Should I include seeds in my diet?‏

Well everything grows from a seed so the answer is yes! They contain high levels of antioxidants including Vitamin E, are high in fiber and are great ground up on cereal or yogurt for breakfast. My new favourite is pumpkin seeds. And you might want to try Chia seeds, which are full of essential fatty acids and blows flax seeds out of the water. Have a seed and reap the harvest!
 
Inspire to Aspire,
 
Kristopher Simpson
www.bodiesbydeisgn.ca

Starchy carbs prior to high-intensity activity

Starchy carbohydrates are always in order prior to high intensity activity.  When you start to exercise, your blood sugar drops dramatically due to the demand of energy.  Starchy carbs such as pasta, rice, potatoes and grain products give you a blood sugar boost and sustained energy.  I must admit my favourite is pasta.  It seems to be the best carb for sustained energy.  The trick is to figure out how many hours prior to the activity you should have a meal. We call it the “window of opportunity.”

 

Inspire to Aspire

Kristopher Simpson

www.bodiesbydesign.ca

What’s the best way to predict your risk of heart attack?

The best tests to predict your risk for having a heart attack is your Recovery Heart Rate.  Recovery heart rate is a measure of fitness and a slow recovery from exercise means that you’re out of shape. To measure recovery heart rate, exercise on a treadmill until you breathe hard, record your heart rate, and hold that pace for at least a minute. Then cool down and measure your pulse rate exactly one minute after stopping. If your heart does not slow down at least 30 beats in the first minute, you’re in poor shape and at increased risk for a heart attack. If your heart rate slows down more than 50 beats in the first minute, you’re in excellent shape.  Keep your pumper pumpin’ and try this test today! 

 

Inspire to Aspire

Kristopher Simpson

www.bodiesbydesign.ca

What is the raw food diet?

The raw food diet includes foods that can be eaten raw such as uncooked meats, eggs and raw dairy and raw animal food.

Included in raw animal food diets are any food that can be eaten raw, such as uncooked, unprocessed meats/organ-meats/eggs, raw dairy, and aged, raw animal foods such as century eggs, rotting (fermenting) meat/fish/shellfish/kefir

I just came back from L.A. and found out actors such as Demi Moore, Mel Gibson, Woody Harrelson, and Uma Thurman all follow the Raw Food Diet. 

• Raw foods include digestive enzymes (such as amylases, proteases, and lipases) which aid digestion, meaning that the body’s own enzymes may work unimpeded in regulating the body’s metabolic processes, and heating food above 104-120 degrees Fahrenheit degrades or destroys these enzymes in food.  Eating food without enzymes makes digestion more difficult, which could lead to toxicity in the body and cause excess consumption of food, obesity and chronic disease, such as metabolic syndrome, which some studies suggest affects up to 25% of the U.S. population. Digestive enzymes are a limited resource in the body and eating cooked foods will deplete these enzymes.
• Raw foods include bacteria and other micro-organisms that affect the immune system and digestion by populating the digestive tract with beneficial gut flora. These are generally killed by cooking. In addition, many Raw-Foodists, particularly Primal-Dieters, are believers in the hygiene hypothesis, a concept which focuses on the health benefits of exposure to parasites and harmful bacteria which builds natural resistance.
• Raw foods have higher nutrient values than foods which have been cooked. In addition, processed food and convenience food often contain excitotoxins (flavor enhancers) which can cause excitotoxicity. Foods with added chemicals, preservatives, additives, colouring agents/dyes of any kind are frowned upon by raw-foodists.
• Wild foods (or natural foods) are more nutritious than domesticated foods or industrially produced foods.
• Cooked foods contain harmful toxins which cause chronic disease and other problems, Heating oils and fats can produce trace amounts of trans fats. Heating sugars with proteins or fats can produce advanced glycation end products.
• Raw foods like fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants and thus help to stifle signs of aging.
• Eating cooked foods can lead to acidosis.
• Raw Foodists believe that opioid peptides, present in cooked foods, are not only harmful but highly addictive.

Will monitoring my heart rate help me burn more body fat?

Our heart rate is much like a speedometer in a car.  In our cars we know that the faster we drive, the sooner we arrive at our destination, and the more gas we will burn in the process.  In the case of a workout, you want to ensure that you have a high heart rate to increase the intensity of the workout, burn the maximum amount of calories and in effect, get the best value for your time spent exercising. Monitor your heart rate and burn more gas!

Inspire to Aspire

Kristopher Simpson

www.bodiesbydesign.ca

What type of training best suits my body type?

Ectomorph:  Use moderate to heavy weights for weight training to promote muscle toning or growth.  Your metabolism is racing so eat as much as you need but make sure it is healthy.  Do very little cardio to avoid burning extra calories.

Mesomorph:  Moderation is the key.  Use a moderate rep and moderate pace in the studio.  Eat a diet of lean protein and little fat.  Add some starchy carbs in the morning and fibrous carbs in the evening.  Keep the cardio to 30 minutes, 3 times per week.

Endomorph:  Use a fast pace in the gym.  Try circuit training and you’ll need 1 hour of cardio 5 times per week to encourage your sluggish metabolism. 

Know thyself and expect results! 

 

Inspire to Aspire,

Kristopher Simpson

www.bodiesbydesign.ca