Organic Food and Fitness

How are your walks going? Are you walking 10 minutes a day five days a week? If you are not, it is time to start walking this week. For those of you that are walking at least 10 minutes a day, start walking 15 minutes a day for five days a week. These should be 15 continues minutes with no stop. No time excuses! Even 15 minutes does not take a lot of time from your day. Besides, what is more valuable to invest in than your own health? Start walking 15 minutes a day this week, and begin to feel better, fitter, healthier, and stronger. Start noticing drops in your bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and a more regulated blood sugar. With walking 15 minutes, you should start noticing small changes. However, these changes will get larger with time, and consistent walks.

If you are in Orlando, FL come start taking part of our Nordic Walking classes at Lake Eola. Our Nordic Walking classes are every Wednesday at 6pm at the Panera Bread on the corner of Eola Drive, and Robinson St. in Downtown Orlando, FL. We meet at the Panera Bread around 5:45pm, and go out to the lake ready for our Nordic Walking classes right at 6pm. If you can walk, you can go Nordic Walking, and enjoy burning more calories in a group environment. If you don’t live in Orlando, FL go check out our partner with Nordic Pole Walking USA, and find out about classes near you.

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Check out today’s article in the Orlando Sentinel Fitness section about Nordic Walking. You just may recognize the guy on the front page. Our new friend Linda wrote a wonderful article. Here is a clip:

And compared to walking without poles, well, you can't beat it with a stick. A
study at the University of Wisconsin found that walking with skilike poles burns
20 percent more calories and increases upper-body strength by 40 percent,
compared with simply letting your arms swing.That's what initially attracted
25-year-old Chris Goyzueta, an Orlando personal trainer, to the sport. So he
took a class in Naples where his instructor, a German man in his 50s, had the
class walking up and down the beach for four hours with poles. Afterward,
Goyzueta could feel the effort, but not just in his legs.

Now that we are all charged and ready to live our best lives ever in 2008 it is time to start! I will start our program this week for the beginners, however, everyone else pay attention as well. Why am I starting with the beginners? That’s because the largest percentage of our country does not exercise at all. There is only one best and most basic way of starting any fitness program for you. That is walking. Almost everybody can walk. Alternative Medicine guru Dr. Andrew Weil recommends in his book 8 Weeks to Optimum Health: “Try to walk ten minutes a day five days a week. If you are already on a program of aerobic exercise other than walking, do the walks in addition.” Walking is the most basic, and natural form of exercise. Our bodies are made to walk. Ten minutes a day is not a lot of time.

Try some affirmations of success while you are walking. Tell yourself positive things such as: “I love my life,” “I am successful,” “Only the highest and the best in everything I do,” “I am loved,” “I’m excited about my future (Joel Osteen),” “I am getting better every day in every way (Joel Osteen),” “I love to exercise because it makes me feel great,” “Because I am exercising, I’m going to get stronger, healthier, and live a longer life,” and “I will become fitter and healthier every time I exercise.” There are many other affirmations you can tell yourself. When you tell yourself these things, make sure you say them loud enough where you can hear yourself. YES! I’m telling you to talk to yourself. What you are doing, is training your mind for success, and health. If you are waling with a partner, and don’t want to scare them away, tell yourself these thing every morning when you wake up. Start the day on a positive not, and tell yourself these things again when you go to sleep.

What you can do to encourage you to walk?
1. Find a walking partner
2. Get a Dog
3. Do Nordic Walking (If you can walk, you can Nordic Walk)
4. Tell yourself how great you are going to feel when you do walk

It takes just as much time to think about exercise as it does doing it. Never forget that. You will automatically procrastinate and take longer in the things you do to talk yourself out of it. So, stop thinking. Get out there and do it. Let me know how your walks are going by leaving your comments, thoughts, questions, or whatever else you wan to share.

Are you ready! This is your year! It is time to get fit, and live a healthier and happier life! This year there are no more excuses. It is time to get up, and start changing your life. There is no more tomorrow. There is only right now! It’s time to have some discipline in your life. This will be our best year yet! No more excuses. Don’t tell yourself “Just one more piece of cake,” “One more trip to McDonalds,” “I’ll work out tomorrow,” “I’m to fat to go to the gym,” I’m don’t want to get hurt” and all the other excuses you have been giving yourself all year in 2007. This is a new year! We have a new start! Starting now you are going to tell yourself: “I will lose weight,” “I will get stronger,” “I will get fitter,” “I will enjoy my life,” “I will exercise because it make me feel good,” “This year I will live a better and longer life!”

I will be your testimony. I have been a personal trainer for over five years now. The past year I used every excuse in the book. I don’t have time. I have to work late. I will work out tomorrow. One more slice of pizza. This will be the last time I have dessert this week. I will workout next week. I know how to lose weight. All year in 2007 I have been busy working, studying, and working on my hobbies. Throughout the last year I have gained 50 lbs!!! I was 185lbs, and now I’m up to 235 lbs. This is more than I ever weight. This is more than I weight when I first needed to loose weight. But it’s over! All the excuses are done. I have been working out 5 days a week, I go to school, work for three different companies, do personal training, teach Nordic Walking classes, and still have time to write on this blog. It takes just as much time to make excuses about working out, as it does to do it. Join me on this years journey of living a fitter, happier, healthier, and longer life. I don’t want to hear you say, I need to loose more than 50lbs, I have tried and failed many times. That was the past. It is time to let go of the past.

“Stop talking about the problem and start talking about the solution” (Joel Osteen).

You don’t need to lift heavy weights to loose weight, and you don’t have to run to loose weight. Start easy. Start by making a daily routine of walking, riding the bike, Nordic Walking, Aqua Aerobics, and swimming. Start easy, and work your way up. Everyone can do one of these exercises. Are you ready to join me for the challenge of 2008! Check out the Oprah website, and take the Best Life Challenge, or join me on my challenge. Post comments, let me know how you’re doing. This year we are going to make it happen. Are you with me?

Chris G.
Rock for Hunger/Organic Food & Fitness

I found a cool little article on PR Log about Nordic Walking. For info on Nordic Walking in Orlando feel free to email me anytime at chrisg1882@hotmail.com. We have classes in Downtown, and soon in the south side of Orlando.

Why are people going crazy over Nordic Walking? Richards points out, "The
sport’s popularity is due to the fact that it’s a low stress, total body
workout, and you burn 25-40% more calories than regular walking while not having
to walk longer or faster. It’s great for weight-loss and cross-training, as well
as a great option for those who suffer from overuse injuries from high impact
sports!" Richards adds, "Another bonus is that with so many muscles are sharing
the workload, the perception of exertion is diminished. This means that you
don’t need to go out and kill yourself. This also adds to the social appeal of
Nordic Walking groups.”

Starting this week Nordic Walking classes will begin again at Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando, FL, and other locations in the Central Florida area. Nordic Walking has many health benefits which include some of the following:

1. Nordic Walking burns up to 46% more calories than regular walking or cycling

2. With proper form and technique, Nordic Walking Incorporates 90 % of all body muscles 3. Helps to eliminates back-, shoulder- and neck pain.

4. Less impact on hip- knee- and foot joints than jogging

5. Nordic Walking develops an upright body posture

Start improving your lifestyle with a positive and outdoor exercise enverionment. Walk and talk while burning many calories. Classes begin this week.

Lake Eola Class Schedule:
Tuesday 6:30pm-7:45pm
Thursday 6:30pm-7:45pm

The meeting point will be at the Panera Bread on the corner of Eola Drive, and Robinson Ave in Downtown Oralndo, FL. For more information contact Chris Goyzueta at chrisg1882@hotmail.com.

The Trainer is back in business here in the beautiful Orlando, FL! (Arnold Voice) It is time to pump you up!!! (End Arnold Voice). With five years of training and experience in weight loss, nutrition, sports specific, Nordic walking, boot camp fitness, aerobics, cycling, triathlons, rehabilitation (post-Physical Therapy), and more I will be offering training for many different levels. It's time to bring fitness and health to Orlando, FL. Training sessions will be more affordable than any gym you will ever find with rates ranging from $10-$35 per session, depending on the number of sessions per week, the length of each session, and the type of training you’re looking for. The following are some of the services Organic Food & Fitness will provide for you:

One on One Personal Fitness/Wellness Training
- Weight Loss
- Increasing Muscle Mass
Sports Specific Training
- Bodybuilding
- Fitness Modeling
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Triathlon
- Football
- Running
- Cycling
- Tennis
- Racquetball
- Swimming
- And More
Nordic Walking Classes
Rehabilitation Training (For Post-Physical Therapy)
Boot Camp Classes
Nutritional Counseling and Coaching
- Personal Designed Nutrition Programs
- Nutrition Monitoring
- Nutritional Education
Motivational Coaching

Everyone can live a better, happier, and healthier life. It is time for you to take charge of your life, and invest in your own health. There is no investment that will be more beneficial to you than taking care of your own body. By taking charge of your health you will be able to:

- Work Better
- Feel Better
- Think Better
- Have more energy
- Live healthier
- Live longer
- Feel younger
- Reduce Stress
- Reduce Blood Pressure/Cholesterol
- Reduce High Blood Sugar Levels
- Prevent many types of cancers/illnesses
- And A WHOLE LOT MORE

It’s time to take charge of your life, and live a happier, more positive, and more productive life. All Nordic Walking Classes, Fitness Training Sessions, and Nutrition Consutations are currently taking place in Orlando, FL. Soon we will have some Nutrition products for everyone out there. You can e-mail me at chrisg1882@hotmail.com for more information on any of these programs. Have an Awesome Day! Peace,

Chris G.

Every parent WANTS their children to eat healthy, but sometimes once kids are in the routine of eating whatever they want, it's quite the battle to make them change. However, it is up to you, the parents, to teach your children healthy eating now. Children are like sponges...they absorb EVERYTHING! Whether it's what you say, how you act or even what you eat, your children DO take notice. It is up to you to make the change to organic and healthier eating a smooth transition. You must always be positive and when a child begins to ask "why", it is important that you take the time to explain the health benefits. Education is the key! It may take some time, but be patient, loving and understanding. Make learning about health and the nutrition connection FUN!

Whenever I receive informative, yet interesting emails pertaining to health, I save them in a folder. I was going back through them this morning, and one particularly caught my attention. Here are a few ways from a newsletter I received to slowly transition your children into becoming health conscious, hopefully for the rest of their lives.

Disguising Nutrition for Kids

. Add finely chopped cooked organic vegetables to soups. Puree organic vegetables and add to chili or spaghetti sauce.

. Hide organic veggies in casseroles, soups and main dishes.

. Add grated carrots (or other veggies) to tuna or chicken salad.

. Add freshly juiced carrot juice to store bought vegetable or tomato juice.

. Put organic vegetables in a food processor and add to hamburger patties, meatballs or meatloaf.

. Take the kids shopping with you and let THEM pick out a new fruit or vegetable to try.

. Finely grate zucchini or carrots and add to pancake batter or muffin batter.

. Serve raw organic vegetables with a favorite dip. Let the kids graze on these all day.

. Mix organic peanut butter with freshly ground nuts and serve with celery, apples, carrots, etc.

. Use whole grain bread for grilled cheese sandwiches; toasting hides the color of the bread.

. Switch from white bread to 50% whole wheat bread for one month, and then introduce whole-grain bread. You can make a sandwich using one slice of the 50% bread and one slice of the whole-grain bread. Put the lighter bread on the top and try to "fool" your kids!

. Most children will eat a meal that they helped to prepare, allow them to participate!

. Let them make cookies with you. Use whole wheat and carob chips and they won't know the difference, especially if they are the ones making the cookies. There aren't many children who will not eat what they make.

. Sneak some whole-grain cookies into a bag of favorite mixed cookies, and eventually switch them to 100% whole grain.

. Use cookie cutters to make fun sandwiches with whole-grain bread.

. Mix wholegrain noodles into regular spaghetti or macaroni and cheese dishes.

. Mix soaked soy bits or crumbled tofu in the ground beef. Slowly increase the soy/ground beef ratio in meals over time and they won't notice that they are eating soy bits instead of ground beef. This works well in chili, spaghetti sauce, sloppy joes, casseroles, soups, etc.

. Trying to wean off of dairy-based milk? Try GRADUALLY adding soy/almond/rice milk to regular milk until one day, all of a sudden, without them realizing it, they are drinking a "dairy alternative!"

. When you need food for the road, try fresh or dried fruit, olives, trail mix, granola, popcorn, crackers, applesauce cups, nuts and seeds, and homemade energy bars. For protein-rich snacks, try a variety of nut butters, hummus, and soy products.

Ft Lauderdale, FL is home to Pizza Fusion, an environmentally friendly pizza shop that is making noise across the country. Their motto is, “Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time.” The crew opened its doors in February 2006 and already has franchise plans for more than 60 of these green stores.

Pizza Fusion serves a variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads, desserts, beer and wine all made with all-natural and organic ingredients. The restaurant’s specialty is organic pizza available with an assortment of gourmet toppings, such as wild-caught Key West shrimp, New York strip steak, prosciutto, artichokes and arugula.

The restaurant also offers gluten-free pizza crusts and soy mozzarella cheese.

Along with its organic menu, Pizza Fusion’s environmental efforts include using only eco-friendly cleaners to sanitize its stores, providing organic cotton uniforms to employees, constructing restaurants with renewable, recycled and reused products, recycling restaurant waste and giving customers discounts for bringing pizza boxes back for recycling.

Additionally, Pizza Fusion purchases renewable wind energy certificates to offset 100 percent of power consumption at its stores and corporate office. Even its Web site is hosted by a "green web hosting" service provider that’s powered by renewable energy.

“We were living our lives this way before we started the concept,” co-founder Gordon said. “This just came natural to us.”

I know if I’m making a trip that way soon, I’ll be popping by for a quick bite and a chat with the owners. They are the ones who are making our lives better, even it it’s just “one pizza at a time.”

Visit their site and vote for them as the “Greenest business in America” at http://www.pizzafusion.com/.

Have a great weekend!

-Greg

I know how busy everyone’s schedule can get, but most kids have at least one snack time per day. Sure it’s easy to let them grab anything quick and easy that’ll make them happy, but why not start teaching them to choose a healthy snack. Even in the beginning, if you need to, reward their “healthy snack time” with an occasional quick treat. You will find that eventually, your kids will actually start enjoying their healthy snack while getting full and not needing the extra treat.

For example, this worked great when I took care of a three year old and a five year old. After a little while, they understood that everyday at snack time (3:30 on the dot), they could pick from a few choices of various fruits, carrot sticks, crackers and cheese or anything else nutritious that I would concoct. Every once in a while, they would ask for a lollipop or a cookie and I would smile and ask, “When do you think you can have a lollipop?” And they would always think about it and answer, slightly rolling their eyes with a smile and say, “After we eat a healthy snack.” However, the point is, that once they got in the routine of healthy snack time, they actually enjoyed it and would ask me around 2:30…”Is it snack time yet?”

Below are some healthy snack ideas (of course, all organic) from www.myparentime.com

(I added a few suggestions with some of them)

* Apple Slices and Peanut Butter – Either pre spread the peanut butter on, or some kids prefer to dip it in themselves. (try adding a bit of organic maple syrup to the peanut butter and heating for an extra special treat)

* Fruit Slices and Soy Cream Cheese (a tub of vegan soy cream cheese (at room temperature) with 1/4 cup undiluted apple juice or orange juice concentrate and a dash of cinnamon. Stir vigorously until smooth. Serve with apple and pear slices, strawberries, and banana chunks for dipping.

* Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins – You can also warm them and spread some organic butter on them.

* Tortilla Chips sprinkled with Cheese

* Fruit Skewers - simply cut any fresh fruit in season into bite-sized chunks and alternate on wooden or bamboo skewers with grapes (If younger kids…skip the wooden sticks and just arrange in a silly face on a plate)

* Fruit Leathers

* Dried fruits such as organic raisins, dates, apricots (even throw them into organic yogurt)

* Crackers and Cheese (or peanut butter and crackers)

* Hard Boiled Eggs

* Ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)

* Carrots, celery, and pita triangles with Hummus dipping sauce

* Banana Pops (dip in yogurt, roll in crushed grains, and freeze)

* Frozen grapes

* Tropical Smoothie Popcicles

* Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups or smoothies

* Dehydrated Veggies from Just Tomatoes

* A box of Raisins

* A bowl of mixed, raw nuts

I hope these will start you off on the right foot for healthy snack time for the kids. Who knows…you may even find a new favorite snack there as well!

If you have anymore healthy snack suggestions, here at Organic Food and Fitness, we would LOVE to hear your great ideas!

Here's to happy, healthy kids!! Enjoy!