Summer Vacation Tips from the Trainer

Cool Ocean breeze, sands in between your toes, delicious treats being sipped through a straw in a coconut...This is you on your Summer Vacation, one you greatly deserve! The reason there's no guilt in indulging in your favorite vacation spot is because...In April you decided to make healthy food choices and turned up your gym workouts so that you could expose plenty of skin for a nice beach tan. Maybe you haven't started yet? No problem! Here's a few tips and exercises to get you started and on your way to that dream vacation!



Start little by little. Even going to gym 2-3 days a week will start a healthy habit and have you craving more. 3-5 days of exercise will have you feeling and looking your best in no time!Exercise not only does wonders on your body shape, it helps improve mood and lessens your risk for health related diseases like Heart Disease.

For starters try this:

Find an activity you enjoy. Walking, running, elliptical machine. Try for 30 minutes of cardio 2 or 3 nights this week. They don't have to be back to back. Maybe take a nice walk after dinner with a special someone or roommate. On days you are not doing cardio, try 1 or 2 days of weight training. If you are starting out, do 2 sets of 10 reps of an exercise.

For those arms: Do each for count of 10 (reps) two times (set)
Bicep Curls
Tricep French Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
To really burn calories and save time, combine these exercise with squats and lunges at the same time.

The general idea is to get moving. Once you start to feel the benefits you'll want to keep it up. Even a few push-ups, squats, and lunges here and there can help motivate you to keep moving! And they don't require any equipment at all!

Now don't waste those burned calories on chocolate cake right after, you'll be defeating yourself. Apples are great with fiber, Cherries can help with post-workout soreness, and Pears are simply delicious! Sage Fruit offers recipes on their Facebook and Myspace if you are lost on dinner ideas.

Work Hard, Play Hard!

From the Trainer

It's almost swimsuit season! Spring is here and Summer is right around the corner. That means days by the pool and time out on the lake or beach for Memorial Day or the 4th of July. Luckily, there's still time to get in shape for your favorite Summer activities.

As a certified personal trainer and competitor at heart, I know it takes more than just exercise to achieve your desired fitness goals. Yes, it's that nasty word, DIET. But we aren't really talking about a diet here, more of a lifestyle that will give you the most energy and have you feeling your best each and every day. One way to do that is make sure you get plenty of vegetables, lean protein, fruits, and WATER into your eating plan. Here's today's tip:

Tired after a long day at work or the kids have you running in circles? Before hitting the gym refuel yourself with a snack. Try an energy enhancing snack like this Cherry Trail Mix.




Adding fruit and nuts like Almonds into a pre-workout snack will help give you that energy for the treadmill or any other activity. Also, consuming cherries may help muscle pain. Researchers believe cherries’ post-exercise benefits are likely because of the fruit’s natural anti-inflammation properties – attributed to antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, which also give cherries their bright red color.

So next time you go to pump some iron, try a handful of Cherry Trail Mix! Sage Fruit fresh Bing & other variety Cherries will be available in June and July! Perfect for keeping you in swimsuit shape!

And don't forget to hydrate yourself with lots of Water!

Apple: The New Superfruit!

Health & Wellness
Apples: The Next Superfruit www.supermarketguru.com

After today, America will no longer connect apples primarily with wholesome activities like picking bushels amid a spectrum of leaves in the fall, warming up with cider on a wintry day, or crunching a candied variety at Halloween.

People will think of apples as the next superfruit, an accessible, value-priced, nutritional energy source on par with blueberries and pomegranates. That’s the logical outcome of a new national survey of 1,021 chief household shoppers across the nation conducted for the U.S. Apple Association by SupermarketGuru.com, in which:
• 96% called apples an ‘anytime’ food for both adults and children
• 90% said they would consider apples and apple products (slices, cider, not pastries) a regular part of their healthier diet in 2010
• 64% rated apples a one, two or three on a ‘most healthful’ scale of ten, with one being the highest rating

Moreover, when asked about the health attributes of apples and apples products, similarly high proportions of respondents were aware of the truth behind these scientifically supported statements:
• Apples and apple products, especially those with the peel left intact, are rich in plant compounds called polyphenols and antioxidants, both known to promote health (92%).
• Apples and apple products may help to boost weight loss efforts (89%).
• Daily consumption of apples and apple products can help reduce LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol levels and protect against heart disease (85%).

One result of this understanding: vast majorities said they will serve apples to their families and house guests more often. “The magnitude of their response reflects their desire to eat healthfully—and the ability of apples to help them do that because of their nutritional makeup, portability, affordability ad accessibility,” said The Lempert Report’s own Phil Lempert, a food, consumer and marketing trends analyst.

He considered the comparably high nutrition ratings of apples in the survey to be notable, since blueberries and pomegranates are higher-priced food options. Consumers were asked between December 2009 and February 2010 about the nutrition, health, merchandising influences, eating habits and more surrounding apples..

It became clear to Lempert, after evaluating the survey findings, that “apples are a year-round fruit, and consumer willingness to buy, eat and serve more apples is a vast opportunity for retailers. Merchants already display apples prominently as a stage-setter, but now they need to think further about how to tap into this mindset that apples are a ‘superfruit’ and great for a person’s health and overall wellness.”

Cherry Season and Cherry Health!

Health and Nutrition
Cherries.
The New Antioxidant "Super Fruit"

Cherries are not only good for you, but they’re also on trend as a homegrown “Super Fruit.”
According to recent data, more than 9 out of 10 Americans want to know where their food comes from, nearly 80 percent say they’re purchasing “locally produced” products, and the majority is defining “local” as grown in America. And cherries deliver.

A growing body of science reveals tart cherries, enjoyed as either dried, frozen cherries or cherry juice, have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, when compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times more than blueberries or strawberries) vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.

Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits – from helping to ease the pain of arthritis and gout, to reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Cherries also contain melatonin, which has been found to help regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns, aid with jet lag, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process.

A recent study from the University of Michigan reveals new evidence linking cherries to heart health benefits. The study found that a cherry-enriched diet lowered total weight, body fat (especially the important “belly” fat), inflammation and cholesterol-all risk factors associated with heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, being overweight or obese, in particular when the weight is concentrated in the middle, is a major risk factor for heart disease. As nearly two out of three Americans are overweight, emerging studies like this are important in examining the role diet may play in disease management and prevention.

While there’s no established guideline yet on how many cherries it takes to reap the benefits, experts suggest that 1-2 servings of cherries daily can help provide some of the health benefits identified in the research. Single serving size examples include:
• 1/2 cup dried
• 1 cup frozen
• 1 cup juice
• 1 ounce (or 2 Tbsp) juice concentrate

For additional information on serving sizes and tips to meet daily requirements for fruits and vegetables, visit FruitsAndVeggiesMatter.gov.

www.choosecherries.com

Sage rolls out the Sonya Apple at Southern Exposure 2010. : Shop Talk

Sage rolls out the Sonya Apple at Southern Exposure 2010. : Shop Talk

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