Last week I wrote a pretty controversial blog post about supplements and what I believe in. I talked about our belief in a "whole-foods" and clean diet approach, and how I'm not a huge fan of meal replacement shakes or bars that are loaded with artificial and processed ingredients.   There are a few supplements however that do make the cut, and Fish Oil is one of them.   I take a Fish Oil Supplement DAILY to get my Omega 3's in... Omega 3's are Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) and are CRITICAL to your body for a whole host of reasons. Since Omega 3's are "EFA's," that means that your body is NOT capable of producing them on its own, and you MUST consume your Omega 3's from an outside dietary source. What Omega 3's Can Do for You: reduce your risk for developing heart disease decrease cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL’s (bad cholesterol) increase HDL’s (your good cholesterol) increase your

You'll probably notice that we (Forte Fitness) don't promote many supplements.   We believe in a "Clean" and "Whole Foods" approach towards eating and believe that most of your daily nutrients can be consumed through eating REAL food. (Yes- it's possible!) You'll see a lot of other trainers and boot camps promote supplements because it's a great income opportunity and will boost their bottom line.  ALWAYS be sure to ask them if THEY themselves are taking that supplement - and always do your own homework.   Remember, YOU are ultimately responsible for what goes into your mouth. Always take the time to check your facts and make sure you are making the right choice. (even my facts) As part of my mission to lead by example and with transparency, I promise to NEVER promote a supplement or product that I don't personally use or wouldn't use.   In fact, (and I'm probably going to piss a lot of

I just left Whole Foods in Winter Park....and when I go, I LOVE to get a fresh juice from their juice bar.  My regular is an apple, lemon, and ginger juice. I love ginger because of all the antioxidants and cleansing effects it has on the body.  I always feel like a million bucks after I have one! After I took my first sip, I thought..."HOLY GINGER!"  There was a TON of ginger in this one. Ginger has a very distinctive flavor, and it has a really nice bite to it.  So, seeing that I was apparently going to overdose on ginger today, I wanted to share a few of its health benefits and why I love it so much! Benefits of Ginger:  Ginger contains something called gingerols which have VERY strong anti-inflammatory effects.  We know that inflammation is pretty much the common link between pretty much EVERY disease known, so consuming foods like ginger is extremely important!  It's even been known to

I found this awesome video online from Underground Wellness that I thought you would love! I've been guilty of eating a few of these "FAKE FOODS" in the past, but it's important to be educated on what you are ACTUALLY PUTTING IN YOUR MOUTH.  Take a few minutes to watch this

Hey Everyone! I've been following Sean from UndergroundWellness.com for a while now, and love to listen to his viewpoint on fitness and nutrition.   This is one of the best video's I've seen that will simplify one the most complicated and widely misunderstood topics in weight loss. Take 10 minutes to watch this video- you will guaranteed learn something

Hi Everyone! I wanted to share an AWESOME FIND with you. (Well actually, Rob West of Lake Mary Boot Camp introduced it to me....so I can't take the credit for finding it!) [caption id="attachment_1395" align="alignright" width="240" caption="I cooked! (and it almost looks like Sarah's :-))"][/caption] If you are in our boot camp or follow my blog, you'd know that we promote a clean way of eating: gluten free, dairy free, lots of veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds....etc. Pretty much "The Paleo Diet." Well, there's an AMAZING, easy-to-read site, with DELICIOUS and Healthy recipes....called Everyday Paleo! When I came across her site, I had to try a few of the recipes from her blog.  And...they were fantastic! Since I am constantly in and out of the house, I don't usually have the time to cook.  These recipes took hardly ANY TIME at all, and NOT A LOT OF WORK....and I loved them. So....I

Recently, I have become slightly obsessed with Goji berries.  I've been putting them in my almond milk yogurt, in my buckwheat granola, and just eat them by themselves plain as a snack! This all stemmed from a documentary that I just watched called Food Matters.  This movie is all about how with the proper nutrition, our own bodies can CURE and rid itself of disease: cancers, tumors, auto-immune disorders, and function optimally again. Food Matters features a handful of nutritional and raw food experts, but one, David Wolfe, really caught my attention. He talked about how certain "superfoods" have the ability to "tremendously increase the vital force and energy of one's body, and are the optimum choice for improving overall health, boosting the immune system, elevating serotonin production, enhancing sexuality, and cleansing and alkalizing the body." I liked what David had to say so much,

Do you know what you are really drinking? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKZ2ZqBYlrI[/youtube] Imagine how cutting out just ONE soda from your diet can increase your fat loss! Maybe you will think twice before picking up that can of Coke next time? Just one soda a day can add 10 to 16 pounds of FAT to your body each year!

Did you know the average American gains 7-10 lbs over the holidays!?  You can absolutely make the choice that this will NOT BE YOU this year! Yes, it actually is possible to lose weight over the Holiday Season this year!  Here are my TOP TEN TIPS to help you keep your waist line under control for the Holidays: 1.  Don’t go anywhere hungry.  Try to arrive at any holiday parties having already eaten something healthy...that way you won’t be too prone to digging into high-calorie party foods. 2.  Don’t eat things you don’t like.  If you put something on your plate and it doesn’t taste good, don’t eat it. Why absorb the extra calories on something that doesn’t even satisfy you? 3.  Bring something healthy.  When attending a party or gathering, bring a healthier dish that you enjoy eating!  This is a good way to eat less tempting foods! 4.  Throw the snack plate AWAY.  The

Most people have heard of MSG and know that it's bad for you.  But what exactly is it, and why is it STILL in our foods?  MSG makes your food taste really good.  Companies put it in your food because it enhances the flavor to make it taste better and keep you buying more of it!  MSG manufacturers even admit that it addicts people to their products! MSG is also unfortunately found in MOST restaurants.  It's in just about every fast food item, in most sauces, salad dressings, chips, soups, and even Boars Head products!  The list goes on and on, and it is ultimately your responsibility to control what goes into your mouth. Glutamic acid is naturally occurring and can be found in many things we eat like tomatoes, mushrooms, and milk.  When it's found naturally in our food, the glutamic acid is bound, or "attached" to another amino acid, and our bodies are designed to slowly digest it.  The damage