How Cheese Could Be Sabotaging Your Diet and Your Health

Feeling all witty this week I updated my Facebook status with the following:

“Did you know it is possible to stab yourself with cheese and bleed?  It is!  I spotted a hard piece of grated cheese on my counter I must have missed last night while cleaning up so I grabbed a wipe and tried to clean it, it was being stubborn so I used my fingernail. The cheese fought back!

The feedback to this post ranged from, “if anyone could prove this theory you could” to sympathy and understanding (or more likely pity) for my strange accident.

I got to thinking after this traumatizing incident, that maybe cheese could be more lethal than any of us imagined.  Okay, I will pause momentarily for you to gasp and try to grasp the self-proclaimed cheese news I am about to bring you. . .

Cheese is a hardened criminal. 

Wait, what?  Did I just accuse such a fantastic tasting, food transforming piece of dairy of a terrible felony against man?  Yes, I believe I did. I must tell you I do it with great sadness.

But …!

Think about it, at least for a moment, if this lovely food after being left alone for too long becomes cold and decides to harden because of lack of attention, it can threaten a volatile relationship.

Now, all of this may sound a little silly but I assure you I have given it much thought, as the yellow brick of love has become a part of my daily life and meal planning for my family.  I did, however, for some strange reason have an epiphany when I stabbed myself with this soft friend that became hard as steel this particular day.

Cheese is a dairy product and it is a well known fact that dairy products are rich in fats and cholesterol,  two components which alone could very well lead you to an early grave.

The cholesterol in the cheese could lead to high cholesterol levels in the blood which could further lead to several heart conditions.  When the cholesterol levels are increased, it has the tendency to stick to the walls of the arteries. Hence, my coralition between the blood drawing cheese on the counter and the blood curdling cheese effects in your body.

Now, I could go on about the dangers of cheese but kept in moderation cheese is a great source of protein, calcium, and phosphorus, so it’s not all bad.

Its time to change our relationship with cheese, and following are a few ways to do so:

• Instead of using cheese as a central ingredient, use it to accent your meals. Aged cheese is great for this, it tends to be more flavorful so you actually don’t need to use very much of it. Such cheeses include extra-sharp or sharp cheddar, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, and Asiago.

• There are many cheeses that are naturally lower in fat, including part-skim mozzarella, string cheeses, farmers cheese, and cream cheese.  Also, goat cheese is lower in fat and has fewer calories than cow’s milk cheese.

• You can also try a reduced fat cheese, which are now widely available and actually very comparable, this coming from a serious cheese addict. Reduced-fat cheeses have about 6 grams of fat, with 4 grams of saturated fat, which makes using these cheeses in sandwiches and salads as well as pizzas very easy.

Now that I have tried to state the facts, according to the cheese police, I will say that cheese is still my “bad boy” boyfriend and I am reluctant to give him up, so I suppose the moral of my story is, go ahead and eat some cheese, but use it less often and more sparingly.

You just may find yourself a few pounds lighter and more capable of keeping up a regular exercise routine.  Exercise may even buy you a ticket to eat that extra piece of pizza with cheese, but don’t take advantage, a great body and great health don’t come easy.

Ready for a challenge?

Check out Physzique in Spokane, the trainers here will kick your cheese loving toosh so fast you will never know what hit you.  Get fit and learn not to care about the cheddar on your tacos from this comprehensive workout regime and Boot Camp style workout.

At some point or another, you have probably discovered that music can inspire you. Whether you are feeling kind of blue and want to snap out of your funk, needing to get a ton of work ton and need something to help you keep up the pace, or need some speed encouragement while out on a run, music is there for you. But did you know it really is helping you with fitness Spokane Valley? The theory that music motivates us to exercise harder has been put to the test by Brunel University’s School of Sport and Education researcher Dr. Costas Karageorghis.

Thirty participants worked out on a treadmill while listening to specifically selected tracks based on such factors as beat (120-140 beats per minute) and motivating lyrics. They were instructed to keep pace with the beat as much as possible. At the end of the study, participants increased their endurance by and average of 15%. Dr. Karagorghis says that music motivates us because it has the ability to affect our mood. As a result, if we listen to upbeat music, it will negate some of the pain we experience towards the end of our training session and helps us truly “go the distance.”

How can I apply this to my fitness in Spokane Valley?

The easiest option is to just grab your iPod or other personal music device and go for a run. Make sure that your play list includes music with a fast tempo. The music doesn’t have to be the techno dance club music that many Spokane athletic clubs play, such as the Liberty Lake Athletic club, Oz Fitness Spokane Wa, Snap Fitness Spokane and Anytime Fitness Spokane  play, just make sure it is upbeat. If you like classical music there are several pieces of classical music that are over 120 beats per minute.

But what is the BEST way to apply this to my Spokane fitness?

Physzique personal fitness plays a variety of upbeat music to help keep you motivated. Zach Hunt, owner of Physzique keeps the volume set at a level that the rhythm keeps you motivated but it isn’t so loud you can’t think. And Zach is there to keep you motivated, too! So make sure to get your play list read, and call Zach Hunt with Physzique personal training today!

Anytime Fitness in Spokane Asks You What is the Cost of Weight Loss Versus the Cost of Not Losing Weight

The cost of weight loss should concern you according to Anytime Fitness in Spokane. Modifying your shopping habits at your Spokane grocery store along with starting an exercise program can increase your spending habits. But the cost to your health can be much bigger if you don’t do anything about your weight problem.

Here are a few tips to cut down on food shopping costs from Anytime Fitness in Spokane:

• Getting rid of junk food and stocking your pantry with Spokane health food could mean higher grocery prices than you are used to. But if you’ve already decided it’s time to lose weight, why keep tempting yourself with foods that aren’t nutritionally good for you and keep them within site? You need to remind yourself that it’s worth it in the long run to pay the price for fresh fruit and vegetables. 

• Save your money and make your meals at home. For instance, take your lunch to work. Anytime Fitness in Spokane says it’s much better for you to eat the healthy foods from your kitchen versus eating restaurant food that someone else has prepared.
• Making smart food selections and losing weight can help improve various health problems, such as lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure, and some people can use less medication. Wouldn’t you rather spend your money on healthier foods instead of prescription medicines?

Most people will notice a huge difference after losing weight.

• They breathe better when they sleep, their back problems disappear, and they can go places they had only wished they could before. Perhaps it’s been a struggle just to go shopping for any length of time or walk from the far end of the parking lot when there are no empty spaces in front of the store. Anytime Fitness in Spokane wants you to imagine enjoying the walk from the parking garage into the mall instead of expending all of your energy before you’ve even started shopping.

Anytime Fitness in Spokane knows that paying for a fitness trainer, or a gym membership, or the somewhat higher costs of healthier food is far better than the cost of NOT taking care of your body. 

• The added cost of working out and eating healthy is nothing compared to an unhealthy lifestyle. If you question your decision just remember the cost of healthy food and a fitness program is much cheaper than a heart attack.

Stop and think about how much losing weight will cost you— money and time — that’s it.

• But not losing the weight can cost you so much more.
• It can cost you your self-respect, perhaps a promotion, more money in the long run, maybe a trip to the Alps that you don’t think you would have the energy for, or your life, period.
• Your life is worth it. Your family and your friends will thank you for taking care of yourself. Anytime Fitness in Spokane knows that you can do it!          

Whatever the cost, you can work at it and loose the weight you need to. The payoff in the end, well, as your charge card says, ‘It’s priceless!”

Click here to read about healthy guidelines to follow, exercises to do, and how to start a fitness program.