Why Exercise?

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Exercise can be a powerful way to improve your life.

Main Course
Sometimes I’m asked, “Why work out?” To these people, a healthy lifestyle seems like all work and no benefit, a constant struggle for nothing. But of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

So what do you have to gain by working up a sweat?

You Will Be Happier – Exercise will decrease you body’s supply of cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone,” and increase your amount of dopamine, which helps increase your sense of well-being. In fact, some studies have shown that working out just three times a week for half an hour can be just as effective as anti-depressants for relieving the symptoms of depression.

You Will Be Smarter – Scientists used to think that we lose brain cells as we get older, and nothing can be done about it. New research, however, shows that regular exercise can actually grow new brain cells, helping improve memory, concentration, and even intelligence. That sort of puts a new spin on the idea of a “scholar athlete.”

You Will Sleep Better – People who work out spend more time in deep sleep, which allows them to concentrate better throughout the day. Sleeping well can also have a positive effect on stress, making your everyday problems feel that much more manageable.

You Will Have More Energy - You will be able to approach every task at your job with zest, getting more done in less time, and still having plenty of energy to have fun and take care of your responsibilities at home. If you have never experienced it, trust me, it’s a great feeling.

Dessert
You might be wondering why I didn’t include “You Will Be Happier With Your Body.” Well, pretty much everyone knows this reason, and let’s be honest, this is the reason most people decide to start working out at all. But it’s important to remember that hopping on the treadmill doesn’t have to be all about slimming your waistline. Fitness can be a major part of improving your life in every way - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Smart Swaps

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Small substitutions can make a big difference.

Main Course
Sometimes a good diet isn’t all about completely revamping every little thing you eat. Often subtle substitutions to the foods you usually eat can make a huge difference in the number of calories you consume, the kind of nutrients you eat and your general health. Here are a few ways you can “health-ify” common meals. Use them as inspiration for altering your favorite dishes to better suit your healthy lifestyle.

Instead of: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Have: Whole Wheat Spaghetti and meatless meatballs

Switching to whole-wheat spaghetti eliminates much of the food starch that causes your insulin levels to rise and encourages your body to store fat. Plus it includes a lot of extra protein and fiber. Having vegetarian “meatless” meatballs instead of regular meatballs trims some saturated fat from the meal.

Instead of: Buttered toast, two eggs, and bacon
Have: Whole wheat toast with jelly, three egg whites, and a slice of lean ham

Even a traditional American breakfast can be made healthy. Jelly has about 1/3 of the calories of butter, plus none of the saturated fat. Scooping out the egg yolk takes out a lot of the cholesterol and saturated fat that have given eggs a bad rap. And ham has more protein than bacon but less grease.

Instead of: Two scoops of ice cream topped with chocolate syrup and sprinkles
Have: Two scoops of sorbet topped with low fat whipped cream and raspberries

No one said dieting means you have to give up your sweet tooth. Just keep an eye on the sugar and calorie content and you can have the occasional indulgence without feeling it in your waistline.

Dessert
I think this really illustrates that a good diet doesn’t start at home; it starts in the grocery store. Once you decide to only bring mostly healthy food into your home, slowly but surely, your white bread will be replaced by wheat bread; your whole milk will be replaced by skim milk; and your potato chips will be replaced by unbuttered popcorn. After that, eating healthy will simply be a matter of reaching for whatever happens to be in your fridge or cupboard.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

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Make more of a commitment to your exercise goals by spending money that will be lost if you stop working out.

Main Course
The hardest part about exercising is not deciding what to do - it's actually sticking with it. Everyone is excited and motivated when they first start a new workout training schedule, but it's easy to lose passion over time.

Unless you're in the small minority of people who have more money than they know what to do with, the thought of totally wasting cash is properly motivating so "put your money where you mouth is."

Sign up for a fitness event (i.e. 10K, marathon, triathlon, charity walk, bodybuilding contest, etc.) in another state. Pay your registration, buy a plane ticket, book your hotel and take a couple of vacation days from work. By paying everything up front, you are investing in yourself and creating an environment where not training properly will hit you where it hurts - in your pocket.

Dessert
I'm not cheap, but I am discriminating about how I spend my money. When I wanted to jump-start my workouts, I signed up for a marathon in Virginia with one of my girlfriends. We paid the Early Bird registration fees, pre-paid for our hotel and requested the days off of work. We also told EVERYBODY about our plan to do the marathon - guaranteeing that we would be thoroughly ashamed if we backed out at the last minute.

This plan definitely worked for me. There was no way at all that I was going to forfeit that money just because I didn't feel like getting up early to train. Every time I thought about backing out, I remembered the money that I would lose and how bad I'd feel for letting my partner down since she was consistent with her training.

Start By Doing Something...Anything.

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Yes, I know that you're too busy to work out and eat right because of work, the kids, other commitments, etc. I'm also fully aware that you have no clue of how to get started because you're completely overwhelmed by all of the fitness and nutrition possibilities. Yep, that's fair.

However, today is the day that you have to take control, get rid of the excuses, and just do SOMETHING. Do ANYTHING. Pick one tiny lifestyle change, and decide that you're going to do more of that healthy thing or less of that unhealthy thing, starting today.


Main Course
We recently celebrated our 1-year anniversary, so it's very fitting that we go back to the basics. Let's remind ourselves of what Cafe Physique is really all about. This is a nutrition and fitness blog for those who either (1) don't know what to do or (2) know what to do, but can't execute.

If you're looking for a get-thin-quick bag of tricks or you're waiting for me to tell you to try the hottest diet on the Hollywood scene, you've come to the wrong place. Everything here is based on the More or Less Philosophy. If you integrate small changes into your life every day, they will add up over time and make a huge difference in the way you look and feel.

Sometimes the small change is doing just a little bit less of something - like watching 1 less show on TV, eating a few less chips, sleeping 30 minutes less on Saturday mornings, etc. Other times, the philosophy requires you to do a wee bit more of something beneficial...How about planting more flowers this year? Parking in the last row more often? Motivating yourself to achieve more than yesterday? You get the picture!


My promise to you is that you'll never have to worry about me telling you to go run for 6 miles a day or eat grapefruit and plain tuna twice a day for a month. I don't believe in gimmicks because they don't work for most of us. You know what they say, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is." Come join me here regularly, and I'll equip you with the tools you need to be successful without relying on unrealistic schemes.


AND...Just so you know that I'm not one of those genetically gifted, "I simply forgot to eat today"- type of girls, I'm going to let you in on my constant battle to eat well, stay fit, and love who I see in the mirror. Everything at Cafe Physique tastes great, so dig in!

Dessert
My faithful readers know that I rarely call out individual names on this blog, but I want to make an exception today. I want to personally and publicly thank Mark from onemoreset.blogspot.com for giving me the tiny nudge and encouragement that I needed to keep this blog going. You never know when the world's smallest cheering section will convince you that you're good enough to win the game. Many thanks Mark!

Weeee-rrreee Baaa-aaacckkk!!!

The More or Less Philosophy

Welcome to Café Physique! This is a nutrition and fitness blog for those who either (1) don't know what to do or (2) know what to do, but can't execute. Know what I mean? If you're looking for a get-thin-quick bag of tricks or you're waiting for me to tell you to try the hottest diet on the Hollywood scene, you've come to the wrong place.

Everything here is based on the More or Less Philosophy. If you integrate small changes into your life every day, they will add up over time and make a huge difference in the way you look and feel. Sometimes the small change is doing just a little bit less of something - like watching 1 less show on TV, eating a few less chips, sleeping 30 minutes less on Saturday mornings, etc. Other times, the philosophy requires you to do a wee bit more of something beneficial...How about planting more flowers this year? Parking in the last row more often? Motivating yourself to achieve more than yesterday? You get the picture!

My promise to you is that you'll never have to worry about me telling you to go run for 6 miles a day or eat grapefruit and plain tuna twice a day for a month. I don't believe in gimmicks because they don't work for most of us. You know what they say, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is." Come join me here each day, and I'll equip you with the tools you need to be successful without relying on unrealistic schemes.

AND...Just so you know that I'm not one of those genetically gifted, "I simply forgot to eat today"- type of girls, I'm going to let you in on my constant battle to eat well, stay fit, and love who I see in the mirror.

Here's the format for most of my postings:
Appetizer = More or Less Philosophy Tip of the Day
Main Course = Real life application - Information that can help you get to the next level
Dessert = My personal journey - Hope to let you know that you're not alone

This is going to be great, so dig in!

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.