Don't Drink Your Calories

Undoubtedly, everyone has heard of counting calories. Do you understand how they really factor into weight loss though? Cutting some calories here and there, having smaller portions and using low-calorie dressings are a great start. What we want, however, is a negative calorie situation. If we can consume fewer calories than we expend, we are setting the stage for weight loss. For the sake of easy math if 3500 calories equals a pound, then we can lose one pound a week if we have 500 negative calories each day in a 7- day period(one week).

One of the quickest ways to reduce daily caloric intake and additional sugar is to start drinking more water daily. Think of all the beverages, other than water, you drink on a daily basis and consider the calories associated with those drinks. Here are some examples of popular drinks and their calories: 12oz soda 124-189 calories, 12oz unsweetened apple juice 169-175 calories, 12oz whole milk caffe latte 200 calories, 12oz beer 153 calories, 5oz wine ~125 calories and 12oz energy drinks 160 calories. The calories from these drinks, when consumed throughout the day, can add up quickly.

Water is a great alternative to drinks with high calories and high sugar content. Not only does the body perform better when you maintain proper hydration levels, but you will also increase your metabolic rate. This will lead to even more calorie expenditure on a daily basis. Try making these changes to your diet and don't forget to track you progress using a diet log.

Good luck with meeting your goals!

Thanks for reading,

Richard Baugh, BS, CPT

Time To Spring Into Fitness

If you haven’t already thought about it, warmer weather is coming. Soon we’ll have spring fever again, but we’ll also be self-conscious about the way we look. The thought of shorts, swim wear or anything that shows skin, sends us into a panic. Have no fear, sexier days are coming! You can still get the shape you want and lose some weight to show off the muscle tone you’ve been working on.


One way to ensure you’re meeting this goal, includes making sure your workouts support what you’re trying to accomplish. For toning exercise, you should work with weight that is light enough to be challenging for 12-15 repetitions versus building exercises which require challenging weight for 7-10 repetitions. Additionally, your fitness regimen should include cardiovascular exercise. These are activities like jogging, running, swimming or biking which raise your heart rate. During cardiovascular exercise, you should try to keep your heart-rate between 75% - 80% of your maximum heart rate for at least 30 minutes three times a week. See the chart for the formula to get you target training zone. Plug the numbers into this equation for each percentage to get your target range.

Target heart rate

[(220 – Your age) X % max HR]

You may be looking for a way to tighten and tone your buns and thighs for a sexier, defined look. An exercise that will help is the fitness ball butt and hamstring buster. For this exercise, you will need an exercise mat and a fitness ball. Follow these instructions:

1. Lie on the ground on your back with your feet on top of the ball

2. Raise your hips so you have a straight or slightly arched back

3. This is the start position

4. Pull your heels in toward your butt and bend your knees to 90 degrees

5. The ball will roll with your feet

6. Make sure to not bend at the hips

7. Hold for about a second

8. Roll back to the start position

9. Repeat for desired number of repetitions

Finally, with any exercise program, your results will be much better when you follow good diet principles. Try reducing the amount of fats and oils in your diet and make sure you’re eating frequently enough throughout the day. You should be eating 3-4 healthy meals and healthy snacks between meals. Reducing your portion sizes will help your body process the food more efficiently. Don’t forget to drink water. Try drinking 1-2 glasses of water with each meal.

Keep these tips in mind and you won’t have to be stressed about warmer weather this spring.







Richard Baugh, BS, CPT

New Year, New You 2013!

It’s 2013 and a New Year means working on a new you. We all have goals to be a healthier version of ourselves. This starts with creating balance in our lives by making sure that in addition to everything else, we are getting the right amount of physical fitness. There are many benefits we can get from regular fitness activity. When you prioritize fitness as a regular part of your daily life, you can expect improved Health and more energy.  Your clothes will fit better and it will be easier to keep up with your kids.  Also, not only will you look fit, but you will have more stamina for climbing stairs and many other activities of daily living. Balance your life goals this year to include fitness and make this your year to improve your quality of life and live better and longer.