This is a quick and simple blog post to let all RSS subscribers know The MAG-Factor Fitness Coaching website is open and off to an amazing start with VIP clients already reaching short term goals in only a week..

To see if there is any more room for you – come and take a look at these links, ASAP:

MAG Factor VIP Client Special – $661.00 Worth of The Best Fitness Freebies

MAG-Factor VIP Behind the Scenes Secret Video Footage

If the idea of having one of the best personal trainers and lifestyle coaches in the world was ever a dream of yours – you can start to see that dream as a true reality now…

See you there!

– Joey Atlas

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Tags: The MAG Factor Fitness Program

Try These 5 Top Foods to Manage Your Menopause Symptoms

Menopause can make life a challenge in many ways. Finding even just a few ways to manage the symptoms can go a long way in making your days more pleasant and positive.

One of the most powerful and health promoting nutrient groups are EFA’s, better known as; essential fatty acids. Omega-3’s are an ideal and abundant source of EFA’s and here are five foods which can fulfill all your EFA needs, to help manage menopause symptoms and make your life more enjoyable:

1: Wild Caught Salmon (avoid farm-raised when possible). Other fish sources high in Omega-3’s are cod and halibut.

2: Kidney Beans – mix with chopped sweet peppers and arugala; add your favorite extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and you have an EFA power-meal. Pinto beans and white beans are also excellent options for this little recipe.

3: Wall-Nuts – enjoy with your favorite fruit, such as fresh figs or melon. Pecans and hazelnuts are also great choices.

4: Ground Flax Seeds – add into your favorite salad at lunch and/or dinner. Goes well in smoothie shakes too. And you can also sprinkle over steamed veggies.

5: Cauliflower – cook just like you’d make mashed potatoes, add your favorite nut oil (almond, macadamia, etc) for an extra boost of Omega-3’s, sprinkle with black pepper, paprika and sea salt.

Here is the complete article:
Essential Foods to Help Manage Menopause Symptoms

And here is an excellent e-book loaded with extremely helpful information on all aspects of Menopause and management of Menopause Symptoms:

****Please feel free to share this post with anyone else you know who can use some help in managing their menopause symptoms.***
 

Your trainer for life,

- Joey Atlas

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Tags: EFA's for Menopause, Foods to help Menopause, Menopause, Menopause Symptoms, Omega-3's

OK – as promised a few months back – here is PART 3 of The Guest Writer Series from Sue Heintze

QUESTION for Sue: “For a woman with many responsibilities – life can sometimes be unpredictable. How do you manage this aspect of life, so you don’t “fall off the wagon”? Do you have any specific strategies for this?”

Sue’s ANSWER:

I’ve always been a routine kind of ‘gal. As many of you know, routine and babies or kids, don’t go hand in hand. Kids get sick, you get sick, kids cause sleep deprivation, and you have far more appointments and far less time for yourself when you have a family. So, as much as I was prepared for a change in lifestyle when Kyah came along, it was still a huge shock to the system….

“I don’t have time…”

Initially I was finding it quite difficult to manage my business and find time for training. I thought about it closely and realized that it was more of a motivational and priority issue than a time issue.

In reality, time required for exercise and training is really quite minimal. ‘I don’t have time’ is the biggest excuse in the fitness/weight loss industry. I’ve found that it’s rarely a time factor, but more likely a priority factor.

Simply put, it’s just not a big enough priority for you. Think about it – we always manage to find time for things in life that are a priority.

Of course time management can also be an issue, but that’s a whole other subject…

TRAINING/WORKOUTS

Within 3 months I’d lost my pregnancy weight and more, so I didn’t have a really compelling reason to get back to the gym on a regular basis – apart from the fact I was feeling a bit soft and weak!

This was highly unusual for me as I love training, and never had an issue with this prior.

I realized that I needed an initial ‘push’ in the right direction so I hired a personal trainer for 2 sessions a week for 12 weeks. I’m currently mid-way through and my goal is to have a photo shoot at the end. For me (and many others) it’s really important to have some purpose to your training.

Find some sort of challenge or goal – something to aim for, to keep things interesting and exciting.

NUTRITION/FOOD INTAKE

I always keep a stash of healthy, quick, convenient foods in the pantry and fridge.

Things such as protein powder, oats, frozen fruit and veggies, cottage cheese, nuts, tuna/salmon/sardines tins and pouches, boiled eggs and protein bars have all been lifesavers for me at one point or another.

It’s also a good idea when you make dinner, to make extra and freeze the left overs so you’ll always have a healthy meal in the freezer if you’re stuck for time.

If traveling, plan ahead. Have a cooler bag in the car and stock it with food so you don’t get stuck and have to purchase less than optimal food on your travels. If booking accommodations, look for somewhere that has a kitchen, or at least a microwave and refrigerator.

To sum up:

1. Plan ahead! If you think ahead you should rarely need to eat off plan or miss a training session

2. Have a contingency plan – if something gets in the way, always have a Plan B – it’s a good idea to have some equipment at home (ie barbell, dumbbells, bench, ball) in case you can’t make it to the gym

3. If you’ve lost your fitness mojo, find a challenge or do something different – if you do something (such as exercise) just because ‘you should’ it won’t be enjoyable and won’t last long

4. Mark your training sessions in your diary as an appointment or plan sessions with a friend or trainer – it’s much harder to miss sessions when someone else is relying on you to be there

5. Keep plenty of healthy, quick, convenient foods in the pantry and fridge so you are not tempted to eat off plan

Sue Heintze

To see Sue’s amazing Before & After story – just go here => About Sue

We hope you’re enjoying these Guest Posts and would love to hear your feedback or questions in the comment area below. …And please share these helpful articles with ANYONE you know who will benefit from them.

Stay tuned for PARTS 3 and 4!

If you missed PARTS 1 and 2 – here are the direct links:

Busy Fit Mommy Interview With Sue Heintze: Part 2

Busy Fit Mommy Interview With Sue Heintze: Part 1

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Tags: Fit Mom, Ideal Bodies Online, Ideal Body Blueprint, Sue Heintze, Sue Heintze Fitness

Can you be fit, healthy and sexy – if your partner or spouse isn’t interested in the same?

One of the BIGGEST obstacles which prevents most people from ever reaching and maintaining an ideal level of physical fitness – is a spouse or partner who is simply not interested in the “fitness lifestyle”.

I have much to say and plenty to write on this very topic – and I will do so in the future, No Doubt… But for now – this post from fitness pro, and guest writer, Sue Heintze who faces the same obstacle; shares with us how she has managed to overcome it.

So, here we go…

QUESTION for Sue: “Is your spouse supportive of your desire to live a fitness lifestyle – and what are some of the ways he does this?”

Sue’s ANSWER:

Sure, it is a really big plus if your partner is supportive of your fitness lifestyle….

To be able to talk about fitness together, to exercise together, and cook healthy meals together, would be a fitness buff’s dream. But this is a rare occurrence and if your partner is not as supportive as you would like, it doesn’t mean you have to give up.

Yes, it makes it a little more difficult but it’s certainly not impossible as I prove on a daily basis!

Many of my clients complain to me that their partner eats junk food in front of them. My simple and logical response is, ‘it doesn’t mean you have to eat it too’. My husband does that too, and if I used that as an excuse I’d be the size of an elephant!

Despite my nagging, my husband is not particularly fitness or health inspired. However, he shows his support of how I choose to live my life in other ways.

I am quite ok with eating rather bland food, but my husband is not.

Like many people in this day and age, I am very busy.

I have my own company, my training, domestic duties, the myriad of appointments that I seem to have, sustaining a loving relationship and keeping up with friends and family. Now I have a beautiful 6 month old daughter to add to that list. So, bland eating has many benefits for me. It’s quick, it’s easy, it fuels my body and it keeps me lean. I like to keep the special treats for when I eat out.

That works for me, and I am a big believer in that if you are hungry most any type of food will taste good! However, I understand that this may not work for others.

Before I had my daughter, we would often eat separate meals in the evening simply because my husband didn’t want to eat what I was eating! So, that worked for us. He was happy to cook and we still had a few meals that suited us both so would not eat differently all the time. I often found that all I needed to do was drop the carbs from the meal and it was fine for me.

One of the secrets is to find good healthy alternatives that you enjoy so you don’t feel deprived, or, find healthy meals that you both love if variety is important to you. {SIDE NOTE: Sue wrote ‘Lean Body Gourmet‘ which is a part of her programs on her website. It’s filled with all types of meals for the fitness lifestyle; with flavor, variety and options.}

My husband also does his fair share around the house.

We have a cleaner that comes once a week to do our floors, bathrooms and kitchen which is a big help. My hubby helps with the laundry, washing Kyah’s bottles, and most importantly, he does the night feed for me. I go to bed early (very early some nights!) but I am the one to get up early in the morning and get Kyah fed and organised for day care, while he sleeps in a little.

Every so often he goes away for work for a week at a time and boy, do I feel it then! But, I know it’s only while my daughter is young and it’s getting better and better as she gets older. We simply follow the ‘many hands make light work’ rule.

My husband knows I’m happiest when I’m living my chosen lifestyle so he is happy to help me out when he can.

So, here’s a little checklist to help you find the support you need:

· If your partner isn’t into the fitness lifestyle see if he can support you in other ways – a little bit of cooking, cleaning or taking care of the kids for a little while so you can get in an exercise session or prepare your meals will be a great help

· Show your appreciation when your partner does help – everyone likes to know they are appreciated!

· Find support elsewhere too. Fitness forums, an exercise partner etc, where you can discuss ideas and find solutions – trust me, if you’re having some issues, others will be having them too

· Take responsibility. Just because your partner may not choose to be as supportive as you would like, doesn’t mean you can’t achieve your goals.

· Nagging doesn’t help – unfortunately! But just maybe when he sees your results, you will inspire your partner into becoming fitter and healthier too.

Sue Heintze

To see Sue’s amazing Before & After story – just click either link below; And then click ‘About’ in the upper right hand corner of her website:
Ideal Body Blueprint for Women
Advanced Fat-Loss Blueprint

And stay tuned for Parts 3, 4, and 5 – You will not want to miss them…

Any comments or thoughts about this post?? Feel free to share in ‘comment’ section below…

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This is the first part of an extremely insightful and helpful 5-Part Interview Series with Sue Heintze.

Sue Heintze at 41 and 7 Weeks Pregnant

Why Sue? …because many of my subscribers (you) have asked to hear from “a woman who has figured out how to maintain a beautiful level of fitness while dealing the everyday challenges of today’s modern woman – SUCH AS: spouse, kids, job, housework, extended family, etc….”

So, in my efforts to always give you what you want – and then some – I’ve created an interview which had to be broken down into 5 parts, in order to be answered with clarity and strength. Without further delay – here is Part 1:

QUESTION for Sue: “What adjustments did you have to make going from single/no kids—to married with child, etc… – both psychologically and logistically/physically?”

Sue’s ANSWER:

Do you ever wish there were more than 24 hours in the day?

Do you imagine how much you’d accomplish if you didn’t have to sleep? It sure can be a difficult thing to manage a home, a career, a relationship, be a mother, a daughter, a wife and a domestic goddess all rolled in to one. Add getting in shape to all that and things can seem pretty impossible.

As a new mum at the ripe old age of 41, this was a new challenge for me late last year. Prior to this I was an independent woman who ran my company business from home and trained and slept whenever I felt like it. I used to compete in figure competitions, so I was very busy and I worked hard, but my husband and I could pretty much do what we wanted, when we wanted.

Now, we have a beautiful addition to our family and I love my 6 month old daughter with a love that I never knew existed – but that luxurious world of independence that once existed has been totally crushed!

I was prepared for it as much as I could be.

I’d heard stories from other women about how they lost their pre pregnancy shape and never regained it, and that they never had a moment to themselves when the kids came along. I admit – I was a little bit scared.

I’d had my fair share of body image issues and disordered eating patterns in the past and I definitely didn’t want to revisit those topics. Funnily enough, childbirth didn’t worry me (although in hindsight it should have!), but losing ‘my life’ and my body as I knew them were my major concerns.

I actually talked to my husband at length about my concerns prior to getting pregnant. I had a career, one that paid our mortgage, so I was never going to be able to be a ‘full time mum’. Training was part of my life – it’s what I do, I don’t just talk the talk, I definitely practise what I preach and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to continue that.

My husband was great, and he was adamant that he intended to share the child rearing responsibilities.

I’ve never been a great sleeper, so this was my biggest worry initially. I had no idea how I was going to be able to look after a newborn and get enough sleep to enable me to run my business – let alone get back in shape! I’d heard that if you managed to actually have a shower before lunchtime you were doing well! Crikey!

About 8 weeks before the birth, I prioritized.

My baby and my health were my number one priority.

Even though I’d put on 16kg (35lb) I wasn’t too concerned about it but I knew that even if I didn’t have time for exercise yet, there was definitely something I could do to start my way back to great shape. So, this was my simple list of priorities after Kyah was born:

1. Get enough sleep so I could cope with the new challenges that would come my way

2. Get back to the nutrition principles that I know get me lean and keep me lean

3. Walk outdoors with my baby, when possible

Pretty simple really!

Prior to the birth I made sure that I had delegated as much of my business tasks as possible to my wonderful Programs Manager Kristin, though being a Managing Director of your own company means you will never be able to fully delegate everything. I talked to my husband about the need for some time each week to keep up with the basics.

So basically I had a plan for my business after the birth.

I also decided that exercise was not a priority at this early stage and that I wouldn’t beat myself up if I wasn’t able to exercise regularly (or at all). Consequently, I think all I managed was a couple of walks and one gym session in the first 8 weeks.

I did however concentrate on eating good food, and found that because of my previous fitness lifestyle, that the weight came off easily. Within 10 weeks I was only 2lb off my pre conception weight. I highly recommend being in shape prior to conceiving ladies!

The first 3-4 months of being a new mum was very challenging. I still had a very busy business to run, and a household to tend to, as well as a beautiful little girl who was diagnosed with reflux at 2 weeks old. I also had to go back to hospital for surgery for retained placenta 2 weeks after Kyah’s birth – I spent 2 more nights in hospital.

My husband and I played a bit of tag which allowed us both to get enough sleep to deal with everything else we had going on. I wouldn’t have been able to manage without my husband who shared the responsibility of night feeds, bottle washing and general household duties.

So, you could say we didn’t have a smooth start to parenthood. But, this still didn’t defeat me. I’ll reveal why and how in the next few parts of this series.

In wrapping up part 1 of this interview series, I offer a simple word of advice for all mum’s – please, do not put too much pressure on yourself – and keep reminding yourself; you do an amazing job, every single day and; it is really important you be kind to yourself.

Perfection often doesn’t look or feel perfect, but it can still be there. And if you open your mind a bit, you may realize bits and pieces of perfection throughout your fully-loaded, busy day.

– Sue Heintze
To see Sue’s amazing Before & After story – just click either link below; And then click ‘About’ in the upper right hand corner of her website:
Ideal Body Blueprint for Women
Advanced Fat-Loss Blueprint

And stay tuned for Parts 2, 3, 4, and 5 – You will not want to miss them.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Tags: Ideal Bodies Online, Ideal Body Blueprint, Sue Heintze, Sue Heintze Fitness

I just realized there are over 1,000 subscribers to this blog and many of you may not have subscribed to the email-only version of these newsletters and updates… So, I’m posting this today to make sure you don’t miss out on a VERY BIG opportunity at http://www.YourFitnessPlans.com

Kim from The Biggest Loser

Here’s the summary:

1 – At the link above you get FREE instant access to a series of FTFL Training videos, PDF, and place to post questions on the blog for Kim and the FTFL Team. There are already about 2,000 Q&A’s!! You have to see it to believe it.

2 – On January 4th they will announce the FREE 10-Days of Online Fitness Coaching/Training

3 – By signing in for FREE instant access at you have a chance to win Kim’s AWESOME Maserati (Hot Italian Sports-Car), $10,000.00 and a Dream-Life Luxury Vacation.

4 – If you decide to stay with the FTFL Online Program AFTER the 10-Days FREE Training Period – I will also give you 2-weeks FREE private forum access to ME. Giving you an even better chance to win the awesome prizes listed above. (you just forward your confirmation email to my main email addy and we will send you the private access link to my private forum.)

Click Photo for Kim

Imagine getting yourself into top shape – both inside and outside…

And then imagine yourself winning this contest. That is big news – and with a transformation of this sort – you can find fame and new opportunities. It’s not definite and you may not even care for that. BUT – it’s a possibility and in life – ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN – even really amazing things like such as what I describe above.

You’ve go to be in it to win it though. So get here and get started. You deserve it. And you have just as a good a shot as anyone else. You are more powerful than you know…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Your trainer for life,

– Joey Atlas

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I don’t know if it’s the time of year – or just a coincidence, but there seems to be a lot of talk time being devoted to the topic of emotional eating. We’ve also been getting many emails from people looking for help with this very common issue.

So – to help, I’ve done 2 things. First, I’ve posted one of my online audio CD’s which was formerly only available as a private bonus for my FL4BW program (this program is currently closed – but will be re-opened early in the new year)…

You get access to this important part of the program – 100% FREE… Right here… Just click the play button:

Emotional Eating Right Online Audio CD

The second thing I’ve done is posted a basic, but helpful, article to help people who suffer from the mildest, but most common form of emotional eating. This article has been submitted by health writer, J. Davenport:

5 Steps to Stop Emotional Eating

- By John Davenport – author of the Emotional Eating Solution

Do you ever find yourself eating even though you know that you’re not physically hungry? In nearly all of us, hunger is not only a physical thing but an emotional one as well. We eat, not just to feed our body, but to comfort ourselves when we’re feeling stressed out, sad, angry, or bored.

This is emotional eating and it’s a challenge millions of people face.

The problem is – if you want to maintain a lean and healthy body, all the extra calories you consume by emotional eating will come back to haunt you – in the form of excess body fat and a poor medical profile.

For this reason, I want to present you with a 5 step action plan by which you can stop emotional eating forever:

Step #1 – Avoid Comfort Food

We all have a weakness for certain kinds of food. These are the foods that give us the most comfort (short as it is). Each person has his or her own comfort foods but some of the more common ones include mass-market chocolate, ice-cream, pizza, and sugar or salt rich items (junk foods).

To make it easier for yourself to avoid these foods, you need to go through your kitchen and get rid of these foods. Just throw them out. Once these foods are not in your home, you will have to work harder to get them.

A little here and there is fine, but emotional eaters tend to use these foods as their main ‘crutches’. So there has to be some self-control in order to shift where you get your calories from. You want high quality, nutrient-dense calories first.

Then you can think about eating some of the “bad” foods you enjoy on a limited basis.

Step #2 – Cook at Home

I often see people eating their lunch during their work break. They are so hungry that they don’t even realize how much they’re eating. And the fast food lifestyle teaches everyone how to eat more, not less. So when you combine the stressful demands of work and the comfort found in eating, the combination is a bad one.

The best thing you can do to reduce temptation and overeating when you’re out of your home is to carry food that you’ve prepared in advance with you.

Yes, it’s a bit more work but it will not only save you a whole lot of calories, but some money as well. Cooking at home is much cheaper than eating out every day. And in most cases, it’s healthier.

Step #3 – Reduce Stress In Your Life

The biggest cause of emotional eating is stress. We are surrounded by it at our job, at home, when driving. It’s the hectic modern lifestyle, but you’ve got to find a way to alleviate some of this stress.

Here are a few tips:

- Try some breathing exercises each morning and night. Here is a free video on Breathing Exercises
- Practice basic yoga and/or meditation.
- Take some time for yourself each evening and watch a sitcom. Laughter reduces stress very quickly.
- Avoid people who add stress to your life. (this may be the toughest, but one of the MOST critical)
- Exercise daily, even if you only have 10 or 15 minutes on any given day.
- Try trading massages with your significant other; or go pay for one.

Step #4 – Eat from Smaller Dishes

Have you ever found yourself eating food right out of the bag or box and then finding out that you’ve eaten nearly all of it without even noticing it?

The best way to stop this kind of mindless overeating is to place all your food on a small plate or in a small bowl. Our mind immediately judges the amount of food we have by how it fills our dishes. If the dish appears full, we tend to think of the portion as sufficient.

This is an easy and effective way to eat less, regardless of your mood. And the more you do this, the more natural it becomes.

Step #5 – Practice Mindful Eating

The final step you need to take to overcome emotional eating is to turn eating to something more mindful. Most people eat out of reflex. They don’t put any thought into it. This is how you overeat because most people eat until they are ‘over-full’ in order to feel satisfied.

Before you eat your next meal or snack, stop for a second and ask yourself: “Am I really hungry?”

If the answer is ‘Yes’, go ahead and eat. If it’s ‘No’, then this was an emotional hunger and just by putting a little thought into it, you’ve managed to avoid falling for it.

You’ve just saved yourself some useless calories and have exhibited powerful control over your false emotions.

Use these 5 steps and it will become much easier for you to stop emotional eating, eat healthier, and lose body fat.

John Davenport is a health and wellness writer. His main site is Emotional Eating Solution

Popularity: 2% [?]

One of the biggest things which has surprised me the most, in all my years of doing one-on-one training and coaching, is the number of people who are challenged by general anxiety and panic attacks.

Once I realized how common this issue was/is – I felt the need to explore it further and see how it affects the average person on a daily basis – and what implications it has on one’s health and fitness.

Most of the symptoms are in the list below – although there are other, more severe, symptoms which I have not included here:

- Dizzy spells leading to panic and episodes of fear
- Tightness in throat and chest- shortness of breath
- Racing heart with tingling sensations
- Sense of no control over life/daily matters
- Hot flushes followed by waves of anxiety
- Obsessive worries and unwanted thoughts
- Not feeling connected to what is going on around you
- Overwhelming fear that the anxiety will push you over the edge?

One thing is for sure – the people who made proper exercise a consistent part of their life, experienced a significant reduction in anxiety and panic attacks.

I believe 2 of the main reasons for this are:

(1) you are “in control” of your body, mind and health when you exercise regularly – and any way you can be “in control” is a way to reverse feelings of NOT being in control…

(2) Exercise is a natural stress reliever – and stress is a major underlying factor in anxiety/panic disorders. So, when you reduce stress through exercise you reduce one of the main ingredients of anxiety/panic attacks.

This is why some of the most successful anti-anxiety programs include exercise as one of the critical elements of their program. One of the best-known programs which includes ‘exercise’ in it’s protocol can be reviewed here: No Anxiety – No Panic

When we speak of exercise in this area – there isn’t “one right choice”. There are many – and it truly depends on the client. Here are some options:

- Yoga (there are many types and levels of Yoga to choose from)
- Pilates (there are many types and levels of Pilates to choose from)
- Martial Arts (many choices here too)
- Kick-boxing
- Cross-Training
- Atlas Bodyweight Training (that’s me
- Swimming
- Cardio-Dance

There are more, no doubt – but you get the idea, right?

In addition to the above 2 reasons why exercise is a key component in anti-anxiety/panic reduction programs is another reason…. Exercise has a beneficial effect on various elements and hormones throughout your body.

These elements are extremely powerful and work in ways which are still being studied to be better understood. Some call them ‘internal relaxants’, ‘mood enhancers’ or ‘brain balancers’.

Regardless of what we know them as, or call them – one this is certain… The cause and effect relationship has been proven time and time again: Exercise has positive effects on stress, anxiety and panic attacks.

If you feel you need help in this area – and also believe in the exercise component, then take a look at the demo video at the panic-away website: No Anxiety – No Panic

I think you’ll appreciate all the info there….

If you know someone who can benefit from this, just forward this link to them – they’ll thank you for it.

Your trainer forever – your trainer for life,

– Joey Atlas

M.S. – Exercise Physiology

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Tags: Exercise to Reduce Stress, Exercises to Reduce Anxiety, Exercises to Reduce Panic Attacks

Yoga is big business. VERY big – huge actually. In addition to the practice itself there are clothing lines, franchises, nutritional supplements, resorts – and more – all built on the foundation of ‘yoga’…

But there is an inherent problem that comes with this phenomenon

Just like in the fitness instructor/personal training field – there are dozens of “certification courses” creating new and inexperienced yoga instructors every single month, all around the world. Now – this isn’t a problem if the instructor is well-matched with appropriate students and is skilled in their method of teaching.

But – quite often that is not the case. Don’t get me wrong though – as there are many top-notch yoga instructors in literally every city and town around the globe. The challenge is finding the right “match” – just like when seeking out a personal trainer of fitness coach.

If you are in Jacksonville, Florida and want a fantastic yoga instructor, contact my friend Cari March @ Yoga to Go
If you are in the Orlando, Florida area go see Russ and Kim @ http://www.studionewellness.com

At this point I realize you may be thinking:

“What does Joey know about Yoga?”

…and here’s your answer:

If you’ve been using my any of my home, office and travel fitness programs – you may have noticed some exercises or stretches resemble a yoga pose, move or position… And this would be correct as most of my programs are a ‘fusion’ of exercises and a blend of workout methods…

But – by no means am I calling myself a yoga instructor. Not in the slightest…

Having been in the fitness industry for well over 22 years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some of the best people in various areas of fitness – two of them are listed above. I have another longtime yoga friend who is on more of a global stage though…

More on him later as I want to answer the original question of today’s post…

“Are there really any benefits of yoga?”

The answer is “Absolutely.” (stress reduction, toning, flexibility, health enhancement, sexual performance improvement, etc…) …BUT – since there are so many forms of yoga – and so many instructors out there – It’s up to you to define your personal needs and then seek out the proper style/instructor which best matches your current abilities and specific goals.

If you are already into yoga – or are interested in getting a good start, then I want to introduce you to Lucas Rockwood<= click here to meet him.

Not only is he the co-founder of one of the most successful yoga/health resorts in Thailand called ‘Absolute Sanctuary’ – but he’s also an international yoga course developer and instructor.

He’s put together a neat little site for anyone interested in yoga. I’m not sure how much longer the freebies will be there so go pay him a visit and let him know ‘Joey sent you’…

As you dig into his articles and videos @ Yoga Body Natural – you’ll see why he’s considered an innovator in his field.

If you enjoyed this article – please give a quick click on the ‘Like’ button just below here. And feel free to share this post with others who will benefit from it…

Your trainer forever – your trainer for life…

— Joey Atlas

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Tags: Benefits of Yoga, Lucas Rockwood Yoga, styles of yoga, yoga instructors

I get this question a lot:

“Joey, what are some good snack foods that taste good and satisfy my cravings?”

When you are trying to keep your body and health at it’s best – what you put into your body is a critical factor. No two ways about it…

But it’s no secret that the challenge of ’snacking’ can be the “Achilles heel” of your perfect fitness and nutrition plan. One slip-up and you drive yourself crazy thinking you’ll never be able to “stick with it” all because you haven’t mastered the art of snacking with satisfaction and wiping out your deadliest cravings…

Snacking properly is a critical part of your long term success. It’s one of the reasons so many people “fall off the program”. However – the right “snack tactics” can be your greatest ally in your personal quest.

Here are my top picks for ‘fitness’ snacks to keep you on target for your goals, and SATISFIED:

1 – One and a half ounces of almonds, cashews or walnuts and a small banana. The mixture of high-fiber carbs/protein/healthy fats provides your body with the proper ‘fuel-mixture’ which wipes out feelings of hunger – and the urge to eat even more. With those 2 elements gone – you’ve ‘busted’ your cravings and it’s smooth sailing to your next meal-time.

2 – One cheddar cheese stick and an apple (gala, jonagold, braeburn, etc). The same physiological principle I mention in #1 applies here too. BUT – here’s an added tactic that not too many people know about. Sprinkle ground cinnamon on your apple slices – and sprinkle cayenne pepper on your cheese stick. These 2 spices have a positive effect on your blood sugar/insulin levels – and help keep your appetite in check for a while. I use both of these spices every day, on various snacks and foods.

3 – One half cup of dried-fruit & nut granola mix and carrot sticks. Same principles as # 1 & 2 above. And don’t forget the 2 spices.

4 – A nutrition bar with proper nutrient ratios for stable blood sugar levels and optimal energy. You want to be sure to stay away from any type of bar with artificial/chemical sweeteners (such as aspartame, acesulfame-potassium, sucralose, etc…). These can do a number on your stomach and actually increase your appetite (not good!) – not to mention your long term health.

My top recommendation for a nutrition bar is this one:
Crave Killer Nutrition Bar <= click to see it

The EFA's in these bars work magic on getting rid of hunger - and since they taste incredible, your cravings are totally busted and gone.

WARNING: if you have kids, and they find your stash of these bars - they will devour them. Yes, they are that good. Truth be told - I'm glad to let my kids eat these because there is no crap in them - and they are USDA Organic. Only 180 calories and ready for you to just grab and go.

The amazing dark chocolate coating is enough to make your mouth water just by looking at it:
healthy, crave-busting nutrition bars for the fitness lifestyle <= go check them out

All 3 flavors are incredible and what's perfect is I place a quick re-order every 3-4 weeks. I don't ever worry about running out of these because every month my new stash is delivered right to my doorstep. Life is easy - and good!

Let me know how much you love them,

Joey Atlas; M.S., Exercise Physiology - Partner of ProGrade Nutrition
p.s. - Don't miss these:

Lies and Myths of The Weight Loss Industry

The Untold Metabolism Supplement Story

Do you know someone who is also interested in reading today’s e-newsletter? Probably several people, right? Then feel free to just forward this to them. You have my permission – And they will appreciate you sharing this with them.

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(C) Copyright 2010 and Beyond – Joey Atlas Fitness. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Tags: fitness snacks, healthy nutrition bars, healthy snacks, low calorie snacks, snack bars, snacks for cravings