found this great article courtesy of www.active.com:
Fartlek training can boost your running speed, endurance
Nicki Anderson
Chicago Daily Herald
Q. I have been running for about three years. I really love it and would like to begin improving my speed and distance. What are your recommendations for doing this safely and effectively?
A. One word: Fartlek.
Funny word, great training tool. Fartlek training -- the word means "speed-play" in Swedish -- has been around for about 50 years and is very effective in increasing a runner's speed and endurance.
Personally, I swear by this method, and generally bring it into my training a month or so before a race. Or, I'll integrate it into my regular training to improve my personal training time.
Basically, Fartlek involves varying your pace throughout your run. In other words, you integrate intense sprints into your workout, followed by a recovery run or slow jog slightly below your normal running pace.
For example, if you are a beginner, you might include five short sprints -- that's every 6 or 7 minutes -- over the duration of a 45-minute run. As your fitness level improves, you can increase it to 10 sprints. I usually run 4 to 5 minutes followed by a 30-second sprint.
You need to keep in mind that this is a pretty advanced form of training that requires discipline and running experience. You must be willing to really kick up the pace of your run for a brief period -- about 30 seconds -- in order to make the intervals work effectively.
It's also a good idea to check with your doctor before beginning this training method. Being fit doesn't make one immune to potential risks.
Here is a suggestion for an intermediate program for a Fartlek session:
As you head out for your regular run (or if you are using your treadmill), keep up the same pace for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then, kick up your pace for about 30 seconds, going as fast as you can. After 30 seconds, bring your pace back to normal until your breathing is no longer labored.
The idea here is that each time you kick up your speed, you are putting stress on your cardiovascular system, which allows your system to improve its threshold. Thus, you will be increasing both speed and endurance.
If you decide to introduce Fartlek to your regular training, just remember: Listen to your body and avoid doing too much too soon.
You can use hills for your sprint work as an effective means to elevate your heart rate and work on strength, speed and endurance.
You have to be your own coach, so push yourself to make sure you're putting out the necessary effort.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nicki Anderson is a certified personal trainer, author and owner of Reality Fitness in Naperville. For information, visit www.realityfitness.com.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Computational Marathoning
a great article brought to my attention by a fellow marathoner and RBS'er, Laurie B...thanks Laurie!
Oct. 21: A New Science Is Born–Computational Marathoning
10/21/2010 5:01 PM
If the New York City Marathon offered its top prize money to the smartest guy in the field, I'd be betting on Benjamin Isaac Rapoport on Nov. 7. He's not likely to be on the podium, however. He's hoping for a PR around 2:50.Rapoport notched a recent PR in last April's Boston Marathon, clocking a 2:55:11. Most runners follow up their Boston Marathon finishes with a few celebratory beverages and a nice restaurant meal. Not Rapoport. He had an afternoon appointment in his calendar last April: After finishing the Marathon, he had to teach an endurance physiology class at Harvard Medical School.Rapoport has taught the same class after his Boston Marathon finishes for a handful of years. Last April, a lightbulb went off: He ought to share his research and conclusions with a wider audience. The result is the cover story in the new issue of PLoS Computational Biology. It's titled "Metabolic Factors Limiting Performance in Marathon Runners." Which means, in brief, that it's a "computational study" of how to optimize your marathon pace and the carbohydrate consumption necessary to hold that pace for 26.2 miles.http://www.ploscompbiol.org/home.actionMost runners recognize that these two issues–pace and carbs–are crucial to successful marathons. Everyone struggles to find their perfect pace, and everyone packs away carbs before and during the marathon. However, not everyone succeeds. Sometimes we crash and burn. Or, as we runners often say it, we "hit The Wall."Rapoport, 29, who will run his 19th marathon in a week in New York City, says he has only hit The Wall all hard once, in the 2005 NYC race. But the experience was bad enough, and his curiosity strong enough, to put him on a quest to eliminate The Wall through precise calculations. An MD student at Harvard Medical School, as well as a PhD student in electrical engineering at MIT, Rapoport hopes to become a neurosurgeon who implants electric circuits in damaged human brains.http://www.rle.mit.edu/avbs/whoweare_ben.htmIn his new paper, Rapoport sticks to the more mundane but still tantalizing challenges of the marathon. First he points out that carbohydrate loading makes a big difference. A 154-lb man who doesn't load effectively will find his glycogen supply stuck at about: 20 calories in the blood, 350 in the liver, and 1250 in the leg muscles. That totals 1620 calories. Unfortunately, the same guy needs about 2900 calories to finish the marathon. Oh, oh, big trouble ahead.Yet if this runner loads to the max, he will have: 20 calories in the blood, 650 in the liver, and 2270 in the leg muscles. That totals 2940 total calories. Now we're talking.But glycogen supplies are only half the game. The other half is your fuel efficiency, AKA your marathon pace. If you run too hard, your body selectively chooses carbohydrates as fuel and you risk depletion. This is known as going out too fast and bonking. If you slow a little, your body can burn more fat, sparing some of the glycogen, and you can reach the finish line with no Wall in sight.There's a third half too. If you consume some carbs during the marathon, you can modestly extend your range. That's why we have sports drinks, gels, and bars. They can help us avoid The Wall.The mathematics in Rapoport's paper are, frankly, beyond most of us (me, anyway). But he hopes to develop an online calculator any day now to simplify the process. After all, the main goal behind his work is to make "computational marathoning" (my words, not his) accessible to real-world marathoners. He wants runners to understand that The Wall is not an inevitability; it only results from inexact science. (As soon as he tells us about the calculator, we'll post a link here.)Below, Rapoport answers a few questions about his paper and his personal approach to training, carbohydrate loading, and pacing the marathon.Q: Do you follow the classic 7-day depletion and reloading carb diet, or do you just load the last several days?Benjamin Rapoport: I haven't found any good evidence that favors the full-depletion approach. I think the key issue is to eat mostly carbohydrates (I happen to prefer rice) and very little fat and protein the last three days before a marathon, and to take your big meals shortly after a workout. That way you get the highest percent of glycogen loading in your leg muscles. There's also evidence that you can increase your leg glycogen supplies if your final workouts include some high-intensity running. I do just 30 or 40 minutes easy the last three days before a marathon, but I finish up with a couple of minutes quite hard.Q: If runners with big muscles can store more glycogen, why don't big runners race marathons faster than smaller runners?BR: Big runners are like heavy trucks that have large gas tanks, but have low fuel economy (five miles per gallon). Elite runners are like good motorcycles that have small gas tanks but high fuel economy, so they get 60 miles per gallon. Because of this high fuel economy, the elites can run fast over a given distance without depleting their carbohydrate reserves. But bigger guys risk running low on fuel.Q: You acknowledge that midrace fueling doesn't have a large effect like effective carbohydrate-loading, but you still believe it important. Do you have a personal preference during your races–drinks, bars, or gels?BR: I like to take a gel pack–I've got no preferences among the various brands–about every 5 miles. I have a pet peeve about the sports drinks at marathons. The drinks have undergone years of validation, and we know they work at the precise intended concentrations. But when they're mixed up from dry mixes by marathon volunteers, you don't really know what you're getting. They could be too dilute or too strong, and neither is good. That's why I like gels–you know precisely what you're getting.Q: Caffeine?BR: Sure, it's been pretty well shown to help in endurance events like the marathon. There are basically two issues: What's your tolerance? And how much should you be taking for your body mass? Someone who consumes coffee on a regular basis might need more caffeine to get a performance effect. And of course no one really knows how much caffeine they're getting from coffee and other drinks. That's why I think caffeine tablets are better. At least they work for me. Again, you know exactly how much you're getting. There's some evidence that adding niacin to the caffeine makes it more effective more quickly.Q: How has your training evolved over the years, and brought you to faster marathon times?BR: I've learned more physiology. I've trained harder. And I think I've trained much smarter. I used to hate speedwork–I considered it drudgery. Then one day I just decided to start liking it. And ever since then, about three years ago, I have. I'm pressed for time like everyone else. Most days I only have about 45 minutes to work out. So I'll do several workouts at my marathon pace or faster, and then longer runs on the weekend. My speed workouts tend to be three cycles of two-mile repeats including a half-mile in 6:30, my goal marathon pace; a mile at 6:00; and a half-mile at 5:30 pace. On the weekends, I'll start from my base long run mileage of 11-12, with increases of 1-2 miles a week, and a maximum length of 24-25 miles. Then I taper for two to three weeks, decreasing mileage significantly, but continuing the speedwork. On my recovery days between runs, I do 45 to 60 minutes of riding on an indoor bike while also reading and studying.Q: A lot of what's in your paper is already known to marathoners–they have to carb load and run the right pace. Is your major contribution that you're providing more "numbers" to make the process more exact?A: I certainly hope so. That has been my goal from the start. I've heard that others beside you think the math is too hard, so that's why I'm working on the online calculator. The thing is, so many runners don't get the marathon right because they don't know how to make the individual adjustments. In the marathon where I bonked badly, New York in 2005, I had trained really well, but I got the carb loading all wrong. I want people to know that indiviIf the New York City Marathon offered its top prize money to the smartest guy in the field, I'd be betting on Benjamin Isaac Rapoport on Nov. 7. He's not likely to be on the podium, however. He's hoping for a PR around 2:50. Then it's back to his MD studies at Harvard and his PhD engineering classes at MIT.
If the New York City Marathon offered its top prize money to the smartest guy in the field, I'd be betting on Benjamin Isaac Rapoport on Nov. 7. He's not likely to be on the podium, however. He's hoping for a personal record of around 2:50. Then it's back to his M.D. studies at Harvard and his Ph.D. engineering classes at MIT. [Photo right: Rapoport running in Cambridge, Mass. Photo courtesy Patrick Gillooly/MIT.]
Rapoport notched a recent PR in last April's Boston Marathon, clocking a 2:55:11. Most runners follow up their Boston Marathon finishes with a few celebratory beverages and a nice restaurant meal. Not Rapoport. He had an afternoon appointment in his calendar last April: After finishing the marathon, he had to teach an endurance physiology class at Harvard Medical School.
Rapoport has taught the same class after his Boston Marathon finishes for a handful of years. Last April, a light bulb went off: He ought to share his research and conclusions with a wider audience. The result is the cover story in the new issue of PLoS Computational Biology (free, full text here). It's titled "Metabolic Factors Limiting Performance in Marathon Runners." Which means, in brief, that it's a "computational study" of how to optimize your carbohydrate consumption and marathon pace to achieve a maximal-for-you performance over the full 26.2 miles.
Most runners recognize that these two issues–carbs and pace–are crucial to successful marathons. Everyone packs away carbs before and during the marathon, and everyone struggles to find their perfect pace. However, not everyone succeeds. Sometimes we crash and burn. Or, as we runners often say it, we "hit The Wall."
Rapoport, 29, who will run his 19th marathon in New York City, says he has only hit The Wall hard once, in the 2005 NYC race. But the experience was bad enough, and his curiosity strong enough, to put him on a quest to eliminate The Wall through precise calculations. An M.D. student at Harvard Medical School, as well as a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering at MIT, Rapoport hopes to become a neurosurgeon who works with electronic circuit board implants in damaged brains.
In his new paper, Rapoport sticks to the more mundane but still tantalizing challenges of the marathon. First he points out that carbohydrate loading makes a big difference. A 154-pound man who doesn't load effectively will find his glycogen supply stuck at about: 20 calories in the blood, 350 in the liver, and 1,250 in the leg muscles. That totals 1,620 calories. Unfortunately, the same guy needs about 2,900 calories to finish the marathon. Uh oh, big trouble ahead.
Yet if this runner loads to the max, he will have: 20 calories in the blood, 650 in the liver, and 2,270 in the leg muscles. That totals 2,940 total calories. Now we're talking.
But glycogen supplies are only half the game. The other half is your fuel efficiency, AKA your marathon pace. If you run too hard, your body selectively chooses carbohydrates as fuel and you risk depletion. This is known as going out too fast and bonking. If you slow a little, your body can burn more fat, sparing some of the glycogen, and you can reach the finish line with no Wall in sight. Of course, before your next marathon, you can also train harder, or lose a few pounds (within reason), to raise your VO2 max, and hence your marathon efficiency.
There's a third half too. If you consume some carbs during the marathon, you can modestly extend your range before bonking. That's why we have sports drinks, gels, and bars. They can help us avoid The Wall.
The mathematics in Rapoport's paper are, frankly, beyond most of us (me, anyway). But he has developed an online calculator at endurancecalculator.com to simplify the process. [Ed: Your computer must have Java to view this calculator.] After all, the main goal behind his work is to make "computational marathoning" (my words, not his) accessible to real-world marathoners. He wants runners to understand that The Wall is not an inevitability; it only results from inexact science.
Below, Rapoport answers a few questions about his paper and his personal approach to training, carbohydrate loading, and pacing the marathon.
Q: First, you seem a pretty smart fellow. But did you pass the Boston Marathon's final-exam online registration test on Monday for getting into the 2011 race?
Benjamin Rapoport: Yes. Judging from my confirmation number, I think I was the 12th person to register. I started clicking at 8:59 Monday morning, was done five minutes later, and oblivious to the fiasco until someone mentioned it to me the next morning.
When tapering for a marathon, do you follow the old seven-day depletion and reloading carb diet, or do you just load the last several days?
I haven't found any good evidence that favors the full-depletion approach. I think the key issue is to eat mostly carbohydrates (I happen to prefer rice) and very little fat and protein the last three days before a marathon, and to take your big meals shortly after a workout. That way you get the highest percent of glycogen loading in your leg muscles. There's also evidence that you can increase your leg glycogen supplies if your final workouts include some high-intensity running. I do just 30 or 40 minutes of easy running the last three days before a marathon, but I finish up with a couple of minutes quite hard.
If runners with big muscles can store more glycogen, why don't big runners race marathons faster than smaller runners?
Big runners are like heavy trucks that have large gas tanks, but low fuel economy (five miles per gallon). Elite runners are like good motorcycles that have small gas tanks but high fuel economy, so they get 60 miles per gallon. Because of this high fuel economy, the elites can run fast over the marathon distance without depleting their carbohydrate reserves. But bigger guys risk running low on fuel if their efficiency is too low.
You acknowledge that midrace fueling doesn't have a large effect like optimal carbohydrate-loading, but you still believe it's important. Do you have a personal preference during your races–drinks, bars, or gels?
I like to take a gel pack about every five miles–I've got no preferences among the various brands. I have a pet peeve about the sports drinks at marathons. The drinks have undergone years of validation, and we know they work at the precise intended concentrations. But when they're mixed up from dry mixes by marathon volunteers, you don't really know what you're getting. They could be too dilute or too strong, and neither is good. That's why I like gels–you know precisely what you're getting.
Caffeine?
Sure. It's been pretty well shown to help in endurance events like the marathon. There are basically two issues: What's your tolerance? And how much should you be taking for your body mass? Someone who consumes coffee on a regular basis might need more caffeine to get a performance effect. And of course no one really knows how much caffeine they're getting from coffee and other drinks. That's why I think caffeine tablets are better. At least they work for me. Again, you know exactly how much you're getting. There's some evidence that adding niacin to the caffeine makes it more effective more quickly.
How has your training evolved over the years, and brought you to faster marathon times?
I've learned more physiology. I've trained harder. And I think I've trained much smarter. I used to hate speedwork–I considered it drudgery. Then one day I just decided to start liking it. And ever since then, about three years ago, I have. I'm pressed for time like everyone else. Most days I only have about 45 minutes to work out. So I'll do several workouts a week at my marathon pace or faster, and then longer runs on the weekend. My speed workouts tend to be three cycles of two-mile repeats including a half-mile in 6:30, my goal marathon pace; a mile at 6:00; and a half-mile at 5:30 pace. [Ed: This is roughly equivalent to marathon pace/lactate threshold pace/VO2 max pace; also, marathon pace/tempo pace/intervals pace.] On the weekends, I'll start from my base long-run mileage of 11-12 miles, with increases of 1-2 miles a week, and a maximum length of 24-25 miles. Then I taper for two to three weeks, decreasing mileage significantly, but continuing the speedwork. On my recovery days between runs, I do 45 to 60 minutes of riding on an indoor bike while also reading and studying.
A lot of what's in your paper is already known to marathoners–they know they should carbo load and run the right pace. Is your major contribution that you're providing more "numbers" to make the process more exact?
I certainly hope so. That has been my goal from the start. I've heard from a number of readers that they think the math is too complex, so that's why I developed the online calculator. The thing is, so many runners don't get the marathon right because they don't know how to make the individual adjustments. In the marathon where I bonked badly, New York in 2005, I had trained really well, but I got the carb loading all wrong. I want people to know that individual quantification is relatively easy to do, and that it can be essential for the individual runner. It's the only way to know exactly what you need to do.
Oct. 21: A New Science Is Born–Computational Marathoning
10/21/2010 5:01 PM
If the New York City Marathon offered its top prize money to the smartest guy in the field, I'd be betting on Benjamin Isaac Rapoport on Nov. 7. He's not likely to be on the podium, however. He's hoping for a PR around 2:50.Rapoport notched a recent PR in last April's Boston Marathon, clocking a 2:55:11. Most runners follow up their Boston Marathon finishes with a few celebratory beverages and a nice restaurant meal. Not Rapoport. He had an afternoon appointment in his calendar last April: After finishing the Marathon, he had to teach an endurance physiology class at Harvard Medical School.Rapoport has taught the same class after his Boston Marathon finishes for a handful of years. Last April, a lightbulb went off: He ought to share his research and conclusions with a wider audience. The result is the cover story in the new issue of PLoS Computational Biology. It's titled "Metabolic Factors Limiting Performance in Marathon Runners." Which means, in brief, that it's a "computational study" of how to optimize your marathon pace and the carbohydrate consumption necessary to hold that pace for 26.2 miles.http://www.ploscompbiol.org/home.actionMost runners recognize that these two issues–pace and carbs–are crucial to successful marathons. Everyone struggles to find their perfect pace, and everyone packs away carbs before and during the marathon. However, not everyone succeeds. Sometimes we crash and burn. Or, as we runners often say it, we "hit The Wall."Rapoport, 29, who will run his 19th marathon in a week in New York City, says he has only hit The Wall all hard once, in the 2005 NYC race. But the experience was bad enough, and his curiosity strong enough, to put him on a quest to eliminate The Wall through precise calculations. An MD student at Harvard Medical School, as well as a PhD student in electrical engineering at MIT, Rapoport hopes to become a neurosurgeon who implants electric circuits in damaged human brains.http://www.rle.mit.edu/avbs/whoweare_ben.htmIn his new paper, Rapoport sticks to the more mundane but still tantalizing challenges of the marathon. First he points out that carbohydrate loading makes a big difference. A 154-lb man who doesn't load effectively will find his glycogen supply stuck at about: 20 calories in the blood, 350 in the liver, and 1250 in the leg muscles. That totals 1620 calories. Unfortunately, the same guy needs about 2900 calories to finish the marathon. Oh, oh, big trouble ahead.Yet if this runner loads to the max, he will have: 20 calories in the blood, 650 in the liver, and 2270 in the leg muscles. That totals 2940 total calories. Now we're talking.But glycogen supplies are only half the game. The other half is your fuel efficiency, AKA your marathon pace. If you run too hard, your body selectively chooses carbohydrates as fuel and you risk depletion. This is known as going out too fast and bonking. If you slow a little, your body can burn more fat, sparing some of the glycogen, and you can reach the finish line with no Wall in sight.There's a third half too. If you consume some carbs during the marathon, you can modestly extend your range. That's why we have sports drinks, gels, and bars. They can help us avoid The Wall.The mathematics in Rapoport's paper are, frankly, beyond most of us (me, anyway). But he hopes to develop an online calculator any day now to simplify the process. After all, the main goal behind his work is to make "computational marathoning" (my words, not his) accessible to real-world marathoners. He wants runners to understand that The Wall is not an inevitability; it only results from inexact science. (As soon as he tells us about the calculator, we'll post a link here.)Below, Rapoport answers a few questions about his paper and his personal approach to training, carbohydrate loading, and pacing the marathon.Q: Do you follow the classic 7-day depletion and reloading carb diet, or do you just load the last several days?Benjamin Rapoport: I haven't found any good evidence that favors the full-depletion approach. I think the key issue is to eat mostly carbohydrates (I happen to prefer rice) and very little fat and protein the last three days before a marathon, and to take your big meals shortly after a workout. That way you get the highest percent of glycogen loading in your leg muscles. There's also evidence that you can increase your leg glycogen supplies if your final workouts include some high-intensity running. I do just 30 or 40 minutes easy the last three days before a marathon, but I finish up with a couple of minutes quite hard.Q: If runners with big muscles can store more glycogen, why don't big runners race marathons faster than smaller runners?BR: Big runners are like heavy trucks that have large gas tanks, but have low fuel economy (five miles per gallon). Elite runners are like good motorcycles that have small gas tanks but high fuel economy, so they get 60 miles per gallon. Because of this high fuel economy, the elites can run fast over a given distance without depleting their carbohydrate reserves. But bigger guys risk running low on fuel.Q: You acknowledge that midrace fueling doesn't have a large effect like effective carbohydrate-loading, but you still believe it important. Do you have a personal preference during your races–drinks, bars, or gels?BR: I like to take a gel pack–I've got no preferences among the various brands–about every 5 miles. I have a pet peeve about the sports drinks at marathons. The drinks have undergone years of validation, and we know they work at the precise intended concentrations. But when they're mixed up from dry mixes by marathon volunteers, you don't really know what you're getting. They could be too dilute or too strong, and neither is good. That's why I like gels–you know precisely what you're getting.Q: Caffeine?BR: Sure, it's been pretty well shown to help in endurance events like the marathon. There are basically two issues: What's your tolerance? And how much should you be taking for your body mass? Someone who consumes coffee on a regular basis might need more caffeine to get a performance effect. And of course no one really knows how much caffeine they're getting from coffee and other drinks. That's why I think caffeine tablets are better. At least they work for me. Again, you know exactly how much you're getting. There's some evidence that adding niacin to the caffeine makes it more effective more quickly.Q: How has your training evolved over the years, and brought you to faster marathon times?BR: I've learned more physiology. I've trained harder. And I think I've trained much smarter. I used to hate speedwork–I considered it drudgery. Then one day I just decided to start liking it. And ever since then, about three years ago, I have. I'm pressed for time like everyone else. Most days I only have about 45 minutes to work out. So I'll do several workouts at my marathon pace or faster, and then longer runs on the weekend. My speed workouts tend to be three cycles of two-mile repeats including a half-mile in 6:30, my goal marathon pace; a mile at 6:00; and a half-mile at 5:30 pace. On the weekends, I'll start from my base long run mileage of 11-12, with increases of 1-2 miles a week, and a maximum length of 24-25 miles. Then I taper for two to three weeks, decreasing mileage significantly, but continuing the speedwork. On my recovery days between runs, I do 45 to 60 minutes of riding on an indoor bike while also reading and studying.Q: A lot of what's in your paper is already known to marathoners–they have to carb load and run the right pace. Is your major contribution that you're providing more "numbers" to make the process more exact?A: I certainly hope so. That has been my goal from the start. I've heard that others beside you think the math is too hard, so that's why I'm working on the online calculator. The thing is, so many runners don't get the marathon right because they don't know how to make the individual adjustments. In the marathon where I bonked badly, New York in 2005, I had trained really well, but I got the carb loading all wrong. I want people to know that indiviIf the New York City Marathon offered its top prize money to the smartest guy in the field, I'd be betting on Benjamin Isaac Rapoport on Nov. 7. He's not likely to be on the podium, however. He's hoping for a PR around 2:50. Then it's back to his MD studies at Harvard and his PhD engineering classes at MIT.
If the New York City Marathon offered its top prize money to the smartest guy in the field, I'd be betting on Benjamin Isaac Rapoport on Nov. 7. He's not likely to be on the podium, however. He's hoping for a personal record of around 2:50. Then it's back to his M.D. studies at Harvard and his Ph.D. engineering classes at MIT. [Photo right: Rapoport running in Cambridge, Mass. Photo courtesy Patrick Gillooly/MIT.]
Rapoport notched a recent PR in last April's Boston Marathon, clocking a 2:55:11. Most runners follow up their Boston Marathon finishes with a few celebratory beverages and a nice restaurant meal. Not Rapoport. He had an afternoon appointment in his calendar last April: After finishing the marathon, he had to teach an endurance physiology class at Harvard Medical School.
Rapoport has taught the same class after his Boston Marathon finishes for a handful of years. Last April, a light bulb went off: He ought to share his research and conclusions with a wider audience. The result is the cover story in the new issue of PLoS Computational Biology (free, full text here). It's titled "Metabolic Factors Limiting Performance in Marathon Runners." Which means, in brief, that it's a "computational study" of how to optimize your carbohydrate consumption and marathon pace to achieve a maximal-for-you performance over the full 26.2 miles.
Most runners recognize that these two issues–carbs and pace–are crucial to successful marathons. Everyone packs away carbs before and during the marathon, and everyone struggles to find their perfect pace. However, not everyone succeeds. Sometimes we crash and burn. Or, as we runners often say it, we "hit The Wall."
Rapoport, 29, who will run his 19th marathon in New York City, says he has only hit The Wall hard once, in the 2005 NYC race. But the experience was bad enough, and his curiosity strong enough, to put him on a quest to eliminate The Wall through precise calculations. An M.D. student at Harvard Medical School, as well as a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering at MIT, Rapoport hopes to become a neurosurgeon who works with electronic circuit board implants in damaged brains.
In his new paper, Rapoport sticks to the more mundane but still tantalizing challenges of the marathon. First he points out that carbohydrate loading makes a big difference. A 154-pound man who doesn't load effectively will find his glycogen supply stuck at about: 20 calories in the blood, 350 in the liver, and 1,250 in the leg muscles. That totals 1,620 calories. Unfortunately, the same guy needs about 2,900 calories to finish the marathon. Uh oh, big trouble ahead.
Yet if this runner loads to the max, he will have: 20 calories in the blood, 650 in the liver, and 2,270 in the leg muscles. That totals 2,940 total calories. Now we're talking.
But glycogen supplies are only half the game. The other half is your fuel efficiency, AKA your marathon pace. If you run too hard, your body selectively chooses carbohydrates as fuel and you risk depletion. This is known as going out too fast and bonking. If you slow a little, your body can burn more fat, sparing some of the glycogen, and you can reach the finish line with no Wall in sight. Of course, before your next marathon, you can also train harder, or lose a few pounds (within reason), to raise your VO2 max, and hence your marathon efficiency.
There's a third half too. If you consume some carbs during the marathon, you can modestly extend your range before bonking. That's why we have sports drinks, gels, and bars. They can help us avoid The Wall.
The mathematics in Rapoport's paper are, frankly, beyond most of us (me, anyway). But he has developed an online calculator at endurancecalculator.com to simplify the process. [Ed: Your computer must have Java to view this calculator.] After all, the main goal behind his work is to make "computational marathoning" (my words, not his) accessible to real-world marathoners. He wants runners to understand that The Wall is not an inevitability; it only results from inexact science.
Below, Rapoport answers a few questions about his paper and his personal approach to training, carbohydrate loading, and pacing the marathon.
Q: First, you seem a pretty smart fellow. But did you pass the Boston Marathon's final-exam online registration test on Monday for getting into the 2011 race?
Benjamin Rapoport: Yes. Judging from my confirmation number, I think I was the 12th person to register. I started clicking at 8:59 Monday morning, was done five minutes later, and oblivious to the fiasco until someone mentioned it to me the next morning.
When tapering for a marathon, do you follow the old seven-day depletion and reloading carb diet, or do you just load the last several days?
I haven't found any good evidence that favors the full-depletion approach. I think the key issue is to eat mostly carbohydrates (I happen to prefer rice) and very little fat and protein the last three days before a marathon, and to take your big meals shortly after a workout. That way you get the highest percent of glycogen loading in your leg muscles. There's also evidence that you can increase your leg glycogen supplies if your final workouts include some high-intensity running. I do just 30 or 40 minutes of easy running the last three days before a marathon, but I finish up with a couple of minutes quite hard.
If runners with big muscles can store more glycogen, why don't big runners race marathons faster than smaller runners?
Big runners are like heavy trucks that have large gas tanks, but low fuel economy (five miles per gallon). Elite runners are like good motorcycles that have small gas tanks but high fuel economy, so they get 60 miles per gallon. Because of this high fuel economy, the elites can run fast over the marathon distance without depleting their carbohydrate reserves. But bigger guys risk running low on fuel if their efficiency is too low.
You acknowledge that midrace fueling doesn't have a large effect like optimal carbohydrate-loading, but you still believe it's important. Do you have a personal preference during your races–drinks, bars, or gels?
I like to take a gel pack about every five miles–I've got no preferences among the various brands. I have a pet peeve about the sports drinks at marathons. The drinks have undergone years of validation, and we know they work at the precise intended concentrations. But when they're mixed up from dry mixes by marathon volunteers, you don't really know what you're getting. They could be too dilute or too strong, and neither is good. That's why I like gels–you know precisely what you're getting.
Caffeine?
Sure. It's been pretty well shown to help in endurance events like the marathon. There are basically two issues: What's your tolerance? And how much should you be taking for your body mass? Someone who consumes coffee on a regular basis might need more caffeine to get a performance effect. And of course no one really knows how much caffeine they're getting from coffee and other drinks. That's why I think caffeine tablets are better. At least they work for me. Again, you know exactly how much you're getting. There's some evidence that adding niacin to the caffeine makes it more effective more quickly.
How has your training evolved over the years, and brought you to faster marathon times?
I've learned more physiology. I've trained harder. And I think I've trained much smarter. I used to hate speedwork–I considered it drudgery. Then one day I just decided to start liking it. And ever since then, about three years ago, I have. I'm pressed for time like everyone else. Most days I only have about 45 minutes to work out. So I'll do several workouts a week at my marathon pace or faster, and then longer runs on the weekend. My speed workouts tend to be three cycles of two-mile repeats including a half-mile in 6:30, my goal marathon pace; a mile at 6:00; and a half-mile at 5:30 pace. [Ed: This is roughly equivalent to marathon pace/lactate threshold pace/VO2 max pace; also, marathon pace/tempo pace/intervals pace.] On the weekends, I'll start from my base long-run mileage of 11-12 miles, with increases of 1-2 miles a week, and a maximum length of 24-25 miles. Then I taper for two to three weeks, decreasing mileage significantly, but continuing the speedwork. On my recovery days between runs, I do 45 to 60 minutes of riding on an indoor bike while also reading and studying.
A lot of what's in your paper is already known to marathoners–they know they should carbo load and run the right pace. Is your major contribution that you're providing more "numbers" to make the process more exact?
I certainly hope so. That has been my goal from the start. I've heard from a number of readers that they think the math is too complex, so that's why I developed the online calculator. The thing is, so many runners don't get the marathon right because they don't know how to make the individual adjustments. In the marathon where I bonked badly, New York in 2005, I had trained really well, but I got the carb loading all wrong. I want people to know that individual quantification is relatively easy to do, and that it can be essential for the individual runner. It's the only way to know exactly what you need to do.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
7 Ways to Ease Pain and Avoid Injury
Found this article from www.coreperformance.com regarding injury prevention and recognition
7 Ways to Ease Pain and Avoid Injury
December 10, 2008
Dave Cruz
Everything you do in the gym, at work, and at home either makes you more susceptible to injury or helps reduce your risk for pain. Tip the scales in your favor with these seven simple tips.
1. Straighten Up
Most people realize there's potential for injury when moving or performing an athletic activity, but what you may not realize is that poor posture can have similar if not more detrimental effects on your body than sports and exercise.
When you slouch, lock your knees, or sit with your head forward, for instance, you place unnecessary stress on areas of the body that were never built to handle it. Over time, your muscles will tighten from trying to compensate for poor posture and your joints will ache from the excessive stress placed on them. So what's the fix?
■Sit up straight, but keep your back naturally arched—your back's natural curve is meant to help transfer force
■Keep your ears aligned with your shoulders, hips and ankle bones when sitting or standing
■Avoid hours of the same posture—try to change your position as often as possible.
2. Invest 5 minutes a Day in Injury Avoidance
We all live busy lives, but what’s more important than your health? Don't wait to think about your body until it lets you down. That's like thinking about retirement when you're broke. You spend time and effort investing your money to achieve a great return. So invest in your body with proactive exercise, or what we call "prehab." To get started, use Floor Y's and T's to help protect your upper body, mini band walks for your lower body, and pillar bridges for core stability.
3. Stay in Control of Your Body
Flexibility is not only movement through a range of motion, but it is the ability to control the movement through the range. Without neuromuscular control, range of motion is useless. Think of a fast car that can handle successive curves on a road. If the car did not have the appropriate braking and accelerating actions, the drive would not be smooth or safe. The same concept applies to movement in the human body. The greater the flexibility you have, the more coordinated strength you need to direct your movement appropriately. Get started with this flexibility routine.
4. Wake Up Your Muscles
Injury is often caused by one muscle group—often times, your glutes or shoulder stabilizers—being completely shut off. This causes other areas of the body to compensate, leading to injury. Following your movement preparation program will activate these inactive areas and enable your body to recall movements you may have not used since childhood.
5. Pay Attention to Your Feet
Improving the strength of your foot intrinsic muscles (the small, stabilizing muscles) will build a greater base for movement. On the other hand, lack of foot intrinsic strength will lead to inefficient movement patterns, placing excessive stress on the foot, ankle, knee, hip and low back. To check the status of your arch, see if the inside bones of your feet touch the ground. If they do, you can benefit from simple exercises to support your arch. Here are a couple:
Towel Crunches
■Sit in a chair with feet flat on the ground with toes pointing straight ahead.
■Then, place a towel under feet and curl toes trying to pull towel under foot while rolling feet out to lift arch up.
■Go for 1 minute, and repeat a total of 3 times.
Tennis Ball Foot Massage
■Place your foot on top of the ball and slowly apply pressure as you roll your foot over it. You may find some tender spots. That's OK.
■Apply enough pressure so it's a little uncomfortable, but not painful.
■Do this for about 5 minutes on each foot once a day.
6. Stay on the Lookout for Warning Signs
Pay attention to the small aches and pains that creep up in your training. They’re usually a red flag that some part of your training is not being performed correctly. It may be related to training intensity, mechanics (compensations), or slight positional faults. Ignoring them can only lead to bigger problems that may significantly impact your training later on. You’re probably already aware of your weaknesses. Start training them.
7. Follow a Real Plan
Performing workouts at random can result in injury if your training is unbalanced. You may strengthen some muscles at the expense of others, creating imbalances that result in pain or injury. So set long term goals to help set your motivation in place and help define direction and purpose in your training, but also set specific, clear, short-term goals to guide and focus you along the way. At the end of each day, ask yourself, "Did I move closer to my goal today?” Start a free trial training and nutrition program.
7 Ways to Ease Pain and Avoid Injury
December 10, 2008
Dave Cruz
Everything you do in the gym, at work, and at home either makes you more susceptible to injury or helps reduce your risk for pain. Tip the scales in your favor with these seven simple tips.
1. Straighten Up
Most people realize there's potential for injury when moving or performing an athletic activity, but what you may not realize is that poor posture can have similar if not more detrimental effects on your body than sports and exercise.
When you slouch, lock your knees, or sit with your head forward, for instance, you place unnecessary stress on areas of the body that were never built to handle it. Over time, your muscles will tighten from trying to compensate for poor posture and your joints will ache from the excessive stress placed on them. So what's the fix?
■Sit up straight, but keep your back naturally arched—your back's natural curve is meant to help transfer force
■Keep your ears aligned with your shoulders, hips and ankle bones when sitting or standing
■Avoid hours of the same posture—try to change your position as often as possible.
2. Invest 5 minutes a Day in Injury Avoidance
We all live busy lives, but what’s more important than your health? Don't wait to think about your body until it lets you down. That's like thinking about retirement when you're broke. You spend time and effort investing your money to achieve a great return. So invest in your body with proactive exercise, or what we call "prehab." To get started, use Floor Y's and T's to help protect your upper body, mini band walks for your lower body, and pillar bridges for core stability.
3. Stay in Control of Your Body
Flexibility is not only movement through a range of motion, but it is the ability to control the movement through the range. Without neuromuscular control, range of motion is useless. Think of a fast car that can handle successive curves on a road. If the car did not have the appropriate braking and accelerating actions, the drive would not be smooth or safe. The same concept applies to movement in the human body. The greater the flexibility you have, the more coordinated strength you need to direct your movement appropriately. Get started with this flexibility routine.
4. Wake Up Your Muscles
Injury is often caused by one muscle group—often times, your glutes or shoulder stabilizers—being completely shut off. This causes other areas of the body to compensate, leading to injury. Following your movement preparation program will activate these inactive areas and enable your body to recall movements you may have not used since childhood.
5. Pay Attention to Your Feet
Improving the strength of your foot intrinsic muscles (the small, stabilizing muscles) will build a greater base for movement. On the other hand, lack of foot intrinsic strength will lead to inefficient movement patterns, placing excessive stress on the foot, ankle, knee, hip and low back. To check the status of your arch, see if the inside bones of your feet touch the ground. If they do, you can benefit from simple exercises to support your arch. Here are a couple:
Towel Crunches
■Sit in a chair with feet flat on the ground with toes pointing straight ahead.
■Then, place a towel under feet and curl toes trying to pull towel under foot while rolling feet out to lift arch up.
■Go for 1 minute, and repeat a total of 3 times.
Tennis Ball Foot Massage
■Place your foot on top of the ball and slowly apply pressure as you roll your foot over it. You may find some tender spots. That's OK.
■Apply enough pressure so it's a little uncomfortable, but not painful.
■Do this for about 5 minutes on each foot once a day.
6. Stay on the Lookout for Warning Signs
Pay attention to the small aches and pains that creep up in your training. They’re usually a red flag that some part of your training is not being performed correctly. It may be related to training intensity, mechanics (compensations), or slight positional faults. Ignoring them can only lead to bigger problems that may significantly impact your training later on. You’re probably already aware of your weaknesses. Start training them.
7. Follow a Real Plan
Performing workouts at random can result in injury if your training is unbalanced. You may strengthen some muscles at the expense of others, creating imbalances that result in pain or injury. So set long term goals to help set your motivation in place and help define direction and purpose in your training, but also set specific, clear, short-term goals to guide and focus you along the way. At the end of each day, ask yourself, "Did I move closer to my goal today?” Start a free trial training and nutrition program.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Healthy Snacking
Hey there! I found this article on www.about.com website...thought you might enjoy it...
Weight Loss..Snack Smart at the Office
Keep Healthy Office Snacks within Reach
By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide
Updated February 16, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
.A well stocked candy dish may bring lots of company ... but can you afford the calories?
Image: Clipart.comYou want to snack smart1 at work2, but it's tough when there's a vending machine down the hall and a coffee shop around the corner. Your best defense? Arm yourself by always having smart snacks within easy reach3. After all, enjoying a small snack is a good idea for both work and weight loss: Eating something in the afternoon will keep your blood sugar even, pump your energy level up, and curb your appetite4 until you get off work.
Ideas for healthy foods to stock your at-work "snack stash" include:
•dried fruit (My pick? Dried cranberries.)
•low fat trail mix
•applesauce
•single serving fruit bowls (My pick? Del Monte Fruit Gels.)
•reduced-fat or natural peanut butter to spread on a banana, an apple, pre-cut celery sticks or a slice of whole-grain bread
•almonds (natural or roasted without salt)
•mini chocolate chips (Hint: Melt a few to make dip to turn fruit into a special treat!)
•unsweetened cocoa or low-cal hot chocolate (My pick: Swiss Miss Sensible Sweets. It only has 25 calories, but it's so rich!)
If your office has a fridge5, consider some of these keep-cool snacks:
•fat-free milk (Hint: Bring some healthy cereal, too!)
•light mozzarella cheese balls or string cheese
•flavored yogurt or Greek yogurt (Tip: Flavor it with honey -- makes it yummy!)
•hard-boiled eggs (These are a must for me. A boiled egg white is "0 points" on Weight Watchers6 and the protein helps curb my hunger.)
•low-fat drinkable yogurt
The Dreaded Dish
The candy dish at the office strikes fear in the heart of any dieter. It's somehow magically full every time you walk by it! If you regularly help yourself, you may assume it's just lack of will power. But have you ever considered that maybe it's not just the candy pulling you over to that coworker's desk? You may be craving the social time, not the sweets. Try chatting sans sweets a few days in a row and you may notice you don't even miss the edible treat.
If you stock the communal candy dish, consider these pointers for keeping tabs on temptation:
Try to choose hard candy -- it only contains about 25 calories a piece and takes a few minutes to eat so you're not popping one after another.
Put the candy in an opaque container or one with a lid.
Stock the dish with candy that you're not crazy about.
Put the bowl elsewhere -- a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study showed people ate two-thirds less candy when a dish was stored six feet away.
Smart Snacking Tips
Fruit is often my top choice for an afternoon snack because the fructose gives me a quick energy boost; pairing it with a little protein7 such as some low-fat cheese, yogurt, or peanut butter gives it extra "staying power" until dinner8.
Nuts are a filling9 food thanks to their protein and fat content10. Enjoying some walnuts or almonds in moderation is a good way to lessen your appetite11 and get in some healthy fat12.
If you find yourself seeking out a high-cal snack every afternoon, that's a sure sign you're not eating the right lunch13. Get in a good mix of fat, protein and healthy carbs14 at lunch. If your lunch has the proper nutrients, and is filling, then a small snack (around 100 calories), such as a piece of fruit or an ounce of nuts should be satisfying.
Don't let stress15-inducers like an approaching deadline or an upcoming meeting drive you to reach for food to tame tension. Try deep breathing for just a few minutes -- it's effective and works quickly.
Source
Wansink, Brian, et al. The office candy dish: proximity's influence on estimated and actual consumption16. International Journal of Obesity. 30, 871–875. 1 May 2006.
This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/qt/officesnacks.htm
©2010 About.com, Inc., a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.
Weight Loss..Snack Smart at the Office
Keep Healthy Office Snacks within Reach
By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide
Updated February 16, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
.A well stocked candy dish may bring lots of company ... but can you afford the calories?
Image: Clipart.comYou want to snack smart1 at work2, but it's tough when there's a vending machine down the hall and a coffee shop around the corner. Your best defense? Arm yourself by always having smart snacks within easy reach3. After all, enjoying a small snack is a good idea for both work and weight loss: Eating something in the afternoon will keep your blood sugar even, pump your energy level up, and curb your appetite4 until you get off work.
Ideas for healthy foods to stock your at-work "snack stash" include:
•dried fruit (My pick? Dried cranberries.)
•low fat trail mix
•applesauce
•single serving fruit bowls (My pick? Del Monte Fruit Gels.)
•reduced-fat or natural peanut butter to spread on a banana, an apple, pre-cut celery sticks or a slice of whole-grain bread
•almonds (natural or roasted without salt)
•mini chocolate chips (Hint: Melt a few to make dip to turn fruit into a special treat!)
•unsweetened cocoa or low-cal hot chocolate (My pick: Swiss Miss Sensible Sweets. It only has 25 calories, but it's so rich!)
If your office has a fridge5, consider some of these keep-cool snacks:
•fat-free milk (Hint: Bring some healthy cereal, too!)
•light mozzarella cheese balls or string cheese
•flavored yogurt or Greek yogurt (Tip: Flavor it with honey -- makes it yummy!)
•hard-boiled eggs (These are a must for me. A boiled egg white is "0 points" on Weight Watchers6 and the protein helps curb my hunger.)
•low-fat drinkable yogurt
The Dreaded Dish
The candy dish at the office strikes fear in the heart of any dieter. It's somehow magically full every time you walk by it! If you regularly help yourself, you may assume it's just lack of will power. But have you ever considered that maybe it's not just the candy pulling you over to that coworker's desk? You may be craving the social time, not the sweets. Try chatting sans sweets a few days in a row and you may notice you don't even miss the edible treat.
If you stock the communal candy dish, consider these pointers for keeping tabs on temptation:
Try to choose hard candy -- it only contains about 25 calories a piece and takes a few minutes to eat so you're not popping one after another.
Put the candy in an opaque container or one with a lid.
Stock the dish with candy that you're not crazy about.
Put the bowl elsewhere -- a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study showed people ate two-thirds less candy when a dish was stored six feet away.
Smart Snacking Tips
Fruit is often my top choice for an afternoon snack because the fructose gives me a quick energy boost; pairing it with a little protein7 such as some low-fat cheese, yogurt, or peanut butter gives it extra "staying power" until dinner8.
Nuts are a filling9 food thanks to their protein and fat content10. Enjoying some walnuts or almonds in moderation is a good way to lessen your appetite11 and get in some healthy fat12.
If you find yourself seeking out a high-cal snack every afternoon, that's a sure sign you're not eating the right lunch13. Get in a good mix of fat, protein and healthy carbs14 at lunch. If your lunch has the proper nutrients, and is filling, then a small snack (around 100 calories), such as a piece of fruit or an ounce of nuts should be satisfying.
Don't let stress15-inducers like an approaching deadline or an upcoming meeting drive you to reach for food to tame tension. Try deep breathing for just a few minutes -- it's effective and works quickly.
Source
Wansink, Brian, et al. The office candy dish: proximity's influence on estimated and actual consumption16. International Journal of Obesity. 30, 871–875. 1 May 2006.
This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/qt/officesnacks.htm
©2010 About.com, Inc., a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Are You a Sugar Addict?
Hey there...found a great article from www.about.com regarding Sugar Addiction and a new book out there, "Beat Sugar Addiction Now", by Jacob Teitelbaum, MB...good reading!
Are You a Sugar Addict? New Book Helps Readers Identify and Conquer Unhealthy Addiction to Sugar
Monday October 11, 2010
Are you a sugar addict? And if you are overdoing it on the sweet stuff, do you know what type of sugar addict you might be? For example:
Are you hooked on Red Bull or venti coffee drinks, to the point where you need caffeine just to make it through your daily fatigue? You could be a Type 1 Sugar Addict.
Do you go around thinking, "feed me now or I'll kill you!?" You could be an adrenally-fatigued Type 2 Sugar Addict.
What about chronic nasal congestion, sinusitis, spastic colon, or irritable bowel syndrome -- along with a craving for sweet treats? You could be a candida/yeast overgrowing Type 3 Sugar Addict.
And how about those menstrual periods, menopause - or, for you guys -- andropause? Do hormonal ups and downs have you reaching for the cake and candy bars? You may be a Type 4 Sugar Addict.
If any of this is sounding familiar, you'll want to read my review of the book, Beat Sugar Addiction Now, by Jacob Teitelbaum, MD. He maps out a strategy to help you identify your type of sugar addiction, along with practical steps to conquer your addiction for better health.
Kathryn(1)
I own a very, very tiny thyroid and am on Combithyrex.
For my 60th birthday, I decided to stop eating meat, which I’ve always meant to do, though I’m still eating some fish.
Imagine my surprise when my sweet cravings completely stopped. I am someone who used to get up in the night to eat 5 bowls of Frosties and I was piling on the weight. Also a (big) bar of chocolate after dinner as “dessert”.
I lost 3 pounds this month, too.
It can’t just be that I’m filling myself up with vegetables, can it? But WOW!!!
October 15, 2010 at 4:04 am
Mary(2)
Hi Kathryn and all,
I am fascinated to hear how you banished your sugar cravings.
Recently I was wondering if there might be something in the theory that as we all have different metabolisms we will naturally do better or worse depending on the balance of the food we eat, ie there are three main metabolic types Protein, Carbohydrate and Protein/Carb mixed.
I have very recently taken the free nutritional typing test on Dr Mercola’s website and was very surprised to find that I am a Protein Type and should be basing my diet around meat protein. I read all the info on the site and downloaded the free recipe book. As a result, I have completely revised my diet.
Similar to yourself my sugar cravings vanished overnight, I have not eaten a piece of chocolate, cookie or any other sugar laden item for 10 days now, nor do I want to. My new eating regime is not low calorie by any means but I have lost 5lbs in 10 days so far. I am also feeling loads better than I have in ages.
I am thoroughly enjoying my food and that lovely feeling of being satisfied after my meals and not left craving for something else, or something sweet as was the case. Previously I just never felt full or satisfied with what I had eaten.
Kathryn, I imagine that what you have done is to happen upon your own metabolic type diet by accident. I am delighted to hear of your success.
Should you wish to get further details of Dr Mercola’s Free Nutritional Typing Test just go to http://www.mercola.com and type Nutritional Typing Test in the search box. Currently it is the first item in the list. This item has a link to the test and the free recipe book. There is nothing to buy.
I hope this information is of value to you and many others struggling with diet and weight problems.
All the very best for the future.
Mary F.
October 15, 2010 at 6:23 am
Are You a Sugar Addict? New Book Helps Readers Identify and Conquer Unhealthy Addiction to Sugar
Monday October 11, 2010
Are you a sugar addict? And if you are overdoing it on the sweet stuff, do you know what type of sugar addict you might be? For example:
Are you hooked on Red Bull or venti coffee drinks, to the point where you need caffeine just to make it through your daily fatigue? You could be a Type 1 Sugar Addict.
Do you go around thinking, "feed me now or I'll kill you!?" You could be an adrenally-fatigued Type 2 Sugar Addict.
What about chronic nasal congestion, sinusitis, spastic colon, or irritable bowel syndrome -- along with a craving for sweet treats? You could be a candida/yeast overgrowing Type 3 Sugar Addict.
And how about those menstrual periods, menopause - or, for you guys -- andropause? Do hormonal ups and downs have you reaching for the cake and candy bars? You may be a Type 4 Sugar Addict.
If any of this is sounding familiar, you'll want to read my review of the book, Beat Sugar Addiction Now, by Jacob Teitelbaum, MD. He maps out a strategy to help you identify your type of sugar addiction, along with practical steps to conquer your addiction for better health.
Kathryn(1)
I own a very, very tiny thyroid and am on Combithyrex.
For my 60th birthday, I decided to stop eating meat, which I’ve always meant to do, though I’m still eating some fish.
Imagine my surprise when my sweet cravings completely stopped. I am someone who used to get up in the night to eat 5 bowls of Frosties and I was piling on the weight. Also a (big) bar of chocolate after dinner as “dessert”.
I lost 3 pounds this month, too.
It can’t just be that I’m filling myself up with vegetables, can it? But WOW!!!
October 15, 2010 at 4:04 am
Mary(2)
Hi Kathryn and all,
I am fascinated to hear how you banished your sugar cravings.
Recently I was wondering if there might be something in the theory that as we all have different metabolisms we will naturally do better or worse depending on the balance of the food we eat, ie there are three main metabolic types Protein, Carbohydrate and Protein/Carb mixed.
I have very recently taken the free nutritional typing test on Dr Mercola’s website and was very surprised to find that I am a Protein Type and should be basing my diet around meat protein. I read all the info on the site and downloaded the free recipe book. As a result, I have completely revised my diet.
Similar to yourself my sugar cravings vanished overnight, I have not eaten a piece of chocolate, cookie or any other sugar laden item for 10 days now, nor do I want to. My new eating regime is not low calorie by any means but I have lost 5lbs in 10 days so far. I am also feeling loads better than I have in ages.
I am thoroughly enjoying my food and that lovely feeling of being satisfied after my meals and not left craving for something else, or something sweet as was the case. Previously I just never felt full or satisfied with what I had eaten.
Kathryn, I imagine that what you have done is to happen upon your own metabolic type diet by accident. I am delighted to hear of your success.
Should you wish to get further details of Dr Mercola’s Free Nutritional Typing Test just go to http://www.mercola.com and type Nutritional Typing Test in the search box. Currently it is the first item in the list. This item has a link to the test and the free recipe book. There is nothing to buy.
I hope this information is of value to you and many others struggling with diet and weight problems.
All the very best for the future.
Mary F.
October 15, 2010 at 6:23 am
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Back Pain
A really good article from www.coreperformance.com on Back Pain
Overview
Whether you are an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, or a regular exerciser, you can be almost certain of three things regarding back pain: 1) Sooner or later, you will have it. 2) Most of the time, the pain will be in the lower back. 3) With or without treatment, it will get better.
Apart from those three near-truths, things get a lot more complicated. The muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and disks of the back all have to work together in perfect harmony to avoid injuries. Even when all the parts work well, some back injuries are simply unavoidable. Athletes accept the risk of back injuries when they decide to play a sport or exercise regularly, vigorously or over a long period of time.
Among a variety of possible back injuries and back conditions, the University of Maryland Spine Program has identified the four most common injuries and conditions likely to affect athletes:
Back strain
Spondylolysis
Spondylolisthesis
Herniated disk
The causes, symptoms, and treatment may be slightly different, so it would be a mistake to consider all low back problems as a single condition with exactly the same cause, treatment or prevention strategy
Nevertheless, there are some common denominators when it comes to lower back pain caused by strains, and those factors will be discussed in this report.
How It Happens
Because of the complexity of the structures in the back, there is no single mechanism that accounts for lower back injuries and pain. But back strains—tears in tendons or ligaments—are among the most common sports injuries. They occur after sudden or awkward movements, when lifting or moving a heavy object (like an opposing lineman) or when absorbing a blow from another athlete. Sometimes back strains are triggered by seemingly harmless movements, such as bending over to tie a shoe, picking up a child or reaching up to get something out of a cabinet.
Structural problems may also cause lower back pain and may accompany strains. A bulging disk (the soft material between vertebrae) may press against a nerve. If it presses against the nerve that extends downward through the leg, it can cause a shooting pain called sciatica that affects the buttocks and the back of the leg. Skeletal irregularities such as scoliosis—a side-to-side deviation of the spinal column—can cause pain in the upper, mid or lower back. And the lower back is one of the most frequent areas affected by osteoarthritis.
By the Numbers
2
Back pain is the number two reason (behind colds and the flu) that Americans seek medical attention.
5-10
Estimated percentage of all sports injuries related to the lower (lumbar) spine.
80
Percentage of the population that will have lower back pain at some point in their lives.
90
Percentage of lower back pain that will improve with or without medical attention.
Who’s At Risk
Any athlete who places stress on the spine is vulnerable to a back strain. Weight lifters and field event athletes such as discus, javelin and shot throwers/putters are the most obvious examples, but lower back strains are often reported in skiers, runners, golfers, skaters and lacrosse, basketball, football and tennis players.
Symptoms
Pain in the lower back
Lower back muscle spasms
See a doctor immediately if the pain is intense, spreads down one or both legs, causes weakness or numbness, or follows a fall or a blow to your back.
Initial Treatment
Rest your back for 24-48 hours, but do not stay completely immobile; limited, mild movement is better than bed rest.
Apply ice packs for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a day for the first 48-72 hours.
Apply moist heat after the first 48-72 hours if it makes you more comfortable.
Aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen may relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees.
If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees.
Comeback Strategy
Avoid sitting in one position for long periods of time. Get up and stretch every 20-25 minutes.
Execute each movement required in your sport, gradually increasing the speed of movement, before returning to normal training and competition.
Use a lower back support to keep the pressure distributed evenly on the muscles of the lower back.
Prehab
Incorporate these prehab exercises into your comeback routine:
Front Pillar Bridge
Lateral Pillar Bridge
Glute Bridge
Hand Walking
½ Kneeling Chop
½ Kneeling Lift
Movement Prep
Incorporate these movement prep exercises into your warm-up routine:
Quadruped Posterior Rocking
Foam Roll (but not directly on the area of a strained muscle)
Quadruped Opposites
How to Avoid It
When lifting heavy objects, keep your back as straight as possible and use your legs. Do not bend at the waist.
Avoid slouching when sitting.
Use a lower back support to keep the pressure distributed evenly on the muscles of the lower back.
Do not increase exercise intensity, frequency or duration more than 10 percent a week.
Overview
Whether you are an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, or a regular exerciser, you can be almost certain of three things regarding back pain: 1) Sooner or later, you will have it. 2) Most of the time, the pain will be in the lower back. 3) With or without treatment, it will get better.
Apart from those three near-truths, things get a lot more complicated. The muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and disks of the back all have to work together in perfect harmony to avoid injuries. Even when all the parts work well, some back injuries are simply unavoidable. Athletes accept the risk of back injuries when they decide to play a sport or exercise regularly, vigorously or over a long period of time.
Among a variety of possible back injuries and back conditions, the University of Maryland Spine Program has identified the four most common injuries and conditions likely to affect athletes:
Back strain
Spondylolysis
Spondylolisthesis
Herniated disk
The causes, symptoms, and treatment may be slightly different, so it would be a mistake to consider all low back problems as a single condition with exactly the same cause, treatment or prevention strategy
Nevertheless, there are some common denominators when it comes to lower back pain caused by strains, and those factors will be discussed in this report.
How It Happens
Because of the complexity of the structures in the back, there is no single mechanism that accounts for lower back injuries and pain. But back strains—tears in tendons or ligaments—are among the most common sports injuries. They occur after sudden or awkward movements, when lifting or moving a heavy object (like an opposing lineman) or when absorbing a blow from another athlete. Sometimes back strains are triggered by seemingly harmless movements, such as bending over to tie a shoe, picking up a child or reaching up to get something out of a cabinet.
Structural problems may also cause lower back pain and may accompany strains. A bulging disk (the soft material between vertebrae) may press against a nerve. If it presses against the nerve that extends downward through the leg, it can cause a shooting pain called sciatica that affects the buttocks and the back of the leg. Skeletal irregularities such as scoliosis—a side-to-side deviation of the spinal column—can cause pain in the upper, mid or lower back. And the lower back is one of the most frequent areas affected by osteoarthritis.
By the Numbers
2
Back pain is the number two reason (behind colds and the flu) that Americans seek medical attention.
5-10
Estimated percentage of all sports injuries related to the lower (lumbar) spine.
80
Percentage of the population that will have lower back pain at some point in their lives.
90
Percentage of lower back pain that will improve with or without medical attention.
Who’s At Risk
Any athlete who places stress on the spine is vulnerable to a back strain. Weight lifters and field event athletes such as discus, javelin and shot throwers/putters are the most obvious examples, but lower back strains are often reported in skiers, runners, golfers, skaters and lacrosse, basketball, football and tennis players.
Symptoms
Pain in the lower back
Lower back muscle spasms
See a doctor immediately if the pain is intense, spreads down one or both legs, causes weakness or numbness, or follows a fall or a blow to your back.
Initial Treatment
Rest your back for 24-48 hours, but do not stay completely immobile; limited, mild movement is better than bed rest.
Apply ice packs for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a day for the first 48-72 hours.
Apply moist heat after the first 48-72 hours if it makes you more comfortable.
Aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen may relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees.
If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees.
Comeback Strategy
Avoid sitting in one position for long periods of time. Get up and stretch every 20-25 minutes.
Execute each movement required in your sport, gradually increasing the speed of movement, before returning to normal training and competition.
Use a lower back support to keep the pressure distributed evenly on the muscles of the lower back.
Prehab
Incorporate these prehab exercises into your comeback routine:
Front Pillar Bridge
Lateral Pillar Bridge
Glute Bridge
Hand Walking
½ Kneeling Chop
½ Kneeling Lift
Movement Prep
Incorporate these movement prep exercises into your warm-up routine:
Quadruped Posterior Rocking
Foam Roll (but not directly on the area of a strained muscle)
Quadruped Opposites
How to Avoid It
When lifting heavy objects, keep your back as straight as possible and use your legs. Do not bend at the waist.
Avoid slouching when sitting.
Use a lower back support to keep the pressure distributed evenly on the muscles of the lower back.
Do not increase exercise intensity, frequency or duration more than 10 percent a week.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Shin Splints...the Cause of and Potential Solution to...
I ran across an article on www.coreperformance.com regarding shin splints that I found useful...take a look...
Q - I'm training for a half-marathon and keep getting shin splints. Is there anything I can do to help prevent them? - Linda
A- Poor running mechanics, flat feet, and overuse are the most common causes of shin splints. So to get rid of the pain you feel on the front or inner part of your lower leg, you need to determine what's causing it. Icing, Ibuprofen and massages will provide temporary relief by reducing inflammation, but pain will return without addressing the issues.
If you have tightness in your calf or foot pronation (your arch caves), then an orthotic, or shoe insert, may help in the short term.
Common weaknesses or mobility issues include hip tightness and weak glutes (butt muscles). Adding movements like the mini-band squat and knee hugs to your training sessions will help you maintain proper running technique.
If your hip mobility is good, then you may need to focus on your core stability. Shore up your hips, lower back, and torso with movements like the front and side pillar bridges.
The fastest way to clean up your mechanics and help strengthen your arches: Train barefoot.
Also, your best bet is to see a qualified physical therapist who specializes in sport to identify the cause of your pain.
compliments www.coreperformance.com 8/2/2010
Q - I'm training for a half-marathon and keep getting shin splints. Is there anything I can do to help prevent them? - Linda
A- Poor running mechanics, flat feet, and overuse are the most common causes of shin splints. So to get rid of the pain you feel on the front or inner part of your lower leg, you need to determine what's causing it. Icing, Ibuprofen and massages will provide temporary relief by reducing inflammation, but pain will return without addressing the issues.
If you have tightness in your calf or foot pronation (your arch caves), then an orthotic, or shoe insert, may help in the short term.
Common weaknesses or mobility issues include hip tightness and weak glutes (butt muscles). Adding movements like the mini-band squat and knee hugs to your training sessions will help you maintain proper running technique.
If your hip mobility is good, then you may need to focus on your core stability. Shore up your hips, lower back, and torso with movements like the front and side pillar bridges.
The fastest way to clean up your mechanics and help strengthen your arches: Train barefoot.
Also, your best bet is to see a qualified physical therapist who specializes in sport to identify the cause of your pain.
compliments www.coreperformance.com 8/2/2010
A Study on Sports Drinks as Well as a Recipe...
I noticed an article in an exercise magazine that mentioned homemade sport drink that works as well or better than any commercial drink.The exercise physiologist, Stacy T. Sims, created the formula.http://prevention.stanford.edu/profiles/Stacy_Sims
32oz water
1/4c sugar
1/4tsp salt
2 packs of Emergen-C
1/2 pack Kool-Aid (no sugar) for flavor
She and another researcher were consultants to Team Radio Shack on the Tour de France.
If you wish to read some science on hydration and exercise:http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Cutting-Edge-Hydration-Strategies.htm?page=2
Article contributed by Bill, RNA and husband of a fellow RBS'er...as always, these are merely opinions and anecdotes and you should always consult with a health professional before beginning an exercise and/or diet regiment.
A
32oz water
1/4c sugar
1/4tsp salt
2 packs of Emergen-C
1/2 pack Kool-Aid (no sugar) for flavor
She and another researcher were consultants to Team Radio Shack on the Tour de France.
If you wish to read some science on hydration and exercise:http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Cutting-Edge-Hydration-Strategies.htm?page=2
Article contributed by Bill, RNA and husband of a fellow RBS'er...as always, these are merely opinions and anecdotes and you should always consult with a health professional before beginning an exercise and/or diet regiment.
A
Whey Protein
Below is a good article I found on www.about.com regarding the benefits of whey protein...as always, please consult your doctor or health professional before beginning a diet or supplement plan.
Alternative Medicine
Whey Protein for Weight Training?
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated July 30, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
A protein complex derived from milk, whey protein is said to offer a range of health benefits. Studies show that whey protein may act as an antioxidant1, fight viruses and bacteria, and keep blood pressure2 in check. What's more, several biological components of whey protein (including immunoglobulins and lactoferrin) appear to stimulate the immune system3. Another supposed health benefit of whey protein is its ability to convert the amino acid cysteine to glutathione (a powerful antioxidant).
Claims for Whey Protein Benefits
Available as a dietary supplement, whey protein is typically touted as a natural remedy for the following conditions:
osteoporosis4
heart disease5
cancer
hepatitis B
In addition, whey protein is said to offer several benefits related to sports performance6.
The Science Behind Whey's Health Benefits
To date, there is limited scientific support for whey protein's health benefits. Here's a look at several key study findings:
1) Whey Protein and Heart Health
Whey protein may help lower blood pressure, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation7), according to a 2006 study of 30 people with high or slightly elevated blood pressure. For six weeks, study members received 20 grams of whey protein per day.
In a 2010 study of 20 overweight or obese postmenopausal women, researchers found that a single dose of whey protein significantly lowered levels of blood sugar and triglycerides (blood fats known to raise risk of heart disease when present at elevated levels).
2) Whey Protein and Exercise Training
In a research review published in 2008, investigators found that taking whey protein supplements may help enhance the effects of strength-training exercises. The review also found that whey protein supplementation may help individuals maintain muscle mass as they age, possibly due to its high content of muscle-building amino acids.
3) Whey Protein and Bone Health
Preliminary findings from animal research and test-tube studies suggest that whey protein may help promote bone formation and protect against bone loss-related conditions like osteoporosis and osteopenia8. However, whey protein's effects on bone health have yet to be tested in clinical trials.
Should You Use Whey Protein?
Due to the lack of science behind whey protein's health effects, whey protein cannot be recommended for the treatment or prevention of any health condition. If you're considering the use of whey protein, talk to your doctor before starting your supplement regimen.
Sources:
Hayes A, Cribb PJ. "Effect of whey protein isolate on strength, body composition and muscle hypertrophy during resistance training." Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 11(1):40-4.
Kumegawa M. "Prevention of osteoporosis by foods and dietary supplements. Bone reinforcement factor in milk: milk basic protein (MBP)." Clin Calcium. 2006 16(10):1624-31.
Kruger MC, Plimmer GG, Schollum LM, Haggarty N, Ram S, Palmano K. "The effect of whey acidic protein fractions on bone loss in the ovariectomised rat." Br J Nutr. 2005 94(2):244-52.
Marshall K. "Therapeutic applications of whey protein." Altern Med Rev. 2004 9(2):136-56.
Pal S, Ellis V, Ho S. "Acute effects of whey protein isolate on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight, post-menopausal women." Atherosclerosis. 2010 May 31.
Pins JJ, Keenan JM. "Effects of whey peptides on cardiovascular disease risk factors." J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2006 8(11):775-82.
This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://altmedicine.about.com/od/completeazindex/a/whey_protein.htm
©2010 About.com, Inc., a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.
Alternative Medicine
Whey Protein for Weight Training?
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated July 30, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
A protein complex derived from milk, whey protein is said to offer a range of health benefits. Studies show that whey protein may act as an antioxidant1, fight viruses and bacteria, and keep blood pressure2 in check. What's more, several biological components of whey protein (including immunoglobulins and lactoferrin) appear to stimulate the immune system3. Another supposed health benefit of whey protein is its ability to convert the amino acid cysteine to glutathione (a powerful antioxidant).
Claims for Whey Protein Benefits
Available as a dietary supplement, whey protein is typically touted as a natural remedy for the following conditions:
osteoporosis4
heart disease5
cancer
hepatitis B
In addition, whey protein is said to offer several benefits related to sports performance6.
The Science Behind Whey's Health Benefits
To date, there is limited scientific support for whey protein's health benefits. Here's a look at several key study findings:
1) Whey Protein and Heart Health
Whey protein may help lower blood pressure, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation7), according to a 2006 study of 30 people with high or slightly elevated blood pressure. For six weeks, study members received 20 grams of whey protein per day.
In a 2010 study of 20 overweight or obese postmenopausal women, researchers found that a single dose of whey protein significantly lowered levels of blood sugar and triglycerides (blood fats known to raise risk of heart disease when present at elevated levels).
2) Whey Protein and Exercise Training
In a research review published in 2008, investigators found that taking whey protein supplements may help enhance the effects of strength-training exercises. The review also found that whey protein supplementation may help individuals maintain muscle mass as they age, possibly due to its high content of muscle-building amino acids.
3) Whey Protein and Bone Health
Preliminary findings from animal research and test-tube studies suggest that whey protein may help promote bone formation and protect against bone loss-related conditions like osteoporosis and osteopenia8. However, whey protein's effects on bone health have yet to be tested in clinical trials.
Should You Use Whey Protein?
Due to the lack of science behind whey protein's health effects, whey protein cannot be recommended for the treatment or prevention of any health condition. If you're considering the use of whey protein, talk to your doctor before starting your supplement regimen.
Sources:
Hayes A, Cribb PJ. "Effect of whey protein isolate on strength, body composition and muscle hypertrophy during resistance training." Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 11(1):40-4.
Kumegawa M. "Prevention of osteoporosis by foods and dietary supplements. Bone reinforcement factor in milk: milk basic protein (MBP)." Clin Calcium. 2006 16(10):1624-31.
Kruger MC, Plimmer GG, Schollum LM, Haggarty N, Ram S, Palmano K. "The effect of whey acidic protein fractions on bone loss in the ovariectomised rat." Br J Nutr. 2005 94(2):244-52.
Marshall K. "Therapeutic applications of whey protein." Altern Med Rev. 2004 9(2):136-56.
Pal S, Ellis V, Ho S. "Acute effects of whey protein isolate on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight, post-menopausal women." Atherosclerosis. 2010 May 31.
Pins JJ, Keenan JM. "Effects of whey peptides on cardiovascular disease risk factors." J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2006 8(11):775-82.
This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://altmedicine.about.com/od/completeazindex/a/whey_protein.htm
©2010 About.com, Inc., a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Some Books You Might Like...
Recently, I stumbled across a list of most popular and pertinent books from www.yahoo.com regarding Weight-Loss, Fitness, Exercise, and Meal-Planning...I know many of you are readers and always looking for that "edge" so here's a summation of the books I found to be worthwhile:
* Mayo Clinic Diet
* South Beach Diet Supercharged (don't necessarily recommend the diet but has some good points)
* The Instinct Diet
* Eating Well Diet
* Change Your Brain...Change Your Body
* Body Fat Solution -- The 5 Principles
* Never Say Diet
And, my personal favorite,
* Body For Life and Food For Life from Bill Phillips
Happy Reading!
A
* Mayo Clinic Diet
* South Beach Diet Supercharged (don't necessarily recommend the diet but has some good points)
* The Instinct Diet
* Eating Well Diet
* Change Your Brain...Change Your Body
* Body Fat Solution -- The 5 Principles
* Never Say Diet
And, my personal favorite,
* Body For Life and Food For Life from Bill Phillips
Happy Reading!
A
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Try This Warm-Up Before a Workout
A Better Warm-up
from www.coreperformance.com website
There's nothing wrong with touching your toes. If you can do it, you're ahead of most people in terms of flexibility. Only a short while ago, a quick toe touch and a few minutes on the treadmill was all experts thought was needed to warm up for sports or exercise. And that's still what most people do, if anything.
But there's a more effective way to prepare your body for physical activity. It involves going through a series of dynamic movements that increase your core temperature, prepare your nervous system for activity, and activate key muscles that you'll use in your training session. The word "warm-up" doesn't really cover it. That's why we call it "movement preparation," or "movement prep." More than getting warm, "movement prep" decreases your injury potential and improves your training. And it only takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
Get started with this sample routine.
Glute Bridge - Marching
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Hip Rotation - External - Sidelying
01
12 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Leg Overs
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Knee Hug - Moving
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Reverse Lunge - with Twist
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Knee Hug to Forward Lunge - Elbow to Instep
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Drop Lunge
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Lateral Squat - Low
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Inverted Hamstring - Moving Forward
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Heel to Butt - Moving Forward with Arm Reach
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
from www.coreperformance.com website
There's nothing wrong with touching your toes. If you can do it, you're ahead of most people in terms of flexibility. Only a short while ago, a quick toe touch and a few minutes on the treadmill was all experts thought was needed to warm up for sports or exercise. And that's still what most people do, if anything.
But there's a more effective way to prepare your body for physical activity. It involves going through a series of dynamic movements that increase your core temperature, prepare your nervous system for activity, and activate key muscles that you'll use in your training session. The word "warm-up" doesn't really cover it. That's why we call it "movement preparation," or "movement prep." More than getting warm, "movement prep" decreases your injury potential and improves your training. And it only takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
Get started with this sample routine.
Glute Bridge - Marching
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Hip Rotation - External - Sidelying
01
12 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Leg Overs
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Knee Hug - Moving
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Reverse Lunge - with Twist
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Knee Hug to Forward Lunge - Elbow to Instep
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Drop Lunge
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Lateral Squat - Low
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Inverted Hamstring - Moving Forward
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Heel to Butt - Moving Forward with Arm Reach
01
06 reps each
Play Video
View Movement Details
Monday, July 5, 2010
A New Study Linking Sleep Deprivation to Weight Gain...
By: Michael Stevens, www.newsoxy.com; Staff WriterPublished: Jul 5, 2010
Deprived sleep can cause weight gain, study found.
Sleep problems weight gain are linked, according to a recent health study. Women who are middle-aged and older with sleep problems are more likely to gain weight. It all comes down to many studies where people who have trouble with sleep are likely to gain weight.
"These findings many not prove a cause-and-effect, they raise the possibility that improving sleep quality might help stave off excess weight gain," lead researcher Peppi Lyytikainen, of the University of Helsinki, said in a statement. The study included 7,332 men and women who were originally surveyed between 2000 and 2002. Those who said they'd had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep on at least 14 nights in the past month were classified as having "frequent" sleeping troubles.
In addition, the subjects reported their poundage and height during the first survey, then again, five to seven years later. However, many of those studies assessed people at one point in time. This makes it difficult to know, which comes first, the sleep complications or the excess pounds.
New findings from Finnish researchers strengthen the evidence that sleep difficulties are related to weight gain. Reseachers found that sleep annoyances came prior to substantial gain in some participants. The science and technology information service followed more than 7,300 40- to 60-year-old adults for seven years.
They concluded that women who reported significant sleep troubles at the outset generally put on more weight over time than women who slept well. Roughly one-third of women with frequent sleep complications gained at least 11 pounds, versus about a fifth of women with no sleep difficulties at the outset. The link in the women persisted even when the investigators accounted for a number of factors that can affect both sleep quality and gain.
This study included the participants' body weight at the beginning of the study, their exercise habits and their general physical and mental health. In the beginning 20 percent of women had frequent sleep difficulties. Overall, the study found, those women were more likely to report a "major" gain of 11 pounds or more by the conclusion of the study, in comparison to women who slept well. However, the 17 percent of men who reported sleep troubles were not more likely to put on weight than those who slept without difficulty.
Deprived sleep can cause weight gain, study found.
Sleep problems weight gain are linked, according to a recent health study. Women who are middle-aged and older with sleep problems are more likely to gain weight. It all comes down to many studies where people who have trouble with sleep are likely to gain weight.
"These findings many not prove a cause-and-effect, they raise the possibility that improving sleep quality might help stave off excess weight gain," lead researcher Peppi Lyytikainen, of the University of Helsinki, said in a statement. The study included 7,332 men and women who were originally surveyed between 2000 and 2002. Those who said they'd had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep on at least 14 nights in the past month were classified as having "frequent" sleeping troubles.
In addition, the subjects reported their poundage and height during the first survey, then again, five to seven years later. However, many of those studies assessed people at one point in time. This makes it difficult to know, which comes first, the sleep complications or the excess pounds.
New findings from Finnish researchers strengthen the evidence that sleep difficulties are related to weight gain. Reseachers found that sleep annoyances came prior to substantial gain in some participants. The science and technology information service followed more than 7,300 40- to 60-year-old adults for seven years.
They concluded that women who reported significant sleep troubles at the outset generally put on more weight over time than women who slept well. Roughly one-third of women with frequent sleep complications gained at least 11 pounds, versus about a fifth of women with no sleep difficulties at the outset. The link in the women persisted even when the investigators accounted for a number of factors that can affect both sleep quality and gain.
This study included the participants' body weight at the beginning of the study, their exercise habits and their general physical and mental health. In the beginning 20 percent of women had frequent sleep difficulties. Overall, the study found, those women were more likely to report a "major" gain of 11 pounds or more by the conclusion of the study, in comparison to women who slept well. However, the 17 percent of men who reported sleep troubles were not more likely to put on weight than those who slept without difficulty.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Is the hCG diet a fad or something more?
I have been getting a lot of questions regarding the "latest, greatest" fad-diet called the ATW Ultra-Low Calorie hCG diet. While I'm not here to get on a soapbox or try to tell people what they should or shouldn't do I do feel obligated to obtain facts and offer insights into this so-called diet. As always, I recommend my clients or readers to consult with their medical practitioner before beginning any diet regiment or nutrtion program.
Here's what we know:
What is hCG?
hCG stands for humn chorionic gonadotropin, a glycoprotein produced in the placent that promotes the growth of the corpus luteum and secretion of estrogrens and progesterone of the corpus luteum. Estrogen promotes the growth of the mother's sex organs and tissues of the fetus during pregnancy...progesterone promotes the special development of the uterine endometrium in advance of implementation of the fertilized ovum; progesterone also promotes fetal tissue and organ development as well as the mother's breasts. During pregnancy hCG also prevents menstruation and could affect those not pregnant.
hCG is collected from pregnant women's urine or genetically modified. It is used for tumor markings (identification) as hCG is produced by tumors, as well as fertility (ovulation inducer) and the now-controversial ATW ultra-low calorie diet (less than 500 calories a day).
The Diet itself
The theory behind the diet is that hCG promotes fat loss rather than lean tissue and muscle loss in order to protect the developing fetus byway of consuming and mobilizing abnormal, excessive adipose (fat) deposits. The diet was originally studied with a 125 IU daily injection of hCG with less than 500 calorie diet of high protein and low fat/carbs.
Adversaries
Recently the Journal of American Medical Association and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition both spoke out against the ATW hCG diet as being "neither safe nor effective".
Common Diet
The most common form of the diet is the homeopathic version but typically the administration is oral (not injected) and contains obscure ingredients not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); typically the homeopathic version has little to no hCG in it and is often substituted with derivatives of ephedra.
My Conclusions
Again, I recommend talking to your doctor before beginning any diet or nutrition program but my findings on this hCG diet are staggering. First, where it is obtained and how it is administered is not regulated and can be extremely unsafe. Also, the low amount of calories consumed is not safe. If you're goal is to "lose weight" aren't there better ways (like exercise and portion control???). I'm vary wary of fad diets to begin with because they do not teach a person how to eat properly and maintain a proper fitness program throughout life. The side effects are not ultimately known (testicular shrinkage, menstruation issues, liver and kidney damange, etc.)--is that something we want to put into out bodies??? There has to be a better way.
Here's what we know:
What is hCG?
hCG stands for humn chorionic gonadotropin, a glycoprotein produced in the placent that promotes the growth of the corpus luteum and secretion of estrogrens and progesterone of the corpus luteum. Estrogen promotes the growth of the mother's sex organs and tissues of the fetus during pregnancy...progesterone promotes the special development of the uterine endometrium in advance of implementation of the fertilized ovum; progesterone also promotes fetal tissue and organ development as well as the mother's breasts. During pregnancy hCG also prevents menstruation and could affect those not pregnant.
hCG is collected from pregnant women's urine or genetically modified. It is used for tumor markings (identification) as hCG is produced by tumors, as well as fertility (ovulation inducer) and the now-controversial ATW ultra-low calorie diet (less than 500 calories a day).
The Diet itself
The theory behind the diet is that hCG promotes fat loss rather than lean tissue and muscle loss in order to protect the developing fetus byway of consuming and mobilizing abnormal, excessive adipose (fat) deposits. The diet was originally studied with a 125 IU daily injection of hCG with less than 500 calorie diet of high protein and low fat/carbs.
Adversaries
Recently the Journal of American Medical Association and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition both spoke out against the ATW hCG diet as being "neither safe nor effective".
Common Diet
The most common form of the diet is the homeopathic version but typically the administration is oral (not injected) and contains obscure ingredients not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); typically the homeopathic version has little to no hCG in it and is often substituted with derivatives of ephedra.
My Conclusions
Again, I recommend talking to your doctor before beginning any diet or nutrition program but my findings on this hCG diet are staggering. First, where it is obtained and how it is administered is not regulated and can be extremely unsafe. Also, the low amount of calories consumed is not safe. If you're goal is to "lose weight" aren't there better ways (like exercise and portion control???). I'm vary wary of fad diets to begin with because they do not teach a person how to eat properly and maintain a proper fitness program throughout life. The side effects are not ultimately known (testicular shrinkage, menstruation issues, liver and kidney damange, etc.)--is that something we want to put into out bodies??? There has to be a better way.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Food-to-Content Conversion CHEAT SHEET
While you can't keep track of the exact numbers for calories, fat, carbs and other things without a label, you can be mindful of your portion sizes. The easiest way to do this is by learning the basic exchange of food for calories, fat, etc, to estimate your total intake. Use the general guidelines below to keep track of your approximate intake of calories, carbs, fat and protein.
Remember that I recommend eating 60-120 minutes prior to workout a healthy, balanced meal of roughly 40% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat, and 10% fiber (+/- 5% each one). You should also be eating a higher-protein based meal post-workout (40-60 minutes) of 40% protein, 25% carbs, 20% fat, 15% fiber (+/- 5% each one). As always, these are generic numbers and you should check with your healthcare professional prior to implementing a meal plan and/or health & fitness plan. Good luck!
Vegetables
1 cup raw leafy, 1/2 cup cooked or raw , 3/4 cup juice and 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans all have around 25 calories, 5g of carbs and 2g of protein.
Fruits
1 medium-sized fruit, 1/2 cup canned or chopped fruit, 1/4 cup fruit juice or 2 Tbsp of dried fruit contain about 60 calories and 15g of carbs.
Breads and Cereals
1 slice of bread, 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta all have around 75 calories, 15g of carbs, 3g of protein and 0-1g of fat.
Meats, Eggs, Nuts
1 ounces meat. a handful of nuts, 1 egg and a 1/2 cup of legumes run about 75 calories, 7g of protein, 4-6g of fat (varies depending on cut of meat).
Oils, Butters
1 Tbsp olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil or peanut butter has around 72 calories and 8g of fat.
Dairy
1 cup milk, 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1 slice of cheese have about 100 calories, 12g of carbs, 8g of protein and 0-4g of fat.
Remember that I recommend eating 60-120 minutes prior to workout a healthy, balanced meal of roughly 40% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat, and 10% fiber (+/- 5% each one). You should also be eating a higher-protein based meal post-workout (40-60 minutes) of 40% protein, 25% carbs, 20% fat, 15% fiber (+/- 5% each one). As always, these are generic numbers and you should check with your healthcare professional prior to implementing a meal plan and/or health & fitness plan. Good luck!
Vegetables
1 cup raw leafy, 1/2 cup cooked or raw , 3/4 cup juice and 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans all have around 25 calories, 5g of carbs and 2g of protein.
Fruits
1 medium-sized fruit, 1/2 cup canned or chopped fruit, 1/4 cup fruit juice or 2 Tbsp of dried fruit contain about 60 calories and 15g of carbs.
Breads and Cereals
1 slice of bread, 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta all have around 75 calories, 15g of carbs, 3g of protein and 0-1g of fat.
Meats, Eggs, Nuts
1 ounces meat. a handful of nuts, 1 egg and a 1/2 cup of legumes run about 75 calories, 7g of protein, 4-6g of fat (varies depending on cut of meat).
Oils, Butters
1 Tbsp olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil or peanut butter has around 72 calories and 8g of fat.
Dairy
1 cup milk, 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1 slice of cheese have about 100 calories, 12g of carbs, 8g of protein and 0-4g of fat.
* Some information gathered from Amanda Carlson, R.D. and www.coreperformance.com
Making Sense of Food Packaging
Nutrition
How to Make Sense of Food Labels
Amanda Carlson May 5, 2010
How to Make Sense of Food Labels
Amanda Carlson May 5, 2010
I recently found this article, written by Amanda Carlson, R.D., on www.coreperformance.com regarding food labels and some of the marketing gimmicks that are prevalent in today's packaging...I thought you might find it informative. Good reading...A
The FDA recently informed 17 food manufacturers that their food labels mislead consumers about the health benefits of their products. The misrepresented claims included “100% Juice,” “No Sugar Added,” “Healthy Options,” and “Fortified with Antioxidants.”
While the FDA is cracking down on manufacturers, you still need to decipher for yourself what’s healthy. Keep in mind that food packaging is nothing more than an advertisement, an attempt to entice you to buy one product over another. Oftentimes the label is downright deceptive. Here’s what to look for to avoid getting tricked by food labels.
While the FDA is cracking down on manufacturers, you still need to decipher for yourself what’s healthy. Keep in mind that food packaging is nothing more than an advertisement, an attempt to entice you to buy one product over another. Oftentimes the label is downright deceptive. Here’s what to look for to avoid getting tricked by food labels.
Healthy
A food can be labeled “healthy” if it’s low in fat (especially saturated or trans fat) and has limited cholesterol and sodium, but that doesn’t mean the item has the lowest amount of fat or the lowest sodium. In other words, it still may not be your healthiest choice.What to look for: Don’t rely on packaging. Look for the cleanest and least processed form of food. Look for grains that are high in fiber, fruits that are in season, and natural nuts and nut butters that give your body fantastic fats. Keep highly processed foods to a minimum.
Organic
While there are hundreds of products emblazoned with the promise of being “all natural” and “organic,” many are not.What to look for: Choose items with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic symbol. Keep in mind that “natural,” “all natural,” “hormone-free,” and “free range” are not the same as “organic.” To be organic, a product must contain 95 percent organic ingredients. Check the ingredients to confirm that the product is certified organic by the USDA.
Made With…
There are dozens of products pictured with bunches of fresh grapes, waves of grain, and many more that claim to be loaded with real fruit juice, whole wheat, and other ingredients. Many of these products are actually a combination of the promised ingredient mixed with other products or extracts of the desired ingredient.What to look for: This label only means that the ingredient is included in the product (not necessarily as the main ingredient). Look for products with 100% whole grains or 100% juice (not juice cocktail).
Light or Lite
While a lighter version of a full-fat or high-calorie foods is at first glance better than the original version, keep in mind the calories, serving size, and other ingredients (sodium, etc).What to look for: This label means that the food has 50 percent less fat or 1/3 fewer calories than the same brand’s regular version. So flip it over to check out the nutrition label. You’ll have a better idea of proper serving sizes and other ingredients.
Good/Excellent Source of…
This label means that one serving provides 10 to 19 percent of your total daily needs for a specific nutrient, such as fiber, calcium, and vitamin A. So don’t mistake it as supplying what you need for the day of a particular nutrient.What to look for: On the nutrition label, look at how much of your daily value this source provides. You’ll want to make sure that you make up for the remaining percentage by eating other foods high in those nutrients.
While not getting enough nutrients is bad, getting too much can also be dangerous. Be aware of foods that have vitamin and mineral levels well above the dietary reference intakes (DRI). In particular, watch out for the fat soluble vitamins—A, D, E and K—because they're stored in the body, and when consumed in excess they're not excreted like water soluble vitamins. Your best bet: Aim to get most of your nutrients from fresh foods instead of water with antioxidants or energy drinks loaded with vitamins, for example. Water and fruit would be a better choice.
Reduced…
A food labeled as “reduced” has 25 percent less (fat, saturated fat, sodium, sugar, cholesterol, or calories) per serving than the regular version of the same food. But just because something has reduced fat doesn’t mean it isn’t still too high in sodium, sugar, or other ingredients.What to look for: Again, flip the product over and take a look at the nutrition label. Reduced fat cheese and reduced calorie beverages may not give you the health benefits or calorie savings you’re looking for.
About The Author
Amanda Carlson – As a registered dietitian, Amanda Carlson has provided educational seminars and individual counseling to a variety of professional and elite sports organizations.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Top 10 Marathon (Running) Mistakes Made By Runners
It is upon us: RUNNING SEASON...the weather (we think) is getting warmer and nicer and, with the local Pear Blossom under our belts, more and more marathons and triathalons are inching closer and closer. I found a really compelling article on common mistakes made by runners from www.coreperformance.com and, in conjunction with, have highlighted some common mistakes made by runners and things to do to correct them. Check with me for more insights/suggestions.
Top 10 Mistakes made by Runners & Marathoners:
1. RUNNING TOO MUCH...you should cross-train (utilize resistance and core training) in addition to running, as well as complimenting your workouts with resting at least 2 days a week
2. LIFTING TOO LITTLE...train your muscles to absorb shock as well as refine your running technique...check out the following website or ask me for more information: http://www.coreperformance.com/daily/play-better/weight-training-for-runners.html
3. NOT FOLLOWING A PROGRAM...this should be tailored to you...there are many excellent websites and books out there...a few to check out include www.runnersworld.com and www.runthere.com
4. NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO TECHNIQUE...run tall, chest should be up, feet should be below hips at all times, and your toes should be pointed to your nose to allow for proper foot landing
5. INCREASING MILEAGE ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THE RACE...taper your workout beginning 2-3 weeks prior to your run 0r triathlon
6. IGNORING REGENERATION...you should incorporate daily sessions of foam rolling (see earlier posts or ask me), stretching (static and dynamic), and massage (if possible)...also remember to rest 2 days/week
7. FORGETTING TO HYDRATE...goes without saying...dehydration will kill you...rule of thumb=4-6 gulps of fluid every 15-20 minutes of exercise
8. RUNNING OUT OF FUEL...plenty of good carbs=30-60 grams of carbohydrates per 60 minutes of expected exercise...gels and sports drinks will work fine
9. RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO TRAIN...give yourself plenty of time based on your level of experience and technique
10. WEARING THE PROPER SHOES...have your gait analyzed--some shoe stores will do this for you (Competitive Athletics is a local store that will do it)...rule of thumb=change your shoes every 300-500 mile run.
Have fun and good luck!
A
Top 10 Mistakes made by Runners & Marathoners:
1. RUNNING TOO MUCH...you should cross-train (utilize resistance and core training) in addition to running, as well as complimenting your workouts with resting at least 2 days a week
2. LIFTING TOO LITTLE...train your muscles to absorb shock as well as refine your running technique...check out the following website or ask me for more information: http://www.coreperformance.com/daily/play-better/weight-training-for-runners.html
3. NOT FOLLOWING A PROGRAM...this should be tailored to you...there are many excellent websites and books out there...a few to check out include www.runnersworld.com and www.runthere.com
4. NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO TECHNIQUE...run tall, chest should be up, feet should be below hips at all times, and your toes should be pointed to your nose to allow for proper foot landing
5. INCREASING MILEAGE ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THE RACE...taper your workout beginning 2-3 weeks prior to your run 0r triathlon
6. IGNORING REGENERATION...you should incorporate daily sessions of foam rolling (see earlier posts or ask me), stretching (static and dynamic), and massage (if possible)...also remember to rest 2 days/week
7. FORGETTING TO HYDRATE...goes without saying...dehydration will kill you...rule of thumb=4-6 gulps of fluid every 15-20 minutes of exercise
8. RUNNING OUT OF FUEL...plenty of good carbs=30-60 grams of carbohydrates per 60 minutes of expected exercise...gels and sports drinks will work fine
9. RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO TRAIN...give yourself plenty of time based on your level of experience and technique
10. WEARING THE PROPER SHOES...have your gait analyzed--some shoe stores will do this for you (Competitive Athletics is a local store that will do it)...rule of thumb=change your shoes every 300-500 mile run.
Have fun and good luck!
A
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Pre- and Post-Workout Snack Ideas
Hello, All! Found a good article compliments of http://www.coreperformance.com/ relating to snack ideas pre- and post-workout.
20 Simple Workout Snacks
Danielle LaFata March 26, 2010
Lilli Day / Getty Images
Whether you exercise in the morning, afternoon or evening, try to eat before and after you train. You’ll boost energy levels to stay sharp, both mentally and physically, throughout even the toughest workouts—and help your body recover better afterwards. What’s best to eat? While the research is fairly complex, the take-home menu is actually quite simple.
Studies show that a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein is best, depending on the intensity and duration of your workout.
For a short, low to medium intensity workout, a 2:1 ratio is enough.
For longer, harder sessions, aim for a 3:1 ratio—you’ll need the extra carbs to help refuel your depleted energy stores.
Keeping those ratios in mind, aim for a combination of 15-30 grams of protein and 30-90 grams of carbs before and after your workout.
Below are 20 sample shakes, snacks, and meal options to get you started. Keep in mind that calorie counts vary, so be aware of your overall calorie intake when planning your workout nutrition.
Shakes
1. EAS Myoplex Lite Shake25g protein, 20g carbs1 shake
2. Chocolate Milk 20g protein, 60g carbs16-oz serving
3. Fruit Juice + Whey Protein24g protein, 56g carbs1 Scoop EAS 100% Whey Protein, 1 cup 100% fruit juice
4. EAS Lite + Banana36g protein, 46g carbs1 shake, 1 banana
5. EAS AdvantEdge Complete Nutrition Bar13g protein, 31g carbs1 bar
Snacks
6. Pita + Hummus14g protein, 40g carbs1 whole wheat pita, 3 tbsp hummus, 1 oz almonds
7. Kashi GOLEAN Roll! Bar12g protein, 28g carbs1 bar
8. Peanut Butter Toast18g protein, 44g carbs2 slices whole grain toast, 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
9. Apples + Yogurt14g protein, 27g carbs1 apple, 1 1/2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
10. English Muffin + Almond Butter10g protein, 30g carbs1 whole grain English muffin, 2 tbsp natural almond butter
Meals
11. Eggs + Wheat Toast15g protein, 47g carbs2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 slices of whole grain toast
12. Subway Sandwich36g protein, 92g carbs12-inch Subway turkey breast sub (no cheese)
13. Chicken Marinara Pasta41g protein, 86g carbs5 oz grilled chicken, 2 cups whole wheat pasta, 1/2 cup marinara sauce
14. Sandwich + Chocolate Milk27g protein, 93g carbs2 slices whole wheat bread, 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1 medium banana, 6 oz chocolate milk
15. Oatmeal + Whey Protein16g protein, 28g carbs1/2 cup oatmeal, 10 grams whey protein
16. Chicken + Rice30g protein, 66g carbs1 1/2 cups Spanish yellow rice, 3 oz lean meat
17. Asian Chicken Stir-Fry 30g protein, 60g carbs1/2 package Trader Joe's Asian Style Chicken Stir
18. Bean Burrito 18g protein, 48g carbs1 whole wheat tortilla, 1/2 cup beans, 1/4 cup salsa, 1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese
19. Quinoa + Chicken 19g protein, 45g carbs1/2 cup quinoa (dry), 2 oz chicken
20. Asian Noodles + Vegetables20g protein, 56g carbs1/2 cup Asian noodles, 1/2 cup sea vegetables, 3 oz tofu
Full disclosure: Athletes’ Performance and CorePerformance.com has corporate partnerships with EAS and Gatorade.
20 Simple Workout Snacks
Danielle LaFata March 26, 2010
Lilli Day / Getty Images
Whether you exercise in the morning, afternoon or evening, try to eat before and after you train. You’ll boost energy levels to stay sharp, both mentally and physically, throughout even the toughest workouts—and help your body recover better afterwards. What’s best to eat? While the research is fairly complex, the take-home menu is actually quite simple.
Studies show that a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein is best, depending on the intensity and duration of your workout.
For a short, low to medium intensity workout, a 2:1 ratio is enough.
For longer, harder sessions, aim for a 3:1 ratio—you’ll need the extra carbs to help refuel your depleted energy stores.
Keeping those ratios in mind, aim for a combination of 15-30 grams of protein and 30-90 grams of carbs before and after your workout.
Below are 20 sample shakes, snacks, and meal options to get you started. Keep in mind that calorie counts vary, so be aware of your overall calorie intake when planning your workout nutrition.
Shakes
1. EAS Myoplex Lite Shake25g protein, 20g carbs1 shake
2. Chocolate Milk 20g protein, 60g carbs16-oz serving
3. Fruit Juice + Whey Protein24g protein, 56g carbs1 Scoop EAS 100% Whey Protein, 1 cup 100% fruit juice
4. EAS Lite + Banana36g protein, 46g carbs1 shake, 1 banana
5. EAS AdvantEdge Complete Nutrition Bar13g protein, 31g carbs1 bar
Snacks
6. Pita + Hummus14g protein, 40g carbs1 whole wheat pita, 3 tbsp hummus, 1 oz almonds
7. Kashi GOLEAN Roll! Bar12g protein, 28g carbs1 bar
8. Peanut Butter Toast18g protein, 44g carbs2 slices whole grain toast, 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
9. Apples + Yogurt14g protein, 27g carbs1 apple, 1 1/2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
10. English Muffin + Almond Butter10g protein, 30g carbs1 whole grain English muffin, 2 tbsp natural almond butter
Meals
11. Eggs + Wheat Toast15g protein, 47g carbs2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 slices of whole grain toast
12. Subway Sandwich36g protein, 92g carbs12-inch Subway turkey breast sub (no cheese)
13. Chicken Marinara Pasta41g protein, 86g carbs5 oz grilled chicken, 2 cups whole wheat pasta, 1/2 cup marinara sauce
14. Sandwich + Chocolate Milk27g protein, 93g carbs2 slices whole wheat bread, 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1 medium banana, 6 oz chocolate milk
15. Oatmeal + Whey Protein16g protein, 28g carbs1/2 cup oatmeal, 10 grams whey protein
16. Chicken + Rice30g protein, 66g carbs1 1/2 cups Spanish yellow rice, 3 oz lean meat
17. Asian Chicken Stir-Fry 30g protein, 60g carbs1/2 package Trader Joe's Asian Style Chicken Stir
18. Bean Burrito 18g protein, 48g carbs1 whole wheat tortilla, 1/2 cup beans, 1/4 cup salsa, 1 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese
19. Quinoa + Chicken 19g protein, 45g carbs1/2 cup quinoa (dry), 2 oz chicken
20. Asian Noodles + Vegetables20g protein, 56g carbs1/2 cup Asian noodles, 1/2 cup sea vegetables, 3 oz tofu
Full disclosure: Athletes’ Performance and CorePerformance.com has corporate partnerships with EAS and Gatorade.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Quick Note on Vitamins and Minerals
***Important information relayed to me from one of our fellow RBS'ers, Jen Field, about certain Vitamins and Minerals that I found very relevant and interesting. Thanks Jen!!***
You may be surprised to find out which single Vitamin is linked to benefits for
Heart Health, Colorectal Cancer, Age-Related Mental Function, Hypertension in Later Years, and even More. You may also be surprised to learn what method is best to get this vitamin, according to the Harvard Heart Letter.
And, you might also be surprised to learn what very common beverage has been linked to Doubling the rate of Kidney Function Decline.
You may also be surprised to learn of some of the known health problems associated with a substance that's being touted in a lot of TV commercials lately as "natural" and sort of a "nothing wrong with this" message... including its links to:
Weight Gain, High Blood Pressure, Gout, Heart Disease, Liver Damage, Problems with LDL and Triglycerides, Depletion of Nutrients, and much more.
You'll find "all of the above", and more, in the newest issue of our newsletter "Possibilities" on our site. That's the January/February 2010 issue. You can go directly to it if you Click Here.
You may be surprised to find out which single Vitamin is linked to benefits for
Heart Health, Colorectal Cancer, Age-Related Mental Function, Hypertension in Later Years, and even More. You may also be surprised to learn what method is best to get this vitamin, according to the Harvard Heart Letter.
And, you might also be surprised to learn what very common beverage has been linked to Doubling the rate of Kidney Function Decline.
You may also be surprised to learn of some of the known health problems associated with a substance that's being touted in a lot of TV commercials lately as "natural" and sort of a "nothing wrong with this" message... including its links to:
Weight Gain, High Blood Pressure, Gout, Heart Disease, Liver Damage, Problems with LDL and Triglycerides, Depletion of Nutrients, and much more.
You'll find "all of the above", and more, in the newest issue of our newsletter "Possibilities" on our site. That's the January/February 2010 issue. You can go directly to it if you Click Here.
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