Magazine

    You have set the habit of going to the gym, made positive changes to your eating habits, and are  ready to crank up the workout intensity. “What supplements should I take?” and “Do I need supplements?” are very common questions.   The supplement industry has dramatically grown over the last decade by expanding supplement categories. This growth has made it easier to find products directly related to your individual goals.  Categories range from pre-workout,  intra workout, post workout, protein, mass gainer, vitamins, fat burners, and joint support just to name a few.   Remember, the purpose of  sports nutrition supplements is to work in conjunction with your healthy eating lifestyle.  Sports nutrition supplements without healthy eating will not produce drastic results.  On the other side of coin, many goals and results are possible without sports nutrition supplements but they do make life more convenient and the process more effective.   Since you are still in the early stages of your fitness journey, I recommend starting with a protein supplement.   The purpose of protein is to help the muscle…

Thanksgiving is right around the corner.   A turkey feast and endless amounts of dessert are what comes to mind when we think about the iconic Thanksgiving meal.  My dessert of choice for Thanksgiving is cheesecake.   Unfortunately,  Thanksgiving  is also  iconic for overindulging on desserts, followed by guilt and some extra unwanted weight.   With that being said, here are a few tips to help you have the best Thanksgiving meal GUILT FREE.   Exercise Thanksgiving morning   Doing a workout Thanksgiving morning will help you be in a calorie deficit.  This means there will be more room in your daily caloric intake for that dessert.   *There will be a Core Specific class 8:15A.M. Thanksgiving  morning*   Don’t skip meals during the day   Skipping meals before your morning workout to “build up an appetite” for  the feast will make you more likely  to binge eat by the time dinner is served.   Make protein the priority   Begin your Thanksgiving meal with the turkey (protein source).  This will help  your muscles recover from your intense morning workout  and…

Although the notion that spicy foods can help in weight management might sound like something in a supermarket tabloid, the idea has some intriguing possibilities. For one thing, spicy foods can increase metabolic rate by raising body temperature. The greatest increase in body temperature is triggered by capsaicin, a molecule that’s found in chili peppers; it’s what makes hot peppers hot. It’s also the active ingredient in pepper spray. Keep in mind, however, that the thermogenic effect of capsaicin on metabolic rate is temporary—and small. Remember, too, that eating any food will increase your metabolic rate. The reason: The body uses calories to digest, absorb and transport food. This thermic effect of food—referred to scientifically as “specific dynamic action”—accounts for roughly 10% of the body’s daily caloric intake. But the real benefit of eating spicy foods is that it seems to curb appetite. Research indicates that spicy foods produce an increase in satiety and a decrease in caloric intake. Taken together, an increase in caloric output (however slight) and a decrease in caloric intake would help in weight management. One…