All posts by Jason Latas

Jason Latas of Summer Body Now has been an adventure guide and wellness coach for 25 years. He has personally guided many fortune 500 CEOs and major business owners on custom adventures across the globe. He also personally trains many traveling sales professionals to help them stay fit while traveling and running their businesses. He enjoys helping people feel good in their skin again and perform better in their personal and business lives. Jason has been featured in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, Spa Magazine, Modern Bride, Conde Naste, as well as on ESPN, The Travel Channel, Ford Adventure Outfitters, Planet X TV and many other national and international venues. Many of these videos can be seen on YouTube Jason has had the opportunity, through his travels to learn from Hawaiian Kupuna, Peruvian Shaman, Chinese Masters and The Massai in Africa. Mixing his years of personal training knowledge with the spiritual traditions and “knowing” of many cultures, he takes a whole body approach to wellness seeing his clients from a cellular level. Before moving to Utah Jason owned an adventure company in Maui for 10 years where he took guests hiking, biking, scuba diving, sailing, kayaking and on custom designed adventures designed around health and fitness. He now lives in Utah and runs one of the largest Adventure Meet-Up groups: Adventure SLC “I’ve worked with everyone from extreme athletes, models & body builders to weekend warriors. Although, now that I’ve been a single Dad, business owner and surfed life’s ups and downs, I find deeper happiness in helping stressed out people find a little life balance and feel good in their skin again. Whether you want to release some weight and regain your health or just clear some blocks that are holding you back from your desired future, together we can do it” ~Jason~
Healthy Tips

Top 9.5 Reasons You’re Not Getting Results in the Gym!

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So, you’re going to the gym, working out four, five, six times a week, but you’re just not getting the results you expected. What gives? Well, you’re probably making a few simple mistakes. In 25 years as a trainer, I have noticed that it’s the small things done with consistency that get the big results. Here are a few tips that could help you see better results from your efforts.

Too much or the wrong kind of Cardio:

When it comes to cardio, think high intensity for shorter periods of time. Studies have found that it’s better to sprint on a treadmill for 30 seconds, recover for three minutes and repeat 10 times than to run at a moderate pace for half an hour. With HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), you build muscle, increase your VO2 max and keep burning calories for up to two hours after you finish working out. I also have my clients separate cardio and weight-training days so the body doesn’t get confused and can more efficiently burn fat OR build muscle…

Not enough Strength Training:

While it can be tempting and easier to stick with cardio and classes, the real key to getting toned is to mix strength training into your routine on a regular basis. You should hit the weights at least three times a week, focusing on more weight and lower reps. Remember that too much cardio will also have the potential to burn precious muscle and the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more fat you will potentially burn.

Increase the Weight:

When you are strength training (which I recommend) don’t forget to gradually increase the weight. To tone the muscle, you want to work until the last rep is very difficult to finish. If you are just following the numbers but your last rep is easy, the weight is too light. If you can easily finish 12-15 reps then it’s time to increase the weight by 5% or until it is difficult to finish 12 reps. (this is just an example as I am also a fan of mixing up the weights and reps to keep your muscles guessing and growing)

Chill out a little:

Stress is as bad for the body as it is for the mind. Studies show that it contributes to increased appetite, weight gain and a loss of muscle mass. Do what you can to relieve stress, whether that’s getting a massage, meditating or using your workout as a stress reliever. I highly recommend all 3 J And Remember to Play a little more often!

Lack of Portion Control:

Diet is one of the most important aspects of an individual’s health and fitness routine. Some even say that it accounts for as much as 80%. But even if you focus on lean protein, good fats, fresh fruit and veggies, eating too much of anything isn’t going to help you get lean. Be cognizant of calories and fat per serving and think about counting calories for a week or two so you can start learning what something like a healthy serving size of chicken looks like on sight. Just a couple weeks of paying attention to calories and serving sizes can help you make better portion choices and be better informed when eating out. You can Google just about anything to find out the calories or nutrition content and there are endless apps out there to help you track calories…

Too little Water

Hydration, hydration, hydration! Staying hydrated will help you feel better and look better, while your muscles will recover faster and you’ll burn fat more efficiently. Consider carrying a water bottle and sipping throughout the day. I have my clients keep track of their water intake by refilling the same water bottle so they know how much they consume in a day.

Not enough Stretching:

If you’re hitting the gym regularly for sessions of cardio and strength training, you’re going to be using your muscles a lot. Stretching increases flexibility and range of motion while keeping muscles long and lean instead of short and constricted. A good, comprehensive and continued stretching plan will help you avoid injury and add years to your healthy life.

Not enough Sleep:

Your body recovers, repairs and grows while you sleep. You can’t expect to function without enough sleep, and your muscles can’t either. Without seven to nine hours of restful sleep per night (and at least 24 hours between strength-training routines), you won’t get toned as quickly as you could. Studies have found that people who are in a sleep deficit get less of the benefit from going to the gym, as their muscles are focused on recovering, not developing.

The Same Old Routine:

Your body is a master compensator and will get used to the same routine pretty quickly! If you are just doing the same moves every time and not changing weights and reps, your body will get used to it, compensate for it and put you on cruise control… Your body needs to be challenged if you expect it to change. If you’re not changing reps, weight and hitting your muscles from different angles, you’re not challenging it and, guess what, your body will just cruise through your workout and stay the same. Mix it up and keep your muscles guessing so they grow to keep up with the new demands.

Educate yourself on exercise and nutrition:

There are many books and articles on proper training and nutrition. Asking a professional for help can also have huge benefits. A professional trainer can create a routine that will get you to your goal much faster or can review your current routine and make suggestions that could help you get better results from your efforts. There’s no need to spend too much time in the gym. A good, efficient plan will get you in and out without wasting your time.

If we can help you out or answer some questions to make your routine a little more effective, please fill out the form below and a trainer will contact you:

~ Jason~

Also check out our 30-Day Metabolic Reset with Coaching!

 

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High Protein, Gluten Free, Pre-Workout Pancakes

This has to be one of my favorite pre-workout, breakfast meals! It’s fast, easy, high protein, nutrient dense and gluten free.

This recipe is for one large pancake and you can simply double or adjust the recipe for more…

Main Ingredients:

One medium sized, soft, mashed banana

¼ cup of rolled oatsMyCollage_0

2 eggs

Coconut oil

Options:

½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Organic maple syrup

¼ tsp of Stevia or Xylitol so you can use less syrup

Raw nuts and berries

Almond Butter

Whey protein

With a blender: Blend the dry oats, on med until powdered, add eggs and banana on low and mix until thoroughly blended. Make sure you don’t blend too fast or you will froth the eggs.

Or, without a blender: Mash the banana in a bowl, add the eggs and continue to blend with a fork and then add the oats as you continue to blend…

Add coconut oil to a pan, on medium heat. The pan is ready when a drop of water dances on the pan. Pour mixture into pan and wait until you see a few bubbles in pancake and it’s brown on bottom, Flip and cook until done. I like mine crispy!

I like to add nuts to the mix and top with almond butter and berries, then drizzle with organic maple syrup. I wash it down with an organic non-denatured whey protein drink for extra protein before my workout!

Try it out and create your own custom blend!

Eat Right, Train Hard and Live Life to the Fullest!

Much Love and Aloha,

~ Jason ~

http://www.SummerBodyNow.com

 

Healthy Tips

You Really Are, What you Eat (And Think)…

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YOU REALLY ARE WHAT YOU EAT and think…

The body is an amazing miracle! It completely takes care of itself, as long as we water and feed it daily. We don’t have to think mms566about breathing, digestion, blood circulation or any of the other thousands of things our body does every minute to keep us alive. It’s truly amazing if you think about it! We can’t even fathom the amount of cellular actions that go on inside of us every minute. Our cells are constantly regenerating and replicating themselves while we remain totally ignorant of it.

Muscle cells regenerate themselves about every 90 days while taste buds every few hours. Every cell has it’s own lifespan and it regenerates itself before the old one dies and is eliminated through our system. Your entire body (except for certain brain and nerve tissues) is said to regenerate every 7 years!

youarewhatyoueatHave you ever wondered what these cells are made of? We supply them with the necessary nutrients daily by what we eat. Yeah, you really are what you eat. We tend to take our cells for granted and forget that they are built and therefore, we are built, from what we eat daily. Yes, a large amount of what we eat is burned as fuel and energy for our body and some is stored but a portion of it actually becomes you. So think about that the next time you reach for a snack or fast food. What you put in your mouth is what your body uses to rebuild itself. Yes, part of that doughnut will become part of you at the cellular level. Do you have a doughnut brain or doughnut muscles?doughnut-girl

Another part of this story that many people don’t think about is our subconscious’s role in this process. I will talk more about your subconscious in a later article but keep in mind “you are what you think” just as much as “you are what you eat”.

Your cells don’t judge, they just regenerate using the building blocks that you supply and the chemical messages that they receive. Chemical messages? Yes, your subconscious is like a program on your computer that is always running in the background. Your body responds to your subconscious more than your conscious mind.

self-talk-head-1Have you ever let an outside experience “make you” feel like crap? Have you ever let an outside experience make you feel great? Have you ever felt under the weather and then found out something awesome and immediately felt better? Stress is one of the best examples of this. When you completely stress out or spend a long amount of time under serious stress it completely exhausts you and can cause some pretty serious physical challenges, even though nothing has actually happened to you physically. Nothing outside of you has actually hurt you but the stress alone can cause serious health issues because your body thinks it’s not safe and is constantly releasing stress hormones, as if it is in Danger! This is all in your mind and wreaking havoc inside your body. This is all happening because of the quality of your thoughts. And the quality of those thoughts are programming your subconscious mind, which is in turn programming your body to respond as though something is actually happening to you! So, if you think about it, the same thing is happening every time your cells rejuvenate. Are you subconsciously telling your body that it is getting older and weaker or younger and stronger? Remember, your body responds to your thoughtsEnjoy Life Jason Latas and will rebuild itself constantly based upon the picture of yourself that you hold in your mind.

Don’t forget to dream, play with your kids, walk the dog, play music, go for a hike, de-stress and get into
your groove daily. It is important to be young inside if you want to be young on the outside. the subconscious is constantly being programmed by your beliefs and belief systems. Your subconscious has a great influence on how your body operates, every second

“What thoughts are constantly playing in the background of your subconscious mind? Are they thoughts that empower you or break you down?”

“Do your thoughts and self talk keep you hostage to the pain of your past or propel you into your desired future?”

Remember, a Healthy Diet and Healthy Mind make a Happy and Healthy You!

~Jason~

www.SummerBodyNow.com

www.JasonLatas.com

Healthy Aging

Staying Fit Over 40 and Dangerous Visceral Fat

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If you miss the days when you could buckle down on diet and exercise to drop a few unwanted pounds within a reasonably quick period of time, you’re not alone. Older adults, especially women, face physiological changes that can promote weight gain and, even worse, muscle loss.  I know, Talk about a midlife crisis.

Once women reach 40, their likelihood of becoming overweight or obese sharply rises. In fact, about 68 percent of women aged 40 to 59 are overweight or obese–a 17 percent increase compared to women between the ages of 20 and 39–according to data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)). Hormonal changes may be to blame, researchers suggest.

Everyone has some subcutaneous fat but the dangerous fat is the visceral fat that hides in-between your organs. Visceral or “deep” fat wraps around the inner organs and spells trouble for your health. How do you know if you have it? If you have a large waist or belly, of course you have some visceral fat but if your stomach protrudes and is tight too the touch, it could be a sign of visceral fat. Visceral fat drives up your risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even dementia.

Visceral fat is thought to play a larger role in insulin resistance which boosts risk of diabetes more than other fat.  It’s not clear why, but it could explain or partially explain why visceral fat is a bigger health risk.

A large study conducted by the International Menopause Society found that hormonal changes in women alter the way the body distributes fat in the body, making it more likely to accumulate in the abdomen as visceral fat. Visceral fat worsens existing  hormonal changes by acting as an endocrine organ itself, pumping out hormone-like compounds that increase inflammation and the risk of insulin resistance related to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Another study from the Mayo Clinic investigated what was going on at the cellular level during menopause by comparing fat tissue of pre- and post-menopausal women. They found the two enzymes that work to produce and store fat were more active in the postmenopausal women, increasing their risk of having a higher body fat percentage (3).

How to battle the middle-aged spread?

Exercise intensely. Engaging in exercise, especially resistance training at high intensity, helps stimulate muscle growth, which in turn boosts metabolism and burns fat. Studies show that physically active women who enter menopause are leaner than sedentary women and have a decreased risk of developing metabolic disease (4).  What’s more, postmenopausal women who exercise daily maintain their weight while those who have lower activity levels have been found to have increased body fat, mostly around the midsection (5).

Eat a balanced, protein-rich diet. What you eat can also influence midlife weight gain. A study with 17,000 postmenopausal women assigned to either a control or a diet group (who were encouraged to eat healthy, balanced meals) found that those in the diet group had less severe menopause symptoms and were three times more likely to have lost weight (6).

A diet lacking essential nutrients and high in refined carbohydrates and empty calories will accelerate the aging process including age-related weight gain. Instead, eating a balanced diet with the right amounts of high-quality protein  can stimulate muscle synthesis and boost metabolism, turning the scale in your favor.

For the working Executive or traveling sales person, I recommend high protein meal replacements. They are great to fill you up before a business lunch or dinner and can help you get through airports without grabbing high calorie and processed foods. (contact me for recommendations).

Hold on to muscle. Loss of muscle is a common result of the aging process with women losing about 1 percent of their lean body mass per year after age 40 if they aren’t physically active (7). Because muscle is more metabolically active than fat, a muscular body composition burns more calories and uses fat tissue for fuel rather than stored energy. Eating a protein-rich diet and engaging in muscle-building exercise helps establish a healthy balance of fat and lean body tissue in the body.

Get quality sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, up to 61 percent of postmenopausal women have issues with falling asleep or getting enough quality sleep most nights . A major reason for this loss of sleep is due to instances of hot flashes. Hot flashes can disrupt sleep because body temperature drastically increases, leading to discomfort and waking. Consequently, lack of sleep has been associated with increased levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and decreased levels of the satiety hormone, leptin, leading to overeating and weight gain.

To improve sleep quality, it’s best to avoid caffeinated beverages before bedtime, follow a regular sleep routine, and exercise during the day. If sleep issues still persist, it’s best to see your doctor for further guidance.

Make sure to get enough fiber. Middle-aged women commonly face gastrointestinal changes caused by fluctuations in hormones that lead to bloating and sluggish intestines. These feelings can affect appetite and energy level–two important aspects of staying on track with diet and exercise goals. To support bowel health, drink plenty of water throughout the day and eat sufficient amounts of fiber. In addition to getting fiber from whole grains, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, supplement your diet with extra fiber to reach the recommended 25 grams per day.

While there may be additional challenges when trying to lose weight midlife , sites like www.SummerBodyNow.com can provide you with the tools to alter your lifestyle and reach your weight-loss goals. They specialize in coaching over 40 men and women through diet and exercise programs individually designed for  your unique situation and body type.

Take your health into your own hands and make 40 and above feel like 30 all over again.

jasonlatas@gmail.com

References

  1. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, et al. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999–2004. JAMA. 2006;295(13):1549-1555.
  2. Davis SR, Castelo-Branco C, Chedraui, et al. Understanding weight gain and menopause.Climacteric. 2012;15(5):419-29.
  3. Santosa S, Jensen MD. Adipocyte fatty acid storage factors enhance subcutaneous fat storage in postmenopausal women. Diabetes. 2013;62(3):775-82.
  4. Sternfeld B, Dugan S. Physical activity and health during the menopausal transition. Obset Gynecol Clin North Am. 2011;38(3):537-566.
  5. Sternfeld B, Wang H, Quesenberry CP Jr, et al. Physical activity and changes in weight and waist circumference in midlife women: findings from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation.Am J Epidemiol. 2004;160(9):912-922.
  6. Kroenkw CH, Cann BJ, Stefanick ML, et al. Effects of a dietary intervention and weight change on vasomotor symptoms in the Women’s Health Initiative. Menopuase. 2012;19(9):980-8.
  7. Paddon-Jones D. Lean body mass loss with age. Abbott Nutrition websitehttp://images.abbottnutrition.com/ANHI2010/MEDIA/14-110th AN Conf Paddon-Jones Final.pdf. Accessed march 31, 2014.
  8. Menopause and sleep. National Sleep Foundation website.http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/menopause-and-sleep. Accessed March 31, 2014.
  9. Heitkemper MM, Chang L. Do fluctuations in ovarian hormones affect gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome? Gend Med. 2009;6 Suppl 2:152-167.
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Diet Myth #3.8 – I Need to Starve Myself to Burn Fat

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I NEED TO STARVE MYSELF SO MY BODY WILL BURN FAT

Wrong! Your body is the master compensator. When you drastically cut calories, your body goes into survival mode and slows down your metabolism. Yes, as crazy as it sounds, that’s what it does because your body’s first priority is survival. Also, if you just cut calories but don’t focus on nutrient dense, well-balanced meals, you also end up loosing muscle. The amount of muscle on your body is one of the main factors that determines your metabolism (how many calories you burn). So, if you end up losing muscle then you lower your metabolism. This can be a disastrous combo of losing muscle and damaging your metabolism. 


This is one of the main reasons that people rebound after a “diet”. They loose “scale weight” but don’t realize that a lot of it was muscle and for the reasons listed above, lowered and perhaps even damaged their metabolism. So when they resume eating normal again, their body regains the fat and sometimes even more…Summer Body Now Body Comp


It is very important to know your body composition and body fat percentage before you start any dietary change to reduce your weight. You need to focus on well-balanced and nutrient dense meals, evenly spaced throughout the day. Make sure you take measurements and use the mirror more than the scale. This is where a coach can save you a ton of time and frustration because they can get you started on a personal plan that is as unique as you are…

 

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9+1 Benifits of the Avocado Powerhouse

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Avocados are a powerhouse of nutrition both internally and externally!
Avocados are rich in vitamins A, C, and E and are full of other nutrients like potassium. They contain folate, monosaturated fats and antioxidants. Regular consumption of avocados helps us in many ways.
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Here are just 10 of them:
1. The monosaturated fats in avocados not only help in reducing LDL cholesterol but are also good for the heart. Avocado also lowers the triglycerides in the blood and thus is useful for diabetic patients.
2. Avocado contains 30% more potassium than banana. The high potassium content helps in regulating blood pressure and prevents circulatory diseases.
3. Avocados are good for pregnant women since the high folate content in them helps in the development of brain and other tissues of the baby. The B6 vitamin in these fruits may help in reducing nausea that is associated with pregnancy. Rubbing avocado oil on the belly also helps prevent stretch marks!
4. Avocado contains carotenoid lutein. Lutein keeps the eyes safe from oxidative stress, macular degeneration, and cataracts.
5. Avocados have numerous phytonutrients which not only prevent prostate cancer but also repair the damaged cells.
6. Many studies have shown that avocado can inhibit the growth of cancerous cells without damaging the healthy cells. The oleic acid in this fruit is effective in preventing breast cancer.
7. It is a powerhouse of vitamin E which protects our skin from free radicals. Avocado oil is great for the skin!
8. Avocado is very effective in stopping bad breath. It also reduces the risk of oral cancer.
9. Being rich in antioxidants, avocado is helpful in preventing aging symptoms. The glutathione in avocado boosts immune systems, slows the aging process, and encourages a healthy nervous system.
10. The nutrients and enzymes in avocado soothes the condition of inflamed mucous lining in the stomach and small intestines. It also improves the body’s ability to absorb carotenoids and nutrients
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I’m headed for my morning, breakfast shake right now and I add avocado at the end to thicken it up and power it up!
For more tips, please also visit:
Mind/Body, Spirituality

Emotion Mapping shows mind body connection

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 A new study by Finnish researchers published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, suggests that our emotions do indeed tend to influence our bodies in consistent ways.

Across five experiments, 701 participants “were shown two silhouettes of bodies alongside emotional words, stories, movies, or facial expressions. They were asked to color the bodily regions whose activity they felt increasing or decreasing while viewing each stimulus.”

The emotions were generated by having the subjects read short stories or watch movies. On a blank, computerized figurine, they were then asked to color in the areas of their body where sensations became stronger (the red and yellow) or weaker (blue and black) when they felt a certain way.

We often experience emotions directly in the body. When strolling through the park to meet with our sweetheart we walk lightly with our hearts pounding with excitement, whereas anxiety might tighten our muscles and make our hands sweat and tremble before an important job interview. Numerous studies have established that emotion systems prepare us to meet challenges encountered in the environment by adjusting the activation of the cardiovascular, skeletomuscular, neuroendocrine, and autonomic nervous system. This link between emotions and bodily states is also reflected in the way we speak of emotions: a young bride getting married next week may suddenly have “cold feet,” severely disappointed lovers may be “heartbroken,” and our favorite song may send “a shiver down our spine.”

Screen Shot 2014-12-19 at 8.24.02 PM

Both classic and more recent  models of emotional processing assume that subjective emotional feelings are triggered by the perception of emotion-related bodily states that reflect changes in the skeletomuscular, neuroendocrine, and autonomic nervous systems. These conscious feelings help the individuals to voluntarily fine tune their behavior to better match the challenges of the environment. Although emotions are associated with a broad range of physiological change, it is still hotly debated whether the bodily changes associated with different emotions are specific enough to serve as the basis for discrete emotional feelings, such as anger, fear, or happiness and the topographical distribution of the emotion-related bodily sensations has remained unknown.

In the study, different emotions were associated with statistically clearly separable bodily sensation maps that were consistent across West European (Finnish and Swedish) and East Asian (Taiwanese) samples, all speaking their respective languages. Statistical classifiers discriminated emotion-specific activation maps accurately, confirming independence of bodily topographies across emotions.

How interesting to see  the different cultures responding similarly with their bodies, through their emotions. Love really does make us warm all over 🙂

 http://www.nasonline.org/publications/pnas/

Mind/Body

Self Talk and Manifesting your Future

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Does your mindset support you or hinder you? Does the self-talk in your head move you positively toward your goals or away from them? Self-talk or intrapersonal communication is the constant feedback that you give yourself throughout the day.

This is a very important question that I ask my clients. It’s truly amazing how many people are unaware of the amount of self-talk that goes on in their head at every moment of every day. Even when you sleep, you are “making movies” about your life! Are you the hero or the villain? Have you ever taken the time to really listen to the “voice inside your head”? I often ask, “If you were to write down all of the feedback that goes on in your head and read it back to yourself out loud; how would it make you feel?” Most people don’t think of it this way, but your subconscious does! Your subconscious mind is sitting in the background, listening to every word and the scary part is that after it hears it enough times, it starts to believe it! So ask yourself again. “Is my self talk supporting me of hindering me?

self-talk-head-1

If you listen closely you may be very surprised at the amount of times you harshly judge yourself and put yourself down. Now if listen even closer, you may find that it’s not even you talking…it’s a replay of what others have said to you and you believed. A lot of the standards that we judge ourselves by are actually opinions from other people in our past that we listened to and then chose to agree with. Notice that I used the word chose. It is always your choice whether to believe or not believe someone’s opinion of you. As soon as you agree with them you have made the choice to take on that belief system and make it yours. This is not uncommon when you make a choice to change your life for the better and someone else is jealous of you… It is very important to remember: “Those that have abandoned their dreams will tend to discourage yours.”

Even advertising has a tremendous effect on our choices. The first goal of advertising is to make you feel a sense of lack or fear and a need to have that product or service. Remember that you have the choice to either accept and agree or disagree and move on and this choice will profoundly affect your inner happiness.

Often, if we listen close enough we will hear things that our parents, siblings or friends said many years ago when we were a child and as a child we chose to believe it. It doesn’t matter that they may have been mad and didn’t even mean what they said; we chose at that time to believe it and agree with it and it became a truth to our subconscious mind. It is amazing how many things we “say” to ourselves every day in our self talk and don’t even stop to realize that it is old, out of date and not even true. The challenge is that we have been doing this so long that it is just habit and we don’t even know we are doing it!

double-beach-rainbow-of-maui-angelina-hills

The most important thing to remember is that you can start changing all of this today! You can make the choice to erase the old “recordings” and begin to reprogram your subconscious mind to a new and better soundtrack! It takes time, but if you truly concentrate and want to change, you can do it. At first you will need to identify all of the times that your thoughts do not support you and consciously make the effort to rephrase the thought in your mind. It will take time and practice and you must not get discouraged because in due time you will become your own best cheerleader! Supportive and encouraging self-talk will become so natural to you to that it will actually start to feel unnatural to say anything negative about yourself. You will be amazed at how, instead of putting yourself down for a “mistake”, you will actually start to learn from the “life lessons”!

As with anything good in life, it takes practice but anyone can do it! So don’t be afraid to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, pat yourself on the back and say “Great Effort”!

Here’s to your success!!!

Diet, Nutrition

Can Drinking Soda shorten my telomere?

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Bad news if you’re a soda drinker: according to a new study, downing the bubbly stuff daily can age your cells by nearly an additional 2-5 years

Researchers are the University of California San Francisco analyzed data from 5,309 adults by looking at numbers from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Specifically, researchers wanted to check the correlation between drinking soda and telomere length—which is the cap on every chromosome in the body. Shorter telomere are associated with shorter lifespan, higher stress, heart disease, diabetes and certain forms of cancer, among other issues. The researchers found drinking just eight ounces of soda a day increased cell age by 1.9 years. Drinking 20 ounces increased cell age by 4.6 years—which is the same aging effect smoking has on your telomeres.

mtdew

 “The extremely high dose of sugar that we can put into our body within seconds by drinking sugared beverages is uniquely toxic to metabolism,” says study author Elissa Epel, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Interestingly, there’s no link between cell aging and sugary fruit juices either. For now, soda seems to be the main culprit affecting our telomeres in the beverage department.

Luckily, soda drinking has been on the decline since the researchers pulled these numbers. And while telomeres normally and naturally shorten with age, past studies have shown you can actual help grow your damaged telomeres up to 10 percent or more by eating a healthy diet (without sugary soda), cutting stress from your life, proper supplementation and including adaptogens in your diet. So if you’re still popping the top on Pop, it’s time to settle on a new drink of choice.

I make a concerted effort to include all of these suggestions in my daily life and it had has had a huge impact on my energy and performance! Please share this and let me know if I can answer any questions…