Healthy Heart & Mind

Unravel Strength Training's Mysteries

2009-02-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

Starting a strength-training program can be an incredibly empowering, and an incredibly confusing experience. There are many myths about what strength training can and cannot do for you. Here, shake out the untruths and get some real answers about strength training.

Untruth: Strength training ads bulk to women.

Truth: Lifting weights increases the amount of lean muscle mass and can decrease body fat in women. A May, 1998 article in The Physician and Sports Medicine states: 'strength training results in significant increases in strength, no change or a decrease in lower-body girths, and a very small increase in upper-extremity girth.' Because lean muscle burns fat, you're likely to decrease in overall size through strength training.

Untruth: Strength training may be good for strengthening bone and muscle tissue, but it doesn't strengthen the heart.

Truth: Strength training produces a wallop of benefits to your heart. Research has found that strength training can reduce LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels. Some studies have also found that strength training reduces blood pressure. Finally, the stronger muscles that strength-training produces can help prevent overexertion, like in moving heavy objects or shoveling snow.

Untruth: Strength training reduces your flexibility.

Truth: 'If you work through a full range of motion in your strength training program, you can actually increase your flexibility,' says Cheryl Milson, exercise physiologist and president of Premier Health Enhancement Programs in Los Angeles. If you use your joints through the full extent of an exercise, you'll build flexibility rather than lose it.

Untruth: Strength training isn't effective for weight loss, only building mass.

Truth: As you may well know by now, the muscle that strength training builds boosts your calorie-burning rate (your metabolism) throughout the day. The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn just to exist. When combined with aerobic exercise (for a bigger per-bout calorie burn), strength training is an excellent activity to aid in weight loss.

Untruth: The more crunches you do, the flatter your stomach will get.

Truth: Crunches alone won't get you a washboard stomach, you need to be vigilant with your entire fitness program to see the results of your abdominal strength training. 'Abdominal muscles get flatter with nutrition and cardiovascular exercise [combined with strengthening the muscles],' says Michael Wilson, an exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer in New York City. If you strengthen your abs and there is fat on top of them, they will become stronger, but won't appear as defined as they will on a leaner body. If you're faithful to your aerobic routine and a low fat diet, you can reduce your overall body fat percentage and gain greater abdominal muscle visibility (not to mention a trimmer middle).

Tip: to keep getting stronger, don't just do more crunches, change to a tougher exercise. 'Choose an exercise that's more challenging,' says Wilson, 'if you normally do crunches on the floor, move up to incline crunches.' If you can do 25 crunches (on the floor) without difficulty, it's time to challenge yourself.

Untruth: If you build muscle through strength training and then stop, all that new muscle will turn to fat.

Truth: Muscle and fat are two completely different forms of body tissue, one can't turn into the other. However, you are in danger of adding fat if you stop strength training and don't reduce your caloric intake. In the absence of regular strength training, muscles will shrink, and as a result your body will burn calories at a slower rate, which will result in an acquisition of fat.

Weight Management: What’s Stopping You?

2009-01-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Willpower - you either have it, or you don’t. Or so we’ve been told. And just what is willpower anyway? Merriam-Webster’s defines it as "energetic determination." But, how you manage your health is not based on how energetically determined you are. It is based on the choices you make. Willpower is passive; the power to make decisions is active. No longer is "I just don’t have the willpower" an excuse. And speaking of excuses...

What’s Stopping You?
One of the first things you need to anticipate when starting a weight management program is that stumbling blocks will inevitably surface. But the good thing is, you can do something about them! First of all, you need to identify them so you can plan how to handle them.

Think of things that may get in your way and classify them. Here is a simple system. If an event or circumstance that you have no control over interferes with your plans or actions, for example illness or a death in the family, call it a barricade. When an event that conflicts with your plans or actions can be anticipated, can be anticipated, like having your son's baseball game scheduled during the time you normally workout, that is an obstruction. And, an event or circumstance that could have been prevented with a little planning - such as when you say you’re too tired to workout or go to your weekly meeting - is really an excuse.

Write It Down
The first step in overcoming these stumbling blocks is to write them down. Make a list under each category; include possible ones as well. Next, come up with possible solutions for each. As you’re doing this exercise, you may be surprised to find that what you thought were true obstacles to your program, are really just excuses. Be honest - you’ll only benefit from it in the long run!

One’s motivation for sticking with a weight management program comes from many sources, both internal and external. But what may be a motivational tool for one person, may be a motivational stumbling block for another. For instance, for some people, the scales can be a real motivator. If they’re on a weight loss program, they just love to see that dial move downward. But for others, it can be a true obstruction if they tend to go up and down slightly in their weight, or if it’s just not moving down as fast as they’d like it to.

Some Common Examples and Solutions
Take a look at some common obstructions that you may find yourself having to hurdle at one time or another, as well as, some possible solutions.

Stumbling Blocks: Food

Problem: You find you just can’t resist certain foods.

Solution: You are the gate-keeper to your home. You should determine what comes into it. If there are certain foods that you find you cannot eat in moderation, then keep them out of your house. Don’t believe in "forbidden foods." If you like cheesecake, then you should be allowed to splurge on occasion. But if having a whole one sitting in your refrigerator is too much for you, then don’t have it in your house. Instead, order a slice when you go out to eat. Better yet, order one slice and share it with someone.

Many experts believe that cravings are real, and have a physiological basis. But you can beat the craving. If, for instance, you’re longing for something sweet, like a pastry which is a carbohydrate, then try squelching it with a healthier carbohydrate, like half of a small whole grain bagel with a little fruit spread. The bagel is more nutrient dense and lower in fat and calories, and it will probably satisfy your desire.

Stumbling Blocks: Time

Problem: Finding enough time to workout or attend meetings.

Solution: To manage your time you need to do only one thing: plan. You need to have a plan that you can stick to. But you don’t just wake up one morning and think, "I’ve got it!" Like any good plan, it takes time. One of the first things you should do is, over the course of several days, write down all your activities. By doing this, you will see just what activities actually produce results, and which ones are just "busy time." You’ll be amazed at how much wasted time we generate each day!

Next, write down your goals - both short term and long term -and decide which activities contribute to your meeting these goals. Begin to weed out those that don’t. Prioritize the events in your life, and make "to do" lists. This includes stay-at-home moms - you’re doing a job, too, and although children certainly have a way of throwing a wrench into even the best laid plans, it helps to have a flexible schedule to go by. Often, being able to cross things off your list is a good motivator, too!

Stumbling Blocks: Money

Problem: Health club fees, cost of meetings and prepackaged plan meals, or recommended supplements are too costly.

Solution:Managing your money can be handled in much the same way as managing your time. Plan it out. Begin by asking yourself, "Where am I spending my money?" Keep track - write it down. Then decide what items or activities are necessities, and which could qualify as being more frivolous. How many times during the week do you eat out? Is that daily cup of java really necessary? Cut down on the "extras."

Another thing to look at when we’re talking finances is the actual program you’ve chosen. What expenses go along with it? Initiation fees, weekly meeting fees, cost of prepackaged food and supplements.....the list goes on and on. Is there another program or plan that is less expensive, but that has a proven track record for success? It may simply involve making an appointment with a dietician and/or personal trainer to get you going on the right track. Is a membership to a gym necessary, or can you stay motivated and get the same results by working out at home or outside, either by yourself or with a buddy?

Stumbling Blocks: Weather

Problem: Foul weather prevents you from getting to the health club or weekly meetings.

Solution: Have a back-up plan! Have some necessary exercise equipment at home, including weights, videos, and your favorite piece of stationary equipment, so that in a pinch or times of adverse weather, you can still workout. Good weather for ducks? Then get your rain gear out! Another option if you just can’t stand to get wet is to mall-walk. Many malls actually open early for walkers.

If your weekly meeting gets canceled, ask your leader if it can be rescheduled, or try contacting members of your group and set up a time to get together informally later that week - go for a walk together or just socialize. Even if they can’t, just the phone contact will help give you a boost of motivation.

Stumbling Blocks: The Scale

Problem: The numbers on the scale don’t move as fast as you’d like them to, or, they seem to go "two steps down, one step up."

Solution: One option is to throw the scale out! Although weight is important, people tend to put too much trust and worth on it. Your weight on the scale can vary day to day, or even within the same day, depending on how much you’ve eaten at a meal and how much fluid you’re retaining.

Weight training will add muscle, which is heavier than fat. So although you may be losing fat, you’re adding muscle. With the right equipment and a properly trained and experienced practitioner, body fat analysis is a better indicator of weight management. Or you could take measurements of your body - hips, thighs, waist, arms, chest - every couple of weeks.

If you’d rather not get into so much number-keeping, then base your progress on how your clothes feel. Have you gone up or down a size? How about that belt - have you been able to tighten it up more lately without giving yourself a hernia? Or, how do you feel overall? Do you feel healthier? Can you walk further than you used to and still breathe? Have you been able to shave some time off that mile? There are many ways to keep track of your progress. And if you decide to keep the scale, remember, there’s no need to weigh yourself every day. If you must step on the scale then remember, once a week is plenty.

Stumbling Blocks: Food

Problem: You find you just can’t resist certain foods.

Solution: You are the gate-keeper to your home. You should determine what comes into it. If there are certain foods that you find you cannot eat in moderation, then keep them out of your house. Don’t believe in "forbidden foods." If you like cheesecake, then you should be allowed to splurge on occasion. But if having a whole one sitting in your refrigerator is too much for you, then don’t have it in your house. Instead, order a slice when you go out to eat. Better yet, order one slice and share it with someone.

Many experts believe that cravings are real, and have a physiological basis. But you can beat the craving. If, for instance, you’re longing for something sweet, like a pastry which is a carbohydrate, then try squelching it with a healthier carbohydrate, like half of a small whole grain bagel with a little fruit spread. The bagel is more nutrient dense and lower in fat and calories, and it will probably satisfy your desire.

Stumbling Blocks: Kids

Problem: Since having kids, you just can’t find a good time to workout, let alone the time to make healthy meals. Weekly meetings or a trip to the gym are out, especially for those who may be nursing and cannot leave the baby with anyone else.

Solution: Children sure do change our lives, but you can still find the time and the resources to workout. First of all, if you’re breast feeding, you need to be careful about what you’re eating; a low calorie diet should not be undertaken. Seek the advise of a registered dietician.

If you want to do the health club scene, then choose one that has a nursery, or classes for new moms that allow baby to come in with you. If that’s not an option, then consider bringing baby in tow. A front pack, back pack, or sling work great for carrying baby at the gym or while hiking. A stroller, is great for those outside runs or walks. Workout while baby is napping, or set him in his infant seat while you exercise - he’ll probably love to watch you! And if you find you can never get a full workout in? Do it in bits and pieces throughout the day. Remember, anything is better than nothing!

In place of meals, consider snacking or grazing throughout the day instead. The trick here, though, is to make healthy foods available. Buy premixed salad, precut veggies, fruit, whole grain crackers, bagels, and cereals, reduced fat cheese, nuts and seeds, yogurt...easily accessible foods. And don’t forget the water! Save sport drink bottles, fill them half-way with water, and stick them in the freezer. When you need a drink, fill it up the rest of the way with water, and voila! You have a nice cold drink that won’t have you running to sink for refills every fifteen minutes.

Stumbling Blocks: Family and Friends

Problem: They tell you that you don’t need to lose weight, bring foods that they know you’re trying to avoid into the house, plan activities during the time they know you have meetings or normally workout, and overall just jeopardize all your attempts at weight management.

Solution: Be open and honest. Explain to them why you’re doing what you’re doing, and how it makes you feel when they don’t support you. Ask them why they don’t - sometimes it stems from the fact that they are afraid of the change and what may develop out of it. They may fear you becoming too confident and not having as much in common with them. They might know that they’ve got changes in their own lives to make, and aren’t ready to face up to them yet.

Invite them to join you in an effort to improve their overall health, too. And if they still insist on acting as a stumbling block? If it’s someone who doesn’t live under the same roof as you, then you may have to try to avoid that person. In the case of a child or spouse, keep chugging away the best you can. Once they see how much better you feel about yourself, your attitude will rub off!

How Much Do I Have to Work Out?

2009-01-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

That depends on what you plan to accomplish by working out. If your goal is to complete the Ironman Triathlon or compete in the Mr. Universe contest, then you know that you had better workout intensely and often. If, however, the goal of the exercise program is to raise your level of health somewhat, then the answer gets a little tricky.

The Standard
Most fitness professionals are still proponents of the standard recommendation: "exercise three or more times per week at a heart rate of 60-90 percent of maximum for at least twenty minutes." This certainly isn’t a bad recommendation, especially since it’s been well known for years that habitual inactivity is associated with increased death rates, but there is some very good data that suggests that surprisingly modest levels of physical activity will provide ample stimulus to improve overall health, lower chronic disease risk factors and increase longevity. In recent years, sedentary lifestyle has been elevated to the disease risk status comparable to other risk factors such as high blood cholesterol, blood pressure and cigarette smoking.

Modest Levels of Activity
In 1995, two very interesting articles were published on this topic in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The first sent shock waves through the fitness community when it announced that intense exercise wasn’t needed for health benefits. The article, which was co-authored by some of the most prominent researchers in health and fitness, suggested that if people could incorporate 30 minutes of total physical activity throughout the course of the day, the result would be a 12% decrease in mortality in the United States. The activity, the panel indicated, need not be structured, intense or even resemble "exercise" in any way. Such everyday activities as walking, gardening, taking the stairs, etc... are excellent candidates to get the total minutes of activity up to the recommended 30 per day.

The twenty member panel that came up with the recommendation was convened by the Centers for Disease Control and pointed to the growing body of research indicating that the health benefits of physical activity are linked principally to the total amount of activity performed. The panel’s recommendations were endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine, but in no way should suggest that individuals who are currently performing more intense exercise should back off. What it does mean, however, is that even modest levels of physical activity, even if it isn’t intense enough to result in optimal fitness, has a strong positive influence in lowering the risk of many chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, certain cancers, diabetes, stress/anxiety and depression.

The Second Article
The second JAMA article seemed to contradict the first when it reported that health benefits and lifespan were advanced by vigorous, but not by moderate exercise. This study used data from the study of over 17,000 Harvard Alumni which just ten years previously had caused a stir when it reported significant health benefits of moderate physical activity. This particular study, however, classified participant’s exercise intensity by self-reports. Subjects categorized as vigorous exercisers were compared with a group that included both moderate and low intensity exercisers.

The well-known "law of diminishing returns" my have been at work here, resulting in the appearance of health benefits only in the vigorous exercise group. Previous research has shown convincingly that the health benefits of exercise are not as dramatic in intense exercisers when compared to the large gains that are possible in beginning exercisers. For example, in subjects who improve their fitness level from unfit to moderately fit, the decline in premature death is as much as 40 percent. In those exercisers who progress from moderate to high fitness, however, the decline in premature death rates is only about 15 percent.

And the Moral of the Story Is...
It is certainly a confusing issue, but the moral of the story is that small amounts of physical activity are better than nothing at all and that more intense exercise is even better than that. The distinction between optimal fitness and optimal health must be kept in mind. Health benefits can certainly be attained via modest intensity physical activity accumulated throughout the day (burning 2,000 calories per week is recommended), but fitness benefits must be obtained via higher intensity exercise more along the lines of the good old ACSM recommendations (20 minutes, 3x per week, at 60-90% of maximum heart rate).

Does Exercise Increase Your Need for Vitamins and Minerals?

2009-01-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

Exercise participation can increase your need for many nutrients, most notably water and energy. Whether vitamin and mineral needs are increased as well is still an issue of some debate. While some nutrients are almost certainly needed in higher amounts by intense exercisers, some nutrient requirements are probably no different for athletes than for couch potatoes. And, some nutrients can be thought of as specifically tailored for exercisers because they may improve athletic performance, yet have virtually no benefits for sedentary folks.

Because athletes and avid exercisers need to compensate for the high energy expenditure of training and competition, they generally consume more food and a higher number of calories than the average person. The extra calories serve to support the energy needs of exercise and maintain adequate energy stores of glycogen in the liver and muscles. The fact that you’re consuming more food to provide those needed calories also means that you’re getting an increased intake of vitamins and minerals - with the assumption that you’re making wise food choices and selecting those with a high nutrient density.

Although the increased energy needs of exercise are usually satisfied by a higher intake of the energetic nutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat), it is important to keep in mind that vitamins and minerals play a vital role in the metabolic processes which are responsible for extracting the energy from foods. In addition to their role in energy production and storage, vitamins and minerals function as crucial co-factors for synthesis and repair of muscle tissue and red blood cells, and for protection of many tissues from the damaging effects of oxidative stress.

Energy Metabolism
A number of micronutrients, most notably vitamins in the B-family, play a critical role as co-factors in energy metabolism. As co-factors, B-vitamins function as parts of enzymes involved in converting carbohydrates, proteins and fats in to energy. In some cases, B vitamin intake is tied to energy intake and protein intake. For example, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for three B vitamins; thiamin (0.5 mg), riboflavin (0.6 mg) and niacin (6.6 mg), is based on increments of 1000 calories consumed - (based on a 2,000 calories per day diet). Daily intake of another B-vitamin, B6, is based on protein intake (0.016 mg per gram of protein) because of its involvement in protein metabolism.

Thiamin is needed for metabolism of carbohydrate and branched chain amino acids (BCAA) - both of which play important roles in energy and fatigue during exercise. Riboflavin is necessary for the production of two key energy-generating enzymes - flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN) - which are needed during the metabolism of glucose, amino acids and fatty acids for energy. In addition to the role that vitamin B6 plays in amino acid and general protein metabolism, B6 also has crucial functions in energy production from carbohydrate - as in the conversion of lactic acid to glucose in the liver and the release of muscle glycogen to the bloodstream as free glucose.

While nutrient requirements based on energy intake may appear to be confusing, the good news is that, with a balanced diet and an adequate caloric intake, your B-vitamin intake is likely to take care of itself. The bad news, of course, is that if you’re satisfying your caloric needs with empty calories or highly refined or processed foods, there’s a chance that your intake of B vitamins is sub-optimal.

Feelings of Tiredness and Fatigue
Excessive feelings of tiredness and fatigue in athletes can sometimes be linked back to inadequate dietary intake of B vitamins, iron or carbohydrates. While vitamin B supplements and carbohydrate rich foods are often an effective and safe nutritional approach to combating fatigue, iron supplementation is not something to be taken lightly. Unless iron deficiency anemia is documented by a laboratory test (plasma ferrin analysis), high dose iron supplements should be avoided unless specifically recommended by your physician. In men, high does iron supplements can rapidly build up, with the potential for promoting tissue damage in heart, liver and muscles. If you think that you might need a bit more iron in your diet, a more prudent approach to boosting iron stores would be to consume an additional 100 mg of vitamin C at each meal to increase iron absorption.

Free Radicals and Oxidative Damage
Intense exercise can increase oxygen consumption 10-20 times over resting levels. A side effect of elevated oxygen consumption, however, is the generation of free radicals (electrically charged particles) and "oxidative stress" - which can damage tissues and cellular membranes. In defense of body cells and tissues, the body produces a variety of antioxidant enzymes that help to counteract many of the damaging effects of free radicals. In mounting its own antioxidant defenses, the body uses a number of minerals, such as zinc, copper, magnesium and selenium, in manufacturing enzymes to counterbalance the damaging effects of free radicals. In addition, other nutrients, like vitamins C and E, contribute to the body’s antioxidant defenses. Vitamin E is one of the most important fat-soluble antioxidants - providing crucial protection for cell membranes and internal cellular structures. Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin, performs important antioxidant functions within the blood and fluid compartments within and between cells of the body.

Immune Function
Both exercise and nutrition are known to influence the activity and responsiveness of the immune system to varying degrees. In most cases, moderate levels of exercise tend to bolster immune function, while extremely high intensity exercise and ultra-endurance events can sometimes temporarily suppress the immune system. In a similar manner, an inadequate intake of certain nutrients can reduce the response of immune system cells. In particular, vitamins A, B6, C, and E play a role in immune system function, such as maintaining the activity of specialized immune system cells like natural killer cells and CD4 cells.

In competitive athletes, a higher intake of vitamins C and E may help reduce their susceptibility to respiratory infections, colds and influenza - particularly following intense competitions such as triathlons and marathons.

Exercise / Nutrition Interaction
The relationship and interaction between exercise training, nutrient intake and athletic performance is incredibly complex and not well-understood. It is generally assumed that regular intense physical activity elevates somewhat the requirements for B-complex vitamins and vitamins C and E. It is also well accepted that the preferred route of satisfying this elevated requirement is through an increased consumption of whole grain carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables and low-fat meat and dairy products. Common dietary sources of the B vitamins are enriched grains - which typically add back the B complex vitamins at 25-100 percent of the RDA levels. Historically, highly processed foods, such as white rolls, white rice, honey and jam have been used in feeding studies to induce generalized B vitamin deficiency. In some cases today, however, highly processed foods, because of the enriched flour that forms the base of many of these foods, represents a significant portion of the B vitamin intake for many athletes. Other dietary sources are: Thiamin - pork and legumes, Riboflavin - eggs, lean meats and milk, vitamin B6 - chicken, tuna, beans, brown rice.

The Role of Supplements
Nutritional supplements may be warranted in many situations, particularly in cases of dietary restriction for weight loss or to attain a certain body weight goal. As general rule of thumb, a daily caloric intake of less than 1500 calories per day is unlikely to include a wide enough variety of foods to meet minimal requirements - so some form of dietary supplementation is often necessary.

True deficiencies of most B vitamins are rare in athletes consuming a mixed diet. Because of their role in energy metabolism, however, even a short period of sub-optimal intake can impair energy output and compromise athletic performance. In the case of B-vitamins, a sub-optimal intake of one is usually accompanied by a sub-optimal intake of others. A combined marginal intake of several B vitamins would be expected to impair physical performance in a matter of weeks and lead to more severe conditions such as anemia, muscle weakness and depression following prolonged periods of inadequate intake. In such cases, a multi-vitamin or B-complex supplement would be warranted.

Fitness - A Lifestyle Approach

2009-01-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

So often we are caught up in the moment and lose our perspective. We tend to push ourselves harder, demand more and expect more. Sometimes, we reap the results we aim for - sometimes our body just can't adjust. In those times, muscle stiffness and soreness aren't uncommon, especially if you 're pushing to excel. For most of us, these aches will ease within a day or two and are usually nothing to worry about. When you push a little too hard, chances are you'll wind up with a sport related injury.

How can you protect yourself against injury before it happens, yet reap the highest potential your body has to offer? First, it is imperative to understand that fitness and health are not dependent on weight or body size, but a composition of aerobic conditioning, flexibility, a balance of muscular strength and conditioning, and wholesome, balanced nutrition.

No Pill Can Provide These Benefits
The myriad of health benefits that accompany the incorporation of an aerobic exercise program in ones lifestyle is truly overwhelming. By comparison, what type of pill can increase your longevity, increase the amount of "good cholesterol" in your blood, help stabilize your blood glucose level, decrease your disk of cardiac arrest, decrease your risk of certain types of cancers, and in general, help you feel better about yourself? With a steady diet of aerobic exercise all of the above can happen. The key to your success is to be slow and steady. Do not try to do too much at once, and remember, keep it interesting…be creative.

Stretch to Protect
Stretching, in its many wondrous forms, is just one of the safe guards you can take to help protect yourself from injury. Stretching both pre- and post-workout will provide an increase in your range of motion and thus increase your strength, speed and balance. Remember, as the muscles strengthen as a result of exercise, they also become tighter. There is no quicker way to get hurt than to push your body before the muscles are warm, the tendons stretch, and the joints are lubricated.

Incorporating Weight Resistance
A weight resistance program that supports your goals, provides a balance of strength and conditioning and encourages flexibility is critical in your development as an active being. By learning proper technique, form and the program fundamentals of resistance training, you can increase the likelihood of being able to distinguish between ache and injury. Therefore, you are able to modify your program and incorporate the changes that will strengthen your weaknesses and prevent injury. Remember, technique and program design are more important than being able to "lift the stack".

Premium Performance and Optimum Results
Racecar drivers don't set track records and win races with faulty plugs and watered down gas, nor can you expect to perform well without premium fuel in your tank. A diet rich in complex carbohydrates, loaded with fruits and vegetables, and washed down with copious amounts of water can make the difference between another noble try and a personal record. Depending on your event and goals, your diet should be designed to provide you with the optimum nutrients activated at the optimum time.

Remember, playing it smart and injury free doesn't happen by chance or accident, you need to plan on being successful, whatever your aspirations are!

Lunch Date: Noontime workouts

2009-01-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

How would you like to get on the weight machines without waiting in line, and gain the undivided attention from the staff at the gym? How about reclaiming your evenings and a better body to boot? If that's not motivation to start working out at lunchtime, then we're not sure what it's going to take. Why not make a date to start noontime workouts today?

Does Golf Count?
Ask anyone at the gym why they're there and you're sure to hear familiar reasons. Baby boomers keen to keep with physical demands from their kids, office jocks on the corporate basketball team who don't want to get injured, women aiming to feel comfortable in a new swimsuit, and of course, those who say 'I just want look good' or 'feel better about myself".

If asked, 'Do you exercise regularly?' would you answer 'Does golf count?' If so, you are probably among the thousands of weekend warriors who drag your feet through the week without exercise in your routine and try to make up for in on the weekend. It's time to incorporate exercise into your week - let your lunch hour change your routine and possibly, your life.

A Great Way to End the Day
"During lunch hour you will have energy," says Paul Juris, Ed. D. Director of New York's Equinox Fitness Training Institute. "Plus, it's good to get out at noon if you work in an office. You will feel invigorated and de-stressed, enabling the rest of the day to go smoother. In the middle of the day, gyms are less crowded, there's far less intimidation from hard core users, and you're likely to find you get better attention from the staff."

Working out at noon can also help prevent that "late-in-the-day un-motivated" attitude - when the hour grows longer and the day slides away - it's suddenly too late and you are too tired to do anything more than head home.

If You're Not the Work Out Type
But what if a party size bag of Doritos sounds more appealing than a work out at the gym? "Try simply moving on a regular basis" says Juris. "Even walking up to your apartment on the third floor is a first step. Do the math. Add this to walking instead of taking a cab, plus a weekend bike ride and you're on track. Small changes can often promote a sense of getting started without really committing. These in turn can motivate you to go further and get in to the gym."

What's the best way to overcome the feeling of lack of self-confidence and discomfort of unfamiliar territory? Any good exercise facility will do some type of initial assessment that gives you feedback about how fit you are. Put your ego aside and take advantage of these services. An introductory - and often complimentary - personal training session, free demonstration of equipment or a free fitness assessment can lay a good foundation for advancements and variety. And however fit or knowledgeable you may feel, you'll find that you'll eventually crave variety."

Being Busy is Not an Excuse
Earlier this year, Juris developed the 'Type A Workout' offered at Equinox Gyms, NYC. Designed for busy business people with limited time, it allows the participant to experience a full workout featuring flexibility, cardio and core stability in a forty-minute personal training session. The percentages spent on each area vary according to the individual. In 40 minutes, you can get a structured workout and feel invigorated instead of rushed in, rushed out and more tired.

The Bottom Line?
Before you head out for the vending machines or the nearest fast food outlet at noon, consider starting a lunchtime fitness routine. While you are puffing and sweating away, you'll have time to think about what you'll do tonight with all of your newly found free time.

Q & A: What is the Difference Between Edurance and Strength in Weight Training?

2009-01-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

Q. What is the difference between endurance and strength in weight lifting?

A. As the song goes, "you can't have one without the other"; endurance and strength training go hand in hand. The difference is the route you choose to get you there or, in other words, training style.

For endurance lifting: You can start with light weights (3 -10 lbs), increased repetitions (15-20), and a brief rest between sets (30-50 seconds, maximum).

For strength lifting: You might try heavier weights (80% of max. on certain lifts), decreased number of repetitions (1-6) and a recovery time of 3 - 5 minutes between sets.

As you increase endurance you are also making gains in strength, and as you are increasing your strength, you are making gains in endurance...they compliment each other.

Ten Common Mistakes to Avoid at the Gym to Stay Injury-free

2009-01-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

Worn out shoes.
Athletic shoes need to be replaced every three to six months - even indoor gym shoes may still look clean and new after heavy use. As soon as the support to ankles and arches breaks down, get a new pair.

Incorrect bench presses.
Doing too many repetitions, too many sets, with too much weight is a set-up for rotator cuff injuries, a painful shoulder condition.

Doing "lat pulls" behind the head.
This exercise, pulling down a bar to strengthen the latissimus dorsi muscles, can be a problem for people with tendon problems in the shoulders. I recommend that it is pulled toward the sternum in front of the body.

Too many risers in step aerobics.
Novices in step classes will frequently pile on the risers to look good in class, risking unnecessary muscle soreness the next day or heaven forbid, a knee injury or a stress fracture.

Overdoing stair machines.
The kings and queens of the stairmaster who tread on the machine for hours at a stretch, leaning too far forward, overworking their quadriceps, may be in trouble. To avoid injury, balance the stair machine's uphill effect by running downhill, or doing leg presses.

Excessive impact.
Whether your exercise is aerobics or running, pounding the floor too hard can lead to shin splints or plantar fascitis. Resting, cross-training and wearing proper shoes with orthotic inserts can help.

Lifting weights without a spotter.
A spotter is someone who can not only alert you to poor technique (such as locking your legs or holding your breath), but can also help you out of trouble by reminding you of your limits.

Failure to warm up and stretch properly.
Because of time factors, people probably don't do a thorough warm-up where they break a sweat and warm their tissues. Always warm up before you stretch, this makes tissues far less likely to be injured. When stretching, make it a relaxed, sustained movement, not a bouncing stretch.

Wrong settings on weight machines.
Make certain that the seat height and other settings are appropriate for you. Too high or too low a seat places abnormal stress on your joints. Many machines are designed for someone 5'9" tall. Have a trainer help you find a setting right for you.

Unqualified staff.
Check your trainer's resume. Many groups offer certification or training, including the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Q & A: Quick Tips to Firm Up the Stomach

2009-01-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

Q. What are some good, quick things to do to firm up the stomach?

A. There are some great abdominal exercises you can do to help strengthen the torso such as crunches, crossover crunches, and reverse curls.

If you're just starting out these exercises, when done correctly, should provide an adequate challenge to your abdominal muscles. Be mindful when you are performing the exercises, move slowly (3 counts up, hold for 1 count, and 3 counts down.) Concentrate on proper form and technique. Remember, it's the quality of the movement not quantity that will help firm your midsection.

Unfortunately, no exercise can give you instant results. Results come from maintaining an exercise program over time. If your goal is to firm your stomach, a combination of cardiovascular exercise, resistance training, low-fat eating, and practicing portion control, are your quickest way to a flatter stomach.

Bodybuilding: Machines Versus Free Weights - A Comparative Overview

2009-01-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

Often it is asked, "What is best to work out with, free weights or machines?" Of course, the complete answer is more complex than the choice of one or the other. The answer depends on what type of equipment you have access to, will you be working out with a partner or a personal trainer, your time availability, history of lifting, and your budget.

Access to Equipment
Let’s look at "access to equipment" first. This can be looked at as either working out of a gym or fitness center or setting up with your own home fitness room. Space availability and initial investment are two factors that will determine the set up of a home gym.

If you belong to a club or fitness center, you probably have access to both free weights and machines. Dollar per dollar, or minute by minute, you will reap more benefits using the free weights. Free weights provide additional physical challenges that are not available with machines. Challenges such as "balance and coordination" and "individual resistance" per body part (although some newer machines now have accommodated this difference) are a few of the benefits of free weights. With the balance element, not only are the major muscle groups engaging, but the secondary-supporting cast is working deep within the joint to provide stability. This element of stability and activation of the secondary musculature is a paramount difference between machines and free weights.

Usually, when someone is looking to develop their own home gym, I advise free weights because, ultimately, the cost is substantially less than purchasing a one piece, do-it-all total gym. The benefits of balance and coordination, the versatility of free weights, and usually, free weights are much less cumbersome.

The Buddy System
Working out with a partner can influence your decision.
With machines, when you are fatigued with the set, you slowly return the resistance to its starting position, safely. No partner is necessary because the resistance is safely built within the structure of the machine.

With free weights, when working out alone, you must return the weights to the floor in a "body safe" position; making certain that you do not jeopardize your body mechanics or anatomy in the process. It often works best to work with a partner so that they can assist you in your last reps; this will enable you to maximize your work out.

The Time Factor
If you have a time constraint, you can probably work out "more" with machines because you don’t have the issue of picking up and returning the weights to the rack. Usually, all you need to do is adjust the seat and weights and away you go. "More" doesn’t mean a better workout. As I mentioned earlier, you are not only working the major muscle groups with free weights, you are also working out the secondary cast of muscles that support the joint. This can translate into a cleaner and more productive lifting session, usually in a reduction of the time.

History of Lifting
With regards to "history of lifting", starting with machines is a nice way to begin for the novice. The simplicity of the machines usually makes it more user friendly than free weights. Free weights require learning techniques and patterns to avoid injury and maximize time investment. As a rule, the more seasoned a lifter, the more prone he or she is to gravitate to free weights.

Getting in Shape: Secret of Success

2009-01-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

Success at fitness is easier than you thought, that is, if you learn from the mistakes of others and avoid their pitfalls. As a personal trainer and health consultant, there have been countless times that new clients list their fitness objective as "lose 20 pounds" or "get in shape". Great ideas but they will lead to meandering hours in the gym with little to show for your time.

Goals Are Essential
The question is: how do we define our goals so that we succeed? The simple answer is “quantify”. Make your goals definable “with a number”.

For example, “my goal is to lose 20 pounds”. This is so vague and open it means little. By contrast, “I will walk everyday and eat smarter”. Better than the first attempt but it still needs some work to make it happen for you. Your goal needs to be more quantifiable. Try this: “every morning by 6:15 am., except Wednesday, I will walk at least 15 minutes. If it feels good, I will walk longer”. Chances are, once you are out the door (the toughest part), you won’t even think about stopping after 15 minutes. You defined an exact starting time and an endpoint. That plan should be enough to coax you out the door. Moreover, while walking, “talk it up!” Let yourself know that you are in the midst of accomplishing a very difficult task. Give yourself lots of kudos and envision your goals’ positive outcome. If your goal is to decrease body fat, visualize yourself as a svelte person in an outfit that you admire. Or visualize yourself playing with your grandchildren as you sit crossed-legged on the floor.

Add in Fruits and Vegetables
As for the “eating smarter”. Why not start by “adding in” foods rather than saying, “no, I won’t eat snacks any longer”. Start by adding in three fruits and two vegetable servings daily. We can count the items and make specific plans to succeed. The other benefit is that we are saying, “yes, we can eat more” rather than the old pattern of always cutting foods out of our diet and saying “NO”. We will be less apt to gorge on high fat foods when we are filled with broccoli.

Getting in Shape
What does “get in shape” mean to you? It can mean a thousand different things to a thousand different people. Quantify. “ I want to be able to jog three miles by September 1, 2000. I will start by getting medical clearance and purchasing a pair of appropriate jogging shoes and workout apparel. I will entice my friend to enroll with me in the “morning sunshine” jogging class that meets three times weekly. If I can not attend a session, I will plan a make-up session at home within 24 hours”.

Be specific in your goals, specific in your plans, and your chances of success become less of a chance and more of a doable project!

Physical exercise is a journey into self.

2009-01-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

The sad story is that the secrets of exercise remain a mystery to many. What is it that they have or know that you don’t? Whenever someone mentions their running or exercise passion, your response is always the same, you look at them like they are from Mars or Venus and say, "I don’t get it." Secretly, you wonder what you’re missing. Secretly, there are no mysteries of exercise, it is self-exploration.

The Journey
Physical exercise is a journey into self. We are in constant battle with ourselves. To move or not to move, that is the question. Over the years, we have developed a very keen and active system of avoidance. For example we may say, "I’ll try to get in a three-miler this weekend." From the moment we said it, we knew that we were giving ourselves permission to fail. "Trying" is a 50/50 proposition. "I tried to run this past weekend but there was a great movie and..." Practice this phrase; "try to stand up". What happened? You either stood up or you remained seated, there is no in-between land. You either do it or not, period. Know thyself!

Setting Goals
When we set specific goals and achieve them, we feel good about ourselves. It takes discipline and dedication, a strong desire to win (whatever our goal is), and the will power and determination to walk out the front door and jog or run or bike…. When we step out that door, we are immediately transposed into "the athlete". Bestowed upon us are the attributes that fit all athletes…disciplined, determined, a real achiever. We like that feeling! We believe we are doing something positive and feel great for being a doer.
Know thyself!

Stick to It and Survive
Our sense of confidence and heightened esteem will carry over into other areas of our life. Employment struggles become less of a burden because we know we have the tenacity to achieve, the ability to follow through, and the knowledge to make it happen. We know that we can stick to it and survive, more than survive, prevail and triumph! Know thyself.

Adopt Einstein’s pithy maxim: "energy begets energy".

Determining Your Target Heart Rate (MHR)

2009-01-05T09:06:00.001-08:00

There are two methods in determining your target heart rate, one general and one that incorporates your resting heart rate.

Method One
Subtract your age from 220. The result is your maximum heart rate (MHR). This is the theoretical maximum that your heart can beat per minute. Based on your goals, you multiply your MHR by the target heart rate (THR) percentage you established earlier. For example, you want to improve your cardiovascular conditioning and decrease your blood cholesterol levels. You should exercise within 60-80% of your maximum heart rate.

Let’s say you are 30 years old:

220
-30 (Age)
_____
190 or maximum heart rate (MHR). Multiply 190 (MHR) by 60% to determine your lower limit and then multiply 190 by 80% to determine your upper limit.

Results: suggested range of 114 beats per minute for the
lower limit and 152 beats per minute for the upper limit. When exercising, you should maintain your heart rate between 114-152 beats per minute.

Method Two
We establish your resting heart rate (RHR) by taking your pulse at rest by counting the beats for one minute.

Step 1:
(You are 30 years old and have decided to exercise at 60-80% of your max).

220
-30
_____
190 MHR (so far the same)

Step 2:
Now subtract your resting heart rate from the MHR and get 130 (known as the heart rate reserve - HRR).

Step 3:
Multiply your predetermined training ranges by the heart rate reserve (HRR) and add the RHR:
130
x .60 (%)
---------
78
+60 (RHR)
---------
138

130
x .80 (%)
---------
104
+ 60 (RHR)
---------
164

We established a range of 138-164 beats per minute. If you compare the ranges of method one to method two, you can see that there is a great degree of variation. Estimating the proper heart rate zone is critical to maximize your exercise time commitment. By incorporating your resting heart rate in Method two, you are personalizing the formula and adapting it to your current fitness level.

A to Z of Fitness

2009-01-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

A - AEROBIC EXERCISE
Aerobic exercise is the essential backbone of fitness and wellness. Defined as a rhythmic activity (including large muscle groups) that elevates your resting heart rate to the point that the body learns to adapt to the new imposed "stress" level. As a result of consistent involvement in aerobic activity (habitual exercise), biochemical changes occur. Additional blood vessels develop in the exercised limbs, carrying an increased amount of oxygen, blood and nutrients to the working muscle. Moreover, the muscles may increase in size, and subsequently, the bone thickens. Equally amazing, the heart beats fewer beats and produces the same amount of work as before. All this is a great benefit for getting out and doing something in the sun.

B - BALLSTIC STRETCHING
A rapid-movement type of stretching that should be performed by a select group of athletes. Unfortunately, this is the type of stretching that most of us grew up with and learned...repeatedly bobbing down to touch our toes with locked knees. This bobbing action elicits neuromuscular responses that are designed to prevent rapid stretching (or tearing) of the muscle. The end result: as we are trying to stretch the body, the body is saying "I will not allow that or you’ll rip the muscle from the bone." Because your muscles resist, very little is accomplished. Ball stretching is best suited for those involved in explosive sport activities such as sprinting and high jumping.

C - CONCENTRIC CONTRACTION
This is a fancy way of saying that when we lift something, the muscle(s) involved in the lifting shorten. Concentric contractions are the most prominent type of muscle contraction. A popular example is the biceps muscle; when we lift our groceries ofperson, chances are they possess a greater percentage of fast twitch fibers. Fast twitch fibers are explosive, powerful fibers that provide strong, explosive responsiveness. The downside of fast twitch fibers is that they can only perform for approximately one to three minutes, depending on the conditioning of the athlete. The by-product of fast twitch fiber activation is lactic acid. Too much lactic acid in the muscle will eventually shut it down.

D - DELAYED ONSET MUSCULAR SORENESS (DOMS)
Not necessarily a household word...although we all have certainly experienced it at one time or another. DOMS is an abbreviation for Delayed Onset Muscular Soreness. After an intense or varied workout, microtrauma or damage occurs at the biochemical level of the muscle. We experience microscopic tears and rips in our muscle fiber. Additionally, lactic acid may remain in the muscle area and cause discomfort Although both the microtrauma and the lactic acid individually may cause DOMS, the exact cause of the soreness is unknown. Within hours, the muscle begins to repair itself and strengthens. This is a natural phenomenon, nature taking care of itself. DOMS usually occurs 24-36 hours after the workout.

E - ECCENTRIC CONTRACTION
Occurs when a muscle is activated and force is produced as the muscle lengthens. Eccentric exercise is an important part of training because it challenges the muscle as it works with gravity. For example when running/walking down a steep hill, the muscle lengthens while contracting. The downside (no pun intended) is that there is a much greater amount of microscopic tearing of the muscle with eccentric exercise. Eccentric training should not be repeated more than once in a seven-day period.

F - FAST TWITCH FIBERS
One of several types of muscle fibers found in skeletal muscle. When you see a muscular person, chances are they possess a greater percentage of fast twitch fibers. Fast twitch fibers are explosive, powerful fibers that provide strong, explosive responsiveness. The downside of fast twitch fibers is that they can only perform for approximately one to three minutes, depending on the conditioning of the athlete. The by-product of fast twitch fiber activation is lactic acid. Too much lactic acid in the muscle will eventually shut it down.

G – GOAL SETTING
We need to know where we would like to go in order to be successful. By writing down your goals, in specific terms, you can greatly improve your chances of success. A written goal has three times more likelihood of being accomplished than a plan that remains a loose collection of thoughts and ideas. Know what you want, write it down in realistic, doable steps, and then go get it!

H – HEAT/HUMIDITY
We probably have said it, or at least, heard it, "it isn’t the heat, it’s the humidity!" We need to be very cautious when exercising in a hot, humid environment. High humidity decreases the efficiency of cooling our bodies. When exercising in hot, humid conditions, always drink more water, decrease your intensity, or wait until early morning or late evening for your exercise activity. Perhaps, work out indoors if humidity is oppressive.

I – INTERVAL TRAINING
Interval training is a great way to add fun and excitement to a program that is stagnant. Interval training is varying the intensity of your aerobic program, throughout the program. What I recommend to clients is to pretend you are an autocar. At each light pole, electrical poles, or mailbox (whatever works for you), shift gears one through five, each time increasing your pace. After fifth, decrease back down and walk at one, then repeat. It may appear odd but it is fun and different and it works to improve speed and endurance.

J - JOGGING
Some believe that jogging is a synonym for running but tell a runner you saw them "jogging" and they may be offended. Jogging is engaging in forward motion without the profound intensity exhibited in running. Perhaps joggers are less focused on performance, move at a slower pace, and do not monitor their performance or drastically pursue improvement in their performance. Some may say that when jogging — similar to race walking — there is always one foot in contact with the ground. As compared to running, part of the motion of the runner is "airborne".

K – KICKBOXING
Making a comeback under the name of Tae Bo, kickboxing has been around for some time. Kickboxing is appealing because it incorporates mental toughness, physical stamina, and a catchy combination of movements that keeps people interested, and often, helps them achieve the fitness results that they were seeking. The down side is that it requires a certain element of style and physical ability; some followers have been hurt attempting movements that are too advanced for their level of fitness or capabilities. If you like energetic movement that requires you to keep your mind on your task, maybe kickboxing is your key to better fitness!

L – LIFTING
Lifting or resistance training is becoming one of the fastest growing exercise activities. Numerous health benefits can be derived from a resistance-training program. More and more women are resistance training than ever before as a preventive measure against osteoporosis, cancer, and just to look and feel better. Make an appointment with a personal trainer or check out a local health club to begin your journey into improved health.

M - MASSAGE
Exercise places an enormous amount of stress on the body. Training may bring on progressive fatigue, soreness, and eventually a decrease in sport satisfaction. Sport massage stimulates the circulation and loosens fibers that have adhered or been bound to each other. Sport massage also enhances lymphatic circulation, lubricating the muscle, decreasing friction, and removing toxins and acids. A deep, thorough massage should be perceived "like a workout", that is, drink plenty of water, stretch, and rest afterwards.

N – NUTRITION
A balanced diet is critical to your effectiveness as an exerciser. Obtaining the proper nutrients prior to, during, and post an exercise event can provide rapid recovery and a heightened sense of enjoyment during the activity. Proper nutrition after an exercise event can restore your energy levels so that you feel ready to go before your next event. Eat a balanced diet and you will notice the difference!

O - OVERLOAD PRINCIPLE
The principle of increasing the load (intensity) of exercise to cause a further adaptation of a body system. There are many ways to apply the overload principle:

a) increase resistance
b)increase number of repetitions,
c) increase number of sets, and
d) decrease rest time between sets. Choose the best strategy that best suits your program goals.

P - PERCEIVED EXERTION
A subjective rating of intensity of a particular task. On a one to ten scale, ten representing "hard" and one representing "very easy"; a rating of seven correlates with approximately an exercise level of 70% of maximum intensity. Why is this important? Numerous cardiovascular and biochemical changes can occur when exercising at the 70% level; there is really little need to push harder...unless competitively training. Probably the most important point, the ratings of perceived exertion scale is easy to learn and a lot less expensive than the investment in a heart rate monitor.

Q-QUADRICEPS
The large muscle group on the front of the thigh, responsible for the extension (straightening) of the knee joint. The quadriceps is possibly one of the most powerful group of muscles on our skeletal system. The quadriceps is important as a knee stabilizer and for overall leg and hip power.

R - RISK FACTOR
A characteristic, sign, symptom, or test score that is associated with increased probability of developing a health problem. For example, people with hypertension have an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. Risk factors are categorized as either primary or secondary. Primary risk factors are characteristics that we can not change such as our gender (for the most part), age, race. Secondary risk factors are attitudes and lifestyle-related-behaviors that we have control over. Smoking, engaging in physical activity, drinking alcohol, eating habits or not wearing a seat belt are all secondary risk factors. The goal is to focus on one risk factor and work at changing or eliminating that behavior.

S - SPINNING, STAIRMASTERS AND SLIDING
The three S’s. These are the activities you would most likely find at your local health club. All are great activities for improving your aerobic fitness. The combination of the three S’s make-up a great crosstraining program. By alternating your workout, you continually challenge your brain and muscle to change and adapt to each new stress. Better yet, you can avoid overuse injuries and boredom by alternation your work out routine.

T - TARGET HEART RATE
Identifying and personalizing your target heart rate is another critical area within fitness that separates the novice from the experienced exerciser. If you are going to spend your free time exercising, I want to make certain that you are doing it right and getting from it what I intend, that is, cardiovascular conditioning, blood chemistry changes, good feelings.

The first step in doing this is to decide your goals. If you are looking to improve your overall health and decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease, exercise within the range 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. If your goal is to "move" for the sake of calorie expenditure (weight loss), or when beginning a program, exercise around 40-60% of your maximum heart rate. These percentage ranges are referred to as your target heart rates (THR). Of course always check with your physician before beginning any exercise program. Learn
how to determine your target heart rate.

U - UNDERWATER WEIGHING
The "gold standard" of measures for body density. Determining body density and body fat as a measure of fitness and ideal weight is far superior to the widely accepted Body Mass Index (BMI) measure. Whereas, underwater weighing and body fat measures take into account lean muscle mass, BMI uses gross weight as its measure. Therefore, an athletic, svelte female may have an acceptable body fat measurement and still be classified as "obese" on the BMI rating.

V – VO2 MAX
The largest amount of oxygen that can be used by the body during hard work or exercise. V02 max. is a concept used frequently to measure the physiological efficiency of the body during aerobic exercise. The more efficient the body can use the oxygen inhaled, the higher the V02 max. Marathon runners, cross country skiers and other endurance athletes usually have a high V02 max. as compared to sprinters and weight lifters. VO2max. is predominately genetically influenced but can increase with training.

V - VERTICAL JUMP
Vertical jumping ability is often used as a measure of lower body strength. Sports that require lower body strength like basketball and football use the vertical jump test as a performance indicator. Jumping ability in itself doesn’t necessarily make a quality athlete. Rather, the combination of coordination, quickness, strength and mental awareness do.

W - WARM-UP
A warm-up is any type of physical activity of light to moderate intensity prior to a workout. Numerous types of warm-ups are available and it is important to find the one that is right for you. The goal of a warm-up is to increase the blood and nutrient flow to the soon to be working muscles. A warm muscle is much more pliable and malleable than a cold muscle; so you will get a greater stretch with less risk of injury. Try this: when you get out of bed in the morning, reach down and see how close you are to touching the floor. After being active for a few hours, try touching the floor again. You should notice considerable difference. The same principle applies when you warm-up prior to exercise. Step one: walk/jog for about five minutes. Step two: stop and spend five minutes or so doing some stretches that mimic the activity you will be doing. Step three: begin your activity for whatever duration and end with a more elaborate stretching routine.

X - EXTREME SPORTS
Extreme sports fun is mixed with an element of dangerous adventure. From paragliding off the Rockies to helicopter skiing in Telluride, the X’tremist looks for challenge and a chance to defy nature.

Y - YOGA
A meditation and relaxation practice that incorporates stretching as its medium. There are many styles and practices of Yoga. Some may take on a mystic aura and others look and feel like a thorough and elaborate dimension of stretching. Either way, both are good. Knowing what you are looking for will help guide you in choosing the class that is right for you.

Z — ZZZZZZZZ’S
After a thoroughly exhausting workout in which we chase out the toxins and stress of the day, we look forward to some peaceful ZZZZZZ’S. For some, it is the “power nap” for others it is the “cover me up and don’t bother me for an hour or so”. Whatever style fits you, lay back and know deep in your heart that you deserve it!

Q & A: How Long Does it Take to See Results from Exercise?

2009-01-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

Q. What is the best way to tone and how long does it take to see results from an exercise routine?

A. The best way to tone up your muscles is with weight training. There has been a lot of discussion about low weights and high reps for toning and low reps and high weights for building muscle. While the later is true, many women think that if they use very light weights that they will “tone” their muscles.

The fact is, that the only way to tone your muscles is to train them to failure (the last couple of reps should be hard to complete) which is something that you can’t do with extremely light weights. If you want to tone your muscles without necessarily getting bigger, you can perform 15-20 reps per set but the weight heavy enough to stimulate results.

If you already think that you look too big, you may want to lower the weight slightly and perform the 15-20 reps instead of 8-10 reps with the heavier weight. Most people will start to see results from their efforts in 6 weeks. Some people see results sooner and for some, it takes slightly longer.

Q & A: How can exercise help me gain weight?

2009-01-05T08:52:00.001-08:00

Q. How can exercise help me gain weight?

A. If you’re a person who finds it hard to gain weight and even harder to keep it, then weight training is a must for you. When you add lean muscle tissue to your body, your overall weight will increase.

Don’t try to gain weight by eating foods that are high in fat. Don’t let your slim body fool you-thin doesn’t always mean healthy. Many slim individuals are surprised to learn that they have high cholesterol. Since they don’t tend to put on weight, they are less likely to eat foods that are low in fat.

Your first step will be to join a gym or higher a personal trainer who can design a weight training program specifically for your needs. Your next step will be to look at your eating habits to see if you’re taking in enough calories to support your everyday activities and exercise. If you’re already eating three well-balanced meals per day, try eating a healthy snack in between your regular meals. In other words, you should have two to three mini meals per day, in addition, to your regular ones.

Q & A: How do cardiovascular (aerobic) and weight training work together to achieve results?

2009-01-05T08:26:00.000-08:00

Q. How do cardiovascular (aerobic) and weight training work together to achieve results? Are both important and why?

A. Cardiovascular exercise and weight training are both essential components of a well-balanced workout. On the health front, cardiovascular exercise is important for helping create and maintain a strong and healthy heart and lungs. Cardiovascular exercise also helps decrease body fat. Overweight individuals are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart decease, and even some forms of cancer.

Weight training, on the other hand, helps you develop more lean muscle tissue, which, in turn, burns more calories than fat tissue. Weight training also aids people in maintaining bone density, reduces the chance of injury, and adds to the quality of life.

On the cosmetic side (the reason some people exercise), weight training helps tone and define your muscles while cardiovascular exercise helps get rid of unwanted body fat so you can see those shapely muscles. If you’re doing one without the other then you’re missing out on some great health benefits and will probably not achieve the results that you’re looking for.

Quick Fitness Tips

2009-01-05T08:16:00.001-08:00

Taking it to the next level...

To overcome plateaus in your weight management program, it is strongly recommended that you "move your body everyday." Do some type of activity: stretch, walk, lift weights, golf, tennis...something everyday!

Stretching your achilles tendon...

Eric Heiden, world famous gold medalist Olympian and Orthopedic Surgeon, suggests, if you do anything, stretch your Achilles' tendon. Achilles tendonitis is the most common overuse injury of the lower leg. To prevent injury, do lower body weight training and wear "motion-control" shoes that stabilize inward foot movement.

Train your brain...

The brain, like muscles, atrophies if unused. If exercised regularly (e.g., reading, interacting with others, etc.), your chances of maintaining an enhanced zest for life will be greatly improved.

Drink, Drink, Drink...

By the time you are thirsty, you have already lost 2% body weight, this leads to decreased performance and subsequently, lack of energy. Be sure to drink plenty of water before and after your workout.

Get a better fit from your fitness shoe...

Put the shoe on, point your toes up and tap your heel on the ground. This will settle your heel into the heel bed for the snuggest fit. Begin tightening laces at your toe area and work up to the ends of the laces to ensure an even amount of pull around your foot. But don't pull too tight!

Q & A: Is it OK to exercise at night?

2009-01-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

Q. Is it “O.K.” to exercise at night? Will this affect sleep, diet, etc.? Is there an ideal time of day to work out?

A. The answer to all three questions is “yes”. It is “ok” to exercise at night and it may affect your sleep—for some people positively–for others, negatively. Each person must experiment and find what works for them. As for exercising affecting diet, it is an individual issue. Anecdotally, someone who is committed to an exercise program will make healthier choices in their diet And finally, “is there an ideal time to exercise?”, any time you can fit exercise into your schedule is ideal. Some find mornings the best time to exercise, then dinner meetings and evening engagements are not jeopardized. Others use their lunch hour to burn the calories rather than take them in. Find what schedule works for you and make it happen.

Q. No matter how many sit-ups and crunches I do, I cannot seem to flatten my lower abdomen. Any ideas?

A. A couple of things may be going on, additional abdominal body fat, being female, or doing too many crunches. First, all the crunches in the world can not offset abdominal body fat. You may have some beautifully toned and carved abdominals hidden beneath some belly fat. A sound aerobic program, smart, low-fat eating, and copious amounts of water will help with reducing body fat

Second, females have a little "safety pouch" of body fat just above the pubic bone; it is there for a reason…to preserve the species. The body fat protects the internal organs in case of trauma. Thirdly, too many crunches will actually increase the size of the abdominal area. The abdominals, like all muscles, will grow with exercise.

Q. Should I stretch before or after a workout?

A. Actually, both times are great times to stretch. Contrary to popular thought and the old school ways, stretching afterwards is preferred if it was one or the other. The muscles are much more pliable after a thorough warm-up and workout. A post-stretching regimen would garnish the greatest results. In a perfect world, a warm-up and modified stretch prior to your workout followed by a thorough stretching routine after your workout would be best.

Q & A: What difference does the exercise clothing I wear make?

2009-01-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

Q. What difference does the exercise clothing I wear make?

A. The kind of clothing you workout in can make a big difference in how comfortable you are and how you feel about yourself while working out. The key is to choose styles that fit and please you, and fabrics that work for, not against you and your activity. You also must dress appropriately for the climate.

The first clothing consideration is your base layer (which is your only layer in warmer conditions). Most of us have a ready stock of cotton t-shirts, sweats and shorts, and they're a comfy choice for casual wear. But put cotton next to your skin during your workout, and it loses its comfortable status. Cotton holds moisture next to the skin, and gets heavier when wet. Wear fabric next to your skin that has moisture-moving or "wicking" properties. Technical fabrics that wick, such as Coolmax, Dryline and others, actually pull perspiration away from your skin to the other side of the fabric. Shorts, tank tops, and t-shirts are available in wicking fabrics, as are sports bras and socks.

In cooler weather, follow your wicking base layer with an insulating layer such as Polartec or Sanchilla, and top off with a wind-breaking layer that's water resistant and breathable. Layering affords you the ability to remove garments if you get too hot. Always wear a hat in cold temperatures - you can lose up to 50% of your body heat through your head.

The style of your workout garb may help - or hinder your performance. First, choose styles that raise your body confidence. Buy the colors and styles you like and feel confident donning to the world - even if you workout alone in your basement. Make sure your clothes fit properly, improper fit can cause rubbing or chafing. Go for a snug fit but not restrictive, and nix the baggy look entirely. You want your clothes to move with you, not get in your way.

Always try on your selections in the store before you buy - put on that sports bra and move the way you will when you're working out in it - that's the only way to know if it fits correctly.

A note on technical fabric care: wash your tech duds in powdered laundry detergent, as the liquid form can clog wicking fibers. Also, when possible opt for air drying your gear, as the heat from the dryer can shrink garments and damage wicking fibers.

Q & A: Q. What is the most effective aerobic activity?

2009-01-05T08:02:00.000-08:00

Q. What is the most effective aerobic activity?

A. If you are asking “effective” as the one that burns the most calories, cross-country skiing and running score high. Both exercises use large muscle groups of the upper and lower body and are rhythmic in nature. The faster you run, walk, swim or cycle, the more calories you will burn per minute of exercise. Choose aerobic exercise that you enjoy.

Changing or rotating the type of aerobic activity will keep your body more responsive to exercise and will prevent boredom.

All things being equal, the most effective exercise is the one that you find challenging and that you enjoy; it is easy on your joints and muscles and can be shared with others.

Q & A: How many times a week do I have to exercise for it to be beneficial?

2009-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Q. How many times a week do I have to exercise for it to be beneficial?

A. Any exercise is better than no exercise. Research has shown that regular walking for as little as an hour or two a week can reduce the risk of heart disease. If you are a beginner, start off with 30 minutes of exercise two to three times per week and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workout.

Q. My son wants to begin an exercise program to look better and lose weight: What should I do?

A. The best approach would be to begin with some form of aerobic exercise everyday. Aerobic exercise is going to provide the greatest caloric expenditure for the time investment. Once an aerobic program is established, he should begin a weight resistance program to develop lean muscle that will assist in the fat burning process. Based on your son's weight loss objectives, 60-70% of his exercising time should be dedicated to aerobic exercise.

Power of Walking: Getting Started, Technique

2009-01-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

So you’ve put on a few pounds over the past few years and your feeling a little sluggish these days. You’ve told yourself so many times that you need to lose some weight and start exercising that it has become a mantra.

Over the years your mind has become the home of many excuses not to exercise; your too busy, it’s too costly; you’re too tired… You reminisce about what you could be doing with the money you’ve spent on unused gym memberships. It’s all too exhausting to think about. You want to do something to get fit but you don’t know where to start.

Here’s an easy way to get started on the road to fitness:

Start Walking!
Walking is a healthy, affordable and enjoyable way to start exercising.

Benefits of Walking
Increase Overall Cardio-Respiratory Fitness
Decrease Risk of Heart Disease
Reduce Body Fat
Tone Problem Area’s
Increase Endurance
Reduce Stress
Increase Energy

Begin gradually. Work up to a moderately brisk walking pace.

Duration and Frequency: Start off by walking 2 to 3 times per week, 20-30 minutes. If fat burning is a goal, you will want to gradually increase your walking time to 45 to 60 minutes. As you become fit, you will want to increase the frequency of walking to 4 to 5 times per week.

Intensity: Your walking pace will be an important factor in improving fitness. If fat reduction and overall improved cardio-respiratory functioning, (heart and lungs) are goals, you will want to start off at a moderately brisk pace. There are two ways to measure workout intensity, heart rate and the "talk test".

Heart Rate
When determining appropriate workout intensity, fitness professionals talk about heart rate training zones. If you are looking to reduce body fat, you will want to work in a heart rate zone that will allow you to sustain your walking without becoming breathless. The harder you work without becoming breathless, the more calories you will burn. A good starting heart rate range is 55 to 75% of your maximal heart rate, (220-age multiplied by percentage of maximal heart rate). For example, a 44 year old who wants to train at 65% of their maximal heart rate would want to get their heart rate up to 114 beats per minute or 19 beats per 10 seconds, (220-44=176 X 65=114).

Talk Test
A second and less complicated way to measure workout intensity is the talk test. This method is easier and can be used alone or along with heart rate monitoring. The talk test is this simple: exercise at an intensity that allows you to talk while you walk.

WATER, WATER, WATER!!!
Staying hydrated throughout any workout is extremely important. Make sure you drink plenty of water before, during and after your walk. You can buy a shoulder strap or waist pack to carry your water with you on your walk.

TECHNIQUE

You can walk in a way that is comfortable for you, but here are a few tips that will maximize the benefits of walking.

Hold your head high and keep your chin parallel to the ground. Walk heal, ball of the foot, through to the toe. Don’t forget to breathe!!! Breathing delivers oxygen to the cells and helps with energy production. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Pull in your stomach muscles. Keep your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and swing your arms. Swinging your arms will make your walk a full body workout.

STRETCHING

Stretching is a very important part of any exercise program and should be done before and after you walk. Stretching prepares your muscles for an activity, increases flexibility, decreases soreness and decreases the likelihood of injury.

Muscles respond better to stretching when they are warm so walk at a moderate pace for 5 to 10 minutes and then stretch. You will want to stretch the quadriceps muscles (front of the thigh), the hamstring muscles, (back of the thigh), and the calf muscles.

Quadriceps Stretch: Using a wall or tree as support for your left hand, reach back with the right hand and grasp the right foot or ankle. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Hamstring Stretch: Bend over at the waist and attempt to touch the ground with your hands or stand on one leg and put the other leg up on a wall or table so that the leg is parallel to the ground. Bend over and attempt to bring your hands to your ankles or toes. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

Calf Stretch: Using a wall or tree as support, place one foot behind you. Keep your back leg straight and your front knee bent. Lean forward and attempt to touch your hands to your ankles or toes. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

MAKE TIME TO STAY HEALTHY

Exercise is so important for you health. You don’t need to spend hours each day to enjoy the health benefits of exercise. Here are some ways in which you can get 30 minutes to one hour of exercise each day:

* Take the time to walk the dog in the morning and evening.
* Walk during your lunch break or meet with a colleague for a walking meeting.
* Take an after dinner walk with a friend or mate.
* Start a walking club. You will meet interesting people and will enjoy spending three extra hours a week outdoors. If you live in a climate that does not allow you to walk outside in the winter, go to the mall and walk. Many malls already having a walking club you could join..

Remember: EVEN THE JOURNEY OF 1,000 MILES BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP.

Exercises for the Low Back

2008-11-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

Exercises that stretch and strengthen the muscles of your abdomen and spine can help prevent back problems. If your back and abdominal muscles are strong, you can maintain good posture and keep your spine in its correct position.

If you have degenerative joint disease, sciatica, a herniated disk, or a weak back from another problem, the exercises given below should help strengthen your back muscles and stretch your spine. The exercises will help flatten the curve in your low back, which can decrease your pain.

Caution: If you have a herniated disk or other disk problem, check with your doctor before doing these exercises.

The exercises are intended only as suggestions. Ask your doctor or physical therapist to help you develop an exercise program. Check with your doctor before starting these exercises. Ask your doctor how many times a week you should perform them.

If your muscles are tight, take a warm shower or bath before performing the exercises. Exercise on a rug or mat. Wear loose clothing. Do not wear shoes. Stop doing any exercise that causes pain until you have talked with your doctor.

Exercises

Pelvic tilt
(Purpose: strengthens gluteal (buttocks) and abdominal muscles. Flattens spine.)
Lie on back with knees raised. Squeeze the buttocks tightly together, then pull in your stomach muscles. You will feel your low back go flat against the floor. Hold for a count of 5. Relax and repeat 3 times, increasing gradually to 10 times. Do a pelvic tilt often during the day also in sitting and standing positions. The pelvic tilt is the most commonly recommended exercise for the low back.
Single-knee raise
(Purpose: stretches low back and hamstrings.)
Lie on your back, with both legs straight. Hold a pelvic tilt while you perform the exercise. Bend one knee and slowly bring it toward your chest. Use your hands to gently pull your knee close to your chest. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower your leg slowly. Repeat for a total of 3 times, increasing gradually to 10 times. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.
Double-knee raise
(Purpose: stretches low back and hamstrings.)
Begin with both knees bent. Hold a pelvic tilt while you perform the exercise. Pull your knees to your chest. Use your hands to pull your knees slowly toward your armpits. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Return to your starting position and repeat 3 times, slowly increasing to 10 times.
Single-leg raise
(Purpose: stretches low back and hamstrings. Strengthens stomach and hip-flexing muscles.)
Caution: If you have sciatica (pain down the leg), avoid this exercise.
Start on your back with one knee bent and your other leg straight. Hold a pelvic tilt while you perform the exercise. Slowly raise the straight leg, keeping it straight. Keep your low back flat. Raise your leg as far as possible without causing pain. Slowly lower your leg and flatten your low back as your leg nears the floor. Repeat with the same leg for a total of 3 times, increasing to 10 times. Repeat the exercise with your other leg.
Partial curl-ups
(Purpose: strengthens low back and abdominal muscles.)
Start on your back on a soft or carpeted floor, knees bent. Hold a pelvic tilt throughout the exercise. Slowly raise your head and neck, then shoulders, as you extend your hands to your knees. Keep your low and middle back on the floor. Hold for a count of 5. Return to starting position. Repeat for a total of 3 times, increasing gradually to 10 times.
Hip roll
(Purpose: stretches low back and buttocks.)
Start on your back, your legs bent. Keep both shoulders against the floor. Bring up your feet, with your knees somewhat together. Then lower your bent knees toward your left hip, then your right hip. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times, increasing gradually to 10 times.
Sitting bend
(Purpose: strengthens and stretches the low back and hamstrings.)
Sit in a chair, feet flat on the floor, knees no more than a foot apart, hands at your sides. Perform a pelvic tilt so that your low back goes flat against chair. Bend over comfortably, hands reaching toward the floor. Hold for a count of 3. Return to starting position, with your back flat against the chair. Repeat for a total of 3 times, increasing gradually to 10 times.

Exercises to avoid

It is best to avoid the following exercises because they strain the low back:

legs raised straight and together
sit-ups with legs straight
hip twists
toe touches
any backward arching.

Sports and other activities

In addition to conditioning your back, you need to condition your whole body. Physical activities such as walking or swimming can help to extend your life while also strengthening your back. It is always best to check with your doctor before you undertake any rigorous exercise program. Remember to begin slowly. Some sports can be harmful to your back.

The best physical activities include the following:

walking
bicycling
swimming
cross-country skiing.

Sports that may be dangerous to your back because of rough contact, twisting, sudden impact, or direct stress on your back include the following:

football
soccer
volleyball
handball
weight lifting
trampoline
tobogganing
sledding
snowmobiling
ice hockey.

Nutrition and Your Brain: Proteins for Function

2008-11-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

Some day in the future, when you're watching a 21st-century remake of The Graduate, don't expect "plastic" to be the word whispered into Benjamin's ear. Instead, it's likely to be "neurotransmitters."

That night as you're getting ready for bed, you'll probably be eating a snack that's been specially "nutritioneered" for you to sleep soundly and perchance to dream. It will be one of many custom foods and menus formulated for you — based on your personal genetic disposition and metabolic profile — to achieve the mood or mind-set you desire.

As you drift asleep, assured of a wonderful night ahead, you might even laugh as you remember back to the 20th century when, along with everyone else, you were an amateur chemist experimenting daily with your brain — for better or worse. Back then you didn't realize how direct the connection was between what you ate and how you felt and thought.

You didn't really understand that a single meal modified the production of your neurotransmitters, the chemicals manufactured by your brain that motivate or sedate, focus or frustrate. Back then, you thought it was some unknown force that shifted your mood and changed your mind.

Implements of Science
The applied science of nutritioneering will have been born out of discoveries made at the dawn of the new millennium. Using nutriments appropriate to an individual's unique genetic profile, metabolism, and environmental circumstances, nutrition scientists eventually learned to more precisely predict and persuade neurotransmitter production. Nutritional supplements evolved into "nutritioneered complements" that were, in effect, true implements of science (rather than magic bullets fired from marketing departments).

Molecules of the Mind
Neurotransmitters are the mantras muttered in the minds of all Earth's creatures, ever since ancient anenomes first imagined them a half-billion years ago. These brain chemicals allowed animals to emerge from the sea and humans to ascend from the primordial gene pool of thoughtlessness. But, what are they? And most importantly, how can our knowledge of them help us continue to be thoughtful and hopeful, helpful and happy — generation after generation?

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit information between your neurons, the hundred billion brain cells that are responsible for the totality of who you are. They are involved on everything from memory and mental performance to mood and movement. Your personality, your performance, your potential, all emanate from the remarkable ability of your neurons to communicate with each other.

A healthy neuron makes thousands — sometimes hundreds of thousands — of intricate connections with of other neurons. This creates a multi-trillion maze capable of performing 20 million billion calculations per second.

Communication within a Neuron — Local Charges
Neurons use two types of communication, local and long distance. Within a neuron, a bioelectric impulse or "action potential" travels to the cell body through an array of nerve fibers called dendrites. The impulse travels away from the cell body through an antennae called the axon.

Dendrite comes from the Latin word for "tree," because they form into many tiny branches that receive information from axons of neighboring neurons. Axon, from the Latin word for "axle" or "axis," is a single insulated fiber that sends the bioelectric current out to its terminal — which can be inches or even several feet away. The size and quality of the axon determines how fast the impulse travels, which can range from 1 to 150 mph.

A neuron's bioelectric impulse originates in the cell membrane at the beginning of the axon near the cell body. Membrane channels and pumps control an extremely rapid exchange of sodium and potassium ions across the membrane. This is what creates and transmits the action potential along the axon.

A Sports Analogy
The ice sport of curling gives an idea of how the nerve impulse is generated in neurons. In this sport, two players with brooms move along the ice and frantically sweep back and forth next to each other. They represent the sodium and potassium ions being pumped in and out of the neuron. Following this sweeping action, a large "stone" slides nearly friction-free along the ice. Similarly, in the wake of the ion dance — this dosido of sodium and potassium — an electric current is generated.

A single one of your neurons produces almost a tenth of a volt, and the total electrical activity in your brain is easily measurable with an EEG. When this activity completely ceases, you are pronounced dead.

Communication Between Neurons — Long Distance Plan
Between neurons, chemical communication is used instead of electrical. Within the cell body of a neuron, many different types of neurotransmitters are manufactured and shipped to the end terminals of the axon. Here they're stored in bubbles called vesicles, where they wait to cross a tiny gap over to the dendrites of other neurons.

Synapses — Meetings in Your Mind
Even though the bioelectric impulse speeds along the axon at up to 150 mph, it does not jump the gap, which is called the synapse (from the Greek word for" junction"). Instead, it signals the vesicles to burst and the neurotransmitters to spill out across the synapse, where they're caught by receptor molecules on the membrane of the target neuron's dendrites.

More than a hundred different neurotransmitter varieties have been identified in the brain, and others are continually being discovered. Our knowledge of the specific functions of neurotransmitters is in its infancy, but it seems that each one probably plays some role in most behaviors. In general, a neurotransmitter is often identified by whether it either excites or inhibits (in various degrees) the nerve impulse in target neurons. This is where receptors come into play.

Receptors — Where Chemistry Meets Physics
A receptor is a large protein molecule riding on a neuron's membrane — like a lotus floating on the green surface of a natural pond. Thousands of atoms give a receptor its unique geometric shape and magnetic configuration. This "geomagnetic lock" is designed to accept only the right key — the neurotransmitter whose molecular shape and polarity fit precisely into the lock. The correct spatial mating of these molecules is at the crux of your entire nervous system.

Like the spaghetti that's ready, neurotransmitters "stick to the wall" — link to the receptors on the receiving neuron. There are as many kinds of receptors as there are neurotransmitters, with numerous subtypes of receptor for any given neurotransmitter.

This extraordinary mating game of neurotransmitter and receptor influences every aspect of your behavior, spanning the gamut of human experience from physics to chemistry to biology to psychology to sociology. And it has everything to do with what you eat.

The Way to Your Brain is Through Your Mouth
The remarkable thing about neurotransmitters is that you influence their levels whenever you eat. That's because most neurotransmitters are made from the amino acids contained in dietary proteins. Proteins are the building blocks of the animal kingdom, and amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. When your body digests protein, it uses those amino acids to manufacture the 50,000 different proteins it needs, including neurotransmitters and chromosomes, hormones and enzymes, antibodies and muscles, hair and nails.

Your body's proteins are made from combinations of just 22 different amino acids, eight of which are considered essential nutrients for humans and must be obtained from food. The others usually can be synthesized from the eight and are called "nonessential," but they are equally vital to life.

Because of the importance of amino acids to all the cells in your body, your brain can be at a disadvantage. If your amino acid levels are low, then brain cells will have to compete with body cells which have an advantage, because they can more easily take up essential amino acids from your bloodstream.

Border Crossings
Neurotransmitters are synthesized within your neurons, so their production depends on which amino acids actually get into your brain. There is a barrier, however, that complicates matters. Not everything you eat is readily available to your brain cells.

To reach your neurons, amino acids must first pass through your blood-brain barrier, and they can only do so by "active transport." In a sense, amino acids must be "driven" across the border in a molecular transport vehicle, because the capillaries in this barrier are like a "Berlin Wall" whose crossing is carefully supervised. In contrast, capillaries in the rest of your body are more like a "U.S.-Mexican border" where elements — desired or not — can readily cross on their own.

To further complicate matters, amino acids are assigned a particular "truck." Amino acids in the same group compete for the limited space in that transport molecule. For example, the amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine both belong in the same category and must enter your brain together. If tryptophan dominates, your neurons will make more serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter that promotes contentment and is responsible for normal sleep. If tyrosine wins out, then you will synthesize more norepinephrine and dopamine, stimulating neurotransmitters that promote alertness and activity.

Tyrosine is crucial to brain power and alertness in another way. It's also needed for your body to make active thyroid hormones. Therefore, low blood levels of tyrosine are associated with an underactive thyroid gland. An extreme deficiency causes severe mental retardation known as cretinism.

Eat Protein for Stimulation, Carbohydrates for Relaxation
Although both tryptophan and tyrosine are derived from protein, a carbohydrate meal will increase your brain's tryptophan, and hence, serotonin levels. That's because the glucose from digested carbohydrates causes your body to secrete insulin. This hormone tells your cells to pull amino acids out of the bloodstream for storage — except for tryptophan. It keeps circulating and becomes predominantly available to your neurons, who use it to make the serotonin that makes you feel satisfied, relaxed, and ready for a nap.

On the other hand, you could be energized for hours after a morning meal high in protein, because it raises tyrosine levels in your blood and brain, causing your neurons to manufacture norepinephrine and dopamine. Unfortunately, after a night's sleep when blood sugar levels are low, you may be tempted to eat a high-carbohydrate breakfast.

Complete and Complementary Proteins
Dietary proteins fall in to two groups. Complete proteins contain ample amounts of all the essential amino acids. Fish and meat, fowl and eggs, cheese and yogurt are complete proteins. On the other hand, grains and legumes, seeds and nuts, leafy green vegetables and a variety of other foods are incomplete proteins, because they provide only some of the essential amino acids.

You can, however, combine different incomplete proteins to obtain all necessary amino acids. Such complementary proteins have been known for centuries and are part of traditional diets around the world. Rice and beans, rice and lentils, rice and tofu are examples.

Ensuring adequate neurotransmitter levels is crucial for optimal brain heath and fitness, however, poor nutrition is not the only obstacle. Stress, infection, and drugs tend to diminish levels, as do age-related impairment of digestion and cerebral circulation.

Better Living Through Brain Chemistry
As always, it's a matter of balance. Eat foods that provide the full spectrum of amino acids your brain needs for an appropriate harmony of energizing and calming neurotransmitters. Pay attention to what you eat and how you feel afterward. Learn what works best for you, according to your daily activities and need for rest.

Food is your best source of amino acids. Be cautious about trying to manipulate your intake with individual amino acid supplements. These potent metabolic factors have many functions in the body that we are only beginning to understand. They are not to be taken lightly.

Science continues to unravel the neurotransmitter mystery, and it's only a matter of time before that knowledge opens up a new era of "Better Living Through Brain Chemistry."

The Neurotransmitters that Change Your Mind and Shift Your Mood
Serotonin is the calming neurotransmitter important to the maintenance of good mood. It promotes contentment and is responsible for normal sleep. Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan in the presence of adequate vitamins B1, B3, B6, and folic acid. The best food sources of tryptophan include brown rice, cottage cheese, meat, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Low serotonin levels produce insomnia and depression, aggressive behavior and increased sensitivity to pain.

Norepinephrine, also called noradrenalin, is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter needed for motivation, alertness, concentration, as well as for good mood. It is needed for your brain to form new memories and to transfer them to long-term storage. Norepinephrine also influences the rate of metabolism. Like a hormone, it travels in the bloodstream to arouse brain activity with its adrenalin-like effects.

Dopamine is crucial to fine muscle coordination. People whose hands tremble from Parkinson's disease have a diminished ability to synthesize dopamine. This neurotransmitter is also needed for healthy assertiveness and sexual arousal, proper immune and autonomic nervous system function.

One of the most vulnerable key neurotransmitters, dopamine levels are depleted by poor sleep or stress. Alcohol, caffeine, and sugar all seem to diminish dopamine activity in the brain. It's also easily oxidized, therefore adequate intakes of vitamins C and E are necessary to protect dopamine-using neurons from free radical destruction.

Norepinephrine and dopamine are both important for motivation and a sense of readiness to meet life's challenges. Your neurons manufacture these neurotransmitters from the amino acids tyrosine or phenylalanine in the presence of adequate oxygen, vitamins B3, B6, and C, folic acid, iron, and copper. Sources of tyrosine include almonds, avocados, bananas, dairy products, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds.

An increased incidence of depression and other mood disorders are associated with low levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, while increasing the levels of these neurotransmitters might improve mood, alertness, mental functioning, and the ability to cope with stress.

Alcohol Depletes Neurotransmitters
Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California concluded from animal studies that heavy alcohol consumption depletes the brain's supplies of the neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of pleasure and well-being — dopamine, GABA, and serotonin. Alcohol also promotes the release of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and stress hormones that create tension and depression. This creates a persisting chemical imbalance that leaves the alcoholic vulnerable to relapse.

Alcoholics then drink more to try and get back to normal, but the more they drink, the more CRF is produced. This cycle ultimately raises the amount of alcohol it takes to make an alcoholic feel normal. CRF can remain active for as long as four weeks after someone stops drinking. (American Chemical Society, Aug 27, 1999)

Don't Forget Acetylcholine
Acetylcholine is the primary chemical carrier of thought and memory — the Hermes of your mind. This excitatory neurotransmitter is essential for both the storage and recall of memory, and may be significantly responsible for concentration and focus. It also plays a significant role in muscular coordination. A deficit in acetylcholine is directly related to memory decline and reduced cognitive capacity.

Unlike other key neurotransmitters, acetylcholine is not made from amino acids. Its primary building block is choline, which doesn't have to compete for entry into your brain, so the more choline you consume, the more acetylcholine you can produce. Choline is a fat-like substance belonging to the B family of vitamins and is necessary to metabolize fats. It is found in lecithin as phosphatidyl choline. Foods high in lecithin include egg yolks, wheat germ, soybeans, organ meats, and whole wheat products.

You can boost your acetylcholine levels by taking supplements of phosphatidyl choline, which is also the form of choline most important to the structure of your neural membranes. Vitamin C and B5 are needed for your brain to synthesize acetylcholine, which it does by attaching an acetyl group to the choline molecule — in the presence of choline acetyltransferase, a key brain enzyme. Acetylcholine levels tend to decline with age, in part because of a decreased ability to synthesize this enzyme.

There also may be an increase in acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine. This enzyme depletes the actual amount of usable acetylcholine, thus severely compromising memory. This is especially true for memory disorders, including Alzheimer's.

A 1988 study found that deteriorated acetylcholine receptors allowed the accumulation of beta-amyloid protein deposits in the brain that harden and strangle nerve cells. This amyloid plaque is found to be quite prevalent in Alzheimer's. (Japanese Journal of Pharmacology 48;3: 365-71)

DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol) is a natural substance found most abundantly in various fish such as anchovies and sardines. DMAE easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and promotes increased levels of choline in the brain. This can lead to increased production of acetylcholine. DMAE has been used to sharpen memory in normal adults and to treat attention deficit in adults and children.

A Little GABA Do You
Your brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter is GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), an amino acid that's made from glutamic acid. It is associated with states of calm mental focus and serenity. It helps combat chronic anxiety by preventing neurons from over firing from too much stimulation. GABA also promotes muscle relaxation, so a severe deficiency can lead to convulsions.

Glutamic acid is a major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in mental activity and learning. It increases the firing of neurons in the central nervous system. It also acts as an alternative fuel source for the brain when blood sugar levels are low. The conversion of glutamic acid into glutamine is the only means by which the brain can dispose of toxic ammonia — a natural byproduct of protein breakdown that even at low levels is irritating to neurons.

Taurine is an amino acid neurotransmitter that stabilizes neuron membranes by preventing erratic electrical activity. Found most in brain tissue, taurine fosters a centered calmness by balancing the action of certain excitatory neurotransmitters. It also has antioxidant properties. Taurine also promotes the excretion of excess sodium, thus preserving potassium and magnesium. (Dr. Atkins' Health Revelations, June 1996)

Magnesium helps control the firing rate of neurons, and along with vitamin B1 is an essential nutrient that supports the reparative process that neurons need to offset the stress from the continual firing of the electrical impulse. Low synaptic levels of magnesium can cause hypersensitivity. Noises will sound too loud and lights will seem too bright. This increases the body's response to stress, and because stress affects the kidneys' ability to recycle magnesium, hypersensitivity will continue to escalate. (Optimal Nutrition Review, February 1990)

Magnesium also activates sodium-potasium ATP-ase, a key enzyme in cell membranes that controls cellular sodium-potassium balance, which is absolutely essential to the electrical activity of neurons as well as to the existence of the neuron itself. Cells would burst if the sodium-potassium ratio gets too far out of balance!

References and Reading

Food and Mood by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., 1995
Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, M.D. & Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C., 1997
Eat Right, Be Bright by Arthur Winter, M.D. & Ruth Winter, 1988
Mind Food and Smart Pills by Ross Pelton, Ph.D., 1989

Your Brain on Alcohol: How Can You Make Hangover Go Away

2008-11-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

Has last night's delight turned into this morning's demon? How can alcohol, a simple molecule composed of only a few natural elements, create the havoc of a hangover? Most important, how can you make it go away.

Alcohol's very simplicity (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) accounts for its unmatched affinity for the brain and its broad range of negative effects. A hangover is basically a milder version of the withdrawal symptoms suffered by alcoholics. It can persist for 24 hours or more.

You may just feel a bit irritable and overly sensitive, fatigued or muddled. Your muscles might ache or even tremor. You could have a mild or a killer headache. Your stomach could be upset or you could become nauseous. Worst case scenario: a person who passes out from nausea can die of asphyxiation.

One thing for sure, you will be dehydrated after drinking alcohol.

Water Works
The fundamental cure for a hangover is time and rest, plus plenty of pure water. Drinking alcohol upsets the body's fluid balance as far more water is lost than taken in. When the brain becomes dehydrated, its outer covering (dura matter) can temporarily shrink and cause the painful sensation of a headache. Alcoholics can have shrunken internal areas of the brain.

Marrku Linnoila, a researcher at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, thinks the loss of electrolytes may contribute to hangover symptoms. He suggests replacing these electrolytes with a nightcap of one of the sports drinks that contain fresh supplies of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, as well as water.

Bull's Eye
There are some nutritional approaches that can intervene to prevent or diminish your hangover. If traditional folk remedies and modern hangover formulas work, it's because they support the body's natural alcohol detoxification process.

A classic remedy for hangover called the Bull's Eye is simply a glass of orange juice containing a raw egg. (Warning: raw eggs may contain salmonella, so use soft-boiled ones.) The juice supplies vitamin C and fructose; the egg is especially high in the sulfur-containing amino acids, cysteine and taurine.

Your liver needs cysteine to detoxify acetaldehyde, the first byproduct of its breakdown of alcohol. Acetaldehyde is approximately 30 times more toxic than alcohol. Used in the manufacture of adhesives and plastics, it is a close chemical cousin of formaldehyde. (Did somebody say embalming fluid?)

A powerful free radical generator, acetaldehyde is a potent neurotoxin that crosses your blood-brain barrier and is the primary culprit in a hangover. Acetaldehyde causes inflammation and depression, and interferes with energy production in the brain. It disrupts cellular function through its reactive tendency to cross-link molecules. (A good example of cross-linked tissue is the leathery skin of elderly alcoholics who spend a lot of time outdoors).

While the liver quickly converts the ethyl alcohol you drink into acetaldehyde, it is much slower at converting the acetaldehyde into acetic acid (which eventually is broken down into carbon dioxide and water). One of the biggest factors in a person's susceptibility to alcohol damage is their enzymatic ability to detoxify acetaldehyde. The longer acetaldehyde remains in the body, the worse the hangover. Furthermore, enzyme activity and liver function tend to diminish with age, disease, poor nutrition, and alcoholism.

Nutrients that Counteract Acetaldehyde
Important research on acetaldehyde was done in the 1970s at the National Cancer Institute by Herbert Sprince, M.D. When he pretreated rats with large doses of vitamin B1, vitamin C, and cysteine, they were able to survive a normally lethal dose of acetaldehyde.

Cysteine is available in supplement form, but to be effective it needs plenty of vitamin C. Steven Wm. Fowkes, editor of Smart Drug News, has found a combination that he says works remarkably well. "I use capsules (because they dissolve fast) containing 200 mg cysteine plus 600 mg of vitamin C (with or without extra B-1). I take one before I start drinking, one with each additional drink and one when IЖm finished." (Vitamin E and selenium also support cysteine's action.)

Your liver also needs cysteine (plus glutamic acid and glycine) to make glutathione, a crucial protective compound whose deficiency first affects the nervous system, causing hangover-like symptoms.

Taurine is another important amino acid that may help hangovers. Your liver makes taurine from cysteine, but because the cysteine is busy detoxing acetaldehyde, taurine may be in short supply. Taurine is an antioxidant and has a protective effect on the brain, particularly when the brain is dehydrated.

Taurine is used to counteract anxiety, hyperactivity, and even to treat seizures. It helps calm overexcited brain cells that are withdrawing from the effects of excess alcohol. Studies show that taurine levels naturally increase in the brain in response to both acute and chronic exposure to ethanol.

Do B Do B Do
Acetaldehyde rapidly destroys vitamin B1, thiamine. Originally known as the nerve vitamin, thiamine is crucial to brain function. Poor nutrition combined with a chronic B1 deficiency induced by excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to a condition known as Korsakoff's psychosis, which involves memory loss similar to Alzheimer's disease.

Durk Pearson at Life Enhancement tells how, when vitamin B1 became available in an injectable form earlier this century, interns discovered they could treat a hangover by injecting large doses of it.

Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) aids the body in alcohol detoxification. Known as the anti-stress vitamin, B5 can become depleted in the detoxification of acetaldehyde. A deficiency of pantothenic acid may contribute to the hangover symptoms of headache, nausea, and fatigue.

All the B vitamins need regular replenishing — more so after drinking alcohol. Try taking a B-complex before, during, and as soon after a drinking session as possible. The same goes with vitamin C, which is perhaps why tomatoes are a common ingredient in many hangover remedies. Tomatoes are high in B vitamins and in vitamin C, the body's primary antioxidant nutrient.

An Oxidant Waiting to Happen
After alcohol turns to acetaldehyde, the production of free radicals increases. These highly reactive forms of oxygen damage the structural fats that give your brain cell membranes their strength and fluidity. Brain function is compromised depending on how much alcohol is consumed as well as for how long one has been a drinker.

To combat the destructive action of free radical oxidants, your brain must have an ample supply of antioxidants. Basically, antioxidants are chemicals that oxygen finds more attractive than the structural components of your cells. Antioxidants sacrifice themselves to preserve your body parts.

In addition to their vitamin C content, orange juice and tomato juice also contain a good dose of potassium, a mineral that is lost during urination when drinking. Low levels of potassium can contribute to feelings of weakness and shakiness. This may be the basis of a Chinese folk remedy for hangovers that says to boil a couple of banana peels in water and drink the liquid.

Folk Remedies Fight Free Radicals
Perhaps vitamin C has something to do with the Ayurvedic remedy of drinking fresh orange with a teaspoon of lime juice and a pinch of cumin stirred in . . . or the Puerto Rican folk remedy for hangovers that recommends rubbing a quarter lemon into each armpit. Chinese remedies include drinking fresh mandarin orange or tangerine juice.

Another Chinese folk cure is to eat 8 to 10 fresh strawberries, all at once. In addition to vitamin C and minerals, strawberries contain significant amounts of another antioxidant, lycopene.

Tomatoes are also very high in lycopene, the protective plant compound that gives them their distinctive red color. A French study found that alcoholic men had significantly lower concentrations of lycopene and other carotenoids in their blood than men who consumed low or moderate amounts of alcohol.

Alcohol and Brain Fats
Alcohol decreases levels of DHA in the brain, a specialized fatty acid essential to healthy brain cell membranes, which are rich in DHA. According to research by Dr. R.J. Pawlosky at the National Institutes of Health, alcohol not only appears to dissolve the DHA already in the brain's membranes, it also blocks the enzyme that manufactures DHA from dietary fats. This is not good, because lower concentrations of DHA in the nervous system are associated with a loss of nervous system function.

This same enzyme (D6D) blocked by alcohol is also responsible for manufacturing gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which in turn makes the crucial anti-inflammatory PGE1 prostaglandins. When PGE1 levels are low, the inflammatory prostaglandin PGE2 dominates — which is often the norm today and why so many people need to take over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. (D6D is also inhibited by stress, aging, trans fatty acids, viruses, and common medications.)

Prostaglandin Pressures and Pleasures
Supplements of preformed GLA may help increase levels of PGE1, which can alleviate hangover symptoms associated with inflammation and swelling, such as headache and aching muscles — even depression. In a Scottish study, GLA supplements dramatically reversed depression in certain alcoholics (Celtic, Scandinavian, Scottish, Welsh, American Indian). Again, it's genetic racial factors that affect enzyme activity and account for the inability of some people to withstand alcohol while others seem impervious to it.

It's interesting to note that the reason why a first drink may feel good is because alcohol has the ability to briefly activate the tiny levels of PGE1 that exist within the brain. This provides a welcome temporary relief from depression, but soon leads to a crash when the PGE1 reserve is depleted.

GLA is available in capsules of evening primrose oil. DHA is available in capsules of oil derived from fish or microalgae.

Honey, Please Pass the Blood Sugar
In an informative 1998 report, Jim Roberts describes an 18th century hangover recipe which instructs "the afflicted to suck on a sugar cube containing drops of clove oil, then chew on a sprig of parsley, followed by a cup of chamomile tea (sweetened with honey), followed by teaspoons of honey every half-hour for two to three hours. Clove was considered a painkiller back then, and parsley and chamomile were thought to soothe the stomach muscles." Parsley is also a good source of vitamin C.

Honey and fruit juices are common ingredients in hangover remedies, probably because they raise low blood sugar (glucose) levels and relieve hypoglycemia. Alcohol depletes the glucose reserves in the liver (stored as glycogen), so the brain is deprived of glucose and hence the energy it needs for normal functioning.

Low blood sugar may account for hangover symptoms of lethargy. Also when alcohol breaks down, acidic byproducts can build up in the blood and cause muscular weakness. Ian Calder, an anaesthetist at London's National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, says that both problems can be remedied by consuming extra sugar.

Magnesium Calms the Jitters
Acetaldehyde causes magnesium to be flushed out through the kidneys. Low levels of magnesium can cause nerves to fire too easily — even from minor stimuli. This can result in jangled nerves and a hypersensitive brain where even mild noises sound excessively loud, lights seem too bright, and emotional reactions are exaggerated.

An extreme case of alcohol-induced magnesium deficiency is delirium tremens, a life-threatening effect of withdrawal that is a medical emergency. It is characterized by sweating, shaking, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, agitation, and disturbances of memory. Emergency room treatment for the d.t.'s includes injections of magnesium sulfate.

Fifty Ways to Love Your Liver
Because your liver is the organ responsible for detoxifying alcohol, its health is paramount. Basically, it needs all known vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, including special nutrients such as lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC).

In addition, certain phytonutrients found in plants seem to promote or even repair liver function. These include milk thistle (silymarin), dandelion root, and turmeric (curcumin). Siberian ginseng supports the liver and is associated with people remaining alcohol-free after going through rehabilitation. For next day hangover relief, some swear by a shot of liquid ginseng chased by a tumbler of water.

Other Hangover Remedies
Some people use aromatherapy to clear their head or inhale apple-scented oxygen at one of the new "oxygen bars" that are cropping up in major cities. Others consume a few charcoal tablets as a remedy for hangovers, which is similar to a 19th century practice by chimney sweeps who drank warm milk with a teaspoon of soot. Nux vomica is the classic homeopathic remedy for people who feel woozy or nauseous after drinking too much alcohol.

A Promising Plant is Knocking at Our Door
Kudzu is a plant that's best known in the United States because it has been spreading unchecked throughout the South. But in China, an extract from this edible vine has long been used to treat headaches and hangovers. The Japanese make a hangover remedy tea with equal parts of kudzu root, umeboshi plum, and fresh ginger root.

A 1993 Harvard study found that alcohol-craving hamsters treated with kudzu extracts rapidly lost their appetite for alcohol and voluntarily cut their consumption by 50%. Animal studies done in 1996 at the Indiana University School of Medicine showed that daidzin, an isoflavonoid extracted from kudzu (Pueraria lobata), lowering blood alcohol levels. Daidzin and two other compounds from the plant also were effective in suppressing voluntary alcohol consumption by the rats.

Modern Formulations Put It All Together
A well-nutrified body is a good start, but taking extra nutrients before, during, and after a drinking session is usually necessary if you want to prevent or minimize a hangover. To sum it up, some key nutrients include: vitamin C, B-complex (with extra B1 and B5), magnesium, cysteine, taurine, lycopene, GLA, DHA, and kudzu.

Other nutrients include Siberian ginseng, MSM (a good source of bioavailable sulfur), and NAC (a stable form of cysteine and precursor to glutathione). GABA is an amino acid that acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter and keeps nerve cells from over firing. It may also be of value to help calm the hypersensitivity associated with a hangover.

Perhaps the two most comprehensive anti-hangover formulas available today are Source Naturals Hangover Formula™ and Life Enhancement's Party Pill II™. They combine many of the above nutrients plus a broad range of supporting ones.

Some Basic Preventative Measures
If you take some preventive measures before and during your drinking episodes, you have the best chance of minimizing the symptoms of a hangover.

Don't drink on an empty stomach. Fatty protein foods such as cheese or cold cuts absorb alcohol the best and will slow down the rate at which it enters your bloodstream.
Drink slowly. At best, your liver can only break down about one ounce of alcohol per hour.
Be aware that champagne and carbonated mixed drinks will accelerate the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.
Know your limit and the effects of different kinds of alcohol. Darker drinks such as red wine, brandy, and port are higher in "congeners," ingredients that tend to worsen hangovers.
To ward off dehydration, drink plenty of pure water during and after alcohol use, including during the night when you wake. (Coffee is not advised because it contributes to dehydration.)
Don't try to cure your hangover with more alcohol ("hair of the dog").

WARNING — Before and While You Drink:
Never take Tylenol (acetaminophen). Combined with alcohol, it can cause severe liver damage. Also, don't take aspirin, because it will make you drunker.

Regarding the use of over-the-counter pain medication, the Mayo Clinic advised in their Dec. 1997 Health Letter: "Acetaminophen [Tylenol] or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, may help relieve your headache. However, they're not risk-free. NSAIDS, when combined with alcohol, may irritate your stomach. And excessive doses of acetaminophen can be toxic to your liver, particularly when combined with alcohol."

Final Notes
Alcohol temporarily deactivates the protective capabilities of your blood-brain barrier, making your brain more vulnerable to toxic substances, most of which cause free radical damage which can kill brain cells. What's more, several studies conducted since the 1980s suggest that ethanol accentuates the damage caused by lead and aluminum in the brain.

Alcohol triggers the release of stress hormones from the adrenal glands. Current research is shedding light on the real dangers these hormones do to memory and longevity. Click here for more information about the effects of stress on brain health and fitness. (And, click here to learn about ways to activate your relaxation response.)

References
Sprince, H., et al., "Protectants against acetaldehyde toxicity: Sulfhydryl compounds and ascorbic acid." Fed Proc 33(3) (Part 1): March 1974. Sprince, H., et al., Agents and Actions 5(2): 164-73, 1975. Sprince, H., et al., Intl J Vit Nutr Res 47 (Supplement 1G): 185-212, 1977.
De Witte, P., et al., "Acute and chronic alcohol injections increase taurine in the nucleus accumbens." Alcohol Alcohol Suppl 1994;2:229-33.
Dahchour, A., et al., "Taurine increases in the nucleus accumbens microdialysate after acute ethanol administration to naive and chronically alcoholised rats." Brain Res 1996 Sep 30;735(1):9-19
Montoliu, C., et al, "Ethanol-induced oxygen radical formation and lipid peroxidation in rat brain: effect of chronic alcohol consumption." J Neurochem, 63(5):1855-62 1994 Nov
Lecomte, E,. et al., "The relation of alcohol consumption to serum carotenoid and retinol levels. Effects of withdrawal." Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1994;64(3):170-5
Pawlosky, R.J., et al., "Ethanol exposure causes a decrease in docosahexaenoic acid and an increase in docosapentaenoic acid in feline brains and retinas." Am J Clin Nutr 1995;61:1284-89
Lin, R.C., et al., "Isoflavonoid compounds extracted from Pueraria lobata suppress alcohol preference in a pharmacogenetic rat model of alcoholism." Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 20(4):659-63 1996 Jun
Mathews-Larson, Joan, "An End to the Revolving Door." Addiction & Recovery, June 1990
"Drunk as a Skunk," New Scientist, Dec. 20, 1997
Durk Pearson & Sandy Shaw, "Why Not Party-Proof Yourself This Summer?" Life Enhancement, June 1998
Fowkes, S.W., "Living with Alcohol," Smart Drug News, Dec. 13, 1996

Nutrition and Your Brain: Introduction

2008-11-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

Your brain is a glutton for nourishment. Although it represents only about 2 percent of your body weight, it uses more than 20 percent of all your energy — consuming half of the blood sugar circulating in your bloodstream, a fourth of your nutrients, and a fifth of all the oxygen you inhale.

The trouble is that even in the best of times your brain is often malnourished, which is then reflected in your mood and emotions, and by your thoughts and behavior. Fortunately, your brain quickly responds to proper nutrition — even from a single meal — so what are you going to feed your brain today?

The Brain Food Pyramid
Brain nutrition has four primary aspects, each corresponding to a class of food. Like the sides of a pyramid, they work together to create, protect, power, and activate your brain.

STRUCTURE — FATS for essential fatty acids and cell membrane integrity
PROTECTION — FRUITS and VEGETABLES for antioxidants and brain cell longevity
ENERGY — CARBOHYDRATES for glucose and energy production
FUNCTION — PROTEINS for amino acids and neurotransmitter synthesis
Basically, you need essential fatty acids to build a your brain, antioxidants to safeguard it, glucose to fuel it, and amino acids to interconnect it.

Three Challenges to Optimally Nourishing Your Brain:
Your brain is dense. The immense complexity and density of the human brain is only made possible by the intricate network of blood vessels and capillaries that deliver the nutrients it needs. Optimal blood flow throughout the brain is absolutely essential for its proper function. When the brain's blood vessels are narrowed by disease or its capillaries weakened by poor nutrition, it becomes difficult to effectively and fully nourish the brain. Even gravity works against it.

Your brain is barricaded. The blood-brain barrier protects precious brain cells from fluctuations in blood chemistry and from toxins that may get into the bloodstream. Unfortunately, even necessary nutrients have some trouble reaching neurons. They only pass in minute amounts and in certain forms. Therefore, the brain is prone to malnourishment even when nutritional levels are adequate for the rest of the body.

Your brain has a sweet tooth. Glucose is the main fuel that brain cells use. Unfortunately, brain cells cannot store glucose. They depend on the bloodstream for a constant supply of glucose and oxygen. Two fixtures in our society, stress and sugar, each cause reactions that lower the amount of glucose available to the brain. In excess, they also damage the brain, especially its ability to remember and learn.

Your Brain Has a Mind of Its Own
Where does the mind fit into this model? What is the relation between brain and mind? One way to visualize this perennial dichotomy is by using the familiar image of a pyramid whose capstone hovers above its base.

The brain is represented by the pyramid-base. Nutrients are the building blocks that shape its four sides, providing strength and duration. The capstone represents the mind. The gap suggests the inexplicable relation between the two. The mind emanates from the brain — the foundation from which it reaches out to comprehend all it surveys or imagines. The brain's purpose is to provide a stage for its crowning glory, the conscious mind.

Carrying the analogy a step further, a motto beneath the pyramid says, "Nourish Your Brain." A motto above the capstone says, "Enrich Your Mind."

A Body of Knowledge
"Know thyself." This ancient mandate has ushered us into the inner workings of the brain. Here we are privileged to witness the amazing molecular dance of life. To see so deeply and intimately into ourselves is a thrilling experience — unique to our time. To learn how our brains work is to know who we are.

Another reason to understand brain function is to gain an awareness that enables us to consciously participate in our own behavior at the metabolic level. Just as psychoneuroimmunology has shown that we can consciously augment our body's natural healing process, our knowledge of how the brain works may support and even enhance its performance.

What is Metabolism?
It seems the ancient Greeks viewed the process of food being converted into body parts as a kind of metamorphosis. They called it "metabolism," a fascinating word whose Greek root is bole, "to throw" (as in ballistics, our primal propensity for propelling projectiles). Meta-bolism is beyond ballistics, the ultimate movement, where chemistry is broken down and rebuilt into biology — matter transformed into mind.

Please Pass the Magnesium
Nature has a special way of "throwing" things, and she uses bacteria as her quarterbacks. Consider magnesium, the eighth most abundant element on Earth:

Soil bacteria prepare magnesium for assimilation by plants whose green leaves contain photosynthetic bacteria (chloroplasts) that place magnesium in chlorophyll molecules to capture solar electrons and materialize the energy of the sun to make the carbohydrates eaten by animals whose intestinal bacteria pass magnesium into their bloodstream to trillions of cells full of energy-producing bacteria (mitochondria) that use magnesium to break down carbohydrates into the energy that animates us.

Better Brains Build a Better World
A fit and healthy brain depends on a combination of nutrients that support the structural integrity, electrical activity, and growth of its cells. Nutrients enable it to synthesize the chemical messengers it uses for intercellular communication. Nutrients power and protect it.

Because a malnourished brain alters mood and behavior, optimal nourishment has the promising potential to get at the root of social problems stemming from fear, apathy, anger, and violence. As research unveils the complex biochemistry of the human brain and the intimate connection between what we eat and what we create, this knowledge can enable us to function at our best. We can then explore our full cognitive potential for a richer life — positively influencing individual evolution and planetary health.

Why Your Brains Love Thanksgiving

2008-11-12T12:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving may well be the year's biggest bonanza for your brain — all of them. This famous feast doesn't just satisfy the survival instinct of your rudimentary reptilian brainstem. The gathering of family and friends also serves up the emotional interaction craved by your mammalian limbic brain.

Celebrating this historic holy day does more than fulfill the spiritual longing of your time traveling cerebral cortex, that human thinking cap and vault of heaven where you envision and give thanks-be to a higher power. The thanksgiving meal is also is a sensuous source of activity for another one of your brains, the one in your gut known as the "enteric nervous system."

Derived from the Greek word for within (and opposite of dysentery), your enteric nervous system is located throughout the lining of your gastrointestinal tract. This highly organized network of nerve cells is now recognized as a complex integrative brain in its own right, with a hundred-million neurons (more than the spinal cord has).

Like the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system has sensory and motor neurons, glial cells, and information processing circuits. The intricate circuitry in this remarkable brain enables it to perceive and respond, learn and remember, even to produce feelings — although mostly bad ones, like when you eat too much at thanksgiving.

Please Pass the Tryptophan
Thanksgiving has another reputation: the classic consequences of contentment and sleepiness. Turkey as well as the nuts in the stuffing and many of the other foods served are high in tryptophan, the essential amino acid you need to make serotonin. Serotonin is the inhibitory neurotransmitter important to the maintenance of good mood. It promotes calmness and is responsible for normal sleep. (Prozac blocks the reuptake of serotonin.)

Serotonin is needed to counterbalance the excitatory neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine, and has a role in regulating eating behavior and in producing satiety after eating. Cells located in several brainstem clusters called the "raphe nuclei" synthesize serotonin from tryptophan in the presence of vitamins B1, B3, B6, and folic acid — which your thanksgiving meal should provide plenty of.

This is Your Brain on Dessert
Although turkey is high in tryptophan, that's not why you might feel sleepy after a large thanksgiving dinner. Tryptophan must compete with the other amino acids in a high-protein meal to get into your brain, and tryptophan has a lower priority. But, because the thanksgiving meal is also loaded with carbohydrates and sugars (did somebody say pie?), your blood glucose levels rise, causing insulin to be released. This tends to pull all the amino acids out of your bloodstream, except tryptophan, which can then cross your blood-brain barrier and help synthesize serotonin so you can conk out on the couch.

Pain the the Gut
The enteric nervous system (ENS) uses the same major neurotransmitters as the central nervous system, including acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. That's why drugs that target the brain can cause severe reactions in the gastrointestinal tract. When doctors attribute nervous disorders of the stomach and intestines to psychological problems in the brain, they are only partly right. These problems don't originate with the cranial brain, but with the abdominal brain.

Symptoms emanating from the two brains often get confused. "Just as the brain can upset the gut, the gut can also upset the brain. If you were chained to the toilet with cramps, you'd be upset, too," says Michael D. Gershon, M.D., author of the 1998 book, The Second Brain.

Dr. Gershon is chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. His thirty years of pioneering research into the enteric nervous system has ushered in the new medical field of neurogastroenterology, which promises rapid advances in the management of functional bowel disease. "Although we still are unable to relate complex behaviors such as gut motility and secretion to the activity of individual neurons, work in that area is proceeding briskly." (Hosp Pract, July 1999)

Internal Vigilance
The idea of a brain in the gut is not new. In his 1907 book, The Abdominal and Pelvic Brain, a respected physician and researcher named Byron Robinson wrote:

"In the abdomen there exists a brain of wonderful power maintaining eternal, restless vigilance over its viscera. It presides over organic life. . . . The abdominal brain is a receiver, a reorganizer, an emitter of nerve forces. It has the power of a brain. . . . The abdominal brain is not a mere agent of the [cerebral] brain and cord; it receives and generates nerve forces itself; it presides over nutrition. It is the center of life itself. . . . The abdominal brain can live without the cranial brain, which is demonstrated by living children being born without cerebrospinal axis. On the contrary, the cranial brain cannot live without the abdominal brain."

Surely You Digest
Acting independently of your cranial brain, the ENS coordinates behavior in your esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon — with particular emphasis on mixing food with digestive enzymes and propelling it through the intestine. The ENS helps control the absorption of nutrients into your bloodstream and protects against the possible intrusion of harmful bacteria and other toxins that enter the digestive system with food.

The ENS also has a major role in protecting you from external threats. If the danger is minor, your ENS may just shut down your digestive system. If fight or flight is imminent, it can rapidly empty your digestive tract from whichever end is more convenient — by tossing your cookies or by scaring you **itless.

Serious Protective Work
When your head alerts your gut to danger, histamine is released from mast cells in the lining of the small intestine and colon. This triggers a protective inflammatory response that attracts immune cells from the bloodstream into the area. Your body is then ready for trauma, such as an animal bite (evolutionarily speaking) that would introduce infectious material into your colon. You now have a better chance of controlling the infection and surviving the bite — or the knife or bullet (contemporarily speaking).

Master of its Own Domain
Dr. David Wingate, a professor of gastrointestinal science at the University of London, sees the logic of having two brains:

"As life evolved, animals needed a more complex brain for finding food and sex and so developed a central nervous system. But the gut's nervous system was too important to put inside the newborn head with long connections going down to the body. Offspring need to eat and digest food at birth. Therefore, nature seems to have preserved the enteric nervous system as an independent circuit inside higher animals. It is only loosely connected to the central nervous system and can mostly function alone, without instructions from topside." (NY Times, Jan. 23, 1996)

Therefore, the ENS was not replaced. It was connected. During fetal development, a clump of tissue called the "neural crest" is formed and then divides. Part of it becomes your central nervous system and another migrates south to form your enteric nervous system.

These two nervous systems are then later connected by your vagus nerve, which is composed of only a few thousand nerve fibers. Because your gut brain is on-location and master of its own domain, it is able to take second-to-second control without the need for a thick cable linking it to your head.

Your Inner Skin
The coordinated intelligence of your enteric nervous system is not only essential for digestion (hence survival), but for the quality of life itself — as anyone can testify who has ever suffered from irritable bowel syndrome or simply from indigestion or cramps, diarrhea or constipation.

Your gastrointestinal tract is basically a sensory organ that has a profound impact on your sense of well being — not unlike your skin. It evaluates situations based on sensory input, then decides how the digestive tract will respond in order to best ensure your survival.

Like your skin: when all is well, you don't even know it's there. But when it hurts, you hurt.

Professor J.B. Furness and his fellow researchers at the University of Melbourne describe the lining of the gastrointestinal tract as "the largest vulnerable surface that faces the external environment. Just as the other large external surface, the skin, is regarded as a sensory organ, so should the intestinal mucosa." He elaborates:

"The three detecting systems in the intestine are more extensive than those of any other organ: the enteric nervous system contains on the order of 10(8) neurons, the gastroenteropancreatic endocrine system uses more than 20 identified hormones, and the gut immune system has 70-80% of the body's immune cells. . . . Signals are sent locally to control motility, secretion, tissue defense, and vascular perfusion; to other digestive organs, for example, to the stomach, gallbladder, and pancreas; and to the central nervous system, for example to influence feeding behavior." (Am J Physiol, Nov. 1999)

The Plexus at the Nexus
It's comforting to know we have such a smart lining to that complex tube that tunnels all the way through our body. When one considers that nutrient digestion is our fundamental interface with the environment — and that nutrition is the basic evolutionary driving force that shapes our development as a species and our growth as an individual — then the role of the enteric nervous system becomes paramount to our existence and our future.

This Thanksgiving Day, when tryptophan is coursing through your veins and brains, and you are letting kith and kin, God and country, know how much you appreciate them, also take a moment to give your tummy a warm rub of appreciation. It likes that.

The Healthy Diet

2008-11-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

For a healthy diet you need to eat a wide variety of foods in moderate-sized portions that give your body the nutrients and energy it needs. You also need to limit foods in your diet that can be harmful to your body.

The Foods to Limit

Some foods contain very little nutritional value or have ingredients that can cause disease. Eating healthy doesn't mean giving up all sweets, salt, and snacks. It means eating such foods in moderation. The foods and food ingredients you need to limit include fat, cholesterol, sodium, alcohol, and sugar.

Eating foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat can cause atherosclerosis (narrowing of blood vessels from buildup of fatty deposits). This is critical for everyone but especially important if you have a family history of high cholesterol levels or diabetes. Atherosclerosis can lead to heart disease and strokes. Cholesterol is a substance found in animal products such as meat, eggs, dairy products, and baked goods made with eggs and milk. Vegetables do not contain cholesterol.

Of the various types of fats, saturated fats are the least healthy. They tend to increase the level of cholesterol in your blood. In fact, the amount of saturated fat in food is at least as important as the amount of cholesterol. Foods labeled "No Cholesterol" sometimes contain high saturated fat. Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature. Foods that contain saturated fat include butter, cheese, margarine, shortening, tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil, and the fats in meat and poultry skin.

To reduce the saturated fat in your diet, limit the amount of butter and margarine you eat. Drink nonfat or low-fat milk. Choose lean cuts of meat and take the skin off poultry before you eat it. If you use cooking oil, avoid tropical oils such as palm or coconut oil as well as peanut oil. Better oils to use are sunflower, canola, soy, or olive oil.

Sodium, one of the ingredients in table salt, can contribute to high blood pressure if it is eaten in excess. Sodium is found in many foods, not just in table salt. Fast foods usually contain high amounts of sodium. An average healthy person should have no more than 2400 mg (milligrams) of sodium a day and no less than 500 mg a day. Read the labels on food packaging to check how much sodium is in the food. The following chart shows some examples:

    Approximate    Food   mg of Sodium          
---------------------------------------
 Big Mac or Whopper          1000
 Bread (2 slices)            200 to 600
 Cheese, cheddar (1.5 oz)    300      
Fruit (1)                   2 to 5          
Milk (1 cup)                120          
1 teaspoon of salt          2100          
---------------------------------------

On food labels, "low sodium" means each serving contains less than 140 mg of sodium. "Moderate sodium" is 140 to 400 mg per serving. "High sodium" is more than 400 mg of sodium per serving.

Excess alcohol consumption can lead to weight gain, liver disease, brain damage, and other disorders. Women should have no more than one drink a day. Men should not have more than two drinks a day. A drink equals about 5 ounces of wine, one can of beer, or one ounce of distilled spirits.

Sugar and foods that contain a lot of sugar supply a large number of calories but very little nutrition. Sugar also causes tooth decay.

The Foods You Need

A healthy diet depends on eating a variety of foods. If you eat a variety of foods you are more likely to get all the necessary nutrients. Your diet should contain the following nutrients:

Proteins
Proteins form the basic structure of body tissue and organs. The body uses proteins for growth and repair of cells. Proteins are found in eggs, milk, cheese, tofu, nuts, meat, fish, poultry, dried beans, split peas, and lentils. About 15% of your daily calories should come from protein.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. Carbohydrates are found in potatoes, bread, cereals, grains, pasta, milk, yogurt, vegetables, and fruit. They should make up at least half of your daily calories.
Fats
Fats provide energy and are used for growth and repair of tissues. They are found in olives, nuts, cheese, meat, fish, poultry, butter, oils, avocado, and mayonnaise. Saturated fats are less healthy than polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Saturated fats are found mostly in butter, margarine, meat, cheese, poultry with skin, tropical oils, and whole-milk dairy products. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, canola oil, and avocados. Polyunsaturated fats are found in fish and some vegetable oils.
Fats should contribute no more than 30% of your daily calories. Only 10% of the fat you eat should be saturated fat. There are nine calories in a gram of fat. So, to calculate the maximum grams of fat you should eat each day, use these formulas:
1. Multiply the maximum number of calories you should eat in a day by 0.30 (30%) to calculate the maximum number of calories you should get from fat.
  Number of calories a day x 0.30 = Number of calories from fat in a day
2. Divide the daily number of calories from fat (the answer from the calculation above) by 9 to find the maximum number of grams of fat you should eat each day.
  Number of calories from fat / 9 = Number of fat grams a day
  For example, if you need 1800 calories per day, no more than 30% of those calories should come from fat: 1800 x 0.30 = 540 calories from fat. Divide 540 by 9 to find out the maximum number of grams of fat you should consume each day: 540/9 = 60 grams of fat.
Fiber
Fiber is found in plants and is not digested by the body. It provides what is considered "bulk," which is used by the large intestine to help remove waste through bowel movements. Lack of fiber in your diet can worsen intestinal problems, such as constipation. Fruit, vegetables, bran, whole grains, and cereals are good sources of fiber. It is recommended that you get 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. A diet high in fiber may help reduce your cholesterol levels.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins are important nutrients that help to regulate metabolism and help the brain, nerves, muscles, skin, and bones function properly. The major vitamins are A, B, C, D, E, K, B-12, and seven B complex vitamins. Minerals are necessary in very small amounts for the body to function properly. For example, calcium is necessary for healthy teeth and bones, and zinc and magnesium are needed to control cell metabolism. Iron is important for healthy blood and many chemical reactions in your body. Vitamins and minerals are found in many foods, especially milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables, fish, meat, and poultry. They are also added to milk and cereal.
Water
Water is necessary to replace the fluid your body loses every day when you breathe, go to the bathroom, and sweat. You should drink six to eight glasses of water or other liquids (including soups and other beverages) every day.

You can use the following chart as a guideline for choosing the types and amounts of foods you eat in a day. Remember that carbohydrates (grains, fruits, vegetables) should make up at least half of your daily calories and variety is important.

 Number of      Examples of       Food Group        servings      serving size    
-------------------------------------------------------     
Meat, poultry,     2 to 3     2 to 3 oz of lean meat, fish, dried 1 egg, 1/2 cup cooked beans, eggs beans      
Grains            6 to 11     1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup pasta or rice,  1 oz of cereal      
Fruits             2 to 4     1 fruit, 3/4 cup fruit  juice      
Vegetables         3 to 5     1/2 cup nonleafy vegetable, 1 cup leafy vegetable      
Milk, cheese,      2 to 3     1 cup milk or yogurt, yogurt  1 to 2 oz cheese    
-------------------------------------------------------

Meat versus Vegetarian Diet

Meat, including poultry and fish, is a very nutrient-rich food. Meat is one of the best sources of iron and protein. Most people get much more protein than they need, however. You should limit the amount of meat you eat, but you don't have to eliminate meat altogether. Choose lean cuts of meat and try to use the meat as a side dish rather than a main course. You can include meat in a casserole or stew, using the meat as a flavoring for the main dish without overeating the meat portion.

It is possible to have a healthy diet without eating meat. Vegetarians do have to be careful to make sure they get enough iron and protein, however.

Guidelines for Eating Healthfully

For best nutrition, choose foods containing high-fiber, complex carbohydrates and monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats instead of refined, low-fiber carbohydrates and saturated fats.

Learn more about nutrition and healthy living. Read the ingredients on all packaged and canned foods you buy. Some contain more fat, sodium, sugar, and preservatives than you expect.

In addition:

Bake or broil food instead of frying it.
Don't eat more than four egg yolks a week. Egg whites are healthy, but egg yolks are not.
Have a green leafy salad at least once a day. (Leaf lettuces and spinach are much more nutritious than iceberg lettuce.) Use oily dressings sparingly on the salads or try nonfat dressings.
Eat fresh foods instead of canned foods.
Eat more whole-grain products.
Cook vegetables only slightly or eat them raw.
Limit the amount of red meat you eat; eat more fish.
Remove the skin from poultry before eating it.
Limit fat, cholesterol, sugar, alcohol, salt, and caffeine in your diet.
Avoid pre-prepared foods as much as possible.
Limit dining at fast food restaurants. If you do dine there, leave off the bacon, cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and fatty salad dressings. Order broiled instead of fried items.

Most Stop Attending Gym After a Few Months from Sign Up

2008-09-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately most people who sign up for gym membership stop attending after a few months having become disheartened when the firmer body they had been hoping for fails to materialize.

However most people don't get the results they want because they don't do the right kind of exercise or put enough effort into the workout.

Experts agree that 30 minutes of cumulative exercise a day, such as walking or gardening, will help you from becoming obese and reduce the risk of heart disease. But if you want to slim and strengthen your body shape, however, you have to be prepared to sweat a bit.

Aerobic exercise, such as rowing, jogging or swimming, pushes up the heart rate, and is the best way to burn calories. The main muscle you're interested in exercising is the heart and your heart rate during your workout relates directly to the number of calories you are burning.

Great looking abdominal and pectoral muscles, abs and pecs, aren't worth much if your heart isn't strong. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising three to five times a week for 20 to 60 minutes, at 60 to 90 per cent of your body’s maximum capacity.

Aerobic exercise improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system and how the body uses oxygen. Over time, your metabolic rate will be boosted and you'll start to see changes in your body shape.

An American study has proved that exercise alone aids weight loss in middle-age men. A report showed that the metabolic rate of middle-aged men who strength-trained three days a week for 12 weeks rose by 15 per cent, and they shed an average 4 pounds of fat without dieting.

The first step for absolute beginners is to get a clean bill of health. See your doctor and check your not putting yourself at risk by attending a gym.

Finding the time is a drawback for many people, but there’s ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Don't forget that the mandatory 30 minutes a day can be split up so your exercise requirements can be smoothly fitted into your working day.

Aspartame: The Bitter Truth About a Sweetener

2008-09-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

Watch out if you are using a sugar substitute! Chances are that it may contain Aspartame, an artificial sweetener that is used worldwide by diabetics as well as by weight watchers. It is a no-caloric sweetener and is 200 times as sweet as sugar. Aspartame is a technical name for the brand names, Equal, Nutrasweet and Spoonful. Believe it or not, aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance that is added to foods. It accounts for over 75 per cent of adverse reaction to food additives as per the US Food and Drug Administration.

The documented symptoms caused by aspartame include: headache/migraines, nausea, dizziness, muscle spasms, numbness, weight gain, depression, rashes, fatigue, irritability, vision problems, hearing problems, heart palpitations, breathing problems, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, memory loss and joint pains.

Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. The three chemicals individually contribute in making aspartame a chemical poison.

Aspartic acid

Aspartic acid is an amino acid. It basically has a neurological effect, that is it affects the brain. Intake of aspartic acid raises the concentration of neurotransmitters aspartate and glutamate. An excess of aspartate and glutamate results in killing of brain cells. A large number of cells are killed before any clinical symptoms appear. The symptoms include headaches, nausea, and abdominal pains, sleep problems, vision problems and asthmatic attacks.

Phenylalanine

Phenylalanine is an amino acid found in the brain. Ingesting aspartame leads to high levels of phenylalanine in the brain. The excess of this amino acid leads to emotional disorders such as depression.

Methanol

Methanol is a deadly poison. In the normal process methanol is gradually absorbed at a slow pace but when free methanol is ingested the absorption process is speeded up. Methanol poisoning results in gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, chills, blurring of vision and blindness.

What is Aspartame found in?

Instant breakfasts, breath mints, sugar free chewing gums, coffee beverages, frozen desserts, juice beverages, soft drinks, tea beverages, instant tea and coffee and all low calorie foods. Though aspartame results in the above-mentioned symptoms, its effects are still being investigated. In fact, it is still widely used. Aspartame can be used in small quantities. However, using it to make low calorie dishes or as a substitute for sugar should be strictly avoided.

There is an enormous population of people suffering from symptoms contributed by aspartame, without being aware of it. Often you attribute things other than aspartame for these symptoms. You tend to forget that you have been stuffing your system with this sweetener that is slowly but steadily poisoning you. Hopefully, this article would have increased your awareness level, since aspartame-linked diseases are not reported on the front page like an airplane crash.

Does Swimming Help lose Weight?

2008-09-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

If you want to get fit and don't know how try swimming. There's hardly a better sport that can build your body, soothe your mind, regulate breathing and stimulate circulation better than swimming and that too without putting extra stress on the joints. It's an ideal exercise for just about everyone. You can achieve many things from cardiovascular fitness, flexibility to strengthening your muscles.

Effective stress buster
How do most executives de-stress after a long day's work? By taking a swim. Yes, swimming is a great way to unwind and let your tensions float away. It is believed that water has a positive and soothing effect on the human body since water makes up 60 per cent of our bodies. Ever tried floating in the pool? It is surely one of the great pleasures of life. The buoyancy and soothing qualities help your muscles relax and ease away the tensions.

Swim to lose weight
If you are specifically looking to lose weight through swimming it is a highly debatable issue. According to some studies, swimming is not a good activity if you want to burn calories while others hold that swimming can help in losing weight. Many researchers believe that swimming can actually make you fat! This school argues that swimming may actually slow down fat loss in some people because of the natural and innate survival mechanism found in the human body. According to them since fat helps in floating and saves from drowning, it is difficult to lose fat in water.

Further, that layer of fat provides protection against hypothermia in cold water. There are other theories too, which do not support swimming as a good weight loss exercise. According to these theories, swimming does not provide the same calorie-burning effect as land-based aerobics because calorie burning is a complex mechanism that can get affected by many factors like your weight, the intensity and speed of your motion, and the resistance created by moving your body through space and against gravity. These factors change considerably in water and thus hamper the weight loss process.

The other side of the picture is that swimming can actually help in weight reduction. Regular swimmers develop long lean muscles that are incredible fat-burning machines and further toned muscles produce an overall slimming effect. This school also believes that swimming, like all aerobics, contribute to weight loss and has a calorie-burning potential of 350-420 calories per hour.

Thus the debate continues. However what is irrefutable is the fact that swimming is a complete fitness activity that treats the mind, body and soul. So for all you water babies, dive now!

Pedaling For Fitness

2008-09-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

Cycling is fun but it's a good way to get fit also. A good cardiovascular workout, riding a bike helps you burn more calories. However the best part no doubt is the total convenience that cycling offers: you can do it anytime, anywhere, on any surface and whatever speed you like.

Your workout

Cycling is a good calorie burning exercise. In fact if you incorporate cycling into your daily routine, you can actually lose all that extra mass in very little time. Besides, cycling is an excellent exercise for your lower body as it strengthens almost all the muscles and shapes your thighs and calves in particular. Regular cycling can help protect from many heart complications. It is a perfect aerobic exercise as it is good for the lungs and enhances the breathing and respiratory systems. What's more the benefits of fitness are all available to the biker whether on a simple street or a hilly road. Even the speed can be adjusted from very slow to moderate to brisk.

Cycling's Three Basics

You cam max your cycling by basically three ways Increase endurance by riding for long distances, increase flexibility and speed by riding fast, and increase power by pulling heavy loads or pulling up and down the hill.

Endurance: If endurance is what you are looking for then ride as far as you can. Easy pedaling on flat roads is the best way to enhance endurance. However the trick lies in increasing the distance slowly every day. Just select some tree or lamp-post and keep going to the next one and the one after that day by day. This way you will keep increasing the distance without overburdening your legs.

Speed: You can increase your speed as well. Cycling offers a good opportunity for interval training (in which you work out at maximum effort for a set period of time, then minimize the effort and then repeat the same procedure for a specific number of times), which is basically an aerobics concept but works well in cycling also. While you can increase your speed by hard pedaling for a few seconds (20-30 seconds at first and then gradually increase), slow down for the next few and then stop pedaling. Repeat this pattern for 4-5 times and you have the perfect exercise. This will not only make you suppler but also keep injuries at bay. If you continue this alternate pattern of pedaling and resting for an hour you will actually get good interval training in the end. What will be even better is if you manage to increase the speed limit for each pedaling phase you do to extract more out of the schedule.

Power: Building power is all about building muscles. To build muscles you can simply pull heavy loads or use lower gears. Even riding on a hilly stretch of road will give you a challenging uphill track to ride on.

Follow these three basic principles of increasing strength, endurance and flexibility and you will be able to extract the most from your cycling routine. And always remember to keep your eyes on the road and be aware of the surroundings just as if you were driving a car.

Wheightloss: Glycemic Index

2008-09-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why you have different reactions to different foods? Your blood sugar starts rising after you have consumed carrots but it remains normal after you have eaten pulses. The blood sugar is raised to variable extent by different carbohydrates. Therefore before deciding on what to eat it is very important to know the effect of various foods on the blood sugar levels.

What is Glycemic Index?

You need to be aware of which foods enter the blood stream rapidly and which foods enter at a slower pace. The reason is that the faster the carbohydrates enter the blood stream; the more blood sugar is raised. The Glycemic index is a precise measure of this. It tells you how a given food affects blood sugar. The Glycemic index is the extent of rise in blood sugar in response to a food in comparison with the response to the equivalent amount of glucose.

Diabetics need to stabilize blood sugar. As a result of this, insulin is released at a steady rate in to the blood. This helps further to control the blood sugar rise. In a diabetic condition sugar needs to be absorbed more slowly and in a steady manner in the blood stream. Eating the foods that enter the blood stream at a slower pace compared to foods that enter blood stream rapidly can do this. This is the role of the Glycemic index as it measures how fast a food enters the blood stream.

Carbohydrates and Glycemic Index

The concept of the Glycemic index is only about the foods rich in carbohydrates. Foods rich in fats or protein do not cause a rise in your blood sugar. You still think that being a diabetic you should take precaution to avoid table sugar but the Glycemic index shows that even some of the complex carbohydrates like baked potato should be avoided as they can be worse. Commonly consumed channa dal is another surprise. This dal has an extremely low Glycemic index. Scientists have measured the Glycemic index of about 300 carbohydrate foods. The key to control your blood sugar is to eat those foods with high Glycemic index in controlled amounts.

However, the Glycemic index should not be the only criterion to decide what to eat. It is a measure of quality and not quantity. Factors such as variety, cooking and processing may affect a food's Glycemic index. This is particularly so for foods like banana, rice and potatoes. Research has shown that the Glycemic index of a raw banana is lower than that of ripe banana.

So the next time you eat some starchy food, remember to use the Glycemic Index.

Low GI foods	Medium GI foods	High GI foods
Pearled barley-25	Sponge cake-46	Doughnuts-76
Low fat yogurt-14	Cheese pizza-60	Waffles-76
Skimmed milk-32	Orange cordial-68	Rice pasta-92
Full fat milk-27	White bread -71	Baked potato-85
Cherries-22	Wheat biscuit-70	Dates-103
Soyabeans-18	Puffed wheat-74	Glucose-96
Lentils-25	Rice-58	Pumpkin-75
Kidneybeans-19	Millet-71
Grapefruit-25	Ice-cream-71
Apple-38	Banana-54
Plum-39	Mango-56
Peanuts-15	Watermelon-72
Peas-22	Sweet potato-54
Channa dal-8	Semolina-62
Split moong dal-38	Honey-58

Top 10 Dieting Myths

2008-09-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

All of us have tried losing weight at some point or the other. And the most commonly used method to shed those sticky pounds is dieting. Many believe that simply by starving or eating less, avoiding sugars or oily food is the key to a slimmer self. However, that is not entirely true. In fact, dieting and dieters have given rise to a number of myths. If you too believe in some dieting myths, here is your chance to clear them up.

Myth No 1: Dieting means stop eating all favorite foods
Fact: Dieting means reducing your total food intake. However, this can be accompanied by increased intake of high fibre foods such as plain salads so that you never remain hungry.

Myth No 2: While dieting, never eat in between meals
Fact: You should in fact have smaller main meals and go in for low calorie munches such as cucumbers, carrots, clear soups etc as fillers in between. This way you will be able to control your intake at the main meals and hence eat less.

Myth No 3: Carbohydrates such as bread make you fat
Fact: Carbohydrates are the foundation to any diet. A look at the food pyramid clearly shows that the carbohydrates stand right at the base of the pyramid. The recommended allowance for carbohydrates varies between six to eleven servings per day. So it is the quantity that matters. It is not the carbohydrates but the accompaniments with the carbohydrates that make you fat.

Myth No 4: All salads are diet foods
Fact: It is true that plain green salads without any added ingredients is good for dieters as it is rich in fibre, which is important in controlling weight. However, this is not true for all salads. Salads with high fat salad dressings in fact add to the weight due to the high fat content.

Myth No 5: Any amount of fat free food can be taken freely
Fact: Fat free foods does not imply calorie free. All foods do have some calorie content. So if you continue indulging on fat free foods, the calories will keep getting accumulated. Hence you do not lose weight.

Myth No 6: Eat the maximum at dinnertime
Fact: It should be the opposite. You should be eating the least at dinnertime. This is because your body is not able to completely utilise the meal eaten during dinner. Hence you should try and eat the maximum before the evening and only go in for small meals at night.

Myth No 7: Indulge in grilled foods when eating out
Fact: Restaurants can add any amount of fat and other ingredients to sell their products. So if you eat a plate of grilled vegetables you might be mistaken. It just might be loaded with fat to make it tasty and look appealing. So, check before indulging.

Myth No 8: Fat is the only thing that matters
Fact: No food is calorie free. So along with fat, calories also have to be taken into account. It is a fact that the calories from all foods keep getting accumulated. The only thing to remember is that fat gives more calories compared to other foods and that is why its intake should be reduced.

Myth No 9: Brown sugar is better than white sugar
Fact: There is no difference between the two types of sugars in terms of nutrition. Both add on to the calories and are best avoided or restricted while on a diet.

Myth No 10: Skipping meals help in losing weight
Fact: There is a gap of about 10 hours between dinner and breakfast the next morning. During this phase your body has been on a fast and needs fuel. If you don't eat in the morning, you cover up for it in the next meal and hence eat more.

If you know of any dieting myths which are not mentioned here, why don't you share it with us? Remember you will lose weight only if you diet the healthy way.

Getting Started with Strength Training

2008-08-26T15:10:00.001-07:00

Before you begin flexing your biceps, or start lifting those dumb bells, you need to take care of a few things. For starters, you need to follow a proper routine that suits your needs and more importantly, your body so that you are safe and free from injury. So you must stick to a few basic guidelines that will give you all the benefits of exercising, while keeping all dangers at bay.

Remember to always warm-up and stretch your muscles before and after a training course. This will save your body from aches and pains. Also, never start immediately after a meal. If you’ve had a really heavy meal, start exercising only after a gap of 3-4 hours. In case of a light snack, it is advisable to have a gap of 1-2 hours.

Clothes make a man, especially before you start exercising. Wear comfortable and loose clothes, that do not restrict your movement in any way. It is best to have two layers of clothes instead of one heavy dress. Shorts, top and tracksuit or leotard, tights and tracksuit are the best combinations. A headband is useful both for keeping your hair out of your eyes and for preventing perspiration from running into them (particularly if you wear contact lenses). Also, wear hand gloves to keep a firm grip on weights and to prevent blisters. You also need top pay attention to your footwear. Choose correct shoes, as there is a danger of your feet slipping if you wear incorrect footwear. It is desirable to wear training shoes.

Keep a bottle of salt and glucose handy. This would be of immense help if you feel faint or dizzy. Never exercise if you have any form of viral illness or have been advised rest or are on medication. After a long illness, consult your doctor before you resume your routine.

If you are on a strength-training programme, you need to keep in mind a few tips:

Exercise till you feel the fatigue in the muscles.
Exercise the muscle group that you have exercised in one session, only after 48-72 hours.
Steadily increase the weight against which you are working. If you can do more than 15 repetitions of the given weight, it’s time to move on.
After every six weeks of training with heavy weights, train with light weights doing different exercises. This ensures that joint stiffeners does not develop.
Keep changing the order of your training.This helps to stock the muscles.
Keep your schedule short and sweat not more than 45-60 minutes.
Do not talk during a workout. Concentrate only on the exercises, so that you learn to do the exercises properly and avoid injury.
Sip electrolyte water in between a workout. Do not gulp/guzzle water.
Have a good diet plan, otherwise you may not see the benefits of exercise in spite of working out hard.
Take adequate rest and get enough sleep, or else you may need to take forced breaks.
Exercising with a friend or partner is always more motivating. Chances are that both of you will stick on the programme, be able to spot defects in the techniques and hence help each other in avoiding injuries.

A disciplined routine will keep you safe from injury and help you enjoy your exercise.

Top 10 Fitness Myths

2008-08-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

Do you believe that your workout should leave you feeling dead on your feet or that running is the best way to stay in shape? Like many other fitness freaks, then you too are suffering from some myths or false beliefs about fitness. It's time you learnt to separate the myths from reality, the facts from fiction and be well informed about fitness.

Myth No 1: A really good workout means that you should be very tired after that.

Fact: This is not true. In fact, you should finish each workout with the feeling you could have easily done a bit more. If you feel too tired this only means that you are pushing too hard.

Myth No 2: Sore muscles exemplify that they are getting stronger.

Fact: Not at all. Sore muscles actually mean that you have damaged or torn the microscopic-sized connective tissue that surrounds your muscle fibre. This soreness may be due to damage to the muscle fibers themselves. Remember, delayed muscle soreness may peak between 24 to 48 hours after the workout.

Myth No 3: Running is the best way to get fit.

Fact: Forget it. There is no one best way to get fit. The truth is that you should do what you like or else you will not be able to sustain it on a long-term basis. This could be running or jogging or even walking. In fact, anything that you enjoy and can pursue regularly will help you stay fit.

Myth No 4: If you are careful you don't need a warm up before a work out.

Fact: This is a dangerous myth! You are actually making yourself extremely vulnerable to injuries by not warming up. Gently stretching out and warming up your muscles before (and after) you exercise is the number one defense against many a sports injuries, including tendonitis

Myth No 5: No pain, no gain.

Fact: Another destructive myth. Pain is a warning signal given by your body that something is wrong. If you feel real pain during a workout, you should never push past it; slow down or stop your workout immediately. However, there is nothing wrong in a slight discomfort.

Myth No 6: The best time to exercise is early in the morning.

Fact: There is no best time to exercise. Timing is a matter of personal choice and habit, convenience and availability. What is important is to find what suits you best, stick to that and make sure that you exercise regularly.

Myth No 7: Drinking water while exercising will result in cramps.

Fact: This is absolutely untrue. You actually need water when you are working out and more so after completing your workout. An increased intake of water will actually help you fight headaches, cramps and a feeling of tiredness.

Myth No 8: Excessive sweating while exercising means you are unfit.

Fact: Not true. Sweating is the body's built in cooling process. While exercising if you sweat more your natural mechanism is working properly and you are on the right path.

Myth No 9: Stop exercising and your muscles will turn to fat.

Fact: What a myth! Do you know that fat and muscles are two different things? One won't turn into the other. What happens is that muscles shrink if you stop lifting weights or exercising. However, if you become fat after that it is probably because you're overeating.

Myth No 10: Sleep extra hours before any hard activity or when you are very tired.

Fact: Sleep is not something that you can store nor does more sleep mean extra energy. Eight hours of sleep is sufficient for an average individual. And simply relaxing is almost as restful as sleeping.

Hopefully you would be better informed about fitness after reading these common myths.

Five Tips for Healthy Eating

2008-08-26T15:02:00.001-07:00

Eat to live and not live to eat. That, in a nutshell, should sum up your attitude to food and eating. Do you grab a bite whenever you have the urge to eat or forget to eat when you are too busy? Then it would be a good idea to think through these food rules to get the best out of your meals.

1. Eat regularly throughout the day including three main meals and at least two snacks. This will maintain your blood sugar levels at an optimum level throughout the day. If you miss meals, you will get low blood sugar at some stage. To make up for the missed meals if you go an eating spree that will raise your blood sugar levels. This will lead to a skewed up eating pattern. So eat little and often. Eating sporadically will also affect your metabolism. When you miss meals, your metabolism has a tendency to slow down. This happens because you're sending it messages that food is scarce, so it will attempt to get more from the food you do give it. A pattern of eating where you don't eat much during the day and then hog a lot at night will do just that. Excessive eating in one go will overload your digestive system, putting it in overdrive.

2. Your main meals should get smaller and simpler as the day goes on, ending with a simple meal at night. Follow the saying, ‘Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper.’ Have a hearty breakfast as it sets up your eating habits for the day and kickstarts your metabolism. This meal is essential and should never be missed.

Remember that the majority of energy is used during working hours and food intake should be geared towards fuelling it. But normally we eat very little during the day and then belly-bust (does this sound ok)in the evening. So the energy we are making has nowhere to go. Surplus energy at night, especially fat, is readily stored. In fact, dinner should be eaten a good two hours before sleep to allow for partial digestion.

3. Be organised with the food you keep in the house and what you order in restaurants. What you buy is what you eat, so start by shopping correctly. Plan what you are going to eat, especially if you are on a fitness plan, and stock up the fridge accordingly. It's easy to go off track when you open the fridge and are faced with junk food. When eating out go easy on the oil and spicy curries.

4. Keep a food diary even if it's only in your head. This means that you keep a mental note of what you eat throughout the day. Then you can see when you go wrong and not do it again. Sometimes this helps in overcoming a specific habit that doesn't become apparent until you see it written down. Eating correctly is food management. It doesn't happen by chance, but because you make it happen, and a diary will assist you in your mission. A diary need not take more than three or four minutes a day to fill out and it will help. Food diaries are now smarter, simpler and more effective. Click on to Activekarma’s personalised program - MyDietMate for more details.The program has a smart diary, which helps you not only record yourenteries, but also gives you immediate feedback as well as asesses long term trends

5. Have a balanced attitude towards food management. Don't panic. This may seem like a trivial rule, but it's probably the most important one and at the root of healthy eating. What it means is trying not to fit your life around these or any other suggestions but to fit the rules into your life. Food intake is really about management and balance.

Following these rules will ensure that you manage your food and, in turn, your body productively.

The Components of Fitness

2008-08-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Do you sometimes feel you have reached a plateau and you need a change in your workout routine, but do not know how to go about it? Are you flummoxed whether you should run faster, longer or harder? Do you need to up the pace or can there be other methods of going around it? Should your muscle building exercises be done more often, harder or do you need to increase the weights to bring about a break in the plateau? Where do you go from here?

To answer all these questions, you need to first take a look at the different factors that make up fitness and understand the principles by which each work. Fitness is a global all-encompassing aspect and is dependent on a number of factors. Fitness not only refers to your aerobic (heart-lung-respiratory-circulatory) capacity and efficiency but also to the strength and endurance of your muscles as well as the amount of flexibility you have in your body.

Components of fitness

Mode

This is the manner in which you do your workout. Different modes satisfy different needs in the body. Walking, running, cycling, swimming, step classes all cater to the aerobic component of the body. Yes, these would, in the long run, help in toning up the lower body but they derive their energy from different sources in the body. Or when you want to work your muscles, then you have to do some repetitive movements and specific exercises that will benefit. So when you say you have been working out for so long and you yet haven't gained in muscle growth, what you probably have been doing are exercises for increasing their flexibility!
Ideally, for a well-balanced body, you need to work out all modes to get the greatest benefits. You should also include activities that develop your finer characteristics like balance, coordination and posture.

Frequency

This refers to the number of times you are doing the same exercise. If, for example your routine comprises running once a week, weights once a week and stretch exercises once a week, your total count of workouts is three but the frequency of each effort is only once a week.

Typically (and depending on your goal) you should follow this pattern:

Mode Frequency per week
Cardio-vascular / aerobic exercise 3-6
Muscular strength 2-4
Muscular endurance 3-5
Joint and muscular flexibility 5-6
Balance and coordination everyday
Posture training any and every time

Intensity

Intensity is the amount of work that the body does. It is the percentage of the maximum heart rate (MHR) at which you are exercising. It differs from pace, in a way that the car travels at different speeds. It depends on which gear the car is going at that speed. Say for example, a car is travelling at 50 km per hour in second gear, it has to work at a higher intensity than if it were to travel at the same speed in the fourth gear. The same metaphor can be used for the body at work.

Intensity can be expressed by the training percentage of your MHR. If you are working at a higher intensity, then your heart rate is going to show a reading of anywhere from 75-85 per cent of your target heart rate activekarma

Duration or time

The amount of time a task takes from start to finish is the duration. It does not refer to the amount of time you collectively spent in the gym, warming up, wiping your face and gassing with the boys.

Mode Duration per effort (in minutes)
Cardio-vascular / aerobic exercise 10-60 (not more than that)
Muscular strength 20-60
Muscular endurance 10-60
Joint and muscular flexibility 10-40
Balance and coordination everyday
Posture training any and every time

So why do you need to keep these in mind when you are deciding where you need to go from here?

The reason you constantly need to change all these factors is because the body has a quality of adapting very easily to change. It does not take very long for it to adapt to the kind of good stresses you put onto it. So changing one or any of these factors is necessary to trick it and keep it from getting complacent. The success of your workout depends on changing one factor at a time, not all of them together.

This way you can also expect that the body will work well and reach heights that you never knew were possible. That is the way Olympians fly.

You Can Be Active After 50

2008-08-25T10:36:00.001-07:00

When I started taking fitness classes, my first two clients were both 50-year-old. Still going strong, their example of enthusiasm and dedication can be a source of inspiration to any 50-plus looking for it. They clearly believed in the adage that it's never too late to start.

Fifty years ago, exercise did not hold the same meaning as it does today. Was there a need to exercise as much then as it is now? From the stories told by the elderly, life wasn't so cushy then as it is now. Yet somewhere down the line, as life has become more sedentary, exercising to keep up the same levels of activity has become the need for the day, irrespective of what age bracket you fall in.

Modern day city living places great demands on all of us these days and this does not spare even the elderly. Even if they are heading towards retirement or not burning the home-fires as much as they did, these twilight years need to be cherished with fond memories and in good health.

As one grows older, the activity levels are not the same as they used to be. The less the body is used, the less likely it is going to perform efficiently. The body has a certain capacity that allows it to go to great lengths to adapt. When this capacity is not fully utilized, the body slows down and does not function to the fullest. Thus as one grows older, the need to be active grows higher and higher.

Here are some reasons why those in the 50-plus bracket must stay active:

Use it or lose it
The heart is a muscle and just like any other muscle, needs to be constantly worked on to improve its efficiency. The muscles in the body need to be consistently strengthened to delay atrophy and reduce injury. Similarly, the joints need to be frequently lubricated to remain flexible and the nerves need to be stimulated repeatedly to stay alert. Exercise can do all of this and much more.

Keep the brain ticking
Research has enough evidence to show that exercise enhances the mental capacities. It stimulates the mind, quickens reaction time and the increase in oxygenated blood to the brain ensures slowing down of the ageing process.

Psychological Effects
Exercise is known to have a positive effect on moods, behavior, self-esteem and body image. As we grow older, these are the areas, which if strong and positive, will hold us in good stead.

Fight osteoporosis
The ageing process brings about a fall in calcium that leads to the weakening of the bones, bringing about problems like arthritis, osteoporosis, and osteo-arthritis. Any weight bearing exercise will delay this process and make the bones stronger and less resistant to these ailments. Especially with women who have reached their menopause, exercise is highly beneficial and recommended by most doctors.

Fight gravity
The skin and muscles sag as a result of lack of use. But exercise corrects this in all ways. The muscles get taut with use during exercise thus tightening the skin around it.

Build immunity
It is a well-known fact that as we age, our immunity levels reduce, leaving us open to all kinds of illness that can be debilitating. Any exercise can boost our immunity system and fortify the body to fight illnesses off successfully.

Strengthen breathing capacity
The process of airway passages getting ineffectual is almost reversed during exercise, reducing the risk of breathing ailments like asthma, sinusitis etc.

Something to look forward to
Exercising regularly can give you a mission to accomplish, once your life's goals are met. It gives a sense of purpose and achievement as well as a meaning to life in the twilight years. It also provides a platform for a meeting ground where common visions can be shared with others.

What kind of exercises
You may find that starting a vigorous program may be difficult, but the good news is that you don't really have to. If you have already been exercising a fair bit, continuing it may not be a problem. But here a few options for those just starting out.

Walking is the best way to start a program. It is easy to follow through and endure because you can set the pace for yourself. All you need is a good pair of shoes and comfortable clothing. Choose a soft surface to walk on like a mud track to reduce the risk of hurting yourself. Take your partner with you and catch up on all the years you didn't have time to!

Yoga is another very popular method of keeping you in the spring of things. It is highly beneficial as it involves each aspect of your persona: mind, body, spirit and soul. It can rejuvenate like no other program can and is equally suitable for older people and the young.

Practices like Tai chi (an ancient Chinese martial art form, involving slow, circular and flowing movement) Falun Gong (another ancient Chinese practice involving the mind and body), Pilates, Alexandra and Feldenkrais are regaining in popularity in the modern world for the positive effects they have. (The latter three are basically simple mind and body works or exercises that followers believe lead to a feeling of oneness, connectedness and quiet.) They do not require very strenuous efforts and, like yoga, they also involve more than just the body to work. They improve balance and coordination, and are believed to bring about a certain calm and serenity.

So go dare all and get a move on, if you haven't already. Make the twilight years of your life fit and fun. It will be well worth every moment!

What is the best time to exercise?

2008-08-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

What is the best time to exercise? This is an oft-asked question related to exercise. Frankly, timing is a matter of personal choice and habit, convenience and availability. The best way around it is to actually work it through for yourself and come up with the best answer, once the considerations have been made. It works differently for different people. Those who have erratic schedules do it whenever they have the time, while others manage to stick to a regular time.

Time can pertain to the time of the day as well as the time of the year. In situations that have constant weather conditions, there is no requirement to modify your program. But those exercising in places with changing conditions need to constantly re-assess their environment and make changes accordingly. This would apply even to those who travel or like to exercise in different situations. There are also some that break up their routine into two and work out both morning and evening, due to lack of time.

Time of the day

There are early risers and there are those who sleep at the crack of dawn. Expecting the former to work out in the evening when the day is almost done or the latter to get cracking at dawn with a routine would seem futile and unrealistic. Examine the type of person you are and then make your schedule accordingly to ensure you stick by it.

The Early-Morning Riser:

The positives:

Yoga and other softer forms like tai-chi seem to have a calming effect in the morning.
Whether or not you should do exercises after you have bowel movement depends only on whether you are comfortable.
Eating a light fruit or drinking tea will not hamper your movement. If it is a heavy meal, wait for an hour and a half before working out.
Look at it this way: the good deed for the day is done.
Start the day on a charged note by exercising in the morning.

The negatives:

Late morning risers may not have enough time to work out.
Those rushed for time may not find it rewarding enough.
There are some who are terribly inflexible in the morning and need a very long warm up before starting out.

The Late Risers:

The positives:

Limbering up for them happens sooner than in the morning.
Very early morning routines might lead to muscle cramps and pulls due to an inadequate warm up period.
High powered workouts like Karate Step and Kick boxing are generally better executed in the evening hours.
Evening hours provide an opportunity to spent pent-up anger and frustration.

The negatives:

You could be too charged up before bedtime to find sleep
There should ideally be a gap of Ѕ hour before your exercise and meal time, thus delaying your bed time
Post-meal workouts are a no-no. The body is too busy assimilating the meal to be bothered with providing blood to the extremities, thus making you feel lethargic rather than energetic.

Duration or Timing

Time also pertains to the duration of each activity. Here is a simple chart to follow:

Type of workout Duration per effort (in minutes)
Cardiovascular / aerobic exercise 10-60 (not more than that)
Muscular strength 20-60
Muscular endurance 10-60
Joint and muscular flexibility 10-40
Balance and coordination everyday
Posture training any and every time

Coping with Seasonal Changes

The Cold outdoors

In extreme cold weather exercising outdoors without proper clothing allows heat to escape from the body and puts too much pressure on the cardiovascular system to work harder to provide blood to the extremities. In the cold, beware of frostbites and hypothermia that occur even in high wind chill conditions.

What to do

Cover the exposed areas of your body to prevent frostbites.
Keep the head covered to save the heat from getting dissipated.
Those prone to asthma should warm up well or avoid exposing themselves to the cold outdoors.
Hot & humid environs

When temperatures are high, profuse sweating leads to loss of body fluids. This reduces the amount of blood returning to the heart, resulting in cardiovascular stress as indicated by very high heart rates. Beware of heat strokes and heat exhaustion during these times.
High humidity (over 60 per cent) when added to high air temperatures, impairs the body's ability to dissipate internal heat. This can also lead to heat strokes and heat exhaustion.

What to do

Thus it is sensible to work at medium to low intensities in warmer conditions.
Wear light, loose clothing allowing air to circulate over the skin's surface
Replace fluids furiously and fast before they replace you!
Air pollution

Regular exercise should be avoided in areas with high levels of pollution.

What to do

Try to work out (if you must) either early in the morning or late evening or on weekends to avoid the effects
Take the option of working out indoors
High Altitudes

At moderate to high altitudes, the blood cannot deliver as much oxygen to the exercising muscles. It takes weeks to adapt to major changes in altitude so be careful.

What to do

Decrease your intensity
Increase warm up and cool down periods
Acclimatize yourself to the new conditions
To wrap up, time and timing is a matter of individual choice and personal preference. What's important is to find what suits you best, stick to that and make sure that you exercise regularly.

Healthy Eating Out

2008-08-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Do you love eating out but at the same time are afraid to do so? Do you think "here goes my diet plan", whenever you go out? Do you also avoid socializing because you are dieting? If you have answered yes to all these questions, then it's time you took a reality check and discovered that eating out can be a happy and healthy experience.

Do you know that:

No one gets fat from one meal. It takes a number of them for fat to accumulate.
Eating out once every three weeks is a viable option if you have the self-control to come back on line the following day.
When you eat a working lunch five times a week it won't work, because you're establishing a pattern which good meals and exercise cannot negate.
Eating too much and then going berserk on the treadmill the next day leads to tiredness, and endangers your health. Don't do it.

Then should you stop eating out? No. The best solution is to choose restaurants that offer healthy foods and make selections that tie in with what you want to achieve. But if this is not possible, you have to select what you eat with care. Having the odd curry once every two or three weeks isn't so damaging.

Here are some top tips when you eat out:

Eat smaller portions of fatty foods: If there's something you really want but shouldn't be eating, share it with someone else.
Ask the waiter not to bring bread and butter to the table: Also ask dressings and sauces to be served separately. That way you can control how much you want to use, or skip them altogether.
Ask them to reduce the amounts of fattening items: Such as cheese or butter that come with the dish.
Ask for a starter: If you must have a dish that is rich in fat. And for your main course order something low-fat. Remember that soup and plain pasta are good fillers.
Serving sizes: These are relevant, so order one serving of meat, fish or poultry, two servings of vegetables and three servings of grains, rice, pasta, cereals etc. By ordering like this, you're much more likely to stay on track.

Cooking styles and methods vary from country to country and cuisine to cuisine. Let's check out the different types of restaurants and see what's on offer:

1. Fast-food outlets
If you eat regularly from these joints, then it will be difficult for you to cut your fat. Fast food joints offer mainly burgers, fries, milkshakes, pizzas etc, which will only add to your calories. Instead, go in for the healthy options -- though limited here -- and eat only salads, fruit juices or fruit salads.

2. British Cafe
The British mainly rely on the griddle or deep-fat fryer to cook a lot of their food. Try to avoid items that are cooked in this way. Instead go in for baked beans on dry brown toast, poached eggs, baked potato with low-fat fillings like tuna, sweet corn or chicken strips with peppers. Another healthy alternative is to have soup, a whole meal sandwich or roll with a salad and lean meat, fish or poultry filling and fresh fruit. Avoid mayonnaise, coleslaw, butter, margarine and sugary sweets and confectionery.

3. Italian restaurant
Italian cooking uses a lot of olive oil, which is healthier in comparison to saturated fat, but it's still fattening. Cheeses like mozzarella and Parmesan are also widely used, especially in pizza. If eating Italian, maximize on the excellent fresh salads available. Ask for dressings on the side or use lemon juice instead. Always aim for tomato-based pasta sauces instead of the cream ones and limit the use of Parmesan cheese. If your favorite pizza topping is Pepporoni, then you would be advised to stay away from it as it has a high fat content. Avoid cream-based sweets like tiramisu. Instead, think healthy and just have a spoonful of fresh fruit.

4. Chinese restaurant
Chinese food is cooked in a wok or a deep-fat fryer. The wok cooks the food quickly, which means that the vitamins are retained in the food. However, Chinese in general is a high-fat type, especially those dishes that are deep-fried in batter. Here too, opt for steamed rather than fried rice and remember that sweet and sour sauce contains a lot of sugar, so don't have too much of that. For dessert, choose the fruit on offer.

5. Japanese restaurants
Japanese food is usually healthy and nutritious. Apart from one or two notable exceptions, most of the food can be ordered easily. Eat lots of Sushi or raw fish, a Japanese delicacy, is low in fat and high in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Stay away from the tempura batter-fried dishes as they are rich in calories. Even sake (rice wine) is loaded with too many calories, so it is better to give it a miss and opt for the green tea. You can eat a lot of vegetables as the Japanese use little oil. And finally since they are not known to have a sweet tooth, always go in for the beautifully prepared fresh fruit.

6. Indian restaurant
No Indian dish is complete without adding dollops of ghee in it, which increases the fat intake of the dish. So if eating in a Indian restaurant, be careful to select what you eat.

Go in for boiled rice rather than fried rice.
Eat wheatflour-based chapattis rather than naan (which is heavier as it is made from maida) or parantha to which fat has been added.
Avoid cream-based curries like korma dishes.
Eat little gravy as it has a lot of fat content.
Don't order papads; they are fried and highly fattening.
Order Chicken tikka as it is comparatively low-fat.
Drink water instead of an aerated drink or beer or you may end up with a beer belly.

Follow these tips and find out how eating out can become a healthy and pleasurable experience.

Weight loss: Battling with the Bulges

2008-08-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

Have you been inspecting your belly lately and plotting against its elimination? Are you hiding the bulges on your thighs behind long flowing shirts and baggy pants? Conjuring up all sorts of plans to extinguish their existence, you are willing to go to any lengths - you've answered the ad for spot reduction, reducing "motapa" by Ayurvedic methods, tried and tasted shakes like it's going out of style, but yet nothing happened. The truth is going to be bitter but here it is -nothing is going to happen! You're not going to lose it until you move it.

The role of fat

A certain amount of fat has a purpose in the body. The normal range for women is about 18-25 per cent of total body weight and for men is about 15-20 per cent (click on the following link to find out your Body Mass Index and check whether you are overweight. Your diet should contain about 15-20 per cent from sources of fat and that too, from good sources. Recent research has shown that omega -3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids in small quantities are good for us. Good sources of these can be fish and peanuts.

Remember that fat is a source of energy that is used almost like combustion in the body. The body also has a survival instinct to store excess calories in the form of fat to be used only in cases of emergency. Thus if the body gets the regular signal that it requires energy, then and only then does it mobilize fat as a prime source. However, if on a regular basis, there is less activity, the fat stores are the last reserves to be used in the body.

The body also takes its cue from the amount of energy it receives from what's being put into it - i.e. the nutritional aspect. When that is in deficit, it refuses to metabolize the fat stores. That is why crash diets are so unsuccessful, without any element of exercise.

Fats in the body also are necessary to dissolve vitamins A D E K, which are not soluble in water. If there is a smaller percentage of fat in the body, the vitamins do not get absorbed in the body thus leading to a deficiency.

It has been shown that women who have a very low percentage have irregularities in their menstrual cycle and are sometimes unable to conceive a child (a certain minimum being necessary). That is why you hear of woman athletes taking time off to catch up with motherhood.

The role of exercise

The kind of exercise you do is also what matters. Here we need to understand the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Anaerobic activities include any activities that require huge bursts of energy and the carbohydrate stores in the body provide these. These do not and cannot last for more than 1-3 minutes. This is because there is not enough of oxygen present during the activity. Anaerobic activities include sprinting, high jumps, squash and weight training.

Aerobic exercise on the other hand, take place in the presence of oxygen, which mobilize the fat stores into activation, so that they provide the primary (but not only) source of fuel. This sort of activity involves the heart and the lungs, which, depending on their efficiency, receive their source of fats from ALL over the body to fuel them (the less efficient the heart-lung system is, the less it will derive from the fat stores due to the inadequate and infrequent supply of oxygen). So you will find that practicing regular aerobics will reduce the fat percentage all over the body and increase the lean body mass in the body, which may not even show in reduction of overall weight on the scales. In other words your percentages change. Aerobic exercises have a longer lasting quality about them and can be endured by the hardy and conditioned body. That is why they need to be done very, very regularly. Brisk walking, swimming, cycling are all examples of aerobic exercise.

Fat distribution

Why fats accumulate in someone's belly and on another person's hips is something that is genetically determined. It is in your genes and there is not much you can do about it. Yes, you may be able to contain the percentage of fat in your body with regular exercise and a good nutritious diet. But whenever the input and output do not match, these will come creeping at you in the same predisposed places you are most susceptible to. So if you have a mom who's got heavy hips you can blame it all on her, when you decide to do nothing about it!

Beside the hereditary factor, there is also a universal, sex difference to the distribution of fat in the body. Women have a tendency to accumulate fat on their hips, thighs and upper arms. Men tend to have fat around the belly often called love handles (yeah sure, they handle us fine!) The distribution of fat around the belly is also more dangerous to health which is no wonder women far outlive men!

The amount of excess fat (which has accumulated due to intake of excess calories or a sedentary lifestyle in any form not only fat) can also act as pointers to your predisposition to AND risk of ailments like coronary heart and arteries diseases, hypertension etc.

So what is it you can do to get rid of bulging bellies, thunder thighs, heavy hips and the like?

Doing aerobics daily (or at least 5-6 times a week) for anywhere from 20-60 minutes. If this amount of time is not feasible to you at one stretch, do it in bouts throughout the day. This can have a cumulative effect.

To take care of toning the muscles that lie underneath the accumulated fat, you can do a series of toning exercises. Remember though, that you must work out all parts of the body equally so that none of them are weak. This will save you from future injuries in the weaker parts.

Do not forget the Go-Show principle -- what goes in, shows out (unless used up in the form of exercise! Replace it with Go For It!)

But remember that no amount of abdominal crunches or leg lifts by themselves will take care of your problem. They have to be in tandem with aerobic workouts and must include some flexibility exercise for good measure.

Of the numerous benefits, fat reduction is just one of them, so it's a worthwhile exercise to make it a part of your routine and daily life and not just a goal by itself. Take charge of your life and fat now!

Tips On Cardio-Vascular (CV) Fitness

2008-08-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

Do you find yourself panting after climbing three flights of stairs or sweating profusely after lugging a bag of groceries to your fourth floor apartment? No, it's not because you are getting old, but it's because you are not doing enough exercise to keep your heart strong. Cardiovascular exercise is the keystone of fitness and the path to a healthy and happy life. You can choose from between running, walking, doing aerobics and many other activities as part of your cardio fitness. But for now, take a minute and read this to find out how best you can exercise your heart.

Cardio-vascular workouts directly impact the heart muscles, the efficiency of the lungs and the entire circulatory system They help in reducing heart related disorders, risks associated with obesity and increase resistance to disease and longevity. The immediate advantages start showing up almost within weeks (provided you reduce your calorie intake). The visible external (as well as other benefits) benefits are toned legs, and increase in lean mass within the body. The long-term benefits that take place within your body include lowered blood pressure, slower resting heart rate, more blood volume per stroke, less chance of fatty and cholesterol build up in the arteries. The list goes on and on.

How do you classify an aerobic / cardio-vascular (CV) workout?

Technically, CV exercises is any rhythmic activity which uses the large muscle groups (such as legs) in your body, in conjunction with the heart and lungs in the presence of oxygen and for a relatively longer duration (at least 10-15 minutes) of time. Walking, swimming, cycling are some activities that can qualify as aerobics. As opposed to that, anaerobic workouts require a high amount of energy that normally can't be sustained for very long periods. Sprinting, long and high jumps are examples of anaerobic workouts.

But what may be aerobic for some can be anaerobic for others. It depends on each person's level of fitness. Those who have been working out for some time will find that even jogging and running are also aerobic activities for them. Whereas for some beginners, even walking can be anaerobic.

For whom?

Almost anyone can start exercising aerobically - the young and old, women and men, lean and mean, knotted and fit. But remember you are exercising your heart, so those with heart-related disorders, diabetes, joint problems such as arthritis, or problems like osteoporosis or obese people need to consult their doctor before starting on a fitness programme.

What to wear?

Clothing
Wear lose and comfortable clothing that you can breathe in, preferably cotton to absorb the sweat. When exercising outdoors in the winter it is better to wear layers rather than one heavy jacket. This way you can remove layers when hot and put them on one by one when you are cold or have finished your activity.

Shoes
Any aerobic activity requires an investment in a good pair of shoes. Make sure that your shoe has three layers: the insole that provides the important arch and toe support and some cushioning, the mid sole is the layer between the outsole and the insole, which should provide the maximum cushioning and should be lightweight and the outsole to provide the correct traction.

Your shoes should be lightweight, be flexible in the front third (just under the toe area), have adequate heel support (3/4 inch) and have enough room in the toe box area to avoid cramping of your toes.

Where?

If you workout outdoors, avoid hard surfaces which could be jarring to the joints. Instead use soft though yielding surfaces that provide the spring and bounce, rather than too much impact. Uphill walking /jogging is great for toning the front of the thighs and building endurance. Gravel and sand as surfaces, also increase intensity because they are harder to walk on.

When?

You may wonder what is the best time to exercise? You can exercise anytime as long as you have not eaten a heavy meal for at least two hours. During the winter months, the outdoors will be safer and more conducive to exercise provided there is not too much fog or pollution. During summers, it would be better to exercise indoors or at least stay away from the harsh sunlight. The choice of morning and evening though is a matter of personal choice. However, the rule of thumb is not to do a heavy workout too close to your bed time for it might interfere with your sleep patterns.

Frequency

Depending on your goal, a minimum of at least 2-3 times (to make any difference) and up to a maximum of 6 times a week is what is suggested.

Duration and intensity

Duration means how long or the time spent on each aerobic effort. This should not be less than 10 minutes (to make a difference) and not more than 45 minutes to an hour at the maximum (to prevent over-exercising).

Intensity means how hard or the effort you are putting in. If your workout leaves you panting for breath and even after 5-10 minutes you are still huffing and puffing, you may be working too hard and your intensity may be too high. You may need to slow down and gradually work your way upwards. Think of aerobic exercise as "in the presence of oxygen" - if you're out of it, slowing down will not leave you gasping for it. Also use duration as a benchmark -- if you can continue with the same intensity for over 10-15 minutes, you are working your aerobic capacity.

However since both aerobic and anaerobic systems work hand in hand (at different grades), the more you push your aerobic limit the higher you heart and lung can endure and the fitter they get.

Is there a difference between impact and intensity?

Impact is the ground force reaction, the force with which the foot strikes the ground and it's reaction to the rest of the body. Intensity is independent of the impact. It can be achieved by using a high level of energy, doing vigorous workouts, without having to impact the ground with a high force.

How do you evaluate yourself?

Workout your target heart rate zone and take your pulse during the peak of the exercise to know if you are within the zone. If that is too difficult, take your rate of perceived exertion into account.

How do you graduate?

Play around with different factors one at a time to vary your exercise routine, to achieve maximum benefits and get rid of the monotony. This also tricks your body out of its complacency and makes it work harder all the time.

Safety tips

If you use the outdoors to workout, remember to carry:
A stick to ward off stray dogs
Identification and emergency contact numbers and addresses
Any special medical information such as allergies, medication etc
If you exercise indoors make sure:
There is adequate ventilation and air conditioning
The machines are in good condition
There are emergency aids around in case of a special need.

Hydration

Drink plenty of water so that you do not get dehydrated, otherwise you may feel giddy, have fainting spells, slower circulation, disorientation etc. This is one of the most important factors contributing to your success in the workout but one that is often overlooked. An easy rule to remember is to drink one extra litre of water for every hour you exercise. Heart disease is the number one killer all over the world and one of the main causes of it is inactivity. So all you lazybones, jump off that couch and get moving. Make a beginning by walking to your market or park, carry your own groceries rather than having them delivered and get up and change the channel rather than using the remote. All this will keep your heart in top shape and take you a long way towards a healthy life.

Proper Breathing Pranayama Exercises

2008-08-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

To live is to breathe. Without oxygen, no cell in your body would be able to live for more than a few minutes. Most people use only a fraction of their full breathing capacity. This inefficiency allows fatigue and stress to set in. Proper breathing can tone up your entire system and enhance health and vitality. Pranayama breathing exercises are the link between the physical and mental disciplines of yoga.

Yogic breathing or pranayama revitalizes the body, steadies the emotions and creates great clarity of mind. In all these exercises exhalation, rather than inhalation, is accentuated. This is because correct exhalation cleanses the lungs and speeds the elimination of toxins from your body. Before practising the exercises, you should be sure that you understand how to breathe correctly, making full use of the diaphragm.

The mechanics of breathing

During yoga asanas, you breathe through your nose. When you inhale, your diaphragm moves downward and air is drawn into your lungs via your trachea and bronchial tubes. When you exhale, your diaphragm moves upward and pushes the air out of your lungs.

Pranayama teaches you how to breathe effectively. These exercises are most effective at sunrise or early hours of the morning and should be done facing eastwards. However, before starting with the various Prananyarna exercises it is necessary to keep in mind certain basic instructions.

Place: The Pranayama must be practised regularly in a room that is airy.
Food: A small cup of milk or fruit juice should be taken before starting Pranayama and another cup of milk after the practice.
Hygiene: Before starting Pranayama, the body should be clean and free of impurities. You should bathe at least half an hour after the Pranayama exercise.
Clothes: Wear loose-fitting clothes and avoid constricting collars, ties and tight belts.
Intoxication: Do not use tobacco in any form and do not drink alcohol. Cigarette or tobacco smoke injures every part of the respiratory organs.
Health: It is advisable to avoid doing Pranayama exercises when one is in impaired health or suffering from some serious ailment. Women should not do any strenuous or vigorous exercise during pregnancy.
Sex: Celibacy will give better results. Those who cannot observe this rule should be moderate in sex.
Breathing: You should breathe through your nose and not via the mouth. Inhalation and exhalation must be silent, slow, deep and easy without any discomfort or strain. Pranayama must be practised in a state of relaxation.
Others: Too much talking, sleeping, eating should be avoided.
Posture: For doing Pranayama exercises the three best known seated postures are Sukhasana, the easy posture, Sidhsana the perfect posture; and Padamasana, the lotus posture. You can select the posture according to your convenience, depending upon your age and suppleness. But in all the postures, the head should be kept erect while the neck, shoulders and the back should be straight.

Breathing Exercises

Lying Down: Lie flat on your back. Your legs should be relaxed, as is the rest of your body. Put one hand on your abdomen. Breathe slowly and gently, feel your abdomen rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale. Keep your breathing slow, deep, and relaxed. Deep abdominal breathing exercises the diaphragm. Proper use of this muscle can greatly enhance your breathing capacity. This movement is important, as it brings air to the lowest and largest portion of your lungs.

Sitting Up: Sit up straight, placing one hand on your abdomen and the other on your lower ribcage. Imagine that you can see your lungs. First, draw air into the lowest part of your lungs. Next, pull air into the middle of your lungs by stretching your intercostal muscles. Finally, feel the upper portion of your lungs expand. Most people breathe too shallowly, which should be avoided.

Yoga breathing exercises

In these breathing exercises, adopt the Vishnu Mudra with your right hand to close your nostrils. Tuck your index and middle fingers in to your palm and raise your hand to your nose. Place the thumb by your right nostril and your ring and little fingers by your left.

Single Nostril Breathing: Sit with your legs crossed in the Easy Pose and your back straight. Close your right nostril with your right thumb. Exhale completely through the left. Inhale to a count of four, then exhale to a count of eight. Repeat five times. Close your left nostril with your ring and little fingers. Breathe through your right nostril, using the method given above. Repeat five times.

Alternate Nostril Breathing: When you are comfortable with Single Nostril Breathing, try breathing with alternate nostrils for a few rounds. Inhale with one nostril, but exhale with the other. Start a round by inhaling with the left nostril. Close it with your hand, then exhale right. Inhale right, close your right nostril, and exhale left. Do 10 of these rounds daily.

Full Alternate Nostril Breathing or Anuloma Viloma: When you are comfortable with the preliminaries, begin full Alternate Nostril Breathing. Holding your right hand in Vishnu Mudra, close your right nostril with your thumb. Exhale fully through the left, then go through another round.

Kapalabhati

Kapalabhati is one of the six Kriyas or purification practices, besides being a pranayama. The forced exhalation rids the lower lungs of stale air, making way for afresh intake of oxygen-rich air and cleansing the entire respiratory system. This is a wonderfully invigorating exercise to begin your pranayama and consists of a series of exhalations and inhalations, followed by a retention of breath. For one round of Kapalabhati you need to:

Pull in your abdominal muscles forcefully, as though you have been punched in the belly. Your diaphragm will move up quickly, and this will push the air out of your lungs.
To take in air, relax your abdominal muscles and let your diaphragm descend. Do not force the inhalation.

Points to Remember:

Relax your face. Keep your mouth closed, and breathe through your nose.
Keep your torso straight and do not lean forward.
To keep a comfortable, straight pose, sit with a cushion under your buttocks when performing pranayama.

Golden rules of Exercising

2008-08-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

Before you get started on any exercise or fitness programme, be it at home or at the gym you should remember a few guidelines that will go a long way to help you achieve your goals. You could call them your first principles or your checklist or what you will. Just remember if you don't follow these, your programme is bound to fall flat. And you don't want that to happen, do you? So let's get started:

Before you begin:

IDENTIFY YOUR SPECIFIC GOAL Before you begin any programme, it is important that you zero in on your specific goal. Are you already fit and want to stay that way? Do you have a good set of muscles body but land up panting at the end of a flight of stairs? Are you as muscular as Hercules but lack the elasticity of a gymnast? Do your resemble an urn in any way and want to lose weight? Be aware of what you want to achieve and work zealously towards that. Only then will you be able to see the results in that perspective. Also, set targets that are realistic, achievable and within reach. Patience is one attribute that you will have to learn.

EVALUATE YOUR PRESENT LEVELS OF FITNESS Take a close and objective look at what you can achieve in the different spheres of fitness. You could do this with the help of an assessment or the Fitness Quotient test. Also take the Fitness Primer to rule out any ailments you might have, which will then require a modified programme.

CHART YOUR COURSE Keep a progress chart so that the results become tangible differences you can compare. Set realistic and achievable goals that you can tick off, once you have reached the milestones. For instance, if losing weight is one of your goal, try to reach 1-2 kg weight loss per fortnight which will give you more satisfaction than aiming for 10 kgs for the whole month. That way, your goals are more in sight.

TIMING Set a specific time period you want to allot to your program and where you'd like to fit it in. If you are a morning person, then working out with the sunrise may be your cup of tea! But if you are in a shift job, you might have to keep changing your schedule according to the free time you have on your hands. The fact remains that whether you workout in the morning or at night, is better than none. Also, remember to exercise vis-а-vis your own medical conditions. For instance, if you are asthmatic, the very early morning or late evening hours in a polluted place may trigger an attack. And as a rule, try not to exercise close too bedtime because it may leave you too hyped to sleep.

WITH WHOM Next, you have to figure out whether you like working out alone or in a group, at home or in a gym or club. If you have a low level of motivation, then exercising with friends or like-minded people will keep you going and ensure high levels of commitment. However, if you are a solitary bird, you may prefer the confines of your house.

THE COST FACTOR Exercise can be expensive. Evaluate how much money you are willing to spend to reach your goal. For some, having a home gym compliments their style and adds to their status. But if you're always on a tightrope, and fitness is a very strong word in your dictionary then you'll have to look for alternatives.

Once begun:

You need to keep in mind certain rules before you physically get started.

CORRECT POSTURE Always perform your exercise with right posture techniques so as not to lay stress on any of your joints and to avoid injury. Your neck should be in line with your spine, you should be sitting with your back straight and your abdominal muscles in tight, and while standing, your knees should be slightly bent not locked.

WARM -UP Make sure a warm-up routine precedes your actual workout to avoid any muscular pulls and tears. A warm-up should last for about 5-10 minutes and should include stretching each muscle for about 5-8 seconds. An aerobic warm-up gradually raises the heart rate and a warm-up before a strength workout will prepare the body for the strenuous activity that is to follow.

THE BREATHING PATTERN: THE EX-EX PRINCIPLE Whenever you exert a muscle, you have to remember to exhale. While performing any contraction, release your breath and inhale after completing the repetition. Do not hold on to your breath as it could be dangerous. In an aerobic routine, try and take deep breaths throughout your workout.

FAST vs SLOW Aerobic workouts should be done at moderate to high pace (depending on your goal) and muscle work in a slow and controlled manner, for maximum benefit and safety.

TONING vs BUILDING Exercise depending on what your goal is. If you are in the gym for just a toned slender look, then you should be doing the exercises with a higher number of repetitions and lighter weights. But if muscle bulk or hypertrophy is the name of your game, then go for heavier weights and less repetitions but making sure you start off form the lower rung and work your way upwards. Just remember, the higher the intensity of the workout, the longer should be the recovery time between two sessions.

LARGE vs SMALL MUSCLES If you workout both large and small muscles in the same session, make sure that you work the larger muscle groups before concentrating on small muscles like biceps and calves because these assist in the larger muscle exercises and you don't want them to tire out too soon.

RANGE OF MOTION When you perform your exercises, make sure you remember to complete the entire movement. This will ensure that the complete muscles are activated.

BALANCE YOUR WORKOUT Work on achieving a balance both in terms of a stronger heart and set of lungs as well as strong and flexible muscles. Also, aim to workout the whole body equally so that one group of muscles is stronger than the other, making the weaker muscle prone to injury. Work the back as much as the front, the top as much as the lower half, the outsides of the body as much as towards the center. The best modus operandi is to strike a balance between all categories, so as to achieve fitness in it's totality.

VARY YOUR EXERCISE AND EQUIPMENT Your body has an amazing capacity to adapt, so bring on different exercises to help it respond and progress in an upward gradient. Varying the type of equipment will also ensure better results. For example, on one day you might like to use dumbbells, (chest flyes) the next time around a barbell (bench press) and the next time around do a compound exercise (push up) for the whole group of muscles you are targeting. This way you can trick your body into responding to the maximum.

COOL DOWN It is of utmost importance that you allot about five minutes to cool down your body, stretching your muscles before leaving. A cool down routine gradually brings down the heart rate and stretching the muscles assist in getting them back to their original length besides making them more flexible. A good stretch can also help reduce post-exercise soreness.

Stick to these golden rules and you will be able to extract the maximum from your fitness programme.

Gym Etiquette

2008-08-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

A lot of us like to go to the gym. Not only do we enjoy our workouts, we like being there. It can be a place to socialize, a place to get away or a place to hang out. But there are certain standards of behavior that allow everybody to enjoy the gym.

I once belonged to a gym that had a sign saying, "Don't spit in the water fountain." I know I don't have to tell you that, but do be sure you follow the posted house rules. Just about everywhere, the following will apply:

Wear a shirt and athletic shoes. Carry a towel and wipe down the equipment when you're finished. Wear shorts, sweats or workout pants, but not jeans; they limit your motion and the material is hard on the furniture.

Arrive on time for classes.

Rack your weights. If you can lift them, you can put them away.

Step back from the dumbbell rack to do your exercise so other members will have access to the weights. Don't walk in front of, or close to someone who is in the middle of a set.

Socializing is OK, but don't lounge on the equipment while you do it.

Let other members work in if they request and it is practical. If someone asks you how many sets you have left, tell him or her, but you don't have to let him or her have the equipment until you are done.

Don't grunt, howl or make animal noises. It disturbs others. Watch your language. The gym floor is not the place for profanity or dirty jokes.

Don't spread your stuff all over the benches in the locker room. Do not use the gym as a place to dye your hair or do other grooming tasks you don't want to do at home.

Help beginners if they forget how to use the equipment, but don't interfere with somebody else's workout if they don't want your help.

Tell management if there is something wrong with the equipment. Cooperate with gym staff, be nice to your fellow members and help make the gym a pleasant place for everybody.

Now get out there and work out hard.

Abdominal Exercises to strengthen your abdominal muscles

2008-08-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some exercises you can do to strengthen your abdominal muscles.

Abdominal angles

Exercise Description: This is a series of exercises aimed at stretching the back, neck and hamstrings, and strengthening the abdominal muscles.

Start Position: Sit upright on the floor, the legs extended forward.

Movement:

Pull the knees with the hands to the chest. Pull the head down, the forehead touching the knees, the toes pointed and touching the floor. Stay in this position for eight counts, concentrating on stretching the neck and the small of your back.
Straighten the back and lift up the head, the knees still at the chest; straighten one leg with the toe pointing up. Stay in this position for eight counts, concentrating on stretching the hamstrings.
Bend the leg again, simultaneously straightening the other leg. Repeat 16 times for each leg.
Repeat the exercise, but this time with the toes not touching the floor.
Repeat the exercise, but this time without the arms' help.

Abdominal curls

Exercise Description: Exercises spinal flexibility and strengthens the abdominal muscles.

Start Position: In supine position, relaxed

Movement:

Sit upright and make the abdominal angle again as described above, bending the knees and extending the forelegs parallel to the floor. Keeping the knees pulled to the chest, extend the arms forward parallel to the floor.
Lean back decreasing the abdominal angle, then pull the knees to the chest again. Repeat eight times and return to the supine position. Relax.
Supporting yourself with the elbows, arch the chest up, the head touching the floor.
Flatten your back again, lift up your head and put your chin on the chest. Repeat eight times.
Repeat Step 3, but at the upper point of the arching, sit completely upright. Repeat eight times.
Slowly return to the supine position, rolling down with your back rounded.
Repeat Step 5, but after sitting up, fold forward to the knees and relax. Repeat eight times.

Cardio: An Introduction to Cross-Training

2008-08-10T12:23:00.000-07:00

The term 'cross-training' became popular in the early 1980s. It indicates the combination of two or more sports or fitness activities into a training program with the goal of achieving balance in your fitness regimen.

In order to promote this balance, it is necessary to examine the five basic components of physical fitness as defined by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). These are: cardiovascular-respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition and flexibility.

Cardiovascular-respiratory endurance is also known as aerobic endurance and involves the ability of the heart, lungs and circulatory system to work at a harder effort than in a resting state, thus supplying the muscles with more oxygen. Exercise scientists believe that, of the five basic components, aerobic endurance is the most important in helping improve overall health and reducing the risk of disease. Guidelines by the ACSM for maintaining cardiovascular-respiratory fitness suggest activities that raise the heart rate to its training zone (between 60 to 90 percent of the maximum heart rate) for at least 20 minutes, three times a week.

Muscular strength is the muscle's ability to exert maximal effort. The stronger the muscle, the greater its ability to exert more effort. Some of the benefits of strong muscles include the capacity to protect the body from harm and an increased metabolism. Resistance training is the best way to increase strength.

Muscular endurance is the amount of time that the muscle can keep performing the same exertion at a certain level and is developed by completing the same type of repetitive activities over a period of time. For example, your leg muscles are able to carry you over longer distances as you build up your weekly mileage in running programs.

Body composition refers to the fat to lean tissue ratio with large variations found in all people due to genetic makeup, diet, activity level, etc. Maintaining a medically acceptable level of body fat is considered an important indicator of health and is seen as more important than body weight. High body fat has been associated with an increased risk for many health problems including heart disease and some forms of cancer.

Flexibility, the final of the five basic components in physical fitness, is the ability of muscles and connective tissues to stretch. The many benefits of flexibility include the reduction of injury risk during exercise and increased physical performance. The past few years have seen an upswing in the number of athletes who attend yoga classes or practice it on their own. Others have incorporated a stretching routine into their other fitness regimens. To prevent injuries from over-stretching, you should remember to stretch after your muscles have already been warmed up for a few minutes and are loose and allow a full stretch safely.

With the numerous innovations in modern fitness technology, individuals interested in cross-training can pick and choose as they please until finding an activity, or activities, which they like and will stick with. For example, a person whose primary means of fitness is bicycling may decide to cross-train with an occasional run, cross-country skiing or stair climbing. Every other day, to enhance muscular fitness, she might add some resistance training. Many health clubs now offer resistance-training classes as well as other options to improve muscular strength and endurance. To balance out her physical fitness, yoga two or three times a week might be just the thing.

Basically, the list of options for cross-training activities is long and varied and should offer just about anyone something to please. Working out no longer has to be the typical dreaded job that it once was. With everything from aerobic dance to yoga and beyond, cross-training can make losing those pounds and getting in shape fun and even anticipated.

Do Vegetarian Diets Help or Hinder Endurance Athletes?

2008-08-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

The number of vegetarians in the United States has been steadily increasing over the years. Most people adopt a vegetarian lifestyle for its numerous health benefits. A vegetarian is defined as someone who omits all animal products (including fish, chicken and turkey) except for dairy products and eggs.

In various polls conducted by the Vegetarian Resource Group, it was reported that the number of vegetarians in the U.S. grew from approximately one percent in both 1994 and 1997, to approximately 2.5 percent in 2000. In 1999 the Vegetarian Resource Group also reported that when American adults eat meals away from home, 5.5 percent of them always order a dish without meat, fish or fowl, and 57 percent of the population sometimes, often or always orders a vegetarian item.

Studies show that vegetarian diets are linked to a reduced risk of various diseases such as high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Although other common aspects of a vegetarian lifestyle, like abstinence from smoking and drinking, or higher levels of physical activity, may account for the decreased risk of disease, a vegetarian diet definitely has its benefits. Most Americans eat far too much meat and not enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains. By omitting meat from the diet, more room is available to add healthful foods.

But is it a good idea for an endurance athlete to follow a vegetarian diet? Can runners, cyclists, swimmers, in-line skaters and the like benefit from omitting meat from their diet? It all depends on the nutritional adequacy of the diet!

Although most Americans get more than enough protein in their diet, sometimes it is difficult for a strict vegetarian or vegan (those who omit all animal products from their diet, including dairy and eggs) athlete to obtain enough protein if they are not careful in planning their meals. Protein is important for endurance athletes in order to rebuild and repair damaged muscle tissue. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Therefore, a 160-pound (72.7 kg) male would need about 58 grams of protein day, while a 140-pound (63.6 kg) female would need only 51 grams a day to meet the RDA. This amount would be relatively easy to achieve, even if following a vegan diet. But if you are an endurance athlete, the RDA doesn't quite cut it.

The protein recommendation for an endurance athlete is about 1.2 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, so now our 160-pound male that is involved in endurance athletics would need between 87-131 grams of protein a day, and the 140-pound female athlete would need 76-115 grams a day, substantially more than the RDA. For a vegetarian that includes dairy products and/or eggs in their diet, this amount would still be relatively easy to obtain, but a vegan would need to make wise food choices to make sure they had adequate protein in their diet. Good, high protein choices for vegans include beans (legumes), peanut butter, nuts and seeds, and soy products. Even some non-dairy "cheeses" contain a good amount of protein, although most contain casein (a milk byproduct), which the majority of vegans avoid. Many grains are also relatively high in protein, for example a large bagel has about 10 grams, and a cup of pasta has seven grams. Be advised that any extra protein calories, just like extra carbohydrates and fat calories, will be stored as fat.

As long as protein needs are met, athletes can be at an advantage if they adopt a vegetarian diet because they tend to be higher in carbohydrates than a non-vegetarian diet. Carbohydrates are essential for maximum athletic performance because only carbohydrates can be stored in the muscle as glycogen. Glycogen is what fuels muscles, and when these stores are depleted and not replenished, fatigue can set in. Athletes should strive to consume about eight grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. For a 160-pound male athlete this would be about 580 grams per day, and for a 140-pound female athlete this would equal about 510 grams a day. Good carbohydrate choices include fruits, vegetables, pasta, rice, cereals and other grains. These sources of carbohydrates also supply the body with much-needed fiber.

Iron is an important nutrient, especially for athletes, because it is a component of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the substance that transports oxygen within the red blood cells. Vegetarian and vegan athletes can obtain iron from a variety of plant foods such as green leafy vegetables, legumes and nuts, as well as fortified foods such as cereals and soymilk. The iron that comes from plant sources, dairy products and eggs isn't absorbed by the body as well as the iron from meat, fish and poultry, so vegetarians and vegans (especially females) need to make sure they consume foods rich in iron.

A vegetarian diet that includes an abundance of fruits and vegetables can also be beneficial to an athlete because of the high antioxidant content of the diet. Intense physical activity can cause oxidative stress within the body, and the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables can help combat this stress. Studies have shown that a high intake of antioxidant nutrients can lead to a decrease in muscle soreness after exercise. Although it is best to obtain these nutrients from your diet, supplementing your diet with the antioxidant nutrients, vitamin C (500 to 1,000 milligrams) and vitamin E (200 to 400 international units) may enhance your performance. Fruits and vegetables also have a very high water content, which can help add to your total daily fluid needs.

Although dietary guidelines suggest that fat should comprise less than 30 percent of your diet, it is recommended that athletes go a little lower, to about 25 percent, to make room for a higher proportion of carbohydrates. A vegetarian diet is typically lower in fat than a non-vegetarian diet, especially saturated fat. Saturated fats, like those found in meat and full fat dairy products, can raise your blood levels of "bad" cholesterol, which leads to an increased risk of heart disease. Not exactly what you want as an endurance athlete! No more than 10 percent of calories should come from saturated fat, for a 2,000-calorie diet, this is about 20 grams. But some fat in your diet is essential; fat has many functions, including the transport of fat-soluble vitamins. Because most vegetable sources of fat are unsaturated fats, with the exception of palm and coconut oils, and most animal sources are saturated, a vegetarian diet with low-fat dairy products can be advantageous in reducing the risk of heart disease.

Last but not least, it is important that an athlete consume enough calories to fuel their body! Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in calories than non-vegetarian diets, which could be a plus for someone looking to lose weight. But, if you wish to maintain your weight, it is important to consume enough calories before, after and possibly during (if it lasts longer than 90 minutes) exercise. A vegetarian diet than includes a variety of vegetables, legumes, nuts, fruits and grains can supply an endurance athlete with enough calories to keep them going. While a non-vegetarian diet isn't going to hinder athletic performance, a vegetarian diet can have some advantages when it is properly planned. A breakfast of toaster pasties, a lunch consisting of cheese pizza and French fries, and then macaroni and cheese for dinner could also be considered vegetarian, but will not be of any benefit in your athletic endeavors! But a well-planned vegetarian diet can supply an optimal ratio of nutrients that can help boost your performance!

Spinal Alignment Exercise

2008-08-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

These exercises are great for proper posture, spinal problems and low back pain relief. Believe it or not, standing up straight helps you look slimmer, improves body image and self-confidence.

Rationale

The aligned spine lets your spinal cord and spinal nerves occupy the correct anatomical position within the spinal column and between the vertebrae. Unaligned vertebral disks create asymmetrical pressure on the spinal part of the nervous system. Even if it is not pathological, this condition is not optimal for the nervous system's functioning

Start Position

Straighten the body watching yourself in the mirror.

Movement

Lift up the shoulders
Rotate them back and down
Keep them as far back and down as you can
Relax your arms
Make your neck long and straight, do not tilt the head
Make sure the pelvic is well aligned vertically and does not curl back or forward.
Keep the posture for 16 counts, relax.

Repeat eight times.
Remember how your body feels during this exercise. Repeat as many times a day as it takes to make it your habitual posture.

Working Out Once a Week

2008-08-08T12:42:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been told that if you don't do your weight training three times a week you might as well not do it? Well, that theory was proved wrong some time ago. We've known for a long time that two workouts a week can give you good gains. But what about once a week?

In a recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, experienced weight trainees worked out either one day a week with three sets per exercise to failure, or three days of one set to failure, both for 12 weeks. The one-day group achieved 62 percent of the strength gains of the three-day group. The three-day group also achieved better gains in lean body mass, so three days was clearly more effective, even with similar volume. But the one-day group also made progress, so for those times you can't get to the gym two or three times a week, it's still a good idea to go once, as you can maintain or even increase strength with one intense workout per week, at least for a while.

This study involved experienced weight trainees, not beginners. I think it's important for beginners to work out two or three times a week because they need to learn the exercises and activate the neural pathways.

Cardio: Bicycling Basics

2008-08-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

Biking is a great way to get in shape. The cardio benefits are intense as is the strengthening of the lower body.

After a friend gave birth to her second child, she wanted to lose those extra "baby" pounds and get back into shape. Unfortunately, she was faced with knee and hip problems and wasn't sure which sport would work best in her quest for fitness. While surfing the Internet one day, she came across a bicycling web site that provided her with the incentive she needed to start bicycling her way to better fitness.

Bicycling provides a variety of fitness benefits. Not only does it offer an intense cardiovascular workout which will help to burn fat and calories, but it is an excellent way to strengthen and tone your lower body including buttocks, thighs, and calves. Because cycling is not a weight-bearing exercise, it doesn't put the pressure on your joints and bones the way many other forms of exercise do. Also important is the boost to your self-esteem, which is experienced when you exercise outdoors on a regular basis.

The National Sporting Goods Association reports that 45% of the people taking up the sport of bicycling are women.

As the bicycling industry grows, bikes of all types are constantly improved and designed to handle almost any kind of terrain. For example, road bikes look like the 10-speeds that many of us rode as youngsters with the curved-under handlebars and narrow tires. Mountain bikes have fatter tires with knobs and straighter upright handlebars. They work well on rougher terrain. Finally, there are hybrid bikes, which have the same gear systems, handlebars and frames as found on mountain bikes, but offer narrower tires for a smoother and faster ride. Experts recommend the use of a hybrid bike for the bicycle enthusiast who wants a stable bike that handles well both on pavement and on the dirt.

The clerks at bike shops are well equipped to measure an individual and his or her new equipment. By talking to the experts, you are more likely to end up with a bicycle that fits your measurements. Without a proper fit, your bike will be uncomfortable, and you might be disinclined to ride as often as you need for fitness and better health.

In order to achieve the greatest amount of comfort on your bike, it is important to buy a comfortable seat. For example, if you are a woman, inquire about special seats made to fit a woman's body. Some of these offer a wider back and narrower nose or use softer material on the underside for a more comfortable ride. When considering all of the options, it is essential to try out the bike just as you would a car before buying it. Most bike shops will allow you to ride the bike outside first.

Prior to hitting the road or trail for your initial ride, you must purchase a helmet to protect your head in the case of an accident. All helmets sold in the United States are required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to meet federal safety standards so the safety aspect of the helmet doesn't need to be taken into consideration. However, there are several options to keep in mind. Do you want a helmet with a vent to help you stay cool? Or you might like a helmet, which is equipped with reflective stripes for night riding or a removable visor for the sun. The helmet should fit snugly.

Once you have all of the necessary equipment, become familiar with your bike by riding around an empty parking lot or other unpopulated place. Practice shifting the gears and applying the brakes. When learning which gear works best on different terrains, remember this general rule of thumb: use the gears that are smaller in diameter on the front derailleur and the larger ones on the back for hills and the larger in the front and smaller in the back for the flatter stretches of your ride.

When you pedal, follow through on your pedal stroke and focus on making circles. Good pedaling technique involves applying force when your foot is at the bottom of the stroke and using your leg muscles to pull your leg back up, thus creating circles. You might also want to experiment by leaning when you turn or standing when surging up hills.

Many places offer clinics or classes for new riders. Ask at the shop where you bought your bike for more information or inquire at a local community college or YMCA.

Begin your training program with easy, slow rides on flat terrain. This will help you become accustomed to the sport and allow you to look forward to your bike rides. After a few weeks of fairly leisurely rides, increase the intensity of your workout by lengthening the distance, increasing your speed or adding a couple of hills. In order to prevent burnout and the risk of injury, don't change too much at once.

As you progress, joining a bike club and training with others can inspire you to even greater levels of fitness.

Getting Started with a Running Program

2008-08-06T08:40:00.001-07:00

If you are headed out for a run … it is very important to start off slow. Many people will go hard the first day, running a pace much too fast and end up cramping, injuring themselves or putting undue stress on their bodies. They feel the pain the next few days and don't want to continue. Their first day becomes their last day, taking up another activity in place of running, in order to fulfill their exercise quota.

What do I mean by slow? Jog a slow pace, relax! Even if you feel you could walk faster, continue to go at it slowly. Maintain that pace for 15 to 20 minutes everyday for two weeks. If you can go for 30 minutes or an hour, go for it. But make sure you resist the urge to go faster in the beginning of your running program. Take it easy, and enjoy it! If it's too boring, it's a perfect pace. Eventually, you will want to increase your speed and distance a little every week or two weeks.

"Read" your body! If you feel like you can increase the speed, do it! If you feel you're going too fast, and it takes too long to recover from your run, slow down! As you get into condition, your lungs & heart will get stronger, and you will recover quicker. Recover, meaning, you won't feel as tired as you normally did in the beginning of your program.

Conditioning your body involves building your stamina and endurance. Stamina, the ability to go for longer periods at a fast pace, is built slowly. Endurance, the ability to withstand discomfort or pain for a long period, is also built slowly by increasing the pace and length/distance of your run.

You don't have to punish your body in order to be Well-Conditioned. You need only to start & build slowly, according to your own needs. Most of all, relax and enjoy the time you have to run, you will reap the endorphin highs sooner than later.

Beginner Gear-Buying Tips (Cycling)

2008-08-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

New to the world of Cycling? Here's what to look for from frames to shoes to helmets.

Buy your bike from a local shop with a good service program. Some shops offer service regularly as part of the program. This is important, especially in the beginning months of a bike's life, as the cables will stretch and create shifting and braking adjustment needs.

Be sure to have a professional or an experienced rider fit you for the bike and helmet. The proper frame size will ensure better low back comfort and fewer problems with knees, neck and shoulders. Along with the frame sizing, you may need to change the stem or seat post to accommodate your body length and size. Helmet fit is critical for protection in a crash. A helmet that sits back too far, revealing your forehead, and perhaps even hair, won't be helpful in a crash. The straps should be snug and the buckle and not flapping in the breeze!

Shoes: Comfort is the key, but also look for a pair with a stiff sole. The stiffer the sole, the more power in your pedal stroke. Soft mushy soles transmit more of the energy from your legs into the shoe rather the putting the power in your pedals! If you are going with a clipless pedal system, have an experienced bicycling expert set the cleats up for you. Plan to spend some time just pedaling around feeling the sensation of being "clipped in". Adjust the tightness of the pedals loosely at first, so that you can easily get out of them (especially when you suddenly arrive at a red light). Give yourself lots of practice time clipping and unclipping on a soft flat area before hitting the road or the trails.

Shorts: Cycling Shorts are designed to eliminate chaffing and rubbing on sensitive areas! Try on a few pairs to determine personal fit and comfort and then DONT WEAR YOUR UNDERWEAR when you use the shorts on the bikes! This defeats the whole purpose and immediately marks you as a beginner "geek"!

Give Your Brain a Shake! More Food For Thought

2008-08-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Brain function is determined by many factors, one of which is proper nutrition. This 'Brain Shake' recipe has been developed to supply ample amounts of vitamins, minerals and good fats to keep our brains nourished. It's a great way to start the day. One a day helps keep the mental cobwebs away!

Brain Shake

2 tablespoons soy lecithin granules
1 tbsp. flax oil
2 to 3 tablespoons plain yogurt (with active bacterial cultures)
Banana, blueberries, melon, strawberries, papaya or other fruit of choice
1 cup milk (soy, rice or cow's milk)

Directions: Mix in blender until smooth and drink

For variations, freeze the fruit before blending or add crushed ice to your drink. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of almond butter for extra protein.

Soy Lechithin Granules contain phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine. These compounds make up the membrane of every brain cell. Proper conduction of nerve signals depends on the quality of this membrane. Therefore, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine are very important in helping brain cells communicate with each other. Many research studies have shown phosphatidylserine in supplemental form to be effective in Alzheimer's disease, age-associated memory impairments, depression, epilepsy and cognitive decline. However, this supplement is very expensive, especially if taken long term. It is found in small amounts in SOY LECITHIN. Otherwise, we rely on our body's production of these components. This requires ample amounts of essential fatty acids, vitamin B12, folic acid and Vitamin C.

Flaxseed Oil supplies omega 3 essential fatty acids. This is the primary fat in the brain and is necessary for effective nerve cell communication. It is estimated that 95% of the population is deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids. Keep flax oil refrigerated. Exposure to heat, oxygen or light will diminish its healthy benefit.

Yogurt contains beneficial gut bacteria that help to produce Vitamin B12.

Fruit supplies anti-oxidant vitamins including Vitamin C and small amounts of folic acid.

Cardio: Avoiding the ’Side-Ache’

2008-08-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful day; you're out training for the Big Race. You've just taken that hill with gusto, and then wham! Bam! It's that old 'side-ache'! The Enemy from within. It's excruciating, so you stop, grab your side and curl up! Ooooh, it hurts! You ask yourself, "Why does this always happen?"

It's every runner's nightmare! If you're prone to side-ache, you'll almost hate your training sessions and fear will paralyze you and keep you from "going all-out." You avoid eating or drinking too much water before your workout, try to take it easy, think happy thoughts and still it hits like a bee sting, just as you're feeling invincible.

So how can we avoid it? Ask a running coach she'll say, "You've got to breathe!" Frustrated, you come back, "What in the heck does that mean? Of course, I'm breathing or I'd drop dead!" And so she'll say:

First, and most important in running, is to relax. When you relax you will allow your body the opportunity to inhale more deeply, either through the nose or the mouth, filling your bloodstream with the necessary oxygen it needs to pump blood to the heart at an accelerated rate. Your body depends on the oxygen you breathe in order for the body to function at its best during training or competition. If you are holding your breath, which many runners unknowingly do when they are running tense or tired, you are cutting off the oxygen supply, and bingo, side-ache. (Just the thought of it, gives me the chills!) Relaxing will allow freer, deeper breathing and will enable your tired body to rejuvenate slowly.

What to do when you're hit with that stabbing pain in your side? Slow your pace down, relax your tense body and start inhaling slowly and deeply until your lungs are filled to capacity, then exhale naturally (not blowing the air out). The pain will disappear. But you must continue your deep breathing, or it will return.

Practice deep breathing before and after your run. While you stretch your muscles during your pre-warm-up or warm-down, train your mind and body to breathe right. Inhale as you stretch, hold for three seconds and then exhale as you release the tension in your muscles. Do this daily, and your mind, body and spirit will replicate this during your run. You will run relaxed, free and you will avoid the dreaded side-ache!

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Gym

2008-08-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

Thinking about joining a gym but not sure where to start? Here are some simple questions you need to ask before making any decisions.

Is the location convenient?

If you really plan on making working out in the gym a part of your life it will have to convenient. It needs to be within at least 15 minutes of your home or on your way to or from work if you plan on using it before or after your workday.

Do you want a large modern gym with all the latest equipment or are you comfortable with the basics in a smaller setting?

The larger the gym the more participants there will be. Visit the gym during the hours you actually plan on using it. This will give you a feel for how crowded it will be and who will be there when you are. Take note if the equipment you plan to use is free or if there is a wait.

How much will it cost?

Most gyms charge a one-time membership fee in addition to their monthly fee. Watch for specials during their slow seasons when the fee is often waived. Tell the salesperson exactly what your needs are. Don't let them sell you more options than you're going to use.

What are their hours of operation?

Make sure their hours suit your needs. No sense in joining a gym that will be closing shortly after you plan on arriving.

What type of classes do they offer?

If you plan on participating in organized classes make sure they have the types of classes you enjoy at the time you plan on being there.

Is it clean and well maintained?

Check out the bathrooms, showers, locker rooms, etc., for cleanliness. Do you notice the staff wiping down the machines, mirrors and water fountains? Let's face it; if it smells bad you are not going to stay long.

What type of special services do they offer?

If services are important to you be sure to ask which ones are available and if there is an additional cost. The most common services available are childcare, personal trainers, a nutritionist and massage therapists.

Are their instructors certified?

Ask if reputable associations certify the instructors and trainers they employ. Their certificates should be readily available.

Choosing a gym doesn't need to be a difficult chore when you ask the right questions BEFORE you join.

Cardio: Your First 5K - Rules of the Road

2008-08-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Not long ago, the 10-kilometer distance was the standard road race, and the occasional 5K drew beginners at one end, and speedy runners wanting to go all out at the other. Now times have changed and the most popular race in the U.S. is the 5K.

If you have not run a race, the 5K, at 3.1 miles, may call out to you as something you can handle. Should you do it? Sure.

First pick your race, preferably a nearby community race. If you are regularly running three miles or more, you're ready. If you're running shorter distances, give yourself some time to work up to three miles. If you run a mile now, add a quarter mile a week and you will be ready to race in two months. If you're running two miles, schedule your race for a month from now. This is a conservative progression and alternatives are possible. You can walk the race if you'd rather, but if you want to run it, practice until you can run three miles steady. Don't worry about finishing last. Somebody will, but it probably won't be you. Nobody quits running because they finish last in a race, as long as they finish. If this is your first race and you're not very athletic, just concentrate on distance, not speed. You can work on your speed later when you decide to be competitive. You should, however, be able to run a mile in 12 minutes or better. If not, work up to it. If that's just too hard for you, you might want to consider walking as fast as you can instead (unless you really have a burning desire to be a runner).

Once you choose your race, send in your entry form. Commit yourself with a little money and you will be less likely to back out.

On race day, arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the start. This gives you plenty of time to pick up your race packet and stand in line for the porta-potty, if necessary. Dress so you will be cool at the start. You'll warm up quickly when you run. Don't wear your race shirt for this race. Wear it afterward, to show you finished. And wear it for your next race. Warm up with some fast walking and easy stretching. Don't wear yourself out before the race. Line up at the start about halfway back in the pack. The fastest runners start at the front and the walkers bring up the rear.

Try to run at the same steady pace throughout. If you go too fast at the start, you may fade before the finish. Do not stop suddenly or move laterally for any reason, including fatigue, shoe tying, seeing a friend, etc., without checking to see that there is no one behind who will run into you. Be careful of the following: people on skates, bicycles or running with their dogs (often not allowed); little kids who run real fast and then come to a dead stop in front of you; people pushing baby strollers and taking up more than their share of the space.

If you're running with a friend, which is a great idea, go ahead and converse, but be aware you should be breathing a little heavily or you're not paying attention to your running. Take some water at the water station, and drink all you need at the end. Then go ahead and eat whatever is being given away. Watch the race clock at the finish and remember your time. You'll do better in your next race. Try to stay for the awards ceremony. You can gauge your performance in relation to others in your age group. You may even win a prize. Think you're too slow? Sometimes only one or two people are entered in a division. Take your prize -- you beat everybody who didn't show up.

Benefits of Water

2008-08-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

We've all heard it somewhere -- eight glasses of water a day is a healthy habit for your body. Every fitness magazine, diet book and many doctors all recommend the same thing, at least eight, eight-ounce glasses of water a day. OK, so we know what we are supposed to do with regards to water, but why is it so important?

Proper consumption of water assists your kidneys in functioning properly. If your kidneys are not working to their full potential, some of their job becomes the liver's responsibility. The main function of the liver is to metabolize fat. The less the liver is metabolizing, then more fat remains in the body. No one wants that, right? Consuming enough water also helps ease fluid retention, flushes excess sodium from the system, makes skin appear supple and healthy and flushes toxins out of the body. By consuming at least eight glasses of water a day, our bodies will be healthier and look better.

All of this sounds nice and easy, but eight, eight-ounce glasses of water is a lot of water! And the recommended eight glasses increases for many reasons, such as activity level and a person's weight. The consumption of beverages containing caffeine and alcohol act as diuretics, and cause the body to eliminate water. If you consume these types of beverages, you must drink more water.

If your lifestyle requires you to drink even more than the recommended eight glasses, you may be overwhelmed at how to drink so much water in one day. Luckily, there are ways to make drinking tons of water easy, and maybe even enjoyable.

It is important to get in the habit of taking water with you wherever you go, because you will need to in order to drink enough. Purchasing a large plastic bottle with a lid that flips up into a straw is a good way to carry water around with you. Many of these bottles are labeled with the amount of ounces they hold, which is helpful if you are keeping track of amounts of consumption. Drinking a glass before meals is a good way to remember to drink water, as is drinking lots during physical activity.

Now that you have started drinking water, you may become sick of plain old water all the time. A slice of citrus fruit such as a lemon, lime or orange adds a nice zing to otherwise flavorless water. Also, changing the type of glass you drink from can also be fun. Use a wine glass or a coffee mug (just remember to measure out how much you are putting in the cup, so you'll know how many ounces it is!). Adding a splash of a favorite juice can also liven up your glass. Whatever you do, keep drinking (water, that is). It is a good way to keep your body healthy and your skin looking great.

Cardio: Beat Exercise Boredom

2008-08-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

Even the most enthusiastic and regular exercisers get bored. I know it is hard to believe, but we do. Just like with anything else, it is important to keep your exercise fresh and interesting. That way you're more likely to stick with it and have it become a part of your daily life.

So how do you keep from getting bored? What can you do to make exercise fun?

First, make exercise a priority. Put it at the top of your "to-do" list. Once you plan on it and incorporate it into your life as a daily or every-other-day "to-do," you're less likely to let other things get in the way. Simply, think of it like you do brushing your teeth or showering.

Try different activities. Go to the gym one day. Or try different classes at different gyms. You can pay a daily fee with no obligation at most clubs. In most areas, you can find classes in kickboxing, stationary biking, step aerobics, yoga, boot camp, body sculpting, resist-a-ball and weight training. Pick one or several -- just get out there and move.

Head outdoors. Walk, bike, run, jog, play tennis, golf, even play with your kids in the yard. There are a multitude of outdoor activities. Throw a Frisbee, fly a kite or jump on a trampoline. Get out of the house early in the morning or late in the afternoon for a break. Just remember to drink plenty of water.

Buddy up. This is probably the most effective way to stay committed to exercise and keep it consistent. When you and a friend or several friends are accountable to each other, you're less likely to back out or cancel. In fact, you're more likely to push and encourage each other to do the exercise as well as eat right.

Mix up your routine in the gym. Try different machines. Try different intensity levels and times. Do your workout in reverse order. Vary your reps and sets. Use your own body weight for different exercises. Mix it all up. Just remember to use good form and proper weights.

Join a local sports club or discover a new activity like rock climbing, underwater diving, softball or biking.

Other tricks to keeping boredom at bay, especially on cardio equipment, listen to books on tape or music, read a magazine or watch the news. Move quickly from machine to machine, but keep your reps slow and controlled.

If you walk or jog outside, try different neighborhoods or routes. Discover local trails. But don't go alone.

Still don't like to exercise and find it boring? Then take your kids or anybody's kids to a playground and do what they do. You'll definitely get your exercise.

Keep that Extra Weight Off Your Waistline: Did You Eat Your Roughage Today?

2008-07-30T12:02:00.001-07:00

Did you eat your roughage today? What's the point in eating more roughage? Wake up! Dietary fiber does not only keep you regular, it helps you lose weight and keep it off.

What exactly is roughage? Roughage is another term for fiber. It is a substance found in plants that your body can't digest. There are two types of fiber: Soluble and Insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel. By forming this gel, it slows the rate food moves through your body and gives you a sense of fullness. This substance can be found in fruits, vegetables, and grain products. On the other hand, insoluble fiber does not absorb water very well. Insoluble fiber helps regulate that rate food passes through your intestine. This is tough part found on the skin and seeds of fruits and vegetables. Without insoluble fiber, the rate can go too fast, causing diarrhea; or too slow, causing constipation.

How does this help you lose weight? There are several ways in which fiber aids in weight reduction. High insulin levels are associated with weight gain, roughage helps to decrease insulin levels. Fiber also forces you to chew, by increasing chewing time, your body recognizes early that you are no longer hungry. By filling you up, the increased amount of water absorbed by fiber gives you a feeling of satiety. By reducing total calorie intake, fiber has a very low amount of calories allowing you to consume fewer calories. By preventing the digestion of fat, binding of the fat makes it unable to be digested by your body.

How can you use this information in your everyday life? Here are some suggestions on how to increase roughage with each meal.

Breakfast
Eat a piece of fruit with breakfast
Drink orange juice with the pulp in it
Bran muffins
Granola
Whole grain cereals

Lunch/Dinner
Have a serving of vegetables with lunch and dinner
Substitute brown rice for white rice
Substitute beans and peas for meat
Substitute whole-wheat flour for white flour, if recipe allows

Snacks
Fresh and dried fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables without peeling
Oatmeal Cookies or Fig Bars
Whole wheat or rye crackers

Be Cautious! Moderation is key. Too much of a good thing can be bad for you. Excess fiber may cause flatulence and decreased mineral absorbtion. The typical diet should contain between 25 and 35 grams per day. How can you prevent a problem form occurring?

Start slowly. Incorporate one item at a time.
Drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day. Too little water may cause constipation.
Soak beans and peas in water before cooking. This will reduce your chance of flatulence.
Beware of fiber supplements.

Don't let a little gas scare you, however. Increasing fiber in addition to a healthy lifestyle may help you win your battle against the bulge. Fiber also fights against heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Do I Really Have to ... Ugh ... Exercise?

2008-07-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

It is sometimes a burden to try to get yourself all psyched up to go workout! Especially if you are in a workout rut! Here are some ways to get back on the band wagon!

We contemplate this suggestion very carefully weighing the negative aspects and the possible benefits. Yes we think about it after a very idle day of sitting at a desk, and after having eaten two calorie and fat loaded meals while contemplating another one soon. We have not been able to get into the jeans we wore just a year ago even by "tugging, grunting, and laying flat on our back, to snap them," no way!

Every day the television and the articles in magazines nag at us, working on our consciousness, "loose weight, exercise!" Try as we may, it is very difficult to ignore the prompting.

Americans are overweight, more than ever before. The dangerous chance of a heart attack looms ever before us as a possibility. It is time to exercise and get healthy … even if we think we are not quite ready to approach the formidable subjects of exercise and good nutrition.

I suppose most people think of exercise as "pain" pure and simple, and it can be. There are those who are up to it, and those like me ... who at one time were, but now would prefer to exercise with less intensity.

One of the major killers of Americans is cardiovascular disease, with the great cohort being habits we have developed over a lethargic lifetime. Too many "fast foods" and not enough activity are the greatest culprits.

Regular physical activity will begin to positive benefits right away and will ultimately prove to be a lifesaver in later years. It is never too late to start.

Physical activity need not be extreme to be beneficial. Moderate activity of 30 minutes a day (try brisk walking), up to 5 times per week will strengthen the heart and produce weight loss. This exercise reduces not only the risk of coronary heart disease, but also lessons the risk of colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It also helps with bone density. It will even counteract depression and anxiety!

Nutrients!

Good nutrition substantively helps to reduce the chance of developing such diseases as coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Americans eat too much fat and too few fruits and vegetables. We eat up to 30 % less of the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables according to the Center for Disease Control. The CDC also notes that more than 3 million women weigh at least 100 pounds more than the recommended body weight and between 20 to 30 % of the nations adults are at least 30 pounds overweight.

Eat fewer calories than you burn (basic knowledge for most of us). Losing weight is not as complex as many perceive it to be. "Just start," it is a mindset; do it slowly, loose no more than one to two pounds a week. It is not rocket science, simply eat less, and eat the right nutritious food. Eat only 500 calories less per day (about one honey bun less), increase your activity, and you will lose about 3500 calories a week, which is one pound.

Weight loss: Training Tips For Overweight Participants

2008-07-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

Are you overweight and ready to begin an exercise program? Here are some tips.

Get A Physical

Before beginning any exercise program, see your physician and have a complete physical performed. Your trainer or instructor will be better able to assist you and your needs if they, and you, are aware of any medical issues; such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

Be Patient

Weight loss that is permanent does not happen over night. Be patient with your trainer and be patient with yourself. Focus on every improvement, no matter how big or small. You will be one step closer to your goal.

Don't Go "Gung Ho"

It's probably been awhile since you have pushed your body and mind. Learn to enjoy physical activity without over doing it by working out five, six or seven times a week. Give yourself a small goal to meet, such as going to workout twice a week for 30 minutes each time. By meeting small goals, you will improve self-esteem and increase exercise adherence.

We All Fall Off The Wagon

There will be times when you are tired or just not in the mood to exercise. That's okay! Go ahead, take a day off. The important thing is that you start again tomorrow.

Get At Least two Personal Training Sessions

Learn to exercise right. By getting with a qualified personal trainer, you have the opportunity to learn exercise techniques properly. Plus, the trainer is there to get you motivated and to help you take those few first steps to health and wellness.

Perform Exercises That You Enjoy

You don't have to go to the gym in order to get fit. You can walk outdoors, garden or dance in your own living room. Find an activity that you enjoy.

Cross Train

Keep your heart and muscles stimulated by participating in a variety of exercises. Many exercise participants drop out within 90 days because they are bored. Try out new strength exercises, try out different aerobic classes or split your workout time between indoor and outdoor activities. Keep it interesting.

Praise Yourself

Many times overweight participants only see the negative in themselves, how much weight is left to lose or criticizing poor performance. Take the time each day to recognize an accomplishment you have made. Maybe you didn't go for 30 minutes on the treadmill, but you did take the stairs at work instead of the elevator. Also, you came to the gym when everyone else was going out for drinks. Praise yourself for every step you take.

Don't Go Scale Crazy

Weight fluctuates for a variety of reasons, and weighing yourself everyday may make your attitude negative instead of positive. If you have the opportunity, have your body composition measured. This will tell you how much fat is on your body and will give you a base to start from. Another option is to judge your progress by how your clothes feel. It is very rewarding to put on a size 16 jeans that you have been wearing for five years and realize they are loose!

Be Proud Of Who You Are

Every person and every body is different. I may not look like you and you may not look like me, but we are both healthy people. If you feel healthier and look healthier, then that is all that matters.

Kickboxing: A Great Workout

2008-07-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Kickboxing incorporates many of the moves of boxers with martial arts techniques, all set to music. It is an aerobic workout, but it is not dancing. Tae Bo does not take a lot of coordination, although coordination always helps. Instead, you develop your timing and sequencing as you learn the routines and the moves.

When you take a kickboxing class at the gym, you will typically find a fairly diverse crowd. Both men and women take this class, and the attendees vary greatly in age and fitness level. The one thing everyone has in common is a desire to work out and sweat off some calories without any fancy prancing or special routines. Kickboxing definitely answers those needs.

You typically wear everyday workout wear to a kickboxing class - anything from a tee shirt and sweatpants to bike shorts and a crop top. Good solid athletic shoes are a must! I would recommend cotton socks and a sturdy pair of cross-trainers. There's a lot of bouncing, kicking and a lot (and I do mean, a lot) of jumping jacks, so your legs are going to get a workout. Comfortable shoes can help absorb some of the impact.

Kickboxing motion includes a lot of boxing moves. These include jabs, punches, hooks and uppercuts (all arm moves, directed at an invisible opponent in front of you). Your legs are almost constantly moving, in a boxing shuffle (side to side or front to back, typically at an angle), speed bag (a jogging motion while striking a punching bag) or in a lunging motion. There are also many martial arts moves that include front kicks, side kicks, rear kicks and knee lifts (called strikes). You may also jump rope or pretend to jump rope working both your legs and your forearms.

Kickboxing is also an excellent workout for your legs, you will probably feel it in your upper body as well. As I learned the motions more accurately, I started to see a lot more tone on my arms. My buttocks and thighs often become sore after doing a lot of kicks (this is a good thing, I want to work those areas!) and my calves will always complain the day after a kickboxing class. Because you lean when you kick, you will feel the workout in your back and obliques (sides of abdomen) too.

Although kickboxing is not a lot of high-impact movement, it is still a good cardiovascular workout. There is a lot of controlled motion, and a lot of repetition that helps those of us who are less coordinated figure out the moves and try to make our bodies go the right way at the right time. You can easily substitute one-legged jumping jacks to reduce the intensity or to help with a sore or injured leg. One regular attendee has an injured knee, he wraps his knee and minimizes the lunging motions but is otherwise able to keep up with almost everything in the class.

If you are looking for an athletic oriented workout while integrating a few interesting moves into your routine, or if you just want to try something new, Kickboxing is a fun way to do this. It doesn't require previous knowledge of boxing techniques or martial arts expertise, it doesn't even require a lot of coordination.

Kickboxing is the most co-ed class that I have ever taken at the gym. It focuses on working and sweating rather than appearance and fancy footwork. I have really enjoyed the contrast that Kickboxing brings to my exercise regimen. If you haven't ever tried a kickboxing class, I recommend that you try it. It's not for everyone, but it's a great way to incorporate a little more cardio into your workout regimen!

Boot Camp Workouts

2008-07-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows how to "be all you can be": Join the Army.

However, many people are choosing to skip the armed forces and get fit by enlisting in a "boot camp" workout. For every would-be GI Joe and Jane, there's now a way to get in shape-military style. It's a rage from L.A. to New York, for the fitness crazed. This back-to-the-basics fitness regimen is attracting men and women with a "no frills" high energy military style workout.

The boot camp workout is modeled after the training of the Navy SEALs, Air Force Elite Units, and the gung ho!

Boot camp programs burn fat through aerobic exercise while building lean muscle mass through calisthenics. Using your own body weight as resistance, this workout can be done anywhere and requires virtually no equipment!

The program is popping up in gyms across the country, and even hitting the shelves under the title, The Official Five Star Fitness Boot Camp Workout.

"Everyone finally realized the military had the most functional way of training people," says Paul Frediani, coauthor of The Official Five Star Fitness Boot Camp Workout.

"Boot camp" training is somewhat mislabeled in that while the regimen copies military exercise, in most cases the threatening terrain and unforgiving leadership is absent.

While some people are willing to pay a personal trainer $100 an hour in a gym, the beauty of the boot camp workout ethic is simplicity, there's no fancy health club or no high tech equipment.

There is lots of hard work and sweat. Experts agree there is nothing better than the basic pull-up and push-up for virtually every aspect of physical training.

In California, many of the boot camps are on the beach. On the East Coast and in the Midwest, classes are often held in wooded areas and on large fields. Fitness recruits perform pull-ups, knee raises, push-ups, chin-ups, bicep curls and long distance running. We are talking plain old, in-your-face, drop-and give-me-20, I-can't-hear-you fitness.

Those who sign up as a fitness recruit say they see improvements in the first three weeks. "I've increased my flexibility by 40 percent, my muscle endurance by 25 percent and decreased my mile run time by 2.5 minutes," says an enthusiastic recruit. From whatever fitness level you start, this program can to get you into shape no matter what.

The boot camp exercises can be approached with any kind of intensity and any number of repetitions, which can be suited to anyone of most any age. It can be as challenging as you want it to be.

In all the hoopla over a return to the old boot camp ways, exercise gurus advise:

Always check with a doctor (especially if you're over 40) before beginning an exercise program.
Make sure the instructor has national certification.
Establish that the boot camp has a good reputation.
Observe a class or camp in action before signing up.
Tell the instructor it is your first class and don't expect to be able to keep up with other veteran participants.
Wear comfortable clothes, good cross-training shoes, and a cap, if outdoors.
Always warm up and stretch before a workout.

Whatever fitness regimen you choose, experts remind you to make sure your workout is well-rounded. Each program should deal equally with strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination/agility.

Circuit Training Workout

2008-07-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

Try the following outdoor workout to boost your energy and metabolism. You can burn several hundred calories with this high energy, multi-activity workout. Self-monitor your exertion level by aiming for a 7 on a scale of 1-10. Adjust the intensity based on how you feel. Ready, set, go!

Minutes	Activity
10	Warm up: Slow jog or power-walk
5	Step-ups* on high curb, flat bench or stairs; alternate two minute step-ups with a set of 10-20 pushups
2	Power walk
1	Jumping jacks
2	Slow jog
5	Sprints: 20 steps followed by one minute recovery jog; Alternate sprints (increasing each time by 10 steps) with recovery jog
1	Jumping jacks
2	Power walk
**	Repeat sequence IF you are at a higher fitness level
5	Cool down: easy walk and gentle stretches

Exercise Options for Non-Exercisers

2008-07-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

"Buying a treadmill and putting it in your home is a great way to have the option of exercising anytime, day or night. But you must remember most treadmills are big, bulky and costly and will require a large area. "

Want to lose weight? Do you hate to exercise, but also hate being overweight? Here is a brief answer to resolve this seemingly contradictory problem.

A friend recently e-mailed me and offered up this question:

To my exercise guru (I love that!), I pose this question. If I want to lose weight, and I hate to exercise, do I have to do aerobics or can I invest in a good treadmill? Did I say I hate to exercise? But alas ... I hate being overweight.

Candice, you are definitely not alone in your hatred of exercise, my mom's favorite saying: "I get plenty of exertion walking from the couch to the refrigerator, why do I need to go for a walk?"

Exercise is so important, especially when you have small children whom you must run after all day. Exercise helps you keep your energy levels up! Other benefits of exercise include improved cardiovascular fitness, reduced blood pressure, reduction of the risk of bone loss, decreased body fat, and decrease in depression, anxiety and tension. Exercise is important for your emotional as well as physical well being.

Buying a treadmill and putting it in your home is a great way to have the option of exercising anytime, day or night. But you must remember most treadmills are big, bulky and costly and will require a large area. Also, with your little kids running around, you will have to erect a play gate around the treadmill so little fingers do not get caught in the belt. It is easy to put off exercise if you plan to do it in your home (you know that if you do not exercise now, the treadmill will still be free at 8:30), so you must write it into your daily agenda -- 3:30 pay bills, 4:00 exercise.

A 150 pound woman, walking 4.5 miles per hour, will burn approximately 440 calories, the more you weigh, the more you burn. A treadmill will work your lower body, from the hips down. You do not want to neglect your upper body; you would need to invest in a set of free weights as well. For a beginning exerciser, 1 to 3 pound hand weights will be sufficient. Start off slowly and get your doctor's consent before beginning any exercise program.

Going to the gym and interacting with other women is one of the main reasons I love aerobics. Also, there is variety in your workout: different instructors, different moves and different women taking classes too. Aerobics works the whole body, your legs are moving, your arms are swinging and there is great music. If you have a question, there is usually an onsite personal trainer who is knowledgeable. If you join a health club, look for one that has free on-site daycare; otherwise, you may have a hard time making it to the gym. As with a treadmill, you need to schedule your workout time.

If you think that once your husband gets home from work you may not want to go, schedule your time in the morning (and take the kids to the gym's daycare). You will burn approximately the same amount of calories with low impact aerobics, as you will when you walk on your treadmill.

Candice, I am partial to aerobics! I need the interaction with other women. That right there is the secret to sticking with an exercise program: finding an exercise you are comfortable with, that you may actually enjoy, and adhering to it, be it walking, biking, running, swimming, aerobics … anything that is going to get your body moving and your heart rate up. Good luck in your quest and keep me posted!

10 Ways to Add Spark to Your Exercise Program

2008-07-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

Head for the Great Outdoors
Do you always exercise indoors? Lately, has the sound of clanging weights set your teeth on edge? Why not exercise outside? Try walking or running at a beach, park or lakefront. Look for what nature has to offer. Maybe you can do sit-ups by propping your feet up on some rocks or pull-ups on a very strong tree branch.

Take a Group Fitness Class
If you're used to exercising in a gym, but don't set foot in the group fitness studio, give it a try! Imaginative fitness professionals are always creating new types of classes. Gone are the days of just hi- or low-impact classes. You may sample indoor cycling classes, yoga, group strength training, Latin dance or more. See what your gym has to offer.

Get Some New Music or Books on Tape
If you love working out alone, maybe you just need something new to listen to. Get lost in a compelling story with a book on tape or try a new musical style. If you love rock 'n roll, try jazz or classical just for a kick!

Ask a Friend to Join You
If new music doesn't motivate you, try taking a friend on your daily walks. This can make the time fly by and give you a whole new perspective on your favorite trail.

Look for Inner Calm
Are your workouts usually hard-driving, go-'til-you-drop types of affairs? Maybe you need to try Tai Chi, meditation or yoga to still your inner voice. In addition to adding variety to your workout, being able to tune into your inner voice can prove valuable in your professional and personal life.

Stretch Yourself
You may be burned out on your workout because your muscles are sore. Are you stretching after your workout? See if your gym has stretching charts or take a stretching or yoga class. Or, ask a fitness professional to show you some effective stretches.

Create a Family Workout
Are you feeling guilty because the time you spend exercising takes you away from your significant other or kids? Maybe that's why you have the workout blahs. Get your family together and brainstorm physical activities you can do together.

Seek the Services of a Personal Trainer
If you feel like you are not improving in your workouts that is sure to give you the blahs! Try hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions or a short-term period. He or she can examine your workout and suggest ways for you to get stronger or faster.

Give Yourself a Goal
Shake up your workout program by setting a goal -- participating in a triathlon, running a 5K or hiking up a local mountain. Then structure your workouts to meet your goal. Working toward -- and achieving -- your goal will re-energize you!

Look at What You're Eating
You may be feeling sluggish in your workouts if you are not eating the right food. Are you eating enough calories and enough fruits and vegetables? It may be worth consulting with a registered dietitian to find out.

For Successful Aging, Exercise Your Brain Cells as Well as Your Body

2008-07-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

Articles and information abounds on physical wellness and aging. Especially with the aging Boomers, we see articles on anything from mountain climbing to bungee jumping as keys to successful aging. All of us want to maintain our independence and be able to enjoy our mature years, and while physical exercise is definitely a part of it, mental exercise is just as important.

In the past, it was thought that mental decline was inevitable with age. That decline is no longer accepted as inevitable. While there are a few specific losses associated with age, there are great differences among people, and there are now many centenarians who play bridge, read and are mentally sharp beyond the 100-year mark.

The best way to maintain mental sharpness is to not lose it. In fact, use it or lose it applies here too. While it may be tempting at times to withdraw from some activities, music, painting, poetry, sculpture, learning a language or anything new, writing, working on the computer, all keep your brain active. Just like the physical self, training in the later years can help restore some cognitive functioning, but the best way is to keep mentally active in the first place. If you have problems visually, look for big print books or use audiotapes, but don't drop those activities that are interesting and challenging for you. Complex mental activities are food for the brain. Don't starve it.

You can still learn something new at any age. You may learn differently, or need to have a little longer time to absorb the material, but you can learn. Perhaps it is more comfortable to take classes with Elderhostel among others of the same age range or at the senior center, but you are never too old to learn a new way of cooking, a new art form or anything else that sparks your interest.

A very interesting finding by the MacArthur Foundation on Successful Aging was that a sense of self-efficacy was key to continued mental sharpness. This goes along with recent findings that too much "care giving" can bring deterioration. It says to the individual, "You aren't capable, so we are doing this or that for you." Mentally sharp oldsters have a belief in their own ability to handle various situations. They believe they can handle life's problems and challenges. They are more interested therefore in learning and continue to participate in mentally challenging tasks and activities. We have all read about individuals who continued to work way into their 90's. Now, while the structure of going to work and the social support of fellow employees is important, a key factor here is the continued use of one's mental skills. And we have all witnessed the mental slide when an individual is put in assisted living facilities or a rest home, and the lack of mental stimulation is evident quickly.

Your choices for mental stimulation are endless, and no matter what your interests, there should be and are activities that you can enjoy. Whether it is simply arguing politics with your family, learning a new craft, joining a book club, researching your family genealogy, learning Chinese cooking, or continuing to play a musical instrument, something should appeal to you. Volunteer activities or paid work can also offer some stimulating opportunities. Tutoring youngsters certainly will keep you sharp, as will writing that long forgotten novel or learning the history of your favorite vacation areas. Perhaps you'll decide to learn the names or species of trees on your walking route. The options are vast.

Just imagine that your brain is like an engine with cogs, wheels and levers. If you don't start the engine and work the parts, it will deteriorate. The engine needs high-octane fuel, and it takes care to keep it going. Keeping your brain active, working the parts and using learning as fuel, will keep you reaching using your potential way into the future.

Yes, exercising your body does help your brain, but it isn't enough. Remember to exercise your brain cells too.

Easy Weight Loss Tips

2008-07-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

Looking for some quick weight loss tips? Here are some tricks of the trade for losing those unwanted pounds and keeping them off:

Plan meals and snacks ahead of time. Eating on the go can often lead to high-calorie meals or snacks. Plan ahead with low-calorie options. Sign up for a diet plan which makes it easy by planning the meals for you! This way you don’t need to worry about making those tough decisions alone. If you wait until you are hungry, it’s easier to grab a high-calorie item that you don't really want.
Eat a light snack before you leave to attend an event where food is served. Don’t arrive there hungry. While you are there, allow yourself to enjoy the foods you like but keep it to only one taste each.
Drink water in between meals to help prevent you from overeating. If you are considering having a second helping, drink a glass of water and wait a few minutes. This allows your body to sense the feeling of fullness. Often, we take a second helping too quickly and if we wait a few minutes, we realize we feel content.
Only eat until you are full. There is no need to feel like you have to finish your plate. If you are full, stop eating. Place a napkin over your plate if you feel you need to remove the temptation. If at a restaurant, call the waiter over and ask them to take your plate. You can always take leftovers home for another meal.
Don’t go shopping for groceries while you’re hungry. You will be more likely to purchase foods you may not normally buy. You may also find yourself nibbling on free samples or spending more money than you wanted to on other goodies. Plan out your grocery list before going to the store or use the grocery list which gives you all the foods you need for the week.
Don’t eat in front of the TV. This can become habit forming. The next thing you know, you’re eating when you are not even hungry because you are in the habit of doing it. Reserve eating for at the table.
Eat slowly and savor each bite. Learn to enjoy the tastes and textures of what you are eating. Sit down to eat your meals. This allows you to focus on your food rather than eating while rushing around doing other things. It’s easy to overeat if you do not notice what or how much you are eating.

Research suggests that weight loss at a rate of about 1-2 pounds per week is more effective long term. I’m sure you’d agree that weight loss that is kept off is the better than losing weight and regaining it. If you have questions about what a healthy weight is for you, consult a Registered Dietitian for an individual assessment.

Mood Therapy: Are you your own worst enemy?

2008-07-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

Are you a glass 'half full' or 'half empty' kind of person? Are you not only a 'half empty' person, but also a person who has many reasons why the glass is half empty, none of them your fault?
If you go through your day-to-day life as a "half empty" person, you are most likely increasing your stress level without meaning to.

Stress occurs when you have the perception that your physical or mental well-being is in jeopardy, and you also have the perception that you do not have the resources to get yourself out of the situation.

I am not advocating a Pollyanna, rose-colored glasses approach to life. However, what you tell yourself, that internal monologue we all have, has an incredible impact on how you view events that happen in your life. For example, if you are in line in the grocery store and your line is moving the slowest, what is going through your mind?

"I always pick the slowest line! Why is it that every time I go out I waste so much time in line? Why can't I be a better judge of a situation? I can't win!"

We give ourselves messages like these all day long. An estimated 70 percent of what we encounter on a daily basis is negative and much of this is our internal dialogue. There are many different ways of turning situations into negative thoughts. Do you recognize yourself in any of these negative and distorted thought processes?

All or Nothing: See the example above. If something negative happens, you see yourself as a complete failure. Your thinking is very black or white. No gray for you!

Overgeneralization (one event becomes the truth): You see one negative event as evidence of a pattern of defeat. For example: a person cuts you off and pulls into the parking space you were going to use and you think, "This happens every time! People just don't care anymore. What is this world coming to? How can I function in a world like this?"

Mental Filter (your focus is always on the negative, you don't see the positive): You dwell on a single negative experience and are unable to see anything but that dark view. For example: You have a meeting with your boss and she discusses a comment you made during a conference call. Even though the rest of the meeting was spent praising your work, you ruminate for hours about her remark.

Disqualifying the positive (self-deprecation): You deny positive events, insisting they don't count. For example, your friend thanks you for helping her in a difficult situation by saying, "I didn't do anything special, anyone would have done that for you."

Jumping to conclusions (predicting the future): You jump to a negative conclusion without any evidence.

Mind Reading: You see a friend in the bank and they don't say hello to you; you assume that she/he is mad at you.

Fortune Telling: You know with certainty that a negative result is going to happen. For example, you decide not to apply a new position within your company because you know you'll never get it.

Magnification (catastrophic): You amplify the importance of a mistake or negative event. For example, you find a bruise you can't explain and assume you have a life-threatening illness.

Should Statements: Statements you make to yourself that contain the words ought, should or must.

Labeling and Mislabeling: Giving yourself a label based on an event. For example, you eat a candy bar and you say, "I'm such a pig." You miss an exit, "I'm such an idiot."

Personalization: You take responsibility for events, no matter what the situation is (GUILT). For example, your child has trouble in school and you are sure that it is due to your bad parenting.

Perfectionism: You expect yourself and others to perform without making mistakes. You become upset even if the mistake is understandable within the circumstances or without consequence.

Approval Seeking: Every person in your life must approve of whatever choices you make or actions you take. You consistently change what you do to achieve approval of others.

Self-Righteous: You expect that the people in your life (and even others) should do what you consider to be right. If they don't, they deserve to be punished.

Woe Is Me: You see yourself as the victim of the situation, no matter what the circumstances. You have no control in your life. For example, your computer crashes at work. You interpret this as a considerable tragedy that happened just to make your life worse and you know that you are not going to be able to get through this.

Reductionism: You are unable to see the complexities and possible positive outcomes of a stressful experience. You reduce the reasons for an event to one simple reason. For example: You pull a muscle during an exercise class and decide that it is the instructors fault even though you know you skipped your warm-up before class and used a larger weight today.

Fallacy of Fairness: You judge events in your life as unfair even when the events have nothing to do with justice. For example, you are not picked to be part of a five-person panel for a company you volunteer for. You decide the process was unfair, when in reality 25 people signed up and they took the first five.

Comparison: You continually compare yourself to other people in your life that leave you feeling either better or worse than they are. These comparisons often have no impact or merit in your life. For example, you compare your car to the cars others drive.

While these thought patterns are common - did you recognize yourself in several of the categories? - they can have a significant impact on your perception of a situation. And, your perception of an event is what is important. You can make a situation, which admittedly is negative but manageable, into an event that causes you to lose sleep or causes you to have that "feeling" in the pit of your stomach turn. Over the long term, these types of thoughts can contribute to low self-esteem and even physical problems as that "feeling" turns into a real life ulcer.

What can you do?

As with any other change you want to make in your life, changing your automatic thoughts will take time. The first step is awareness. Read over the list and keep the categories in mind over the next week. When you are in the middle of a stressful situation listen to your internal dialogue. See if the things you are thinking could be one of the above distortions.

As you are listening to the internal dialogue think about what you thinking: do I have evidence that it is really true? Am I exaggerating? Can I look at this in a different way? Do I know for a fact that this is really going to happen? Is it to my advantage to keep thinking in this way?

As you find that you can identify the thoughts that are negative, you can begin to counter the thoughts. Tell yourself that this is only one way to look at the situation. Concentrate on giving yourself a more positive view of the situation, one that isn't so personally damaging. You will begin to notice when you are in a cycle of negative thoughts. Consciously tell yourself to stop and reflect on what you are thinking.

As you practice stopping and redirecting your thinking you will find your perception of situations will change. You will find that negative events, while they still happen, won't affect you as much. You may even find yourself able to put yourself over into the "half full" side of the population!

Adapted in part from: Burns, D. 1990. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. New York: New American Library Skills Training for Mind/Body Change, Mind/Body Medical Institute and Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education, December 2000.

Healthy Weight Tips: Supersizing Doesn’t Lead to a “Super” Size

2008-07-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

How big of a gulp do you have to take to finally feel satisfied? Americans consume 530 calories more per day than they did in 1970. To burn off these extra calories, you would need to walk an extra two hours a day. As we grow older, our body needs fewer calories to keep us going. However, our insatiable appetites and increased portions have left Americans nine pounds heavier on average than we were two decades ago.

Although we eat similar foods, America’s obesity rate is three times that of European countries. European portion sizes are much smaller. For example, in the UK, an order of French fries is 5.5oz and in the US it is 7oz. If you were to go out for a steak in the UK you would receive 8oz of steak, but in the US a whopping 20oz serving is average.

In the mid-1990’s, the restaurant industry standard size plate was 10 ½ inches. The plate size has now increased to 12 ½ inches and in some restaurants as big as 15-5/8 inches. Portion sizes have been growing because food has become one of the least expensive aspects of running a food service establishment.

Portions have increased in both the food and beverage industries. In 1976 the first “Big Gulp” was introduced by the 7 Eleven chain. At that time, the “Big Gulp” was 32oz. Over time the 44oz “Super Big Gulp” (587 calories) and the 64oz “Double Gulp” (853 calories) were both introduced. To put ounces into perspective, the average human bladder has capacity for only 13.5oz.

Unfortunately people are learning these increased portion sizes from fast food chains and restaurants and bringing them home.

Here are some helpful tips to avoid super sizing in your household.

Check your plate size at home. You can fool your eyes and your stomach by decreasing the plate size.
Refer to the food guide pyramid for some examples of portion sizes.
Spend a couple of days measuring and/or weighing your portions to become familiar with calorie content and appropriate amounts.
Eat about 5 -½ cup servings of fruits and vegetables each day. The more colorful, the better.
When you get home from grocery shopping portion out your meats and fish into individual servings before freezing; this way you're less likely to eat more than one serving at a time.
At dinnertime, serve meals onto individual plates in the kitchen rather than bringing platters and bowls to the table for self-service. By leaving remaining food in the kitchen you may not be tempted to take seconds.
Read all food labels and check for serving size. By knowing how much of a packaged food amounts to one serving you can set limits on how much you eat.

Martial Arts, A Woman’s Experience with Anger and Survivorship

2008-07-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

I began my husband's karate class in 1989 after the birth of my first child. My reasons were simple; I wanted to spend more time with my husband while attempting to lose the seventy pounds I had put on during the pregnancy.

Until I began my training, I had never had a desire to participate in any form of martial arts. In fact, I really couldn't stand the stuff due to all the hokey Saturday morning movies where the Chinese villain's mouth moved three minutes just to say, "Kill her." I smiled, listened to his newest self-defense techniques and nodded at the appropriate time while he spoke about his "other love."

At the age of 29, when I finally joined my husband in going to the dojo, I went in with the attitude that I really was going to try and learn. Much to my surprise, I soon discovered that I enjoyed it. I also realized that no matterhow much effort I put into my training, the results came back ten-fold.

I moved quickly up through my belt colors while practicing my sparring techniques and fine-tuning my personal favorite activity of Katas. When I became a green belt (fourth belt in my style) my husband and I started to compete in tournaments around the state of Texas. I continued my training and received my first-degree black belt in 1991.

By this time I had lost the excess weight and felt better than ever. I could climb a full flight of stairs carrying the baby without stopping half a dozen times. During round robin sparring, I was able to continue in the center for up to twenty minutes, and one hundred fifty sit-ups were a piece of cake. Then all of a sudden, all hell broke loose. My abusive childhood came back to bite me in the rear.

As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I began to have trouble with all the attention I received from men due to my new fit body and size. Tournaments became a nightmare because every person judging me in any division was always a man. Each time we went to a tournament, I became physically sick and unable to breathe. I also experienced anxiety and panic attacks.

Although I didn't give up my martial arts training, I stopped competing for quite some time. As the repressed anger, fear and memories started bubbling to the surface, my husband and I decided to turn our martial arts in a new direction by teaching self-defense and rape prevention to women and children. In doing so, I turned a living nightmare into something good.

The heavy punching bag in our dojo has been a Godsend. When the nightmares or anger become overwhelming, it absorbs all I can dish out and waits for more. By envisioning my abusers as part of the bag, I can stay focused, yell, cry, punch and kick until the anger is gone. If my hands give out before the anger, I have a handy baseball bat that just happens to love contact with the big bag.

At other times, I can put on a soothing musical tape and practice for hours doing nothing but Kata. Each movement, slow and deliberate, with each exhaling breath releasing a little more of the anxiety and tension.

Some days when the anxiety hits hard, I will simply lock myself in the building and do nothing but the stretches I was taught as a white belt. By the time I am on the floor with my legs stretched open as far as possible with my chest and head resting flat on the floor, the anxiety and tension will have long since been gone.

During our training sessions, I am the only female in the entire school. As such my options are very limited as to sparring and training. I can participate and fight the demons of being attacked by a man or I can sit in the corner afraid. By forcing myself each time to enter the ring or practice the self-defense moves, I am empowering myself to be able to fight back. To stand up as an adult and face life head on. For those who have never been abused or raped, it may be hard to understand just how difficult it is to build up enough gumption to even yell "NO!" at a student who is playing an assailant.

For those women who have thought about joining martial arts for whatever reason, go for it because it is something you will not regret. As for the survivors of child sexual abuse, rape, or sexual assault as an adult, it is a fantastic method of ridding yourself of the anger, hate, anxiety and terror so many of us live with every day of our lives.

Cardio: Basketball - Three Secrets to Success

2008-07-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

First, get fit. Basketball is perhaps the most demanding of all sports. It's a game of quickness: fast starts, sharp cuts and turns, acceleration and deceleration, and jumping. The heart of the game is running. It's estimated a player will run a total of three to five miles in a game. This running includes sprinting up and down the court on fast breaks, chasing players cross-court, breaking through picks, and scampering behind a series of screens to get a shot off.

You don't achieve this level of fitness in practice. It comes after-hours, with no one around to cheer and prod you on. This is what separates the haves from the have-nots. You don't have to drink raw eggs like Rocky, but you have to have that kind of dedication to move up the ladder. Most basketball games are decided in the final few minutes, when most gas tanks read empty. Find your second wind and lead your team to victory!

Secondly, learn how to shoot free throws. A vast majority of contests are decided at the charity stripe. In fact, check out the box score of most games and the team with the best free throw percentage is often the winner.

So, how do you practice? We all know that shooting free throws is Shaq's Achilles heel. But did you know it's been reported that he hits around 70% in practice? You sure wouldn't know it from the games.

Far be it for us to second-guess the NBA's Most Valuable Player, but perhaps he's not practicing the way most coaches recommend. Most players can hit a high percentage of their free throws when that's all they are doing, just standing around shooting, but that's not how the game is played.

Here's a drill that will help get you in shape and hopefully, improve your free throw shooting. At the end of practice, when you are tired, start running suicides (that's start from the base line, run to the free-throw line, touch it, run back to the baseline, touch it, run to half court, touch, back to the baseline and continue to the other free throw line and baseline). Do this as fast as you can, just like in a game. Do it three times, with only a short amount of time between efforts.

Now, you are ready to shoot. Your heart rate should be elevated. You should have a nice sweat going and your legs are probably a little weak. If you are part of a team, here's the drill: You get two shots. If you make them both everyone goes home. Miss one everyone does one suicide. Miss them both, and everyone does two. Now, that's pressure. You've got 11 other tired guys who want to call it a day hoping, praying you've been practicing your free throws. Obviously, you can do this drill on your own and you probably should, as you never know when you may be asked to sink a pair of free throws with five seconds left to save the game.

Finally, if the other team can't score, you can't lose. Become a strong defender. Sure, defense isn't glamorous, but it's one of the most important things coaches care about. Being a good defender means more playing time, period.

Most every team practices the zig-zag drill. That's where a coach will hold a ball in one area as you back pedal in that direction with your hands up in a defensive stance. You do this all the way down the court.

Don't just go through the motions here. Try to react as quickly as you can as if you are actually in a game. Also, keep those hands in the air. You can bring your hands down much quicker than you can raise them -- if you are vertically challenged, having your hands up will make you appear taller and thus more intimidating.

Late in a game, it may be hard to keep your hands up, that's why you need to train. Another good drill for this stems from a football exercise. Run hard in place with your hands above your head as you turn a quarter each time the coach blows the whistle. For this exercise to really work, you've got to put your all into it, and especially keep up those hands. Generally speaking, you could be on defense for at least 45 seconds, so you must consistently keep your hands up for that length of time.

Sure, doing these drills isn't much fun, but winning is. It's often the team with the players who give it their all during practice that has the smiling faces when the final horn sounds.

A Yoga Primer: Japa, Karma, and Hatha

2008-07-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

Now that yoga is being taught everywhere, including gyms and at health resorts in Europe and the United States, more and more people are beginning to recognize the health benefits of this ancient Indian practice. As yoga master Yogananda states, "Yoga is for everyone, for the West as well as the East. One would not say the telephone is not for the East because it was invented in the West."

Getting Started
Before jumping into a yoga routine on your own, try reading a beginner's book first and then consult with a yoga expert. It is easy to learn yoga by taking a series of beginner classes at a yoga studio, gym, or community center. Here the instructor should lead you into the correct form by way of demonstration and correct your form. If you feel lost in a class, then consider hiring a private instructor who can design an individual program for your specific body type and fitness goals.

After you have learned the basics from your instructor, it will be easier to do yoga on your own whether by watching a video or following a book.

Styles of Yoga
At first the many strange names of yoga may confuse and intimidate you. The yoga classes you attend may vary if you switch yoga studios or instructors every so often. Most instructors prefer a specific style and teach their classes in such a way. Some styles are more of a workout while others are more about relaxation and breathing.

First of all, there are three types of yoga, Japa, Karma, and Hatha.

The yoga of the mind is called Japa meditation. This involves the chanting of mantras and is considered "food for the spiritual soul". If you are more interested in stretching and improving your flexibility, this is not the yoga class for you. This is more of a religious or spiritual practice of yoga.

The second is called Karma yoga. This focuses on the healing of the past by way of meditating on the well-being of others.

Finally, the third type is called Hatha yoga. This is the physical yoga that focuses on stretching, breathing and strengthening. While many yoga instructors list Hatha yoga as the name of their class, they are merely referring to the category, physical yoga.

Within the realms of Hatha yoga, there are many different styles to choose from. While they are considered physical, some are more physical than others have differing focal points such as alignment, breath and movement or holding postures for sustained time.

Iyengar: focuses more on the execution of poses rather than the poses themselves with emphasis on alignment, strength, and flexibility for better mind and body control. Backbends, inversions, and props such as walls, blocks and belts are typical of Iyengar yoga.
Ashtanga (or Astanga): Focuses on movement and keeping a fast-paced series of sequential poses going in a continuum, emphasizing strength, flexibility and building heat within the muscles. Push up-like movements combined with other poses that build upper body strength are characteristic of Ashtanga yoga.
Bikram: Done in higher temperatures with 26 different poses, Bikram yoga warms and stretches the muscles, ligaments and tendons in an order beneficial to the entire body system.
Kripalu: Considered the Hatha yoga of consciousness, i.e., "honor the wisdom of your body." The emphasis consists of increasing flexibility, stretching, lengthening the spine and reducing tension while being conscious of one's limits. Students are instructed to work within their limits of flexibility and strength. Those suffering from fibromyalgia or arthritis can find relief with this style of yoga. Kripalu also allows for increased awareness of the physical and psychological reactions to various postures.
Kundalini: Drawing from all the yogic systems and techniques, kundalini yoga strives to awaken "kundalini" energy found at the base of the spine. Using classic yoga poses, breathing techniques, and coordination, a kundalini class will also include a bit of chanting and meditation to stabilize the mind and body.

Since yoga helps to increase flexibility, strength and coordination in addition to causing increased circulation and mental focus, yoga can be beneficial for nearly everybody. You can choose a specific style of yoga or merely take a hatha yoga class that will likely encompass the more basic forms of yoga. Be sure to start slowly and explore the various styles while enjoying the entire process of doing yoga.

Getting Fit: Running or Cycling?

2008-07-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

So, you want to get fit? You have made the decision that round is out, that the clothes you see people wear on TV are the ones you want to get into, and your significant other made 'a comment,' about your appearance.

Successful fitness programs revolve around choice and compliance. You decide you want to get fit and you decide to comply. So now -- WHAT DO I DO?

Get basic … pick a sport, one that is available and popular and of some interest. "I used to run in high school," "I do have a bike-it isn't beautiful, but with some new tires, it will work."

Cyclists and runners rank amongst the world's most fit people. Seen the Tour de France or the New York Marathon? Yes, these people are fit AND those people are thin, meaning "I CAN get into those clothes!"

Running (also called jogging)
A sport that has been around a long time, and popular since we were hunters and gatherers. As a training tool, jogging and running can produce excellent aerobic fitness. It is also an inexpensive and convenient sport requiring only running shoes, some simple apparel and your time.

The idea is to run off more calories than you put while working your arms and legs. Adding hills and intervals will increase the work. Using a heart rate monitor will give you an accurate idea of your heart zone so you can "zone in" on fat expenditure and avoid over-training. You can avoid climate problems using a treadmill while also getting the same or better workout by adjusting the grade or resistance.

By the way, running is the faster version of jogging and it comes in different flavors-distances, terrains, and speeds. I suggest starting with a reasonable goal and training period. For instance, start with a local 5K event and finish it even if you walk across the finish line. Then, proudly wear your commemorative T-shirt.

Make sure you recover from your runs or jogs by drinking enough water, eating nutritiously, and getting enough rest. Any fitness program will fail if you do not get enough rest and recuperation, eat properly, and take care of yourself (vitamins, sleep, etc). You CAN do this.

Cycling
Bicycles are everywhere -- clubs, homes, on the road and on the trails. This sport is a bit more complicated than running and more expensive -- requiring a functional and safe bike, clothing, gloves and a helmet. Other issues include bike maintenance, flat repair, comfort upgrades and glasses. In a city environment, outdoor cycling may be limited to closed parks on certain days, but with an indoor trainer, your computer, and NetAthlon software, you can even change that and live in downtown New York, but be cycling the back roads of China! Generally, it takes longer to get fit with cycling because you are using the machine's efficiency to help you cover distance, and its momentum overcomes gravity during the workout. The usual energy conversion is one mile running to approximately 5 miles of cycling. Practically speaking, then, you need to stay on the bike longer to burn the same number of calories.

But cycling does take you outdoors so that you can tour the countryside while getting fit. You get to go up hills and then enjoy the downhill. It is easier to carry food while cycling, so it can become an all day affair and lead to greater weight loss (remember the clothes) and improved fitness (remember the doctor talk).

Cycling also lends itself to group activity (remember the significant other). In the last few years, Spinning, indoor group cycling using special trainers with an instructor, has gained popularity and has, in some cases, replaced aerobics classes. This can be a motivating way to get into cycling and improve fitness while meeting many new fitness minded people. Known for its "high energy," Spinning will definitely help you lose weight.

Cycling has other advantages over running: it is non-impact (as long as you don't fall off your bike or get run over) so if your knees are a problem and your doctor prefers you stay away from running, cycling is the better option. You can use cycling as a tour vehicle to visit the French countryside, etc. Cycling events are held all over the world and are often well organized with various levels of energy commitment - you finish when you finish, and if you are too slow, a van will sweep you off the course and get you home! Cycling is a low-injury sport and can be enjoyed life-long.

Whatever sport you choose, give it "the full shot," meaning stick with it for at least 3 months before you think that this is not for you. Both sports have an enormous fun factor and the fitness rewards cannot be overstated.

Have you ever considered a 'raw' diet?

2008-07-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

Have you ever considered a 'raw' diet? People that try it, love it! What does it mean to go raw? Here are some things to consider.

There are three main types of vegetarians: Ovo-lacto, or those who include dairy and eggs; lacto, just dairy, no eggs; and vegan, no animal products at all including honey and clothing made from skins/fur (or any other parts) of animals.

People who eat fish and chicken are not vegetarian. Fish and chickens are not vegetation.

Now, vegetarians and vegans can be broken down into groups. First are the ones who don't eat the flesh of animals for the sake of the animals. Then, there are the ones who are doing it for their personal health.

What I have found is the people who are concerned about the animals, for the most part, tend not to have as healthy a food program as those who focus on themselves, first.

I've found that people, who focused on animal welfare, drank alcohol, ate sugar (note: the bones of animals are used to process sugar), caffeine, many smoke and didn't care whether their rice was white or brown. The quality of the food was rarely an issue. It could be highly processed, homogenized, pasteurized, heated and filtered. Many of these people seem to be overfed and undernourished as most Americans are.

Now, I've also found that many people who have chosen a vegetarian diet considering their health first, still might smoke and often drink caffeine and alcohol. So here, we break down the category even more. Those who drink alcoholic beverages, those who don't; those who smoke and those who don't; and those who do no drugs at all including caffeine.

Some people view focusing on yourself first, as selfish. My feeling is, when people focus on their health first, they win; the animals that aren't tortured and slaughtered for the food industry, win; and the environment wins, also. Sounds like a win-win-win situation to me.

Breaking down the category even more are the raw-food vegetarians. Why raw foods?

If, for no other reason, they taste, look and feel better. Second, and most importantly - the enzymes. When food is cooked, most of the naturally occurring enzymes are destroyed which forces the pancreas to work harder to secrete the enzymes needed to digest the food. Is it any wonder that diabetes is so rampant in this country? Do you think with all the work the pancreas has to do, it might be a bit overworked, stressed and tired?

Now, why are enzymes so important? Their function is to detoxify, repair and assist in the proper functioning of the endocrine glands and other vital organs. They are also responsible for every other biological thing our bodies do.

When we eat raw foods, the enzymes are already there in the foods, which means the pancreas can sit back and relax a bit.

You may have noticed that only humans eat cooked foods. All other animals eat their foods raw unless we humans give them cooked and processed foods in which case they often have digestive (and other "human") problems -- which would not occur in the wild.

People who eat a basically raw-food diet have found that many of their physical problems disappear including, digestive dysfunctions, poor skin, mood swings, allergies, inadequate elimination and unsatisfactory weight (too much or too little is out of balance).

Personally, when I went on a mostly raw foods program last year, I eliminated excess fatty tissue, my skin improved along with my energy and I lost cravings for unhealthy foods because I felt so nourished. My theory is, that many people smoke and drink due to some craving or distortion caused by lack of nutrients in their bodies.

If you drink or smoke and want to quit, try the experiment. What can you lose besides a couple of bad habits?

I've included some questions I often hear and my answers to them:

What do you eat?

All fruits, vegetables, sprouted grains, nuts and seeds and sea vegetables.

Where do you get your protein?

All live foods contain protein, even fruit. Let me repeat that -- all live foods, including fruit contain protein. It is virtually impossible for an American today to not get enough protein unless they are on a mono-diet (one food only), drink too much alcohol, are anorexic or bulimic or are subsisting on pastries, chips and other highly processesed "foods." In these cases, these people are not only lacking in protein, they are lacking all nutrients needed to sustain health. How many people do you know who have died from lack of protein? On the other hand, how many people do you know who have or have had, osteoporosis and kidney problems, which stem from an excess of protein?

Someone eating a raw or mostly raw-foods diet, especially if they include sprouted and organic foods and raw fruit and vegetable juices, would be getting more nutrients than any of their counterparts who are eating the Standard American Diet (SAD, isn't it?)

If I don't include dairy, where will I get calcium?

There are many foods in the plant kingdom which are very high in calcium including; raw beet greens, broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, watercress and turnip greens. Now I've only listed the highest of the high. There are many other vegetables, such as spinach, which contain large quantities of calcium. In the fruits; dates, currents, kumquats, prunes, raisins, rhubarb and tamarinds contain large amounts of calcium. If you add sprouts to this list, you will be getting more than enough calcium. For instance, radish sprouts have 10 times more calcium than a potato and 29 times more vitamin C than milk.

As I said about protein, all living fruits and vegetables have calcium.

And none of the foods listed above are mucous creating or cause arthritis, rheumatism, joint pain or sinus and ear infections. As a matter of fact, people who have gone on a living/raw foods program have found that these maladies and many more, have disappeared.

You mean I have to eat salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner? I already eat salad every day!

No, of course not. Anyone would get tired eating salad all the time. It's very easy to whip up a raw soup containing celery, cucumbers, carrots and any other vegetables you'd like to include, spiced with green and red onions, lemon juice, cumin, turmeric, garlic and ginger and thickened with avocado.

Add to that an almond or sunflower seed pate with celery sticks for dipping; a raw root salad with sesame seed dressing and veggie burgers made with the almond pate and any sprouts you might have handy. Finish off with raw peach/mango pie with a sprouted seed, nut and fruit crust.

Will I have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen?

After you become organized and use to preparing things, you will find that will probably take less time than preparing your usual meals -- unless most of your usual meals come out of a bag.

For instance, it takes about 30 minutes to make a raw pie compared to making the dough, rolling out the dough, preparing the filling and baking.

Or, taking the time to dress to drive to a restaurant, (we're not talking drive-through, here), get seated, peruse the menu, place the order, wait for the food, wait for the dessert, wait for the check, drive home, etc.

If your refrigerator is stocked with pre-made burgers, pate and fresh veggies and sprouts you can whip up a meal and be eating within about a half hour and you can be sure of the quality of the food.

What do I need to get started?

I would suggest a good food processor (at least 11 cups), a juicer and a good blender. You can always add more things and higher quality as you start seeing the benefits this food program is having on yourself and/or your family.

Another benefit of this food program is the savings in time and money from being well. Your children (if you have any) will spend their school time in school and you can use your "sick" days as "well" days.

This is a food program you can live with -- literally. This is not a fad diet to lose weight. It is a lifestyle change. As with any change, go slowly. Find some books specializing in raw-food recipes. Add a few things every few days until you find how easy and simple it is to prepare these foods. You will be amazed at how logical it is to go raw.

Cardio: Mastering and Enhancing Your Breathing Technique

2008-07-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

The power of the breath is an amazing asset to your cardio workouts. How often do you find yourself 'sucking wind' only 10-15 minutes into your run, or bike, or whatever form of cardio activity you perform?

By mastering and enhancing your breathing technique, you can increase endurance and performance.
Take your cardio workout back to basics. Stop trying to kill yourself in every workout. The first step to mastering your breathing is to control your intensity level.

This step may be the hardest to accept and achieve. It requires you to slow down and focus on increasing your aerobic capacity. Your aerobic capacity is your ability to sustain an activity for a period of time and at a specific intensity without driving your heart rate up so high that you begin to breathe heavy and become fatigued. To help monitor this, you will need a heart rate monitor.

Determine your aerobic training zone by using the following formula: 220 minus your age, minus your resting heart rate. (To find your resting heart rate, it is best to take your heart rate first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, for three days in a row and take the average - preferably without being startled awake by an alarm clock.) Take that number and multiply it by 65%, 75%, 80%, and 85%; then add your resting heart rate back in.

For Example:
220 - 27 - 50 = 143
143 x 65% = 92.95 + 50 = 142.95

This person would need to reach a heart rate of approximately 142 to be at a training level of 65%. Once you complete the formula for each percentile, this person's aerobic training zone is between 65%-80%, which is 142 to 164.

Now that you have determined your training zone, you can proceed with mastering your breath. This step should be practiced for the majority of your workouts. In order to truly develop your aerobic endurance, you must dedicate your training to building your aerobic capacity instead of going into every workout with the mentality of "I have to sweat profusely, I have to breathe very hard, and I have to be exhausted." It is these exact thoughts that will defeat your long-term goal - to become a smarter athlete. The object to any fitness goal is to train smart. So, if you workout 5 days a week, 3 to 4 of those days should be dedicated to this step.

How does it work? While jogging, walking, biking, or whatever your cardio exercise may be, focus on maintaining your heart rate at 65%. You may find that this is not the intensity you are used to. DON'T INCREASE YOUR INTENSITY! This is why this step will be the hardest. Many of us do not have the discipline to workout at a lower intensity. Remember that in the end you will be a stronger, better athlete.

While maintaining 65%, concentrate on your breathing. Take deep, slow, diaphragmatic breaths. Try to feel the oxygen enter through your nose and travel down into the abdomen, then exhale slowly. The majority of exercise participants tend to take short, shallow breaths during their workouts. This causes the heart rate to increase, the body has to work harder, and before you know it you are out of breath and need to stop.

By focusing on your breathing you not only train the body to perform more efficiently, but you also train your mind to control the reactions your body has to that activity. You become the master of your workout. So again, take long, slow, deep breaths that go all the way down into the abdomen, and then exhale as slowly as you can. If you want to take it to the next level, try to breathe with your mouth shut.

As your body becomes trained, and your aerobic capacity begins to improve, you will find that your heart rate will drop below 65% at your current intensity. At this point you should praise yourself for the great success - your body is more efficient at utilizing oxygen and you are one step closer to becoming the Master of your breath and workout. Once you have achieved this goal, go ahead and increase your intensity minimally and strive to achieve the same goal: maintaining 65% training level while breathing with control and maybe even keeping the mouth shut.

You will try to perform this for the majority of your workouts. If you workout 5 days a week and you workout at this level for 3 of your workouts, you can easily be more creative with the other two: workout a little bit harder, increase intensity, etc…. This will help to cross train your body.

Most importantly, don't give up, and don't give in to the temptation to "kill, kill, kill." Believe me, it works! I have trained myself to the point that I can run for 30 minutes at an intensity of 6.0 mph with a heart rate of 136-145 and not have to open my mouth once to take a breath. As for my training zone, I am the example set above. It's a great and motivating accomplishment that everyone should experience. Good Luck!

Marathons: A Walk in the Land of the Midnight Sun

2008-07-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

"Paved paths. Gravel roads. Dirt trails. Old wooden bridges over swift running creeks. Sidewalks. The marathon presented us with a variety of terrain and a mix of Alaskan scenery."

Marathons -- if the idea scares you, perhaps walking a marathon would be more your speed. Here one writer shares her heartfelt story of walking the Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska.

"Runners," I heard someone yell. As I turned my head to look back, the first of more than 2,200 runners in the Annual Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska, were fast approaching. I joined in the cheering, "Go runners!" For the next few hours, runners of all ages and shapes and sizes would be passing me by. I continued to cheer. After all, I had 22 more miles to go. But not as a runner, I was one of the 860 walkers who had started out just one hour before.

The Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon is one of the few in the country that invites both runners and walkers to participate in the race. But what brought so many of us to Alaska's largest city was the Leukemia Society of America's "Team in Training" program.

As part of a national fund-raising effort, teams are formed in cities throughout the country. The program combines training runners/walkers for the ultimate physical challenge -- a marathon -- with fund-raising to help find a cure for Leukemia and related cancers. So on June 21, the longest day of the summer, which in Alaska is 19 hours and 21 minutes, over 3,000 people stepped from behind the start line to achieve a personal goal of 26.2 miles.

Paved paths. Gravel roads. Dirt trails. Old wooden bridges over swift running creeks. Sidewalks. The marathon presented us with a variety of terrain and a mix of Alaskan scenery. The stunning Chugach Mountains towered beyond us. Thick, wooded foothills surrounded us. We even moved through picturesque neighborhoods and local parks. But the most challenging leg of the race led us down old Army tank trails full of rocks, ruts and potholes. Leave it to the Alaskans to make sure our experience was nothing short of adventurous.

Each mile marker was a great accomplishment. All along the way, people were talking, cheering and encouraging each other. Aid stations offered water, Gatorade and cut-up oranges. Volunteers helped with twisted ankles, blistered feet, cramped muscles and struggling bodies. But almost everyone persevered. After all, the vast majority of the runners/walkers were doing it in honor of a child, father, mother, grandparent, brother, sister or friend who is running another kind of race -- one against a killer disease.

"I was motivated by the families and patients who are stricken with Leukemia," said Pat Brooks from South Carolina. She walked the 26.2 miles while her daughter, Kim Brooks, ran it. "Just when I thought my legs might give way or my knees hurt, a person would pass by with a picture of a child or loved one with Leukemia attached to the back of their shirt, I'd see that and keep on going." Pat added, "Compared to what patients with Leukemia go through, a marathon is nothing. I'm proud I did it and raised money for such a good cause. It was one of the most exciting things I've done in my life."

Right before our eyes, a story unfolded that symbolized the challenge of the marathon and the Leukemia Society's fight for a cure. An 11-year-old boy, Eric Nelson Iverson from Omaha, Nebraska, who had waged his own battle against Leukemia for five years, proudly crossed the finish line with his mother holding one hand and a special friend holding the other. But what touched our hearts and brought tears to our eyes, was the fact that this special friend, John Burke of Lexington, North Carolina, had saved this young boy's life just two years before. He had donated his bone marrow.

The aches and pains in my own legs seemed to subside as I watched the trio hug in triumph. The marathon had truly been the most moving experience of my life.

More than seven hours after we started, the last member of our team crossed the finish line. We celebrated. Instead of Gatorade, we filled our cups with champagne and toasted our accomplishment. Exhilarated and exhausted, we walked to catch a bus back to our hotel. As I limped along, I became filled with emotion. I had not only walked a marathon but I had finished it - all 26.2 miles.

Alaskan Marathon Facts

Elevation at start: 220 feet above sea level
Elevation at finish: 90 feet above sea level

Sunrise: 4:22 a.m.
Sunset: 11:43 p.m.

Average Temperature at start: 55 F
Average Temperature at finish: 65 F

Time Limit: seven hours for runners, eight hours for walkers

Aaaaaah, Chocolate!

2008-07-25T11:57:00.001-07:00

Finally, what we've been waiting so long to hear! Chocolate is not the evil food we thought it was! The day has come when chocolate, instigator of countless cravings, can be good for our health. This is one guilty pleasure you don't have to feel so guilty about.

High quality chocolate contains vitamins B1, B2, C, D, antioxidant vitamins A and E, as well as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, and fluorine! (It's like taking a multi-vitamin…well okay, not quite!) Following are some notable qualities of chocolate:

Cocoa is the highest natural source of magnesium, and the high magnesium content of chocolate is beneficial for the cardiovascular system and hypertension. Additionally, magnesium levels are found to be low in women during menstruation along with low progesterone levels, which is responsible for the violent mood swings familiar to so many women. Adding magnesium during this time has proven to increase pre-menstrual progesterone levels, thus alleviating the problem. The magnesium in chocolate is also credited for adding to the euphoria one gets from eating chocolate.

Flavinoids found in cocoa may help protect against cardiovascular disease. Chocolate contains a number of flavinoids, compounds which slow the oxidation of fats, thus preventing low-density lipoproteins (LDL or "bad cholesterol") from forming plaques and clogging arteries.

Other chemical components found in chocolate include tannins, phenol, serotonin and tyramine. Tannins and phenol are the same chemicals that act as antioxidants in laboratory tests of red wine. The potency of these antioxidants has been found to significantly reduce an individual's risk of heart attack. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter found in chocolate, acts as an anti-depressant. Serotonin and tyramine, a normal substance in the body that helps support blood pressure, are also present in chocolate and provide a mild calming, balancing effect.
The fat in high quality plain chocolate does not clog up the arteries or contribute to high cholesterol levels. However, keep in mind that good quality dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate, which contains added saturated fats such as milk fat, dairy cream and hydrogenated oils, plus added sugar and corn syrup. Stick to fine dark chocolate rather than processed milk chocolate.
So why is it that chocolate has gotten a bad rap? Simply because this food should still be considered an indulgence, meaning, we still need to watch our intake and not eat too much of it. Chocolate is still a high fat, high calorie food. So exercise the "S" principle when indulging in this heavenly food - Savor Small Samples! And if you're going to indulge, go for the good stuff.

Follow these tips from the American Dietetic Association to get the most enjoyment from your chocolate:

Chocolate is best tasted on an empty stomach.
Never put your chocolate in the refrigerator -- it will cause the cocoa to separate and form a white bloom.
When tasting dark chocolate, let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds to release its primary flavors and aromas. Then chew it a few times to release the secondary aromas. Let it rest lightly against the roof of your mouth so you experience the full range of flavors. Finally, enjoy the lingering taste in your mouth.