. So many misconceptions about whether they are good for you. I LOVE carbs! They’re my best friend when I lack energy before a workout and for repairing my muscles after a workout. I do of course, consume the good carbs. The USDA recommends that 45-65% (depends on activity level) of total caloric intake to come from carbohydrates. Carbs are converted into the body’s primary fuel source and they help certain amino acids synthesize (hint hint to all of my athletes). When the body has carbohydrates to pull from it can use the other macros (fats and proteins) for their intended jobs (we will get to them in a bit). They also aid in metabolizing fats, in other words, eat fats and carbs together (healthy ones of course). Fiber is another type of carbohydrate and even though your body cannot digest fiber it is essential in overall digestive health.

The next kind of macronutrients are proteins. The USDA recommends that 10-35% of your total intake should come from protein. The average America however, consumes WAY TOO much protein. Our cells are mainly composed of proteins that actually define our behavior and physical appearance. How cool is that? Proteins are also used for basic bodily maintenance like growth and tissue repair. When carbs are not readily available to your body, your body takes its energy from protein. Your digestive and immune system enzymes are made up of proteins. Your body also uses protein for hormone regulation.

The third kind of macronutrients are fats. 20-35% of your daily intake according to the USDA should come from fats. Fat is essential for your bodies growth and development and has the highest concentration of energy. Fats are used to absorb vitamins A, D, E, K and Carotenoids for example and also serve as cushions to your organs. Fats are also used to maintain the cell membrane.

In quick summary, depriving your body of any macronutrients is definitely something I do not recommend because as can be seen from the aforementioned, each macro plays an integral role in your body. On Wednesday I will be posting about micronutrients. Lastly, I apologize in advance for any typos. Everything I have gone over in this post has come from class notes or my head (yes I pay attention in class)

Any further questions? Please do not hesitate to ask!

Haven’t gotten a chance to visit my website? not a problem! www.LetlerFit.com