Real Results Fitness/personal training in Las Vegas

This is continuing a series of recipes on how to cook recipes that also are geared toward time management.  This segment will focus on an item that not only is a staple of the RealResults fitness eating plan but of my personal favorites for consumption for many years.

It is well known in the bodybuilding and exercise community that oatmeal can work wonders for your body.  In the last number of years though Steel Cut Oatmeal has gained significant popularity.  Previously however, the “5 minute” slow cooking oatmeal was thought to be the most beneficial.  Another variety of oatmeal mostly because it’s convenient, is instant oatmeal.  Instant oatmeal is the worst kind to consume!  The reason why the oatmeal cooks so rapidly is that a strong majority of the “good stuff” has been removed.  This is called processing.  Steel cut oatmeal however, may take up to an full hour to make.  Steel cut is a whole grain, it is supposed to take that long to cook largely because it contains all of its original fiber content.  As a general rule the faster a grain can cook the more processed it is.  Another example is instant brown rice.  Rapid cooking will have a profound effect on your blood sugar and therefore the instant oatmeal for example will more readily be stored as body fat.  Most of the flavored instants have sodium and lots of sugar.  Additionally, Steel cut oatmeal also has a in my opinion a better taste than 5 minute oatmeal and a better texture.

When I was a youngster I would eat at least two packets of “Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple and Brown Sugar.” Two packets because the servings were so small.  Take a look at the nutritional breakdown and ingredients and you can see why I had a hard time concentrating in school with all the sugar I was consuming.

Ingredients:

“WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS (WITH OAT BRAN), SUGAR, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, GUAR GUM, OAT FLOUR, CARAMEL COLOR, NIACINAMIDE*, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, REDUCED IRON, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE*, RIBOFLAVIN*, THIAMIN MONONITRATE*, FOLIC ACID.”

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written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: Blood Sugar, fat loss, Paul Rosenberg, real results, whole foods

This post is going to be the start of a series of posts on some boring recipes that I make on a weekly basis.  I say boring because I am not a brilliant chef.  Matter of fact, most of the time I eat for fuel and sustenance.  Many of you may find this a strange way to live but honestly, I have grown quite accustomed to it.  My goals may be different from yours.  For example:  I want to keep my body fat low, I want to have healthy food available to me so I am not left to making unwise choices, I want to save money by not going out to eat all the time, and I don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking. Don’t get me wrong, if I had someone cook for me I would be thrilled to eat a variety of selections and have them prepared a number of different ways.  However, being a bachelor for quite some time has led me to this style of eating.  When I was younger I would eat toast, spaghetti, cereal with milk and heat up a bagel.  As a responsible adult now,  I am glad that I have finally found healthy foods that I can prep on my own so I don’t have to resort to Lucky Charms, Taco Bell or Villa Pizza.

I hope you find this upcoming series of recipes helpful and maybe even enjoyable.

Sweet Potatoes or Yams

Sweet potatoes and Yams are a couple of the best sources of carbohydrates that you can consume.  They will help to keep you blood sugar stable, help satisfy cravings, give you energy, taste good (in my opinion) and they are inexpensive and easy to make.

Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C, and vitamin B₆. Pink and yellow varieties are high in carotene, the precursor of vitamin A. In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value.

Sweet potato varieties with dark orange flesh have more beta carotene than those with light colored flesh. Despite the name “sweet”, it may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance.

Sweet Potatoes and Yams

• Select potatoes that are about the size of a clenched fist.  You can cut them to size of course.
• Select potatoes that are firm and don’t have little sprouts growing on them.  Purchase organic at Whole Foods.
• Begin by filling up a large pot with water.  Fill pot with quite a bit of water because water evaporates during cooking.
• Place into pot desired number of sweet potatoes or yams.  I like to cook 4 at a time.  This lasts me 4 days.
• Place temperature on high so potatoes will boil.

• Let potatoes boil on high until they are done cooking.
• Texture is up to you.  I like my potatoes very soft so the skin peels off easily.
• Cooking time will vary depending upon size of potatoes (the more width, the longer the cooking time.)
• Remove potatoes from pot (careful…very hot!)  Best is to use utensil below pictured below.
• Place the potatoes in  Tupperware containers.
• Let cool then store in the fridge for consumption throughout the week.

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: Blood Sugar, fat loss, goal setting, Paul Rosenberg, real results, recipe

This last Sunday I decided to begin shopping at Whole Foods at least 1x a week.  I have gone there previously but never made a commitment to shop there indefinitely.  My excuse was that it’s too far of a drive and I thought the food quality at Albertsons was adequate.  Recently however, I became dissatisfied with Albertsons and Fresh and Easy.  Produce was lacking in taste, and would often “go bad quicker.”  Maybe this was all in my head but these concerns led me to drive the extra 20 minutes.

Organic Produce from Whole Foods

Additionally, for quite some time now I am really into taking care of my health particularly since I began receiving blood tests more regularly.  Not that I was incredibly unhealthy or needed blood tests for any specific reason, but the blood tests revealed some nutritional deficiencies that I wanted to address.  I am always looking step up my responsibility regarding my health.

Whole Foods is definitely more expensive, no doubt about it.  My grocery bill doubled from the normal amount I would spend at Fresh and Easy or Albertsons.  My main motivation however, was that I wanted to begin consuming predominantly Organic produce.  I can afford it and how I view it this purchase now is that my body is worth spending the extra money (that I may have easily blown on something else.)  The food in the picture above will cover me for at least 4-5 days and the bill came $65.00.  Some people may think organic is just a bunch of hoopla, but with some of the research behind reasons to buy organic; to me it just makes sense.

One item I purchased is definitely noticeable with regards to taste and overall quality…the chicken.  Previously I had shopped at Costco for my chicken, then I switched to Fresh and Easy for convenience but neither compared to how fantastic the chicken from Whole Foods tasted or how fresh it is.  The breasts were cut perfectly as well which is nice because it makes my job of prepping so much easier.  What is even more surprising is that the chicken from Whole Foods is about the same  price I would normally pay at Fresh and Easy!  What also makes the chicken special is that the birds are raised with no added hormones and no antibiotics.  The brand name is “Mary’s Free Range Chicken.”

Mary's Free Range Chicken

My first experience with Whole Foods was actually from a brief stint in the year 2000, when I lived in Seattle Washington.  I remember walking in for the first time and being blown away by the selection of fresh fruits and veggies.  For a fitness nerd like me I thought I had found some sort of paradise.  I spent at least an hour marveling at all of the produce I had never seen before.

I am a believer now however, as the organic produce I purchase is better in quality, taste, and freshness.  See for yourself.  I wish they would open a Whole Foods in my neck of the woods…I doubt that will ever happen considering I live in the old school area of Desert Inn and Eastern.

Locations:

Fort Apache
8855 West Charleston Boulevard (702) 254-8655

Tenaya
7250 West Lake Mead Boulevard (702) 942-1500

Las Vegas Boulevard
6689 Las Vegas Boulevard South (702) 589-7711

Henderson‎

100 South Green Valley Parkway (702) 361-8183‎

Hours of operation:

Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Friday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Sunday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: fitness trainer, organic, Paul Rosenberg, real results, whole foods

If you haven’t had a fitness evaluation lately, now would be a good time to do so.  I recently purchased a body fat scale by Tanita and this thing does everything except clean the dishes.  The problem is however, that the scale is a little too accurate and it will tell you one thing in particular you may or may not want to know….your “Metabolic age.”

Tanita Body Composition Monitor

For example, Real Results trainer Nancy Dickinson (who is a competitive triathlete) has the metabolic age of a 12 year old!  Conversely, I have tested some people recently who may only chronologically be in their twenties yet they had the metabolism of an 80 year old!

This may seem like bad news but it can also explain why some people have a battle with body fat and others don’t.  But the good news is now you have a starting point of measurement.  Additionally, no matter what your metabolic age is now, you can do something about it by getting in better cardiovascular condition and by building muscle.  Then when you test again later you will be proud of the results you’ve attained.

How the scale works…

Tanita uses a state of the art method of body composition assessment called “Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). Body impedance is measured when a safe, low electrical signal is passed through the body, carried by water and fluids.  Your fat tissue does not contain much water and thus creates resistance or impedance to the signal.  (Fat is approximately 10-15% water, whereas muscle is normally 50-70 %.)  This impedance information is then used by the scale to estimate the amount of lean and fat tissue within the body.

Desirable body fat ranges:

Females                                               Males

Age 18-39 / 20 %                               18-39 / 8-15 %

Age 40-59 / 20-24%                         40-59 / 12-20%

Age 60-69 / 25-30%                         60-69 / 15-25%

Different methods to test body fat:

DEXA: Which is a very accurate but expensive.

Hydrostatic Weighing: Very accurate but quite expensive

Conventional BIA: Like the Tanita.  Very accurate and inexpensive

Skinfold Caliper: Accuracy dependant on ability and skill of tester.

Previously, I used “Lange” skinfold calipers during fitness evaluations but now I am exclusively using the Tanita BIA scale.  I switched because of the number of features the machine delivers and quite honestly, many people found the skinfold caliper to be embarrassing.

Here are all the readouts you get by standing on the scale for about 5 seconds.

• Body Water % (The total amount of fluid in the body)
• Body Fat % (The amount of body fat as a proportion of your body weight)
• Scale weight
• Muscle Mass (The weight of muscle in the body)
• Bone Mass (The weight of bone in the body)
• Basal Metabolic Rate “BMR” (How many calories the body requires to maintain its weight)
• Daily Caloric Intake (How many calories can be consumed in the next 24 hrs to maintain weight)
• Metabolic Age (Compares BMR to the average age associated with that level of metabolism)
• Visceral Fat (Fat in the abdominal cavity (stomach) surrounding the vital organs)

I would encourage you to come for a test.  At the very least, do the Tanita scale test.  This can really motivate you to make improvements.

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: body fat measurements, fat loss, fitness test, fitness trainer, goal setting, Metabolic age, Nancy Dickinson, Paul Rosenberg, real results, Tanita

Contaminated fish

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: Paul Rosenberg, real results

This is the absolute way to succeed with the Real Results program. Truth be told, the clients who make it to the before and after section all did this. When you prepare your meals in advance you are assured of a number of things.

He has lost 28 pounds in 7 weeks.

Meals for the week

You will save a lot of money
You will always have your meals available to you
You will eat the appropriate portion sizes
You will not be left to make unwise choices
You will avoid food selections that take you off course
You will save a significant amount of time
You will regulate your blood sugar throughout the day
You will not have cravings
You will feel content and not ravenous throughout the day
You will get a significant amount of cancer fighting anti oxidants

You will be at a scale weight that is healthiest for your body

All of this will happen as a result of “YOU” taking on the responsibility of preparing food for yourself.
Quote from Mark “We’ve used our kitchen more in the last 6 weeks than we have in the five years since we gutted/remodeled it…”

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: fat loss, Paul Rosenberg, real results, ripped, testimonial

Real Results Fitness massage therapist Ashley Godfrey on FOX 5 news Las Vegas.

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: Ashley Godfrey, FOX 5 Las Vegas, Heidi Hayes, Injury Prevention, massage, real results

Recent FOX 5 news segment about Real Results Fitness!

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: client, Dave Hall, fitness trainer, FOX 5 Las Vegas, Heidi Hayes, Paul Rosenberg, real results, Ted Pretty

Wow, what a day….what a couple of weeks, what a couple of months!  The Real Results Fitness 2nd annual 5k and kids dash to benefit the Hirshberg Foundation and Nevada Cancer Institute happened today and it was a tremendous success!

My mother, Stacey Escalante, and Nikki Mosier...you guys rock!

Last year there were approximately 150 racers…this year 386 sign ups!  I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.  This event is only going to get bigger each year.  My personal goal for next year is at least 750 sign ups.

Here is the top ten:

Click here for a PDF of the full Real Results Fitness 5K race results 2010

None of this would have been possible without the tremendous help of a number of caring and determined people.

First off is my wonderful mother.  You had such a tremendous focus and desire to make the event a big success.  Ma, you are really the glue that kept everyone on track and made sure that all the details were kept in line.  I love you ma.  Lynn Mendre, our race director.  What a big heart you have and such dedication to this event.  I couldn’t ask for a better leader for the race.  Stacey Escalante, my wonderful friend, publicist and client.  You are an absolute rockstar.  I honestly don’t know how you and Lynn do it.  You each have 2 kids, work full time, and run almost daily to practice what you preach and then all the work to make this race a success…I am just blown away by you two.  I love you guys.  And lastly Nikki Mosier my administrator.  I am so lucky to have a wonderful person like you to be my 2nd in command.  You are so great to work with and you have such great charisma when dealing with others.  I am so glad to have you as part of the team.

A huge thanks to my dear friends from FOX Five News. Ted, Heidi, and Dave…you guys were such a big help and I am so appreciative to have you in my life!

Thanks to Jimmy Foster with The Executive Lounge and Whispering Giants and Jen Yee for your help with the fundraiser dinner…that was such a huge help!  Thanks to Rob Benson for getting us into The District. A big thanks to my close friends Denny Silva and Nancy Dickinson for your love and dedication to Real Results and your commitment to make this event a big success.  Thanks to Raffi, Michelle O’brien, Sonya Bossingham, Beth Boyer, Francis Klamian, and Jen Gray for all your support and last minute help.  Thanks to Amy Glwoniak, Chris Raznick, Linzie Sawyer, Cyndee Platko, Ian Jones for your support of this race and to Real Results Fitness.

Thanks to Jeff Flach, Stephanie McKenzie, Brad Foster, Amanda Kouretas, Aubrie Atwell, Jessica Sporn, John Netto, John Licata, Demetri Kouretas, John Tippens, Sarah Johnson, Dick and Susan Klotzman, Adam Rogas, April Swartz, Andrew and Courtney Levy, and everyone else who’s name I didn’t mention for your special contributions.

Thanks to everyone who helped out from Nevada Cancer Institute, Hirshberg Foundation, and ALL of our wonderful sponsors.  Special thanks to Lexus for joining the cause.  Thanks to Will Demaree for the timing.  What a pro and what a class act you are.   Thanks so much to LVAC, Marty Brees, and Bret Fitzgerald for helping to promote the event.  Thanks to James Johnston and Jeff Calene with Rockin Runners and The Athletes Foot. You guys are such a big help in so many ways!

Another special thanks to Mike O’brian and the guys for coming out!  You three gave the event such a wonderful new feeling.  What a huge difference it was to have you out there!  Thx so much. www.thewedgebrothers.com.  Thanks also to Ellie Smith for singing the national anthem…you are awesome!

Last but far from least thanks to all of our Real Results Fitness clients!  We love and appreciate each and every one of you for your support and belief in what we do and we will give you a very special butt whooping for helping out with your support!

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: 5k event, Chris Raznick, Dave Hall, Denny Silva, FOX 5 Las Vegas, Heidi Hayes, James Johnston, lvac, Nancy Dickinson, Paul Rosenberg, real results, Rockin Runners, Ted Pretty, The Athletes Foot

Hello everyone! Yes, as you can see it has been quite a while since I last posted. Here’s why:

Thanks to Ted Pretty, Dave Hall, and Heidi Hayes (FOX 5 news anchors) all of us at Real Results have been swamped for the the month on January. No complaints at all. Thanks so much to you three at FOX and thanks to Stacey Escalante again for making it all happen.

I am just now coming up for air…So here is the first post of the new year!

April 3rd there is going to be a ½ Marathon & Family Friendly 5K as well as an Easter Egg Hunt (great kids prices!)

The 2010 Rockin Runners Catch the Rabbit at Six Tunnels Half Marathon and Family 5K will begin at the St. Jude’s Ranch for Children in Boulder City and run down the hill (with amazing scenic views of Lake Mead) to the historic Six Tunnels Railroad Tunnels. With no traffic to worry about and (hopefully) excellent April weather, this should be an amazing run for the novice or experienced runner!

Race amenities include a goodie bag, race t-shirt and finisher’s medal. Race day activities will include an Easter egg hunt for the kids, music, food, beverages and prizes. This is a family friendly event. We encourage you to bring your entire family out to watch the festivities or participate in the family 5K and support St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.

Register now at www.RockinRunners.com

or call James Johnston Jr (owner of The Athletes Foot) at 702-565-5500

written by Paul Rosenberg \\ tags: 5k, 5k event, Dave Hall, FOX 5 Las Vegas, Half Marathon, Heidi Hayes, real results, Rockin Runners, Ted Pretty, The Athletes Foot