Fit 241: How to Deal with Negative Thoughts, Eliminate Carb Cravings & Training Myths Part 2

QuickFit Club is back up with new workouts and ready for a new you!

A note about QuickFit Club sign ups....we are still in the beta stage, so all memberships are trial basis, 30 days, but realistically probably longer (60 days) to get all the bugs out before it goes 100% members only.

If you already had a trial membership, you'll be able to sign in with your previous name (or email) and password combo, but you won't be able to access "member" content because you will need to "renew" by selecting the trial membership (yes, again, but this enables you to maintain your previous login name). Once done, you can access member home and all the workouts.

Note: you may have to clear history or cache to refresh the new Quickfit Club site!

NEW! You'll also find QuickFit Tips Videos on the site as well as the GetFitTV Youtube channel!

While on Youtube, check out the StrongandPowerfulNow channel that supports the new StrongandPowerful site and campaigns. Be sure to like and subscribe to both!

TRAINING: Fact VS Fiction!

Fact: Squats are an excellent exercise.
Everyone does a form of squat multiple times a day! Sitting in a chair, on a toilet, standing up from both, those are all squats! You work the whole body when doing squats whether you go low or not. Studies confirm squatting has major functional benefits: better mobility, faster walking speed, bone strength, stronger core, and in sports: faster running speed and greater vertical jump.

Lie: Squats are dangerous and will damage the knees and spine. Lie! Squats are not dangerous if you do them correctly. Remember, you actually do them everyday already! Squatting is a natural motion performed by our ancestors on a regular basis. Again studies back this up and show squats can strengthen the entire thigh and hip areas and can help prevent knee pain and dysfunction.

Depending on your fitness history and training level, you may need to start with variations. Your goal would be to go as low as possible with correct form. Proper form means that your heel stay on the ground the entire time! Get a trainer to help check if your form is optimal.

Fact: Sitting all day is extremely bad for you.
Research showed that people who sit for more than 6 hours a day have greater risk of kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and premature death. So take a break, get up and walk around!

Lie: Regular workouts counter the damages of sitting all day. Nope, not true! Research shows two key points when it comes to sedentary jobs:
1) "Within a population that exercises at a vigorous intensity a few days a week, the amount of time spent being inactive is dramatic and not significantly lessened by regular workouts.
2) In just 20 minutes of sitting, your blood sugar and insulin can get out of whack. A little longer and oxygen saturation of the muscles drops and gene activity decreases, which directly influences protein synthesis and the clearance of waste from cells."
Get moving! Especially if you have a seated job!

NUTRITION Dealing with Carb Cravings Part 2

It's not always food that causes you to crave carbs! Here's two more ways your body can force you to crave carbs:

Lack of sleep
Lack of sleep increases desire for high carbs, boosting overall calorie intake. It also reduces your will power and breaks down any defenses you have in place to prevent carb cravings.

Studies show people feel more hungry and make poor food choices when they are tired! Adding up to as much as an extra 300 calories a day or more!

Plus,your blood sugar levels get out of whack too! Insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance drop when you are sleep deprived, causing your body to shift (or stays) in fat storage mode.

Be honest about what you eat
It's not always a matter of willpower! Sometimes you really eat more than you think! Keep a true food journal that you can review and analyze. You always learn more when it is written on paper! You may be surprised at your numbers, but especially your carb intake. Don’t feel ashamed or guilty! Use this info to fix dietary problems. Identify low-glycemic carbs that are acceptable substitutes for higher carb foods and determine which foods help with your craving and which may cause the cravings.

MOTIVATION

Tips to get on the right track!

#1 Remind Yourself of the Things For Which You Are Grateful!

Pu things in perspective! Sure life could be better, it could also be worse! Find a few things each day that you are grateful for and accept them! Regular daily stress, problems and disasters don't seem so bad when you remind yourself of the things that are right in your life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference!

#2 Eliminate Automatic Negative Thoughts!
Squash the "ANTs" In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like "Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me," or "The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!