Train To Sweatt » caffeine

Boost Your Energy With Proper Nutrition

Paul — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:06:02 +0000

Do you find yourself dragging (out of energy) a lot and in a continuous search for a good quick pick-my-up? Legal or otherwise.

Do you HAVE to start your day with a giant sized cup of sugar ladened coffee? Because if you didn’t people may take you for an extra in a George A Romero movie?

I hear to motivate the actors they deprive them of coffee.

Does the coffee give you the energy you need to get your butt in gear only to cause you to crash a few hours later? And when this happens do you reach for more coffee or the latest “energy” drink to get yourself back to full speed?

Have you tried giving up your coffee (many times) before, only to harbor murderous thoughts due to the terrible headaches and other withdrawal symptoms.

Well it’s time you stopped “fueling” yourself with all that sugar, caffeine and useless (and possibly) harmful chemicals.

It’s time that you started taking better care of yourself and give your body the fuel it needs naturally.

What can possibly replace your precious, a gift from the gods coffee?

Glad you asked.

So here, just for you coffee fiends, are a few ways that you can kick your habit for good. They also work for everyone else.

1.) Alway eat breakfast. - And no a bowl of sugary cereal will not do for your most important meal of the day. You have to break your fast with foods that contain a good dose of protein, fiber and healthy calories. Eggs and fruit, a smoothie with some protein powder, non-instant oatmeal with some breakfast turkey sausages are all among the many healthy options available to you for breakfast.

Does the Italian Frittata look yummy. Click on it for the recipe.

2.) Switch to tea. - Any type of tea, except for herbal, will do. Just make sure that you brew it yourself. That stuff that comes in a bottle is just as bad for you as the aforementioned “energy” drinks. Avoid them at all costs.

The lower caffeine levels in the tea will prevent the dreaded crash later on. Tea is full of antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers and even help you lose weight. And on the weight loss front, since you (hopefully) won’t be loading your tea up with sugar you will be taking in less useless calories.

Drinking tea also makes you look sophisticated.

And no it doesn’t have to be green tea. Green tea gets all the hype because that is the predominant tea people drink where (China) most of the studies are done.

3.) Make sure every meal and snack you eat contains protein. - Protein helps you maintain your energy levels by slowing down how quickly you digest your food which in turn keeps your blood sugar levels more stable. You won’t crash from low blood sugar. Also, protein will help burn more calories that if you just ate carbs alone.

Keeps you going. And going. And going….

So quit the java. Follow the above 3 tips. And take home that pillow and blanket you keep stashed under your desk. You won’t need them for emergency naps anymore.

Your friend and trainer,

Paul F. Sweatt

Wellesley’s Best Weight Loss Expert

Are you lazy?

Paul — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:03:20 +0000

I know a lot of lazy people.

People who would rather spend the day planted on their couch than anywhere else.

People who choose take-out over home cooked, every night of the week.

People who would rather have a root canal than go do a workout.

Sure, I know that we all have our occasional lazy day on the couch, but lately it seems that more and more people are turning laziness into a career.

What about you? Check if the following describe you:

You are habitually inactive.
You’d rather be a passive observer than an active participant.
You’re a master excuse-maker.
You find shortcuts in order to avoid the long haul.

If that’s you, don’t get down on yourself. There are many legitimate causes of laziness. Here are just a few…

1.) Sleep Deprivation: When you’re short on sleep it’s easy to become unmotivated, which quickly turns into laziness. Get a minimum of eight hours of sleep each night in order to maintain enough energy to get you through the day. Some experts even say that ten hours of sleep each night is what you need to function at your best.

That has to be the biggest slice of bread I have ever seen.

2.) Caffeine Abuse: Starting your day with a jolt of java may help with your initial alertness, but the dip in energy that takes place a few hours later could be the reason that you become lazy later in the day. Avoid the rush and crash of caffeine and instead rely on your steady supply of natural energy.

If it were possible I know people that would do it.
3.) Bad Habit: At some point being lazy simply becomes a habit. If every night after work you head straight to the couch, it soon becomes automatic and not a conscious decision. Breaking the habit of laziness is actually quite easy. Simply take yourself off of autopilot and make the conscious decision to do something productive instead – like heading to the gym rather than the couch.

4.) Inactivity: If your job keeps you in a chair for hours at a time, and you don’t exercise when off the clock, then your body is just accustomed to inactivity. It’s time to wake up your under-used muscles and to reacquaint yourself with the joy of motion. A simple way to get back into the swing of things is to go on a 30 to 60 minute walk either before work or after you return home. Once you’ve broken yourself in with consistent walks, contact me to get started on a fitness program that will quickly get your body back into great shape.

Laziness begins when you ignore that little nagging voice in your head. You know, the one that reminds you when you should take action on something rather than sit by and let the opportunity slip away.

Is today the day that you will kick laziness to the curb?

Is today the day that you will take action toward achieving your goals?

Is today the day that you will listen to that little voice of reason?

Call or email today to schedule your first workout. You’ll find my contact info here: www.traintosweatt.com.

10 Tips on How to Get More Sleep for Fat Loss

Paul — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:22:33 +0000

You just finished reading “How to Lose (more) Weight Without Changing Your Diet or Exercise Program“

Now you say, “OK. More sleep check. Wait, how do I get more sleep?”

“No matter how hard I try I can’t get more than 6 hours.”

“But if I try to go to bed early I wake up early.”

“I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back to sleep.”

Unless you are a brand new parent, getting more sleep is easy. Just follow these tips for a better night’s sleep.

A.) Start to unwind early. About 30 minutes to an hour before you want to go to bed turn off the TV or Computer, turn down the radio (or put it on more soothing music) and dim the lights (if you can). This signals the body to get ready to sleep.

If it is good enough for your computer, it is good enough for you.

B.) Develop a routine. Try to stick to a regular bed time. And to get your body ready, come up with a sleep routine that will tell your body that it is time for bed (see A).

C.) Set regular times that you will go to bed and wake up. If you go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time everyday (weekends too) it will be much easier to fall and stay asleep. Eventually your body will tell you that it is time to go to bed. Listen to it.

D.) Get rid of all distractions. The easiest way to do this to wear earplugs and one of those light blocking eye masks, If you find those too uncomfortable to sleep with (I do), get some light blocking curtains and a shade and a small but loud fan. If you go the fan route, make sure that you get one that does not rattle. That can keep you awake itself.

Zzzzzzz.

E.) Have the right mattress for you. Make sure that you find a mattress that you can sleep comfortably on and is supportive. If you can’t get comfortable, you are not going to sleep.

F.) Get regular exercise. Make sure that you get in at least 60 minutes of some form of physical activity though out the day everyday. This can be broken down into pieces and does not have to be done at once. Word of warning: do not be too active close to bed time. This can increase your body temperature and make it difficult to fall asleep.

What sleep and exercise can do for your body.

G.) Lay off the stimulants. Try to limit caffeine intake to the morning. And be especially wary if you take it in pill form. It may not digest correctly and hit you in the middle of the night. I have been a victim to this in the past. It’s not fun. If you are especially caffeine sensitive like I am even the (extremely) little dose found in decaf can keep you awake. Be careful. And remember caffeine is a drug.

H.) Don’t smoke. This should be a no brainer. Nicotine is a stimulant. Not only will it keep you awake, it WILL kill you. Also, it makes you stink.

OOOH, that smell. Can you smell that smell?

I.) Avoid alcohol before bed. No, I am not saying to have your drinks in the morning. But cut down on your consumption a couple hours before you plan on going to bed. Alcohol may make you sleepy (I don’t get drunk, just tired) but it is not a restful sleep. Also, when the alcohol wears off your body will wake up. This usually happens in the middle of the night, unless of course you drank heavily. NOT recommended.

J.) Give yourself the right to go to sleep. Give yourself permission to go to bed and get a restful night sleep to rejuvenate your body. You deserve it.

Your friend and trainer,

Paul