It Is National Nutrition Month - Time To Balance That Diet and Exercise

National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created 50 years ago in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.

This year's theme is "Fuel for the Future." Eating with sustainability in mind is a tasty way to nourish ourselves during every phase of life and protect the environment. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can help you create healthy habits that are sustainable and celebrate your unique needs.

Of course you can start your Healthy Lifestyle with TLS at http://www.aimchealthsolutions.com Check out our video for some tips to be healthy - AIMC Health Tip - It Is National Nutrition Month - Time To Balance That Diet and Exercise - #NationalNutritionMonth #florida

Foods You Thought Were Bad For You But Aren't

There is always a perception with certain foods that they are bad for you. 

In some cases, it is what you put on or mix the food with, is that is bad for you. Think about that healthy salad. The contents of the salad itself is good for you, but that fatty ranch dressing is not. Another example is black coffee. Coffee straight is really good for your metabolism. But what do you put in coffee? Can you say Cream and Sugar? Yikes. 

 Here are some foods you thought were bad for you but aren't: 

- Macadamia Nuts - A great source of trace minerals that are important for many functions including thyroid health and bone health including zinc, magnesium, calcium, chromium, and iron. 

- Egg Yolks - Contain nutrients like lutein that can help prevent macular degeneration, and also contains others like vitamins A, E, D and some brain-healthy fat too amongst other things. 

- White Potatoes - Contain about twice as much heart-healthy potassium, which helps to balance blood sugar and supple electrolytes to muscle, than sweet potatoes do, and they actually contain more fiber too. 

- Dark Chocolate - Contains heart-healthy flavonoids that may also help to prevent age-related memory loss. 

- Popcorn - Made from scratch! 

 There are also some honorable mention foods such as coconut oil and red meat that are good for you. 

 Check our Healthy Recipes page on our TLS site for AIMC Health Solutions here - https://bit.ly/3tmU8oD

Check out our new YouTube video - AIMC Health Tip - #Diet - Foods You Thought Were Bad For You But Aren't -

You Need FAT Loss, Not Necessary Weight Loss - My Three Tips To Get You Started

Going to the gym personally for the past 30 years and being the health/wellness business for the past 10 years, I’ve seen it all in terms of diet fads, workout fads and any other fitness fad you can imagine. This includes pretty much every weight loss hack known to man. This can make losing fat for the long term quite challenging for many, so I would like to help and provide my personal top 3 fat loss tips from my lengthy time in the industry.

1. Strength Training

Out of all the fads, trends and hacks that’s changed over the decades, the number one thing that has never changed is the Human Physiology, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.  I have always taught my clients two rules. Rule Number 1: Muscle Dictates Metabolism. Increasing lean muscle mass results in higher energy production & output thus increases caloric burn throughout the day. The more lean muscle developed, the more fat percentage will be lost. Strength training is an exercise where the muscle contracts against a resistance for an extended period of time. The most common being weight training. If you don’t have access to weights or a gym you can easily get started by using your own body weight, or get yourself a pair of resistance bands.   Heck I have even used my wife to do squats once in the while!

2. Increase Your Cardio

Now if all you’re doing is cardio, you don’t need to necessarily increase it. Doing cardio alone or too much cardio can actually slow down your fat loss efforts. Muscle is metabolically active which means they require calories just to be able to maintain their size, shape, density, and ability to grow. By doing too much cardio you start dipping into your muscle’s supply, decreasing your muscle mass over time & slowing down your fat loss efforts. Instead, incorporate a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) routine into your exercise program. HIIT incorporates quick bursts of energy with small breaks in between so your heart rate remains at an elevated level. The great thing about HIIT is that you can incorporate resistance training and cardio at the same time. This can dramatically increase your fat loss efforts in a shorter period of time.

 3. Adopt a Healthy Dietary Lifestyle

I’ve seen both men and women working out in the gym five days per week and their body composition never changed. Have you ever seen this? Or perhaps, could this be you? Rule Number 2: Abs Are Made In The Kitchen. Exercise and healthy eating habits go hand in hand, it’s a package deal, especially if you want to increase your fat loss efforts. I don’t believe in diets as it is known today. I believe in lifestyle and the healthiest lifestyle I’ve come across in all my decades in the fitness industry is one which I have been living on long before I knew it was a thing. It’s Low Glycemic Impact Eating. The glycemic index measures foods from 0 to 100 based on how fast it raises your blood sugar level. Things like cutting down on refined carbs, filling up with more fiber, eating more healthy fats, drinking healthier beverages, eating more vegetables & eating lean meats are just a few things that makes up a Low GI Lifestyle.

 **BONUS**

In addition to the above tips, a bonus tip or two is to get your sleep, at least 6-8 hours a night and get rid of the stress and or the factors that gravitate you toward a bad lifestyle.

There are plenty of options available including our amazing effective TLS Weight Loss Program to help you lose fat and improve your health, but take it from a professional gym rat, following my three fat loss tips will not only support your goals but will also put you on the road to an overall healthier lifestyle!  You have to start somewhere and you have to start NOW!

Take our TLS Weight Loss Profile at http://www.aimchealthsolutions.com 

and Get a FREE 12 Week TLS Guide and Journal

We like to thank our sources including Baylor University and the TLS Program.

Drugs that "Gobble" Vitamins - The Facts

 I recently saw this chart that shows what some pharma/over the counter drugs do to your body depleting it from crucial nutrients that you need to have a strong immune system and a healthy life.   This is eye-opening.  Review this chart and let me know if you have any questions.  See the bottom of this message for some next steps.

Drugs that ‘gobble’ vitamins
Drugs can diminish or deplete your body’s stores of important vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.	If you take any medications, talk with a nutrition-oriented medical professional about whether you should add certain supplements to your daily regimen
Type of Drug	Examples – Name Brands	Nutrients Depleted
Antacids	Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac	Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Zinc
	Prevacid, Prilosec	Vitamin B12
Antibiotics	Amoxicillin, Erythromycin, Penicillin, Tetracycline	“Friendly”/beneficial intestinal bacteria
Antidepressants	Adapin, Aventyl, Elavil, Tofranil	Vitamin B2, Co-enzyme Q10
Antidiabetic drugs	Dymelor, Micronase, Tolinase	Co-enzyme Q10
	Glucophage	Vitamin B12
Anti-inflammatories	Aspirin	Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Iron, Potassium
	Advil, Aleve, Dolobid, Feldene, Indocin, Lodine, Motrin, Nalfon, Naprosyn, Orudis, Relafen, Voltaren	Folic Acid
	Betamethasone, Budesonide, Cortisone, Dexamethasone, Hydrocortisone, Methylprednisolone, Prednisolone, Prednisone	Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium Potassium, Selenium, Zinc
Blood pressure-lowering drugs	Apresoline	Vitamin B6, Co-enzyme Q10
	Bumex, Edecrin, Lasix	Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Zinc
	Aquatensen, Lozol, Zaroxolyn	Co-enzyme Q10, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc
	Dyrenium	Folic Acid, Calcium, Zinc
	Blocadren, Cartrol, Corguard, Inderal, Kerlone, Lopressor, Normodyne, Sectral, Tenormin, Viskin	Co-enzyme Q10
Cholesterol-lowering drugs	Baycol, Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor	Co-enzyme Q10
	Colestid, Questran	Vitamin A, beta-carotene, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Iron
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)	Evista, Prempro, Premarin, Estratab	Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Zinc
Oral Contraceptives	Estrastep, Norinyl, Ortho-Novem, Triphasil	Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Zinc
Tranquilizers	Ormazine, Mellerail, Prolixin, Thorazine	Vitamin B12, Co-enzyme Q10
	Haldol	Co-enzyme Q10
Sources: Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook, by R. Pelton et al.: Physician’s Desk Reference

Here is a great confidential health survey you can take to assess your own health and well-being.  This is the Nutriphysical Survey - https://bit.ly/3nNnzfE.

For more health & wellness information, we invite you to check out our website for AIMC Health Solutions at http://www.aimchealthsolutions.com.

How to Lose Weight (Actually Fat) w/ AIMC Health Solutions - Eight Great Tips

We are more than half way through the year and that big new year's resolution from the last New Year's Party is in the distant rear view mirror.   Since New Year's we have gone through a pandemic, racial unrest and even murder hornets.   But through it all, there is always one constant task, and it is to stay healthy and lose unwanted unhealthy fat.    Gut Health and maintaining an optimal weight goes a long way to having a strong immune system.

Of course, there are weight loss programs and all sorts of advice about the best most effective supplements, but there are also really basic tips that you can follow that will help you lose the fat and feel much more energized and healthy.

Here are eight great tips for you to try out with the help of a weight loss program or supplements.  Basic stuff!  Please let us know what you think!

1.  Drink Water a Half Hour Before Meals   - One study showed that drinking water a half hour before meals increased weight loss by 44% over 3 months.

2.  Eat a High-Protein Breakfast -  Eating a high-protein breakfast has been shown to reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day.

3.  Use Smaller Plates at Dinner - Studies show that people automatically eat less when they use smaller plates.  Strange, but it works.

4. Avoid Sugary Drinks and Fruit Juice - These are the most fattening things you can put into your body, and avoiding them can help you lose weight.

5. Drink Coffee or Tea -  If you're a coffee or a tea drinker, then drink as much as you want as the caffeine in them can boost your metabolism by 3-11%.    By the way, it is the milk/cream and sugar that makes the perception that coffee and tea is unhealthy.

6. Eat Mostly Whole, Unprocessed Foods -   Base most of your diet on whole foods.  They are healthier, more filling and much less likely to cause overeating.

7. Eat Your Food Slowly -  Fast eaters gain more weight over time.  Eating slowly make you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones.

8.  Get a Good Night's Sleep, Every Night - Poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain, so taking care of your sleep is important.   A simple tweak to your bedtime ritual can have dramatic effects in shrinking fat tissue while reversing the signs of premature biological aging every time you fall asleep.

Try this tips out and let us know or your progress.    My recommendation is to write down your progress in a journal or on your phone so you know where you stand.

If you like to even take your weight loss to the next level, try out our TLS Weight Loss Profile which will help you take the next step to amazing optimal health.

AIMC Health Solutions - #Fitness Tip - The Use of Resistance Bands to Exercise

With the recent pandemic, we all had to adjust our lives as well with the way we worked out to maintain our fitness health.  Gyms were closed all across the country and we had to think of creative ways to stay in shape.  I have personally been working out for many years consistently going to the gym four days a week for strength training and then do cardio another day in the week, so it was definitely an adjustment.   

Despite my local gym closing back in March, I transitioned pretty seamlessly to doing body weight and resistance band workouts and I have actually gotten more cut and focused during this time.

I got my resistance bands on this amazing online shopping site and has put them to great use for the past three months.

I wanted to provide some great tips/reasons why I think you should continue to use resistance bands as part of your routine even as we start returning to normal and going to the gym.    Here they are.

1. ADAPT EASILY FOR MULTIPLE FITNESS LEVELS... Resistance bands come in multiple resistance levels, usually light, medium or heavy. You can further adjust the amount of resistance during exercise just by giving more or less slack on the band, as well as by combining multiple resistance bands to increase the challenge.

2. MODIFY FAMILIAR EXERCISES... Resistance band exercises are often based on familiar strength-training moves. For example, if you stand on one end of the cord and curl your arm up while holding the other end, you've replaced your standard dumbbell bicep curl.

3. EXERCISE YOUR WHOLE BODY... Many resistance band kits come with suggested exercises for nearly every major muscle group in your body. Stepping on one end of a resistance band or looping it around a stationary object, for example, opens up many exercise possibilities.

4. SAVE ON STORAGE SPACE... When you don't have a lot of room for a home gym, resistance bands are a great option that store in very little space. You can hang them on a hook after you exercise, or coil them up to store in a box or drawer.

5. EXERCISE ON THE ROAD... Because they are so small and portable, resistance bands are a great way to take your workout with you when you travel. There are many resistance band exercises that can easily be done in the small space of a hotel room.

7. ADD VARIETY TO YOUR WORKOUTS... Over time, your muscles adapt to any new exercise routine. It's a good idea to mix it up by cross-training with free weights, machines and resistance band exercises. Each will work your muscles in a slightly different way. 

8. EXERCISE SAFELY, EVEN WHEN ALONE... Resistance bands offer strength-training without the risk of dropping a heavy weight on your foot or crushing your fingers between weight plates. That makes them ideal for working out when you don't have a personal trainer or exercise partner to spot you.

9. COMBINE WITH OTHER EXERCISE EQUIPMENT... While resistance bands work great on their own, they can also be combined with other exercise equipment. Performing bicep curls with both a resistance band and a dumbbell will give you the combined benefits of each type of equipment. 

10. GET AN EFFECTIVE WORKOUT... Although there are differences between free weight and resistance band exercises, both are effective. Picture the arc motion your arm makes while doing a bicep curl. Free weights will feel heaviest at the beginning of that arc, while resistance bands make your muscles work harder at the end of the arc (when the band is most taut). Either way, your body is moving against resistance, and that will give your muscles an effective workout.

There you go.  If you like to chat about fitness, please let us know and join our Facebook Page for AIMC Health Solutions.