Long Time No See!

How’s it going everyone?! Its been a while since my last post, life has been very busy and I’ve been trying to accomplish some very challenging professional goals. Nevertheless, I am still here and hope that your nutritional and fitness goals are going well. Please let me know whats new with you. What is working and what can be improved? Looking forward to hearing your responses.

As for me, I have been lacking a little bit on my running but I am focusing on getting back in shape. I got some new winter gear, shirts, socks, shoes and shirts. I’m going to aim to run 3-4 times a week and lift weights 3 times a week. The weather is cooling off nicely here in Tampa, FL which makes for a better run in my opinion.

I’m scheduled to run a half marathon on Dec 7, 2013 in Orlando with my friend Matt who has never run a half before. So I’ll be running with him and pushing him through. Sometimes we need that encouragement from others to accomplish certain things. I am also set to run the Miami marathon on Feb 2, 2014 which will be really fun. So I have some serious training to do. I’ll keep you posted on the results from both runs.

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Should Obesity be Classified a Disease?

Ok. We all know that being obese has certain medical complications (If not check out the above diagram). According to the LAtimes on June 18, 2013 the American Medical Association has declared obesity a disease. The move by the American Medical Assn. board means that one-third of adults (78 million) and 17% of children (12 million) in the U.S. have a medical condition that requires treatment. Hmmmmm.

I really would like to hear your feedback regarding this decision. Do you think obesity should be considered a disease? I thought  obesity just meant being at least 30 pounds overweight. What will happen with health insurance rates if in fact one-third of adults and 17% of children in the U.S will need treatment?

I used to be 30 pounds overweight and so has many other people but I wouldn’t say that I had a disease. I was able to workout and eat right to lose the weight. Since this decision was made many reputable sources have removed their definition of what a disease is.

How are you fueling your tank?

Which picture do you think most people are fueling their bodies with? The left or right? 

How do you like the images above? Pretty cool right….Well Yes and No. We all have heard of the term “You are what you eat” and it is a really true statement. The two pictures above really puts this saying into perspective. It took me a while to realize that the kinds of food that I ate either had a negative or positive effect on my health and physical performance. I’m not perfect, there are sometimes I will eat junk food when hanging out with close friends or if I am celebrating an occasion but I am sure to get back on track the next day.

Foods that are whole and natural are full of vitamins and nutrients that supply our bodies with energy and the fuel it needs for maximum performance, weight loss, and healthy blood sugar levels. Foods that are processed such as fast food, potato chips, cookies, and sodas does just the opposite. The body is not designed to digest processed, junk and fake foods and when it does most of all of it is stored as fat. Yes, this food can be worked off but you would probably have to triple or even quadruple your workout times just to burn off the calories. Is it really worth it?

Ultimately, it is ok to have cheat food from time to time but we should not make it apart of our daily eating routine. Some people like myself have it bad. Once I start eating bad its kind of tough to turn it off therefore I don’t do it much. On another note, some people can have one slice of pie and be perfectly fine after that. Fast food nutrition should make up a very minimal part of a healthy diet. Fast foods and junk foods are high in fat, sodium and sugar, which can lead to obesity and a wide range of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

Benefits of healthy eating

• Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.
• Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.
• Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
• Eating vegetables and fruits rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may lower blood pressure, and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss.
• Eating foods such as vegetables that are lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

Negative Effects on junk food

Junk food is often high in sugar, salt, white flour, and fat, particularly saturated fat. It is often heavily processed and prepackaged, making it easy to prepare and consume. A few examples of foods often considered to be junk food include fast food, sweets such as ice cream, candy, donuts, and prepackaged treats, soda, and potato chips, among many others. Most people have no trouble identifying junk food; it is when they want to stop eating junk food that the trouble starts.

The first effect of eating junk food is its impact on energy levels. Many people skip breakfast or other meals throughout the day, choosing instead to grab a quick snack or a soft drink. The junk food causes energy levels to spike, which people like, but then energy levels will quickly plummet, sending one back into the kitchen for another quick snack. In addition, junk food can cause moodiness, and make it difficult to get enough sleep at night, so energy levels are never restored to normal.

So I encourage you today to start thinking about the foods that you eat and how they will benefit your health and your physical performance before you eat it. If you are about to eat a piece a cake, think of all the nutritional benefits that it has…… which is probably zero unless it is a Paleo cake :). If it doesn’t have any benefits then you may want to choose a better alternative.

Thanks for reading as always,

-LJay

3 Year Anniversary!

It’s been 3 years since the blog was created! Woah does time fly by. We all had some great discussions on previous blog post over the past years and I want to make this year even better. I am asking for your feedback on topics that you would like to read about in the future. If you have any other recommendations that can improve the blog, I want to hear those too. 🙂 I really appreciate all of my readers and want to make your experience on the site as interesting as possible. 

Leave a comment and use the poll below.

A Day That Will Never Be Forgotten

This is probably the most depressing blog topics that I have written about in two years. As many of you are aware, two explosives were detonated at the finish line during the Boston Marathon today 04/15/2013. I am not writing this blog to report the news and give you politics or the facts, however I am writing this to express my condolences to those that are no longer with us and those who are severely injured. All of our prayers and thoughts at LJay Health goes out to families of the victims, the Boston community, running family and the nation as a whole.

The Boston Marathon is like the Super Bowl for many runners and everyone works very hard to get there. Unfortunately the glory and victory was taken away from the athletes who ran the marathon today. Who would have ever thought that someone would intentionally plant explosive devices at a marathon, it definitely caught everyone off guard.

I have ran 5 marathons to date, 30 miles this past Sunday and running the Boston marathon was in my future. Considering the events that happened today, I am not really sure how I feel at this point in time. It is really a heart felt moment for myself and millions of other people. It is important that we not live in fear but to be very cautious in everything we do.

One thing that we can take away from this tragedy is to remember to cherish life and be there for one another. I want to leave you with a quote that I was inspired by especially after today.

Live, Love, and cherish Life. Make friends, memories, and plans. Your life is about you, but life is not about you. Fall in love. Love the fall and winter and spring and summer. Ski, skate, sing and dance. Smell the rain and the chocolate chip cookies. Take all the time you need, but don’t waste it. Catch the big one with your dad. Go on a trip with your mom. Love children, for you were once one. Learn from your elders, and one day you’ll have their wisdom. Seek the truth. Find it in yourself, others, and in your faith. Be patient and gentle. Most of all truly live.

Leave a comment and let me know how you are feeling even if its just to vent.

 

Marine Corps Marathon Fundraiser

Hi all,

I am very excited to be running the Marine Corps Marathon this year on October 27, 2013. As you may have heard registration day for this event was absolutely bananas. The marathon sold out in less than 2.5 hours with about 30,000 runners participating. Luckily this year I will be running with The Little Things for Cancer charity group which is awesome! We have roughly 25 members of the charity who will all be running the marathon and raising the awareness for this cause.

The Little Things for Cancer charity group provide funds for services for cancer patients and their caregivers. The Little Things differs from many other organizations in that they offer support to people affected by all types of cancer, not just one specific type.

I am on a mission to raise $1500 if not more for the charity group. I am asking all of my support group, family, and friends etc to help me in raising funds for such a great cause and charity organization. I have included a link below where all donations can be made. All of the proceeds will go directly to the charity.

http://www.ir4c.com/AthleteStory/ljay

 

Thanks for all of your support over the years!

Sincerely,

LJay Health!

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone and your families! This has been a fun and exciting year and I wanted to express that I am really happy to have all of you in my fitness and health community. It really means alot to know that I can and have inspired so many across the globe and can help people accomplish challenges they didn’t think were possible.

I made a post on 2013 goals and it was great to see that many of you have come so far and want to achieve so much in the future. Just know that you can accomplish anything you dedicate yourself to. Remember to have a positive support group, patience, and don’t let anyone hold you back. Its your life and you deserve it to yourself to live it to the best possible. Make 2013 your year and shoot for the **STARS**

Thanks again for supporting and promoting the blog! I appreciate every single comment posted even If for some reason I don’t respond. Truly means alot!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Sincerely,

LJAY HEALTH

Happy Thanksgiving!

On behalf of LJAY HEALTH, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks so much for following and reading my blog. I am thankful to have all of you as a great support system and fitness family! Enjoy your feast, workouts, family etc!

Share with us, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

What’s Your Take On Supplements?

Multi vitamins, green tea, vitamin C, B vitamins, omega fish oils and the list goes on and on. You can walk into any health food store, or a vitamin shop and find shelves of nothing but dietary supplements. The picture above are my very own supplements that I take on a daily basis and have taken for years. Some other supplements you see there is alfalfa which helps to cleanse the liver, cinnamon that is a natural blood sugar stabilizer, and garlic which helps to improve cardiovascular functions.

Many people feel that supplements are a waste of money and have no true benefit but I believe otherwise through personal experience. Taking supplements in conjunction with nutritious meals have helped to improve my overall workout endurance, strength  and not to mention my handsome looks 🙂  If you do or don’t take supplements I would like to hear your feedback and take on it. Please share with your fitness family!

So why do people take supplements?

I personally take supplements to help ensure I am getting all of the nutrients my body need on a daily basis. It is also convenient for me to take the supplement rather than eating the food that carries the vitamin. Also being a vegetarian I have to make sure I am receiving adequate amounts of B vitamins, calcium and iron since these vitamins are found in meats.

Some people may also have the need to take supplements because their bodies lack the production of it. For example, someone may have a iron deficiency and therefore they need to take an iron supplement to make up for it.

What is the downside to taking supplements? 

Supplements should not be taking in place of eating natural foods. The bulk of our daily vitamins and minerals should come from real foods and not in the form of supplements. Supplements, especially depending on the kind can be expensive and may put a dent in your wallet after while. In my opinion, our health is definitely worth the investment and I believe we have an opportunity to prevent serious illnesses and diseases that might be faced later in life through intake of natural foods and supplements.

Digesting Supplements

When taking supplements try and take only 2-3 at one time and wait 1-2 hours before taking another one. The reason is that our bodies can only use a certain amount of nutrients at one time. The excess comes out through the urine and is generally darker than usual. Most supplements come in the form of a pill some small, medium and large depending on the type. Many supplements are now being made in powder form that can easily be blending or mixed in with water or a soft drink.

LJAY HEALTH TOP VITAMIN & SUPPLEMENT SHOPS

1.GNC 

2.Vitamin Shoppe

3.BodyBuilding.com

4.Nutri Shop 

5. Discount supplements.com

 

 

Eat the Pumpkin, Don’t Just Carve It

With Halloween just around the corner the stores are stocking up with Pumpkins for you to buy. Instead of carving the pumpkin for Halloween decoration it is also beneficial to eat it as well. Pumpkins are high in fiber, low in calories and fat and a good source of vitamins. Below are the many health benefits of eating pumpkin and pumpkin seed!

Benefits of Eating Pumpkin

Pumpkins Keep Eyesight Sharp

A cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains more than 200 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which aids vision, particularly in dim light, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Pumpkins Aid Weight Loss

Pumpkin is an often-overlooked source of fiber, but with three grams per one-cup serving and only 49 calories, it can keep you feeling full for longer on fewer calories.

Pumpkin Seeds Can Help Your Heart

Nuts and seeds, including those of pumpkins, are naturally rich in certain plant-based chemicals called phytosterols that have been shown in studies to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol

Pumpkins May Reduce Cancer Risk

Like their orange comrades the sweet potato, the carrot and the butternut squash (to name a few), pumpkins boast the antioxidant beta-carotene, which may play a role in cancer prevention, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Pumpkins Protect The Skin

The same free-radical-neutralizing powers of the carotenoids in pumpkin that may keep cancer cells at bay can also help keep the skin wrinkle-free, Health magazine reported.

Pumpkins Can Help After A Hard Workout

Ever heard of bananas being touted as nature’s energy bar? Turns out, a cup of cooked pumpkin has more of the refueling nutrient potassium, with 564 milligrams to a banana’s 422.A little extra potassium helps restore the body’s balance of electrolytes after a heavy workout and keeps muscles functioning at their best.

Additional Benefits 

Prevents Kidney Stones – Have 5 to 10 grams of pumpkin seeds every day. This stimulates the kidneys and prevents the formation of calcium oxalate stones.

Depression – Pumpkin flesh contains L-tryptophan, a chemical compound that triggers feelings of well-being and happiness. Having pumpkin as a part of your daily diet can keep your spirits high and prevent depression.

Diuretics – Pumpkins are natural diuretics. These help in flushing out the toxins and unwanted waste material from the body, leaving you refreshed and healthy.

Promotes Prostate Health

For you men over 50 helping carve pumpkins this Halloween, be sure to save those seeds.  Pumpkin seeds help promote a healthy prostate and minimize the issues such as urination problems due to an enlarged prostate.  Prostate problems are most common in men over fifty.

Better Bones

Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc and are a great natural resource for this much needed nutrition.  Low levels of zinc are one of the links to osteoporosis.

Arthritis Relief

In a recent study pumpkin seeds showed the same anti-inflammatory benefits as the non-steroid drug indomethacin.  The good news on these results is that the pumpkin seeds did not have the same negative effect of damaged fats (lipid peroxides) in the lining of joints like the anti-inflammatory drug.