PASSIVE VS. ACTIVE RECOVERY: WHICH IS MORE EFFECTIVE?

Feeling sore? If so, you might not feel like moving, but in general that’s not the best thing. Passive recovery means stillness and inactivity. By contrast, active recovery means being active in a way that promotes recovery rather than intensity. But which type of recovery is better?

To effectively answer that question, let’s first examine soreness in a user-friendly way. In general, there are two types:

That general sense of heaviness or tiredness in muscles that let you know you did something challenging but this feeling is not painful, and does not limit your movements.

An intense soreness and discomfort during movement that almost makes you regret exercising in the first place. This type of soreness is a sign of severe damage.

Many people—especially people who love intense exercise—mistakenly keep chasing soreness #2, but the soreness described in #1 is the sweet spot of exercise intensity. You can tell you did something valuable, but you still feel good while your body recovers.

One more time, just so we are clear: Soreness #2 = bad. Soreness #1 = good.

NOW FOR RECOVERY.

The day after some spirited sport play or a tough workout, you may rise feeling sluggish and is if your limbs are made of concrete. This is never a good feeling. But you’ll notice that after you’ve been up and moving for a few minutes, you’re feeling a bit better. You may not feel like moving much, but it’s likely a good idea.

Passive recovery involves doing almost nothing and is only warranted in the case of certain types of injury.

Active recovery, however, can include any of the following:

Massage – either self-massage or professional

Mobility exercises – moving through a full range of motion, but avoiding long holds as in stretching

General light physical activity – something in between passive rest and a workout

Whether by the skilled hands of a professional or from using the many terrific tools and methods for self-massage on your own, massage can enhance recovery by increasing circulation. Our bodies are like large skin bags full of water. When we compress a part of the body, we squeeze out “old” fluid that carries the waste products of muscle breakdown. When we release that pressure, fresh blood comes in to deliver the nutrients and warmth to help with repair and rebuilding.

Mobility exercises use the full range of motion around a joint to pump more blood through the muscle. This allows you to enhance blood flow to all the muscles surrounding a joint without overloading any of the muscles because most mobility exercises are simply unloaded or performed using minimal body weight.

The most important type of active recovery is general light physical activity. Because there is a wide range of abilities and current fitness levels among people, defining “light” in clear terms is difficult, but you can think of it as any physical activity that increases circulation without introducing muscular challenge.

For example, take a walk, toss a ball around, go for a light bike ride, kick a ball around, fly a kite—whatever enhances blood flow without bringing a big challenge to the muscles will fulfill the requirements of this type of physical activity.

Side note: Ice baths or contrast water therapy (alternating between cold and warm water) are sometimes employed as a recovery strategy. The research is mixed on the benefits of these strategies, with some studies finding them to help and others finding them to increase soreness perceptions following strenuous exercise. I don’t typically recommend people try these, but if you have tried them and found they work for you, then carry on.

Muscles and joints love circulation. And they really love it when they need more of it. And they need more of it when they are recovering from a challenging workout.

The next time you’re feeling crushed after a hard workout, remember that difference in feeling you get when you awake stiff and then feel better after getting up and moving for a couple of minutes. That simple and common reminder is all you will need to know that a little moving brings the blood and the circulation is what you’re really after—not the soreness.

Source : Jonathan Ross Health and Fitness Expert| ACE

Do You Fuel Yourself Adequately?

 

 

Thousands of runners recently attended The North Face 100 and 50km races in the Blue Mountains. Sometimes it is hard not to be amongst the racing. However, sitting on the other side of the fence whilst the action gallops past gives a wholesome insight into the nutrition & hydration strategies of athletes.

Three Classifications of AthletesIn the race, we observed three types of athletes:

1. The Blank Stare RunnerThe scenery of the Blue Mountains is stunning. Jagged tracks clutch to the side of overhanging cliffs. Damp forests hold tumbling waterfalls. However, the Blank Stare Runner will see little of this handsomeness. They also appear not to hear much until they stumble across your wildly clapping hands and goofy grin. They pull a tight smile and march onwards. From close up, they appear to have the ‘lights off’ - the I’m-on-a-mission facade with eyes glazed-over. From afar, there is an element of a plod, a trip, a stumble. One guesses behind it all is a negative mindset.

2. The Weary but Starry Eyed RunnerFifty or one-hundred kilometers is never going to feel easy. There will always be an association with pain and a little suffering. But no matter how physically fatigued, the Weary but Starry Eyed Runner can maintain a smile. Their eyes sparkle with the challenge and even from a distance they easily acknowledge your excited cheers. They mutter a thanks, give a gentle high-five and then scuffle off around the corner.

3. The Prancer and Dancer RunnerThis runner has the ability to make you forget about how much pain everyone else seems to be in. You find yourself pulling out your phone and googling entry dates for the next race. Before you see them, they have seen you. Their iPhone is out and they are happily snapping pictures to capture the memories. They are dancing across the rocks and prancing past the course marshals giving praise and a hearty, ‘thank you’. Their eyes are alight with anticipation. They might be fatigued but they are holding those negative thoughts at bay.

Which type of athlete are you?You may fall somewhere in the middle and may shift from one to another at different points of a race. However, I am sure that looking back at race photos or your race debrief will help you identify with some of the above analogies?

Athlete Classifications: Symptomatic of Your Nutrition & Hydration

• Race fueling is about fueling your brain not your body

Even for the slimmest athletes, the body has enough adipose tissue (fatty acids) stored to carry you a very, very long way. In endurance activities where the intensity is lower, a reasonably trained athlete should adequately utilize stored fatty acids for locomotive energy. However, there is one organ in the body that cannot use fatty acids for energy, and that is the brain.

The brain’s functional tissues is surrounded by the blood brain barrier. This is a physical block to protect the organ from harmful intruders and substances. When fatty acid is transported in the body, it is attached to a protein called albumin. This creates a molecule too large to pass through the barriers of the brain. Thus, the brain’s fuel source is glucose, the simplest molecular form of carbohydrate.

In races, we require the central nervous system and brain input to keep every other tissue of our body functioning. It drives our breathing, our heart, our working limb muscles. With an inadequate supply of glucose to the brain, this system starts to slow and will eventually grind to a complete halt.

• Feed your brain glucose

If the brain holds everything together, then we must ensure that it receives an adequate supply of energy in the form of glucose. It is true that we can utilize stored muscle and liver glycogen for conversion into glucose and energy, but these stores are dramatically limited. Therefore, a fueling strategy for endurance race day must included simple forms of glucose, the best of which is a maltodextrin (pure glucose) gel.

• Glucose absorption requires sodium

The absorption of glucose across cellular membranes requires a transporter protein that sits lodged in the cellular membranes. The functioning of this glucose transporter is often spared as the digestive tract starts to slow (the functioning of the digestive system will be overridden by the blood flow demands of the working muscles). That is, the body will prioritize the functioning of this glucose transporter over the digestion of fats, proteins and more complex carbohydrates, such as fructose.

• Sweating causes a loss of sodium

Sweating causes large losses of sodium, especially over prolonged periods of time such as during endurance races. The amount of sodium varies from person to person and day-to-day, but can be in the vicinity of 1500-2000mg per 1L of sweat. No other electrolyte loss comes anywhere near the losses of sodium. This is because most other electrolytes, such as magnesium, are found within body cells. That is, sodium is an extracellular molecule floating freely in the bloodstream so it incurs the largest electrolyte losses during exercise.

• Failing to replace sodium disrupts glucose absorption

If you fail to replace the sodium you are loosing, chances are you will not be absorbing the glucose you are trying to ingest. Without sodium present, the functioning of the transporter proteins slow. Therefore, the cellular membranes of the digestive tract, working muscles and mitochondria (power houses where energy is produced) become impermeable to glucose.

• Low sodium and glucose intake affect the brain and central nervous system

If you are trying to rehydrate during races on water alone, you will likely be disrupting the body’s ability to absorb nutrition. Further more, if you are using a sports drink or electrolyte with inadequate sodium to meet your losses, you may also be disrupting your nutrition intake. Begin to become aware of your sweat losses both in volume and in the salt crusting that can appear on your clothes if you are a heavier sodium sweater. This can be a great guide to judging your losses.

You Athlete Classification Explained

• The Blank Stare Runner

Your central nervous system is seriously affected. In essence, you have become similar to a diabetic with low blood glucose levels. Whatever you are drinking and eating is inadequate to supply sodium and glucose to the transporter pumps in your cellular membranes and thus, energy to your brain. Try to learn to listen to your central nervous system. Negative thought processes, clumsy feet, feeling cold, dizziness, vertigo, numb feet or hands, or even nausea can all be symptomatic of low glucose levels in the brain. If you observe someone like this or their eyes have a glazed-over appearance, feed them instant glucose along with a higher sodium concentration electrolyte. If they are nauseous, you can rinse their mouth with glucose as the oral mucosa has a direct glucose absorption pathway to the brain. If this helps, you can then start to slowly feed them glucose via gels, chemist jelly beans and glucose tablets.

• The Weary but Starry Eyed Runner

Your nutrition and training strategies are strong but likely the quantities need adjusting. Sparkling eyes and alertness suggest that the central nervous system is coping. The physical weariness can be a symptom of further training required, or it may also be that you need to increase the quantity of glucose and electrolyte replacement. You should also be paying close attention to changes in your central nervous system as the race progresses. If negative thoughts, anxiety, clumsiness or any of the other symptoms above settle in, make sure you increase your glucose and sodium intake. This is especially true if you start to experience cramping.

• The Prancer and Dancer Runner

You are nailing it! To run like this, your central nervous system must be functioning fully and you are alert enough to absorb your surroundings. Further to this, it appears that your training has prepared you optimally for the challenge you have embarked upon. However, keep an eye on climatic changes throughout the race as increases in temperature, humidity or wind will alter your evaporative sweat losses. Monitor your thoughts and alertness, with any small changes requiring a top-up of energy.

Source : FindyourFeet.com

Over-training and Weakened Immune Systems

Over-training can cause physical and mental illness because of  excessive intensity of training and not having sufficient time to rest and recover. Intense or prolonged exercise may cause large increases in cortisol levels and a decrease in the production of “T-cells,” a group of white blood cells that play a key role in the immune system. A lot of people are including exercise programs in their daily lives to gain muscle mass and reduce fat. 

Many however, make the mistake of training for extended hours to achieve their goals. 

Too much training may not give the results that these people are looking for. This practice may lead to fatigue and over-training. Over-training can cause physical and mental illness because of excessive intensity of training and not having sufficient time to rest and recover. This incident is common in weight-lifters, runners, and other athletes.

 

 Studies show that about 10-20% of athletes over-train. Athletes—professional or amateur carry a higher risk of getting sick. Over the past years, doctors caring for athletes have reported a rise of respiratory infections because of over-training. Health experts say that as individuals increase their total training load, the risk of illness also rises. This phenomenon can be attributed to the rise cortisol in the body. Cortisol is a vital hormone that is often referred to as the “stress hormone”. Intense or prolonged exercise may cause large increases in cortisol levels and a decrease in the production of “T-cells,” a group of white blood cells that play a key role in the immune system.

 

The mental stress that are encountered by athletes may also impair the body's immune function. Expectations of  coaches, family members, and other people can contribute to a drop in performance and the increase of acquiring infections. Injuries, the actual stress of competition may all aggravate psychological stress. Diminished immune systems encountered by athletes are resembles those that are experienced by people who undergo hypertension and sleep deprivation. In recent studies, highly stressed individuals had high incidences of respiratory ailments over a period of six months compared to unstressed individuals. Aside impaired immune system, men who over-train may also also experience a temporary reduction in sperm count and quality. This happens because the body literally kills itself during training and needs time to recuperate to build muscles and improve the body. Too much or too intense physical activity may reduce the level of hormones in the bloodstream and therefore affect sperm production. Sperm quality and production may return to normal after three days. 

Health specialists add that drinking a cup of coffee a couple of hours after training may help improve sperm quality and quantity because of the anti-oxidants it contain. People who over-train may also experience the following:

.lack of energy
.insomnia
.headaches
.dehydration
.depression
.decreased appetite
.increased risk of injury
.respiratory infection
.muscle pains
.high blood pressure

Individuals who decide to make adjustments on their exercise routines are encouraged to consult doctors and other health professionals for workout advice. This is important because a lot of individuals tend to workout too much, improperly, and use the inappropriate equipments. Health professionals may device an appropriate workout program to complement one's health needs. Understanding proper workout and including a healthy diet in one's lifestyle may lead to improved health and overall well-being.

Damian @ufitnhealthy.com

POWER Paleo Protein balls

 1/2 cup of nut butter (cashew, almond)

 2 tablespoon of raw honey - we use Manuka from New Zealand

 2 tablespoon of cocoa nibs get dark or grate up some dark chocolate

 2 tablespoon of shredded coconut 

 3/4 cup of protein powder we use a Undenatured Powder with 24 Grams Protein ( Free of Gluten and Soy )

 1 teaspoon organic, alcohol free vanilla optional , or use ground Organic Cinnamon to suit your taste buds 

 2 tablespoon crushed nuts (raw almonds) some places have slithered almonds or get yours and hit with rolling pin etc

Method is mix all in a bowl and then once well mixed the texture should be a little sticky but not to wet , roll into small balls as shown then coat with shredded coconut .

9 Supermarket Mistakes

Mistake #1: You go to the grocery store following a workout.

It seems logical to hit the supermarket at a time when you want to restore depleted glycogen stores as fast as possible, but after a workout you're probably more hungry than usual. When you're hungry, everything is more appealing and you'll buy foods that aren't ideal for your healthy eating plan. This happens even if you know better! For years we've avoided shopping while hungry, but when we were on vacation recently, we headed to the store after a long run and we were ravenous. We left the store with all sorts of unhealthy foods, like cookies and even processed cheese (gulp!). We regretted it later.

The Fix: Either carry your post-workout snack or meal with you or head directly for that meal after your workout. Go to the grocery store another time, or at least wait until after you've eaten! And if you MUST go food shopping, plan exactly what you will buy before you enter the store.

Mistake #2: You forgot your grocery list.

This means you no longer have a game plan, which in essence means everything is "game." Yep, the Chips Ahoy, the Cheetos and the Entenmann's cake may all end up in your cart.

The Fix: If you left your list at home, sit in the car (or simply stand at the entrance of the store) and take a couple of minutes to rewrite your list before you start shopping. The time spent is well worth it! Include healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, non-fat dairy products, whole grains, eggs, legumes and lean proteins. By focusing on all of the healthy foods, you won't think about including the foods that aren't so healthy.

Mistake #3: You mosey through the store.

It's fun and relaxing to spend time in the grocery store (We love it—after all, we're in the business of food!), but the longer you stay there, the more likely you are to buy food that you will soon wish you hadn't.

The Fix: Shop quickly and as though you are on a mission (you are!). Stay focused on your list so you can get your items and move on. Be sure to shop the perimeter of the store, where you'll find produce, lean meats and the dairy case. For the remaining items, only go down the aisle of the specific item you need. Pssst… this works! Tammy was in California last week and her daughters leisurely led the way aisle by aisle and they ended up with far too much junk in the cart. This week, they were back on track, only shopping the perimeter of the store—and coming home with healthy items. Phew!

Mistake #4: You avoid frozen produce and assume it's not as nutritious as fresh.

Despite good intentions to prepare a nutrient-packed meal with plenty of vegetables, you often find rotten or wilted produce in your fridge and your plan is thwarted. In the past, this happened to us, too, and we can tell you it completely derailed our healthy eating plan.

The Fix: Stock up on frozen produce—it stays good for up to a year! Frozen is just as healthy as fresh and, in some instances, is even healthier and contains more nutrients than fresh because it's frozen immediately after being picked, meaning the nutrients are intact. Fresh produce, on the other hand, may have traveled for two weeks from the farm to the grocery store and lost nutrients over time and during exposure to heat or light. We love frozen veggies—they taste great, are always in season and accompany nearly every meal we make. And best yet, we never have to worry about them going bad!

Mistake # 5: You fall for the claim on the front of the food package.

Have you ever picked up a food because the label on the front says "healthy," "organic," "all-natural" or "low-calorie," but pay no attention to the Nutrition Facts Panel? Often we find that our clients are duped by clever marketing. For instance, a popular cereal boasts, "lightly sweetened." There's no FDA regulation for this claim. (The FDA regulates the use of "sugar-free," which means the food contains less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving, and "no added sugars" or "without added sugars," which mean that no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient was added during processing.) You would expect a "lightly sweetened" cereal to have a few grams of sugar. Not so! Most of these cereals have upwards of 14 grams (3-1/2 teaspoons)! Compare that to 1 gram of sugar in Cheerios.

The Fix: Read the Nutrition Facts Panel. It's the only way to know what you're actually getting. And be sure to pay special attention to the serving size on the nutrition label.

Mistake #6: You buy a food simply because it's organic.

This is one of the most common mistakes we see. Just because a food is "organic" doesn't mean it's healthy or that it's good for you. Organic cookies are still cookies. Organic chocolate…still chocolate. Organic ice cream, well you get it.

The Fix: Even when you buy an organic food, read the nutrition label. Make sure that food is not loaded with sugar, artery-clogging saturated fat or bloating and bad-for-your blood pressure sodium.

Mistake #7: You pay no attention to salt.

Salt makes you hungrier, thirstier and it increases cravings. Plus, when you eat a lot of salt, (think soy sauce, deli meats, canned soup, processed foods, restaurant meals, fries, chips) the body responds by holding on to water to dilute the sodium and maintain it at the proper concentration, which is why you weigh more and look bloated with a distended stomach. Plus, too much salt increases your risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

The Fix: Again, it comes down to reading labels. To help avoid the risk of high blood pressure, keep your sodium intake to 2,400 – 3,000 mg or less per day. (The American Heart Association recommends no more than 3,000 mg of sodium per day for healthy adults.

Mistake #8: You buy granola for breakfast thinking it's a healthy choice.

Although granola can be healthy, it typically is packed with sugar, calories and, in many cases, hydrogenated oils. One small bowl can set you back upwards of 600 calories and 12 teaspoons of sugar!

The Fix: Go for whole grain, unprocessed oatmeal or high-fiber, low-sugar, whole-grain cereal. Then add your own berries or fresh fruit.

Mistake #9: You purchase a food that normally wouldn't be considered healthy because the label claims it's "made with real fruit."

Unfortunately, a bottle of juice or a box of fruit snacks with photos of fruit on the label doesn’t mean it contains fruit (think Pop-Tarts). Many products with this claim contain no real fruit at all and instead contain food dyes and nearly half of their weight in sugar. Eek!

The Fix: Plan on getting your fruit servings from the real deal. If you don't see actual pieces of fruit as you eat, don't count on getting fruit from the food.

Source Tammy Lakatos Shames and Elysse /ACE

Keep It Moving, Even in Pain

Joint ache or discomfort? Try RICE.

We rely heavily on our knees and hips for mobility. All our movements, be it standing or dancing depend on these two largest joints of our body, the hips and knee. No wonder these joints are easy strained with a lifetime of carrying body weight and co-ordinating movement. Therefore, it is no shocker that practically everyone complains of hip and knee pain. As you age, these joint endeavour much more pressure causing severe discomfort and constraining routine movement. If left unchecked, these could also lead to permanent damage to the joints and curb mobility.

For this reason it is highly essential that one takes good care of their hip and knee joint to avoid future inconveniences. There are many ways with which one can take care of minor injuries. RICE is an easy self-help measure to aid in easing the pain and discomfort of any joint. This is an excellent first aid for any type of joint injury. RICE stands for:

Rest. It is advised to limit vigorous activities that could severely damage the injured area. Avoid activities that could add pressure to the injured joint.

• Ice. An ice pack made at home or purchased from the stores can be used to apply on the injured area. This helps in reducing the pain and swelling. Keep the ice pack for 20 minutes on the injured portion with a 20 minutes interval in between. A layer of cloth is to be used on the skin before placing the ice pack to avoid frostbite.


• Compression. To reduce swelling an elastic bandage or neoprene support is to be used. This will also help in speeding up the recovery process. Be careful to not wrap it too tight as it could hamper with the normal flow of blood.


• Elevation. It is always best to elevate the injured leg using a pillow or a stool. This will avoid pooling of blood in the injured area and also reduce swelling.

If you are suffering from prolonged pain and long term stiffness you can opt for Heat therapy. Ice is considered best during the initial days of the injury to lessen the swelling and enable prior flexibility. However, if the pain persists, you can also try heat therapy. You can use heating pad or hot towel to supply heat to the injured joint. Make sure that the heat is not too much to cause blisters or burns on the body. The heating pad or towel should only be warm and not hot.

It is also medically advised that you continue your daily routine movement even if you are dealing with arthritis pain or any ache from overuse injury. One can also follow these joint-friendly options listed below to maintain an active lifestyle:

• elliptical trainer


• stationary bike (recumbent or upright)


• tai chi , soft yoga


• swimming, water aerobics, or water walking


• rowing machine


• Short walks throughout the day, instead of a long walk.

Unfortunately, if the pain is still prominent even after trying all these above mentioned methods, one might have to opt for surgery. If the damage to the joint is acute and prolonged, your consulting physician would advise you for a partial or total joint replacement. These surgeries could be risky as well as costly in the western countries and therefore many patients consider medical treatment abroad.

Source Paula F

Delicious Protein Pancake Recipes

Delicious Protein Pancake Recipes

Pancakes, hotcakes, flapjacks…whatever you call them, these tasty thin, flat cakes of cooked batter may be delicious for breakfast, but can ruin all your hard work in the gym. White flour, sugar, and a lack of protein make most pancake recipes less than ideal for your post-workout meal. But you don't have to designate them to your “cheat meal” because we've tweaked the ingredients to make them a healthy recipe for recovery.

It has been well documented that the meal immediately following your workout is key for repair and recovery. The winning combination of high-quality protein and “smart carbs” (fruits, vegetables, unrefined grains—all high in fiber) will help your body replenish your spent glycogen stores and repair damaged muscle tissue. Studies have shown that a small amount of protein (10 to 15 grams) consumed with carbohydrate right after training promotes muscle gain and prevents excessive protein breakdown.

Traditional pancake recipes are high in carbohydrates and low in protein. The key to boosting more protein in pancakes is adding two key ingredients—whey or plant protein powder and cottage cheese. To improve the carb quality of this recipe, swap out the refined, white flour for high-fiber old-fashioned oats. You can also add ground flax seeds or chia seeds to the recipe to further boost the protein and fiber, as well as add in some healthy fats.

We’ve taken our favorite Protein Pancake basic recipe  to give you a gluten-free, high-protein pancake batter that you can “rock” three ways: Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes, Banana Walnut Cinnamon Protein Pancakes and Blueberry Lemon Protein Pancakes.

Protein Pancakes

Makes 8 pancakes ~ Serving size 2 pancakes

    3 eggs (2 egg whites + 1 egg)
    ¼ cup unsweetened rice milk or unsweetened vanilla almond milk
    ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (dry uncooked)
    1 tsp. baking powder
    1/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese
    1 tsp. honey (preferably raw)
    1 scoop vanilla protein powder (whey or plant) we use our favorite Isalean Pro 
    1 Tbsp. unrefined coconut oil

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender (except coconut oil) and blend until smooth.
2. Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. unrefined coconut oil to pan. When it melts and is hot, ladle 2 Tbsp. of batter onto the griddle. Let cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until light golden color develops on bottom; flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter

 Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Add 5 dark chocolate chips on top of each pancake. Let cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until light golden color develops on bottom; flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Banana Walnut Cinnamon Pancakes

 Add 4 slices of bananas, 1 tsp. walnut pieces and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of each pancake. Let cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until light golden color develops on bottom; flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.


Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Exercises and Workouts - How To Monitor Your Recovery Rates

As you go about your fitness plan, one of the vital things you must be sure you're doing is monitoring your recovery levels. If you aren't doing this and happen to be training just a little too intensely, this could really put you at risk of the "overtraining syndrome" over a period of time.

Sometimes this can creep up on you as well, so one minute you'll be fine and the next, you're just not feeling it during your workout sessions.

By keeping closer tabs on your recovery rates, you can adjust your program if need be before you get to that point so that there's no issue.

Let's go over how to monitor your recovery rates so you know precisely what to be doing...

1. Check Your Morning Heart Rate. First, one of the best ways to ensure you aren't moving into overtraining mode is to check your heart rate first thing in the morning, just after waking. If you suddenly notice your heart rate is elevated higher than normal, this indicates your body is working way too hard - and there's a good chance your training demands are overpowering your recovery capabilities.

 

 This is the first sign telling you cutting back for a few days would be highly ideal.

2. Time Your "Bounce-Back." Next, also take a good look at your bounce-back time. How long does it take you to bounce back from each workout session you do?

Are you able to recover quickly or do you spend the next few hours really feeling the effects of the session?

If you're managing recovery with training, you should bounce back fairly quickly - within 20 to 30 minutes of the workout or so.

Those who don't may need to look at either their...

• training intensity or duration, or
• else their post workout nutrition

to see if something needs to be changed there.

3. Look At Your Motivation. Finally, also consider looking at your motivation levels. Are you feeling motivated to hit the gym? You may think low-motivation is just a psychological issue, but it can actually be derived from your body not being ready to hit the gym again.

If fatigue is building, your body knows this and it will make you less than motivated to get that next session in.

So, keep these quick tips in mind and make sure you are always monitoring your recovery rates. It will really pay off over the long run and keep you coming back for more with those workout sessions.

Although managing Type 2 diabetes can be very challenging, it is not a condition you must just live with. Make simple changes to your daily routine - include exercise to help lower both your blood sugar levels and your weight.

Source By Beverleigh H Piepers

Dr Michael Colgan - Daily Amounts of protein - Part 3

WHEN YOU EAT PROTEIN WHAT DOES IT DO?

A GUIDE FOR ATHLETES:

PART 3: DAILY AMOUNT OF PROTEIN
Dr Michael Colgan 4 March 2015
In response to the unexpected hundreds of questions from readers, I have to review where we are in this series. In Part 1, I documented the huge advances in the Proteome Project since 2005, confirming how protein is far and away the most complex nutrient in your diet (1).

You Are a Protein Machine
We know now that food proteins provide the environmental signals to release the DNA codes for over 350,000 different proteins that compose every working unit in your body. All other nutrients, essential fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are simply supports for your protein system (1). There is no controversy regarding this science. It is accepted by all major scientists I know.
Food proteins provide not only the signals to your DNA, but also provide the raw materials to make each of your body proteins, in response to the release of its code. Each body protein code is precise. Different proteins can differ from each other by many thousands of lines of code. Your structure is built of, and you are operated by, these proteins. The quality of the protein you eat, determines the quality of the proteins that compose all the muscles that move you, and all the brain cells that operate your mind (2).

You Are Controlled by Light
I also explained how the manufacture, life, and regular death of all the proteins that compose us, (and all other creatures), developed under the tight control of light. This first occurred when life began on Earth over 400 million years ago. The life of all our proteins is still controlled by light today (3,4). By stimulating an area called the suprachiasmatic nucleus in our brains, the changing light of the revolution of the Earth, imposes a circadian rhythm which controls every aspect of human biology, 24 hours a day, including the birth, and life, and death of all our proteins. To achieve optimum performance, the quality, type, amount, timing, and frequency of your protein nutrition, and its integration with athletic training, have to be in synchrony with this circadian rhythm (3,4). In combination with correct training, protein nutrition provides what we first termed THE ADAPTIVE STIMULUS in 1982. The body responds to the adaptive stimulus each night to repair and remodel the muscles stimulated by exercise that day. To achieve best results, the adaptive stimulus must be provided EVERY DAY. Otherwise, that particular circadian cycle finishes that night with little remodeling of muscle, and that day’s opportunity for growth of muscle and strength is lost forever (3,4).

Most Proteins Now DegradedIn Part 2, I explained how the bulk of proteins in America, from livestock, poultry, (and farmed fish) has been progressively degraded since 1950. Stupid errors in government farming policies - now constantly denied and swept under the Washington carpet - have forced most animals off the land into feedlots and battery farms. Over the last 65 years, they have been fed unnatural diets, and inbred into animal grotesques (5). These degraded animals provide proteins so inferior they have no place in the athlete’s diet. Eat battery chicken for your protein and you will devolve progressively into a battered chicken. You will run with battered chicken legs, and think with a battered chicken brain. Even if you manage to retain sufficient wits to change to a healthy protein diet, it will take several years to undo the damage (5).High BCAA Whey Proteins BestI also showed why the government classification of complete proteins by the PDCAAS system, developed in the 1970s, is obsolete and untenable (6). The PDCASS is retained today only to support agribusiness profits. I documented how modern science shows clearly that incorporation of a food protein into muscles, organs, and brain, depends on its amino acid profile (7-10 ). Proteins with the highest content of the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are incorporated into muscle best. Leucine however, is the sole amino acid able to trigger the DNA code system to release the codes for many muscle proteins. Whey proteins have the highest content of leucine, making whey the amino acid profile of choice (7-11 ).

Proteins also differ greatly in their speed of digestion and absorption into muscle. The fastest proteins yield the greatest muscle recovery and growth (7-12). Solid proteins from meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and vegetables are slowly digested and absorbed over 2-4 hours. Almost all protein bars, especially bars high in casein or soy, and all casein and soy drinks, are also slowly digested and absorbed over 2-3 hours. Whey protein concentrate dissolved into a drink is rapidly digested and absorbed, over about 45 minutes, making whey an ideal protein source for athletes (7-13). Whey is also the only commonly available protein that can take advantage of the 90-minute ANABOLIC WINDOW immediately after training. This is the crucial period we first identified in 1992, during which muscle will take up more protein than at any other time (2).

Cold MAP Processing EssentialThe whey, however, has to be from range-fed animals eating their natural diet, and also has to remain undenatured. That is, it must be cold-extracted and minimally processed, using what is termed, modified-atmospheric-protection (MAP) technology. MAP technology excludes light, heat, moisture and air (2).

Range-fed cows, cold-extraction, and MAP processing, are essential to maintain the quality of the whey: to preserve its amino acid profile, sulfur bonds, di-peptides, tri-peptides, and live immunoglobulins. Most commercial whey proteins do not fulfill these conditions.

Unfortunately bogus claims are rampant on ads and labels, owing to the lack of government control of protein, which can be sold freely as a food. Food labelling was initially meant to be an exercise in revelation, to inform the public what they are buying. Over the years, it has become largely an exercise in deception.

If you buy nutritional supplements by comparing labels, you have fallen for this deception. Buy only from companies with a long-term, spotless reputation, companies with a reputation to lose. Remember, you can buy a watch that looks like a Rolex in any airport for $20. But a real Rolex costs at least $4,000. It is the same with protein. The real thing is likely to be expensive, but worth every penny.

Integrity of Protein Must Remain Until You Eat ItThe exclusion of light, heat, moisture, and air has to prevail until you eat the protein. Once opened, all tubs of protein powder immediately begin to oxidize. Just like an opened bottle of wine, once opened, tubs of protein quickly spoil, and lose their ability to build muscle or brain. This basic science is well appreciated by biochemists who have to prevent oxidation, in the laboratory. But about 90% of protein powders now on the market do nothing to prevent oxidation, and are next to useless for athletes.
Oxidized protein is a major reason why results from using many protein powders are generally poor to none. It is also why all athletes on Colgan Institute programs only use shakes made with whey protein powders sold in single-serve, sealed, opaque, foil or plastic packets. If kept cool and dry, these remain good for two years on the shelf.

Daily Amount of ProteinThe next question is how much protein to use every day. Modern science has long since rejected the obsolete, government stipulation of 0.8 grams per kilogram bodyweight per day. Controlled studies show clearly that this level of protein intake leaves even moderate exercisers in chronic deficit (14).

Back in the 1980s, we calculated from basic principles of biology that maximum muscle remodeling in lean athletes would occur at an average intake of top quality protein of 1.8 grams per kilogram bodyweight per day (15). Actual measures of nitrogen retention in lean, fit, young men doing intense exercise, by protein expert Dr Peter Lemon at Kent State U, showed maximum incorporation of protein into muscle of at 1.7 grams per kilogram bodyweight, almost identical to our theoretical calculations (16).

For a lean athlete of 70 kg (154 lbs), in hard training, that is about 130 grams of top quality protein each day. In the Colgan Power Program, it equates to three of our 36-gram shakes of whey protein concentrate, plus two small meals of free-range meats or eggs, wild meats, or wild fish, plus unlimited organic vegetables, seeds, and nuts, each day.

We generally eat little to no grains, milk, cheese, or sugars. Two of the protein shakes are taken immediately after training, as all our athletes train twice per day, six days a week. (Seventh day is light training only.)

More recently, respected sports scientists have done meta-analyses of the best controlled studies. Results indicate that additional remodeling of muscle, plus remodeling of gut, vascular, and mitochondrial proteins, continues to occur over 24 hours after training, with timed protein intakes up to 2.4 grams per kilogram lean mass per day (17-19). There are no reported side-effects from this level of intake, rather, considerable benefits.

This high level of protein is especially suitable for power athletes, such as weightlifters, bodybuilders, powerlifters, football players, and field athletes, whose training is focused on maximum muscle and strength. For an athlete of 70kg (154 lbs), that is about 170 grams of top quality protein per day. In the Colgan Power Program, it equates to four of our 36-gram shakes of whey protein concentrate, plus two small meals of free-range meats, or wild meats, or wild fish, per day. Excepting for potatoes, that are all now degraded in the US, we eat vegetables, nuts and seeds freely.

Eat between 1.8 and 2.4 grams of top quality protein per kilogram lean weight per day. In conjunction with the right timing and frequency of intake, and the right training, it will provide the adaptive stimulus you need to release the enormous genetic power you have latent in your genes.
I will cover the optimum timing and frequency of protein nutrition, and its integration with training, in Part 4.

Thanks a million for the huge response to this series, over 80,000 hits on our pages and blogs in the last week, and for the enormous number of great questions. The only way I can answer readers is to add a little more depth to each short article in the series. I will enjoy revealing the new findings of sports science, that I am confident will help you release your athletic potential. Go for the gold ! It is waiting in your genes.

If you believe you can be a fit for our winning team, go to, drmichaelcolgan.com

1. Wang K, Huang C, Nice E. Recent advances in proteomics: towards the human proteome. Biomed Chromatogr. 2014 Jun;28(6):848-57. doi: 10.1002/bmc.3157. Review.2. Colgan M. Optimum Sports Nutrition. New York: Advanced Research Press, 1993.3. Erren TC, et al. Light, timing of biological rhythms and chronodisruption in man. Naturwissenschaften, 2003;90:485-494.4. Dawson KA. Temporal organization of the brain: Neurocognitive mechanisms and clinical applications. Brain Cogn, 2004;54:75-94.5. Colgan M. Nutrition for Champions. Vancouver: Science Books, 2007.6. Schaafsma, G. The protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score. J. Nutr. 2000;130(7): 1865S–1867S. PMID:10867064.7. Tipton, K.D., and Witard, O.C.. Protein requirements and recommendations for athletes: relevance of ivory tower arguments for practical recommendations. Clin. Sports Med. 2007;26(1): 17–36. doi:10.1016/j.csm.2006.11.003. PMID:17241913.8. Tipton, K.D., Ferrando, A.A., Phillips, S.M., Doyle, D., Jr., and Wolfe, R.R.. Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids. Am. J. Physiol. 1999a 276(4): E628–E634. PMID:10198297.9. 8.Tipton, K.D., Gurkin, B.E., Matin, S., and Wolfe, R.R.. Nonessential jamino acids are not necessary to stimulate net muscle protein synthesis in healthy volunteers. J. Nutr. Biochem. 1999b; 10(2): 89–95. doi:10.1016/S0955-2863(98)00087-4. PMID:15539275.10. Phillips, S.M., Tang, J.E., and Moore, D.R. The role of milk- and soy-based protein in support of muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein accretion in young and elderly persons. J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 2009;28(4): 343–354. doi:10.1080/ 07315724.2009.10718096. PMID:20368372.11. Drummond, M.J., and Rasmussen, B.B.. Leucine-enriched nutrients and the regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin signalling and human skeletal muscle protein synthesis. Curr. Opin. Nutr. Metab. Care. 2008;11(3): 222–226. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0b013e3282fa17fb. PMID: 18403916.12. Pennings, B., Boirie, Y., Senden, J.M., Gijsen, A.P., Kuipers, H., and van Loon, L.J. Whey protein stimulates postprandial muscle protein accretion more effectively than do casein and casein hydrolysate in older men. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2011;93(5): 997–1005. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.008102. PMID:21367943.13. West, D.W., Burd, N.A., Coffey, V.G., Baker, S.K., Burke, L.M., Hawley, J.A., et al. Rapid aminoacidemia enhances myofibrillar protein synthesis and anabolic intramuscular signaling responses after resistance exercise. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2011;94(3): 795–803. doi:10.3945/ajcn.111.013722. PMID:21795443.14. Tarnopolsky, MA, et al. Evaluation of protein requirements for strength trained athletes. J Appl Physiol; 1992;73:1986-1995.15. Colgan M. The Anti-inflammatory Athlete. Sound Concepts: Indian Fork, UT, 2012.16. Lemon P et al. Protein requirements and muscle mass/strength changes during intensive exercise in novice bodybuilders. J Appl Physiol, 1992;73:767-775.17. Kreider RB, Campbell B. Protein for exercise and recovery. Phys Sportsmed. 2009 Jun;37(2):13-21. doi: 10.3810/psm.2009.06.1705.18. Areta J.L., Burke, L.M., Camera, D.M., West, D.W., Crawshay, S., Moore, D.R., et al. Reduced resting skeletal muscle protein synthesis is rescued by resistance exercise and protein ingestions following short-term energy deficit. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 2014,306(8): E989–E997. doi:10.1152/ajpendo. 00590.2013. PMID:24595305.19. Areta, J.L., Burke, L.M., Ross, M.L., Camera, D.M., West, D.W., Broad, E.M., et al. Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis. J. Physiol. 2013,591(9): 2319–2331. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2012.244897. PMID:234

Dr Michael Colgan - When You Eat Protein What Does It Do - Guide For Athletes Part 1

Dr Michael Colgan 24 February 2015

According to popular belief, protein is simple. You need just a good dollop of any complete protein every day to provide all the proteins necessary for optimum muscle growth. After all, locker rooms are awash with burger and bacon wrappers, and Mickey D is an official supplier to the Olympics. They must know their stuff, right. Wrong ! If you swallow this hogwash or the food behind it, don’t bother to read any further. You’ll be fine. But you will never achieve your athletic potential.

The recent science of protein is a complex story. I will attempt to tell it in a few simple words. After 20 years of cooperative research by thousands of scientists worldwide, the human DNA was finally decoded in 2003. By then, however, the same scientists realized that DNA is not the key to life. DNA is simply a code book for making proteins, locked up forever in your chromosomes. It does nothing by itself. Each one of your millions of different DNA codes is released only in response to a precise signal from your environment. In unraveling these signals, biological science is up to its neck in the vast mysteries of protein (1).

Begun in 2005, the Proteome Project has confirmed that every working unit in the human body is a protein. We know now that you are made of about 350,000 different proteins. And all of them are made from the proteins you eat (1).They form your complete structure. Your foundations and pillars, beams and rafters, floors and ceilings, the engines of your organs, muscles, and brain, are all made of proteins.

Our body proteins are far more complex than we ever imagined. The enzymes that operate every movement you make are all proteins. The longest known protein, for example, is an enzyme called titin. The DNA code for titin is 33,000 nucleotides long. It controls the last bit of contraction of muscles. So titin is crucial for athletes.

For titin to work properly, each of its 33,000 nucleotides has to be exactly right, and in exactly the right place in the code. Whether your body makes titin correctly depends on the raw materials you provide. Those materials are the proteins you eat. First, they have to provide the right environmental stimulus to trigger DNA to release the titin code. Then, they provide all the materials the body can use to make the titian.

Athletes of 150-200 pounds, in top shape, have a bit over a pound of titin in their bodies. Do not believe all the obsolete commercial blather about animal proteins being complete, and providing everything required to make it, and all your other bodily proteins. I will state the science plainly. I have documented it many times before (2,3). Most proteins in North America today are too inferior in quality to support top athletic performance.

The vast bulk of so-called “complete proteins” in North America, that is, feedlot beef, battery poultry and eggs, farmed fish, and GMO soy beans, have been progressively degraded. They no longer contain ideal amino acid ratios, nor ideal amounts of dipeptides and tripeptides (pairs and triplets of amino acids linked by sulfur bonds) for the body to make titin, or thousands of other proteins involved in building muscle, strength, and power.

Worse, anyone who gets their proteins from processed meats, chilidogs, burgers, bacon, sausages, ham, spam, or meat from a can, has been conditioned to be dumb, dumb, dumber about their nutrition. Eat chilidogs for protein and you will run with chilidog legs, and think with a chilidog brain. Eat even one chilidog and the inferior protein is built into your muscles and brain for the next six months.

Quality of dietary protein is THE big problem for every one of the 350,000 proteins your body has to make. All other essential nutrients you eat, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, simply oil the gears, seal the pistons, and provide the body’s fuel to support its protein structure and function (2,3). Contrary to obsolete beliefs that protein is simple, these recent discoveries make it far and away the most complex nutrient in your diet.

For both power and endurance athletes, the quality, type, amount, and timing of protein nutrition, and its integration with training, determine performance. These processes determine recovery of damaged muscle fibers, growth of new muscle cells, production of energy-producing muscle mitochondria, development of muscle capillaries that deliver oxygen and nutrients, and manufacture of the thousands of enzymes that govern muscle contraction.

Unless you optimize all these processes, you will never properly activate your DNA, nor build the protein structure required to achieve your athletic potential. Just like your cell phone, you do not have to know how protein works. But, if you want to be a successful athlete, you sure as hell better know where to get top quality protein, and how to use it. Here, in a nutshell, is the latest science.

You Are Controlled by Light
For 400 million years the creatures from which we sprang, evolved to the tune of light. We have the same circadian system today built into our brain. Many folk associate the circadian rhythm merely with sleep/wake cycles. On the contrary, we know now that it controls every aspect of our biology lifelong (4-6). By sensing light, it programs thousands of bodily functions to the 24-hour revolution of the Earth. It also programs when, how often, and how much protein we should eat.

To be in synchrony with the circadian system, optimum training stresses the body just enough each day, and provides just the right protein nutrition, to yield what is called the ADAPTIVE STIMULUS. This stimulus is used that night by the sleep recovery system, to repair and remodel muscle proteins, mitochondria, blood vessels, and enzymes.

To effect recovery from an optimum Adaptive Stimulus, and to reset the circadian cycle each day, the recovery system requires a minimum of 7.5 hours sleep each night. Most athletes, especially college athletes, do not get it.

Performance is devastated by reduced sleep (7). Peak power in cycling is significantly reduced (8). Knee extension strength bombs in trained athletes (9). Strength in leg press, bench press, and dead lift is much reduced (10). Endurance performance also bombs, as does sprinting speed (11,12). You have to get your sleep right first to reset the circadian system each night. Only then can you get your protein and training to work.

Here is a recent example. Researchers at Stanford U led by Dr Cheri Mah recently tested the Cardinals basketball team. The players recorded average sleep of only 6.5 hours per night. The men volunteered to increase their sleep to 8.5 hours per night for seven weeks. No other changes were made to their nutrition or training. They were tested before and after the seven weeks on the 282-foot sprint drill, free throws, and three-point shooting.

Results were tremendous. By the end of the extra-sleep period, players had improved their sprint drill by 0.7 seconds. Every single player on the team was quicker than before the study began. They improved their free throws by 11.4 percent and their three-point shooting by 13.7 percent. These are massive improvements in seven weeks. Simply increasing their sleep provided the right amount of recovery time for the circadian rhythm to respond fully to the Adaptive Stimulus provided by their nutrition and training.

But sleep alone is insufficient. EACH DAY you also have to provide an Adaptive Stimulus from a combination of training, and correct protein nutrition, at the right amounts, right times of day, and right frequency. Without an Adaptive Stimulus, remodeling and growth of the muscular system do not occur that night, and the opportunity for adaptation is lost.

The lost day cannot be made up by doubling training tomorrow. All the make-up strategies, such as doubling training next day or adding a bit to training for a few days to make up the loss, inevitably over-stress the system. Then the sleep recovery and growth system that night cannot complete the job. So the next day’s training is begun with an already inflamed and damaged system, and must be cut back to avoid further damage.

Of course, some adaptation occurs with almost any training and almost any protein, even chilidogs and intermittent training, say for an hour, 3 days a week. These gains in muscle and performance have misled many trainers and athletes to believe that what they are doing is optimum. We have had several thousands of these athletes switch to our program through the Colgan Institute, and it is not unusual for them to make gains in performance in one year that are 400% better than they achieved the year before.

Here is how we do it.

In Part 2 of this series I will cover the type, frequency, and timing of protein nutrition and its integration with training to produce optimum performance. To join our winning team go to www.drmichaelcolgan.com

1. Wang K, Huang C, Nice E. Recent advances in proteomics: towards the human proteome.Biomed Chromatogr. 2014 Jun;28(6):848-57. doi: 10.1002/bmc.3157. Review.
2. Colgan M. Optimum Sports Nutrition. New York: Advanced Research Press, 1993.
3. Colgan M. The Anti-inflammatory Athlete. Sound Concepts, Grand Fork UT, 2012.
4. Pierpaoli W, et al, (eds). The Aging Clock. New York: New York Academy of Sciences, 1994.
5. Erren TC, et al. Light, timing of biological rhythms and chronodisruption in man. Naturwissenschaften, 2003;90:485-494.
6. Dawson KA. Temporal organization of the brain: Neurocognitive mechanisms and clinical applications. Brain Cogn, 2004;54:75-94.
7. Dattilo M, et al. Sleep and muscle recovery: endocrinological and molecular basis for a new and promising hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 2011;77(2):220–2.
8. Souissi N, Sesboue B, Gauthier A, et al. Effects of one night’s sleep deprivation on anaerobic performance the following day. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003;89(3–4):359–66.
9. 20. Bulbulian R, Heaney JH, Leake CN, et al. The effect of sleep deprivation and exercise load on isokinetic leg strength and endurance. Eur J Appl Physiol. 1996;73:273–7.
10. Blumert PA, et al. The acute effects of twenty-four hours of sleep loss on the performance of national caliber male collegiate weightlifters. J Strength Cond Res. 2007;21(4):1146–54.
11. Oliver SJ, Costa RJ, Laing SJ, et al. One night of sleep deprivation decreases treadmill endurance performance. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009;107(2):155–61.
12. Skein M, Duffield R, Edge J, et al. Intermittent-sprint performance and muscle glycogen after 30 h of sleep deprivation. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(7):1301–11.

StressLess

Does Exercise Beat Stress?

Exercise not only shapes our bodies, it also shapes our minds. With the ability to calm, elevate mood and counter anxiety and depression, exercise is a valuable tool for combating stress. But how does it work?

Chemical Reactions

One of the most well-known ways that exercise provides mental benefit is through chemical reactions brought about in the brain. During exercise, the body's stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, are reduced, while endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, are stimulated. Endorphins have also been associated with providing a sense of euphoria, but according to the review article, "The Antidepressive Effects of Exercise," published in Sports Medicine, it is unclear if the endorphins are directly responsible for these feelings or if they simply block pain while allowing the pleasure chemicals, dopamine and serotonin, to be more apparent.

Brain Reconstruction and Resilience

Currently, the National Institutes of Mental Health are studying the effects of exercise on mice and results suggest that regular physical activity can actually reshape the brain circuitry involved with emotional processing while protecting against stress. Other studies, published in The Journal of Neuroscience and Behavioral Neuroscience, have found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), involved in protecting and producing neurons, was higher in active mice than in those who were sedentary. Additionally, the active mice developed new neurons that appeared to be more resilient; when faced with stress, they displayed more controlled reactions than the inactive mice.

Total Body Communication

The American Psychological Association describes the benefits of exercise as total body communication, "Biologically, exercise seems to give the body a chance to practice dealing with stress. It forces the body's physiological systems -- all of which are involved in the stress response -- to communicate much more closely than usual...And all of these are controlled by the central and sympathetic nervous systems, which also must communicate with each other. This workout of the body's communication system may be the true value of exercise..." By regularly activating these communication pathways, the better the body becomes at handling stress. The less often this happens, the less efficient the body is with coping.

Improved Overall Well Being

By performing regular physical activity, the body typically becomes healthier and stronger which can reduce stress associated with other health issues that may be worsened, or brought on, by inactivity. Lost work and lost wages, doctor's visits, and expensive medications can lead to worry, insomnia, and irritability. According to Harvard University Health Publications, during the stress response, mind and body can amplify each other's distress signals, creating a vicious cycle.

Although they can work against each other, the mind and body are also capable of working together to provide tremendous benefits. Regular exercise provides improved health, better sleep, and more energy. This can lead to improved self-confidence and a sense of command over body and life, which can help an individual feel more equipped and confident when faced with stress.

Whether it's a needed escape, meditation or playtime, exercise can provide a way to get away from it all, either in solitude or with friends or family. Harvard University Health Publications state, "...when your body is busy, your mind will be distracted from the worries of daily life and will be free to think creatively."

Source Many Seay/ Fit Day

Sorting Nutrition Fact from Fiction with a Cardiologist

Low-fat, fat-free, sugar-free, low-carb, good carbs, trans-fat, paleo, gluten, kale, quinoa, juicing, and coconut oil are just a few of the many dietary trends and buzzwords we hear while trying to make sound nutritional decisions. It seems like every day a new food is made a scapegoat for weight gain, high cholesterol, diabetes, or even autism, while a new food is touted as the next “super-food” with the power to lower blood pressure, aid weight loss or build muscle. Additionally, foods such as eggs or red wine are alternatively promoted as heart-healthy or contributory to high cholesterol, depending on who you ask. Even the most discerning consumer can have a difficult time separating nutritional fact from fiction. What does a cardiologist have to say about what we should be eating?

Consider the much vilified egg. For years, conventional wisdom was that eggs were high in cholesterol and should be avoided. However, new research shows that eating one egg per day, including the yolk, is safe for your heart. The American Heart Association’s advice for a heart healthy diet is simple: Eat a variety of foods. Enjoy an egg with fruit and foods rich in protein, such as cheese, and vitamin C, like spinach. Neither is red meat the scoundrel it has been made out to be. Red meat is an excellent source of protein and saturated fats, and is a healthy component of a diet that also includes fish and chicken.

 Additionally, any regimen approved by a cardiologist will involve exercise. After all, our ancestors managed to live long, productive lives while eating a hearty diet of farm-fresh butter, eggs, cheese, red meat, bread, and even our beloved bacon. In fact, the Amish eat this way today, and obesity among them is a fraction of the rest of the population. Exercise is what sets the Amish, and our ancestors, apart from the rest of us. For thousands of years, humans foraged for food, hunted, or grew crops. As the world became mechanized and, eventually, digitalized, the amount of physical activity required for work and even survival declined drastically. Today, chasing your next meal is an option, not a requirement. The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.
Finally, any cardiologist worth his salt would recommend keeping the amount of processed foods consumed to a minimum. Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock famously gained 25 pounds over 30 days in the name of science in order to assess the toll a fast-food only diet took on his body for his award-winning documentary, “Super Size Me.” Our ancestors might not have eaten fancy grains like quinoa, but they certainly did not eat anything out of a box engineered to withstand years in a bomb shelter, either. Try sticking to food items with an expiration date sometime in the next few weeks. Better yet, try buying fruits and vegetables from the farmers market, or using lemons and limes to flavor your dishes. Save room for dessert, too, because ice cream, in moderation, can be part of a heart-healthy diet.

Make smart decisions about what you eat. Learn more about proper nutrition from a trusted cardiologist Metairie LA. Here
  

Why a Recovery Shake?

We are often asked what the one thing is that a client can do to improve their results. Assuming you are already working out 2-4 days per week, it would be to drink a Recovery Shake immediately following your workout. It's what you do outside of the workout that gets you results, and this is the first step of the process.

So what makes up a Recovery Shake?

A Recovery Shake needs to contain whey protein (preferably a whey isolate, not a whey concentrate) and a quick absorbing form of carbohydrate to replenish depleted glycogen stores. The best sources of carbohydrate are fruit and crushes fruit purees.

So just how will a Recovery Shake benefit you?

Research has shown that individuals who drank a whey protein shake after a workout lost 9.2 pounds more than those who only dieted.
Provides nutrients to the muscles after exercise to begin the repair process. And these nutrients do not just come from the whey protein, carbohydrates are also an important part of the shake to help replenish glycogen stores in the muscles that have been depleted during the workout.
Helps to build muscle tissue, which will increase metabolism and burn more calories. 

 

  Can you drink a Recovery Shake after your workout in place of a meal?

This a common mistake many people make. After your workout you want to drink your Recovery Shake and then follow that up with a meal. The shake gives your body the nutrients it needs to start the recovery process, but a meal within and hour to an hour and a half later will give your body the fuel and calories it needs to function properly. The calories from your shake go in and replenish nutrients lost during the workout, resulting in free calories.

What happens if you skip a Recovery Shake?

By skipping your shake you put your body in a catabolic state, meaning muscle wasting. This catabolic state is the result of your body looking for nutrients to start the recovery process, but not having any available. So in order to get those nutrients your body breaks down muscle tissue to get what it needs. This is not a good thing as it results in your metabolism running slower which means less calories burned. And those less calories burned are not just during your workout it's less calories all day long. Research has shown that people who participate in strength training actually burn calories at an elevated rate for about 48 hours after their workout. The shake maximizes this effect.

So after your next workout reward yourself with a tasty Recovery Shake for working hard and sweating your hind end off for the past 45 minutes!

Source : Josh Proach

Are You Feeling Sick? Why Getting Into Good Shape Is Essential!

It may seem impossible to accomplish your exercise goal. But you can make severe exercise upgrades considerably more effortlessly than you believe. All that you should do is develop changes in lifestyle that may boost total physical fitness levels and help you reach your targets.

If you're just starting with workout, begin slow. Don't jump in brain initial and then try to operate several kilometers without the need of worked out well before. It is possible to end up injuring on your own and carrying out more damage than good. Instead start with a brief stroll and gradually boost the duration along with the speed. Before you know it you'll be working 5 miles without any problems.

 

Tend not to let on your own be postpone with the weather conditions. The climate in no alibi not to determine. In the event you imply to run outside the house and also you get that it is raining, work close to that. You are able to still get out and go walking in the light-weight drizzle. In case the weather is horrible, obtain an option within.

For healthy fitness remaining hydrated is extremely important. The advantages of obtaining a lot of drinking water do not stop in the club entrance, though. Aside from powering an exerciser via a challenging workout, a plentiful intake of water enhances general health and supports in digestive system each day. Overall moisture is yet another component of a plan for all round health and fitness.

An excellent suggestion to assist you lose fat is usually to exercise moderately. A number of people create the oversight of proceeding too hard at the beginning. They'll do over two hours of cardio exercise in a single period and fairly in the near future they'll burn off their selves out. It's best to select an even more moderate exercise routine.

You could be watching television, but that doesn't mean you will need to get rid of energy in the direction of your weight decrease objective. Attempt to walk set up on commercial breaks. You can even do simple strength training exercises with hand weights while you take a seat on the chair or floor. There's usually ways to press far more exercising into the day.

If you like watching tv, try out incorporating just a little exercise routine to the TV observing. Watching Television while hitting the gym may help you neglect that you are currently training, which will increase the length of your exercise routine. Try using television shows as a timer. Once you learn which a show goes for thirty minutes, explain to oneself that you simply works out for two shows.

A great health and fitness tip is always to add up reps in reverse. This can assist you in doing a lot more reps due to the fact if you strategy the end of any set, you will not be thinking about the amount of repetitions you have accomplished. As an alternative, you will certainly be thinking of just how many you possess remaining, which can help you squash out those final few reps.

Before you start your regular workout, warm up your brain. It is merely as essential to get your central nervous system completely ready for exercise, since it is to put together your muscle mass. Your central nervous system tells your own muscles when you should contract and using this method you will get more efficient exercise.

 

 

For those who have a old tree in your residence and are thinking about possessing a support get rid of it for you, you must reconsider. When you reduce up the plant yourself with the axe or perhaps a chainsaw, after which cut the logs to fire wood with the axe, you are going to give yourself a lot of wonderful workout routines and reduce your gas bill as well!

If you realise oneself having an injuries on a single aspect of your body, continue to work out with all the other to discover advantages both for. The body will be sending muscle development supplies to each side, even when merely one is operating. You will observe less of a build on the hurt area, but a obtain is a get!

An excellent health and fitness suggestion is to start off performing cable tv crossovers. Cord crossovers are an easy way to develop the interior pectoral muscle tissues. Even though it isn't the very best exercising to tack on muscle, it's continue to a pleasurable exercise that can be a great add-on right at the end of your own torso exercise routine.

To cycling more proficiently, workout by biking making use of one particular lower leg. This procedure helps you figure out how to greatest spread the task across your leg muscle tissue if you make you to take into account tugging your lower body support on the stroke's bottom part. Have each toes shut in to the pedals, but simply allow one particular remain static. The very best method is half an hour every lower-leg, then five minutes of both legs.

Although boosting your health and fitness will take a lot of operate, you can do it! By increasing your level of fitness, you do not only boost your appearance, you also improve your overall health and well being. Getting fit and keeping yourself that way can make lifestyle much easier.

Source Nichole Shedden / Go