Wellness – Page 3 – All Me Fitness

Water Water Everywhere!

Today’s post is another double whammy! I am talking about staying healthy in the pool, and for those non-swimmers, the delicious healthiness of watermelon.

Today’s post is another double whammy! I am talking about staying healthy in the pool, and for those non-swimmers, the delicious healthiness of watermelon. I figure that in this heat everyone should be looking to use one or both of these things to stay cool

Watermelon is one of my favorite foods because of how useful it is. Whether you slice it, cube it, freeze it, or make a drink from it, watermelon is endlessly delicious. Better yet, it is HEALTHY! Some of it’s good qualities include:

– Natural hydrator by containing 92% water

– Having heart healthy nutrients such as lycopene and citrulline

– An arginine precursor that can decrease body fat and enhance muscle

– Decrease post-exercise muscle soreness

Now that we know that watermelon helps out so much with exercise, lets take a look at swimming as a way to stay healthy. We all know that swimming is a great way to stay in shape. In fact swimming has been shown to reduce death rates in men, as well as decrease blood pressure. But it is not without its own set of risks for orthopedic injuries of the shoulders, knees, and lower back. So here are a few tips to keep those joints feeling good:

– Work on your stroke mechanics, and correct them before you develop pain

– Use traditional rehabilitation exercises as part of your injury prevention program. Target and strengthen the abdominal muscles, rotator cuff muscles, muscles around the shoulder blade, lower back muscles, and quadriceps and hip muscles (see me for details on how)

– When you are experiencing pain, tell some one and ADDRESS IT!!! Don’t fight through the pain. It drives me nuts when my athletes do this.

I hope everyone enjoyed this weeks post! Be sure to check out the NASM blog post about watermelon to get some great recipes, and check out Dr. Geier’s blog for more info about preventing injuries while swimming.

All About Sugar; Disease, Inflammation, Insulin, & Fat Gain

So what really happens when you eat sugar?

You eat sugar, your insulin spikes, you get fat, end of story. That’s how the story goes for people who are trying to sell you their products. But, because you are reading this, you must already know that the likes of food babe and “Dr.” Mercola are full of crap. So what really happens when you eat sugar? Well let’s take a look at what the science says and dispel some myths and ease the fear caused by those only looking to line their wallets.

Low Carb Diets

I’ll start by saying low carb diets work (1). They work because they force you to eat fewer calories than you use throughout the day. The same way that any weight loss program works. But it’s not due to some magical insulin pixie. When you cut out a ton of calories, you are going to lose weight. It may seem obvious, but too many people mix up the message. A big part of why cutting carbs lowers your weight is due to water. Switching to a low carb diet will cause an initial sharp increase in total weight loss, but this is due to the drop in water weight that accompanies carb restriction (2). Of course this means that as soon as you start eating carbs again, you will regain the weight rapidly. Finally, many are successful on a low carb diet because it automatically increases protein, which helps to curb appetite (3). They also typically eliminate all junk foods, which is where our excess calories come from. Bottom line, if it works, it works.

About Insulin

I have written about this twice before (Part 1, Part 2), but the more internet garbage I read, the more I want to write about it. Here’s a good way think about insulin’s roll in weight gain “Insulin is like workers in a warehouse. Calories are the boxes that the workers have to stack on shelves. If there’s lots of workers (high levels of insulin) and lots of boxes (a calorie surplus) then the boxes are packed quickly, and you get a build up of calories, i.e. fat gain. If, however, you’re in a calorie deficit, there are no boxes for the workers to store, so no matter how much insulin is present, there’s nothing to be stacked, and no fat mass to be added.” In other words, the only time carbs actually contribute to fat gain is in the context of a calorie surplus. It is also important to note that insulin sensitivity issues are most likely a result of obesity than it is a cause (4). Bottom line, it’s not the insulin.

Fructose & High Fructose Corn Syrup

For some crazy reason, there are people on the internet who are ranting on about how bad fruit is for you because it has fructose in it. In short, fruit is good for you for many reasons, and fructose is not bad. M oderate levels of fructose consumption do not adversely effect body weight or blood chemistry. However, obscenely high levels of intake (>150 grams per day) may have undesirable health effects (5). High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been blamed for the rise in obesity over the years. But the reality is that HFCS is the same as any other sugar and has nothing to do with the rise in obesity (6). Bottom line, HFCS and fructose are sugar and nothing more. Keep your consumption in check and you will be fine.

Sugar Addiction

Not so long ago, I can remember news outlets around the US saying that sugar is as addictive as narcotics. The thought was that sugars would impact the pleasure center of your brain as well as energy-regulating hormones including insulin, leptin, and ghrelin. This issue was popular because it would mean that our addiction would lead us to eat more sugar, which would make us eat more calories, and therefore make us fat. These stories got lots of views and clicks, so the media kept ‘em comin‘ for a while. The problem is that the stories were based on terrible studies. In reality, the “addiction” seen in animals (and possibly in humans) is due to intermittent access to sweet tasting or highly palatable foods, not the neurochemical effects of sugar (7). Bottom line, no one has ever needed to do a line of sugar because they got the shakes.

Inflammation, Diabetes, Heart Health & More

People from around the world, throughout history and today, have lived long, obesity-free and disease-free, lives while consuming carbs as much as 70% of their diets (8,9). If carbs themselves are fattening, these populations would not have had lean bodies and good health overall, regardless of how active they were. I’ve also heard talk around the gym lately that carbs, sugar in particular, cause inflammation and are therefore bad. Don’t get me wrong, chronic low grade inflammation is a real thing, and it is bad, but it’s not caused by fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, or glucose in normal-weight to obese adults. Not even when consumed in high amounts (10). There’s also little support for a relationship between sugar consumption and diabetes, increases in blood pressure, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or cardiovascular disease (11). Bottom line, there’s no link between sugar consumption at normal levels within the human diet and various adverse metabolic and health-related effects.

Night Time Carbs

You will never guess what I’m about to say. Carbs at night… are not bad! They can help you sleep, help fuel training performance the next day, and carbs at night will have absolutely no negative effect on fat loss (12). Consuming food at night has no effect on overall metabolism either. Bottom line, be happy with your meals and don’t sweat that night time snack.

Final Thoughts

Low carb diets are good and bad. As mentioned before, going low carb or ketogenic means your diet is higher in protein, which helps to curb appetite and eliminates junk foods, which is where our excess calories come from. But in the long term, it means you have to sacrifice a lot. You will have a harder time going out and eating with friends, preparing meals will become far less convenient (especially for sandwich lovers like myself). You might feel worse, and have lower energy and overall mood. If anything, it will make it harder to lose fat in the long run due to a (slightly) lowered metabolism (13). Some may say “if it works, it works” but is it really worth the sacrifice? That’s up to you. The bottom line however, is that carbs don’t make you fat. So the next time someone says that sugar is making the world fat, tell them “it’s because of junk food as a whole – the total calories – and not just the carbs.”

References
1. Westman, E. C., Yancy, J., William S, Mavropoulos, J. C., Marquart, M., & McDuffie, J. R. (2008). The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition & Metabolism, 5(1), 36-36. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-5-36
2. Kreitzman, S. N., Coxon, A. Y., & Szaz, K. F. (1992). Glycogen storage: Illusions of easy weight loss, excessive weight regain, and distortions in estimates of body composition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 56(1 Suppl), 292S.
3. Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Lemmens, S. G., & Westerterp, K. R. (2012). Dietary protein – its role in satiety, energetics, weight loss and health. The British Journal of Nutrition, 108 Suppl 2(S2), S105. doi:10.1017/S0007114512002589
4. Kahn, S. E., Prigeon, R. L., McCulloch, D. K., Boyko, E. J., Bergman, R. N., Schwartz, M. W.. . Palmer, J. P. (1993). Quantification of the relationship between insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function in human subjects. evidence for a hyperbolic function. Diabetes, 42(11), 1663.
5. Madero, M., Arriaga, J. C., Jalal, D., Rivard, C., McFann, K., Pérez-Méndez, O.. . Lozada, L. S. (2011). The effect of two energy-restricted diets, a low-fructose diet versus a moderate natural fructose diet, on weight loss and metabolic syndrome parameters: A randomized controlled trial. Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, 60(11), 1551-1559. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2011.04.001
6. White, J. S. (2008). Straight talk about high-fructose corn syrup: What it is and what it ain’t. United States: American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.25825B
7. Westwater, M. L., Fletcher, P. C., & Ziauddeen, H. (2016). Sugar addiction: The state of the science. European Journal of Nutrition, doi:10.1007/s00394-016-1229-6
8. Lindeberg, S., Eliasson, M., Lindahl, B., & Ahrén, B. (1999). Low serum insulin in traditional pacific islanders—The kitava study. Metabolism, 48(10), 1216-1219. doi:10.1016/S0026-0495(99)90258-5
9. Zhou, B. F., Stamler, J., Dennis, B., Moag-Stahlberg, A., Okuda, N., Robertson, C.. . INTERMAP Research Group. (2003). Nutrient intakes of middle-aged men and women in china, japan, united kingdom, and united states in the late 1990s: The INTERMAP study. Journal of Human Hypertension, 17(9), 623-630. doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1001605
10. Kuzma JN et al. (2016).No differential effect of beverages sweetened with fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, or glucose on systemic or adipose tissue inflammation in normal-weight to obese adults: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr.
11. Rippe, J. M., & Angelopoulos, T. J. (2016). Sugars, obesity, and cardiovascular disease: Results from recent randomized control trials. European Journal of Nutrition, doi:10.1007/s00394-016-1257-2
12. Afaghi, A., O’Connor, H., & Chow, C. M. (2007). High-glycemic-index carbohydrate meals shorten sleep onset 1,2,3. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(2), 426.
13. Johnston, C. S., Tjonn, S. L., Swan, P. D., White, A., Hutchins, H., & Sears, B. (2006). Ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets have no metabolic advantage over nonketogenic low-carbohydrate diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83(5), 1055.

Cutting Through Crap & Real Solutions For Nutrition, Health, & Life

The truth is that the health and fitness industry is so rife with crap because, well, we buy it. Let’s take a look at what can be done, how to educate yourself so you don’t waste money, and how simple it is to really be healthy and happy with your body.

What if I told you I had THE ONE SIMPLE TRICK to get you to lose weight and gain muscle fast? All it takes is… laser treatments, super shakes,eating for your body type, weight loss wraps, or some other bald faced lie. The truth is that the health and fitness industry is so rife with crap because, well, we buy it. We are all looking for the magic bullet to get us to where we want to be. Admittedly, most people, including myself, think it would be nice right? But in reality, you can’t alter your height, limb or torso length, and most other characteristics determined by your genetics. It’s not about trying to look like “her/him”; it’s about being the best version of yourself. So let’s take a look at what can be done, how to educate yourself so you don’t waste money, and how simple it is to really be healthy and happy with your body.

My Redundant Plea

I have written on several occasions about where to go for good advice/where bad info comes from, how to spot bad swindlers/bad science, and why you need to think critically about your investment in your health and fitness goals. But, after another week of fielding questions about “which shake should I be drinking” and “how many carbs should I have”, I wanted to pick on a few more mind boggling BS claims. The powdered unicorn fart capsules known as shakeology, detox/cleanse, super supplements, and Gwyneth Paltrow continue to make people lose weight by making their wallets lighter. And it’s not just your local 20 something trainer caught up in a multilevel marketing scheme, it’s people who have credentials who are getting in on the action. Take “Dr.” Joseph Mercola seen below who continues to blur the lines between business and medicine.

These folks, and those who claim that you have to sacrifice, suffer, and deprive yourself to build a better looking body and that eating well and working out has to become your entire life, suck. They may make claims that their workout program will make you a battle-ready warrior or superior specimen of the human race, and that their diet will make you bulletproof. They may speak in absolutes stating “women should always do A, B, and C”, or “women should never do X, Y, and Z.” They use words like “groundbreaking” and “revolutionary” frequently when describing quick-fix fads and gimmicks. You may encounter entire groups that put down other people who don’t work out or eat the way they do. For the record, any group claiming to be better than others because of their health and fitness lifestyle has eaten too many of their own poop sandwiches. Speaking of poop sandwiches, just because someone had success with a particular diet or workout program doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you. Anything promising to make your muscles “long and lean” or says you can look like someone else is, once again, a turdy bacon club sandwich. Diets that blame a macronutrient (e.g., fat, protein, carbohydrates) or food group (e.g., dairy) for hindering your fat loss efforts are, you guessed it, crap.CARBS WILL NOT MAKE YOU FAT!!!!! Science (1). A low-fat diet isn’t a benefit because eating fat doesn’t cause disease. NOT eating it probably does, and we now know the body even needs some saturated fat to function optimally (2). Salt won’t kill you or drive up blood pressure if you’re generally healthy (3). And gluten… well what can be said other than food marketers have simply found another way to convince you that their bag or box of garbage is healthy (4).

Find the people who know their stuff, and learn from them. You can, again, check out my favorite “go to” resources here, but in short, Alan Aragon,Precision Nutrition, and Brad Schoenfeld will always be on my short list of trusted information sources.

Simple, Practical, Crap Free Advice

Now that we have bravely made it past the organic corn fill BM that is much of the fitness industry, let’s take a look at some info that will actually help.

-First up, short cuts don’t exist. Like many other aspects of life, if you truly want to achieve a goal, you must put in some effort.

-Strict diets are not sustainable long-term and exercise is not punishment. Your best bet is to eat real food with ample amounts of fruits and vegetables, and you’ll reap far greater results by consistently doing exercises you like (e.g. hiking, take a group fitness class, start learning martial arts, or anything that sounds fun to you) rather than haphazardly doing something deemed perfect. Find out what you like for both nutrition and exercise, and you will see results and be much happier in the long run. Isn’t that what it’s all about in the end anyways?

-Know that gimmicks prey on your insecurities (and even create new ones). You don’t have to be miserable or deprived. Stick to the basics: eat mostly real, minimally processed foods, and strength train 2-4 days per week, and get enough sleep. These should be done according to your preferences and time availability.

-If you make a mistake, or even fail completely, don’t beat yourself up. Practice some self-compassion and then move on and do something positive when possible.

I am going to talk about looking and feeling confident because if you want that shredded, 6 pack abs, glistening muscles, ripped look, you may want to think about what it takes to get there. First of all, it’s tough to get and stay lean enough to look like Khal Drogo. It takes dedication, knowledge, and a win of the genetics lottery. But from disease risk to brain function and physical performance, a healthy diet is vital for every aspect of life. So to feel confident enough to take off your shirt at a pool party or feel like you can take on the world (or a last minute 5k you get invited to), then you will want to look into these rational steps.

Know that total calorie intake is key (5). If you put in more calories than you burn, you will store them as new muscle or body fat. If you consume fewer calories than you burn every day, you will lose weight (6).
Know what macro nutrients are. Carbs4 calories per gram. All starchy foods like bread, pasta and potatoes. Also includes fruit, legumes, juice, sugar and some dairy products.

Protein 4 calories per gram. Main sources include meat and fish, dairy, eggs, legumes and vegetarian alternatives like tofu.

Fats 9 calories per gram. Main sources include nuts, seeds, oils, butter, cheese, oily fish and fatty meat.

Know what whole foods are. Basing your diet on whole foods is an extremely effective but simple strategy to improve health and lose weight. They are the unprocessed foods containing only one ingredientthat should be eaten at least 80-90% of the time. So if the product looks like it was made in a factory, then it’s probably not a whole food.
Know that no food is strictly off limits. However, overeating certain foods like processed low-fatproducts and refined carbscan increase disease risk and lead to weight gain (7).
Know that by controlling your portions, you are more likely to avoid consuming too many calories. To avoid portion distortion, you can use smaller plates and take a smaller-than-average first serving, then wait 20 minutes before you return for more. You can also use the hand method.
Know how to assess your calorie needs. You can use a calorie calculator, free calorie/nutrient trackers, or simply consider increasing protein intake. Protein shakes can be very helpful, but know that what type you buyis also based on your goals.
Know that most people regain all the weight they lost soon after attempting a weight loss diet (8). To avoid being a statistic, follow the rule that if you can’t see yourself on this diet in one, two or three years, then it’s not right for you. Making a sustainable diet means that you can enjoy and stick with it for the long term. If you want unhealthy foods, save them for an occasional treat.

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References

Kreitzman, S. N., Coxon, A. Y., & Szaz, K. F. (1992). Glycogen storage: Illusions of easy weight loss, excessive weight regain, and distortions in estimates of body composition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 56(1 Suppl), 292S.
Skeaff, C. M., & Miller, J. (2009). Dietary fat and coronary heart disease: Summary of evidence from prospective cohort and randomised controlled trials. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 55(1-3), 173. doi:10.1159/000229002
Cohen, H. W., Hailpern, S. M., Fang, J., & Alderman, M. H. (2006). Sodium intake and mortality in the NHANES II follow-up study. The American Journal of Medicine, 119(3), 275.e7-275.e14. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.10.042
Reilly, NR. (2016) The Gluten-Free Diet: Recognizing Fact, Fiction, and Fad. The Journal of Pediatrics. , Volume 0 , Issue 0 ,DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.04.014
Swinburn, B. A., Sacks, G., Lo, S. K., Westerterp, K. R., Rush, E. C., Rosenbaum, M.. . Ravussin, E. (2009). Estimating the changes in energy flux that characterize the rise in obesity prevalence. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(6), 1723.
Hall, K. D., Heymsfield, S. B., Kemnitz, J. W., Klein, S., Schoeller, D. A., & Speakman, J. R. (2012). Energy balance and its components: Implications for body weight regulation. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(4), 989.
Gross, L. S., Li, L., Ford, E. S., & Liu, S. (2004). Increased consumption of refined carbohydrates and the epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the united states: An ecologic assessment. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79(5), 774.
Dulloo, A. G., & Montani, J. ‐. (2015). Pathways from dieting to weight regain, to obesity and to the metabolic syndrome: An overview. Obesity Reviews, 16(S1), 1-6. doi:10.1111/obr.12250

Carbs Are Not The Enemy! Part 2

To see the big picture lets focus back in on what else is driving the obesity epidemic.

I had such a great response to last weeks post that I decided to do a part 2 on carbohydrates (CHO) and its relationship to obesity! So once again the focus will be on insulin, and like last week the information is not all inclusive and does not cover everyone with a special need, disease, or condition. Of course before I dive in I want to remind everyone that for healthy individuals, insulin is very tightly controlled by the body and there is no reason at all to fear it. And as a refresher on what insulin does I’ll remind you that one of insulin’s main roles is to maintain glucose homeostasis.

So this week I am going to start by saying why CHO’s are bad according to a couple of sources.

– Increased sugar consumption has significantly contributed to the rise in obesity and metabolic diseases

– There is an association between risk of overweight and obesity and fructose-containing sugars consumed as sugar-sweetened beverages

– High intakes of highly palatable foods like refined grains, processed meats, red meats, French fries, and potato products play a role in weight gain

– Insulin levels are typically increased in obese individuals

At this point you may be asking yourself “wait what? I thought this was about how carbs aren’t bad for me?” I will say first and foremost thatassociation is not causation. This means that the previously mentioned issues are only part of the problem. To see the big picture lets focus back in on what else is driving the obesity epidemic.

– Physical inactivity!!!!!!!!!! (as I sit in front of a screen I realize that I’m a hypocrite… I’m doing 10 squats before I write more and so should you!)

– Over consumption of all foods is associated with overweight and obesity

– Western dietary pattern and lifestyle in general is just a culture of poor decisions

I say this because I really dislike absolutes. As in CHO’s are the reason why we have an obesity crisis. To me it doesn’t make sense. We have been eating the stuff forever without issue so why all of a sudden is it becoming a problem? Why are so many people blaming sugar and insulin to be the issue? Well the first, and most obvious, answer to this is that individuals want to make a quick buck off of a product, book, or alternative health care product. The second answer is that some individual just don’t understand whats really the issue. So here are some bullet point’s on why an increased insulin response to CHO consumption leading to lipogenesis (energy stored as fat) is not likely the mechanistic cause of the obesity problem.

– The supportive data for insulin being the bad guy are largely supported by ecological observations, rodent models of overfeeding (humans are not rats), and select human trials (all are poor evidence)

– There have been no high quality studies showing that fructose-containing sugars behave differently from any other forms of energy intake

– Although the food mentioned earlier are associated with increased levels of obesity, total sugars or other important sources of added sugars such as cakes, pastries and sweets have not

– If insulin was the true problem, we would observe increased insulin in all cases of obesity

– While there is increased insulin in obese people (in most cases), it appears its action is reduced (i.e. its action of lipogenesis and reducinglipolysis on fat tissue is decreased)

– Insulin can have short-term effects on how nutrients are stored in the body for things like muscle glycogen synthesis and muscle protein synthesis

–

So what the hell does this all mean? Well to sum it all up I can say that CHO’s do not cause obesity. They do however, play an important roll. It is way to easy to consume CHO’s in large quantities so it’s important to know how much energy you are taking in. Insulin is a substrate conductor that tells your cells what to use for fuel and can be manipulated to optimize fuel portioning to promote fat oxidation and recovery from workouts. What this all means is that obesity is likely the cause of insulin resistance, and NOT the driving factor behind it.

For more information I recommend you read the three fantastic articles. Additionally check out this TED talk for more thoughts on insulin resistance.

The Happy Healthy Traveler

Traveling will always throw you in a funk when it comes to your health and fitness habits. So today I wanted to go over some tips to help you stay on track with your goals.

It’s inevitable. During the summer we will all likely be doing some traveling for vacation, sports, or a friend who selfishly demanded to do a destination wedding. Of course these events are special, but they will always throw you in a funk when it comes to your health and fitness habits. So today I wanted to go over some tips to help you stay on track with your goals, but more importantly, I want to hear about your favorite tips and tricks for staying on target.

Health Before Fun, Food, or Fitness

Before we dive into the fitness and nutrition side of things, I think it’s important to address the health needs of the traveler. Depending on where you’re going, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First, if you’re going outside of the country (or to Michigan), make sure you are aware of the water situation. If the tap water isn’t good for drinking, then you will need to game plan for buying bottled water, brushing your teeth, and to keep your mouth shut when you take a shower or hop in a swimming in a pool. Nothing’s worse than running a trip short due to the runs. Speaking of which, consider taking bismuth subsalicylate (sold as Pepto-Bismol and various store brands) before every meal to decrease your chances of developing diarrhea (1). Never eat undercooked foods — eggs, meat, fish or poultry — or any food sold by street vendors, and wash your hands before and after meals to ensure you have a pleasant trip. Finally, make sure you are all up-to-date on routine vaccines (measles-mumps-rubella, varicella (chickenpox), diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, hepatitis A, typhoid, polio, an annual flu shot, and, if needed, a prescription for generic Malarone (atovaquone proguanil) to prevent malaria. Check out this link to know exactly what vaccinations you need depending on your destination. Be sure to pack an ample supply of sunscreen, insect repellent with 20 percent or more of DEET, and a first-aid kit of hydrocortisone cream, antibiotic ointment and a variety of bandages. When flying, be sure to get up and walk around to avoid blood clots especially if you’re over 40, obese or pregnant, or have limited mobility (for example, because of a leg cast) or have a personal or family history of clots. Although rare, blood clots can be a very serious problem that everyone should be aware of.

Nutrition No Brainers

When I think about traveling and nutrition, I think about how speed is the key. You want to get in and out fast so you can just get to where you’re going. Of course, this means stopping at a fast food place. To avoid the junk at fast food places, I have a few tips that may seem like no-brainers, but actually going through with them is key.

#1 Pre Travel Game Plan – My wife spends hours planning her outfits for any trip. She writes down what she will need for each day of the trip, lays out the clothes, and then makes sure they will all fit in her bag. This same technique should be applied to your nutritional needs for any trip! Make a game plan by writing down how many times you/your family will need to eat, make a note of whether it will be on the road, hotel, or at the destination, and pack a cooler accordingly. The food you make yourself will almost surely be healthier than a number 8 with a soda at a fast food joint. This is especially true if you or your kids will be on the road for sports competitions.

#2 On The Road Game Plan – If you know your travels will take you on the road/air for multiple meals, there Here are a few things you can do to help keep yourself fueled with the good stuff: ask the airline ahead of time for a special meal, request a room with a small fridge for healthy food storage, and pack foods that don’t need to be immediately refrigerated.

#3 The Destination – Wherever you go, there is no excuse for not eating well. There are grocery stores, local markets, and healthy restaurant options everywhere. With a few taps of the smart phone, you can find these locations with ease. Because most of us will opt for the restaurant option, you will want to look for healthy choices online ahead of time;

* Protein (grilled chicken breast, lean beef, shrimp tuna, beans, etc)

* Veggies

* Side dishes because you can make pretty good meal from a few side orders, such as a single egg or a cup of fruit

* Appetizers because ordering a small item or two instead of a table-crushing platter of ribs is always better option

* The classic soup and salad options are filling and familiar

* Eat slowly, put your fork down and take long sips of water between bites so that you aren’t rushing through your meal and filling up before you even notice you’re satisfied

#4 Snacks – I love to snack on long drives because it helps keep me focused. Naturally, there are better options out there than chips and soda to snack on. So here are a few thoughts on what to pack, or what to look for at the gas station, when on the move.

* Focus on portion control when packing your own food. You will eat more if you put everything in one big container rather than many small ones

* Fresh produce such as apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, clementines, celery sticks, edamame and carrot sticks

* Hard-boiled eggs are perfect for any time of the day, but are particularly better for you than a hotel waffle or muffin at breakfast

* Dried fruit/jerky because fruits are packed with potassium and fiber and jerky is an excellent snack that’s low in calories and high in protein.(just make sure they both are unsweetened)

* DIY trail mix with unsweetened dried fruit, nuts, whole-grain cereal and seeds packed them in little snack baggies with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or smoked paprika to kick it up a notch

* And my personal favorite, snack sized pickles. No calories (that’s right… 0) and the salt in them will help you retain a little water so you don’t have to make quite so many potty breaks

Exercise & Sleep

When it comes to your health, exercise and sleep are crucial. And traveling will always throw a wrench in the works for both of these. Click this link to learn everything you need to know about sleep and how to keep a regular healthy pattern while traveling. And when it comes to exercise, you should always be able to make time for a quick workout. Those 30 to 45 minutes in the gym during the week doesn’t make up for all the time on your rear. Crunched for time? Well then do a cool 15 minute core workout like this one. Outdoor workouts like a scenic walk or run from the hotel work wonders. In-room workouts offer challenges, but doing dips on a chair, push ups, resistance bands, tennis ball for self-myofascial release, a bag filled with water for resistance exercise, and even a towel can easily be used for a yoga mat. Heck, if you have a wall, you can have a workout! Bottom line, don’t make excuses, just get it done!

References

DuPont, H. L., Ericsson, C. D., Johnson, P. C., Bitsura, J. A. M., DuPont, M. W., & de la Cabada, Francisco Javier. (1987). Prevention of travelers’ diarrhea by the tablet formulation of bismuth subsalicylate. Jama, 257(10), 1347-1350. doi:10.1001/jama.1987.03390100085031

Carbs Are Not The Enemy!

A highly controversial, and often a highly confused, subject.

Today’s post is about a highly controversial, and often a highly confused, subject. Carbohydrates (CHO) has been villainized by many in the health and fitness industry. However, as a lover of CHO’s, I thought I’d take the time to answer the question“do carbohydrates make us fat”?

Obviously, what I am about to write is not all inclusive and does not cover everyone with a special need, disease, or condition. But I think it is important for everyone to know that science isn’t always on the side of certain authors and their view points.

So let’s get to it. When it comes to CHO’s being bad, many point the all mighty finger of blame towards the “I” word. The word even makes some people feel a wee bit squeamish… INSULIN. Now before we go any further I want you to be comfortable with the word. So I will let you in on a little secret. For healthy individuals, insulin is very tightly controlled by the body and there is no reason at all to fear it. For those of you who are not sure what the hell I’m talking about, here is a brief history on how insulin works, and why some people think it’s bad.

Down Insulin! Bad Hormone!

– Insulin is a hormone that is released by the pancreas, and interacts with skeletal muscle, the liver, and our adipose tissue (fat)

– When we eat CHO’s (sugars) insulin is released into the blood stream where it tells muscles to absorb sugar and and use it as fuel.

– Because the liver releases sugar when our blood sugar gets too low, insulin replenishes what is lost there too

– When the liver and muscle cells are filled up with sugars, insulin will turn the excess CHO into fat

– Insulin decreases the rate of lipolysis (break down of fat for energy) in fat tissue and does stimulate fatty acid and triacylglycerol production

Why This Process DOES NOT Make You Fat

– When we are resting our bodies use fat as the primary fuel source

– When we work out, our body is using stored sugars as fuel so we typically need to top it off when we eat

– Storing fat would require us to have a constantly high signal of insulin

– Insulin is simply a switch in which fuel source we use, thus it tells us when we should burn sugar because we have enough of it to burn, but it does not tell our body that we should become fat!!!

Still wana be on that high protein diet because CHO’s are scary? Well the reality is that some high-protein foods elicit a greater insulin response than high-carbohydrate foods. In fact all proteins come with an insulin response. So by that logic, those who think that CHO’s affect on insulin is the cause of obesity must recognize that consuming protein would also encourage fat accumulation and not fat loss.

As I come to the conclusion I feel obligated to talk about diabetes, the disease that alters the body’s use of insulin. The fact of the mater is that those with type 1 diabetes can do nothing about their situation. However, those with type 2 diabetes often can. This is because the same reason why people accumulate fat due to insulin, is frequently the reason why type 2 diabetes occurs… a lack of response to circulating insulin. This is an entirely separate can of worm that I would be happy to discuss with anyone on an individual basis 🙂

All of this being said, CHO’s can also be a bad thing. When processed, they don’t provide much in the way of nutrition. This decreases how full we feel and makes it hard to judge just how much we ate.

All About The Heat, Hydration, & Sweat

Let’s take a look at what you should be doing to keep yourself healthy and cool while exercising and looking hot!

Today I wanted to stay on the theme of fluid consumption, so let’s take a look at how to have fun and stay safe during the summer heat. This topic is important to me for many reasons. I am an Athletic Trainer which means I am a health care professional who collaborates with physicians to provide preventive services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. So naturally, I want to keep everyone safe. In addition, I am a super heavy sweater, so I know firsthand the perils of not properly preparing. So let’s take a look at what you should be doing to keep yourself healthy and cool while exercising and looking hot!

Warm Up to The Heat

When it comes to exercising in the heat, you don’t want to go into it cold. And by that I mean, you need to get your body prepared for the extra stress that heat places upon it. Acclimation is the process by which the body adapts to heat stress, and it is a crucial element to heat safety. Because it can take a few weeks to get acclimated, you want to slowly increase the volume, duration, and intensity of your training. The complete process will vary depending on activity, but in general, during days 1-5 there should be light to moderate exercise lasting no more than 1 hour. During days 6-14, increase the exercise load up to 3 hours (1). This process is extremely important and should be taken seriously. It would also be wise to learn about the dangers of heat illness such as heat syncope, exercise (heat) exhaustion, and exertional heat stroke (2). Especially when you’re starting to get used to the heat, it is wise to prepare yourself by adjusting your training sessions, training with a partner, pre-cooling with ice towels before exercise. Try to and have ice vests/towels and even cold-water baths ready in case you need to rapidly cool down.

Sweet Scent of Sweat

Sweating is a normal, expected outcome of exercise. And before we talk about how much you should be drinking, it’s important to know how much you’re sweating. One way to figure this out is to use the simple test of weighing yourself before and after a run to get a sense of how much fluid you’re losing. This way you know how much water you need to be drinking during that time span.

But why do some people sweat more than others? Well, the answer might not be what you expect because it doesn’t have to do with how much body fat you have, or if you’re in great cardiovascular shape (3)! Sweating is a cooling mechanism that aims to dampen your skin. Then the sweat gets evaporated, and that process of evaporation cools you down. So essentially, those who produce more heat will be the ones who sweat more. Acclimation plays a role in this as well because as you exercise more in the heat, your body knows that you will be getting hot, so it starts producing a lot sweat quickly (4). There are other factors that play into how much you sweat. Factors you can’t change include how many sweat glands you’re born with (2 – 5 hundred thousand) and the fact that men sweat more than women (5). Modifiable factors that will make you sweat more include taking stimulants (e.g. caffeine), alcohol consumption, nicotine, and non-breathable clothing such as synthetic fabrics. There are also medical issues that will make you sweat more including hyperhidrosis and anxiety that require a doctor to diagnose.

Hydration, Electrolytes, Cramps, And Other Myths

When it comes to hydration during exercise, and life in general, there are a lot of myths, old wives’ tales, and misinformation thrown around on the internet. This is a bit off topic, but I would like to start by saying you don’t need to drink 8 glasses of water a day regardless of what marketing departments tell you (6). Even though dehydration will decrease your metal abilities, you would need to fight the urge to drink something for quite a while before that takes effect. Up next, coffee does not dehydrate you (7)!!!!!! Drinking coffee in isolation won’t cause dehydration because, guess what, it’s a liquid. The water that comes with the coffee far offsets the increase in sweating that comes with it. Here comes the big shock of the post… hydration and electrolytes have NOTHING to do with cramps during exercise (8)! This widespread misconception is again largely driven by marketing. Cramps are more likely caused by a high intensity of exercise, family history of cramps, and muscle damage (9). The latter point is the most important. Muscle damage caused by excessive heat can be a sign that your body is entering a danger zone. So when you’re exercising outdoors in hot and humid weather, take cramps seriously as a possible sign of heat illness (10).

Now that the myth busting is out of the way, let’s dive into what you should be doing to be safe in the heat. The first tip is to begin with the end in mind. And by that I mean you should come into an exercise session already hydrated. Euhydration is when you’re at an ideal, or slightly greater than ideal, level of hydration. This is important because many people can only drink about a liter of fluid an hour even though they sweat much more than that (11). So how can you tell if you’re at a euhydrated state? Well the answer is in your pee! Check out the chart below to see where your hydration level should be.

AM I HYDRATED? A URINE COLOR CHART

There are many hydration strategies out there, but your best bet is to just sip on water regularly throughout your exercise routine. If you don’t like the taste of water, then you can drink something with a little more flavor if you prefer. No matter what you drink, the end result will be about the same. But it’s important to remember that unless you are exercising for more than two hours, sports drinks aren’t going to be beneficial and will only add to your total amount of calories consumed for the day. The most important thing to do is weigh yourself before and after your exercise and drink back what you lost during that time.

The Seven Habits of Healthy Weight Loss

Lets take a look at the big rocks and little rocks of fat mass loss!

Today I am taking a page out of Steven Covey’s book by talking about the big rocks and little rocks of fat mass loss. If you’re not familiar with the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (which I highly suggest as a good read), a subject discussed is the concept of placing big rocks (important things) ahead of little rocks (less important things). So here is a list of the 7 big rocks you should do before you bother yourself with the minutia and gimmicks of fat loss.

BIG ROCKS

1. Caloric Deficit – Consuming less that you are burning is obvious, but often it’s forgotten as the MOST IMPORTANT part of fat loss. Who cares if your eating healthy if your eating way too much healthy food?!?! That’s why I prefer to do a 3 day dietary log with my clients to see what their eating and if it’s way too much. Even though many calorie calculators are off by as much as 25%, it’s a very good place to start to make sure your in the ball park. And if you’re wondering how many calories you should be eating, a good equation to go by is body weight in pounds x 12.

2. Eating whole, unprocessed nutritious foods – This one also abides by the KISS principle. Eating veggies, fruit, and high quality protein (as in not hot dogs), is a foundation principle. Now eating like sh** here and there is fine. We all do it. And if you say you don’t then you’re a dirty rotten liar. But the key is to make it here and there and not a staple of your day to day life. A good place to start with this big rock is the produce section.

3. Protein and Essential Nutrients – The cool thing about protein is that it both builds muscle, and fills you up. So in my opinion the more the merrier. However, with an RDA set at .8g per kg per day, most people simply just don’t realize their not getting enough. A good rule of thumb here is eating 1g per pound of body weight. As for essential nutrients, if your not eating a balanced diet you may want turn to a small rock by considering a quality multivitamin supplement.

4. Consistency/adherence – The answer is no. I don’t feel like exercising everyday. But it’s become a habit of mine so now it’s just something that I feel like I need to do. To keep my self going I choose exercises that I can do, that are fun, and that are never the same as the week before. The same goes for diet. Choosing foods you’ll actually buy, prepare, and eat, consistently is key. But keep your self sane by setting an upper limit of 20% “junk” calories per day.This way you can actually enjoy life a little 🙂

5. Water – Not to beat a dead horse, but drinking plenty of water is important. Drinking .5oz per lbs. per day is a good place to start for this one

6. Avoid Losing Weight Too Fast – Yes there is such a thing, and it’s a bad thing. One to two Lbs. per week is a solid strategy.

7. Exercise – Well this is a no brainer. Build muscle by exercise, and lose fat by concentrating on diet. These two intermingle a lot, but again this is the general rule of thumb.

For more information check out this article!

Body By Booz: The Effects Of Alcohol On Your Fitness Goals

How does doing 12oz curls can influence your fitness and physique? Whether you’re drinking whiskey, wine, or whatever else you use as social lube, we will dive into how it will influence your waistline.

Happy 4th of July! When I think about the celebration of this holiday, images of barbecues, fireworks, and beer dance through my head. I know that I’m certainly not alone when it comes to this way of thinking, which is why I wanted to write about how doing 12oz curls can influence your fitness and physique. So whether you’re drinking whiskey, wine, or whatever else you use as social lube, let’s dive into how it will influence your waistline.

The Basics Of Imbibing

Alcohol comes in many forms, but in general a unit is typically 12 oz (355 mL) of 5% beer, 5 oz (150 mL) 12.5% wine, or 1.5 oz (45 mL) of drinks with a higher (40%) alcohol content. Most of us drink alcohol because it’s a neuroactive chemical that gets us buzzed. But that inebriation comes at a caloric cost that most forget about. That fire water you’re enjoying contains 7 calories per gram energy-wise, but this does not always correlate well with body weight like the other macronutrients (carbs, fats, proteins) do. Finally, as you read the rest of this post it’s important to keep in mind that “moderate” drinking is dependent on gender and not ultimately defined, but an upper limit can be placed at 9 units per week for women and 12-14 units a week for men, with no single event exceeding 4 units.

Beer Nuts & Drunk Munchies

If you’re trying to lose weight, or at least not gain a beer belly, you know that you want to consume fewer calories than you expend. Drinking can certainly influence both aspects, but lets take a closer look at the former aspect of the equation. One important thing to consider when it comes to eating under the influence is that alcohol alters your brain activity along with your hunger hormones. In turn, it can influence what you perceive as tasty. We know that increased calorie consumption is not due to a drunken urge to chow down, but rather it’s due to an increased food-related reward when we taste energy-rich foods… like nachos (1). And remember how calories that come from booze don’t always correlate well with body weight? Well that’s because the calories that you get from alcohol have a large individual variability according to the absolute amount of alcohol consumed, drinking frequency as well as genetic factors. For instance, alcohol calories count more in moderate non-daily consumers than in daily (heavy) consumers as well as counting more in combination with a high-fat diet and in overweight and obese individuals (2). Just another reason why counting your calories can be frustrating. Although binge drinking can cause binge eating, it’s safe to say that exercising in moderation while tossing a few back together with a healthy lifestyle won’t cause weight gain (3).

Obviously, not gaining weight is not enough for most of us. If you want to lose weight then you may want to consider altering your drinking habits. This is because drinking is done in social situations, which leads to social eating, which can lead to poor nutritional choices. You should start by tracking your choices on getting tipsy with a drinking journal. From there, you can address where in your lifestyle you need to make adjustments. For more information on how exactly to go about this, you can listen to or read this wonderful information put you by the folks over at Precision Nutrition.

Ethanol & Exercise

The key theme and take away from this whole post should be that moderation is key. Drinking a brew or two after exercise every once in a while won’t make you gain weight or lose any benefits you get from the bout of exercise. However, over indulging, especially on a consistent basis, will decrease your overall health and stop progress in its tracks. So have some fun if drinking is your thing, but don’t be an Animal House frat boy. This may be the best way to live life to the fullest.

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References

1. Yeomans, M. R. (2010). Short term effects of alcohol on appetite in humans. effects of context and restrained eating. Appetite, 55(3), 565-573. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2010.09.005

2. Suter, P. M., & Tremblay, A. (2005). is alcohol consumption a risk factor for weight gain and obesity? Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 42(3), 197-227. doi:10.1080/10408360590913542

3. Traversy G, Chaput J-P. Alcohol Consumption and Obesity: An Update. Current Obesity Reports. 2015;4(1):122-130. doi:10.1007/s13679-014-0129-4.

4. Jiménez-Pavón, D., Cervantes-Borunda, M. S., Díaz, L. E., Marcos, A., & Castillo, M. J. (2015). Effects of a moderate intake of beer on markers of hydration after exercise in the heat: A crossover study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12, 26. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0088-5

5. Burke, L. M., Collier, G. R., Broad, E. M., Davis, P. G., Martin, D. T., Sanigorski, A. J., & Hargreaves, M. (2003). Effect of alcohol intake on muscle glycogen storage after prolonged exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 95(3), 983-990. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00115.2003

6. Ebrahim, I., Fenwick, P., Williams, A. J., & Shapiro, C. (2015). Alcohol and sleep review: Sound statistics and valid conclusions. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 39(5), 944-946. doi:10.1111/acer.12708

7. Steiner, J. L., Gordon, B. S., & Lang, C. H. (2015). Moderate alcohol consumption does not impair overload-induced muscle hypertrophy and protein synthesis. Physiological Reports, 3(3), e12333. http://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12333

8. Duplanty, A. A., Budnar, R. G., Luk, H. Y., Levitt, D. E., Hill, D. W., McFarlin, B. K., … & Vingren, J. L. (2016). Effect of Acute Alcohol Ingestion on Resistance Exercise Induced mTORC1 Signaling in Human Muscle. Journal of strength and conditioning research/National Strength & Conditioning Association.

Stretching The Truth

Today I wanted to talk about what stretching does. There are a lot of misconceptions about the actual effects of stretching are, and I am constantly asked about topic pertaining to stretching. Here are a few commonly asked questions; what should I stretch? how long/often should I stretch? what will stretching do for me? should I even stretch at all? Each one of these questions are important so I will address them one by one.

What should I stretch?

The answer to this is… it depends! There is no need to stretch a muscle that is at an already acceptable level of tonicity. Yes, a hamstring stretch feels nice but for most people the hamstring is not the problem. In many cases the hamstring feels tight because the hip flexors are putting them in a state of constant tension. This problem an even manifest as lower back pain! So, should you stretch the hamstring? No. You should stretch the hip flexors so that the hamstrings are able to get back to a normal resting length. This same situation, where one tight muscle causes another area of the body to have a problem, can happen throughout the entire body. In essence, if you want to know what you need to stretch you should probably take advantage of those free program design sessions to figure out what exactly is going on with your body.

How long/often should I stretch?

There is no definitive answer to these questions. However, a good rule of thumb to go by is stretch for around 30 seconds at least 5 days per week. The best time to stretch is after you’re done working out. “Not in the warm up?” you ask. The answer is no. Stretching the wrong area in the warm up can even be a bad thing in some cases. Like other forms of relaxation, stretching can also be the best thing for you when you feel stressed and anxious.

What will stretching do for me?

Let’s start with the things stretching DOESN’T help with. Stretching will not help with preventing delayed onset muscle soreness, injury prevention, enhancing performance, aligning muscle/tendon fibers, trigger points, or increasing muscle length. Wait… what? Stretching does’t increase muscle length? No, but I’ll explain that in a little bit. What you should know is that stretching is good for the heart, the mind, and,most importantly, it’s good for the nerves.

Should I even stretch at all?

The answer is absolutely YES. General whole body stretching is necessary to stay mobile. You need to be able to move, so stretching is a must. Moreover, a targeted stretching program can be used as a way to enhance a workout (think back to the hamstring and hip flexor story). This is why almost all of my clients receive stretching as a part of their corrective exercise strategy.

So at this point you might be asking your self “WTFruit happens when I stretch? I mean won’t it make me more flexible?!?!” Well here’s how it works. We all adapt to the stresses we put on our bodies. In turn, our bodies try to make our life more efficient to those stresses (i.e. our hip flexors become short if we sit for long periods of time every day). This action happens the nerves in the muscles sending signals to the brain on what is a “safe” length for the muscles to be at through the stretch reflex. What stretching does is increase the tolerance, or muscle length until you feel, the stretching sensation. Thus, becoming more flexible through stretching is a result of decreasing the sensation of stretching. It’s the same reason why you need two cups of coffee now even though you used to only need one. Our brain, and our nerves, just need a little more stimulus (whether its stretching or caffeine) to get the same effect as when we first started.

Bottom line. If you want to have the right range of motion, your brain, nerves, and their connection to your muscles, must be in tune. Stretching will help keep homeostasis, but other than that… well, not much else. For more info you can check out the first brief link and more extensive second link.