8 Ways To Healthier Eating

by Beverly Mazza

1.      Don’t Drink Your Calories!

Cut out the sodas, sweet teas, and all other high calorie beverage. Drink lots and lots of water! If you do not want water at every meal try other varieties of tea such as unsweetened ice tea, green tea, herbal fruit tea, etc. If you want sweeter beverages try flavoring your tea with natural fruit juices. Don’t switch to artificial sweeteners such as splenda, equal, etc.

2.      Swap Your Meats!

Try eating less red meat such as pork and beef and eating more lean meats such as turkey, chicken, and fish. Instead of pork bacon try turkey bacon. Try swapping ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken (ground chicken is my favorite). 

3.      Make Some Meals Meatless!

Not all of your meals need meat in them. Try a whole grain such as brown rice, quinoa, or whole-wheat pasta with vegetables. You can get creative with the types of vegetables and the way you cook them.  You can still get protein by eating nuts, beans, humus, seeds, spinach etc.

4.      Eat Less Butter!

Butter can make a healthy meal unhealthy pretty fast. Try swapping your butter for olive oil when cooking. If you add butter to your veggies such as a baked potato get creative try adding salsa or olive oil and your favorite seasonings.

5.      Make Your Grains Whole Grains!

If you are going to eat grains make them count! Make sandwiches with whole wheat bread or even better whole grain. Switch white rice for brown rice or one of my favorites mix brown rice and quinoa. The less processed food the better! White bread, pasta, and rice are more processed than the whole grains and whole-wheat versions of the same product.

6.      Eat Less Processed Foods!

When it comes to snacking do not open the most convenient thing and eat it. Try eating fruits and vegetables. If you are craving something sweet eat apples or bananas with natural peanut butter. If you want something salty try humus with bell peppers or carrot sticks. Get creative with your snacks and switch to “real foods” i.e. it came from the ground not a factory.

7.      Less Salt!

In almost all of the food we eat we are getting salt. Restaurants are the worst about over-salting foods. Most people get the recommended intake of salt from the food they eat without adding salt to their meals. When cooking get creative and try other seasonings or use fruit juices for flavor. Less salt does not mean less flavor but less salt does mean less bloating and water retention. 

8.      Let Yourself Splurge Sometimes!

 If you are used to drinking many sodas a day and quit cold turkey chances are you will end up downing a 2-liter of coke. Make your changes slowly and keep them consistent. Every once in awhile let old habits slip in. Make it an occasional treat not an every day habit. Your treats should be healthier verses of old treats such as frozen yogurt instead of ice cream or dark chocolate and fruit instead of candy bars. For any diet to work you have to be able to stick to it, not feel hungry, and enjoy the food you eat! 

Are you or someone you know in need of help? Do you need someone to listen to your struggles with weight loss? Visit www.homefront.fitness and talk to Christian. 

HDL and LDL Cholesterol: What is the Difference?

by Erica Bossert

What happens when you hear the word, “cholesterol”? Do you immediately think to yourself, “that’s the thing that my doctor says I should watch”, or do you think, “Hmm… isn’t that what’s in egg yolks”? You may have even heard that cholesterol is linked to heart disease and that you need to keep it a certain level or you will increase your risk of developing heart disease. The fact of the matter is that cholesterol is in deed correlated to heart disease. However, did you know that not all cholesterol is bad for you? The big difference between the two types of cholesterol that we are going to discuss is that you want your HDL cholesterol to be higher and your LDL to be lower. So HDL = good, LDL = bad.

So the remaining question may be, “why is LDL bad for you and HDL good for you though they are both cholesterol”? To answer your question, LDL stands for “low density lipoprotein”.  In other words, LDL is cholesterol containing an outer covering consisting of a lipid combined with protein. The reason why LDL is considered damaging to your health is that it creates plaques in your arteries, which disrupts the blood flow to the heart, thus increasing your risk of a heart attack or stroke (WebMD). One other thing you may not know about LDL is that it increases with age, no matter what your diet is like. Therefore, as you get older, it is essential that you continue to limit saturated fats and increase the amount of healthy fats, such as omega-3 and the fats found in coconut oil, in your diet as well as exercise regularly.

Now that you know a little more about why LDL is considered “bad cholesterol”, we are going to discuss why HDL is will improve your health. HDL stands for “high density lipoprotein”, meaning it is denser in the middle than LDL. This lipoprotein not only helps to remove LDL from your blood, it also reduces your risk of heart disease with higher levels (WebMD). Here is an analogy to explain more about how LDL and HDL affect you: If you pour leftover grease high in saturated fats down your sink, it can clog the pipes and cause other damages. LDL does the same thing to your arteries; LDL can clog up your arteries and cause many other damages (e.g. heart disease, stroke). However, a pipe-snake or even a running stream of hot water (which I learned from my maintenance guy) can come to the rescue and unclog the pipes, flushing out the grease, and preventing further damages. HDL works just the same in flushing out LDL from your blood to lower your risk of developing the diseases discussed.

Although this is a simple snippet of how cholesterol works, what you hopefully took out of this is that cholesterol is needed, but not all cholesterol works the same. Prevention of heart disease is much less costly than intervention, so including regular exercise and a healthy diet will help to raise your HDL levels and lower your LDL levels. The best preventative medicine for heart-related issues is to take care of your heart now.

Are you in need of help? Do you need someone to listen to your struggles with weight loss? Visit www.homefront.fitness and talk to Christian. 

Eating​ ​Better​ ​Means Feeling​ ​Better

by Colie Bossert

I never had to worry about what I ate growing up because I would burn it off with whatever sport I was playing at the time. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized that certain foods did not work with my body anymore. I know I have discussed how I completed the Whole 30 and how amazing I felt when I was finished. What I did not talk about is what cutting out certain foods did for me emotionally.

     

Let’s get one thing straight here: pasta is AMAZING. I love spaghetti, and I could literally sit down and munch on a block of cheese. Also, I am very aware of how disgusting that is…however, before my twenties, I could get away with it.  About a year ago, I noticed my stomach was always upset. I assumed it had to be certain foods I was eating, but I loved every bit of it too much that I did not want to take the time to discover exactly what it was that was causing the bloating. Then, the Whole 30 came into my life. If any of you know the rules, you’d know that you have to cut out sugar, grains, gluten, alcohol, etc. I spent thirty days dining on vegetables and protein (that is acceptable within the diet). Cutting out all of the sugar did not make me the nicest person, but my stomach did not hurt once the entire thirty days! I was completely marveled, but then again, I was saddened by the fact that my favorite foods hurt my body.  

     

The day after I ended my challenge, my boyfriend decided we should celebrate! He made me dinner, and when I say made, I mean he created everything he could from scratch. Boy, oh boy, was that the most delicious meal I had ever eaten. Then, after I finished the meal, I was couch ridden...The meal was spectacular, but my stomach did not care to agree with me. Then, I knew it had to be one of two things: pasta or cheese.

    
 I have been off of the diet since the end of October, and I can tell you that I do NOT consume nearly as much pasta and cheese as I used to. I discovered that it took me about two weeks to stop craving pasta or cheese, and once I got over the hump, I realized that I did not miss those particular foods; it did not feel like I was sacrificing anymore. Now, I am smiling more, my clothes fit better, and I am standing taller (partially because I am not hunched over in pain). All it took was a little will power and determination, but I can promise you, it was all worth it. 



Are you in need of help? Do you need someone to listen to your struggles with weight loss? Visit www.homefront.fitness and talk to Christian. 

Good Fats That Create Weight Loss

by Erica Bossert

If you have struggled with your weight, cardiovascular health, and/or cholesterol levels, you may be familiar with the word “fat” in its many negative connotations. Fat is typically associated with heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and many other health complications. However, we are going to discuss how dietary fat can actually help you to burn body fat, decrease inflammation, improve your heart health, and lower bad cholesterol, or LDL. You can find these healthy fats in avocados, olive oil, and coconut oil. First, we are going to bust the myth that eating foods high in fat are what make you fat.

When talking about the basics of macronutrients, you may have heard somewhere along the line that fats are higher in calories than protein and carbohydrates, which is absolutely a fact. If you have tried any diet being sold by the media and endorsed by celebrities, you have likely been told that it is all about calories-in and calories-out and that low-fat, low-calorie foods will help you achieve your weight loss goals. Though reducing caloric intake does help to burn more stored energy, what the media rarely makes an effort to tell us is that not all calories are created equal. For example, a low-fat yogurt at 190 calories per serving will not have nearly the same health benefits as an avocado that contains about 230 calories. One avocado has about 18.6 grams of fat, but works to lower LDL cholesterol, increase satiety, can decrease inflammation in joints, and helps you to lower body fat (Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter, 2015).  Can you find a low-fat yogurt that does all of that?

When it comes to cooking oils, the healthiest choices are coconut and olive oils. Coconut oil and olive oil contain similar health benefits, such as their ability to lower LDL and improve heart health. Coconut oil, however, appears to be different. There has been a controversy over whether or not coconut oil is healthy for your diet due to its high percentage of saturated fat, which has been associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease for many years. However, these saturated fats are used to cook a typical Western diet that consists of double-decker burgers, French fries, and fried chicken, which is also linked to obesity and other related diseases. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is different from the saturated fats used for the fryers in that it consists of medium chain triglycerides (MCT). To put this in simpler terms, coconut oil is more readily metabolized and is not stored as fat when consumed in moderation, ultimately aiding in fat loss (Hughes, 2009).

The fats from avocados, coconut oil, and olive oil all have properties that support heart-health and weight loss, both of which are not characteristically associated with fat in general. Fat does not always make you fat, as shown in diets including these healthy fats. Replacing unhealthy fats used for cooking with coconut oil or olive oil, or simply including more of these healthy fats discussed into your diet can improve your overall health in ways that fad diets could never do for you. 

Are you in need of help? Do you need someone to listen to your struggles with weight loss? Visit www.homefront.fitness and talk to Christian. 

I Did It for Me

by Colie Bossert

We need to be honest with ourselves: we all desire for the good things to come easily. The only problem with that statement is that no good thing comes easily. This is why it is so incredibly difficult to get the body we desire. Social media does not help our case either. I will be on my Facebook or my Instagram and, at least twice a day, I will see ads trying to get me to purchase some kind of detox regimen or diet pill. Why would I even consider something like this? Because it’s easy? Well, yeah... I would be lying if I told you I never thought about it, and I would be a hypocrite if I told you I had never tried one of those things.

Back in high school, I took a photoshop class. I photoshopped a few pictures I had of myself.  I took my face in, I took my waist in, and I even made my legs look skinnier so my butt would look bigger and rounder. I have not shared that dark little secret with anyone until now, and I will admit I am not proud of that moment. There is just so much competition out there in the world, and since we are being so honest with ourselves, physical appearance is one of the most important aspects of our culture (no matter how much we don’t want to admit it). What those ads we all see on Facebook, Instagram, and whatever source of media you indulge in, don’t tell you is about the journey those men and women endure to get those bodies (and I am just speaking of the ads where people actually have to do work). What about the ads with people that are clearly photoshopped? Those companies that post those particular pictures know how much we obsess about our physical appearance. They take advantage because they know what we secretly seek (which is not so secretive) and how we want it to happen fast.

There is no shame in working hard to get a good body. There is nothing wrong with sacrificing Taco Bell and McDonald's and experimenting with some healthy foods. Someone like me has a pretty busy schedule, so going through drive through is always quick, easy, and convenient. That is why I decided to do the Whole 30 challenge. Thirty days with no gluten, no sugar, no grains, and no alcohol. NO ALCOHOL! I am a twenty-three year old recent college graduate; I have only been allowed into bars legally for two years now. I spent thirty days driving my friends around town because I was committed to this challenge. I had never done anything specifically for myself until this “diet.” I did not do it for my boyfriend, I did not do it so people who followed me on social media would see; no, I did it for me. I sacrificed parties, weddings, clubs, bars, and when it was all over, I could not have been more proud of myself. Not only did I lose a couple inches off of my waist (I did also workout three to four times a week), but I DID IT FOR ME!

I am more than likely always going to want to improve my figure, but I am going to try to do it on my terms. The only person in the world that we should want to impress is ourselves! Why? Because we spend 100 percent of our time with ourselves. Forget about all of the pressure from social media. Forget those that say it is easy to get those flat abs and big butt. Ignore those pictures that seem unrealistic (because they probably are). If you want to look better, work for it. Like I said earlier, good things do not come easily and I can promise you that it is worth it every sacrificing second when you reach a goal you have set for yourself. And you know what? The great thing about goals is that when you have reached one, you can set another one. As cliche as it may seem, life is too short. So set your goals and Go Out And Live.




Are you in need of help? Do you need someone to listen to your struggles with weight loss? Visit www.homefront.fitness and talk to Christian. 

Why Losing Weight is so Damn Hard

by Christian Bossert

I have the privilege of watching hundreds of people lose weight. My profession gives me the opportunity to encourage people to prioritize themselves and their health. Watching people lose weight and feel great has been one of the greatest gifts given to me in this life. This leads me to my next point. Why do we live in a country where 70.7% of adults over the age of 20 are obese (37.9%) or overweight (32.8%) (according to the cdc, 2013-2014) http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus15.pdf#053).

If you identify yourself as overweight or obese and are pursuing a goal of healthier you, I hope with all my heart that you KNOW you are not in this alone. I hope you know that there are thousands social support groups that instill people with the confidence and will power to help fulfill the goal of weight loss. Those of you who do have the luxury of a strong support system understand its value. I couldn’t be happier for you because I know this is a key ingredient to achieve long term weight loss success.    

Moving on, I would like to share with you the classic Native American tale about two wolves.

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he says to the boy.“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

This tale perfectly illuminates the battle within as we fight to better ourselves in pursuit of a healthier life. Battling sorrow, regret, self-pity, resentment, inferiority, etc. ALONE is a battle we are doomed to lose. We are human beings with emotions and feelings. Who are we to think that we can overcome such powerful emotions and feelings on our own? I am guilty as anyone for attempting to conquer the jaws of life solo. Were brash beings aren’t we.

EVERYONE knows the weight loss equation. Take in less calories than you burn. It’s simple math, but simple often does not mean easy.  This begs the question…Why is weight loss is so damn hard? When we feed the evil wolf we are choosing to starve the good wolf. In my experience, the best action plan to sustain weight loss is identifying your first step. The BEST first step is to have a strong social support network or accountability partner or team. Surrounding yourself with people who lift you up rather than drag you down IS a critically important step. This will replace the negative influences in your life with positive ones. Your life WILL become easier and and your weight loss journey WILL be successful. I believe you can do it. Now is the time for YOU to believe in yourself!

Are you in need of help? Do you need someone to listen to your struggles with weight loss? Visit www.homefront.fitness and talk to Christian. 

Free Will

by Christian Bossert

What is free will? I believe free will is the power to make decisions for ourselves. This is an extraordinary gift. The reason being is that we are free to choose our own thoughts. We are given the God given right to conceive in our mind whatever we want to.

I admire to the highest extent people who have amazing imaginations. Authors of sci-fi and fantasy books are able to conceive a world in great detail. They create a world that does not exist except for in their mind. J.K. Rowling created the most illustrious series of books from within her own mind. She chose to share her greatness with us by deciding to write down her thoughts. Millions all around the globe have been able to find joy and happiness in reading her Harry Potter novels. I believe she is one the greatest human beings of our time.

Every day when we wake up we have the power to make decisions. We are in control of these decisions. This beautiful gift cannot be undermined. Can you imagine living in a world in which your decisions were dictated by someone else? Each step you make calculated through another source. Your dreams, ambitions, and definite purpose in life would be completely controlled by another being. This would be a living hell. Fortunately, we do not live in a world like this. We live in a world in which we are in complete control of our actions and thoughts.

Why do we take our free will for granted? I will be the first one to admit that in my 27 years on this planet, many of those years have been spent without knowledge of my definite purpose in life. This is now a scary thought for me because I know that without a definite purpose it is impossible to live life to its fullest extent. Without a definite purpose in life I drifted. I followed directions and did what I was told to do. I envisioned life following the pattern of school>job>family>retirement>death. Is this what I had to look forward to? This lead me down the path of self-discovery (which has had MANY road and torrential downpours).

I can honestly say that I have found my definite purpose in life. I wake up every day absolutely THRILLED for what each bright sunny day brings (yes, I BELIEVE every day is a bright sunny day, there are just some days the clouds and rain hide that bright sun). I cannot emphasize how important it is to exercise your free will to identify your definite purpose in life. I am thrilled for those reading who have found their definite purpose in life. I ask you to share with the world the power you have. YOU decided to find your purpose and now your life EACH day with purpose. You cannot be stopped in your mission because you know what your purpose is.