Melissa Paris Fitness

Vitamin D has been called the “nutrient of the decade”. But hold your applause! Studies have shown that we are most likely to be deficient in vitamin D. We produce our own vitamin D, so technically it’s not really considered a “vitamin”. However, because our bodies produce such inadequate levels of this nutrient, it is critical to get your vitamin D from supplements, foods, or through sunlight (at least 15 minutes a day). But you may ask, why vitamin D? Why is that considered the nutrient of the decade over others? It’s because a deficiency in vitamin D will not only cause inadequate bone development and excessive bone loss, it also affects every tissue in the body including the brain, heart, muscles, immune system has receptors for vitamin D, meaning that if you don’t proper levels of this nutrient it creates a domino effect for your body! Read more...

Artificial sweeteners. What about them? Many of you may use them on a daily basis to sweeten up your morning coffee and jump start your day. They may look like little packets of sunshine on groggy mornings, but don't be fooled by their colorful and tiny exterior! These devils seduce you with their "zero-calorie" label, making you believe that artificial sweeteners are a healthier alternative to high fructose corn syrup and regular sugar. However, simply replacing regular sugar products with products that are artificially sweetened does not necessarily mean that they are healthier for you. If you want to be healthy and lose healthy weight, eating right and exercising regularly is still the way to go. And eating right does NOT mean shoving "diet" or "sugar-free" products full of potentially detrimental chemicals down your throat. Read more...

You are what you eat! If you eat grain-fed cows, you eat everything that they have consumed before they hit the supermarkets. Which means you are eating antibiotics and hormones that they are fed to prevent them from getting diseases and infections. Sounds like a good meal right? Next time you go to the supermarket or local farmer's market, check out the grass-fed beef if you haven't already. Make sure to always carefully read label before you make your purchase! Spend the few extra dollars on grass-fed beef and really notice the difference it makes on your health and life.

Just a few notes:
“Organic” beef: this label indicates that no pesticides were used on the pastureland, the animals did not receive antibiotics or growth hormones, they had unrestricted outdoor access, and were treated humanely. Keep in mind that unless it also says “grass fed,” the cows still probably ate corn in their feed–though it should have been organic.

"All-natural" beef: Doesn't mean a thing. It's just a marketing ploy!

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There’s a bunch of different kinds of oils, all with different uses, tastes, colors, and consistency. Some are thicker than others and are used as a deep frying pan cooking method and others are light enough to drizzle on your salad. But what kinds of oils should avoid? Before we jump into the different kinds of oils, here's a little cooking tip:
-The smoke point of oils and fats is the temperature when it breaks down and fails as a lubricant. Knowing how hot the oil can get can help you decrease your risk of cancer from going above the smoke point and also prevent you from burning down the house! The fat is not good for consumption after it reaches its smoke point. The lighter the color oil, the higher the smoke point.
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Get your protein on! Proteins help you recover from your hard and crazy work out sessions. They are made up of amino acids, in total we have 20 amino acids that work together to makes all types of protein. Some amino acids cannot be produced in our body, so we have to look for outside sources to get our full intake of protein. Out of 20 amino acids, eleven amino acids CAN be produced in the body known as nonessential amino acids, and nine CANNOT be produced, called essential acids. Read more...

Do you know exactly where you get your fish from? Is it wild caught, or is it farm raised? That may be a question we ask, but there is no exact answer. Unfortunately, it's not smart to fully trust all of the labels given to you in the supermarkets. Even though it may read wild caught, supermarkets can easily label things as wild even though they are farm raised. So... what now? Here's a little information about the difference between wild caught and farm raised, and how to get around to eating the healthiest seafood. Read more...

The frozen yogurt trend swept across the streets of NYC, with hundreds of places to choose from how do you know which one is the BEST one? These places claim that frozen yogurt is a better alternative than regular ice cream, but is it actually true? Yes, it is true to some degree, frozen yogurt uses less fat (or even no fat!) and less cream than ice cream, which is filled with a lot more fat, sugar, and cream. Frozen yogurt also has probiotic characteristics, while ice cream lacks it. However, although froyo is considered the “healthier’ alternative that doesn't mean you should stuff your face until you can't move. Even though some fro-yo flavors are labeled low-fat or no fat, they are usually PACKED with sugar to compensate for the boring flavor from the little to no fat. So even if there’s no fat, there is a heck of a lot of sugar. Many people also think that just because it's healthier, you can have larger qualities and pile up massive amounts of toppings. The key is to limit yourself to a reasonable amount of fro-yo and top it off with some fruit. Below are a few notable fro-yo places around here. Also, keep in mind that the new daily recommendation of sugar a day for women is about 20 grams of sugar a day, while for men its 36 grams daily. Read more...

Drinking water is one of the easiest things to incorporate in your diet and exercise plan...What'd you think I was going to say? Unlike saying no to that delicious slice of pizza or cycling class once or twice a week, making sure you drink enough water takes little to no will power. There should be no excuse to not drinking enough water! We are fortunate enough to have a safe and pristine water supply system here in New York. Take advantage of that clean water, fill up your water bottles and drink away!
I'm not going to sit here and explain the endless benefits of water, however I will explain to you how much water you should consume based on your weight and physical activity levels. A simple calculation can provide you a clearer picture of how much water you should actually drink, contrary to the common belief of drinking 8 glasses of water a day.
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What is heat Exhaustion and HOW to Avoid it...

The summertime can be deadly. With staggering high temperatures and extreme humidity, it's hard to step outside without sweating buckets. We have to remember that we are only human, and prolonged periods of exercising or being outdoors can lead to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. Your body is typically about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you add exercise in the mixture, it can rise up to three degrees higher! To cool down, we sweat. But when sweating doesn't cut it, we become dehydrated, dizzy, super sweaty and weak. If you don't take care of your body, it can result to fainting and heat stroke. And I wouldn't want you guys to faint, how are you supposed to make it to class?! Here are the steps to keep your body happy, well hydrated, and (less) sweat free!

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Instead of doing an exercise merely to just do it, it is important to know why you are doing it and what primary muscles it works out. Book your next workout today! Sign Up Here Read more...