Jan 12
4
5 Tips For A Successful New Year
Some Fantastic Weight Loss Advice…
If you are struggling with weight loss, then you absolutely must read this.
It contains information which may be vital to your health.
As an avid exerciser and dieter, you may be making key mistakes which may lead to INCREASED weight gain and “SICK” FAT CELLS.
And this weight gain may be slowly killing you – without you even knowing it.
Some may be silent killers, while others you may have the opportunity to CONTROL.
Regardless, taking IMMEDIATE steps TODAY may slow your weight gain, and possibly REDUCE it.
The end results may be a leaner, firmer, stronger, and younger you for years to come!
Most people laugh when I tell them these five things lead to weight gain, but then are amazed at the power they may have on their WEIGHT LOSS RESULTS.
1. Your Stress Is literally KILLING You
Everyday you may feel stress. And this stress may actually be KILLING you.
Stress causes your body to be put on alert, which may lead you to increase your energy intake.
Your body removes sugar from your blood for immediate energy, which may leave you hungry. And calorie-rich, nutrient-dense snacks are what MOST people go for when they are stressed.
This can spell “bad news” for your weight.
Too many high-calorie, nutrient-dense snacks, may cause you to store those calories as fat. With your life being high-paced and stressful, with everyone working to deadlines, your stress levels may be through the roof. And this stress may cause the exact opposite of what you want to happen: you may pack on the pounds!
So take a breather and relax, your waist and skinny jeans will appreciate it LATER.
2. Is Sugar As Deadly As Illegal Drugs?
Okay, so maybe not as bad as most illegal drugs, but it may be close.
Sugar may increase neurotransmitters and opioids in your brain, which may provide comfort and enjoyment.
Dopamine (the neurotransmitter), may increase when you ingest sugar
Sugar may affect more than just your pant size.
As this hormone increases, your dopamine receptor sites may actually decrease.
This may increase your opiate receptors.
And since sugar may release both, dopamine and opioids, this may increase the addictive properties of sugar.
3. It All Started BEFORE You Were Born…
You all know that exposure to hazardous chemicals during pregnancy may cause damage to the unborn child.
Toxins like chemicals, smoking, and drinking may lead to damage to your unborn child – especially the brain.
Now there is emerging research that says that exposure to junk food DURING pregnancy may be BAD. That junk food may alter your developing child’s brain.
When your unborn child is exposed to junk food, it may cause a predisposition to actually eating junk food.
Researchers have discovered that exposure to high-fat, high-sugar diets may lead to increased risk of obesity later on in life. They determined that, during pregnancy, junk food exposure may lead to changes in the central reward system of your brain.
This may encourage overconsumption of HIGH-FAT and HIGH-SUGAR foods in your children.
So if you are pregnant, limit your intake of high-sugar and high-fat foods. It may be unforgiving to your hips, but also to your child’s developing brain.
4. Can Being Overweight Cause You To Get FATTER?
Being overweight CAN actually make you FATTER.
You may think that this is a no-brainer!
Give me a minute to explain…
Your fat cells release hormones which control how much you eat, and when you should stop eating. When you are overweight, the signal to stop eating gets weaker. The weaker signal may cause you to overeat leading to increased WEIGHT GAIN. This leads to increased energy consumption.
And it may get worse from there!
Increased weight may cause your cells to become resistant to many different hormones, which may disrupt your fat cells from doing their job.
That job is: regulation of your ENERGY INTAKE!
So the more overweight you become, the more your fat cells are becoming “sick.” And this sickness may lead you down a dangerous path.
The more your fat cells become inflamed, may result in resistance to key hormones. And this may wreak havoc on your metabolism.
Not only may it slow down your metabolism, but your body may have NO idea if it is full or not.
This may lead to increase weight gain.
5. Are There Any Anti-Fat Foods Out There?
Your cells may become inflamed with increased FAT levels.
But that is not the only reason why!
Damage caused by free radicals may also be a reason behind your weight gain.
And you might be thinking: is there anything I can do?
Of course there is!
Fruits and vegetables are loaded with powerful nutrients called antioxidants. And these antioxidants may be the key to reducing inflammation. Antioxidants may make your FAT cells regain normal hormone signaling again. Antioxidants are powerful fighters against free radical damage. Antioxidants suck up free radicals and DESTROY them
Antioxidants may destroy free radicals, which means they are no longer searching out stable molecules to steal electrons from. This may reduce inflammation, which is powerful news for your metabolism.
Reducing inflammation may help your FAT cells to become “healthy” again.
Take Immediate ACTION Now
Being blessed with poor genes and bad dietary guidance, may not mean you are destined to spend your days overweight and tired.
Increasing fruit and vegetable intake and limiting your sugar intake, may help you LOSE WEIGHT and keep it off.
Altering your dietary intake may reduce inflammation, which may be causing your increasing waist line.
You may have the chance to reduce your inflammation by including plenty of fiber, INFLAMMATION fighting antioxidants, and limiting your sugar intake.
Your weight is in YOUR control.
Start changing your life today, and boost your METABOLISM one step at a time!
Chuck Walker MA, LAT, ATC
Imagine Fitness
(608) 215-3205
Nov 11
21
Losing Weight Faster With Fiber
Lose weight fast with fiber! Some people wonder about the benefits of fiber. Fiber is a beneficial nutrient. Fiber has been linked to reductions in blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight, as well as increased sensitivity to insulin, a good thing for diabetics.
Before we discuss fiber and weight loss, we need to know what fiber is. Fiber is a sugar molecule found in some common foods, which cannot be broken down by the body. There are two forms:
• Soluble – this type of fiber dissolves in water and produces a gel-like substance in the stomach. This substance helps digested food slowly move into the small intestine. This slows down the food absorption by the small intestine, resulting in the slow release of nutrients in the bloodstream. Soluble fiber binds to bile produced limiting the amount of cholesterol released into the blood. There are hundreds of strains of microflora in the small intestine which protect us from diseases and can strengthen our immune system. Soluble fiber helps the microflora grow, which protects us against other bacteria which can lead to diseases.
• Insoluble fiber – this type of fiber cannot be broken down once entering the stomach. It increases in size by absorbing water, very much like a sponge. This type of fiber speeds up foods absorption once it enters into the small intestine. Insoluble fiber acts as a “cleaner” taking on water as it travels through the intestine making a softer stool in the end.
Research shows Americans are below the recommended average for fiber. You might be thinking, “How can I get more fiber in my diet?”
Including items such as fruits, vegetables, oat bran, whole wheat products, and whole grain cereals are easy ways to increase the amount of fiber on a daily basis. But be careful – do not rush to increase fiber in your diet all at once.
Rushing can lead to increased gas, bloating, and constipation. Even though fiber can help aid digestion and constipation, increasing fiber quickly can produce negative effects on the body. Start by adding fiber-rich foods gradually to prevent increased gas, bloating, and constipation.
There are many benefits associated with fiber. Research has shown you can reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and for those who ate the recommended servings, had reduced body-fat levels. Amazing!
Let me explain how fiber can do all these wonderful things!
Soluble fiber has positive effects on blood cholesterol. There are many different reasons why this happens. First, soluble fiber is able to ferment and help the microflora grow in the small intestine, which releases essential fatty acids into the bloodstream. These fatty acids not only alter cholesterol levels, but benefit the small intestine by providing a breeding ground for healthy bacteria. The associated reduction in cholesterol from fiber has to do with steroid excretion and altered fat absorption. Also, once soluble fiber dissolves in water and the gel-like substance is produced, it binds to bile produced by the body, altering the release of cholesterol into the blood. Unreal!
Fiber also has effects on weight management. There are many different reasons for this. The major component of fiber is water and other nutrients, which give fiber its bulk. Since this bulk cannot be digested, you feel fuller for longer periods of time. Another component of fiber is water. This also helps us feel fuller, longer resulting in not feeling the need to overeat or snack. Increasing fiber in your diet helps you feel satisfied after you eat. Results: increased weight loss!
Fiber is beneficial in so many ways. It helps control blood pressure, has positive effects on cholesterol, and can help shed a pound or two. Americans are not even close to the recommended servings of fiber, so increasing your intake is crucial to overall health.
Here is a list of foods which contain high amounts of fiber:
Fruits
Raspberries – a one cup serving has 8.0 grams of fiber
Pear (with skin) – 1 medium pear provides 5.5 grams of fiber
Medium Apple with skin – 1 medium apple provides you with 4.4 grams of fiber
Banana and orange – 1 medium banana or orange gives you 3.1 grams of fiber
Vegetables/BeansPeas (cooked) – 1 cup of cooked peas gives you a whopping 8.8 grams of fiber
Broccoli – 1 cup of boiled broccoli gives you 5.1 grams of fiber
Sweet corn (cooked) – 1 cup of cooked sweet corn gives you 4.2 grams of fiber
Potato with skin (baked) – 1 medium potato baked with the skin gives you 2.9 grams of fiber
Lentils (cooked) – 1/2 cup cooked lentils gives you 6.6 grams of fiber
Navy beans (cooked) – 1/2 cup cooked navy beans gives you 9.5 grams of fiber
Other foodsBran Flakes – ¾ of a cup gives you 5.3 grams of fiber
Oatmeal (cooked) – 1 cup gives you 4.0 grams of fiber
Black Beans (cooked) – 1 cup of black beans gives you 15.0 grams of fiber
Almonds – 1 ounce of almonds gives you 3.5 grams of fiber
Remember these three tips to help you increase your fiber intake:
1. Start with the most important meal of the day: breakfast. Include whole-grain breads or cereals to your breakfast meal. Make sure the package states “made with whole grain or whole wheat” to ensure you have the right bread or cereal for increasing your fiber intake. Also, look for cereal which has fiber or whole grains in the title.
2. Add fruit and vegetables as quick, easy snacks you can grab on the go. Increasing fruits and vegetables can easily increase your fiber intake.
3. Alter the way you make homemade breads or bakery items which include white flour. Most of the nutrients in white flour are stripped away and then added again. Alternating whole-wheat flour will add extra fiber to your diet
When adding fiber to your diet, add it gradually over time to prevent bloating and gas associated with fast increases in fiber. Fiber can help you lose weight faster, by making you feel fuller and for longer. Include items from the list above to help your heart while trimming your waistline for the future.
Chuck and Malinda Walker
Imagine Fitness
Nov 11
18
Meet The New “Silent” Killer
There is a NEW silent killer in town.
Its name is INFLAMMATION. 
You have run into it before, maybe once or twice.
Redness, itchiness, and swelling are tell-tale signs you have met and experienced inflammation first hand.
Classic Tell-Tale Signs Of Inflammation
Imagine for a minute, walking through the woods and brushing up against a bush of poison ivy. Itching, redness on your skin, and HIVES which last for DAYS!
Or getting stung by a bee, the reaction causing raised red marks on your skin, making your skin itch and burn for hours!
Or even yet, twisting your ankle and feeling the cuff around your ankle as blood and fluid fill your ankle cavity.
You have THEN experienced some of the classic symptoms of INFLAMMATION.
Most of the time, you rub some crème on the area, or give it a cold ice bath to soothe the burning, itchy feeling.
Inflammation can be useful but only to a CERTAIN EXTENT.
When you suffer an injury, or are inflicted with an allergen, your body sends a response to speed the healing process.
When you sprain your ankle, finger, or knee, there is instant swelling. This is the beginning of the inflammatory response. Your body is sending cells to the injured area, in hopes of healing the wounded area.
What happens, though, when there are NO SIGNS or SYMPTOMS of inflammation?
What happens when your body keeps sending the inflammatory response?
Damage!
Inflammation and Damage
Not just damage to the injured area, but to all cells in the body.
You need to keep inflammation in control or else the cells in YOUR body CAN be damaged!
When the inflammatory response does not subside, it creates havoc in ALL the systems of the body.
But do you always know if your body is inflamed?
Not unless it’s blatantly obvious!
The NEW Silent Killer
Chronic inflammation is often referred to as the “silent” killer.
Yes, you have heard this term before, especially with heart disease.
But inflammation is also a SILENT KILLER! Give me a minute to explain.
Chronic inflammation rarely is painful and rarely do you ever show symptoms that YOUR very cells are INFLAMED!
Imagine the amazing heat of a fire, how the heat and the flame destroy everything in their path.
Imagine now, that the same fire is in YOUR BODY!
Do you think that fire is going to be put out on its own? Do you think that it’s not going to STOP and not destroy “stuff” in its deadly path?
You would be correct in saying that IT WON”T!
Chronic inflammation impedes the body’s ability to repair and heal tissue. Your body always tries to repair and replace damaged cells.
When you are exposed to chronic inflammation, IT MAKES IT HARDER for YOUR body to heal damaged cells!
Can this silent killer cause pain?
Not usually.
How Can You Tell
Chronic inflammation falls below the pain threshold, making it impossible to detect. But damage to certain cells can cause long lasting, and even INTENSE pain.
Chronic inflammation can target cells of the central nervous system, altering the cells that affect your pain centers.
Altering these cells can increase pain intensity, how long the pain lasts, and also HOW SENSITIVE YOU ARE TO PAIN!
This is something you want to avoid at all costs!
Chronic inflammation not only damages cells in your body, but it damages the cells OUTSIDE your body as well.
The cells in your skin can be damaged as well, speeding up the AGING process.
You DON”T need any help speeding up how fast YOU age!
There are numerous diseases linked to chronic inflammation.
Diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome are classic examples of low grade, chronic inflammation processes.
But there are others.
And each one can be detrimental to YOUR health.
Here are some diseases linked to chronic inflammation which is present in YOUR body:
• Acute and Chronic Pain
• Cerebrovascular Disease (strokes and poor circulation to the most vital organ, YOUR BRAIN)
• Cancer
• Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases
• Type II Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis)
• Allergies
• Pulmonary disease
• Sarcopenia
These diseases have been linked by one common thread- chronic inflammation!
Your body does not want to be exposed to a constant fire all the time.
Have you ever stood next to a bonfire for hours? Of course not, the fire can burn too intensely, forcing you to step away because of the intense heat from it!
The same holds true for your body.
What Your Body Thinks!
It does not want to be exposed to chronic inflammation for long periods of time.
Your body always wants to maintain a level of HOMEOSTASIS, or the perfect atmosphere in which the body is able to function.
However, due to numerous things in the food we eat and the air we breathe, our bodies are unable to fight off all the different toxins.
These toxins are the accelerant to the flames, keeping the fire of inflammation burning for long periods of time.
Keeping the constant “fire” CAN lead to complications later on in life!
There are ways to manage inflammation. Some natural, and some use anti-inflammatory medications.
However, these have problems too.
Anti-inflammatory medications can damage the liver and kidneys, when you are exposed to them for long periods of time.
And the natural ways: To take in all the right nutrients to extinguish the fire, you would be eating A LOT of fruits and vegetables which could get very expensive!
You are talking hundreds of dollars a month.
You need to be aware of this silent killer which is taking home in YOUR body right now.
Inflammation is nothing to joke about, and certainly not something to take lightly.
Stay tuned for the next installment in which we’ll offer some ways to actually prevent inflammation.
Chuck and Malinda Walker
Imagine Fitness
The American and the world’s population are in danger. Not due to warfare or famine, but to complications related to being overweight or obese.
In America alone, the CDC has delivered a stern message about the state of our health.
Our society has become an obesogenic society. Diets are full of unhealthy foods. There are less physically active then 20 years ago. And for some reason we can’t put our forks down, leading to increased food intake. 
These three characteristics have increased your risk factors, especially our children’s.
Twenty years ago, overweight and obesity were in the minority. Today, healthy weight individuals are the minority.
Find it hard to believe? Check out these statistics on what being overweight or obese has done, globally and locally.
• America has the largest population of overweight and obese individuals.
• 33% of our population are obese – that is a 60% increase from 20 years ago.
• 1 in 6 children are obese.
• There are over 300,000 obesity related deaths per year, second only to tobacco related deaths.
• Two-thirds, or 167 million Americans, are overweight. One-third of those individuals are clinically obese.
These are sobering statistics and make for a very sad state for Americans and the world. For hundreds, if not thousands, of years people understood the importance of healthy eating, physical activity, and calorie restriction which kept us fit and healthy.
This all changed with the introduction of processed foods loaded with sugar and extra calories.
So you are not obese. Great!
But you might be 10, 20, or 30 pounds overweight. What’s the big deal? So you might be unhappy with how you look naked, or that your clothes do not fit right, or that you find it harder to get up in the morning and your joints creak with every step you take. But really, what’s the big deal? You’re going to drop the weight at some point, right?
Being as little as 10, 20, or 30 pounds overweight, you are putting your body at increased risk. Confused? Let me explain.
Being overweight starts the process in your body which can lead to future complications. You are incubating unhealthy conditions, which puts the brakes on weight loss and healthy living.
Here are the top 3 reasons why being overweight is ruining your health and fitness goals.
Your Fat Cells Are Becoming Unhealthy
Healthy fat cells work by releasing hormones that control metabolism and energy expenditure. Having a little extra padding begins the process of turning healthy fat cells into “sick” fat cells.
Fat cells that are healthy, release a hormone called Leptin.
Leptin tells the brain when we are full. Sick fat cells release Leptin, but it is unable to tell your brain you are full. This results in increased appetite, increased cortisol levels, and resistance to the good hormones.
One amazing function of fat cells is the ability to store fat from your blood. When your body becomes resistant, the fat cell becomes inflamed preventing it from storing fatty acids. Scary thought, since the fat needs to go somewhere!
This also affects Adiponectin, which keeps your body fat levels low by breaking down fatty acids. Where? In the muscle of course. Without adequate Adiponectin, your body is unable to breakdown fat in the blood, resulting in the fat landing in other organs and sites on your body.
Increased Inflammatory Response
Disease typically starts as an inflammatory response. It can happen anywhere in the body. When inflammation hits adipose tissue, watch out! Now you have a reduced ability to store fat.
Sometimes inflammation is good for us.
It can help heal wounds by sending nutrients to the area. However, when the inflammation response does not stop, it really, REALLY hurts your body.
When cells become inflamed, they can become resistant to the hormones that keep our fat cells healthy. When cells become resistant to insulin and leptin, there are more fatty acids and sugar in the blood.
This leads to the increased possibility of developing metabolic syndrome.
And it also raises cortisol levels in the body. Increased cortisol leads to higher fat levels. Period.
Increased fat stores increase your disease risk and inflammation in the body. You are then going around and around in circles with only one way to get off!
Increased Disease Risk
Packing on a few extra pounds increases the risk of developing diseases.
Obesity can lead to metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease.
In fact, overweight and obesity levels have created a sharp rise in diabetes. Eighteen million people in America suffer from diabetes and 221 million in the world. Those are staggering numbers!
Overweight individuals have an increased risk of developing diseases than healthy weight individuals.
Heart disease, another disease associated with being overweight, has also risen dramatically. Heart disease is one of the most preventable diseases. Overweight individuals have a 10-50% chance of dying from obesity-related conditions, with most coming from heart disease.
Being a few pounds overweight starts you down a dangerous path.
Chronic disease can possibly lead to premature death.
But there is an answer for you! 
By increasing physical activity, watching your diet, and the amount of calories you eat, will eventually lead to lower fat stores and decreased disease risk.
Making drastic lifestyle changes to curb your weight gain and return you to a healthy weight, reduces your risk factors for developing chronic diseases. How? I mentioned your Adiponectin levels and how being overweight your levels drop. By shedding the extra weight, you help your body raise Adiponectin levels. You are then able to burn more calories by burning those devious fatty acids.
Losing weight helps your body release the right hormones, at the right time, which helps you burn more fat. Finally, the answer you have been looking for!
It is not too late to change for the better and reverse sick fat cells and make them healthy again. And, I’m going to share with you the two MAGIC BULLETS that are going to change your life.
Proper diet and exercise!
Yep, once again it all comes down to these two critically important factors in your life. Why do we keep searching for a magic pill, potion, powder, or SURGERY when the answer to a whole slew of our ailments is DIET and EXERCISE!
If you’re ready to start attacking those extra pounds instead of letting them attack you then call or email us right now and learn more about our 6-Week Body Transformation Program!
Chuck Walker MA, LAT, ATC
.
Imagine Fitness
(608) 215-3101
Sign up for our newsletter and receive a FREE report: "5 Must Know AB Exercises!"
GET YOUR FREE REPORT!
