Articles by Kevin Koskella on ArticleSnatch.com

10 Steps to Improving Your Triathlon Swim

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:02:50 -0500

As technical as the sport of swimming can be, it is tough to narrow down the answer to the often-asked question, "what should I concentrate on?" So, I came up with a "top ten" list of steps to improving your swim for a triathlon. These aren't necessarily in any order, but should go a long way in helping you achieve your goals, whether you are a beginner or trying to go pro. 1. Hand Entry. Slice your hand into the water right about at your goggle line, and drive it forward. Many swimmers attempt to get as much "air time" as possible by reaching the hand out before entering into the water, but it is actually more efficient to go through the water with your hand as you rotate from one side to the other. 2. Head Position. Keep looking straight down when swimming freestyle. It's important to keep your head down with only a small part of the back of your head out of the water. Also, as you rotate through the water, try not to move your head with the rest of your body rotation. 3. Pull. **End Summary** Topics: sports]]> triathlon]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella coaches masters and triathlete swimmers in San Diego, CA. He operates the website http://www.TriSwimCoach.com, a resource for beginning through intermediate level triathletes looking for help with swimming. The site features a free email newsletter offering tips and articles on triathlon swimming. Kevin has also written an electronic book titled âThe Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimmingâ which is sold on his website in downloadable form.

Hidden Poison

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:14:36 -0500

Did you know that there might be poison in many of your favorite foods found on grocery store shelves everywhere? Breads, crackers, cookies, energy bars, tortillas, frozen pizza are just a few examples of these dangerous foods. The poison in these items is called partially hydrogenated fat, often referred to as trans-fatty acids. A trans-fatty acid is usually made from a vegetable oil- corn, cottonseed, or soybean, for example- that has been treated by a process called hydrogenation to make it a solid at room temperature. Originally, when margarine first appeared in supermarkets, consumers were led to believe they could lower their risk of heart disease and cancer by replacing butter with this product. What became evident later is that the chemical process that made vegetable oil "look" like a saturated fat by solidifying caused it to act like one as well, making high levels of either fat a health risk. **End Summary** Topics: fat burn]]> weight loss]]> health]]> fitness]]> nutrition]]> meal plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book "Healthy Mind, Fit Body" He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here.

Burning Fat- Do Pills Work?

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:07:29 -0500

Is this the year you finally give up the idea of a magic pill, and start burning fat the natural way? The sad thing is, while millions of people throw their money away on heavily-marketing "fat burning" pills, they are missing out on losing weight permanently, instead of using a gimmick that will give one results that are temporary at best. Let's take a look at what most of the pills or "fat burning formulas" offer. Typical ingredients in these "metabolism boosters" or "fat burners" include: bitter orange (a stimulant that slightly increases metabolism, similar to ephedrine and pseudoephedirine), guanara (herbal caffeine), white willow bark (similar to aspirin and no effect), green tea extract (has thermogenic properties). Other ingredients that often show up in these pills include inositol (a B-vitamin), and choline (a relative of the B-family that mobilizes fat). Both choline and inositol help the liver metabolize fat, so these might help the liver move fat through it. If the liver is the issue in your inability to lose weight, these supplements can help. **End Summary** Topics: burning fat]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Burning fat is a decision we make, and a good portion of this decision comes from having the self esteem to choose health over the so-called "quick fix"! Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book " Healthy Mind, Fit Body ." He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach

3 Diets That Work

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:50:53 -0500

You will often hear that "diets don't work", which, for the most part is true. Most diets involve meticulously counting every last calorie you consume (which will eventually be impossible to keep up with), and rely on the faulty caloric theory of weight loss (calories in vs. calories burned). So the majority of diets, and the way people treat diets, makes them ineffective. But, there are a few exceptions! These exceptions are more about implementing specific eating habits and adopting a new lifestyle than actually "going on a diet". Here are three popular and effective low carb plans that you may want to experiment with and see what works for you: 1. The Atkins Diet. The first thing to note about the Atkins plan is all the misconceptions of what it is. The Atkins diet was never an "all protein" diet: the induction phase is about 35% protein, and the maintenance phase at only 25%! Amazingly, contrary to popular believe, Atkins emphasized eating vegetables, talked about the importance of fiber, and went to great lengths to promote the idea of individual responses and the need for customizing. He also was big on exercise. **End Summary** Topics: diets that work]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Think in terms of eating lifestyle, rather than focusing on diets that work Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book " Healthy Mind, Fit Body " He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area.

Can You Eat a Low Carb Vegetarian Diet?

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:59:05 -0500

Vegetarian and vegan diets are very popular these days. It's easy to tell this, just by looking at the number of books promoting them. While having lots of vegetables in your diet is certainly a healthy choice, some vegetarians will forget about the importance of keeping carbohydrates as a whole to a minimum in their diets. You certainly can eat a low carb vegetarian diet! It is actually not as hard as it may seem. Vegans may have a slightly more difficult time going low carb, but it is still very possible! Here are some tips for vegetarians out there looking to go as healthy as possible, cut down on carbohydrates, and achieve their ideal healthy body: 1. Never eat carbohydrates by themselves. Add soy protein to your meals in the form of soy protein powder and fermented tofu (i.e. tempeh). 2. Reduce your consumption of the high sugar vegetables. Carrots, corn, and beets have a high sugar content compared with other more healthy vegetables like broccoli, kale, or artichoke. 3. Cut way down on or eliminate: pasta, white or processed bread, flour, sugar, white rice. Stick to whole foods, healthy fats, and quality proteins as much as possible. **End Summary** Topics: low carb]]> low carb vegetarian]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book "Healthy Mind, Fit Body" He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here .

Eating Fat to Burn Fat

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:30:45 -0500

It may seem counter-intuitive, but eating fat can actually allow your body to burn fat! It seems like this could not possibly true. First of all, the word "fat" sounds bad no matter what. Secondly, doesn't fat contain far more calories per gram than either carbohydrate or protein? These ideas, combined with the anti-fat crusade that started in the 1980's (and is still believed by many today), are actually having a negative effect on people's health. Dietary fat does not equal the storage of fat on the body! In fact, studies have shown that diets higher in fat actually produce more weight loss in subjects over more traditional high-carbohydrate, low fat diets. So how does eating fat help with losing body fat? 1. Dietary fat, tells your brain that you are full, and it's time to stop eating. Carbohydrates fail to do this for the most part- especially if they are lacking fiber. You can continue eating many carbs for as long as you want, and the part of your brain which tells you you're full will not be activated. Some foods, in fact, like sugar, will actually stimulate more hunger! 2. **End Summary** Topics: fat to burn]]> help burn]]> tasty foods]]> actually help burn]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> The best way to lose weight is by focusing on nutrition and using fat to burn fat! Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book " Healthy Mind Fit Body" He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area.

5 Amazing Low Carb Diet Foods

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:28:19 -0500

Cutting out carbohydrates from your diet has been proven to be a healthier way of eating, if you are trying to lose weight, age more slowly, or just have more energy in general. For someone who may be used to eating primarily carbs for their diet, it can be difficult to know what to eat when moving to a lower carb way of eating. Here is a list of low carb diet foods that you can eat in place of carbs you have cut out: 1. Cashews. My favorite nut, cashews contain a high amount of healthy monounsaturated fat that can keep you satiated for longer periods of time. They also have oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. I typically have a handful of these nuts between meals. 2. Coconut Oil. Yes, it's loaded with saturated fat, and common wisdom says this is fattening and will lead to dreaded high cholesterol. This is where common wisdom is wrong! Coconut oil has been shown to help with fat burning with a rare type of fat called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT's). MCT's are more suited for energy use rather than fat storage. **End Summary** Topics: low carb diet foods]]> low carb diet]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> For more low carb diet foods and information on losing weight, check out Healthy Mind Fit Body dot com. Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book Healthy Mind, Fit Body. He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here .

6 Reasons Why Low Carb Diets Work - And Are Good For Your Health

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:13:51 -0400

It's all in the hormones! Most skeptics of low carb diets will point out that "well it just comes back to the amount of calories consumed vs. energy spent". But this has been scientifically proven to be wrong and outdated thinking! Insulin production is the key to maintaining a healthy weight and body fat percentage. Here are 6 proven reasons why low carb diets work: 1. Lowering your carbohydrate intake lowers the level of insulin your body produces. Why is this important? Put simply insulin is responsible in our bodies for saving. In other words, insulin is responsible for getting fat into your cells- and keeping it there! 2. When eating low carbohydrate, you stimulate less insulin in your body, but stimulate more glucagon. Glucagon liberates the fat from storage and gets it ready to burn for energy. 3. The body burns fat when sugar is not available. Burning fat instead of sugar is always preferable when it comes to attaining your ideal weight. 4. Low carb diets removes unhealthy trans fats from your diet. Low carb diets are naturally low in trans fats. Top sources of trans fats include crackers, baked goods, muffins, anything deep-fried, doughnuts and store-bought cookies. **End Summary** Topics: low carb]]> carb diets]]> low carb diets]]> carb diets work]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book " Healthy Mind, Fit Body " He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here .

6 Secrets on How to Look 10 Years Younger

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:10:47 -0400

People often comment that I look younger than my actual age. What's funny is that after their initial surprised reaction about my age, rarely do they follow up with questions like "what do you eat?" or "what do you do for exercise?" or "do you take anything?" I think most people don't really want to hear it, because it means they may have to change their lifestyle! The truth can be tough to take. But since I am 38 and someone the other night that I just met thought I was 28, I wanted to let out some of my secrets! If you start implementing a few things now, you will likely slow your aging process drastically, and 10 years will not have a big impact on your appearance. Here are my secrets that I've been practicing for about 10 years now: 1. Start with your diet. Cut way down on sugars. Eat a low carbohydrate diet, meaning, cut out sodas, cereals, and fast food, and cut down on your bread and pasta intake. What's really great about this is that it will flatten out your tummy in addition to allowing you to look and feel younger. **End Summary** Topics: years younger]]> look younger]]> aging process]]> feel younger]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book " Healthy Mind Fit Body " He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here .

5 Steps to Using Your Mind to Achieve a Fit Body

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:06:59 -0400

When it comes to information on weight loss and fitness, most mainstream sources will emphasize exercise, followed by healthy eating in order to be thin. If this is such great advice and has been around for so long, why isn't it working? 1/3rd of Americans are obese and 2/3rds are overweight, despite most people being aware of the "common wisdom" when it comes to being healthy. While it is true that eating right and exercising are essential in getting to your perfect or ideal weight, the nutrition part of the equation is far more important than the mainstream would have you believe. Once you start focusing on nutrition over strenuous calorie-burning workouts as your main avenue of achieving your weight loss and nutrition goals, the psychological part then comes into play. How do you use your mind to achieve a fit body? Here are 5 steps: 1. Gain proper nutritional knowledge. Most people do not know how to eat and inevitably end up following mainstream diet plans which recommend counting calories, eating a taste-free, fat-free diet, and beating yourself up (or, using will power) to succeed. Start with low carb plans and find what works for you first. 2. **End Summary** Topics: fit body]]> healthy eating]]> body goals]]> weight loss]]> fit body]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book " Healthy Mind, Fit Body " He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here .

5 Tasty Foods That Help You Burn Fat

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:03:59 -0400

When most people think of losing weight, they think of doing some kind of intense activity like running to burn fat off. While exercise is helpful in keeping or obtaining a fit body, it is secondary to what you are putting into that body. Many people also eat too many carbohydrates, which contribute to weight gain. Here are 5 foods that you can start adding into your diet immediately that will help you to lose or keep away unwanted weight. (Think of replacing some unnecessary carbs with these foods): 1. Almonds/Almond butter. This is a great addition to your meals to get some extra fat burning fat, and feel full longer. I tend to snack on almonds often, and the result is higher energy levels, feeling satiated, and a flatter tummy. Research published in the International Journal of Obesity indicates that diet-study participants who ate one serving of almonds daily for six months lost 18% of their body fat. **End Summary** Topics: help burn]]> tasty foods]]> actually help burn]]> burn fat]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book " Healthy Mind, Fit Body " He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here .

5 Reasons Why Exercise May Be a Band Aid For Weight Loss

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:00:50 -0400

For any fitness, weight loss, or fat burning plan to work, most people would agree that exercise is a necessary component. But why are most people failing on their quests to achieve their ideal weight? Since we know we should be exercising and eating less, why are 1/3rd of Americans obese, and 2/3rds overweight? The notion that you should concentrate on exercise to lose weight is one of the cultural myths that must be purged from the brain if long term success on weight loss or getting to your perfect weight is the goal. Am I saying not to exercise? No way! Exercise is an important element, but it is far over-emphasized- and giving it too much importance may impede your progress on getting fit. Nutrition is the key to losing weight. Here are a few reasons why this is the case: 1. The caloric theory of weight loss (burn more calories than you consume) has been shown to be ineffective. It sounds great on paper, but it simply doesn't work for long term sustainability. **End Summary** Topics: weight loss]]> lose weight]]> ideal weight]]> losing weight]]> weight lo]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book Healthy Mind, Fit Body He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here .

Maximize Your Fat Burning Potential- Guidelines For Athletes

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:58:51 -0400

Do you compete in sports for weight loss or fat burning? Are you frustrated by that stubborn fat that seems to stay with you no matter how hard you train? Many athletes are in the same boat. They train hard, lose some weight, but then hit a plateau and the fat loss stops. There are reasons for this, but more importantly, there is a solution! Often, athletes are unable to trim down to their ideal weight or shape due to factors such as: · Eating too much and eating the wrong foods · Training too HARD (YES! You may need to slow down to burn fat), including not taking recovery days · Skipping strength training workouts · Feeling stressed about "getting all your workouts in" As a former athlete, reality started settling in after I graduated from college and I needed a fitness and nutrition plan that worked! The mac & cheese and meatless spaghetti diet was failing me. I was getting a gut and I was tired all the time. I started making massive changes to my diet and finally got back to being trim and fit and had more natural energy. **End Summary** Topics: fat burning]]> weight loss]]> health]]> fitness]]> exercise]]> meals]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book Healthy Mind, Fit Body He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area. For more information, click here .