Happy Friday from the beach! It’s a gorgeous morning here at Vita Vie Retreat. Join us for one of our intensive fitness spa retreats, a private retreat or our de stress week!

Check out these delish little rolls! They’re perfect for a light Spring or Summer meal or entertaining.

Courtesy of Fit Villians

Ingredients

2 cucumbers 6 ounces crumbled feta 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 tablespoons finely diced sundried tomatoes or red bell pepper 8 – 12 pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon roughly chopped dill or oregano 2 teaspoons lemon juice pinch of pepper, or to taste

Directions

Thinly slice the cucumbers lengthwise: a vegetable peeler is fab for this. Lay the cucumbers on top of a paper towel lined cutting board while you prepare the filling.

Add the feta and yogurt to a medium bowl. Mash to combine using a fork. Add the bell pepper or sun dried tomatoes, olives, dill, lemon, and pepper to the bowl. Stir well to combine. In a bowl, mash the feta using a fork.

Place 1 – 2 teaspoons of mixture at one end of a cucumber strip and roll up. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining strips. If not serving immediately, chill until ready to serve.

Of all the foods capable of inflicting damage in your body, sugar is one of the most damaging of all.

Sugar, and the type of sugar known as fructose, in particular, is an extremely potent pro-inflammatory agent that creates advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and speeds up the aging process.

It also promotes the kind of dangerous growth of fat cells around your vital organs which is the hallmark of diabetes and heart disease.

Sugar also increases your insulin and leptin levels and decreases receptor sensitivity for both of these vital hormones, and this is another major factor of premature aging and age-related chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, as well as a leading cause of the climbing rates of overweight and obesity in developed countries.

That sugar is bad for your health is probably old news to you by now, but what may surprise you is just how much sugar is lurking in foods that are often passed off as “healthy.”

Many supposedly “good for you” foods have more sugar than a Twinkie!

Are You Eating These Sugar-Laden “Health” Foods?

The Huffington Post recently outed several foods that are so high in sugar, you may as well be eating a candy bar.

All of these also have more sugar than a Twinkie …

• Yogurt: Most commercial yogurt is loaded with sugar – as in, over 30 grams for 6 ounces! This, along with the fact that commercial yogurt is pasteurized (and some also contains artificial colors and flavors), is why you should walk right on by the yogurt section at your supermarket. Watch out, too, for “light” yogurt brands that boast less sugar due to toxic artificial sweeteners.

On the other hand, yogurt that is made from raw organic milk, and which you eat either plain or only minimally sweetened with some berries or liquid stevia, is a true health food. This is something you can easily do at home and use the healthiest raw ingredients, including organic grass-fed raw milk as the starter.

• Tomato Sauce: A cup of tomato sauce can add up to over 20 grams of sugar, and considering that most people eat that tomato sauce on top of pasta, another carb source, this could send you into sugar overload. Watch out, specifically, for brands that contain added sweeteners. Tomato sauce is a far better choice than a candy bar, but, ideally, make your own sauce at home, and serve it over shredded spaghetti squash instead of noodles.
• Granola Bars: Sugar is often one of the top ingredients in granola bars, and, in fact, most are not much different than a candy bar, nutritionally speaking. Even the granola is simply another form of “hidden sugar” that most people eat far too much of. Remember, sugar and dietary carbohydrates (including grains like granola, which break down into sugar) lead to excess body fat, obesity and related health issues. No amount of exercise can compensate for this damage because if you eat a lot of sugar, it could be “reprogramming” your body to become fat.
• Fat-Free Salad Dressing: When manufacturers take the fat out of a food, sugar is often added back in as a replacement. Fat-free French or Thousand Island dressings can contain over 40 grams of sugar as a result, turning a would-be healthy salad into something more resembling a dessert. Don’t be fooled by the “fat-free” label — it’s the carbs that are the culprit in weight gain and chronic disease.
• Muffins: The high amount of carbs in most muffins will profoundly interfere with your leptin and insulin levels, and that is true even if it’s a “healthy” muffin, like a bran muffin. Of course, in order to make a bran muffin palatable, it probably contains quite a bit of added sugar, on top of the grains it’s made with. Many muffins are also jumbo-sized, easily packing over 30 grams of sugar, or more.
• Canned Fruit: Fruit in and of itself can be problematic if eaten in excess, as it’s a source of naturally occurring fructose. But many canned fruits are also packed in sugary syrup, loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Just one cup of canned peaches or pears can contain over 30 grams of sugar. You’re far better off with a fresh piece of fruit instead, but use moderation. I recommend restricting your consumption of fructose to no more than 25 grams per day, with a maximum of 15 grams a day from fresh fruit. If you’re already overweight, or have cancer, heart disease or diabetes (or are at high risk of them), then you’re probably better off cutting that down to 10-15 grams per day — fruit included.

Why a High-Sugar Diet Will Make You Fat

If you are seeking to lose weight and optimize your health, foods that contain added sugar, as well as grains like bread and pasta should be eliminated or else comprise very low percentages of your diet. Most people who bought into the “high-carb, low-fat” dietary recommendations has likely struggled with their weight and health, wondering what they’re doing wrong.

The problem is that overeating carbohydrates can prevent a higher percentage of fats from being used for energy, and lead to an increase in fat production and storage. Your body has a limited capacity to store excess carbohydrates. This is one of the reasons why elevated blood sugar follows their overconsumption. If you are not able to immediately use the sugar as a result of intense physical activity then one of the ways your body avoids dangerously elevated blood sugar is through converting those excess carbohydrates into excess body fat primarily in your belly.

The way it works is that any carbohydrates not immediately burned by your body as fuel are stored in the form of glycogen (a long string of glucose molecules linked together). Your body has two storage sites for glycogen: your liver and your muscles. Once the glycogen levels are filled in both your liver and muscles, excess carbohydrates are converted into fat and stored in your adipose, that is, fatty tissue.

So, although carbohydrates are “fat-free,” this is misleading because excess carbohydrates end up as excess fat. When you see refined grains on a food label, think of them as “hidden sugar,” and when you see sugar, think of it as “hidden fat.”

But that’s not the worst of it.

Any meal or snack high in “complex” carbohydrates, i.e. starch is actually a complex of glucose molecules, will also generate a rapid rise in blood glucose. To adjust for this rapid rise, your pancreas secretes insulin, which then lowers your levels of blood glucose. The problem is that insulin is essentially a storage hormone, evolved to put aside excess carbohydrate calories in the form of fat in case of future famine. So the insulin that’s stimulated by excess carbohydrates aggressively promotes the accumulation of body fat! This was enormously useful in ancient times when calories were frequently scarce, but today this setup is a disaster
waiting to happen.

In other words, when you eat too much sugar, bread, pasta, and any other grain products, you’re essentially sending a hormonal message, via insulin, to your body that says “store more fat.” This is actually a highly beneficial response in certain scenarios such as when calories are very scarce. This provides a major survival advantage — but for nearly everyone reading this, having insufficient calories is not an issue, so this protective mechanism actually sabotages your health.

Learn more about your health and curbing carbs at Vita Vie Retreat, a fitness spa and weight loss vacation! Start your journey to health and wellness today!

Article Source & Information:
Dr. Mercola
Copyright © 2012
mercola.com

On average, we’ve gotten into the habit of taking as few steps as we can. We park in the closest spot we can find to the building and we rarely take the stairs as elevators have become pretty convenient. As convenient as these practices are, they don’t do much for your body or your waistline. It’s time to get out of the habit of not moving as much and walk those legs a little more!

THE CHALLENGE: Only take the stairs this week! NO ELEVATORS! In addition, Park in the FURTHEST parking space from the building.

Good luck!

Start Spring Off On The Right Foot

Spring is here and as fast as time goes, that means Summer is right around the corner! We’ve got some goal setting ideas, fit tips and new specialty retreats to help you kick off Spring and Summer in a healthy way.

Goal Setting

One of the best ways to get on track and stay on track is to set a goal. Whether your goal is large or small, having something to work towards or train for can help keep you motivated. Here are a few ideas…

5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Mud Run, Adventure Race, Relay, Cycling Race, Triathalon, SUP Race and so much more!

If you’re not interested in some type of race, goal setting can be as easy as making yourself a plan for a 4 – 12 week period. Set short and long term goals and map our your path to achieve them.

Not only does goal setting help keep you on track but it may also get you involved with other people who are interested in the same types of activies as you are. Like minded people can help keep each other motivated as well! If you’re not joining a race or some type of training group, grab a workout buddy or two!

Fit Tips

It’s time for our Spring list of Fit Tips! Get outside and out of the gym as much as you can. Here are a few ways to stay active and safe this Spring!

1. Take your workout OUTSIDE!!! Not every workout needs to be done outside but what better time of the year than Spring to start emerging into the outdoors? This means run, walk or even grab a resistance band or pair of weights and head to the park. Get in the fresh air and out of the gym environment. Start with one workout each week that is done in a park, your back yard or anywhere outside.

2. Try Something New – Pick some type of outdoor activity, new class or active hobby to try. Kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, SUP, dance lessons and new classes at your gym are all great ways to step out of your comfort zone. Switching things up will help to challenge your body in new ways ensuring you are always changing.

3. Watch the Weather – With Spring comes varying weather both in temperature and weather conditions. Make sure if you are taking your workout outside, you check the local listings. Always have water with you as well as a small snack and clothing to layer with. If you’re heading out a ways to hike or bike, make sure to take your phone…just in case. Last minute issues with weather or equipment are never planned and could require assistance.

New! Specialty Weeks

De-Stress: Mind Body Bliss Week

Take care of your body and mind! “Is there anything that hurts your body more than stress? Is there anything more opposite of stress than relaxation? Don’t take this for granted simply because you may not burn as many calories. There is nothing more important we could do than relax.” ~ Bryan Kest

Our all new De-Stress week will include various types of yoga, light beach walks with simple meditations, zen kickbox (a mindful and less intense approach to the typical kickbox class), full body stretching, balance training, cobblestone mat walking, stress reduction techniques and more.

Packages: 3 or 6 Nights

Dates: July 16 – 22, 2012

Rates & Info: Click Here for Details

Back to Basics: Beginner Boot Camp

Back to Basics is a beginner level Bella Boot Camp that focuses on the beginner exerciser who has a goal of improving his/her fitness level, adopting a healthful outlook and/or losing weight. This retreat is geared to establish healthy lifestyle habits that each participant can take home with them and integrate into her/his own personal life schedule. Back to Basics will build through out the week and will incorporate fitness testing that will allow each guest to clearly track their progress in terms of measurements and body composition but also in relation to strength, endurance and flexibility gains. This retreat is about resetting the body and mindset and getting back to a healthy outlook.

Classes will include: Beach Boot Camp, Beach Walks, Zumba, Belly Dancing/Hip Hop, Pilates Mat, Yoga, Nutrition, Fitness & Lifestyle Planning and more!

Packages: 6 Nights

Dates: August 6 – 12, 2012 & September 3 – 9, 2012

Rates & Info: Click Here for Details

Spring & Summer Discounts Don’t forget that we’ve got some great specials going on! Take advantage of our specials and save!

May & June (April 30 – June 30) 5, 6 or 7 Nights – $250 Off Per Person (Discount Code – MUNE250) 3 or 4 Nights – $125 Off Per Person (Discount Code – MUNE125)

July & August (July 1 – August 31) 5, 6 or 7 Nights – $300 Off Per Person 3 or 4 Nights – $150 Off Per Person *Discount codes coming soon!

Visit our website for more information: Click Here

——

By – Ysolt Usigan

Via – Shape.com

It’s a common misconception—oh, don’t eat that, it has a lot of fat in it. Fitness fiends and non-fitness fiends alike assume women should never have any fat at all, but authors William D. Lassek, M.D. and Steven J. C. Gaulin, Ph.D. will have to disagree. In their book, Why Women Need Fat: How ‘Healthy’ Food Makes Us Gain Excess Weight and the surprising solution to Losing It Forever, the two discuss just that–why women need fat, plus the kinds of fat they should be consuming daily.

“The idea that all fat is bad and unhealthy seems to be widespread, whether it comes in our diets or is part of our bodies. One reason for this is that the label of every food product we buy starts off by listing its (usually high) percentage of our daily ‘allowance’ of fat,” the authors say. “And most women, even many who are quite thin, would like to have less fat on their bodies. But in both cases—bodies and food—some kinds of fat are beneficial for health, while others can be unhealthy.”

We caught up with Lassek and Gaulin to reveal more fat facts you need to know, so when you start consuming this fat that they speak of, you’re doing it the right way.

SHAPE: Tell us about fat.
LASSEK AND GAULIN (LG): Fat comes in three forms: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Most of us have heard that saturated fat is very unhealthy, but many researchers are now questioning whether this is true. Monounsaturated fat, like that in olive and canola oil, is linked with better health. Polyunsaturated fats are the only type of fat that we have to get from our diet. These come in two forms, omega-3 and omega-6, and both are important.

While almost everyone agrees that having plenty of omega-3 fats is beneficial, there is growing evidence that too much omega-6 fat may not be good for weight or health. Different types of dietary fat are connected to different types of body fat. Higher levels of omega-6 are linked to higher levels of unhealthy belly fat, while higher omega-3 is linked to the healthier fat in the legs and hips. so when it comes to fat, we need to “do nuance.”

SHAPE: So why do women need fat?
LG: While women are able to undertake any kind of work or play they want to, their bodies have been designed by evolution to be very, very good at having children, whether they choose to or not. All of these children are very unique in having brains that are seven times larger than would be expected for other animals our size. This means that women’s bodies have to be able to provide the building blocks for these large brains during their pregnancies and while nursing their children—building blocks that are stored in women’s fat.

The most critical brain-building block is the omega-3 fat called DHA, which makes up about 10 percent of our brain not counting water. Since our bodies cannot make omega-3 fat, it has to come from our diet. During pregnancy and while nursing, most of this DHA comes from a woman’s stored body fat, and this is why women need to have so much more body fat than other animals (about 38 pounds of fat in a woman weighing 120 pounds). So women have an undeniable need for fat in their bodies and fat in their diets.

SHAPE: How much fat should we get daily?
LG: It’s not the amount of fat that, but the kind of fat. Our bodies can make saturated and monounsaturated fat out of sugar or starch, so we don’t really have a minimum need for these as long as we have plenty of carbs. However, our bodies cannot make the polyunsaturated fats that we need for our brains, so these have to come from our diet. These polyunsaturated fats are considered “essential.” Both types of essential fats—omega-3 and omega-6—are needed; they play a number of important roles, especially in the cells in our brains.

SHAPE: In our fat consumption, do age and life stage play a role?
LG: Having plenty of omega-3 fat is important for every life stage. For women who may want to have children in the future, a diet high in omega-3 is especially important in order to build up the DHA content of their body fat, because that fat is where most of the DHA will come from when they are pregnant and nursing.

Since there is some evidence that omega-3 helps muscles work better, more active women will likely benefit from having more in their diets. For older women, omega-3 is important for good health and to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For infants and children, getting enough omega-3 fat is especially important, since their bodies and brains are actively growing and developing.

SHAPE: Where can we find “good fats?”
LG: Good fats are fats high in omega-3. DHA and EPA are the most important and active forms of omega-3, and the most abundant source for both is fish and seafood, especially oily fish. Just three ounces of wild-caught Atlantic salmon has 948 milligrams of DHA and 273 milligrams of EPA. The same amount of canned tuna fish has 190 milligrams of DHA and 40 of EPA, and shrimp have a bit less. Unfortunately, all fish and seafood are also contaminated with mercury, a brain poison, and the FDA advises that women and children have no more than 12 ounces of fish per week, limited to those which have lower levels of mercury (we have a list in our book).

Fish oil capsules or liquid can provide an additional and safer source of DHA and EPA because the oils are usually distilled to remove mercury and other impurities, and DHA from algae is available for those who do not eat fish. The basic form of omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid, is also good because it can turn into EPA and DHA in our bodies, though not very efficiently. This is found in all green plants, but the best sources are flaxseeds and walnuts, and flaxseed, canola, and walnut oils. Monounsaturated fats, like those in olive and canola oil, also seem to be beneficial for health.

SHAPE: What about “bad fats?” What should we stay away from?
LG: Our current problem is that we have way, way too much omega-6 in our diets. And because our bodies “know” that these fats are essential, it holds on to them. These oils are found mainly in fried foods such as like chips, fries, and commercial baked goods. They are also added to other processed foods to increase the amount of fat, since fat makes foods taste better. As much as possible, limit fast foods, restaurant foods, and processed foods from the supermarket, because these foods tend to have a lot of omega-6 fat.

The second kind of omega-6 that we get too much of is arachidonic acid, and this is found in meat and eggs from animals (especially poultry) fed on corn and other grains, which are the kinds of meats you usually find in supermarkets.

SHAPE: How important is exercise when consuming the good fats?
LG: There seems to be a positive synergy between exercise and omega-3 fats. Women who exercise more tend to have higher levels of omega-3 in their blood, and those with higher omega-3 levels seem to have a better response to exercise. The amount of omega-3 DHA in the membranes of muscle cells is linked with better efficiency and endurance. Increasing exercise and omega-3 levels together may also help women to lose excess weight.

Visit us at our fitness spa and weight loss retreat to learn more! Call us today at 800-768-5780.

Get your body ready for spring! Come see us at our fitness spa to get started on your fitness regime!