Ask Gilad

Gain Back Control

Question: I am tired of making progress and then losing ground. My weight, bad habits, sticking to an exercise routine. It all becomes so frustrating. How do I gain control?

Answer: The best way to stay on track and to be able to see your progress is to set goals you can accomplish and measure. That way, you can actually see your progress taking place. By taking controlled and measurable steps to achieving your goals, you can alter, change or eliminate bad habits. Through the same process, you can also introduce and cultivate new good habits in your life. 

When it comes to your health and fitness there are no shortcuts and no miracles. You need to take a step-by-step approach, setting small goals and achieving them one by one. A series of small accomplishments over time will bring on big improvements before you even realize it.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

Healthy Tips When Eating Out

Question: I travel a lot so I am constantly eating in restaurants. I know the meals I am eating are not the healthiest for me but I have to select from what is available.  Do you have any suggestions for people in my situation?

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

Is Coffee Bad For You?

Question: I am not what you would consider a 'health nut'.  I am not on any specific diet but I am aware of what I choose to eat and that is half the battle.  The problem is...I do love my coffee. Please tell me that it isn't bad for me.

Answer:

  Caffeine is a habit that many people develop as young adults, and it often gets out of control.  Caffeine is not recommended for a healthy diet because it over stimulates the nervous system, can increase your susceptibility to coronary artery disease and can eventually cause stomach ulcers.  It is also a diuretic and so it depletes us of vitamins and minerals.  It has been linked to an increase in appetite, craving for sweets, insomnia and nervousness.  Caffeine is commonly associated with coffee and tea, but it is also found in soft drinks, chocolate and many over-the-counter cold and headache remedies.

I know it may be hard for you, but try to limit yourself to one cup a day.

Gilad

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

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Question: Why should we limit the amount of salt we consume?

Answer: Too much salt in your diet increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.  Most of the sodium in our diet comes from salt that has been added to processed food we eat.  Most Americans consume more than twice the recommended daily amount of salt.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question:  I always hear that we should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day.  I don't drink anywhere near that much.  How important is it to drink that much?

Answer:

 Our bodies have very good defense mechanisms.  But when it comes to fluids, our bodies' defenses are lacking.  They don't always remind us to drink water when we need to.  We can need water before we actually experience feeling thirsty.  Many people forget to drink enough water and are constantly dehydrated.

The name of the game is awareness.  If you do nothing else, increase your water consumption consciously to 8 glasses per day.  Do it slowly over a period of several weeks.  Add a glass of water per day and get to the point where your base is 8 glasses per day.  You will not believe the positive changes in your energy level and appearance.

Gilad

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: What percentage of a good nutritious meal should be vegetables? Can fruits and vegetables be interchanged? 

Answer: Rather than breaking your nutrition down into meals let's take a look at your food intake as a whole. Complex carbohydrates should make up the largest part of your diet.  They should make up 60 to 75% of your daily food intake. Complex carbohydrates include unprocessed fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. They are the long term sustaining fuel of your body and when they are burned they leave only water and carbon dioxide as end products. That makes them very easy on the body's digestive system.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

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Question: I need to lose some weight for my high school reunion in 3 months.  What kind of diet do you suggest?

Answer: The best diet I can recommend is simply to eat sensibly. The key to diets is this. Don't even consider going on any diet that you wouldn't want to stay on for the rest of your life. A diet should never be a temporary fix. It should be a lifelong eating pattern that emphasizes balanced nutrition. Always remember that what you want to develop are good eating habits that will last a lifetime. I would never recommend that you have to cut out all of your favorite foods or go on some restrictive diet. That kind of thinking will not lead to long-term success... and all of us are in this for the long term.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

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Question: How would you describe the way you eat?  Do you have to be obsessive to maintain a healthy life style?

Answer: Like anything else, it is all the way you look at it. I do not consider my eating habits obsessive in any way. I consider myself a 'natural eater'. 'Natural eaters' eat to supply their bodies with the fuel they need to live each day. They concern themselves with what foods will energize and sustain them. They eat only until they are satisfied, never any more or any less. 'Natural eaters' are aware of what foods are good for them, but they are not obsessive about calorie counting or eating exact amounts or types of food. 

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

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Question: Will running be a good addition to my fitness program?

Answer: If you are past the beginning exerciser stage I recommend you start a mixed program of running and walking. Find a fairly flat path to follow. Hill running will come later.
Walk slowly to warm up, starting slowly and then increasing your pace after about 5 minutes. Then, when you feel warm and ready, jog a few blocks. When you start to feel winded, slow your pace to a brisk walk again. Keep this run/walk pattern going for 20 minutes and then slow to a walk for a cool-down for the last 5 minutes.
A routine like this added to your existing workout, will be a welcome change of pace...and will get you out into the fresh air.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: I have a sweet tooth and a hard time resisting the dessert tray. What should I do?

Answer: If you are craving something sweet try a piece of fresh fruit and see if that curbs your appetite. Fruit is just like a dessert but with all those extra vitamins and minerals along for the ride.
With a little practice and voluntary mind-control fruit can become your go-to sweet. You will be glad you made the switch.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.