Jawbone UP vs the Nike fuel band

Hey, I'm back. Happy New Year and I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays. Took a little break during nutcracker season to make some money to buy presents :-). Speaking of presents, I received a jawbone up and a Nike Fuel wristwatch and thought it would be a good idea to do a blog on the pros and cons of each one to help those who might be torn between which one to buy.

Lets start with the jawbone.
In my opinion, the jawbone bracelet's appearance is pretty bland aside from the color choices. I think the design was geared to appeal more to women but is not by any means too feminine for a man. As far as function, it's pretty great! It provides information on how many steps you have taken in a day as well as how many active calories burned, idle calories burned, your longest period active, your longest period idle, the amount of calories burned that day and the distance covered while active. It also charts the exact time of when you were most active and idle. You can also set what is called an "Idle Alert" which when you have been idle for a long period of time will vibrate to tell you to get up and move. The best feature the Jawbone has is its sleep mode. Before you go to bed you switch the band into sleep mode and it records all of your nightly activity; how long it takes you to fall asleep, how long you are in a light sleep, deep sleep, how many times you get up, how long it takes you to fall back asleep, and the total hours slept. It also has some pretty cool features like power nap,which when activated will use the most previous sleep data to decide the optimal nap length ranging from 27-45 minutes. You can still set your own nap length as well and it will wake you up with a gentle vibration as opposed to a loud noise. It also has a built in stop watch so you can time certain activities, and the app allows you to log work outs. The major drawback to this device is that you can only see the information by syncing it to the app which requires you to detach a small cap on the end of the bracelet, which I have lost repeatedly, and stick the bracelet into the earphone jack. This can become annoying and frankly I sometimes forget to do it. It makes it hard to keep track of my goals and by the time I get around to syncing the device the day is gone. Also without a visible screen, you have to remember a combination of clicks to activate different modes.

The Nike Fuel band has far fewer functions. It counts steps, calories, active time, and distance traveled. The package however, is much more appealing because all the information is given to you on the bracelet in color and instead of having to plug the band into your app devices, you can sync it with Bluetooth which makes reaching your goals before the days end a lot easier. Aside from health information it's a nice looking watch. Because Nike is a bigger name than the Jawbone UP, more people have it therefore making it easier to find friends on Facebook that you can engage in healthy competition with. Nike created something called Nike Fuel which you attain by being active and is also what you use to measure against your competitors. Neither device is water proof which sucks because I swim a lot. The jawbone can withstand thousands of showers as the website says but they advise you to not go swimming with it. The Nike fuel band doesn't talk about its water resistance much but I just don't get it wet.

Overall, I think either one is a good purchase. Combined, they are the perfect fitness band, aside from the water issue. The jawbone cost $130 and the Nike fuel band is $150. I hope this helps with those of you who are deciding on purchasing one.

How to be a better mover.

If you have ever found that your "movements" aren't as smooth as you would like I have a suggestion for you. Psyllium Husk. Psyllium Husk also known as Isphagula is the covering of seeds grown on the plant, Plantago Psyllium. Mostly found in the Middle East, when it is ingested, psyllium husk absorbs water  throughout the digestive track without itself being digested creating bulkier but softer stool. While traveling through the digestive track it continues to expand and scrape the intestinal walls clean of waste products. When used daily, it can greatly reduce intestinal problems like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), constipation, and diarrhea. It has also been know to aid in the treatment of colon cancer, ulcerative colitis and atherosclerosis and many other health conditions. Aside from the benefits psyllium husk provides for digestion, It is also an incredible source of fiber. Wisegeek.com posted that Oat Bran, a great source of fiber, has 5 grams of fiber per 1/3rd a cup and psyllium husk in the same 1/3rd cup, contains 71 grams of fiber. It is also beneficial for lowering blood cholesterol and when taken regularly lowers low density lipoproteins aka, bad cholesterol.  It can also be a useful weight loss supplement. If taken 30 min before eating, it will have time to expand giving your stomach a full feeling making you want less food.

Psyllium husk should be taken with a lot of water. The most effective way is to drink a glass of water then mix psyllium husk in a glass of warm water until it has a cream of wheat texture then drink. Be careful not to take too much when starting out. I recommend  half a tablespoon twice a day and then increase the dose once your body has gotten used to it. Taking to much to fast can result in bloating or gas. Also, check with your doctor to make sure that you are not allergic to psyllium husk. Some have been known to go into anaphylactic shock when using it. If you have texture issues like me, drinking psyllium husk in warm water may be unbearable. Another way to take it is to put the psyllium husk in your mouth using a spoon but  DO NOT SWALLOW. Then drink it down with warm water. Its very important that you do not swallow psyllium husk alone. Once it mixes with water it will start to expand and if you try to swallow it dry it can cause choking. Psyllium husk is most effective when you consistently drink water all day; so be sure to stay hydrated. Without enough water it can cause blockages in the intestines.

When purchasing psyllium husk, make sure to buy whole psyllium husk. This can be found in a health food store like Westerly or Whole Foods. Regular groceries may carry it but chances are their brand is ground up into a fine powder and has added flavors or other additives that will introduce unwanted toxins into the body. I have been using psyllium husk for a few weeks now and have never been a better mover.

Sugar: The bitter truth

This video will change your life. It's an hour and a half long but is completely worth the watch. Even if it is playing while you do the dishes or when you take a shower you will gain a great understanding about sugar; specifically high Fructose corn syrup. I have watched it 5 times and catch something new every time. Do yourself a favor and watch it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

Work out #2, 20 Dips 20 burpees

Today I'm posting a full body work out using two movements, Dips and burpees. This exercise is designed to build endurance, strength, definition, core, everything. The first movement I'm going to break down for you is called a burpee pushup. Start in a standing position with your knees hip width apart. Your going to then bend down leaving your feet on the floor and then place your hands slightly in front of your feet. You then shoot your legs back creating a pushup position. Make sure your body is completely straight. Do a single push up then bring your feet back to the first squat position, stand up and jump six inches straight into the air with your arms raised over head. You have completed a single burpee pushup.

The next exercise is a dip with knees to chest which I like to call a "Dip Crunch". For this exercise you will need a standing dip station. Start by placing your hands on the dip handles and hold yourself up with the arms almost straight leaving a slight bend in the elbow (legs should be off the ground). Next you are going to bend down at the elbow making a 90 degree  right angle with you arm. (Elbow should be in line with the shoulder.) Now, while you are doing the dip you are going to simultaneously bring your knees up into your chest. Once completed, you straighten your knees straight down while straightening your arms at the same time. Remember to never lock your elbows when straightening from the dip.

Now putting it all together. It may take a few times to get used to the coordination of the dip crunch but once you do, you are going to do 20 of them. Then, without resting, you do 20 burpees. You will be tired after your fist set so take a minute or two to catch your breathe. Make sure you heart rate doesn't fall to low before starting again except this time you are going to do 19 dip crunches and 19 burpees. Rest again then 18,17,16 etc. until you get all the way down to 1. The first portion from 20 to about 12 is going to be a killer so longer rest periods may be needed but try not to rest once you have started a new set. Once you get down to 10 the rest periods should definitely be shorter and keep getting shorter the lower in numbers you go. Your first time doing this work out will most likely tire you out. When you build up your endurance and have done this a few times you will be able to add other workouts to this exercise. If 20 is to much of a challenge to start out with, drop the set to 15 or 10. Once you have mastered those move the set to 20 and when 20 becomes to easy move up to 25.

 I've attached 2 videos each demonstrating Burpee pushups and Dip crunches

Bird killing pots!

Most people probably don't think about cookware when it comes to their health but this is something I've wanted to share for sometime now. Teflon (non-stick pans) are poison. Non- stick coatings can contain residues of PFOA (perfluorooctanoate), a chemical used to make Teflon and a breakdown product of- stain and grease-proof coatings on carpet, clothing and food packaging. It is also a likely human carcinogen  (cancer causing) that has a variety of metabolic developmental, reproductive, endocrine, and neurobiological health effects-wiki answers. Let me try and make this easier cause I barely understood that lol. I've expressed to my friends several times that if you overheat a teflon pan and a bird were to fly over, the bird would drop dead. Their reactions have mostly been, "I don't have a bird."or "Why would a bird fly over my pan?" completely missing the point. The fumes that are emitted from non stick pans cause birds lungs to hemorrhage, suffocating them and causing death. PFOA is a chemical used when making Teflon that is the carcinogen  but Teflon itself or in scientific terms polytetrafluoroethylene  (PTFE) is bird killing component. Most people might ask ,"If teflon is the bird killing component then why do I need to worry about it if I do not have a bird?" because the emissions of those same fumes can lead to polymer fume fever which can cause flu like symptoms and in rare instances pulmonary edema, pneumonitis and death. And honestly, If it can kill a bird, why would I want breathe those same toxins? 

My recommendation. Use Stainless steel pots and pans. They are a little more expensive and can be harder to clean but are better for you in the long run. Also, if you choose a pan that has an aluminum or copper core sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel you'll have less of a clean up job. The heavier the pan the better. Food tends to burn more when the pan is lightweight.  Cast iron skillets are great as well and are known to increase the iron content in some foods. Cookware can be very expensive so if you're stuck with teflon, only cook using low temperatures and normally I would never say this but don't cook with metal utensils. They will scrape the teflon and you will end up with small particles in your food and if the fumes are bad, you can only imagine what the particles will do. I'm against using plastic utensils for cooking for the same reasons as teflon but if you do, never leave the utensils sitting in or on the edge of a hot pan. Wooden utensils are ideal for teflon. If your teflon is scratched, I strongly urge you to get rid of it.  Best scenario, stainless steel pots and pans with stainless steel utensils. They're very affordable at Ikea

Instagram

Hey guys, I'm trying a new thing of posting my workouts on Instagram. Its a work in progress, trying to find someone to take photos of me at the gym and I sometimes forget to shoot some of the exercises so please bear with me for the first few post while I try and figure out the best way to accomplish this. You can follow me A2themaker on Instagram.

You are what you Wheat!

The other day I was in Chipotle, Yes I eat chipotle; and the boy working behind the counter commented on my definition and asked me what I ate on a normal basis. Instead of listing what I ate, I asked, "what does your diet look like?" He started down the list of what he had that day and began with wheat bread. I stopped him right there. I said, "chances are, you're not eating wheat bread." I then directed him to read my blog so if you are reading you'll understand what I meant.

When grocery shopping most people probably choose wheat bread believing that it is a better option than white bread. I bet that most people just grab a brand of wheat bread without looking at the label to actually see whats in it. Lets start by understanding what separates actual whole wheat bread from white bread. First thing when looking for whole wheat bread that you search for is that it is 100% whole grain bread. The best way to know is if when you look on the ingredients label and the first ingredient is "Whole Wheat Flour"you are probably getting whole grain bread. Labels on food products always list the ingredients in order from most to least. You also want to read the rest of the ingredients to see how many of them you can understand. Remember, the least amount of ingredients the better.
The benefit of whole grain is that it includes the endosperm, bran, germ, and semolina, opposed to white flour that only contains endosperm which is mostly a carbohydrate. Of course, the nutrients from the grain are largely in the germ, bran and semolina; particularly, the germ.

Now lets talk about how to differentiate actual wheat bread from the fake stuff. When grocery shopping you can't tell just by looking which bread offers more nutritional value. As I stated before, look at the label. If the first ingredient is "whole wheat flour", you are probably on the right track. What to watch out for, "Enriched wheat flour". Enriched wheat flour is basically ground up endosperm with a bit of wheat flour and possibly coloring to make it light brown. It contains about as much nutritional value as white bread.

My recommendation, choose Sprouted Grain Bread. "When a grain sprouts, it is a growing organism. It therefore is more nutritious than a dried grain." (fooducate) Ezekial Brand bread is an excellent choice of sprouted grain bread. You can find Ezekial bread at most grocery stores. You can also make your own bread. I own a Vitamix blender and with it I grind up 100% oats into flour for making pancakes, biscuits, waffles, banana bread, etc. That way, I know whats going into my bread and I don't have to worry about extra additives or preservatives. For those of you allergic to Gluten, this is also a great gluten free alternative.

A running complex

I've mostly talked about nutrition so I'm going to share one of my work out exercises with you today. This is a cardio work out and for those of you who think you shouldn't or can't do cardio while trying to build, you are dead wrong! Cardio is the most important part of fitness. Cardio is also not limited to running, swimming, or the elliptical machine. Find an activity that you enjoy doing that increases your heart rate for an extended period of time with little to no breaks that involves large muscle groups. Some other examples are dance classes, kick boxing, zumba, rowing, jump rope, bike riding etc.

 This work out will build your endurance, stamina strengthen and tone your legs and is great for reducing belly fat. You can adjust the the workout to your level  of fitness comfortability by increasing or decreasing the speed, distance and incline but for now I'm going to use a template for someone who is already physically fit.

- part 1 begin on a treadmill at a speed of 5.5 mph.
 Every minute increase the speed .1 mph.
 So at 1 minute increase the speed to 5.6, 2 minutes 5.7 etc.
 Do that for ten minutes ending at a speed of 6.4.
 (for more of a challenge, increase the incline 1 level every minute as well. You can also increase the speed increments)

- part 2 Step off the belt but do not stop it. This transition should last a minimum of 30 sec, max 60. (Keep the belt moving) increase the speed to 9 mph.  For this part it's easier if you have a stop watch. You are going to run on the belt at 9 mph for 10 seconds then jump off the belt and rest for ten seconds. You are going to repeat the same thing again except run for 20 seconds then rest for twenty.
After the second time you are going to increase the speed to 9.5 mph. You then run for 30 then rest for 30.  Increase again to 10 mph. Run for 40 sec rest for 40 sec. Increase the speed to 10.5. Run for 50 sec then rest for 50 sec. Increase the speed one more time to 11 mph. Run for 60 sec then rest for 60 sec. Be sure to adjust the speed during the rest period.

-Part 3 During the 60 sec rest you are going to slow your belt down and raise the incline to the highest setting which is usually 15. Some machines may vary. Once it has reached the highest setting, POWER THE MACHINE OFF.  In case you didn't get that last capitalized part I'll say it again. TURN THE MACHINE OFF. (Depending on what kind of treadmill you are using this may not work because some of them automatically decline when shut down. If that is the case, try and find another treadmill.) Now that the machine is at its highest setting and completely turned off you are going to do a 30 second uphill sprint powering the belt with just your legs. After 30 sec rest for 30 sec and then repeat. If at any point this becomes to easy or you are feeling really ambitious, repeat one more time. I guarantee your butt, and legs will burn.

It is not necessary to do this as cardio everyday. I like to switch my cardio up so my body doesn't get used to one thing. I recommend doing this the most, 3 times a week. Make sure you stretch properly afterward. This will tighten your hamstrings and IT Band so be sure to roll them out using a foam roller and STRETCH for at least  30 minutes. Your body will thank you later.

Is hand sanitizer making you fat ?

http://q.equinox.com/articles/2012/09/is-hand-sanitizer-making-you-fat?soccid=SOC-Twitter-HandSanitizer

An Alkaline body is a better body.

A loyal reader of my blog and good friend of mine and I got into a conversation about my most recent post and suggested that I recommend the best source for water. So here it is! For someone like me who lives in the city I would recommend a water PH ionizer. The benefits of PH ionized water opposed to filtered water is the high alkaline level. A higher PH ( potential of hydrogen) level means that the body is less acidic. The lower your PH level the more acidic (toxic) your body is. Eliminating toxins in water and replacing it with water high in PH levels can help your body achieve a higher alkaline level.  There are certain bottled brands of water that are high in PH like Fiji for example. As I said before the big issue with bottled water are the BPA's in plastic. What I failed to mention is that the BPA's are most commonly released when the plastic has been heated. Most people may say, "Well I'll just make sure I store my bottles in a cool place." That is a good idea but we don't know what conditions the bottles have been stored in before reaching the grocery store isles. You may ask, if BPA's are so bad in plastic, why mention bottled water at all? Because, a good PH ionized water filter is very expensive. Filters like Brita, Aquasana, PUR... are fine to use but they are designed to filter everything in water including the good minerals. Personally, I think  any of these are better alternatives to tap water; just remember to recycle your plastic bottles. Until you can afford a PH ionized water filter here are some tips to help alkalize your body. Drinking 1-2 table spoons of apple cider vinegar  once or twice a day can not only help alkalize your body but break up mucus causing congestion (I dilute mine in water or juice cause it has a really strong taste). Certain foods can be very alkalizing as well but don't be fooled by their acidity  because some foods like lemons, are a very acidic but metabolize very alkaline forming in the body. Meat on the other hand can test very alkaline but can leave an acidic residue in the body after digestion. Most animal products are very acid forming. As I've stated before, eat mostly fruits and veggies. I'll go into detail on alkalizing foods in a later post.

Abs! They're less of a workout than you think.

I was stretching in the sauna the other day and over heard a work out bud and a trainer talking about fitness competitions. The trainer started talking about different tricks competitors use to get an extra edge. One that stood out in particular was using preparation H on your abs. "Preparation H's active ingredient is phenylephrine, a natural vasoconstrictor, which means it constricts blood vessels. By constricting blood vessels, excess water is removed from under the skin. This in turn creates the illusion of a tighter, more fit body." (The Daily Beast) This may work as a quick fix but what about having lean abs all the time? I often tell people when they ask me how I got my abs, that it's 90% diet. I'm not going to go into diet specifics in this post but more about toxins and how the consumption of too many toxins can prevent you from having the abs that you dream about. Let's start by asking what are toxins? Toxins are chemicals or poisons that are known to have harmful effects on the body. The issue with this is that toxins can be found in everything. Food, water and even air. Your probably asking, What does this have to do with abs? The answer is the liver. The liver has many functions but I'm going to discuss two of the largest,  ridding the body of toxins and the processing of triglycerides. 95% of fats in your diet are triglycerides; this includes fats from foods and carbohydrates. (I will discuss in depth carbohydrates aka carbs in a later post) But for now, all you need to know is that  unused carbohydrates convert into triglycerides. The liver can only process a limited amount of triglycerides and the rest is stored through out the body. A large reason why the liver can't process triglycerides is because it is spending most of its time ridding the body of toxins. Now, its not possible to eliminate all toxins because as I said, they are everywhere but it is possible to minimize the consumption of toxins thus giving the liver more time to process triglycerides (fat). Ways to minimize toxins: eat organic or locally grown foods, drink filtered or purified water; tap water even in NY can contain bleach, fluoride, ammonia, and many other harmful toxins. And be careful with plastic bottles The BPA's (BPA stands for Bisphenol-A. BPA is a synthetic estrogen found in many water bottles canned goods and liquid infant formula. Also, it can be found in clear polycarbonate plastics and tough epoxy resins which are found in products such as glasses and and computer and cellphone casings. When ingested, it is found to increase disorders such as chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity, and resistance to chemotherapy.-Wiki Answers) from the plastic can contaminate the water you drink. Try to avoid using highly chemical products on your skin and hair as well as using strong chemical cleaners. Probably the biggest toxin the liver has to process is Alcohol. Reduce consumption and you will definitely see results. I know it isn't easy or in some cases possible to follow all of these but implementing some of these small changes along with exercise  can make a big difference. 

Want to earn money by just going to the gym?

Here's how. http://www.gym-pact.com/

   I was at the gym the other day with one of my work out buds and a trainer was offering free stretching sessions. We both decided to sign up. While he was being stretched he started complaining about how he isn't as cut as he'd like to be. He's in very good shape and even challenges me when working out. Naturally, the trainer and I asked him about his diet. It quickly became clear to me that he doesn't really understand healthy eating. I tried to explain the effects of ethanol, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, soda... and saw him slipping into a world of confusion. I realized that I was throwing a lot of info at him and most of it was stuff he had never heard about. Later that night it became clear to me that I was trying to shove all the knowledge that it took me 5 years to obtain down his throat in a matter of minutes. I thought back to when I first started studying nutrition and imagined how I would want to be introduced to all this new information. The result were these simple points. 

1. Try and get a close as possible to single ingredient foods.
- the less the ingredients food has the more likely it is food.

2.Stay away from processed and fast food
- processed and fast foods use a lot of artificial ingredients and hydrogenated oils.

3. Eat mostly vegetables and fruit

4. Drink  a lot of water

5. Avoid artificial sweeteners 

6. Minimize or preferably eliminate alcohol and soda consumption 

7. Cook as often as possible 

     These points are just a really simple outline that got me started on the complex and very rewarding physical journey in fitness that has helped get from good shape

To Great Shape!