Many hormones contribute to weight regulation. First, let’s examine two that reside in your fat cells: leptin and adiponectin. Leptin provides information about how much energy is stored in the body’s fat cells. When a fat cell decreases in size, leptin levels decrease, which sends a message to the brain that you need to eat. This presents a challenge for those who are trying to lose weight! You exercise and eat less to get your fat cells to shrink, yet your brain says, “Eat!” Consuming fat in your diet results in low leptin levels, which may lead to overeating and weight gain. Some healthy fats (like olive oil) are recommended in your diet. However, many Americans consume much more than the recommended amounts of fat.

Adiponectin is also secreted by fat cells and is known as the “good guy” hormone. It reduces cellular inflammation, decreases blood levels of triglycerides, and improves HDL cholesterol. However, overweight individuals typically have lower levels of adiponectin.

The next two hormones: Grehlin and Peptide YY, are known as “gut hormones.” Grehlin is secreted by the stomach and tells you when to eat and when to stop eating. When obese individuals lose weight, this often results in an elevation of grehlin, which promotes food intake. This may be another reason why it is difficult to maintain weight loss. Additionally, it appears that food does not suppress grehlin levels in obese individuals, again contributing to overeating.

Peptide YY is released from the intestines to signal the feeling of fullness. It is one of several that tells you to stop eating. It is slow to respond, but is stimulated by fats and carbohydrates.

So, how do we deal with our good hormones behaving badly? We must change our lifestyle to allow for our bodies to regulate themselves. A 5-10% reduction in weight can significantly improve health. Eat 500 calories less per day and consume 20-30 grams of fiber daily to start losing weight. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Sleep 8 hours per night. And most of all, plan your meals ahead of time!

1. Glad You Came - Wanted
2. Blackout - Breathe Carolina
3. T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) - will.i.am (featuing Mick Jagger & Jennifer Lopez)
4. We Found Love - Rihanna (featuring Calvin Harris)
5. When Love Takes Over - David Guetta (featuring Kelly Rowland)
6. Release Me - Agnes
7. Adagio For Strings - Tiesto
8. Tightrope - Janelle Monae (featuring Big Boi)
9. Pound the Alarm - Nicki Minaj
10. On the Floor - Jennifer Lopez

What songs are pumping you up this month? Leave a comment and let me know!

­­­­Benefits of Massage for Pain Reduction
This past year, the American Massage Therapy Association focused its attention on discovering how the general public and the health-care community view and use massage therapy to reduce pain. Three surveys validated what massage therapists know to be experimentally true—massage reduces pain. The results further indicate that massage is no longer thought of as luxury afforded to athletes and the wealthy. Rather, massage is considered a valuable therapy in relieving and managing chronic and acute pain.

Massage Proven To Relieve Pain
The efficacy of massage therapy for pain is clear in all three surveys. In the AMTA member survey, of the people who reported having received massage previously for the same ailment, 74 percent said the massage temporarily reduced the pain; 14 percent said it completely eliminated it. These numbers verify what respondents said when they were asked about their satisfaction with their massage session—88 percent said they were very satisfied. An overwhelming number of people—96 percent—said they would seek massage to reduce their pain again.

Is There A Best Way to Get Permanent Muscle And Joint Pain Relief?

There is no “best ” way, but often a very effective way of relieving most pain is quite simple. We do it by causing the areas around the inflamed nerves to relax, thus allowing more oxygen to flow into the area and thereby bring an increased blood flow. This has the effect of causing the pain signal to turn itself off, which in turn gives the joint pain relief that is craved.  Essentially it is the lack of blood and oxygen in the painful area which causes the pain.  Increase the blood flow, decrease the pain.  It can often be as simple as that.

Trigger Point Therapy involves applying short, repeated massage strokes to tiny contraction knots in muscle tissue (trigger points) where restricted circulation and lack of oxygen cause referred pain. (Referred pain is pain that is felt next to, or at a distance from, the origin of an injury). Trigger points create pain throughout the body. And they do this in predictable patterns, producing discomfort and pain from mild to very severe levels.

Deal with the trigger points and you automatically deal with the pain they are causing – all at the same time.
Massaging the appropriate trigger points increases circulation and oxygenation in the target area. And this in turn can bring about permanent muscle and joint pain relief especially when it is done consistently.
When trigger points are the cause of the problem, trigger point therapy can be used to help deal with
· Arthritis
· Buckling knee where the muscles are weakened and can give way without warning
· Chest, Abdominal and Genital pain
· Elbow, Forearm and Hand pain
· Growing pains
· Head and Neck pain
· Hip pain and stiffness
· Knee Pain and stiffness. The quadriceps should be the first place to look for the cause of pain and stiffness in the knee.
· Locked Knee
· Mid back, Low back and Buttock pain
· Muscle tension and chronic pain
· Plantar fasciitis, formerly called “dog’s heel” in the UK and sometimes known as “flip-flop disease” in the US.
· Restless Leg Syndrome
· Runner’s knee
· Jumper’s knee
· Shoulder, Upper back and Upper arm pain
· Stiff Knees
· Stiff Hips

To conclude, therapeutic massage can reduce pain. That’s good news to share with family, friends, neighbors
and even your own health-care providers.  For more information or to get a massage from Kristen, visit her website at www.kristenbmckenzie.com.

References: AMTA & The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook – Claire Davies

1. Save the World (Radio Mix) - Swedish House Mafia
2. The Enforcer - 50 Cent This is from the Real Steel Soundtrack
3. Take Me Out - Atomic Tom
4. Turn Up the Music - Chris Brown
5. Light (Bassnectar Remix) - Ellie Goulding
6. Levels - Avicii
7. Turn Me On featuring Nicki Minaj - David Guetta & Nicki Minaj
8. Game On - District 78
9. Automatic - Tokio Hotel
10. Wild Ones (featuring Sia) - Flo Rida

I love a good combo of mainstream pop and dance, alternative, electronic. What are you listening to? Please share your hidden gems!

The more literature I read, the more the science reveals how hormones and the brain are involved in the weight loss equation.  You have to outsmart being overweight.  One good book to read is "The End of Overeating" by Dr. David Kessler.  More recently, I read an article highlighting Daniel Amen's, MD, research.  He has found that as your weight goes up, your brainpower decreases.  A study from the University of Pittsburgh found people who had BMI scores over 30 had 8% less brain volume and their brains looked 16 years older than those of healthy people.  Amen stated, "We found that the larger people were, the smaller their frontal lobes were, and that's a disaster because...the frontal lobes are critical to making decisions such as food choices."

It seems to be a vicious cycle.  You eat addictive substances like sugar, fat and salt, which release the neurotransmitter, dopamine (a feel-good chemical) and then you want more.  So, you eat more, but now need more to get the same effect because the dopamine becomes less effective in high doses.  To break the cycle, you must cut down on sugar - like sugar substitutes, chips, and pretzels - and exercise as a natural way to boost dopamine.

To conquer cravings, Amen suggests keeping your blood sugar balanced.  That means eating smaller meals throughout the day, eating sources of protein with each meal, and staying away from those 100-calorie snack packs!  Other strategies include decreasing the use of artificial sweeteners, managing stress, discovering food allergies, practicing saying no to unhealthy stimuli, exercising, and getting adequate sleep.

Reference: "All in the Brain: Unlocking the Secrets of Overeating with Neuroscience." by Mary Monroe in the November-December 2011 issue of IDEA Fitness Journal.

Many people will stand in staggered stance like this:

Notice my foot on my back leg.  My toes are turned out to the side.  This position puts a tremendous amount of pressure on your knee joint when you do lunges.

Ideally, your rear foot should align like this:

Your rear toes should point straight ahead.  So, all ten toes face the same direction.

When you start practicing standing in correct alignment, it will feel unatural.  It may even be harder to balance when your toes point forward.  The good news is your muscles have memory.  The more you perform exercises in staggered stance, the better you'll become at recognizing the technique.  After a month or so, it will be second nature to stand in proper aligment.

There's music playing and an instructor to time the sets and guide you through the workout.  You get a total body strength workout, plus a cardio effect because there is minimum rest.  While it may sound like Curves, I promise, it's not.  Further, unlike traditional group exercise classes, in Metabolic Blast, rhythm is not required.  I often use this format with my personal training clients.  If sweating, feeling amazing, and burning calories is on your "to do" list, you're going to want to try it!  Check out class times here.

The BIG news is Mix Fitness will be moving into a facility in January 2012!  We're planning to open a micro-gym in Purcellville. The facility will be membership-based and feature a unique workout experience.  When you join, you'll be assigned a personal coach to hold you accountable for your workouts.  Imagine getting a call when you miss a week of exercise.  Here's more of what will be offered:

• Personal Training
• Cardiovascular Equipment
• Free Weights
• Functional Strength Training Equipment
• TRX
• Signature Group Exercise Class: Metabolic Blast
• Workouts via Video (so you don't have to wonder what to do once you get there!)
• Webinars
• 30-Day Transformation
• Lifestyle Coaching
• And More!

We will continue to offer our current services:  in-home personal training, Fit Momma Boot Camp, and the Corporate Fitness Challenge.

In anticipation of the facility opening, we are redesigning our logo and website.  Look for those updates in December.  It's getting hot in here!

The BIG news is Mix Fitness will be moving into a facility in January 2012!  We're planning to open a micro-gym in Purcellville. The facility will be membership-based and feature a unique workout experience.  When you join, you'll be assigned a personal coach to hold you accountable for your workouts.  Imagine getting a call when you miss a week of exercise.  Here's more of what will be offered:

• Personal Training
• Cardiovascular Equipment
• Free Weights
• Functional Strength Training Equipment
• TRX
• Signature Group Exercise Class: Metabolic Blast
• Workouts via Video (so you don't have to wonder what to do once you get there!)
• Webinars
• 30-Day Transformation
• Lifestyle Coaching
• And More!

We will continue to offer our current services:  in-home personal training, Fit Momma Boot Camp, and the Corporate Fitness Challenge.

In anticipation of the facility opening, we are redesigning our logo and website.  Look for those updates in December.  It's getting hot in here!

The first story is based on a conversation I overheard while in a buffet line at a networking event.  I happened to be in front of a personal trainer (who I didn't know) and heard him say to a woman, "I'm watching you."  Immediately, I felt for this woman.  In general, women put enough pressure on themselves about eating right and looking good.  Everywhere we look, TV, magazines, even the gym, we are constantly reminded of our weight.  Judgment, even if it's well intended, only makes us feel bad.

The woman responded by saying, "I'm going to have dessert."  Then, the personal trainer said, "That's why we're going to workout for two hours tomorrow."  Here's my biggest issue:  exercise should not be punishment for eating.  If you go into your workout with the mindset of "I was bad" or "I ate too much this weekend" you will never enjoy exercise.  You will always be concerned with what the calorie counter says as opposed to the myriad of other benefits that exercise provides.

The second story comes from a conversation I had with a female acquaintance.  She explained to me that there is a personal trainer at her gym that has been nagging her about hiring him as her trainer.  (Again with the "now I feel bad about myself" reaction!)  While she thinks he would be a great trainer, she can't afford it.  So, instead of going back to the gym and telling him, "I'm not ready right now, but maybe in the future," she has not returned to the gym at all.

Not only has he scared her from approaching him, but he has scared her away from the gym altogether.  She's not exercising at all.  This absolutely breaks my heart.  And these actions will be the death of personal trainers.  If your personal trainer makes you feel guilty about what you're eating or how much you're exercising, fire him/her.  Personal trainers should be in the business of promoting health and well-being.

From August 16 - 30, 2011, Mix Fitness is accepting nominations for one deserving person to win a free boot camp registration!  All you have to do to nominate yourself, a friend, or family member is send an email to Sara at sara@mixfitness.net with the reason why the nominee should win.  Nominations must be 200 words or less and include your name, phone number, and email address as well as the contact info for the person you are nominating.

On September 12, Mix Fitness is launching Beginner Boot Camp, however you can nominate someone for any of the three boot camps we offer.  The winner will receive one free full registration to the boot camp of their choice.  The nominator will receive a Mix Fitness dri-fit t-shirt.

There is one, tiny catch:  You must "like" the Mix Fitness Facebook page in order for your nomination to be considered.

The winning entry will be announced on Tuesday, September 6, 2011.  Hurry!  The deadline to submit your nomination is only two weeks away!

Fall into fitness at one of our great boot camps:

Fit Momma Boot Camp - starts September 8

Diva Boot Camp - starts September 21

Beginner Boot Camp - starts September 12

From August 16 - 30, 2011, Mix Fitness is accepting nominations for one deserving person to win a free boot camp registration!  All you have to do to nominate yourself, a friend, or family member is send an email to Sara at sara@mixfitness.net with the reason why the nominee should win.  Nominations must be 200 words or less and include your name, phone number, and email address as well as the contact info for the person you are nominating.

On September 12, Mix Fitness is launching Beginner Boot Camp, however you can nominate someone for any of the three boot camps we offer.  The winner will receive one free full registration to the boot camp of their choice.  The nominator will receive a Mix Fitness dri-fit t-shirt.

There is one, tiny catch:  You must "like" the Mix Fitness Facebook page in order for your nomination to be considered.

The winning entry will be announced on Tuesday, September 6, 2011.  Hurry!  The deadline to submit your nomination is only two weeks away!

Fall into fitness at one of our great boot camps:

Fit Momma Boot Camp - starts September 8

Diva Boot Camp - starts September 21

Beginner Boot Camp - starts September 12

Your waist to hip ratio, however, is an important number to know as an indicator of your health.  The waist measurement is taken at the smallest circumference below the rib cage and above the navel.  (The picture above is inaccurate in this case.)  The hip circumference is taken as the widest part of your hips including your buttocks.

The waist measurement is divided by the hip measurement.  Ratios above 0.95 for men and 0.86 for women place you at increased risk of diseases like hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease.  It's belly fat we need to worry about!

For many years, the ideal measurements for women were 36-24-36.  While that may be ideal for Barbie, it's quite impossible for the real woman.  So, stop pressuring yourself to fit an unrealistic and nonexistent standard.  If you need to lose inches from your waist or hips, do it to improve your health!

Your waist to hip ratio, however, is an important number to know as an indicator of your health.  The waist measurement is taken at the smallest circumference below the rib cage and above the navel.  (The picture above is inaccurate in this case.)  The hip circumference is taken as the widest part of your hips including your buttocks.

The waist measurement is divided by the hip measurement.  Ratios above 0.95 for men and 0.86 for women place you at increased risk of diseases like hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease.  It's belly fat we need to worry about!

For many years, the ideal measurements for women were 36-24-36.  While that may be ideal for Barbie, it's quite impossible for the real woman.  So, stop pressuring yourself to fit an unrealistic and nonexistent standard.  If you need to lose inches from your waist or hips, do it to improve your health!

Here's a question that I want you to really think about:  How often do you make excuses for skipping a workout or over-eating?  Before you continue reading, answer this question honestly.  Now ask yourself if your excuses are legitimate or weak.

I think most of us will find that our excuses are just ways to make us feel better about our decisions. If you continue to let yourself off the hook, you will never achieve your goals. I know it's hard, but you have to clearly define your priorities. "A goal, not in writing, is simply a wish." Take five minutes to write down what you want to achieve and then read it every morning when you wake up. 

I read a lot of books about business success.  There is a common theme in all of them:  attitude.  You will have to work hard for success, but a positive attitude and belief in yourself makes success easier.  I think this is true, not only in business, but also in fitness.  Put in the time knowing that you will lose weight and guess what, you will.

 "The only things that stand between a person and what they want in life are the will to try it and the faith to believe it's possible." ~Rich DeVos

Go. Take action.  Get your mind right!

Here's a question that I want you to really think about:  How often do you make excuses for skipping a workout or over-eating?  Before you continue reading, answer this question honestly.  Now ask yourself if your excuses are legitimate or weak.

I think most of us will find that our excuses are just ways to make us feel better about our decisions. If you continue to let yourself off the hook, you will never achieve your goals. I know it's hard, but you have to clearly define your priorities. "A goal, not in writing, is simply a wish." Take five minutes to write down what you want to achieve and then read it every morning when you wake up. 

I read a lot of books about business success.  There is a common theme in all of them:  attitude.  You will have to work hard for success, but a positive attitude and belief in yourself makes success easier.  I think this is true, not only in business, but also in fitness.  Put in the time knowing that you will lose weight and guess what, you will.

 "The only things that stand between a person and what they want in life are the will to try it and the faith to believe it's possible." ~Rich DeVos

Go. Take action.  Get your mind right!

Figuring out which foods are best for you can be a very difficult process. We aren't taught in school how to read food labels or how our food is grown. There isn't any real regulations of food marketing and labeling so food companies make claims on the labels that can often be very misleading. You often see labels that claim whole grains or high in iron, but what they don't tell you is that the food has been processed. The grains were processed, the fiber and vitamins stripped, and then iron added back in.

The best foods for the body are whole foods, meaning that they have not been processed and there are only one or two ingredients. Examples of whole foods are fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.

So here's a primer on how to read food labels and purchase the best, most nutritious foods.

1. The fewer the ingredients, the less processed, the closer it is to a whole food.

2. The first ingredient on the label is what constitutes the greatest percentage of the food. So if sugar is the first item on a cereal box you will know that there isn't much nutrition or whole grains in that item.

3. Many foods are loaded in sugar. There are many names for sugar, so beware. These include: maltodextrin, fructose, glucose, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup. Most of these are refined sugars.

4. Beware of the salt content, salt is added to a lot of processed foods as a preservative. If you have high blood pressure you need to be aware of salt content in foods.

5. Foods that have a list of 10-20 ingredients are highly processed foods that give you no nutritional value.

6. Look for food that has been grown organically. These foods have been grown without chemical pesticides. Conventional growing methods use chemical fertilizers which get absorbed into the foods and then into our bodies.

For more information go to my website: www.nataliewellness.com
I am a health & nutrition coach who works with individuals and groups to lose weight and have more energy. I practice a holistic approach to nutrition, which means that I look at how all areas of your life are connected. Does stress at your job or in your relationship cause you to overeat? Does lack of sleep or low energy prevent you from exercising? As we work together, we look at how all parts of your life affect the whole.

Figuring out which foods are best for you can be a very difficult process. We aren't taught in school how to read food labels or how our food is grown. There isn't any real regulations of food marketing and labeling so food companies make claims on the labels that can often be very misleading. You often see labels that claim whole grains or high in iron, but what they don't tell you is that the food has been processed. The grains were processed, the fiber and vitamins stripped, and then iron added back in.

The best foods for the body are whole foods, meaning that they have not been processed and there are only one or two ingredients. Examples of whole foods are fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.

So here's a primer on how to read food labels and purchase the best, most nutritious foods.

1. The fewer the ingredients, the less processed, the closer it is to a whole food.

2. The first ingredient on the label is what constitutes the greatest percentage of the food. So if sugar is the first item on a cereal box you will know that there isn't much nutrition or whole grains in that item.

3. Many foods are loaded in sugar. There are many names for sugar, so beware. These include: maltodextrin, fructose, glucose, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup. Most of these are refined sugars.

4. Beware of the salt content, salt is added to a lot of processed foods as a preservative. If you have high blood pressure you need to be aware of salt content in foods.

5. Foods that have a list of 10-20 ingredients are highly processed foods that give you no nutritional value.

6. Look for food that has been grown organically. These foods have been grown without chemical pesticides. Conventional growing methods use chemical fertilizers which get absorbed into the foods and then into our bodies.

For more information go to my website: www.nataliewellness.com
I am a health & nutrition coach who works with individuals and groups to lose weight and have more energy. I practice a holistic approach to nutrition, which means that I look at how all areas of your life are connected. Does stress at your job or in your relationship cause you to overeat? Does lack of sleep or low energy prevent you from exercising? As we work together, we look at how all parts of your life affect the whole.

We've all been there.  You are back to your normal workout after taking a week or two off.  Everything feels harder and you feel out of shape.  But, do you really hurt your fitness level by missing a few workouts?

In short, yes.  Research is showing that you lose some strength if you miss several resistance workouts.  The good news is it's not usually a significant amount.  You feel less strong upon returning due to a loss of neural connection from brain to muscle.  When you start a resistance program, the brain begins making strong connections to the muscles.  Think muscle memory.  You become aware of how your body moves in space and muscles adapt.  You're less strong because your brain takes a vacation, not because your muscles shrunk.

Everyone responds to training breaks differently which is likely due to hormone activity.  But as soon as you return to your regular program, your strength will return.  Don't decrease the amount of weight you lift during that first workout back.  And don't try to make up for lost time by lifting more than usual!

If you regularly strength train and reduce the days per week you lift, make sure to lift at least one day per week in order to maintain your strength.  It's true that something is better than nothing!  Realize that during your short time off, you haven't lost your fitness completely.  It takes more than a couple weeks to return to pretraining levels.

We've all been there.  You are back to your normal workout after taking a week or two off.  Everything feels harder and you feel out of shape.  But, do you really hurt your fitness level by missing a few workouts?

In short, yes.  Research is showing that you lose some strength if you miss several resistance workouts.  The good news is it's not usually a significant amount.  You feel less strong upon returning due to a loss of neural connection from brain to muscle.  When you start a resistance program, the brain begins making strong connections to the muscles.  Think muscle memory.  You become aware of how your body moves in space and muscles adapt.  You're less strong because your brain takes a vacation, not because your muscles shrunk.

Everyone responds to training breaks differently which is likely due to hormone activity.  But as soon as you return to your regular program, your strength will return.  Don't decrease the amount of weight you lift during that first workout back.  And don't try to make up for lost time by lifting more than usual!

If you regularly strength train and reduce the days per week you lift, make sure to lift at least one day per week in order to maintain your strength.  It's true that something is better than nothing!  Realize that during your short time off, you haven't lost your fitness completely.  It takes more than a couple weeks to return to pretraining levels.