COMPARING BODY FAT %

I thought this was a GREAT visual...seems on point! How do you want to look?? Make it your goal, make it happen! Go TIME!

Sharing This! Great At-Home Workout!

10 foods that mirror the body parts. Shared Link

Every child has heard the healthy-eating mantra "You are what you eat." But there may be a closer resemblance between good-for-you grub and your body than you thought. We found 10 foods that mirror the body parts they provide nutrients for—for example, brain-boosting walnuts actually look like a brain. Coincidence? Maybe. Though these healthy foods are beneficial to the whole body, the list below is a fun reminder of what to eat to target specific areas.

1. Carrot: Eye

Slice a carrot in half crosswise and it's easy to see that the veggie resembles an eye—look closely and you'll even notice a pattern of radiating lines that mimic the pupil and iris. And the old wives’ tale is true: Munching on carrots will actually promote healthy eyes. "Carrots are filled with vitamins and antioxidants, like beta-carotene, that decrease the chance of macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in older people," says Sasson Moulavi, MD, medical director of Smart for Life Weight Management Centers in Boca Raton, Florida. Photos by iStockphoto



2. Walnut: Brain

The folds and wrinkles of a walnut bring to mind another human organ: the brain. The shape of the nut even approximates the body part, looking like it has left and right hemispheres. And it's no surprise walnuts are nicknamed "brain food"—according to Lisa Avellino, dietitian for Focus28 Diet, "they have a very high content of omega-3 fatty acids, which help support brain function." Photos by iStockphoto



3. Celery: Bone

Long, lean stalks of celery look just like bones—and they're good for them, too. "Celery is a great source of silicon, which is part of the molecular structure that gives bones their strength," says Dr. Moulavi. Another funny bone coincidence: "Bones are 23 percent sodium, and so is celery," reports Avellino. Photos by iStockphoto



4. Avocados: Uterus

The lightbulb shape of an avocado looks like a uterus, and it supports reproductive health as well. "Avocados are a good source of folic acid," says Elizabeth Somer, registered dietician and author of Eat Your Way to Happiness. "Folate has been found to reduce the risk for cervical dysplasia, which is a precancerous condition." Photos by iStockphoto and Shutterstock



5. Clams: Testicles

Studies have offered evidence that clams, which bear a resemblance to testicles, are actually good for the male sex organs. "Research from the Netherlands has suggested that supplementing your diet with folic acid and zinc—both of which clams are high in––can have a significant effect on improving semen quality in men," says Dr. Moulavi. Photos by Shutterstock and 3D Clinic



6. Grapefruit: Breast

The similarity between round citrus fruits––like lemons and grapefruit––and breasts may be more than coincidental. "Grapefruit contains substances called limonoids, which have been shown to inhibit the development of cancer in lab animals and in human breast cells," says Dr. Moulavi. Photos by iStockphoto and 3D4Medical.com



7. Tomato: Heart

Slice open a tomato and you'll notice the red veggie has multiple chambers that resemble the structure of a heart. "Studies have found that because of the lycopene in tomatoes, there is a reduced risk for heart disease in men and women who eat them," says Somer. And, she adds, if you mix them with a little fat, like olive oil or avocado, it will boost your body's lycopene absorption nearly tenfold. Photos by iStockphoto and 3D Clinic



8. Red Wine: Blood

Red wine, which is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, including powerful resveratrol, looks like blood. "When you drink it, you're really loading up on the healthy stuff that protects against destructive things in the blood, like LDL cholesterol, which can cause heart disease," says Somer. "There's also a blood-thinning compound in red wine, so it reduces blood clots, which are associated with stroke and heart disease." Photos by iStockphoto



9. Ginger: Stomach

Anyone who's ever reached for a glass of ginger ale when they’ve had a stomachache knows about the antinausea effects of ginger. So it's fitting that the herb somewhat resembles the digestive organ. According to Dr. Moulavi, "gingerol, which is the ingredient responsible for ginger's pungent scent and taste, is listed in the USDA database of phytochemicals as having the ability to prevent nausea and vomiting." Photos by iStockphoto



10. Sweet Potatoes: Pancreas

The oblong sweet potato bears a strong resemblance to the pancreas, and also promotes healthy function in the organ. "Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene, which is a potent antioxidant that protects all tissues of the body, including the pancreas, from damage associated with cancer or aging," says Somer. Photos by Shutterstock

Read more: Food Nutrition Facts - Healthy Living Tips at WomansDay.com - Woman's Day

Food Cravings? Here Is What Your Body Really Wants.

Many of us have heard that hunger cravings are often misinterpretations of your body signaling for thirst...Here's a list of specific food cravings and what they actually mean!!

If you crave this…	What you really need is…	And here are healthy foods that have it:
Chocolate	Magnesium	Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Sweets	Chromium	Broccoli, grapes, cheese, dried beans, calves liver, chicken
	Carbon	Fresh fruits
	Phosphorus	Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes, grains
	Sulfur	Cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, kale, cabbage
	Tryptophan	Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
Bread, toast	Nitrogen	High protein foods: fish, meat, nuts, beans
Oily snacks, fatty foods	Calcium	Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Coffee or tea	Phosphorous	Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes
	Sulfur	Egg yolks, red peppers, muscle protein, garlic, onion, cruciferous vegetables
	NaCl (salt)	Sea salt, apple cider vinegar (on salad)
	Iron	Meat, fish and poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries
Alcohol, recreational drugs	Protein	Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts
	Avenin	Granola, oatmeal
	Calcium	Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
	Glutamine	Supplement glutamine powder for withdrawal, raw cabbage juice
	Potassium	Sun-dried black olives, potato peel broth, seaweed, bitter greens
Chewing ice	Iron	Meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries
Burned food	Carbon	Fresh fruits
Soda and other carbonated drinks	Calcium	Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Salty foods	Chloride	Raw goat milk, fish, unrefined sea salt
Acid foods	Magnesium	Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Preference for liquids rather than solids	Water	Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Preference for solids rather than liquids	Water	You have been so dehydrated for so long that you have lost your thirst. Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Cool drinks	Manganese	Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries
Pre-menstrual cravings	Zinc	Red meats (especially organ meats), seafood, leafy vegetables, root vegetables
General overeating	Silicon	Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
	Tryptophan	Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
	Tyrosine	Vitamin C supplements or orange, green, red fruits and vegetables
Lack of appetite	Vitamin B1	Nuts, seeds, beans, liver and other organ meats
	Vitamin B3	Tuna, halibut, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, seeds and legumes
	Manganese	Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries
	Chloride	Raw goat milk, unrefined sea salt
Tobacco	Silicon	Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
	Tyrosine	Vitamin C supplements or orange, green and red fruits and vegetables

Nutrition Time: Fish Oil Reduces Body Fat

Came across a pretty cool study...

Nutrition researchers fed their subjects a control diet for four weeks and measured body fat mass and metabolism. Then, they took 6 grams of fat out of the diet and replaced it with 6 grams of fish oil.
So, exactly the same calories & exactly the same fat.  Only change was swapping out other fats for fish oil – and only 6 grams of it at that.

Results?  

Even though metabolism remained unchanged, the subjects LOST FAT!

• The control group who kept on the original diet lost 0.7 pounds over the next 3 weeks.

• The fish oil group lost 2.2 pounds (over 3x as much) in the same amount of time.

Diet was the same.  Calories were the same.  Exercise was the same.  The only difference was the switching in of fish oil, and they lost 3x as much fat.

What does this mean for you?
Start taking some freaking fish oil!!

I take about 12 grams a day in liquid form.  I recommend at least 6 grams a day.  Start with 2 grams (equals 1 capsule) with breakfast, the other with dinner.  If your stomach still feels ok, add another gram (capsule) every few days until you reach six.

Not All Fish oil Capsules are created equal, make sure you check the labels!

Some helpful reminder before you buy:

1. Make sure to get fish oil caps that have undergone high technology purification processes such as molecular distillation
2. The best type of omega 3 fish oil has high DHA content (Of all the fatty acids in omega 3, it is DHA that provides the most health benefits)

Side Note: To keep fish burps to a minimum, take your capsules with food, get enteric coated capsules, take lemon-flavored fish oil, or keep your capsules in the fridge (good idea anyway).

If you’re interested in the study, here’s the citation:

Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1997 Aug;21(8):637-43.
Effect of dietary fish oil on body fat mass and basal fat oxidation in healthy adults.
Couet C, Delarue J, Ritz P, Antoine JM, Lamisse F.
Laboratoire de Nutrition et Clinique Médicale A, J.E. 313, Université François Rabelais, 37000 Tours, France.

And here’s a link to the abstract: Fish Oil Is Awesome

RIBOSE: The Next Creatine on the Supplement Scene?

Ribose has emerged as a competitor to creatine as a supplement to increase power and replenish high-energy compounds following intense exercise.

I'll toss you some more info:

• The body readily synthesizes and the diet provides small amounts of ribose through ripe fruits and vegetables.

• Metabolically, this 5-carbon sugar serves as an energy substrate for ATP re-synthesis. Because of this role in energy metabolism, ribose ingestion is promoted to quickly restore the body's limited amount of ATP.

• To maintain optimal ATP levels, recommended ribose doses range from 10g to 20 g/day. Clearly any compound that either increases ATP levels or facilitates its resynthesis would benefit short-term, high-power physical activities. 

NOTE: Only limited experimentation exists to assess the potential for ribose. 


CLOSING: SOME studies have shown promise that ribose supplementation leads to enhanced restoration of ATP levels following exercise, but this has seldom translated into increased athletic performance. (Dhanoa TS, Housner JA.)

(References: McArdle, W., Katch, F., & Katch, V., (2007). Exercise Phsyiology. 6th edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.)

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a health tonic that can fix everything from:
Clearing up the skin (bye-bye acne)
dandruff
High cholesterol  
diabetes
Blood pressure and heart health
Cancer
Swelling in joints, inflammation, and other sports related injuries


But can it help you lose weight?

In the study, Japanese researchers fed three groups of mice a high-fat diet and either a high dose or low dose of apple vinegar. The control group was given no apple cider vinegar. After six weeks, the mice in both apple cider vinegar groups had gained 10% less bodyfat than the control group. Researchers also discovered a potential cause for this finding — changes to a gene that controls not only fat burning, but also metabolic rate. Essentially, acetic acid appears to help modulate bodyfat in two ways: by preventing fat gain and by reducing existing fat stores.

Shishehbor F, Mansoori A, Sarkaki AR, Jalali MT, Latifi SM. (2008). Apple cider vinegar attenuates lipid profile in normal and diabetic rats.Department of Nutrition, Para-Medical School, 1;11(23):2634-8.

Note: PLEASE be mindful, before you go diluting this stuff in your water and chugging like crazy, that this study was performed on mice... on the positive side, apple cider vinegar has been around for aeons and has a plethora of other health advantages!

Given that apple cider vinegar is a staple in most homes, you can try supplementing with it immediately. 

You can:

• cook with it
• make it a salad dressing
• use it in food preservatives
• making pickles
• drink it (diluted) NOTE:  2 teaspoons diluted in two cups of water once or twice daily. But be careful — because it is an acid, drinking it straight can ruin your tooth enamel, interfere with certain medication and cause gastrointestinal problems.

Cited Report:

"Apple Cider Vinegar: Acetic acid is the active ingredient that makes apple cider vine gar a worthwhile supplement for the carb watcher. When this is taken with carbs after a workout (the time that even a low-carber wants to get some carbs in), the amount of stored glycogen in the muscle increases. Acetic acid increases the activity of an enzyme that aids the formation of glycogen, and it's good because when you're eating very little carbs and your muscles are low in glycogen, you want to enhance glycogen storage as much as possible. That way you'll have some fuel for the next workout. Take 1-2 tablespoons or about 600-1,200 mg in tablet form immediately after your workouts."

Authors: Stoppani, J. (2004). Muscle & Fitness. Vol. 65 :7; p.234-238. 

About Estrogen

As mentioned in a previous post on HORMONES, I mentioned that when your Estrogen levels are too high, one might experience a lot of fat depositing around their hips, thighs and breast tissue (culprit of Man Boobs). Well, lately, I've been getting a lot of inquiries on how to lower estrogen levels NATURALLY...As previously mentioned, cuniferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower have proven to lower estrogen levels...

mmmmm mmmmm....good....?

Tired of broccoli?  Here’s a list of other cruciferous vegetables:

• horseradish
• land cress
• ethiopian mustard
• kale
• collard greens
• Chinese broccoli
• cabbage
• brussels sprout
• kohlrabi
• broccoli
• broccoflower
• broccoli romanesco
• cauliflower
• wild broccoli
• bok choy
• komatsuna
• mizuna Brassica
• Rapini (broccoli rabe)
• flowering cabbage
• chinese cabbage
• napa cabbage
• turnip root
• turnip greens
• rutabaga
• siberian kale
• canola/rapeseed
• wrapped heart mustard cabbage
• mustard greens
• tatsoi
• arugula
• garden cress
• watercress
• radish
• daikon
• wasabi

More Food For Thought:

Men with high estrogen levels are more likely to store their fat in their chest and lower abs.  Plus it leads to some nasty health issues and chronic diseases.

Testosterone levels in men are 15 to 50% lower compared to 50 years ago. 

Kickin' some ESTROGEN FACTS:

1. Pesticides and herbicides have been shown to increase estrogen levels.

• TIP: Eat organic, local, pesticide-free produce. (Preferably grown yourself or from a farmer’s market)

                                     

2. Most commercially raised livestock are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics.

•  TIP: Eat organic, local, hormone-free meats. (To really maximize the health benefits of the meat you eat, get grass-fed beef)

3. If you drink whey protein from an animal full of chemicals, your estrogen levels will rise!!                          

• TIP: Avoid commercial protein powders

                                            

4.  Plastic has been linked to increased estrogen levels.

• TIP: Keep your food in glass containers and drink out of stainless steel bottles. The worst plastic for you is type #7 (it has a little 7 on the bottom).  Avoid this plastic at all costs, don’t even use shampoo from type 7 bottles.

The Proof is in the Puddin: Check out what these Scholarly Journals found out about plastic and estrogen:

•  http://www.clubsportif.de/tl_files/downloads/PDF/fulltext%20hormone%20water.pdf

"Discussion and conclusions Our results demonstrate a widespread contamination of mineral water with xenoestrogens that partly originates from compounds leaching from the plastic packaging material. These substances possess potent estrogenic activity in vivo in a molluskan sentinel. Overall, the results indicate that a broader range of foodstuff may be contaminated with endocrine disruptors when packed in plastics."

• http://endo.endojournals.org/content/138/5/1777.full

5.  Chemicals and preservatives in modern manufactured foods will raise estrogen levels, make you fat, and lead to health problems.

• TIP: Stay away from “modern foods” (Almost everything that comes from a box, bag, or bottle is not healthy for you. Follow the paleo nutrition rule: only eat what a caveman would eat)

END ;)

Weight Training Splits

Why are Weight Training Splits Important ?   

• Allow Body Parts Time to Recovery while you Exercise Others

• Proper Splits Allow you to Work Out More Times Per Week

• Decrease Your chances of Injury

• Improve your posture and avoid posture problems

Here are a Few Examples of Training Splits for Specific Goals and Schedules

These are just basic examples. You can build your own training split but remember to avoid training the same muscle groups 2 days in a row.
 

Weight Loss 5 Days Per Week Day 1:  Legs / Chest / Triceps Day 2:  Back / Core / Biceps Day 3:  Legs / Shoulders Day 4:  Back / Biceps Day 5:  Legs / Shoulders / Arms Muscle Toning 5 Days Per Week Day 1:  Heavy Chest / Light Back Day 2:  Legs / Core Day 3:  Shoulders / Arms Day 4:  Legs / Core Day 5:  Light Chest / Light Back Muscle Building 5 Days Per Week Day 1:  Lower Chest / Biceps Day 2:  Back / Triceps Day 3:  Quads / Shoulder Isolation Day 4:  Back / Hamstrings Day 5:  Upper Chest / Shoulder Press / Arms

Weight Loss

3 Non Consecutive Days per Week

Day 1:  Upper -or- Lower

Day 2:  Upper -or- Lower

Day 3:  Upper-or- Lower

3 Consecutive Days per Week

Day 1:  Quads / Chest / Triceps

Day 2:  Hamstrings / Back / Biceps

Day 3:  Quads / Glutes / Shoulders

 Muscle Toning

3 Non Consecutive Days per Week

Day 1:  Heavy Quads / Light Chest / Heavy Back

Day 2:  Hamstrings / Core  / Lower Back / Arms

Day 3:  Light Quads / Heavy Shoulders / Light Back

3 Consecutive Days Per Week

Day 1:  Chest / Abs / Lower Back

Day 2:  Lower Body / Core / Back

Day 3:  Lower Body / Shoulders / Triceps

Muscle Building

3 Non Consecutive Days Per Week

Day 1:  Light Back / Heavy Chest / Arms

Day 2:  Legs / Core / Lower back

Day 3:  Heavy Back / Light Chest / Shoulders

3 Consecutive Days per Week

Day 1:  Chest / Biceps

Day 2:  Legs

Day 3:  Back / Shoulders / Triceps



ACE ~On Hormones~

In school, studying the endocrine system was mind boggling!! Hormones have a myriad of physiological properties that work in a synchronized manner to regulate ALL aspects of bodily functions, where one effects the other and the other effects the other, just like dominoes!

If I learned anything in hormones (that I can remember) it's that hormonal imbalances have a big effect on the shape of your body, or has the tendency of placing your biggest fat stores in particular areas.

Here's a little game called, "What Hormonal Imbalance Causes This Shape!?" (How to play: Self explanatory)

1. Arm Fat                                              a. High Cortisol
2. Belly Fat                                             b. High Estrogen
3. Love Handles                                      c. Low Testosterone
4. Man Boobs                                         d. High Insulin
5. Thigh/Butt Fat                                              

Hormone: Cortisol

Too much? Slowed metabolism, increased body fat, decrease in lean muscle
Too little? Almost never an issue

  3 Suggestions To Reduce Cortisol: 

1.  Lower your carbohydrate consumption!
2.  Get more sleep!
3. Stop overstressing your body! Even doing too much cardio can overstress your body, TIP: use metabolic resistance training instead of excessive aerobics!


Hormone: Estrogen

Too much? Increased body fat, increased body weight
Too little? Joint pain, health issues, slowed muscle building

 3 Keys to Taking Control of Estrogen (for Fat Loss):

1) Blood sugar management:  REMOVE  ALL REFINED SUGARS from your diet

2) Take care of your Adrenal glands: get more sleep, take less stimulants, take time to relax

3) Take care of your gastrointestinal system: eat organic vegetables and fruits!!

• Foods that keep estrogen levels in check. This can be accomplished by eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables daily. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage contain a substance named indole-3-carbinol (I3C). This substance has been shown to have a positive effect on estrogen metabolism. In addition, these vegetables also assist in detoxifying the body.

Hormone: Insulin

Too much? Increased body fat, increased body weight, increased blood pressure, insulin resistance
Too little? Type-1 diabetes

#1 way to get insulin under control:

CUT DOWN ON CARBOHYDRATES. (i.e. Breads, refined sugars, pastas, & dairy proteins)

1.) Your goal isn’t to get insulin down to zero, you need it to move nutrients around in your body.  Instead, you want to prevent the insulin surges that come with a rush from sugars or dairy proteins.
2.) Just start replacing carb calories in your diet with vegetables, proteins, and fats, and you’ll get your insulin levels where they need to be for a great looking, healthy body!

Hormone: Testosterone

Too much? Almost never an issue.
Too little? Increased body fat, decreased lean muscle.

3 Suggestions to NATURALLY increase testosterone:

1.) Eat lots of protein & HEALTHY fats,
2.) Get more sleep
3.) Stop the high intensity aerobics and start lifting more weights!

Closing:  

Please understand something important:  If you’re not exercising right and you eat like crap, don’t blame hormones.  These are the “final piece” of the fat loss puzzle.  Eat right and do metabolism boosting workouts before you start blaming hormones! =-)  TTFN

Lower ABS for YOU

Your body likes to store fat in the lower abdominal region. This makes it doubly difficult to reduce the bulge in that area. The fact that if you have fat covering your abdominal region you NEED to perform (in conjunction):

• cardio (20-30 mins/day)
• weight training (3-5 times/week)
• CLEAN healthy diet

Abdominal exercise generally get best results when you perform sets in the 20-30+ rep range.

Abdominal exercises differ slightly from other exercise in regards to sets and reps.
This is because your abdominals are a type I muscle fiber. This means they are highly resistant to fatigue and should require a higher number of reps compared to the muscles in most of your body.

Here's some of my personal favorite lower AB exercises:

Scissors & Flutter Kicks (Little Extra: sitting on a BOSU ball):

Starting Position: Begin by sitting on a Bosu Ball. Place your hands on the floor for support. Then, extend your legs straight in front of you at about a 45 degree angle.
Form: While keeping your stomach muscles tight and your legs straight, for scissors: first cross your right leg over your left leg. Then, separate your legs before crossing your left leg over your right leg.- OR- for flutter kicks: alternate kicking your legs in the air.

Leg Raises (w/ Stability Ball): 

Starting Position: Lie on your back and place a stability ball between your feet. Place your hands at your sides for support or place your hands just under your hips for support.

Form: While keeping your lower back stable, lift your legs until your hips are at about 90 degrees. Hold for a brief moment at the top and then slowly lower to the starting position.

Decline Reverse Crunches

Starting Position: Lie on a declined board with your feet towards the floor and your arms overhead to stabilize your body.
Form: Keeping your upper body still and your knees bent, curl your lower body up, bringing your knees towards your chest. Hold for 1 second and slowly lower to the starting position keeping your knees bent throughout the movement.

Personal Trainer Tips: As you lift your knees towards your chest, attempt to lift your hips and pelvis off the board—this is a key to making this exercise the most effective.
If you have difficulty lifting your hips off the board, simply bring your knees as high as they will go until your strength and flexibility improves.
As you increase the angle on the incline, you make the exercise more challenging for the abdominal muscles.

Side Rolls (also targets Obliques) w/ or without Ball

Starting Position: Begin by lying on your back. Then, squeeze the ball against your thighs with your feet.
Form: Lift the ball about 2-3 inches off the floor. Then, slowly roll your legs to one side. Go as far as you can control without lifting your shoulders off the floor. Then reverse directions.

V-Sits

Starting Position: Begin by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your hands on the floor for balance.
Form: Inhale and recline your body backwards as you extend your legs straight in front of you. Hold briefly before bringing your knees towards your chest and forming the letter V.
Personal Trainer Tips: This can be a challenging exercise. Because the legs are moving it puts slightly more pressure on the lower back when compared with ab crunches.
Listen to your body and move in a controlled manner.

HAVE FUN!! :)

 Pictures and descriptions provided from:  http://www.ab-core-and-stomach-exercises.com/best_stomach_flattening_exercises.html

WHAT'S YOUR HEALTH WORTH TO YOU?

Just wanted to help up-the-ante for those who need help "focusing their scope" on a healthier lifestyle!

   FOCUS: 

• on raising metabolism rather than burning calories

• on fixing body imbalances to make every workout more productive and to get rid of chronic aches & pains

• on creating time for YOURSELF
• A few ideas of things to take out that will give you more time for your health & fitness goals: TV; Facebook/iphone games; Drinking; Hanging out w/ people who suck!

•  on deep breathing techniques
• Make sure you are breathing from the BOTTOM of your lungs, not the top. Effectively  Filling your lungs with oxygen to be transferred to every tissue in your body

• hydrating your body with approximately 5 liters of water per day
• OR- Half your body weight & drink that number in ounces of water a day. (Example: 160lbs drinks 80ounces = 4-5small bottles).

• committing yourself to 20-60 minutes of any type of Cardiovascular exercises at least 4-6 times per week. 
•  TIP: studies show that cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach boosts your metabolism.

•  making a dedication to yourself! You have two choices: excuses or results. Which one do you want?

• on your posture! Are your shoulders rolled inwards? Do your shoulder blades look winged out? This means you REALLY need to start thinking about strengthening your upper back! If you have a desk job, you can notice that as the hours pass your shoulders begin to roll inward and your shoulder blades begin to stick out & you hunch over your keyboard...Not a good look! make sure you constantly check your posture!
1. Toss your shoulders back, 
2. Slightly stick your chest out, 
3. Chin pushed slightly back 
4. Engage your core as often as possible! 
5. Having great posture IS attractive & it commands attention!

• portion control: Eat until your satisfied and stop before you are full. You can eat again in 1-2 hours!
• When you over-eat you stretch the smooth muscle of the stomach, increasing your appetite! No bueno!

• on connecting Mind. Body. & Spirit--> "Health, Wealth, Positivity, Prosperity"<-- Great Mantra!
• LOVING YOURSELF!!!

TRIED & TESTED ENDURANCE AIDS!!!!

Hey UPDATE!

I've been doing A LOT of running lately, in behalf of researching an upcoming athletic shoe that aids in foot recovery (after beating 'em up from rigorous activity)...


Due to being under contract with this company, I can't spill any details about this cool shoe, BUT I CAN plug you with some endurance supplements that I've found incredibly helpful in optimizing endurance performance!



This research that I have been participating in involves me: running every Thursday a total of 8 miles sprinting a total of 48 (20 meter) sprints, and walking in the "recovery" shoes for two hours after all that running! The whole process takes about 4 hours of my day! The first time I did this entire procedure, I did  all the activity replenishing myself with nothing but drinking water and I swear I struggled like none other towards the end!


The 2nd Thursday I went at it, I came across this "Sport Performance Optimizer" stuff promoted by a professional Ironman triathlete named Brendan Brazier. I did some research on the ingredients and thought it looked like a safe bet,  tried it, and swear that it got me through my running/sprinting in a breeze!!


It gave me energy, helped my focus, kept me hydrated, and delayed onset- muscle fatigue... It's an all natural organic combination of endurance ergogenics, plus it's gluten, & dairy free! I'm Hooked!!


 Well, here's the link, I got it from Super Supplements, check it out...(little pricey, but it lasts for a long time and WORTH IT)

Link to the brochure: 

http://myvega.com/sites/myvega.com/files/u1/VegaSport-Brochure-Web.pdf

Lastly, during a 3 minute break between my run, (while exhaustively trying to catch my breath)...a college football player tossed me some endurance energy chews called SHOT BLOKS™, by Clif. He said they help get him through his grueling football practices....so I tried them, and they're not only GOOD tasting but they also seem to have a lot of "GOOD-for-YOU" ingredients that help stave off fatigue during endurance activity!

The benefits include :

• Caffeine- for energy and mental focus, also decreases rate of fatigue
• Brown rice syrup- for easily assimilated carbohydrates to fuel the muscles.
• Electrolytes- to help facilitate electrical impulses to travel properly throughout your body.

Link to SHOT BLOKS™

http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_bloks/

American College of Sports Medicine Northwest

I just got back from the 2-day ACSM Regional Conference in Eugene Oregon! It was such a great experience! I met a lot of inspirational people in exercise science (scientist's, Nike biomechanists, elite athletes, doctor's etc etc. the list goes on!) I'll be sharing wealthy information I gathered all this week! Stay Tuned !!

http://www.acsmnorthwest.org/

 NIKE SPORT RESEARCH LAB

Pepsi Invitational Track Meet.... Hosting top collegiate athletes from across the U.S. at the University of Oregon

TIPS 4 U

TIP # 1: If you HATE doing long bouts of cardio, Try doing 5 min  bouts of various cardio between every two resistance training exercises...

• example: Start out with 3 sets of squats & 3 sets of lunges, then proceed to compliment those legs on the stair master (or bicycle, tred, elliptical) for a solid 5 mins at a relatively high & challenging intensity. Then continue to performing 2 other resistance exercises (I'd target the hamstrings, and quads, glutes & calves on various machines)

TIP # 2: REMEMBER when it comes to resistance training, it is BEST to: work on LARGE muscle (groups) BEFORE small muscle (groups).


TIP # 3: If your Goal is to increase muscle size and strength: You should Lift weights BEFORE Cardio (if you do weights and cardio for your workout session)...(to apply this to tip #1, perform the resistance training before the first 5 minute bout of cardio)

•  You want to lift weights 1st when the body's main source of energy for muscle contraction glycogen is high. If you do a hard cardio workout before lifting , you deplete glycogen, which makes the workout ineffective.

TIP # 4: Ladies often complain about their inner thighs, i.e. "Creamy Thighs" ... therefore, we spend lots of precious time on thigh adductor machines...but all those machines do is build that muscle under the 'CREAM,' making that area look bigger... the BEST workout for the inner thighs is exercising on a BICYCLE ergometer. IT burns that CREAM and tones at the same time!

• try those "SPIN" classes, they'll do those thighs good, plus you'll burn around +700-800 calories in a 60 min session!

TTFN!! ~ACE~

Random Q's & A's

Q: How do you know if your diet consists of too much sodium?
A: When you sweat, TASTE it! (gross? not really, it's YOUR sweat!). The following indications tell you that you have too much salt in your system

• If your sweat tastes heavily salty
• Your sweat stings your eyes when it runs down your face
• Your sweat looks chalky on your body and clothing

Q: How long does it take for signals to reach your brain that the stomach is full?
A: about 20 minutes.

• The biggest issue in America is that we eat way TOO fast! In today's world, we're always on the go, eating waaay too fast for our own good! On average we sometimes scarf our food down in less than 10 minutes flat. No wonder why it's so easy to over-eat, and the tell-tale way of knowing you have is when it's too late & you feel like you literally need to be put in a wheel barrel & escorted to your next destination (as QUICKLY as possible). SO Take your time... ENJOY your food....

Q: How can vegetarians get an optimal amount of PROTEIN?
A: Meats and dairy products provide all the essential amino acids in a single food, but plant sources of protein do not. Therefore, vegetarians should be careful to COMBINE FOODS that optimizes essential amino acid availability. The general rule for ensuring a good distribution of all the essential amino acids is to:

• Combine cereals and legumes at the SAME MEAL (examples: http://tinyurl.com/4bgoo72)
• Other Sources
• Spinach & Sprouts are loaded with amino acids
• Fruits have
• RAW almonds & other nuts: a handful can be the equivalent to 1 serving of cooked meats

Q: What's Creatine loading?
A: Creatine has long demonstrated to enhance brief anaerobic power output capacity, and facilitate recovery from repeated bouts of intense effort. There is evidence that taking daily creatine supplements causes a 'saturation' of creatine in muscle tissue after 5 days (Walker, 1979; McKardle, Katch, &Katch, 2007; Bernadot 2005).  Therefore, it is suggested that creatine should not be consumed longer than 5 days, followed by a 5-day break in supplementation. (Creatine storage in muscle also causes a retention of water, with an accompanying increase in weight).

• Athletes typically consume creatine monohydrate with a dose of 10-28 grams, divided into four doses over the day.
• For instance, if the goal is to take 10grams/day, individual doses should be 2.5 grams four times daily. (PS- The Smaller the person, the smaller the dose!) 

Q: Which exercise produces your heart to pump faster, arm or leg exercises?
A: Exercises with the ARMS produces considerably higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than leg exercises.

• This is because, the arms are closer to the heart and the smaller arm muscle mass and vasculature offer greater resistance to blood flow than the larger leg mass and blood supply. This is often why physical therapists put some patients straight on an arm cycle ergo-meter, or BILLY BLANKS starts his routines off doing DOUBLE TIME speed bag boxing =-)~

Q: What can curb my appetite, or stop me from finishing my big meals?
A: Pop some spearmint in your mouth. Minty freshness often curbs the urge to splurge!

 

Q & A To be continued ....

Nutrient Timing to Optimize Muscle Response to Resistance Training

An evidence-based nutritional approach has been proposed to enhance the quality of resistance training and facilitate muscle growth and strength development.

This easy-to-follow new dimension to sports nutrition emphasizes not only the specific TYPE and mix of nutrients, but also the TIMING of nutrient intake with the goals of

• Blunt muscle breakdown  
• Activate natural muscle-building hormones
• Facilitate recovery from exercise and maximal muscle growth

THERE ARE DIFFERENT PHASES OF MUSCLE GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT. These are the 3 phases for optimizing specific nutrient intake:

• ENERGY PHASE - This phase enhances nutrient intake to spare muscle glycogen & protein, enhance muscle endurance, limit immune system suppression, reduce muscle damage and facilitate recovery period after exercise.
• Consume a carbohydrate/protein drink or supplement immediately before exercise and during exercise. Example: Accelerade powder (find it here: http://www.accelsport.com/product-info/Accelerade.html)
• The protein promotes protein metabolism, and reduces the demand for amino acid release from muscle.
• The carbohydrates suppress release of cortisol (cortisol is a stress released hormone which is also the hormone responsible for the fat that gets stored over our bellies!)

• ANABOLIC PHASE- This phase consists of the 45minute post-exercise metabolic window, the crucial period of insulin sensitivity for muscle glycogen replenishment and repair. 

• Consume a standard high-glycemic carbohydrate/protein supplement in liquid form within the 45 min. window postexercise  (e.g. whey protein and high-glycemic carbohydrates refer to list: http://tinyurl.com/4c8r44d)
• The high-glycemic carbohydrate (recommended: 40-50grams) consumed post-exercise serves as a nutrient activator to stimulate insulin release
• The amino acids provided from the whey protein (recommended: 13-15grams) works with the carbohydrates to increase muscle tissue building and prevent muscle breakdown.

•  GROWTH PHASE- This phase extends from the end of the anabolic phase to the beginning of the next workout. This is the period when you want to maximize insulin sensitivity and maintain the anabolic state (muscle building state) to get gains in muscle mass and strength !! The next 16-18 hours after your workout, your body is ridding itself of nitrogen (which is the waste product of protein), therefore you need to stay on top of replenishing your muscles with protein. Keep the carbs at a minimum. You can find all these proteins in a good whey protein shake with low carbs!
• Spread out within the next 16-18 hours, consume at least
• 14 grams of protein
• 2-3 grams of casein
• 3 grams of leucine
• 1 gram of glutamine
• 2-4 grams of high glycemic carbohydrates
• example is: http://tinyurl.com/69epc8u (or similar)

TTFN! =-)~

(References: McArdle, W., Katch, F., & Katch, V., (2007). Exercise Phsyiology. 6th edition; 575. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.)

What's Up With Sups?

The whole thought of taking dietary supplements is kind of daunting to me these days. After taking 4 years worth of nutrition classes, I know that the best way to get your nutrients is in the foods you eat. Supplementation should really be considered when you have a (severe) vitamin deficiency, which is not so often in AMERICA!! In a previous course I took called 'Advanced Sport Nutrition', I learned about the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) and learned some shocking and quite disturbing facts about the industry. All I really have to say is, BUYER BEWARE !!

Some Meaty Background:

• Before the 1994 DSHEA, the vitamin & supplementation industry was regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). 
• In brief, the FDA regulated vitamins & supplements took a looong time to get out on the market because the FDA required scientific evidence &  prior safety measures BEFORE approving supps to be put out on the market.
• The 90's was considered the 'Era of Deregulation' where the people demanded to 'let Americans decide things for themselves!' 
• Thus, the majority of people didn't want to wait for science... they argued, that if we can choose to buy our own food, we should also be able to choose to buy our own vitamins & supps! So they started the movement which turned into the 1994 DSHEA (guess what, even physician groups supported it!)
• The Outcome: because of industry lobbying, the FDA lost authority, and Congress DEREGULATED the vitamin & supp industry!!
• The FDA now says : "The standards for food and dietary supplements should be the SAME."

SO what did the 1994 DSHEA do for vitamins and supplements!?

• Manufacturer's do NOT need to register their products with the FDA nor get approval
• Vitamins & supps do not go through any prescreening for effectiveness/side effects
• Manufacturer's have so much freedom, they're having a hay day while pocketing OUR $$... this deregulation explains why vitamin and supp stores have sooooo many products flooding their shelves!! It's a quick and relatively easy gig!
• Companies do NOT have to report adverse effects IF they take place
• It's on YOU, the consumer, that decides whether or not to read the list of ingredients & know if you have an allergy or issue with any of them.
• You might be thinking, sooooo...what DOES the FDA do?
• Well, AFTER the product has already been out on the shelves, they go and check the ingredient's label listed on the products to make sure they are all truthful and not misleading, THEN, IF (big IF) there is a discrepancy that they happen notice, they'll take action.

CONCLUSION:
Supplements are sold before they are demonstrated safe, so DO YOUR HOMEWORK or PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE! #shrugs

Q: What sport enhancing supplement has been found to have traces of STEROIDS in it??

A: Supplement = CREATINE Athletes beware, some manufacturers are slick; they taint, contaminate and manipulate the purity of their supplements so the consumer will get jacked quicker, making them buy more and more....THEN resulting the consumer in having a positive steroid-use test!  #noBueno, especially if you are a competing athlete!


References :
1994 DSHEA http://tinyurl.com/nje6mh
https://www.thieme-connect.com/ejournals/abstract/sportsmed/doi/10.1055/s-2004-819955

Knowledge is KING