By Scott Drexler
Much like the rest of you I try to be the smartest shopper I can be and have fallen victim to sacrificing quantity for quality. Heck, who can beat a 1,000 tablet multivitamin bottle that can last me 6 months compared to one that will only last me a single month? Well, it is the quality of that one month bottle of vitamins that beats that six month juggernaut. If there is one important lesson I have learned from working at Angie’s World other than the obvious, it is the quality of the substances I put into my body. If I want to perform at the highest, healthiest and most efficient level, why would I want to settle for less? Caution to those who read any further, this is going to sound like a lame sales pitch, but the beauty of Angie’s World is Angie refuses to have anything in her store that she hasn’t researched and/or used herself. Being that I am somewhat of a health-nut myself, I cannot begin to describe how many times I have walked into your generic, corporate nutrition shop and asked the employee a question about a product and have gotten the same automated response that can be found on the products website. Not that this is a bad thing, but it just demonstrates how little is known of the actual quality of the product. I am by no means claiming to be more knowledgeable than these other workers, but unlike the other stores I have a trained and certified professional (Angie) in store that is able to answer any questions I or any customer may have. I don’t know about you, but being told by a certified nutritionist/trainer whether a product will work for me and how it will improve my life gives me much better piece of mind than saving some money on a product that may not actually work. So, next time you see a lifetime supply of multivitamins for really cheap, instead of thinking “That is a great deal!” maybe you should consider why this product is being sold for such a low price. It’s because of the QUALITY!
Posts Tagged ‘Nutrition’
Why Shop at Angie’s World
Friday, July 30th, 2010Angie at Your Local Barnes and Noble
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010If you are in Riverside, Ca this weekend come by Barnes and Noble at the Galleria at Tyler. Angie will be signing her book ” BODY BY ANGIE, Is Your Body Bankrupt? Learn To Invest in Yourself!” Angie and her staff will be offering FREE body composition testing and will be available to answer your questions on health, exercise and nutrition. The event is on Saturday the 24th from 2-4 pm. For store and event information go to http://storelocator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3046374. Come join us and get on the road to better health!
The Latest Press Release
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010Riverside Trainer’s New Book Shares “Secrets” of Health and Fitness
Hard work and long-term commitment trump trendy diets and surgeries, says president of Angie’s World and author of the new book, “Body by Angie.”
RIVERSIDE, CA—If you’re overweight and unhealthy and want to do something about it, Angie Lustrick has some advice for you.
Ignore the ever-present ads for weight-loss surgery (it’s a lot riskier—and costlier—than they let on). Forget the quick-fix diet fads—the only weight you’ll lose will be from your wallet.
Instead, take a page—literally—out of Lustrick’s new book, “Body by Angie: Is Your Body Bankrupt? Learn to Invest in Your Health.”
In her book, Lustrick, president of Riverside-based personal training and nutrition center Angie’s World, explains why starvation diets, risky surgeries and unrealistic exercise regimens simply don’t work.
The truth is, getting and staying in shape isn’t easy.
It takes hard work, dedication and the right mindset. And support from expert trainers such as the staff at Angie’s World doesn’t hurt, either.
What’s really needed is a life-changing commitment to getting and staying healthy, says Lustrick, who understands firsthand the challenges of being overweight.
A decade ago, she was overweight, hypoglycemic and unhappy with the way she looked and felt. Like increasing numbers of Americans, her lack of fitness was affecting her overall health, and she had to do something about it.
Ten years later, Lustrick is a certified nutritionist and personal trainer. She has competed in marathons, triathlons, bodybuilding events and other sporting competitions. At 34, she’s in the best shape of her life—physically, mentally and emotionally. And she’s inspiring others to embark on the same life-changing journey she undertook.
Her message couldn’t come at a more appropriate time. A 2010 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that 32.2 percent of adult men and 35.5 percent of adult women were obese. According to medical experts, obesity can lead to chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, certain cancers and arthritis.
No miracle diet or dangerously invasive surgery will help you lose the weight and keep it off, says Lustrick, who appeared at book signings in the Inland Empire in July— including an event scheduled at Barnes & Noble booksellers on July 24— where she dispensed advice and inspired people to set and pursue their own weight-loss goals.
As Lustrick says, eating sensibly and committing to long-term exercise goals will allow you to lose body fat and add muscle, increase your metabolism and stamina and improve your overall health.
A sensible—and increasingly affordable—approach to getting in shape is by working with a personal trainer. And “Body by Angie” tells you how to choose a trainer who will help design a safe and appropriate exercise routine, get maximum benefit from your workouts and keep you motivated to do even better.
Lustrick received her certified nutritionist degree from American Health Science University and earned a degree in Biology from the University of California, Riverside. She was diagnosed as pre-diabetic in her early college years, and knew she had to make a major lifestyle change. She entered a nationally sponsored transformation contest in 2000 and won first place out of 30,000 participants. She has since started Angie’s World, a Center of Excellence for the First Line Therapy® Program, a medically proven nutrition program.
The Happiest Place on Earth? Not with fake Lemonade…
Monday, June 21st, 2010My much younger siblings come into town once a year for a California vacation. I spend part of the time doing their nutritional analysis and testing. I am proud of the progress that they each have made over the last few years considering they have been dealing with the social hazards of being a teenager or young adult. We go swimming, I cook healthy foods for them, and provide some treats that stay within the realms of reasonableness.
Then we decided to take a day trip to the happiest place on earth; I know that Disney does not have the best choices for the average American trying to stay on a healthy eating plan so I prepare. We ate a good breakfast and brought protein bars for snacking and tuna packets (simply add to a side garden salad!) knowing that the entrée choices will be less than desirable when we get to lunch time. But as I went to the snack bar with them I was FLOORED at the “lemonade” they were serving. Any one that knows me and Angie’s World knows that I am appalled at the injection of corn in our diets. With high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maltodextrin, and citric acid in everything from soda (no surprise) to salad dressing and crackers (always a surprise). But this latest discovery was disturbing. The lemonade had NO lemons in it…NONE, NADA!! It contained three ingredients that were all corn…Corn Syrup, Maltodextrin and citric acid!! In fact, the label touted it as a good thing in a big bubble that stated: Contains no fruit juice! (like it was a good thing!)
Now I know that lemonade can be full of sugar and not the best choice for hydration but at the very least it should have lemons in it and maybe some cane sugar but ALL CORN! This food staple has been subsidized to the point of poor quality even for our livestock to eat. This product (I don’t even want to classify it as produce anymore) makes our bodies store fat just like cattle that they are getting ready to slaughter and they want them as heavy as possible! Then I see people making the choice for lemonade probably thinking they are making a better choice than soda and I am sad for them. Sad that you have to have some knowledge in chemistry and biology to eat healthfully these days. In Disney’s defense, they do offer fruit stands where you can purchase apples, oranges, bottled water and a few other healthy things. I do wish they would become more proactive and
start offering some better choices in their prepared food selections. Perhaps offering organic choices and food with real grilled chicken (not processed chicken product). I would be willing to pay for such products and so would a lot of others that are gaining knowledge about their eating choices. Come on Mickey, even if you aren’t concerned about people’s health at least recognize this is a market that you could capture and that you would help people to purchase more of your products while in the park as opposed to having to haul our own around!
Perhaps Mickey can create his own food line that only is made from real food… Now, that would make it the happiest and healthiest place on earth!
How to Tell if Eggs are Fresh
Thursday, June 10th, 2010I stumbled upon this great information from whatscookingamerica.net on how to determine if you should “chuke it” or “eat it”:
A general rule to follow is that any egg that looks or smells odd should not be used. If an egg is bad you will know it. Just smell the egg! Just crack each egg in a small bowl, smell it – your nose will tell you!
How to test if an egg is fresh
First Method:
Fill a deep bowl with water and carefully lower the egg into the water. A very fresh egg will immediately sink to the bottom and lie flat on its side. This is because the air cell within the egg is very small. The egg should also fee quite heavy.
As the egg starts to lose it freshness and more air enters the egg, it will begin to float and stand upright. The smaller end will lie on the bottom of the bowl, while the broader end will point towards the surface. The egg will still be good enough to consume.
However, if the egg fully floats in the water and does not touch the bottom of the bowl at all, it should be discarded, as it will most likely be bad.
Second Method:
Test the eggs freshness by breaking the egg onto a flat plate, not into a bowl. The yolk of a very fresh egg will have a round and compact appearance and it will sit positioned quite high up in the middle of the egg. The white that surrounds it will be thick and stays close to the yolk.
A less fresh egg will contain a flatter yolk, that may bread easily and a thinner white that spreads quite far over the plate.
Body By Angie: Is Your Body Bankrupt? Learn to Invest in Yourself
Friday, April 23rd, 2010Well, my first book has finally been published and is available on amazon.com and in bookstores everywhere! Wow! What a long process – I had no idea how long it would take to write a book and how much longer it takes to publish a book! If you have ever thought of writing a book, feel free to ask me questions on this blog. I would be happy to assist you and perhaps save you some heartache and excess footsteps on the journey of becoming an author.
I am very proud of this accomplishment and I am more proud of the reviews I have been receiving, especially the ones on amazon.com from people I don’t know.
If my book changes one person’s life, the many weekends I spent writing instead of “just chilling”, the hours spent emailing my editor and reviewing the book, and the headaches I had over the publishing companies rules and regulations will be all worth it. If that one person realizes the importance of exercise and/or the benefits of healthy eating, my book will be a success in my eyes.
I invite all of you that have read my book to post a personal story, an “a-ha” moment, or an “oh, wow” comment to this blog. I would love to dive deeper into some of the topics I wrote about as well as answer any questions that you may have after reading my book.
Here’s to your health!
Got Sugar Craving? Try Glutamine!
Friday, March 5th, 2010By Wilma Young
Every morning I make my first shake of the day. I use Ultrameal protein and add a few ingredients to make the recipe more delicious (like cinnamon) and nutritious (Wholesome Fast Food, a good fats and flax blend) and the “mama” of all additions for me is glutamine. This powerful amino acid is vital to your health. I have used it for years for muscle repair and brain support but when it started to help with sugar cravings, I was a “lifer” as they say! Glutamine is a free form amino acid found in the muscles of the body. Glutamine optimizes nitrogen balance, speeds recovery, and helps maintain cell volume and hydration too.
It also helps prevent muscle wasting and is essential for mental activity and cerebral function. These two things alone should make us all believers but it also supports the treatment of arthritis, auto immune diseases, intestinal disorders, peptic ulcers and connective tissue diseases. It can also be used to help developmental disabilities, epilepsy, fatigue, impotence, depression, schizophrenia and senility. We can all relate to one of these disorders (and maybe a few of us can relate to MANY of them). And yes, many plant and animal substances have glutamine in them but cooking easily destroys them so a supplement is key. It will also help when recovering from any trauma sustained by the body like surgeries, car accidents and after intense work outs, which let’s be honest, can be traumatic to the body if you’re pushing yourself. When I am having an extra hard time with cravings I will increase my protein intake and take an extra dose of glutamine after dinner. Remember that cravings of sugar (or alcohol or simple carbohydrates) can represent the need for a quick energy fix which means we didn’t get ENOUGH of the right foods prior to the energy crash. Glutamine is a terrific addition to your shake or supplement routine especially if you work out, but please take heed. The cravings are your body’s signal that you need to ADD more food, the RIGHT food and at a CONSISTENT level. if you invest in supplying your body with sustainable energy from whole foods, fresh produce and lean meats you will have the energy to accomplish your day, the emotional balance to manage stress and the well being to sleep restfully at night! Now that is better than any craving could ever promise!
The Big Game Is Sunday Will It Give You Big Buns?
Friday, February 5th, 2010By Wilma Young
It’s the beginning of the year. You have applied yourself to a healthy lifestyle and have made some positive strides towards this goal. Your pants aren’t quite as tight and the holiday fatigue seems to be waning. Then it appears, in the horizon, you can see the fat laden 7 layer dip with a side of corn chips nestled between a case of beer and a hot dog the size of the Goodyear blimp and you go weak in the knees. This is the first big “food-fest” of the year and it is a time that you can be tested. I have seen the ads for the football shaped cupcakes and the touchdown brownies but you will NOT score with these foods. Even if you make it to the end zone you will ultimately lose the Big Game! I want to encourage during this weekend to be strong. Have a protein shake or a small meal before you go to a party so that you will be less tempted to partake in these sidelining foods. Choose the veggie tray with salsa as your snack instead of the chips and cheese. Choose the BBQ chicken instead of the hot dogs and hamburgers and if necessary keep an “emergency” protein bar in your purse so that you don’t become the Big Bad Wolf when you see the little red flags of pseudo-food. If you can make it through Sunday by making better food choices 80% of the time you will be well on your way to the best year of your life. You will have proven to yourself that you can go to parties and eat well, be with friends and family and not salivate over the fatty foods and you can improve your body, mind and spirit. You will win big at the game of life and isn’t that really what winning is all about?
How Can It Be That Spending More for Your Vitamins Can Cost You Less
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010By Wilma Young
I had a pregnant client in the store today to get her fish oil supplements. She proceeded to tell me how tired she is (of course, who wouldn’t be when you are 2 weeks away from delivering) and her eyesight has been blurry. She asked her doctor about the blurry vision and he said “it was because of the baby taking all of the vitamins and nutrients from her body for it’s own growth”. I agree that this is what the baby needs right now but not at the expense of Mom’s eyesight. I asked if she was taking her prenatal vitamins and she said yes but she was using a drug store vitamin. Hearing this made me concerned for her and for the baby knowing that the cheap vitamin will not break down well, provide inferior nutrients and basically become “bedpan bullets”. This is not the foundation to a healthy and happy baby! In my usual mischievous tone I asked her why she would be using such poor quality vitamins and a high quality fish oil supplement. “I need to save money right now and thought the fish oil was more important to spend the money on”. “I completely empathize with your economic ordeal but the drug store vitamin isn’t giving you what you and the baby need. You HAVE to invest in the health of your baby AND you and skimping on vitamins right now is not the way to go. Spending the money now to help your baby develop his brain and body is like saving for his college fund. Remember an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The only time you will have 100% control over what he ingests is right now while he is inside of you, Let’s look at the cost!” We then went to the Prenatal Vitamin packs from Metagenics to calculate the dollars. The packets have the fish oil (which she was already going to buy), the multi vitamin and the added bonuses of choline, calcium/magnesium and added DHA, critical to brain development. Taking into consideration the drug store vitamin cost and the fish oil she was already going to buy the difference came out to @ $5.00. This didn’t take in to account the extra nutrition she was getting in the packets with the added DHA etc. “Isn’t it imperative for your own mental and physical health during this phenomenal and monumental time to invest the extra $5.00? You and your baby’s body and mind are worth it! Cutting cost now will only make you pay dearly in the future”.
Isn’t our next generation worth the investment.? Can we change our world by bringing healthier children into it? I say Yes!! What do you say?
P.S. She did start on the Metagenics Prenatal vitamins…who wouldn’t after a badgering like that!