Among all the food groups, carbohydrates are one of the most misunderstood. Entire diets have been built around eliminating carbs, and we’re always hearing about “complex carbs “ or “carb loading.” For people who are active, carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet. If you love going to the gym or or working out with your personal trainer, here’s what you need to know about carbohydrates and nutrition.

Main Purpose of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates serve as a fuel for the body. They are digested and burned by the body to be used as energy when doing physical or strenuous activities like working out. If the body lacks the right amount of carbohydrates, it will start to slow down, which will lead to poor performance. This is why it’s common to hear about athletes “carb loading” before a game.

The Difference between Simple and Complex Carbohydrates

• Simple carbohydrates  -  These are the carbohydrates that can be found in most of the foods that we eat. They’re simple because they have a very basic structure that is easy for our bodies to break down quickly. Simple carbohydrates include any foods made with refined sugar or bleached flour. So simple carbohydrates include not only “junk food” like sodas and candy, but also normal foods like white bread or ordinary pasta. This includes foods or drinks that were made from “refined sugar” such as, bread, pasta, soda, chocolates, and most processed foods. Because your body breaks them down so quickly, simple carbs can give your body a quick—and temporary—boost of energy.
• Complex carbohydrates – Complex carbohydrates take your body longer to process. Vegetables are complex carbohydrates, as are foods made from whole grains. Because it takes your body longer to digest complex carbohydrates, they’re a steadier source of energy during your workout. For a training session, basketball game, or other athletic event where you’ll want sustained energy, complex carbohydrates are the better pre-workout choice. These foods also tend to contain vitamins and minerals that help your body work more efficiently.

What is the Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index is the measure of how certain carbohydrates affect the body. Foods that stay in the body longer (e.g.,  complex carbohydrates) are considered to have low Glycemic Index, while foods that could rapidly increase blood sugar but dissipate more quickly, like simple carbohydrates, are considered to have a high Glycemic Index.

If you’re feeling hungry during your workout, it’s probably time to switch up your pre-workout snack or meal routine. Find a few snacks that incorporate plenty of complex carbohydrates, and see how much better your body feels afterward!

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit our Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

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In today’s society, it can be a daunting task to consistently make healthy food choices when you’re on the go. As tempting as it may be to grab a muffin and call it breakfast when time is a factor, poor choices can have a significant effect on your health in the long-term.

A little forethought can go a long way when you’re trying to eat healthy on the run. For breakfast, prepare and freeze an egg- white and spinach casserole in single serving portions. On your way out the door, microwave the portion, wrap into a whole wheat burrito, and you have your protein-packed breakfast in hand as you’re out the door.  Another quickie breakfast idea is a smoothie. Make with greek style yogurt (30% of your daily protein in a serving!),  a scoop of protein powder, about a cup of frozen mixed berries, and half a cup of orange juice. This mix will boost your energy and give you long lasting energy- rather than the high and then crash from a sugar-laced muffin.

For lunch, choose a wrap, as they are portable, packed with vegetables, and an easy choice for eating healthy on the run. Chicken and avocado, rice and beans, or roasted vegetables with hummus are all excellent choices that lend themselves well to a wrap. Another option is preparing a soup at home, and packing it in a heat-sealing Thermos. A good choice for this option is a pureed broccoli and potato soup, perhaps thickened with some greek yogurt. Delicious and hot, and packed with vitamins and protein, a soup is great for eating healthy on the run.

Dinner can be tricky, as you want it to be substantial enough so that you feel satiated, but still healthy. Stir-frying is the quickest way to cook most dishes, and uses the least amount of oil for preparation. Choose a vegetable stir-fry flavored with a few thin strips of seasoned chicken, and served over brown rice for a quick and satisfying meal. It is entirely possible to make great food choices even in the busiest of lifestyles. Your body and your taste buds will thank you for making these selections.

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit our Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

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The demanding city life tends to rob us of time to pay attention to our health, especially in terms of the foods we eat. It’s often easier to eat out than cook at home; you won’t get past two city blocks without spotting a fast food store or a restaurant around the corner, but eating out in such places may not always be the healthy choice. Most restaurant foods contain plenty of not-so-healthy ingredients—and the portion sizes are huge! If you include those in your regular diet, you could end up having health issues that may affect your mind and body. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or simply to maintain a nutritious diet, you can choose to eat healthy foods even when eating out.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Restaurants tend to serve large portions, so find ways to limit how much you eat. You can split a meal with friends or take the remaining portion of it home and just eat it later.
2. Make sure that you choose the best selection even if you’re locked in tight with very few options. Don’t just give up right away.
3. Don’t think for a second that you will just go with the flow, because you have a choice and you can choose your meals to be healthier. Instead of French fries, ask to substitute vegetables or side salad. You can also ask for condiments such as sour cream, salad dressing, mayonnaise butter and/or ketchup, to be on the side.
4. To avoid fatty foods, look for indicators in the menu. Usually foods that are deep fried, or breaded, or butter-dipped are sautéed in oil. Whenever possible, order foods that are grilled, broiled, poached, roasted, or steamed. If no foods on the menu are prepared this way, ask your server to have the food cooked the way you would prefer it.
5. Avoid the following:

• Biscuits
• Croissants
• Potpies
• Quiches
• Pastries

Skip the bread altogether or opt for breads that are whole wheat.

Pressure from friends in eating out and fitting in can be tough for you if you’re on a weight loss diet; however, following these simple tips can really make a difference. A healthy diet is the perfect complement to a regular workout routine for safe, effective weight loss.

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit our Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

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If you are thinking about your New Year’s resolution and have some extra pounds on your body, then shedding them in 2012 might be a good place to start. While it’s easy to make New Year’s resolutions, keeping them requires that you don’t have your fingers crossed when you make them. When trying to focus on a weight loss plan, jumping into an ambitious workout routine can result in muscle pains, strains and even injuries. It is always advised to work under a personal trainer or to opt for small group training. Training with one of our trainers can help you do the right exercises under the guidance of an expert trainer. Here are some handy tips to help you stick to your fitness goals in 2012.

1. Beyond traditional exercise, try adding some regular movement into your day through healthy activities like walking and cycling in your daily routine. This will not only add to your weight loss plan, but also increase your physical health.

2. Keeping a resolution requires taking small, yet meaningful steps, rather than leaps and bounds. Cutting out entire food groups, for instance, is sure to backfire on you when you feel deprived. Try slowly cutting back on processed foods, reducing the number of meals you eat out each week, or swapping lower-calorie items for higher calorie items.  Avoiding the elevator can be another way of adding a small, yet significant change into your daily life.

3. Reduce your calories…switch to lower fat alternatives and include more fibrous fruits and veggies to fill you up. For example, you can use items like low-fat dairy, fruits, nuts, salads and vegetables, to enhance your physical health and to reduce the daily calorie intake.

4. When trying to stick to your fitness plan, setting realistic goals is the key. Weight loss and fitness should not be about a punishment, and neither should leave you feeling fatigued, tired and deprived of valuable body nutrients. If they are – take a step back and try again. Remember, small changes will yield the big results you are looking for.

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit our Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

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Every person has his or her own goal of with fitness: some do it for motivation, to reduce stress levels, while others to lose weight and improve their self confidence. People usually prefer personal training over other modes of fitness due to the underlying advantages it offers since it provides personalised attention of the trainer who helps in suggesting the right exercise at the right time.

A well experienced trainer can help in providing a new insight to the requirements of your body by suggesting a innovative fitness program such as cardio, strength training and flexibility workout which helps in building stamina and lean mass. Once you are motivated you can push yourself and reach new benchmarks and outperform yourself. Moreover, since a lot of money and time is invested in it, the desirable results are often seen faster than working out all by yourself which can become rather mechanical and mundane.

Also, personal safety is always the priority for trainers. An experienced trainer can help in avoiding injuries and in the case of a person having an existing illness (such as high blood pressure, for instance), he would provide a workout schedule appropriate to the medical condition.

To sum it up, personal trainers are the most reliable source of getting back in shape or shedding those extra pounds, which helps in rejuvenating the mind and the soul.

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit our Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

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Anyone who has had to follow a plan (that’s everyone) knows that you have to track the progress to successfully complete it. Just like any plan, losing weight needs to be tracked too. Why? To gauge where you are in your weight loss program. A guaranteed way to assess if the methods you are employing are effective for you to shed those pounds is to take measurements of your body.

It can be reassuring as well when you need the motivation to stick to your health plan. It is not as time-consuming and difficult as you think. Something as rudimentary as a tape measure can be your only tool and it will be enough to serve all your measuring needs. If you like, add a weighing scale too when you want a quick means to see your progress. A number of times you may weigh the same but if you are doing the things needed to lose weight, your measurements WILL be changing. That is why a tape measure is a necessary is sometimes a better gauge of progress than a scale.

Tips when using the tape measure:

Buy a tape measure that is made of non-stretchable material.When measuring, keep the tape measure levelled to your body while also parallel to the floor.Make sure the tape measure is close to the body without it being pressed down.

Relax your whole body or the body part you are measuring. For instance, don’t suck in your stomach when you are measuring your waistline. It will result in a false measurement so let it all hang loose.

Take note of your body’s measurements before you begin your exercise program. This way you can see how far along you are in your weight loss.

Measure yourself again after a few weeks to determine what you have accomplished. That itself will help you to go on with your weight loss plan.

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit us online at http://fitnesstogethernovi.com.

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You have made the decision to get into shape.  You’re tired of running out of steam in the middle of the day.  You bought your gym membership, but now what?  Don’t let being overwhelmed stop you, enjoy the benefits of one on one training!

Benefits of working out with a  personal trainer:

- A personal trainer is a professional who will not only show you the basics, but will develop a workout schedule that suits your specific fitness needs.  They can show you how to achieve maximum results in the shortest amount of time.  Everyone is different, and a personal trainer knows exactly what you need in your fitness program to target your problem areas.

- A trainer can educate you about your overall health and fitness and give you advice on other areas of your life, like proper nutrition.  Remember when you are with your trainer, you have their complete attention.  They are fitness experts, take full advantage of all the advice they can give you.

-They will be there to support, encourage, and motivate you every step of the way. Trying something new and sticking to it, can sometimes be the hardest hurdle to overcome.

- With individualized training, you will learn how to work out safely, so you don’t injure yourself. You will learn proper form, how to monitor your vitals while you exercise, and get feedback on your strengths and limitations. We often tend not to listen to the little signals our body gives us.  A trainer will watch you while you work out, and tell you when you have to work harder or when to take it back a notch.

- If you have a prior injury, a one on one session can work out a fitness program designed to make sure you don’t aggravate your injury or further injure yourself.

Even if you are already in great shape, you may be stuck in the same routine or maybe you’ve even plateaued.  If this is your situation, you can  utilize the benefits of our one on one training to  jump-start a new fitness regimen.

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit our Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

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If you have ever done any reading on health and fitness, I am sure that you have come across the term “core” training hundreds of times.  It’s everywhere in fitness magazines and related websites and blogs.  I am sure you have asked yourself   What is “core” training? and why is it important?  The reason why it is talked about a lot is because it is vital to any fitness regimen.

What Is Your “Core?”

In a nut shell, your “core” is your body’s mid-section or center.  There is often a misconception that it only includes your stomach area and muscles.  However,  it also includes your lower-back muscles and can even be extended to the muscles that are attached to your hips and buttocks.

What Is “Core” Training?

This type of muscle training involves various exercises that strengthen and stabilize the deep internal muscles of your lower-back and stomach, not only the surface muscles. Your “core” connects your upper and lower extremities, and when it is strong, it assists your body to work as a coordinated unit.

Who Needs “Core” Training

Everyone needs “core” training.  The only difference is how much and how intense the training.  For example, if you are working on doing 350 lb squats, you would need more intensive training than someone who is only working on body weight exercises.

Why “Core” Training Is Important

“Core” training is important, not only in respect to working out, but for overall health too.  Having a strong center helps with a lot of things that we do daily, like carrying children or groceries, house or yard work,  and lifting heavy objects.

-A strong “core” enhances your stability and balance

-Give you a six-pack, with proper targeted training and diet

- Improves your posture

- Assists with bending, walking, turning, running and lifting

- Improved sports performance

- Prevents back pain and injury

-Increased flexibility

Are you  neglecting your core? Ask a trainer for some help today.

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit us online at http://fitnesstogethernovi.com.

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There are many factors that must be present in order to successfully lose weight; accountability is a big one. If you are accountable to yourself or someone else about your weight loss goals and progress ,it will help you to stay connected to your goal and stick with the process to achieve weight loss. A good example of being accountable to yourself would be to keep a journal in which you record daily everything you eat as well as your exercise.

Sometimes being accountable to yourself is not enough, it can be easy to fudge an entry or two, or begin skipping workouts. If this is the case, you need to be accountable to an external source. This could be a group at an exercise class, a buddy, or a personal trainer. They will be your accountability partners and urge you on when you feel like giving up. You will work harder knowing that the group will follow your progress day to day.

Another source of accountability is the internet. You can use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter , or keep an online blog to show accountability by posting your progress and receiving positive feedback and support from your friends and followers. This will motivate you into working harder so that you keep posting positive progress each time.

Regardless of where you choose to get it, finding a source to be accountable to will aid your weight loss and help you to reach your goals. You don’t have to go it alone, so why not come in and enlist the help of an expert on your side? Talk with our personal trainers and see how one of them can help you set up a plan and keep you accountable to your new weight loss or fitness goals.
Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or  join us on Twitter and Facebook.

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You may not think so, but snacking plays a very big role in fitness and healthy nutrition. See, if you snacked the right way you are actually curbing the tendency to overeat during meal time by not depriving your body of food during those hours in-between meal times. But how to snack and still be healthy? Read on to find out.

Don’t reach for junk food

Junk food like potato chips and French fries are calorie rich but not filling. So you may snack plenty but your body will not feel full and you will overeat which is what we are trying to avoid. You can eat snacks that are full of nutrients without too much calories and sugar by choosing food that are full of complex carbohydrates such as whole -grain bread with protein like cheese .

Plan ahead

You may be short on time to try to plan during the week, so take the weekend to consider what you will put in your fridge or your pantry during those busy times when cooking or preparing snacks is not an option. Buy a week’s worth of snacks based on a grocery list you made that fits the criteria mentioned above: filling and not calorie or sugar rich. Divide your snacks into pre-portioned, small containers so that you can have some on hand wherever you are.

Fruits and vegetables

Always make sure to eat a combination of fruits and vegetables in your snacks, such as a morning fruit smoothie and/or a vegetable salad in the afternoon. By consistently snacking throughout the day, you provide the body with the nutrients it needs for the day. You can make varied and interesting snacks but always try to keep a few servings of fruits and vegetables on hand.

Under 200 calories

Measure your snacks and keep them under 200 calories if you are planning to eat meals too. If you are going to substitute snacks for meals, make sure to include some form of protein, complex carbohydrates and unsaturated fat. Not all snacks are created equal though. Plenty of snacks tout themselves as low-fat, all-natural, pure etc. but they can still be full of calories and sugar so choose carefully. Read the nutritional information first before buying so you can see if it is really healthy.

Drink plenty of water

Sometimes when you feel like eating, it’s a sign that the body needs water. So drink a glass of water before snacking. You can curb calories easily by not dehydrating your body. If you still feel hungry then you should snack. By making it a habit to drink water in tandem with eating healthy snacks, the body is not deprived of the things it need to function throughout the day and your tendency to overeat can be avoided.

Get to Fitness Together in Novi and speak with our staff today. Our studio is located in Vantage Pointe Plaza, 24276 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48375.  You can also give us a call at (248) 348-9230 or visit us online at http://fitnesstogethernovi.com.

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