Spring is the time to enjoy fresh and sweet asparagus spears!
Asparagus is best when the blossom heads are tightly closed and the stalks are smooth, firm and brightly colored.  Thinner spears are usually more tender but fatter ones are sweeter once they are peeled.  Choose similarly sized asparagus so that they will cook evenly.
To prepare asparagus, hold each spear and bend until it snaps.  The spear will break at the point where it becomes tender.  For fat spears, use a peeler to remove the paper-thin layers of skin to expose …

Myth.
Many people start an exercise program with the hope of losing weight. Exercise should not be used as the only method for weight loss. You must really look closely at your diet.  You can exercise all you want but you will not see the scale move down unless you eat fewer calories.  Many people have signed-up for marathons, boot camps, spinning classes and gyms with the hope of losing weight, but instead they have ended up gaining weight. Exercise is a great addition to a weight loss plan and will …

Myth.
Spot training does not burn fat from specific areas. What you are doing is building muscle in certain places, but fat loss happens gradually throughout your whole body.  People lose fat in different locations since fat storage is very individualized. When overall body fat decreases the muscles you have worked on will become visible.

Myth.
You have to be careful about doing an extreme exercise plan because this can actually be a huge barrier in your weight loss.  It is counterintuitive, but if you create too much deficit with exercise your weight loss could stop, leaving you frustrated and ready to quit. Exercising more means your body needs more fuel so if you are not fueling properly your metabolism may shut down.
Follow your nutrition coach’s recommended exercise plan.  If you have found your proper deficit and you are losing weight, then continue with your plan …

Myth.
You need a combination of cardiovascular exercises and strength training. Cardiovascular exercises helps you become more cardio fit and create a deficit of calories faster than muscle training, but strength training helps you maintain muscle mass, which is key to a strong metabolism.

Myth.
Eating before you exercise will help you improve your performance and help you attain your exercise goals. Exercising on an empty stomach will only leave you feeling tired and sluggish for the rest of the day. Remember the car analogy: your car will not run without gas in the same way that your body will not run properly without food.
The ideal pre-exercise meal should be carbohydrate rich and well tolerated.  For example,  a small banana, a slice of toast with a tablespoon of jam and a bottle of Gatorade is …

Myth.
When losing weight what is most important is the total amount of calories you burn, not the type of calories you burn. During high-intensity exercise, you burn more calories than low-intensity exercise thereby creating a higher calorie deficit and promoting weight loss.  Exercising in the low heart-rate zone may end in frustration because the amount of weight and body fat loss will not be significant. When you engage in high-intensity exercises results are much faster. However, if training for a marathon or Iron Man, exercising at a lower intensity is …

Myth.
This is one of the most commonly used phrases in the fitness world and it is incorrect. One pound of fat and one pound of muscle both weigh one pound. One pound of feathers and one pound of rocks both weigh one pound.  That being said, muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space. One pound of muscle also burns more calories than one pound of fat. Estimates indicate that one pound of muscle burns roughly fifty calories per day, while one pound of fat burns approximately two …

It’s a myth.
In order to lose fat you must lose weight and to lose weight you must eat fewer calories than you are expending. Cutting just carbohydrates is not the solution. Carbohydrates are needed so you can function properly and be able to sustain your exercise plan. Plus carbohydrates actually help you burn fat as you lose weight by transporting fat cells to be metabolized. So if you are lacking carbohydrates you may stop burning fat cells. Carbohydrates, such as whole grains, are rich in B vitamins which are key …

We’ve recently just opened our entire Nutrition encyclopedia up to everyone. Check out some of the great nutrition information that was previously only available to our members!