Author Archives: Michael Wood, Chief Fitness Officer

21-Day Koko Booster Exercise & Nutrition Challenge Update: Week 2

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Karin has taken the 21 day Koko Booster exercise and nutrition challenge

Karin of Koko FitClub Herndon and all her Koko lanyards!

Josie and Karin in Northern Virginia are into week two of their 21 day Koko Booster program and they have been fantastic in keeping up with the Booster workout schedule. They also have been successfully incorporating their Booster meal plans into their busy lives.

Just to recap, two of our Northern Virginia clubs, Koko FitClub Herndon and Koko FitClub Ashburn each challenged a member to do a 21-Day Koko Booster Program, and to share their experiences and results with all of us. The 21-Day Koko Boosters are new with the launch of Koko Fuel and include customized, fully integrated strength, cardio and nutrition plans.

Heading into week two, here’s where they stand:

Josie, our 44-year-old mobile DJ from Koko FitClub Ashburn, has lost four pounds, her “Q” score is up to 18 and she’s lowered her eBMI to 46.6. (Remember, the eBMI number aligns with the traditional BMI scale but, unlike BMI, takes into account the amount of lean muscle in your body, a key medical indicator of your health.) Way to go, Josie!

“The strength work outs have been tough, but I am loving the results and the way that I feel,” she said. “The Fuel plan has given me a better understanding of how to plan meals that incorporate more fruits, vegetables, lean meats and healthy grains.”

Josie currently has a lean muscle level of 168.5 pounds.  The more lean muscle you have, the more calories your body burns during exercise AND at rest.  Lean muscle determines your metabolism and energy levels and affects your strength, agility and even your ability to fight disease.  As she continues on her fitness path, Josie may see her lean muscle level drop along with her total weight, but that’s to be expected. It’s impossible to lose only body fat when your goal is to lose a significant amount of weight. What her Koko Smartraining strength program will do is minimize muscle loss. We will see her lean muscle level make up an increasing percentage of her total body weight, and that will be reflected as a lower eBMI number!

Karin, our 53-year-old school bus driver from Koko FitClub Herndon has kept her weight in check and slightly reduced her eBMI to 25.6.  Her goal is to get stronger and increase her lean muscle level, which is currently 102 pounds. Love your consistency, Karin!

“I have tried the Koko Fuel recipes and especially love the turkey chili and all of the quinoa options,” she said.  “My family and I have been really focusing on making more healthy choices and are experimenting with different Greek yogurts to find one we like.”

Check in weekly to watch Josie’s and Karin’s progress as they incorporate workouts and meal planning into their daily routines and cheer them on as they start seeing results!

Keep up the great work ladies. Koko Nation is rooting you on!

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub
Customized Exercise. Customized Nutrition. Amazing Results.

Try a complimentary Koko FitClub workout near you!

Change lives with us! Find out about becoming a Koko FitClub franchisee here!

Super Food Sunday: Lemons!

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Lemons are a powerful super food

Feeling a little sour about the end to another weekend?  Slice in to this week’s Super Food Sunday post and we’ll see if I can take that “sour puss” off your face.

What Is It?
The Lemon is a member of the “Rutaceae” family.  Of all the members of the “Rue” family, the “Citrus” children are the most favored.  The Citrus Clan includes some of the most well-known and economically important fruits in the world – Oranges, Grapefruits, Limes and this week’s Super Food, Lemons!

Lemons are an ancient food. Their history traces back to Jerusalem in the 90s BC! They found their way to the Americas in1493 when Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds to Hispaniola. (And, do you remember that Columbus was also responsible for introducing hot peppers to the new world?) The Spanish conquest of the new world quickly spread lemons throughout the Americas, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that lemons were increasingly planted in Florida and California.

A “C-Note” for Your Health
As ordinary as the lemon may seem, they pack a seriously sour punch of “superness.” At only 12 calories, the juice of an entire lemon has an incredible one-third of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C.  With all that Vitamin C, it’s no surprise that Columbus was so fond of the bright yellow fruit – remember that lemons were used to cure Scurvy, which was a big problem for sailors.

While Scurvy is no longer a problem, Vitamin C is still a critical nutrient. And, not just because it may reduce the chance of catching a cold. (It’s still unclear if Vitamin C has an impact on immunity). Vitamin C plays a role in building collagen – an important structural component of blood vessels, ligaments, tendons and bones.   In Vitamin C is also required for the “synthesis of carnitine, a small molecule that is essential for the transport of fat into cellular organelles called mitochondria (do you remember this Facebook Fun Fact Friday question?) where fat is converted into energy.” Translation: lemons help us burn fat, as opposed to carbohydrates, for energy…and this is a good thing.

Be Smart, and Make it Tart!
On top of the numerous benefits provided by the high levels of Vitamin C, Lemons can lay claim to many more health advantages. Interestingly enough, when the juice of a lemon is mixed with water the benefits of lemons become even greater…so, be smart and make it tart.

Balances pH
Strangely enough, lemons are an incredibly alkaline food.   Yes, on their own, they are acidic, but inside our bodies they become alkaline. And, as you may or may not know, an alkaline body is a healthy body.

Helps with Weight Loss
We’ve already discussed the role Vitamin C plays in helping the body to burn fat for energy, but the story gets even better.  Lemons are high in Pectin Fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings.   It has also been shown the people that maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster.

Aids Digestion & Acts as a Natural Diuretic:
Lemons are high in vitamins and minerals that help loosen toxins in the digestive tract and can help to alleviate digestive distress. Lemon juice also helps flush out unwanted substances (a.k.a. you make more trips to the loo.)

Powerful Antioxidant
Lemons pack an impressive punch of antioxidants, so get ready to pucker up.  Loaded with flavonoids (much like red wine & dark chocolate,) getting more lemon into your diet can help decrease the risk of heart disease, reduce inflammation and fight certain cancers (pancreatic and stomach to name a couple.)  More recent studies suggest that lemons play a role in helping protect the brain and preventing strokes.

If Life Gives You Lemons…Say “Thank You!”
It’s hard to deny the lemon’s place in the super food family. Not only do they add abundant flavor to a variety of dishes and drinks, but they also boast a ton of health benefits.  They are a tremendous “natural cure” for things like reducing fever and relieving the itch from poison ivy or insect bites.  They are widely available, affordable and they smell great.  The bottom line is, whoever coined the term “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” did not remotely understand that the lemon is one of life’s greatest gifts.

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub
Customized Exercise. Customized Nutrition. Amazing Results.

Try a complimentary Koko FitClub workout near you!

Change lives with us! Find out about becoming a Koko FitClub franchisee here!

No Joke! Laughing Has Serious Health Benefits.

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It’s not the Miles, it’s how you live them. (Video)

It’s hard to argue that laughing is infectious – tell me you didn’t at least giggle while watching that video. It’s also hard to argue that after a good “laugh fest,” you feel better – both physically and mentally.  Did you know the effects of laughter and exercise are very similar?  This is where you say something like: “Is this some sort of joke? Does laughter really provide health benefits that are similar to exercise? ” According to the new field of “gelotology” – the study of laughter and its effects on the body – it sure does!

This is good news people, and for some, maybe that’s all you need to know – laughter has health benefits.  After all, if we enjoy laughing, that’s likely reason enough to continue to laugh.  But, if you are like me, curious about how something as great as laughing can provide health benefits similar to exercise, then put a smile on your face and read on.

Laughter experts, (is that an awesome job or what?) Dr. Lee S Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan, were among the first to discover that laughing helps maximize many functions of various body systems.  One of the key findings of their study was that laughter optimizes hormones in the endocrine system, including decreasing the levels of cortisol and epinephrine, which leads to stress reduction.

Cortisol is a key hormone when it comes to exercise and weight loss, and “less is better.”  Cortisol is a “catabolic” hormone, which means that it breaks tissue down (as opposed to building tissue up the way testosterone, growth hormone and insulin do.)  We all know that consuming too many calories and not exercising regularly lead to weight gain, but there are other factors that can make weight loss more difficult.  One of those factors is high cortisol, largely from chronic stress.  If something as simple and enjoyable as laughter has the ability to decrease cortisol levels, start your “LOL” prescription immediately.

Decreasing stress is definitely a shared benefit of laughter and exercise, (unless you are exercising too long – it’s no coincidence that a Koko Smartraining strength workout is only 30 minutes,) but the comparisons don’t stop there.

Blood Flow:
When we laugh, our pulse and blood pressure go up, we breathe faster and send more oxygen to our muscles and organs.  That increased level of oxygen in our blood gives us more energy.   Similarly, exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And, when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily routine.

Immune Response:
As we discussed already, laughter decreases stress, which in turn, improves the functioning of our immune system.  Some studies have shown that laughing and the ability to use humor raises the level of infection-fighting antibodies and boost the level of immune cells.  Laughing also increases the response of tumor and disease killing cells, such as T-cells, and defends against respiratory infections by the immunoglobulin created in saliva.  In the same vein, exercise can boost your immune system by providing a boost to the cells in your body that are assigned to attack bacteria.


Calorie Burn:
Last, but not least, laughing burns calories! When you laugh, you are giving your diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles a light workout.  Maciej Buchowski, a researcher from Vanderbilt University, conducted a study in which he measured the amount of calories expended in laughing.  Mr. Buchowski concluded that 10-15 minutes of laughter burned 50 calories.  (Imagine the effect I could have on the calorie burn for Koko Cardio if I worked in a stand up routine…)
While those 50 calories are a nice bonus and add up over time, don’t skip today’s workout because you watched “Bridesmaids” last night.  One piece of chocolate has about 50 calories.  At the rate of 50 calories per hour, losing one pound would require 12 hours of concentrated laughter. The world record for non-stop laughter, held by Belachew Girma, is 3 hours and 6 minutes.  That said, some interesting fitness trends have emerged that combine exercise with laughter; check one of them out here – you won’t be disappointed (but you may decide my Koko Cardio stand up routine isn’t such a brilliant stroke of genius.)

So my friends, as contrary as it sounds, humor and laughter should be taken seriously when it comes to the impact they have on our health and wellbeing.  After all, this “medicine” is fun, free, easy to use and doesn’t require a prescription.  Since laughter pre-dates speech by perhaps millions of years, we can conclude that laughter the most ancient of medicines still being used today.

I hope that every mile of your journey is filled with the wonderful sounds of laugher, that you find humor in as many situations as you can, and that you take the time to stop and laugh with the people you care about the most.

Laugh more…live better!

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub
Customized Exercise. Customized Nutrition. Amazing Results.

Try a complimentary Koko FitClub workout near you!

Change lives with us! Find out about becoming a Koko FitClub franchisee here!

21-Day Koko Booster Exercise & Nutrition Challenge: Day 1

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Josie from Koko FitClub Ashburn

Josie from Koko FitClub Ashburn has taken us up on the 21-Day Koko Booster Challenge!

With the launch of Koko Fuel, there is no one else in the world that can offer anything comparable to Koko FitClub’s holistic, simple path to fitness. I’m really excited to see members benefiting from it out in the “real world.” I want you to see it too!

So, two of our Northern Virginia clubs, Koko FitClub Herndon and Koko FitClub Ashburn have each challenged a member to do a 21-Day Koko Booster Program, and share their experience and results with all of us. The 21-Day Koko Boosters are new with the launch of Koko Fuel and include customized, fully integrated strength, cardio and nutrition plans.

Josie, from Koko FitClub Ashburn, is a 44-year-old mobile DJ who once lost more than 100 pounds but then gained it back. Her current fitness goal is not just to lose weight, but to change the way that she and her husband approach their overall health and fitness.

“I love the fact that Koko FitClub offers a no pressure, no mirror environment with specific fitness and nutrition plans designed just for me,” she said. “Losing weight only to gain it back is so discouraging, so I am looking forward to making real lifestyle changes with this challenge.”

Her starting “Q” Score (a score that represents each Koko member’s relative strength) is 15 – the average among the women of Koko Nation in their 40s is 48. Josie’s current Koko eBMI is 46.8 – 17.9 points away from a healthy fit zone. (Remember, eBMI number aligns with the traditional BMI scale but, unlike BMI, takes into account the amount of lean muscle in your body, a key medical indicator of your health.)

Karin, from Koko FitClub Herndon, is a 53-year-old former paralegal who is now safely transporting school kids as a bus driver.  Her fitness goals include losing a few pesky pounds and improving her lean muscle level.

“I have been a member of Koko FitClub since April of 2012 and love that it offers me an affordable substitute to a pricey personal trainer.  I have had memberships at so many gyms I’ve lost count and I’ve hired expensive trainers, but I have never found a program as easy to follow as Koko Smartraining.”

Her starting “Q” Score is 60 – the average for a woman in her 50s is 43 and her current eBMI is 25.7.  With her current fitness levels in the healthy range, her goal now is to increase her lean muscle level, lose a few pounds and lower her eBMI.

Stop by weekly as I chronicle Josie’s and Karin’s progress as they incorporate workouts and meal planning into their daily routines and help me cheer them on as they start seeing results!

Best of luck to you, Josie and Karin! You have a big cheering section!

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub
Customized Exercise. Customized Nutrition. Amazing Results.

Try a complimentary Koko FitClub workout near you!

Change lives with us! Find out about becoming a Koko FitClub franchisee here!

Super Food Saturday Valentine’s Date Night Edition: Dark Chocolate & Red Wine

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Red Wine and Dark Chocolate are Valentine's superfood

I typically reserve the first paragraph of every Super Food post for a brief explanation of what family the food belongs to and how the name came to be…but when dealing with dark chocolate and red wine this close to Valentine’s Day, and just in time for date night, let’s forgo the chit chat and skip right to the good stuff!

A Match Made in Heaven

Most people won’t argue that chocolate and wine are heavenly foods, but you may be surprised to learn that chocolate’s botanical name, Theobroma cacao, literally translates to “food of the gods.”   And, while on the topic of the divine, the Greek god Dionysus is credited with inventing wine. As the god of fertility and ecstasy who can blame him?  As the myths go, Dionysus was often in the presence of  “Maenads” – wild women, flush with wine and draped in fawn skins enjoying the “fruit of the vine.” (And some chocolate perhaps?)  There’s no doubt Mr. Dionysus knew how to throw a party, but he probably didn’t know the health benefits of these sumptuous foods.

Flavonoids & Resveratrol – The Language of Love

Dark chocolate and red wine both contain polyphenols called flavanols. Flavanols are super sexy, naturally occurring antioxidants that protect the body by fighting the effects of free radicals – atoms or molecules in our bodies that contribute to a list of serious health issues.  In fact, the ORAC value (the measure of a substances’ antioxidant capacities) of raw, unprocessed cocoa is higher than highly regarded super foods like acai, pomegranates, cranberries, blueberries, kale and spinach.

If the high ORAC value doesn’t get you in the mood, dark chocolate has a list of benefits that will help keep a flame burning that even cupid can’t match:

Dark Chocolate is good for your heart

We all know a strong heart is important when the “mood strikes” and studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times a week can help lower your blood pressure, improves blood flow and prevents the formation of blood clots.

Dark Chocolate is good for your brain

Attraction is about more than just a pretty face – we want the package deal! Beauty AND brains. (BRAAAAINZ… Ha! Just kidding. That’s the Halloween post.) If you’d like a little enhancement in that department, dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain, improving cognitive function (and reducing the risk of stroke.)

Dark chocolate improves your mood

It seems too good to be true, but dark chocolate has several chemical compounds that have a positive effect on your mood. One in particular, phenylethylamine (PEA,) encourages the brain to release endorphins, so when you eat it, you’re happier.  Interestingly enough, PEA is the same chemical your brain creates when you feel like you’re falling in love.  A few squares of dark chocolate may be all you need to rekindle the romance.

Dark chocolate is high in vitamins & minerals

Dark chocolate contains a number of vitamins and minerals, but the ones in large concentrations are potassium, copper, magnesium and iron.  Among other things, copper and potassium help prevent against stroke and cardiovascular ailments. Iron protects against iron deficiency (anemia) and magnesium helps prevent type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

For something as delicious and decadent as dark chocolate, it’s hard to believe how darn healthy it is.  Turn out, red wine provides many of the same benefits as dark chocolate because it too has abundant flavanols. But, the real superpowers behind red wine come from the phytonutrient resveratrol. 

While dark chocolate also has resveratrol, the highest concentrations are found in the skin of grapes.  Resveratrol is the antibody that grapes produce when they are fighting disease, fungii or injury.  This beautiful chemical compound reduces inflammation, reverses the aging process and repairs damaged cells.  In addition, resveratrol has been shown to interfere with the growth of cancer cells.

Also, the best way to absorb resveratrol is through “buccai” delivery – which means by direct absorption through the inside of the mouth.  The next time you take a sip of that heavenly juice, be sure to taste it like you’re on a romantic Napa tour and swish it around your mouth a bit.

The Taste of Love

There’s no doubt that dark chocolate and red wine are an attractive couple, but their  uber- super-foodiness escalates them to a stellar-sexy Brangelina status. (Too many hyphens?)  There is every reason to start working both of these decadent foods into your diet immediately…just make sure you can (and do) follow a few simple rules.

1.     Enjoy both in moderation (very important)
2.     Enjoy chocolate with cocoa content of 70% or higher
3.     To maximize resveratrol concentration look for grapes made in northern or higher elevation climates

For those of us in colder climates, try this smokin’ recipe for “Antioxidant Powerhouse Hot Chocolate:”

Mix all ingredients with milk in a medium saucepan. Heat it over low to medium heat, without causing it to boil. Stir continuously with a whisk to dissolve the sugar and distribute the cacao.  Enjoy!

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub

Try a complimentary Koko FitClub workout near you!

Change lives with us! Find out about becoming a Koko FitClub franchisee today!