This is a pretty common question and I think many people are misinformed. Is orange juice a healthy drink? This question has two answers.

1. Yes, orange juice is a healthy drink. It has a high amount of vitamin C and potassium and a good source of folate and thiamin. It also contains cancer-fighting phytochemicals.

2. If your trying to lose weight orange juice is not the drink you want to be consuming on a regular basis. There is so much sugar per serving and sugar is what we want to avoid if we're trying to lose weight.

Remember, in order to lose weight we need to regulate our blood sugar levels. When sugar levels are high, the hormone insulin has to be released to help regulate the sugar in your blood. When insulin is released in your body it's impossible to burn fat. Not only will you not burn fat, you will actually store fat when insulin levels are high.

So be careful of all those juice drinks you may think be healthy. They may actually be causing you more harm than good.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

On my plane trip home to Wisconsin I was reading an article on this new miracle pill that may be able to help with increasing ones endurance without exercise.

Why are we so lazy? I mean come on, do you really think were going to find some drug that will give us life after death? To tell you the truth, probably.

Here's what the article stated, "Scientist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA. found one drug, known as Aicar, increased the mice's endurance on a tiny treadmill by 44% after 4 weeks of treatment. The addition of a second drug, GW1516, supercharged the mice to a 77% increase in endurance when combined with exercise."

Now this has been only found in mice and not yet humans, so we have some ways to go, but look out, pretty soon we'll all have Lance Armstrong's fitness levels.

Anyway I thought I would share that. Happy Holidays to everyone. Please be safe and enjoy your family and friends.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

I'm here in Fond Du Lac, WI. for the holidays and I went to Snap Fitness with my mom yesterday. Snap Fitness has an interesting concept. They are open 24 hours a day and only staffed 8 of those hours.

I'm sure they do this to cut costs and make it more affordable for their members. They did have available trainers for personal instruction. I wasn't sure if it was by appointment or they were there at scheduled hours.

The gym was around 1500 sqft with the Cybex line of equipment. The overall size was a bit small for any functional exercising or stretching.

It was great to be able to help my mom with her exercise program. I wish I could do that more often.

Has anyone else experienced Snap Fitness?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

Here's another great article that was shared by Coreen Reinhart, Certified Clinical Nutritionist.

"Make a habit of reading food labels of products before you buy them. Food labels contain a wealth of information about the healthfulness of the product if you know what to look for and how to interpret them. The Nutrition Facts on food labels give you information on calories, grams of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugars, and protein in each serving plus some percentages of a few nutrients.

The ingredient list on food labels is the most important bit of information on the package. It is often hidden under a flap of packaging material in very tiny print, just barely visible. This is where you find out what's really in the product and how healthy it is. But in order to understand how healthy or unhealthy a product is, you have to know what each ingredient means. Some are straightforward, like carrots. Some may seem straightforward, but are actually a way of hiding harmful ingredients the manufacturer doesn't want you to know are in the product.

A good example is broth. It seems like a safe ingredient unless you know that broth usually contains MSG and that this is one way that food manufacturers hide MSG in their products. Once you learn to read and interpret the ingredients and nutrition information on food labels, the truth about what's really in the food you buy may shock you. A basic rule for ingredient lists is: the simpler and shorter the list, the healthier the food is.

Thanks for the great tips Coreen. You always have informative material that can be easily implemented into ones lifestyle. I know all my readers enjoy your articles.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

I have now teamed up with a clinical nutritionist, Coreen Reinhart. Coreen Reinhart is widely recognized for her expertise as a Nutrition Consultant, Speaker and Wellness Coach. She has worked in the nutrition and weight-loss field since 1987. Coreen specializes in designing individual nutrition programs that teach clients to focus on themselves and listen to their bodies.

Here's a great article that Coreen wrote that I wanted to share with everyone.

"A study has suggested that TV advertising has a major influence on what your kids eat. Most of the foods and drinks that are advertised on TV are unhealthy foods, and the colorful and enticing presentations naturally attract kids. Experts have found that companies are now targeting children even more through the Internet, product placement and other activities. The eating habits that result from kids' attraction to these unhealthy foods are leading to childhood obesity, which is a major problem with kids in the US.

About 9 million U.S. children and teenagers, approximately 16 percent, are obese compared with 5 percent in the 1960s. The number of young people with type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity, is also on the rise. This is why it is vital that you guide and educate your children on the importance of good nutrition, which products are healthy and unhealthy and why. A good time to start doing this is the next time they insist on buying something after watching it on TV. Instead of giving in to their request for unhealthy food, replace the unhealthy option with a healthier food item."

It's time for the parents to start taking responsibility, isn't it?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

It's that time of year again, the holidays. I go back home to Wisconsin every year and visit with my with family and friends. I keep hearing its been a brutal winter and apart of me is not looking forward to freezing my butt off.

It will be nice to see everyone, especially my parents. I have blessed with having the best parents. They have been so supportive with everything.

Everyone always asking, what am I going to do back home. I'm going to spend time with all my friends and family. Go out a few nights in town and spend time with friends, eat some home cooked meals and relax. OK, maybe a workout or two:)

Most of all, its my time to regroup and prepare for the New Year. God Bless you all and lets make 2009 the best year ever.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

Did you know that 48% of high school students do not take physical education classes (CDC 2004c). I just read this on a test I'm taking to renew my NSCA certification and had to share this. I knew the number was high, but hey its time wake up.

It feels like we are being set up. Like is there is no chance to beat this epidemic. The drug companies are getting richer while everyone else gets sicker and sicker.

Without learning the benefits and skills in physical education, high school students will carry their sedentary lifestyles into adulthood. The cycle needs to be broken to stop this population of sedentary individuals from growing.

Let me know your ideas.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

Sorry I haven't blogged for a few days, I have been super busy and trying to fix my car, ugh.

Just got done with a workout, I now feel great. It's amazing how you feel after a workout. No matter how much stress is going in your life, exercise is essential to keep the sanity.

Everyone always asking me what I do in the gym. OK, here's what I did today.

• Warmed up on bike for 10 minutes
• Incline chest press with 90 lbs for 12 reps with 3 sets
• Dumbbell chest press with 55 lbs for 10 reps with 3 sets
• Chest fly on machine with 120 lbs for 8 reps and 3 sets
• Side shoulder raise with 20 lbs for 12 reps with 4 sets
• Tricep pressdown with 130 lbs for 15 reps with 3 sets

Let me know what questions you have. Have a great week!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

I wanted to share a few photos from a recent shoot we did in our fitness studio in San Diego. Hope you enjoy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.

What oils are the best to cook with? This was a question I recently received from a client of mine. This was a great question that I had to ask my nutritionist.

When most oils are heated it can alter the makeup of that oil. When oils are altered this may inhibit the benefits as well as make it more difficult for our bodies to digest.

Here are the only safe oils to heat: mentioned by my nutritionist- olive oil, grape seed oil, & coconut oil.

Let me know which ones you use.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.