General Exercise and Nutrition Guidelines for a Healthy Lifestyle.
Exercise Guidelines: Work at your fitness level. Be mindful of any specific health condition that requires modifications. Chose a mode of exercise that works for your body. It's okay if you need to work up to these guidelines. Work in small progressions to continue challenging yourself as you become stronger.
Cardiovascular Training - Work your heart and lungs while burning calories and working on muscular endurance. Cardiovascular training should be challenging but manageable. Cardiovascular training increases the heart rate to 50%-85% of the maximum heart rate for a healthy individual that is not on medication that effects your heart rate. Maximum heart rate can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220. Get your heart pumping with brisk walking, running, or cycling. Make your weekly goal an accumulation of 150-300 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per a week by working up to doing cardiovascular training anywhere from three to five times a week for 30 minutes to 60 minutes. The total accumulated minutes should equal 150-300 minutes per a week. Use a heart rate monitor to determine your heart rate. If a heart rate monitor is unavailable or you are not sure where your heart rate should be a healthy individual can use the talk test. The talk test is where you should be able to speak a few short sentences, but no more than that without becoming winded.
Strength Training - Build strong lean muscles and the body’s functional ability by incorporating strength training. To build muscle strength you must make the muscle do work it's not used to doing. Resistance training like lifting weights, band exercises and body weight exercises will help challenge the body's muscular and skeletal system. If doing heavy resistance training like weightlifting, two to three times a week per a muscle group is sufficient. Remember to let your body heal, so rest muscle groups worked during a strength training session for 48 hours. Workouts like yoga or Pilates can be done more frequently. Listen to your body for how much is enough and how much is too much. Progress your workouts as you become more fit. Your workout should be challenging but manageable enough to keep good form. If you need help, work with an experienced trainer with a certification from a reputable fitness organization.
Flexibility - Keep muscles pliable, maintain or increase your joints range of motion and decreases metabolic waste built up in muscles. Tight muscles can lead to injury and decreased strength. If a muscle cannot lengthen fully it will not be able to contract fully. Give yourself at least five minutes to stretch after every workout and stretch problem areas a few times a day. Hold each stretch for about 15-30 seconds or until you feel the muscle relax. You should feel a gentle pull but no pain. Incorporate a longer stretching routine at least once a week. Yoga and Pilates are great ways to build strength and flexibility at the same time.
Stay Active Throughout the Day - Most people have sedentary jobs. When the body is still your metabolism goes into rest mode. Get up and move every hour. You can set a timer or use a fitness watch to remind you to move. Do things like taking the stairs, using the bathroom that is farthest away, and park farther away than you normally would. Be active for an accumulation of at least an hour a day. Fitness watches are a great way to track your steps.
Nutrition Guidelines - How you fuel your body will determine how it preforms. Consuming a variety of healthy foods within your energy needs will keep you feeling well and preforming at your best.
Eat Clean - Eat 100% natural foods. Stick to fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins and dairy or dairy substitutes. Know the ingredients in the foods you are eating. Watch out for genetically modified and man-made foods. Choose organic foods and shop for hormone and antibiotic-free meat and dairy products when possible. Look for locally farmed foods that are in season for fresher foods that are higher in nutrients. Frozen veggies can be used as a substitute if fresh veggies are unavailable.
Read Labels - Read the ingredients first to rule out any products whose ingredients are not healthy. If the ingredients are good, then read the nutrition facts. If you don’t recognize an ingredient look it up. Avoid or limit added sugar such as high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, and glucose. Avoid chemically altered fats like hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats, as well as artificial sweeteners, coloring and flavoring. Our bodies are not made to process chemicals, and artificial sweeteners have been shown in studies to cause the body to store fat and to cause an increase in appetite.
Sweeten Smartly – If you are going for a low calorie or calorie-free sweetener, choose a small amount of Stevia instead of table sugar. Sweeten recipes sparingly with a lower glycemic food with healthy properties like honey.
Eat a Variety of Food Within Your Nutritional Limits - When making fruit and vegetable choices, think about eating all the colors of the rainbow throughout the day. Mix up your healthy fats; for example, top your oatmeal with walnuts for breakfast, put olive oil on your veggies at lunch, and use canola oil to make dinner.
Drink Water - Water cleans the body and helps with cellular functions. Have a full glass of water first thing in the morning to flush the body out as you start your day. Get in a base of eight 8 oz glasses of water for total of 64ozs a day. Increase water based on body size and activity level. Weight lost during one bout of exercise or excessive sweating from water loss will alter your body’s needs. Urine should be a light-yellow color. If urine is dark yellow it’s a good indication you are dehydrated. Be wary of sports drinks with chemicals as added ingredients. The body’s natural electrolytes will balance themselves out over time. If you feel you need a quick boost in electrolytes coconut water is a great way to replace electrolytes in a natural way.
Eat 3 Complete Meals a Day - (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner). Make ½ your plate vegetables and the other half a serving of whole grains no bigger than the size of your fist and a serving of lean meat or protein about the size of your palm. See my food list for healthy options.
Eat Every 4-6 hours - Do not let your body’s metabolism crash on you. Pre-plan your food so you do not get into a pinch. Breakfast should be the largest meal and dinner the smallest meal.
Eat Healthy Snacks Through the Day - Mix a small amount of protein with a fruit or vegetable. Carrots with hummus, almonds and a pear, a hardboiled egg and an apple or plain yogurt and berries are all examples of healthy snacks.
Supplement Safely - Use a high-quality supplement to fill in the nutritional gaps in your diet. Most of the population does not get what they need from just the food they eat. Take a high quality, non-synthetic multivitamin that does not use binders or fillers to replenish your body with what is lacking in your diet. Ask your doctor for a vitamin D blood test to see if you should be taking a vitamin D supplement, and how much. Know the supplement company you use. I personally use the Shaklee brand myself, with my family, and with my clients because they are free of all banned substances, are all natural, and have been tested for over 360 pesticides, herbicides, and contaminants. Always tell your doctor or pharmacist which supplements and over-the-counter medicine you take.
Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition - Stay hydrated by drinking water before during and after a workout. Pre-workout: If you have not had a meal within 2-4 hours of exercise and are doing a more strenuous workout have a snack that will quickly digest a banana or orange. If you do a workout first thing in the morning have a light breakfast like a meal bar/shake or a slice of sprout grain bread with almond butter. If you skip breakfast make sure you do not get dizzy during your workout. Post-workout: Do not miss the opportunity to increase your workout results and improve how you feel at your next workout. Immediately after your workouts have a protein carbohydrate mix where the carbohydrates are higher than the protein with very little or no fat. By the time you get home, shower, and change your body will be ready to take in more calories. Do not be afraid to eat if you are hungry just because you had a post-workout shake.
Log Your Meals and Exercise - Keep a journal of everything you eat, drink and the exercise you do every day. Utilize websites and apps that are available to help track your food more accurately. Jot down your goals and record your feelings about what you are doing for a higher internal reward!
Allow for Self-Compassion - Make time for yourself every day. Allow yourself at least 30-60 minutes a day to make yourself a healthier person. Some suggestions: take a brisk walk, lift weights, do a Pilates class, or prepare healthy food for the week.
Basic Components of a Healthy Diet
See the food list to have foods to apply to these guidelines.
Carbohydrates – Fifty-five (55) percent to sixty (60) percent of a healthy diet comes from healthy carbohydrates. All plants contain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an essential energy source for proper brain and muscle function. Naturally occurring healthy carbohydrates can be found in fruit, vegetables, beans, grains and dairy. Limit added sugars and sweeteners found in things like soda, flavored yogurts, and many cereals. Choose whole grains that look like they did when they came off the plant. Chose packaged products made of less refined ingredients like sprout grains or brown rice. Whole grains have more nutrients and the body absorbs them slowly, so blood sugars do not spike.
Fat – Twenty-five (25) to thirty (30) percent of your diet should come from unsaturated fats. There are two types of unsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated. (Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat). Fat is a vital source of energy, stores essential nutrients, is needed for cellular structure, and helps protect vital organs by providing lubrication and padding. Different fat sources have different health benefits so mix up the healthy fat sources you use throughout the day and week. Olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed, chia seed, hemp oil, and fish oil are all examples of healthy fat sources. Unhealthy fats are saturated fat like animal fat and butter and trans-fat from hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oil found in margarine and some packaged foods.
Protein – Ten (10) to fifteen (15) percent of your diet should come from lean protein such lean meats, beans, nuts and dairy. Protein has several roles in the body’s supporting structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs. Choose white meat or plant sourced proteins instead of dark or red meat. Active people require more protein than sedentary people, and athletes or extremely active people need slightly more protein than the average exerciser. Vegetarians/vegans should consume a variety of plant protein sources including vegetable and grain combinations to ensure all essential amino acids are consumed and the body has what it needs to produce non-essential protein. To know approximately how much protein your body needs, use this formula: Body weight x .4 if a sedentary adult and by .6 to .7 for active adults and .9 for endurance athletes. The body cannot absorb large amounts of protein at a time and the protein will be converted into fat or carbohydrates depending on the body’s needs. I recommend having around 16-24 grams of protein with each meal and post workout depending on your size and activity level. If you still need more protein to hit your goal, snack on high protein foods between meals.
Try To Get
3-5 servings of whole grains a day;
2 fruits and 4-6 veggies a day;
3 low fat or fat free dairies or substitutes; and
8 glasses or 64oz of water a day plus whatever you lose during your workouts.
Fun Facts and Tips
*Protein and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram while fat contains 9 calories per gram and alcohol contains 7 calories per gram.
*About 10% of calories used per day comes from processing food and drinks.
*To burn one pound of fat a week we need to eliminate approximately 3,500 calories through diet and exercise that week.
*Dehydration can cause fatigue.*The body is about 60% water.
*Muscle requires a lot more energy per a day then fat, so build muscle to rev up your metabolism.
*Logging your exercise and diet daily will keep you on track more so than if you do not.
*Studies show that artificial sweeteners can cause the body to store more fat and cause you to eat more at the next meal.
*Fill the tank when you are going to use the fuel. Have a larger breakfast and smaller dinner. Eat a majority of calories by 4pm and stop eating after 7pm.
*Sleep 7-8 hours so the body can fully heal and re-energize completely.
*Start the day with a large glass of water or lemon water first thing in the morning to replenish water lost while sleeping, and flush the toxins built up while sleeping.
*Take a few deep breaths throughout the day. Focusing on lengthening the exhale will help decrease tension, stress and anxiety while focusing on a deeper inhale will help build energy and boost mood.
*Make a conscious effort to have good posture and over time it will become an unconscious effort.
*Put clean fuel in the tank. Eat all-natural foods that are nutritionally dense to have your body running smoothly and efficiently. Your body does not process artificial/man-made ingredients and chemicals properly. Your body can store theses toxins resulting in poor health.
***Always feel free to e-mail any questions you may have.***
It is always recommended you get an annual physical and tell your physician about any new exercise and nutrition program before you begin.
Exercise Guidelines: Work at your fitness level. Be mindful of any specific health condition that requires modifications. Chose a mode of exercise that works for your body. It's okay if you need to work up to these guidelines. Work in small progressions to continue challenging yourself as you become stronger.
Cardiovascular Training - Work your heart and lungs while burning calories and working on muscular endurance. Cardiovascular training should be challenging but manageable. Cardiovascular training increases the heart rate to 50%-85% of the maximum heart rate for a healthy individual that is not on medication that effects your heart rate. Maximum heart rate can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220. Get your heart pumping with brisk walking, running, or cycling. Make your weekly goal an accumulation of 150-300 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per a week by working up to doing cardiovascular training anywhere from three to five times a week for 30 minutes to 60 minutes. The total accumulated minutes should equal 150-300 minutes per a week. Use a heart rate monitor to determine your heart rate. If a heart rate monitor is unavailable or you are not sure where your heart rate should be a healthy individual can use the talk test. The talk test is where you should be able to speak a few short sentences, but no more than that without becoming winded.
Strength Training - Build strong lean muscles and the body’s functional ability by incorporating strength training. To build muscle strength you must make the muscle do work it's not used to doing. Resistance training like lifting weights, band exercises and body weight exercises will help challenge the body's muscular and skeletal system. If doing heavy resistance training like weightlifting, two to three times a week per a muscle group is sufficient. Remember to let your body heal, so rest muscle groups worked during a strength training session for 48 hours. Workouts like yoga or Pilates can be done more frequently. Listen to your body for how much is enough and how much is too much. Progress your workouts as you become more fit. Your workout should be challenging but manageable enough to keep good form. If you need help, work with an experienced trainer with a certification from a reputable fitness organization.
Flexibility - Keep muscles pliable, maintain or increase your joints range of motion and decreases metabolic waste built up in muscles. Tight muscles can lead to injury and decreased strength. If a muscle cannot lengthen fully it will not be able to contract fully. Give yourself at least five minutes to stretch after every workout and stretch problem areas a few times a day. Hold each stretch for about 15-30 seconds or until you feel the muscle relax. You should feel a gentle pull but no pain. Incorporate a longer stretching routine at least once a week. Yoga and Pilates are great ways to build strength and flexibility at the same time.
Stay Active Throughout the Day - Most people have sedentary jobs. When the body is still your metabolism goes into rest mode. Get up and move every hour. You can set a timer or use a fitness watch to remind you to move. Do things like taking the stairs, using the bathroom that is farthest away, and park farther away than you normally would. Be active for an accumulation of at least an hour a day. Fitness watches are a great way to track your steps.
Nutrition Guidelines - How you fuel your body will determine how it preforms. Consuming a variety of healthy foods within your energy needs will keep you feeling well and preforming at your best.
Eat Clean - Eat 100% natural foods. Stick to fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins and dairy or dairy substitutes. Know the ingredients in the foods you are eating. Watch out for genetically modified and man-made foods. Choose organic foods and shop for hormone and antibiotic-free meat and dairy products when possible. Look for locally farmed foods that are in season for fresher foods that are higher in nutrients. Frozen veggies can be used as a substitute if fresh veggies are unavailable.
Read Labels - Read the ingredients first to rule out any products whose ingredients are not healthy. If the ingredients are good, then read the nutrition facts. If you don’t recognize an ingredient look it up. Avoid or limit added sugar such as high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, and glucose. Avoid chemically altered fats like hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats, as well as artificial sweeteners, coloring and flavoring. Our bodies are not made to process chemicals, and artificial sweeteners have been shown in studies to cause the body to store fat and to cause an increase in appetite.
Sweeten Smartly – If you are going for a low calorie or calorie-free sweetener, choose a small amount of Stevia instead of table sugar. Sweeten recipes sparingly with a lower glycemic food with healthy properties like honey.
Eat a Variety of Food Within Your Nutritional Limits - When making fruit and vegetable choices, think about eating all the colors of the rainbow throughout the day. Mix up your healthy fats; for example, top your oatmeal with walnuts for breakfast, put olive oil on your veggies at lunch, and use canola oil to make dinner.
Drink Water - Water cleans the body and helps with cellular functions. Have a full glass of water first thing in the morning to flush the body out as you start your day. Get in a base of eight 8 oz glasses of water for total of 64ozs a day. Increase water based on body size and activity level. Weight lost during one bout of exercise or excessive sweating from water loss will alter your body’s needs. Urine should be a light-yellow color. If urine is dark yellow it’s a good indication you are dehydrated. Be wary of sports drinks with chemicals as added ingredients. The body’s natural electrolytes will balance themselves out over time. If you feel you need a quick boost in electrolytes coconut water is a great way to replace electrolytes in a natural way.
Eat 3 Complete Meals a Day - (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner). Make ½ your plate vegetables and the other half a serving of whole grains no bigger than the size of your fist and a serving of lean meat or protein about the size of your palm. See my food list for healthy options.
Eat Every 4-6 hours - Do not let your body’s metabolism crash on you. Pre-plan your food so you do not get into a pinch. Breakfast should be the largest meal and dinner the smallest meal.
Eat Healthy Snacks Through the Day - Mix a small amount of protein with a fruit or vegetable. Carrots with hummus, almonds and a pear, a hardboiled egg and an apple or plain yogurt and berries are all examples of healthy snacks.
Supplement Safely - Use a high-quality supplement to fill in the nutritional gaps in your diet. Most of the population does not get what they need from just the food they eat. Take a high quality, non-synthetic multivitamin that does not use binders or fillers to replenish your body with what is lacking in your diet. Ask your doctor for a vitamin D blood test to see if you should be taking a vitamin D supplement, and how much. Know the supplement company you use. I personally use the Shaklee brand myself, with my family, and with my clients because they are free of all banned substances, are all natural, and have been tested for over 360 pesticides, herbicides, and contaminants. Always tell your doctor or pharmacist which supplements and over-the-counter medicine you take.
Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition - Stay hydrated by drinking water before during and after a workout. Pre-workout: If you have not had a meal within 2-4 hours of exercise and are doing a more strenuous workout have a snack that will quickly digest a banana or orange. If you do a workout first thing in the morning have a light breakfast like a meal bar/shake or a slice of sprout grain bread with almond butter. If you skip breakfast make sure you do not get dizzy during your workout. Post-workout: Do not miss the opportunity to increase your workout results and improve how you feel at your next workout. Immediately after your workouts have a protein carbohydrate mix where the carbohydrates are higher than the protein with very little or no fat. By the time you get home, shower, and change your body will be ready to take in more calories. Do not be afraid to eat if you are hungry just because you had a post-workout shake.
Log Your Meals and Exercise - Keep a journal of everything you eat, drink and the exercise you do every day. Utilize websites and apps that are available to help track your food more accurately. Jot down your goals and record your feelings about what you are doing for a higher internal reward!
Allow for Self-Compassion - Make time for yourself every day. Allow yourself at least 30-60 minutes a day to make yourself a healthier person. Some suggestions: take a brisk walk, lift weights, do a Pilates class, or prepare healthy food for the week.
Basic Components of a Healthy Diet
See the food list to have foods to apply to these guidelines.
Carbohydrates – Fifty-five (55) percent to sixty (60) percent of a healthy diet comes from healthy carbohydrates. All plants contain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an essential energy source for proper brain and muscle function. Naturally occurring healthy carbohydrates can be found in fruit, vegetables, beans, grains and dairy. Limit added sugars and sweeteners found in things like soda, flavored yogurts, and many cereals. Choose whole grains that look like they did when they came off the plant. Chose packaged products made of less refined ingredients like sprout grains or brown rice. Whole grains have more nutrients and the body absorbs them slowly, so blood sugars do not spike.
Fat – Twenty-five (25) to thirty (30) percent of your diet should come from unsaturated fats. There are two types of unsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated. (Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat). Fat is a vital source of energy, stores essential nutrients, is needed for cellular structure, and helps protect vital organs by providing lubrication and padding. Different fat sources have different health benefits so mix up the healthy fat sources you use throughout the day and week. Olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed, chia seed, hemp oil, and fish oil are all examples of healthy fat sources. Unhealthy fats are saturated fat like animal fat and butter and trans-fat from hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oil found in margarine and some packaged foods.
Protein – Ten (10) to fifteen (15) percent of your diet should come from lean protein such lean meats, beans, nuts and dairy. Protein has several roles in the body’s supporting structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs. Choose white meat or plant sourced proteins instead of dark or red meat. Active people require more protein than sedentary people, and athletes or extremely active people need slightly more protein than the average exerciser. Vegetarians/vegans should consume a variety of plant protein sources including vegetable and grain combinations to ensure all essential amino acids are consumed and the body has what it needs to produce non-essential protein. To know approximately how much protein your body needs, use this formula: Body weight x .4 if a sedentary adult and by .6 to .7 for active adults and .9 for endurance athletes. The body cannot absorb large amounts of protein at a time and the protein will be converted into fat or carbohydrates depending on the body’s needs. I recommend having around 16-24 grams of protein with each meal and post workout depending on your size and activity level. If you still need more protein to hit your goal, snack on high protein foods between meals.
Try To Get
3-5 servings of whole grains a day;
2 fruits and 4-6 veggies a day;
3 low fat or fat free dairies or substitutes; and
8 glasses or 64oz of water a day plus whatever you lose during your workouts.
Fun Facts and Tips
*Protein and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram while fat contains 9 calories per gram and alcohol contains 7 calories per gram.
*About 10% of calories used per day comes from processing food and drinks.
*To burn one pound of fat a week we need to eliminate approximately 3,500 calories through diet and exercise that week.
*Dehydration can cause fatigue.*The body is about 60% water.
*Muscle requires a lot more energy per a day then fat, so build muscle to rev up your metabolism.
*Logging your exercise and diet daily will keep you on track more so than if you do not.
*Studies show that artificial sweeteners can cause the body to store more fat and cause you to eat more at the next meal.
*Fill the tank when you are going to use the fuel. Have a larger breakfast and smaller dinner. Eat a majority of calories by 4pm and stop eating after 7pm.
*Sleep 7-8 hours so the body can fully heal and re-energize completely.
*Start the day with a large glass of water or lemon water first thing in the morning to replenish water lost while sleeping, and flush the toxins built up while sleeping.
*Take a few deep breaths throughout the day. Focusing on lengthening the exhale will help decrease tension, stress and anxiety while focusing on a deeper inhale will help build energy and boost mood.
*Make a conscious effort to have good posture and over time it will become an unconscious effort.
*Put clean fuel in the tank. Eat all-natural foods that are nutritionally dense to have your body running smoothly and efficiently. Your body does not process artificial/man-made ingredients and chemicals properly. Your body can store theses toxins resulting in poor health.
***Always feel free to e-mail any questions you may have.***
It is always recommended you get an annual physical and tell your physician about any new exercise and nutrition program before you begin.
