Do You Eat Enough Fruits and Veggies?
One of the biggest nutritional mistakes people make outside the gym is focusing on getting lots of protein for muscle recovery and starches for energy but then not getting enough fruits and vegetables.
I’m sure when you were a child your mother always told you to eat your fruits and vegetables! Why was this so important? This was so important because she new and was taught that fruits and vegetables were so important for you to grow up healthy and strong.
Now that you are older and full grown many of you have abandoned the fact that you still NEED your fruits and vegetables every day!
Why are fruits and vegetables so important? Lets take a look at some of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables:
-Fruits and vegetables are LOADED with fiber, vitamins and minerals that are crucial for tissue growth, repair and many other important body functions. The fiber, vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables are also shown to help treat, and prevent many chronic diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and stroke!
- Fruits and vegetables are full of many phytochemicals that are important for optimal mental function. Do you suffer from depression, or attention disorders? Eat your fruits and veggies!
-Fruits and vegetables provide an alkaline load to the blood. Since proteins and grains present acids loads to the blood. Eating fruits and vegetables every meal will help prevent an acid/alkaline imbalance. Too much acid and not enough alkaline means loss of bone strength, and muscle mass, which means more body fat!
- Fruits and vegetables will help fill you up and control your appetite and blood sugar which in turn will help with maintaining energy and fat burning.
Make sure to get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white onions. For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.
You can not go wrong with eating fruits and veggies every meal! I recommend 2-3 servings (1/2 cup) of fruits and vegetables at each and every meal. This would be around 10-15 servings if you eat frequent supportive meals.
“Yeah right!?” “How the heck can I get 10 servings of fruits and veggies every day?”
Fresh and frozen fruits and veggies are ALWAYS recommended. But the next best option is VGF 25 +. This not a multivitamin this is a whole food super pill with 25 fruits and vegetables, antioxidants, essential good fats, and amino acids.
This is usually everything your body is lacking if you’re not eating healthy frequent meals, if you’re lacking fruits and vegetables, or even if you think you’re eating healthy. VGF 25 + will fill in all those nutrition gaps most people suffer from. That’s why I personally take it myself 3 times a day and have and put my name on the line recommending it to my clients.
This supplement was designed to fill in nutritional gaps that most suffer from. it was designed by registered dieticians, and nutritionists.
Just a reminder if you take a Centrum or Meijer vitamin you are getting synthetic vitamins made in a lab with lots of chemicals! YIKES!
You can not go wrong with VGF 25+ all natural whole food vitamin.
You can read more about VGF 25 + and its benefits below.
for women click HERE
for men click HERE
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
~David Modderman
Filed under Lifestyle, Nutrition, weight loss by on Oct 2nd, 2011. Comment. 
Mistake 5#- Not Using Proper Form and Resting Too Much.
One of the biggest mistakes I see and have seen in the gym is people working out and not using proper form when they lift weights. These mistakes are usually made using free weights but I see them made on cable machines, and stationary weight machines as well.
Proper exercise execution and form is crucial for not only safety but seeing the best possible results from your workout.
The biggest form mistakes I see are:
1) Swinging and using momentum during the lifting and lowering of the weight. Though this will allow you to handle more weight but this type of form will get you no where as far as the results go.
2) The tempo of the movement is too fast and momentum takes over. Lifting too fast again prevents you from focusing on the muscle and only the movement. The muscle is always more important than the movement.
3) Using your lower back and lower body to help you through the movement. When someone struggles to lift a weight or to get a few extra reps they tend to use their lower back to help them. This is a recipe for disaster. You need to drop the weight and use proper form.
4) Bouncing the weight off your chest. This is very common when I see someone doing barbell chest press. If you have to bounce the weight then you are using too much weight. Bouncing the weight prevents you from really using all the muscle fibers in your chest and allows momentum to help you.
5) Not fully extending at the top of the lift and not coming far enough down to get the most efficient range of motion. Proper range of motion allows you to work all the muscle fibers in that muscle efficiently. Partial reps are not recommended for most people.
6) Locking the joints out on every lift. Locking your legs out at the top of the squat or locking your arms out at the bottom of a bicep curl. The problem with locking the joint out is one it puts more stress on the joint and two you lose the tension on the muscle and this makes the exercise less effective.
7) Not keeping core tight and looking down while doing standing exercises. During a squat its very common for someone to use their lower back and knees by looking down and leading with their knees and shoulders. This will put stress on their back and knees. Keeping core tight, looking straight forward, and sitting away from your knees (leading with glutes) will allow you to the squat safely and effectively and put stress on the muscle and not the spine, lower back, knees and joints. (see photo above)
I always tell my clients “You need to focus on the Muscle not the motion” You should always know what muscle you’re working and focus on the muscle while lifting and lowering the weight. If you’re not feeling it in that muscle while you’re lifting and lowering the weight then you’re probably not working it very efficiently. Any one can do the motion and movement of lifting the weight but if you are not focusing on the muscle you’re really not doing much.
Resting Too Much.
Another mistake I see in the gym is people resting way too much between sets of an exercise and between exercises. If your number one goal is strength and size resting will allow you to lift more weight. However, it will also affect your endurance and you keeping your heart rate up. So if you want to increase your strength more rest is needed yet I wouldn’t recommend resting more than 90 seconds maximum. If your goal is not strength and size there is no reason to rest so much. Ninety percent of the people that come to see me want to get in better shape, improve their stamina, lose fat, or get ripped. Yet I see so many people at the gym with these goals doing a set and resting for a minute or more. I recommend making your time and workout more efficient by doing super sets, or circuits. This will allow you to go from exercise to exercise and rest a muscle group with out resting your heart. This will also allow you to get a great intense workout and not to mention you will burn more calories, challenge your heart, and get your workout in a much quicker period of time .(30 minutes or less)
This concludes “The 5 Biggest Mistakes People Make In the Gym.” If you were making some of these mistakes I hope you will apply the new information you have learned and make your workout routine more efficient and effective!
Now let’s go get it!
Look for the next series “The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes People Make In and Out Of the Kitchen” coming soon!
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach
~David Modderman
Filed under Lifestyle, Training, fitness by on Mar 6th, 2011. Comment.
For the next few months in Michigan it’s sunny and warm outside so why would you want to always do your workout inside in a hot and smelly gym?
Especially, when you can be outside enjoying yourself and your workout in the green grass and warm sunshine!
Most are surprised when I tell them how very little equipment you actually need to get a full body workout outside.
You can get a great workout outside in your own backyard and the park with just a few basic moves and with equipment you can find at almost any park. You can even workout outside with your kids and family and have fun!
I recently appeared on Grand Rapids own WZZM Channel 13′s “Take Five and Company” to discuss this very thing.
You can watch the video below:
Or email subscribers you can view it by clicking here: PARK WORKOUT
Do You Want To Get An Outdoor workout designed specially for you?
Do you want to get a GREAT workout in the park?
Contact me today for more information!
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
~David Modderman
david@davidmodderman
Filed under Training, fitness by on Jul 19th, 2010. Comment.
Now a days it’s so difficult to go to the grocery store to find and buy healthy natural foods. It seems like a large percentage of the foods now are prepackaged processed foods that will just add to your waist line.
The foods you want to buy are there….Unfortunetly, most do not know what to avoid and what to look for.
I have been taking my clients to the Supermarket for years and educating them on what to look for and what to want to avoid if they want to improve health, lose fat and build lean muscle. They are usally shocked when I show them how many deceptive foods labels are out there and how this is killing there weight loss goals?
Did you know there are foods are that are labeled sugar free that are LOADED WITH SUGAR!?
Did you know there a foods labled fat free that are 100% FAT!?
I recently took 94.5 Thunders Country’s Own “Flounder” to the supermarket to help educate him on what he should be looking for and what he should be avoiding when starting his new “Weight Loss Journey”
You Can View This Video Below:
Do you really know what your buying at the grocery store? I have only met a few who really do……..
If your not sure….I can help you!
Contact me today to schedule a Grocery Store Tour For You, and Your Friends and Family!
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
~David Modderman
david@davidmodderman.com
Filed under Lifestyle, Nutrition, weight loss by on Jul 15th, 2010. Comment.
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-1
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-2
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-3
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-4
Reason 9) Poor Attitude and Believe System
A big reason people struggle to lose weight is they have a poor attitude and belief system. Have you ever caught yourself saying the following phrase “I can’t?” ‘I can’t lose weight” “I can’t exercise.” Most who say “I can’t” really believe they can’t. But the reality is they can, they just choose not to. To lose weight and keep it off you really need to believe in your self and say “I can and I will!” Never underestimate the power of positive thinking. If you really want to exercise and eat correctly you can you just have to make it a priority in your life and believe in yourself and follow through.
Reason 10) No Support
Having a support system is such a huge part of losing weight. So many struggle to lose weight on their own, without some form of help and support. Studies show when people are trying to lose weight those who have support from a friend, family member or personal trainer stick with an exercise and eating plan 75% more than those who do not. I recommend attaching yourself to friend or family member with some of the same goals to help you along the way. Never underestimate the buddy system when it comes to exercising more and eating better. Enlisting a personal trainer/fitness expert could be a great way to stay educated, accountable and motivated to reach your goals.
I hope you have read and enjoyed the “10 Reason Why You’re Not Losing Weight” blog series. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
~David Modderman
david@davidmodderman.com
Filed under Uncategorized by on Jun 14th, 2010. Comment.
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-1
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-2
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-3
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10 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight- Part-4
Reason 7) Looking For the Magic Pill or Potion
As a personal trainer I get questions all the time about what are the best supplements, drugs or pills to help lose weight and burn fat. My answer is always the same “A supplement, drug or pill will never be the solution.” Any pill, powder, or supplement is a lie that says, “This will burn fat”, or “This will make you lose weight.” Why? No pill or powder or potion will burn fat by itself without some effort from you. There are some supplements that can help/aid you in burning fat but it will take some effort from you. If you are exercising and eating correctly and not losing weight some supplements will aid you in the process. However, there is no magic pill, powder or potion that exists that you can take and then sit on the couch and expect it to go to work for you. I recommend resistance training, aerobic exercise, and a solid nutrition plan first. Then you can think about getting a good multivitamin and beyond.
Reason 8} Looking For the Magic Device
Ever watch television late at night an on the weekends? If you have I’m sure you have been bombarded with every exercise device known to man. There are thousands of abs devices, waist shrinkers, and butt burners advertised to anyone desperate to lose weight. These devices and products promise you the world, but the only thing you usually lose is your hard earned money. There is no magic device that you can use on your stomach or your butt that will reduce inches and burn fat without some change in your nutrition plan and the also the amount of calories you burn. If this magic device existed then everyone would be using it. If these products worked so well, why do they keep coming up with new ones every month? They do this because they like to play with your emotions and they like to tell you what you want to hear so will buy it. You do not need these devices; you just need a good solid exercise and nutrition plan.
Look for the 5th and Final Part Tomorrow!
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
~David Modderman
david@davidmodderman.com
Filed under Nutrition, weight loss by on Jun 12th, 2010. 1 Comment.
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-1
10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight-Part-2
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10 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight-Part 3
Reason 5) Eating Too Much
Eating excessive calories is probably the number one reason people are not losing weight. With the rise of fast foods and unhealthy foods everywhere we turn its no wonder that obesity has effected our population so much. It is said that Americans today eat 30% more than they did 20 year ago. Food is sold in bigger containers, and portions in restaurants have increased as well. When you eat more than your body burns these calories will most likely be stored as fat. The most effective way to treat overeating is to focus on eating less food but not starving your self. Focus on eating smaller portions, but also eating fewer calories. An easy way to do this is to eat smaller more frequent meals, and control the size of the portions you are getting. Not to mention getting less fat in your meals (which is higher in calories than protein and carbohydrates), and concentrate on getting leaner proteins, and more fruits and veggies. These natural foods will fill you up and be used efficiently for energy.
6) Not Eating Breakfast
If you want to really lose weight and keep it off you must eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for many reasons. Studies show that people who skip breakfast are 4.5 times more likely to be overweight.
The average 8 hour of sleep burns 450 calories. You must try to eat within 60-90 minutes after waking. Adding breakfast is what starts your metabolism up and prepares it to burn the rest of the day. If you skip breakfast your metabolism slows down and your blood sugar drops. You will increase hunger, have less energy and most likely store fat. You will crave high sugar, high fat foods, and tend to crave calories late at night. A recent study from the Weight Control Registry out of those who lost at least 30 pounds and maintained it for at least one year ate breakfast every single morning.
Look For Part 4 Tomorrow!
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
~David Modderman
david@davidmodderman.com
Filed under Nutrition, weight loss by on Jun 10th, 2010. 2 Comments.
Is Aerobic Exercise The Answer To Fat Loss??
I see it every day people doing hours on the treadmill or the bike.
Others taking a 60 minute aerobic class on an empty stomach
Even more people coming in and just doing the elliptical for an hour and then doing a few crunches and then hitting the showers.
Does aerobic exercise burn fat? Yes and No. Meaning it can if you have everything else right!
If your not eating enough of the right calories and the right balance of foods you could be burning muscle for fuel!
Aerobic exercise is good for your heart and lungs, its also good for burning calories, which in turn will create a calorie deficit to lose fat.
But aerobic exercise can actually slow down your metabolism. Aerobic exercise is catabolic, meaning it can sacrifice muscle tissue if done wrong or for too long.
Aerobic exercise is not EFFECTIVE for fat loss by itself. You need to have a concern for muscle!
You need to challenge and protect your muscle through resistance training and actually eating ENOUGH to maintain muscle.
Resistance training is #1 in losing fat and keeping it off. Why because the more muscle you have the fat you burn!
If you are not doing resistance training you are not going to lose fat and keep it off!
If you are doing resistance training and have been doing the same routine for more than 2 months! You need something new!
Add in the right nutrition plan with the right exercise routine you have now created a fat burning machine.
Are you not sure if you’re doing everything right to reach your goals?
Then what are you waiting for?
Contact me know to find out all the options I have for you to succeed!
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
~David Modderman
Filed under Nutrition, weight loss by on Jun 29th, 2009. Comment.
Weight Watchers is a quite popular diet program based on low fat eating, exercise, and group counseling. Every food item from ice cream to pizza has a point value based on its nutritional content. You can eat as much as you want as long as you stay within your points. To assist the dieter in their lifestyle changes all members are encouraged to attend group discussion and counseling sessions, mostly in person, at local Weight Watchers centers. As of late they have come with out a new creation called Flex points, this is just the same program in a better marketing package. In the Flex plan they have added a weight watchers point calculator and use more weight watcher recipes. Most dieters are given a reserve 35 points (flex points) to use for unplanned activities or cravings. I see no difference from before.
I have many clients that say they had success on the Weight Watchers plan in the past. Yet I always question if it worked so well why are they seeking out a NEW solution? It obviously didn’t work for them in the long term. If it worked so well why didn’t they stick to it?
Weight Watchers in my opinion used to be a pretty sound program, far as trying to help people, but as of late it seems to be using a lot of slick marketing and advertising to bring people in. Far as being successful that’s a different story. They usually advertise telling people enjoy the foods you love and lose weight while you do! The points plan controls the amount of food you consume but not always what those foods are. So you could be potentially eating less food but not exactly better choices for healthy weight loss and long-term success. So the dieter thinks he or she is making some healthy changes in their diet by eating fewer calories and staying within their points but could be consuming higher sugar and fat meals, meals that are not balanced enough, or high enough in calories to support your metabolism. See the problem here? The points system does not differentiate between foods high in sugar or high in carbohydrates protein or fat. This diet is assuming all calories are calories and they all affect your body the same way. I’m here to tell you they do no!
Some foods are more easily stored as fat, some foods effect your blood sugar levels more than others, some foods are actually more thermic, meaning your metabolism actually increases trying to break these foods down! Some foods combinations can make you fatter, while some can make you leaner. If your goal is long-term fat loss (not just weight) then the specific foods you are consuming are more important than the calories from food in general. When will people realize calories are not BAD! Calories are fuel for the human machine. Without the right amount of calories you will slow down are metabolism, and store more fat in the long run. You need calories and the right ones.
Now Weight Watchers is actually selling their own processed frozen meals. They are nice for convenience yes…but are they good for you? No, not really they are balanced yet they are loaded with sodium, preservatives and have a have a paragraph for the ingredient list. You can make the same meal yourself for the same the price and with fewer preservatives. Any diet that cost money to join and then try to sell you their own food has other interests in mind.
Exercise is not a #1 priority for this Weight Watchers program and if your goal is long- term success it should be! The problem with long term diet counseling and group support which most Weight Watchers program includes is you develop no self- reliance and self- discipline to do it on your own, which is crucial to succeed long term. This diet is added to my list that use low calorie deprivation to lose weight on a scale. Weight loss on the scale is not accurate indicator of fat loss. I know many people who lose lots of WEIGHT on a low calorie diet and then long term they gain the majority of it back. Their are 3 things you can lose on the scale:
1)Water
2) Fat
3) Muscle
There are better and more successful options people..trust me.
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
~David Modderman
Filed under Lifestyle, Nutrition, weight loss by on Jun 9th, 2009. Comment.
