Todd Leyte Fitness

09/19/2018

09/11/2018

05/04/2015

Challenge of the Week: NO BREAD!

This week’s challenge will be a small step to show you just how AMAZING you will feel when you cut out BREAD & Pastas from your diet!

Many people have some level of intolerance to gluten (the protein that is found in bread, pasta, etc.) Even if you don’t show any symptoms, at a cellular level, it causes INFLAMMATION in many people without our knowledge.

Something You Should Know….

Since wheat grows free and open in the field as a plant, it has a natural protective mechanism build in called LECTINS. Lectins are the plants natural protection against insects and other pests in order to not get eaten by them.

When we eat bread, we are ingesting these lectins, and they can cause crazy amounts of inflammation in our bodies.

In addition, lectins can cause something called “leaky Gut” which let the “bad” things in through the intestinal wall and not allow your body to absorb the “good” things like nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Lectins = NO GOOD!

Bread includes: Bread, Pastas, Cookies, Cakes, Bagels, Muffins, etc!

You will not only feel AMAZING come Sunday, but you might have even notices that you dropped a couple of pounds

So…Are you READY to accept this week’s Challenge!?

Make sure to let us know in a comment below if you will be participating!

04/27/2015

Challenge of the Week: SLEEP!

This Week, I’m Challenging YOU to Get Your ZZZ’s! Rest, Recovery, and Sleep are EQUALLY as important as exercise. In fact, if you are not getting the proper recovery, some of your hard work will be wasted efforts.

We ALL know how important a good night’s sleep is, so why is it then, that we always put off going to bed until we do that “one last thing”, or “watch until the next commercial”?

We have so much to do each day, but the truth is, we would be SO much more productive if we all actually got enough sleep!
There are a TON of reasons why getting enough sleep is so important. Here are just a few….

1. Did you know that around 80% of your HGH (Human Growth Hormone) is released while you are sleeping? HGH is a VERY important hormone in maintaining a healthy body weight because it controls metabolism, cell growth and repair, and regulates your lean body mass to fat ratio.

2. Lack of sleep will also cause an increase in a hormone called CORTISOL, which will not only prevent you from LOSING weight, but it can also cause you to GAIN WEIGHT! Not something any of us want.

3. When you sleep, your body is repairing and restoring itself. Cutting this time short will not only delay this process, but cause you to be lethargic, irritable, and emotional.

4. Lack of sleep is also associated with impaired memory, slowed speech, lack of ambition, lack of focus and a host of other lovely things.

Because over 40% of us suffer from a chronic lack of sleep, this week’s challenge is for you to ”Get Your ZZZ’s!”

Your Challenge: To get 7-8 hours of UNINTERRUPTED sleep EVERY NIGHT this week.

Here are a few things that will help:

1. Set a bedtime for yourself and STICK to it- even if you are NOT tired.

2. Turn off all electronics (TV’s, phones, iPads, etc) at least 30-60 minutes before you go to bed.

3. Stay away from caffeine after around 3 pm.

4. Make sure you have complete darkness in your bedroom.

5. Write your To-Do List DOWN at night. Write down a list of EVERYTHING you need to get done the next day before you go to sleep at night. This way, you won’t have to think about it because it’s down on paper, and you can get to sleep knowing that it’s on your list and you won’t forget it.

6. Make it a Priority! (if you do- you will be AMAZED at how great you will feel at the end of the week!)

Make sure to leave a comment below if you ACCEPT this Challenge!!! Good luck & get some rest!

04/20/2015

The NO SUGAR CHALLENGE!

This week, I’m challenging you to a: “NO ADDED SUGAR WEEK.”
Added sugars (that don’t occur naturally in the foods you are eating) can be detrimental to your health.

Here are just a few of the MANY reasons to cap the sugar intake in your diet….

• Sugar promotes INFLAMMATION in the body (Inflammation is the ROOT of ALL disease in our bodies.)
• Large amounts of added Sugars will SUPPRESS the immune system. (Imagine how your immune systems suffers if you are eating added and processed sugars at ever meal!)
• Sugars will suppress the release of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) in the body (and since HGH is imperative in anti-aging in our bodies, we want as much of this as our bodies are able to naturally produce.)
• Sugars will raise your insulin levels- which over time can lead to a whole host of diseases.
• Short term, added sugars will have a HUGE effect on your energy levels throughout the day.
By taking this challenge it means that you commit to having no ADDED sugars in ANYTHING you eat this week!

Here are the Rules:

1. No Added Sugars of ANY kind: Honey, Molasses, Cane Sugar, Coconut Sugar, Stevia, Agave, Truvia, etc.)

2. Absolutely nothing in the ingredient label that says HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup). Try to stay away from all processed foods in general to make it easier on yourself (though that is another challenge for another week!)

3. Do NOT eat anything that says Sugar-Free. This will almost 100% of the time have artificial sweeteners in them. General Rule of Thumb: If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, you probably shouldn’t be eating it!

Naturally occurring sugars in your food are OK (fruits, veggies, etc.) Try to eat your fruits earlier in the day (not past 3-4pm)
This Week’s Challenge may be a LOT harder than it looks….but you’ll be SHOCKED at how amazing you feel at the end of the week.

You’ll probably also notice you are sleeping better, have more energy, and may even have lost 2-3 pounds! :-)

Are you UP FOR THIS CHALLENGE???

Here are a few tips for a Successful Week….

1. Make sure you post a comment below saying that “I Accept this Challenge!”

2. Get RID of ALL Distractions or items that will keep you from your goals. If you have other people in your home living with you, put their sugary foods in a separate cabinet or refrigerator shelf to keep you from temptation. (This step is HUGE!)

3. Plan Out Your Food for the Week! Sit down for 15 minutes to plan out what you will be eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner this week. Taking the time to do this will tremendously increase your chances for success!

4. Plan Out Your Reward/Consequences. If you succeed at this challenge, what will be your reward? (Please do not make it a Brownie Sundae!) Something like a massage, manicure, and other non-food related rewards work best. (You don’t want to start conditioning your self with food as prizes.)

Also, if you do NOT succeed with the challenge, what is your penalty? (Example: Offering to do your husbands chores for a week, 150 Burpees, etc.)

Good Luck this week with the Challenge! Don’t forget to leave a comment below if you are committed!

04/13/2015

BREAKFAST Challenge!

Breakfast (as we ALL know) is one of the most important meals of the day.

With all of our hustle and bustle in the morning…..hopefully squeezing in an am workout, getting the kids off to school, getting ready for work…our breakfast sometimes hits the back burner.
Here are a handful of the many reasons you should eat a healthy breakfast:

1. It’ll improve your ability to focus & concentrate throughout the day
2. It’ll help you to maintain a healthy body weight
3. It’ll give you more ENERGY (which most of us need more of!)
4. It’ll Rev up your metabolism & kick-starts it into gear for the day
5. It’ll help you to get in your daily requirements for your vitamins & minerals

Your Challenge this week is to Eat A HEALTHY Breakfast EVERY day this week…should you CHOOSE to accept it!

Action Steps:

1. COMMIT to eating a healthy breakfast EVERY day for the rest of the week.

2. Leave a COMMENT below saying that you ACCEPT this Challenge to hold yourself accountable!

3. PLAN out your breakfasts for the week on paper. Going in with a plan MASSIVELY increases your chances for success.

4. PREPARE. (This is KEY) Make a list of the ingredients that you need to make your healthy breakfasts for the rest of the week. Go to the grocery store and get all of the items needed. When you get back, make anything you are able to in advance (like the egg cupcakes) when you have free time.

That’s it! Good luck with this week’s Challenge and don’t forget to leave a comment below!

03/22/2015

Benefits of Bananas!