Set Up and Wrap Up for Work Out Success

There are many theories out there about what exactly works when preparing and recovering your body for or from exercise, but what really works? Let’s talk about it.
The importance of eating and drinking before exercise is often underestimated. You may think it’s better to go to the gym on an empty stomach, but if you think about it this way it might put it in to perspective for you. Normally, when you go eight or nine hours without eating you’re starving. Remember, that’s what’s happening after a night normal night of sleep. You can’t expect to run your car on an empty tank of gas and you should NOT expect that from your body. Giving your system something easy to digest, that is a quick source of sugar, is a great pre-workout snack (like an apple or a banana). Athletes know that carbohydrate filled meals are great before a race or game, but even a carb-rich snack pre-workout will top off your stored muscle energy (referred to as glycogen). I would recommend oatmeal or cereal with low fat milk here; it’s not too heavy and allows me to work out without an empty tank. Same goes for protein, we all know protein helps our bodies build muscle, but it also helps repair it. If you eat enough protein before you hit the gym or compete; you could limit your muscle soreness. Sounds great right? I don’t know anyone who’s a fan of walking around like they’ve got something stuck up you know where, and you all know exactly what I’m talking about; especially after lunges!
When it comes to hydration, you should begin your fluid consumption an hour before you start exercising and continue throughout to replenish what you’re losing through sweat. Water is enough if you’re exercising for around sixty minutes. Those of you who workout out for longer than sixty minutes, whether it’s because you’re training for a sport or you’re a distance runner, a sport drink is a better option for you.  You need to replace the electrolytes we talked about previously in the Diet Soda Fiend entry.
When it comes to recovery, I want to talk about a couple different options. The essential goal of recovery is to restore what you lost, replace muscle fuel, and provide the ideal aid to repair the muscle tissue you just damaged.  Sports drinks are great here like I said before, but there are other options that we’ve been told about in recent findings for example: chocolate milk, cherry juice, and Clif Bars.
(Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition: SCAN, 2009).
1. Chocolate Milk:  Drinking 1% chocolate milk is one of the best recovery items out there. Two cups of this can give the body around 300 calories, 52 grams of carbohydrates, about 15 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat. It does contain some saturated fat and is fairly high in sugar, but as an occasional glycogen-boosting drink after a workout, chocolate milk is a perfect option. Just don’t incorporate it into every meal thinking you’re doing your body good.  It is caloric and high in sugar; just use it when you need it.
2. Cherry Juice: I read an article in Men’s Health Magazine on this one, pretty recently.  In the study, 10 men were given an ounce of CherryActive cherry juice twice a day, then did a lower-body workout specifically designed to make them tired and sore (how fun). Within 24 hours, their muscles bounced back to 91 percent of their original strength. This compares with 85 percent recovery when they drank a placebo. It may not be a huge difference, but when you’re a looking to train every day, this could be a great option for you to try. Why not increase your strength by six percent if you could? Even better, when participants were consuming this juice researchers found fewer indicators of muscle damage within the blood.  Cherries are packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which apparently help with muscle inflammation (I’m learning too)!
3. Clif Bars: These are all natural energy bars, made up of organic ingredients! They are a great option both pre and post work out.  With information from the website, I just chose an example Chocolate Chip Clif Bar to talk about here.  This bar contains over 23 vitamins and minerals it’s only 240 calories, low in fat, high in fiber, a great source of  complex carbohydrates; these bars speak for themselves. Check out their website, you’ll be impressed.

SCAN also has a list of snack ideas to fuel muscle growth I thought was worth sharing: flavored milk, nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew) and crackers or whole wheat toast, granola with low fat milk, cottage cheese and salsa with tortilla chips, trail mix with dried fruits and nuts, meal replacement shakes, and I’m adding in my own personal favorite Greek yogurt.

Lastly, here’s a workout move targeting the shoulders, upper back, and core that I love!
Stability Ball Shoulder Press

1. Sit in upright position on a ball.
2. Start position: Position dumbbells to ear level with an overhand grip (palms facing forward).
3. Press hands up above head keeping wrists over the elbows and arms moving parallel to body at all times.
4. Return to start position.
5. Remember to keep back and head straight in a neutral position - hyperextension or excessive flexion may cause injury.
6. Complete 2 sets of 12-15 repetitions.

Diet Soda Fiend?

Okay, so I had a friend request a little advice on diet soda, and after I responded to her message tailored specifically to her, I thought it might be worth throwing it on the new ThinWithAGrin Facebook Page and the blog site here.
First I'm going to tell you what I know currently know and do about my secret love for Diet Pepsi with Lime. This particular friend and sorority sister of mine reached out and told me that she really doesn’t like water. She’s not alone, I hear it a lot. “Water is so boring,” but drinking diet soda in place of water is a tricky situation. I can't sit here and tell you DO NOT DRINK DIET SODA, YOU’RE SO BAD, because then I'd be being hypocritical. I have a Diet Pepsi with my own added lime about once (sometimes twice) a week, but it took me time to get to that point. If it's the caffeine you need or crave, try switching to green tea, less caffeine but it’s another situation where you’re getting more bang for your buck! You can even make your tea with carbonated water (my sister taught me that) beat that urge for carbonation!  Tea is affordable and also does great things for your body in terms of antioxidants and metabolism, naturally. Name brand doesn't matter either, for the record.
What I really think is that we should limit ourselves to one diet soda each day (or wean yourself off slowly- whatever it takes so you don’t get the caffeine shakes). (This is where you should remind yourself or let me tell you that caffeine is a DRUG! Addictive qualities and all, don't forget that). If you're drinking diet soda in place of something like water, your body is missing out on the nutrients it NEEDS from water; or something similar. Moderation is key, just like anything else! I also thought diet soda was a great alternative until I realized that artificial sweeteners in them can actually contribute to bloating, causing our bodies to retain water (we hate bloating, right?).
*In regards to children, allowing kids to drink diet soda does a "number" on the strength of their growing bones (preventing proper calcification). Parents, put your foot down. Please and thank you, they'll thank you later!
So, here's what I do instead. If you’re drinking diet soda it’s probably because you don’t want the calories of a regular soda.  I read somewhere (I have no idea where) that most American’s get over 30 some percent of their calories from liquid, that’s what causes weight gain. Thinking you’re just enjoying a few glasses of, let’s say, cranberry juice each day, these juices are loaded with sugar and can add an approximately 500 calories to your diet just in liquid, no bueno.  Anyways, I drink the Powerade Zero and new zero calorie Propel ALL the time. I buy the ones that are huge, about 4 servings in each container, and they will provide you with more of the vitamins and minerals you’re missing out on when you’re living artificial sweetened liquid diet. (Vitamin B6, B3, &B12).
*These B vitamins are also associated with stress relief, so maybe a switch could help you in more ways than one. :) I know that because I take a B-Complex vitamin which has been proven to help with stress; I basically do it for my boyfriend. He’d probably leave if I didn’t! (Totally kidding, but it helps).
I can usually find these Powerades for a dollar each (advertised like 5 for 5 or 10 for 10) and if not a dollar, for something close, like a dollar and fifteen cents. Considering they have 4 servings per bottle, they last me a while and are within my unemployed budget. Most of all, they taste good! These drinks are going to provide you with electrolytes you're missing like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium too. You are probably getting sodium from your soda, but what does sodium do? It causes us to retain water, so diet soda is like a double bloating whammy. BOO!  Without these essential electrolytes and nutrients you're going to feel drained, but the caffeine intake in your soda is hiding that from you.  Adding these nutrients to sport drinks is the way to replenish the athlete.
*If you’re an athlete just finishing up a tournament, game, practice, or just someone working out, go ahead and DOWN a regular or low calorie Powerade/Gatorade.  Your body just did a whole lot for you and deserves a little payback.  But now that we have a zero calorie option, it's totally doable as a switch for someone looking to kick the diet soda habit, who may not be as active as they’d like or have time for.
* Another random thing, there's now a new Orange Juice and Apple juice that have half the calories and sugar, only 50 calories per serving (8 fl oz.). Those are the vitamins and nutrients you're missing out on by filling up on diet soda. Get an entire serving of Vitamin C in one 8 oz. glass, and it’s a great source of Potassium as well. (Folic acid too, great for women looking to prevent birth defects in future children).  The brand is Tropicana, and it’s called “Trop 50.”
So, after sharing what I currently knew I did a little research on artificial sweeteners and diet soda. Here's what I found (in regards to long term drinking of the diet soda). According to the National Cancer Institute and some other agencies, there's no for sure scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the United States cause cancer or other serious health problems. And numerous research studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are generally safe in LIMITED quantities. With that being said, I recommend just cutting back if you’re a little diet soda fiend.  Trying out the Powerade Zero or Propel Zero is a great option so your body is getting what it needs to be the best it can be.  But remember we need calories to survive; it gives us energy and keeps our metabolisms revved up. When we aren't taking in enough calories our bodies go into "starvation mode" thinking, "AH, when am I going to get food again?" I’ve probably said that in a previous entry (sorry).  When this happens our metabolisms shut down to preserve what we've currently got running through our systems to nourish us.  Keeping your metabolism up by eating small frequent meals, paying attention to appropriate calorie intake for your activity level and age, and cutting back on the diet soda; I’d bet my left arm you’ll notice a change. Not instantly, but I would think pretty darn soon. Your body needs time to adjust...but it will love you for it, and so will the scale.

NOW: Another request answered here--here's a workout move that I swear by for core strengthening but it focuses on the lower portion of the abdominal muscles (the problem for most of us). If you have a hard time with the balance of this, start by just holding the initial position for 30 second intervals. You'll definitely feel the burn baby!

www.bodybuilding.com <---GREAT RESOURCE

1. Place an exercise ball nearby and lay on the floor in front of it with your hands on the floor shoulder width apart in a push-up position.
2. Now place your lower shins on top of an exercise ball.
   Tip: At this point your legs should be fully extended with the shins on top of the ball and the upper body should be in a push-up type of position being supported by your two extended arms in front of you. This will be your starting position (the one you should hold if you're not quite to the point of moving to step two of the exercise).
3. While keeping your back completely straight and the upper body stationary, pull your knees in towards your chest as you exhale, allowing the ball to roll forward under your ankles. Squeeze your abs and hold that position for a second.
4. Now slowly straighten your legs, rolling the ball back to the starting position as you inhale.
5. Do 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions, if you can. If not, let listen to your body. Start out slow and you'll get there.

-Alexis

Health "Guidelines" You May Not Want To Follow

I've been struggling with a topic choice for about a week now, and today at the gym I FINALLY came up with something. As American's there is always some sort of expert health advice being thrown at us, whether it's Dr. Oz, Dr. Gupta, The Doctor's talk show, whatever; but some of this advice is not appropriate for everyone. I remember reading a story in Prevention Magazine a while back about a woman who was following the food pyramid guidelines as a weight loss program. After a few weeks into the program she went to her doctor complaining that she was feeling bloated and and had diarrhea.  The doctor recommended that she take in more fiber, and that advice almost killed her.  She was later diagnosed with celiac disease--her immune system attacks the gluten found in grains, while doing damage to her small intestine at the same time. This gluten free "hype" (for lack of a better word) is something we are all becoming more familiar with as the gluten free products are starting to be advertised publicly. The point of the story is this, that her doctor's advice which in some cases could be a solution for people, almost killed her.
*For the record, I'm still confused why he recommended fiber to someone complaining of diarrhea? No offense to the physician in this situation, I'm no doctor. Makes sense for bloating, but...?
Here's some typical advice that is actually wise for most people--but we're all different. When it comes to your individual health, things should be tailored from person to person; starting with your fitness routine.  Normally, expert advice would be that vigorous workouts do more for you than moderate ones. Look at it this way, you lead a sedentary lifestyle and your main goal is to LOSE the weight you've gained. If you start working out extremely hard and your body is not used to it, you're going to tire out so quickly that it won't even allow you to burn enough calories to actually lose weight. Seems logical right?
*A 2003 study of 184 women found that walking at a moderate pace for at least 150 minutes each week had the same effect as someone working out more intensely for shorter periods of time. In fact, women who were told to do long sessions of moderate exercise lost about the same amount as women who worked harder for shorter bursts--15 to 18 pounds on average (Prevention Magazine). To lose weight, work out 3-5 days each week at a pace you can maintain for 30-40 minutes.  Walking is the simplest way to exercise, you need shoes and ground, there are no excuses for this one. Nice try though. ; )
Now for food and drink, normal nutritional advice would be to eat plenty leafy green vegetables, but this must be tailored if you have a heart condition and take a blood thinner called Coumadin. (I can thank my internship in cardiovascular rehabilitation for this segment of information). This drug is a blood thinner, and the Vitamin K in it prevents clotting. Just like everything else though, too much of anything can do bad things. Vitamin K is abundant in leafy green vegetables, and too much can overwhelm your safeguard (heart doc's dosage). If you're on this medication, do not exceed more than one serving each day.
How about this one? Drink 8 glasses of water each day, typical health advice right? But if you have bladder control problems you should probably think twice about that. You might be able to avoid accidental flow if you decrease your fluid intake. You should also avoid natural diuretics like caffeine, alcohol, and herbal teas.  According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, twenty percent of our water intake each day actually comes from food. So just watch the color of your urine, yes check it out! Dark yellow/orange usually means you are dehydrated (deprived of necessary fluid), and if your urine is light colored, your probably drinking enough.
*Random fact, if your lips are dried out, it's also a sign of dehydration in some cases. Bottom line here, listen to your body.
Lastly, I know this blog entry isn't necessarily targeting the college age group and young/middle aged adults like the previous ones, but I thought this information was important enough for those of you reading it, to pass on to your parents or grandparents (and if you're lucky enough great-grandparents).  Again, normal health advice from a professional would be lower blood pressure is better. I mean, even I was sure that was the case throughout my clinical hours in the cardiovascular unit ; but blood pressure also has to be tailored by individual. If you have Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), getting down to 120/80 (the ideal or normal range) is great (lowering your risk of heart attack, stroke, etc.), but any lower could cause problems. You're going to need a little extra pressure to get that blood moving through those arteries that have been narrowed by plaque build up.
 *Another statistic, courtesy of Prevention Magazine; a study done on more than 22,000 people with CAD who dropped the bottom number of their blood pressure (diastolic pressure) to less than 70, doubled their chance of heart attack or death. However, there is one case where this changes. Lower than normal blood pressure is okay in patients who have had an angioplasty, where the vessels have been cleared out, or bypass surgery, where their vessels are rerouted through a "youthful" vessel.
*Both of these procedures, mostly the quadruple bypass I had the opportunity to stand in on, were absolutely mind blowing. These surgeons are miracle workers. They saved my grandpa's life just in time! So, thanks Dr. Marks! : )
The last medication I'll talk about is usually considered the safest, acetaminophen (Tylenol).  It's gentle on an empty stomach, works for a lot of different sources of pain, is fast acting, long lasting, but there's a catch with this one too. If you drink alcohol, even one drink a day, you should be extremely careful with your dosage of acetaminophen. There's a warning written on the bottle, but I have witnessed many of my college friends "pop" Tylenol before heading to the bar in hopes it'll ease their hangover in the morning, WRONG! Dr. Donald Jensen, a board member of the American Liver Foundation, stated that combining these two "drugs" primes the liver for trouble. He says, four grams of acetaminophen is the maximum dosage for a day, but if you even have ONE drink you should not exceed two grams. <-- College students, that one's for you!

Have great week!
-Alexis