Healthy Meals at School!

We all want our children to be safe and healthy, even when we can’t watch them 24/7. One way to keep them healthy is to make sure they eat right, but if we don’t prepare all their meals ourselves, that’s hard to do. Schools are taking steps towards making school lunches healthier, but you still may need to step in to make sure your child is being given healthy options.

There are programs in place that require certain nutritional standards to be met. Within these standards, there are a lot of menu options schools can choose so that children can be given a variety of foods while staying nutritious and within the school’s means. There are a few problems with this plan. First, the dietary guidelines set out for school may not comply with what you think it healthy for your child. Second, schools receive funding for following guidelines, but they are still not required to abide by them.

To allow for variations in what you and your child think is healthy, some schools are allowing students not to take one or more menu options. While this generally only happens in high schools, more middle and elementary schools are allowing it. For this to work, you must teach your child to make healthy choices.

If you question the nutritional value of your child’s lunch, you can either request menus be sent to you, or if possible, go have lunch with them a few times and see what they’re eating. If you don’t feel the menu meets high enough standards, make that known. Talk to the principal, the PTA, the school board, or the person in charge of menu planning. Find other parents who agree with you and take a stand.

It seems the most logical option to ensure your child is eating right at school is just to give them a sack lunch. The problem is, there’s no guarantee your child is eating their lunch and not someone else’s. There are only so many teachers that can monitor lunch time, and unless your child has strict dietary restrictions, they really can’t ensure there isn’t lunch trading going on. Again, it is your responsibility to teach your child healthy eating habits.

While you may feel that schools should be required to serve healthy lunches, that doesn’t mean they do. Many steps are being taken in the right direction, but you may need to help give those nutritional programs a nudge. Just remember that not all people view healthy food the same and you may need to make concessions depending on how strict your think your child’s diet should be.

Make it a great day!

Chris Walker is the founder of Chris Walker's Fitness located in Kitchener, Ontario. Chris manages several certified trainers, (CFT) within his organization and actively works with medical doctors and health care professionals in helping their patients to reduce bodyfat restore musculoskeletal strength and gain control over their blood sugar readings, good and bad blood fats and blood pressure readings, among other critical fitness issues. Chris has helped people to get in shape for their wedding day as well as people battling severe obesity. Chris likes to focus on functional training and likes to incorporate his martial arts background into his programs. Chris is a firm believer of a strong mind and guarantees results for those who don't mind a little hard work. Chris is a member of International Sports Sciences Association, (ISSA) and Canfitpro Organization. Chris has made media appearances on Global Television, Rogers Daytime, The Record News Paper and is a published author of many health and fitness related articles and books.

7 Reasons Water Should Be Your Drink of Choice

We know water is good for us, but with soda, juice, coffee, tea, energy drinks, and other drinks so readily available, it’s hard to make the decision to choose water. Here are 7 great reasons to drink more water.

* Keeps skin looking great. If your skin looks tired and unhealthy, so do you. Staying properly hydrated removes all the toxins that build up in you skin, and helps prevent it from drying out. If you have the opposite problem; puffy bloated skin, lack of water is likely your problem too. When skin doesn’t get water, it retains what it already had, leaving your skin cells full, puffy, and not too attractive. If you want to look beautiful, you should keep yourself hydrated

* It’s cheaper. Sure, if you buy bottled water, it’s about as expensive as soda, juice, and coffee. However, studies have shown that tap water is usually as clean and safe as bottled water, and costs a whole lot less. If you have a problem with the taste of your tap water, buy a filter pitcher or one that attaches to the faucet. It still costs a lot less.

* A healthy heart. When you’re properly hydrated, your blood is thinner and easier to pump. This means your heart has to do less work and ultimately lasts longer.
Studies have shown that people who drink plenty of water have fewer heart problems.

* Toxic build-up. Sure, it sound’s like something from a bathroom cleaner commercial, but you have toxins in your cells too. Some come from the environment and others you produce yourself. Either way, they’re in your body and you need to get rid of them. Just like you use water to flush your toilet; your body uses water to flush out toxins. Getting rid of this waste helps you function more effectively and feel better.

* No sugar added. While fruit juices may contain many nutrients, they also contain a whole lot of sugar. This is especially true for many bottled juices from the grocery store. This sudden burst of sugar triggers your insulin response and makes you tired and sluggish. It also helps to convert that sugar to fats faster. Sugary sodas will produce the same reaction and they usually contain no nutrients at all

* Caffeine is a diuretic. So why water? Why not drink diet soda or coffee all day? These drinks contain caffeine, which actually causes you to lose water throughout the day. You retain some of the water content of the beverages, but not as much as when you drink pure water. You can try decaffeinated beverages, but the best way to use the water you drink is to get it pure and clean, with no chemicals added.

* Energy Boost. Think you can’t get through the day without your morning caffeine boost? Well water can give you energy as well. Your body is made up mostly of water. It loses it throughout the day, so you have to replace it for your body to work efficiently; particularly the heart and digestive tract. As mentioned earlier, water helps your body work better by getting rid of excess waste. The more efficiently your whole body is works, the better you’ll feel and the more energy you’ll have. Maybe enough energy to skip that cup of coffee.
So go ahead, skip the vending machine, go to the faucet, and get yourself a nice, refreshing glass of water.

Make it a great day!

Chris Walker is the founder of Chris Walker's Fitness located in Kitchener, Ontario. Chris manages several certified trainers, (CFT) within his organization and actively works with medical doctors and health care professionals in helping their patients to reduce bodyfat restore musculoskeletal strength and gain control over their blood sugar readings, good and bad blood fats and blood pressure readings, among other critical fitness issues. Chris has helped people to get in shape for their wedding day as well as people battling severe obesity. Chris likes to focus on functional training and likes to incorporate his martial arts background into his programs. Chris is a firm believer of a strong mind and guarantees results for those who don't mind a little hard work. Chris is a member of International Sports Sciences Association, (ISSA) and Canfitpro Organization. Chris has made media appearances on Global Television, Rogers Daytime, The Record News Paper and is a published author of many health and fitness related articles and books.

Find Your Motivation to Exercise & Keep It!

We’ve all started an exercise program, gotten all excited about it, but then gave up on it a week or two later. While we start out super motivated, that excitement fades quickly. They key to sticking to an exercise program is finding a way to keep that original motivation. Here are a few tips for getting for getting and staying motivated.

Find a role model. Many women get motivated to diet and work out by taping up pictures of models or actresses. This is actually a great way to remind yourself what your goals are and keep a visual of them fresh in your mind. Just be sure to pick an appropriate role model and not someone with unhealthy eating and exercise habits or an unachievable image.

Set small goals. If you start out setting tough goals, you probably won’t achieve them and will then become discouraged. The key is to set smaller, easy to achieve goals and work your way up. Start with “I will work out three days this week”. Once you get yourself into a routine, get yourself to work out harder and do more during each session.

Reward yourself. Setting goals is good way to get yourself into a workout program. If you have trouble keeping yourself going, try rewarding yourself when you reach a goal. Don’t go with big rewards, just small rewards for reaching small goals. For example, I can go to that movie if I work out three times this week. If you’re working out to lose weight, don’t reward yourself with food.

Get a buddy. Having someone to workout with can help keep your mind off the work and keep you entertained. That means you’re more likely to want to go work out. Having a buddy also makes it harder for you to skip your workout because you’ll be letting someone else down and they’ll be there to talk you into going even if you don’t feel like it. If you can’t find a buddy to go with you, you can always hire a personal trainer to keep you going.

Make it fun. Exercise doesn’t have to be boring a repetitive. If you don’t like your exercise routine, change it. Keep looking until you find something you enjoy doing. This way, you’ll end up looking forward to exercise instead of dreading it.

Mix it up. Even the most exciting workout can get boring if you do it over and over every day. Find several exercises you like to do and alternate. Try swimming Mondays, dance class Wednesdays, and a Pilates tape on Saturday. Any time you find yourself getting bored with a workout, replace it in your rotation for a while and start it again in a few months.

Don’t take it too seriously. If you start acting like exercise is hard work, it will become hard work. Make your exercise a light, fun, activity rather than a chore you have to do. This will keep you from getting a bad attitude and make you less likely to give up.

Make it a great day!

Chris Walker is the founder of Chris Walker's Fitness located in Kitchener, Ontario. Chris manages several certified trainers, (CFT) within his organization and actively works with medical doctors and health care professionals in helping their patients to reduce bodyfat restore musculoskeletal strength and gain control over their blood sugar readings, good and bad blood fats and blood pressure readings, among other critical fitness issues. Chris has helped people to get in shape for their wedding day as well as people battling severe obesity. Chris likes to focus on functional training and likes to incorporate his martial arts background into his programs. Chris is a firm believer of a strong mind and guarantees results for those who don't mind a little hard work. Chris is a member of International Sports Sciences Association, (ISSA) and Canfitpro Organization. Chris has made media appearances on Global Television, Rogers Daytime, The Record News Paper and is a published author of many health and fitness related articles and books.

6 Herbal Remedies you should know!

Herbs have been used for tens of thousands of years to cure all kinds of aches, pains and ailments. Just like people did a long time ago, you can safely treat a wide variety of things with herbs or herbal extracts you can find in your backyard, at health food stores or online. Here is a list of common herbs used to remedy everything from burns to headaches.

Aloe vera

Aloe Vera is perhaps best known for being an excellent sunburn treatment with superb skin revitalizing properties. Some of its lesser-known uses include aiding the digestive system and maintaining energy levels. It is also commonly taken as a vitamin and mineral supplement because it is chock full of great vitamins that you need. Aloe is typical sold in gel form for use on skin and sunburns and in a drinkable form for use as a dietary supplement.

Hawthorn berries

Hawthorn berry is well known for the positive effects it has on the circulatory system and heart. This berry is packed with vitamin C and vitamin B and is typically taken over a lengthy period to reap all of the great benefits it has to offer. Most health food stores offer it in liquid and capsule form though the body much more easily absorbs the liquid form.

Milk thistle

Milk Thistle is a powerful antioxidant that aids the liver and has been proven by many studies to help all liver related problems including alcohol related liver disease. The important compound in milk thistle, silymarin, can be hard for the body to absorb and is most effective when taken in the strongest form available.

Suma

Suma is also known as a form of ginseng from Brazil and has been used traditionally for a variety of reasons including: fighting fatigue, supporting the immune system and helping to stay stress free. Suma is often consumed as a tea, but is also readily available as a supplemental pill.

Ginger

Ginger is an excellent remedy for upset stomachs and has long been used as a remedy for pregnant women experiencing morning sickness or nausea. It is also commonly used to treat inflammation and arthritis pain. Ginger is often consumed as a tea or other beverage to treat nausea. However, it has been used in cuisines around the world as a flavor additive.

Black cohosh

Black cohosh has been the subject of many successful studies proving that it helps menopausal women reduce the severity of their symptoms including reducing the effect of hot flashes. Its healthy chemicals help regulate and balance a woman’s hormones so she does not experience the normal intensity of menopausal symptoms. Typically, black cohosh is taken as a supplemental pill that is available at most health food stores.



Make it a great day!


Chris Walker is the founder of Chris Walker's Fitness located in Kitchener, Ontario. Chris manages several certified trainers, (CFT) within his organization and actively works with medical doctors and health care professionals in helping their patients to reduce bodyfat restore musculoskeletal strength and gain control over their blood sugar readings, good and bad blood fats and blood pressure readings, among other critical fitness issues. Chris has helped people to get in shape for their wedding day as well as people battling severe obesity. Chris likes to focus on functional training and likes to incorporate his martial arts background into his programs. Chris is a firm believer of a strong mind and guarantees results for those who don't mind a little hard work. Chris is a member of International Sports Sciences Association, (ISSA) and Canfitpro Organization. Chris has made media appearances on Global Television, Rogers Daytime, The Record News Paper and is a published author of many health and fitness related articles and books.

Losing Weight Rapidly!

Wanting a slimmer and sexier body is no lofty ambition. Many people have succeeded in sculpting their physiques to make them look healthy and desirable. However, this end is not attained in just a snap or skipping one night's dinner. For some people though, patience is not a virtue. They seem not to be able to afford so much attention, time and money to get the body they have always wanted. As a result, these people result to rapid weight loss practices and programs which may not be as effective as these people are led to believe they are.

Fast-track diets are one of these rapid weight loss practices which may not be very inviting as they seem according to research. Fast-track diet programs, as scientific research shows, are only good while they last. Rapid weight loss often results ironically, to rapid weight gain. people who undergo low carbohydrate or low calorie diets normally revert back to old eating habits simply because human beings can not actually live on with this type of diet scheme for the rest of their lives.

Now there is also scientific research showing that rapid weight loss does not imply an individual is losing unwanted excess fat; it is commonly water that is lost with following rapid weight loss practices. This could cause certain alarm but actually, water lost is regained very quickly. So there is actually zero net weight lost after all. So one should not be foolish enough to be so gullible with the advertising of certain diet pills out there in the market; especially those which claim to aid lose a whopping amount of fat in a short time. They will only dehydrate the body. And just so it is clear, the body can only lose two pounds of fat per week, one could be exceptionally lucky if he can lose three, but normally, it's just two.

Another rapid weight loss product out in the market is the slimming soap. Claiming that these soaps are made from a unique concoction of rare chinese herbs and seaweed, they assert to help people using them to shed off body fats by emulsifying them upon application while taking a bath. Some are even specialized like those which promise to give the user "beautiful thighs". The ingredients may prove to improve the quality of the skin but no research has ever come up yet which aids to prove the efficacy of these ingredients in emulsifying excess body fats.

One more rapid weight loss product out there in the market promises to suppress hunger and at the same time help increase the body's metabolic rate. It also claims to be able to accelerate the healing process and reduce certain body pains, all these plus its being a very chic fashion accent. Well they are actually called magnetic weight loss earrings.

The secret of this set of earrings is in the magnet, so it says. Wearing them near the ears balances the magnetism in the body therefore one will experience all the above mentioned effects. Though press releases say that there are actually "studies" to back these assertions up, nothing yet is found in medical journals. Though buying a set may not kill a person, it's probably not a wise investment. One might as well wear a horse shoe earring for a more exquisite fashion statement.

Bottom line is "no pain, no gain". If one wants a beautiful body, one must sweat it out. And as for those rapid weight loss products coming out on the market, if they are too good to be true, they probably are not.

Make it a great day!

Chris Walker is the founder of Chris Walker's Fitness located in Kitchener, Ontario. Chris manages several certified trainers, (CFT) within his organization and actively works with medical doctors and health care professionals in helping their patients to reduce bodyfat restore musculoskeletal strength and gain control over their blood sugar readings, good and bad blood fats and blood pressure readings, among other critical fitness issues. Chris has helped people to get in shape for their wedding day as well as people battling severe obesity. Chris likes to focus on functional training and likes to incorporate his martial arts background into his programs. Chris is a firm believer of a strong mind and guarantees results for those who don't mind a little hard work. Chris is a member of International Sports Sciences Association, (ISSA) and Canfitpro Organization. Chris has made media appearances on Global Television, Rogers Daytime, The Record News Paper and is a published author of many health and fitness related articles and books.

The Quick Weight Loss Diet!

If you wear a size 14 and you blow a bundle on designer size 8 dresses as motivation, you will probably end up feeling guilty, frustrated, and angry if you are not slinking around in it a month later.

In reality, you will do much better setting smaller, achievable targets for yourself. If you must try the new-clothes strategy, go down a size at a time, and do not buy anything you have to take out a second mortgage to pay for.

Because, if you continue to remorse on losing weight fast, you will end up incorporating fad diets or those that offer quick weight loss.

For most people who are not aware of this fact, there are no such things as quick weight loss diets and there is no nippy weight loss for people who want to be slimmer than what their body can provide.

The problem with most people is that they tend to opt for nippy fixes wherein fact these things are not effective at all.

What Does Not Work

Today, there are plenty of weight-loss strategies that are guaranteed to backfire. This is because these nippy fixes instilled on certain diet plans are, in reality, not efficient because it does not employ the right principle and the right attitude in losing weight.

These quick weight loss diet plans are known as fad diets because that is exactly what they are, just a fad. In time, when fashion is over and popularity wanes down, people will realize that the diet they have depended on is not reliable at all.

To know more about these fad diets that are selling like hotcakes in the market today, here is a list of some telltale signs that would tell you not to try it even once.

Here they are:

1. Skipping meals

Does your diet plan require you to skip meals? If it does, then, it is a fad diet.

Abstain from food completely is not a healthy habit. It may even cause some serious complications or problems especially for people who are sick with diabetes.

Skipping meals will only cause a hypoglycemia, or the condition wherein your blood sugar is really low, and will probably only be effective in making you eat twice as much at the next meal.

2. Dieting without exercise, or vice versa

Exercise is crucial to the human body. It is important in the proper blood circulation and other activities of the human body system.

Therefore, diet plans that do not require you to exercise are nuisances. People are born to move.

But then again, exercise alone is not sufficient. Hence, it would be better if diet and exercise will go hand-in-hand.

3. Continuous dawdling

There is no better time to start losing weight. If you want to really lose those excess fats, you have to lose weight now.

Delaying tactics will not get you anywhere and will only make the problem worse. So, if your diet plan suggests a certain timeframe for you start losing weight, chances are, you are following the trend of fad diets.

Boiled down, it is best to rely more on the way you feel than the tale of the tape. This means that if the weighing scale tells you that you are losing weight even if it is slower than you would like, but you are feeling energetic and positive about your weight-loss efforts, then, you are just doing fine.

As mentioned and is worth mentioning all over again, weight loss is not a quick process.

Make it a great day!

Chris Walker is the founder of Chris Walker's Fitness located in Kitchener, Ontario. Chris manages several certified trainers, (CFT) within his organization and actively works with medical doctors and health care professionals in helping their patients to reduce bodyfat restore musculoskeletal strength and gain control over their blood sugar readings, good and bad blood fats and blood pressure readings, among other critical fitness issues. Chris has helped people to get in shape for their wedding day as well as people battling severe obesity. Chris likes to focus on functional training and likes to incorporate his martial arts background into his programs. Chris is a firm believer of a strong mind and guarantees results for those who don't mind a little hard work. Chris is a member of International Sports Sciences Association, (ISSA) and Canfitpro Organization. Chris has made media appearances on Global Television, Rogers Daytime, The Record News Paper and is a published author of many health and fitness related articles and books.

Supplements, health and weight loss!

A lot of people these days are trying to make their health better. No matter where you turn, from TV to newspapers, you’ll see stories about people and how bad their health actually is. Even though there are many different companies out there that offer vitamins and supplements and claim that they will change your healthy, you’ll need to research what they offer and sure that you aren’t just wasting your money.

If you are looking to improve your health, you’ll need to at many different vitamin supplements to find which ones are the best for you. You should look at everything available, and not just try a few to see what happens. Dieting is the ideal place to start, as it can make the most improvements on your health. Dieting can change your body, and make you feel a lot better as well.

These days, a lot of people eat way too much sweets and sugar, choosing refined products over healthy food. Even though it isn’t a bad thing to enjoy sweets and chocolate, you should never make a habit out of it. You can still enjoy your favorite foods as well, although you should be looking at the healthy benefits of food as well and think of everything as a whole.

If you include healthy foods such as salads, vegetables, and fruit into your diet, you’ll be eating healthy. Protein is also beneficial to your health, as it promotes the growth of your muscle. Those of you, who are serious about eating healthy but are unsure where to start, should contact a nutritionist. They will be able to tell you where to start, and how to achieve a healthy diet that will chance your life.

Even though you may be eating healthy or trying to eat healthy, you’ll probably find yourself wondering about vitamins and supplements and how much of an impact they have on your diet. Dieticians are ideal to consult with these types of questions, as they can answer any questions relating to vitamins that you have. They can also tell you which supplements are ideal to your health, and which ones you should include in your diet.

Different people will have different needs and requirements, making it essential to get advice from a qualified professional. If you get the advice from a professional, you’ll know what you can add to your diet. If you try to do it all yourself without the advice of a professional, you can end up not getting enough in your diet, or you could end up taking something that you shouldn’t be taken.

Exercise is also important to your diet and your health. Although supplements and vitamins will go a long way, exercise will do a lot for your body. If you exercise on a regular basis, and take the right supplements and vitamins with your diet, you’ll notice that you have more energy and you feel better than you ever have in your life.

Before you start with your new diet or rush out and buy your new vitamin supplements, you should always check with your doctor first to see if he has any recommendations. You should also tell him what type of exercise you are planning on doing, and see if there are any complications with your health. Getting a healthy lifestyle is always a great thing, although you should always consult with your doctor. This way, you’ll know the best way to start and how to go about getting in the best shape of your life.

Make it a great day!

Chris Walker is the founder of Chris Walker's Fitness located in Kitchener, Ontario. Chris manages several certified trainers, (CFT) within his organization and actively works with medical doctors and health care professionals in helping their patients to reduce bodyfat restore musculoskeletal strength and gain control over their blood sugar readings, good and bad blood fats and blood pressure readings, among other critical fitness issues. Chris has helped people to get in shape for their wedding day as well as people battling severe obesity. Chris likes to focus on functional training and likes to incorporate his martial arts background into his programs. Chris is a firm believer of a strong mind and guarantees results for those who don't mind a little hard work. Chris is a member of International Sports Sciences Association, (ISSA) and Canfitpro Organization. Chris has made media appearances on Global Television, Rogers Daytime, The Record News Paper and is a published author of many health and fitness related articles and books.